Uptown Girl

UPDATE 5/23/2015: My card did not place in the challenge so I decided to repurpose the card into a birthday card for someone in particular who was my muse in coloring the original card. To cover the original sentiment on the inside, I adhered a slightly smaller piece of smoky slate cardstock stamped with a birthday sentiment. I added a few stamped, colored, fussy cut images of small wrapped gifts, colored to match the gifts on the card front, wrote a personal note and, voila!, it's ready for mailing this coming week to the birthday girl.

I decided to join in The Paper Players Sketch Challenge #245 (PP245) so made the following "Girly Thanks" card. The challenge calls for Clean and Simple. This is my exemplar for Clean and Simple!

 The focal image was stamped on white cardstock and colored with Spectrum Noir markers. Wink of Stella was added to the dress, shoes and hair bow and then it was fussy cut.

The sky was sponged on white cardstock in blue ink using the edge of a cloud die to create clouds. A setting sun was stamped so it would look as if it were sinking behind the buildings. The skyline was created with strips of cardstock adhered to the background piece after the sky and sun were completed. Windows were added with a gel pen.

The lower edge of the scene was trimmed away and a piece of gray cardstock was cut to match the curve leaving a space. A piece of DSP was adhered to a white card base. The background pieces were backed with craft foam to give them dimension and adhered on to the DSP. The stamped image was backed with clear foam to pop it up above the background scene.

The inside was lightly stamped in Smoky Slate ink with gift wrapped boxes. The sentiment, "You are Amazingly Amazing," was stamped in black. There is ample space for a personal note.

Stop by and visit The Paper Players for a dose of creativity and to join the challenge.

Techniques: Stamping, sponging, coloring, fussy cutting
Size: A7 (5" x 7")

Materials are Stampin' Up! unless noted otherwise:
Stamp: Painted Petals (inside sentiment), Kinda Eclectic, Stamping Bella Uptown Girls Series
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Bashful Blue, Daffodil Delight, Smoky Slate, Spectrum Noir alcohol markers, Uniball Signo white gel pen, Wink of Stella (clear)
Cardstock: Whisper White, Basic Black, Basic Gray
DSP: Confetti Celebration
Die: Mama Elephant Creative Cuts (used as cloud stencil)
Misc.: Craft foam, Kool Tac clear foam

Pucker Up

Update 6/02/2015: "Pucker Up" won a place in the Top Three as an Artist Pick at Hand Stamped Sentiments #212!

Challenges can be such fun! I made one card to enter into two challenges. Hand Stamped Sentiments #212 (HSS212) uses a sketch for inspiration and colourQ #292 (CQCC292) uses color.

The Strawberry Slush card base was created in a Pointelle design with a die. The two rectangles were die cut to attain the slash edges. The hexagons were also cut from dies. The Coastal Cabana panel was adhered directly to the card base. The Daffodil Delight panel was backed with craft foam and adhered next. The foam backing gives the panel dimension. The large hexagon was added with craft foam to pop it up above the panels. The small hexagon was sponged with Tangerine Tango and the sentiment was added.

The citrus pieces were stamped on white cardstock, heat embossed with two layers of clear embossing powder to give them a glossy look, then fussy cut. The orange slices were popped up with foam. The lemon slices were adhered directly to the card.

For more information about the challenges and to view beautiful cards, visit HSS and colourQ.

Techniques: Stamping, sponging, die cutting, fussy cutting
Size: A2 (4.25" x 5.5")
Stamps: Close to My Heart "Taste of Summer" stamp set; sentiment - computer generated
Ink: Tangerine Tango, Daffodil Delight
Cardstock: Daffodil Delight, Strawberry Slush, Coastal Cabana, Whisper White
Dies: Lil' Inker Designs Pointelle, Spellbinders Hexagons, My Favorite Things Die-namics Diagonal Stitch Rectangles
Misc.: Embossing powder (clear), craft foam

Awesomeness

Today I am posting a card for the Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #108.



After stamping and heat embossing some small flowers on a Chocolate Chip panel with clear embossing powder, I adhered it to a panel of Hello Honey. A ribbon was tied around the panels and then the panels and ribbon were adhered to a white card base.

I decided to use Irresistibly Yours paper to create an emboss resist look. The leaf embossed paper was stamped with three different flowers then the colors were blended with a sponge. I did not stamp the little flower embossed paper but only sponged it with green ink. The excess ink was wiped off the embossed areas of both pieces with a tissue.

On the leaf embossed paper, a strip of the green paper that had been die cut with a stitched zigzag border was added and it was all backed with a panel of Melon Mambo, also die cut on one edge with zigzag. This panel was then adhered to the card. I rotated the panel 90 degrees from the sketch because I thought it balanced the colors more effectively.

For the next panel I adhered the sponged green flower embossed paper to a panel of Melon Mambo. I then die cut a piece of the stamped and sponged leaf embossed paper and adhered that as the next layer. Then I die cut an oval from white cardstock and heat embossed the sentiment with honey colored embossing powder. I adhered the sentiment. A panel of craft foam was added to the back of the panel for depth and the layers adhered to the card base.

Three bright pink gems were added to the card front and the inside of the card was decorated by stamping some of the coordinating flowers on the lower right corner. For creative ideas and to join in the challenge, visit AHSC.

Techniques: Stamping, sponging, emboss resist, heat embossing, die cutting
Size: A7 (5" x 7")

Materials are Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted:
Stamps: Flower Patch stamp set
Inks: Melon Mambo, Hello Honey, Tangerine Tango, Pear Pizzazz
Cardstock: Whisper White, Chocolate Chip, Hello Honey, Melon Mambo, Irresistibly Yours (embossing paper)
Dies: Spellbinders/Just Rite Vintage Labels Four, Lawn Fawn Border
Misc.: Hello Honey 3/8" ribbon, gems from my stash, embossing powders (honey and clear), craft foam



You're Wonderful

Today I'm posting a card for the Pals Paper Arts Color Challenge #251 (PPA251). This is my first PPA challenge.

A piece of Irresistibly Yours embossing cardstock was sponged with Daffodil Delight then using the emboss resist technique, the excess ink was wiped off to reveal the dotted design. The edges were sponged with Melon Mambo. A piece of Melon Mambo cardstock was adhered, then a piece of turquoise stripe. The ribbon was added and then the entire pieced layer was adhered to the card base.

 

The image was stamped on white cardstock with Stazon ink and colored with markers. Additional flowers were stamped in Melon Mambo. The image piece was layered on a piece of Irresistibly Yours embossing cardstock cut from the piece adhered to the card base. This was adhered to Melon Mambo cardstock and backed with craft foam to pop up the image on the card. Wink of Stella was added to the flowers and leaves.

 

The inside of the card was decorated with a strip of the turquoise striped paper. Stop by PPA to join in the challenge fun!

 



Techniques: Stamping, sponging, emboss resist, color blending

Size: A2 (4.25" x 5.5")

 

Materials are from Stampin' Up!

Stamps: You're Wonderful stamp set

Ink: Melon Mambo, Daffodil Delight, Stazon black

Markers (non-alcohol): Melon Mambo, Daffodil Delight, Tempting Turquoise

Cardstock: Melon Mambo, Whisper White, Irresistibly Yours

DSP: Birthday Bash Collection

Misc.: 3/8" ribbon, ZIG Wink of Stella, craft foam

Flower Patch Friend

I decided to enter colourQ Challenge #290. This will be my first time participating at colourQ and my first ever color challenge. The challenge is that cards must be made with the following colors: Blushing Bride, Calypso Coral, Coastal Cabana, Poppy Parade and white. I never purchased Poppy Parade as it is retired so I substituted Real Red. I never thought the challenge colors would work so nicely together but I like the colorful results.

In addition, I'm submitting my card to Can You Case It? Challenge #70, May Flowers. CYCI is a recently discovered challenge and I am liking the quality of the challenges and the beautiful Design Team creations. (I was lucky enough to be one of the Design Team Picks for Challenge #69 with this card.)

I am also entering this card into the Verve Inspiration Challenge for May, "Let It Bloom." Verve has beautiful products. I like them so much that I placed an order with them two days ago and that's how I discovered this challenge!

 

 





 

I started by creating a background on white cardstock using a variety of stamps. A panel of Coastal Cabana cardstock was cut, using a scallop die for the left edge. A panel of Blushing Bride cardstock was cut and then a die was applied to create the diamond quilting pattern. The pink cardstock was adhered to the Coastal Cabana cardstock then adhered to a rectangle of craft foam to add dimension before adhering to the card base.

The sentiment was stamped on die cut ovals. The white oval was sponged in Real Red ink along the edge. The sentiment was adhered to the card with a strip of craft foam to pop it up. I hope the sentiment being stamped in black will not disqualify my card! Flowers and leaves were stamped and fussy cut from white cardstock and adhered. Pearls were added to a few of the flowers. The inside of the card was stamped on the lower right corner to coordinate with the background stamping.

Stop by Can You Case It? along with colourQ and Verve to see the beautiful and clever designs!

Techniques: Stamping, generation stamping, die cutting, fussy-cutting, sponging

Stampin' Up! products:
Cardstock: Blushing Bride, Coastal Cabana, Whisper White
Ink: Blushing Bride, Calypso Coral, Coastal Cabana, Real Red
Stamps: Flower Patch
Other: Pearls

Other products:
Stamps: Lil' Inker Designs Awesome Blossoms stamp set
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black (sentiment)
Dies: Lil' Inker Quilted Stitched Pattern Die, Lawn Fawn Stitched Scalloped Borders die, Spellbinders Lacy Oval and Classic Oval dies, craft foam

You're My Anchor

UPDATE 5/20/2015: This card placed in the Top Three for AHSC #107.

Recently I participated in a color challenge that was a Design Team Pick, so when I was ready to make this sketch challenge card I decided to use the scraps from that challenge for Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #107. The other card can be viewed here.

 





Using a white card base, gray cardstock was adhered to the base and then white cardstock. On top of that a piece of DSP depicting water was adhered. From slate cardstock, four rectangles were cut and then DSP depicting stones and another depicting a tartan design were adhered. These four rectangles were attached to the card after backing them with craft foam to pop them up.

Next, the anchor was stamped and sponged and cut with a die. The hemp was laced around the anchor image through pierced holes. The image was then backed with gray cardstock and fussy cut to create a slender frame. The image was attached to craft foam and then adhered to the card.

Finally, the sentiment was computer generated, adhered to a banner cut from the DSP and popped up when adhered. The inside of the card was decorated along the bottom edge with a piece of gray cardstock and the stone DSP.

To join in challenges and for creative ideas, be sure to visit the Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge blog.

Techniques: Stamping, sponging, fussy cutting, die cutting, piercing
Size: A2 (4.25" x 5.5")
Materials are Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted:
Stamp: The Open Sea stamp set (anchor), sentiment was computer generated
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Cardstock: Whisper White, Basic Gray, Smoky Slate
DSP: Adventure Bound Collection
Dies: Spellbinders Wonky Rectangles
Misc.: Hemptique Hemp, metal studs from stash, craft foam

Choose Happiness

Today's card was made for the colourQ Challenge #291 and Inkspirational Challenge #82. ColourQ requires the use of specific colors: Hello Honey, Gumball Green, Bordering Blue (retired), Poppy Parade (retired) and white. The Inkspirational challenge is Designer's Choice and requires the use at least three out of the following four elements: Distressing, Flowers, Embossing and Pearls. I used all four elements.

A piece of white cardstock was stamped with a flower and a bird, distressed by sponging and adhered to the card base. Two tags were created using a punch. One card was sponged along the edges. The other was decorated with stamps and then sponged.

I stamped the flower three times, fussy cut the images, heat embossed with clear powder, curled the petals a bit and adhered the stacked flowers on top of the decorated tag with foam. I wiped the green inkpad onto a piece of white cardstock and cut three leaves freehand. I added veining with a marker, fussy cut them, heat embossed with clear powder and tucked them under the stack of flowers with a little glue. I adhered the plain tag with a rectangle of fun foam to give it depth and then added the decorated tag, also with a piece of craft foam to pop it up.

I slipped a piece of ribbon through the tags to join them, added pearls to the tag, adhering with Glossy Accents to ensure the pearls were adhered on top of the slick surface where the flowers were heat embossed. The inside of the card was decorated along the right edge with the same border stamp as on the tag. Browse through the challenges at colourQ and Inkspirational for creative card ideas!





Techniques: Stamping, punching, fussy-cutting, heat embossing, DTP (Direct-to-Paper)
Stampin' Up! Products:
Stamps: Choose Happiness stamp set
Ink: Gumball Green, More Mustard (substitute for Hello Honey), Real Red (substitute for retired Poppy Parade), Bashful Blue (substitute for retired Bordering Blue)
Marker (non-alcohol): Gumball Green
Cardstock: Whisper White, Hello Honey, Bashful Blue
Punch: Tag Topper Scalloped Punch
Misc.: Hello Honey ribbon, pearls, clear EP

Other Products:
Stamp: Crafty Secrets Grand Greetings (sentiment)
Misc.: Glossy Accents, craft foam

Floral Pointelle

UPDATE 5/19/2015: Floral Pointelle was selected as an Artist Pick in HSS Challenge #211!

Here is my card for the Hand Stamped Sentiments Color Challenge #211 (HSSCC211). The challenge requires that the card be made using only three colors: Strawberry Slush, Hello Honey and Night of Navy. (White is typically acceptable as well.) I also entered the card into the Monthly Meetup Challenge at Lil' Inker Designs. This is one of my favorite companies that I recently discovered.







 



When I started making the card I discovered I did not have Hello Honey ink although I had the cardstock. I used a blend of More Mustard and Daffodil Delight to create a Hello Honey match.

The design on the card base was cut with a pointelle style die. Knitters will understand why this is referred to as pointelle. I backed the die cut card front with cardstock so the colors show through and to emphasize the challenge colors. It is not necessary to cover the holes.

I used Irresistibly Yours paper to achieve an emboss resist technique, sponging the paper with ink and then wiping the excess ink away to reveal the white flowers. It was then cut out using a scalloped rectangular die. I used a punch to make the navy tag by punching it at both ends and trimming it on each long side. I ran a piece of ribbon through the slots. Finally, I stamped an image and fussy-cut the flower. I added a touch of Hello Honey to the center of the flower with a marker.

The embossed panel was adhered to a piece of craft foam to add depth, then the navy tag was adhered to craft foam to pop it up. The flower was added, also with a piece of foam and the two oval rhinestones were adhered.

I always like to add a little something to the inside of the card so I inserted a piece of white cardstock and used a strip of the honey embossed floral piece to trim the right edge.

Please stop by and visit HSS and Lil' Inker for creative card ideas!

Techniques: Stamping, die cutting, punching, emboss resist, sponging, fussy cutting, color blending
Size: A2 (4.25" x 5.5")
Stampin' Up Products:
Stamp: Simple Stems
Inks: Strawberry Slush, More Mustard/Daffodil Delight blend
Marker (non-alcohol): Hello Honey
Cardstock: Whisper White, Hello Honey, Strawberry Slush, Night of Navy, Irresistibly Yours
Punch: Tag Topper Scalloped Punch
Misc: Whisper White organza ribbon
Other Products:
Dies: Lil' Inker Pointelle Die, Die'sire Scalloped Rectangles
Misc: Gems from my stash
Notation: Links to products are provided for convenience. I do not receive remuneration.

Indigo Bird

5/24/2015 Update: Indigo Bird won a "Top Cup" at Sunday Stamps Challenge #101!

5/16/2015 Update: This card was a Design Team Pick at Can You Case It? Challenge #69!

Time to enter a card in another challenge... well, actually two challenges. I designed the card so it qualifies for challenges at Can You CASE It? (CYCI #69), which is a sketch challenge, and Sunday Stamps Challenge (SSC #101), which is a color challenge. It tends toward the masculine side but could be used for almost any occasion.

I guess I am a wannabe bird watcher because I follow bird watching blogs all over the world. Recently I saw photos of a beautiful North American bird known as an Indigo Bunting, which I have never seen here in Arizona. The colors for the SSC #101 challenge reminded me of the Indigo Bunting photos so I used a bird as my focal image, although it does not look much like my bird muse.



 

 

 





A panel of cardstock and then a panel of DSP were both applied to the card base. The bird and a branch were stamped on white cardstock that was sponged along the edges. I purposely did not color the images. I thought they went along better with the design if they remained plain. The stamped panel was adhered to a panel of DSP. A rectangle of craft foam was adhered to the back of the  panel and then to the card. The foam gives the image dimension.

A strip of gray cardstock was cut with a stitched zig-zag border and adhered to the panel. I added two small banners - one cut from DSP and one from white cardstock sponged on the edges. I cut a strip of diagonal stripe from the Irresistibly Yours paper and sponged it with color then wiped away the excess ink to expose the white diagonal stripe. It works like the emboss resist technique. Craft foam was added to the back and the strip was adhered to the card.

The sentiment was stamped on the same cardstock as the card base. The inside of the card was decorated along the edge with a scrap of the sponged diagonal stripe paper.

For more information on joining the challenges and seeing wonderfully creative cards, visit Can You CASE It? and Sunday Stamps.

Techniques: Die cutting, stamping, fussy cutting

Stampin' Up Products:
Stamps: An Open Heart
Cardstock: Whisper White, Smoky Slate, Basic Gray, Irresistibly Yours
DSP: Adventure Bound collection
Ink: Pacific Point, Basic Gray, Coastal Cabana

Other Products:
Stamp:  TPC Studio - Playful Expressions (sentiment)
Die: Lawn Fawn
Misc: Craft foam

Floral Dreams

My card is for the Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #106. I am also entering this card into the Verve Inspiration Challenge for May, "Let It Bloom." Verve has beautiful products. I like their May release so much that I placed an order with them today and that's how I discovered this challenge!







Using re-inkers, I put some drops of  pink and yellow ink onto a baby wipe. I then used the baby wipe as an ink pad and stamped the flowers onto white cardstock, creating the background.

The lower panel was made with pink DSP on gray cardstock and covered with a piece of pale pink vellum cut with a scallop rectangle die. I stamped the sentiment with white craft ink and added the flower.

The upper panel was made with yellow DSP on gray cardstock and decorated with flowers. I used a pink base for the flowers from a punched scrap of used watercolor paper I had painted for another project. The flowers hide the variance in colors. It is backed with a punched piece of gray cardstock.

The flowers, two white, two pink, were heat embossed on pale pink vellum using Versamark ink and embossing powders. They were fussy-cut, adhered and decorated with pale pink pearls. The punched focal piece with flowers was mounted on craft foam and adhered to the upper panel of yellow DSP on gray cardstock. I added thick twine as well. This panel was backed with a rectangle of craft foam to pop it up for dimension.

The inside of the card has a layer of white cardstock stamped on the lower right corner to coordinate with the card background.

Visit the Atlantic Hearts blog and Verve to join in the challenge!

Techniques: Heat embossing on vellum, stamping, die cutting, punching, fussy cutting

Materials are Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted:
Stamps: Flower Patch for background, Studio G "Mother" for embossed flowers and Studio G "Dream" for sentiment
Inks: Strawberry Slush, So Saffron, White Craft, Versamark
Cardstock: Basic Gray, Whisper White, Strathmore watercolor paper, pink vellum
DSP: Best Year Ever Collection
Die: Crafter's Companion Die'sire Scalloped Rectangles
Punch: Artisan Label
Other: pink EP, white EP, twine, pearls, craft foam
Size: A2 (4.25" x 5.5")