Touch of Kindness

It's time for another UDI Saturday sketch challenge!  Where does the time go?  It seems like the week just started, and here we are at the weekend! Here is this week's sketch.

I was working on casing a card from the talented Diana Gibbs, and when I saw the sketch for the week, I realized it was almost the same sketch, but turned upside down! Here's my take on Diana's watercolor card. (I just love the frayed ribbon, which she has shown before. It is the first time I have tried it.)

I couldn't find my color coach, so I based all of the colors on the botanical Gazette DSP. The recipe follows.

Stamps: Touch of Kindness
Paper: Old Olive, Cherry Cobbler, Very Vanilla, Marina Mist, watercolor paper
Inks and markers: Black Staz-on, Not Quite Navy, Marina Mist, Old Olive, So Saffron, Cherry Cobbler, Soft Suede
Accessories: Aquapainter, Stampin' Dimensionals, Basic Black 1/14" Striped Grosgrain ribbon

The ribbon is just cut in half down the middle and then frayed. It is very easy to pull the threads off once it is cut.

We are finally having beautiful spring weather here in New Jersey! We went from 15 degrees below normal to 15 degrees above normal earlier this week, which really encouraged the blossoming trees as well as the tulips.

Before you go, please take the time to leave a comment. I love hearing from you! Now it's off to Elizabeth's blog to see what she has done with the sketch.

Have a wonderful weekend!
Blessings,
Barbara

Happy Easter!

I'm taking a weekend off from the Diva Saturday Sketch because I am enjoying time with my daughter, son-in-law, and my sweet granddaughter, Mabel!  You can see the sketch here, and the next stop is Elizabeth's blog.  If you have a minute you can scroll down and see the card I did earlier this week.

Have a Blessed Easter!

Barbara

Puppy Love!

This card was cased from one I received at the Hartford, CT regional held last month. I thought it was just the cutest thing ever, and it actually was one of the two "picks" by Stampin' Up employees, so Cindi Kugell of Oxford, Maine got a $50 shopping spree! I changed the color combination and made some other minor changes. Thanks, Cindi, for swapping such a cute card! I am doing a punch art class in early May, and this will be one of the cards we make.

Recipe:

Stamp set: Everything Nice
Paper: Whisper White, Basic Black, Basic Gray, Real Red
Ink/marker: Real Red, Basic Black, Basic Gray
Punches: large oval, 1 3/4" circle, 1" circle, extra large oval
Accessories: framed tulip embossing folder, sponges, rhinestones, stampin' dimensionals

Thanks for stopping by!

Blessings,
Barbara

Postage Stamp Punch

Welcome to another Saturday sketch challenge! You can find all of the links here, at the Utah Divas blog. Today is sketch number 132, pictured below. I was really looking forward to working with this sketch since I've used a similar sketch before and found it to be very versatile.

I planned on rotating it on its side, so it would be horizontal rather than vertical. It's funny how I ended up where I am with this. I was working on swap cards featuring the new Postage Stamp punch (#122344, $15.95) which demonstrators can order from the summer mini catalog, available to customers on May 1. Anyway, I had some "stamps" left and decided to use them on this card. Obviously, they are squares, not circles, but I think I have the freedom to interpret the sketch that way if I want to. Anyway, I had also used the Framed Tulips embossing folder (#121809, $7.95) to make squares, rather than the full rectangle, so I thought I might be able to make an altered rectangle as well. Voila! It worked. Here's the card.

Here's the recipe:
Stamps:  Baby Bundle, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Paper:  Blushing Bride, Whisper White, Crumb Cake and Chocolate Chip
Inks:  Crumb Cake, Chocolate Chip
Accessories:  Big Shot, Framed Tulips embossing folder, stampin' dimensionals, Postage Stamp punch, sponges, 1" square punch (non SU)

I think this would be just as cute done in Bashful Blue or Baja Breeze for a baby boy.

It's been a quiet week for me.  I am on some new medication that is making me very tired, so I have not been too productive.  Oh well, this too shall pass!  If you are following the Diva Sketch Challenge, the next stop is Elizabeth's blog.  I'm sure she'll have a special card to show us this week.

Thanks for stopping by.  As always, I love it when you give me some feedback on my work.  Have a wonderful weekend!

Blessings,
Barbara

Pretty Postage

A very special friend is turning 60 this week, and this is the card I made for her.  I got my Summer Mini preorder items and finally had a chance to play with the Pretty Postage stamp set and the matching Postage Stamp punch.  I wanted to keep this clean and simple, and I used the color coach for inspiration as well.

Here's the recipe.

Stamps:  Pretty Postage
Paper:  Whisper White, Rich Razzleberry, Pretty in Pink, and Early Espresso
Inks:  Rich Razzleberry, Pretty in Pink, and Early Espresso
Accessories:  1 3/8" square punch, Postage Stamp Punch, stampin' dimensionals, bone folder

I scored the card stock from the inside at 1/4" and 1/2" from the edges on two sides to add some interest.  I hope you like it!  I am pleased with how it turned out.

Thanks for stopping by!

Blessings,
Barbara

The Open Sea II

I am really loving this stamp set, The Open Sea.  I am in a summer mini swap, and this is the card I made for it.  It is a variation on the Joy fold card.  Twenty-one of these will be going in the mail tomorrow.

 

Here's the recipe:

Stamps:  The Open Sea

Papers:  Confetti White, Cherry Cobbler, Early Espresso, Nautical Expedition DSP

Inks:  Cherry Cobbler, Early Espresso

Accessories:  1 1/4 " & 1 3/8" circle punches, Stampin' dimensionals.

Here's a detail from the inside of the card.  All of the stamps in this set are beautiful!

 

Thanks for stopping by! As always, I love your comments.

Blessings,
Barbara

The Open Sea

I've been a little quiet the last week because I was on vacation in Walt Disney World!  My husband and I met our oldest daughter, Becky, and her family for five wonderful days of fun!!  It is close to twenty years since I have been there, so there were a lot of new things to see and do.  It was the first time that the grandchildren have been there, so needless to say, we made lots of wonderful memories!  We stayed at the Animal Kingdom Lodge, and our rooms had a view of the savanna, so we could look out of our windows and see giraffes and other animals!  It was really awesome.

Believe it or not, on Saturday or Sunday night, I sat with my iPad and got my pre-order ready for the Summer Mini catalog that goes live on May 1.  (I always treat myself to 2nd day air shipping, since I figure I am not wasting gas or time running to the mall trying to use a 40% off coupon on products that I don't really need or use.  I just love Stampin' Up!)  One of the sets I ordered was The Open Sea.  It is so hard to find really nice masculine sets, and this one is a keeper!  Even if it does not make the main catalog in July, I will keep it for personal use.

On to the Diva Saturday Sketch Challenge, DSC131.  (If at any time a link is not working, you can find them all here.)  Here's the sketch, which I flipped upside down.

And here's the card.  I wanted to keep the colors masculine, yet neutral. I used Sahara Sand, Basic Black, and Soft Suede.  Once I had the card put together, I wished I had put a black mat around the Sahara Sand paper with the ship on it.  To solve the problem and not destroy the card, I just used a ruler and my Basic Black marker to edge the paper.  It added just enough contrast.  I need to remember that trick!

If you are following the Diva Sketch Challenge, the next stop is Elizabeth's blog. Please leave me a comment if you have time. I love to hear what you think of my creations!

Thanks for stopping by!

Blessings,
Barbara

A Quilted Card

Before my daughter introduced me to stamping, I was an avid quilter. Slowly but surely, stamping took over and pushed quilting to the side. For my birthday, one of my friends gave me a beautiful card she had made that looks just like a quilt. Then last week, Ann Schach of The Stampin' Schach posted a quilt card she had made. (For some reason I cannot link to the post.  If I can correct it later, I will.)

Here is my interpretation of the Ohio Star pattern. It is made using 1" squares.

Paper: Baja Breeze, Soft Suede, Elegant Soiree
Stamps: Sew Suite
Accessories: Square lattice embossing folder

I think next time I would definitely use more contrast on the background so the star shape would "pop" a little more. It sure does bring back memories of my quilting days!

Thanks for stopping by!

Blessings,
Barbara

Diva Saturday Sketch 130

Here it is, time for the weekly Diva Saturday Sketch! Carol gave us an easy one this week. (I think she was afraid of a rebellion!) Here's the sketch:

And here's the card! I used the sketch to show off some of the beautiful Paisley Petals designer series paper we could order this month. It's a sneak peek of paper that will be in the 2011-2012 Stampin' Up! Idea Book and Catalog that will premiere on July 1.

Recipe:
Papers: Pear Pizzazz, Always Artichoke, Paisley Petals DSP
Accessories: Pear Pizzazz seam binding, beveled windowpane

I think this is the first time I have posted a card that has no stamping on it at all!

If you are following the Diva Sketch challenge, head on over to Elizabeth's blog to see what she did with this week's sketch. Have a great weekend, and thanks for stopping by!

Blessings,
Barbara