Monday, December 31, 2018

Love is in the air...



The third Monday of the month means there is a challenge that differs from the usual at the Double Trouble Challenge Blog. Challenge #18 begins on Monday, 12/31/2018, and ends in one week, on Sunday, January 6, 2019. In order to meet the requirements, I used two shapes - a rectangle and a scalloped rectangle and I included a bird in honor of National Bird Week.

A panel of patterned paper was adhered to a pale pink card base. Next, a laser-cut leaf design was adhered and then a die cut scallop frame was added. The glittered bird image was cut from patterned paper and adhered using foam tape. The inside of the card was lined with white cardstock and decorated with punched hearts cut from patterned paper.


I encourage you to join DTC #18 with a project of your own. You could win a prize!


Materials
Cardstock: Stampin' Up Whisper White, Pretty in Pink
Paper: Stampin' Up! Laser-cut (leaf design); other from stash
Die: Poppy "Double Stitched Scalloped Frames"
Punch: Stampin' Up! "Itty Bitty Punch Pack" (heart)
Misc.: Stampin' Up! Dimensionals (foam tape)

Saturday, December 22, 2018

Just for You & Birthday



When I need inspiration for a card layout, one of my favorite places to look is Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge. With a sister-in-law in hospital, I have been sending her frequent cards and notes so wanted one to send this week. Because I had the materials handy, I decided to make two cards so the second is a birthday card for future use with the sketch tilted. Take a look at the Atlantic Hearts Challenge #295 for their weekly challenge. Here is original sketch:


A panel of cardstock and a panel of patterned paper were adhered to the card base. The sentiment was computer generated, cut out with an oval die, then matted with cardstock and paper. After adhering the striped vellum, the oval was attached with foam tape. In keeping with the sketch, a horizontal strip of cardstock was added along with a punched butterfly. The inside of the card was lined with white cardstock and decorated with coordinating paper.

The birthday card was made using the same materials with the sketch tilted as follows:




Be sure to check out the challenge at AHSC #295!

Materials
Stamp: Sentiment computer generated. Inside left blank for a personal note.
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White, Basic Gray, Pool Party
Paper: Stampin' Up! Silver Fancy Foil Vellum; Jillibean Soup "You Make Miso Happy"
Dies: Gina K stacking/nesting ovals
Punch: Stampin' Up! "Elegant Butterfly"
Misc.: Stampin' Up! Dimensionals (foam tape); gems from stash

Wednesday, December 19, 2018

Tea and Cakes



Double Trouble Challenge #17 has some unique requirements and options for you to try. The required portion is to follow a "3-2-1 Recipe" - at least three embellishments, at least two colors and at least one stamped or digital image. I used pink candy dots as embellishments, plenty of colors and numerous images from a digital download paper. In addition, the tea and cakes theme satisfies the optional twist because it's something you would see or make/bake in a kitchen. The final requirement is to link up at Color My Heart Color Dare #323 "Soft and Pastel" challenge. Both challenges close on Sunday, Dec 30, 2018, 11:30 pm MST.


The patterned paper was downloaded, resized and fussy cut. Various panels were adhered to a Very Vanilla card base using Dimensionals (foam tape). The candy dots were added. No sentiment was added because I will use this card for correspondence rather than for an occasion. The inside was decorated with a border of teacups.
 
 
Join in the challenge fun by visiting the challenge blogs: DTC #17 and Color Dare #323! There are some great prizes available!
 
 
Techniques: Digital processing, fussy cutting
Size: A2 (5.5" x 4.25")

Materials
Inks: Copic Alcohol Markers for touch up and accents.
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Very Vanilla
Paper: Crafts-u-print digital download
Misc.: Stampin' Up! Dimensionals (foam tape) and candy dots

Monday, December 17, 2018

The Gingerbread House



Double Trouble Challenge #17 has some unique requirements and options for you to try. The required portion is to follow a "3-2-1 Recipe" - at least three embellishments, at least two colors and at least one stamped or digital image. I used red gems as embellishments, plenty of colors and both images are digital downloads. In addition, the gingerbread theme satisfies the optional twist because it's something you would see or make/bake in a kitchen. The final requirement is to link up at Color My Heart Color Dare #322 "Bright and Bold" challenge. Both challenges close on Sunday, Dec 30, 2018, 11:30 pm MST.




Patterned paper was layered onto the white card base along with the die cut strip of green. The images were downloaded, resized, colored and fussy cut then adhered to the card front using foam tape. The inside was decorated with coordinating patterned paper. A computer generated sentiment was added to the inside, "Sending sweet wishes for a happy holiday."


Join in the challenge fun by visiting the challenge blogs: DTC #17 and Color Dare #322! A Christmas theme is not required and there are some great prizes available!


Techniques: Coloring, fussy cutting, die cutting
Size: A2 (5.5" x 4.25")

Materials
Stamps: Black & white digital images (free downloads)
Inks: Copic Alcohol Markers
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White
Paper: various from my stash
Die: Lawn Fawn landscape
Misc.: Stampin' Up! Dimensionals (foam tape); gems from stash

Friday, December 14, 2018

A Merry Little Christmas


Here is another card for the Color My Heart Color Dare Combination Challenge #322 - #323. This blog post represents Challenge #323Challenge #322 was posted on December 7 and can be seen HERE.

 
A panel of pink cardstock and a panel of shiny paper were adhered to a gray card base. From the 6" x 6" paper pack, I fussy cut the poinsettia. The snowflake and sentiment were from a separate packet complementing the paper pack. The sentiment was matted with silver foil paper and adhered. A few star-shaped sequins were also added. The snowflake was adhered using foam tape. The poinsettia was given additional color using colored pencils, then adhered with foam tape. The inside was lined with a white panel, decorated with a pink foil Christmas tree and more star-shaped sequins. I added a stamped sentiment, "wishing you a season of gladness, a season of cheer, and to top it all off, a wonderful year."
 
Please join us for the Color Dare Challenge #322 with your "pastels" creation, followed by Challenge #323 with your "brights" creation. Challenge #322 opened on Friday, December 7 and Challenge #323 opened Friday, December 14. These challenges overlap, both closing on December 30. We'd love to have you join us and there is plenty of time to create and submit your work!
 
 
Materials
Stamp: Stampendous "Merry Little Christmas" 
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Cardstock: W+9 Dove Gray; Stampin' Up! Blushing Bride, Whisper White, Silver Foil
Paper: Kaiser Craft "Sparkle" Collection w/complements
Misc.: Derwent Pencils; Stampin' Up! Dimensionals (foam tape); Star-shaped sequins from stash


Sunday, December 9, 2018

Floral Tweets



While attending a crop this week I was encouraged to make a card for Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #293 (AHSC). This is one of my favorite challenges because they have a great variety of sketches.


The flowers were stamped onto white cardstock using several stamp layers and inks to achieve the color variance. Onto a white card base, a panel of patterned paper with pink dots was adhered. Then a panel of paper with birds was adhered. The sketch has a vertical strip or ribbon so cardstock was trimmed up to include that element. A scalloped frame was die cut from gold vellum and adhered to mimic the top panel. The stamped flowers were fussy cut and adhered with foam tape. The inside was decorated with two remaining flowers and a strip of the dotted paper. A sentiment can be added later.


Take a look at the AHSC Challenge Blog and play along!


Techniques: Layered stamping
Size: A2 (5.5" x 4.25")

Materials
Stamps: Uniko Studios Beautiful Blossoms II
Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black; Distress Oxides
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White & Lemon Lime Twist
Paper: WRMK vellum (gold), Echo Park "Stripes & Dots"; American Crafts "Tweets"
Misc.: Stampin' Up! Dimensionals (foam tape)

Friday, December 7, 2018

Let It Snow



Call it inspiration. I was in a popular craft store and was not shopping for paper. Then I saw this 6" x 6" paper pad and I knew it was perfect for the pastel card I was going to make for the Color My Heart Color Dare Combination Challenge #322 - #323. This blog post represents Challenge #322. Challenge #323 will be posted on Friday, December 14 and will be able to be seen HERE on and after the 14th.
On a blue card base, a panel of blue starry paper was adhered. A strip of white glitter paper was adhered across the card. A smaller panel of trees was cut from the paper collection, matted with white glitter paper and adhered over the horizontal strip using foam tape for dimension. Three white holographic snowflakes were adhered. For the sentiment, a strip of continuous words, "Let it snow," was cut from the paper, backed with foam tape and adhered. The inside of the card was lined with a panel of white cardstock and three more snowflakes with a stamped sentiment, "We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year."



Please join us for the Color Dare Challenge #322 with your "pastels" creation, followed by Challenge #323 with your "brights" creation. Challenge #322 opens on Friday, December 7 and Challenge #323 opens Friday, December 17. These challenges overlap, both closing on December 30. We'd love to have you join us and there is plenty of time to create and submit your work!

Materials
Stamp: Stampendous "Merry Little Christmas" (inside sentiment)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Marina Mist, Whisper White, White Glimmer
Paper: Craftsmith "Ice Crystals" Collection
Misc.: Stampin' Up! Dimensionals (foam tape); holographic snowflakes from stash

Monday, December 3, 2018

Christmas Coffee



Today's card satisfied the requirements of four challenges including the 2018 Fall/Winter Coffee Challenge Blog Hop.


First, my card has been posted at Try Stampin' on Tuesdays #387, which has an optional theme (use embossing) along with the required sketch challenge.

Next, I posted my card at Double Trouble #16. To include required elements and options, I used a winter theme, included snowflakes, added a coffee element and posted my card to the Three Amigos Challenge #21, which requires embossing on a holiday card.

Onto a white card base, a panel of green cardstock was adhered and then a panel of Kraft paper patterned with snowflakes. A strip of white cardstock was embossed with coffee beans and lightly sponged. The embossed strip was backed with coordinating green cardstock. The image was stamped, colored with Copic markers, fussy cut and then adhered using pop-up foam tape. The frothy topping was created by using a fake snow product. Gems from my stash and a computer-generated sentiment completed the card front. The inside of the card was decorated with the coordinating paper and stamped with a Christmas sentiment.

Please visit these fabulous challenge blogs for some paper crafting fun! Here they are again:
 
 

Materials
Stamps: computer-generated sentiment on front; Stampendous "Merry Little Christmas" (inside sentiment); Pink & Main "Mermazing Coffee" (mug)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Copic Alcohol Markers; Stampin' Up! Soft Suede
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White & Garden Green
Paper: Echo Park "Celebrate Christmas" Collection
Embossing Folder: Elizabeth Craft (coffee beans)
Misc.: Aleene's True Snow, Stampin' Up! Dimensionals (foam tape), gems from stash

Friday, November 30, 2018

Noel in the Pines



This card is for a Tic-Tac-Toe color challenge at Color My Heart Color Dare #321, which begins on Friday, November 30, 2018 and is open for two weeks. (Your project does not have to be for Christmas.)  Although the camera did not pick up the metallic very well, the card really sparkles.


From the grid below, select a row of colors for your card and then feel free to add any other colors from the grid. The color reference is from Close to My Heart brands but you may use any colors from your stash that are closely aligned with these. I initially selected a diagonal row - red, gold, white - then added both greens, charcoal and silver, resulting in other rows as well.
I selected patterned paper that included most of the colors. A panel of red print paper was adhered to a white card base. Next, a panel of white pine cones with two tones of green, charcoal and red was adhered. To tone down the busy background paper, a panel of die cut vellum was adhered. After die cutting the pine cones in silver and gold, I hand embossed them with a stylus to show the woody scales found on pine cones.  Onto the vellum, each set of die cut pine cones and pine branches in silver and gold were arranged and adhered. The die cut sentiment was added. The inside of the card was decorated with matching patterned paper and a stamped Christmas verse.


Please visit us at Color My Heart Color Dare Challenge Blog and see the other projects made by the Design Team.

Materials
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White & Vellum
Paper: Metallic (silver & gold) from stash; green glitter paper; CTMH Collection: "Tis the Season"
Dies: Waffle Flower "Lacy Layers" (vellum panel), Frantic Stamper "Layering Noel", Studio Light ""Winter Days" (pine cones and branches)
Misc.: Stampin' Up! Dimensionals (foam tape)

Thursday, November 22, 2018

Merry Christmas (Plaid with Stags)


11/28/2018 Update: Top Three winner at Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #291.


Inspired by both a sketch and a color challenge, I put this card together quickly late last evening. After completing the card, I realized that this could only be submitted to the sketch challenge because the challenge dates were not compatible. I elected to submit it to the weekly Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #291 and not submit to the color challenge.




Panels of white cardstock and plaid paper were adhered to a red card base. A small strip of gold foiled cardstock was cut and added. The focal point (a strip of two deer) was cut and matted with gold foiled cardstock then added to the card front using foam tape for dimension. The sentiment was added. The inside was lined with a panel of white cardstock, a sentiment and an image of the deer.


Don't forget to check out the weekly sketches at AHSC #291!


Materials
Stamp: Clipart "Happy Holidays" and Stampendous "Merry Little Christmas" (inside sentiment)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White & Real Red
Paper: Recollections "Noel Ice Crystals", plaid from stash, The Paper Studio Glam Glitter "Brights"
Misc.: Stampin' Up! Dimensionals (foam tape)