Thursday, September 27, 2012

Scaredy Cat & Pumpkin, Too!

I'm today's featured designer at Card A Day Blog and this week we are celebrating Halloween.  I thought this was just the cutest vintage Halloween image from Vintage Feedsacks and had to make it the centerpiece of my card.  I hope you join us for the frightful fun!

A Couple Details:
  • I am laughing right now because I've realized that the last four out of five cards I've posted all have banners and this one does too!  I think I may have a banner addiction.  LOL!  Oh well, when something works, it works. 
  • I printed the image on cardstock, tinted the edges with Black Soot DI, mounted it with foam tape for dimension, and then applied Black Diamond Stickles along the outside edges for that little bit of sparkle.
  • I recently saw some black and orange baker's twine at the craft store and almost bought it until I realized that I could make my own for a lot less!  They were charging nearly the same price for a few yards of the specialty two-tones as they were for the black and white in bulk.  Distress Stain to the rescue!  Just like any other ribbon or fiber, simply mist your twine with water and apply ink.  I used Spiced Marmalade...worked like a dream.  It's nice too because I could match the specific shade of orange on my card.

Supplies:
Cardstock: Stampin’ Up! ‘Really Rust’
Patterned Paper:  Daisy D’s; vintage book page
Image: Vintage Feedsacks ‘Vintage Halloween
Stamps: Cosmo Cricket ‘Haunted’
Inks: Distress Ink ‘Spiced Marmalade’, ‘Black Soot’; Distress Stain ‘Spiced Marmalade’
Embellishments: Darice baker’s twine ‘Black / White’; button; Stickles ‘Black Diamond’
Tools:  Heat gun; 3M foam tape; Tim Holtz paper distresser; Zots; Zig 2-way glue pen; mister

Monday, September 24, 2012

Creative Cutting Challenge #2 - Steampunk Pumpkin

Have you checked out Creative Cutting Challenge yet?  If you love using SVG files with your electronic cutter, this challenge blog is for you!  Not sure what an SVG file is and don't want to miss out on the fun?  Check out this post and then this post from Cindy at The Creative Pointe.  She does a great job explaining what SVG files are and how they can accentuate your creativity.  Even if you're not ready to participate, there is plenty of creative inspiration from our very talented Design Team, so please check it out!

The latest theme at Creative Cutting Challenge is "Halloween - Not a Card".  Oh boy, did I have fun with this one!  Meet Mr. Steampunk'in and his friend Sir Crow!

The Details:

  • I started with a peat pot, a popsicle stick, and The Creative Pointe's "Fall Set" SVG file collection and the pieces just kept miraculously falling into place until Mr. Steampunk'in was complete!
  • The pumpkin SVG was cut from two shades of orange cardstock and layered onto a cardboard base for stability.  I embossed the background cardstock with Darice's "Steampunk" embossing folder, then shaded and highlighted with Distress Inks.  Distress Markers give the stem some detail.
  • His eyes are Tim Holtz gears layered with golden rhinestones.  His mouth is a Stampin' Up! label holder.  His teeth were created by embossing saffron cardstock with TH's "Gridlock" embossing folder and creatively cutting and inking so that the raised areas look like tiny  teeth cut from pumpkin flesh.  And of course, he wasn't complete until I added his handlebar mustache!
  • Sir Crow is from the marvelous Graphics Fairy.  He was printed onto cardstock and fussy cut.  His top hat was cut from Grunge Paper, colored with Distress Stain, and accented with baker's twine.
  • The peat pot was colored with Rusty Hinge and Crushed Olive Distress Ink.  I dried it thoroughly with a heat tool between layers (this prevents blending).  The rim was accented with a black pennant diecut.  For that extra Halloweeny-ness, I added buttons to the points and lots of Black Diamond Stickles accents.  The pot has some pebbles at the bottom of the inside for weight balance and is then filled with floral foam to keep everything in place.  Fluffy reindeer moss hides the foam.
  • The saying is printed on cardstock, fussy-cut, accented with Walnut Stain DI and Black Diamond Stickles.  A TH memo pin holds it in place.  
  • I used The Creative Pointe's "Halloween Set Two" SVG collection to cut simplified tombstones from a couple shades of grey cardstock.

  • Tip:  To secure the tombstones into the floral foam, I punched small holes at the bottom corners and threaded short lengths of wire through.  Instead of trying to glue them in, or using a wooden spike that you can see from the back, these are hidden and hold the stones at just the right angle.

I hope you'll join us for "Halloween - Not a Card" at Creative Cutting Challenge!  I had a blast making my little pumpkin friend and can't wait to see your creation!

Other Challenges:
The Graphics Fairy - Brag Monday #155
Simon Says Stamp: Simon Says...Emboss It!
Simon Says Stamp & Show: For the Love of Sparkle
Anything But a Card: Challenge 2 - Texture
Ginger Loft: GL48 - Embossing
Hiding in My Craft Room: HIMCR #64 - Halloween
Anything But a Card - Challenge #2

Supplies:
Cardstock: Stampin’ Up! ‘Going Grey’, ‘Pumpkin Pie’, ‘Really Rust’, ‘ Sahara Sand’, ‘So Saffron’, ‘Basic Black’; Tim Holtz Grunge Paper
SVG:  The Creative Pointe ‘Fall Set', ‘Halloween Set Two
Image: The Graphics Fairy ‘Old Crow’; ArtiCrafts by Rebecca ‘To Trick or To Treat’; Free Vintage Digital Stamps ‘Vintage Mustache
Stamps: Basic Grey ‘Spooky’, ‘Halloween’
Inks: Distress Ink ‘Black Soot’, ‘Walnut Stain’, ‘Spiced Marmalade’, ‘ Wild Honey’; Distress Markers; Distress Stain ‘Rusty Hinge’, ‘Crushed Olive’, ‘Brushed Corduroy’; SU! craft ‘White’; Archival ‘Jet Black’
Embellishments: Darice baker’s twine ‘Black / White’; TH memo pin, gears; SU! label plate; Bazzill Basics Just the Edge ‘Beetle Black’; reindeer moss; Stickles ‘Black Diamond’; buttons
Tools:  Darice embossing folder ‘Steampunk’; TH embossing folder ‘Gridlock’; Sizzix Texture Boutique; hole punch; SCAL, Cricut Expression; foam tape; wire; wire cutter; foam ink blender; mister; Glue Dots ‘Craft’, ‘Pop Up’; floral foam
Misc: Peat pot; popsicle stick; cardboard

Thursday, September 20, 2012

The Best Friend

I'm pretty sure that I could never buy another thing and I would still never use up all of my craft "stuff".  But they are always coming out with new "stuff" that I just have to have.  It's a conspiracy, I tell you!  (Yeah, I know, it's called Capitalism! J)

So, once in a while I focus on using up some of the older items in my stash.  I nearly always ask myself, "why did I wait so long to use this?!"  Today's card features a chipboard rose that blended perfectly with (uh, shocker, I know) some autumnal-toned My Mind's Eye papers.

A Few Details:
  • I used markers to bring a little more depth out of the chipboard rose.  I also touched the edges with Alcohol Inks to give a stained vintage look.
  • Alcohol Inks on the metal rim and Distress Stains in the center helped the little round tag get with the vintage program as well.  Can you believe that this little guy started life as a bright white tag with a bright silver rim?
  • The color scheme on this card is almost scrumptious...shades of chocolate and caramel and a little mint...yum.  Perfect for the best friend a girl could possibly have's upcoming September birthday!

Challenges:
Crafts and Me Challenges: #102 - Roses
Use It Tuesday: Challenge #39 - Anything Goes (chipboard rose)
Make It Monday: MIM #107

Supplies:
Cardstock: Stampin’ Up! ‘Really Rust’
Patterned Paper:  My Mind’s Eye Stella and Rose ‘Mabel’ 6x6
Stamps: MME Miss Caroline Howdy Dowdy ‘Baby’, Dolled Up ‘Favorite’
Inks: StazOn Timber Brown; SU! craft ‘Sage Shadow’; Martha Stewart craft markers; alcohol ink ‘Copper Mixative’, ‘Gold Mixative’, ‘Caramel’, ‘Blending Solution’; Perfect Pearls Mist ‘Heirloom gold’; Distress Stain ‘Old Paper’, ‘Brushed Corduroy’, ‘Pumice Stone’
Embellishments: Kaiser Craft printed chipboard ‘Secret Bird Society’; velvet ribbon; crocheted ribbon; tag; Tim Holtz jump ring, safety pin; Papertrey Ink rustic button twine
Tools:  EK Success punch ‘Graceful Heart’; Making Memories ribbon glue; Zig 2-way glue pen; Glue Dots ‘Pop Up’; Zots; felt ink blending tool

Monday, September 17, 2012

Enjoy It

I've been working on so many fall holiday projects lately, that I needed to ground myself and refresh my brain with just a ordinary birthday card.  Like hitting the reset button on my creativity.  J

Some Details:
  • It all started with this gorgeous vintage dahlias image.  The colors are so rich!  So I guess even though I was trying to purposely avoid it, there is a touch of fall in this card after all.
  • The seam binding was hand-dyed with Distress Stains and Ink.  I love dying seam binding...you can make it just the right color. 
  • "Enjoy It." was a one line stamp that I stamped onto two separate punched labels.  The strategically placed butterfly not only adds a nice accent, but also hides a tiny boo-boo.  J
Supplies:
Cardstock: Stampin’ Up! ‘Certainly Celery’
Patterned Paper:  My Mind’s Eye Lost & Found Two ‘Rosy’
Image: Vintage Feedsacks ‘Vintage Dahlias’; Chelsea Craze ‘Button Card
Stamps: Chatter Box ‘Fabulous’
Inks: Archival Ink ‘Coffee’; Distress Stain ‘Spiced Marmalade’, ‘Brushed Corduroy’; Distress Ink ‘Old Paper’; Adirondack paint dabber ‘Snow Cap’
Embellishments: Papertrey Ink rustic button twine; vintage button; Close to My Heart buttons; Hug Snug seam binding ‘Ivory’
Tools:  Tim Holtz paper distresser; heat tool; mister; foam tape; EK Success punch ‘Photo Labels’; Glue Dots

Monday, September 10, 2012

A New Challenge Blog & Wish Shoe Well Card

I'm excited to announce the launch of Creative Cutting Challenge, a new challenge blog for all of us that love using SVG files with our electronic cutters. Our premiere challenge is "Anything Goes"...the perfect opportunity to join in the fun with whatever your heart desires! The only requirement is that your project must contain an SVG cut element.

For my first Creative Cutting Challenge Design Team project, I used The Creative Pointe's "Girlz - Set Two" SVG set. I just love the pretty pumps in this set!

Some Details:
  • The vision for this card developed in my brain rather quickly:  a large shoe aligned along the bottom of the card with the card front cut away along the bottom edge of the shoe.  This cut away area reveals more pretty patterned paper and tissue tape accent on the inside of the card. 
  • I shaded my shoe with Pumice Stone Distress Marker.  This color worked perfectly for shading...not so dark as to obliterate the pink, just dark enough to create dimension.
  • I dressed my pretty pink pump with a gorgeous rose image from The Graphics Fairy, some fluffy, hand-dyed seam binding, and dots of Liquid Pearls. 

Other Challenges:

Supplies:
Cardstock: Stampin’ Up! ‘Basic Black’; Papertrey Ink ‘Sweet Blush’
Patterned Paper:  My Mind’s Eye Lost & Found ‘Madison Avenue’ 6x6
SVG:  The Creative Pointe ‘Girlz - Set Two
Image: The Graphics Fairy ‘Pretty Pink Rose
Stamps: SU! ‘Steppin’ Style’
Inks: Archival Ink ‘Jet Black’; Distress Ink ‘Old Paper’, ‘Tattered Rose’, ‘Black Soot’; Distress Marker ‘Pumice Stone’; Distress Stain ‘Spun Sugar’, ‘Worn Lipstick’
Embellishments: Liquid Pearls ‘Bisque’; Tim Holtz tissue tape ‘Journeyman’; Hug Snug seam binding ‘Ivory’; button; PTI rustic button twine
Tools:  TH paper distresser; Sure Cuts A Lot (SCAL); Cricut Expression; foam ink blending tool; Zots; Cuttlebug embossing folder ‘Swiss Dot’; Glue Dots ‘Pop Up’; Stamp-a-ma-jig; scallop scissors; Sizzix Texture Boutique

Monday, September 3, 2012

Pumpkin Seeds

The theme this week at Card A Day Blog is "Autumn"...oh so many possibilities...I hope you'll join us!  While keeping to the fall theme, I wanted to keep this card generic enough that it can work for many different occasions...fall birthday, thinking of you, thank you, etc.

A Couple Details:
  • I am hooked on using Pinterest to keep track of vintage images that I like.  In fact I have a whole board dedicated to "Images I Want to Use".  I printed the Vintage Pumpkin Seed Packet and Font Study images I had pinned there and layered them on top of some lovely My Mind's Eye paper.
  • Another element I seem to be addicted to lately is the banner.  I just love these darn things!  This one is hand-cut from more yummy MME paper and accented with vintage buttons.
  • Finally, the "Hey Pumpkin" greeting is stamped on more MME paper and punched out with my new EK Success "Photo Label" punch.  This stamp is one of my favorite fall greetings...it's just so cute!

Supplies:
Cardstock: Stampin’ Up! ‘Always Artichoke’
Patterned Paper:  My Mind’s Eye Lost & Found Two ‘Rosy’ 6x6
Image: Vintage Feedsacks ‘Vintage Pumpkin Seed Packet’; The Sum of All Crafts ‘A Font-tastic Study
Stamps: Cosmo Cricket ‘Haunted’
Inks: Distress Ink ‘Old Paper’; Archival Ink ‘Jet Black’
Embellishments: Buttons; Papertrey Ink rustic button twine
Tools:  EK Success punch ‘Photo Labels’; Zots; Zig 2-way glue pen; Tim Holtz paper distresser