Language of Friendship

A sweet and simple card tonight---

SPIES:

STAMPS: Dragonflies (Inkadinkadoo); Friendship Sentiment (Fiskars); postage stamp - Travel Collage(TPC).

PAPER: Brown & white cardstock. DP - Happy Camper (We R Memory Keepers).

INK: Teal Zeal (Memento); Timber Brown (Staz On).

EXTRAS: White tag; orange silk ribbon; brown button; twine.

I drew inspiration from the colors and textures at Inspired By this week and with the sketch at CAS(E) this Sketch, I have to say, I like the end result!  

I decided to use a tag with my sentiment because I have a stack of tags "Dylusioned" way back when and I am on a mission to use them up along with a lot of other dies and stuff in my stash I seem to ignore except to add more to! Anyone else like that?  LOL 

That is the flip side of the tag, not the original side I inked but it was a thin tag and I liked how the ink absorbed through.

The silk flower is a wilted flower.  I've been wanting to make wilted silk flowers and finally today I gave it a try.  It's really easy!  I love the silky shabbiness of the final product.

Here's the tutorial I found on how to make them.

FOR FOLLOWING CHALLENGES:

Inspired By #94

I am sure you are amazed at the shortness of this post!  LOL  I guess you could say I'm in "the crafty zone"!

Silky Blessings!

TPE Challenge #223

Happy Monday! 

Time for another Pink Elephant Challenge (TPE)!  

This week we want to see your distressed and/or torn paper projects for 

 TPE #223
Distressing/Paper Tearing Challenge

Stop by The Pink Elephant Challenge today or any time this week before Sunday, Nov. 3 at 11:59 pm and 

share your distressed/torn paper project with us!  

We would love to have you!

And make sure you check out all the other DT's projects too and leave them some bloggin' love!

 

Distressing is one of my favorite techniques in card making.  It's such an easy way to add texture.  

Here's my card:

SPIES:

STAMPS: Large Jar (Inkadinkadoo); Small Jar (Taylored Expressions); Spider (We R Memories); Date (Pink Paislee).

PAPER: Kraft cardstock; DP-Halloween(American Crafts).

INK: Jet Black (Staz On); Versamark.

EXTRAS: White and clear emboss powders; Distresser tool; Black elastic string; Medical tape; Raffia; bottle cap, googly eyes, sticker sentiment (Colorbok).

The other inspiration for my card were my mummy jars I made a couple years ago...

I'm sure  everyone has seen them on Pinterest.  I took strips of old undershirts and wrapped them around mason jars and hot glued googly eyes on the front.  In the photo on the right, the far right mummy is actually made from stretchy gauze. 

I stamped my jars (two different stamps for the different sizes), fussy cut them and tore pieces of medical tape (permanently borrowed from my ER RN Hubs) along them, layering it several times to get the torn, mummy look and then added googly eyes.  Both jars actually have lids on the stamps so I just snipped off the lids.  Hopefully in this photo you can see the tape layers better:

 I also added some torn medical tape to the orange banner.  The spider is a stamp, stamped with Versamark and clear embossed twice, which gives him kind of a vinyl look and feel.  

The button for my raffia bow is a smashed bottlecap with the date stamped and embossed on black cardstock and cut to fit inside the bottlecap.  

I found this really neat tutorial (which may not be new to some of you) on how to smash bottlecaps with your Big Shot.  It works better with the craft bottlecaps than beer bottlecaps, but if you are going for a grungy type look, even the beer bottlecaps make for an interesting embellishment.

I'm entering this in the following Challenges:

 

Shopping Our Stash - #124 - 

Halloween or Orange/Black

 

{Pin}spirational Challenge #80 

Stampin Royalty - #199

 Pink Elephant Blessings!

  

Scary Chalkboard

Happy Saturday!  Hope it's a gorgeous day wherever you are!  One quick post today...

SPIES:

STAMPS:  Sentiment (Raisin Boat).

PAPER: Kraft cardstock; DP - Black Widow (We R Memory Keepers).

INK: Versamark.

EXTRAS: White emboss powder; notebook border punch; black/white baker's twine; pumpkin sticker; decorative paper straws; mini chalkboard.

I'm slowly recovering from a major incident late last evening...disk crash!  Basically, I've lost (hopefully temporarily) all my photos and digital work from the last 2 years!  <gasp> <faint>

Luckily I had a backup for everything past that!  Yet it happened at a most inopportune time --- when I was trying to post this card for some challenges!

Needless to say, I didn't get it in to the other two challenges.  <sigh> <weeping>

And you will notice there is no watermark on my photo.  I lost that too.  So I will have to either try and dig deeper for it or create a new one.  Not exactly something to do when your schedule is already jampacked with too much to do over the next two weeks!  

I'm so disgusted I can't cry.  The ones I'm sick over are ones of family occasions and my trip to NYC with my BFF.   Consolation:  At least some of them are on my Facebook profile.  Thank the Lord for Facebook!  right?

Anyway, I majorly digress!

I did this card for the sketch at Retrosketches and was going to put it in at Drunken Stampers too (wood challenge).  I've had these mini chalkboards and I got to thinking it would be cool to use one and do an actual chalkboard sentiment.  Only problem was it was too deep for the stamp on the acrylic block to stamp.  So I had to manually stamp the image with just the stamp in my hands.  

FOR CHALLENGES:

I will be back blogging later this evening or tomorrow after I've had a chance to "Keep Calm and Carry On"!  LOL

Weekend Blessings!

Golden Fall

Back again with another card.  I told you I've been busy!  LOL  

This card saw a lot of sewing action!  I think I mentioned I finally dusted off my sewing machine last week.  I can almost thread it with my eyes closed now! hahaha  It still gets odds and ends thrown on it from time to time, but at least we are on better speaking terms.

 SPIES:

STAMPS: Sentiment(Inkadinkadoo); Tree (Hampton Art);  PAPER:  Kraft cardstock; DP-Pyrus(Basic Grey); Linen fabric; INK: Timber Brown (Staz On); Dandelion; Tangelo; Rhubarb Stalk (Memento); EXTRAS: Diamond Stickles; Kraft tag; orange ric rac ribbon; green satin ribbon; sewing thread; pop dots; leaf brads.

The inspiration for this card came from the sewing.  I attempted to sew a chevron pattern with the various colors yellow, orange, red orange and brown on linen type fabric.  From there, I stamped the tree on linen also in 
a three tone color of the oranges and yellow.  My original idea was to have it more visible, but I just needed something behind the tree stamp to make it stand out.  I added diamond Stickles to the tree leaves to make them sparkle and to the "Gold" in the sentiment, which actually, on the brown ink made it look kind of gold!

FOR CHALLENGES: 

 

The Kraft Journal - #143 Color Challenge

BYB...

EEK! A Spider!

I have been playing around with my Dylusions paint again. I now have a few interesting background sheets for various projects.  I love this lime green for a Halloween color!  This is one of those ideas that hit me while decorating my house for Halloween a week ago --- the spider in the jar.

SPIES:

STAMPS:  Jar (Stampendous); Spider & spider web (We R Memory Keepers); Sentiment (Raisin Boat).

PAPER: White and black cardstock.

INK:  Jet Black (Staz On); Fresh Lime spray ink Dylusion).

EXTRAS: Label die cut; Stencil (PrimaP; bracket border punch; satin patterned ribbon; black webbed plastic bag; black elastic string; green lime button; sequins.

I used a stencil from Prima to make the background paper with Fresh Lime Dylusion spray ink.  I stamped a couple of spider webs in Tuxedo Black on top of the green paint. The small window/label of the stencil was perfect for a small sentiment. The jar was stamped and I stamped the spider and string web stamp down from the lid.  The lid was partially colored with Copics and then fussy cut the whole jar and affixed it to a black label.  I decided to run a bracket border down the other side of the card to match the label.  The netting around the jar is upcycled from a fruit bag.

FOR CHALLENGES:

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge -

 Halloween or Halloween Colors

I will return again tonight with more posts. 

Friday Blessings!

Cloisonne Winter

Hi there!  Back again!  Another card for Less Is More - Trees Challenge.  I'd been wanting to try the Faux Cloisonne technique and over at Technique Time Tuesday they are having a Faux Cloisonne challenge this month.  So, I pulled out some old "Birds And Blooms" magazines and found the most colorful pages.  It's such an easy technique that packs a beautiful punch for a finished product.  All you do is find some very colorful, shiny magazine pages, take a good outline stamp inked in versamark and stamp it on the magazine page of the color you want.  Then, sprinkle on your preferred color of emboss powder (the shiny metal kind do better for the cloisonne/jewel look), heat and you've got a beautiful jeweled effect.  TTT has a tutorial video explaining how to do it.

SPIES:

STAMPS: Trees- "O Christmas Tree" (Just Rite).

PAPER: White cardstock; Birds And Blooms magazine pages.

INK: Versamark.

EXTRAS: Silver emboss powder; small dot emboss folder; red flower sequins.

For Challenges:

Technique Time Tuesday - Faux Cloisonne

Less Is More - #142 Trees

Watercolor Trees

Happy TGIF!  

It's a slight chilly one here in NC.  Fall is definitely here as we can't see the ground or the driveway for all the leaves!  I know it may seem like I've been MIA this week, and I guess blogging I have been.  However, I've been very busy working on bits n' pieces of several projects all week.  

Our son's wedding is just 2 WEEKS away now!  So, the Salkeld household has been bustling not only craftwise but yardwork and getting ready for a trip to OKC! 

SPIES:

STAMPS: Trees(Inkadinkadoo); Sentiment(Taylored Expressions).

PAPER: Watercolor paper; white and navy cardstock; gold specialty paper.

INK: Green, yellow, royal blue watercolor paint; Teal Zeal (Memento); Versamark; Glitter Glam Hammered Copper(Tattered Angels).

EXTRAS: Gold emboss powder; ribbon die cut(Taylored Expressions); brass button; blue gem dot.

Now I can post a couple completed projects.  This one is a masculine birthday card for The Paper Players, Less Is More and Seize the Birthday challenges.

I had made the background paper from watercolors and then added the glitter paint for flecks of copper/gold.  It seemed to be the perfect background for a simple masculine card.  I stamped the trees in Teal Zeal.  Then, I distressed the edges and popped it up on navy cardstock.  I embossed the sentiment in gold, made a gold bow out of gold vellum paper, added an old brass button with a blue gem.  Oh, I was going to mention more about the bow.  It's a sweet little die cute from Taylored Expressions.  You run it through the die cut machine the glue it all together.  So easy peasy!  I had found a template online for these paper bows, but this new die cut is so much quicker.  Also, the photo doesn't do the gold flecks a lot of justice.  It's a little more subtle than it looks.

For Following Challenges:

Less Is More - #142 Trees

SPIES:
STAMPS: Trees(Inkadinkadoo); Sentiment(Taylored Expressions).
PAPER: Watercolor paper; white and navy cardstock; gold specialty paper.
INK: Green, yellow, royal blue watercolor paint; Teal Zeal (Memento); Versamark; Glitter Glam Hammered Copper(Tattered Angels).
EXTRAS: Gold emboss powder; ribbon die cut(Taylored Expressions); brass button; blue gem dot.

The Pink Elephant Challenge #222

Good Morning Monday and what a fabulous day it is!  Why?  It's time for The Pink Elephant Challenge (TPE) as it is every Monday!  Not only that, but today is my first day as one of TPE's Design Team members! YEA!

Today's Challenge:

#222 - Trick Or Treat Theme

Halloween is just 10 days away can you believe it?  So today we want to see what inspires your project.  

Is it the "trick" or is it the "treat"? Hmmmm.   

After you finish here, stop on over at The Pink Elephant Challenge , get all the specs for today's challenge and also see what all the other DTs have created. 

Then, go get crafty, return to TPE  before Sunday's deadline and link up your project!  

Here is my first DT card to help get your creative juices flowing: 

CARD SPIES:

STAMPS: Owl (Hampton Art); Sentiment & Spider Web (We R Memory Keepers).

PAPER:  Black cardstock. DP - I "heart" summer (Simple Stories); Black Widow (We R Memory Keepers).

INK: Versamark; Tuxedo Black (Momento); Black emboss powder; Lightning Yellow & Orange (Copics).

EXTRAS: White thread; black baker's twine; black polka dot washi tape (Taylored Expressions); ribbon; orange button; black spider sticker (SandyLion); bag sticker(Jolee's).

I wanted to create a scene of a critter on a fence.  So, I chose this little owl from Hampton Art. Don't you just love owls?  How cute is he?  I love that crooked witch hat too.

I stamped and embossed him then colored his eyes and nose with Copics.  I did the same with the witch hat (We R Memory Keepers).  I fussy cut both so I could project the image of the owl on a fence with the moon (sentiment) behind him.

I used pattern paper from Simple Stories - "I {Heart} Summer," for my fence and the star pattern is from We R Memory Keepers - "Black Widow."  I stuck a strip of black polka dot washi tape inbetween them.  I stamped some spider webs (We R Memory Keepers) randomly on the fence.
 
I wanted my first DT card to be pretty festive and so I did some things I haven't done in a long while.  First, I sewed.  I dusted off (and I mean LITERALLY) my sewing machine and stiched around the pattern papers.  I surprised myself at how straight it was after just one practice run!  After that I wrapped black baker's twine around the middle, glued on the moon and popped before up my owl with pop dots.   The Trick or Treat bag is a sticker possibly from Recollections or Jolee.  I don't remember which as it is probably 10 years old and it was no longer in a wrapper.

I finished the card off by making a multi loop bow with a button for the center with more baker's twine looped through the button and tied behind it.  And to be even more festive, I chose a cute little spider sticker from SandyLion.

  If you are wondering about my multi-loop bow, I made it with my Bow-Easy (see left).  Bow-Easy is great for nice quick bows in many different sizes and multi-loop bows.  I got it through Taylored Expressions a while back, but I am sure if you Google "Bow-Easy" you will find many places to purchase it.   I did a four loop bow for this card.  

If you are interested in checking out the Bow-Easy, there are several tutorials online, here are two:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7p-_7KdswsM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azMM03qgQ1k

Crafty Blessings!

Real Love Stories

The 2nd of my two romantic easel cards.  Now you can see why I love these!  Simple and easy yet elegant!  The easel style just classes it up a notch, I think!

This card is a little different than the other as I stamped a leaf several times in Versamark, embossed in green and fussy cut them to affix behind the prima roses and ribbon.  The background DP is from We R Memory Keepers Chalkboard pad.  I bumped the chalkboard up on pop dots again too.

Sugar Creek Hollow #71 - Romance

SPIES:

STAMPS: Corner stamp (Anna Griffin); Sentiment (Momenta).

PAPER: White and black heavy cardstock; DP -Chalkboard (We R Memory Keepers).

INK: Versamark, red chalk.

EXTRAS: White and green emboss powder; leaf die cut (Taylored Expressions); coral prima roses; white silk ribbon; pop dots.

More Loving Blessings!

Never-Ending Love

Happy FRIDAY!  This has to be one of my all time favorite Fridays by far!  <happy dance>  ;D  And I can safely say that because both my kids were born on Wednesdays and I was married on a Saturday!  LOL  As Bruce Almighty would say ---- "It's goooood!"

It's been another busy week.  Seems like there have been more of those lately.  Could it be because my son's wedding is just 22 days away? <gasp>! We are all getting very excited yet there is still a lot to be done beforehand.

However, I thought it fitting with so much new love in my family lately to make a couple lovey cards.  My baby brother (he's 40, so not much of a baby) just got married last Friday to a super wonderful lady, adding not only a new sister but a new step-nephew to our lives!  So in honor of all the wedded bliss, here is the first of two romantic cards:

Both this and the next post I am entering over at Sugar Creek Hollow this week where it is Vintage or Shabby Chic Romance.  One of my favorite magazines is Paper Crafts and part of the Sept/Oct issue is about the chalkboard technique and one of the samples was an easel card similar to easel sign boards you see outside restaurants or shops displaying specials/sales.  I thought it was adorable so I had to make several more.  I already posted one I made here.

I made my card base and then scored it at the bottom to create the stand and cut out the unneeded portion.  I used good, thick and sturdy white cardstock.  I used patterned paper from This & That by Echo Park for the background.  To create the chalkboard effect, I used thick black cardstock from Bazzil.  I stamped the corner frames with Versamark and embossed white.  Then did the same with the sentiment. Once again, the sentiment stamp is a great find at Michaels!  No matter what I go in there for, I can't leave without moseying around in the stamp aisle!  Next, I drew a white line around the border with a white watercolor pencil and also drew a white heart outline.  I rubbed some white chalk ink randomly to create the chalkboard look.  I colored in the heart with red chalk and added a little red gem in the center.  I popped up the chalkboard panel too.  To finish off the card, I wrapped a big black/white stripe ribbon around the top, tied it in a knot and stuck two heart hat pins through it

Sugar Creek Hollow #71- Romance

SPIES:

STAMPS: Corner stamp (Anna Griffin); Sentiment (Momenta).

PAPER: White and black heavy cardstock; DP -This & That (Echo Park).

INK: Versamark, red chalk.

EXTRAS: White emboss powder; black/white striped grosgrain ribbon; hat pins.

Loving Blessings!

BIG, HAPPY NEWS!

It's Official!  I'm a Pink Elephant Designer for the next four months!  Oh YEAH!  I was thrilled to get an email from Sheri Gilson, Co-Owner, telling me I'd been accepted as one of the new designers!  She and Lori Boyd, Co-Owner and Co-Founder, run The Pink Elephant Challenge.  Lori is the owner of byLORi Designs, amazing digital stamps!  Click this link: The Pink Elephant Challenge Blog and  go meet the other new design team members and read more about Lori, Sheri and the Senior DTs as well.  So much talent in all of these ladies and I'm very honored to be a part of the team!

My "work" or start day is this coming MONDAY, Oct. 21st.  Every Monday we have a new challenge chocked full of fun to spark your creativity!  So come join Ella, the team and myself for some fun and creative paper crafting!  And while you are at it, be sure and check out each of the other gals' blogs!   

And, I also must introduce my little crafting buddy, because she's part of my personal team --- my 10 year old Jack Russell, Cricket.  As you see, she has her own spot on her own pink cushion in my craft room.  No matter how late I stay up, no matter what our border collie, Riley, is up to, she sticks to me like glue!  And I don't think it is a coincidence I'm now a Pink Elephant Designer, Cricket's cushion is pink and my craft room is PINK!  LOL  We are going to have even more of a blast now!  WAHOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 
PINK ELEPHANT BLESSINGS to you!