Spring into Spring....CCG #226

Hello sweet blogging friends! How was your Easter holiday? Mine was very quiet, but nice. We are wrapping up Spring Break this week, the rest of the week was busy and full with the kids being home. Right now my daughter's room is in my living room. We cleaned it out and started purging. First thing that went was her crib. Since she was the last born, she got the nursery room and furniture. A few years ago, we removed the rails and kept the head and foot board so it looked like a day bed, it was fine for her...until now, little darling had a growth spurt. Now her toes could reach the end of the bed if she pointed them. Sooooo, we went shopping this week for a big girl bed. She decided on a lovely day bed, and she is very anxious for it's delivery! She wanted to change the rug and wallpaper too, to make her room her own, she says she is not a baby anymore. Hmmph. Well! Take it easy, my dear sweet child, Mommy can only deal with so much and getting rid of the baby crib was a doosy.

I have a card for this week's CARDS Reveal at CCG, which just went LIVE tonight...

The Color Combos Galore Designer's Challenge this week is to create spring-themed cards. Oh these type of cards make me happy, and so do these colors too! I used to be uncomfortable with blues and pinks together, but now I just LOVE!!! For my card, I used Papertrey Ink cardstock in kraft and white. The rabbit is from Laina Lamb's Spring Time Die Cuts Freebie Kit, which is really meant for electronic die-cutting machines. I just printed the digital image and cut around it. Also from Two Peas, is April Pea Soup's Springily Papers DigiKit. The circle and doily frame is a WPlus9 Design Studio die. The banner stamp is from Waltzingmouse Stamps and the sentiment is computer generated. I like doing that as I am able to custom size and create my own sentiment. The flowers were made from a paper punch, and the pearl centers were made with a Viva Decor Pearl Pen.

{ My Inspiration }

LOVED the clean sketch this week. I created a bracket shaped card for it, using a rabbit image. On a previous card, even though it is really not meant for it, I was able to run my Fiskars embossing plate through the Grand Calibur. This time, wanting to use a woodgrain plate, it just wouldn't cooperate with me. This time, I heard a frightening crack. Not good. So I had to go with manual labor and an embossing rubbing tool thing-a-ma-jingy.

Thanks so much for visiting me today, hope your day is super beautiful!

Happy Scrappin'!!!!
xoxo

design influenced and inspired by:

Color Combos Galore - Color Combo #226
Card Patterns - Sketch #160
Craft Your Passion - Shaped Cards
Cupcake Inspirations - Rabbit Image A Passion for Papertrey - Woodgrain

Project List:

{ Easter Greetings } Hybrid Card:
Finished Size: 4¼ x 6¼

Products:

• Digital: Angie Kovacs - Springily Papers; Laina Lamb - Spring Time Shapes

Inks & Mediums:

• Inks: ColorBox - Rouge, French Blue Chalk Fluid Ink
• Dimensional Paint: Viva Decor - Rose, Ice White Paper Pens; Ranger - White Opal Liquid Pearls

Misc:

• Punches: Martha Stewart - Cherish, Frond Leaf

Stamps, Dies & Inks: (personal favorites)

My Toolbox:

find linked products at simonsaysstamp.com COMMENTS:
8 thoughts, thank you! (add your ♥ ♥ ♥ here)

Happy Spring!...CCG #224

What happened to the glorious weather we were having? Last two days it's been cold and damp, can't wait for the sun to come back! Well, I am still trying to catch up with good ol' blogland. Seems I am always missing the train and am never on schedule. Work, supplemental-homeschooling, Book Fair Week, birthday parties and almost everything else that I got lost in this week. Today I have a card for the CCG Challenge #224. Cards Week that went up on Sunday. Definitely come by and play a few of the color challenges! It's always nice to meet new people and see old scrappy friends again! There is plenty of time to get your card in, challenge closes on the 31st.

So we are "A Little Crazy" for National Goof Off Day. This Alice in Wonderland tea photo was just divine! Drawing inspiration from the key, I made this week's Designer's Challenge to use metal in the design.

Featuring Studio Calico "Field Guide" & The Craft's Meow

Sorry for the photo, it looks a bit bright. Please bear with me and my stupid camera and lack of proper photography skills. Looking at it on-screen, the "tan" is showing up WAY yellow, really it's more subtle IRL. It looks like I am totally off, not something I like to do when working the color combos. Well, I found this gorgeous color combo of blues and tans in the Studio Calico - Field Guide Kit (November 2011). I subscribe to four kits a month and really, I hoard them all. I was on Skype with past DT Member Fiona Kenward while I was making my card, and told her I was always afraid of cutting paper, it was just too pretty. Or to use up gorgeous supplies? What if I wanted to use them later and didn't have because I already finished them up? She just laughed. Yes, I hoard.

I recently made a fabulous purchase at The Craft's Meow, they are having their First Birthday! Included in the festivities are a couple of sketches so I played along using their spring themed Fly Free stamp set. I loved the pretty birdcage!

{ My Inspiration }

My design was inspired by a few challenges:

I needed metal for the CCG Designer's Challenge, for the added Bonus Challenge, I was further inspired by the key and type of metal - antique brass. So I dug deep into the back of my scraproom for the Making Memories spiral clips and metal brads I just know I still had. Oh Gosh, how old are THEY?

I recently bought the Tim Holtz distressing tool and used it to rough up the edges of the BasicGrey papers, then created some faux stitches with my piercing bug and white UniBall pen (also brand new, been doing quite the shopping lately). I am also considering buying Ingvild Bolme's distressing tool, looks awesome. Would love to try it out.

I heat embossed my image and dabbed some Stickles to the bottom and added my little butterfly. I used adhesive pearls to dress up the metal ring and a flourish behind the bow. Finally, stamped the "Happy Spring" sentiment from the same TCM Fly Free stamp set.

design inspired by:

Color Combos Galore Color Combo: light blue - warm tan - light beige - medium brown; Designer's Challenge: use metal
The Crafts Meow Birthday Bash Sketch
Tuesday Throwdown Hoarded Supplies
Divas by Design Distressing
Flutterby Wednesdays Use a butterfly
The Crop Stop Flourishes
Pattie's Creations Anything Goes - must use an image
Stamping for the Weekend Anything Goes
Flourishes: Bring Back Beautiful Spring
Whimsical Designs Spring
The Pixie Cottage Spring
Paper Craft Star Spring

Until next time...

Happy Scrappin'!!!!
xoxo

Project List:

{ Happy Spring } Card:
Finished Size: 4¼ x 6¼

Kit: Studio Calico - Field Guide (October 2011 Page Kit)

• Basic Grey: Picadilly - Bread Box
• Basic Grey: Little Black Dress - A La Vogue
• Studio Calico/Sassafras: Butterfly Chipboard
• Studio Calico: Journal tags

Inks & Mediums:

• Inks: ColorBox - French Blue, Chestnut Roan
• Embossing: VersaMark - Watermark Pad; Ranger - Scattered Straw Embossing Powder
• Stickles: Ranger - Scattered Straw
• Pens: uni-ball - Signo Gel Pen White

Misc:

• Punches: EK Success - 1½" Circle; Piercing Bugs; Marvy Uchida - 2½" Circle Scallop
• metal brads (Making Memories); pearl flourish; ribbon

Stamps, Dies & Inks: (personal favorites)

My Toolbox:

linked products available at simonsaysstamp.com COMMENTS:
15 thoughts, thank you! (add your ♥ ♥ ♥ here)

Two for Two...Color Combos Galore #220 & #222

Hello sweet friends! I am sooo behind on posting this! Two weeks ago, on March 13, the girls and I revealed our cards for Challenges #220 and #222. CCG had a bit of catching up to do since my brother-in-law passed away. It felt good to create again, I really needed some scrap therapy.

First up, "The Celebrations Challenge". I chose this photo for National Margarita Day, the Designer's Challenge is to use fun & festive sentiments.

{ The Design }

Featuring products from Echo Park

Lots of stamping and layering, the ruffled flowers are super easy to make. Punch several layers of paper (I used the Martha Stewart Doilie Punch and Bazzill cardstock). Then spritz with water and crumple. Let dry. Layer them back together to make your flower. I still had the Gesso jar out from using it on the chipboard frame, so I brushed a bit on the top edges of the flowers. Then I went dimensional paint crazy. :)

{ My Inspiration }

Because I was using Echo Park's Victoria Gardens Collection for Color Combos Galore #220, none of the papers had the "Strawberry Margarita" color I needed - which leaned towards more of a coral pink, so I used Bazzill cardstock for the flowers. The Designer's Challenge was to use a festive sentiment. I followed the The Deconstructed Sketch #42, being inspired to use a banner for The Pink Elephant #139 Challenge, I subsitituted the scalloped edge part of the sketch for it. I created the card with a "Feminine Flair" for the Paper Sundaes #111 Challenge by making it soft and feminine. I also used bookprint paper on my banner and included ribbon for The Ribbon Reel #23 Challenge.



Then our second Reveal was #222, "The Recipe Challenge". I chose this photo for Name Tag Day. This was SUPER fun because I asked the girls to create cards using supplies that start with the letters of our names.

{ The Design }

Featuring products from Jillibean Soup

A lot simpler in this one, with these Jillibean papers, I wanted a clean and crisp look. They are all from some older collections, yet they still look great and are so easy to work with! I used the Taylored Expressions banner stamps and die. The Fiskars embossing template was run through the Grand Calibur, (a tight squeeze). I didn't have an appropriate birthday stamp for the look I wanted, so I created my own notebook paper and sentiment "digital stamp".

{ My Inspiration }

The Color Combos Galore #222 Designer's Challenge was to use supplies that start with each letter of your first name. For my name I did J-Jillibean Soup (papers and corrugated frame); A-American Crafts ribbon; N-Notebook Punch; E-Embossed cardstock (from embossing plate); T-Toothpick. I followed the Mojo Monday #231 Challenge very closely, it was a great sketch! I loved how the tag part of the sketch fit all the challenges so well. I needed to use 'N' so the notebook punch tag was a perfect idea for me. The CAS-ual Fridays #43 Challenge was to use a sentiment as the focal point, so I attempted that with my sentiment in a large "Jillibean Soup" type of font - in bold print and twice. I love when I combine challenges and it all falls into place! Finally, the brown was part of the Annabelle Stamps Say it with...Chocolate Challenge.

Thanks for stopping by and spending some time with me, hope your day goes great and as always...

Happy Scrappin'!!!!
xoxo

Project List:

{ Celebrate } Card: 4½ x 6¼

Products:

• Echo Park: Victoria Gardens - Rose Garden, Garden Trellis, Blooming Blossoms

Other:

• Bazzill: Cardstock - Passionate [1-134], Cream Puff [8-804]
• Maya Road: Scallop Frames Chipboard

Stamps and Inks:

• Stamps: Glitz Design - Dress Form; Maya Road - Doilies Set; Rhonna Farrer - Flourishes; Stephanie Barnard - Celebrate
• Inks: Color Box: Fluid Chalk - Rouge, Olive Pastel; VersaColor Pastel Pink
• Other: American Crafts - Zing! White; Claudine Hellmuth - Gesso

Misc:

• Punches: Martha Stewart - Vintage Doily, Frond Leaf; EK Success - 1½ Scallop, Piercing Bugs; Marvy Uchida - Daisy 5/8", 1";
• 4in paper doilies (Wilton; ribbon; cord; cabochons; dimensional paint

My Toolbox:

find linked products at simonsaysstamp.com

Project List:

{ Happy Birthday Dude } Card: 5½ x 4¼

Products:

• Jillibean Soup: Atomic Soup - Minced Molecules
• Jillibean Soup: Minestrone Soup - Cannelini Beans
• Jillibean Soup: Old World Cabbage Soup - Red Peppers
• Jillibean Soup: Monster Stew - A Bunch of Monsters
• Jillibean Soup: Corrugated Shapes - Frames

Other:

• Cardstock: Bazzill - Kraft [9-960], Pistachio [7-754], Vanilla [8-808]
• Punches: Fiskars - Notebook Border; EK Success - Medium Corner Rounder
• Inks: Inkadinkado - Coffee Bean
• Ribbon: American Crafts - Spring & Summer Printed Grosgrain [57834]
• Misc: Fiskars - Texture Plates II; Typist Font (Abstract Fonts)

Stamps, Dies & Inks:

My Toolbox:

find linked products at simonsaysstamp.com COMMENTS:
2 thoughts, thank you! (add your ♥ ♥ ♥ here)