You're Grrreeaattt!!

Remember the old Tony the Tiger commercials for Frosted Flakes cereal? I loved how he always closed the commercial saying, "They're Grrreatt!". I loved that cereal as a kid, and I still do!!! It's one of my comfort foods, along with my mom's chicken seaweed soup and rice balls... (I know, you are probably saying, eeewwww!). Growing up in an oriental family has been very interesting, to say the least.... :)

Well, getting back to the reason why I'm posting today, when I first saw this new stamp set, Under the Stars, in Stampin' Up's new Idea Book & Catalog - I knew that I had to get it on my first order, and I did. I really love each individual stamp in this set, but this bear has my heart!!! He is just TOO adorable! The "grrreat" sentiment is cute, too - it can be used in so many situations.... birthdays, graduations and congratulations just to name a few. Since my family also enjoys camping, well... that's the cherry on top, so I see some scrapbook pages coming along!

I made this trifold (or gatefold) card for today's Splitcoast Stamper's challenge - the assignment was to make a monochromatic card. These types of cards are very easy to put together... you stick to one color scheme throughout. I chose browns today. I'm actually partial to the Earth Elements colors, although I do love and appreciate all of the color families in Stampin' Up's collection. Well, let's get on to the details, shall we??



I cut 4 circles with creamy caramel, chocolate chip and close to cocoa cardstock with a circle cutter in order to layer the bear. I stamped him in basic black ink on creamy caramel and watercolored him with chocolate chip marker and an aquapainter. I stamped the bear's head again, watercolored, and trimmed it out. I stamped a couple of the skeeters on creamy caramel and cut them out. I scored my chocolate chip cardbase at 2 3/4 inches from each end and folded to create the trifold (another name is gatefold). I randomly stamped the stars and used a bleach pen/small paintbrush to lighten up the center of the stars and the bears tummy and face a bit. I glued the circles together and dotted around a couple of the circles with my chocolate chip marker. I glued the left half of the circle on the left panel of the chocolate chip cardbase. I poked 4 holes and threaded them with twine. I glued the skeeters on the twine "tails". I stamped the "grreeaatt!" sentiment and punched it out with the word window punch, securing a couple of brads and adhering with popdots. I finished by popping the bear's head with popdots to add a bit of dimension.

Thanks for "bearing" with me today... I hope you have a "grrreat" day! :)

Ladybug, Ladybug... where are you?

I've never done "inchie" cards before, so this was a new challenge for me. I used the ladybug from Very Punny and she fit perfectly in a 1 inch square! I used the back of a pen cap and ink to create the black polka dotted background. Polka dots are so hot right now - I see them everywhere. Here's a double-challenge for you today - create an "inchie" card, and incorporate something you have laying around the house in making your card.... have fun with it!!!

Newsprint Silhouette

I saved a couple of paper shopping bags from a local scrapbooking store because it had old fashioned type of newsprint on it. I always thought their paper bags were so pretty and "antiquey" (is that a word?? hee hee). The flower silhouette is from a new offering by Stampin' Up called "Inspired by Nature". It's large and bold and perfect for cards, scrapbook pages - you name it! I love to "distress sponge" on patterned paper, and this technique is an easy way to incorporate and transition the eye to the different layers on a card or scrapbook page. This card was created for a SCS challenge to use newsprint on a card. It was the first time that I tried it, and I like the effect! Try it out!