Watercooler Wednesday Challenge – WWC106 – Heidi’s CAS with Sparkle Challenge!

Posted: 16 Nov 2016 05:00 AM PST

WWC106 – Heidi’s Clean & Simple with Sparkle Challenge

Welcome to this weeks Watercooler Wednesday Challenge.

 What girl doesn’t love a bit of sparkle?  I’m not generally a sparkly type gal though I do have a drawer full of rhinestones to craft with and I do love Clean and Simple with such a fun theme.  Once again I looked on my desk and found a variety of scraps and leftover bits and bobs.  Gotta love it when even extra card bases are right there waiting to be used.  Just had to add the embossing folders and viola!  Done!  Good thing too, because the majority of my crafting studio is still packed up as I play round robin in moving three rooms around in my house.

I do wish the sparkle showed up better in the photos. There really is a lot there in the hexagon embossed and shimmer sprayed piece and the dragonfly that I covered with Wink of Stella. Good thing I put some rhinestones on right?  Otherwise I might have been tossed from the sparkle part of the challenge this week. {grin}  I was pleasantly surprised at how much shimmer and shine (and sparkle) the Wink of Stella added to the plain vanilla dragonfly.  If you are wondering why it also added a bit of pink flush to the dragonfly that’s because the one Stella pen I could find had been used for a bit of Wink type coloring.  I didn’t realize there was added color until I had already applied the brush.  A well…those kind of surprises are what add fun and interest to a project at times.  😀

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Dragonfly Inside the Lines

(as always click the picture to see a larger image)

The two detail shots below are my attempt to show you the sparkle the card really has.

The Inside the Lines Designer Series Paper scrap that was inked with alcohol and reinkers then embossed was a scrap left over from this project (directions shared at the linked post).   It always feels like a bit of a cheat when I don’t use any stamps on a project.  But it’s also fun!   A sort of forbidden pleasure right?

This was my first time using the new Celebrations Textured Impressions Embossing Folder with the word Celebrate on it.  I love how deep an impression you get.  Especially if you run it through the Big Shot twice.   Very readable and a fun bit of texture to add to a project.  With the deep debossing you can even use a flat stamp to ink around and over without invading the depth of the impression.  That’s my next plan for this embossing folder.  I thought that would be hard to see with the Bermuda Bay background this time around.  Though if I’d been able to find my heat tool I could have heat embossed metallic circles around and over the celebrate word.

Supplies:

Stamps:  None!

Inks:  Bermuda Bay, So Saffron, Sweet Sugarplum, Wink of Stella Clear Pen.

Paper: Bermuda Bay, Delightful Dijon & Very Vanilla Cardstock.

Tools & Adhesives: Big Shot, Dragonfly Thinlit Dies, Hexagon Dynamic Folder, Celebrations Textured Impressions Embossing Folders,  Rhinestones, Dimensionals, Fast Fuse.

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That’s it for this challenge.  To see the rest of the design teams contributions to Heidi’s CAS with Sparkle Challenge head on over to the Challenge blog website here.   That’s also where you can add your own creation with the linky doodad.  When you add your own design and there are more than three entries, one of you will be a challenge winner or runner up and have the option to place our badges on your own site.  Of course…you’ll also win bragging rights!

Check here to see the winner of last weeks challenge.  And here to see all of last weeks other linky and Artist Team entries.  Check the challenge site for newly updated rules on competing for future challenges.

I hope you will add your own creations this week to the linky.  I love the inspiration I find in your shared creations.  Can’t get an easier than a Clean and Simple Challenge with a bit of bling.   Easy Peasy.

What with it being Valentine’s this week I hope you’ll put a little crafting love in your life this week.  I certainly love you all for stopping in to read and enjoy the challenge posts.

 

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Watercooler Wednesday Challenge – WWC103 – A Little Pop…A Little Wiggle

Posted: 16 Nov 2016 05:00 AM PST

WWC103 – Gail’s Masculine Anything Goes Challenge

Welcome to this weeks Watercooler Wednesday Challenge.

 Straightlaced this card isn’t.  LOL    I decided to take my masculine anything goes card to a little sexy, flirty place.  The usual guy colors for the basic layers and cardbase but with a pop of color and a little wiggle from the gal in the hat.   A bit of Mae West if you will.  And yes…it helps if you imagine her voice saying the Happy Birthday Gorgeous.  With a little bit of “come up and see me sometime” implied.  {grin}

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A Little Pop and a Little Wiggle

(as always click the picture to see a larger image)

 

Yep…I’m still addicted to the notecards from Stampin’ Up.  Love that the matching envelope is included with the card and that you get a pack of 20 for $6.00 (US pricing).  Not sure I know 20 guys to send flirty birthday cards to but I’m pretty sure I can come up with other themes for the rest of them.

One other thing that makes notecards special…you can use standard first class postage to mail them.  I sure hope you got your Forever  stamps before the price went up last Sunday.   I had fun picking out packs of 20 in various designs last Saturday so I should be set for awhile.  Did you know there are 37 designs for my favorite forever stamps.   Turns out there are International First Class Forever stamps too.  Who knew?  Now that I do, my Canadian buddies will start seeing cards from yours truly.  In the past I could never figure out what the rate was and getting to a post office wasn’t possible.  Now…easy peasy.  Thanks Post Office!

 

Supplies:

Stamps: Beautiful You

Ink:  Crumb Cake,  Basic Black Archival or Momento Tuxedo Black , Stampin’ Up! Watercolor Pencils (Melon Mambo)*

* Sad note.  SU has run low on the new watercolor pencils and will be turning off the order number for a considerable time until they can get more stock made ( yes…they were that popular and that wonderful)…so…if you want in on the last shipment, get your order in before the 28th.

Paper: Basic Black, Very Vanilla Cardstock.  Crumb Cake Notecard/Envelope Pack.

Punches: none

Tools & Adhesives: 1/4″ Very Vanilla Satin Ribbon (Occasions Catalog), Aqua Painter or Blender Pens,  Stampin’ Trimmer, Paper Snips,  Tombow Multipurpose Liquid Glue, Bone Folder,  Fast Fuse and a Clear Acrylic block or two.

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Measurements:

Basic Black Mat: 3″ x 5″

Very Vanilla Focal: 2-3/4″ x 5″

Vanilla Satin Ribbon: 14-15″

Beautiful You Notecard Directions:

1) On the Vanilla mat piece. Stamp the woman with a hat image from Beautiful You.  Apply the watercolor pencil to the dark lines and a lighter bit on the interior and then use the aquapainter or blender pen to wet and blend the watercolor pencil lines.  Alternatively you can apply the blender pen to the pencil tip and then color directly on the paper without applying pencil directly to the paper.   Stamp the sentiment in black below the woman image and then stamp the squiggle image over top in Crumb Cake. Adhere the piece to the Basic Black mat and adhere the joined piece to the front of the Crumb Cake cardbase. Apply the joined piece closer to the right hand side than to the spine.

2) Decorate/stamp the inside of card as you wish (envelope too).   Tie the ribbon along the spine of the card.

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That’s it for this challenge.  To see the rest of the design teams contributions to Gail’s Masculine Anything Goes Challenge head on over to the Challenge blog website here.   That’s also where you can add your own creation with the linky doodad.  When you add your own design and there are more than three entries, one of you will be a challenge winner or runner up and have the option to place our badges on your own site.  Of course…you’ll also win bragging rights!

Check here to see the winner of last weeks challenge.  And here to see all of last weeks other linky and Artist Team entries.  Check the challenge site for newly updated rules on competing for future challenges.

I hope you will add your own creations this week to the linky.  I love the inspiration I find in your shared creations.  With an Anything Goes set up this week the sky’s the limit.  As long as you have a guy theme.

Put a little creativity and color in your life this week.  I  love you all for stopping in to read and enjoy the challenge posts.

 

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Wacky Watercooler January 2017 Mini Blog Hop #2: Occasions Catalog Redux!

Hello & welcome to the second of our two mini January Hops

This month we’re offering two mini hops since the Occasions Catalog and the Sale-a-Bration brochure just went live January 4th.  There is just too much stamping goodness to contain ourselves to one single hop!

Once again we’re showcasing the new Occasions Catalog and also the freebies from the Sale-a-Bration products.

As usual you can follow this hop in a circle going either direction.  You can also return to the home hop site if you ever get lost along the way.   That site will also, with a bit of scrolling back lead you to any and all of our past hops that you might still find inspiring.

Today I’m honored to be starting the hop but if you are working the hop in a reverse circle you may have arrived from Priscilla’s blog.   Amazing work as always Miss Priscilla.  I always find wonderful CASE ideas from her shared projects.

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Today I drew my inspiration from the Sale-a-Bration brochure.  Using the new Detailed Dragonfly Thinlit dies and the new Hexagon Dynamic Embossing Folder it was easy to create a very simple but colorful card.

Inside the Lines Dragonfly Dreams

(click the image for a larger view)

Supplies:

Stamps: Swan Lake, Beautiful You (inside sentiment)

Ink: Bermuda Bay, So Saffron, Sweet Sugarplum

Paper:  Basic Black, Bermuda Bay & Very Vanilla Cardstock CardstockInside the Lines Designer Series Paper

Other: Big Shot, Detailed Dragonfly Thinlit Dies, Hello You Thinlit Dies, And Hexagon Dynamic Embossing Folder, Very Vanilla Thick Baker’s Twine, Bone Folder, Paper Snips,  SNAIL, Tombow Liquid Glue, Dimensionals, Foam Brayers.

Measurements:

Bermuda Bay Cardbase: 5-1/2” x 8-1/2”

Basic Black Layer: 3-3/4” x 5-1/2”

Inside the Lines DSP: 3-1/2” x 5-1/2”

Very Vanilla inside mat: 4” x 5-1/4” + scraps for words and dragonfly

I love the soft feel of the colors and elements.  Nice too that the drawn picture is already there and waiting since I don’t have those types of artistic talents.  Thanks Stampin’ Up for giving us a wonderful starting spot to play with.

A very easy card.  Because I created this card for a class I used three foam brayers (they come 2 to a package) so that there would be one brayer for each of the three colors applied to the Inside the Lines Paper.  Basically I CASE’d the card from page 10 of the Sale-a-Bration brochure.  I decided to mat the brayered piece with Basic Black (and then embossed the matted piece) to really make the colors pop and then used a Bermuda Bay cardbase to add a bit more pop and color.  I found that this layout worked with most if not all of our various die cut words.  Turned out the most popular word in class was sunshine!  Possibly because of all the rain going on?  I loved the way the dragonfly tail could run right into the “n” of the thanks so most of my versions used the thanks.  After all…who can’t use a few cards saying thanks!

Now it seems I’m going to need even more of this paper as all 22 people in class pretty much used up the whole pack!  Between this brayered version and the one I shared in a recent card color challenge I’m using up the three ink colors reinkers and the paper incredibly fast!

Click the link below to download a PDF of the directions and pictures:

Inside the Lines Dragonfly Card by Jean Fitch

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My dear friend Germaine sent me a gorgeous card using the new SAB set Avant Garden and since she doesn’t have a blog couldn’t participate today.  So…I decided to add her card to the hop via my blog.   She wanted me to tell you that this card is a CASE of one by Brandy Cox found here.  I love the ribbon and other alterations she made don’t you?

Supplies:

Stamps: Avant Garden (SAB freebie)

Ink: Basic Black, Melon Mambo, Old Olive

Paper: Basic Black, Melon Mambo, Whisper White Cardstock,

Other:  3/8″ Stitched Satin Ribbon, Brights Sequin Assortment,  Bone Folder,  Paper Snips,  SNAIL, Tombow Liquid Glue, Dimensionals.

Love the way the dotted background paper was homemade with a stamp from the set and a piece of Whisper White cardstock.  Super!  The images are fairly quick to fussycut too.  So overall not too hard and a very elegant look.  Thanks for sharing your wonderful creation Miss Germaine!  I know I’ll be CASEing this cool project this weekend.

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One last shared project from my sideline Linda.  I saw this card at our Stamp Camp last Saturday and knew you’d want to see it.  Didn’t have time to case it myself so this is Linda’s original work based on a sample from the Occasions Catalog.  I have to say…this card is the one that convinced me to order the Sealed with Love bundle of stamps and dies and the coordinating paper stack.   I really didn’t think I needed another Valentine set but it turns out I do!  Nice that I can save 10% off it as well don’t you think!   Thanks Linda.  My budget isn’t quite so sure.  LOL

Inside of card with the “love note” inside the envelope.

Cute the way the little love note pops right out of the envelope.

Both the envelope and the love note are created with dies from the set.

Supplies:

Stamps: Sealed With Love

Ink: Versamark, Real Red

Paper: Soft Sky, Real Red, Whisper White Cardstock, Sending Love Designer Series Paper Stack (inside), Gold Foil

Other:  Big Shot, Love Notes Framelit Dies, Gold Embossing Powder, Heat Tool,  Bone Folder,  Paper Snips,  SNAIL, Tombow Liquid Glue, Dimensionals.

I love the touches of gold that add a touch of elegance to the soft and subtle feel of the Soft Sky.  Even though Real Red is a bold and bright color it fits right in with the softer feel of the other colors.   Totally loving this card.  Thanks Miss Linda for sharing your creation for the hop.

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I encourage you to play with the products that I’ve showcased today.   As you can see, the products I’ve shown will coordinate with products you may already have or can find in the Stampin’ Up Occasions and Annual Catalogs.  Don’t forget…from January 4th through March 31 your purchases may also earn you extra SAB freebies!   Sweet!

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That’s it for my share of the hop.  Time to move on over to my friend  Heidi’s Blog   Heidi is not only our coordinator for the hops and challenges our group participates in but she is an original and crafty lady in so many ways.  My CASE file overflows every time I visit her blog.  I’m so thankful that she recovered from her pneumonia (or mostly anyway) in time to participate in this hop.   Enjoy the rest of the hop and I hope to see you back here soon.

To follow the hop click on the links below:

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Watercooler Wednesday Challenge – WWC102 – Love in Red on White CAS Challenge!

Posted: 16 Nov 2016 05:00 AM PST

WWC102 – Libby’s Clean & Simple Challenge

Theme: Love in Red on White

Welcome to this weeks Watercooler Wednesday Challenge.

 Gotta love simple.  Clean and simple that is. Lots of relaxing white space.  And with the theme Libby gave us.  Love in Red on White…you can’t get more simple.  Only one other color besides that clean and relaxing white.  Easy right?  Red is the traditional color of love right?     Of course…that left my brain with way too many other options.  How to express love.  What kind of love?  What stamps to use – yep…I forgot to order the newest Occasions bundle that expresses love so well so I was a tiny bit up a creek…or so I thought.   That led me to a search of all the stamps on my shelves…which of course led me to a bit of reorganization and so on.   So Libby my dear friend…not quite so simple after all.  Though my room is much cleaner now.  LOL

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A Friend Loves at All Times

(as always click the picture to see a larger image)

inside

I’m blessed with many, many friends.  Ones I love dearly.   So the sentiment from the retired set Banner Blessings  jumped out at me immediately.   A friend loves at all times.  They truly do (if they are truly a friend).   Even if they are a hedgehog and thus a bit prickly at times they still love you…even if you are the hedgehog.  {grin}

Normally in a Clean & Simple Challenge I don’t add much in the way of layers but I decided to take Libby literally when she said red on white.  So…I slapped some red paper on the white paper as well as red ink onto the white paper.  And to top it off…a bit of red ribbon.  I’m thinking love knot thus the knot instead of a bow.  I know…way to many layers of meaning in what is supposed to be a very simple card.   Just to be on the safe side don’t get me started on the meaning of variously sized and quantity of hearts in the punch work.  And please…no comments on the seeming inequity of the left hand hedgie having a tad more heart in proximity than the right hand hedgie.   Yep…way too much overthinking happening here.

The sentiment on the inside of the card is a compilation of the heart from Every Occasion and texts from Love You Lots.  Don’t you love the way clear mount stamps allow you to make a collage on a block for quick repeat stamping?   Made making several copies of this card quick and easy to send to several special friends.

Supplies:

Stamps:  Love You Lots (annual catalog hostess set), Every Occasion (annual catalog), Banner Blessings (retired)

Inks:  Real Red

Paper: Real Red & Whisper White Cardstock.

Punches: Confetti Hearts Border Punch

Tools & Adhesives: 1/4″ Real Red Grosgrain Ribbon,   Tombow Multipurpose Liquid Glue, Bone Folder,  Fast Fuse and a Clear Acrylic block or two.

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That’s it for this challenge.  To see the rest of the design teams contributions to Libby’s CAS Challenge head on over to the Challenge blog website here.   That’s also where you can add your own creation with the linky doodad.  When you add your own design and there are more than three entries, one of you will be a challenge winner or runner up and have the option to place our badges on your own site.  Of course…you’ll also win bragging rights!

Check here to see the winner of last weeks challenge.  And here to see all of last weeks other linky and Artist Team entries.  Check the challenge site for newly updated rules on competing for future challenges.

I hope you will add your own creations this week to the linky.  I love the inspiration I find in your shared creations.  And seriously…this week there are only 2 colors (1 if you don’t count the white) and an easy theme to work with. Easy Peasy.

Put a little love in your life this week.  I certainly love you all for stopping in to read and enjoy the challenge posts.

 

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Watercooler Wednesday Challenge – WWC101 – A Color Challenge that Shimmers!

Posted: 16 Nov 2016 05:00 AM PST

WWC101 – Jean’s Color Challenge

Welcome to this weeks Watercooler Wednesday Challenge.

Since this week I get to pick the colors for the challenge I gave some serious thought to making this a white on white challenge to reflect the weather outside. But that would be way too easy…not to mention repetitive. LOL

So….

Since it’s my birthday this week and outside the window it’s snow white for the most part I thought I’d pick some happy party colors.  Can’t get much happier than Bermuda Bay, Sweet Sugarplum and So Saffron.  A bit of bright and a bit of subtle and a whole lot of new!

Color challenges have no themes but given the week I wouldn’t say no to balloons and birthday cake.   Especially if you live nearby!

Go and be colorful! The white (paper or snow) will always be waiting for you when you are done.

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Reinker Shimmer Dragonfly Dreams

(as always click the picture to see a larger image)

Boy oh boy I wish you could see this card in real life.  Lots of shimmer and shine and texture.  Sadly the camera just won’t really show it off though it tried its best in the detail shot.    For this card I decided to do a mostly straight CASE of LeeAnn Greff and her tutorial on using reinkers & alcohol with the new Inside the Lines paper from Sale-a-Bration.  I’ll let you check out her post for the paper measurements and details and her wonderful video.   I changed things up a bit using Very Vanilla instead of Whisper White, different sentiments and colors and lastly a shot or three of homemade shimmer spray before the paper had fully dried.   The spray is created with a half bottle of alcohol (at least 70% though more is better) and a a few spatula bits of SU’s previously sold Platinum Shimmer Paint.  I found some on Amazon here.  They even have a Copper version!

Supplies:

Stamps:  Dragonfly Dreams (Occasions), Trust God (retired), a random Hero Arts stamp from garage sale (inside sentiment)

Inks:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Bermuda Bay, Sweet Sugarplum Ink Pads.   Bermuda Bay, So Saffron, Sweet Sugarplum Reinkers.  Homemade Shimmer Spray (Shimmer Paint -retired and alcohol)

Paper: Basic Black & Very Vanilla Cardstock.  Inside the Lines Designer Series Paper (SAB)

Tools & Adhesives: Big Shot, Detailed Dragonfly Thinlits Dies,   Dimensionals, Bone Folder,  Fast Fuse and a Clear Acrylic block or two.

 

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That’s it for this challenge.  To see the rest of the design teams contributions to my color challenge head on over to the Challenge blog website here.   That’s also where you can add your own creation with the linky doodad.  When you add your own design and there are more than three entries, one of you will be a challenge winner or runner up and have the option to place our badges on your own site.  Of course…you’ll also win bragging rights!

Check here to see the winner of last weeks challenge.  And here to see all of last weeks other linky and Artist Team entries.  Check the challenge site for newly updated rules on competing for future challenges.

I hope you will add your own creations this week to the linky.  I love the inspiration I find in your shared creations.  And seriously…this week there are only 3 colors and any neutrals you wish to use.  Easy Peasy.  If you don’t have the exact colors get as close as you can with what you have on hand.  Really…it’s that easy. 😀

Put a little color in your life this week.  And join me in wishing Deb Smart well in all her new endeavors as she moves on from our Artist Group.

 

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Wacky Watercooler January 2017 Mini Blog Hop #1: Occasions Catalog is Here!

Welcome to the first of our two mini January Hops

This month we’re offering two mini hops since the Occasions Catalog and the Sale-a-Bration brochure just went live January 4th.

We’re showcasing the new Occasions Catalog and also the freebies from the Sale-a-Bration products.

Are you wondering how we all created projects with products that were just available as of yesterday?   We’re all Stampin’ Up Demonstrators!  And…we get our hands on new product a month early.  If that sounds good to you check with your demonstrator and sign up today so you’ll be ready for the next new catalog early.  And…demonstrators can earn additional free goodies during Sale-a-Bration!   Okay…back to the hop.  Hee, hee.

As usual you can follow this hop in a circle going either direction.  Of course you can also return to the home hop site if you ever get lost along the way.   That site will also, with a bit of scrolling back lead you to any and all of our past hops that you might still find inspiring.

Now that you’re here I hope you’ve arrived from Christine’s blog.   Amazing work as always Miss Christine.  Not only is Christine a wonderful friend but she fire’s up my creative mojo every time with her shared projects.

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For today’s hop I’m concentrating on one of my favorite forms of card.  The notecard!  A tad smaller than the traditional card size but still mailable with standard postage.   I love that they come in a pack of 20 for a mere $6.00.  And…they include the envelopes and are already scored and ready to fold and go!

Using the new Detailed Dragonfly Thinlit dies it was easy to create a very simple notecard (took about 5 minutes or less (love, love, love that silky and satiny new vanilla ribbon too).   Then I created a slightly more stepped up notecard.   Given how many notecards come in the package it would be easy to create an entire set to give as a gift.  A little specialty paper, washi tape or ribbon and a set of dies and you are ready to get creating.   Of course the Dragonfly dies also come as part of a bundle with a wonderful set of stamps and at a 10% discount so I’d look at that before you grab just the dies.  😀

Dragonfly Delight Notecards

(click the image for a larger view)

The paired set

the inside

 

The Clean and Simple Version

Supplies:

Stamps: Swan Lake

Ink: Bermuda Bay

Paper:  Very Vanilla Cardstock, Crumb Cake Notecards, Cupcakes & Carousels Designer Series Paper Stack

Other: Big Shot, Detailed Dragonfly Thinlit Dies, 1/4″ Very Vanilla Satin Ribbon, Bone Folder, Paper Snips,  SNAIL, Tombow Liquid Glue, Dimensionals.

A very quick and easy card.  Fold and crease the notecard, tie on the new luscious ribbon, die cut a grouping of dragonflies (it’s all in one die so easy to cut and glue down).  And lastly, stamp a sentiment from the new Swan Lake set ( I love the idea of dragonflies not exactly having a plan for their travel don’t you?), banner cut the ends and apply with dimensionals.  Stamp a few images from Swan Lake on the inside and you’re done!   Oh…and the notecards use regular postage so no worries there.

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The Stepped Up Urban Underground Version

Supplies:

Stamps: Swan Lake

Ink: Bermuda Bay, Delightful Dijon

Paper: Very Vanilla, Crumb Cake Cardstock, Crumb Cake Notecards, Urban Underground Specialty Designer Series Paper, Cupcakes & Carousels Designer Series Paper Stack

Other:  Big Shot, Detailed Dragonfly Thinlit Dies, Bone Folder, Urban Underground Washi Tape, Paper Snips,  SNAIL, Tombow Liquid Glue, Dimensionals.

In this version of the notecard I played a bit more with papers and replaced ribbon with washi tape (easier and more affordable so I love that trick.  Easier to mail too!).  The only tricky bit was die cutting a set of dragonflies out of Very Vanilla and then tapping the die cut on the Delightful Dijon ink pad to add a bit of color and definition.  Not really all that tricky but a tad messy that’s for sure unless you use a plastic bag or over cover to keep the ink off your fingers.   I slipped a bit of the same carousel paper behind the Urban Underground.  I thought it gave a bit of a watery background look for the dragonflies.  They do so often fly over water right?

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I encourage you to play with the products that I’ve showcased today.   Quick and simple meets the need so often.   And as you can see, the products I’ve used will coordinate with products you may already have or can find in the Stampin’ Up Occasions and Annual Catalogs.  Don’t forget…from January 4th through March 31 your purchases may also earn you extra SAB freebies!   Sweet!

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That’s it for my share of the hop.  Time to move on over to my friend  Marsha’s blog.   Marsha is not only an original and crafty lady in so many ways and areas but she’s also our fearless leader this time around.  She stepped in at the last minute when Heidi came down with a winter case of pneumonia and is away from the keyboard.  Bless you Marsha for stepping up and I know we’ll be inspired by her hop contributions.  Enjoy the rest of the hop and I hope to see you back here soon.

To follow the hop click on the link below:

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Watercooler Wednesday Challenge – WWC100 – Whoo Hoo We’re Celebrating Our 100th Challenge this Week!!

Posted: 16 Nov 2016 05:00 AM PST

WWC100 – Anything Goes Celebration Theme Challenge

Welcome to the celebration on this weeks Watercooler Wednesday Challenge.

Whoo Hoo We’re Celebrating Our 100th Challenge this Week!!   So of course….Anything Goes!

Can you believe we’re on our 100th challenge?  And to top it off we have a special guest designer to share in the celebration.   I hope you’ll give Bronwyn a warm Watercooler Wednesday welcome on this special return visit.  And here’s a heads up…if you add a linky creation this week you’ll be in the running for the winners right to a free tutorial from her blog site.

Celebrating this special milestone to me means expressing thankfulness and gratitude for the wonderful group of women I’ve been creating with for most of those 100 challenges.  I was warmly welcomed from the day I joined and week after week we share our joys, sorrows and a bit of general hilarity.   These women are truly a blessing to me.  A few have come and gone from the design team over the last couple of years but they are all still here in my heart.  You can see the list of artists past and present in the right hand column of the Challenge Blog.   Today, especially, I have to  send a shout out to the Founder of the Challenge, Miss Terri Antoniw.  Bless you Terri for the brilliant idea and many thanks to Heidi (with support from Miss Marsha) who picked up the baton from Terri and have gotten us to this amazing milemarker.  Leadership and hard work (herding artists is about a easy as herding cats) have gotten us here and will keep us going in the future.

Something else we’re celebrating today.  The start of Sale-a-Bration!   Do you think Stampin’ Up counted the dates of our challenges when they set up the starting date for SAB so we could double up on the celebration?   You never know.  They do like surprises and they love to make their demos happy.

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Paisley & Posies Thankfulness Card

(as always click the picture to see a larger image)

Thinking of you all as I stomp through 15″ of snow covering my drive area and property.  The new boots are getting a workout that’s for sure.  Well really I’m mostly staying inside today and trying to stay warm while praying we don’t lose power.  I’m well and truly snowed in with drifts over 3 ‘ here and there.  Very thankful I stocked up on groceries.  Including hot apple cider!

So what does a gal do when she wants to express feelings of thankfulness, gratitude and blessing all in one card?  She grabs the Paisleys & Posies suite of products of course.   Introduced in this years Holiday Catalog (that sadly retired as of today), I fell in love with the entire product suite immediately.  It pairs perfectly with the new copper products and the Paisley Suite’s ribbons, paper, stamps and dies.  Sadly with the catalog now retired some of those products are no longer available but I’m happy to say that the stamp set, dies and the copper products are all still current.  At least until June anyway.  And here in the States,  the Paisley & Posies dies and stamps purchased together will earn you a free Sale-a-Bration item.  You can check it out here in the online store.

My design today is a general CASE (copy and share everything) with a twist, of a card created by Sherrie Gross that I found out in blogland.  Since the set is a paisley one I really wanted to add an actually paisley element using the copper foil paper.  If you look at the close up detail shot below you’ll see that I copper embossed one of the stamp images and then die cut with one of the open paisley dies.  It’s a subtle detail that shows up better in person.  I also softened up the look with color changes.  I don’t know about you but I’ll seriously miss Mint Macaron when it goes away come June.   Which reminds me…if you love that In Color as much as I do you may want to stock up on the ink and paper versions you love ASAP.  Along about the end of January we start seeing reinkers, ink pads and papers disappear from the storefront.   Besides…it’s Sale-a-Bration time starting today which means you earn a freebie stamp or paper or other SAB item with every $50 you spend so it’s the perfect time to stock up on staples as well as new items from the Occasions Catalog.

Tip:  Did you know that you can heat emboss with Copper Embossing Powder on top of Copper Foil paper?  Yep…you can!  But do it’ carefully.  And I would suggest applying the heat from the back of the copper foil paper.

 

Tip:  Here’s a tip for the inside of the card.  If you are making more than one it’s simpler to create a collage of the sentiments and the small decorative image on one larger block.  Then you can ink and stamp all in one motion.

Supplies:

Stamps:  Paisleys & Posies

Inks:  Memento Tuxedo Black or Archival Basic Black, Versamark Ink

Paper: Delightful Dijon, Mint Macaron, Rich Razzleberry, Very Vanilla Cardstock; Petals & Paisleys Specialty Designer Series Paper (ret.) and Copper Foil Paper

Tools & Adhesives: Big Shot, Paisley Framelits, Heat Tool, Copper Embossing Powder, 3/8″ Ribbon Trio Pack (ret.), Dimensionals, Tombow or Fine Tip Glue Pen, SNAIL or Fast Fuse.

 

For the directions, measurements & tips to recreate this project you can download the following PDF that I created to share with my class.

WWC100 – Paisleys & Posies Thankfulness card PDF Directions – Jean Fitch

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That’s it for this milestone challenge celebration.  To see the rest of the design teams contributions to the Celebration Challenge head on over to the Challenge blog website here.   That’s also where you can add your own creation with the linky doodad.  When you add your own design and there are more than three entries, one of you will be a challenge winner or runner up and have the option to place our badges on your own site.  Of course…you’ll also win bragging rights!  And this week you’ll also win a free tutorial from our generous guest designer Bronwyn Eastley.

Check here to see the winner of last weeks challenge.  And here to see all of last weeks other linky and Artist Team entries.  Check the challenge site for rules on competing for future challenges.

I hope you will add your own creations this week to the linky.  I love the inspiration I find in your shared creations.  And I’m looking forward to your making our next 100 challenges truly great with your participation!    Thank you for reading and hopefully enjoying our last 100 challenges.

Stay warm and stay safe wherever you are.  If you have a furbaby to hug, today’s the perfect day to share a little warmth.

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Watercooler Wednesday Challenge – WWC99 – Another Redwork Creation with a bit of Peace & Joy

Posted: 16 Nov 2016 05:00 AM PST

WWC99 – Marsha’s Clean & Simple (CAS)

Make it with Hearts Challenge

Welcome to this weeks Watercooler Wednesday Challenge.

Loving Miss Marsha’s CAS heart challenge this week.  I hope you’ve noticed that we’ve changed our accepted definition of Clean and Simple for our Wednesday Challenges.   Going forward you’ll have a little more freedom to add to the previous basic paper and ink only.   Check the image above for the definition we are now using and I hope to see your creation in the linky this week.

The simplicity angle of this weeks Clean and Simple (CAS) led me to yet another Redwork style creation.  You can see my first one for this year here.  In this case I took a bit of liberty with a more silhouette style image instead of a full line image.  Either way…I feel it works.
Here’s the explanation about Redwork that I shared in the earlier post.   When I was a munchkin my mom taught me about redwork stitching.  The type of embroidery where you use only red thread (in this case I selected Cherry Cobbler as my “red”) and generally the patterns are a bit retro and mostly outlines since redwork was something popular many, many moons ago.  Here’s a link to a basic description and a free pattern if you want to give it a try in the none ink world.

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Heartfelt Peace & Joy

(as always click the picture to see a larger image)

When I saw that Marsha had added a heart theme to this weeks challenge I immediately thought of Christmas and the gift of the Christ Child.   The Annual Catalog set Joyful Nativity seemed the perfect expression of that concept.   The manger image thankfully fit right inside the heart window.   A simple design with a subtle reminder of God’s love for us and his sharing of his son as a gift from the heart.  Jesus sat below his mother’s heart for all those months and now resides in my heart as well bringing peace and joy.    Can you tell I’ve found a deal of meaning in this simple card? 😀

Supplies:

Stamps:  Joyful Nativity, Good Greetings (retired), Peace this Christmas (inside)

Inks:  Cherry Cobbler

Paper: Whisper White Cardstock (Thick & Thin versions), Warmth & Cheer paper stack DSP (inside of card)

Tools & Adhesives: Big Shot, Hearts Collection Framelits (retired), 1/8″ Gold Ribbon,   Dimensionals and Bone Folder and Clear Acrylic block or two.

 

DIRECTIONS & Tips:

Cardbase:  5-1/2″ x  8-1/2″ Whisper White.  Score at 4-1/4″, fold and crease with bone folder.

Die cut Focal Layer:  4″ x  5-1/4″ Whisper White Cardstock – I’d suggest you use the Thick Whisper White so the dimensionals don’t show through.

Stamped underlayer (shows through window): Whisper White thin –  4-3/4″ x  3-3/4″

1) To form the heart cut window…die cut the focal layer piece with next to largest smooth heart framelit die from the now retired Hearts Collection.  If you don’t have that set one of the current heart dies should also work or you can substitute an oval, circle, square or other shaped die to cut the window.

2) Stamp the small evening star image from the Joyful Nativity set above the center portion of the heart die cut window.   Stamp your sentiment (I chose the peace & joy sentiment from the retired Good Greetings stamp set) centered below the heart shaped window.

3)  Stamp your manger and family images from Joyful Nativity in the center of the underlayer piece.  Don’t forget to use a piercing pad or other soft mat under your stamping surface so the “bold” images transfer the most ink.   Trim the underlayerlayer piece if needed so that when you adhere to the die cut heart layer you don’t have any edges peeking out.  Using SNAIL, Fast Fuse or glue dots adhere the underlayer piece under the die cut so the manger scene shows to best advantage through the heart shaped window.

4) Attach the combined focal layer with dimensionals to the front of the card.  Add whatever you want to the inside of the card and decorate the envelope as well.   I stamped the Peace, Love & Joy sentiment from Peace This Christmas along with the small angel from Joyful Nativity.  I also added a small strip of designer series paper to dress up the inside of the card.

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That’s it for this challenge.  To see the rest of the design teams contributions to Marsha’s CAS Make it with Hearts Challenge head on over to the Challenge blog website here.   That’s also where you can add your own creation with the linky doodad.  When you add your own design and there are more than three entries, one of you will be a challenge winner or runner up and have the option to place our badges on your own site.  Of course…you’ll also win bragging rights!

Check here to see the winner of last weeks challenge.  And here to see all of last weeks other linky and Artist Team entries.  Check the challenge site for rules on competing for future challenges.

I hope you will add your own creations this week to the linky.  I love the inspiration I find in your shared creations.

Don’t forget that this time around you have two weeks to add your linky creation.  We’re taking a break for Christmas so this week’s challenge runs through January 2nd.   I’m hoping to return to lots and lots of fabulous creations added to our challenge page to inspire and delight all the readers and design team.

Many Blessings and may your Christmas (or other Holiday Celebration) be filled with Peace & Joy.

 

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Watercooler Wednesday Challenge – WWC97 – A Sketch Challenge Washi Tape & Wreath Card

WWC97 – Penny’s Sketch Challenge

Welcome to this weeks Watercooler Wednesday Challenge.

Many thanks Miss Penny for a sketch challenge that allowed me to continue my Warmth and Cheer Washi Tape and paper addiction!

I just can’t seem to stop using those lovely products.  Didn’t hurt either that the Stampin’ Up End of Year Close Out Sale is featuring those and other wonderful products I used on the card too.  Lots of stocking up opportunities before it’s all gone!

With several inches of snow predicted this week (somewhere between 3-6 inches in my little mountain valley) I just had to use a white background and then warm it up with holiday colors.   As usual I couldn’t resist flipping the sketch and adding a few different elements.  After all…just because there is a layer required doesn’t mean you can’t layer that layer with lots and lots of a favorite washi tape right?  And can you guess the trick I pulled so I’d have a full clean and white wreath center to play with?   Oh…and did you notice my word for this year is JOY?  That seems to be showing up everywhere as I design my projects, though I’m having to get a tad creative for single versions since Stampin’ Up doesn’t have quite as many versions of that word that a yearlong use may require. Hint…hint…if you’re reading this SU.

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Washi Tape and Wreath Card

Otherwise known as a further sign of my addiction!

(as always click the picture to see a larger image)

Inside view

I’ll let you in on a little secret.   The Designer Series Paper piece is covering up lots and lots of ink!   What started out as the front of the card ended up with some green smudgy thumb prints by mistake that ruined the nice Clean and Simple look I had going on.   Luckily creativity and some gorgeous paper came to the rescue.  I flipped the card so that I had a clean front to redo and a challenge to clean up on the interior.  As it happened I love what that led too.  A lovely plaid flannel look that provided the perfect background for a bit of golden joy and a nice offset for the pine bough and sentiment just below it.  I was so taken with how this design turned out that it just made my line up for the additional Christmas cards I still need to send out.

Supplies:

Stamps:  Santa’s Sleigh, Labeler Alphabet, Christmas Pines (inside)

Inks:  Garden Green

Paper: Thick Whisper White Cardstock, Warmth & Cheer Designer Series Paper Stack, Gold Foil

Tools & Adhesives: Warmth & Cheer Washi Tape, Big Shot, Wonderful Wreath Framelits, Baker’s Twine Trio Pack (Holiday Catalog),  Dimensionals, Glue Dots, Fast Fuse, Bone Folder

 

DIRECTIONS & Tips:

Tip:  To keep the area inside the wreath clean and white for decorating or leaving plain take your inside of the wreath framelit and line it up with the inside of the wreath on top of your washi tape cardstock layer and run through the Big Shot again.  Without that step you end up with a bit of a messy looking partial bit of washi tape peeking through the center of the wreath.

Cardbase:  Basic cardbase of Thick Whisper White Cardstock cut to 5-1/2″ x 8-1/2″ and scored at 4-1/4″ then folded and creased with a bone folder.

Washi Tape Covered Layer:  2″ x 4-1/2″ Thick Whisper White – Cover with alternating rows of washi tape from the Warmth & Cheer collection that’s currently on sale (Yay! I 💘 saving money.).

1) Using the Wonderful Wreath Framelit dies cut a wreath and bow using your desired designer paper from the Warmth & Cheer Paper Stack.  (Love that this is also currently on sale!)

2) Fit the inside ring die from the wreath back onto the wreath and place over the washi tape panel where you want the wreath to sit then run through the Big Shot.  You may want to use a bit of washi tape to hole it all in place even if you use the magnetic platform so it doesn’t move on you while transferring to the cutting platform.

3) Wrap the Garden Green Baker’s Twine twice around the washi tape panel and tie a bow to one side.  Using Garden Green ink stamp the sentiment from Santa’s Sleigh stamp set on the card front once you have the placement of the washi tape layer estimated.  You might want to use some pencil tick marks to show the placement of the layer.

4) Adhere the washi tape panel above the stamped sentiment with Fast Fuse (or other adhesive).  Attach the Wreath with dimensionals making sure to line up the die cut area on the panel with the die cut line on the wreath.  Attach die cut bow with a glue dot.  If you want you can embellish the bow with a small punched or die cut glimmer paper star or rhinestones.

5) Carefully line up the J, O, Y from the Labeler Alphabet on a very small block and then carefully stamp on the white area inside of the wreath using Garden Green ink.  If you don’t trust your stamping you can stamp on a scrap and then cut out and glue down the individual letters.  Also…if you make a boo boo when inking directly you can place a white circle of clean paper and try again or go with the cut outs.

For the inside of my card I used a sentiment from Christmas Pines as well as the pine bough image.  I also cut a 4-1/4″ x 5-1/2″ piece of the Warmth & Cheer DSP  to cover my inking boo boos then added a die cut of the word JOY from the same die set that was cut from gold foil paper.  I applied the Joy die cut with rolled up glue dots.  I removed the glue dots with a finger nail and then rolled the dots up into  narrow enough pieces to place behind several sections of the die cut.  You could also use the Fine Tip Glue Pen or Tombow Liquid Glue placed in small dots.

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That’s it for this challenge.  To see the rest of the design teams contributions to Penny’s Sketch Challenge head on over to the Challenge blog website here.   That’s also where you can add your own creation with the linky doodad.  When you add your own design and there are more than three entries, one of you will be a challenge winner or runner up and have the option to place our badges on your own site.  Of course…you’ll also win bragging rights!

Check here to see the winner of last weeks challenge.  And here to see all of last weeks other linky and Artist Team entries.  Check the challenge site for rules on competing for future challenges.

I hope you will add your own creations this week to the linky.  I love the inspiration I find in your shared creations.

I hope you’ll also join us next Wednesday for yet another Watercooler Wednesday Challenge.

 

 

 

 

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Watercooler Wednesday Challenge – WWC95 – A More Masculine Cup of Cheer

WWC95 – Libby’s Masculine Anything Goes Challenge

Welcome to this weeks Watercooler Wednesday Challenge.

Many thanks Miss Libby for giving us an Anything Goes challenge with a masculine theme this week.   It allowed me to grab the “boo-boo” card I originally created for our Simply Stamping challenge (remember I said that challenge took me 3 tries :D).   This is the card I originally had in mind to celebrate my late husband’s (and his brothers) love of flannel, sweaters and green cups filled with tea, coffee or hot chocolate).

When I first met my Fitch Family they had a lovely tradition of gathering for “a cup of cheer” as in cups of tea (or coffee in Alan’s case) with family gatherings of every type (a quick cuppa, family dinner or a major holiday).   I felt instantly at home as my own mom and I used to have daily “tea parties” for much the same purpose.  A time to catch up and have that cup that cheers and time together that warms the soul.

If you don’t yet have that tradition in your own family you might want to consider starting it this holiday season.  Makes for lovely memories and closer relationships.  I think of my far flung family with every cup of cheer I treat myself to these days.

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A More Masculine (and Green) Cup of Cheer

(as always click the picture to see a larger image)

Inside view

As you can see I’ve dug into my past Paper Pumpkin supplies once again.  Boy are those kits handy!   The July 2015 Thanks a Latte kit is the one I used yet again (to see the other recent one click here).  I love those stamps and wish we had a  Big Shot die to cut those cups!   Of course I’ve also kept my project current by including the Holly Berry Happiness stamp set and the Warmth and Cheer Washi Tape from the 2016 Holiday Catalog as well.

If you have that Pumpkin Kit are you wondering where the “green” cup came from?  I used one of the white die cut cups from the Pumpkin kit and applied Garden Green ink using one of our new foam brayers.  Quite a handy tool don’t you think?  The rest is paper, ink and washi tape.  An easy 10 minute or less card.  Especially easy since I used a Stampin’ Up Notecards & Envelopes set for the base.  Now all I have to do is address and send to remind someone in my family that I’m thinking of them.

Supplies:

Stamps:  Thanks a Latte (July 2015 Paper Pumpkin stamp set), Holly Berry Happiness.

Inks:  Cherry Cobbler, Garden Green, Smoky Slate

Paper: Whisper White Cardstock, Notecards and Envelopes set.

Tools & Adhesives: Warmth & Cheer Washi Tape, Foam Brayer,  Dimensionals, Bone Folder and a Clear Acrylic block or two.

Note:  the gold star I included in the inside of the card was a leftover gold foil Santa’s Sleigh star die cut from an earlier project.  Don’t you love using the bits and pieces that litter your desk?

DIRECTIONS & Tips:

Tip:  If you are running out of pre-die cut cups you can trace one of the cups on a spare sheet of Whisper White paper and then fussycut with your Paper Snips.

Cardbase:  One ready made note card and envelope from the set of 20 that Stampin’ Up sells.

Focal Layer:  3″ x 4-1/2″ Whisper White – I’d suggest you use the Thick Whisper White so the dimensionals don’t show through.

1) Wrap the bottom of the focal layer with 4 strips of washi tape from the Warmth & Cheer collection.

2) Use the foam brayer to color your white cup cut out with Garden Green ink.  It will take quite a few layers of ink to get it as dark as I did.  Roll the brayer in several directions to get even coverage and no lines.   While the cup is drying use the Cherry Cobbler ink and place the sentiment from the pumpkin kit in the upper right corner.   Then check where you want the cup placement and stamp the steam at the top of the proposed cup area in Smoky Slate and then attach the cup with two dimensionals.

3) Attach the focal layer with dimensionals to the front of the card.  Add whatever you want to the inside of the card and decorate the envelope as well.

For the inside of my card I used a sentiment from Holly Berry Happiness, the cup and steam and sentiment from the Paper Pumpkin and another strip of washi tape as well as a leftover gold star sitting on my desk.

Another reminder from the earlier post.  These notecards & envelopes can be mailed with standard first class postage.  At least here in the States they can.  Not so sure about international mailing regulations.

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That’s it for this challenge.  To see the rest of the design teams contributions to Libby’s Masculine Anything Goes Challenge head on over to the Challenge blog website here.   That’s also where you can add your own creation with the linky doodad.  When you add your own design and there are more than three entries, one of you will be a challenge winner or runner up and have the option to place our badges on your own site.  Of course…you’ll also win bragging rights!

Check here to see the winner of last weeks challenge.  And here to see all of last weeks other linky and Artist Team entries.  Check the challenge site for rules on competing for future challenges.

I hope you will add your own creations this week to the linky.  I love the inspiration I find in your shared creations.

I hope you’ll also join us next Wednesday for yet another Watercooler Wednesday Challenge.

 

 

 

 

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