FTL106 - With Ribbon

Well, first I must say that this "followers" thing is kind of fun.  If you don't know what I'm talking about, see THIS post.  Now I just have to figure out where I want you to "follow" me to ;)  I'm wondering - do you get updates of new posts like in Google Reader or some other kind of subscription method when you "follow" a blog?  Do I want to start doing it, instead of subscribing to your blogs via Google Reader?  Shari's comment on my post makes me think that following doesn't really give you any kind of notifications.  If that's so, why follow?  Enlighten me.... :)

On to the card...As soon as I saw THIS sketch over at clean&simple stamping, I knew I wanted that horizontal piece of the LO to be a piece of large ribbon.  I feel like this card pretty much turned out how I wanted it to, and I used the SU! Color Coach to come up with the combo off of the Basic Black card of {Basic Black, Daffodil Delight and Old Olive}.  Isn't it a great combo?!?!  I used Crumb Cake as my neutral.  Boy oh boy does Crumb Cake have a lot of fibers in it!!  Take a close-up look at the card and you'll see what I mean.  I love it!!

Well, I hope that you are having a fantastic weekend, and I certainly appreciate you stopping by to visit my blog. Take care!!


All items used are SU!

Stamps:  Punch Potpourri (Level 1 Hostess), Occasional Quotes (Level 3 Hostess)
Ink:  Black StazOn, Old Olive Classic Ink
Paper:  Crumb Cake, Daffodil Delight and Whisper White CS
Accessories:  Butterfly Extra-Large and Corner Rounder punch, Basic Black 1-1/4" Striped Grosgrain Ribbon, Basic Black Brads (from Neutrals assortment), Daffodil Delight flower Designer Button (from Brights assortment), Stampin' Dimensionals, Clear-Mount Blocks

{Just Believe} in FTL 99

When I saw FTL-99 I tucked it away for future use.  I didn't actually see it when it was the current week's sketch challenge, because I was on a bit of a self-imposed blog-surfing hiatus, but my Google Reader helped me not miss a thing out there in blog-land when I made it back to my computer.  As I was coming up with the three cards in my August Stamps in the Mail, I just knew that this sketch would work lovely, and I envisioned a monochromatic card in my head.  I love the balance of the rounded corners in the sketch!  Without further ado...what do you think?

 
Thanks for stopping by, and I appreciate the time you take to leave comments on my blog.  Have a beautiful day!

All items used are SU!

Stamps:  Just Believe
Paper:  Certainly Celery and Whisper White CS
Ink:  Certainly Celery classic ink
Accessories:  Certainly Celery 3/8" Taffeta ribbon, Basic Pearls, Corner Rounder punch, Stampin' Dimensionals, Clear-Mount Blocks

Followers?

Well, I don't know who would actually want to, but I finally got "with it" and added the "Followers" widget-thingy to my sidebar (about half-way down my sidebar) if you would like to somehow make it easier to "follow" me.  I have no idea what it does, or how it works - I personally use Google Reader.  Apparently, however, many people use this method to keep track of blogs.  Well, you asked, so now it's there ;)  Hopefully I'll have at least one person follow me so it's not an empty, sad little box!! LOL

{just for you}

I made this card using the 100th sketch over at clean&simple stamping.  I had saved it for my Stamps in the Mail program because I had chosen to use the Just Believe stamp set, and when I saw this sketch, I knew it would be PERFECT for this stamp set.  It highlights one of the main images in the set well, and lets you use a sentiment too.  Plus, I was able to do a fun technique with this card, that I call the blender pen outline technique.  I use a blender pen to drag some of the color of the image around the outside of the image.  I'll post a picture "up close" of the image below the card for you to see.  If you click on it, you can see it in it's gigantic (but not perfect up that close!!!) glory ;)  It's a really fun technique though that adds some softness to your stamped image.  What do you think?  Have you ever done this before with a blender pen?  *****A note: sometimes your image may not allow the blender pen to pull as much color as you would like as you outline your shape, so you might have to just barely dab your blender pen in some of the appropriate ink color as you trace.****

So, up close, you can tell that it's not too exact, or perfect, but I didn't want it to be.  You have to know by now that I'm a perfectionist, so if I had really wanted each little leaf and stem outlined, I would have done it ;)

I would love to hear your thoughts, and appreciate each and every one of you for visiting my blog!!  Have a wonderful day!

All items used are SU!

Stamps:  Just Believe
Paper:  Whisper White and Certainly Celery CS
Ink:  Certainly Celery and Marina Mist classic ink
Accessories:  Scallop Edge Border punch, Certainly Celery 3/8" Taffeta ribbon, Blender Pen

Oh...my...WOW!!!

Well, I must say that when I checked my e-mail today after getting home from church, my first thought was, "somebody is playing a trick on me!!!"  In my inbox was an e-mail from a gal saying that Shelli Gardner (Co-founder and CEO of Stampin' Up!) had picked one of my little cards as a winner for her August Creative Challenge!!!  I'm sure that the e-mail is "real" now (because I checked on Shelli's blog ;) LOL), but I was definitely a bit doubtful and very much surprised! 

I was inspired by her color challenge and shared my cards thinking that maybe someone would come visit my blog and be inspired by them.  I never thought I would actually win!  Well, I just had to share the news with you because I think it's so neat (and my last name is spelled wrong on her site so some of you might not realize it's me, he he he). 

I don't ever send stuff in for contests.  I consider myself a clean-and-simple stamper that doesn't cause many  to say "wow!!!" when they take a look at my stuff, but it makes me happy to create my cards and other projects and give them to others to brighten their day.  So... pretty neat, right?  :)

Click here to see my card that she picked.

Click here to see the other August Creative Challenge winners.

Congrats to everyone else.  I know I enjoyed looking at all of the submissions, and recommend that you do too if you would like some fabulous inspiration.

I {Heart} Marina Mist

Marina Mist is definitely a new favorite of mine. This card is rather CAS, but instead of my normal linear paper piercing, I wanted a circle. I love using my paper piercing template to make circles! It's not that hard, either. You pierce one hole and before removing the paper piercing tool, you pivot the template to where you want the next hole, and so on, until you've got a circle (or something pretty close - LOL!). Hope you enjoy the card and have a lovely weekend!!!

All items used are Stampin' Up!

Stamps: Just Believe
Paper: Marina Mist and Whisper White CS
Ink: Marina Mist classic ink
Accessories: Curly Label and Modern Label Extra Large punches, Subtles Brads (Marina Mist), Paper Piercing Tool, Template and Mat, Stampin' Dimensionals, Clear-Mount Blocks

friends

This card was inspired by one that is found on the workshop invitation postcards and is on page 140 of the 2010-2011 Idea Book & Catalog as well. I just love all of the ideas and inspiration that can be had from things as little as the postcards, the samples found online on the demonstrator websites, those in the mini catalogs and of course those in the Idea Book & Catalog. I challenge you to use them for inspiration the next time you get stumped, and I promise that you won't be stumped for long!

Some of you are aware that I was a falconer while in college, and I really like birds of prey. I ADORE owls, so when I saw this set I just HAD to get it. I love it!!

All items used are SU!

Stamps: Aviary, Just Believe
Ink: Concord Crush and Wild Wasabi Stampin' Write Markers
Paper: Wild Wasabi, Daffodil Delight and Whisper White CS
Accessories: 3/8" Daffodil Delight Taffeta ribbon, Scallop Edge Border punch, Paper Piercing Tool and Mat, Clear-Mount Blocks