Let It Snow

Today I have a fun snow themed card for you in pinks and browns. When I was gluing my sentiment on,  I accidentally smudged some brown ink on the embossed background. Since I didn't feel like starting over, I diluted some distress oxides and created a spatter effect. Fun fix for my whoopsie!

Supplies and Tools:

Create a Flake Dies (Spellbinders)

Christmas Quilt Embossing Folder (Couture Creations)

These colors of Distress Oxide (Ranger) - Worn Lipstick/ Walnut Stain

Picked Raspberry Distress Ink (Ranger)

Pink Burlap String

Sponge Daubers
Pearls
Alphabet Punches

Cuttlebug

ATG Gun

I'd love to see what you've been creating, so stop by the final link party and showoff any creation that includes a product or two from one of the companies carried in the Cropstop store.

Changes -- Link Party #47

Hello Cropstop friends! Here we are at the beginning of a new year and with it comes some BIG changes. This will be the FINAL CHALLENGE for the Cropstop blog as I have decided to step down and Haylie-Jo has decided to give the blog a break for a while. We've enjoyed working together for these past two years, and have been inspired by all of your beautiful work.

Supplies and Tools:

Knitted Embossing Folder (Couture Creations)

Create a Flake Dies (Spellbinders)

Red Sampler Pack (Canvas Corp)

Distress Embossing Ink (Ranger)

Burlap String

Primary Bark Embossing Powder (Wow!)

Winter Wonders Stamp Set (All Night Media)

Scotch Foam Mounting Tape

Cuttlebug

Challenge Rules:

1. Create ANY new project using a product or two from one of the companies CropStop carries in the store. (It’s ok if you didn’t buy it from us, and also fine if it’s a product we don’t currently have it in stock as long as it’s from one of the companies we carry!)
2. Please, no back-linking old projects
3. Limit 5 entries per challenge
4. Link your project here, link back to this post, and mention the CropStop Challenge in your post.

Optional Twist for this final challenge is:
Create a project in NEUTRAL TONES and I'll enter your name twice in the random draw!

(Note: This last challenge will run through January 30th - the winner will be announced January 31st!)

November Link Party - # 45

Hello crafty friends! It's time for another link party here on the Cropstop blog. Today I'm sharing an autumn window card I created with a floral embellishment. For a mini tutorial on creating the sunflower visit this post from several weeks ago. (This card uses one each of the two smallest sizes.)

To create the background I scored a piece of kraft cardstock every 3/4 of an inch and swiped my walnut stain distress oxide across it. I die cut and distressed the window using the same ink. I also sponged all of the leaves with coordinating colors to add more depth and interest to them.

Supplies and Tools:

• Scoring Board
• Sunflower Stamp Set (Heartfelt Creations)
• Meadowbird Branch Die Set (Memory Box)
• Window Two Die (Spellbinders)
• Fall Folliage (Tim Holtz)
• Frond Punch (Martha Stewart)
• Burlap String
• Sponge Daubers
• Instant Coffee
• Distress Ink in these colors
• Gathered Twigs 
• Mustard Seed
• Fossilized Amber
• Spiced Marmalade
• Mowed Lawn
• Distress Oxide (Ranger) in these colors
• Walnut Stain
• Peeled Paint
• Squeezed Lemonade
• Wild Honey
• Cuttlebug
• ATG gun

 Now it’s your turn to share the projects you’ve been working on! As always our link party is "Anything Goes" with these few simple rules

1. Create ANY new project using a product or two from one of the companies CropStop carries in the store. (It’s ok if you didn’t buy it from us, and also fine if it’s a product we don’t currently have it in stock as long as it’s from one of the companies we carry!)
2. Please, no back-linking old projects
3. Limit 5 entries per challenge
4. Link your project here, link back to this post, and mention the CropStop Challenge in your post.

We’ll choose one random Winner who will receive a prize from the CropStop Store! (100 or more links = two winners and two prizes!) Thanks so much for linking up with us, we look forward to seeing all your great entries this month. Grab our badge and help us spread the word that CropStop is a great place to play along!

Optional Twist for November:

Create a project that includes fall leaves and I'll enter your name twice in the random draw.

Blanket Plaid

Hello Friends. Today I'm sharing one last "Ocotober Plaid" post. I call today's pattern, "blanket plaid" because it reminds me of a warm and cozy throw you might snuggle up under on a cold winter evening.

Here's how I created this design:

• Traced a double wide line of brown down a piece of kraft card stock
• Traced three thin lines of teal and then repeated step one
• Turned my cardstock 90 degrees 
• Traced a double wide line of teal
• Traced three thin lines of brown

I couldn't decide which style to use with this plaid -- rustic, classy, vintage???? I finally decided to do a "dressed up" plaid  with some pretty Petaloo flowers and scalloped edging.

Supplies used on this card:

• Markers
• Scallop Basic Edges 2 (My Favorite Things)
• All things are possible stamp set (Heartfelt Creations)
• Meadowbird Branch die set (Memory Box)
• Teastained Teal Flowers (Petaloo)
• Mermaid Lagoon Distress Ink (Ranger)
• Burlap String 

There's still one week left to enter the October Challenge so be sure to stop by our Current Challenge and link up any project that includes a product or two from one of the companies Cropstop carries in the store. Remember if you link up something that includes a plaid element your name will be entered twice in the random drawing for a prize!

Pumpkin Plaid

Have you been following our "October Plaid" posts all month? Each Monday I've shared a different version of plaid created with markers, a ruler, and some graph paper. Today I have a one-color plaid background to share with you.

To create this fun pumpkin plaid background I laid down a wide orange stripe followed by a thin orange stripe all the way across my card stock. I then turned the piece of paper 90 degrees and repeated the design.

Supplies used on this card include:

• Markers
• Kitchen Weave Embossing Folder (Cuttlebug)
• These colors of Distress Ink
• Walnut Stain
• Gathered Twigs
• Ground Espresso
• Teastained Red Flowers (Petaloo)
• Wide Lace (Petaloo)
• Burlap String
•  Fall Foliage Thinlits (Sizzix -- Tim Holtz)
• Sentiment (PSX)
• Versamark Watermark Ink
• Primary Bark Embossing Powder (Wow!)
• Crackle Embossing Folder (Darice)
• Ranger Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel  (UTEE)

Here's a free pumpkin template for you to use on your autumn themed projects

Now it's your turn....stop by the current link party and showoff any creation that includes a product or two from one of the companies carried in the Cropstop store.

Monochromatic Plaid

This week's "October Plaid" card features a monochromatic look! Using a purple maker on purple card stock,  I colored a thick line, thin line alteration both vertically and horizontally.

Supplies used on this card:

• Markers
• Radiant Rectangles Dies (Spellbinders)
• Vellum
• Fall Foliage Thinlits (Sizzix - Tim Holtz Alterations)
• Sunflower Stamps (Heartfelt Creations)
• Burlap String
• Gratitude Stamp (Autumn Leaves)
• Tuxedo Black Ink (Tsukineko)
• Large Pearl 
• Button
• These colors of Distress Ink
• Spiced Marmalade 
• Fossilized Amber

Have you been following along all month? If so...I'd love to see the plaid creations you've come up with, so stop by the current link party and showoff any creation that includes a product or two from one of the companies carried in the Cropstop store.

Plaid Leaves

As promised I'm back with an "October Plaid" post. Today I'm sharing a fun fall plaid that has no white space in it. Instead of using it as a background, I die cut it into beautiful autumn leaves.

To create this background I:

• laid down wide stripes in orange, burgundy, and yellow
• turned my paper and added wide brown, green, and yellow stripes
• added a few dark brown thin stripes as accents

Note: Using a ruler and graph paper helps to keep the lines straighter than trying to free-hand them

Supplies used on this card:

• Spellbinders Circle Nestabilities
• Fall Foliage Thinlits (Sizzix -- Tim Holtz Alterations)
• Woodgrain Embossing Folder (Darice)
• Walnut Stain Distress Ink
• Versamark watermark Ink
• Primary Bark Embossing Powder (Wow!)
• Harvest Expressions (Inkadinkado)
• Ranger Clear Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel (UTEE)
• Burlap String
• Button
• ATG gun

Fun tip: To achieve the look of  morning dew on your leaves: Stamp your versamark watermark ink pad on the leaf, add UTEE, lightly rub most of it off with your finger, and heat set.

I'd love to see your take on plaid, so stop by the current link party and showoff any creation that includes a product or two from one of the companies carried in the Cropstop store.

Tone on Tone

Hello craft friends. Today I'm sharing a clean-and-simple card featuring one of my favorite leaf stamps. I wanted to show you a fun little trick for creating tone-on-tone color....You simple color in your image with a Versamarker Pen and wa-la you have a lovely monochromatic effect!

Supplies and Tools:

• Zentangle Leaf (Magenta Stamps)
• Versamark Watermark Stamp Pad  (Tsukineko)
• Primary Bark Embossing Powder (Wow!)
• Versamarker Pen
• Blessings Stamp (Echo Park)
• Ground Espresso Distress Ink (Ranger)
• Antique Gold Burlap String
• Sponge Daubers
• ATG gun
• Glue

Now it's your turn....stop by our CURRENT LINK PARTY and showoff any project that includes a product or two from one of the companies Cropstop carries in the store!

Distress Paper Mosaic

Today's post is all about fall and showcasing the Distress Paper Mosaic kit from Ranger! What a fun kit with so many different options for creating! I'm going to walk you through the steps I took to create this leaf card and also have a free template for you at the end of this post.  Let's get started....

Step One: trace and cut out the front of your card using the free template at the end of this post

Step Two: Add a layer of Distress Grout (from the kit) using a pallette knife - allow to dry (approx. 10 minutes)

Step Three: Cut some pieces of paper in random shapes

Step Four: Glue your paper pieces to your grouted leaf using Distress glue

Step Five: Apply a layer of glue over top of the entire leaf and allow to dry (approx 10 -15 minutes)

Step Six: Using the Distress Glaze, outline and fill in each mosaic shape - allow to dry (approx 1 hour)

Step Seven: Apply distress ink over the entire surface 

Step Eight: Finish decorating your card

Products used on my card include:

• Distress Paper Mosaic Kit
• Dina Wakley Pallette Knife
• Distress Ink in these colors:
• Vintage Photo
• Gathered Twigs
• Spiced Marmalade
• Fossilized Amber
• Sponge Daubers
• Funky Florals #1 Dies (Sizzix)
• Burlap String
• 3D Lumber Embossing Folder (Tim Holtz) 
• Studio G sentiment

As promised, here's a free template for creating your own leaf card! I'd love to see what you create with this, so stop by the current link party and showoff any creation that includes a product or two from one of the companies carried in the Cropstop store.

July Link Party - #41

Hello friends! Today I'm sharing my updated tutorial for creating a weathered wood background. I originally posted this on the Wordpress blog, but since we are no longer using that site I thought I'd post it over here as well.

Step One: Gather your supplies - White Glue, Paint, Stiff Cardboard, Sandpaper
Step Two: Cut your cardboard to size and using a Scoring Board, create boards every 1/4 inch
Step Three: Cover your entire piece of cardboard with white school glue and let dry till tacky

Step Four: Paint over your tacky glue with your choice of paint (I used Blueprint Sketch Distress Paint ---- NOTE: do not apply using applicator, remove lid and use a paintbrush!)
Step Five: Dry using a heat gun (if you did it correctly, cracks will appear)
Step Six: Add a coordinating color of paint  and heat set (I added Hickory Smoke Distress Paint)

Step Seven: Apply a little bit of Picket Fence Distress Stain and rub in with your finger (heat set)
Step Eight: Re-score your lines
Step Nine: Sand edges and center to create a rough, worn look

Here's how I finished creating my card:

• I added a piece of blue Petaloo lace across the bottom of my wood background
• I die cut a bird cage using the Gilded Birds die (Memory Box - Poppystamps) from dictionary page
• In the bottom corner I added greenery and branches cut from the Fall Foliage Thinlits (Tim Hotlz)
• I created crinkle ribbon using seam binding and Wild Honey - Worn Lipstick Distress Oxide (Ranger)
• I created three flowers by layering punched dictionary pages and adding a tiny pearl to the center
• I tucked a pretty little bird from Mitrushova Art into my ribbon
• The top of the cage features one of the dictionary page flowers glued over a Burlap String bow
• Underneath is a tiny die cut tag (Cuttlebug) stamped with a sentiment from Dina Wakley's Little Birdies and inked withe Walnut Stain Distress Oxide

 Now it’s your turn to share the projects you’ve been working on! As always our link party is "Anything Goes" with these few simple rules:

1. Create ANY new project using a product or two from one of the companies CropStop carries in the store. (It’s ok if you didn’t buy it from us, and also fine if it’s a product we don’t currently have it in stock as long as it’s from one of the companies we carry!)
2. Please, no back-linking old projects
3. Limit 5 entries per challenge
4. Link your project here, link back to this post, and mention the CropStop Challenge in your post.

We’ll choose one random Winner who will receive a prize from the CropStop Store! (100 or more links = two winners and two prizes!) Thanks so much for linking up with us, we look forward to seeing all your great entries this month. Grab our badge and help us spread the word that CropStop is a great place to play along!

Optional Twist for July:

Create a project that features a handmade wood background of any kind and I'll enter your name twice in the random draw (for each project linked)!

Guest Desinger - Karen Letchworth

Hello blog friends, welcome back for another Guest Designer Friday! Today we're excited to be sharing a beautiful card created by Karen Letchworth of My Cup Runneth Over. Karen is no stranger to Cropstop regulars, and we're happy she agreed to share this lovely card in her distinctive style! Not only did she create a gorgeous card to share with us today, but she also walks us through the creative process step by step - with photos!!

Here's what Karen says about putting this sweet card together:

"This card started with a piece of Ivory Bazzill card stock that I used to create a textured background.  I used a plastic Tool (similar to this, but you can use a plastic knife) to place Prima Gesso on the card stock by laying a circle patterned Stencil on the paper and spreading the Prima Gesso.  Using a Sponge Dauber is another great way to add color to just about anything, and CropStop carries just about every shade of the fabulous Tim Holtz inks/paints to make all your projects pop.  Using some more Stencils, I took the Sponge Dauber and applied some color to the background including Tim Holtz Spun Sugar Distress Ink, Tim Holtz Marmalade Distress Ink and Tim Holtz Dusty Concord.  I also used Tim Holtz Twisted Citron Distress Ink to stamp some swirls.

Next, I die-cut a "chicken wire" piece for the back drop using a Darice Embossing Die.  I used only a portion of this die-cut in the lower right corner of my card.  This completed the background I wanted, and now it was time to add a sentiment and some embellishments.  I started by cutting some greenery (branches) using a Creative Expressions by Sue Wilson branch die-cut, and I placed them strategically in the lower right corner.  To that, I added a length of bundled Ivory Burlap String and topped that with some gorgeous Petaloo Flowers and leaves.

All that was left was my sentiment, so I grabbed my Tim Holtz Black Soot Distress Ink to stamp my sentiment on a Spellbinders die.  I inked it with some Tim Holtz Forest Moss Distress Ink, and added some Ivory Burlap String, Olive Burlap String, a flower and some sequins.

I encourage you to try something new.  I'm trying to step out of my comfort zone as well.  Perhaps picking up some Gesso and giving the textured background a try, or getting some new die-cuts.  CropStop has so many FABULOUS products as well as a fun monthly challenge on the CropStop Blog.  Be sure to stop by and check out everything CropStop has to offer."

 

Thanks for sharing your talent with us today, Karen! It's always a pleasure to showcase your work! 

Now it's YOUR turn! Stop by our CURRENT LINK PARTY and showoff any project that includes a product or two from one of the companies Cropstop carries in the store! I'll be looking for YOUR name in the link gallery!

Guest Designer - Donna Phelan

 We're back with another "Guest Designer Friday." This is our third and final week to share the talent of Donna Phelan of Crafting by the Beach. Today Donna has created an awesome masculine card just in time for Father's Day!  Here's what Donna says about putting this masterpiece together: 

"Good Morning!

I am back Guest Designing over at the CropStop Blog, this is my

3rd and final day!  What FUN it has been. 

Thank you all so much!

They have the most wonderful Challenges and an amazing CropStop Store

where you can find all of your paper crafting needs. 

Dies, Embossing Folders, Storage, Punches and Paper, just to name a few. 

Go on over and check them out, you'll be glad you did!

Today I am sharing a Father's Day card with you all.....there's still a little bit of time

to create one for the man in your life too!

This is an A2 Top Folding Card.

4 1/4 inches x 11 inches, scored at 5 1/2 inches.

My Designer Paper is Sea Glass by Craft Smith.

I used the My Favorite Things dies;

Notched Border, Harlequin Border, Mini Pennants and Mini Tabs.

Spellbinders; Classic and Scallop Oval dies.

Stamps by Gina K Designs; By The Sea and Masculine Tags.

Inks in; Raven Black and Tempting Turquoise.

Twine.

Brads.

Foam Squares.

Image colored with Copic Markers."

Thanks for sharing your work with us Donna - you did a fabulous job of guest designing and made my job easy with all the details, photos, and links you provided! 

Now it's your turn....stop by our CURRENT LINK PARTY and showoff any projects that include a few products from companies Cropstop carries in the store! I'll look forward to seeing your work appear in the gallery!

Stamping Collage Cards #2

 

Today I'm sharing the last two cards I created around the ticket embellishments I shared in this post.
This is such a fun style to create with all the stamping and layering. There's really not a right and wrong way to do it, I just picked stamps/embellishments in a general theme and color scheme.

Here are the layers I used on this first card:

• I inked up Stripes (Stampabilities) with Fired Brick Distress Paint (Ranger) and stamped it on a piece of Kraft card stock
• Next, I embossed my card stock with the Gears embossing folder (The Paper Studio) 
• I Inked all the edges with sponge daubers in Walnut Stain Distress Oxide (Ranger)
• I stamped a corner stamp from The Journey (Tim Holtz) and numbers from Special Delivery (Tim Holtz) in Tuxedo Black Ink (Tsukineko)

•  The truck and arrows are from The Journey (Tim Holtz), the tire tracks and route 66 sign are from Here and There (Tim Holtz)
• they are stamped in Faded Jeans, Fired Brick, Frayed Burlap, Distress Oxide (Ranger)
• the truck is popped up with  mounting tape
• I added some burlap string to the left side and layered my ticket and some gears over top

For the layers on the last card are:

• cream card stock inked along the edges with Frayed Burlap Distress Oxide (Ranger)
• the edges are aged by distressing them
• a ship  and sentiment from Here and There (Tim Holtz) stamped in Tuxedo Black Ink (Tsukineko)
• a map from Air Travel (Tim Holtz) stamped in Faded Jeans Distress Oxide (Ranger)
•  the sentiment in the bottom corner is stamped there times in Wild Honey, Peeled Paint, and Walnut Stain Distress Oxide (Ranger)
• the ticket has a piece of black burlap string and it's popped up with mounting tape

Have you ever created collage style cards? If so I'd love to see them! Stop by the CURRENT LINK PARTY and showoff  any project that include a few products from the companies Cropstop carries in the store!