Tree-MEN-dous Annabelle Stamps!

A few weeks ago, I had the great honor of winning a prize from CAS-ual Fridays - a gift card from Annabelle Stamps.  I had seen and bookmarked cards using Annabelle Stamps but had never ordered anything because it is an Australian company, and after all, I figured I have a lot of options that don't require international postage!! But my prize caused me to look closer and I AM IMPRESSED!  I ordered well more than my prize amount and I already have a second order planned when a few of their sets are back in stock.

Check out this tree (I've used it as a branch).  I love the curves of the branches and I love the variety of solid and outlined leaves.  As I browsed all of the stamp sets at Annabelle stamps, they each had this touch of uniqueness.



The other sets that I got are holiday related but I do hope to show you more soon.
FYI - it's hard to see, but the clear button is backed by a piece of the same dsp but in green.
I did this card for this week's CAS-ual Fridays challenge.  (Wasn't it perfect that I ordered a set called "Tree-MEN-dous - and the CAS-ual Friday challenge was masculine cards??!!)

But...this is not the first card that I did for this week's challenge.  I had a card up and ready to go on Friday but then I read the fine print of the challenge and it requires using designer paper.  No designer paper on this card!  (But I did use my new addiction - my hexagon dies!)

• Stamps: Annabelle Stamps Tree-MEN-dous
• Paper: first card: Papertrey Ink Vintage Cream, Green Tea Leaves dsp, Ripe Avocado
• Ink: first card: Papertrey Ink Dark Chocolate, Ripe Avocado; second card: Stampin' UP Chocolate Chip, Gumball Green, Basic Gray
• Accessories: Papertrey Ink woodgrain impression plate, misc buttons and twine

Dynamic Duos - Monochromatic Blues

It's the fourth week of Dynamic Duos Color Challenges and the fourth week of the month means "monochromatic".  This month we are focusing on blues with Marina Mist and Bashful Blue.

This is such a peaceful color combo, I chose to make a get well card featuring a simple little window scene...

If you didn't start here, be sure to check out the Dynamic Duos blog - you will see amazing cards from the rest of the design team - there are baby cards and teacups, flower gardens and butterflies, and even a few tears!  Then...when you create your card, head back there to link it up.

Here are all of the design team members in case you would like to hop to each blog...

Allisa Chilton

Anne Marie Hile

Anika Lerche

Bronwyn Eastley

Kim Singdahlsen

Lesley Croghan

Lisa Elton

Melissa Chipperfield

Paige Grabau

Sue Joyce

• Stamps: Papertrey Ink Tiny Tags 
• Paper: Stampin' Up Marina Mist, Bashful Blue
• Ink: Stampin' Up Marina Mist, Bashful Blue (sponged for the sky)
• Accessories: Stampin' Up Striped folder, Memory Box small window die, Papertrey Ink Tiny Tags die, Martha Stewart bird border punch (cut down to fit inside the window), Sweet 'n Sassy Cloud die, crochet thread

A Very Quick Gift Set

I went to bed last night feeling like I was forgetting something.  I woke up this morning with the panicked realization that I needed a gift for a thank you party for my son's long-term 6th grade substitute.  Obvious answer - a box of handcrafted cards.

So...I couldn't use multiple layers because I couldn't cut them all in time.  Embossing folders to the rescue.  I needed an embossing folder that added all of the interest on its own - I went with Stampin' Up's Elegant Lines.  It's not been my favorite - but this morning it saved me!

Then...a variety of sentiments - fairly big-sized to take up some of the front.  I wanted a punch or die for those sentiments and I used Stampin' Up's Decorative Labels.  I have other dies that I could have used, but it's must faster to punch multiple labels.

Then...embellishments - whatever I could easily reach...it varies by card.

Finally...colors - I used this week's colourq color challenge.  Obviously, I can't submit this because one color per card really isn't the challenge(!) - but I did want to give them credit.














Time was up at this point, so I couldn't get a nice little folder made, but I did have some appropriately sized plastic boxes and I quickly put together a coordinating tag.

Very, very, VERY simple - but I think it works!!

Clean & Simple with Summer Starfruit

Our local Hobby Lobby has a half price ribbon sale this week, so I took my swatches of the new Stampin' Up in colors to stock up on ribbon.  I didn't find anything basic - the colors must be too new for Hobby Lobby -  but I did find this wide patterned ribbon...



To put the focus on the ribbon, I found a great layout at clean&simple's Fall to Layout.  I made a 3 1/4" x 6 1/4" card so the ribbon fit nicely down the center.
The butterfly is Summer Starfruit.  It's an interesting color because on its own it looks goldish, next to green it looks yellowish and next to yellow it looks greenish.

• Stamps: Clearly Wordsworth Thanks set
• Paper: Stampin' Up black and Summer Starfruit
• Ink: black
• Accessories: Hobby Lobby brand ribbon, square punch to make the banner, Martha Stewart butterfly punch, misc gems

Splitcoast Colors: A Farewell

This week's color challenge at Splitcoaststampers is "A Farewell".  They have called it "A Blushing Peach Crush Pizzazz Parade" - FIVE colors!!  If you read on a little, the dessert option is to only use 3 or 4...but I got 'em all - although the Blushing Bride is a bit of a stretch...



The Blushing Bride is just a little Copic color on the flower petals.
I am NOT a five color person.  Two colors makes me happy - I can usually work with three - but five??!!  I had to find a sketch challenge to help and this sketch from Card Patterns gave me lots of blocks to fill in with color...

BIG NEWS: The downloadable Stampin' Up Copic Chart on my sidebar

has been updated for Copic matches to the brand new in-colors!!!

• Stamps: Sweet 'n Sassy Treasured, sentiment from Oh Happy Day
• Paper: Stampin' Up Concord Crush CS, Pear Pizzazz CS and dsp, Poppy Parade dsp, Peach Parfait dsp
• Ink: Memento black, copics
• Accessories: Nestabilities labels, misc gems, 1 3/4" circle punch, Stampin' baker's twine (yes, it's Lucky Limeade but I think it works!)

Birthday Birdie: New Stuff!!

I got to play at a friend's house and she has her pre-order from Stampin' Up!!  I didn't have much time so I found this fun bird (actually it was the hat for the bird that caught my eye) and threw together this card.  Although it has new Stampin' Up dsp, new stamps, new dies and a new button - when I got home, I realized I didn't use any new colors!!??  What was I thinking??  I'm at the point in my "collection" that I have a stamp(s) for every occasion, holiday and in every possible style - but new colors are always welcome!



 

I used the sketch from Pals Paper Arts and the birthday theme from Crazy 4 Challenges.

BIG NEWS: The downloadable Stampin' Up Copic Chart on my sidebar

has been updated for Copic matches to the brand new in-colors!!!

• Stamps: Stampin' Up Papaya Collage (pre-order), Teeny Tiny Wishes
• Paper: Stampin' Up Comfort Cafe (pre-order), Cajun Craze, Soft Suede and Very Vanilla
• Ink: Stampin' Up Cajun Craze, Soft Suede and Creamy Caramel (edges and sprinkles)
• Accessories: Stampin' Up Bitty Banners Framelits (pre-order), Natural Designer Buttons (pre-order), misc ribbon and gems

The Lord bless you and keep you.

I have one last card that I made for the church card racks for confirmation, although this card could really work for any time.





I particularly love two things about this card:
1. Love that sentiment set - I just got the set Faith by Unity - and I love it.  It's full of classic Bible verses but done in a slightly more contemporary font.
2. Love the bird - without a doubt this is the best purchase from Joanns $1 bin that I have ever made.  Here's the entire set. Can you see the sparkles?  Of course, every time that I make a card, I make at least four of them for the church card racks - so I spent $4 on the birds.  And...if you live in the Denver area and shop at Joanns at E470 and Gartrell - I bought all that they had...sorry!

BIG NEWS: The downloadable Stampin' Up Copic Chart on my sidebar

has been updated for Copic matches to the brand new in-colors!!!

• Stamps: Unity Faith
• Ink: Papertrey Ink Classic Kraft and Pinefeather
• Paper: Papertrey Ink Classic Kraft, Pinefeather, White
• Accessories: Papertrey Ink Kraft ribbon, EK Success border punch, Crafts-Too Embossing Folder, Studio112 Adhesive Chipboard. misc gems