Just Us Girls #241 - Colour Challenge

This week we have a colour challenge for you over at Just Us Girls.  I must say, Orchid is not one of my staple colours and I didn't have time to go digging so I opted for the stamped version of the colour instead.

I pulled out PTI's Frilly Flowers which I haven't used in a long time and went to work.  I stamped the flower with two shades of orchid for a slight variation on on the flower and added a pearl center.  Some kraft leaves and sentiment, along with PTI's Linen Impression plate (which is not show up too well in the photo) and I was good to go.

Reminds me of the gorgeous flowers we saw in Hawaii :)   Speaking of which, I haven't forgotten about sharing some pictures, it's just that I have just been crazy busy since we got back and haven't had time to wade through all three hundred plus pictures.  They have made it from the camera to the computer so we are moving along LOL!  Now just the editing and selecting remains.  If time permits, I hope to get to them this weekend.

The rest of the  JUGS team, along with our May Guest Designer Barbara Campbell have some wonderful samples to get your inspiration going, so head on over to the Just Us Girls blog and check out what they've created.  Then put your creative genes to work and add your card/project to the challenge post on the JUGS blog for the chance to be chosen as the Chic of the Week.  Plus if you are chosen as Chic of the Week, you could be invited to be a Guest Designer.

Wishign you a fabulous day!

 
 
What's In It?
Stamps:  Frilly Flowers (PTI)
Paper:  Kraf (Stampin' Up)   
Ink:  Orchid Opulence, Marvelous Magenta 
Accessories:  Frilly Flowers Dies and Linen Impression Plate (PTI), Happy Hellos (My Favorite Things), Corner Rounder (Marvy), White Half Pearls, Dimensionals

Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge - Precious Pajamas

This week's Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge is entitled "Confetti Crush" and our sponsor is The Cat's Pajamas!

The LEAD of this challenge will receive a $25 gift code to the The Cat's Pajamas store!

The Tweetest Things and matching dies were the fuel for my card this week.   Simply adore the big note die and the mix of musical notes and symbols in this set!  Perfect for any music teacher in your life.  Think I'll send it to my daughter's piano teacher as she is such a special person.  Even though my daughter is no longer able to take lessons due to the tendinitis in her wrists, we miss seeing her every week.  Thankfully, there is no nerve damage to my daughter's hands, but she needs to rest her wrists and let the inflammation subside, so piano playing is out of the question indefinitely :(

Pulled out a few goodies from my "discard pile", and this was the outcome.  Focused on the red in the inspiration photo but deviated to black instead of blue for my colour scheme as I just couldn't swallow a blue note LOL!  The card is outside my normal style, but I am quite enjoying it and had great fun creating it.   

Pajama Party Designers

The Cat's Pajamas Designer, Noelle McAdams 

Amber Kroening

Amy Kolling

Amy Tsuruta

Gayatri Murali

Kim Singdahlsen

Laurie Willison

Lisa Henke

Marisa Ritzen

Maureen Plut

Monika Davis

Sheri Gilson

Sarah Gough

Stacey Schafer

Tenia Nelson

Tracey McNeely

You have until May 25th to link your card up and the LEAD and Show Stoppers will be announces on May 31st.  We'd love you to stop by the Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge: Pajama Party and play along with us!

Have a fabulous day!

Challenges:  Simon Says


 
 
What's In It? 
Stamps:   The Tweetest Things (The Cat's Pajamas)
Paper:  Read Red, Black, Kraft (Stampin' Up)
Ink:  Black
Accessories:  Home Tweet Home Dies (The Cat's Pajamas), XO Border Die (PTI), Heart Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Heart Sequins (Pretty Pink Posh), Ribbon, Dimensionals 

Masculine Twist On This Week's Viva la Verve Sketch

Today's card uses this week's Viva La Verve sketch created by Diva Janelle.  Since I used shamrocks on my Mojo Monday card, and flowers and butterflies have been in abundance here lately, I decided to go with a nautical theme.

Love Verve's Strong Anchor and matching Nautical Die set.  The anchor and wheel images were the perfect size for the circles, and I took the opportunity to turn this into a Father's Day card for my hubby by using this wonderful sentiment from the set.  Added the banners using the Pennant Trim die to complete the nautical theme and a few brads and twine my "masculine embellishments" LOL.

Thanks for popping by and if you want to see which cards I chose to highlight for this week's VLV sketch, head on over to the Viva La Verve blog and check it out.

Wishing you a fabulous day!

Challenges:  The Pink Elephant

 
 
What's In It?
Stamps:   Strong Anchor (Verve Stamps)
Paper:  Say Cheese (Simple Stories), Night of Navy and Basic Grey (Stampin' Up)  
Ink:  Black   
Accessories:  Pennant Trim Die and Nautical Die Set (A Cut Above by Verve), Circle Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Brads, Twine, Dimensionals

Mojo Monday #345

Another fun sketch by Julee for us to play with this week.  I thought through various things to use in the circles and came up with shamrocks.   Lucky You is such a fun set to use and love the matching Shamrock Die Set!  Needless to say, I will be well prepared for next year's St. Patrick's Day!  

I fudged the sketch a bit by separating my circles, but the shamrock cluster just didn't work.  I have free falling shamrocks instead wink, wink {grin}.  Snuck in a few polka dots for good measure and went a bit wild with the black buttons LOL!

All the challenge details are over on the Mojo Monday blog and you can also view all the wonderful Mojo Makers samples.  Should you wish more details on the Mojo Maker's cards, you can also visit their individual blogs noted below.  

Debbie Carriere

Julee Tilman (Owner)

Marisa Ritzen (you are here)

Mary Fish

Sarah Biglow

Teresa Kline

Wanda Cullen

Had a wonderful Mother's Day with the family.  A wonderful sushi dinner and then lots of crafty time during the day - yeah!

Hope you can play along this week as I look forward to seeing everyone's take on the sketch!


 
 
What's In It?
Stamps:   Lucky You (Verve Stamps)
Paper:   Dots and Stripes (Echo Park), Wild Wasabi, Kraft (Stampin' Up)
Ink:  Garden Green, Black (Stampin' Up)
Accessories:  Shamrock Die Set and Flag It Die Set (A Cut Above by Verve), Circle Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Scalloped Border Punch (Stampin' Up), Buttons, Twine, Glue Dots, Dimensionals

Just Us Girls #240 - Technique Challenge

Welcome to this week's "kissing" technique challenge at Just Us Girls.  The kissing would be with stamps not your honey, but you could do both, just not at the same time LOL!

It is a very simple technique.  You simply "kiss" one stamp to another, using just one inked stamp, or inking both stamps.  Here is a link to a basic Kissing Technique tutorial.

I had not made my Mom's Mother's Day card yet so this was the perfect excuse to do so!  I used this week's MFT sketch and kissed Rose Red on to the Regal Rose flower with Stampin' Up's French Script.  The rest of the card is all Verve.  Just love the font and fabulous sentiment.  Very appropriate as my  mom just got out of a week in the hospital.   She was diagnosed with a branch of Addison's and now that she has her sodium, potassium and cortisol levels are all balanced out, she feels like a million bucks :)  A wonderful Mother's Day gift to both of us!

The rest of the  JUGS team, along with our May Guest Designer Barbara Campbell have some wonderful samples to get your inspiration going, so head on over to the Just Us Girls blog and check out what they've created.  Then put your creative genes to work and add your card/project to the challenge post on the JUGS blog for the chance to be chosen as the Chic of the Week.  Plus if you are chosen as Chic of the Week, you could be invited to be a Guest Designer.

Looking forward to celebrating Mother's Day with the family.  So grateful that I have an wonderful mom, two amazing children and a very supportive husband.   I am blessed indeed! 

Thanks for popping by today and have a fabulous weekend! 

Challenges:  Crazy for Challenges - Use a flower
                    Simon Says - Spring flowers
                The Pink Elephant - Mother's Day

 
 
What's In It?
Stamps:  Because of You, Great Friend (Verve Stamps), French Script (Stampin' Up)
Paper:  Cut and Paste (My Mind's Eye), Rose Red, Mint Medley (Stampin' Up)   
Ink:  Rose Red, Regal Rose, Black (Stampin' Up), Versamark
Accessories:  Dreamy Leaves Die (A Cut Above by Verve), Spring Mix Sequins (Verve Stamps), Lacy Oval and Oval Nestabilties (Spellbinders), Butterfly Punch (Martha Stewart), Scalloped Punch (Stampin' Up), White and Black Half Pearls, Button, Twine, Dimensionals  

Verve Stamps Inspiration Hop

** Second post of the day.  See below for my Mojo Monday card**

Welcome to Verve's May Diva Inspirations Hop. It's the 5th of the month and that means it's hopping time! This month we've got a fabulous challenge that's sure to take you on a sentimental journey! So in addition to a comment prize hidden along the hop, you can play along with the challenge and link up your creation for a chance to win another prize!

Our April challenge is Font Focus

Fancy fonts are all the rage! Let your inner wordsmith shine and make a gorgeous sentiment (or two or three!) the focus of your card. Whether you draw inspiration from the graphic or take some poetic license of your own, just flash us some fonts!

If you have come here from Maureen's blog, you are right on track.  If you happened along the Hop, you can check out the Hop List below to get caught up.

Used Diva Jen's Deconstructed Sketch for my card along with MME's Breeze papers.  Just love yellow, black and grey together!  Pulled out one of my favorite sentiment sets, Lean On Me, and So Fluttery for the secondary sentiment on the banner (both which happen to be on sale right now!).  The Rounded Scalloped Frame, Dreamy Leaves and Joyful Blooms dies provided the framework for the card, and a touch of sequins from the Pastel Sequin Mix finished things off.

Need a little inspiration? Check out the blogs linked below to see what the other Divas did with the challenge! It's sure to be a treat, and speaking of treats, we've got a prize for one lucky commenter along the hop! Check out the Verve Blog today for all the prize info and deadlines, and a little bit about our brand new Diva!

	1. Julee	9. Susan
	2. Amy	10. Chaitali
	3. Anya	11. Stacey
	4. Betty	12. Maureen
	5. Karen	13. Marisa
	6. Sankari	14. Andrea
	7. Sarah	14. Charmaine
	8. Sony	14. Christyne

Andrea is next on the Hop List and she is sure to have an amazing creation for your viewing and inspiration!

Verve also has a May special going on, 25% off select stamps and dies. Perfect for some Mother's Day shopping wink, wink. 

Thanks for joining our Hop, and I look forward to seeing your font focused cards.

 
 
What's In It?
Stamps:  Lean On Me, So Fluttery, Dream Big (Verve Stamps)
Paper:   Breeze (My Mind's Eye), So Saffron, Cameo Coral, Old Olive, Going Grey (Stampin' Up)   
Ink:  Black, VersaMark
Accessories:  Rounded Scalloped Frame, Joyful Blooms, Dreamy leaves (A Cut Above by Verve), Pastel Sequin Mix (Verve Stamps), Button, Twine, Glue Dot, Dimensionals 

Mojo Monday #344

It's the first week of May (man, where is this year going?!!) and that means it is time for another Mojo Monday contest.  Nothing better that the chance to win some Verve, and with the new releases, lots of new goodies to chose from.

I dug out some retired DSP by Stampin' Up and used Verve's new Die Sidekicks set.  Just LOVE this big butterfly!!  The sentiment is from So Fluttery and I used both the Scroll and Sweet Scallop Tag dies.  A touch of ribbon with a seam binding bow from the Summer Sailing Ribbon Collection and a few scattered sequins from the new Shine Bright sequin mix (oh how I love these!) and I was good to go.

All the challenge details are over on the Mojo Monday blog and you can also view all the wonderful Mojo Makers samples.  Should you wish more details on the Mojo Maker's cards, you can also visit their individual blogs noted below.  

Debbie Carriere

Julee Tilman (Owner)

Marisa Ritzen (you are here)

Mary Fish

Sarah Biglow

Teresa Kline

Wanda Cullen

Caught up on my sleep this weekend so feeling back to normal and ready to face the week!  Wishing you a fabulous day and thanks for stopping by.

 
What's In It?
Stamps:   Die Sidekicks, So Fluttery (Verve Stamps)
Paper:   Designer Series Paper, Bordering Blue (Stampin' Up)
Ink:  Night of Navy, Going Grey, Black (Stampin' Up)
Accessories:  Sweet Scalloped Tag and Scroll Dies (A Cut Above by Verve), 5/8" Grey Grosgrain Ribbon, Navy Seam Binding (Summer Sailing Ribbon Collection by Verve)Black Half Pearls, Shine Bright Sequins (Verve), Dimensionals

Just Us Girls #239 - Sketch Challenge

Welcome to sketch week at Just us Girls!  This week, Cheryl has provided us with a simple sketch you can dress up, keep CAS, or go in between.  Love a versatile sketch! 

I chose to dress the sketch up a bit as well as flip the orientation of the panel as my anal side likes going from right to left versus left to right LOL!  Pulled out an old Stampin' Up set called Vintage Vogue which I tripped across while deciding which set to use with the sketch.   The papers are from Echo Park's Hello Spring line and I fussy cut and popped up the flowers.

The rest of the  JUGS team, along with our May Guest Designer Barbara Campbell have some wonderful samples to get your inspiration going, so head on over to the Just Us Girls blog and check out what they've created.  Then put your creative genes to work and add your card/project to the challenge post on the JUGS blog for the chance to be chosen as the Chic of the Week.  Plus if you are chosen as Chic of the Week, you could be invited to be a Guest Designer.

Looking forward to sleeping as I am still catching up from not sleeping on the red eye flight back from Hawaii on Monday.  My body has never done well without sleep and I have been sorely reminded of it this week as I struggled through it in a daze LOL! 

Thanks for popping by today and have a fabulous weekend! 

 
 
What's In It?
Stamps:  Vintage Vogue (Stampin' Up)
Paper:  Hello Spring (Echo Park), Kraft (Stampin' Up)   
Ink:  Perfect Plumb, Pale Plumb, Black, Apricot Appeal, Pumpkin Pie, Black (Stampin' Up)
Accessories:  Buttons, Twine, Purple Half Pearls, Dimensionals  

Verve Diva Dare May 2014

This month's Diva Dare is entitled "Petals and Wings".  What we are daring you to do is to include both a flower and a butterfly on your card. 

Didn't have to look far for a stamp set to use as Julee just released the compilation set entitled Petals and Wings, along with the matching Wings and Petals Die Set.   I simply adore this set!!  Polka dots, flowers and butterflies just make me happy, all the more when it's from Verve :)  The sentiment is the new Hello Friend Plain Jane and the sequins are from the new Shine Bright sequin mix.  All of these (in addition to the rest of the new release) are on sale right now over at the Verve Store.

Of course, where there is a Verve Diva Dare, there are prizes, and this month's dare provides two prizes: one for a randomly selected participant and one for a randomly selected commenter! 

Want to get all the details on how you can win some Verve Stamps?  Simply head on over to the Verve Blog to get all the challenge details - I dare you!

What's In It?
Stamps:   Petals and Wings, Hello Friend Plain Jane (Verve Stamps) 
Paper:  Quilting Bee (My Mind's Eye), Real Red, Basic Grey (Stampin' Up),
Ink: Black, Real Red (Stampin' Up), Seaglass (Colour Box)
Accessories:   Wings and Petals Die Set (A Cut Above by Verve), Lacy Circle Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Buttons, Black Half Pearls, Twine, Dimensionals

 

Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge - Pink and Pretty

This week's Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge is entitled "Pink and Pretty" and our sponsor is Pretty Pink Posh.  The LEAD of this challenge will receive a gift certificate to the Pretty Pink Posh store!

My card ended up on the bold and graphic side, though that was far from my initial intent.  Crazy how you can end up in a totally different direction than you started out on when making a card LOL!  My stash of heart sequins from Pretty Pink Posh where screaming shaker card, and also prompted me to go with one of my favorite colour combinations of red, black and white.  Such a bold, dramatic colour combination - love it!  I flipped the orientation of Chupa's Saturday Sketch from a month ago, dug out my black and white washi tape, and voila, my card was born.  Definitely not my "normal" style, but I like it :)  

Pink & Pretty Designers

Leigh Penner, Guest Designer

Amber Kroening

Amy Kolling

Amy Tsuruta

Gayatri Murali

Kim Singdahlsen

Laurie Willison

Lisa Henke

Marisa Ritzen

Maureen Plut

Monika Davis

Sheri Gilson

Sarah Gough

Stacey Schafer

Tenia Nelson

Tracey McNeely

Stop by the Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge: Pink & Pretty and play along with us!

 

You have until May 10th at 8:00 a.m. CST to complete a new card/project using the inspiration picture and linking it up accordingly.  The Lead and Show Stoppers will be announced on May 14th.

Thanks for popping by and hope you can play along.

 
 
What's In It? 
Stamps:  
Paper:  Black, Acetate
Ink:  Black
Accessories:  Heart Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Washi Tape, Heart Sequins (Pretty Pink Posh), Black Half Pearls, Crystal Effects,  Dimensionals