Less Is More #387

Less Is More...this week their challenge is a sketch challenge.  Because some time less truly is more!!  In keeping with the types of entries this blog looks for, I used lots of white space with minimal extras.  

Materials used:  Smokey Slate bakers twine and ink from Stampin Up...mini buckle...Verve stamp  

3 Gifts Challenge:   (using Ann Voskamp's 1000 gifts daily prompts) a gift on paper, in a person, in a picture...love note hidden in the kitchen // smile // memories...pictures preserve them!!

As You See It....Metallic

Metallic is the challenge from As You See It this week.  I decided to use some foil sheets I had from another project....boy does it look amazing when cut with a detailed die!!  Thanks, As You See It, for the fun challenge!!  

Materials used:  Be Mine & Sunshine Wishes thinlits dies from Stampin Up...Cherry Cobbler, Whisper White, and Basic Black card stock...foil sheets. 

3 Gifts Challenge:   (using Ann Voskamp's 1000 gifts daily prompts) 3 old things seen new // God's word, written so long ago but new meaning for our life today...photo albums, oh the memories...sea shells washed up on the shore

I Love Us!!

Super simple card but still makes me smile!  I think it is the "I love us" sentiment...sweetness!!  Two challenges are represented in this card...the sketch challenge from Fab Friday and the inspiration challenge from Inspired By.  It seems like all the materials used to make this card are retired items from Stampin Up...okay maybe not the ink or the navy cardstock.

Thankful for You...#PCC323

Here is my take on the sketch challenge from the Paper Craft Crew.  I love all the pieces and parts that make up this sketch challenge. 

Materials used:  Stamping Up's stitched shapes famelit die...Sentiment from Stampin Up's Sheltering Tree stamp set...Real Red and Basic Black card stock...Smokey Slate card stock and ink...black mini rhinestones...bakers twine. 

3 Gifts Challenge:   (using Ann Voskamp's 1000 gifts daily prompts) a song heard, a soft word, light seen // I like you by Ben Rector ( I have included a link)..."love you" as I head out the door to work...early morning sun rise!!

Masculine Birthday

Today I am playing along with two challenges...the color challenge from the Color Throwdown blog and a sketch challenge from the Freshly Made Sketches blog.  True Gentlemen designer papers from Stampin Up fit the colors called for in this week's color challenge....I just needed to add in the gray and did that with my sentiment and corduroy button.  Another clean and simple card with a masculine theme...yes I will get this part of my stash replenished (with mostly nephews in our family, I'm always running out of masculine birthday cards).  

3 Gifts Challenge:   (using Ann Voskamp's 1000 gifts daily prompts)  3 graces found in friends // a listening ear...laughter...a shoulder to cry on

CAS(E) this Sketch #306

Here is my take on the CAS(E) this Sketch challenge.  I have been working at replenishing my stash and it seems like masculine birthday cards are my biggest need so this week coming up you will see lots of masculine birthday cards!!

CASology...Smile

Smile....that is the cue card from CASology this week.  A great challenge...we should all smile more!!    The little octopus form Stampin Up's retired stamp set, Summer Splash, has a very cute smile on his face so I thought he would be perfect for this week's challenge.  I stamped him in Island Indigo and added the die cut sentiment over him, and finished it off with sequins.

3 Gifts Challenge:   (using Ann Voskamp's 1000 gifts daily prompts) 3 gifts in the kitchen // my Kitchen Aide mixer...I love it!!  My hubby washing dishes...he is the best!!  A line up of hot sauces...keeping things spicy!!

A New Sketch Saturday Challenge Begins

Today begins a new sketch challenge from Sketch Saturday.  I hope you will stop by and play along with this week's sketch.  Myself, along with the rest of the design team look forward to seeing all the different takes this sketch generates.  

Materials used:  Stampin Up's Flourish Thinlits, Stitched Shapes Thinlits and sentiment from the Rose Wonder stamp set...digital designer paper from Paper Shelter (this week's challenge sponsor)...bakers twine...glitter enamel dots  


3 Gifts Challenge:   (using Ann Voskamp's 1000 gifts daily prompts) gifts before dawn, at noon, after dark // fresh brewed coffee shared with my hubby, a nap (cause it is the weekend and naps are aloud after lunch), curled up reading my book before I drift off to sleep.

The Library Challenge....

Here is my take for the Library Challenge....gather your inspiration from the cover, the title, or the story.  I picked the cover this time.  I wish I had time to read each book that is showcased for these challenges but even though I don't I am enjoying the card challenges.  

Materials used:  Retired stamp set from Stampin Up...Brick embossing folder...Tempting Turquoise,  Island Indigo, and Hello Honey ink...Hello Honey bakers twine. 

3 Gifts Challenge:   (using Ann Voskamp's 1000 gifts daily prompts) borrowed, found, inherited  //  book from a friend (perfect, given that today's post is the Library challenge)...peace in the midst of unwanted change...my father's creativity

Butterfly Basics

Today I am playing along with the color challenge from Hand Stamped Sentiments.  The color combo this week is Petal Pink, Fresh Fig, and Mossy Meadow.  I decided to make a collage using the Butterfly Basic stamp set from Stampin Up.  Used my corner rounder to give this card a little different shape.  Ultra mini pearls seemed like the perfect way to finish it off!!  Today it is just your basic stamping done in the trio of colors called for!!  

3 Gifts Challenge:   (using Ann Voskamp's 1000 gifts daily prompts) 3 things found in Christ // Hope...Salavation...Eternal home

Stampin Up's Occasions Mini...Be Mine

Here is another card showing off the Be Mine dies from Stampin Up's Occasions Mini catalog.  This has got to be one of favorite die sets!!  I am also using the sketch from the Sunday Stamps challenge as my inspiration.  I decided to flip the sketch this time...what do you think??  

Materials used:  Stampin Up's Be Mine die set...Blushing Bride card stock...Basic Gray ink and card stock...Smokey Slate card stock...sentiment stamp is from A Big Thank You stamp set from Stampin Up  

3 Gifts Challenge:   (using Ann Voskamp's 1000 gifts daily prompts) 3 things blue // Jeans...love my Maurices jeans!!  Sky above...so bright blue especially when contrasted with white billowy clouds!! Ocean...I love that we live close to the ocean now!!

Animal Outing...CAS(E) this Sketch

CAS(E) this Sketch has a fun sketch challenge this week.  I think I will stash this sketch away for another time...simple yet fun!  

Materials used:  Stampin Up's Animal Outing bundle (I love the dies that go with this stamp set!!) Hello Honey ink and ribbon...Old Olive card stock...sentiment from Stampin Up's Beautiful Bouquet stamp set  

3 Gifts Challenge:   (using Ann Voskamp's 1000 gifts daily prompts) gifts wrinkled, smooth, unfolded // bedsheets after a good night of sleep...freshly ironed dress shirt...my warm throw across my legs this chilly morning!!  Sometimes it is just the little things!!  Be thankful, Be blessed!!

Inspired By...Plaids

I was inspired by the plaids (the colors too!!) in this week's photo from the Inspired By challenge.                       Materials used:  Stampin Up's A Big Thank You stamp set,  along with Gorgeous Grunge and Work of Art stamp sets for making the plaid background...Dapper Denim ink and card stock...Crumb Cake ink...star die.                                 3 Gifts Challenge:   (using Ann Voskamp's 1000 gifts daily prompts) gift in the sky, water, memory // last night lunar eclipse...moon is gorgeous this morning!! Life giving...my go to drink!!  Sweet memories of vacations with our kids...especially precious now that they are grown and on their own!!

Island Indigo & Tempting Turquoise

Island Indigo & Tempting Turquoise...make great friends!! Thanks to the Color Throwdown challenge for teaming up this color combo.  Keeping it simple again today...it seems like lately a lot of my cards have been CAS cards!! (Clean And Simple)  

Materials used:  Stampin Up's Dragonfly Dreams stamp set...Tempting Turquoise, Island Indigo and Tuxedo ink...Waterfront stamp set...dewdrops  

3 Gifts Challenge:   (using Ann Voskamp's 1000 gifts daily prompts) 3 gifts only seen close up // freckles (my dad used to always tell me when I was younger how much he loved them)...smile wrinkles (means that you are smiling!!)...details of flower petals (delicate and beautiful)

Every Cloud has a Silver Lining!!

So true!! Every cloud does have a silver lining!!  My card today was made for the CASology challenge...CLOUDY and for the Freshly Made Sketches challenge.  This image from the Beautiful You stamp set is perfect for a CLOUDY theme.  This week has been filled with several very disappointing moments and I'm holding tightly to this quote!!  

Materials used: Stampin Up's Beautiful You stamp set...Whisper White, Basic Gray and Smokey Slate card stock...cloud dies...sentiment from Sprinkles Of Life stamp set...paper piecing technique. 

3 Gifts Challenge:   (using Ann Voskamp's 1000 gifts daily prompts) 3 gifts that might never have been...our son, if I hadn't had a miscarriage with my first pregnancy I wouldn't have Kendall! My true love, heart break led me to you!!  #850strong!!  That awful hurricane made us 850strong!!

Color Challenge from Paper Players

"There is nothing little about the light you shine."
This is my take on the color challenge from Paper Players. When I first saw the color combo, I struggled a bit to come up with an idea.  I mulled it over, paced back and forth in front of my stamp shelf and finally decided on Stampin Up's Waterfront set to create my card.  I just simply used only ink for this card...basic stamping only.  I love how it turned out!! 

Materials used:  Stampin Up's High Tide and Waterfront stamp sets...Grapefruit Grove, Pool Party Daffodil Delight and Chocolate Chip inks. 

3 Gifts Challenge:   (using Ann Voskamp's 1000 gifts daily prompts)  3 gifts from God's Word...Psa. 91//Psa. 23//John 3:16

Fusion Challenge

Each Fusion challenge consist of a sketch and an inspiration photo...the challenge is to create a card using one or the other...or both.  Today I am choosing to use both.  This is also Anniversary time for the Fusion challenge...5 years!!  Congratulations and thank you for all the fun inspiration you have shared with us!!  

Materials used:  Stampin Up's Be Mine thinlits dies...sentiment stamp from the Sale-A-Bration set Home to Roost...Smokey Slate, Basic Gray, Blushing Bride and Whisper White card stock...butterfly punches...Papillion Potpourri stamp set  

3 Gifts Challenge:   (using Ann Voskamp's 1000 gifts daily prompts) a gift bringing laughter, prayer, quiet...the grand nieces and nephews at family gatherings//our kids...much prayer over them as then are adulting//nap time on Sunday afternoon

Inspired By Challenge...Be Mine Thinlits

The Be Mine thinlits from Stampin Up seems to be perfect for the Inspired by...Getting Cozy challenge.  I drew my inspiration from the colors,  the tousled blue blanket on the bed and the heart hanging on the wall.   

Materials used:  Stampin Up's Be Mine thinlits...ruffles embossing folder (reminds me of the tousled blanket on the bed)...retired love banner...banner punch...pearls   

3 Gifts Challenge:   (using Ann Voskamp's 1000 gifts daily prompts)  3 witnessed blessing...the birth of a child (being part of a delivery is an amazing thing)//the transforming work of our Savior's love//the enduring love of a couple after decades of life & marriage

Home to Roost...Sale-A-Bration

Here is another card showcasing the Home to Roost stamp set that is available through Stampin Up's Sale-A-Bration event.  I am using the sketch from Paper Craft Crew as my inspiration for this card.  


Materials used:  Stampin Up's Home to Roost stamp set...Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla and Chocolate Chip card stock...watercolor pencils...embossing folders...Stitched shapes framelits.

3 Gifts Challenge:   (using Ann Voskamp's 1000 gifts daily prompts) gifts worn, given away, shared...My "I am my beloved's" ring from Isarel//towels and blankets given to the animal shelter in memory of my Aunt Debi who recently passed away//family photo Christmas cards...we didn't do one this year but I sure enjoyed all the ones that we received.

Color Throwdown Challenge #525...Still Night

Stampin Up's Still Night bundle seemed perfect for the color combo from the Color Throwdown Challenge.   The farmhouse scene in the inspiration photo is a bit more cheery than my card...my card almost seems dreary and dark.  Oh well....An owl lover will enjoy it!!  

Materials used:  Stampin Up's Still Night stamp set with matching dies...Early Espresso ink and card stock...Memento Ink//Tuxedo...Woodland embossing folder...black satin ribbon  

3 Gifts Challenge:   (using Ann Voskamp's 1000 gifts daily prompts) 3 startling graces of God...His love//His forgiveness//His redemption

3 Challenges...One Simple Card

Three challenges make up this one simple card...Addited to CAS called for snowflakes//CASology's cue word was FROZEN//the sketch from Freshly Made Sketches.  I made this card with my friends in VA in mind.  You see this weekend they are in the middle of getting a huge snowstorm this weekend!!
Materials Used:  Stampin Up's Beautiful Blizzard stamp set...Island Indigo and Pool Party ink...Whisper White and Pool Party card stock
3 Gifts Challenge:   (using Ann Voskamp's 1000 gifts daily prompts) 3 things about yourself that you are grateful for...My Creativity//that my gray hair looks more like I had it frosted then that I am going gray//My intuition

Sketch Saturday...come play along!!

This is an invite to play along with our sketch over at the Sketch Saturday Challenge.  We would love to see your take on our sketch.  For my take on the sketch, I used a digi set from this week's sponsor, Buggaboo...Bella Trio.  

Materials used:  Bugaboo digital stamp...Stampin Up sentiment, Crushed Curry & Basic Black card stock, button embosslits die and Ruffles embossing folder.  
3 Gifts Challenge:   (using Ann Voskamp's 1000 gifts daily prompts) something above you, below you, and beside you//fluffy white clouds against the blue sky, rich fertile soil that brings forth new life, and my hubby sitting beside me working hard early in the morning so that we can have a date day....he is the best ever!!

Hand Stamp Sentiments Challenge // Grateful for You

Hand Stamped Sentiments has a fun sketch to get your creative juices flowing.  I decided to use the Be Mine dies again today.  The hearts border from this die set seemed perfect for the sketch!!  And this detailed heart...what can I say....I love it!! It is so delicate and eye catching!


Materials used:  Stamping Up's Be Mine thinlits die...Smokey Slate, Real Red, Basic Black and Whisper White cardstock...sentiment from Stampin Up's A Big Thank You stamp set...bakers twine...metal button.   
3 Gifts Challenge:   (using Ann Voskamp's 1000 gifts daily prompts)  3 yellow things//daffodils blooming...Sunsets (okay so there is some orange too)...glow from my salt lamp


Update:  What an honor!!

As You See It Sketch Challenge

I am very disappointed that the texture (Ruffled Dynamic Textures folder) on the black background is not showing up very good in the photo but it real life it is quite elegant. The inspiration for this card comes from the sketch challenge from the As You See It blog. I am loving the new Be Mine dies from Stampin Up...they are in the new Occasions Mini Catalog.  



Materials used: Stampin Up's Be Mine dies...Ruffled Dynamics Texture embossing folder...bakers twine...Real Red and Basic Black card stock...Verve sentiment stamp.  
3 Gifts Challenge:   (using Ann Voskamp's 1000 gifts daily prompts) a gift that is sour, sweet, just right//Skittles candies...they make me smile!! Cinnamon roasted almonds...perfect bit of sweet!!  Just right...my fresh ground, fresh brewed cup of coffee!!

Less Is More Challenge #386....WATER

The Less Is More challenge this week is...WATER!  (water in any of its forms eg ice, snow, mist, liquid). When I read the challenge I immediately thought about the blue Brusho Crystals...they create the best "water" scenes!!  This may have been the case because I used the crystals earlier this week but regardless I love the way this card turned out. 

Materials used:  Stampin Up's Beautiful You stamp set...Brusho Crystals...Very Vanilla and Basic Black card stock...Memento Tuxedo ink...Sentiment stamp from Verve Stamps.  

3 Gifts Challenge: (using Ann Voskamp's 1000 gifts daily prompts) *gift in hand//toddler holding my hand as we walk along *gift walked by//kids playing at the playground, oh the laughter and the giggles *gift you sat with//our small group last evening as we sat and caught up with each other.

A Big Thank You...20 Year with Stampin Up!!

I got some happy mail congratulating me on my 20 years with Stampin Up!!  Wow!!  20 years!!  That is so had to believe.  Cindy Fodor, my up line at Stampin Up sent me this sweet stamp set as a congratulations!  I already had the Thank You die that goes with it so I am super excited to play with it.  But for today I am just using the stamps!  The Mojo Monday sketch challenge was part of the inspiration for todays card.  I also used the book cover of the book, Plenty More, from the Library Challenge.   Every time I play along with this challenge I think about my daughter and her love of books...and I smile!!                                                                                                                                      Materials used:  Stampin Up's A Big Thank You stamp set...Real Red, Emerald Envy, Marina Mist, Soft Suede, Crushed Curry inks...Feather die...linen thread...designer paper...Very Vanilla, Real Red and Chocolate Chip card stock...spritzer to give my ink a light misting to give it a watercolor effect.                                                                                                                                                                                                           3 Gifts Challenge: a light that caught you (lightning across the sky...catches you by surprise) a reflection that surprised you (photos from our last kayaking trip...the detailed reflections were amazing!!) a shadow that fell lovely (shadows made by our salt lamp falling across my sleeping hubby's face)


Update:  What an honor to be chosen!!  I smiled real big when I saw that I was a "Librarian's Choice"!