fresh & fun

Today’s sketch challenge was a tough one for me. I usually don’t like this layout at all. Luckily Toy is super fast creating her challenge card. She added circles over the required four squares. I like the way it softens up the layout.

I started stamping the Images from the new My Favorite Stamps sets called Baby First with black Palette ink on Whisper White cardstock. I should have used Shimmery white. Next time! I colored the images with aqua painter and several Stampin’ Up! classic ink pads. I punched them out with the 1 1/4″ circle punch and layered them on 1 3/8″ black circles.

The squares behind the circles are 1 1/2″ bashful blue cardstock pieces. I softened the edges by using my white Versamagic Dew Drop on it. Then I paper pierced the corners and highlighted the piercing with white gel pen.

To make the scalloped square I pierced 4 smaller scallop squares (Marvy Scallop Mega punch) together and layered a smaller black square over it.

The black behind the saying is made Asela Style. Check out her blog, she has a great tutorial for it there.

The background is stamped with the My Favorite things stamp set Behind the Scenes. The top part is stamped with white Versamagic Dew drop and polka dots, the bottom with Brocade Blue Stripes that I stamped horizontal and vertical to make my Plaid. Clear Acrylic stamps are so easy to line up! I will use this set a lot I think.

Are you interested in FREE STAMPS????

My Favorite Things is holding it’s first ever CARD CONTEST! Send in your favorite MFT card creations for a chance to win 3 FREE MFT stamp sets! From now until May 31st, we are accepting card samples and all submissions will be entered in the drawing! Enter as many times as you’d like, but with each card submission include a small note with your contact information for the drawing. One winner will be randomly selected using an extremely scientific method (my 3 year old will pull from the hat!) and will receive their choice of any 3 MFT stamp sets! The cards will not be judged, and will be featured on my blog, some on my site gallery with artistic credit and some will even be sent to stamp stores across the states to represent My Favorite Things! Sound good? Send card submissions and contact notes to: My Favorite Things - 214 Hall St. Eustis, FL 32726

Today’s tutorial on Splitcoast is for the Explosion box. Here is the sample I made for it.

I used Pixie Pink cardstock for the bottom of the box. I stamped Mixed Bouquet on it with Pixie Pink. The box top is made with Au Chocolat Designer paper. I stamped a big rose and leaves on neutral cardstock, cut it out, added stickles and used it to decorate the top. The ribbon is wide ivory organdy ribbon.

Here is another card made with one of Amy Westerman’s sketches! I think I mentioned before that I love her blog, right???

This sketch was a bit intimading for me when Amy first posted it. But after seeing all the cool samples other stampers made with it, I took heart and tried it myself.

I started out with a Pumpkin Pie card base. The chocolate chip layer is 3 3/4″ x 4 1/4″, the Au Chocolat Paper 3 1/4″ x 4 1/4″.  I stamped the second biggest flower from Big Blooms in Chocolate Chip Craft ink on Very Vanilla cardstock and embossed it with clear embossing powder. I inked up the next smaller flower with real red classic ink and rock ‘n rolled the edges with chocolate chip ink. I added Versamark ink all over the image and embossed it as well. For the center I stamped the same flower again in red, sponged the center with Pumpkin Pie and cut it out. I layered it on an 1″ chocolate chip circle, inked up the entire thing with Versamark and embossed it as well.

Next I cut out the flowers and layered them with dimensionals on top of each other. The Happy Birthday saying is from Eat Cake. I was looking for a bolder looking saying that would work with this flower. I stamped the saying with Chocolate Chip craft ink on real red cardstock and embossed it as well. I punched it out with the large oval punch and layered it on chocolate chip cardstock, that I cut with a decorative scissor.

Before taping everything down I tied some of my new gorgeous May Arts ribbon on the top of the Designer paper. I love this double sided satin ribbon. It was my inspiration for htis color combo.