Miss You

My card was made for my sister, Mary, who lives in Asia. I was inspired by several challenges to create the card, but in particular by one of the cards made by a Design Team member at the Paper Players challenge. See the card HERE.

Using heavyweight white cardstock, the front of the card base was cut away and a band of acetate adhered. Then the cut away piece was trimmed and adhered, allowing sufficient space for the sentiment. 

The leaf was stamped and watercolored using Oxide Distress ink. The leaf was covered with Versamark ink and clear embossed. While still warm from the heat gun, the leaf was shaped before adhering to the card. The flower was sponged with yellow ink and adhered.

Two identical sentiments were die cut. One was adhered to the front of the card and the other adhered exactly behind it on the inside of the card base. The sequins in tones of yellow were adhered and a large sequin was set into the center of the flower.

This card is being submitted to:

 

1. Tic Tac Toe Challenge #007 (used diagonal from top left - acetate, distress ink, yellow)

2. The Paper Players Sketch Challenge #354

3. Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #222

4. Happy Little Stampers July Die Challenge

Techniques: CAS, Stamping, watercoloring, fussy cutting, heat embossing, die cutting, sponging

Size: A2

 

Materials

Stamp: Altenew Hibiscus Bouquet (leaves)

Inks: Stampin' Up! Daffodil Delight, Oxide Distress Lucky Clover, Versamark

Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White (heavyweight), Basic Black, window pane (acetate)

Die: Peachy Cheap

Misc.: SU! EP (clear); flower and sequins from stash



Car-topia Birthday - Masculine





 

7/26/2017 Update: This card was selected as a Top Three winner in the Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #221.

Lots of men in my family equates to a constant need for masculine cards. There are several topics that are popular with the men and boys, cars being one of them. This card will be mailed so I made it with a low profile.

Two panels of Cartopia paper were adhered to a white card base. The license plates were fussy cut from the Cartopia Collection and aligned in keeping with the card sketch. A strip of red paper was adhered along with the die cut sentiment. The metal gears were adhered, again because of the sketch. The inside was decorated with another birthday die cut and a strip of coordinating striped paper.

The card is being submitted to the following challenges:

1. Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #221









2. Watercooler Wednesday #128










3. Happy Little Stampers July Challenge






4. Addicted to Stamps & More #251


Materials
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White and Basic Black
Paper: Bella Carta "Cartopia" stack
Dies: Peachy Cheap
Misc.: Spare Parts from Tim Holtz (gears)

You Inspire Me

Decided to jump into a color challenge - dark pink, pale pink, green and white. I'm not quite sure when I'll use this card because I had to change sentiments at the end. The optional sentiment in this stamp set says, "You are amazing." I discovered a flaw in the "Z" of the word, amazing, so switched to "inspire me".

Using watercolor paper and Brusho watercolor crystals to lay down some color, the images were stamped onto the paper after it dried using masking for the flowers. There were some dark spots from the crystals, so the stamps were placed to use those spots as flower centers.

The images were fussy cut then clear embossed and popped up with foam tape on the white card base. The clear embossing gives the images a beautiful shimmer but does not photograph well, distorting the color a little bit. The sentiment was stamped and the sequins adhered. The inside was decorated with an extra leaf and flower that was not used on the card front.

The card is being submitted to:

1. Color Throwdown #451







2. Crafty Creations #345
    (Theme: Anything Goes)

3. The Flower Challenge #10
    (July)





Techniques: Stamping, fussy cutting, masking, heat embossing, watercoloring
Size: A2

Materials
Stamps: Altenew "Hibiscus Bouquet"
Inks/Colors: Memento Tuxedo Black, Stazon Jet Black, Brusho Crystals
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White heavyweight
Paper: Canson watercolor
Misc.: Stampin' Up! Dimensionals foam tape, sequins from stash

You're Turtley Awesome - Masculine

My card has been made to enter into several challenges using a complex sketch for the layout and Paper Smooches for products. For the texture requirement, I used an embossing folder, foam tape, distressing, wood grain paper, Saran Wrap and the droplets.

A panel of Lost Lagoon cardstock was dry embossed with white ink on the inside of the folder to emphasize the texture. The edges of the panel were distressed slightly. This panel was adhered to white cardstock and then to the card base. In keeping with the sketch, two panels of patterned paper were sponged with peach and brown ink and adhered to the embossed panel.

A panel of paper with pastel yellows and greens on a soft aqua background was brightened by adding more color using a scrunched piece of Saran Wrap daubed onto the ink pads and then onto the paper. It was adhered to a square of vellum, backed with foam tape and adhered. The remaining elements were stamped, colored, die cut and adhered to the square. The crab, turtle and one fish were popped up with foam tape. The small fish and kelp layers were adhered directly. A strip of paper was added across the bottom edge with the stamped sentiment. The inside was lined with white cardstock and decorated with kelp and small stamped fish. Bubbles were added using the aqua droplets.

Glossy Accents was added to the turtle's shell, the crab and both fish. A few dabs of clear Wink of Stella were also added to provide a glimmer sheen to represent shiny water.

My card is being submitted to:

1. Paper Smooches July Blog Challenge





2. Crafting from the Heart #167
    (Theme: Anything Goes)

3. Cardz 4 Guyz #173
    (Theme: Beside the Sea)


4. The Male Room #64








5. Sweet Sketch Wednesday 2 #116






Techniques: Stamping, sponging, die cutting, dry embossing, coloring
Size: 5" x 5"

Materials:
Stamps: Paper Smooches "Surf &Turf" & "Courteous Cuties"
Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black & Stampin' Up! Whisper White, Soft Suede, Cajun Craze, Delightful Dijon, Peach Parfait, Lost Lagoon, Pool Party, Garden Green, Mossy Meadow
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White, Cajun Craze, Lost Lagoon, White Vellum
DSP: Moxie "Swing", Echo Park "Summer Fun", The Paper Studio "Wooden Fence-Turquoise"
Dies: Paper Smooches "Surf & Turf" & "Ocean Scene"
Misc.: Stampin' Up! Dimensions foam tape, Stampin' Up! TIEF, ZIG Wink of Stella (clear), Glossy Accents, The Robin's Nest Dew Drops, Saran Wrap

Rules of the Road - Masculine Birthday

Time to make another masculine birthday card for a family member. Although I followed a sketch I was inspired by the background paper - cars, trucks, buses, etc. and the banner with the checkered flags. I think I like the checkered flags the best.

This was a simple construction - a panel of patterned paper adhered to a panel of yellow cardstock, then next the banner with edges sponged with black ink and finally the sentiment. The sentiment was also cut from paper, matted with yellow cardstock and adhered using foam tape for dimension. The VW Beetle was die cut from the patterned paper and matted with another die cut circle. The entire assembly was adhered to a card base of white cardstock. The inside was decorated with a strip of the patterned paper.

This card is being submitted to:

1. Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #220






2. Watercooler Wednesday #127



Materials:
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White & Daffodil Delight
Paper: Authentique "Rugged" Collection & Carta Bella "Cartopia" stack
Dies: Spellbinders Classic Circles
Misc.: Stampin' Up! Dimensionals foam tape

Lots of Banners

7/12/2017 Update: Top Three Award at Atlantic Heart Sketch Challenges.

I attended a crop today at a local paper arts shop. I had all of my supplies ready to make the challenge card but was not pleased with the direction in which it was going. So I changed course by doing some quick shopping for paper, ribbon and flowers and this was the result.

The card was assembled using the paper pack I purchased by adhering the pieces to a white cardstock card base. The ribbon was added. The flowers were sponged with color and adhered. The bow was die cut, sponged with pink ink and adhered using foam tape. Clear Wink of Stella was added to the bow and the flower centers. The sentiment is made from wood and was sponged with pink ink. The inside of the card was decorated with the patterned paper.

This card is being submitted to:

1. Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #219




2. Brown Sugar Challenge #258
    (Anything Goes)

Techniques: Sponging, die cutting
Size: A2

Materials
Ink: Distress Oxide Worn Lipstick
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White (heavyweight)
Paper: Moda Scrap "Sweet Vintage Rose" Collection
Die: Paper Smooches Bows
Misc.: 49th & Market Flowers, ZIG Wink of Stella (clear), ribbon & sentiment from stash, Stampin' Up! Dimensionals (foam tape)

Wonderful Day - Pop Out Swing Card

07/05/2017 Update: Top Three winner in the Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge.

After being away from home for about three weeks, it was great fun to attend a crop today and make this card.

I found this fun fold tutorial HERE. I made a change to the directions by adding hinges to the swing portion of the card rather than allowing it to swing freely. The paper panels were adhered and the rectangle was die cut through all layers of the card front. The frame was hand cut and the corners mitered. The decorations were popped up with foam tape and Wink of Stella was applied.

I was invited to be a guest designer at the Three Amigos Blog Hop Challenge for July using the CTMH paper packet "Prickly Pear" so this is the card for that challenge.

This card is also being submitted to:

1. Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #218









2. Crafty Creations #344
(Anything Goes)

Techniques: Fun Fold - Pop Out Swing Card
Size: A2

Materials:
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Soft Sky (substitute for CTMH Sea Glass)
Paper: CTMH Prickly Pear Collection
Decorations: CTMH Prickly Pear Complements
Misc.: ZIG Wink of Stella (clear)

Tulip Basket

Not having made a card in this style for a long time, I decided to give it a whirl and enter it into a couple of challenges. I went to The Cutting Café and downloaded the files.

The back side of the card shows through in a few spots when the card is closed but the front side, when the card is open, is absent of any supporting cardstock.

The files were downloaded, the images resized and cut, colored with Copic markers and edge-sponged with green dye ink. The card was assembled with a satin bow for decoration. The die was used to cut the word once in black cardstock and once in lavender. The words were adhered using the black as a shadow.

 

The card is being submitted to:

1. Cut It Up #122
    (Technique: Fun Fold)




2. Crafting from the Heart #160
    (Theme: Anything Goes)






3. Dies R Us #73
    (Technique: Shaped card)








4. Aud Sentiments #180
   (Theme: Include a sentiment)


Techniques: Shaped card, fun fold card, coloring, sponging, die cutting
Size: A7 (5" x 7")

Materials
Images: The Cutting Cafe
Inks: Stampin' Up! Garden Green; Copic markers
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White, Basic Black, Wisteria Wonder
Die: Essentials by Ellen "Wonderful" script
Misc.: Cricut Cutting Machine, 3/4" satin ribbon from stash