September Card Chain Challenge: Pirates!!

Hello and welcome!  I am so so so very behind with posts lately, so please excuse my absence...we're so terribly busy as a family right now!  Nevertheless, its time for another CCC reveal!  The September Card Chain Challenge was so fun for me...I just love Pirates!  

If you're new to The Card Chain Challenge, let me tell you, its wonderful!  Card makers from all over the globe get to exchange their beautiful creations and its quite inspiring!  What a fun way to make new friends! 

So, as with any challenge, there are a few rules.  You must stick with any one (or more if you are so inclined) of four different options.  For September, our options were:

1. Color Palette option: 

2. Sketch option:

3. Theme option: Pirates / In the Jungle / Friendship

4. Product/Technique option: Graphic 45 / Metal Charms / Tri-Fold Cards


I wanted to do something a little different this month and decided to use a card kit that I'd gotten not too long ago.  Have you checked out the card kits from Scrapping for Less??  They're such a great value and oh so cute!!  The products I used in my card come from the June kit and feature Scrapberry's papers and stickers by Express Yourself.  So, let's get to it shall we?! ;D

Aside from being super cute, the SFL card kits come with a sketch sheet that make it incredibly simple to pull together a card...or four ;)  I used one of the sketches included with my kit to pull this cutie off...isn't that little guy adorable?!

Since anything associated with pirates and buried treasure usually looks worn and aged, I was sure to ink most of my edges with Distress Ink.  It also helps them to stand out against one another since there were so many elements to this sketch.  I heat embossed my little sentiment strip and die cut the "Thanks" out of glittered cardstock.

Lastly, I added some dimensional tape to the backs of a few of the pieces and adhered everything into place!  This photo shows the layering and dimension a little better.  I did forget to photograph the inside of the card but the sentiment continues with "for showing me the way!", which I thought was absolutely perfect for the map background on the red patterned paper, the ships steering wheel and the telescope sticker...they all tied together so nicely!  Hopefully Dawn in New Zealand will think so too...she was my recipient this month!  Hi Dawn! :D

So that's it for this month...Big THANKS for dropping by today and here's to a wonderful October!

Hugs, 

August Card Chain Challenge Featuring MFT Up in the Air

Hi there!  Its time for the August Card Chain Challenge reveal!  If you're new to The Card Chain Challenge, let me tell you, its wonderful!  Card makers from all over the globe get to exchange their beautiful creations and its quite inspiring!  What a fun way to make new friends! 

So, as with any challenge, there are a few rules.  You must stick with any one (or more if you are so inclined) of four different options.  For August, our options were:

1. Color Palette option:

2. Sketch option:

3. Theme option: Ships / Dogs / Friendship

4. Product/Technique option: Memory Box / Stencils / Tea Bag Folding

With this month's card, I thought that the sketch would be absolutely perfect with hot air balloons!  And I just happened to have the Birdie Brown Up in the Air stamp set from My Favorite Things... ;D 

These images look so sweet in the August color scheme too, don't they?!  And that little doggie (another of the challenge options) peeping over the basket??  Oh my goodness, I just fell in love with him!

I began by stenciling the background using a cloud stencil and distress ink.  After that, I stamped and colored my images before running them through the Big Shot, along with the background panel.  The banner on the large balloon is paper pieced and coated in glossy accents to give it some shine.  I wanted to layer the background panel onto a piece of patterned paper in a subtle print so they wouldn't compete with one another, but also to make my clouds really pop!

Next, I die cut the "hugs" from glitter cardstock and layered it up a few times to give good dimension.  I heat embossed the sentiment in white onto Doll Pink cardstock, which is the closest I could come to magenta.  Lastly, I adhered all of my pieces to the background panel and added a few sequins to give some sparkle!

I had so much fun with this month's challenge...I hope you'll decide to join in sometime!  Thanks so much for stopping by!  Until next time, go get your craft on!

Hugs,

July Card Chain Challenge Featuring MFT Mermazing

Hi there!  Its time for the July Card Chain Challenge reveal!  If you're new to The Card Chain Challenge, let me tell you, its wonderful!  Card makers from all over the globe get to exchange their beautiful creations and its quite inspiring!  What a fun way to make new friends! 

So, as with any challenge, there are a few rules.  You must stick with any one (or more if you are so inclined) of four different options.  For July, our options were:

1. Color Palette option:

2. Sketch option:

3. Theme option: Cacti / Mythical Creatures / Friendship

4. Product/Technique option: Hemptique Cord / Lace / Spray Inking

This month I had the pleasure of sending my card to Jutta M in Canada!  I've only visited Canada on two occasions, both of which were so long ago that I can barely recall anything of significance ...another visit is on my bucket list though!  For Jutta's card, I ended up using two of the options: the color palette and the theme...I wanted to use the sketch also, and did use it for a starting point, but the end result doesn't resemble the sketch very much at all.  Lol :D  So, here is what I came up with...

Of all the mythical creatures out there, mermaids have to be one of my all time favorites!!  They just make me smile!  So, the recently released My Favorite Things "Mermazing" stamp set, illustrated by Birdie Brown, is absolutely adorable!!  I hadn't gotten a chance to use it yet, so it fit in perfectly!  The color palette is very dreamy too...I immediately thought of a mermaid at sunset!

 I began by stamping and coloring my images using Copics, Bristol smooth cardstock and a Copic friendly ink.  Next, I stamped some underwater vegetation onto a Bristol panel using another stamp set by MFT, Exquisite Ocean, using VersaMark ink.  I then heat embossed them using clear embossing powder.  Lastly, using spongs dobbers, I blended three colors of ink onto the plant images using Simon Says Stamp dye inks in Hollyhock, Duckling, and Apricot...my color palette!

To finish up my panel, I used a landscape die from MFT's Scenic Safari set to create a sandy bottom for my little scene.  To keep things interesting (and a little whimsy) I used the On-Point Patterns paper pack for this...its an extremely versatile pack also by MFT. :)

The sentiment strip is blended with the same ink colors as the panel and die cut with a sentiment strip banner, then heat embossed in white.  Although it doesn't show up very well in the photos, I also used clear Wink of Stella to add some shimmer to the mermaid's tail, the sea shells, and her starfish barrette!

So that's it for July's CCC card!  Be sure to check out the full reveal post to see what everyone created this month!  Join me next month for the August reveal, and if you're feeling frisky, head on over to the CCC blog and sign up yourself!  Until next time, go get your craft on!

Hugs,

June Card Chain Challenge featuring MFT Doodled Blooms

Hey y'all!  Summer is well under way here in Georgia!  The temps are climbing and my kiddos are loving all of our outdoor time!  So, its time for another Card Chain Challenge reveal post... If you're new to The Card Chain Challenge, let me tell you, its wonderful!  Card makers from all over the globe get to exchange their beautiful creations and its quite inspiring!  What a fun way to make new friends! 

So, as with any challenge, there are a few rules.  You must stick with any one (or more if you are so inclined) of four different options.  For June, our options were:

1. Color Palette option:

2. Sketch option:

3. Theme option:  Stripes / Houses / Friendship

4. Product option: Penny Black / Glitter / Sewing

This month I had the pleasure of sending my card to Marga in Spain!  This is the first time I've sent a card internationally, so that was exciting for me!  Marga, I hope it brought a smile and I can't wait to see what everyone else created!

I chose the Doodled Blooms stamp set by My Favorite Things.  I hadn't gotten a chance to use this set yet and it was burning a hole on my table!  :D  I just love how cheerful and whimsical these blooms are!

I started out by inking the rays onto a piece of Bristol Smooth cardstock with Apricot ink by Simon Says Stamp.  The Radiating Rays stencil by MFT is one of my favorite tools right now!  It yields fantastic results every time!

Next, I colored the blooms using copics and cut them out with the coordinating dies.  While at it, I also die cut the landscape and borders from the Homespun Gingham paper pack, also by MFT.  It seemed to fit my theme perfectly!

My last step was to add the sentiment, adhere everything into place and add a few embellishments!  I used the Big Chat stickers by Tim Holtz for the sentiment.  I inked the edges of the stickers and then added some Star Dust Stickles to give a little sparkle. :D

I'm really happy with the way that this one turned out!  In case you're interested in joining in on the challenge, the July sign-up is open, but only for a few more days!  Head on over to the CCC blog and add yourself to the linkup...you'll be glad you did!

Until next time, go get your craft on!

Hugs,



Supplies Used: My Favorite Things Doodled Blooms stamp and die set; MFT Homespun Gingham 6x6 paper pad; MFT Radiating Rays Stencil; Pretty Pink Posh Stitched Borders 3 die set; Lawn Fawn Stitched Hillside Borders; Tim Holtz Big Chat Stickers; Simon Says Stamp Die Ink Pad in Apricot; Copic Markers; Star Dust Stickles; Nuvo Crystal Drops in Morning Dew and Dandelion Yellow; Bristol Smooth cardstock; Corner Rounder punch; White Gel Pen  

May Card Chain Challenge featuring MFT Spring Friends

Hi there!  This month sure has flown by, hasn't it?!  Its time for another Card Chain Challenge reveal post!  If you're new to the Card Chain Challenge, let me tell you, its wonderful!  Ladies from all over the globe get to exchange their beautiful creations and its quite inspiring!  What a fun way to make new friends! 

So, as with any challenge, there are a few rules.  You must stick with any one (or more if you are so inclined) of four different options.  For May, our options were:

1. Color Palette option:

2. Sketch option:

3. Theme option:  Stars / Trees / Friendship

4. Product option: Washi Tape / Origami

I really wanted to incorporate as many of the options as possible, but my final creation ended up using only 3 of the challenge options ... and that's totally fine!

I wanted to use Distress Inks to water color a customized plaid background.  The color palette is not one that I'd normally choose, so I thought this would be a good way to highlight the color palette.  I once watched a video on Kristina Werner's YouTube channel where she shows this technique.  I love to watch her tutorials because she simplifies everything!! If you'd like to watch it also, just click here! :D  The colors ended up being slightly darker than I'd intended, but that's okay too!  We're going with it anyway...

Next, I stamped my images onto water color cardstock using Antique Linen Distress Ink.  I was going for the no-line water coloring technique here.  I really, really like this technique!  Its very forgiving...I make so many mistakes when water coloring, so this is great for me. :D 

While I waited for my little girl to dry, I inked a background panel with Distress Inks and cut it out using a Cross Stitched rectangle die.  I die cut my clouds using the leftover water color cardstock and stamped my sentiment directly on the inked panel.  By then my water colored image was dry and I was able to cut her out with the matching die.  I lined all of my images up and adhered them using a combination of foam adhesive and Tombow Mono Multi glue.  

The sentiment on the inside of the card is what ties the theme option in...friendship! Because you can always make a new crafty friend when you participate in the CCC. ;)  I ended up really loving how this one turned out...its so nice to be pushed outside of your box every now and then! 

 

The June Card Chain Challenge is currently open but closes on June 6th, so if you're interested in joining in, hurry and head on over there to get signed up!  You'll be glad you did! :D

A complete list of supplies used on this project can be found below.  Until next time, go get your craft on!

Hugs,  

Supplies Used:  Tim Holtz Water Color Cardstock; My Favorite Things (MFT) Spring Friends stamp set and matching dies; MFT Cross-Stitch Rectangle Stax; MFT Cloud Nine Dienamics; Distress Inks: Victorian Velvet, Stormy Sky, Forest Moss, Tumbled Glass, Tattered Rose; Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers: Brown, Oatmeal, Flesh, Blue Gray; VersaFine Onyx Black; Simon Says Stamp White Top Fold A2 card base

April Card Chain Challenge featuring SSS Spring Seeds

Hi there!  I hope everyone is enjoying this marvelous weather as much as I am!  I've gotten some much needed gardening time in lately, and it absolutely inspired this card that I created for my recipient, Arlene, in the April edition of the Card Chain Challenge!  If you're new to the Card Chain Challenge, let me tell you, its wonderful!  Ladies from all over the globe get to exchange their beautiful creations and its quite inspiring!  What a fun way to make new friends! 

So, as with any challenge, there are a few rules.  You must stick with any one (or more if you are so inclined) of four different options.  For April, the options were:

1. Color Palette option:

2. Sketch option:

3. Theme option:  Fruits & Vegetables / Rabbits / Friendship

4. Product option: Perfect Pearls / Die Cuts / Stencils & Embossing Paste

So, with those options in mind, I really wanted a card that sang of Spring.  Here's what I came up with...

I went with the Spring Seeds stamp set and coordinating dies from Simon Says Stamp.  I love these stamps and dies!  They are such fun to work with and they are the sweetest images!  The bunny is my favorite. :D  I'll include a list of all other products used below.  Here's a closer look at some details. 

You can really get great depth and dimension with these dies.  Before mailing, I decided to add just a few clear sequins to give a little sparkle!

Also, one last thing that I want to share with you is the card that I received from Denise in CA! 

She used a darling floral image and water colored it.  Isn't this the sweetest card?!  My photo really doesn't do it justice, considering the orange in the flowers is such a bright and pretty orange.  Isn't her technique wonderful?  Thank you so much Denise!!

 

I hope you'll consider joining the Card Chain Challenge...its great fun and a great way to challenge your creativity!  Until next time!

Hugs,

Complete List of Products used:  Large Eyelet Cover Panel die by Reverse Confetti, Spring Seeds stamp and die set by Simon Says Stamp,  Copic markers, Fishtail Banners dies by Sunny Studios, Hemp Cord twine by Hemptique, Sparkling Clear Sequins by Pretty Pink Posh, Tiny Check 6x6 paper pad by My Favorite Things, Fashionably Chic 12x12 paper pad by Recollections, Nina Desert Storm cardstock, Nina Solar White cardstock, and After Midnight cardstock by My Favorite Things

**I will also be entering this card in the Simon Says Stamp Monday and Wednesday Challenges**