Paper Smooches Sparks | Anything Goes

Good morning! Today I have a card for this week's Paper Smooches Sparks challenge... Anything Goes! I love these challenges because I can play around with my Paper Smooches stamps & dies without any restrictions. :)

I used the Sweet Hearts and Love Struck stamp sets, and the Toppers and Love dies. I inlaid the "love" die cuts into the light pink cardstock... a really fun technique! And the results are beautiful. The tiny hearts are sequins that I've had forever, and I used some white enamel dots by My Mind's Eye.

I hope you can play along with us this week! Check out the rest of the DT and their awesome cards:

Alice

Erin (me)

Jenny

Katie

Larissa

Lori

Lynn

Savannah

Thanks for stopping by and have a great week! 

RetroSketches | Challenge #121

It's Saturday, which means it's time for another RetroSketches challenge and card! 

I pulled out one of my past Studio Calico kits, Taffy, for today's card. I love this stamp set by Mama Elephant for SC. The balloons and matching dies make the best birthday cards. 

I used Stampin' Up's Pool Party and Pistachio Pudding inks for the balloons. The two patterned papers are from the Taffy kit, and the sequins, enamel dots, and letter stickers are all from Studio Calico. 

I hope you can join us this week for the latest RetroSketches challenge! 

CAS(E) this Sketch | Challenge #82

Happy Friday, friends! Today I have a card for this week's CAS(E) this Sketch challenge. 

The little monster on the sketch is too cute. :)  But after playing with Friendly Flowers earlier this week, I wanted to create another card with this fun set. I stamped the flowers with Memento Luxe Lilac Posies and Rose Bud ink, and the background (PTI's Background Basics: Venice) with Papertrey Ink's Soft Stone ink. The leaves were stamped with Memento Luxe Pear Tart ink. 

I'll be back tomorrow with next week's RetroSketches card. Thanks for stopping by! 

Papertrey Ink | June Blog Hop

Hello there! I have a card for this month's Papertrey Ink June Blog Hop. Nichole gave us a lot of choices for inspiration this month; a photo, color combinations, and sketches. I played with one of the color combinations for my card. 

I switched out Tropical Teal for Hawaiian Shores, but followed the rest of the color recipe exactly. 

My June release order arrived a few days ago, and I was thrilled to use Dawn's new Friendly Flowers stamp set in combination with my Life is Beautiful dies. I used a Spring Rain button for the center of butterfly, and Raspberry Fizz twine. The enamel dots are from My Mind's Eye.
 

I used Papertrey Ink's cardstock vellum for the butterfly. The weight and texture of this vellum is great, and it isn't as transparent as other vellum paper I've used. 

Thanks for stopping by and have a great week!

Paper Smooches Sparks | Designer Drafts Challenge

Good morning! Today I have a card for this week's Paper Smooches Sparks Designer Drafts Challenge. The sketch is basic, but versatile, and I had fun creating a cute paper pieced card using Enjoy the Show and Teen Routine. I don't own the Enjoy the Show dies yet, but every time I fussy cut the elephant I regret not purchasing them! Oh, how I love matching dies. 

Here is this week's sketch:

And here is my card. The blue patterned paper, vellum overlay, chartreuse patterned paper, and gray polka dot patterned paper are from various Studio Calico kits. I stamped "friend", from Teen Routine, with Memento Tuxedo Black ink and colored in the open spaces with an aqua Copic marker. The clear acrylic stars, puffy stars, and blue button are also from Studio Calico.

You can check out the rest of the design team, and their fabulous cards, here:

 Alice

Angeline

Jenny

Savannah

I hope you can join us this week! Thanks for stopping by.

RetroSketches | Challenge #120

One of my favorite blogs is Susan Raihala's Simplicity by Late Blossom blog. I love her CAS style and her "use what you have" mentality. One of her personal goals is to use every image stamp she owns at least once. I love this idea, but I have a l-o-n-g way to go to use every single stamp image that I own! 

I don't know if it's realistic for me to have the same goal, but I've started by using some of my Stampin' Up! stamp sets. Field Flowers is one of those beautiful but unloved sets sitting on my shelf, and the big flowers worked perfectly for today's card. I know I'm not using my Stampin' Up! stamps as much because most don't have matching dies... but I remember the days before matching dies, and I was darn good at fussy cutting my stamped images. I wanted the flowers to have dimension, so I stamped the stems and leaves onto white cardstock, then stamped the flowers onto another sheet of white cardstock before fussy cutting them and adhering them with dimensional adhesive. 

(Supplies - Stamps: (Stampin' Up!) Field Flowers. (Papertrey Ink) Delightful Dahlia Additions. Ink: (Papertrey Ink) Harvest Gold, Summer Sunrise, Ripe Avocado, Black. Patterned Paper: (Stampin' Up!) Green Stripe. (Papertrey Ink) Summer Sunrise patterns pack.(Studio Calico) Gray background. Gems & Pearls: Hero Arts. Other: Button, white thread.)

The sentiments from Delightful Dahlia Additions are some of my favorite. The combination of fonts work on so many types of cards. This one is particularly lovely, and I have a wonderful friend who will be on the receiving end of this card.  

Here is this week's Retro Sketches sketch. I hope you can play along!

Thanks for stopping by and have a great week.

Digital Layouts | Pixels & Co.

Friday is always release day at Pixels and Company, and I have two layouts for this week's release. 

First up is a layout for Anita Designs. I used one of her new templates from A Story Captured Vol. 8 and the Far & Away collection. We just got back from a road trip, so this kit was a perfect match. I used three photos from our drive across the state, all from inside the Suburban Cindy and Ray rented for us.

(Supplies - Template: (Anita Designs) A Story Captured Vol. 8. Paper, wood veneer, border, brush, stickers: (Anita Designs) Far & Away. Staple: (Mommyish) Basically.)

My second layout features a new collaboration between Scotty Girl Designs and Mommyish called Q&A. Lots of neon, handwritten word stickers, graphic prints, and bright patterns. I toned it down a bit by using a neutral background & vellum overlay, a large 4x6 journaling block, and a 4x6 black and white photo. 

This kid? Totally rocks. And I love his genuine smile. Not his I'm-smiling-but-it-looks-like-I'm-in-pain smile that I'm getting way too much of lately.

 (Supplies - Background paper, journaling card, arrow, word stickers,brads: (Mommyish/Scotty Girl Designs) Q&A. Staples: (Mommyish) Basically. Date stamps: (Scotty Girl Designs) Date Stamps 2. Alpha: (Scotty Girl Designs) Stamped Alpha. Font: Georgia.)

I posted a three traditional layouts last night. You can view them by scrolling down or clicking here.

Is anyone else thrilled it's finally the weekend? It has been a l-o-n-g week and I am looking forward to some family time and sleep. And reading by the pool with a big glass of wine. :)

Have a wonderful Friday, friends. 

Traditional Layouts | Studio Calico

I've been diving into my Studio Calico kits lately, scrapbooking recent photos that I've had printed through Walgreens or Shutterfly. I love the Walgreens app for printing Instagram prints, and we have a Walgreens store less than one mile from our house. Win! 

I have a horrible time using only one kit to create layouts... I like to mix and match from different kits and collections. These three layouts combine several past and present Studio Calico kits, and I will list them under each title.  

June | Bold Intentions
Hello, Hello Project Life kit 
Cuppa Card kit 

A layout to document my goals for the month of June. I made this layout last week, and I'll admit, this list has pretty much gone to hell in a hand basket because Jack has been sick. Not sniffles-and-a-cough sick, but fever, vomiting, chills, and his sleep cycle is backwards, causing sleepless nights for all of us. It's not been fun. 

I'm hoping that Jack recovers by Sunday and we can start fresh next week. 

Soccer Star
Lancelot
Guinevere
Office Hours scrapbook kit

Mr. Jack, rocking his soccer outfit. Complete with soccer ball tank top, teeny tiny shin guards, and a Washington State University headband. Stylish for sure. 
 

Right Now
Office Hours scrapbook kit
Copper Mountain card kit

A fast and easy Q&A layout about Jack, just before he turned 5. I've done these Q&A type layouts before and it is always so fun to see their answers, and how much they change from year to year. 

I am hoarding my collection of burnished circles, also from Studio Calico. I don't think they are available anymore, but I love them!  

All 8.5x11 inch, single photo layouts. Not intentional, but I'm liking the simplicity and stories told. More room for journaling and fun embellishments, too. 

Check back tomorrow for a couple of layouts featuring two new releases at Pixels and Company. Thanks for stopping by!

Simon Says Stamp | Stencil Challenge

Do you ever buy products thinking you will love them, then have them sit in a bin for, well, a really long time, completely unused? 

When I first started scrapbooking, I was a major hoarder. Heidi Swapp mega flower pack from QVC for $16? Sold. 5,000 piece chipboard set? I'll take 2. Every sticker sheet that Scenic Route ever created? I have multiples. Over the years I have purged a lot of the crazier purchases (mini Heidi Swapp iron, anyone?), but every now and then I get caught up in the hype of trends and new products. A few months ago I went a little crazy with stencils and mists. I know, I know. Most people love them. And I love them too, in theory. But I have a really hard time using them. I don't like the "messy look", which is the whole point of using mists with stencils! 

My solution is to use my stencils with dye (or distress) ink and a blending tool, then lightly "flick" mist over the stenciled image. The result is a much cleaner look that doesn't make me break out in hives. 

For this card, I used one of Heidi Swapp's beautiful stencils and two inks from Papertrey Ink: Aqua Mist and Hawaiian shores. I used my Tim Holtz blending tool to apply Aqua Mist ink over the whole stencil, then added Hawaiian Shores ink to the edges. After I removed the stencil I added drops of Heidi Swapp Color Shine in Seafoam and Mint Green. 

I am submitting my card to this week's Simon Says Stamp Stencil challenge, and Anything Goes challenge.  

 (Supplies - Stamps: (Stampin' Up!) By the Seashore. (Papertrey Ink) Free thank you set from 2011. Ink: (Papertrey Ink) Aqua Mist, Hawaiian Shores. (Stampin' Up!) Crumb Cake, Soft Suede. Stencil: Heidi Swapp. Mist: (Heidi Swapp Color Shine) Seafoam, Mint Green. Cardstock: (Papertrey Ink) White, Sea Shimmer, Kraft, Aqua Mist, vellum. Dies: (Papertrey Ink) Double Edge Banner, Parisian Lace Doily, Notched Star Banner Collection, Small Scalloped Border. Button: Studio Calico. Ribbon: Papertrey Ink. Gems/pearls: Hero Arts.)

As much as I love CAS cards, sometimes it feels right to pile on the layers... and shimmer cardstock, gems, pearls, glitter mist, and vellum. :)

Thanks for stopping by and have a great week! 

RetroSketches | Challenge #119

Hi there! Today I have a card for this week's RetroSketches challenge. 

A while back I picked up an 8.5 x 11 inch "best of Maggie Holmes" paper pad from Michaels for $5 and it's been sitting, neglected, on my scrapbooking shelf since then. I love the feminine patterns and vintage papers, but I don't have a lot of girly photos to scrapbook. I pulled it out on Friday, hoping to use some of the papers for a card instead, and this is the result. 

I cut two of the patterns into strips, then alternated them on a piece of white cardstock. The vertical lines of the "I love you" paper give the look of the paper piecing of the sketch. After I adhered the paper strips, I adhere a piece of lightweight vellum on top to tone down the colors a bit. I stamped a polka dot circle from Simon Says Stamp's Cupcake Party stamp set and punched it out. The kraft/white butterfly is from Studio Calico's Bonjour kit. 

(Supplies - Stamps: (Papertrey Ink) Tag Its #1. Cardstock: (Neenah) Solar White. Patterned Paper: Maggie Holmes. Die: (Papertrey Ink) Double Edge Banner Die. Ink: (Memento Luxe) Rose Red. (Ranger) Archival Black. Kraft butterfly: (Studio Calico) Bonjour. Gems: (Studio Calico) Hello, Hello Main Kit. Button: (Studio Calico) Color Theory Pink Buttons. Other: Twine.)

I hope everyone has a wonderful Father's Day. Thanks for stopping by!

CAS(E) this Sketch | Challenge #80

Hi there! Today I have a card for this week's CAS(E) this Sketch Challenge. 

Last week I took a trip to Whim So Doodle in St. Petersburg with a dear friend of mine and I picked up a 6x6 paper pack from Webster's Pages' Our Travels collection. The soft blue, red, yellow, pink, and gray colors are beautiful together, and I used one of the small flower patterned papers as a background on my card.

The center strip of patterned paper is Papertrey Ink's Tropical Teal patterns pack, and the "hello" die cut was cut from PTI's Wonderful Words: Hello die and Stampin' Up's Poppy Parade cardstock. The gold "you make me smile" sticker (which was blown out by my flash!) is from Chic Tags.

To give the "hello" die some dimension, I die cut it four times from Poppy Parade cardstock, then adhered them together before adhering the stacked die cut to my card. The three flowers/dies are from Wplus9's Fresh Cut Florals stamp set
 

Thank you to Tracey and Jen for the wire cutting suggestions... it looks like I need to purchase wire snips! Hopefully that will solve my problem. :)

Have a wonderful weekend! 

ColourQ | Challenge #245

I had to have Studio Calico's Ciao kit when it was released earlier this month, and the stamp set is even cuter in person. I picked up the matching dies and used both to create a card for this week's ColourQ challenge. 

I have all the Stampin' Up! colors listed, but my Summer Starfruit ink was not giving a good impression, so I switched to Papertrey Ink's Harvest Gold ink. The patterned paper is also from Studio Calico's Ciao kit. The star sequins are a coral color in real life, but they reflected the flash and look clear/white in the picture.

I have to give a shout out to my hubby, who kindly used his dremel tool to cut apart the matching dies for this set. I usually do okay if the dies are wired together with two pieces of wire, but three and I have issues. He did ask if there is another way to detached wired dies... not everyone has a handy husband with a dremel tool. If anyone has a suggestion for me, I would appreciate it!

Have a great week!
 

CAS(E) this Sketch | Challenge #79

Hi there! I have a new card for this week's CAS(E) this Sketch challenge. I pulled out Papertrey Ink's Doodlie-Do stamp set and my Copic markers to create a one layer(ish) card. 

The flower and leaf images from Doodlie-Do are intricate, and I wanted to showcase this beautiful set with some simple monochromatic coloring. I used a variety of blue, teal, and aqua Copic markers. After I finished coloring, I added enamel dots to the center of each of the flowers, the largest leaf, and a few small circle accents on the large flower. I used Ranger Archival Jet Black ink for the sentiment. 

 (Supplies - Stamps: (Papertrey Ink) Doodlie-do, Embellishments. Ink: (Memento) Tuxedo Black. (Ranger) Archival Jet Black. Enamel Dots: My Mind's Eye. Markers: Copic. Cardstock: (Papertrey Ink) White, Aqua Mist.)

This sketch has a very graphic look, but I love these flowers and I think they work well here. 

That's it for me tonight! Have a wonderful week.

RetroSketches | Challenge # 118

I love this week's RetroSketches challenge... it's perfect for CAS cards!

I always need birthday cards, specifically for boys, so I pulled out Papertrey Ink's Tremendous Treats: Valentines and used three of the "boy" images. I stamped the dinosaur, plane, and boat with Memento Tuxedo Black ink, and used a combination of Spectrum Noir and Copic markers to color in the images. The Happy Birthday sentiment is from Paper Smooches Stamps' Digits stamp set. 

I hope you can play along with our challenge this week! Thanks for stopping by. 

CAS(E) This Sketch | Challenge #78

Once again, it is hours past my bedtime and I can hardly keep my eyes open... so this post will be brief!

I played along with this week's CAS(E) This Sketch challenge, creating a CAS card using three(!) different stamp manufacturers. Here's the sketch:

The paint splatter stamp is from a Studio Calico card kit... from last year? I'll find a link and post it tomorrow. The paint brush is from Paper Smooches Just a Note set, and the sentiment is from Papertrey Ink's Happy Trails stamp set. 

I used eight PTI inks for my card (top to bottom): Summer Sunrise, Raspberry Fizz, New Leaf, Aqua Mist, Limeade Ice, Berry Sorbet, Hawaiian Shores, and Hibiscus Burst. After I stamped the paint splatters, I found matching My Mind's Eye enamel dots to finish off my card.

I'm off to bed. Have a great week and thanks for looking. :)

Paper Smooches Sparks | Anything Goes

Good morning! I am thrilled that I was chosen to remain on the Paper Smooches Sparks design team, and today I have my first card for the new term. This week's theme is Anything Goes.

So... has anyone else purchased a stamp set, but not the dies, then totally regretted it? Yup, that's me and this card. All those pretty flowers I cut out by hand. And I placed another order last week and didn't add them to my cart... again! The Denim and Daisies stamp set is adorable, but the dies will make it even more versatile. 

I have many, many packs of enamel dots, but I usually use the small and medium dots first, leaving all the big dots in the package. I found that using the large enamel dots in the center of flowers add a pop of color, but also uses up those large enamel dots. Win-win. 

You can check out the rest of the team and their projects here:

Alice

Angeline

Jenny

Savannah

I hope you can play along with us this week. Have a wonderful Sunday! 

RetroSketches | Challenge #117

Hello, hello! It's officially summer vacation around here and the kids and I are already enjoying a few days of stress-free stay in our pajamas until noon time. And I've had some time in my office while the boys play in their rooms or on the xBox. I love having them home with me during the summer (until about August 1st, then I can't wait for school to start again!). 

I received my June Simon Says Stamp card kit in the mail earlier last week, and I used quite a few items from that kit for today's RetroSketches card. 

This sketch is based on one of my previous cards. And here is my retake:

I pressed the wood veneer flower into Memento Luxe ink to change the color, before using a glue dot to adhere it to my card. Quick and easy, with great results.

Check back in a bit for this week's Paper Smooches Sparks card!