The 12 Kits of Occasions--January 2014

Well, hello strangers!  Did you think I was never coming back?  The last several months have been absolutely crazy around here, and crafting has definitely not been at the top of my priority list.  But I have tried to escape from my responsibilities for a few minutes here and there this month, and so I have 5 cards to share with you for this month's edition of The 12 Kits of Occasions.

Our hostess this month is Sharron, and the theme is love and Valentine's Day.  Sharron sent such a fantastic kit with a color combo that I absolutely adore as an alternative to the usual red, pink, and white.  And many thanks to Kara for creating our beautiful graphic once again this month, giving you a peek at all of the goodies packed into our kits.

My favorite card was the first one I made, shortly after my kit arrived.  I love the striped paper and the pretty script in the sentiment.  It's hard to see in the photo, but the Sahara Sand cardstock was debossed with a music score impression plate.

Sorry for the shadows on the next card, but I popped up the die cut "happy" with teensy pieces of foam tape in a few spots.  I used another of my favorite papers and some of the cute die cut accents from the kit.

How do you like these cute elephants?  I think they're adorable, especially paired with the matching paper.  Such a cute sentiment from Mama Elephant, too (of course!).

For my next card, I layered the pretty heart doily with the word "love", along with a couple of stitched die cut hearts and gold sequins.

My last card is sort of a work in progress, and maybe you can help me finish it.  I've had it sitting on my desk for at least a couple of weeks just like this, and I feel like it needs something else.  I've tried buttons, twine, sequins--nothing quite works.  I think it's ok the way it is, but it's just a little blah.  Any suggestions?

That's all from me, but I have so many cute supplies left to use.  I can't wait to see what the rest of the 12 Kit Designers created with them:

Cathy Weber
http://emptynestcrafter.blogspot.com/

Jeanne Jachna

http://akeptlife.blogspot.com

Jessica Davis

http://thepaperparade.blogspot.com

Joyce Mehrberg

http://cards-by-the-sea.blogspot.com

Kara {kandrdesigns}

http://kandrdesigns.blogspot.com

Kelly Schirmer

http://ginghamgirlsadventures.blogspot.com

Kim Heggins

http://cupcakescardsandkim.blogspot.com

Marybeth Lopez

http://marybethstimeforpaper.blogspot.com

Renee Lynch

http://itsapatchworklife.blogspot.com

Sharron Gregory

http://onpapillonwings.blogspot.com

Tracey McNeely

http://inmycreativeopinion.blogspot.com

And our Guest Designer for this month, Michelle from Pretty Periwinkles.

For supply information, be sure to visit The 12 Kits of Occasions blog, where you can also access information about our group and links to all of the designers.

Thanks so much for stopping by today!  Have a great day!

Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge--Smitten and a Farewell

Happy New Year!  I'm looking forward to a wonderful 2014, how about you?

To help ring in the new year, we have a new challenge at the Curtain Call that I know you're going to love.  Say hello to this week's challenge photo:  Smitten.

photo credit:  knitsandknotsweb.blogspot.com

We also have a fantastic new sponsor for our challenge:  Linnie Blooms.  Not only did Linnie Blooms provide the Faber-Castell Gelatos the designers used on their projects today, but they are providing a gift certificate to the LEAD for this week's challenge.

I chose the Faber-Castell Gelatos 50's Diner collection for my card today.  The colors were so perfect for the inspiration photo.  First I stamped a cozy pattern using WPlus9's Fair Isle Backgrounds with Versamark on white cardstock and heat embossed it in white.

Using the blending tool included with the gelatos, I added the red pigment to one end of the stamped panel and the yellow to the other and blended each color toward the middle.  I just kept reapplying the color until I had the effect I wanted, then rubbed a baby wipe over the embossed pattern to remove any excess pigment.

The sentiment, from Uniko Studio's Stunning Snowflakes, is stamped in Basic Gray and adorned with a few gray gems.

Cardstock:  Papertrey Ink (Smokey Shadow), WPlus9 (White)

Stamps:  WPlus9 (Fair Isle Backgrounds), Uniko Studio (Stunning Snowflakes)

Ink:  Stampin' Up! (Basic Gray), Versamark

Tool:  corner rounder

Other:  Faber-Castell Gelatos (50's Diner), Filigree (white embossing powder), gems

As you may have seen on the Curtain Call Challenge blog, this will be my last post as a Design Team member.  It was a difficult decision to step away, but it's the right one for me at this time as I try to balance my new responsibilities at work and the activities of my busy young family.

Never fear, though, the talented ladies of the Design Team will continue to wow you twice a month over at the Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge blog!  I wish them all continued success and many thanks for letting me be a part of the reopening of the Curtain Call.

Thanks to you, my readers, for visiting today!  I hope you have a wonderful start to the New Year!