More time to play

I just love card challenges and the challenge for TODAY from 365 card blog was to 'round the corner'. I had this tag left over from a class that my friend, Frugal Lori, and I took together - so I decided to round it up a bit - once that was done I had to decide what to do with it.
So, I mounted it on a couple different coordinating cardstocks and then decidd to play with distressing using the craft mat and water. I stamped out shabby shutters, faded jeans and weathered wood directly on my craft mat then spritzed with water and laid my white cardstock on this and swished it around. I like the end result. After hitting it with my heat gun, I ran it through my CB. It is a simple 'grungy' card that can be used for ANY ocassion and for either gender.

Life in the 'Spa' is wonderful!!

It is SO nice to be able to play to my hearts content in my paper spa. This morning I have been making a good attempt to catch up on all the challenges over at 365 cards blog. I still have quite a few days to go - but with a change of jobs, I will have more time each day to create before I head off to work.
Today I decided to start with Day 1 and see how far I could go. So far this is what I have created:
This first one is just as it says - a sketch challenge. I decided to use a glittery paper as my frame for this one. Then picked out the green and used my CB to emboss it. I then chose to use this pretty celery color and didn't like the plain edges, so distressed it with vintage photo. I did the same with the purple circle. I had a green button and wasn't real crazy about the color, so used my alcohol inks to give it a nicer blend of colors.


Day 2
My next card was a simple card - both in design and in the challenge. We were to use ONLY two embellishments - this is usually not a problem for me.
I had found this simple fairy stamp in the dollar bins at Michael's and couldn't resist buying it. I realize it is a FAIRY and not an ANGEL - but the sentiment works for me!! I used my watercolor pencils to subtly color the fairy. I used broken china to softly distress the edges of the sentiment and I used eggplant alcohol inks to color the clear crystal.


Day 3
On Day 3 we were to use Three embellishments - specific ones - a button, a ribbon and a flower. So, I first chose my flower from my little can of primas. I then found a solid white button and using my alcohol inks - once again - I colored the button to coordinate with my color selection. I then decided that this brown ribbon would work perfect. I decided to use the celery color again and coordinated with this regal rose for a nice Spring card. I love the sentiment as it just fits so perfectly with this time of year.


Day 4
Day 4 was inspired by this ad:
We were to create a card using THIS particular ad. When I first read the challenge I remember a stamper I had met when I liven in Washington that talked about a stamp club she belonged to and they had done something like this - only they had to choose an ad to design a card from. So, this one was a bit challenging for me.
I decided on the sentiment first and using the colors in the ad, mounted the sentiment on riding hood red and then on chocolate chip (both Stampin' Up colors)

Then I was at a loss as to what to do next. I kept looking at the ad, and decided to use my new CB flower die to cut these flowers from riding hood red and marigold morning (a past In Color from Stampin' Up). The flowers were too plain for my liking, so I ran them through my CB using a couple different folders to give them more dimension. Although it is not my favorite of the cards I have created this morning, I still like it.
I have a little time left before I have to go for my job orientation this afternoon, so I am going to see what other creations I can come up with. I hope you have enjoyed your visit to the 'spa' today.

Playing in the Paper Spa

I have looked forward to this day for several days. Tuesday I had to go downtown and take care of some business, so I didn't get a chance to meet with my friend Lori and others to play with paper - so I was really looking forward to today - and it has NOT disappointed me.
Today I have taken my inspiration from the 365 cards blog where a new challenge is posted everyday. I have been following the daily challenges, but haven't been able to do each of them as they are posted. Today, I started with Day 21 - just because - no reason - but then went back to Day 20, so I am posting here not necessarily in the order I created, but in the order of each day. :) Just because!!


For day 20 we were to create a card that is primarily embellished on the INSIDE of the card. Well, I broke out my distress inks (again!!) and inked up the edges of this top note die - I just LOVE that die!! I used a new stamp set from Stampin' Up to stamp the images and then I added a bit more color with markers and added a bit of sparkle with my stickles. It wasn't complete and I wasn't sure how to make it complete, then I remembered these dragonfly brads that I have and that added the touch I was looking for.
For Day 21 We were to create a card inspired by the song "Lean On Me". Well, I knew when I first read the challenge when it was first posted just exactly what image I was going to use. This image - another Stampin' Up from the set, 'Summer by the Sea' was perfect. I stamped on watercolor paper and then used watercolor pencils to color in the image. I distressed the edges of the card just a little to give the illusion of a sunset. I used my cricut to design, weld and cut out the words and I was inspired by the sketch challenge over at Splitcoast stampers to use this sketch for my card. My image was a little larger than the sketch challenge called for, so it is hard to see the black triangle layered underneath. I used the core'dinations paper and ran it through my cuttlebug and then sanded off to bring the blue core to the front.

Day 22 was a sketch challenge. I really had alot of fun with this one. I didn't want to stick with the traditional 'tag' shape, so I created my own on the cricut.
Then I set about to embellish it - with no clue how it would turn out. I knew that I had this patterned paper that perfectly matched the dark blue I had chosen for my card. Well, I decided to play a little more with my cricut - cutting out flower shapes and then distressing them with a stylus to give them shape. I had the black prima already and added the button for a nice touch in the center. A few mistakes later - covered nicely with the sentiment and dew drops colored with alcohol inks - color them FIRST before putting them on your card - ask me how I know!! Hmm, could this be the 'cover-up'!! lol I then decided to try welding a like image slightly larger for a folded card in the same shape as the dark blue and this is what I ended up with. I do like this one.

On a roll now and heading into Day 25 - yeah, I decided to skip days 23 and 24 for now. Day 25 was an ad inspired card using this image:
I decided to use a stamp from the 'Eastern Influences' set from SU. I stamped the image all over the card stock in burgundy and in white and then punched the corners with my new ticket punch. I have wanted that punch for quite some time and finely ordered it. I then decided to use flowers again to embellish. The black on is another of my cricut cuts and then I ran it through the cuttlebug for texture. I added the other primas from my stash and a green(it is hard to see the color) crystal brad. I took scraps from my stamping and over stamped the sentiment.
I think this one is my favorite of all the cards I have done today.

Friday Fun!!

With just an hour or so to play before leaving for work this morning, I managed to check out the challenges on Card Sketch a Day and created this very quick card for the Friday Challenge.



I still had a little bit of time left, so managed to create another card for the challenges on 365 Cards. This card was for Day 5 - it was called Thankful it's Thursday and we were to make a 'thank you' card that we could make many of.

And now for the OTHER card!!

My friend, Lori had been wanting to try the 'polished stone' technique - at least that is what we called it years ago - and of course did it differently 'back then' too! Well, after playing a bit with the alcohol inks marbling the glossy cardstock, I decided to try using distressed inks on the glossy to see how it would look. Here is the card that I created from my sample:

Going Green

I have wanted to participate in 365 Cards blog challenge. This one is for Day 18. I know, why not start with Day 1 and go forward. Well, I had time today to craft with a friend - at HER house, which meant I had to pack a limited supply of items from MY crafting area and take it over there. It was a FUN day and I actually made TWO cards. This one is for the 'Going Green' challenge. We could have crafted all day, but family matters caused us to stop early - just about the time that the mojo really starts to flow - you know the time - you have ALL been there!!

Back to the Paper Spa

I didn't get much done in my little paper spa today - however, I did manage to gather about 50+ cards together that I have made over the last several years and get them ready to send to Cards for Heroes.


I have about 25 cards that are Christmas cards.

The other 25+ cards are general purpose cards that can be sent for any ocassion.


I still have about 50 or so cards that I have received from others in swaps that I will be preparing to send to cards for heroes as well.

I am a PROUD Mother!

Ok, so this ISN'T paper related - but I just HAVE to tell! My youngest son, Benjamin was in the Optimist clubs' Oratorical contest last night and he WON FIRST place!! I am so proud of him. Not only did he get a nice trophy, but he also won a $500 scholarship and will go on to the Zone competition in a few weeks where he will be competing for a $1500 scholarship and the chance to move up once again. You can be sure that I WILL be scrapping these photos of the competition - soon.

Playing with Paper!!

Finally I had a day to play in my Paper Spa! It was so fun too! I was able to complete a couple projects for TNT - my monthly scrapbook club. However, the projects were completed AFTER the meeting - which is ok since I was unable to attend the meeting at the last minute. I really hate missing the meetings as they are so inspiring and the ladies that are in the group are the most creative, fun (and sometimes funny) women that you will ever meet!

So, the first project I completed was the "dine-o'mite" challenge. Each month our fearless leader (Lori - the frugal scrapper) writes up a 'recipe' to follow. It is like a sketch, only in reverse. I tweaked mine just a bit, but am very pleased with the results.
I had these pictures I took of my husband and decided to 'force' myself to scrap them - as I had no inspiration when I started out. A couple things I really like about this layout were the journaling block. I decided - why make the journaling block rectangle, square or a circle - why not do a different shape. So, I cut the shape out of a journaling sheet using my cricut and matted it. I altered everything on the page except the BG striped paper and the seashells!! They are REAL too! I have a jar of seashells and decided to use those on the LO rather than a metal embellishment that the recipe called for. The next thing on this LO that I really like is the title. I cut the letters on my cricut - using the design studio software to weld the words together. I had some glossy chipboard from a package from Costco - when you get large photos printed, they put a nice piece of white glossy (on one side)chipboard in the envelope for stability - well this is a perfect item for cutting letters and other embellishments from. I used the polished stone technique for coloring the letters. I used the Adirondack alcohol inks in: stream; lettuce; and caramel. Did I already say that I like how it turned out??

This next page was the sketch challenge. Lori used a sketch from the pagemaps site. This was also a very fun sketch. I started with a blank black piece of cardstock. I chose my pictures and then looked through my stash to find a purple-ish color that would work with the pictures. I used my new EK border punch to punch the edge of the cardstock and then cut strips out of a very cool collage type paper. at this point, I wasn't real thrilled with the plain black BG, so I used gold metallic ink and dabbed it on with a tool that I have had forever. Once I was satisfied with the background I attached the photos and then had to decide how I wanted the title and journaling.
Since I felt the pictures told the story, I didn't think that alot of journaling was needed, however I did want to include the first line of the chorus of the song as this was what they were dancing to. I wanted to emphasize DANCE as the title - so I used my cricut once again to design and cut the lettering and then the alcohol inks to color the chipboard. I then overstamped a scroll stamp with black stazon. I decided to try printing the lettering on transparency and it worked beautifully. I ran it through the xyron and attached it to the page - if you look closely, you can see the shadow of the transparency - but it is the best I could do considering I added it AFTER the purple strips were attached. I found these ugly looking bracket embellishments in my stash and colored them with the alcohol inks. I couldn't get the color to quite match everything else on the page - but I showed it to my daughter, and she loved it - so that is all that matters!!
Happy Scrapping!