Fall Splendor

Happy Wednesday!!  It's time for another challenge from The House That Stamps Built and this week we have an awesome sketch for you:

 And here is the card I created for your inspiration:

This card was made with one of those sheets of paper that come in a paper pack that you think is really pretty but wonder how you would ever use it.  The leaf image is beautiful and I love the text background, but the leaves are right in the center of the sheet, so would be covered up by any layers I added to the card.  But this sketch challenge gave me the perfect idea!  I started by die cutting the oval out of the middle of the sheet and layered it on a piece of copper glitter paper.  Then I used my stitched rectangle die to die cut the background panel, cutting around the already die cut oval hole.  I layered the glitter oval over the hole in the background, matching up the leaf ends as best I could and it is a perfect match!  The sentiment was stamped and heat embossed with clear embossing powder for shine on a scrap of the same sheet of patterned paper.  The little banner strips were also scraps from the same paper pack.  All in all, it was quick and easy, used up (most of) that sheet of paper, and is so pretty with all the sparkle!
Thanks for stopping by!  I hope you will hop over to the House blog to see the rest of the DT's creations and then get inky and play along with us.  And if you need any of the stamps I used, check out my 10% off your ENTIRE order coupon code over in my left sidebar.

Supplies:
Stamps: Repeat Impressions "Thinking of You"
Dies: Spellbinders "Classic Ovals, large"; MFT "Blueprints 13" stitched rectangle

Challenges:

Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper--anything goes with patterned paper

Love To Craft Challenge Blog #50--anything goes

Sheepski Designs #42--use layers

Stinkin' Inkers--times 3 (I used three patterned banners and three gems)

Paper Funday #21--anything goes with the optional twist: autumn/fall

Crafty Gals Corner #210--fall colors

Sugar Pea Meant to be Sent--just because

Creative Fingers #193--anything goes

YNS #148--fall festival

Cut It Up #209--Happy Fall Y'all (with at least three layers)

Crafty Friends #145--autumn colors

Lil' Patch of Crafty Friends #142--anything goes

Hero Arts Stay Crafty #15--fall and Halloween

Crafty Catz #520--anything goes with the optional twist: colors of autumn

Cardz TV #124--anything goes

Sweet Stampin'--autumn

Crafting Happiness--anything goes

Tuesday Throwdown #467--make it sparkle

Groovin'

It's Saturday!!  That means it's time for another challenge from Di's Digi Designs.

The challenge this time is: Make it Masculine
And here is my card for your inspiration:

This is my favorite Di's image to use for masculine cards!  He's just so cute, and so hip!!  My printer was running out of black ink when I printed this so, the ink came out much lighter than normal and it gave it sort of a no line coloring look.  That's about the only way I can pull off that look and usually when this happens, I end up tracing over all the lines with a fine black pen.  But this time, I left it and I like the artsy feel it gives.  The pattern papers were already cut to the exact size I needed, so all I had to do was stamp the sentiment and add some fun enamel dots.

I hope you will get a chance to play along with us; I can't wait to see what you create.  And make sure you hop over to the Di's Digital Designs blog to see what the rest of the team has made for this challenge.

Supplies: 

Stams: Di's Digi Stamps "MP3 Mike" digi; Papertrey Ink "World's Greatest" sentiment

Challenges:

Cutie Pie Challenge #151--birthday party

Pixie's Crafty Workshop--anything goes

Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper--anything goes with patterned paper

Crafty Sentiments--anything goes

Crafty Creations #413--anything goes

CAS(E) This Sketch #391--sketch

Penny's #480--anything goes

MFT Birthday--kids or kids at heart

Aud Sentiments #260--anything goes

Creative Fingers #193--anything goes

Love

 Last weekend was my in-law's 44th wedding anniversary!  This is the card I created for them:

I stamped the tree stems first and then the leaf images in both red and orange, stamping a second time without reinking to create the multiple shades.  Then I had the most difficult time creating that vellum sentiment strip!  I first tried heat embossing the black part and then adding in the gold embossed words, but I ended up with a little smattering of extra black embossing powder that just bothered me too much to ignore.  But as each of the gold words is a separate stamp, it was a lot of work to do all the embossing again, plus, it really warps the vellum.  So, I just tried stamping the main sentiment with a nice, dark, crisp black and then embossing the gold words separately.  This time it looked sooooo much better.  BUT, the vellum piece was so warped there was no way to adhere it to the panel and have it look good at all!  Extremely frustrated, I decided to try a trick I learned from someone (Jennifer McQuire, perhaps) and stuck it under a really heavy book and left it overnight (luckily I had started far enough in advance--which isn't always the case!).  The next morning, it was almost perfectly flat!!!!  Yeay!!!  So, I adhered the pale gray fence and strip on the top directly onto the vellum and then added liquid adhesive to the back of those pieces to attach it to the card.  Success!  In the photo below, you can see the sparkle and shine from the gold embossing powder; so pretty!

Supplies:

Stamps: CAS-ual Friday's "Calm and Gentle" tree and leaves; PaperTrey Ink "Inside & Out Love"

Dies: Sweet n' Sassy Stamps fence die

Challenges:

CAS(E) This Sketch #390--sketch

Paper Funday #21-anything goes with the optional twist: autumn/fall

Crafty Gals Corner #211--fall colours

Cuttlebug Mania--anything goes

Crafter's Cafe #251--seasons

Mod Squad Challenge--fall foliage

Double D Challenge--don't fence me in

Aud Sentiments #260--anything goes

YNS #148--Fall Festival

Crafty Friends #145--autumn colours

Cat's out of the bag

Happy Wednesday!!  It's time for another challenge from The House That Stamps Built and this week it is a fan favorite: Anything Goes!! And here is the card I created for your inspiration:

So, I had an entirely different card almost finished . . . and I just didn't like it at all!  Totally wasn't working.  And of course, it was only a few hours before the deadline.  So, I kept the cat image and scrapped the rest of the card (don't worry, it will make an appearance sometime, just in a different form!).  I found a fun patterned paper (the right paper definitely makes ALL the difference in the world!), picked a card base to match and die cut a border die out of the same card stock.  Added a few sequins in coordinating colors, and, phew, it is super cute!  I'm intending to send it to a male friend, but I think the colors and design could really work for either male or female.  And, yes, men can deal with a few sequins!

I stamped the cat image on white card stock and then the bag part ONLY on an actual paper bag scrap.  Then, I colored both, fussy cut the bag and adhered it on top of the main image.  I love doing that with this image as it adds a tiny bit of texture from the bag and looks a whole lot more real than if I tried to color it.
Thanks for stopping by!  I hope you will hop over to the House blog to see the rest of the DT's creations and then get inky and play along with us.  And if you need any of the stamps I used, check out my 10% off your ENTIRE order coupon code over in my left sidebar.

Supplies:
Stamps: Repeat Impressions "Curiosity Cat" and "The cat's out . . . "

Dies: Verve "Scalloped Trim Trio"

Challenges:

Pattie's Creations #174--anything goes

Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper--anything goes with patterned paper

Love To Craft Challenge Blog #50--anything goes

Creative Craft #133--include an animal

Crafty Calendar--anything goes

Dies R Us #152--one for the boys

2 Crafty Critter Crazies #42--anything goes 

Dare 2B Artzy--favorite color (I'm such a blue girl)

Cardz TV #123--anything goes

Try Stampin' On Tuesday #475--sketch with the optional twist: metallic (I used metallic sequins)

Penny's Challenge #480--anything goes

Aud Sentiments #260--anything goes

Incy Wincy--funny and/or let's celebrate

Crafting Happiness--anything goes

Sunflower cupcake

Happy Wednesday!!  It's time for another challenge from The House That Stamps.  This week we have a beautiful inspiration photo for you:

And here is the card I created:

As is my usual habit, I started this card with a sketch I fell in love with:

It was from the Handstamped Sentiments challenge blog and unfortunately, the challenge had already ended.  But I was already set on using the sketch, so I just went with it anyway.  As I was looking through my Repeat Impressions stamps, I hit upon the fun idea to create a sunflower cupcake topper.  So, I stamped, colored and fussy cut the cupcake image (cutting off the cherry on top so it would show behind the sunflower) and stamped and fussy cut the cupcake wrapper from a piece of scrap patterned paper.  After adhering the patterned wrapper onto the image, I stamped, colored and fussy cut the sunflower head and adhered it to the top of the cupcake.  And it is adorable!!  I had a die cut vellum circle in my bits and pieces stash that I used to help separate the image from the background.  For a little more interest, I stamped the postcard image in light gray ink onto the card base and then I watered down some brown gelato and splatted it onto the background.  I finished it off with some cinnamon stickles on the center of the sunflower (for some nice sparkle) and a couple orange/yellow gems.

Since this is actually a belated birthday card and I knew I had to get it in the mail right away, I actually stamped the same sunflower image on the envelope in a light gray ink.  I don't usually do that as I don't have my envelopes at my craft desk, but today I just happened to have a stack sitting there from some bridal shower invitations I just mailed out.

Thanks for stopping by!  Make sure you head on over to The House blog to see what the rest of the Design Team has done with this photo.  And if you "need" any of the stamps I used, check out my 10% off your entire order coupon code over in my lift sidebar.

Supplies:

Stamps: Repeat Impressions "Sunflower", "Cupcakes", "Postcard", and "Happy Birthday"

Dies: Spellbinders "Classic Circles, large"; Verve "Sprightly Sprigs"

Challenges:

Cards Galore Challenge #79--anything goes

Pattie's Creations #174--anything goes

Crafty Calendar--anything goes

Creative Inspirations--spots & dots or inky splats

Crafty Friends #144--anything goes

Crafty Catz #518--anything goes with the optional twist: use glitter and/or gems (I used yellow/orange gems and brown stickles which includes glitter)

Shopping Our Stash #429--make a mess (I used my gelatos with water to splatter on my card; oh, and stickles which can get messy if you forget to let them dry properly!)

Flying by to say . . .

It's Saturday!!  That means it's time for another challenge from Di's Digi Designs.

The challenge this time is: Winged or Tailed Things
And here is my card for your inspiration:

I have a bit of a struggle with coloring nicely in the lines with a small image.  So, rather than make a royal mess of a smaller image, I opted to print this guy out at a normal size and crop it to fit the  layout I wanted to use.  It is also a great way to get a different look out of your images.  I just love this cloud paper and it works really great with "air" images like this one.  Due to the layout, I was able to use one of the smaller scraps that I have in my stash.  The yellow piece was also a scrap and the bit of blue ribbon was in my bits and pieces stash.  My favorite thing to do in card making is create an adorable card using scraps!

I hope you will get a chance to play along with us; I can't wait to see what you create.  And make sure you hop over to the Di's Digital Designs blog to see what the rest of the team has made for this challenge.

Supplies: 

Stams: Di's Digi Stamps "Pilot Ted" digi; MFT "Essential Sentiments"

Dies: Spellbinders "A2 Matting Basics A" rectangle; Paper Smooches "Cute Clouds"; Lawn Fawn "Double Slider Surprise" banner

Challenges:

Crafter's Cafe #250--anything goes

Creative Craft Cottage #133--include an animal

Stick It Down--sketch

Stinkin' Inkers--Times 3 (3 clouds)

2 Crafty Critter Crazies #42--anything goes

Creative Crafting Uncles #8--teddy bears

Cut It Up #208--the wheels on the bus (my airplane has wheels)

Pixie's Crafty Workshop #386--anything goes with snippets.  (besides my scrap papers and ribbon, the clouds and banner were all die cut from white card scraps)

Double Trouble #66--Make a scene (I may be stretching it a little, but I created a sky scene by adding clouds.  Thing #1: make a scene; Thing #3: add a mode of transportation; Thing #2: around the world with The Paper Girls Challenge--my little guy is flying around the world)

The Paper Girls #207--around the world

Blessed is She

The woman who has been in charge of the Missions Committee at our church is retiring from the position after 50 years!!  Wow!  Our pastor asked me to make a card for her that church attendees will sign and this is what I came up with:

I started with the sketch from Tuesday Morning Sketches, but unfortunately the deadline has already passed.  I used my FAVORITE flower stamp "The Sweet Life" from Papertrey Ink.  This is such a gorgeous layering stamp and it looks amazing in all color combos!  It's a little hard to see in the photo, but the patterned paper on the base layer is a map of the United States.  I thought it was fitting for the missions theme.  I would have preferred to use a world map pattern, but didn't have one.  I made it a 5 x 7 in. card which is larger than I normally make, but I wanted to give plenty of space for people to sign their names and write a little message if desired.

Supplies:

Stamps: Papertrey Ink "The Sweet Life"; Verve "Blessed Plain Jane" and "Peace On Earth" loopy flourish

Dies: Spellbinders "Floral Ovals"; Papertrey Ink "The Sweet Life" and "Filigree" border die

Challenges:

Penny's Challenge #479--anything goes

Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper--anything goes with patterned paper

Stinkin' Inkers--times 3 (three roses)

Aud Sentiments #259--anything goes + sentiment

Sweet Stampin'--anything but birthday

Lil' Patch of Crafty Friends #141--anything goes

Simon Says Stamp Monday--use your favorite stamp

ART Impressions Stamps--to die for

Creative Fingers #192--anything goes

Word Art Wednesday #456--anything goes with uplifting sentiment

 

Slimline Birthday

Happy Wednesday!!  It's time for another challenge from The House That Stamps Built.  This week we have a fun Tic Tac Toe board for you:

  

Here is what I created for your inspiration:

I used the diagonal: use dimension, slimline card, use twine.  For my slimline card, I had the fun idea of masking my cupcakes and creating a cupcake tower.  I paper pieced the cupcake liners and it was pretty much finished!  I added the banners in a coordinating paper from the same paper pack as the liners.  After die cutting the main panel with a brand new slimline die from Kat Scrappiness, I watered down some brown gelato and flicked it onto the panel followed by some shimmer mist flicks.

I masked the sentiment so I could stamp it on the banner, tied on some twine and added it to the cupcake tower.  All of that was adhered with foam tape for the dimension and I finished it all off with some sequins.

Thanks for stopping by!  Make sure you head on over to The House blog to see what the rest of the Design Team has done with this photo.  And if you "need" any of the stamps I used, check out my 10% off your entire order coupon code over in my lift sidebar.

Supplies:

Stamps: Repeat Impressions "Cupcakes" and "Birthday"

Dies: Kat Scrappiness "Distressed Edge Nesting Slimline Dies" (brand new release and it's on sale!); Verve "Pennant" die; MFT "Blueprints 13" torn banner

Challenges:

Power Poppy Creative Spark--tic tac toe (I used the right column: birthday, manly card, use twine)

Penny's Challenge #479--anything goes

Pattie's Creations #174--anything goes

Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper--anything goes with patterned paper

Love To Craft Challenge Blog #50--anything goes

Crafty Calendar--anything goes

Creative Inspirations--spots and dots or inky splats

Cute Card Thursday #650--anything goes

Art Impressions--to die for

Krafty Chicks #523--stamp act

Crafty Catz #517--anything goes with the optional twist anything but a square

Crafty Friends #144--anything goes

Atlantic Hearts Sketch #385--sketch

Crafting Happiness #65--anything goes

Kat Scrappiness--slimline

Pick of the Week

 It's my turn to share my Pick of the Week on The House That Stamps Built blog.  Today, I have a nice, simple, elegant card using two stamps and two ink pads.  I almost always start my cards with a sketch and this card definitely began this way.  As soon as I saw this sketch from CAS(E) This Sketch, I knew I had to use it and I knew it would be perfect for the image "Flowers" from the Contain Yourself Series.

I started out by stamping my image with Versamark ink and heat embossing it with white embossing powder.  Then I die cut the panel with a stitched rectangle die.  I then use a blending brush to blend on some pale blue ink around the image.  The white embossing really pops!

It looks really pretty this way, but I wanted to take it up a notch, so I used two light blue markers to add some shading to the flower petals.  The markers are relatively the same color as the ink I used for the blending, so they add a really subtle shading.    But I think it helps the image pop even more.

To finish, I stamped "Happy Anniversary" on a die cut label using the same blue ink I used for the blending.  I made the slots in the label using an old-fashioned punch that you have to hit with a hammer.  So glad I saw it in my tool container or else I would have had to cut slits with a craft knife (and that wouldn't have been fun!).  I slipped in a piece of ribbon from my bits and pieces stash that was a very close match to the ink.  I love using ribbon this way (sort of like a border) as it adds a lot of visual interest and texture without adding bulk.  Satin ribbon like this also adds an elegant touch as do the pearls that I used to finish off the card.  I mounted the entire panel on a white card base.

And there you have it, an elegant anniversary card using one two stamps, two ink pads, two dies and two markers.  Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies:

Stamps: Repeat Impressions "Flowers" and "Happy Anniversary"

Dies: MFT "Blueprints 13" stitched rectangle and "Designer Label STAX"

Challenges:

As You Like It--favorite way to use ribbon (I love ribbon, though I have not been using it much of late, and one of my favorite ways is to use it as a border of sorts.  Just a strip across the card; it adds a lot of interest and texture, but no bulk.)

Cardz TV #122--anything goes

Crafter's Cafe #250--anything goes

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday--stamp it

Cards Galore #74--anything goes

Aud Sentiments #259--anything goes

Crafty Creations #412--anything goes

Cute Card #650--anything goes

CAS(E) This Sketch #388--sketch

Krafty Chicks #523--stamp act

Your Next Stamp #147--keeping it clean

You Arrrr Great

Ahoy, Mates!!  When MFT opened their vault a week or so ago and pulled out the adorable "Party Like a Pirate", I just HAD to buy it!!  It's one of those sets that is so cute and I was sad when it retired.  Well, here it was again, and even though I've been very good about not buying new stash, I snatched it up.  I got the package last week and as you can see I didn't waste any time inking it up.  At the same time, I also purchased these wave dies as well as another set of underwater dies.  I was definitely going with an ocean theme.  I also bought the Launch Party die set which you will see in action farther down in the post.

These cute little pirates are out on the beach watching for their ship to come in.  To their surprise they spot an Orca out in the water.  But, wait!  When you pull on the pull tab . . .

  . . . imagine their shock when they see a second one leaping out of the water!  Check out the look on the little girl pirate's face!  Mid-September is "Talk Like a Pirate Day" which was the inspiration for this card.  I made it as a fun birthday card for our retired pastor.  I added the third pirate from the set to the inside of the card in a pale gray ink and added two birthday sentiments.

Oh, my goodness, this was so fun!!  It took a while with all the coloring and layered scene elements and the interactive portion, but it was so worth it!

Supplies:

Stamps: MFT "Party Like a Pirate" and "Friends with Fins" (orcas); PTI "Big Birthday Wishes" main sentiment inside

Dies: MFT "Launch Party" interactive die set, sun die and "Ocean Motion" die-namics; Lawn Fawn "Stitched Hillsides"

Taylored Expressions cloud stencil

Challenges:

Pattie's Creations #173--Beach/under the sea

MFT Birthday Challenge--We like to move it move it

Cardz 4 Guyz #252--explore outdoors

Pink Gem Challenge--anything goes

Hero Arts Stay Crafty Challenge #14--critters

Tuesday Throwdown #465--anything goes

Crafty Sentiments--anything goes

Penny's Challenge #479--anything goes

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday--stamp it

Cards Galore #49--anything goes

Cutie Pie Challenge #150--hip to be square

Sheepski Designs #42--use layers

2 Crafty Critter Crazies #42--anything goes

Crafty Creations #413--anything goes

Moving Along With the Times #122--create a scene

Crafty Gals Corner Challenge #210--summer fun

Sunflower Birthday

Happy Wednesday!!  It's time for another challenge from The House That Stamps.  This week is a Designer's Choice Challenge and Patti has chosen: Use a Recycled product on your Project

And here is the card I created:

My recycled element is a piece of acetate that I saved from some stamp packaging.  I sandwiched it between two die cut panels to create the front of this card.  You could do the same look without using acetate, but I really like the finished look using it gives.  The whole sunflower is from the "Sunflower" image while the two partial sunflowers are from the "Floral Positive" image.  They are slightly smaller than the other sunflower image so it gives some interest to the design.

I die cut the word "happy" out of gold glitter paper and layered it on two die cuts cut from kraft paper.  I added cinnamon stickles to the centers of the sunflowers and finished the card off with some brown enamel dots.

Thanks for stopping by!  Make sure you head on over to The House blog to see what the rest of the Design Team has done with this photo.  And if you "need" any of the stamps I used, check out my 10% off your entire order coupon code over in my lift sidebar.

Supplies:

Stamps: Repeat Impressions "Sunflower", "Floral Positive", and "Birthday"

Dies: Sugar Pea Designs "Arrow Cover Plate"; Verve "Antique Oval"; MFT "Happy Trio"

Challenges:

YNS #146--decorations (enamel dots and stickles)

Cut It Up #207--old school (use old products); the stickles I have had for probably 15 years and I've had these particular enamel dots for several years.  All of the dies are at least 3 years old, and probably several more for the sentiment panel die.

Word Art Wednesday #455--anything goes with uplifting sentiment

Creative Knockouts #365--anything goes

Krafty Chicks #522--all occasions

Cardz TV #122--anything goes

Double Trouble #65--something, anything, everything (Thing #1: anything goes; Thing #2: play along with any previous partner--I chose the play with Crafting Happiness)

Crafting Happiness #64--anything goes

CAS(E) This Sketch #387--sketch

Joy

A new month has arrived and that means a new challenge from the Love To Scrap Challenge Blog.  This month's challenge is Anything Goes.

And here is the card I created:

I made a fun shaker card using an adorable little monster from YNS.  The hat does not belong to him and I had to do quite a bit of masking and fiddling to get it to fit, but now, it looks like it DOES belong on him.  Only, I couldn't make the masking work and I ended up stamping them separately, adding the hat to the monster and adding the eyes on top of the hat.  I used a bunch of different elements to create the sentiment, "Christmas Joy from our house to yours".  I filled the shaker elements with some chunky white glitter.

Here's a close up of the little monster; I used glossy accents on the eyes to make them nice and shiny!

And another Christmas card down, I might actually get enough made to send out this year!

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Head on over to the LTSCB blog to see what the rest of the team has created and to get the full details of the challenge.  Then get inky and play along with us; I can't wait to see what you create.

Supplies:

Stamps: Your Next Stamp "Silly Monsters"; JustRite Stampers "Christmas Applique Labels One" hat; Verve "Merry and Bright"--from our house to yours--and "Peace On Earth"--Christmas

Dies: Kat Scrappiness "Crafter's Essentials One" die set; MFT "Stitched Alphabet"

Challenges:

Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper--anything goes with patterned paper

Penny's Challenge #478--anything goes

Aud Sentiments #258--anything goes + a sentiment

Crimbo Crackers #214--anything Christmas goes

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday--anything goes

Word Art Wednesday #454--anything goes with uplifting sentiment

Time Out Challenge #169--season (winter) + coloring

Krafty Chicks #522--all occasions

Cardz TV #122--anything goes

Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge #505--anything goes with the optional twist: something beginning with "s" (I used "snow" and "santa hat")

Pink Gem Challenge--anything goes

Double Trouble #65--something, anything, everything (Thing #1: anything goes)