A Two Fer

I had a small moment to craft last night... (I've got a sickie toddler at home) and decided to make a card for two challenges that caught my eye. The Friday Mashup and Retro Sketches, which is a new one to me. Here's my card:

Paper: Sahara Sand, Whisper White
Ink: Raspberry Ripple, Black
Stamps: Hello Doily, Fabulous Florets, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Tools: Decorative Label Punch
Accessories: Masking Tape, Vintage Brads, Mini Stars (from stash)

So, over the weekend I was perusing the web and came across a Blogger who said she used the "masking tape technique". I had no idea what that was, so I did a little Google search. There were many great ideas, but I decided to ink up a stamp and then use masking tape to transfer the image to the sticky side and tape it down to a sheet of whisper white.

Before gluing it down to my card base, I sponged it with Raspberry Ripple and stamped some of the floral images from Fabulous Florets in the same colour. I added a fussy-cut flower with a Vintage Brad a sentiment from Teeny Tiny Wishes.

Hope you like my card... why don't you play along with the challenges too?! They're tons of fun and get your creative juices flowing!

Until next time, stay crafty!
Steph

For the Mashup

It's been a loooooong time since I've played along with any online challenges. The Friday Mashup is one that I've enjoyed and I decided to play along this week...

Paper: Tangerine Tango, Whisper White, Sycamore Street DSP (SAB Sneak Peek)
Ink: Sahara Sand, Early Espresso, Island Indigo, Summer Starfruit
Stamps: Simply Soft (Retired Hostess), Perfect Punches, En Francais
Tools: Big Shot, Honeycomb TIEF, Labels Framelits, XL Oval
Accessories: Summer Starfruit Stitched Satin Ribbon

This card was inspired by one I saw on Pinterest by Kristin Moore. I went a little overboard on the patterns maybe, but I think it works. The challenge this week is to use at least three of the suggested colours (Early Espresso, Summer Starfruit, Tangerine Tango, Island Indigo, Sahara Sand) &/or to use patterns. I mashed it up by doing both.

I had a lot of fun making this card and I hope you like it!

Until next time, stay crafty!
Steph

CASEing

CASEing stands for "Copy and Share Everything". I really do enjoy CASEing, on occasion, and honestly am flattered if someone were to CASE me. Provided they give the right credit, of course. :) Well, today I CASEd myself! And I'm flattered. ha. Either the heat is getting to me, or my father's corny sense of humor is coming out...

Anyway, as soon as I saw the challenge over at The Friday Mashup, a card I did a couple of months ago came to mind - here is that card. The challenge over there this week is to use banners/flags &/or to create a matching envelope. I combined this challenge with the Sunday Stamps challenge, which is a colour challenge this week. Here are the details for both:

Unlike my original creation, I wanted to keep this one a little less busy and focus mainly on the many, many bitty banners I had to run through my Big Shot! Here is my new creation:

Paper: Patio Party DSP, Primrose Petals, Summer Starfruit, Basic Gray, Whisper White
Stamp Sets: Teeny Tiny Wishes, Itty Bitty Banners
Ink: Basic Gray
Accessories: Bakers Twine, Silver Brads
Tools: Big Shot, Bitty Banners, Top Note Die

To create my card, I started with a piece of 4x5 inch piece of Whisper White card stock. I ran that through the Big Shot with the smallest of the Bitty Banners, on an angle. From there (after cutting all those other banners), I glued them at the same angle and altering the patterns. Once they were all glued, I ran it though the Big Shot using the Top Note die. I added Bakers Twine with some brads and folded some solid-coloured banners over it.

Before popping up the finished piece to my Whisper White card base, I stamped a sentiment from Teeny Tiny Wishes.

I used the "scrap" piece left over after cutting the Top Note shape and a stamped banner with the Itty Bitty Banners stamp set to create a coordinating envelope - something I hardly ever do, but it adds such a special touch. Obviously this card cannot go in the mail with an envie like that, so this card will have to be hand-delievered to someone special!

What do you think?

Until next time, stay crafty!
Steph

The Olympics Are Coming!

I don't know about you, but when the Olympics are on, I'm pretty much glued to the TV. Perhaps a little more in the winter than in the summer, but I do enjoy watching the events. This week over at The Friday Mashup!, they've got an Olympic-inspired sketch. Here are the details:

So here is the "Mashup" Challenge :

1. Make a project with "The Olympic Colour Combination of Marina Mist, Basic Black, Daffodil Delight, Wild Wasabi & Real Red."
2. Or Make a Project using "Multiple Circles."
3. Or "Mash it Up" and create a project with the "Olympic Color Combo and Multiple Circles."

I usually tend to "Mash it Up" because I find it more challenging that way. This week was no exception! Here's what I came up with:

Stamps: Papaya Collage
Ink: StazOn Black, Marina Mist, Real Red, Daffodil Delight, Wild Wasabi
Paper: Whisper White, Basic Black
Embellies: Jewels
Tools: Big Shot, Framed Tulips Embossing Folder, 1-3/8" Circle Punch

I just love Papaya Collage! It's such a versatile set - a flower, leaves, a bird, frames, a party hat and a butterfly. You wouldn't think they all go together, but they work! I choose this set because I just adore the rosette and knew it would work well in a punched out circle.

I first stamped the frame in black (isn't it gorgeous?!) and then I masked it so that I could stamp the leaves without stamping over the frame. I stamped and punched the rosettes and popped them up with Dimensionals. I also embossed a frame around the entire card using the Framed Tulips Embossing Folder and added some jewels around the inner frame for a little bling.

I like to pretty-up the inside of my cards to coordinate with the outside, so I stamped some leaves and then fussy-cut 2 rosettes. I popped the Real Red one with Dimensionals to give it all a bit of depth.

What do you think?

Until next time, stay crafty!
Steph

Mash It!

I'm back today with another challenge creation. I just love playing over at The Friday Mashup! It's such a fun challenge because you always have several options. The ladies always give you two options and then a third one to "mash it up" and mix both together. I usually decide to "mash it up" because it's like combining two challenges in one. :) Here's this week's theme:

You could choose to: 1. Make a project with a "party theme", 2. Make a "box in a bag" - Amanda Corbet was grateful to provide a tutorial for this! or 3. "Mash it up" and make a project with both. Well, you already know that I decided to "mash it up"! Here's what I came up with:

I actually was in need of a wedding/shower card and thought this challenge was perfect because I can use the "box in a bag" for a gift card or money. Adds a little something extra to the gift, I think. As soon as I saw the Fan Fair DSP in the new catty, I thought the bicycle pattern would work well with the Wedding Wheels stamp brush set in MDS. This is certainly not your typical wedding card! It kind of has a county/vintage feel to it I think...

I used the Labels Collection framelits for the image cutout & border, and also for the closure on the bag (but it's hiding behind the ribbon). I used MDS for the image, so I guess this is a bit of a hybrid card. I also discovered that one of the cute new labels from the Little Labels punch pack fit the "Mr. & Mrs." stamp from the set Tiny Tags. I accented the Bride with tiny pearls and the card with Crumb Cake Seam Binding Ribbon and some (retired) Hat Pins.

What do you think?

Until next time, stay crafty!
Steph

Mash It Up!

I love playing with the ladies over at Friday Mashup! so I had to post again today. Lucky you! This week's challenge was to use the sketch, incorporate birds in your design, or to "Mash It Up" and use the sketch AND birds. Again, I just had to mash it. :)

Here's the sketch:

 

And here's my creation:

 

What do you think?

As I mentioned in a previous post, I just recently inked up Elements of Style and I've been using it a lot! Since this stamp set has a humming bird in it, I thought it would work well for this challenge.

First, I stamped the floral image in Soft Suede ink on a piece of First Edition Specialty Paper - love that stuff! I created a frame by nesting two framelits from the Labels Collection to create kind of an abstract window. Seam Binding Ribbon in Daffodil Delight and Crumb Cake add some texture - the first I scrunched across the card and the latter was used to create a rosette. The white daisy and hat pins are retired SU! product, but thought they added something to the card. Lastly, I accented my flower with a lovely Vintage Brad and added my cut-out Cherry Cobbler humming bird in order to "Mash It Up".

Until next time, stay crafty!

Steph

Double Whammy

I'm back with another Friday Mashup card and a custom card I did for a customer recently. First, I'll briefly chat about The Friday Mashup!

This week's challenge is entitled "Boys Will Be Boys". The "Mashup" Challenge is to either:
1. Make a project for "that special man in your life",
2. Make a project with the "sketch":

3. Or, "Mash it Up" and create a "masculine card using the above sketch".

I decided to "Mash it Up".

I chose to do a simpler card using the Tool Shed stamp from Stampin' Up! It's hard to tell in the picture (sorry about that!), but the first layer is embossed foil - cool, eh?! Then I've popped up each layer after that with dimensionals. Each layer is layered perfectly so that you get the entire image of the stamp, even though the image was stamped 3 separate times. The final layer is also layered on foil. I added a simple sentiment and some wire accented with a "screw" brad.

What do you think?

I recommend checking out The Friday Mashup to see all the other creations from the same sketch and maybe try doing a challenge yourself. They're tons of fun!

Next...

A couple of weeks ago I was commissioned to do a custom card for a barber's 60th birthday. The client wanted something "barber themed" and this is what I came up with:

Again, the background is embossed and I created a barber poll as the focal point. Again, hard to tell from the picture (sorry!), but I popped up a sheet of acetate to give the whole thing a 3D look. I'm really happy with how this turned out, and so is the client... which is what counts!


What do you think?

Until next time, stay crafty!
Steph