Just for You - Dragonflies

10/7/2015 Update: This card won Top Three in the AHSC Challenge #127.

A friend of mine is scheduled for some lengthy and painful dental surgery this week so I made this card for her, using the Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge # 127 for inspiration. I also decided to enter the Can You Case It? Challenge #88 because I wanted the opportunity to make a card using a variety of papers - there are four different prints on this card.

I found a 6" x 6" pad of paper in my stash that featured my friend's favorite color - purple. She likes all hues in the blue-red family. I also liked the turquoise spots on the wings of the dragonflies so used Island Indigo to highlight those spots of color and to create contrast.

Several panels of coordinating paper were layered on the Island Indigo card base. The banners were cut from vellum then sponged along the edges for definition. They were attached at the top and then die cut flowers backed with Dimensionals were
adhered. The sentiment was stamped in Island Indigo ink and adhered with a glue dot. The gems were added to the flowers and sentiment banner. The inside was lined with a panel of Whisper White cardstock and two die cut flowers.

For some stamping and design ideas, visit the AHSC and CYCI challenge blogs!

Techniques: Stamping, die cutting, sponging
Size: A2 (4.25" x 5.5")

Materials:
Stamps: Stampin' Up! Watercolor Wings stamp set (sentiment)
Ink: Stampin' Up! Island Indigo
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Island Indigo, Whisper White, white vellum
DSP: Journeys by dcg studios
Dies: Lil' Inker Designs Perky Posies
Misc.: Dimensionals, gems from stash

Whitewashed Flowers

9/30/2015 Update:

The Whitewashed Flowers won a Top Three position at AHSC #126.

Today's card was made for a dear friend who will soon be celebrating her 75th birthday. I used the Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #126 for design inspiration and a whitewash technique that I saw at THIS BLOG and the tutorial HERE.

I used the Secret Garden stamp set. Although retired it's one that I turn to often for pretty flowers. The flowers were stamped on a panel of Crumb Cake cardstock using Versamark ink, then heat embossed with white powder. I followed the technique instructions using Crisp Cantaloupe and Whisper White Craft inks.

The card was dried using a heat gun. Once dry, the leaves were stamped and the twine added. A panel of white vellum was die cut. The back of the vellum was sponged with ink and dried with a heat gun using an oval die as a stencil. In order to pop it up, another smaller scalloped rectangle was die cut from green cardstock and adhered behind the vellum. The sentiment was stamped on the front of the oval using Versamark ink and then heat embossed with white powder.

The green panel was backed with craft foam and adhered to the card. The butterfly was punched from a scrap of cardstock and embellished with pearls. The entire card was assembled on a card base of Crisp Cantaloupe cardstock. The inside was lined with a panel of white cardstock and decorated with stamped floral and leaf designs.

Visit the AHSC blog and join in the challenge!

Techniques: whitewashing, heat embossing, embossing resist, die cutting, stamping, sponging, punching
Size: A2 (4.25" x 5.5")

Materials are Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted:
Stamps: Secret Garden (retired) and Birthday Blossoms (sentiment)
Inks: Crisp Cantaloupe, Wild Wasabi, Whisper White Craft, Versamark
Cardstock: Whisper White, Crumb Cake, Crisp Cantaloupe, Wild Wasabi, white vellum
Dies: Die'sire Scalloped Rectangles, Gina K. Designs oval used as a stencil.
Punch: Bitty Butterfly
Misc.: Pearls, Crisp Cantaloupe thick twine, white embossing powder, craft foam

Gently Falling

9/23/15 Update: This card finished in the Top Three at AHSC #125!

  

"Gently Falling" was inspired by three sources: the sketch by the Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #125,  the colors by the Inkspirational Colour Challenge #91 and the "Create a Fall Scene" CAS concept by The Paper Players #263.

 

Three circles using different dies were cut from cardstock and DSP, four squares were cut from cardstock and DSP and two corners on each square were rounded. The inside of the card was decorated with stamped leaves.

The leaves on the front were stamped with Versamark and heat embossed with a mix of three embossing powders. The leaves were sponged with color then rubbed with a tissue to create the embossing resist technique. Finally, the leaves were fussy cut.

Everything was adhered to a white card base. The sentiment and leaves were backed with craft foam to add dimension and three sequins were added to complete the "gently falling" mood. Please take a few minutes to visit the challenge blogs and maybe you'll be inspired to join in! Here are the links: AHSC #125, PP #263 and Inkspirational #91.

Techniques: Die cutting, stamping, sponging, heat embossing, fussy cutting, embossing resist
Size: A2 (4.25" x 5.5")

Materials are Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted:
Stamps: "Gently Falling" and "For All Things" (sentiment)
Inks: Lucky Limeade, Tangerine Tango, So Saffron, Versamark
Paper: Whisper White, DSP scraps & green cardstock from stash
Embossing Powder: SU! Tangerine Tango, WOW Honey, WOW Olive
Dies: Gina K. Designs - Circles (classic, inverted and scalloped)
Misc.: Craft foam, sequins

Sunny Day

"Sunny Day" was inspired by two challenges: a sketch challenge at Can You Case It? #86 and a color challenge at The Paper Players # 262.

On white cardstock, the flower bucket image was stamped. The tulips were colored with a So Saffron marker then clear embossed to resist the ink when sponging the leaves. The bucket was sponged and touched up with a marker. Clear Wink of Stella was added to the tulips and the image was fussy cut.

The sun was die cut from So Saffron cardstock and lightly sponged with Tangelo Twist. The ledge was die cut from DSP with a scallop border die. The stone wall was dry embossed and randomly sponged with Tangelo Twist and So Saffron.




The sky was sponged with Lost Lagoon ink on white cardstock, using a cloud die as a stencil. Everything was adhered to a card base of Lost Lagoon. The ledge, flower bucket and sun were all backed with craft foam and popped up for dimension. The inside of the card was lined with a piece of white cardstock and decorated with a scalloped strip of matching DSP.

Stop by for a visit and see the beautiful cards at CYCI 86 and PP262!



Techniques: Texture embossing, heat embossing, embossing resist, sponging, stamping, die cutting, coloring
Size: A2 (4.25" x 5.5")

Materials are Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted:
Stamps: Flourishes April Showers (tulips), Paper Smooches Blossoming Buds (sentiment)
Inks: Lost Lagoon, So Saffron, Tangelo Twist, Stazon Black
Markers: Lost Lagoon, So Saffron, Tangelo Twist
Cardstock: Whisper White, Lost Lagoon, So Saffron
DSP: Scrap from stash
Dies: Lawn Fawn Stitched Scalloped Borders, sun, Mama Elephant Landscape Trio (used as stencil for clouds), Reverse Confetti (sun)
Misc.: Spellbinders EF, craft foam, Wink of Stella (clear), embossing powder (clear)

Zentangle Freehand Style

9/16/2015 Update: "Zentangle" finished in the Top Three at the Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #124!

We are preparing to go out of town for a few days so I barely made the AHSC challenge deadline, which provided the design inspiration. I don't like to be rushed! After I posted the photos I noticed that in my haste a piece of thread lint from the sewing machine was left behind and a tangerine smudge on the bottom edge, perfectly photographed for all to see - grrrrr!

I am entering the card in three challenges:
Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #124, Pals Paper Arts Color Challenge #267 and Hand Stamped Sentiments Color Challenge #220.

The Zentangled panel is totally my own design. In fact, it was a scrap of practice Zentangling and a friend suggested I use it for the challenge. The fun thing about freehand Zentangling is there are no restrictions or limits, no right or wrong. There is an excellent tutorial HERE. The Zentangled panel was adhered to yellow-toned cardstock and adhered to a panel of Pool Party. The same yellow-toned cardstock was run through the sewing machine and adhered to add a textured strip on each side.

The buttons were sewn on by machine because I don't like naked buttons! The top button has some bright hemp laced and tied through it. The "stamptangled" pumpkin was stamped, fussy-cut and adhered to tangerine cardstock, then fussy cut again to define the image. It was popped up with Dimensionals. The entire Pool Party panel was adhered to a white card base. The inside was decorated with the a stamped off pumpkin image in Tangerine Tango.

Don't hesitate to visit the challenge sites to see all the fabulous creations!
AHSC124, PPACC267 and HSSCC220

Techniques: Zentangling, stamping, stamping off, fussy cutting, machine sewing

Size: A2 (4.25" x 5.5")

 

Products are Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted:

Stamp: Just for Fun Stamptangle Pumpkin (medium size)

Ink: Tangerine Tango, Black Journaling Pen

Cardstock: Whisper White, Pool Party, Tangerine Tango, yellow from stash to represent Daffodil Delight and Crushed Curry

Misc.: Buttons and orange hemp from stash, Bernina sewing machine, Gutermann black upholstery thread

The Pachyderm Party

The stamp and die sets I used today always put a smile on my face - I just love these cuties!

The layout was inspired by the Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #123. There were so many possibilities with this unique sketch and I decided to use some cute critters.

The images except the banners were stamped on white cardstock then all of the images were die cut. Using cardstock that already had a pattern on it for the card base, a panel of Pool Party with a stamped sentiment was adhered. Next a panel of silver embossed foiled paper was added and a panel of white that was colored by using the DTP method so it would match the color of one of the stamped images. The oval was popped up with craft foam and the images were all layered on to the card. The inside of the card was stamped with a bird and a gift box.



For paper crafting fun, join the challenge at the AHSC blog.

Techniques: Die cutting, stamping, Direct to Paper
Size: A2 (4.25" x 5.5")
Products -
Stamps: Lil' Inker Designs Party Pachyderms
Inks: SU! Pool Party & Pumpkin Pie, Memento Tuxedo Black, Ancient Page Amethyst
Cardstock: SU! Whisper White & Pool Party, Pebbles Basics Cardstock Pad, silver embossed foiled paper from stash
Dies: Lil' Inker Designs Party Pachyderms, Spellbinders Classic Ovals
Misc.: Craft foam