PPCC blog #369

Happy Easter

using the adorable "Spring Rabbit" image from A Day For Daisies (ADFD) for #369 anything goes theme challenge for Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenges blog (PPCC or PPCCB):

http://pennyschallenges.blogspot.com/2018/02/welcome-to-pennys-challenge-369-and-dt.html

ADFD sponsor badge

PPCC blog has a 2nd prize sponsor, so half the team had images for ADFD and half for Scrap N' Dipity. Use the link shown above to take you to Penny's Challenges to see the design team inspiration creations and read the guidelines for participating as a crafter:

Scrap N' Dipity sponsor badge

The stages to develop this card went like this:

The sketch layout that I turned around and altered dimensions to fit my 4.5" x 8" base card:

This is Serendipity Sketch January 2018 by Miyuchi.

The sketch was turned to the left. The title was replaced with the Christian fish symbol and I placed the Happy Easter title within the cocoa brown base behind the bunny. What got to be the bottom circle shape element was removed due to size already used for the papers that I wanted to showcase like the floral edge of a designer patterned paper from The Paper Studio that was given a scalloped edge to follow the flowers in the print, so that is another example of how I changed the sketch to make it work with my chosen colors and selected papers.

Another sketch element the was moved and flipped around was shown in the sketch as a white ribbon tail paper element. For my card that element is the lavender card stock behind the bunny. Instead of stitching or drawing 2 black circle lines on the card front, I did an oval with brown dash or stitching kind of lines surrounded by black squiggly lines on each side with inserts of 2 butterflies to keep the oval curved lines leading to the super sweet rabbit.

I loved how this came together! This card will be given to my great aunt who lives across the street from us. We enjoy having both wild and domestic rabbits in our neighborhood. About 2 years ago when someone moved from town, he released his domestic rabbits to roam free instead of taking them with him or finding new owners. There were 12. The most I've seen of the large domestic rabbits has been 4 and lately through the fall and winter, I've only seen 1. So I felt it was a very appropriate theme for my aunt's Easter card to include a rabbit.

 

The butterflies were a free download from Paper Wishes website at least 3-4 years ago that got buried amongst other papers and survived our move 1 1/2 years ago and a house fire 6 months ago! The solid color cardstock papers are from Colorbok. And again the "Spring Rabbit" image is from A Day For Daisies. 

The inside panel was kept simple with more lavender cardstock, another foam heart, and a printed Easter message that part of it was outlined with a dark purple marker.

LOVE this card! I also love Easter because of the hope and promise it symbolizes for believers.

Until next project, Becca

CTD 481 challenge using violet lavender brown and light beige

Hmm??? Interesting combination of colors was what I first thought.

Here's the first look:

"Trust Jesus" sentiment was colored with markers in blue-violet, red-violet, cocoa brown,  & russet brown

Color Throwdown Challenge #481

http://colorthrowdown.blogspot.com/2018/02/color-throwdown-481.html

With a fire destroying 40-43% of our house on August 13, the color mix I picked for paint were different values of violet with gray/silver/brushed nickel, black, or white for my neutrals. And either blue-gray or turquoise blue would be the main accent. So when I saw this palette using brown and beige for the neutrals, I thought I would struggle with what to do.

I started shopping around my supply areas and came up with an initial set to begin.

The first photo in this section I edited out the cocoa brown cardstock and the scrapbooking stickers. And the second photo has stencils that I altered to either be smaller or less complicated. The blue shapes are the originals from Folk Art Decorative Icons stencil set from Plaid. They were only reduced between 2/16 and 3/16 on each side and I eliminated the curved corners on the bottom one. The "trust Jesus" stencil sheet was used 2 ways. The E and first S in Jesus had to be filled in when I traced onto the leopard print paper. The bird was given a slightly larger beak, pointed instead of curved feathers and shorter and wider feet instead of the super thin ones.

Each card has the same cardstock base, similar dimensions, same 2 shapes for the accent background papers, same sentiment and patterned paper, and same bird and patterned paper.

Layout designs were kept again very similar with the one using the blue-gray with off-white floral cardstock altered to show more of that designer pattern.

Inside panels had similar colors or paper or tapes used from the front along with the same xoxoxo stamp for a simple message.

These trio of sympathy intended cards are going to a trio of sisters, a set of my first cousins who suffered the sudden death of a 30 year old daughter (or niece) about a week ago. My first cousin once removed was hospitalized on a Friday night with pneumonia and died on Sunday morning less than 48 hours later. It's been a shock for her immediate family and into our extended family. Thoughts and prayers, my cousins!

Make sure to check out all the fantastic design team inspirations at the blog using the link shown above. Linking up for participation is about to close so there will be a new color combo challenge released within about 24 hours or less for you to keep in mind as you are crafting or internet surfing.

Until next project, Becca

HIMCR 341 any holiday week theme challenge

Happy Easter

with Adorable Animals from Pickled Potpourri Designs, the prize sponsor for #341 at HIMCR

and at Hiding in My Craft Room #341 (get all the details on participating):

www.hidinginmycraftroom.com/2018/02/himcr-341-any-holiday.html

The PPD animals were just perfect for creating an Easter card for this challenge's theme of "Any Holiday". I thought about making ATCs so I could put them in a 9-pocket sheet protector page but some of the creatures were about the same size as an ATC and I didn't want to make them any smaller than 2" x 3". Essentially I made a 9-grid diagram to frame and present as a home décor gift (if I don't get tempted to keep it for myself!).

Getting started I assembled these items from my supplies:

There's a sketch layout design I decided not to use as well as not having the animals in a circle or oval shape. I took the time to carefully trim around every animal after coloring. With the paper selection, I didn't use the vibrant orange or the mosaic edged paper but went back to my supplies and went a different patterned route for going down the middle of the tic-tac-toe format. As you see, the proof is shown that crafters can start with one game plan but then it can quickly get re-routed.

The cross and Jesus are foam stickers that aren't that thick to make using a regular photo frame work for this.

And some close-ups to see the coloring details better:

This week's rain makes me think that spring is almost here but in north central IL we've got a ways yet before it truly comes. We can still dream and plan, though! Until next project, Becca

AHB February CAS theme card 3

HB...for a special...unique...talented...one-of-a-kind guy

The February theme at Always Happy Birthday blog is Clean and Simple style of birthday card, which is referred to in the paper-crafting world as CAS.

My card is small and doesn't have many papers but has elements like inking, sponging/dabbing, and scrapbook papers to give it a graffiti inspired look that makes it look busier or messier than it is.

The card started with lots of black and white then grays and greens were added with a little bit of lavender on the ribbon banner sticker.

The sponged green is hard to see in the photographs but believe me, it made it look better and more complete.

This is being linked as my 3rd and final submission for February for AHB blog:

https://alwayshappybirthday.blogspot.com/2018/02/reminder.html

Another quick post from the U.S. Midwest,

Becca

AHB February CAS challenge card 2

HB...wishing the best of God's blessings

Another patriotic theme birthday card for a former Army and former Navy veteran

This is being linked as my 2nd CAS (clean and simple) style card for the February monthly themed challenge for Always Happy Birthday.

https://alwayshappybirthday.blogspot.com/2018/02/reminder.html

And this posting will also be kept clean and simple...

Becca

AHB February CAS challenge and LRW go green challenge

HB

Happy Birthday...keeping it clean and simple in styling for my patriotic-loving 2nd year law school nephew

The plaid background cardstock was cut using a Folk Art Decorative Icon stencil from Plaid. The red cake and 'hb' letters were traced from old stencils onto recycled packaging insert. The patriotic vignette scene is from a seals/stickers sheet received from the DAV. 

The inside panel has a sentiment found from internet searching with a banner traced onto a different plaid designer paper from The Paper Studio.

And the side view:

This easy to make birthday card is going out in tonight's mail to find it's way to bless my oldest nephew. Happy #25!

This is being linked to the February challenge at Always Happy Birthday:

https://alwayshappybirthday.blogspot.com/2018/02/reminder.html

And it is also being linked to Little Red Wagon's Go Green challenge posted on February 21:

http://lilredwagon.blogspot.co.uk/2018/02/go-green.html

Still crafting in the crazy weather of the Midwest,

Becca

PPCCB 368 featuring Easter Crew image from Little Blue Button Stamps

Easter Crew

Do you like discovering the surprise hidden inside an Easter egg? That was part of several design thoughts that I pondered when I selected to use the Easter Crew image from LBBS for #368 challenge for PPCC blog.

Technically this card has several inside panels. When using the store-bought flower basket card, I opted to keep the back and hide the #368 challenge sponsor's image on the inside.

For the yellow cardstock base's inside panel, I have a Bible verse as the sentiment for an easy element:

John 14: 1-6 is my favorite passage and verse 6 alludes to eternal life offered by Jesus. 

The soft hues of yellow, lavender, pink and multiple greens were pulled from the flower basket card. And then used for selecting cording, cardstock, markers, and colored pencils.

The partial sketch is from Cardmaking and Papercrafts magazine's Christmas issue from 2 years ago on page 67.

I stretched the layout design to make a wide rectangle with the soft yellow cardstock base being a full sheet of 8" x 11" folded in half. I then divided the background areas seen in the sketch to be 3 separate pieces instead of an overlay strip/band over 1 paper. The narrow rectangle band behind the image I expanded to have a scalloped doily-like edge with the cording wrapped over it and tied in bow at same location as seen in the sketch.

I opted to move the sentiments to the insides because of spacing.

The base and background papers with cording actually look very nice before I added the flower basket card:

A close-up of the images from LBBS:

I decided to color the 3 egg "chicks" with mostly colored pencils and then have the Easter Egg in the bold marker colors as if they are having jealous or envious thoughts about the ribboned beauty! :)

Then to add to the hidden humor I decided to divide the Easter Crew like they were from a large Easter Egg that had been cracked open.

This complex card was for the design team inspiration for #368 anything goes challenge for PPCC blog:

http://pennyschallenges.blogspot.com/2018/02/welcome-to-pennys-challenge-368.html

Maria Medel Illustrations is a sponsor that half of the design team used a selection of images and I was part of the other half of the DT that used images from LBBS:

And a final photo of the finished card from an angle:

Use the link shown above to take you to Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenges blog in order to read the guidelines for participating and the specific prize details for this specific challenge (#368). Also take time to see what 7 others from the design team have put together. They represent talent from around the world! The world wide web does have a positive benefit in uniting crafters. 

Until next time,

Crafting the USA heartland and looking forward to celebrating the upcoming Easter holiday,

Becca

HIMCR #340 buttons or bows theme

Enjoy the spring!

That is the name for this super sweet image from the #340 prize sponsor, The Paper Shelter:

The butterfly base is actually foam. I used fabric markers and a few gems to add color and details for the stenciled objects on that purple butterfly. Scraps of pale mint green and grass green cardstock were cut to resemble grass for the bottom edge. A mini scalloped edged Fiskars decorative scissors were used to offset the cover's right side. And then violet and green stamp pads were applied to the back inside right edge to reinforce the color theme.

Badge for HIMCR blog:

 

and link for the #340 post to get all the fascinating details and see what else the design team members have been inspired to do this week:
http://www.hidinginmycraftroom.com/2018/02/himcr-340-buttons-or-bows.html


Badge for The Paper Shelter:

More photos of the making for this beauty of an encouragement card:

Those were the early stages and for putting all the elements together:

The card base is a light lavender cardstock and dimensions are 5" x 7". No button(s) were used for this week's challenge but I did add the purple sheer ribbon bow to her large sun hat for a bow embellishment.

Voila! Delightful violet and green color palette accented with other spring pastel hues for the image and card quietly supports Enjoy the Spring image.

In the midst of still having more snow and yo-yo temperatures in north central Illinois, I'm going to leave wintery elements behind and start doing more spring themed ones. Becca