For the Guys HSS119 {Sneak Peeks}

Pin It Now! Hello my friends!  It's time for another fun Inspiration Challenge at Hand Stamped Sentiments!  This week's challenge is a masculine theme, and with Father's Day just around the corner, it's a great opportunity to plan ahead.

Experience tells me that my guy likes cards that are clean, simple, but warm on tones. And he likes different folds, all my boys seem to notice that in a card.  Here's what I came up with...


A gatefold card, showcasing some NEW Designer Series Paper!  Available June 1, it's called Comfort Cafe.  Aside from these great masculine chevron patterns, there are some attractive florals that will be great for Fall. Also NEW are the Designer Naturals Buttons. Great woodtones!
Here's the challenge:

I'm also linking up with Mojo Monday for the sketch that helped me along in my Masculine Theme Mental Block.  Oh, how I wanted to stick a bow on there somewhere.

Here's a closer look at the new goodies...nice patterns, eh?  Very on-trend!



Thanks for looking! I hope you'll join in on the HSS Masculine Theme this week and create something for that guy of yours!



Have a blessed & creative day! Erika. www.erikaclark.stampinup.net

'Cheer'ful Summer Smooches {Early Peeks}

Pin It Now! Wow! I'm having a bright & shiny day. Spring is coming early here on the Eastern Shore, it's blue skies and 80 degrees, and it's just as pleasant here in my craft room.

Put your sunglasses on, you might need 'em ;)


This is brand new paper from SU, "Summer Smooches", with the coordinating fabric covered brads.  These brads are huge and make a big impact!  They remind me of my Gram's polyester double-knit pants from the '70s, and they rock my world :D!!!

I made two pinwheels, a 2" and a 2.5", and layered them with a 1" circle punch cut into the center, and brad to anchor it all down.

The little pennant is a 1" strip of Real Red, run thru the crimper, and snipped upward into triangles...it's all one piece.  I nestled 1/2" circle punches into the insets with alternating colors. 



You can see the stamping inside peeking here!  This is Bright Blossoms, and it's wonderful too.  Great for layering and building a cool retro look.


BRIGHT!

Here's the inside.



I used Hand Stamped Sentiments' challenge #109 HSSTC109 for the color inspiration.  I think they're all represented here!

..and Mojo Monday's layout sketch.  This one looks so simple, but was hard to pull off in my opinion.  Just as a challenge should be!


Have a blessed & creative day! Erika. www.erikaclark.stampinup.net

Perfectly Penned...with Pens!

Pin It Now! Today was a snowy day, really cold here in the Appalachian Mountains. This card, with it's bright & cheery color pallette, really warmed my spirits!



The patterned paper is a new set available TOMORROW from SU's Spring Mini, called Attic Boutique. The patterns are vintage, shabby chic, and some are a bold retro, and they are wonderfully layerable! I'll be using this DSP a lot.

I matted & layered a few patterns. I like that the base pattern is fountain pens, and the stamp is from Perfectly Penned ;). Well played.

I hand made a little flower from a scrap of crochet trim, gathered with thread, and finished with a large pearl.

The paper that the stamped image is on is also from the DSP, a light floral yellow pattern.



The card sketch is Mojo Monday's latest:



The color combo is a Cupcake Creations challenge, CR84FN45. Truly challenging for me, but I enjoyed the outcome!

SUPPLIES:
CARDSTOCK: Crumb Cake, Pool Party, Soft Suede
DSP: Attic Boutique (Daffodil Delight, Calypso Coral, Poppy Parade, Pool Party, Soft Suede, Very Vanilla)
STAMPS: Perfectly Penned
INK: Soft Suede
ACCESSORIES: Calypso Coral Organdy ribbon, Crochet Trim ribbon, large & basic pearls, sponge, Bird punch (leaf).

Have a blessed & creative day! Erika. www.erikaclark.stampinup.net

Get Well, My Friend! {sneak peeks}

Pin It Now! Now that Christmas is over, I find myself wandering aimlessly through Craftland.  No more gifts to make? Christmas cards in red, green, Pool Party? Punched gift tags? *sigh*

Okay, okay! Four months of Christmas projects are enough, I hear you.
On to the Spring Occasions Mini and Sale-A-Bration peeks, then!

Here's a sweet little Get Well card I made with a shabby chic theme in mind. I adore the new DSP available in the new mini, this one is from Attic Boutique. Just the right amount of vintage, but with some gorgeous brights mixed in...my fave Pool Party, super bright Poppy Parade, and Daffodil Delight to get you in the mood for that Spring thaw.



I used the new Framelits Labels dies as a backdrop for the teacups (Tea Shoppe). Double stamped the center teacup and popped it out, then filled it with pansies from the same collection. They're watercolored with Stampin' Write Markers onto Watercolor Paper. This allows me to play around with the blending and fussy-cutting, since this paper is thick and pliable. I painted the edges of the flowers with Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint (a must have), as well as detail on the outer teacups. I stamped and cut three sets of the pansy stamp, cut and layered them into a pretty bouquet. Should lift the spirits of the recipient!
Each layer is Distressed, Sponged, Spritzed, and Rolled.
Finished off with a double layer of ribbon, and a Mini Vintage Tag stamped with the word "friend" from Tea Shoppe.



I used these two wonderful challenges as a springboard for my card...




SUPPLY LIST:
CARDSTOCK: Sahara Sand, Soft Suede, Pool Party, Very Vanilla
DSP: Attic Boutique (Spring Mini)
STAMPS: Tea Shoppe (Spring Mini), Perfectly Penned (Holiday Mini)
INK: Pool Party, Soft Suede, Crumb Cake, Calypso Coral, Pretty in Pink
ACCESSORIES: Framelits Labels Collection (Spring Mini), Seam Binding Ribbon (Pool Party), Organdy Ribbon (Calypso Coral - Sale-A-Bration), Mini Vintage Tag, Shimmer Paint, Watercolor paper, Color Spritzing Tool, Distressing Kit, Stampin' Dimensionals
Have a blessed & creative day! Erika. www.erikaclark.stampinup.net

 

THE SOUNDING JOY OF JINGLE BELLS!

Pin It Now! Today's card is a result of three challenges I was inspired by. I am already so much into the Christmas spirit that I'm all over the web looking at gorgeous, festive crafts & decor.

I made my very own wreath of jingle bells last night! It's only 1-1/2" wide!

It really was easy. I strung Stampin' Up jingle bells onto a length of craft wire and then formed them into a loop. The naturally nestle together in pairs, giving them a nice rounded wreath shape. I then ran one end of the craft wire through the last jingle bell on the opposite end, gently pulled them together, and twisted the craft wire to secure. Like magic! Then I looped some cherry cobbler seam binding ribbon to "hang" it on the card, & embellished with a long, soft Pear Pizzazz bow. This wreath took about 43 bells. The come in a pack of 48 for $2.95, so it's almost a pack. Not bad for a pretty one-of-a-kind card!

I just love the regal look of The Sounding Joy. It is a really elegant set, and makes it easy to create a beautiful looking card.

Here are the challenges I used for inspiration...




PPA119 Pals Paper Arts. I loved her fair, glowing skin tone against the traditional evergreen & dark reds. And look! There are bells in there!



DEEsigns by Nina Dee. If you ever need inspiration, check out her blog. It's brimming with beauty. My long banner of Cherry Cobbler striped grosgrain was perfect for her challenge.



SUPPLY LIST:
PAPER:
Wild Wasabi, Shimmer White
STAMPS:
The Sounding Joy
ACCESSORIES:
Jingle Bells, Basic Rhinestones, Seam Binding Ribbon in Cherry Cobbler & Pear Pizzazz, Striped Grosgrain Ribbon in Cherry Cobbler, Sponges, 1-3/8" Circle Punch, Corner Rounder Punch, Snowburst Embossing Folder
OTHER:
Craft Wire, Oval cutting tool.


Have a blessed & creative day! Erika. www.erikaclark.stampinup.net

WELCOMING MY CHRISTMAS MOJO (MOJO210)

Pin It Now! Boy, I'm in the mood for Christmas already! This week's Mojo Monday Challenge has me all ready to deck some halls...

"Believe" is my word this holiday season, since my baby boys are 7 and 10.  I want them to believe in holiday magic forever.  I also am glad they Believe the miracle of the true meaning of Christmas, which is why I love it all year long.

Stamps: Welcome Christmas, Jolly Jingles Jumbo Wheel Stamp #120864

DSP:  Simply Scrappin' Christmas Lane #124007

CS:  Cherry Cobbler, Early Espresso, Whisper White

Accessories:  Snowflake punch, Decorative Frames embossing folder, Antique Brads, Early Espresso satin ribbon, Shimmer Paint (champagne)

 

The sketch:

 



If you don't recognize the sentiment on the front, here it is:

See the word "Believe" next to NOEL? Yes.  I inked just that little bit.  Look at how many phrases you can get from just that one stamp!  At $8.50 it's a steal.  Just sayin.

Hope you decide to play along!  It's always great for creative inspiration!

Have a blessed & creative day! Erika. www.erikaclark.stampinup.net

Delicate Doilies in Wisteria Wonder for MOJO199

Pin It Now!  Hi Friends!  I've been spending all week tucked away in the mountains, where the weather is cool, and the lush green mountainsides are just gentle to the spirit.  I spent 2 days cleaning and painting, and the rest of the time seated at my new scrap area...here's a look at my humble but HAPPY space...

Look at all those punches! LOL!  They were for just one project I'm prepping for.
And my Idea Book front & center :)

Anywhoo, to the matter at hand.  Mojo Monday.  I'd like to be one of the first to post every Monday, as I do look for the new challenge every Monday, first thing.  Like when I'm having that first sip of coffee.  Then the idea has to marinate for awhile.  Gotta think of my stash, new stamps, techniques, how to use the template maybe not quite so literally.  You do too, don't you?!  These things don't come naturally to me.   

So here's my frilly, Wisteria, Doily-laden card for MOJO199...

I love that the Delicate Doilies DSP has TWO full sheets of luscious laser-cut doilies to cut and use.  The color is on one side, and the other side is plain white.  I can see this being used by stamping right on the white side of the doily, wow, won't that be cute! Hmmm...

Here's the template:

There's so much potential for this sketch!  I turned it sideways, and started by trimming 1-1/2" off the right side of the card front.  Next punched a Lace Ribbon Border and adhered to card front.  I cut a doily from Deicate Doilies DSP, added the happy birthday sentiment from a new Hostess set, Happiest Birthday Wishes, layered and adhered, adding a bit of seam binding ribbon to make the Happy Birthday pop.  I stamped a doily from the Delicate Doilies stamp set, and punched a Butterfly out of it, inked the edges, layered with another Whisper White butterfly, added pearls and a hat pin I had sticking out of my tote, and adhered with Stampin' Dimensionals.  Finally, finished with Whisper White Organza Ribbon.  Oh, and layered the inside of the card with a scrap of Delicate Doilies paper, as you can see in the detail pictures...

As always, if you'd like to place an order, feel free to email me erika.stmichaelsrv@gmail.com, or shop online anytime at my Stampin' Up Site

Have a blessed and creative day!  Erika :)

Hello Baby for MOJO 195

Pin It Now! I combined several of my favorite stamps and techniques for this week's Mojo Monday sketch.


I LOVE Have A Seat and am SO glad it's not retiring this month! It has a simple sophistication that I just love every time I see it.

I also love the Color Spritzer Tool from SU. It gives a plain piece of cardstock an artsy splash of color with no effort.

Lastly, I always reach for ribbon @ bling, so I'm happy this has both!




These sweet little birds from Clearly For You serve as a little family..momma, daddy, and the blue baby boy bird.

I currently have NO baby boys coming my way, but look forward to giving this to the next one in line :)

Here's the sketch... Give it a try!



SUPPLY LIST:
Stamps: NEW JULY 1 Pennant Parade, Have A Seat, Clearly For You.
Cardstock: Marina Mist, Crumb Cake, Whisper White
Tools: Triple Heart Punch, Scallop Border & Corner Punches, Color Spritzer Tool


Have a blessed & creative day! Erika. www.erikaclark.stampinup.net

MOJO194 Hello, My Friend

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Here is my second submission for Mojo Monday this week.  I've been dying to try out this gorgeous new stamp set from the all new Stampin' Up Idea Book & Catalog, called My Friend.  It has strikingly large stamps, not a lot of coloring in required for those that like fast and easy stamping.  It's available for purchase July 1!  Not too long now!

I stamped the large floral image with Versamark, then sprinkled the fab new colored embossing powders (wild wasabi & melon mambo) on my image with my fingertips, then heat set.  Cut it up and placed.  Then I ran a piece of Wild Wasabi thru the big shot for some texture.  I used one of my favorite paper sets, Presto Patterns Specialty paper for the circles which were rubbed with So Saffron ink to match the paper above, and tucked under the wasabi strip.  Topped it off with a bit of pom pom trim and a puched flower with a bit o'bling. It wouldn't be mine without the bling!!!

Thanks as always, for checking in today!

Erika

Mojo Monday 189 (on Sunday)! WHOOOse Birthday?

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I lost my mojo on Tuesday when I got some sad news. I had this cute card halfway done. But I finally felt up to finishing it & I'm glad I did, it made me smile! It's pretty simple but I think it will bring joy to whoever receives it :)

Here are the supplies used:

Paper: Play Date Quick Accents paper pack, chocolate chip
Stamps: Sweet Birthday
Punches: Two Step Owl XL, 2-3/8" scallop, 1-3/4" circle
Glimmer Brads
Baker's Twine

I trimmed the card 1/4" shorter so it would still fit in a standard envelope with the owl's hat sticking up :)

If you need any supplies to make one of these for yourself, shop online anytime here on my Stampin' Up! website! 

Have a blessed & creative day! Erika. www.erikaclark.stampinup.net

Location:Kent Narrows,United States

MOJO MONDAY 189! MOTHER'S DAY, ON THE GROW

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I'm so excited to participate in my first online card challenge! I've wanted to try Mojo Monday for awhile, since it's my go-to site for a card template in a pinch. You'll never be able to use ALL the template they store online for you, there's something for everything.

My card uses a few new supplies from Stampin' Up. The Four Frames set & Paisley Petals designer series paper are available in the all-new Idea Book & Catalog 2011-2012 coming out July 1st. From the Summer mini catalog is the On The Grow set, it's sister stamp is an adorable scooter.

Here are the other supplies used:
Designer Label punch
Scalloped Ribbon punch
Baja Breeze seam binding ribbon (carried over from Spring Occasions Mini)
Stampin' Write Markers
Basic Pearls
Cardstock: Old Olive, Baja Breeze, Chocolate Chip
Color Spritzing Tool

All of these supplies are available for order on my Stampin' Up Website: http://www.erikaclark.stampinup.net/



On The Grow (clear mount)123077

 Thanks for stopping in!