Feeling Challenged

Sorry, I didn't get to post yesterday. I spent all day in the yard. It felt great to be able to work outside in good weather. Then I had to hurriedly get ready for dinner with friends at Nakama. We go out to eat once a month somewhere new, and this was my friend Danielle's month to choose the date and place. I love trying new places and this was a fun, trendy place. Good food, too ; )

But, today I made time both to stamp, and share with any one who may visit. I was pretty stuck on a card design, otherwise known as a slump, so I turned to a couple of challenges posted by fellow bloggers. This first card is for Michelle's challenge to Find Some Inspiration at Twisted Chick Creations. Look in magazine ads, or anywhere around you, to find an inspiration for your card design. This is something I do all the time. It's a geat jumping off point. Sorry for the line thru my inspiration piece. I couldn't get it any better.

The How To for my card:

Stamps: Doodle This, Simple Sayings II
Ink: Black Stazon, markers: apricot appeal, pretty in pink, pumpkin pie, rose red
Paper: rose red, whisper white, Anna Griffin stripes
Other: pewter hodge podge hardware, round tab punch, paper piercer and template, rose and tangerine grosgrain

I colored all of the flowers and doodles with markers. And, because I couldn't choose which ribbon to use, I used both.

This second card is for Julee Tilman's sketch at Poetic Artistry. I think this is such a fun sketch. Thanks Julee.

And the How To:

Stamps: just the one little sentiment from a Michael's dollar stamp
Ink: Taken with teal
Paper: taken with teal, whisper white, harmony: stripe by Paper Salon, Key lime by memory box
Other: giga scalloped circle punch, coluzzle, cuttlebug (for the sentiment die cut), ribbon from Michael's wooden spools, primas, scalloped scissors (because I lent out my corner rounder)

I used my scalloped scissors to snip all the rounded corners, because I lent out my corner rounder. And to get the center for my prima, I used the ever-popular ribbon knot method. I tied my ribbon in a knot about three times to get the thickness I wanted, then I tucked the ends down thru the centers of the layered primas.