Gretchen Barron

I Just Love Challenges!

I just love challenges! When you're in a rut, your creativity is down the tubes and your MoJo is nonexistent, there's nothing like a good challenge to stir your imagine and spark your energy for something new! This week I'm combining two challenges -- the Utah Divas Color Challenge and the MoJo Monday sketch challenge, in this fabulous card using the Just Believe Stamp set.

 

This is not a card that I would have ever created on my own -- the design is fabulous but nothing that I wouldn't have done if I didn't have the sketch in front of me. And the colors, while beautiful together, would never have been ones that I would have used together.

 

I mean, really, when WAS the last time that I used More Mustard in anything? LOL.

 

This week's colors are Tempting Turquoise, Garden Green, More Mustard, Basic Black and Very Vanilla! In addition to the Just Believe stamp set, I used Presto Patterns Specialty Designer Series Papers and sponged on the Garden Green and Tempting Turquoise colors (love it when that pattern emerges from nowhere). I used the Big Shot and the Scallop Circle Dies #2, the  1 3/4" Circle punch, the Boho Blossoms Punch, Self Adhesive Basic Pearls and Stampin' Dimensionals! I just love the way this card turned out! Did I mention that I also love challenges!

 

Speaking of challenges, be sure and check out all the Design Team Projects at Utah Divas International! There some great inspiration waiting for you there! Thanks so much for stopping by today. I do hope you'll come back soon for more ideas and inspiration! Until then ...

Nautical MoJo

Hello and Happy Monday to you all! I fell in love with this week's MoJo Monday sketch and just had to give it a try using some of the new Nautical supplies from the Stampin' Up! Summer Mini Catalog!

 

For this card, I've used two different patterns from the fabulous new Designer Series Paper called Nautical Expedition --perfect for masculine cards for all occasions. In addition, I used the Sail Away Individual Stamp and the Cherry Cobbler Baker's Twine!

The colors are Cherry Cobbler, Not Quite Navy and Whisper White.

 

Additional Supplies used include the Scallop Border Punch, Large Oval and Scallop Oval Punches, Night of Navy Brads, The Crop A Dile, the Big Shot and the Square Lattice Impressions Folder and Stampin' Dimensionals!

 

I stamped the ship image on Whisper White cardstock with Not Quite Navy Ink and then stamped the image a second time on a scrap of paper, cutting it out. I sponged on some ink to look like the sky and then layered the second, cut-out image using Stampin' Dimensionals. The sentiment is from another new Summer Mini set called On the Grow. It seemed perfect for this nautical card! I added a little somethin' something' to the inside of the card with a strip of DSP and scallop edged cardstock.

 

If you haven't had a chance to check out the new Summer Mini Catalog, simply click on the image below or on my right side-bar. It's filled with some wonderful new products, stamp sets and of course, lots of great ideas! If you would like your own hard copy that you can mark-up, dog-ear, and dream-over, e-mail me and I'll put one in the mail to you!

Thanks so much for stopping by today! I do hope you'll come back soon. Until then ...

 

 

 

A Little MoJo Monkey Business

Hello everyone and Happy Friday morning to you! I have a little Mojo Monday Monkey Business for you today! Yes, I know, it's Friday! I actually made this card Monday evening and THIS IS THE FIRST CHANCE I'VE HAD TO POST IT! That's how crazy busy my week has been! WHEW!!!

As soon as I saw this week's MoJo Monday sketch, I thought Birthday card! All the fun, whimsical scallops just shouted birthday to me! And what fun to use the Sock Monkey Stamp Set for a delightful child's birthday card for this sketch!

I used Celebrations Designer Series Paper and the colors of Pacific Point, Pear Pizzazz, Bashful Blue, Real Red and Whisper White -- now that's a celebration of color!

Other supplies and accessories included the Big Shot, Tasteful Trims Die, Scallop Circle #2 Die, Circle Die, Brads, Modern Label Punch, Word Window Punch, 5/8" Satin Ribbon and Stampin' Dimensionals! I paper pieced Sock Monkey using Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla, Real Red and Marina Mist cardstock. This was a fun, and fairly simple card and I'm sure it will be enjoyed by some lucky child soon!

Thanks so much for stopping by today! I hope I've inspired you to test out your MoJo this week! Come back soon!

Springtime MoJo

Hello everyone! Is anyone else out there as anxious for Spring to arrive as I am! LOL -- that's probably a very silly question! I don't know anyone who isn't counting the days and hours until that wonderful first day of Spring! It will be here soon! When I saw today's MoJo Monday Sketch, I knew exactly what I wanted to do with it -- this beautiful butterfly card using Springtime Vintage Designer Series Papers!

 

I used the Herb Expressions Stamp Set. The colors are Always Artichoke, Marina Mist and Very Vanilla. The Big Shot and the Beautiful Butterflies Die were used to create the fabulous layered Butterfly. Other embellishments and supplies include Self-Adhesive Basic Pearls, 5/8" Satin Ribbon and Stampin' Dimensionals.

 

I even embellished the inside of the card with a 1" strip of DSP and some more of that beautiful Satin Ribbon.

 

 

I had such fun creating this card using the MoJo Monday sketch! I hope I've inspired you to create your own "Wishing for Springtime" card! We can count the days together!

 

 

Thanks so much for stopping by today! I do hope you'll stop back soon! I've got a new kit in the works that I hope to release soon. I think you will be as thrilled as I am with the arrival of some new little critters, just in time for Spring!

 

Only one day remains for the Great Snail Sale -- the price per refill is now down to $3.30 each -- it's quite a deal! I need to know of your orders by midnight tomorrow, March 15th! If we get enough new orders in, the final price will be even lower! Let's see how low we can make it go!

 

 

 

Thanks everyone and Happy Stamping!

 

Fun Flowers with Colorful MoJo

Hello everyone and welcome to a couple of new challenges this week - the Utah Divas Color Challenge and the MoJo Monday Sketch Challenge! I just love it when I can combine two challenges in one project!

 

This week's colors for the UDI Color Challenge are a little unusual but look how well they go together -- So Saffron, Blushing Bride, Cherry Cobbler and Always Artichoke. I would never have chosen this combo but Oh My! They are beautiful together!

 

Pairing this card with the beautiful weekly sketch from MoJo Monday made this a fun project to do and, if I do say so myself, a lovely bit of eye candy!

 

Do you see all the texture on this card? I used not one, not two, but THREE Impression Folders along with the Big Shot but a trio of elegant embossing. I used Elegant Bouquet on the So Saffron background layer as well as on the top (smallest) flower die cut. I used Perfect Polka Dots on the bottom (largest) flower and Finial Press is used on the Cherry Cobbler Square.

 

Other accessories include Basic Pearls in all three sizes, 1/2" Seam Tape Ribbon in Cherry Cobbler, the Eyelet Border Punch, the Jewelry Tag Medium Punch, a Sweet Stitches Fabric Designer Brad, Stampin' Dimensionals and the Tiny Tags Stamp Set. The perfect little double bow was created quickly and easily with the fabulous Bow Makerthat I received as a gift from my friend, Lee Conrey.

 

I inked the edges of all the Blushing Bride pieces with Cherry Cobbler Ink. The two tiny tags are attached to the bow with a bit of Linen Thread.

 

I had so much fun playing along with both these challenges this week! I hope you'll want to try your hand at this fabulous color combination! For more inspiration, check out the Design Team projects at Utah Divas International.

 

Thanks so much for stopping by! I hope I've managed to inspired you and give you a few new ideas! Please come back soon! Until then ...

Deck the Halls and Ring the Bells!

Good Monday morning, everyone! I fell in love with this week's MoJo Monday sketch and knew just what I needed to do with it!

I love the pleated ribbon technique that I've been seeing on so many cards and this seemed the perfect opportunity to try it out. I cut the bell image out from the Deck the Halls Designer Series Paper. It already has a ribbon on the graphic but I overlaid my Cherry Cobbler 1/2" Seam Tape over it, tying it in a bow with flowing ends. The ends are secured by laying a line of Sticky Strip Adhesive and then just "pleating" the ribbon with your fingers as you move down the adhesive. It's a fun, easy and quick technique that packs a lot of "WOW"!

Of course, I had to move the sentiment down to the bottom of the card to accommodate the large bell image, but that's okay. Sketches are meant to be a place to begin, and it's perfectly alright to adapt them as you see fit!

I did some more ribbon pleating on the inside of the card as well, also adding a 1" strip of DSP. What a nice surprise to open up a card and find something unexpected inside!

I had so much fun putting together today's card and I hope you enjoyed seeing it! Please come back soon for more ideas and inspiration!

 

It's MoJo Monday (on Tuesday!)

Hello everyone! I know it's Tuesday, but I'm posting my MoJo Monday sketch challenge card today! This is another of those double-duty cards also (I love it when that happens) because it also qualifies for the In The Pink contest on Pals Paper Arts.

I used the Fifth Avenue Floral Stamp Set and Shimmery White Cardstock and used the floating re-inker technique. The rose uses Pretty in Pink and Regal Rose and the smaller flower is So Saffron and Old Olive. The sentiment is from Sincere Salutations. I used the Eyelet Border Punch, some Rich Regals pink brads, the Paper Piercing Tool, mat and template and some 5/8" Regal Rose Grosgrain Ribbon. It doesn't show very well in the photo, but I also embossed the Regal Rose layer and the envelope flap with the Manhattan Flower Impressions Folder and the Big Shot. The tiny polka-dot print is from the Write Stuff Specialty Designer Series Paper. And of course, a little stamping on the inside of the card is always a nice touch!

 
Thanks so much for stopping by today. I do hope you'll visit again soon. My regular feature, Taking it to the Top Tuesday, will be posted this evening so I hope you'll come back later! That's it for now! Thanks for looking and Happy Stamping!

Like Night and Day

Good Monday morning, everyone! I decided to open up my pack of Night & Day Specialty Designer Series Papers for today's MoJo  Monday Sketch Challenge.  I pulled out the two Polka-Dot patterns to come up with this dramatic wedding card! When I began, it wasn't my intention, but this card just reminds me so much of a Groom's tie and Tux!. The Stamp Sets are Baroque Motifs and Teeny Tiny wishes. The ribbon is 5/8" Basic Black Grosgrain and I did a little paper piercing around the edges of the top mat. It was a fun one to do!

Hope you're having a great day. Please come back soon for more Inspiration in Action!

 

• 113490, Baroque Motifs Stamp Set, $27.95
• 115370, Teeny Tiny Wishes Stamp Set, $36.95
• 116768, Night & Day Specialty DSP, $11.95
• 115605, 5/8" Basic Black Grosgrain Ribbon, $7.95 for 15 yards
• 116631, Paper Piercing Tool, $3.95
• 105836, Paper Piercing Mat Pack, $9.95
• 104430,Stampin' Dimensionals, $3.95
• 116630, Modern Label Punch, %15.95
• 109109, Vintage Brads, $8.95 for 200

One Sketch ... three Cards!

Hello everyone! Did you know that MoJo Monday has been running daily Sketch Challenges all week to celebrate their birthday? I decided to use today's sketch for One Sketch ... Three Cards!

Now I must tell you that this color combination -- Perfect Plumb, Barely Banana, Sage Shadow and Orchid Opulence -- has been noted on a Post-It note on my desk for weeks and I finally decided to try it out today! What do you think? Looks like spring, doesn't it? I used the Great Friend Stamp Set, Scallop Border Punch, 5/8" Satin Ribbon, 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon, the Curly Label Punch and Die Cut (with the Movers & Shapers Die), Versamark Ink, Iridescent Ice Embossing Powder, the Heat Tool and Stampin' Dimensionals! Oh, and also a bit of Perfect Plumb Patterns Designer Series Paper. Of course, just had to stamp a bit on the inside of the card as well!

Ready for Card Number Two! It's my first Halloween Card of the Year. It's still the same sketch, I promise! Just flipped on it's side. I used Cast-A-Spell Designer Series Paper along with Basic Black, Pumpkin Pie, Perfect Plumb and Whisper White Cardstocks. Also used are the Tasty Sweet and Batty for You Stamp Sets, the Eyelet Border Punch, 5/8" Basic Black Grosgrain Ribbon, 1 1/4" Circle Punch, 1 3/8" Circle Punch, Scallop Circle Punch and 1 3/4" Circle Punch, Versamark Ink, Iridescent Ice Embossing powder and the Heat Tool and stampin' Dimensionals! The Iridescent Ice Embossing Powder really adds some sparkle to the candy pieces. It almost looks as if they are covered in sugar! (click on the image to view as larger).

And finally a little fantasy and fun with Kaleidoscope Designer Series Paper! I used the Season of Friendship and Think Happy Thoughts Stamp Sets, Regal Rose 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon, 1 1/4" and 1 3/8" Circle Punches, Scallop Circle Punch, the Scallop Border Punch, a flower Brad and Stampin' Dimensionals! Colors are Regal Rose, Pretty In Pink, Apricot Appeal, Certainly Celery and Whisper White (not the recommended colors for the DSP but I think they work very well together). And of course, a little stamping on the inside for an extra smile!

There you go! Check out the MoJo Monday site for more great sketches and beautiful ideas from their designers!

And have a great weekend!

Blessings, Gretchen

Dotted Delicates with MoJo!

Good morning, everyone! I got busy with the MoJo Monday sketch and pulled out my new Dotted Delicates Rub-ons for today's card. For quick and easy cards, Rub-ons are such a great alternative to stamping and so very easy to use! If you haven't tried Stampin' Up! Rub-ons yet, I encourage you to try some soon. In my (humble) opinion, Stampin' Up! has some of the best Rub-ons out there -- they go on easily and you don't have problems with them flaking off the cardstock once they are applied!

In addition to the Dotted Delicates Rub-ons, I used Bravo Burgandy, More Mustard and Very Vanilla Cardstock. The ribbons are 1/4" grosgrain in Bravo Burgundy and Always Artichoke. The sentiment is from the "Sense of Time" stamp set.  I used a bit of To the Nines Specialty Textured Designer Series Paper for the Vertical stripes and did some paper piercing down both sides of each stripe. I used the Big Shot and the Large Scallop Circle Die as well as the Circle Scissor Plus to cut the circle. And of course, I put a little something-something inside the card as well!

Thanks for stopping by today! I hope yo'll come back soon!

Blessings, Gretchen