Serving the King

 Here's another DD challenge I decided to try. Actually this is for two challenges.

For the first one you're suppose to make a simple card and then crank it up a notch (or two).  : )  It was a really fun challenge from Jami... the More is More Queen. : ) 

The second challenge is from Cami. If you're familiar with Cambria's creations it's no surprise that for her challenge you're suppose to "Pink it up."   : )

Although I enjoyed doing the challenges, I had a lot of trouble getting a good photo of it. One of problems I had is that I used a glitter pen to outline the baby buggy on the 2nd card and the photo makes the outline look kind of washed out. There were other photo issues as well, but I'll just leave it at that.

The card on the left is obviously the simple card and the card on the right has many things added.

Here's a closer picture.

Things that were added to the 2nd card:

Ribbon

Faux Stitching & Piercing around main image and along sides of designer paper.

Cuttlebugged "Baby" with gem added in the middle of the a.

Background stamps (Linen & Itty Bitty Backgrounds) on the card base.

Glitter around outline of Baby Buggy.

Designer Paper corners on main image.

Small speckles (Itty Bitty Backgrounds) around main image.

White gel pen dots on buggy.

This is the card I made for the DD sketch challenge today. : )  It's also the first card I've made with my new set "Refuge & Strength." 

I stamped the cross twice: once on the cardstock and then again on a scrap of the same cardstock. I cut out the scrap one and used dimensionals to attach it on top of the other cross.

More info:

Stamps: Refuge & Strength, Plaid background, Linen background

Paper: River Rock, Artichoke, Wintergreen designer paper

Ink: River Rock, Chocolate Chip, Artichoke

Accessories: Metal Edge tag, Mat Pack, Piercer, Marker, Hemp, dimensionals

I have a little poodle named Zoe and she loves to go visit my mom and dad's little poodle, Mandie... so this card is from Zoe to Mandie. Ok, I know this sounds strange, but it's one of the Dirty Dozen challenges on scs.  : )  We were suppose to make a card for a pet or from a pet.

Now Zoe doesn't look like the poodle on this card... no foo foo haircut for her. <wink>  But I did try to color it with her colors. She's white with silver spots on her ears, tail, and some on her back.  : )

Here you go Mandie... this is for you from Zoe.  : )

Here's the info.

Stamps: French Twist (retired stampin' up stamp set), Priceless, Stem Sayings

Paper: Tan Confetti, Almost Amethyst designer paper

Inks: Black Stazon, Almost Amethyst

Accessories: Chocolate Chip Taffeta ribbon, white gel pen, scallop punch, mat pack, piercer, watercolor crayons, aquapainter, marker

(The camera seemed to pick up the Amethyst color as more blue than it is.)

Can you all handle another Bronc Buster card? I just love this set!!

It's probably a little hard to tell in the picture, but linen is stamped on the River Rock cardstock, under the Bronc Buster. The Bronc Buster is stamped twice: once with River Rock ink and then with Chocolate Chip ink to give it a little bit of a shadow effect.  The edges of the main image were distressed and sponged with Chocolate Chip. Do you like the designer paper? It's another one in the pack of Outlaw paper. I've said it before... but I'll say it again... I love that paper!! : )

Stamps: Bronc Buster, Linen

Paper: Close to Cocoa, River Rock, Outlaw designer paper

Inks: River Rock, Chocolate Chip

Accessories: Mat Pack, Marker, Distresser, star brads, hemp

How fun!!! I've been tagged as a Rockin' Girl Blogger by Debbi and Lisa! Check out their blogs... they're Rockin' Stampers!!  : )

And I'm nominating (tagging) the following Rockin' Stampers!

Sue:    I love Sue's blog! She has both beautiful & fun cards!! And like her cards, she's a beautiful, fun, & special person.   : )

Jami:    Jami's blog is another one I visit often. She's an awesome stamper and one of my So Cal stampin' buddies.  Many of you know her as one of the Alumni of the Dirty Dozen on scs. I'm glad to know her as my friend.  : )

Tracey:    Tracey has a terrific blog; wonderful cards!  I love the fact that recently she had the courage to post one of her cards from when she first started stamping. I'm not so sure I'm that brave!  Tracey, you've come a long way girl!! : )

I'm lovin' this new Bronc Buster set!!! : )

I distressed the edges of the main image and sponged it with Chocolate Chip ink.  The Corners are made with the new Stampin' Up Photo Corner punch. And don't you love that designer paper?! It's from the new Stampin' Up line called "Outlaw." 

More info:

Stamps: Bronc Buster, Linen

Paper: River Rock, Outlaw designer paper

Ink: Chocolate Chip

Accessories: Hodge Podge Hardware (brads), Hemp, Photo Corner Punch, Distresser

Here's the 2nd project we did at the birthday party. It's a kind of pull-up card. I'm thinking about doing a step by step tutorial for it.  Can you tell how to make the card from these pictures or would a tutorial be helpful??

Edited (July 23) to add: Ok, I'm convinced. I'll be doing a tutorial for this card. I'll try to have it done by next Monday.  : ) 

Stamps: Pocket Fun (retired), and Linen

Ink: Stazon Black

Paper: Whisper White, Lovely Lilac

Accessories: Blender Pen, Watercolor pencils, eyelets, cropodile, ribbon

Last Friday I did a stamping birthday party for a super sweet girl who just turned 11.  There were 12 girls and we did two projects.  Her party was a Hawaiian theme... so I used the retired set "Do the Hula" on the first project, which was a photo book (holds 36 4x6 pictures).  Her mom took pictures of all the girls during the party and will be giving them the pictures for the album. 

I ended up using the same layout I used for a Father's Day card last month.

Stamps: Do the Hula

Paper & Inks: Gable Green, Choc. Chip, Shimmery White

Everything, including the leaves, are sponged with Choc. Chip ink. The Palm Tree is colored with watercolor pencils and a blender pen.

I gave the girls the choice of using the palm tree image or the Hula girl. About half chose the Hula girl. All the photo albums turned out great and the girls really seemed to like them a lot.  

I'll post the 2nd project we did tomorrow.  : )

Ok... now I don't want any of you to faint, but I'm actually posting a second card today!  I know, I know... two in one day!!  What can I say? These new stamp sets are so much fun!!! : )

This picture just doesn't do it justice. The camera didn't pick up all the shiny glitter... so you'll just have to imagine all the sparkle!  : )

I mostly used reinkers to watercolor with since the new In Colors are not in the watercolor crayons.

Stamps: Boatloads of Love, Stem sayings, Flannel Plaid

Paper: Purely Pomegranate, Blue Bayou, watercolor paper

Inks: Purely Pomegranate, Blue Bayou, Black Stazon

Accessories: Blue Bayou double stitched ribbon, reinkers, aquapainter, paper destresser, & GLITTER.  : )

I'm having so much fun playing with my new stamps! : )  Here's a sample I made with Heartspeak (set on p. 70 in the new catalog).

The main image is watercolored with watercolor crayons.

Stamps: Heartspeak, Fine Lace, All in a Row

Paper: Close to Cocoa, Groovy Guava, watercolor paper

Ink: Black Stazon, Close to Cocoa, Groovy Guava

Accessories: new Groovy Guava double stitched ribbon, watercolor crayons, aquapainter

Fun! Fun! Fun! I got my New stuff!!! : )

Here’s my first card with one of my new sets: Bronc Buster.

This is such a great cowboy set!!! I’m loving it!

I think it’s hard to tell from the picture, but I stamped the linen background on the River Rock piece before I stamped the bronc buster. 

Here’s the info:

Stamps: Bronc Buster, Priceless, Linen

Ink: Choc. Chip, Black, Vanilla

Paper: Choc. Chip, River Rock, Outlaw designer paper

Accessories: new River Rock double stitched ribbon, white gel pen, piercer, mat pack.

Ok… off to make more stuff!  : )

I'm trying to be patient waiting for my new catalog order, but it's hard!  : )

So... to take my mind off my order I decided to play a little with our new camera today. I did a bunch of close-ups. Here's 3 of them. 

This one is a huge fern I've had for many years. I need to ask my mom what it's called, cuz I can't remember, but I love ferns of all sizes. Most of them will look good all year long (in So Cal) if we don't get a bad freeze in the winter.

My favorite flower is probably my Hydrangea. I call it the miracle plant because on a hot day it can wilt and look like it's about to die, but then give it some water and check on it a 1/2 hour later and it will be all perked up! Kind of like me if I'm feeling down, but then spend some time worshiping God!  : )

This last picture is of one of my Maiden Hair Ferns.  Of all the ferns, I like this one best!! It's foliage is tiny and delicate and absolutely beautiful!

I got tagged… Three times!!!

How exciting!! This is my first tagging!  : )

I was tagged by Sue, Tracey, & Emily.

Check out their cool blogs.  : )

What I need to do:

I’m suppose to list 7 things about myself.  

Tag 7 other bloggers and ask them to do the same.

Leave tagged bloggers a comment… letting them know they’ve been tagged.

1. When I was in elementary school I took accordion lessons for 4 years. Polka anyone?!!  : )

2. I homeschooled my two kids from kindergarten through 12^th grade.

3. My favorite ice-cream is Chubby Hubby.

4. I have a little poodle who is afraid of our refrigerator.  What can I say... she's a strange dog... but super cute!  : )

5. The church I go to meets in a house. (Soon to move into a building.)

6. Most of my favorite movies were made in the 40s.

7. I have way too many rubber stamps. But hey... you all probably could have guess that!  : )

People I’m tagging.

You're it!  : )

Alana

Amy

Julie

Susan

Jessica

Deb

Jana

Ok... I have to add one more person. I just found out Tandra started a blog. So Tandra... Tag, you're it too! : )

Here's her blog.

Tandra

This year in June we knew a lot of graduates so I knew I had to keep the cards pretty simple... especially since I was making them at the last minute. (Actually I still have a couple of graduates I need to mail cards too.)    : )

To keep it simple and easy I used my Cuttlebug with the Congrats embossing folder from eclectic Paperie. These folders make quick but classy backgrounds! The graduation cap is from the retired Stampin' Up set, Tassel Time, and the Congratulations is from the retired set, All Year Cheer.

My stamp order from the new Stampin' Up catalog says it's shipped. I'm ready to cut out some new rubber!!!  : )

I placed my first order from the new Stampin' Up catalog and now I'm just waiting for it to ship!!! Come on Stampin' Up... send me my new goodies!!  : )

So while I wait I'm working on some samples with my preorder sets. For this one I used Pick a Petal and the new Purely Pomegranate cardstock.  The petals are stamped with versamark on Pomegranate cardstock and then cut out and glued on the River Rock cardstock. I did a little faux stitching around the flower and pierced the mat of Pomegranate, which is then mounted on some of the new designer paper (Rose Red), and finally glued to the River Rock card base.  And there you have it.  : )

Tonight we'll be going to see Fireworks and I'll probably tear up just a little. It's not something anyone around me may notice as they have their eyes to the sky, but I can't stop the tears that will form. We live in the best country in the world!

Today I thank the Lord for this wonderful country, for our Freedom, and for the men and women who have fought and died for that Freedom!! I pray for our soldiers; for their safety in a world of uncertainty. I pray for our country; that we will always remain free.  I pray for each person who knows The Lord; that they will be strong and run the race God has set before them. And I especially pray for those who haven't found God; that they will seek Him and find Him and know Him.

I hope you all have a most wonderful 4th of July!!! Enjoy your Freedom!!