Cards in Envy Sketch Challenge

Oh, goodness.  Well, sad to report this is the last Cards in Envy Challenge.  Aren't you bummed?  I certainly am as it's one that I've enjoyed as a player as well as a DT member.  CIE will be missed for sure!

For the last challenge we're going back to the first challenge which was a sketch.

I used the skating pond for the rectangle going across the card and the two girls and bird for the 3 circles. I love that they're holding hands.  So cute!  The pink glitter is actual glitter cardstock; the white is Scor-Tape covered in glitter. The girls are colored with Copics with lots of paper-piecing for their outfits. The sentiment is stamped with Stazon directly onto the glitter. I love how it's subtle but still legible.

The Details:  Hello Bluebird Skating Together and Skating Pond Scene Die, Lawn Fawn Perfectly Plaid Rainbow 6x6 Paper, Pebbles Cozy and Bright 6x6 Paper, Scor-Tape, Doodlebug Design Lily White Glitter, Ranger Multi Medium Matte, Memento Tuxedo Black, Stazon Jet Black, Copics

Cards in Envy Love Me or Love My Pet

If you know me or have been following me for a while, you know I love cats and will eventually reach crazy cat lady status. So I am super excited that our new Cards in Envy Challenge focuses on pets and love. Woo hoo! 

Of course, mine includes cats which I kept very simple, using Zig watercolor markers to color them. I paired it with a scalloped reveal portion at the bottom using a blue similar to her dress or did I start with the reveal blue and make her dress similar? Either way, I love the results.

The Details: MFT BB New Best Friend, Pretty Pink Posh Scallop Border dies, Zig Watercolor Markers, Versafine Onyx Black, Distress Oxide Blueprint Sketch

Cards in Envy Numbers

Well, the holidays are over and now we can all get back to our regularly scheduled crafting. Whew!  Over at Cards in Envy, we'd like to see numbers on your card. 

My BIL is turning 60 so I worked this up for him.  60 seemed sooooo old when I was younger but time passes so quickly now it seems like it's right around the corner.  Dude. He's old. But I really am glad he's not dead. Love you, Steve!

The Details:  Hero Arts Snarky Mix and Match Messages, Oxford Impressions Danse Macabre, Distress Oxides Blueprint Sketch, Salty Ocean and Lucky Clover, Versafine Onyx Black

Cards in Envy Hang Your Stocking with Care

This round at Cards in Envy we'd like your card to have something to do with a stocking.  You could feature a stocking or something you might find in your stocking. Think of the possibilities and go nuts!

I've had this fireplace die for ages so am happy to be using stash. I stenciled it lightly with a brick pattern and Distress Oxide Worn Lipstick. The wood and fire are colored with Copics.  I love how the fire turned out but, of course, most of it got covered up--LOL.  The stockings are paper-pieced.  Oh, I also sponged the background in a warm fire yellow glow. So pretty.

The Details:  MFT Our Story, Fireplace Die, Brick Stencil, and Tiny Check 6x6 Paper, Pretty Pink Posh Holiday Greetings, Copics, Ranger Multi Medium Matte, Distress Oxide Worn Lipstick and Mustard Seed

Cards in Envy Spirit of Christmas

Are you ready for another Cards in Envy challenge?  Come show your spirit of Christmas!

I found this Distress Oxide panel in my discard pile.  Yeah, I don't know why I was going to toss it. I paired it with a navy panel spattered with Copic Opaque White which was also in the leftovers pile. I love the dark against the bright.

The Details:  Distress Oxides, Stamplorations Let It Snow, Lil' Inker Snowflake Cover Plate

Cards in Envy Santa Baby

Time for another challenge over at Cards in Envy. We'd like to see something related to Santa/Christmas on your card. Perfect timing for the holidays, right?!

I used one of my Xmas sets from last year to create an underwater holiday scene. I airbrushed the water and sand after stamping the Santa.  I didn't feel like masking so just watched where the ink went closer to him.  Turned out just fine.  The rest is colored with Copics the regular way except for the gold elements which I used Smooches on.

The Details:  Waffle Flower The Season, Gina Marie Designs Fan Coral, Taylored Expressions Build a Scene Underwater, Copics, airbrush, Ranger Multi Medium Matte, Versafine Onyx Black, Memento Tuxedo Black

Cards in Envy Fire or Rain

Cards in Envy time!  We're asking that you feature fire or rain on your cards this fortnight.

A lot of my friends have reached the "hot" stage in life and I'm counting down the days until I do. Ugh! I first sponged the card using Distress Oxides and stamped the sentiment.  I then embossed the card front using a fire embossing folder before taking a waterbrush and removing some of the color to create more movement. I decided not to color the woman as the card had so much color going on anyway.  Now she really pops out.

The Details:  Stampin' Up Just Kidding, IndigoBlu Think Evil Thoughts, Distress Oxides, Simon Says Stitched Rectangle Die, Darice Fire Embossing Folder, Versafine Onyx Black, Memento Tuxedo Black

Cards in Envy Favorite Holiday

This round at Cards in Envy we're wanting to see a card featuring your favorite holiday.  I LOVE Christmas without a doubt.  I also love Halloween but I definitely need more Christmas cards. Can't start too early on those!

I started by stamping the ME Frames and elves.  I hadn't originally planned to cut them out but I hated the background I had worked up using Distress Oxides (too much color, for once).  The snowflake paper reminds me of wallpaper, don't you think?

Notice how the picture frames don't quite line up on top.  Just like real life!

The Details:  Mama Elephant Little Elf Agenda and Little Agenda Frames, Altenew Happy Holidays, Lawn Fawn Really Rainbow Christmas 6x6 Paper, Ranger Multi Medium Matte and Watering Can Embossing Powder, Versamark, Distress Oxide Black Soot, Copics

Cards in Envy - Something Spooky

It's time for a new Cards in Envy challenge!  This time we'd like you to show us something spooky. My card is definitely not too cute to spook but cute in its own way.

I used my new Whimsy set and recreating the scene from Psycho (2, I think) where Norman calls up the stairs for his mother and then she answers back.  Or does she???  Definitely spooky.  The background is one of my Gelli prints; I cut the bats out of that too.  I'll be sending this card to my kid sister as one of our many inside jokes. She will love it!

The Details:  Whismy Stamps Cute But Psycho, Impression Obsession Halloween Hill die, Tim Holtz Idea-ology Small Talk Snarky, Memento Tuxedo Black, Ranger Multi Medium Matte, Copics, Liquitex Acrylic Paints

Cards in Envy Feels Like Fall

Does it feel like fall to you?  It does over at Cards in Envy--come join us!

My card started with a leftover panel from a project I had done last year involving a copper frame.  This was buried deeeeep in the "use this someday" pile, that's for sure.  I sponged it with Distress Oxides then light burnished the copper with a dry paper towel. I love the way the copper looks with the Oxides.

I die cut the leaves and struggled with the card base color. Kraft? White? Yellow? Black? Black obviously won out but I did add more interest that impressing the leaves into the black panel so the veins would show. Very cool. I positioned the die cut leaves so they stuck out over the edge of the panel. Again very cool that their points are mimicked by the points of the panel.

The Details:  PaperArtsy Autumn Edition EAB04, Lawn Fawn Small Stitched Leaves, Gina Marie Designs Inner Scalloped Frame, Distress Oxides, Versafine Onyx Black, Copper Conductive Tape

Cards in Envy Fruits

Ready to get your fruits on at Cards in Envy? I know you are!

I knew I wanted to use the CB Feeling Fruity set but had no idea it would become a bunch of mice grapes. Whew!  That was a lot of masking. But they're so cute I didn't mind! I prefer green grapes although in a pinch any will do.  You?

The Details:  Clearly Besotted Feeling Fruity, Memory Box Grove Branch, Mystery Washis, Copics G20, 21 and 24, E50 & 5, E02, E33 and 34, E77; Versafine Onyx Black, Memento Tuxedo Black, Inkadinkado Masking Paper

Cards in Envy Yellow and Black

Cards in Envy time! This time we'd like to see lots of yellow and black on your card. I usually go floral with that combo but decided to push myself a bit and pull out some stash I hadn't used in a while.

That plaid with the heart spokes running through it makes me happy dance! Now the heart? Not so much. It's perfectly smooth and coated in Glossy Accents but the camera made it look janky. Ugh.

 The Details: Concord and 9th Heart Smile and Heart Strings Die, Lawn Fawn Perfectly Plaid Spring 6x6 Paper, Ranger Multi Medium Matte and Glossy Accents

Cards in Envy Something New

Time for a new challenge at Cards in Envy--please show us something new. It could be a new technique, new ink, new stamp, or about anything as long it's new to you and you let us know what it is. In my case, I'm using a new stamp, die and stencil. 

I started out by sponging the upper half of my card base with Peacock Feathers Distress Oxide. Next I die cut the window and sponged it with Salty Ocean, making the color a bit darker at the top in keeping with the base. I realized afterwards that I had cut the window crooked so I used the rectangle die to rectify that--whew!

Coloring up the genie was extra fun--man boobs! He's rockin' that bod. Defined but not defined by working out excessively, you know? Yummers. LOL.

The Details: Hero Arts Make a Wish and December 2018 Card Kit, Distress Oxides, Versafine Onyx Black, Memento Tuxedo Black, Copics, Simon Says Stitched Rectangle Die

Cards in Envy On the Beach

Time for a new Cards in Envy Challenge!  This time we'd like to see anything related to the beach. Man, I wish I were on one. Heck, even near a nice one would do me. LOL.

For my cards I watercolored the background quickly with Zig markers.  While that was drying, I created a sandy white beach and colored up the other elements of the scene. I really love the look of the palm tree. The coconuts are enamel dots colored with Copics.

The Details: MFT Mermazing, Yvonne Creations Palm Tree, Memory Box Marina Sailboats and Cheerful Crabs, Copics, Zigs, Tim Holtz Watercolor Paper, Doodlebug Design Enamel Dots

Cards in Envy Twinkle Little Stars

Time for the latest Cards in Envy Challenge which is all about stars!

I hadn't intended to go USA patriotic with my card since I am so NOT all about that but ant at a picnic, July, summer--it all just came together that way.

I started by diecuting the base panel with a Hero Arts star cover plate--I cut another panel and taped the stars from behind for the sentiment to be stamped on.  Beneath I added red gingham (picnic!) and use other coordinating papers and washi to create a focal point for the Let's Do Lunch to try to abscond with the world's smallest apples.  Or the world's largest ant!

The Details:  CDD Let's Do Lunch, Outdoor Landscape 2 Dies and Stitched In Circle Dies, Doodlebug Design Patriotic Picnic 6x6 Paper, Memento Tuxedo Black, VersaFine Onyx Black, Scor-Tape, Ranger Multi Medium Matte, Hero Arts Cover Plate

Cards in Envy Feeling Blue and "Distressed"

We start a new Cards in Envy challenge late late tonight my time!  We'd like to see lots of blue Distress Ink/Oxide on your card although I bet we'd not notice if it was some other blue ink!  ;-)

I have had this card in my head for months and months. Seriously. I cut the MB Underwater Collage die out of scrap paper and used the negative as a stencil to create the pool using Distress Oxide Mermaid Lagoon. Then I colored up the sweet, sweet popsicle floatie image (maybe you guess my favorite fruit flavor is orange?) and plopped her right in the middle.  I few sequin water droplets and the sentiment and I've got the makings for a really cute make n take for my crafty girlfriends.  Woo hoo!

The Details:  Love Cynthia Girls Just Wanna Have Sun, MFT Polynesian Paradise (sentiment), Memory Box Underwater Collage die, Distress Oxide Mermaid Lagoon, Copics, Pretty Pink Posh Clear Sequins, Ranger Multi Medium Matte, Memento Tuxedo Black

Cards in Envy Cards for Boys or Men

Bring on those masculine cards for this round of the Cards in Envy Challenge!  It could be for a child or for a man or for a man-child in your life.

My card is for a friend's husband who loves him some beer. I think he likes dogs too? He better! LOL.  

I sponged the card base in Distress Oxides (love this combo!) then spattered with water.  While that was drying I started coloring the dogs I had cut out with my Scan n Cut.  This is another perfect example of when that machine is a must-have.  I mounted the ME Grid Window with foam tape then added the dogs using different thicknesses of tape. This is really cool in person especially. Makes your eyes a bit wonky like the drunky pups! :)

The Details:  Mama Elephant Little Dog Agenda and Grid Window Die, Avery Elle Swim Team (sentiment), Distress Oxide Twisted Citron, Peacock Feathers and Mermaid Lagoon, Memento Tuxedo Black, Versafine Onyx Black

Cards in Envy Feeling Sketchy!

This round at Cards in Envy, we're asking that you use a sketch to create your card.  Any sketch will do although we would appreciate a link or at least a picture of the sketch so we can all be inspired by your interpretation.  This is going to be fun! 

I have a secret tho.  I am not a fan of sketches. There I've said it. I can be very literal so sometimes find it hard to see the possibilities a sketch provides vs. thinking the sketch must be exactly so. I've been working on it and trying to loosen up my brain a bit. Not that I went off the creative deep end on this interpretation of Freshly Made Sketches #284, however. LOL.  FMS has a BUNCH of sketches to peruse and is a good spot to get some direction if you're having layout woes.

I'm entering this in Watercooler Wednesday #170 Masculine Anything Goes, Crafter's Cafe #194 All Creatures Great and Small, CAS on Friday #133 Birthday, Simon Says Wednesday Stencil It

The Details:  Sugarpea Designs Chunky Monkey, Newton's Nook Tropical Leaves Stencil, Distress Oxide Peeled Paint, Twisted Citron and Lucky Clover, Memento Tuxedo Black, Versafine Onyx Black, Copics, Ranger Multi Mediu Matte

Cards in Envy One-ish Layer

I'm super excited about this fortnight's Cards in Envy Challenge--one layer, sort of. The card base doesn't count as a layer so it's not as hard as it could be for sure! 

I first masked the sides of the card because my waves stamp is that width and I thought it would look odd otherwise.  What do you think?  I then stamped the image and then the waves. Next I colored the image. In retrospect I could have masked the image before stamping the waves but looks good to me either way. Finally I sponged the stencil and stamped that fabulously bold sentiment. So ready for summer! 

The Details:  Love Cynthia One Day at a Time, Memory Box Whale Hello There, The Greeting Farm Little Mermaids (sentiment), Craftin Desert Divas Bright Horizons Stencil, Distress Oxides, Copics, Memento Tuxedo Black, Versafine Onyx Black

Cards in Envy Birthday

We can never have enough birthday cards on hand so I was so happy that our Cards in Envy challenge this time is all about the birthdays! I just want to squeeze that chubby whatever-it-is death.  Bear? Cat? The legendary catbear?

The Details:  Brutus Monroe Birthday Bear, Versafine Onyx Black, Tim Holtz Watercolor Paper, MFT Black and White Stripes 6x6 paper, Zigs, Stamplorations Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Dies