July Class Cards

Wow, I keep forgetting to post the projects from July's classes. It was only 2 weeks ago. Well better late than never, right?

I found this card on someone's blog several weeks ago, and for the life of me, I can't find it again. If it's your's, please let me know so I can give you credit! I love how the colors remind me of sunshine and water - the perfect summer card. One of the ladies in class turned this one into a graduation card with a different sentiment stamp. That was a great idea. Wouldn't a teen really like the bright colors and retro look?

All stamps and materials by Stampin' Up!

Stamps: Pick a Petal and Celebrate

Cardstock: Only Orange, Summer Sun, Bermuda Bay, and Whisper White

Ink: Summer Sun, Only Orange, Bermuda Bay, and Basic Black

Accessories: Bermuda Bay PolkaDot Ribbon, 1" Circle Punch, Boho Blossoms Punch, Fire Circle Rhinestone Brads, and Dimensionals

This next card I also used for my sister's birthday. Her 2nd favorite color is blue. This just wouldn't look right in purple! Anyway, I think she liked it.

All stamps and materials by Stampin' Up!

Stamps: Cheep Talk, It's Your Birthday (retired), and Perfect Petals bkgd

Cardstock: Bashful Blue, Night of Navy, Sahara Sand, and Whisper White

Ink: Bashful Blue, Night of Navy, and Certainly Celery

Accessories: Eyelet Border Punch, Bashful Blue Striped Grosgrain Ribbon, Mat Pack and Piercing Tool, Soft Subtle Mini Brads, Modern Label Punch, and Dimensionals

The other two cards from class were already posted before class time. You can find them here and here. Hope you enjoy all of these.

Hugs,

Sharon

What a week!

This week has been so jam-packed with things to do. I hardly know which end is up anymore! First off, we celebrated birthdays on Sunday. There was my sister, my daughter, my hubby, and lastly my new son-in-law. The birthdays are really spread out over a two week period, but it was easier to have one big celebration. Then I had my lovely Hostess Club ladies here on Monday night. I always enjoy having them here so much. Hi Brenda, Dawn, Penny, and Jean! All really great ladies and so very special to me. And this month they brought along some friends to join our fun. It was really nice to see Dalene again, and to meet both Jan and Anna. Actually Jan has been part of our Hostess Club this go 'round, but I hadn't met her yet. I was beginning to think she really didn't exist! LOL Then there were a couple doctor appointments, a haircut, trying to make swaps, figuring out what fits that I can pack clotheswise, and getting ready for my classes scheduled for the day after I get back from convention. Whew!! I'm really going to need to rest up before convention and get my strength back!

Oh yes, I really did have a card I wanted to share with you. This won't be all rant and no raves. Anyway, this card was made a week or so ago when I was on a kick of using Stem Silhouettes all the time. It's a nice clean card that goes together easily and can quickly be changed depending what sentiment you use. I love having versatile cards around so they're ready when you need them.

All stamps and materials by Stampin' Up!

Stamps: Stem Silhouettes, Matchbox Messages,

and Teeny Tiny Wishes

Cardstock: Always Artichoke, Crushed Curry, and Very Vanilla

Ink: Basic Black, Crushed Curry, and Always Artichoke

Accessories: Big Shot and Texturz Plates (woodgrain), Mat Pack and Piercing Tool, Gold Mini Brads, Crushed Curry Polka dot Ribbon (backside), Always Artichoke Grosgrain Ribbon, Sponge quarter, and Dimensionals

Once I finally tried that woodgrain Texturz Plate, I am totally hooked! It gives just the right amount of texture. If you want it to show up more, just sponge a little ink over it. Or you could even add ink with the direct-to-paper method. Any way you choose to use it, this Texturz Plate is definitely an asset to your stamping arsenal. If you don't have it yet, get in touch with me to order, or you can order directly from my website. Just click on the Online Ordering button on the right side of my blog and order away! Easy peasy!

Okay, that's enough blathering for one day. Actually I need to get back to finishing projects for my classes. I'm so looking forward to convention next week. Can't wait to see what we'll learn new this year!

Blessings,

Sharon

Another Autumn Treasure

Yes, we're still pretending it's fall over here. (It sure feels like summer outside today though!) I can't seem to get enough of the lovely prints in the Autumn Traditions DSP. They're just wonderful as far as I'm concerned, and just so much fun to use them!

When I first checked the sketch on Karen Giron's blog, I thought it might be hard to come up with an idea for it. The sketch was for a square card which I seldom do. My card's dimensions are 4 1/4" x 5". Not quite square, but close. It's definitely different, but I really liked the look. An idea popped in my head late last night, and surprisingly it was still there this morning! (That's a miracle all by itself!) I had to run down and see if there was a print that could pull off what I was planning. And I think this pinecone print is just perfect for this card. Whadiya think??

I Love It!! I hope you do too. Every once in a while I surprise myself, and this was definitely one of those times. There's lots of texture, some layers, and some bling too. What more could I add, I ask you?

All stamps and materials by SU!

Stamps: Autumn Days and Always

Cardstock: Sahara Sand, Soft Suede, Old Olive, and Naturals Ivory cardstock with Autumn Traditions Designer Series Paper

Ink: Old Olive and Soft Suede pads, and Old Olive and Soft Suede markers

Accessories: Scallop Circle Punch, 1/2", 1", and 1 1/4" Circle Punches, Circle Scissors Plus, Soft Suede Polka Dot Grosgrain Ribbon (backside), Build-a-brad, Sponge quarters, and Dimensionals

Do you like it? I think it'd be perfect for either Thanksgiving or even a masculine birthday card. Could even be a rustic Christmas card!

Anyway, I'm happy with it and hope it starts your creative juices flowing. Have a great day and get those stamps out. Their calling out to you.... Can you hear them???

Sharon

ps - I love to read your comments! It just makes my day. Hope someday I can meet all you lovely, talented people. It would be such a treat for me.

Stamping 411 Fall Card

Yes, I'm still working with an autumn theme here. Since the colors and DSP are sitting out, I might as well keep using them. This card came about after seeing a striped strip (say that 3 times in a row!) on a card that I'd done several months ago. I liked the way the strip had all those short little bursts of color. Thought it would go well with the Stamping 411 Sketch this week. I pulled out an oldie, but goodie that I haven't used since last winter. Hope you like it and don't mind all the fall colors. Sooner or later I'll get back to summer - probably next fall!

All stamps and materials by Stampin' Up!

Stamps: Lovely As A Tree, Sanded, and Of The Earth (Level 1 Hostess set)

Cardstock: Soft Suede, Sahara Sand, Ruby Red, Always Artichoke, Naturals White cardstock, and Autumn Traditions Designer Series Paper

Ink: Stazon Jet Black, Sahara Sand, Ruby Red, Always Artichoke, More Mustard

Accessories: Piercing Tool and Mat Pack, Cutter Kit (for distressing cs), Sponge quarters, AquaPainter, 5/16" Neutral Brads, and Dimensionals

I think it's really fun to color fall leaves with multiple colors. I just keep dipping from one color to the next and give the leaves all the colors I love. Hope you get some fall leaves to color too. The beautiful colors of nature never last long enough around here. About the time they're at their best, we get a heavy rain and they all come tumbling down. Now I can enjoy these just as long as I want!

Have a great day!

Sharon

24-7 Autumn Looks

Happy Friday to you! Today has been soooo weird. My husband's birthday was this week, so he was able to take today off. With having him around the house today, it seemed like Saturday! I was checking out the sketch for Saturday (too early), thinking about getting another order in tomorrow for some friends who wanted to take advantage of the 'Deal of the Week' that SU! is having (too soon), etc. I'm just all off kilter! Do you ever have a day like that? It seems like no matter how many times I tell myself it's really Friday, I keep thinking it's Saturday! Even though my mind wasn't firing on all cylinders today, I did get some paperwork out of the way and got around to making another card. Lookie....


It seems like the last several cards I've posted have all been dark and more fall-type cards. And here's another one to join the crowd. The weather's been so cool and damp that it feels more like October than the middle of July! How weird!
Anyway, I still had this lovely Autumn Traditions Designer Series Paper on my work table and just couldn't resist playing with another print or two. I just love these prints! Hope you give them a whirl. The colors are vibrant and rich - just perfect for fall.



All stamps and materials by SU!
Stamps: Friends 24-7
Cardstock: More Mustard, Always Artichoke, Naturals Ivory cardstock, and Autumn Traditions DSP
Ink: Basic Brown, More Mustard, Close to Cocoa, Always Artichoke, and Sahara Sand
Accessories: Piercing Tool and Mat Pack, Soft Suede Polka Dot Grosgrain Ribbon, Vintage Brads, Aqua Painters, Sponge Daubers, and Dimensionals

Yes, I'm happy with this one and think it's a keeper. Hope you all like it too! Let me know what you think...
Sharon

p.s. getting ready to really have a Saturday tomorrow! Is it a good thing having more than one Saturday in a week??

Another Sunday Sketch

Well, it sure took awhile, but I finally finished the 2nd Sweet Sunday Sketch that I started. Yesterday was crazy for starting cards and not quite being able to finish them up. I have a few more to finish yet! Some days it's hard to figure out just what is needed to finish a card properly. But I think this one came out quite lovely after a few false starts. Hope you enjoy...

All stamps and materials by Stampin' Up! of course.

Stamps: Always and Autumn Days

Cardstock: Sahara Sand, Rich Razzleberry, Always Artichoke, Naturals White cardstocks, and Autumn Traditions Designer Series Paper (yes I'm in love with this DSP!)

Ink: Sahara Sand, Always Artichoke, and Rich Razzleberry

Accessories: Buttons Latte', Sponge quarters, and Dimensionals

Can you see the berry branch stamped on the right side of the card? It's stamped with Sahara Sand after being off-stamped to soften the coloring. And everything but the main heart was sponged to enhance the edges.

The strip with the words was the hardest part to do on this card for me. I couldn't figure out what to put on it accent-wise. Everything I tried looked either clunky, too big, too small, or boring. When I added the teeny strip of Razzleberry cardstock for the tie, it all came together. Who knew that a microscopic piece of cardstock could pull a card together? You just never know until you play around with everything else you own, and nothing works! That is what you call frustrating!

Well, it's off to seeing what can be done with a few other 'partial cards' that are sitting on my table from yesterday. See you later...

Sharon

Just a Quickie

Can you believe it? Missing several days, then posting twice in one day? I know, makes no sense whatsoever. But that's the way it is...

After posting last time, I ran to the Post Office to send a box of finished cards to From Our Hearts (info button on right side of blog) and another of swaps to some of my downline in Maryland. Hi guys, the cards are finally coming to you! Afterwards, there were a few more things to get done, then a quick jog down to my dungeon to try another sketch. I'm so addicted to these things now! This time it's the sketch from Stamping 411. These are simple sketches with lots of information for newer stampers, but the sketches are really nice to work with. Sometimes simple is actually harder when you get used to lots of layers and embellies.

Anyway, I liked the sketch and thought I'd do something quick with it before I get cracking on dinner. Looksie...

All stamps and materials by Stampin'Up!

Stamps: Falling Leaves

Cardstock: More Mustard, Not Quite Navy, Old Olive, Naturals Ivory cardstock, and Autumn Traditions Designer Series Paper

Ink: Not Quite Navy

Accessories: 1 1/4" and 1 3/8" Circle Punches, Old Olive Wide Grosgrain Ribbon, and Dimensionals

That's it, short and sweet. Don'cha just love this DSP? It's so cool. And this card sketch is a great one to use when you're in a hurry and need something that is easy to put together. I love using the punches to add your focal point instead of cutting out each leaf. Sometimes quick is really better.

Enjoy your evening,

Sharon