Grateful Heart for TOC 326

Hello friends!  I'm excited to share that I am guest designing for Time Out Challenges!  This came about because I was chosen the overall winner for TOC 321 with this card.  

The new challenge is their monthly Inspired by and this time it is Gratitude, which is very timely as we approach the Thanksgiving holiday here in the US.

Time Out Challenges

The challenge is sponsored by the wonderful folks at Poppystamps, with a $20 store credit to the winner. 

As often happens in my crafting, I start with one design in mind and end up with something completely different.  But I'm really happy with how my card turned out despite changing course.

I'd purchased a few fall items from Simon Says Stamp with this specific challenge in mind and after playing around with different options, I decided to go with this beautiful cornucopia and large Grateful sentiment.

All the cornucopia components were die cut from colored cardstock then ink blended for dimension, primarily with Distress Inks.  I used a kraft-stock metallic paper from Tim Holtz for the sentiment and then chose to use it for the larger flower centers and pumpkin stems as well.  The dies were quite simple to assemble; the hardest part was ink blending all the little dies *wink*!

The background is an older SSS embossing folder and I used a moss cardstock, then inked around the edges with a darker green to create kind of a halo effect.  

I used the large sentiment as a place holder on the card front while building the cornucopia and contents.  Admittedly, I got a bit carried away with the number of leaves I used! I just couldn't stop...I love the combination of the fall colors, which is one of my favorite things about cardmaking this time of year.

After adhering everything to the card front, I decided to fill the space just below the large Grateful sentiment with a lovely sub-sentiment from a newer SSS stamp and die set, stamping it in brown pigment ink.  I tried gold heat embossing it, but it was too different compared to the other metallics.  I finished things off with some tiny sparkly gems in the smallest flower centers.

I am grateful that you stopped by and now I encourage you to head over to the Time Out Challenges blog to be inspired by all the gorgeous cards created by the design team.  Hopefully you can play along, especially with the chance to win a $20 store credit to Poppystamps.

Take care!

Stef

• All SSS products unless otherwise noted:
• Autumn Cornucopia die set
• Timeless Grateful die 
• Grateful Moments stamp and die (sub-sentiment)
• Basket Weave embossing folder
• Wild Honey, Rusty Hinge, Rustic Wilderness, Villianous Potion, Dusty Concord, and Ground Espresso Distress Inks
• Tim Holtz/Idea-ology Metallic Classics Kraft-Stock
• Spellbinders Aura AB gems

Merry Christmas for PP811

Hello friends!  It's time for a new challenge at the Paper Players.  This week the amazing Joanne is hosting our monthly color challenge, and she's chosen some seasonally appropriate colors.

Paper Players

I'm also sharing my card with the lovelies at Inspirational, where they are looking for Christmas Florals and Greenery.

Inkspirational #380

With these beautiful, traditional colors I felt a beautiful poinsettia would work perfectly.

Apparently, I've become a collector of poinsettias, because whenever there's a new die set, it seems to end up in my craft room!  Such is the case with the beautiful poinsettia die and embossing folder set from Altenew.  The poinsettia is fairly large and I love that the bracts (the red and green leaves) are not evenly sized, just as in nature, although it did take a few turns on the card front to find the best look.

The leaves were cut from red and green cardstock and ink blended towards to the centers, then embossing with the coordinating folder to give them the beautiful texture.  They were then adhered together. Using a single die, the three small cyathia (flowers in the center) were cut from brushed gold, as was the die cut Merry Christmas.

The warm ivory cardstock background was embossed with a lovely tapestry design before lightly splattering gold paint all over it, as well as the poinsettia and the white foliage.  When dry, everything was adhered to the card front.  I opted not to add any additional embellishments because I really think the embossing and gold dress it up well enough.

Thanks for taking time to stop by.  I hope you'll join us this week!  The challenge will remain open until lucky Friday, November 13th at 3pm EST.  In the meantime, I encourage you to visit the challenge blog for some wonderful inspiration by my talented teammates.

Take care!

Stef

• Altenew Lush Botanicals: Poinsettia dies and embossing folder
• Gina K Tapestry ef
• Concord & 9th Fresh Cut Floral Edition 4 die (foliage)
• Simon Says Stamp Timeless Merry Christmas dies

Whimsical Wishes

Hello friends!  Today I have a card to share that works for three challenges - Time Out Challenges with a theme of friendship/encouragement/support, Just Us Girls where we are to CASE a DT (I'm CASEing Elizabeth's card) and Addicted to Stamps and More with an any occasion theme.

TOC 325

JUGS 847

Elizabeth - whom I'm CASEing

ATS 529

Several months ago I bought the Spellbinders Whimsical Wishes bundle because I fell in love with the wonky looking houses and flowers, which in a way reminded me of Whoville in Horton Hears a Who (I don't think I'm alone in that lol!).  Thanks to Elizabeth for inspiring me to finally put it to use!

While there are four styles of houses and four different flowers in the die sets, I stuck with just one house and a couple flowers so everything would fit on a A2 sized card.  

I first die cut and assembled all the images, then decided on how everything was to be laid out on the card.  I used the Village Companions set to die cut the clouds and cute doggo, and an edger die from Taylored Expressions to create the green hillside.  The light purple "sky" background was created using the Whimsical Skies embossing folder.  

Once everything was in place on the card front, I used a TE stamp and die set to create the greeting, which was added with thin foam tape.  I love the wonky house and those ginormous flowers; the sets truly live up to their name and hopefully give the recipient a reason to smile.

Thanks for taking time to stop by, I appreciate it!

Stef

All Spellbinders except where noted

• Whimsical Houses dies
• Whimsical Blooms dies
• Village Companions dies
• Whimsical Skies ef
• Taylored Expressions Easy Edger die
• TE Mini Strips - Sending stamp and die set

Boo to You

Hello friends!  I'm popping in to share a card made for the challenges at Just Us Girls and Festive Friday.  I had a die set on my desk for creating one last (I think) Halloween card for my family and realized it would work great for both of these challenges.  

JUGS #845

 

The little ghost cup with it's cute smiling face reminded me of the three I was readying for my card, except they have a few more apparel items, shall we say!

FF0220

My card has 4 items off the Inspo List - orange, black, green and a Halloween sentiment.

And here's what I ended up making...

These adorable ghosts are from a die set that I bought on sale earlier this year because I found their cuteness so charming.  I used a quad layout for my card similar to an example on the Spellbinders website except I changed up a number of things.  

I went with classic Halloween colors of green, orange, purple and black, both for the attire that the ghosts are wearing and the background.  After putting together the three ghosts and the sentiment, I went to work on the background.

I used four different colored panels cut to 2.5" x 3.5" and adhered them together on a 5" x 7" piece of super lightweight cardstock.  Not quite as thin as copy paper, which would work fine too, but thin enough that I could then emboss the layered panel after finding the right sandwich.  One of the small panels had pulled away from abutting the other during the embossing, so I cut four black strips to cover that up, which also acted to separate each of the four sections.

The ghosts were then added with thin foam tape as was the pumpkin candy holder and the sentiment.  Lastly, I used some black star embellishments that came in my Heroween kit to add a bit of sparkle.  I think these ghosts are so adorable and I'm also thinking their hats and glasses might work with other dies sets...we'll have to see!

Thanks for stopping by, I appreciate it.  Enjoy the rest of your weekend! 

Stef

• Simon Hurley/Spellbinders Boo Crew Die set
• Spellbinders Diamond Blocks embossing folder
• Simon Says Stamp Strips die
• Spellbinders Peridot, Rainforest, Lilac, Fog and Brushed Silver cardstock
• SSS Creamsicle and Black cardstock

Boo Mobile for CH143

Hello friends!  Today is the start of a new challenge at Color Hues.  This time, the fabulous Tracey is hosting and has chosen a great color combination for this time of year.

Color Hues

With this color pairing and given the time of year, I felt only a Halloween card was in order.

If you're a fan of Spellbinders, you're well aware of this die set and embossing folder that came out in the clubs for August of this year.  I love everything Halloween, so of course they both had to come home with me.  

After all the die cutting from regular and glitter cardstock, assembling it was pretty easy. I did ink blending over both the Boo Mobile and the pumpkin ornament prior to assembly to give them more shape and dimension. 

I thought the design on the packaging was great, but it included a flying eyeball that I wasn't especially fond of.  Then I saw this version from Nichol Spohr using the skull and crossbones at the top of the car and I liked that much better.  

For the background, a panel of gray was ink blended around the edges with Black Soot Distress ink and embossed with the spider web folder. When the black ink was dry, I used an older white pigment ink pad to swipe white over the tops of the webs.  And yes, it did leave a tiny bit of color, but I have this ink pad especially for these kinds of projects and have two others that are pristine.  Sparkle and white splatter were added as well.

The sentiment was heat embossed in white on black, die cut and added to the bottom of the dried panel before adding the car full of our crazy, creepy crew (don't you love those witches' legs?).  

So how are you inspired to use these colors?  We'd love to have you join us and see what you come up with.  I encourage you to visit the challenge blog to see the variety of fabulous creations by the rest of the design team.  The challenge will remain open until Thursday October 29th at 9 am EDT.  Hope to see you there!

Stef

• Spellbinders Large Die OTM Aug 26 - Boo Mobile
• SB 3D EF OTM Aug 26 - Spooky Web
• SB Clear Stamp and Die OTM Aug 26 - Trick or Snark
• Black Soot and Walnut Stain Distress Inks
• SB Sparkle Splatter Effects
• SSS White Splatter Medium

Artsy Leaves for CH142

Hello friends!  Happy October 1st!  I'm doubly happy because October is my favorite month of the year and I am hosting the new challenge at Color Hues.  I've chosen a definite fall-ish color pair of Amber and Burnt Red, and I hope you have fun playing with these colors.  

Color Hues

In addition to challenge colors, you may also use neutrals (e.g. white, ivory, brown, gray, black and metallics).  And unfortunately, green is not a neutral. *wink*

Don't get too hung up on perfectly matching the colors in the prompt. Use what you have to get as close as possible.

For my card I had a great time mixing and blending Distress Spray Stains for my leaf dies.  Take a look...

Aren't those leaves fun?  I started with a couple panels of Distress Watercolor paper and used a mixed of reds and some yellow on one and then two yellows and a yellow mica stain on the other.  I know the photo makes the red look almost rust...I had a heck of a time getting one decent photo.  But in real life, the red really comes through.

The leaves were cut out using Artsy Leaves dies from Tim Holtz.  The veins were cut with Spellbinders Tuscan and Concord & 9th Brickyard. The Alabaster background was embossed with the Whimsical Skies folder, which I thought was perfect for fall.  The gold frame was layered on two additional die cuts then added to the embossed background before adhering the leaves.  

The panel was matted on a slightly larger piece of Vineyard Berry from Altenew, which has more of a brick look than a berry appearance. The final step was to add the gold die cut sentiment, also layered on two additional die cuts.

I hope you'll find time to join us this next fortnight!  I encourage you to head over to the challenge blog to see all the fabulous inspiration by the other DT members and our fabulous guest designer Crystal.  The challenge will remain open until Wednesday, October 14th at 9 am EDT.  Please come play along with us!

Stef

• Tim Holtz/Sizzix Artsy Leaves dies
• Simon Says Stamp Fancy Hello die
• SSS A2 Nesting Frame die
• Spellbinders Whimsical Skies ef
• Fossilized Amber, Rusty Hinge, Lumberjack Plaid and Crackling Campfire Distress Spray Stains
• Flickering Candle Distress Mica Stain

You Are Spell-tacular!

Hello friends!  I had some crafty fun this weekend and made a card for the current challenge at Time Out Challenges, which is The Movies.

TOC 321

 

When I first saw the theme, I didn't think I had anything that would work, but then the proverbial light bulb came on, and I remembered a set from Stamping Bella that I bought last year that I thought would work great for this challenge.

These are the Tiny Townie Witch and Wizards in Training stamps.  I became a huge fan of Harry Potter thanks to my grandchildren, and I've read all the books and seen all the movies (multiple times), so I was quite pleased to see Stamping Bella come out with this trio of stamps.

There are no dies for these images, so after the Copic coloring was complete, they were fussy cut.  There is a backdrop stamp by SB that accompanies these three, which I have, but I was running short of the time it would take to color the whole scene, so I opted to put them in front of the Forbidden Forest lol!

I created the background panel by ink blending a dark sky and full moon, then adding a bit of white splatter for "stars".  I then die cut the "forest" using the Simon Says Stamp Arched Forest Die and embossing folder with dark brown card stock.  After embossing, I went over it with both Black Soot and Scorched Timber Distress inks to darken the appearance.  

With those two layers adhered together I added our wizards and witch with layers of thin and thick foam squares.  The sentiment is from the Wicked Words SB set and was white heat embossed and die cut with a small rectangle die.

I hope you like my fun card about one of all-time favorite movies series. I had a blast making this and it even prompted me to open up the first book and start reading it again. 

Thanks for taking time to visit!

Stef