Less Is More Challenge #21

The Divas at Less Is More  made it easy peasy for us this time. And since I veered a bit from the challenge last week (more like blew it), I hope to make it up here. And so, I stuck to the basics with my two cards.

For my first card, the base is an SU...retired color (ugh, gone and forgotten) black mat and the buttons are made with DCWV's Linen Closet matstack. I used a Sixxex Sixlets buttons die. Don't know if the impression around the outside of the button is showing, but it's too cute. I "sewed" them with black embroidery thread onto a black panel. I faux stitched the panel. The sentiment is from a set called clearly inspired by Paper Creations. I don't think you can find it anymore.






My second card evokes the spirt of the USA's Independence Day holiday. This is the first time I've ever made a card for the 4th of July. My panel is a bit lower than the sketch prescribes. Alas, I tried the middle and it didn't work well.
The base is neenah solar white with the wide mat an SU Red Riding Hood strip that I punched with an EK Success punch at the bottom. The blue stars from paper in my stash are diecut with a Quikutz die and there's a tiny bit of bling on the middle star. The sentiment stamped in Memento danube blue, is from the same set as the above-mentioned.

I hope my cards pass muster this time. If you don't already play this challenge, this is a great sketch to start with. Go check it out.

Hugs & Blessings,
Erica

Quickie card

I made this card just to have on hand in my stash. It was easy peasy since the card is one of those ready-made ones from a $9.99 box by Paper Studio. You just need to add your own touch to these as you feel inspired. The banner is a from a Cuttlebug die set I don't often see. I inadvertently tossed the packaging, so I haven't got the name, but I think ProvoCraft was trying to compete with Spellbinders when they introduced them. I seldom see them used on any blogs, so it doesn't look like they "took." The sentiment is from Stampendous, using Memento tuxedo black, and the blue paper from my stash and the bottom is border punched with an EK Success punch. A little blue bling added for the final touch.

Hope your week is going well. I'll be back with those 3D projects my Stampin' trio made on the weekend. They came out so well.

Hugs & Blessings,
Erica

Second Post of the Day

This is my second post of the day. It's rare I do that. If you're looking for my LIM card, go to previous posts.

For Simply Create's wings challenge this week, I made two cards...both quite different and then couldn't decide which to submit for my design team entry. I ended up with this one leftover after thinking a dt entry should be a bit more intricate. Now, depending on your style, you may actually disagree with me. Far be it from me to say you're wrong. I am, after all a C&S stamper at heart. The basic sketch comes from Joan at Paperlicious here.

This card uses SU's soft suede for the base and and a bit of baja breeze. The inks are SU's olive green and marina mist. The stamps include CTMH for the swirly stitches, the tiny leaves from Rubber Tapestry's dainty florals and the dragonfly is a very ancient Stampabilities image. The sentiment is from my stash of unmounted sentiments, of which I have collected quite a few. The ribbon is from my stash.

Hugs & Blessings,
Erica

Challenge Me?

Less Is More   has a monogram challenge today and I think they're being quite expansive in their rules. You can use stickers today. So, I did. I've had these EK Success stickers for years. I used them on a Scrabble lovers' card, and had quite a few leftovers. I am a Scrabble player and I have the app on my iphone. I'm not very good, but I do have lots of fun. It's sorta like my card-making. 

This really is a clean and simple card. I just measured to be sure I was centering the squares. Then I mounted the letters on to brown scrap using the smallest Nestibilitie squares I had. The base is my usual Neenah solar white. I think A R T is a monogram for creating beautiful things (or not), as well as playing the game of Scrabble. Art is in the eye of the beholder, right?

Hope you're having a great weekend.

Hugs & Blessings,
Erica

Beautiful Fairies for Simply Create's 46th Challenge

Simply Create has a "winged" challenge this time around. Once I actually got to thinking about it, I realized there are many things that have wings. From my fellow designers at Simply Create, looks like fairies rule and rock. Mine is from Inkadinkadoo's Beautiful Fairies clear-mount set. I had it for a time. Knowing I couldn't exactly design a fairy image in a clean and simple look....my go-to design, I had to get out the purty stuff....you know, sparkly bling, ribbons, corners and fussy paper. Now for some, that's their go-to look. For me, well, I buy, hmmm, collect the stuff, put neatly in a drawer and rarely use it. Not this time. If you want deets, ask in your comments, cause the issue with these fussy cards, is that the recipe list is sooo long. I will tell you that the ds papers are from DCWV's Mariposa matstack. And I'm in love with it. These beauties beg for fussing over.

Tomorrow I have a stampin' pal get-together. I have a great 3D project for us to do. So come back Sunday and check it out. Don't forget Less Is More's Saturday challenge. If you're in the USA, you can check it out Friday after 12 midnight Central time. I often do this and then I dream on it. Is that a good thing?

Hugs & Blessings,

Erica

New Rubbah...Happy Dance

Yes, it's true, I got 4 new stamp sets from Stampin' Up. After being on an austerity budget for the last three months, I had to complete my quarterly obligation and I did.

Yes, I am doing the happy dance, but SU has made some changes in how they reward their demos and after thinking about it and talking with my upline, I have decided I'm not crazy about it. Although I've only done the math in my head, it seems we are not getting as much product $$$ to play with. That means that it could be a tougher sell to get hostesses for parties. I suppose this is just Shelli's way of meeting the economic difficulties. I'm sure that there are many other changes in other areas and this is the only one that has affected me.

On to my goodies. I am being more careful when choosing sets. If I can't envision up to 5 cards in my head, I pass the set up. I think I've chosen carefully. So, here I've used a hostess set called Faith In Nature. If you lean toward C&S designs; if you often make card sets to give away; if you like to keep several "thank you" sentiments on-hand; if you try to buy genderless (is there such a word?) stamp sets, then this set is for you. Of course, you'll have to be a hostess to get it. IMO, it's worth it. My card is white on white and I used the SU lattice folder and stamped in Memento tuxedo black and colored with copics. There is a thank you sentiment in the set, however, I've used a Fisher clear mount thank you, because I wanted "for your kindness". The oval is a Nestie die and the pear is stamped then die-cut with a nestie also. All paper is Neenah solar white.

1. I'll be posting a card for tomorrow using an SU flower die that retired far too quickly IMO.

2. On Saturday, don't forget the divas will post a challenge at Less Is More.

3.     Simply Create will post it's challenge. I have made a fussier card than usual for the team, but I like it.

4. I have a 3D project to post for Sunday, after my stamping galpals have made one for themselves. It would be
perfect for a stamp camp and I haven't seen a anything quite like it on anyone's blog.

Soooo, do come back and get ready for the weekend.

Hugs & Blessings,
Erica

Less Is More Challenge #19 and I have a New Badge!

Good Evening.
How has your weekend been? Mine has been superlative...after starting out a bit challenging for me personally. I checked out the LIM challenge at midnight and took it to bed with me. The following day, I hadn't dreamed up anything I wanted to work with, so off to my email I went. There in my inbox was another email from LIM. It was the weekly announcement of showcased cards. Lo and behold, I was one of them. I'm Showcased...forgive me for shouting, but I'm so honored. What a great card-themed year I'm having...a member of a DT team for the first time and now featured on one of the fastest growing challenge blogs. Mandi and Chrissie are the best pair of divas I know. Thank you so much dear ladies. Your challenges are awesome and have stretched me considerably. I want to thank my blog-readers as well. Thank you for commenting on my cards. That means soooo much to me.

Here we go to the one layer challenge this week...to make a card with a frame. A thought came to my ears after attending church and listening to awesome uplifting Christian music. I attend the most inspiring church. I'm so blessed. Though we don't have a violin in the church band, it is an instrument I thoroughly enjoy. This stamp, Vintage Violin, by Stampabilities was stamped in Memento tuxedo black overlaying a stamp called Music Score by Stampendous that's stamped in Memento London fog. To get the frame, I used a rectangle Nestibilitie and diecut into a piece of scrap then I taped it with removable tape onto the card base front (Neenah solar white) and stamped the music score background direct to paper. Note, I stamped-off the stamp first. Upon removing the scrap, vioila...the frame. I stamped the violin over it. The sentiment is from SU's Apple Blossoms. I hope you like my card and have a go at LIM's challenge.

Hugs & Blessings,
Erica