I received this image from Friends Rock as part of the recent Pretty Pals image swap. Kris Kilcoyne of Kween Bee Kreations was the Pal responsible for this particular set, and she did a great job of stamping it. Of course, now that I have used it, I want it! As a high school teacher, I think that I could get a lot of use from it stamping up motivational cards for my students! This particular card will be given to my son, Brady, as he leaves for college in a few weeks. Since he is a trumpet performance major with an emphasis on classical music, I added the “In a Classical Way” to personalize it. I know that it looks a little feminine, but I wanted some wilder paper for it. Well, you have seen the cards that I create. I really do not own any paper that is too wild except for the Kaleidoscope Designer Paper. And, I probably would not have purchased it if my friend Krista had not pointed out that this was the only new release paper that I had not added to my collection. (You know me and my Designer Paper addiction!) The added bling can be attributed to my mentor, Mary Fish. Mary’s Pals Paper Arts inspiration card for this week’s sketch challenge featured this image with Circle Fire Brads. So thank you Kris, Krista, and Mary! If not for you three, I would not have been able to create this card which is so different from what I usually create. But you know what…I still got to use my beloved Blender Pens!

• Prepare a 5-1/2″ x 5-1/2″ card base from textured Whisper White.
• Stamp the “You Rock” image from Friends Rock with Basic Black and stamp onto Whisper White. Color using Blender Pens and the following inks: Pink Passion and Tempting Turquoise. Accent the “O” in Rock and the exclamation point with Pumpkin Circle Fire Brads.
• Mat onto Basic Black, followed by Tempting Turquoise.
• Select the “Only Orange Floral” pattern paper from the Kaleidoscope Designer Series Paper collection. Layer this onto Tempting Turquoise, and add a snippet of Basic Black 5/8″ Grosgrain Ribbon. Adhere to the card base.
• “In a Classical Way” was printed in Black onto Whisper White card stock and matted with Basic Black followed by Tempting Turquoise. I used 22 point Scrap Twirly font.
• Position and adhere the image and sentiment mats.

I love this card! The nice thing about image swaps is that they are like test-driving a car! Would I have purchased this stamp set just by looking at it in the catalog? No. Will I buy it after creating this card? Yes!

Remember to participate in the Pals Paper Arts sketch challenge this week! You have until Noon Tuesday (CST) before Mr. Linky closes. Who knows? You could be one of this week’s Pals Paper Arts “Artist Picks”! So far I have viewed everyone’s cards. Let me tell you…there are many talented card makers who are playing at the PPA!

Remember to leave me a comment before you go! They are important to me, and I read each and every one of them. And, if you have a question, don’t hesitate to ask! My email button is located on the right sidebar. Until next time…

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Stamp Set: Friends Rock (113816)
Inks: Basic Black (101179), Pink Passion (101212), Tempting Turquoise (100814)
Designer Series Paper: Kaleidoscope (115680)
Card Stock: Whisper White (100730), Whisper White textured (108693), Basic Black (102851), Tempting Turquoise (102067)
Tools: Blender Pens (102845)
Embellishments: Circle Fire Brads (109110), Basic Black 5/8” Grosgrain Ribbon (115605)

This gorgeous image is from the new Gifts of the Earth stamp set, which is available beginning September 1st. The four image set also includes a realistic turkey, as well as a crockery bowl filled with apples. As a collector of crocks, I knew I “needed” this set! The image that I used for today’s card reminds me of fall on the farm when I was growing up. However, I did take artistic liberties and transform the squash into an eggplant, simply because the color looked better than a typical pale squash color! The “fall” colors have me longing for cooler days and apple cider! As an added bonus, this card also fits the wonderful harvest inspiration challenge over at Our Creative Corner. Having said that, I would like to share the “Gifts of the Earth” with you! Prepare a 5-1/2″ x 5-1/2″ card base from More Mustard.

• Select the Always Artichoke “Vine” pattern from Autumn Traditions Designer Series Paper, and punch the bottom with the Eyelet Border Punch. Add a snippet of Dusty Durango Polka Dot Grosgrain Ribbon, solid side showing. Layer onto the card base.
• Ink the “Pumpkin” image from Gifts of the Earth with Basic Brown and stamp onto Very Vanilla. Color using Blender Pens and the following inks: Really Rust (pumpkin, bird); Pumpkin Pie (pumpkin); Old Olive (pumpkin leaf); Close to Cocoa (pumpkin stem, acorn tops, rope on straw, center of sunflower); Creamy Caramel (straw, bottom of acorns, squash stem); Ruby Red (apples); Summer Sun (sunflower, apple highlights); Elegant Eggplant (squash); Garden Green (grass); Bordering Blue (can)
• Mat the image onto Really Rust, followed by More Mustard.
• Zip a piece of Always Artichoke through the Big Shot along with the Small Dots Texturz Plate. Layer this onto More Mustard. Position and adhere the image mat onto the Always Artichoke.
• Add a vertical snippet of Dusty Durango Polka-Dot Grosgrain Ribbon, solid side up, beside the image mat. Add three Chocolate Chip Button Latte Buttons which have been threaded with Linen Thread.
• Ink the “Grateful” sentiment from Falling Leaves with Chocolate Chip and stamp onto Very Vanilla. Punch out with the Modern Label Punch, and ink the edge using a Sponge Dauber and Close to Cocoa ink. (Tip: I selected Close to Cocoa, as it is softer than Chocolate Chip, and blends with the Basic Brown of the image.) Layer this onto a textured Chocolate Chip oval, which has been punched with the Large Oval Punch.

Stamp Sets: Gifts of the Earth (116501), Falling Leaves (115368)
Inks: Basic Brown (104315), Creamy Caramel (103220), Sahara Sand (105208), Close to Cocoa (103139), Chocolate Chip (100908), Pumpkin Pie (105216), Really Rust (102549), Old Olive (102277), Garden Green (102272), Summer Sun (100537), Bordering Blue (102265)
Designer Series Paper: Autumn Traditions (115668)
Card Stock: More Mustard (100946), Always Artichoke (105119), Really Rust (100661), Very Vanilla (101650), Chocolate Chip textured (108697—Earth Elements Assorted)
Tools: Large Oval Punch (107305), Modern Label Punch (116630), Eyelet Border Punch (113692), Big Shot (113439), Standard Texturz Silicone Rubber (114615), Standard Texturz Impressions Pad (114614), Stampin’ Up Backgrounds 1 (114512)
Embellishments: Dusty Durango Polka-Dot Grosgrain Ribbon (115609), Linen Thread (104199), Button Latte Collection (114333)

From the moment I unpacked it, I knew that the Autumn Splendor stamp set would be the first set I would ink up from my Holiday Mini pre-order. Since the Oak Leaf image was made to curl perfectly within a circle, it only seemed fitting to get my mojo on a second time this week and use the Mojo 98 sketch. Distressing was called for in order to mute some of the brighter colors, and a little jute completes the “natural” look. Autumn Meadows Designer Series Paper is the perfect partner for this set. So settle back in your comfy chair and enjoy the Splendor of an Autumn Meadow!

• Prepare a standard card base from textured Really Rust and score at the top. Layer with More Mustard.
• Using the Circle Scissors Plus and Glass Mat, prepare a 2-3/4″ circle from Very Vanilla. Load a Taken with Teal Stampin’ Write Marker into the Color Spritzer Tool and spritz away! (Tip: Practice on scratch paper first in order to perfect the technique.) Ink the Oak Leaf image with Basic Brown and stamp onto the spritzed circle. (Tip: You will need to use the Stamp-a-ma-jig for perfect placement.) Using Blender Pens and the following inks, color the leaf: Creamy Caramel, More Mustard, Really Rust, Pumpkin Pie, and Chocolate Chip. Distress the edges using a Sponge Dauber and Chocolate Chip ink.
• Layer the image onto a scalloped circle which was created from Taken with Teal using the Big Shot and Scallop Circle Nestabilities. Mat this onto textured More Mustard followed by Really Rust.
• Using Stampin’ Dimensionals, “pop” the above layers onto the “Brown Leaves” pattern from Autumn Meadows Designer Series Paper, which has had its corners punched with the Ticket Corner Punch. This is then layered onto Taken with Teal, which has had its edges distressed with Chocolate Chip.
• Layer all of this onto “Very Vanilla/Taken with Teal Faux Wood” from Autumn Meadows Designer Series Paper. Add a snippet of Tempting Turquoise 1/4″ Grosgrain Ribbon, knotted and tied off with jute. (Tip: To tone down the Taken with Teal, sponge it lightly with the Sponge Dauber and Chocolate Chip ink.)
• Add a Chocolate Chip Corduroy Button, through which a sliver of Really Rust card stock had been threaded.
• Ink the “Acorn” image from Autumn Splendor with Basic Brown and stamp onto Very Vanilla. Spritz with Taken with Teal as outlined above. Color the acorns using Blender Pens and Close to Cocoa and Creamy Caramel inks. (Mmmm…Cocoa and Caramel!) Distress the edges by using a Sponge Dauber and Chocolate Chip ink.
• Punch the colored image out using the 1-1/4″ Circle Punch. Layer onto a Taken with Teal scalloped circle, which was cut using Big Shot and Nestabilities. Distress the edges of the Taken with Teal with Chocolate Chip. Position and adhere to the Oak Leaf with Stampin’ Dimensionals.

Stamp Set: Autumn Splendor (116503—Available September 1)
Inks: Basic Brown (104315), Chocolate Chip (100908), Close to Cocoa (103139), Creamy Caramel (103220), Really Rust (102549), More Mustard (103162), Pumpkin Pie (105216), Taken with Teal Stampin’ Write Marker (100068)
Designer Series Paper: Autumn Meadows Designer Series Paper (116769—Available September 1)
Cardstock: Very Vanilla (101650), Taken with Teal textured (108696—Rich Regals Assorted), More Mustard textured (108697—Earth Elements Assorted), More Mustard (100946), Really Rust textured (108697—Earth Elements Assorted), Really Rust (100661)
Tools: Corner Rounder (109047), Ticket Corner Punch (107214), 1-1/4” Circle Punch (104403), Circle Scissors Plus (112530), Glass Mat (112531), Big Shot (113439), Nestabilities (Non-Stampin’ Up!), Color Spritzer Tool (107066), Sponge Dauber (102892), Stampin’ Dimensionals (104430), Stamp-a-ma-jig (101049)
Embellishments: Tempting Turquoise ¼” Grosgrain Ribbon (109038), Chocolate Chip Corduroy Button (114339), Jute (Non-Stampin’ Up!)