Watercooler Wednesday Challenges #96

It's the fifth Wednesday of the month and here at Watercooler Wednesday Challenges that means a surprise challenge.  Gail is hosting and her surprise challenge for us is to make a special fold project.  I came across this cute "Box" Card by Chiaki Haverstick and just had to make it for my Design Team project.  It's cute.  It's easy.  It's quick to make.  If you'd like her instructions, you can find them HERE.

One of the things I don't often buy is ribbon.  I find I never get it used up before it's retired so I keep a stock of the 5/8" Whisper White Organza Ribbon on hand.  What I do, when I decide to add a ribbon, is color the organza to match my project.  I usually just use a blender tool but you can also use a brayer if you are so inclined.  I colored the ribbon in Sweet Sugarplum to match my project.

My youngest granddaughter turns 13 on Christmas Day.  It's a milestone birthday so I'm going to design a pair of earrings and matching bracelet for her birthday gift.  I think this will make the perfect package for them. 

Stamp Set:  Elegant Birthday (retired); Ink:  Sweet Sugarplum; Cardstock:  2016-2018 In Color Designer Series Paper Stack, Very Vanilla; Other:  5/8" Whisper White Organza Ribbon

For all the challenge details and to share your project, visit Watercooler Wednesday Challenges by clicking the image below.  We'd love to have you join us.  You have until Monday, December 5th at 6:00 p.m. Central Time to link your project.

Thanks for stopping in at the Coffee Pot Stamping Cafe,

Marsha

Sparkly Thank You Pine

With all of my Christmas cards done, I turned my thoughts to the thank you cards that we all will need to send out.  Whether it be for a gift or the sharing of a meal with friends or family, I always like to have thank you cards ready so I can get them in the mail quickly.  I'm so glad that my mother taught me the value of sending thank yous.

For my "old" stamp, I picked Lovely As a Tree.  It's been around for as long as I've been a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator.  The earliest date I could find on Split Coast was 2003.  I'm not sure, but I think it could be older than that.  Anyway, it's a tried and true wonderful stamp set that has endured and I, for one, hope it continues to do so.

While it is not showing up well in the photo, I used my Heat & Stick Powder and added some sparkle using Iridescent Ice Embossing Powder.  I covered the entire rectangle and it gives it a sparkly effect that looks like snow glistening at night as it falls from the sky.

Stamp Sets:  Lovely As a Tree, Rose Wonder (sentiment); Inks:  Night of Navy, Old Olive; Cardstock:  Whisper White; Patterned Paper:  Serene Scenery Designer Series Paper Stack; Other:  Heat & Stick Powder, Iridescent Ice Embossing Powder

The sketch I used is from the Retro Rubber Challenge.  For all the challenge details, click the image below.

Thanks for stopping in at the Coffee Pot Stamping Cafe,

Marsha

It's a Celebration

Addicted to CAS is celebrating their 4th birthday and this is the card I made to celebrate the event with them.  Over time, I have become addicted to clean and simple as I love the uncluttered design.  Most of the time I use ink and paper with no embellishments when making a CAS (Clean And Simple) design.  Today, I glued the die-cut word celebrate inside the frame of that wonderful scalloped stitched die-cut.  The image to the left is stamped in Night of Navy then, I filled it in with a Silver Gelly Roll Pen.  I'm not sure that was a good idea.  I think I may like it better without but it did add just a bit of shimmer to the image.

Stamp Set:  Paisleys & Posies; Ink:  Night of Navy; Cardstock:  Sweet Sugarplum, Whisper White; Other:  Celebrate Die (Taylored Expressions), Frame in Frame 2 Cutting Place (Taylored Expressions), Silver Gelly Roll Pen

The theme I used is from the Addicted to CAS Challenge. For all the challenge details, click the image below.

Thanks for stopping in at the Coffee Pot Stamping Cafe,

Marsha

Pretty Poinsettias

Now that Thanksgiving is over, I've retired my cute little bobble head scarecrow back to the shelf and pulled down a couple of the Christmas boxes I have saved.  With the Christmas season going into full swing, I'm busy finishing up my cards and gifts.  I only have a few more days in which to get those gifts done and packaged up for shipping.  But, today is all about decorating the tree and my home for Christmas.  It's always been my tradition to decorate the day after Thanksgiving.  I love to keep my holidays separate and take the time to fully enjoy both.

Stamp Set:  Holiday Florals (Taylored Expressions); Inks:  Crumb Cake, Watermelon Wonder; Cardstock:  Watermelon Wonder, Shimmery White, Very Vanilla; Other:  Holiday Florals Dies (Taylored Expressions, Dazzling Details

The sketch I used is from the Freshly Made Sketches Challenge.  For all the challenge details, click the image below.

The colors I used are from the Stampin' Royalty Challenge.  For all the challenge details, click the image below.

Thanks for stopping in at the Coffee Pot Stamping Cafe,

Marsha

Happy Thanksgiving

Watercooler Wednesday Challenges #95

The Watercooler Wednesday Challenges is all about the guys this week.  Libby is our host this week and I must say that I really like being able to do an "anything goes" for our masculine challenge.  I recently purchased the Wetlands stamp set and have been wanting to make this card ever since I saw it.  It's a CASE (Copy And Share Everything) of one done by Amanda Bates. 

Stamp Set:  Wetlands; Ink:  Early Espresso; Cardstock:  Crumb Cake, Whisper White; Patterned Paper:  Serene Scenery Designer Series Paper Stack

For all the challenge details and to share your project, visit Watercooler Wednesday Challenges by clicking the image below.  We'd love to have you join us.  You have until Monday, November 28th at 6:00 p.m. Central Time to link your project.

Thanks for stopping in at the Coffee Pot Stamping Cafe,

Marsha

Vintage Christmas Lodge

Now that Thanksgiving is almost here and I have all my cards done, it's time to get my focus back creating those cards I still need for Christmas.  This week's challenge at The Paper Players was perfect.  I pulled one of my favorite retired stamp sets off the shelf to use, Christmas Lodge.  It's been a while since I've used it but I still love that lodge image.  I also used Baked Brown Sugar, one of my favorite ink colors from days gone by.  What doesn't show up in the photo is the Clear Wink of Stella sparkly snow on the rooftop of the lodge.  I love the stuff but it just doesn't photograph well for me.

Stamp Set:  Christmas Lodge (retired); Ink:  Baked Brown Sugar (retired); Cardstock:  Baked Brown Sugar (retired), Very Vanilla; Other:  Stitched Oval Stacklets Dies (Taylored Expressions, Clear Wink of Stella Brush

The "Clean-and-Simple Christmas" theme I used is from The Paper Players Challenge.  For all the challenge details, click the image below.

Thanks for stopping in at the Coffee Pot Stamping Cafe,

Marsha

Shades of Blue

As you may know, blue is my favorite color.  When I saw the monochromatic shades of blue at the CAS Colours & Sketches Challenge, I could not resist playing along.  Oh, and let's not forget those blue butterflies.  Even though they are not actually part of the challenge, I did use one on my card.

Sometimes I forget that I have stamps that actually have text on them.  It was a treat to dig out one of my Tim Holtz stamps to use on my card.  We had to use text other than a sentiment at the CAS Watercolour Challenge.

I love the way the Soft Sky, Marina Mist and Pacific Point blended together.  The butterfly was cut from Vellum and washed on the back with Pacific Point to match the lower color. 

Stamp Set:  Reflections (Tim Holtz); Inks:  Basic Black Archival, Marina Mist, Pacific Point, Soft Sky; Cardstock:  Watercolor Paper, Whisper White; Other:  Bold Butterfly Framelits Dies, Hello Die (Taylored Expressions), Stitched Oval Stacklets Dies (Taylored Expressions), Pearl Basic Jewels, Dimensionals

The colors I used are from the CAS Colours & Sketches Challenge.  For all the challenge details, click the image below.

The use of text on my card was prompted by the CAS Watercolour Challenge.  For all the challenge details, click the image below.

Thanks for stopping in at the Coffee Pot Stamping Cafe,

Marsha

Layered Birthday

Usually, I have a hard time putting together a card using the colors in the current ColourQ Challenge.  But, for some wonderful reason, this card came together quite well.  I used two different embossing folders to give the card some texture.  It's a cheerful card, don't you think?

Stamp Sets:  Botanical Blooms (flowers), Butterfly Basics (sentiment), In the Meadow (grass); Inks:  Chocolate Chip, Hello Honey, Old Olive, Pumpkin Pie; Cardstock:  Chocolate Chip, Hello Honey, Pumpkin Pie, Whisper White; Other:  Weathered Embossing Folder (Taylored Expressions), Chicken Wire Embossing Folder (Taylored Expressions), Olive Ribbon, Pearl Basic Jewels

The colors I used are from the ColourQ Challenge.  For all the challenge details, click the image below.

Thanks for stopping in at the Coffee Pot Stamping Cafe,

Marsha

Peace Be With You

The thing I like most about single layer stamping, is how easy it can be.  A single layer of cardstock, a stamp set, a few inks and you have a lovely card.  For this one I used the Reason for the Season two-step stamp set.  I've not done so in a while and I really like how the poinsettia turned out for this one.

Stamp Set:  Reason for the Season; Inks:  Cherry Cobbler, Crushed Curry, Garden Green, Tuxedo Black Memento; Cardstock:  Whisper White

The theme at the One-Layer Simplicity Challenge is "peace."  For all the challenge details, click the image below.

Thanks for stopping in at the Coffee Pot Stamping Cafe,

Marsha

Butterfly & Blooms

Color Throwdown meets Freshly Made Sketches.  And, what a great combination. This was a fun card to put together.  Sometimes colors I wouldn't put together on my own come together beautifully when you must use them in a challenge.  You know, if it weren't for all those great challenges out there, I'd never venture far from using blue on every card.  😊

Stamp Sets:  Kinda Eclectic (butterfly), Rose Wonder (sentiment); Inks:  Basic Black Archival, Calypso Coral; Cardstock:  Calypso Coral, Real Red, Whisper White; Patterned Paper:  Rainbow Brights Paper Stack (Taylored Expressions); Other:  Bitty Butterfly Punch, Elegant Butterfly Punch, Botanical Builder Framelits Dies, Pearl Basic Jewels, Clear Wink of Stella (small butterfly), Dimensionals

The colors I used are from the Color Throwdown Challenge.  For all the challenge details, click the image below.

The sketch I used is from the Freshly Made Sketches Challenge. For all the challenge details, click the image below.

Thanks for stopping in at the Coffee Pot Stamping Cafe,

Marsha

Wacky Watercooler "All Out" Christmas Blog Hop

Welcome to the November Wacky Watercooler Blog Hop!  Each month, on the third Thursday of the month, a group of us get together to hop and share projects from Stampin' Up!'s current catalogs.  It's always a lot of fun.  This month it's all about Christmas.  You'll see projects using product from both the Annual Catalog and the Holiday Catalog plus a few surprises along the way.  So, grab a cup, sit back and enjoy.

You should be coming to my blog from Libby Fens.  Weren't her projects great?  After your visit with me, you'll head on over to Penny Hanuszak.  You are going to love her projects.  And, as always, our Hop runs in a circle.  Whether you start at the top and go forward or start at the bottom and go backward, you will always wind up where you started.

My first card is a clean and simple design.  I actually fussy cut the scallops after tracing around a die cut from another project.  Most of the cards I make for Christmas that get mailed to family and friends are rather simple.  It does keep the cost of postage down.  This one has the holly branches Father Christmas from the Holiday Catalog.  I colored them with Old Olive and Real Red.  The sentiment is from the Reason for the Season stamp set from the Annual Catalog.

Stamp Sets:  Father Christmas, Reason for the Season; Inks:  Basic Black Archival, Old Olive, Real Red; Cardstock:  Real Red, Shimmery White, Whisper White; Other:  Rhinestone Basic Jewels

For my second card, I stamped the train image from the Christmas Magic stamp set and heat embossed it using Copper Embossing Powder. I love that copper and I think it looks well with most colors.  I keep trying it out and so far, I've not found one that I don't like the combination.

Stamp Set:  Christmas Magic; Ink:  Dapper Denim, VersaMark; Cardstock:  Dapper Denim, Whisper White; Patterned Paper:  2016-2018 In Color Designer Series Paper Stack; Other:  Project Life Cards & Labels Framelits Dies, Stitched Shapes Framelits Dies, Copper Embossing Powder, Radiant Rain Shimmering Ice Mist (Splash of Color), Dimensionals

It has been a while since I've used that Festive Flower Builder Punch so thought a pretty poinsettia was just the ticket for my final project.  I have to confess that the sheet music patterned paper is from last year's Home for Christmas Designer Series Paper.  For some reason I have totally neglected to buy any of the beautiful Christmas papers we have in the Annual Catalog and the Holiday Catalog.

Stamp Set:  Reason for the Season; Inks:  Cherry Cobbler, Garden Green; Cardstock:  Cherry Cobbler, Crushed Curry, Garden Green; Patterned Paper:  Home for Christmas (retired); Other:  Festive Flower Builder Punch, Radiant Rain Shimmering Ice Mist (Splash of Color), Paper Doily, Rhinestone Basic Jewels  

That's it for me this time around.  We are taking the month of December off but will be back on January 5th, 2017 with the first of two mini hops to showcase the new Occasions Catalog and the new Sale-A-Bration Brochure.  You are going to love them!

Penny Hanuszak is your next stop on your tour.  To see the wonderful Christmas projects she has created, click the image below.

If you'd like to revisit Libby Fens and see her lovely projects again, click the image below.

To go back to the Wacky Watercooler Stamping Blog, click the image below.

Thanks for stopping in at the Coffee Pot Stamping Cafe,


Marsha

Pretty Paisley Fish

Some time ago I saw this cute little fish done by Monique Fielder and knew I wanted to create one for my granddaughter.  When I saw the challenge at What Will You Stamp?, this gave me the perfect opportunity to do so.  The featured stamp set is Paisley & Posies.  It's one of my favorites.

As you can see I got carried away with color.  Actually, I used all of the new 2016-2018 In Colors on my card.  I sure made for a bright card and I know my granddaughter will love it.  It's a thank you card to let her know how much I appreciated her help.  

Stamp Set:  Paisley & Posies; Ink:  Dapper Denim; Cardstock:  Dapper Denim, Emerald Envy, Flirty Flamingo, Peekaboo Peach, Sweet Sugarplum; Patterned Paper:  2016-2018 In Color Designer Series Paper Stack - Flirty Flamingo; Other:  Paisley Framelits Dies, Rhinestone Basic Jewels.

Paisley & Posies is the featured stamp set at the What Will You Stamp? challenge.  For all the challenge details, click the image below.

Be sure to stop back tonight at 8 p.m. Central Time to take a tour of the Wacky Watercooler Blog Hop.  We're showcasing the Holidays.

Thanks for stopping in at the Coffee Pot Stamping Cafe,

Marsha

Watercooler Wednesday Challenges #94

We have a Simply Stamping challenge up for this week at Watercooler Wednesday Challenges.  Heidi has challenged us to feature coffee or tea in our projects.  The minute I saw it, I knew exactly what I was going to do.  I'm a big Downton Abbey fan and the Time For Tea stamp set is from the Downton Abbey Collection.  The teapot and teacup were perfect for this challenge.

Stamp Set:  Time For Tea (Downton Abbey Collection); Inks:  Basic Black Archival, Dapper Denim; Cardstock:  Shimmery White, Whisper White; Other:  Orange Wink of Stella Brush, Green Wink of Stella Brush

For all the challenge details and to share your project, visit Watercooler Wednesday Challenges by clicking the image below.  We'd love to have you join us.  You have until Monday, November 21st at 6:00 p.m. Central Time to link your project.

Thanks for stopping in at the Coffee Pot Stamping Cafe,

Marsha

Christmas Wreath

This project truly was a labor of love as I had to die-cut the wreath from four different colors to I could paper piece it all together.  It's a CASE (Copy And Share Everything) of one I saw at Taylored Expressions.  The only things different are the colors and the bow.  There was no watermark on the card so I don't know who made the original but I do thank them for the inspiration.

The Emerald Envy, Mint Macaron and Real Red work so well together.  I added two neutrals in the white ribbon and the Crumb Cake background.  It was a fun card to put together but it did take time to get all those small pieces in place.  Should I mention the fact that I am one of those crafters who cannot stand the feel of glue on my fingers?  Yes, it's true.  I have to wash it off the minute it gets on my fingers or I get edgy.  Hmm?  I wonder if that could be why it took so long to make this card.  😊

Stamp Set:  Flurry of Wishes (sentiment); Ink:  Crumb Cake, Emerald Envy Stampin' Write Marker; Cardstock:  Emerald Envy, Mint Macaron, Real Red, Whisper White; Patterned Paper:  Serene Scenery Designer Series Paper Stack; Other:  Wreath Cutting Plate (Taylored Expressions, Rhinestone Basic Jewels, Sheer White Ribbon (May Arts)

The colors I used are from The Paper Players challenge.  For all the challenge details, click the image below.

I also entered my card at Christmas Card Challenges.  For all the challenge details, click the image below.

Thanks for stopping in at the Coffee Pot Stamping Cafe,

Marsha

You Are My Sunshine

Today's card combines two challenges.  I really like this sketch from CAS(E) this Sketch and the copper was a perfect match for the "metallics" trend at Just Us Girls.  The combination worked well together.

The top and bottom border is from the Father Christmas stamp set and I stamped it using Sweet Sugarplum.  I used a Blending Tool to sponge over the Whisper White layer with some Vintage Photo to give it a bit of vintage look.  Then, I stamped the sun image from Kinda Eclectic to let sun rays shine behind the Stitched Shapes Framelits Dies oval.  The sun was stamped using Sahara Sand.  Behind the stitched oval I added some loops of Copper Metallic Thread to add another touch of metallic.  The sentiment is from the Sunshine Sayings stamp set.

The word sunshine was made using the negative from left after die cutting the word for another project.  I taped it on the Whisper White and filled it in with a VersaMark Pen, then sprinkled Copper Embossing Powder over it and heat set it.  Now it's a bit of coppery sunshine.

Stamp Sets:  Father Christmas, Sunshine Sayings; Inks:  Elegant Eggplant, Sahara Sand, Sweet Sugarplum; Cardstock:  Elegant Eggplant, Whisper White; Other:  Sunshine Wishes Dies, Stitched Shapes Framelits Dies, Copper Embossing Powder, Copper Metallic Thread, VersaMark Pen

The sketch I used is from CAS(E) this Sketch.  For all the challenge details, click the image below.

The "metallic" trend is from Just Us Girls.  For all the challenge details, click the image below.

Thanks for stopping in at the Coffee Pot Stamping Cafe,

Marsha

Pretty in Pink Birthday

For me, birthdays are always special occasions so my card fits nicely with the "occasion" theme at  The Flower Challenge this month.  It paired perfectly with the sketch from Freshly Made Sketches.  It's for a very dear friend who has a birthday coming up in about a week and a half.

Stamp Set:  Bloomin' Birthday Stamp & Die Set; Inks:  Blushing Bride, Pear Pizzazz; Cardstock:  Blushing Bride, Whisper White; Other:  Bloomin' Birthday Stamp & Die Set, Clear Wink of Stella Brush, Pink Ribbon

The sketch I used is from the Freshly Made Sketches challenge.  For all the challenge details, click the image below.

The theme "occasion" is from The Flower Challenge.  For all the challenge details, click the image below.

Thanks for stopping in at the Coffee Pot Stamping Cafe,

Marsha

A Salute to Veterans

When I saw Laurie's "count your blessings theme for The Paper Players current challenge and realized that Veterans Day fell within the time frame for the challenge, I knew just what I wanted to do.  I purposely waited until the last day of the challenge so my post would go live on Veterans Day to honor all of our service men and women.

I am proud that so many of my family have served their country and I count it a blessing that they did their part to keep my freedoms alive and my country free!  I am thankful, grateful and blessed by their sacrifices.

Stamp Set:  Stars & Stripes (Taylored Expressions); Ink:  Night of Navy; Cardstock:  Real Red, Night of Navy, Vellum, Whisper White; Other:  American Flag Cutting Plate (Taylored Expressions), Stitched Shapes Framelits Dies, Clear Wink of Stella

The theme for my card is from The Paper Players challenge.  For all the challenge details and to share your project, click the image below.

Thanks for stopping in at the Coffee Pot Stamping Cafe,

Marsha

A Tribute to the United States Marine Corps

Watercooler Wednesday Challenges #93

It's time for a color challenge and Deborah has chosen some good ones for the Watercooler Wednesday Challenges.  In October I attended a local event and took a shaker card class.  Although I've made a couple of shaker cards, it wasn't until I took this class and found I rather like creating them.  The new Foam Adhesive Strips introduced in the current Annual Catalog make it easy to create shaker cards.  The form strips are just the right width. 

Stamp Set:  Wondrous Wreath; Ink:  Soft Suede; Cardstock:  Basic Black, Real Red, Whisper White; Patterned Paper:  Serene Scenery Designer Series Paper Stack; Other:  Frame 2 Frame Cutting Plate (Taylored Expressions), Window Sheet, Sequins, Foam Adhesive Strips

For all the challenge details and to share your project, visit Watercooler Wednesday Challenges by clicking the image below.  We'd love to have you join us.  You have until Monday, November 14th at 6:00 p.m. Central Time to link your project.

Thanks for stopping in at the Coffee Pot Stamping Cafe,

Marsha