Tuesday, November 29, 2016

Fun with Watercolor Critters

These little critters by Stacy Yacula have been in my stash for a few years, and when I received my new Stitched Hillside and Slide on Over dies in the mail from Lawn Fawn a few weeks back, I couldn't wait to pair them up with a fun interactive card!

(I apologize for the poor quality of my photos. The weather here in Montana is so dreary this weekend! I had to use the light on my craft desk. Sad face.) 

I watercolored this adorable bunny and fox with Stampin' Up ink refills and my aqua painters, and used some white glitter paper for a snowy hillside. These two can slide back and forth on the card front to "visit" each other.



I had a blast creating this project, and I can't wait to use the little bear and fox from this collection on a project soon!

Merry winter, everyone!

Tuesday, November 22, 2016

Sketch Challenge #4: All That Glitters!

I can't believe we're already on the fourth and final week of our November sketch challenge. I have been hosting a little contest on my crafting group's Facebook page during November, and the entries in these challenges have been phenomenal! I can't wait to give a $20 gift card away to one of the amazing members of my local crafting club at our annual weekend craft-a-thon in December!

Our final theme this week is "all that glitters," and your challenge is to use the sketch below to create a project with some sparkle using glitter, glitter glue, glitter paper, rhinestones, sequins, or any other sparkly item! This project does not have to be holiday themed.


Local craft club members will receive one entry into the drawing for using the sketch, one entry for adding sparkle to their project, and one entry for using at least one Stampin' Up product. This week you can get an additional drawing entry if you make a tag that matches your project!

Here is an example project I made over the weekend. I apologize for the poor lighting. It was cloudy and dreary all weekend!




For this card I swapped used vellum for several layers of my card and tag. The gold printed vellum is from last year's Winter Wonderland Designer Vellum Stack, and the glittery deer is a PTI die from my stash. Embossing on vellum can be a great option for cards with lots of layers, so I thought I would add a layer of that as well. I love the soft pastel colors on this card/tag combo for Christmas!

I can't wait to see what you come up with this week! Wishing you all the very happiest of Thanksgivings!

Tuesday, November 15, 2016

Sketch Challenge #3: Scene It!

Hello, friends! Today I'm back for week 3 of our November sketch challenge, and this week's theme is by far my favorite!

I absolutely adore anything miniature. I love creating scenes on my cards more than just about anything else, and since this is a popular idea in the crafting world right now, I'm in hog heaven!

Here is this week's sketch:


Local craft club members will receive one entry into our holiday drawing for using the sketch, one entry for creating a "scene" on their project, and one entry for using a Stampin' Up product somewhere on their project. For a bonus entry this week, make your card "interactive," using sliders, pop-ups, spinners, or creative folds. Projects do not have to be Christmas or winter themed. Entries need to be posted on our Facebook group no later than midnight on Monday, November 21, 2016. I will link to some of my favorite technique videos below.

First, here are some examples of scene cards. The first uses the retired Stampin' Up set called Wonderful Winterland. My favorite element of this card has to be the interactive sled that uses a penny slider! I will link a technique video showing how to create this element below. This card eliminates the frame on the original sketch to use the whole card front for the scene.





My second example card uses a new release from Papertrey Ink called Winter Village. Boy is this one right up my alley! The frame came from last year's PTI Make it Market kit. I hand cut the hills and layered them over a piece of Pool Party card stock that I inked and splattered with water. I may have scorched the house a little when puffing up my faux snow (darn it!), but I hope it's not totally obvious since this card is so busy. I adapted the sketch by eliminating the corner embellishment and moving the sentiment to the left side of the card front.



Below are some of my favorite technique videos for interactive elements that really work well with scene cards. I can't wait to see what you create this week!

Window Scene:





Penny Slider Tutorial:



(Note: This techniques does NOT require special dies. A craft knife and ruler works just fine. Use small washers in place of pennies for smaller images.)

Gate Fold Scene:



Try putting your scene on the inside!

Step Panel Card:




It lights up! WHAT??

Tuesday, November 8, 2016

Sketch Challenge #2: Inktastic!

Hi, everyone! Our second November sketch challenge begins today, and our theme this week is ink! If you're a member of our local craft club playing along for points, you will receive one entry into our prize drawing for using the sketch below, one entry for using some kind of ink effect on your project (sponging, watercolor, or emboss resist for example), and one entry for using at least one Stampin' Up product. For a fun bonus entry, use an animal somewhere on your project!

Here's the sketch:
Here's an example project I made using a watercolor background created with Pool Party ink and a lovely layered deer set from Hero Arts. I pulled out a vintage Stampin' Up greeting for this card and embossed it in silver on a strip of vellum and added a few silver sequins for a little sparkle.




Local craft club members will have until midnight on Monday, November 14 to post a project on our Facebook group. I can't wait to see what you will create! Thanks for playing along!

Tuesday, November 1, 2016

Sketch Challenge #1: Texture

During the month of November I will be holding a fun sketch challenge for members of my local craft club. We have been meeting on a near-monthly basis for almost six years! We have been through a lot together, and I wanted to say a special thank you to them this holiday season. (We are missing two wonderful ladies in this photo, but they know who they are.) These amazing women all have such a special place in my heart!




Each week I will be posting a card sketch and one or more example projects. Local members can earn points for entries in a holiday drawing for a $20 Stampin' Up gift certificate by posting a project on our Facebook group during the week of the challenge, but I thought I would post here as well so that anyone who wants to can play along just for fun!


Here is this week's sketch:



For this challenge, local members will earn 1 entry in the giveaway for using the sketch, 1 entry for using texture on their project, and one entry for using at least one Stampin' Up product. Projects do NOT have to be Christmas themed. You can flip and reorient the sketch any way you please, and for this project texture might mean dry embossing, texture paste, fabric or ribbon, or another material of your choice! Let your imagination run wild!

Here is an example I created using the Cable Knit deep embossing folder and Hang Your Stocking bundle from Stampin' Up, along with the Warmth and Cheer Designer Series Paper Stack:


Here's a second project with a different tag shape and a stamp set called Make a Mitten from the Stampin' Up "vault!"



The challenge is ON! Local members have until Monday, November 7, at midnight MST to post a card in the Facebook Group!


Thanks so much for visiting today!