Catch Up Day!

A small group of friends and I were discussing our need to catch up on our various card kits, subscriptions and virtual events.  We decided that our goal would be to post a card - or cards - from our unfinished stash on the last day of each month.  So...Here we are!

I see that I have fallen behind on this in 2024 (gasp!)  But, today, I start fresh!  Here's is my card:

This card is the last one for me to complete from the Taylored Expression's Virtual Stamp Joy which was held last March.

It's a top folded white base, with their "Sour Gummy" card stock for the embossed panel. 

The instructions were to use a wood grain background stamp on the panel as the first step. Since I could not find mine, I lightly inked the raised side of a wood grain embossing folder using the Sour Gummy ink pad. I placed the panel onto the inked side of the folder and rubbed my palm across the panel, being careful to keep the panel from moving so that it wouldn't blur.

Then the panel is dry embossed using Taylored Expression's "Baroque Bouquet" embossing folder. You want to position the card stock panel so that the raised image appears on the wood grain side, and slightly offset toward the left side.

The next step is to lightly apply "Silver Lining" Lunar Paste over the raised floral image. I did not have that color of Lunar Paste, So I used Silver Chroma Glaze by Brutus Monroe. This is considerably thinner than Lunar Paste, so I applied it with my index finger in a diagonal direction. Eventually I had to cover the whole panel and not just the floral image due to applicator error LOL.

The sentiment is heat embossed in silver and die cut with the coordinating die set. This is a cool set of sentiments and the matching die.  In one pass you can stamp and cut multiple sentiments at once. I love that!  The set is called "All Together - Happy Occasions" by Taylored Expressions. I highly recommend it!

The Sour Gummy panel is adhered to the white base, centering it top & bottom. A thin strip of Silver Foil card stock is glued to the bottom of the panel and the sentiments are attached with foam strips.

Even though I had to make some adjustments for what I had available, the end result is very near the original design from the class. I like the colors and the techniques so this will get a lot of use by me in the future.

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

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!

Stamps by Newton's Nook Designs were selected for this month's challenge. I decided to use their "Roses" set which they so generously gifted to all the attendees at our No Foolin' Retreat, held this past Spring.

Here are the two cards that I made.

This card features the rose stamp which has been gold embossed on the background panel and onto the focal panel.

Both panels have been mounted on a gray card stock.  Gold gems were used for embellishments.

For the second card I ink blended the background panel. Then the rose image was stamped in black.

The focal panel was embossed with Brutus Monroe's Raven embossing powder. Then the image was colored with Olo Markers. 

I masked off the image and lightly ink blended some green around the image. Then the image was trimmed and matted with black card stock.

Both cards feature the birthday sentiment included with the stamp set. For this card, it was also heat embossed with Raven EP, then leftover ink from my brushes were used to color the background. 

This card was also finished with gems in black.

Lots of doubles for this month! Same image, same layout, same sentiment and the same type of embellishments.I really like this little stamp set. 

I had a bit of trouble with the black embossed parts smearing when ink blending and using the alcohol markers. I need to consult the expertise of my friends because I know that Raven is their favorite black EP. 

Please visit the blogs of the other Double Duty members:

Barb

Jeanette

Carol 

Time is really flying this year. It's time for another challenge for the Creative Crew. Tracie is our hostess this month and she chose "It's All About Flowers" for our theme.

Tracie sent us "Tulips for You" by Penny Black.  Isn't she adorable?

The image is colored with Olo Markers and fussy cut by hand.

I cut out extra bins of the tulips from the spare image that Tracie included and mounted them behind the image.

Then the main image is popped up using foam tape. 

The lovely tulip paper is from the "Foiled Floral" series by The Paper Source

I added a sentiment from the "Modern Script Sentiments" collection by Pinkfresh Studio and also popped it up.

The ribbon is from my stash.

Thanks for a fantastic image, Tracie! I really had fun with it. Now off to admire the other creative Crew cards! Here's a list and links to their blogs or their gallery:

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