School is Cool!

Challenge #36 "Round and Round" is now up on the Double Trouble Blog. The challenge runs from Monday, August 19, through Sunday, September 1, 2019. We are partnering with the ladies at Joy of Sets #008, which uses a Tic Tac Toe grid and is open through Wednesday, August 28, 2019.

For Double Trouble #36, the requirements are:
Thing 1: Include something round in your design.
Thing 2: (optional) Link your card to the Joy of Sets Tic Tac Toe Challenge #008 - but check their guidelines first.
Thing 3: (optional) Include anything related to school.

For The Joy of Sets #008, I used the third column: Circle, Embossing, School. (I used the debossed side of my embossed panel.)

Here are the details. The image was stamped and colored then fussy cut. I believe there is a coordinating die set to go with the stamps but I don't have them. The stack of books were die cut and colored. A panel of cardstock was adhered to the card base. A smaller white panel was texturized to look like brick using an embossing folder then trimmed with a scalloped edge taken from scrap ephemera. This was also adhered. Next, I added the focal image directly to the card while the book stack was placed using foam tape for dimension. The sentiment was stamped onto die cut circles. The inside was lined with white cardstock and a bit more ephemera.

The Design Teams are eager to see your creations at both challenges so be sure to visit our blogs and find out how to play along. You could win a prize from Double Trouble!    DTC#36 Blog    JOSTTT008 Blog

Materials
Stamps: Photoplay "School Days"
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black & Copic Alcohol Markers
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White, Hello Honey, Baked Brown Sugar; Xcel for alcohol markers
Die: Reasonable Dies "Book Stack", Gina K Stacking and Nesting Circles & Scalloped Circles
EF: Spellbinders (brick texture) debossed side
Misc.: Ephemera and foam tape from stash.

Dragonfly Dreams

Today's card was made for the Try Stampin' on Tuesday Sketch Challenge #421 with "Flying Things" as the optional twist.  I was going to make a masculine card using aircraft but I came across this older stamp set and decided to use the dragonfly instead.

Dragonfly Dreams is a two-step stamp, so I used two ink colors to stamp the first step (body & solid wings) and when the ink was dry, I stamped with gold ink using the second stamp (body and veined wings). I fussy cut the image. A panel was die cut to give the edge some stitching and adhered to a white card base. I took a scrap of white cardstock and colored it using the direct-to-paper technique with the gold ink pad. The two strips were cut from the scrap and added. The corrugated cardboard was distressed and adhered. A small square was added along with the dragonfly image using foam tape for dimension and to lift the wings. The clear droplets were added. The inside was decorated with matching paper.

We welcome all skill levels at Try Stampin' on Tuesday Sketch Challenges so visit our blog and play along with #421. This challenge begins on Tuesday, August 13, and runs through Sunday, August 25, 2019.

Materials
Stamps: Stampin' Up! Dragonfly Dreams
Inks: Stampin' Up! Island Indigo, Tempting Turquoise; Delicata Gold
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White, Island Indigo
Paper: DCWV (Corrugated)
Die: Whimsy Stitched Zigzag Rectangles
Misc.: Clear droplets and foam tape from stash

Make a Splash - Masculine Birthday

There is another biweekly challenge opening today at Color My Heart Color Dare #355. This challenge ends on Wednesday evening, August 21, 2019. The requirement is to select at least three colors from the grid below and create a project for the challenge. Black and white are considered "free" colors. I selected substitutes that best represent all of the colors. (Candy Apple and Goldrush were blended together.)

One of my brothers is a fishing enthusiast so this card will serve as a birthday card for him. I hope the fish look like Rainbow Trout. Onto a card base a panel of brown cardstock was adhered, then a panel of white. I die cut the cattails and colored them, then adhered them. Next, the two squares were die cut and stacked, then adhered with foam tape. One of the fish, which had been colored with markers, was adhered, again with foam tape, along with the sentiment. A few droplets were added. The inside was decorated with the second fish and a die cut sentiment, "Make a Splash."

Have some fun with us at Color My Heart Color Dare Challenge #355!

Materials
Stamp: Computer generated sentiment on card front
Ink: Copic Alcohol Markers
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White, Chocolate Chip, Soft Sky
Dies: Reasonable Craft Dies (fish & cattails), Frantic Stamper (words), Whimsy (squares)
Misc.: Droplets & foam tape from stash

Life Is Good - Masculine

It's time again to play along at the Double Trouble Challenge Blog! Challenge #35 would like you to:

1. Follow a 3-2-1 Recipe: at least three colors, at least two patterned papers and at least one sentiment, greeting or image.
2. OPTIONAL: Partner with Try Stampin' on Tuesday #420 by using their sketch and submitting your project to their challenge.
3. OPTIONAL: Use a boating or nautical theme.

DTC #35 is open from Monday, August 5, through Sunday, August 18, 2019. TSOT #420 is open from Tuesday, August 6, through Sunday, August 18, 2019.

 

The background paper provided the inspiration for a boating theme and the colors. I used shades of blue along with coral and gold for three colors. I ended up using three patterned papers - the background, the blue wood grain and the gold pin dot and there is only one sentiment on the front.

A panel of patterned paper was adhered to a blue card base. A small scrap of coral was embossed with a zigzag design for texture, then applied. A banner from the blue wood grain paper was added. I cut the fishing boat image using a die then backed it with gold and fussy cut, leaving a small margin around the die cut. This was adhered to the card with foam tape. I have a die that says, "Life is good," but it was too large for this card. Instead, I went to my computer and generated the sentiment adhering it to a coral scrap with the zigzag texture. The clear droplets were added. The inside was lined with a panel of white and decorated with patterned paper.

Be sure to visit us at DTC #35 and TSOT #420 to view the guidelines for this biweekly challenge. DTC #35 will be giving away a prize to the winner.

Materials
Stamp: Computer generated sentiment
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White, Dapper Denim, Calypso Coral
Paper: Sunny Studio (blue wood grain), Lawn Fawn (gold pin dot), Stampin' Up! (wavy background-retired)
Die: Frantic Stamper "Dad's Catch" & "Make a Splash" (inside words)
TIEF: Stampin' Up! (zigzag texture)
Misc.: Foam tape and clear droplets from stash

Flight of the Butterflies

The new monthly challenge at Brown Sugar Challenges opens today! Challenge #292 runs through Tuesday, September 3, 2019. Our theme is Anything Goes and our sponsor is Morgan's Artworld.

Using dies, the butterfly tree and the clouds were cut and the tree was colored using Copic markers. The butterfly was punched from cardstock. The sentiment was computer generated and backed with cardstock. The image was downloaded, resized, printed and colored with Copics. I fussy cut the image leaving a tiny white rim. The card base was embossed for a Dotted Swiss look. The elements were adhered to the card base, using foam tape for the clouds, sentiment and focal image. The inside was lined with white cardstock and decorated with another punched butterfly.

To see the Design Team's artwork and to learn more about the challenge, visit the Brown Sugar Challenge #292 Blog. There is a prize for the winner!

Materials
Stamp: Morgan's ArtWorld Digital Store "Country Child"
Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black; Copic Alcohol Markers
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White, Perfect Plum
Dies: Memory Box "Stitched Clouds", borrowed "Butterfly Tree"
Punch: Stampin' Up! Itty Bitty Butterfly
Misc.: Stampin' Up! TIEF, foam tape

One Day at a Time

Are you a coffee lover? Or maybe tea? If you answered, "Yes!" then the Coffee Lover's Blog is for you. Twice yearly, the owner, Amy Tsurata, conducts a huge Blog Hop where participants can win some great prizes from well-known merchants. Monthly there is also a challenge on a smaller scale.

I received an invitation from Lisa, who is a dear friend, and CLC Design Team member, to participate with her and her mom, Sue, in introducing a new idea for CLC - the Buddy. (BTW, Sue is the culprit who introduced me to card making.) We picked the sketch from the Paper Smooches archives. We agreed to do our own interpretation of the same sketch using Paper Smooches products. The original sketch is on the left. I flipped the sketch horizontally as seen in the image on the right.

We met on a Saturday afternoon, shared ideas and supplies, made our cards, and laughed a lot while enjoying Lisa's hospitality and the attention from the ever-present pets, Mickey and Slim. We finished off our day with dinner at Red Lobster. Just imagine all that brain power and creativity harnessed in one room!

I used one of Paper Smooches newest stamp and die sets for the cute sun with glasses as well as the coffee cup. The kite was fussy cut from patterned paper and the flowers were cut using punches. All of the patterned papers were scraps. The strip of green was trimmed using a border die. The sentiment is also from Paper Smooches.

 

 

Join us at the Coffee Lover's Blog!

 

From left to right, Melanie (that's me), Lisa and Sue

 

Materials

Stamps: Paper Smooches "Sunnyville" & "Inhale Exhale" (sentiment)

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black

Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White, Basic Black, Pool Party

Paper: Scraps from stash

Dies: Paper Smooches "Sunnyville" & "Cuppa Sunshine"; Lawn Fawn (border)

Punches: Stampin' Up!

Misc.: Foam tape and gems from stash



Let Your Dreams Take Flight

Try Stampin' on Tuesday Biweekly Sketch Challenge #419 begins today, Tuesday, July 30, and runs through Sunday, August 11, 2019. In addition to the sketch, there is an option to use any type of embossing in your design.

I've had this stamp and die set for a long time and enjoy using it from time to time. Three butterflies in varying sizes were stamped and die cut. Additionally, two squares with decorative edges were die cut. The white panel was die cut along the vertical edges and also embossed using a die. I thought the circles gave the idea of the butterfly flitting about. The largest butterfly along with the other elements were adhered to a card base. The inside was lined with a panel of white cardstock and decorated with the two smaller butterflies.

 

 

Visit the TSOT Challenge Blog soon so you don't miss out on the opportunity to join in on the sketch challenge. 

 

Materials
Stamps: Reverse Confetti "Butterfly Dreams"
Ink: Stampin' Up! Hello Honey
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White, Hello Honey, Rich Razzleberry
Dies: Gina Marie (squares), Lawn Fawn (border), Reverse Confetti "Butterfly Dreams", Lil' Inker "Quilted Stitched Spirals"
Misc.: Foam tape from stash

Wish You Were Here

It's the fifth Monday of the month so that means we're having a one-week "Anything Goes" challenge at Double Trouble #34 and there is a prize!

The optional twist for Challenge #34 is to show us a sunburst or sunshine and to meet the Double Dare challenge, I have shared this card at The Brown Sugar Monthly Challenge for July.

 

 





 

I had paper in my stash with this cute girl enjoying watermelon. I touched up the image with colored pencils and fussy cut it. The sunburst was die cut and backed using more patterned paper. Because of the sentiment, I thought the hearts were appropriate for the background. The sentiment, clouds and ovals were die cut from cardstock and the image was adhered using foam tape for dimension. The inside was decorated with coordinating paper. The gems were added for a little sparkle.  

 

 

We'd love to have you visit the Double Trouble Challenge Blog and play along!

 

Materials

Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White, Pool Party, Real Red

Paper: Making Cards (image) & American Crafts 

Dies: Gina K Ovals, Frantic Stamper Words w/Shadow, MFT Clouds, Reverse Confetti Sunburst

Misc.: Derwent Colored Pencils, foam tape, gems from stash

 

W





Miss You (Friendship)

Some crafty friends and I are members of "Our Little Crop Group" created by ourselves. We meet monthly but it always seems as if we haven't seen one another since forever! There was so much going on at our crop last weekend that I am surprised I was able to complete any projects at all but I managed to make this card.

If you're a fan of purple then this challenge is for you! Color My Heart Color Dare Challenge #353 is a monochromatic color challenge using any and all purples. The guidelines allow for two neutrals to be used so I selected holographic paper with tiny silver hearts.

Onto a white card base, a panel of purple cardstock was adhered, followed by the die cut frame. The die cut flowers were adhered to silver heart patterned paper and adhered to the base using foam tape. The sentiment was stamped, die cut and matted with purple cardstock before being adhered with foam tape. The gems were added for sparkle. The inside was decorated with coordinating paper, more die cut flowers and this stamp: "Friendship isn't a big thing, it's a million little things."

Stop by the Color My Heart Color Dare Challenge #353 and play along with us. This challenge runs from Friday, July 26, through Wednesday, August 7, 2019.

Materials
Stamps: Sizzix #658838 "Phrases", Stampendous "Life Words"
Inks: Stampin' Up! Perfect Plum
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White, Elegant Eggplant, Perfect Plum
Paper: Recollections "Holographic Dream"
Dies: Frantic Stamper "Contemporary Floral Edger" & "Semi-Circle Elementals" (sentiment), Sunny Studio "Frilly Frames-Polka Dots "
Misc.: Foam tape & gems from my stash


M

Yoga Frog

There's a new sketch up at Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #325! This challenge began on Monday, July 15, and will end on Sunday evening, July 21, 2019. I have a new stamp that I have been wanting to use so here was my chance to use it.

I dry embossed (texturized) a panel of white cardstock and adhered it to a green card base. The flourish was die cut from cardstock and adhered. The two notched mats were die cut and the stamped, colored, fussy cut frog with the googly eyes was adhered to the stacked mats using foam tape. This was adhered to the card, also using foam tape. Finally the sentiment was stamped, die cut, matted then adhered. The inside was lined with white cardstock and decorated with a die cut flourish. The inside sentiment says, "Ommmmm."

Visit the AHSC Blog and play along. There's a new sketch each Monday morning.

Size: A2 (5.5" x 4.25")
Techniques: Stamping, coloring, dry embossing, fussy cutting, die cutting

Materials
Stamps: Stampendous "Frog Yoga"
Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black; Copic Alcohol Markers
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White, Cucumber Crush, Elegant Eggplant
Paper: Doodlebug Dots
Dies: MFT "Large Flourish", Whimsy "Stitched Notched Rectangles"
TIEF: Stampin' Up!
Misc.: Foam tape & googly eyes from stash

Soak Up the Sun!

July 26 Update: Favorite of the Week ending July 20, 2019 at Splitcoast Stampers!

Sketch challenges are always such fun! Today, July 16, is the first day of the biweekly Try Stampin' on Tuesday Challenge #417. This challenge runs through Sunday, July 28, 2019. The optional twist is "Vacation Fun".  I tilted the sketch for my card that celebrates my favorite vacation spot - the beach! I lived in Florida for many years of my life and always enjoyed spending time at either coast. (The surf is better on the east coast but the waters are warmer on the west coast.)

 

I found some patterned paper that I decided to use for background but the images were quite tiny. I took a 4" square scrap of the paper and enlarged it in color with my printer/copier onto white cardstock. I then fussy cut the enlarged images as well as some of the original images. The splash design on the three rectangles were made with a stencil. The four words were die cut. Everything was assembled, some items were popped up with foam tape and a little bling was added. The inside was lined with white cardstock and decorated with the same fussy cut shapes.

We hope you'll join TSOT #417! Visit our blog for the guidelines.

Materials
Stamp: Stampendous "Life Words" (inside sentiment)
Inks: Stampin' Up! Pool Party & White Craft; Memento Tuxedo Black (inside)
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White, Soft Sky, Calypso Coral, Dapper Denim
Paper: Stampin' Up! collection name unknown (retired)
Die: Frantic Stamper "Sun Fun" (words)
Stencil: Frantic Stamper "Splash"
Misc.: Foam tape and mirrored sequins from stash

Party with the Pachyderms

It's time for a new biweekly challenge beginning today, Monday, July 15, through Sunday, July 29, 2019. Double Trouble Challenge #33 requires a project for a child or baby. The option is to feature a zoo animal. The Double Dare is to submit your card to our partner, Crafter's Café Challenge Blog #223. Be sure to check their guidelines before creating your project for submission.



Onto a white card base (4.5" x 3.25"), the die cut panel was adhered. The next layer is a panel of blue, followed by an embossed panel in white. The other elements (elephant, balloon & party hat) were stamped and die cut, then backed with foam tape and adhered. The banners & sentiment were stamped with silver ink and die cut. I found some glitter nail polish in my stash and drizzled that onto the two banners then adhered them with. The stars and sequins were added. The inside was decorated with a companion elephant stamp. The finished size is A2. (5.5" x 4.25")

We hope you'll visit our blogs and join in the challenge! Click HERE for DTC33 and HERE for CCCB #223.

Materials
Stamps: Lil' Inker "Pachyderm Party"
Inks: Stampin' Up! Bashful Blue, Peach Parfait; Delicata Silvery Shimmer; Memento Tuxedo Black
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White, Bashful Blue, Peach Parfait
Dies: Lil' Inker "Pachyderm Party" & Sunny Studio "Frilly Frames Polka-dot"
Misc.: Stampin' Up! TIEF; glitter nail polish, foam tape, sequins & stars from stash