You're Better Than Ice Cream...

I made this particular card today for the MFT Guest Designer Challenge (MFGD12). The challenge asked participants to use watercoloring. This was actually quite the challenge for me since I am a not a super star when it comes to watercolors. But, I decided to play anyway using SU re-inkers. I believe I used Pumpkin Pie, Purely Pomegranate, Old Olive, Soft Sky, Always Artichoke, Taken with Teal and Violet.

To add some sparkle I utilized some Adirondack Acrylic paint for the carpet and the ice cream. If you have never played with them, you really must try them. I think they cost like 3$ per color and you get a whole lot of it.

I really had a lot of fun with this challenge!

Happy Stamping!
Elyssa

Go Green/Clear LPS Challenge

The environment is an important topic for me and in this election year I find it is being brought up quite a bit. I think it is important to try to consciously make a difference in your daily routine to be more 'green'. From using recyclable bags at the grocery store to driving less, there are truly a plethora of ways to try to be more eco-friendly.

As many of you know, the Little Paper Store set 'Peace' was in part inspired by yours truly. So when Julia challenged us to make something with the something 'clear' I thought about this bottle. Now I know she probably had in mind stamping on acetate, but I decided to make this challenge about my Nalgene.

For those of you who don't know, Nalgenes are reusable travel bottles which are BPA-free. They are light-weight and easy to grab and go with. They come in a ton of colors and shapes, but most importantly they enable you to consume less plastic. Rather than grabbing a water bottle to go, I simply fill her up at the faucet.

I made a cute little tag to adorn my nalgene with a CLEAR (just in case you thought my use of a bottle for the theme was too much of a stretch LOL) tag. I stamped the tree from 'Peace' in chocolate chip/garden green, then I stamped the peace sign in soft sky and finished it off with the sentiment 'Go Green'.

Happy Stamping!!!
Ely

Little Paper Shop Challenge Time!!!

Thank you everyone for the wonderful response to my tutorial AND a HUGEEE hello to all my new subscribers! So glad to have you here!

The 15th of every month is a really creative time for the members of Little Paper Shop's Design Team, because it is challenge day! Each month a different designer gets to challenge the other team members to get innovative with a set of constraints. This month the fabulous Sarah Green challenge us to make a 5 1/2 x 5 1/2 card with two colors and a neutral (mine being pink and taken with teal), then came the major constraint: to use only a sentiment stamp! I stretched it a little bit to bring you this SNEAK PEAK of one of the August Releases!!!!! I am head over heels about this mini set, it is just so classic!

PLEASE take the time to visit my fanastic teammates' creations at their blogs:

• Kelly's Crafting Creatively
• Dawn's Treasure Oiler Designz
• Silke's My Life
• Cindy Haffner's Corner
• Sarah's The Scrapbook Table
• Bonnie's The Lucky Clucker
• Ellie's Scrapbook Mama
• Renee's Stamping For Sanity
• Laura's Scrapnextras

Happy Stamping!
Elyssa

Impression Obsession DTGD08Jody

Jody's challenge to fan club members was to let ribbon inspire the card. I am, hmmmm how should I say this lightly, an, um, ribbon admirer. I hoard ribbon like its my job. I LOVEEEEE bright colors and my ribbon collection reflects that. For this particular card I was inspired by bright orange Offray ribbon. It is just SOOOO yummy and bright.

To go with the orange theme I grabbed one of my new Impression Obsession stamps. How awesome are the new divided line stamps from IO? They are just so gorgeous when they are colored with copics (I used YR04, YR09, BG10, BG13 and E00). The Taken with Teal mat was rolled over with the SU Wheel, Spotted. The base is So Saffron.

All in all I think the ribbon really sets the fun mood.

Hope you enjoyed it!

Elyssa

PS.

The FABULOUS new stamps from Little Paper Shop are now for sale! As an added bonus the phenomenal Julia is offering 1$ shipping for all US and Canadian orders.

Kwerner Color Challenge #15

I totally forgot the Kwerner Color Challenge was due today, so you get two entries in one day!! I had a rough time with this combo as it looked so much better on her website then I could make it look. I tried. I am at peace with it (LOL), I think. The deets are below!

Elyssa

Stamps: Thomas Kinkade 'Make a Wish', 'All Occasions' by Little Paper Shop I
nk: Chocolate Chip Paper: Certainly Celery, Really Rust, Close to Cocoa and Whisper White
Accesories: Inksentials White Gel Pen

A Little Note...CC117

I'm not always a realistic stamp purchaser. I buy stamps that require intensive amounts of coloring times without thinking about it. This has been the case with Thomas Kinkade stamps and many House Mouse Stamps. This particular card involves an overzealous stamp purchase.

Y'all know I am a sucker for House Mouse Designs and when my lss had that 40% sale, I went HM nuts. This stamp is huge weighing in at around 5x4, when the average card is 4.25x5.5. I finally decided to conquer this purchase yesterday when I saw the Color Challenge 117 which called for Ruby Red, Certainly Celery and Elegant Eggplant. I think it works really well for this card!! What do you think?

Elyssa

Stamps: House Mouse, Karen G
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Elegant Eggplant (SU)
Copics: R14, R27, R29, BV000, BV08, Y13, BG10, B01, R20, E31, E33, C1, C3, W1, W3, YR31, YG91, G21, G24

LPS Challenge #1

Renee presented the first Little Paper Shop Design Team Challenge to the team a couple of weeks ago. I am totally excited to be able to show my version to y'all today! I have been waiting to show you this beauty for some time now and I really hope you like it.

The challenge rules were:
- use only 2 colors (any two plus one neutral if desired)
- use one May release stamp set
- no ribbon!

We really want you stampers in the blogosphere to play along, so if you choose to make a card and upload it to SCS please use the code LPSDTC01.

I knew right away that I wanted to use the LPS set 'Jungle Fun' for a belated birthday card. The sentiment from the set 'Life is a Zoo' expressed my reasoning behind the lack of timeliness of this card. But, I think the cuteness of this lion will just melt the heart of the recipient to the point that they may just have to forgive me!

I always have a lot of fun with challenges because I find that they really stretch my imagination. For instance, keeping this card with just So Saffron and two tones of 'Sand' made a really cool almost monotone card.

I used So Saffron for the base (but I guess you could have deduced that, silly me!). I inked up my retired SU! Background, Linen, and stamped it in So Saffron on the base. Then I layered the base with a piece of sand colored cardstock and graduation stamped the leaf from JF in Real Rust. Next I stamped my Lion in Memento Tuxedo black and colored him in with R20 and YR31, my new favorite combo. He is planted in E33. My final touch was stamping 'Life's a Zoo' in Memento TB and punching it out to be 1 inch in diameter and nesting it in metal tag.

Quick and Easy!

Hope you enjoyed it and please check out the other DT's cards (their links are on my sidebar!).

Also, T minus one day until the big LSAT, I can't believe it is almost here!

OH, and HAPPPPYYYY Father's Day DAD(yep, he reads this!)

Ely