Stamp Act

Featured Stamper ~ Nitestamper & ULAS Inspiration Challenge

This card is for 2 challenges this week.  The first is based on Sunday's Featured Stamper ~ Nitestamper.   It was so hard to choose just one card from her awesome gallery so I chose a couple and this was the first one I was able to complete.  My card is based on her card HERE.   Be sure to visit her gallery because it is just amazing! 

Not only did I case Nitestamper's layout but I based it on  Jennifer's , Up Late & Stamping (ULAS Gallery Here) inspiration challenge from Friday.  The inspiration is a darling Holiday blanket seen HERE.   You know, anyone can play and it's lots of fun!  You can upload your creations using ULAS in the SCS keyword section and your item will go right in to the gallery!  Now, about the card......

The base is Real Red.  The strips are mounted on Whisper White cardstock.  The colors of the strips are Bashful Blue, Celery, Real Red, Regal Rose, Brocade Blue and Wild Wasabi.  I trimmed the strips at an angle using a scrap piece of cardstock.  They are all trimmed the same, therefore, they fit together quite nicely!  The brads in the corners are Real Red and the Regal Rose ribbon is from the SU! Ribbon Originals set called Fairy Tale.  The snowflakes are from 3 different punches (1 is the new Martha Stewart one and the others are old ones I had).  I punched from Whisper White and Bashful Blue.  The snowflakes were punched then I ran them through my Xyron and then pressed them in to Dazzling Diamonds glitter.  I used Bashful Blue brads to adhere them.  The sentiment piece is first Real Red cardstock then Bashful Blue and then Whisper White.  I stamped the snowman from Merry & Bright using Basic Black ink.  I stamped the snowflake from The Snowflake Spot using Bashful Blue ink.  I put a small, white snowflake (put in glitter as above) in the center and used a Bashful Blue brad to adhere it.  I used my Black marker to just ink up the words and stamped them below the snowflake.  I mounted the entire piece on top of the card using dimensionals.

Speaking of Jennifer!!  She taught me a great trick the other day.  If any of you peruse the SCS website and see a card you like but don't leave a comment due to time, try this trick next time and it WILL save you time and you could make the creator very happy!  When you see the card in the gallery that you like, before you click on it, hold your shift down and then click on the card, a new screen will come up JUST for that card and you can leave a comment and close the screen and go on your way!!!  I have always tried to leave comments but once I would leave a comment, my browser would not let me go back in to the gallery I was just in and I would have to start from the beginning, therefore, it would take me forever!  I am so glad to know this now ~ Thanks Jen! and I hope you will use it too because by leaving comments, you could just make that person's day!!!  I know it makes me feel good when someone comments on my card.  Thanks for listening and have a great day!

~Lynda

Sharon's Stamp Simply Challenge #6 ~ Tags-N-Bags ~ Oh My!

Sharon's Stamp Simply Challenge for Saturday was to make a tag and then decorate a bag (front only) that coordinates with your tag.  Well, I did both but I am not sure where to adhere my tag because I don't want to cover up my bag!!!!  For some reason I had envisioned a bag that looked like Grandma baking cookies (no, this was not a dream.  I hate to admit it but I was wide awake when I came up with that idea!!!).  I wanted to use Soft Sky and Lavender so that I did!  Of course all of the white lunch bags I had were no where to be found and I didn't have any cute handled ones to cover so I settled on an old Kraft colored lunch sack!!!

Does it look like a Grandma with her apron on???  I wanted to put pearls around the neck but this IS just a paper bag and it is supposed to be a challenge to stamp simply!!! LOL!!!  The details are as follows:

For the sleeves on the bag ~ pull the sides out and lay them flat.  I measured down 1 1/2" on each side and then cut all the way up to the scored front and back.  Then you can fold the sides back in on the bottom part of the bag and then keep the top "sleeves" poked out.  I then took my scallop scissors and cut again.  I used my white gel pen to add the detail.  The buttons are just misc. lavender and white buttons I had and I just used a glue dot for each to adhere.

For the "apron" I took a piece of Soft Sky cardstock and then used one of my Creative Memories Ovals to trace a scooped edge.  I used the same size Creative Memories Oval and traced again on a piece of Whisper White cardstock.  This is only going to be the edge so you don't need it to be super wide but you do want to leave enough space to use your slit punch to make the large scallops.  Since I am such a visual person, I am going to give you a link for a FANTASTIC tutorial by Julia Stainton on how to use your slit punch to make scallops!  You can also use scallop scissors but I really wanted the larger scallops so that is why I did it this way.  I used the same technique for the top "waistband". 

I stamped the Soft Sky apron using Soft Sky ink and my Dotted Background stamp.  I then used Cosmo Cricket Silver Metallic Rubons that I recently purchased from Lindsey ~ Jacksonbelle Embellishments.
When I adhered my bottom ruffle, I then did faux stitching along the bottom of the apron and above the "ruffle".  I used my white gel pen for this as well.  After adhering the top ruffle on top of the apron, I then tied some wide white polka dot organdy I had from Michael's and then on top of that I added my SU! Soft Sky double stitched ribbon.  Grandma's bottoms (it could be a skirt or pants???) is just a piece of Lavender Lace cardstock.

The tag is one of the On Board chipboard tags which I covered with Whisper White cardstock by using a glue stick.  I sanded around the edges and then sponged on just the left (when looking at the pic) side first Soft Sky and then Lavender Lace.  I used the same rubons and the same ribbon at the top.  The To and From are stamped using Lavender Lace ink and are from the Labels SU! set.

Now I just need to bake some cookies and put them in there!!  I better try them first to make sure they are good!!!!

Have a great day!

~Lynda

Julia's Masquerade Challenge ~ SCS WT137

This card was so much fun to make!  I really like how it turned out too ~ which is always a plus!!!  I got my new goodies I had ordered from Lindsey ~ Jacksonbelle Embellishments, on Friday.  I just knew that 2 of the Inkadinkado stamps I ordered from her would be perfect for Julia's masking challenge and they were!

I finished the card yesterday but waited to post until today because I wanted to get a good picture.  The base of my card is a 5 1/4" square and is Basic Black cardstock.  The decorative paper is Cosmo Cricket and is their Wonderland line.  I must say that Cosmo Cricket is really not my style but I just LOVE this Wonderland paper.  The reason for that is because Lindsey is an enabler and made some AWESOME projects with it on her blog.   It is just NOT right I tell ya!!! LOL!!!  I used dimensionals to mount the square decorative square on top of my card.  I used my photo corner punch to punch the black corners.  The brads are antique brass and are from SU!'s Vintage Brads set.   

The way I did the "window" was to use a scrap piece of cardstock.  I punched 4 squares using my 1 1/4" punch (for some reason I don't have a larger square punch which would have worked better) from scrap paper.  I then put a small amount of adhesive on the backs to stick them down on the red Cosmo Cricket decorative paper where I wanted them to be and then took my square punch, turned it over and lined it up with each square and punched.  I wanted the windows to be larger so I used my hobby blade and cut them to make them larger, of course they are crooked!!! 

My snowman scene was stamped on Cryogen White iridescent cardstock from Cutcardstock.com. .  I stamped the snowman first using Basic Black ink (stamp it again on scrap paper ~ you will need to cut this out for the masking).  After cutting out your extra snowman, use a small amount of adhesive to stick him on top of the first snowman.  If you have re~positional adhesive, this would probably work too!  The small cluster of tress are from Inkadinkado too.  I used Always Artichoke ink and stamped the trees over the snowman mask  toward the center of him to give the look that the trees are in the distance.  I stamped them again and then again after stamping off (to give a lighter and farther away look).  I colored the trees and snowman with my Watercolor crayons and a blender pen.  The "snow" is chunky crystal glitter which I used puffy paint to adhere.  I have it falling out of the sky, on the tree limbs and covering the ground.  You can click on the picture above to see it closer.  I used my burgundy stickles on the snowman's buttons.

The "window" frame was adhered using dimensional strips which are thicker than regular dimensionals (my puffy glitter kind of made the snowman scene thick!). 

Thanks for looking and if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask!

Have a great day!

~Lynda

My Altered Project for Diane's Up Late and Stamping Challenge!

My new blogging friend, Diane ~ My Little Stampin' Spot, was the hostess with the mostess on Friday (last Friday) for our weekly ULAS, Up Late and Stamping challenge.  She tasked us with altering something.  My family was hoping I would alter my personality and I would like to alter my "maid" duties but instead, I went ahead and altered this frame!  One of the Mom's at our school had her second baby girl this week so I wanted to make a little something for her.  Her and her husband are the nicest people and last year at this time suffered an awful loss so I am SO happy for them that everything went fine and the baby is GREAT!

The first thing I did with this frame was paint, just the edges White (Making Memories).  I don't usually paint the edges or the back (I didn't do the back on this one) but I wanted it to be white and not the tan.

My picture stinks because I had to take it inside and it has been raining ALL day again so I couldn't get good lighting.  Anyway, the frame is from Michael's.  They are those pressed wood ones that cost around $2.99.  The paper is from Melissa Frances and is a beautiful Lavender color with white.  I glued it on to the frame by covering the entire frame with Mod Podge and then laid the paper on top and just kept rubbing it all over to make sure no air bubbles formed.  After it dried, I used my hobby blade to trim the edges and cut the photo rectangle out.  I then used my sanding block on all edges.  The strip toward the bottom is some coordinating paper that I cut a decorative strip from.  I used just regular adhesive to tape this down and then glued (Elmers) my beautiful white ruffle ribbon (purchased from Lindsey ~ Jacksonbelle Embellishments).   After the glue dried I trimmed the ribbon right up to the edge of the frame.

I had this empty space up on the top left and god forbid that you leave an empty spot so I used the same White, Making Memories paint and used it to stamp.  I used my Baroque Motifs swirly stamp and used a foam brush to paint it directly on the stamp and then stamped.  It worked perfectly ~ except.... The white really isn't white enough but too late!!!  I highlighted it with my Sakura Clear glitter pen.  The flower is an old one I had from Oriental Trading.  I added a Pewter Making Memories decorative brad in the center and stuck it on the frame using a pop-up glue dot.  The last step was the Pewter Hodgepodge oval frame.  I stamped So Blessed (Fancy Flexible Phrases) using Lavender Lace ink on Whisper White cardstock.  I then punched it out with the small oval punch.  Used my 2-way glue pen to add some glue to the inside and then stuck the sentiment in there.  I added a couple of hearts ~ just because!  I stuck this down with dimensionals (put a dot of Elmer's glue on the back of each dimensional just to make sure it stuck).

Here is a close up in case you are interested!!!

That was it!  Now I have my gift all done!  Thanks Diane!

This week's hostess is Jennifer ~ Jennifer's Sweet Designs, and she has issued an inspiration challenge.  She has a picture of the cutest blanket so now I must get started! 

Have a great night!

~Lynda

I've Been Tagged!

I've been tagged by Diane at My Little Stampin' Spot!   

Here are the details:

1. Link to the person that tagged you and post the rules on your blog.  (Diane's awesome blog address is above).

2. Share 7 random and/or weird facts about yourself (on your blog, we all want to know them).

3. Tag 7 random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs.

4. Let each person know that they’ve been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

OK, here goes ~ 7 random facts (I have no weird ones!!! LOL!!!)

1.  I LOVE the sound of things being sucked up by the vacuum!  You know, when you can hear it actually go through the hose and into the bag!  This means that I just sucked up 1 less thing that I have to pick up!!!  OK ~ that IS a pretty weird fact!

2.  I LOVE mowing the lawn.  I get a beer and my iPod and get a few hours of peace and quiet!  No one bothers me because they are scared I will task them with some kind of work.  The only other time they will leave me alone is when I clean house.  Lucky for them the latter doesn't happen all that often!!  LOL!

3.  I'm rather anti-social and don't like crowds.   

4.  I'm not as feminine as you all think!  hahahaha!!!  (I had to look up how to spell feminine).  Anyway, I love fishing, working up a good sweat working in the yard, metal detecting, panning for gold, walking in the woods and cutting firewood!  Sometimes I have to remind my husband that I am NOT a boy and can't always help him!  He's spoiled!    This smiley really doesn't apply but I thought it was so funny and can't think of another time I could use it unless my friend Lis finally has the sister's put back to where god intended them to be!!!

5.   I grew up in Monterey California and never lived anywhere else until I moved to Virginia 13 years ago.  My family is still there so at least I can go back to visit!

6.  Fall is my favorite season.  I love the colors, the smell, the falling leaves.......  In Monterey we didn't have seasons!  Just year round fog!!!

7.  I HATE to cook.  It is my most hated chore and yes, chore is exactly what I think of it as!  The problem with it is that I love to eat!  I do LOVE to bake though and sweets are my favorite things!  I ALWAYS leave room for desert!!!

OK, now I need to tag 7 bloggers so here goes!

1.  Dana at Kismet, Art, and Life.  (this girl cracks me up and she giving away some awesome stuff.)

2.  Corinne at Stamping with Roxy.   While you are visiting her blog, read why her blog is named Stamping with Roxy not Stamping with Corinne.  It is hilarious!

3.  Rita at Rita's Little Corner.   Rita is so nice and so very creative!

4.  Michelle at Come Stamp with Me.   Michelle is another really creative blogger.  Be sure to check her out!

5.  Dee at Stampin' Cuz I Luv 2.   Another really talented blogger!!

6.  Loretta at Love to Create.   Yet another great blogger!!!

OK, there are 6 but I really need to upload this and get dinner started ~ sorry......  Speaking of Diane, I have my altered project for our Up Late and Stamping challenge that I will upload this evening! 

Thanks for looking!

~Lynda

Scallop Punch Turkey Card

It is hard to believe that in my 1,000's of stamps, I don't have a turkey stamp and I REALLY wanted to make a Thanksgiving card based on yesterday's SCS Sketch challenge ~ HERE.   Since I didn't have one and also had on my challenge list, Sharon's No Time To Stamp stamp simply challenge #5, I decided to make my own turkey!  Sharon's challenge was to use scraps and punches to create quick accents.  No, Mr. Turkey Lurkey was not really quick but once I figured out how I wanted to do him, he was really easy!  I used my small oval punch for his body.  I cut in on the sides a little bit to narrow it down and to not be so rounded (does that make sense).

Here is my card:

The base of my card is River Rock textured cardstock.  I then used Whisper White and the polka dotted River Rock decorative paper from the Apple Cider SU! pack.  The pewter corner metal accent is an old one I had so I don't know who made it ~ sorry....  The diamonds across the bottom were cut out from another piece of the Apple Cider decorative paper.  The brads are pewter from the SU! Vintage brad container.

OK, for Mr. Turkey Lurkey ~ The base is Really Rust with a mat of River Rock textured cardstock.  The Turkey's feathers were done by first using my scallop punch to punch 3 scallops from Glossy White cardstock.  I then stamped them using my Itty Bitty Backgrounds with Versamark and then heat embossing with clear embossing powder.  I then sponged from the center out first Really Rust, River Rock and then Chocolate Chip around the edges.  The embossed dots resist the color so they are still white.  I then cut each scallop from the bottom edge of the scallop to the center of the scallop.  Be careful not to cut off any of the scallops.  After doing this with all three, punch your body using your small oval punch.  I trimmed the oval in around the middle so it wasn't so fat.  I also sponged the body with Chocolate Chip ink.  I used my double circle punch to get the white eyes.  I used my Chocolate Chip marker to make his pupils, eyelashes, beak, legs and grass. 

Once you know where your body is going to go on the feathers, cut off the bottom 2 scallops.  You can now layer your next feather fan and trim it in the same place as the first and do the same with the next scallop.  Here is a close up of the turkey.

I used dimensionals to hold each layer of the feathers together.   I punched the  sign "post" from some old wood looking paper I had using my Word Window punch.  I cut the bottom to have a straight edge.  The sign was printed from my computer. 

Thanks for looking and I hope you have a great night!

~Lynda

Where oh where has my Mojo gone, where oh where can it be????

I hate when this happens.  I was on a roll and feeling oh so very creative and then......... nothing!!!  Can't come up with a darn thing!   

It may have to do with the fact that there is so much going on right now or maybe I need to replenish the creative juices ~ hmmmm.....  It's only 10 a.m. right now so that is too early to start replenishing!!! LOL!!! 

Here is a card I did for Tuesday's color challenge which was to use Basic Gray, Purely Pomegranate and either Bashful Blue or Soft Sky.  I opted for Bashful Blue.  The layout is from Lauren's AKA:  My Time's Saturday Sketch. I used my favorite deer from Flourishes.   I wish I would have rounded the edges or something on the deer piece but of course, I thought of that AFTER I taped it all down!!!  Oh well......  here it is:

The card base is 5 1/4" square and is Purely Pomegranate cardstock.  The next layer is from the SU! designer paper pack, Holiday Harmony.  I really wanted a background stamp to stamp on the decorative paper but none of mine really worked so I used the beautiful saying from the Flourished Christmas set that says "May your Christmas Flourish With peace and good will."  It is a done with beautiful cursive script lettering as well.  I stamped this using Purely Pomegranate ink.  Now, most people who use SEE THROUGH acrylic stamps would be able to make these words straight.  NOT ME!  I am so disabled but luckily, the parts that are seen more, are more straight than what is under the deer and ribbon piece! 

The deer was stamped using Basic Gray ink on Whisper White cardstock.  The mat is Bashful Blue.  I lightly outlined the antlers using a blender pen and Bashful Blue watercolor crayon.  I colored the inside of the deer with my Basic Gray watercolor crayon and blender pen.  I highlighted the nose and antlers with my Stardust clear gel pen.  The clip on the side is silver and is from SU!'s library clips.  I tied a bow with Basic Gray taffeta ribbon.  The clear star is from Heidi Swapp and I colored it with the Stardust clear gel pen and then used a pink crystal in the center (this crystal is also hiding the glue dot that I used to adhere the star!  How the heck else are you supposed to glue those things down?). 

The strip across the center is a mat of Purely Pomegranate and the lighter Pomegranate piece is a decorative piece from the Holiday Harmony pack.  I highlighted the flourish with the gel pen as well as other areas around the card (corners & side of strip).  The ribbon is SU! and is Pomegranate as well. 

I better get going and start working on my creative~ness (is that a word)?  Thanks for looking and have a great day!

~Lynda

Featured Stamper AND a REALLY Cute and EASY Card Holder

First off, I have to tell you that the Card Holder or Purse, (whatever you want to call it) I am going to show you is not my template.  I saw it years ago in a Paper Crafts magazine and have loved making them since!  I have always made them using plain cardstock and then decorating the center with decorative paper and ribbon.   That is how Paper Crafts had demonstrated it.  Here is one I made in April of 2006.   I was thinking the other night, why haven't I made one of these using decorative, 2 sided paper?  "> duh.....  Well, here is the purse:

I used the coolest paper!  It is by Imaginisce and is called Candy Cane Lane.  I have no idea how much it cost but I am sure it was millions of dollars so thank goodness it is really cute paper and I didn't mess up!  It is so pretty and if you click on the picture you can see that it is glittery!!!  I love glittery!!!  The inside of the papers are not glittery but they coordinate so that's OK........  Here are the instructions on how I made the purse ~

You will need a 8 1/2" x 11" piece of paper or cardstock (I used the penguin paper).   You do want it to be more like cardstock because you will need the strength to hold your cards.  For instance, Chatterbox paper would not work!!!  LOL!!!

Lengthwise (top to bottom), score your paper at 1 1/4" and then again at 7 1/4".  Widthwise (side to side), score your paper at 4 1/2" and then again at 6 1/2".  In the center base of your purse, you will need to cut the 2  score lines on each side but only as far as the lengthwise score.  This is your bottom flap that will fold up and enable you to fold the purse in to place.

After folding your purse on the score lines, decide how you would like to decorate it.  Do all of your decorating first and then, I used, sticky strip to adhere my sides together.

I used my decorative scallop scissors to add a small strip of burgundy colored Bazzill cardstock to the bottom of the striped decorative paper.  I then added the striped decorative paper which I also used decorative scissors to cut the bottom of, just a different edge.  The total depth of the decorative strip around the top is about 1 1/4".  You can do whatever you want on this. 

I then added 2 Poinsettias that are also from Imaginisce.  They are held together using a Making Memories pewter, decorative brad.  This brad is also holding the handle on. 

 The handles are strips of paper about 10" long and 1" wide.  The other 3 bases of the handles are also held by the same brads.  This was my last step.

I also made a matching card based on Sunday's Featured Stamper, Carol Burrage, AKA ~ TruCarMa.  The card of hers that I CASEd is HERE.   I changed everything except the layout.  Here is my card ~

There wasn't much stamping on this card was there!!!  The penguins were just so darn cute!  Anyway, the decorative paper are again from Imaginisce and are from their Candy Cane Lane line.  The base of my card is Bashful Blue then there is a layer of Poison Ivory Shimmer cardstock from CutCardstock.com.  I then used thin strips of the decorative striped paper the make a "frame" around the outer edge of the card.  I put pewter brads from the SU! vintage brad set in all 4 corners. 

The next mat which is just inside the "frame" is first a coordinating burgundy from Bazzill and then the decorative penguin paper.  The oval was first punched using my Marvy Giga oval punch and the striped decorative paper and then a oval of Bashful Blue and then Poison Ivory which I cut with my Creative Memories oval cutter.  I stamped the Poison Ivory oval with a snowflake background stamp (can't remember which one!) using Bashful Blue (I stamped off on scrap paper first because I didn't want them too dark) and then added Crystal Stickles to them.  I cut out an extra penguin from my leftover paper and used a dimensional and mounted him in my oval.  The ribbon is Vanilla Taffeta and then where the knot is I also tied a piece of light blue organdy.  The oval is mounted on the front using dimensionals.

The sentiment is from Short and Sweet and was stamped using Sahara Sand ink on Poison Ivory cardstock.  I punched this out using my word window punch.  The sides of the sentiment have the same pewter brads and a circle punched from the decorative striped paper using my 1/4" circle punch.

I am going to give these purses to my kids' teachers for Christmas with a bunch of cards and envelopes inside.  You can fit 6-8 cards and envelopes inside depending on what kind of embellishments you use!

Here is a picture of the two together!

Have a great day and thanks for looking!

~Lynda

What a Weekend....

Sorry I haven't posted for a few days.  As usual, there's a lot going on around here!!!  Saturday we had the Fall Carnival at my kids' school.  It was so much fun!  It was the most beautiful day and just a fantastic day all the way around!!!  Because of my extraordinary cooking abilities, I volunteered my services to my friend Lisa who was in charge of the food.  She was so pleased to have me because she knew she could refer to my "Martha Stewart" expertise and therefore, she would look like she knew what she was doing!!!!  Basically, I could be there to make her LOOK GOOD!!!!  LOL!!!!  I am TOTALLY joking because my cooking abilities are NIL!!!!  I HATE cooking and dread dinner EVERY night!  I don't even like eating my cooking!!!!  Lisa was smart, she had the food catered by Famous Dave's and all we had to do was serve it.  I can do that!!!  I won't take it personal that I was in charge of putting the hot dogs in the hot dog lunch bags.  Lisa knew that I could spoon things on to plates I'm sure......  LOL!!!  It was so fun and everything worked out perfectly!

The other thing that happened on Saturday was when the kids and I got home, our pool was filled with water!  YAY!!!  The final step was to have the plaster put on and that happened last Thursday so then we started filling it.  It was taking WAAAAYYYY too long so we went ahead and bought water.  This was a great thing because the kids (and Daddy) got to go in the pool Saturday and Sunday because we had the most perfect weather.  We still have a lot to do but at least we are able to use it a little before it will be closed for the winter.  The plaster inside the entire pool has to be brushed 4 TIMES A DAY for a month!!!  Oh my gosh will I be busy.  We will slowly work on the landscaping but what a relief to have this done.

This picture was taken Sunday when Lisa (see, she just can't stand to be without me) and her daughter Sydney (she is in the pool with Mary) came over to finish the cards we had started last weekend for her local Tri Delta alumnae group project.  I came up with 4 different cards, Lisa and I cut the cardstock and Lisa and her alumnae group came to our LSS to put the cards together.  They wanted to do something for our troops so what they chose was to assemble the Christmas cards, add envelopes and postage and then make packets (not sure how many they will include) and send them to troops in Iraq for them then to send to their loved ones back home.   The 4 styles were some I had done before and are pictured here:

The girls that took part were so great!  I was shocked how many cards they were able to get done.  I have profiled 3 of the 4 cards on my blog before.  The only one I hadn't was the Jingle Shells one.  Here is a close up of that one:

The next card (snowman & Basic Grey paper) is on my blog here ~ Merry Little Christmas.   The next card is here ~ Blue Bayou Tree Card.   The last one on the end is a Thomas Kincade stamp and is here ~ Glitter Christmas Scene.   

My kids are home today so I am going to take them out to go swim right now!  We are having another beautiful day so we need to take advantage of it while we can.  We are due to FINALLY get some rain this week.  We haven't had ANY rain for months.  We certainly are due! 

I have another project I will upload as soon as I get back inside.  Thanks for looking!

~Lynda

A Card For Our Niece.....

If you have followed my blog you know that I DO NOT procrastinate and do things WAAAAAAYYYYYY in advance so I am not rushing around at the last minute...... NOT!!!!  LOL!!!  I am a huge procrastinator and actually have come to realize that I work better under pressure!!!  With that said, for the next card, I am so far ahead I am not sure if I will actually give it to our Niece or maybe make another one.....at the last minute of course!!!!  Next month, around Thanksgiving, our new baby Niece is going to be Christened in NYC at the most beautiful Church that my SIL & BIL were married in.  Here is my card:

This is huge for me that I did not place a square in the center of the card with it spaced just right!!!  God forbid that I would actually tilt something!!!!  I really need to try to create outside my "comfort zone".  It was a little difficult to get a good picture because of the vellum decorative edge on the side.  The card base is Blush Blossom ~ which I NEVER use but for some reason, I really wanted to use something soft and simple and came up with Blush Blossom and Close to Cocoa.  The card base front was stamped using my Floral background stamp and Close to Cocoa ink.  I sponged all pieces of cardstock with Close to Cocoa ink.  The next layer is just Close to Cocoa with Naturals White cardstock stamped with the Canvas background stamp.  The next one is Blush Blossom with a decorative piece of SU! paper from the set from last Spring (it coordinated with the Carte Postal and French Flair stamps).  The ribbon wrapped around it is Vanilla taffeta and I heat embossed the rattle from the Buggies and Booties set on Naturals White with Silver embossing powder.  I cut it out and tied it on with Silver cord.

The main image is also from Buggies and Booties and was stamped on Naturals White using Close to Cocoa.  I lightly colored the gown with my Blush Blossom ink and a blender pen.  I then layered the image on Blush and then Cocoa.

On the base card I cut off about a 1/2" on the front flap and then used my Fiskar's decorative edge punch to cut a piece of vellum.  I hide the vellum edge under a piece of Cocoa velvet.  I started this card to be based on last weeks SCS sketch challenge but I couldn't get it to work with the vellum being on the edge so there ya go. 

Have a great day!!!

~Lynda