Blog Archives

It's in the Cards

8/31/2017

This week's challenge from Less Is More #343 is SO COOL! "Use a real object" sounds like a real challenge, lol! I'm using Paper Players #359 for my layout!
So, most folks I know have a little junk drawer somewhere - in our house, it's in the kitchen. BUT, I also have a secret one in my craft room - SHH! I throw all kinds of odds and ends - weird little things from the bargain bins at Michael's, stocking stuffer gags, inherited or found objects of curiosity - anything that looks like I might have a funny use for "some day." You can pretend you don't have one, too, if you want. I won't tell, lol. I dug through mine for something wild for this card, and came across a tiny deck of playing cards - I'm pretty sure this was a stocking stuffer joke from a few years ago. Hm, I thought. This could be a fun one. It took me a little bit to think of a good sentiment, and voila - a funny anniversary card. Crazy!
Labeler Alphabet Stamp Set; Whisper White CS; Memento Tuxedo Black, Daffodil Delight; Real Red Inks; Happy Hearts EF (retired); Basic Jewel Rhinestones; Mysterious Tiny Deck of Cards; #LIM343; #PP359.

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Ready for Christmas

8/30/2017

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Today's layout comes to us from Case this Sketch #236!
The longer I looked at this sketch, the more I knew this was chance to break in my new Ready for Christmas set - who can resist a dog in a sweater?? I had originally planned on keeping this much more low-key, but well, I had some time to keep playing with more and more little details, so I figured I'd add some stockings, bows and a picture for the wall, lol. It was hard to stop! And when you have such detailed thinlits for every little thing - why should you??
Ready for Christmas Stamp Set; Whisper White, Old Olive & Real Red CS; Memento Tuxedo Black, Chocolate Chip, Old Olive, Real Red & Daffodil Delight Inks; Christmas Staircase Thinlits; Layering Circles Framelits; Brights Sequins; #CTS236.

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Drink Hot Chocolate

8/29/2017

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Here's a fun bold sketch from In{k}spire Me #314! I think this coffee and calls inspiration pic from Just Add Ink#374 will go perfect!
So, it was totally a no-brainer to pull out my Coffee Cafe set for this inspiration pic, right? BUT, I did get to thinking about how I wished I had more sentiments to go with it. I even visited the Room fo Retirement to look over all my old tea sets, but nothing quite right, sigh. Then I remembered, what about Balloon Celebration? It has that one odd-ball set of words that really is for a drinking set! Yay! I picked hot chocolate for my drink of choice, and threw on some whipped cream to celebrate, lol...
Coffee Cafe & Balloon Celebration Stamp Sets; Coffee Break DSP; Whisper White, Garden Green, Crumb Cake & Soft Sky CS; Early Espresso, Sot Sky & Soft Suede Inks; Coffee Cups & Bunch of Banners Framelits; Soft Suede Candy Dots (retired); #IM314; #JAI374.

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A Good Bird-day

8/28/2017

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Today's layout is brought to us by Match the Sketch #191! Adding in TGIF #122's watercolor challenge is a real gimme for me - it's totally my preferred coloring method, lol...
One of the first ways I break down a sketch is to look for an opportunity to pull in an alternate shape to serve as a fun detail. In this case, when I saw that upper horizontal bar, I thought "branch" would totally work there! Which led me to pulling in Best Birds for this one! It totally worked out for the sentiment, too, having one in the right size for the circle element - it was like kismet! And of course, aqua-painting my little birdy was just right for TGIF, lol...
Best Birds Stamp Set; Wood Textures DSP; Whisper White, Crumb Cake, Early Espresso & Soft Sky CS; Memento Tuxedo Black, Soft Sky, Crumb Cake, Soft Suede, Early Espresso, Pear Pizzazz & Calypso Coral Inks; Layering Circles Framelits; Birds & Blooms Thinlits; Crumb Cake Candy Dots (retired); #MTS191; #TGIF122.

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Pocket Change

8/27/2017

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This is such a fun and layered sketch from this week's Freshly Made Sketch #302! There's my fave "any shapes," too!
Now that I'm typing this entry up, I'm a tiny bit worried that my "any shapes" are too big for this sketch, lol. I struck on the idea to make my layered elements be things stuck in a pocket, and once I thought of it, I just couldn't let go, sigh. Another factor is that I frankly can't remember using this set yet (!!) and I already had it shelved instead of in my "to-do" pile (!!!) No idea how THAT happened, lol. Anyhoo, I LOVE this little pocket! I went ahead and left the flaps on, so that I can slip in a bill or a gift card when I'm ready to send this - so perfect!
Pocketful of Sunshine Stamp Set; Whisper White, Dapper Denim, Melon Mambo & Wild Wasabi CS; Memento Tuxedo Black, Always Artichoke & Dapper Denim Inks; Layering Circles & Pocket Framelits; Basic Jewel Rhinestones; FMS302.

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Latte in the Woods

8/26/2017

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We have another fun layout this week from Try Stampin' on Tuesday #336!
OK, everyone raise their hands that KNEW I wasn't putting a big circle on this card, lol. Did I miss anyone?? Hee hee, I just can't help going off the reservation sometimes! And I have fancy coffee on the brain, so it seemed a natural fit to pull out my Merry Cafe and celebrate the pumpkin spice latte again. BUT, I'm hoarding my new Fall DSP for a class coming up, so I pulled out my old Into the Woods DSP, that still has a couple sheets left in it - I love these colors together! (And I love the lid "outline" stamp in this stamp set - yay!)
Merry Cafe Stamp Set; Into the Woods DSP (retired); Whisper White, Early Espresso & Tangerine Tango CS; Early Espresso, Tangerine Tango, Old Olive & Daffodil Delight Inks; Coffee Cups Framelits; 5/8" Early Espresso Satin Ribbon; #TSOT336.

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Playing Inside the Lines

8/25/2017

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I'm super excited about Paper Players #358's clean & simple coloring challenge this week - my favorite things! And I think I'll use the pretty circus colors from Global Design Project #101 - fun!
So, I found these colors challenging - after finishing up some favors for a baby shower, I kinda have a pink and blue block going on right now, lol. Trying to get past it, I dug out my retired pack of Inside the Lines DSP, and tried to pick a pattern to color that had room for all three colors - and then I went very minimal indeed! I tried to pick out all the smallest details in this sheet to color, and I aqua-painted it all to keep the colors fairly muted. A quick sentiment from Lovely Friends and a few tiny rhinestones completes the layout - whew!
Lovely Friends Stamp Set; Inside the Lines DSP (retired); Whisper White & Basic Black CS; Flirty Flamingo, Bermuda Bay & Night of Navy Inks; Lovely Laurel Thinlits; Basic Jewel Rhinestones; #PP358; #GDP101.

Pumpkin Club August 26!
Did you get your July Pumpkin kit yet? It's bloomin' amazing! Check out the video here! (Increase the resolution by clicking on the little gear icon.)
I hope you can join us for our next Pumpkin Club, Saturday, August 26, 3 pm, chez Heroldt - RSVP to let me know you are coming!
Club is free for my subscribers, and includes any extra supplies you might need, drinks and snacks! I also have ONE extra kit on hand for $20 if you'd like to check it out! Let's take this Pumpkin out to play! You're going to LOVE our projects!
Remember to subscribe here if you haven't already - sign up by September 10 and you can join us in time for next month!

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Pumpkin Fusion

8/24/2017

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Ooo, this week's Fusion Black & Orange Stationery challenge looks FUN! Feeling fusion coming on...
Even with these colors, I don't feel ready for Halloween themes, yet, lol. So I decided to try for something a bit more harvest oriented. Emphasis on "try," lol - kinda hard to get away from the color implications, even so... I'm so happy with the results, though - Gourd Goodness is really growing on me! I went for a stamped-off and two-toned multi-step stamp this time, and I love the depth I got! Couldn't resist a little leaf - shh, you didn't see ANYthing, right??
Gourd Goodness, Painted Harvest & Best Birds Stamp Sets; Whole Lot of Lovely DSP; Whisper White & Pumpkin Pie CS; Memento Tuxedo Black, Pumpkin Pie, Tangerine Tango & Old Olive Inks; Stitched Shapes Framelits; Pumpkin Pie Candy Dots (retired); #FusionBlack&Orange.

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In{k}spired Sorry

8/23/2017

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OK, I am intrigued by the line-art effect of this week's Case This Sketch #235! I'm adding in these rustic and bright fall-ish colors from In{k}spire Me #313, too!
After I thought about it a bit, I decided I wanted some brayer action today, to make a lovely sunset-y background to show off my new Sorry for Everything set. I had to turn the card sideways to fit in the giant "sorry" that comes with this set, but I so love the final result! A few black sequins to go with and I'm done!
Sorry for Everything Stamp Set; Whisper White & Basic Black CS; Cherry Cobbler, Tangerine Tango, Elegant Eggplant & Memento Tuxedo Black Inks; Black Baker's Twine; Black Sequins; Stripes EF (retired); #CTS235; #IM313.

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Pick a Pumpkin

8/22/2017

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Another fun landscape sketch from Paper Craft Crew #256! I'm adding in Just Add Ink #373's stencils challenge, too!
Another preview set burning away on my to-do pile has been Pick a Pumpkin, which is available bundled with the Patterned Pumpkin thinlits. Once again, the thinlits add a lot of details that are NOT in the stamp set itself - I love that! I could only add in a couple today, but this adds so much scope to the set! I see many happy pumpkin days ahead, lol...
I used my set of Patterned Party stencils for my background, but I'm stoked to hear that my Embossing Paste is now on its way - whew! Can't wait to play with that!
Pick a Pumpkin & Wood Words Stamp Sets; Cajun Craze, Lemon Lime Twist, Whisper White, Old Olive & Garden Green CS; Cajun Craze, Tangerine Tango, Pumpkin Pie & Old Olive Inks; Layering Circle Framelits; Patterned Pumpkins Thinlits; Pattern Party Decorative Masks; Touches of Nature Elements; Pumpkin Pie Candy Dots (retired); #PCC256; #JAI373.