Gold Dipped Die Cuts #2

For my second card for this Make-it-Monday, I cut some leaf shapes with my Silhouette and watercolored them.  I embossed them with Gold Filigree embossing powder and layered them over the large Circle Scribbles die cut and the Monthly Moments Spiral Notebook die.  The "you" is trimmed from the Wonderful Words: Thank You die.  "Make me happy" is from the "All about You" stamp set.  

Make-it-Monday: Gold Dipped Die Cuts

I'm joining in on another Make-it-Monday challenge at Papertrey Ink.   This week Danielle challenged us to create a gold-dipped look on die cuts.  For my first card, I used the Lovely Layers dies with Filigree Gold embossing powder.  The sentiment is from the Reasons to Smile special edition set.  

Make it Monday: Dry Emobssing over Heat Embosing

It has been a while since I've had time to sit at my desk and stamp.   I think it has been even longer since I've both completed AND posted a Make It Monday challenge.  This week's challenge was to dry emboss over heat embossing for a rich texture.

For my card, I chose to use Soft Stone card stock with Liquid Platinum embossing powder.  I used the Life stamp set and one of the Think Big Favorites.  

Thanks for looking!

Card Corsage

I had to travel to the '40s to try Betsy's corsage.  I didn't have enough felt colors, but I did have these paper flowers that I've had in my drawer forever.  I colored them with Copics and then followed Betsy's directions to make them into a corsage.  I die cut the leaves and layered 2 together at a time with Scor-tape and the floral wire in between.  I attached my corsage to a library card tag die cut with more floral wire, so that I can attach it to a gift.

Time after time challenge

The Time After Time challenge invites us to re-design an older card to reflect how our stamping has changed over time.  I went back to the first year of my blog and found the card I most wanted a re-do on:

I did this one as part of the 2010 Anniversary festivities.  

Here is my "modern" remake:

First, I had to turn the card.  I'll bet 80% of my cards are verticle/ open-at-the-top cards these days. I decided to keep almost the same color scheme, just a little bolder.  I changed the Aqua Mist to Hawaiian Shores and the Lemon Tart to Summer Sunrise.  I kept the Berry Sorbet -- right down to the Bitty Box pattern.   I've been adding flagged banners more often than punched tags lately.  And I love to use die cuts.  These circle scribbles are even more fun than polka dots.  I don't use ribbon as often as I used to.  But I take any chance I can get to add a little bling.  These sequins from the Shakers and Sprinkles kit were just right tonight.   And I love that Birthday Style set!  

Passing Notes Challenge

I'm skipping around through the challenges.  I decided to travel all the way to the '80s to do Lexi's Passing Notes challenge.  I remember all about folding and passing notes, so this one took me back.   

I decided to use patterned paper for folding my mini-note.  I added some arrow and border stickers from an older, partially-used scrapping kit from Stampin' Up.  Stamps are from Kid Kudos, Wonderful Words: Thank You ("For You"), Grunge Me, and Simply Framed.

The opened note:

Ancient Rome #2

Here is my second Faux Fresco for the day.  This one used embossing paste tinted with Tea Dye Duo Chai ink refill.

Ancient Rome: Faux Fresco

For my first Faux Fresco, I tried some watercoloring over embossing paste, although I'm sure that you can't tell that in the picture.    

The focal point stamp is from Stampin' Up.  The background is from Ombre Builders.  Sentiment comes from Year of the Flowers:  Mums.  

Morning Timer Challenge, continued

Since had extra time and already had the supplies out, I decided to try another sketch for this challenge with the same color combo.  This time I chose this sketch:

And I made this card:

This card only uses the Sketched Shapes set.  

Morning Timer Challenge

I'm back with my first card of the day.  This one was quick and simple thanks to the sketch and color recipe choices.  I chose this sketch:

And this color recipe:

To make this card:

Since I don't have ink in a soft stone color, I used my Cool Gray (C1) Copic marker to add shading under each banner.  I like the way it adds dimension to this simple card.   I love this Ombre Builders Set!  The sentiment is from Sketched Shapes.

And my time?   Only

Stamp-a-faire 2014 Meet and Greet

I'm joining in again this year for Stamp-a-faire 2014.  If you don't know about Papertrey Ink's Stamp-a-faire event, you can find information on Nichole's blog.  This year I'm going to spread it a little more through the weekend because I have other things going on, too.  But I do hope to participate in most of the challenges.

My paper is all stocked up and ready for me this morning.  I assure you that I did not get up and get started at 7:00 this morning.  I'll probably work late into the night, but I need more time to get started in the mornings.  

I have already been to my desk to clear some working space.   I've also printed out the cards for the first challenge and have my supplies close at hand, so I'm ready to jump right in!  I hope to be back soon with my first challenge card.   

Amy (in North Carolina)

Make it Monday #174

This week's Make It Monday challenge at Papertrey is to stamp a wallpaper background.  The first set I thought of when I saw this challenge was Guidelines.  I love that stamp set, but I use it way too rarely.   I started with the Guidelines impression plate, then stamped my Guidelines image in Tropical Teal.  Then I went back and stamped a circle image from Background Basics Retro in Enchanted Evening.  I inked the edges of my background in Hawaiian Shores.  Then I added the sentiment from Quilled Elegance.   The buttons are cut from paper clay and colored with Copics.

For my second card, I decided to pull out the dashed X image from A Little Argyle.  I stamped it in Smokey Shadow repeatedly to form the diamond pattern.  Then I stamped the small solid diamond in Berry Sorbet at the line intersections.  I chose a small image from Iconic Images and stamped it in Pure Poppy in each of the diamonds.   The sentiment on this card is from Beautiful Blessings.

Thanks for looking!

Papertrey Anniversary Day 10

Today's challenge (the last before the anniversary release tomorrow) is all about delivery.  The challenge is to decorate a coordinating envelope -- with the assumption that this will be a hand-delivered card.  When I hand-deliver cards, I like to use Papertrey's glassine bags (which are all out of stock at the moment and I just used my last one!).  They just look so pretty with very little extra effort.  

Here is the card I'm putting inside:

Gosh, I love my new Watercolor Wonder stamp set and that One Liners:  Happy die!  I cut the die several times in Raspberry Fizz paper and adhered them under the shimmery white layer to add some dimension.  As many layers as I added, I'd have to hand deliver this card in any case.  

And here it is all wrapped up in the glassine bag:

Isn't it sweet?!!  Since the card shows through the bag, you just have to add a few coordinating embellishments to make a nice presentation.  Excuse the bad photography/lighting, but those colors really are Berry Sorbet and Raspberry Fizz.

Thanks for looking!

Day One Challenge #6

I'm working my way through the sketches and color recipes from the Day One challenge.  For this card, I chose this color recipe:

And I chose this sketch:

Here is my card:

I'm sure I would never have put Autumn Rose and Canyon Clay together on my own, but I'm happy with the result.  I used Beautiful Blooms II dies, the Christmas Label die, and the Natural Beauties stamp set.  The leaves were already sitting on my desk because I had cut them with my Silhouette just to use up the paper when I was cutting something else.  Love that it worked out this way!  

Thanks for looking!

Day One Challenge #5

I can't believe that I've made all these cards in the past week and hadn't made a Valentine's Day card for my husband.  Well, if I'm going to make one, it might as well meet a Papertrey challenge, huh?  So I chose this color recipe:

And this sketch recipe:

I love any excuse to use the One Liners:  Happy die.  I didn't buy the Year Round Happiness stamp set, so I printed the "Valentine's Day" sentiment and punched it out.  I also used the Heart Border die.  

Thanks for looking!

Day One Challenge #4

For this card I chose this color recipe:

I don't have a good New Leaf ink pad, so I used SU Gumball Green, which matches the New Leaf paper really well.  

And this sketch recipe:

I really struggled with this sketch.  I knew that I wanted to stamp my own paper for the circle in order to get all the colors in.  I think I finally came up with something that really stretched my comfort zone but that I finally decided that I like:

I used several stamp sets to get all these birthday greetings.  I think I can list them all:

Think Big #13 and #4

Cupcake Collection

Quilled Elegance

Signature Greetings I and II

Mega Mixed Messages

Polka Dot Parade #5

So Much to Say (Lawn Fawn)

I also used several dies, including my Nestability circles and scalloped circles, Cupcake collection dies and the heart from the Flipping Out die set. 

Thanks for looking!

Day One Challenge #2

I'm really enjoying the color and sketch recipe cards.  Today, I made a couple more cards for the Day 1 challenge using them.  For the first one, I chose this color recipe:

I did accidentally make one change to the colors:  I grabbed Canyon Clay ink instead of Orange Zest when I was stamping my flowers.  I liked how they turned out (and really didn't want to stamp the flowers again!), so I just went with it.    Also, since I don't have Harvest Gold ink, I used SU So Saffron.  

And this sketch recipe:

And here's my card!

I love this Delightful Dahlias Additions set.  I think I'm getting better at lining up the 3 layers correctly, but I still find it stressful and have to think really hard.  They're beautiful flowers, though, so it's worth the effort.  :)  

Thanks for looking!

Day One Challenge #3

For my second Challenge #1 card for today, I chose this color recipe:

Of course, I *thought* I didn't have any New Leaf ink, so I used SU Gumball Green (which matches the New Leaf paper really well).  As I was putting my ink away after making the card, I realized that I actually DO have a cube of New Leaf ink -- but it's the older version that stamps a little on the grey side.  

And this sketch recipe:

And here's the card:  

For the sentiment/ stamped images, I used a combination of Tag Its sets.  I love that they mix and match so well.  

Thanks for looking!

Building Blocks Challenge #2

The first card was so much fun (and today was ANOTHER snow day), so I decided to try another.  This time I rolled:

Colors:  Pure Poppy, Raspberry Fizz, Summer Sunrise

Neutral:  Vintage Cream

Sketch:  #3

Occasion:  Birthday

Technique:  Watercolor

Embellishment:  Adhesive Pearls

Fiber:  Thread

Thanks for looking!

Papertrey 7th Anniversary Building Blocks Challenge #1

Today's challenge had participant rolling the dice to create cards.  Here were my results that led to this card:

Color 1:  # 6, Dark Chocolate

Color 2:  #2, Orange Zest

Color 3:  #3, Summer Sunrise

Neutral:  #3, Stamper's Select White

Sketch:  #2

Occasion:  #4, Thank You

Technique:  #4, Rock & Roll

Embellishment:  #5, Glitter

Fiber:  #3, Embroidery Floss

I did chose to move the sentiment over to the right instead of centering it as the sketch showed, but other than that I stayed pretty true to the "directions."  

Papertrey 7th Anniversary Day 1 Challenge

 This card was a lot of fun to make.  The day 1 challenge is to create a card using both a sketch recipe and a color recipe provided in Nicole's download.  (I love the fact that the customers get these nice little gifts for Papertrey's birthday!)

I used this sketch recipe:

And I used this color recipe:

The only change I made with the color recipe, is that I used Stampin' Up's Lucky Limeade ink because I don't have Simply Chartreuse ink.  

For stamps, I had lots of fun using Watercolor Wonder.  I have been wanting that set since it was released and finally bought it with my most recent order.  It is just as much fun as I had expected.    The sentiment is from Everyday Happiness.   And I was thrilled to see how well the Pear Pizzazz (SU) seam binding worked with these colors.  These colors just make me happy.  

Thanks for looking!

Amy