A very special - and PINK! - challenge

If you follow my blog, you know that I couldn't do any of this without my wonderful mom! So I always love a good mother-daughter story, like that of my Feline Playful teamie Dawn. Her mom has been battling breast cancer, so in a show of support Dawn is having her head shaved on September 8th to raise funds for Breakthrough Breast Cancer! [Update: Check out Dawn and her beautiful, brave, hairless family in her post-shaving post.]

I invite you to visit Dawn's Just Giving Page to read their story, and consider making a small donation. Hey, if you can afford a digi stamp this month you can help Dawn too!

Also, I hope you'll join us for the special BCA Challenge at Dawn's Crafting that runs September 4-29. The theme is Breast Cancer Awareness and/ or Think Pink (not just a little use a lot)! There are lots of delicious prizes up for grabs from Joanna Sheen, Saturated Canary, The Crafty Pad Designs, Mo's Digital Pencil, Dude Time Doodles, Crafty Emblies, Fairy Dust Crafts, Funky Hand, Iva Nova Chest, and Lindy's Maid Wid Luv.

There's a separate, sister challenge going on over at The Crafty Pad through the month of September. They have completely different sponsors, but the theme is the same: Breast Cancer Awareness/Think Pink. PLUS, they have a bunch of great BCA digis for FREE download.

I'm very happy to have been able to participate in Dawn's challenge by making this card: 

I printed the sentiment (a freebie from Create with TLC) directly onto the pink paper, and then stamped my Lace clear stamp from KaiserCraft in Memento Rose Bud ink directly on top. 

For the lacy element on the top right, I used a sort of Double /reverse embossing technique except that I used a solid die cut to create a shape. Although the instructions call to use a Texture Folder, I found that I was able to use my Fiskars Texture Plate with a little adjustment.

Although this is a serious card, I wanted there to be an element of humor as well, hence the underwear-and-breast pun that I think is evident in the design!

The lace frame was made by adhering strips of Wright's bias tape to white cardstock pieces, and simply framing the pink inset. Really quite easy!

clean&simple FTL #205

Inspiration/Challenges:
Catered Crop: Anything Pink
City Crafter Challenge: Monochromatic

clean&simple FTL #205: Sketch (right)
The Crafty Pad Special September Challenge: Breast Cancer Awareness/Think Pink
Live & Love Crafts Challenge: Lovely Lace and/Terrific Trim

Squigglefly: Monochromatic 

I hope you'll check out Dawn's challenge and the other great challenges I've entered and make a card or two yourself! Thank you for visiting,

Dilo en Español

I don't think I could have had more fun making this card! It started with inspiration from a few challenges:

• Dilo en Español Challenge #1: Kraft Paper
  I've been following Abby's blog for a while, and am very excited about her new challenges inspired by her fab new Dilo en Español stamp sets. I only just bought a set, and I don't think a sentiment in Spanish is a requirement, but I was inspired so I used this cute Feliz Cumpleaños Ticket digi stamp by Marion.
  
  
• Fun with Shapes Challenge #93: Shabby/Vintage
  This challenge blog is new-to-me,  and I love its mission of using "something punched or cut". For this card, I used my Cricut & their "Paper Dolls" cartridge (the circus tent), as well as two Recollections hand-punches. I made the borders with a star punch, and the banners made from the circle punch. For the additional "Shabby/Vintage" theme, I used my Tim Holtz paper distresser on all the edges.
  
  
• Speedy the Cat's Friends Challenge Week 75: Use Polka Dots
  Polka dots seemed a perfect fit for the circus theme. I used a scrap of Graphic 45 paper for the tent, but I really tore into my Echo Park Dots & Stripes pack for the rest!
  
  
• Crazy Amigo Challenge: Animals
  This challenge blog is also new-to-me, and it looks like fun! I didn't really have any circus animal stamps, so I used this cutey. I'm not quite sure what circus act this is ... Gassy the Zebra & his Gossipy Canary, I guess!

Originally, this is how the card was to look. But I really wanted to show off the background, so I made the tent fold down to create this sort of tent card:

Here's the card completely open. I stitched the message section with the same hemp rope I used to string the banners.

Update: Wow! This card won Dilo en Español Challenge #1! Muchísimas Gracias!

For the love of School Supplies

Bugaboo stamps recently celebrated 400 followers on Crafters Digital Art Center (CDAC) by sharing a couple wonderful freebies -- thank you! -- and I decided to have my own celebration & make a card with them for Bugaboo's Wacky Wednesday Challenge at CDAC.

I had lots of inspiration for this card, best explained with a bulleted list:

1. Bugaboo CDAC Wacky Wednesday Challenge #17
• Paper-Piercing: I used nine papers to paper-piece the two images (didn't seem like so many, really! I used mostly scraps)
• Faux Stitching: I digitally designed the background pieces with dotted lines, so all I had to do was poke out the holes with my awl & draw the faux stitching with a dark green gel pen
2. Sketch n Stash #69
• I rotated the sketch 90 degrees counter-clockwise
• Neglected stash: I used some graph-themed and patterned papers plus keyboard-letter brads I've been saving for quite some time
3. Use it Tuesday Challenge #14
• Back to School theme
• Hoarded supplies: I ventured into the attic & rescued some very cool paper: a sheet of actual Crayola-brand crayon wrappers that my husband got for me at a local printer's

Inspiration:
Sketch n Stash #69
Use it Tuesday Challenge #14: Back to School
Bugaboo Wacky Wednesday CDAC Challenge #17: Paper-Piercing & Faux Stitching

Stamps: CDAC 400 Follower Freebies by Bugaboo Stamps, Verve Stamps, the Paper Studio

Paper: Hammermill, Core'dinations, Recollections, Five&Dime
Tools: Tim Holtz paper distresser, awl, Fiskars papercutter & punch, MS scissors, Marvy punch & heat tool, Recollections punch, HP printer & ink, Adobe InDesign
Other: Tacky glue, Elmer's gel pen, stash twine, Around the Block brads, Stampendous embossing powder, Versamark watermark ink

Fallin' for Karen's Doodles

I hardly need an excuse to use this cute Fall image from Karen's Doodles, but couldn't resist their current sketch challenge.

I made the charms with Shrink plastic. I stamped the original stamp on the inside of the card, so you can see the size difference.

Inspiration:
Karen's Doodles Challenge: Sketch

Stamps: Fall by Karen's Doodles, Let It Shine set by Verve Stamps
Paper: Hammermill, Core'dinations
Tools: Fiskars papercutter, Martha Stewart scissors, HP printer & ink, Adobe InDesign, SCAL & Cricut, Marvy heat tool, Shrink plastic
Other: ZipDry & Tacky glues, StazOn ink, Michaels & Offray ribbons, Copic markers

Update 9/6/11: I won a random prize for this card at Karen's Doodles!

Hiya

The current challenge at MelJen's Designs is Blast from the Past, where we share the very first card we ever made using one of her images. Her Dandelion Mouse is one of my favorite digis. Here's my first card:

I love this stamp so much that I rented the Lawn King set from Raisin Boat solely for the included dandelion stamp! And I didn't even stamp the whole thing! Here's my new card with Dandelion Mouse, also inspired by the current Deconstructed Sketch:

Inspiration:
Deconstructed Sketch #16

Stamps: Dandelion Mouse by MelJen's Designs (thank you!), Lawn King set by Raisin Boat
Paper: DCWV Blossoms & Butterflies 8x8 pack, Hammermill, Recollections
Tools: Fiskars papercutter, Martha Stewart scissors, HP printer & ink, Adobe InDesign, SCAL & Cricut, Kut-Ups font, Marvy heat tool, Shrink plastic, sewing machine & thread
Other: ZipDry & Tacky glues, Memento ink, American Crafts & Michaels ribbons, Sakura gel pens, stash metal frame
Copic markers: E13, E17, Y13, B23, BG000, G07, YG03, YG67, Y000, RV02, E000

Happy Travels with Deconstructed Sketches and Karen's Doodles

Inspiration:

Deconstructed Sketch No. 15

Stamps: On the Road Again by Karen's Doodles, Round Sentiments I set by SP & Company, dotted frame set by Fiskars
Paper: Recollections, Hammermill, Core'dinations, stash DP
Tools: Fiskars papercutter, Martha Stewart scissors & border punch, HP printer & ink, Adobe InDesign, Marvy heat tool, Cricut & SCAL, Crop-O-Dile, Tim Holtz paper distresser
Other: ZipDry glue, Versamark & StazOn inks, Stampendous embossing powder, Sakura gen pels, Walk in My Garden Cricut cartridge, stash eyelets & brad
Copics: R35, YG67

Enchilada, Mama?

I'm participating in a recipe swap at Stampin' Dymonz Scrap Shack (SDSS), and had a leftover embellishment that I decided to make a card with. Since I used Enchiladas for my recipe, I had colored this cute Cook digi from Tellen's Place Designs and added some handmade paper enchiladas (adapted from a paper taco I saw in a magazine; see instructions at the bottom of this post). Mom got a real kick out of this idea, so this card's for her.

I was really drawn to this week's photo at Cupcake Inspirations (right), and had lots of fun with it. Yes I know Anne-Marie: more purple! But there's plenty of pink in there too!

I was inspired to make a Sliding Pop Up Card thanks to Croms' great tutorial at SDSS. I made a few earlier in the year, but it was fun to try again.

The paper flowers are from a bunch we bought recently in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. They really hold up well & bounce back from anything!

Inspiration:
Cupcake Inspirations Challenge #124
Stampin' Dymonz Scrap Shack: Sliding Pop Up Card

Stamps: Kiss the Cook by Tellen's Place Designs, sentiment by TLC Creations
Paper: Recollections, Hammermill, stash DP
Tools: Fiskars papercutter, Martha Stewart scissors & corner/border punch, HP printer & ink, Adobe InDesign, Cricut & SCAL, Recollections punch
Other: ZipDry glue, ZIG glue pen, Copic markers, Offray ribbon


How to make tiny paper enchiladas:

1. Tortilla: Cut or punch out a circle, and fold it loosely into thirds. (I used a 3/4 inch punch)
2. Lettuce: Cut out a piece of green paper slightly longer than the circle & about 1/8 inch wide. Use scissors to "fringe" the edges on the short sides.
   
3. Enchilada: Glue lettuce onto middle section of tortilla. Fold up enchilada. Apply a small amount of glue onto bottom flap; fold over top flap and secure with a clip to dry.
   
4. Cheese: Glue a mix of yellow & orange flocking onto top of enchilada. (I used only yellow in this example)

Stampin' an' Holtzin'

It's another great challenge over at Stampin' Dymonz Creative Space: this week we have a sketch & several fun rules:

"This week's challenge is a tag challenge...with a twist. We will be using inspiration from the PageMaps website (www.pagemaps.com) and utilizing [this] Tag Map [on the left]...This week's challenge will have you put your spin on this sketch, including the following elements -- your tag must have a functional folder on the front and the piece of paper inside of the folder must be in the shape of a tag. There should be space on the tag for a small photo and some journaling. This space can be on the inside and/or the outside of the folder and/or the inserted tag...Since this week's challenge is a tag challenge and when I think of tags I think of Tim Holtz, as he's done so much with tags and making them a popular paper crafting project, we will have a bag of Tim Holtz products as the blog candy for this week's challenge." --Stampin' Dymonz

Be sure to check out the DT & Participant projects; they all are unique takes on the challenge & all incorporate scrapliftable ideas.

I decided to make a scrapbook tag about this year's garden (a tradition I've kept up for 3 years so far). I used mostly Tim Holtz products. I certainly have Stampin' Dymonz to thank for getting me into his style! I'm really feeling more comfortable with it, and found myself trying lots of techniques on this project.

All the coloring is done with Distress inks. The pine tree stamp is from a Tim Holtz Christmas set I won from IslandV at Scrap InnoVations (thank you!), and I hand-stamped "garden" and "11" with wood-mounted rubber letter stamps (not from Tim Holtz, but in the spirit). For a little some thing extra, I made ploymer clay buttons from molds I made earlier this year of a whirlybird and a very young walnut. I colored both with Distress ink.

The file folder is cut on manila cardstock, using a super cut file from Heather M (Be sure to check out her link; she uses the folder to organize her embossing folders in the most lovely way.)

I used a Tim Holtz embossing folder for the base tag, and sanded the paper a bit. All the pieces are distressed with the handy Tim Holtz paper distresser.

I color-matched the ribbon and clip with distress inks. I also made empty stitches on the tags with my sewing machine.

I stapled ribbons onto the inside of the folder, and hung the tags off of them.

I used photos from this year's garden, and journaled on the back of each tag with a gel pen. I made lines for the journaling text with a pencil.

Tim Holtz Products: Idea-ology paper stash, Winter Sketchbook stamp set, Distress inks, paper distresser, scissors, embossing folder
Die Cuts: File Folder svg by Heather M (Thank you!), Bread Tags from Walk in My Garden Cricut cartridge
Other Supplies: Wooden letter stamps from stash, Core'dinations & Recollections cardstocks, clip from stash, sandpaper, WetOnes, paper towel, nail file, Elmer's gel pen, Offray ribbon, staples, thread, Sculpey polymer clay, Copic marker G99
Other Tools: Sizzix Texture Boutique, Cricut Personal Cutter, SCAL, stapler, needle, awl, oven, sewing machine

---

I made the following project way back in May but never did publish the post. It used part of the same Paper I used for today's project, and the two certainly go together. So here it is, my Plant Tag Booklet:

May 5, 2011
I am seriously feelin' the Spring Fever; On Saturday we picked up some veggies & herbs for our back porch garden and I've already made a yummy pesto with the first cut of the herbs (cilantro, mint, basil, pine nuts, oil, that's it!). I hit my two favorite plant sellers at the famous 32nd Street Market: the $3 specialty varieties and the 75¢ everyday varieties. We've purchased from both before, and gotten great results. At the specialty table they have lots of heirloom varieties, so I treated us to an Abraham Lincoln tomato plant; they also provide nursery tags.

The 75¢ table (where we bought pretty much everything else) does not provide tags, however, so once again this year I found myself back home unable to remember which plant was which. Wishing I had remembered to write down what was what, I decided to craft the heck out of the problem.

I'm pretty sure I've seen this idea before, but I thought that a little notebook with plant tags would be really handy. I cut a bunch bread tags on my Cricut and attached them to a matchbook base. I included a holder for a small pencil. It's small enough to fit into a pocket. Then you can just attach the bread tag to the plant:

"If Graffiti changed anything it would be illegal"

I was so excited to see the "Inspired by Banksy" challenge at Daring Cardmakers. If you're not familiar with Banksy, he's a graffiti artist out of Britain. His work isn't always easy to look at, but it's as powerful as any social satirist's. Be sure to check out the incredible DT & challenge projects.

My husband & I spent a nice bit looking at some of Banksy's work online, and he gave me the following suggestion for color theme: "Slightly militaristic...greens & browns...can you do a shiny black?" You know I can, Baby! 

I decided to make a card and then add the slightly satirical "graffiti". I designed the stencils in SCAL and cut them onto adhesive masking paper with my Cricut. I made the base card first, then added the stencils separately. The dog is inked with black ink (using a paper towel), then sprayed with Frost glimmer mist. The sentiment was inked the same way, but then inked again with watermark ink & heat-embossed in (shiny!) black.

The base card was inspired by Sketch n Stash. For their requirement to use "your newest or neglected stash", I pulled out my long-neglected decorative tape. Humph, that stuff isn't as easy to use as one might think! But I love it. I also pulled out this "Hello Friend" sentiment embossing folder that I haven't used since purchasing.

"Hello Friend" is dry-embossed with the Sizzix Boutique on Core'dinations paper, and sanded to bring out the sentiment.
The blue-green and brown ribbons are colored with Copics. I used the dog-shaped mask & a scrap to create the inside. I sprayed it with glimmer mist, after edging the message section with black ink.

Inspiration:
Daring Cardmakers: Inspired by Banksy
Sketch n Stash Challenge #68

Stencils: Begging Dog from Zazzle, Good Foot font by PizzaDude
Paper: Core'dinations
Tools: Fiskars papercutter, Cricut, SCAL, Marvy heat tool, Tim Holtz paper distresser & scissors, Sizzix Texture Boutique & embossing plate, Inkadinkado stamp masking paper, sandpaper, paper towel
Other: Tattered Angels glimmer chalk spray (Frost), ZipDry glue, Versamark & Memento inks, Stampendous embossing powder, decorative tape from Michael's, Offray & Celebrate It! ribbon
Copics: BG49, E47

When life gives you lemons, make fruit salad

You may remember my recent "Little Sunshine" card; well, Mom suggested that I make the same family another card for their granddaughter plus their two current foster children. That's the kind of suggestion I live for. I can't tell you how much I respect these folks: they have opened their hearts and home to many foster children over the years, adopting several and helping others to live happy childhoods until they can be adopted. Now that's what I call courage.

Inspiration:
iCopic Blog Hop Challenge: All about Children
Simon Says Stamp: Food & Drink
Card Positioning Systems Sketch #232

Stamps: Crayons The Baby and Picnic Ally-n-Edward by Tellen's Place Designs, Round Sentiments I set by SP & Company
Paper: Recollections, Hammermill, Core'dinations, stash DP
Tools: Fiskars papercutter, Martha Stewart scissors, HP printer & ink, Adobe InDesign, Marvy heat tool, Sizzix Texture Boutique, EK Success corner punch
Other: ZipDry glue, Versamark watermark ink, Stampendous embossing powder, AtYou Spica glitter pen
Copics: E37, E47, E17, E35, E33, E13, E11, Y08, YR12, Y13, Y04, Y17, Y02, YR31, RV02, RV11, G02, BG09, BG49, YG67, YG41, B00, BG000, B32, B23, B05, FB2, B39, B18, B28, BV02, BV00, BV000, V17, V06, R27, YR04, FY1, FBG2

Back to School, primarily

So have you heard yet about the upcoming blog hop and party at Feline Playful? Let me tell you, it's gonna be amazing. I save so much time being able to consult their challenge lists, and am always finding new blogs. Someone pointed out that expecting sponsors & followers is nothing but vanity, which may well be true but I'm not quite sure what part of participating in challenges isn't a soft form of vanity, so put your makeup on & fix your hair up pretty [ref.] and meet me & the fantastic group there on September 21.

Anyhoo, I have a huge list of cards I should be working on, but I wanted to make a back-to-school card for our teenaged nieces. 

For the images, I pulled out some of my favorite digis from Tiddly Inks and Just Some Lines. I was especially pleased to see that the current challenge at Just Some Lines is Embossing: I love me some embossing, any kind! The chair was printed on yellow cardstock and dry-embossed with my Sizzix. The sentiment frame is heat-embossed in ruby.

I paper-pieced the book image with matching papers. Love Graphics 45!

Inspiration:
Just Some Lines Challenge: Embossing
Fairy Tale Challenge #22: Back to School
Delightful Challenges: Back to School/Primary Colors

Stamps: Schoolgirl set by Tiddly Inks, Amber Reads by Just Some Lines, Let It Shine set by Verve Stamps, the Paper Studio
Paper: Graphics 45, Hammermill, Recollections
Tools: Fiskars papercutter, Martha Stewart scissors & border punch, HP printer & ink, Adobe InDesign, Marvy heat tool, Sizzix Texture Boutique, Tim Holtz embossing folder
Other: ZipDry glue, Scotch foam tape, Versamark & Memento inks, Recollections embossing powder, Copic markers, Sakura gel pen

Fun with Stampin' Dymonz and Friends

First off, I want to let ya'll know about the Buttons, Charms 'n' Bling Giveaway at Romina's Creative Crafts, running through August 15. Oh my gosh, I don't know what I'd do if I won, it's so incredible! I don't do a lot of blog candy contests (relatively speaking), but I do like how we find new blogs that way. So check out the blog candy badges on my left sidebar, plus my needs-to-be-updated link list on the bottom of my site.

On to the crafting: I spent a few hours this weekend at Stampin' Dymonz Scrap Shack in Baltimore, and it was too much fun. I even got to meet TerryO, which was pretty momentous for me (I'm such a groupie). As soon as I got home I signed up for two upcoming crops! I was too busy chatting most of the time to do any actual crafting, but I did color one of her stamps, this Cardinal-and-Poinsettia beauty (I think from Stampin' Up?). I stamped it twice, and used the second piece to pop the cardinal, and for the poinsettias on the inside (see below).

For the card design I used the great sketch at Sparkle Creations' Christmas Card Challenges.

I decided to play with some more shrink plastic, so I took a cue from the Use a Tag theme at the SDSS Christmas Card Club and made a tag from it. I used a border punch for the bottom. The tag is stamped with red StazOn and colored with green Copics after shrinking, but I used stamp markers for the buttons (on left). I sewed them on with green thread.

I ran across Jeannie's wildly beautiful shrink plastic projects, and boy! has she outdone herself yet again. Check out the little ring at the bottom of her post. And for all you members of the SDSS Off the Page Group, let this be a little hint for an upcoming project!
I hadn't originally realized that the Poinsettia stamp I wanted to pair this with was also from Stampin' Up, but it certainly worked out nicely. The sentiment is from a Lili of the Valley set I'm "saving" for Mom. The circle borders are hand-stamped; I love my Fiskars Dots border set!
Dymonz also introduced me to "medium round" nibs for Copic markers, which I like a lot but not as much as I thought. I thought I was going to want to throw out all my brush nibs, but I'm so used to them. I replaced a few of my chisel nibs with these; I only use the chisel for edging but I do love it for that.