Happy Sunday and a Bunch of Challenge Cards

Hello everyone!! I hope you are all having a nice day. It is rainy and dreary here so it has been a low key day here.

Charlotte is home and we went to the gym together this morning. I am trying to instill some healthy habits for her now that she is home from college. It doesn't hurt that it is nice to have a workout partner!!

Since this weekend has been so gray, it was a good time to stay in and make some cards for some challenges.

I actually got to play a bit with some new stuff this weekend, which was fun. For my first card, I used Carta Bella's "Kite Stripe" stencil, and Altenew's "Wallpaper Art" stamp set and matching dies.

My inspiration for this card was the sketch #335 from the Paper Craft Crew Challenge Blog and Just Add Ink's Sympathy.

Instead of the circle, I chose to use one of the flowers from the Altenew stamp set. I also chose to stamp on some patterned paper from Bo Bunny's "Harmony Collection." I used Shaded Lilac Distress Ink and an eyeshadow applicator to shade some depth into the flower. I used the same technique with Bundled Sage and Shabby Shutters Distress Ink for the leaves.

I added some Mustard Seed in the middle of the flower and then went over the little stamens with some white gel pen. When I finished, I covered the leaves and flower with a clear Nuvo Aqua Shimmer Glitter Gloss marker.

The background was done with the "Kite Stripe" stencil and Memento Tuxedo Black. Let me tell you, that made a MESS!!!

For my second card, I used Freshly Made Sketches #386 and the Flower Challenge #32, which was to heat or dry emboss, as the inspiration for my card.

I started off by using the "Kite Stripe" stencil once again but instead of using ink, I chose to use Gina K Designs Glitter Glitz Gel in white on Neenah Solar White cardstock. This was my first time using this product and it was FUN!!!

Once the panel was dry, I die cut the bottom using a Pretty Pink Posh Scallop Border die. I then adhered it to an A2, top folding card base with an embossed polka dot pattern.

On the point of the border, I adhered a pinked circle. Over the top of that, I used foam adhesive to adhere a white circle.

Next I adhered an extra piece of a lacy MFT die cut and a WPlus9 image from the stamp set "Hello and Thanks" that I had colored in using Copic Markers.

I added some Nuvo Aqua Shimmer Glitter Gloss marker and Glossy Accents on top of the flower image.

My last step was to adhere a sentiment from Altenew's "Leaf Canopy" stamp set to finish off the card.

My last two cards I am posting today I used CASology's Week #341 cue card: Turquoise as my inspiration.

These cards were so fun to make!! I used Pinkfresh Studio's "Dainty Blossom" dies on both cards. I received these dies on Thursday and HAD TO USE THEM!!  I also used an Impression Obsession "French Text" stamp on both cards, which has been sitting in my stash for over a year.

I blended Peacock Feathers Distress Ink onto the stems, making sure the top was darkest part of the flower. I then added Nuvo Aqua Shimmer Glitter Gloss over the top to give it a bit of sparkle.

On my second card, I adhered the white panel over a turquoise under panel that I had stamped and heat embossed.

I was not sure if this was clean and simple enough so the first card is the card I made second.

I actually like this card better as it has a bit more interest.

Well, that is all from me today. Finally, right? I thank you for stopping by. I hope you all have a FABULOUS night!!

Supplies:

(All links are affiliate links at no extra cost to you)

Card #1
Paper: Neenah Solar White, Bo Bunny 6" by 6" "Harmony Collection" paper, MFT Stripe
Stamps: Altenew "Wallpaper Art" and Paper Trey Ink ""Words of Comfort"
Dies: Altenew "Wallpaper Art"
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Ranger Shaded Lilac, Shabby Shutters, Bundled Sage and Mustard Seed Distress Ink
Other: Carta Bella "Kite Stripe" stencil, Ranger Ink Blending Tool, Nuvo Aqua Shimmer Glitter Gloss, Scotch Adhesive, Ranger Multi Matte, White Gel Pen, Adhesive Foam, Pretty Pink Posh Sequins and Sizzix Big Shot

Card #2
Paper: Neenah Solar White cardstock, Die Cuts With a View
Dies: MFT, Paper Trey Ink "Limitless Layers," Pretty Pink Posh "Scallop Border" WPlus9 "Hello and Thanks"
Stamps: WPlus9 "Hello and Thanks" stamp set, Altenew "Leaf Canopy" (sentiment)
Other: We R Memory Keepers Embossing Folder, Adhesive Foam, Carta Bella "Kite Stripe" stencil, Nuvo Aqua Shimmer Glitter , Gina K Designs Glitter Glitz Gel, Sizzix Big Shot, Memento Tuxedo Black, Glossy Accents

Card #3 and #4
Paper: Neenah Solar White, Simon Says Stamp glitter paper
Stamps: Impression Obsession "French Text" background stamp, My Favorite Things "Marble Background," Simon Says Stamp "Tiny Words," and Memory Box "Best Life Typewriter" stamps
Dies: Pinkfresh "Dainty Blossoms"
Ink: Ranger Peacock Feathers and Tumbled Glass Distress Ink
Other: Ranger Ink Blending Tool, Nuvo Aqua Shimmer Glitter Gloss, Ranger Multi Matte, Adhesive Foam, Sizzix Big Shot, Ranger Clear Embossing Powder, Wagner Heat Tool, Versamark Ink

CASology Week 190: Weather, Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge and Stamping Smiles Design Tic-Tac-Toe Challenge #6

Happy Friday everyone!! I hope everyone is having a wonderful day. I am off today and have been doing a lot of chores, making a birthday cake for my husband's birthday tomorrow and have spent a bit of time in my craft room. I love days like today!!

I have been busy crafting as of late but have not been able to share. Good things have been happening to me! I will let you all in on my secret in a couple of weeks.

That said, I made a card this week to enter into two challenges. First, I am playing with Stamping Smiles Design Tic-Tac-Toe Challenge #6. It is my "reject" card that I created for an upcoming blog post I have this week. There is nothing wrong with it but I created two cards that day and liked the second card better.

I chose the top row across for my card-showers, glossy accents and umbrella.

I am also playing along with CASology, Week 190 and the theme is "weather."

I also decided to play with Simon Says Stamps Wednesday Challenge this week. The theme is "Rain or Come Shine."

Here is the card I created:

I started off with a white card base and adhered three strips of red patterned paper across the card front. The paper I used were just scraps that I had in my scrap drawer. I have so many that I could probably make a hundred cards like this!!

I then I die cut the white panel using the My Favorite Things "Stitched Rectangle Scalloped Frames" die and adhered it over the patterned paper. I stamped some raindrops from Pretty Pink Posh's "Rainy Days" stamp set in My Favorite Things "Sno Cone" dye ink  at the top right corner and used glossy accents over the top to give it a "wet" effect. I also stamped the sentiment in black at the bottom.

My next step was to stamp the umbrella from the same stamp set in My Favorite Things "Persimmon" dye ink onto white card stock and die cut it out using the matching die. I also stamped and die cut the long part of the umbrella, as well as the handle. I adhered all to the card, using foam adhesive for the umbrella itself.

I added some Studio Nova drops in "Buttermilk" over the umbrella for some texture, as well as some clear Wink of Stella and Glossy Accents on the handle.

This is the perfect day to post this card as it is has been raining on and off here today. I thank you for stopping by my blog. Have a great day!!

Supplies:

InLinkz.com

CAS(E) this Sketch Challenge #94, CASology Challenge: Week #114 and some Copic Class Homework

Happy Sunday everyone!! The weather here has been absolutely beautiful. It is a little hot today but the sun is shining and you cannot beat that. I actually spent time in my craft room after a nice walk today. Any day that I have time to sit down and create is a good day in my book.

Today I am sharing a card that I created for two challenges. The first was a sketch challenge from CAS(E) this Sketch and the second was a CASology challenge, which was to use the word "Flutter" as inspiration. Here is the card I created:

This card was a bit different for me. I rarely use such a bold patterned paper as a background for a card. I decided to step outside my comfort zone, though, and use a piece. Below is the sketch I used as a guide to the design.

When I saw this sketch, I knew immediately that I could utilize a bunch of die cuts I had floating around on my desk. Each of the strips were cut eons ago using a PTI die. I never cut the die apart so I die cut the middle of the patterned paper, adhered it to a white card base and slipped the colored strips inside the empty rows.

Next, I used an MFT banner die to cut a vellum banner, which I then stamped a sympathy sentiment on. I layered the sentiment banner underneath an aqua frame.

I die cut the butterfly out of a scrap piece of paper and adhered that to the front. I love this butterfly because it is so delicate. It is the perfect element for a sympathy card too. Actually, it is the same one that I used on this card last week.

My last step was to adhere three sequins to the front of my card. Once again, it was so easy to put together but it took me a while to figure out what I wanted to do. I always take so long in making anything because I am constantly second guessing myself!!

Once again, I am entering this card into the following two challenges:

In other news, I worked on some homework this weekend for the online Copic Class I am taking. I definitely recommend it to anyone that has Copic markers. I have to admit that I am having a rough time with some of the coloring. 

My first homework I am sharing is from lesson #4. It was how to shade flowers using different methods. On my worksheet, I practiced one shading method and the other I used a flicking method to color the image.

For my colors, I actually went to my Copic Pinterest board to try some color combinations that I have been dying to use. I like my coloring on the yellow, blue and lighter purple flowers. The darker purple I didn't really like all that much at first. I stopped coloring them mainly because I could not get my gel pen to work for the stamens and so it became muddy in the middle. 

I also worked on Day #5's homework. Day 5 taught us how to shade skin tone and hair. Again, I used some colors gleaned from my Pinterest board to try out for both the skin tone and hair.

The first girl's hair was supposed to be a reddish/brown. I think it is an epic fail because the red did not blend into the brown the way I wanted it to. The hair technique on the first two practice faces I used a flicking method. I really like this and will be practicing this on some stamps that I own. The last image I like the skin tone but not how the hair came out. I did not have the right colored marker that was called for. I also am not loving the paper I am using. It is one that was recommended but I find that it bleeds more then some other papers that I used. I really didn't have a choice, though, because I had these images copied at Staples and they would not put my heavier card stock through the copier.

The last practice image is from Day #5 of class too. I am actually embarrassed to even post it because it was an EPIC fail.

I totally messed up the right side of the shading on the head. If it wasn't for that, I could live with it, I think. I also had a bleeding issue with my V25 marker. It started GUSHING color as I was trying to shade the tulle underneath the dress. I cleaned it up the best I could with my colorless blender but I could not get all of it.

Well, that is it for today. I thank you for stopping by and checking out my blog. Have a great night!!

Supplies:

InLinkz.com