BIG Birthday Wishes and some "CLUES".........

Today's Limited Supplies Challenge had a few (!) requirements:
Stamps: one flower stamp (sentiment optional)
No designer paper
No Cuttlebug
No background stamps
Any embellishments
No Rub-ons ... except for sentiments

I used my favorite Paint Prints flower and the sentiment from Just B. These are BIG birthday wishes! (In other words, extra postage for sure!) The anchor and Primas are a gift from my friend, Stacy (twinshappy)! The edges are sponged with Tempting Turquoise.

Stamps: Just B, Paint Prints
Paper: DCWV Turquoise Textured, Pink Passion, Very Vanilla
Ink: Pink Passion, Tempting Turquoise
Accessories: Primas, flower brads, tag punch, Target $1 spot glitter ric rac, CTMH anchor
Techniques: sponging

Many of you know that my husband and I have been directing "Clue: The Musical" at our community theater. We started rehearsals back on January 2, and opened Valentine's Day. We are now to our last three (out of 10) performances, and we are getting sad. The cast has been so much fun to work with and we have had a lot of fun with the show. It has been incredibly time-consuming, but well worth our efforts. Sunday is our last performance (matinee) and then we will have to do the dreaded strike! How long it takes to put up the set and how quickly it comes down! We will bring home the giant CLUE sign that hung from the ceiling and descended with the envelopes filled with the cards of the suspects, weapons, rooms and the all important envelope marked "CONFIDENTIAL." Into the basement family room it goes! Here are just a few pictures from the show:

Where Seldom is HERD . . .

A music challenge! Right up my alley!
I loved this challenge - I am a music teacher and this really tickled my fancy. But fancy wasn't meant to be today (I did a fancy music challenge yesterday - see below).
I immediately thought of this Jessica Lynn stamp that I hadn't inked yet and this song:
"Where seldom is HERD, a discouraging word......" and it made me laugh. Hope my card brings a smile to your face too! And something springy is definitely what I am looking for right now! I am tired of cold and winter! How about you?

Black, White and a Rock!

I seriously love these three colors together - which is kind of funny, since I really didn't like River Rock when it first came out! But it has grown on me and I use it a lot now! However, I almost didn't post this card in my SCS Gallery, because it turned out totally different than I had envisioned and wasn't pleased with it at all. I don't know why - I suppose because I was thinking it was going to be something else.
It's kind of like when you taste something and were expecting something different. Has that ever happened to you? My husband cringes when he takes a drink of my Diet Coke instead of his Dr. Pepper (McD's cups! lol).
The other day at work we had a salad luncheon pot luck. There was this really awesome looking salad there that had that little tiny pasta in it - acini de pepe (or something like that!). I put some on my plate, took a bite, and was so surprised, as it was sweet. Nothing in its appearance gave any hint that it would be sweet - I guess I was expecting more of a salty pasta salad kind of thing than a sweet dessert kind of thing! It was still okay - just not what I was thinking it would be, so then I didn't have any more! How silly~
But anyway, here is my card. The Musical Manuscript background is stamped in River Rock, and then RR is sponged on top of that. The stem from Garden Silhouettes is embossed with black Sparkle EP. The inside is stamped with a Stampabilities sentiment: "Your friendship puts music in my heart."

Stamps: Musical Manuscript, Garden Silhouettes
Paper: River Rock, Basic Black, Whisper White
Ink: Versamark, River Rock, Basic Black
Accessories: black dotted and celery organdy ribbon, oval punches, Black Sparkle EP, Paper Frills by Doodlebug
Techniques: sponging

Have you seen this bird?

I am hoping that this little spring colored bird will eventually bring spring! Yesterday everyone was grumpy -- Snow flurries, 12 degree windchill and 45 mph winds do not happy people make! LOL

If I had to choose what my "favorite" stamping item would be, I am not sure what I would say. But if I decided the answer on the basis of what I have the most of, it would be Designer Paper. I just love it - I am a wallpaper person too - if it wasn't such a pain, every single room in my house would have wallpaper. The pretty patterns and combinations just really catch my eye.

I made this for the SCS Technique Challenge -- using two or more designer papers. These papers are from Basic Grey - from a newer line called Two Scoops. I have had them for over a month and had not yet used them. I prefer the 6 x6 pads, as the designs are smaller and more useable on cards. I also had not yet mounted my new little set from Stampin' Up! called "Spring Song." So, the two came together to make my card.

I used the sketch from Holly's blog for my layout! The bird is watercolored using pads and an aqua brush.

Stamps: Spring Song
Paper: DCWV Textured Charcoal, Pretty in Pink, Whisper White, Wild Wasabi, Basic Grey Two Scoops DP
Ink: Black Stazon, Close to Cocoa, Pretty in Pink, Wild Wasabi, Bordering Blue
Accessories: blue brads, pink organdy ribbon, ticket corner punch, designer label punch, dimensionals

I Know I Am a Queen!

I think my "pretty and elegant" mojo is back in hiding! So I pulled out some more of my cute new Hambo stamps and made this yesterday for the Featured Stamper Challenge. This week, I cased Mary Jo's card.
I changed images and papers, and added Primas. I also changed the layout slightly to fit my sentiment better. My image is watercolored with reinkers and an aqua brush. The tutu and bottom of her leotard are all sparkly with Stickles, as are the crowns and banners in the sentiment. This is a 5.5" square card, so it will fit in a 6" envelope.

Stamps: all stamps by Hambo Stamps
Paper: Pink Passion, Basic Black, Wild Wasabi, GP White, American Crafts DP
Ink: Black Stazon, Pink Passion, Wild Wasabi, Going Gray
Accessories: Stickles, green brads by The Paper Studio, Primas, slit punch, grosgrain ribbon, pink snap
Techniques: watercolor

Thank you for all the well wishes! I can definitely see and feel a change since I got on my new medicines! Yeehaw! I pray that all of you with sickness in your family will see a change soon too!

Who Hasn't Been Sick?

Goodness! What a season of illness around here! My whole family has been sick -- my son and husband are better now, but my daughter and I are still (after weeks) battling "something" which we hope we have found the right medicines for, finally. I am sure your family and friends are experiencing the same thing! It was a busy day in our doctor's office yesterday!

So, I haven't had any energy for stamping this week! And I miss it! Here is a card I made last week for the Featured Stamper Challenge. I cased this card of Betty's.

I changed colors and images, left off the large brads and substituted Primas for her medallion (which I flipped on the layout). The Eggplant base is stamped with Garden Silhouettes in Eggplant ink.


Stamps: Baroque Motifs, French Script, Garden Silhouettes
Paper: Elegant Eggplant, Certainly Celery, Very Vanilla, Always Artichoke
Ink: same as above
Accessories: organdy ribbon, photo corner punch, brads, Primas, Cuttlebug EF
Techniques: sponging

Today's Inspiration Challenge

Here is my card for today's SCS Inspiration Challenge. I kept with the birds and background design in the piece, but changed the blue to plum for the bird color. The edges of the Vanilla are sponged with Cocoa ink. The different colored brads are supposed to represent the different neutrals in the orginal picture. What a neat inspiration piece HERE.

My bird is double stamped and raised on dimensionals, as are both panels. The bottom heart charm hanging off the little Prima says "I Love You."

Stamps: Inkadinkadoo
Paper: Close to Cocoa, Elegant Eggplant, Perfect Plum, Very Vanilla, LSS DP
Ink: Elegant Eggplant Craft
Accessories: plum, cocoa and light tan Primas, brads, velvet ric rac by American Crafts, heart charms, corner rounder
Techniques: sponging

Here a Chick, There a Chick

Here is my card for SCS Sketch Challenge 163.

My chickens aren't so little, but they think they are getting too little feed from the Farmer....they don't look all that skinny to me, so I think they better keep quiet or they may end up going to Sunday dinner........

Their color IRL is more gold/red -- for some reason my lighting is washing out the color -- but they look much darker and more intense -- (can chickens look intense??).

All stamps are available at www.hambostamps.com

Stamps: Hambo Stamps
Paper: Summer Sun, Real Red, Whisper White, American Crafts polka dot DP
Ink: Black Stazon, Bliss Blue, Summer Sun, Creamy Caramel, More Mustard
Accessories: white, red, yellow, and dotted Primas; dotted red organdy ribbon, yellow and red grosgrain ribbon; brads by American Crafts
Techniques: watercolor

Happy Trails and Snails!

For today's SCS Color Challenge:
Tempting Turquoise
Green Galore
Kraft (or another light brown)

I substituted Sahara Sand for the third color. These are some of my new Hambo Stamps I got last week. I haven't stamped in several days and was glad to be able to ink them up! The main image is watercolored using pads and reinkers and an aqua brush and is raised on dimensionals, as is the sentiment.

The doodling is my little snail's trail as he hits the road for the unknown!

Stamps: All stamps by Hambo Stamps
Paper: Sahara Sand, Tempting Turquoise, Green Galore, Whisper White, Basic Black, LSS DP
Ink: Black Stazon, Tempting Turquoise, Green Galore, Sahara Sand, Creamy Caramel
Accessories: Primas, brads, ticket corner punch, Cuttlebug EF
Techniques: doodling, watercolor

Thanks, Tosh!!

This week I received a fun award from one of my favorite stampers, Tosh. She is currently on several design teams, including SCS Dirty Dozen. She has a great blog and some wonderful tips and designs! Go check it out HERE. Now check this out:
Me, My Stamps and I - Chat

Another one of my favorite stampers and blogs!! Awesome layouts and creative designs on Chat's blog too!

And this one (a new-found bloggin friend!):
There She Goes - Jessica

Beautiful Paper makes for an easy card!

I simply love patterned paper. I have so many drawers full that I don't even know what designs I have. I need a better way to store it so I can see it all at once! Let me know if you have any ideas about that. Maybe I could just wallpaper my stamp room with it??

Today's card is for my friend, Shelly (aka papermoon04 on SCS). She celebrated her birthday yesterday and a group of friends made her red and white cards. My red is Stampin' Up!'s Ruby Red. I found this gorgeous paper in my stash, and they matched so well with the Ruby. Shelly has a beautiful way with collage and vintage art. That is so not my style, although I would love it to be! I am more a whimsical stamper - on the cute side. This DP helped me to make a card that reflected more of Shelly's style (impossible to match!!). Lovely paper and very quick!

The crown pin was where I actually started with the card, as Shelly was known for awhile on SCS as the Queen of Stalking, and the Queen of Pop. She still is the Queen in my book!

Happy Birthday, Shelly! Check out her BLOG.

Stamps: Celebrate Everything
Paper: Sahara Sand, Ruby Red, Basic Grey Dasher DP, Deja Views Sharon Ann Timeless DP
Ink: Ruby Red, Chocolate Chip
Accessories: CTMH gems, American Crafts velvet ric rac trim, SU Kraft Taffeta ribbon, SU silver organdy ribbon, birthday tag by My Mind's Eye, scallop punch
Techniques: sponging

We have a snow day today, so back to the stamp room for me!! Yay!