THD Challenge 11

The Heart Desires Challenge #11 is has begun! I love this mood board--so much inspiration to choose from! How are you inspired? Come on over and show us!

I embossed the flowers in gold, because why not, and used Zigs to color them. I originally embossed the sentiment directly onto the card front but it didn't come out as clearly as I liked (gold and black powders don't play nice) so I stamped it separately then fussy cut. Love the stripe against all that floral beauty.

The Details: Concord and 9th You're My Person, Doodlebug Black/White Striped Washi and enamel dots, VersaFine Onyx Black, Stampendous Black Detail Fine Embossing Powder, Versamark, Ranger Gold Embossing Powder, Zigs

Concord & 9th You're My Person

Doodlebug B/W Stripe Washi

VersaFine Onyx Black

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Stamplorations Things with Wings Hop!

We are kicking off spring in a big way at Stamplorations by having a Things with Wings Blog Hop and Linky Party!  What's that, you say? Why, you check out the inspiration we have for you, leave comments, and link up if you like. There are lots of prizes and fun to be had. Read more about it on the main blog!

I sponged the background then the stencil.  For the stencil, I used Peacock Feathers Oxide as the base essentially to cover up the green beneath the flowers then went over that with Picked Raspberry to achieve a graduated purple tone. Love! I had this other really nifty idea for my card where the zentangled butterfly wouldn't be cut out through the center so only the wings lift. Cool, huh? Well, I completely forgot about that when I was running it through my Big Shot so I used Scor-Tape to adhere it down the middle instead. Still cool!

The sentiment was cut from leftover cardstock heavily sponged with the Cracked Pistachio. I love the subtlety, don't you?

Use the code STAMPGIRLTONI to get 20% off all regular- and sale-priced stamps, stencils and dies! This code cannot be combined with any other discount codes. Happy crafting!

The Details:   Cutplorations Be Kind and Flutter Zen 1 Layering Dies, Artplorations Happy Flowers, Distress Ink Cracked Pistachio, Picked Raspberry, Mowed Lawn, Peacock Feathers Oxide; Ranger Multi-Medium Matte, Memento Tuxedo Black, Simon Says Stitched Rectangle Die, Pop Tone Orange Fizz Cardstock, Scor-Tape

Cards in Envy Fantasy and Flowers Challenge

A bright and sunny day to you (I hope)! This fortnight's Cards in Envy Challenge focuses on fantasy creatures with lots of flowers. This may be my favorite challenge theme yet because I love both! I do hope you'll come over and play with us!

I chose to use the pixies as I hadn't yet inked them up. Actually I don't think I had used the flowers yet either. NBUS! Choosing the palette was a no brainer for me as I adore yellow flowers and the BG (blue-green) tones are my favorite in Copics. I extended the palette a bit by mixing the yellow and the BG to create shades of green. I also used the red from the heart wand to create a deeper orange. One big happy color family!

I'm entering this in Seize the Birthday without Vellum Topping,  Simon Says Wednesday Anything Goes

The Details:  Avery Elle Pixie Dust, Stampendous Daisy Cluster, Copics, Memento Tuxedo Black, Waltzing Mouse Stitched Scalloped Rectangle die

Merry and Bright Floral

I found the HA background stamp embossed onto a card front in my someday pile--can't even remember what I had intended for it back in the day. A little pink and red and green with a touch of blue and gold--new life as a holiday card! So based on the current The Heart Desires Challenge inspiration photo.

Happy holidays to you and yours!

The Details:  Penny Black Festive Cheer, Hero Arts Leaves and Flowers Background, Versamark, Stampendous Detail Fine White and Black embossing powder, Zig markers, Simon Says stitched rectangle die, Recollections 110lb black cardstock

Window Bloom

Another card for the Hop to Stop domestic violence.  I didn't have time to color all of the blooms so I chose to highlight one and thought creating a window to make the card interactive would be a fun touch for the recipient.  And because the window is on the top layer and the sentiment stamped on the outside of the card base, you can write all you want on the inside.  Love!

To create the window, I placed the die on the card front, then hung the part I didn't want cut over the edge of the cutting plate.  Easy peasy.

The Details:  Zigs, Flourishes Gerbera Daisies, Papertrey Ink Choose Joy, Waltzing Mouse Stitched Scalloped Rectangle die

Stamplorations CAS October Challenge!

This month's Stamplorations CAS challenge is sooooo easy to add the optional color twist of black.  I'm hard put to think of cards I've done that don't have black of some sort or another on them, right? 

For my card, I masked the card front and sponged with autumnal shades then spattered with a bit of water.    The Happy Flowers stencil really pops in black against the colored strip, doesn't it?  It's such a versatile stencil.  Love!

The Details:  Stamplorations Lotus Love, Artplorations Happy Flowers, Distress Inks Wilted Violet, Black Soot, Mustard Seed, Picked Raspberry and Candied Apple, Memento Tuxedo Black

Awesome

Well, now, I have a few NBUS in this card.  Are you familiar with that term coined by Darnell?  It refers to "Never Been Used Stuff."  I've got a lot of it here.  The MFT coverplate.  The Waffle Flower In Every Way stamp set.  Almost the Avery Elle rounded corner rectangle die that I thought I would get more use out of but not (so far).  Using stuff = less guilt about mega unused stash = time to buy new stash.  All Darnell's fault!  LOL.

Check out the colors and circular shapes in the current Card Concept challenge.  Fab inspiration image, huh?  My card is clean and layered.  A bit graphic too, I suppose.

I'm entering this in TIME OUT #67, Simon Says Wednesday Anything Goes, The Card Concept #58 Sweet and Sour

The Details:  Waffle Flower In Every Way, Hero Arts Neon Red to Purple Ombre and Neon Yellow to Orange Ombre, Versafine Onyx Black, Eyelet Outlet black enamel dot, Doodlebug glitter enamel dots, MFT Peekaboo Polka Dots, PTI Kraft cardstock, Avery Elle Rounded Corner Rectangle die

Waffle Flower In Every Way	Hero Arts Ombre Ink, Neon Red to Purple	Hero Arts Ombre Ink, Neon Yellow to Orange	VersaFine Onyx Black
Eyelet Outlet Matte Black Enamel Dots

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Happy Little Stampers CAS October Challenge!

I was so excited to learn that this month's HLS CAS challenge is embossing on vellum.  I had just gotten a new Heidi Swapp stencil and Minc Reactive paint so this was the perfect opportunity to try it out!

I have to say I am amazed at how easy it was use the stencil with the paint.  Amazing results.  The stencil is tacky on the back so there's little chance of the paint seeping where it shouldn't (ask me how I know).  It also rinsed right off the stencil no problem and dried quickly on the vellum.  I ran it through my laminator with gold Deco Foil and magic happened!  Love!  I mounted the vellum on a striped panel I had created using the Concord & 9th Stripe Builder set and HA ink.  I had to ink it up numerous times using the MISTI to get good coverage.  Had I used Versamark then the HA ink on top, I bet it would have been much easier.

I did try embossing the sentiment but Versamark had no adhesion on top of the foil so I stamped and fussy cut instead.  I like the effect of the raised sentiment panel so all good.

I hope you'll join us at HLS CAS; I look forward to seeing what you come up with!

The Details:  Concord & 9th Stripe Builder and You're My Person, Waffle Flower Lacy Layers die, VersaFine Onyx Black, Hero Arts Soft Pool, Heidi Swapp stencil, Minc Reactive Paint, Deco Foil Gold, Bazzill Icy Mint, PTI vellum, Scrapbook Adhesives vellum tape

Beautiful Day

We're about midway through The Heart Desires Challenge #4 so come join in!  You can choose to use the colors, (sun)flowers, and/or the sketch so lots to choose from.

I chose flowers for both of my cards but went in totally different directions with them.  I am loving Concord & 9th, aren't you?  Classy yet fresh, and very versatile.  I colored the first card with Copics and went really bold with this wedding card with the black.  Sigh.  So much POP!

I'm entering this in Curtain Call Fall Florals,  Addicted to Stamps and More #212 Make Your Mark, Simon Says Wednesday Gift It

For the second card, I used the flowers again and went monochromatic with gold.  Mmm, gold.  I stamped and embossed the wildflowers, then stamped and embossed the sentiment over the top of it.  Love how tactile it is.  A strip of washi on the cardbase and voila!

I'm entering this card in Allsorts #381 Black and White Plus One   

The Details:  Concord and 9th Beautiful Words, Wildflower, Happy Day, VersaFine Onyx Black, Doodlebug black/white striped washi, Stampendous black detail fine embossing powder, Versamark, Ranger gold embossing powder

Concord & 9th Wildflower

Concord & 9th Beautiful Words

Doodlebug B/W Stripe Washi

VersaFine Onyx Black

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Stamplorations CAS September Mid-Challenge Reminder!

We're about half way through the Stamplorations CAS Optional Pink Challenge.  I'm sad to see this one coming to a close but you still have time to join in the fun!

This card started out as a line of blossoms down the side of the card front.  Booooring.  It just wasn't IT.  So I used a fab Cutplorations die to cut out a panel at an angle. Ahh, much more interesting.  I added the sentiment (love the fonts!) and highlighted "happy" with happy yellow.  I then mounted the lot on foam on another Cutplorations die cut from the packaging of a Pretty Pink Posh product (die I think??).  Love!

I'm entering this in AAA #73 Upcycling

The Details:  Stamplorations Floral Bliss and Happy Sunflower, Cutplorations Crazy Running Stitch dies, Zigs, VersaFine Onyx Black, packaging from a Pretty Pink Posh die set

The Heart Desires Challenge #4!!

The Heart Desires Challenge #4 is coming at you with a bright and bold inspiration picture!  The elements to choose from are the colors, (sun)flowers and/or sketch.

I chose to use the bold stripes and flowers in my card using lots of Concord & 9th goodies.  Check out the Stripe Builder set--so easy to create a custom striped background.  I did find inking up the stamp with Versamark and then the Versafine resulted in better opacity.  Thanks to Jennifer McGuire for that tip.  I used Copics to color the vase and flowers and added some Wink of Stella to the water for a bit of shine.  I also used a thin gold strip and matching dots for bling.

The Details:  Concord & 9th Beautiful Words, Stripe Builder and Bouquet die, Waffle Flower Lacy Layers die, VersaFine Onyx Black, Mark Richards Gold Dots, Wink of Stella, Pretty Pink Posh 3mm clear sequins, Copics, Recollections gold mirror cardstock,  Versamark, Stampendous detail fine white embossing powder

Concord & 9th Beautiful Words	Concord & 9th Stripe Builder	Concord & 9th Bouquet Die	Waffle Flower Lacy Layers Dies
Wink of Stella, Clear	VersaFine Onyx Black	Mark Richards 5mm Gold Dots	Mark Richards 3mm Gold Dots

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You're Amazing

Crazy busy week--crafting keeping me sane!  Mostly.  Kind of.  Shut up.  :)

Not much to tell with this one.  I mixed up two fab stamp sets and love the play of the bold and the delicate.

I'm entering this in Tuesday Throwdown #309 CAS, Addicted to Stamps and More #209 CAS


The Details:  Waffle Flower In Every Way, Concord and 9th Wildflower, Ranger watercolor paper, Versafine Onyx Black, Eyelet Outlet black enamel dots, Zigs, Versamark, Stampendous detail fine while embossing powder

Waffle Flower In Every Way	Concord & 9th Wildflower	Ranger Watercolor Paper	Eyelet Outlet Matte Black Enamel Dots
VersaFine Onyx Black

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Watercolor Hydrangea

I've had the idea of using Brushos with Julie Ebersole's Mondo Hydrangea for ages, absolute ages.   I love how it turned out!  Do you notice the C9 Tree Ring in the background?  I stamped and embossed multiples of that in stages.  AND I stamped and embossed the sentiment on top of the tree ring embossing.  Held my breath on that but turned out fab!

I'm entering this in  Crafter's Cafe #153 CAS, CAS Mix Up, Fantasy Stampers 67 CAS

The Details:  Purple and Cobalt Brushos, Concord and 9th Tree Ring, Zig water brush, Ellen Hutson Mondo Hydrangea, Versamark, Stampendous White and Black Detail Fine embossing powder, Copic 0 and YG97, Neenah 140lb white cardstock base, Scotch foam tape, Recollections washi

Concord & 9th Tree Ring

Brushos, Purple

Zig H2O Detail Watercolor Brush

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