WICKED challenge in new colors

I just posted the June WICKED challenge on SCS. The WICKED stamper this month is the sweet and talented Dawn Olchefske. I've actually met Dawn and got to see her demonstrate at the Minneapolis Regional a couple of years ago.
One of her challenges was to use buttons. I was inspired by a gift card I just bought, and I decided to be brave and cut into my new color samples since I get to order more tomorrow. The card base is Cajun Craze (4X5 since we got an 8X10 piece). I punched 3 circles each from Daffodil Delight, Marina Mist, Cherry Cobbler and Early Espresso. I laid out the circles on the card base to get an idea of how I wanted them to look. Then I took one circle away and stamped the dotted circle image from Circle Circus using VersaMark. I cut a thin strip of Early Espresso and tied it through the clear button like ribbon and adhered it with a mini glue dot. I adhered the circles then trimmed the edges.
I think this would be a great masculine card! And I love how it showcases the new colors. Don't they look great together? What do you think?
Happy stamping!

Summer Mini items

This photo features 3 items from the Summer Mini: On Board Briefcase book, Travel Journal DSP and In A Word stamp set. I love this chipboard mini-album! They call it a briefcase, but it sure looks like a suitcase to me! It's perfect for scrapbooking a short trip. The DSP coordinates with the Sentimental Journey stamp set. The DSP colors are Kraft (Crumb Cake), Garden Green, Pumpkin Pie, Night of Navy and Bashful Blue. The stamp set features an airplane, car, suitcase, ship, compass, and the words Detour, Travel and Journey.
Happy stamping!

Z-fold Card

This week's workshop wow is the Z-fold card. This is such a fun and easy fold! Start with a 4 1/4" X 11" piece of cardstock. Score at 2 3/4" and 5 1/2". The front folds back on itself.
To add the wow factor to my card, I used the new cog punch and smooch spritz. The cog punch is a double punch in that it punches twice to get both the cogs and holes to punch out. It punches the holes first and then the cog shape. The punched pieces come from inside the punch instead of out through the bottom.

To create the corner pieces, I started with the photo corner and then layered on the cogs. I sprayed both the corners and cogs with Gold Foil smooch spritz and then Log Cabin smooch spritz on top. I also sprayed both colors onto the card itself.

Supplies (all SU): Stamps: Loads of Love, Loads of Love Accessories; Paper: Confetti White, Sahara Sand, Riding Hood Red, Not Quite Navy, Basic Gray; Ink: Jet Black StazOn; Accessories: watercolor crayons, aquapainter, cog punch, chipboard, jumbo brad, Basic Gray taffeta ribbon, photo corner punch, Gold Foil and Log Cabin smooch spritz
Happy stamping!

Pop Art

Yesterday, I was looking through some of my Stampin' Success magazines, and I came across a page about Pop Art. That reminded me that I had seen a pop art card using Sock Monkey a while back. So I got busy and created one of my own. I stamped Sock Monkey four times (twice on Bashful Blue and So Saffron) then punched them out with the 1 1/4" square punch. They are layered on Basic Black punched with the 1 3/8" square. The mat is a 3" square of Old Olive. The card base is Temping Turquoise with Sanded stamped in Tempting Turquoise and spritzed with Tempting Turquoise ink. I colored the image with my chalks in Real Red, Tempting Turquoise, Old Olive, Bashful Blue and So Saffron.
Supplies (all SU): Stamps: Sock Monkey, Sanded; Paper: Bashful Blue, So Saffron, Basic Black, Old Olive, Tempting Turquoise; Ink: Tempting Turquoise, Jet Black StazOn; Accessories: square punches, color spritzer, Real Red satin ribbon, stampin' pastels
Happy stamping!

Lots of flowers

I just loved the Sweet Pea felt in the Occasions Mini, and I can't believe it's gone already when I have so much of it left! OK, I'm a hoarder, but I'm trying!
I stamped the image from Simply Said in Old Olive and then chose a variety of accessories to use for the flowers: Sweet Pea felt, Hodgepodge Hardware, Flower Fusion, Filigree brads. Since there was so much going on with the main image, I kept the rest of the card simple.
Supplies (all SU): Stamps: Simply Said, Teeny Tiny Wishes, Tres Chic; Paper: Whisper White, Chocolate Chip, Rose Red; Ink: Old Olive, Rose Red; Accessories: Sweet Pea felt, Flower Fusion, Filigree brads, Styled Silver Hodgepodge Hardware, word window punch, modern label punch
Happy stamping!

Floral embossed card

Last Friday night was craft night. Rhonda brought her Cuttlebug, and she was kind enough to let me use it with her SU embossing folders. This card uses the Manhattan Flowers folder which coordinates with the Fifth Avenue Floral stamp set. (Yes, I know everyone was using these long ago, and I'm behind the times!)
I sprayed the embossed piece with Gold Foil Smooch Spritz before cutting it out and adhering it to my card.

Here's the inside of my card. I wanted you to see how I attached the embossed piece to the rest of the card. I created a hinge out of Pacific Point cardstock and adhered it to the back of the embossed piece. Then I adhered it between the Whisper White piece and the So Saffron backing. That way it's barely noticeable.

Supplies (all SU): Stamps: Fifth Avenue Floral; Paper: Whisper White, So Saffron, Pacific Point textured; Ink: So Saffron, Pacific Point; Accessories: Manhattan Flower embossing folder, Gold Foil Smooch Spritz
Happy stamping!

Grad card take 2

Mama asked for a grad card for a boy, so here's my masculine version of Friday's card. Almost everything is the same as Friday's card: Presto Patterns DSP, Happy Grad stamp, satin ribbon. I chose Bravo Burgundy as the main color (you could use the school colors as well) and Basic Black for the accent color. Instead of a flower, I created a diploma by rolling up a 2 1/2" wide piece of Whisper White cardstock and tying it with gold cord. It's too bulky to mail, but I love the look! How'd I do, Mama?
Happy stamping!

Grad card

I knew I'd need a couple of graduation cards this year, so I was very happy to see the graduation stamp that SU has in the Summer Mini catalog! I love that I have a useful stamp without having to buy a whole set. The Presto Patterns specialty paper is also from the Summer Mini. The pattern is glossy so that it resists the ink I applied, and that makes the pattern pop! This card is for a girl, so I added a little shimmer by using Shimmery White cardstock as well as applying Champagne shimmer paint to the white flower. The layout is a CASE of the Mother's Day card I got from Mama.
Supplies (all SU): Stamps: Happy Grad; Paper: Brocade Blue, Shimmery White, Presto Patterns; Ink: Brocade Blue; Accessories: aquapainter, sponge, Pretties Kit, ticket corner punch, white satin ribbon
Happy stamping!

WICKED spotlight

This month's WICKED stamper is Brandi Wiggins, AKA beedubya on SCS. One of her challenges for us this month is the spotlighting technique. I just love it! I got Fresh Cuts way back when it was a sneak peek set a few years ago, and I don't use it nearly as much as I should. Isn't it just perfect for this technique?
Supplies (all SU): Stamps: Fresh Cuts; Paper: Whisper White, Basic Gray, Old Olive; Ink: Basic Gray, Old Olive, Crushed Curry; Accessories: 1 1/4 and 1 3/8 circle punches, scallop trim border punch, aquapainter, cutter kit, Crushed Curry grosgrain ribbon
Happy stamping!

Card from Mama

Here is the Mother's Day card I got from Mama. Isn't it great?? I really hope that the Sweet Pea felt will be in the new catalog although I don't think it will happen since it sold out before the end of the mini catalog period. I think the DSP is Raspberry Tart, and I *think* that the sentiment is computer-generated.
P.S. She looked at her card on here even though I told her not to!
Happy stamping!

Faux Reptile (Mama, don't look!)

This is the card I made Mama for Mother's Day. It's also for this week's workshop wow challenge: faux reptile. You can get details on the technique here.
Now this is not a card you'd expect to see faux reptile on, but I really wanted to use Fifth Avenue Floral. So I went outside of the box!
Here's how I made my flowers. Start with a paper towel. I put drops of reinker all over mine (like for the baby wipe technique) then I sprayed it with water to dilute the ink a little and make sure that the colors all came together. I dried it with a heat tool then let it sit for a while to make sure it was dry. Coat it all with VersaMark then emboss with clear EP.
I stamped the flower 3 times, and I cut out one full flower and 2 partial pieces for layering.

Here is a close-up look at the flower so you can see the texture and shine that makes it look reptile. Please try this technique; it's a fun one!

Supplies (all SU): Stamps: Fifth Avenue Floral, Sanded; Paper: Whisper White, Baja Breeze, So Saffron; Ink: Basic Gray, Baja Breeze, Certainly Celery, So Saffron, Black StazOn; Accessories: paper towel, clear EP, heat tool, color spritzer, ticket corner punch, horizontal slot punch, Certainly Celery satin ribbon

Happy stamping!

Tulip card

Here is the other card from my last workshop. Thanks, Rhonda, for sending me this picture! The tulips are made from the wing from the 2-step bird punch. We punched 9 wings from Pale Plum cardstock and sponged them with Perfect Plum ink. That really adds a lot of depth! The stems are also from that punch.
The vase was made with 2 punches. First you punch the ornament punch then you adhere it to a scrap of copy paper and punch it with the large oval punch. (You could also use the wide oval punch.) We used Chocolate Chip textured cardstock and applied Champagne shimmer paint with a sponge dauber. (I saw this vase on a card that was on one of the boards at regional. So clever!)
The bow was made using the forkbow technique and Mellow Moss taffeta ribbon. I saw the forkbow demonstrated at regional. Yes, you use a fork to make the perfect bow. It's so easy! This bow was made using a meat fork (like you get with your silverware set). I'll try to make one later this week and take photos.
Come back on Wednesday to see a cool technique!
Happy stamping!