Sunday, April 27, 2014

Simply Create Too challenge no. 60, Use at Least 2 Layers

Hi Stampers.

Windy day in AZ today, and a busy one too. I'm just now getting my card up for our design team challenge, but I've been enjoying the entries over at our blog, Simply Create Too.

Here's my card. Recently, I entered a challenge requiring we use turquoise, I've been loving doing just that. I paired it up with SU's more mustard card stock and white card stock from Recollections. My first layer is a Cuttlebug die designed by Anna Griffin, called Flourish. It is is for 5x7 cards. I have been branching out into these larger cards lately. The second layer is the Recollections white and atop it is a 'hello' die, from Savvy Dies in white. Have you noticed how very popular the hello sentiment has become? You can find it in many different fonts. I stamped the sentiment from TPC Studios and the feathers are Quik-Kutz die cuts in SU's turquoise layered over a more mustard strip.


Layering is fun, but it can also be tough if you're using patterned dsp. You can solve that by sticking with solids and trying dry embossing (folders work great for this) to add emphasis.
So head on over to the challenge and play for a bit.

Have a great weekend.
Blessings, Erica

Saturday, April 19, 2014

Less Is More challenge no. 168

Happy Easter to All!

I've managed to squeeze in a card for the Less Is More challenge this week. But I cheated a bit. I actually made it for the turquoise challenge, but it was never posted, so I'm allowed to use it. And the sentiment really does make me smile, since I've lost 25 lbs. in the last 11 months and THIS time (smile), I intend to keep them off. However, when my birthday rolls around in a few months, I've no intention of not eating cake....portion controlled, of course.

Oh, I may have a teeny piece of the cheesecake I'm making right after this post too. It's sort of a carb-control recipe. :D

Have a blessed Easter.
Erica


Monday, April 14, 2014

My very first stamp

Hi Stampers. I'm expecting to have a busy week as we lead-up to Easter. I signed up to volunteer with the children's ministry for two services and I will need to actually attend one, so that makes for a very busy Sunday morning. Fortunately, I'm not planning on doing lots of cooking. Just a baked ham, sweet potatoes, a veggie and maybe a cheesecake for dessert.

So here's a fun card using a frog...which I'm known in my family for collecting. I also got my first and only tattoo of a frog on my 62nd birthday. I wear it proudly I must say. Though I'm told tats can be addictive, I'm satisfied with one only and am quite content to hone my stamping addiction instead. So this stamp is literally my first rubber stamp, purchased in the mid-90s. I was working in a tightly run office and wanted something whimsical to put on notepads...ahem, I had no idea what digital images were, though my daughter was a graphic arts major. I would stamp this froggie in the corner of notes I sent to staff and I kinda became recognized for them. Thus, began a love affair with many things frog. I limit myself drastically these days to an occasional frog image, as I live with my daughter and family. They don't exactly share my adoration of these creatures, though they do indulge me with a frog gift now and then. I'm good with that.

No details on my card, as I have to get on the dumb treadmill for my 40 minutes of walking. Blah blah, blah, Unfortunately, it's part of keeping off the 22 lbs. I've lost in the last year. I was supposed to be there hours ago, but I made two adorable cards instead. :D


Blessings,
Erica




Saturday, April 12, 2014

Less Is More Challenge no. 167

Hi Stampers,

It's Less Is More challenge time again. I'll let you head on over to see how the divas are asking us to create a one-layer card, but with a "new to me" technique.

I've used SU's Around the World stamp set and stamped the airplane in  Rubber Monger's Steel Blue, repeatedly on a slant to achieve the challenge look. The word sentiments are also from the set.  I've used Michael's Recollections 110 lb. white card stock.


Enjoy the rest of the weekend and find a bit of stamping time for yourself.

Blessings,
Erica

Thursday, April 10, 2014

LIM Challenge no. 166...card #2

Hi Everyone.
I really did enjoy using turquoise with the divas this week.  It's even got me looking for an outfit or two with turquoise somewhere on it. So far, no deal, but I have only just begun and I'm in no hurry. Isn't that the best way to shop?

Here's my other entry using a 5x7 card this time. I used Recollections 110 lb. card stock in cream. It's a very fair hue of cream and may appear white in my photo.  This card stock dry embosses fabulously. I am hoping they will make black in this weight soon. The decorative strip is a Cuttlebug "strip" embossing folder that fit right across my landscape direction card. Since the folder made slight creases on each side, I just flipped the card over and enhanced them with my scoring tool. I think it works. The flower is a LifeStyle daisy die that I cut in triplicate. The addition of some pearls...a few colored with copic close to turquoise...OK, I made that up. The marker is blue and it's on my desk somewhere and I'm not searching.


There's still a bit more time to play with the challenge. I think I have one more card in me so check back tomorrow.

Have a great day.
Blessings,
Erica

Sunday, April 6, 2014

Less Is More Challenge no. 166, "Color"

Good evening stampers...another lovely spring-style day in sunny Arizona. If it keeps us, we're gonna be spoiled. I just love it, although I was at the movies for the late afternoon. Prior to that, my family enjoyed a day at a local festival.






So, what did we see...Russell Crowe in Noah. From a Christian point of view, it was awful...filled with inaccuracies. In my opinion, the comment literary license, which the term being thrown about, is far too tame a description. Really, transformer rocks helping to defend the ark and the family! UGH! Don't waste your money or your time.

OK, off my critique stool and onto my card. Less Is More is challenging us for the 166th time. WoW! Time flies when you're having fun.  Here's my entry. I've used the wonderfully thick 110 lb. white card stock by Recollections...a great bargain at Michaels, and a die from Impression Obsession, DIE066-C. There's no name on it. All of the little leaves are connected by thin wire, yet when they are die-cut, they turn-out separated. So I used the negative space and backed that up with SU's turquoise cs dry embossed with one of the first SU embossing folders called 'textured impressions'. With all the folders I own, I still enjoy using this one. The daisy (which I stacked 3 of) is a die-cut from Quik-Kutz.  The center is blue Ranger's Liquid Pearls. The butterfly is a Cheery Lyn die-cut with a tiny bit of more Liquid Pearls in bisque. And the sentiment is brand new from Spellbinders Shapeabilities Die D-Lites Sentiments One.  There's no dot for the letter "i", so I used a blue sparkly Gelly Roll Sakura pen to make one. You're gonna see this set lots from me.

Why not head on over to LIM and join in or just browse. You'll get a true dose of CAS from their challenges. Turquoise is such a fun color to play with. I'll have one more entry to upload there tomorrow.

Have a blessed week.
Erica

Friday, April 4, 2014

Simply Create Too Design Team no. 58 Easter and Bunnies

Good Morning Stampers, here comes the weekend.  In Arizona, we are having a lovely spring. Knowing how short it tends to be, we're taking advantage of every moment possible.

I have made some cute simple Easter treat bags for our mid-post challenge. I used a Quik-Kutz (who I believe is with Life-Style crafts, who I think has been bought out by yet another company) paper bag die. It is very easy to manipulate and even goes through my Cuttlebug...but just barely.


I used kraft card stock and some green from Recollections...this is my go-to paper now, even for card bases. Have you had a chance to try their new wonderfully thick 110 lb. card stock yet. It is only $12.99 for 100 sheets. Use your coupon for the best deal. Try it, you won't regret it. I used an oval Nestabilitie die for the frame, some acetate, ribbon from SU and the grass is a die from Cheery Lyn Designs. The bunny is one I picked up from convention, by Impression Obsessions. and the flowers are from my stash. The egg background was created stamping all over with a tiny Judi-Kin peg stamps. I used whatever markers I had on my desk to color the bunny. 

I will be giving these to the teen volunteers in our church ministry. 

Head on over to Simply Create Too and play along. Everybody has bunnies in their stash.

I'm working on some 5x7 Easter cards with a religious theme, so I'll be back to show them off. I got paid for them too. Gotta love it.

Blessings,
Erica