Never Give Up

Today is the last day for a2z Scrapbooking's "Embossing" challenge. I decided to create one more card for this challenge, to send to Send a Smile 4 Kids.

I used Sketch #SC563 from Splitcoaststampers.com for my design. After figuring out the measurements, I cut 3 pieces of patterned paper from my scrap stash for the smaller rays. I also cut a piece of mint cardstock for the rest of the background, and embossed it with the "Dotted Flower Rings" embossing folder by Sizzix. Then I adhered my pieces to a white A2 card base.

I die cut a circle from yellow cardstock with a Spellbinders "Standard Circles LG" die to stamp my greeting on. I used one of the greetings from Hero Arts' "You're a Rainbow" set. The stamp is all on one line, and wouldn't fit on my die cut. So I first masked off the first & last words with painter's tape, and inked up the "give" with Versafine Onyx Black. After removing the tape, I stamped "give," using my MISTI, towards the center of my die cut. I followed the same procedure for the other words, being sure to clean my stamp thoroughly between impressions. The MISTI made it so much easier to line everything up. Finally, I glued the circle onto my card base, overlapping the patterned paper & embossed pieces slightly, and trimmed off the excess.

Happy Birthday--Smile!

The current Lawnscaping challenge theme is "Sweets." I decided to make a birthday card to send to Send a Smile 4 Kids, to brighten the day of a hospitalized child.

I stamped Taylored Expressions' "Mason Jar" on a piece of Strathmore Smooth Bristol paper, using Ranger Archival Watering Can ink and second-generation stamping. I then used Antique Linen Distress ink to stamp several gumballs, from the "Sweet Smiles" set by Lawn Fawn, inside the jar. I also stamped 5 more gumballs for around the jar. I colored the gumballs in with my Zig Clean Color pens. For the shading on the jar, I scribbled one of the blue Zig pens onto an acrylic block, and picked up some color with a water brush to dilute it before applying it to my paper. Finally I die cut the jar and gumballs with their coordinating dies.

I die cut a panel from some hot pink cardstock with a Simon Says Stamp "Stitched Rectangles" die. I then used the "Happy Birthday #1" stamp by Stampabilities and Hero Arts Pale Tomato ink to create a tone-on-tone background.

For the background, I used one of the patterned papers from Echo Park's "Fine and Dandy" 6x6" pad. I cut it to 4.25x5.5", and adhered it to a white A2 card base. I then adhered my pink panel to that. I felt the jar looked a little "naked," so I created a tag from some yellow cardstock, with the "Smile!" from "Sweet Smiles" stamped on it in Watering Can. I tied that to the top of the jar with some pink and white baker's twine, then adhered the jar to the card front. I glued down the remaining gumballs, and this card was done.

I'm also entering this card in the following challenges:

Craft Your Passion Challenge #305: "Anything Goes"
Through the Craft Room Door: "Anything Goes"

Rainbow Birthday Card

A Blog Named Hero's current challenge theme is "Rainbow." I decided to make a birthday card to send in my next package to Send a Smile 4 Kids.

I stamped the "Painted Diamonds Background" by Hero Arts onto a piece of white cardstock with Versamark ink. I heat embossed that with Ranger Silver Pearl embossing powder. When the embossing had cooled, I ran it through my die cutting machine with one of the Tim Holtz "Labels" dies by Sizzix. Then I blended Distress inks in Festive Berries, Spiced Marmalade, Mustard Seed, Twisted Citron, Salty Ocean, & Wilted Violet, going in rainbow order down the panel.

For the greeting, I wanted to do a chalkboard look. I cut a piece of black paper, and stamped one of the greetings from Simon Says Stamp's "Big Birthday Wishes" in Versamark, and heat embossed it with Ranger Super Fine Detail White embossing powder. I used Hero Arts' Unicorn White pigment ink on a sponge dauber to ink the panel to look like chalk smudges. After adhering the black panel to a white A2 card base, I used foam tape to pop my rainbow panel on the card, making sure the greeting showed through the die cut window.

I die cut balloons from 3 colors of shimmer paper using two of the dies from Lawn Fawn's "Party Balloons" set. I cut a piece of white crochet thread for each, and tied the strings around the bottoms of the balloons. I ran the strings through my fingers to apply a little Perfect Paper Adhesive to them, then wrapped them around the handle of a paintbrush to curl them. When the glue had dried, I removed the paintbrushes, and glued the balloons to my card front.

To finish, I added some Pretty Pink Posh Sparkling Clear sequins, in the 4mm & 6mm sizes. I applied a drop of Silver Stickles to the center of each sequin, and my card was done.

I'm also entering this card in a2z Scrapbooking's March challenge: "Embossing."

Owl Card Trio

a2z Scrapbooking's challenge theme for March is "Embossing." Either wet or dry--use embossing on a project, and also use at least one Hero Arts product.

I created a trio of cards, using Sketch #SC579 from Splitcoaststampers.com & Hero Arts' "Curious Owl" stamp. For my first card, I stamped the owl on a piece of 140 lb. watercolor paper using Hero Arts Cup o' Joe ink. I then stamped him again right over top with Versamark ink. (I had already converted my stamp to cling mount, so I could use my MISTI, or this would have been almost impossible.) Next I clear heat embossed the image. I used Distress inks in Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, and Gathered Twigs to watercolor the image, adding some Fossilized Amber for the beak & feet. After that dried, I painted the background with watered-down Salty Ocean Distress ink. I added some water droplets to the blue with my paintbrush, making sure not to get any on the owl. After that sat for several seconds, I blotted up the water with a paper towel, effectively bleaching the color under the droplets.

I ran 2 strips of kraft cardstock through the "Polka Dots" Cuttlebug embossing folder. I punched a half circle in the wider strip with a 2" circle punch, to create an opening for my owl. Finally, I glued them to the top & bottom of my watercolor panel. I printed my greeting, from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps' "Owl Sentiments" digital stamp set, onto a scrap of light blue cardstock. I cut it into a banner shape, and stapled it to my card front with my Tiny Attacher. Finally, I matted my panel with cream cardstock, and adhered it to a white A2 card base.

For my second card, I paper pieced the owl. I stamped him onto a piece of kraft cardstock for the background, and also onto 3 neutral patterned papers from my scrap stash. I fussy cut the paper sections, and glued them in place over the background image. I colored the eyes in with a white gel pen, using a black gel pen for the pupils. I masked off the image, and blended over the kraft with Brushed Corduroy & Gathered Twigs Distress inks. I added water splatters, and blotted them to leave lighter spots on the background. I added green cardstock strips to the top & bottom, again using my 2" circle punch on the wider strip. Finally, I printed & adhered my greeting (also from "Owl Sentiments"), matted the panel with cream, and mounted it to a white A2 card base.

I colored the owl for my final card with Prismacolor colored pencils, and used Gamsol on a paper stump to blend the colors. After masking the owl, I blended an ombre background with Shabby Shutters, Crushed Olive, & Peeled Paint Distress inks. I again used white & black gel pens for the eyes, added my yellow cardstock strips, greeting strip, and matted it with kraft cardstock. I adhered my card front to a white A2 card base, and my trio of cards for Send a Smile 4 Kids was done!

I'm also entering my first card in Live Love Cards' March challenge to use colored cardstock.

Butterfly Hugs

The Lawnscaping blog has been having a "Color Splash" challenge. I created this card for it.

I first cut a piece of white cardstock to 4.25x5.5". Using the "Puffy Cloud Borders" dies by Lawn Fawn, I die cut the panel into strips. I did make sure to number each piece as I cut, so I could easily reassemble them. After I'd finished die cutting, I adhered them to another piece of white cardstock cut to the same size. I adhered just the top and side edges of each strip, leaving the bottom loose.

For my greeting, I used Lawn Fawn's "Scripty Hugs" die. I applied Stick It adhesive to both sides of a piece of black craft foam, and adhered a piece of black paper to one side. I then die cut the word from that. I removed the release paper from the backside, and adhered it to my card front. After burnishing it with my teflon bone folder, I went over it with my clear Wink of Stella pen. It doesn't show in the photo, but it's really shimmery in real life!

I stamped one of the butterflies from "Flights of Fancy" by Crafter's Companion onto a scrap of 140 lb. watercolor paper with Versamark ink. After heat embossing it with Stampendous Marcasite embossing powder, I watercolored the wings with Picked Raspberry & Seedless Preserves Distress inks. Because there are no coordinating dies, I fussy cut it out, leaving a small white border. I adhered it above my greeting with foam tape.

To finish, I adhered my panel to a white A2 card base. Then I glued several sequins to the card front: Darice 5mm Crystal & some 8mm white iridescent ones I got at Hobby Lobby. Finally, I added drops of Star Dust Stickles to the centers of my sequins.

I'm also entering my card in Send a Smile 4 Kids' "Spring Colors 4 Kids" challenge.

Magnolia for Mother's Day

Today is the last day for the March "Mix It Up" challenge at Ellen Hutson's CLASSroom blog. The prompt is to make a project using at least one Essentials by Ellen product & at least one Pretty Pink Posh product. I used the "Mondo Magnolia" & "12 Days Companion Greetings" stamp sets from Essentials by Ellen, and Pretty Pink Posh's "Stitched Duo 3" die.

I stamped the flower from "Mondo Magnolia" onto a piece of 140 lb. watercolor paper that I'd cut to 4.25x5.5". Then I heat embossed it with Recollections Gold Detail embossing powder. I also went ahead and stamped & heat embossed the greeting. I used Antique Linen Distress ink to watercolor some shading onto the flower. (It doesn't show up well in the photo, but provides a bit of subtle dimension in real life.) After I dried the panel with my heat tool, I brushed clear water around the flower, and dropped in Mowed Lawn Distress ink, letting that bleed out so the edges were soft. Before that dried, I went back in, just around the edges of the magnolia, with Pine Needles Distress ink, blending that into the Mowed Lawn.

I dried the panel with my heat tool again, and taped the tag die from "Stitched Duo 3" over the flower. I die cut that, and adhered the negative piece to a white A2 card base. I punched a 1/4" diameter circle, and glued that to my tag as a reinforcer. When the glue had dried, I punched through both layers with a 1/8" hole punch. I threaded 2 lengths of gold cording through the hole, and tied a bow. Then I applied foam tape generously to the back of the tag, and adhered it to my card base, in the space where I'd cut it out from the background. I added a little Perfect Paper Adhesive to the knot on the bow, just to keep it from coming untied, and my card was finished. I will send this in my next package to Send a Smile 4 Kids.

I'm also entering this card in the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp's Wednesday "A Bit o' Green"
Simon Says Stamp's Work It Wednesday "Use Something Floral"
Incy Wincy Designs "Shades of Green"
Die Cut Divas "Something Spring"

Happy Birthday

Our Daily Bread Designs has been having an "Anything Goes with ODBD Stamps" challenge. I decided to use two of their stamps, "Hummingbird" & "Bee Balm," for my card.

I first die cut the opening in my card front panel with a Spellbinders "Labels Eighteen" die, large enough to frame the flower. I traced the outline of that opening onto a piece of Strathmore Bristol paper, and used that as a guide to position my image. I set up the panel & stamp in my MISTI. Once I'd placed the stamp where I wanted it, I erased my pencil lines & stamped the flower in Versafine Onyx Black ink. Then I heat embossed that with Recollections Clear Detail embossing powder. I did the same with the hummingbird, on another scrap of bristol.

To color my images, I used Zig Clean Color Real Brush pens, with a damp paintbrush to blend out the greens on the leaves of the bee balm. I have printed several images of both hummingbirds & bee balm flowers, just for reference on how to color them.

Once I'd finished my painting, I die cut the hummingbird with the coordinating ODBD die. I also inked around the outside of my bristol panel with Tumbled Glass Distress ink on a sponge dauber, leaving the paper white just around the plant, so that it looks like it's glowing. I then set that aside while I worked more on my front panel.

I cut a piece of craft foam to the same size as my card front. I laid my cardstock over the foam, and placed my "Labels Eighteen" die in the opening in the cardstock. I traced around the inside of the die with a pencil, then removed the die & cardstock. I repositioned the die around the outline, and ran it through my die cutting machine, to cut a window in the craft foam.

I stamped the greeting, from the "Happy Messages" set by Stampendous, in Versafine Onyx Black & clear heat embossed that. Then I trimmed 1/8" off each side of the craft foam, and used Scor-Tape to adhere it to the back of my panel, lining up the die cut windows in each piece.

To assemble my card, I adhered my flower panel to the upper left corner of a white A2 card base. I then used more Scor-Tape to adhere the card front panel over top. I placed 2 tiny pieces of foam tape on the back of the bird's head to provide a bit of support, and glued it in place on the card front. Finally, I added several sequins: 4mm & 6mm Sparkling Clear by Pretty Pink Posh; 5mm Crystal from Darice; and 8mm white iridescent that I'd gotten at Hobby Lobby.

I'm also entering my card in the following challenges:

Die Cut Divas: "Something Spring"
Simon Says Stamp's Wednesday challenge: "A Bit o' Green"
Incy Wincy Designs: "Shades of Green"
Simon Says Stamp's Work It Wednesday: "Use Something Floral"

Peace Joy & Love

Merry Monday Christmas Challenge Blog's theme this week has been "Buttons." I decided to make a button wreath on my card.

I used one of the sketches from My Favorite Things for their "Blueprints 13" die set as the basis of my design. I used one of the tag dies from "Blueprints 13" to cut the red plaid paper, then used the circle die to cut the opening. I die cut the other tag, and layered the first on top of that. I used the stitched rectangle die to cut a piece of red cardstock, and adhered the tags to that. Then I used Perfect Paper Adhesive to glue an assortment of green buttons around the circle cutout on the red tag.

I die cut the greeting panel with another of the "Blueprints 13" dies, and stamped one of the greetings from Hero Arts' "Joy to the World" set on that. I heat embossed the greeting with Ranger Gold embossing powder. From some snowflake patterned paper, I die cut a strip with the washi tape die. I glued that onto the card front, and adhered my greeting on top. Then I matted the card front with some tan cardstock, and adhered it to a white A2 card base. Finally, I tied a bow with some gold cording, and used more PPA to glue it to the top of the wreath. I also glued the tails to either side of the greeting strip, just so they wouldn't be so unruly.

I'm also entering my card in the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp's Wednesday: "A Bit o' Green"
Craft Your Passion Challenge #302: "Anything Goes"
Incy Wincy Designs: "Shades of Green"--I assume I've included enough green! :)

Cuddling

Catch the Bug Challenge Blog's theme for this week's challenge is "Anything Goes." I combined 2 images from Bugaboo Stamps: "Rosebush Bench" & "Girl Sitter with Cat." One nice thing about digital images, is that you can layer them without having to cut paper masks or think too hard about what goes in front of what. Just keep moving layers on the computer until it looks right--then print! :)

I printed my composite image onto a piece of 140 lb. watercolor paper. I did have to extend the ground line a bit on each side with a black fine-tip Pitt artist pen. Then I colored everything with my Inktense pencils. Rather than apply the pencil to the paper and then activate it with water, I used a damp paintbrush to pull the color from the pencil tip, then applied it to my paper. I find, when I want a more seamless blend of colors, this gives me more control.

I used Sketch #79 from Operation Write Home for my design. I cut 3 strips of patterned papers from my scrap stash to .75x4". Then I cut my background piece (also from my scraps) to 4x5.25". I adhered my strips to the background, then mounted my focal panel on top. Finally, I matted that with pink, and adhered it to a white A2 card base.

I'm also entering this card in the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp's Wednesday challenge: "A Bit o' Green"
Through the Craft Room Door: "Anything Goes"
Craft Your Passion Challenges #302: "Anything Goes"
Send a Smile 4 Kids: "Spring Colors 4 Kids"

Welcome to the Jungle

Doodle Pantry is having their monthly "Ants in My Pantry" challenge. The theme, as always, is "Anything Goes," so long as it uses a digital stamp/image. I created another card to send to Send a Smile 4 Kids.

I began by choosing the 4 animals included in Doodle Pantry's "Safari Critters" set. I opened each image in Photoshop, and created a blank canvas sized to 4.25x2". I moved each animal to my canvas, overlapping & repositioning them until I liked the arrangement. Then I printed them onto a piece of 140 lb. watercolor paper. I colored them with my Inktense pencils, using a damp brush to move & blend the colors. Then I set that aside to dry.

For my background, I used the "Irregular Arrow Bold Prints" stamp by Hero Arts. I inked it with bands of Bundled Sage, Shabby Shutters, & Peeled Paint Distress inks, creating something of an ombre effect. Then I spritzed the stamp lightly with water, and stamped it on another piece of watercolor paper. Once the panel had dried, I blended more of the same green inks over the stamping, to create a tone-on-tone look.

For the greeting, I printed one from "Safari Critters" onto a piece of cream cardstock. I trimmed it to size, and matted that & the focal panel with kraft cardstock. I wrapped a piece of jute twine around the panel where the 2 pieces met, and glued down 3 buttons on the greeting strip. When the glue had set up, I threaded more twine through the button holes, taping the ends on the back of the panel. Finally, I adhered that to my background panel, and mounted that onto a white A2 card base.

I'm also entering this card in the following challenges:

Through the Craft Room Door: "Anything Goes"
Craft Your Passion Challenges #302: "Anything Goes"
Incy Wincy Designs: "Shades of Green"
Simon Says Stamp's Wednesday challenge: "A Bit of Green"

Happy Mother's Day

Ellen Hutson is having a "Mix It Up" challenge at the CLASSroom blog. The idea is to use at least one Essentials by Ellen product with at least one product from their partner company. This month, the other company is Pretty Pink Posh. I decided to make a Mother's Day card to send to Send a Smile 4 Kids. These cards will need to reach them by April 15, so they have time to distribute them to the children's hospitals they serve.

I began by cutting a piece of 140 lb. watercolor paper to 4x5.25". I used two of the flower stamps & the 2 leaves from Essentials by Ellen's "Bold Blooms" stamp set. I stamped them repeatedly in Distress inks (Mustard Seed, Salty Ocean, Picked Raspberry; & Mowed Lawn for the leaves). After I stamped each flower or leaf, I took my water brush and brushed clean water over the ink, spreading it in a lighter tint to fill in the image, while still leaving a dark outline. I did have to mask off the flowers & leaves as I went, so that I ended up with a panel that looks like an overflowing garden.

After I completed the stamping & watercoloring, I dried the panel with my heat tool. I positioned the "Peek-a-Boo" die from Pretty Pink Posh in the middle of the panel, and die cut that. This particular die cuts lines from the middle to the edges, creating several flaps that open out along the score lines around the edges.

Card with greeting panel open

I temporarily adhered my panel to a piece of blue cardstock cut to 4.25x5.5", opened the flaps, and traced lightly around the opening with a pencil. I removed the stamped panel, and placed the cardstock in my MISTI. I used the "Happy Mother's Day" stamp from Essentials by Ellen's "12 Days Companion Greetings" stamp set for the greeting. I did have to cut apart the words, since I wanted each on its own line, and the stamp as is has them all on one line. I positioned the stamps within the outline on my cardstock, and picked them up with the door of my MISTI. I then stamped the greeting with Versamark ink, and heat embossed with Ranger Super Fine Detail White embossing powder.

After the embossing had cooled, I erased my pencil lines, and adhered the stamped panel over the blue cardstock. Finally, I mounted that to a white A2 card base.

I'm also entering this card in Simon Says Stamp's Work It Wednesday challenge: "Use Something Floral."

You Add Goodness to My Life

a2z Scrapbooking's March challenge theme is "Embossing." I decided to use an emboss-resist technique I learned from Jennifer McGuire a long time ago.

I began by stamping one of the images from Hero Arts' "You Make Me Smile" set on a piece of patterned paper from Echo Park's "Simple Life" 6x6" pad. I used Versamark, rotating the stamp 180 degrees for each column. I then heat embossed the panel with Recollections Clear Detail embossing powder. Once that had cooled, I used my foam blending tool & Wilted Violet Distress ink to ink over the whole piece. The embossed areas resisted the ink, preserving the pattern trapped underneath. Finally, I die cut it with a Simon Says Stamp "Stitched Rectangles" die.

For the greeting, I used the flip side of the patterned paper I'd used for the background. I die cut it with a "Small Stitched Rectangle" die by Lawn Fawn. I had to do some partial die cutting to make the panel shorter than if I'd used the die as is. I stamped the greeting, also from "You Make Me Smile," in Versamark, and heat embossed it with Ranger Super Fine Detail White embossing powder.

I die cut a piece of plum cardstock with a larger "Stitched Rectangles" die, and adhered my embossed & inked panel to that. I matted that with some pale tan cardstock, and adhered the greeting piece in the center with foam tape. Finally, I mounted the card front to a white A2 card base. I will send this card in my next shipment to Send a Smile 4 Kids.

I'm also entering this card in Through the Craft Room Door's "Anything Goes" challenge.

Up the Happy

Ellen Hutson has been having their February Pin-spired challenge. They posted this photo mood board, and challenged participants to create a project inspired by something in it, using at least one Essentials by Ellen product:

The colors & general "Spring-y" feel spoke to me. I used the "Up the Happy" stamp set for my card. I just received this set, and was glad to ink it up!

I used a sketch from Splitcoaststampers.com for my design. I began by cutting a piece of 140 lb. Canson XL watercolor paper for the upper panel. I stamped the butterfly from "Up the Happy" numerous times on the panel in Ranger Archival Watering Can ink. I masked as necessary, so that the butterflies have a layered appearance. Once I'd finished stamping & the ink had dried thoroughly, I watercolored the butterflies. Working one butterfly at a time, I coated them with clear water, then dropped in Cracked Pistachio, Worn Lipstick, & Shaded Lilac Distress inks (2 colors per butterfly). When I'd finished painting the butterflies, I dried the panel with my heat tool, then watercolored the spaces in between them with Tumbled Glass Distress ink.

I cut a piece of pink parchment patterned paper from my scrap stash for the greeting. I stamped the greeting, also from "Up the Happy," on it in Watering Can, using my MISTI. I ended up stamping it 3 times to get good coverage & a dark enough tone. Thankfully, the MISTI makes this very easy!

I cut a piece of dark teal patterned paper for the lower panel. I felt the card needed a bit of a darker color to ground it & provide some contrast. I took a scrap of paper, and adhered the watercolor & lower panels to that, so they were basically one panel. Then, after adhering my greeting panel, I wrapped a piece of ivory ribbon around the seam, taping it to the back. I tied a bow onto that ribbon piece, and squirted a little liquid glue behind it to hold it in place. When that had dried, I finished by mounting the card front to a white A2 card base. I will send this card to Send a Smile 4 Kids.

I'm also entering this card in the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp's Wednesday: "Anything Goes"
Craft Your Passion #301: "Anything Goes"
Pile It On #102: "Paint" (I assume Distress watercolor counts!)