That bites!

This weekend has been all about stamping with a few meals thrown in. Today's card is in responce to a few challenges. And I know it is hard to believe, but this CAS card took me all day to make. Originally I had three fish, way to many. Then trying to find an fun and appropriate sentiment. Why don't I have a "birthday fishes" greeting. Does anyone know where I can find one?

The challenge at Less is More is to use yellow and grey. I have never found these colors particularly appealing, but one of my staff is having twins and these are the colors she chose for the babies' room. So I am practicing.

Next I used the sketch from CAS(E) this Sketch. I have to say I don't mind the yellow and grey so much on this card. 

Lastly, because it all fit I am entering, the photo challenge over at  Addicted to Stamps and More. 

Well this as been a fabulously creative weekend in my studio. Please check out these great challenges too!!

 

Hippo hippo hipporay!

How exciting to get my mojo back and to be blogging. Crafters- when you feel your mojo or when lack inspiration, my advice to you is to check out a challenge.  I was checking out various challenges and saw two that inspired me.

AAA Cards is one of my "go-to-challenge" sites. The challenge is bright and beautiful. I think my card is bright, I don't know if it is "beautiful", but it is fun and whimsical. Can you see what mistake I made on this card? I will let you think about it and tell you at the end of my post. AAA Cards are having a DT call. I had stepped down from all my previous DT commitments due to school, but things have settled down, so I am ready to be part of a challenge team. So, I am throwing my hat into the ring at AAA Cards.

Another challenge that I love is CAS-usual Fridays. I have been lucky enough to win this one a few times. They are celebrating their 6th birthday!!! To celebrate the challenge is to use 6 of any item. I know you are looking at my card and are thinking 6 of anything- where is that? Well I used 6 stamps from one item- one set- the "Wish Big" set from Essentials by Ellen.

Remember if you need and inspiration check out these great challenges. Wish me luck with the DT call at AAA cards.

OK- if you couldn't figure out what was wrong with my card, the banner embossing folder is upside down!!😄

Cool Chick

Gosh- I know it has been awhile since I have blogged, but I didn't think I would forget how to use blogger! I had the worst time trying to upload my photos from iphoto. Anyone having problems with that?

Anyway, I figured out a workaround. Grad school has been incredibly stressful and time consuming. This past week was the first time I have had to really sit down and stamp.

Today's card fits the bill for a few challenges. These were supposed to be Easter cards, but since I didn't get to stamp until after Easter, they are spring cards!! 😀 

I used this super cute stamp set from Simon Says Stamp- Some Bunny. The background was done using this fun stencil from Timmy and a rainbow of distress inks. 

This card just makes me splashing in puddles, dancing in moonlight, spinning under the sun kinda happy!

I am entering it in a few challenges:

AAA- stencils

Addicted to CAS- rainbows

CAS on Sunday- stencil

Use a Stencil

I have a few weeks off until I am back at school, so hopefully you may see me again soon. Until then check out these great challenges!

CASing Sandy

I came across this video from Sandy Allnock sometime after Christmas and the bright colors on her cards really intrigued me.

I watched it and immediately had to play. I pulled out my color burst powders and created my own bright backgrounds.

I decided these warm reds would make a perfect Valentine card. I won't describe the process, please watch the video.

CAS on Sunday is challenging us to use hearts in our work, so I am entering this. card.

Try your hand at this awesome technique and play along at CAS on Sunday!

A little crafty time.

Oh come on! Who doesn't love Lawn Fawn and their fun and whimsical stamps. I know I do and "Octopi my heart" just cracked me up and made my heart laugh. So when I decided to play along at a few challenges this week, I had to pull out this adorable little set!

I combined to challenges to create this card. CAS(E) this Sketch had a fun CAS sketch. You could go in so many directions- check out what the design team created.

Because the design just seem to fit better on a smaller canvas I lifted this idea from the inspiration card over at Time Out Challenges.

These were two awesome challenges to combine.

Here is a close up of the center panel and some of the detail. I questioned whether I should glitterize the octopus, but decided to leave well enough alone. What do you all think?

Well that is all the stamping for today. Be sure to check and play along with this two fun challenges!

Its all about the chemistry

Yep, this all over stamping seems to be quite the rage right now. Just Us Girls sure were on point this week with their trend challenge. They want us to stamp all over.

I was pulling out various stamp sets trying to figure out what I would want and this Lawn Fawn set jumped into my hands. Literally, I was going for another set and this one fell off and I had to grab it!!! Coincidence?? I think not. This set wanted to be used and it made that clear!!!

I stamped the beakers all over and added the sentiment and those adorkable chicks. I think Mr. George is gonna love this happy and colorful Valentine card.

Here is a close up of some of the detail. I added a shadow around the beakers to add some demension to an essentially flat card. I added some "bubbles" with a white pen to each beaker. The chick's glasses have glossy accents to make them more realistic.

This was a fun challenge. Check out how the JUGs were inspired and play along.

Happy Place

I had a couple of New Year resolutions and one was to enter more challenges since I am not on any design teams anymore. I went through all the different challenges yesterday to see what inspired me. As many of you know, I become intimidated by sketch challenges. I tend to take them too literally and then I get stumped. 

I decided to test myself for the first challenge in 2017 and am trying the challenge at CAS(E) this sketch. Since I tend to work clean and simple these days, maybe their challenge would not be so daunting.

Originally, I was planning a sky theme, but it is cold and snowy outside and being at the beach with the DH inspired this card. I decide to give it a valentine slant by coloring the Adirondack chair red and cutting the heart out. I used this set from Stampendous. I am a great one for cutting up my acrylic stamps to make them more versatile. The sentiment is half Reverse Confetti and Paper Smooches.

Wishing all of you warm sunny days in the middle of winter!