Thursday, February 24, 2011

Play Date Cafe 70 - Happy Birthday

At the Play Date Cafe today, we have a super-happy, bright combo of colors to play with!


Don't those colors remind you of summer? 

I made a birthday card that helped use up some of my scraps. 

All of the designer papers are from Stampin' Up!, and are retired.  There are so many neat ones in the $1.00 Scrap Bags I get from my demo. 


I lined up some scraps in various widths across the bottom of the card, then stacked two borders punched with Martha Stewart's Double Scallop border.  A ribbon scrap tops them. 


The punched frame is made with Martha's String Lace Punch Around the Page set (bought for 9.99 after Christmas!).  I paper-pieced the stack of presents from SU's Happy Moments and added a tiny bird from a new Sale-a-Bration set called Sweet Summer.

We have a Guest Designer this week at the Play Date Cafe:  Maria Gurnsey!  Click on over to check out her creative goodies on her blog, Gingham and Polka Dots.  

Our Design Team has brewed up some neat projects to share with you, so be sure to check them out, too:

Tracey -- Jaclyn -- Savannah -- Julie -- Michele -- Fiona -- Andrea -- Sarah -- Jinny -- Ruby -- Libby -- and me, Colleen!

The awesome prize package, worth $30, is sponsored by Maria Gurnsey.

Ready to play with us?

Please follow THE PLAY DATE CAFE RULES carefully to enter.
Deadline for prizes is 11:59pm EST on Tuesday
The 'Cup of the Week' will be announced during the next challenge.
ALL SKILL LEVELS ARE ENCOURAGED TO PLAY! 
We want you to enjoy this challenge. 
Interpret the colors the way you see them. 
We do not use specific card stock color names or brands.
Break out of the box and have fun! 
The main requirement is:
PDCC COLORS BE THE 
FOCUS OF YOUR SUBMISSION
When using additional colors, please limit them to neutrals. 
You are welcome to combine challenges, 
but we do ask that:
 1. The PDCC name and/or photo is used

2. OUR colors are the focus of the card.

Hope to see your work hanging in the gallery at the Cafe!

Colleen

Stamps:  Sweet Summer, Happy Moments
Paper:  PTI white, designer paper scraps from SU, Tempting Turquoise, Wild Wasabi
Ink:  Stazon black
Punch:  Martha Stewart Double Scallop Border, String Lace PATP
Other:  SU ribbon scrap, SU markers, dimensionals, Scor-Tape

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Kiss Me, I'm Irish

A St. Patrick's Day card in untraditional colors...that's what I like! 

My birthday is on St. Patrick's Day (March 17th), and all of my life, I would tend to receive the same card from various loved ones for my big day.  That's because very few greeting card companies made St. Patrick's Day/ Birthday combination cards.  It's probably better than it used to be, but they all tend to be GREEN (for obvious reasons).

I changed things up a bit by adding navy and deep red for something unexpected.

The layout is from CASE Study's muse this week, Eva Dobilas.  

I kept the same layout, even tying in some of Eva's elements like the Spellbinders Label Ten die-cut, and a green swirl stamp.

The shamrock stamps and the sentiment are from a Studio G pack purchased at AC Moore.  The swirl is a clear stamp that was part of a blog candy win, and I don't remember the company name.

The deep red layer is part of a gift bag that I cut apart.  I had to reassemble it under the cream die-cut to match up the stripes.

A new Play Date Cafe challenge is issued this Thursday at 12:01 AM EST, and you don't want to miss the bright, fresh group of colors coming your way!

Thanks for joining me.  :)

Colleen

Stamps:  swirl - unknown, shamrocks and sentiment - Studio G
Paper:  Not Quite Navy, PTI Vintage Cream, red from gift bag, greens from SU retired designer paper
Ink:  Antique Linen and Walnut Stain Distress Inks, Wild Wasabi, Cherry Cobbler
Punches:  scalloped border by SU, Lattice Edge by Martha Stewart
Other:  bling from Queen & Co., Big Shot, Labels Ten and Labels Eight by Spellbinders, sponge, dimensionals

Monday, February 21, 2011

A Beautiful Thing

After the crazy, unexpected weekend I had (see THIS post), it felt goooooood to make a card late yesterday.


I created this for the Mark's Finest Papers Speedy the Cat's Friends challenge, where we are to use black/white/one other color (mine is pink); and also for Dutch Dare Card Challenge:  Sparkle, Glitter, Bling!  I've got sparkly hearts, rhinestones and pearls galore.


I was able to play with some new stamps I received from Wplus9, a really cool stamp company that is new to me.  I love my set, Magical Moments.  I stamped a sentiment from it onto a Spellbinders Labels Four die cut.  The designer papers are from Stampin' Up! and My Mind's Eye.

I'm off to the local craft stores soon.  They have coupons for today and yesterday only for 55% off an item!  Can't resist that.

Thank you to everyone who left comments on my post yesterday, about the tree falling and just missing our house.  It was quite an experience!  So glad no one was hurt.

Colleen

Stamps:  Wplus9 'Magical Moments'
Paper:  PTI white, Basic Black, designer paper from SU and My Mind's Eye 'Garden Vignettes'
Ink:  Basic Black, Pretty In PInk
Other:  Big Shot, Spellbinders Labels Four, glittery chipboard hearts from Recollections, pearls, pink rhinestones, black ribbon from Stamp Simply Ribbon Store

Sunday, February 20, 2011

You've Got To See These Photos!


There's no card to show you today, but I've got to tell you what's happened in the last 24 hours.  Yesterday and the night before the winds were really intense here in Southern New Jersey, with gusts up to 60 mph.  Yesterday morning about 10:15, we lost power, and I thought it was because of the wind.  I happened to look out my front door just in time to see a tree fall into my neighbor's house!  Our houses are very close, so this photo above is taken just outside my front door.  The tree partially covered my driveway.

It was a very old, very big Sweet Gum tree that's been a problem for a while.  Our township refused to take it down.  We knew this was going to happen someday, and those high winds just took the big guy down.  We had been without power from the time the tree fell on Saturday morning until around 4 am Sunday morning.  We spent the night in a hotel, and got home around 11 am today.  At least we were warm and had a chance to re-charge our cell phones and watch TV.  Our story was on the local news last night on Channel 6 ABC.


The yellow house is my next door neighbor's.  The tree went through her front living room window, and if her 12 year old son didn't have fast reflexes, he would have been hurt or killed.  He was sitting on the sofa right beneath that window.  An angel was sitting on his shoulder.

This is taken from right in front of my house. 
The tree blocked our street for more than a day.

This is taken from across the street, where the tree 'lived'. 
 It took up a lot of sidewalk, which my neighbor just had repoured this past fall.

Clean up on Sunday, February 20, 2011.  PSE & G put up a new power pole
 in the very wee hours of the morning.  Tree clean up has been happening all day.

I had planned to make a card for Moxie Fab's Trigger Tuesday before the deadline last night, but that didn't happen!  God had other plans for us.

You think you're safe at home....but you never know!  We're grateful that no one was hurt in this incident.

See you soon,

Colleen

Friday, February 18, 2011

Inspired by a Dress; An Award

I often receive a catalog from a children's clothing company called CWD Kids.   I save every issue, because they are jam-packed with gorgeous dresses and other clothing items that give me so much inspiration.

Here's my take:

I had received some stamps from Wplus9 in the mail the other day and they were wrapped in hot pink tissue paper.  I saved it, knowing I would need it for this card.  Tissue paper doesn't punch well, even when layered multiple times for thickness.  But that was okay here because I wanted a crumpled flower appearance anyway!  The shimmery pink brad is from Target's Dollar Spot last fall.


The green designer paper is from an old K & Company paper pad that I bought for 99 cents a while back.  I cut it out with a Spellbinders Labels Eight die, then embossed it with Sizzix Powdered Sugar.  The butterflies were created using the new-to-me SU Bigz Beautiful Butterflies die, then embossed with Sizzix Regal Flourishes folder.  Their antennae are made with Pink Sorbet Twine from The Twinery. 


The sheer pink ribbon is an old gift bag handle that I took off the bag (it didn't have any life left in it anyway!).

Challenges entered:
I found out last night that the card below earned me a VIP Top 3 Award at Party Time Tuesdays! 

In a couple of weeks, I have exciting news to share with you, but I can't spill the beans yet!

Thanks so much for joining me today.  I always appreciate you visiting my blog.  :)

Colleen

Paper:  K & Company paper pad, white by PTI, pink tissue paper
Punches:  5 petal flower, horizontal slot and scalloped circle by SU
Other:  Big Shot, Powdered Sugar and Regal Flourishes embossing folders by Sizzix, Pink Sorbet twine from The Twinery, pink brad from Target, green and pink bling from Queen and Company, ribbon from gift bag handle, Bigz Beautiful Butterflies die from SU, Labels Eight by Spellbinders

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Village by the Water


Once I saw the Waltzingmouse Sketch for this week (which ends tonight), an idea for a sun and water scene formed in my head.  I needed some tiny houses to go in this scene, and the Wonderfully Whimsical set by Papertrey Ink was just perfect. 

The sketch:


And the color scheme I chose is based on CR84FN's current challenge:


The waves were created on Marina Mist cardstock with Embossed Curves border punch.  I layered four of them together in a staggered fashion.  Then I laid my oval Spellbinders nestie on it and ran it through the machine many times.  It actually did not cut all the way through my four layers, so I had to do a little hand-cutting. 



I forgot to sponge each 'wave' border before attaching them together, so when it was complete I edged the waves with a Marina Mist marker.


I made the sun with both an oval and a scalloped oval die cut.  The regular oval was sponged with Summer Sun ink, but I don' t know if you can see that.


I'm tired tonight, and am ready to let "American Idol" wash over me. 
I'll see you all soon! 

Colleen

Stamps:  Wonderfully Whimsical by PTI
Paper:  Marina Mist, Garden Green, Vintage Cream by PTI, yellow unknown
Ink:  black Stazon, Summer Sun
Punch:  Embossed Curve by EK Success
Other:  Big Shot, oval and scalloped oval nesties by Spellbinders, SU markers, dimensionals, sponge

Play Date Cafe 69 - Happy Holidays


This week at the Play Date Cafe we have a 'Combined Grind', where we blend our challenge with that of another challenge blog.  Our blend this week is with CASE Study, and our guest is none other than Iwona Palamountain aka Chupa!  Chupa is everywhere in crafting blogland and I'm sure you've seen her work before.  If you haven't, you must check out her stuff at her blog, "Random Acts of Creativity". 

Hope you don't mind another holiday card, but our challenge colors  just shouted "Christmas" to me this week.



I used twill tape as a trunk for my tree, and gave it some 'age' with Walnut Stain Distress Ink.  The boughs are made with Vine Trim Double Edged punch by Martha Stewart, and decorated with stickers from an old Stampin' Up! calendar kit.  I added a bit of glitter for holiday dazzle.  :)


The tree is set in front of a Spellbinders Labels Ten die cut that was distressed with more Walnut ink and very lightly overstamped with Hero Arts Old French Script.  The designer paper is from My Mind's Eye 'Garden Vignettes'.  The largest die from Spellbinders Labels Eight forms the cardbase. 


 The holiday sentiment is from Mark's Finest Papers Seasonal Poinsettias set. 

Even though I have made a holiday card, you'll find plenty of non-Christmas-y projects from our Design Team at the Cafe this week. 


Thanks for joining me today!  Hope to see you playing along with us.  :)

Colleen

Stamps:  Seasonal Poinsettias by Mark's Finest Papers, Hero Arts Old French Script
Paper:  Vintage Cream by PTI, So Saffron, Garden Green, designer paper from My Mind's Eye 'Garden Vignettes'
Ink:  Walnut Stain and Antique Linen Distress inks
Punch:  scalloped border by SU
Other:  sponge, dimensionals, glitter, Big Shot, Spellbinders Labels Eight and Ten, twill by SU

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Inspired by a Hat Box

Hope you all had a sweet Valentine's Day.  Ours was low-key, with a bit of chocolate exchanging.  Chocolate is always welcome, any day!

My card today is inspired by a hat box I own:
Isn't it romantic?

There were quite a few challenges that inspired me as well, and they are listed further down the post.


There was a lot involved in the making of this card.  Lots of distressing with ink and sponges, and subtle stamping.  The rose image is from Miss CutiePie:  Inspiration and Freebies blog, provided to me by my friend Sparklygirl-Tina.  Thank you, Tina!  My printer's calibration is a little crazy right now, so the colors are a little brighter than they should be.  I used Antique Linen Distress ink to tone down that rose a bit.  I cut it with a Spellbinders Circle Die, then mounted it on an Anna Griffin clip art I've had for years.  The crochet trim behind it was attached and ruffled using Scor-Tape double sided adhesive.
I chose three different patterned papers from my Anna Griffin stash (so happy to cut into it at long last!) as my background.  The lightest cream one is a floral, but I overstamped it with Hero Arts Old French Script in Tattered Rose Distress ink.  It's super subtle.


Here are the challenges I entered:
  • EtsyInspired - Glow Girl - inspiration photo coupon organizer -- my green panel of Anna Griffin paper looks sooo much like this fabric

Whew!  That's enough, isn't it? 

Thanks for joining me today.  It's almost time for another Play Date Cafe challenge, so I'll see you in a couple of days!

Colleen

Stamps:  Hero Arts Old French Script
Paper:  PTI Vintage Cream, Anna Griffin designer papers
Ink:  Distress Inks - Tattered Rose, Walnut Stain, Antique Linen
Punches:  Martha Stewart Double Scallop and Deco Fan
Other:  Big Shot, Spellbinders circle die, digital image, pearls from Queen and Co., crochet trim, sponge, Anna Griffin circle die cut frame, pink ribbon from stash, dimensionals, Scor-Tape

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Easy Valentine

As I was writing this post, I found out that my Baby Whale card was featured on DeNami Designs' Facebook page this afternoon!  I'm so happy they spotted it and liked it.  Thank you, ladies!

I, aka the Slow-Poke Stamper, managed to make a quick Valentine today. 

Thanks to some great new stickers by K & Company, this card came together quickly.

I stamped Bella Toile background (SU) in Pretty In Pink on a white card base.  I cut out a chocolate frame with two sizes of Spellbinders scalloped rectangle dies, then embossed it with the Textile embossing folder by Cuttlebug.  I made a frame with my dies before in THIS post.  It's so easy. 

Tied on some ribbon from the Stamp Simply Ribbon Store in one corner, put a piece of doily inside the frame, and attached two stickers.  Done!


Challenges entered:
  • Create: - looking out for Valentine cards
Thanks for joining me again today!  Did you see my earlier post for this week's Play Date Cafe Challenge?  Check out my post HERE

Colleen

Stamps:  Bella Toile by SU
Paper:  white by PTI, Chocolate Chip
Ink:  Pretty In Pink
Other:  Big Shot, Spellbinders scalloped rectangle dies, ribbon from Stamp Simply Ribbon Store, K & Co. 'Smitten' chipboard stickers, doily, Textile embossing folder

Play Date Cafe 68 - Vintage Valentine

{Sigh}.  I'm loving the challenge colors this week at The Play Date Cafe.  Look at these beautiful inspiration photos, courtesy of Julie Ranae:


Since I just got a bunch of new goodies on Monday, I was able to incorporate some of them on this card, like the Pink Paislee designer paper, a Hero Arts Old French Script stamp, the Embossed Curve punch by EK Success, 'Calypso' flowers by Prima (on clearance), and pink glittery chipboard hearts by Recollections.

The pink Prima 'Calypso' flowers were on the bright side, so I sponged them with Frayed Burlap Distress ink to drab them down.


I created my own designer paper with Tattered Rose Distress ink and the Bella Toile stamp by SU on vanilla cardstock.  Then I went over it with Hero Arts Old French Script stamp in Old Paper Distress ink.  A bit of sponging with that same ink and a little of Frayed Burlap ink helped give it an old, worn look.



My new punch, Embossed Curve by EK Success, reminds me of balloon curtains.  As the card came together, I imagined I was creating curtains with a lace underlay, and that I was peering into a house with beautiful, timeworn wallpaper.

You must head over to the Play Date Cafe to see what the other Design Team members have for you!  So much gorgeousness!  And we have a Guest Designer at the Cafe this week, too: Kazan Clark! We are honored to have her as our very distinguished guest. Pop over to her blog and leave her some love. :)

Guest Designer:
Kazan Clark


Senior Design Team:
Ruby McGuire 

Design Team:
Andrea Ewen
Fiona Shultz
Jaclyn Miller
Jinny Newlin
Libby Hickson
Michele Gross
Tracey Kuzniak

Private Blend Designer:Colleen Dietrich - that's me! 


Are you ready to play, too? 
Please follow the rules carefully to enter.
Deadline for prizes is 11:59pm EST on Tuesday
The 'Cup of the Week' will be announced during the next challenge.

ALL SKILL LEVELS ARE ENCOURAGED TO PLAY!
We want you to enjoy this challenge.
Interpret the colors the way you see them.
We do not use specific card stock color names or brands.

Break out of the box and have fun!
The main requirement is:
PDCC COLORS BE THE FOCUS OF YOUR SUBMISSION
When using additional colors, please limit them to neutrals.
You are welcome to combine challenges, but we do ask that:
1. The PDCC name and/or photo is used and
2. OUR colors are the focus of the card.


I have a feeling we will have a ton of players this week....and I hope you are one of them! 

Happy Stamping,

Colleen

Stamps:  Bella Toile and Holiday Best by SU, Old French Script by Hero Arts
Paper:  Vintage Cream by PTI, kraft, Pink Paislee designer paper
Ink:  Tattered Rose, Frayed Burlap, Old Paper Distress inks; Crumb Cake by SU
Punch:  Embossed Curve by EK Success
Other:  sponge, pearls by Recollections, chipboard hearts by Recollections, vanilla grosgrain ribbon, Calypso flowers by Prima, lace from my stash, dimensionals, SU markers, brad from JoAnn's

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Shabby Chandelier & a meeting

It felt good to make this card yesterday and today.  I'd had a busy weekend of work with no time for play, and Monday I met my friend Andrea Ewen for lunch and craft store shopping.  Andrea lives near the Jersey shore and I'm close to an hour's drive from her.    It was so much fun to catch up with each other and shop for goodies!
I found a new-to-me challenge called Party Time Tuesdays, which involves romance and chandeliers this week.  At Gingersnap Creations, also new-to-me, we are to use charms.  Mark's Finest Papers wants self-made flowers, and the Paper Players is focusing on romance as well.  I've chosen an inspiration pic from EtsyInspired, whose featured shop this week is Daisy Petal Designs:

Note the pair of roses, and the scripted background.

Here's my creation:
I'm using a new stamp I bought with Andrea on Monday by Hero Arts, called Old French Script.  Love, love, love it.  It echoes the inspiration pic from Etsy, don't you think?  I sponged Antique Linen and Old Paper Distress inks around that panel, as well.


See the charm at the top of the chandelier?  That's new too, from my trip on Monday.  It was on clearance at Mike's; it's by Plaid Enterprises.  I believe it's meant for jewelry-making as it has two holes for linking up a chain.  I prefer it here on my card!


The chandelier is from Chandeliers by Inkadinkado, and I've decorated the bobeches (the little drip cups around each candlelight) with teensy pearls.  The sentiment is from Anna Griffin.


I used the same flower-making tutorial from YouTube that I used on my "Inspired by a Table Arrangment" card in January 2011. 

I started with 6 serrated-edge 1" circle punches, each sponged with Sahara Sand:

After following the tutorial, which involves misting each circle with water, crumpling up each circle then uncrumpling, layering them on each other, putting a brad through the center of the stack, and crumpling each layer back up again (honestly, it doesn't take much time; it only looks like a lot when I have to write each step out), then I re-inked the edges by doing this:
Tomorrow begins a new color challenge at The Play Date Cafe, and you don't want to miss it!  Our design team has brewed some interesting projects to show you.

Thanks for joining me today!

Colleen

Stamps:  Hero Arts Old French Script, SU Bella Toile, Inkadinkado Chandeliers, Anna Griffin sentiment
Paper:  Sahara Sand, Basic Gray, Very Vanilla
Ink:  Sahara Sand, Basic Gray, Basic Black; Antique Linen and Old Paper Distress inks by Ranger
Punches:  scalloped circle by SU, serrated edge 1" circle by Martha Stewart, Modern Lable by SU
Other:  sponge, dimensionals, gray satin ribbon by Really Reasonable Ribbon, pearls by Recollections and Queen and Co., charm by Plaid   
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