Pierced Rose Garden

My card was inspired by a sketch and I also wanted to include some piercing. I decided to use the bright pink cardstock and some patterned paper from my stash because I have too much paper! Most of us could probably open our own shops...

A panel of the patterned paper was adhered to a panel of black cardstock and then to the white card base. On a panel of bright pink cardstock, a die was used to create an understated design of pierced roses. The panel was adhered to a black mat. The black lacy strip was created with a punch.

The sentiment was created using a set of dies to create the word and its shadow. The sentiment was adhered with foam for dimension. The inside of the card was decorated with the same patterned paper and black cardstock.

The card is being submitted to:

1. Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #200







2. Brown Sugar Anything Goes Challenge #239


Techniques: Die cutting, punch cutting
Size: A2

Materials
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White, Basic Black, Strawberry Slush
Paper: Fancy Pants "Millie & June - That Girl"
Dies: Lil' Inker Designs "Quilted Flower";  Sizzix "Kind Words"
Punch: Stampin' Up! Large Border Lace Ribbon (retired)
Misc.: Dimensionals foam

Upcycled Friendship Card

The inspiration for this card came from something we all probably have in our homes - a box of tissues.

I cut a panel from the side of the box for the floral panel and an end piece provided the wavy panel for the die cutting. I also used several sewing machine stitches to decorate the card panels.

Two panels of cardstock were adhered to the card base. The floral panel was added along with a ribbon to cover the fold of the box. The die cut panel is the negative piece backed with white and mounted onto a gray mat, decorated with stitching. The panel was backed with foam tape for dimension. The piece of ribbon was tied into a bow. The inside was lined with white cardstock and trimmed with another sewn strip of paper from the box. I decided to leave the inside unstamped to permit space for a personal note.

This card may not qualify as CAS because of the multiple layers but it was so simple to make that I decided it works as CAS for me. I intended to photograph the tissue box before tearing it apart but did not, so here's what is left of the box. Maybe I can get one more card from the scraps!

I am submitting this card to:
1. The Paper Players Theme Challenge #332    (Theme: Use sentiment as focal point.)

2. City Crafter Theme Challenge #350
    (Theme: Add stitching.)








3. Crafty Creations Theme Challenge #335
    (Theme: Anything goes.)

4. Happy Little Stampers February Challenge
    (Theme: Anything goes with dies.)

Techniques: Die cutting, machine stitching, upcycling
Size: A2

Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White, Basic Gray, Pool Party, Lost Lagoon
Patterned Paper: Tissue Box Cardboard
Die: Paper Smooches "Friend Word"
Misc.: Stampin' Up! Dimensionals foam, Bernina sewing machine, ribbon from stash

Cheers!

After seeing a technique HERE whereby one drags ink pads across an embossed panel of cardstock, I decided to try it for a color challenge. The color challenge was limited to three colors but this may be a good way to create cards for those challenges that have many colors.

Using an embossed panel of Crumb Cake, red and black ink were dragged across the design. The sentiment was die cut and using the negative space, the banner was backed with black cardstock. A strip of black was adhered to the right edge of the card base, then a zigzag strip. Black dots were added with ink.

The embossed panel was adhered, a stitch line was added to the left edge and the card front was decorated with "wheels" on clear foam and the sentiment block on Dimensionals. The inside of the card was lined with white cardstock and decorated with die cut "wheels."

This card is being submitted to:

1. Just Us Girls Color Challenge #381






2. The Male Room Challenge #54
     (Theme: Wheels - I may be stretching this one!)






3. Happy Little Stampers February Challenge  (Theme: Anything Goes with Dies)

Techniques: Ink dragging, dry embossing, die cutting, direct-to-paper
Size: A2

Stampin' Up! Materials
Ink: Real Red
Cardstock: Basic Black, Crumb Cake, Real Red
Die: Swirly Scribbles
Misc.: Dimensionals

Other Materials
Die: Paper Smooches "Birthday Words"
Misc.: Kool-Tac clear foam, zigzag scissors, Copic black pen, Darice EF

Bendy Birthday Card

02/28/2017 Update: Ruby Award winner at Color Dare #231.






02/24/2017 Update: Top Three Winner at Cut It Up
Challenge Blog.



My Aunt Millie has a birthday approaching in March - her 90th! She loves to receive handmade cards so I send them to her fairly often. When I saw these challenges I thought this was the perfect opportunity to make her birthday card.

Using a template and cutting files that I had used a few times from The Cutting Café, I created the basic card. There are also many instructions on You Tube on how to create this card.

Once the card base was cut and assembled, it was decorated with the materials listed below. To complete the card I added the cat image backed with a foam Dimensional, added a sentiment on the back and left sufficient space to add a personal note. I purposely made the card so it would fit inside an A2 envelope but more embellishments could be added and extended if a larger envelope were to be used.

For the color challenge, I thought the colors in this designer paper were a close match to the required Close to My Heart colors of Sorbet, Whisper, New England Ivy, Fern, Desert Sand, Sea Glass, White Daisy and Colonial White.

The card is being submitted to:

1. Color My Heart Color Dare Challenge #231








2. Cut It Up Challenge #115
    (Theme: Bendy or scenic card)



3. Brown Sugar Challenge #238
    (Theme: Birthday)




Techniques: Stamping, sponging, die cutting, punch cutting, fun fold
Size: A2

Stampin' Up! Materials
Ink: Chocolate Chip
Cardstock: Whisper White, Crumb Cake, Mossy Meadow, Pistachio Pudding
Punch: Bitty Butterfly
Misc.: Dimensionals

Other Materials
Stamp: Crafty Secrets "Card Sentiments"
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Paper: Bo Bunny "Felicity"
Dies:
Little Inker Designs "Perky Posies"
Impression Obsession 252-P
Concord & 9th "Layering Leaves"
Poppy "Curious Cat"
Simon Says Stamp "All Seasons Tree"
Paper Sweeties "Sweet Borders"

You're Purrrfect

02/26/2017: Splitcoast Stampers Favorite of the Week.


02/22/2017 Update: Top Three Winner at Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge.









Eager to use a stamp set I've had for a while, I saw a sketch that I thought was just right. I love animals, especially cats and dogs, so it's no surprise that I have two cats. I had this cute paper, too. By the way, I flipped the sketch left to right.

The single cat was stamped onto the patterned paper, backed with pink cardstock, decorated with a bow and adhered with foam tape onto the black card base. The panel with multiple cats was cut from the reverse side of the patterned paper, backed with pink cardstock and adhered with foam tape onto the black card base. The paw print was stamped on white cardstock and a heart image was punched out, then backed with pink cardstock and also adhered with foam tape.

The sentiment was stamped on white cardstock using two ink colors and a shadow technique. This was fussy cut and adhered to a scrap of black cardstock, then fussy cut again for the black outline. The banner was adhered. The inside of the card was lined with a panel of  white cardstock and decorated with a stamp of the paw print.

My card is being submitted to:

Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #199:
(image flipped)







Techniques: Stamping, shadow stamping, punch cutting, fussy cutting
Size: A2

Stampin' Up! Materials
Ink: Smoky Slate
Cardstock: Whisper White, Basic Black, Pretty in Pink
Punch: Heart from triple pack
Misc.: Dimensionals foam

Other Materials
Stamps: Inkadinkado "Cattitude"
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Paper: MME "Meow Kitten Party"
Misc.: Ribbon from stash

You Are My Star - Masculine

Participating in a challenge where patterned paper may not be used, steered me in a direction of using a cover-up die for this card design. The die has two primary shapes - tumbled blocks and six-pointed stars - much like a quilt.

The cover-up die, cut on gray cardstock adhered to a soft blue-green cardstock, provided the background. From a panel of white cardstock, the stitched cloud edge was die cut. From silver foil, a small section of the die was used to cut the pieces required to inlay the star onto the background.

Also from silver foil, the "You" was die cut and small stars were punched. The word was adhered to a fussy cut scrap of cardstock and adhered to the cloud along with three small stars. The stamped words were added. The cloud piece was backed with foam and adhered to the front panel. Everything was adhered to a white card base. The inside of the card was decorated with additional silver foil punched stars randomly adhered.

This card is being submitted to:
1. Cardz 4 Guys Challenge #157
    (theme: no patterned paper)


2. Crafty Creations Challenge #335
    (theme: Anything Goes)

Techniques: Stamping, die cutting, fussy cutting, punch cutting, die cut inlay
Size: A2

Stampin' Up! Materials
Ink: Basic Gray
Cardstock: Whisper White, Basic Gray, Pool Party, silver foil
Punch: Star from triple pack
Other: Dimensionals foam

Other Materials
Stamp: CAS-ual Friday "All About You"
Dies: MFT "Star Grid", CAS-ual Friday "Two Yous", Mama Elephant "Landscape Trio" (cloud edge)

Above & Beyond - Masculine

Creating masculine cards is always fun for me. Because my family was fortunate to be immersed in boating, sailing and aviation, I can usually find a theme for a masculine card very quickly.

On a small panel of gray cardstock, a panel of aviation paper was adhered. Three clouds were die cut from cardstock, designer paper and vellum and adhered. The sentiment was stamped, the banner hand cut and backed with another panel in gray. The rust cardstock was texturized with an embossing folder and I chose to use the debossed side.

On a card base of gray, a panel of light cardstock was layered, then the rust cardstock The focal piece was backed with foam tape and adhered. The inside of the card was lined with coordinating designer paper and a panel of light cardstock.

The card is being submitted to:
1. CASE This Sketch #208









2. Crafty Creations #335 (Anything Goes)



3. Happy Little Stampers February Challenge (Anything goes with dies)

Techniques: Stamping, die cutting, embossing
Size: A2

Stampin' Up! Materials
Ink: Basic Gray
Cardstock: Basic Gray, Cajun Craze, vellum
Misc.: Dimensionals foam, Diagonal TIEF

Other Materials
Stamps: Stampendous SSC1170
Cardstock: Wplus9 Cashmere
DSP: Authentique Explore (both sides)
Dies: Reverse Confetti Sun 'n Clouds set

Rhinestones and Ribbon

Using challenges for design inspiration is probably the only reason I get cards finished. I seem to work better knowing that there are limits and time constraints.

The pink cardstock and the heart paper were both die cut. The pink ribbon was added to the die cut shapes. The pink die cut panel was adhered to the card base and the rhinestones added. The oval die cut was backed with foam tape to adhered it to the card and the flower was added. The inside was decorated with some die cut strands to represent ribbons.

I purposely did not include a sentiment. It's something I will add when I decide to use the card.

I am submitting this card to the following:

1. Brown Sugar Challenge #237
    (Theme: "Rhinestones and/or Ribbon")







2. Creative Corner Challenge
    (Theme: "Perfectly Pink")



3. Sunday Stamps Sketch Challenge #146



Materials
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Blushing Bride, Wplus9 Cashmere
Paper: Graphic 45 "Cutie Pie"
Dies: Lil' Inker Diamond Lace Cover Die & Dual Dotted Ovals; Paper Sweeties Borders (inside decoration)
Misc.: Rhinestones, ribbon and button from stash; Stampin' Up! Dimensionals foam

Pop-up Valentine

02/23/2017 Update: This pop-up valentine was a winner at Creative Corner Challenges.

My 2017 valentines are finished. I only send a few to family members each year. I was inspired to make this pop-up card for a few challenges, keeping it low profile for easy mailing.

The card base was die cut so the hearts would pivot when opened. The card was decorated with die cut hearts in varying sizes, stamping and pretty paper. The right edges of the card were also die cut with stitched scallops.

This card is being submitted to:

1. The Paper Players Valentine Challenge #330







2. Creative Corner "Perfectly Pink" Challenge



3. Dragonfly Journeys "Love Is in the Air" Valentine Challenge #85





Techniques: Stamping, die cutting, Pop-up fun fold
Size: A2

Stampin' Up! Materials
Ink: Cherry Cobbler
Cardstock: Whisper White, Basic Black, Pretty in Pink

Other Materials
Stamps: Paper Smooches "Lots of Love"
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
DSP: Photoplay XOXO
Dies: Elizabeth Craft