Saturday, June 30, 2012

Sending Love

Happy Saturday! I hope y'all are staying cool. It's a scorcher most everywhere in the US this week. Our hearts and thoughts go to those without power (and air-conditioning) & praying for is quick restoration.

I made this card last evening with new supplies I received from Simon Says Stamp. I purchased the Monthly kit- it's a real nice deal with trendy papers and fun embellishments. I used the sketch from this week's Splitcoaststampers sketch challenge. (CC391.)  My stamps were from Unity & called "Sending my Love". I used my Marth Steward butterfly punch and glassy glaze on the mailbox. A few pearls add a little sweetness.

Have a great day & weekend! Hugs, Marilyn

Thursday, June 21, 2012

Retired Color Banner Card

Happy Thursday!
I am just getting around to posting my swap card from May. I saw something similar to this card on E-bay (of all places). You know, one of those 'kits' that includes all the ingredients to make 5 or so cards. The buyer just has to put the cards together. If I remember correctly that E-bay card had flowers instead of stars & I don't recall the paper, but the sketch is basically the same although I think I switched up the lengths of the banners.

I used this past year's retiring In Colors Designer Papers. (Pear Pizzazz, Peach Parfait, Concord Crush, & Blushing Bride). The banners are 1 inch wide & I cut a layer that was 5 inches wide by 3.75 inches long. It was easy then to lay my five one inch strips down with precision. Then I popped the whole panel up on dimensions. It took quite a while to make 12 cards, but the ladies seemed to really like this one.

Have a great day! Hugs, Marilyn

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Retro Golfer in Green

Hey there Blogger Friends!
I hope you all are having a great week! I certainly am & when things aren't going my way, I still say I'm having a great week. LOL!

This card was one I made last week for my Father in Law (FIL) for this past Father's Day. He is frail now but he was quite the golfer in his day. The sketch is one of my own & I really like how it turned out. The central image is from Graphic 45 A Proper Gentleman. This double-sided paper has an assortment of retro images & the other side is this green argyle print that I used on the panels. Also perfect for FIL as his favorite color is green. The cardstock is SU! Old Olive and Very Vanilla. It is actually a 6 X 6 card which accommodated the image quite well. The jumbo sized brads are Brazzill's artichoke. I found envelopes at my local printer where I get my Neenah paper and regular A2 envelopes.

Have a great rest of your day! Hugs, Marilyn

Sunday, June 17, 2012

Giraffe Birthday

Happy Father's Day!
We had a nice and easy lunch with my FIL (father-in-law) and step-MIL (mother-in-law). They are elderly & although they still get out, it really takes a lot out of my FIL. So to keep it easy on them, we brought to their home a BBQ lunch from one of our local restaurants to them. I am so thankful to have them both in our lives and just a short drive away. I made a German chocolate cake which is my husband's and FIL's favorite. Tonight I will give my husband a little gift from me & he'll open the cards that our daughters sent.
This card wasn't a Father's Day card but rather it was made for my youngest daughter's best friend whose birthday is upcoming. She has a thing for giraffes and anything with animal prints. The sketch I used is from Freshly Made Sketches. Love that sketch challenge and their sketches.

Thanks for stopping, Hugs, Marilyn

Supplies: 
Image: Zoo Review, Sentiment (SU)
Papers: More Mustard, Close to Cocoa (retired), WHite (Neenah), Dsp- Safari Kids Matstack (DCWV) 
Ink: Rich Cocoa (Momento), Barely Banana (retired), Close to Cocoa, Certainly Celery markers (SU)
Accessories: Scallop Oval, Extra large Oval punches (SU), Extra Long Rectangles Nestabilities (Spellbinders)

Sunday, June 10, 2012

Stamp Club Swap for July

Happy Sunday, friends! I'm starting on my swap cards for next month's stamp club. My typical process is to design one card, a template. Then I cut the pieces for the 12 cards, stamp for 12 & then assemble. This process works good for me; I can assemble the cards while watching ballgames on TV with DH. That way I don't spend all my time alone in the studio & away from my sweetheart.

I used the sketch from Freshly made Sketches but I flipped it. This is really quite a versatile sketch & I'm sure I use it again and again.



I used the new SU! in-color "Midnight Muse" for the ship image. I double {Heart} love these new ink pads from SU! SO easy to get the stamp inked & it gives such a crisp image. The DP is retired Nautical Expedition that I got on sale in the SU! clearance section. I didn't purchase it the first time around & was thrilled when it was on sale. My red is SU! Cherry Cobbler that is embossed with the Square Lattice folder & the twine is from my local dollar store.  Easy peasy! Hope the stamp club ladies like it!

Have a great day! Hugs, Marilyn

Saturday, June 9, 2012

Nature's Inspiration

Hi There Blogger Friends!
I hope everyone is doing great on this fine Saturday. It's pretty lonely around my house as our oldest daughter moved away to attend graduate school. The oyounger daughter was home from college for a few short weeks but she's back to school taking summer classes. So you will likely see me around a lot more in the future.

My card today is for several challenges. The Splitcoaststampers Inspiration Challenge was a fun one where I chose this cute pendant as my inspiration.

I used the colors over on the Play Date Cafe Challenge.


I used the sketch from Retro Sketches. I wasn't too sure if this sketch would work with my idea, but I think it turned out just fine.
The last challenge was for the Simon Says Challenge where Simon said 'show us some texture". My Fleur de Lis embossing folder worked well, plus I always think distressing adds texture. 

Thanks so much for stopping!! Have a great day!
Marilyn

Supplies:
Stamps: Nature Walk, Ephemera (SU)
Paper: Tempting Turquoise, Soft Suede, Pacific Poin (SU), Solar WHite (Neenah)
Ink: Soft Suede, Pacific Point (SU), Versamark (Tsukineko)
Accessories: Crumb Cake Seam Binding, Hardware, Brads, Spritzer tool, Big Shot (SU), Fleur de Lis (Cuttlebug-ProvoCraft)