Sunday, September 29, 2013

52 CCT / SSS 230

Just returned from spending the weekend up in the mountains.  The aspens are beginning
to change  and are so beautiful!  Even had a some snow up there.  I guess the snow sort of
inspired me to make the card I'm sharing today incorporating the technique challenge at
 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown  and the sketch at The Sweet Stop

This is the technique...


and the sketch.


Here's what I came up with.



This is the first time I've tried an emboss resist technique.  I stamped the greeting and
snowflakes on white card stock with Versamark and used white embossing powder.
After heat embossing I applied blue ink over the embossed areas and wiped it off with
 a paper towel.  Then I added a small amount of purple ink over the blue.  The penguin
stamp is from Hot off the Press.  I stamped it with black ink and heat embossed with black
 embossing powder. I colored the scarf with purple smooch ink and his beak with an orange
marker.  The papers are from DCWV the Winter Combo printed matstack.  I added a few
jewels to finish up.  Thanks for taking a look!

Sunday, September 22, 2013

Cardabilities #83 / DD #71

Today I made a card combining 2 challenges.  I used Cardabilities sketch #83 and the
colors from Dynamic Duos #71 challenge which includes includes the option of wet
embossing.

This is the sketch...


the color combo...

and my card.


I really like this sketch and knew I wanted to use it when I saw the colors at Dynamic
Duos.  I bought DCWV's the Foiled Elegance Stack a little while back and don't you 
now it had the perfect paper to use for this card. I stamped and heat embossed the
flowers and then cut them out. They are from an Autumn Leaves stamp set called 
Second Nature.  I die cut the leaves with a Sizzix Originals die I've had for years. 
Added some black pearls to the flowers and used a sticker for the greeting.  Thanks
for taking a look!

Saturday, September 21, 2013

52 CCT/ MFW

Well, I started the weekend yesterday in a glitter mode and I'm still there today.  This time
it's gold glitter on a card for 52{Christmas} Card Throwdown.  Christmas trees are the
theme for this challenge.  I'm also entering this card in the All That Glitters is Gold
Challenge in The Moxie Fab World.



Here's what I did.

 


The Christmas tree stamp is from Hot off the Press. I stamped it with gold ink on white
 card stock, heat embossed with gold embossing powder and fussy cut it and popped
 with some foam dots. I also stamped and heat embossed the border strip on white with
 gold  ink and embossing powder. The stamp used is from Stampabilities and called Ornate.
 I placed the strip on a piece of purple metallic card stock that I border punched with the
 EK Success Acanthus punch. I used the Spellbinders Romantic Rectangles die set to frame
 the tree. Finished up  with some gems and some glittered stickers for the greeting.
 Thanks for taking a look!

Friday, September 20, 2013

FMS #104

Made another Christmas card today.  This time I used the sketch #104 from


This is the sketch...



and what I decided to do with it.



I used DCWV's The Twinkle Glints Stack again.  It seems every time I buy a new
DCWV stack it becomes my favorite.  I also used my Spellbinders Create-A-Flake
Four die cut set for the second time today, although, I have to say it dies not cut this 
particular paper very well.  But I think the card turned out pretty well.  Thanks for
taking a look!

retrosketches #81

Wanted to get a card made for retrosketches #81 challenge before it's too late to submit.


Here's the sketch...



and my take on it.



I've had this DCWV paper  called The Twinkle Glints Stack for a little while now and
 haven't used it.  So, when I saw the sketch I knew I was going to make another Christmas 
card and wanted to do something with snowflakes.  I thought these papers would work
 great! I pulled out a small snowflake punch and Spellbinders Create-A-Flake Four die set.
And this is what I ended up with.  I like the way it turned out.  Thanks for taking  look!

Sunday, September 15, 2013

SSS 228 / Seize the Birthday

I'm back for one more post this weekend and then I need to spend some time on
some other projects, like cleaning house.  Yeah, can't wait to do that!

Oh well, this time I'm playing with The Sweet Stop and since I decided to do a birthday
card using that sketch, I'm entring it in the Seize the Birthday challenge, which gives
you an option of doing a monochrome project, but my card isn't anywhere near being
monochrome.


Here's the sketch...



and my creation.



Once again I'm attempting stamping.  The party hat stamp is from a tiny Studio G
set I picked up at Michaels for something like a dollar?  Anyway, I colored it in
using smooch inks.  The printed paper is another from DCWV's the Birthday
Wishes stack.  I added some brads and finished with the Happy Birthday sticker.
Thanks for taking a look!

FMS 103 / Dynamic Duos

It's another dark and dreary day here in Colorado.  I think there is more rain in the
forecast, which is not what we need.  There has been flash flooding all around us
and I feel so bad for everyone affected.  We've been lucky and I'm grateful.

I have 2 more challenges I want to enter this week, so once again I decided to combine
them.  I love doing all these challenges but find if I didn't do some combining I
would not be getting anything else done.  So, this time its Freshly Made Sketches
with the color combo at Dynamic Duos.

Here's the sketch...


and the color combo...


with my rendition.



I purchased a new stamp and die set and decided to try it for these challenges.  I think
I've mentioned before I'm mot really a stamper, but find I'm enjoying trying to learn.
I used a Graphic 45 set from Sizzix called Tea Time.  The papers are from a Teresa Collins
paper pad called Fabrications - Canvas.  I added some white Dazzles border stickers
and stamped the sentiment, which is from a Stampabilites set called Orchid Greetings.
As always, thanks for taking a look!

Saturday, September 14, 2013

TSTR #183 - Time Flies

Saw this week's challenge over at The Shabby Tea Room  and really wanted to
participate, but I struggled all week to come up with something I was happy with.
The challenge is to create a card or project inspired by the photo and include a
clock image.


Here is the photo...


and what I did.



I used the Mirabelle paper pack by Paper Studio and Heritage Garden 3-D Papier
Tole die cuts from Hot off the Press.  I added a border using the Martha Stewart doily lace
border punch and added some pearl accents.  The card below is another one I made last
year for my sister's birthday using the same paper pack and die cut set.  It's one of my
favorites that I've  created.  Thanks for taking a look.


52 CCT / Mojo 310

It must be the weekend because here I am sitting at the computer checking out card
challenge blogs.  It's been a stressful week at work and this helps me to not think
about all of that and just get lost in my own world.  So I did a card to cover 2
challenges today.  I like the color combo at the 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown
challenge this week and decided to use the sketch from Mojo Monday 310.

Here's the color combo...


the sketch...


and my interpretation.



I'm really getting my money's worth out of this Spellbinders poinsettia die set.  I guess
poinsettias are my main theme for Christmas cards this year.  I inked the edges and
veins of the poinsettia with red ink. I also seem to be doing a lot of of dry embossing too. 
This time I used  Cuttlebug's dotted swiss embossing folder.  The greeting is from a Hero 
Arts Christmas set of stamps.  Thanks for taking a look!

Sunday, September 8, 2013

retrosketches #80

I really like the sketch challenges at retrosketches.  Most of the sketches are a little
different than what I normally do, so...  I suppose they're doing what they're supposed
to do.  Challenge me! 

This is the latest one...



and my take on it.



As you can see, I chose to rotate mine.  When I saw the sketch I thought of this robot
tag, which actually came in a set of K & Company Tim Coffey Christmas tag die cuts.  
Hence forth, the Merry Christmas greeting. The die cuts came with 2 of these robot tags
so I fussy cut the second one and foam taped it to the tag. I dry embossed the main
 panel with a Sizzix texturz plate in an argyle pattern.  Cut some banners.  Added the metal
embellishment and metallic red twine - type ribbon.  Thanks for taking a look!

52 CCT

Hi there! Today it's another Christmas card.  This time done for the September
sketch challenge over at 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown.

Here's the sketch...


and my version.



For some reason it took me several tries to come up with something I ended up being
happy with.  I'm sure I'm not the only one that does that!  Any way, I used printed paper
from an old DCWV Holiday Collection Christmas Stack.  Pulled out my cricut to cut
the label with the Elegant Edges cartridge.  Used one of my favorite Martha Stewart
border punches called doily lace.  Added a K & Company layered accent and of course,
a little bling.  Thanks for taking a look!







Saturday, September 7, 2013

SSS 227 / DD #69

This afternoon I created a card to enter into 2 challenges.  The Sweet Stop Sketch
Challenge and Dynamic Duos Color Challenge.


Here is the sketch



and the color combo.

This is my take on both.




I really like the Penny Black Critter Party stamp I used.  I think the little hedge hog is
so cute! He was colored using smooch inks.  The circle and flower dies were cut using
Sizzix framelits dies.  I dry embossed the blue banner with a Cuttlebug swirls
embossing folder.  Made a white banner. Added a sticker for the greeting and finished
off with a little bling.  Thanks for taking a look!



FMS 102 / TSTR #182

I'm back with another post today, as once I start making cards on the weekends I just
can't seem to stop!  This time I was inspired by the sketch over at Freshly Made Sketches.
I am also submitting this card to The Shabby Tea Room #182 challenge.

Here is the sketch...

and TSTR inspiration.



and what I decided to do with it.



This time I used foiled and layered die cuts for the floral image.  The papers are from the
 DCWV Violet Leaf Stack.  I've been using this stack a lot as it's one of my favorites.
Added the pretty ribbon and there you go!  Thanks for taking a look! 

Mojo 309 / Seize the Birthday


This morning I made a card for 2 challenges. I'm using the sketch from Mojo Monday 309
and since I decided to do a birthday card I thought I would enter it in the
Seize the Birthday - Anything Goes challenge as well.







I used the DCWV Birthday Wishes Stack.  I die cut the circles with Sizzix framelits dies,
stamped the greeting with Hot off the Press's Birthday Greetings and cut out the sundae 
from the DCWV paper stack and adhered it with foam tape.  Thanks for taking a look!

Monday, September 2, 2013

Retro Sketches #79

I have a new printed paper stack from DCWV called Violet Leaf that I really like
so I decided to try another challenge with Retro Sketches.

Here is the sketch...


and what I did with it.



I decided to rotate the sketch and did some stamping.  That's not really something I
 typically do,  stamping that is, except for maybe sentiments or greetings, but I'm rather
enjoying it.  I stamped and heat embossed the floral flourish, which is from Inkadinkado,
and the greeting which is from Stampendous Orchid Greetings and added some of my,
 here lately seems, "signature" pearls.  I think it turned out pretty well.  Thanks for taking
 a look!

Sunday, September 1, 2013

52 CCT

We had a 5th week for the month of August so 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown's
challenge is to pick a previous sketch and color combo.


I chose this past color challenge


and this sketch.



Here is what I decided to do.


I decided to dry emboss the red and white card stocks to give a little texture.  The wreath
is made with many, many individual punched pieces in white and silver which I glued
down on a drawn circle and red gems were added.  Thanks for taking a look!

Dynamic Duos #68 & SSS 226

This morning I made another Christmas card combining 2 challenges.  Dynamic Duos #68
 and The Sweet Stop Sketch challenge 226.







You are to use perfect plum with a color of your choice for the Dynamic Duos challenge.
I chose to use what I call baby blue, which was inspired by this snowflake sticker I had
left over from Christmas supplies from a couple of years ago.  And I flipped the sketch.
The printed paper is from DCWV the Winter Combo printed matstack. I used a Fiskars
border and embossing punch and used a stamp from Hero Arts for the greeting, which
I heat embossed. Thanks for taking a look!