In the Clouds Duel!

On the 15th of each month a great group of friends on Split Coast, the "Classy Card Ladies" have a challenge duel.  The two teams, Diamonds and Pearls, rotate the hostess for the duel.  Each team's hostess picks the theme and sends a small kit to each team member.  Today's the day for the Diamonds and Pearls to show off our creations using these kits!

I'm a member of the Pearls, and this month's hostess is Jeanette.  Hostess for the Diamonds is Kelly.  The theme that they selected is "In the Clouds".  Here is my card, using my latest favorite fold/layout:

The silver cloud on the right panel is popped up on only the farthest right side, leaving the other side of the cloud available to tuck in the 1/4" panel of the front.  This makes a cute stand-up card.

Here's a closer look at the right hand side.

Overall card dimensions are 5x7.  Fold 1/4" on left and right sides of the front panel.  Score the front panel at 2.25" and 4.75", fold to get the pop out shape.  

Here's the front panel flattened a bit for you to see.

Here's a look at the inside and the back of the front panel:

Kit Contents:
Images and Sentiment by Fun Stampers Journey "Fly Away"

Papers:
Stampin' Up Metallic Silver, Paper Studio Black & White Diagonal Stripe, Embossed clouds using Darice Embossing Folder and Fun Stampers Journey cloud die with SU's Metallic Silver card stock

Ribbons are Stampin' Up and Enamel Dots from Recollections.  The Sequins are from Jeanette's stash.

This was a very fun kit!  Thank you Jeanette!

Now it's time for me to go and admire the creative talents of the Diamonds and the Pearls.  Have a look - links to their galleries and blogs are in my side bar.  Then, maybe you can go outside and admire the clouds!

Classy Card Ladies Salt Life Duel

 On the 15th of each month two teams of friends (The Diamonds and The Pearls) on Split Coast Stampers have a duel.  This month Kelly from The Diamonds sent both teams the challenge kit, entitled Salt Life.  She lives in Miami and said that almost every car has #SaltLife! on it, and thought it was perfect for us to celebrate the beginning of the Summer Season.

This is what I came up with.  The image is colored with Spectrum Noir markers, accented with Wink of Stella clear glitter.

Doesn't he look like he is ready to jump into the surf?

Image: Photo Play Tulla and Norbert's Excellent Adventure Collection stamped onto #110 Recollections with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink.

Designer Papers are from the same collection.  So Cute! 

Kelly included a variety of embellishments from her stash.

Here you can see a close up showing the Wink of Stella on the tag, his snorkel mask and beach ball:

This was really fun for me.  Not owning any gnome stamps myself it was nice to play with this little guy!

Be sure to visit the Galleries and Blogs of all The Classy Card Ladies, links are in my side bar.  

Time for fun in the sun and the Salt Life!

Hot Mess = Success!

 

It's the 13th of the month and time for another Hot Mess = Success card making challenge!  The concept is that even though the creation process is messy, we can end up with success...well...in my case, most of the time!

Edit: When-oh-when will I get it through my head that the posting date is the 12th, not the 13th???

My friends have been inspiring me with their amazing results using various techniques with  alcohol inks, Yupo paper, etc.  So I bought a few colors and hit the YouTube channels for some instructions. 

Jennifer Mcguire's Video for Alcohol Resist Stamping caught my attention:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGCk30_grqc&t=535s

Here are my two panels:

The larger panel on the right is on Yupo and has Dijon and Citrus Ranger Inks blended after spritzing with rubbing alcohol.  

Then, ink up a stamp with Ranger's Alcohol Resist Lift Ink and stamp onto the Yupo panel, and then onto regular card stock.  If using a Misti type tool, you could repeat this until the image on your regular card stock panel is darker.  

Take a paper towel and blot the Yupo panel and image until it emerges from the inked background.  Be careful to rotate your paper towel so that you're always using a fresh part and not transferring ink back onto the panel.

Here's my first attempt at this last month:

I like the Yupo panel colors and swirls better than this go around.  However, here's my Lesson Learned:

The dandelion stamp creates too faint of an image to get good results.  At least it did for me.

Then trim up your panels and make your cards.  My end results:

Next time, I think I'll create some color on the card stock panel, maybe use a mask to create an oval or something similar.  Perhaps using a light colored card stock, or getting more colors on the Yupo panel.  I thought the image stamped onto the white card stock looked too stark, so I sponged some light yellow onto it.

Both of these cards are hitting the mail to my good friend in NH who is having her first knee replacement surgery later this week.  

Now I'm off to these blogs to admire the Hot Mess Successes created by my friends:

Kelly

Jeanette

Barb

Terry

Carol

Do yourself a favor and see what they've created!

Wedding Slim Line Card Duel...One Week Later!

 The Classy Card Ladies usually post our Monthly Duel cards on the 15th, but the Postal Service played havoc with some members receiving their kits.  As a result, we agreed to post today, giving some members more time for a replacement kit to be received.

Our hostess for the Pearls (my team) is Shelly and the hostess for the Diamonds is Carol.  Shelly sent us a bursting-at-the seams kit with a wedding theme!

Here's the front of my card:

Here's a side angle, trying to show the glimmer added to the bride, the white flowers and the die cut frame:

The inside was finished off with more of the papers, some bling and one of the sentiments:

Kit contents included:

Stamps: Great Impressions; Sentiments - Printworks, Heart and Soul Blessings (all stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink)

Papers: Cardstock and Designer Papers from Bazzill and other companies

Diecuts: CC Designs Scalloped Slimline and Joy! Crafts Embossed Frame

Envelope: Simon Says

Embellishments: Amazon Colored Pearls, JoAnn/Park Lane Pearls, Maya Road Roses Trim, Offray Ribbon, Paper Studio Small White Flowers, Recollections Bling Strip, Recollections Small White Flowers, and Charms and Twine from unknown vendors

Thank you Shelly and Carol for a fun theme that I don't think we've done in the past.  Big shout out to Shelly for so much fun packed into our kits!  Now I'm off to visit blogs and galleries of the Diamonds and Pearls to admire their wedding creations.  I suggest that you do the same!  Links are in my side bar.

Mother's Day Hot Mess=Success Card

 Last weekend I had a few hours of crafty time, so I tackled a card that was showcased in the recent Crop & Create Delivered Cardmaking event.  The virtual classes were held on March 19-21 and it was a blast to attend, and making it even more fun were my friends Barb and Jeanette who also attended!  We texted and shared photos throughout and it was great.

This card was taught by Libby Hickson using products from Hero Arts.  I knew that I would not be able to keep up during the actual class, so I saved it for when I could work at my own pace.  (Tutorials are available online for those who register).  

Here is the finished card:

The Hot Mess part:

This "direct-to-paper" technique was new to me, and thus it was intimidating.  But it actually was fun, and easier than I thought.  

Do yourself a favor and use slightly glossy card stock, stock with a super smooth finish.  The colors will transfer nicely.  Yes, I had brightly colored finger tips for a few hours!

Next I tackled the layered hummingbird stamps. 
This is the set from Hero Arts:

Using the same stamp pad, you select different greens to layer the image and finish with black ink that outlines the bird.

Libby provided excellent instructions and I successfully produced three hummingbirds!

Then the flowers, two layers, using the same stamp pad.

After letting everything dry, the matching set of dies were used to cut the flowers and hummingbird.  The black panel for the card front was die cut with Hero Arts' "Through the Woods Window Fancy Die".  Since I wanted more than one card from this effort, I positioned the black panel and chose where to cut the variegated panel prepared at the start.

Then it was LOL - Laboring Over Layout! Eventually ending up with the placement for sentiment, hummingbird and flowers.

Eventually I cut off some of the flower stems and tucked them behind the black leaves to give it some interest.  Slight amounts of glitter from a clear Wink of Stella Pen accented the bird's wings and some of the flower petals. 

It's finished off with a bright green interior panel with a Happy Mother's Day sentiment.  All in all, I felt successful and enjoyed making these cards.

 Now I'm off to these blogs to admire the Hot Mess Successes created by my friends:

Kelly

Jeanette

Barb

Terry

Carol

Do yourself a favor and see what they've created!

Thanks for stopping by!

Dueling with Tuesday Morning Sketch # 567

 It's the 15th and that means it's time for the Classy Card Ladies to duel it out.  Laura Jean (LJ) and I are hosting this round and we challenged everyone to use sketch #567 from Tuesday Morning Sketch!  LJ asked and was granted permission for us to use the sketch.

If you're not familiar with them, pop on over to their website and take a look:

                    http://tuesdaymorningsketches.blogspot.com/

Here's the link to our specific sketch:

Sketch 567

...And here's my card:

Image and sentiment from "Exercise Grumplings" by Taylored Expressions.

Floral paper from Love Nicole's "Floral Doodles" pad.

Candy dots are from Stampin' Up and the fun washi tape is from some strange place online, hahahaha!  The writing on the spools is Sanskrit so I have no clue.

The Grumpling and sentiment are colored with Spectrum Noir markers.

Here's a closer look at the washi tape to show how glittery it is:

And here is the actual sketch:

Be sure to visit the blogs and galleries of the Pearls and Diamonds (our 2 teams) and admire their creative take on the sketch.  

Have a great day!

Classy Card Ladies March Duel

 It's the 15th of March and the Classy Card Ladies (CCLs) are posting their cards for the March Duel.  Hostess of the Pearls for this round is Tracie and the Hostess of the Diamonds this month is Barb.  They chose "Butterflies" as the theme.  

Tracie wrote, "As I write this note to you it is -2 degrees outside with a wind chill of -21..."  YIKES!  Hence the cheerful spring theme.

Here is the front of my card:

I used SU's Early Esspresso as the card base.  All other papers were included in Tracie's kit.  They are "Simple Village Botanicals" and "Simple Vintage Garden" in the Simple Stories collection.  Aren't they gorgeous?

Little flowers by Recollections, the Wooden Butterfly (colored with a marker) is from Tracie's stash and I suspect that she hand made the butterfly in the upper corner.  It's so pretty

The sentiment and image are from the set "Garden Mice" by Newtons Nook.  I colored the sentiment with one of my markers.

Not wanting to cover up any of the lovely papers, I put the adorable mouse image on the inside and used more of the designer papers on the opposite panel:

It looks like the strip behind the Doodlebug Mini Doily is crooked, but it's my lack of photography skills at work, LOL.  

It's been spitting rain/hail/snow mixtures on and off all day here in the Pacific NW, so thinking of Spring and warmer weather and playing with this kit was the perfect way to spend my time.  

Thanks Tracie for a wonderful duel this month!  I'm off to visit blogs and galleries of the other CCLs to admire their work.  Links to each are on my left sidebar, hop around and leave them some love.