A Mother-in-Law's Birthday Camping Celebrations!

As mentioned in the previous post, all of my children, their spouses, a mother-in-law, a girl friend, and the only grandbaby went on our annual family camping trip this last week.  We celebrated three birthdays while enjoy our time together in the great Northwest.  Birthdays celebrated were:  a daughter-in-law, a mother-in-law, and my own.  Mine was celebrated just a few days early, and theirs a bit late.  The celebration was filled with family time, games, a veritable birthday feast, including dessert, and campfire time.  This is the first year that daughter #2 brought her recently widowed mother-in-law, so I needed to get busy and make her a birthday card before we left.

Since I knew we'd be enjoying the great outdoors with many creatures, birds, and bugs, who live in the forest, I thought it only fair to honored at least one critter on at least one of the birthday cards needed, thus the mother-in-law card received a little birdie and his nest.  Normally, while camping with family and friends, many cameras are present; therefore, her card also has the "Shutter Technique" used to hide and expose the verse inside the card as it is opened and shut.  

Of course, challenges were checked on Splitcoasterstampers, and I used their inspiration to help me decide my card colors, including the blue bird as something that flies, plus a card I have never made before.  In this case, it means it is the first time I've made a birthday card for my daughter's mother-in-law!  Check out the card below, inside and out, that I just finished in the nick of time before leaving.

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up products:  Cardstock--Tranquil Tide, Daffodil Yellow.  Pattern--Delightful Daisy.  Stamps:  Petal Palette (bird), Designer Tin of Cards (verse-retired)  Ink: Tranquil Tide (verse), Marine Mist (Bird outline). Dies:  Layering Circles, Flourish Thinlits, Swirly Scribbles, Petals & More Thinlits.  Punch: Banner Triple (shutter piece).  Journaling Pen: Black (bird eye).  Other: Copic coloring; Colorbox Chestnut Road distressed edges.   Size: 4-1/4" x 5-1/2".

Birthday Wishes for a DIL Who Brings Sunshine!

My daughter-in-law celebrates her birthday in mid-August, but we will be celebrating her a little bit late this year during our family camping trip coming next week.  Actually, we will be celebrating three birthdays in one celebration while camping:  my daughter-in-law, my youngest daughter's mother-in-law, and my own.  The menu includes barbecued baby back ribs, barbecued chicken, honey baked beans, corn on the cob, and strawberries and cheesecake.  Boy does that sound like a gourmet meal or what?

Well back to the card.  I decided to do a bit of coloring and fussy-cutting on this card, and since it's summertime, a little Magnolia Tilda stamp in a summer sundress and bare feet seemed the perfect image to choose.  Of course, I had to color her hair milk chocolate brown because that is my daughter-in-law's hair color, and that, plus adding some other "M" colors, makes the card a perfect fit for the Splitcoaststampers Alphabet Challenge, Letter M!  Tilda's sundress dress will be pink tones, and I will also add a double layered background frame and a bit of lace, all things that will fit other challenges in keeping with my challenge keep-up and catch-up goals!

After compiling all my thoughts from five different challenges and my mojo going full steam ahead, I finished the birthday card, and also created the perfect inside design and verse to fit the fact that we'll be celebrating her day just a little bit late.  Composing the birthday verse brought to mind the perfect sentiment for the card front as well!  Take a peek below at my finished card for my daughter-in-law who brings sunshine to our lives!

INSIDE VIEW
UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Ingredients:  Paper products:  SU Cardstock--Whisper White, Pool Party.  Papertrey Ink: Bitty Dots/ Brown.  Pattern:  Unknown/ stash.  Stamps: Magnolia/ Sundress Tilda.  Copic coloring.  Dies: Spellbinders Labels 9 Nestabilities.  Punch: EK-Victorian Photo Corners Medium (inside).  Colorbox Chestnut Roan: Edge distressing.  Stash: 3/8" Cotton Lace; Rose Pink button; Embroidery string.  Chatterbox sentiment/ verse.  Size: 4-3/4' x 6".  

Pssst. . .Missed It!

Sister-in-law #4, one of my husband's sisters, had a birthday toward the end of July.  It totally snuck up on me and slipped on by before it even came to mind.  It took me almost an entire month to remember and that was only because her sister's came in August.  That's when I rememeber I had forgotten to make a card for the sister in July!  Of course, had I looked at my Cardmaking Date calendar this would not have happened, but I think our extremely hot summer has fried my brain!  So, I really needed to get to work fast!

I thought I would do a sweet little belated card with a bit of humor and use a gumdrop stamp that I borrowed from a friend.  My gumdrops would come in a myriad of colors in all shades of the rainbow with a little gold glitter to give them a bit of sparkle.  I used several mat layers all in different colors to coordinate with my colored gumdrops.  I popped a little hexagon tag with a sentiment "pssst. . .missed it" and tweaked the tag with a little red glittery heart just because I thought it needed a little embellishment to perk it up.

I finished my gumdrop card front and also the inside design with a little belated birthday apology verse, and it's ready for the mail.  Take a peel below. . .it's pretty "sweet!"

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up products:  Cardstock-Crushed Curry, Lemon-Lime Twist, Real Red, Tangerine Tango, Whisper White; 2011-2012 DSP Paper Stack (Bashful Blue Dots).  Stamps:  Goody Goody Gumdrops.  Spellbinders Dies: Venise Lace Rectangles; Octagon Classic Nestabilities; Octagon Scallop Nestabilities.  Copic Markers.  Stash: Gold Iridescent Glitter; Gold Rhinestones; 3/8" Offray Plaid Stitched ribbon; Horizon Friendship Thread (Harlequin).  Chatterbox sentiment/ verse.  Size: 6" x 4-3/4".  

A Wedding Story Weaves a Fabulous Quilt!

My husband's youngest sister's son is getting married in a few weeks, and a wedding card is needed.  I bought the Stampin' Up Quilt Builder stamps and dies last fall, but have not had a chance to use them.  I've had several ideas from Christmas to baby cards, but after thinking about it, I decided it might make up into a pretty wedding card.  This would also fit right in to help finish one of my last two stragglers in the Splitcoaststamper Alphabet Challenge, Round 8.  One of the stragglers is for letter Q, and using the quilt die would be perfect!  My mind was already working on thoughts for the card's wedding verse inside. . .something involving marriage, the fabric of two lives woven together to make a fabulous quilt!

The newest Splitcoaststamper Inspiration Challenge is to visit the OPI nail polish website, and I saw some pretty nail art while browsing using cream and gold metallic nail art, which reminded me I could probably meet the Letter Q bonus challenge of Joss paper, which is a gold foil paper used in Chinese ancestral worship ceremonies.

After checking out several other Splitcoaststamper challenges, I had some great ideas and inspiration, and I was more than ready to begin.  I thought a white or cream card using gold metallic papers in the quilt would make a really pretty wedding card and my possible verse running around in my head would pull it all together.  Check out my finished card below, showing the outside and inside creations.  I'm pretty happy with the results!

Recipe:  SU Papers: Shimmery White cs; Bundle of Love Specialty dsp (2018 Occ).  Recollections Shimmer Gold cs.  SU Dies: Quilt Builder Framelits; Layering Squares Framelits; Layering Ovals Framelits.  SU Stamps: Rose Wonder (sentiment).  SU Embossing Folder: Quilt Top.  SU Embossing Powder: Gold.  Recollections Embossing Powder: Gold Tinsel.  SU Ribbon: 3/8" Metallic Gold (2017 Holiday).  Stash: Champagne Rhinestones.  EK Punch: Scallop Photo Corners Medium (inside).  Chatterbox verse.  Size:  4-3/4" x 6".  

Getting Ready for October Birthdays!

My good friend Carla is hosting her first Dare to Get Dirty challenge this month, and though I am sorry to say, I do not have any time to really get into the nitty gritty of trying to get all these challenges completed, I thought I'd at least try Carla's challenge.

These Dare to Get Dirty Challenges are created for fan club members to participate in, and we are not allowed to divulge the nuts and bolts of the challenge requirements, but I also checked out some of the other SCS challenges currently running to see if they would tweak my creative mojo.  

An Inspiration Challenge orange t-shirt with leaves reminded me that I have a whole slew of October family birthdays that include sons, nephews, sister-in-laws, children and SCS friends.  I thought I'd make a card with a fall theme that would help my huge October card needs.  A fall theme will also work for the Alphabet Challenge, Letter P = Persimmon Orange and Pumpkin Orange.

My card idea will work for one of my sister-in-law cards or one of my female friends, but I think I might just earmark it for one of my good friends.  I thought I would take a walk down nostalgia lane and color the little girl image I chose with woodless-colored pencils.  The image is a CC Designs fall digital image of a little girl pulling a wagon filled with a delightful fall pumpkin.  I've had this digital image in my stash for a number of years.

My finished little girl with her rosy cheeks is ready to deliver her little red wagon loaded with her happy birthday pumpkin to my dear friend.  Now, I can put a check mark by my friend's name to show that her card is finished.  Take a peek at her finished birthday card inside and out.

Recipe:  SU cardstock:  Whisper White, Tangelo Twist, Chocolate Chip.  DSP: Joann's Open Stock.  CC Designs digital image: Pumpkin Emma.  Die:  Papertrey Ink-Large ZigZag.  Coloring: Progresso Koh-I-Noor Woodless-Colored Wax Pencils (Michaels).  Mineral Spirits (WalMart).  Stash:  Orange Felt, button, cream crochet thread.  Punch:  EK Scallop Photo Corners LG.  Chatterbox sentiment/verse (computer).  Size:  5-1/4" square.

The Loss of Another Loved One!

This blog is very difficult to write.  I have just finished another sympathy card for my friend and cardmaking buddy, who just lost her Dad at the end of June, and 18 days later; she lost her mother due to an automobile accident!  It is difficult to find words words to comfort her, but to let her know she is my thoughts and prayers and hope that she receives solace from knowing how much her family and friends are thinking of her.

After getting my creative mojo juices flowing by checking out a few Splitcoasterstamper (SCS) challenges ideas before starting my friend's much needed sympathy card, I decided to try a new background technique (for me) using Shaving Cream and stamp pad re-inkers.  I was really pleased with the results.  I had the butterfly I ultimately used sitting on my craft table for a while.  It was a leftover from a failed background attempt, but the butterfly turned out well, so I thought I'd save for future use.  My card's color scheme came from the Inspiration challenge and the butterfly.

I'm pretty pleased with my results and hope that this card will help ease some of my friend's grief, and at least let her know that I have her in my thoughts and prayers.  Take a peek at the card below.  If you are interested, the design and construction story follows below the card recipe for materials used.

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Recipe:  Stampin' Up products:  Cardstock--Wild Wasabi, White Shimmer, and Watercolor paper.  DCWV Glitzy Glitter Stack (gold).  Stamps--Painted Petals (flowers).  Inks--Wild Wasabi, Crisp Cantaloupe, Calypso Coral.  Dies--Butterflies Thinlits; Layering Ovals Framelits.  Solid Thick Baker's Twine--Wild Wasabi.  Other:  Smooch--Pearlized Accent Ink/ Gold.  ImagineCrafts--Frost Shimmer Spritz.  Ribbon--Offray 5/8" Sheer Scallop/ White.  Chatterbox sentiment/ verse.  Size:      4-3/4" x 6".

The Story

One of the things I like about the challenges over at Splitcoaststampers is that you can enter them at any time.  If you missed one, and you've set yourself a goal to finish all challenges within a particular challenge in the current year., you can enter when you get the card made.  I always check out the current week's challenges first, and I usually starting with the Inspiration Challenge, which selects a website for you to browse for inspiration.  At Zazzle Souvenirs, I found a Celebration of Life Guest book with a lovely picture of a pretty butterfly, which reminded me of the finished butterfly that I had sitting around on my craft table for over three weeks waiting for an eventual home.  I thought this sympathy card might be a great way to use it.  

There was also a Free 4 All Challenge a few weeks ago that I missed where you were to find inspiration about something from one of your neighboring states from where you lived.  I researched Oregon, and found that they had several conservation programs going in different areas of the state and on different species of butterflies, because they were either endangered or close to being endangered because their habitats were being destroy by human growth in their migration paths.  There was also an old Ways To Use It Challenge back in March 2017 concerning butterflies that I missed with my knee surgery.  It seemed a foregone conclusion that I was meant to make a card with a butterfly on it!

Next, I searched the Featured Stamper Challenge that I missed last week for some layout ideas, and  I found several cards with layouts that I thought might work out.  I really had been wanting to try out the Shaving Cream background technique, so I checked out the Technique Lovers Challenge, and  found an old challenge from last year that involved using shaving cream.  I have shied away from this Technique Lovers Challenge and the Mix-Ability Challenge (mixed media) as I haven't tried many of the areas of cardmaking that these challenges often require.  I really feel nervous, as a beginning novice, to try many of the techniques and ideas that are used in these two challenges, but I've made myself a goal is start diving in...so I dive, I did!

My "stash" butterfly had a variegated color scheme.  I had used Stampin' Up's Wild Wasabi, Crisp Cantaloupe, and Calypso Coral inks with a Shimmer Frost Spritz on top and some smudged pearlized gold accent ink in a few spots, as well.  I decided to try the Wild Wasabi in the shaving cream on watercolor paper and see what happened.  I was trying for a Celadon Green (a soft light minty shade) so that I could enter the color-themed Alphabet Challenge for Letter C.  I was pretty thrilled with the results!  It turned out a lovely soft green just like I wanted.  It was several shades lighter than the actual Wild Wasabi ink color.  After drying the card front with my heat tool, I spritzed the entire surface with the Shimmer Frost Spritz.  

The layout idea had a verse panel with a bird perched on the top edge in the lower right third of the card front.  Instead of this, I stamped a floral arrangement on the lower right third using my MISTI stamping tool. I planned to have my butterfly rest on these blooms.  I flicked and dotted with Smooch pearlized gold accent ink, creating many tiny random gold dots over the surface.  I also added gold streaks to the flower leaves and stamen dots on the blooms.  As did the layout idea, I added the vertical ribbon band along the left side.  Mine was a white sheer scalloped ribbon, but instead of a ribbon bow, I centered a solid green thick Baker's twine down the ribbon center tying off with a green twine bow.  I added an oval sentiment with a gold glimmer scalloped mat toward the top left.  I die-cut a second open-cut butterfly from the gold glimmer paper and added it under my variegated "stash" butterfly, staggering it about 1/16" so that it just barely peeked under that top butterfly.  I was truly satisfied with my results.

Belated Birthday Wishes - Sister-in-Law #2!

I am trying to play catch-up with a few of the birthdays that I missed.  This one's for sister-in-law #2 of 8, who celebrated her birthday at the end of June.

Checking out possible Splitcoaststampers (SCS) challenges, reminded me of some MME papers I used on a friend's card last fall, and a card design from my sister several years ago using this same paper.  This, in turn, led me to two challenge possibilities, involving using recycled products and distressing.  It was time to get started and see where all these thoughts led.

I used a sheet of recycled cork from an accessory pack I won at a stamp gathering several years ago now.   I didn't really care for the flowers and symbols already printed on one side of the cork, so decided I could turn over the sheet and use dies to cut my own designs for my flowers.  My distressing would involve ink distressing, so I liberally inked the edges of all my layers:  mats, sentiment die-cuts, banners, flowers. doily and even the felt leaves (which doesn't show up well on the picture).  

See the finished card below (inside and out).  I think my sister-in-law will be pleased, but I do wish it was not a belated birthday wish!

Ingredients:  Papers:  Stampin' Up Cardstock: Old Olive, Island Indigo, Very Vanilla.  Patterned Papers:  MME-Miss Caroline--Dilly Dally/ Dolled Up/ Fiddlesticks, plus miscellaneous scraps.  SU Punches: Stampin' Up--Circles--1-1/4-inch, Scallop Circles--1-3/4-inch, 7/8-inch, Boho Blossoms (ret.-cork flowers), Itty Bitty Shapes (smallest scallop); WRMK Deco Corner Chomper.  Dies: Spellbinders--Nested Leaves (traced/ cut w-pinking shears); Sizzix Labels-Ornate #2 (sentiment).  Fishtail Flags: Hand-cut.  Wilton 3-1/2" Doily.  Ink Distressing: ColorBox: Chestnut Roan.  Pearls: Recollection (Copic RV-14 colored).  Stash: Dark Celery felt.  Recycle: Cork. Chatterbox sentiment/ inside verse.  Size: 4-1/2" x 5-5/8".  (Thank you Heidi Gonzales for your card design that I cased with some modification to the layering and sentiment.)

Sister-in-Law #3 Has a "Freedom" Birthday!

I have mentioned in the past that I have eight (8) sister-in-laws!  With my knee surgery, I missed getting a card made for the first two in 2018.  My third sister-in-law has a birthday just a few days after the 4th of July.

After looking at possible SCS challenges to enter, I decided to do a whole different thing with her birthday and make a patriotic card all about freedom.  In her case, the birthday verse gives her the "freedom" to choose to be "29 again" this year; therefore, I used "FREEDOM for Your Birthday!" as the card front sentiment.

I've been chuckling as I've been making her card and thoroughly enjoying myself.  I do hope she likes her card as well as I think she will.  Take a peek below at the card front and my inside verse and design.

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up products:  Cardstock--Midnight Muse (ret.), Real Red, Very Vanilla, Naturals Ivory.  Punch: 3-Corner Curvy (inside-ret.).  Baker's Twine: Real Red/ White.  Patterned papers: Authentique Pride Collection:  Dignity (bg), Unified (Inchie-Dots), Assemble (Inchie-Stripe), Amend (Inchie-Plaid).  Hugs Seam Binding Ribbon: Union Blue.  Spellbinder Dies:  Stars Nestabilities, Postage Stamp Nestabilities (Inchies).  Queen & Co. Twinkle Goosebumps: Red (inside).  Button: stash.  Fishtail Flags--hand-cut.  Chatterbox sentiment/ verse (Fonts: Lobster 1.4 = sentiment/16--verse/15. Cut Above the Rest = setniment (freedom).  Size: 4-3/4" x 6".

Losing a Loved One!

A dear lady friend and cardmaking buddy has just lost her Dad, and another sympathy card is needed.  I was in the mood to make a soft and feminine card with some sort of flowers.

Following my usual pattern, I checked the Splitcoaststamper (SCS) challenges that I had not participated in to find some ideas to focus on and get my mojo moving.  Several challenges dealt with the possibility of using flowers, but I needed to come up with a color scheme and a layout.  I  found my color scheme from the newest Inspiration Challenge using a lovely coral, soft brown, and cream top from the Serengeti Fashions website and refined it with the Alphabet Challenge, Color Letter I for Ivory.  I came up with an idea for my layout from the Featured Stamper Challenge that used a quatrefoil background with a flower, though I modified my layout a bit to make more mine by using a lattice three-layered die-cut with only partial background coverage.

As my card evolved, I added more blossoms and more sizes than I first planned, and I added pearls and glitter to the flowers and to the lattice to give the card some sparkle.  Take a peek at my friend's finished sympathy card below, both the outside and  inside designs, plus the computer-composed sentiment and verse.

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up products:  Cardstock--Soft Suede, Crisp Cantaloupe, Very Vanilla.  Stamps--Gorgeous Grunge (splatters); Flower Shop (large pansy); Petite Petals (small flower).  Ink--Soft Suede, Crisp Cantaloupe.  Die--Bigz Lattice (3 layers).  Punches--Pansy; Petite Petals.  Ribbon--3/4" Chevron Calypso Coral.  Glitter--Dazzling Diamonds.  Pearls.  Other products:  My Favorite Things Die--Interactive Oval Word Window.  Computer-made sentiment/ verse.  Size:  4-3/4" x 6".

A Birthday with Lots of Technique!

My oldest daughter is celebrating her birthday today!  I've been working on her card for a couple of days trying to work out its design.  I knew only one thing for sure when I started, my daughter's favorite color is turquoise, so it would have turquoise in it somehow, somewhere.  A couple of other things I knew were that I wanted to enter the finished card into some Splitcoaststamper challenges, and if it could somehow fit one of my remaining three Round 8, Letters, I'd be pleased!

My usual plan, as most of you who read my blog might know by now, is that I check out all SCS challenges for inspiration and ideas before I begin, which I did with this card.  I am happy to say that with my mojo, which started with the SCS Inspiration Challenge, which led to my being able to enter into Alphabet Challenge, Round 8, and others!  

See "The Story" below my card for more details.  Meanwhile, take a peek at my daughter, Michele's, card below (plus the inside design and verse).  I am truly excited about her card, how it evolved, and how it turned out, and I think she will be thrilled!

Ingredients:  Stampin Up products:  Cardstock--Night of Navy, Tempting Turquoise, Basic Gray.  Patterned Paper: 2012-2013 DSP Stack--Brights/ Pacific Point (umbrella).  Stamp--Marbling (background).  Inks--So Saffron, Pear Pizzaz, Tempting Turquoise.  Stencil--Pattern Party Decorative Masks (clouds).  SU White Embossing Paste.  Glitter--Dazzling Diamonds.  Other products:  Cardstock--Recollections Pack/ Punchy Florals.  Colourcraft Brushos--Turquoise, Grey.  MFT Stencil--Raindrops.  Stamps/Dies--Crazy Birds; Crazy Things (bird/hat).  Savvy Dies--Cityscape; Small Space Needle.  Elizabeth Dies:  Rainy Day (umbrella).  EK Punch: Med. Victorian Corner.  Techniques: Coloring Texture Paste; Copic Coloring; Marbling; Glitter Texture.  Chatterbox sentiment/ verse (computer/ Xiomara font).  Size: 4-3/4" x 6".

THE STORY:

EVOLVING A CARD TO FIT NUMEROUS CHALLENGES

By now, a lot of you who are also on the Splitcoaststamper (SCS) site know that I love to find inspiration from several SCS challenges. You might wonder how I do this.  So here goes an explanation:

I keep a running computer document with all SCS challenges listed chronologically by weekdays and dates within each challenge, then the monthly, annual, etc. challenges follow.  I check each week and add the challenge updates as the week progresses.  If I actually enter a challenge, I place a red check mark in front of the challenge number.  It makes it pretty easy to spot what I've entered and what I haven't, plus checking to see what inspiration I can get to decide what I might want to do to my card to fit the challenges I decide to enter.  It is often a work in progress as I create, and I may add or subtract a challenge as I work and possibly make changes to my original plan.

Almost everything on this Crazy Bird card started first by browsing the June 23, 2018 Inspiration Challenge/ Hayneedle online site for art work with blues and greens as I knew for sure I wanted to use turquoise.  This Inspiration Challenge led to seven other challenges.

#1.  Inspiration Challenge - IC655 - 6/23/18.  In my browsing through Hayneedle, several blue and green three wall art items led me to my card design:  a marbled background, though eliminating the browns shown and adding pear pizzaz and soft yellow to the turquoise; 2) a silhouetted Seattle skyline; and an aqua raindrops canvas led me to add rain and clouds. . .after all, it will be a Seattle scene!

#2. Free for All - F4A432: Baby It's Cold Outside - 6/1/18.  Since I was going to use rain and it was to be Seattle, I decided to use embossing paste and add color and glitter to my rain and clouds to evoke a cool feel to the card.

#3. Ways to Use It - WT680: World Water Day - 3/22/18. . .with all this talk about rain in Seattle, I remember a older WT challenge that talked about rain and umbrellas that I missed because it was issued just a few days before being AWOL with my knee surgery.  I re-checked and sure enough the rain and an umbrella worked for this challenge.

#4. Alphabet Challenge, Round 8 - DD8ABC21U - 1/3/18.  Letter U = UMBRELLA. . .one of my final three missing letters for Round 8!!! The BONUS challenge for using a faux finish fit my plan for a marbled background mentioned above. I was stoked!! 

#5. Mix-Ability - MIX280: Losing My Marbles - 6/8/18.  Marbling led me to think of the mix-ability challenges.  I was sure there was bound to be something about marbling.  In my searched through this challenge and found this one, which gave suggestions on making a marbled background, but it also mentioned that a marbling stamp could be used.  I decided to possibly invent my own marbling by using my SU Marbling BG stamp.  To get three colors in my marbling, I used my MISTI and shifted my paper about 1/8" with each of three colors: So Saffron, Pear Pizzaz, and Tempting Turquoise and blew it dry to set the ink.  I watercolor brushed more turquoise ink as the final coat to add more turquoise and to fill in any white areas, and blew it dry.  Next, I "painted" the entire marbled surface with glitter glue and sprinkled Dazzling Diamonds all over, lightly brushed off excess glitter, and blew it dry.  It looked like a HOT MESS during the process, but I was pretty pleased with the final result.

#6. Colored Texture Paste Technique. I colored my White Embossing Paste and stirred in a bit of Dazzling Diamonds glitter and Brushos Turquoise to stencil on my raindrops and blew them dry.  I also mixed a batch of light grey with a few sprinkles of Brushos Grey and glitter to stencil on my clouds.

#7. Teapot Challenge - MMTPT515: TPT Tic Tac Toe - 6/5/18.  I'd been watching out for using this one, because I love Tic Tac Toe challenges.  My diagonal Tic Tac Toe is: Stitching, Die-Cuts, and Patterned Paper.  I also added Watercoloring and Embossing (if the Embossing applies to Embossing Paste rather than just dry embossing).  My umbrella is a die-cut, and it became covered in patterned paper with hand-stitching. My bg uses watercoloring and Embossing Paste in the raindrops and clouds.

8. USEIT2018 - ongoing :  My new but dusty and never stuff:  the Crazy Birds stamps and dies and my Small Space Needle die.  I bought both at least two years ago and had not used them yet!  Also both stencils are new and have been languishing in their packages.  My used oldie is my CityScape die, which I have not used for 2-1/2 years! 

So, there's the explanation of my development of a card utilizing numerous challenges. I find this great fun, and a challenge in and of itself for me! Usually I start with a bit of an idea from a challenge then embellish upon the idea to fit other challenges, but as I mentioned before its a work in progress and challenges to be entered can change as the card evolves.

A Little Brusho Work for Graduation Time!

We have a great-niece and a great-nephew on my husband's side of the family who graduated from high school this year, both are one of his brother's grandchildren.  My husband is the oldest of eight, so it is unusual that both would be from his same brother!  I wanted to make cards for both of them so that we could include a little gift of funds for them as they celebrate this happy occasion!

Before I begin any card, I check out the Splitcoaststamper challenges to see if any can give me inspiration and/or send me in a certain direction for the style of the card.  One challenge led me to the thought of using stars for sure.  Another gave me ideas on how I might like my Brushos to look.  Another had me looking on Pinterest for possible ideas.  A culmination of all these ideas and inspirations gave me great ideas my layout and design.

One thing I did know for sure was that I wanted to try out my new Brushos that my son and his wife gave me for Mother's Day!  I also checked out their high school colors to see which colors of Brushos I wanted to use.  Our grand-nephew's card will be Emerald Green and Golden Yellow and our grand-niece's card will be Brilliant Red and Golden Yellow.  With all the mojo running around in my head, these are the cards I came up, both using one similar style.  I think the recipients will be happy with their aunt's handiwork.  Take a peek below!

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up products:  Cardstock--Basic Black; White Shimmer Embossing Paste;  Stars stencil.  Other:  Papers--DCWV Shimmer Stack/ Gold; DCWV: The Glitter Cardstock Stack:  white and black; Tim Holtz Watercolor paper.  Colourcraft Brushos: Emerald Green, Yellow, and Brilliant Red.  Impression Obsession Dies:  DIE280-B/ Congrats; DIE-281-D/ Grad Hat/ Diploma.  Eclipse Technique (modified).  Chatterbox verse (inside).  Size:  4-3/4" x 6".  

Hubby Celebrates Father's Day!

I had a second Father's Day to make, and this one would be for my husband, father of our four children!  I enjoyed trying out the Eclipse technique so much on my son's card, that I thought I should do another for my husband, though I wanted to use a different theme.

I checked out possible SCS challenges for a bit of inspiration on the theme, and I decided on the color navy blue in order to enter another Alphabet challenge, which would also work for a lovely Vera Bradley fabric found for this week's Inspiration Challenge.

After looking through my masculine paper stash, I found some navy, red, and tan paper with a nautical theme, which I thought would be perfect, as my husband has always enjoyed taking the boat out and tooling around the lake near our home.  The dark navy background, reminded me of a dark night on the water, night being the bonus challenge in the Alphabet challenge.  The addition of the red and tan in the nautical print remind me of the Vera Bradley fabric I found in the Inspiration challenge website.  I was stoked and ready to begin.

Take a peek below at my second Eclipse technique card for my hubby's Father's Day.  I have included my inside design and verse below the card front.  Both he and my son loved there Eclipse cards a great deal. . .so I'm grinning from ear to ear!

Ingredients:  ANW Crestwood cardstock: Deep Sea.  Basic Gray Adrift: Ahoy; Waves.  Authentique Pride: Amend (red/white dot).  Stampin' Up: Cardstocks--Whisper White, Real Red.  2013-2015 Background Stack: Crumb Cake pattern.  SU: Burnt Brown Sugar (ink distressing).  Dies: SU--Large Letters Framelits; Top Dog--Stitched Water Die.  Punch: EK Scallop Medium Photo Corners (inside).  Pinking Shears.  Chatterbox computer sentiment/ verse - Font: Shelley.  Size: 5" x 6".

My Son Celebrates His Second Father's Day!

Father's Day is right around the corner, and I'm going to have to really scurry to get two Father's Day cards made before Sunday!  My first card will be for my son, who is the father of our only grandchild, who is now a little over a year old!  So much fun, walking and talking already!

I did a quick look at the challenges on Splitcoaststamper to see if there were any ideas to use for Mark's card, and I found several.  I will be focusing on Quartz Gray for the Alphabet Challenge and I found a card on the Featured Stamper that utilizes the Eclipse Technique, which I decided to use.  In addition, I created an acrostic verse for this inside.  Take a peek below at the finished card inside and out.

Ingredients:  SU Cardstocks: Basic Black, Whisper White.  Patterned Papers: Three Bugs in a Rub/ Tool Time; K&Co. stripe; DCWV/ Limoncello Stack (gray mosaic).  SU Dies:  Large Letters Framelits.  Punch: EK Victorian Medium Photo Corners (inside).  Technique: Eclipse.  Chatterbox Computer sentiment/ verse--Shelley font.  Pinking Shears.  Size: 5" x 6".

Birthday Panda for a Young Niece!

My first niece on my side of the family will be having her eleventh birthday  in June.  I need to get a card made and off in the mail.  I bought a card kit from Stampin' Up, which I usually do not do, but I loved the papers and colors, which remind me of the colors in a challenge provided by Spiltcoaststampers.  The kit provides four card designs and materials to make four of each design.  I really did not want to have four cards all the same, so I've been venturing forth mixing and matching the kit materials, plus adding others to come up with my own designs.

My niece is right at that in-between age when she may or may not like fuzzy animals on her birthday cards, but with the help of some inspiration from a second Splitcoasterstampers challenge, I wanted to use a panda bear on her card.  I still LOVE panda bears, so I'm hoping she might enjoy them too!  For this card, I used materials from three of the kit's card designs, plus added some additional cardstock colors and a panda stamp as well.  Take a peek below at my cute little panda card...hope the recipient likes it!

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up products:  Cardstock--Whisper White, Old Olive, Flirty Flamingo.  Stamps--Perfect Pandas (2018 SAB).  Ink--Old Olive, Baked Brown Sugar (ink distressing).  Punch: Scallop Border (ret.).  Perennial Birthday Kit (2018 Occ):  materials from three different card designs: denim/ gold dsp, floral dsp + balloon die-cuts + Dapper Denim twine.  Other: Memento Tuxedo Black Ink; Spellbinder dies: Long Scallop Rectangles SM (modified).  Chatterbox verse. Size: 4-3/4" x 6".

Thinking of You, Dear Friend!

The month of May has been filled with lots of not so happy news from illnesses to those who have gone to their final resting place.  I need another card for a dear friend, who had serious surgery within a few days of my niece, which I noted in my last post.  My friend will also be looking toward a lengthy recovery until she feels "normal" is a word she can use in her vocabulary again!

Besides flowers, I've been wanting to send her one of my handcrafted cards, which she always enjoys for her birthday!  While making my niece's card, I was keeping in mind card ideas for my dear friend using a modified card kit design as well.  Another thing I was keeping in mind was that I wanted to complete another SCS Alphabet Challenge, because I am so far behind (comes from being crafting AWOL with knee surgery!!).  Here is my second card kit re-design, using parts from one original design and parts from another.  Take a peek below...I think my friend will be pleased.

Ingredients:   Stampin' Up products:  Cardstock--Dapper Denim, Flirty Flamingo.  Stamps--Heartfelt Blooms (2018 SAB).  Ink--Dapper Denim, Baked Brown Sugar (ink distressing).  Dies--Lots of Labels framelits.  Embossing Folder: Fancy Dots (2016 AC).  Perennial Birthday Kit (2018 Occ):  materials from two different card designs:  floral disp + white/floral shaped tag + ribbon/ twine.  Other: Spellbinder die: Labels 10 (sentiment).  Punch:  EK Victorian Medium Photo Corner.  5/8" Gold Glitter Washi Tape.  Pretty Pink Posh sequins.  Chatterbox verse (Bob Marley quote modified).  Size: 4-3/4" x 6".

THE CARDMAKING STORY

UNDER CONSTRUCTION