CAS-ual Fridays Challenge 140 - Summer!

It's Friday!!  Now that my girls have been out of school for a full week, every day kind of feels like Friday.  But this one is just a tad more exciting than the others...it's time for a new CAS-ual Fridays Challenge! 

Michele, the fabulous woman behind the curtain at CAS-ual Fridays Stamps, has come up with a fun, summery theme.  When she thinks of summer, she thinks of tans, brightly painted toes, and wearing summery white clothes.  So for these cards, we used tan, white and one bright color.

Here is the card I came up with:

I mixed some white embossing paste with Picked Raspberry distress ink, then spread it randomly along a fun stencil.  While that was drying, I stamped the sentiment from Exclamations with a tan-colored ink (Crumb Cake from SU) and cut it into a small strip.  After adhering that with some foam squares, I finished off the card with some tan and pink enamel dots.  I think it turned out so fun!

That's all from me today!  Head on over to the Challenge blog to link up your creations!  I can't wait to see what you come up with.  :) 

Until next time...

You Win Some, You Lose Some...

Wow, it's been a bit, huh?  I guess I was in a bit of a creative slump for a while and didn't feel the urge to create anything lately.  Don't worry, though.  I've turned the corner and am back at my table, creating away.  :) 

I thought I would share a couple cards that I made and submitted for publishing that weren't picked up.  I'll be honest, I don't submit my cards too often.  But when I do, I am usually very lucky and get picked up.  (Compared to the many, many layouts that I submitted in the past that weren't picked up.)  I really loved the two cards that I submitted, so I wanted to put them out there "on the computer" as my girls say. 

Here is the first card:

For this card, I created a stencil using my Cameo and acetate paper.  Then I used some embossing paste and mixed it with some Black Soot distress ink.  I had originally wanted it to be a black background, but I was happy with the color that it turned out to be.  I spread the embossing paste all over the card, then sprinkled a bit of glitter over it before I removed the stencil.  I removed the stencil and let it dry, then stamped the simple sentiment and mounted it on a think strip of colored cardstock.  I added three enamel dots to add more visual interest and that was it.  I think it turned out beautifully. 

Here is the second card:

For this card, I created my own overlay with my Cameo and cut it out in cardstock.  Then I used my distress inks in Picked Raspberry and Peacock Feathers to create the fun color pattern.  I then took a thin paint brush and lightly flicked water onto the overlay.  I knew I was going to make this a shaker card, so when the overlay was dry, I traced the circles onto the card base so I would know where the holes would be, then I stamped the fun confetti background and sentiment into the openings.  I used some acetate and foam tape to make the shaker windows, then added the sequins and adhered the overlay to the top of the card.  I. LOVE. how this turned out.  The sentiment was heat embossed with my delicious silver embossing powder.  It's just a fun, shiny, happy card. 

That's all I have for today!  Thanks for stopping by.  :)  I'll be back tomorrow with a card/stamp set that is sure to keep me out of a creative rut for a while.  :)

Until then...

Same Sketch, Different Day

Happy Monday, all!  Today I am back with another card I made using this week's CAS(E) this Sketch challenge sketch. 

Here is the sketch again:

I also used the photo prompt for this week's Card Concept challenge.  Here's the photo:

Here is the card I made:

This card looked a bit different in my head, but I still think it turned out nice.  I wanted to go clean and simple for it, since the bedding in the picture was so crisp and clean looking.  I made a stencil with my Silhouette, then used Crushed Olive distress ink to color it in, directly on the card itself.  I also cut out a frame that was colored with the same color to put around the flower.  Then I stamped the sentiment on a Paper Smooches banner and that was it.  Very quick and easy.  My kind of card!

That's it for today!  I have one more card to show you tomorrow.  Have a wonderful day!

Until next time...

ColourQ #255

Hello, hello!  I hope you all are having a great week!  Today I am playing along with a challenge I recently stumbled upon.  It is a color challenge called ColorQ.

Here is the color pallet:

And here is the card I made:

I didn't have the Rich Razzleberry color, but the color I used (Memories Dye Ink in Port Red) was very similar...until I got it wet and it turned a more pinkish color.  Oh well, I tried!  I cut the tag with my Silhouette and then used a mask over it when I added the color.  Once I was done, I sprayed the tag with water to allow the colors to move a bit.  When it was dry, I heat embossed it using Versamark and silver embossing powder.  I added the grommet and seam binding, which I had dyed with the Port Red, then added the silver sequins for a finishing touch.  I think it turned out pretty.  Seam binding has a way of making things pretty all by itself.  :)

That is all for today!  Thanks for stopping by!

Until next time...

Little Tangles Challenge #42

Hello again!  I hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend!  I am back today with a card I made for this week's Little Tangles Challenge. 

Here is the card I made:

I. Love. This card!  I used a stencil I made with my Silhouette and applied Worn Lipstick and Peacock Feathers distress ink in varying shades.  It looks like confetti falling from the sky.  So fun!  Next, I 2nd generation stamped the balloons, cut them out, then covered them with glossy accents.  Seriously.  Glossy accents takes forever to dry!!  The last time I used it (some three or so years ago), I was an avid scrapbooker and it took me hours to complete one layout.  So I could apply it at the beginning of the project and be done with it at the end.  Now that I prefer card making, I was SO antsy waiting for these balloons to dry.  It killed me that I had to leave them overnight to dry (I was making this at 10pm).  That might seem so bizarre, but I make cards because they are quick and (mostly) brainless.  Scrapbook layouts gave me headaches.  Cards clear my head.  Glossy Accents is of the devil.  Just kidding.  But man, doesn't it make those balloons shine??

I love how this card turned out.  I stamped the sentiment using some seriously yummy silver embossing powder that I found at my local stamp shop.  This stuff melts like butter and it is SO shiny!  This picture doesn't do it justice at all. 

That is it for today!  I am so glad you stopped by to take a look!

Until next time...

Runway Inspired Challenge #62

Turns out I had a bit of creativity left in me tonight before I get to bed early, so I am playing along with Runway Inspired Challenge #62.  Here is the inspiration picture:

I was inspired by the dark blue and white space in this dress, plus the fluidity of the skirt.  I made a stencil using my Cameo that looks like falling confetti.  I used my Faded Jeans Distress Inks to color in the spots, then I went simple by putting the sentiment on a plain banner.  I added the little birdie just because.  :) 

I am happy with how it turned out, yet I realize it probably should be a bit darker.  But I digress.  :)  I am also entering this card into this week's Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge, where the theme is anything goes! 

Anyway, now that is it for today!  Hopefully I will survive girl scout camp tomorrow and will be back soon with more!

Until then...

More with Distress Inks and Stencils

I had so much fun playing with stencils and Distress Inks in my last post, that I decided to do it again.  I am playing along with a couple more challenges this week, so let's get started!

First off, I am playing along with Cure for the Monday Blues.  Here is the photo prompt:

I was inspired by the pink in the comforter, the brightly colored rug and the black lines in the rug as well.  Here is what I came up with:

  
I created a stencil with my Silhouette using a transparency.  (Which may or may not have taken me over two hours to do, due to trial and error using a different, thicker kind of plastic, and screwing it up many times.)  I masked off the area where I did not want color and then used Picked Raspberry Distress Ink to color in the area shown.  I love the flowers, leaves and feathers in the rug, as they show two-tone coloring.  I tried to mimic that by stamping a distressed-looking stamp with various colors of Distress ink, then using the Paper Smooches feather dies to cut out feather shapes with the two-tone ink on them. 

I love how the feathers turned out.  I used one of the Paper Smooches Streamers dies to cut out the banner, then stamped it with a sentiment from Avery Elle's Handwritten Notes set and Tuxedo Black Memento Ink.  I added some black sequins and a teal base to keep with the color scheme from the picture.

I am super happy with the way this card turned out.  It's kind of out of my comfort zone with all of the layering and such, but I love it!  I am also submitting this card to this week's Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge.  The theme:  stencils!

That is all for today!  Thanks for stopping by!  Until next time...

One Card, Three Ways, Four Challenges

There are SO MANY good challenges out in blog land this week.  I was inspired by the colors and sketches of the challenges listed within this post, so I decided to do something different (for me) and make similar cards with varying elements.

This first card was created for this week's CAS(E) this Sketch challenge!  Here is the sketch: 

I also used this week's Fusion Card Challenge color prompt as a starting point: 

Now that you've seen the inspiration pictures/sketches, here is the card I made:

I created a stencil with my Silhouette and used my distress inks to fill in the pattern.  I LOVE how it turned out!  I stamped a sentiment from Avery Elle's Aim High set in Versamark and used the most delicious embossing powder ever.  I picked it up from a local stamp shop and it's smooth and shiny.  So pretty! 

You can *kind of* see the shine in the second picture.  I've never seen embossing powder melt so smoothly before.  I'm in love!

For my second card, I used the same stencil and went off colors from Little Tangles' inspiration photo:

Here is the card I created:

I used more of a rainbow effect with this one, but only went through blue. I stamped a sentiment from Neat & Tangled's Just For You set on a round piece of cardstock and embossed it with the same yummy embossing powder from the first card.  

The shine shows up so much better in this picture!  LOVE!!

For my third card, I used this photo prompt from this week's Paper Smooches Sparks Challenge:

Instead of going straight across with the color, like I did in the last two cards, I added it at an angle.  I was able to fit more colors in this way.  I used a sentiment from Paper Smooches' Birthday Sampler set.  I decided to go simple with the sentiment because I didn't want too much to compete with the colors on this card.  I love how it turned out!

Thank you for stopping by today!  I will have more to share soon!  Until then...

Online Card Class: Watercolor for Card Makers

Right now I am taking Online Card Class' Watercolor for Card Makers class.  And I. Am. In. Love.  Why, oh WHY couldn't real school have been this fun and rewarding?!  I am totally and completely digging every single thing about this class.  Contrary to what you might see on this blog, I am not an artist.  I couldn't draw my way out of a paper bag.  But I always wanted to be an artist.  This class makes me feel like I am one.  Sigh.  I am happy.  :)

Here is a card I made using a technique from the first day of class.  It is a stencil masking technique.    

It didn't turn out as awesome as Jennifer Raza's card, but I still love the effect. Here is a close up of the detail. 

So cool!  This second card uses an emboss resist technique.  It's supposed to use a background stamp, but I figured I would give it a try on one of my Mother's Day cards, using some doily stamps I have.  They were stamped with Versamark and then set with clear embossing powder.  Then I did a watercolor wash over it all.  Once it was dry, I used some paper and my iron to get the embossing off of the card, to make it more flat.  I think it turned out really pretty.

That is all for today!  I will be back tomorrow with more cards that I've created from this wonderful class!  Until then...