CFC95 - Happy day

Happy Friday!  It's so crazy to me to think that it's already March 22.  Wow, time flies!  I'm here today with a new challenge from CAS-ual Fridays, and it's a doozy:

CFC95: You may use stickers, die cuts, pattern paper...but NO STAMPS in your clean and simple project

And the sponsor for this week's challenge is the fabulous SRM Stickers.  The winner of this week's challenge will win an awesome prize package, full of all sorts of sticker goodies!

                                                              
For this week's card, I used an SRM sticker along with some die cuts and patterned paper to create this paper yummy:

The bird and speech bubble are a die cut, as well as the clear plastic banner with the orange border.  Both are from Basic Grey.  The banner worked perfectly with a sticker strip from SRM, because both are clear and they fit together so nicely!  I adhered the sentiment sticker onto the paper die cut, then used Glossy Accents to adhere the plastic die-cut banner over the top.  I added some white dashed lines around the bottom edge of the die cut, then layered it onto some cute chevron patterned paper by My Mind's Eye.  Easy peasy!  Here's a close-up:

I hope you'll resist the urge to use stamps, and play along with this week's challenge!  You have until next Thursday at noon EST to do so.  Thanks so much for looking!

Supplies: card stock: Stampin' Up!; patterned paper: My Mind's Eye; die cuts: Basic Grey; sticker: SRM Stickers; corner rounder punch: Marvy Uchida; white gel pen: Uniball

CFC82 - Sorry!

Happy Friday to all!  I'm back with this week's CAS-ual Fridays challenge:

CFC82: Use creative scoring on your clean and simple project

And the sponsor for this challenge is none other than Scor-Pal!  The winner of this week's challenge will receive her very own Scor-Buddy!  Yayness!

I love the look of decorative/creative scoring on cards, I just wish I could remember to use it more often!  For this challenge, I racked my brain trying to think of clever ways to incorporate scoring, but nothing was clicking.  Then I decided to put to paper a card idea I've been mulling over in my head, and it hit me!  And now for the paper yummy:

So, this card was inspired by the little game piece stamp from the Paper Smooches Knick Knacks set.  It looks just like the game piece from the board game "Sorry!".  So I stamped it in each of the four colors from the game, then created the word "Sorry!" using the Alphadot stamp set.  Then I used my Scor-Pal to create a grid pattern around the edges of the card, to simulate a game board.  I added some Glossy Accents to the game pieces to finish off the card:

How will you even the score?  You have until next Thursday at noon EST to play along with this week's challenge, and I hope you do!  Thanks for looking!

Supplies: card stock: Stampin' Up! (white), Recollections (black); stamps: Paper Smooches; inks: TPC Studio (red, blue, yellow, green), Tsukineko (black); Glossy Accents: Ranger; scoring board: Scor-Pal

Paper Smooches SPARKS challenge - Let's be merry

Happy Monday!  I hope everybody had a wonderful weekend and a great World Card Making Day!  I know I sure did.  I got to sit down and make a few cards, and even had a friend stop by and make one with me.  I played along with the challenges over at the Paper Smooches Blog.  And speaking of Paper Smooches, let's get to the SPARKS challenge for this week!  Since it's the second week of the month, that means...

...yep - it's a sketch challenge!  And here is the sketch we're working with this week:

And I think I've probably said this about every single other sketch that Kim has given us during this design team term, but this sketch truly challenged me.  I struggled with it for the longest time.  But as soon as my brain stopped seeing a big ol' arrow head, but rather 4 triangles at the bottom of the sketch, I had an idea!  And I paired that idea with the new (adorable) Chilly Chums set to create this paper yummy:

I would have NEVER thought to do something like this on a card, and that's why I love Kim Hughes and her sketches. And her stamps.  I started off by cutting a piece of cardstock down to 2.25" x 4.25".  Since, in the sketch, the square on the right (below the word) looks just slightly wider than the square on the left, I cut the cardstock so that I had two pieces: one a 2.25" x 2.25" square, and the other a 2'"x 2.25" rectangle (the difference is pretty subtle).  Then I cut each of those directly in half, diagonally, to create a total of 4 triangles.  I stamped each triangle with the little hat (also from Chilly Chums), then masked it and stamped the adorable animals over the mask.  I colored them in with Copic markers, then positioned them onto my patterned paper so that there was just a slight gap in between each one.  I stamped a sentiment from the Christmas Sampler set (which I'm really loving!) onto some candy cane striped patterned paper, and rounded the top corners.  I stitched around the edges of all the chums, and between each lil' guy as well.  I added some baker's twine to represent the vertical line in the sketch, and finished off the card with Stickles on the hat trims and Glossy Accents on the eyes and beak.  I LOVE THIS CARD!  I think it's so different, and what's not to love about those cute little faces looking back at you?!?  Here are a couple close-ups of the chums:

EEK!  I love those faces!  I'm super excited to see how other people are inspired by this sketch!  I really hope you'll play along.  You have until next Sunday, October 14th at 11:59 pm EST to do so.  You can play along with the challenge here.  The winner will receive a $30 credit to the Paper Smooches store!!  And don't forget the check out the rest of Team 2's wonderful creations, and give em' some love!

Angeline

Erica

Jackie

Savannah

Thanks so much for looking!

Supplies: card base: The Paper Studio (kraft); cardstock: Copic X-press It Blending Card (white); patterned papers: Lawn Fawn (yellow, green), My Mind's Eye (red); stamps: Paper Smooches (Chilly Chums, Christmas Sampler); ink: Tsukineko; markers: Copic; Stickles glitter glue, Glossy Accents: Ranger; corner rounder, hole punch: We R Memory Keepers; sewing machine: Kenmore; quilting thread: Americana; stapler/staples: Ranger (Tim Holtz Tiny Attacher); baker's twine: Divine Twine

Paper Smooches SPARKS Challenge - You're out of this world!

Happy Monday, everybody!  I hope you all had a wonderful weekend!  Today I have a card for this week's Paper Smooches SPARKS Challenge.  Since it's the second week of the month, that means it's time for a designer drafts challenge:

Yep, it's another one of Kim's awesome sketches.  I'm tellin' ya, these sketches have been some of the most challenging sketches I've done.  They're not your typical straight-lines-and-shaped-elements type sketches.  She's really left a lot to interpretation, and thrown in things that "scare" me: diagonal lines, curved lines, asymmetrical elements, etc.  And I've created some of my FAVORITE cards by using her sketches!  And this week is no different.  Here's the sketch:

Since I tend to follow sketches pretty literally, that curved line was really throwing me for a loop.  I didn't know what to make of that for the longest time.  And then, Kim Hughes to the rescue!  My problem was solved with the July Paper Smooches stamp release.  The new set Space Cadet set gave me the idea to create this paper yummy:

I stamped the rocket ship onto white cardstock, stamped the flame coming out the bottom, then repeated the flame using generational stamping. I had never really used that technique before to depict movement or distance, and I'm thrilled with the way it turned out:

I masked the rocket, then stamped one of the aliens "inside" the ship.  I colored everything in using Prismacolor markers.  I added Glossy Accents to the window to make it look like a bubble window:

I used some Core'dinations cardstock to create my moon, and sanded it to give it some color variation.  Then I used the champagne bubbles and wedding band stamps from the Hubby and Wifey set, and the solid circle stamp from Metropolis to create "craters" on the moon.  I also used Metropolis for the small white stars on the black cardstock.  I finished off the card with a sentiment strip I created using Space Cadet and Alphadot:

I'm really excited to see how other people interpret and use this sketch!  You can play along with the challenge here.  You have until next Sunday, July 15th at 11:59 PM EST to play along.  The winner will receive a $30 credit to the Paper Smooches store!!  And don't forget the check out the rest of Team 2's wonderful creations, and give em' some love!

Angeline

Erica

Jackie

Savannah

Thanks so much for looking!  Now get busy with that sketch! :)

Supplies: cardstock: Georgia Pacific (white), Recollections (black), Core'dinations (yellow-orange); patterned paper: Echo Park; stamps: Paper Smooches (Space Cadet, Hubby & Wifey, Metropolis, Alphadot); inks: Tsukineko (black), ClearSnap (ochre), Joann (white); markers: Prismacolor; glitter glue, Glossy Accents: Ranger; corner rounder: We R Memory Keepers; sanding block: Making Memories; white gel pen: Signo Uniball 

CFC59 - You're my universe

Happy Friday!  I hope you've all had a fantastic week.  And speaking of fantastic, lets talk about the new challenge at CAS-ual Fridays!  This week, we're all going round and round:

Round and Round: use 2 circles in your design (a circle shaped card can count as one of the circles)

Yep, 2 circles is all you need to play along this week!  And this week's sponsor, The Twinery, has been generous enough to provide each of the Girl Fridays with some of their delicious twine, AND will be awarding the winner of this week's challenge a twine sample pack!  How very sweet of them!

Their twine is super cute, and comes in such great colors.  I used it to create this paper yummy:

 

I decided to go with a round card, 1. Because I rarely do shaped cards, but they're super cute, 2.  Because the card base counts as one of my circles, and 3. Because I found a super cute sketch, featuring a round card.  I couldn't wait to use my brand new, only-seen-by-sneak-peeks-and-monthly-club-members Paper Smooches stamp set, Space Cadet.  I can't even link to it yet, because it's not even available for sale until July 1, but I will definitely link to it then.  This set is so freakin' cute, and worked really well for my round card (I think).  I mean, just look at this cute lil' monocular alien in a space ship. I stamped and clear embossed him, them colored him in with Prismacolor markers.  I added Stickles to the light ports, then added Glossy Accents to his glass "dome":

I used a couple patterned papers from Studio Calico, and curved my sentiment to match the curve of the inner circle.  I added some cute yellow bakers twine from The Twinery, and popped the alien up on dimensional adhesive:

This week's challenge was so much fun, and I hope you play along.  There are so many different possibilities, I just know you all are going to rock this challenge, just like every other!  Just make sure you rock it by next Thursday at noon EST.  Maybe you'll be the lucky winner of that awesome twine sample pack from The Twinery!

Thanks for looking!

Supplies: cardstock: Georgia Pacific; patterned papers: Studio Calico; stamps: Paper Smooches; ink: Tsukineko; embossing powder: Hampton Art; markers: Prismacolor; cutting dies: Nestabilities; die-cutting machine: Cuttlebug; baker's twine: The Twinery; glitter glue, glossy accents: Ranger; dimensional adhesive: American Crafts

October Afternoon 9 to 5 contest - hello

Happy Wednesday, everybody!  I am super excited today, for a couple of reasons.  One is that I just put a deposit on a new (to me) SUV this morning, and I can't wait to get it!  I've been wanting one of these for a few years now.  The other reason I'm so excited is that October Afternoon is having a sketch contest using their 9 to 5 line, which I happened to pick up recently.  It's such a cute collection!  Here's the sketch:

I think this sketch lends itself more to a layout than it does to a card, but I haven't done a layout in years, so I went ahead and turned it into a card.  And now for the paper yummies:

I really loved working with this sketch, and I think the card turned out so cute!  I used Nestabilities dies to cut different sized circles out of several patterned papers, then arranged them according to the sketch.  I popped some of them up with dimensional adhesive:

Then I used some of the cutie buttons from the same collection and arranged them in place of the hearts in the sketch:

I used the alphabet stickers to create the "hello" sentiment.  Then I punched a heart from the black chevron paper, popped it up on dimensional adhesive, and applied Glossy Accents:

I finished the card off with some machine stitching around the edges and under the sentiment.
Thanks so much for looking!

I'm also playing along here:
Crafty Creations Challenge #172: Running in Circles
Little Red Wagon WOOD you? Challenge
Simon Says Stamp Anything Goes Challenge

Supplies: card base: The Paper Studio; patterned papers, alphabet stickers, buttons: October Afternoon; Glossy Accents: Ranger; sewing machine: Kenmore; thread: Singer

It's never too late...

Happy Tuesday!  I hope everybody's week is going great so far.  Today I have a cute little card to share using the colors from this week's ColourQ Challenge, the sketch from Mojo Monday, and the Spectacular Spectacles Challenge in the Moxie Fab World.


I just love those colors together!  And I thought that square card sketch was really cute, and worked perfectly with my idea for the spectacles challenge.  And any excuse to use Paper Smooches stamps is a good one!  Now for the paper yummies:

I've been wanting to use these sunglasses from the Paper Smooches Get Outta Town set since I got it last month, and this was the perfect opportunity.  I created the background using Versamark ink, then stamped the sunglasses in red ink for the focal point (pun intended! LOL!).  I added some little rhinestones to the glasses and Glossy Accents to the lenses:

Have you played along with the Spectacular Spectacles challenge yet?  There are some seriously cute examples in the Moxie Fab World!  You've still got plenty of time too - just under 2 weeks left. 

Here's where I'm playing:

ColourQ Challenge #135

Mojo Monday 239

Spectacular Spectacles Challenge in the Moxie Fab World

Creative Monday Challenge #7: Anything Goes

Simon Says Stamp Anything Goes Challenge

Paper Players Challenge #93: Tic Tac Toe (I used the "blue, free space, ribbon" row)

Thanks for looking!

Supplies: cardstock: Recollections (brown), Georgia Pacific (white), The Paper Company (blue), Core'dinations (yellow); stamps: Paper Smooches; inks: Tsukineko (Versamark, Memento Rich Cocoa, Staz-On Black Cherry); ribbon: Michael's; rhinestones: The Paper Studio; Glossy Accents: Ranger; sewing machine: Kenmore; thread: Singer; corner rounder: We R Memory Keepers; dimensional adhesive: American Crafts

Simple Card Saturday - One of a kind

Happy Saturday! For this week's Simple Card Saturday, I have a card using an adorable image from the Paper Smooches Zoo Crew set that was released this month. I love all the little animals, and they are really fun to paper piece. This week I'm playing along with the Young Crafters Unite Challenge, to use sewing or stitching:

CFC45: The Bold & The Beautiful-

create a Clean And Simple project using pastels and black

I'd been wanting to use the hippo from the Zoo Crew set, but just hadn't for whatever reason. Then when I got this cute gray-with-white-polka-dot paper, it hit me: make a polka-dot hippo that's one of a kind. And now for the paper yummies:

I stamped the Hero Arts Zig Zag background using Tim Holtz Distress Ink in crushed olive for a tone-on-tone background. I really love that background stamp! Then I paper-pieced my hippo and added the sentiment and the heart, which are from the Paper Smooches Word Salad set. I added Glossy Accents to the heart. The large scalloped punch is by EK Success. I tied some baker's twine and a button around part of the scallop, machine-stitched along the edge of the card, then popped the sentiment up on dimensional adhesive. Here's a closer view of my polka-dot hippo:

Love him! I'm playing along with these challenges:

CAS-ual Fridays CFC45: The bold and the beautiful

Young Crafters Unite Challenge #8: Stitching or sewing

The Ribbon Carousel Challenge RCC45: Baking with The Twinery

Thanks for looking!

Supplies: cardstock: Georgia Pacific (white), Core'dinations (green, blue); patterned paper: Recollections; stamps: Paper Smooches (hippo, sentiment, heart), Hero Arts (background); ink: Tsukineko (black), Ranger (green); markers: Prismacolor; scalloped edge punch: EK Success; Glossy Accents: Ranger; baker's twine: Divine Twine; button: craft supply; sewing machine: Kenmore; thread: Singer; dimensional adhesive: American Crafts

Lawnscaping Challenge: Inspired by (A+ teacher thank you card)

Happy Wednesday (wow - I totally just had to suppress the urge to make a hump day joke. LOL)! I hope everybody's week is going well so far. Today I have a cute card to say thank you to a teacher. Originally, I started making this card for the Hero Arts 90 minute scramble on Flickr. But, since I joined the scramble over half way through, and then my lovely laptop decided to freeze every time I inserted my SD card, I missed the cut-off to upload my card. (I think Donna allowed my card even after the cut-off. So sweet.) Anyway, I went back later and added some finishing touches that I didn't have time to do the first go-around. I love the way it turned out. I'm playing along with several challenges with this card. One of them is the Lawnscaping challenge. I don't have any Lawn Fawn stamps (yet!), but they're not required. Maybe I'll win the challenge, and get my first set! LOL! I love their challenge this week:

You can see my inspiration at the bottom of this post. Now for the paper yummies:I found this really cute alphabet patterned paper at Michael's last week (and they were 6/$1.00. Score!), and it looks super with these patterned papers by Echo Park, My Mind's Eye, and Recollections. I paired them with some really cute stamps from Hero Arts, Papertrey Ink, and Mint Motif:
I am loving this natural-color quilting thread right now - it's so nice and thick. I used it to straight stitch along the top of the thank you banner. I also zigzag stitched down at the bottom of the card. For a fun button treatment, I stamped a star in a pale blue ink on natural cardstock and cut it out. I adhered it to the middle of this green wooden button, and filled it with Glossy Accents. I love the way it turned out. Here is a close-up:

I'm playing along with these challenges:

Creative Inspirations Challenge 155: Anything Goes

Flourishes Timeless Tuesday Challenge 161: Sketch

Lawnscaping Challenge: Inspired By

The Shabby Tea Room Week 106: Pennant Party

This is the card that inspired mine (from Kristina Werner - LOVE her!)

Thanks for looking!

Supplies: cardstock: Core'dinations (blue), Recollections (natural); patterned papers: Echo Park (yellow, green), Recollections (alphabet, red), My Mind's Eye (cream/graph); stamps: Hero Arts (ledger, thank you flags), Papertrey Ink ("notes", A+, star), Mint Motif ("teacher"); ink: Tsukineko (black), Recollections (pale blue); Ribbon: Hobby Lobby; wood button: Michael's; Glossy Accents: Ranger; sanding block: Making Memories; sewing machine: Kenmore; quilting thread: Americana

CPS Sketch 256 & CAS-ual Fridays

Howdy! I hope everybody is having a great week so far. Today I made a card using this week's sketch from Card Positioning Systems. Here's the sketch:

I'm also playing along with the CAS-ual Fridays challenge:
I thought this would be another great opportunity to use my new Paper Smooches stamps again. Squeal! I'm just loving the March release, and I'm so glad I decided to join their monthly club! Now for the paper yummies:
I used the globe from the Smarty Pants set, along with the heart and sentiment from Word Salad. The patterned papers are by Echo Park. I colored the images in with Prismacolor markers, and added some Glossy Accents to the lil' heart. I added a couple lines of machine stitching, just because... Here's a closer look:
I'm playing along here:

Card Positioning Systems Sketch 256

CAS-ual Fridays CFC43: For Sentimental Reasons

CropStop Challenge 62: Rainbow of colors (use at least 4 colors - I used 5 if you count kraft)

Simon Says Stamp Challenge: A bit o' green

Thanks for looking!

Supplies: cardstock: Recollections; patterned papers: Echo Park; stamps: Paper Smooches; ink: Tsukineko; markers: Prismacolor; circle die: Nestabilities by Spellbinders; die cutting machine: Cuttlebug by Provocraft; corner rounder: We R Memory Keepers; Glossy Accents: Ranger; dimensional adhesive: American Crafts; sewing machine: Kenmore; thread: Singer