Weekly Challenge #43 - Autumn Harvest

 
#43

Challenge:  Autumn Harvest

October 29 - November 4, 2013

It's harvest time!  We're ready to cool down and watch those beautiful fall colors change from greens to yellows to oranges.  It's such a pretty time, isn't it?  Let's celebrate that time with some fun fall projects!

My card uses Autumn Harvest papers from Doodlebug along with several coordinating colors of solid Bazzill Basics cardstock.  Couldn't resist adding the little owl (also from Doodlebug) and adding little gold gems for eyes.

The "Welcome Autumn" sentiments comes from the Autumn Groves stamp set from Paper Smooches, stamped in dark green.   The branch that the owl is perched on is actually a tree die from the Tree 1 Die set, and the leaves are from the Leaves 1 Die Set.

There was lots of cutting and assembly time put into this card, but it certainly wasn't difficult... just a little thinking outside of the box to turn the tree into a tree branch.

We certainly hope you'll join us and create your own Autumn Harvest project!  Please make sure your creation post has a link back to Cuttin' and Stampin'.   Thanks for playing along.  We will be announcing the winners on November 8, 2013.  You can link your creations HERE.

Happy Stamping!

Friends with Flair Friday - Perfect Butterfly

This is one of my very favorite stamps from Unity Stamp Company: the cute Perfect the Way You Are butterfly. There's something about the pen work in the drawing... maybe the double lines or the ruffle-like layers in the wings? I don't know why exactly, but I love it. So here's a card that showcases the butterfly.

The technique used here is "Triple Time Stamping", in which you cut all the layers first and stamp on only the re-assembled white layers then add the colored layers back into the mix. Glossy cardstock was used, and different colors of orange and yellow were sponged on. The saying and butterflies are stamped in dark brown.

The ribbon started out as a vanilla ribbon, but I sponged the same colors from the card onto it so it would match perfectly.

There are lots of wonderful text and video tutorials on "Triple Time Stamping" and it's very easy to do, so I encourage you to try it sometime!

Happy Stamping!

Weekly Challenge #40 - Breast Cancer Awareness

#40

Challenge:   Breast Cancer Awareness

October 8 - 14th, 2013

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month in many countries around the world, and the pink ribbon is the movement's most visible symbol. We're celebrating this week with projects that feature both the color pink and the awareness ribbon!

My project features the beautiful Hope stamp set and die set from Paper Smooches. (This set was designed by Kim Hughes, who lost her mother to breast cancer.)

Hoping to have the pink really pop, the card is mostly a nice medium gray (Date Swirl from Bazzill Basics) accented with the dotted pink (Slipper). The word "hope" is embossed with a very light pink opaque embossing powder. I used the ribbon stamp to create a pattern on the bottom, and added the "loved" sentiment on top. Last, I used the die set to cut the small ribbon out of Watermelon Sensation.

While we're talking about Breast Cancer Awareness, please be brave and choose to Walk the Walk in addition to Talking the Talk. I have first hand experience with this... I even have friends my age going through breast cancer treatments now... but I was too afraid to get my own mammogram. If you're 40 and over and haven't done a mammogram this year, pick up the phone and make an appointment today. And if you don't want to do it for yourself, please consider doing it for the people who love you.

We hope you'll join us and make a project for Breast Cancer Awareness.  It could be a scrapbook page, card, etc. You can link your project here.

Please make sure your creation post has a link back to Cuttin' and Stampin'. 

Thanks for playing along!  We will be announcing the winners on October 18, 2013.

Weekly Challenge #39 - Halloween

#39

Challenge:   Halloween

October 1 - 7th, 2013

Today is World Card Making Day!  I'll be celebrating by making cards today.  Will you?  Of course, if you choose to join our challenge, it's not necessary to make a card.  A cute Halloween-themed scrapbook page or 3-D item will work just fine.

My project features the Arsenic and Lace patterned papers from Bazzill Basics and the Spookalicious dies and stamps from Paper Smooches.  All of these are available at the Cuttin' and Stampin' Shop at a deep discount as the Weekly Deal!

This card has fancy cutting all over it.  First, the focal images are both paper-pieced.  You'll notice some additional cutting on the ghost's "hand", where I created a slit for the pumpkin so it looks like she's carrying it.  Also fancy cut are the shape that says "eek" which was cut from the Bazzill Basics patterned paper, the bat which was a Paper Smooches die, and the spider web which was cut on the Silhouette.

We hope you'll join us and make a Halloween project -- cute or spooky is up to you!  It could be a scrapbook page, card, etc.  You can link your project here.

Please make sure your creation post has a link back to Cuttin' and Stampin'. 

Thanks for playing along!  We will be announcing the winners on October 11 2013.

Happy Stamping (and Card Making)!

October: Stamp Out Breast Cancer

As October was approaching, I thought about Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the projects I would be making to help spread awareness.  I also thought about my friends that are battling and surviving.  And I considered my own hypocrisy.  I was going to tell everyone to go out and get checked, while I had never done so myself -- even though I'm over 40.  I was too afraid.  Afraid of the smooshing.  Afraid of the answer.

So I did it.  I picked up the phone and made the appointment.  When I arrived at the appointed time,  I noticed they had a sticker on my folder that said "FIRST TIME", so they took extra time to make sure I was o.k. at every turn.  The mammogram process was not difficult.  Yes, some of the time I was uncomfortable, but I was never hurting or in pain.   I went home and waited for the phone call that I need to come in again.  But it didn't come.   What did come, yesterday, was a letter in the mail from the radiologist that there was no sign of cancer detected and that the films will be kept to compare with next year's scan.

To my friends and family, those battling cancer and those who inspire and love me:  Thank You!  I'm so glad I did it.  And if you should, please do it.   If something does happen to be wrong, it's much better to find out while something can be done to save you!


My card says "Think Pink" with the awareness ribbon, so it would work for thank-yous, encouragement, or thinking of you cards.  It was created with the A Muse Studio set called "Fight Like a Girl", which you can get for free this month while supplies last (it's just a $3 charge for S&H). 

Supplies:

  Stamps:  Fight Like a Girl stamp set by A Muse Studio

  Ink:  Grapefruit & Onyx ink by A Muse Studio

  Paper:  Solid Grapefruit, Chevron Grapefruit and Solid Sugar cardstock by A Muse Studio 

  Accents:  Onyx sheer organdy ribbon by A Muse Studio

This card was published in Stamp & Scrap Arts September 2013 issue (my first time in that magazine!) in a special Breast Cancer Awareness section.

Happy Stamping!