Playing with Olivia and a Sneak Peek

Note:  I have blathered a lot before getting to my card and the sneak peek.  If you are visiting just to see the sneak peek and a new product, scroll to the bottom.  If you don't mind a wee bit of blathering...read on!


I am so lucky that my daughter, Olivia, aka Livi, likes to paper craft with me.  She is 12, and I love that it makes her smile when we bring out the craft supplies and get down to a challenge.  This weekend we are missing Thomas.  He is her brother and my son.  He is 14 and off on a trip to Disneyland in LA with his school orchestra.  We miss him terribly.  I am very fortunate that my children love each other and consider each other best friends.  I know!  Can you imagine my surprise as each year they grow they continue to treat each other with respect and love!  It says a lot about who they are as people.  So we are missing Thomas and we felt a little paper therapy was in order.  So we have been doing some challenges.

Because Livi likes sketch challenges we started there.  She combed my bookmarked sights until she found a sketch she thought she could work with and like.  What she found was the Saturday Sketch Challenge at Stamping 411. Perfect! It's an older sketch, but that's what we used. Here it is:

Then to make the challenge a wee bit more difficult, we each picked a color from the Stampin' Up! Color Coach.  This had to be a focal color in the card.  Here's a picture of Livi selecting my color.  She's so funny.  Look at that cute face!

And wouldn't you know it, we each by happenstance picked colors for each other that we would NOT normally pick.  She picked Melon Mambo for me.  I picked Tangerine Tango for her.  We each gave a heavy sigh.  Oh the tortures of working outside a comfort zone! :-)  Then we got to work.  Lots of laughs, and Oh-my-gosh-this-card-is hard! later we had our finished cards.  One of the rules of our working together is no peeking at the other person's work.  We like the surprise of the finished card.  I ripped my card up a few times.  Livi sticks with her plan and is always okay with what she creates.  Say anything about our personalities?

First Livi's card.  Remember she had to use Tangerine Tango.  I love how she interpreted the sketch and made that color work for her. 

And here is my card.  Remember I had to use Melon Mambo.  I fudged a bit.  Although Melon Mambo is a main color, I think the Elegant Eggplant is more noticeable.

The stamp set used is a new stamp in the upcoming 2012-13 Idea Book called Betsy's Blossoms.  I received this set as a part of a bundle that Stampin' Up put together as an incentive.  If you reach a certain level in your title, you begin to get the opportunity to buy these bundles at a discount, or eventually you get them free!  I got my first discount bundle. Hehehehehe, grin.  Have I mentioned that I LOVE Stampin' Up! :-)  Love getting things for free or at a big discount. 

I think the set has a retro feel to it.  Yeah man...retro! 

Thanks for visiting today.  Thanks to you, my followers and subscribers.  You are da bomb.
Kristine

Day of Gratitude

This stamp set was the first one to catch my eye when the Holiday Mini came out.  It reminds me of one of my favorite retired stamp sets called True Friend.  Both sets have the same design style--a little western, a little ...Scandinavian?  At least that is what I think when I look at them.  I really like the sample card that is pictured with the set in the mini, so I decided to stick with the Cajun Craze color.  The layout is courtesy of Stampin 411 blog Saturday Sketch Challenge #171.  This will be one of the cards for my club this Friday.  I like the rich, warm colors of it. 

The DSP is the Autumn Spice.  Doesn't that sound wonderful?  Makes me think of warm apple cider.  The ribbon is in Early Espresso, and I used the lattice embossing folder on the Cajun Craze panel for some extra texture.

Here is the inside of the card.

Wonderful sentiment, yes?  I sometimes need the reminder that everyday is a blessing and a reason to be grateful. 

Thanks for stopping in today.  Remember to feel the gratitude today for all of your blessings!

Kristine