"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

For my Super Man

Just had to share the card I made for one of my biggest (and certainly my most patient!) fans, my husband. We were lucky to be able to spend his birthday week with his extended family in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, and we all brought cards along. His Aunt even got a Tres Leches cake from a local bakery, and I don't want any other cake ever!

Stamps: Huge Hero by KennyK, Captain Awesome sentiment by TLC Creations (thank you!)
Paper: Smirk for Him, Hammermill, Recollections
Tools: Fiskars papercutter, Martha Stewart scissors, HP printer & ink, Adobe InDesign
Other: ZipDry glue
Copics: FBG2, FB2, B05, R35, RV29, R29, Y08, Y17, YR01, E13, C-7, 100, BG000

In the pink, with a little help from my friends

So my sister-in-law just got engaged to the most wonderful man, so we have a new niece (his sweet daughter). I made a card for her upcoming birthday, very similar to the one I made for our niece in July, but I wanted to include something for both of them (like I did last time). Let's face it, this is just an excuse for me to craft something!

I wanted to try my hand at a Flag Book, inspired by Extreme Cards & PaperCrafting. The card features digis from Tellen's Place Designs and Karen's Doodles. I also couldn't resist adding some ruby heat-embossing.

I added photos, although I'm not including them in these pictures:

Our dogs are black and white; the parents of our black dog live with the recipients of this card & are also black and white. For the white one I simply added white flocking. For the black one, I colored it with black and dark gray Copics and then went over it with the Colorless Blender to bring back the highlights.


Copics: RV11, RV23, RV02, R35, 100, C-7, 0, E000, E50, YR01, E17,E37, E35, E13, YR12, YG03, YG63, G02, B39, B18, FB2, B23, B32, B00, B0000, FRV1

Have a great day everyone!