Cheerful Daisies Birthday--#tgifc428

This week the TGIF Challenges team has a color challenge for us:  Lemon Lolly, Sweet Sorbet and Basic Black.  It's been a while since I've participated in a challenge, so it took a couple of false starts before my design idea turned into a card I liked!

This card was created using the Cheerful Daisies bundle (#161297, includes stamp set and coordinating dies).  I used Sweet Sorbet Classic and Tuxedo Black Memento inks for the daisies with die cuts out of Sweet Sorbet, Basic Black and Lemon Lolly.  The greeting was stamped in memento ink and die cut using the label die in the Cheerful Daisy die set.  The Lemon Lolly designer series paper used as the background is from the Bright & Beautiful 6" x 6" designer series paper pack.  The frame was die cut using two nested dies from the now retired Stitched Rectangles die set to coordinate with the stitched label die used for the greeting.  Five Sweet Sorbet retired 2022-2024 In Color Matte Decorative Dots complete the card.

Have a great week!

Sara Nell

Embossed Snowflakes--#tgifc345

Since I've been doing a lot of non-traditional colors in my holiday cards this year, I thought this week's color challenge from TGIF Challenges would make a wonderful "Let It Snow" card:  Misty Moonlight, Just Jade and Pool Party. They are not too far off the holiday color spectrum, though, when I think about it.  Maybe it's just the way I've used them:

The background started with three bands of the three challenge colors arranged dark to light.  They are each 1-3/4" wide and glued to a 5-1/4" X 4" piece of Basic White card stock over a card base of Pool Party.  I used White Matte finish embossing paste (#141979) and the Snowflake design from the Adorning Design Decorative Masks (156328) to add the embossed snowflakes to the background stripes. 

The sentiment is from the Snowman Season stamp set (#150458), was stamped in Misty Moonlight on a Basic White circle then layered on a Pool Party scalloped circle, both die cut using the Layering Circles dies (#151770).  A piece of Pool Party sheer ribbon (#152462) and a spattering of Opal Rounds (#154289) complete the card.

Check out some great card designs using this fun color combo over at the TGIF Challenges blog here.

Have you made your Christmas cards yet?

--Sara Nell

  

Happy Birthday!--Color Challenge #tgifc328

It's color challenge week over at TGIF Challenges.  It's a fun challenge:  Coastal Cabana, Basic Black and White.  Here's my Happy Birthday card:

The happy card has a Coastal Cabana card base layered with Basic Black and a top layer of Basic White.  The flower and splatter images are from the Color & Contour stamp set (#154994).  The splatter was randomly stamped across the front in Coastal Cabana.  The flower was stamped in Tuxedo Black Memento Ink.  The petals were colored with the Coastal Cabana pastel from the Soft Pastels Assortment (#154585) and a barely damp a water painter (#151298, set of three assorted).  The center of the flower was colored with Basic Black Stampin' Blends Combo (#154843).  The flower was die cut using a Scalloped Contours die (#155560, bundled with the above stamp set at 10% off, #158356).  It was layered over a Basic Black floral stem using a die from the Forever Flourishing die set (#152714).

The greeting is from the Artistically Inked stamp set (#154542).  It was heat embossed with White Stampin' Emboss Powder (#155554, Basics Set) on a 5/8" Basic Black card stock strip.  A bow of Pool Party sheer ribbon (#152462) and  three Matte Black dots (#154284) complete the card. 

To see more great projects using this color combo head over to the TGIF Challenges Blog here.

Have a great day!

--Sara Nell

 

Happy for You--#tgifc323

It's time for another color challenge from TGIF Challenges!  This month the colors are:  Granny Apple Green, Fresh Freesia and Polished Pink.

I used the Color & Contour Bundle (#158356, including the Color & Contour stamp set,#154994, and the Scalloped Contours Dies, #155560) to create my card.  The images were stamped in Jet Black StazOn ink (#101406) on to Shimmery White card stock (#101910).  The flower was watercolored in Polished Pink and Granny Apple Green inks, then die cut and layered over the greeting piece onto a scalloped edged Granny Apple Green frame. The greeting was die cut using a Stitched Rectangles die (#151820).  Three Fresh Freesia 2021-2023 In Color Jewels (#155571) were added to this layer.

The card base is Basic White Thick card stock (#159229) layered with a scalloped frame die cut out of a Fresh Freesia paper pattern from the 2021-2023 In Color 6" x 6" designer series paper assortment (#155641).  A piece of Polished Pink 3/8" open weave ribbon (#155714) was threaded through two opposite scallops and adhered to the back of this layer. 

For more color inspiration, head over to the TGIF Challenges Blog here.

Have a great day!

--Sara Nell

 

To a Wonderful Man--#tgifc319

It's color challenge week over at TGIF Challenges with the color combo of Basic Gray, Night of Navy and White.  The colors are a great combo for a masculine card, so I made a Father's Day card using the retiring Soar Confidently stamp set (#154531): 

On my focal piece, I created a cloud-filled sky as my background.  I used a cloud outline shaped mask (I cut my own out of Basic White card stock), a Blending Brush (#153611), and Night of Navy ink. After lightly filling the brush with ink from the ink pad, I brushed most of it off on scrap paper before blending the color over my mask and onto the Basic White card stock.  I used the mask three times, placing it randomly over the card stock.

The balloon was stamped using the Stamparatus, first in Basic Gray and then in VersaMark.  I colored the stripes on the balloon using the Night of Navy soft pastel stick (Soft Pastels Assortment,#154585) and a small dry brush.  TIP:  To use the pastel stick with a dry brush, just shave a bit off the end of the stick onto a clear block with the mini spatula on the Take Your Pick Tool (#144107).   The pastel powder will stick to the VersaMark ink when you brush it on.

The focal piece was layered over a piece of Night of Navy card stock embossed with the Bark 3D embossing folder (#155431) and then layered on the Basic White thick card base.

The greeting was stamped in Versamark on Night of Navy card stock then embossed with White Stampin' Emboss Powder (Basics pack, #155554).  It was die cut using a Stitched Rectangle die (#151820) and run through the Stampin' Cut & Emboss Machine (#149653) a second time to shorten the length of the die cut.

Be inspired by wonderful projects created with this color combination over at the TGIF Challenges Blog here.

Have a wonderful day!

--Sara Nell

Friends Are Like Seashells--#tgifc310

It's color challenge week over at TGIF Challenges.  The colors are Flirty Flamingo, Blushing Bride and Pool Party for a lovely subtle color combination.  

My first step for this challenge was to check out my designer series paper stash and see what I could find with these colors.  I pulled out a few pieces and decided on this pretty Blushing Bride and Flirty Flamingo sand dollar design from the Sand & Sea designer series paper collection (#154288).  I cut it in a 2-1/2" x 3-1/2" piece and arranged my other elements on it:

Sand dollars and small seashells were stamped in Flirty Flamingo and Pool Party using images from the Friends Are Like Seashells stamp set (#154368).  Blushing Bride was blended over each using Blending Brushes (#153611) and then they were die cut using the coordinating Seaside Seashells  (#156095/bundled with the stamp set, #156205 at 10% off).  Opal Rounds (#154289) were also added.

The Pool Party layer was embossed with the retiring Old World Paper 3D embossing folder (#153200).  This layer was layered over a piece of Flirty Flamingo, then tied with a Pool Party sheer ribbon (#152462) bow.  The card base is Basic White Thick card stock (#159229). 

Check out the TGIF Challenges Blog to see lots of pretty projects using these colors:

Have a wonderful day!

--Sara Nell

A Valentine Treat Box--#tgifc302

This week's color challenge over at TGIF Challenges is Real Red, Petal Pink and Smoky Slate.  I used these colors to create a Valentine using the Love You Always Treat Boxes (#154285):

The first step was to cover three sides of the sliding cover with pieces of Real Red card stock.  The top was cut at 4" x 2-5/8" and the two sides at 4" x 1-3/8".  The two ends of the box were each covered with Real Red card stock cut at 1-3/8" x 2-5/8".

The top piece was layered with a piece of Smoky Slate card stock die cut on top and bottom with the heart edge die from the Floral Heart Dies. (#154306).  The hearts, flowers and leaves were die cut out of Smoky Slate, Real Red and Petal Pink card stock using the same die set.  These were arranged over the piece of Petal Pink Organdy Striped ribbon (#149441) tied around the length of the box and into a bow.

The greeting is from the Meant to Be stamp set (#148626).  It was stamped three times in Smoky Slate using the Stamparatus (#146276).

This was a fun Valentine color combo.  See more over at the TGIF Challenges Blog here.

Hope you have a great rest of your week.  I'm spending the rest of mine straightening up my stamping room after the tornado that is my 23-month-old grandson came to visit.  Let's just say he loves all of the colors and "treasures" he finds in here.  This visit he was a bit taller than last time and has learned to open drawers and doors . . . and sneak inside when temptation strikes and Grandma isn't watching.

--Sara Nell

Simple Joy--#tgifc254

This morning I found joy in creating just a simple little 3" x 3" note for this week's TGIF Challenges color challenge. So, I added "joy" to my note.  It was a very nice way to start my day.

Thoughtful Blooms Sale-a-Bration stamp set (3152290, free with  $50 purchase), Sale-a-Bration Small Bloom Punch (#152316, free with $100 purchase), Make a Difference stamp set (#146676); Basic Pearls (#144219) colored with Basic Black Dark Stampin' Blends (#147941).


For beautiful inspiration from the stamping artists at TGIF Challenges (design team and challengers), head to the TGIF Challenges blog here.

Have a joy filled day!

--Sara Nell