Dimensional Bugs

So today's challenge today was the technique challenge. The technique was to layer a pictures so it pops out. It took me longer to decide what set to use than it actually did to make the card. Of course than I had to wait for my batteries to charge before I could take the pictures. My son loves to look at the wrestling pictures after a match and I suppose he forgot to shut off the camera when he was done. Well, I decided to go hog wild with the dimensionals. I am personally a pop up glue dot person but decided to use the dimensionals for this challenge. I not only used them to pop up the parts of the insects I also used them to pop up the whole layer. I sponged the colors around the edges. I also pierced in the corner of the small insects and all the way around the Dragon fly. Piercing can add so much to a card. I was so thankful that the colors I choose I also had the matching eyelets for. I did not find that out until I had the idea and went eyelet hunting in my Stampin' Stack and Store. We did not have all the ribbon that I wanted so I needed to color some with my markers to get the colors that I wanted.

Stamps: Dotted Background, Bugs and Kisses, It's Your Birthday

Paper: Tempting Turquoise, Real Red, Glorious Green, Lovely Lilac, Whisper White

Ink: Only Orange, Real Red, Green Galore, Glorious Green, Tempting Turquoise, Lovely Lilac

Accessories: Bold Bright Eyelets, Grosgrain Ribbon colored with markers. Ticket Corner Punch, Crop-a-dile, Dimensionals

Pretties

So after I finish my cards my kids insist on seeing what I made. Today was not "Great card mom!". It was more like "It is nice, but it is not you." Today's Limited Supplies Challenge was to use an embellishment you just had to have but never use. It had to be a floral card too. I just had to have the Pretties kit but am never fully satisfied with how they turn out. I can never get them to be the exact color I want them to be. So can you tell I tried dying the flower More Mustard? If there is a trick, I would love to know it. I use re-inker and a small amount of water in an old brad container. I used the Spritzer again to add some more color to the flower. So it will fit again for the Ways to Use it challenge from yesterday. The Old Olive one I colored with the marker. I never know what to do with the hat pins, so this was another reach for me. I bought the Silver Hodge Podge kit because I love the elements ,but I am just not a silver person. I thought since the Pretties Kit was silver this would be a good time to use them some more. I love the rub-ons but just do not use them as often. I wanted a little more around the words than just the hardware so I used the small and large oval punches to make a frame for around the hardware and words. Have a Great Weekend!!!

Stamps: Stitched

Paper: Ruby Red, Old Olive

Ink: Ruby Red, More Mustard, Old Olive

Accessories: Eastern Elegance Rub-Ons, Pretties Kit, Silver Hodge Podge hardware, Vanilla Taffeta Ribbon

Dad Medal

So the challenge today was the Ways to use it challenge. I needed to finish a Father's Day card for my April card buffet. I knew I wanted to do the Dad medal theme. The spritzer was the perfect touch. I used the 1 1/4" square punch cut in half to put behind the corners. I love the way the scallop punch can be used for more than just scallops!

Stamps: Dad's Day

Paper: Ruby Red, Old Olive, Chocolate Chip, More Mustard

Ink: Ruby Red, Old Olive, More Mustard

Accessories: Chocolate Chip wide Grosgrain, Scallop Circle Punch, 1 3/8" Circle Punch, 1 1/4" Circle Punch, 1" Circle Punch, 1 1/4" Square Punch, Spritzer

Grad Sketch

I really did not know what I was going to do when I saw today's Sketch Challenge. I am very pleased how it came together. We have quite a few kindergarten graduates this year in our Home-school group. So I decided to start making their cards now. This turned out to be a great sketch! I did end up turning it sideways to make it work for this set.

Stamps: Great Grad

Paper: Regal Rose, Rose Red, Basic Black, Whisper White

Ink: Rose Red, Basic Black

Accessories: 1 3/8", 1 1/4", 1" Circle Punches, Corner Rounder

Cracked Motifs

Well, I think I finally have the bugs worked out of my web-site. Yesterday it did not want to upload so I was down most of the day. I really got sick of seeing server not found! Besides the fact that I was really sick. I had a nasty cold hit me again Sunday night. I guess I'm thankful it did not hit while we were at State. I would of hated not being able to watch my son. If you would like to see him, or my other sons, wrestle you can find pictures and videos on our family site. I will be playing around with the site and adjusting things as I go along. Please let me know what you think or give suggestions by either a post or an e-mail. I'd love to hear from you!

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So I am still working on the sketches I did while we were in Madison last weekend. This is the one I had intended for the Misc card for my Card Buffet next month. If you missed my quandary, due to my site being down yesterday, please check out yesterday's post. A few of my ladies had asked if we could do the cracked glass this month. I thought this would be easy enough to throw in with this group. I took the colors from the Color Challenge on SCS today.

Stamps: Baroque Motifs

Paper: Basic Gray, Soft Sky, Whisper White

Ink: Basic Gray, Soft Sky, Versamark

Accessories: Tool Kit for Piercing, Glassy Enamel Embossing Powder, Rhinestone brad from Pretties Kit, Soft Sky Stitched Ribbon

Re-Modeling

Please excuse the mess while I do a little re-modeling!

Misc or Wedding?

Sorry I deserted you all on Friday. I had intended on getting something up before we left but it did not work out! My 12 yr old made it to state for wrestling so we were gone this weekend. He placed 7th in the state, not too bad!

Back to stamping...while we were sitting for hours and hours and hours I did some sketches for my upcoming card buffet. This card was originally designed for my wedding/Anniversary card. I do not know if the colors will work for a wedding....please give me your opinion! I need to keep these simple as the ladies may be doing numerous occasions cards that night and they need to go fairly quick but yet be nice.

Stamps: En Francias Background, Essence of Love

Paper: Basic Black, Whisper White, Real Red

Con-Grads

Today's Ways to use it Challenge was to use tags. I'm still working on ideas for my card buffet and one of the cards we will be doing is a graduation card. I know it will be one that a check or cash can fit in. This card measures 4" x 6 3/4". I will make an envelope to fit by cutting down a larger envelope. The "congratulations" is punched with the key tag punch and so is the black underneath it. I just offset them. The ribbon was frayed to look like a tassel by pulling a string. One end will pull and one will not, the trick it to find the right end ;). I used the tag corner punch to do the edges of the tag and the 1 3/8" Circle punch on the inside.

Stamps: Great Grads

Paper: Not Quite Navy, Bashful Blue, Basic Black,

Ink: Not Quite Navy

Accessories: Sticky Strip, Black Grosgrain Ribbon, Hodge Podge Hardware Brad

Dad's Day

So I decided with today's Sketch Challenge I would start playing around with ideas for Father's day cards. I think I go the measurements correct. This is another of those cards that I knew what I wanted but kept having to tear it apart to get it to be just that way. Does that ever happen to you? In the end I was very pleased how it turned out. In case it is hard to see I sponged some of the Chocolate chip around the top and bottom edge of the Pumpkin.

Stamps: Sanded Background, Dad's Day

Paper: Close to Cocoa, Bali Breeze DSP, Afternoon Tea, Pumpkin Pie, Chocolate Chip

Ink: Chocolate Chip Craft & Classic, Pumpkin Pie

Accessories: Clear Embossing Powder, Silver Hodge Podge Hardware, Silver Brads, Designer Label Punch

Dazzling Lilac

So today's Color Challenge is Orchard Opulence, Sage Shadow, and Kraft. The first thing that came to mind was lilacs. Can you tell I am ready for spring to be here? Of course it will not happen today as it is snowing again....

Since this 2 step stamping set usually calls for two colors (or one stamped off once) I decided to take it another way, The first layer was done by simple classic ink stamping. The second layer I stamped with Craft ink and embossed with Iridescent Ice Embossing Powder. Fabulous that we have eyelets to match this color. I love using the crop-a-dile!

Stamps: Blossoms Abound, En Francias Background

Paper: Sage Shadow, Orchard Opulence, Kraft

Ink: Classic and Craft- Orchard Opulence, Sage Shadow

Accessories: Kraft Taffeta Ribbon, Bold Bright Eyelets, Soft Subtles Eyelets, Iridescent Ice Embossing Powder

Mint BonBon

Well, the challenge on SCS for the day did not work for me since it called for an item I do not have. Stop gasping, there are somethings I do not own, or ever intend to own... :)
So believe it or not this color combo came from the outfit I wore to church yesterday. I had a green tapered cardigan sweater over a brown v-neck t-shirt with a brown skirt and green shoes (that match the sweater perfect). For those who know me, you know I like to be invisible, so you know I just have to love these shoes in order to wear these colors (and I love shoes!)
When I finished the card and showed my kids, they all said it reminds them of peppermint bon bon ice cream. The Happy Birthday came for the It's your Birthday set. I did not want all the words so I colored what I wanted with the marker. I did the same with the flower.

Stamps: Print Pattern Background, Baroque Motifs, It's Your Birthday

Paper: Chocolate Chip, Gable Green, Very Vanilla

Ink: Chocolate Chip, Gable Green

Accessories: Ticket Corner Punch, Scallop Circle Punch, 1/16" Circle Punch

Off-subject: I finally started working on building my web-site this weekend. I hope to have it up by the first of the month. So I designed a new watermark to go with the DD theme. What do you think?

No Tools????!!!

Well, the challenge today really made me think! The Limited Supplies Challenge was to use no tools. Here is what we were allowed to use:
a standard cutter
standard everyday scissors
sponges
coloring tools
any embellishments that don't require a special tool

I had sooo many sets out on my desk just staring at them...it got me no where. Then I remembered we could use a standard cutter and I was going to do a tile card. When I got my designer paper out and I saw that flower I knew exactly what I wanted to do. I saw we could use any embellishment that did not need any tool and the Flower Fusions fit great. The hardest part was making the tag without a punch. Boy, do I appreciate my punches. :) The card is an odd size and I will make an envelope for it. It is 5.5" x 5.5" . The squares are 1.5" x 1.5". I cut the flower out and curled the edges. The sentiment was colored by stamping part in the PP pad, since we do not have In Color markers, and coloring the words with the TT marker. I only used Designer paper except for the card base so it fits again for yesterdays Ways to use it challenge too. Have a great weekend and I hope to see you all again on Monday!

Stamps: Tagger's Dozen

Paper: Purely Pomegranate, Bali Breeze DSP

Ink: Purely Pomegranate, Taken with Teal

Accessories: Flower Fusion, Circle Ice Rhinestone Brads

Long Alligator

It has been forever since I made a long card. This is made to fit in a business size envelopes. The Ways to Use it challenge today was to use Pattern Paper. I sketched this card out last night while I was sitting with the kids in gym at church. Pretty cool that it would work with today's challenge. The old olive card front is part of the Bali Breeze Double sided paper. I wheeled it with the Rough Textured Jumbo Wheel. The alligator is embossed but not for long to give him a shiny texture. The pocket is put on with sticky strip around the edge to make sure it stays on while the message is pulled in and out. I pierced around the pocket and faux stitched with the old olive marker.

Stamps: Rough Texture Jumbo Wheel, Wild about You, Celebrate Everything

Paper: Certainly Celery, Bali Breeze DSP, Certainly Celery Prints DSP

Ink: Old Olive Craft, Classic and marker

Accessories: Photo Corner Punch, Round Tab Punch, Tool Kit for Piercing, Certainly Celery Grosgrain, Clear Embossing Powder, Sticky Strip

Yoyo Birthday

The Sketch challenge today was a great one. I am short on kids cards and I love this set to use for kids. I was trying to use as little as possible and make it simple today. I wheeled the Happy Happy Birthday Jumbo wheel across the top.Wednesday's are the short days in my week. Wednesday's schedule is crazy. Hope you all have a great day and happy stamping!

Stamps: Happy Happy Birthday Jumbo Wheel, Wild About You, Think Happy Thoughts

Paper: Basic Gray, Yoyo Yellow Whisper White

Ink: Yoyo Yellow, Going Gray

Accessories: Ticket Corner punch, Coluzzle, 1 1/4" Circle Punch, Circle Fire Rhinestones, Basic Gray Taffeta, Tool kit for Piercing

Flip Flop

So today was the color challenge day. I've wanted to do a swing card for a very long time and just have never gotten around to it. Of course I choose a Tuesday, the only day I get to stay home all day, to do it. I usually give the kids bigger school assignments on Tuesdays since we have no schedule interruptions. So the idea of making a new technique card today was out of my mind. Next time remind me not to try to cut and measure while trying to help with a chemistry lesson, too many numbers for my mind...this is the second card.

Stamps: Stitched Background, Little Pieces, Hugs and Wishes

Paper: Purely Pomegranate, Basic Gray, Basic Black

Ink: Purely Pomegranate, Basic Gray, Basic Black

Accessories: Flower Fusion, Build a Brad, Photo Corner Punch, Black Brads, Tool Kit for Piercing

Wild About Gable Green

So today I went back to the Demo challenge. I wanted to try and do a simple one. I guess I tend to use too many tools. This card only uses the Bold Bright family and one set. The only extras that I used was a 1/2" circle punch, a build-a-brad and a piece of ribbon. I randomly stamped the "Wild about you" on the back. I also sponged Gable Green and Tempting Turquoise around the edge of the alligator.

Stamps: Wild About You

Paper: Real Red, Only Orange, Tempting Turquoise, Whisper White

Ink: Only Orange, Gable Green, Tempting Turquoise

Accessories: 1/2" circle Punch, Build-a-brads, Real Red Stripped Ribbon

Congrats Stars

This was a fun card to make! This was for a demo challenge. Once a month two sketches and 3 color combos are posted. You have to put something together from those options. I do not visit there as often as I would like. There are only so many challenges a girl can do on limited time. I always love it when I get a chance. I need to read the directions on my crop-a-dile better. Every now and them I am butchering my eyelets because I just grab and do not pay attention to what setting I have it on. I guess it is tunnel vision...

Card details to be posted very soon!

Colored Essence

Well, I've wanted to try coloring this image with markers for a long time. I finally took that time this morning. I colored the image with the markers and huffed on it to moisten. The layout was a freak accident. Remember I am trying to Home school my 5 kids at the same time I am designing my cards. It was not going so easy this morning....I finished my image and measured. When I went to cut the Ruby Red trim I cut it wrong...so I decided just to use it and turn it sideways. Another error I made...I intended to use the Not Quite Navy since I do not use it very often. When I went to stamp the butterflies down the edge I grabbed the Night of Navy. Oh well! Despite all of the re-creating I think it turned out fairly well.

Stamps: Essence of Love

Paper: Naturals White, Not Quite Navy, Ruby Red

Ink: Old Olive, Not Quite Navy, Night of Navy, Ruby Red

Accessories: Hodge Podge Hardware, Old Olive Wide Grosgrain

Buttons and Rub Ons...

Today was the Sketch Challenge on SCS. I really struggled with the up and down layer of this sketch. I have so many new scraps of ribbon I cut for this. They just did not look right. I wanted something that would not take away from the rest of the idea. Then I remembered I had saw on someone else's blog that they had used the rub ons on the clear buttons. I thought this would be perfect for what I had in mind. It would fulfill the sketch and yet not take away or make the card too busy.

Stamps: Stitched Background

Paper: Pale Plum, Elegant Eggplant, Garden Green, Whisper White

Ink: Whisper White Craft, Basic Gray, Pale Plum, Elegant Eggplant, Garden Green

Accessories: Clear Buttons, Eastern Elegance rub-ons

Cutie Bug

So today was the color challenge on SCS. the colors were Wild Wasabi, Purley Pomegranate and So Saffron. I had some major troubles getting this to work...maybe it is because I am suppose to be getting my things together for my workshop tonight and not doing this. Oh, well! I used the stamp-a-ma-jig to put the words but I did it before I put the brads on, so the words are not centered as I intended them to be.

Stamps: Bugs and Kisses

Paper: Wild Wasabi, Purely Pomegranate, So Saffron

Ink: Wild Wasabi, Purely Pomegranate, So Saffron

Accessories: Silver Hodge Podge Hardware, Purely Pomegranate Stitched Ribbon, Designer Label Punch, Scallop Circle Punch

Chalked Bronco

Today's challenge was to do the Chalkboard Technique. I have not used my chalk in a very long time. I saw someone use the markers last week to color this image and thought that it was a wonderful idea. When I saw this challenge and needed a solid image I thought I wold give it a try with the chalk. I used 2 different color browns on the horse.

Stamps: Twill Background, Bronc Buster, Think Happy Thoughts

Paper: Ballet Blue, Whisper White, Basic Black

Ink: Craft White

Accessories: Chalks, Jumbo Eyelets, Striped Grosgrain

Techniques: Chalkboard