As you can see on my card, I took the sketch very literally…I think I'll also use this sketch and change up the elements…the new Designer Label Framelet would be perfect in the center…didn't think of that until my card was finished!  lol!

With the warm weather we've been having in Ohio, 50s in JANUARY!…it reminds me that spring is the next season!  As the card image reads…this stamp is so sweet!  I picked my colors from the Just Add Cake Designer Paper and started with a base of So Saffron.  It is layered on Early Espresso cardstock.  I wrapped some Peach Parfait Ribbon around the center and adhered it in back.  I stamped the flower image in Early Espresso, then used my Stampin' Up! Markers to color them…So Saffron, Daffodil Delight, Peach Parfait, Pear Pizzazz and Wild Wasabi.  In the center of the flowers, I made some small dots with a White Gel Pen…following Karen Barber's wonderful coloring skills.  I added some grass along the bottom so the flowers didn't look like they were levitating in the air!  lol!

I cut some butterflies with the Beautiful WIngs embosslit and So Saffron and Early Espresso cardstock, then added pearls to their bodies.  I also did a trio of pearls along the bottom according to the sketch and the greeting A Note of Thanks from Thank You Kindly stamp set.

Things are progressing in the basement…new carpet was installed yesterday in the Family Room area!  My room…still waiting for the design information on the cabinets…I can't believe it is taking SO long!  The laminate is sitting in the warehouse ready to go for my studio, but can't go in until the cabinets are installed.  Grrr…

It's not too late to join!  Create with Connie and Mary Occasions Edition 2012 has just started Week 3!  You get daily step-by-step tutorials, challenges and PRIZES and haven't missed a thing!  We've had some FABULOUS projects to use in your classes or for gifts…with lots more to come! 

Our website stays up to a year after the edition is over, too…so you can refer back to our projects 24/7!  At $34.95 for over 36 project ideas…that is less than $1 per tutorial!

I used Fresh Vintage, one of the Sale-A-Bration sets we are featuring over on Create with Connie and Mary Occasions Edition.  We are in Week 2 and have had some fabulous projects so far!  It's not too late to join!  Click on the Buy Now button over on my right sidebar, or check out the Preview Projects we did on Create with Connie and Mary…just to give you a taste of what our tutorials look like.  We are sharing over 36 step-by-step tutorials…that will not be seen or previewed anywhere else!  At $34.95 US, that is less than $1 per tutorial!

I love the colors in the Twitterpated Designer Paper.  This stripe, of course, is one of my favorites and I took the colors on my card from it.  The base is Pear Pizzazz.  I layered on two diffferent designs from Twitterpated and added them to a layer of Basic Gray.  I wrapped the Lucky Limeade Ruffled Ribbon around to hide the seam.  I cut two Label Collection Framelits…one in Whisper White and one in Cherry Cobbler.  I inked up the floral design with my Stampin' Write Markers in Cherry Cobbler, Pear Pizzazz and Basic Gray and then stamped on the White.  It is layered on the Cherry Cobbler, and I added pearls to accent the label.  Finally, I added some Beautiful Wings Embossed Butterflies with pearls for their bodies!  I tied a bow, added a Glimmer Brad and placed it on the front with Mini Glue Dots.

My husband even commented (without prompting) that it was a striking card!  Woohoo!

Make sure to check out the rest of the Challenge Team's ideas over on Create with Connie and Mary!  Some FABULOUS ideas as usual!

And here is my card:

I decided to use the Real Red Patterns Designer Paper because Stampin' Up! currently has a special package called Love Patterns of 12 sheets of Real Red and Pretty in Pink Patterns for Valentine's on the CLEARANCE RACK for $1.99 (regularly $9.95)!  What a BARGAIN!  Head over to my ONLINE store to check out what else they just added, too!

The base of the card is Whisper White and I added a layer of Basic Black.  I used another piece of Whisper White and ran it thru the Big Shot with the Houndstooth Impressions Folder.  I cut four Scallop Heart Embosslits from Basic Black.  Then I punched two of the Real Red Patterns with the Full Heart Punch.  I stamped the hearts image from Stampin' Up!'s PS I Love You stamp set with Real Red and punched it with the Full Heart Punch.  Next I punched a Real Red cardstock Full Heart and stamped Love You from the same stamp set inside with Basic Black.  I added a flower White button from the Neutrals Button pack with White Bakers Twine tied inside.  Oh, the Love You heart is popped up with Dimensionals.  I really like how it turned out!

Did you see?  Create with Connie and Mary has opened up their EARLY BIRD PRICING of $29.95 for the next Create with Connie and Mary Occasions Edition 2012!!!  Check out our new look and details HERE!  Then…go ahead and sign up!  You don't want to miss out on the savings! 

I decided to use one of the new stamp sets in the Occasions Mini…Tea Shoppe!  I love this trio of cups!

I chose my colors from the Domestic Goddess Designer Paper…I hadn't used that paper much.  The base of the card is Pool Party cardstock.  I cut a piece of the Pool Party checked pattern that had the Daffodil Delight Ric Rak along the edge and placed it along the left side.  I added a piece of Daffodil Delight cardstock that I ran thru the Big Shot with the Houndstooth Impressions Folder across the top.  I also added another piece of Pool Party cardstock, run thru the Big Shot with the Perfect Polka Dots Impressions Folder…I like the contrast of the two embossed portions.  To hide the seam I added a strip pennant of Whisper White stamped with the trio of teacups that I inked with Pool Party and Daffodil Delight Stampin' Write Markers.

I added the little Flower Fushion flower of Pool Party with a Daffodil Delight Flower Brad inside (oh…I just noticed that my Rhinestone Jewel fell off the center!  oh well!)  I stamped the greeting in Tea Shoppe with Basic Black and punched with the Curly Label Punch, then tucked it above the Whisper White pennant.

Make sure to check out what the rest of the Thursday Challenge Team did this week with the sketch over on Create with Connie and Mary!  While you are there, be sure to sign up for the Occasions Edition 2012 while we are offering the special savings of $5 off!

I think Stampin' Up!'s You Are Loved is so beautiful and totally overlooked in the back of the Holiday Mini!  If you love it, too, make sure you get it before the Holiday Mini goes away…last day to order is January 3, 2012!

I started with a base of Real Red cardstock.  I layered on Blushing Bride and stamped the rose floral design from You Are Loved randomly in the background with Blushing Bride Classic Ink.  On top, I used a piece of Beau Chateau Designer Paper.  I cut a piece of Real Red cardstock and ran it thru the Big Shot with the Elegant Lines Impressions Folder and layered that on top.  For the heart, I inked it up with Blushing Bride Classic Ink, then took my Regal Rose and Real Red Stampin' Write Markers and randomly colored over portions of the image…no specific image, just random.  I added a Real Red flower button tied with White Bakers Twine at the bottom and placed it on the front of the card with Stampin' Dimensionals.  I added three pearls to the top of the where the heart is.  I then stamped Thinking of You, included in the You Are Loved stamp set, in Real Red on Blushing Bride cardstock, made a pennant tail and tucked it under the heart with Stampin' Dimensionals.

I like it, I like it!!!  Make sure to check out what the rest of the Challenge Team did this week…FABULOUS creations like usual!  Stop by Create with Connie and Mary to see! 

And here is my card using the combination of both challenges!

Yes, I made up some more of my Flower Fest stamp poinsettias!  Funny how changing the colors out on the card and a few details can make the card look totally different!  (If you want to see the last one I did with Poinsettias…you can see it HERE!)  On this one I started with a base of Always Artichoke and layered on River Rock that I ran thru the Big Shot with the Stripes Impressions Folder.  I lightly sponged River Rock Classic Ink across the raised areas for a weathered panel look.  I added the front layers  of Always Artichoke, Riding Hood Red and Very Vanilla according to the sketch.  I stamped Merry Christmas from Stampin' Up!'s Christmas Greetings stamp set in Always Artichoke on the front and added a stripe of Red Glimmer Paper.  I also punched along the bottom with the Pinking Hearts Border Punch. 

The Flower Fest flowers were stamped in Riding Hood Red and Always Artichoke and then punched with the 5 petal punch.  I added pearls to the centers, then popped them up on the front of the card.  I like the simple elegance of this one!

I was also excited to use my Stampin' Up! Flower Fest stamp set again, this time to make Christmas Poinsettias!  It worked perfectly!

This would be a great card to mass produce for your holiday cards!  I started with a base of Cherry Cobbler cardstock, and used a long base of 4 1/4 x 11, then folded it in half with the fold on the left side for something a little different..  I used the Petals A Plenty Impressions Folder on 2/3 of the Whisper White layer, leaving room at the bottom to stamp my greeting, Merry Christmas from Four the Holidays, in Cherry Cobber.  I covered the seam with Basic Gray Satin Ribbon and layered it on Basic Gray cardstock.  I stamped the flower from Flower Fest in Cherry Cobbler on Real Red four times and punched them out with the 5 Petal Flower Punch.  I then stamped the same flower again with Garden Green on Garden Green cardstock and punched them out for the leaves behind the red flowers.  I adhered them together, then pierced a hole in the center of the flowers and placed the Gold Glimmer Brads.  They were popped up on the front of the card with Stampin' Dimensionals. 

I think that the card has a quiet elegance that was quite easy to achieve!

The Paper Players has a Clean & Simple Christmas Red & Green color challenge for today that I decided to play along!  I wanted to fit in the Freshly Made Sketches challenge, but ran out of time because of my sinus headache this morning…just didn't feel like getting up earlier than I needed to…lol!

I used Stampin' Up!'s 25 & Counting stamp set!  It is a fun set that can be used for something OTHER than an Advent Calendar!  It is one of the sets we are featuring this week on Create with Connie and Mary Holiday Edition, our second full week of Christmas!

I started with a 6×6 base of Real Red, folded in half to 3 x 6.  I added an Old Olive layer on top, stamped with Merry & Bright from Merry & Type Stamp Set in Basic Black in the lower left corner.  I LOVE the typeset greetings in this set!  I added a strip of Letters to Santa DSP across the top and then covered the seam with some Cherry Cobbler Quilted Ribbon.  I love how Real Red and Cherry Cobbler blend so well together!  I stamped the Sant from 25 & Counting in Real Red on Whisper White, then colored in parts with the Basic Black Stampin' Write Marker.  I also colored in the 24 with Old Olive and Blush Blossom for the face.  I punched with the 1 1/4" Circle Punch and layered it on a Real Red 1 3/8" Circle.  I used the Crop a Dile for the hole in the top and added Cherry Cobbler Bakers Twine to tie on the ribbon.  I added a little bit of bling by adhering a Rhinestone Jewel to his belt buckle for some bling!

So, that's my Red & Green Christmas Theme Clean & Simple Color Challenge card for The Paper Players!  Enjoy!

This card came together pretty easily!  The base is Real Red cardstock.  I ran the Wild Wasabi layer thru the Big Shot with the Snow Burst Impressions Folder and layered it on Early Espresso.  I cut a stripe of the glittery red dots in Stampin' Up!'s Holly Berry Designer Paper.  I hand cut the embossed Rectangle Frame Folder from Early Espresso cardstock and layered the rectangle of Real Red inside.  I added one of the Folded Christmas Trees and topped it with the small Silver Glimmer Star from the Stars Die.  I also added a little tree trunk of Early Espresso.  The Rectangle Frame is popped up with Stampin' Dimensionals.  Finally, I stamped the word Merry from Stampin' Up!'s Pennant Parade stamp set, then punched with the Small Oval Punch.  It is popped up with Stampin' Dimensionals, too.

It came together really quickly because I already had the Folded Tree done.  I just took my colors from the Designer Paper.  Enjoy!

It's not too late to join the Holiday Edition of Create with Connie and Mary!  This week we are featuring the Card Keeper…in ways that aren't made for cards!  It is FUN to see all the different uses we've come up with for the Card Keeper box!  You won't miss a thing if you sign up now, you can refer back to all the projects we've already made using products from the Holiday Mini…and you'll see new ones EVERY DAY throughout October!  A total of 36 step-by-step tutorials!  Join us…there are chances to win prizes, too!  At $34.95 US, that is less than $1 per tutorial.  Check out the Preview Projects at Create with Connie and Mary to see what our tutorials are all about!

One of the things my Stamp Club did last week was the Baby Wipe Technique with the Gently Falling stamp set.  Since I had the "ink pad" made up, I went ahead and stamped a bunch of leaves in Pool Party, More Mustard and Soft Suede Classic Inks.  You'll probably be seeing a LOT of them over the next few weeks.  This card I made for a very special online friend.  We've met several times at various Stampin' Up! functions and she truly has a kind heart!

I started with a base of Early Espresso.  I added the Pool Party print from Spice Cake Designer Paper, then a strip of the stripe design in Spice Cake, too.  I cut the Two Tags die from Confetti Cream cardstock and place it on top.  I cut out two of my leaves and adhered them over the tag and wrapped some Early Espresso Quilted Ribbon around and tied a knot.   I stamped the acorn in More Mustard with Early Espresso two-step on top, then punched with the 1" Circle punch and layered it on  1 1/4 punch of Early Espresso.  I added the Thinking of You Curly Cute greeting in Early Espresso on Pool Party cardstock.

Another busy week for me!  I have a lot of "partially started" projects that need to get finished up before my husband is off on vacation next week.  I know I won't get much stamping stuff done when he is home.  I'm going to try to get him to do some of those "honey do" projects like cleaning carpets and closets!  What FUN!  lol!  Plus, we may just take off for a couple days to go see some pretty fall leaves.

Have a great week!