Up for the Challenge

This card is my take on SSS67, this week’s sketch on The Sweet Stop blog. It also meets the criteria for Challenge #29 on the Raise the Bar blog. “Sticky Situation” is the theme, which means you are supposed to use a sticker on your card.

I used two stickers on my card. The focal point image and border are Penny Black stickers that have been in my stash forever. It was nice to have a reason to use them. It took me a while to choose papers to use with the sticker. Finally, I decided on Lilac Mist and Spring Iris, which coordinate with the spots on the sticker. Both the image and the sentiment were attached to the card with foam tape.

Materials & Tools: White Daisy, Lilac Mist, Spring Iris and Black cardstock; Spring Iris, Lilac Mist, and Black ink pads; Impression Obsession Anytime Sentiments and CTMH Noted Backgrounds stamp sets; Penny Black “Sun-kissed” Stickeroos; Martha Stewart Layered Arches border punch; 1and 1-1/4 inch circle punches; Sponge dauber; 3M foam mounting tape.

A Slice of Life: Today was one of church (with Mom) and chores (all by my lonesome). Tomorrow, it’s back to work. It’s hard to believe it is August already. Before we know it, school will be starting. And the baby that is due in December … it won’t be long. Dustin and Miranda had a doctor’s appointment last week. He called the next night and said that it was all finally becoming real to him – to the point he’d had a hard time getting to sleep the night before after their appointment. I have never seen a father-to-be quite as excited as this one is. I love it and know he is going to be a fantastic daddy.

I hope you had a wonderful Sunday, too, and that the week ahead brings you nothing but good things. Take care, friends, and thanks for stopping by.

A Few Challenge Cards

This first card is my take on Taylored Expressions Sketch Challenge #105. My inspiration came from these beautiful cards posted recently by my blogging buddy Deb’s on her Scrapbook Czar blog. No lack of Mojo there!  I love the way she created three gorgeous cards in one sitting – all using DCWV’s La Crème Matstack.

My card is pretty straightforward. I inked around the edges of the focal point image and sentiment with Bamboo ink using a sponge dauber. I struggled a bit when it came to placement for the sentiment. In fact, since starting this post, it has been moved up from the lower left corner. I like it better now … I think. I always find it interesting how, when looking at my card on the computer monitor, I see things (potential improvements usually) that I don’t see when the card is right in front of me.

Material & Tools: Colonial White, Black, and Bamboo cardstock; DCWV La Crème Matstack; Black and Bamboo ink pads; Close to My Heart Treasure Life and TLC stamp sets; Hero Arts pearl accents; Martha Stewart Large Butterfly punch; 1 and 1-1/4 inch circle punches; Sponge dauber; 3M foam mounting tape.

 

 

“Fruits of Labor” is the theme for Raise the Bar Challenge #10. I colored my image with Prismacolor pencils and OMS, trying my darnedest to get the colors to coordinate with those on the patterned paper.

My initial thoughts were that this card would have to be one for the husband. Then, I thought about all the people I collaborate with on a one-on-one basis at work. I’m going to tuck this card into a desk drawer and save until such time as I’ve brought a tough project to fruition with the help of a co-worker.

Materials & Tools: White Daisy and Cocoa cardstock; Basic Grey 6x6-inch Nook and Pantry Paper Pad; Black ink pad; Stampendous Fresh Fruit stamp set; Ribbon from Wal-Mart; Antiqued Copper mini brads; Black My Legacy Writer; Prismacolor colored pencils; Gamsol odorless mineral spirits; Blending stumps; 3M foam mounting tape

 

 

This final card today is my contribution for Unscripted Sketches #47. I must have pulled out 10 stamp sets before finally selecting “A Tweet.” I inked up my bird stamp with Honey ink and then used a sponge dauber to ink some Cocoa ink around the edges to give the image a little added dimension. It’s wing, which is not part of the stamp set and was cut freehand, is popped up with a piece of foam tape.

Materials & Tools: White Daisy and Cocoa cardstock; Basic Grey 6x6-inch Origins paper pad; Cocoa, Honey, and Bamboo ink pads; Close To My Heart A Tweet stamp set; Ribbon from Michael’s; Antiqued Copper bitty and mini brads; Stampin’ Up Photo Corner punch; Sponge dauber; 3M foam mounting tape.

I hope you are having a wonderful weekend. The wedding yesterday was lovely. I’ll tell you a bit more about it on a day when my post isn’t already so long. For now, I’d better finish up on some projects I started yesterday. Thanks for stopping by, friends! Later …

Wilson

March is Women’s History Month, and to commemorate women’s achievements Raise the Bar Challenge #8 is to use an image that includes a book. I thought I was out on this one until I remembered a stamp I have had since back in the day when I thought rubber stamps were decorative and looked cute in a shadow box hanging on one of my dining room walls. From Uptown Rubber Stamps, “Wilson … Love Sonnets” is/was part of The Boyd’s Collection. While most of my stamps from 15-plus years ago are long gone, I haven’t had the heart to part with Wilson and one other stamp from the Boyd’s Collection.

Speaking of old, I didn’t realize the ribbon I was using was from the retired Twilight Ribbon Rounds collection until after the fact. Thankfully, it coordinates with the Indian Corn Blue paper I used on my card. The image was colored with Prismacolor pencils and OMS and mounted to the card with foam tape.

Materials & Tools: Colonial White and Indian Corn Blue paper packet; Sweet Home paper packet; Black, Garnet, and Bamboo ink pads; Uptown Rubber Stamps Wilson… Love Sonnets rubber stamp and CTMH Say it with Style stamp set; Retired Twilight Ribbon Rounds; Antiqued Copper mini brads; Antiqued Copper Mini Medley Accents; Prismacolor colored pencils; Gamsol odorless mineral spirits; Blending stumps; Piercing tool; Stampin’ Up Piercing Guide and Mat; Sponge dauber; Sanding block; 3M foam mounting tape.

All things considered, today was a fine day. I was just a little tired. It seems, once again, I didn’t want the weekend to end with sleep eluding me until somewhere between 3 and 4 am. Do I need therapy or what? LOL. Anyway, I’ll be attempting to make up/catch up tonight.

I hope your day was awesome. With that, I’m off to clean up my corner and maybe get a little jumpstart on tomorrow’s card. Take care, friends. Later…

Fresh

Tonight’s card is my take on Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge 58 as featured on the sweetest thing… blog. It also meets the criteria for Raise the Bar Challenge #7, which is “Three’s Company” – use an increment of three anywhere on your card.

As for my title, fresh was the first word that popped into my head when I looked at my green, springy card. I had to chuckle a bit, too, over my use of the word. Back in my day (a phrase I did not think I would ever use), a warning not to let a young man “get fresh” was usually the last thing a girl would hear before he arrived to take her on a date. I had to look “fresh” up to see if there was a definition that corresponded with what Dad meant. The closest thing I could find was the informal definition: forward or presumptuous. Yup, if some guy were to try to steal a kiss, I was supposed to slug him. LOL. Heck, I don’t know if the word “date” is even used any more. I think today’s young people “hook up.” Had I told my dad I was going to “hook up,” I doubt he would have let me out the door… ever. LOL.

Now, about my card. I stamped my images on white cardstock squares with VersaMark and embossed them with white embossing powder. A round sponge was used to add color. This 15-minute card was perfect for a day that held the promise of spring. It was sunny this afternoon with temperatures in the high 30s – beautiful and darned near sweatshirt weather in the frozen tundra.

Materials & Tools: White Daisy, Topiary, and Sweet Leaf (textured) cardstock; Topiary and VersaMark ink pads; Papertrey Ink Take Three: Spring stamp set; White grosgrain ribbon; Petaloo paper flower; White Bigger Brad; White embossing powder; Martha Stewart Arch Lattice border punch; 3M foam mounting tape.

Tonight, I am enjoying an evening by myself. Husband went to East Grand Forks to take in the Section 8 hockey championship with son Dustin, his brother, and a nephew or two. As much as I love my family, a little quietude once in a while is blissful – refreshing.

How was your Thursday? I hope it was a good day. That said, I’m off to take a leisurely bath and then perhaps have another little stamping session in my pajamas. Later …