I Believe in You

I'm finally back to cardmaking!  I cannot believe that I haven't posted anything since the end of August, but I just have not had much for cardmaking mojo.  I've been doing some knitting, and I just finished painting my daughter's room, so that's what's been occupying my time these days.

I wanted to contribute to the Hope You Can Cling To challenges at Splitcoaststampers again this year, and that finally restarted my mojo.  I'm only going to have time to post one card tonight, but I did get 6 other challenge cards made this weekend!  I'm hoping to get them photographed and posted over the coming days.

So for the HYCCT1111 challenge, we were challenged to Fight Like a Girl and include girlie embellishments on our cards.  I made the card for the 1105 sketch challenge earlier today, so I just used that same sketch and went really girlie with it.  This card is also my entry for the October Get Your Diva On Challenge.  Andrea challenged us to make handmade embellishments for our entries.

I used some black and white damask paper from my stash as the base and then created a big pink flower as my handmade embellishment.  This pink flower is made from some fabric scraps left over from the little girls' dresses for my wedding.   I was married 16 years ago, so it is high time that these scraps are put to good use!  I picked this bright watermelon pink color because it matches one of my favorite flowers, stargazer lilies.

I have a few pictures of the process, but I made a smaller flower in these demo pictures.  First, take a long strip of fabric (I used a watermelon pink taffeta) and fold it in half with the wrong sides together.  The wider your folded fabric, the taller your flower will be.  I used a sewing machine to run two rows of gathering stitches (at 3/8 and at 5/8).  Start at one end and tie off the gathering threads.  Then tightly pull up the gathers and roll into a flower shape.







 Once I have the flower rolled and shaped as desired, I tack through the layers enough times to hold the whole thing together.  The last thing you want at this point is for the flower to come partially unrolled!

Supplies:
Stamps:  Verve "Fabulous You"
Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black
Other:  Nestabilities circle and scalloped circle, lace and ribbon from stash, fabric from stash, Recollections bling flourish from Michael's

Thanks for stopping by! 
Blessings!
Sarah

Simon Says... Time for a Sketch!

This week's challenge at Simon Says Stamp is a fun sketch designed by Dawny.

I needed to make a birthday card for my father-in-law, so I decided to use the muted, vintage colors in the Bo Bunny "Timepiece" papers and pair them with the "Time" set from Our Daily Bread Designs.

Supplies:
Stamps:  Our Daily Bread Designs "Time" (image and sentiment)
Papers:  Ivory, brown, dps from Bo Bunny's "Timepiece" collection
Ink:  SU! "Basic Brown" and Vintage Photo Distress Ink for sponging
Other:  Cuttlebug embossing folder "Clockworks" used on kraft mat, MFT scallop border die, sponge

Thanks for stopping by!
Blessings,
Sarah

Fun Challenge Combo

I'm back tonight with a card I made for 6 challenges.  It's a fun challenge to combine challenges!  :)

I used the week #170 sketch from Sketch Saturday (I loved working with this sketch!)
At Basic Grey Challenges, this week Anything Goes!  I used Basic Grey "Porcelain" paper.
This week's Shining the Light Challenge #74 at Our Daily Bread Designs is to use a doily.
The Stamping in Time Challenge #42 at Our Daily Bread Designs is to use lace.
At Papertake Weekly, the challenge is to use a die cut.
I didn't make the deadline for CR84FN36 to use yellow, kraft, and a neutral (I used ivory), but I already had this card started, so I decided to stick with those colors.

Here's my card.

I took a closeup so you could see the center panel a bit more clearly. 

I also took a side angle photo so you can see a bit of the dimension and the other Basic Grey "Porcelain" paper on the inside of the card.

Supplies:
Stamps:  ODBD "Serve the Lord" (image and sentiment)
Ink:  Vintage Photo Distress Ink (sentiment) and SU! "Basic Brown" (image)
Paper:  Ivory, pale yellow, kraft
Other:  ODBD coordinating die, MFT doily die, lace and ivory satin ribbon from stash,  Recollections pearls, Prismacolor pencils, odorless mineral spirts, blending stumps
Technique:  Gamsol magic


Thanks for stopping by!
Blessings!
Sarah

Sweet Summer Colors

Hi again!  I wasn't intending to take over a week off from crafting, but we had a death in the family.  My great uncle died on the 20th at age 99.  Ray had been in good health and had such a clear mind. He had been hospitalized on the 16th but had improved by Friday. When the news came that he had died Saturday night, we were surprised to hear that he died.  We will miss Uncle Ray so much.  He was a dear, sweet, kind man.   I went home to sing for the funeral and to spend some time with my Dad. 

I wanted to make a card for TSTR's "The Sweet Days of Summer" challenge.  We were challenged to use the colors in the inspiration photo (pink, peach, green, and neutrals) and create our own flower.  I used Charmaine's VLV sketch as the basis of my layout.

Here's my card.

I kept it pretty simple and not too flowery as I wanted to make a card to send to Ray's only child, Donald using this sentiment.  I stamped a flower along the border and then stamped again without reinking to give it a little more depth.

Here's a closeup of my crocheted flower.  I used a round button for the center after cutting off the shank so it could be easily glued in place.  The flower is a little more light orange than a pale peach, but it's what I had for yarn in my stash!  I used Cotton Classic yarn from Tahki to make the flower.

Supplies:
Stamps:  Verve "Sunny Days" for flowers and Plain Jane "Where Flowers Bloom"
Papers:  White, SU! Pretty in Pink, dps from K & Co. Susan Winget
Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black, SU! "Pretty in Pink"
Other:  Tahki Cotton Classic yarn, crochet hook, pink button from stash, MS pansy border punch

Thanks for stopping by!
Blessings!
Sarah

Mojo 204

I needed to make one more graduation card, and I turned to this week's Mojo Monday sketch for my layout. 

The photo was taken at a bit of an odd angle, lighting wasn't the best at the time, but I think you get the general idea of the card.

Then on the back, I used a teeny little scrap along with my personalized stamp.

Supplies:
Stamps:  Verve "Dare to be You"
Papers:  Ivory, black, dps all from Graphic 45's "A Proper Gentleman" collection
Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black
Other:  SU! Photo corners punch, Nesties circle dies


Thanks for stopping by!
Blessings!
Sarah

Summer Fun

Today I made a card for 5 challenges.  At Basic Grey, the challenge was to use summery images and papers for the "Sizzing Summer" challenge.  I used papers from Basic Grey's "Lauderdale" collection.  Just Magnolia & Hanglar Stanglar challenged us to "Holiday Fun" which could include summer vacation/summer holidays.  An Oldie but a Goodie challenged us to use "Outdoor Fun."  The Shabby Tea Room provided us with an inspiration photo (which we could elect to use or not) along with "Polka Dots."  Finally, at The Beary Scrap, the challenge was a tic tac toe board.   I used the diagonal:  pearl, charm, and glitter.

My layout comes from the last Beary Scrap Challenge (#31, sketch) which I just didn't have time to use.  I loved the sketch though and had it sitting out on my work table, so I thought why not use it now?

Here's my very bright summery card!  (the brown on the left is from the table - whoops!)

I colored Tilda using Copics, cut her out, and placed her on top of the inner tube.  The glitter is added to the edge of her swimsuit ruffle and to the ripples.  I used Copics and Prismacolor pencils to color the water.  The sky is sponged SU! "Bashful Blue."  The charm says "Love."

Supplies:
Stamps:  Magnolia Stamps - Tilda, inner tube
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, SU! "Bashful Blue" for sponged sky
Papers:  White, black, all dps from Basic Grey "Lauderdale"
Other:  Copic markers, sponge, Stickles crystal glitter, Recollections flower and mini roses, knitting needle to curl wire ends, Recollections pearls, Love charm from Jo Ann's bridal section


Thanks for stopping by!
Blessings!
Sarah

Hello Pumpkin!

Over on Splitcoaststampers, in the Verve Forum, Jackie is hosting the August Get Your Diva On challenge.  Her challenge involves using a tag on a card or making a set of tags.  One of the challenge participants will get to be a Guest Diva!  I'm hoping that some of the release party Diva dust rubbed off on me {giggle!}.   A girl can hope, can't she?!

I started with Shannan's VLV sketch for August week 3.  I loved all of the layers in the sketch!

I decided that I would somehow incorporate a tag into this sketch, but truly, I think I'm just about the only person out there that isn't completely in love with tags!  They are just really hard for me to do and have it look like the tag is a part of the design and not just a tag added on top (or to the side or behind or whatever).  The other challenge I had was that while I do have a bunch of different Nestie labels that I could use to make a tag, I really wanted to use the tag in the Verve set "Glad Tidings."  I'm kicking myself a bit for not purchasing the Verve tag stamp and coordinating scallop die previously, but so it goes.

Enough chatter and on to the card!

I used dps from My Mind's Eye "Stella Rose Mabel Collection." 

**Warning:  The following pictures are horribly blurry.  I took them on my cell phone and it just wouldn't focus.  Next time I will know that I have to get the "real camera" to take more desirable photos!  Sorry!**

The tag was the most challenging element of this card. I stamped the pumpkin image from "Bountiful Harvest" and colored it using Copics. Then I made a mask of the little pumpkin using a green post it note.  I carefully cut out the pumpkin image by hand.

Next, I positioned the mask over the colored pumpkin and then stamped my tag from "Glad Tidings."  I LOVE clear stamps for the ability to position them exactly so!  I left the post it note mask in place so you can see what a mess it appears to be at this point.

Then when the post it mask is removed, you have the colored image with the tag border and a little bit of what was supposed to be a snowflake, but I think it works as pumpkin leaves and tendrils.

Here's a closeup of the embellished tag.

On the inside of the card, I used the remainder of the sheet that I'd previously used to cut the circle for the front of the card.  I added the brown mat to help "fill" the hole. 

I used my scraps to finish the back of the card along with my personalized stamp framed in a scalloped circle Nestie.

Supplies
Stamps:  Verve "Glad Tidings" tag and "Bountiful Harvest" sentiment and pumpkin
Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black, Memento Tuxedo Black, Vintage Photo Distress Ink (sponged around edges of tag), and SU! Always Artichoke
Papers:  white, kraft for base and mats, and dps from My Mind's Eye "Stella Rose Mabel Collection"
Other:  scissors, post it note, button and seam binding from stash, Bow Easy, Jewelry Designer hemp cord, Grand Nesties circle die, sponge
Technique:  Coloring with Copics, sponging, and masking

Thanks for stopping by!
Blessings!
Sarah