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Thursday, March 29, 2018

4CC #396 - ATG/Crazy Egg

Good Morning, Thursday!

It's time for a new challenge at 
4 Crafty Chicks!
And this week, it's not just a regular challenge, 
it's the Crazy Egg Challenge!

AND
Our resident Guest Designer, 
Tangii is the host!
<Applause>



I've been watching a lot of Jennifer McGuire's tutorial videos and she recently did one on rainbow cards.  So I decided to play around with rainbow colors as well as with alcohol inks.  I started by using Yupo paper and swiping alcohol ink in the various rainbow colors, starting with purple at the bottom and working my way up the paper to pink at the top.  Next, I die cut the NYC skyline out of it.  I wasn't sure what I wanted to do actually, but after I cut the die and saw the negative part that was left, I decided it would look just as cool as a card as well.  So, I made two cards.  

On the first one with the positive NYC die,  I used sentiments from an old SSS club stamp set.  The "color" sentiment I colored with Copics in rainbow then used my Glossy Accents on top to give it some shine and texture.  I adhered the NYC die then adhered the whole thing to a black cardbase and finished it with some clear sequins.

The 2nd card, I used the negative from the NYC die.  I reinked the rainbow a bit to make the colors blend more and not have fine lines.  I also didn't want to cover much of it, so I cut a speech bubble out of black cardstock, stamped the sentiment, from Paper Smooches in Versamark and embossed it in white.  

I did have to create part of another rainbow to add some color to the bottom negative space, so I used purple, blue and green alcohol inks then cut out the "hello" die from it and also from some black craft foam to bump it up for interest.

Stop by the Hen House and check out all the rest of the Chicks' projects and visit their blogs and leave them comments.  Designers love comments too!  Then, ink up, die cut or color and share your new creations with us.  It's always ATG but this week is the special Crazy Egg too!

For Following Challenges:


Crafty Chick Blessings!

Sunday, March 25, 2018

Keeping Christmas Inspiration Hop - March 2018


Good Morning!

Happy Sunday!

It's the 25th of the month, so you know what that means? 

It's time for another
Keeping Christmas Inspiration Blog Hop!

Every month on the 25th we will be sharing Christmas cards to help spark some holiday creativity throughout the year, 
so that by the time the Christmas holiday is here we have some cards all ready in our stash.

I had several different things floating around in my head this month and of course, when it came time to create my card, it took a completely different turn than how it started.  I went from planning rainbow dots and plaids to gold.  
SPIES:
STAMPS: Plaid background stamp (Catherine Pooler); Polka Dot background stamp (Catherine Pooler); Sentiment from Here We Go A Caroling of Winterhaven Collection (Catherine Pooler); Deer, bird, rabbit from Winter Woodland (Catherine Pooler); Gold stripe from Love is in the Air SOA (Catherine Pooler).
PAPER: White Cardstock (Neenah 110 lb Solar Crest);  Gold foil paper; black cardstock (Catherine Pooler).
INK: Midnight (Catherine Pooler); Versamark.
EXTRAS: Winter Woodland die set (Catherine Pooler); small doily die (Catherine Pooler); gold gems from stash.

I recently purchased some of the newest release by Catherine Pooler, including a polka dot background stamp.  I love her plaid background stamp and I knew the two together would just be evern more fun and fabulous!

There's a lot of stamping on this card.  I started by stamping the polka dot and plaid background stamps each halfway with Versamark and heat embossing with WOW superfine gold.  I love that gold plaid! <swoon> .  I trimmed up both the polka dot and plaid pieces, leaving a 1/4 inch border of my white cardbase.  I cut a thin strip of black cardstock and stamped the braided line and embossed it in gold as well then adhered it on top of the other two. I die cut a gold circle and a white small doily, then stamped the sentiment on the white doily piece and adhered the whole doily to the gold circle.

Next, I stamped the deer and rabbit in Midnight and embossed with clear emboss powder to give them a little shine.  I stamped and embossed the bird and antlers in gold.  I added a few gold gems for the finishing touch.

This card seems like a lot of work, but after pulling the stamps and dies together, it really didn't take much time, particularly since I just inked up half of the background stamps.  This could also be created using pattern paper instead of background stamps and embossing.  Using paper would speed up the process, but I had to see both those background stamps gold embossed together at least once.

Come and hop along with us and visit each team member's blog below for some festive holiday cheer and inspiration. 




Keeping Christmas Blessings!

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Thursday, March 22, 2018

4CC#395- ATG + For Love of Children Twist

Happy Thursday!

Happy Spring 
(if it looks like it where you are) 

We had Bradfords and other trees blooming and then it plummeted to the 30s.  Yet, can't complain because at least we aren't a foot deep in snow like the north is.  


It's time for a new challenge at 
4 Crafty Chicks!
Lori is our hostess ---

She's chosen the Optional Twist 
o
"For the Love of Children"



Here's my card:
SPIES:
STAMPS: Image and "You are" sentiment - Superheroes (Pretty Cute Stamps).
PAPER: Navy cardstock (Bazzill); white cardstok (Neenah); Watercolor paper (Strathmore).
INK: Alcohol inks - Amethyst, Sailboat Blue, Clover, Sunshine Yellow, Sunset Orange, Poppyfield, Shell Pink (Ranger); Copics; Watercolor for sun stencil.
EXTRAS: Awesome word die (Lil Inker Designs); Stitched Scalloped border (Your Next Stamp); Sun stencil (My Favorite Things). 

I actually had a different plan for this card and after it started, obviously it took a turn.  However, I like the end result as much or more as what I had originally planned.  The pieces I didn't use are coming in other cards.  

Stop by the Hen House and check out all the rest of the Design Team's projects, visit their blogs and leave them some blog lovin'.  Then ink up and share your projects with us, with or without the "Twist" of  the theme, children.  We can't wait to see what you share!

 Crafty Chick Blessings!

Saturday, March 17, 2018

CAS Christmas Holly Reminder!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!


Here's a little Irish Christmas Prayer
since it is St. Patrick's Day:

"The Light of the Christmas star to you
The warmth of home and hearth to you
The cheer and good will of friends to you
The love of the Son and God's peace to you"


Today is the
Mid-Month Challenge Reminder for CAS Christmas! 


Our CAS Christmas challenge is still going on.  

You have until March 24th to play along with us!


The theme this month is Holly.

Here's my card ---
I couldn't decide what way to go for this card and finally decided on what you see.  I used distress inks and sponged some cardstock fairly heavily.  Then I stamped the holly image from Hero Arts in Versamark and embossed in white.  Next I splattered some water around.  I dry embossed my cardbase front with a plaid emboss folder by Taylored Expressions.  I stamped the sentiment, from the same stamp set by Hero Arts using my Misti and  Midnight black archival ink from Catherine Pooler. The stitched scallop die is a new one from Poppy Stamps.  I cut it from craft foam and Neenah 80 lb cardstock.  Final steps were coloring in the berries with a bright pink fine Sharpie and adding the pink gem.  

Stop over at the  CAS Christmas blog, check out the rest of the Design Team's projects, leave them some blog love and play along with us  and stack up those Christmas cards before Christmas, it's just 282 days away!



CAS Christmas Blessings!


Friday, March 16, 2018

Paper Sweeties March 2018 Blast From The Past- Day #3

Good Morning!

Well, it's our final day showcasing 
past products  
from Paper Sweeties! 
Hope you have enjoyed seeing the many different stamp/sweet cuts sets 
and the fun and fabulous projects 
by the Design Team!

We have a few more ---

Day #3 - My card

I did a monochrome and fairly easy card for today.  I began by stamping the cherry and strawberry from the Homegrown stamp set in Versamark and white embossing, then sponging with distress inks - Picked Raspberry, Barn Door, and Fire Brick Red.  I colored in the seeds of the strawberries with a dark pink fine tip Sharpie and used a fine tip white paint Sharpie for the shadow effects on the cherries.  I used the Thanks Sweet Cuts and cut out the middle of the background and once again out of white craft foam and bumped up the sentiment.  To finish it off, I stamped "Sweet" from the stamp set, You Are Fab in Versamark on black cardstock and embossed it in white.

Now if you haven't already, check out the rest of the 
Paper Sweeties Design Team:


Thanks for visiting our 
Blast from the Past!

Paper Sweeties Blessings!

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Thursday, March 15, 2018

4CC#394 - Anything Goes & Brads Twist

Good Morning, again!

Lots of posts today!

It's now time for a new challenge over at

4 Crafty Chicks!

Amy is our host this week and given us a new twist of using brads on our projects.



I have to confess I haven't used brads in a while in any great amount.  So when I went rummaging through my stash, I found these star/flower brads and thought they would be fun. I feel like the whole card has a very retro vibe going on.
Spies:
Stamps: Doodle Garden by Catherine Pooler Designs
Paper: White cardbase (Neenah); Black cardstock (Bazzill); Watercolor paper (Strathmore).
Ink: Black Onyx (Versafine); Shea Butter, Rose Petals, Seafoam, Stone Blue - (Catherine Pooler Inks).
Extras: Waterbrush (Tim Holtz); "Hello" die (Spellbinders); Glossy Accents; colored star brads.

Stop by the Hen House and check out my fellow crafty chicks' beautiful projects and leave them some blog love on their blogs.

Then ink up and create and share your projects with us, because we are always Anything Goes with an optional twist!

Crafty Chick Blessings!

Paper Sweeties Day #2 - March 2018 Blast From The Past


Welcome back for Day #2
of 
Paper Sweeties' March Blast From The Past! 

We are showcasing past products from Paper Sweeties!


My card for Day #2:
First, let me say, that adorable bunny mug I have had for about 35+ years.  It was made by a friend.  I've always been afraid to use it for fear coffee or tea would stain it or it would break.  So I usually have it sitting on my shelf and in the spring fill it with M&Ms or jelly beans.  Sometimes I put flowers in it.  
I originally was going to make a vase full of carrots and then decided it would be fun to put them in a coffee cup for a spring time "cup o' joe".  So I also used the accompanying sentiment "Coffee Makes Everything Better", because what would a bunny have with his coffee?  LOL  I stamped the carrots in Versamark, embossed in gold then watercolored with pearlized watercolors.  I did the same with the bunny except stamped him in brown and embossed with clear powder before watercoloring.  I was going to add a fuzzy pom pom for his tail and got so busy I forgot.   I fussy cut them all.  I stamped the coffee cup stamp in Versamark and embossed it in gold and the sentiment.

The background is one I had in my stash and thought it was perfect for this card adhered to some gold foil paper and then green cardstock.


Now if you haven't already, check out the rest of the 
Paper Sweeties Design Team:

Michelle Bala
Nancy Salkeld(You are HERE!)

Come back tomorrow for more on Day #3!

Paper Sweeties Blessings!
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Wednesday, March 14, 2018

Paper Sweeties March 2018 Blast From The Past

Good Morning!

Today is the first day of 
Paper Sweeties' March Blast From The Past! 

Hope you're ready to hop along with the Design Team 
and see lots of 
cute, adorable, fabulous projects!


Here is my card for Day 1:



Paper Sweeties Design Team:


Come back tomorrow for more on Day #2!

For Following Challenges: 

Paper Sweeties Blessings!

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Thursday, March 8, 2018

My Kind of Peep

A quick and simple card using a cute stamp from Lawn Fawn's current release...




Good Morning, again!

I almost forgot to post/share a card I made for the CAS(E) This Sketch challenge ---

 

I embossed the wonky stitched square die on the card base and then stamped the border stamps.  The chick border is from the new Lawn Fawn set, Simply Celebrate, stamped in Catherine Pooler Midnight ink and colored with Copies.  The ladder border stamp is from Catherine Pooler set, The World Awaits also stamped in Midnight.  I stamped a sentiment from the Simon Says set, You're My Kind of Peep, in the middle of the embossed die in Midnight and Pixie Dust.  To finish the look I added some clear and purple sequins.




PEEP Blessings!


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