November 04, 2014

Happy Wonderful Christmas - CAS(E) this Sketch! #98

November 04, 2014/ Shannon Jaramillo

Greetings! Last Sunday I promised you more Christmas cards so here's another one! I had a lot of fun with this one, inspired by this clever sketch over at CAS(E) this Sketch:

I love it! They do such a great job with their sketches!

I knew my object had to be a tree, so I pulled out the Festival of Trees stamp set. It's so fun to be able to stamp the tree and then stamp all the bulbs on in a different color and so easy because the stamps are photopolymer (clear)!

I wanted a larger sentiment and love the look and feel of this sentiment from the Wondrous Wreath stamp set. The script in the middle is wondrous! lol

I needed some light random embellishments to place on my card. I thought and thought, and then thought some more. Then I thought of something I hadn't thought of before! (Sorry, couldn't help myself) Snowflakes! Yes! That's it! So I went through the catalog comparing the stamp set I own to the current sets, looking for snowflakes and I found them in the Mingle All the Way stamp set. They are the perfect size!

The snowflakes are mingled in with the sentiment so I pulled out my Stamp-A-Ma-Jig and my Stampin' Markers in Cherry Cobbler and Garden Green and went to work picking out just the snowflakes to ink up. I used the Stamp-A-Ma-Jig to see exactly where they should go. I think they turned out soooo pretty! I added just a bit of Dazzling Diamonds Stampin' Glitter to them and the little bit of shimmer catches the light just right!

I added a bit of Linen Thread to add a bit of substance to my tree and pulled out a pretty plaid pattern from the Trim the Tree DSP Stack. It has such a great variety in it!

That's it! Another clean and perhaps not-so-simple Christmas card! Thanks to the folks over at CAS(E) this Sketch for providing so much inspiration!

Thanks for stopping by!

October 21, 2014

Simple Christmas Wish - CAS(E) This Sketch #96

October 21, 2014/ Shannon Jaramillo

Hello there stampers! We are starting to get closer to Christmas...have you started your cards yet? No? Well then, here's an idea for a quick and fun Christmas card that would be easy to mass produce!

Simple Christmas Wish - CAS(E) This Sketch #96

What do you think? Two stamp sets and a touch of DSP and you are all set!

My inspiration for this card was the super-duper cute sketch this week over at CAS(E) This Sketch:

Isn't that a great sketch?

Design Notes:

Small details like the scallop edge can make a big difference
Using just a bit of Designer Series Paper can stretch your holiday dollars...you can make 16 of the same card with just one 12 x 12 sheet of Designer Series Paper!
Using one ink for all of the images saves time!
I used a Framlit for my sentiment but if you don't have one, no problem! Just substitute for a hand-trimmed square or perhaps a circle punch!
Add a bit of sparkle without the glitter mess with Wink of Stella

I'm working to have all my Christmas stash of cards and tags ready to go by Halloween...I better get on it!

Thanks so much for stopping by today, I truly appreciate your time!

September 30, 2014

Awesome Sauce! - CTS#94

September 30, 2014/ Shannon Jaramillo

Have you ever sent a "shouty" text or email? You know the kind, where the letters are all capitalized so the writer can emphasize their point? Well, I decided to do that with today's card...

I've been trying to come up with a card to go along with this fab sentiment from the Big News Stamp Set and I haven't had much inspiration. Finally, this weekend as I was staring at it again for the umpteenth time, I had the thought that it should be emphasized with a bright color and Rich Razzleberry popped into my head. That's a bit weird in itself as Rich Razzleberry is a color I rarely use. On the heels of that thought about the color was the realization that the Sweet Taffy Designer Series Paper has a pattern paper in Rich Razzleberry which, upon first viewing, I actually thought was obnoxiously loud...and PERFECT for a SHOUTY card!

And that's how this card was born :) I really, really love how it turned out. The recipient is truly going to know that I think they are AWESOME! The card really didn't need anything else, between the shouty paper and the shouty sentiment, you would think I had it covered. But no, I HAD to add a bit of sparkle in the form of Silver Glimmer paper :) lol. Lots of fun!

But I couldn't stop there...so I made another...

I changed it up a bit with a colored card base and by trimming the DSP ever so slightly. I also heat embossed the sentiment with Clear Embossing Powder after stamping in Rich Razzleberry to give it more depth. It's hard to photograph, but it's a neat effect.

So, which one do you prefer? I couldn't decide!

The inspiration for the layout of today's card was provided by this fun sketch over at CAS(E) this Sketch. I don't always get a chance to play along but they always have such fun and inspiring sketches!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Oh! And in case you were wondering, the paper that I used to line the envelope today is a retired pattern (plain) from the Brights Color Collection Backgrounds Designer Series paper Stacks. At the time I wondered why on earth they would give me a plain colored piece of DSP, now, over four years later, I know...to line envelopes with! Hooray!

August 23, 2014

Godspeed - CTS #89

August 23, 2014/ Shannon Jaramillo

I saw this challenge sketch from CAS(E) This Sketch and was immediately intrigued...

Sometimes my inspiration for a card is a piece of Designer Series Paper, or perhaps Washi Tape, sometimes a color scheme, sometimes a stamp set. I just randomly move around my craft space looking at things until I feel that spark. After pondering the sketch throughout my day, I came home and started perusing my recent stamp set purchases. I pulled out this one, then that one, feeling little sparks, when my hands came across the For Your Country stamp set. I glanced at the images and that spark hit me...actually today it was more like a lightening bolt...and I saw the completed card quite clearly in my mind.

This is what I saw:

What do you think? I think this one image, one word, combined with the color scheme, really send a powerful message. Honestly, as simple as this card is, it's complete. And so it stands, a prayer for the safe return of our loved ones.

The colors I chose for this project are Sahara Sand, Basic Black, Early Expresso and Mossy Meadow. I heat embossed both the image and the sentiment with Black Embossing Powder. I used Stampin' Dimensionals to pop the image layer off off the card base and then then sentiment as well. Both provide depth and give interest to this quite clean and simple card.

If you are so moved, I would encourage you to visit the Operation Write Home website and see if there is anything you can do to send our service members some love from home. Thank you and a very heartfelt thank you to every one who has served, or loves someone who has/is serving. Godspeed to All.