From Our House to Yours

Here's my card for October's last Viva la Verve sketch--even before the month ends!  I used the sketch to make a holiday card to add to the pile that I'll be sending off to the Caring Hearts card drive.

I used a traditional Christmas color scheme for my card, layering an olive panel with a red ribbon strip on to a cream card base.  The panel was topped with a piece of patterned paper from an older Basic Grey holiday line.  I stamped the "from our house to yours" sentiment from Verve's Holiday Treats set in red pigment ink on a cream circle, then matted the panel on a red circle before adding it to the card.  I found a pair of white snowflake brads in my stash and added them to the card. They looked kind of lost, so I stuck a sparkly crystal to the center of each flake to help them stand out.

Materials Used:
Holiday Treats stamp set (Verve Stamps); Memento Luxe Love Letter ink (Tsukineko/IMAGINE Crafts); Real Red, Old Olive, and Close to Cocoa cardstock (Stampin' Up!); Alpine Frost designer paper (Basic Grey); circle dies (Spellbinders); Recollections snowflake brads, red grosgrain ribbon, clear crystals (Michaels)

Wish Big

Here's my card for this week's My Favorite Things Wednesday Sketch Challenge. I went bold and graphic on this one.

I need to add some birthday cards to my stash, so I designed this with that idea in mind.  After die cutting a stitched rectangle panel from white cardstock, I adhered a rainbow of narrow cardstock scraps near the bottom of the panel.  I topped my rainbow with a silver star, set off with black and white mats.  The "wish big" sentiment from the Big Greetings set was stamped in black ink above the rainbow.  For more sparkle, I arranged a bunch of different sized silver sequins above and below the rainbow stripes.  To keep the focus on the rainbow and star, I layered the panel on a white card base for a clean tone on tone look.

Materials Used:
Big Greetings stamp set, Die-namics Blueprints 24 dies (My Favorite Things); Memento Tuxedo Black ink (Tsukineko/IMAGINE Crafts); Real Red, Pumpkin Pie, Yoyo Yellow, Green Galore, Pacific Point, and Basic Black cardstock (Stampin' Up!); silver paper (Target); circle dies (Spellbinders); stitched star die (Lil' Inker Designs); silver sequins; foam tape

SugarPea Designs Trick or Treat Blog Hop

Happy Halloween!  Thanks for stopping by my blog today.  We have a lot of fun in store for you today as our spooktacular team of designers at SugarPea Designs have all concocted up some frightfully sweet tricks and treats. As you "Trick or Treat" by stopping by each of our designers blogs, you'll not only be treated to some amazing paper crafting eye candy, but you will also receive some faBOOlous TRICKS and TREATS along the way. Wendy has started things off by giving you your first treat by offering everyone 15% off your entire order this weekend by using code: BOO2U Expires: Midnight EST - November 1, 2015

I'm giving out a TRICK today with my mini tutorial on coloring on vellum.  I shared this sweet little vellum ghost stamped with an image from the Eek-a-Boo set on Instagram a while ago and got a few questions about how I colored him, so I thought I'd show you how today.

The ghost that inspired the tutorial is front and center on my card today.  The layout is from the current sketch at Freshly Made Sketches.  I used the SugarCuts Scattered Stars Journal Card die to make the star filled panels behind the ghost.  Each panel is backed with silver paper to give the stars a sparkly look.  I arranged them on a pale gray cardstock panel before adding the ghost on top with a little adhesive. I stamped the sentiment next to the ghost image, then added a trio of silver glitter enamel dots. The finished panel was adhered to a green card base to match the green of the pennant stretched between the ghost's hands.

As promised, here's a closer look at how I colored the vellum ghost.

First, I stamped the ghost on vellum using white pigment ink, then heat embossed the image with white embossing powder.  You don't have to use white ink and embossing powder for this--any color will work--but I like the look of the white for the ghost image.

Next, flip the image over to the back side (not embossed) and start coloring.  I used Copic markers since they'll dry on vellum.  I started with my darker colors, then blended with my lighter ones.  They don't blend the same on vellum as they do on cardstock, so it takes a bit of practice.  If you try to do a lot of blending, you'll notice streaking on your image.  Also, the vellum will mute your colors somewhat, so you will probably want to use markers a shade or two darker than you'd like to have on your colored image.

And, here's my finished ghost image, all colored up and ready to be cut out and added to a card.

Are you ready to do more Trick or Treating?  Don’t forget to leave a comment at each designers blog for your chance to win one or our 4 TREATS. Winners will be announced in a special blog post, Monday, Nov 2nd.

InLinkz.com

Materials Used:
Eek-a-Boo stamp set, SugarCuts Scattered Stars Journal Card die (SugarPea Designs); Memento Luxe Wedding Dress and Memento Tuxedo Black inks (Tsukineko/IMAGINE Crafts); markers (Copic); Elegant Eggplant and Old Olive cardstock, white vellum (Stampin' Up!); Grout Gray cardstock (My Favorite Things); silver paper (Target); Recollections Snow embossing powder (Michaels); silver glitter enamel dots (Eyelet Outlet)

I Ruff You

The very last Paper Smooches SPARKS challenge is a designer draft challenge.  I used the sketch for this sweet dog themed design.

I started out by trimming a cream panel into 4 sections.  On designs like this, getting the panels to fit is always a challenge to me!  I adhered green cardstock strips with torn edges to the two larger panels to make grass, then added the dog images from the Paws for a Cause set using foam tape.  The images were stamped in brown pigment ink on kraft cardstock and cut out with the matching Paws Cause Icons dies.  To go with my love theme, I stamped red hearts above each dog image with a stamp from  the Woofers and Tweeters set.  I used a combination of sentiments from the Paws for a Cause, Woofers and Tweeters, and Good Gab sets to compose the "I ruff you" sentiment for one of the smaller sections.  The other small section was stamped with a trio of brown paw prints.  I arranged the finished panels on a kraft card base.

Materials Used:
Paws for a Cause, Woofers and Tweeters, and Good Gab stamp sets, Paws Cause Icons dies (Paper Smooches); Memento Luxe Rich Cocoa and Love Letter inks (Tsukineko/IMAGINE Crafts); Kiwi Kiss cardstock (Stampin' Up!); Kraft cardstock (WPlus9); foam tape

SugarPea Designs CCC6-A Note of Thanks

*** Scroll down to the post below or click HERE to see my card for this week's Color Throwdown challenge! *** 

A new color challenge started this week at SugarPea Designs and even though the new colors are perfect for a fall themed creation, I went in a different direction.  I couldn't resist coloring up the cutie from the Take Note set to match the challenge colors!

I colored the image with Copic markers, then added some green grass beneath her to ground the image.  My colors are a little brighter than the intended rich earthy ones, but the deeper tones just didn't seem right for the image!  The image panel was matted on brown cardstock, then adhered to a yellow striped patterned paper panel along with an angled red cardstock strip. 

After considering a few different sentiment choices, I stamped the set's "a note of thanks" sentiment on a golden yellow circle.  You can never have too many thank you cards on hand, right?  After layering the sentiment panel on a brown circle mat, I adhered it to the cardfront, overlapping both angled panels.  The sentiment was topped with a little piece of knotted red grosgrain ribbon rescued from my scrap pile. 

Want to play along with the color challenge?  The rules are very simple…

• Create a new card or project using the colors provided.  SugarPea Designs stamps are NOT required to play along or to win but would be appreciated 
• Upload to the SugarPea Designs blog or other Online Gallery using Keyword: CCC6 so that we may check out your beautiful work.
• Add your name and link to your project in the InLinkz in the SugarPea Designs blog
• One randomly selected winner will receive a $10 Gift Certificate to the SugarPea Designs Online Shoppe. However, if the winning entry features a SugarPea Designs stamp we will increase the prize to $15

For more inspiration before you get started, be sure to head on over to the SugarPea Designs blog for a list of designers sharing their take on the challenge colors.

Materials Used:
Take Note stamp set (SugarPea Designs); Memento Tuxedo Black ink (Tsukineko/IMAGINE Crafts); markers (Copic); Real Red, Close to Cocoa, and So Saffron cardstock, red grosgrain ribbon (Stampin' Up!); Summer Sun 6x6 paper pad (Fancy Pants Designs); circle punches (EK Success)

Color Throwdown 366-Thank You for the Helping Hand

It's time for another Color Throwdown!  Joan is our hostess this week and she's chosen a color combination that's great for fall or masculine designs--rust, aqua, and gray.  I combined the colors with the current sketch at CAS(e) this Sketch and stamps from My Favorite Things to make a thank you card.

I inked the thank you sentiment from the Let's Tool Around set in rust and aqua inks, then stamped the sentiment on an angle on a pale gray cardstock panel.  The set's screw border image was stamped above and below the image in gray ink.  To help me get the border stamp lined up just right, I put my MISTI to work.  It really made a difference!  The stamped panel was matted on dark gray cardstock, then adhered to an aqua card base.

To play along, just create a paper crafted project using these colors as a starting point and add a direct link to your finished project using the linky tool found at the end of this week's CTD post. As always, if you don’t have exact color matches, something close works just fine. Just be sure that the challenge colors are the dominant ones in your project. And, if you upload your project to an online gallery, use the keyword CTD366. If you upload your projects on social media, go ahead and use the hashtag #ctd366 and #colorthrowdown. You can find us on Instagram (and on Facebook!) with the username colorthrowdown.

Before you get started, here’s some inspiration from the talented Color Throwdown team, our October guestie Michelle Boyer, and this week’s guest star stamper, Ashwini Rao.

 ** Barbara ** Broni ** Joan ** Jodi ** 

 ** Tammy ** Vickie ** Wanda **

** October guestie Michelle Boyer **

** Guest Star Stamper Ashwini Rao**

Materials Used:
Let's Tool Around stamp set, Grout Gray and Steel Grey cardstock (My Favorite Things); Memento Potter's Clay and Gray Flannel inks (Tsukineko/IMAGINE Crafts); Lake House pigment ink (WPlus9); Aqua Mist cardstock (Papertrey Ink)

TCP Tuesday 302-Mwahh

It's time for a new TCP Tuesday challenge at The Cat's Pajamas! This week's theme is anything goes, so it's a perfect time to pull out your TCP stamps and dies.

I wanted to squeeze in another Halloween card before the end of the month, so I pulled out the Mwahh! set for my card for the challenge.  I used a bunch of different distress inks to make a nighttime backdrop for the scene.  It's filled in with a yellow crescent moon surrounded by a trio of tiny silver stars cut with the CutUps 3x3 Stars dies.

I colored up the set's zombie image with Copic markers in Halloween-ish colors.  After carefully cutting out the colored image, I used foam tape to adhere it to the scene.  The set's "mwahh!" sentiment was stamped near the bottom of the panel in black ink.  I adhered the finished scene to a blue card base.

Ready to play along?  I hope so!  Here are the challenge details:

1. Every other Tuesday a new challenge will be posted on The Cat’s Pajamas blog as well as on our Facebook page.
2. If you want to play along you just upload your design to The Cat’s Pajamas blog page using the InLinkz button found on the blog.
3. You must have your project posted by the Monday, 11:55 EDT before the next challenge to be eligible to win the Cat Cash.
4. Cards and projects are not required to use a Cat’s Pajamas Stamp or CutUps die but if you do the Cat Cash amount increases.
5. On the following TCP Tuesday, the week’s winner will be chosen from the previous challenge and will receive a Cat Cash Voucher for $20 or $25 if a TCP product is used.

Materials Used:
Mwahh stamp set, CutUps 3x3 Stars die (The Cat's Pajamas); Memento Tuxedo Black ink (Tsukineko/IMAGINE Crafts); Crushed Olive, Peeled Paint, Shaded Lilac, Dusty Concord, Tumbled Glass, and Stormy Sky distress inks (Ranger); markers (Copic); Not Quite Navy and Crushed Curry cardstock (Stampin' Up!); silver paper (Target); circle punch (EK Success); foam tape

The Challenge 48-Wedding Congrats

***  Scroll down to the post below or click HERE to see my card for this week's Mojo Monday sketch!  ***

The Challenge is back again with a new challenge!  This week we've got a theme challenge that's all about weddings.  I combined the theme with the current My Favorite Things Wednesday Sketch Challenge to make a stamp-free congratulatory card.

I took a few cues from the rustic feel and pink colors in the challenge photo, even though you don't have to use the photo for inspiration--just the theme!  I build my card on a woodgrain patterned paper panel, topped with a pink partial stitched circle die cut.   The circle was dressed up with an elegant clear crystal flourish.  I die cut the "congrats" tag from shiny gold paper, then backed the tag with pink cardstock to highlight the letters.  I still prefer silver, but I have to admit that gold is starting to grow on me . . .  To finish the tag, I found some long-neglected pink organdy ribbon in my scrap pile and used that to add a knot at the tag's end.  The tag was adhered at the bottom of the circle, using foam tape for dimension.  To bring in a little "love" to my wedding card, I die cut some hearts from two shades of pink cardstock and added them just above the tag.  The finished panel was adhered to a pale pink card base.

Check out what the rest of the talented team at The Challenge has created using this week's theme.  Here's where to find them:

Anita Madden
Claire Broadwater

Kim Heggins

Kimberly Wiener
Lee Ann Barrett

Lesley Croghan, challenge creator

Lori Tecler--you're here!
Michele Ferguson

Nance Salkeld

Shona Chambers, October featured designer
Kristie Goulet, guest designer

Materials Used:
Insulation Pink cardstock, Die-Namics Staggered Heart Border and Tag Talk dies (My Favorite Things); gold paper (Target); Blushing Bride cardstock, pink organdy ribbon (Stampin' Up!); Necessities-Wood 6x6 paper pad (My Mind's Eye); stitched circle die (Lil' Inker Designs); crystal flourish (Michaels); foam tape

Mojo Monday 421-To a Deer Friend

Happy Monday!  It's time for a new Mojo Monday sketch, and since it's the last Monday of the month (once again, I have to ask--how did that happen??!!), the sketch calls for a tall and skinny card.  I used a sweet image from Lawn Fawn to make a holiday card.

I covered my red card base with some red dotted paper, then added a red rounded edge rectangle on top.  The left edge of the rectangle was covered with a strip of super shiny gold metallic tape stretching from the top of the patterned paper to just beneath the panel's bottom edge.

After coloring the deer image from the Toboggan Together set with Copic markers and cutting it with the matching die, I used foam tape to adhere it to a pierced circle die cut, then attached it to the cardfront.  For a festive holiday touch, I added a tiny red enamel dot to the deer's nose.  The set's "to a deer friend" sentiment was stamped on the red panel in black ink.

Head on over to the Mojo Monday blog for more inspiration from the design team and to add your own take on this week's sketch!  You can also find all of the Mojo Makers at their blogs here:

• Julee Tilman (Owner)
• Carole Burrage
• Justin Krieger
• Marisa Ritzen
• Mary Fish
• Sarah Bigelow
• Teresa Kline
• Wanda Cullen

Materials Used:
Toboggan Together stamp set and Toboggan Together dies (Lawn Fawn); Memento Tuxedo Black ink (Tsukineko/IMAGINE Crafts); markers (Copic); Real Red cardstock (Stampin' Up!); Soup Staples II-Red Salt designer paper (Jillibean Soup); Die-namics Pierced Circle Stax dies (My Favorite Things); gold tape (Paper Studio); red enamel dot (Eyelet Outlet); corner rounder; foam tape

Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge 292-Be Jolly

It's time for another Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge!  I used the sketch to put together a holiday card to add to my pile for this year's Caring Hearts card drive.

For the focal image, I colored up the "ugly" sweater image from the Paper Smooches Tis the Season set.  The colored and cut image was adhered to a stitched circle die cut stamped with the "be jolly" sentiment from the Christmas Sampler set.

I matted a piece of festive green patterned paper on shiny silver paper, then adhered the layered panels to an olive green cardstock panel. After adhering a narrow strip of contrasting red cardstock across the panel near the bottom of the patterned paper, I added the image on top.  The finished panel was adhered to an easy to write on white card base.

To play along, just create a card based on the sketch and link it up on the SSSC blog.  Be sure to stop by the blog to check out what the SSSC team has created using the sketch.  And, don't forget to check in on Wednesday to see one of our favorite cards made with the sketch!

Materials Used:
Tis the Season and Christmas Sampler stamp sets (Paper Smooches); Memento Tuxedo Black ink (Tsukineko/IMAGINE Crafts); markers (Copic); Old Olive and Real Red cardstock (Stampin' Up!); silver paper (Target); Home for the Holidays 6x6 paper pad (Doodlebug Design); stitched circle die (Lil' Inker Designs); foam tape

The Most Fabulous Birthday Ever

As promised, here is my card for this week's Viva la Verve sketch.  I used the layout to put together a masculine birthday design.

I found some older patterned paper with a fun dotted pattern and adhered a pair of circles to opposite corners of the panel.  After trimming the sides of the circles so that they were flush with the edges of the patterned paper panel, I wrapped the panel with some twine, securing it with a simple bow.  The cream stitched circle sentiment panel was adhered to the middle of the panel using foam tape for dimension.  The sentiment from Verve's Better Together set was stamped in green ink to match the card base I used beneath the patterned paper panel. I accented the sentiment panel with a gold star and a trio of cream enamel dots.

Materials Used:
Better Together stamp set (Verve Stamps); Memento Luxe Pistachio ink (Tsukineko/IMAGINE Crafts); Factory Green cardstock (My Favorite Things); Sahara Sand cardstock (Stampin' Up!); gold paper (Target); Urban Traveler 6x6 paper pad (Simple Stories); circle dies (Spellbinders); stitched circle and stitched star dies (Lil' Inker Designs); twine (Hemptique); cream enamel dots (Eyelet Outlet); foam tape

Enjoy Today

I'm catching up on my Viva la Verve sketch cards before the end of the month.  Here's my card for last week's sketch.  Look for this week's later on today . . .

I colored up the large cupcake from Verve's Small Packages set to serve as my focal image. After cutting it out, I added a bit of glitter to give it a sugar-encrusted look.  The cupcake was adhered to a panel with my favorite pattern combo--dots and stripes.  Here, I used a narrow strip of grosgrain ribbon from my scrap pile to hide the seam between the two patterns.  The panel was edged along the bottom with a festive pennant die cut.  I stamped the "enjoy today" sentiment next to the cupcake, then adhered the patterned piece to a pale pink cardstock panel.  The finished panel was layered on to a pale gray card base.

Materials Used:
Small Packages stamp set, Pennant Trim die (Verve Stamps); Memento Tuxedo Black ink (Tsukineko/IMAGINE Crafts); markers (Copic); Pink Pirouette and Regal Rose cardstock, rose grosgrain ribbon, Dazzling Diamonds (Stampin' Up!); Grout Gray cardstock (My Favorite Things); Bundle of Joy-Dots and Stripes and Homefront-Dots and Stripes 6x6 paper pads (Echo Park); foam tape

Stay Tuned

My dad is celebrating his birthday today, so I needed a card to give to him for the occasion.  I thought he'd enjoy this fun retro television die cut from My Favorite Things.  It was a perfect fit for the current sketch at Freshly Made Sketches. 

I die cut the television frame from black and gray cardstock, then slipped a piece of acetate between the pieces to give the screen a glass-like look.  My "test pattern" is made from a scrap of multicolored striped paper adhered to the back of the die cut.  The TV was finished off with the antenna that I cut from metal-like silver paper. 

The assembled TV was adhered to a blue stitched edge die cut rectangle.  I used foam tape for dimension so that the TV was set off from the panel.  The sentiment from the coordinating Stay Tuned set was stamped directly underneath the TV.  I added a few black enamel dots as accents, then adhered the panel to an olive card base.  The set's "happy birthday" sentiment was stamped inside.

Materials Used:
Stay Tuned stamp set, Steel Gray cardstock, Die-Namics Television and Blueprints 24 dies (My Favorite Things); Versafine Onyx Black ink (Tsukineko/IMAGINE Crafts); Lake House cardstock (WPlus9); Old Olive and Basic Black cardstock (Stampin' Up!); silver paper (Target); Scoot 6x6 paper pad (Echo Park); black enamel dots (Eyelet Outlet); acetate; foam tape

Best Witches

Here's my card for the current Fusion challenge.  I combined the sketch with the photo's Halloween theme and color scheme for my card.

There's only a limited time each year that I can get away with using the fabulous witch images from Lil' Inker Designs, so I'm squeezing in as many witch themed designs as I can this month!  Here, I made a watercolored backdrop for the witch from the Seen on Halloween set.  She was adhered to the panel with foam tape, then surrounded with a die cut bat and some sparkly gold enamel dot "stars."

I adhered the panel on an angle to a piece of black and cream striped paper with a distressed look and feel.  After adhering the panels to orange cardstock, I tucked a half circle piece underneath the long edges of the striped paper.  The finished panel was adhered to a cream card base.

 Materials Used:
Seen on Halloween stamp set, Bats and Broomsticks dies (Lil' Inker Designs); Versafine Onyx Black ink (Tsukineko/IMAGINE Crafts); Scattered Straw, Mustard Seed, Wild Honey, Dried Marigold, and Rusty Hinge distress inks (Ranger); Pumpkin Pie, Crushed Curry, and Basic Black cardstock (Stampin' Up!); Enchanted 6x6 paper pad (Authentique); circle punches (EK Success); gold enamel dots (Eyelet Outlet); foam tape

SugarPea Designs-Talk Nerdy to Me

***  Scroll down to the post below or click HERE to see my card for this week's Color Throwdown challenge!  ***

This month's SugarPea Designs challenge is an Anything Goes theme.  With a wide open theme like that, there's no excuse for not pulling out your SPD stamps and joining in!

I used the I Like Big Books stamp set along with the SugarCuts Brainy Bookmarks dies and the current sketch from Retro Sketches for my love themed design with a masculine twist.

I started out by using the large eyeglasses die from the Brainy Bookmarks dies to cut a pair of glasses from gray cardstock.  The frames were glued to acetate, then carefully trimmed.  This gives the lenses a glass-like look.

I found some masculine patterned papers in my stash and used them for the panels on my cardfront.  I arranged them on a piece of pale gray cardstock adhered to a dark gray card base.  The "talk nerdy to me" sentiment was stamped in gray pigment ink on a cream fishtail flag strip.  Once all the pieces were in place, I added the eyeglasses on top, using teeny, tiny pieces of foam tape for dimension.  A few red enamel dots scattered around the panels completed the design.

Want to play along with us?  We only have a few rules…

• Play along with ANY stamps and dies you’d like – Winner is chosen at random to keep things fair, but if the winners project features a SugarPea Designs stamp we will increase the voucher to $15.
• Feel free to combine our challenge with any other challenge(s).
• Upload to your blog or other online gallery using keyword: SPD21 so we can easily find your work.
• Add your name and link to your card or project in the InLinkz on the SPD blog.

Be sure to stop by the SPD blog for links to the rest of the design team members playing along today to provide you with inspiration!

Materials Used:
I Like Big Books stamp set, SugarCuts Brainy Bookmarks dies (SugarPea Designs); Memento Luxe Gray Flannel ink (Tsukineko/IMAGINE Crafts); Grout Gray cardstock (My Favorite Things); Hawaiian Shores and Smokey Shadow cardstock (Papertrey Ink); Scoot 6x6 paper pad (Echo Park); Boy Oh Boy 6x6 paper pad (Carta Bella); acetate; foam tape