Wednesday, January 31, 2018

Scruffy Puppy

It's time for our Wednesday challenge over at The House That Stamps Built. Since there are five Wednesday's in January we get to do a sketch!!
 
I decided to go CAS with today's card (one of those styles I struggle with!) -- and feature a scruffy little puppy from Repeat Impressions. I think he'd make an adorable Valentine so I included a few candy hearts from the Contain Yourself stamp series. 

Remember to stop by the Repeat Impressions Store and check out all the beautiful stamps -- there's a 10% discount code for my blog readers posted on the sidebar.  Also, come by the The House That Stamps Built and join in the fun of each new weeks challenge! The first Wednesday of every month One lucky person will win a $25 Repeat Impressions Gift Certificate! You don't have to use RI stamps to play along, but if you do you'll get an extra entry in the random draw! The more you link up, the greater your chances of winning! So what are you waiting for.....come on over and showoff your creativity!


Check out what the other design team members created: 
Supplies and Tools:
Embossing: Basket Weave Embossing Folder (Darice)
Inks: Touch Five Markers, Fired Brick Distress Ink (Tim Holtz)
Paper: Printed Burlap (DCWV) 
Punches: Friends Border Punch (American Girl)
Stamps: 8120-K, Scruffy Puppy , 9709-B, Candy Heart, and 9708-B, Hugs Candy Heart (Repeat Impressions)

This post linked to:
Mod Squad Challenge - Valentine - Love (must include red)
Shopping Our Stash - He loves me, He loves me not
Word Art Wednesday - Anything Goes

Tuesday, January 30, 2018

Va-Va-Valentines

Today I'm sharing a fun little set of Valentines I made with Power Poppy's newest release, Va-Va-Valentines!
For a limited time this 10 image set is on sale for only $6!!! 
To create my mini set of Valentines, I first printed off a sheet of
 text background from Mel Stampz.
Next, I distressed the edges and matted it on black cardstock (also with distressed edges).
I colored my images with Prismacolor Pencils and used a colorless blender pen on them. Accents and highlights were added with watercolor markers and a white gel pen.
A few sequins and a baker's twine bow complete these fun little cards.
Supplies and Tools:
Embellishments: Sequins, Baker's Twine
Inks: Prismacolor Pencils, Crayola Markers, White Gel Pen
Papers: Text Background (Mel Stampz)
Stamps: Va-Va-Valentines (Power Poppy)

This post linked to:
Shopping Our Stash - He loves me, He loves me not
Mod Squad Challenge - Valentine - Love (must use red)
Tic Tac Toe - Love, Sparkle, Free
Tuesday Throwdown - Favorite Color (Blue and Red are favorites of mine)

Monday, January 29, 2018

UTEE Texture

Today (on the Cropstop blog) I'm sharing a fun technique for making textured embellishments for your cards and paper craft projects.

For step by step instructions on creating that fun textured embellishment: Visit today's post on the Cropstop blog.
 Supplies and Tools
Dies: Sentiment Words Thinlits (Tim Holtz), Mixed Media Dies (Tim Holtz)
Embellishments: Prima Flowers, Pearls, Burlap String, PearlsInks/Embossing Powder: Picket Fence Distress Stain (Tim Holtz), Walnut Stain Distress Oxide, Versamark Watermark, UTEE 
Misc. Mounting Tape, Fiskars Paper Crimper
Stamps: Background Stamp from Outlines, SU Love is a Grand Thing

This post linked to:
Mod Squad Challenge - Valentine - LOVE (must use red)
Allsorts Challenge - Old Favorites (I used an old favorite sentiment inside and my old favorite paper crimper on the front)
Word Art Wednesday - Anything Goes

Thursday, January 25, 2018

Layer Cake

Today I'm sharing another card I created for the Power and Spark challenge - Grab a Map. I chose the sketch below as the starting point for my bright and cheery birthday card.
The sketch seemed like the perfect fit for the "Layer Cake" digital stamp set from Power Poppy that I've been itching to use.
I colored my image with prismacolor pencils, ran a colorless blending pen over them, and added a few highlights with watercolor markers.
I love the teal colored fuzzy paper (that I've been hoarding for years now!) paired with the bright red! So bright and happy looking!
Supplies and Tools:
Dies/Punches: Word Die (Momenta), Lace Border Punch (Martha Stewart)
Embellishments: Red Thread, White Lace
Embossing: Mosaic Embossing Folder (Cuttlebug) 
Ink: Prismacolor Pencils, Colorless blender pen, Crayola Markers
Stamps: Layer Cake Digital Stamps (Power Poppy)

This post linked to:
Power Poppy - Grab A Map
Shopping Our Stash - Birthday
Double D - Kitchen Heart of the Home (colors/baking)
Tic Tac Toe -  Polka-dots, Birthday, Fun

Wednesday, January 24, 2018

Acetate Card

Today is an "Anything Goes" theme for the challenge over at The House That Stamps Built. I decided to try something different, and created an acetate card this time.
To create this fun little winter scene I:
  • Tore four pieces of white card stock to resemble gently slopping hills
  • Embossed my snowy hills with the swiss dots embossing folder from Cuttlebug
  • Attached two of my hills inside my card and two outside  with my ATG gun
  • Stamped the 8806-N, Penguin Trio in Tuxedo Black Memento Ink
  • Colored my penguins with Touch Five Markers and fussy cut two of them out

  •  Stamped the 2719-K, Lg Pine Tree  and 2709-I, Large Pine Forest in Peeled Paint Distress Oxide 
  • Fussy cut my trees and added some faux snow
  • Stamped the 8805-K, Snowflakes in Broken China Distress Oxide and fussy cut
  • Applied some Iridescent Glitter Glue to the top, inside portion of my card
  • Sprinkled some Prisma Silver Stardust Glitter overtop and let dry
  • Created my scene --- popping up several items with foam mounting tape
  • Cut a square for writing in and punched the corners with a Close to my Heart punch
Remember to stop by the Repeat Impressions Store and check out all the beautiful stamps -- there's a 10% discount code for my blog readers posted on the sidebar.  Also, come by the The House That Stamps Built and join in the fun of each new weeks challenge! The first Wednesday of every month One lucky person will win a $25 Repeat Impressions Gift Certificate! You don't have to use RI stamps to play along, but if you do you'll get an extra entry in the random draw! The more you link up, the greater your chances of winning! So what are you waiting for.....come on over and showoff your creativity!


Check out what the other design team members created: 

This post linked to:
Creative With Stamps - Snowflakes
Addicted to Stamps - Baby it's cold outside
Little Red Wagon - Bundle Up

Tuesday, January 23, 2018

Scripture Tuck-Ins

 I like to include verse cards as tuck-ins whenever I send happy mail to hurting people on the card ministry list each week.
Usually I print ready made ones on heavy cardstock, but this time I decided to try making some "from scratch." I used Graciellie's Designs "Friends Like You" digital stamp set to create both the background and the floral decoration on this first set.
I colored the tiny flowers with prismacolor pencils and added a mini pearl to the center. I also colored the edges of the card to match before matting them on black cardstock.
I also created a second set of cards using Graciellie's "Pink and Blue Watercolor" digital papers. These cards don't have any fussy embellishments, just scriptures layered over her beautiful papers.
If you haven't already, you'll want to stop by Gracie's Etsy shop - Graciellie Designs - and check out all the lovely stamps, papers, and cut files she has for sale there! 

Supplies and Tools:
Ink: Prismacolor Pencils
Stamps: Friends Like You (Graciellie Designs)
Papers: Pink and Blue Watercolor (Graciellie Designs)
Word Art: Free printables from Word Art Wednesday

This post linked to:
Tuesday Throwdown - Anything Goes
Word Art Wednesday - Anything Goes

Monday, January 22, 2018

Quilted Sympathy

Today I have a quilt themed sympathy card to share with you. I keep my paper scraps organized in pockets according to color, so it's fairly easy to pull out some matching pieces and create a background like this one.
For step by step instructions on putting this card together: Visit today's post on the Cropstop blog.
Since I wanted the quilted background to be the main feature of this card, I kept the embellishments to a minimum.
 Supplies and Tools:
Dies: Blossom Nestabilities (Spellbinders)  
Embossing: Christmas Quilt Embossing Folder (Couture Creations), White Embossing Powder   
Inks:  Versamark Watermark, Broken China Distress Oxide, Black Ink (Tsukineko)
Stamps: All Occasions Sentiments (Heartfelt), All Things Are Possible (Heartfelt Creations), Seamstress Stamp (Prima)
Tools: Cuttlebug, Paper Trimmer, 
Misc: Paper Scraps,  Ribbon

This post linked to:
4 Crafty Chicks - With Sympathy
Word Art Wednesday - Anything Goes
Craft-Dee Bowz - Handmade Bow

Friday, January 19, 2018

Snowflake Birthday

Maria (from Paper Garden) contacted me the end of last year and ask if I'd be interested in reviewing a couple stencils from the store. I was more than happy to try out their stencils and post my honest review here on my blog. This is the second stencil I'm reviewing - to view the first click here.
Since the snowflakes are fairly big (and I didn't want to hide them), I created a clean-and-simple birthday card for one of my nieces.
To create this card I simply applied some distress inks through my stencil onto a piece of watercolor cardstock. I applied the same inks to a separate panel and layered it across the front diagonally before adhering my die cut sentiment. A few sequins and a pretty baker's twine bow complete this bright and cheery greeting.
I really enjoyed using this nicely sized 6 x 6 stencil, and would definitely recommend it to any crafter! It was super easy to work with and as you can see - it creates beautifully clear results!
Supplies and Tools:
Dies: Phrases One (Spellbinders)
Embellishments: Sequins, Baker's Twine, Rhinestone
Inks: Mermaid Lagoon & Twisted Citron Distress Inks (Tim Holtz)
Stencil: Snowflakes (Echo Park) 

 This post linked to:
Creative With Stamps - Snowflakes
Dies R Us - Kids Kards (this is a b-day card for my 12 year old niece)


Thursday, January 18, 2018

To Love and Be Loved

Today I'm sharing a Valentine's card I designed with Graciellie's newly released Floral Heart and Banner's Digital Stamp Set.
To create my 3D easel card I printed the heart digi once and then cropped and printed one of the blooms eight times. I colored both with Touch Five markers and added some highlights with a white gel pen. In the center of the eight individual blooms  I glued a pretty pearl before shaping and gluing them over the main image.
I wanted to keep the background fairly plain to showcase the beautiful floral heart, so I added only an embossed piece of cardstock and a wide strip of lace. The sentiment is from the same digital set, I simply re-styled it to fit the label die I wanted to use.
 Supplies and Tools:
Dies: Labels 4 Nestabilities (Spellbinders)
Embellishments: Pearls, White Lace
Embossing Folders: Circular Grid (Anna Griffin)
Ink: Touch Five Markers, White Gel Pen
Stamps: Floral Heart and Banner's Digital Stamp Set (Graciellie Design)

This post linked to:
 Tic Tac Toe Challenge - (Light Blue, Heart, Square)
 Allsorts Challenge - No Patterned Papers
Word Art Wednesday - Anything Goes

Wednesday, January 17, 2018

Monocramatic Pines

It's time for our Wednesday challenge over at The House That Stamps Built. This week we have an inspiration board for you. This challenge is a fun cross between a photo challenge and a color challenge. You can choose to be inspired by the colors, the photograph, or both!
I have to be honest -- When I first saw this board I was stumped! I'm not naturally gifted at making monochromatic cards - especially with such a "bland" color scheme!  But that's why it's called a "challenge" -- It makes you think outside the box and get out of your comfort zone! So...after a bit of thinking (and browsing Pinterest!) I came up with this nighttime winter scene as viewed through a lovely conservatory window!
To create my card I:
  • cut a piece of watercolor paper to size and mask off the moon with a large circle punch
  •  using sponge daubers I inked around my moon with Hickory Smoke and Black Soot Distress Ink 
  • sprizted the panel with water and heat set
  • added a bit of Platinum Brilliance ink around the edges
  • Stamped the Large Pine Forest and Large Pine Tree  in Tuxedo Black ink
  • Splattered some white acrylic paint over the panel
  • Added a tiny deer die cut to cover up a paint smudge! (whoops!)
  • Glued my window over the scene and cut around it
  • Added a bit of faux snow to the bottom of my window panes
 Remember to stop by the Repeat Impressions Store and check out all the beautiful stamps -- there's a 10% discount code for my blog readers posted on the sidebar.  Also, come by the The House That Stamps Built and join in the fun of each new weeks challenge! The first Wednesday of every month One lucky person will win a $25 Repeat Impressions Gift Certificate! You don't have to use RI stamps to play along, but if you do you'll get an extra entry in the random draw! The more you link up, the greater your chances of winning! So what are you waiting for.....come on over and showoff your creativity!

Check out what the other design team members created: 
Supplies and Tools:
Dies: Conservatory Window (Sizzix), Deer (unknown)
Embellishments: Faux snow
Ink/Paint: Hickory Smoke, Black Soot Distress Ink (Tim Holtz), Tuxedo Black (Memento), Platinum Brilliance (Tsukinedo), White Acrylic Paint, Black Sharpie Marker
Stamps: 2709-I, Large Pine Forest (Repeat Impressions), 2719-K, Lg Pine Tree (Repeat Impressions)
Tools: Textile Embossing Folder (Cuttlebug), Paper Crimper (Fiskars), Circle Punch

This post linked to:
4 Crafty Chicks - No Winter Blues
Allsorts - No Patterned Paper
Addicted To Stamping - Baby it's cold outside
Stamping Sensations - Cold and Frosty Colors
Creative With Stamps - Snowflakes