Perfect Punches is a Winner!

I was very sad to hear that Stampin Up was discontinuing the monthly demo contests.  I didn't enter every month but I still loved the contests and seeing the monthly winners.  So, since they announced the final contest I decided to give it one last shot.  I'm very happy to tell you I won in the Make & Take category!  Woo hoo!  Three free stamp sets!  Since the category was Make & Take my card is very simple and easy to reproduce.  My card base is Whisper White with a second, slightly smaller, layer to give it a little more stability.  I love Whisper White card stock.  I've tried lots of different whites on the market and nothing compares for stamping.  However, it is a little thin so that's why I like to layer a second piece when using it for my base.  My DSP is called Snow Festival.  I chose 3 complimentary patterns and made pennants out of them.  My sentiment is from the set Perfect Punches.  I stamped that in Cherry Cobbler and Gumball Green and then punched it out.  I added a little Baker's Twine for embellishment.  Quick and easy.  Thanks for stopping by!

Clean and Simple Watercolor Winter

Here are a couple clean and simple cards I made with Watercolor Winter.  This is by far my favorite set from the Holiday catalog.  Both of these cards were made with Confetti White cardstock.  For colors, I used Early Espresso, Garden Green and Cherry Cobbler.  I inked around the edges of the stamped panels and popped them up on some dimensionals.  The Christmas sentiment is from the set More Merry Messages.  The birthday sentiment is from the set Bring on the Cake.  I love how both of these turned out.  Thanks for looking!

Watercolor Winter Clean and Simple

I just love this new set from the Holiday catalog - Watercolor Winter.  It's definitely one of my all times favorites.  This is a set I will keep forever.  I kept this card clean and simple to really showcase the stamp images.  My card base is Naturals White.  I embossed that with the Framed Tulips folder.  My color combo is Early Espresso, Crumb Cake, Garden Green and Cherry Cobbler.  My sentiment is from the set Curly Cute.  I used my color spritzer to add a little dimension.  Finally I finished it off with a few pearls.  Thanks for stopping by!

CAS Valentine

Here's a quick, cute valentine I made with the new Fashionable Hearts Embosslit.  I finally sat down and played with this new die a little bit over the weekend.  I love it!  It makes really cute chubby little hearts.  So much fun!  For this card I used Island Indigo, Pool Party, Riding Hood Red and Blushing Bride.  I popped the hearts up on some dimensionals.  My sentiment is from a retired set called Something to Celebrate.  That's it!  Thanks for stopping by.

Clean & Simple Sympathy

I just love the set Love & Sympathy.  For this card I kept it really simple, just focusing on the pretty flower.  I colored directly on the stamp with my markers.  My colors are Rich Razzleberry and Old Olive.  The sentiment is from the same set.  Finally I inked the edge of my mat to create a frame around my focal image.  That's it!  Simple and elegant.  Perfect for a sympathy card.  Thanks for stopping by!

Clean & Simple Gently Falling

Here's a clean and simple card I made with the set Gently Falling.  I'm really please with how this turned out.  I'm starting to really love clean and simple designs.  For this card I masked the square and sponged the inside edges with Crumb Cake ink.  I left a little bit of white in the center.  I stamped the leaves in Island Indigo and Cajun Craze.  The detail stamp is done in Soft Suede.  I inked the edge a little to create a frame.  My sentiment is from the set You're a Gem.  I think this will make a nice fall anniversary card.  Thanks for stopping by!

Gently Falling CAS

Here's a quick one layer card I made with the set Gently Falling.  My card base is Confetti Cream.  I used the rock and roll technique on the leaves.  For the maple leaf I used Pumpkin Pie and Cherry Cobbler.  For the smaller leaves I used More Mustard and Pear Pizzazz.  The detail stamp is done with Early Espresso.  My sentiment is from the hostess set Happiest Birthday Wishes.  I rounded the bottom corners of the card base for a little interest.  That's it!  Quick and easy.  Thanks for stopping by!

Button Buddies CAS

Here's a really quick clean and simple card I made with the set Button Buddies.  I stamped the pig and punched it out with a big circle punch.  I used my Circle Scissors Plus to cut the outer circle.  The sentiment is from the hostess set Happiest Birthday Wishes.  I layered that on a strip punched with the scallop ribbon punch.  My color combo is Crumb Cake, Chocolate Chip and Rose Red.  I finished it off with a button for the pig's nose.  Too cute!  I really love this set.  I think its my favorite set in the current catalog.  Finally I rounded the bottom two corners of the card base.  Thanks for stopping by!

Faith in Nature CAS

I made this card for my brother-in-law.  I always struggle with masculine cards but this one came together pretty well.  I kept it very simple.  I stamped the leaf from the Faith in Nature set four times.  I rounded the opposite corners to add some interest.  My colors are Crumb Cake, Always Artichoke and Cajun Craze.  I added a strip punched with the scallop edge punch.  My sentiment is from a retired hostess set called Occasional Quotes.  I finished it off with a corduroy button.  I hope he liked it!  Thanks for stopping by.

Sail Away CAS

I made this card using the direct to paper technique.  I took my ink pad and rubbed it directly on Whisper White card stock.  It took me a couple tries to get the look I was going for.  I used Island Indigo, Lucky Limeade and Pool Party inks.  Next, I stamped the Sail Away boat in Basic Black.  It took the black ink a little bit longer to dry than usual.  I think that's because of the extra layer of ink underneath.  Because I didn't wait long enough before trimming my piece, I ended up with a little smudge down near the boat.  So, I just hand drew in another little bird to cover it up.  Problem solved!  I stamped the boat a second time and cut out the sails.  I popped these up on some dimensionals.  My sentiment is from the hostess set Happiest Birthday Wishes.  Thanks for stopping by!

Field Flowers CAS

Here's a clean and simple card I made with a new set called Field Flowers.  This set has beautiful artwork.  Its a 2 step stampin set and its super easy to make a beautiful card with it.  I stamped my flowers with Tangerine Tango, Cajun Craze, Crumb Cake and Chocolate Chip.  I spritzed the card to create a little depth.  I also stamped the bottom right corner with the Sandy Speckles wheel.  The sentiment is from the same set.  I really like that most of Stampin Up's new sets include greetings.  Thanks for stopping by!

Faith in Nature CAS

I made another card with the Faith in Nature set.  This set makes such beautiful and elegant cards.  I decided to go with a clean and simple layout for this card.  I think the stamp speaks for itself and you really don't need anything else.  I watercolored the pear with reinkers and an aquapainter.  My color combo is Crumb Cake, Lucky Limeade, Calypso Coral and a little Daffodil Delight for highlights on the pear.  I added a border along the bottom edge of the card punched with the scallop ribbon punch and a little tab of ribbon.  These are really my only embellishments.  I also used a distressing tool around the edges of my focal point.  This adds a little texture and helps the image stand out.  Thanks for stopping by!

Finishing Up My Christmas Cards

I've been working on my last few Christmas cards.  Here's a quick, clean and simple card.  The snowman is from the set Tags til Christmas.  I circle punched this and then layered it on a punched scalloped circle.  The sentiment is from the wheel Jolly Jingles.  The DSP is Candy Cane Christmas.  I love this pretty polka dot pattern.  I pulled my colors from the DSP - Baja Breeze, Real Red and Garden Green.  You can't tell from the photo but I added a little Dazzling Diamonds to the snowflakes behind the snowman.  Its pretty in real life!  I finished with a strip punched with the scallop ribbon punch.  Thanks for stopping by!

Splitcoast Clean & Simple - CAS95

This week's Clean & Simple challenge at Splitcoast was to include flowers in your design - CAS95.  I pulled out my favorite floral die - Daisies #2.  Since this is a clean and simple card I kept the design pretty basic.  I layered two cuts of each size daisy in Perfect Plum, Pear Pizzazz and Baja Breeze.  This was last week's color combo at Splitcoast - CC297.  I didn't get a chance to play last week but the samples really caught my eye so I decided to use it for this card.  I used a corduroy button for the center of my flower.  The sentiment is from the set A Word for You.  Finally I rounded the bottom corners of the card base to soften the whole design.  Thanks for stopping by!

Splitcoast Clean & Simple Challenge CAS93

This week's Clean & Simple challenge at Splitcoast is a sketch - CAS93.  The layout is really eye catching with the offset background and circle focal point.  This is a sketch I might use again.  My card is pretty simple.  The color combo is Very Vanilla, Perfect Plum and Rose Red.  For stamps I used Cottage Garden and Short & Sweet.  My background is embossed with a Texturz plate but you can't see the detail in the photo.  Too bad because it looks really good!!  I cut the circles with my Circle Scissors Plus.  I think I've finally gotten the hang of that tool!  I finished with a little Rose Red ribbon.  Thanks for stopping by!

Button Button SCS Color Challenge CC296

I decided to play along with this week's color challenge at Splitcoast - CC296.  The challenge was Poppy Parade, Tempting Turquoise and Whisper White.  I just couldn't wait to ink up the set I got this week.  Stampin Up recently held a demo challenge and the prize was the new set Button Button from the upcoming Occasions mini.  I just got it this week and I really like it.  I can see this set is going to get a lot of use!  I use buttons pretty regularily but sometimes its hard to find just the right color.  Now I have a whole bunch to choose from and I can make them any color I want!  The card is pretty simple.  I just stamped a winding path of buttons.  I added a couple words from the Fabulous Phrases set.  Quick, easy and simple.  Thanks for stopping by!

Tree Trimmings CAS

Here's a quick clean and simple card I made this weekend.  This is one layer and just stamping.  I used the set Peaceful Wishes to stamp the branches and pinecone in Old Olive and Early Espresso.  The ornaments are from the set Tree Trimmings.  I stamped these in Concord Crush and Marina Mist.  The sentiment is from the wheel Jolly Jinges.  I used my markers to color the stamp in multiple colors.  I did have to use my Stamp-a-ma-Jig to get the sentiment on straight.  I didn't want to screw up the card on the very last stamp!!  Thanks for stopping by.

Another Sweet Scoops Card

Here's another quick card using the Sweet Scoops set.  I think this is one of my all time favorite sets.  I've never made a card I didn't like with this set!  This one is clean and simple.  I traced a partial rectangle onto some Whisper White cardstock with a Soft Suede marker.  I stamped the ice cream cone in the bottom corner.  I used Mambo Melon and Soft Suede ink.  To get the shaded effect I inked the stamp, stamped off once and then sponged a little more ink on just one side.  Quick and easy!  Thanks for stopping by!

Splitcoast CAS85

Here's a quick card for this week's Clean and Simple challenge at Splitcoast - CAS85.  I'm finding that the set French Foliage is really great for clean and simple cards.  For colors I used Soft Suede, Pumpkin Pie, Cherry Cobbler and Crumb Cake.  It's hard to see in the picture but I scored a couple straight lines intersecting in the bottom corner.  Then I stamped my images just above the intersection.  I finished with a corduroy button.  The sentiment is from Tiny Tags.  Thanks for stopping by!

Serene Snowflake Clean & Simple

Here's a quick clean and simple card using one of my favorite snowflake sets.  The set is called Serene Snowflake from SU.  I stamped the main image in Whisper White craft ink and then embossed with white embossing powder.  The background snowflakes were just stamped with Whisper White ink.  The sentiment is from the SU set Hugs & Wishes.  I stamped it in Early Espresso.  I added a Rhinestone to finish it off.   Thanks for stopping by.....