Shell-a-brate

I'm the featured designer this week at the Tic Tac Toe Challenge - so if you don't like the board you can blame me!  Haha! I wanted to make a board that was summer oriented and could also be used for a masculine or gender neutral card. Beach to me is about as neutral as it gets.

 

My card uses the middle row across - beach, yellow, fun-fold.

I went for a softer look and shaded the shell using Distress Oxide inks. In my new craft room set-up they are hidden in a drawer and I now often forget about them. They really are my favorite for ink blending and shading on cards! I tried a using a wax seal in the corner but didn't have quite the right color so I decided the wood palm tree medallion would work just as well and maybe even better.

I hope you will join us for the challenge!

Products used:

• Dies: The Stamps of Life Shell Fold-It
• Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Very Vanilla, Marina Mist
• Ink: Distress Oxide - Scattered Straw, Stormy Sky, Vintage Photo
• Embellishments: TSOL Enamel Dots and Wood Palm
  

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Color Challenge Parrot

I've been absent from cardmaking for most of June. Sometimes life just gets in the way. I'm back now for the CAS Colours & Sketches color challenge for July. Suzy gave us some very fresh summer colors. They remind me of sherbet.

I have been itching to use this Spellbinders die since I received it in May as one of my monthly clubs. I have seen so many people use it and I think it is just adorable. So for this challenge what could be better than a sherbet colored parrot?!

It was tempting to use all the flowers and greenery that came with this set but I needed to keep it CAS and I couldn't use green - so......we have this card which I really love. To add some interest I used an embossed panel using the Embossing Folder of the Month for May.

The sentiment is cut from a package of sentiment strips from Simon Says Stamp (I LOVE these they are so easy) and I added some glitter dots in the challenge colors. We have some great colors - we would love to have you join us!

Products used:

• Dies: Spellbinders DOM May24 Tropical Friends
• Embossing Folder: SB EOM May24 Lattice Work
• Cardstock: Summer Splash, Pretty in Pink, Petunia Pop, Black, Gray
• Embellishments: Stampin' Up! In-Color Glitter dots, Simon Says Stamp sentiment strips
  

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Pop of Color Flower Card

These are super easy to make cards. I made these for Mother's Day using this month's Team O Tic Tac Toe Challenge board. (Yes, we know the boards in advance!)

 

These cards fit a few categories but officially I chose the left column down.

I used a Flower fold-it from The Stamps of Life. This is an older one that I've had quite a while.  I think with cards like this, it is best to keep the colors and patterns bold and simple. And by bold color, I mean solid or monochromatic rather than using a pattern with a whole lot of color. Here I am trying to look like a flower not show off a pretty floral paper. I could use a floral paper if it were tonal.

Originally I was going to put the plaid in the background and use the solid colors on top, but then you couldn't really see the plaid. Because it is tone-on-tone it works well as the main color for the flower petals. I love dots with stripes or plaid so I chose those for the leaves,

I picked a fun floral embellishment for the center - one I've had for years, probably as long as I've had this die!

Products used:

• The Stamps of Life Flower with Stem Fold-it and various paper for the plaid and dots
• Stampin' Up! retired flower embellishments

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CAS Sketch Challenge

Today’s card is for the sketch challenge at CAS Colours & Sketches. When I saw Patricia’s sketch I knew I had the perfect image from Spellbinder’s April’s club sets; I just had to decided whether to use the floss dies or stencils.

This didn’t turn out quite how I had envisioned but I’m not quite sure why. I did have to do the stencils twice as the floss was too short the first time. And after stenciling the second I just didn’t want to try for three. This is a five part stencil and what made it a bit complicated was the step down of each floss. If they had been equal in length as they are on the stencil it would have gone much faster.

I got the all club sets last month because I’ve started back up on an old hobby - needlepoint. I’ve joined a few groups and stitch about once a month with some ladies at a local shop. I decided the set may be quite useful!

Needlepoint has come along way since when I learned as a girl. And it is starting to become more popular even with the younger generations. And one advantage is that you don’t need a craft room the size of Montana to hold all your stuff! The cost for hand painted canvases is pretty steep as are the fibers. That coupled with the fact it can take weeks or months (or even years) to complete a project, you tend not to buy as much. Cost probably works out to the same, just a different volume! ;)

I hope you’ve enjoyed my card today. Now it’s time to go outside and take care of the flowers I planted this weekend!

Products used:

• Spellbinders April 2024 Stencil of the Month, Stamp of the Month, Better Press of the Month

 

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Whaley Special

This is a quick card I made for my great-nephew. I posted the card I made for his new sister and parents last week. The inside says "You are whaley special".

He just turned three and I know that little ones can sometimes feel left out when everyone is making over a new baby. So my husband and I bought him a stuffed whale when we were in Hawaii a few months ago. I thought this card and sentiment perfect for the gift.

It was super easy to make. I added about 4 or 5 dark blue layers of cardstock under the fin instead of using foam dots. This gave it some dimension and a bit of a shadow. I finished the card with puffy stickers from The Stamps of Life.

Products used:

• Dies: The Stamps of Life Whale Fold-It
• Stamps: TSOL Patterns4Whales

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Hula Girl at Heart

"In a world that needs more dancing, she's a hula girl at heart" - Jimmy Buffett

For the 1000th color challenge at Splitcoaststampers I was asked to revisit a favorite challenge that I hosted.  I chose challenge 909 with some of my favorite colors, Daffodil Delight, Polished Pink and Orchid Oasis with a favorite dessert - summer! I also chose a challenge where I had an underlying theme of music; all my cards from August of 2022 were in this theme.

This stamp reminds me of my youngest daughter (now 30) whose first dance recital at 3 was "Hula Baby". There is no sight cuter than 3 year olds doing the hula. She kept dancing right up until she went to college. The quote above fits her to a tee - she's still that adorable 3 year old dancing the hula! If you don't know the song "Hula Girl at Heart" it's worth a listen, especially if you have a daughter.

The image is colored with Stampin' Blends and Copic markers to color match. I added some neutrals - browns and Mossy Meadow. I used the Orchid and the Daffodil to get various shades of the green. The markers I used are listed below.

I cut the palm frame once from the white and layered it with two cut from the Orchid Oasis. I also layered the extra leaves with the Orchid. I like the added shadow it gave the white.  The sentiment was made with my label maker and finished with a pink heart.

If you have time please stop by Splitcoaststampers and join in the challenge - we have multiple colors combos this week as each team member chose their favorite. I would especially love to see your summer inspired creations!

Products used:

• Stamps: Stamping Bella Summer Bundle Girl & Puppy Hula Dance
• Markers: Stampin' Blends - Orchid Oasis Light & Dark, Polished Pink Light & Dark, Daffodil Delight Light & Dark, 800, 900, 500  Copic Markers - BV02, Y11, RV00, YG93, YG97, YG99
• Other: The Stamps of Life Tropical Palm Frame die, label maker, SU Embossing Folder

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Layers of Beauty Multi Use Card

Happy Thursday! I'm back for this month's Team O challenge at the TicTacToe Challenge. This board had so many possibilities it was hard to choose. Since Mother's Day is coming up I decided to go with a feminine card that I could give to my mother-in-law. I played the diagonal - plaid, stenciling, twine.

If for some reason I decide to give her a different one (I have four more Mother's Day cards to make) I can use this for a birthday card as I have not stamped the sentiment yet. I have started to leave sentiments off the front of cards unless they are for an obvious reason - for example a birthday cake. This allows me a bit of latitude so I'm ready for a last minute card. And if I leave a bit more white space (and by that I mean uninterrupted area) I can add a sentiment to the front with a sentiment strip or die cut label or word.

I love that this set comes with dies and stencils for coloring. The layered stencil trend is one I really enjoy over layered stamping. For me it is much easier to line up the stencils and the trick to even color is a light hand. It is better to keep adding layers to get depth of color than to try and put pressure on the brush. And always start your brush moving BEFORE you get to the open part of the stencil. You can start it on the stencil itself or on the paper outside the stencil if that is a waste area.

Products used:

• Stamps, dies, stencil: Stampin' Up! Layers of Beauty
• Dies: Stampin' Up! Around the Bend
  
• Accessories: Stampin' Up! Eyelet 3D embossing folder
• Ink: Lemon Lime Twist, Parakeet Party, Polished Pink, Lemon Lolly

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It's All ABout the Texture

Happy Tuesday! I'm back at CAS Colours & Sketches after taking April off. For our color challenge this month Patricia chose Lost Lagoon, Pool Party and Pebbled Path. I will admit up front that these colors (with the exception of Pool Party) are a bit out of my comfort zone. I'm more of a tropical colors person.

So of course I felt this incredible urge to add another color to give these some "punch". This color challenge only allows neutrals (brown, black, grey, white, metallic) as an additional color. (Other challenges will allow the Stampin' Up! Neutrals palette which includes a few blues and greens.) So here I added the brushed pewter metallic to the rim of the basket. In the photo it is hard to see the metallic but it adds some nice subtle sheen.

I decided that adding texture was the best way to give interest to this card so I used a deckled edge die for the panel and the Macrame 3D embossing folder. I also used one of my all-time-favorite stamps in the background - Gorgeous Grunge. After this set was retired I noticed that SU often included a splatter stamp in at least one of their stamp sets for awhile. I just wouldn't have retired this set; but of course I wasn't asked! (wink, wink)

Pretty much everything on this card, except the colors and deckled rectangles, is retired. As a demonstrator I know that I should use current products. But I feel pretty strongly that you should keep and use what you love. There is a lot of pressure to buy new and while I succumb to that pretty easily, I am making a conscious effort to use what I have and buy only what I love (not what I think will sell.)

I hope you like my card today. Right now the card is blank inside. Since it is a very neutral card I may keep it for a guy's birthday or as a sympathy card. Those are hard cards to make and when you need one you need it immediately.

Products used:

• Stamps: Stampin' Up! - Earthen Textures Stamps & Dies, Gorgeous Grunge
  
• Dies: Deckled Rectangles
• Accessories: Macrame 3D Embossing Folder

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Little Inmate Baby Card

My card today is one I made for my niece who just had a baby. While she was pregnant I had the idea for this card but waited to make it until after the baby was born.

It is simple to make using the Onesie Fold-It from The Stamps of Life. I toyed with the idea of using orange for the onesie color (Orange is the New Black) but decided that old-fashioned black and white stripes were the way to go.

I stamped the baby's date of birth on a strip of cardstock to use as her "inmate" number and used a pen to add the stitching.

I printed the inside from my computer and it says it all.

Products used:

• Die: The Stamps of Life Onesie Fold-It
• Stamps: Lawn Fawn Smitty's ABCs

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Otterly Wonderful Father's Day Card

Good evening! It's been over a month since I lasted posted. I took the month of April off from most of my challenge duties. I was gone for ten at the beginning of the month to see the solar eclipse in Mexico. Then I needed to catch up at work and in life!

My card for this evening is for the color challenge at Splitcoaststampers - Pecan Pie, Boho Blue and Calypso Coral. I originally was going to do something else but then I noticed these cute otters while organizing some of my stamping supplies.

This card will do double duty - a challenge card and a Father's Day card for my husband. In organizing my stash I realize that I make far too many cards "just because" for challenges and never give them out. When a birthday or other day comes along I compelled to make something just for THAT person. I'm attempting to change that by planning ahead.

For this card I used Distress ink to shade the otters and shells. The background of the shell really is Boho Blue; the purple happened when I shaded it with coral. I don't know how I didn't see that one coming! LOL!

I hope you enjoyed the card. I will start to post more now that I'm back and settling in.

Products used:

• Dies: The Stamps of Life Otter Class
• Ink: Distress Oxide Vintage Photo, Abandoned Coral
• Cardstock: Pecan Pie, Crumb Cake, Boho Blue, Calypso Coral, Mossy Meadow, Early Espresso, Very Vanilla

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CAS Sketch Challenge

Happy Tuesday! My card today is for the sketch challenge at CAS Colours & Sketches. Joanne gave us a really fun sketch - just think of all the small items that could be used with this!

 

Because I combined it with the color challenge at Splitcoaststampers, my mind went directly to flowers. From there it was pretty easy. As usual with clean and simple cards, it does take some care to make sure everything is lined up and in place - otherwise it just looks "simple" - LOL!

I hope you will be able to join in one or both challenges this week!

Products used:

• Dies: Spellbinders Be Bold Blooms
• Cardstock: Berry Burst, Petal Pink, Daffodil Delight, Granny Apple Green
• Accessories: Simon Says Stamp Birthday Sentiment Strips

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Vase Fold-It Easel Card

I made this card for a friend's 65th birthday. I wanted something that was special and she could display.

I used the March Club Fold-It from The Stamps of Life. I love their shaped cards and you can easily (most of the time) make them into easel cards.  This one took a bit of thinking and a little snipping here and there but was manageable.

This card was also for this week's Tic Tac Toe Challenge - left column down:

and the color challenge at Splitcoaststampers. I'm the hostess this week and I chose Melon Mambo, Lemon Lolly and Pretty Peacock with Anything Goes for dessert. I used buttons since I have a TON of them in my stash and they make pretty flower centers.

I hope you will find time to join us this week in one or both challenges!

Products used:

• Dies: TSOL Flower Vase Fold-It (March Club die)
• Stamp: TSOL Flower Wreath Words
• Cardstock: Melon Mambo, Lemon Lolly, Pretty Peacock, Basic White
• Accessories: Ribbon, Buttons

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Color Challenge Tuesday

Good morning! My card today is for the Color Challenge at CAS Colours & Sketches. Joanne gave us some "cool" colors to work with this week.

 

I decided to go botanical with my card. I used the Botanical Layers stamp set coupled with the Perennial Postage dies and Fern 3D embossing folder.

Although hard to tell in this photo I promise you the Balmy Blue is there. The back most plant is in Balmy Blue. I used a Misti and re-stamped the image with just the edges in Old Olive. It did darken up the blue quite a bit.

I hope you've enjoyed my card today. It was a busy weekend. I took an online needlepoint class - quite intense but very informative and a lot of fun. I may start posting about my new love!

And the twins are getting "fixed" today. The vet said best to do both at the same time so they both feel lousy and recover together. We'll see how they (and I) do.....

I have links below to the products I used from Stampin' Up! Remember, if you place a minimum $50 order with me I'll send you something (stamps or dies or paper) from my stash! While supplies last ;)

Products used:

• Stamps: Botanical Layers
• Dies: Perennial Postage - dies only (also available as a bundle)
  
• Ink: Balmy Blue, Azure Afternoon, Old Olive
• Cardstock: Basic White, Old Olive
• Accessories: Fern 3D embossing folder, Linen Thread

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Watercolor Bird's Eye View

Happy Monday evening! I have a fun card for the color challenge this week at Splitcoaststampers. I love the bright fun colors Barbara gave us.

I've been wanting to use this bird for quite some time and I'm glad I got a chance to this week. These colors really work well as watercolor. The Shaded Spruce became very blue when combined with mostly water in the background. And the Berry Burst could easily be tamed down to a light pink with more water.

I dug up this old DSP; it took me awhile. I had small samples in a notebook I keep of patterned paper. But trying to find the actual paper was a whole other adventure!

I used my label maker for the sentiment. A few years ago I realized that using black tape in my label maker mimics white embossing but is cleaner and faster. A bit more restrictive in what can be done, but worth the trade off.

I also entered  this in the Triple B - Birds, Butterflies & Blooms Challenge.

The Spring Mini Catalog from Stampin' Up! is now out and Sale-A-Bration is going on through the end of February. With Sale-A-Bration you can earn FREE Sale-A-Bration products with every $50* you spend! If you spend $100 you will earn TWO free-with-$50 products or one free-with-$100 product!

AND I am having my own personal de-stash giveaway! I am cleaning out years of stamps, dies and DSP! For every $50* you spend with me I will send you a retired stamp set or die set from my stash ($100 earns a bundle while available!) Some of my sets are lightly used, but many are brand new! Spend at least $200 and I will also include some retired DSP. This is while supplies last so act now!

*Before tax and shipping

Use this Host Code 3YX6MYAK when shopping with me in February. If you spend $150 do not use the Host Code so YOU get the Host Benefits! Just please make sure you are shopping with Jeanne Knobbe in order to qualify for my de-stash give away!

 

Products used (all Stampin' Up unless otherwise noted):

• Stamps: Bird's Eye View
• Dies: Deckled Rectangles
• Ink: Pale Papaya (retitred), Berry Burst, Shaded Spruce, Lemon Lime Twist
• Paper: Strathmore Mixed Media, Expressions in Ink DSP (retired)
• Accessories: Ribbon (retired), Very Best Trio Punch

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Tuesday Sketch Challenge

Michal has a great CAS sketch for us this week at CAS Colours & Sketches. It went so fast I made two cards that show the versatility of the sketch. They look totally different.

This is the card I submitted for the DT. It really did not take long - somewhere between 5-10 minutes. I did have to make it twice because I learned something key in putting this together - glue your strips on before stamping the sentiment. It's a WHOLE lot easier to center the sentiment between the strips than it is to try and get the strips centered above and below the sentiment and be equidistant from the top and bottom of the card. I also used strips longer than the card and trimmed them once glued down. I'm sure we've all had pieces we thought we cut the same size but were that millimeter off from the card front; this prevents that from happening.

The second card (which I actually made first) uses the dies from Darling Details. I love this edge die! Unfortunately I had very few current 1/4" ribbons that fit through the edge so I used this Petal Pink ribbon. While the card is pretty I feel it would be better with a floral rather than solid background but that would take it out of being CAS. So I left it as is and will insert a different paper later.

The sentiment set I used is from the Annual Catalog and is called Biggest Wish. It comes with Thanks, Birthday, Happy, Hello and Friend in both the big, bold font and the script font so you can mix and match. The more I play with this set and the sketch the more I like both. The striped card can go to anyone while the pink card is feminine. I can see that by just changing the paper and colors you can get a totally different look!

The Spring Mini Catalog from Stampin' Up! is now out and Sale-A-Bration is going on through the end of February. With Sale-A-Bration you can earn FREE Sale-A-Bration products with every $50* you spend! If you spend $100 you will earn TWO free-with-$50 products or one free-with-$100 product!

AND I am having my own personal de-stash giveaway! I am cleaning out years of stamps, dies and DSP! For every $50* you spend with me I will send you a retired stamp set or die set from my stash ($100 earns a bundle while available!) Some of my sets are lightly used, but many are brand new! Spend at least $200 and I will also include some retired DSP. This is while supplies last so act now!

*Before tax and shipping

Use this Host Code 3YX6MYAK when shopping with me in February. If you spend $150 do not use the Host Code so YOU get the Host Benefits! Just please make sure you are shopping with Jeanne Knobbe in order to qualify for my de-stash give away!

I am also entering this in the Word Power Challenge.

Products used (Stampin' Up!):

• Stamps: Biggest Wish
  
• Dies: Darling Details
  
• Paper: Basic White, Petal Pink, Bright & Beautiful DSP
  
• Ink: Blueberry Bushel, Lemon Lime Twist, Petal Pink, Calypso Coral
  
• Accessories: Ribbon Duo Combo Pack, Paper Trimmer, Glue Dots (for the ribbon)
  

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Sneak Peek and De-Stash Give Away

I have a sneak peek of an online exclusive coming to Stampin' Up! March 5. There are a LOT of new products that will be available and this Latte Love is one of them. If you are a coffee lover this product suite is a must have.

I was looking at some challenges and when I saw this week's Color Throwdown and Freshly Made Sketches I knew what I wanted to make!

The sketch of course made this super easy, it was just a matter of picking out colors and papers. The DSP is from the product Suite as are the ribbon and enamel dots. The only things on the card not in the suite are the Real Red and Pecan Pie cardstock (I don't have Kraft), the ink and embossing powder.

Although this Suite is not yet available there are plenty of great products in the new Spring Mini Catalog! I urge you to check it out.

Sale-A-Bration is also going on through the end of February. With Sale-A-Bration you can earn FREE Sale-A-Bration products with every $50* you spend! If you spend $100 you will earn TWO free-with-$50 products or one free-with-$100 product!

AND I am having my own personal de-stash giveaway! I am cleaning out years of stamps, dies and DSP! For every $50* you spend with me I will send you a retired stamp set or die set from my stash ($100 earns a bundle while available!) Some of my sets are lightly used, but many are brand new! Spend at least $200 and I will also include some retired DSP. This is while supplies last so act now!

*Before tax and shipping

Use this Host Code 3YX6MYAK when shopping with me in February. If you spend $150 do not use the Host Code so YOU get the Host Benefits! Just please make sure you are shopping with Jeanne Knobbe in order to qualify for my de-stash give away!

Products used (Stampin' Up!):

• Product Suite: Latte Love - includes stamps, dies, 12 x 12 DSP, ribbon and enamel dots
  
• Cardstock: Pecan Pie, Real Red
• Ink: Pecan Pie, Versamark
  
• Accessories: White Embossing Powder
  

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