It's all about the eyes

  Happy Friday!!!  It's time for a new challenge from the Cut It Up Challenge Blog.  This week, the challenge is: Halloween

And our fabulous sponsor is:

DRS Designs

Here is my card for your inspiration (actually, I have 2 cards!):

My family doesn't celebrate Halloween, so I don't make Halloween cards, usually.  I had planned to make something with this sentiment that could be a Halloween card but wouldn't be limited to it.  But when I saw this inspiration photo from Cupcake Inspirations Challenge, I knew I HAD to try to recreate that little zombie cupcake on a card;

It was super fun and quite easy to make!  I started by cut 1/2 in strips of white card stock from scraps I had lying around.  Then I inked up the edges with the bit of Black Soot Distress Oxide Ink that was left on my blending brush after creating a different project.  I die cut the circle out of a panel of white cardstock and adhered a scrap of green card stock underneath.  Then I randomly glued the strips of white onto the card making sure to overlap the circle but not cover too much of it.  Then I die cut the whole panel with a stitched rectangle die.  I created the eyes with two black circles that were in my bits and pieces stash (left over from a project long, long ago) and die cut two slightly larger white circles (which were cut from scraps).  I used that same circle die to cut partial circles for the eyelids.  I adhered the sentiment with foam squares and adhered the whole panel to a black mat and then onto a purple card base.

The second card was actually one I had in mind when I chose this sentiment from DRS Designs to work with.  I die cut black card stock with a stitched rectangle die and then die cut two circles from it.  Then I ink blended the edges with Dusty Concord Distress Oxide.  I was hoping it would add a little bit of night sky look to the panel.  Instead it ends up looking a little foggy and spooky, but that works, so I went with it.  I popped in onto a black card base using foam squares and then adhered the googly eyes in place and added the sentiment.  Then I sat there for a long time trying to decide if I should just leave it as it was or add some kind of embellishments.  I really wanted to give the idea of small glowing eyes (from an unknown creature), but none of my enamel dots or gemstones, or anything gave the look I was going for.  I finally decided it was too play without any additions, so I used nuvo dots in a Christmasy green to add the glowing "eyes".  I would have preferred something a little more yellow, but didn't have it so went with what I did have.  So, now that you know the intent, if you squinty and look at it just the right way, maybe you can see the look I was going for.  

I will most definitely be using this sentiment again, for something other than a Halloween card.  I'm envisioning a love themed card (perhaps Valentine's Day) with a monster with a lot of eyes.  It will be so fun!

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you will hop over to the Cut It Up blog for the full details of the challenge and to see what the rest of the Design Team has created. 

Card #1:

Supplies:

Stamps: DRS Designs "Eyes For You Greeting" (mine is digital, but they have rubber in the shop!)

Dies: MFT "Blueprints 13" stitched rectangle; Spellbinders "Classic Circles, large"; the black pupils were left over pieces from PTI's "Hands of Time" clock face die

Challenges:

Cupcake Inspirations #555--Halloween Fun

Snippets Playground #439--anything goes with snippets (lots of snippets used here)

Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #495--sketch

Double Trouble Challenge #123--Let's get around to it (Thing #1: at least one circle [I have 5 and two half circles]; Thing #3: fall/halloween; Thing #2: play along with Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge)

Unicorn Challenge #81--spooky AND/OR cute

Craft Rocket #97--autumn or Halloween

Crafty Friends #160--more than one die

If You Give a Crafter a Cookie #173--inspiration photo (I was inspired by the mummy)

Simon Says Stamp Monday--halloween/spooky

Use Your Stuff #469--die cuts

Card #2:

Supplies: 

Stamps: DRS Designs "Eyes For You Greeting" (mine is digital, but they have rubber in the shop!)

Dies: MFT "Blueprints 13" stitched rectangle; Spellbinders "Classic Circles, large"

Challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday--spooky

Through the Purple Haze #197--Halloween AND/OR color palette

Crafty Calendar--Halloween

Creative Inspirations--autumn or Halloween

Aud Sentiments #298--Halloween/fall

Sweet Stampers #78--autumn or Halloween

Shopping Our Stash #481--frightfully delightful

Creative Knockouts #475--Halloween

Addicted to CAS #231--layered

Try Stampin' on Tuesday #579--monster mash AND/OR sketch

Thanks to our sponsors!

   Happy Friday!!!  Today is a special event over on the Cut It Up Challenge Blog.  This week, we are taking time to celebrate and thank our fabulous sponsors.  They've been so generous with prizes for all of our challenges.

The two sponsors I am highlighting today are:

Lawn Fawn

and

CAS-ual Fridays

Here are my cards for your inspiration:

First up is Lawn Fawn

I created this adorable "Thanks a Latte" themed card for them using the "Thanks a Latte" stamp set and a fun background frame.  I die cut the frame out of craft card stock and then cut scraps of fall themed patterned paper to sit behind the openings.  I stamped, colored, and fussy cut the mug images and stamped their little scarves on coordinating patterned paper before cutting them out and adhering them to the mugs.  I added whipped cream to the top of the female mug--I think she is a pumpkin spice latte, and a little bit of steam stamped on vellum to the male mug--he's definitely a no-nonsense plain latte kind of guy.  I added the sentiment to a die cut banner and adhered it across the center of the card.  Then I stamp a bunch of leaves (that also come with the stamp set), colored them and fussy cut them out before adhering them to the card is if they were falling into a pile at the bottom.

Second, CAS-ual Fridays:

Unfortunately, they have had to close down the store, but we still want to give them a great big "Thank You" for their past sponsorship.  I actually started this card on a white card base, but when I was trying to add the band of patterned paper, it was just too stark white and I didn't like it.  So, I started over on a piece of kraft card stock cut with a stitched rectangle die and like it sooooo much better now.  I stamped the sentiment and then masked over it so I could stamp the tree trunks on top of it, but not overlapping.  Then I used the "leaves" image two times each with red and orange inks to give it a fall feel.  I added the strip of patterned paper with a scalloped border mat and finished everything off with a die cut paper "button" and twine.  Then I adhered the panel to the original white card base and nothing was wasted!!

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you will hop over to the Cut It Up blog for the full details of this event and to see what the rest of the Design Team has created. 

Card #1:

Supplies:

Stamps: Lawn Fawn "Thanks a Latte"

Dies: Lawn Fawn "Peek-a-boo backdrop" die and "Double Slider Surprise" banner

Challenges:

Lil' Patch of Crafty Friends #191--anything goes

Snippets Playground #438--anything goes with snippets (all of the patterned papers were snippets and all the stamped images were stamped on and cut from little scraps of white card stock)

Use Your Stuff #468--autumn or fall

Double Trouble #122--Fall Colors; Leafin it up to you (Thing #1: 3+ fall colors)

Double D--Octoberfest (things associated with October--scarves, falling leaves and hot drinks!)

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday--fall colors

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

Sheepski Designs #67--autumn things

Creative Inspirations--autumn or halloween

We Love Stamping--autumn colors

Craft Rocket #97--autumn/halloween

Card #2:

Supplies:

Stamps: CAS-ual Fridays "Calm And Gentle"

Dies: MFT "Blueprints 25" stitched rectangle; PaperTrey Ink "Bitty Button Stacks"; Spellbinders scalloped border

Challenges:

Alphabet Challenge--N is for nature

Love To Craft Challenge Blog #70--anything goes

Crafty Friends #160--more than one dies

{Pin}spirational #294--inspirational photo (I was inspired by the color of the leaves)

Incy Wincy Designs--autumn harvest and/or houses (I have apples on my patterned paper)

Sketch Saturday #711--sketch

Sweet Stampers #73--autumn or Halloween

Simon Says Stamp Monday--fall mood board

Word Art Wednesday #565--anything goes with uplifting sentiment

Penny's Challenges #532--anything goes

Cards Galore #104--anything goes

A long, long time ago

  Happy Friday!!!  It's time for a new challenge from the Cut It Up Challenge Blog.  This week, the challenge is: BIG (use a big image or a big sentiment, or maybe even a big card.

And our fabulous sponsor is:

Oddball Art

Here is my card for your inspiration:

I chose this image from Oddball Art quite a while ago.  I chose it in honor of my twins as they have become Star Wars fans over the last two years.  When COVID hit, my brother-in-law moved back home from New York City, because it was better to be locked down in the country with family than alone in the city.  Since there wasn't much else to do at the beginning, we started a family event of watching the Stars Wars movies together and then transitioned into watching some of the different TV series.  Most of us trickled out after a while, but the twins still get together almost every Friday night to watch Star Wars with their Uncle.  It's been a really great chance for them to get to know him and spend time with him.  So, I decided I would print out Princess Leia really large and let her be the dominating element on my card.  I started by creating a nighttime, galaxy inspired background using Old Paper, Worn Lipstick, Dusty Concord, Blueprint Sketch and Black Soot Distress Oxides and blending brushes.  I die cut the panel with a stitched rectangle die and after letting it dry for a bit, I stamped the "Time Warp" image with white pigment ink to give the feeling of movement.  Then I heat embossed the sentiment with silver embossing powder.  In retrospect, I probably should have used a different color as it doesn't stand out very much.  To continue the silver theme, I die cut several tiny silver stars and scattered them across the background.  I added Leia with some foam tape and, done!

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you will hop over to the Cut It Up blog for the full details of the challenge and to see what the rest of the Design Team has created. 

Supplies:

Stamps: Oddball Art "Image 301" (it may be retired because I don't see it in the Etsy Shop) image; Neat And Tangled "Time Warp" and "A Long Time Ago"

Dies: MFT "Blueprints 25" stitched rectangle; Stamps of Life stars

Challenges:

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #191--anything goes

Fab n' Funky #558--embossing

Simon Says Stamp Monday--Stitch It (I used a stitching die)

Penny's Challenge #531--anything goes

Krafty Chicks #632--stamp act

Cards Galore #104--anything goes

Love To Craft Challenge Blog #70--anything goes

Pattie's Creations #199--anything goes

Crafty Friends #160--more than one die

Love To Scrap Challenge Blog #157--anything goes