Paris in the Spring

I've been going through my paper stash and I keep getting inspired by this or that paper to make a card. The problem is, all the ideas get jumbled up in my head and unfortunately, on my desk. I have a huge desk and today it looked like an episode of Hoarders, minus the wildlife and garbage. It's so bad, there isn't an inch of space to work on, so I've been using the pull out board things it has. I decided to clean it off and instead I got inspired by some of the stuff on it and made this card.

I discovered the JustRite stamp set " Greetings From Paris" hiding under some 6x6 paper pads, including the MME Lost & Found one I used here. I don't think I had ever used this stamp set before, and I had fun. I only used three of the thirteen stamps, and I think it's a great set ! This card has everything I like, layers and distressing, inking and stamping, diecuts, flowers, bling, ribbon and lace, and now my desk is worse off than it was before ! I did manage to uncover some really pretty paper, and now I have a new idea or five. LOL !

I am entering this in the JustRite Friday challenge "Suddenly Spring" found here : http://justritestampers.typepad.com/justrite-inspiration/2013/03/justrite-friday-challenge-093-suddenly-spring.html
Also in Simon Says Stamp's " Anything Goes" challenge found here : http://simonsaysstampschallenge.blogspot.ca/2013/03/simon-says-anything-goes.html

JustRite challenge #93 - Suddenly Spring

I've been trying to use up some of my older papers, before I buy new stuff.  ROFL ! It's a great goal, but I have a lot of paper and there are always new ones that just make me drool. Last weekend I was trying to get a bunch of cards done using patterned paper in different ways, and I was going through older papers to do it. I came across this Basic Grey paper I got a few years ago after learning a cool way to manipulate it. I had decided to enter this card in the JustRite challenge as well as the class I was taking, but I decided to re-work it a bit and add a butterfly since the challenge post mentioned butterflys and flowers.

I used JustRite's Grand Sentiments stamps and Spellbinders Labels 4. In this next photo you can see how the flowers are only partially cut and raised up to show the paper underneath.

 Thanks for looking!
You can find all the challenge information and see some really amazing cards on the JustRite blog here : http://justritestampers.typepad.com/justrite-inspiration/2013/03/justrite-friday-challenge-093-suddenly-spring.html

All About The Dies - IO challenge

I'm doing something a little different for this Impression Obsession challenge. I decided to take an online class about using patterned paper and it really was mostly all CAS designers doing the videos. I don't think I have a style, but I know that it isn't CAS. Strangely, I think that's the hardest of all. Anytime I try, it just looks totally unfinished. I admire those that do it well.
So this card was done for the class, and is about as CAS as I can get. I used my new IO Butterfly dies ( DIE046-A) and my new ( first time trying it) Cloud Cover -A-Card IO stamp (CC091). I love this stamp!

The vellum envelope I made myself and embossed, and the sentiment was printed using the Matisse font off the computer. Some of the butterflys have clear rock candy stickles, and some are layered. I can't keep it too simple !
There is a $25.00 gift certificate prize to a random entry and here's where to get the rules and add your entry : http://mitrafriant.typepad.com/impression_obsession_news/2013/03/its-all-about-the-dies-day-3-and-our-new-challenge.html

JustRite Friday Challenge #92

JustRite's Friday challenge is to make a birthday card and "make it POP " in honor of Sheri's birthday. Happy Belated Birthday,Sheri ! Hope you had a great one!
I like how soft and feminine this card turned out to be, and it certainly has "pop",but I'm afraid that my "crazy" shows a little too much. You know those little tiny foam squares ? Well. I cut them in halves and quarters and went a little nuts! I won't say how many layers there are (mostly because I lost count), but there are quite a few.

This easel card has sentiments from my two favorite JustRite stamp sets - Botanical Medallions &Banners and Grand Sentiments, which I stamped and embossed on a patterned vellum. The lattice and ovals were cut with Spellbinders. The flowers were punched using the Martha Stewart Hydrangea punch. The edge punch is an EK Success one. The pretty pink paper is from BG Green at Heart.
Here's the link to the JR challenge, and as always, the prizes are great!
http://justritestampers.typepad.com/justrite-inspiration/2013/03/justrite-friday-challenge-092-make-it-pop.html
The blog hop JR is doing right now with Faber-Castell is beyond fabulous, and is well worth taking time to enjoy!
.

IO Challenge - Your Favorite Technique

The Impression Obsession challenge is to use your favorite technique. I have no idea what my favorite technique might be. It seems to be whatever I'm trying at the time. Stamping, embossing, colouring, painting ,sewing, layering, inking, distressing, fussy cutting, let's face it, it's all good ! I actually made two cards for this challenge, one using an IO stamp that's one of their old ones, but new to me, and the other using a newer release that's also new to me. I finally cashed in my IO winnnings ( YAY!!) and have wonderful new stamps and dies to play with. I had trouble making up my mind what to do, I'm a little over excited. Here's what I decided on:

I used the gorgeous new Beauty Rose (F8842) heat embossed in gold, and  the technique I love of painting with Twinkling H20's on black cardstock. I fussy cut them out and used foam tape.
I love this new stamp and I have a desk covered in half finished cards using it!
The IO challenge is here : http://mitrafriant.typepad.com/impression_obsession_news/2013/03/your-favorite-technique-challenge.html
They do a random draw for a $25.00 gift certificate. Picking what to spend it on is the hard part, so many great stamps to choose from.

JustRite's Friday Challenge #91

The latest JustRite challenge is a colour challenge taken from this image.

Oh no! Not yellow and gray! I kind of have an adversion to gray, I think of gray cloudy days and feeling blah. I did tackle a yellow and gray challenge once before and actually loved the card I made, so I decided to dig through my papers and see what might work this time. I found some Basic Grey PB&J that I had bought online, and then had  buyer's remorse. I never thought I'd use it, but there was yellow and gray, and surprisingly, I actually liked it! Lesson learned - Don't knock it 'till you try it !

I used the JustRite "Grand Sentiments" stamp set. I love the gorgeous font. This is an absolute must have stamp set in my book!
I used Spellbinders Ovals, Spellbinders Basic Lattice and Spellbinders Fancy Tags three.
The seam binding ribbon and lace are vintage from my grandmother's collection, the flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts, and it's finished off with a pile of pearls.
You can check out the spectacular yellow and gray creations, and play along at the JustRite Blog here: http://justritestampers.typepad.com/justrite-inspiration/2013/02/justrite-friday-challenge-091-color-challenge.html