Grateful for You /NAC 118

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Hey y'all. Hope you had a great Thanksgiving with friends and family. It's Tuesday and you know what that means. It's time for a new challenge and this week we have a beautiful color combination for you. Grab something to snack on, check out our awesome team designs and get creating. We can't wait to see what you design! Here's what I came up with-

I rarely create clean and simple cards, so they're a real challenge for me. However, this week I was in need of some thank-you cards for some recent orders and so that was my focus when I sat down to create. I have to say, I'm pretty excited with how these turned out! What do you think? Would you be happy to get one of these with your order? 

Here's this week's color combo-

Here's a closer look at the tag. I used my Stampin Write Markers to color the words in our three challenge colors. The tag was sponged in Soft Sky and the seam binding is also Soft Sky. I used a small piece of Linen Thread to tie it, and then used Stampin Dimensionals to attach it.

I remembered to take a pic of the inside this week-

That's all I have for you today. I hope you liked it and I hope it inspires you to play along with us. Don't forget to link up with us so we can give you a little blog loving. )

Thanks so much for taking time out of your busy day to stop by my little corner of the world. You are very appreciated! Till Next Time-

Remember- Life is often more about the storms than the peace they seek to overwhelm. It's not about Waiting for the storms to pass, but Learning to Dance in the rain. 

Be Safe,

Shan

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Everything Eleanor For 2 Challenges / NAC #16 / TSSC #242

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Hey y'all. I hope you're having a great week. Just one more day till the weekend. Woo-Hoo! I'm sitting in the Dr's office, waiting to find out what we're doing about my poor sad feet. They're still hurting and here's something I never thought I'd say... I miss running! AUGH!

You know I have no love for Color Challenges but I do have Mad Love for the Nachos, not the food (ok, you got me, I have mad love for those too) but the team and their challenges. Nacho Average Challenge is a great site and they have challenges every week, alternating between sketch & color. Well, this week it's a color challenge and I thought it wouldn't be too hard for me.

I was Wrong!

Since I haven't missed one of their challenges yet, I wasn't going to be deterred. Here's what I came up with-

Thank You card featuring
Everything Eleanor

I'm not sure what I think about my results on this card. My daughter really liked it and said she thought the flower looked like a brooch. You'll have to let me know what you think.

Here's what I was working with-

I had a couple ideas of what I wanted to do with the colors but not how I wanted to do it so I went in search of a sketch to help me out. I found this one over at Mary Jo's site Techno Stamper-

I stuck pretty close to it.  I think my problem is it's just hard for me to do a C&S type card and even though this card has multiple layers it still has lots of open space. I don't know about you but I find my self feeling the need to just add more. AUGH! I started with a base of Bravo Burgundy (standard size). This is actually a really pretty color but I think the only other time I've used it was with another NAC color challenge. I think I need to use it more. :)  Next came my Sahara Sand (another underused color) layer and a Very Vanilla layer stamped with my En Francais Background Stamp in Sahara Sand. I love the combination of these two colors. 

You know how I said I just have to add more? Well I felt like I didn't have enough Garden Green which is why the center panels have it layered with S.S and V.V. layers. I stamped the flourishes in Garden Green on V.V. c/s and get ready for it...I stamped it without the use of my Stamp-A-Ma-Jig. I know, it's hard to believe but I did it not once but twice. Yea me! The panel/medallion image was stamped in Sahara Sand and cut out by hand and adhered with Dimensionals. Because the panels were so high I used 2 stacked Dimensionals on the sides and 1 Dimensional at the Top and Bottom so the medallion is adhered evenly. Here's a closer image of the focal point-

See the flower. I stamped it in Bravo Burgundy twice and then fussy-cut it out. See the multiple colors on the flower? Are you thinking that I didn't stick to the color challenge when I colored the flower? I did. It's all done in shades of Bravo Burgundy Classic Ink and my Blender Pens. I really love the ability to get all the various shades from one color. I layered them with a Dimensional and let Tink add a little love and it was done. After I had completed the flowers I felt it needed just a little something extra so I went back and used my Bone Folder to curl the edges just slightly for even more dimension.

Here's a look at the inside-

Inside of Thank You Card featuring
Everything Eleanor and Blooming with Kindness Stamp Sets

Both the flower and the sentiment are stamped in B.B. The sentiment is from the Blooming with Kindness set and I love the font. Isn't it elegant and pretty? I let Tink add just a touch of Glitz to finish off the inside. I have to say I like the C&S inside of my card more than the outside.

So what do you think? I'd really love to know what you think of today's card. Is it too much? Well I hope you liked it and I hope the two D.T.'s like it too. 

Thanks so much for taking time out of your busy day to stop by my little corner of the world. You are very appreciated! Till Next Time-

Remember- Life is often more about the storms than the peace they seek to overwhelm. It's not about Waiting for the storms to pass, but Learning to Dance in the rain.

Please also Remember that October is National Domestic Violence Month-

Love Does NOT Hurt!

Be Safe,

Shan

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Military Inspired Thank-You

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Hey y'all. Happy Tuesday or Monday-Tuesday as I like to call these Tuesday's after Monday Holidays. It's a Tuesday but it feels just like a Monday. :( I hope you had a safe and enjoyable holiday weekend and I hope you are feeling well-rested.

I got to spend the weekend stamping with my best stamping buddy April and getting to see some old friends as well as meeting some new ones. I enjoyed a weekend mostly free of the computer, so I didn't get to post yesterday. However, my thoughts were not far from those Brave Men and Women who have given some and some that have given all. With that in mind I thought I'd show you a card I made a few weeks ago. I kept meaning to post it but somehow other things (mostly 3 challenges last week) managed to keep getting in the way. No worries though it worked out just as it should so I can post it along with my Thanks to all those in the Military.

I've been wanting the stamp set Courage for the past few years and it often got pushed down on my Have-to Have list by other sets. When I saw it was retiring I knew I had to get it and quick. Now I don't usually purchase retiring product because I'm not going to use them very often on cards I make for here or for my classes, since my clients wouldn't be able to purchase them. This one however gets to stay in my collection and I'm sure you'll see it from time to time in my rotation as well.

I recently had an interview at a Military Installation and when I decided to design a thank-you card instead of just using some stationary, I thought what better stamp to use than this one.

Here's today's card-

Thank-You card with Courage Stamp Set, Heat Embossing and Embossing with Simply Scored Diagonal Tool 

I started with a base of Sahara Sand. Such a nice color, but so under-used / over-looked by many of us. I think it was perfect for this card. Added to that were layers of Very Vanilla and Cherry Cobbler. I used my Simply Scored Tool with the Diagonal Plate to create the Diamond Embossed background. This was inspired by a card we did at a recent team meeting and is actually featured today Robin Merriman's blog over at Trinity Design Studios today. Ha! Kind of funny since I'm the one that inspired her to do the card and now that card has inspired me. LOL!

It's not noticeable in the above picture but I heat embossed both the image and the sentiment with clear embossing powder. I wanted the images to really "pop". Here's a better pic-

Heat Embossed Image, Courage Stamp Set

While I think the card itself would have been nice enough without the two embossed details, I think they really "made" the card.

Here's a look at the inside-

Very simple, no extra fuss or muss here. I used Soft Suede for the sentiment and left it at that. Geesh, I hate when I decide to do that, but I don't think the LTC I was sending it too would appreciate any extra adornment. I hope he liked the card and I really hope that not only did I impress him during my interview, but that I followed up with a hand written note and card. So many of us (myself included) forget to do that after an interview. I know it's kind of old-school, but you never know...there were only 5 of us interviewing, could be the little things that set us apart.

That's all I have for you today. I'm battling a wicked headache that's been hanging around like my shadow for three days now. Hopefully it will head out soon. I hope you enjoyed today's card. I'd love to hear your thoughts, they always make my day. If you liked it and would like to +1 or Pin it I've put the buttons on my sidebar for your convenience. Friends and Followers are always welcome too. :)

Don't forget to order your favor retiring products before they're gone. You only have 2 more days. You can shop my ONLINE STORE 24-7 to get everything you want and need.

I hope to see you back real soon. If you see a Military Member or Spouse, I hope you'll think about taking the time to tell them "Thanks". They don't hear this nearly enough. Till next time-

Remember- Life is often more about the storms than the peace they seek to overwhelm. It's not about Waiting for the storm to pass, but Learning to Dance in the rain.

Be Safe,
Shan

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May Thank-You Cards

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Hey y'all. Happy Humpday! Just two more days until the weekend. Woo-Hoo! It's a dreary day here in the DMV. Overcast with rain expected. Booooooo! I guess I shouldn't complain though...I'd much rather let God water my yard than American Water, but it's been raining so much that now I have to mow again. :)

Want to know whats not dreary? Today's Thank-You cards. Well at least I think they're cheery and I hope you will too. Oh, and of course I hope they brighten up the day of those who are going to be receiving them too!

Last weekend I had a Scentsy home party. Wow! Great product. I liked it so much I became a distributor. I'm hoping I might even be able to get a little extra money to help with my SU Convention fund. At least I know my room is going to be smelling good. My friends are going to be getting their products this weekend and I thought I would put a little Thank-You note in their bags to tell them I appreciated them and to remind them of my SU business. I was able to tell them about SU at my party and think I will be seeing some of them at my next stampcamp. If you make a purchase from me this month either in person or on one of website, you'll get one of these Thank-You cards too, that you'll be able to send next time you need to say Thanks!

Here's this month's Thank-You card-

Mixed Bunch Thank-You with Domestic Goddess DSP

Wow, not sure why those came out so dark. :(

Here's a close-up-

The most time consuming part of these cards was tying the little bows without wasting a lot of extra bakers twine. :)

These were quick and easy and believe it or not pretty clean and simple (so totally not my norm!) I started with a base of Whisper White c/s cut 3 x 6 and folded to make a 3 x 3 card, perfect for a quick little thank-you note. Next I added a 1 x 3 strip of Domestic Goddess DSP. I thought this would be perfect, because it's bright and cheery and had sweet little flowers dancing across it. I sponged the edges with Pool Party and adhered it with a little Tombow. I stamped my flowers in Pool Party and Calypso Coral and the center piece in the same color. I punched these & a base flower out with my Blossom Punch and my 1/2in circle punch.I sponged the edges of all 3 pieces with their matching Classic Ink and put them together. The two flowers are adhered with Tombow and the center of each is adhered with a scrap piece of dimensional. Make sure you don't throw your Stampin Dimensional edges away, they're great for small areas like this. I curled the top flower's petals up with my bone folder and then adhered the whole flower with 2 more dimensionals. I wrapped a coordinating piece of bakers twine twice around the front of each card and tied it off with a little bow, truly the most time consuming part of the card.

*Tip*- when you're working with the bakers twine and you don't want it to loosen up as you're attempting to tie the bow, try this first. Tie it in a knot and then make your bow from the tails. This involves a lot less fingertip acrobatics and a lot less waste. I used 15 1/2 inches to wrap these twice and then tie the bows and trimmed less than 1/4 in off the tails if any. You know I'm all about conserving supplies and of course money. Sure you could cut a longer length and trim it down, but why waste the extra?

I just realized as I was preparing this that I didn't take a pic of the inside. *SMH* It has a simple script Thank-You stamped in the color of the flower. When I give these to my friends, I will write my thank-you to them on a sticky-note that I put inside, so they can use the card again.

If you like the DSP I used, it's retiring in just 3 weeks so make sure you get it before it's all gone. You can get it in my ONLINE STORE. Our accessories are going quick too. Don't wait too long or your favorites might be gone.

I can't wait to share the new catalog with you all. My pre-order is on it's way,so hopefully I 'll have some new samples for you sometime next week.

Well, that's all I have for you today. I hope you liked this quick and easy little Thank-You card and it inspires you to make a few to have on hand. If you liked today's card, I'd love to hear from you! Also, if you liked it, and would like to +1 or Pin it, I've put the buttons on my sidebar for your convenience. Friends and Followers are always welcome too.

Till next time-

Remember- Life is often more about the storms than the peace they seek to overwhelm. It's not about Waiting for the storms to pass, but Learning to Dance in the rain.


Be Safe,
Shan

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