Challenges Love I Do

 Yes, I decided to play a new challenge.  Stampin' Celebration has some really fun challenges and I've seen them regularly on Krystal's blog, but I've never played along.  Well, not until today.  :-)  I do plan on playing again whenever possible because I love the fact that they usually give 4 photos to draw inspiration from.  This card is based on the inspiration photo right below.  I've pulled the flower them, the ruffled ribbon, and the colors from the photos.  Unfortunately, the lighting in my stamp room didn't reveal the true colors of this card.  I really like it much better IRL.

 This card combines 3 challenges!  The first is Sketch Challenge 325 from SCS.  I didn't know what I was going to do with it at first, but knew that I needed a sympathy card.  A dear man in our church passed away last week from bone cancer.  This will go to his widow.  I hope it helps lift her spirits a little.  I didn't really want to go the black route since we, as Christians, are assured of eternal life, so I used the Color Combination Challenge 88 from SA as a heart-lifting color combo.  The main image of daisies is made using the Faux Silk technique.  This version of Faux Silk is the "new" way that Stampin' Up! showed us in one of the latest Stampin' Success magazines.  (Available only to current demonstrators.  Want to receive great ideas like this?  Talk to me about signing up.)   This technique was highlighted for us in the SA Technique Challenge 84.  I added sponging over the edges and across the tissue paper to make the "silk" more noticeable.  The daisy popped up is a technique called "spotlighting".  I really like how it finishes off the main image and adds that spot to draw your eye.  And where would I be without my faithful basic pearls?!

I like to try to make the inside of the cards that I give out as much interest and attention as the outside.  (Well, ALMOST as much!)  I really love this message from the Thoughts and Prayers stamp set.  It pretty much says it all.

Thanks for stopping by the Stamping Station once again.  Let me know what you think of these challenges and please play along if you have time.

Blessings,
Julie

Moss and Eggplant Sympathy

I totally forgot to crop this one... sorry about that. but I need to get back to the cookies that I'm baking. I LOVE the smell of baking chocolate chip cookies! Now that I've made you hungry, let's share the card for today.
Unfortunately, I had need of a sympathy card. One of the sons of our former pastor passed away and so I need to send this to them. I used the flower spray from Thoughts and Prayers
and my Elegant Eggplant and Mellow Moss Stampin' Write markers to color it. The DSP is Autumn Traditions. I used the Scallop Trim Corner and Edge punches. A bit of 1/4" Elegant Eggplant Grosgrain is tied in a knot and attached with a Mini Glue Dot. I know that a card can't do much, but it will let them know that we're thinking about them and praying for them. Isn't that why we make and send cards anyway...to let people know that our thoughts are with them and to hopefully make them feel special? At least, that is what I hope it makes them feel.

Thanks for stopping by the Stamping Station.

Blessings,
Julie

CAS (Clean and Simple) Cards With Sympathy

Time for another Clean and Simple Challenge today. Here are the two cards that I came up with from today's color combination from the CAS challenge. I wanted to use Embrace Life because of the Reinker Spread technique and because I haven't used it much lately. You know, that's a great way to get your stamping mojo back, if you're in a slump...just get out a stamp set and/or a DSP or accessory that you haven't used for a long time (or never used! yes, I'm looking at you. :-D) and start creating.

These two cards were one at first. I had the image on the left and wanted to put the Reinker Spread flower on the same card, but it just didn't work. The styles were too different. So, it quickly became two cards. Unfortunately, I have need of both as sympathy cards. Guess it works that way.

Well, thanks for stopping by.

Blessings,
Julie