StampTV CSS Alumni Blog Hop

Hi there!  It's me again!  It's time for another StampTV Center Stage Alumni Blog Hop!  This time we have a sketch challenge with a fabulous sketch designed by our very own Melissa Cash!  If you arrived here from Brenda's blog, you are in the right place.  If not, you will want to head back to the StampTV forum and start from the beginning so you don't miss any of the amazing creations the team has to share.

Here is Melissa's sketch:

Here is my take on the sketch:

I started with a 5 x 7 card base of Pure Luxury Heavy Base Weight White and layered with Pure Luxury Innocent Pink.  I embossed a layer of Layering Weight White with the Madison Cuttlebug folder.  I stamped the Hawthorn image from Melanie's new set, Stately Flowers 2 onto Cryogen White and colored it with Copics.   I matted it with Innocent Pink cut with the Spellbinders Lacey Squares die.   The sentiment is also from Stately Flowers 2.  It is matted with a tag from Spellbinders Parisian Accents. I added a flourish cut from Fresh Asparagus with the Cheery Lynn Fanciful Flourish die.  I tucked it around the image panel then added a double-loop satin bow with a Prima button in the center.  A few adhesive rhinestones finished my card.

Thanks for stopping by my blog!  Your next stop is the super-talented Cheri's blog.  Be sure to leave a comment on every blog as you hop along because on Tuesday morning (January 17), we will randomly choose one comment from all the blogs and the lucky commenter will win a huge grab bag of fabulous Gina K. Designs stamps!

Have a great weekend!

StampTV CSS Alumni Blog Hop - Inspiration Challenge

It's time for another CSS Alumni Blog Hop!  I haven't been able to join in for the last few hops due to my move, but I'm excited to be back!  If you arrived here from Betty's blog, you are in the right place.  If not, you'll want to start back at the StampTV forum so you won't miss any of the team's amazing creations!

This time around, we have an Inspiration Challenge.  We were to be inspired by anything in this photo of a beautiful room from the Pier 1 website:

Here is my card for the challenge:

I was inspired by the colors, the patterns and the "feel" of the room.  I used Gina K. Designs Pure Luxury Turquoise Sea, Ocean Mist, and Pumpkin Spice to mat my layers.  The patterned papers are all from the DCWV Cafe Mediterranean Mat Stack. I embossed a panel of Pure Luxury Heavy Base Weight White with the Cuttlebug Window Pane embossing folder then added some adhesive gems to the panes.  I stamped the butterfly from Gina's Hope is Faith set twice with Memento Rich Cocoa onto Pure Luxury Layering Weight White and colored them by sponging with Tim Holtz Rusty Hinge, Broken China and Tumbled Glass Distress Inks.  The butterflies were cut out and layered on foam tape for a 3D effect.  I added some gems to the top butterfly body for a little extra sparkle.  The sentiment from Hope is Faith was also stamped with Rich Cocoa onto Layering Weight White and matted with Ocean Mist.  A triple loop satin bow and a Prima flower finished my card.

The next stop on the hop is Carolina's blog, where she has a fabulous creation to share with you!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Just Us Girls Challenge #97 - Altered Notebook

Hi, again!  It's my second post today - a miracle for me these days - but I wanted to share a project I made for this week's Just Us Girls Challenge.  If you are looking for my GD card for Mo's DP2 Challenge, click here.

This week's JUGS challenge was to alter a notebook of any kind.

Here is my project for the challenge:

My project was also shared this week on the Heartfelt Creations blog.  Additional details for creating this altered notebook can be found there.  Briefly, I used a tutorial for making a journal and pen set that I found on StampTV.  All the dimensions and instructions for the assembly can be found in that tutorial.  I used GKD Fresh Asparagus for the base cardstock and patterned paper from the Once Upon A Springtime collection for the layers.  I stamped the HCPC 3413 Basketweave Background onto Cryogen White with Memento Tuxedo Black and colored it with Copic markers.  I stamped some roses from the HCPC 3394 Classic Bella Rose set and also colored them with Copics.  I cut them out with HCD 712 Bella Rose Die and popped them up through the hole in the basketweave. Some satin ribbon accents finished my notebook.

Thanks for dropping by again!  I really appreciate your visits!

Help For Katie

This week the stamping community is coming together in support of fellow stamper, Katie Renz, who was recently diagnosed with stage 4 gastic cancer. You can read about Katie's story in her own words here on her blog.  Katie's friend, Jak Heath, has coordinated a fundraising event to help Katie and her family during this difficult time.  You can read about all the details on Jak's site.   The links are also in my sidebar.
This week's Teapot Tuesday Challenge on Splitcoast Stampers is also dedicated to Katie.  The details of the challenge are here and there is more information here about how you can send a card to Katie to help lift her spirits.

Here is the card I made for the teapot challenge (flowers and gold) and to send to Katie:

I used the layout from this week's Sketch Spotlight Challenge on StampTV, but flipped it.  I used one of the sentiments from the Gina K. Designs set, Faithful Florals (illustrated by Tami Mayberry) and embossed it with gold EP onto ivory CS.  The flourishes on the image panel are from Nina Brackett's Lovely Labels 2 set, also by Gina K. Designs.  All the layers are GKD Pure Luxury Good As Gold.  I embossed the narrow gold strip with one of the Cuttlebug Organic Flourish border folders.  The patterned paper has beautiful gold accents.  Sorry but it came from my scrap bag and I can't remember the brand.  I finished it with a cluster of Prima flowers.

Keeping Katie and her family in my thoughts and prayers.

Thanks for stopping by!