#1123 – Embossing Effects

Hello and welcome! Time for a new challenge at Seize the Birthday and this time, our leading lady Jenny has chosen the topping as ‘Embossing‘ for us. However, if you are not a toppings kind of crafter, just make sure that your entry is a Birthday theme.

I fell in love with this charming creation from Tina and I just had to CASE it! And here’s what I created –

I started with embossing the base. I used Tim Holtz/Sizzix Kaleidoscope embossing folder, inked one side with a dark brown ink and embossed a reddish brown card panel with it. I then used My Favorite Things Elegant Rectangle dies to die cut a few pieces of colored cardstock and a piece of vellum. I embossed the vellum with the same embossing folder. To make sure I got the embossing in the center, I first placed the cardstock I had embossed earlier, placed the vellum in the center, closed the folder, flipped it and opened and removed the cardstock before embossing it.

Once done, I adhered all the layers together with the base on kraft card base. For the focal, I used two pieces of die cuts from Pink Fresh Studio Dainty Blossoms from white cardstock, adhered the two pieces together to get a bit more stability. For the sentiment, I used Simon Says Stamp Mix and Match Butterflies, stamped it on some scrap white cardstock and then fussy cut it. I also cut two more pieces to adhere beneath it before adhering all the pieces on the card.

For embellishing, I used a few bronze colored sequins.

And that’s my card! Checkout what the rest of the team and our talented guests have created for this challenge at the Seize the Birthday challenge blog.

Thank you so much for stopping by!

#1119 – Favorite Colors

Hello and welcome! There’s a new challenge starting today at Seize the Birthday and this time the leading lady is JoAnn who wants us to ‘Use Your Favorite Color‘. Of course, this topping is optional and it is always an ‘Anything Goes‘ birthday.

And here’s what I made –

Now, I don’t really have a favorite color. I love a lot of them – the bright colors, the pastels, the subtle shades, even the neutrals. As such, I wasn’t really sure what to go for for this challenge, so I cheated and chose a color combo that I liked, but haven’t used. So, this is one of my beloved color combos, instead of just one color. And the palette I chose is from Pinterest here –

I started with the flowers and leaves. I die cut them using Spellbinders Be Bold Blooms and Simon Says Stamp Arching Leaf Border from watercolor paper and watercolored them Daniel Smith watercolors. Setting them aside to dry, I started working on the background.

I first watercolored a panel of watercolor paper and after it dried, embossed it using We R Memory Keepers Woven embossing folder. I then brushed some more of the color, ensuring it went down the debossed areas and let it dry. Once this dried, I brushed clean water on top to take off color from the embossed area. Once this dried, I embossed the panel using Tim Holtz-Sizzix Lumber embossing folder. I then trimmed it using Spellbinders A2 Curved Matting Basics B and using the edge of a pair of scissors, I frayed the edges of the paper. I also did the same with a panel of blank watercolor paper. I then adhered these two layers on kraft cardstock and began adhering the flowers and leaves on top.

Finally, for the sentiment, I used Concord and 9th Tiny Tagalongs stamp set. Before adhering it on the card, I added a piece of string tied into a bow below it. And that finished my card!

I’m joining the following challenges as well-

All Sorts challenge #828: Pretty Flowers or Anything Goes

Inkspirational Challenge #346: Word Prompt: Birthday

Do step over to the Seize the Birthday challenge blog to checkout the favorite colors of our DT and our guest. And join us with a birthday project showcasing your favorite color as well!

Thank you so much for stopping by! 🙂

#1117 – Card Chain Challenge

Hello and welcome! Sending our handmade cards to people is, I believe, a second treat that cardmaking gives us; the first being the making of the card itself, of course! I came across the Card Chain Challenge from the blogs of one of my card making friend, Hilary, and thought of joining myself. It took a while, life being busy, but I finally managed to add my name to the chain this time. In June, we have 20 participents joining and here’s what the challenge was –

Colour Palette Option

Sketch Option

Theme Options: Gingham / Something beginning with ‘Tu’ / Friendship

Product / Technique Options:  Wood  / Rip It Up  

And this is the card I’ve made. As you can see, I managed to include eveything except the ‘Something beginning with ‘Tu” theme option. Not sure how I managed that!!

I’ve sent this card to Carol in UK, who, I am delighted to report, has already received it –

I must say the card kinda built up by itself. I didn’t have a concrete idea when I started – I wasn’t even sure what elements I would incorporate, but I think I ended up including most of them!

I started with the background. I used Concord and 9th Buds & Blossoms and Altenew Bride-to-Be for the florals for the panel on the left and Impression Obsession Gingham for the one on the right. I then tore them off at an angle. For the card base, I used Tim Holtz-Sizzix Lumber embossing folder over some dark chocolate cardstock. I adhered these over the cardbase.

Coming to the focal point and sentiment, I die cut a few pieces of Reverse Confetti Lacy Scallop Circles frames, Memory Box Honey Blossom Sprig and a few butterflies from Poppy Stamps Bunches o’ Butterflies, adhered the multiple pieces together and heat embossed them using platinum embossing powder. For the sentiment, I used some translucent white vellum, used a sentiment from Concord and 9th Buds & Blossoms to stamp and heat emboss it the same and adhered it behind the circular frame.

Finally I adhered all the different pieces together to finish the card.

I was lucky enough to receive this card and a die cut as a gift from Gail in Norway –

You can step over to the Card Chain Challenge blog if you wish to see what the rest of the participents made and sent over.

Thank you so much for stopping by! 🙂

#1074 – Magic of Christmas

Hello and welcome! The last Happy Little Stampers Anything Goes with Dies challenge of the year! As usual, there is no theme and as long as you have die cuts in the project, anything goes!

And here’s what I made –

I started with the snowmen from Tim Holtz-Sizzix Chilly & Freezy die cuts, cutting them from watercolor paper and colored them using Daniel Smith watercolors. I also die cut a panel of watercolor paper using Neat & Tangled Doily Tag and added a wash of watercolor on the top, leaving the bottom white. Once this dried, I die cut another piece of the tag from scrap watercolor paper and adhered it below to get some support and dimension.

On the card base, I used My Favorite Things Typewriter Text and Simon Says Stamp Lots of Snowflakes stamps to make the background. I used Iced Spruce and Speckled Egg distress inks and misted them with water before stamping.

Finally, I adhered all the pieces together on the card. For the sentiment, I used a stamp from Winnie & Walter Sweet Holiday and heat embossed it in white on a scrap piece of red cardstock. I then fussy cut it and added it to the card.

And that’s my card.

Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge: Winter Blues

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge: Use Craft Dies

Hop over to the Happy Little Stampers blog to checkout what the rest of the DT has created.

Thank you so much for stopping by! 🙂

#1059 – Thinking of You

Hello and welcome! I am so lucky today to be joining the Retro Rubber challenge as their Guest Designer! I got this opportunity after winning one of their previous challenges – thank you, Jane, for the chance! The rule is to use stamps which are older than a year and mention the age of that stamp as well.

The challenge this time is a Tic Tac Toe board –

For my creation I used the diagonal Animal – Your Choice – Die Cut or Punch. I used watercoloring for the ‘choice’ element and a die cut for the last one. And here’s my card –

I started with the bunny image from WPlus9 Wishing You stamp set (from 2015), stamped an image from it using Pumice Stone Distress Ink and then watercolored it using Daniel Smith watercolors. This, I just got new last month! So excited to use them!! I stamped the stars as well before watercoloring the whole scene.

Setting it aside to dry, I then die cut a piece of grey cardstock using My Favorite Things Watercolor Wash and then embossed it using Tim Holtz-Sizzix Lumber embossing folder. I then adhered both the panels over white card base. For the sentiment, I used Ellen Hutson Totally Random Sayings Vol 1, heat embossing white over black cardstock, trimmed it and adhered it over the card.

And that’s my card. Much thanks to the Retro Rubber challenge team for having me over!

Thank you so much for stopping by!