Monday, May 31, 2021

Yoyo Trick - The Flying Saucer



It's the fifth Monday of the month, which means there is an Anything Goes Challenge at Double Trouble #85. Our challenges are usually biweekly but this one lasts only one week - from Monday, May 31, through Sunday evening, June 6, 2021. We always have three "Things" to our challenges so here they are for this one:
1. Trouble Maker's Thing 1 (required) is the theme: "Anything Goes".
2. Double Dare's Thing 2 (optional) is to link your card to any of our previous sponsors. There is a list at the DTC Blog. I linked my card to Crafting Happiness Challenges #98
3. Twisted Sister's Thing 3 (optional) is to celebrate the ups and downs of "Yoyo Day". Select a yoyo trick for inspiration and make a birthday card.
Reminder: Participation in each "Thing" adds one more chance in our Random Draw.


The yoyo trick I selected can be seen HERE at the 14:15 time mark. Called the Flying Saucer or UFO trick it's impressive and was the inspiration for my Flying Saucer card. I stamped two planet surfaces and a couple of space monsters then colored them with Copic markers and fussy cut them. I applied the patterned paper (constellation map) to the gray card base. Next, the stamped images were added to the card with foam tape. The sentiment was stamped and added. The inside was lined with a panel of white cardstock and decorated with a scrap of the planet's surface and a space monster.


Join our challenge fun by selecting your favorite yoyo trick and designing a card! Check out our guidelines at the DTC85 Blog. and I know you'll enjoy Crafting Happiness #98, too.

Materials
Stamps: Whimsy Stamps "Moon Background" & "A Boy's Dream"
Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black & Copic Alcohol Markers
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White & Smoky Slate
Paper: CTMH "Aurora"
Misc.: Foam tape

Friday, May 28, 2021

Find Joy in the Ordinary



My card was made for the weekly sketch at Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenges. These sketches are always a great source of inspiration. A week or two ago, I made a card for a color challenge and liked what I created on the inside of the card so when I saw this sketch, I decided to use the same products and colors to create this card. (Click HERE if you are interested in viewing the other card.)


The Atlantic Hearts Challenge began on Monday, May 24, and will end on Sunday evening, May 30, 2021. Here is their sketch:


Onto a card base, I added a white die-cut rectangle with scallops that was stamped with some tiny butterflies in yellow and pink. Using dies, I cut the flowers and leaves, which were arranged onto the card front, some with foam tape and some without. The stamped sentiment was added with foam tape. The inside was lined with white cardstock and decorated with additional flowers and leaves.


You can join the challenge by visiting the AHSC422 Blog.

Materials
Stamps: Technique Tuesday "Inspired Dragonfly" (sentiment) & Sunny Studio "Spring Showers" (butterfly)
Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black & DOx Scattered Straw and Victorian Velvet
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White, Cajun Craze, Barely Banana, Blushing Bride, Mossy Meadow, Pistachio Pudding
Dies: Sizzix Thinlits #665078 (flowers, leaves), The Frantic Stamper (additional leaves) & RCD (scalloped rectangles)
Misc.: Foam tape

Saturday, May 22, 2021

Life Is Better in Flip Flops

Update on 05/26/2021: Top Three Winner at Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #421. 

I grew up at the beach. From the time I could walk I have loved the sea. I have been fortunate to have lived near the sea much of my life. It's no wonder I have been wanting to create a beachy card for a while so using the weekly sketch at Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #421 provided the opportunity.

I assembled the card using patterned paper on a Kraft card base without regard to directional patterns because I wanted the card to look casual and weathered. I stamped the flip flops, starfish, and shell, colored them with markers and fussy cut them. I hand drew the sand dollar because I don't have a stamp or die of one, sponging on a little ink for color. I matted the sand dollar image with fussy-cut Kraft cardstock and added it to the card with thin foam tape.

Next, I added the flip-flops using thin foam tape onto the sand dollar and then the starfish directly to the paper. The sentiment was stamped and die-cut then added with regular size foam tape. The tiny shell was added and a few clear droplets were adhered, in keeping with the sketch. The inside was lined with white cardstock and decorated with stamped flip flops and coordinating paper.


The challenge at AHSC421 will end on Sunday evening, May 23, 2021, so there is still sufficient time to add your project.

Materials
Stamps: Stampendous "Ocean Frames"
Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black, Copic Alcohol Markers, DOx Picked Raspberry, Tea Dye & Pumice Stone
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White & Baked Brown Sugar
Paper: CTMH "Seaside" Collection
Dies: Whimsy "Wavy Frames" 
Misc.: Clear droplets & foam tape (thin & regular) from stash

Friday, May 21, 2021

Sending Flowers Your Way


Who doesn't love pretty papers? This sweet paper collection fits the color challenge at Color My Heart Color Dare #445 perfectly. This biweekly challenge is called "Crazy 8", which means there are eight blocks - seven with color and one for embellishments. You pick any four blocks and create your project around those elements. You may add additional elements as long as they appear on the chart. If it's not on the chart then don't add it! This challenge runs through Thursday, June 3, 2021.  


I started with Paprika, Canary, Mink, and Blue Belle but added Flamingo and New England Ivy as I went along. I used white as my neutral. (Black and white are free to use.) I also had a set of dies that I wanted to use so that dictated the floral theme. All of the flowers and leaves were die-cut and the butterfly was from a punch.
 

I made the blue envelope then began adding the flowers and leaves somewhat randomly. Some of the flowers were popped up with foam tape while others were added directly to the card base. Once everything was stacked and glued, I added the tiny blue gems. The inside of the card was lined with a die-cut scalloped rectangle from white cardstock then decorated with additional flowers and leaves. The sentiment will be added when I am ready to use the card.


Check out our biweekly challenges at the Color My Heart Color Dare Blog. A new biweekly challenge begins each Friday morning so there is always an active challenge.

Materials
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White, Cajun Craze (Paprika), Barely Banana (Canary), Blushing Bride (Flamingo) & Mossy Meadow (New England Ivy)
Paper: CTMH "Hillside Cottage" (Mink & Blue Belle)
Dies: Sizzix Thinlits #665078 (flowers, leaves), The Frantic Stamper (additional leaves) & RCD (scalloped rectangle)
Punch: Stampin' Up! "Bitty Butterfly"
Misc.: Blue gems and foam tape from stash

Monday, May 17, 2021

Rock & Roll


Join us at the Double Trouble Blog for "It's a You Day". Challenge #84 begins on Monday, May 17, running through Sunday evening, May 30, 2021. As usual, there are three "Things":

1. Trouble Maker's Thing 1 (required) is to create a project using patterned paper to create an any-occasion girly-girl project. Each time you add a "Thing" to your project, you earn another chance at our random draw.

2. Double Dare's Thing 2 (optional) is to link your card to the Stinkin' Inkers Challenge with a theme of "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun," which is currently underway through May 30, 2021.

3. Twisted Sister's Thing 3 (optional) is to include some bling, i.e., glitter, gems, sequins, ribbons, flowers, etc.


The Stinkin Inkers Challenge mentions making a card for a special lady or girl so this card is for my sister, who lives abroad. When my sister returns to the US this summer for a visit, I think this will be the scene with family and friends.


Onto a black card base, I adhered patterned glitter paper, followed by die-cut layers of black cardstock and pink and turquoise glitter paper. The image was stamped, colored with Copic markers, and fussy cut then added to the card. Finally, the die-cut sentiment was added. The inside of the card was lined with white cardstock and decorated with scraps of glitter paper.

We hope you'll join us for this "girly-girl" challenge. Be sure to visit the challenge blogs at DTC84 and Stinkin' Inkers to ensure your creation fits all the requirements. 

Materials
Stamp: Art Impressions "Girlfriends"
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black & Copic Alcohol Markers
Cardstock: Stampin Up! Whisper White & Basic Black
Glitter Paper: WRMK
Dies: Whimsy (wavy stitched squares) & Frantic Stamper (words)

Tuesday, May 11, 2021

Rainbow Birthday


There is a fun sketch just waiting for card makers at the Try Stampin' on Tuesday Blog. Challenge #506 is a biweekly challenge going live on Tuesday, May 11, and ending on Sunday, May 23, 2021. We have a new biweekly challenge every Tuesday so there is always an active sketch to use.


This sketch combined with the theme offers inspiration for any number of interpretations. The rainbow colors were my inspiration and I needed a birthday card for a colorful friend. I adhered a die-cut rectangle of patterned paper to a white card base. This paper depicts a misty blue sky. I created the remaining elements with a stamp, Copic markers, and two circle dies placing my color wheel with thin foam tape followed by the stamped zigzag circle, also added with thin foam tape. The sentiment was stamped, decorated, then placed as indicated by the sketch. Additional enamel hearts were added, which I know my recipient will enjoy. The inside was decorated with additional rainbow colors created with markers.


Show us your interpretation of this sketch by visiting our TSOT506 Blog!

Materials
Stamp: Stampin' Up! "Blossoms in Bloom" (sentiment) & Avery Elle "Time to Party" (candles)
Inks: Distress Oxide Blueprint Sketch & Scattered Straw; Copic Alcohol Markers
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White
Paper: Ella & Viv Paper Co. "Watercolor Paradise #1"
Dies: Whimsy (stitched circles), Lawn Fawn (zigzag rectangles & zigzag circles)
Misc.: Enamel hearts and thin foam tape from stash

Friday, May 7, 2021

The Ball Game


This week's challenge sketch at Atlantic Hearts is a reminder of a card I made a few weeks ago referencing a tutorial for a Banner Fun Fold card. (Click HERE for information on that card.) In order to follow the sketch, I created today's card using a similar technique plus I also tilted the sketch. This challenge began on Monday, May 3, and will end on Sunday evening, May 9, 2021.

                          Original Sketch                Tilted Sketch

Using a masculine paper collection I have had for ages, I created a birthday card for my stepson. He will be 53 in June! He has always loved baseball and this is not the first time I have used this paper for his birthday (but I doubt he'll notice). First I created the Z-fold base, then cut three banners from patterned paper to resemble the banners shown in the sketch. I matted the banners with cardstock. The largest banner was added directly to the card base and the two smaller banners were added with thin foam tape for dimension. Because I turned the sketch, I had to allow for variance in the placement of the sentiment, which was also cut from the patterned paper. The inside was lined with white cardstock and decorated with additional coordinating paper.


If you enjoy using sketches be sure to stop by the AHSC Blog.

I also decided to play along with a fairly new challenge dedicated to fun folds: Creative Creases Challenge #6

Materials
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White, Cherry Cobbler & Pretty Peacock
Paper: Echo Paper "Grand Slam" Collection
Misc.: Foam tape (thin)

Floral Vellum


Color challenges are always a bit of a test for my creativity and Color My Heart Color Dare #443 was no different. Once I gave it some thought, I went looking for inspiration and found it on YouTube. The color challenge graphic is below and the challenge is to create a project using three colors that are side by side on the color wheel. I selected Blue-Violet, Blue, and Blue-Green. I have always been partial to these colors so enjoyed using them. I would have enjoyed adding silver but it was not permitted so I stayed with black and white. This biweekly challenge begins on Friday, May 7, and ends on Thursday evening, May 20, 2021.

I always enjoy using vellum and when I saw the technique demonstrated HERE, I was hooked. The technique requires the use of alcohol ink so I used my Copic markers. Any alcohol markers (or ink) will work. In addition, I used 40-lb. vellum because the heavier weight is sturdier than the lesser weights. I followed the tutorial but elected not to wet the vellum as heavily as demonstrated. It dried quickly but I wanted more color, so I added a little more color and repeated the process. Once I was satisfied with the result I let it dry thoroughly with only a "gentle blast" from my heat tool. (I have been known to scorch vellum.) After a bit of die-cutting, I proceeded to assemble the card onto a white card base.

Our color challenges at Color My Heart Color Dare frequently include a little twist so check in with us and play along. A new color challenge begins every Friday and lasts for two weeks so there is always an active challenge underway. 

Materials
Inks: Copic Alcohol Markers (B05, BG13, BV13)
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White, Basic Black & Wisteria Wonder
Paper: Stampin' Up! Vellum
Dies: Lawn Fawn (stitched scalloped rectangles) & RCD (flowers)
Misc.: 91% Rubbing Alcohol, Bee Creative tape sheet, foam tape & gems from stash

Tuesday, May 4, 2021

Sweet Baby

The biweekly challenge is up on the blog at Try Stampin' on Tuesday Challenge #505. This challenge runs from Tuesday, May 4, through Sunday, May 16, 2021. This is a sketch challenge with the option to use pastel colors. 

I decided to use one dark color (constellation map) along with the pastel colors I chose but essentially my card has pastels in pink, blue, lavender, and yellow. The images were die-cut in white cardstock and I added color with Copic markers. The baby's blanket was done with paper piecing. The strip for the blue banner was embossed for texture. The sentiment was also die-cut from white cardstock along with a second cut from the constellation map paper. The inside was lined with a panel of white cardstock and decorated with additional die-cut elements. I kept the card low profile for ease in mailing.

Please visit our blog at Try Stampin' on Tuesday and join the challenge.

Materials
Inks: Copic Alcohol Markers
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White, Barely Banana (retired), & Bashful Blue (retired)
Paper: Stampin' Up! DSP (pink scrap) & CTMH "Aurora" (constellation map)
Embossing Folder: Cuttlebug Dotted Swiss Pattern
Dies: RCD "Sweet Baby" & Frantic Stamper (word)
Misc.: Thin foam tape

Monday, May 3, 2021

Congrats! - You're Toadally Awesome

Welcome! The Design Team at Double Trouble is hoping you'll play along with Biweekly Challenge #83. The challenge begins on Monday, May 3, and ends on Sunday evening, May 16, 2021. As usual, there are three elements to the challenge, and your chances to win the random draw prize are increased as you add each element to your project. 

Thing 1, which is required, is to use a fun fold for your project. (I chose to make a Peekaboo Slider card.)

Thing 2, which is optional, is to link your project with our partner's Challenge #95 at Crafting Happiness. Check out their guidelines so your creation will fit their challenge, too.

Thing 3, also optional, is challenging you to "Jump for Joy" by adding at least one toad or frog to your project.  



To create my Peekaboo Slider card, I used a YouTube tutorial by Dawn at Dawn's Stamping Thoughts. I made the window oval rather than round so my stamped images would fit. I also kept the card front clean of embellishments because the patterned paper is busy and I wanted to keep the focus on the window. Some of my items are stamped, colored, and fussy cut while others are stamped directly to paper. The image with three frogs (inside of card) was found on the Internet and is from an illustration by artist, Jennifer Nilsson.




I hope you'll give our challenges a try by visiting the challenge blogs for DTC83 and CH95.

I recently learned about a somewhat new challenge whose focus is on Fun Fold cards so I have added my creation to Creative Creases Challenge #6. This challenge began on Monday, May 3, and will end at noon (EDT) on Thursday, May 13, 2021. Let's support this new card challenge!

Materials
Stamp set: Lawn Fawn "Toadally Awesome"
Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black & Copic Alcohol Markers
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White, Tempting Turquoise & Pale Plum (retired)
DSP: Stampin' Up! "Lily Impressions"
Dies: Hero Arts Infinity Ovals