Stampin Royalty Challenge #91 - K.I.S.S. - Genuine

I don't know about you, but when I start browsing blogs I'm starting to notice that some people have a specific style.  Maybe they work with specific colors, or products - like punches - or great bows - or flowers, machine stitching, etc...  Maybe they have mad genious Copic skills and can shade and color anything. 

Then I got to wondering if I had a specific style.  I decided that I didn't, that is until I started working on this card for the Stampin' Royalty Keep It Simple Sweetie Challenge.   I had a hard time with this.  I kept looking at my work and thinking about how it would look so much better if I added another embellishment here or there.  All that clean empty space was calling to me to fill it up. 

I decided to stop fighting it and embrace this new alien concept (it felt that way to me anyway) and give it a try.  I kept repeating "open empty space is beautiful".....   Here is the card I came up with -  and I'll tell you, this is as clean and simple as it gets for me.

It would have been easy for me to say "forget this one"  - " this challenge is not for you".  But, the thing is,  I really like trying different challenges.  I  appreciate that it keeps me thinking about different ways to create.  I'm glad  to be trying new things and using products in ways that I wouldn't have considered before.  If you'd like to give the clean and simple look a try - or maybe it is your specialty - you can find the details at  http://stampinroyalty.blogspot.com/2011/09/stampin-royalty-callenge-91.html. 

Products Used:
Stamps:  Stampin' Up!
Die:  Spellbinders Labels 18
Paper:  My Mind's Eye Lost & Found Collection Portobello Road "Boy" Cowboy Paper, and "Buddies" Perfect Paper
Embossing Folder:  Sizzix / Tim Holtz Damask & Regal Flourishes
Embossing Powder:  Zing Chestnut Brown
Ink:  Momento Rich Cocoa, Ranger/Tim Holtz Distress Antique Linen

Case Challenge #59 - September 29, 2011 - Tweet!

Happy Friday!  I don't know about you but I am ready for the weekend!   My son has a cross country meet and my daughter is going to Turkey Run with a group from Purdue University.  Maybe me and my hubby can sneak out to lunch alone.

I'm playing along today with the Case Study Challenge #59.  This is is the inspiration card by our muse Julie Lacey.  I like the clean lines , the circle focal point and that big fat bow.

I made my tweet! card with an adorable sparrow stamp from Catslife Press.  My kids are always using the expression sweet! so as a little play on words I made this tweet! a congratulations card. 

I stamped the bird image twice with Momento Black Tuxedo.  I fussy cut one of the birds to use as a mask.  I positioned it over the other bird with removable adhesive and then inked up the background flourish stamp in Marmalade distress ink and stamped it over the bird image.  I added the little touch of twine because I'm used to seeing sparrows with twigs and other items they collect to build their nests. 

I used alot of the same elements as in Julie's card but put my own spin on them.  I kept the bow, the embossing, color/neutral color pattern, and gems - just in a different style.    I'm looking forward to checking out what you've made!  Have a great weekend!

Products Used:

Stamps:  Sparrow:  Catslifepress.com, Ornate Textured Background:  Stampabilities

Dies:  Spellbinders Standard Circles, Eyelet Circles, Tiny Tag: Spellbinders for Just Rite

Eyelet Border Punch:  Fiskars

Embossing Folder:  Cuttlebug Moroccan Screen

Pattern Paper:  Basic Grey Ambrosia/Marmalade

Seam Binding:  Hug Snug Bright Red

Ink:  Momento Tuxedo Black, Tim Holtz/Ranger Distress Antique Linen, Marmalade

OWH - Hero Christmas Challenge - House Mouse

I made this one for Operation Write Home.  This organization is made up of cardmakers who want to support service men and women through creativity and encouragement.   They collect cards to encourage writing a letter home and to support and thank the service people themselves.  This week the challenge is to make Any Hero Christmas cards!  An Any Hero Christmas card would be a Christmas card you make to send a hero, with your own personal note inside!  You forward your cards to OWH and they distribute them around the world. Imagine their loved ones getting a hand written note from a loved one on a card made by you! 

OWH places a few restrictions on what you can put on a card for ease of shipping and safety reasons.  Sometimes this in itself can be the challenge - no glitter, smaller cards, and no big poofy flowers and bows.  If you would like to get involved or participate in this challenge, details are at http://www.owhstarsandstamps.org/2011/09/any-hero-christmas-cards.html.

I made this one with a House Mouse image for Christmas.  I cannot tell you how many House Mouse stamps are in my home (at least 50) - yet this is the very first one that I have ever used!  As long as I can remember, every time I would take my daughter into Hobby Lobby with me we would come home with a House Mouse stamp.  Apparently she has inherited a collecting gene from mom.  Well now that I've started a new collection - Copics - I decided to give one of these babies a dip in ink! 

Supplies used:
Stamps:  House Mouse  - Mice Star -Stampabilities  Sentiment:  Waltzingmouse Stamps Seasons of Love Tags
Die Cuts:  Spellbinders for Xyron Creatopia Shapes Frame 5, Spellbinders for Just Rite Tag
Border Punch:  Martha Stewart
Copic Markers
Ink:  Momento Tuxedo Black   Tim Holtzs/Ranger Distress Antique Linen
Patterned Paper:  Websters Pages