Sunflower Studio

BLOGGER'S CHALLENGE #52 - MANLY CARDS

WOW!  52 weeks of Blogger's Challenge's already!  How can it be that we've been doing this every week for a year already?!  Big, big thanks to Lisa Somerville for keeping the group going.

This week we'll all be featuring MANLY cards.  I bought this stamp before Father's Day.  It's so 'classic'...I just loved it.  However, I never got around to using it for Father's day.  There's always next year!  The stamp is by Printworks.  I had a great source for Printworks stamps when I was in Illinois but haven't found another since we moved back to MD.  Their stamps are lovely though and they have some really nice quotes.  You can go directly to the Printworks site and check them out.

This card also uses the colors in this week's Splitcoast Color Challenge #171 - Kraft, Black, and Soft Sky.  What a great color combo!  The patterned paper is from the Archaic 6x6 pad by Basic Grey and it matched perfectly.  The sentiment is by A Muse.  It's all watercolored with SU! reinkers and a waterbrush.  The ribbon is by SU! (Kraft taffetta) and black striped from Michael's.  I even broke out my Making Memories Distressing tool.

BLOGGER'S CHALLENGE #51 - COLOR CHALLENGE

Well, at least I'm getting my Blogger's Challenge card up on the right day!  That's a big accomplishment!  This week we have a color challenge:  use Turquoise, Pink, and Green Galore to create your card or project.  And I'm killing two birds with one stone...uh, I mean, cupcake.  I needed to get a card made for one of my Yahoo groups using this cupcake stamp and the sentiment that came with it.  (This group has a mystery image swap and the hostess sends out whatever image she chooses - stamped in black on white CS - to the participants and assigns partners.  You make up your card and send it along by the specified date.)  The stamps are made by Just Johanna.  Since my partner for this one is actually a member of the BC group she'll be able to see the card before she receives it...SURPRISE!

Supplies:  Stamps - Just Johanna; CS - Tempting Turquoise and Green Galore by SU!, patterned paper from the Berry Sweet Mat Pad by K& Company; Other - Copic Markers, Dazzling Diamonds glitter by SU!, brads by DCWV, eyelet by MM, SU! slit punch, corner rounder punch, turquoise grosgrain ribbon by SU!, thin black marker.

BLOGGER'S CHALLENGE #50 - BLACK & WHITE

Happy Friday, everyone!  So, I just couldn't fit last week's challenge into my schedule.  I hate when that happens. I might have to go back and make it up at some point this weekend.  Moving right along, though, we have Blogger's Challenge #50 which is to make a card using Black and White ONLY.  Uhhh.....I cheated just a smidge!

 Aren't these Converse-type tennies the best!?!  I think that this is my favorite image from the ones that I chose to use from Rubbernecker.  I have lots of ideas for it rattling around in my brain.  And I loved the sentiment too.  I thought that it fit the these shoes in particular perfectly.  I actually colored two sets of kicks and popped one up on top of the other for some extra dimension.

Anyway, I'm hoping to take a peek at all of the artwork that the BC ladies have created sometime this afternoon.  You can click on Blogger's Challenge button on the left to see the list of participants for yourself.  Can you believe that we've been doing this for almost a year now?  Thanks to Lisa Somerville for keeping us challenged!

Supplies:  Stamps - shoes & sentiment by Rubbernecker Stamp Co.; CS - Basic Black, Basic Gray, Pink Passion, Silver by SU!, Papertrey White, patterned paper by DCWV; Ink - Palette Noir Hybrid ink; Other - Heidi Swapp bling, rhinestones by Darice, SU! silver cord, Prismacolor and Copic markers, Pink Spica Glitter pen, circle and star Nestabilities dies.

BLOGGER'S CHALLENGE #46 - MOTHER'S DAY CARDS

    Mother's Day...Mother's Day...it's almost time for Mother's Day!  It's really not that big of a deal around our house...but I do love my MOTHER so this is for her.  This week's Blogger's Challenge was to create a Mother's Day card...duh!  (Last week was Graduation cards and since I don't know anyone who's graduating from anywhere - and because I ran out of time - I skipped that one.  I did have a little idea for something rattling around in my head so I may get to it yet.)

    My mom is a Red Hat Lady...thus the color scheme here.  And I got some new stamps this week - SHOCKER RIGHT?!?  NOT!  This lovely little girlie is Rosie Posie and she's from Whipper Snapper Designs, illustrated by Anna Wight.  (ACK!  When I went over to Whipper Snapper to grab the link for this post I saw that Anna has two new UM sets coming soon - Cats and Dogs - oh dear...I'm sure they'll be must haves!)  She's so cute!  I watercolored her using SU! reinkers and also Hot Cinnamon Twinklng H2Os for the shoes and polka-dots.  The sentiment is from Paper Source.

    I hope all of you MOMs out there have a wonderful weekend.  (I also hope it gets sunny around here but I think it's all rain in the forecast...good for the plants though!)  HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

BLOGGER'S CHALLENGE #44 - COLOR CHALLENGE

    Here's another color challenge for ya!  The Blogger's Challenge this week was to create a card using the following colors:  Chocolate Chip, Certainly Celery, So Saffron, and Brocade Blue.  It's always fun to see different cards made with the same colors so I can't wait to see what everyone else comes up with.
    I'm gonna dedicate this card to Anna's new baby cow.  You've got to check her out...she's just about the sweetest thing I've seen in a long time. 

Welcome to the world baby cow!

Supplies:  Stamp - Holy Cow (MY904) by Whipper Snapper Designs; CS - Chocolate Chip, Certainly Celery, So Saffron, and Brocade Blue, Kraft, white, white textured by DCWV; Other - Prismacolor and Copic markers, various ribbon, American Crafts brads, glue pen, Dazzling Diamonds glitter, black Zig Millennium pen.

BLOGGER'S CHALLENGE #43 - CHIPBOARD

    I'm a little late this week with my Blogger's Challenge...oopsie.  I think I can publicly admit that I am a procrastinator.  THERE!  I said it!  I normally wait until Friday to even create my BC card or project.  Well...Friday got away from me and then Saturday was full of baseball, Dad's birthday, and hanging out with the neighbors (the weather was wonderful!).  And today was a lazy day.  I can't even think up an excuse...ha!  It's now after 11:30pm and I'm finally finished.

    This week's challenge was to use Chipboard.  I made a little tag shaped chipboard album that features some of our vacation photos from St. Petersburg, FL last month.  Of course there's not a touch of journaling in there...I'm not a scrapper!  The little boy loves to look at photos - as does his dad.  This will be fun to look back at later.  (You can click on the photo above to view it larger.)

    I have been viewing the cards and stuff from the other BC gals as they were posted and there are some really fun things to see...be sure to visit their blogs too!

Supplies:  Stamps - WHAT?!  No stamps here; CS - patterned papers from the Wild Saffron pad by K&Company, various scraps; Ink - Jumbo Java and Turquoise Gem VersaMagic chalk ink; Other - palm tree and crab accents by Jolee's by EK Success, tag and file tab chipboard from SU! On Board Accents set, sun shaped chipboard from Wild Saffron Adhesive Chipboard pack by K&Company (I covered over most of the original chipboard image), Nestabilities dies, American Crafts brad, Bind-It-All machine and coil, Xyron, various ribbon.

BLOGGER'S CHALLENGE #42 - TRIANGLE BOX

    This week's Blogger's Challenge was to make a "Triangle Box".  A what?   Thankfully, the gals pointed us to many different varieties of triangle box.  I chose to base mine on this box.  It's a little bigger and I added an insert to add color on the inside of the acetate box.  I also had to add a top because, for some reason, my box had an opening at the top.  Worked out okay though...If you untie the ribbon you can slide the top up and pour out the kitty food without taking apart the whole box!  I think I'll send this to my sister.  She just moved with her kitty and he's trying to adjust to a new place.
    I'm also throwing this into the TCP Tuesday category since I'm featuring Big Sprinkle.  (There's still time to enter a card in the challenge...visit Katie's blog to enter!)  You can get yourself a Sprinkle on The Cat's Pajamas site or wait just a wee bit longer and get her included in a new clear set that's coming shortly.  Either way...she's a must have!

Supplies:  Stamps - Big Sprinkle (E-S301) and What's New (D-4210) from The Cat's Pajamas; CS - Papertrey White, SU! Real Red, textured CS by Bazzill and DCWV, dp from The Pet Glitter Stack by DCWV, Office Depot Laser Transparency sheet; Ink -  Jumbo Java VersaMagic chalk ink, White Stazon ink; Other - white EP, big brad from American Crafts, Nestabilities dies, Prismacolor Markers, paper piercing tool, Lime and Platinum Stickles, green eyelets, SU! wide Chocolate Chip grosgrain ribbon, SU! Chocolate Chip marker, Crop-a-Dile, cat food.

BLOGGER'S CHALLENGE #41 - LAYOUT CHALLENGE

This week's Blogger's Challenge was to create a card using the horizontal card layout on page 65 of the 2008 Spring~Summer Stampin' Up! catalog.  I'll give you a little story so you know where the inspiration for this card came from:

the little boy:  I need a band-aid.  I have a bleeding cut on my toe and this (pointing) on my arm.
me:  Uh...that cut on your toe is not bleeding and it's the size of a pin head!

the little boy:  It hurrrrttts! 
me:  Okay, let's put a band-aid on it.  What about your arm?
the little boy:  Right here (pointing to a tiny little spot of peeling skin where he had a smidge of sunburn a few days before).
me:  That's just peeling, Kyle.  That's what happens if you get a little sunburn.
the little boy:  But it neeeeeds a band-aid!
me:  Noooo....look, see this part of my collar-bone?  It's peeling too where I got some sunburn.
the little boy:  Well did YOU put a band-aid on it?!

Well I should have known.  If only I had put a band-aid or 20 on my collar-bone area then I wouldn't have had that peeling, now would I?!  Ahhh...to be 7 again and think that a band-aid can cure all hurts.  (Remember when a kiss would cure all hurts as well?)  It's the least that I can do.  Do you think stock in Johnson & Johnson would be a good idea?

Don't forget to click on over the see what the other BC gals have come up with this week as well.  The logo is on the right!

Supplies:  Stamps - band-aid box by Stamps by Judith, band-aid two-step stamp by TAC; CS - Kraft, vellum by SU!, white from Papertrey, textured by DCWV; Ink - Noir Black Palette Hybrid ink, Gingerbread VersaMagic chalk ink, Peach Pastel Colorbox chalk ink; Other - ribbon from Bazzill, brads, Nestabilities Large Scallop and Classic Circle dies, various Prismacolor Markers.

BLOGGER'S CHALLENGE #40 - THEME CHALLENGE

    I'm baaaaaack!  And I'm not completely thrilled about the weather predicament I now find myself in!!!  I could definitely live with 70s/low 80s and no humidity throughout the entire year...ya gotta love that.  St. Petersburg, FL is spectacular this time of year and I look forward to going each and every Spring.  Maybe I'll share some beach photos soon!
    But, life did go on in the stamping world while I was away and I'm sure I missed a ton.  I'm late on getting  my Blogger's Challenge card finished as well.  Guess I'll be playing catch-up this week.  BC #40 is a theme challenge and the theme was SPRING FLOWERS.  I bought some really neat paper from SEI from a great store in St. Pete, Whim-So-Doodle.  (I highly recommend visiting if you go to FL.)  The collection is called Dill Blossom and the colors are right up my alley for sure.  I knew that I'd use it for my challenge card.  I chose to pair it up with the sunflower from Anna's Posies for You set from Whipper Snapper.  (I know...sunflowers are probably more Summer than Spring...oh well!)
    I watercolored the images with SU! dye inks and used the SU! Word Window punch to add my sentiments - from the Essential Sentiments set by My Favorite Things.
    I have a whole list of "to-do's" this week but I'm hoping to get some good stamping time in as well.  If you haven't already, be sure and check in on the other BC gals this week.  Click on the BC logo to the right.

BLOGGER'S CHALLENGE #39 - COLOR COMBO

    I'm future posting my Blogger's Challenge card for week 39.  (As you read this I'm relaxing by the pool in Florida...I'm thinking about stamping, though...that counts for something!)
    This week's challenge was to create a card using SU! colors - Soft Sky, Blue Bayou, Real Red, and Chocolate Chip.  Perfect...especially since I have this Marcella by K (K&Company) textured paper pad in those exact colors!  The pad is called 'Remix Pattern Mat Deck' in case you decide to look for it and I bought it at Target. 
    The stamp featured here is by Lockhart Stamp Company.  The berries are yummy enough to eat!  I stamped the image on watercolor paper and used various SU! reinkers to paint it.  I then cut it out using a square Nestabilities die and layered it to cardstock in the featured colors.  I also cut a larger scalloped Nestabilities square for the bottom layer.  I used SU!'s Word Window punch - extended to fit the sentiment (A Muse) - at the bottom of the patterned paper.  I love how it allows the sentiment to be a subtle part of the card front.  The chocolate brown ribbon is, again, from the Martha Stewart seam binding collection at Michael's.