Fresh off the boat onto Stampin' Land!!!

  Hello, fellow stampers!! I think I'm finally creating my own niche in this world. I'm not a stamping demonstrator of any kind; having just begun stamping a few months ago. The main objective initially was to create Christmas cards for all my friends and family, and that process has gradually developed a life of its own. I'm still working on collecting all the necessary paraphernalia required; that being an endless list, of course, with all the great stuff out there. But I attempt each day to create what I can with my limited resources!!

                                                                                      This is a card I decided to create for the Pals Paper Arts Challenge 24; my very first entry in a stamping contest of any kind (Hurray for me!!). My entry probably won't even qualify since not all my supplies are from Stampin' Up, but I thought I would give it a shot:).

The various card-stocks used are from The Holiday Collection - The Christmas Cardstock Stack and Citrus Mat Stack; both made by the Die Cuts With a View Company and available at any JoAnn craft store. The flower was created with the Best Wishes & More stamp set (SU product!), by stamping in a basic red from a Rubber Stampede Dye Based Ink Pad Set (JoAnn). The stem was created by partially stamping the Of the Earth flower stamp (SU product), using a gold Permapaque opaque pigment marker (JoAnn), and the leaf was a stamp from the Hero Arts Ink n' Stamp Nature Set (JoAnn), using the same gold marker. I also used the marker to outline two of the frames.

Now here comes the best part; to create the effect in the oval around the flower (which I traced using an oval earring box!), I made my own sponge dauber, using a make-up sponge round, and a thin elastic band. I used the same red as the flower for the edges. The scalloped edges were done with the Clouds Fiskars Paper Edger and the message is two stickers from the Classic K Bailey Phrases & Decorations embossed sheet. These products are also available at JoAnn. And before you start wondering if I'm trying to sneak in an endorsement for the craft store, I want to let you know that I've just ordered some new supplies from SU and intend on creating a complete SU card!!! Oh, and all the pieces were inked with a brown from the Ink n' Stamp set.

I'm looking forward to an SU camp with demonstrator Marci Cyphert on Jan 16th. Hoping to learn lots of new techniques and tips. And I'm also hoping that by the end of the year, I should have enough and more SU products:). For those of you who've taken the time to check out my blog (still in the making), thanks for stopping by and let me know what you think. And before I sign off, I have to thank Tiffany Miller, an  SU demonstrator, who helped me start off my journey into the stamping world. Dhanyawad (thank you) and Namaste!!!