House of Cards Blog Hop

Happy December ! 

Today I'm sharing my final card as a Design Team member for

House of Cards Challenge.

This month we have a blog hop with prizes !

I can't believe it's been 2 1/2 years 

since I was invited to be a part of the team !

It is time that I pass my DT position on

to another deserving, creative designer. 

Keep reading for card details,

but first I'll tell you about our blog hop prizes.

Create a card inspired by the above photo

and share it with us at 

House of Cards

by December 15th for a chance to win

one of the following prizes:

MHKDesigns 

 Choice of 3 products

Digistamps4Joy

$10 to use in the store

Imagine That Digistamp

$10 coupon

Beccy's Place

choice of one set of digital stamps.

The three remaining prizes are hidden among the design team

members blogs, so you'll want to leave comments 

at each stop for a chance to win ! 

MY SAMPLE CARD DETAILS:

Images used from 

Deck The Halls by MHKDesigns on Etsy

Whisper White card stock stamped with White craft ink

and the Woodgrain background stamp by Stampin' Up!

I then ran a stylus along the lines of the boards on the image

on top of a scoring board to create the "planks". 

The metal of the stylus reacted with the white craft ink,

a happy accident, so I didn't need to go back over with a 

gray marker ! This is meant to recreate the wall in 

the inspiration photo. 

The image was printed onto kraft and white card stocks

then carefully hand cut with small, sharp scissors. 

I created layers with dimensionals and chip board

scraps. The stocking image was colored with a white

colored pencil then slightly curved to create a bit of 

dimension before adhering with dimesnsionals. 

The tag was printed then punched out with an oval punch.

I sponged vanilla craft ink along the edges then

lightly stamped the itty bitty speckled background stamp

from Stampin' Up! This piece recreates the basket of wood

in the inspiration photo.

I hand cut a star shape from wide "canvas" ribbon

in my crafts stash. I also added a tiny kraft heart.

These elements are inspired by the 

decorations on the Christmas tree in the inspiration photo. 

Thanks for looking
and
Happy Holidays =)

You should have arrived here from Em's blog. 

Your next stop is Jane's blog.

Here are the blogs on our  hop :

House of Cards Challenge Blog

Mynn | Judy |  Chanya13 | Cohenna 
Donna | Em | Heather | Jane

Karen | Katarina | Merethe

Michele | Paula | Rocky | Rosi 

Shawna | Shirley | Sue N. | Susan

Blog Hop, DT Call, Prizes!

Welcome to the 

House of Cards Blog Hop

and 

 Design Team Call

with prizes !

PLUS

I'm giving away a copy of the new

My Memories Suite 8 software!

This month is an inspiration photo challenge:

As part of the design team,

I worked with a digital stamp set

and a digital paper set from

one of the hop sponsors,

MHK Designs at etsy.com.

I created three projects for you to show the versatility 

of using digital stamps and print at home papers.

This first project used the digital papers

printed out onto white card stock then die cut

with a stocking die and assembled into a card.

A sentiment from the digital stamp set

was printed onto white card stock as well.

Below is the sheet I created with

the digital elements and 

using My Memories Suite software.

I then cut each section apart

and ran them through the stocking die.

This next card uses the wreath image 

from the digital stamp set,

but reduced in size to fit my card front.

I water colored the image with classic ink pads 

and a water pen. I printed the bow portion out 

a second time, trimmed, then adhered to the 

wreath base image. Tiny bits of red glitter

were added to the berries on the wreath, too.

Above is a closeup to show detail.

I also cut smaller pieces of card stock,

adding sponging and doodling to create

the illusion of panels on a door.

Below is a sentiment from the set,

increased in size, and printed inside the card.

NOTE: many digital elements can not be increased in size

without losing their quality. I did a test print of the sentiment

and it didn't look bad ( there was a pop up in my program 

telling me there could be a problem). It turned out

just fine inside my card. 

The last project is a 100% digital project,

using My Memories Suite software. 

It is a printable card front.

I did attempt to color the wreath image digitally, too. 

It is meant to give you an idea that you can create 

your own photo cards to either print at home

or send out to have done. 

The digital kits I worked with from MHK Designs:

Yes, it is a gardening set,

but the bright colors worked with the

challenge inspiration photo ;)

Now for the info on entering to win a copy of the My Memories Suite 8 software, a $39.99 value:
If you'd like to enter for a chance to win a copy of the software, you'll need to leave a comment letting me know you'd like to enter a copy of MMS8. You will need to provide your email so I can have the prize redemption code sent to you. The prize is a digital download. One winner will be randomly drawn on December 15th from those providing their email along with a comment asking to be entered. 

Be sure to stop by the rest of the design team blogs
 for lots of great ideas
as well as the House Of Cards blog
for DT and prize info!

Mynn | Cohenna | Donna | Em | Heather | Jane | Judy 

Karen | Katarina | Katy | Leslie | Linda | Merethe

Michele | Paula | Rocky | Rosi | Ruza

Shawna | Shirley | Steph | Sue N. | Susan | Tina | Toni

Thanks for looking
and
Happy Holidays !


I'm entering my cards in the MHK Designs challenge.

Blog Hop and Challenge

Welcome to the House of Cards Challenge Blog Hop ! 

You should have arrived here from Emily's blog.

The hop runs through Noon CST  June 15, 2016 .

Leave a comment at each of the design team members blogs

for a chance to win one of the many hidden prizes

donated by our generous sponsors!

Full details are on the House of Cards blog.

Create a card inspired from the photo above and share it

with us at House of Cards for another chance to win.

My hop projects feature images from the 

Eat Your Cake digital stamp set

and Party Hardy paper pack available from

MHK Designs at etsy.com

The first is a paper crafted card,

complete with a spinning image panel.

Give the panel a few twists before inserting it

into an envelope for a fun surprise for the recipient.

glittery highlights from Office Depot brand sparkle markers

reverse side of spinning panel

 I wasn't even thinking when I made this card

to use the inspiration photo colors ! Gah ! 

Just imagine it made with bright colors instead ;) 

I'm entering this spinning birthday card in the current challenge at

MHK Designs

Because I used digital stamps and papers, I decided to make a totally digital project, too.

It's a simple digital scrapbook page created with My Memories Suite 7.

I colored the cake image in using Photoshop Elements first

(my first time to color digitally !)

and added black layers to the paper layers. 

No inspiration photo colors or theme, either, 

since I was limited to what was in the digi kits ;)

Lastly, I wanted to share the first project I made for the challenge.

I like to work ahead of time, so it was completed a month in advance.

It fit the challenge perfectly - 

colors, tropical florals, white lattice die to resemble the chair backs - 

except that I found out near hop time that I was required

to use an image from a sponsor - oops ! 

So, I added the Happy Mother's Day tag and gave it to my Mom :)

Thanks for looking at my projects =)

If you are following the hop order, 

your next stop is  Jane's blog. 

Here are links to all of the designers blogs:

Cohenna | Donna | Dotty Jo | Em | Emily | Heather

Jane | Judy | Karen | Katarzyna Ewa  | Katy | Leslie | Linda

Merethe | Merlina | Michele | Paula | Rocky | Rosi | Ruza

Shawna | Shirley | Steph | Sue N. | Sue T. | Susan | Tina | Toni

House Of Cards Blog Hop

December 1st (seriously ? the year is nearly over ?!?), time for a new challenge at House of Cards! This month it is an inspiration photo - with a blog hop and design team call. Play along, leaving comments at each of the designers blogs, and  you'll have a chance to win a prize from one of our sponsors ! The hop runs through December 15th at noon CST. Be sure to read our House Rules first ;) You should have arrived here from Emily's blog if you are hopping with us. 

Inspiration Photo

Closeup of my card to show the shimmer.

Obviously the kraft and pink colors were the biggest inspiration,

but also the glass of bubbly beverage (pearl colored shimmer paper

and clear rhinestones), fluted bowl edge (border punch)

and silverware ( almost silver snowflakes).

HOW I MADE THE CARD:

I started with the Snowflakes kit by one of our sponsors, DeeDee's Digi's.

I opened up the snowflake2 outline PNG image in Photoshop Elements 10, reduced it in size to create various size flakes. I moved them around to make a tree shape onto a 3.75" x 5" transparent background. I printed it out (ink color was charcoal gray) onto a shimmery pearl colored paper bought at an office supply store. Because the paper had a "slick" finish to it, the ink from my inkjet printer did not dry so I was able to sprinkle it with clear embossing powder and heat set it. This made for a sort of silver look to the snowflakes and sentiment (note: the paper did warp a little bit).  I did the same thing with the Season's Greetings sentiment from the digi kit.  

Both pieces were cut to the size I needed to complete my card. The card front had pink ink sponge daubed over the embossed snowflakes that I then added clear rhinestones to. The edges were pierced. It is layered over pink card stock that I paper punched along one edge with a snowflake border punch (sorry, no idea of the manufacturer as there are no markings on it). 

The card front is layered onto a top fold kraft card stock base. 

The hand cut banners were folded and glued into place. 

The inside is lined with pearl shimmer paper. 








I also used the new My Memories Suite V7 software with the digital papers that are included in the digital kit to create a simple scrap page. I'll share that project on my blog tomorrow; be sure to comment on tomorrows digi scrap page post  at craftysahmiam.blogspot.com for a chance to win a copy of this software !


Keep on hopping though the House of Cards Design Team blogs. Up next is  Jane's blog. 


Here is the entire list of design team members blogs. Remember to leave a comment on each blog for a chance to win one of the hidden prizes ! 

Barbara

Cohenna

Daen'Ys

Donna N.

Donna T.

Dotty Jo

Em
Emily

Heather - you are here

Jane
Joni

Judy

Karen

Katy

Lilian

Linda

Lisa

Merethe

Michele

Monika

Mrs Duck

Pat

Rocky

Ruza

Shawna

Steph

Sue T.

Sue N.

Tammy

Toni

Lastly, I am entering my card in the following challenges:

Technique Challenge: Sponging or Brayering at

52 Christmas Card Throwdown

Anything Goes at

Christmas Card Challenges

Thanks for looking and Happy Holidays !