Summer Fun

I was thrilled to win last month's challenge at Whimsiedoodles and picked several wonderful images for my prize. This one, called “Smokin’ Hot,” is one of my favorites. I had fun adding realism to the propane tank with the label and little red caution symbol. Decided to also another touch of realism with “smokin' hot” smoke! (Made by cutting several smoke puff stencils from scrap paper. Used them to lightly sponge gray ink onto vellum. After the ink dried, I cut out the smoke puffs and attached them to the card with little strips of double-stick tape. It was the perfect touch and also allowed me to enter this into a stencil challenge.) 

PS The sentiment came with the digi image. How cool is that?! 

Entered into:

Whimsiedoodles Challenge- Masculine Maker                    

      (whimsiedoodles.blogspot.com)

Simon Says Monday Challenge- Stencil It                     

     (simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge)

I’m sponsoring the mid-week challenge over at wecraftcards Forum. Decided to focus on a Patriotic theme since I need to make my dear MIL a card for the 4^th of July. Found a great subway art option at http://howtonestforless.com/2014/05/20/god-bless-usa-free-printable

Layered atop strips of red, white and blue patterned paper and adorned it with assorted star brads, the image makes a wonderful patriotic statement. God bless the USA!

Entered into:

We Craft Cards Wednesday Challenge                         

      (wecraftcards.com/forum)

AAA Card Challenges- Words Have Power                  

        (aaacards.blogspot.com/)
Word Art Wednesday Challenge- #289 Anything Goes              

      (wordartwednesday.blogspot.com)

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge – Patterned Paper    

      (simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge)

Crafty Hazelnut’s Patterned Paper Challenge    

     (craftyhazelnutspatternedpaper.blogspot.com) 

A Flutter of Colors

The Monday challenge at wecraftcards.com is to create a card or other item inspired by something we saw on Pinterest. I pinned this sweet butterfly card and some jewel toned butterflies that I knew would be gorgeous on vellum. Cut a cloud template from a paper scrap and stenciled clouds with a makeup sponge and sky blue chalk onto white cardstock. Printed the butterflies on vellum, fussy cut and adhered them, sketched on their little antennae… and let them fly!

PS- you can find the jewel toned butterflies here- http://what-a-beautiful-mess.blogspot.com/2013/04/scraps-of-elegance.html  
and my inspiration card is from http://inkypuddles.blogspot.com/2011/02/flutter-by-wednesday-142-rainbow-of.html

 

Entered into:

We Craft Cards Monday Challenge- Inspired by Pinterest                      

(wecraftcards.com/forum)

Simon Says Monday Challenge- Stencil It                     

     (simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge)

Poppy Power- Bug Me

     (powerpoppy.blogspot.com)

A dear friend gave me a packet of wonderful B&W napkins that I knew I had to use for card making. Discovered that I could pull them apart to get a slightly transparent image. Backed it with assorted patterned papers to add a shout of color and create some depth from the patterns. (To qualify for the Cas-usal Friday’s Challenge, I used patterned paper in coral and aqua to play against the gray tone of the transparent napkin.) Layered upon a bright card with notched fold, a pair of ribbon ties and a little butterfly… for a perfectly sweet finishing touch!

Entered into:

Cas-usal Fridays- Color Challenge    

     (cas-ualfridays.blogspot.com)

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge – Patterned Paper    

      (simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge)

Crafty Hazelnut’s Patterned Paper Challenge    

     (craftyhazelnutspatternedpaper.blogspot.com) 

Olympic Couch Spud

The current challenge at Art Impressions Stamps is to make your own background. I decided to create a plaid background upon which to place Art Impression’s funny character named (appropriately) “Spud”. I then paper pieced his recliner with the same plaid background. (Reminds me of the much loved and very ratty recliner in the sitcom “Frazier”.)

Printed off the sentiment for the front and inside of the card. Kinda like the results and entered into several other challenges.  

Entered into:

Art Impressions- Make Your Own Background              

     (artimpressionsstamps.blogspot.com)

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge – Patterned Paper    

      (simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge)

Simon Says Monday Challenge- Stencil It                     

     (simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge)

Crafty Hazelnut’s Patterned Paper Challenge    

     (craftyhazelnutspatternedpaper.blogspot.com)

Artistic Inspirations Challenge - #182 Make It Funny                 

      (artisticinspirationschallenges.blogspot.com.au)

The next card makes my mouth water! Printed Beccy’s Place free digi image “Strawberry Basket” onto Kraft brown cardstock, adding shading with tan maker and highlights with white colored pencil. Then cut the little blooms from another of Beccy’s free strawberry digi’s to add a bit of color contrast. Don't they look yummy?

Entered into:

Beccy’s Place Challenge          

     (beccysplace.blogspot.com)

Running Through the Sprinkler

Another card to meet some summer theme challenges. One requires a “Summer icon.” Since getting sprayed with the garden hose and running through lawn sprinklers were favorite neighborhood activities when I was growing up, I would consider this image a summer icon. I added light blue rhinestones to the water drops to give them a bit of sparkle, which you can see better in the close-up. (PS The sweet image is from http://freedeariedollsdigistamps.blogspot.com)

Entered into:

Simon Says Works It Wednesdays Challenge- Summer icon

        (simonsaysstampblog.com/blog/category/events/work-it-wednesday)
Simon Says Wednesday Challenge- Patterned Paper 

        (simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge)

Crafty Hazelnut’s Patterned Paper Challenge    

        (craftyhazelnutspatternedpaper.blogspot.com)

And yet another card for CAS-ual Fridays color Challenge (Coral, Aqua & Grey.) Used an old (I think from the 90’s) Stampin’ Up image on this card, and also pulled out my corrugator to add a bit of texture. (I enjoyed making the spunky woman a redhead in order to add a bit of coral to my card! I have several friends that have beautiful red hair, and they DO have spunk and a 'tude... and I love them dearly!)

Entered into:

CAS-ual Fridays Challenge-Color (Coral, Aqua & Grey)   

        (cas-ualfridays.blogspot.com)

Artistic Inspirations Challenge- Anything Goes                          

                (artisticinspirationschallenges.blogspot.com.au)

Mailed My Heart

Having lots of fun making cards for CAS-ual Fridays color Challenge (Coral, Aqua & Grey.) For this one, I used a cute free digi called “Mailed My Heart” from http://www.whimsiedoodles.com/freebies.html

 

Entered into:

CAS-ual Fridays Challenge-Color (Coral, Aqua & Grey)        

        (cas-ualfridays.blogspot.com)

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge- Patterned Paper 

        (simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge)

Crafty Hazelnut’s Patterned Paper Challenge    

        (craftyhazelnutspatternedpaper.blogspot.com)

Artistic Inspirations Challenge- Anything Goes                          

         (artisticinspirationschallenges.blogspot.com.au)

More cards with beachy themes for several challenges. One requires a “Summer icon” and another is to focus on “Vacations”. Am thinking that a sandcastle is appropriate for both. To create sandy texture with a little sparkle, I mixed sand, glitter and a little brown flocking with a generous amount of clear embossing powder to hold it all in place. Her goggles are made with colored acetate. (The image is from http://freedeariedollsdigistamps.blogspot.com/)

Entered into:

Simon Says Monday Challenge- Vacation          

        (simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge)

Simon Says Works It Wednesdays Challenge- Summer icon

        (simonsaysstampblog.com/blog/category/events/work-it-wednesday)
Cute Card Thursday – Seaside/Beach   

        (cutecardthursday.blogspot.com) 

A Summer Icon- Flip Flops

Two Simon Says Challenges this week focus on beachy themes… at least they do for me. One highlights vacations, the other must include a summer icon. Well…flip flops can hold up to that title any day! (Can I get a ph-THUP ph-THUP ph-THUP?!)

Entered into:

Simon Says Monday Challenge- Vacation                             

        (simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge)

Simon Says Works It Wednesdays Challenge- Summer icon

        (simonsaysstampblog.com/blog/category/events/work-it-wednesday)
Artistic Inspirations Challenge                                      

         (artisticinspirationschallenges.blogspot.com.au)

Love this free digi from http://createwithtlc-createwithtlc.blogspot.com. Crafted with grey patterned background paper, plus some pink focal points, it meets the requirements for several challenges.

Entered into:

Word Art Wednesday Challenge #289 Anything Goes                          

        (wordartwednesday.blogspot.com)

Cute Card Thursday- Pinks                                          

   (cutecardthursday.blogspot.com) 

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge- Patterned Paper 

        (simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge)

Crafty Hazelnut’s Patterned Paper Challenge    

        (craftyhazelnutspatternedpaper.blogspot.com)

‘Tis so sweet

I’m having lots of fun with the current CAS-ual Fridays Challenge that calls for a color scheme that includes Coral, Aqua & Grey. I loved this music sheet image when I found it on FB a few years ago. Added a layer of vellum (that could be lifted to read the complete lyrics), a small coffee cup image, and a few scraps of coral and aqua paper to frame the image and meet the challenge requirements. Love the way it all came together!

Here are the lyrics printed on the sheet of music-  ‘Tis so sweet to drink my coffee. Just to savor every sip: whether French press or expresso just not an automatic drip. Coffee, coffee, how I’ve drunk you, how I’ve brewed you o’er and o’er. Coffee, coffee, precious coffee. O for beans to brew you more. © The Church Curmudgeon, 2015. 

Entered into:

CAS-ual Fridays Challenge-Color (Coral, Aqua & Grey)          

        (cas-ualfridays.blogspot.com)

Artistic Inspirations Challenge                                      

     (artisticinspirationschallenges.blogspot.com.au)

This next card holds another saying that I found years ago and still makes me smile. It works perfectly on a card for a few challenges that feature vacations (my hubby has been on several "fishing trips", aka- drinking beer and telling tall tales with his guys), masculine cards and patterned paper. (I hope that a map qualifies as patterned paper? It is waaay cheaper than scrapbook paper… as in FREE!)  I wrapped and tied some funky fibers around the front of the card to mimic seaweed since our lakes always have a bumper crop of that stuff during fishing season. (I have lost lots more fishing tackle in seaweed than I care to admit. Mainly because I could have spent that $$ on card supplies!)  

Here is the sentiment:

Front- Behold the fisherman, he riseth up early in the morning and disburbeth the whole household. Mighty are his preparations. He goeth forth full of hope. When the day is spent, he returneth home smelling mightily, and the truth is not in him.

Inside- Here’s hoping that, perchance, your special day will be fulleth of all your favoritest things!

Entered into:

Simon Says Monday Challenge- Vacation                      

        (simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge)
Simon Says Wednesday Challenge- Patterned Paper  

        (simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge)

Crafty Hazelnut’s Patterned Paper Challenge    

        (craftyhazelnutspatternedpaper.blogspot.com)

Send a Smile for Kids- For the Boys                             

  (sendasmile4kidschallenge.blogspot.com)

Whimsiedoodles Challenge- Masculine                         

        (whimsiedoodles.blogspot.com)

Once Upon a Time

The current CAS-ual Fridays Challenge calls for a color scheme that includes Coral, Aqua & Grey. I had fun making a wedding card that I’ll need in a few weeks. The young couple will appreciate the humorous sentiment.

(A little history about this interior sentiment- A few years ago, on our 35th Anniversary, I sweetly noted that my hubby and I had celebrated 35 years of wedded bliss. Without skipping a beat, my hubby quickly noted, "Well, it's really been more like 25 years of wedded bliss, 7 years of pretty good, and only 3 years of WHAT were we thinking?!" Our friends and family burst into laughter and applause. As we grow old together and start slowly losing our sight, hearing, teeth, agility and memory... his quick wit just grows more refined with age!) 

Entered into:

CAS-ual Fridays Challenge-Color (Coral, Aqua & Grey)        

        (cas-ualfridays.blogspot.com)

Artistic Inspirations Challenge                                      

     (artisticinspirationschallenges.blogspot.com.au)

This week’s Monday challenge at wecraftcards Forum is to make a criss cross card. Tutorials for making this simple, but impressive, card can be found on Pinterest and youtube. The gorgeous free digi is from Beccy’s Place.

Entered into:

We Craft Cards Monday Challenge                            

    (wecraftcards.com/forum)

Beccy’s Place June Challenge                                     

        (beccysplace.blogspot.com)

Another Christmas card that featured a house or cottage. I’ve always liked D. Morgan stamps, but didn’t like all the coloring required. For this one, I stamped the image twice, on gray and white cardstock. Colored the image on white, tore a heart shape around the cottage, adhered to card, colored and added glitter.  

Entered into:

Christmas Cards All Year Round- House or Cottage   

     (christmascardsallyearround.blogspot.co.uk)

Crafty Hazelnut’s Christmas Challenge

    (craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge.blogspot.co.uk)

CAS Heart Punch Card

A simple yet elegant card that incorporates the requirements for two challenges- the color pink and a punch.

Entered into:

Cute Card Thursday- Pinks     

   (cutecardthursday.blogspot.com) 

Deep Ocean Challenge- Punches                                 

   (deepoceanchallengeblog.blogspot.com.au)

Another card for the Simon Says Challenge that highlights vacations. Summer + the beach = Heaven!

Note- The digi is from http://freedeariedollsdigistamps.blogspot.com  

Entered into:

Simon Says Monday Challenge - Vacations     

    (simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge)

Artistic Inspirations Challenge-Anything Goes                           

    (artisticinspirationschallenges.blogspot.com.au)

This month's, Christmas Cards All Year Round’s Challenge called for a card that featured a house or cottage. (This features an old mill, but am assuming that someone could live there, too!) 

I found a wonderful tutorial for a tri-fold shutter card here (http://qbeesquest.blogspot.com/p/tutorials.html), used an old calendar (I LOVE to upcycle!), a bit of burlap and a silver charm to make a card with a nice wow factor.

Entered into:

Christmas Cards All Year Round- House or Cottage   

     (christmascardsallyearround.blogspot.co.uk)

Crafty Hazelnut’s Christmas Challenge

    (craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge.blogspot.co.uk)

June 19 (Monday)

Summer makes me think of the beach… and tubing… and the sun. This card wraps all those things into one fun little package! Note- The digi is from http://freedeariedollsdigistamps.blogspot.com  

Entered into:

Simon Says Monday Challenge- Vacation                      

       (simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge)
Send a Smile for Kids- For the Boys                             

  (sendasmile4kidschallenge.blogspot.com)

Artistic Inspirations Challenge-Anything Goes                           

        (artisticinspirationschallenges.blogspot.com.au)

I really like the AAA Cards blog and challenges. The current one is really a challenge for me, mainly because I don’t like to get my hands dirty when I stamp. And… well, making ink resist cards usually requires sponging, which is always a messy task, at least for ME!

So, for this card, I decided to skip the sponging and instead used my brayer and rainbow pad (two tools I have that are gathering dust). Stamped and embossed a starburst image with sparkly clear powder onto glossy cardstock, brayered several coats of the rainbow ink over the image and liked the subtle image that appeared. Added the sentiment and then some pink rhinestones to up the bling factor. (Note- Sentiment is from http://paulaposts.blogspot.com/2013/02/vcmp-challenge-5-free-digi-sentiment.html)

Entered into:

AAA Card Challenges –Resist Technique  

         (aaacards.blogspot.com/)
Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - Embossing 

          (simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge)