CSS Sketch Challenge Hop

Welcome to another Stamp TV Center Stage Alumni hop. I hope you visited Linda before you came here, because you wouldn't want to miss her fabulous creations! If you want to start at the beginning of the hop so you don't miss out on anything you can pop back over to Stamp TV to find the list of all the participants.

Today's hop is a sketch challenge using this sketch.

 I love using sketches for cards, especially when I'm not feeling the creative mojo! It helps give me a jump start -- so much so that I have two cards for you!

 This card was made using Gina K Designs Pure Luxury heavy base weight white card stock. I created the background by stamping it with the small flower from the Gina K Designs stamp set Bold Blooms in GKD Powder Blue ink. I used it full strength and stamped off to create the variety in the colors.  I used GKD Pure Luxury Powder Blue card stock for the frame and cut it out using Spellbinders Decorative Labels Eight. The focal image is also from Bold Blooms and was stamped in Memento Tuxedo Black and the sponged with GKD Powder Blue. It is hard to see here, but the centers of each of the tiny flowers on the bloom are filled in with a clear stardust pen to give a bit of sparkle. The sentiment and the blue frame around it are from the GKD set Fanciful Tags. The pearls and ribbon are from my stash, and I colored the small pearls at the bottom with a Copic marker to make them match the blues in the card.

And now for something completely different! Here is a fall card made with Gina K Designs Pure Luxury Kraft card stock that I embossed with a Sizzix embossing folder. I also used Pure Luxury Faded Brick and Ivory on this card. The stamps are all from the Autumn Blessings set, which was part of the Grateful Heart Stamp TV Kit. I used Memento Espresso Truffle for the tree, the swirly lines and the sentiment. The leaves are stamped with GKD Faded Brick, Prickly Pear, and Tomato Soup; perfect fall colors! I also used three strips of patterned paper from the Grateful Heart patterned paper pack. The leaf buttons are from my stash and seems just perfect for this card.

I hope you enjoyed seeing my two cards. Now it's time to hop on over to see what Joy created for you! Before you go take a minute to add a comment (and be sure to add one at each stop along the way) because we will choose a random comment and that stamper will win a grab bag of Gina K. Designs products! Look for the announcement on Tuesday, October 15.

Thanks for visiting! Enjoy the rest of the hop!

September Inspiration Hop

Hello, and welcome to the Stamp TV Center Stage inspiration hop! You should have arrived here from Karen's lovely blog, but if you didn't you can go back to Stamp TV to find the full list of hop participants and start from the beginning.

This hop is an inspiration hop based on this beautiful photo provided to us by Joy.

I love the colors and textures of fall, so that is what I took from this photo as my inspiration. I had to use some of the new papers, inks and stamps from the latest Stamp TV kit.  (Sorry my photo isn't better. I had to take this one outside instead of in my studio and the lighting wasn't great).

I chose the pumpkin from the gorgeous Harvest of Wishes stamp set and the sentiment from one of the free incentive sets from Gina K Designs called Friendship Family Love. I also used one of the leaves from the Grateful Heart set to create a subtle background. The card stock is Gina K Designs Pure Luxury Kraft, the new Faded Brick (love this new color!) and Ivory. I used a strip of patterned paper from the Grateful Heart pack. Ink used on this was the gorgeous new Faded Brick from GKD, and Memento Tuxedo Black and Espresso Truffle. The ribbon and brads are from the Stamp TV kit also. I colored the pumpkin with my Kohinoor colored pencils and gamsol. I haven't used colored pencils and gamsol in ages because Copics have become my go-to coloring tools. I forgot how much I like the look of the pencils. They are very soft looking and somehow just seemed appropriate for this pumpkin.

Hope you were inspired by our inspiration photo and my card! Next along the hop is Linda who will have something beautiful to inspire you!

Stampin' Up and More - For Sale

Hello Crafty Friends - I am doing some cleaning of my craft room and have a number of stamp sets and other craft items for sale. The list of items with condition (if applicable) and price is below. If you are interested in purchasing any of the items I have for sale, please email me at klsimm922@aol.com (don't leave me a message here). The prices do not include shipping costs. I will let you know what the postage is at time of sale. I hope you find some things you like! Happy shopping!

Stampin' Up background stamps 

Canvas (some staining on rubber and block) $6

By Definition (clean - like new) $8

Geometric (clean - like new) $8

Harlequin (clean - like new) $8

On Safari (clean - like new) $8

Paisley (clean - like new) $8

Sanded (clean - like new) $8

Stampin' Up stamp sets

A is for Adorable $10

Ageless Adornments (minor stains on rubber) $10

Alphabet Soup (staining on one block and rubber) $10

Autumn Harvest $10

Awash with Flowers (double set of clear-mount stamps) $20

Big on Christmas $15

Blooming with Love (minor staining on one block) $15

Blossoms Abound $10

Bold Alphabet Upper and Lower $15

Bold Greetings $5

Christmas Gift Tags $20

Christmas Peace (light stains on one stamp and block) $10

Delight in Life $10

Dream Come True (minor stains on two blocks)$10

Easy Elegance $10

Embrace Life $15

Enjoy Every Moment $10

Essence of Love $10

Fabulous Four $10

Fall Whimsey $10

Fanciful Flowers $10

Favorite Greetings $10

Festive Fall (minor stains on blocks) $10

Festive Four $10

Fish Frolics $15

Flowers in Silhouette (this is a single stamp) $3

For A Friend $10

Fresh Fillers $5

Garden Whimsey $15

Gently Falling (this is the retired set with four square stamps)$5

Gingerbread House (this is an old and rare set) $20

Happy Heart Day $10

Happy Fall Y'all (bought this used; some staining and writing on blocks) $15

Home is Where the Haunt Is $15

Itty Bitty Backgrounds $5

Lexicon of Love (slight stain on one stamp) $10

Little Hellos $10

Little Pieces $5

Little Shapes $5

Looks Like Spring $15

Lots of Thoughts $10

Love and Joy (minor stains on block) $10

Loving Memories (slight staining on rubber) $10

Merry (minor stains on two blocks) $10

Mini Messages $10

Painted Poinsettias (this is an old, rare set. Staining on blocks and minor stains on rubber) $15

Paris in the Spring $10

Peaceful Wishes $15

Perfect Plaids $10

Pick A Petal (stain on one stamp) $10

Pocket Full of Posies $5

Polka Dots and Paisley $10

Polka Dots and Petals $10

Polka Dot Punches $10

Punch Pals (damage to one corner of box; stamps/blocks are clean) $15

Season's Greetings $15

Seeing Spots $5

Send a Celebration (staining on one stamp) $5

Shapes and Shadows (stains on one block) $10

Sidekick Sayings $10

Snow Flurries $5

So Very $10

Solemn Stillness (minor stains on rubber of one stamp) $15

Sparkling Summer $10

Terrific Tulips $10

The Fine Print $10

Too Terrific Tags $10

Very Punny (stain on one block) $10

Vogue Verses $5

Wee Watercolors $5

Wonderful Words $5

Stampin' Around - regular (r) and jumbo (j)

Daisy Dash (j) $5

Ho Ho Ho (r) $3

Hot to Dot (r) $3

Petals (j) $5

Pine Bough (r) $3

Sandy Shells (r) $3

Springtime (r) $3

Star Studded (r) $3

Under the Sea (r) $3

Stampin' Up In Color paper - new in packages-$5 per package

Buckaroo Blue

Cranberry Crisp

Cool Caribbean 

Cranberry Crisp

Marigold Morning

Vintage Violet

Stampin' Up Rub-ons - Love and Happiness $2

Non-Stampin' Up Stamps and Other Tools/Accesories

Hero Arts set of 5 stamps - Wavy Holly, Wavy Ornaments, Wavy Snowflakes, Wavy Stars, and Wavy trees - $10

My Sentiments Exactly - clear alphabet set called Romantic Caps $5

Northwoods Rubber Stamps - background stamp - snowflakes $5

A Muse single stamp - Wild Blossom $1

All Night Media single stamp - Happy Birthday with flowers $1

Hero Arts square shadow stamp $1

EK Success circle scissors - new in package (I believe this is their original style) $10

QuicKutz Red Squeeze Tool and full upper and lower case alphabet and number set (I believe the alphabet is 'Eliza' but haven't been able to confirm the code on it, which is QMAR 15) $20 as a set; I do not want to sell them separately.

Tim Holtz Distress Ink pad - Antique Linen (new in package) $2

Making Memories Tag Maker include tool, aluminum rims (squares, circles, tag shape) in various sizes $10

Store in Style - ribbon storage box $5

Fiskars Portable Paper Trimmer - this is the original portable cutter that is gray and orange with the blade that slides in the track. $5

Color Combo Hop

It's time for the second Stamp TV Center Stage hop for June. We are doing a color combo challenge this time using red, white and blue. Did you see what Linda made with this color combo? If you didn't stop at her blog before coming here, you can jump back to Stamp TV and start the hop at the beginning.

I decided to make a fun, bright card with this color combo. Here it is!

This was a fairly quick card to put together using the Gina K Designs Poster Board Sentiments. I used the banner, the frame and one of the sentiments from the set. I stamped the banner in Gina K Designs Red Hot and Blue Raspberry inks and the sentiment in Gina K Black Onyx ink. (The bottom banner is in blue raspberry but the lighting made it look lighter!) The card stock is Gina K Designs Pure Luxury Blue Raspberry and White Layering Weight. The brads were in my stash -- I think they were Stampin' Up.

I hope you enjoyed my red, white and blue card. Now it is time to hop along and get inspired by Karen's fabulous creation, but before you go be sure to leave a comment here and on each blog you visit because we will choose a random comment and that stamper will win a grab bag of Gina K. Designs products! Look for the announcement on Tuesday, June 25.

CSS Inspiration Hop

It is time for another Center Stage Alumni hop; this time it's an inspiration hop, and I'm sure you will find some inspiration along the way. If you arrived here from Joy's beautiful blog, you are on the right track. If you just happened by and would like to start the hop at the beginning head back over to Stamp TV where you will find a list of all of the participants.

Here is the piece we were challenged by Vicki to use for inspiration.

Here is the card I was inspired to make. The colors are the thing that really jumped out at me as well as all the texture.

I used Gina K Designs Pure Luxury papers in Fresh Asparagus, Sweet Corn, Turquoise Sea, Blue Denim, and White. The stamps are from the Gina K Designs sets Bold Blooms and Stately Flowers 1

I used Gina K Turquoise Sea, Fresh Asparagus, and Black Onyx inks. The ribbon and brads are from my stash.

Now head on over to Karen's place to see what she was inspired to create! Thanks for stopping by!

CSS Color Challenge Blog Hop

Welcome to the Stamp TV CSS blog hop for May. If you came here from Linda's fabulous blog, you are on the right track. If you didn't and would like to start from the beginning of the hop, head back over to Stamp TV where you will find the complete list of blogs on the hop.

Our hop for May is a color challenge. Miesje challenged us to make a non-Christmas card that is red and green with a neutral color (black, white or tan). This was a fun challenge, and I got to make a card with one of my favorite summer fruits . . . can you guess which one? Here it is!

Yum! I love juicy, sweet strawberries, so I always enjoy making cards with this Gina K Designs stamp set created by Theresa Momber called Sweet Strawberries. I stamped the large strawberry plant onto the white panel and colored it with Copics. Then I stamped the small plant onto a piece of white scrap paper, colored it and cut it out. I glued it onto the main panel just to give a bit more depth and the feel of  a patch of strawberries. All of the paper used on the card is from Gina K Designs Pure Luxury line: Fresh Asparagus, Red Hot, and White Layering Weight. The patterned paper is the Gina K Berries and Vines paper. The greeting is stamped with Gina K Designs Red Hot Ink and the strawberries were stamped with Gina K Black Onyx.  The buttons and ribbon were from my stash.

Be sure to leave a comment here and on each of the blogs as you go because we will choose a random comment and that stamper will win a grab bag of Gina K. Designs products! Look for the announcement on Tuesday, May 28.

Now head on over to Joy's blog to see the gorgeous creation she has for you!

Card and Flower Serendipity

Isn't if curious how things work sometimes in our lives? I had one of those serendipitous things happen today that was really just a small thing, but it made me smile.

Last night I made this card for my mom for Mother's Day. I used the Wood Violet from the beautiful Stately Flowers 1 set by Melanie Muenchinger at Gina K Designs to make the card. The Wood Violet is the Wisconsin state flower so it seemed fitting to use it for my mother's card since she has lived her whole life in Wisconsin.

All materials used for the card are from Gina K Designs with the exception of the Copic markers used to color the flowers. Cardstock is Pure Luxury heavy base weight white, layering weight white, wild lilac and lovely lavender. The sentiment is from the GKD set "Notes to Mom."

Now for the serendipitous part . . . this afternoon I was in our backyard doing some spring clean up and as I raked some leaves away from the rock wall, look what I found!

This is a Wood Violet! This is the only one that has deep purple flowers on it. All the rest of the plants growing in our yard have white flowers with a purple center, but this one that was buried under a pile of leaves has the beautiful purple flowers just like the ones on my card (although I didn't color them quite as dark as the real thing. Maybe if I had seen this one first . . .)

That was my fun bit of serendipity for today! I hope you are finding things that make you smile on these lovely spring days. Enjoy!