"Love is in the Air" Blog Hop (and RS#44)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Welcome to 2013! And welcome to our second monthly Blog Hop! We've chosen for our theme "Love is In the Air" and were told to just run with it. So here's what I came up with -- an elegant card perfect for Valentines Day, or just because you care:

Now, I have to give a little background. I don't really "do" Valentine's Day. It just isn't my thing. I don't particularly like the over-the-top romantic gestures, and I really am not a fan of pinks and reds and whites being thrown all over the place (not my favorite color combo). So when our group of Demonstrators decided to go with what first struck me as a VERY "Valentine's Day" theme, I was a little worried that I wouldn't like my project or that it would feel too "forced" or even too "cutesy."

But I love this card! I was inspired on the color palette by this card by Amy White. In fact, I set out to pretty much replicate her card - it's just so cute! But then I realized: Oh yeah, I don't really "do" the whole Valentine's thing. Which meant I didn't have any heart stamps, or any lovey-dovey stamp phrases, or even a heart-shaped punch! So instead of CASE-ing her card (Create And Share Everything--stampin' up lingo for ya), I took her idea and made it my own -- combined with this week's Retro Sketch Challenge. And the result is a card that I absolutely LOVE!

This week's Retro Sketch layout.
I just did mine sideways and flipped horizontally.

Be sure to check out the rest of our "Love is In the Air" blog hop! 

Hop Back: Julie Davidse 
Hop Forward: Kris Kilkenny

Thanks for visiting my blog! Feel free to stay awhile and check things out. As always, I love comments, so let me know what you think of my card and the blog hop!

Wedding card - Freshly Made Sketches #66

I made this card (belatedly, I admit) for my big brother's wedding. Their colors were purple and silver, and I thought this simple and elegant card was a lovely nod to their big day (which was now 3 weeks ago... but it's the thought that counts, right? ...Right?)

I love the elegant look to this card, and the Affection Collection stamp set (with the "Love" and "Always" stamps) was a huge part of that look. It's available in Stampin' Up!'s holiday catalog -- which ends on December 31! So if you like this set, hurry up and get it before it's no longer available! You can shop online anytime HERE. (How cool is that?)

After I made the card, I realized it matched this week's Freshly Made Sketches challenge - FMS66. I've always loved participating in the FMS challenges, so here's to hoping they like my card!

Here's their sketch:

Card details:
Stamps: Affection Collection (no longer available, as of Jan. 2013), Memorable Moments, Petite Pairs (inside)
Big Shot: Labels collection Framelits dies, Lacy Brocade Textured Embossing Folder
Cardstock: Whisper White, Elegant Eggplant
Ink: Elegant Eggplant, Versamark
Other: Whisper White ribbon, silver Embossing powder, Dimensionals, SNAIL adhesive

Retro Sketch #43

This week, my friend & fellow Stampin' Up! Demonstrator Julie Wadlinger and I decided to participate in the Retro Sketch Challenge #43. Here's what I came up with:

This great vintage birthday card for my cousin Amy, whose birthday is today (Happy birthday, Amy!) was easy to get started, but finishing touches just killed me! Luckily, we had another SU! Demonstrator joining us for our monthly crafting night, and she (Jill) gave me the idea to put the ribbon behind. I think it just totally makes the card, don't you?

Card Details
Stamps: Postage Due, Memorable Moments
Colors: Soft Suede, Very Vanilla, Night of Navy, Cajun Craze, Baja Breeze (ribbon)
Tools & Accessories: Fancy Fan Textured Embossing Folder, Top Note die, Postage Stamp punch, Basic Pearls, Dimensionals.

Gone Vintage

Lately I've noticed that my style of cards has been drifting. Instead of bold, more modern designs, I've been doing more of a style I thought I could never pull off -- vintage! Gasp! For so long, I'd look at cards that other people have made, and I'd "ooh" and "aah" over their gorgeous, vintage designs, then sign and resign myself to the "fact" that I simply couldn't make those cards work.

Well, was I ever proven wrong!

I LOVE doing these vintage style cards (especially the Christmas ones I posted a while ago -- gorgeous!, if I do say so myself). I love the texture and the colors. And the stamp designs that Stampin' Up! has are just fantastic! Can ya tell I'm kinda loving this whole vintage kick? Yeah? Ok, good; I was worried I was being too subtle about it all.  ;)

Anyway... moving on to the card! Inspired by a similar project I saw by Jeannine Tarrio, I made this card for my mother-in-law's birthday, using the Everything Eleanor set. (Which I got for free, btw -- gotta love Stampin' Up!'s reward system, eh?) So check it out: what do you think?

Some of the lovely details - roughed-up edges,
delicate pearls, faded ink. Love it!

 I also stamped some "wrapping paper" to match the card. (Yes, this is the back side of a brown grocery bag. And yes, it is WAY cheaper than wrapping paper.)

Card Supplies:
Stamps: Everything Eleanor, Birthday Wishes
Ink: Cherry Cobbler, Soft Suede
Paper: Very Vanilla, Soft Suede, Crumb Cake, brown paper sack
Tools & Accessories: Apothecary Accents Framelits Die (Big Shot), Finishing Touches Edgelit (Big Shot), Paper Snips (cutting out flowers, placing pearls), Basic Pearls, sponge


So what do you think? What are some of your favorite design styles?

Holiday Shimmer Hop! (Plus FM87)

To kick off the holiday season (welcome to December, everyone!), some fellow Stampin' Up! demonstrators and I decided to get together and do a holiday blog hop. We've all created fantastic projects to show off some of our favorite products and techniques, so be sure to check out everyone's blogs. Our theme? Shimmer! Totally perfect for the holiday season, huh?

I couldn't pick just ONE sparkly project (how could I, with so many fun options?). So today I have TWO cheerful, festive, and sparkly projects to show you: a card and a gift.

The sparkle on my "Merry" card is just in small bursts, but I really love the touch of "something extra" it gives the image.

Here's a close-up so you can see the sparkle a little better.
Don't you just love it??

Card Supplies:

Paper: Crumb Cake, Cherry Cobbler, and Very Vanilla CS; Be of Good Cheer DSP

Stamps: Greetings of the Season, Beautiful Season

Ink: black StazOn (base image), Soft Suede (greeting); water colored with Gumball Green, Basic Grey, Soft Suede; Cherry Cobbler Stamp 'n' Write© Marker

Tools & Embellishments: Scallop Square die (on the Big Shot) and Cherry Cobbler Dazzling Details, SNAIL adhesive (as always)

This next project is one I made for the Friday Mash Up challenge (FM87), which is to make a gift project and/or to use their inspiration photo. My project is a gift, and I used the silver glimmer paper like they did in their photo, so I kinda got both elements in there! I got the idea for the adorable candy tray from Stuck On Stampin's "12 Days of Christmas" projects from last year. So cute! The tag has a LOT of sparkle, thanks to the Glimmer Paper from Stampin' Up!, the tray is scored & folded cardstock, and the candy is simply wrapped with some of our Be of Good Cheer DSP. Perfect little stocking stuffer or neighbor gift, if I do say so myself!

Project Supplies:
Paper: Cherry Cobbler CS (tray base), Very Vanilla CS (tag), Be of Good Cheer DSP (wrappers), Silver Glimmer Paper (tag backing)
Ink & tools: Cherry Cobbler, Scoring board (tray), Large scallop circle punch, handheld (1/16") punch
Stamp: Tags 'Til Christmas
Other: Hershey's minis & "pretzel" cellophane bags (from the party store), Cherry Cobbler Baker's Twine, SNAIL adhesive (as always)

Hop Back: Julie Davidse

Hop Forward: Kris Kilkenny