Card Challenge & A Good Sale!

First up, Stampin' Up is having a huge sale (up to 50% off!) on selected pre-bundled packages from now until December 1st. Check it out all the goodies in my online shop here.

Now onto the 2nd birthday card this week! As a SU! Demonstrator I receive their magazine called 'Stampin' Success'. This magazine usually has a little project described in it that has yet to disappoint. But this time, it was a card sketch!

The little note underneath led me to another page with this design of it:

I followed their alternate colour palette of Chocolate Chip, Night of Navy & Pumpkin Pie and created this:

I added on a few extra things like the brads at the top and some extra background stamping. I love how it turned out!

I would love it if you would play along, follow the pattern of my card or of the original sketch layout, and leave me a message with a link to your own! Hope to see your creations soon!

*Don't forget about the stamp giveaway post down below!

Riddle Me This! *Blog Candy*

I ended up with two of the following set of stamps, and have been hoarding them in my collection for far too long.

I will draw a name from all those who leave a comment here, who can answer this riddle correctly:

What goes up and down the stairs but doesn't move?

Contest remains open until Saturday night (November 29th) at 5 pm.

I'll ship worldwide.

Good luck!

OCC Card Challenge - Birthday Surprise

I have two birthdays being celebrated this week in my family, so my spare time today has been spent creating cards. First up is my OCC Card Challenge Sketch entry:




Stamp sets: Crazy for Cupcakes (SU!)

Paper: Elegant Eggplant & Simply Sent Flower Power Card Kit (SU!)

The cupcake tray was stamped in Elegant Eggplant then embossed with iridescent ice. I then colored in the cherries and the top and bottom of the tray with SU markers.

I used a 1" square punch to stamp out the green squares, and paper pierced them using tools from my SU tool kit. The two brads at the top are also SU and are from the 'Fire Stone Square Rhinestone' collection. I used a 1/16" punch to punch the hole for them, rather than a 1/8" as I find that they won't wiggle that way. And the ribbon (I have been dying to use this ribbon but until now have never found a use!), is 'Striped Grosgrain Ribbon' in Pumpkin Pie - yum!

The second birthday card? You will have to wait until Friday for that - it will be a card challenge for you all!

A little about me...

Good morning and welcome to my very own 'paper' blog! I will now be using this blog to display and chat about all things paper related (especially cards!). I will keep posting up challenges from time to time, so please keep checking in :)

This post will be similar to those you will see in the weeks and months ahead from my guest bloggers. But I thought it would be fun to introduce myself to you to get things started.

1. When did you start 'stamping'?

I started creating my own cards shortly after I got married in 2002. My
Mother-in-Law has been making her own cards and stamping for years, and she
inspired me to do the same. Many of my first techniques I learned, I learned
from her. And my first stamps actually belonged to my husband (he used them when we were dating to design a CD cover for me!).

2. Which companies do you prefer/tend to stamp with and why?

When I started I had an obsession with Hero Arts. I would seek them out and had a specific store I had to go to when visiting Vancouver Island to buy them. Then I was introduced to Stampin' Up by a girlfriend, joined a stamping club and became a demonstrator. Through the blog world I am slowly branching out and learning about other stamp companies, many of which I love!

3. What is your favorite technique?

I love all things that sparkle - using Tombow adhesive with chunky glitter, or embossing with iridescent ice. Adding touches of bling brads to my cards I also find myself doing quite often. I can't forget buttons though. I suppose that isn't a technique, but I love adding buttons to my cards.

4. What is your favorite colour combination to work with?

From the Stampin Up colour family I particularly love Tempting Turquoise and Certainly Celery. Those look great paired with Very Vanilla or Not Quite Navy.

5. What is your favorite stamp set in your collection and why?

Hard question. There are many that I love. I'll pick 'Pocketful O' Posies' from Hero Arts - one of my very first stamp sets. I love the simplicity of the flowers but also how versatile they can be!

6. Is there a stamp you wished you owned?

I have fallen in love with a number of the 'Starving Artistamps' stamp sets. I have a few enroute to me right now and can't wait to use them. This set though - too cute!

7. What project are you currently working on?

I NEED to get started on my Christmas Cards (eek!) but I have a few Card Challenge cards I am wrapping up right now. The past one from IPC, and the current one over at OCC. (Check back on Tuesday for these!).

8. What technique would you still like to learn more about?

On Papermonkey's site she talks alot about Copic markers. I would like to learn more about these and their difference from Stampin' Up markers. Stay tuned, this will be an upcoming post at some point!

9. Is there a blog out there that inspires you to be more creative?

The list on the sidebar are all of my (so far) inspiring links! My first one I came across was Papermonkey's and then the OCC. Libby's Little Addiction inspired my 'Grace's Closet Challenges' and I love the Starving Artistamps stamps.

10. What other hobbies do you have outside of stamping?

I love to run, decorate cakes, bake, and spend time with friends and family.

Some changes....

I have decided I need to change the focus of this blog. I gave the idea of a blog solely for Card Challenges a really good stab, but it has become hard for me to maintain with the right level of enthusiasm. Sadly it was becoming more of a burden than a joy.

The good bit about this, is that IPC will now be my very own crafty corner. I look forward to posting up examples for you of my favorite and ongoing projects, as well as through those, introducing you to new techniques. I have sent out a request to a few good stamping friends of mine, asking if they would like to be a guest blogger on this site, to expose you to works of other people.

I will be working on this blog site over the next few days, and hope to have the 'facelift' complete by Monday.

If you have started working on the challenge from this past week, please continue and post back! There will still be card challenges on this site from time to time, but I am still working on the schedule.

Thank you to all of you who have completed the challenges since I started this blog. I have really enjoyed seeing all your work. I think the changes I am making will make this blog even better.

See you on Monday.

'Tis the Season

And I'm not talking about Christmas (but that is just around the corner!). I'm talking about the Cold & Flu Season. Ugh. In just one day, I now know of seven people that have or are experiencing one or the other of those two things.

I had a post all ready to go (a sketch challenge done by my husband!), but given it seems what would really be appropriate with so many down and out people is a 'Get Well' card, that is going to be the theme this week. No fear, my husband's sketch will appear at a later date.

Get Well cards seem to be one of those things I never have on hand (and one I may never have actually handed out or created!). But I think they are a card that would really lift someone's spirits over a bowl of chicken noodle soup if they were feeling ill.

I am looking forward to seeing your creations this coming week. Any colour, any embellishments, it just needs to have a 'Get Well' sentiment on it.

This challenge runs from Monday, November 17th until Monday, November 24th at 5 pm.

Inspired by Grace

Here's another little inspiration challenge for you brought to you by my daughter Grace. This time, it's her shoes! Today when we were out and about, I noticed the writing on the bottom of her sneakers. Take a peek. They say 'Love, See, Kai, Run, Smile, Jump, Dance, Dream.' Perhaps the words will inspire you, or the colour & design. Whatever it is that starts the creative spark, I look forward to seeing your creations!

This challenge runs from Monday, November 10th until Monday November 17th at 5 pm.

Have fun!

Outside the box.

Sorry that this post is delayed! I have been struggling with the theme of this week's challenge, and finally decided I needed to get something up and stop my indecision. So, I have stuck with my first idea that I conjured up last night - to create a card that is not four sided.

I am finding this so challenging that I attempted creating one and couldn't see it to the finish.... but I will get back to it. And when I do, I will post it up here for you to see.

Only one extra rule. This has to be a card, not a pouch, or a container. A card.

Good luck!

Submissions are open from Monday, November 3rd until Monday, November 10th at 5 pm.

October Candy Winner!

Who did the Random Number Integer System like this month you ask?

Again, I put all the names in the order that the cards were submitted, assigned them a number, then entered them in.

Ready???

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The lucky winner for October is Erin!

I don't believe Erin has missed even one challenge week! Her dedication has paid off! Here is her prize!

Urban Garden Designer Series Paper
And here's a little ditty about it:

"Our Designer Series papers are absolutely beautiful and use our palette of colors and original images. Designer Series paper makes it easy to create a card or scrapbook page with coordinating background paper, card stock, and stamped images. It also covers On Board chipboard beautifully.

■ 12" x 12", 100-lb Cougar Opaque Text

■ 12 sheets per package (2 each of 6 designs)

■ Exclusive designs and colors, with patterns based on Stampin’ Up! art

■ Coordinate with Stampin’ Up!’s exclusive colors: Basic Gray, Kiwi Kiss, Baja Breeze, and Not Quite Navy"

I am looking forward to seeing some of her future creations being made with this!