So Sorry for Your Loss--#tgifc313

This week's TGIF Challenges theme challenge is Dogs and Cats.  I was working on card ideas, when a friend's sudden loss, made up my mind for me:

For my card, I used the retired Happy Tails stamp set with the very best sentiment for my friend's loss.  I also used the retiring die set, Stitched Be Mine (#151814), and two returning die sets, Forever Flourishing (#152714) and Cherry Blossoms (#151456).  The splatters image stamped randomly under the leaf branches is from the returning Forever Fern stamp set. 

Card stock used:  Gray Granite, Soft Sea Foam, Highland Heather and Basic White. 

Ink used:  Soft Suede, Gray Granite, Soft Sea Foam.  Basic Pearl Jewels complete the card.

Be sure to visit the TGIF Challenges Blog here for great inspiration for your dog and cat projects.

Have a good day!

--Sara Nell

  

Mad for Plaid Valentine--#tgifc301

It's designer take over week at TGIF Challenges.  Design Team member Stesha Bloodhart (a fabulous stamper, btw) has given us a theme:  "Mad for Plaid".  I pulled out the three plaid patterns in the Sale-a-Bration designer series paper, Berry Delightful (it is FREE with a minimum $100 purchase, as part of the Berry Blessings Bundle,#157613). I couldn't decide which plaid I liked best, so I used all three:

 

The three plaid hearts were die cut using the Stitched Be Mine dies (151814).  The hearts were layered on a piece of Whisper White card stock that was embossed with the new Painted Texture 3D embossing folder (#154317).  This piece was layered over a piece of Pacific Point card stock and a Poppy Parade card base.

The greeting is from the Always in My Heart stamp set (#154337).  It was stamped in Pacific Point on Whisper White card stock and die cut using the banner die from the Floral Heart dies (#156194).  Some Pearl Basic Jewels (#144219) colored with the Poppy Parade dark Stampin' Blends (#154958) complete the card. 

Check out all of the other plaid-themed entries over at the TGIF Challenges Blog here.

Have a wonderful weekend.  Go Chiefs!

--Sara Nell

Inspired Valentine--#tgifc300

This is the 300th TGIF Challenges challenge!!!  Did you know I've done all 300?  Yep, I have.  One did not get posted in time because I figured the time difference wrong between Georgia and the West Coast and instead of being over an hour early, I was ten minutes late. However,  I did put a link to it in the comments just to let the team know I completed that challenge.  That was over 250 challenges ago and now I just make sure I link my project at least a day ahead!!!

This week's challenge is an inspiration challenge--one of my favorites.  Our inspiration is the new January to June 2021 Mini Catalog.  I went through the catalog and landed on page 59 with the Enjoy the Moment stamp set and a wonderful card with two embossing folder embossed layers, a bit of distressing and images arranged in a diagonal across the card.   I took those elements and created a Valentine:

I started with a Sahara Sand card based then layered over a piece of Blushing Bride Forever & Always Foil Sheets (#156200).  It was embossed with the Tasteful Texture 3D embossing folder (#152700) as was used on the first layer of the inspiration card. The next layer is the same as the inspiration card (whisper white card stock embossed with the Scripty 3D embossing folder (#149634) except that I colored the piece with Blushing Bride ink using a Blending Brush (#153611).  

I die cut the hearts using the Stitched Be Mine dies (#151814), Blushing Bride foil sheets, Blushing Bride card stock and a piece of True Love designer series paper (#154281).  The paper was colored with Blushing Bride ink and a Blending Brush.  Three Heart charms (#154282) and a few Matte Black Dots (#154284) were  arranged among the die cut hearts. 

The greeting is from Meant to Be stamp set (#148626).  It was stamped in Tuxedo Black Memento ink and die cut using a Painted Poppies die (#151605).  The greeting piece was layered over a piece of Blushing Bride Metallic ribbon (#154283) which was wrapped around the layer and tied in a bow.

My hope is that you will take a look at the samples in the new mini and pick a few elements you like to inspire and create a totally different card.  Maybe you'll just be inspired by the colors used in a sample or by the use of embossing folders like I was.  See how others were inspired by the catalog samples over at the TGIF Challenges Blog here, then start creating!

Have a great weekend!

--Sara Nell 

Black & White Studies in Texture -- #tgifc297

The TGIF Challenges color challenge this week is Black and White.  My cards today were inspired by an old episode of Trading Spaces.  I haven't watched Trading Spaces in years, so why it popped into my head I have no idea.  I remember the episode so well--one designer did a room all in white and the other designer did one all in black. So I challenged myself to do the same with my projects using lots of texture to create the layers.  One exception--the greeting on each card is in the opposite color to stand out.  How did I do?

Once I had my two card bases cut, I die cut the first layers using the largest Stitched Rectangles die (#151820).  I created texture on each of these layers using Embossing Paste (white, #141979) and one of the Basic Pattern Decorative Masks (#150697)--the polka dots on black and the stylized leaves on white.  The embossing paste for the black card was tinted black using the Tuxedo Black Memento ink refill (#133456).  The Palette Knives (#142808) were used to mix and spread the embossing paste.  While the embossing paste dried, I started on the layers for each card.

On the black card I layered die cuts from the Poppy Moments dies (#151594).  The solid poppies were embossed with the Subtle 3D embossing folder.  The greeting is from the Peaceful Moments stamp set (#151595).  It was stamped in VersaMark and heat embossed with White Stampin' Emboss Powder (#109132) and the Heat tool (#129053).  I used the smallest Stitched Rectangle die to die cut the greeting, running it through the Stampin' Cut & Emboss Machine (#149653) twice to shorten the rectangle.  

The white baker's twine from the Snail Mail Twine combo pack (#154566) was colored black using the Basic Black dark Stampin' Blends (#154843, combo pack).  It was wrapped around the card layer three times and tied in a bow prior to adding the die cuts.  All card stock on the card is Basic Black (#121045).

On the white card, the Detailed Hearts die (#151440) was used to create another layer over the embossing paste.  Over this layer two hearts die cut using the Stitched Be Mine dies (#151814).  The solid heart was embossed with the Old World Paper 3D embossing folder (#153200) and popped up over the scalloped edge heart with Stampin' Dimensionals.  

The greeting is from the new Always in My Heart stamp set (#154337).  It was stamped in VersaMark and heat embossed with Black Stampin' Emboss Powder (now retired).  It was die cut out using the banner die in the coordinating Floral Heart dies (#154306).  

I tied a bow of Polka Dot Tulle ribbon (#146912) diagonally around the card between the two large heart die cuts.  

The card stock used on this card is Whisper White Thick and Whisper White.  These two products and all Whisper White products have been discontinued.  These two  have been replaced by Basic White thick (#159229) and Basic White (#159276). 

Like the Trading Spaces rooms, I believe I like the all black best. It was unexpected, but the textures just give the black a richness that you don't see as much in the all white. This was certainly a challenge for me, but also a lot of fun.

See more black and white projects (most are going to be black and white on one card) over at the TGIF Challenges Blog here.

Have a great day!

--Sara Nell

   

 

Easton's First Valentine--#tgifc251

The day this week's TGIF Challenges sketch challenge was announced, I received the sweetest photo of my grandson Easton checking out the Valentine card I sent him.  It was perfect for the sketch:

The base page is a 12" x 12" piece of Old Olive card stock.  I stamped the dinosaur track image from Dino Days stamp set (#149406) diagonally across the page in Old Olive ink.  The hearts were die cut out of Lovely Lipstick card stock using the  Stitched Be Mine dies(#146828).  The little dinos were fussy cut out of a pattern from the Dinoroar designer series paper pack (#149589).  The large dinosaur was die cut from another pattern from the paper pack using the Dino dies (#149636).  

Here is a photo of the card I sent him:

It has a flip feature and a heart with dino tracks inside:

Easton was so excited after Katharine read the card to him, that he ran around the living room waving it in the air, then set it on a table and then picked it up again and waved it some more (this is the only photo I received without a blurred image of Easton running!).  He'll be one next week, so I was thrilled that he actually loved getting the card.

There are some beautiful projects (cards and pages) using this sketch over at the TGIF Challenges blog.  You really need to check them all out!

Have a great week!

--Sara Nell 

A Valentine--#tgifc249

This week's TGIF Challenges theme challenge is Valentines.   I remember spending hours in the card shop looking for just the right cards to send to my Great Aunts Hattie and Lucile.  I always think of them as Valentine's Day approaches and wish they had lived long enough to get some of the Valentines I've made since joining Stampin' Up! In their honor, I have added a vintage touch to my Valentine with Pressed Petals specialty designer series paper (#149500).

The hearts were all die cut using the Stitched Be Mine dies (#148527) dies.  They are Pressed Petals paper, Rose Glimmer Paper (#146960), and Mossy Meadow and Rococo Rose card stock.  The large Mossy Meadow heart was embossed with the Coastal Weave 3D embossing folder (#151503).

The dotted background was stamped in second generation Mossy Meadow ink using a stamp from the Artisan Textures stamp set (#151278).  The greeting is from Parisian Beauty stamp set (#151466) and was stamped in Rococo Rose.  Sequins from the Woven Threads sequin Assortment (#149498) and a bow out Mossy Meadow twine from the Magnolia Lane ribbon combo pack (#149485) complete the card.

Card stock layers are Very Vanilla, Rococo Rose and Mossy Meadow.

For lots of great Valentine ideas, head over to the TGIF Challenges Blog here.

Wishing you a Happy Valentine's Day!

--Sara Nell