Thought for the day... sympathy and insight

Ever had one of those days?  This is the card for that day...

Supplies available from www.creativeflare.stampinup.net

Stamp set:  Trust God (w#132094, c#126702)

Ink:  Basic Black

Card Stock:  Raspberry Ripple, Basic Black, Very Vanilla, Modern Medley Designer Series Paper (birds and backing label)

Tools:  Big Shot Die Cutting Machine (113439), Labels Collection Framelits (125598), Hearts Collection Framelits (125599), Modern Mosaic Embossing Folder (129984), Petals a Plenty Embossing Folders (116824),  2-1/2" Circle Punch (120906),  Decorative Label (120907).

Peace!

Spring Break Scrap Card Challenge 3

One other thing in common most of these cards have is that they have no sentiments stamped on them yet.  Right now, they're sitting in "the stash" waiting to be sent, but I never know what's going to be needed sooner, a thank you, a birthday, or a thinking of you card... This card looks good turned 90 degrees as well.

Supplies by Stampin' Up:
Sizzix Big Shot: Labels Framelets, Punches: Large Oval and Ornament punches, Paper: Petals and Paisleys, Wintergreen; Cardstock:  Chocolate Chip, Baja Breeze, Cherry Cobbler, Naturals Ivory
Other supplies:
Tag from Sizzix Bigz Tags die

Spring Break Scrap Card Challenge 2

You may notice I'm using the Labels Framelet quite alot in this challenge... I had pre-cut about 8 sets of Labels for a class that was weathered out... last year....

Supplies: by Stampin' Up:
Sizzix Big Shot:  Labels Framelets, Window Frame Framelets, Vintage Wallpaper Textured Impressions Embossing Folder;  Stamps: Raven and sparkle dot; Arrow Punch; Ink: More Mustard and Early Espresso, Black Embossing powder; Paper: Paper: Pocket full of Posies; Cardstock: Rich Razzleberry, Crumb Cake, Basic Black, Whisper White, Early Espresso
Other Companies:
 Ink:  Versamark, Staz-On Jet Black (available through Stampin' Up)
Nestabilities Dahlia,

Inspiration Everywhere...

Someone recently asked me where I get my inspiration for making cards.  There's inspiration everywhere!  A few good places to look are paper crafting magazines, which are great for demonstrating new products and techniques, another is blog-surfing - also a sure-fire way to find something new to try on your own projects.  Today, we're talking textiles.  In a recent blog, I demonstrated a card modeled after one of my grandmother's needlepoint creations.  This blog is about taking what you see everyday, and letting that fuel your creativity.

My 5 year old son took this photo of me in my favorite T-shirt.  It's a gray background with red, yellow and orange filigree chairs, and it says blah blah blah "coffee" blah blah etc... (I love coffee).  It's a very simple everyday item...

So now, here's the T-shirt in the form of a card - Basic Gray card stock, with Summer Starfruit lattice die cut, and a Riding Hood Red blossom.  The "Thank You" sentiment comes from the Perfectly Penned stamp set, #122890w/112892c stamped in Riding Hood Red classic ink.  Basic Gray is a fantastic launch pad for zany color.

This is a sweater from my church's coat closet... There's no telling who's sweater it is, but as I was hanging up my coat before church one morning, this sweater was there and I had to take a photo of it, it was just too brilliant.

I cut some concentric squares with my paper trimmer, 1-1/2", 1-1/4", 1" and punched a 3/4" circle of Whisper White card stock for the center.  The colors here are:  Elegant Eggplant, Perfect Plum, Wisteria Wonder (purples); Rich Razzleberry, Melon Mambo, Pretty in Pink (pinks).  Sponge the edges in the darkest color, pierce the center of the stack, give each layer a good scrunch, and hold it all together with at brad.  Stampin' Dimensionals are the best way to adhere the flowers to the card front, they give the brad a little cushion as well as popping the flower up off the surface.

The background is a 4" x 5-1/4" piece of vellum card stock, run through the Big Shot with the Houndstooth embossing Folder.  The Label background is Basic Gray card stock cut with a Label Framelets die, and run through the Big Shot with the Square Lattice embossing folder.  The leaves are Summer Starfruit, Lucky Limeaid and Old Olive card stock.  Like the flowers, I sponged the edges in the darkest layer color (Old Olive) and gave each a scrunch.  The leaf shape comes from an old stencil of a rounded triangle, and a little free-hand extrapolation.  Stamp set is Loving Thoughts #125843w/125845c

While neither of these examples are exactly like the originals, the inspiration comes from the forms and colors of the fabrics.  Take a fresh look at your decor, closet , or coat rack, and see what inspires you...

Enjoy!