SUO Challenge 11, Valentine’s Day Creations!

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Love is in the air! Think back to the first cards you ever gave and received as a child. Most likely they were Valentine's. Pretty little notes secretly exchanged at school, in a pretty shoebox covered with foil and red hearts. Remember how much fun it was to sit at your desk and open each little envelope. It made you feel so special to have so many cards that were just for you.

Let's try to recapture that this Valentine's Day. This holiday day doesn't require gifts. A card is the traditional "gift" on Valentine's Day. Be kind to your friends and loved ones and make them a special card this year. Hopefully our samples here will give you some inspiration. Use what you have, order some new products, however you choose to do it, just do it.

Baby Card Challenge

We were so impressed with all of the beautiful cards for last week's baby challenge. Thank you so much to everyone who participated.

Our vote for #1 card from last week goes to Kez with a beautifully simple, yet elegant baby card. Make sure you check it out on her blog.

Second place goes to Traci with the adorable clothesline card and third place goes to Kasey with the very cute bear card.

Ladies, please pick your badge up from this page and display it on your blog to let others know you have won the baby card contest.

SUO Challenge 10, Welcome Baby!

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Welcome to Challenge #10. This is an easy challenge … make a baby card. You can use whatever colors you like, whatever stamps you enjoy and whatever ideas inspire you.

Here are samples from the members of our design team. I hope some of these will give you the push to get started stamping or get you to try something new in 2011.

Winners of SUOnly Challenge #9

Thank you so much for all of the beautiful entries to our last challenge, "Bring on the Bling". If you missed that challenge be sure to check it out. There was lots of bling, in the form of glitter, rhinestones, embossing powders and so much more.

The winner from the challenge is card #14 by Lisa Young, followed by card #7 by Donna Centamore and finally, card #25 by Elizabeth Price.

Thank you so much for playing along ladies. Please pick up your badge from this webpage and display it proudly on your blog.

SUO Challenge 9, Bring on the Bling!

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The New Year celebration is upon us and what better time to add bling to your life! Sparkly glitter… light-reflecting rhinestones… shimmery brads… rich gold and silver metallics! All of these embellishments are sure to make your New Year's eve glitzy and fun!

Bling is this week's challenge! Get out the sparkles and create! If you are new and just joining us, create your lovely project with bling and link it to this post with the link option at the end of the post! We'd love to see your artwork! Please join in!

Here are the cards our design team came up with. Some are New Year's cards, some of them celebrate the holiday season, and one of them (Jen Timko's card) is as she puts it "a New Year's Resolution" card! Her New Year's Resolution is to make and send more cards this coming year! This is the first card she is sending out!

Winners for last challenge (Dry embossing with Bravo Burgundy, More Mustard and Very Vanilla):

Thank you for playing along at the last challenge. We had 5 brave souls that took us up on the challenge during this busy Christmas week! Bravo to you!!

These are all lovely cards and choosing was difficult. With the votes in, here are the challenge winners for this round! Please make sure you choose your badge from this blog and display it on your blog to show that you won! Congratulations!

Mary Brown – very out-of-the-ordinary layout, lots of layers and accessories, nice placement

Jennifer Weide – We love the spritz speckles on this one and nice to see see nature in the dead of winter!

TrishG – I think several of us must like kitties, because we had several votes for Trish's kitty card! Very cute!

SUO Challenge 8, Dry Embossing with Bravo Burgundy, More Mustard and Very Vanilla colors

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It's the most wonderful time of the year. I'm sure you are crazy busy getting ready for the holidays that are upon us. I hope you will take a little time out from all of your preparations to play along with out newest challenge.

This challenge includes a color challenge, along with a technique challenge.

Combine those colors with your favorite method of dry embossing. You can use the Big Shot with a dry embossing folder, or try a scoring blade in your trimmer to emboss straight lines, or even make a template using punches and emboss with a stylus.

New Designers:

You will notice this challenge, we have two new designers. Please help me welcome Heidi Baks and Jennifer Timko to our team. We have been admiring their work for quite some time. We are excited to bring their designs to you.

Heidi Baks:

Jennifer Timko:

Winners for Clean and Simple Christmas card challenge:

It was great to have so many of you play along with us for the last challenge. Thank you so much for your participation. Choosing a winner this time was difficult, as there were so many wonderful entries.

After much discussion, here are the winners. Please make sure you choose your badge from this blog and display it on your blog to show that you won.

Kathy Tanner – love the beauty and simplicity of the monochromatic design
Vera – wonderful use of colors
Julie Edmonds – we love that she did a hybrid card (using traditional products with My Design Studio)