myasperations 9-11-21

I am honored to have served as a Guest Designer for Beccy Muir at Beccy’s Place and am now one of her “Contributors” (which means that she provides me with digis or clear stamp sets several times a year and I get to create cards or other items with them!) It is always fun to see the images Beccy invites me to use.  This time, the digi and sentiments are all from a just-released set named Frightful Fancies.
The happy pumpkin made me think of a party, so I opted for bright colors on my card. I even turned the berries into little colored lights by adding a chalk “glow” to each one. (After coloring the bulbs with markers, I used circle punches in two sizes to make homemade stencils from paper scraps. I then used a makeup sponge to first smudge the larger circle lightly with pastel colors, then used the smaller circle stencil to smudge the same color of chalk with more pressure to get a deeper tone. This was a bit tedious, but I do love the results!) More colors were added by topping the dotted pink background paper with layers of plastic index divider sheet scraps. (These wonderful items- sometimes called document file folders- come in a pack of assorted colors and can be found in the office supply section of most stores. They're cheaper than colored vellum and more translucent. Punches and dies don’t work on these sheets, but they are easy to fussy-cut with a sharp pair of scissors.) Before adding the colored digi onto the layered card front, I used an Exacto blade to cut the jack-o-lantern eyes, nose and mouth from the pumpkin. I adhered a circle of pale-yellow cardstock atop the layered card front, then attached “Jack” with foam tape to create a some depth. (I added a closeup to show this detail.) 

I usually decorate the inside of my cards to reflect the front. This time I did that by carrying the bright colors into the inside of the card with patterned paper and more scraps of the plastic index folders. I also cut the front sentiment in half, and used "the rest of the story" on the inside. Plus, to add a bit of Halloween fun I fussy-cut a cat silhouette from a scrap of black paper. (I found the silhouette on the web. It was created byartist Dave Lowe and he gives permission to use this, and many other great silhouettes, for free. You can find them Here.)

I’m entering this card into several challenges including Outlawz Sunday (that notes the word color- and my card has several of those!) and Show Us Your Pussycats (the black cat silhouette fits that category, especially for a Halloween card!)

                                 
Supplies: 

·   Digi and Sentiments-Beccy’s Place Digital Set (Frightful Fancies)

·   Colored with Spectrum Noir Classique markers, Decorative Chalks and a Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen

·   Cardstock, patterned paper and scraps of plastic index dividers are from my stash.

Entered into: 

Outlawz Sunday Challenge- Color Drops

Outlawz Challenges- Monday Greeting Challenge- Anything Goes

Outlawz Challenge- Inlinks Challenge

Besties Challenge- September Anything Goes

Crafty Hazelnut’s Patterned Paper Challenge- September            

Show Us Your Pussycats Challenge- Furry Thing Goes (#70 September) 

I was thrilled last year when Kris Breach, artist/owner of Imagine That Digistamps started offering monthly challenges again! I served on Kris’ DT a few years ago and always enjoyed working with her… and creating with her wonderful artwork. She now offers a Progressive Challenge each month. The September digi set with the sentiments and adorable meercats makes me smile! (The$10  set is now available for just $5.99 HERE. And if you enter a card into this month’s challenge using any items from the set, you’ll get next month's digi for free! But hurry, the challenge ends on the 31st.)

 

Supplies: 

·   Digi and front Sentiment- Imagine That Digi Set (Meerkats)

·   Colored with Spectrum Noir Classique markers and Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen

·   Holly Embellishment on the card front and Sentiment label on the inside are from my scrapbook stash

·   Scraps of assorted patterned papers, music sheet vellum, and cardstock from my stash.

Entered into:  

Imagine That Blog Progressive Challenge- September  

Double D’s Challenge- Anything with a Tail        

Polkadoodles Challenge- Week #36 Anything Goes                     

Outlawz Challenge- Festive Friday

Crafty Hazelnut’s Christmas Challenge- #559 AG

Incy Wincy Designs- Spots, Stripes and/or Checks

Cute Card Thursday- Challenge 692- Anything Goes

Di’s Digi Stamps- Use 2 (or more) Patterned papers 

Three years ago I met a talented young artist named Sherry West via her FB page. The images she creates are adorable, so I am always thrilled when I have the chance to add a new one to my collection. I love this little cutie holding her jar that contains a bit of summer magic. When I was young, we called them “lightning bugs.” (I still giggle when I remember the first time my little brother caught one. He screamed, "I got a lightning butt. I GOT A LIGHTNING BUTT!" He was so excited!) I decided to make a thinking of you card for a dear friend, using a sentiment from a Beccy’s Place digi set. I created a few “embellishments” by fussy-cutting several of the magic bugs from the patterned paper, replacing their um… “butt glow”… with a circle of translucent yellow vellum, before perching them on the sentiment and ribbon. The final touch was to add a bit of sparkle to every one of the little butts. Awwww!  

I’m entering this card into several challenges including Simon Says Mondays "Sparkle and Shine" (If you've ever seen lightning bugs in the trees on a dark summer's night, you'll agree that they fit both categories!) 

Supplies: 

·   Digi- Sherry West (You Light Up My Life)

(If you are interested in purchasing this digi, visit Sherry’s FB page HERE and PM her for details. Tell her Kathy Asper sent you!)

·   Colored with Spectrum Noir Classique markers and Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen

·   Front Sentiment- Beccy’s Place Digital Set (Nasturtiums) RETIRED

·   Firefly Paper- Hobby Lobby

·   Sheer white ribbon- JoAnne’s

·   Stickles- Star Dust (on bug butts!)

·   Cardstock and any remaining items are from my stash.

Entered into:  

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge- Sparkle and Shine

The Paper Shelter- #482 Ribbon, Lace and/or Twine

Outlawz Challenge- Twisted Thursday Anything Goes (Optional Twist- Add a Bow)

Word Art Wednesday Challenge- #507-508 Anything Goes                   

Cute As A Button- August: CH #72 Anything Goes + (Option) Lots of Layers

Beccy’s Place Challenge- Sept  

        Since I’m a Contributor for Beccy’s Place, I’m entering just for fun!