Thursday, January 22, 2015

Retro Sketch Challenge #149 and Winnie and Walter's Mood Board Challenge with Lea

Hello there!! Another quick post with some challenges I did over the weekend. Today I am entering the Retro Sketch Challenge #149 and Winnie and Walter's Mood Board Challenge with Lea.

I created a very simple card for these challenges.


I used Lea's Mood Board below to come up with the colors for this card. The Teresa Collins gold dot paper was perfect for this challenge. I didn't even have to stamp anything. The bottom right photo has a touch of red and I used this as my inspiration for the red hearts on the card front.



The over all design for this card came from Retro Sketch #149.


I made the doily at the corner a bit smaller then the sketch and elongated the rectangle. Instead of the bow at the left, I chose to fold over a piece of gold glitter tape that thad been sitting on my desk since Christmas. I hate to throw little scraps like that out "just in case."


The only thing I don't "love" about this card is the embossing. The embossing ink smeared a bit when I stamped it. Once again, why I am not a huge fan of heat embossing. It looks okay to a non card maker but it bugs me.

That is all for today. Thank you for taking the time to stop by.

Supplies:

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Water Coloring with Distress Markers, a Kristina Werner CASE and NBUS Challenge

Happy Hump Day!! It is the last day of exams and I am so happy. I am hoping for peace in my house at last. Okay, for one day until classes start but I will take it. Charlotte's first foray into mid-term exams was quite a learning experience for her. Hopefully it will be easier for her to prepare for finals now that she knows the drill. Here is hoping for a better quarter too. She did not do so hot this quarter.

Today I am sharing a card that I created using distress markers. I CASEd it from this card by Kristina Werner. Her card is a lot better then mine but I wanted to use my new stamp set I received from Simon Says Stamp, "Just Hatched" from Mama Elephant and decided Kristina's card would be the perfect card to copy. My version is below.


If you want to see how this card was created, I would suggest watching Kristina's video in the link above. Watching her paint is a lot better then having me try to describe it!!

I have done this technique but with limited success. That dinosaur was a challenge. He was hard!! I used about four different colors of distress ink just on him. Can you tell? It took a VERY SMALL paint brush to paint on him too.

I also did not have the cup cake stamps that Kristina used. I improvised with a Papertrey Ink image instead. I am pleased with how it came out.


As I look at this image, I notice the teeth did not come out perfect but that is something I will work on in the future. I also took this when the glue was wet so the glue has dried clear and with a matted look rather then shiny. The purple sprinkles are from a purple Souffle pen I had lying around.



This was so fun to do and relaxing!! I suggest if you get a chance, take out your Distress Markers and give it a try!!

I am also entering this into Darnell's NBUS challenge. Again, if you have not browsed her blog, you need to. It is fabulous!!



Thank you for stopping by!!
Supplies:
Paper-Paper Trey Ink (Stampers Select White, Hawaiian Shores checked), Doodlebug Design (Frosty Friends), scrap of Bazzill (blue strip)
Stamps: Paper Trey Ink (Cupcake Collection), My Favorite Things (Sweet Birthday Wishes), and Mama Elephant (Just Hatched)
Other: Big Shot, Ranger Distress Markers, Watercolor paper, Lil Inkers dies, Doodlebug Sequins (aqua), white sequins, Souffle Pen, White Gel marker


Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Winnie and Walter Gradient Challenge with Vanessa

Hello, Hello, Hello!! Today I am going to to a really quick post to show you the card I created for Winnie and Walter's Gradient Challenge with Vanessa. This card was probably the easiest and quickest I have done in a long time.

I started by taping off the front of a 4 1/4" by 5 1/2" card. I then inked a mixture of "Salty Ocean" and "Tumbled Glass" distress ink with an ink blending tool into the gradient design on the right. I then moved my tape over slightly and added a second, thin gradient line to the left of the first. Instead of starting with the darkest color on the bottom like I did with the first gradient, I swapped it and started with the darkest color on top. This was so easy and so fun to create!! (The photos are a bit "blue" and I apologize. I had a hard time fixing these in PS.)


I then stamped the "you" from Winnie and Walter's "Big Bold You" set with versa mark ink and heat embossed it with holographic ink. It does not show up as I wanted it to so I tried to ink a bit of the "Salty Ocean" ink over it. I then stamped the "thank" with the same color blue.


The last step was to adhere some sequins and rhinestones. This will not require any additional postage and was so easy to make that I could do a bunch at one time.


I want to thank you for taking the time to stop by my blog today.

Supplies:


Monday, January 19, 2015

Faux Shaker Card for Winnie and Walter's First Anniversary Bash!

Happy Monday everyone!! We have today off for Martin Luther King day. While Char is studying for mid-terms, I decided to post one of the few cards I created on Saturday. I finally had bit of mojo so I went with it and created three cards. That is a record for me! It takes me SO LONG to do one card, let alone three. I also made mistakes in the process and had to start over for some of them.

Today I am sharing a card I created for Winnie and Walter's First Birthday-"Shaker Challenge with Julie." However, there is a bit of a twist. I have made shaker cards before but even though they are all the RAGE, I do not like them. They are bulky, take too many steps and I often don't wind up sending them. I decided to create a "faux" shaker card instead.


I decided that I wanted the color scheme to be in white and silver. I based the card design on a different Winnie and Walter Birthday challenge-"Sketch Challenge with Joni."


I eliminated the two banners because they didn't work with my card. Here is how I created it:

  • I die cut a pinked edge circle out of a 4 1/4" by 5 1/2" piece of white card stock. I then misted it with Heidi Swapp "Tinsel" Color Shine. 
  • While that piece was drying, I die cut a circle out of silver glitter card stock. I then die cut a square piece of vellum and attached that to the back of the silver piece.
  • On the front of the vellum, stamped the Winnie and Walter Sentiment in Versamark ink and then heat embossed it with black embossing powder. I then adhered this piece to the misted front of the card.
  • Next,  I took the white card base, lightly penciled in a circle and used glossy accents to adhere silver and white sequins around the inside of the circle.
  • Using foam tape, I covered the non sequined front of the card base and carefully adhere the front to the card. 
  • My last steps was to adhere silver and white sequins randomly on the front, as well as add three stars that were die cut out of white glitter paper.

I really like how this came out and it was so fun to do. Can you tell it isn't a "real" shaker card? I also don't have to throw it away because it does not leak!! You could do this with any type of shaker card you wanted. If you wanted to add a bit of glitter, you could use a bit of Stickles randomly around the middle of the card as well.

Once again, I am entering this card into two challenges for the Winnie and Walter Blog. Run on over there and play if you haven't already. There are a TON of challenges to enter, as well as some fabulous inspiration projects. I also decided to enter it into Darnell's NBUS Challenge #3. I suggest that you check out her blog if you don't already. She is a HOOT and is a tremendous talent!! My Winnie and Walter sentiment stamps were new, as well as the silver glitter paper.

 


I thank you for stopping by today. Enjoy your day.

Supplies:
Paper-Paper Trey Ink Stampers Select White and the Vellum, Die Cuts With a View-silver
Dies-My Favorite Things
Stamps-Winnie and Walter "Big Bold You"
Other-Versamark Ink, Ranger Black Embossing powder, white glitter paper, Big Shot, Pretty Pink Posh sequins (silver), Darice (white sequins), Heidi Swapp Color Shine (Tinsel), Scotch foam adhesive




Tuesday, January 13, 2015

Memory Keeping

Hello friends. Today was a brisk but sunny New England day. I actually like these kind of days-they wake me up. If I get sleepy at work, I just walk through a hall where I need to go outside and I am instantly awake. Fresh, cold air will do that to you.

Today I thought I would share a few scrapbook pages with you. I rarely share them as Charlotte does not like me to upload them to my blog for some reason. She is at the self conscious age of 14 and thinks all photos of her are hideous.

I tend to scrap what I like and not chronologically. This is one reason I have never gotten into Project Life or done a December Daily album. Right now, Char is at an age where she dislikes having her photo taken so she rarely lets me take her picture. If she does, she is making a face or not looking at the camera. My life is not one that I would chronicle, either. It is rather boring and the day to day stuff is just not that interesting. Instead, I have been busy scrapping Charlotte's earlier photos because she was so much nicer to be around then. (Did I just write that?)


I have kind of developed "my style" over the years, which seems like it is everyone's style lately. I like paper layering and some embellishments but not a ton. I also like misting and have been adding more of my own writing to my pages. My mother died when I was 23 and I only have a few pieces of her writing. I cherish that. I figure that when I am gone, Charlotte might too.


Sometimes I use pre-made die cuts that are meant for a collection. Sometimes I choose to use my Big Shot and dies, as well as pre-made embellishments for a page. It all depends on what mood I am in. I mix supplies from companies and do not really have a favorite. I am a paper hoarder and have a supply that could last me YEARS.


I love the feel of paper and cutting it up into pieces or different shapes. I do not ever think I could get into digital scrapbooking, though I do love printable products. I feel like a kid again, playing with punches or adhering a sticker.


I am hoping that as Charlotte gets older, she appreciates the gift I have given her by documenting her life this way.

I appreciate you taking the time to stop by my blog today. I hope you enjoyed the small glimpse into my creative process.