One Day at a Time

Are you a coffee lover? Or maybe tea? If you answered, "Yes!" then the Coffee Lover's Blog is for you. Twice yearly, the owner, Amy Tsurata, conducts a huge Blog Hop where participants can win some great prizes from well-known merchants. Monthly there is also a challenge on a smaller scale.

I received an invitation from Lisa, who is a dear friend, and CLC Design Team member, to participate with her and her mom, Sue, in introducing a new idea for CLC - the Buddy. (BTW, Sue is the culprit who introduced me to card making.) We picked the sketch from the Paper Smooches archives. We agreed to do our own interpretation of the same sketch using Paper Smooches products. The original sketch is on the left. I flipped the sketch horizontally as seen in the image on the right.

We met on a Saturday afternoon, shared ideas and supplies, made our cards, and laughed a lot while enjoying Lisa's hospitality and the attention from the ever-present pets, Mickey and Slim. We finished off our day with dinner at Red Lobster. Just imagine all that brain power and creativity harnessed in one room!

I used one of Paper Smooches newest stamp and die sets for the cute sun with glasses as well as the coffee cup. The kite was fussy cut from patterned paper and the flowers were cut using punches. All of the patterned papers were scraps. The strip of green was trimmed using a border die. The sentiment is also from Paper Smooches.

 

 

Join us at the Coffee Lover's Blog!

 

From left to right, Melanie (that's me), Lisa and Sue

 

Materials

Stamps: Paper Smooches "Sunnyville" & "Inhale Exhale" (sentiment)

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black

Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White, Basic Black, Pool Party

Paper: Scraps from stash

Dies: Paper Smooches "Sunnyville" & "Cuppa Sunshine"; Lawn Fawn (border)

Punches: Stampin' Up!

Misc.: Foam tape and gems from stash



Let Your Dreams Take Flight

Try Stampin' on Tuesday Biweekly Sketch Challenge #419 begins today, Tuesday, July 30, and runs through Sunday, August 11, 2019. In addition to the sketch, there is an option to use any type of embossing in your design.

I've had this stamp and die set for a long time and enjoy using it from time to time. Three butterflies in varying sizes were stamped and die cut. Additionally, two squares with decorative edges were die cut. The white panel was die cut along the vertical edges and also embossed using a die. I thought the circles gave the idea of the butterfly flitting about. The largest butterfly along with the other elements were adhered to a card base. The inside was lined with a panel of white cardstock and decorated with the two smaller butterflies.

 

 

Visit the TSOT Challenge Blog soon so you don't miss out on the opportunity to join in on the sketch challenge. 

 

Materials
Stamps: Reverse Confetti "Butterfly Dreams"
Ink: Stampin' Up! Hello Honey
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White, Hello Honey, Rich Razzleberry
Dies: Gina Marie (squares), Lawn Fawn (border), Reverse Confetti "Butterfly Dreams", Lil' Inker "Quilted Stitched Spirals"
Misc.: Foam tape from stash

Wish You Were Here

It's the fifth Monday of the month so that means we're having a one-week "Anything Goes" challenge at Double Trouble #34 and there is a prize!

The optional twist for Challenge #34 is to show us a sunburst or sunshine and to meet the Double Dare challenge, I have shared this card at The Brown Sugar Monthly Challenge for July.

 

 





 

I had paper in my stash with this cute girl enjoying watermelon. I touched up the image with colored pencils and fussy cut it. The sunburst was die cut and backed using more patterned paper. Because of the sentiment, I thought the hearts were appropriate for the background. The sentiment, clouds and ovals were die cut from cardstock and the image was adhered using foam tape for dimension. The inside was decorated with coordinating paper. The gems were added for a little sparkle.  

 

 

We'd love to have you visit the Double Trouble Challenge Blog and play along!

 

Materials

Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White, Pool Party, Real Red

Paper: Making Cards (image) & American Crafts 

Dies: Gina K Ovals, Frantic Stamper Words w/Shadow, MFT Clouds, Reverse Confetti Sunburst

Misc.: Derwent Colored Pencils, foam tape, gems from stash

 

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Miss You (Friendship)

Some crafty friends and I are members of "Our Little Crop Group" created by ourselves. We meet monthly but it always seems as if we haven't seen one another since forever! There was so much going on at our crop last weekend that I am surprised I was able to complete any projects at all but I managed to make this card.

If you're a fan of purple then this challenge is for you! Color My Heart Color Dare Challenge #353 is a monochromatic color challenge using any and all purples. The guidelines allow for two neutrals to be used so I selected holographic paper with tiny silver hearts.

Onto a white card base, a panel of purple cardstock was adhered, followed by the die cut frame. The die cut flowers were adhered to silver heart patterned paper and adhered to the base using foam tape. The sentiment was stamped, die cut and matted with purple cardstock before being adhered with foam tape. The gems were added for sparkle. The inside was decorated with coordinating paper, more die cut flowers and this stamp: "Friendship isn't a big thing, it's a million little things."

Stop by the Color My Heart Color Dare Challenge #353 and play along with us. This challenge runs from Friday, July 26, through Wednesday, August 7, 2019.

Materials
Stamps: Sizzix #658838 "Phrases", Stampendous "Life Words"
Inks: Stampin' Up! Perfect Plum
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White, Elegant Eggplant, Perfect Plum
Paper: Recollections "Holographic Dream"
Dies: Frantic Stamper "Contemporary Floral Edger" & "Semi-Circle Elementals" (sentiment), Sunny Studio "Frilly Frames-Polka Dots "
Misc.: Foam tape & gems from my stash


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Yoga Frog

There's a new sketch up at Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #325! This challenge began on Monday, July 15, and will end on Sunday evening, July 21, 2019. I have a new stamp that I have been wanting to use so here was my chance to use it.

I dry embossed (texturized) a panel of white cardstock and adhered it to a green card base. The flourish was die cut from cardstock and adhered. The two notched mats were die cut and the stamped, colored, fussy cut frog with the googly eyes was adhered to the stacked mats using foam tape. This was adhered to the card, also using foam tape. Finally the sentiment was stamped, die cut, matted then adhered. The inside was lined with white cardstock and decorated with a die cut flourish. The inside sentiment says, "Ommmmm."

Visit the AHSC Blog and play along. There's a new sketch each Monday morning.

Size: A2 (5.5" x 4.25")
Techniques: Stamping, coloring, dry embossing, fussy cutting, die cutting

Materials
Stamps: Stampendous "Frog Yoga"
Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black; Copic Alcohol Markers
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White, Cucumber Crush, Elegant Eggplant
Paper: Doodlebug Dots
Dies: MFT "Large Flourish", Whimsy "Stitched Notched Rectangles"
TIEF: Stampin' Up!
Misc.: Foam tape & googly eyes from stash

Soak Up the Sun!

July 26 Update: Favorite of the Week ending July 20, 2019 at Splitcoast Stampers!

Sketch challenges are always such fun! Today, July 16, is the first day of the biweekly Try Stampin' on Tuesday Challenge #417. This challenge runs through Sunday, July 28, 2019. The optional twist is "Vacation Fun".  I tilted the sketch for my card that celebrates my favorite vacation spot - the beach! I lived in Florida for many years of my life and always enjoyed spending time at either coast. (The surf is better on the east coast but the waters are warmer on the west coast.)

 

I found some patterned paper that I decided to use for background but the images were quite tiny. I took a 4" square scrap of the paper and enlarged it in color with my printer/copier onto white cardstock. I then fussy cut the enlarged images as well as some of the original images. The splash design on the three rectangles were made with a stencil. The four words were die cut. Everything was assembled, some items were popped up with foam tape and a little bling was added. The inside was lined with white cardstock and decorated with the same fussy cut shapes.

We hope you'll join TSOT #417! Visit our blog for the guidelines.

Materials
Stamp: Stampendous "Life Words" (inside sentiment)
Inks: Stampin' Up! Pool Party & White Craft; Memento Tuxedo Black (inside)
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White, Soft Sky, Calypso Coral, Dapper Denim
Paper: Stampin' Up! collection name unknown (retired)
Die: Frantic Stamper "Sun Fun" (words)
Stencil: Frantic Stamper "Splash"
Misc.: Foam tape and mirrored sequins from stash

Party with the Pachyderms

It's time for a new biweekly challenge beginning today, Monday, July 15, through Sunday, July 29, 2019. Double Trouble Challenge #33 requires a project for a child or baby. The option is to feature a zoo animal. The Double Dare is to submit your card to our partner, Crafter's Café Challenge Blog #223. Be sure to check their guidelines before creating your project for submission.



Onto a white card base (4.5" x 3.25"), the die cut panel was adhered. The next layer is a panel of blue, followed by an embossed panel in white. The other elements (elephant, balloon & party hat) were stamped and die cut, then backed with foam tape and adhered. The banners & sentiment were stamped with silver ink and die cut. I found some glitter nail polish in my stash and drizzled that onto the two banners then adhered them with. The stars and sequins were added. The inside was decorated with a companion elephant stamp. The finished size is A2. (5.5" x 4.25")

We hope you'll visit our blogs and join in the challenge! Click HERE for DTC33 and HERE for CCCB #223.

Materials
Stamps: Lil' Inker "Pachyderm Party"
Inks: Stampin' Up! Bashful Blue, Peach Parfait; Delicata Silvery Shimmer; Memento Tuxedo Black
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White, Bashful Blue, Peach Parfait
Dies: Lil' Inker "Pachyderm Party" & Sunny Studio "Frilly Frames Polka-dot"
Misc.: Stampin' Up! TIEF; glitter nail polish, foam tape, sequins & stars from stash

Wildflowers

It's time for another color challenge at the Color My Heart Color Dare Blog. This is Challenge #351. The requirement is to use the Tic-Tac-Toe grid by selecting a row. There is an option that once you identify your selection from the grid you may add any or all of the colors plus black and white. I have used all of the colors on the grid but started with the center column: Lemon, Silver, Emerald.

I stamped the flowers onto white cardstock. The clear droplets were added and the card was adhered with foam tape to a white card base. The sentiment was stamped and die cut then die cut and matted with a scalloped die cut circle colored with blue ink. The clear droplets were adhered and the sentiment was added using foam tape. The inside was decorated with a stamped flower.

If you don't have the precise colors, you may substitute ink that is a close match. I used substitutes for all ink colors on the grid except Silver. Please visit our blog and join us for Challenge #351. The biweekly challenge started on Friday, July 12, and ends on Wednesday, July 24, 2009.

Materials
Stamps: Altenew "Wildflower Garden" & Stampendous "Life Words" (sentiment)
Inks: Distress Oxides; Delicata (Silvery Shimmer)
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White
Dies: Gina K stacking and nesting circle dies
Misc.: Foam tape and clear droplets from my stash

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Fluttering Wings Thank You

I always enjoy playing along at Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge. This week's challenge #324 began on Monday, July 8, and will end on Sunday, July 14, 2019. Here is the inspiration sketch that I flipped for my card design.

  

From white cardstock a coverall die was used to create the butterflies. They were lightly sponged with yellow ink. Onto a blue card base, a panel of white was adhered, followed by a die cut scalloped frame in polka dot paper. The reverse side of the polka dot paper was cut and layered inside of the frame then the butterfly layer was added. The flowers were sponged with yellow ink and added with foam tape. The sentiment was stamped, cut and adhered with foam tape. Pearls were added. The inside was lined with a panel of white cardstock and a leftover butterfly was included along with an additional sentiment that coordinates with the one on the front.

Visit AHSC #324 to play along with the challenge!

Materials
Stamps: Stampin' Up! "Gifts of Kindness" (both sentiments)
Inks: Stampin' Up! Marina Mist & Daffodil Delight
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White & Marina Mist
Paper: Stampin' Up! patterned paper in Marina Mist (name of collection unknown)
Die: Crafter's Companion "Fluttering Wings"
Misc.: Pearls and foam tape from stash


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You Melt My Heart

The new biweekly challenge at Try Stampin' on Tuesday is starting today and there are choices! You may use the sketch, the inspirational word or both. I elected to use the word, which is "Melt".  I thought of ice cubes, snowmen, ice cream and candles but settled on the melting heart when I found the sentiment.

I saw a heart photo I liked so I started with a heart die then drew the melted portion to create a template of what I saw. The template allowed me to draw the melting heart on red cardstock. I fussy cut the heart, mounted it onto white cardstock then fussy cut the white mat. I also used a Copic marker to add a little reflective quality to the heart but it's not very noticeable. This was adhered to a panel of black cardstock, which was adhered to a white card base. The sentiment was free clipart that I downloaded, resized, printed and die cut. This was adhered using foam tape for dimension. The silver metallic "gems" were added.

The Design Team at TSOT #415 invites you to join the challenges at our blog. A new biweekly sketch challenge begins each Tuesday and runs for two weeks.

Materials
Stamp: computer generated sentiment; hand drawn heart
Ink: Copic markers
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White, Basic Black, Real Red
Die: Whimsy Notched Stitched Rectangles
Misc.: Foam tape and "gems" from stash

Mele Kalikimaka

 

Mele Kalikimaka! Double Trouble Challenge #32 begins on Monday, July 1, and runs through Sunday, July 14, 2019. Our theme is Christmas in July using a square card. The optional twist is to show Santa enjoying the beach. I selected Hawaii's North Shore for my beach. We are also partnering with Retro Rubber Challenge #114, which requires that you show a little love for an older stamp (at least one year old), either rubber or photopolymer.

 

I didn't have any whimsical or beachy Santa stamps so I used digital images for Santa and the lone reindeer. I downloaded, resized, printed and fussy cut them. I added a floral haku-lei to the reindeer's antlers and a hibiscus to Santa's straw hat and placed a ukulele in Santa's left hand. The lavender mountains, the Pacific waters, clouds and the sandy beach were die cut. The banner was cut freehand and placed in Santa's right hand with a strip of black cardstock.

The palm trees were the result of using an older stamp. When I first started this hobby, I came upon two old wood-mounted rubber palm tree stamps at a yard sale and had never used them. (Based on the label scrap, I believe they are Recollections brand.) After stamping the images, I colored them with Copics and discovered I needed larger palm trees. I have an excellent laser printer/copier, so enlarged the colored palm trees to better fit the front of the card. Once printed, I clear embossed all of my images, fussy cut them and used two large images on the front of the card. The clear embossing gives a fabulous shine to the trees. The two smaller original images were added to the inside of the card.

Here's a photo of the originals and the enlarged images during card construction:

After sponging the sky a bright yellow for sunshine, the elements were adhered to cardstock using varying heights of foam tape to add dimension. Finally, the finished panel was adhered to a white square card base. As mentioned above, the inside was decorated with the original stamped palm trees.

Play along with us by visiting the DTC #32 blog and the RRC #114 blog. You could win something special!

Techniques: Stamping, coloring, sponging, fussy cutting, die cutting, heat embossing
Size: 5.5" x 5.5"

Materials
Stamps: Pre-owned Recollections rubber palm tree stamps & free digital images
Inks: Stampin' Up! Daffodil Delight; Memento Tuxedo Black; Versamark; Copic Alcohol Markers
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White, Wisteria Wonder, Island Indigo, Basic Black; Xcel for alcohol markers; Tonic Studios Satin Mirror Card (Silky Sky); The Paper Studio Solid Glitter (copper)
Dies: Reverse Confetti "Doin' the Wave", MFT (clouds), Lawn Fawn (mountains)
Misc.: Stampin' Up! Embossing Powder (clear), foam tape