Friday, October 23, 2015

Pinterest Inspired Challenge

Happy Friday!! Is every one anticipating a wonderful weekend? There are still leaves on the trees in Connecticut but they are falling fast. I need to get Charlotte's Christmas photo done before the are all gone!!

That said, I had a bit of a set back and have been experiencing a lot of pain. I am now confining myself to rest for the next couple of days. Just when I think I am feeling better too!!

Today I wanted to shared two cards I created using the Pinterest Inspired Challenge image for October. The light colors screamed sympathy cards to me so I created two.


The first one is very simple. I used distress inks to stamp the flowers and leaves in Shaded Lilac and Pumice  Stone. I inked up the stamp, misted it with water and then stamped it on the watercolor paper. When the images dried, I stamped the sentiment and die cut the panel.


I then mounted the panel on gray card stock and added some clear rhinestones.

Here is the inspiration image:


The second card I created I got a bit more adventurous for me.


Again I used Distress ink in the same two colors and stamped the images randomly over the entire panel of water color paper. I let the images dry and then shook mist on in silver and Shaded Lilac. I wanted to mute the stamped images a bit so I die cut a piece of vellum and layered it over the card front.


I then created a silver thread nest, added a sentiment and a few sequins from my stash. I love these pretty colors together, don't you?

I thank you for stopping by today! Have a wonderful weekend!!



Wednesday, October 21, 2015

Sweet Sunday Sketch 291 and Lawn Fawn "Happy Harvest"

I have been crafting and getting a lot more done each day!! My body tells me when to stop, though, and if I listen, I do not hurt. The key is to listen!!

Today I want to show you a card I created using Sweet Sunday Sketch #291.


I used the sunflowers in Lawn Fawn's new "Happy Harvest" set, combined with the smaller sunflower and the leaves from Lawn Fawn's "Friendship Grows" set. The one thing I LOVE about Lawn Fawn is that you often can combine the sets to create cards!!

Here it the sketch I used for the design:


I am actually going to go back and stamp some of my other flower sets to make some more using this sketch. It is so versatile!! 


Not a ton to this card-just paper layering, stamping and coloring. This is the first card I created for a set I am making for my best friend for her November birthday. She LOVES sunflowers and has become a tradition for me to create a set of cards for her each year. She sends out TONS of cards throughout the year so I know she appreciates it!!

I thank you for stopping by!! Have a fabulous night!!



Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Lawnscaping Challenge #116 and Getting my Ghoul on with Lawn Fawn's "Happy Harvest" set

One of the things about being laid up is that I have been able to view a lot of videos. One of the videos that I thought was SO COOL was from "Just One More Card" and it was on "How to Zombie-fy Your Stamps." Julia did a video taking an ordinary, cute stamp from My Favorite Things and making it into a stamp fit for Halloween. Her shattered glass background she did BY HAND!! It looks so cool!!

Anyway, she inspired me to look at my stamps and see what I could do. I had the Lawn Fawn set "Happy Harvest" on my desk and I thought it would be fun to Zombie-fy the scarecrow and the crows!

I stamped the scarecrow and the two crows using a bit of masking. I then went on the internet for some zombie images and made some strategic marks on the images with a pencil. I then used a Copic Liner pen to outline where I placed the pencil marks. I then colored the images in with Copic markers and die cut the images out with the matching dies. I added details using a white gel pen and a red Spica marker.


Next I stamped a bunch of corn stalks all over a white piece of paper and masked off a circle using a piece of masking paper. I then blended Distress Inks in Chipped Sapphire, Wilted Violet and Smoked Hickory to create the blue background. I then sprayed some water into my hand and I flicked it onto the background to make "stars." It made the corn stalks look like they were in shadow, which I thought was so cool!!


I then created a bit of a scene with all my images under the moon. I LOVE how this came out and it was the most fun I have had making a card in ages. It took a bit of time to figure out where I wanted to place all my hand drawn pieces into the image but I think it was worth the time.

I am entering this into the Lawnscaping Challenge: Too Cute to Spook at the Lawnscaping Challenge blog.

I want to thank you for stopping by today. Have a great day!!


Monday, October 19, 2015

CAS(E)this Sketch #145

Hello everyone!! I am finally back!! I am still NOT 100% but feeling so much better. If I do too much, I sleep like I am drugged. It is kind of scary!!

Anyway, when I do feel okay, I have been at my craft desk. A lot of it is just stamping and coloring images but I have created some cards. Today I want to share my card that I created for CAS(E) this Sketch #145. 

I created this card using Lawn Fawn's "Baaah Humbug" stamp set and dies.


I did a bit of masking with the hat when I stamped the sheep from this set. I colored him in using Copic markers. I used Marvy's Snow Pen to give the hat a "furry" look.

Here is the sketch that inspired me:


I could have made a ton of cards from this sketch. Isn't it awesome?


To get the sentiments evenly spaced, I used my MISTI tool. I have to say that I am finally getting used to it and it has made a world of difference in stamping!! To emphasize the sentiment a little bit more, I then die cut around it with a die from My Favorite Things.


I actually partially die cut the sheep with the dies to get the hat and the body cut out. It is not perfect but for my first experience, I didn't ruin it. I would have been upset had made a mess of things because I colored this little critter and THEN die cut him out. I don't usually do that!!

Well, I thank you for stopping by tonight. It is good to be back!! Have a great night!!


Wednesday, October 7, 2015

Wishlist Wednesday!!

Hello everyone!! I hope you are all doing well.

I do not have anything crafty to post today. I had major surgery last Friday and have been recovering. It would help if I was a better patient but I am not. For the most part, I have been feeling okay but today I had a particularly difficult day. Must mean I am getting better-at least that is how I am taking it!!

So instead of posting stuff that I made, I am going to post some things that I am wishing for!

Even though I am supposed to be on a "no buy" challenge, I totally failed today. I bought the Hero Arts October 2015 Kit. In all my plethora of stamps, I do not own a poinsettia!!
I have a huge wish list for My Favorite Things reveal tonight. I will not be able to buy it all but there are a few things that I plan to pick up, if I can get over there in time. (All images I poached from their release blogs as they were not on sale yet as I was writing this post.) 

I want the Tag Builder Blueprints 4.


 I also LOVE the new "Santa's Elves" set.



I am also loving the new "Cool as a Cucumber" paper they are releasing. It is such a pretty shade of green!!


I also love the new "Joyous Christmas Sentiments." The font is wonderful!!


I still have some oldies on my list as well but a lot of it is out of stock.

Mama Elephant has a release on October 15th. I want the "Reindeer Games" set to make some tags.


Can you sense a theme here? I guess I am finally getting into the Christmas mode!!

Thanks for stopping by today!!




Wednesday, September 30, 2015

Scrapjazz Kit Club Goes Live!

Happy Hump Day!! I am posting today to say that my long awaited journey to be a member of a kit blog is over. I have been a member of Scrapjazz.com for years and six of us decided to try it. It was modeled after the Kits of Occasion Blog that I drool over every month.

We are not doing it a monthly but more of on a bi-monthly basis. Some of the girls are novice card makers, as well as photographers but each one did a fabulous job. So please visit the Scrapjazz Kit Club blog to see what everyone created!!!

I was in charge of the kit for this month and here is what I sent out in August.
I sent out a lot of images that needed to be colored and I think this was a challenge for most of the girls. However, that is what it is all about, right?

I actually had a rough time making projects for this reveal. First, I did not have enough of some things for me to use myself. Next time I will be better at including me in the count. Second, well, I don't use patterned papers that much on my cards. I will make them myself or use embossing rather then patterned papers. I decided I need to make a point of using this type of paper on my cards, though, because I have TOO MUCH IN MY STASH not to. Just FYI-this post is very heavy on the images.

My first two cards used the penguins from the My Favorite Things stamp set "Penguins in Paradise."


I colored the tree and the penguin in with Copic markers and then cut it out. I placed it inside an oval frame that contained a patterned paper background. I made sure a piece of the tree overlapped the frame, though.


I cut the "cheers" sentiment out and made it into a banner. Instead of leaving it white, I inked it up with blue ink to match the background.

The second penguin card I used a sketch from CAS(E) this Sketch blog. It was one from a couple weeks ago.


I had fun coloring the bathing suit on this penguin. I colored it with green Copic markers and then added some blue polka dots. I thought it need a bit more pop so I used a white gel pen to then draw around the polka dots.


I used an My Favorite Things "In and Out Stitched Square" die to cut the penguin out. I layered it over an A2 top folding card that I had covered in patterned paper, a banner and some blue circles. I then added some sequins that were in the kit.

For the third card that I utilized only patterned paper and card stock.


I die cut the bottom of two pieces of the patterned paper with the "A2 Card Curved Edge" die from Simon Says Stamp! I layered it over a piece of card stock that I had embossed. I then adhered a sentiment banner and a heart. Next I wrapped some thread around the front three times and added two pins. The pins were my "mystery" item that I put in the package. Only one other person wound up using them on a card!!

My next card was another simple card.


I layered one of the piece of patterned papers over a white top folding A2 card base. I then adhered the Paper Trey Ink "hugs" sentiment that was in the kit. I kind of cheated for the balloon because all the other girls, if they used it, had to fussy cut it. I had the die so I die cut it out. (It was from WPlus9's "Party Animal" set.) I then used Spun Sugar and Worn Lipstick Distress Ink, blended it onto the balloon and then adhered the balloon to the card front.


Next I used foam adhesive to adhere the Mama Elephant panda from "Pandamonium." I die cut a balloon string using Lawn Fawn "Party Balloon" dies. I cut it apart to make it work for the front and adhered it so it looked like the panda was holding onto it.

The last card was the one that I spent the most time putting together.


I colored in the elephant, bunny, and tooth brush with Copic markers. I set them aside and created the background scene using Distress ink and water color paper. (Mowed Lawn and Twisted Citron for the grass and Tumbled Glass for the sky.) I used the "smooshing" technique with a piece of acetate, the distress ink and a mister filled with water. I dried this with my heat gun and adhered it onto the front of a white, top folding A2 card base.


I then cut a circle slightly smaller then the background scene in my orange patterned paper and adhered that to the card front. I then adhered the critters onto the scene, adding some sequins to complete it.


I cheated here a bit too. I stamped the sentiment onto the card front instead of using one from the kit. Under it a I placed a piece of green card stock from the kit. I added some Wink of Stella over it and the handle of the tooth brush.

Have you made it to the end? I hope so!! I do not usually post this many cards in one post so please forgive me. I just got a kit in the mail to play with that will be posted in October. Please, please, check out the Scrapjazz Kit Club to see all the fun cards that everyone else made!!!

Have a great day!!

Sunday, September 27, 2015

CYCI#88 Challenge-Anything Goes

Happy Sunday!! It is a beautiful, fall day here in New England. What I would view as a "perfect" day, though I know others like the warmer weather. I like it crisp enough to have to wear a sweater and some socks!!

Today I am sharing a card that I created using scraps from the mess on my desk. I created this card for a challenge. I had made paper and then die cut leaves. I had the paper left and thought, why should I throw it out? Instead, I decided to use it to make a card.


The first thing I did to create this was to die cut two leaves from patterned paper scraps using Paper Trey Ink's "Leaf Silhouette" dies. I then die cut a mask and inked the leaves using Distress Ink.


I used an A2 sized "Soft Stone" card base and used a stencil with some soft stone ink on the background. I then stamped the sentiment.


I adhered some orange stripe pattered paper scrap onto the card front and the inked strip over it that. Next I used some foam adhesive to adhere the leaves. I then put a bit of sparkle with Wink of Stella over the leaves. My last step was to adhere some clear sequins to the card front.

I LOVE how this card turned out. It was one of the easiest I have ever made. I challenge you to use some scraps from your stash to make a card. I am entering this into CYCI#88-Anything Goes Challenge.


I want to apologize for my being behind on commenting. I have had a lot of stuff going on and it has impacted my computer time. I so hate that!! I know I won't be able to catch up but hopefully I will be able to stay on top of this weeks creations.

I hope you enjoy the rest of our day!

Supplies:
Paper-Soft Stone and White Card stock-Paper Trey Ink, Patterned Paper-scraps from my stash
Ink-Shaded Lilac, Dusty Concord, Squeezed Lemonade Distress Ink, Burned Orange and Blue Violent ink from Simon Says Stamp, Memento Tuxedo Black Ink
Stamp and Dies-Simon Says Stamp
Sequins-Darice
Other-Ranger Matte Adhesive, Foam Adhesive, 

Wednesday, September 23, 2015

CAS(E) This Sketch #141 and the Fusion Card Challenge

Happy Wednesday!! I hope everyone had a great day.

I had the day off due to our school being off for the Jewish Holiday. I did fun things like give the dog a bath, clean the bathroom, taking Charlotte to an eye appointment, shopping, and then folding my MOUNTAIN of laundry. I am great at washing but the folding I always leave until I am out of laundry baskets. (I have 6-yes I am lazy!!) I do hang a lot to dry, which does help.

I also binged watched a show that I meant to watch when it was on this summer but never got the chance. "Mr. Robot" is the name and it is on the USA Network. The main character is just fascinating to me. Socially awkward to the extreme but is SOOO smart. He works for a computer security firm by day but is a hacker by night. He hacks EVERYONE he knows!! The plot is bigger then that but too complicated to explain. Anyway, check it out because it is really good.

Today I am sharing two cards that I made this weekend for two challenges.

The first I created for CAS(E) this Sketch #141. I am actually getting this one in under the wire!! Here is my card:


I received a large order from Scrapbook.com last week and used a lot of products that I had bought on this card. First I stamped the Hero Arts "Graphic Leaves" background onto white card stock with Versamark ink and heat embossed with white embossing powder. I then used distress ink in various yellows and oranges to blend over the background. I LOVE these fall colors and how the white embossing resisted the ink.


I then die cut the panel and adhered it to a brown A2 card. I die cut a kraft banner and inked it with Vintage Photo ink and adhered it to the card front. I then made three loops of yellow twine and adhered that over the banner.


Next I used a sentiment that I cut from my new Pebbles 6" by 6" paper pad and rounded the corners. I adhered it over the banner and the looped twine. My last step was to adhere the sequins like they were on the sketch.


I love that the sketch had the sequin placement on it. I always have such a tough time figuring out where they go.

My second card I created for the Fusion Card Challenge. If yo have not played along before, this is where you can either use the theme, the sketch or both to create a card. Here is the inspiration piece:

I actually chose the blue's and the gold from the peacock plates as my inspiration and did not use the sketch to make my card.


Instead of stamping first, I used Distress ink in different blues to blend over a white piece of card stock. I misted the card with water when I was done to give it a splotchy look. I then used my Hero Arts "Graphic Leaves" background stamp again with Versamark ink and then embossed it with gold embossing powder. I then die cut panel and adhered it to a black A2 card front.


I die cut some banners out of card stock scraps. I embossed a sentiment on one and layered them over each other on the card front. I then made a "nest" of gold thread and adhered that over the banners. I  die cut a leaf out of gold glitter paper and adhered that over the banners and the thread. I then took  some sequins and randomly adhered them to the card.


I have to say that I LOVE this card. Blue is one of my favorite colors and being able to use all my Distress inks was SO FUN. My fingers were covered in blue when I was done. In my book, that is a success!!

I want to thank you for taking the time to stop by my blog today. I hope you have a great night!!

Supplies: