CCEE 1713 - Happy Birthday, Vincent!

The end of March brings my last week as hostess of the CCEE Stampers' March Challenges. Are you ready for something a little different? My final challenge for you is an inspiration challenge. March 30 is the birthday of Vincent Van Gogh. Today he would be 164 years old! Let the lyrics of Don McLean's time-honored classic, "Vincent," inspire your design today. Don McLean wrote this song in 1971 after reading a book about the artist's life.

Vincent 

by Don McLean

Starry, starry night
Paint your palette blue and gray
Look out on a summer's day
With eyes that know the darkness in my soul
Shadows on the hills
Sketch the trees and the daffodils
Catch the breeze and the winter chills
In colors on the snowy linen land

Now I understand
What you tried to say to me
How you suffered for your sanity
How you tried to set them free
They did not listen,
They did not know how
Perhaps they'll listen now

Starry, starry night
Flaming flowers that brightly blaze
Swirling clouds in violet haze
Reflect in Vincent's eyes of china blue
Colors changing hue
Morning fields of amber grain
Weathered faces lined in pain
Are soothed beneath the artist's loving hand


I hope you choose to be inspired by Mr. McLean's beautiful words to create a card to honor Vincent Van Gogh and his contributions to the world.

If you post to Splitcoaststampers or any other on-line gallery, please include keyword 1713

My card has no stamping this week, only embossing and die cuts. The embossing folder is by the Paper Studio while the Shine Bright die is by Momenta. The star dies are by Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps. I rubbed the embossed background with Pure Platinum Nuvo Embossing Mousse.

Linked below are the cards inspired by this wonderful song by Don McLean and the amazing artistic talents of Vincent Van Gogh.

Joanne Grzelak

Anne Harmon

Vicky Gould

Lois Bak

Liz Williams

Frances Byrne
Maryann Einam

KSS - Let's Make a Scene - Kittens and Carnations

It's time again for another Let's Make a Scene design sponsored by Kitchen Sink Stamps. Today I decided to have a little fun with these cute kittens and place them in a grassy lawn with a basket of carnations in front of a lattice wall.

To create this scene, I stamped the kittens first and then masked them to add the basket. I then masked the basket as well and laid the lattice stencil over the card front and brushed in the green grass and blue sky with my Clarity brushes using distress ink. Once I removed the lattice stencil but not the masks, I added the carnations and the grassy foreground. After removing the kitten and basket masks, I added a few more blades of grass to create a smooth transition. The sentiment was stamped last of all.

Kitchen Sink Stamps used to create this scene:

Kittens & Pup Multi Step Clear Stamps

Basket Multi Step Clear Stamps

Get Well Teddy Multi Step Clear Stamps

Honey Bunny Multi Step Clear Stamps

Make a Big Statement Clear Stamps

Looking for more Kitchen Sink Stamps inspiration,
find it at the links below:

Lisa Somerville - designer

 Maria Colosimo - owner and creator

Music Heals the Soul

Ghosting is my new FAVORITE background. Who needs designer paper when you can create your own?

Today's card was created with Katie Girl by Unity. I stamped the image with Versafine Onyx Black ink and then colored her with watercolors. I then masked her and brushed the background with Cracked Pistachio and Abandoned Coral Distress ink. I placed a Faber Castell stencil over this and spritzed it generously with water. I immediately removed the stencil and let they water react with the ink for 20 seconds. I then blotted off the water with a paper towel and these were the results. The sentiment is computer generated.

This card has special meaning for me so I am keeping it for myself!

CCEE1712 - National Puppy Week

Can anyone resist the cuteness of a puppy, man's best friend? In honor of National Puppy Week, I have asked the CCEE Stampers to find their cutest image a puppy and feature it on their cards this week! Heck, they could even throw in two or three! I love puppies!

Dog image by Stampendous!

Sentiment by Stampin' Up

Check out the adorable pups featured in the work
of the rest of the CCEE Stampers Design Team!

Joanne Grzelak

Anne Harmon

Vicky Gould

Lois Bak

Liz Williams

Frances Byrne

Maryann Einam

Wakely Girl - Unity

I spent this morning playing with my watercolors and my Unity girls. I used Wakely Girl to complete three challenges.

This first card was created for the International Art & Soul Challenge #4 - Embossing. I dry embossed the background script panel with Cuttlebug Script Texture. I then skimmed the top of it with Memento Tuxedo Black ink and brushed the background with Walnut Stain Distress ink. The sentiment is heat embossed.

This second card was created for Splitcoaststampers' Sketch Challenge #637 and the Unity Watercolor Challenge.  The designer paper is Happy Day by My Mind's Eye .

Fun Fold #5 - Kitchen Sink Stamps

Fun Fold Design #5 sponsored by Kitchen Sink Stamps is a stair-step fold card. This type fold has been around for a long time. It really is simple to do and makes for a dramatic display. If you haven't gotten around to giving it a try yet, do! I think you will be pleased with the results!

My card was made with a 5.5 inch by 11 inch piece of cardstock cut and scored as shown in the photo below.  The two cuts are 1.25 inch in from each long edge. The cuts begin 1 inch from the bottom and end at the 6.5 inch mark. The scores are at 1 inch, 2 inches, and 6.5 inches in from the edge to the cut. The final score is across the center panel at 5.5 inches. The finished card fits in a standard 5.5 x 5.5 envelope.

The subject matter of today's design was inspired by the beautiful work of Splitcoaststampers' Featured Stamper of the week, DJ Rants. Her design which inspired my card can be seen here. I created the card to place in her Featured Stamper Gallery this week.

Stamps by Kitchen Sink Stamps

Birch Trees Multi Step Clear Stamps

Honey Bunny Multi Step Clear Stamps

Words of Comfort & Joy Clear Stamps

Dies:

Spellbinders Oval Nestabilities

Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Grass Die

Impression Obsessions Deer and Cardinal Dies 

Find more Kitchen Sink Stamps inspiration here:

Lisa Somerville - designer

 Maria Colosimo - owner and creator

CCEE 1711 - National Button Week

National Button Week is coming up, so the CCEE Stampers plan to be ready by adding buttons or faux buttons to our cards or projects today!

I used my buttons to poke a little fun at this crazy weather our nation is experiencing these days!

No stamping here. The sentiment is computer generated and the snowflakes are cut with Sizzix dies. The scarf and hat were cut from paper scraps.

Check out the ways in which the CCEE Stampers used their buttons:

Joanne Grzelak

Anne Harmon

Vicky Gould

Lois Bak

Liz Williams

Frances Byrne
Maryann Einam

Texas Highways - KSS

I hope that you have come to visit today looking for the latest Let's Make a Scene design sponsored by Kitchen Sink Stamps. This card was inspired by the highways I have traveled in the last couple of weeks in my part of Texas. Wildflowers of every color and hue are abloom along the roadsides from Indian paintbrushes to Drummond phlox, from Indian blankets to our beloved bluebonnets making Texas seem like heaven on earth.

Images used to create today's scene came from

the following Kitchen sink Stamps:

Bluebonnets Multi Step Clear Stamps 

Rolling Hills Multi Step Clear Stamps

Tree Friends Multi Step Clear Stamps

Shamrocks & Clover Multi Step Clear Stamps

Baseball Multi Step Clear Stamps

Also creating with Kitchen Sink Stamps:

 Lisa Somerville - designer

 Maria Colosimo - owner and creator

CCEE1710 - National Bubble Week

The CCEE Stampers Challenge this week is to honor National Bubble Week. To celebrate bubbles, you might create a design using a technique like painting with bubbles or stamping with bubble wrap. You could also certainly use any stamps you have which incorporate bubbles in the image.

Use your imagination and join us this week in celebrating bubbles!

Images:

Spa-Tastic Friendship by House-Mouse Designs, Inc.

Simple Sayings by Stampin' Up

Check out the rest of the bubbly goodness created by the
CCEE Stampers Design Team linked below:

Joanne Grzelak

Anne Harmon

Vicky Gould

Lois Bak

Liz Williams

Frances Byrne

Maryann Einam

Texas Sunrise

I belong to a group on Splitcoaststampers know as the Crafters of Faith! My sister, Liz, was the hostesss for the March challenge and here is what she said:  I've done a little studying last night and I have decided that for March I want to use this scripture from Psalm 40:3 NLT: "He has given me a new song to sing."

Feature a sunrise or sunset on your card and just as different as our cards will be, aren't you just amazed at every new day that God gives us? Be adventuresome with your faith to get out of the box that might seem most comfortable to you and don't let your comfort restrict God's plans for your new song He has for you to sing.

Here is the card I have created for this challenge!

The images are from High Tide by Stampin' Up.

The scripture is by Our Daily Bread.

Fun Fold #4 - Kitchen Sink Stamps

Fun Fold #4 sponsored by Kitchen Sink Stamps is the design I am sharing with you on this first Monday of March! There are three simple pieces that create this fun and easy slider card. They include a 5.5 inches x 8.5 inches piece of cardstock scored at 4.25 inches with a 3 inch square die cut on the front panel. A stripe of white cardstock cut 4.25 x 7.5 and scored at 2.5 and 5 is needed for the inside of the card. The final piece is the 3 inch square that fits in the front of the card.

The photos below demonstrate how the card is assembled. These are the three stamped pieces needed to create the card.

The inside panel is attached to the inside of the card with my tape runner used on the back of the third portion of the scored and folded panel.

With the card closed, red line tape is placed as shown below for attaching the boots in the front opening of the card.

Card Front

Inside of Card

I used stamps from the following sets by Kitchen Sink Stamps for today's fun fold design:

Cowboy Boots Multi Step Clear Stamps 

Cowboy Hat Multi Step Clear Stamps

Lucky Horseshoes Multi Step Clear Stamps

The Kitchen Sink Crew:

 Lisa Somerville - designer

 Maria Colosimo - owner and creator

CCEE1709 - "Old Stuff" Day

Hello, and welcome to a new month of CCEE Challenges.  I will be hosting the March challenges for the CCEE Stampers. 

This week in honor of "Old Stuff" Day, make a card or project making use of some of the earliest stamps in your collection, or make use of old supplies in your stash. A fabulous vintage image would also be great for this challenge!

So dig deep and pull out that "Old Stuff" to play along. If adding your challenge card to Splitcoaststampers or another gallery, add keyword CCEE1709.

I am sharing with you the stamp set that got me started on my layered stamping journey with Kitchen Sink Stamps way back in 2007. When I purchased this set and started posting my creations on the web, I caught the eye of Maria Colosimo, owner and creator of Kitchen Sink Stamps. She contacted me and invited me to join her design team. It has been a joy and pleasure to work with her all these years! Now, 10 years later, it is exciting to see more and more people getting into layered stamping!

I used the old SU deckle scissors to created the decorative edge of my card. Back then I didn't have many dies or punches!

Images from

Heart & Roses Multi Step Clear Stamps

Wedding Rings Multi Step Clear Stamps

by Kitchen Sink Stamps 

Check to links below to see what old stuff the rest of the CCEE Stampes pulled out to use.

Joanne Grzelak

Anne Harmon

Vicky Gould

Lois Bak

Liz Williams

Frances Byrne

Maryann Einam