THD Challenge #12: Flights of Fancy

When I think of this month’s challenge graphic, fancy free comes to mind.  This is absolutely one of my favorite inspirations of the year– and our team really rose to the challenge in their bold and fanciful interpretations.  Can’t really get better than aqua, hot pink and silver or gold.  Look at those old books stacked up (those colors–swoon) or that gilded table setting; not to mention the dress with that bag!

Last month’s turnout was stellar, and I hope you will participate again, and bring your friends to this colorful party!

I’ve incorporated the colors, butterflies, florals and even books into my piece– and I’ve even upcycled!  The craft/art world sadly generates quite a bit of plastic and waste, so I try to reuse as much of the packaging as I can, and recycle what I cannot.  Here I have used a glossy cardboard purple-dotted background piece from a selection of paperclips. It is cut from the Gina Marie Cross Stitch rectangle die.

My card also features a favored technique you’ve seen me use before with the Altenew Wild Hibiscus florals and butterfly stamped on vellum and, this time, patterned paper, then heat embossed.  This set is designed for Mother’s Day, which is coming up soon, so I will be featuring the set in a future post that also uses our challenge graphic.  Stay tuned!

Where are the books in my design?  Well, hidden a bit, but I have cut a strip from Maggie Holmes’ Chasing Dreams paper collection that matches our inspiration graphic perfectly. This paper is a line up of vintage books– and all our colors are featured!

 

I am having a serious love affair with these Doodlebug Design Matte Sprinkles.  They are exactly  like the old-fashioned button candy that comes on the paper strips.  I loved this candy as a kid, but hated getting the paper off the candies.  The goal was a perfect peel-away.  Nothing worse for a kid with hyper-sensory processing than eating paper!  I am a really tactile person, and certain textures create extremely negative responses. But these little epoxy dots, I really, really want to eat. The colors are ridiculously delicious too. (No sprinkles were hurt or consumed in the making of this card)

Finally, I used Waffle Flower’s With Love die for the sentiment, adhering only one corner and popping it up for dimension.  You know I love my dimension and texture!  The inside is finished with some ombre washi.  If you are wondering about the phenomenal background paper– well, sadly it is no longer available.  This is truly a one-of-a-kind card because it uses a scrap of old Basic Grey paper.  Amy and I horde our Basic Grey, but it comes out every now and again for special cards!  I sure do miss that company!

But Tonya’s has many great items from some of your favorite companies– so this month play along, possibly with some new goodies from THD–check out her updated selection!

I can’t wait to see how you’re inspired!

Take flight!

Guest Designer: Ellen Hutson March Pinsights Challenge!

Hello friends and welcome to the March Pinsights Challenge hosted by Ellen Hutson over at The Classroom!

So excited to be one of the featured designers for the always inspiring challenge, particularly this month!  Are you feeling lucky?  Perhaps, the inspiration graphic will help!

All things green and gilded!  The images and hues are just so lovely, there must be a pot of gold awaiting somewhere, right?  Only if you play along!

The Details:

You could be the lucky winner of a $50 gift certificate from Ellen Hutson! A random challenge participant will chosen to receive her pot of gold. But to be eligible, you MUST use Essentials by Ellen products and the photo badge as inspiration. You can find the Inlinkz in the challenge post over at The Classroom!

Need more coaxing?

Here’s my take on the challenge!

If you follow my work on Instagram, you may know about my love affair with this diagonal window die!  I had no idea prior to ordering it how much fun it would be.  For my card, I have united quite a few stamp sets and products to create a unique focal point on the front of the diagonal window.

First off, the clovers– they were created from hearts in the Love You So set, stems from Altenew’s Striped Florals set, dots from Bokeh Dots set, and a little gilded spray from Concord and 9th’s Brushed Blossoms set!

The leaves/stem were stamped in Ranger Pigment Black Tie ink, heat embossed with Ranger Superfine clear powder, and then stamped over with the bokeh dots in Hero Arts Green Hills dye ink.  They were embellished with some gold Ranger Stickles.

Below you can see the sheen of the embossed stems/leaves, and the gilded leaves and spray.

The 100# Linen Cardstock from Ellen is probably my favorite paper to use as a card base, and it is lovely as a textured stamping surface.  It’s heft creates a substantial and luxe card.

Using a variety of sequins from Pretty Pink Posh and Ellen Hutson and black wax twine, I created my signature sequin strands.  I love that the gold leaf was included in the PPP Woodlands mix— a complete coincidence that it matched the stems’ leaves perfectly!

I find that the window die works better with some metal grommets if you want the recipient to be able to open and close it repeatedly.  I adhered these and cut the diagnoals open after stamping and embossing the images;

Inside, I created a shaker card using an acetate window, more sequins, and some gold glass glitter!

Shake it away to reveal the message, a sentiment from Up the Happy that underwent some stamp surgery to fit my purpose!

It was stamped on the folded card base in Ranger Black Tie Pigment Ink; I added the sequin/glitter mix, and then adhered the acetate.  Finally, I adhered the diagonal window layer!

Once the outside was complete, I ran a strip of the new Little B Paper Tape in Jade along the bottom edge of the inner card!  It is the perfect green!

You have until March 28th to play along!

Here’s hoping the luck of the Irish will rub off on you this week!  Happy St. Patrick’s Day and happy creating!

Other Items Used Available at Ellen Hutson:

Essentials by Ellen Sequins, Iridescent Dill
Pretty Pink Posh Sequins, 4mm cupped, Iridescent Peacock Feathers
Pretty Pink Posh Sequins, 6 mm Flat Mix, Woodlands
Ranger Stickles Gold
Ranger Pigment Black Tie Ink
Ranger Clear Embossing powder
Delicata Gold Pigment Ink
Hero Arts Dye Ink Green Hills 

 

 

THD Challenge #10: Let’s Go!

Hi All! Ready to launch into spring and a new challenge month? Pack your bags!!

I’m taking you tropical, channeling the inspiration graphic, and Ms. Keren Baker,  who is always breaking the 4th wall with her cards!  See here and her Instagram. She rocks the acetate cards.

My card is interactive, engages the acetate and incorporates the blue vase and florals in our graphic, along with the colors and geometrics.

I really tuned into that transluscent aqua vase in the photo, and my aqua vellum seemed like a perfect fit, so I cut a circle from the Gina Marie circle cross stitch die, and designed the florals around it.

You’ll likely notice my love affair with the Wild Hibiscus set from Altenew lately.  I just can’t stop stamping these images on vellum!  And heat embossing!  This time I used gorgeous colored vellum with darker ink/embossing powder! All have been fussy cut.

All have been layered on paper embossed with WeRMemory Keepers Gemstone folder— another item I return to time and again!

Here you can see the folder’s dimension better!

I adhered the little dew drops for some interest.

Below you can see the little Delicata gold butterfly, stamped and embossed on gold paper, adhered to its acetate strip.

I flicked some gold Color Shine on the card and finished with washi inside!  The sentiment is from Waffleflower— which Tonya will be getting more of in the store soon!

Come play along and let us see where the inspiration takes you!

 

Other Supplies:
Altenew Striped Flowers (for the leaves)
MFT Primitive White cardstock

 

The Heart Desires: Challenge 9

Hey Everyone!  It’s that time of the month again over at The Heart Desires and I am so excited to bring you some cards to brighten your February!

Using Altenew’s Wild Hibiscus and Concord & 9th’s Crazy Awesome sets, I created my first card.  The flowers and bird were stamped on vellum in Unicorn white, heat embossed and fussy cut.

I have layered the focal point on Maggie Holmes’ Bloom and Gather papers.

For my red card, I am featuring Studio Calico’s scissors die— which isn’t easy to find, but Tonya has it for sale in the store!  Cut from foam and layered with pattern paper.

The flowers below are from the Crazy Awesome set, created the same way as those on the other card.  Border papers are from Maggie Holmes’ Bloom collection.

I hope you will get crazy creative with us this month over at The Heart Desires!