Yes, I know, it’s June. I had fallen behind on the Splitcoaststampers Christmas Card Challenge to make 10 Christmas Cards each month. But with these I have caught up!

There is one thing though… the sentiment. It always seems to be the hardest part of making the card. I still haven’t decided where I like it best or if no sentiment at all is my favorite. What do you think?

The ornaments are colored with Sakura Glaze gel pens. They are also embossed using the Swiss Dots embossing folder for my Cuttlebug.

Stamps: DeNami Design, SU! Peaceful Wishes, Memory Box Sentiment
Papers: Certainly Celery, Handsome Hunter, Rose Red, Whisper White, DP Paper Pizazz “Holly on Green”
Inks: Handsome Hunter, Craft White, Marker Certainly Celery
Accessories: Sakura Pens: White Gel, Stardust, Glaze Red and Glaze Green, Striped GG Ribbon, Gold Cording, Snowflake Eyelets, Brads, Scalloped Punch, Corner Punch, Cuttlebug, Swiss Dots Embossing Folder

I don’t know why I pulled out this set and made dinosaur cards. I need to make a graduation card and some Father’s Day cards. And I’m getting way behind on the SCS Christmas Card Challenge. So I know what. Let’s pull out the dinosaur set and make a couple of cards. I dunno. I guess it’s just like the sentiment on one of the cards says, “You’re never too old to do goofy stuff.”

This card’s layout is from Splitcoaststamper’s Sketch Challenge #173.

Stamps: Prehistoric Pals, Older & Wiser, IBB
Papers: Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla, DP Basic Grey “Archaic”
Inks: Chocolate Chip, Always Artichoke
Accessories: Rain Dots

This second card is an SUO (Stampin’ Up! Only) card which means that only products from Stampin’ Up! were used.

Stamps: Prehistoric Pals, Smarty Pants, IBB
Papers: Chocolate Chip, Old Olive, Real Red, Very Vanilla
Inks: Basic Brown, Chocolate Chip, Old Olive, Real Red
Accessories: Twill, Jumbo Eyelets, Corner Punch

Today at school my 16 year old got his yearbook. Wow!! This is like the coolest yearbook I’ve ever seen. The “Eastlake” on the front cover is just like the letters that the kids get to sew onto their letterman’s jackets. Oh and the entire book is in color and printed on beautiful glossy paper with full page foldouts! I have to say I’m totally impressed!

GO WOLVES!!

Each Saturday brings a new inspiration piece at Splitcoaststampers. This week our inspiration is to come from this En Fleur Candle.

Here is what I was inspired to make.

Those are “Rub-Ons” from American Traditional Designs on the candle and below the sentiment on the card. After transferring the rub-ons to the candle, I used my heat gun to slightly warm the wax. It seemed to set them into the wax quite well so that hopefully they won’t become “rub-offs”!

If you think you would like to play along in the challenges at Splitcoaststampers, you can find them listed on their homepage here in the right hand column under “Weekly Challenges”. But beware… it is VERY addicting! lol

Stamps: True Friend, Floral Backgrounder
Papers: Basic Black, So Saffron, Very Vanilla
Inks: Basic Black
Accessories: Candle, Rub-Ons, Organdy Ribbon, Brad

Every month on Splitcoaststampers there is a Bible Verse Challenge. This is my card for the month of May. It is only the second month I have participated, but I am really enjoying it. Anyone can join at anytime. So if it looks like something you would like to do, you can read about it here.

A tutorial for the box with the hooks for hanging each month’s card can be found here.

I stamped the image in Chocolate Chip on Glossy White. It is colored using a Blender Pen and SU! Markers. The scripture is computer generated and printed on vellum.

Card Only:
Stamps: Thomas Kinkade “The Garden of Prayer”
Papers: Glossy White, So Saffron, Bashful Blue, Always Artichoke, Vellum
Inks: Chocolate Chip and Markers: Not Quite Navy, Bashful Blue, Bordering Blue, Always Artichoke, Summer Sun, Really Rust, Pixie Pink
Accessories: Computer/Printer, Jumbo Eyelets (Antique Brass), Corner Punch

Having been sick the past couple of weeks the days have just sorta blended together. I totally spaced on the fact that today is Tuesday and Beate’s Inspiration Challenge over on her blog. She had asked me to do a sample card for her. I’m such a dork. I’m so sorry I forgot, Beate. :/

Instead I noted this morning that tomorrow is the last day of April and I still had not yet done my 10 cards for the Christmas Card Challenge (CCC) over on Splitcoaststampers (SCS). Today’s color challenge on SCS inspired me to use my Thomas Kinkade stamp and to get busy with my goal of getting this CCC completed. Here is what I’ve done so far.

Both images are stamped with Jet Black Stazon on Glossy White card stock. But on the top card I then sponged Soft Sky ink over the entire image. I then colored in areas with a YoYo Yellow SU! marker. I decided I really didn’t like it.  So on the second card I left the image alone. I like this a lot more. Which do you like the best? I have the other eight images stamped and just need to assemble them. Looks like I just might meet my goal!

Stamps: Cornish Heritage Farms “Thomas Kinkade”
Papers: Glossy White, Soft Sky, Basic Black, Purely Pomegranate
Inks: Jet Black Stazon (On top card only Soft Sky and a YoYo Yellow Marker)
Accessories: Purely Pomegranate Stitched GG Ribbon, Brad, Dimensionals

Yay! Finally got in some stamping time! The inspiration pieces on Splitcoaststampers today are some lovely Freshcut fabrics.

As soon as I saw the quilt I immediately thought of my new “Sweet Baby Jane” dp’s from Daisy D’s. So I used them to make my challenge card.

I love these delicate patterns. The background, the panel and the butterfly are 3 different ones. I used my scalloped oval Nestabilities for a nice large oval for that big flower stamp from SU!’s “Live Your Dream” set. The flowers, once stamped, were outlined with a marker. Also used my SU! corner punch and crop-a-dile to set an eyelet for the corner treatment. Some nice wide grosgrain ribbon, piercing and a sentiment and you have it. Oh yes and don’t forget the stickles to add a little pop to the center of the flowers.

Stamps: Live Your Dream
Papers: Certainly Celery, WW, Daisy D’s DP
Inks: Old Olive, Pixie Pink, Pink Passion
Accessories: Nestabilities, Corner Punch, Paper Piercer, Crop-a-Dile, GG Ribbon, Eyelet, Stickles, Dimensionals

Lori Craig has organized a Bible Verse Challenge over on Splitcoaststampers. “We’ll each create an on-going altered journal, rolodex card, scrapbook page, ATC or recipe card project… Each month we will choose a verse and get to stamping. We’ll add that piece to our collection.” Here is my first scripture card, the storage box and dividers.

Isn’t this a wonderful idea and challenge! I am just now joining in for the month of April. I plan to make this more than just a year long project.. perhaps a life long project. The scripture card hangs from the picture hooks in plain view all month. As I create the next month’s card, I will simply take the old one off from the hooks and file it under the month in which I created and memorized it. It will be easily available if I choose to refer back. Oh and another easy change each month could be the ribbon around the hangers. Thank you, Lori, for such a meaningful and awesome challenge!!

The finished box measures 5-3/4″ wide X 4-1/2″ tall X 3″ deep. Each scripture card measures 4″ X 5-1/4″. The center of the holes for the eyelets on the scripture card are 5/8″ from the top and 1″ from the side of the card.

The holes for the brads are placed 1/8″ from the top and 1-1/4″ from the side fold on the box.

These are just the regular inexpensive picture hangers that measure 7/8″ in length. The holes for the brads are placed 1/8″ from the top and 1-1/4″ from the side fold.

Each divider card measure 4-1/2″ X 5-1/2″ not including the tab.

Box and File Cards
Stamps: Full Calendar, Sanded
Paper: So Saffron, Always Artichoke, SU! DP “Le Jardin”
Ink: Always Artichoke
Accessories: Tab Punch, Brads, Picture Hangers, GG Ribbon or Organdy Ribbon

Scripture Card:
Stamps: A Light Unto My Path, Carte Postale, French Flair
Paper: So Saffron, SU! DP “Le Jardin”
Ink: Not Quite Navy, So Saffron, Jet Black Stazon
Accessories: Jumbo Pewter Eyelets, Crop-A-Dile, Rhinestone

So somewhere between St. Patrick’s Day and Easter, I’m making Christmas cards. It’s the 2008 Holiday Card Challenge group that I have joined over at Splitcoaststampers that has caused this strange behavior! Each month from January through November we are to make 10 cards. The challenge was changed a little this year from last. So instead of just Christmas cards it is now 10 “Holiday” cards per month. That way if someone doesn’t need 100+ Christmas cards they can mix it up to include Easter or 4th of July or whatever holiday they choose. But it needs to be 10 cards per month. Here are my March cards.

On the first card I completed I put a rhinestone brad to finish it off. But I decided I actually liked it better without the brad. The one card had to keep it as there was a nice hole there, but the others were spared! This is an SUO card meaning that all products used to make this card are Stampin’ Up! only.

I’m so happy that I joined this group. I now have 30 cards already done just waiting to go!

Stamps: Paint Prints, Floral Backgrounder, All-Year Cheer III
Paper: Handsome Hunter, Whisper White
Ink: Handsome Hunter, Bravo Burgundy, Apricot Appeal
Accessories: Satin Ribbon in Purely Pomegranate, Brads

* * * * * * * * * * * * BLOG CANDY ALERT * * * * * * * * * * * *
Oh and come back tomorrow. I still have several of the 2008 SAB sets to send out to someone. It could be you!!!

So I’m a little late with Splitcoaststamper’s Wednesday sketch challenge. Sometimes I just don’t know when to stop. If it is a sketch that I really like, and oh my this was sure one of those, I just have to make more than 1 or 2 or… Look at this beautiful sketch!

I mean really. Who can blame me for making 5 cards with it? *chuckle*

I wonder if the amount of fun I have making a card is proportional to the mess I make in my craft room while doing it. If that is the case, then I surely had a blast with these!

Stamps: Twill Backgrounder, Sentiment is Hero Arts
Paper: Handsome Hunter, Blush Blossom, Mellow Moss, Whisper White, Paper Pizazz DP “Joy’s Vintage Papers”
Ink: Handsome Hunter, Versamark
Accessories: Velvet Ribbon, Brad, Prima, Stickles, Flower Punch

Stamps: Twill Backgrounder, Elegant Cheer
Paper: Night of Navy, Bashful Blue, Mellow Moss, Whisper White, Paper Pizazz DP “Joy’s Vintage Papers”
Ink: Handsome Hunter, Versamark
Accessories: GG Striped Ribbon, Brads, Primas, Stickles, Flower Punch

Stamps: Twill Backgrounder, Elegant Cheer
Paper: Night of Navy, Mellow Moss, Whisper White, Paper Pizazz DP “Joy’s Vintage Papers”
Ink: Handsome Hunter, Versamark
Accessories: GG Ribbon, Brads, Prima, Stickles, Flower Punch

Stamps: Twill Backgrounder, Sentiment is Wordsworth
Paper: Handsome Hunter, Orchid Opulence, Whisper White, Paper Pizazz DP “Joy’s Vintage Papers”
Ink: Handsome Hunter, Versamark
Accessories: Organdy Ribbon, Brads, Primas, Stickles, Flower Punch

Stamps: Twill Backgrounder, All Holidays
Paper: Handsome Hunter, So Saffron, More Mustard, Whisper White, Paper Pizazz DP “Joy’s Vintage Papers”
Ink: Handsome Hunter, Versamark
Accessories: Gingham Ribbon, Brads, Primas, Stickles, Flower Punch

BLOG CANDY ALERT!!

Be sure to stop by on Monday. I’ll have another SAB set waiting for a new home!

St. Patrick’s Day is just over a week away. So what fun that the inspiration piece this week at Splitcoaststampers is a beautiful green quilt. Here it is.

And here is the card I made that was inspired by this quilt.

To start I stamped the flourish and shamrocks on Whisper White card stock with Versamark. Using clear embossing powder I then heat embossed them. Brayering was next with Certainly Celery and Garden Green. The Print Pattern backgrounder is also stamped on Whisper White with Certainly Celery.

I had never tried brayering until I saw Michelle Zindorf’s wonderful creations. She is so sweet and generous to have some great tutorials on her blog that show how she achieves her fabulous brayered backgrounds. And even though my attempts do not come close to her works of art, it has become one of my favorite techniques to play with.

Stamps: Baroque Motifs, Print Pattern, Sentiment is Rubber Soul, Shamrock is unknown
Paper: Garden Green, Whisper White
Ink: Garden Green, Certainly Celery, Versamark
Accessories: GG Ribbon, Gingham Ribbon, Rhinestone Brad, Clear EP, Brayer