I'm a Gold Olympian!

WOW!!!  I can now brag to my uber-awesome-sport-talented sister that I am an Olympic Gold Medalist!!!  I entered 4 cards in the Moxie Fab Olympics of Stamping challenge, and my Season's Greetings card won the gold.  I'd like to thank my agent, the producers (aka Cath), my mom and dad, the little people (Lily and Elizabeth) that kept me from my creating space and my hubby that gives me crafting time on his days off.  Wait...thank you speeches are only at the Oscars, not the Olympics?  Oh well!  Thanks to you all!!!  Here is the card and the original post for the card.

Doin' it Doily

The hottest trend right now in paper crafting is vintage, lace, doilies, and images.   This style reminds me of trips to the antique stores in my home town.  Vintage lace tablecloths, dresses and aprons were always oohhed over, but never purchased.  That may be a good thing, as I would probably be hacking them up for my cards!

Moxie Fab this month is hosting the Diggin' On Doilies and Lace challenge, and I can't pass up a challenge Cath puts out!  I wanted to make the doily image more graphic, instead of soft and pretty.  Cath suggested to use contrasting colors, but with this creation, I decided to use blues and greens with different hue values to create the contrast.  I started by cuting out a large doily with my Cricut and used it as a mask on Soft Sky, then brayered and sponged Always Artichoke over it.  That's when the confusion set in.  The look it created was bold and left me debating on how to continue on with it.  It was beautiful plain, not at all vinage, and it needed something else.  My new obession is silk ribbon for my cards, so I paired white silk up with a strip of light blue velvet ribbon for contrast.  I then cut a much smaller doily out of vellum and stamped French Script in Soft Sky on it.  After seeing Scrapping Mommy's crochet flowers last week, I re-taught myself how to make them and added a white one to this card.  I struggled

with the layout for even more time, debating between  fussier and more complicated ones.  The layout I choose I felt honored the graphic nature of the background while highlighting the natural vintage-ness of a doily.  WHEW!!  That may have been a bit more technical than we all needed.

Yummy Yellow!

Isn't the color yellow yummy?  It just makes me happy all around.  Sunshine, jelly beans, baby chicks, daisies, lemonade...all things yellow that just make everyone happy!  I loved the colors Sarah picked out for this weeks Play Date Cafe color challenge, PDCC19.  I decided to finish up my mother's day cards for Rob's grandmother's and thought this would be a great one for Grandma Pud.  She reminds me of yellow.

Yummy Yellow

All items listed are Stampin' Up unless noted
Card stock: Summer Sun, Barely Banana, whisper white
Inks: Summer Sun, Barely Banana
Stamp set: Embrace life
Accessories: Cricut Mother's day 2010, Cuttlebug Swiss Polka-dot, non-su! polka-dot yellow ribbon, Pretties kit pearls, non-su pearls, non-su button, SU! tool kit and corner rounder punch.

Waiting to the last minute

Typical me, I'm waiting to the last minute to get my things done!  I spent the week in 'spring cleaning' mode, preparing for visitors and the new season.  I only had one chance to get into my creatin' space all week, and it took me over 2.5 hours to make a card!!!  Crazy I know!!!  I'll be posting that one later.  I was able to whip up these this evening, with many problems arrising.  Probably because I'm under a time crunch to get done and I hate to miss a challenge at Moxie Fab!  So here is 1 of the 3 cards I was able to do for the Olympic Stamping Challenge.

Vintage Love

I'm not a vintage person, but I just received a whole box of great vintage items and they inspired me!  I used a page out of an old book that I happend to have 2 of on my shelf, and cut out a page with a poem about Danish women.  It caught my eye, since one of my BFF's lives in Denmark, so Anne, this one's for you!  I embossed the Pirouette Pink background with my Cuttlebug and herringbone folder then lightly rubbed it with white craft ink and framed it with Kiwi Kiss.  The poem is inked with So Saffron along the edges and Regal Rose along the right edge.  I stamped the cherry blossom image from Embrace life in Close to Cocoa and filled in the blossoms with my Uniball white gel pen.  The sentiment is from Love Matters and is stamped with Chocolate Chip on vellum and backed with the same cotton blend ivory paper the card body is.  I stamped the cherry blossom image on the back and again colored the blossoms white, then lightly dabbed some Regal Rose in the center.  The flower blossom is also stamped on the

 cotton paper with Close to Cocoa and is colored in using a blender pen with the pinks and also with white.  I highlighted the stemen of the flower with mini pearls.  The lace and the velvet ribbon are May Arts.  WHEW!!!  What a day!

Going for the Gold!

One of my FAVORITE holiday's is Christmas.  Being a former Florist and Special Events Designer I like to think outside of the box when it comes to decorating my home for the holiday's.  I NEVER use red and green for my decorations.  My house is decorated with yellows, whites, blues and greens and that is the pallete I choose to use when I prepare for the season.  I love using oppulent textures and accessories, shiny glass bulbs, glittery snowflakes, lime green crystals, strings of pearls, satin and silk ribbons, Waterford Crystal ornaments hanging from the chandeliers...ahhh makes me want winter back - almost!  I decided to use those colors for this Season's greetings card for the Olympics of Stamping challenge at Moxie Fab, to pay homage to my yearly celebration indulgement.

Yellow Snow

Now there is a reason they tell you NOT to eat the yellow snow.  (I could resist the using this name)  I used an Autumn Leaves stamp set for the swirls on the White Pearlized Shimmer Paper and embossed them with Ranger Pearl Silver EP.  I them stamped SU's Snowflakes (I need a new set) with Certainly Velery and Soft Sky, then embossed with Ranger Pearl Gold the smaller flakes.  Lastly I stamped the larger flake again and used SU! Heat and Stick Powder and Dazzling Diamonds to highlight them.  The sentiment is from Holiday's & Wishes and is also embossed with the same gold EP.  It is stamped on Whisper White and layered on Kiwi Kiss paper.  The ribbon is May Arts Silk ribbon and is adorned with an SU! felt snowflake that I added a green pearl and glitter to.  This is a pretty good representation of what my house looks like, lots of shine and glimmer!

EDIT:  This photo was removed for publication.  Stay tuned for new on when and where you can see it again!

Fall Thanks

This is my least favorite card I made tonight.  Again, this is for the Moxie Fab Olympics of Stamping.  I used the Autumn Leaves stamp set and stamped it on more of that old book paper with Close to Cocoa.  I then used my aqua painter to add color to the leaves.  The copper leaf I found in my accessories drawer (who knows how long I've had it) and I liked the shine it added to the leaves.  I stamped the 'thanks' sentiment from teh Autumn Leaves set with StayzOn.  The Shakespeare sentament is from Sage Advice - by far my favorite verbage stamp set!  I added a cold embossed herringbone panel along the bottom for some added texture.  I didn't stamp it because I wanted it to be a subtle addition to the card.  The fabulous twill tape is May Arts and I shredded the edges up a bit.  I also added copper cording to the buttons to carry over the copper.

Try it! SvS03

It's another addition of Simple vs Sophisticated here at LilyBeth Boutique!  This is a weekly challenge to recreate a card you made this week in a different style.  I generally use many layers, lots of stamping and papers in my creations.  This I call Sophisticated (only because I couldn't think of an 'S' word for fussy).  My not typical creations have little or no layers, lots of negative space and limited papers.  These I call the Simple cards. 

The card I made to recreate was for the Tuesday Trigger at Moxie Fab inspired by this photo.  Isn't it FABULOUS!!!  I love everything in this photo.  

Here is the card I made for the challenge.  I stamped the papers with Spring Solitude, then sliced them up and paper pieced the background.  I really like the effect.  I then used SU! chipboard letters and covered them with old retired SU! glitter (which I love and hoard)  I stanped the whitr tag with the flowers from Spring Solitude and used 2 different staps from For a Friend to get the 'appy' and 'rthday' for the sentiment.  I'n not too thrilled with the tag, but it's still cute.

The recreation is the Simple card, but it really looks complicated.  I made the flowers out of some DP I found to match and another flower with Cameo Coral and topped them with buttons.  The card is Cuttlebugged with Swiss Dots and the banner is stamped with 'wonderful' from Warm Words.  The end of the banner is dipped in more of that fabulous retired SU! glitter.  I really liked how this one came out. 

Trigger Tuesday Triumph!

I am LOVING the Trigger Tuesday inspiration photo!  Cath at Moxie Fab  picked a great one, I love the colors, the candy, the cake, the shoes, all of it!  This is the first card I made inspired by this photo, I made 4.  The crystal and bead border to reflect the rock candy in the photo, delicious!  It reminds me of 7th grade, when we used to race to the little country candy store after school, buy our treats, then race back to the bus before it left us behind.  I've also decided to enter this in the Olympics of Stamping challenge at Moxie Fab as well, since it's mostly stamped as well!

Rock Candy Birthday

all items are SU! unless stated otherwise

Cardstock: Blue Bayou, Pink Pirouette, Barely Banana, non-su white pearl metallic shimmer paper

Ink: Barely banana, Pink Pirouette, Stayzon black.

Stamp Set: Blooming with Happiness, Short and Sweet

Accessories: non su! beads and rhinestones, Dazzling Diamonds, retired yellow glitter, pink and ivory grosgrain, blue velvet (retired)

Floss Fun Winner!

The results of the Moxie Fab Fun with Floss Challenge was announced this morning, and I WON!  There were so many great entries, my favorite was from Stampin Mommy, I loved her crocheted flowers!  In my original post, I expressed how hard this challenge was for me, so to be acknowledged for this just makes me shine inside!  Thanks Moxie Fab!

Over Embellished?

I created 2 of the most over worked and over embellished cards today.  This is totally NOT my style.  The first one isn't too bad, but the second....could there be anymore elements?!? 

This first one is based on the card sketch at 2Sketches4U, but I flipped it over and added the pearls at the bottom for the strip in the sketch.   I had crocheted the flower last night out of embroidery floss, thinking I would make another card for the Fun with Floss challenge at Moxie Fab, but it got late and I decided to go to bed.  I couldn't let it go to waste, so I decided to use it today, hence the vintage style of this card. 

The color scheme is from the PTI March DT Challenge, and I used lisa Johnson's color scheme.  Since I don't have PTI papers, I used my SU! Whisper White, Blush Blossom, Kraft and Chocolate Chip.  The stamps are from the Verve "Because of You" stamp set.  I think this will go to Rob's Grandmother Tierney. 

This second one...I'm not sure what I was thinking.  Perhaps Rob laced my Crystal Light with something.  I was making it for the Embellish challenge, but will have to create something else for that.  I won't even go into what I did to it, I'd be typing all night.  This one will go to Rob's mom, she'll like it.  Let me know what you think!

Floss fun

When the Fun with Floss challenge was first posted at Moxie Fab, I was a bit turned off.  My opinion of embroidery floss crafts have been 'country kitchy', I've only ever seen it used for cross-stitch.  Now don't get me wrong, there are very talented cross-stitchers that make AMAZING works of art.  I tried it when I was younger, but never really could focus long enough to make a perfect final project.  My stitches were always off or uneven resulting in a sloppy creation.

  

I must remember these challenge creators are here for a purpose: create a challenge to make us think outside the box.  I picked up a few floss colors I liked and sat on them.  Inspiration didn't hit me - until last night.  It kept me up for a while as I contimplated the way to make a non-kitchy card with floss.  This is what I came up with.  The opposite of country ktichy style (I hope).  I used my SU! tools kit paper piercer to punch the holes out first then sewed them up into little squares. 

Originally I had stamped a sentiment where the button is, but I didn't like how it turned out.  I came up with the button with french knots to cover up the mistake and reflect the pattern of the squares and unexpected circle.  A little hello from Amazing to Zany and voila!

Hoppin' Happy!

I participated in at blog hop over at No Time to Stamp, it's a great site that is not only a blog but also a retail shop.  Sharon over there creates beautiful cards that have a french vintage feel and completes them off with GORGEOUS silk and various ribbons.  I found her blog a few weeks back and decided to get some of her silk and velvet ribbons this week.  I placed my order and played in her blog hop, which is if you didn't  know, a hop thru blogs of the designers of on the particular site.  Each makes a card based on the hop's theme.  When you visit their site, you post a comment (if you'd like) and you're entered into the prize giveaway.  For each post you make, a new entry. 

The reason I'm informing you of how this works, is that I won!  Sharon is giving me this Stamp Simply Webster’s Avenue Postcards from Paris Kit!  (are you jelous yet?)  I have been coveting her ribbons and had to break down to buy some, now I have even more to create with! 

Here's all this kit contains (and is for sale at her blog store)

• 1 pad Webster’s Pages Petite Papers (6×6) - Postcards from Paris/Sweet as Cherry Pie - 36 double sided sheets (some shown)
• 1 CD type package of 18 Journaling Cards by Webster’s Pages
• 4 packages of Kaiser Pearls - Blush, Bliss, Champagne, Chocolate
• 3 yds 1.5″ Striped Grosgrain Ribbon - Burgundy/ivory
• 3 yds 3/8″ Striped Grosgrain Ribbon - Brown/ivory
• 6 yds 5/8″ Twill - 3 yds each Brown and Ivory
• 4 yds 1.25″ Crochet Lace - 2 yds each Brown and Pink
• 1 yd 3/4″ Velvet Ribbon - Brown
• 2 yds Velvet Zig Zag Ribbon - Raspberry
• 6 yds 1.25″ Silk Ribbon - 2 yds each Taupe, Pink, Moss

Since I am a paper and ribbon hoarder, she is enabling my addiction...THANK YOU!!!!

Wants vs needs

It's so hard to teach my daughter the difference between wants in needs.  It's a tough concept for a 5 year old to grasp, it's also hard for a 38 year old.  I have been introduced to the SRM stickers.  I want them.  Do I need them???  Yes.  I discovered this fact as I created this card for the Cardvarks Stuck on You challenge.  I only have stamp sentiments, no stickers.  I did happen to find a rub-on so I could at least do this challenge.  I need to order some of these fantastic stickers.  I've been drooling over some of the cards people have made with this great product, you can't even tell it's a sticker!!!!  Amazing!

Mojo hoo?

I think I like owls.  Everytime I see a new item on the market with an owl I just think 'how cute!'  I just got this new set from TPC Studio called Whimsical Birds.  I loved this owl and had to get the set.  (it also didn't hurt that it was 1/2 off!) 

This card is for this week's Mojo Monday.  I inked the stamp with Pretty in Pink, Pumpkin Pie, Tempting Turqoise and Regal Rose markers and cut it out.  I shimmered it up with Art Accents Pink Princess glitter - isn't it cute!!!!!  I stamped the branch with Close to Cocoa marker on Creamy Caramel paper and made flowers and leaves with the Cricut.  The circle and the scallop backgound is also made with the Cricut (I'm LOVING my new Design Studio).  Swiss dot Cuttlebug folder on the right side of the Whisper White paper and stamped 'adorable' - cause he is!!

LOVE this combo!

I love this color combo, for everything!  This color blue is all over my house and my dining room is painted entirely this color.  It's so fresh and clean, it makes me aaahhhhhh....

When I saw the Play Date Cafe #18 color challenge, I was so excited!  I had to create a card right away so here it is.  I used Soft Sky, (my stash is quickly dwindling) and played with my Cricut again with the cut panel of Whisper White.  I like how delicate it is.  The second panel is glossy paper run thru the Cuttlebug with the Swiss Dot folder.  I then rubbed it with a spone dauber with Soft Sky ink.  It made the dots pop!  I used my new embossing pad for my Nestablities and make the sentiment on glossy paper and used the die as a mask and inked the center part of the piece.  I'm loving this look!  I ran the edge of my Basic Black marker along the edge of the paper to make it stand out bit.  It's finished off with black grosgrain ribbon and 3 mini black buttons - too cute!

Stuck on SvS02

Hi Ladies!

It's been a crazy week!  I planning an event called Hilliard Craft Camp for the American Cancer Society and the work has taken over my crafting time.  I'm sad to miss my time in my stampin' space, but it's all for a good cause.  Anyway, who needs sleep, or a clean house, or clean children...I guess I do.

I did get to do some work tonight, but since I'm behind, I've crammed several challenges into these cards.  First challenge is Trigger Tuesday at Moxie Fab.  It's a delightful card made by designer Kimberly Crawford and is published in the current Paper Crafts Magazine.  I made 2 cards for this challenge to go along with the challenge on this blog Simple vs Sophisticated.  I made the simple one first (surprize!) which I love!  I used my Cricut with the Calligraphy Collection cartidge to make the quatrefoil pattern out of whisper white paper.  I layered it on So Saffron and basic Black.  The main pannel is Kraft and wrapped a retired SU! ribbon around it.  I stamped the 'thank you' sentiment with black craft ink and used Black EP on it.  It's finished off with a pearl for the 'o' in you and a shite button with black bow.  Very simple - although it took me forever to figure out the Cricut part, but well worth it!

The second card I made for the Trigger Tuesday challenge is not my fave, but I still like it.  I used the layout from the Makeup 4 the Weekend #17.  It had a lot of components.  Same colors, I used some So Saffron DSP and cuttle bugged a piece with Argyle.  I used the Happy Harmony retired stamp set and a rub-on I had in a drawer I found.  I finally got an emobssing mat for my Nestabilites which I used on the sentiment pannedl.  I wish I had black silk ribbon for this card, but alas, it's not in yet.  I used my black polka-dot ribbon with a pearl for the center of the bow.  I again used the Cricut to make the 'scallop' edging at the bottom of the kraft panel and finished each point with a pearl.  WHEW!!!

Perky Pom-poms

I love pom-pm trim!  When I saw the Tuesday Trigger photo at Moxie Fab, I was inspired!  I have it all over in Lily's room and when Elizabeth grows up a bit, I'll probably put it all over her room too.  The lamp is too cute for a bright little girls room, and here's my take on it:

Party Animal

I bought this stamp set for $1, I just couldn't resist this chick!  It's got this sassy little look on it's face, like 'Yea, it's my birthday...wha'd you get me?'

Cardstock: Real Red, Whisper White

Inks:  Basic Black, SU! markers: Real Red, Summer Sun, Pumpkin Pie

Stamp Set:  I haven't a clue!!!

Accessories:  Pom-pom trim, non-su yellow polka-dot grosgrain ribbon, Blender pen, Crystal Effects, Cuttlebug Swiss dot, corner rounder


EDIT:  WOW!!!! I'm doing the Party Animal dance!!!  I was a Trigger Target for this card at Moxie Fab this week!!!!  Have I told you how much I love creating lately....

Oops I did it again!

I apparently, somehow deleted all our drives on the computers...again.  I have no idea how I do this, but it's not my first run at it.  Thank goodness my husband is computer literate.  It's fixed and I'm here to post my creations!  This is for the Mojo Monday 126 from last monday.  nothing like waiting until the last minute!  I used my NEW Verve stamp set I won 2 weeks ago from my Love card.  I am so excited for this set, it has the best phrases for mom's.  I plan on creating something for my mon's new house with this set.

Live with Purpose

I like how this card turned out, but I would have eliminated the top and bottom scallops, it didn't really go with the style of this card, but I didn't have anything else.

Cardstock: Whisper White, Soft Sky, Chocolate Chip
Inks: Chocolate Chip, Soft Sky
Stamp Sets: Verve Because of You, SU! Simple Stripes
Accessories:  Marcella embellishment flowers, soft sky double stitched ribbon, Cutllebug embossing folder

Technical Difficulties

I have photos to download, but neither computer is reading our photo card....hummm  Mojo Monday card and Trigger Tuesday cards just waiting to be admired.   I will have to wait for my resident computer fixer to get home from work and perhaps he'll be able to solve this problem. Wish us luck!

And so it begins... SvS01

I have always said, I am two sides of one coin.  First, I love detailed, elaborate cards with lots of texture, embellishments and layers.  I also appreciate simple designs, pretty much the opposite of my general design aesthetic.  I have noticed that card design is now leaning toward the cleaner, simpler cards, something I don't excell at.
SO....  After being inspired by my win at Moxie Fab, I decided to start the Simple vs. Sophisticated Challenge!  This is how it goes...  At the end of each week, choose a card you made and create the opposite style card.  Here are my examples for the first SvS01 challenge:

I made this card for the Play Date Cafe color challenge PDCC17.  The colors to be used were Red, Brown and Linen.  I created this based on my 'It feels like Spring' card I made nearly 2 years ago.  The original one was damaged and I wanted to make another one just like it with different colors. 

Sophisticated Thanks

I don't have an ivory colored embossing powder, so I used white on this card.

Cardstock:  Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa, Creamy Caramel, Whisper White

Inks: Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa, White Craft

Stamp Set: Spring Solitude

Accessories: Winter White EP, chocolate grosgrain ribbon, non-su! red velvet ribbon, red EP & red snaps

Simple Thanks

I used my Cricut to make the scalloped square set at 4".

Cardstock: Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa, Very Vanilla

Inks: Chocolate Chip; SU! markers: Real Red

Stamp Set: Spring Solitude

Accessories: chocolate grosgrain ribbon, non-SU! red grosgrain ribbon & red rhinestones

That's it!  Join me for some fun each Saturday as I become Simply Sophisticated!!!  I will leave up Mr. Linky until Friday @ midnight.
I don't have any blog candy to entice you to play along with me, but perhaps you too need to get outside of your comfort zone!