More Competition for me…

As if my daughter wasn't challenging me enough in the stamping arena…along comes my four year old son!

He had a birthday party to attend this past weekend for a friend from preschool.  I asked him to "go make his friend a card" which typically entails drawing a few squiggles on a piece of copy paper, calling it a roller coaster, and tossing it in with the gift.  Well to my shock he says "I want to make one like you do."  So I, of course, told him he could pick some stamps and ink and stamp away (on said copy paper).  Again, this was not what he had in mind.  "No mommy, a real card like you make."  Well okay!

So, he did all the stamping.  I did the sponging.  He put the adhesive on and the dimensionals and placed everything just so on his card.  He chose the color button (I threaded it, he decided which side of the button was going to show), I had my hand over his to help him with the punches, and then I stamped the sentiment inside.  I think I need to worry about two of my children taking over my stamping suite now!  What do you think?

So that is his above… and my "inspiration" card below for him.  (Ya, he's not a big football fan!)

And just because I can… here's his cute little signature.  I love his "R"!

Supplies used:

Happiest Birthday Wishes stamp set
Soft Suede ink and cardstock
Pool Party card stock and Designer paper (Attic Boutique from the current Occasions mini) – Notice how stamping some "dirty spots" all over the doilies can take it from girlie to boyish!
Spiral punch
Buttons
White baker's twine

Bordering on Romance

Here's another example (albeit VERY subtle) of changing up a card…

This card is actually something I did NOT CASE!  It seems for a long time now I haven't had a lot of time to stamp; or when I do have the time to sit and stamp I don't have energy left to create a card totally from scratch.  So, imagine my surprise when I came up with something myself the other day!  Now granted, it's not a difficult card or over the top by any stretch.  But it uses some new stuff that I'm SUPER excited about.

Here's the card…

See that key stamp?  Isn't it cute?  It's another one from an upcoming Sale A Bration stamp set.  The "Happy Birthday" sentiment is from the same set! The one that is SO me that I referred to a few days ago.  It's called "Elementary Elegance" – you'll have to look it up once Sale A Bration starts on the 24th!
Other new things here… "Bordering on Romance" stamp set and the Adorning Accents embossing folder (See the hearts on the bottom of the Real Red CS?).  Both of these items can be found in the current Occasions mini.  And what about that shape?  The frames?!  Did those jump out at you?  Those are also in the Occasions mini and called "Labels Collection Framelits." They are SUPER easy to use with your Big Shot.  They come in a set of 6 and are $26.95.  So, if you purchased the "Labels Collection Framelits" ($26.95) and the clear mount "Bordering on Romance" stamp set ($21.95) and the Adorning Accents Embossing Folders (it's a set of 3 for $8.95)  you'd qualify for the Sale A Bration freebie "Elementary Elegance"!!!  PERFECT!!!  (Your total spent would be $57.85 plus s/h for two stamp sets, 6 framelits and 3 embossing folders!

If you want to get these items be sure to check out a class or club of mine or schedule a workshop or come to my Sale A Bration Open House (to be scheduled)!!!

I should also mention I watercolored these images with my Watercolor Wonder Crayons on Shimmery White cs and then added a touch of Smooch Illuminate Top Coat (love that subtle sparkle!).

A Fantastic, Intriguing Title

I often tell stampers that not every card they make has to be completely different.  Here is a sample of what I mean.

This card was CASEd from the Stampin' Up! demonstrator web site and we used it for Technique Club the other night…

I loved the sharp contrast of the Riding Hood Red ink and the Jet Black Stazon. 
It uses the new Twitterpated Designer Series paper, a jumbo Neutral brad, and of course a "gem" (self adhesive jewel rhinestone).  The stamp set is "Raining Flowers" and the butterfly comes from a Sale A Bration stamp set that I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE (the set is SO me it's not funny) called "Elementary Elegance."  The saying comes from "You're a Gem" stamp set.

Now, as sometimes happens, a happy mistake comes along!  One of my card club members messed up the "cloud" with the sentiment.  I don't remember what happened, crooked? smeared?  I don't know.  Doesn't matter.  But, we made the best of it and she stamped another "cloud" on a scrap piece of white and attached it to the card with a dimensional.  I loved it so much I had to make one myself.  It perfectly illustrates how changing up just one aspect of a card (subtly at that) can totally change the look and feel of a card!

What do you think?

To see them side by side…

Fun, right?

I urge you to go find a card you have made already and find one element to change.  See what happens!

Copy Mine Mom…

So yesterday I told you I'd show you an original from my 7 year old daughter.  She often will copy my cards that I made and this past weekend she asked if SHE could come up with a card and I copy it for one of my classes.  I gave my famous mom answer "maybe."  LOL  So that was sufficient and off she went completely on her own. 

Her thought process:

"What Holiday is coming up next?"
Me: Valentine's Day
Pause for about 30 seconds
"Do you have a small heart punch?"
Me: Yup.  It's in with the trio heart punch.
She then went to my drawer and picked her colors.  She couldn't find the yellow she wanted so asked me to show her the yellows I had.

15 minutes later she came upstairs to show me her creation…

NOT BAD, RIGHT?!?!  Love this girl and her quick creativity.  I wish I could come up with a card in 15 minutes.

So, look for a version of this card from me soon….

Mine and Hers…

I don't talk about my kids on here (usually) unless it involves stamping.  Well, this time it does!  My now 7 year old loves to stamp – has since she could say the word "stamping" and that was probably 18 months!  LOL  So every now and then she takes a packet that I have leftover of precut materials.  Sometimes she attempts to copy my card exactly, sometimes she's goes totally on her own.  Okay, she mostly goes totally on her own!  I wanted to show you her latest creation…

I wonder if you'll be able to tell who made which one! 

Can you tell which one she made?

If not, here's hers…

And here's mine…

My version is a pretty close CASE to a card I think I saw on our Stampin' Up! demonstrator homepage from a while ago.  It uses the Breast Cancer Stamp set "Strength and Hope" and "Vintage Vogue" stamp set. 

Other supplies used are:

Elegant Eggplant ink and CS
Crumb Cake ink and CS
Very Vanilla CS and ribbon
Self adhesive halfback pearls
Smooch Illuminate Top Coat

Not too shabby for 7 years old, huh?!   Later I'll show you another one of her creations!