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Challenge: It's A Dog's Life

10/17/2017

The Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge for October 16, 2017 is "It's A Dog's Life". No matter the purpose of the piece, it needs to include a dog!

I don't have nearly as many dog stamps as I do cat stamps (being a cat person, you see). But I do have a few... the Crazy Dogs and the Mini-Crazy Dogs among them. But I wanted my "crazy dog" to have a message and so I decided to have him/her daydreaming about a famous ancestor, wishing he could be more like him. The ancestor? Barks Marvin, the Crime-solving Dog!

I started with a portrait of Barks which, when framed in ornate gold, is to be hung in the parlor. Little "crazy" sits below his ancestor's portrait, with his leash and his food dish, imagining what life would be like if he were only ...

Just one scene from "A Dog's Life"!

Products used in the making of this card were:

Stamps: Stamper's Anonymous "Barks Marvin: Crime-Solving Dog" (designed by Brett Weldele, BWC012) and "Mini Cats & Dogs" (CMS272)
Dies: Sizzix Thinlits "Mini Crazy Cats & Dogs" (661584) and "Stitched Ovals" (661188)
Inks: Archival "Jet Black"; Distress Markers Walnut Stain", "Antique Linen"; "Fossilized Amber"; "Tea Dye"; Aged Mahogany", Hickory Smoke"; Festive Berries", and "Picket Fence"
Papers: Paper Studio Cards "kraft" (687201); S.E.I. 8.5 x 11 paper pack "Holiday Traditions" (8-7690); scraps of white, gold and kraft card
Embellishments: Idea-ology "Small Talk" (TH93193)
Adhesives: Ranger Collage Glue Stick; redLine 1/8" Embossing Tape

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Online Card Classes - Merry Making, October 8 - 20

10/17/2017

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Day One: October 9, 2017 - Holiday Backgrounds

Cover Plate Die Backgrounds

I don’t own any cover plates (yet — four are “in transit according to the UPS! If they arrive in time, I might try one of these…) so I had to fudge this by using words from two Sizzix “Holiday Words” die set.

Following Cathy Zielske's example, I blended three Distress Oxide Inks on a second, slightly smaller piece of plain white card, adhered the die-cut image to the colored card, matted it with a forest green card and and mounted this onto a white pre-folded card:

Then, because of the business of my background, instead of adding a sentiment, I stamped a holiday spring of holly on a a scrap of white card, fussy cut it, and then backed it with the same paper that backed the die-cut background.

Products used in the making of this card were:

Stamps: Art Impressions U-2113
Inks: Distress Oxides :Iced Spruce”, “Peeled Paint” and “Cracked Pistachio”; Distress Markers “Pine Needles” and “Festive Berries”
Dies: Sizzix Thinlit “Holiday Words #2: Thin” (661601) and “Holiday Words: Thin” (661600)
Papers: Stamping’ Up! Shimmery White” (1-01910) and “Forest Green” (102365); scrap of white card; Paper reflections “white”
Adhesives: RedLine 1/8” Embossing Tape; EK Tools 3-D Foam Dots; Ranger Collage Glue Stick

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Online Card Classes - Merry Making, October 8 - 20

10/17/2017

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Day One: October 9, 2017 - Holiday Backgrounds

Snow Flurry Backgrounds

This card used different embossing powders and stamp style to create a double-embossed background.

Then, instead of using velum to back the sentiment, I gessoed and painted three chipboard letters

and added snow per Jennifer McGuire’s instructions

I omitted the snow flakes on the background, however (I might try those later on a different background).

Products used in the making of this card were:

Stamps: Stamp Oasis “Snowflake Background” (1200-K)
Inks: Distress Paint “Blueprint Sketch”; Versamark
Embossing Powders :WOW “Metallic Silver” (WC05R) and Top Boss “white regular”
Papers: White and dark blue cardstock
Embellishments: JoAnn Chipboard Pack (RN35055)
Media: Liquitex Acrylic Gesso “white”
Adhesives: RedLine 1/8” Embossing Tape

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Online Card Classes - Merry Making, October 8 - 20

10/16/2017

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Day One: October 9, 2017 - Holiday Backgrounds

Holiday Bokeh Backgrounds.

This card is a result of copying Kristina Werner’s example, with a few deviations (different snowflake stamps and sentiment, stamped sentiment instead of die-cut,…)

Products used in the making of this card were:

Stamps: Stampers Anonymous “Mini Swirly Snowflakes” (CMS320 and “Santa’s Wish” (CMS032)
Inks: Distress Oxides “Broken China”, “Faded Jeans” and “Black Soot”; Versamark
Embossing Powders: WOW! “Metallic Silver Super Fine” (WC08SF) and Top Boss “white regular”
Papers: Ranger Watercolor Paper (ISW39532); Stamping’ Up! “Bliss Blue”
Adhesives: RedLine 1/8” Embossing Tape

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Challenge: October Sketch

10/14/2017

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Over at Seven Hills Craft Blog, there is a new sketch challenge: "... a simple sketch to play with. You can twist it, flip it, change the shapes to suit - as long as we can see the general starting point for your inspiration was our sketch... "

I didn't twist flip or change shoes... I just went with what they showed, using dies and a monochromatic color scheme.

Products used in the making of this card were:

Stamps: Altenew “Sweet Friend” (ALT1859)
Dies: Sizzix Thinlits “Stitched Circles” (662229) and “”Dimensional Stars” (661595)
Inks:” Altenew Crisp Dye Inks “Autumn Blaze”, “Orange Cream” and “Firebrick”
Papers: Paper Studio “Kraft Cards” (697201); Idea-ology Paper Stash “Motif” (TH93112); scrap Bazzill orange and white card stock
Adhesives: RedLine 1/8” Embossing Tape

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Challenge: #G45DarkSide

10/13/2017

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For Their October Challenge, Graphic45 wanted a Mixed Media piece using Graphic45 product. The latter part was easy; the mixed media --- maybe I got thee, eventually. Anyway...

I decided that some of the papers in the Master Detective Collection were "dark" enough and Halloweeny enough to quality for the theme. I fussy cut a skeleton from one paper; covered a large black tag with another, spidery paper; added a journaling card and a chipboard; and finished off with some orange and black flowers and a dyed ribbon in Halloween colors:

Products used in the making of this card were:

Papers: Graphic45 Master Detective Collection - 8x8 paper pack “Web of Lies” and “Dastardly Deeds” (4501570), Journaling & Ephemera Cards (4501576) , and chipboard (4501574); Graphic 45 Large Black Tag Album (4500982)
Inks: Distress Markers “Black Soot” and “Carved Pumpkin”
Embellishments: Kreinik gold braid; Prima Flower “Salvage District” (586485) and “Sugar Plum Roses - Chestnut” (543716); crinkle ribbon dyed with Distress Stains “Crved Pumpkin”, “Wilted Violet” and “Twisted Citron”
Adhesives: RedLine 1/8” embossing tape; EK Tool 3D foam dots; Distress Collage Medium

I'm also entering this in the Frilly & Funky Challenge for October 12, 2017: 'Tis Near Halloween because it is sort of Halloweeny and it does include all of the required colors: orange, purple and black.

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Challenge: October Color Challenge

10/13/2017

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The October 2017 color challenge at the Lindy's Gang blog used the following color palette:

While I had this month's special set of inks and powders, I decided to try a technique I read about in the recent CardMaker magazine (Winter 2017, Vol. 13, No. 4) in an article called “Cheers to the New Year” (pp 58-61) and which included a card which used tissue paper as a background (“Celebrate!” by Karen Hasheck on p 61.). This meant I needed some powdered pigment crystals. I decided to use my shaker set which had colors similar to the palette, if not the exact same as in the special set.

I dug our my white tissue paper and tore a section out, sprinkled three colors on it and spritzed heavily with water:

This is on my craft sheet and, as you can see, quite wet! The article said give it at least three hours to dry so I transferred it to a double layer of paper toweling and let it sit over night:

I ran a cut of gloss white card through my Xyron 500 so that the matte side would acquire adhesive. I crippled the tissue several times (well, four times), smoothed it out, peeled off the backing paper and smoothed the tissue over the card... Then I swiped a Versamark pad lightly over the wrinkles, added two colors of embossing powder and heat-embossed:

I trimmed the card to fit a refolded card front:

Now to complete the card.

I added two shades of embossing powder to a heavy swirl from Creative Embellishments, cut the swirl in half and glued it to the card. I stamped three flowers from a Laurel Burch stamped set, watercolored with Starburst sprays, die cut them and popped them onto the branches with foam dots:

I was thinking "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" so I searched for a sentiment that expressed that idea, and found it in some Idea-ology clippings stickers:

A few splatters with "Sidewalk Chalk" Flat Fabio and my card was complete:

Products used in the making of this card were:

Stamps: Stampendous Laurel Burch Designs LBCRS05
Dies: Stampendous Laurel Burch Designs LBDCS05
Inks: Lindy’s Magical Shakers “Oktoberfest Orange”, “Lederhosen Laurel”, and “Black Forest Black”; Lindy’s Starburst Sprays “Hag’s Wart Orange” and “Freaky Franken Lime”; Lindy’s Flat Fabio Sprays “Sidewalk Chalk”; Archival “Jet Black”; Versamark
Embossing Powders: Lindy;’s “Obviously Black”, “Purely White”, “Jack O'Lantern Orange”, and “Ghouly Goblin Green”
Papers: Staples white tissue paper; Paper Reflections card (GRC01004); gloss white cardstock
Embellishments: Creative Embellishments chipboard; Idea-ology “Clippings Stickers - Halloween” (TH13619)
Adhesives: RedLine 1/8” embossing tape; EK Tools 3D foam dots; Distress Collage Medium; Xyron 500 Sticker Maker

I'm also entering this in the Frilly & Funky Challenge for October 12, 2017: 'Tis Near Halloween because it is sort of Halloweeny and it does include two of the required colors: orange and black.

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Challenge: 'Tis Near Halloween

10/13/2017

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sA Halloween challenge! That's what is happening over at Frilly & Funky Challenge Blog, October 12, 2017! An I went all-out Tim Holtz on this one!

I started with a background of "smooshed" Distress Oxide Inks on watercolor paper, matted on black card and then on a white pre-folded card. Then I stamped some ravens and a Haloweeny sentiment in Archival "Jet Black, filling in the birds with a BIC permanent marker:

Quick and simple...

Products used in the making of this card were:

Stamps: Stampers Anonymous “Ravens” (CMS310) and “Regions Beyond” (CMA274)
Inks: Distress Oxides “Peeled Paint”, “Wilted Violet”, and “Black Soot”; Archival “Jet Black”; BIC Permanent Marker “black”
Papers: Ranger Watercolor Paper (ISW 39532)); Paper Reflections cards (GRC01004); scrap black cardstock
Adhesives: RedLine 1/8” embossing tape

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Challenge: Thinking of You

10/13/2017

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Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge Blog, October 12, 2017, is asking us to create something that says "Thinking of You"... I am assuming that we don't have to use those exact words, so long as the sentiment is expressed somehow in the piece.

I started with a resist background, using one of Yvonne Blair's stamps and Distress Oxide Inks:

I matted the image on a coordinating scrap of Bazzill purple card stock and added it to a pre-folded notecard. Next came a sentiment from a Simon Says Stamp stamp set:

Products used in the making of this card were:

Stamps: Impression Obsessions stamp set J17028, Designer Yvonne Blair; Simon Says Stamp “Bursh Stroke Messages” (SSS101711)
Inks: Versamark; Distress Oxides “Worn Lipstick”, “Wilted Violet”, and Faded Jeans”; Archival “Jet Black”
Embossing Powders: Top Boss “white regular”
Papers: Golden Oaks Papers notecard - sparkles-silver” ((1043); Ranger Watercolor Paper (ISW39532); scrap of Bazzill purple
Adhesives: redline 1/8” embossing tape

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Challenge: Color Inspiration for October 2017

10/9/2017

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The Altenew Card Blog Color Inspiration Photo and Palette for October, 2017 are shown below

As usual, the challenge is to use "either the colors, the composition, the elements, the texture or any combination" with Altenew Produc as a focus.

I elected to go with the composition and two of the colors to create a card.

I started with the background, where I used a patterned paper from Ellen Huston, trimmed to fit the card front and edged with Altenew Ink:

Next, I stamped the blooms and leaves from an Ellen Huston stamp set in Altenew "Lava Rock" Crisp Dye Ink on Elizabeth Crafts Soft Finish Cardstcok. I then applied color direct-to-paper using Altenew Crisp Dye Inks that matched the color palette and added detail using a blending brush, more Altenew Inks and a Distress Marker. I die cut the images using the coordinating Ellen Huston Die set and layered them on the card face using the photograph as a cue to placement. I added an Altenew "Painted Greeting" using "Lava Rock" Crisp Dye Ink to complete my card:

Products used in the making of this card were:

Stamps: Essentials by Ellen "Mondo Peony" (EESTJ-034-16) and Altenew "Painted Greetings"
Dies: Essentials by Ellen "Mondo Peony" (EEDIEJ-046-16)
Inks: ALtenew Crisp Dye Inks "Lava Rock", "Frosty Pink", "Coral Berry", "Olive" and "Moss"; Distress Marker "Twisted Citron"
Papers: Elizabeth Craft Soft Finish Cardstock (PSF102); Paper Reflections Card "white" (GRC02116); Essentials by Ellen Paper Pack "Modern Graphics" (EE((001)
Adhesives: RedLine 1/8" Embossing Tape; Ranger Collage Glue Stick

I'm also entering this in the Ellen Huston "October Mix-It-Up Challenge"

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Author

Born in New Jersey, I grew up in Southeastern Ohio. Attended university at Bowling Green State University (B.Sci in biological science, 1964), University of Southern California (M. Sci in biological science, 1967) and University of Florida (Ph. D in zoology, 1971).
Worked in environmental consulting for a little more than a decade and then seven years as an instructor in biological science at various community colleges in California and Texas. Moved to London in 1992, then Beijing (1996) and Saudi Arabia (1998), before returning to NW Ohio in 2002. I am currently living in NW Ohio with my husband and three Bombay cats. I love to read (mystery, science fiction, history) and stitch (have done crewel, currently experimenting with free embroidery and needlepoint but blackwork and cross stitch are my main genres); have been known to knit; and now I'm heavily into papercrafting!
Retired upon the return to the US so lots of time for our hobbies...