Super Saturday Challenge 4

This really started out as a card for Joni's Super Saturday Challenge, but it evolved into a double challenge once again :) Joni's challenge was to get inspired by a purse or bag we use. This purse was my first "girly girl" purse... and I only got it maybe 3 Christmases ago! I found this AMAZING red tapestry coat at Danier Leather and asked for it for Christmas. Of course, I knew I would need a purse to go with it and fell in love with this little hand bag...it barely holds enough for date night so it doesn't get a lot of use! But it's GORGEOUS and I do use the little matching wallet on a daily basis. I am sooooo not a purse person...so right now I have only three purses...this red one, my gray felted wool one, and a grey one that I'll use when I don't feel comfortable carrying wool LOL. I was given two purses for Christmas and returned them. I almost had to go looking at kiddie purses to do this challenge.

ANYHOW...The background is the Burnished Velvet technique from Cuttlebug Challenge. I have to say...putting on the glue for that glitter was not fun...but once I saw the result, it was worth it. Not sure I'd want to do it many times over for a swap...but once was kinda fun. I don't really like dealing with glitter, so I was going to skip this challenge, but when I realized it would work for Joni's challenge with this particular purse, I said "Oh why not". It's good to try new things, right?


Supplies:
Stamp: Hey Chica, My Favorite Things
Paper:Real Red, Basic Black
Accessories: Glitter, Marcella by K; rhinestones, Michael's; copic E53; SU markers Real Red, Basic Grey, ticket corner punch.

Paper Makeup Sketch Challenge

Katie issued a challenge based on a card her Mom made this week...you can see the sketch HERE.

I did two cards. I was working on them both at the same time...I usually cut lots of pieces of DSP in the sizes I need so I can move them around to see what works best. I ended up with two combos I liked this time, so I made them both!

Supplies:

Stamps: Lauren, PaperMakeup Stamps; Circle of Friendship, Noteworthy, Stampin Up!

Ink: Stazon Black, kiwi kiss, rose red

Paper: Raspberry Tart dsp, WW, Rose Red, Kiwi Kiss, Cameo Coral

Accessories: Tiny Twinkles, adhesive rhinestones, Prima flowers, markers, stickles (lime), circle punches, scallop circle punch, white gel pen, brad, ribbon

MOJO Monday Double Challenge

This is my submission for both MOJO Monday and the SCS color challenge. The color challenge was Pumpkin Pie, Kiwi Kiss and Summer Sun. I decided I didn't have enough samples done with the Sale A Bration set Botanical Blooms, so I used broke it out again.

Supplies: (all SU except the Prima flower)

Stamps: Botanical Blooms (SAB), Frech Script

Ink: Stazon Black, Pumpkin Pie, Summer Sun, Kiwi Kiss

Paper: Bella Blossoms, Kiwi Kiss prints, Basic Black, WW

Accessories: Eyelet Border Punch, brads, mat pack (for lining up the brads)

Many thanks to Elizabeth for "sharing the love" with me. She's one of my blogger group sistahs and she's got some great designs on her blog if you haven't been over there yet! Don't forget to share the love with her while you're there!

So now, I will commence with the rules of this award:
1. The winner may put the logo on their blog.
2. Put a link to the person who sent you the award.
3. Nominate 5 blogs.
4. Put links to their blogs.
5. Leave a message for your nominees.

Here are the blogs I nominate in no particular order:
1. Cathy
2. Joanne
3. Katie
4. Joni
5. Lisa

Another PMS Color Challenge Card

This is another double challenge card. I wanted to do Katie's color challenge again (Pink & Gray) and I used Julie's Mojo Monday sketch for this week, too.


Supplies:
Stamps: Fresh Cuts, Circle of Friendship
Ink: Basic Gray, Pretty in Pink (sponging)
Paper: Bella Blossoms, Basic Gray, WW
Accessories: Signo White gel pen, Circle punches, sheer pink dotted ribbon, dimensionals.

Two Fer'

Here are two versions of the same card. I did the first one for High Hopes Challenge #17 (the cow)...and I liked the card so much, I decided to make another one before the scraps were lost in the pile LOL.

Supplies:

Stamps: I think the cow & sentiment are from The Angel Company, but I can't remember for sure as this was from an image swap. Stampabilities John 14:6; Pocket Silhouettes, Stampin Up!
Ink:Creamy Caramel, Black Stazon
Paper: American Crafts "bookshelf"; Riding Hood Red, Elegant Eggplant, WW, Stampin Up!
Accessories: Markers, Riding Hood Red Striped grosgrain ribbon, Word Window Punch

My First Spike!

This was supposed to be a card for a 70 year old man...but it doesn't look like one, does it? I was going to try to make Spike "scream" and then on the inside say "You're HOW old?" but it just wasn't working for me...so...now I don't know what to put on as a sentiment...any ideas?

Supplies:

Stamps: Spike, PaperMakeup; Swirled Frame Fun (star), Stampin Up!

Ink: Stazon Black, Gable Green, Tempting Turquoise

Paper: Black, Gable Green, Tempting Turquoise, WW

Accessories: Spiral punch, 1 1/4 square punch, 1 3/8 square punch, markers

TGF Sketch Challenge

This was my second card this morning...thankfully it came together much faster than the last one! This sketch is amazing and sooo easy. And LOOOOOOOK I tied a real bow again...the more you do it, the easier it gets! I'll tell you my secret--I tied the bow separately from the ribbon and then stuck it on with glue dots.

Supplies:

Stamps: Teacher Anya, The Greeting Farm; Circle of Friendship, SU

Ink: Black Stazon, Riding Hood Red

Paper: Bella Blossoms DSP, Chocolate Chip, Whisper White

Accessories: Chocolate Chip Taffeta Ribbon, Eyelet Border Punch, Bella Baubles, Tiny Twinkles, Signo White Gel pen, SU Markers (Creamy Caramel, Blush Blossom, Garden Green, Pretty in Pink, chocolate chip), Circle Punches, 3/4 inch, 1 inch and 1 1/4 inch

Technique: Paper Piecing

PMS Color Challenge

Here is my first submission for Katie's color challenge at Papermakeup Stamps. The challenge was to use Pink & Gray...it was harder than I thought and took up most of my crafty time this morning. I'm already working on another card with Pink & Gray, but it won't be with PMS stamps...I only have two!

Supplies:

Stamps: Lauren by PMS, senitment by Stampendous

Ink: Versafine Black Onyx, Basic Gray

Paper: SU Basic Gray, Whisper White, Martha Stewart prints

Accessories: SU Markers (Basic Gray, Going Gray, Pretty in Pink, So Saffron, Blush Blossom), Sakura Glaze pen in pink for the hearts, Tiny Twinkles, Pink Pirouette striped grosgrain, MS Heart Lace Punch, Scallop square punch, 1 1/4 inch square punch

Finished Size: 5.25 x 7.5

Another Double Challenge Card

This time I'm combining the Demo Challenge at SCS and the SCS Color Combo for this week. The demo challenge was a re-do of the crimped envy card from a couple weeks ago...and since I loved the first one, I decided to do a second version...similar, but different.




In the above pic the left is the envelope and the right is a full card to go inside.


This is a pic of the inside of the card...I really like the look of a "finished" card inside, but I don't often take the time to do it.

Supplies:
Stamps: Inspired by Nature, A Little Something, Fresh Cuts
Ink: Rose Red, Old Olive, MOre Mustard
Paper: Raspberry Tart DSP, MOre Mustard, Old Olive, Whisper White
Accessories: 1 3/4 inch circle punch, 5/8 inch olive grosgrain, 1/4 inch mustard grosgrain, hemp twine, water mister, rhinestone brad.

Cuttlebug Challenge--Mellow Yellow

This week's challenge over at the Cuttlebug Challenges Blog was to make a bright and sunny YELLOW card. I started out trying to use up some pretty yellow Tim Coffey vellum scraps, but that didn't work, so I started over. When I opened up my CB binder to see what inspired me, I found my build a petal set...well that just seemed perfect...mostly because I don't think I've used it in the year that I've had it. The rest just fell together. AND LOOK! I used FOUR different embossing folders again :) :) I wasn't even trying this time, it just happened.

Supplies:
Stamps: Heard from the Heart
Paper: Summer Sun, Chocolate Chip, Whisper White
Ink: Chocolate chip
CB Folders: build a flower, Dots and Spots, Frills, Swiss Dots

Double Challenge Card

This card is for Gabby's Super Saturday challenge to use the heart pouch on a card and for the SCS Stretch Yourself challenge (LSC207)... I've had these green Prima flowers for a long time and never knew what to do with them. I just couldn't get past green flowers :) I also added a full bow with the ribbon...I usually just do knots because they're easier. My apologies to the Rubber Bombshells sistahs...no stamping again :(

Supplies:

Paper: MS prints, SU Whisper White

Accessories: heart pouch template, SU Top Note die, Prima Belle Fleurs, sheet polka dot ribbon, pop up glue dots, K&Co sticker sentiment.

Potential Anya Swap Card

Another quickie post today...still not feeling 100 %. This was the card I was working on for an Anya swap I'm in. I quite like it, but the frame is done on my cricut andit wasn't cutting the tiny little holes very well, so I don't know if I will risk ruining a whole pile of dsp just to make the frames...we'll see how it works later when I'm working a little better LOL

The cloud she's standing on is a piece of white velvet paper, cuttled with D'vine Swirl and sponged with plum ink. There are also stickles on her wings & halo.

Happy Valentine's Day!

SCS Wicked Demo-Only Challenge

Just a quick post today to get this up....no school due to icy conditions, so I'm SICK and stuck with two housebound kids today...not going to be fun :(

This is a set of cards I did for the SCS Demo Wicked Challenge for Feb. The challenge was to use Baja Blue, Kiwi Kiss and Chocolate Chip. I also chose to do the 3rd part of the challenge which was to make a 4 card set. Baroque Motifs is a very versatile set...you can make a million different cards with it, so this was quite easy. If you don't have this set yet, you NEED it! LOL



I hope everyone else stays healthy for Valentine's Day!

Club Anya Sketch Challenge

This is my entry for the first Club Anya sketch challenge. I think I'm going to love Princess Anya...wait...did I already tell you that?

I found the irridescent, shimmery, textured pink paper (no manufacturer listed) on clearance at Michael's a couple of weeks ago and just couldn't pass it up! It seemed perfect for paper piecing a princess dress today, altho it didn't take the ink very well.

Supplies:

Stamp: Princess Anya, The Greeting Farm

Ink: Black Brilliance

Paper: Pink Irridescent, Prints from MM Fabulous Finds, SU Pink Pirouette, SU Gable Green, SU Whisper White

Accessories: MS Heart Lace Punch, tassle trim, gold signo gel pen, tiny twinkles, dimensionals, SU markers (hair & skin)

I am in complete DISBELIEF! I WON!!!!!

Oh my! I won the Super Saturday Challenge. I really cannot believe it. I have never won anything for any kind of design work. I am giddy. Here's the card I did...you can see the details on a post a bit further down.

Crimped Envelope Tutorial on SCS

When I saw the Wednesday tutorial for a Crimped Evelope Card I just had to try it! It is sooooo easy and really neat when finished. I will definitely be demonstrating this technique at some point to my clubs.





So, the part on the left is the insert...you put it inside the part on the right, which is made from an envelope! You can find the tutorial for this card here. I cut out a few extra flowers and popped them up on dimensionals, as well as the hummingbird.

To do the watercoloring, I used watercolor crayons, directly on the rubber, and then misted with water...that's the hard part...getting just the right amount of mist LOL.

Stamps: Inspired by Nature, Dream a Little, Friend to Friend
Ink: mostly done with watercolor crayons & water misting, but used Artichoke for the sentiment and Rose Red for the sponging
Paper: Whisper White, Rose Red, Always Artichoke, 5.5 x 7.75 envelope
Accessories: ribbon, skittles, dimensionals

Cuttlebug Challenge Card

I ran across a challeng the other day to use at least 3 CB Embossing Folders on a card...plus I've been surfing http://www.heartprints.net/ and www.cuttlebugchallenge.blogspot.com (where there's another challenge this card fits) a lot lately and here's the card I was inspired to make. I actually managed to use FOUR embossing folders!

Here's the funny thing about this card. I went looking for a scrap of pink paper in my scrap pile and I found a nice sized one...but I didn't really recognize the color. I use mainly Stampin Up! cardstock, so I checked it...thinking it was Blush Blossom, but it wasn't. It's a full shade darker than any BB paper I have. So I have no idea where this pinkish paper came from! It's a beautiful shade...it's probably just a different dye lot of Blush or something. Anyhow, it was the perfect color for this card.

Paper: Ruby Red, unknown blush shade, WW

Stamps: none, the sentiment is a rubon

Accessories: MS Heart Lace punch, CB:Swiss Dots, Stylized Flower, Textile, and D'Vine Swirl, Cricut to cut the hearts.

Using up Scraps

A card on SCS inspired me to dig out some leftover Ginger Blossoms paper and make this:


Stamps: Baroque Motifs
Ink: Ruby Red
Paper: Ginger Blossoms (retired), Ruby Red, Groovy Guava, WW
Accessories: Rhinestone by K&co, ticket corner punch, rubons (Forever and Always), Riding Hood Red striped grosgrain.

SCS Color Challenge 204A

Here's my submission for the Color Challenge this week: Creamy Caramel, Cameo Coral and Old Olive.

Stamps: Simply Said

Paper: Raspberry Tart DSP, Cameo Coral, Old Olive

Accessories: antique brads, ticket corner punch, 5/8 Old Olive grosgrain, scallop border punch, sponges, dimensionals

My First House Mouse card

SCS can be soooo addicting. The other night I was discussing, online, coloring techniques and someone showed me a tutorial on the House Mouse site for using blending stumps and Turpenoid (odorless turpentine)...and then I found out I could use baby oil instead of the Turpenoid. So, in less than 5 minutes I was out the door to MIchael's in search of blending stumps and Turpenoid. I just got so excited because it looked so easy. I didn't get to try the technique until the next day and here's the result!

I didn't have a lot of color choices as I only had an old set of watercolor pencils...didn't want to buy those in case I didn't like the out come. Anyhow, the green happened to match some Wild Wasabi print paper I had, and then I found some matching ribbon I'd been holding on to...I just love it when it all comes together. For my first attempt at this technique (I used baby oil), I'm pretty proud of it. It WAS very easy and I will try again...just wish I had the SU watercolor pencils for better color choices.

Cricut Calico Critters

I was surfing for Valentine's Day crafts to occupy my kiddos on the snow day today and ran across these cute patterns for animals made out of heart shapes at Making Friends and I thought...hmmm...I could do those with DSP and make them pretty quickly. So, here's a collection of Cricut Calico Critters for your enjoyment. The card bases were clearance packs at Michael's after Christmas...they have Christmas stuff embossed on the front, but I'll just use an insert on the inside to hid that. I only paid .25 per pack of 8, so it's worth the extra sheet of paper to hide the embossing LOL. I used a variety of DSP from the hostess prints and patterns packs, current and retired. All the hearts were cut with my Cricut using the Plantin Schoolbook cartridge. The red pig is my favorite one. There's a mouse too, but I guess I forgot to scan that one.

Can you tell that the blue one is a dog? I'm not sure he looks very dog-like. The whiskers on the brown one give away the cat...I used some raffia for the wiskers as the paper one I put on the mouse were too thick. Anyhow...no stampin involved in these (well, maybe the inside sentiments), but they're quick and easy to make for teachers, babysitters, bus drivers, etc.... I'll be using the pigs for Vday with the sentiment "Hogs and Kisses" of course.

I actually won something!

Last post for tonite :) I was so busy playing on the Club Anya blog hop that I didn't have time to post until now. And it was worth it...I won something...this cute little Princess Anya pocket mirror. I hope this is the start of a run of good blog candy luck! Thanks to Jessica & Marie for organizing a great blog hop and to all the hostesses who risked their blogs today to let us play. You can find out more by clicking on the Club Anya badge to the right.

Valentine's Wall Hanging for DD

A couple of weeks ago, Samantha (3) and I were out shopping at Winners (for the US readership, it's like TJ Maxx), when she spied the tackiest, ugliest, sparkliest XOXO wall hanging you ever did see and want to forget! She begged to have it, of course, but they wanted some ridiculous price for it and I stood my ground and refused...then I caved by saying I would make her one. so, this was my project last night...I had to let it dry overnight before I could take a pic and post it. I actually kinda like it...It's WAY better than the one at the store.

The XOXO are cut from Cricut cartridge Opposites Attract on Real Red paper. I started by using Versamark, heat & stick and red glitter, but they weren't nearly sparkly enough, so I ended up nearly emptying out a bottle of red glitter glue on them.

The coasters are 4x4. DSP is from two different hostess prints packs from SU, in real red. The square rhinestones are from Marcella by K, Fresh Paint (found at the GCDS in Tantallon for $3 a set), chipboard hearts are American Crafts, and there's the unknown sparkly red ric rack and red raffia used to hang it. I attached the square metal sentiment to the flowers with the crop a dile... the sentiment reads "Love is after all giving of oneself". I added a bit of cord on back to hang it and VIOLA :) She's going to pee her pants when she sees it.

They can't all be winners!

Ok...I admit it. Not every card I try works out. There. I said it. I'm so ashamed. Well, not really....I have lots of cards I wouldn't publish on here. My friend Krista let me borrow some of her Cricut cartridges and I've been madly playing with them before she realizes she NEEDS them back LOL I flit from one cartridge to the next with no plans and just have fun. I have decided that I need to buy more cartridges of course becuase I can't drive 20 minutes to her house everytime I need Animal Kingdom or Calligraphy Collection!

Anyhow, Calligraphy Collection includes a "cut out" card that I wanted to try. It took a few tries to get everything cut out the right size for these layers.

I liked the card until I put the big blob of a sentiment on... If you're going to try to recreate the good part of this, here's what I did...

Calligraphy Collection Cartridge, card base in white at 5.5 inches. Card front in Tangerine 5.5 inches and 5 inches (that's what I layered on the inside to give the second frame). I cuttled the front panel with Leafy Screen. I used an extra card front I had cut to mask the inside of the card (plain photocopy paper on the inside for the sentiment), sponged a bit of chocolate ink to make a square, and then used Pocket Silhouettes for the flowers. So, you see, the flowers are actually on the inside of the card, peeking out through the window. Clear as mud? I think I'll try to replace the sentiment so the card's not a total waste.

Then I decided to try this version. Same dimensions, but I reversed the colors. I used Pocket Silhouettes again in Kiwi, Tangerine and Chocolate, stamping multiple times before reinking to give the various shades. Then I cuttled the white panel with Leafy Screen again. I felt like it needed a rim of chocolate around the outside, so I added a layer of chocolate between the white cuttled layer and the tangerine base (drew the window by hand and cut it out with my Fiskars trimmer, a bit bigger than drawn so it wouldn't show in the window like the above card). Again, the flowers are actually stamped on the interior of the card, peeking through the window. Now this one, I quite like in person...It's hard to see the texture of the cuttlebug on screen. I just wish I had remembered to tie on some ribbon! Oh well, 3rd time's a charm, right?

Blog Candy

For those of you who follow the blog candy links...I've decided to put them all along the side in a special "Candy Bowl" section instead of making a post for each one. So, any blog candies that I know of that are still open for entries, will be listed to the right under Blog Candy...with their deadline so you'll know when to go back and check. I will remove them once the winner is announced and it's not ME LOL.