Simply Create Challenge

This is my second post of the day. I probably should have put this one up first since I'm on the design team of Simply Create, where it's the first "other" Saturday of the month and  All About You Dad #45.
Simply Create gets us going on a themed card.
With Father's Day  around the corner, I was only too happy to make a few cards. I chose
this one for the challenge. I made it for my dd to
give her husband.
The FD sentiment is computer generated. The measuring tape with the sentiment is SU's Totally Tool. The papers are all SU, except for the ds which is from the Paper Studio's Mirabella collection. Memento tuxedo black ink was used for stamping and the descriptive words were cut with an SU punch and the corners of the FD sentiment mat are done with an SU ticket punch. Metal brads are used and a button is threaded with twine and twine is used to hold the descriptive words. It seems like there's a lot going on, but actually, this card was simply to put together and I'll be making more with different descriptive words, of course. Come play along with us won't you?

Hugs & Blessings,
Erica

Less Is More #18

So here it is Saturday and the LIM Challenge 18 from Mandi and Chrissie is a fun one.

I knew right away what image I wanted to use, as well as the color. Monochromatic speaks neutral to me. Here, I have used an off-white card base and shades of brown. Hopefully, the photo shows the variation. The card size is 5 1/2 x 5 1/2. The A2 size would not have left me with enough white space. I stamped the cute mushroom from Stampabilities, in white pigment ink and embossed in a white fine detail powder. Then I rounded one side of each square and mounted them with thin tape. I argued with myself about rounding, but felt the squares needed a bit of pizzaz. I stared, and went away, and returned because I couldn't decide if a sentiment was in order. Finally, I decided that mushroom can lend themselves to anything so why not leave it blank writing inside as the need for the card became obvious.

So, there you have it.

Congrats to the Less Is More. I think the divas are a bit surprised at how many stampers are taking their challenge. I knew as soon as I found them, that success was theirs' (grammer?) for the asking.

Hugs & Blessings,
Erica

Clean & Simple

I just love it when I come across a stamp that is detailed, and doesn't require any coloring. I was able to bring out the beauty in this Inkadinkadoo image simply by swiping a Memento sky blue pad onto the middle of neenah solar white cs. Then I stamped the image in Ranger's Van Dyke Brown. I added the sentiment from Perfectly Clear Stamps. I think this card is sophisticated and perfect for a lover of the sea.

Hugs & Blessings,
Erica

Less Is More Challenge 17

Blogger is still acting weird now and then IMO, but it can't stop me from accepting the LIM challenge.
At first, I just stared at the sketch, then looked lovingly at Chrissie's design. Seems her R&R has given her lots of good mojo to work with.

At 3AM, I rummaged through my stamps and found this one. Yikes, this one had never seen ink! Had to fix that, huh? I paired it with a little paw print which is actually a bear one from a long ago retired SU set called Button Bear. I sparkled the paw up with "at you Spica" pens, but it's not showing up at all. To frame my sentiment and paw print in a necessary box, I used a square Nestabilitie with the dry embossing imprint techniques, where you don't have an actual layer, but get the effect of one. I'm sure there's a concise name here, but it eludes me for now. The smell of pancakes and bacon cooked by my SIL (yes, he can cook) is disturbing my thought process.

So, have fun with the challenge. I've a feeling we may just hit the elusive 400 mark, since this is a 3 day weekend here in the USA, giving stampers a bit more time to play.

Hugs & Blessings,
Erica

No Title Today

I just didn't know what to call this since I'm putting several things of interest into it.

Let's start here. http://sarahmartina.com/blog/2011/05/24/garage-sale-tomorrow/ Click on this and see the fab Sarah Martina's garage sale. She is selling lots of goodies. IMO, she's a shabby and chic cardmaker, so expect those type of goodies. I know I'll be there.

Here's a card I made that started out as an LIM challenge idea, but the butterflies just didn't work on it. I recently purchased the SU daisy die and love the 3 sizes of flowers it makes. I've lots of ideas floating around in my head. I have decided I'm not crazy about making my own flowers...a bit too time consuming....but I like the raised flower look, so I'm opting for lots of dies that I can pile atop of each other and have something pretty.

The deets....
   white card base using Neenah solar white
   SU daisy flower die
   SU textured impressions folder (I placed the cut daisies into the folder to give them texture)
   SU embellishment
   Provocraft Cuttlebug embossing borders, With Love
   TPC Studio, Brush Stroke Greetings sentiment

I've recently taken quite a shine to all white cards. I think it's a result of Less Is More challenges, which I try not miss each week. So, I hope you like my card and enjoy the rest of the week.

Don't forget the sale tomorrow. If you hurry and post Martina's graphic (don't know if I did that exactly myself), you will get an 10% off on your order.

Hugs & Blessings,
Erica



 

LIM Challenge #44

What a Saturday I've had. In spite of not feeling very good, my mojo was working and fingers were flyin' to complete challenge 44 from Less Is More before Sunday. I'm not sure if I have quite enough white space, but this is a kind of ethereal floral piece, so white shows through right?

I stamped neenah solar white with the image, flying stars from Penny Black in Memento tuxedo black. I then decided not to add color so that the white would stand out. Next, I put it in an SU textured impressions folder. Then I cut out a 1 1/4 inch circle at the top of the card and glued some MS punched butterflies onto the inside panel created by the punched out circle. I felt like they just weren't standing out, so I added a black thin frame. Here, I'm afraid I didn't do a very good job and had to snip here and there, resulting in a less than perfect frame. If I were to send this out, I'd work on that a bit. On opening the card the butterflies are on the inside panel. My card needed a little something more, so I added the white satin ribbon in the popular pleating fashion.

I've had another try too, but when I went to add butterflies, I realized the design didn't lend itself to butterflies. You'll see that one tomorrow, but only here of course.

Happy Sunday,

Hugs & Blessings,
Erica 

Simply Create Challege #44

Mornin' stampers. Saturday is here and we have such lovely weather her in Arizona. Still on the cool side....yippie....soon enough it will be hot! I have been able to sit outside and enjoy a wonderful novel called The Forgotten Garden by an Australian author, Kate Morton. Sooo many twists and turns and over 500 pages. I love meaty stories....Ah, but I digress, huh?

So here is my card for the design team of Simply Create here. Almost anything goes....just make it an occasion. If you don't see a linkie to add you entry, please come back in a few hours. Our tireless leader is a bit backed up and needed a little extra time today. Fear not, it will be there soon. We want to see your goodies, so please don't forget us.

Without further ado, my entry.

Lots of Nestibilities use today and some gorgeous dsp from DCWV's Mariposa matstack. Then in the corners, I have placed an altered CB diecut. The flower is from All Night Media, designed by the lovely Anna Griffin. This flower stamps in a wide range of colors and perfect every time. The sentiment is also from a go-to set by Hero Arts, quite old and much loved. If further deets are required, please let me know. I'm willing to share. Until then, have a happy weekend.

Hugs & Blessings,

Erica