Fall Hello for Sunday Stamps

Welcome back friends!  It's time for a new challenge at Sunday Stamps and this time we have some beautiful colors that just made my heart happy!  I hope you like them too!

Sunday Stamps

I'm also sharing my card at the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge for their Anything Goes theme.

To me these are wonderful colors for making Autumn cards, but honestly I love them any time of year.  Please excuse the photo quality - my camera definitely was not a fan of the foiled sentiment.

For starters, the pretty Forest Builder Frame was die cut from Distress Watercolor, then I used the ink smooshing technique to color them with Distress inks.  To get the frame a consistently darker color, I dipped a small paintbrush in Crackling Campfire Distress Spray Stain and painted the frame.  While that dried, a panel of Aqua Sky cardstock was embossed using the Tim Holtz Bark 3D folder, trimmed down then added to a Peacock panel layered on the white card base.

Next, I used a bit of Hero Arts gold wax on my finger to gently swipe over parts of the now dried leaves and branches on the frame.  While hard to see in the photos, I also swiped the gold wax on parts of the embossed panel to bring out the texture.  While that dried, I used my Spellbinders Hot Foiling system to create the sentiment, then adhered everything to the card front.  

So what are you inspired to create with these colors?  For more inspiration, head over to the challenge blog where my wonderful teammates have some beautiful cards to share, and hopefully you will join us!

On a personal note, this will be my final post as part of the Sunday Stamps design team. I've decided to take a step back and reevaluate my crafting priorities. The women on this team have been nothing less than fabulous to work with, and I will miss creating with them very much, and of course they will continue to bring you wonderful inspiration with each challenge. 

Take care!

Stef

Paper:  Neenah Solar White, Hammermill, Distress Watercolor, Concord and 9th Peacock and Aqua Sky

Ink:  Crackling Campfire, Wild Honey and Carved Pumpkin Distress Inks

Dies:  Simon Says Stamp Forest Builder Frame and Elegantly Modern Greetings die

Foiling:  Simon Says Stamp Elegantly Modern Hot Foil Plate, Spellbinders Gold Glimmer Hot Foil

Other:  Tim Holtz Bark 3D embossing folder, Crackling Campfire Distress Spray Stain, Hero Arts Gold Wax

Sparkle and Shine for Christmas Craft Creations

Hello friends!  Today I'm sharing my reminder card for the October challenge at Christmas Craft Creations.  This month our theme is monochromatic.

CCC

I love making monochromatic cards for Christmas, they are especially great for CAS, or in my case, Clean and Layered.

I've had the Gina K Sparkle and Shine stamp set for at least a year and haven't used it, so this challenge was the perfect place to showcase one of the beautiful images in the set.  I started by silver heat embossing the tree and star on a panel of Simon Says Stamp Peacock cardstock and the sentiment on a separate scrap of the same.  Both were die cut with MFT Stitched dies, then I ink blended SSS Ocean around the edges of the panel.  It wasn't quite dark enough so I brought in some SSS Galaxy, which is a dark blue, then went over it again with Ocean to get a nice blend.  I added a bit around the edges of the sentiment strip as well.

I then ink blended a separate A2 size panel of peacock in the same manner, thinking it would cover the entire card base after layering the embossed panel of matte silver.  But I felt it just needed that bit of white around the edges, so it was die cut to create a mat that was then added to the card base.  The sentiment was added with thin foam tape and the finishing touch was to sprinkle about some holographic stars from Trinity Stamps.  Since this card design lends itself to making multiples, that's what I did, but changing up the cardstock and metallic colors.  So who knows, maybe someday one of them may pop up on my blog for a different challenge!

If you're working on your Christmas cards, then why not head over to CCC and join us this month?  We have prizes that are given randomly, which is an additional incentive to adding a card to your holiday card stash.

Thanks for visiting and I hope to see your card in the gallery!

Take care!

Stef

Stamps:  Gina K Sparkle and Shine

Paper:  SSS Peacock and Matte Silver, Neenah Solar White

Ink:  Versamark, SSS Ocean and Galaxy

Other:  SSS Fine Detail Embossing Powder, Trinity Stamps Oh My Stars Confetti Mix

Dies:  MFT Stitched Rectangle and Essential Stitched Sentiment dies

Spooky Forest

Hello friends!  I have another Halloween card to share with you.  I'm sharing it over at Just Us Girls (card #2!), Festive Friday and the Four Seasons Challenge (card #3!).  

JUGS 701

FF#0145

(I went with black, stencil, witch and moon)

Four Seasons - AG Fall

So I went a little crazy on stocking up with new Halloween stuff and this card mixes and matches die cuts from Simon Says Stamp and Tim Holtz.

I LOVE making Halloween cards so this was so fun to put together.  I started with the SSS Arched Forest embossing folder and die.  I used two shades of brown (all inks used are Distress Oxide listed below) to ink blend a panel of Tim Holtz Heavyweight cardstock that I'd embossed with the Arched Forest folder, then used the matching die to cut out the background, leaving just the trees.  I re-embossed the tree section as it got flattened out a bit in the die cutting process.

Next I used a moon mask on another panel of the same cardstock and ink blended the spooky sky.  I then used a moon stencil to added layers to the moon, then the panel was splattered with Hocus Pocus and Unravelled Distress Mica Stain Sprays.

While the panel dried, I die cut the fun trick-or-treaters from black cardstock three times, then adhered them together for some dimension. I just love the kid with the pumpkin head lol! Before adding the embossed trees to the background, I stenciled the bats with some black pigment ink.  After adhering the trees to the background, the panel was slightly trimmed down and added to a black card base.  After the trick-or-treaters and sentiment were adhered, I used a white gel pen to add just a few highlights from the moon and that finished things off!

If you like Halloween cards, take a peek at a couple cards I made last month here and here.

Thanks for taking time to visit.  Take care!

Stef

Stamps:  Stamping Bella Frightful and Delightful (sentiment)

Paper:  Hero Arts Pitch Black, TH Heavyweight white

Ink:  Versamark, Versafine Clair Nocturne;  Antique Linen, Scattered Straw, Fossilized Amber, Spiced Marmalade, Wild Honey, Gathered Twigs, Walnut Stain, Black Soot, Villainous Potion and Wilted Violet Distress Oxide

Die/Embossing folder:  SSS Arched Forest, Tim Holtz Halloween Night

Stencils:  Picket Fence Mini Haunted Moon Blending Stencils, SSS Layered Bats

Sprays:  Hocus Pocus and Unraveled Distress Mica Stain Sprays

All the Best

Hello friends!  I'm back with a card for the current challenges at The Paper Players and Just Us Girls.  I'm also sharing my card at the Four Seasons Challenge, where their October challenge is Anything Goes - Fall.

PP662

JUGS 701

Four Seasons - AG Fall

I decided to give some love to an older stamp set from Impression Obsession called Fall Pumpkins - so perfect, no?

The pumpkin/floral scene was colored with Copic markers.  I'd forgotten how small and detailed this stamp was, with all the tiny leaves, berries and flower petals, but it still didn't take too long to color.  I used browns to ground the image and at first was just going to use a blue marker around the edges above the "ground" but then opted to color in the rest of the background.  When done, the panel was trimmed down to 3.5" x 4.75".

Next, I tried to stamp the sentiment onto the panel, but wouldn't you know it, my paper moved ever so slightly in my Misti and it blurred!  No worries, I just stamped it again on a piece of white scrap paper, die cut it along with another piece for a tiny bit of layering, then added it to the card front.  The panel was layered on a dark brown panel, then added to the white card base with foam tape.  I hope to get this card and a few others in the mail to some out of state friends.

I hope you're having a great week with some decent weather because soon enough, at least in the Northern Hemisphere, we'll be looking at things turning colder.  I think we'll have our last hurrah of high 70's by the end of this week, then brrrr lol!

It you have a chance, check back on Thursday when I'll have a Halloween card to share.

Take care!

Stef

Stamps and die:  Impression Obsession Fall Pumpkins, Pink Fresh Studio Wonderful Sentiments

Paper:  Neenah Solar White, SU Early Espresso

Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Versafine Clair Nocturne

Copics:  Pumpkins - YR09, 16, Y38, 15; Flowers - YR27, 24, 15, 11; Leaves - G28, 17, 05, & G46, 43, 40; Stems, flower centers and ground - E59, 57, 55, 53; Sky:  B000, 0000; Berries: RV69, 55

Thinking of You for Color Hues

Hello friends!  We're in mid-October, which calls for a new challenge over at Color Hues!  The fabulous Hannelie has chosen a wonderful fall-ish combination of Yellow and Kraft.

Color Hues

 

I'm also playing along with the monthly Four Seasons Challenge, where October is Anything Goes Fall (and look at that fab mood board, I'm sure I'm going to be playing along again this month!).

FSC - October - AG Fall

Many options with the Color Hues combo, but I decided to use a new floral stamp set which I think worked well with yellow and kraft (plus a little gold and white ;-)).

I started by stamping the Rose Reverie image (a Simon Says Stamp/Altenew collab stamp and die set from Stamptember) on a white panel then coloring with Copic markers.  I sampled a couple of brown marker combos before finding a blending group that was closest to kraft.  The image was then die cut with the coordinating die.

Next I cut a panel of white with the Tim Holtz Simple Plaid cover die, which was then layered on a panel of kraft, which was then adhered to a white card base.  Before adhering the floral image, both the flowers and background were splattered with metallic gold and white paint.  While that dried, the sentiment was gold heat embossed then die cut with matching die.  I also cut out two more layers each of the floral image and the sentiment.  When the splatter was dried, the images were layered up, then adhered to the background panel.  I then took a small paintbrush and added metallic gold to the little anthers (tops of the stamen) in the middle of the flowers and that finished things off.

I love this color combo and I hope you do too!  Take a moment to visit the challenge blog and see what my amazingly talented teammates created for your inspiration and hopefully you will join us - the challenge remains open until 9 am EDT 10/28.

Thanks for visiting - take care!

Stef

Stamps and dies:  Rose Reverie, Tim Holtz Simple Plaid Cover die

Paper:  Neenah Solar White and Desert Storm

Ink:  Versamark, Memento Tuxedo Black, Versafine Clair Nocturne

Other:  Altenew Metallic Gold paint, Dr. Ph Martins Bleed Proof White, Altenew Antique Gold embossing powder

Copics:  Flowers - V01, Y08, 13, 11; Stamen - YR23, Y15; Leaves - E44, 43, 42, 41

Thinking of You for The Flower Challenge and Sunday Stamps

Hello friends!  Today I'm sharing a card that I made for the new sketch challenge at Sunday Stamps and also as my reminder card for The Flower Challenge, where it's Anything Goes (with flowers) celebrating our 7th birthday.  It's always nice when I can make one card for two DT challenges!

Sunday Stamps

The Flower Challenge

 

For my card, I used the lovely magnolia stamps from a collaboration set with Memory Box and Simon Says Stamp.

There are three flowers in the set, so I stamped them all over on a white panel to create my own patterned paper.  I colored it with Copic markers then trimmed it down to 3.5" x 4.75" and mounted it on a slightly larger white panel.  

Next, I layered a 4" x 5.25" panel of brown cardstock on the white card base then added the colored panel with foam tape.  The sentiment was stamped and die cut with the matching die and that finished things off!

So what are you inspired to make for these two challenges?  I'd love to see your card in both galleries, but in the meantime, please take a moment to visit the challenge blogs to see the beautiful cards created by my amazingly talented teammates and guest designers Emily Midgett and Loll Thompson!

Also, this is the final challenge for Viv and Aileen, who started The Flower Challenge seven years ago.  They are dear, wonderful people and will be greatly missed as part of the DT.

Thanks for visiting and take care!

Stef

Stamp and die:  Memory Box and SSS So Kind collaboration, Waffle Flower Elegant Sentiments stamp and die

Paper:  Neenah Solar White, Concord & 9th Acorn

Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black

Copics:  RV23, 21, 10, YG09, 07, 05, 02, E59, 55, 53, B000

Hugs for The Flower Challenge

Hello friends!  This is a special day because it is The Flower Challenge's 7th birthday!  The theme is Anything Goes plus we have a number of previous Design Team members joining us for this month-long celebration, along with our latest new DT member Judy Rozema. Woo hoo!

The Flower Challenge

Sadly, this is Viv and Aileen's last challenge as part of the DT, and Cara as well.  We wish them all the best and hope they come back to play along once in a while.

For my card I stepped out of my comfort zone and did some water coloring using Distress Watercolor Pencils.

In February I attended a class led by the amazing Jenn Shurkus where she taught us some basic skills for using Distress Watercolor Pencils, so I decided to apply some of what I learned using a page from the Altenew Watercolor Coloring Book.  I painted in layers then when the flower and leaves were done, I used Speckled Egg to go around the outside of the image, then added splatter in Seedless Preserves, Black Soot and metallic gold paint.

The panel was trimmed down to 3.75" x 5.75" from it's original A7 size, matted with Stampin' Up Blackberry cardstock and added to a lavendar panel that was embossed with the Gina K Lattice folder using a bit of thin foam tape.  The sentiment from Altenew Versatile Greeting was die cut from matte gold and layered on a vellum shadow.  The last step was adding it to an A7 Ivory card base.

We sure hope you'll join us in celebrating TFC's 7th birthday!  In the meantime, please head over to the challenge blog where the DT and guest DTs have some beautiful inspiration to share with you!

Take care!

Stef

Paper:  Altenew Watercolor Coloring Book, Simon Says Stamp Lavendar, SU Blackberry Bliss, Hero Arts Antique Ivory, SSS Matte Gold, Lawn Fawn Pearlescent Vellum

Dies:  Altenew Versatile Greetings, Waffle Flower A7 Layers dies

Embossing:  Gina K Lattice folder

Watercolor:  Altenew Metallic watercolor pan set; Distress Watercolor Pencils in Shaded Lilac, Seedless Preserves, Twisted Citron, Rustic Wilderness, Folssilized Amber, Wild Honey, Vintage Photo, Black Soot and Speckled Egg

Apple-solutely Wonderful for Sunday Stamps

Hello crafty friends!  I'm back with a card for the new color challenge at Sunday Stamps.  This time the colors are definitely leaning towards fall.

Sunday Stamps

I'm also playing along with Inkspirational, where the current theme is CAS.

Inkspirational #299

After reviewing their definition of CAS (one main focal point, lots of open space, minimal layers and minimal embellishments), I thought my card worked well within those parameters.

A couple teammates and I were tossing around what colors were close to the color board and came up with More Mustard, Pale Papaya or light peach, Pumpkin Pie, Cherry Cobbler and Basic Gray, which worked for me!

I recently got this cute stamp set, which is a Stamptember collaboration set between Simon Says Stamp and Art Impressions.  If you're not familiar with Stamptember, all month long SSS offers exclusive collaboration stamps with many of the best craft companies and once the sets sell out, they're gone.  It's over now, since today is October 1st but just something to put on your calendar for next year if you're interested.  The other thing is that even if the collab sets sell out, the companies usually have something similar in their lines of stamps and dies. Art Impressions has a large line of fun AI ladies and gents, if you like this style.

Okay, enough about that!  This cute lady was colored up using Copic markers similar to the colors listed above.  I then used my gray marker to give her some ground to stand on, then used two shades of peachy ink to blend the edges of the background, leaving a little halo so I didn't get the ink where I didn't want it.

When the background was complete, I used a Wonky Stitched rectangle die to cut down the panel and mount it onto the white card base with foam tape.  The sentiment was white heat embossed on a scrap of gray cardstock, then I fussy cut it out and added it to the card with foam squares.  The final touch was adding a few highlights with a white gel pen.  I have a friend that absolutely loves puns, so this card will be heading her way soon!

I hope these colors inspire you to join us - the challenge remains open until 6pm EDT Friday, 10/13.  For more inspiration, please head over to the challenge blog where my talented teammates have plenty more inspiration for you!

Thanks for visiting and take care!

Stef

Stamps:  AI/SSS Apple Cider Set

Paper:  Neenah Solar White, SSS Slate Gray

Ink:  SSS Peachy and Grapefruit

Other:  SSS Wonky Stitched Rectangle die, Sakura White Gelly Roll pen

Copics:  T6, 4, 2, 0, W1, 0, R39, 37, 35, 20, Y15, 11, 00, YR17, 24, 23, 21, 18, 16, 14, 02, 01, 00, 000, E59, 42, 41, 21, 11, 09, 00

Hey You! for Color Hues

Hello friends!  Another month has flown by and here we are on October 1st, and that means a new Color Hues Challenge!  This time the lovely Cindy has chosen the beautiful combination of blue and coral.

Color Hues

I love these two colors together and decided to bring out another embossing folder for my card, this time using the Simon Says Stamp Darcy Bouquet and dies.

I chose to use Distress Watercolor paper because I wasn't quite certain if I was going to do some water coloring, but in the end decided to do ink blending.  The panel was first embossed with the Darcy Bouquet folder, then I added a very light application of Abandoned Coral Distress Oxide to the panel center, then covered the edges with Salty Ocean.  When that was done, the panel was trimmed down slightly and splattered with Dr. Ph Martin's Bleed Proof White.  You know how there are times when your white splatters absorb the colors underneath and then don't look so white?  This paint doesn't do that, which I love!

The next step was to use the die to cut out the three flowers, then I taped them into the embossing folder and ran it through my Platinum 6.  I inked blended them with the Abandoned Coral ink, using a bit heavier hand, then added to the depth of color towards the flower centers using two Copic markers.  I used the same white paint to color the flower centers, then added them to the card front with foam squares.  The sentiment, from MFT's Stylish Sentiments stamp set was stamped in Salty Ocean then die cut with one of Altenew's Featured Sentiment dies.  The panel was adhered directly to the card base, the sentiment popped up using foam squares and I was done.

So how will you use these two colors?  I hope you're inspired to play along and my amazingly talented teammates have even more inspiration to share - just use the link above.  The challenge will remain open until 9 am Saturday October 14th - I hope to see your card in the gallery!

Thanks for stopping by and take care!

Stef