Never Done This Before...

I created a card that works for THREE challenges this week! Now that's a challenge! :) The card I designed works for the sketch over at Freshly Made Sketches, the colour combo at The Paper Players and the picture inspiration over at Stampin' Royalty. Here are the details:

For my card, I switched the sketch layout from Freshly Made to portrait instead of landscape and shifted the focal box slightly to one side. I kept within the colour scheme from The Paper Players and from the picture inspiration at Stampin' Royalty, I went with the floral and vintage/cottage feel. Here is my card:

Paper: Whisper White, Calypso Coral, Lucky Limeade, Everyday Enchantment DSP
Ink: Lucky Limeade, Calypso Coral, Daffodil Delight
Stamps: Fabulous Florets
Accessories: Vintage Brad
Tools: Big Shot, Vintage Wallpaper Embossing Folder, Dimensionals

I started by embossing the Whisper White card base with the Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder. I choose two patterns from the SAB Everyday Enchantment DSP pack and mounted them on Calypso Coral card stock. Next, I stamped the large leafy image from Fabulous Florets in Lucky Limeade, once, on Whisper White card stock. The rest of the images are also from the same stamp set. I stamped each on Whisper White as well and fussy-cut them all out. I layered them using Tombow and Dimensionals so that certain parts would pop-up to give added texture and dimension. To add even more depth to the flower I stamped in Calypso Coral, I cut it out three times in different sections of the image. I popped up each layer with Dimensionals again to give it a 3D look. I added a Vintage Brad to finish things up - perfect fit, I think!

What do you think?

Until next time, stay crafty!
Steph

So Many Reasons to Smile :)

July 1st is a date that brings a smile to my face, for many reasons. First, it's Canada's Birthday - Happy Canada Day! Second, it's the start of my Christmas in July Promo over at Hofkissed. Check out my Facebook page here for more details on that. Third, it also happens to be the start of the "Reason to Smile" campaign with Stampin' Up! If you spend $60 in July, you get the opportunity to buy an EXCLUSIVE stamp set for only $5.00!! Click here to learn more. Lastly, it's a beautiful sunny day here in Cambridge and I got some time to myself to get my hands a little inky... but only after tidying up my workspace - that was loooong overdue! :) Now, aren't those all reasons to smile?!

I can't quite get into the Christmas spirit (besides, I haven't yet ordered any new Christmas stuff from SU!), but I made a Christmas-ish card to start off my Christmas in July Promo. It also happens to fit the challenge over at The Paper Players!

So, like I said, I haven't yet ordered any new Christmas stuff from SU!, so I had to get creative. Here's my card:

Don't you just love when a stamp set can work for many different occasions?! I worked with some retired DSP - Jolly Holiday, and the Stippled Blossoms stamp set - not your typical Christmas stamp set, that's for sure. I think it turned out well, for a Christmas in July card anyway. :) To add some dimension and texture, I ruffled some Certainly Celery Grosgrain Ribbon (retired), wrapped some Lucky Limeade Bakers Twine around it and added a tiny tag from the Tiny Tags stamp set and coordinating punch. I popped up my flower that I punched out with the 2 3/8 Scallop Punch and added some teeny pearls to the center.

What do you think?

Again, Happy Canada Day and Merry Christmas... in July!

Until next time, stay crafty!
Steph

Stipples and Blossoms

I just can't express my love enough for the new Stippled Blossoms stamp set from SU! It's so beautiful and two-step stampin' adds so much to a project!

Today I have another challenge card - seems to be my theme this week. I participated in challenge number 101 over at The Paper Players. This week's challenge was a sketch challenge. Here's the sketch:

As I often do with sketches, I turn them every which way until I find an angle that "speaks to me". For this challenge, I opted to create my card by flipping the sketch horizontally. Here's the card I came up with:

I originally wanted to use Crumb Cake, Perfect Plum and Raspberry Ripple... but I just couldn't get the Raspberry Ripple to work. You know how sometimes you get a vision in your head... but then it just doesn't turn out that way on paper?! That's what happened with my original vision - even though it was AMAZING in my head. ha.

Instead, I decided to keep it fairly natural with just the two colour tones. After omitting the Raspberry Ripple, I added the Victoria Crochet Trim - and I think that turned out fabulously. I also added some teeny tiny pearls (those take patience!) and some paper piercing using the new Essentials Paper Piercing Pack. I LOVE those templates!! I embossed the one strip with one of the beautiful folders from the new Delicate Designs Textured Impressions Embossing Folders. I sponged the entire thing in Perfect Plum so that it really pops!

I added my sentiment by stamping one from Petite Pairs and punched it out with the Modern Label punch (such a versatile punch!). I folded it to create a ribbon/banner look to it and added a knotted piece of the Victoria Crochet Trim. I finished off by stamping some more blossoms on the inside.

What do you think?

Until next time, stay crafty!
Steph

Colour for The Paper Players

This week I had the opportunity to play with The Paper Players! It was a fun colour challenge because the colours are fabulous and they just look so great together! Here's the colour scheme:

Banners are all the rage now... especially so since SU! just released some Bitty Banners Framelits in the recent catty. They are so adorable! Well, I didn't use them on this card, but used them as inspiration. I cut all my banners by hand using a mix of card stock and ribbon.

For this card, I used the Basic Gray Striped Ribbon (that just retired). I haven't used it until this card... so it was time to create something with it! Then I added Melon Mambo & Lucky Limeade card stock in different widths. I embossed all the hand-cut banners with different embossing folders and my oh-so-loved Big Shot!

I accented with a Melon Mambo button (retired) and the Lucky Limeade Organdy Ribbon that I stocked up on from the last SAB. :) I thought it added a little something extra treading it through the button and fanning it out.

What do you think?

Until next time, stay crafty!
Steph