July's Encore Challenge

We all have so many wonderful things for this hobby. Friends and I noticed that some items only get used once. We love them and promise ourselves that we will use it again, but somehow we never get around to it.  So we created the Encore Challenge! 

We go into our stash and select any item, a stamp set, dies, stencils, etc. and show it the love it deserves. We post our creations on or around the 25th of each month. We would love to have anyone interested play along, as often as you like!

I pulled out a great set of stamps, dies and stencils by Pinkfresh Studio called "Simplest Gestures".  What I like about this set is that the stencils include sentiments and the set of dies includes these sentiments.

The floral images were stamped first with a very light ink, leaving the stamp inside my MISTI.  Then they were ink blended using the stencils.  When the blending was done, the images were stamped again using VersaFine Clair Nocturn ink.

The floral images and "hello" sentiments were die cut with the die set and everything was mounted onto a yellow panel.  The yellow panels were embossed with a Coverplate Die called "Stitched Octagons" which is also by Pinkfresh Studio. 

Silver Sparkle Spots by Trinity Stamps were added to the centers of three flowers to give it a little bling.

This is a fun set and is quick to use.  I'm glad that I reminded myself how great it is.

Please visit the blogs of the other Encore Challenge participants.  The list and links are provided below:

Barb - Barb's Inkin' In Retirement

Carol - Lost in My Craft Room

Jeanette - Cre8tive Play

Terry - It's Totally Terry 

Creative Crew "Gets Crafty"!

On the 15th of the month a group of cardmaking friends host a challenge and post our cards.  This month Barb hosted the challenge and she selected Gus & Gertie Get Crafty by Taylored Expressions.  Woohoo! We all love TE!

I tried to incorporate each side of the fun designer papers that Barb included with the kit. They're from Stampin' Up's Follow Your Art DSP pack.

The card front is ink blended with a polka dot stencil and "Cookie Monster" ink, both by TE.  

The sentiment is hand cut into a banner and lightly blended with the same ink.  The crafty tools on Gus' desk are colored with Olo markers.

I chose to bling, hahahaha.  Some turquoise gems from my stash are added.

Thanks Barb for a fantastic kit this round!  I had fun with it. 

Here are the links to the Creative Crew blogs and galleries on SplitCoast:

Barb - Barb's Inkin' In Retirement

Carol - Lost in My Craft Room

Jeanette - Cre8tive Play

Lorraine - SCS Gallery

Terry - It's Totally Terry

Tracie - Crafty Creations by Tracie 

July's Hot Mess Challenge

On the 12th of each month we have a challenge amongst friends. We create SOMETHING making a mess SOMEHOW.  LOL  Each of us can define "messy" in our own way, but we must end up with a card. It's a lot of fun!

This month I got busy making panels with a stencil and some of my Lunar Pastes.

I played with Clear Skies, Slippery When Wet (gold) and Triple Berry.

I used a stencil by Spellbinders which was included in a "Let's Stamp Together" subscription kit by Scrapbook & Cards Today, back in 2022.  Each panel is 4.25 by 5.5 inches. 

Three panels are "Cookie Monster" cardstock by Taylored Expressions.  The other two panels are "Blueberry" cardstock, also by Taylored Expressions.

I cut two of the Cookie Monster panels following one of the diagrams using a "Happy Half Sheet" diagram by Taylored Expressions.

From there these four cards were made.

Using the same stencil, a light layer of "Cookie Monster" and "Lollipop" inks were blended onto the white portion of each card. A thin strip of "Lollipop" cardstock was cut and applied along the borders of the stenciled panels. 

The Happy Birthday sentiment was stamped in the coordinating inks and is from the "Sentiment Staples" set by Taylored Expressions.

Gold Sparkle Spots by Trinity Stamps embellish the white panels.  I love these because they add great sparkle but are completely flat. Which makes mailing these cards super easy.

I still have more panels from this month's messy work.  I'll be busy making more cards from them.

Thanks for dropping by my blog!  Be sure to visit my Hot Mess friends using the links below.

Jeanette

Barb

Terry

Carol

Double Duty With Brass and Bliss

On the 22nd of each month some friends challenge ourselves to create 2 different cards repeating the same image, sentiment, etc on each card.  We have a predetermined list of the stamp company or specific challenge for each month and then...away we go! 

Our pre-selected company for this month's challenge is Brass & Bliss Craft Co.  I did extra double duty using 2 sets of their stamps on both cards.

The background panels feature "Texture Strip Background #1" and the Hydrangea and sentiment is from "Watercolor Hydrangeas Set".

This card was made using Light and Dark Orchid inks by Gina K Designs.  The layout panels are cut using Master Layouts 1, also by Gina K Designs.

The sentiment is stamped in black and heat embossed with clear powder. It's die cut and layered using Dotted Fancy Frames by Pinkfresh Studio.

The second card was made using Gumball and Sprinkles inks by Taylored Expressions. The background panel was ink blended with those colors as well.

This card also used Master Layouts 1 and Pinkfresh Studio's Dotted Fancy Frames dies on the sentiment.

Both cards used the two-step stamps in the set, but some additional color was applied to the hydrangeas using a sponge dauber.

I really like the font on the sentiment in this set so I think I will mass produce some to have handy in the future.

Please drop by the blogs of the other Double Duty members and comment on their work:

Barb

Jeanette

Carol 

Terry

Creative Crew June Challenge

On the 15th of the month a group of cardmaking friends host a challenge and post our cards. I have the pleasure of being the host for June, and our theme is "Masculine Cards".

I chose the brand new "Mr. Fix It" stamps and dies by Gina K Designs.  It comes with a variety of sentiments so everyone has a lot of options when creating their card.  

I included some patterned papers from my stash, a brown wood embossed piece that was inked with brown ink, and a gray piece of card stock that was stamped in black with Gina K's Double Background 1 Grip Mat.

This is my card, which I made for my son for Father's Day.

Here's how I finished off the inside of the card.

I hope that everyone enjoyed the kit.

Here's a list of the Creative Crew blogs or gallery.  Hop on over to each of them to admire their creative cards!

Barb - Barb's Inkin' In Retirement

Carol - Lost in My Craft Room

Jeanette - Cre8tive Play

Lorraine - SCS Gallery

Terry - It's Totally Terry

Tracie - Crafty Creations by Tracie 

Creative Crew April Challenge

On the 15th of the month a group of cardmaking friends host a challenge and post our cards. This month's challenge was to go into our supplies and pick a stamp!  How fun!

I chose this cute floral and sentiment by Taylored Expressions which were included in the March Virtual Stamp Joy.

The background is made with Taylored Expression's "Checking In" background stamp.

The flowers are colored with Olo Markers.

Thanks for stopping by. Be sure to check out all the cards from the Creative Crew.  Links are provided below.

Barb - Barb's Inkin' In Retirement

Carol - Lost in My Craft Room

Jeanette - Cre8tive Play

Lorraine - SCS Gallery

Terry - It's Totally Terry

Tracie - Crafty Creations by Tracie 

March Catch Up Cards

Several friends and I enroll in various Virtual Card Making events and classes.  Sometimes we are unable to attend the class when it is live, but fortunately the videos are available to participants to view later. 

One day we were lamenting how behind we were. One thing led to another and the concept of the Catch Up Challenge was created!  On the last day of the month we would post cards made from an event or a kit received in the past. 

This month I went back to an unfinished class from last September at the Crop & Create Delivered virtual card making event.  

One of our favorite designers, Gina K Designs, taught a session using silhouette stamps and a unique background stamp that is incorporated into the stamped image.  

The class included a 3rd card, but it's already mailed. I forgot to take a photo of it - oops!

These cards featured the following Gina K Design products:

• Beautiful Day stamps and dies
• Beautiful Patterns background stamp
• Masked Oval Stencil
• Master Layouts #2 dies
• Inks: Bubblegum Pink, Sweet Mango, Fresh Asparagus, Jelly Bean Green, Sea Glass, Tranquil Teal, Soft Stone & Kraft

I really enjoyed making these cards. I especially like how easy they are to mail.  My mind is already thinking of new color schemes for that background stamp.

Here are the links for my friends in the Catch Up Club.  Please visit their blogs and admire their work from some past project or class.

Barb's Inkin' to Retirement

It's Totally Terry

Cre8tive Play: It's Cheaper than Therapy