NC Demos Hop – Double the Painted Pumpkins!

It’s the last Sunday of the month, which means it’s time to hop with my NC Demos group. You might have already stopped by the talented Frances Wagner and her blog, but if you are just popping in with me first, this month we have been to make two projects that uses the same card layout.

Card Sketches for Inspiration

Our challenge this month was to create one card layout and then use it to make two totally different cards. Note: We were supposed to use completely different stamps and the same layout. I misunderstood the assignment – whoops! 😂 Instead, I used the same suite of products from the Painted Patch Suite and the same card layout for inspiration to make two completely different cards. Alas…I think my projects achieve a similar goal. To me, card sketches are the way to start when you are creatively stumped. You can either do what I did and choose a suite of products and a card sketch and slightly alter the sketch or layout for a different look, OR you can use the same exact card sketch and different product.

So how do you get started? My go-to place for card layouts is the Staminp’ Up! website or catalog. Or, I’ll head over to Pinterest and take a look at what pops in my feed there and choose a card to CASE. You could also search on Pinterest for card sketches too! This morning, I logged into Pinterest and this card was the very first in my feed (card credit: Stamp It Up with Jamie) – done and done!

Screenshot

Product Choice

I knew I wanted to use the Painted Patch Suite (I love love love love love this suite…like a LOT) and wanted to use a combination of the products to show them off. Let’s take a look at the suite first:

This suite is chock full of goodies: stamps, dies, DSP, MASKS, dots, and ribbon. As always, I was sold when I saw the DSP…it is so whimsy and fun and I LOVE the color combination:

Who would think this color combination would work? Well, it does, and I love it. Let’s take a look a closer look at the Painted Patch DSP:

So much fun. The third sheet from the left on the top works well with the dies – which is what I used for my projects. Gosh, enough already, Kelly, get to the good stuff. Are you ready to see?

Let’s take a look!

Here are my two projects together:

Let’s take a closer look (and scroll up again if you already forgot what the card sketch I’m CASEing looks like, because I have – ha!)

Card 1:

Closest to the original – decorative background, white arch, greeting at the top, images at the bottom:

The background uses the vine stencil from the Masks set. The pumpkins were cut out with DSP.

Card 2:

I used the Rustic Check 3D Embossing folder for the background, same layout with the greeting at the top and images at the bottom, but instead of an arch layer, I decided to use the arched fence die to achieve that look:

What do you think? Which is your favorite? And, will you give card sketches a try!?

Now, let’s see what the others have done with today’s challenge. Visit the roll call below, or click the next arrow below to head over to Tina Lesson’s Blog:

Happy Stamping! Kelly

Roll Call

Tina Lesson
Toni Campana
Tracie Evans Langley – the Sassy Stamper
Frances Wagner
Kelly Taranto – The Late Night Stamper

Stamping INKspirations – Tic Tac Toe

Today I’m hopping with the Stampin INKspirations group. This month’s challenge for this group is a Tic Tac Toe challenge. As always with a Blog Hop, be sure to hop along with us by checking out the Roll Call at the bottom of this post so you can carry through and see the other creations of my talented stamping friends.

First, let’s take a look at the Tic Tac Toe board:

I chose the middle row: Green, Shine, Twine and am using the Stitched Stocking Bundle along with the Timeless Metallic 12 x 12 specialty DSP and the Multicolor Christmas Baker’s Twine. Let’s take a look:

Here’s a different angle:

The greeting is from Holly Jolly Branches stamp set.

Now let’s see what my crafty friends picked for their Tic Tac Toe project. Click the next button below to follow along to the fabulous Annette Ball’s blog, or follow along the hop using the Roll Call below to see all of my stamping friends’ creations!

Happy stamping! Kelly

Roll Call:

Leonie Stuart
Karen Henderson
Kelly Taranto You are here!
Annette Ball
Mo Rootes

NC Demos Hop – Shimmer-y Christmas

It’s the last Sunday of the month, which means it’s time to hop with my NC Demos group. You might have already stopped by the talented Toni Campana and her blog, but if you are just popping in with me first, this month we have been to make a project that shimmer and shines!

I have pre-purchased a few products from the upcoming new catalog that launches on September 1st in just a few days. I ordered the Timeless Christmas Suite as well as an adorable bundle called Holly Jolly Branches and decided to pair them together for a shimmery shiny Christmas card.

The Timeless Christmas Suite comes with this gorgeously shiny Timeless Metallic Specialty paper. WOW! The photos are not going to do it justice. Let’s try another angle:

“Sending Joy Always” is such a great holiday greeting — because shouldn’t we send joy all the time, not just at Christmas?

Okay, so I got back to my craft desk and saw the negative of the gold scallop rectangle and decided not to just throw it away, but instead to make another card with the Timeless Christmas Suite and this allowed me to feature the DSP in the Suite.

Isn’t this great!? I LOVE LOVE LOVE the tiny little holly berry embellishments (look closely at the corners of the striped tag).

Now, let’s see what the others have done with today’s shimmery challenge. Visit the roll call below, or click the next arrow below to head over to Tina Lesson’s Blog:

Happy Stamping! Kelly

Roll Call

Tina Lesson-
Frances Wagner
Tonya Bowers 
Tracie Evans Langley – the Sassy Stamper
Toni Campana
Kelly Taranto – The Late Night Stamper

NC Demos Hop – Sweet Jar Craft Challenge

It’s the last Sunday of the month, which means it’s time to hop with my NC Demos group. You might have already stopped by the talented Tracie Langley and her blog, but if you are just popping in with me first, this month we have been challenged by the dice! Tracie, our hostest with the mostest rolled the crafty-dice and what popped up was: Punches (✅), Paper Piecing (✅), DSP, Foil, Specialty Paper, etc (✅). Our color palette should include colors from the Regals collection (WHOOPS – more on that later) and our project theme should be Congratulations (✅).

I’m always up for a crafty-challenge — especially because it forces you to go to your stash and dig in and get creative. That said, this one was really really hard! Let’s take a look at what I came up with:

Challenge – ALMOST – complete. I completely missed the part about the Regals. WHOOPS! So sorry to my fellow hoppers, and if I had more time to make another card, I would. Alas…this card could easily be made in Regals…use your imagination!

Let’s take a closer look at the paper piecing part:

Products used can be found below!

Now, let’s see what the others have done with today’s dice challenge — and hopefully they had green checks on all the categories. Visit the roll call below, or click the next arrow below to head over to Tina Lesson’s Blog:

Happy Stamping! Kelly

Roll Call

Tina Lesson
Frances Wagner
Tracie Evans Langley – the Sassy Stamper
Kelly Taranto – The Late Night Stamper You are here!

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Stamping INKspirations – Christmas in July

Today I’m hopping with the Stampin INKspirations group. This month’s challenge for this group is Christmas in July and we were given two options: traditional Christmas colors or a “warm” Christmas. Hard to choose, so I have done both… As always with a Blog Hop, be sure to hop along with us by checking out the Roll Call at the bottom of this post so you can carry through and see the other creations of my talented stamping friends.

For both of my projects, I’m using the new Stitched Christmas suite of products. Before we look at the color swatches and close-up of my projects, let’s take a look at my two cards:

Here’s a look at the Stitched Christmas Suite Collection:

Oh my, there are MANY options and creative ways to use this suite of products. Let’s first look at the project using traditional Christmas colors. Here’s the Christmas color board we were given to use:

Traditional Christmas Inspiration Board
Cherry Cobbler | Real Red | Garden Green | Shaded Spruce | Crumb Cake
Here’s my Project 1:

For this project, really, the DSP is doing all the work to make a Christmas quilt. I added a label with a greeting, and die cut holly leaves and berries. I also added Crumb Cake Twine.

The 2nd option for our Christmas in July is a warm weather option:

Warm Weather Vibes Inspiration Board
Poppy Parade | Pumpkin Pie | Daffodil Delight | Azure Afternoon | Gray Granite
Project 2:

For this project, I used the colors from the color board and used the stamps and dies to make this warm weather Christmas quilt. Note: this “quilt square” is called a Simplex Star.

Now let’s see what my crafty friends pick for their project and this Christmas in July color challenge. Click the next button below to follow along to the fabulous Angie McKenzie’s blog, or follow along the hop using the Roll Call below to see all of my stamping friends’ creations!

Happy stamping! Kelly

Roll Call:

Leonie Stuart
Marga Bultena
Mo Rootes
Teri West
Jan Musselman
Rachael Merrick
Kelly Taranto You are here!
Angie McKenzie

NC Demos Hop – Let’s Celebrate Summer

It’s the last Sunday of the month, which means it’s time to hop with my NC Demos group. You might have already stopped by the talented Frances Wagner and her blog, but if you are just popping in with me first, this month we are celebrating summer – which is fitting since it has been HOT in Eastern NC. We are desperate for rain.

I ordered the new Rolling Waves beach bundle but it hasn’t arrived yet. So I had to get a little creative. Have you heard of the new craze called Summerween? It’s an unofficial thing, but it combines all-things summer with Halloween. Google it – it’s super fun! So, I decided to use a new product that’s launches in the next Online Exclusives release that happens on Wednesday, July 1st! It’s called Oh My Fright:

This bundle is part of a new suite collection called Frightfully Fun. Be sure to shop my Online Store July 1st to get these items!

To create cute little Summerween scenes, I combined this bundle with the Broadwalk Fun bundle (the Boardwalk Fun Dies are still available), Beach Boardwalk DSP, and Beach Boardwalk Puffy stickers. Take a look:

And then, I was reminded of a children’s book I used to read to my boys called “Bats at the Beach” and made this card:

Aren’t these so fun? I think Summerween is a hoot, and hope you like my take on Summer Fun.

Now, let’s see what the others have done with the Summer Fun theme. Visit the roll call below, or click the next arrow below to head over to Amanda Rhodes’s Blog:

Happy Stamping! Kelly

Roll Call

Tina Lesson
Toni Campana
Tracie Evans Langley – the Sassy Stamper
Frances Wagner
Kelly Taranto – The Late Night Stamper You are here!
Amanda Rhodes

Stamping INKspirations – Tic Tac Toe

Today I’m hopping with a new group called Stampin INKspirations. This group has a few members that I hop with in my monthly Around the World on Wednesday group and that I hop with over on Instagram. Thanks for the invite ladies! This month’s challenge for this group is Tic Tac Toe. We were challenged to use a Tic Tac Toe board, and choose a row (vertical, horizontal, diagonal, or the whole board!) As always with a Blog Hop, be sure to hop along with us by checking out the Roll Call at the bottom of this post so you can carry through and see the other creations of my talented stamping friends.

Tic Toe Toe Board

I’m choosing the middle vertical: BLUE, GLITTER, and WAX.

Here’s My Project:

I’m using all Stampin’ Up! products from my stash. Cake Fancy is the name of the stamp set I used, along with retired blue designer series papers and a vanilla embossed piece and gold label from an old card kit called Boho Indigo (BLUE). I stamped the cake in a variety of blue inks (and a few browns to make the cake part). Blue candles (WAX), and gold embossing powder for the flame with orange and yellow glitter to make the flame pop (GLITTER).

Here’s a close-up of our three Tic Tac Toe words:

Now let’s see what my crafty friends pick for their project and this Tic Tac Toe challenge. Click the next button below to follow along to the fabulous Angie McKenzie’s blog, or follow along the hop using the Roll Call below to see all of my stamping friends’ creations!

Happy stamping! Kelly

Roll Call:

Leonie Stuart
Mo Rootes
Jan Musselman
Karen Henderson
Kelly Taranto You are here!
Angie McKenzie

AWOW – Playing with Sand

The Around the World on Wednesday (AWOW) team and I are hopping today — here on our blogs, and on Instagram. Before I go on, let me first introduce the AWOW Team–here’s who we are and where we are in the world:

This month’s theme is “Playing with Sand” and interpretation was left to each of us. I don’t have any crafting sand, nor do I have any of the new (and adorable!) beach-related products from Stampin’ Up! so I chose to feature the sanding technique. And, the best way to showcase this technique? Is by using a 3D embossing folder on Stampin’ Up’s two-toned cardstock. This cardstock is perfect for this technique because it has a white core rather than a fully colored core. Emboss your cardstock piece, and then rub with a sanding block, and watch the embossing folder design pop in white!

For my main project, I’m using product from the Moonlit Flora Suite Collection. Let’s take a look at this sanded panel in action!

And, here’s a close-up of the sanding:

It’s so pretty!

Now, let’s take a look at another design using the Sunflower 3D embossing folder:

Isn’t this a fun technique? I will say, I didn’t think I needed two-tone cardstock in my life, but there are a few techniques you can do with it, and this is a WOW.

What do you think? Oh! And both projects use my favorite new color right now: Golden Glow.

Now let’s see what my friends around the world did with this challenge. Click the next button below to follow along to the fabulous Chris Smith’s blog, or follow along the hop using the Roll Call Below. (And, my Moonlit Flora card is inspired by Chris — I love how she offsets layers on DSP.)

Happy stamping! Kelly

Roll Call

Leonie Stuart – AU

Rochelle Laird-Smith – AU

Kelly Taranto – US You are here!

Chris Smith – US

Bree Renwick – US

Lori Willcox – CA

Cheryl Hamilton – US

Stamping With Friends – New Products

Today I’m hopping with my Stamping With Friends group and our challenge is “Blogger’s Choice.” Now that I’m back in my craft room, I’ve been playing with the new products offered by Stampin’ Up! paired with unique folds, easy wow ideas, etc that I’m finding online. I thought this would be perfect time to showcase new May Catalog and May Online Exclusive products using a fun fold I saw on Facebook (sorry, I don’t remember the original poster to give credit). As always with a Blog Hop, be sure to hop along with us by checking out the Roll Call at the bottom of this post so you can carry through and see the other creations of my talented stamping friends.

Project 1: Features Silly Old Bear Collection
Front
Inside – Opened
Project 2: Features the Homemade Sweetness Suite Collection
Front
Inside – Opened Card
Project 3: Features the Bloom Boutique Suite Collection
Outside – Card Front
Card Opened – Inside

Directions

This card is so easy to make:

  1. Cut a card base that measures 5 1/2 x 8 1/2. Score on the long side at 4 1/4″ and 7 1/4″. On the 1 1/4″ scored panel, measure 1 1/2″ from the top and the bottom, and you’ll cut out those ends to make a center tab. See diagrams above.
  2. Fold the card in half at the 4 1/4″ score line. Then, fold the 1 1/4″ flap back onto the card front. You will adhere whatever shape you are using on the card front (for Projects 1 and 3 I used the Sweet Label shape, Project 2, I used a rectangle. — see photos below for a closer look.)
  3. Decorate! Note: whatever you put on the inside of the card, make sure it sits within your shaped label / layer from the font.

Note: the Misty Moonlight rectangle is attached to the Coral Card base tab using dimensionals, but you don’t have to!

Now let’s see what my friends pick for their Blogger’s Choice this month. Be sure to click through the Roll Call below to see all of my stamping friends’ creations!

Happy stamping! Kelly

Roll Call:

NC Demos Hop – New Product Sketch Challenge

It’s hard to believe my last post on this site was in early April. It has been a very very busy spring — the busiest ever! I will eventually share more, but for today, it’s the last Sunday of the month, which means it’s time to hop with my NC Demos group. Yup, I’m back! You might have already stopped by the talented Laurie Meier and her blog, but if you are just popping in with me first, our theme this month is all about showcasing new products all using the same sketch for inspiration.

For my projects today, I decided to use the new Sweet Old Friends bundle and DSP (these products are from the Silly Old Bear Suite). I wouldn’t call myself a Winnie the Pooh person…but I am LOVING this suite of products. It is darling. I first just purchased the Silly Old Bear DSP and the Sweet Words & Labels Bundle. Take a look:

And then, I loved it all so much, I decided to order the Sweet Old Friends Bundle too:

Oh, and I’m so glad I did. The dies cut out a boatload of the images from the DSP — isn’t that the best when that happens!? Time to order more DSP for sure.

Okay, enough already! Let’s look at my projects:

SQUEAL!!! I love these cards to much. I also am loving the new in-colors. While I’m always a little sad to say good-bye to old in-colors (especially like Petunia Pop!) I’m in love with these soft colors. Golden Glow and Hydrangea Hue are my favorite at the moment.

Let’s take a closer look. First, the sketch we were supposed to use is above, and here it is again:

Here’s the first card I made — just using the sketch as a guide / not taking it very literally:

CARD #1

All of these images were die cut from the DSP — the background is DSP, the sign and stump are from the dies, and the label and greeting are from Sweet Words & Labels bundle.

Then, I decided to use the sketch more literally:

Card #2

I love this greeting, and Pooh and Piglet walking together is adorable.

I’m curious to hear which is your favorite. Card #1 or Card #2?

Now, let’s see what the others have done showcasing new products with this same sketch. Visit the roll call below, or click the next arrow below to head over to Frances Wagner’s Blog:

Happy Stamping! Kelly

Roll Call

Tina Lesson 
Toni Campana 
Tracie Evans Langley -the Sassy Stamper 
Laurie Meier 
Kelly Taranto -the Late Night Stamper – You are here!
Frances Wagner 
Amanda Rhodes