Friday Mashup! Another Fan Favorite!!

Hi Friends! Time for Friday Mashup #26...and it's time for the Fan Favorite Pick!!! It seems that everyone loves making cards with a fall theme! I know I do! This week's challenge idea came from Lisa Runyon...WooHoo!

1. Make a project with a Fall theme
   


2. Make a project using brads...lots of brads!



3. Or Mash it Up and make a project with a fall theme using lots of brads!!

I loved this idea...though I confess, I missed the "lots of brads" part. I'll blame it on the fact that I just had a major fund raiser last weekend! (The reason my blog posts have been few and far between as well.) But I used a very large brad that adds a big kick, so hopefully Lisa will forgive me! *wink*

I began with a river rock card base. One of my first stampin' cyber friends has loved river rock for years...I always hated it! But I confess, it has grown on me. I guess if you use it enough for challenges it becomes a staple in your portfolio. It does go with many of my favorites, which I used here as well. I used the stamp set French Foliage, beginning with stamping one leaf on the base with river rock ink for a tone-on-tone look. I added a layer of early espresso which was dry embossed with the square lattice impressions folder. After running some very vanilla through the big shot with the top note die, I cut it in half and stamped more from French Foliage with river rock, early espresso, cherry cobbler and not quite navy ink for some much needed contrast. Then I added cherry cobbler seam binding and this gorgeous brad from the "antique brad" package. The entire image panel is popped up with dimensionals. Finally, I stamped the sentiment from Thank You Kindly, also in not quite navy.

I certainly hope you play along with us this week! I bet you can use more brads than I did! LOL! There are lots of great cards from the Design Team and our Fan Favorite challenge hostess on the Friday Mashup blog! Be sure to check it out, and use keyword FM26 in your online gallery.

Inky {{{HUGS}}}

About the new look...

You may have noticed the new look of my blog...isn't it FABULOUS??!! Well, a stampin' friend and fellow Mashup DT member, Lesley, created it for me! She has a new component to her business...making blog banners that are customized! I guess if I would figure out MDS I could have tried something myself. BUT I am a very busy lady and I barely know how to change the basic blogger settings! LOL! Lesley asked some questions about color and theme preferences, and Ta-Dah! I am so thrilled! If you want to check out the super-talented work of Lesley, just click here: Banners by Lesley

Inky {{{HUGS}}}

Still time for FM25!!

There's still time to play this week's Friday Mashup! The linky will close tomorrow, Thursday Sept 29th at 3 pm Eastern time. Show us your manly cards!!

Friday Mashup!! Sketch it Square & Manly!

Hello and Happy Friday!! It's time for another Friday Mashup, and Kasey has a great challenge for us!

• Make a project with the square sketch above



• Make a project with a Masculine theme



• Or Mash it up and make a Masculine project using the sketch above

It's kinda funny, since I did a square card last week! As I said, I love square cards as something different and eye-catching. But the masculine part is a little more challenging. I needed yet another birthday card for another brother-in-law (I have 8 of them!) so here we go!

As you can see, the sketch has been flipped. I started with a not quite navy card base, and added a layer of Well Worn dsp. I used this stag from Nature Silhouettes. It is a classic Stampin' Up set with strong images that I FINALLY purchased this summer! I stamped the image in early espresso on very vanilla, cut out with my Ovals die and the Big Shot. I lightly sponged with always artichoke and not quite navy ink then added a cajun craze moon. I originally thought it was a sun, at sunset...but my husband took one look and said "The Hunter's Moon." Close honey, but I looked it up, and this month is The Harvest Moon! I originally just had part of the moon on the oval, but frankly, it looked like part of a bad thumbprint! LOL So, I lined my mask up with the card base and finished it off. I love the effect..how 'bout you? I embellished the card with early espresso grosgrain ribbon and various buttons, some retired, and linen thread. I actually had some leaves left over from last week's card...but I could not bring myself to using them for another Mashup so soon! My sentiment is from On Your Birthday, stamped with early espresso ink.

Most of us can use more masculine cards, right? So I hope you join us for this week's challenge! The Design Team has great cards for your inspiration, so check it out on the Friday Mashup blog!! Then create your own and link it up! Be sure to use keyword FM25 in your online gallery!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}

Still time to Play!!

The Friday Mashup is all about Autumn with shades of orange and yellow this week. There's still time to upload your creations, using keyword FM24.

Friday Mashup! Shades of Autumn!

Don't you love Fridays?? The start of the weekend...maybe movie night or the local high school football game. But for me, it's time for the Friday Mashup!!! This week, we begin celebrating Autumn...which is my FAVORITE season!!! Lisa has given us a beautiful challenge this week!

1. Create a project with an "Autumn" theme
2. Create a project using shades of orange and yellow

3. Or Mash it Up! And create a project with an autumn theme, using shades of orange and yellow

I made a square card again...love these! I began with a crumb cake card base, then added a scallop circle cut from naturals ivory with my Big Shot. Using more mustard ink, I stamped the sentiment from On Your Birthday. I decided to have fun with my Sizzix Leaves #2 die, and the square lattice and houndstooth impressions folder with my Big Shot. I used peach parfait, cajun craze, so saffron, and more mustard card stock for the leaves. After embossing, I lightly sponged with soft suede ink, then placed them randomly, popping some up with dimensionals. I finished it off with a Spice Cake designer button, available in the Holiday Mini catalog.

I hope you enjoy jumping in the leaves and taking part in the Friday Mashup! Can't wait to see what you create!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}

Double Challenge

Hello Stamping Friends!

It is just after midnight central time, which means I still have a little time to enter this week's Paper Players Challenge! Love the extra time, since they go by Pacific time! I had an intense work week with major ups and downs, and was exhausted when I got home tonight. I had hoped to go to a SU demo meeting, but couldn't make it (no ride, I don't drive), so I decided to stamp. Took me while to find my mojo! I nearly forgot about this challenge, but checked it out... and the challenge says simply, make a birthday card. Well, since I am a professional belated birthday card creator, (I should make myself a certificate to post on my wall! LOL!) I knew this would be perfect! I need not one, but 2 cards for 2 brothers-in-law. I have a bunch of girly cards, so I had my work cut out for me. This week's Color Challenge on SCS has a great autumn palette of always artichoke, so saffron, and cajun craze. I decided to combine these 2 fun challenges.

All of my materials are from Stampin' Up! I started with an always artichoke card base. I added a layer of so saffron, which I ran through my Big Shot with the houndstooth impressions folder, then lightly sponged with always artichoke and cajun craze ink. The image is from Lovely as a Tree, colored with always artichoke and chocolate chip markers on very vanilla, and lightly sponged on the edges. I layered it over cajun craze dsp from the regals pattern paper stack. I stamped a sentiment from On Your Birthday and punched it out with a 1-3/8" circle punch, then popped up with dimensionals. My card is embellished with cajun craze striped grosgrain ribbon and a (retired) big designer button, gathered with linen thread.

Admittedly, this card will take extra postage. Just saw my brother-in-law on Labor Day...too bad I didn't get it done last weekend! Oh well... I'll stick a DQ gift card in the envelope and all will be well!

Hubby is in bed...poor guy has to work this weekend. Guess I'll stay up and stamp a while longer!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}

Friday Mashup! I'm Itching to be Stitching!

Happy Friday everyone!! Time for another fun challenge with the Friday Mashup! Heidi gave us a challenge thatt truly stretched me (that's why it's called a challenge!) Here's the challenge:

• Make a school themed project
  


• Make a project with stitching (real or "faux")



• Or Mash it Up and Make a school themed project using stitching!

Wow! I have no school themed stamps...but I did have this cute apple from the retired set Tart & Tangy. I don't sew, with a machine nor by hand. Thank goodness fake stitching was permitted! LOL! All of my materials are from Stampin' Up! Here's what I used: Real red for the card base. I added a layer of daffodil delight, with 2 strips of real red 1/4" grosgrain ribbon, then a simple square of basic black for the chalkboard. I colored my apple with markers in real red, blush blossom, chocolate chip and lucky limeade, stamping it on whisper white. I punched it out with my 1-3/8" circle punched and layered it over night of navy punched with the scallop circle. I wrote the chalkboard sentiment with my white gel pen. The smaller sentiment is from a new hostess set, Perfect Words, stamped in night of navy, layered on oval punches and the modern label punch. My final detail is the faux stitching...made with my night of navy stampin' write marker.

I hope you join us for the Friday Mashup! Check out what the Design Team has for inspiration, and post your own creations! Be sure to use keyword FM23 in your online gallery. You can also vote for the next Fan Favorite challenge! You will find the poll on the Mashup blog, right column.

Well, no school stamps, last week no number stamps... a few weeks ago no cupcake stamps. Good grief! Looks like I need to buy some stamps!! (My husband might disagree!)

Inky {{{HUGS}}}

Cue Up #100!!!

The ColourQ challenge blog is hosting its 100th challenge this week! Congrats to the Royal Court! I just found the blog recently, and have only participted a few times...but I love the variety of styles the DT has! Any who, this week features a sketch, and we get to pick any of the previous color challenges they have had. How fun is that? So I scroll through and pick one...um, no let's try this one...wait, this one is perfect! So MANY great combos to choose from! Well, since fall is on it's way, I chose an autumn color palette and stamp theme. ColourQ #2 called for bravo burgundy, pumpkin pie, elegant eggplant and so saffron. Wowza!








Everything used here is from Stampin' Up!

I started with a bravo burgundy base, layered with so saffron and very vanilla. I brought out my Day of Gratitude stamp set, stamped the verse in eggplant, then took some time with my markers to color this amazing medallion. Worth the effort, dontcha think? I also lightly sponged the vanilla card stock with so saffron ink. When I finished stamping, I decided to trim a bit off one side. That made the so saffron a little too wide, so I used my scallop trim punch for an added detail. I had already decided to use my retired pumpkin pie striped grosgrain ribbon (currently available in other colors), but it was too wide to fit between my already stamped images. Not to be discouraged, I used some linen thread to tie each end, and bunched up the ribbon in the middle just a bit. I brought out some buttons, but struggled to get the right placement with the size I had. So, instead I stamped two leaves and an acorn from the same set, cut them out, and popped them up with dimensonals. Please note, I have actuallyy cut out images TWICE this week. That is a record! Not a trend, just a record that will likely remain unbroken for a while. (I hate cutting stuff out!) LOL!

I plan on hanging out with this challenge a little more often. It's fun to add color to any day!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}

Friday Mashup! Behind Door Number...

Hello Stampin' Friends! It's Friday, and I get to be your Friday Mashup challenge hostess this week! WooHoo!! Funny thing is, this challenge even threw me off a bit! Sometimes I want to make a card, so I grab a piece of card stock, cut it in half, and poof...there's my card base. The biggest decision may be horizontal or vertical...hmmmm...kinda boring! I have to force myself to use a "fancy fold," which is silly, since some are not that hard. The gate fold is one of them, and now that I have my NEW Simply Scored tool (available in the Holiday Mini catalog now!), I get my folds just right! I have also started using chipboard...especially numbers since I have NO number stamps! Gasp! Numbers are fun for birthdays, anniversaries, or quirky "text" messages on your projects. So...here is your challenge:

1. Make a card using a gate fold...any variety of the gate fold
2. Make a project using numbers...any numbers, stamped (if you have them!), chipboard, die cut, stickers...

3. Or Mash it Up and make a gate fold card with numbers

Here is what I created:

A sweet couple who supports the ministry here every month...and who has been doing so for YEARS...is celebrating their Silver Anniversary this weekend. I started with a basic black card base. I added baja breeze and basic gray pattern paper from the neutrals paper stack to each side panel. I initially planned a sentiment for the center, but my numbers are big, so I placed them in the center instead. I used a sponge dauber to coat the chipboard in craft ink, then covered with silver embossing powder, heating it so it gets nice and shiny. I placed the numbers on an extra large baja breeze scallop circle. It's been a while, but note the return of the word window and modern label punches with Teeny Tiny Wishes!! Finally, I accessorized with basic jewel rhinestones and baja breeze seam binding.
I hope you join the party at the Friday Mashup! Check out the FABULOUS DT cards and be inspired! Be sure to usekeyword FM22 in your online gallery and link it here.

Inky {{{HUGS}}}