Hedgehog for Monkey Animal

My rabbit card didn't win the Monkey Princess badge, but I got invited to be a future guest designer on A La Card Monkey!  See THIS post.  I'm so excited!!!  I don't know what it all involves.  But I'm sure it'll be lots of fun!  Stay tuned!

This week's challenge is animal plus sketch.  HERE's the challenge:

Here's my card:

I decided to use Hedgehog Happiness set from 2000.  Yes, I know it's a very old set.  BUT, I love these hedgehogs!  Of course it's been long since retired.  But that doesn't mean they can't come out to play once in awhile, right?  I figured, in honor of last day of Occasions Mini, I would use this totally awesome Springtime Vintage DSP once more.  I used my Cr*cut to cut the large circle.  I used the brand new Triple Layer punch for the flower on the bottom right.  Since I'm using a retired stamp set, I figured what's another retired item to use on the card, right?  I used the Pretty in Pink Epoxy Brad as the center of the flower.

My Supplies List (all supplies and images by Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted):

Stamp Set(s): Hedgehog Happiness (retired)

Ink: Chocolate Chip

Papers:  Pear Pizzazz, Chocolate Chip, Rose Red, Baja Breeze, Springtime Vintage DSP

Accessories: Scallop Trim Border punch, Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border Punch, Sponge, Blossom Bouquet Triple Layer punch, Epoxy Brad (retired), Cr*cut

SSSC114: Paisley & Frame

Sweet Sunday always has the best sketches.  I don't always get to them, but I drool over the sketch and the design team's awesome cards every week.  HERE's this week's sketch.

I wanted to play this week, but had no idea what I wanted to do until last night.  Then it hit me!  The whole thing came together relatively painlessly.

Here's what I came up with.

What do you think?  I was going to do a distressed look, but decided that wasn't me.  I also thought if I just used ribbon on the bottom, it felt too thin.  So I added the two more layers behind it to give it a little bulk.  Lastly, how beautiful are those vanilla rosettes that you can color with your markers?  I am soooo super sad that they are no longer available.  Stampin Up! has run out of them and will not be able to get more.  Did I mention I am very sad about that???  I love the softness of the fabric rosette, and that you can color them whatever color to suit your needs.  I think I'd better see what cards I have in stock that have these rosettes.  I'm going to peel them off and re-use them!  BTW, I adhered them to the paper with Crystal Effects.  You know, the best not-made-as-adhesive adhesive there is! :)

My Supplies List (all supplies and images by Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted):

Stamp Set(s): Four Frames, Teeny Tiny Wishes

Ink: Marina Mist, Bravo Burgundy

Papers:  Pear Pizzazz, River Rock, Bravo Burgundy, Paisley Petals DSP

Accessories: Square Lattice embossing folder, Vanilla Rosettes (no longer available), Marina Mist Stampin' Write Marker, Pumpkin Pie Stampin' Write Marker, Bravo Burgundy Stampin' Write Marker, Bravo Burgundy 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon (retired), Decorative Label punch, Two-Step Bird punch

Black & White Mashup

For this week's Friday Mashup challenge, it was to create a square card using black & white.

I struggled with this, because for me, black and white symbolize death and sympathy.  So that's what I did.  I also combined it with a sketch from Clean & Simple Stamping.

Here's the card.

Sorry it's a bit blurry.  I tried to take several shots, but the camera does not want to focus.  Maybe it needs glasses.  Ha!

Honestly, I don't know what I think of this card.  I don't do Clean and Simple very well at all.  Yet, judging from my set of Thank You cards that I did recently, the ones that got the most views in my galleries and most well received by family was the one that was the most simple.  So I thought I should try some CAS (Clean and Simple) style.  Maybe my problem is that it's not a happy card.  That must be it.  I think I need to make a cheery black & white and CAS card.  OK, back to the drawing board.

My Supplies List (all supplies and images by Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted):

Stamp Set(s): Just Believe, Teeny Tiny Wishes

Ink: Black (non-SU)

Papers:  Black (non-SU)

Accessories: Beveled Window, black ribbon (non-SU)

Rabbit for the Monkey

Today's card was made for A La Card Monkey's challenge #53.  Here's the sketch & theme.

I broke out my brand new Forest Friends set that I got for free during Sale-a-Bration, since it's the only set I have currently that has a rabbit (I think, LOL).  Here's the card for this challenge.

I used a sponge wedge and sponged some grass underneath the tree.  I also sponged around the punch piece.  Don't you love these Glimmer Brads?  So vibrant!  If you want to get some, you'd better hurry, because you won't be able to order them after April 30th, when Occasions Mini catalog ends.

My Supplies List (all supplies and images by Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted):

Stamp Set(s): Forest Friends, Well Scripted (retired)

Ink: Chocolate Chip, Pear Pizzazz, Peach Parfait

Papers:  Pear Pizzazz, Peach Parfait, Sunny Garden DSP

Accessories: Pear Pizzazz Seam Binding Ribbon, Decorative Label punch, Glimmer Brads, Antique Trinket, Scalloped Edge Border Punch, Sponge

Wedding Card!

Happy Monday!  I decided to not continue in my somber mood for this fine Monday.  Today, I have a wedding card to share.  I know, I haven't done one of those in awhile.  I guess my mom hasn't been to any the last few months.  Now, though, wedding season will be once again upon us.  To start this year, one of my cousins is getting remarried.  Since we're Asians, no wedding can be complete without a bit of red.  So here it is, a red wedding card.

This was a super simple card to make.  Don't ask me where I got this shiny silver cardstock.  I have no idea.  It's just in my stash.  I've never ordered any silver cardstock from SU!, so I don't know how this compares.  Guess I should me a pack to see.  Don't you just love the Framed Tulips embossing folder?  It makes it so easy to have a nice card.  It's from the Occasions Mini catalog, which ends April 30th.  So better act fast and order it now, if you don't have it yet!

Don't think you can see this, but I did heat emboss the main image.  I didn't want to do my usual knot with the ribbon, and I sure can't tie a nice bow.  I decided to make a different kind of knot to look like I tied it around the image.

My Supplies List (all supplies and images by Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted):

Stamp Set(s): Always Elegant, Well Scripted (retired)

Ink: Real Red

Papers:  Real Red, Silver (non-SU)

Accessories: Framed Tulips embossing folder, Clear embossing powder, Versamark (to use with my Classic Ink for the embossing powder), Real Red 1 1/4" Striped Grosgrain ribbon, Scalloped Oval punch, Oval punch

Petals Challenge

I haven't done the challenge over at Create with Connie and Mary for a long long long time.  This sketch somehow spoke to me, so I thought I should try it.

I've been in the mood to make some sympathy, condolences cards.  Probably because a friend's mother's been ill, and she's been working hard to get her mother taken care of; another good friend's husband's untimely death anniversary is coming up; and my father going out of country to pay respects to yet another fine person passed away entirely too soon.  So, here's the card I made.

I used Paisley Petals DSP, both for the square backgrounds and the flower, which I hand cut and popped up with Dimensionals.  OK, I didn't follow the sketch exactly.  I had to change it, because the sentiment I wanted to use is a bit big for the side, so I turned it.  When I turned the card, I had to turn the orientation of the flower, too.

My Supplies List (all supplies and images by Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted):

Stamp Set(s): Word Play

Ink: Chocolate Chip

Papers:  Mellow Moss (retired), Chocolate Chip, Paisley Petals DSP

Accessories: None!

Get Well Blossoms

This card started out as a CASE of Vicki's card, seen HERE.  But I had to change a couple of elements to suit me.  In any case, I think it turned out nicely.

I added a little Q-Tip sponging around the blossoms, just to give the image some soft colors.

My Supplies List (all supplies and images by Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted):

Stamp Set(s): Easter Blossoms, Teeny Tiny Wishes

Ink: Early Espresso, Pretty in Pink

Papers:  Early Espresso, River Rock

Accessories: Polka Dot embossing Folder, Modern Label Punch, Word Window punch, Cr*cut, Eyelet border punch, ribbon (my stash)

Birthday Challenge

Today's card was made for Taylored Expressions Challenge.  Here's the sketch.

When I saw this sketch, I knew I wanted to use the Two Tags die.  Then I realized I had to flip the sketch.  Here's how it turned out.

I love my use of the cupcake from Itty Bitty Bits, on the Boho Blossoms flowers, for the 3 little elements.  I thought it was an ingenious use of me, instead of brads.  Hee-hee.  Little pat on my back!

ETA: Forgot to mention that I sponged the edges of the cupcake pieces; ran the bottom piece through the crimper; and ran the frosting part through the Big Shot with Finial Press embossing folder.

My Supplies List (all supplies and images by Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted):

Stamp Set(s): Word Play, Itty Bitty Bits

Ink: Pacific Point, Pear Pizzazz, Real Red

Papers:  Pacific Point, Real Red, Celebrations DSP

Accessories: Two Tags die, Scalloped Circle punch, Build a Cupcake punch, Bitty Punch pack, Boho Blossoms punch, Basic Rhinestones