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

Kind Thoughts Sent Your Way!

Just a few weeks ago, we received the heart-wrenching news that my niece just had major surgery and is looking toward a long and tedious recovery.  She is just nine months younger than my oldest daughter, and they were great pals growing up, flying back and forth each summer to spend a few weeks with one another to keep in touch.

We, of course, sent flowers right away. alternating weeks sent so she would always have a fresh bouquet, but my daughter and I wanted to each send a special card, made from the heart, to remind her we are keeping her in our thoughts and prayers.  About two months ago, we bought card kits from Stampin' Up that would make four each of four different card designs, and this last week-end was the time to get it out and spend time making the cards we needed.  We, of course, did not want to follow the four design samples exactly, because we did not want four sets of four designs exactly the same.  With this in mind, we went to work finding our own design deviations and remodels.

I like to participate in Splitcoaststampers challenges, so I did a little research before getting started.  I decided to start with the Old Olive green card parts from the card kit from my research.  Take a peek below at my change-up, alternate-design for the "green card," which I think my niece will enjoy.

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up products:  Cardstock--Old Olive, Dapper Denim, Whisper White, Flirty Flamingo, So Saffron, Myths & Magic Glimmer paper.  Stamps--You're Inspiring.  Ink--Dapper Denim, Baked Brown Sugar (ink distressing).  Dies--Pretty Pines framelits.  Punches--Leaf, Boho Blossoms (ret.), Petite Petals (ret.); Heart Confetti Border (ret.).  Glitter Enamel Dots (Copic colored).  Blue Fishtail Curvy Banner: Hand-drawn/ Fussy-cut.  Perennial Birthday Kit: materials from two card designs: green bg + white diagonal die-cut + white curvy banner + ribbon/ twine).  Other: Punch: EK Victorian Medium Photo Corners. Wink of Stella/ Clear (flowers).  Chatterbox verse (Bob Marley quote modified).  Size: 4-1/2" x 5-3/4".

THE CARD-MAKING STORY

The papers and patterned papers provided in the card kit coordinate with Dapper Denim, Old Olive, Flirty Flamingo, Whisper White, and Gold Foil colors. My first step with my kit was to cut the front and the back of the folded card base into two separate pieces, because I planned to add new cardbases and layers using one of the coordinating cardstock colors to supplement where needed.  This actually gave me the potential of 32 different cards instead of just 16, though I would probably use some of the solids for inside layers to host my verses, so ultimately, I will not create 32 different cards. 

I decide to start with the "green card" materials.  This card was supposed to have balloons layered onto of the white diagonal lattice.  I used the solid olive paper that came with the kit and added it to a white cardbase.  I added an olive glitter layer under my white diagonal lattice, and flowers below.  I borrowed the curvy double fishtail banner from another of the card design and hand traced and enlarged its curvy shape on Dapper Denim cardstock to add the under mat.  I finished with Dapper Denim photo corners to add more blue, seeking to eliminate quite so much olive.  I added a different sentiment from a another stamp set than that recommended for the kit cards.  

Sympathy for the Loss of a Brother!

My daughter-in-law's father just lost his brother due to an accident and surgery complications, and once again, I needed to make another sympathy card.  This is the second recent loss of one of her uncles, as her mother lost one of her brothers about a month ago.  It seems like I have made several too many of these types of card lately.   

I was going to participate in the SCS Ways to Use It challenge several weeks ago, which required the use of a silhouette—stamped or die-cut, but I was not able to get to it.  I have an idea in mind using a partially finished card started over a year ago that will work great.  It is a leftover from a card class by Dar Peterson to which I have made several changes.  

I changed up the background from vertical coloring with Stampin' Up markers into a horizontal watercolored background using Crushed Curry and So Saffron ink and an aqua painter.  When the panel was dry, I added very fine dots of black paint for a bit more interest.  I also changed the direction of my Flourish Framelit die-cut going from bottom to top and place my sentiment in the top left corner instead of the bottom right.  I added some Wink of Stella for some sheen on my black silhouetted flourish, and I added white pearls instead of black-inked pearls.  Next, I die cut a decorative-edged, Daffodil Yellow layer instead of using a plain So Saffron layer, and I made my Delightful Dijon layer with less of its color edge showing.  Take a peek at my finished card below:

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up products: Cardstock--Whisper White, Daffodil Yellow, Delightful Dijon, Basic Black.  Stamps: Flourishing Phrases.  Ink: Crushed Curry, So Saffron, Basic Gray (sentiment).  Dies:  Flourish Framelits.  Pearls.   Other:  Die: Avery Elle Postage Stamp.  Folk Art Acrylic Paint: Licorice.  Chatterbox inside verse.  Size: 4-1/2" x 5-3/4."