Punchy Wreath

I really enjoy visiting the Flourishes blog, and since I have two practically un-inked sets of theirs I thought I'd try a hand at their Hearts challenge.

I wanted to try a little punch-craft, so I made this little wreath. I embossed the yellow cardstock with the Fiskars' Lace texture plate on my BigShot, then punched out the hearts. First, I framed the circle (cut with a Spellbinder's die) with flat hearts. Then I scored more hearts (using a hand embossing tool), folded them in half, and used Glossy Accents to make them 3D.

For further inspiration, I turned to the Photo Inspiration/Recipe Challenge at The Ribbon Reel (below right) and the simply lovely layout at Sketch Saturday (below left). I also included the elements Heart, Stamp, Love per the BINGO challenge at Addicted to Stamps.

The Ribbon Reel

Both the background & sentiment stamps are by Flourishes Boutique. I used the "step on it" technique for the background stamp; I was really pleased with how even it came out. The background is stamped in Memento Rose Bud ink, and the sentiment is stamped in SU! Wild Wasabi.

The ribbon & lace seam binding are from my stash, and I bought the tissue-paper rose at an artist's market in Mexico. 




Challenges/Inspiration:
Addicted to Stamps: BINGO (right vertical column: Heart, Stamp, Love)
Flourishes Timeless Tuesday: Put Your Heart On It
Sketch Saturday: Sketch
The Ribbon Reel: Photo Inspiration + Yellow & Pink + Ribbon, Flower, Lace/Twine

Thank you for visiting,

Feelin' Sassy at Card Cupids

It's time for another great challenge at Card Cupids! We're sponsored by Sassy Cheryl's Digis, so I used her adorable Noah & Patches digi to make this card for a Card Cutie:

For this two-week challenge (Sept. 15 - 30), we're teaming up with Sketch Saturday to offer you this great sketch (left)!

The only other requirement for our challenge is to send in at least one card to Card Cupids (the simple instructions are here).

Plus, you can enter your card into both the Card Cupids' and Sketch Saturday challenges.

Besides the sketch, the design of this card was inspired by current Recipe Challenge at Scrap It Girl: twine, arrows, circles, bird, red. It really sparked my imagination!  The brids are stamped onto little yellow, embossed die cuts that I had in my stash. The birdies are actually from a birdhouse stamp, but I selectively inked it. Sorry, I just really needed tiny birds! I colored them with colored pencils, because my Copics bled too much. I'm really happy with how they came out, but I did have to stamp them three times before I got the results I wanted.

I heat-embossed the Hero Arts sentiment onto an arrow-shaped brad that I've had in my stash forever (like, over 5 years!) The image was colored with Copics, but I computer-generated the red border.

And, just like any little boy, my card was on the go! This is what happens when you take photos on a windy day (don't worry, it didn't sustain any permanent damage!):

Inspiration/Challenges:
Gingerloft Challenge: Embossing
Going Grey With Scrap-Creations Challenge: Embossing
Kaboodle Doodles: Babies &/or Children
Scrap It Girl's September Challenge: Recipe - Twine, Arrows, Circles, Bird & the color Red
Sketch Saturday Week #225: Sketch (above left)
Shopping Our Stash #69: Emboss It
Stamp and Create: Anything Goes

Update: This card was chosen as one of the Top 3 for Kaboodle Doodles Challenge #137. Thank you Petya for choosing my card!

Thank you for visiting,

Valentine's Graffiti

I had so much fun making my funny Valentine with this week's Dude Time Doodles FREEBIE (join the challenge for your chance to be Guest Designer!), that I wanted to follow my heart and make another, ha ha.

I've been itching to use one of the neato wooden picket fences I got in a swap, so I decided to pair it with this cute Penny Back stamp. I stamped the image with black StazOn and then cut it out with a cut beautiful Spellbinder's die in my Big Shot (LOVE that machine!). I colored the frame & background with watercolor crayons, but I used watercolor pencils for the image itself. Using double-sided tape, I added some flair to the top with pink tulle. I adhered the image to the base with double pop-foam.

I painted the wooden fence with brown acrylic paint, sanded it a bit, and heat-embossed some hearts in red. Before embossing it, I sprayed the piece with matte coating, which has the added effect of repelling the stray embossing powder. I tied a small charm on it before gluing it down.

I was inspired by the following challenges:

Sketch Saturday #189

Penny Black @ Allsorts January Challenge: Love & Hearts

Felicidades

I made this card for my best friend, who's birthday is coming up, and was inspired by the following:

• Sketch Saturday
  I rotated the sketch 90 degrees.
• Lili of the Valley Challenge #116: Warm & Cozy
  I love this stamp by LOTV! Few things are as cozy as curling up with a book. I also added a bookish surprise on the inside (see photos below).
• Die Cut Dreams Challenge #100: Use a Poem on your card
  I couldn't pass up this challenge! The poem I chose, In the Desert by Stephen Crane, is my friend's favorite.
• Use It Tuesday Challenge #17: Metal
  Brads & nameplate are long-hoarded and metal!
• Paper Crafting Journey Challenge #21: Orange, Black & White
  I had lots of fun with the paper. The striped & dotted papers are Echo Park, and the embossed/sanded layers are Black Magic cardstock from Core'dinations. The white linen paper I used for teh mini card, newspaper piece, and sentiment is actually the card I got with gift cards from AC Moore (a lovely present from my awesome mother-in-law!). Talk about upcycling!

Stamps: Lili of the Valley, Dilo En Español, Tiddly Inks

Paper: Recollections, Core'dinations, Echo Park, Hammermill

Tools: Cricut, SCAL, Cricut markers, Fiskars papercutter, HP printer & ink, InDesign, Tim Holtz paper distresser, Sizzix Texture Boutique, Sizzix & Cuttlebug embossing folders, awl, sandpaper, Martha Stewart scissors & punches

Other: Copic markers, Sakura gel pens, metal brads & nameplate from stash

Musically inclined

Dawn left a a lovely comment on my card for for the Link Up for Pink, and she also suggested I submit it into this week's Think Pink Dude Time Doodles challenge. What a compliment, thank you! I ended up making a different card for the challenge, with Marlooney images. I love Marlene's humor & her hilarious freebies, and once the freebie time ends her images are available at the Dude Time Doodles/Bonibleaux Designs shop.

I decided to make a set of cards, with my Dude Time Doodles card matched with one for the Make Us Laugh challenge at Cards for Men. Both cards are based on the Week 127 sketch at Sketch Saturdays. For the In Stitches challenge at Sweet Stamping, I added hand-stitching on the mats and machine-stitching on the backgrounds.

Here's the card for Cards for Men:

Inspiration:

Cards for Men Challenge #21: Make Us Laugh plus DT call

Sketch Saturday Week #127

Sweet Stamping: In Stitches

Here's the card for Dude Time Doodles:

Inspiration:

Dude Time Doodles Challenge: Think Pink

Sketch Saturday Week #127

Sweet Stamping: In Stitches

Supplies for both:

Digi stamps: Marlooney (thank you!), Fonts for WordArt: Platinum Hub Caps Solid & Folkard

Paper: DCWV, Paper Pizazz, Hammermill, Core'dinations, Recollections, China Blue Eyes Linen Finish Card Stock from Mark's Finest Papers

Tools: Fiskars papercutter, HP printer & ink, InDesign, MS detailing scissors, Marvy heat tool & punches, sewing machine

Other: tulle from WalMart, ZipDry glue, Simplicity thread, Scotch foam tape, baker's twine from Pink Paislee & stash

Copics: YG03, YG63, YG67, BG10, E11, YR00, E17, E000, RV04, RV02, 100


Update: My card made the Top 3 for the Think Pink Dude Time Doodles Challenge. Thank you!

Culturally Inaccurate Blessings

I'll admit it's odd that I chose the sorta Buddhist colors of this week's SPCC challenge for my first try at the beautiful Rajastani Girl digi stamp I bought from Gillu's Gallery, and even odder that I ended up making my version of a Diwali card. The banner is made from actual prayer-flag squares Mom collected in Nepal. Nothing says American like a show of joyful confusion!

However culturally inaccurate it may be, I'm totally pleased with how it turned it out. Mom, if you're reading this, thank you so much for the paper (and, as always, the inspiration)!

I love love love that SPCC is including Copic colors in their challenges. I had two out of 3: instead of YR16 I used a combination of YR09 & YR04. Once I colored this beautiful image and found inspiration at Sketch Saturday, the rest of the card just fell into place. Don't you love it when you have everything you need?!

I even added some orange flocking to the large bells. I enlarged the digi to create these; it's not something you should do all the time, but I just couldn't resist! The bells swing on the brad.

Inspiration:
Color: SPCC #108
Sketch: Sketch Saturday #163

Stamps: Rajastani Girl by Gillu's Gallery, sentiment from Regal Greetings set by {ippity} Stamps
Paper: Recollections, Core'dinations, handmade from stash
Tools: HP printer & ink, Marvy heat tool, Fiskars papercutter & corner emboss/punch, Tim Holtz scissors & paper distresser
Other: ZipDry glue, ZIG glue pen, Stampendous embossing powder & flocking, Versamark ink, Sakura GellyRoll pens, Making Memories brad, CraftSmart embroidery thread, Offray ribbon
Copics: YR09, YR04, E08, E50, YR00, E13, E17, E37, RV11, RV02

A couple other things:
In case you haven't heard, Make It Crafty and Tiddly Inks are releasing Mix & Match sets. Both company's digis are so pretty by themselves that I almost hate to color them! Christy at Tiddly Inks is having a super giveaway through July 13 to celebrate, so check it out.

Also, I had tons of fun making my card for the Fathers Day Challenge at Scrap InnoVations, and, since I was the only one who entered, I won the candy! Thank you IslandV! I'm not always good at thanking ya'll for your RAKs and candies, but please know that I just get too excited and craftily distracted to reply in a timely fashion, and that I do adore & appreciate everything. Happy blessings to all!