Anything But a Card Challenge 49- Anything Goes!!

Hello! I'm so glad you stopped by to visit today!  This month Anything But a Card Challenges has an open theme, so that means ANYTHING GOES! Well, almost anything-no cards please!!

I was in the mood for something inky and messy this time and my quotes journal was the perfect place to do it.  In my mind, I saw all of these muddy, grungy browns working together and while I had a momentary thought of chocolate, it was quickly replaced with coffee.  So I pulled out all of my browns and started smearing and sponging.  We have a small pickers style store in the town next to us and I found some wonderfully used office stamps one day.  You can see the 'special delivery' made it to this page.  I wanted something to represent coffee mug rings and a quick trip to my recycling bags gave me a milk jug cap. Perfect!

I've had the 'two cup day' sentiment for quite a while and thought it would go well with this super caffeinated page, so it finally saw some ink.  I also used the stamp set Perfect Blend (was so super bummed when this hit the retired list...) to make my cups and the rule the world sentiment.  There was this 'hole' in the top right corner of the page.  Hole is in accents because there was so much ink on this page it wasn't really a blank space, but seemed like it needed something more.  I found an old enamel sticker that would work, but when I put it on the page it was too shiny for such a earthy page.  So I pulled out the rock candy crackle paint and aged it a little bit.  Now there's another completed page in my journal, one that shares a bit about my favorite drink!

I truly hope you have been inspired to create something and share it with us!  We would love to see what you've been up to!  Thanks so much again, for visiting!  Have a marvelous week!

A 'latte' love for the perfect blend

Hello and welcome!  In keeping with the theme of today's card, I'm offering you a complimentary cup of cyber coffee and a magic muffin-it can be your favorite kind if you like!

This is not a typical anniversary card which is quite fitting since it is going to a very special couple!  Regulars of my blog will remember I worked with my sister on some wedding goodies for my nephew and his wife.  They were so easy going and fun to work with, and almost always had a coffee drink of some type in their hands.  No wonder we got along so well!  Their anniversary isn't until later this year, but the idea of a coffee themed card popped into my head and here I am completing a card well ahead of schedule! Yippee!!  The inside is a sentiment I made on the computer.  It says "to a perfect blend.  May you have a 'latte' more happy years together!"

I used my Blendabilities markers on this and really was happy with the results-not perfect but pretty good by my normal standards!  I used the rich razzleberry set since their wedding colors were purple and silver.  I dropped the silver and replaced it with coastal cabana since I didn't want it to be a total flashback to their wedding, not to mention that I really liked the colors together!

If you haven't made the leap to Blendabilities or the similar copics, I can tell you that they work so well for coloring images.  I love that the Blendabilities come in sets of three markers taking all of the guess work out of choosing colors for shading.  I am not very good at that!  The set of three also makes them an affordable option if you want to try out the alcohol based markers.

Well, we are preparing for the annual police/kids camp and I have to go grocery shopping for 20 hungry boys so I better get out of here and head to one of my least favorite places-Walmart.  Wish me luck and I hope you have a marvelous day! I'd like to 'espresso' my feelings and thank you a 'latte' for stopping by! OK... I'm done now!

A new meaning to Stamp Camp

Hello! I am so glad you stopped by today! I am finally sharing some NEW Stampin' UP items on my card for today!

This spring, we made the decision to upgrade from our ancient pop up camper to a larger pull behind type.  A friend of ours was selling his camper and the price was right, so we now own a not so new 5th wheel.  I love that it has a refrigerator, stove, microwave, and most importantly bathroom!  I am not a 'glamping' (glamour camping) type person, but I am also not a survivalist either!  We took our new to us camper for a test run the last week of June.  We had a great time sitting around the campfire, and made at least one meal a day over the flames.  I'm pretty sure that the light carpet in the camper will never be clean again, but DH has already said his goal is to rip it out and replace it with laminate flooring. Score!

So I'm sure you are wondering what in the world this has to do with stamping right?  Well, I have had my new Stampin' UP goodies sitting here waiting to be used and couldn't seem to find the time and mojo to use them.  So I packed them up and took them camping with me.  I had a pretty good idea of what I wanted to make and just brought the bare bones necessities along.  So on Wednesday when it started pouring down rain and everyone retreated into the camper, I pulled out my stamping supplies and got busy!  I'm thinking I may start a new trend... Stamp Camping...

As soon as I saw Perfect Blend in the new catalog, I knew I had to have it!  It is the perfect set for all of us Java Junkies!  In case you were wondering, the sentiment is made to look like this, not an artistic flair on my part!  I colored the cup sleeve with one of the new in color markers, crisp cantaloupe and then decided that it looked too bare.  I had already tried out the new clay and flower mold at home and on a whim tossed the molded flowers in with my supplies.  A little coloring with my markers and I had a coordinating flower that was just the right size for my cup!  If you look closely, you can see a stamp shadow at the top of the very vanilla layer... I really need to trim down this stamp a little, but didn't have my trusty snips along.  So I inked the heck out of the edges to blend in the ink from my 'oops'.  The DSP is retired, but the color and pattern worked so well with this!

I hope you enjoyed my camping card! Maybe next time you'll join me in stamp camping! Just don't forget the bug spray, marshmallows, and coffee!!  Have a wonderful day and happy crafting!

Card Recipe: Paper-very vanilla, soft suede, Comfort Cafe DSP (ret), Stamp Set-Perfect Blend, Ink-soft suede, early espresso (how perfect is this!), crisp canteloupe, baked brown sugar, Accessories-simply pressed clay, buttons and blossoms clay mold