Two challenges in one

Look at me - back to the challenges! Now I've made three challenge cards in about a week. Woohoo! And with this card I was able to meet two challenges: Sketch Challenge 345 on SCS and the Thinking of You Creative Challenge on SoShelli.com (the blog of Shelli Gardner, the co-founder and CEO of Stampin' Up!®). It's also a card that's going in my next package for Operation Write Home. So here's my creation:

Supplies (all Stampin' Up!):
Stamps: Just Believe, Sincere Salutations
Card stock: Whisper White, Not Quite Navy, Old Olive, Paisley Petals DSP
Ink: Not Quite Navy, Baja Breeze, Old Olive, Always Artichoke
Accessories: Corner rounder, 1-3/8" circle punch, Whisper White taffeta ribbon, Blender Pens, Basic Pearls, Dimensionals

To make the focal image, I colored directly on the stamp with Baja Breeze and Old Olive markers then stamped the image. I then used a Blender Pen with Not Quite Navy and Always Artichoke inks on the stamped image to add some shading to the flowers and leaves. I used the Rock 'n' Roll technique for the circle image; I inked the stamp with Baja Breeze, rolled the edges of the stamp in Not Quite Navy and then stamped on Whisper White. A little ribbon and a few pearls are the perfect soft accents.

Thanks for stopping by!

Cards for a good cause

I donate money to quite a few different charities through the mail. (As a result I already have about eight 2012 calendars and enough address labels to last two lifetimes - and I'm sure I've recycled about twice as many. Seriously.) One charity I donated to for the first time this summer is Operation Write Home. But I didn't donate just money, I donated cards, too.

Operation Write Home is an organization that supports American armed forces stationed overseas by sending them blank handmade greeting cards for them to send home to friends and family, as well as cards of gratitude to encourage them. It's the perfect thing for me: I can make all the cards I want, and when my own "stash" is full, I can donate them to a great cause where I know they'll be used and appreciated. And since they collect and send out cards on an ongoing basis, I don't have to worry about meeting a deadline or making a certain number of cards. My first package included twenty cards for different occasions, and this weekend I started working on my second donation (four cards done so far!).

For more information about where to send your cards, what types of cards are needed, etc., check out the  Operation Write Home Web site. And the next time you're looking way for a way to make a difference and be creative at the same time, consider making cards to donate to Operation Write Home!

Is that your final answer?

I am a bad decision maker. I don't mean that I make bad decisions (at least not too often, I hope). But sometimes I have a ridiculously hard time making decisions. This morning I thought I had my card designs all set for the September stamp-a-stack I'm planning; I was just going to make new samples and polish them up a bit. But then I started playing with colors and embellishments and all that good stuff. And suddenly I can't decide: this ribbon or that ribbon? This punch or that punch? Argh. The basic card designs stayed pretty much the same, but the little details were giving me fits.

So right now, these are the three card designs I'm working with:

I won't give you the full supply list, but the Stampin' Up!® stamp sets used are Pennant Parade, Array of Sunshine and French Foliage. I like these designs, and they're definitely appropriate for different occasions. But I still can't quite commit to them. Maybe they're too plain. Or maybe I think I'll come up with something I like better. Who knows. But I need to decide in the next couple of days so I have enough time to order all the supplies and get everything prepared.

At this point, unless I have a very sudden and significant burst of inspiration within the next forty-eight hours or so, I'll probably use these designs as my basis for ordering. But I won't be surprised if the final cards end up looking just a bit different from these.

New stamping goodies

Since it's been back to work for me this week, I haven't been able to do nearly as much stamping as I'd like. Sigh. Although my stamping time has been limited, I have been enjoying playing with my new goodies that arrived on Monday. Here is my first card:

Supplies (all Stampin' Up!® unless otherwise noted):
Stamps: Array of Sunshine, Pursuit of Happiness
Card stock: Whisper White, Early Espresso
Ink: Real Red, Daffodil Delight, Lucky Limeade, Melon Mambo, Regal Rose, Rich Razzleberry, Early Espresso marker
Accessories: Real Red satin ribbon, Designer Label punch, Styled Silver Hodgepodge Hardware, crystal brads (Making Memories), Basic Rhinestones, Dazzling Details, Mini Glue Dots®, Stampin' Dimensionals®, Color Spritzer Tool

I used the new hostess set Array of Sunshine (I love these solid, bold flowers!) and stamped the images all over a sheet of white card stock. I intended to cut up the sheet and use it on multiple cards for a one-sheet wonder technique, but I ended up cutting out some of the flowers from the rest of the sheet to use as a focal point on this card. (Sometimes stamping sacrifices have to be made ...)

It's hard to see in the picture, but on the main red flower, I cut out each of the three layers and adhered them together with Mini Glue Dots, then the whole flower is popped up with a double layer of Stampin' Dimensionals. The two yellow flowers and the leaves are cut out and then adhered with a single layer of Dimensionals, so there are several different levels of height. I punched out the greeting with the Designer Label punch and added a frame from the Styled Silver Hodgepodge Hardware. A rhinestone, some Dazzling Details and a couple of crystal brads add a little sparkle to this card.

I hope I'll be able to make some more cards tonight. Thanks for stopping by!

Pennant banner

In September I am holding a stamp-a-stack workshop, and everyone will be making twelve cards: four each of three different designs. I'm planning to make the designs appropriate for all occasions and then provide a few different sentiments so the cards can be customized a bit. This is one of the designs I'm thinking about using:

Supplies (all Stampin' Up!® except crochet thread):
Stamps: Pennant Parade
Card stock: Whisper White, So Saffron, Wisteria Wonder, Certainly Celery, Pool Party
Ink: VersaMark®, Wisteria Wonder
Accessories: Wisteria Wonder ruffled ribbon, crochet thread, Petite Pennant Builder Punch, Jewelry Tag punch, Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border punch, Itty Bitty Shapes punch pack, 1/16" hole punch, mini silver brads

I made this card appropriate for a birthday, but I also have sentiments for the tag that say "hello," "baby," "friends," or "thanks so much." I was able to include some new goodies on this card since I received my new Stampin' Up! order yesterday (yippee!): the tiny silver brads on the pennants and the Wisteria Wonder ruffled ribbon (try saying that out loud without sounding like Elmer Fudd). I like the soft colors and clean white background of this card, but I still have to create a few other designs, so we'll see if this one makes the final cut.

Thanks for stopping by!