Hugs for Claire

I have a card today for a very special person in the stamping world.  I have only been buying and using Waltzingmouse stamps for a short time, but I am already very familiar with how special and kind Claire is.  So, when Renee told me about a special blog hop Nerina was organizing, I knew I wanted to play along.

Claire was recently disappointed by her suppliers, causing a delay in availability of stamps for her latest release.  You can read about it here.  I was very impressed at Claire's honesty, and with the actions she was taking on behalf of her customers.  I could really relate to her situation, having been in similar situations numerous times when I was working in the medical device business. Having to tell customers that a promised product will not be available at the expected time is never a pleasant experience, regardless of the reason, or where the fault lies.

Here is the card I made for Claire.  I used some of the extra papers that Kim sent in our August 12 Kits of Christmas package.

If you would like to see all the projects for Claire, please click here.  Nerina will have the link open for a month, so please feel free to link something up of your own.

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Retro Sketches #26

I used my new Paper Smooches Chubby Chums set to make a card for this week's Retro Sketches rs#26 Challenge.  I bought the set mainly for the owl, but after seeing the stamps in person, I think all those critters will eventually see some ink.

Exciting news:  In a true strike of beginner's luck, I was selected as an Honorable Gnome for this card, which was my first entry ever in the Lawnscaping Challenge.  Check out my cute little Gnome up there on the right.  Isn't he darling?

Supplies Used: 

Stamps:  Paper Smooches Chubby Chums

Paper:  PTI White, Enchanted Evening, Canyon Clay, Scarlet Jewel

Ink:  Scarlet Jewel, Memento Tuxedo Black

Other:  Mat Stack 4 & Layerz Mat Stack 4, Copics

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The 12 Kits of Christmas: August

 

Well, summer is almost over, and my daughters are about to go back to school.  I have to say that I think I am ready, although I do not think that they would agree.  End of August means it is also time for my monthly 12 Kits of Christmas post.  If you are wondering what you have stumbled into, please click here for more information.  This month's kit was generously provided by Kim of Cupcakes, Cards and Kim.  Just take a look at all the goodies she sent.  One of the most fun parts about this group is getting to play with stamp sets and dies I don't have, and this month was no exception.  Kim provided us with some wonderful digital images, and they were all new to me.  There were so many fun  elements--die cuts, stamped images, and papers to play with--and the colors were beautiful and non traditional this time.

 

Photo Courtesy of Kara

 

I made 5 cards from Kim's wonderful kit, and I still have lots left over.

This card is a 4X4 square.  Don't you just love that shoe?

I must admit that some of these cards actually made themselves.  So, if you like them, you should let Kim know, because she sent me a kit with a lot of self assembling ingredients.  Yay.

Now, for another little twist that Renee started last month.  She challenged us to add an extra card every month that would be a CASE of another group member's card from a previous month.  What a great way to use up the leftovers we have all been hoarding.  She even put together a pinboard, where we can easily see all the cards we have made with this group.  Check it out here--it's a great source of holiday inspiration.  I chose to case one of Christina's cards from her July kit.  I loved the stamped branch image she included in the kit, but didn't know what to do with it.  I decided to save it, and use it for my CASE.  I would have duplicated the sewing, if I had a sewing machine.  I love stitching on cards, but have resisted that purchase so far.  I think I would probably ruin a lot of cards. 

Christina's card

My CASE of Christina's card

I had such fun playing with all the goodies in Kim's kit, and now I am eager to see what everyone else has created.  Thank you so much, Kim, for sending such a wonderful kit, and for giving your ingredients such great instructions about what to do once I unpacked them.  If you are curious about anything used to make these cards, head over to Kim's blog, where she will have information on the supplies she sent.

 

 

Here is a list of the other members of The 12 Kits of Christmas.  Please stop by their blogs and check out what they have done this month.

 

Renee of It's a Patchwork Life

 Cathy of Empty Nest Crafter

Suzanne of The Card Yard

Marybeth of Marybeth's Time for Paper

Joyce of Cards-by-the-Sea (that's me!)

Amy of Stamp-n-Paradise

Christina of Sea Glass and Sentiments

Kim of Cupcakes, Cards and Kim

Kara of KandR Designs

Jessica of The Paper Parade

Jeanne of A Kept Life

Sharron of On Papillon Wings

 

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CAS-ology Relax

What a fun trigger word for this week's  CASology Week #8 challenge.  Since couches were pretty well taken by the wonderful inspiration designers, I decided to go a different direction.  I wanted to try a sunrise, since I just got some Wild Honey Distress ink.  I used the same blending technique I used on this card here.  This scene reminds me of how peaceful it is at the beach early in the morning when we vacation in Hawaii. 

Now, I know that my friend Kim from Cupcakes, Cards and Kim was also planning to play along today, and we had independently decided to use the same stamp set.  I just took a peek at her card, and it is really wonderful, and so completely different from mine, even though we both started out with My Island from Waltzingmouse.  That is one of my favorite things about stamping--seeing how the same supplies can be used in so many different ways.

Supplies Used:

Stamps:  Waltzingmouse My Island

Paper:  PTI White, Sweet Blush

Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Distress Wild Honey, Spun Sugar, Weathered Wood

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CAS-ual Fridays #67

It's been a while since I've played along with CAS-ual Fridays.  This week's challenge CFC #67 is to create a clean and simple project that features banners or flags.  The banners on this card by Laura Bassen inspired my card here. 

Supplies Used (PTI):

Stamps:  Think Big Favorites

Paper:  White, Hawaiian Shores, Raspberry Fizz, Orange Zest

Ink:  Hawaiian Shores

Other:  Double Ended Banner Die

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Make it Monday #79

This week's Make it Monday #79 shows us how to use fabric with die cuts on our cards.  In a nutshell, just use spray adhesive to attach the fabric to paper, and then cut away.  I had some fabric I bought at a local quilting shop just for the purpose of having fabric around in case I needed it.   I used the Happy Hexagon Cover plate to cut some fabric hexagons for my card.  This fabric is busy and random, so I just mixed the cut hexagons up a bit, and then stuck them down.

I am also entering this card into the Focal Point Challenge in the Moxie Fab World.

Supplies Used (PTI):

Paper:  White

Stamps:  Communique Curves

Ink:  Memento Rich Cocoa

Other:  Hexagon Cover Plate, Fabric

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PTI August 2012 Blog Hop

It's been hotter than usual here on the coast, so it was very nice to think about fall for a bit.  This months's Papertrey blog hop is all about autumn patterns, textures and textiles.  Here are the inspiration photos we had this month:

I used my new Herringbone stamp to make a background for my card, and cut some leaves out of PTI felt in Canyon Clay and Scarlet Jewel.  I was able to stamp directly onto the felt using Memento Tuxedo Black ink.  Rustic jute twine adds a bit more texture and finishes off my CAS card.

I am also entering this card into the Focal Point Challenge in the Moxie Fab World. 

I hope everyone enjoys the blog hop today.  I'm out all day with soccer, but hope to catch up with everyone on Sunday.

Supplies Used (PTI):

Stamps:  Leaf Prints, Autumn Acorns, Background Basics Herringbone

Paper:  Rustic Cream

Ink:  Fine Linen, Scarlet Jewel, Memento Tuxedo Black

Other:  Scarlet Jewel and Canyon Clay Felt, Leaf Print Dies, Rustic Jute Twine

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One Layer Wednesday and Winners Announced

The theme for this week's One Layer Wednesday #102 is to make a one layer card inspired by your favorite school subject.  Now, I must admit to being one of those girls who always sat in the front row, did her homework, and loved math.  But, I was so taken by this card by Susan, and I had a new Technique Tuesday stamp I wanted to try out, that I am revising history a bit.  This is what I would tell my younger self--go outside and enjoy recess!

I used a technique I saw here showing how to use Distress Inks to make a sunset background.  I didn't have the right colors, or exactly the right tools, but I did play around and make an interesting background for this silhouette stamp.

I'm also linking this card up for the Asymmetry Challenge in the Moxie Fab World.  The sentiment on the left is much larger than the sentiment on the right, although the right side of the card is heavier overall, because of the image. 

Winners Announced

Thank you to everyone who entered my contest and helped me celebrate my blogaversary.  A special thanks to those of you who have been loyal readers and commentors over the past year.  I wish I could give a prize to every single one of you.

Here are the results of the random draw.  I'm sorry I couldn't figure out how to post the picture of the random number generator.

The winner of the $20 PTI Gift Certificate is #12:  Alanna

The winner of the Paper Smooches Chit Chat set is #40:  Monica

Congratulations to the winners.  Please contact me at joyce.mehrberg@gmail.com so I can get your prize to you. 

Supplies Used:

Stamps:  Technique Tuesday Life is Good

Paper:  PTI White

Ink:  Distress weathered wood, faded jeans, dusty concord, spun sugar

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Sympathy Cards

I find it works better for me to create sympathy cards before I need them.  I have an easier time being creative.  I've got three sympathy cards to share today.

My first card is for this week's CAS-ology Challenge #7.

Green

I am also entering this card in the 'Movement Challenge in the Moxie Fab World'.  I think this is my first time playing along with Moxie Fab.   Here is a quote from their web site:  "Movement is the way lines, shapes, forms, and textures cause your eye to move over and around the design."  On this card, your eyes (should) move down the leaves, to the sentiment, and then down to the bow in the corner.  Moxie Fab is promoting their Card Design Handbook with this challenge.  I ordered this magazine when it first came out, and I have to say that it is a really good one.

I have two more cards, and they are both for the August Hero Arts challenge.  Originally, I was aiming for the sketch challenge, but the cards just didn't want to follow the sketch.  So, I am entering them into the 'Clean and Simple Style Stamping' challenge.  Both of these cards use the Hero Arts Delicate Blossoms set.  The first one is paper pieced, and the second one is colored with Copics.

Red

Red

Supplies Used:

Green

Stamps:  PTI Harvest Berries, Peaceful Garden

Paper:  PTI Rustic Cream, Ripe Avocado

Ink:  Ripe Avocado, Memento Grey Flannel

Other:  Harvest Berries Die, SU Square Lattice Embossing Folder, Rustic Jute Twine

Red

Stamps:  Hero Arts Delicate Blossoms, PTI Asian Fusion

Paper:  PTI White, Gina K White (for the copic card), True Black, Pure Poppy

Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black

Other:  Copic Markers

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Be Unique

I have a card today for two challenges.

My colors are from this week's ColourQ cQc #151, and I used PTI Canyon Clay, Versacolor Turquoise, Memento Grey Flannel, and PTI True Black.  

I am playing along in my very first Lawnscaping Challenge.  The challenge was to make your own patterned paper with stamps, and I used the glasses from Clear to See to make patterned paper for my card.  Although I only have 3 Lawn Fawn sets, this was a good challenge for me to start with, because I could have used any of them to make background paper.

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