4 Crafty Chicks #422 - Happy Fall Y'all

FALL is officially here in the Northern Hemisphere!

I can't believe summer is over and sweaters, pumpkins and changing leaves are now the thing. It certainly doesn't feel like it or look like it here in central North Carolina. 

This week at 4 Crafty Chicks is full of Fall too!

Lori is our hostess 

and 

she wants us to celebrate FALL!

4 Crafty Chicks #422 - Happy Fall Y'all!

I bought a new pumpkin die from Memory Box and tried it out with some alcohol inked paper.  I love how they look!  I also pulled out a watercolored background I had made using a stencil resist technique (not sure that's the term).  I had watercolored then placed a stencil of leaves on top and dabbed water over the stencil to lift some of the color off to reveal the pattern.  Then, I decided to add a little white pigment ink where I lifted the color and finally added a bit of bronze perfect pearls.  This is the layer on top of a leaf embossed background. I stamped the sentiment in Versamark and embossed in Rose Gold powder. I cut it with a die, which I also used to make the gold trim.  Then I cut the leaves and acorns.  The bronze leaf dies were a gift from Bonnie Klass that I have really needed to use. 

Go check out the rest of the Chicks' projects in the Hen House.  Then come play along either with our Anything Goes challenge or this week's Twist of Fall!

Crafty Chick Blessings!

Keeping Christmas - September 2018

It's the 25th of the month if you can believe it.  

Just three months until Christmas Day!

Do you have your Christmas cards done yet?

Well, today is the 

Keeping Christmas Inspirational Blog Hop!

So come check out some awesome inspiration to help you either get started or finish

Kelly Lunceford heads up this wonderful blog hop every month on the 25th to provide lots and lots of creative, inspirational mojo in getting an early start on Christmas cards or projects.

I'm on another Christmas card DT (CAS Christmas) and last month our challenge was a tree. I pulled out my Spellbinders nesting triangle dies.  I cut several "trees" from various cardstock and background paper.  

I had some left over triangles so I thought I would use them for this month's Blog Hop to show how you can create simple cards with basic supplies. 

The one above I made a snowcapped mountain with a green triangle and some chunky Frontage.  I nestled it I took the negative from a white triangle and positive of a green one.  I used white chunky Frontage for the snowcap.  I stamped and white embossed the sentiment.  The deer are a border type stamp I stamped in Versafine Black Onyx.  I finished the card by nestling the green mountain in the negative of one of my other die cut triangle bases.

Above, I took the negative background, watercolored and stenciled from a cut triangle, added some white triangles, with the smallest one stamped with a small tree. I added the sentiment at the bottom and then popped the whole layer up as well as the inner layer.

Now hop through the list and check out the rest of the team's projects:

Kelly Lunceford

Lesley Croghan

Anita Madden

Broni Holcombe (off this month)

Claire Broadwater

Julee Tilman

Kim Heggins

Lori Tecler

Nance Salkeld (You are HERE!)

Nina Forsyth

Rachel Bergfeld

Vicki Finger

Keeping Christmas Blessings!

4 Crafty Chicks #421 Tic Tac Toe Twist

Happy Thursday!

Hope you're having a great week!

Today there is a new challenge starting 

at

4 Crafty Chicks!

Amy is our hostess and she has chosen a special twist for us using a tic tac board!

4 Crafty Chicks #421 Tic Tac Toe Twist

If you've played one of these you know to select three elements, either Across, Down or Diagonally and create a project including those elements.

I used the diagonal - Red - Flowers-Kraft

Stop by the Hen House and check out Leanne, Lori, Tangii and Amy's projects and leave them some blog love!  Then play along with us using the tic tac toe board.  You might be one of our next winners!

Card Supplies:
STAMPS: Blossoming (Stamplorations).
PAPER: White cardstock (Neenah Solar White); Sand Dunes (Catherine Pooler); Patterned Paper - Itsy Bitsy Polka Dot (My Favorite Things).
INK: Sand Castle (Catherine Pooler); Versamark; Watercolor pencils (FaberCastle).
EXTRAS: Center Stage Cover Up Die (Papertrey Ink); Wonky Stitched Square Die (My Favorite Things).

Crafty Chick Blessings!

CAS Christmas September Reminder

Wow, halfway through September 

and almost officially FALL!

Today is our mid-month Reminder

for 

CAS Christmas Card Challenge.

I'm your hostess the theme is ---

 

I used another wreath die, this time from WPlus9.  It's actually a spring die but as you see, you can change up the colors to fit any season or occasion.  For this card, cut a panel using a die from Catherine Pooler to center my wreath upon.  The wreath I cut in white cardstock and from inked cardstock using Eucalyptus dye ink by Catherine Pooler.  The berries are cut from white cardstock triple embossed in a burgundy emboss powder, reaally old emboss powder I wanted to try and use up.  It took a couple times through the Big Shot with my metal shim due to the thick layer of powder.  I also stamped the sentiment in Versamark on vellum and embossed it twice in the same powder.  I used my Misti to stamp the  sentiment so I could stamp it a second time correctly for the second round of embossing.  The bow is a stamp from the Wonderful Wreath set by Catherine pooler, stamped in Versamark and embossed in silver.  To assembler, I adhered the die cut panel to a Neenah Solar white 110 lb cardbase.  Next I layered two wreaths, one white, then the colored on on top staggered with the berries and bow.  Then I carefully adhered the vellumed sentiment placing glue onto the backside where the sentiment was stamped, in the middle.  The vellum curled a bit from the embossing but it did lay down pretty nicely after photographing and placing a book on top of it for a bit.  

Be sure and stop by the CAS Christmas blog and see what all my teamie's have created mid-month, as well as give a shout out to our Guest Designer, Birgit!

And remember, there's still about a week to play along with us and add to your Christmas card stash!

CAS Christmas Blessings!

Paper Sweeties September 2018 Release Rewind!

Hello Sunday!

It is also Paper Sweeties' Release Rewind Day!

I tried a technique by Jennifer McGuire for my background.  

ConGRADulations - Paper Sweeties

Tree of Life Add-On: Spring Stamp Set--Paper Sweeties

So Sweet of You Stamp Set--Paper Sweeties

You Are Fab Stamp Set--Paper Sweeties

Planner Series - Get Your Craft On Paper Sweeties

Apple Pie Sequins--Paper Sweeties

I'm so proud of you   

                 

          The Design Team has one last set of projects for this month's Release:

Debbie Marcinkiewicz – Paper Sweeties
Jinny Newlin
Karen Letchworth

Larissa Heskett
Lisa Bzibziak
Mackie Robertson 

Maria Patrick

Nancy Salkeld (You are HERE!)

Until next time -- Stay Sweet!

Paper Sweeties Blessings!

Paper Sweeties September 2018 Release Party!

Today is Paper Sweeties Release Party!

Boy do we need some kind of party here in NC!  Florence is still pelting hard all over the state, SC too! 

So come check this out!

 The products below are now available in the 

Paper Sweeties Online Shop!

I'm so proud of you

Planner Series: Business Basics

Planner Series - Shapes

Sweet Cuts Basket

Paper Sweeties Basket

Homegrown Stamp Set - Paper Sweeties

Homegrown - Sweet Cuts Dies - Paper Sweeties

Check out all of the Design Team's projects by hopping through the list below:

Debbie Marcinkiewicz – Paper Sweeties
Jinny Newlin
Karen Letchworth

Larissa Heskett
Lisa Bzibziak
Mackie Robertson 

Maria Patrick

Nancy Salkeld (You are HERE!)

Tomorrow is the last day of the Release so come by and see some more inspiration using this month's new products!

 For Following Challenges:

Paper Sweeties Blessings!

Paper Sweeties September 2018 Sneak Peeks!

Well TGIF Everyone!

Not sure it's going to be such a great Friday here in North Carolina or much of the southeast with Hurricane Florence pounding down on all of us.

Here in the Triangle we are expected to get anywhere from 6-10" of rain and some tropical storm force winds. I had the TV on all day yesterday watching/listening to local news as Florence came upon the coast of NC.  We are in no threat of flooding, just concern of trees down and/or power outage. I hope everyone else in its path stays safe and dry and those evacuated from their homes don't find ruin when they return.

There is good news to be had for this soggy windy Friday ---

Today is the first day of a new Release

for

Paper Sweeties!

 There are new products:

I'm so proud of you Stamp set

Planner Series: Business Basics

Come check out all of the Design Team's projects by hopping through the list below:

Debbie Marcinkiewicz – Paper Sweeties
Jinny Newlin
Karen Letchworth

Larissa Heskett
Lisa Bzibziak
Mackie Robertson 

Maria Patrick

Nancy Salkeld (You are HERE!)

Stop by again tomorrow for the Release Party!  

More inspiration AND the new products will be in the store for sale!

For Following Challenges:

I did a Mixed Media style on my card using watercolors(Zigs).  I was inspired by the colored stripes, although my red turned into a pinkish color.

Paper Sweeties Blessings!

4 Crafty Chicks #420 Alcohol Ink Twist

Happy Thursday!

Hope you're having a beautiful day!

Presently, here in central North Carolina we are bracing for Hurricane Florence to dump her wrath our way.  Thankfully we don't get flooding at our house, so as long as our trees stay up and off the house we are riding it out at home with our four pets. I also plan to craft as long as the power stays on.  What an excuse to play, huh?  I'm just praying all those in worse harm's way will be safe and Florence doesn't stall out and add insult to injury as feared.

Along with that, it's also time for a new challenge at 

4 Crafty Chicks

and 

I am your hostess this week!

4 Crafty Chicks #420 - Alcohol Inks Twist

If you haven't played with alcohol inks, you should give them a try.  It's really cool to watch the patterns and colors emerge. 

I had some alcohol inked background made from these light blues and plastic wrap.  I decided to use it for a birthday card for my Hubs who celebrated his birthday last weekend.  He is a Detroit Lions fan and this background was the perfect "Detroit" color along with the silver.  He loved it!

So make sure you stop by the Hen House and check out the rest of the Chicks' projects, all so gorgeous!  Then come play along with us.  You can join in the twist challenge for a chance to be our weekly winner or you can play in our always Anything Goes challenge and share whatever you desire.  The choice is yours!

If you're in the path of Florence, I hope you and your family stay safe!

For Following Challenges

Crafty Chick Blessings! 

4 Crafty Chicks #419 - Photo Inspiration Twist

Hello Thursday!

This week really flew by with a holiday on Monday for the U.S and Canada!

It's also amazing how one day can throw off your whole week!  I had a few other "interruptions" too.  Mind you they were welcome interruptions --- my grown children.  They both may be out of the nest but I'm blessed to have a close relationship with them in which they both text me often every week.  Hopefully that will continue as time goes on and their lives become busy with families and such.  Now and again it's a request for "Mom's help" but usually it's to share what's going on with them, which I enjoy and soak up.  It can get a little chaotic though when I receive a barrage of texts from both at the same time as is what happened this week.  LOL  

The youngest just found some more permanent temporary housing out in California where he moved over the summer. Now I am in the process of condensing some of his belongings he left here to ship to him.  Yeah, that's why I was so popular with one of them on Monday!  hahaha <wink wink>

So that is the backstory for why my post for 4 Crafty Chicks is late this week. 

This week we have a photo inspiration for our twist challenge and Leanne, 

our fabulous leader is our hostess!

4 Crafty Chicks #420 - Photo Inspiration

I had the main image of my card finished early but then I got a creative block and could NOT get the rest of it together for some reason.  Probably because I had sheets, pillows, clothing, what nots on my mind for my son.  hahaha  Anyway, laaate last night it finally came together...

I thought I was "food" challenged in my stamps but after I finished this image, I found several old stamp sets I could have used and almost did, but I stuck with this cutie.  I actually used my ZIG real brush water markers and colored the outline image of the stamp.  Then I took a waterbrush and pulled the color into the image centers.  It's not perfect and I tried to hide one icky part but it didn't look right so I just left it as is, imperfections and all.  I did enjoy this process, very relaxing (minus the one hiccup). The main image is an old stamp from Your Next Stamp.  The bird is from a gnome stamp set, old too, maybe Stampendous but not sure.  The sentiment is from a set called Victory Garden by TPC Studio.   The burst die is Avery Elle, scalloped die is Poppy Stamps. 


Make sure and stop by the Hen House and check out Leanne, Lori, Amy and Tangii's projects.  I really am blessed to be a part of these fabulous "chicks"!

Crafty Chick Blessings!

CAS Christmas September Challenge

Good Afternoon, Monday!

So it's September now, beginning of a new month, so beginning of a new monthly challenge over at

CAS Christmas Challenge!

This month I am your hostess!  

I chose "Wreath" for September's theme. 

 

Are wreaths a part of your home holiday decor?  I've been known to hang one in every room for Christmas at least, even the furnace room.  If there's a door, there's a Christmas wreath hanging.  

My card today I really love!  I decided I wanted to do layered metallic embossing.  I used a wreath die by Catherine Pooler.  I first applied Versamark to my wreath and then applied a layer of WOW Fine Gold emboss powder.  I added two more layers of gold.  Next, I took a Versamark pen and dabbed it on each of the berries of the die, working in bits, as I went around the wreath and then added silver emboss powder from Stampin' Up.  I did this two more times a well.

For the card panel, I used a background stamp, BFF, from Catherine Pooler and just stamped it in Versamark and applied clear emboss powder (only once here). I wanted just a slight pattern.  Then, I die cut the stitched peek a boo square in the middle. 

I set a white cardbase in my Misti, then laid the stamped/die cut panel on top of a card base and placed my sentiment stamp inside the peek a boo hole to center it on the cardbase.  Took off the top panel, used my embossing buddy and then stamped the sentiment with Versamark before embossing it with the same silver emboss powder.  

Finally, I cut a panel out of adhesive craft foam the same size as my die cut panel and cut out the die cut in its middle and adhered it to the bottom of the panel to raise it up for some dimension.

We have some fabulous projects this month from all of our DT and our wonderful September Guest Designer, Birgit.  

So stop over to the CAS Christmas Challenge blog and check them out and leave them some blog love on their blogs as well!  We Designers love blog visits and comments too!

Since there's now less than four months until Christmas, why not come play with us and add to your stash of Christmas cards or get started if you haven't. Ink up, die cut, emboss, etc, just remember to keep it CAS!  You can participate as many times as you would like, just with a new card each time.  Who knows, you may be a Guest Designer one month!

You have until September 24th to play along with us.

Card Supplies:
STAMPS: Background stamp - BFF (Catherine Pooler); Sentiment - Here We Come A Caroling (Winterhaven SOA Catherine Pooler).
PAPER: Neenah Solar White Cardstock. Adhesive white craft foam (Michaels).
INK: Versamark
EXTRAS: Wreath die cut (Catherine Pooler Winterhaven SOA); Stitched Rectangle Peekaboo die (My Favorite Things); Clear emboss powder(WOW); Super Fine Gold emboss powder(WOW); Silver emboss powder (WOW). 

CAS Christmas Card Blessings!