Sunflower Studio

CHEERS POLLY!

I just love all of Anna Wight's images for Whipper Snapper.  That gal is soooo talented!  I bought "Polly" here a few months back.  She reminds me of my sister.  She used to have those pigtails when she was a little girl.

This card is for a challenge swap with one of my Yahoo groups.  The inspiration was this fancy shmancy cake.  THAT CAKE looks so yummy.  I'm not sure where the original photo came from by it makes me think of the ACE of CAKES.  I love that show and the fact that it's filmed right down the road in Baltimore.  Who knew they could do all of that with CAKE!

Supplies:  Stamps - Polly by Anna Wight for Whipper Snapper, flower by Stampendous, sentiment from A Muse; CS - Basic Black, Pink Passion, Only Orange, Green Galore by SU!, watercolor paper; Ink - Versafine Onyx Black, various for watercoloring Polly; Other - Copic markers, orange Stickles, black brads, waterbrush.

YOU ROCK!

    This one might be a little out there but I like the overall finished product!  This is another card form one of my Yahoo groups.  On this one, you were to make a card using this fun rug from the Pottery Barn Teen catalog.  It's so cute.  One look at this rug and I knew that it would be the perfect inspiration for a card made with SU!s Time Well Spent set.  I went on the search for the set on my shelves and remembered that I gave it to my mom for Christmas.  Oh well...back to the stash...   
    I bought this new Stamping Bella image a few weeks ago.  She's called "All Punked Up With No Place To Go."  I couldn't resist.  So, basically, the color scheme is coming from the inspiration rug and the rest is just craziness.  I added lots of sparkle to her with a Sakura Stardust Glitter Pen and a few touches of Spica Glitter pen too.  I colored the image with various Prismacolor and Copic markers and then popped up her clothes and boots.  I was pretty much finished when I decided that she needed an "edge"...but I didn't want it too edgy so I stuck with SU!s silver cording wrapped around the image layer with a bow at the bottom.  The gorgeous patterned paper is by Imaginesce.  Oh, and I also masked the girl and over stamped A Muse's "You Rock" sentiment with Jumbo Java VersaMagic chalk ink.  I love it! 
    I'm only slightly late on this one so my partner should have this in her hands shortly!

BIRTHDAY COWBOY

I'm now in frantic mode trying to finish up all of my stamping commitments before we leave for vacation this weekend!  Why - Oh why - do I always wait until the last minute?  ACK!
    Anyway, this card is for a challenge on one of my Yahoo groups.  You could only use one stamp but you could use rub-ons and such.  This little cowboy is one of my all time fave Stampin' Up! images - Cowboy Kid.  The fun patterned papers and punch outs are from a K&Company Scrap Pad To Go called Kazoo Kids.  The "Big Boy" words on the tag are also from that same pad and are a rub-on.  (I had a lot of trouble with these...they're a little older...anyone else find that problem with older rub-ons?)  The "Happy Birthday" sentiment is from Making Memories and is also a rub-on.  I colored the little cowpoke with various Copic and Prismacolor Markers and gave him a sparkly bagde with a Spica Glitter Pen.
    Hope my partner likes it...the "D" is for her little guy's name...I'm late so she's probably forgotten that something was even coming from me...sorry Jane!

SURPRISE COLOR CHALLENGE

    I finally pulled this card together for a 1-on-1 swap with one of my Yahoo groups.  I really liked the idea of this one...you go to this site:  http://www.scraptitude.com/colorcombo/ - click on "surprise me" and the computer comes up with a Stampin' Up! color combo for you.  My combo is there at the top of this post, obviously.  It's so fun...addicting!  Thankfully, my partner isn't a stickler for all SU! so I could use whatever supplies and stamps that I wanted. 
    This little Easter Parade stamp is from A Muse.  Isn't it adorable?!  Of course, I didn't get to it before Easter so I cropped out the 'Easter' part of it that is under the doggie and stamped part of a happy birthday stamp from Kolette Hall.  I colored the image with a combination of Copics and Prismacolor Markers and then cut it out with circle Nestabilities.  The patterned paper is from Basic Grey's Urban Couture collection and was really close to the exact colors that computer chose for me.  The ribbon is Martha Stewart seam binding ribbon from Mike's.
    It's kinda funky...kinda cute...it kinda took on a life of it's own...oh well...I still kinda like it!

CRABBY

Here's a fairly quick card that I made for a challenge in one of my Yahoo groups.  You had to use glitter.  I cheated and used Stickles.  (I love Stickles!!)  This is the Acetate Sparkle technique from the August/September 2005 Technique Junkie newsletter.  I'm sure that it's available on one of Pat's CDs too if you'd like access to it now.  I think it kind of looks like a fish tank.  Love that crabby!

A GIFT OF TAGS

I signed up for a challenge where you had to make a set of gift tags for your partner.  My set is going to Jane Bosi and, in turn, I'm receiving a set of really great tags from Vicki Garrett.  How fun!

Supplies:  Stamps - snowman by Memory Box, 'a gift...' sentiment from Wordsworth, SU! Big Deal Alphabet, 'merry christmas' sentiment by A Muse; Ink - Black Versafine, Versamark, Aspen Mist VersaMagic chalk ink, Ranger Walnut Distress ink; CS - Bravo Burgundy, Soft Sky, Always Artichoke, White from SU!, textured cardstock by DCWV; Other - Basic Grey Figgy Pudding patterned papers, brads, SU! slit punch, Nestabilities die, Dazzling Diamonds Glitter, glue pen, Twinkling H2Os, SU! brown EP, SU! CD tin.

CRISS CROSS CHALLENGE

    Here's another Criss Cross card using Beate's instructions from SCS.  These are really fun and are such a unique way to add visual interest to your card. 
    Since this is for one of my Yahoo groups that focuses on Stampin' Up! supplies I had to push away all of my contraband and come up with something within the guidelines.  I chose the Autumn Harvest stamp set from the SU! Holiday Mini Collection catalog.  I love the 'sketchy' look of the images.  I paired the set with the Apple Cider designer paper - also from the mini catalog.  I have to admit that I wasn't thrilled with this paper when I received it.  It wasn't as colorful and bright as I had hoped.  I'll also admit, though, that is does come together when used adjacent to other pieces from the pack.  That is one nice thing about the SU! designer papers...they really do coordinate well and I can't say enough about the Simply Scrappin' kits...textured 12x12 paper in SU! colors, tons of cardstock stickers, and designer paper...all very yummy!
    I seem to be on a little watercolor kick but I'm not completely happy with my overall results on any kind of regular basis.  I've played around with inks, Twinkling H2Os, colored pencils, cardstock, cold press papers, different brushes...you name it.  I found a pack of watercolor paper from the Marco's Paper booth at the Heirloom stamp show in York last weekend.  It was thinner than the paper that I had been using and I was very hopeful that this would be the key to getting my 'look' just right.  Unfortunately, I'm not there yet.  The tag does say '100% Cotton Cardstock Watercolor Paper'.  That's a dead giveaway, right?  It soaked EVERYTHING right up!  In this case, it kinda works for the watercolor effect on the pumpkin image.  I used Pallette Noir Hybrid ink and SU! dye inks with a waterbrush.  The ink just ran all over the place and the black stamped image feathered as well.  The really strange part was that after all was dry I stamped the sentiment in Versamark and added black detail EP.  THAT also soaked completely into the paper...no raised image at all.  Fortunately, like I said, it works for this card.  I'm not sure what I'll do with the other 49 sheets in the pack! 
    If you have a favorite brand of watercolor paper I'd love to know about it.  You can comment here.  Thanks for checking me out!

COLOR COMBO CHALLENGE

    This card is also for a challenge with the SSUS group.  Thankfully for my partner, this time it will actually go out in the mail when it's supposed to.  Yea me!  This is one of those color combo challenges and, let me tell you, this was not easy for me.  That's why they call it a CHALLENGE, right?  These are not my usual 'earth' colors but I am happy with the way it all came together.  I think it's very 'regal' looking...maybe it would make a nice Christmas card?  Oh...back to the colors...you had to use SU!s Bravo Burgundy, Bashful Blue, Mellow Moss, and my new favorite, River Rock.  Plus you could add in any neutral.  I chose metallic gold for that part.  I'm interested to see what the others came up with for this combination...I think there were only a few of us signed up on this one.  Hey, why don't you make one and post a link here so we can check it out!
Supplies:  Stamps - All by Stampin' Up!; CS - Bravo Burgundy, Bashful Blue, Mellow Moss, River Rock, Metallic Gold; Ink - Versamark; Other - Burgundy satin ribbon, SU! Always Artichoke grosgrain and gold cord, gold EP, platinum EP, sponge dauber, gold leafing pen.

PAPER PIECING CHALLENGE

    Sorry, Bloggers, I've been very slow in my stamping production for the last few weeks.  You know what the problem was?  THE WEATHER!  It's been FABULOUS!  I only wish it could be in the 70s/low 80s all of the time!  Although, nothing would get done in my life.  It's hard to come into the studio when you want to be doing something outside or just relaxing by a window.
    ANYWAY...This card was made for a 1-on-1 Paper Piecing challenge with the girls over on the SSUS Yahoo group.  My poor partner should probably have received this by now but here it is...at least it WILL go out in the mail tomorrow.
    I do have to mention, once again, how much I'm loving this Basic Gray paper from Stampin' Up!.  It's a great 'rich' color - perfect both as a neutral and as a focus color.  Also, I'm really starting to love the new River Rock paper from SU! too.  Sometimes it looks like a tan to me and other times I think it's more of a green.  It's a great 'in between' color when you need something different than the 'regular' colors.  Give these a try on your next card! 
Supplies:  Stamps - all by Stampin' Up!; CS - Basic Gray, River Rock; Ink - Black Versafine; Other - Basic Gray taffeta ribbon, brads, white Signo gel pen, Basic Grey Periphery designer paper.

CHALLENGE YOUR PARTNER SWAP

I thought this would be a really fun swap idea when it was presented on one of my Yahoo groups.  Each pair of partners would send each other some papers and embellishments to create a card that would then be sent back to them.  This is mainly a Stampin' Up! group but my partner, Pat Huntoon, and I decided we could use whatever stamps, etc. that we liked.  Well...I don't think either of us is in the fast lane on this one...it took us forever to send each other our supplies and I'm just now getting around to sending Pat this card. 
    Pat sent me three patterned papers by Chatterbox (I think - in a stripe, a paisley, and an argyle - all backed by a textured look solid) plus a handful of chipboard pieces.  Maybe I'm a little bit boring but I just couldn't figure out a way to combine all of the patterns into one card.  I'm pretty happy with my 'quiet' little card though.  Other than the Olive, these colors are pretty out of my norm.  It's always fun to complete a challenge outside your comfort zone for a change.  Hope you like it, Pat!
Supplies:  Stamps - Vogue Vases by SU!; CS - Confetti Tan (r), Cranberry Crisp, Bliss Blue (r), Old Olive, watercolor paper; Ink - Black Versafine and various for watercoloring, White Craft; Other - patterned papers, chipboard flower, brads, waterbrush, ribbon from Michael's.