100% Autumn

Well, autumn is definitely in the air here in PA today!  Breezy & cool.  I made some applesauce yesterday with apples from our trees; we didn't get a lot, the birds ate more that we did, I think, but it is nice knowing we grew something and we can enjoy the "fruits".  So I was in an apple-y fall-y mode today.  The SCS challenge today was to use a white gel pen.  My card barely qualifies, but it is there.  I'll let you see if you can find the couple of places I used it:

Well the obvious place is on the apple!  But I also used it on the little felt leaves I cut from my Felt Fusion Two flowers.  After it dried, I colored the lines in with a Pumpkin Pie marker.  Hard to see, but gives it an interesting look!  All images except the apple are from the Autumn set from Impression Obsession--don't have the actual name.  I love their stamps, they give a nice clear impression.  The background was made by stamping the words repeatedly across the cardstock.  The clear stamps make it easy to do!The apple is from Cornish Heritage Farm's Kim Hughes' Making the Grade.  Thanks to Tammy, I broke down & bought it......I can't wait to play with some of the images, I am so glad I got it!  The ribbon is Riding Hood Red taffeta with the word "fall" stamped on it in Basic Brown ink....messed up on the left side, darn it!  Now I think I'll go eat some applesauce!

• Stamps:  Autumn, Impression Obsession; Everyday Flexible Phrases, SU; Making the Grade, CHF
• Paper:  Kraft, Confetti White, Ruby Red, Garden Green, Always Artichoke
• Ink: Ruby Red, Garden Green, Basic Brown, Riding Hood Red, Old Olive, Chocolate Chip, Creamy Caramel
• Acc:  White Gel Pen, PP Marker, RHR taffeta, Nesties, Dimensionals, Felt Fusion Flowers

Say it with Scallops

UPS donated a Ronald McDonald "Say It With Scallops" stamp set for every demonstrator who attended convention---what an awesome gift!  That benefits SU, UPS, the demonstrators and RMH!!!  I finally got to play around it and make some quick little things--it is an easy set to play with and the new scallop punch makes it even easier.

My sister let me know today that my niece passed her dental hygiene boards with A PERFECT SCORE of 100!!!  So as I was mounting the "congrats" stamp, I thought that would be a perfect way to break it in:

I used some colors I don't normally use, added some non-SU bling and it's good to go!

• Stamps:  Say it with Scallops, Hugs & Wishes
• Paper: WW, Rose Red, Taken with Teal, Elegant Eggplant
• Ink: Rose Red, Taken with Teal, Elegant Eggplant
• Acc:  Square Scallop Punch, Small Star Punch, rhinestones

This is a square card using the Ghostly Greetings DP and Pumpkin Pie cardstock & ink.  You can't really tell from the photo, but the two layers have been cut out with a Nestie die and the scalloped image is popped up on two layers of dimensionals.  Grosgrain ribbon added just for a little fun.

• Stamps:  Say it with Scallops
• Paper:  WW, Pumpkin Pie, Ghostly Greetings
• Ink:  Pumpkin Pie
• Acc:  Square Scallop Punch, Nesties, Grosgrain Ribbon, DD glitter

Finally, another altered notepad I made for a new customer--I was literally taking the picture as she drove in my driveway to pick up a catalog!  Hi Sharon!  Fun & easy to do!  I guess I am on an orange kick this week!

 

• Stamps:  Say it with Scallops, Eastern Blooms
• Paper:  Apricot Appeal, Pumpkin Pie, WW
• Ink:  Apricot Appeal, Pumpkin Pie
• Acc:  Square Scallop Punch, Grosgrain ribbon, small lined notepad, Sticky Strip

Thanks for visiting!  I am off to make applesauce! Yum yum!
LeAnne

Color Throwdown #10

Well, week 10 is upon us, and since September 11 falls during this week Cathy thought it would be honoring to choose some patriotic colors for our theme:

I have struggled with my cardmaking since coming back from vacation--I have TONS of stamps and just can't seem to make anything work.  I won a great set of Kitchen Sink stamps called Playful Stars, and I wanted to use them in my card.  The trouble is, the images are so great, I wanted to use them ALL on my card, and that makes for a rather jumbled card.  So I put aside my first one, took the leftover stars that I DIDN'T use and made this very simple card:

It's pretty straightforward---the only unusual thing (for me) are the numbers.  I don't have any assembled number stamps; they would have been too small anyway, so I used some Basic Grey Fruitcake stickers for my numbers.  The scalloped image is a new set from SU called Say It With Scallops, and it was punched with their new square scallop punch.  I used Rough Edges alphabet for my words; both the center panel & the scallop are on dimensionals.  Riding Hood Red, Night of Navy & Bordering Blue are my colors.  A star punch really helped make this a quick card!  My hope is that we do never forget Sept 11  and the events of that tragic day.  Just like the victims of Katrina, the days pass by and we become forgetful that there are people whose lives will never be the same because of these events.

Now here is the junky jumbly card:

Again, it uses the same colors, as well as some patriotic DP from Basic Grey's Recess pad.  I also added some stars stamped in Craft white and the word "thanks" from EFP.  Those star punches helped a lot again!  I added some RHR ribbon and a brad for a little more emphasis.   All the stars were "aged" with Sahara Sand ink to match the DP a little better.  It now seems too busy for me, but I put too much work into it to chuck it!!!  Ever have any episodes like that?  Grrrr!

Now lets see what the other Color Throwdown girls have come up with:

• Broni - Splashes of Watercolor
• Kisa - Kisa's Paper Cuts
• Tammy - Stamp Happy
• Tracy - Durcan Designs
• Cathy - Crafty Thoughts

Don't forget, if you want to play along, leave a comment and a link on the Color Throwdown blog which you can find here.  You can also post it to SCS, just use the keyword CTD10!  Thanks for visiting & playing!
LeAnne

Simple Thank You

Here is a quick simple post of a quick simple card! 

I love Baja Breeze, but it is a hard color to  photograph!  This 6x3" card uses Very Vanilla, Baja Breeze & the new Manchester DP.  I thought when I ordered it, that it would be good for masculine cards, but I think this plaid is quite pretty enough for a feminine card!  I used the Say it With Scallops set, the current Ronald McDonald House set, stamping it twice: once in Sahara Sand and punched out, then again in Baja Breeze. I just used the sentiment from the Baja Breeze image and popped it up over the first one.  The wide stitched ribbon is a great accent, and the scallop edge punch allows the Baja Breeze cardstock to show that pretty color along the edge.

Thanks for visiting--don't forget that tomorrow is Color Throwdown Challenge #10!

A Nice Day

Today was a beautiful day--I got some errands done, played with some new sets and hopefully will sew some curtains tonight. That chore has been on my to-do list for DAYS.

I love vintage images so one of the first sets that caught my eye in the new SU catalog was Puns from the Past. When I mounted the set, I separated the words and mounted them on the side so I could use the images & words separately. It is a little challenging to use the words when they're mounted on the side; sometimes I take them right off the foam and glue only the rubber to the wood with Crystal Effects. That way they don't "wiggle" so much. I made a little quick set sampler with three of the images:

This card uses some retired DP, SU's new Choc Chip grosgrain and Nesties dies. For the scalloped edges, I cut a scalloped rectangle with my Nestabilities, then cut the edges off and mounted them on my card. Image is stamped in Choc Chip.

This card uses Sketch Challenge 190, which I tweaked a little! The DP is Patterns in Riding Hood Red and accented with SU's new edged ribbon and button to match! I added some faux stitching as well. Not too sure about the circle AND the oval, but it's done!

This was the quickest and my favorite card! That's me--quick & simple! Kiwi Kiss and Basic Black cardstock, Bella Rose DP; a tab punch stapled on for the words--how simple can you get? The background was stamped with Sanded also in Kiwi Kiss!

I also wanted to share a RAK with you from Jen at Jet Studio Designs:

Aren't those birds beautiful!? And finally, I just have to share with you a non-stamping photo. This morning I was transplanting an aloe plant my MIL gave me. I grabbed a brand-new bag of potting soil that had been sitting on my porch all summer long, opened it up and this is what I found:

It just sprung out of the unopened bag, just like this! Unfortunately, it's just a weed I think--doesn't smell like mint or basil. Too bad! Have a great evening! I will be in school taking an Excel class tomorrow, so probably no posting! Stop back for the Color Throwdown Challenge on Wednesday!
LeAnne

Dancin' with Dee Challenge

Today is a rainy, hurricany day here in SE PA; we are feeling the effects of Hurricane Hanna.  So what better thing to do than stamp?  I wanted to participate in Sharon's Dancin' with Dee challenge, which was to make something with a 2- or 3-step stamp, preferably flowers or nature.  I dusted off my Kitchen Sink Daisy stamp and set out to make a little altered note book to keep by my computer.  I like to have one handy to write myself notes, especially when I am running low on cardstock, ribbon, etc.  And this is a shameless plug for Maria at Kitchen Sink; she is just wonderful!!!  I lost a teeny little piece from my stamp set and she replaced it FREE!!!!  What awesome customer service!!!  Thanks, Maria!  So here it is:

I know it looks like a card, but it is a little ruled pad.  Here are the details:

• Stamps:  Kitchen Sink Daisy, MFT Essential Sentiments
• Paper:  So Saffron, WW, Kiwi Kiss, Basic Grey LilyKate & Two Scoops
• Ink:  Barely Banana, So Saffron, More Mustard, Chocolate Chip
• Acc:  CB Just My Type folder, Dimensionals, Sponge Daubers

I can't wait to use it!  TFL!
LeAnne

Some Seasonal Postings

I have lots of fall stamps; I just gravitate towards fall & Halloween, and I have so many images, I probably won't ever use them all!  But I was able to break into some today!  One of the projects I have been wanting to do was to make an acetate treat box.  It was on SCS a while back; I'll try to find it.  So this is my first attempt.  I will call it my prototype, as there are things I will change when I do it again, so bear with me!  I also made a 3x3 notecard to go with it--I just love these Crafty Secret images.  Again, it was a quick one with not a lot of thought put into it, I just wanted to play:

Deets:

• Stamps:  Crafty Secrets
• Paper:  Acetate, SU Ghostly Greetings, WW, Basic Black
• Ink:  Palette Noir
• Acc:  Markers, Ink, Aquapainter, Small Oval Punch, Copper Cord, Nesties, Gelly Roll Pen
  

Here's another fall card -- I had actually done this image while on vacation---I was showing my dad how clear stamps work, and just went ahead & finished it.  This is the only stamping I did on my whole vacation!!!  So I assembled it into a real simple card, the only embellishment is the pumpkin up on dimensionals!

• Stamps:  My Favorite Things Falling for You
• Paper:  Retired SU, Shimmery White, Confetti White, Bella Rose
• Ink:  Palette Noir, Close to Cocoa, Asst Earth Elements
• Acc:  Markers, Dimensionals

Thanks for visiting!  I am signing off now as the wind from the hurricane is really kicking up!  Batten down the hatches!
LeAnne