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
Yahoo! I had time to play in my stamp room again today. For today's inspiration, I took my upline, Sharon's, challenge to use the emboss resist technique. How long since you've resisted? And then I had to make one of those fun ribbon roses that have been so hot over the last few weeks. And then last week's technique challenge 66 from Stampin' Addicts was ribbon weaving. Put it all together and this is what I came up with. Oh, and it also fits in with last week's sketch challenge 67 from Stampin' Addicts. So now I'm quite caught up with my challenges and it's time to put away the folded laundry. 
I just love this stamp set Inspired By Nature! It's so simple to use. Makes for a quick and easy card. This Thank You card was made with my Creamy Caramel, Perfect Plum (the color of my living room and dining room), and Old Olive SU markers. I stamped on Naturals White and used the stamping off technique for the grass to appear as a background. The sky was sponged with Bashful Blue. The trick to a light colored sky is to ink your sponge, sponge off on a scrap paper, and then sponge your sky. Works like a charm! The sentiment is from Upsy Daisy, punched out with the Modern Label Punch and matted with the Movers & Shapers Modern Label Die. Two gold brads and a couple of dimensionals to adhere the sentiment and we're done! 
Here is a card that we made at the last workshop. The Upsy Daisy flowers are stamped in VersaMark after rubbing the Baja Breeze cardstock with the Embossing Buddy. (Now that's a really necessary part of a beautifully embossed project!) After stamping the image, we sprinkled white embossing powder on it, heated it up and then sponged the edges of the cardstock to provide some additional dimension. We stamped "Celebrate" in Baja Breeze here, but decided to emboss the word in white at the workshop. We also sponged the edges of the Ski Slope Designer Paper.
