Bling! Bling! Who's There?

Get it? Bling! Bling! Who's there? OK, it's late and I tend to get a little silly when I can't keep my eyes open...So let's change it to the Blooper show! I don't know why we always show our 'bestest' cards - why not show our bloopers and prove to the world that we are human beings with kind and compassionate hearts? So that's what I am doing tonight. I started on the 365 Cards, Day 211 - Super Sketchy Sunday on Sunday night and loved what I was making until I tried to put the sentiment on and '''blooper'''! Smudged the ink, had it all over my hands and stamped the sentiment 3 times! I quit and went to bed...scroll down to see the card I started this morning and finished after work tonight before my low impact aquatic exercise class.

And this is the finished product, oh no! wait! could it be? yes it is! another smudge! And I really do like this card...oh well, let's keep scrolling down to see the finished card...

This is the real card (please stand up!) for my entry at 365 Cards, Day 211 - Super Sketchy Sunday! (Applause, applause!) It is also for Splitcoast Challenge CAS34 to use pink, green, blue, white and chocolate if you wish.

YES! I DID IT! I covered the smudge with a butterfly, I love butterflies coz they cover smudges! Now every time you see a butterfly on my card you will guess there is a smudge under it. Maybe - maybe not!

The next card is for today, Day 212 - On the Fringes. This week's challenge at Card Patterns Bringing you Sketch 34. And for Splitcoast Challenge To Try a New Technique, Foil Embossing. Wow! A trio of challenges on one card, wait, didn't I just do that last week at 365 Cards?
.
Now can you see where I got my title? Both cards have lots and lots of bling, bling!
That's all for tonight, gotta wind down so I'll go to sleep. :) Everyone have a great Tuesday!

signing off - Stamping by SAM

Shades of Blue ...

2 challenges completed in this card...
Day 185 - Feeling Blue at 365 Cards and Sketch Challenge SC244 at Spiltcoast Stampers.


Took a day off yesterday to go to the dermatologist and just had to make a side trip to Archivers and Cheesecake Factory! A fun day and bought nothing except for a huge bag of embellishments! Don't worry, they're not all for me, I will share with my daughter Kim! Come to find out this morning I will be getting goodies from Pam at 365 Cards - I woke up this morning to see this message, "You've won an August card kit from Mackenzie Mae Designs!!!" WOW, my first win! Can't wait to get it Pam, thanks so much!

Back to the card, the flower background paper is from The Green Stack that I bought at Archivers. The other blues I used are SU! CS, soft sky, not quite navy, and blue bayou. The center medallion is SU! In the Spotlight punched out with scallop punch. Added the red bling to brighten up the card. I wanted to keep it simple but I feel like it needs something else. I tried to add ribbon but it just didn't seem to work. What do you think? More bling? I do like bling.

Have a great day! SAM

Miss Piggy is Pretty In Pink!

Monday, August 31, 2009 Day 184 - Movie Monday


I'm sure I've seen Pretty In Pink, but I couldn't even begin to say how long ago it was. I do know my daughter Kim watched Breakfast Club a lot! She made this card for this challenge to honor the late John Hughes and it is awesome. Check it out!

I was inspired to make this card by combining 4 challenges for this week.

1. MOJO102 sketch challenge. A great sketch but I made the circle so big I had a hard time fitting the sketch together.

2. There's Magic In the Air. Magical Monday challenge to use the free Gigi on a Tube digi stamp and to use paper piecing. OK, I have trouble with names so I renamed it Miss Piggy! Nina included a tutorial link for paper piecing. Not one of my best techniques, but this is one card I will share that I used it on.

3. TLC236 challenge at Splitcoast to try a new technique which is to make a Masked Frame. If you look closely (click pic to enlarge) you will see that Miss Piggy and frame is completed on one layer. Lynn's explanation of how to do this is easy to follow. I popped up the umbrella for dimension

4. Day 184 - Movie Monday at 365 Cards to make a card Pretty In Pink!

Well, when I saw the Gigi on the Tube digi stamp and the title, Pretty In Pink, stuck in my head, they crashed together and turned into a card with Miss Piggy on it! I used the new SU! In Color Melon Mambo ink and CS. Black Accents and cuttlebug folder bubbles to finish it off. I think this is a good card to give to DH for a belated anniversary card. Or, I could save it till next August and just hope I remember it!

OK, off to get ready for work. Have a great day!

Celebrate Baseball, You Bird!

Please note, 3 challenges posted today, scroll down!

Starting with today's challenge, Day 182 - Sporty Saturday.

Slept late, woke up at 6 this morning and checked out the challenge at 365 Cards and saw Sports Saturday! Yuck, oh man, I hate sports, I don't own any gear pertaining to sports, shoot, might as well go back to bed! Well I didn't, I searched the Internet and found some clip art and a 'kinda-sort-of' baseball quote. Only took 2 hours - 2 hours after that I finished the card! If only I could get paid by the hour for doing this! Not knowing where I was headed with this card, it turned out to be a congratulatory card for a baby boy. Of course it's sort of retro, who folds diapers anymore!
Oh darn, I just noticed that I didn't get all of the quote pasted on! Oh well, you do understand don't you!

This card is made for 2 challenges, Day 181 - White Space at 365 Cards and Splitcoast Challenge for Friday, LSC235, It's all about Me!
It's a CAS card to leave white space and for Splitcoast the challenge is to use Chocolate colored CS and a butterfly. If you didn't know, I love both of those! The flower like trim on the bottom was made with my border fiskars punch on both sides of a 1" (I think) strip of CS.
I really like making CAS cards, sorry Patti J!


This is this inside of the card, the 3rd criteria was to make it into a gift card. Used my new nestie to do that.

And this is the bird in my title today. It is for Day 179 - Checkerboard Background at 365 Cards. This was one hard card for me. I must have started and trashed at least 5 cards. This is made with a vellum check print that I bought years ago at a scrapbooking store going out of business. I punched Maple leaves and placed them behind the vellum. Used a Martha Stewart glitter bird and painted another Maple leaf with metallic copper paint. And, added a ribbon!

I have already put more time into this today than I had planned, but at least I'm not posting at the last minute for this week! Have a good week-end. SAM

Wish You Were Here...

This is my take for the challenge at 365 Cards Day 180 - Going Vintage and the challenge at Splitcoast WT233 - Very Vintage. This card displays a postcard my dad brought home from the World WarII when he was stationed in Oahu on a medical leave. He was a medic on a boat and the elevator dropped to the bottom of the ship and he broke his arm. So I imagine the picture is from the late 1930's/early 1940's. The postcard shows the ocean view of the Moana (opened in 1901) and Royal Hawaiian (opened in 1927), also known as the Pink Palace of the Pacific. I tried scanning it to use it on the card but it was too small and the vintage look of it just wasn't there. So I used photo holders so I wouldn't use any tape on it.

I searched the Internet for pics of the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, also know as the Pink Palace of the Pacific so you could see what it looks like today. It's obvious that is the one below!


This is a current pic of the Moana.

What stands out to us is the amount of trees on the postcard. Just look at the ocean view of the Royal Hawaiian and you can tell the major changes, needless to say, it is much more commercial. Both are located at Waikiki and are just amazing to see at night with all the lighting. We've been there to visit Kim during a couple Christmas vacations and I love how they decorate for the holidays. Quite the exciting place to be!

Hope everyone enjoys their day and upcoming week-end! SAM

School + Christmas = Vacation!

Day 171 - Tuesday's Trio and Day 172 - ABC's and 123's at 365 Cards.

I'm starting with Day 172, to create a card with ABCs and 123s or to use letters and at least 1 number on the card. I used my favorite saying for getting Kindergartner's attention. "1,2,3...Look at me!" Believe it or not, the softer you say it the faster you get their attention. Now we are using the 'Give Me Five' signal which just doesn't seem to work as well for me.


I used the black and white school theme background, with letter/number stickers and then school stickers to embellish. I also used cork board paper to give the appearance of a bulletin board.

The next card is what teachers do right after school starts! Count the days till our first big vacation, Christmas! This year it is especially difficult due to the high enrollment. As a school counselor, I am now up to 517 students that I am responsible for! I can only say, birth control must not be working or everyone decided to move to Farmington!

This card is for Day 171, Tuesday's Trio. We need to create a card with a triangle, button and sticker. I made a Criss Cross Card, tutorial found here on Splitcoast Stampers.



I've been wanting to make this type of card since my daughter sent me one. You can see her version here. I have 3 triangle shapes on my card if you look at the way the card is folded and then 1 more counting the Christmas tree. The red pop is the button and I added 2 star stickers. I used SU! Taken with Teal CS, Very Vanilla and Close to Cocoa. The tree and scallop are clear embossed. Happy Holiday is from SU! Riveting set and the trees/sentiment are Holiday Clear Stamps bought at the after Christmas sale at Wally World. Not sure where I bought the ribbon, I believe it was Hobby Lobby. If you look close at the pull out card (you made need to enlarge it by clicking on the picture) I stamped a flourish using Dazzel Versa Mark. It didn't give quite the effect I was looking for.

My color inspiration is for SplitCoast Color Challenge CC232. The colors are: Close to Cocoa, Very Vanilla, and Taken With Teal.

Well, it is very difficult keeping up during the week but I am hoping to post everyday in August just to say "I did it!" We'll see, I'm off to get ready for school. 9 classes today but NO duties so I consider myself blessed!

Have a peaceful day. SAM

Bird Call

This card is for Sunday, August 9, 2009 Day 162 - Super Sketchy Sunday at 365 Cards. I wanted to use the Core Color Core'dination card stock for this card and decided the cuttlebug folder Bird Call would create the scene I imagined. This is the challenge sketch:

And this is the card I made:

To make the 2nd color appear, you simply sand with fine sandpaper. I distressed the edges with a plaid Paper Tearing Ruler. The Thinking of You is a SU! Warm Words stamp. Used 2 small copper brads, a decorative paper clip with ribbon and for the glitter bling, I used coffee glitter card stock with a decorative corner punch to mat the embossed image. The card base is of the same Core Color Core'dination card stock. Pretty quick card, it helps when you have an idea in your head.

I will also post this on Splitcoast Challenge CAS27 .

Officially back to work today, meetings all day so I had plenty of time to day dream about how to put this card together. More meetings in the morning and in 2 more days our 400+ students will appear early on Thursday morning. Another start to another school year. I always wonder what challenges it will bring me and mostly what joys! I hope if you have children starting their school year or if you are a staff member in a school that all have the best school year ever!

Till the next post, find a good book and quiet place to read and enjoy the escape into another world!

SAM

Orson With Cake, new digi stamp

I am entering this card for the first challenge at MAGIC IN THE AIR! by Nina. She is offering a free digi stamp each week and has a DT that will post their samples. I decided to use her 'tease' of what the first digi would be by shrinking the stamp and using a 7/8" punch to highlight different areas of Orson with Cake. Then I used the MS 1" circle punch to accent the different poses. I used Prisma color pencils and OMS to color. Of course, it couldn't be a celebration without some stickles!

The other 3 challenge I will post on are:
1. Midnight Madness Challenge: MMSC 13, sketch challenge.
2. SC Limited Supply Challenge: LSC232, I'm Hungry - to feature food.
3. Pile It On, Challenge #9, Use at least 3 flowers.

The SplitCoast challenge was interesting, you can only use CS that has a food name. I used what I had on hand, so it is: So Saffron, Old Olive, and Pale Plum. I wonder if SU! did it on purpose, give food names to CS that would coordinate so well! It's been a fun 4 challenges, something I haven't done for awhile. It sure helps with decision making when you are guided in what to do!

Have a great day - either you will or you won't, the choice is yours!

Soft Fan Fold Flower

A card for Sunday, August 2, 2009 Day 155 - Super Sketchy Sunday, CAS challenge at Splitcoast to use Faux Stitching, and Mojo Monday 98 . 365 and Mojo are both sketches so I stretched the sketch at 365 to blend with the sketch at Mojo.
Here's the card...



The DP is from K&Company with a victorian look. The card base is SU! vanilla confetti and I used gold vellum to highlight the squares. Used a crimper and the flower center is a fabric covered brad by Making Memories. Click on card to enlarge to read the sentiment from SU! The Art of Life set.

Have a great day and keep your cool!

2 cards for 365 challenge +

Below are 2 cards for 365 Cards Challenges this week.

The first card is for Day #153 - Tag You're It! I also combined it with Midnight Madness, MMSC12 sketch and Splitcoast Challenge LSC231 to use Limited Supplies, this week was A Challenge to DIE For - translated: use a die cut/punch as the focal point of the card, the only stamped image could be used as background or sentiment but not both. Midnight Madness and Day 153 at 365 cards was easy to combine. I opted not to use a stamp at LSC231 but used the cuttlebug folder "Thanks" for my message.

To make this card I used cuttlebug butterfly, swiss dots and thanks folders, corner punch, scor-pal for grid, circle punches, SU! CS, yellow dotted paper from Making memories scrapbook project pad. No ink was used in the making of this card!!!

The next card is for Day #152 at 365 Cards - Peek A Boo to You!

The challenge is to make a card that has a flap or hidden area on it. This card turned out the way I designed it in my head, but the mechanics of it didn't. The flap doesn't lift the way I thought it should but I'll just have to work those kinks out the next time I make one! LOL!

I versa marked and embossed in white Long Stem flower from SU!. All cardstock is SU and used a fiskars punch for the lace edging.

Well, that is it for today. I need to finish painting the utility room today, well, at least get part of it done. My DH keeps wanting to know if we are ever going to finish any of the projects started this summer. Well, DH, in an older home, I don't think we'll ever be finished!

Have a great day and week-end. Stay safe and Happy!

Silly Monkey! You Can Do It!

Day 151 at 365 Cards guest reader, Audrey, asked participants to use a certain sentiment, You Can Do It! What wonderful words of encouragement, what a hard card to compose. I have a lot of flower stamps that just didn't seem to fit the sentiment. Then I remember my little 2 cup Changito monkey and with the sublime caffeine message (meaning with a little caffeine you can do anything), I came up with this card!

This is also designed to meet today's Splitcoast Challenge, Ways to Use It, WT229, Supply Me, which translate into - Use office supplies on your card. I used the paper clip as a card stand. Not a new idea but it works for this challenge.

I was totally surprised when the computer generated sentiment printed right on the purple stripe, believe me, it wasn't planned. I used scraps on the card, added white dots, just because I thought it needed it. The CS base is SU!

Bird and Butterflies...

Day 145 at 365 Cards challenge is to be Ad Inspired.

I stuck to the color inspiration and layout of the birds and butterflies. I bought the glittery Martha Stewart bird stickers some time back and thank goodness it fits this challenge so now I can use it! No stamping on the card, just the bird sticker, scallop and butterfly punches, flower cut out of the DP (AC Patterned Paper/Amplified by American Crafts at 50% off no less!), charm (for Splitcoast challenge: WT228 - Charming) and glitzy diamonds (what girl doesn't love diamonds...). CS used is SU! More Mustard and generic dark brown. I'm finding that I'm using up more scrap paper because I have left it all over my workspace, which means my work space is getting smaller and smaller...but at least I'm using left overs! Looks like a fair trade to me and darn good excuse not clean up my messes!

Have a good day and week-end to come - SAM

Good Morning Sunshine!

Another quick and easy 5 minute card that only took 4 days to do! Well, that was in between painting, cleaning the carpet, furniture stacked everywhere including my workroom, kitchen, bedroom, oh well, it's almost over!

Back to the card. This is another double challenge. 365 Cards, Day 141, Super Sketchy Sunday and Splitcoast CAS24, Turquoise, Orange, and Yellow. When I think yellow, I think sunshine, which reminds me of my daughter, Kim, and that is always brings a smile to my face!

I used SU! set - Sun,Moon, and Stars. The sentiment is computer generated.

Enjoy your day and think about what makes you smile!

Silent Sympathy...

Another double challenge card. The first is 365 Cards, Day 143, to make a silent sympathy card, which translate into - no sentiment on the front. I combined it with Splitcoast Sketch Challenge, SC238. The two combined so easily and that is right up my alley! It is really nice to have sympathy cards on hand because you don't always have time to make one on short notice.

The card is pretty basic. The stamp is from Gentler Times, one of the first SU sets I bought and never used in the last, oh let's guess, 4 years! The card base is a mossy green and the vanilla is embossed card stock, both bought on sale 'somewhere'. (Its' true, I can't remember if was Mike's or Hobby Lobby) The dark cappucino, (hmm, doesn't that sound delicious!) is from Sonburn bought at a small Big Lots store. Then I used generic satin ribbon and buttons to finish it off. Oh, the debossing at the top is Cuttlebug 'Just My Type' border folder.

I must say I'm enjoying participating in different challenges. I am pulling out unused stamps, embellishments, etc. and jump starting my creativity in ways to use them. Plus I am inspired by looking at everyone's creations and card making skills. Not only that, it is the best 'work avoidance' excuse I have come up with! What a joy!

Have a great day and remember, it takes less muscles (and energy) to smile than to frown.

My Wedding Colors are...

Yellow and White! I wanted my wedding to be very small and simple, I'm not much for 'fluff'. My to-be husband flew in from Vietnam on a 10 day leave and we were married 8 hours after he got home. That was 38 years ago this August 15th! WOW! I really didn't pick my wedding colors. My sister-in-law was my matron of honor and we went shopping for her dress. She tried on a dress with a white bodice and bright yellow skirt, she liked it so that became my wedding color. I chose daisies for the flowers (yes, I am flower child). Actually I'm horrible at making decisions so this choice just happened and that was fine for me!

I used SU Jar of Fun stamp set, SU Summer Fun ink pad (sponged for the table cloth effect). The edge is bound together with yellow brads for 365 Card, Day 137 challenge, I'm In a Bind.

This is also for Splitcoast Challenge Limited Supplies, LSC229 to use either wedding or high school colors and to use staple, clips or photo turns.

Thanks for looking, now I'm off to spend the day with my wonderful husband of 38 years painting the kitchen and bedroom. I won't remind him that today is his birthday until we're done! Have a great day!

AND I QUOTE...

In case you can't tell by my blog decor, I am a Mary Englebreit fan. I like her work because she incorporates quotes into her art. I will show you another time how I have decorated with ME posters, furniture, etc. So on to the 365 Card challenge (Day 138), She Said, and I Quote... I made a card utilizing a Mary Engelbreit stamp. I also added 2 hearts to the card to play along with the Splitcoast Challenge WT227, Seeing Double and the Splitcoast Sketch Challenge SC237. The card was easy to make except for the Martha Stewart lace punch. Does anyone else have trouble getting it to punch all the way through? I end up using one of my acrylic blocks to get it to punch all the way down.

As always, hope you have a great day and thanks for leaving a comment to let me know what you think.

Wedding Card in Neutrals

I have been wanting to make cards to stock pile for special events. When I saw StampinB's challenge to use neutrals and I had just bought the 6"x6" Black Tie paper pad, well, I just couldn't help myself!

I also entered this card in LSC228 Splitcoast Challenge for Limited Supplies. The challenge is to crop a stamp 3X and only use brads or eyelets. OK I couldn't do it, this card just screams for the shine of the ribbon! I used SU stamp set Happily Ever After, one I bought on E-Bay but haven't inked it till now. (A good question would be, "How many stamp sets do you own that you haven't inked ?") I don't think I can count that high. A friend of mine calls those 'Virgin Stamps'! LOL

Enjoy your week-end, I'm off to water flower beds and get ready to paint the kitchen and a bedroom. I think I bit off more than I can chew!

Vintage Flower SC236

Made this simple card for Splitcoast sketch challenge #236.

The sketch is pretty simple, just took me forever to figure out what paper/colors to use. I usually use blues and pastels, but for a change I really like the vintage look of this paper. I have purchased several mat packs and it sure simplifies matching different colors and prints. I wanted something dimensional for the center of the card so I tried my hand at making a 'grunge' layered flower. I like how it turned out and that doesn't always happen!

Want to visit another new blog? Try my daughter's new blog. She makes some awesome cards and uses some interesting techniques. She lives in Hawaii but you can find her at:

Living in Paradise

Thanks for stopping by today and as always I appreciate any comments you have.

Have a good day!