A Million and One

I had the honor of helping with cardmaking at our local Ronald MacDonald House earlier this week. In case you weren't aware, Stampin' Up! is a big supporter of the RMH Charities, not only by dedicating a special stamp set each year (and donating a portion of its sales to RMHC), but by also encouraging demonstrators to help at their local house in various ways.

This was my first time, and I needed to design one or two cards, and bring all the cut components (like a shoebox swap) for the families to make a card during their lunch time. I WAY over-thought the cards, and finally settled on two simple designs that used the same cut components, but the creators could personalize them as they wanted. They could use either side of the DSP (three color choices) as the bqckground for the focal point. The thank you card was, by far, the most popular.  Maybe the swirly script and extra bling had something to do with it.

And it turns out I could have made them a little more complex. I was thinking 'beginner stampers', and over simplified things. Ah well, live and learn. Next time they'll be more of a challenge, heh heh!

Stamps: Million & One, Zoo Review , Gifts of Kindness (greetings)
Cardstock: Whisper White, Basic Black, Brights Designer Paper Stack (retired)
Ink: Jet Black StazOn
Accessories: Rhinestones Basic Jewels, SNAIL Adhesive

Be sure to check out the weekly deals (new ones every Tuesday this month!). Just click Add to Bag to see the discount. You can then remove it if you don't want it.

And Week 2 of the 12 Weeks of Chrismas went out Wednesday morning to the mailing list subscribers. Don't miss out - there are still ten more fab projects! Sign up on the top left sidebar.

SUOC56, Lions & Tigers & Bears (or ANY Animal)

Holy moly, I can't believe it's been almost two weeks since my last post! I've been having so much fun having my mom visit (and teaching her to stamp, too, but more on that later), that time just got away from me. In fact, I ALMOST FORGOT this week's challenge at SUO Challenges. EEK!

Fortunately for me, I didn't have to stretch my poor tired crafty brain to pull this card together. It's super easy to do, and the strip of Champagne Glimmer on the Brushed Gold really dresses it up a lot. Wouldn't this be a perfect masculine card?

The lion was colored with a blender pen, deliberately just scribbling the color in, to go for a kind of rough watercolor look. It's hard to tell from the photo, but he's surrounded by golden light, sponged on with a Stampin' Sponge. It really looks better IRL!

When the card was finished, the greeting made me giggle, though. I had the thought that the recipient might think the lion was licking his lips and "thinking of them" in a hungry kind of way.....not my intention at all!!!

So, your challenge, should you choose to accept it, is to make a fahbbulus project with some kind of animal on it, in it, whatever.......just be sure you use only Stampin' Up! stuff. Then upload it on the SUO Challenge web site, so we can oooh and aaah and leave some love for ya!

Oh, and I have some news to share soon (she said, dancing around). It probably won't impress you, but I was gobsmacked!

Stamps: Zoo Review, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Early Espresso, Soft Suede, Brushed Gold, Champagne Glimmer
Ink: StazOn Black, More Mustard, Daffodil Delight, and Soft Suede Classic Stampin' Pads, Old Olive Stampin' Write Marker
Accessories: Big Shot, Square Lattice embossing Folder, Ticket Duo Builder Punch, Stampin' Sponges, Blender Pens