Challenge Cards from Stamp Club Members!

Greetings! So happy to share these fabulous cards my stamp club members made for their January challenge! They had a ruby red card, Ginger Blossoms DSP, a white flower from the Pretties kit, and this sketch to follow. As always, they blew me away!

Here is Lori's card...love the way she brought out the green, I've never thought to do that with this paper, and the big green brad on the scallop circle punch is killer cute!

Here is Beverly's card...love the white flower applied to the scallop circle, like a little piece of featured art, and the paper piercing and greeting in black really pop too! (Beverly won the random prize drawing, by the way, even though she doesn't know it as she's out of town on vacation with her family. She won last month too, so some members are not thrilled, obviously! lol!!)

Here is Michelva's card...love the tan color she brought out, the striped paper strip she added, and how she put eyelets in the flower centers and used the white flower to match the flowers in the paper, fabulous!

The next two cards are form my newest members, Vina and Hoai, and I didn't exactly explain the "sketch" part of the challenge good enough, so they made their own designs, but they are fabulous, and I'm so glad they participated! These girls are the real deal, they have that real artist in them!

Here is Vina's card, the details are amazing, the rubbed edge of the paper to bring the white out, the curled up little strip of paper under the ribbon. Then check out the inside of the card...more details!! I always neglect the inside, this is so awesome!

And this is Hoai's card, can you say "wow"?! The basket-weave paper strips are amazing, and then that embossing blows me away, the gold on black is so striking...the whole thing looks like it should be a framed piece of artwork!

Okay, that's it for now! Hope you find some inspiration here and have a fabulous Thursday! It's almost Friday! Hooray!

Glittery Sticky Letter

Good morning! Here's a quick card I sort of copied and tweaked from the Stampin' Up! website. I think they used a chipboard letter, but I wanted to try out the new Sticky Letters...they are pretty cool! I used the Chunky Glitter, but I could still see some empty space, so then I poured some Ultra Fine Green Glitter on top of that. I used the Crop-o-Dile to emboss the little dots on the green circle, love that look, need to play with it some more. Oh, and DH thought this card needed to go back for a "remodel", but I liked it. Hmph! What do you think?

Gotta run, that treadmill walking is making me late. lol! I took the weekend off, and I HATE to admit it, but I felt better when I was walking! Doh! Have a good Tuesday!

Recipe Stamps: Little Pieces. Cardstock: Bashful Blue, Wild Wasabi, Whisper White. Ink: Bashful Blue. Accessories: Coluzzle, Three For you flower Punch, Paper Piercer, Crop-o-Dile, Sticky Letters, Chunky & Ultra Fine Glitter, Wild Wasabi Striped Grosgrain Ribbon, Dimensionals, Ice Rhinestone Circle Brad, Circle Punches.

Stamp Club Gatefold Card

Schwooo, trying to come up with a second project for Stamp Club last night, and I could not think of anything! Does that ever happen to you? And you get so tired and just want to go to bed, but you can't because you know there's no time tomorrow to come up with anything?!

Luckily, I found this gatefold card by Leslie Rich that I had starred in my Google Reader, so came up with this version of it. You know it can't be too hard, or I wouldn't have done it, being the lazy stamper that I am! I wanted to use some Sale-a-Bration sets, so this gave me the chance to use So Many Scallops and Lots of Thoughts. Plus, I got to use the fabulous new My Way arrow punch and Jersey Shore DSP, love that stuff! This picture below shows the inside view...the little arrow makes the photo turn that keeps it shut, which I thought was pretty clever! hee! hee!
Oh, and for the pumpkin border piece popping out below the green DSP, I used my 1/4" square punch to make random punches to mimic the geometric shapes in the DSP. It kind of reminds me of old computer punch tab cards, haven't seen those in a long time.


Well, I'm off now, still lots to do before club at 2:00! Have a great Sunday!

Recipe Stamps: So Many Scallops, Lots of Thoughts, So Happy. Card Stock: Whisper White and Pumpkin Pie, Jersey Shore DSP. Ink: Pumpkin Pie, Night of Navy, Wild Wasabi. Accessories: Scallop Circle Punch, 1/4" Square Punch, 1 1/4 and 1 3/8" Circle Punch, Earth Element Brad, Corner Rounder.

Sketch This 41 Challenge Cards

More sketch cards by Angie and her friends from last Saturday night! This was the challenge card we started the latest, at 11:50 p.m. Some of us (mainly me!) took more than 10 minutes, but this was my fastest card. It doesn't even have any stamping! I think I made three cards that night with no stamping, guess I was feeling lazy! The design is from sketchthis: cards 41, I always like their sketches, and they have great samples...very "scrappy" cards, not as much stamping though.

Here is Lori's card, I LOVED it! The flowers are awesome, and she used the new brown poly twill tape from the new SU Occasions Mini catalog that starts March 1.

Here is Beverly's card, how clever is she! Love the stamp she found with 3 images to match the sketch. The little white trim is so cute too!


Here is Michelva's card, love her bright, springy colors and flowers with brads in the center! Love that Wonderful Words stamp too, need to bring that out more often!

Okay, that's it for now, off for Saturday tutoring, the last one. The good news, this will be the first Saturday in a long time I don't plan on working all day! I'll be out of there by 1:00! Hooray! Busy weekend with Stamp Club tomorrow and the Oscars tomorrow night! Thanks for stopping by, hope your weekend is great!

Stamp Club Coaster Calendar

Hope your week is going well! I've been trying to get at least 6 hours of sleep a night, and I can tell my week has gone better. We (meaning the "kids" and I!) have actually had a very good week! And that's pretty amazing since we have been pushing and working hard for the TAKS test on March 5. We all just want it over with now!

And other news...you better grab onto your desktop so you don't fall out of your chair for this one...I got up even earlier than normal (4:30 a.m.!) the last two days and walked on my treadmill before work! It was time for drastic measures (if you've seen my b*tt lately, you know what I'm talking about). And I've eaten 2 apples, 1 banana, and a handful of grapes in the last 30 hours! So far my body's not rejecting it, but we'll have to wait and see before I am completely out of the danger zone...

Okay, back to the project. I posted this as one of my stamp club projects for last month, and much to my embarrassment, I couldn't get that size of calendar anymore. Doh! So I ordered the next nearest size they had and came up with this project for this month. I hope the clubbers won't be too disappointed! I pretty much cased it from happy2stamp4ever here, who said she cased it from stampwithellen here who said she made it at Pennie's house. Isn't it great how we all share!? Ellen's project showed the painting of the Pretties kit pearl with the Crystal Effects mixed with a drop of reinker, and I just love how it turned out! My calendar is still probably a little bit too small, maybe I should add something else? Maybe I'll have to experiment...

If you read all of this, thanks for sticking it out!! lol! Have a great Friday!

Splitcoast Color Challenge #153

Well, better late than never (I say that a LOT lately!)...here is last week's Color Challenge #153...kraft, tempting turquoise, and green galore. Not an easy combo! Not my best work! lol! This was the first card I made at our get-together last Saturday, so I was still warming up, you know. (Are you buying this pathetic excuse?!) At first, I only had the "medallion" at the left and the "friend" greeting, and it was a little too plain, I thought, even for me, so I added the polka dots afterwards. I'm not sure they helped! I do love the new stamp set, though, called "Friendly Flowers" that will be available in the new SU Occasions Mini Catalog on March 1.

Here are the cards from the girls. I think they did a great job, even though they found this color combo a little challenging too! Now that I'm getting "buried" in my week of work and stress, this reminds me of how much fun I had Saturday night, so thanks, girls! I love ya! I have more of our "challenge cards" coming, so stay tuned! ;-)

Splitcoast Featured Stamper Challenge #54

Yesterday while working in my office trying to come up with stamp club projects, I decided I'd better do the Splitcoast Featured Stamper Challenge #54 to get the creativity rolling. I copied this card from Betty (gbedwright), because I loved the striking simplicity of it. She had done it for a limited supply challenge, and could only use patterned paper and one piece of ribbon. I fudged a bit as I used a flower punch, brads, and rub-ons! I still like the way it turned out, it made a quick and easy card.

I'm off to work...and sniffling as we don't have President's Day off...oh why, why, why?!!! Thanks for stopping by and have a great week!

Recipe Stamps: none (what is wrong with me lately!) Cardstock: Kraft, Summer Picnic DSP (upcoming Occasions Mini Catalog). Ink: Old Olive Marker. Accessories: Paper Piercer, 5/8" Old Olive Grosgrain Ribbon, Antique Silver Brads, Three For You Punch, A Perfect Day rub-on (upcoming Occasions Mini Catalog).

Saturday Night Challenges with Friends!

We didn't do much scrapbooking, but I took a pile of challenges and we had a lot of fun with them! You may remember from this post, we always have our ten minute challenge at 11:50, but we decided to do it on the 50 minute mark of every hour. The bad part, it took us more than 10 minutes...usually the entire hour! Well, for me the entire hour, the rest of the girls were always quicker than me.

These cards were all for the Splitcoast Limited Supplies Challenge #155, Round & Round We Go. Basically, everything had to be circles...the stamps, the embellishments, etc. I think all the cards turned out soooo cute! We were at Beverly's house, and she took photos for us even though it was late (they seem to be tired of sending their cards home with me and never getting them back, lol!). I tried to lighten them up the best I could in Photoshop, I hope you can appreciate their true, stunning beauty here, ha! ha!

Have a great Sunday!

More Glittery Goodness

Well, here's the last card I made at last week's crop...looks like I'll need more material soon! Luckily my friend and upline sent me a card this week, so I can feature it one day. I do need to make some birthday cards tonight so I can get them mailed tomorrow. I'm trying to get all my "work" done so I can stamp while watching The Wire and the continuing Jane Austen series on Masterpiece Theater.

And has anyone noticed the daylight changing?!! I have!! I worked at school Saturday from 12:30 to 5:30, and it was still bright sunshine and daylight when I left! Hooray! I actually got home 2 days last week before dark! Hooray! The only downside getting home during daylight I found was seeing the fine layer of dust on all the furniture and wood floors. Women, we can never be satisfied, right?!

Back to the card...I made the glittery chipboard the same way I described on the flower two posts down. I had those two scraps of patterned paper, so I decided to use them up. I didn't like the way the first creation was going, so I "took" them off that card and got a slight tear...which is what prompted me to go ahead and wad them up into a ball and then smooth out for the "distressed" look. By then it was getting late, and I wanted to take my laptop out, but had promised not to until I finished two cards, so I just slapped it together. Anyone else ever guilty of doing that?!

Okay, off to buy a few birthday presents. Have a great Sunday!

Recipe Stamps: none! Cardstock: Tempting Turquoise, Old Olive, Bali Breeze. Ink: Versamark, Certainly Celery Marker. Accessories: Heat & Stick Powder, Embossing Heat Tool, Felt Fusion Flowers, Ice Circle Rhinestone Brad, Crop-o-Dile, On Board Blossoms & Basic chipboard, Fine Cosmo Glitter, Pumpkin Striped Grosgrain Ribbon, Photo Corner Punch.

Stamp Club Challenge Cards

So check out these cards made by my stamp club members for their monthly challenge! They received a card piece of Elegant Eggplant, along with a smaller piece of Almost Amethyst, some Eggplant Grosgrain Ribbon, and the instructions to make an "elegant" card. Only three participated, so they had a good chance of winning the "prize drawing" this month of a yard of all the new striped grosgrain ribbons and some new felt fusion flowers...Beverly was the lucky winner!

Here is Beverly's card, love how she added the striped paper with it. The colors worked very nicely, I never would have thought of that. My sister's getting married next month, so I was excited to have a wedding card, but then Beverly wanted the card back! Humph!


Isn't this card by Lori precious?!! She stamped the bird image from Always at a crop last month, and he looks gorgeous! Love how she jazzed him and the polka dot paper up with the glittery silver goodness!


I was so excited that Michelva participated this month, she is the Queen of Elegant...in person and in cards. She comes to club every month with a different and fabulous pair of high-heeled shoes! I don't think I've ever stamped in high heels! I love her scallop edge with the punched detail, then her little butterfly is the perfect, finishing touch!


All I can say is, "Hooray!" Fabulous job ladies!

And thank you, Donna (and any of you other 5 readers!), for helping me get the "Hooray!" trend started! lol! Have a great weekend!

SCS Sketch Challenge 161

A wee bit late, given that the new SCS Sketch Challenge 162 has already been posted, but better late than never, right?! I made this little something for Splitcoast's Sketch Challenge 161 at last Saturday's crop. This was not a 10 minute card (like all the cards on my previous post)...more like 3 hours...between talking and shopping and talking and eating and etc. I {heart} bigtime the new glitters! And the rub-ons and felt flowers, too!

Have a great Wednesday! Hooray! (Is it catching on yet? My kids are doing it!)

Recipe Stamps: None, yikes! Cardstock: Purely Pomegranate, Bali Breeze DSP. Ink: Tempting Turquoise Marker (to color chipboard flower), Versamark. Accessories: Love & Happiness SAB Rub-Ons, Heat & Stick Powder, Embossing Heat Gun, Turquoise Fine Cosmo Glitter, Sherbert Ribbon Originals, On Board Blossoms & Basics Chipboard, Flower Fusion felt flowers, Ice Rhinestone Circle Brad, Crop-o-Dile.

Color Challenge 151...and we mean CHALLENGE!

Hi stampers! Here I am, finally posting after trying to get around to it all day! I went to my crop last night, totally prepared to double my output from the last crop...from 2 cards to 4 cards. Alas, it did not happen. I did make 3 cards, though, so it's an improvement, right?!

Back at the last crop, when I posted this card for a limited supply challenge, I failed to mention that it was at the last minute, like 10 minutes before midnight, and I made all of my friends cropping with me do it also. They groaned a little, but did a really good job! So last night we talked about doing another "10 minute challenge" before closing time and start making it a tradition. I really took 15 minutes, so maybe I cheated a little...I just had to get some ribbon, you understand, right?! It is SO much fun, I can't tell you. I'm throwing card stock at them, it's go time! They were not thrilled with this SCS CC151 combo (Yo Yo Yellow, Basic Gray, and Going Gray), but they all did a fabulous job!

Here's Beverly's card..love her "sun" theme with that perfect saying Valerie just happened to have with her!

Of course, Lori announced her card had a name, asking us if we remembered The Partridge Family show (ummmm, yeah, I'm old!), so I'm singing "Come on, get happy!" before she even shows it to us. How stinking cute and fun is this?!


I love this card by Michelva, who was the first one done, by the way. She always makes the most elegant cards. I should have photographed this Valentine card she made with a heart made by basket-weaving ribbon. It was amazing (Michelva, please send me a picture of it, please?! I'm assuming she's reading this, hmmmmm.)

Lastly, here's Valerie's fabulous sunny, beach card. Isn't it so clever? Love the sun she made with the stamp in the center and the silver eyelet. The torn paper and flip-flops invoke the perfect beachy feel, showing you don't even need Kraft and Creamy Caramel for your beach cards. Love it!

Anyway, we had a great time! And apparently I can really crank out a card when I'm under pressure like that, so from now on we're going to have a 10 minute card challenge before the hour, every hour! This way I'm guaranteed to get at least 6 cards made! Hooray!

On a side note, when I awoke last Friday at 5am, dh was watching some old-time movie with knights and warriors and such, and they were shouting "Hooray!" He decided this is the problem with modern-day America, people aren't shouting "Hooray!" anymore. We practiced all morning on the way to work. I tried to get the kids into it when I said "It's time for the Reading test, Hooray!" They did not think it was a Hooray-worthy event, but I'm not giving up, not yet! You try it Monday morning, okay?! Hooray!

Okay, gotta dash. While looking for the Partridge Family song I found I could buy the David Casady "I Think I Love You" ringtone, Hooray!