The growing puppies

Just wanted to share a picture of our puppies!
Kia (Cockalier) is 8 months old now and is still very small. She seems to weigh only a few pounds. She is finally getting better at house-training. She is the first dog that I've ever had that gets cold outside in winter. I think I'm going to have to buy her a winter jacket and booties!

Mulch (Pyrenees X) is 3 months and is mostly outside. She was 27 pounds when we last weighed her and eats a LOT.

I wish the weather was nicer and we could do more agility with them!

I don't think this picture really shows off their full cute-ness, but its a nice recent picture of them together.

Really fun color challenge!

I really enjoyed today's color challenge at Splitcoast Stampers which was to use only neutral cardstocks. You have to add a POP of color with stamped images and embellishments. CC243.

For the layout I used a Fall-To-Layout from Clean & Simple Stamping. FTL65. I love to combine challenges!

For my card I used the scallop edge punch, piercing and ribbon to add interest. I also rounded the corners of the card. The heart scallop is popped up with dimensionals!

Stampin' Up! Supplies: Scallop circle, Scallop edge, corner rounder, ribbon, Simply Said, Sincere Salutations

Colors: Very Vanilla, Kraft, Soft Suede, Regal Rose, Ruby Red, Black

EjoyVC9 - Two layer card

Welcome to my Encourage Joy Variety Challenge! This week I am challenging you to make a card with ONLY 2 layers! This means your card-stock base is one layer and you may only have one more layer ontop of it! Hope you have fun with this! I'd love to have you share your creations here. If you share on Splitcoast Stampers please use the keyword EjoyVC9. Feel free to combine with any of the previous Ejoy challenges if you like.

Here's my 2 layer card for this challenge:

And here's a close up for the details:

I used the same bleaching technique from earlier in the week. The cat is embossed with black and the panel is popped up. I used 3 clear rhinestones. The edges of the cat panel and the whole card are bleached as well. I put a Q-tip in bleach and rubbed it along the edge. The whole card is also embossed with Texturz embossing!

The inside says: "The secret of happiness is to count your blessings not your birthdays! Happy Birthday!"

Stampin' Up! supplies: Pun Fun, Birthdays Count, Texturz embossing, Big Shot, clear rhinestones, black embossing

Colors: Rich Razzleberry, Almost Amythyst, Versamark

3 Challenges!

Here's a card I made for 3 challenges over on Splitcoast Stampers

Challenge #1 - a Sketch (SC252)

Challenge #2 - Color Cominbation (CC242) - Kraft, Black, Melon Mambo

Challenge #3 - Limited Supplies (LSC244) - Make a card showing the weather and use a 2-2-2 formula. Today it's snowing lots of fluffy flakes! My 2-2-2 is 2 patterned papers, 2 clear rhinestones, 2 punches.

Here's a close-up so you can see some of the details better.

Stampin' Up! supplies: snowflakes die, clear rhinestones, black gingham ribbon, word window punch, modern label punch, Many Merry Messages stamp set

Colors: Christmas Cocoa Specialty Designer Paper, Kraft, Black, Melon Mambo, White

While by my sheep!

Here's a card I made that I got the layout from the catalogue on Page 101. I changed the colors and all the stamps.

The sheep image is embossed with black, then bleached! I also stamped and cut out a lighter pink heart to paper piece overtop! The black panel is all popped up with Stampin' Dimensionals.

My Tip of the Day:

If you're stuck for ideas and want to know where to start...

1. If you know what stamped image or theme you want to have, you can browse the catalogue and search for card layouts you like that also use a similar sized stamp.

2. You don't have to have the supplies used on the original sample, substitute for anything! ie. you don't have a certain punch - use a different one, or cut out the shape. You can also leave parts off the card or add your own touches.

3. You can also search for color combinations that you like or other techniques and put it all together. I find that's the easiest way to make a card. Take parts from others that you've seen that you like. The color combination for this card was taken from Page 140.

Stampin' Up! Supplies: Pun Fun, Scallop edge punch, button, word window punch

Colors: Melon Mambo, Pretty in Pink, White, Black, versamark

Bermuda/Red Christmas

Here's a cute clean & simple card I made!

I kept the layout quite simple.

The fun technique I used here was to stamp a bunch of images all over and overlapping, then cut it into squares. I laid the squares out so that the images continue onto the next square, but you could mix and match them around too.

Stampin Up! supplies: Snow Swirled, Season of Joy, scallop edge punch, ribbon, brads
Colors: White, Bermuda Bay, Ruby Red, Black, Silver

EjoyVC8 - Card Fold Technique Challenge

I found a really cute type of card fold that I've never seen before. A double pocket card. It's actually really easy to make and makes great use of DSP! Here's the directions from Splitcoast Stampers (http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/resources/tutorials/doublepocketcard/)

Here's my sample:The Rudolph tag goes in the top pocket and the second pocket can be used for a Gift card.

So, today's challenge is to try making a double pocket card. I'd love to have you share your creation here with Mr. Linky. If you upload to SCS please use the codeword EjoyVC8.

Isn't the Specialty Designer Series paper (Christmas Cocoa from Holiday Mini) great!!! This card really shows it off!

One thing I want to highlight about this card: Notice the layered punches. You can do so many things by mixing and matching and layering punches! I also used the swirls from the Elegant Thank You stamp set, but put the NOEL saying overtop. VERSATILITY!!!

Stampin' Up! supplies: Elegant Thank You, Many Merry Messages, Dasher

Scallop edge punch, circle punches, scallop circle punch, word window punch, ticket corner punch, silver cord, eyelet.

Colors: Kraft, White, Soft Suede, Silver, Chocolate Chip

A few simple techniques

Here's a cute little tag I created using a few simple techniques:
1. Punched corners: Here I used the ticket corner punch, but there are other punches you can use to make a great look.
2. Inked edges: Simply run the edge of the cardstock directly against the ink pad. You can experiment with the angles and how much ink you use. You can also do it with more than one color ink pad. I sometimes use white first, then a darker color. This technique adds a fun look to your edge.
3. Silver poppin pastels: Here's my version of poppin pastels. I used Encore Silver ink. I then applied pastel to part of the image. I left the antlers silver for this image. This is a fun technique and kind of makes Rudolph look fuzzy.

Stampin' Up! Supplies: Eyelet, Ticket Corner Punch, Circle Punch, silver cord, Many Merry Messages, Dasher
Colors: Kraft, White, Soft Suede, Christmas Cocoa Specialty paper

Here I come flowershop!

Here's some of the cards I made for a local store (ATC size: 3-1/2 x 2-1/2). She wanted them to go with her flowers. All these ATC's would probably easily be layered onto a card and be useful that way too.
What do you think? Which is your favorite? I used a lot of cutting out and paper piecing. All Stampin' Up supplies!

This card front is 4x5, which she didn't want, and I'm going to layer it onto a regular size card! I used rock-n-roll technique on the flowers. There's a pierced edge and I used the scallop edge punch. I just love these colors together!

EJoyVC7 - seeing stars

For today's challenge I want you to use a star on your project. This can be a star stamp, sticker, backgroung paper or cut out. Whatever you want that has a star on it. Please share your work here and if you're uploading to SCS use the keyword EjoyVC7. I hope you can have fun creating something new. Stampin' Up! supplies: Many Merry Messages, Season of Joy, Stars die cut, brad, ribbon

Colors: Chocolate Chip, White, Apricot Appeal, Bermuda Bay, Versamark

For bonus points you can use last week's sketch EjoyVC6. After 3 tries I finally drew a sketch that I could upload properly!

Simple Christmas

Here's the card I created for the wonderful Fall-To-Layout from

http://cleanandsimplestamping.blogspot.com/

This is for FTL63. Don't the colors look great together, especially with the silver cord! This card will be one at my card-making class.



Stampin' Up! Supplies: Autumn Days, Many Merry Messages stamp set

Modern Label Punch, Photo Corners Punch, eyelets, silver cord

Colors: Always Artichoke, Sahara Sand, White, To the Nines DSP

Remake for Christmas

Getting ready for a Christmas card-making class and I was looking for simple cards to make.

I found one of my favorites that I remade with a Christmas theme.

Tip of the Day: It's a bit easier to make a card by copying one of the cards you already have that you like. You can change a few things, or keep everything the same. Or if you're in a creative slump you can look at other people's work and gain inspiration from them. It's always nice to credit them if you're going to copy though. Happy Crafting!

You can find the card I found my inspiration from on my blog on one of my earlier posts (my TOP 10!)

Stampin' Up supplies: Gifts of Christmas and Autumn Days stamp sets, old olive ribbon

Colors: Old Olive, Barely Banana, White, Very Vanilla, Always Artichoke

EjoyVC6 - It's a sketch!

I didn't get a chance to draw out this sketch, but just go by the photo! You don't have to have all the layers or bling or scalloped edge, just the general layout.

I stamped off the wheat stamp, added sponging around the outside edge and some piercing!

Stamp sets: Autumn Days, Oval All
Colors: Barely Banana, More Mustard, Soft Suede, Very Vanilla
Punches: Scallop edge, large oval, scalloped oval
Clear Rhinestone

Would love for you to play along and share your creation here! If you upload to SCS, please use the code EjoyVC6. Have fun and Happy Thanksgiving!

Mojo card

Just wanted to quickly share the card I made for Mojo107. I started with the sketch, picked an image that would fit in the circle and picked some colors that went well with that image. The Mustard circle was calling out to be distressed! I wanted to add some texture in the background and coordinated the dots in the DSP with texturz dots. Just for fun and something different the brads and eyelets are a bit different than usual. I also tried something different with two different colored main panels in the background and reversed the color of layer. Hope you enjoy.

Stamp set: Autumn Days (such a versatile set!)
Colors: Creamy Caramel, Close to Cocoa, Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla, More Mustard, To the Nines DSP
Ribbon, brads, eyelet, distressing

EjoyVC5 - Monochromatic!

For this week's challenge I'd like you to create a card using monochromatic colors. (One color or hue - eg. various shades of pink, not pink and green and brown together). I chose to make a monochromatic blue color scheme. I'd love for you to share your creation here with Mr. Linky. Also if you upload to SCS please use the code EjoyVC5. Hope you can have fun creating this week.

My card was made for this week's sketch on SCS (SC248) and Pals Paper Arts challenge #10 - Gratitude! I was gone all week, so I was combining a few and this was the only card I had a chance to make this week.

I don't know if you can tell from the picture but the flower was made with the scallop circle and I just cut with the scissor toward the center.

Stampin' Up supplies: Elegant Thank You, Punches - scallop circle, circles, word window, modern label. Birds n Blooms die cut, texturz, ribbon, brad

Colors: Night of Navy & DSP, Brocade Blue, White