Try a Technique at The Paper Plunge

Over at the Paper Plunge, the challenge was to try a technique.  I made this card, but I'm not real thrilled with it.  I wanted to try something else, but time got away and I didn't have time.

This technique is taking a piece of foil, embossing a design on it, coloring it with alcohol markers (SU's blendabilities), then sanding the image lightly to get the dimensional effect.  Maybe it's the colors, I don't know, but I'm sure I can make this look better next time.

Anyway, stay tuned for some other new techniques I'm playing with as well.  Please make sure you pop on over to The Paper Plunge and play with us this week.  It's a lot of fun!

Hope to see you back soon.

I Heart You

This is a card I made at a team meeting and it's so appropriate for Valentine's Day.  I didn't think I would like the stamp set "seasonally scattered", but I'm finding that I like it more than I ever expected.  There's a lot you can do with it, and here's another card that I made with it.

The added touch is the silver heart vellum.  Just love that too.

Happy Creating!

Coloring Down the Lines - Lotus Blossom

I liked the colors in this week's challenge.  They remind me of spring, yet there's snow outside on the lawn, and yes, it's blustery.  Creating cards that remind me of Spring keep me going.  I don't mind Winter, but after the holidays, it's time to look forward to new birth, grass, leaves on the trees, and most of all, warm Spring breezes.

The color pallet we used for inspiration is shown below:

Perhaps the poppies in the photograph above are peeking out of a snow-covered ground.  It sure looks that way.

Here is my interpretation of the challenge...

Recipe

Paper:  early espresso, crumb cake dsp, whisper white

Ink:  crumb cake, real red, calypso coral, pear pizzazz

Stamp Set:  lotus blossom (sale-a-bration)

Accessories:  early espresso ribbon

Now, let's check out what Carol and Joni made for you this week.  Don't forget to hit the back button to get to Carol's blog, and proceed forward to Joni's blog.  Have fun with all the inspiration that was given to you this week.  

Thanks for stopping by!

Time to Get Toasty - A New Year Celebration!

I made this card before the holidays and forgot to post it.  It's a happy card, and although I made it for New Years, with any sentiment, you can adapt it to any sort of celebration.

I enjoyed making this card, and the colors are happy and subtle enough that seem to be "warming" vs. chilled.

Thanks for stopping by!

Snowy Pines

I found some cards that I didn't post and thought I would share them.  This is a card that I received as a swap and I thought it was pretty.

I know Christmas has passed, but the snow is still lingering.  Keep warm!

Celebrate Today

Here's another card that we created at our team meeting in December.  This stamp set is called "Celebrate Today" and it's a new stamp set in the Occasions Catalog, which just was released.  This stamp set has framelits to go with the balloons ... oh how cute is that?

Check it out.

I can see I'll get a lot of good use out of this stamp set.

Cheers!

The Paper Plunge #16 - Dying to See What You Create ... How About Love?

This week, over at The Paper Plunge, the challenge is make a card using a "die" as the focal point. Well as you know, Stampin' Up has so many dies, where do you begin?  I knew exactly what I wanted to use - I have hearts on the brain of late.

Here's what I created for you.  I actually can say, I "love" this card.  I sure hope you do too.

Recipe

Paper:  basic black, whisper white, real red, dazzling diamonds glimmer paper, gold foil

Ink:  none

Stamp Set:  none

Accessories:  hearts framelits, expressions thinlits, stylish stripes EF, real red woven satin ribbon

If you like what you see, why don't you go over to The Paper Plunge and check out what our other designers created for you for inspiration.  Then ... try your hand at the challenge and post your creation to share with all of us.  We'd love to see what you design.

Until tomorrow, thanks for stopping by.  

Worm Wishes

This is a card that my upline, Jill, made for us.  We swapped cards on our way to Baltimore to see the premier and sneak peek of the new Occasions catalog.  This card is really cute .. and it's a hostess stamp.

The worm is just so cute ...

Until tomorrow ... ciao for now!

Coloring Down the Lines - Winter's Peace

This is the first Coloring Down the Lines for 2015!  Fun, Fun, Fun we plan on having throughout the year.  I do hope you will continue to visit and see all the wonderful creations.  And best of all, I'm always happy that they can provide inspiration to you ...

Here's the picture and color pallet we used for this week's challenge:

Well, there's not much color to this challenge, so I went to work trying to figure out what to create.  Since it's still Winter time, I thought I'd keep in the frame of mind and came up with this creation for you.

I tried to give the card a bit of a cold, wintery feel, and for interest, I added a couple stars in the sky using dazzling diamonds glimmer paper.  I just love that paper ... it's beautiful.  You can't see it too well in the photo above, but it does look nice in person.  The moon was done using very vanilla, however, for the card, I used whisper white.  The trees are stamped in basic gray, smoky slate, and sahara sand.  

So, do you want to see what Carol and Joni created for you this week?  For Carol, head back from my blog (just click on her name), and Joni is a forward hop.  

There you have it.  Ta ta till next week.

Sheltering Tree

There's something about trees that I just love.  You can use them just about in any card you create, and you can use them for all four seasons too.  This one is a Spring theme - can't you just see yourself swinging on the swing hanging from the tree branch and the warm Spring air blowing through your hair?  Can you tell I'm thinking Spring already?  I don't mind Winter, but if it's cold and boring, then I want Spring to get here ASAP.  If there's a bit of snow to come and a little blustery here and there, that's fine.

So here's a card I made using the Sheltering tree stamp set from the Occasions catalog, available January 6 through June 2, 2015.  If you want to check out the catalog, just click on the icon on my blog and dream away.  And don't forget, if you wish to purchase anything from the new Occasions catalog, just hop on over to my website by clicking on the link on my blog as well.

Hope you enjoy the cute stuff in the catalog.

Now, all the tree needs is some apples for the next round.  We'll see what I can drum up...

Cheers!
Helen

Gift Bag - Best of Love

Now that the holidays are behind us, it's time to think about Valentine's Day.  I made Valentine cards for a monthly swap I'm in, but I can't show you that just yet.  I have to wait until everyone receives it and I receive theirs in return, then I'll post it for you to see.  I can't wait for you to see it.

Well, since I can't show you my Valentine's Day card, I can share with you a cute gift bag I made using the gift bag framelit from Stampin' Up.  I love the little bag, and it's just waiting for me to fill it with some sweet treats.  Here's a peek...

Isn't it sweet?  I love how the colors work together, and I used the "Best of Love" stamp set which I believe is not available for purchase anymore.

Hope you like it and can't wait to see what you create using the gift bag framelit, or any sweet packaging you make.

Until tomorrow, happy creating!

Cute Packaging

How about some cute packaging?  Last year, I made gift card holders for gift cards, but this year, I thought I'd use the tag a bag set, along with the polka dot gift bags and make a sweet package for the gift cards.  I thought they came out rather nice.

The tag a bag set comes with everything you need to make these cuties ... check them out before they're all gone.

Cheers!

Sketching Out Some Fun with The Paper Plunge #15

This week, over at The Paper Plunge, we're using a "sketch" as inspiration for the challenge.  I wasn't sure what I was going to do with the sketch, but once I figured out the color scheme, it all came together rather quickly.  WOW, I must be getting better, because before, I would ponder and ponder on what to create and this surely didn't take too long at all.  YEAH!

Here's the sketch that we used for inspiration, and following is my card.  I do hope you'll hop on over to thepaperplunge.com and play with us this week.  It's a lot of fun, and we'd love to see what you've made.

Recipe

Paper:  blackberry bliss, hello honey, whisper white, hello honey DSP

Ink:  blackberry bliss

Stamp Set:  hello life (Stampin' Up's Occasions Catalog - 2015) - sneak peek

Accessories:  basic pearls, stylish stripes EF, blackberry bliss ribbon, chalk talk framelits

Thanks for visiting, and don't forget to check out The Paper Plunge.  You'll be glad you did.

A Merry Little Wish for a Happy New Year!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

It's 2015!  I can't believe another year has gone by.  Why does it seem like the time goes by faster and faster each year?  I do believe there is some truth to it, even though, as a young child, time seems to pass slowly.  

I do hope that with the New Year, it brings peace and joy, and above all, happiness, prosperity, and the gift of good health to all.  

And here's a merry little wish for you ... 

Recipe

Paper:  whisper white, lost lagoon, silver foil, all is calm DSP, silver & dazzling diamonds glimmer paper

Ink:  lost lagoon

Stamp Set:  festival of trees

Accessories:  itty bitty star punch, tree punch, lucky stars EF

Happy 2015!