Road Less Traveled

Got a little bit more stamping in this last week...always makes me feel good to be a little creative! Even if it means I don't get as much sleep as I should! My stamping time generally doesn't start until everyone is in bed, so if I get on a roll, I stay up too late!! Oh well!

This card is for Julee's Mojo Monday Sketch Contest. I flipped the sketch though, so I hope it still counts! I finally bought some of her fabulous stamps...bought the Notes of Prayer set to make my daughter's baptism invites and had to throw in the Beautiful You set because I just love all of the quotes! I was very pleased with how this turned out and the quote is perfect as we have some friends that will be moving soon. I used the SCS Color Challenge #180 (Blush Blossom, Ruby Red, Close to Cocoa) for the color scheme...not one I would have ever thought of, but I love it!

I colored the quote with markers so I could highlight certain words. Then I added a little sparkle to those words with a Gelly Roll pen that I have had for years! The quote layer and the Ruby Red strips on the top and bottom were sponged with Close to Cocoa ink. I roughed up all of the edges on all of the layers but one...the road is less traveled by afterall, so it should be a little rough. I pulled out my Cuttlebug Swirls embossing folder that I love so much and embossed the Blush Blossom layer under the quote. I rubbed it with some Close to Cocoa ink as well.

The sketch called for a circle element under the main image, but I just couldn't come up with anything that looked right. So I thought of using brads to create my circle element. Then I created a button (because I don't have any otherwise) out of some circle chipboard...I covered it with Blush Blossom cardstock, sanded the edges, sponged them, and the punch two holes with the Crop-a-Dile...tada, a button! Then I found some cross-stitch floss that matched the Ruby Red cardstock and tied it to my button.

The Engineering Details
Stamps - Beautiful You (Verve Stamps), Sanded; Paper - Close to Cocoa, Ruby Red, Blush Blossom; Ink - Close to Cocoa, Ruby Red; Accessories - Cuttlebug Swirls Embossing Folder, Pewter brads, Sakura Gelly Roll Red Sparkle Pen, Circle Chipboard, dimensionals, Glue dots, Crop-a-Dile

Masculine Giraffe

How about a more masculine card? I needed a couple of male birthday cards, so I once again turned to my trusty SCS challenges to help me get started.

I utilized the Sketch Challenge #186 and the Color Challenge #176 (Very Vanilla, Soft Sky, River Rock). Since I do not own the Soft Sky or River Rock ink pads, I had to add some Chocolate Chip into the mix...tried not to add too much, so I wouldn't deviate from the 3 main colors.

I also realized that I am really lacking a good guy stamp set, so I had to turn to one of my favorites, In the Wild. Can't wait to see what the new catalog has in store for me...when is it going to come?!! Anyway, the giraffe was stamped in Chocolate Chip and layered a lot. I crumbled some Soft Sky paper and attached it with pewter brads. To give the bottom River Rock layer a little interest, I stamped the Sanded background with Versamark. The ticket corner punch and some reverse paper piercing finished it off. I always have a hard time with "guy" cards, but I was quite pleased with this one!

All is well in our home. I was the "Song Lady" at my church's Vacation Bible School. My son basically learned all of the songs prior to VBS starting, so he was my little "helper" when I had to teach the songs to the kids. It was fun. Adilane is doing great as well...she is just such a happy and easy going baby...we truly are blessed. So I will leave you with this adorable picture of her that I took over the weekend!

The Engineering Details
Stamps - In the Wild (retired), Sanded, Birthday Whimsy (retired); Paper - Very Vanilla, River Rock, Soft Sky, Chocolate Chip; Ink - Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla, Versamark; Accessories - Mat Pack, Paper Piercer, Pewter Brads, Ticket Corner Punch

Swirly Anniversary

Last week when I found a little stamping time, this was the second card that I did. I actually found a little time this week as well, so I will have another card to show soon...yeah me!

Utilizing the wonderful tools of sketch challenges and color challenges, I created this card for my sister's anniversary (and I made a second one for a friend's anniversary as well...what the heck, the supplies were all out already!). I love, LOVE, sketch and color challenges because it takes so much of the time of designing a card out of the way, so I can get them done quicker...and when you are only able to work in that 1 hour or so of overlapping nap time, quick is good. So I used Sketch Challenge #185 and Color Challenge #177 (Sahara Sand, Whisper White, Groovy Guava or Cameo Coral). I forgot that I actually had like 2 sheets of Groovy Guava and went with Cameo Coral...oops!

I embossed the couple with Crystal Clear embossing powder and then bleached them. The bleaching came out very vanilla colored, so I took the liberty to add Very Vanilla to the mix. I used my Swirls embossing folder for my cuttlebug (so love this thing!) and applied some Very Vanilla ink across the top.

That is all for now...I should have my card I made this week up in a couple of days. I am so proud that I am actually finding some time to stamp...it makes me happy!

The Engineering Details
Stamps - Summer by the Sea; Paper - Sahara Sand, Whisper White, Cameo Coral, Very Vanilla; Ink - Versamark, Very Vanilla; Accesories - Swirls Cuttlebug embossing folder, Antique Brass brads, dimensionals, Crystal Clear embossing powder, bleach