Making good on my promise

Big sigh - just when I was getting ready to sit down and do some challenge cards, my Internet access went out. I still wanted to stamp, so what did I do? I challenged myself! My challenge was to use the new In Colors and the new stamps I preordered but hadn't used yet. I think I did it - although one card isn't done yet. It was really fun, and a good challenge for me to work without anyone else's ideas spurring me on.

Here is the card I made first. I go back and forth on what I think of this one, so tell me what you think. I decided to use the new colors crushed curry, dusty durango and soft suede with the stamp set Autumn Days. I don't yet have any DP in the new colors (shocking, right?) so I searched through my stash and found these papers from SEI's Mimosa collection that look pretty good. I layered onto soft suede cardstock and used a plain white card base to keep it clean. The only embellishing touches I added were a mini library clip tied with hemp twine and a bit of piercing. The sentiment is from Teeny Tiny Wishes - this is going to be a go-to set for me, I can tell.

Next card uses an old retired image - help, I'm blanking on the name of this hostess set and don't have it handy! I love this stamp, though, and I doubt I will ever part with it. I colored the flower with melon mambo and soft suede markers - oh how I love having IC markers - and stamped on vanilla cardstock that I dirtied up with soft suede. I used the eyelet border punch on the melon layer for a little interest. The background has the damask stamp from Friends 24-7 stamped down the side, using the Stamp-a-ma-Jig for placement. I added more sponging, another little sentiment (which set it's from, I'm not sure... it's not Teeny Tiny Wishes), and a bit of soft suede ribbon. The dots on the IC ribbons are so fun!

Last one for today - here's a color combo that mixes rich razzleberry (my favorite of the new ICs so far) with pale plum and so saffron. I have to say I think this combination is gorgeous. I stamped the flower from Cheep Talk three times on white and on razzleberry cardstock (with old olive stems) and punched out the razzleberry centers. I used a panel of saffron dot paper, razzleberry ribbon, a Teeny Tiny Wishes sentiment with oval punches, and a white button tied with hemp twine. Sweet and simple!

OK, now I can finally say that I've inked the new ICs and all of my new stamps. I feel much better! Thanks for stopping by!