School Board Appreciation

I volunteered to make cards for our local School Board Appreciation Week. It's great to work for a school board where you can know some of it's members. I got to know one member when our DD belonged to 4-H and another I've know since he was in elementary school in my DD's class. I had an idea in mind of what I wanted to make
( a CASE of the Graduation cards I've made)
but without the cap and diploma. Then I couldn't decide what to use for the embellishment. I knew I wanted to stick with the brush gold CS (SU!) but in the end I went with So Saffron and Black.

I used several challenges to get my Mojo going and ended up with the following card.

We are planning on giving them gift cards.
Below are the challenges I am entering this card in-


CropStop - square card and die cut
Diva Coffee Break Designs - a sketch
Kaboodle Doodles - use black and white + one other color
Let's Ink It Up - Anything goes
Paper Cutz Challenge - anything goes
Paper Play Challenge - back to black
Penny's Challenge - Anything goes
Pile It On - anything goes
Picture Perfect Creations - emboss, heat or dry
Raise the Bar  - NEW (Nestie/Embellishments/White)
ResQ Challenge - think bunions, or bumps and dry emboss
Simon Says Stamps Challenge - play bingo, my 3 are Punch/Die Cuts, Dry Embossing, and ribbon
Simply Create Challenge - use your punches
Flutter By Wednesday - is open with a butterfly, fairy or angel
Stampin' Royality - anything with wings

Thanks for stopping by.   Warm Winter Wishes and Hurry Spring!

SAM

Alpine Bliss Coffee Recipe!

This card is inspired by one of Pam's challenges at 365 Cards this week to design a card based on the Word of the Day. My DD Kim is the DT for Wednesday Day 325 and the word is Bliss, ya know, that moment of pure happiness! Well, I'm not sure if this card is for Pam or me, but my happiness begins in the morning with a nice hot cup of java. This card is built around the front label of Kona coffee we brought home from Hawaii (aka Kim's home in Paradise). Usually we buy coffee that is 10% Kona, but my wonderful hubby said, "Hey, let's get the real stuff, Dang the expense!"  And  now, sadly, it is gone, the last of it slowly enjoyed this morning while we sat here and anticipated the next snow storm to hit the Midwest...

Besides 365 Cards, Wednesday, Day 325, this card has been inspired by the Challenge at Our Creative Corner's 3 Musketeer color challenge to pick 3 colors next to each other on the color wheel. I picked the 2 purples and blue

The card base is purple, I promise, just looks reddish in the pic.

Normally, I avoid the blue/purple combination entirely, but,

the coffee bag label drove me to it for this card and I like it!

Gingersnap Creations  challenge is to think about hot drinks and

Stampin' for the Weekend wanted us to warm up with colors or images.

The other challenge is the sketch at Inspirational Card Sketches.

I flipped the 2 sides and used the sentiment in the bottom square.

Oh yeah, the inside. I haven't tried that recipe so try it at your own risk! I just 'searched' for a Bliss Coffee recipe and that is what I found.  Does sound good though - if you try it please let me know how you like it. LOL!

Well that is my card for Bliss, just don't drink it after dinner, you'll be up all night!

 Can't wait till tomorrow morning for that first cup of Java!

SAM

Happy Valentine's Cupcake!

A quick card this morning inspired by the challenges listed below.

My color inspiration of So Saffron, Poppy Parade, and Very Vanilla is from Color Dare Blogspot

Creatalicious is all about ribbon and a love theme

A love theme from Secret Crafters Saturday Challenge

The digi cupcake is from Faith again at Designed 2 Delight

Speedy the Cat's Friends Challenge is on the look out for hearts as is Really Reasonable Ribbons (+ ribbons!)

and Wee Memories is asking us to design with the theme Love for Ribbons

Joan's Garden Challenge has a recipe of striped paper, button or embellishment, a ribbon and a bow
365 Cards Day 318 ON EDGE and that would be the lace border punch
Truly Scrumptious had the perfect sketch for this card

Off to a retirement party today for a very dear friend.

Just wish it was mine! (heavy sigh!)

SAM

Ewe Having a Birthday?

Gone are the dark greens and reds of Christmas and here are the bright pinks of spring!
Well, not really when it's 10 degrees outside with a wind chill close to zero!

A fun card to make with just the right touch of glitz. Sheep image is from Designed 2 Delight by the delightful Faith!

I have been inspired by the following challenges in the design of this card.

1. The new Card Ideas Challenge using Faith's digies and wanting something new and old to be used. The new, of course, is the ewe and the old is the Designer Paper by SU!

2. The Color Create Challenge with a color challenge of red, white and pink

3. The Crazy Challenge to use an animal, that would be the little valentine sheep.

4. Designed 2 Delight and that is Faith's sheep image

5. Inspirational Card Challenge and I used their sketch.        

6.   If the Shoe Fits, Scrap It to use ribbons and bows
7.   Speedy Cat's Friends Challenge to emboss, love the heart folder
8.   One Stitch at a Time to welcome back Love
9.   Reasonable Ribbon to use something new (the sheep digi) and ribbon
10. Stamp Something is the January digi day challenge
11. Stampin' B's something old (the DP) and new (the digi).
12. Flourishes' also challenges us with the red, pink and white color combo
13. Simply Create also asked for embossing

14. Charisma Cardz has a Happy Birthday theme
15. Paper Variety has a color challenge of pink, white and black

Thanks for stopping by and stay warm!

SAM

Happy New Year!

They say that what you do on the first day of the New Year, will set your sites for the rest of the year. Well, I made 2 cards so it seems like a pretty good start for me! The inspiration for both cards began with challenges at 365 Cards which I will list below.


The first card is for Challenge Day 304 - Flashback Wednesday. The DT was to pick a challenge from 2010 and my DD, Kim picked, "Keep it Simple: One image, a sentiment, one embellishment, and limit the amount of space you use on the card to about 1/3 of the entire space available." She made a New Year's card so I did the same, only in a wine bottle shape.


The digital image on the inside is from the artist Jehanne (sorry, I couldn't find the blog again), the label is from The Graphic's Fairy (lots and lots of vintage images) and the bottle template is from Simon Says Stamps.

Besides 365 Cards, I am entering this in the following challenges that have inspired me:

4 Crafty Chicks with a New Year theme

Crazy 4 Challenges with a Celebration theme

Dutch Dare Card Challenge with a New Beginnings theme

For Fun Challenge with a New Year theme

Freshed Brewed Designs with a combination of New Year and Celebration theme

I Did It Creations with a theme of something New, such as baby or New Year

Lots To Do Challenge with a New Year's theme

One Stop Craft Challenge with a New Beginnings theme

Paper Pretties Challenge with a Ring in the New Year theme

Simon Says Stamps with a Time to Celebrate theme, this is where I copied the wine bottle template

Stampin' B's Challenge with a celebration theme

Tuesday Tagger's Blogspot with an Old Father Time theme

Digital Tuesday Challenge with an Anything Goes theme

My second card is for 365 Cards, Day 305 Flashback Thursday, looking back at Challenge Day 111 - Stunning Silhouette...with a twist, picked by Hannah. The challenge is to use a silhouette on your card and create your card in only black and white

I remembered this tree background stamp I had purchased sometime ago by Cornish Heritage Farms and thought it would be perfect for making a silhouette.  The sentiment is from Occasional Quotes by SU!

Besides 365 Cards, I am entering this card in the following challenges:

Frosted Designs with a challenge to use a quote

Little Red Wagon wants us to use leftovers, that would be the tag, white and black CS pulled from the scrap box.

Speedy the Cat's Friends Challenge to use something new, that would be the white CS that I just ordered and received from Mark's Finest Paper after my Christmas vacation.

Saturday Challenge to uses buttons and bows.

My husband and I had a wonderful Christmas break with our daughter Kim and gran' puppy Malie. Kim is a most wonderful hostess and as always our trip was too short. Thanks Kim for letting me have the 'studio apartment' at your house, it gave me a small glimpse into the future!  LOL!

Wishing everyone a joyous, happy and safe New Year with many more to come!

SAM