MAKE IT MONDAY #215: BRINGING THE INSIDE OUT

And hello, happy Sunday to all!

Edited to add on June 30th, 2015: It seems my computer and I are back at it-- it started up another rebellion and it (it, being my evil nemesis aka computer) defied the laws of logic and made this post disappear! Grrrrr. And the last saved draft was without photographs, so I'm trying to rectify the matter and reposting pictures/rewritting the steps taken to create this card. I shall persevere, my nemesis! <--- Yeah, I'm looney...but I think hope in a "Looney-Tunes" cute sorta way and not in an axe-wielding murderess sorta way, ;) And back to the post:

I'm back with a card for this week's (*gasp*, you guessed it right! hehe) Make-It-Monday challenge. The challenge this time around, shared by Danielle Flanders over on Nichole Heady's blog is to have an element/focal point that is part of the interior of the card AND the front. Genius, right? I've always know that Danielle Flanders is incredibly talented, in fact I believe she is  supercalifragilisticexpialidocious talented! <--- Yes, that's not a Merriam-Webster approved word. But if Mary Poppins can get away with it, well so can I, right?! But I digress... Here's my take on the technique:

I strongly believe that the technique truly shines when the card is upright. It allows for immediately spotting the concept of "Bringing the Inside Out" and "Wow Factor". 

I included this photo as I wanted to show that this technique is marvelous, especially if you shall be mailing the card, as I did. It provides such depth and dimension without adding bulk!

 Above and to the left,  are detailed shots of the coloring. The stamp set used for the banners/tassels is from Mama Elephant and is new to me. I absolutely love it, but unfortunately I simply couldn't budget for the companion dies, so these were fussy cut (and rather imperfectly, I might add)!






This shot (below) shows the fun effect created with the over-hanging front sentiment.

Ombre AND Monochromatic Father's Day Shaker Card

Hello, there!

I'm back today with a Father's Day Card, that as the title of this post already announced (haha, yay for my redundancy!) is both monochromatic and uses an ombre effect!

The theme and inspiration came from this month's Virginia's View ChallengeWhat a lovely inspiration photo, is it not?! I pulled the color scheme from the bottom right photo, as I thought it fitting for a masculine card. I also knew I wanted to use my new PTI Enclosed Star die set, which I believe makes for a very aesthetically pleasing shape for shaker AND masculine cards! I started with a white cardstock, which I cut using my favorite Lawn Fawn Large Stitched Rectangle. Then I pulled out my Tim Holtz mini ink blending tool as well as distress inks in Chipped Sapphire, Stormy Sky and Broken China. I started with my darkest color first and then actually followed with my lightest. I thought it would allow me to make a more continuous and seamless blend. Then, I went back in and between the two colors, used my medium shade...and used lots of "elbow grease" ;)!

I then cut out at the top and at a slant the star shape. I created my shaker, using an array of sequins, confetti, seed beads, etc,...pretty much anything that was a shade of blue! Once that was done, I proceeded to cut from white cardstock the same shape but this time with the nesting "Super" star. I wanted the white to create contrast and to 'break up' the shades of blue. I snipped the end off of a double ended banner from PTI Tag Sale #10 and stamped "Dad" from Papertrey Ink's Polka Dot Parade #3 in Memento's Nautical Blue dye ink. 

I finished it off with navy blue baker's twine and...I'm done! 

Thanks for stopping by and spending a part of your day with me! Be sure to check out Virginia's View Challenge blog for lots more inspiration!

I'm also playing at:

1. 

Until next time, craft on!

-O

Lovely Blossoming Buds

Aaaaaaand...I'm back, with another card for another challenge! This week on the  Paper Smooches Sparks Challenge Blog, the theme is *drum roll please*Woo hoo!!! I've wanted to play along for quite some time now but I didn't own any Paper Smooches Stamps....until now! I've been eyeing their lovely set, Blossoming Buds for some time now and finally "took the plunge". Here's a (nearly) one layer, fairly clean and simple card I made with my NBUS:

 I  started off with some 110# cardstock as my base. Then I cut in two different sizes the stitched mats, using my much loved and much used Lawn Fawn Large Stitched Rectangles. Then using my Tuxedo black ink, I inked up one of the large floral stamps in the set and stamps once on each corner of the smaller stitched rectangle. I then colored them with an assortment of Copics, Promarkers, Spectrum Noirs and the no longer available Pantone Letraset Markers (which I believe was the "forefather" to the Promarkers). I then went in with my white gel pen to add some detail. I then proceeded to line the back with some dimensional adhesive and mounted it on the larger stitched rectangle mat. All was mounted onto my card base and then finished off with some scattered Pretty Pink Posh Sparkling Clear sequins! And I'm done and off to bed now but before I do, here's a closeup of some of my coloring:

Thanks for spending a portion of your day with me, I'll catch you next time. And until then...Craft on!

-O

Sparkle and Shine Challenge: Ombre Deliciousness

Hello and happy Saturday to all,


Trying to squeeze this card in as there are only 9 minutes left until the linkup closes! No, your eyes are not playing tricks on you, no you are most certainly not going crazy--I did in fact write 9 minutes. What can I say? I'm THE Queen of Procrastination. But I digress...Here is the lovely inspiration photo for this week's Sparkle and Shine Challenge:
 Gorgeous, isn't it? And with wedding season upon us, also incredibly relevant! Here's my interpretation:

My apologies for the quality (or rather lack thereof) of the photo...alas, I took this picture after sundown and so I had to rely on inside lighting. I'll be back tomorrow with an updated photograph and supply list. I may also include some step-by-step instructions as to how I created this card, and in particular the ombre effect. Just a final note-- the white spots you see are actually luscious glitter particles from my Wink of Stella and the die cut flowers at the top left corner are cut from PTI's white polka dot vellum and teal vellum I picked up at paperandmore.com!

Edited to add updated picture, as promised! :)

and a close up of the "floral arrangement" at the top-left corner:

Also playing at these challenges:

1. Virginia's View Challenge: Ombre and/or Monochromatic

2.

Thanks and have a lovely rest of your weekend!

Colour Q: Sparkle Birthday Girl Shaker

Hello and happy Monday,

I'm back today and sneaking in (at the very last minute) my submission to the Colour Q Challenge with this beautiful color combination:

So I opted to make a shaker card. Unfortunately, I did not have sequins or shaker fillers that matched the Coastal Cabana color perfectly, so I had to make do. Here is my interpretation:

I began with Lawn Fawn's Large Stitched  Rectangles for the base. Then, I cut out a window like square using the coordinating die from the newly released PTI set Quilted:Summer. I then used the large squares as guides for creating 4 separate  shaker elements, one for each color : turquoise, yellow, hot pink and orange. I thought it looked a bit like a window so I decided to add a sky-like detail at the top. I cut out a piece of white cardstock with a rounded edge border die from Pretty Pink Posh. I then sponges it going from heavy color application to lighter with my blending tool  to create a sort of ombre effect using Mermaid Lagoon Distress Ink. Then, to bring the colors "out from the shaker" to the foreground, so to speak, I took a white piece of cardstock and sponged Mermaid Lagoon, Picked Raspberry, and Lemonade, making sure to overlap in order to get orange and a nice, continuous blend. Then I positioned my die and cut out the Sparkle from that sponged piece. To add depth and interest, I also cut out "Sparkle" from white cardstock and positioned it under the colored piece but a bit offset. Then, I die cut the double ended banner from PTI's Tag Sale #10 , snipped off one end and stamped in black and then pink "birthday girl" respectively and then sprinkled on some clear, holographic embossing powder for extra shine. Continuing with the color scheme and "Sparkle" sentiment, I adhered various matching sequins. Then to top it all off, I went back and used my Zig Wink of Stella clear brush pen and added shine to the sentiment, the blue sky detail and anywhere else I could sneak it in!  A bit of hot pink baker's twine at the top and...I'm done! This card went out to my 6 year old niece who loves anything that sparkles, is pink and über girly...hopefully this fit the bill and she shall like it! Here is a close-up: 

 If only you could see the shine from the Wink of Stella in real life, it makes me giddy! Well that's all for now, thanks for stopping by and have a lovely week! 

Edited to add (June 10th, 2015)

I just found out I was chosen as one of the Colour Q Courtiers for this week #292!

Sunday Stamps Challenge...I'm addicted!

And hello...again! ;)

This is my final entry for this challenge, I promise. I had some scraps leftover from the two previous cards and my frugal self simply could not place those in the trash bin, so that's how this matching bookmark came to be! Again here is the lovely inspiration photo for the Sunday Stamps Challenge 101:

And here is my coordinating (with previously posted cards) bookmark:

I used Avery Elle's Spring Release's bookmark die and cut from Hawaiian Shores cardstock as well as from the striped patterned paper, which is Heidi Swapp. I also die cut a PTI Tremendous Tag and heat embossed one of the cute sentiments from their set All Booked Up. Also from that set I stamped and colored with Copics part of the image (BG45, BG15,BG10). I cut it out with my EK Success 1 3/4 punch and then layered it on black cardstock which was cut using my 2 inch scalloped punch. I then used some Scor-Tape and adhered some black ruffled ribbon from the Ribbon Retreat. I finished the bookmark off by threading some sheer, aqua ribbon through both the bookmark and tremendous that and then tied that together with some black baker's twine. And that's all for today! Thanks for joining me and my obsession with this color combination! :)

Have a lovely weekend and craft on!

-O

Sunday Stamps Challenge...another helping!

Hello,

I warned you that I have a thing for this color combination

 so I'm back with another entry and likely will be posting at least one more project before the Sunday Stamps Challenge closes!

Yes, this card is very similar to the last but have you ever come across this popular saying circa 2002 "Same, same but different."? Yep, that's the case here. I started with a top folding white card base,  and adhered a thin 2-inch strip of striped patterned paper. I then cut, using Lawn Fawn's Large Stitched Rectangles dies, a  panel from PTI's Hawaiian Shores cardstock. On one edge, I then cut a scalloped border using Pretty Pink Posh's Stitched Borders 1 die set. I cut a smaller stitched panel (also using Lawn Fawn's Large Stitched Rectangles) from white cardstock, upon which I stamped my sentiment from PTI's Swoosh set. I die cut various floral images from PTI's Quilted: Spring, Painted Poinsettias and Happy Notes. I wrapped the Hawaiian Shores panels with aqua baker's twine from We R Memory Keepers, added some enamel dots from My Mind's Eye Necessities collection, adhered this to the card base with the striped patterned paper using dimensional adhesive (for added depth and yes, you guessed it...dimension! ha) and I'm done. Here's a close-up of the card: 

Thanks for stopping by!

-O

Sunday Stamps Challenge 101/MIM Fussy Cutting

Hello all and happy Friday,

Edited to add this exciting "development": 

Yep, that just happened!!! Thanks so much to all members of the Sunday Stamps Design Team, especially Angel Johns, for picking my card. There was some fierce and beautiful competition so I am honored to have been chosen as a  Top Cup! 

My apologies for the lack of activity here, as of late...I've been (and unfortunately still am) combating a respiratory infection, which currently feels like what I would imagine the Black Plague felt like. I'm chronically ill, so when a nasty bug takes up residence in my lungs, havoc ensues. But, I have my 4 year old son, who happens to be my most effective medication, and cardmaking to distract me from hacking up what appears to be my left lung, so all is well. :) But on to the 'order of business': I came across a new-to-me challenge and when I saw the inspiration photograph, I knew I simply had to play along! I am a sucker for high-contrast color schemes and happen to worship teal, turquoise, aqua and any shade of these, so this was right up my alley! Here is my interpretation:

 So I began with a top-folding white card base and from there layered the striped patterned paper and two stitched panels cut using Lawn Fawn's Large Stitched Rectangles from Hawaiian Shores cardstock and PTI's new-ish Vellum Bitty Dot paper. I adhered the Hawaiian Shores layer at an angle for added interest and so the aqua color could peek through the vellum. I then stamped and fussy cut various florals from PTI's Quilted: Spring and Bitty Bouquet stamp sets. Ashley Canon-Newell had a wonderful video this week full of tips for fussy cutting. I happened to not get my hands on the Bitty Bouquet dies so old-fashioned cutting it was for me...perfect for this week's Make It Monday . The sentiment is from one of my current favorites, PTI's Swoosh set, such a beautiful and flowing font! Yeah, I'm also a sucker for typography...but I digress. :) It was stamped in Memento's Tuxedo Black on to a piece of Hawaiian Shores cardstock that was first cut, again using Lawn Fawn's Stitched Rectangles, and then with Pretty Pink Posh's Borders 1 set for the scalloped border. I scattered a few enamel dots from My Mind's Eye Necessities and I'm done!
Here is a more detailed photograph of the focal point:

Be sure to check out more lovely inspiration by heading over to the Sunday Stamps Challenge.

Thanks for spending part of your day with me and have a wonderful weekend!

-O

MIM #211: Using Gelatos with Stamps

Hello and Happy Mother's Day to all mothers and grandmothers out there! I currently have a fairly severe respiratory infection so this will be a very quick post! This week Melissa Phillips aka the Queen of Shabby Chic showed us how to soften stamps and a floral background with gelatos. I actually only owned two gelatos, which were silver and gold, so I bought a set through Amazon Prime and set to work! Here is my take:

If I have the strength, tomorrow I'll be back with the supply list. Thank you for sharing a portion of your day with me and until next time...craft on! :)

Also entering this card into Virginia's View Challenge, with the theme of "dimension" I thought this card aptly suited.

MIM #210: USING VELLUM TO SOFTEN PATTERNS

Hello all and I hope you are enjoying the relatively nice weather and the rest of your weekend! I
m back today with a quick post for this week's MIM, which was hosted by Lizzie Jones. This week we were challenged to create vibrant and bright backgrounds, which we would then soften with vellum. Here's my take:

I began by choosing the lovely and adorable Wee Folk Mini Market Kit released this month by Betsy Veldman, aka Papercrafting Genius Extraordinaire! :) I used various stamps from the set and stamped them randomly in the following colors: SSS Audrey Blue, Memento Rose Bud & Tangelo, Lawn Fawn's Freshly Cut Grass and Sunflower, and finally Hero Arts' Neon Purple. I then layered it with PTI's beautiful and high quality bitty dot vellum, which was cut using Lawn Fawn's Stitched Large Rectangles. I cut out a tag from Tag Sale and matted it with a stitched circle from MFT. I threaded through some fuchsia ribbon and tied it with PTI's button twine. Then to accent it, I used one of the adorable wooden buttons that comes in the kit. I then die cut the deer and a couple butterflies and adhered to card panel. Then the sentiment, also from the kit, was stamped in Versamark and then heat embossed with Tinsel Gold Embossing Powder. And I'm done! Here is a close up of the focal point:

And here is a detailed shot of the button and ribbon:And that's all for today. Thanks for stopping by and spending a portion of your day with me! As always, craft on! :)

-O