Best of 2017 Favorites @ Splitcoaststampers!

I'm in 7th Heaven!!!!  I've had nine of my 2017 cards chosen in the Splitcoaststampers' Favorites - Best of 2017 recently, and three of these were chosen twice!   I also had one card chosen in the CAS Favorites - Best of 2017.  Now that was really a surprise, because rarely do I make a clean and simple card!  I'm speechless and so grateful to the wonderful and crafty multitudes at Splitcoaststampers for giving me so many honors.  

As I have had my cardmaking curtailed in mid-December due some severe hand problems, especially the left, and a right knee flair up, I've been kind of down a bit without my hobby to entertain me.  I've also been absentee blog posting as some may have noticed.  With that said, I thought I would post those cards BESTed again for your browsing!  

Favorites - Best of 2017 Cards

Let It All Hang Out Birthday - posted 8/28/17

 Blog link: https://chatterboxcreations-1.blogspot.com/2017/08/let-it-all-hang-out-birthday.html

 First Christmas for a Little Husky Named Zhanna! - posted 9/4/17 (chose 2 times)

Blog Link: https://chatterboxcreations-1.blogspot.com/2017/09/first-christmas-for-little-husky-named.html

Christmas Card from an Oldie But Goodie! - posted 9/8/17 (chosen 2 times)

Blog Link: https://chatterboxcreations-1.blogspot.com/2017/09/christmas-card-from-oldie-but-goodie.html

Improving on the Christmas Oldie But Goodie! - posted 9/12/17 (chosen 2 times)

Blog Link: https://chatterboxcreations-1.blogspot.com/2017/09/improving-on-christmas-oldie-but-goodie.html

A Dedicated 12th Woman Seahawks Fan Birthday! - posted 11/5/17.

Blog Link: https://chatterboxcreations-1.blogspot.com/2017/11/a-dedicated-12th-woman-seahawks-fan.html

My Son's First Father's Day! - posted 6/18/17.  (inspiration from Dar Peterson).

Blog Link: https://chatterboxcreations-1.blogspot.com/2017/06/my-sons-first-fathers-day.html 

Anniversary Twosome Sail with the Breeze! - posted 7/31/18

Blog Link: https://chatterboxcreations-1.blogspot.com/2017/07/an-anniversary-twosome-sail-with-breeze.html

Birthday Jazz for Youngest Son! - posted 9/15/17

Blog Link: https://chatterboxcreations-1.blogspot.com/2017/09/birthday-jazz-for-youngest-son.html

A Peek at Fall! - posted 9/20/17
Blog Link:  https://chatterboxcreations-1.blogspot.com/2017/09/a-peek-at-fall.html

CAS Favorites - Best of 2017 Cards

New Hat for Spooky Kitty! - posted 10/27/17

Blog Link: https://chatterboxcreations-1.blogspot.com/2015/10/new-kitty-face-card.html

Birthday Jazz for Youngest Son!

SMILES ABOUND!  

THIS CARD IS NAMED A

SPLITCOASTSTAMPERS FAVORITE OF THE

WEEK ENDING - SEPTEMBER 16, 2017!!

When making birthday cards for people I know well, I try to choose a theme for the card that relates to that person in some way.  For my youngest son, and the youngest of my four children, I thought I would make a card focusing on his talent as a musician.

During his youth, in elementary school and as a teenager, he was very much into music.  He first learned how to play the clarinet and was promoted the next year to a saxophone.  He was really very good and became a member of the jazz band and concert orchestra starting in his junior high years.  With the jazz band, his focus was on his alto sax, but for concert orchestra, you could see him on his sax, playing the oboe, or any of a variety of other reed instruments in which the orchestra might be short of instruments for a particular piece of music.  Mark was a quick study and able to pick up many other reed instruments very rapidly.

I wanted to enter Mark's card into several challenges at Splitcoaststampers, so I did a little research before beginning.  The result was a Nu-Jazz style focus, using black, white, cream, tans, and reds.  "The Story" follows below if you are interested in more tidbits about the whys and wherefores of this birthday card.  Meanwhile, take a peek just below at the musical, jazz card that I ended up making for Mark's birthday...I think he will really like it!

Ingredients:  Papers: Stampin' Up--Basic Black, Cherry Cobbler cardstocks; Recollections--Antique Parchment stack.  Patterned paper: Graphic 45--Fashionista Collection/ Debutante (stripe); A Proper Gentleman (paisley).  Googled digital images.  Ink: Colorbox Chestnut Roam (age distressing).  Dies: Reverse Confetti--Edge Essential (black square edges); My Favorite Things--First Place Ribbon (fishtail).  Darice Foam Sheets.  Pink Posh: sequins.  Stash: black/ gold metallic baker's twine.  Knit fabric covered button.  Computer-made sentiment (Font: Budmo Jiggler/ 32).  Stampin'Up Marker: Cherry Cobbler (sentiment circles colored...very difficult to see).  Size:  5" x 6-1/4".

"The Story"

Because I wanted this to be a birthday card for son, Mark, about his musical talent, but I also wanted to enter it into SCS challenges, I did a little research on the challenges available before beginning my card.  For the Alphabet Challenge - Round 7, I needed a card using some element that starts with the Letter N, with the double challenge that it be "not feminine."  Well, that one was easy...a card for Mark would not be feminine and because his jazz band played a great variety of types of jazz, including the Nu-Jazz style, my card would focus on that style of jazz.

The second challenge I wanted to enter is the Inspiration Challenge, using inspiration from the website Design Seeds and their color palettes.  From their coffee hues, I decided to make my card, black, white, creams, tans, and reds.

The third challenge that would work well is the Mix-Ability Challenge, which requires the card to focus on Black, White, and "Read" All Over...a challenge all about colors as well.

The fourth and final challenge is the Featured Stamper, who is Rachel (stampinrachel).  The goal is to visit the Featured Stamper's gallery and find a card for inspiration in making your own card.  I chose a card from Rachel's gallery that used the inchie-style for the layout.  It was the inspiration to use that style in my card as well...check out Rachel's card with this link: Winter Thank You by stampinrachel.