#TGIFCTD03 - Flower Patch Card

I like to do stamping challenges, but I don't always have them done in time, or they aren't quite what the challenge was supposed to be about, or whatever. Anyway, today I actually got one of the challenges done...in time...and it meets all the qualifications posted by those who are issuing the challenge. And I like it! So here it is:

Supplies: All supplies are from Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted:

Stamp Sets: Flower Patch

Inks: Calypso Coral, Pear Pizzazz, Basic Black (Archival)

Cardstock: Whisper White, Pool Party

Accessories: White Tea Lace Paper Doily, Baker's Twine White, Stampin' Sponge, Paper Snips,  Dimensionals, Tombow Liquid Glue

Here is the challenge. You choose at least 4 of the following:

And these are the items you can use if you want, but no other supplies. You know, the basic stuff you keep in your pantry:

I really enjoyed doing this challenge. It made me stretch my imagination to make it look how I wanted. Here are a couple other views. 

 As you can see, I  used the baker's twine, knotted up several times, to create the center of the flower. I really like the dimension that it adds to the flower.

This is a different kind of fold on the card. The Pool Party base is just a single layer of 

5-1/2" x 4-1/4". Then there is another layer of Whisper White that I sponged with the Pear Pizzazz ink to create a mat for the final top Whisper White layer. This is the layer that is folded (on the side) that you open up to write your greeting. I know that there is a bit of fussy cutting, but we were not supposed to use the Big Shot dies to cut out the flowers and leaves.

So, there you have it. My card for the TGIF Challenge blog: #TGIFCTD03

Hope you like it!

Kathryn

By the Tide: Bokeh Technique

At last I have finally posted my other Bokeh card. (I'm not slow. Really, I'm not.) But I also have some good news. I finally got a new camera, and I have been learning how to use it. I wanted to take the best pictures I could to share with you! (Hopefully more often!) So here goes!

This card makes me think of swimming in the shallow water of the sea. The bokeh technique gives the impression of the water sparkling off the water under the surface. I really like this bokeh technique. This one truly does look like it is underwater! I hope you like it as much as I do!

All supplies are from Stampin' Up!, unless otherwise specified:

Stamps: By the Tide, Perfect Pennants

Cardstock: Coastal Cabana (retired), Pistachio Pudding (retired), Whisper White

Inks: Coastal Cabana (retired), Pistachio Pudding (retired) Whisper White - CRAFT, Lost Lagoon

Accessories: Big Shot, Big Shot Magnetic Platform, Banners Framelits Dies, Gold Sequin Trim, Mini Glue Dots, Dimensionals

I hope you like this card. I made it but forgot to post it before the Coastal Cabana and Pistachio Pudding In-Colors retired, but I decided to show it to you anyway. 

Enjoy your day!

Kathryn

A Bokeh Birthday Card

Okay, okay...I know it has been a while...again. I seriously need to get a new camera so it doesn't take me so long to get pictures for this blog.

Well, I have a pretty card to show you today. I recently learned a new technique called "Bokeh". Bokeh is defined as the out of focus area in a photograph esp. as rendered by a particular lens. It is a wonderful technique to use for a background, but I bet you could use it for other shapes or die-cuts as well.

I participate with a small group of Stampin' Up! demonstrators that meet about every other month and we do a themed card swap. Earlier this year we met with the intent of sharing "Birthday" cards. This was my card that I shared with my friends.

All Supplies are Stampin' Up!:

Stamp Set - Remembering Your Birthday

Paper - Cardstock: Calypso Coral, Whisper White; White Vellum Cardstock

Inks - Calypso Coral, Crisp Cantaloupe, Hello Honey, Whisper White Craft Ink, VersaMark

Accessories - Punches: Elegant Butterfly, Bitty Butterfly, 2" Circle, 3/4" Circle; White Embossing Powder; Heat Tool; Rhinestone Basic Jewels; Calypso Coral 3/4" Chevron Ribbon; Big Shot; Oval Collection Framelits; Window Sheets; Circles Collection Framelits; Sponge Daubers; Stamping Sponges; Stampin' Dimensionals; Multipurpose Liquid Glue

I looked on YouTube at several videos on how to do the Bokeh Technique. Just search "Bokeh card technique" and I am sure several will show up.

I hope you like my card!

Kathryn

P.S. I have another card to show you using this same technique. I hope I can remember to post it sooner than later! (Giggle!)

K

I Bet You Thought I Fell Off the Earth!

I started out this year with such high hopes of posting more often on my blog. Well, it's February, and here is my first post of the new year. I guess I am not doing so well on that goal so far. I still have the rest of the year, though, to try and improve on my objective.

I decided to try one of the challenge blogs to try and help me get going on making a card. I chose fabfridaystampinchallenge.blogspot.com 's color challenge to inspire my creation. Here is their color inspiration:

I was also inspired by a video by Dawn Olchefske on her YouTube channel, about Triple Time Stamping. I know that this technique has been around for a while, but I just watched the video the other day, and was inspired when I saw the color challenge from Fab Friday.

So here is my card. Remember, my camera has died and has not been replaced as of yet, so my image is not the best, because a scanner does not work very well on something that has any sort of dimension on it. Please use your imagination to see how pretty this card really is.

All supplies are by Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted.

Stamp sets: Choose Happiness, Everything Eleanor

Paper: Whisper White, Real Red, Calypso Coral, Crisp Cantaloupe

Ink: Real Red, Calypso Coral, Crisp Cantaloupe

Accessories: Calypso Coral Baker's Twin (retired color), Designer Vintage Faceted Buttons, Dimensionals

I hope you like my card, and come back to visit again soon (because I will try to post more consistently than once every three months! LOL!).

Thanks again for visiting!

Kathryn

Post Thanksgiving Musings

Yesterday was such a wonderful day! I love my family, both immediate and extended. For many years now, my family and I have travelled across the beautiful valley where we live to have Thanksgiving dinner with my sister and her family. Some years my brothers and their families join us, some years they are not able to make it. We miss them, and love them, and wish they were with us, but we know that we all have separate lives and different needs. This year it was just my sister and her family and me and my family. It was still wonderful! 

I am thankful for my family, the beautiful country that we live in and this amazing Earth that we call home. I am especially thankful for a loving Father in Heaven that watches over us, and his son, Jesus Christ, that gave His life for us so that we can return to live with Him one day. 

I am also thankful for those of you who read my little blog, and I hope that you all have a wonderful day!

Here is my card in honor of Thanksgiving:

All supplies are from Stampin' Up! (unless otherwise noted):

Stamps: Sweet As Pie (from Oct. 2014 Paper Pumpkin), Flower Patch

Inks: Hello Honey, Memento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko)

Cardstock: Tempting Turquoise, Tangerine Tango, Hello Honey, Whisper White

Adhesives: Tombow Mono Multi Liquid Adhesive, Stampin' Dimensionals

Accessories: Sizzix Big Shot, Autumn Accents Bigz Die, Woodgrain Embossing Folder, Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder, Tangerine Tango Two-tone Trim, White Vellum Cardstock, Embossing  Buddy, Black Stampin' Emboss Powder, Heat Tool

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving yesterday (for all my friends in the United States), and a wonderful day (for those who might live outside the U.S.).

Thanks for stopping by!

Kathryn

A Generic Wedding Card

A little while back I had a friend call me and ask if I had any wedding cards on hand. I don't usually have any wedding cards in my "stash" because I usually like to make a wedding card specifically for the happy couple. I usually know at least one of them so I can make something extra special for their wedding. In this case, I did not know either the bride or the groom, so I just had to make something "generic". Now, don't get me wrong. A generic card can still be pretty and special. I hope you like my "generic" wedding card.

Supplies (all come from Stampin' Up!):

Stamp sets: Label Love, Chalk Talk, Regarding Dahlias

Cardstock: Elegant Eggplant, Very Vanilla

Ink Colors: Elegant Eggplant

Punch: Artisan Label

Accessories: Champagne Glimmer Paper, Very Vanilla 5/8" Satin Ribbon, Sizzix Big Shot, Chalk Talk Framelits, Beautifully Baroque Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Tombow Mono Multi Liquid Glue, Stampin' Dimensionals, Mini Glue Dots

I hope you like my card. Not bad for generic, huh. If you would like to order any of these supplies, leave me a comment at the end of this post. I would be glad to help you.

Thanks for visiting my blog.

Kathryn

An Experiment...

So, my camera is doing strange things and I am struggling with the pictures it is taking. That is why I have not posted anything recently.

Well, I had a thought. I have one of those 3-in-1 Printer/Scanner/Copier things. I have been wondering if I could scan my cards. The scan is not as pretty as a photo I might take. You know, pretty background, more definition, etc.. But I thought, let me give this a try.

So here is my scan of a card I made for a workshop I am doing on Saturday. I was inspired by a card in the current Stampin' Up! catalog, with a few tweaks to make it my own.

All supplies used are Stampin' Up! unless specified otherwise.

Stamp Sets: Flower Shop, A Fitting Occasion, August Paper Pumpkin Kit stamps

Cardstock: Marina Mist, Night of Navy, Very Vanilla

Specialty Designer Series Paper: Typeset

Classic Inks: Marina Mist, Night of Navy, Hello Honey

Craft Ink: Whisper White

Punches: Pansy, Modern Label, Word Window

Ribbon & Trim: Very Vanilla 1/2" Seam Binding Ribbon, Linen Thread

Adhesives: Tombow Mono Multi Liquid Glue, Stampin' Dimensionals

Okay, so it took me a little while to get the image on here. I had to convert the scan, which is a pdf file, into a jpg file. But I got it done! Yay! Now I might be able to do more posts until I can get my camera issue taken care of. 

Anyway, thanks for visiting. Hope to see you soon!
Kathryn

P.S. I got my color combination from a color challenge on handstampedsentiments.blogspot.com . Here is the challenge badge:

Hope you enjoyed my card!
Bye!