Inspiration Blog Hop

It's time for the  Stamp TV Center Stage Spotlight (CSS) alumni November blog hop. This time around is an inspiration hop based a super fun photo! I hope you came here via the amazingly talented Karen's blog. If you didn't, be sure to hop back over to Stamp TV and start at the beginning so you don't miss any gorgeous creations this group is sure to be sharing along the hop. Now on to the inspiration photo!

Cool, huh? I think this is actually a fun Advent calendar, so each of these is a little box that would hold a treasure for each day of Advent until Christmas. We were to use any part of this photo as our inspiration. I was inspired by a couple of these; see if you can guess which ones!

Here's my first card:

Card details: 
Stamps: Gina K Designs - A Year of Flowers and STV Kit Wishing You Joy
Paper: SU Cherry Cobbler; Gina K Designs White and Fresh Asparagus; DP - Echo Park - Season's Greetings
Ink: SU Cherry Cobbler; Memento Tuxedo Black; Copic markers
Misc: SU Dazzling Diamonds glitter; Spellbinders Eyelet Pendant

And here is the second card:

This didn't show up very well in the photo, but I inked the snowflake first with Bermuda Bay ink and then with Versamark. I used the SU Iridescent Ice embossing powder and in real life it is sparkly and has an iridescent shimmer to it. Sorry I couldn't get it to show up in the photo.

Card Details:
Stamps:  Gina K Designs: Blessed is the Season and Holiday Hospitality
Paper: SU Bermuda Bay and Early Espresso; Gina K Designs White and Silver Lining; DP- Echo Park Holly Jolly Christmas
Ink: SU Bermuda Bay, Melon Mambo, Early Espresso; Versamark; Copic markers
Misc: Brad - Basic Grey; Baker's Twine - Raisin Boat; Embossing Powder - SU Iridescent Ice

Did you figure out which of the little boxes in the photo inspired me? If not, take a look at the one in the bottom right corner of the photo and the one in the top left corner.

Thanks for visiting and now be sure to leave a comment here and on the other blogs as you hop along because on Tuesday morning (November 22), we will randomly choose one of the comments from all the blogs and that lucky person will get a stamp set of their choice valued up to $24.95 from Gina K Designs!

Now head on over to see my very talented friend, Linda. I'm sure she has something awesome waiting for you!

CSS October 28 Sketch Hop

Welcome to my blog. I hope you arrived here from Linda's marvelous blog. If not, and if you want to start from the beginning of the hop, jump back over to Stamp TV where you will find the list of everyone participating in today's hop.

Today we are doing a sketch hop using this great sketch created by Melissa Cash.

This was such a fun and easy sketch to work with, so I made two cards to share with you. If I'd had more time I probably would have made more, but I will definitely be going back to this sketch again.

Both of my cards were made using stamps from the new Stamp TV kit, Wishing You Joy. I would have to say that this is one of my all time favorite Stamp TV Kits. I'm a huge fan of the holidays, and there are so many fun images and great sentiments in this kit. I'm sure many of my holiday cards this year will be made using it.

Here's the first card:

This was a really quick card to make. The main card base is made with Pure Luxury White heavy base weight card stock and the strips are Pure Luxury In the Navy and Silver Lining. I embossed the strips with some Cuttlebug folders that are one inch strips. They work perfectly for something like this. I stamped the ornament image in Versamark and embossed in silver. The edge of the oval is also embossed with silver, which I did by going around it with a Versamark pen. I colored the ornaments with Copics and filled in the stars with a glitter pen. The snowflakes were in my stash of stuff and I don't know where those came from. Easy to make, but not so easy to photograph; too much shiny, sparkly stuff, I guess.

And, here is the second card:

For this one I used a Pure Luxury Ivory base and Lipstick Red that was embossed with a Sizzix folder from SU. The paper strips on this one are from the Cosmo Cricket Dear Mr. Claus, which is one of my favorite new paper pads. It has a very vintage Christmas look to it and some really fun designs. I stamped the trees onto PL Ivory using Memento Tuxedo Black and then paper pieced them with more of the Cosmo Cricket paper. I didn't put a sentiment on the front of this one because it was busy enough with the paper strips, so it will just get a greeting on the inside.

Well, that's all for me! Hop along now to see what the creative Karen has in store for you. Make sure to leave a comment as you hop along because on Tuesday morning (November 1), we will randomly choose one of the comments from all the blogs and that lucky person will get a stamp set of their choice valued up to $24.95!

Special CSS Blog Hop

Today we are doing a special blog hop for some very special kids. Our blog hop is a Card Drive for Kids with Spina Bifida. The four kids below were all born with spina bifida and October is spina bifida awareness month, so we made cards to send to send to these adorable, intelligent, fun-loving kids. 


You should have arrived here from Karen's wonderful blog, but if you didn't and would like to start at the beginning so you don't miss anything, jump back to Stamp TV.


I made two cards for the hop (and will be making two more, so I can send a card to each child). Here is the first one that will go to one of the boys, I think. I used the Gina K Designs stamp set called "Framed Friends" for both cards. On this first one I used the little versions of the stamps and then used the large stamp of the kitty for the second one.

This card started with a Pure Luxury Pumpkin Spice base with a layer of Cosmo Cricket Nutmeg dp. I used PL Chocolate, Ocen Mist and Ivory for the rest of the card. I stamped the little animals/bug with Memento Tuxedo Black and then colored with Copics. The sentiment if from the GKD set, Tag Lines. I edged the tag with Memento Potter's Clay.

This card will go to one of the girls. I started with Pure Luxury Passionate Pink layered with SU Going Gray and Echo Park Be Mine dp. The kitty and greeting were stamped with Memento London Fog. The kitty was colored with Copics and the pink sponging around it was done with Memento Angel Pink. I made the dots around the tag using a pink Spica pen.


Would you like to join us in putting a smile on the face of one of these kids (or all of them)? Here is what you need to do:

• Create a fun, uplifting card or cards for one or all the kids listed below (you can click on their names to read more about each of them). The card can be anything cheery, encouraging, supportive, etc.  Please DO NOT send sorry, get well or anything like that. Remember, we want to cheer them up. The kids:
  • Madison: 2 years old
  • Logan: 2 years old. (turning 3 on October 17th!!)
  • Tanner: 2 years old (turning 3 on December 25)
  • Rebekah: 9 years old
• All cards need to have a message in it for the child/family.  Please also sign your name and where you are from.  On the card envelope, write the name of the child.  Please, don't seal the envelope, as the parents might want to read the cards before the kids see them.
• Cards must be received by October 31st to be eligible for the drawing (see below for the photo and list of prizes)
• Mail your card(s) to Giovana Smith along with a piece of paper with your name, address, e-mail address and blog (if you have one). This will help a lot to contact the winner a lot faster!: 

Giovana Smith Card Drive for Kids 181 Perry Way Yakima, WA 98901 

Everyone who mails in a card for each of the children will be entered into the drawing to win this grand prize! 

• Awesome companies have donated amazing prizes for you! More than $400.00 in prizes!!
• Heartfelt Creations: 8 stamping sets + 1 Coordinated Die Set. Value: $150.00!
• Gina K. Designs: 2 StampTV Kits: Value: $70.00 (Gina will send the prize direct to the winner!)
• Unity Stamps: 10 Itty Bitty Stamps. Value: $70.00
• SP & Company: 3 Stamp Set. Value: $40.00
• Lawn Fawn Stamps: 2 Stamp Set: Value: $30.00
• Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps: 1 Stamp Set. Value: $11.00
• Spellbinders: 2 die sets!! (Not included in the picture yet)

I hope you enjoyed seeing my cards. Now take a hop on over to Melissa's blog. I'm sure she has something fun and creative waiting for you!

Stamp TV CSS Alumni Inspiration Hop

Welcome to another Stamp TV CSS Alumni blog hop. This time we are doing an inspiration hop based on the fabulous picture below. I hope you got here from Karen's fantastic blog. If not, head back to Stamp TV to start at the beginning of the hop, so you don't miss any of the beautiful creations of the CSS alumni.

Here is the photo we used for our inspiration. Isn't this a gorgeous bedroom? I was inspired by the colors, the textures, and most of all by the rug on the floor.

Here is the card I created based on my inspiration from the photo. I am a bit disappointed with the photo of this card because it doesn't show the shimmer from the SU Shimmer Paint I spritzed on it. I think it is prettier in real life, so you will just have to use your imagination and give it some shimmer!

Card details: 
Cardstock - Gina K Designs Pure Luxury Kraft, Ocean Mist, and Ivory
Stamps: Gina K Designs - Wild at Heart and Tag Lines
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Stampin' Up Crumb Cake
Other: Sizzix embossing folder; Stampin' Up ribbon; Stampin' Up Shimmer Paint Champagne Mist

Thanks for stopping by. Now hop along to the blog of Linda Payne and see the gorgeous creations she has to inspire you!

August CSS Sketch Challenge Hop

Welcome to another fun blog hop being hosted by members of StampTV's Center Stage Alumni. This time around the hop is based on a Sketch Challenge. If you came from Karen's  fabulous blog, then you're right where you should be. If not, you can also go to StampTV to see a list of all those participating.

Here is the sketch we had to work with.

The sketch was created by the very talented Melissa Cash who is celebrating her birthday today! We decided to surprise her and design birthday cards using her sketch! We wish you a wonderful birthday Melissa and here's the birthday card I made especially for you!

This is a fairly simple card so I decided to add detail to it with the buttons, not only along the bottom edge of the focal image as depicted in the sketch, but to dress up the flowers as well! The card base is Gina K Designs Pure Luxury Chocolate Brown. The next layer is SU Crumb Cake and the patterned paper is leftover from a Stamp TV kit. I used Nestabilities long rectangles to create the scalloped brown layer and the focal image layer, which is Pure Luxury Ivory. I stamped the flower from the Gina K Designs set, Garden Silhouettes twice. I used markers to color the petals, stems and leaves.The birthday wishes sentiment is from the same set and is stamped with Vivid Coffee Bean.

A simple birthday wish, but I hope you like it Melissa! :-)

Make sure you leave a comment at each blog as you hop along because on Tuesday morning (August 16th), we will randomly choose one of the comments from all the blogs and the lucky winner will get a stamp set of her/his choice valued up to $24.95!

To continue with Melissa's birthday celebration and to see more cards, head on over to Linda's blog to see her amazing card!

CSS Sentiment Hop

Welcome to the second blog hop for June of the Center Stage Spotlight alumni. I hope you arrived here from the fabulous blog of Linda Payne. If you didn't, be sure to hop back over to Stamp TV and start at the beginning of the hop so you don't miss any of the awesome creations of my fellow CSS-ers!

Today our challenge was to Get Wordy! Gina K. Designs is known for including some of the best quotes and sentiments in its sets. For this challenge we were to use a sentiment or quote as the main focal point. So, here is my card for this challenge. The only thing that is stamped on this card is the sentiment; everything else is designer paper.

This was a fun card to make, but it is more challenging than I expected to just use a sentiment as the focal image and not add in something else here or there. I guess that's why I went for the dp to fill in where I'd have done some other stamping. Try making a sentiment focused card sometime -- it will make you look at your stamp sets and other tools in a different way!


Thanks for stopping by. Now hop on over to visit my friend and stamper extraordinaire, Karen Knegten. Be sure to leave a comment at each stop and you just might be the lucky winner of a Gina K stamp set of your choice valued up to $24.95. A random winner will be chosen on Tuesday from all of the comments left along the blog hop.


Card supplies:
Pure Luxury Chocolate Brown; Ivory; SU Tangerine Tango, Sweet Stitches Designer Series Paper
Stamp Set: Gina K Designs Sew Pretty
Ink: Vivid Coffee Bean and Lemon Ice
Buttons: SU and Basic Grey

Stamp TV Center Stage Alumni Inspiration Hop

Wow! It's hard to believe we are cruising through June and it is time for our first Center Stage Alumni blog hop for the month. Today is an inspiration hop and you should have arrived here from the gorgeous blog of  Karen Knegten. If you didn't and you want to make sure you don't miss any of the wonderful creations along the hop, go back to Stamp TV and start your hop from the beginning there.

This inspiration hop is based on this very fun and summery photo.

Don't you just love the reds and yellows and flowers? The whole photo just made me feel like I was going to a summer party in someone's backyard! So here is my inspiration card.

Of course I had to go with red and yellow as my theme on this card since that is what really grabbed me in the inspiration photo. The base is Pure Luxury Red Hot, layered with Pure Luxury Dandelion. The dp is DCWV Citrus. I stamped the sunflowers from the lovely GKD stamp set, A Year of Flowers and colored them with Copics - R24, R27, R29 and Y15 and Y17. The greeting is from GKD set Stenciled Spring. I poked holes on the corners and then went over them with a white gel pen to  make them stand out. Brads are GKD and I used Memento Tuxedo Black, SU Poppy Parade, and Vivid Lemon Ice inks.

Thanks for visiting. I hope you enjoyed my summer sunflowers. Now continue along to the fabulous Joy Hadden's blog for more inspiration.

Center Stage Alumni Sketch Challenge Hop

Another blog hop from the Stamp TV Center Stage Alumni group! You should have arrived here from the awesome blog of the Linda Payne. If you didn't, jump back over to Stamp TV and start the hop from the beginning so you don't miss any of the gorgeous creations from the Center Stage Alumni team.

This time we are doing a sketch challenge hop using this fun sketch created by the super talented Melissa Cash!

I had a blast making my card for this hop! I rarely make shape cards so this was out of my usual zone and I have to say I really enjoyed it. It made me think a bit more creatively, which is always a good thing!

I started with a scalloped circle made from Pure Luxury White and cut out using my largest scalloped nestie. The dp is Cosmo Cricket DeLovely. The layers are cut from Pure Luxury Passionate Pink and Key Lime (have you gotten this new color yet from Gina K? It is gorgeous and just says 'summer' to me!) and layering weight white. I stamped the flower from the Gina K set Garden Silhouettes using Memento Rose Bud and New Sprout markers. The sentiment is from Gina K Elegant Flowers. The flowers are from a pack from Michael's and the Baker's Twine is from Raisin Boat.

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to leave a comment as you hop along because on Tuesday morning (May 17th), we will randomly choose one of the comments from all the blogs and that lucky person will get a stamp set of their choice from Gina K Designs valued up to $24.95!


Next stop on the hop is Karen. I'm sure she has something amazing to share!

Stamp TV Kits Blog Hop

It is time once again for the Center Stage Spotlight team to have another blog hop and this time our hop is focused on the Stamp TV Kits. There have been quite a few kits since Stamp TV started  (17 kits to be exact!), and I used three of them to make my card for this hop! I hope you came here from the blog of the very talented Linda Payne. If you didn't and would like to start the hop from the very beginning, go back to here at Stamp TV.

I made this card to send to my sister-in-law who had emergency surgery last Saturday. She is doing fine now, but if you are so inclined, please offer up a quick prayer for a quick recovery since her daughter will be graduating from high school in a few short weeks.

Sorry for that side bar -- now about the card. I used Pure Luxury Creme de Menthe  as the base and Lemon Drop as the second layer. I embossed the white layer with one of my favorite Cuttlebug folders and added the yellow grosgrain ribbon from Gina K. The scalloped oval is Creme de Menthe again. I used Memento markers to color the flower stamp, which is from the latest Stamp TV Kit, Spring Silhouettes. The 'feel better' sentiment is also from that kit. The two butterflies came from the Spring Mix Kit and were stamped onto yellow patterned paper that came from the Spring Silhouettes Kit. Now I said I used  three of the kits to create my card, and I did. The third set I used was the Elegant Flowers Kit and the greeting is on the inside of the card (sorry - I didn't take a photo of it but it is just the greeting inside so I didn't think it warranted a photo! LOL!)

I hope you enjoyed seeing my card. Now hop along to Karen's blog to see which of the kits she used for her lovely creation.

Inspiration Challenge Blog Hop

Time for another Stamp TV CSS blog hop! I hope you got to my blog from Karen's lovely blog. If you didn't, jump back over to Stamp TV and start the hop from the very beginning so you don't miss out on any of the gorgeous creations the center stage spotlight alums have created.

Today's hop is an inspiration hop and here is what we were to use as our inspiration.

Can you believe those are cookies? Aren't they gorgeous, not to mention delicious looking? Yum!

I could have used any of these as my inspiration, but I chose the blue cookie that is on the far right in the third row down. Here is the card it inspired me to make.

When I saw that cookie I immediately thought of the Pure Luxury Little Boy Blue paper! As you can see, I used it in several different layers on the card. The base is Pure Luxury Kraft along with Pure Luxury White. I used the Gina K Designs latest "One Free with Three" stamp set, "Stenciled Spring" for the flowers and the greeting. I embossed the flowers in white on the squares of blue paper and in SU Brocade Blue on the white strip. The pearls were colored with Copics to match the blue paper.

Time now to continue along the hop by going to Lori's blog to see the beautiful creation she was inspired to make. Before you go, please leave a comment, and be sure to leave one at each blog you visit because on Tuesday morning (April 12th), we will randomly choose one of the comments from all the blogs and the lucky winner will get a stamp set of their choice valued up to $24.95!

Stamp TV CSS Sketch Blog Hop

Welcome to the Stamp TV Center Stage Spotlight Alumni blog hop! If you arrived from the blog of the super talented Karen, then you are on the right hop path. If you didn't hop here from Karen's blog and would like to start the hop from the very beginning, go back to Stamp TV and start from there. That way you won't miss any of the fabulous creations made by the Center Stage Alumni.

Tonight is a sketch challenge hop. Here is the wonderful sketch, created by Melissa Cash, that we used as our inspiration.

This sketch was such fun to play with and here is the card I made using the sketch to inspire me. The card base is Gina K Designs Pure Luxury Chocolate Brown, layered with Pure Luxury Green Apple. The red layer is Pure Luxury Red Hot with another small strip of Green Apple that was run embossed with a Sizzix embossing folder (called Lattice, I think!). I stamped the images onto Pure Luxury White Layering White paper using Stampin' Up Kiwi Kiss and Poppy Parade Ink. The ribbon is also SU Poppy Parade. The images are all from the Gina K Designs set called Lean on Me. I just love the way the flowers turned out stamping them in red! The Thinking of You sentiment is from the Gina K Designs  set, Buds and Vases.

Now it's time to hop along to Lori's blog to see her beautiful creation, but before you go be sure to leave a comment here (and on each blog you visit) because on Tuesday morning, March 29, one comment from all the blogs will be chosen at random and that lucky person will get a stamp set of their choice valued up to $24.95 from Gina K Designs!

CSS Sketch Blog Hop

I hope you arrived here from the fabulous Karen's blog. If you did, you are on the right track for the hop. If you didn't, don't fret, just hop back over to Stamp TV and start at the beginning.

Today it's time for another Stamp TV Center Stage Spotlight Alumni blog hop. We are doing a sketch blog hop this time and here is the sketch we used for our inspiration.

Here's the card I made using Melissa's sketch as inspiration.

I love the wine and green colors together with the touch of pink.  Here's all the details for the card.

Paper:
Gina K Designs Pure Luxury - Wine with Everything, Fresh Asparagus, Bubblegum Pink and White; Patterned paper is from the Stamp TV Kit.
Stamps: Gina K Designs Sent with Love and Tag Lines
Ribbon: Stamp TV Kit
Buttons and Brads: Basic Grey Sultry
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black and Copics
Miscellaneous: SU punch, Spellbinders Nestabilities, SU labels sizzlet

I hope you enjoyed seeing this card. Now hop along to Linda's blog to see more sketch inspiration. I am sure she has something fabulous to share.

Be sure to leave a comment on each blog as you hop along because on Tuesday morning (February 1st), we will randomly choose one of the comments from all the blogs and that lucky person will get a stamp set of their choice valued up to $24.95 from Gina K Designs!

Center Stage Spotlight Alumni Color Challenge Hop

Wow! I can't believe it has been over a month since I last posted here! That's what the holidays will do! It's good to be back and today is a Color Challenge Blog Hop with the Stamp TV Center Stage Spotlight Alumni. It's our first hop for 2011, and if you got here from Karen Knegten's blog you are on the right path. If you didn't and you'd like to start from the beginning of the hop just jump over to Stamp TV to get started.

These are the colors were were asked to use for the hop today and as you can see, they are the colors for this week's color spotlight so you can play along over on Stamp TV. Go to Gina's video to get all the details on how you can enter to win a free Gina K. stamp set.

or

I had fun playing with this color combo and made a somewhat unconventional Valentine! Here it is.

I used the Fresh Asparagus as the base with a layer of Sweet Corn on the top two-thirds. Over the Sweet Corn I layered a piece of Cosmo Cricket Early Bird dp. I used the Nestabilities Labels 9 to cut out a piece of Red Hot and popped up the image oval on top. The image from the Gina K Designs set The Giving Tree by Theresa Momber and the sentiment is from the Gina K set called Heartlily Yours Additions by Nina Brackett. I used the Spellbinders Fancy Tags to cut out a White tag, a Red Hot Tag and a Sweet Corn tag. I cut the swirls off the white tag and sponged around the oval, layered it onto the red tag and then cut the swirls off the Sweet Corn tag and tucked them behind the red swirls. The little red heart in the word 'Love' is colored with a red Spica pen to give it some glimmer. The heart brads are from Stampin' Up a while back.

Be sure to hop along now to see what Linda Payne has in store for you. I'm sure it will be something gorgeous! And don't forget to check out Gina's video on Stamp TV to find out how you can win a free stamp set!