Thursday, July 8, 2021

Krafty Chicks Challenge - Christmas

Hello Friends and Happy Thursday!  Today begins a new challenge at the Krafty Chicks Challenge Blog and I'm back with another Guest Designer project.  The theme this week is Christmas.

For my GDT project, I created a slimline card with lots of embossing and sparkle, perfect for the holidays!


My card features the Holiday Tapestry stamp set from Gina K. Designs and embossed using Sparkle White Embossing Powder from Simon Says Stamp.  It is truly hard to photograph the sparkle in this embossing but trust me, it's sparkly, glittery and just lovely.  I used Silver mirror card to create mats and a card base of 110 lb. Neenah Solar White Classic Crest cardstock.

Please join in the fun at the Krafty Chicks challenge this week.  We would love to see your holiday makes and inspire you with ours.  Until next time, Happy Crafting!

Donna

**Challenges Entered:




Wednesday, July 7, 2021

Caveman Klob at The Paper Funday Challenges

Hello and Happy Wednesday!  Today begins a new monthly challenge at The Paper Funday Challenges with the theme of Anything Goes and Optional Twist of Summer Fun.  The sponsors for this month are Dr. Digi and Hetty Clare.  

For my design team project, I colored up Dr. Digi's Caveman Klob to create a masculine Birthday Card.  This image is funny and the recipient of this card will definitely get a laugh from Klob!

I colored the image with Spectrum Noir Alcohol Markers and the papers were snippets of scrap designer papers from a Photo Play 12x12 paper pack kit.  I die cut the focal image with a distressed edge die and mounted on foam pads for dimension.


I created a textured panel that matches his clothing using a stencil and Finnabair Crackle Texture Paste.  After the paste dried, I ink blended Vintage Photo Distress Ink over top to take away the stark white color.

Please join us this month at The Paper Funday Challenges for your chance to win 1 of 2 prizes.  We hope to inspire you with our projects and love to see your designs.

Also, I want to tell you about a Blog Hop coming up on July 10th!  The Paper Funday along with our sister challenge, The Inspiration Station are having a Christmas in July Blog Hop loaded with holiday inspiration and prizes!  Be sure and visit my blog post on Saturday for all the details!

Until next time, Happy Crafting!

Donna

**Challenges Entered:

Tuesday, July 6, 2021

Guest Designer Try It on Tuesday Challenge

Hello Friends and Happy Tuesday!  I've been invited to Guest Design for the Try It On Tuesday Challenge and I'm honored to be invited.  The theme this challenge is Travel & Adventure, keeping this theme in mind, I created a card that features both travel and adventure.


To create my card, I used the Time to Coast stamp set from Gina K. Designs.  This set is part of a kit released in June 2021 and the set will be available on it's own soon.  I inked a die cut triangle with Catherine Pooler inks and stamped the image.  I added Washi tape from my stash, stamped the sentiment from the same set and mounted the focal on foam strips for dimension. 



I had a great time creating this project for the Try It On Tuesday Challenge and I thank the wonderful Team members for including me this round!  Please stop by the challenge and enter your Travel & Adventure project.

Until next time, Happy Crafting!

Donna

**Challenges Entered:




Monday, July 5, 2021

Pammie's Inky Pinkies Challenge - Newton's Nook

Hello and Happy Monday!  For those in the States, I hope your 4th of July Holiday was filled with food, family and fun!  Today begins a new challenge at Pammie's Inky Pinkies with an Anything Goes theme.  We have the fun Newton's Nook as our sponsor and I created my design team project using the Terrific Terriers Stamp and Coordinating Die set.  This is a retiring set so if you like it, head over to Newton's Nook and grab it before they are gone forever.


I colored this sweet pup with my Spectrum Noir Alcohol Markers and die cut with the coordinating die.   I also die cut ovals and a stitched, scalloped border die from My Favorite Things.  The patterned paper is part of a digital set from Scrapbook Gems on Etsy.


I popped the oval on foam pads for dimension and using Dina Wakely Gloss Acrylic Spray,  I added splatters for additional interest.

Please join us this week at Pammie's Inky Pinkies for your chance to win a Gift Certificate to Newton's Nook!

Until next time, Happy Crafting!

Donna

**Challenges Entered:






Inspiration Station Challenge #9 - Sea, Summer and Sand

Hello and Happy Monday!  Happy 4th of July for my USA friends, I hope your holiday was great and filled with food, fun, family and fireworks!  

Today begins a new challenge at the Inspiration Station Challenge Blog.  The inspiration photo this round is:


This photo can be intrepreted so many ways...the Sea, the Beach, Rest and Relaxation, the Coast, Swimming...I could go on and on.  For my design team project, I was lucky enough to get a new stamp set and it was perfect for my design team project.  The photo inspired me to create this A2 sized card:


I was inspired by the sea and coastal areas...possibly a Tropical location.  The image is from the new Gina K. Designs Time to Coast stamp set, which was part of the Time to Coast June 2021 Kit.  This is a lovely set and perfect for any occasion, especially those hard to create masculine cards.


I watercolor washed a panel of Strathmore Watercolor card and after drying completely, I stamped the image and sentiment.  I went in with a brown watercolor wash to color the rocks and die cut using a stitched rectangle die from Kat Scrappiness.  Lastly, added a black mat and mounted the panel on foam for dimension.  

Please join us this round at the Inspiration Station Challenge blog and enter your project inspired by the photo.  We would love to see your project and we hope to inspire you with ours.

Until next time, Happy Crafting!

Donna

**Challenges Entered:











Sunday, July 4, 2021

AECP Altenew Academy - All About Layering 2

Hello Friends and thanks for visiting me.  I'm back with another Altenew Academy post and today I'm sharing my homework submissions for the All About Layering 2 Course.  Following suit with the Layering Lessons 1-3, Lesson 4 continues with stamp layering instruction using stamps with more layers to line up.

It's July and my projects feature a "Christmas in July" theme using non-traditional holiday colors and florals.  1st up is an A2 sized card created using the Altenew Amaryllis Stamp and Coordinating Die Set.  For this card, I thought a 1950's Pastel Color Scheme would make a beautifully Retro Holiday card.


To start, I decided on a pink and turquoise blue color combo for the florals and started the stamping process with the outline stamp in black pigment ink, then proceeded through the layers with light to dark tones of blues and pinks.  This Amaryllis has 8 layers, which may seem intimidating but trust me on this, it's not hard to line up the layers at all.  Here's a Tip:  If you aren't confident, or if like me, shaky handed at times, a stamp postitioning tool works wonders for flawless layer stamping. Pick a couple areas that line up, take your time, pick up the stamp with the positioner lid, ink up and stamp....Easy Peasy!


After inking up the florals and cutting with the coordinating dies, I did a "dry run" layout before picking with the Press and Seal plastic wrap.  Setting that aside to work on the panel, I stenciled with the lightest of the Pink and Blue to create thick horizontal lines.  I adhered the floral arrangement to the stenciled panel, adhered to a card base, stamped the sentiment and popped on foam pads for dimension.  

My second submission is an A2 sized, Easel Card using Kraft and tones of Purples, Greens and Golds.  Using the Altenew Majestic Bouquet Stamp and Coordinating Die Set, I followed the same procedure above to stamp through 6 layers for the florals and 2 layers for the leaves.


I chose Kraft card because I wanted to see how different the Purples and Greens would look on a darker background.  This was an experiment gone Right..sometimes experiments go wrong but it's always fun trying!  The purples are subdued and the greens are rich; if I had stamped on white, they would be very vibrant and bright.


I embossed a Matte Gold and Kraft card panel with a Vine design, arranged the florals, did my "dry run" layout, picked up with Press and Seal and adhered everything down flat.  To create the card stop, I stamped and heat embossed the sentiment, die cut, then mounted on foam pads to give it the dimension needed to allow the card front to stand up.  

I love creating Holiday cards with "non-traditional" florals and colors.  It's fun to step out of the norm, do some experimenting and create something clever and unexpected.  Thanks for stopping by and until next time, Happy Crafting!

Donna

Supplies Used:
Catherine Pooler Inks
Neenah Solar White Classic Crest 80 lb and 110 lb Cardstock
Recollections Kraft Cardstock
Recollections Gold Mirror and Matte Gold Cardstock
Darice Vines Embossing Folder
Season's Greetings Block Stamp from Hobby Lobby
Clear Sequins from Michael's
Mini Misti Stamp Positioner
Standard Misti Stamp Positioner

**Challenges Entered Amaryllis:


**Challenges Entered Majestic Bouquet:










Catch the Bug Sunday Sketch Challenge

Hello and Happy 4th of July to all my USA friends!  It's also Sunday and time for a new Sketch Challenge at Bugaboo Stamps Catch the Bug Challenge Blog.  Starting July 3rd, the Saturday Anything Goes and the Sunday Sketch challenges will now run for 1 month instead of bi-weekly.

The Sketch for this month is the following:


For my design team project, I created an A2 sized card and tried to stay true to the sketch as much as possible.


For my card, I colored the florals, which are components of the Izzy Flowers Mini Set, using Spectrum Noir Alcohol Markers.  The Gingham paper is from an older Color Bok 6x6 paper pad, the Baker's Twine and Faux Gems from my stash.

Please jon us this month for the Sketch Challenge.  We would love to see your designs and hope to inspire you with ours.  Until next time, Happy Crafting!

Donna

**Challenges Entered:

Saturday, July 3, 2021

Catch the Bug Anything Goes Challenge

Hello Crafty Friends and Happy Saturday!  Today begins a new challenge at Bugaboo Stamps Catch the Bug Challenge Blog and starting today, the Saturday Anything Goes Challenge will now be Monthly.  

For my design team project, I've used the Butterfly Bear Watermelon digital image to create a side folding A2 sized card.



I've colored the image with Spectrum Noir Alcohol Markers, die cut the focal using a Slanted Stitch Circle Die from Pretty Pink Posh and the patterned paper is from an Echo Park Good Day Sunshine 6x6 paper pad.  

I generated the sentiment on the computer and die cut using a stitched sentiment banner die from My Favorite Things.  Please join us for the challenge at Catch the Bug and remember, the Saturday Challenge is now Monthly so you have lots of time to enter!

Until next time, Happy Crafting!

Donna

**Challenges Entered:









Friday, July 2, 2021

Altenew AECP - All About Layering 3

Hello Friends and Happy Friday!  Today I'm sharing my submission for the Altenew Academy All About Layering 3 course.  This course goes further in depth with instruction on multi-layer stamping and has lots of great tips and tricks to get a perfect layered image.

For my class project, I've used the new Altenew Bearded Iris Layering Stamp and Coordinating Die Bundle to create my A2 sized card. This is the newest set in the Build-a-Flower monthly subscription plan and it's a beauty.  

To start my card, I brought out the color wheel for a bit of color wheel theory on the design of this card.  I decided upon an Analogous + Complimentary color scheme.  For those not familar, Analogous are colors that are adjacent to each other on the color wheel and Complimentary are colors that are directly opposite each other.  So, my floral is stamp layered with Analogous colors and the background is a complimetary color.  


I stamped and heat embossed one of the iris images (this set contains 2 floral images) using embossing ink and Fine Detail Gold Embossing Power on Strathmore Watercolor card.  I started the stamp layering process with the other floral image in the set, first with the outline using black pigment ink and the layers using different shades of yellows and oranges.  The floral has 4 layers; the stem and leaf having 2.  The floral was a bit more intricate to line up but in no way difficult, just a bit of patience.


Setting aside the die cut floral, I watercolored the embossed panel with a light purple wash.  Purple is the complimentary color I mentioned earlier, it is complimentary to the yellow/orange floral.  With my heat tool and being careful not to skorch the embossing, I dried the panel thoroughly and adhered to the card base.  The sentiment was created using a manual Dymo Label Maker.  



The final touch to my assignment was adding faux lilac colored gems.  I hope you've enjoyed my post today, and appreciate you visiting.  Until next time, Happy Crafting!

Donna

Supplies Used:
Neenah Solar White Classic Crest 110 lb card base
Strathmore Watercolor Card
Catherine Pooler Inks
Versafine Pigment Ink
Versamark Embossing Ink
Ranger Fine Detail Embossing Powder
Gansai Tambi Watercolors
Art Glitter Glue Liquid Adhesive
Art Class Faux Gems
Dymo Label Maker

Challenges Entered:

Thursday, July 1, 2021

Krafty Chicks Guest Designer - Stamp Act

Hello Friends and Happy July 1st!  Wow, where did June go?  I've been invited to Guest Design with  the Krafty Chicks Challenge for the month of July...Wow...I'm honored to be invited to be on the blog with these Chicks.  They are an awesome, crazy talented group of crafters!

The theme this week is Stamp Act..meaning soemthing on the design must be stamped.  For my GDT project, I used the new Gina K. Designs Sketched Flowers Stamp and Coordinating Die Set.  This set is part of the Time to Coast June 2021 Release.


I started by die cutting a scalloped oval and ink blending Cumberbund Ink by Catherine Pooler.  I stamped the florals with more CP inks and die cut.  I then arranged everything on my A2 size card base of Neenah Solar White Classic Crest 110 lb card.  The sentment is from the same GK Designs set, lastly adding my trusty sequins for sparkle and shine.  



This is an easy set to layer stamp and I love the whimsical look of the flowers.  Please join us at The Krafty Chicks challenge, I'll be back on 08 July with another GDT project.  Until then, Happy Crafting!

Donna

**Challenges Entered:
Pearly Sparkles - Fav Time of Year is Summer