Christmas Card Challenges #9

Christmas Card Challenges has an "Anything Goes" challenge for this week.  I was sitting at the craft table trying to decided what to do when all of a sudden this pile of scraps caught my eye.  So, I cut them into strips, added some Multipurpose Liquid Glue to keep them all together at the top and made a rather different kind of Christmas tree.

The sentiment from the White Christmas stamp set is stamped using Night of Navy.  The cardstock I used is Whisper White, Night of Navy, Garden Green, Home for Christmas, Trim the Tree and Glitzy Glitter for the star.  The star was cut using the smallest star from the Stars Framelits Dies.  I think it made for an interesting Christmas tree, don't you?

For all the challenge details and to share your project, visit Christmas Card Challenges.

Thanks for stopping in at the Coffee Pot Stamping Cafe,

Marsha

Watercooler Wednesday Challenges #52

One of the things I determined to do in this new year, is to use it all up as in every scrap of paper.  This die-cut was left over from a previous project and when the "Anything Goes" challenge came up for this week's Watercooler Wednesday Challenges, I knew it would be perfect for a very simple but elegant thank you card for a friend.

The patterned paper rose is cut from the Love Blooms Designer Series Paper Stack and layered onto a card base of Blackberry Bliss.  The new Rose Wonder stamp set has an outline stamp that fits perfectly around the sentiment from the set.  I stamped them on Whisper White using Blackberry Bliss ink then, used the label die from the new Rose Garden Thinlits Dies which also has the rose and leaf die.  It's popped up with some dimensionals.  And, for just a wee bit of bling, I added a Rhinestone Basic Jewel in the center of the rose. 

For all the challenge details and to share your project, visit the Watercooler Wednesday Challenges.

Thanks for stopping in at the Coffee Pot Stamping Cafe,

Marsha

Christmas Card Challenges #8

This week non-traditional colors are on tap for Christmas Card Challenge.  As you can tell, it's a color challenge.  I had fun with this one in that I put colors together that I never would have thought of putting together.  Tempting Turquoise, Rose Red, Mint Macaron and Blushing Bride.  I'd say that's quite a mix, would you?

The Season's Greetings sentiment is from the Happy Scenes stamp set and stamped in Tempting Turquoise.  I love that poinsettia image from the Reason for the Season stamp set.  It's stamped in Rose Red and Mint Macaron.  Cardstock used is Tempting Turquoise, Whisper White, Mint Macaron and Love Blooms Designer Series Paper Stack.  In the center of the poinsettia, I added one medium Rhinestone Basic Jewel and surrounded it with small ones.  I just needed a little bling!

For all the challenge details and to share your project, visit Christmas Card Challenges.

Thanks for stopping in at the Coffee Pot Stamping Cafe,

Marsha

Wacky Watercooler January Mini Blog Hop Number Two

Welcome to the second Wacky Watercooler Blog Hop of the 2016.  We're here again to show off some of the great new projects from 2016 Occasions Catalog and the 2016 Sale-A-Bration Brochure.  The Watercooler gals have lots of fantastic projects to share with you.

My first project features the Honeycomb Happiness stamp set from the Sale-A-Bration Brochure.  It's found on page 15.  I totally love this little chick.  It reminds me of all the soft, fluffy baby chicks that my grandmother raised.  So cute!

The card base is Whisper White Thick.  I stamped the chick and the balloon images with StazOn onto the Whisper White then, stamped the balloon on a scrap from the Cherry On Top Designer Series Stack and the chick onto Daffodil Delight.  I fussy cut the chick and balloon and placed those pieces on the images stamped on the card base.  For the ribbon on balloon and the beak and feet on the chick, I used a Calypso Coral Stampin' Write Marker.  The sentiment is from the Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp set.

For my second card, I needed a touch of spring given it's been so cold and snowy here.  I love to sit on a park bench and simply enjoy the day.

The card base is Marina Mist to which I added a layer of patterned from Botanical Gardens Designer Series Paper.  I stamped the image from the Happy Home stamp set found on page 21 of the Occasions Catalog in StazOn onto Whisper White.  I sponged a bit of Soft Sky and Pear Pizzazz over it and overlaid it with a window cut from Marina Mist using the Hearth & Home Framelits Dies.  The sentiment is also from the Happy Home stamp set.  I then added a few Garden Green Candy Dots.

Next up on your tour is the talented Jackie Susnik.  She always offers such wonderful projects.  Click the image below to see what she has created.

If you'd like to see the wonderful projects from Heidi Weaver again, click the image below.

If you'd like to start your tour over, click the image below and you'll be back at the Watercooler Stamping Blog.

Thanks for stopping in at the Coffee Pot Stamping Cafe,

Marsha

Watercooler Wednesday Challenge #51

Clean And Simple (CAS) with a Star is Bev's challenge for us this week at the Watercooler Wednesday Challenge.  For my card I simply cut out three sizes of stars from the Cherry On Top Designer Series Paper Stack using the Stars Framelits Dies.  I layered them on the front of the Whisper White card base and popped up the two smaller stars with dimensionals.  The sentiment is from the Pictogram Punches stamp set and stamped using Bermuda Bay ink.  Clean and simple and so easy to make.  

For all the challenge details and to share your project, visit the Watercooler Wednesday Challenge.

Thanks for stopping in at the Coffee Pot Stamping Cafe,

Marsha

Christmas Card Challenges #7

Welcome!  This week Christmas Card Challenges has a great inspiration photo for you.  Gold is not one of the colors I go to much, I'm actually a silver person.  But I do like the way the Gold Foil paper cut using the Sweater Weather Cutting Plate from Taylored Expressions.  I love all the detail.

Real Red and Very Vanilla paired nicely with the gold, don't you think?  I pulled out two favorites for the label.  I stamped the sentiment from Christmas Lodge in Real Red and die cut it using Lots of Labels Framelits Dies.  I popped up the label with some dimensionals and added just a bit of bling in Champagne rhinestones.

One thing I discovered is that shiny gold does not photograph well.  Then again, it could just be the photographer.  I'm still learning.

For all the challenge details and to share your project, visit Christmas Card Challenges.

Thanks for stopping in at the Coffee Pot Stamping Cafe,

Marsha

What makes You Happy?

Cold is settling in back here in Iowa.  So, I'm doing more of what makes me happy, making cards and entering challenges.  It's a great way to while away the winter days.

For today's card, I used an Elegant Eggplant base.  The color layer on the left is from the new Perfectly Artistic Designer Series Paper found in the 2016 Sale-A-Bration Brochure.  I have to say I just love that paper.  To the right side, I added of layer of Whisper White that uses the new Splatter Embossing Folder from Taylored Expressions.  The sentiment on the center layer is from the Hello Life stamp set.  It's stamped in Crumb Cake.  To add a bit more color to the mostly Whisper White card front, I punch Elegant Eggplant flowers using the flower punch from the Itty Bitty Accents Punch Pack.  For the final touch, I added Rhinestone Basic Jewels to the center of each little flower and to the bottom left corner.

The sketch I used is from Freshly Made Sketches.

Thanks for stopping in at the Coffee Pot Stamping Cafe,

Marsha

Just for You

Today's card, made for my oldest granddaughter, was inspired by the Stampin' Royalty challenge.  The challenge was to make a one layer card.  Since the card has to travel from Iowa to Nevada, a one layer card is perfect for mailing.

The card base is Whisper White Thick.  First, I stamped the background from the You've Got This stamp set using Mint Macron.  I stamped off twice so it would be a light background.  On top of that, I stamped the sentiment from the new Sale-A-Bration Botanicals for You in Rich Razzleberry.  The little flowers, from the same stamp set, are stamped using Watermelon Wonder, Hello Honey and Lost Lagoon.  On the inside, stamped in Rich Razzleberry, is the sentiment "...because you're awesome."  It's also from the Botanicals for You stamp set.

The one layer theme is from the Stampin' Royalty Challenge.

Thanks for stopping in at the Coffee Pot Stamping Cafe,

Marsha

Watercooler Wednesday Challenge #50

When I first saw Jean's Quilt Style Paper Piecing Technique Challenge, I knew exactly what I wanted to do.  All I had to do was wait until my order arrived with the Rose Wonder stamp set and Rose Garden Thinlits Dies.  The paper I used is from the new Love Blooms Designer Series Paper Stack and the card base is Whisper White Thick.  The sentiment was stamped using Rose Red.

Being a novice quilter, I have a fascination for Trapunto Quilting.  For those unfamiliar with that quilting technique, here is a small summary.

"Trapunto quilting is a technique used to add another dimension to a quilt. Puffy, raised areas of quilting add a unique texture to a flat piece of art. Italian for embroider, this is also known as the "stuffing technique" because specific parts of the quilt are filled. Interestingly, this method of quilting has been around since the 14th century! Trapunto quilting can be done by hand or by machine."

Trapunto: Make Your Quilt Pop by Angela Mitchell

The complete article can be found here:  http://www.craftsy.com/article/trapunto-make-your-quilt-pop

Since there was no easy way to "stuff" the image, I came up with my own version of trapunto quilting for my card.  To begin, the rose image is cut right out of the front of the card base.  I then added a layer of Vellum to the front and to the back of it, to give it more stability and to give a filmy look to the image that is on the inside of the card.  Then, I glued the rose and leaf image to the inside of the card and filled in the rose.  Using the Rose Garden Thinlits Dies, I cut out the quilt pieces using different patterned paper from the Love Blooms Designer Series Paper Stack and put them in their places with Multipurpose Liquid Glue.  And, that as they say, is that!

For all the challenge details and to share your paper piecing project, visit Watercooler Wednesday Challenge.

Thanks for stopping in at the Coffee Pot Stamping Cafe,

Marsha

Sky Is The Limit

Sunshine through my windows always makes me happy even when the temperatures are below freezing.  Some how, it never seems so bad when the sun is shining and the skies are blue.

With Valentine's Day approaching, I've been making cards to send to my grandchildren.  The Sky Is The Limit stamp set from the Sale-A-Bration Brochure, makes for a perfect guy card.  Yes, I use pink and rhinestones on my guy cards, especially for Valentine cards.  I've not had any complaints thus far.  :-)

The card base is Melon Mambo to which I added the stamped layer of Whisper White.  The plane is stamped using Tempting Turquoise and I added a little Real Red heart punched from the Owl Builder Punch.  I added Rhinestone Basic Jewels to the center of the hearts and under the sentiment.  The sentiment and smoke trail are stamped using Real Red.  The three little clouds are stamped using Melon Mambo.

The colors I used are from The Paper Players.

Thanks for stopping in at the Coffee Pot Stamping Cafe,

Marsha

Perfect Plum Flowers

Two posts in one day?  What's up with that, you may ask?  Well, I discovered a brand new challenge today and you know how I love challenges.  It's The Colour Tree Challenge from addINKtive designs.  I loved the colors for this one.

On the Very Vanilla card base, I added Early Espresso branches cut from the new Rose Garden Thinlits Dies.  The pretty Perfect Plum flowers and So Saffron centers are cut from the Botanical Builders Framelits Dies.  To the centers I added a Rhinestone Basic Jewels.

You can find the beautiful colors I used at The Colour Tree Challenge.

Thanks for stopping in at the Coffee Pot Stamping Cafe,

Marsha

Love

Today finds me thinking about Valentine's Day.  It's just over a month away.  The colors from the Sunday Stamps Challenge were perfect for a Valentine card.  I combined it with the great sketch from CAS(E) this Sketch Challenge.

The card base is Whisper White Thick cardstock.  At first I had a layer of Crumb Cake but it just didn't look right to me.  So, I grabbed a piece of patterned paper from the Love Blooms Designer Series Paper Stack.  Then, I added a layer of Blushing Bride.  The small hearts are punched from Crumb Cake and Watermelon Wonder using the heart punch from the Itty Bitty Accents Punch Pack.  The larger heart was punched from Whisper White using the Sweetheart Punch.  The love sentiment is from the Hello Life stamp set.  It's stamped using Crumb Cake ink.  I used a Wink of Stella Clear Glitter Brush to add some shimmer to the small hearts.  It doesn't show up well in the photo but it's very pretty in real time.  I added just a little bit of bling to the right of the sentiment in the form of a rhinestone.

The colors I used are from the Sunday Stamps Challenge.

The sketch I used is from the CAS(E) this Sketch Challenge.

Christmas Card Challenges #6

Welcome to "Anything Goes" week here at Christmas Card Challenges.  For this one I made a little snowflake flower and put it in a vase.  I keep forgetting that I have these cute little Posh Vases Dies from Taylored Expressions.  I haven't used them in ages but they are so cute!

For my card, I stayed with mostly Always Artichoke and Cherry Cobbler for my colors. Other colors I used are Crumb Cake and Very Vanilla. And, I've been itching to use this plaid paper from Handmade Holidays by Simple Stories because I happen to love plaid, especially if it's flannel.  The sentiment is from the Flurry of Wishes stamp set and stamped in Always Artichoke.  The snowflake is a Studio G stamp.  It's stamped in Cherry Cobbler.  I know, I've never seen a red snowflake, either.  Let's just say it fit the color scheme.  I added Rhinestone Basic Jewels to the center of the snowflake and on each point.  So, what do you think, too much plaid?

For all the challenge details and to share your project, visit Christmas Card Challenges.

Thanks for stopping in at the Coffee Pot Stamping Cafe,

Marsha

Wacky Watercooler January Mini Hop Number One

Welcome to the first Wacky Watercooler Blog Hop of the 2016.  Today we are introducing you to some of the great new products from the 2016 Occasions Catalog and the 2016 Sale-A-Bration Brochure.  Are you ever in for a treat!  I fell in love with so many of the new products that it was hard to decide which ones I wanted to get first.

My first card features a new set from the Occasions Catalog.  It's called Botanical Blooms and coordinates with the Botanical Builder Framelits Dies.  I love those pop-up flowers.  They give some great dimension to the flowers.  You can find these products on page 26 and 27 of the catalog.  What's great is that you can purchase the bundle and get the Botanical Blooms Stamp Set, the Botanical Builder Framelits Dies and the Botanical Gardens Designer Series Paper for a 15% savings.

The cardstock is Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla, Blushing Bride, Melon Mambo, Rich Razzleberry and Pear Pizzazz.  The sentiment is stamped using Rich Razzleberry ink and is from the Trust God Stamp Set found in the the 2015-2016 Annual Catalog.  For the two leaves, I used Garden Green stamped on the Pear Pizzazz.  I added some Rhinestone Basic Jewels for a wee but of bling.     

For my next project I used the new stamp set Botanicals For You found on page 4 of the 2016 Sale-A-Bration Brochure.  It's one of the free sets you can select when you place a $50 order.  When I purchased the bundle mentioned above for $51.75, this is the free stamp set I chose.

The card is a CASE (Cope And Share Everything) from page 5 of the Sale-A-Bration Brochure.  I loved the way it looked but instead of stamping the sentiment in black, I used Crumb Cake.  The little flowers are stamped using Real Red, Hello Honey and Pool Party.  The little branches are stamped in Pear Pizzazz.  I added Pearl Basic Jewels to the center of each of the flowers.  The cardstock is Crumb Cake and Whisper White.  It is a simple and easy card to make and would make a great one to use for a Stamp-A-Stack.  What do you think?

Okay, that all I have for you this time.  It's time to move forward.  Next up is Heidi Weaver.  I always enjoy seeing what her creative mind puts to ink and paper.

If you'd like to go back to check out the great projects from Deb Smart, click the image below.

If you'd like to start over and take another look at all the wonderful projects, visit the Wacky Watercooler Stamping Blog by clicking the image below.

Thanks for stopping in at the Coffee Pot Stamping Cafe,

Marsha

Watercooler Wednesday Challenge #49

For our first challenge of 2016, Jackie offered up a great sketch to jump start your new year creativity.  The minute I saw it, I knew just what I wanted to do.  The stamp set I used is from the new Sale-A-Bration Catalog.  It's called Sky Is The Limit and it's only available until February 15th.

Next week I have three grandsons who have birthdays, one right after the other.  I loved the plane in this set and once I stamped it, I fussy cut it and used dimensionals to pop it up.  That is not easy to see in the photo.  The sentiment is also from the same stamp set.  I think it made a very cool birthday  card for my soon to be fifteen year old.

Along with Sale-A-Bration, comes the new Occasions Catalog.  Be sure to stop back tomorrow for a look at more new product.  The Wacky Watercooler Stamping Blog crew are hopping to show off new product and will be featuring projects showcasing the new catalogs.  The blog hop starts at 8 p.m. CST.

For all the challenge details and share your project, visit Watercooler Wednesday Challenge.

Thanks for stopping in at the Coffee Pot Stamping Cafe,

Marsha

Best Wishes

Finally, it feels so good to be back in my craft studio.  After a brief hiatus during the holidays, I'm ready to get back to the fun of creating..  Today's card was made with a dual purpose.  One, I wanted to join in the Share Joy Challenge and two, I needed a wedding card.  Granted the card isn't needed until March but,  for those of you who know me, I really like to work ahead.

When Ben and Megan asked me to design and make their wedding invitations, I was thrilled.  She spent an afternoon with me going over what she had in mind.  She picked out the stamp sets and the colors and while we visited, I made up a couple of cards.  At the end of today's post you will find the design she and Ben chose.

For the card, I used some of my new Taylored Expressions dies, Pop-Up Petals 2 and Leafy Branch.  I stayed with their colors of Night of Navy and Garden Green.  I love how the flower die pops up and adds a bit of dimension to the flowers.  Clean and simple and all ready to go.

The sketch and Clean & Simple theme are from the Share Joy Challenge.

And here is a photo of Ben and Megan's wedding invitiation.

Thanks for stopping in at the Coffee Pot Stamping Cafe,

Marsha

Christmas Card Challenges #5

Happy New Year!  Welcome to the first Christmas Card Challenge of the 2016.  It's a color challenge for you this week.  For this one I used up some of the scraps that were laying around on my craft table.  Joy is cut from Watermelon Wonder cardstock using the Wonderful Wreath Framelits Dies and the circle is cut from Rich Razzleberry cardstock using the Circle Collection Framelits Dies.  I thing the two pair beautifully.  The card base is Smoky Slate with a layer of Very Vanilla.  Handmade Holiday by Simple Stories gave me the polka dot patterned paper.  It's a simple design but I love that the only thing I had to do to it was trim down the size, glue it together, add a few Rhinestone Basic Jewel and the baker's twine.  It doesn't get any easier than that!

So, come join us and start your new year with a weekly Christmas card.  By the time next December rolls around you'll have all you need to share with your family and friends.

For all the challenge details and share you project with us, visit Christmas Card Challenges.

Thanks for stopping in at the Coffee Pot Stamping Cafe,

Marsha

Happy New Year!

Just a quick post to share another gift I received at my local demonstrator Christmas dinner.  Kay made this gorgeous set of cards and a wonderful box in which to keep them. It's such a pretty set.

Thanks for stopping in at the Coffee Pot Stamping Cafe,

Marsha