"FREESTYLE FRIDAYS" & BLOG CANDY!!!!!

Freestyle Fridays (which started out as Feminine Fridays) is ONE YEAR OLD!!!  It's so hard to believe that it's already been a year!  To celebrate, Julie and I are offering blog candy.  My  "Ice Cream Parlor Birthday Blog Candy" (pictured to the right) is as follows:

~ 36 double-sided 6x6 sheets of "Ice Cream Parlor" designer paper

~ "Ice Cream Parlor" Quick Accents adhesive die-cut embellishments
~ Melon Mambo Polka Dot ribbon
~ Crushed Curry Polka Dot ribbon
~ Ice Cream Parlor grosgrain ribbon
~ So Saffron Polytwill ribbon
~ Ice Cream Parlor floral buttons

IMPORTANT:  If you would like to be entered in the drawing to win the blog candy, just leave a comment (include your email address) on this blog post if you are in the U.S. and on Julie's blog if you are in Canada.  We'll use random.org to select our winners and will announce the name of the winners with next Friday's Freestyle Fridays post. 

Earlier this week, I needed to make a masculine card and had NO ideas.  Sticking in my keyboard was a scrap of paper that read, "Lucky Limeade, Basic Gray, Basic Black, and Whisper White".  It was the color combo challenge which Julie set forth for me with her Freestyle Fridays post last week.  That little scrappy note seemed like a great starting point for my card, and I think it actually turned out pretty good.  And now for the details . . . the Basic Black layer was embossed with Stampin' Up!'s new "Stripes" embossing folder, and I used the Square Lattice embossing folder on the Basic Gray satin ribbon.  I don't remember embossing ribbon before, but I liked the look!  Julie asked if I starched the ribbon, but I didn't do anything other than place it in the embossing folder.  I wonder now if I could get different looks by misting the ribbon with water, spraying it with starch, etc.  The satin ribbon is just so gorgeous and easy to work with!  The stamp sets used for my card are "The Open Sea" and "Teeny Tiny Wishes".  Assorted nautical images were stamped on the Basic Gray and Lucky Limeade layers, as well as the focal point (ship) which is stamped onto vellum card stock.  The strip of designer paper is from the "Pocketful of Posies" collection.  My only regret with this card is that I didn't notice that my strip of designer paper happens to have the very corner with "Stampin' Up!" printed on it.  Ack!!!  I am usually mindful to make sure that is cut off or hidden behind a layer but, now that I know that it's there, I see it clearly.  It's no big deal--it's just something that I normally try to catch.  ;-)  Have a wonderful weekend!  If you visit me again on Monday, I'll have a "snappy Monday" project to share!