Thanks - CAS

8/22/2016 Update: This CAS Thanks card was the Diamond Award winner in the Color My Heart: Color Dare Challenge #206.


Six colors required for a color challenge is often difficult. With help from a CAS sketch challenge, I managed to use the required colors while trying to keep it CAS.

On a card base, a panel of DSP was adhered and the inside was lined with white cardstock and decorated with a stamped flourish. On a panel of white cardstock, two-step stamped flowers were added along with some dots. The sentiment was die cut in two colors with the darker used as a shadow for the lighter. A strip of cardstock and a strip of DSP were added to the right side of the panel. The white edges were sponged with color. The panel was backed with foam and popped up onto the card base.

I am entering the card into three challenges:
1. CAS(E) This Sketch #185  









2. Color My Heart: Color Dare #206   









3. Happy Little Stampers August Challenge





Techniques: Stamping, sponging, die cutting, CAS
Size: A2 (4.25" x 5.5")

CTMH
Inks: Poppy, Ruby, Saffron
Cardstock: Flaxen, Peacock

Stampin' Up!
Stamp: "Flowering Flourishes" (inside of card)
Cardstock: Whisper White, Smoky Slate (sub for Whisper)
DSP: My stash
Misc.: Dimensionals foam tape

Other Materials
Stamps: Wplus9 "Summer Blooms"
Die: Spellbinders Phrase Set #1
Misc.: Uniball Signo White Gel Pen

Welcome to My Garden!

8/17/2016 Update: Top Three winner in the AHSC #172.

My card was inspired by a most unusual sketch. At one point it resembles a bird, another time it reminds me of a boat, another time a shelf of books. I finally settled on a flower garden. A garden that is filled with rows of colorful flowers and a trellis in the background.

A panel of plaid DSP was adhered to a white card base. On top of that a panel embossed with green ink on white cardstock was adhered. The inside of the card was decorated with Washi tape, punched flowers and candy dots to coordinate with the card front.

The focal piece was made by setting down Washi tape on a piece of scrap cardstock. After printing the sketch, it was cut out and laid onto the scrap with Washi and used as a pattern to match the sketch precisely. After cutting the design, it was sponged around the edges, backed with foam and adhered to the embossed panel on the card base. The trellis was die cut and adhered. The flowers were made from two floral punches. The leaves were fussy cut from Washi tape adhered to scrap cardstock and adhered to the trellis. The sentiment was die cut and adhered. Glossy Accents highlight the sentiment.

Visit the Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #172. Consider joining in the weekly challenges and follow their blog for creative ideas!


I am also entering the card at Happy Little Stampers August Challenge:

Techniques: Dry embossing with color, die cutting, fussy cutting, punch cutting, sponging.
Size: A2 (4.25" x 5.5")

Materials
Cardstock: SU! Whisper White, Certainly Celery, Strawberry Slush
DSP: Lawn Fawn Plaid Stack
Inks: SU! Certainly Celery, Strawberry Slush
Dies: Reverse Confetti "Scalloped Tag" (trellis), Spellbinders "Phrase Set 1"  (sentiment)
Punches: SU! Itty Bitty Accents (smaller flower), Five-Petal Flower (larger flower)
Misc.: SU! Dimensionals foam, SU! Candy Dots, assorted Washi tape from stash, SU! Diagonal TIEF

Summer Scene

8/16/2016 Update: This card was a Top Three winner!

Growing up near the seashore and learning to sail at a young age makes me love all things nautical. I was inspired to create this card for a few challenges.

A panel of cardstock was adhered to the card base. The background of the art panel was sponged onto white cardstock using a masking technique: a torn paper for the mountains and a die for the clouds. The boat was stamped, colored and fussy cut, then backed with foam and popped up on the scene. A white gel pen provided the watery foam.

Dropping the card front onto an open ink pad also provided some unintended "interesting" highlights on the mountains and water.

The card front was adhered to the card base. A sentiment was stamped onto a banner, edge-sponged and popped up. The inside was decorated with a stamped lighthouse image.

Visit these challenges for creative ideas:
1. Cardz 4 Guyz #132 - By the Seaside 


2. Crafty Creations #321 - On the Beach



3. Dragonfly Journeys Challenge #69



Techniques: Stamping, sponging, coloring, masking, fussy cutting, masking
Size: A2 (4.25" x 5.5")

Stampin' Up! Materials
Inks: Lost Lagoon, Marina Mist, Soft Sky, Wisteria Wonder
Cardstock: Whisper White, Daffodil Delight
Misc.: Dimensionals foam

Close to My Heart Materials
Stamp: Seaside Greetings (sailboat & lighthouse)

Other Materials
Stamp: Newton's Nook "Dog Days of Summer" (sentiment)
Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black, Spectrum Noir Alcohol Markers (sailboat)
Die: Lawn Fawn Borders (cloud masking)
Misc.: Uniball Signo White Gel Pen

Chasing Summer

This cute stamp set caught my eye a few weeks ago and I've been waiting for a chance to use it. I love this image of the dog "taking a dip" to cool off by playing with a hose. These dog images are adorable so I included a photo of the stamp set at the end of this post. I am entering it into four challenges and using some interpretative license in doing so.

The sunburst and circles were die cut and the dog and a few water splashes was stamped, colored and fussy cut. The sentiment was stamped, colored and cut with a trimmer and the inside of the card was decorated with stamping and coloring. The sentiment and the center circle were backed with foam and popped up and the dog was also backed with foam to add further dimension.

Visit these blogs for creative ideas and challenge fun. Here they are:
1. Just Us Girls Challenge #355:







2. Cut It Up! Theme Challenge #102: Summertime Memories
plus at least one die cut image.


3. Inkspirational Challenge #114:







4. Happy Little Stampers August Challenge:





Techniques: Die cut inlay, stamping, coloring, die cutting, fussy cutting
Size: A2 (4.25" x 5.5")

Materials
Stamps: Newton's Nook "Dog Days of Summer" & Hero Arts "Pearl Strings" (spots on circle behind dog)
Inks: Stampin' Up! Pool Party, Memento Tuxedo Black, Spectrum Noir alcohol markers
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White, Pool Party
DSP: Stampin' Up! from stash
Dies: Reverse Confetti "Sunburst" & Simon Says Stamp "Dots Circles"
Misc.: Clear Wink of Stella, wobbly eye from stash, Pretty Pink Posh Water Droplets, Stampin' Up! Dimensionals foam

Chubby Chums at Play

8/17/2016 Update: The Chubby Chums placed in the Top Five at Aud Sentiments #161.

8/10/2016 Update: The Chubby Chums placed in the Top Three at the Atlantic
Hearts Sketch Challenge #171.

After deciding to make a card for two challenges instead of just one, I changed my game plan from a fancy floral watercolor design to a cute critters design with grass and wood. I have the Paper Smooches stamp and die set called Chubby Chums, There are five sweet animals - dog, cat, cow, chick and owl - and some sentiments but I decided to use the Chubby Chum dog in triplicate. Click on the photos for a close up view.

The images were stamped, colored with alcohol markers and die cut. They depict dogs with tan, gray and red fur. The grassy DSP was adhered to the wood grain DSP and backed with cardstock for strength. The oval was cut using a die. The images and the oval cut were sponged with ink. The card base was brushed with a pouncing technique then the DSP panel was decorated with a strand of hemp, backed with foam and adhered to the base. Wiggly eyes were adhered to the Chubby Chums, foam tape was added to the back and they were added inside the oval opening. The sentiment was stamped, die cut and adhered.

This card design was inspired by the Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #171.





In addition, my card has been entered at Aud Sentiments #161: For a Child plus a sentiment

and Happy Little Stampers August Challenge:

Be sure to visit the blogs for creative ideas and fun.

Techniques: Stamping, coloring, sponging, pouncing, die cutting
Size: A2

Materials
Stamps: Paper Smooches "Chubby Chums" & Reverse Confetti "Bitty Banners"
Inks: Stampin' Up! Cajun Craze, Memento Tuxedo Black, Spectrum Noir alcohol markers
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White
DSP: Stampin' Up! Adventure Collection for grass and wood (retired)
Dies: Paper Smooches "Chums", Reverse Confetti "Bitty Banners" & Lil' Inker Designs "Dual Dotted Ovals"
Misc.: Hemp by Hemptique, 3M foam tape, wiggly eyes from stash, Judikins duster brush

"Tis the Season Bendy Card

If you've never visited The Cutting Café, you're missing out on a treat. The designer and owner, Regina Easter, has created some beautiful and clever projects. Regina invited me to be a guest designer on her Blog for August 7, which is a Christmas in August theme.

I selected Regina's Bendy Card design. I kept the card at A2 size but there's just so much space on an A2 card! The card can be collapsed and mailed in an A2 envelope. If you decide to make the card with the extras and not give it to someone in its collapsible state, Regina has included a box file that will accommodate the finished card perfectly.

And there are time saving options: five designs for the card back, two designs for the swing front pieces, five borders, and assorted sentiments.

Remember the Christmas song, Click, Click, Click? That was my inspiration for the card, although my housetop is too crowded to include any reindeer.

Up on the housetop reindeer pause,
Out jumps Good Old Santa Claus.
Down through the chimney with lots of toys,
All for the good little girls and boys.

 

Ho, ho ho! Who wouldn't go? Ho, ho ho! Who wouldn't go?
Up on the housetop, click, click, click,
Down through the chimney with Old Saint Nick!

Here are my photos of the Bendy card assembled and finished. Click on the photos if you wish to enlarge them.

Here is a photo of the card flattened for mailing.

Because I am still learning how to use my new Cricut, I downloaded only the basic Bendy elements. I freehand cut Santa's sleigh and used the materials listed below to complete the card.

Be sure to visit Regina's Cutting Café Blog for some great paper crafting ideas and prizes.

Techniques: Cricut cutting, freehand cutting, punch cutting, fussy cutting, die cutting, sponging, dry embossing

Card Design: The Cutting Cafe
Inks: Stampin' Up! Cajun Craze, Real Red, Crumb Cake, Wild Wasabi
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White, Real Red; DCWV Gold Foil
DSP: Stampin' Up! Collections - "Home for Christmas" and "Santa & Co."
Die: Pretty Pink Posh "Twine and Bows"
Punches: Stampin' Up! assortment
Embossing Folder: Spellbinders EL-015
Other: Sentiment (sticker from stash)

Hello, Cupcake!

In my effort to use materials in my stash that remain untouched, I decided to try a cupcake stamp set that I've had for a long time. Click on the photos for an enlarged view.

 

The Crisp Cantaloupe panel was die cut to provide a background with interest. It was backed with foam tape and popped up on a panel of Basic Gray cardstock. Designer paper with gold metallic flecks was also die cut with a scalloped circle and popped up on a horizontal strip in the same paper. A die cut circle of gold foiled cardstock was adhered to the scalloped circle. Several "squiggles" were also die cut from the gold and adhered to the gold circle. The cupcake was stamped on a piece of white cardstock (not watercolor paper) and colored using Derwent Inktense Water Pencils (yellow, orange, gray) and an Aqua Painter. The cupcake was fussy cut, sponged with gray ink, decorated with spots of clear Glossy Accents and Gold Glitz Dazzling Details, then backed with foam tape and popped up on the gold foil circle. The sentiment was stamped on white cardstock and

popped up with foam then decorated with Gold Glitz Dazzling Details. Gold sequins were adhered.

Everything was adhered to a white card base. The inside of the card was stamped with, "Hello, Cupcake," and a small cupcake, colored to coordinate with the larger cupcake on the front.

My card was inspired by a new
challenge that I am entering for the first time along with a favorite sketch challenge. To visit the blogs and participate in the challenges, click on the following links.

Dragonfly Journeys #67: Theme Challenge "Sugar Rush" and there are prizes!






Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #170:






Techniques: Stamping, sponging, die cutting, fussy cutting, water coloring with water pencils
Size: A2 (4.25" x 5.5")

Stampin' Up! Materials
Ink: Smoky Slate
Cardstock: Whisper White, Basic Gray, Crisp Cantaloupe, DCWV Foiled Cardstock (gold)
DSP: "Birthday Bash" Collection (retired)
Misc.: Dimensionals foam, Gold Glitz Dazzling Details, Modern Label Punch (sentiment), Aqua Painter

CTMH Materials
Stamps: "Celebrate with Cake" (sentiment on front)

Other Materials
Stamps: Inkadinkadoo "Birthday Cupcakes"
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Dies: Paper Sweeties "Sweet Borders" (squiqqles), Gina K Designs stacking and nesting circle dies, Lil' Inker Designs "Diamond Lace"
Misc.: Pretty Pink Posh gold sequins, Glossy Accents, Derwent Inktense Water Pencils

By the Beautiful Sea



8/02/2016 Update: Emerald winner in the Color Dare Challenge #203!






Having taken some time away from making cards, I was eager to get my card entered into two challenges today. I started by embossing white images of fan coral, seahorse, shells, starfish, sand dollar and bubbles. The embossed images were inked with Canary and Sorbet inks using a brush.

The panels were backed with another layer of cardstock and a layer of black to provide a thin 1/16" outline and define the shapes. (The color challenge rules state that shades of black are acceptable for sentiments and outlines.) The smaller panel and the horizontal strip were backed with foam tape and adhered to the larger panel, which had been adhered to the white card base. The sentiment was die cut, backed with Kool-Tac clear foam and adhered along with some clear droplets. The images and sentiment were touched up with clear Wink of Stella.The inside of the card was decorated with a few stamped images and Wink of Stella.

Note: Applying Canary and Sorbet inks to the blue cardstock will influence the resulting colors.

The card is being entered into two challenges:

1. Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #169 








2. Color My Heart: Color Dare #203





Techniques: Stamping, heat embossing, whitewash coloring
Size: A2 (4.25" x 5.5")

Materials
Stamps: SU! By the Tide, By the Seashore, Hero Arts Pearl Strings
Inks: CTMH Canary, Sorbet
Cardstock: SU! Whisper White, Calypso Coral, Marina Mist, Basic Black
Die: Word Templates (Hobby Lobby)
Other: SU! White EP; Pretty Pink Posh water droplets, 3M foam tape, Kool-Tac clear foam, Wink of Stella (clear)

Starfish - CAS

Several years ago I traveled to Alaska and visited a Giant Kelp Forest in a glass-bottom boat. These areas are considered the most productive and dynamic ecosystems on Earth.

On the sea floor there were vast amounts of starfish in every color and size imaginable. Having lived most of my life on the east coast, I decided to stick with a starfish more familiar to me.

"Clean and Simple" is the order of the day but I could not resist a small amount of layering. A strip of Pool Party cardstock was stamped with a wavy design, fussy cut and adhered to a card base of vanilla cardstock. A small scrap of Crumb Cake that had previously been embossed with a wood grain design and sponged was adhered next. Onto that, a scrap of shell-imprinted DSP was adhered. The starfish was stamped twice then covered with clear Wink of Stella. It was fussy cut and backed with foam to add dimension. The inside of the card was trimmed with a strip of the shell-imprinted DSP.


My card layout was inspired by CAS(E) This Sketch Challenge #178. Visit their blog to join in the challenge fun!

Techniques: Stamping, double stamping, dry embossing, sponging, fussy cutting
Size: A2 (4.25" x 5.5")

Materials
Stamp: SU! "Picture Perfect" and "Chalk Lines"
Ink: SU! Crumb Cake, Crisp Cantalope, Pool Party
Cardstock: SU! Very Vanilla, Pool Party, Crisp Cantalope
DSP: Paper Pizzazz
Misc.: SU! Dimensionals foam, Wink of Stella (clear)