An Anniversary Card and a Dollar Spot Box!

I've been a bit neglectful of my stamping in the past month or so. It's been a busy month around here. To see what I've been up to, see my other blog here.

I found these gift boxes at the Target Dollar Spot a few years ago. They had this one, a hot pink flowered one, and a lime green & black cheetah print one. They all have a stack of paper inside the boxes. The boxes measure about 4" x 4" x 1.5".

• Paper: Stampin' Up! Lovely Lilac and Whisper white
• Ink: Stampin' Up! Lovely Lilac, Versamark
• Stamps: Aspiration (CTMH)
• Accessories: Embossing Powder, 3/8" Grosgrain in Lavender ($.20/yd.)

My hubby has been on a business trip to Israel for nearly 2 weeks. He will finally be coming home on Sunday, just two days before our 20th anniversary. Israel is our second home. We lived there from 2003-2006 and grew to love the foods, the culture, the people, and the land. I've been pretty jealous of his adventure, even though he is working; this is especially true because I've been holding down the fort at home with our 4 sons, the dog, and a couple of cats. I hope I get some chocolate out of this deal; they have the best chocolate over there!! I made this anniversary card for my sweetie....hopefully he's too busy to take a peek at my blog this week. I know it's pink and he's a guy, but pink is my thing, so he doesn't mind.

To make the swirly piece of cardstock, I used a piece of the textured Coredinations cardstock, ran it through the Cuttlebug, then sanded the raised portion of the piece. The heart is stamped with Versamark and embossed in black, then cut out and mounted on a piece of black cardstock, then cut out again.

• Paper: Stampin' Up! Pretty in Pink & Basic Black; Papertrey White (card base), Coredinations
• Stamps: Soul Mates (CTMH)
• Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Versamark
• Accessories: Cuttlebug, Sanding Block, Black Embossing Powder, 5/8" Striped Organdy in Black ($.10/yd.), Black Licorice Oregon Raindrops ($1/jar)

Embossed Shimmer Snowman

This card employs a technique called Embossed Shimmer. The technique was one of the Technique Lover's Challenges and you can find the directions here: Embossed Shimmer

In a nutshell, basically you smoosh Lumiere paint and ink around on one side of acetate, wait for it to dry, then run it through an embossing folder, and what you end up with is this wonderfully shimmery, shiny piece of acetate. The paint/ink side of the acetate goes face down, so you are left with the nice shiny side facing out. I love this technique. It's very easy, and except for the waiting time, doesn't take very long either. It's also very impressive!

• Stamps: Unity Kissmas and Mistletoe
• Ink: Versamark, SU Orchid Opulence and Taken with Teal refills
• Paper: SU Whisper White, Taken with Teal, Acetate
• Accessories: Lumiere Pearl White paint, Satin Ribbon, Kaiser Rhinestones, Nestabilities, Silver Embossing Powder, Silver Cord

Limited Supply RAK Challenge

The limited supply challenge today was to make a Christmas card and send it as a random act of kindness to someone. I chose to send it to a little boy who is dying of cancer and will not live until Christmas. He is 5 and his name is Noah. His family is having an early Christmas and his one wish is to get lots of cards in the mail. They told us about his story on SCS today and I had a strong desire to make a special card just for him. I thought this stamp would bring a smile to his face because it always brings a smile to mine!

• Paper: PTI White and Chocolate; SU Dusty Durango & Frosty Days
• Stamps: House Mouse, Take a Bough (PTI)
• Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
• Accessories: 5/8" Grosgrain and Chocolate Pearls from Pink Hedgehog Paper Crafts, Prismacolor Pencils and Gamsol, Art Deco Glistening Snow Writer, SU Glitter

If you want to send him a card, hand stamped or not, here is the address:

Noah Biorkman
1141 Fountain View Circle
South Lyon, MI48178

It's a Three Challenge Day!

This card is for the Embellish Magazine challenge, and also the SCS Sketch challenge for today.

• Paper: Basic Grey Archaic; SU Cameo Coral, Mellow Moss, Whisper White, and Chocolate Chip
• Stamps: Wise Owl (PTI), CHF background
• Ink: Chocolate Chip, Memento Tuxedo Black
• Accessories: Chocolate Brads, 7/8" Chocolate Organdy, Nestabilities, Sponge, Prismacolor Pencils & Gamsol

This card is for The Cat's Pajamas challenge this week. I used some Cuttlebug dies to cut the leaves out of a soda pop bottle! It was hard to photograph, and in person it's even more stunning.

• Paper: SU Basic Black, Basic Grey Indian Summer
• Stamps: PTI Mixed Messages
• Ink: Basic Black
• Accessories: Gold Cord, Gold Brad, Cuttlebug Dies, Soda Bottle

I need a thank-you card for our local firefighters who gave a tour of the firehouse to our Wolf Cub Scouts. Of course, since they are men, I didn't want to give them something feminine. I got this Firefighter Riley a while ago in anticipation of this event. It's hard to photograph the details....I added Crystal Effects to the water, and to simulate the reflective stripes on the uniform, I colored them first with Prismacolor Pencils and Gamsol, then with a Sakura Stardust pen. It looks soooo cool in person!

• Paper: East Coast Prep, Real Red, Tempting Turquoise, Whisper White (all SU)
• Stamps: Riley (Hanna Stamps), Much Appreciated (SU)
• Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, SU Tempting Turquoise
• Accessoried: Fire Engine Buttons, Prismacolor Pencils & Gamsol, 1/2" Circle Punch, Sakura Stardust Pen, Crystal Effects, Nestabilities

Verve Monday Mojo and SCS Color Challenge

Two challenges with one card tonight. Time for a shaker card, I think. Shaker cards are irresistible! Nobody who sees one can keep themselves from picking it up and shaking it. We all turn into little kids around these things!

I turned Verve's bird into a Christmas Cardinal. I love these birdies that Julee designed. There are three sets with birds in them and they are all just adorable. This card is for two of this week's challenges. I'm a bit behind, so I'm playing catch up.

• Paper: SU Basic Black, PTI White, The Story of Us (ATD)
• Ink: SU Real Red
• Stamps: Anniversary Birds (Verve), Take a Bough (PTI)
• Accessories: Kaiser Rhinestones, 7/8" Satin Ribbon, window sheet, Nestabilities, microbeads and tiny star confetti

Cupcake Inspiration Challenge

Love this cupcake challenge! I love ladybugs, they just make me happy!!!

The sentiment is actually a straight stamp, but I made it wavy on the clear block before stamping. I did it partly to fit the space and partly because I didn't want to mess with placing it on the blog in a straight line. If in doubt, make it crooked on purpose!!

Card Deets:

• Stamps: Little Lady (PTI)
• Paper: SU Real Red, Basic Black, Whisper White, PTI patterned paper
• Ink: Real Red, Basic Black
• Accessories: SU corner punch, Angel's Landing piercing template, Polka Dot Grosgrain Ribbon