Lots of Layers

LOL on the Internet rarely stands for anything other than Laughing Out Loud.  Today, however, we've got Lots of Layers.  It's the most recent challenge from Paper Smooches.  We were challenged to create layers of anything... paper, ink, colors, embellishments.  This challenge lasts until Tuesday, June 28th, so you've got time to join us!

My card features layers of paper.  Three layers of cardstock to create the base borders, then a layer of dimensionally raised hexagons, and finally a two-layered sentiment on top.

   
This card features the Botanicals 2 set for the flora and the Many Thanks set for the sentiment.  The punches are from EK Success and the inks and cardstock are from Stampin' Up!

Happy Stamping!

Weekly Challenge #20 - Memorial Day

Memorial Day is a time to reflect and remember the sacrifices of all the men and women who lost their lives while serving in our armed forces.   While it is different than Veteran's Day, I think any time is a good time to thank and acknowledge the veterans and their families who make so many sacrifices for our freedom.   In addition to family and friends, there are lots of currently serving service members that don't have anyone to send them care packages or letters.  One card-specific way to honor them is to include cards with care packages via AnySoldier.com.

    

    

My project today includes stamps from the Paper Smooches Circle of Honor stamp set along with patterned paper, air mail washi tape, icon stickers, blue jean sprinkles vellum, silver stars sprinkles stickers, and Simply Put album inserts, all from Doodlebug Designs' Patriotic Parade line.   I layered the fun sprinkles vellum over the fireworks paper on the bottom section of the card.  Unfortunately, the vellum adhesive I used was very visible in the photograph.  I'll try another brand when I plan on posting the project online next time.

  

The larger star paper icon stickers were plenty cute, but I really liked the dimension and sparkle added by placing the silver sparkles stickers centered inside them.

 

Rounding out this project are the words & eagle (stamped in Memento dye ink in Danube Blue) and the eagle's beak colored with Copic markers.

Because this week is an ANYTHING GOES week at Paper Smooches Sparks challenge, I'm submitting this card for that, too! 
         

Happy Stamping!

 

Weekly Challenge #18 - Traditional Mother's Day

Last week, the Green Team featured cards made for Mother's Day with non-traditional colors and themes (i.e. no flowers).   This week, the Orange Team is showing off more traditional Mother's Day cards.  This theme is just perfect for the Bazzill Basics ultra-feminine Vintage Marketplace Line.  The papers are so pretty and shabby-chic!
 

       
On my card, I used the green gingham and roses patterns -- definitely my favorites of the whole pack!   There are also fun polka dots, chevrons, and fun office-style papers in soft Springtime colors.  Coordinating perfectly with the colors on these papers were the Memento dye inks in Bamboo Leaves and Angel Pink.  I used two words stamps and then a portion of the cameo stamp from Paper Smooches' Pretty Momma set.  The crown sticker is also part of the Vintage Marketplace line.
  
Mother's Day is bittersweet for me.   My Mom passed unexpectedly almost 13 years ago, and I still miss her every day.  I spend this day thankful for my own Mom as well as all the other wonderful Moms in my life.  My Mother-in-Law, for example, is an absolute gem.   I love her to pieces!   I always look forward to talking and visiting with her.  We were a great support to each other, sometimes long-distance, during my husband's big open heart & transplant surgeries.  She also taught hubby to cook, clean, and do laundry.  She rocks.
 
Please join us this week to create a traditional Mother's Day card or project.  And if your own Mom is no longer with us, you definitely know a Mom who would appreciate a card.  Your sister, an aunt, a neighbor who has kids, that co-worker that works so hard, a lady at church who brings her little ones every week...  there are lots of Moms out there!   I'm not a Mom, so I don't pretend to know how hard they work and how much they worry, but I bet they'd love to be shown appreciation!  To participate, please link your project HERE.
 
Because this week is an ANYTHING GOES week at Paper Smooches Sparks challenge, I'm submitting this card for that, too! 
         
Happy (early) Mother's Day and Happy Stamping!
   

Weekly Challenge #14 - Rainbows/Easter

Wow, what a gorgeous week it has been here in Idaho so far!  Such mild & sunny weather.  Loving it!  It's in that spirit that we're celebrating rainbows & Easter -- using the Paper Smooches Spectum stamp set and the Doodlebug Springtime line. 
     
The focus on rainbows is pretty evident in my card, especially with the unicorn's mane and tail, which were paper-pieced using one of the very colorful Doodlebug papers.  I also pieced the horn from a different patterned paper.

     

    

This card used quite a few items from the Doodlebug Springtime line: the plaid, baby chicks, & kites papers; flower washi; and the banner is from a Simply Put album insert.  Other items used include dies from QuicKutz (word bubble) and The Cat's Pajamas (grass), and Copic Sketch markers.
   
Because this week is an ANYTHING GOES week at Paper Smooches Sparks challenge, I'm submitting this card for that, too! 

    
Happy Stamping!
  

Weekly Challenge #12 - Paper Piecing

This week, our team is showcasing paper and embellishments from the My Mind's Eye Now & Then Izzy line, which is now available at the Cuttin' and Stampin' Scrappy Supply Store.

    

My project got underway when I saw the bow-tie paper and thought about how it could be used to make a really cute patterned cat.  So the kitty is grey and white, and I paper-pieced his mouth too.  Then, of course, I had to add the mustache enamel shape.  The blue cardstock for the card is actually the darker blue jeans Bazzill cardstock -- and it looks like it was custom-made to match the mustache.

    

     

I chose "thrilled for you" as the sentiment because of the happy & excited look on kitty's face.  I punched out photo corners from another of the patterned papers and then cut out the "smile" and floral pennant shapes from one of the cards from the 3"x4" pack.  Paper Smooches stamp sets used:  Nine Lives & Simply Said.

   

Now it's your turn!  Please join us and submit your paper-pieced creations.  Click HERE to add your project(s).

   

Happy Stamping!

   

Weekly Challenge #8 - All Boy

This week is all about the boys, and this should be easy for me because I'm surrounded by boys -- hubby, dad... even the cat!   I'm in a sea of testosterone at my house, but I have to admit that I still find girly cards much easier to create.    
I found an adorable paper pad from WeRMK called "For the Record".   It had nice, youthful masculine patterns and color palette.   And the "hey buddy" sentiment from Paper Smooches' "Simply Said" stamp set said "boy" to me.
    

         
Thanks so much for checking out my card!  Now it's time to head over to the Cuttin' and Stampin' blog to see the rest of the Design Team's inspiration projects and to learn how to enter your very own creation.
 
Happy Stamping!

Weekly Challenge #6 - Writing Instrument

I took a pretty loose interpretation of a writing instrument for this project...  I was thinking of writers like Hemingway and Tolkien writing their manuscripts -- long before the invention of the IBM Selectric II that we had at home growing up.

    

   

For my project today, I stamped the typewriter on cream cardstock.  I stamped the paper on white cardstock and cut it out.  Then I cut a slit in the typewriter to allow me to slide the paper down into it, making it look like it was coming out of the typewriter.  The typewriter font sentiments in the set were perfect for this!  The "for you" sentiment is from the Paper Smooches "Falling for You" stamp set.

    

Because the typewriter is a solid stamp, you may not get your desired result when stamping it with dye ink.  Because of its water base, dye ink tends to bead up on clear stamps causing either an incomplete image or an unbalanced image.  For the typewriter stamp, I got a perfect image using a pigment ink.  It was VersaFine Onyx black.  It takes a long time to dry, so I highly recommend heat setting it.
   
The ribbon started out as a cream-colored 1/4" silk ribbon from May Arts.  It was too light to match the cream cardstock and I really wanted an embellishment to carry the turquoise color through.  I colored the ribbon with the BG13 Copic Sketch marker, but then it was a bit too bright for the antiqued turquoise pattern.  The next step was to tone the color down and "age" it a bit by dabbing it on the Chestnut Roan chalk ink from ClearSnap.  Perfect!

   

I hope you'll join us for the challenge and submit your project(s) featuring a writing instrument.  Also, check out the main challenge page where the other fabulous group of DT members have created their own creative interpretations. 

   

Happy Stamping!!

   

Weekly Challenge #5 - Sweethearts

This week we are all about Sweethearts. It's just about Valentine's Day and everyone's looking for the great gift idea for that special someone.  The challenge for you is to create something special for your Sweetheart.   

  

To make my card, I started off cutting out a large heart (with an A Muse Studio die) and using masking tape to attach the outline/negative to a white piece of cardstock. I then used that as the template for making a heart of hearts.

   

    

I started with a few of the largest hearts, to make sure there would be room for them.  Then I filled in with smaller and smaller hearts. I alternated colors and made sure I got as much of the available area inside the heart template filled. And there we have it, a "heart of hearts". Heart stamps are from the Paper Smooches "Sweet Hearts" stamp set. Inks include Rhubarb Stalk, Lady Bug, and Angel Pink dye inks from Memento by Tsukineko. Heart embellishments from Doodlebug.

Because this week is an ANYTHING GOES week at Paper Smooches Sparks challenge, I'm submitting this card for that, too! 
      

You can link your project HERE for your chance to win. Hope you'll join us and create something sweet for your sweetheart!   

  

Happy Stamping!

  

2014 Cuttin' & Stampin' DT Blog Hop

 

     
Can you believe Cuttin' and Stampin' Challenge Blog has been going for over a year now? It has gone by so fast and we have had so much fun creating and sharing projects with you.  Starting the first of the year we decided to make a few changes.  These changes include bringing you different types of projects, and to do that we needed increase the number of members on the team.  We also decided to split the team in to two.
   
Today's hop features the Orange Team.
   
Be sure to stop by each of them and welcome them to our 2014 Design Team.  We will have a drawing for each day of the hop.  Just leave a comment below and at each stop along the way.  We will announce blog hop winners on Friday along with our regular weekly challenge winners.
      
For my project today, I'm celebrating both C&S and the 3rd Anniversary of Paper Smooches!   If you've been to my blog before, you know that Kim Hughes is my favorite stamp designer.  I'm so excited that she makes stamps and dies for all of us to enjoy!

This card uses the butterflies from the Flap Happy set and the Butterflies 1 die set, and the sentiment comes from the Many Thanks stamp set.   I chose three butterflies to signify the third anniversary.  The cute patterned papers are from My Mind's Eye and the cardstock is a smoothie from Bazzill Basics.  Happy Third Anniversary, Paper Smooches!!
    

             
ORANGE TEAM Line Up
Madge - http://thescrappinlounge.com
Karen - http://karey2005.blogspot.com
JoAnn - http://joboogie.typepad.com
Lynda - http://positive-force.blogspot.com/
Courtney - http://cshorrcreations.blogspot.com/
Cathy - http://cathyplus5.blogspot.com
Kim - http://kimross.blogspot.com  --- you are here ---
Melissa - http://CreatedbySunshineHoneyBee.blogspot.com/
Michelle Kinder - http://michellekinder.blogpost.com
  
If you're doing the full hop, you should have arrived here from Cathy's blog.   If you haven't started but would like to, please start today's hop with Madge.   Remember to leave comments, because there will be a prize drawing among commenters.   Next up is Melissa.
 
Thanks so much for hopping with us and Happy Stamping!
  

Weekly Challenge #2 - Anything Goes Winter

It seems like most of the country is covered in snow right now, so we're having a challenge creating projects relating to winter. We've been working with the Bo Bunny Winter Wonderland collection, as well as stamps from the Paper Smooches "Fresh Snow" stamp set.

 

 
My card uses four different patterns of paper using a technique called "Sunburst". The scallop beneath the Sunburst panel is from the Bo Bunny Noteworthy paper embellishment pack. If you're curious about the "Sunburst" technique, you can search the term on YouTube for lots of video tutorials.  It's surprisingly simple.
 
Now's your change to to create something about winter and enter it in this week's challenge. You can enter here.
 
Happy Stamping!

Weekly Challenge #52 - Anything Goes Using Something New

#52

Challenge: Anything Goes Using Something New
  

December 31st - January 6th, 2014

     

Last week was "Something Old" and, since this week holds the promise of the new year, we're doing "Something New".   I'm excited because I am in love with cupcakes, but haven't used one of my Paper Smooches cupcakes yet.  How did that happen?

 

 

This card includes a paper-pieced cupcake from the Sugar Rush stamp set.  (I've used this set quite a bit -- especially the ice cream cone -- but never this adorable cupcake!)  I double-mounted it with scalloped circles cut from various Bazzill Basics Smoothies pinks.  I cut out a banner from one of those pinks and embossed Happy Birthday with clear EP.  The sentiment was from the Digits stamp set. 

    
So how about it?  Please join us in celebrating the NEW YEAR by using something new to you!  It's a fun challenge -- use a new stamp, new paper, new tool, new technique -- and share it with us!

    

Please link your projects HERE.

    

Happy Stamping & Happy New Year!

  

Weekly Challenge #51 - Anything Goes Using Leftovers

#51

Challenge: Anything goes using your Leftovers

December 24th - 30th, 2013

'Tis the season of leftovers, am I right?  Leftover stuffing, leftover turkey, leftover everything, it seems!  This year, I made my very first post-Thanksgiving turkey casserole.  I'm pretty excited by how it turned out.  I used two different recipes and used what I liked from each one.  We had some of the fresh sage & thyme leftover from making the gravy also, so I was able to add those to the casserole, too.

In addition to saving food leftovers, I save a lot of crafty leftovers.  Even things that started out as food containers or junk mail are crafty leftovers for me.  I've used chipboard from cereal boxes, plastic from product lids, etc.  I've got a project to show you today that I made from paper leftovers.   

The three adorable patterns I used were Christmas paper from the Bazzill Basics "Nordic Pines" collection, and the two solids are from Bazzill Basics, too.  I think I might keep working on this card and add some leftover ribbon and leftover buttons, too.

   

So here's your challenge: create something made from leftovers.   Anything goes, so it could be leftover fabric, leftover paper, leftover embellishments... whatever you find.
  

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

You can link your projects HERE.

  
Winners will be announced on January 3, 2014.  Thanks for playing along!
 
I wish you all Happy Stamping and Happy Holidays!  :)
 
  

Weekly Challenge #48 - Red, White, Kraft and Black

#48

Challenge:  Color Challenge
Red, White, Kraft and Black

December 3rd - 9th, 2013

We've got a great color challenge cooked up for you today:  red, white, kraft, and black.
    

My project uses three of these patterned papers and one of the cute journaling cards.  The adorable snowman from the Winter Groves set from Paper Smooches has been paper-pieced to add a plaid scarf.  The sentiment from the Sentiment Sampler set didn't quite fit horizontally on the journaling card, so I stamped the two words separately on different lines.
   

  

We'd love to get your take on this color scheme!  Please make sure your creation post has a link back to Cuttin' and Stampin'.   You can go HERE to link your projects.

    

Also -- Because this week is an ANYTHING GOES week at Paper Smooches Sparks challenge, I'm submitting this card for that, too!

  
Do you have any crafting plans this week?  I've signed up for a two-day crop this weekend.  Hope I'll be able to stay the whole time!

Happy Stamping!

Cuttin’ and Stampin’ DT call 2014

This post is my application to join the Cuttin' and Stampin' Design Team for 2014 as a Challenge Post Design Team Member. I have greatly enjoyed working with the team in 2013 and hope to get the chance to do so again.

I live in a suburb of Boise, Idaho, with my husband, Chris.   We're owned by two senior cats, Digit and Dusty.  I started stamping 10 years ago when Chris fell ill and I needed a quiet hobby to fill my time when I wasn't caring for him.

I like to travel, and have gotten to stop at lots of wonderful stamping stores and stamping events (and, of course, meet lots of terrific stampers) along the way.  It was on one of my trips that I got a chance to meet Tammy and we were like old friends the very first time we met -- and that's how I learned about Cuttin' and Stampin'.

My gallery is at SplitCoastStampers, where I also participate in the forums as "StampingSpud".  My crafting résumé includes information on published projects, past design team work, and stamping television appearances.

Here are a few projects that I think best represent my stamping style:

 

  

  

Thanks so much for your time and your consideration of this application.

Weekly Challenge #46 - Anything Goes with Numbers

#46

Challenge:  Anything Goes with Numbers

November 19th - 25th, 2013

We are celebrating Numbers this week. All of our design team members will be creating projects using the Bazzill Basic Paper Countdown to Christmas collection and the Paper Smooches Digits stamp set.  

 

My Christmas card uses the Digits stamp set from Paper Smooches, in addition to the Alphadot stamp set.  I created the green part of the tree using the Paper Smooches Clouds die set, and the brown trunk using the Trees 1 die set.  After cutting the three green cloud shapes, I inked the edges to create depth, assembled the tree, and embellished with gems. 

Another trick I used on this card is embossing the sentiment.  Because the cardstock was textured, it was difficult to get a nice, solid black stamped image.  However, with the embossing powder, it leveled off as it melted, creating a much more solid and impactful image.

So let's see what you can do with numbers, folks!  Bring out number stamps, number dies, or whatever works for you.   We can't wait to see your cards, scrapbook pages, or even a 3D project with a lot of numbers like an Advent calendar!

You can enter your creations 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 November 29, 2013.   

Happy Stamping!

Weekly Challenge #44 - Giving Thanks

#44

Challenge:  Giving Thanks

November 5 - 11, 2013

Now that Halloween has passed, we can turn our attention to enjoying the remainder of the fall season and (for Americans) plan for our annual focus on giving thanks.  As papercrafters, we have so much to be thankful for... lots of inspiration, beautiful colors, and a wonderful community of stampers and scrappers to share it all with!

I wanted to share something fairly easy to accomplish and that would be appropriate for either gender to send or receive.  I started with the color scheme from the Bazzill Basics line called "Autumn Harvest".  From that line, I used the plaid paper and the dotted paper is actually from one of their decorated journaling cards.  Then I used the notebook paper die and the thanks word die from Paper Smooches, and finished the sentiment with their Many Thanks stamp set.  To age it a bit, the edges are all inked with Chestnut Roan chalk ink from ClearSnap. 

Even if you can't think of a thank-you card that you need right now, you'll no doubt need one soon.  Why not join us and make one, so you will have one on-hand next time you have someone you need to thank?

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 15, 2013.

Please link your projects here.

Happy Stamping!  

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!

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)!

Weekly Challenge #37 - Use Three Punches

#37

Challenge:   Use 3 punches

September 17 - 23rd, 2013 

My reaction when I heard about this challenge was "Oh, that'll be easy.  I have three punches!"  That's not how it turned out at all.  I had in mind that I'd use a border punch as one of my three, but none of my border punches seemed to coordinate well with any of the other cards I started.  

On this, my fourth or fifth attempt, I decided that I liked the Martha Stewart zig-zag border punch for a Halloween project.  After all, this Doodlebug "Halloween Parade" line includes chevron patterns, so a zig-zag border would work! 

Supplies:
Stamps:  Salutations (Paper Smooches)
Paper:  Criss-Cross Solid Cardstock (Bazzill Basics), Halloween Parade (Doodlebug)
Paint/Ink: Memento dye ink in Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko), chalk ink in Charcoal (ClearSnap)
Accessories: Glitter stickers & Lilac baker's twine (Doodlebug), Corner rounder, tag, and small circle punches (EK Success), Zig-Zag border punch (Martha Stewart)

So after initially struggling with the three punches, I actually ended up using four:  The zig-zag border, the tag, the small circle (hole in tag) and a corner rounder.

My particular tag punch did not have a larger nesting tag punch to accompany it, so I just stuck my purple tag on a piece of the multi-colored chevron Doodlebug paper and trimmed the outer piece to size.   Then I punched the hole through both layers and threaded the Baker's twine through it.
 

We hope you'll join us and make a project using three punches!  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 September 27, 2013.

Happy Stamping!