Saturday, October 31, 2015

Stamping Smiles Designs "Tic-Tac-Toe Challenge," MFT Wednesday Sketch Challenge #252 and a "Top-Mow-it-All" winner!!

Happy Halloween everyone!! For those of us in the states, many are getting ready for parties and others for trick or treating. Charlotte is going to a party this year and forgoing trick or treating. Time flies so enjoy it when your children are small!!

Today I am sharing a card that I created using Stamping Smiles Designs "Tic-Tac-Toe Challenge" and My Favorite Things Wednesday Sketch Challenge #252. Stamping Smiling Designs is having a Design Team call and I decided to throw my hat into the ring. 

Here is the card I created:


Isn't he cute? I love the way that mouse for My Favorite Things "Harvest Mouse" set came out!!

Here is the Tic-Tac-Toe Challenge that inspired all the main elements on this card:


I chose to go diagonal from the top left corner to the bottom right corner. I used "Forest Friends" (the mouse), "Embossing" and "Woodgrain" (kraft background) as the main elements for my design on this card. 

I then used the sketch below for the placement of the elements.

I have been using a lot of sketches as of late, as well as challenges, for my card design. It challenges my brain to think outside of the box and use my supplies that I have hoarded. For example, the woodgrain embossing folder that I used for the background. I have had that for YEARS and I think this is one of the first times I have used it. How sad is that? The "Tic-Tac-Toe" challenge is something I have NEVER even seen and it was so much fun!!


I used Copic markers to color in the mouse and accented him with colored pencils and a white gel pen. I added a bit of Stickles to the pumpkins to make them a bit more festive. I chose to leave a sentiment off the card so I could use this whenever.


I created the background in the circle by first stamping and coloring some leaves from the "Harvest Mouse" set. I then used an ink blender and blended Simon Says Stamp "Burnt Orange" ink, and Distress Ink in "Scattered Straw" and "Squeezed Lemonade. "After blending, I used a mister to mist some water onto the top. I die cut the gate die from My Favorite Thing's "Sunflower Sweetheart"out of Kraft card stock and ran it through the woodgrain embossing folder. I then inked it up with Distress Ink in "Vintage Photo" to try to bring out the texture a bit. This card was just so much fun to make!!

A bit of news for me today. I was a "Top-Mow-it All" winner on the Lawnscaping Challenge blog for this card. 


I am going to link it below as well.


It was not the top spot but I will take any recognition I can get these days!!

I thank you for stopping by today. I hope you have a fabulous Halloween. Stay Safe!!

Supplies:


Thursday, October 29, 2015

Playing with Muse Card Challenge #139

Just a quick post today. I have not made a ton of cards this week but have been coloring and die cutting images to create some Christmas cards and tags. I will be revealing these in the next couple weeks.

Today I am posting a card that I created for the Muse Card Challenge #139. The talented Tracey McNeely created a card as inspiration. Here is my take on her card:


I could have copied Tracey's card exactly as I have the beautiful stamp set she used but instead I chose to use Altenew's "Vintage Roses" stamp set to create my card. I always have such a difficult time with multiple step stamping. It is not only stamping on top of each image precisely (though I have a MISTI now, which makes it easier) but choosing what colors to use. 


I was inspired by Tracey's use of gold on her card. I copied her use of gold on the sentiment but chose to make mine into a strip and not stamp it directly onto the background. I also added some gold mist onto the card base, as well as three gold sequins. I thought it went well with the yellow that I used.

Here is the inspiration piece:


I thank you for taking the time to stop by today. Have a wonderful evening!!

Supplies:
Stamps-Altenew "Vintage Roses," Paper Trey Ink "Words of Comfort"
Inks-Versamark, Paper Trey Ink "Harvest Gold," My Favorite Things "Lemon Chiffon" and "Daffodil,"Altenew-"Frayed Leaf,""Forest Glades," and "Evergreen."
Paper-Paper Trey Ink
Other-Heat Gun, Prima "Gold Leaf" spray, Ranger "Liquid Platinum" embossing powder, gold sequins and foam adhesive

Friday, October 23, 2015

Pinterest Inspired Challenge

Happy Friday!! Is every one anticipating a wonderful weekend? There are still leaves on the trees in Connecticut but they are falling fast. I need to get Charlotte's Christmas photo done before the are all gone!!

That said, I had a bit of a set back and have been experiencing a lot of pain. I am now confining myself to rest for the next couple of days. Just when I think I am feeling better too!!

Today I wanted to shared two cards I created using the Pinterest Inspired Challenge image for October. The light colors screamed sympathy cards to me so I created two.


The first one is very simple. I used distress inks to stamp the flowers and leaves in Shaded Lilac and Pumice  Stone. I inked up the stamp, misted it with water and then stamped it on the watercolor paper. When the images dried, I stamped the sentiment and die cut the panel.


I then mounted the panel on gray card stock and added some clear rhinestones.

Here is the inspiration image:


The second card I created I got a bit more adventurous for me.


Again I used Distress ink in the same two colors and stamped the images randomly over the entire panel of water color paper. I let the images dry and then shook mist on in silver and Shaded Lilac. I wanted to mute the stamped images a bit so I die cut a piece of vellum and layered it over the card front.


I then created a silver thread nest, added a sentiment and a few sequins from my stash. I love these pretty colors together, don't you?

I thank you for stopping by today! Have a wonderful weekend!!



Wednesday, October 21, 2015

Sweet Sunday Sketch 291 and Lawn Fawn "Happy Harvest"

I have been crafting and getting a lot more done each day!! My body tells me when to stop, though, and if I listen, I do not hurt. The key is to listen!!

Today I want to show you a card I created using Sweet Sunday Sketch #291.


I used the sunflowers in Lawn Fawn's new "Happy Harvest" set, combined with the smaller sunflower and the leaves from Lawn Fawn's "Friendship Grows" set. The one thing I LOVE about Lawn Fawn is that you often can combine the sets to create cards!!

Here it the sketch I used for the design:


I am actually going to go back and stamp some of my other flower sets to make some more using this sketch. It is so versatile!! 


Not a ton to this card-just paper layering, stamping and coloring. This is the first card I created for a set I am making for my best friend for her November birthday. She LOVES sunflowers and has become a tradition for me to create a set of cards for her each year. She sends out TONS of cards throughout the year so I know she appreciates it!!

I thank you for stopping by!! Have a fabulous night!!



Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Lawnscaping Challenge #116 and Getting my Ghoul on with Lawn Fawn's "Happy Harvest" set

One of the things about being laid up is that I have been able to view a lot of videos. One of the videos that I thought was SO COOL was from "Just One More Card" and it was on "How to Zombie-fy Your Stamps." Julia did a video taking an ordinary, cute stamp from My Favorite Things and making it into a stamp fit for Halloween. Her shattered glass background she did BY HAND!! It looks so cool!!

Anyway, she inspired me to look at my stamps and see what I could do. I had the Lawn Fawn set "Happy Harvest" on my desk and I thought it would be fun to Zombie-fy the scarecrow and the crows!

I stamped the scarecrow and the two crows using a bit of masking. I then went on the internet for some zombie images and made some strategic marks on the images with a pencil. I then used a Copic Liner pen to outline where I placed the pencil marks. I then colored the images in with Copic markers and die cut the images out with the matching dies. I added details using a white gel pen and a red Spica marker.


Next I stamped a bunch of corn stalks all over a white piece of paper and masked off a circle using a piece of masking paper. I then blended Distress Inks in Chipped Sapphire, Wilted Violet and Smoked Hickory to create the blue background. I then sprayed some water into my hand and I flicked it onto the background to make "stars." It made the corn stalks look like they were in shadow, which I thought was so cool!!


I then created a bit of a scene with all my images under the moon. I LOVE how this came out and it was the most fun I have had making a card in ages. It took a bit of time to figure out where I wanted to place all my hand drawn pieces into the image but I think it was worth the time.

I am entering this into the Lawnscaping Challenge: Too Cute to Spook at the Lawnscaping Challenge blog.

I want to thank you for stopping by today. Have a great day!!