Color Challenge With the Stamper's Dozen Blog Hop

Hello Stamping Friends,

A whole month has passed since the last Stamper's Dozen Blog Hop. This month we have a color challenge: Fresh Fig, Tranquil Tide and Very Vanilla. I decided to go with a Christmas theme with these colors. A little twist on the red and green traditional Christmas colors.

I love this new set from the Holiday Catalog, Season Like Christmas. It is so easy to create a layered look with minimal stamps. The tree is four separate stamps. The first layer of the tree was stamped after inking in tranquil tide and stamping off onto scratch paper before stamping it on the vanilla cardstock.  Then I ink the second layer of the tree in the tranquil tide and stamped directly (full strength) over the first layer. It was finished off with the "berries" or "ornaments" in Fresh fig ink. The tree trunk is so easy to line up because you just find the "holes" in the tree to know where to place it.

Here's another version of the card with the cardstock colors reversed. I find it interesting how they both look the same but stands out differently by switching the way you layer the cardstock. This is also a good way to make more cards using the two packs of cardstock. Which one do you prefer?

I know it's only September but Christmas time will be upon us in the blink of an eye. Never too early to start thinking of your Chrsitmas cards. 

Be sure to check out the rest of the great projects made by the rest of the Stamper's Dozen. You are going to love them. Such a vast variety of ideas.

Click the Next Blog button below to head over to Bonnie's blog.

Click the Previous Blog below to go to Judy's blog.

Thanks for stopping by. See you soon.

Rose Wonder for a Beautiful Sympathy Card

Hello Stamping Friends,

It's that time again. Fabulous Friday is here and the Sisters in Stamping have another challenge ready and waiting for you. This week is a more somber theme, one many of us like to avoid, but unfortunately we all need these cards from time to time whether we like it or not. We all need sympathy cards. I can admit, I really don't like making these cards because I know it means someone lost a loved one. However, I do know that these cards are important to these people because they need words of hope, love and encouragement. A story about their loved one is just the icing on the cake, making the card a treasured gift for years to come.

This sympathy card is a super quick and easy card to make but a beautiful card to receive. I kept it simple. Using the Rose Wonder stamp set I stamped the large rose in Crushed Curry ink on whisper white cardstock. I then stamped the "With Sympathy" in night of navy ink on vellum cardstock. The vellum is cut longer than the night of navy cardstock so it could be tucked behind to be secured.(You know, the adhesive shows through the vellum so you need to hide it somehow.

This would even make a nice card to give in a set of cards because it comes together to quickly and looks great when finished.

Don't forget to head over to the Sisters in Stamping for more Sympathy card ideas.

Thanks a Latte for the Big Shot

Hello Stamping Friends,

TGIF! It's back to school week here for us and it has been a long week of getting used to the school routine again. Alarm clocks, lunches, clothes, soccer practice, and dinners make this chic just plain tired at the end of the day. I have also be subbing (since the first day) in a kindergarten/first grade music class since day one, which is adding to the tired. I haven't started school in the past when the kids go back. I usually have a few extra days before anyone needs a sub.

I feel so blessed for being asked to cover this class until the district hires the permanent music teacher (which won't be this girl because she doesn't have a music background). I have been researching, printing, laminating and acquainting myself with lots of music stuff so I'm ready and able to teach some fun classes to the little ones. So far it's been a lot of fun and all is going well. Now onto some stamping. It is why you came.

Welcome to another Fabulous Friday with the Sisters in Stamping. This week we are sharing with you some of our favorite big shot accessories. I absolutely love the big shot and don't know how I stamped for all those years without it. It's by far the most used tool I have. (And actually, I have 2 of them) Almost every card I create has something on it that used the big shot. Although, I do challenge myself every so often to create something without using it and I can still do it.

I used the Coffee Cafe stamp set and coordinating framelits for my card. I went away from the colors of the designer series paper and a more traditional coffee look by using some bright and fun colors. Of course, I used some Lemon Lime Twist (it is by far my favorite color) and Berry Burst for this card. There is an accent of Early Espresso (it is coffee, after all).

I also used the Lots of stars embossing folder to add some texture to background. It is such a fun starburst looking folder.

There is a lot of layering behind the coffee cup to add more visual appeal without filling up the entire background.  Hope you like it and it has inspired you. Change the colors, change the stamp set and you have an entirely different looking card. 

Don't forget to head over to Sisters in Stamping to see more awesome projects that use the big shot.