Rollin' with the Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers

I'm a huge fan of the Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers. They offer creative challenge themes and their Design Team is amazingly talented and hilarious. I was the lucky winner of their Galaxy Challenge (lucky, as in: I was the only entry!), and was invited to be the Guest Designer for their current challenge. And, Oh-my-Edna, did I ever have fun with it!

The challenge theme is "Z is for Zigzag" and you have until March 23 to get creative (snarkiness optional!)

I shocked myself by being able to find so many zig-zag related items in my stash, including the cover of a pack of actual rolling papers!

I decorated the backing paper with a Darice embossing folder. I used gold embossing powder and a blue mix for the vellum pieces; the bright blue background paper with inked with Blueprint Sketch distress ink before embossing. I made the sentiment and printed it on a more opaque vellum. I put some foam tape inside the package to give it some dimension.

Inspiration/Challenges:
613 Avenue Create #207: Reuse/Recycle
Archi-scraps: Chevrons and Blue
Cheerful Sketches Challenge Blog: Sketch

Thank you for visiting, and many thanks to all at the Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers for inviting me to join you!

Happy Birthday to Ewe - Pilin' On the Circles

The theme this month at Pile It On is Circles. The only really rule is to be inspired by more than one papercrafting challenge. We're sponsored by Bugaboo Stamps, and I used their Birthday Ewe Circle Sentiment and Birthday Ewe Trio digital stamps.

I used neon papers with a black & white scallop-patterned designer paper (Hall Pass/American Crafts). I colored the images with Copic markers & added white Flowersoft.

Inspiration/Challenges:
Bugaboo Crafty Challenge: Anything using Bugaboo image
Cardz 4 Guyz #189: Sketch
Fairy Tale #188: Black/White & Rainbow Colors
Simon Says Wednesday Challenge: Anything Goes (2nd entry)

Update: This was chosen as a Top 3 for Cardz 4 Guyz #189!
 

Thank you for visiting! Hope you'll join us at Pile It On,

Gator Greetings - Embossing + Dies at International Art & Soul Challenge

Our theme this fortnight at the International Art & Soul Challenge, chosen by DT member Debbie, is Embossing + Dies.

The cute gator is a rubber stamp (Recollections) that I've had for years. I colored it with Copic markers and added visual texture with alohol. I used an embossing folder to add tactile texture to its body. The sentiment (Technique Tuesday) was heat-embossed in dark blue.

The crocodiles were cut with a Cuttlebug die. I put one in the shaker, and used a few more as embellishments on the outside & inside.

I rotated the sketch

Inspiration/Challenges:
Rubbernecker Stamps Challenge #28: Make It Shake
Sketch-Tanten (Sketch Aunts): Sketch #41

Thank you for visiting!
Hope you'll join us at International Art & Soul,

Bluebird of Realistic Happiness - Birds/Feathers at Crafting with Dragonflies

Our challenge this fortnight at Crafting with Dragonflies is Birds/Feathers. Since March 2nd is Dr. Seuss's birthday, my friend/neighbor challenged us to make something inspired by his work. I combined the challenge to make a shaker card designed around his "strange birds" quote.

The swirly red frame is a Cricut cut & a gift from another friend (actually, my former babysitter!); I covered it with red flocking. The background paper is by Authentique. The bird stamps are from a clear stamp set by Amy Smyth Made It/Inkadinkado. I used 4 different stamps to decorate the top section, heat-embossing them with a bright blue to sorta match the decorative tape. The larger bird is heat-embossed with a dark blue powder, and covered with sparkly blue flocking.

I dyed pom-poms with Copic marker alcohol inks to make Truffula Tree-inspired embellishments for the corners. I filled the shaker with microbeads.

Inspiration/Challenges:
Simon Says Wednesday Challenge: Anything Goes
Stella Says Sketch: Sketch #604


Thank you for visiting & hope you'll join the fun at Crafting with Dragonflies, 

Year of the Brown Earth Dog

In the Chinese calendar, 2018 is a Year of the Brown Earth Dog. A friend recently got a dog, so I combined the occasions to make this for her. The hedgehog (Penny Black stamp) & gold-and-burgunday flowers are because she also has a hedgehog named Hedgie Potter!
I used my "Surprise Box" die set from Our Daily Bread Designs. I decorated it with two of my favorite papers from my stash.

The sentiment was cut from a paper covered with an adhesive sheet with a Spellbinders die and coated in flocking. I added brown Flowersoft to the dog (another Spellbinders die) & hedgehog.

Inspiration:
Dragonfly Journeys #112: Year of the Dog

Penny Black Saturday Challenge: Anything Goes with a Penny Black stamp + optional: Scraps

 

Thank you for visiting & best wishes to you in 2018,