Taylored Expressions Cupcake Challenge #27

I'm still playing with my new rubah Doodle Factory Creatures from Starving Ariststamps and what a perfect way to use them is to join in the fun with Taylor's Cupcake Sketch Challenge.

I wasn't really too crazy with these creatures when I first saw them but the more I used them the more I love them. But, I'm still having issues with coloring them...oh well!

I use Skoober for the first card, I'm really not sure if he's not too happy that he's going to a birthday party or because he's wearing that silly hat with a matching shirt..LOL! And again, what's Taylor's challenge without a cupcake? The cupcake is from House-Mouse designs Make a Wish (<-- see this card), stamped on whisper white card stock cut and raised with stamping dimensional and what's a cupcake without a frosting...YUM! The sentiment is a rub-on from Stampin' Up Love
and Happiness.

And this is Rupert. Isn't he adorable? It's either he did something really, really bad and trying to apologize with a single flower on his hand or just being sweet as always giving someone a flower... just because!

I hope you had a great weekend! I had a very relaxing weekend, just stayed home, watch baseball games on TV and play with my new creatures.

Stamp: Skoober and Rupert from Doodle Factory Creatures by Starving Artiststamps

Paper: Whisper White, Very Vanilla, Chocolate Chip, Pretty in Pink, River Rock and DSP Stampin' Up

Ink: Timber Brown Staz-on and Prisma water-color pencils

Accessories: MS circle cutter, liquid applique, pink stickles, embossed shipper flowers from Michaels, chocolate chip and very vanilla gross grain ribbon

Dance like no one's watching

When I saw this card by Donna at Serenity Stamping, I knew I'll be in trouble and fortunately before I get my hands with some of the Doodlefactory Collection © Starving Artistamps, she announced that she's part of the Design Team and offered a discount, so I placed my order right away last week. I've been watching my mailbox everyday to see if my little creatures made it home and today when I get home, I was doing the same dance as Twinkx.

The layout used for this card is from Taylor of Taylored Expressions Cupcake Sketch Challenge 14 which she posted couple of months ago as I challenge myself to try any challenge to get my MOJO back. And make sure to visit her today to see what challenge she's up to for today.

The color combination was pulled from the ribbon used here from American Crafts Uptown Brown. I was not really happy how I water-colored Twinkx but I'll be back and master coloring these cute creatures. The sentiment was printed on Microsoft Word, I wanted it to be a line from song .... something like "It's Friday, It's Payday" but for the life of me, I cannot remember it, maybe someone can tell me, if not just like Twinkx is doing... Dance like no one's watching!

Oh, and make sure to visit Starving Artistamps to see their new release stamps and to enter the blog candy. All you have to do is spread the word on your blog and post a comment telling Irene what new collections you would like to see in the future.

Happy Friday and hope you have a great weekend!

Have a Dyno-mite birthday!

I had so many ideas when I saw the Sketch Challenge at SCS this morning while at work but when I got home, it seems like nothing worked with what I had planned. From what image or colors should I use but I should say I was pretty happy in the end. What do you think?

I started by stamping the main image Dinosaur Egg from Whipper Snapper on Whisper White card stock, cut it out and popped the image using stamping dimensional and layered it with Lovely Lilac and Pumpkin Pie card stock. The panels was run through Cuttlebug with Tiny Bubbles embossing folder and layered it with the same card stock with the main image. The base card was stamped with Background Basics with Versamark. This is supposed to be a baby card but I didn't like the color combination for a baby card, so I added a balloon from Birthday Bear stamp (<-- remember this card?) and added crystal effects.

Thanks for stopping by and hope you have a great day!

Stamp: Dinosaur Egg and balloon from Birthday Bear by Whipper Snapper Design, Sentiment from Paper Tray by PTI

Paper: Whisper White, Lovely Lilac, Pumpkin Pie and Certain Celery from Stampin' Up

Ink: Jet Black Staz-on and Prisma water-color pencils

Accessories: Cuttlebug, Tiny Bubbles embossing folder, Crystal stickles, Twin and Pumpkin Pie gross grain ribbon

It's a good thing

I saw a card similar to this one yesterday at Target for $3.99 and I remember seing a how-to at Martha Stewart website couple of months ago so right after I got home from work today, went to her website and type in flower card and right away I was able to get the instruction.

I also wanted to be able to join in the fun today at SCS for color combination challenge, using Groovy Guava (or Cameo Coral), Whisper White and Sahara Sand. So, that's what I did . The card base is a Sahara Sand card stock and it's measured 4.25" x 4.25", the patterned paper is from Ginger Blossom DSP, adhered to the base of the card. I randomly stamped the leaves from Embrace Life with VersaMark and covered with Iridescent Ice embossing powder. I printed the flower template (<--- click here), cut it out, folded in half and place the template in the middle of the crease, I trace half of the flower and cut it using an Xacto knife (oh! make sure not to use a dull knife). The Ruffled Butterfly is from Stampendous and was stamped on Whisper White card stock, water-colored with Cameo Coral classic ink and covered it with Crystal Stickles. The sentiment is from Stamping Bella.

Now, saving $3.99 for a card... IT'S A GOOD THING!


Stamp: Ruffled Butterfly from Stampendous, background from Embrace Life and sentiment from Stamping Bella.

Paper: Whisper White, Sahara Sand, Cameo Coral and DSP Ginger Blossom from Stampin' Up

Ink: Jet Black Staz-on and Cameo Coral classic ink

Accessories: VersaMark, Irridescent Ice embossing powder, Crystal stickles, black sheer ribbon

Yellow Polka Dot Bikini

Oh, I'm sorry if this song will get stuck in your head today and she's really not wearing polka dot bikini but close enough, right?!?

Today's try a new technique at SCS is Blintz Base, it's a type of fold in origami. Here's my card for this technique.

The main image is from Penny Black called Cheers and was stamped on whisper white card stock and water-colored using Prisma water color pencils and matted with basic black card stock. Her drink was stamped on a separate card stock, cut and raised with stamping dimensionals, lemonade is covered with crystal effects. The pattered paper used for the origami fold is from Stampin' Up prints packs So Saffron and matted with basic black card stock. The card base is measured 5" x 5". The sentiment was printed on Microsoft word and punch using word window.

Stamp: Cheers! by Penny Black

Paper: Whisper White, So Saffron, Basic Black and So Saffron DSP from Stampin' Up

Ink: Jet Black Staz-on and Prisma water-color crayons

Accessories: Crystal Effects, Embossed White Shimmer flowers, black brads, Word Window punch and silver cord

Wishing you happiness

Happy Sunday! This week's Featured Stamper at Splitcoaststampers is Julia, a.k.a Artystamper (<--- make sure you to check out her gallery, she's simply amazing!).

There's so much cards I wanted to CASE'd (copy and share) but this card caught my eye and because I have couple of paint chips that I took recently when I was at Home Depot, I thought it would be perfect for this challenge.

The main image is from Stampin' Up Garden Silhouettes set and stamped on the paint chip using Basic Black Craft Ink, and once it's dry (with a little help of the embossing heat tool), added mini prima flowers with black brads and matted it with basic black card stock. I matched the paint chip with brocade blue card stock and run through cuttlebug using Birds and Swirls embossing folder. The butterfly is a punch by Martha Stewart from Michael's. The sentiment is from Stampin' Up Summer by the Sea and was stamped on very vanilla card stock and punched using 1 3/8" circle and layered it with basic black card stock scallop punched and raised with stamping dimensional.

Stamp: Garden Silhouettes and Summer by the Sea from Stampin' Up

Paper: Very Vanilla, Brocade Blue and Basic Black from Stampin' Up

Ink: Basic Black Craft Ink

Accessories: Cuttlebug, Birds and Swirls embossing folder, paint chip, mini prima flowers, black brads, Butterfly punch by Martha Stewart, 1 3/8 circle punch and scallop punch

Taylored Expressions Cupcake Challenge #26

It's cupcake challenge again at Taylored Expressions! I really don't have a lot of cupcake stamps/images and you really don't need to use cupcakes for the challenge, but as she said if you got 'em why not use 'em? And besides what's a Taylor challenge without cupcakes ?

I used my Turtle stamp (remember this card?) from Whipper Snapper Design minus the frog. Dude is trying to deliver not just 1 cupcake but 3 to his friend frog and the way he walks, I think he can manage to deliver without dropping one. The cupcakes are covered with liquid applique for the frostings, added some crystal stickles and topped with dewdrops as cherries. Sentiment is from Papertrey's Faux Ribbon set. I was not really happy with the patterned paper that I used (oh, don't get me wrong, i love it) but it just doesn't do justice with this card, i guess my image is just too big for the sketch.

By the way, I won 4 tickets to a meet and greet with Colbie Caillat later today, I'll make sure to post some pics later. I'm taking my sister and my daughter and I have 1 extra ticket... wanna come with us?

Stamp: Frog by Whipper Snapper Design and sentiment from Papertrey's Ink

Paper: Whisper White, Bashful Blue, Real Really Rust and Old Olive from SU, PP from American Crafts

Ink: Black Staz-on Ink

Accessories: Liquid Applique, Crystal stickles, Dew drops, SU small and large oval punch stamping dimensionals

KWerner Color Inspiration #17

Kristina Werner posted her color inspiration last night. Not really crazy about the dress (I guess because I know I won't look good in it...LOL!) But, just love the color combination, don't you think so?

Anyway, being a Stampin' Up hobby demo only, I really don't have a lot of card stocks and I know I ran out of Sage Shadow card stocks a long time ago. I thought I would have to sit on this challenge but being a pack rat saves you sometimes. I have literally 2 1/2" x 2 1/2" cardstock left of Sage Shadow and plenty of others and thought what can I make with just that?

The card that I created for this challenge was inspired by Lauren Meader of My Time... card <--- click here!Simply easy and it took me less than 5 minutes. Card base is measured 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" of Whisper White card stock and sentiment is from Stampin' Up Essence of Love set. The butterfly is from Stampin' Up Garden Whimsy set and stamped on Rose Red, Sage Shadow and Regal Red card stock with the essential glue pad and covered it with dazzling diamonds. I used my Martha Stewart circle cutter (that I recently got at Walmart) and raised it with stamping dimensional. I was debating if I should add a ribbon but I really like how simple it is. What do you think?

Stamp: Garden Whimsy and Essence of Love from Stampin' Up

Paper: Whisper White, Rose Red, Sage Shadow and Regal Red

Ink: Basic Black

Accessories: The Essential glue pad, Dazzling Diamonds, Circle Cutter and stamping dimensional

Welcome Li'l Teddy

After months of just browsing through blogs of so many talented stampers out there and wishing I could play with my rubbers and ink, here I am stamping again. But not just stamping but stamping EVERYDAY! Oh does it feel so good to create again!

These two cards are from yesterday's SCS color challenge, River Rock, Soft Sky and Very Vanilla. When I saw the color combination this morning (while at work...), I had it in mind to make a card with flowers, lots of them! But when I had the three card stock side by side, I thought a baby card would be best.

The card base for both cards is measured 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" of River Rock card stock and stamped with Stampin' Up Polka Dot background with River Rock classic ink. Both images are from Whipper Snapper Design Li'l standing Teddy and Li'l reclining Teddy, stamped on Very Vanilla card stock with Timber Brown Staz-On ink, water-colored with Chocolate Chip classic ink, Real Red and Brilliant Blue, matted with Soft Sky card stock and raised it with stamping dimensional. I finished the card by adding Very Vanilla grosgrain ribbon. Sentiment is from Stampin' Up Nursery Necessities.

Stamp: Li'l reclining Teddy and Li'l standing by Whipper Snapper Design and sentiment from SU Nursery Necessities

Paper: Very Vanilla, Soft Sky and River Rock

Ink: Timber Brown Staz-on Ink

Accessories: Very Vanilla grosgrain ribbon, SU small and large oval punch , silver cord and stamping dimensional

Double challenge

I'm still catching up with some challenges from last week. Well, that's what happens when you lose your MOJO and haven't been creating for a while... you challenge yourself with color combinations, sketch challenges and new techniques and so on.

I decided to combine two challenges from last week at SCS (Splitcoast Stampers). First, it's try a new technique which was Grid Technique, and second, color challenge using Wild Wasabi, Almost Amethyst and So Saffron.

I used my Scor-Pal to create the faux tile background on a whisper white card stock and stamped Pretty Petals background with Almost Amethyst from Stampin' Up. The pail and the stems are from Posies for You by Whisper Snapper Designs. The flowers were punched using Stampin' Up prints pack, added self-adhesive rhinestones, raised each flower with stamping dimensional, and matted with So Saffron, Almost Amethyst and Wild Wasabi card stock. The sentiment is from Stampin' Up Love and Happiness rub-ons.

And, remember I said that after work, I was going to stop by at my LSS that's closing? My sister, who I carpool with, was nice enough to go with me. Unfortunately, we only had 10 minutes to browse through the store but in 10 minutes look what I was able to get! I spent less than $12.00 with 27 patterned papers! I'm a happy stamper!

Stamp: Posies for You by Whipper Snapper Design

Paper: Whisper White, Almost Amethyst, Wild Wasabi, So Saffron card stock and SU prints pack

Ink: Jet Black Staz-on Ink and Almost Amethyst

Accessories: non SU flower punch, self-adhesive rhinestone, scor-pal, Love and Happiness rub-on

It's all about the presents

All That Scraps posted a sketch challenge last Wednesday. I have this set for awhile now and thought it would be perfect to join in the fun using their own stamp set for the challenge. This set reminds me of my sister. It's so hard to hide presents from her growing up and she's always been excited opening presents, even now that we're grown ups... It's still fun to watch her open her presents. It's just easier now to hide presents because we don't live together...LOL!

Here's my card for the challenge. Again, I was inspired with the patterned paper used for the color combination. This is the one I snagged from my LSS that's closing for only .10 cents. Really! I'm kicking myself for not getting more of these (I stopped by Saturday but the store was closed and they're usually closed on Sundays). So today after work I'll make sure to stop by again and grab more.

The main image and the sentiment is from C.C. Designs It's My Birthday, stamped on whisper white cardstock with jet black staz-on ink, water-colored using prismacolor watercolor pencils, and matted with old olive cardstock. The right panel was created to be one of the presents. I should have the sentiment hanging as a gift tag but didn't think about it until after I adhered it and didn’t want to ruin it.

Stamp: It's my Birthday by C.C. Designs

Paper: Certain Celery, Old Olive, Whisper White card stock and patterned paper by Stacy Claire Boyd (Miss Polly Collection)

Ink: Jet Black Staz-on Ink, Prismacolor watercolor

Accessories: Pretty in Pink grossgrain ribbon, Prima flower, Self-Adhesive rhinestone, SU large oval punch and crystal effects

Taylored Expressions Cupcake Challenge #25

I know I said on my last blog post that I'll be posting another suspension card but I just wanted to share this one first. Every Friday, Taylor of Taylored Expressions post a cupcake challenge, this is actually her 25th challenge already and it'll be my first and I'll make sure to go back and check her previous challenges and try it.

Here's my card for this weeks cupcake sketch challenge. I was struggling with what color combination should I use for this card but I know what image I wanted to use. So I went through with piles of patterned paper and right away, I was inspired with this horizontal patterned paper by Stacy Claire Boyd that I recently bought from our LSS that's closing. I wished I bought more of this paper.... maybe, I can stop by later and see if they have more.

The main image Make a Wish is from one of

my neglected stamps from

House-Mouse Designs and was stamped on a whisper a white cardstock using black Staz-On Ink and colored using Prismacolor Colored Pencils and matted with bashful blue and chocolate chip cardstock. The cupcake is covered with Liquid Applique and topped with punched 1/4" circles. Sentiment is from Penny Black, Bubbly set.

Hi there!

I've been wanting to try to make a Suspension Card but I always thought it would be too complicated... LOL! So, while browsing at SCS (Splitcoastampers), I stumbled at this technique... again. It's the TLC (Try a New Technique) last week. Here's what I came out with...

Frog and turtle images are from Whipper Snapper Design. The main image is about 4 1/2" by 2 3/4" It's just a little too big for a regular card and thought it would be perfect for this technique. I'm really happy with how this card turned out. The is stamped on whisper white card stock, cut-out, raised with stamping dimensional, and watercolored with Stampin' Up classic ink. The and the sentiment (Hi!) are stamped and punched using a 1 1/4" circle punch and adhered back-to-back. Once the card was assembled, my daughter said "It's really cute, Mom. But something is missing!" So, I added a crystal effect on Dude's shell (we have a turtle named Dude so this is him.) and VOILA!

See you tomorrow for another suspension card.

I'm back...

Yes, it's been awhile. And yes! I'm still alive. I've been suffering with lost MOJO and back pain but I'm here and ready to share my creations... AGAIN! Hopefully, I'll suffer more sleepless night so I can create more... we'll see.

I have to thank Kristina Werner a.k.a starofmay on SCS (make sure to check out her blog) for having my MOJO back. She's been posting a weekly color inspiration and then pick ten randomly selected entries and ten of her favorites, which will be posted on her blog. This week's challenge comes from marthstewart.com. Aren't those baby booties adorable?

Anyway, luckily I have all the colors for this challenge but I did have a hard time picking what image I should use. So while I was browsing through my drawers of stamps (Eeeksss!!! Yes, I have drawers of stamps! They're more organized than my shoes and clothes!!!), this cute little mouse from House-Mouse Design just screaming to be inked (Oh yes again! I have drawers of stamps that haven't been inked!) But again, I'm back and ready to use them.

I grabbed this sketch from this week's sketch challenge at SCS (That's right, I'm doing 2 challenges in 1!) This cute little mouse is stamped on very vanilla card stock with timber brown stazon, water-colored using pumpkin pie, close to cocoa and soft sky stampin' up classic ink. For a glossy effect, the water is covered with crystal effects and raised the main image with stampin' dimensional. I really like how this card came out. The only thing is I wish I added a sentiment but I just didn't have enough space... oh well!