Sending Hugs

This card is a response to two challenges: CAS(E) this Sketch's #371 and CAS Colours and Sketch's #369. I'm enjoying using the Stampin' Up! downloadable images, which also raise money for charity. This sentiment is from them. The 'Hexagons' 3D embossing folder definitely adds impact to the card!

Ingredients: Stampin' Up! card (Whisper White, Pretty Peacock, Terracotta Tile), paper (In Colours DSP in Purple Posy), Purple Posy and Pretty Peacock markers, Hearts punches, In Colour embossed gems, dowloadable images, Hexagons 3D embossing folder

Other - Stazon black ink

Love Heart

The current sketch from Thank God It's Friday (#tgif159) made me think about hearts, so that's what I went with, when making this card. To do the clouds I had to fight my brain's spatial ineptness, so it took me a while to work out that I should use a die to make cloud shapes in post-it notes, then use the hole rather than the shape to sponge onto the card, first onto white card at the top, then onto previously sponged card, in the same colour, to make the v-shape at the bottom. Phew!

Card ingredients:
Stampin' Up ink (Pool Party, Lemon Lime Twist, Melon Mambo), card (Lemon Lime Twist, Pool Party, Shimmery White), stamps (Heart Happiness, Sure Do Love You, Lift Me Up), dies (Rainbow Builders, Up and Away, Lots to Love Box), enamel shapes

A card for Esmé

I began, this time, by wanting to make a card for a new baby - Esmé - and ended up making two cards using the same two challenges: CAS Colours and Sketches #261 and Colour Throwdown's #482. Interesting that they ended up so different, despite their shared inspiration!
Card #1:

and Card #2: 

Card #1 made using:

Card #2 made using:

Masculine Valentine

I loved Time Out's photo inspiration #102, and combined it with SUO's invitation in challenge #193 to use 'hearts a'plenty' to make a card for my husband for Valentine's Day. I hope he'll like the bold composition and colours (or at least will be too polite to say if he doesn't!)
The card:

Made using:

Stampin' Up paper (Cajun Crazy, Gold, Basic Black and Pop of Pink dsp) ink (Basic Black), dies (Sweet and Sassy, Celebrate You), enamel hearts and stamp (Thoughtful Banners for 'love')

Hearts & Flowers

I love both the symbolism and the shape of hearts, and am enjoying my recent purchases of Stampin' Up's Sweet and Sassy Framelits and Heart Happiness stamps. Hand Stamped Sentiment's Challenge #281 and Stamp, Ink, Paper's SIP#133 allowed me to use both:

I stamped and then hand-coloured the big heart, and used a little device which both stamps and embosses hearts for the white hearts. 

Made using:

Stampin' Up:Paper (Tempting Turquoise, Whisper White), Sweet and Sassy Framelits, Heart Happiness stamp set, Shake and Celebrate stamp (sentiment) Fashionable Hearts Embosslits, Basic Black ink.

Copic Markers: V122, V04, B02, B05, RV21, G99, YG03, Y21, Y17

Lacy Happy Birthday

A very quick post so I make the deadline - this card is a response to two challenges: As You See It's  #148 (garden green, so saffron and pink pirouette) and CAS Colours and Sketches #220. I really wanted to try a new lace background stamp I've just bought, so used that as a starting point.

Made using:
Ink: Stampin' Up Pink Pirouette, So Saffron, Garden Green
Paper: Stampin' Up Pink Pirouette, So Saffron, Garden Green, Whisper White
Other: Stampin' Upbig on Birthdays Stamp (sentiment), ek miniature flower punch, Dienamics rectangular stiched frame die, Stampin' Up's Flourish thinlits, Kaisercrarft Hearts Border dies, Stampin' Up's subtle dots.

Love Weddings!

It's a while since I've been to a wedding - I think I'm between generations, so to speak. But I'm sure this card will end up being used, and anyway, it was a lot of fun to make.
My inspiration for the card was three challenges: Fab Friday's Challenge #104, which asked me to use the colours Sweet Sugarplum, Soft Sky and Very Vanilla; CAS(E) this Sketch's Challenge #205, using this sketch:

and Less is More's Theme Challenge #312, 'New Beginnings'. 

I loved the colours, finding them relaxing to work with, The sketch was... well, challenging, but I resolved that tricky sentiment issue by using a double layered die cut from a set I love, First Edition Craft's Heart Dies. I also revisited the lace stamp from Grateful Bunch, finding it much easier this second time to work with (so all those attempts last time weren't wasted!).

Made Using: 

Stampin' Up: Sweet Sugarplum, Soft Sky and Very Vanilla paper, Soft Sky and Sweet Sugarplum Ink, Grateful Bunch and Shake and Celebrate Stamp sets.

Other products:  First Edition Craft's Heart Dies, Francheville Rhinestones, Kaisercraft Stitched Borders and Rosie's 'Thanks a Bunch' flowers on the inside.

Just another love card...

I loved sketch 255 from Freshly Made Sketches - I can see myself returning to it again and again. The white space is an invitation to get creative, and the layout keeps it CAS.

I began with a simple interpretation see bottom of post for that card, but then, looking at the colours of the flowers on this card, started wondering if it was possible to make a card in dark, rich colours that fitted the criteria 'clean and simple'. I'm not sure if the resulting card is CAS, but I'm still happy with the result: I think the contained nature of the sketch helped keep the lines of the card clean, as did the repetition of one simple shape (the heart).

The background for the hearts is sponged in Rose Red and Watermelon Wonder, and for the hearts I used a nifty little emboss-and-cut heart set from Stampin' Up that is now retired. 

Made using:

Paper: Stampin' Up Blackberry Bliss, Gold Foil, Bermuda Bay, Marina Mist, Pretty Petals DSP; Rosie's Studio Designer 'Birdsong' Scrapbook Pad, TAD Watercolour paper

Ink: Stampin' Up Rose Red, Watermelon Wonder, Blackberry Bliss

Other: Sizzix Fashionable Hearts Embosslit, Stampin' Up Thoughtful Banners stamp (sentiment) 

Here's my first attempt: 

Paper Pal Arts PPA318

I'd just talked to my lovely daughter on the phone, and so was in the mood for an affectionate card. However, a colleague has just relieved me of all my thank you cards, so I also needed to start making some more. The result is this card:

Made using:

Paper: Stampin' Up Night of Navy, Watermelon Wonder, Whisper White, Affectionately Yours DSP

Stamps: Stampin' Up Love and Affection, Jar of Love (for sentiment)

Other: First Edition Heart Dies, Stampin' Up Affectionately Yours washi tape, Stampin' Up Candy Dots (brights), Stampin' Up Petite Petals punch, Stampin' Up copper embossing powder, Versamark Watermark ink pad