My Fond Farewell

Well, today is officially my last day with the Storage Units, Ink & More design team. I'm sure going to miss working with Denise and such a great team. I'll definately still be following along though, cause those stamps are just too darned cute to walk away from. In fact, tomorrow is another release day, and based on the sneak peaks I've seen, you're not going to want to miss it.

So, here's my fond farewell. This card uses the cornucopia and some other little bits and pieces from the Bountiful Harvest set. I colored everything with Copic markers and even got a chance to use my brand new Labels One dies from Spellbinders.

To pierce the border around the label: Use your piercer and template. Punch one hole centered in the border. Leave your piercer in place in that hole. Now twist your template until the next hole is centered. Pierce and continue all the way around.

What's In It?
Stamps: Bountiful Harvest (SU Ink)
Paper: white (Papertrey Ink); french roast, honey, orange (Core'dinations); Coco Collection (Webster's Pages)
Ink: noir black (Palette)
Copics: C1, W3, E55, E57, E27, Y17, YR31, YR04, YR07, R29, YG03, YG63
Dies: Lables One (Spellbinders)
Ribbon: American Crafts
Other: sewing machine, thread, dimensionals, SU! slot punch, Tim Holtz distresser

The Three Amigos

Except, well, they're not Mexican/Spanish. But three friends just doesn't have the same ring to it, does it?

I made some time today to play with yesterday's Splitcoast sketch challenge. Can you believe it's number 200!?! I thought the little squares would work well with this set, Giving Thanks from Storage Units, Ink. They have the cutest stamps, like this little feathered dog. It just makes me smile.

After stamping with Palette's noir black ink, I colored all the images with Copic markers. I ran a dark brown marker around the edges of the squares before layering them on some Core'dinations card stock. The die cut in the corner is from the Cuttlebug Vintage Dies set, with a little close to cocoa ink sponged on top.

What's In It?
Stamps: Giving Thanks (SU Ink)
Paper: white (Papertrey Ink); quicksand, iced cocoa, satin rose (Core'dinations); Wanted (Cosmo Cricket); vanilla (Stampin' Up!)
Ink: noir black (Palette); close to cocoa (SU!)
Accessories: ribbon (American Crafts); pewter hardware (SU!); vintage dies (Cuttlebug); square nestabilities (Spellbinders); dimensionals

And while you're here, I wanted to tell you about a couple of good blog candies I've come across lately. Maybe you have time to check them out. The first is from Michelle with a whole goodie package from her store Paper Addictions. Secondly, you can try for some new product from the Shimmerz blog. I already love the existing product, so I can't wait to see what they have in store next.

Go! Team! Win!

It's another Whatchadoin' Wednesday challenge at Storage Units, Ink, and today's challenge is to use black and orange, but not on a Halloween card. I thought this was going to be quite a challenge, until I remembered that one of our local high school's colors are black and orange. Go Blackhawks! And then the card fell together very quickly, with a little input from my husband. LOL. It is his Alma mater after all. And Jen's Sketch For You to Try from last weekend.

I stamped the football player, cheerleader, and foam finger from First and Goal in noir Palette ink on Papertrey's white card stock, and colored with Copic markers. The orange Core'dinations card stock is embossed with the distressed stripes folder and the BP cut with the Olivia Cuttlebug font. I stamped the "Go! Team! Win!" sentiment on the black background with Cloud white VersaMagic. Tie on some black grosgrain and silver cord, and pop your finger up on dimensionals. And don't forget the star dust Stickles for those pom poms. Every cheerleader needs a little glitz!

I hope you find some time to play along, with or without Storage Units, Ink stamps. Be sure to link your card to the original challenge post. We all want a chance to check it out.

What's In It?

Stamps: First and Goal (SU Ink)

Paper: orange, nightfall (Core'dinations); white (Papertrey Ink)

Ink: cloud white (VersaMagic); noir black (Palette)

Accessories: Copic markers; silver cord, black grosgrain ribbon (Stampin' Up!); Olivia Alphabet dies, distressed stripes embossing folder (Cuttlebug); star dust Stickles; dimensionals

Gathering Together

Hello Stampers! Life has been wild and crazy busy. My dad is out of town for a week, so Sunday and Monday I went to spend with my mom. Then she stayed with us Monday and Tuesday night. I feel like I'm almost constantly running to some doctor or another. I had my first appointment with my obstetrician. I had been seeing a specialist during the early weeks of my pregnancy. Last weekend, a chunk of one of my teeth cracked off. So I had to get a crown done. And today I got my Invsalign braces. I thought I would be wearing them for a year, so I was very excited today to find out it will only be five months. Woo Hoo! And perhaps best of all, I've gone a whole week now without being queasy!!! Things are looking up!

And, yes, I actually have a card to share with you. I used these two cuties from Storage Units, Ink, not to mention their little squirrel friend. I thought they would look great with these Webster's Pages papers. I stamped the boy and squirrel, then masked them to stamp the little girl. Then colored it all with my Copic markers. Ialso colored the brown and orange primas with my Copics to match.

Thanks for stopping by. Love ya peeps!

What's in it?

Stamps: Bountiful Harvest (SU Ink)

Paper: chocolate mocha (Core'dinations); white (Papertrey Ink); Parlor collection (Webster's Pages)

Ink: noir black (Palette), pumpkin pie (Stampin' Up!)

Accessories: flowers (Prima); ribbon, ticket corner punch (SU!); ribbon tag trio die (Spellbinders); markers (Copic); dimensionals

Here We Go Steelers!

It's Wednesday, and that means another great Whatchadoin' Wednesday Challenge from Storage Units, Ink. I hope you get to play along with this week's inspiration challenge, with or without SU Ink stamps. Leave a link to your card (in your online gallery or blog) on the SU Ink blog so we can be sure to check it out. Use keyword SUINKWWC10. You'll also see some great ideas from other design team members there too.

I took the layout for my card from the inspiration picture. I used a darker color as the "rug" layer and the patterned half of the "comforter" layer, then a lighter shade for the left side of the "comforter".

Check out my cute little football guy from the First and Goal set. I think the artist might be a Steelers fan...He's wearing Ben's number. LOL. But I really do love how you can color him in to suit any team, from your kid's pee wee football colors to your fave pro club.

What's In It?

Stamps: First and Goal (SU Ink)

Paper: white, black, summer sun, so saffron

Ink: Palette Noir

Accessories: circle, word window, and large oval punch, paper piercer and template (SU!); Copic markers; dimensionals

A Fall Harvest Dinner Favor

Whatchadoin? Me, I'm playing along with the Whatchadoin' Wednesday challenge at Storage Units, Ink. The challenge is to come up with a favor to fancy up your fall dinner table this season. They've released some great seasonal stamp sets today, so be sure to check those out as well.

Here, I've used Giving Thanks to create my fall harvest scene for a decorated tin. As you can see, it also doubles for a place card if you add a little name tag. Perfect for holding a little baggie of nuts and dried berries for your guests to take home. The tin was a 50 cent Michael's find.

I tried figuring out what colors from the Core'dinations line of card stocks would match up with this week's color challenge at Splitcoast (really rust, chocolate chip and baja breeze). I colored all of my images with Stampin' Up! markers and a little swipe of a water brush, except the blue shading. That was done with VersaMagic ink and a blender pen.

So I hope you find some time to play along. We'd love to see your ideas, with or without SU Ink stamps. Just link back to the original post on the SU Ink blog. Here are a few more pics, including the undecorated tin, in case you want to know what to look for.

What's In It?

Stamps: Giving Thanks (SU Ink)

Paper: white (SU!); tidal wave, french roast, rustic (Core'dinations); water color (Strathmore cold press)

Ink: noir (Palette); onyx black (Versafine); sea breeze (VersaMagic); SU! markers in really rust, creamy caramel, lavendar lace, lovely lilac, certainly celery, old olive, pumpkin pie, apricot appeal

Accessories: tin (Studio 18); retired Rustic retreat ribbon, blender pen, water brush, word window punch (SU!); white gel pen; tacky tape (Art Accentz); dimensionals, circle Nestabilities (Spellbinders)

Today's SU Ink Sneak Peeks

Unfortunately, I have nothing new to show you today. I didn't get home until 1:30 this morning from the Monday Night Football game last night. Woo Hoo! GO STEELERS!!! But there are three final sneak peeks of the great Storage Units, Ink and More sets being released tomorrow. Check out what Mary Jo, Dawn and Jen made!

Take a Peek

It's almost October 1st, which means it's almost time for another Storage Units, Ink and More release. Your sneak peeks start today with me and Lauren, and continue through Tuesday.

For this card, I used a few of the accessories from the Giving Thanks stamp set as my focal point. I think it's so fun how you can use the sets for very cute cards, or change it up a bit for a more sophisticated card. The stalks of wheat, corn, and gourd were all stamped on watercolor paper and colored with SU! markers and a water brush. I used Beate's Weekend Sketch Challenge for my layout. The papers are from Webster's Pages, and I added some color to the otherwise brown and white ones (the two on the right).

What's In It?
Stamps: Giving Thanks (SU Ink)
Paper: Webster's Pages coco collection, SU! chocolate chip, pumpkin pie, bordering blue, Strathmore watercolor paper
Ink: onyx black Versafine, SU! markers in so saffron, apricot appreal, pumpkin pie, garden green, bordering blue
Accessories: water brush, Michael's ribbon, slot punch, Swiss dot cuttlebug folder, circle and long scalloped rectangle nestabilities dies, dimensionals

Use Your Imagination

Yes, I'm asking you to use your imagination a little today. Why? Because this is a CARAMEL APPLE GIFT KIT. "But I only see an apple", you say. Well, that's where the imagination comes in. IMAGINE you see a craft stick and a bunch of caramel candies in there too. I don't keep junk food in the house, and it is my policy not to buy junk food just for craft projects. Because you know where that will lead, right? Although a caramel apple wouldn't be that bad of a treat.

Soooooo, I used today Storage Units, Ink Whatchadoin' Wednesday sketch challenge as my layout for the CARAMEL APPLE KIT topper. The sentiment and images come from the Leaf It to Me set. I added a little zig zag stitching and the brads keep the topper closed and attached to the cellophane bag. The back includes directions for making your CARAMEL APPLE, printed on more of the so saffron designer print paper.

What's In It?

Stamps: Leaf It to Me (SU Ink)
Paper: chocolate chip, vanilla, so saffron prints (SU!); screen door (My Mind's Eye)

Ink: graphite Brilliance, SU! chocolate chip

Accessories: lasting impressions antique brads, sewing machine and brown thread, circle punch, Copic Markers, white gel pen

Scary! Monster

I took some time yesterday to play along with this week's Featured Stamper challenge at Splitcoast, before the week has completely passed me by. The featured stamper is Lazylizard, and I chose this card to CASE. You can see that I angled my main image, changed the colors and added the sentiment punchie.

That cute monster is just one of the many little guys from the stamp set, Monster Party. I stamped him on watercolor paper and colored with dye based markers and a water brush, adding a few white highlights with a gel pen. The background is the Cuttlebug Spots and Dots folder, which was then sanded to bring out the paper's white core.

What's In It?
Stamps: Monster Party (Storage Units, Ink)
Paper: watercolor (Canson); white (PTI); meadow, grape gusto, rich amethyst (Core'dinations); celery prints (SU!)
Ink: onyx black (Versafine); lovely lilac (SU!); cert celery, old olive, lilac, orchid op, black, going grey (SU! markers)
Accessories: spots and dots folder (Cuttlebug); grosgrain ribbons, word window and photo corner punches (SU!); black licorice brads (Lasting Impressions); white gel pen (Signo); water brush

Five On One

It's another Whatchadoin' Wednesday Challenge for Storage Units, Ink. Among a million other things, I'm making ONE card using at least FIVE stamps! So sorry to post and run again, but life is wild right now. Love ya peeps!

Stamps- Leaf It To Me (SU Ink)

Ink- graphite Brilliance and Distress Ink

ribbon- SU!

die- Tag trio (Spellbinders)

Copic markers

brads- SU! Earth Elements

paper- papertrey white, Core'dinations

One of THOSE days?

It's Whatchadoin' Wednesday? on the SU Ink blog, and today we're sewing. Check out the challenge here, and we'd love to have you play along with or without SU Ink stamps.

I also used today's sketch challenge at Splitcoast. You can see where I added zig zag stitches to each of my narrow strips of card stock.

I stamped this silly guy (or is it a girl with those eyelashes and lipstick?) and colored with Copic markers. The sentiment is computer generated, because she just looks like it's one of "those" days. I thought this would be a great pick-me-up card, because this monster definitely made me laugh.

What's In It?
Stamps: monster party (SU Ink)
Paper: white (PTI), celebration (American Crafts), mantis, nassau blue, raspberry, sutter butter (Core'dinations)
Accessories: circle punches, sewing machine and thread, computer and printer
Copics: R24, B23, Y38, YG03, C1, N3

You're All That...

...and a bag of chips! Ha! That cracked me up the first time I saw this sentiment/stamp combo in the new Kooky Costumes set. So I just had to use them on a card. Wouldn't this make a cute, punny thank you card?

The image is stamped with Palette's noir ink (heat set) and colored with Copic markers. I cut and layered three squares for the other layers, rounding all the corners. You should have seen all the little cut-off corners flying around my stamp desk. Those suckers really pop out of that punch.

The blue glitter brads I made myself! Have you ever colored your brads with embossing powder? This uses the same general rule. Hold brad with tweezers. Heat with heat tool. Dip in Heat 'n Stick powder. My brad was so hot, it melted the powder, but if needed you can give it a quick shot with the heat tool to melt. You do not want to overheat it though. Quickly dip in glitter. Re-heat to set. Tah Dah! I'm really tickled about my glitter brads. Can you tell?

Last, I pierced a row along the blue strip.

What's In It?
Stamps: Kooky Costumes (Storage Units, Ink & More)
Paper: Rasberry, Imperial, Jaybird (Core'dinations), white (Papertrey Ink)
Ink: noir black (Palette), brilliant blue (Stampin' Up!)
Accessories: brads, heat n stick, crafter's took kit (Stampin' Up!); Copic Markers; corner rounder (EK Success); blue glitter

Lunch Box Notes

There are a number of really cute images in this new Storage Units, Ink stamp set, Kooky Costumes, that would making darling lunch box notes like this. Here I used this sweet little "hot dog". He kind of reminds me of my goofy long-bodied, short-legged sweetheart, Buster. I used the largest scalloped long rectangle nestability die as the base, folded in half to get about a 3.25 inch square note card. Wouldn't the kids get a kick out of this in their lunchboxes?

What's In It?
Stamps: Kooky Costumes (SU Ink)
Paper: white (Papertrey Ink); roasted pepper, palm grove, coconut cream (Core'dinations); Picnic (Webster's Pages Parlor Collection)
Ink: vintage photo distress (Tim Holtz); noir black (Palette)
Accessories: long rectangle and circle dies (Spellbinders); tiny tag die (Cuttlebug); vintage brads, chocolate chip taffeta ribbon (Stampin' Up!)
Copic markers: B00, B97; E30, E31, E55, E57, RV29, RV42, Y21, YG95, YR18, 0

Fall Fun with SU Ink

I've got a Storage Units, Ink peak for you today, as does Debbie. This uses the adorable Leaf It to Me set (available September 1). I stamped the tractor and wagon, then masked the wagon, to fill it with this leaf pile. Don't you just want to jump right in there? The wagon totally reminded me of childhood hay rides, which I thought were the coolest thing. I grew up around farm country, if you didn't guess. Anyway, I colored with Copics, listed below.

I pulled out some great fall colors of Core'dinations and put together the striped pattern on the left, adding a few brads to the bottom.

Gotta run. I hate telling my parents no when they ask me to do something. So today will be quite busy. They asked if I wanted to go to the Titanic exhibit at the Science Center today. So I have to squeeze that in this afternoon before going directly to a wedding reception at four. I'm still not sure where I'll be changing into my dress. Could be interesting.

What's In It?
Stamps: Leaf It To Me (Storage Units, Ink & More)
Paper: white (Papertrey Ink); sutter butter, rustic, amazon, chocolate mocha (Core'dinations)
Ink: graphite black (Brilliance); creamy caramel (Stampin' Up!)
Accessories: ribbon (American Crafts), brads (Stampin' Up!), dimensionals
Copic markers: 100, E55, Y17, YR18, N5, B95, E57, E00, B00, G21, R46, YG63, 0

SU Ink: Guess How Many

Storage Units, Ink & More is kicking off another release with design team sneak peeks and your chance at winning ALL SIX SEPTEMBER RELEASES. Go to the SU Ink blog post, here, to "guess how many" M&M's are in the jar, and you could win all six September Stamp Sets!!! Also, you will win the jar...You must leave your guess on THE SU INK BLOG (not my blog) post in order to win...If there are more than 1 winner, ALL of the winners will receive stamp sets...BUT only the first person who guessed will win the jar...

Check out today's Sneak Peeks by Susan and Lauren.

Relaxing Dockside

This one uses Beate's Weekend Sketch Challenge and the Look What I Caught stamp set. Oh my word, I love these colors of Core'dinations card stock together. I love that I can flip the paper to get textured or smooth surfaces. Yeah, I'm kinda falling in love. LOL.

What's In It?
Stamps: Look What I Caught (SU Ink)
Paper: chocolate mousse, auamarine, harborside, meadow (Core'dinations)
Ink: graphite black (Brilliance)
Accessories: paper piercer and template, moss grosgrain ribbon (Stampin' Up!); gel pen (Signo); circle nestabilities and ribbon tag trio dies (Spellbinders); Copic markers

Back to School Gift

Yes, I know it's Friday, but I'm just now posting my creation for this week's Whatchadoin Wednesday challenge at Storage Units, Ink & More. The challenge was SPARKLES! So I made this gift packaging to go with my back to school card from a few days ago. I filled mine with some fun colorful pens, but I also thought pencils, erasers, little sticky notes, colored pencils, markers, and/or paper clips would be great too.

The clear part of the box is basically just a tube scored at 2,4,6, and 8 inches with an extra 1/2 inch overlap at the end. It's tall enough to accomodate my pens. The top and bottom need to be scored at slightly larger lengths to fit over the "tube". I put an eyelet through the top center of the box and tied a ribbon loop in it. So you can pull on the loop to open the box. The top has faux eyelets in the scallops: I punched a 1/16 inch hole and rounded it with my white gel pen.

Images (all from A Touch of Class) are stamped with graphite Brilliance ink and colored with Copic markers. My sparkles: I used black Stickles to make a road around the bottom of the box for the bus. More black Stickles dotted around the tag scallops. Star dust Stickles on the bus windows.

You can play along (with or without SU Ink stamps) and leave a link to your creation on the SU Ink blog, here. And if you've been wanting to try the cool new Core'dinations card stock, it's still 25% off through August 25.


What's In It?
Stamps: A Touch of Class (SU Ink)
Paper: real red, celery prints (Stampin' Up!); white (Papertrey Ink)
Ink: graphite black (Brilliance)
Accessories: Copic markers; star eyelet, oval eyelet, white grosgrain ribbon (SU!); white gel pen (uni-ball); hole punches (Fiskars); corner rounder (EK Success); star dust and black diamond Stickles (Ranger); tacky tape (ProvoCraft); transparency film (3M); circle nestabilities dies (Spellbinders); thread

Back to School

I want to pass on some good sale info for you before I move on to my card today. If you haven't tried Core'dinations card stock yet, now's the time! Because you can get it for 20% off at Storage Units, Ink & More now through August 25. This stuff is really fun to work with. One side is textured and the other flat. The colors are so vibrant. Then there's a white core you can expose by sanding, tearing or distressing, like I did on this card. And there are SO MANY colors to choose from.

If you didn't run off shopping already, here's my card today. It uses the SU Ink set, A Touch of Class and last week's CPS77 Sketch. I thought this would be perfect for back to school money or gift cards for all those nieces, nephews or grandkids. Or a great note to tuck into your kids backpack the first day of school. Please tell me backpack is still the proper lingo. I'm a little out of the back-to-school loop.

What's In It?
Stamps: A Touch of Class (SU Ink)
Paper: white (Papertrey Ink); real red, celery prints (SU!)
Ink: graphite black (Brilliance); real red (SU!); versamark
Accessories: copic markers, ribbon, SU! detail white embossing powder, Rectangle nestabilities die, thread, buttons, EK Success corner rounder, SU! slot punch, glue dots

Why Do I Love Stamping?

For the same reason I love Victoria's Secret. Huh?!? Because everything matches! I have (yet another) baby shower to attend this weekend. I already bought my gift and packed it up in this pretty gift bag. Now a card. Hmmmm? Better yet a matching card! I embossed the decorative circle from Artful Elegance on my close to cocoa border. Then stamped the gorgeous background onto a piece of soft sky. I layered the sentiment with some punches and Nestabilities and created a grouping by adding a couple of Prima flowers. Finished size is 4.25 inches square.

And here it is with the "matching" gift bag. Sorry for the poor photo, but you get the idea.

What's In It?
Stamps: Artful Elegance, Family Phrases (Verve Stamps)
Paper: white (Papertrey Ink); soft sky, chocolate chip, close to cocoa (Stampin' Up!)
Ink: Versamark; close to cocoa, cool caribbean (SU!)
Accessories: detail white embossing powder, word window and 1-3/8" circle punches, paper piercer (SU!); flowers (Prima); circle dies (Spellbinders); antique brads (Lasting Impressions); piped nylon ribbon (Martha Stewart); dimensionals