Peace on Earth Online Card Class Homework

Please do not tell Dr. Ambrose that I have not been working on my final paper that is due in 2 weeks. I just can't get motivated when I would rather be doing my homework from the Holiday Online Card Class with Jennifer Maguire and Kristina Werner!

So, I gave myself permission to take this weekend off and play and I promise I will knuckle down next week. I watched a number of videos from class today. The funny thing was I really wanted to see how Laura Bassen made her winter wonderland scenic card, but it was Julie Ebersole's videos that stole the day for me.

My card today was combination of two cards she made and I really like the the subtle gold sparkle of the Delicata gold ink around the masked Martha Stewart dove punch. The saying is from the new brush stroke set from Papertrey Ink.

If you haven't taken any of the online card classes, you are really missing out on alot of fun and new techniques and ideas.

OK- gotta go more homework  to finish from class. Now I have to try that winter wonderland scene.

Let it snow!

Thanksgiving is only a month away and that means Christmas isn't far behind. Now is the time to start thinking about all of your holiday crafting.

I always am thrilled when I come up with an idea that can be easily reproduced in a variety of ways. This blueprint with a tag on a plain card base can be made in any number of ways. I made a similar card featured on this blog posting.

My tag cards use two new products just released by Memory Box. The winter large snowflakes stencil and the die- let it snow clouds.

So how did I make these cards you ask? I free cut a tag shape and sponged  MenentoLUXE inks on to the tag with the snowflake stencil. I used summer sky, angel pink, pear tart and toffee crunch. Next I tried something everyone has been doing but I have been late to the party on this technique. I placed the stencil over the tag so the snowflakes are covering open spots and using the shimmer creative medium from Imagine Crafts.

I spread the medium through the stencil with a palette knife and carefully removed the stencil. while the medium was still wet I sprinkled glitter on the tag. While the tag was drying I die cut the let it snow die and just used the words.

 When the tag was dry, I attached the "let it snow" sentiment. Lastly, I adhered it to my base card with foam tape and added matching ribbons and some of the ever popular sequins. Why you ask? Because you can never have enough sparkle!

Here is another view, so you can appreciate the glittery snowflakes on this fun card.

I am entering these cards in two challenges featuring tags. First the word at Addicted to CAS is "tags".

Second, I discovered a new challenge site that is all about tags called Tag You're It! where these tags were the inspiration.

I hope you like these clean and simple tag cards. Let me know how you would interpret this blueprint.

Wit or wit-out

Hi Everyone! What a cold and dark Saturday morning. It is just a taste of what is to come. But the positive spin is that cold mornings make you happy to be inside and hunkered down in my studio with some soft music and a cup of tea ready to create with soft fall colors. Oranges, rust, saffrons and browns.

This month at House of Cards we are challenge you to a fun sketch.

I had to go with  Thanksgiving theme, plus it gave me the opportunity to use my new "songbirds" set from Papertrey Ink. I love anything with birds on it, so naturally it was the first set I grabbed for this challenge.

Of course, because I have been so busy with school and work, I didn't get photograph till this morning, when it was kinda dark still. Sooooo we have two photos and as they say at Pat's- "one wit and one wit-out" light that is- not cheese! The top photo has the flash off. the one below has the flash on. Sometimes I like the flash, it reminds me of family photographs from years ago.

Please join us this month for the sketch challenge at House of Cards and check back in each week to see what each style has to offer starting with the CAS team on Monday.

Thank Fall

The current challenge at the Card Concept is a photo challenge with the theme of "thank fall". Clever huh- "thank fall"? I love it- so fun. Besides I need ideas for my Thanksgiving cards and the theme and photo inspired me. 

I have only three challenges left on the Wild card team at the Card Concept and for the last three we get to pick our styles. Naturally, I drift towards the CAS categories.

One of my oft used techniques is to stamp or place images over top of a text stamp. It just creates such an interesting CAS look. For this card I had to go back to my older but well inked stamps. The text stamp from Hero Arts "Dictionary Greetings, I use ALL the time for this technique. I was pleasantly surprised to still see you could buy this set of stamps. I highly recommend it! The pumpkins are from A Muse. Looks like this set is only available on e-bay. The branch is StampinUp- unknown set.

Here is another look for the same idea using a new stamp from Great Impressions.

I wasn't as happy with this. I shoulda used four pumpkins instead of three. They look too squashed in. What do you think?

This works with this week's challenge at Just Us Girls so I am entering it there also.

Please join us this week at the Card Concept with your interpretation of this weeks challenge!

Halloween fun

Halloween is quickly approaching and usually I have had several varieties of cards made. Not so this year. I have been way to busy with work and school. It just isn't right that they interfere with my valuable crafting time!!. Last Sunday I had a pocket of time and quickly made this set of cards to send out. 

I am entering theses cards in two challenges. At Addicted to Stamps they are having a holiday challenge and while many folks entered Christmas themed cards I am clearly going for a spooky holiday. Be sure to check out the challenge and see the card Cornelia posted- it is so stinking clever!!

Over at Shopping Our Stash it is clearly a Halloween challenge. My cards are totally from stash items- black card stock that I have had fore ten or more years, washi tape that I have hoarded, those little googly eyes that I have been waiting for just the right moment to use and all kinds of Halloween paper scraps.

I have discovered a new challenge that these cards totally fit for called the Male Room for masculine based cards- what a great idea! This weeks challenge is Halloween.

Lastly another new challenge for me to enter. AAACards is another CAS challenge with a Halloween theme this week.

Here are all three cards together- what's that sticking in the middle of the cards? Any guesses? 

Sunflower hello

This week's challenge at the Card Concept is a photo challenge with a theme of country and sunflowers. My challenge as a wild card member was clean and graphic. Ardyth is the queen of CAG, so if you aren't sure what that means- check out her blog.

I originally did this card white on white, but it just didn't have the same punch as the white on black. 

 What do you think? I am hoping my good buddy the "beautiful Lydia" liked it. She loves all things sunflower, so I had to send her this card for her birthday!!

Please check out the Card Concept and show me how you would interpret the challenge.

Candy cane ombre

It's looking a lot like Christmas! Wait!! I haven't even started my Halloween cards!! Yikes!

This week I am hosting the trend challenge at Just Us Girls. The trend is one of my favs- ombre.
You see it everywhere from fashion to hair color to furniture. No surprise it is everywhere in paper crafting too.

I had such fun! I created a series of candy cane ombre cards using Papertrey Ink's "ombre builder" stamp set. The ink pads I used were  Memento- angel pink, Distress ink- worn lipstick, Hero Arts- mid-tone pale tomato and Impress ink- poppy red. Remember it's not rocket science, take what ever inks you have and play with them until you get the graded tones you like.

Now on a sad note and with a heavy heart, I have stepped down as a designer for JUGs. As the saying goes "life just got in the way", what with a new FT nurse coordinator job and graduated school. I will be checking out what our designers are creating and hope to play along myself when time permits. It has been a great year and the JUG girls are an awesome group to work with!