Another Sugar Nellie Challenge

Over at The Sugar Bowl the challenge sketch for this week is a fairly easy one.
The lines are pure and simple - which is good because my mojo is waning right now. I recently got some new Sugar Nellies and decided they needed to see a little ink. I am also promoting Christmas in July - so it was quite appropriate to ink up this little cutie and make a Christmas Card with her. The theme for the challenge was BLUE - hmmm, I didn't remember that until I looked at the blog post again - well, I did include blue on my card - so I let out a big whew!! I used the new Cherry Cobbler from Stampin' up! for my card base and layered it with some designer paper from Stampin' Up! that is now retired. When I layered all the pieces, including the image - it just looked to plain to me, so I added a bit of Chocolate Chip Grosgrain ribbon behind the image and some flowers for the finishing touch.
It was good to get back to my stamping area and create a bit - even if I don't feel the mojo very strongly right now. I will be getting some new stamps in the next day or so - some MAGNOLIA'S!! I haven't any of these yet and just discovered them fairly recently through a magazine called "Magnolia Ink" - it is a FABULOUS magazine FILLED with much inspiration - and my style of stamping/creating, so I am off to go look at the new magazines and see if they spark some creativity.

Thanks for stopping by the spa today - I hope you have enjoyed your stay and hope to see you again real soon.
~Paula~

Clear Blocks

The other day I was stamping some of my unmounted images and decided to use the new 'C' clear mount block I got in my Stampin' Up New Demonstrators kit - WOW!! These are in the new catalog - the link in the sidebar will take you to my Stampin' Up Website where you can view the catalog. I have several acrylic mounting blocks for use with unmounted stamps, but the Stampin' Up one is BY FAR THE BEST I have used. It is basically the depth of the wood mounts - and it even has the groove in the side. The clear mounts that I have bought from local stores are sharp and much thinner making it more difficult to hold while stamping the image. I am completely sold on these new Stampin' Up mounts so I will be ordering the entire set when I place my next order. I encourage you to place your order for these mounts as well - you won't be disappointed.

Thanks for stopping by today - I am working on some more Sugar Nellie cards today - it is just slow going since my creative mojo is waning.

~Paula~

Christmas In July Special

If you haven't had a chance to check out my New Stampin' Up Website I encourage you to do so. I have a special going on throughout the rest of the month. Buy any Christmas Stamp Set and get 10% off your order. You will need to send me the order information though rather than order this directly from the website. While you are there, check out my NEW BLOG with some new SU projects.You will find the link to the new blog under the 'about me' tab.
Looking forward to Stamping Christmas with you.

Relax and Enjoy your day - I will be at the spa (the real one) all day.

~Paula~

Challenges - Scalloped Mints

Hmm, that is an interesting title, huh? Well - there are double challenges being satisfied in my card that I made this morning.The first challenge is found at the Sugar Bowl blog - it is a sketch challenge with an added theme of Scallops. I chose to do my sketch in an A2 size since that is the size envelopes I can find easily. Sugar Nellies are produced in Scotland (home of my great grandparents!) and I believe they must be able to find square envelopes most easily as each of the sketches I have seen on the Sugar Bowl blog are square.
Back to my card - ok, so it isn't QUITE the same as the sketch challenge - but close, right? Do you suppose if I added a sentiment where the 'image' is suppose to be it would qualify? Perhaps I will just make another one. For challenge 13 on the 'All Things Sugar Nellie' forum at Paper Craft Planet (formerly at SCS) we were to create a card using the colors mint and chocolate chip - mmmmm - summer ice cream!! Of course, you have to use a Sugar Nellie Image as well - so I chose one of my new ones that I received last week - Reflections. I colored her with my prismacolor pencils - I decided not to use any blending medium or blending pencil (except on the apples in the basket) I chose the colors that would 'match' the SU Sage Shadow cardstock that I used as well as the new Early Espresso I used for the larger scallop circle. The coloring is very light - and actually looks MUCH better in real life! The color really is sage shadow in spite of looking a little grey on the screen. I added a touch of DP in chocolate chip along with the ribbon underneath the flower. This is another card that will be shipped off to the troops when I have a batch of cards ready to go.
So, there you have it - my Minty Chocolate Chip Scalloped Reflection Card - now onto other projects.

Thanks for stopping by the spa - would love your comments and your 'devotion' to 'follow me' along my crafting journey. You never know when I will stumble on something you have never seen before - highly unlikely - but it could happen.

~Paula~

Midweek Throwdown at OWH

Today my cards are featured on the Midweek Throwdown challenge over at the OWH blog The inspiration to make your cards comes from this picture:

When I first saw the inspiration photo I immediately thought of the clear stamp set that I have that I bought at Michaels some time ago. It was PERFECT for the florals that are featured on this card: I think this set is so versatile, it can be used for so many cards. Using it for backgrounds as I did in this card or using the flowers as a centerpiece on a card - changing the colors, or coloring in - SO much to do with it. I can't recall the name of it - but you will recognize it if you go into Michael's. It is a bigger set - but I recall getting it on a discount - so even better. I think this is one of those stamp sets that you would use over and over, forget about it, then rediscover and use over and over again. :)


I decided to make a couple more cards: Using the same color scheme - Melon Mambo (now a permanent color with SU) and Kiwi Kiss (now retired) along with Rose Red. I made a very simple card - using one of my CB embossing folders for the background and then cutting the kiwi kiss scallop oval with my nestibilities. I stamped the images in the multitude of colors using the Happy Harmony set (now retired) from SU. I added the bit of Melon Mambo dotted ribbon for the finishing touch.

On this next one I decided to be a bit frugal and use up the scrap from the cut on the one to the right. I thought it made a nice frame - using the same stamp set (one of my favorites). I cut the scallop oval again using my nestibilities and then stamped the floral image from the set in the center. I popped this one off the base framed by my 'scrap frame'. I then took a small scrap of the melon mambo and punch a slot using my slot punch from SU (no longer available in the new catalog)and threaded my ribbon through it. I left the background on this one plain to showcase the other elements of the card.

So, there you have it - my featured cards, and a little different than what I have been playing with lately - prismacolor pencils.



Thanks for stopping by the spa today - for those that care to leave a comment (always appreciated)I will choose three cardmakers to send these stamped images to you in your choice of SU new colors, including the new InColors if you would like.

Enjoy a relaxing day where ever you are and come back often to see what new things I am featuring on my blog - you never know when blog candy might be offered.

~Paula~

Blog Tour Winners

You all have waited long enough and I will be heading off to work soon - so I just wanted to let you know who the winners of my blog candy are:

MARIANNE won the Misc kit along with a 'Christmas Surprise'
JAN HUNNICUTT You won one of the bookmark kits
RHONDA MILLER You also won a bookmark kit. I decided to choose two winners on this one.

Ladies if you will email me your address information I will get your winnings right out to you. Thanks again for stopping by my blog during the tour - I hope that you found inspiration to continue making cards for OWH.

To those that didn't win any of my blog candy - do stop by often as I may be giving away more blog candy in the near future - afterall - it is 'Christmas in July' and Christmas means PRESENTS!!!

~Paula~

Blog Candy - Winners coming up

I know many of you are anticipating my announcement of the winners of the blog candy I offered over the weekend - I will be posting that shortly.

Thanks,

~Paula~

Thanks!!

Thank you to all of you that stopped by my blog over the Holiday weekend and left comments. I found it quite interesting the selection of new SU Colors that some of you would choose for making Christmas Cards. The New Cherry Cobbler won top honors as most all of you chose that one. I was also surprised that many of you chose Crumb Cake for your neutral. Wild Wasabi and Pear Pizzazz (one of the new In Colors) tied for the 'green' choice. Then there were a few thrown in that I thought quite interesting - Early Espresso and Marina Mist - I can see this one for snowflakes and such. Now I am looking forward to trying some of these color combinations, throwing in a few of my own favorites - keep watching for some Christmas cards/projects coming soon.
Now, I have another question to ask you - What is your favorite tutorial for Christmas projects?

Thanks for playing along on my challenges this month and answering my silly questions. I appreciate you stopping by the spa and comments are ALWAYS welcome.

~Paula~

More Blog Candy - It's Patriotic

I had so much fun making a bookmark using one of my new Sugar Nellie images that I decided to make another one to honor our Country as we celebrate Independence Day this weekend. The bookmark is made following this tutorial. It is such an easy and quick project that I decided to make up a few kits to take with me to my families celebration this weekend. I used Real Red and Night of Navy as my colors. The strip of Real Red Designer Paper is actually from a Christmas DP set, but it was the only DP I had with the colors I was using. The ribbon was just a piece that I had kept from my cleaning out the other day. The image is a commemerative stamp that Stampin' Up created shortly after the September 11, 2001 tragedy in our country. All the proceeds from this stamp were sent to a fund that was created to help those families that were affected. Though it has been nearly nine years since that moment in our history took place - the war for Freedom continues. Our troops are out there fighting and more than anything they need God's Protection and Blessing.

Wouldn't you enjoy making one or two of these cool bookmarks? Well, I have put together a kit with a couple bookmarks for you to make. I will let you use your own border punch, but everything is ready to assemble.

In order to have a chance at winning this kit, you just need to leave a comment and let me know who your favorite author is. (Afterall - this IS a bookmark kit!)














Thanks for stopping by again this morning - I might have another post before the weekend is over, but it might be a late one - so do come back and relax at the 'Spa' after your long day of touring.

~Paula~

It's A Blog Tour with CANDY!!

That is right - a blog tour sponsored by OWH. There will be prizes, freebies and tons more - so don't stop here - check it out. You will be inspired - you will be encouraged - you will want to make cards to send to the troops - it just happens that way.
This weekend we celebrate OUR Independence here in the USA. Freedom comes with a price and we have troops today that are out there fighting for the freedoms we hold so dear. Please don't ever take for granted the freedom to live here in our beautiful country.
To Celebrate - I created this card using a digital image from Tracey at The Stamping Boutique. She shared this image with the readers of the OWH Stars and Stamps Blog a couple of weeks ago. I colored her with my prismacolor pencils using the pencil burnishing method rather than using sansodor as my blending medium. I am not sure I like the coloring as much on her - of course, I started her several days ago and got side-tracked. I have printed out several more of this image and will color some more over the holiday weekend so I can make cards to send to the troops to say "THANK YOU" for their service. The troops enjoy having the cards to send home to their families - but it is also very encouraging for them to get cards of thanks from those of us that send 'any hero' cards.
In addition to making more cards (or at least coloring images to make into cards this weekend) I have been cleaning up my stamping/crafting area - and I came across a few items that one lucky tourist will get. Of course, this is only for the first day of the tour - I will have other items for each day of the tour - so if you want a chance at some wonderful blog candy - you will have to come back each day throughout the weekend and see what I have to offer and what you have to do in order to be entered in the contest.
So, for today - if you have read this far - I would like you to tell me what your three favorite Stampin' Up Colors are from the new catalog that you would use for making a Christmas Card! I know - it is Independence day weekend - but it is also the start of my Christmas in July challenge month.

Thanks for stopping by the spa - come back tomorrow to see what else I have for blog candy.

~Paula~