Tuesday, March 28, 2017

Oh Happy Day - CAS Easter

Inspired by challenges, I decided to create another spring Easter card, keeping it as CAS as is possible for me. I think it needs pearls but I resisted the urge to add them.
Using challenge colors, the front of the card base was sponged with ink. A panel of white cardstock was used to die cut the leafy design, which was adhered to the sponged card base. I used a frame die cut left from a previous project over the leaf panel to give the edge scallops. The same leaf cover die was used to cut the leafy design from mint green cardstock. Pieces were overlaid on the white to randomly add green sprigs. The sentiment was stamped along with some spatter. It was backed with foam tape to add dimension. The butterfly was punched from white cardstock and sponged with ink.
The inside of the card was decorated on the lower right edge with scraps from the mint green die cut and another butterfly. The sentiment "Have a Blessed Easter" was also stamped inside.

The card is being submitted to the following:

1. (CAS)E This Sketch #214










2. Fab Friday Color Challenge #108




3. Aud Sentiments Challenge #176




Techniques: Stamping, sponging, die cutting, punch cutting
Size: A2 (4.25" x 5.5")

Stampin' Up! Materials
Stamps:   Bloomin' Marvelous & Gorgeous Grunge
Ink: So Saffron, Calypso Coral, Peach Parfait (retired)
Cardstock: Whisper White, Mint Macaron
Punch: Itty Bitty Butterfly
Misc.: Dimensionals

Other Materials
Stamps: Paper Smooches "Easter Blessings" (inside sentiment)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Dies: Impression Obsession 6-in-1 Frame Set #242-YY & Reverse Confetti Leaves Cover Panel

Beachy Birthday - CAS

This is the third card I have created and posted today. I enjoy entering card challenges and there were a few that had deadlines approaching so I had to step up the pace.

My friend, Lori, who lives in Florida, loves going to the beach. A beach party is always in order for her birthday so I decided to make this birthday card referencing the beach and water. It's been a few years since I have been to Florida to join in the fun but I always send her a card.
I kept this card CAS because of the challenge requirements. A panel of white was texturized with an embossing folder that has a beach theme. Some of the embossed words are sand, water, shark, coral, fish, ocean, etc. The panel was adhered to the white card base and the black die cut frame was adhered. The sun was die cut and backed with foam tape to pop it up. The sentiment was stamped directly onto the card base.
The inside of the card was decorated with a black frame and yellow die words, Happy Birthday.

The card is being submitted to:

1. Seize the Birthday Challenge (Option: Black & white and one more color)







2. Happy Little Stampers March Challenge (Anything Goes with Dies)



Techniques: Stamping, die cutting, dry embossing
Size: A2 (4.25" x 5.5")

Materials
Stamps: Paper Smooches "Summer Sampler"
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White, Basic Black, Daffodil Delight
Dies: Paper Smooches "Birthday Words"; Impression Obsession 6-in-1 Frame Set #242-YY; Reverse Confetti Sun
Misc.: Sizzix "Ocean Script" EF, Stampin' Up! Dimensionals foam tape

Monday, March 27, 2017

Easter is Faith, Joy and Hope

For Easter I need to make about two dozen cards to mail to family and friends. When I need to make a bundle of cards, I frequently make them the same or very similar. This card is a prototype that I created for my Easter card and have decided to reproduce multiples with a little tweak here and there. I settled on shades of yellows, purples and green with white.
Three of the spiky flowers were die cut from white cardstock. One flower was left all white and two were lightly sponged with two shades of yellow ink.The leaves were die cut from green cardstock and sponged with a darker shade of green ink. The butterfly was punched from white cardstock and sponged with two shades of yellow ink. A white cardstock panel was cut with a rectangular frame die. A stencil was used to add the purple dots to the background. It was also stamped with green to add soft spatter. The sentiment was stamped directly onto the rectangular panel.
The card was assembled on a white card base. Purple "gems" were added to the butterfly and the center of the flower stack. The leaves were adhered only at the stem tips so they will add depth to the card. The card interior was decorated with a punched yellow butterfly and the sentiment "Happy Easter" was stamped.

This card is being submitted to:

1. Aud Sentiments Challenge #176





2. Crafting from the Heart Challenge #152




3. Brown Sugar Challenge #243
    (Anything Goes)







4. Happy Little Stampers March Challenge
    (Anything Goes with Dies)



Techniques: Stamping, sponging, stenciling, die cutting, punch cutting
Size: A2 (4.25" x 5.5")

Materials
Stamps: Paper Smooches "Easter Blessings" & Stampin' Up! "Gorgeous Grunge"
Inks: Stampin' Up! Wisteria Wonder, Elegant Eggplant, Old Olive, Daffodil Delight, Hello Honey; Memento Tuxedo Black
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White, Pistachio Pudding
Punch: Stampin' Up! Bitty Butterfly
Dies: Impression Obsession Scroll Vines, Spellbinders Make a Wish, Cheery Lynn Celtic Rectangles
Stencil: Reverse Confetti Lotsa Dots
Misc.: Stampin' Up! Dimensionals foam tape; Gems from stash

You're Plane Awesome - Masculine

4/12/2017 Update: Top winner at Sweet Sketch Wednesday 2, Challenge #108


One of my brothers will be celebrating his 61st birthday in two weeks. Like everyone in my family, he loves anything related to aviation so I know he'll enjoy receiving this card. Additionally, his wife keeps all of my handmade cards so it's great to know it won't be tossed!
I was inspired by several challenges as mentioned below. The sketch is square but I rarely make a square card because the postage is greater in the USA for a square card than for a rectangular card.

The plane was stamped and colored on vanilla cardstock, then die cut. The sentiment was stamped, matted with black cardstock and fussy cut. On the vanilla card base, a panel of patterned paper depicting a map was adhered along with a strip of Washi tape. Four black "gems" were added - one at each corner in keeping with the sketch.
A panel of rust cardstock was texturized with an embossing folder and adhered directly to the map paper. A scrap of black cardstock was decorated with Washi tape, backed with foam tape and adhered. A panel of vanilla cardstock was texturized with an embossing folder, popped up with foam tape and adhered. The two previously created elements - the plane and the sentiment banner - were backed with foam and adhered. The inside of the card was stamped with the plane image and the sentiment "You're Plane Awesome," then trimmed with Washi tape.

The card is being submitted to:

1. Watercooler Wednesday Challenge #111
    (Masculine)








2. Brown Sugar Challenge #243
    (Anything Goes)







3. Sweet Sketch Wednesday 2 #108
   






4. Happy Little Stampers March Challenge
    (Anything Goes with Dies)



Techniques: Stamping, sponging, coloring, die cutting, fussy cutting, dry embossing
Size: A2 (4.25" x 5.5")

Materials
Stamp & Die Bundle: Taylored Expressions "Plane Awesome"
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black; Stampin' Up! Cajun Craze, Crumb Cake; Copic Alcohol Markers
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Very Vanilla, Basic Black, Cajun Craze
Paper: Scrap from stash
Misc.: Stampin' Up! TIEFs; Gems & Washi tape from stash; Stampin' Up! Dimensionals (foam tape)

Sunday, March 26, 2017

Big Hugs on Mother's Day

03/29/2017 Update: Top Three Winner in AHSC Challenge #204.


Mother's Day isn't until May but I thought I would make a few cards for family members who are blessed with children. This is the first card of the four I will be making. Depending on time, I may make three more like this one or I may try to create different cards for each. I purposely did not make a square card because it increases the cost of mailing here in the USA. A rectangular card does not increase postage.
A panel of white cardstock was texturized with an embossing folder. The stripes were then made from strips of white cardstock colored with a Copic marker and adhered. The leaves were die cut and adhered. The flowers were stamped, colored with Copics and coated with clear Wink of Stella. One flower was adhered directly to the embossed panel and the other two were backed with foam and adhered.
The sentiment was die cut from black cardstock. I don't have any Mother's Day stamps so used a word die. The panel was adhered to another panel of green cardstock and then to a white card base. The inside of the card was decorated with a die cut leaf and sufficient space was left for a personal message.
My card layout was inspired by a sketch and is being submitted to:

Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #204




Techniques: Stamping, coloring, dry embossing, die cutting, fussy cutting
Size: A2

Materials
Stamps: Paper Sweeties "Pretty Posies"
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black; Copic Alcohol Markers
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White, Old Olive, Basic Black
Dies: Impression Obsession "Scroll Vines" & Lawn Fawn "Big Scripty Words"
Misc.: Stampin' Up! "Lovely Lace" TIEF & Dimensionals foam; ZIG Wink of Stella (clear)

Monday, March 20, 2017

One of a Kind - Masculine

Making masculine cards is not so difficult when using masculine paper. I'm trying to use up my huge paper stash one card at a time and I really like this paper with a transportation theme as well as the distressed wood grain paper.
(Click on the photos to see the stitched wood grain on the tan background.)

The tan cardstock was embossed using a die that added a stitched wood grain texture. This panel was adhered to a vanilla card base. Next, a distressed wood grain panel was sponged with brown ink then matted with vanilla cardstock, backed with foam tape and adhered to the card.
The themed paper was sponged with brown ink and matted with tan cardstock. A piece of leather was wound around and tied in a square knot. It was backed with foam tape on one edge and adhered. The sentiment was stamped on vanilla cardstock then cut using a punch. It was backed with a punched mat and adhered with foam tape over the leather tie. The inside of the card was decorated with a strip of the themed paper and a Happy Birthday sentiment.

My card is being submitted to:

1. Hand Stamped Sentiments Sketch Challenge #259









2. Crafty Creations Challenge #337
    (Theme: Anything Goes)



3. The Male Room Theme Challenge #56
   









4. Happy Little Stampers March Challenge
    (Theme: Anything Goes with Dies)



Techniques: Stamping, sponging, die cutting, punch cutting, embossing with a die
Size: A2 (4.25" x 5.5")

Materials:
Stamps: Stampin' Up! "A Dozen Thoughts"
Ink: Stampin' Up! Chocolate Chip
Cardstock: CTMH "Saddle" & Stampin' Up! Very Vanilla
Paper: Paper Studio "Old White Fence" & Authentique "Explore Seven"
Die: Lil' Inker Designs Stitched Woodgrain Cover Die
Punch: Stampin' Up! Curly Label
Misc.: Stampin' Up! Dimensionals Foam, leather tie from stash

Sunday, March 19, 2017

Faith, Joy, Hope at Easter

The inspiration for this card came from a challenge to use buttons and/or brads. The layout was from a sketch. I had the card almost completed but had an appointment for an eye exam. After the eye exam, I was unable to see well enough through dilated eyes to complete my card and I missed the "button" challenge deadline. I did have time for the sketch challenge and a few others.
An oval was stamped with the sentiment and die cut from white cardstock. A coordinating oval frame was die cut from blue cardstock. The ovals were adhered to the blue patterned paper and then to a panel of blue cardstock. The buttons were sewn on by sewing machine. (I am not a fan of "naked" buttons.) The ribbon was added across the lower edge. A butterfly was punched from blue cardstock and another from white vellum. Clear Wink of Stella was added to the vellum butterfly. The butterflies were adhered to the ribbon and three blue gems were added.
The inside of the card was decorated with a rectangular frame of blue patterned paper and stamped with an "Easter Blessings" sentiment.

The card is being submitted to:
1. Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #203









2. Brown Sugar Challenge #242
    (Theme: Anything Goes)






3. Aud Sentiments Challenge #175
    (Theme: Use a spring or Easter sentiment)




4. City Crafter Challenge #353
    (Theme: Spring is around the Corner)






5. Happy Little Stampers March Challenge
    (Theme: Anything Goes with Dies)



Techniques: Stamping, die cutting, punch cutting, sewing machine button application
Size: A2

Materials
Stamps: Paper Smooches "Easter Blessings"
Ink: Stampin' Up! Night of Navy
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White, Dapper Denim, Vellum
Paper: Graphic 45 "Gilded Lily" Collection
Dies: Gina K Designs stacking/nesting ovals
Punch: Stampin' Up! "Elegant Butterfly"
Misc.: Ribbon, gems, buttons from stash, Bernina sewing machine, ZIG Wink of Stella (clear)

Tuesday, March 14, 2017

Your Special Day

Sometimes when I look at a sketch for a challenge, I draw a blank. Other times, I know precisely what I'm going to do. I was at a loss as to what I wanted to do for the sketch below until I viewed Kathleen's video HERE. It was instant inspiration when I saw her card. She granted permission for me to CASE her card and this is my version.
Easy to assemble, the black cardstock was adhered to the white panel. A scrap of honey cardstock was sponged with mustard ink and die cut to symbolize a honeycomb. (Aren't hexagons fabulous?) The sentiment was stamped. The bees were stamped, fussy cut (I forgot I have the die set) and adhered with Dimensionals. A touch of honey ink from a marker was added to the bees and they were coated in clear Wink of Stella to give them a soft glimmer.
The inside of the card was lined with white cardstock. The lower right hand corner was stamped and trimmed to give it shape. The sentiment was die cut from black cardstock.
 
Inside of card:
The card is being submitted to:

1. CAS(E) This Sketch Challenge #212










2. Happy Little Stampers March Challenge
    (Anything Goes with Dies)



Techniques: Stamping, sponging, die cutting, fussy cutting, coloring
Size: A2

Stampin' Up! Materials
Stamps: "Dragonfly Dreams"
Ink: More Mustard
Stampin' Write Dye Markers: Hello Honey, Basic Black (dash lines)
Cardstock: Whisper White, Basic Black, Hello Honey
Misc.: Dimensionals foam

Other Materials
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Dies: Paper Smooches "Honeycomb" & "Happy Birthday Words"
Misc.: ZIG Wink of Stella (clear)