Pastel... quilt... kites... not sure.

This one's a bit funny.  Thought I'd combine the Paper Smooches inspiration challenge with the CAS Friday's black and pastel challenge.  I didn't get what I expected.  At all.

 

Yeah.  Not so much in the pastel range.  The yellow is pastel.  The light pink is pastel.  The green and dk. pink... not so much.  Part of the background, definitely pastel.  The other part, the part I clear embossed... not even close.  I did my best with the green- I just don't have any light green Copics so I got what I got.  The dark pink is the right shade, it's just much brighter than I realized.  And that's that.  This is actually where it started and it didn't go wildly non-pastel until I added the dk. pink to the mix.  The green was bright but covering it with yellow helped.

Ingredients:

Stamps: (Sunny Side Up: sentiment & kite): Paper Smooches, (Print Pattern): Stampin' Up
Ink: (Black Momento): Tsukineko

Paper: Stampin' Up

Misc: Copics, Clear EP

Challenges:

CAS-ual Fridays; CFC #45: The Bold and the Beautiful

 Paper Smooches sparks: (I went with the colors and the general shapes of the ears)

In Paradise!

Last week I won the sketch challenge over at Scrapbookers' Paradise so I'm guest designing this week!  Fun!  When I received the challenge theme from Pam, my heart jumped in my throat- it was such a non-me theme-

I generally don't go particularly meaningful!  :)  However, after sifting through my stamps, I realized it wasn't as tough as I expected- I definitely have some great quotes that aren't out of my "normal range."  While I used one from a sympathy set, I don't think it rings that way on this card.  To me, it feels like a message to slow down and breath a bit when things get a bit out of hand.

        

I based the image loosely on what I see out my craft room window.

Thanks for the chance to play along ladies!  I enjoyed the stretch!

Ingredients:
Stamps: (With Sympathy): Unity
Ink: (Whisper White, Basic Brown, Ballet Blue, Bashful Blue): Stampin' Up
Paper: (Whisper White, Crumbcake): Stampin' Up, (DP): GCD
Misc: Copics

Challenges:
Whimsical Designs: Spring

GHWI Challenge #17, Things with Wings... Day 2

Can I even try to tell you how many iterations THIS card went through?  Lucky for me (and your eyes- your retinas would be burned!), a lot of them are still in the craft room recycling basket.  They weren't even worth saving to try redos.  Seriously.  Fugly.  Really.  However, I like where all of those versions brought this card in the end.

The butterflies and vines are from "Now and Always" while the sentiment is from "Quotes a'la Happy." 

    

Again, PLEASE join us over at Get Hippity with Ippity!  We'd love to see your work.  This challenge is "Things with Wings" and anything winged gets you in the drawing for a free set of ippity stamps of your choice from the fabulous Aletha Williams.  Even better, a project with ippity or Unity stamps gets you in TWICE!  AND you can enter the same project over at The Crafters Cafe giving you a chance at 6 random ippitys!  What's there to lose?!

Ingredients:
Stamps: (Now and Always, Quotes a'la Happy): ippity
Ink: (Green Galore, Whisper White): Stampin' Up, (Black StazOn): Tsukineko
Paper: (Basic Black, Whisper White, Green Galore): Stampin' Up
Misc: Glitter, Transparency film

Challenges:
Simon Says Stamp & Show: Handmade background
TCC- Embellies with a Twist: Things with wings
A Cherry on Top: Glitter Challenge

If you made it this far, you deserve an outtake.  This is one of the "it's in the recycling bin... NOW" bits.

Tim Holtz Creative Chemistry Class: Day 3

I wasn't able to do the 2nd technique as it requires several shades of archival inks, preferably light colors and I own precisely one archival ink pad... black.  The 3rd one looked really cool with Tim's reversed text stamp.  However, since I have nothing like this, I simply used a woodgrain stamp.

1. Alcohol Ink Agates

2. Archival Resist (maybe someday)

3. Stamping with Reflections

Additional ingredients from someone OTHER than Ranger/TH:
Stamps: (Where You Are): Unity

GHWI Challenge #17, Things with Wings!

The current challenge over at Get Hippity with Ippity is "Things with Wings."  While I've been on a butterfly kick, I definitely wanted to try some other images so I pulled these cute little birds out of "Quotes a'la Happy."  The sentiment comes from "The Best".

    

Please join us over at Get Hippity with Ippity and throw your winged hat in the ring!  Remember, you don't have to use an ippity or Unity stamp but it gets you 2 entries into the drawing if you do.  You can also enter your card in The Crafters' Cafe monthly ippity card contest.

Ingredients:
Stamps: (Quotes a'la Happy, The Best): ippity
Ink: (Black Momento): Tsuineko, (Rose Romance): Stampin' Up
Paper: (Whisper White): Stampin' Up, (DP): ?
Misc: (Twine): Whisker Graphics, Copics

Challenges:
Crating by Designs: Spring Colors

Baby-themed ATC

So the new challenge over at Wicked Wednesday is "Baby."  I have to admit it- I'm one of those people who's not really into babies.  Never have been.  Maybe my only-child, no neighboring kids, no close cousins, upbringing is the cause, but whatever it was, not so much on the baby thing.  So.  What to do?  What to do is come up with phrases that start with baby.  Babycakes was really the only thing I came up with- after last week's "Angel Food Cake", this will probably drive stories about me and cake but there are worse things to be associated with.  (Baby Fish Mouth came to mind too but I'm still working on how to show that one... may happen by next Wed.  And if you don't know what "baby fish mouth" is, go back and review "When Harry Met Sally.")

Ingredients:
Paper: Unknown DP, Manilla Folder, Shrink film

Ink: (Basic Black): Stampin' Up

Stamps: (Birthday cake): Oriental Trading

Misc: (Colored Pencils): Crayola, (Rub-ons): October Afternoon, Sharpie pens

Challenges:
Wicked Wednesday #24: Babies

Tim Holtz Creative Chemistry Class: Day 2

Ok.  Really.  I'm NOT a Tim Holtz fanatic regardless of the item I posted yesterday.  :)  I haven't created all of his tags (not even close- I think I have 10 and only 1 is from this past year.)  I actually think some are kind of ugly (Sorry but it's true.)  However, I really like some of the techniques, can really appreciate the inks and what you can do with them, and like quite a few of the Ideaology items.  Given that, I still don't really "get" the inks a lot of times.  I know they do cool things when spattered with water but what else?  For that reason, I decided to take the Creative Chemistry class.  I think it's going to be $35 well-spent. 

I'm going to try to post the tags/samples I made daily to keep myself on-track and actually doing the class.

1. Blended spritz & flick

2. Brushless watercolor

3. Wrinkle-free distress

It's real!

I had to go through a bit of hoof work and frustration today after the FedEx guy decided to deliver my 18lb. package to a same-numbered house on another street in our neighborhood. Needless to say the moment I saw I had an email from FedEx saying they'd delivered the package but I had no package, I was on the phone with them but in the end, I got it!  Unbelievable!  One of those things you think, "really?  I won this?  COOL!"  Thank you Crop Stop!!

 

Breakin' out the bird

Maybe not the way you think.  I actually made a bunch of cards several years ago and apparently cut a few pieces short.  So while I had already colored my stamped image, I didn't have the background pieces to go with him.  Since I had enough of the cards, I just hung onto these 2 colored bird bits.  Did I mention it was several years ago?  The bird's been around a while.  I was just about to stamp the bird again for this card when I remembered the images I had colored... and I found them quickly (really, sometimes I am truly organized) and yahoo!  They work well with what I had put together so this card came together fast fast fast!  Yay!  Bonus!

Ingredients:
Stamps: (Touch of Nature) :Stampin' Up, (Sentiment): Unity
Ink: (Basic Black, Certainly Celery): Stampin' Up
Paper: (Kraft, Very Vanilla, DP): Stampin' Up
Misc: (Pastels): Stampin' Up

Challenges:
Frosted Friday: Things with Wings

Simon Says Stamp: Bit o' Green
Stamp, Scrap & Doodle: Green & White (the DP is green and white, the bird and sentiment are on off-white)
Sweet Stampin' Challege: Lots of green
Skipping Stones Designs: Sketch

Still trying to believe this one

It's supposed to arrive Monday!  Zoinks!

I edited out the other names to protect the innocent.  :)

Another Flying ATC

What can I say?  When I wrote that last post, I threw flying toasters out without any thought which made me then think.  And I couldn't let it go.  As soon as I was done that post, I was searching the net for a reference picture.  Children of the 80's, this one's for you.

 

It's the same card in both photos but the flash in the 2nd shows the shimmery silver paper I used on the toasters.  I just sketched the wings out based on the reference picture.

Ingredients:
Paper: (Basic Black, Silver, Whisper White): Stampin' Up
Stamps: (Love n' Breakfast): Lawn Fawn
Ink: (Black): Momento
Misc: (White Paint Pen): Marvy, Copics

Challenges:
Wicked Wednesday: Flying Things

Cake ATC

I think I figured out why I like ATCs.  They let me get my inner snark out in a way I don't feel comfortable doing on cards or scrap pages.  Those are about other people, events, going to other people, etc.  For the most part, these are from me for me so I feel I can be myself a bit more.  I think that's it.  At least, that's my story and I'm stickin' to it!

Wicked Wednesday's theme this week is "Flying Things."  I coulda gone with my flying monkey again but since I entered that last week, maybe not.  :)  I've done enough butterflies for a week so I wanted something different.  Flying toaster?  Hmmm... haven't seen those since that great screen saver years ago... may have to revisit that idea.  But in this case, no.  There's been an overabundance of cupcake images around me recently and I have cake on the brain.  Cake. Wings.... done!

Ingredients:
Stamps: (Cake): Oriental Trading, (Wings: Wings of Hope): Unity, (Sunny Side Up): Paper Smooches
Paper: (DP): ? (Whisper White): Stampin' Up, Manilla folder
Rubons: (Black lettering): October Afternoon, (Glittered yellow "o"): Piggy Tales
Ink: (Night of Navy, Whisper White, Going Grey): Stampin' Up, (Faded Jeans): Tim Holtz, (VersaMark): Tsukineko
Misc: (Pastels): Stampin' Up, (Le Plume Markers): Marvy, (Gold glitter glue): Studio G

Challenges:
Wicked Wednesday: Flying Things
CropStop #63: Butterflies (They showed a picture of a dog with wings so why not... though these are a bit more like bird/angel wings than butterfly... oh well.  It's up now and it turns out I can't remove it so there it is!)

Engagement card

I envision this for an engagement but it could be wedding, anniversary, or anything else that would strike fancy.

Ingredients:
Paper: (Kraft, Sage Shadow, Bliss Blue?, Whisper White): Stampin' Up, (Dewy Iris Paint Chip): Glidden
Ink: (Basic Black, Old Olive, Tempting Turquoise, Vintage Violet): Stampin' Up
Stamps: (You Sweep Me Off My Feet, Sentiment): Unity, (Woodgrain Background): Stampin' Up

Challenges:

• Frosted Designs: Kraft Paper
• The Paper Players #83: I didn't have any of these except Crumb Cake (kraft) but I stamped off Old Olive, and watered down/painted with Tempting Turquoise and Vintage Violet inks.  I used what I think is Sage Shadow and Bliss Blue papers as well as a paint chip.  Overall, I think the colors match pretty well.

• Scrapbookers Paradise #57

Springy butterflies

I predict I'm going to get sick of butterflies pretty soon- I've overloaded on them a bit in the past 2 weeks but I'll run with it while I can.

Ingredients:
Paper: (Whisper White, Bashful Blue, Pale Plum): Stampin' Up, (Pocketful of Posies): DCWV
Ink: (Certainly Celery, Bashful Blue, Pale Plum): Stampin' Up
Stamps: (The Time is Now, Misc. sentiment): Unity
Misc: (Punch): Stampin' Up

Challenges:

ippity Opportunity: Winged Things

GHWI @ The Crafters Cafe: March Card Challenge

Sweet Stampin': Let's See Those Layers (Where the butterflies are, there's 6 layers of paper there!- Butterflies, print, sentiment strip, purple punched, blue stamped, white background)

Chick Challenge #21:

CAS Butterfly

I'm not sure. Can a card be CAS if the background is super-busy?

Ingredients:

Stamps: (Wings of Hope) Unity

Paper: (Whisper White): Stampin' Up

Ink: (Versa Mark): Tsuineko, (Black Soot): Tim Holtz, (Sailboat, Stonewashed, Stream Reinkers): Adirondak, (Heirloom Blue, Bonny Blue Mr. Hueys): Studio Calico

Misc: (Clear EP): JoAnns, (Disassembled flowers): Michaels, Pearl

Challenges:
Unity Opportunity: Wings & Things

Craft Marathon: #13&14: Aqua Blue (ok, heavy on the ocean blue but there's some aqua in there.)

CAS Challenges: #43: Sentiment (I'd say the sentiment is pretty important here.)

Simon Say Stamp: Anything Goes

Flying Monkeys ATC

OK, ok.  I said I really didn't want to get into ATCs because I don't know what to do with them.  I lied.  I don't know what to do with them but I really do want to try making some- they just intrigue me.  I give up.  Jenn from Wicked Wednesdays left a comment here on my ol' bloggo and when I looked her up, I found WW... and I immediately subscribed... and created something today for this week's challenge.  Yeeeaaahhhh.  I give up.

So.  This week's challenge is "Rainbow."  I've had a cranky, depressed kind of week.  Rainbows don't match my mood well so I was trying to come up with something I could do that was rainbowy but cranky.  Yeah.  You know the kind of week.  So.  Rainbow.  Wizard of Oz?  Dorothy?  nah.  Witch?  maybe.  Elphaba?  Definitely.  Shoes, hat images?  Stamps?  I checked my stash.  Not so much.  Hmmm... that saying I always liked and flying monkeys?... definitely!

There was a lot of rework in this.  The card started with blue reinkers dripped/smeared on it.  Ew.  I tried blending in some black  Ew.  I colored it solid black.  Better.  The monkey was a photo from WoO that I silhouetted in a photo editor.  I was going to make it white.  I then thought glittery black would be nice.  It is.  It didn't show up on the background.  I painted a grey-blue acrylic over the black card.  The rainbow started with uber-sticky red tape strips with glass beads on them.  Did you know glass beads don't stick to that tape worth crud?  They don't.  So I coated the whole mess with a glossy glaze.  Did you know that glossy glazes kill the stickiness of the red tape and glass beads start sliding off.  Yeah.  I didn't either.  After about 20min of poking all of the beads back into place, it hardened enought that it stayed.  After all is said and done, I'm pretty happy with it.  I might have done the text on a different color and/or dingied with a different color but turn me over, I'm done.

Ingredients:

Paper: (Whisper White): Stampin' Up, Manilla folder

Ink/Paint: (Basic Black, Real Read): Stampin' Up, (Paint): Folk Arts

Misc: (Black Glitter): Martha Stewart, (Glossy Accents): Stampin' Up, (Stamps): Studio G, Glass Beads

Challenges:
Wicked Wednesdays: #22: Over the Rainbow

CropStop: #62: Rainbow of Colors

Bright and Springy card for GHWI #16 Sketch

It's funny, I look at this and think "Mary Engelbreit."  That was never my intention but it feels that way to me- I think it's those crazy bright, bold colors.  I think.

This is my Get Hippity with Ippity (GHWI) inspiration piece for this bi-weekly challenge sketch.

The first photo really shows the curl on the flower, leaves and butterflies- there's really very little of those that are attached to the background papers.  The third photo shows the shininess the flower took on when I rubbed it with an embosser to curl the paper.

Can I say I LOVE this "Now and Always" set?  I generally don't buy florals- you know how much I use them... NOT at all really!  I don't do florals, I do boy-stuff.  This though?  This is great.  It's also the same floral set I made the sympathy card with last week.  Now THAT'S my kinda set of stamps!  Check out Aletha's sales page for this and other ippity stamps.

And please, join us during the next week and give the sketch a try!  Remember, you can enter this with ANY image you want but you get 2 entries into the giveaway if you use ippity or Unity stamps! 

Ingredients:
Ink: (Basic Black): Stampin' Up

Paper: (Whisper White, Yoyo Yellow): Stampin' Up, (DP): unknown

Misc: Copics

Stamps: (Now and Always, Quotes a'la Happy): ippity

 

Challenges:
The Paper Players: Spring has Sprung
ippity Opportunity: Winged Things
Sweet Stampin' Challenge: Nature, Bugs & Bees

St. Patty's Day.... wait for it... BANNER!

You KNEW it was coming, right?  :)

Actually, I no longer have this.  We're not big St. Patty's Day folks so while I put green candles on the mantel, that's about the extent of it.  I may fix some green food but really, that's it.  However, back when I posted another banner, Christmas maybe, a good friend posted back, asking when she'd see her St. Patty's Day banner, ;)  So, while I don't think she's expecting it, it's on its way to NJ.  Hope you enjoy it Jodi!

Ingredients:

Paper: (Green Galore CS): Stampin' Up, (Dk. Green CS): Michaels, (Green DP): unknown

Letters: (Gold Glitter): Recollections

Misc: Burlap, Green ribbon, Eyelets

Challenges:
Craft Your Passion: #100: Anything Goes