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.