Pals Paper Arts and Just US Girls {Thank You}

My father in-law asked me to make him a Thank You card.  I wanted to create something clean and not too feminine since it was coming from him to a good friend.  So I went to the Pals Sketch this week, which was perfect for my clean-lined vision and I also joined in at the Just Us Girls Colour Challenge to use Red, Olive, Kraft and White.  

I went with one of my favourite Stampin' Up sets called "Just Believe" and inked up the flowers with my markers in Old Olive and Red.  The sentiment was also inked up and stamped in two lines to fit in the circle.  The background script is from Hero Arts. The designer paper is from the December 25th Kaiser Kraft Pack.

Thanks for stopping by!!! 

Enjoy your day!

Picture Perfect Creations #61-Thank You

Good morning friends!  We finally got the Guest Room completed and I have some photos to share later this week!  I am so happy with how it looks, my father-in-law Glen is pleased as punch with it too!  He finished adding the trim and painting the trim!

Today is the new Picture Perfect Creations challenge.  This week we are being challenged with some Fall colours but I decided to be a rebel and use the colours to create a fresh, springy card!  It is the end of my school year and I need some thank you cards for all the helpers I have had in my room throughout the year!!

I used my Stampin' Write Markers to create the main image.  The stamp set is called "Just Believe".

I hope you will join us this week at the PPC!

Smiles,

Lesley

Supplies:
Stamps: Just for You, En Francais
Inks: Cajun Craze, Always Artichoke, Certainly Celery
Papers: Whisper White, Certainly Celery
Extras: Modern Label Punch, Word Window Punch, Celery Ribbon (retired), Buttons (Retired), Pearls

Thanks for stopping by!!!

Smiles,

Lesley

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Card Club- Wednesday, February 23 and Stamping 411 Sketch Challenge

I have my Stamper's 6 Club on Wednesday and this week we will be learning a brand new technique called "Black Magic".  This technique is also refered to as the "Chalkboard" technique because it uses Chalks/Pastels on black or dark paper.

I used the great sketch from Stamping 411 for the first card I made with the black magic technique!!  I love the Stamping 411 sketch challenge site because they have so many great ideas, tips and simple sketches that allow you to be creative!!!! 

Here is their sketch:

Here is the card I created!  I elongated the panel and change the height of the card.  I used the wonderful "Just Believe" set for both of my cards, the solid image makes it the perfect choice for the Black Magic Technique.  The Old Olive Designer Paper is from the Bold Brights Designer Paper Pack. 

Thanks for stopping by!!  I sure hope my Club ladies like the cards we are going to make this week!!!
Smiles,
Lesley

Supplies Used: (All Stampin' Up)
Stamps: Just Believe 120453
Inks: Pastels, White Craft Ink, Real Red Classic Ink Pad (for sentiment)
Papers: Bold Brights Designer Paper Pack, Basic Black Cardstock, Real Red Cardstock, Naturals White Cardstock
Extras: Pearls, 5/8" Black Satin Ribbon, Modern Label Punch, Word Window Punch, Butterfly Embosslit Die, Big Shot

Create Ink and Paper Players

This is the first time I have played with Create Ink.  I have always wanted to play along with them and I really was intrigued by their colours this week!  I decided to use Ann's Sketch at the Paper Players.  I love the colours and decided to make some Pacific Point Butterflies...I know that is not a "real" colour for a butterfly, but I was happy with how it turned out!

Be sure to head on over to the Create Ink Colour Lab Challenge Blog and check them out!

Thanks for stopping by!  Sorry for the short post but I am pooped and off to bed!!

Smiles,

Lesley

Paper Players Challenge #26- Heat Embossing

Today there is a great challenge at the Paper Players Challenge Blog from Jaydee to use your heat gun and to get embossing!!  I am not one to use Heat Embossing very much, I always tend to shy away from it.  Lately I have been challenging myself to get the Heat Gun out and to use it more, it is a terrific tool and really adds a new dimension to cards!!!

To make my card today, I cut two pieces of Very Vanilla Cardstock at 3 1/4" x 4".  I put one of the pieces through my Big Shot with my Oval Nestie and lined up the oval shape to be centred on the piece of vanilla cardstock.

Then using my Dotto, I added some removable stickiness to the back of the oval mask I had created and temporarily stuck the two original pieces of cardtsock together.  Then using my En Francais background stamp, I inked it up with Marina Mist Ink and stamped on top of my mask.  Then I ran my embossing buddy over the entire area I just stamped and inked up my floral image from Just Believe in Whisper White Craft Ink.  The white really pops against the Vanilla.  Then I sprinkled my White Embossing powder over top and heat set the powder with my heat gun.  Allowing the image to cool down after I set it with the Heat Gun, I then gently removed the top mask.  Using my Adhesive Remover eraser, I gently rubbed off the dotto from my main panel.  Then I took a sponge and inked it with Marina Mist and gently rubbed over the image to make it stand out.  Then I rubbed away the ink from my embossed image with a paper towel. 

I then cut a 4 1/4" x 11" piece of cardtsock in Not Quite Navy to make the card base and cut a 4 x 5 1/4" piece of Vanilla Carstock.  I used some Marina Mist Satin ribbon to add some sheen.  The Not Quite Navy mat for the main image measures 3 1/2" x 4 1/4".

Head on over to the Paper Players Blog to see the wonderful samples created by the Design Team.

Splitcoast Stampers Sketch Challenge #308

One last post for the night!  I found this neat sketch at the Splitcoast Stampers Website and decided to play with the designer paper called "Elegant Soiree" (117163).  The colours came from the paper, I love Baja Breeze, Crumb Cake, Soft Suede and Very Vanilla together!  So soft and pretty!

I used my En Francais Stamp set to create the back panel.  I love that stamp!  It is my favourite by far!! 

Off to sleep!  Back to work tomorrow.  The snow day is over!!

Smiles,

Sketch Challenge on SCS-Just Believe

I am happy to share a card I made for the current Sketch Challenge at Splitcoast Stampers.  I recently ordered a bunch of goodies from the Clearance Rack and wanted to play with some new retired paper called Raspberry Tart.  Why did I never order this stuff when it was current?  I LOVE it!! It was the inspiration for my card today!!

My card base is Rose Red and I layered it with Early Espresso and a piece of the Raspberry Tart DSP.  Then I flipped over another small piece of the DSP and used that across the middle of my card.  I have noticed some stampers sponge a So Saffron Ink over the place when their main image is going to go.  I love the look and thought I would try it.  What do you think?  Does it look misplaced?

So I am placing an order tonight.  Does anyone have some interesting suggestions of little, fun items that I could add to my order?  I was at Anne-Marie Hile's blog the other day and saw that she had used some  Smooch Pearlized Accent Ink in Gold Lame.  I LOVED the look and immediately went to my cattie to find it.  It is on my list!!!

On a personal note, poor Cyrus, our beloved pup, really hurt himself yesterday.  He has bone cancer but he has been okay other than he has been acting hyper and stressed.  Yesterday he tried to get out of the house while we were at work and he hurt his bad leg even more than it was.  He is not weight bearing on it and he is in a lot of pain.  The crazy thing is, his pain is not from the bone cancer but from his crazy episode.  We are hoping that he is better tomorrow and that he will come through this. He is still eating and is functioning normally.  He is better today than last night and I hope he continues to get better.  He has been sleeping in the middle, staying close to us. He is so affectionate.  This is tough stuff.  We have him on new meds now and he is calmer.  Which is good.  I hope he can make it, we don't want him to suffer.

Thank you for stopping by.  As always, if you have any questions or thoughts to share, please do!!! 

Smiles,

Stamp-A-Holics 134- An Inspiration from Cynthia

Stamp-A-Holic Design Team Member Cynthia Stevenson has given us an awesome inspiration photo to try this week!  Of course, at the Stamp-A-Holics Challenge, you can make a card, layout or 3D item...your choice.  This week I have chosen to make a card and it had to be made in 10 minutes or less!!  Well I did it by stamping simply!

Here is her pretty inspiration photo. 

This is what I came up with...and in 9 mins and 48 secs!!!  Whew...I was a mad stamper!!!  But I kept the card simple!

When I saw her photo, I immediately thought of using Concord Crush and Old Olive together.  I also loved the pretty white hand rail and tried to copy that with the scallop edge punch on my card.  I wanted to keep this card clean and simple and decided to stamp the main flowers all in Concord Crush rather than inking each one individually with markers...I liked the bold statement the solid colour made.  You can't tell in the photo, but the flowers and the sentiment are stamped on Shimmery White Paper and the Old Olive Satin Ribbon really shines too!  It is a special card...I will save it for a special occasion.

Come and join us at the Stamp-A-Holics Challenge Blog and link up your creation by clicking HERE.

Thanks for stopping by!
Smiles,
Lesley :)

Pals Paper Arts and Stamping 411

Couldn't sleep tonight...my brain was whirling with thoughts of going back to work in a couple of weeks...I need to set up my classroom and get myself ready and organized for the year!  With my mind full of work thoughts, I decided to get up and...yep you guessed it...make a card!  Here's a sneak peak of what I created...

So off I went in search of inspiration and I went back to the cool photograph over at Pals Paper Arts. What I noticed in the photo was lots of reds and browns and vanilla.  I also loved the elegance of the items...the floral images and the textures.  

I was also inspired by the unique sketch over at Stamping 411.  I was unsure of how to use the circle in the sketch but I am happy with how it turned out on my card.  I used my Circle Scissors Plus...I think it is one of my favourite crafting tools!  I decided to flip the sketch and used my newest set called "Just Believe".  I've had it for a couple of weeks but this is the first time I have inked it up!

So after putting the sketch and the colours together I inked up the flowers in Real Red and Chocolate Chip.  My little butterfly has one little gem on it.

I also used my En Francais BG stamp on the circle...and the Real Red background is embossed with the Vintage Wallpaper Embossing folder.

Well I am perfectly worn out now and somewhat de-stressed...hooray...off to sleep! 

Thank you for stopping by!

Smiles,

Lesley :)