TST #119 "3's a Party!

I hope that everyone enjoyed the Victoria Day weekend in Canada and Memorial Day in the USA.

Today the sketch from Try Stampin on Tuesday leaves itself to lots and lots of ideas, which I'm sure you will see when you visit the site and see what the other Designers have in store for you.

I decided to take the sketch and turn it into a landscape card.  Cutting my CS 4 1/4" x 11" and scoring along the long side at 5 1/2". 

The CS base is Pool Party but I am just not getting the colour right on the camera.  Using the checked DSP I cut the first piece 1/4" smaller and then using the Apothecary Accents die I die cut out the piece that was used for the top.  Waste nothing I say!  Then with a scrap I had from another project I cut you the second accent piece.  The bird was punched using the Two Step Bird punch.  The branches were punched using the Pool Party CS. 

It was not until I photographed the card that I realized I was working in 3's.  Three layers for the background, three layers for the accents, three branches, three gems and three Happy's (one on the inside).

I really love the look of the monochromatic colour of this card (which can really be seen in person).

Now it's your turn.  Give the sketch a try and let us see your creation.  Can't wait to see it!

Thanks for stopping by.

Nancy

Your comments mean a lot to me so please remember to leave one.

TST #116 Pretty In Pink

Today I have a special card for a co-worker that has resigned.  Yes we seem to be dropping like flies!  However I'm sure that her new adventure will be more rewarding.  Her favourite colour is Pink and she is allergic to flowers so this is the only way we can give her flowers.

I have decided to combine this card with the challenge we have this week at Try Stampin on Tuesday.

I'm sure that when you look at this sketch your imagination will just be running wild, there are so many things that you can do with this one.

Knowing that I wanted to work in the colour Pink I decided to make my card base Pink and then work up from there.  After embossing a strip of CS with the Modern Wallpaper folder I used the Spellbinder Labels 13 two middle dies to create the faux frame for the flower.  After die cutting and then embossing it I left the dies on and sponged the visible areas of the CS with Rich Razzleberry. 

Now onto the flower...

Stamping out the large flower from Everything Eleanor three times I cut and sponged the edges. The bottom layer had only two petals - the ones that is most underneath the flower.  The next level was the the next two petals that appeared to be the next layer and then finally the top two petals.  Each petal was sponged to give it more depth according to its location on the flower.  By curling the edges of the flower there was more depth given as well.

Finally I needed some leaves.  I wanted to keep everything Pink so I used the Two Step Bird Punch and punched three leaves out.  I randomly stamped them with the middle sized flower from Everything Eleanor, then sponged and curled the edges.

The flower centre was created using three pieces of red wire and adding beads to them and glueing them to the centre.

I hope you like what I have come up with.  Now it's your turn.  How would you see this sketch done?  Need a little more inspiration?  Hop over to the Try Stampin web site and see what the other Great Designers have in store for you.

Thanks for stoppping by.

Nancy

Your comments mean a lot to me so Please remember to leave one.

Birthday Wishes

Today I have a card that came from a sketch by Mary Jo Price-Williams at TSSC #251 as well as a challenge over at Late Night Stampers for birthdays.

 

Unfortunately the colours did not come out very well.  The DSP I used from from MME, Everyday Tango and is actually green with a slight tinge of blue.  The background CS is Old Olive and I embossed it with the modern wallpaper embossing folder.  I was originally going to use the other side of the paper, but once I played around with the ink I liked this side better.  The lines you see are from the ink pad.  I used the ink pad and lightly blotted it around the CS creating the lines.  It gave it a rustic look.  The bird was punched out using the Two Step Bird Punch and the same DSP as the other paper.  This time you can see the blue on the paper.  I laid the leaves out and added a rustic look to them with the ink pad as well.  

Even close up you still can't see the green in the DSP.  

I hope you like what I have come up with.  

Nancy

Your comments mean a lot to me, so please remember to leave one.

Sing a Song Mr. Blue Jay

Today I have a card that was originally inspired by a challenge over at Stampin Fun & Friends. Once I started the card I realized that it also fell into so many challenges this week I thought I had hit the jackpot.

The first challenge was the one at Stampin Fun and Friends, being an inspiration challenge.  This great photo was the inspiration.  It was taken by my dear friend CherylAnn Robinson.

The second challenge was over at Less is More being a music challenge.

The third challenge was over at Fashionable Stamping Challenges being a challenge to add a bird.  This will be the first time I have entered a challenge at this sight and boy are there some great cards there.  Lots of talent.

I had already submitted a card to the challenge over at Latenight Stampers but this one fell into the challenge perimeters so I decided to take a chance and enter a second card.

This was a great card to make and once I got started it just seem to come together like a puzzle with the last piece being the beautiful little blue bird!

Thanks for stopping by.

Nancy

Your comments mean a lot to me, so please remember to leave one.

TST #84

It's Tuesday again and time for another Try Stampin on Tuesday.  I don't know about you but as soon as I saw this sketch I thought double duty.  First as a card and secondly as a book marker, so with that in mind I decided to do both.

I started with my DSP and then found out that it wasn't as easy to plan the card as I thought.  The colours just didn't work on the book marker like I wanted them to.  So changed the book marker to the same CS as the card base.  Still not what I wanted but I was determined to make it work.  Lightly stamped the words from French Foliage in More Mustard and the again with the ink spots.  Using Word Play and Soft Suede I stamped the "Laughter" definition and the postage marks.  Sponged around the edges and now I was getting somewhere.  Then I needed an anchor for the book mark. Two step bird punch to the rescue. The bird is elevated slightly with a Dimensional and the one leaf on the left is adhered to the card front.  Now the marker will sit easily inside the twine and is held in place.

Once the book mark is removed the same sentiment is stamped on the card front. Now you not only have a card, but a gift along with the card.  This would make a great gift for anyone that reads.  Give them a book or gift card for a bookstore and they are off to the races.

Now it's your turn.  Create your card and post it on the Try Stampin website for all of us to see.  Don't forget to head on over to the Try Stampin site for more inspiration from our other great designers.

Thanks for stoping by.

Nancy

Your comments mean a lot so please remember to leave one.

TST #70 and a Question for YOU!

It's Tuesday, so it's time for Try Stampin on Tuesday. Today Jen has come up with a simple but fun sketch to work with.

As soon as I saw the white band through the middle my first thought was the stamp from Happiest Birthday Wishes and using it as a repeat stamp.  To achieve this I used the Stamp-a-ma-jig to first stamp the centre "Happy Birthday" and then stamped on either side of it.

 

The card base was put through my Cuttlebug using the Happy Birthday Embossing folder.

My little balloons were made from the Two Step Owl Punch.  Yes the Two Step Owl Punch.  I first punched out the different colours and then once finished I placed them into the end of the Ornament punch and repunched them.  I trimmed off the owl feet, sponged the edges of the balloon to give shading and then attached a string to the bottom.  A fourth balloon was attached to the inside of the card.

This was a simple card but packs a big punch (no pun intended).

I recently read an article on another stamping blog, sorry I can't remember who's it was or I would give you credit, on photographing cards using natural light. So now my question for you is....I normally photograph my projects on the background that you see in the picture to the bottom left.  I tried a new background and lighting option for the one on the bottom right.  Which one in YOUR opinion photographs better.












So now it's your turn.  Make your card and post it on the Try Stampin on Tuesday website.  Can't wait to see what you come up with.

Hope you enjoy.

Nancy

I like to know what you think, so please leave me a comment.

Time to... Unscripted Sketches #160

I get lots of emails for different sketch challenges and this weeks challenge at Unscripted Sketches caught my eye and I decided to give it a go.  I also decided to combine it with another challenge going on over at Dynamic Duos.

I started with a simple white card base and stamped with Composer's Dream.  Little did I know I had stamped it upside down until I removed the stamp.  I really should place arrows on the my stamps that say "Top" and "Bottom".  I did manage to cover up my booboo with the bird from Punch Potpourri.  I then took a piece of Marina Mist CS and punched a hole and placed the band over the Composer's Dream stamp.  The flowers were stamped out twice and then slit to just shy of the centre so that I could give them a little dimension and have the petals appear like they were more individual petals.  To tie the top and bottom together I punched out the leaves from the Two Step Bird Punch and placed them cascading from the flowers and under the bird.

I hope you enjoy it.

Nancy

I like to know what you think, so please leave me a comment.

TST #63 Hootie the Owl

Where oh where does the time go.  Another week has gone and we are back into challenge #63 at Try Stampin on Tuesday.

I thought this week I would try something a little different. This could be more of a children's card or a masculine card.




I know my interpretation of the card is stretching the sketch a little but that is what these challenges are for.  Get you imagination thinking outside the box, or in this case outside the tree trunk!

I knew I wanted to use my Owl Punch from SU and thought the best way to show it off would be to build a tree.

I started by cutting my base using craft cardstock to form a 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" card. Using my woodgrain embossing folder I inked up the inside of the folder. I tore a strip of the darker brown CS which gave the illusion of the outside of the tree trunk. Ran it through the Cuttlebug and the ink transferred to the CS.  I then "lightly" ran the Chocolate Chip ink pad over the raised portion of the embossed image  This gave it a more mottled look.  My second piece of torn CS formed the branch and I repeated the same process.

After the branches were adhered to the card base I punched a hold using the 2" scallop circle punch. Then the Two Step Bird Punch was used to punch out several of the leaves to be placed both on the outside and the inside of the card. My owl was punched and assembled and adhered to the inside of the card using dimensionals. A simple greeting was stamped on the inside and the top corner was rounded.

I hope you like my interpretation of the sketch this week.

Nancy

I like to hear what you think so please leave me a comment.

We BELIEVE in you!

My daughter is visiting us for her Spring Break Reading Week from College.  Although she is a Licensed Stylist and Esthetician she has returned to school to pursue Dental Hygiene.  She is now in her second semester and is one of those people that if it she does not achieve 90% or better is very hard on herself.  She is doing quite well but needs a little encouragement right now. 

Some Spring Break!  When you see most kids out playing and partying, her week with us has been spent working on assignments and studying for exams when she returns.  So I have put together this card for her to take back home with her so that whenever she looks at it she can remember that we love her and Believe in her.  Plus I'm sure that she will learn to believe in herself! 

I started with my MDS and printed out the Believe and the sentiment and then once that was printed out I added in the remainder of the embellishments.

We love you Ash!

Hope you enjoy!

Nancy (MOM)

Paradise Found

The inspiration for this  card came from Ilina Crouse who had made a series of cards using the Two Step Bird Punch to create the Bird of Paradise flower.  It uses 3 of the bird body and 5 of the bird wings.                                                                     

Hope you enjoy!

Nancy

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