A Banner Birthday for Seize The Birthday

Hi!  Our new challenge at Seize The Birthday has a Toppings option of Banners and/or Pennants.  Such a fun challenge!  Click the link above to see all the details at the STB blog.

Our Toppings option is just that...an option.  So if you're not in a banner or pennants kind of mood, no problem.  Anything goes, as long as it's a birthday card!

When I saw toppings for this challenge, I knew right away that I wanted to use my Stampin' Up banner punch along with some SU designer series paper.  Here's what I created.

I punched banners from SU Print Poetry DSP (love the colors and prints), then sewed them onto my card stock panel.  I tied the ends of the thread in little bows.  Ummm.  Not so easy.  The thread kept twisting instead of laying in a simple loop!
Anyway, I attached this to a layer of blue cs after stamping my sentiment.  All of this got popped onto my kraft card base with foam tape.  A fun and very easy card!
I hope you'll play along with our challenge, because we love seeing what all of you create. :)
Now, click on over to the Seize The Birthday challenge blog to see what my teamies created!

Supply list:
Card stock: kraft (PTI), midnight muse, very vanilla (SU)
Stamps: handwritten sentiments (SSS)
Ink: midnight muse (SU)
DSP: print poetry stack (SU)
Other: banner punch (SU), navy thread, sewing machine

Christmas Wishes...just to share!

Well, in my previous post I mentioned that I got a new stamp set from Stampin' Up! and loved the set so much that I made 4 more cards with it.  Here are the 4 cards.  No challenges involved.  Just for fun!

I used the same layout/sketch for all for cards.  Just varied the patterned papers and colors.  Except for the white card stock and the die, all other supplies are Stampin' Up! products.  Take a look at that patterned paper...yes...also new.  Cute patterns, right?

Oh, and if you are looking for a SU demo, my friend Kris is the best!  HERE is a link to her website.

Later!

Supply list ~
Card stock: white (Recollections)
Stamps: Ornamental Pine (SU)
Ink: wild wasabi, early espresso, crumb cake, riding hood red (SU)
DSP: Trim the Tree paper stack (SU)
Die: Tipped Tops (PTI)

Sweet Treats at Seize The Birthday!

Hi!  Our Toppings option for the current challenge at Seize The Birthday is Sweet Treats!  Fun, right!?!

As always, anything goes...the topping is an option.  As long as it's a Birthday card!

Of course, I always go with the Toppings option...since I love a good challenge. :)
This one was certainly a challenge for me, as I have very few stamps depicting "sweets".  I searched through my stash and found the cute Slice of Life stamp set by Stampin' Up!  It was just what I needed.
Here is what I created.

A few weeks ago I saw a card with wraparound stamped images.  I loved the idea and thought this would be a great time to try it.  It was fun, but coloring the images took me a LONG time.  Still, it was a lot of fun!  I added some Liquid Pearls to accent several of the images and applied a stripe of washi tape to "ground" the images.
Ok, click on over to Seize The Birthday and see what my oh-so-talented team mates have created for your inspiration.  I hope you'll play along!

Supply list ~
Card stock: white (Recollections 110#)
Ink: crumb cake (SU), onyx black (Versafine)
Stamps: a slice of life, (SU), handwritten sentiments (SSS)
Other: gold/white washi (Paper Wishes), white opal, petal pink, platinum pearl liquid pearls (Ranger), gold and clear wink of stella, Prismacolor colored pencils

Pinecones and Christmas Greetings - Two challenges

Hey, another card to add to my growing stash of Christmas cards!  I'm playing along in 2 challenges with this card.

Just Us Girls Wild Card Week #256 - Anything goes, as long as it's not 4 1/4 x 5 1/2.

Festive Friday Challenge #39

My square card measures 4 1/2 x 4 1/2.  I was so drawn to the pine wreath in the inspiration photo for Festive Friday, so I used my new Memory Box die.  I love this card!  It turned out just as I planned.  Yay!

I layered my diecuts over a panel of clear card stock, that was adhered along the top, to my card base (beneath the strip on white cs).  My sentiment was heat embossed onto the card base prior to attaching the acetate card stock.
I added some swipes of clear Wink of Stella to the pine branches and pine cones.  You might be able to see it if you click on one of the closeup photos.  It's so pretty in real life!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Supply list ~
Card stock: whisper white, not quite navy, mossy meadow, soft suede (SU), clear (Heartfelt Creations)
Stamps: happiest of holidays (PTI)
Die: pinecone corner (Memory Box)
Other: white ep (SU), clear wink of stella (Kuretake)

Black and White Theme at STB!

Our new challenge at Seize The Birthday has a Toppings option of a Black & White color combination.  There are so many possibilities that I had a hard time deciding!

Of course, as always, the Topping is an option.  Anything goes...as long as it's birthday themed!

I did a bit of experimenting on this card.  Here is what I created.

That background was created by applying white pigment ink over a stencil.  I faded it as I worked toward the top left corner.   I love the effect!  It makes me think of the shadow from sunlight shining though a leaded glass window.  What do you think?

I die cut 3 hollyhocks to layer over the background, applied a few drops of black enamel accents to the flower centers, then layered my sentiment strip over it all.

I hope you'll play along with us at Seize The Birthday.  We love seeing what you create.  :)

Supply list ~
Card stock: basic black (SU), white linen essentials (Ellen Hutson), white (Recollections)
Stamps: handwritten sentiments (SSS)
Ink: unicorn white (Memories), onyx black (Versafine)
Other: stencil (Heidi Swapp), hollyhock stem die (Memory Box), black enamel accents (Ranger)

Snowflakes Sparkle!

No, we don't have any snowflakes here!  In fact it's hot and humid this weekend.  We've been spoiled by a very mild, comfortable summer.  So, I guess I shouldn't complain!

Anyway, you're not here to listen to me whine about the humidity, are you?  Nope.

I only had time to create one card this (very busy) weekend.  And I chose to play along with CAS(E) this sketch #89.  This sketch by Leigh Penner is just what I needed to give me some inspiration on how to use a die I just bought.

Here's the sketch.

I created this Christmas card to add to my stash.

I cut my birch trees from Sahara Sand card stock and adhered that to a white card base.  The frame was the negative that was left behind, after using a rectangle die.  I popped it up with foam tape then added my sentiment banner.  The final touch was to add some clear Wink of Stella to the left edge of each of the trees.  Hopefully you can see that in the closeup photo.  If you click on the photo, you should get a larger version of it.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Supplies used ~
Card stock: white (Recollections), sahara sand (SU)
Ink: onyx black (Versafine)
Stamps: in the meadow (PTI)
Dies: stitched mats rectangles (Lil' Inkers Designs), birch tree cutting plate (Taylored Expressions)
Other: clear wink of stella (Kuretake)

A Watercolor and Bokeh

Yay!  It's time for a new 2-week challenge at Seize The Birthday.  This time there is no Toppings option.  So...anything goes.  Well, as long as it's a Birthday card, of course.

It wasn't easy to decide what technique I wanted to use for this No Toppings challenge.  I'm seeing so many fun video tutorials lately.  When I came across Dawn Woleslagle's video on the Bokeh technique...that made my decision easy!  HERE is the link to her video, if you want to check it out.

I made 2 cards using this technique.  I'll show you my second attempt first.  I love how this one turned out!  The first one...not so much.  I'll include a photo of it at the bottom of this post though, so you can see what I mean.

This was SO much fun.  I love playing with watercolors, as you've probably noticed.  Then add to that some circle stenciling, some Wink of Stella and a few sequins.  Oh. And a heat embossed sentiment, too. 
Well.  Good times!

Um...here is my first attempt at Dawn's Bokeh technique.

I added some white splatter to this card, and it just doesn't look right.  THEN when I stamped "birthday" under the Happy sentiment it just looked wonky.  So, I stamped it on a scrap that I had trimmed off the main panel. I attached that with foam tape.  Hmmm, it just doesn't look right.
But I figured it was only fair to show you my experimental card!

Anyway, thanks so much for stopping by. I hope you'll leave a comment.  I lvve reading them!
Susie

Supplies for "It's Your Day" ~
Card stock: white (Recollections from Michael'), watercolor paper (Artist's Loft from Michael's)
Stamps: think big favorites #2 (PTI)
Ink: versamark, unicorn white
Other: white ep (SU), watercolores and brushes (Michael''s), sponge dauber (SU), clear wink of stella (Kuretake), in color sequins (SU)

Supplies for the "Happy Birthday" ~
Same as for the card above, just different watercolors and the sentiment is from Wet Paint by PTI.