Thursday thoughts ....

It's Thursday ... oops, Friday here in Michigan and I thought I would add another post this week!  It's been a busy week so I will pick a winner for my blog post last Saturday tomorrow sometime. 

Here is a card I just made for my VC_Rocks group for a challenge - we were to use 2 colors from the Subtles collection along with Early Espresso plus another neutral color if desired.  I still love this retired Garden From the Heart stamp set and wanted to use it - a friend deserves a card for being very thoughtful this week.  Hope you enjoy this card - it was fun to make and nothing like a challenge to get the mojo going.   If you want to know what supplies I used, just ask - I'm really tired right now ...

Well, guess I better get some sleep - need to be in Lansing by 9 a.m. ... that means getting up by 6:30 for a shower - that means another night of about 5-5 1/2 hours sleep - again. 

Hugs to all, God Bless you all, Shirley

VC_Rocks Blog Hop #1 2011 !!!!!

Whoo Hoo .... it's time for our first VC Blog Hop for 2011 - it is always exciting to be back in contact with friends from VC_Rocks every Spring and Summer.

You can start at our Blog Home at http://vcrocks.blogspot.com    - if you came here from Shari Dudak's blog at http://sharisstamppad.blogspot.com, you are in the right place!   Your next and final stop will be our Blog leader Loni Holt at www.loniholt.blogspot.com     If you get lost at anytime during the blog hop or find a blog missing, just go back to our Blog Home at http://vcrocks.blogspot.com and you will find the entire listing of all participants - I think there are a total of 30 bloggers this month!  Awesome time will be had by all - hope you enjoy all the creativity of our group. 

This is my first blog since deciding to no longer be am SU Demo, altho' rest assured, my love for all things Stampin' Up! is still strong!  Sorry to have been gone for so long (again) -- just lots and lots of 'stuff' gong on with family, health, etc., etc., etc.  And don't forget that I'm basically lazy, so that's another reason/excuse.


So, onward to our May Blog Hop - our theme this month is "Color My World" using markers, crayons, etc., so of course I had to go a bit outside the box and not just color an image like I first thought of.  I used an old technique (you didn't think I lost my love for techniques either, did you??) -- it's called "Marker Batik", using markers, plastic wrap, water in a spray bottle and glossy cardstock.


The colors I used are for Card #1
- c/s:   Marina Mist, Cajun Craze, Glossy White and bit of Whisper White for the sentiment
- markers/ink:  Marina Mist, Pacific Point, Cajun Craze, Soft Suede (seems like I use this with most of my cards now!)
- Accessories:  Marina Mist Grosgrain Ribbon, Scallop Punch set up on Dimensionals;  I also added strips of Cajun Craze with the ribbon


Card #2:
- c/s:  Marina Mist, Soft Suede, Glossy White
- Markers/Ink:  Marina Mist, Pacific Point, Cajun Craze, Soft Suede
- Accessories:  Scallop Punch, Marina Mist Grosgrain Ribbon

The last pix is a background to show you different coloring .... the coloring depends on how much marker color and the darkness of the colors you put on the plastic wrap.  I love techniques and this one is soooo easy!


Now, I will send one of these cards along with an additional card to you if I pull your name out of a basket - just leave me a comment telling me which card you like the best. 


Don't forget - your next and final stop is Loni Holt at www.loniholt.blogspot.com  and our Blog Home is http://vcrocks.blogspot.com

Hope you enjoyed my cards this month ... take care, hugs and God Bless, Shirley

December Blog Hop is here!!!!

I am so excited to be back again for our December SUStars Blog Hop!!!  And I am very excited to see what everyone has been creating for this event!  If you started here because you are my friend, great!!!  If you want to start at the beginning, you can go to our main blog at http://www.SU-Stars.blogspot.com ... or you may have come here from Veronica's blog - Bluegrass Stamper Studio at http://bluegrassstamperstudio.blogspot.com/ ... what a creative gal she is!    


I love Christmas - mainly because we celebrate the birth of the Christ Child, but also because people are, well, nice ... at least for the most part.  I have been busy making cards (check out Thursday's blog post) and have mine stamped now, just need to get them signed and the envelopes ready - all 157 of them!  My goal every year is to have them all made and addressed by Thanksgiving - whew, made that goal again!  Was not sure I would after making 200 for a friend, but it sure feels great to have them almost ready to mail. 


For this blog hop, I made some cards and a cute Gift Card Holder.  


I got this idea from a post from Glenda Calkins and changed it a bit.  We all need gift card holders especially this time of year, so I try to have several ready to use.  

  

I used Rich Razzleberry and Wild Wasabi, two of my fave colors (do I say that about all the colors we have??)  The measurements are:  7 1/2" x 5 1/2", including the punched edge.  The band is 1 1/2" x 06 1/2", Eyelet Border punched, then added a Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border Punch strip and Scallop Circle Punch with the smaller ornament from Snow Swirled.  In the center of the circle is a brad ... I don't have any Rich Razzleberry brads left (a customer needed all I had for a project) so I took a silver brad, dipped in Versamark, then Rich Razzleberry Ink then Clear Embossing Powder and heat embossed - repeated this several times until it had the color I needed.  That's a great way to get any color brad you need!

When I was trying to decide what to make, I realized that I have lent out several of my current stamp sets which limited my choices .... but I am always happy to help my friends and customers with any supplies I have. 

My first two cards use our beautiful double-sided Designer Paper, Jolly Holiday.  I just love our Designer Papers - so many color combinations and I always have just the right colors and patterns for my projects.  

   

Along with the Jolly Holiday Designer paper, the colors I used are Cherry Cobbler and Old Olive - don't they look great together!  I decided to show you how cards look when we do them very simple as compared to one more busy - which do you prefer?  Personally, I like the simpler cards better.  I would have added a sentiment at the top, but all my current Christmas sentiments that I wanted to use are lent out so I will add it later.  

I saw this idea on Splitcoast, I think .. using the tree from Lovely As A Tree for branches.  I embossed them in white along with one of the ornaments from Delightful Decorations on Cherry Cobbler cardstock .. and then I realized that I must have lost my hanger from Tree Trimmings set, so I used a stem from another set and embossed that (sorry it's crooked), then added the 5/8" Whisper White Organza Ribbon on the corners.  It just seemed to need something, you know.  

Hope you enjoyed a look at my blog, and be sure to visit Raissa's blog at  www.raissastamps.com  ... and remember, if you get lost or have a problem, you can always go back to our home base   http://www.SU-Stars.blogspot.com  and find the next stop.  

As always, take care and God Bless, Sassy Shirley