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Challenge: Love is in the Air

1/29/2019

Another Valentine's Day Card challenge. And this one is from Simon Says Stamp Monday, January 28 2019: "Love Is In The Air".

Have to say I"m tired of my one-and-only heart-shaped die that I've used in the my two cards so I'm going with "love" and "air" as a theme.

I started with a night-sky background:

The technique is the galaxy background, using Distress Oxide Inks, and spritzes/splatters of water, "Picket Fence" Marker and white gesso.

I stamped a moon in Versamark on the background, heat embossed it in white, and colored one side with watered-down "Pumice Stone" Marker. I then fussy cut it:

(Sorry about how fuzzy the last two photos are --- I took them in the dark white husband was binge-watching "Breaking Bad" and my camera couldn't focus!)

I heat embossed a sentiment, added the moon and some clear flat-back gems, and matted the panel with light purple card and then adhered it to a white card base.

Products used in the making of this card were:

Stamps: Paper Smooches “Cosmos” (StS171)
Inks: Distress Oxide “Tumbled Glass”, “Scattered Straw”, “Dusty Concord”, and “Black Soot”; Distress Markers “Picket Fence” and “Pumice Stone; Versamark; Dina Wakely Media “White Gesso” (ASTMD-4326)
Embossing Powders: Stampendous “detail White Opaque” (47788 D-4236); JoAnn CraftEssentials “black””
Papers: Neena “Solar White”; ParkLane Paperie A2 notecards “white” (15919608); scrap of lavender cardstock
Embellishments: Ink Road “Flat Back Gems - ‘Bella Ice’”
Adhesives: GInaK “Connect” glue; iCreate “Easy Tear Tape"

I'm also entering this in the Frilly & Funky Challenge, Challenge for January 16, 2019: "Vintage Valentines".

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Challenge: Have a Heart

1/27/2019

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Time for another Valentine's Day card. This one is in response to the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge of January 23, 2019:" Have a Heart". To quote the design team:

"Valentine’s Day will soon be here so maybe think about making your loved ones a card or project to show them how much you care!"

I started with the sentiment "Love You", stamped in versamark Ink and heat embossed with WOW! "Mulberry Mist" embossing powder on a burgundy card base.

I used a Memory Box "Heart Pocket" die and a sheet of Maja Designs "Vintage Front Basics" 8x8 paper to create my heart. This heart opens up to show a different patterned interior, thanks to double-sided papers! To "frill up" the heart a little, I aded a border of tatted lace trim before adhering the heart to the card front:

The pocket needed something to hold so I die-cut some "Wildflower Stems" using Sizzix dies and pale ink and lavender card. I used Distress Markers to add detail to the blooms and attached an Idea-ology "Muse Tolen" with the word "forevermore" on it:

When the pocket is closed, the card looks like this:

If you look closely, you can see that the closure on the pocket also looks like a little heart...

Products used in the making of this card were:

Stamps: Altenew “Painted Greetings”
Dies: Memory Box “Heart Pocket” (98509); Sizzix Thinlits “Wildflower Stems #1” (664163) and “Wildflower Stems #2” (664164)
Inks: Versamark; Distress Markers “Spun Sugar” and “Shaded Lilac”
Embossing Powders: WOW! “Mulberry Mist” (WS98R)
Papers: Burgundy card base; Maja Designs “Vintage Frost Basics” 6x6 paper pad; scraps of pale ink and purple cardstock
Embellishments: tatted lace trim; Idea-ology “Muse Tokens” (TH96276)
Adhesives: iCreate “Easy Tear Tape”; GinaK “Connect” glue

I'm also entering this in the Frilly & Funky Challenge for January 16, 2019: "Vintage Valentines".

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Challenge: Alcohol - Drinks or Inks

1/21/2019

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"... use something ‘alcohol’ on your creations, this includes alcohol ink markers, or you can choose to use images of alcoholic drinks eg, wine, beer etc"

That is the challenge, January 21, 2019, from Simon Says Stamp Monday!

Now, while I was hunting for my alcohol ink "'tovers", I considered using some alcoholic beverage stamps instead of alcohol-based pigments - mainly because the latter meant digging through my ink stash and dealing with the mess alcohol inks always seem to generate with me. But those "''tovers" were either non-existent or had gone walk-about and the one set of stamps I had with images of drinks were minis and didn't really excite me.

SO...

I pulled a selection of alcohol inks, a fixative and a bottle of blending solution and, after battling with stuck lids (a pair of pliers finally did the trick --- who knew that bottles could get sealed shut by "old" alcohol ink?) , I managed to generate a background on a Ranger's Alcohol Ink Surface, but instead of blending it blotched. So.... I applied several more layers of ink and mixative, smooshed it around with a mini-blending tool and felt, added more fixative and ink, smooshed some more... Still wasn't happy. So... I added yet more mixative and ink and used a straw to blow it around. I tried adding WOW! FabFoil in silver to the "sticky" areas and it worked in some small places, but not in others. (Not sticky enough, I guess). The result looked something like flowers....

At least, in two spots it looked like flowers. It needed something... so I used some Stampers Anonymous red rubber stamps and Versamark and stamped flower images over the blotches at the bottom of the card and the upper right. I heat embossed with a pinky-red embossing powder for WOW!:

A little better but it had lost the floral look in the bottom two images (maybe I should have left well enough alone) and needed some more punch so I used isopropyl alcohol and a small brush to remove some pigment from the petals in the images and then, using the same brush, added more fixative to those areas. I re-embossed the flowers to bring out the red that was overcome by the fixative.

Meanwhile, I ran a Simon Says Stamp frame die and some Neena Solar White through my Big Shot (several times --- it wasn't happy cutting Neena today) and created a frame which I overlayed on the panel:

Note that the top left looks a little odd and, on the left side of the frame, one of the flower and leaf sets didn't cut properly.. so it needed a something to cover. What better than a sentiment?

I stamped the sentiment in Archival black on a scrap white die-cut circle (another ''tover" - I don't remember the die maker) which I had mounted on pale pink card. I overstamped the sentiment with another Stampers Anonymous bloom, using Distress Oxide ""Spun Sugar":

I adhered the circle to the top left of the panel, added some silver doodles in the border to tie the circle in with the flowers, and mounted the entire panel on a burgundy card base:

Once photographed, I could see that I should have trimmed that panel because the frame was just a teeny bit smaller, but it was too late but then.

Products used in the making of this card were:

Stamps: Stampers Anonymous "Flower Garden" (CM215) and "Mini Bouquet" (CM269); Winnie & Walter "The Big, The Bold and Seasons" (WW019)
Dies: Simon Says Stamp "Outline Floral Frame" (sssd111937)
Inks: Ranger Alcohol Inks ""Flamingo" (TAL52530), "Amethyst" (TAL52579) and "Wild Plum"; Ranger Alcohol Ink Fixative "Silver"; Ranger Blending Solution; Versamark; Distress Oxide "Spun Sugar"; Archival "Jet Black"; Sanford Uniball gel pen "silver" and "white" (the latter to touch up the frame)
Embossing Powders: WOW! "Primary Pink Robin" (WH26R)
Papers: Neena Premium Extra Heavy "Solar white"; scrap white and pink card; Ranger Alcohol Ink Surfaces (TAC45793); burgundy card base
Embellishments: WOW! "FabFoil - silver"
Adhesives: GInaK "Connect" glue; iCreate "Easy Tear Tape"
Tools: Ranger Alcohol Ink Mini Applicatior and "Felt" (TAC62165); large-bore plastic straw; Sizzix Big Shot; Fine brush

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Challenge: Vintage Valentine

1/18/2019

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The Frilly & Funky Challenge for January 14, 2019 is to create a "Vintage Valentine" - i.e. a valentine using a vintage palette and/or images. I used the palette suggested to come up with a color scheme that didn't include bright reds.

Is tarted with a background from the palette and a die-cut heart from a coordinating paper. I stamped a sentiment in purple on the heart and added three flowers, tinted with purple, to complete my card.

Products used in the making of this card were:

Stamps: Stampers Anonymous “Crazy Talk” (CMS236)
Dies: Memory Box “Heart Pocket” (98509)
Inks: Archival “Majestic Violet”; Distress MArker “Shaded Lilac”
Papers: ParkLane Paperie A2 Notecards “white” (15919608); Simple Stories “Enchanted” 6x6 paper pad
Embellishments: Prima “Pura-Alena” (655350)
Adhesives: iCraft “Easy Tear Tape”; GinaK “Connect”

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Challenge: Clean and Simple

1/18/2019

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dSimon Says Stamp Monday wants us to create a clean-and-simple card for their January16, 2019 challenge.

Just to be sure I got it right, I looked up clean-and-simple and found that it was more about color and pattern than technique... so I decide to make a very simple card using lots of color.

I cut a panel of striped paper, matted it with a coordinating purple card stock, stamped a black floral silhouette, and added it to a white card base. A stamped heart in purple, the word love, and a doodle border in black completed my card:

Products used in the mail of this card were:

Stamps: Stampers Anonymous “Wildflowers” (CMS253); Neat & Tangled “Photo Booth”
Inks: Archival “Jet Black” and “Violet”; FudeBall 1.5 pen “black”
Papers: ParkLane Paperie A2 Notecards “white” (15919608); Simple Stories “Enchanted” 6x6 paper pad; scrap of pale purple Bazzill cardstock
Adhesives: iCraft “Easy Tear Tape”

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Challenge: Recycle Something

1/15/2019

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Whether it be some ribbon or twine from a gift you received or decorate a carton or jar, there is so much ‘rubbish’ that we can alter into something beautiful and help to save the planet at the same time! So Simon Says Stamp Monday wants us to "Recycle Something" in their challenge for January 14, 2019.

I've been saving the backs from the Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz Layering packages for some time, thinking that there MUST be some use for them... SO I started with a package back:

and trimmed it into a large tag, using a large tag as a template:

I also have saved all the tissue that items were wrapped in from various orders of "stash" from various companies. After all, most were colorful and man were patterned, and they should be good for something, even if there were tears and wrinkles in them... I dug through the pile of tissue and found two that were in colors that went perfectly with the colors of th stencil packaging:

Using Collage Medium matte, I added iron strips from both tissues to the tag front, taking care to maintain the wrinkled texture:

I still had no idea what the outcome was going to be but I decided to keep with the color scheme - so I searched my stash for items in shades of brown. The first I uncovered was package of burlap coils from the days when I was in my burlap flower stage:

The color variation was serendipitous.

I was now feeling that this was to be a masculine tag so I finished up with a lot of Idea-ology and a length of black-and-white baker's twine that had been used to tie up a Simon Says Stamp card kit! I dyed the twine using tilted color from a Distress Marker...

This was way out of my usual comfort zone --- I let the tag direct where I was going instead of coming into the project with a an idea or a sketch.

Products used in the making of the tag were:

Inks: Distress Marker “Gathered Twigs”
Papers: Package back from a layering stencil; two sheets of colored/patterned tissue from boxed shipments; large black tag
Embellishments: The Paper Studio “burlap coils”; Idea-ology “Paper Dolls” (TH93555), “Small Talk” (TH93193), “Alpha Chips - Elementary” (TH93116), and “Sproket Gears” (TH92691); black-and-white baker’s twine from packaging
Adhesives: Distress Collage Medium Matte (TDA47933); GInaK Connect Glue; iCreate “Easy Tear Tape”

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Challenge: January 2019 Color/Photo Inspiration

1/14/2019

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The Lindy's Gang inspiration challenge for 2019 is the following palette and photo:

After thinking about this color combination for a week, it occurred to me that the key was the green: Spring!

So I started with a green background on a pre-folded A2 Notecard, using "Bells of Ireland Green" shimmer spray, Versamark , and "Spring Leaf Chartreuse" embossing powder:

I applied four magical powders to a cut of Neena Solar Whiet card: three from the Sweet Treats magicals collection ("Milk Chocolate Brown", "Dark Chocolate Truffle", "Creme Brûlée Brown") and one from the Prairie Flower magicals collection ("Mission Bells Brown"). When dry, I die-cut with a Sizzix thinlits die to create a scene of tree trunks:

I sprayed another cut of Neena "Solar white" card with "I'm Late, I'm Late Slate" Flat Fabio Spray and, when dry, die cut with a Sizzix Thinlits die set to create some deer images (I ended up only using two of them):

I layered the tree die-cut on the green card front:

I added the deer, after adding eyes, shading and spots on the fawn with a Distress Marker and a white gel pen:

I tinted two Idea-ology stickers with a Distress Marker for the final touch:

Products used in the making of this card were:

Dies: Sizzix Thinlits “Winter Wonderland” (662426) and “Branched Birch” (663108)
Inks: Lindy’s Gang Shimme Spray "Bells of Ireland Green", Lindy’s Gang Magicals "Milk Chocolate Brown", "Dark Chocolate Truffle", "Creme Brûlée Brown", and ""Mission Bells Brown"; Lindy’s Gang Flat Fabio Spray "I'm Late, I'm Late Slate", Distress Markers "Gathered Twigs” and “Twisted Citron”; Signo Uniball Gel Pen “white”; Versamark
Embossing Powders: Lindy’s Gang "Spring Leaf Chartreuse"
Papers: Neena “Solar White”; ParkLane Paperie A2 notecard “white”
Embellishments: Idea-ology “ChitChat - Seasonal” (TH93050) and “Small Talk - Occasions” (TH93245)
Adhesives: GinaK Connect Glue

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Challenge: January 2019 Color Inpspiration

1/12/2019

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Altenew's color inspiration for January 2019 is as follows:

I used the Altenew "Build-a-Flower - Anemone" stamp and die set and Altenew Crisp dye inks t create the floral embellishment on my single layer card:

The card was trimmed with scraps of teal-green sueded paper, patterned scrapbook paper from Magenta Stye, and a scrap of pale orange cardstock. After attaching the flower, it looked a little "flat" so I touched it up with a deep red inketense pencil:

Products used in the making of this card were:

Stamps: Altenew "Build-A-Flower -Anemone" (ALT1832)
Dies: Altenew "Build-A-Flower -Anemone" (ALT1833)
Inks: Altenew Crisp Dye Inks "Sunkissed", "Orange Cream", "Autumn Blaze", "Velvet", "Lagoon" and "Emerald"; Intense Pencils "Cherry" (0510)
Papers: Neena Solar white card; scraps of sueded teal green paper, pale orange card, and Memories magenta Style Yes Souvenirs "Repeated in Red" (BGROUND-41); ParkLane Paperie A2 Notecard "white"
Adhesive: iCreate "easy Tear Tape; GinaK Connect glue; EK Tools 3D foam dots

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Challenge: #G45Stamp

1/12/2019

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The January 2019 challenge for Graphic45 is to include a stamp in the project It doesn't have to be a G45 stop or even G45 inks but something G45 must be featured.

I started with G45 papers from the8x8 "Safari Adventure" paper pad to create this card base:

I fussy cut a "label' made by stamping with Graphic45 "Photogenic" ink, die cut a shape with a G45 stamp sentiment (also stamped in "Photogenic") and die cut a cut-away pane (which wss matted with a scrap of manila-colors card)l. The sentiment and the cut-away were edged with a gold gel pen. These three items were layered on the card base along with three Prima paper flowers tinted with Distress Markers and a gold gel pen.

Products used in the making of this card were:

Stamps: Hampton Art/G45 "Nature Sketchbook 3" (ICO376)
Dies: Sizzix Thinlits "Labels" (660060)
Inks: ColorBox/G45 Decades Ink "Photogenic"; Distress Markers "Spiced Marmalade" and "Fired Brick"; Sanford Uniball Gel Pen "gold"
Papers: Graphic45 8x8 "Safari Adventure (4501368 - "Amazing Africa" and "Lush Landscape" papers); scraps of manilla-colors card; Soiree A2 card in shimmering green
Embellishments: Prima Flowers "Salvage District" (58461)
Adhesives: iCreate "Easy Tear Tape"; Gina Connect glue

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Challenge: Matching Card and Envelope

1/11/2019

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Simon Says Stamp Wednesday, on January 9, 2019, wants us to create a card with a matching envelope.

Now, as a rule, when I make cards for challenges, I don't have a designated recipient so I don't do envelopes. If the card does get used eventually I have as cash of properly sized plain envelopes put away that will suffice. SO I don't usually decorate my envelopes. Therefore, this challenge really is a new thing for me.

I started with the Concord & 9th "Star Turnabout" stamp set, which I had just received in the mail on Wednesday. I stamped my plain white envelope with one corner of the stamp set, using Delicata metallic inks:

Next, I used Versamark and four colors of WOW! embossing glitters with the stamps set, rotating it as it was intended:

I trimmed the panel to fit a shimmery green A2 card:

I die-cut a gloss white card scrap w=for a sentient and sacrificed another shimmery green notecard to die-cut the shadow fo the sentiment. I attached these to the card:

Her is the card and it's envelope together:

Products used in the making of this card were:

Stamps: Concord & 9th “Star Turnaround” (10408)
Dies: Sizzix Thinlits “Shadow Script #2” (662685)
Inks: Versamark; Delicata “Celestial Copper” and “Golden Glitz”
Embossing Powders: WOW! “Neptune” (WS177R), “Mulberry Mist” (WS98R), “Under the Sea” (WS125R) and “Hot Gossip” (WS150R)
Papers: Parklane Paperie A2 Envelope - “white”; Soiree A2 Notecards - shimmery green; Neena “solar white”; scraps of gloss white and shimmery aqua
Adhesives: iCreate “east Tear Tape”, GiaK Connect glue; Xyron 500 sticker maker

I also entered this card in the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge, January 7, 2019: Use Something New because the Concord & 9th stamp set was new to me.

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