Red Lobster

Hello Readers,

For today I am playing along with Create with Connie and Mary. Their sketch was a fantastic challenge. Here is my card for today, enjoy!

Very seaworthy card. Watercolor panels, 'worn' entry log, and red lobster
have all the signs of the Cape Cod style.

The bottom panel is torn to represent water or waves. 

Detail showing the lobster. He was stamped using red dye ink
and then colored using PrismaColor pencils.
I think cutting around this lobster is beyond 'fussy' cutting. Took a long time
but I think the outcome was worth the work.

Challenges Entered:

Create with Connie and Mary: CCMC407- Sketch

When I was 36 my life changed. It started with dinner, shrimp alfredo with angel hair pasta. yum! Thirty minutes after dinner I went for a run; it was then I started wheeze and feel very dizzy. I am already diagnosed with asthma and had my inhaler with me. I used it 5-6 times with no relief. Thought I would make my way back home and cool down on our front yard. My son came up to me and said I had a mosquito bite on my face. Strange... It was late August they are usually gone by that time. No sooner did he say that my lips started to swell and those mosquito bits started popping up all over my face. My neighbor, friend, and nurse lives across the street from me and asked what was going on. She said I may be allergic to shrimp. WHAT? So I go my allergist and she confirms that yes I am VERY allergic to anything with a fin. So disappointing. 

I know this may sound strange but I was actually sad that I couldn't eat seafood anymore. I mean really sad... I love shrimp, crab, orange roughy, salmon, but especially lobster. I am over it now and have gone on with my life fish free. No biggie. But it just caught me off guard to be seriously sad about SEAFOOD! What gives? I don't know maybe my feeling was a bit 'fishy'. 

Well now that my pitty party is over I would like to say thank you so much for stopping by and hearing me cry (for today is National Whining Day). I hope you enjoyed your visit and I invite you to come back for a more uplifting post. Until then take care and see you soon.

All the best,
Shawna

In the Water

Hello All

For today I am playing along with Create with Connie and Mary, Little Tangles and Colour Q. Their challenge this week is a sketch challenge... Here is my card for today, enjoy!

Ombre effect creating a sense of the ocean

The three strips of white seems to have a nautical feel

The seashells are just perfect for this card.

The sentiment is so cool and a happy accident. When I stamped it the sentiment
came out splotchy but then I thought it looked great. So I just colored the rest in with PrismaColor pencils.

Entering Challenges:
Creating with Connie and Mary: CCMC395
ColourQ: cQc #331
Little Tangles: Challenge 66- Ombre
    

This card reminds me of Seaside Florida. I have said it before but it is one of the most beautiful places. The blue of the water is just remarkable. The colors associated with this card brings back memories of Seaside on 30A! If you haven't been there I think it might be worth a Google search.. I think you will be impressed as I certainly am.. Now I get to look out my window at the gray day and snow... Spring is coming, spring is coming, spring is coming!!

Thank you so much for stopping by and visiting me.. I really do appreciate it! If you'd like take time to leave a comment!!

All the Best,
Shawna

By the Sea

Hello Readers,

For today I am playing along with Paper Craft Crew Challenge and Create with Connie and Mary. The inspiration that came from these two incredible challenges were thought provoking and didn't turn out the way I thought.. It turned out better! Enjoy!

The sky and interior of the room follows the color challenge
from Create with Connie and Mary.
The flowers are thought to be sent for the recipient.

Entering the following challenges:

Create with Connie and Mary: Color Challenge- CCMC376

Paper Craft Crew Challenge: Sketch- PCCCS165

  

The sea theme is consistant throughout the card.
Lost Lagoon was used in the sea stars and ocean.

The sky is kind of dark with a white horizon line that melts into
Lost Lagoon is so pretty and true. 

I can actually smell the sea looking at this card.. You can imagine some clouds coming in but some of the sunshine is lighting up the horizon white. I used my Lost Lagoon ink pad and an aqua pen to create the ocean scene; and finished it off using a white gel pen for detail. As I didn't have Perfect Plum or Tip Top Taupe I tried to match them with what I had on hand.  

Well that should do it for me.. I hope you enjoyed your stay and want to thank you so much for spending time with TheGrandStampede.. Please leave any comments you would like good, great, or otherwise.. Thank you again and we will see you soon!

All the best,

Shawna 

Too Much Happy?

Hello all!

The card sentiment for today is, in my opinion, a loaded statement and most likely a great conversation starter! 'You can never have too much happy', I will get into why later on but first I wanted to show you my latest and greatest card creation. Here it is I really hope you like it.

Color palette looks amazing surrounded by all this white.
The color keeps your eye moving till it lands comfortably on
the sentiment.

A side folding card is just a bit different for this
modern CAS design.

So, can you have too much happy?
I am not sure.. Why?
 Well without sadness how can appreciate happy. 

I am playing along with three challenges today. The Paper Players is to use 'frames' and keeping the design clean and simple (CAS). My interpretation of frames was outlining some of the hexagons with colors inspired by Create with Connie and Mary challenge. The shadows from the cover plate can also be considered frames. While we are on the subject of CAS, the folks at Addicted to Stamps are making CAS their theme for this week. 

Sending my card to:

The Paper Players PP254: featuring 'frames' w/a CAS design

Create with Connie and Mary CCMC364: color challenge

Addicted to Stamps Challenge #154: CAS (Clean and Simple)

       

The color combination is just fantastic for this predominately white card.. It seems that the eye is drawn all over the card from the pops of color that surround it. The outlined black hexagons brings you back to the solid black hexagon and sentiment which is framed by a larger vellum hexagon. Very subtle but very effective. 

How to:

1. Cut and scored my CS to 5.5"x 4.25" (A2)
2. Die cut a hexagon cover plate and attached it to the card base.
3. Coloring/outlining select hexagons using the challenge color palette.
4. Stamped sentiment using VersaMark Ink then heat embossed white on black CS and die cut.
5. Die cut a larger vellum hex frame then adhered it behind the sentiment hex.
6. Attached the hexes to the card base.

Easy as that! Well not really, I went through many design options before getting to this one and I am very pleased with the outcome.

Thank you so much for stopping by I really do appreciate your visits! If you'd like, please leave a comment good, great or otherwise! I enjoy reading what you have to say. Take care and we will see you sooner then later.

All the best,

Shawna 

Circular Madness

Hello again Everyone!

I wanted to send this card to the Create with Connie and Mary and Colour Q challenges. Both were fabulous challenges which inspired my creation.. Here it is I hope you enjoy it!

Entering Challenges:
Create with Connie and Mary: Sketch Challenge #CCMC263
ColourQ: Challenge #298

    

The circles within the circle are each colored using the Colour Q challenge and the layout was inspired by Connie and Mary. So cute and more importantly so easy.. It is just one layer and is ready to be popped in the mail at a moments notice. I am sure-ish this card may be CAS design. Please correct me if I am wrong.

I think the pops of color really makes this card stand out. The subtle yet cheery colors are just perfect for the sentiment that was stamped. I thought at first I would color in the letters but then looking at it again I thought it looks great just the way it was.

So this is how I made this delightful card.
How to:

1. Stamp the circles from the retired Circle Circus set 
2. Colored one circle in each of the larger circle one color that was taken from the ColourQ challenge. 
3. Rounded the corner of the card
4. Stamped the sentiment 

I am not kidding that is all it took to create this card and what a an impactful and graphic design this ended up becoming. I am really enjoying how this card turned out and I hope you do to..

Well that is it for me tonight I am (once again) cutting it close with entering a challenge but I think I can make it.. Take care and please leave a comment and let me know what you think! Until next time..

All the best,
Shawna

Proud as a peacock

As some of you know peacocks are my favorite bird.  Just stop by my Pinterest page which is devoted to these majestic creatures. So when Stampin' Up! came out with Perfect Peacock stamp set, I was jumping out of my skin to get my crafty little hands on it. So I did and with the help of Connie and Mary- CCMC345 Sketch challenge I was on my way.

Entering Challenge CCMC345
by: Create with Connie and Mary

This sketch was such an inspiration for this design. My card is full of detail, color, and texture which makes it so pretty. At least I think so, well, see for yourself.

Card size: 6" x 6"

This picture illustrates how the top flap opens
at an angle per the sketch.
Copper accents give the card a bit of shine.

Detail of the front flap. Adore this peacock

This card got very involved however I just love the end result.
Here is how I did it.

1. Stamped the largest Daydream Medallion and heat embossed it copper. Then die-cut the medallion using the coordinating framelits. Distressed the edges.
2. Masked off a circle to stamp the peacock then embossed it in copper as well. 
3. Found some amazing patterned paper and die-cut the same Floral Frame framelits as the Daydream medallion. Distressed the edges.
4. Colored the peacock image using water based markers. I applied the color directly to the paper with the marker. Then used a damp brush to apply water. The ink was allowed to spread within the perimeters of the embossed boundary. Let dry.
5. Cut the card base then cut front flap at an angle per the sketch. Then using a border punch punched the detailed border. Then backed the front panel with vellum, leaving a border underneath. Adhered the back panel with the same patterned paper as the front. Distressed edges.
6. Die-cut leaves; used the same water technique on leaves as I did on the peacock. Die-cut vellum leaves too.
7. Die-cut tag stamped flower background; stamped sentiment with the same color as the peacock's neck. 
8. Assembled. Then used a bit of the Stampin' Up! two way glue pen allowing it to shut without completely adhering.

Thank you for stopping by and hope to see you again!

All the best,

Shawna

Materials: All by Stampin' Up!

Blooming With Kindness Clear Stamp Set Daydream Medallions Clear Stamp Set Perfect Peacock Wood-Mount Stamp Set Floral Frames Framelits Die 2-Way Glue Pen

Fabulous Feathers!

Hello Again!
Today's card was probably the most challenging of all! The challenge for CAS(E) this Sketch #106 was, at first glance, no problem!! Got it... Well, no I didn't get it. I actually went through 3-4 tries before I came up with this design and I just love the way it turned out!

The colors are coming from Create with Connie and Mary color challenge #CCMC338.  I am in love with this color combo! The stamp set is the Four Feathers bundle from Stampin' Up!  I used the die to mask the feathers off to have that layered 'X look'. The sentiment is the Perfect Pennants set from Stampin' Up! I got this stamp set specifically for this sentiment.  One of my favorite sayings of all time! The size and shape of the sentiment is perfect for the banner. Then, I just added a few sequins for some sparkle.

The 'X' pattern is consistent with the CAS(E) this sketch #106
and love the colors!

Card Size: A2- 4.25" x 5.5"

Layering the black border with the white border
'lightens' up the design.

I hope you enjoyed this card as much as I enjoyed making it (when I figured it out!). Have a great day and we will see you soon with another card from TheGrandStampede..

Sending good thoughts your way!

All the best,

Shawna

  

Shaker Thank You Card

Hello Again!

I hope this posting finds you all well on this first workday of the New Year.  As promised I have decided to enter into not one but two challenges today. I have a lot of Stampin' Up! stuff so these challenges all involve mostly all their product..

One of the challenges I am entering is  The Paper Craft Crew Sketch #125- PCCCS125. The sketch immediately reminded me of a shaker card.  So used some dots for the background and glitter to shake and then adhered a Stampin' Up! Sizzix 'thank you(s)' die cut on top of the clear window. Grunge splatters seem to extend the glitter. The sentiment I thought would be perfect for my neighbor. 'Thank You & Thank you (kind doer of good deeds).

CCMC336 - Color Challenge by Create with Connie and Mary.  I just love the color palette. It reminds me of Valentines Day. However, I didn't go there! I went in an entirely different direction! And here it is!!

Thank you 

& 

Thank You (kind doer of good deeds)

Thank you & Thank You (kind doer of good deeds)

The white die cut 'thank you' goes well with the colored dots.

Close up view to show all the dimension on this card.

I really enjoyed making this card. Together the sketch and color palette really just made the ideas flow out and onto paper.  

Here are the sets I used all Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted:

Gorgeous Grunge

Lots Of Thanks

MANY THANKS Thank You Sizzix Sizzlits Die by Stampin' Up!

Box of Dots - Hero Arts

Ampersand Die - MFT

Framelits Die and Clear Acrylic Stamp Set - Banners 2 - Sizzix

Leave me a comment and let me know what you think. Have a great day everyone and see you soon!!