TCC93 Happy Mother's Day

Hi Friends!

Woohoo! It’s time for the new #93 {Floral Centerpiece} Challenge at The Card Concept!

I love this beautiful bouquet of flowers and was inspired by the different color blossoms as well as the gorgeous green in the background to create a Shabby Chic Mixed Media card.

I decided to use the digital Tulips in Hobnail Pitcher from Power Poppy and the soon-to-be retired sentiment from SU! Teeny Tiny Wishes. 

I love to participate in online challenges and will also be linking this card to the Simon Says Work It Wednesday April 2018 “Mother’s Day” Challenge, the Retro Rubber #86 “Beautiful Flowers” Challenge (this digital image is several years old and I believe this is the first card I have actually created with it) and the Word Art Wednesday #334-#335 “Anything Goes” Challenge.

Just a reminder that The Card Concept is a bi-weekly challenge that has an inspiration photo along with a suggestion of design styles that you can choose from to create your card- Clean and Simple, Clean and Graphic, Clean and Layered, Shabby Chic, Freestyle Collage, Classy and Elegant and Mixed Media (or you can combine several styles for your own style).

If you have not had a chance to visit us at The Card Concept or visit the other challenge sites yet, I hope you will find time to do so- gorgeous inspiration from all!

To create this card:

1). Using a design software (I used the retired Stampin’ Up! My Digital Studio™), position the Tulips in Hobnail Pitcher digital image onto your screen, enlarge if desired and print out onto a piece of vanilla cardstock. Watercolor the image with distress inks and markers.  Create a line area for the table using a Pigma Micron™ 005 Black Pen. 

2). Die cut the image with a stitched circle die, mount onto another circle of brown cardstock (also die cut with the same stitched circle die). 

3). Use a stencil brush with peeled paint distress ink to stencil the background around the flowers.

4). Die cut a piece of patterned paper with a stitched rectangle die, mount onto another rectangle die cut from espresso cardstock. Mount onto the white card front, add the ivory crochet lace and green grosgrain ribbon (wrapping the ribbon ends around to the inside of the card).  Cover the ends of the ribbon on the back of the card front with a piece of soft yellow cardstock.

5). Use a clear glitter pen to add shimmer to all of the tulips and an extra fine white paint pen to add a few dots to the flower stamens.

6). Stamp the sentiment from Teeny Tiny Wishes with archival black ink onto a piece of vanilla cardstock, heat set with a heat tool and stencil a bit of the peeled paint distress ink over the sentiment.  Create the banner points, mount onto espresso cardstock and add to the card front with dimensional foam.

7). Add a few pearls to the sentiment as well as the top left-hand corner to finish off the card.

Stamp Sets: Tulips in Hobnail Pitcher (Digital image from Power Poppy), Teeny Tiny Wishes (Stampin' Up!)

Ink/Mediums: Printer Ink- Black, Versafine™ Onyx Black, Tim Holtz® Distress Ink- Fossilized Amber, Shaded Lilac, Peeled Paint, Picked Raspberry, Mowed Lawn, Hickory Smoke; Distress Markers- Seedless Preserves, Mowed Lawn; Spectrum Noir™Clear Glitter Pen, Pigma Micron™ 005 Black Pen

Cardstock/Paper: Very Vanilla, Early Espresso, retired Designer Series Paper (all Stampin’ Up!)

Tools/Accessories:  Big Shot™, My Favorite Things™ Dies- A2 Stitched Rectangles STAX Set 1 & 2, Stitched Circle STAX; Clarity™ Stencil Brush, Heat Tool, 5/8” Moss Grosgrain Ribbon, Ivory Crochet Lace, retired My Digital Studio™, Pearls

I am so thankful that you took the time to visit me today! I hope I have inspired you to create your own card based on our Floral Centerpiece photo and share with us at The Card Concept- we would love to see your artwork in our gallery!!

TCC78 Hello Baby

Hi Friends!!

Woohoo! It’s time for the new #78 Pastel Party Photo Inspiration Challenge at The Card Concept!

I just love all of the fun pastel colors, the sweet stuffed animals and the cat figurine and plate in this sweet inspiration photo that Lesley found for us! I decided to use the new Stampin’ Up! Cat Punch and Quilt Builder Framelit™ Dies to create my Freestyle Collage/Shabby Chic card.

I also incorporated the As You See It #158 "Doily Dreams" Sketch Challenge and the Joy of Sets #006 -“Letter T” Challenge into the design (I used Teeny Tiny Wishes).

If you have not had a chance to do so, I hope you will find the time to check out the rest of the wonderful Design Team cards at The Card Concept as well as the entries at the other challenge sites- fabulous inspiration from all!

To create this card:

1). Trim a piece of Whisper White cardstock, mount onto a piece of Pool Party cardstock, trim again and mount onto a piece of Pink Pirouette cardstock. Mount the entire panel to the Extra Thick Whisper White card base.

2). Die cut a piece of Pool Party cardstock with a stitched rectangle die and mount onto the card front.

3). Create the quilt block using the new Quilt Builder Framelits™- I used retired Stampin’ Up! designer papers- Crushed Curry (from an old hostess pack), Pool Party and Pink Pirouette along with Whisper White cardstock.  I cut four of the quilt dies and pieced all four onto squares of coordinating cardstock (for this card I used Whisper White as the frame and base).  Add a white tea lace doily behind the quilt and adhere the strip of retired Pool Party ¼” stitched satin ribbon with the pink button embellishment.  Mount the entire quilt assembly onto the card front with dimensional foam.

4). Use the Cat Punch to punch out three cats- one from Pink Pirouette cardstock and two from Whisper White cardstock.  Layer the pieces together and mount onto the card front with dimensional foam.

5). Ink the “Hello Babby” sentiment from Teeny Tiny Wishes with archival black ink, stamp onto a piece of Whisper White cardstock and create the fishtail banner with the retired Hexagon Punch (or by hand).  Mount the sentiment onto piece of Pink Pirouette cardstock (allowing just the end to peek out), tuck the end under the Cat Punch and adhere to the card front with dimensional foam.

Stamp Sets:  Teeny Tiny Wishes

Ink/Mediums: Versafine™ Onyx Black Ink

Cardstock/Paper: Whisper White, Extra Thick Whisper White, Pool Party, Pink Pirouette; retired DSP- Crushed Curry, Pool Party, Pink Pirouette

Accessories: Big Shot™, Quilt Builder Framelits™ , Cat Punch, MFT Stitched Rectangle STAX Dies, White Tea Lace Doily, ¼” Pool Party Stitched Satin Ribbon, Pink Pirouette button, Hemp Twine

Thanks again for taking the time to stop by!  I hope I have inspired you today and that you will be able to join us for the #78“Pastel Party” Challenge at The Card Concept! 

SUO166 Bloomin' Heart Valentine

Hi Friends!   

Woohoo! It’s time for the SUO166 “Embossing of All Kinds” Challenge at SU-Only Challenges! 

I decided to create a Clean and Simple (CAS) using both types of embossing and am also linking this card to the CAS(E) This Sketch #204 Sketch Challenge, the Inspired By All the Little Things #39 Photo Inspiration Challenge as well as the Happy Little Stampers January “Anything Goes” with Dies Challenge.

If you have not had a chance to stop by the SU-Only Challengesite to check out the rest of the Design Team projects or the other challenge sites, I hope you will do so- fabulous inspiration from all!

This was an extremely easy card to create:

1). Trim a piece of Whisper White cardstock, emboss with the Woodgrain Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folder, trim as needed, mount onto Real Red cardstock, trim again and mount onto the black card front.

2). Mount the card front onto the Extra Thick Whisper White card base.

3). Die cut two pieces of Real Red cardstock with the Bloomin’ Hearts Thinlits™ Die, layer together and mount onto the card front with Stampin’ Dimensionals®.  Apply Clear Wink of Stella® to the entire heart die.

4). De-static a piece of Basic Black cardstock with an Embossing Buddy®, stamp the sentiment from Teeny Tiny Wishes with Versamark™ ink, apply Stampin’ Emboss® White Embossing Powder and heat set with the Heat Tool.  Trim the sentiment and use the retired Hexagon Punch to create the banner (or you could create with a square punch or by hand).

 5). Mount the sentiment to the heart and add a few Rhinestones to finish off the card.

Stamp Sets:  Teeny Tiny Wishes

Ink: Versamark™; Clear Wink of Stella®

Paper/Cardstock: Whisper White, Extra Thick Whisper White, Basic Black, Real Red

Accessories: Big Shot™, Woodgrain Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folder, Bloomin’ Hearts Thinlits™, Embossing Buddy®, Stampin’ Emboss® White Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Rhinestones

 Thanks again for taking the time to visit – I hope that you will create your own Stampin’ Up! Only project and play along with our “Embossing of All Kinds” challenge!

SUO160 Thinking of You This Fall

Hi Friends!   

It’s time for the SUO160 “Fall Fun” Challenge at SU-Only Challenges!

Fall/Autumn is my favorite time of year with all of the glorious colors that nature has on display here on the East Coast. 

 I was inspired by our recent trips to Skyline Drive and wanted to create a card using the oak images from SU! Lovely As A Tree- for some reason, the oak tree and oak leaf images have not been inked as often as the others in this stamp set, so they were begging for some “love” :-)

This photo was taken along Skyline Drive last week- the colors were not quite peak yet- they were a bit brighter today but I have not uploaded those photos yet :-)

I was inspired by our recent trips to Skyline Drive and wanted to create a card using the oak images from SU! Lovely As A Tree- for some reason, the oak tree and oak leaf images have not been inked as often as the others in this stamp set, so they were begging for some “love” :-)

I also incorporated the Create with Connie and Mary CCMC429 SketchChallenge along with the Splitcoaststampers’ CC603 Color Challenge and Free For All F4A344  “Into the Woods”Challenge in the design.

If you have not had a chance to do so, I hope you will stop by the SU-Only Challenge site to check out the rest of the Design Team projects as well as the other challenge galleries- fabulous inspiration from all!

To create this card:

Ink the oak tree and oak leaves images from Stampin’ Up! (SU!) Lovely As A Tree with Basic Black Archival Ink, stamp onto a piece of Whisper White cardstock and heat set with the Heat Tool.

Using Stampin’ Write Markers- Hello Honey, Cajun Craze and Old Olive for the leaves and Soft Suede for the trunk and acorn (use an AquaPainter™ to blend the ink).

Fussy-cut the oak leaves and use the Big Shot™ with the Circle Framelits™ to die cut the oak tree (also cutting two circles the same size from Cajun Craze cardstock).  Layer the Cajun Craze circles behind the oak tree image.

Use the Big Shot™ with the Woodgrain Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folder to emboss a piece of Old Olive cardstock, trim and mount onto a piece of Cajun Craze cardstock, trim and mount onto the Extra Thick Whisper White card base.

Lightly sponge Sahara Sand Classic Ink in the interior of the Woodland Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folder  before inserting a piece of Whisper White cardstock, emboss with the Big Shot™, trim the panel, mount onto a piece of Cajun Craze cardstock and adhere to the card front.

Add a scrap piece of Crushed Curry cardstock (oops!  I just realized that I pulled Crushed Curry out by mistake versus Hello Honey),  frayed piece of 1 ¼” Burlap Ribbon and a sliver of Cajun Craze cardstock (I found all of these in my scrap bin- the Crushed Curry and Cajun Craze pieces were previously embossed with the Woodgrain EF and ready to go).

Stamp the sentiment from Teeny Tiny Wishes with Basic Black Archival Ink, eat set with the Heat Tool, create the banner points by hand, mount onto a piece of Cajun Craze cardstock and trim close to the edge.

Add the sentiment along with the fussy-cut leaves and oak tree image with Stampin’ Dimensionals®.

Finish off the card by applying Clear Wink of Stella® to the leave on the tree as well as the fussy-cut leaves.

Stamp Sets:  Lovely As A Tree, Teeny Tiny Wishes

Ink: Stampin’ Archival Pad™- Basic Black, Classic Ink- Sahara Sand; Stampin’ Write Markers- Cajun Craze, Hello Honey, Old Olive; Clear Wink of Stella®

Paper/Cardstock:  Whisper White, Extra Thick Whisper White, Cajun Craze, Crushed Curry, Old Olive

Tools/Accessories: Big Shot™,  Woodland and Woodgrain Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folders, retired Circle Framelits™, AquaPainter™,  1 ¼” Burlap Ribbon

I hope this card has inspired you to pull out your Stampin’ Up! products and come  join us in the SU-Only “Fall Fun” Challenge.

Thanks again for stopping by- hugs and have a great week!

SUO152 The Wilderness Awaits

Hi Friends!   

It’s time for the SUO152 “Delight in Nature” Challenge at SU-Only Challenges!

I love all types of nature and always seem to have a need for masculine cards, so I decided to use The Wilderness Awaits for this quick and easy nature card.

I also incorporated the Splitcoaststampers SC598 Sketch Challenge along with Alphabet Week 20 “T” Challenge (T=Trees, Twine, Texture, Thinking of You). 

In addition to visiting the above Splitcoaststampers challenge galleries, I hope you will stop by the SU-Only Challenge site to check out my sister Design Team projects as well as pull out your Stampin’ Up! supplies and join in on the fun!

This card is fairly easy to create (coloring the image was the most time-consuming step):

Ink the mallard image from The Wilderness Awaits with Basic Black Stampin’ Archival Pad™, stamp onto Whisper White cardstock and heat set with the Heat Tool.

Color the image with Stampin’ Write markers and an AquaPainter™ (I used a photo for color reference), heat with the Heat Tool to dry and use the Big Shot™ with the Oval Framelits™ to cut out the image (also cutting two ovals the same size from Early Espresso cardstock).

Layer the two Early Espresso cardstock ovals behind the focal image panel and set aside.

Ink the interior of the Woodland Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folder with Smoky Slate Classic Ink and emboss a piece of Whisper White cardstock, trim the panel and mount onto Dapper Denim cardstock, trim and mount onto Early Espresso cardstock.

Use the Big Shot™ with the Woodgrain Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folder to emboss a piece of Garden Green cardstock as well as a piece of Dapper Denim cardstock.

Die cut the Dapper Denim cardstock with the Circle Framelits™, cutting a circle the same size from Early Espresso cardstock as well (layer the Early Espresso circle behind the embossed Dapper Denim circle).

Trim the embossed Garden Green layer and mount onto a piece of Early Espresso cardstock.

Adhere the Garden Green layer onto the card front, add the Dapper Denim embossed circle and mount the focal image oval with Stampin’ Dimensionals®.

Heat emboss the sentiment from Teeny Tiny Wishes with Stampin’ Emboss® White Embossing Powder onto Early Espresso cardstock, hand trim and mount onto the card front with Stampin’ Dimensionals®.

Adhere the entire card front onto an Extra Thick Whisper White card base and add the retired wooden button with twine to finish off the card.

Stamp Sets:  The Wilderness Awaits, Teeny Tiny Wishes

Ink:  Versamark™, Basic Black Stampin’ Archival Pad™, Smoky Slate Classic Ink; Stampin’ Write Markers- Dapper Denim, Emerald Envy, Garden Green, Early Espresso, Smoky Slate, Delightful Dijon, Tangerine Tango, Pool Party

Paper/Cardstock: Whisper White, Dapper Denim, Early Espresso

Accessories: Big Shot™, Woodland Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folder, Embossing Buddy®, Heat Tool, Stampin’ Emboss® White Embossing Powder, AquaPainter™, Circle and Oval Framelits™, retired Hemp Twine and Designer Brushed Bronze button

Thanks again for stopping by and we hope to see your Stampin’ Up! Only project in our “Delight in Nature” Challenge gallery!

Happy Birthday with Picture Perfect Flowers

Hi Friends!!

I hope all of you are enjoying your week so far!  I wanted to share another Mixed Media card I created last night using the TGIF Challenges! #tgif59 Sketch Challenge and Seize The Birthday "Sunshine" Challenge (you cannot have flowers without sunshine, right?) :-)

I decided to experiment with watercolor using Ranger® Tim Holtz® Distress Markers and the floral and leaf images from Stampin’ Up! Picture Perfect stamp set. 

If you have not had a chance to check out the challenge sites, I hope you will do so- fabulous inspiration from all!

To create this card:

Ink the #2 rose image from Picture Perfect using a Ranger® Tim Holtz® Picked Raspberry Distress Marker and stamp the image onto watercolor paper.

Use an AquaPainter™ to soften the edges, adding more marker directly to the paper to define the petals and ink the #3 image with the Seedless Preserves Distress Marker.

Continue to soften the edges and repeat the steps above for the next two flowers (removing ink from the stamp to avoid overlapping images).

Add the leaves using the Mowed Lawn Distress Marker softening the edges with the AquaPainter™.

Add Salty Ocean Distress Marker

to the Mermaid Lagoon  Distress Crayon (rubbing the crayon on your craft mat and using an AquaPainter™ to add to the water color in the background).

Use a Speedball® Elegant Writer® to add dark shadows and soften with an AquaPainter™ and use Ranger® Tim Holtz® Distress Black Soot Crayon as needed.

Ink the #3 floral image once more using Seedless Preserves and stamp over the flowers defining the petals.

Use the Big Shot™ with the Square Framelits™ to cut out the image and mount onto a piece of Rich Razzleberry cardstock.

Close-up of floral images :-)

Trim a piece of Pretty in Pink cardstock larger than the stamped image leaving a space at the bottom (per the sketch), mount onto a piece of Rich Razzleberry cardstock and trim close to the edge.

Ink the border stamp from Timeless Textures using Pink Pirouette Classic Ink and stamp onto the lower part of the Pretty In  Pink frame.

Emboss a piece of Old Olive cardstock using the Boho Chic Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folder, trim and mount onto a piece of Pretty In Pink cardstock, trim and mount onto a piece of Rich Razzleberry cardstock.

Add the entire panel onto the card base created from a piece of Extra Thick Whisper White cardstock.

Add the strips of Pretty In Pink and Rich Razzleberry cardstock to the card front, mount the watercolor focal image using dimensional foam.

Add the Silver Cord loops along with the heat embossed sentiment and add water droplets using the splatter stamp from Timeless Textures (stamped in water) to finish off the card.

Stamp Sets: Picture Perfect, Teeny Tiny Wishes, Timeless Textures

(all Stampin'Up!)

Ink: Versamark™, Pink Pirouette Classic Ink; Ranger® Tim Holtz® Distress Markers- Picked Raspberry, Seedless Preserves, Mowed Lawn, Salty Ocean; Distress Crayons- Mermaid Lagoon, Black Soot; Speedball® Elegant Writer®

Paper: Watercolor, Basic Black, Old Olive, Rich Razzleberry, Pretty In Pink (retired)

Accessories: Big Shot™, Boho Chic Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folder, Square Framelits™, Embossing Buddy®, Stampin’ Emboss® White Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Silver Cord, retired Hexagon Punch, AquaPainter™

Thanks again for taking the time to stop by- I had fun with this experiment and will be using Distress Markers for watercolor again soon!  Hugs and I hope you have a blessed week, my friends!

With Sympathy- Cards for A Cause using a Color, Sketch and Pretty Patterned Paper

Hi Friends!

I hope all of you had a wonderful Mother’s Day weekend!!  This card was designed using the Watercooler Wednesday Challenges #65 Sketch along with The Paper Players PP294 Color Challenge, the Free For All #324 “Pretty Patterns” Challenge and the May 2016 MISSION- Cards for A Cause Challenge (see details here)- both at Splitcoaststampers.

Rose's Fund for Animals is the recipient of the Cards for A Cause this month, so I decided to create a sympathy card with this soft color palette.

If you have not had a chance to check out the above challenge sites, I hope you will find time to do so- wonderful samples from all!

I used quite a few scraps, die cuts from my stash and retired designer papers to create this card:

On a piece of Pink Pirouette Designer Series Paper (from the retired Stampin’ Up! Bella Birds DSP), age the paper with a Sponge Applicator and Ranger® Tim Holtz® Old Paper Distress Ink. 

Add additional texture using the graph stamp along with the scroll, border and splatter stamps from Timeless Textures stamps along with Wisteria Wonder Classic Ink (stamping the images off onto scrap paper before stamping onto the DSP).

Trim the panel and mount onto a piece of Wisteria Wonder cardstock, trim again and mount onto the Basic Black card base.

Trim a piece of retired Afternoon Tea DSP and mount onto a piece of Wisteria Wonder cardstock, trim again and mount onto Basic Black cardstock.  Adhere to the card front for the vertical element of the sketch.

Stamp a scrap piece of Pink Pirouette DSP with the Timeless Texture stamp using Wisteria Wonder Classic Ink, trim and mount onto a piece of Wisteria Wonder cardstock, then again onto Basic Black cardstock. Adhere the strip to the card front (per the sketch).

Use the Big Shot™ with the My Favorite Things™ (MFT) Open Oval Scallop Doily to cut out the scallop oval from Pear Pizzazz cardstock (I had this already cut in my stash) and cut an oval with the Oval Framelits™ (Stampin’ Up!) from another pattern of the Afternoon Tea DSP for the center piece and another plain oval the same size from Basic Black cardstock, split the Basic Black oval in half and mount behind the DSP oval.

Mount the layered DSP oval to the scallop oval and mount the entire layered oval to the card front using dimensional foam.

Add the die cut cat, sentiment and Pearls to finish off the card.

Stamp Sets: Timeless Textures, Teeny Tiny Wishes (MDS version)

Ink/Mediums: Wisteria Wonder Classic Ink, Ranger® Tim Holtz® Old Paper Distress Ink; Printer Ink (sentiment)

Paper: Basic Black, Wisteria Wonder, retired Afternoon Tea and Bella Birds DSP

Accessories: Big Shot™, MFT Scallop Oval Doily Die, Sitting Cat Die (Poppy Stamps™), Sponge Applicator, Hexagon Punch, Pearls

Thanks again for taking the time to visit- I hope you have a wonderful week!

PP289 Western Thinking of You

Hi Again Friends!

I had a chance today to create a card for The Paper Players PP289 “WesternTheme” Challenge along with the Mojo442 Sketch Challenge.

If you have not had a chance to visit the above challenge site galleries yet, again, I highly encourage you to do so- fabulous inspiration from all!

To create this card:

De-static a piece of Very Vanilla cardstock with the Embossing Buddy®, ink the Nature Silhouettes (retired Stampin’ Up!) tree and wolf image using Versamark™ Ink, stamp onto the prepared cardstock, apply Stampin’ Emboss® Early Espresso Embossing Powder (retired) and heat set with the Heat Tool.

Once the embossing powder has cooled, trim the image, mount onto Early Espresso cardstock, trim again and mount onto a piece of retired Dusty Durango cardstock.

Trim a few pieces of the retired Outlaw Designer Paper (Stampin’ Up!) and use a sewing machine with the zig zag stitch to attach the pieces to Early Espresso cardstock for the elements of the sketch.

Mount the background panel to the Dusty Durango card base, add the wolf focal image with dimensional foam, add the sentiment and Vintage Brad with the ribbon detail.

Stamp Sets:  Nature Silhouettes (retired), Teeny Tiny Wishes

Ink: Versamark™, Early Espresso Classic Ink

Paper/Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Early Espresso, retired Dusty Durango; retired Outlaw DSP

Accessories:  Embossing Buddy®, Stampin’ Emboss® Early Espresso Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Sewing Machine, White Thread, Hexagon Punch, Antique Brad, 1” Peach Satin Ribbon (from my stash)

Thanks again for taking the time to visit- I hope you have a fabulous week, my friends!