A couple more challenges with another sneak peek

Today is Mother's Day.  Happy Mother's Day to all Moms!

Thomas has returned home from Disneyland and we are all so glad to have him home.  Three days is a looonnnngggg time.  We picked him up from the school at 8:30 this morning.  They left Disneyland at 11:30 last night and slept on the bus.  Lord, I admire the fortitude of his teacher and chaperons.  I'd be cranky, bleary-eyed and no one's friend by the end of the trip.  As I sit typing this, I can hear my children playing in the back of the house.  Lovely sound.  A wonderful present for the day.

In my last post I shared that Olivia and I had been using crafting as therapy for missing Thomas.  I have a couple more cards to share from yesterday.

This first card was a challenge card that Livi thought of.  She picked two colors from the Color Coach and we each had to come up with a card--without the help of layout/sketch.  The colors she picked were Chocolate Chip and Lucky Limade.  Thank God...finally colors that suit me!

Here is Livi's card.

If you have been a subscriber/follower for awhile, you will recognize that this color combo is way out of Livi's comfort zone.  She is a brights kinda gal.  She also has some vertical elements in her card, which is unusual for her.  Didn't she do a great job using the markers on the trees!

And here is my card.  I really like how this card came out.  I used the DSP from the retiring Nursery Nest.  The little owls are on the DSP and I cut them out.  

The sentiment is from a new stamp set called Itty Bitty Banners.  It's the perfect size. As I was making the card, I began to think of my dad.  His birthday is right around the corner.  He is turning 75!  Doesn't seem possible.  Hubby and I were talking the other day and figured out that my parents were our current age when we first started dating. (Did that sentence make sense? Not sure how to phrase that?) But anyway, if that is not a mind blower, I don't know what is.  But, I digress.  Thinking of my dad, an awful pun came to mind to put inside the card.  This kind of punniness is right up his alley.  Everyone else will groan.  He'll repeat it the rest of the day. 

There you have it.  Two more cards. 

Livi and I have spent some time today organizing my new stamps.  Being a former librarian, I tend to be organized.  Livi played secretary and did all the copying and filing of all the new goodies.  She's a gem.  She actually had a blast making the copies and getting everything into my personal catalog and placed on the shelves correctly.  There may be a wee bit of librarian in her, too. :-)  It helped her pass some of the time waiting for Thomas to take a shower and get himself refreshed from the bus ride. It's been good that Livi is keeping me occupied, too.  I have the overwhelming urge to constantly hug my son and just look at him.  I cannot tell you how hard it was to let him go on his own.  But I am restraining and not driving him bonkers.  I know a 14 year old boy/young man will only put up with so much huggin' from mom. :-)

Okay, enough time has passed.  Time for another hug! Watch out Thomas! :-)

Kristine

A quick masculine card

Sometimes the cards that challenge me the most are the ones I make for the males in my life.  I have come to understand that the simpler the card, the better it is received.  Hence a very simple card for a male birthday.  (He loved it by the way.)  The stamp set I used is Plant Hope. I stamped in Stazon and colored with watercolor crayons and a Blender Pen. 

Not only did the recipient like the card, it was a nice break from all the bling and ribbon of my Christmas cards of late. 

Thanks for stopping in.
Kristine

The last of summer

There are snow flurries today in Reno.  Crazy weather.  It is truly fall.  In honor of summer fading, I made a last summery card for my Open Swappers group.  I used a set that I bought because I think the images are serene and beautiful.  It's called Plant Hope. That is a good directive too...plant some hope somewhere.  Maybe someone's heart, maybe in your own heart.  Here's the card.

Stamp: Plant Hope, Line Background, French Script

Paper: Crumb Cake, Barely Banana, Mellow Moss, Always Artichoke, Very Vanilla

This is a CASE card from an older SU IBC.  I used almost all retired items on this card.  The nifty thing about my group, the Open Swappers, is we can use retired items.  We are "Open" to using ANY SU merchandise whether it be brand, spankin' new, or from the first years of the company's production.  There's no themes mandated, no musts.  It is for pure fun and enjoyment.  Use what ya want 'cause you want to use it! 

To see what the other members of the group designed, click on the picture of the white Alpaca on the right sidebar.  If you would like to join in the swap, send me an email and I'll get you the details of the swapping.

Thanks for stopping in.

Kristine



Fungi for a fun guy

This is the second card that I had as a project at the Sale-a-Bration event this past March 19th.  It is a rather bold and bright card.  As a demonstrator, I feel that my customers should be able to see all of the colors used...not just my favorites! :-)  So I will, typically, at every event or workshop go in search of a card design that is something different than one I would design and add that card into the mix of what we will be making.  I found this card design on the Stampin' Up demonstrator website where all of the demos can upload photos and "steal" ideas from one another. Ilina Crouse is the demo who posted a card similar to this one.  I didn't have the exact DSP she used, but the idea/layout and stamp set are the same.   I think it such a cute card! 

. 

A couple of things this card has that sold me...

1.  It uses turquoise...an often left out color in my cards.

2.  It could be used for either a male or female.  If it is for a male, on the inside of the card you can write a message that says something like, "You're such a fungi!" A horrible play on the words "Fun guy."  Men like those kind of puns...at least the men I know.  Baffles me.

3.  It showcases stamping with markers.

4.  Just by switching the DSP over and using a different image in the Funky Four Stamp set, you get a more feminine feel card with more muted colors.  See...

Stamps: funky four, Cute and curly

Card stock: So Saffron, Chocolate chip, Whisper white, Old olive, Play date Designer Paper

Inks: Old olive marker, Crumb cake marker, chocolate chip marker, So saffron marker, Tempting turquoise marker

Punches: Ribbon border, 1/16" handheld circle

Accessories: Subtles collection brads

The only bad thing about this card is the number of layers.  You can be sure I was grinding my teeth as I preped for the event.  80 card kits cut.  Each card has 12 pieces. (Two are hidden on the inside)  Do the math.  That is a gazillion pieces of card stock cut! But my cutter and I both held up!  We're both troopers.

Thanks for stopping in.  Next time you need to do more of the talking.  (ha! crack myself up!)

Kristine

MOJO 158

Two weeks in a row for the Mojo Monday challenge!  This week the sketch came in handy for my DH's birthday.  With a busy week, his card was still in the makings when he came home from work.  Yikes!  I love the simply sketches, and this one worked well for his card.  Whenever I show him my work, he always likes the simpler design cards best.

Here's the sketch:


I chose the square version.  Here's my DH's card:

There is a little sparkle to my card--just like my hubby. :-)

I used the Sizzix Squares texturz impression folder to add a little somethin' somethin' to the back panel of the card.  I'd show you the inside, but the note is a mushy gushy one. :-)

Thanks for stopping by today.  Have a good one!

Kristine