SUOC12 Stampin' Around!

Good Morning, Everyone!

Today's challenge on SU-Only Challenges is to use any Stampin' Around wheel on a project. I love these challenges, since they are so non-restrictive. You can go in so many directions.

I started with Music Notes wheel, pairing it with the bird image from Nature Walk. I created a bird house by altering an existing template. The sentiment is from Cheep Talk... a special note of thanks... get it? LOL!

There is a lot of sponging to dress up this birdhouse. The roof was created by sponging a Scallop Trim punch-out, the edges of the house are distressed, and the bird was colored by sponging as well. There was so much vintage-y brown going on, I dressed up the sides with leaf branches and flower punch-outs. The pearl jewels dress up the flowers sooooo much!

Edit to add steps to create:
1. Create birdhouse with Crumb Cake cardstock using this template. I altered it to have straight side walls.
2. Stamp bottom of birdhouse with Music Notes wheel in Soft Suede ink. Punch 1-1/4" circle in birdhouse front wall. Punch a small hole in front wall for placement of wooden skewer bird post.
3. Assemble birdhouse and sponge edges with Soft Suede ink.
4. Create the roof from 3-1/4 x 6" Soft Suede cardstock, punch edges with Scallop Edge punch, and use a Scallop Edge template to sponge scallops on roof in Soft Suede ink.
5. Punch two holes in center of roof with Crop-o-dile to run ribbon through before attaching roof to birdhouse.
6. Stamp bird from Nature Walk, sponge with Soft Suede, Marina Mist, and Peach Parfait, cut out and attach. Color a wooden skewer by rolling in Soft Suede ink, cut to size, and insert into birdhouse. Use a little bit of Tombo multipurpose glue to keep in place.
7. Decorate with Old Olive Little Leaves die-cuts and Marina Mist Itty Bitty flower punches, curling up edges of flowers and attaching Pearl Jewels.
8. Stamp sentiment on Very Vanilla cardstock and cut out by hand. Attach Very Vanilla piece to Marina Mist cardstock and cut out by hand. Attach to birdhouse, along with a Marina Mist flower and Pearl Jewel.

Stamps: Nature Walk, Cheep Talk, Music Notes wheel; Paper: Crumb Cake, Soft Suede, Old Olive, Marina Mist, Very Vanilla; Ink: Soft Suede, Marina Mist, Peach Parfait, Soft Suede marker; Accessories: 1-1/4" Circle punch, Scallop Border punch, Itty Bitty punch pack, Sponges, Pearl Jewels, Old Olive satin ribbon, White gel pen, Wooden skewer, Little Leaves die, Big Shot.

Thanks for stopping by!

Rolling Hills Are Alive...

I used a sample from the demonstrator magazine Stampin' Success as a starting point for this card. I love grassy hill and tree scenes; you may have seen it from me before. This is a good example of using a Valentine stamp set, Valentine Defined here, for other occasions.

Not so accessory heavy here, but still lots of layers and texture. This is a shoebox swap card, so it needs to be a 10-15 minute card. I thought the Marina Mist background would give the resemblence of the sky, without actually bothering to color the sky. Did it work?

Stamps: Valentine Defined, Teeny Tiny Wishes; Paper: Crumb Cake, Blushing Bride, Marina Mist, Very Vanilla, Old Olive DSP, Pear Pizzazz DSP, Soft Suede DSP; Ink: Old Olive, Pear Pizzazz, Soft Suede marker; Accessories: Sponges, Red Glimmer paper, Heart to Heart punch, Coluzzle, Scallop Trim punch, Framed Tulips embossing folder, Big Shot.

Thanks for stopping by!

Scrapbook Friday: Canada

After I posted my MDS scrapbook page a couple weeks ago, I read about Project 52 on the My Digital Studio website. The challenge is to create one page a week through 2011. This sounds like a great goal, and I have managed to post scrapbook pages over the past few Fridays. I'll give it a shot, although it won't be all MDS for me.

Here is a 6x6" scrapbook page I created for a recent swap. Starting with a picture of my daughter, I picked features and colors out of the photo: pink, green, and weathered wood. I went with the yummy color combo of Pink Pirouette, Always Artichoke, and Sahara Sand. The layout was based on a previous sketch challenge from the Friday Mashup!.

The use of the Woodgrain BG stamp is obvious, and I added a s'more, rather than an embellishment, since that's what we were cooking and eating on the beach.

Stamps: Under the Stars, Woodgrain BG; Paper: Pink Pirouette, Sahara Sand, Always Artichoke, Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla; Ink: Chocolate Chip, Always Artichoke, Chocolate Chip marker, Close to Cocoa marker; Accessories: Scallop Edge punch, Circle Scissors Plus.

Thanks for stopping by!

3-D Thursday: Tick Tock Clock Box

I'm kinda a nut about clocks, so when several demos were recreating the clock box on the cover of the catalog, I thought I'd give it a try too. I picked up a cardboard gift box at my local dollar store, and a clock kit at the local craft (crap) store.

This box is a great way to highlight and save a piece of your favorite Designer Series Paper. I love the vintage look, so I stayed in that realm. This thing came together much faster than I expected, since most of it is DSP.

I was even able to throw in some Fall- and Halloween-themed sides. Very fun to add all the little accessories!

Stamps: Sense of Time, Artistic Etchings, Dark & Dreary, Greeting Card Kids, Nature Walk, French Foliage; Paper: Marina Mist, Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Basic Black, Very Vanilla, Greenhouse Gala DSP, Newsprint DSP, Love Letter DSP, Nite Owl DSP; Ink: Early Espresso, River Rock, Soft Suede, Cajun Craze, Cherry Cobbler, Marina Mist, Pear Pizzazz, More Mustard, So Saffron, Blush Blossom, Crumb Cake, Basic Black, Black Stazon, Basic Black marker; Accessories: Build-a-brad, Antique brad, Old Olive button, Real Red big button, Linen thread, White cord, Basic Black 1-1/4" striped grosgrain, Victoria lace, Trinket key, Aquapainter, Craft knife, 1/2" Circle punch, 1" Circle punch, Boho Blossom punch, Full Heart punch, Sponges, Color Spritzer, Log Cabin smooch spritz, Little Leaves die, Buttons #5 die, Scallop Heart of Hearts embosslit, Scallop Circle #2 die, Big Shot, Dimensionals, Clock kit.

Thanks for stopping by!

Thinking About... A Good Book and Starbuck's

Like I said yesterday, getting a little stir crazy over here. I remember the days, full of "me time", where I could spend hours with a book at Starbuck's. Mind you, I wasn't pleasure reading; it was for school. But still, some alone time. *sigh*

Stacey over at Curtain Call got me going with her inspiration photo of hot chocolate.

So I combined my hot chocolate with Newsprint DSP, to represent my love for a book and a hot drink. I also used Mojo Monday layout #159.

I used the swirly pattern from Backgrounds 1 texturz plates to give my background some steamy dimension.

Stamps: Like It A Latte; Paper: Cajun Craze, Almost Amethyst, Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla, Whisper White, Newsprint DSP; Ink: Chocolate Chip, Almost Amethyst, Cajun Craze; Accessories: Chocolate Chip grosgrain ribbon, Scallop Oval punch, Backgrounds 1 texture plates, Big Shot.

Thanks for stopping by!

Snow Day Stampin'

I haven't been stamping for days. Snow days, sickness, cabin fever, getting on each other's nerves... I finally dragged myself to the stampin' room. Krystal and her team know how to get to me with their inspiration challenges!

My daughter and I were watching the birds hopping around the newly fallen snow this morning, going after the bird food. That helped determine this card.

I brayered the sky and snipped out a birdhouse. I created the bird by stamping on the back of my DSP and cutting him out. A bunch of sponging later, here ya go!

Stamps: Season of Friendship, Cheep Talk; Paper: Bashful Blue, Real Red, Basic Gray, Very Vanilla, Whisper White, Love Impressions DSP; Ink: Early Espresso, Bashful Blue, Marina Mist, Basic Gray, Chocolate Chip marker, Basic Black marker; Accessories: Dazzling Diamonds glitter, Brayer, Heart-to-Heart punch, Crop-o-dile, Sponge, Texture Plate Kit #4, Northern Flurry embossing folder, Big Shot, Dimensionals.

Thank you for stopping by!

February Issue of Paper Crafters Sampler Sneak Peek

The February issue of Paper Crafters Sampler will be released on February 10th. And I'm excited to share a sneak peek of my project in this month's issue.

A bit of egg decoration, a splash of spring time flowers... I can't wait for Spring! Remember, if you do sign up for this month's issue, to use code PCSHB, so Melanie knows I sent you. Thanks!

I plan to make another sample, with different design, for next week. Keep an eye out for that!

Thanks for stopping by!