5/27/2020

Cinderella's Yellow Dress

I never thought I'd make an all yellow card, but here it is.  It's not that I don't like yellow - I do - it's just more of an accent color for me.  But it certainly is a happy color and I like the way this card turned out.
This is a stamp I've had for awhile.  I got the die specifically to use with the stamp as I didn't care for the images in the set (kind of small) but loved all the sentiments.  Then along came some challenges and it all fell together.  I've entered this card in these challenges:
As with so many colors, this took some time just trying to coordinate the yellows and patterns.  The yellows needed to match or contrast and having lots of Stampin' Up! products in Daffodil Delight helped.  But then the patterns on the background and dress had to complement each other.  I actually used a Lawn Fawn paper for the background and a retired SU DSP for the dress.

I hope you've enjoyed seeing Cinderella's OTHER dress today.  Perhaps this is the one she really wanted...

Stamps: Technique Tuesday Sassy Fashion
Dies: Cottage Cutz Special Occasion Dress, Stitched Rectangles

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5/26/2020

A Lot of Fs in this Card!

I had to laugh at all the "f"s on associated with this card.  I'll get to that in a minute.
I created the card for the sketch challenge at CAS Colours & Sketches.  I admit that I don't think it follows the sketch that closely, but all sketch challenges are subject to some interpretation.  So I'm going with that - LOL!

Here is the sketch:
Now for the four "f"s.  Look at the stamp/die sets I've used - there are a LOT of "f"s there!

Stamps: Stampin' Up! First Frost (retiring June 2, 2020); Stampin' Up! Forever Fern (coming June 3, 2020)
Dies: Stampin' Up!Frosted Bouquet (retiring June 2, 2020); Stampin' Up! Forever Flourishing (coming June 3, 2020); Stampin' Up! Stitched Rectangles

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5/25/2020

More Summer

My card today is for Splitcoaststampers color challenge this week.  I've had this Edna stamp forever (or so it seems) and I knew she'd be great for these nautical colors.
The colors this week are Balmy Blue, Blueberry Bushel and Lovely Lipstick.  I stenciled the background stripes and used white nautical die cuts.  The sentiment is heat embossed on a Lovely Lipstick banner.

Edna is colored with a combination of Copic Markers colors matched to the challenge colors, Stampin' Blends and Prismacolor pencils.
Above is Edna with just the markers.  On an image such as Stamping Bella images, I can get more detail when I use Prismacolors on top of the markers (below).  For less detailed images the markers themselves give enough detail.
I'm starting to have a problem with just using foam to pop up a die cut.  Sometimes it is fine, but in instances like this one I prefer a solid base.  So I used the die and stacked three Balmy Blue die cuts underneath to add the dimension.

I also entered this card in this week's TicTacToe Challenge using the column on the far right.  This is a fun challenge where you pick your row of elements to challenge you.  It's a bit different than other challenges and I like that!
https://tictactoechallenge.com/tttc065-featured-designer-claire/
 

Stamps and Dies: Stamping Bella Edna Loves the Ocean, Summer Sentiments
Dies: Cottage Cutz Rope Corner, Cottage Cutz Ships Wheel, MFT Blueprints 20
Accessories: Altenew Watercolor Stripes Stencil
Markers: Lovely Lipstick - Stampin' Blends Light & Dark, RV10; Blueberry Bushel - B0000, B32, B34, B37; Skin - E00, E11, E50; Hair - E29, E35, E39; Hat - E30,E31, E55; Neutrals - N0, N1, N3, N5, N7, N8
Prismacolor Pencils: 943, 947, 946, 997, 1034, 939, 927, 944, 195, 930, 935, 938, 1056, 1059, 1060, 1063, 1067, 1079, 1100, 1101

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5/21/2020

It's a Garden Party with All Die Cuts

Lately I've been making all (or mostly) die cut cards and here is one more!
I made this card for my Cottage Cutz design team work and the complete instructions for making it will be on that blog tomorrow.

I used the sketch from this week's Freshly Made Sketches challenge.
https://freshlymadesketches.blogspot.com/2020/05/freshly-made-sketches-436-sketch-by-jen.html
I really do like sketch challenges - they make creating much easier.  There are times when I start out with a sketch and by the time I'm finished you would never know I used that particular sketch!  The sketch just becomes a jumping off point.

Dies: All Cottage Cutz - Golden Bear, Garden Phrases, Stitched Scallop Rectangles, Stitched Rectangles
Accessories: Stampin' Up! Spring Flowers embossing folder (retired)

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5/19/2020

Riding Along

Happy Tuesday!  Recently I cleaned out and organized my cardstock and paper.  As result I now know better what I have and I am using it more.  I find I'm making a LOT more die cut cards than before.  Partly because they are often faster to make (though not always) and also because I see all my pretty paper and colors of cardstock, and I want to USE it!
Today's card is for two challenges - the color challenge at CAS Colours & Sketches and the "Oh the Places You'll Go" challenge at Shopping Our Stash.
Shopping Our Stash is a new to me challenge and I really love the concept - using what I already own!  (I say as I wait for the mail and UPS to come...LOL)  Seriously, I do like this idea and that is what I did here.  I've had this die for quite awhile and not used it before.

I die cut a circular frame then inlaid the negative center piece back into the die cut.  The bicycle is actually a full bike and can be 3-D as well. I constructed the front half, glued it to the circle, then cut off the part that extended beyond the card.  I used foam tape to pop the partial circle up off the card.

I decided on a sentiment that could be used for several occasions - birthdays, thank you, thinking of you.

Dies:  Spellbinders 3-D Fun Time Cruiser - Large Die of the Month July 2019; Cottage Cutz Sttched Frames, Ellen Hutson Stitching Lines
Stamps: Stampin' Up! Party with Cake

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5/18/2020

A Rockin' Shaker Birthday

My card today was created for a little boy who loves music and the color challenge at Splitcoaststampers.  I've had this stamp set awhile and used it for the sentiment but decided that the images worked well for a child's birthday.
The die cut center is from My Favorite Things - not sure if it's still available - and has a die that allows you to make the shaker confetti.  This worked perfectly for a color challenge card as my shaker elements perfectly matched the colors!  As a bonus, the elements made from cardstock tend to not stick to the acetate and foam as much as sequins, etc.

Dies: MFT Birthday Centerpieces
Stamps: MFT Jungle Vibes
Cardstock: Coastal Cabana, Shaded Spruce, Granny Apple Green

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5/12/2020

Two Challenge Tuesday

I have a short post today - seems I'm always short on time lately.  So my card does double duty for the sketch challenge at CAS Colours & Sketches and the color challenge at Splitcoaststampers.
The colors this week are Melon Mambo, Daffodil Delight and Calypso Coral.  Here is the sketch:
Pretty easy and quick card.

Dies:  Spellbinders Cuppa Love, The Stamps of Life Edges
Paper: Stampin' Up! cardstock in Melon Mambo. Daffodil Delight, Calyso Coral, Early Espresso, Whisper White, Daffodil Delight gingham

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5/05/2020

Hope and Joy

Happy Tuesday!  I hope everyone is doing well.  I have two cards today for two color challenges.  The first card is for the color challenge at CAS Colours & Sketches - Pretty Peacock, Terracotta Tile and Purple Posy.  Although these colors are all part of one color suite through Stampin' Up! (the 2019-2021 In-Colors) I admit I had a difficult time figuring out how to use them. I had to fight the urge to add a fourth color - maybe a green or yellow.  That is strictly against the rules in this particular challenge.
I started going through sentiment stamps that I have never or rarely used when I found this one.  I looked for a good bird image and kept finding hummingbird stamps, which would have been perfect to use with the colors except hummingbirds don't sing.  And if I were to use a bird for this sentiment, I thought it should be a songbird.  Then I remembered this feather set and it worked out perfectly!

I stamped the image in Versafine Black Onyx and used the color reinkers to watercolor the image.  I also used a Shimmer Pen to watercolor with and it gave this image A LOT of sparkle.  It really shines when you turn the card.
My next card is for the color challenge at Splitcoaststampers.  There, the colors are Rich Razzleberry, Flirty Flamingo and Crushed Curry.  They are so bright and bold, I went for that look for my card.  The images are die cut and inlaid with papers in the challenge colors.  I had to play with the patterns a bit before I arrived at what paper I wanted to use.  The dots ended up the winner as they were small enough so you could see the pattern and consistent with the style of the dies.  (And notice I added a green in this card.  For this color challenge you may use any SU neutral, which includes Mosssy Meadow1)
For a bit of fun I added a button to the center of one flower (and because I have a bunch of these buttons - LOL!)

I hope you've enjoyed my cards today.  The style of each is very different but also very similar as they are both clean and simple.

Card 1:
Stamps: Simon Says Stamp Earth has Music (feather), Stampendous Hope Sings
Dies: Simon Says Stamp Earth has Music

Card 2:
Stamp: Stampin' Up! Peaceful Moments
Dies: Spellbinders Sketched Blooms

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5/01/2020

Organizing Cardstock in Limited Space

Earlier this week I promised I'd post about organizing your cardstock.  If you are like me you probably have more than you could possibly use in a lifetime and yet that doesn't keep you from buying more!  I use mostly Stampin' Up cardstock and I always keep a good supply of the current colors.  I tell myself - and my husband - that I'm on the Design Teams for two colors challenges so I NEED it!  But I have a lot of retired colors too.

Some demos will get rid of  the old (and that is okay for them) but I just can't. To make things worse, a few years ago I went to a garage sale by a retiring demo.  About the time I arrived her young son started having a melt down and she just wanted everything out of her driveway.  She said I could have it all (five 66 quart tubs of product) for under $200.  So..... I have CARDSTOCK (and ink and stamps and embellishments)!  
I don't have a craft room.  I have a "craft space" in the back of our family den.  All that cardstock has been sitting in my closet hard to get to and rarely used.  Last year I posted how I organized my patterned paper and how it dramatically changed what I used.  When I see something I will use it.  If I can't see it or it's hard to get to, I won't.

This whole project did not take that long.  I did it last weekend in addition to making a few cards.

I decided for this project I would use the same plastic sleeves that I used for my patterned paper.  They are divided into 2 x 2 inch sections.  From each color of cardstock, I cut a  2 x 2 square and wrote its name in the corner.
If I have matching ink, I also noted that on the swatch.  Then I arranged all these in the plastic sleeves in a "rainbow" order.  (More about this later.  You may find it easier if you arrange them alphabetically.)  When colors retire I can adjust how the swatches are in the sleeves.  It is a very adaptable system.

Another wonderful thing about the sleeves as opposed to gluing a swatch to a card, etc. is that I can pull a color out and see how it looks against any other color or pattern.  I have a lot of patterned paper from companies other than Stampin' Up! that are in 6 x 6 inch books.  I am finding that many of the retired colors coordinate beautifully with them. 

This is my notebook.
How do I store my paper?  I have a three drawer file cabinet and believe me, all my cardstock WILL NOT fit!  The top two drawers have the current colors, basics and specialty papers (vellum, X-Press It blending card, some metallics, etc.)  To store, I use box bottom hanging folders with manila file jackets with a 2 inch extension.  You can get these at office supply stores.
They easily hold five packs of cardstock and because of the sides it is all contained. I used my Circle Tab Punch (retiring - available only until June 2, 2020!) to make swatches for the folders and wrote the color names on the bottom of the tabs.
For my retired colors I wrote the name across the circle.  I had too much cardstock for my cabinet but I wanted to be able to easily use my retired colors.  I have about 80 colors in varying amounts of each.  I decided upon approximately one manila file jacket per plastic sleeve of colors; all those tabs would not fit on the manila jacket.  I made a tab for each retired color and glued it to a sheet of thick white cardstock to make dividers.  (I have a lot of this purchased from a big box store, but any color will do if you have excess.)
Then I put several sheets and large scraps behind each divider.  This way I have some on hand to use.  The balance of the sheets I left in their packaging (and for many colors I have two or three packs) that I'm keeping in Bankers Boxes in my closet.  If all the sheets of a color are in the cabinet then I marked that tab with a dot, letting me know that there is no back stock.
When I run out I can go to my closet and pull out some more.  I now only have three stackable boxes.  The empty space in the front of the box on the right will be my extra current colors.  This keeps me from randomly rummaging through my stash in my closet - never a good thing!

For storing my scraps, I use boxes labeled with what is inside.  I don't keep scraps smaller than 2 x 2, and larger scraps (quarter sheet or more) I store with the cardstock - another reason for the folders with sides!  When die cutting or needing a small piece I look through these boxes first.  And if I have  questions about exactly what color the scrap is, I hold it against the color swatches in the notebook.
I always try to go to my scrap boxes first.  In doing this I find I'm using less cardstock.

I'm now working on swatching all my ink.  I have the current ink finished and the swatches in their own sleeves.  I may insert them behind the cardstock swatches to save space but I haven't decided yet.
I like the rainbow order of my cardstock.  Everything is in the same order - the notebook, the cardstock in the Bankers Boxes and the file cabinet.  That way I know exactly where it is.  You could also do this alphabetically.  Either way works!

I know this post is a bit long, but I hope it has given you some ideas about organizing in a small space.   

The Circle Tab Punch is on sale right now and will be retiring in June 2, 2020.  If you would like the Circle Tab Punch please click through for my Stampin' Up! demonstrator website!  The other product I used for this project is the Paper Trimmer.

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