SSINKTC42: Understated Bloom

Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the technique below.

For my card, I used the traditional way of doing stained glass cards. I have also seen others use a large cutout die (like the Rose Garden Thinlits) and replace the middle pieces with colored paper. Very cool effect, but I enjoy doing the heat embossing and vellum technique. For my card, I used the Birthday Blooms stamp set as my stained glass image. I have found that the trick to coloring is to use darker markers to show the color more. After coloring, I handcut my vellum and placed it in the corner of my card. I added a metallic doily and a sentiment.

Detailed of the flower:

Stamps: Birthday Blooms; Dragonfly Dreams
Inks: Perfect Plum; Elegant Eggplant; Always Artichoke; Pumpkin Pie
Cardstock: Falling in Love DSP; Very Vanilla; Crumb Cake
Accessories: Metallic Doily
Tools: Gold Embossing Powder; Vellum

Sunday Haul #3

My stamp club order arrive! Woohoo! Let's see, I got:

Endless Birthday Wishes Stamp Set
Pop of Pink DSP
Pear Pizzazz Ink Pad
Flirty Flamingo Cardstock
Reverse Words Stamp Set (new SAB)
Bermuda Bay Cardstock
Dimensionals
Glimmer Paper Assortment (new SAB)
Rich Razzleberry Cardstock
2016-2018 In Color Markers

Sugarplum Dragonfly

Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using your favorite Sale-a-Bration item. My newest obsession is the new 6x6 Glimmer Paper Assortment Pack. You get four sheets each of three colors: Bermuda Bay, Mint Macaron, and Sweet Sugarplum. I need all the shiny things so of course I got this as soon as I could! For my card, I kept it simple to highlight the awesome glitter paper. I die cut a dragonfly from my piece of whisper white and a piece of vellum. I layered on a few coordinating colors of cardstock and added a simple sentiment. For final touches I added a few enamel shapes to give a bit extra sparkle. This card really shines in person!

Stamps: Dragonfly Dreams
Inks: Rich Razzleberry
Cardstock: Sweet Sugarplum Glimmer Paper; Rich Razzleberry; Sweet Sugarplum; Whisper White; Vellum
Accessories: 2016-2018 In Color Enamel Shapes; Metallic Enamel Shapes
Tools: Detailed Dragonflies Thinlitsdra

Fun n' Crafty Blog Hop February 2017

Welcome to the Fun n’ Crafty Blog Hop for February. This month's theme is watercolor. For my card, I kept the design and embellishments simple to focus on the watercolor pencils. I love love love this product and am so excited that they are back in stock after a temporary outage. The pencils are so versatile. You can simply color an image or apply a bit of water and create an amazing watercolor effect. For my card, I colored in some jars using two different colored pencils to create a fun paint jar look. The color combos are: Calypso Coral and Read Red, Pool Party and Bermuda Bay, Melon Mambo and Rich Razzleberry, and Daffodil Delight and Pumpkin Pie. I then die cut the jar and trimmed a bit off the edges. I stamped the jars onto a piece of Whisper White and then glued the die cut jars onto the stamped images. I used a similar effect on this Jar of Love card. I also added a stamped and die cut lid for each of my jars. For my sentiment I stamped is with a two tone effect. I kept the background simple with a layer of silver foil paper on top of a Basic Gray card base. It's hard to tell in the first photo, but I did add a bit of sparkle with some clear Wink of Stella in jar.

Detail of the Wink of Stella.

Stamps: Jar of Love; Suite Sayings
Inks: Basic Gray; Smoky Slate; Melon Mambo; Rich Razzleberry
Cardstock: Basic Gray; Silver Foil Paper; Whisper White; Smoky Slate
Accessories:
Tools: Everyday Jars Framelits; Wink of Stella Clear; Wink of Stella Gold

Blog Hop List:

Carousel for a Friend

Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using elements of the Cupcakes and Carousels suite. I haven't bought the stamp set from the suite, but I couldn't resist the patterned paper. For this card, I pulled all the papers featuring the Bemuda Bay and So Saffron color combo. From there, I pulled some Early Espresso cardstock to create my color trio. I played around with layering the papers until I found a combo I really loved. To add texture, I embossed my piece of Bermuda Bay using the new Hexagons Embossing Folder. To finish my card, I glued on some sequin strands.

Stamps: Friendly Wishes
Inks: Bermuda Bay
Cardstock: Cupcakes & Carousels DSP; Bermuda Bay; So Saffron; Early Espresso
Accessories: Bermuda Bay Sequin Trim
Tools: Hexagons Embossing Folder

Currently...

Watching: J and I finally started watching Broadchurch. Only two episodes in, but we're hooked!

Reading: Cress by Marissa Meyer. I'm working my way through The Lunar Chronicles. Enjoying this volume even more than the last.

Listening: The rain is still here in the Bay Area. On Monday it rained all day. In many ways, I missed listening to the sound of the rain.

Making: Pushing to wrap up my 2016 pages in the Project Life albums. Getting close! i need to do Arthur's December pages and the twins and then 2016 will be done.

Feeling: I've gotten a decent amount of sleep this past week. Feeling better. Now if I could get the toddler to stop yelling about everything, I would feel fine.

Planning: March is my birthday month and I've got some great things planned to celebrate on my Facebook craft group. Lots of challenges, giveaways, and fun. If you want to play along, join The Craft Sea to get all the news.

Loving: Quentin's belly laughs are adorable. I wish I could bottle them for those times when I need a pick-me-up.

SSINKIC42: Hot Air Balloon View

Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card using the picture below as inspiration!

For my card, I played off of the hot air balloons and some of the colors from the picture. I pulled out my trusty Celebrate Today stamp set. While most use this set to make balloons, it does include this cute little basket stamp to turn balloons into hot air balloons. Perfect for the photo! I simply inked up a few hot air balloons in some coordinating colors. I made sure to feature some great DSP from the Sale-a-Bration Carried Away pack. Love that paper so much. To finish my card, I added a few little embellishments.

Stamps: Celebrate Today
Inks: Peekaboo Peach; Watermelon Wonder; Sweet Sugarplum; Rich Razzleberry; Mint Macaron; Night of Navy; Basic Gray
Cardstock: Carried Away DSP; Watermelon Wonder; Whisper White
Accessories: Dapper Denim Ruched Ribbon; Metallic Enamel Shapes
Tools:

Affectionately Yours Flowers

Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a card featuring one of your favorite products. Lately, I've rediscovered my love of the Affectionately Yours DSP. So pretty! And I love the color combinations. This is a super simple card with some fun accents. I love the inclusion of the coordinating washi tape and rhinestones.

Stamps: Remarkable You
Inks: Watermelon Wonder; Cucumber Crush; Basic Black
Cardstock: Affectionately Yours DSP; Watermelon Wonder; Whisper White
Accessories: Rhinestones; Affectionately Yours Washi Tape
Tools: Circles Framelits

Memory Planning January 2017

For 2017, I am diving into memory planning. I was admiring all the gorgeous examples from creatives I follow, but was scared to start another project. But then, I joined the Awesome Ladies Project where rukristin encourages us to tell our own story. I realized that the Project Life scrapbooks are mainly focused on my children. I occasionally include stuff about me or what I'm doing, but it's rare. I decided to create a scrapbook to tell my own story, but didn't want to attempt another 12x12 PL album. I already do 5 (one family and one for each of the boys), I just could do another. Then I remembered all those who memory plan. Perfect! After Christmas, I bought a Big Happy Planner with my Michael's gift card.

I started to think about layouts and what to include. To make it easier to include items and photos focused on me, I started Project365 Me on Instagram. I try to take a photo each day that's focused on myself and not the kiddos. I also decided to include a photo of each book read and each craft or card made. On Tuesdays, I plan to do a Currently segment. Occasionally the kiddos will appear in the planner (how could they not?), but I want to focus on me.

In terms of supplies, I went and bought a few MAMBI sticker packs for the new Big Planners (Color Story and Memory Planner). I also raided my washi tape stash for coordinating colors and fun patterns. I decided to follow the color cues from the planner itself. I picked this one because it was full of bright colors but used as accents instead of covering the pages. Beyond that, I have a ton of crafting embellishments and stickers. I'm certain I'll be able to find sticker and decorations.

The last consideration I had was for the photos themselves. Some memory planners use a photo printer or a small printer like the Polaroid Zip or the HP Sprocket. While it would be convenient, I'm still torn on spending the money on one of those items. Instead, I discovered collage prints through Walgreens. You can add between 2 and 20 photos onto a single print (4x6, 5x7 or 8x10). I usually add 4 prints onto a 4x6 print. I have to cut them apart once I pick up the prints, but they are just about the perfect size for the planner. The 4x6 prints are $0.39 each, but I've been buying when all prints are on sale. It works for now. Maybe I'll get a printer at a later date, but for now the collage prints are my go-to.

Trucks in a Line

Today’s card is being featured on Stylin’ Stampin’ Inkspiration. The challenge was to create a using your scraps. I always seems to have these little strips of DSP that I just can't bear to throw away. It's such pretty paper! So today I grabbed a couple of those random strips and made a platform on which to place my super cute taco trucks. I colored my trucks taking cues from the Party Animal DSP (adding in Real Red). I love how the strips of DSP bring an added element to the card.

Stamps: Tasty Trucks
Inks: Early Espresso; Real Red; Tangerine Tango; Crushed Curry; Tempting Turquoise; Emerald Envy
Cardstock: Party Animal DSP; Crushed Curry; Emerald Envy; Whisper White
Accessories:
Tools: