Daisy Birthday Wishes

This fabulous sketch at CAS(E) this Sketch! is my inspiration for today’s card.  This is one of those sketches that I’ll save and revisit a bunch of times. I’ve already cut the pieces for about 10 more cards in various papers, to be made up when I have more time to fiddle with how I want to finish them off.

This card, however, was for one of my closest friends. Our group of seven friends have been together for forty-plus years now…and we’ve called ourselves “the Daisies” for about half that time.  (DAISY is an acronym for a now-long-forgotten description of us that we came up with when we were all still young enough to NOT be eligible for the Red Hat Society, but liked the concept of having our own group moniker. Ah, those were the days–young, brash, and just plain silly!  😉 )  Anyway, so when SU offered their Delightful Daisy suite this year, it was naturally first on my list. Between the beautiful paper prints….and the stamp set….and the PUNCH!….I’m in daisy heaven, which is definitely a delightful place to be!

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Here’s what I used (all Stampin’ UP!):

• Stamps: Daisy Delight; Big on Birthdays (retired)
• Ink:  Calypso Coral; Daffodit Delight; Tranquil Tide; Pool Party
• Paper: Delightful Daisy DSP; Wood Textures DSP Stack (to make the “lattice”); Calypso Coral, Pool Party, Tranquil Tide, and  Whisper White Cardstocks
• Tools:  Daisy Punch; Layering Ovals and Stitched Shapes Framelits Dies
• Embellishments: Calypso Coral 1/4″ Ombre Ribbon; Pool Party Seam Binding (retired); Pearl Basic Jewels

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–Thanks for visiting my Little Corner today!

Faith Possible

A simple design, but crafted with a lot of love, and a whole bunch of prayers said for the recipient while I made it. With faith, all things are possible, and sometimes holding onto that knowledge is all we have to get us through.

This sentiment that will never get old is part of the Ribbon of Courage set designed by Patty Bennett for reaching her million-dollar-sales with Stampin’ Up!  I love this set–every single aspect of it, and will use it … likely a million times…and hope SU sells a million of them.  One can never have too much encouragement or too many good thoughts sent their way.

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Here’s what I used (all Stampin’ UP!):

• Stamps: Ribbon of Courage
• Ink:  Stazon Black
• Paper:  Island Indigo, Pool Party, and Whisper White Cardstocks
• Tools: Stitched Shapes Framelits; Layering Ovals Framelits; Curvy Trio Corner Punch (retired); Vintage Wallpaper Embossing Folder (retired)
• Embellishments: Pretty little Pool Party bow from the Cupcakes & Carousels Embellishment Kit; Island Indigo Candy Dots (retired); and a sminch of Whisper White Baker’s Twine.

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–Thanks for visiting my Little Corner today!

Fab Friday Sunshine

This simple sketch (#111 from Fab Friday) inspired something far less simple by the time I’d finished it.  Lots of layers going on here, some serious die-cutting activity, a tad of bling…and just a smidge of actual stamping on this one. Using some more of this scrumptious paper– which gives me my much-loved very-vintage look, with no work on my part whatsoever. So I get to stay true to the clean lines of the sketch, but still accomplish my “messy” style. Win!

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Here’s what I used (all Stampin’ UP!):

• Stamps: Sunshine Sayings; Jar of Love (that tiny little heart stamped behind the bling)
• Ink: Early Espresso
• Paper: Cupcakes & Carousels DSP Stack; Whisper White, Early Espresso, Pool Party, Bermuda Bay, So Saffron Cardstocks
• Tools: Stitched Shapes Framelits; Layering Ovals Framelits; Sunshine Wishes Thinlits; Elegant Lines Embossing Folder (retired)
• Embellishments: Some lovely baker’s twine from the Cupcakes & Carousels Embellishment Kit; Metallic Enamel Shapes

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–Thanks for visiting my Little Corner today!

Sunshine and comfort for CAS#220

CAS Colours & Sketches Challenge #220 provided a lovely sketch to showcase some paper I’ve been hoarding  keeping in my stash awhile, but decided it was time to crank out some cards with now. I kept the fundamental placement of elements for the sketch, but took some liberties and changed the sentiment panel shape. And I just now realized that, while I kept the corner elements from the design, I didn’t keep them as the trio of dots the designer intended/wanted to see.

But I had those die-cut elements I really wanted to use to provide a pop of color here! Hopefully, I’m forgiven, since I truly was inspired by the sketch. The ribbon that coordinates with this paper has also been hoarded in my stash awhile, and it has that same lovely scallop shape as the sketch. The combination of the subtle comfort of the neutral elements with the small bright pop of sunshine-y colors gave me just the feeling I wanted for this card intended for a friend who could use a bit of both–comfort AND sunshine–right now.

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Here’s what I used (all Stampin’ UP!):

• Stamps:  Thoughtful Branches (retired)
• Ink:  Calypso Coral; Peekaboo Peach; Soft Suede
• Paper:  Something Borrowed DSP; Whisper White, Peekaboo Peach, Calypso Coral Cardstock
• Tools:  Layering Ovals Framelits; Stitched Shapes Framelits; Sunshine Wishes Thinlits; Scallop Border Punch (retired)
• Embellishments: Just that one line of retired Sahara Sand Lace. (This was a very clean and simple card for me!)

 

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–Thanks for visiting my Little Corner today!

Some 11th-hour Mojo

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I think I’m in under the wire for Mojo Monday 494.

I loved this sketch and knew immediately what product I wanted to use and what I wanted to create with it.  I love this DSP! It’s vintage, sweet, soft, and has lovely colors.  (I’m particularly fond of the “blue-side” of this double-sided paper, but wanted to give the opposite side of the color wheel a workout, too.)  And who doesn’t love a carousel?  There’s something about this paper that can be either softly romantic or evoke fond memories of childhood–all with the same image. And since I’ve got quite a few friends right now that I want to send a personal “hi-I’m-thinking-of-you” card to because their lives could use a bit of sunshine–this card seems made-to-order.

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Here’s what I used (all Stampin’ UP!):

• Stamps: Flourishing Phrases
• Ink: Pear Pizzazz, Peekaboo Peach, Soft Suede
• Paper: Cupcakes & Carousels DSP Stack; Calypso Coral, Peekaboo Peach, Whisper White Cardstocks
• Tools: Stitched Shapes Framelits, Layering Circles Framelits
• Embellishments: Ribbon only–some Calypso Coral and some wide white retired-but-happily-residing-in-my-stash and a piece of metallic-threaded-Baker’s Twine from the Cupcakes & Carousels Embellishment Kit

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–Thanks for visiting my Little Corner today!

I Simply Adore (color and sketches)

This card was inspired by this week’s sketch at Freshly Made Sketches (#285) and the colors from Just Add Ink #357. The two combined for my version of a clean-lined card–still lots of layers and some generous touches of “accessorizing”.

I changed up FMS’s star shape to a diamond to suit my sentiment placement and I used the circle shape in the layout to allow for some more stamping.  I love how two separate stamp sets have flower shapes that complement each other so well.

 

 

 

 

To make the JAA color scheme work, I pulled in some retired Sahara Sand lace to pull the SS cardstock base fully through the design, used Sweet Sugarplum, Rich Razzleberry, and Island Indigo inks on the flowers and sentiment, and added a tiny touch of Island Indigo cardstock to mimic thread in the button, which sits atop the lace I glue-gathered for the “buttoned-bow” I used as the finishing touch.

This card’s going to a great-niece…who is pretty darned great!  I think it’s a good idea to remind folks of these kinds of things quite often!

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Here are the specifics on what I used (all Stampin’ UP!):

• Stamps: Love & Affection; Mixed Borders
• Inks and Paper: all the colors from the JAA challenge, plus some Whisper White cardstock
• Tools:  Stitched Shapes Framelits; Curvy Trio Corner Punch (retired)
• Embellishments: Sahara Sand lace and a Silver Basic Metal Button (both retired)

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–Thanks for visiting my Little Corner today!

Simply Gorgeous

New technique for me here–“smacking acetate”.  Wonderfully messy and fun, and I enjoyed working with different color combinations to see what would happen. None of my efforts turned out anything like I thought they would, or had envisioned, but I like the effect nonetheless….gorgeous.

So it’s entirely appropriate to use with this perfectly gorgeous stamp set.  Who of us doesn’t need to hear words like that as the calendar rolls around another year?

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Here’s what I used (all Stampin’ UP!):

• Stamps:  Beautiful You
• Ink:  Island Indigo for the image (stamped off, it looks a lot like Pool Party, doesn’t it?); Blackberry Bliss (retired) for the sentiment; and a plethora of colors for that background: Blackberry Bliss, Rich Razzleberry, Blushing Bride, Calypso Coral
• Paper: Island Indigo and Whisper White Cardstocks
• Tools: Stitched Shapes Framelits; Layering Ovals Framelits
• Embellishments: Silver 1/8″ Ribbon; Sweet Sugarplum Ruched Ribbon; Whisper White Satin Ribbon (retired); some silver sequins from my stash of Paper Pumpkin leftover goodies.

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–Thanks for visiting my Little Corner today!

More Encouragement

I’m kind of on a roll with this stamp set and watercolor paper, here’s another with this combo, using yet another great sentiment from the set.  Honestly, I wish there was zero NEED for this stamp set; realistically, I have far too many people that I know who can use it right now.

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Here’s what I used (all Stampin’ UP!):

• Stamps:  Ribbon of Courage
• Ink: Stazon Black; Calypso Coral; Daffodil Delight
• Paper: Watercolor paper; Pool Party, Whisper White Cardstocks
• Tools: Layering Squares Framelits; Stitched Shapes Framelits. (And I’ll be very glad to get the coordinating framelits for the Ribbon of Courage set that will be available with the new catalog; that will make this stamp set even better!)
• Embellishments: Some various sequins from the Cupcakes & Carousels Embellishments Kit; and some more retired White Jute Ribbon (to continue to bust my stash!)

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–Thanks for visiting my Little Corner today!

Not all battles are pink

I’ve played some more with watercoloring–a talent/skill that definitely does NOT come naturally to me. But I was really happy with the overall effect when complete.  It feels both peaceful and hopeful.

I’ll end up with hundreds of cards made with this stamp set, and at least half of them will use this sentiment. It’s perfect for a myriad of situations, people, circumstances, etc. Paired with a backdrop of the color teal, this card–with the nod to an awareness ribbon as an embellishment–is appropriate for anyone needing some encouragement.  But teal is specifically a symbol for ovarian, cervical, and uterine cancers; and also the awareness for sexual assault, polycystic ovarian syndrome, and tsunami victims.  To say that this Ribbon of Courage stamp set is multi-purpose would be putting it mildly.

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Here’s what I used (all Stampin’ UP!):

• Stamps: Ribbon of Courage
• Ink: Stazon Black for the sentiment; Daffodil Delight for the sunny center; and lots of watery blues everywhere else: Pool Party, Island Indigo, Bermuda Bay
• Paper: Watercolor paper; Bermuda Bay and Whisper White Cardstocks
• Embellishments: Metallic Enamel Shapes; Baker’s Twine from the Cupcakes & Carousels Embellishment Kit; Bermuda Bay Thick Baker’s Twine; Gold Metallic Thread; White Jute Ribbon (retired)

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–Thanks for visiting my Little Corner today!

Courage with watercolor

I’m starting to play with a new stamp set, Ribbon of Courage, which will be released with the 2017-18 SU catalog.  This is a fabulous set of images and perfect sentiments.

I slammed this card together quickly, starting with a piece of watercolor paper I’d had “washed” and waiting in my stash for something screaming for it. Adding some more pink-ink buffed around the edges gave me my ‘think-pink’ encouragement vibe.

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Here’s what I used (all Stampin’ UP!):

• Stamps: Ribbon of Courage
• Ink:  Stazon Black; Blushing Bride, Flirty Flamingo, Pink Pirouette, Early Espresso, Crumb Cake
• Paper:  Watercolor Paper; Whisper White and Blushing Bride Cardstocks
• Tools: Stitched Shapes Framelits
• Embellishment: a single heart from the Metallics Enamel Shapes

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–Thanks for visiting my Little Corner today!