hello, sweetie!

4 Responses »
Jan 312012

Here’s another card I made for Operation Write Home, thinking it would be suitable for one of our military men or women to send home to his or her child.  Really, though, I suppose it could be given to someone of just about any age.  I combined the most recent Splitcoaststampers.com sketch challenge with the Sweet ‘n Sassy Digi Challenge that was posted last Friday.  Some of my oldest but most loved Basic Grey papers were put to use.  (I don’t know why I’ve been hoarding them because I have a duplicate never-used paper pad!)  Since the card is in response to a digi challenge, I used the digital version of this image; it’s also offered as part of a clear stamp set.  While I was working with it in Word, I added a sentiment of my own.

Supplies:
Digital Image: Cupcake Cocoa (Sweet ‘n Sassy Stamps)
Cardstock: Blushing Bride, Early Espresso (Stampin’ Up); Solar White (Neenah); designer papers from Blush 6″ x 6″ paper pad (Basic Grey)
Ink: printer ink
Other: markers (Copic); half pearls (KaiserCraft)

Posted by PH in VA at 8:00 am Basic Grey, Cards, Digital images, Operation Write Home, Splitcoast challenges, Sweet 'n Sassy Digi Challenges, Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps

sketchy Sunday

8 Responses »
Jan 292012

Good evening!  Today I’ve been working on a few cards using OWH Stars and Stamps sketches.

First I’ll show the card I made for last week’s sketch.  I liked the clean lines of this sketch and I think I may use it again in the future.  I did take the liberty of slightly widening the three designer paper strips, staggering their lengths, and using a corner rounder on them.  I also decided to use a shape different from the circle in the sketch.  I colored the windows to make it look like the lights were on.

The second card I have uses the sketch challenge that was presented today.  Once again, I chose to do something different than the circle presented in the sketch, and I also centered the main image panel on the downward strip.  The sentiment compelled me to use some bright colors.  This card is dedicated to girls who don’t like pink frilly stuff, LOL.  Even though it didn’t quite turn out the way I’d hoped, I’m satisfied with it.

 

So, there are two more cards for the shipment I’m planning to send in February!

Supplies for the home card:
Stamps: Right At Home (Hero Arts)
Cardstock: Bashful Blue, Sahara Sand, Delicate Dots designer papers (Stampin’ Up)
Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento)
Other: markers (Copic); corner rounder (EK Success)

Supplies for the girl card:
Stamps: Life is Good (Lizzie Anne Designs)
Cardstock: Pacific Point (SU); Paper Basics White (Papertrey Ink); designer paper from Hello Luscious 6″ x 6″ paper pad (Basic Grey)
Ink: Basic Gray (SU)
Other: watercolor pencils, blender pens (SU)

Posted by PH in VA at 9:00 pm Basic Grey, Cards, Lizzie Anne Designs, Operation Write Home, OWH Stars & Stamps sketches, Stampin' Up!

dragonfly smiles

6 Responses »
Jan 282012

Thanks to my husband’s parents, I used some Christmas money to treat myself to some new stamps.  You saw images from one new set on Wednesday’s post.  Today’s card uses another one.

For this card, I combined the January Sketch for You to Try layout with the current Desert Islands Craft Challenge to create another kid-friendly card for Operation Write Home.  The DICC itinerary items I chose were a monochromatic card, embossing, no designer paper (a shocker for me, LOL!), and a sentiment on the front of the card.  I stamped the “smile!” sentiment repeatedly on the white panel in the background, and then elaborated on that thought for the sentiment near the bottom of the card.  There is a little bit of Shimmerz paint on the dragonfly’s wings; I wanted to add some glitz to the card but still keep it gender-neutral. I think that fits in with this week’s Stars and Stamps blog Midweek Throwdown challenge to use glitter-free bling.

 

Supplies:
Stamps: Somebuggy Loves You (Sweet ‘n Sassy Stamps)
Cardstock: Gable Green, Green Galore, Glorious Green (Stampin’ Up); Solar White (Neenah)
Ink: Glorious Green (SU); Tuxedo Black (Memento)
Other: Victoria embossing folder (ProvoCraft); standard circle Nestabilities die (Spellbinders); markers (Copic); Angel Wings paint (Shimmerz)

Posted by PH in VA at 11:00 am Cards, Desert Islands Craft Challenge, Operation Write Home, OWH Midweek/Midmonth Throwdown, SFYTT sketches, Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps

hugs & kisses from Cocoa

1 Response »
Jan 252012

Today I’m excited to share that I was asked to be the guest designer for this week’s Sweet ‘n Sassy Stamps Inspiration Challenge!  This was a fun way for me to ink up some new-to-me Sweet ‘n Sassy stamps.  I used the current Sweet Stop sketch for my layout, but stretched it out to a rectangle.  I think the image works for the sketch “spin” to create a non-traditional valentine, don’t you? As I was attaching the layers, I had a sudden thought that it might look better if I rotated the sketch 180° so that the image wouldn’t be “looking off” the right edge of the card.  So I made that last-minute revision to the sketch.  I also decided to round the opposing corners to mimic the round shapes in the inspiration photo.  I took my color scheme from the photo, and I embossed the cherry panel with a swiss dots design embossing folder to imitate the little pinprick holes in the candle holders in the photo.  I really wanted to use my Cherry Cobbler seam binding for the ribbon part of the sketch, to go along with the red branch in the photo, but then I would have had to rearrange the papers used for the smaller panels on the card and I didn’t like the way that looked.  But I think the navy ribbon looks all right.

Enough babbling… here’s the card:

Supplies:
Stamps: Love From Cocoa (Sweet ‘n Sassy Stamps)
Cardstock: Night of Navy, Cherry Cobbler (Stampin’ Up); Vintage Cream (Papertrey Ink); designer papers from Boxer 6″ x 6″ paper pad (Basic Grey)
Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento)
Other: corner rounder punch, navy grosgrain ribbon (SU); Swiss Dots embossing folder (Provo Craft); premier colored pencils (Prismacolor); odorless mineral spirits (Houston Arts)

Posted by PH in VA at 10:00 am Cards, Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps

winter wonderland

1 Response »
Jan 242012

The current Lawnscaping challenge is called Winter Wonderland.  I have to confess I almost didn’t make a card for this challenge because winter seems like it’s nearly over for a couple of reasons.  One, it’s almost the end of January and we haven’t had any measurable snow here in the Shenandoah Valley since the freak snowstorm at the end of October 2011.  Two, I sent my last winter-themed cards to Operation Write Home before Christmas, and now I’m trying to get into the frame of mind for daffodils and Easter eggs.   But anyway, I stuck with it and came up with this card.  I used OWH Stars and Stamps sketch #104 for the layout.  It’s hard to see the little ribbon loop bow between the tails and the rhinestone. I stamped the animals on white cardstock and colored them with Copics, then cut them out and attached them to the light blue squares.

At any rate, I now have a winter-themed card ready to send to OWH in the fall!

Supplies:
Stamps: Critters in the Snow (Lawn Fawn)
Cardstock: Soft Sky, Basic Black (Stampin’ Up); Luxury White (Gina K. Designs)
Ink: Soft Sky (SU); Tuxedo Black (Memento)
Other: black grosgrain ribbon, rhinestone (SU); markers (Copic)

Posted by PH in VA at 11:00 am Cards, Lawn Fawn, Lawnscaping challenges, Operation Write Home, OWH Stars & Stamps sketches

birthday thoughts

1 Response »
Jan 212012

Sorry for the lack of posts this week.  I’ve had some distractions and have also struggled with finding the desire to create.  I did come up with one birthday card, though, which I sent to a friend.  I used a recent Splitcoaststampers.com sketch challenge layout and a lot of retired Stampin’ Up papers for this one.

All supplies are from Stampin’ Up unless otherwise noted.
Stamps: On Your Birthday
Cardstock: Almost Amethyst, Basic Gray, Tea Party designer series paper
Ink: Basic Gray
Other: pink buttons (SU); embroidery floss (DMC)

Posted by PH in VA at 11:30 pm Cards, Splitcoast challenges, Stampin' Up!

a little sweet, a little sassy

Comments Off on a little sweet, a little sassy
Jan 142012

Today’s post is to quickly share a couple cards I made for last weekend’s Sweet ‘n Sassy Stamps release party at Splitcoaststampers. The images and sentiments used on both of them were originally offered as digital images (which is how I purchased them), but now they are part of a really cute stamp set called “Punny Fruits and Veggies”.

First is a card I made using the Splitcoaststampers sketch challenge #366 layout.  I paper pieced the beet and its leaves.  It’s been a long time since I’ve put this many layers on a card, LOL!

 

The next card is simpler, and uses one of the older Stars and Stamps blog sketches for its layout.

And now I have two more kid-friendly cards to send to Operation Write Home! 🙂

 

Supplies for the beet card:
Digital image: Can’t Be Beat (Sweet ‘n Sassy Stamps)
Cardstock: Kiwi Kiss, Western Sky designer paper (Stampin’ Up); papers from Offbeat 6″ x 6″ paper pad (Basic Grey)
Ink: printer ink
Other: standard circle Nestabilities dies (Spellbinders)

Supplies for the orange card:
Digital Image: Orange You Sweet (Sweet ‘n Sassy Stamps)
Cardstock: Whisper White, Basic Black textured, Bali Breeze designer paper (Stampin’ Up)
Ink: printer ink

Posted by PH in VA at 11:00 am Cards, Digital images, Operation Write Home, OWH Stars & Stamps sketches, Splitcoast challenges, Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps

last minute Lawnscaping

1 Response »
Jan 112012

The Lawnscaping Challenge blog is celebrating its birthday!  Although they announced their birthday challenge back on January 2, I’ve had a really hard time deciding what I wanted to create for it.  I finally came up with this idea about an hour ago and got it made and photographed so I can submit it before tonight’s 11:59 pm deadline.

It’s a pretty simple card.  I let the designer paper do most of the work for me. The banner and birds are popped up with dimensional adhesive.

 

 

I’ve been enjoying the Lawnscaping challenges so far, and I hope to participate in all of them in 2012!  (It’s a nice goal, yes? :))

Supplies for today’s card:

Stamps: Sophie’s Sentiments, Bannerific (Lawn Fawn)
Cardstock: Luxury White (Gina K. Designs); designer papers from Phoebe 6″ x 6″ paper pad (Basic Grey)
Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento)
Other: dimensionals (Stampin’ Up)

Posted by PH in VA at 10:30 pm Basic Grey, Cards, Lawn Fawn, Lawnscaping challenges

a flurry of butterflies

6 Responses »
Jan 092012

This week’s CAS challenge at Splitcoaststampers is to use die cuts on your project.  I decided to pair that challenge with this week’s Stars and Stamps blog sketch.  And this card came together really quickly, allowing me to add one more to my stash for Operation Write Home.

Supplies:
Stamps: Right at Home (Hero Arts)
Cardstock: Luxury White (Gina K. Designs); designer papers from Kioshi 6″ x 6″ paper pad (Basic Grey)
Ink: Elegant Eggplant (Stampin’ Up)
Other: Beautiful Wings die (SU)

Posted by PH in VA at 7:00 am Cards, Hero Arts, Operation Write Home, OWH Stars & Stamps sketches, Splitcoast challenges

popping up

6 Responses »
Jan 072012

It took me a little while, but I think I’m finally feeling creative again after a holiday hiatus.  A good sketch challenge always serves as a good springboard, and this week’s Stars and Stamps blog sketch was a nice and easy one.  The Stars and Stamps Midweek Throwdown challenged us to stop fondling the crafty Christmas gifts we received and go ahead and use them.  So I combined the two challenges for today’s card.  The stamps I chose were a gift from my son.  I decided to use the mirror image of the sketch so the toast and toaster wouldn’t be “looking off the edge” of the card.  The toast and the toaster were fussy cut from scraps and attached with dimensional adhesive.

 

Supplies:
Stamps: Love ‘n Breakfast (Lawn Fawn)
Cardstock: Pumpkin Pie, Naturals Ivory, Brushed Silver (Stampin’ Up)
Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento)
Other: markers (Copic); ribbon (Offray)

Posted by PH in VA at 10:00 pm Cards, Operation Write Home, OWH Midweek/Midmonth Throwdown, OWH Stars & Stamps sketches, Stampin' Up!

a cardmaker's dozen for 2012

4 Responses »
Jan 032012

Happy New Year!  I hope the year has gotten off to a wonderful start for you.

Today I’m taking a look back at my favorite cards from the past year.  I decided to chose one from each month, and throw in one extra for good measure.  After all, a “baker’s dozen” is more than 12.  😉  Links to the original posts can be found under each photo; you can click on them if you’d like details on each card.

January

 

February

 

March

 

April

 

May

 

June

 

July

 

August

 

September

 

October

 

November

 

December

 

Bonus!

 

It was interesting to me to realize that all of these cards were made either for a blog hop or for a challenge.  Does that mean I do the work I end up liking best when I’m working under pressure?

Thank you for taking this trip down memory lane with me.  I hope that 2012 brings all the best to you and your loved ones!

Posted by PH in VA at 8:00 am Cards
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