Inspired By...Happy Birthday to You

The Inspired by... challenge totally inspired me to pull out Concord & 9th's Tall Type letters and the Tall Type Tagalongs.  I immediately envisioned the rows of tall letters looking just like the cool treats!

Of course, what better for a long row of "cool treats" (or a birthday sentiment) than a slimline card!  I used Mama Elephant's Slim Card Basics.  I also created a small panel of stripes (I only needed about 1/2" on each side) using Mama Elephant's Quick Stripes - then I used just the end of the stitched die in Slim Card Basics to trim off a bit.  I cut down the white panel and added the bit of stripes on both sides.

SUPPLY LIST
Dies: Concord & 9th Tall Type Alphabet, Tiny Type Tagalongs and Season of Cheer ("to"); Simon Says Stamp You, Mama Elephant Slim Card Basics and Quick Stripes
Other: Miscellaneous Pretty Pink Posh Jewels

Stampin' Up 2020 Copic Color Matches

I have finished my picks for Copic Markers that match Stampin' Up's 2020 In Colors!  Click here to download! If you want to color in each little square then print it on your favorite white card base paper. 

Stampin' Up 2020 In Colors

Bumblebee: YR23

Cinnamon Cider: E99

Just Jade:  YG45 is OK, but if you color with YG45 then add a light coat of B32 it is better. G16 is brighter but also just OK.

Magenta Madness: RV06 is lighter. RV09 is darker.

Misty Moonlight: B97 

 

Be sure to read my notes at the bottom of the chart.  A few things I want to emphasize:

• I am not associated with Stampin' Up.  I started these charts before they had Stampin' Blends and since I have a large Copic collection, I just kept doing it.

• Matches are a personal preference and depend on your paper. These work for me. I prefer my "match" to be a little lighter because then if I really saturate an area, it matches.

Have fun coloring!!!

The Color Throwdown: Smile

I just received an order from a clearance sale at Spellbinders.  As is usual with me, I ended up with just a few sale items and a number of full price items.  I don't why I do that but if I'm ordering from a place I don't usually order form, I'm going to order everything I might want.  The little poppy bud on this card was on sale - the sentiment which is part of a larger set was not.  I wanted to make a card right away because I wanted to model my little stem on a sample they had before I forgot it.  I like the way the small and large buds are mixed and there are actually  more branches that the buds are covering up.
I did the small picture at the top because I wanted you to see that there was blue in the background. My inspiration is from Color Throwdown which includes blue and I was afraid you'd miss it on my actual photo! It's much more obvious in real life but after taking pictures in natural light yesterday and artificial light this morning, I just can't make it pop.  BTW - the gems are actually soft yellow ... same problem!

Thank you to The Color Throwdown for the inspiration!

SUPPLY LIST
Dies: Spellbinders So Many Sentiments and Poppy Bud, Avery Elle Double Pierced Rectangle Dies
Other: Pretty Pink Posh Buttercream gems

Freshly Made Sketches: Just Bee-cause

It's time for a new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches! Today we have a sketch by Judy and here’s what I did with it!

Even though many of the COVID-19 stay-at-home restrictions have lifted - or at least partially - I still have so many people that need a positive moment in their days. Other than wearing a mask at the store and working from home half of each week - things feel normal for me.  Also in this country, other news has taken over the 24-7 coverage of the pandemic. We've moved on.  But quite a few of my friends and family are still self-isolating because they or their loved ones have underlying conditions.  And we can't forget all the elderly care facilities with very lonely patients.  So I'm still focusing on cheerful cards of encouragement and these little bees were just right!!

All products are from Honey Bee Stamps (appropriate, right?!)  The sentiment set has 65 stamps that all fit with "bee".  They cover so many occasions.  I picked "just bee-cause" because it fit the sketch and also so I could give it a quirky look with the angled "just". I do love the paper pads from Honey Bee Stamps. I'm pretty sure I have all of them.  This particular pad is "bee"-focused but the majority of the paper in it isn't cutesy like this one - just wonderful blue, yellow and black patterns.

I hope you are having a fabulous week (and that you don't need cards of encouragement!).  If you have some cardmaking time, join us - and play along at  Freshly Made Sketches.

SUPPLY LIST
Stamps: Honey Bee Stamps Bee-you-tiful Sentiments
Dies: Honey Bee Stamps Bee-you-tiful Dies and Hexagon Bunch
Paper: Honey Bee Stamps The Bee's Knees
Other: Homey Bee Stamps Prism Gem Stickers (colored with Copics)

Poppystamps: Celebrate Your Day

One of my workmates had planned a wedding and a Disney honeymoon in April.  You can guess how that worked out. So last week they got married. I'm not sure if it was online or via paper; I just know she runs home from work every day hoping the paperwork is in the mailbox so she can call herself "married".  Then they will do their honeymoon at some future date.

What I love about making my own cards is that I went with traditional elements for her wedding card using hearts and little birds, but the colors are Disney!!


I'm really happy with the way this turned out.  In general, I don't believe Clean and Simple cards are at all simple to make.  They may look simple - but with so few elements on your card, it takes work to get an eye-catching look (and to avoid fingerprints and glue spots in all of the white space!)  However, with the right die, it's easy.  These little hanging hearts are the right die! For me, the extra element of the string and bow make all the difference for an interesting card.  (I didn't initially envision the little birds but I needed something to tone down the black heart.)
I was inspired to even think in this direction by the Clean and Simple challenge at Poppystamps. Thank you for the inspiration.

SUPPLY LIST Stamps: Poppystamps Birthday Blowout
Dies: Poppystamps Hanging Heart and Chirping Birds, Memory Box Honeyblossom Sprig (just a bit trimmed off for the branch)
Other: Trinity Stamps Cinnamon Red-Hots Jelly Drop Hearts

CAS Christmas: Bells

I had a very pleasant weekend of making cards.  I finished all of the cards that I needed to make, then I think because it was a cooler weekend, I decided I to add a Christmas card to the stash! I had the CAS Christmas challenge to use bells on my radar and here's my card...


When I first saw the challenge, I had planned to use a stand-alone bell and I had mentally planned it in the same general layout but with elegant metallic and black stripes.  Then I was flipping through my Christmas stash and this little guy caught my eye. The set made me smile - so...same layout, very different colors and I have a sweet card for my stash.

SUPPLY LIST
Stamps: Hello Bluebird Frosty Friends, Type Christmas
Dies: Hello Bluebird Frosty Friends dies
Paper: Stampin' Up Pool Party, Mango Melody, Flirty Flamingo, Coastal Cabana
Ink: Stampin' Up Coastal Cabana and Copics
Other: Wink of Stella White (fluff on hat) and Orange (bell)

Fab Friday: Arrange a Wreath

I got my first new catalog order from Stampin' Up - and I am absolutely thrilled!  Right now my card making is all about the die cuts - and the Wreath Builder set did not disappoint!  Not to mention - huge fan of the new in colors!!


This is all the In Colors plus one layer of Shaded Spruce.  Shaded Spruce and Just Jade might be my favorite combination!  I also love how the magenta pops with all of the other colors.  The subtle blue is incredible. And we've needed a different brown for a long time!  FYI - if you are a Copic user, the charts on my sidebar as being updated as you read this. I'm struggling with finding a match for one color, but I expect to have them available by the end of the day.
Check out all of the detail on these dies...

I immediately cut all of the wreath parts, then wasn't quite sure how to arrange my card, but I remembered the sketch at Fab Friday.  At first glance, it certainly didn't seem like a wreath was meant to be on this sketch, but all the elements are still there! Thank you for the inspiration.

SUPPLY LIST
Stamps: Stampin' Up Butterfly Gala (the sentiment)
Dies: Stampin' Up Wreath Builder
Paper: Stampin' Up Just Jade, Shaded Spruce, Bumblebee, Magenta Madness, Cinnamon Cider, Misty Moonlight
Other: Stampin' Up Brick & Mortar 3D Embossing Folder, the enamel dots are not Stampin' Up because those dots are unavailable right now :(