Love the Life You Live

It's been a long time since I've played along with the Color Throwdown and Match the Sketch challenges.  But as soon as I saw their new ones this week light bulbs went off in my head and I carved out some time to play along with them.

I do love a color combo that is black, white, and something.  In this case the something is pink and pink makes a delightful dragonfly as it turns out!  I love all that white space.  I was tempted, for a moment, to add a few dew drops but resisted - wisely, I might add - because I think the crisp, plain background is perfect the way it is.

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies 
Stamps:  Posted Note Sentiments (Reverse Confetti)
Paper:  Solar White (Neenah); Blushing Bride, Vellum (Stampin' Up!); Black Licorice (My Favorite Things)
Ink:  Onyx Black (Versafine)
Accessories:  Fishtail Flags Layer STAX (My Favorite Things); Libellules die (4enscrap)

Ombre Christmas

Much to my dismay every time I see a card challenge I can only think of making a Christmas card!  Today is no different having spied the colors at Merry Monday, which lead to the sketch at Match the Sketch, which lead to the ombre challeng at TGIF.  Whew!

Love this color combo!  And I love the graphic shapes on the sketch at Match this Sketch.  I thought the two would look good together and I think I was right! 

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies
Stamps:  Ombre Sentiments: Christmas (Papertrey Ink)
Paper:  Solar White (Neenah); Tempting Turquoise, Lemon Lime Twist (Stampin' Up!); silver glitter (Recollections)
Ink:  Tempting Turquoise (Stampin' Up!)
Accessories:  Circle STAX (My Favorite Things)

Just a Note

There's a big snow storm (read: blizzard) heading my way for Tuesday.  Oh joy.  On the off chance that the power goes out I did a bunch of stamping Sunday to get some of my DT commitments out of the way and I actually had a bit of extra time to make a card just for fun.

The other day I was perusing the Papertrey Ink sneak peeks for March and one of the cards featured a bunch of punched out circles in bright colors.  I loved how simple and colorful the card was so when I saw the latest challenge at Match the Sketch I knew that I wanted to use the same idea.  I got my colors from Color Throwdown .

The only good thing about a blizzard in March is that the snow generally melts pretty quickly after it's all over.  Summer can't come soon enough for me!

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies
Stamps:  Keep It Simple: Just a Note (Papertrey Ink)
Paper:  Solar White (Neenah); Night of Navy, Wild Wasabi, Vellum (Stampin' Up!)
Ink:  Onyx Black (Versafine)
Accessories:  Blueprints 13 die (My Favorite Things); 1/2-inch circle punch (Stampin' Up!); black embossing powder

colourQ 368!

I am happy to say that I am on vacation for the next couple of weeks and I am really looking forward to some rest and relaxation.  This has been a busy year for me work-wise so it's nice to sort of round out the year with some down-time.  I spent some leisurely time in my craft room Sunday and created this card for the latest challenge at colourQ.

I was in a color-block frame of mind, thanks in no small part to the Match the Sketch challenge.  I jazzed this up by adding a die cut sentiment that I cut from some glimmer paper that is called "champagne" but does not look like any champagne I'd ever drink.  It's coppery in color and I went over it with a dark brown Copic marker so as to keep to the colors of the challenge.  It looks kind of muddy here but in real life it has a lot of sparkle!

I've got lunch dates with long-lost relatives, a driver's license renewal, a new passport photo, and cleaning on my vacation schedule - what an exciting life I lead!  I even started a bit of organizing in my craft room {gasp}.  I don't know where that will lead but hopefully I can do a bit of a purge!

Thanks for stopping by and please head on over to colourQ to check out the inspiration from our design team.  I hope to see you in the gallery!

Supplies
Paper:  Pure Ivory (Gina K); Chocolate Chip, Pumpkin Pie, Old Olive, Hello Honey, Champagne Glimmer (Stampin' Up!)
Ink:  Copic E49
Accessories:  Stitched Rectangle STAX (My Favorite Things); Thank You die (Heidi Swapp)

colourQ 347!

There was something very cool that appealed to me about the colors this week at colourQ.  Despite the blouse-wearing model in the inspiration pic I could see these colors as masculine.   And yet I could also see them as very warm and not-so-masculine.  As is my habit when I see colors I go looking for a sketch and stumbled across this great one from Match the Sketch which tipped me into the masculine camp.

I used some translucent embossing paste to create some texture on the brown layer then dug into what I believe is the last piece of Blush Blossom card stock I own to cut those little squares.  I wouldn't say I'm a huge fan of Blush Blossom but it is pretty and I confess to feeling a little twinge when I cut it.  It's like the end of an era because I know of no color that is similar to it.  Do you?

As you will not be surprised to read, our colourQ design team has created some really beautiful cards using these colors so be sure to check them out.  I hope we get to see you in the gallery!

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies
Stamps:  Tech Talk (CAS-ual Fridays Stamps)
Paper:  Smoky Slate, Peach Parfait, Blush Blossom, Chocolate Chip, Whisper White )SU)
Ink:  Chocolate Chip
Accessories:  Distress Grid stencil (Sheena); Pierced Square STAX (My Favorite Things); translucent embossing paste (Dreamweaver)

colourQ 341!

It's finally looking a bit more like spring around these parts.  After a week of rain and temperatures more suitable to November, May is finally stepping up and acting like the warm spring it's supposed to be.  Here's hoping it lasts!

It's Tuesday and that means there's a new palette at colourQ and the colors this week definitely called a bit of spring to my mind.

I thought I had sold my Peach Parfait stamp pad and was originally going to substitute with that horrible cantaloupe color but luckily I came across the right color before it was too late.  Good thing too because the cantaloupe was totally wrong when it comes to being peach!  The layout of my card comes from the latest challenge at Match The Sketch and instead of using actual layers on my card I've simulated them with stamped images.  The butterfly, of course, is not stamped but is a beautiful new stitched die that I recently got and is meant to take the place of the smaller rectangle on the sketch.

These colors are gorgeous and if the cards the colourQ design team have made are any indication of how the gallery will look this week (and you can bet they are), we are all in for a big treat!  So please come and play along with us and show us how you see these colors!

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies
Stamps:  Mesh (Darkroom Door); Painted Greetings (Altenew)
Paper:  Crumb Cake, Melon Mambo, Cameo Coral, Whisper White (SU)
Ink:  Peach Parfait (SU); Black Tie (Ranger)
Accessories:  Blueprints 20 die (My Favorite Things); Daphne Butterfly die (Poppystamps); Clear Droplets (Pretty Pink Posh)

colourQ 337!

Hello!  Time for a new challenge from your friends at colourQ!  We've got another great color palette for you.  So come on and take a look!

Sadly my stash of Going Gray card stock is depleted so I had to substitute a different light gray.  Going Gray was one of my favorite grays and I was so sad when Stampin' Up! discontinued it.  Ever since then I've been on the hunt for a close replica and I haven't been able to find one yet.

I used the sketch from Match the Sketch for this card and I love how it allowed me to show off these colors in a fun way.  The little flower die cut is doing double-duty covering up an inky blob too!  I always seem to make a card with either an ink splat somewhere or some cat hair included!

My colourQ teamies have made some beautiful cards with these colors so be sure to head on over there and take a look.  I hope to see you in the gallery!

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies
Stamps:  Words of Wisdom (Verve)
Paper:  Fog (Simon Says Stamp); Blushing Bride, Hello Honey, Twitterpated DSP (SU)
Ink:  Onyx Black (Versafine)
Accessories:  Stitched Rectangle STAX, Stitched Rounded Rectangle STAX (My Favorite Things); Petal Party die (Memory Box); Pool Party seam binding ribbon, Basic Rhinestones (SU)

colourQ 310

Hello!  Today we've got some colors to show you at colourQ inspired by these cool measuring spoons.  A little color in the kitchen is a good thing!

The layout for my card is from the latest sketch at Match the Sketch - with a few liberties on the stars.  I thought the big bow was a good substitution for them!  But I've got to say that a funny thing happened when I was making this card.  At first I was going to go all old-school and dig out my scallop circle dies.  Remember those?  Then I remembered that I recently got this wreath die and decided to use that.  I got the die primarily for Christmas cards so my card morphed into a non-traditional-color Christmas card.  I do love to make those and I really love how this came out.

Ok, so how will you interpret these colors?  Join us at colourQ and show us how!  We love to see you in the gallery!  And to get your creative juices flowing our amazing colourQ design team has some beautiful cards to show you.  Hop on over there and check them out!

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies:
Stamps:  Signature Christmas (Papertrey Ink) 
Paper:  Classic White (Flourishes); White Linen (Ellen Hutson); Daffodil Delight, Kiwi Kiss, Riding Hood Red (SU)
Ink:  Onyx Black (Versafine)
Accessories:  Whirl Wreath die (Penny Black); Blueprints 13 die (My Favorite Things); Frightful enamel dots (My Mind's Eye)

colourQ 296

Hello!  It's time for a new palette from your friends at colourQ!  This week the colors are inspired by these flip flops.  They are so gorgeous and I love that bit of bling!  Here's my card:

I've created a bit of an abstract version of the Match the Sketch layout here by layering images rather than card stock or patterned paper.  Then I topped it off with a bright yellow flower and some blue leaves - yes, blue!  That's what I call artistic license!

Thanks for stopping by today!  And please pop on over to colourQ and check out the cards our amazing design team have created with these colors.  I hope you have time to join us in the gallery this week!

Supplies:
Stamps:  Gorgeous Grunge (SU); Ink Splats (Indigo Blu); Artful Flowers (Simon Says Stamp); Family is Everything (My Creative Time)
Paper:  White (Spectrum Noir); Night of Navy (SU)
Ink:  Daffodil Delight, Soft Sky, Marina Mist Night of Navy (SU)
Accessories:  Curvy Leaves die (Elizabeth Craft Designs)

colourQ 283

Well here it is Tuesday again!  And that means it's time for a new palette at colourQ.  This week the color combo is one of my faves because it's got Kiwi Kiss, kraft and black!  It's inspired by this tea towel.

I hemmed and hawed, and fussed and fumed for way too long over this card.  But I was having Internet issues (for the second weekend in a row) the day I was making this card so I was a bit off-kilter.  I do like how it turned out though, especially because I used an old favorite stamp set, Best Blossoms.  At one time this was a go-to set for me when I wanted a pretty flower and I had actually forgotten all about it.  Shame on me!

The layout for this comes from Match the Sketch.  I always love a sketch with good geometric layers and this layout is perfect to show off some patterned paper and the flowers.

Having Internet issues means I'm behind on everything.  I'm behind on my DT work and behind on commenting.   Apologies if you've popped by lately and I haven't returned the favor.  I plan to get caught up tonight so hopefully I'll be back to normal soon!

As always thanks for stopping by and don't forget to check out the cards from my teamies at colourQ.  They are beauties!

Supplies:

Stamps:  Best Blossoms (SU); A freebie "thank you" stamp from Avery Elle

Paper:  Kraft (Papertrey Ink); Basic Black, Smoky Slate, Kiwi Kiss, Whisper White, Vellum (SU)

Ink:  Going Gray, Kiwi Kiss (SU); Onyx Black (Versafine)

Accessories:  Vertical Stitched Strips, Stitched Rectangle STAX (My Favorite Things); Curvy Leaves die (Elizabeth Craft Designs) 

Snowflake

The Shades of White challenge at As You See It had me intrigued.  Then, as luck would have it, I found a sketch at Match the Sketch that seemed perfect for a white on white card and then I saw the winter wonderland challenge at Cupcake Inspirations which was perfect for a snowflake so I decided to combine them all.

I started with a white card base and layered some vellum over it.  I have some white, sparkly twine in my stash so I used that to wrap around the vellum and create the contrast between the two layers.  Then I added a snowflake that I die cut from Dazzling Diamonds Glimmer paper.  All this looks very bland here but in real life it's quite sparkly and wonderful!

Thanks for stopping by and if you are going to leave a comment (and I hope that you do) remember that you can ignore the stupid prove you're not a robot check box!

Supplies:

Paper: Classic White (Flourishes); Vellum (Papertrey Ink); Dazzling Diamonds Glimmer (SU)

Accessories:  Funky Snowflake die (Simon Says Stamp)

colourQ 248

We've got some wonderful patriotic colors this week at colourQ just in time to celebrate Independence Day in the US.  The inspiration comes from this subway art style frame.

This is the only stamp set I have that has fireworks and July 4th sentiments which pretty much guarantees that I'll never get rid of it.  I stamped the images in a random pattern and added the sentiment on a little vellum tag.  It's hard to see in the photo, but it's there!  I recently came across a new-to-me challenge called Match the Sketch so I played along with #26.

We'd love to have you play along with us at colourQ this week.  The design team has got some great cards to inspire you so be sure to check them out!

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies:

Stamps:  July Fourth (SU)

Paper:  Sahara Sand, Not Quite Navy, Vellum (SU)

Ink:  Sahara Sand, Not Quite Navy, Marina Mist, Ruby Red (SU)

Accessories:  Banner Bundle die (Verve); Woodland Park button (October Afternoon); Rustic Twine (Papertrey Ink)