Simple Thanks (CSS1SOA)...

This challenge was called "A Stitch In Time," sponsored by Clear & Simple Stamps for SOA. Obviously, stitching was the technique of choice, and the sponsors were nice enough to allow faux stitching for those of us without a sewing machine, including moi! I used an old Splitcoast sketch (SC22) for this clean and simple card.
BEAN NOTES: Inkadinkado Frond and Stampin' Up All-Year Cheer Stamps; SU Sage Shadow Classic Dye Ink; SU River Rock Designer Series Paper; SU River Rock, Very Vanilla, and Sage Shadow Cardstock; SU Sage Shadow Grosgrain Ribbon; Foam Dimensional Squares (generic)
HAPPY BEANS: Paper Piercing Tool; SU Stampin' Write Marker (Sage Shadow)

Love on Wings (PMSSOA)...

Paper Makeup Stamps sponsored an "Any Winged Thing" Challenge for SOA. In my never-ending endeavor to not be wasteful, I added my own challenge to use only scraps and paper I've already cut... hence the possibly offensive color combination of Purely Pomegranate, More Mustard, Kiwi Kiss, and Old Olive! For a little added whimsy, I paper pierced around the butterfly. No sketch to follow, though as it is very straightforward, you may have seen something like it elsewhere.
BEAN NOTES: "Butterfly" Stamp (generic); Stampin' Up Love & Friendship Rub-on; SU Purely Pomegranate Classic Dye Ink; SU Kiwi Kiss Designer Series Paper; SU Kiwi Kiss, More Mustard, Purely Pomegranate, and Old Olive Cardstock; SU Purely Pomegranate Grosgrain Ribbon; SU Large Oval Punch; SU Sizzix Butterflies Bigz Die; Big Shot; 1/16" Hole Punch; Foam Dimensional Squares (generic)
HAPPY BEANS: Paper Piercing Tool

World's Best Sis (kss4soa)...

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The Kitchen Sink Stamps "Remembering Someone You Love" Challenge for SOA calls for a creation that features someone you love, and in my case, someone who is far away. My husband and I moved to Minnesota from California just before our son was born, and all our loved ones live out west. For this card, I decided to focus on my incredibly lovely sister-in-law, who is the "World's Best" Sister I always wished for - she is the most vibrant, fun-loving, hilarious woman I know. We miss her very much, especially her nephew, who wishes he lived closer to his "cool" aunt.
BEAN NOTES: Verve World's Best and Because of You Stamps; Stampin' Up Perfect Plum Classic Dye Ink; SU Kiwi Kiss, Perfect Plum, and Pirouette Pink Cardstock; SU Sizzix Top Note Die; Big Shot; Prima Nursery Tales Paper Flowers; Kaiser Pearls; Foam Dimensional Squares (generic)
HAPPY BEANS: Copic SPICA Clear Glitter Pen

Peace & Tranquility (IHPSOA)...

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This was an interesting challenge from i {heart} papers for SOA. The task at had was to create a card using flower soft or another texture-adding medium to a floral focal point. Here, I used Ranger Distress Stickles (the individual pieces of Stickle are larger than usual Stickles) to bring out the leaves of this peaceful bonsai tree. I chose to leave off a sentiment as I felt the card would be appropriate for several occasions, including sympathy and get well. If the sketch seems familiar to you, it is from Mojo Monday 69 from back in January, which I didn't actually participate in!
BEAN NOTES: Stampin' Up Asian Art Stamps; SU Close to Cocoa Classic Dye Ink; Tim Holtz Peeled Paint Distress Ink; SU Stampin' Write Markers (Creamy Caramel, Basic Gray, Really Rust); VersaMark Clear Ink; DCWV All-Occasion Designer Paper; SU Purely Pomagranate, Very Vanilla, and Garden Green Cardstock; Ranger Gold Super-Fine Detail Embossing Powder; Foam Dimensional Squares (generic)
HAPPY BEANS: Ranger Peeled Paint Distress Stickles

An Ocean of Thanks (soagkd)...

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Gina K. Designs sponsored this great sketch for SOA. At first, it made me nervous, but then I realized how versatile the layout of the elements can be. I love this set from Cavallini & Co., and the card turned out to be very easy to assemble.
BEAN NOTES: Cavallini & Co. Natural Wonders and Stampin' Up So Many Sayins Stamps; SU Brilliant Blue Classic Dye Ink; VersaMark Clear Ink; SU Soft Sky Designer Series Paper; SU Brilliant Blue, Whisper White, and Soft Sky Cardstock; SU Soft Sky Grosgrain Ribbon; Ranger Seaform White Embossing Powder; Foam Dimensional Squares (generic)
HAPPY BEANS: Martha Stewart Sand Dollar Punch

Why We Say 'I Do' (soatwobytwo)

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For this "Two by Two" Challenge for SOA, the card needed to consist of two colors - pink and brown - and no more than two embellishments. I think I am on a CAS kick, as this layout is perhaps as simple as you can get. I thought a wedding card would be appropriate, and I was pleased by the sweet, soft effect celebrating the "why" of saying "I do."
BEAN NOTES: Stampin' Up Gallery and Bursting with Joy Stamps; Stampin' Up Close to Cocoa and Pink Pirouette Classic Dye Ink; SU Pink Pirouette Designer Series Paper; SU Chocolate Chip, Pink Pirouette, and Very Vanilla Cardstock; SU Chocolate Chip Grosgrain Ribbon; Paper Shapers 1-3/8" and 1-1/2" Circle Punches; Foam Dimensional Squares (generic)
HAPPY BEANS: Kaiser Powder Pink Pearl

Birthday Surprise! (SOATE)...

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This is one of my favorite sketches I've seen in a while, and it is from Taylored Expressions for SOA. It's so clean and simple, and so I decided to go clean and simple with the design. The stamps are from Verve. I love their sets because no matter which you use, you know where they come from! The cute little birthday bird's body was stamped on Cloud 9 Design Designer Paper, cut out, and affixed to a second stamped image on Stampin' Up Groovy Guava. Some very fine-tipped scissors and a lot of patience later...
BEAN NOTES: Verve Birthday Surprise Stamps; Stampin' Up Chocolate Chip Classic Dye Ink; StazOn Timber Brown Ink; SU Stampin' Write Marker (Chocolate Chip); Cloud 9 Design Offbeat Designer Paper; SU Chocolate Chip, Groovy Guava, Whisper White, and Really Rust Cardstock; Brown Grosgrain Ribbon (generic); Paper Shapers 1-3/4" and 1-1/2" Circle Punches; Foam Dimensional Squares (generic)
HAPPY BEANS: Large Copper Eyelets (generic); Crop-A-Dile

Happily Ever After (SNSSOA)...

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I may be suffering from card-making fatigue, but this sketch from Sweet & Sassy Stamps for SOA had me stumped. It took me forever, and I'm still not 100% sure about how I feel about the finished card. I wanted to make a "sassy" card, and as I have very few wedding cards, I thought I'd go with this one. I think the bride would need to be a very fun-loving gal to appreciate the colors! I do think the image is "sweet."
BEAN NOTES: Stampin' Up Greetings Galore Stamp; SU Pixie Pink Classic Dye Ink; SU Stampin' Write Markers (Pixie Pink, Chocolate Chip, Barely Banana, Bordering Blue, and Pink Passion); Making Memories Wedding Designer Paper; SU Whisper White and Pixie Pink Cardstock; Black Cardstock (generic); SU Large Oval and Scallop Oval Punches; SU Scallop Border Punch; Paper Shapers Large Oval Punch; Martha Stewart Hearts Punch; Foam Dimensional Squares (generic); Archivers Cloth Flowers
HAPPY BEANS: Crushed Velvet Brads (generic)

Buttons, Buttons (MMSC3 & soabuttons)...

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I thought that with so many cards to make, it might be prudent to combine a few challenges. For the Button, Button, Who's Got the Button? Challenge for SOA, I decided to use this week's Midnight Madness Challenge sketch (how lucky is it that the sketch asks for buttons?) My version is a bright, cheery thank you card in patriotic colors. For the flower "buttons," I made those from cardstock and 1/4" and 1/16" hole punches. Also, for a little background pizazz, I used a rub-on tool to recreate the hand-drawn "stems" on Pacific Point cardstock.
BEAN NOTES: Hero Arts Buttons Galore Stamp; Stampin' Up Love & Friendship Rub-On; Sharpie Red Fine Tip Marker; SU Whisper White, Pacific Point, and Riding Hood Red Cardstock; White Grosgrain Ribbon (generic); SU Spring Flowers Punch; Foam Dimensional Squares (generic); Red Acrylic Buttons (generic); White Thread (generic)
HAPPY BEANS: EK Success Empressor Tool; 1/4" and 1/16" Hole Punches (generic)

Missing You (lpssoa)...

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Here was a very fun sketch challenge for SOA from Little Paper Shop, an interesting online store specializing in, you guessed it, PAPER! My version is a study in Blue Bayou (with Baja Breeze accents), one of my favorite retired In-Colors.
BEAN NOTES: Penny Black Splendor and Stampin' Up Fancy Flexible Phrases Stamps; SU Blue Bayou Classic Dye Ink; SU Blue Bayou, Very Vanilla, and Baja Breeze Cardstock; SU Blue Bayou Designer Series Paper; SU Blue Bayou Grosgrain Ribbon; Paper Shapers Small oval Punch; Nestabilities Classic Circles Die; Big Shot; Foam Dimensional Squares (generic); Brads (generic)
HAPPY BEANS: Kaiser Powder Blue Pearls

Happy Day (soablues)...

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This was an interesting Copic Challenge for SOA, sponsored by Lisa Kind. Her challenge was to use these Copic colors: B12 Ice Blue, B16 Cyanine Blue, and any color from the "E" (brown) family. These sweet little mice are from Penny Black. For this challenge, I dug out an old Splitcoast sketch!
BEAN NOTES: Penny Black Micey Day Clear Stamp; StazOn Timber Brown Ink; Copic Sketch Markers (B12, B16, EE31, E57, W2 and Colorlese Blender); SU Love & Friendship Rub-on; SU Tempting Turquoise and Whisper White Cardstock; Making Memories Designer Paper; Dark Brown Cardstock (generic);Foam Dimensional Squares (generic; Brads (generic)
HAPPY BEANS: Archiver's Cloth Flowers

Get Well Wishes (SCACD)...

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This little Get Well card is my entry for the Susana's Custom Art & Card Design Sketch Challenge for SOA. To make those little wishes for a speedy recovery sparkle, I added a little Diamond Stickles.

BEAN NOTES: Penny Black Cheesecake Wishes Stamp; StazOn Timber Brown Ink; SU Chit-Chat Rub-ons; SU Bashful Blue and Whisper White Cardstock; SU Stampin' Write Markers (Creamy Caramel, Close to Cocoa; So Saffron; and Blush Blossom);Dark Blue Textured Cardstock (generic); Glitter Mat Stack Paper (generic); Nestabilities Classic Circle Dies; Big Shot; Foam Dimensional Squares (generic)
HAPPY BEANS: Ranger Diamond Stickles; EK Success Moon & Stars Punch

Love of a Lifetime (Mojo Monday 88)...

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This week, the gals at Mojo Monday have teamed up with Stampin' Out Alzheimer's for a mojolicious sketch challenge. I have had this little hummingbird stamp for something like 20 years and I don't think I've ever used it until now! The panel behind the rectangles is vellum.
BEAN NOTES: Humming Bird Stamp (generic); StazOn Timber Brown Ink; SU Chit-Chat Rub-ons; SU Garden Green and Old Olive Classic Dye Ink; SU Stampin' Write Markers (Almost Amethyst, Garden Green, Elegant Eggplant, So Saffron, Lovely Lilac, and Regal Rose; Tim Holtz Dusty Concord Distress Ink; SU Almost Amethyst, Very Vanilla, Garden Green, and Elegant Eggplant Cardstock; Vellum (generic); Deep Purple Satin Ribbon (generic); Nestabilities Classic Circle Dies; Foam Dimensional Squares (generic); Kaiser Light Green Pearls
HAPPY BEANS: Cuttlebug Leaf Embossing Folder; Big Shot

One Cupcake at a Time (Sweet Sunday 19)...

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I've admired the Sweet Sunday Sketches for some time, and now I have a chance to try them out for myself. This sweet sketch was simple, which is just perfect for a lazy Sunday afternoon. Even better, Karen Giron (The Sweetest Thing) has teamed up with Taylored Expressions to sponsor this week's challenge as part of Stampin' Out Alzheimer's. I tried out a new color combination on this one, and I love the sentiment, though, personally, I usually have at least three cupcakes at a time! Here's my version:
BEAN NOTES: Stampin Up' Sweet Little Sentiments and Darling Dots Stamps; SU Pumpkin Pie, Riding Hood Red, and Sage Shadow Classic Dye Ink; SU Whisper White, Apricot Appeal, Sage Shadow, and Really Rust Cardstock; Paper Co. Yam Textured Cardstock; SU So Saffron Grosgrain Ribbon; Foam Square Dimensionals (generic); Orange Brads (generic)
HAPPY BEANS: SU Scallop Border Punch; Kaiser Powder Pearls

Stampin' Out Alzheimer's

Recently I heard about a worthy cause created by a talented stamping artist, Jen Tapler. It's called Stampin' Out Alzheimer's, and Jen is trying to raise money to go directly to the Alzheimer's Association. Jen's personal story is very touching, and you can visit her blog to read about her courageous father, who suffers from this debilitating disease. The event week (May 25-31) will feature challenges, giveaways, tutorials, and more, as well as offer resources and information about Alzheimer's. Let's all wish Jen the best of luck in reaching her goal.