Luck o' the Irish to Ya

Yesterday's SCS Inspiration Challenge was fun. I just bought a new iPhone, and I spent most of the day messing with that, hence my crazy, late night posting of this.

Our inspiration was the quilt below. Its specs are found through Advanced Embroidery Designs. I loved the circular embroidered shamrock patterns, so I tried to focus on that and the "quilt feel." If you click on the picture of my card, you will be able to see more of the texturizing I used. Also, I decided to braid some grosgrain. I wasn't in the mood for your plain ol' ribbon. I do love the green and white combo of the quilt and of my card. Thanks for looking.

Size: 6 x 6 inches

Paper: White cardstock, SU! Green Galore and Glorious Green, most punched with a cm square punch

Embellishments: Grosgrain ribbon (white and white dyed with Glorious Green) in a braid

Stamp: Good Luck (Kolette Hall)

Use the Computer!

Today's SCS challenge was for us to use our trusty computers while paper crafting. I was diggin' it, as I am just getting that "urge" to look in to digital scrapbooking.

I made my card for my teaching partner. Today, our district notified teachers of RIFs (Reduction In Force). Basically, if you don't have tenure (4 good years in the district), you are fair game. Usually, we hear a lot of buzz before RIFs. Today caught many of us by surprise. My partner, plus several other fantastic teachers, were given RIF notice today. They basically are not being offered a job for next year (at this point) due to low enrollment. My partner is, right now, sole breadwinner for her family (three kids). She was devastated, and I was speechless and broken-hearted. So, this card is for her. I hope in some way it helps. I just don't know what else to do.

Going back to the challenge... the paper used is printed from Shabby Princess Designs. Isn't it lovely? And better yet, it was a free download! Crazy! This is their "Festival" line.

Size: 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 inches
Paper: Shabby Princess Designs Festival Floral and Stripes, SU! Buckaroo Blue, Old Olive, Groovy Guava, and Ultrasmooth Vanilla
Stamp: Everyday Blessings (Papertrey Ink)
Ribbon: SU! Theater Collection (Old Olive Vanilla Elastic with Gather)
Embellishments: Thickers Sweater Felt Stickers

A RAK to my Homies

You know, I should just make this card for a half a dozen people...

The last few months have been challenging to say the least. However, I have the best friends on the planet. They have been the shelter through more than life's little "storms." More like typhoons. So, here's to my homies... all those great people with whom I work and play who cared so very much about my well-being while I was worrying so much about my kids.

This card was inspired by Beate's weekend sketch for this week as well as the SCS Color Challenge for today.

Size: 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 inches

Paper: SU! So Saffron, SU! Prints Designer Series Paper (Certainly Celery), SU! Wild Wasabi

Stamps: SU! Blooming with Happiness

Ink/Pastels: SU! Wild Wasabi, Going Gray, Purely Pomegranate, and Rose Red (Pastel)

Embellishment: Wide sheer cream ribbon

De-Boss Technique

Today's SCS Technique Challenge involved a technique I had not tried before. It is coined "de-bossing," and the gallery has some lovely examples of this. LindaB, the hostess, provided this tutorial for us, and away we went!

I had a hard time choosing my images. However, after a gray, drizzly, cold, winter day, I decided to make a card to remind myself that spring will come, as it does every year.

With this technique, I found that I had a few challenges... probably specific to my "craft limitations," if you catch my drift.

1. Initially, there was a lot of smearing on the vellum. I had to stamp off before this would stop.
2. It takes VERY LITTLE pressure for this technique to work. It is VERY EASY to press through the vellum.
3. Darker marker hues work best.
4. The ink color lightens when de-bossed. I went over it at certain places.

Size: 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 inches
Paper: SU! Garden Green, Bazzill textured, white vellum
Ink: SU! Chocolate Chip, Garden Green, and Bliss Blue
Stamps: What Could Be Better? (SU!), Bold Basics (SU!), Essential Sentiments (MFT)
Embellishments: Brads (Spare Parts), Ribbon (Offray)

How can it be?

I blinked my eyes, and Max is now three. Although many, many things have gone on throughout his infant/toddler years... enough to age me about 10 years... still, it seems like time has flown. This card, also CASED from the Featured Stamper this week, is chaotic and busy... which is odd for me but PERFECT for my son. After I colorized my scrapbook paper (ahem, Karen...), I found a few wilder print purchases. Fun for a three year old, eh?

The sentiment stamp is colored in CM gold gel pen, but, next to the red, it took on almost an olive color. So I outlined the letters in Not Quite Navy, which does not work super well on gold gel pen. But... he's three... I am thinking he won't be giving this an artistic critique.

Size: 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 inches
Paper: SU! Not Quite Navy, Surprise Hoopla (K I Memories), SU! Soft Sky, SU! Ultrasmooth White
Stamps: SU! Vivid Greetings and All About Occasions
Ink: SU! Real Red, Barely Banana, Only Orange (pastels, too), Not Quite Navy
Punches: 2" circle (Fiskars), Corner Rounder (EK Success)
Ribbon: Scraps

Featured Stamper #56

This week's featured stamper has quite an extensive gallery. She goes by Petal Pusher on Splitcoast.

I decided to CASE her CASE. I guess this would be Case Squared? Anyway, loved her CASE (and the original), and I tried my own.

I have to throw a shout out for the Stampin' Up! Rub-Ons. These things are the easiest rub-ons I have ever used. Even the tiniest, most intricate parts (which I normally had a tendency to screw up bigtime) go on quickly and easily. Really great product.

Size: 5 x 4 7/8 inches

Paper: Bazzill textured cardstock, SU! Basic Gray, SU! Ultrasmooth White

Stamp: SU! Shapes and Shadows

Ink: SU! Basic Gray and Night of Navy

Sentiment: SU! Love and Happiness Rub-Ons

Embellishments: SU! Basic Gray taffeta ribbon, Spare Parts white brads, SU! Dimensionals

Illinois Inspiration Room

Well, how do you like that? This week's inspiration room is found in nearby New Salem, Illinois. I drew my inspiration for SCS Inspiration Challenge 117 from the server along the wall. Its granite top and white, wanes-coating-like door were a great contrast. So, I went to work.

I had some marbled paper left over from a previous technique challenge, so I thought that was one less thing to worry about making. I made some score lines on white cardstock to simulate the lines on the door. I really wish I would have had the new Styled Silver Hodgepodge Hardware in the SU! Occasions Mini Catalog, as it could have tied in perfectly. However, my ol' Hodgepodge Hardware works just fine.

In the end, I love the result. I chose a darker blue, so as not to mute the effect of the "faux granite."

Size: 5 x 5 inches

Paper: Bazzill textured cardstock, white cardstock, faux marbelized glossy cardstock

Ink: SU! Chocolate Chip

Ribbon: Bobbin Ribbon

Stamp: SU! Party Punch

Metal embellishments: SU! Hodgepodge Hardware