Timeless Tuesday #260: < = >!

Hello, all you Flourishes Fans! Did you hear the news? There is a serious buyer for Flourishes!!! Yay! I SO hope it goes through...don't you? :D Well, while we are waiting to find out, let's play! :)


I'm your hostess for this week's Timeless Tuesday Challenge, and I wanted to give everyone a super easy challenge to work with.

So, here it is...< = >! Or, in non-math terms, Less = More! What does that mean, you ask? Well, simply create a card with a stamped image, but NO coloring! It doesn't have to be a CAS card, but if you really want to embrace the < = > theory, go for it!

For my project, I decided to make a boxed set of cards using some of my favorite Flourishes floral images. And, nothing shows off an image like white on kraft! 

I used Flourishes Classic Kraft cardstock, stamped the images with white pigment ink, then heat embossed large floral images from the Gerber Daisies, Sweet Peas, and Picking Wildflowers stamp sets. In the lower right corner, I stamped sentiments with Versamark ink, then heat embossed them in blue, pink, and yellow embossing powders. The sentiments came from the Sweet Peas, Picking Wildflowers, and Butterflies & Blossoms stamp sets. After cutting the upper right corner at an angle, I sponged Walnut Stain Distress Ink over the sentiments, up the right side of the card, and in the upper left corner. 

On the inside, I used coordinating, but smaller, floral images, stamped in Versamark ink, but I didn't emboss them. The Picking Wildflowers set doesn't have a smaller image, but the Garden Picks set had a wildflower image that worked great with it.

To finish off my set, I made a box, using my envelope punch board. Jennifer McGuire has a great tutorial on how to do this. Before assembling it, I heat embossed the Sweet Pea image on the flap and on the back side. Then, tied it up with a polka dot ribbon.

Here's a look at the back of the box. Notice the slits that are cut for the ribbon to go through. This is so that when the box is untied, the ribbon won't fall off. 

Now, it's confession time! Remember I said I wanted this to be an easy challenge? HA! It was anything but that for me. Look at all my attempts to heat emboss the images:

Can you see what went wrong??? I had a major embossing powder fail! Before I figured out that it was the embossing powder, and not the cardstock, ink, or even operator error, I tried several brands of kraft cs, and a couple of dark colored cardstocks, too. I also tried stamping with Versamark ink, and with white pigment ink. No matter what I did, THIS is what I got...

Have you ever seen anything like this??? I'm not exactly sure what happened, but I think my embossing powder was absorbing dye from the cardstock because there was nothing in the powder before it was heated. I tested it on white cardstock, and it turned out beautifully. So, to make this project, after working on it unsuccessfully for hours, I finally went out and bought more embossing powder. Problem solved! ;~) But my < = > challenge sure was a lot more difficult for me than I had planned. Fortunately, though, I loved the finished set. So, aside from the ep fail, I have to say...Less=More=Easy Peasy! And, I like that equation!

I hope you are inspired, and will play along with us this week! I can't wait to see what you make! And, remember, you don't have to use Flourishes stamps, but if you do, you get two ballots toward the weekly prize! You can find all the details for the challenge here.

Be sure to visit the rest of the team to see how they've turned "Less" into fabulous "More!"

• Cheryl Lea...that's me!
• Deborah Anton
• Jenny Gropp
• Katie Sims

Thanks for stopping by, and have a crafty week!

~Hugs,

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Groovy!

Happy Saturday! I needed a light, cheery card today, so I went way out of my comfort zone, and used colors that are borderline pastel.

The layout is from the Viva la Verve February 2014 Week 2 sketch, and the stamps are from Verve. I stamped the Verve flowers, which are two-step stamps, with Memento inks, then shaded them with Prismacolor pencils. The white highlights are an acrylic marker (best white pen ever!), and it's hard to see in the picture, but I used several Atyou Spica pens to add sparkle. I stamped the top part of the sentiment in black, then inked up the bottom half with Angel Pink. "Groovy" is outlined with a Pitch Black Spica pen, and I went over the rest of the sentiment, too, for a little more groovy shine! ;)

I used a really sweet multi-patterned dp (Hello Spring by Little Yellow Bicycle--discontinued) for the bg on the inside of the card, and positioned the sentiment layers so that the cute scene at the top wasn't covered up. I was a little concerned about not having enough space under the sentiment to write anything personal, but the pink strip on the bottom would work for that, too, so it's cool. ;)

I hope "you make everything Groovy" this weekend, you "Wild Thing!"

I know, I just dated myself. ;~D

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Viva la Verve February 2014 Week 2 Sketch Challenge
TCP Tuesday: Spring Time
613 Avenue Create: Anything Goes
Paper Issues Challenge: Color by the Numbers
Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge: Cozy Quilt

~Hugs,

 

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Timeless Tuesday #259: Polka Dots

Flourishes's Gambler's Sale is up to 50% off--STOREWIDE! Better hurry, as things are flying off the shelves! But, for now, let's talk Timeless Tuesday!

This week, Jenny is our hostess, and she has given us a fun, but simple challenge.  Just use polka dots! See...Easy Peasy!

I had so much fun making this card! I did some stamping with two different Flourishes stamp sets, some heat embossing, paper piecing, distressing, and sewing, and used six different dp's, including, of course, a cute polka dot pattern, and came up with a sweet card to surprise a friend whom I enjoy coffee with after we drop the kids off at school. Well, sometimes it's just coffee, but often it includes breakfast, maybe a trip to the mall, occasionally even lunch, before the "morning" is over. ;) She's a great friend, that's for sure, and I love spending time with her! The Viva la Verve February 2014 Week 1 sketch, turned on it's side, was perfect for this card, as I thought the two circle layers looked like coasters. I used the So Distressed stamp set (still in stock, so hurry, if you want it!) to add coffee rings and a few splotches to them in Gathered Twigs Distress Ink. For the cups, I first cut them on my Silhouette, using Flourishes Grab a Cup Silhouette Cut File, and stamped the image (unfortunately, already out of stock) in Rich Cocoa Memento Ink. Then I stamped the cup images onto 2 different dps in Rich Cocoa ink, fussy cut the pieces and glued them to the white stamped base. The cute little coffee cup "logo" on the cups is part of the stamp set. I just colored it with Copic markers. It's hard to see in the photo, but I used CollAll 3-D glue to raise just the outer edges of the cups to give them a little bit of dimension. I stamped the coffee beans, also in the Grab a Cup set, multiple times on the newsprint dp, and heat embossed the "COFFEE" text in brown ep, adding the ellipsis with a Versamark pen.

On the inside, I stamped the sentiment with Rich Cocoa ink, adding the dots with a Sharpie marker, then punched zig zag strips from four of the dp's to jazz it up a bit. I sponged Vintage Photo ink around the edge of the panel, and over the exposed white edge to the left of the zig zag strips.

So let's all get DOTTY! ;D  You don't have to use Flourishes stamps, but if you do, you get two ballots toward the weekly prize! You can find all the details for the challenge here.

Want to see how DOTTY the rest of the team is? Well, just check them out here:

• Allison Cope
• Cheryl Lea...that's me!
• Deborah Anton
• Jenny Gropp
• Katie Sims

Thanks for stopping by, and have a wonderful week!

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Viva la Verve February 2014 Week 1 Sketch Challenge
Verve February Diva Dare: Perk Up
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday: Get Krafty
MFT Stamps Color Palette Challenge 2
Freshly Brewed Challenge February 2014: Choose Your Challenge (Photo Inspiration)
613 Avenue Create: Anything Goes w/Optional Twist--National RAK Day (a friend)
Corrosive Challenge #193: In Stitches

~Hugs,

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A Better World

Well, it looks like our snow is going to be gone within the next couple of days. My DD is devastated. I am thrilled! Maybe when I was her age, I wanted snow, but I sure can't remember ever feeling that way. While she and her dad were outside in the snow, I had time to make another card.

I used this week's My Favorite Things Wednesday Stamp Club sketch for this one, and as I usually do, for some reason, I turned it on it's side.

I kept this one pretty simple. The globe on the bg was part of the dp, and I added the MFT sentiment in Olive Grove ink. The chevron layer was cut with a Spellbinders die, the strip that has a map on it is a piece of paper tape (not Washi tape) that I've had forever--probably 10 years before I started stamping. I have no idea why I bought it, and I hardly ever use it now, but it worked well here, I thought. Over the striped ribbon, I put a rolled felt flower and leaves, as well as a red flourish, all made with MFT dies. I finally bought a melting pot the other day and needed to make sure it worked, so I heated it up and dipped the red flourish in the melted UTEE to get a glossy look. I can already see that I'm going to use my melting pot often. :) 

On the inside, I sponged Crushed Olive Distress Ink, then used a Tim Holtz thank you stamp. The map image is the Antique Map background stamp from Flourishes. I had to use it since it literally just arrived from halfway around the world! Yep, you read that right--I ordered the stamp from a shop in Singapore! It took about 3 weeks to arrive and cost me almost twice what it would have at Flourishes, but I waited too long to get it directly from Flourishes, and by then it was sold out, and the ONLY place I could find it was a store in Singapore called Maple Treehouse. I was a little concerned about buying something from so far away, but it turns out the store is a good one, and the shipping was reasonable, too. Moral of that story: don't wait! ;)

Happy Valentine's Day, y'all!

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
MFT Wednesday Stamp Club #163
Simon Says Monday Challenge: We Love Stamps

~Hugs to ya,

 

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Ballerina Birthday

I was visiting the Tuesday Morning Sketch blog and they have a sponsor this week who has the most adorable digital images--All Dressed Up. The images are sold on Etsy, but they also have a blog. This is my first encounter with these little cuties, but it won't be my last!

Abi Ballerina is one of All Dressed Up's freebies. Isn't she adorable? :~) I colored her with Copics and used this week's Tuesday Morning Sketches sketch for the layout.

I used a new-to-me Spellbinders die set on the inside, sponged Spun Sugar Distress Ink inside the die on the white sentiment layer, and stamped a Verve birthday sentiment in Peacock Feathers. I ran out of the dark pink dp that I used on the front, and wanted to use it on the inside, too, so I decided to try to duplicate it. Since you could only see the edges of the dp on the front of the card, I think it turned out pretty close. I used a fiery red cs, spritzed it with Bubble Gum Pink Dylusions Ink Spray, then stamped it with an old Inkadinkado stamp (I think it is called Heart Blossom Square) in Frost White Colorbox pigment ink. A word of caution on Dylusions Ink Sprays...rather than take the time to get out my spray box when I sprayed the ink, I decided to just hold the die cut over a trash can and spritz it. BIG MISTAKE! Here's what happened:

You can't see it in this picture, but my thumb, including the nail, is completely pink on the other side, too, and it won't come off! Oh, I know it will eventually wear off, but for a few days I'm stuck with this! I've tried soap and water, baby wipes, stamp cleaner, Staz-On cleaner, and even mineral spirits. Nothing works! I'm used to having ink stained hands, but never anything this vivid or permanent. It would have taken me all of 15 seconds to set up my spray box. You know I won't skip that step again! ;)

Thanks for stopping by, and have a great day!

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Tuesday Morning Sketch Challenge #236

613 Avenue Create Challenge #58: Anything Goes

~Hugs,

 

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Grunge Valentine

While my DH and DD were out playing in our second snow of the year, I had some time in my craft room to make a Valentine card. I used this week's Mojo Monday sketch and went a little grunge. ;)

I inked up a wood planks ef with Aged Mahogany Distress Ink before embossing a gray panel, then inked the edges with Black Soot Distress Ink. The wide horizontal strip is black cardstock with red Washi tape. For the tag, I started with white cs, then stamped three different Verve stamps in Versamark ink and embossed them in three different EP's. The black ep was my first experience with WOW ep. All I can say is WOW! That stuff is awesome! After embossing, I sponged Pumice Stone ink over the entire tag and edged it with Black Soot. The horizontal black fishtail banner is a strip of black cs that I completely embossed with the black WOW ep. Even IRL it looks like a strip of patent leather! The glitter hearts were cut with Verve dies, then I ran them through my Xyron and coated them with red glitter. They are popped up with CollAll 3-D glue. The main heart is a Spellbinders die cut, and the stamp is Tim Holtz. I colored the "14" with Copics, then spritzed the heart with red and white Dylusions Ink sprays. Finally, I sponged Black Soot around the edges of the heart.

The inside is fairly simple. I punched the top edge of a panel of gray cs with a Heartbeat MS punch, sponged Black Soot around the edges, backed it with a strip of cs that I embossed with red glitter ep, used a Flourishes stamp for the Happy Valentine's Day sentiment, and a Verve stamp for the XOXO sentiment, embossing the top half with red glitter ep. The little apostrophe heart is colored red now, but I forgot to do it before photographing. ;)

Wherever you are today, I hope you're warm and dry, and if you're in the middle of this freaky weather we're having here in the south, I hope you're home safe and sound!

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Mojo Monday 332
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: We Love Stamps
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: Have a Heart
613 Avenue Create Challenge #58: Anything Goes
Corrosive Challenge #192: Feel the Love
Freshly Brewed Challenge February 2014: Choose Your Challenge (Photo Inspiration)

~Hugs,

 

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Timeless Tuesday #258: "Wood" You Be Mine...

Time for more Timeless Tuesday goodness!









This week, my sweet friend, Katie, has a really fun challenge for us. She is challenging us to...

I used the Gerber Daisy set for my images, colored them with Copics and cut them with the coordinating Silhouette Cut File. The wings of the butterflies are lifted with CollAll 3D glue. The sentiment, stamped in Teal Zeal Memento Ink, is from the Chrysanthemum stamp set. I was going for a metallic look on the two ornate die cuts on either side of the image, but I'm not sure how well that comes across here. The wood texture on my card is on the panel behind the image. I've got another pic below.

The pic on the left shows the layers and dimension of the images, and the one on the right is the wood textured panel and "metal" embellies that I made using UTEE, before I put the image over it.

It's funny that I made a get well card for this week, since I've been feeling puny, myself! Thanks to everyone for the get well wishes from last week. I'm doing much better! :) The Get Well sentiment in this card is from the Sentimental Favorites stamp set.

Now then, "wood" you please join us in this week's Timeless Tuesday Challenge? I sure hope so. And, remember, you don't have to use Flourishes stamps, but if you do, you get two ballots toward the weekly prize! You can find all the details for the challenge here. And, be sure to check out Flourishes' Gamblers Sale...it's up to 40% OFF--STOREWIDE!

Stop by the rest of the DT's blogs for inspiration and leave them a little blog love while you are there. ;)

• Allison Cope
• Cheryl Lea...that's me!
• Deborah Anton
• Jenny Gropp
• Katie Sims

Thanks for stopping by, and have a wonderful week!

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
613 Avenue Create Challenge #58: Anything Goes
Verve Floral Fantasy February Diva Inspirations Hop
MFT Stamps Color Palette Challenge 2
Simon Says Monday Challenge: We Love Stamps

~Hugs,

Supplies:

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Sweet!

I've picked up some kind of bug, and don't feel much like being on the computer, so I'll make this really short. ;)

I used this week's Mojo Monday sketch for the layout, and used dp from the Sweet Cakes 6x6 pad by Doodlebug Designs for my layers. The notebook paper is actually a Verve die cut from the Sweet Cakes pad. The diagonal strip is a piece of Washi tape on white cardstock. After stamping the image with Memento Tuxedo Black, I colored it with Copics. The hearts were cut with another Verve die, then heat embossed with Red glitter embossing powder. The image and hearts are all attached with Coll-All 3-D glue, so that the little leaves on the image could be supported and the hearts could be tilted on one side rather than just lying flat.

The hearts on the inside were die cut from the scraps from the front of the card. The cherry sentiment is from the same set as the image on the front, and the Valentine's Day sentiment is from a retired Hero Arts set. I sponged Spun Sugar Distress Ink inside the die before stamping.

And, that'll do it for me today!

Thanks for stopping by, and have a "cherry" day!

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Mojo Monday 331 Sketch Challenge
613 Avenue Create Challenge #57: Anything Goes
Corrosive Challenge #192: Feel the Love
Challenges 4 Everybody #38: Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: Love Notes
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: Have a Heart

~Hugs,

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