Category Archives: Challenges

Challenges, fun with paper and ink, Halloween, holiday fun, Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge, Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge

Fab BOO lous

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October 2, 2016

Halloween is coming and I’m getting in the spirit. I made this card for a friend who just started a new job. The current Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge inspired me to use a lot of embossing powders.

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Close up of the embossing

Details

Size:  Vertical Top fold A2 card

Extra Details:  I started by clear embossing the chevron strips on a black card base. I still struggle with lining up background stamps and getting a perfect impression every time.  I still love the way the background turned out, it feels very Halloween-ie to me.

Next, I die cut a smallish stitched rectangle from water color paper. I created my own custom sentiment. I saw this sentiment on a Halloween decoration at a local store and fell in love with it. I used black ink and clear embossing power on the black parts of the sentiment and the little spider. For the ghost and Boo, I used silver embossing powder. I felt that my ghost was a little lonely on the bottom of the panel, so I added some stars with white embossing powder.

Once all the embossing was dry, I added color to the panel. I used Distress Inks for everything. I carefully ink blended some purple and green inks on the background using a foam tool. I water colored the ghost with the same ink. I added some very light grey ink to the ghost for shadows.

For added texture, I flicked some water on the panel and soaked it up a clean paper towel. I added my panel to my black card base and was done.

Challenges Entered:

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: Powder Power

http://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge/?p=6479

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: Anything Goes

http://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/simon-says-anything-goes-31/

 

Stamps Used: Lawn Fawn’s Booyah, Chevron Backdrops, Riley’s ABCs, and Sally’s ABCs

Dies Used: Lawn Fawn’s Small Stitched Rectangles

Ink: Versa Fine

Versa Mark

Distress Inks in Wilted Violet, Mowed Lawn, Twisted Citron, and Hickory Smoke

 

Hope you enjoyed the card

Challenges, Christmas, fun with paper and ink, holiday fun, Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge

Christmas Tags 2.11

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September 24, 2016

More Christmas tags today! This time I made a cute pillow box also, so that the tags can be given as a gift. The current Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge inspired this idea

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The pillow box

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The tags

Details

Extra Details: I started with half a sheet of water color paper and stamped the penguin images all over it. I added a few smaller images to fill in the black areas. I used water color pencils and a cheap water brush to add the color. I used mostly two shades of green, red, and black. I added some orange for the beaks and feet. I also used a very light blue and light pink for the snow cones, snow balls, and cheeks. Once the water color was dry, I die cut six tag shapes.

I cut the smaller tag from some light green card stock. I inked the edges with Mowed Lawn Distress Ink for interest. I embossed the sentiment with white embossing powder. I tied the two sizes of tags together with some silver raffia.

To make the pillow box, I used the We R Memory Keepers Pillow Box Board. I started with a strip of black card stock that measured 6” x 7.5” and created a pillow box. I die cut a stitched circle and decorated it with two penguins. I heat embossed the word “tags” in silver. I added a strip of green card stock and tied the box closed with some silver raffia. I adhered the stitched circle over the top of the green card stock and silver raffia to finish off the box.

Challenges Entered:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: Gift It

http://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/simon-says-gift-it/

Stamps Used: Lawn Fawn’s Toboggan Together, Snow Cool, Tiny Tag Sayings, Clark’s ABCs

Dies Used: Lawn Fawn’s Tag You’re It and Tiny Tags

Simon Says Stamp Stitched Circles

Ink: Versa Fine

Versa Mark

Distress Ink in Mowed Lawn

 

Hope you enjoyed the card

Challenges, fun with paper and ink, Halloween, holiday fun, Lawnscaping Challenges

Geometric Ghoul’s Night Out

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September 23, 2016

Halloween is coming! Halloween is coming! Halloween is coming! I had fun with my Booyah stamp set today. I also entered this card in the current Lawnscaping Challenge.

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Details

Size:  Horizontal top fold A2 card

Extra Details:  I started by die cutting a stitched rectangle and a stitched circle from some what color paper. I stamped my ghost image on the circle and added some stars behind her. I did some partial inking to get the witches hat on her head. I used my Distress Inks as water colors to add color.  I also ink blended some Hickory Smoke Distress Ink on the edges.

On the rectangle panel I stamped the strip of triangles in grey ink. Once that was dry, I used Distress Inks to smoosh some color on the panel. I added some ink splatters in white and black once the colored ink was dry.  I also ink blended some Hickory Smoke Distress Ink on the edges.

I stamped the sentiment on a strip of black cardstock and white heat embossed it.

I adhered the inked panel to a black card base. The ghost circle and sentiment strip are popped up on fun foam.

Challenges Entered:

Lawnscaping Challenge #138: Geometric

http://lawnscaping.blogspot.com/2016/09/lawnscaping-challenge-gemoetric.html

Stamps Used: Lawn Fawn’s Booyah and Sharp Backdrops

Dies Used: Lawn Fawn’s Small Stitched Rectangles

Simon Says Stamp Stitched Circles

Ink: Versa Fine

Versa Mark

Simon Says Stamp Smoke

Lawn Fawn Yeti White Pigment Ink

Distress Inks in Black Soot, Hickory Smoke, Wilted Violet, and Twisted Citron

 

Hope you enjoyed the card

fun with paper and ink, Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge

Sunflower Thanks

1 Comment

September 7, 2016

Recently, I bought Lawn Fawn’s Happy Harvest Stamp Set. I love how versatile this set is; so many images that work well together and on their own. For this card, I wanted to use just the sunflowers to create a more “grown up” looking card. In the end, I couldn’t resist adding a few cute critters also.

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Details

Size:  Horizontal top fold A2 card

Extra Details:  I started by stamping and water coloring all of my images. I used Distress Inks as water color. This is my new favorite way to color images. Once all the images were dry, I fussy cut them out, leaving a thing white border.

Then, I began playing with my layout. Starting with a stitched rectangle die cut, I added some Distress Ink to the lower left corner. Originally, I used Crushed Olive Distress Ink, but it was too yellow. So, I layered some Mowed Lawn Distress Ink on top and was happy with the color.

Next, I gold heat embossed the sentiment on the white panel.

Then, I added my images. I popped some of the sunflowers up on foam dots and adhered some flat to the panel.  I also let some of the flowers hang over the edge of the die cut panel. It was at this point, I felt my layout was missing something. So I added two crows from the same stamp set.

Lastly, I adhered the die cut panel to the kraft card base. I also trimmed any images that were protruding off the card base.

 

Challenges Entered: Simon Says Wednesday Challenge: STAMPtember Stamp It

http://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/simon-says-stamp-it/

Stamps Used: Lawn Fawn’s Happy Harvest and A Good Apple

Dies Used: Lawn Fawn’s Small Stitched Rectangles

Ink: Versa Fine

Versa Mark

Distress Inks in Black Soot, Brushed Corduroy, Crushed Olive, Fossilized Amber, Mowed Lawn, Mustard Seed, and Walnut Stain

 

Hope you enjoyed the card

fun with paper and ink, Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge

Rooting for You, Scarecrow

1 Comment

September 6, 2016

I have been thinking about this card ever since I bought the Rooting For You stamp set. Just last week, I finally bought the Happy Harvest stamp set and was able to create this card.

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Details

Size:  Vertical side fold A2 card

Extra Details:  I started by stamping my images on water color paper. I used Distress Inks on the veggies because those are the only colored inks I own. They do not give a smooth image but I do like the texture I achieved. I also used Distress Inks to water color the scarecrow and birds.

While the images were drying, I started on the background. I used my Speech Bubble Border Die to cut the rows in the kraft card stock. Using the partial die cutting technique, I was able to keep my background in one piece. I added some ink blending to help define the rows.

Then it was time to build my card. First, I adhered a light blue rectangle to the top of the card base. Next, I adhered my die cut kraft card stock. On that piece, I only added adhesive to the edges, so I could tuck my veggies into the slits. Then, I adhered all of the fussy cut images. I used the slits to make the veggies look they were planted in the ground. Lastly, I added my sentiment. I am glad I waited so long to add my sentiment; my original plan was to put the sentiment on the top of the card, but it would have looked odd. I used Versa Mark ink and white heat embossing powder.

Challenges Entered: Simon Says Monday Challenge: STAMPtember Stamp IT

http://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge/?p=6472

Stamps Used: Lawn Fawn’s Rooting for You and Happy Harvest

Dies Used: Lawn Fawn’s Speech Bubble Border Die

Ink: Versa Fine

Versa Mark

Distress Inks in Candied Apple, Carved Pumpkin, Lucky Clover, Antique Linen, Black Soot, Blueprint Sketch, Brushed Corduroy, Dusty Concord, Fired Brick, Ground Espresso, Mowed Lawn, Mustard Seed, Scattered Straw, Spiced Marmalade, Vintage Photo, and Walnut Stain

Birthday, fun with paper and ink, holiday fun, Lawnscaping Challenges

Sprinkled With Love Birthday

3 Comments

September 5, 2016

I just love getting new stamps to play with. I couldn’t wait to the play with the Sprinkled with Joy stamp set when it arrived in the mail. I made this card for my mother’s birthday. She enjoys backing as much as I enjoy card making.

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Details

Size:  Vertical side fold A2 card

Extra Details:  I started by stamping and water coloring all of the images.  I used my Distress Inks as water colors. Once the images were dry, I fussy cut them out.

I dry embossed my stitched circle dies on a white panel. This was the first time I have tried this technique. I also do not own an embossing mat, so I made do with fun foam. The impression is not all that great, but it was still fun to try. I ink blended some Mermaid Lagoon Distress Ink on the embossed area to help it stand out.

Next, I began adding my images. I adhered most of them flat to the card base. I added some colorful sprinkles to help add to the scene. I popped the two cookie cutters up on foam dots. Lastly, I added the sentiment.

I created a kraft card base and added some stamping to the edges. I adhered the white panel to the front of the card base and was done.

Challenges Entered:

Lawnscaping #137: Texture-fied

http://lawnscaping.blogspot.com/2016/09/lawnscaping-challenge-texture-sponsored.html

Stamps Used: Lawn Fawn’s Sprinkled with Joy and Hats Off to You

Dies Used: Simon Says Stamp Stitched Circles

Ink: VersaFine

Distress Inks in Antique Linen, Candied Apple, Mowed Lawn, Hickory Smoke, Mermaid Lagoon, Tumbled Glass, and Vintage Photo

 

Hope you enjoyed the card

Birthday, Fawny Flickr Fridays, fun with paper and ink, holiday fun, Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge

Birthday Balloons

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August 21, 2016

Today, I was having fun playing with my Distress Inks. This ended up as a birthday card because that is what I need to replenish in my stash.

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Details

Size:  Vertical top fold A2 card

Extra Details: I started with a panel of water color paper that I die cut with a stitched rectangle die. After that, I stamped my balloon outlines using Distress Inks. I didn’t worry about masking anything because I was hoping the balloons would look translucent in the end. After all the balloon outlines were stamped I added more color using the same Distress Inks as water color. I worked from the lightest color to the darkest color.

I added some water droplets for interest. I stamped the balloon strings in Simon Says Stamp Fog ink. The sentiment is stamped in Simon Says Stamp Smoke Ink.

I covered the front of my card base with some Lawn Fawn patterned paper and added the stamped panel on top.  

Challenges Entered:  Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: Make For The Border

http://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/simon-says-make-for-the-border/

 

Stamps Used: Lawn Fawn’s Admit One and Scripty Sayings

Dies Used: Lawn Fawn’s Small Stitched Rectangles

Paper: Lawn Fawn’s Let’s Polka

Ink: Simon Says Stamp Smoke and Fog inks

Distress Inks in Abandoned Coral, Candied Apple, Mustard Seed, Picked Raspberry, Ripe Persimmon, Spiced Marmalade, and Squeezed Lemonade.

 

Hope you enjoyed the card

Challenges, fun with paper and ink, Halloween, holiday fun, Lawnscaping Challenges

Ghoul’s Night Out

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August 20, 2016

Lawn Fawn has been showing off their new stamps this week. I love the Happy Howloween set. They featured an adorable card in their video of the dogs all dressed up for Halloween around the edges of the card. I took that idea and raid my stamps to see what I could make.

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The outside of the card

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The inside of the card

Details

Size:  Vertical top fold A2 card

Extra Details: I started by die cutting a stitched rectangle from some water color paper. I stamped all of my images in VersaFine or Simon Says Stamp Smoke Ink. I used the grey ink for the ghost to make them appear more translucent. I didn’t really plan out my spacing and I feel like some images ended up too close together.

I used my Distress Inks to water color everything in. I left the ghosts mostly white. I added a little shadow under the hats with Iced Spruce Distress Ink and a lot of water. I also gave them the rosy cheeks from Rooting for You and some Spun Sugar Distress Inks.

The background is a combination of Iced Spruce, Hickory Smoke, Twisted Citron and Black Soot inks. I would add a wash of one color, decide I didn’t like it, and added another color over the top. I used the Black Soot to add some shadows around each ghost which helped them to stand out more.

 

While the Distress Ink was drying, I created my card base. I made a top folding A2 card base out of black card stock. Using Lawn Fawn’s Yeti White Ink, I stamped the small candy images all around the edges. I added a liner to the inside of the card and stamped my sentiment and spider in VersaFine ink.

Challenges Entered: Lawnscaping Challenge #136: Punny Time

http://lawnscaping.blogspot.com/2016/08/lawnscaping-challenge-136-punny-time.html

 

Stamps Used: Lawn Fawn’s Booyah, Critters in Costume, and Rooting for You

Dies Used: Lawn Fawn’s Small Stitched Rectangles

Ink: VersaFine

Lawn Fawn’s Yeti White Ink

Simon Says Stamp Smoke Ink

Distress Inks in Picked Raspberry, Candied Apple, Spun Sugar, Carved Pumpkin, Blueprint Sketch, Vintage Photo, Black Soot, Wilted Violet, Mustard Seed, Mowed Lawn, Twisted Citron, Hickory Smoke, and Iced Spruce

 

Hope you enjoyed the card

Challenges, fun with paper and ink, Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge

Thinking of You, Flamingo

1 Comment

August 19, 2016

I just bought the Lawn Fawn Flamingo Together and Plan On It stamp sets. As soon as I opened my package, I knew I wanted to make a card with both the flamingo and the tiny island.

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Details

Size:  Vertical top fold A2 card

Extra Details: I started by die cutting a stitched rectangle of water color cardstock. I cut a stitched circle from the panel and used this to create my scene. I stamped everything in Antique Linen Distress Ink and tried no line coloring again. I used Distress Inks to add all of the colors.

I used a grey ink for the sentiment because I wanted to give the card a softer feel.

After the water colored circle was dry, I assembled my card. I adhered the circle flat to the kraft card base. I popped the rest of the stitched rectangle up on fun foam.

Challenges Entered: Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: Summer Fun

http://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge/?p=6097

Stamps Used: Lawn Fawn’s Flamingo Together, Plan on It, Critters from the Past, and Sophie’s Sentiments

Dies Used: Lawn Fawn’s Small Stitched Rectangles

Simon Says Stamp Stitched Circles

Ink: Simon Says Stamp Smoke Ink

Distress Ink in Mustard Seed, Spiced Marmalade, Abandoned Coral, Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo, Ground Espresso, Mowed Lawn, Twisted Citron, Picked Raspberry, Black Soot, Hickory Smoke, Mermaid Lagoon, and Antique Linen.

 

Hope you enjoyed the card

Card sets, Challenges, fun with paper and ink, Lawnscaping Challenges

I Moved Card Set

1 Comment

August 4, 2016

My grandmother recently moved and I wanted to give her some change of address cards as a house warming gift. I had just bought the Happy Trails stamp set and thought I could make the camper a moving trailer. I did some experimenting and found that my idea worked. I, originally, started by coloring the images in with markers, but that idea changed. The Lawnscaping blog posted their new challenge (#135: Patterned Palooza) and I wanted to play with paper piecing. I ended up with 30 finished cards; 24 with paper piecing and 6 with the original coloring.

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Version One with the trail of smoke

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Version Two with the wind lines

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The original design with coloring

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Some of the cards all lined up

Details

Size:  Horizontal top fold A2 card

Extra Details:  I started by carefully inking up the camper stamp.  I only inked the edges. Once stamped, any missing areas I filled in with a thin black Sharpie. I stamped the “camper” on two colors of patterned paper. Once, I had all the “campers”, cars, and trees stamped, I fussy cut them out. I painted all of the cut edges with a black marker to hide any cutting errors.

Once the cutting was complete, I created by card bases. Using a ruler, I drew a light pencil like as a guide. I stamped the car, camper and trees on each card base. I did not worry about the door or windows on the camper this time because I knew I would be covering them up. I also stamped all of the sentiments at this time.

I adhered the thing grey road down first. I started with half inch strips of grey card stock for the roads, but they were too wide and looked to straight. So using the largest scissors I own, I cut the strips roughly in half. The imperfect cutting looks more natural to me. I really like the way the roads looked on the finished cards.

Then I glued all of the paper pieces down to the card bases. Once the glue was dry, I added the wind or smoke puffs. This completed the cards.

I added some trees to the envelope flaps to added interest.

Challenges Entered:

Lawnscaping Challenge #135: Patterned Palooza

http://lawnscaping.blogspot.com/2016/08/lawnscaping-challenge-135-patterned.html

 

Stamps Used: Lawn Fawn’s Happy Trails, Clark’s ABCs and Critters in Costume

Ink: VersaFine

Simon Says Stamp Smoke Ink

Memento Dew Drop Bahama Blue

 

Hope you enjoyed the card