Tiny Bubbles...

  I don't have time to write much tonight, but I wanted to share a CAS card (very simple) that I put together for two Challenges. And, since I needed a card for my dog's babysitter who recently had surgery, I was hoping to get several things accomplished with one card.

Here are the Challenges:

   1) Freshly Made Sketches: Create a card using the following sketch

   2) Hambo Hoedown: Create a design that incorporates bubbles of some kind

I had SO much fun creating this card. Enjoy!!

The image is "Test Tube," a digital image by Hambo Hoedown (you can get it here). I printed it on vellum and colored it with Copics on the back side--hoping to make it look like you were looking through glass (not sure it does, but that was the plan anyway). I accented the test tube holder with a silver Sakura pen. I used bubble DP for the background and highlighted a few of the bubbles from the paper above the test tubes.  And, rather than adding ribbon or a scalloped piece, I found these rhinestones in my stash that I thought looked like "bubbles."

Since I needed a Get Well card, I decided to create my own sentiment...'Whipping up a potion... to make you good as new. Get Well Soon'

Off to finish some laundry. Don't you just hate it when household chores get in the way of crafting?

Getting Creative

When I got home from work today, I really should have buckled down and finished putting away the few remaining items from the carpet install. However, my Craft Room called out to me...and, well, as a fellow crafter, I'm sure you can understand my dilemma.

Yea!!  The Craft Room won out!!  But mainly because I saw this uber cool Challenge at Catered Crop...create something using Yellow. And being from the Sunshine State (and it was very sunny today), I just knew I had to get in on this Challenge.

 

So, I 'crafted' instead of 'cleaning.' And here is my final creation...

 

It may not look bright yellow on the screen, but believe me, it's bright yellow.

 

The flower is from the Stampin' Up Secret Garden set. I stamped it with VersaMark Watermark Ink, sprinkled clear embossing powder over the image and heat embossed it. Then I sponged over the image first with Memento Dandelion Ink, then just in the center with Memento Canteloupe Ink. I highlighted the center dots with Stampin' Up's Peach Parfait marker.

 

The "Hello Sunshine" sentiment is stamped with Memento Dandelion and cut out with a Spellbinder Oval die (as is the yellow cardstock from DCWV). I embossed a piece of white cardstock just to add some depth and keep the floral theme.

 

Now came the challenge to be creative. I wanted to add some ribbon, but I didn't have any yellow.  None at all. So I cut a strip of white organza ribbon and sponged it with Memento Dandelion Ink. It created a very subtle shade of yellow that I absolutely love.

 

 

 I usually stamp two images when I am heat embossing or sponging (because I always seem to ruin one of them), However, since they both turned out, I now had 2 flowers ...so I decided to add the second one to the inside...keeping the card bright and cheery all around.

Helpful Hint:

  If you can't find (or don't have) a ribbon in your card or stamping color, try sponging a strip of organza or twill tape with ink. You'll get multiple ribbon colors out of just one roll of organza ribbon.

Free Is Good

It's been a very busy week around here. I finally got new carpet, but I didn't realize all the work that went into getting ready for new carpet. Three days to move everything (clothing, china and curio cabinet items, etc, etc) and I'm guessing at least a week to put it all back together. I am looking at every item in a new way...do I really need it?

 

Well, imagine my surprise when I finally had time to check emails yesterday...and found that I had indeed received a FREE digital image from Hambo Stamps. I used one of their digi's for a card last week (you can check out my card here). By uploading my card to their blog and sending them an email, they promised to send a new digi the following week. WOW!! Free digi's. Life doesn't get any better than that...unless someone would put my house back in order for me.

 

My goal today was to make one card that met the requirements of three challenges. I won't have time to make any more cards until Tuesday night.

• Hambo Hoedown "What Do You Say" Challenge: Use the Reading Boy digital image by Hambo Stamps (the free digi I received) or any other image and create an original sentiment
• Tuesday Morning Sketches #199: Create a card based on the following sketch

 

• The Play Date Cafe Challenge #183: Create a card using Navy, School Bus Yellow and Grass Green

 

Here's the finished card. I had so many thoughts on what this image could "say," but I decided on a birthday sentiment. I used Spellbinders Ovals in yellow and Scalloped Ovals in green, then added dimensionals to add depth. I fussy-cut the image after coloring and used dimensionals behind it also. I added the yellow and green "flags" at the bottom with a navy grosgrain ribbon overlay.

 

 

The inside of the card has the finished sentiment as well as the same color theme, the "flags" and ribbon.

 

 Oh, BTW, I love the carpet...I just hate all the work that still needs to be done...guess I'd better put a few more things away.

Cardmaking Lesson #1

  Many of you have asked for a cardmaking tutorial. Well, today...that's what I have for you. But please be patient with me as I work on my "written" tutorial skills. It seems SO much easier to show you all of this in person.

 

  Too often I forget to take 'in-process' pictures, but this time I remembered to take a few. So, grab your cardmaking items and follow along.

 

  Here's the card I have for you today.

  The card front and back is the largest die from Spellbinder's Fleur de Lis Rectangles set. I created a hinged cutout for the back and a full cutout for the front (I forgot to take a picture of this, so that will have to be a tutorial for another day).

 

  I kept the cutout in the die and sponged Memento Angel Pink from the edge toward the center.

  

 

 

  I used a homemade glitter spray to spritz white silk flowers.  You can make your own glitter spray by mixing some water, a squirt of metallic paint (I used FolkArt Metallic Amethyst) and some glass beads (to aid in mixing) in a spray bottle. 

 

 

You would never know the flowers were originally white.

 

 

I carried the color theme to the inside and added a few additional flowers.

 

 

   A couple more die-cuts (Spellbinders Floral Ovals and Lacey Ovals), some well-placed pearls, a Happy Birthday sentiment and the card is finally finished.

 

While I'm at it, I'm entering this card in Catered Crop's Fabric of Friendship Quickfire Challenge. I'm hoping that silk flowers are considered "Fabric."

 

Using Old Items...finally

  Do you have an item in your crafting 'stash' that you just never seem to use? About a year ago, I bought 4 sets of octagon Spellbinders (2 scalloped and 2 regular). It was such a good deal, so how could I resist?
  You guessed it; almost a year later and they've never been used.  Well, imagine my utter delight when I saw a Challenge at Friday Sketch Challenge that used an octagon shape (well, it was close to an octagon, so that's what I used). Here's the Sketch for this week's Challenge.

 

  And here's the card I created. I had a terrific time putting it together, since I was finally able to use my octagon Spellbinder dies. This was another "fun" day of creating a card for no one in particular.

 

 

  The DP is from Making Memories-The Simply Fabulous Collection-Brooke. The bright green and pink are from DCWV-The Bewitched Cardstock Matstack. The graphic is a free digital image from WhimsieDoodles and you can find it here. I actually flipped the image over (the bug is supposed to be hanging upside down). That's the wonderful thing about digital stamps; you can flip them, rotate them or even turn them upside down.

 

 

  I so enjoyed using the octagon die, that I had to use it one more time on the inside.  Thank you Friday Sketch Challenge Group for inspiring me to finally use Spellbinder Dies that I've never used.

 

Just to have Fun!

  It seems I'm always making cards for someone or some class, so when I get to create one for no reason other than to have fun...well, I really enjoy those moments.

  I had three Challenges in mind when I sat down this morning to design a card.

• Ribbon Carousel "Celebrations!" (challenge RCC81)
• Hambo Hoedown "Use Punches" 
• CAS-ual Fridays "Stamp on DP" (challenge CFC101)

  Here's the criteria in order to enter all three challenges. First, the card had to be about celebrating 'something' and use a ribbon (I chose Birthday and placed the ribbon on the inside of the card). Second, I had to use a Hambo Hoedown image (I used Cool Cat, it's a freebie from Hambo Hoedown). And last, I had to stamp on Designer Paper and keep it Clean and Simple (I stamped the sun's rays and waves onto blue speckled Designer Paper; and, there's not a lot of fuss to this card).

 

 

  In searching through my stash of stamps, I found a flower that I thought looked like the rays of the sun. I stamped it using Memento Dandelion Ink. I punched a sun out of yellow cardstock and added it to the corner. Then I found a flourish stamp that reminded me of waves, so I stamped it multiple times using Memento Danube Blue Ink.

 

  I used Hambo Hoedown's Cool Cat image for the graphic and fussy cut around it after coloring it with various markers (Copic, Sharpie and Stampin' Up). I punched a circle of blue for the background.

 

  I punched out a 'flag' from white cardstock, then stamped YAY! using a VersaMark Watermark Ink Pad and embossed it with clear embossing powder. I then inked the 'flag' using Memento Dandelion, Summer Sky and Danube Blue Inks.

  The inside carried the color theme, and I decided to place the punched saying (ticket punch) at the bottom, since I had added a blue punched circle to the corner. A piece of yellow designer ribbon added the finishing touch.

 

Card Challenge

Well fellow Crafters…are you ready for a Challenge?

I mentioned at our May Craft Club meeting that I would host a Card Challenge for anyone who wanted to play along. The Club benefits by getting a lovely card from you that we can sell at the November Art & Craft Fair (yes, you must actually “submit” your card, not just a picture of one). **Snowbirds: See Rule #3 below**

 

So…what do you receive? Everyone who participates will get a nice selection of cardstock, decorative papers and/or embellishments. And a few lucky winners will also receive their choice of stamps, stamp pads or other items. 

 

And, if you give me permission, I’ll even feature your card on this blog. Wow!! Prizes AND recognition. What more could you ask for?

 

Now, here’s the sketch you must follow. You may make a rectangle or square card. You may rotate the sketch. The sketch is just an ‘idea starter’…so be creative!

 

Below are cards that illustrate how the sketch translates into a finished card. Your card can be very simple or with lots of bling. You decide...but the overall plan is to 'have fun!!'

The above white-on-white card is being entered in Creative Card Crew's White on White Challenge. I added "Celebrate" to the paper ribbon strip and placed the birthday sentiment on the inside.

Here are the “official” guidelines...every Challenge has to have a few:

1)      Create a card using Sketch PC107. You may add embellishments, additional designer paper/cardstock, etc. Just try to keep the overall design similar to the sketch.

2)      Get your card to me no later than June 20. You may bring it to the May 28 or June 20 class, or drop it off at the house.

3)      If you’re away for the summer, but would still like to participate, email me a picture of your finished card by June 20. Then, as long as you return to SCP and I get your card by November 5, you’ll still receive your “thank you” package of goodies (and maybe even a bonus package of goodies).

4)      You may sign the back of the card, but please do not write anywhere else. Remember, we want to sell these at this year’s Art & Craft Fair.

5)      You may include a sentiment either on the front or the inside of the card.

That’s it. If you have any questions, either comment on this blog post or email me. I hope everyone participates because I can’t wait to see all the cards.

Special CAS Cards

Sorry for my recent hiatus from this blog. Things got real busy around here the past couple of weeks. I won't go into details, but if you know me personally...I think you understand.

Well...my mom finally received her Mother's Day card. So, I can now post the card. I'm thrilled that she has subscribed to my blog, but it makes it a bit difficult to showcase a card that she hasn't received yet. {Note: Mom, please don't 'unsubscribe.'}

I wanted to create something bright and cheery for her this year because we both are a bit sad that we couldn't spend Mother's Day with each other. Somehow the hot pink, bright yellow and green cardstock colors just seemed to "pop" on the white card base.  A Spellbinders Flourish Die Cut and rhinestone flowers added just enough accent and elegance.

 

This is such a Clean and Simple (CAS) design that can be used for any occasion just by changing the sentiment and color theme. Don't have a Spellbinders Flourish die cut? No problem...just add ribbon and a bow or flowers in it's place.

 

I recently bought a new wavy circle punch, so I used it to create a "window" in the hot pink cardstock. I printed the Happy Mother's Day sentiment from my computer and matted it with a bright green cardstock scalloped circle.

 

 

I didn't "puff" anything up, even though I really wanted to add some dimension to the card. After all, I had to mail it...and, well, I've been down that path before. I was just glad the rhinestones made it to her safe and sound.

 

I trust everyone had a wonderful Mother's Day...with lots of wonderful surprises.