It's Your Day (CD #641)

 

Color Dare Challenge #641 is up on the blog through Thursday, March 13, 2025. To play along, you must use at least three of the five colors and their tones, hues, or shades, and you may not add colors. To enhance your card, you are free to add black, white, other neutrals, and metallics. The color board is below.  (I added numbers to each of the colors on the board just for my own use.)

All of the colors except for #3, the lavender, are included in the patterned papers on the card. Color #5 is used in two tones of the blue-green color. The only neutral is white. 

Using a random sketch from the past, the elements were matted and adhered to the card base. The sentiment was die-cut and adhered using thin foam tape. The inside was lined with a panel of white cardstock and decorated with patterned paper. Gem stickers were added to the front of the card.

Visit the CD641 Challenge Blog to view the Design Team's examples and to submit your card. Thank you for stopping by my blog. Your comments are welcome. 

Melanie

Materials

Cardstock: SU! Basic White, Melon Mambo, Pool Party, Lost Lagoon

Patterned Paper: Altenew "Enjoy the Ride" & Doodle Bug "Summer Breeze"

Die: Simon Says Stamp #111987 "It's Your Day"

Misc.: SBC thin foam tape, Honey Bee gem stickers

Retiform Revisited - Again (TSOT #664)

 

Try a Sketch on Tuesday Challenge #664 is underway. This biweekly challenge will run through Sunday afternoon, March 2, 2025. The only requirement is to create a project using our sketch. We encourage you to use your imagination and creativity while having fun.

If you are looking for a bit of inspiration, take a look at the TSOT664 Blog to see what our Design Team has done. Additionally, try TSOT's sister challenge, Double Trouble Challenge #185, and you could win a prize.

To create my card. I decided to use an old technique called 'Retiform'. To see examples, click on the following:

Retiform Revisited

Beata Johns at Splitcoast Stampers Tutorials

Gina K Designs

If you look at the above links, you can see each card maker has a distinct style of their own, but the cards are all interesting and unique.

The retiform technique requires creating a grid by masking off sections. I initially masked off the basic sketch, then added more lines to the grid. The inks were blended, and then I went through my stamp stash, selecting images to stamp onto the sections. The stamping was enhanced with Copic markers as necessary. 

The flower was stamped four times onto white cardstock. The four pieces were fussy cut and then stacked onto each other. The top flower was colored with Copic markers. The inside of the card was lined with a panel of white cardstock and stamped with additional images. Typically, additional items are not added to the Retiform card front - it's all stamping - but I could not resist the urge to add a bit of texture and dimension by adding the Golden Poppy.

Visit the TSOT664 Blog to check on the challenge guidelines and play along. Thank you for visiting my blog. I appreciate your comments.

Melanie

Materials

Stamps: Stampin' Up!

        1. Grace's Garden #151513 (sentiment, cat, & bird)

        2. Painted Poppies #151599 (golden poppy, leaf)

        3. Textured Essentials #152612 (mosaic-type design)

        4. Seascape #155009 (fish & bubbles)

        5. Butterfly Gala #148580 (butterfly)

        6. Mountain Air #151610 (evergreens)

Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black; Copic Alcohol Markers; Stampin' Up! Summer Splash, Granny Apple Green, Pumpkin Pie, Blueberry Bushel, Old Olive, & Poppy Parade

Cardstock: SU! Basic White, Cucumber Crush, & Peach Parfait

Size: A2

Techniques: Retiform, Stamping, Ink Blending, Masking, & Fussy Cutting

Thanks a Bunch (DTC #185)

 

Here's a summary of Double Trouble #185, "Hoodie-Hoo," a biweekly challenge running through Sunday, March 2, 2025.

Thing 1: Trouble Maker

says, "Get ready to say goodbye to winter and hello to spring by calling out 'Hoodie-Hoo' to your neighbors on February 20th. Then try our 3-2-1 Recipe below."

Hoodie-Hoo!

Servings - Unlimited Portions of Fun

Ingredients

3 Embellishments

(Three black gem stickers were included.)

2 Layers

(Four layers were adhered to the card base.)

1 Sentiment

 (One sentiment was added.)

Thing 3:  Twisted Sister 

says, "My optional twist is to include seasonal flower(s) of any kind in your project."

(Patterned papers with images resembling Chinese Quince and Winter Jasmine were used. These are seasonal flowers that bloom in winter.)

Thing 2: Double Dare

says, "My optional dare for you is to use the sketch below at our current Sister Challenge, Try a Sketch On Tuesday #663, beginning Tuesday, February 18, 2025. 

(This sketch provided inspiration.)

Alternative Challenge:  If you included flowers, you may enter the Beautiful Blossoms Challenge #26. This challenge began on February 15, 2025. (My card was submitted.)

I hope you will take this opportunity to flex your imagination and enter these challenges. Be sure to visit the DTC185 Blog to see our team's examples. Thank you for visiting my blog.

Melanie

Materials

Ink: Copic Alcohol Markers

Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Basic White, Basic Black, Pink Pirouette

Patterned Paper: Stampin' Up! "Lights Aglow" & Altenew "Enjoy the Ride" Collections

Misc.: Creative Expressions Sentiment strip, Spellbinders black gem stickers, SBC thin foam tape, Doily from stash

Size: A2

Hello, There! (CD #639 & AHSC #616)

Color challenges can be fun... really! 

I used to avoid them. Then, in order to "face my fear," I joined the Design Team at the Color Dare Challenge and I now enjoy creating these cards. This is Challenge #639, which runs through Thursday, February 26, 2025. 

The important elements are to use both of the colors and to remember no other colors are acceptable other than those that are 'Free to Add'. If you don't have the exact colors, use the closest match you have. Here is the color board:

I shopped my paper stash, hoping to find patterned paper with the required colors. The search was a success when I found a small scrap that would work. I added a few other papers, and referring to a new sketch at Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #616 for inspiration, the card came together. I am entering this card into their challenge after the Color Dare Challenge goes live on Friday, February 14, 2025.

A sentiment was stamped, and the trio of diamond-shaped labels were added with thin foam tape. The inside of the card was lined with a panel of vanilla cardstock and decorated with a few small diamond shapes in coordinating colors.

Inside View

To play along with this biweekly color challenge, visit the CD 639 Blog to view the cards created by our Design Team. If you wish to see inspirational cards for the sketch, visit AHSC #616. Their weekly challenge is open through Sunday, February 16. Here is their sketch:

Thank you for visiting my blog.

Melanie

Materials

Stamp: CTMH #Z8049 "Cherish" (sentiment)

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black

Cardstock: SU! Very Vanilla, Basic Black, Pale Plum

Paper: Scrap from my stash & Sunny Studio Gingham Pastels

Dies: Hero Arts Infinity (diamond-shaped)

Misc.: SBC thin foam tape, Spellbinders Gem Stickers (black)

Love You (TSOT #663)

 

Here we are again... it's the beginning of another TSOT Challenge.  This is Challenge #663, which runs through Sunday afternoon, February 16, 2025. Following is the sketch for this challenge. Be sure to visit Double Trouble Challenge #184 for information about using this sketch for their challenge as well.

Because St. Valentine's Day is almost here, I used that as the theme for my card. I made two identical cards - one for my sister-in-law and one for my aunt. They are both elderly and enjoy receiving cards. They live on opposite ends of the country so identical cards are not an issue.

I decided to switch things around with the sketch by using black and white striped paper instead of colorful strips and adding a bright patterned paper where the sketch is plain. The paper has black dots, but I added seven black gems to add more of the black color. I also added a sentiment, although it is not required.

Stop by the TSOT #663 Blog and join in the fun of interpreting the sketch and creating a project using your style. Thank you for stopping by. 

Melanie

Materials

Stamp: CTMH "Every Little Thing" (sentiment)

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black

Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Basic White, Basic Black, Pool Party, and Melon Mambo

Patterned Paper: CP Designs (Catherine Pooler) "Color Pop"

Dies: Newton's Nook "Heart Frames", Jaded Blossom "Scalloped Border"

Misc.: Honey Bee gem stickers & SBC foam tape (2 mm.)

Love Is in the Air (DTC #184)

Here's a summary of Double Trouble #184, "Love Is in the Air," a biweekly challenge running through Sunday, February 16, 2025.

Thing 1: Trouble Maker

says, "Valentine's Day is almost here... and love is in the air. Try our 3-2-1 Recipe below."

Love Is in the Air

Servings - Unlimited Portions of Fun

Ingredients

3 Patterned Papers or 3 Washi Tapes 

(includes four Washi tape designs)

2 Shapes (sentiment labels & butterflies)

1 Image or Sentiment (one sentiment)

Thing 3: Twisted Sister
says, "I'm not waiting until Valentine's Day... I'm off to the store to get my favorite Sweethearts Candy. (There is one tiny plain heart placed next to the sentiment.)

Thing 2: Double Dare
says, "My optional dare for you is to use the sketch below at our current Sister Challenge, Try a Sketch On Tuesday #663, beginning Tuesday, February 4, 2025. (I used the sketch.)

I hope you will take this opportunity to enter the challenges. Be sure to visit the DTC184 Blog to see our team's examples. Thank you for dropping in. 

Melanie

Materials

Stamp: CTMH "Every Little Thing"  (sentiment)

Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black; Stampin' Up! Pretty in Pink & Melon Mambo

Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Basic White, Basic Black, Pretty in Pink, Melon Mambo, & Foiled Gold

Washi Tape: Altenew "Enjoy the Ride" Collection

Dies: Unb Sentiment Labels

Embossing Folder: Spellbinders "Columns"

Punches: Stampin' Up! "Elegant Butterfly" & "Bitty Butterfly"

Misc.: Stampin' Up! Champagne Rhinestones & SBC Foam Tape (2 mm.)