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