Paper craft project no. 480: Follow your bliss

Hey there! Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. I'm back with a short post for a card I created for the current challenge at Time Out. It's an Inspired by Words challenge: "With each sunrise we are given a chance for a new beginning." 

Last week, I went CAS with an almost one layer card. This time around, I went with an artsy, grungy, messy one layer card. I did a little brainstorming and word association: a new beginning to me means a fresh start; a fresh start means having the opportunity to follow what makes the heart happy -- essentially following one's bliss :o) I stamped the daffodils (Large Narcissus) using Marabu Art Crayons first and then did some random stamping of the butterflies (Butterfly Row). I layered some rub-ons (7Gypsies) to create a grungy collage look and sponged pumpkin pie HA ink over the images. And last, I stamped the sentiment from Typografia. 

Check out the cards that the TO team + guest designer Marina made and then come play with us! STAMPlorations is sponsoring the challenge, with the winner receiving a $20 gift certificate and the honorable mentions each receiving a $10 gift certificate.

Thanks for stopping by! Don't forget to smile :o)

{MERRY CHRISTMAS!} The Kat & the Christmas Stocking video

A merry, merry Christmas to everyone!

Love,

David, Shery, and Kathryn

Paper craft project no. 479: New day

Hello! Back today with a card for the current challenge at Time Out. It's an Inspired by Words challenge for the next 2 weeks: "With each sunrise we are given a chance for a new beginning." 

I kept it simple again with this almost one layer card. I stamped the Framed Solitary Daffodil and colored with my Tombow dual brush markers. On a piece of card stock, I stamped the banner from Bloom Happy, fussy cut it, and then stamped the sentiment from New Beginning. It's nice to make a card that isn't a Christmas card! :o)

Check out the cards that the TO team + guest designer Marina made and then come play with us! STAMPlorations is sponsoring the challenge, with the winner receiving a $20 gift certificate and the honorable mentions each receiving a $10 gift certificate.

Thanks for stopping by! Don't forget to smile :o)

Paper craft project no. 478: Grateful and blessed

It's day 2 of the ARTplorations stencil blog hop! For one week, you get to be inspired and see projects featuring stencils (and stamps too!) - the hop start here. There are plenty of prizes up for grabs for those who hop along as well as share their stencil projects in the flash stencil project linky party -- which starts today!

While my MIL babysat my little girl for an hour yesterday morning, I was able to create two cards. I needed to be quick so out came my gel printing plate again. I started by braying permanent red and gold acrylic paints on the 5x7 gel plate. I placed Peony No. 2 stencil on the plate and pulled 2 prints directly on my card bases. I love the distressed look of the second print (card on the left). I added faux texture by inking some grungy images from Scribbly Splattery Grunge with a red Tombow marker and then stamping. I added some splatters with red and black Inktense blocks, as well as doodled the black and red borders before finishing the cards by stamping sentiments from Grateful Beyond Words.

Hope you got inspired by my cards and that you can link up your projects! As long as you used a stencil (any brand) and you created them from November 20 onwards, you're all set! The linky is open until Friday, December 23. You'll find the linky + day 2 projects by the STAMPlorations girls here.

Thanks for stopping by! Don't forget to smile :o)

Paper craft project no. 477: In full color

Hello! Last week, a new challenge started at Time Out. This time around we're to CASE a card and put our own twist to our creation. We are CASE-ing this gorgeous card by Kim of Cupcakes, Cards and Kim.

I took my cue from the colorful blooms but instead of going with the obvious (flowers), I went with paintbrushes. First I die-cut a panel the size of an ATC using the CUTplorations ATC Tag Builder dies and used the torn notebook edge die (Art Edges) on one edge. Then I stamped the paintbrush border (Life in Full Color) in Versafine and colored the image with BIC alcohol markers. Last, I stamped the sentiment, mounted the panel at an angle on the card base, and the card is done.

Check out the cards the team + guest designer Deepti made and then link up your own project inspired by Kim's card. There is still a week left to play. We can't wait to see your creations!

Thanks for stopping by! Don't forget to smile :o)

Paper craft project no. 476: Art happens

Over at the STAMPlorations blog, we're having our fifth ARTplorations stencil blog hop! For the next 7 days, you'll get to be inspired and see projects featuring stencils (and stamps too!). Lots of prizes up for grabs for those who hop along as well as share their stencil projects in the flash stencil project linky party (which starts tomorrow).

My cards are pretty simple: I brayered acrylic paints on a 5x7 gel press printing plate, laid the Art Happens mask, and pulled 5 prints. I used prints #2 and #4 to create two cards -- trimmed them and mounted them on card base. The other 3 prints I'm saving for later to mount on wood panels. 

Since I'm at the tail end of the hop, you probably already have seen the projects by the rest of the STAMPlorations girls ;o) Guess all that's left to say is thanks a bunch, and check back tomorrow for more stencil projects. You'll also be able to link your projects for a chance at more prizes.

Oh yeah, and all ARTplorations stencils in the store are 10% off -- no coupon needed. Just add stencils to your shopping basket and the discount is applied automatically. Plus, if you use the code STENCILHOP, you get a free 5x7 stencil. Claim your free stencil here :o)

Thanks for stopping by! Don't forget to smile :o)

Paper craft project no. 475: Merry Christmas

Hello, everyone! Popping by to share a card I made for a fun event that Kylie put together, Twelve Days of Christmas Cards Challenge with Kylie and Friends. Kylie invited me and 11 other talented girls to share with you our Christmas cards. 

It's also a linky party for you and anyone else who'd like to share their Christmas cards. There are prizes, of course -- 3 winners of $20 gift certificate each from our sponsors: Happy Little Stampers, Create a Smile, and STAMPlorations :o)

  

For my card, I stamped Gift Row on white cardstock, colored with markers, and then cut a panel out of it using the medium die in the CUTplorations Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangles dies. Then I die-cut Merry Christmas twice -- on white cardstock and brown cardstock -- and layered them. Mounted the panel to my card base and the card's done :o)

Hope you'll come check out Kylie's event here and link up a Christmas card or two there!

Linking up my card to these fab challenges:

Moving Along with the Times #34 - ATG with Christmas

Addicted to Stamps and More #222 - Make Your Mark

Sweet Stampin' Anything Christmas Goes

Crafty Creations #329 - Christmas

Thanks for stopping by! Don't forget to smile :o)

Paper craft project no. 474: Season's greetings

Hello! Sharing a card for the current challenge at Time Out. There is still a week left to play over there. It's a Christmas theme with the optional technique twist of using glitter and/or shimmer.

I went with just the theme and skipped the twist and created a one layer card. Using a calligraphy pen, I inked the large Christmas gift and stamped. With a wet brush, I went over the stamped image and allowed the ink to bleed. I stamped the sentiment (Joyful) and finished the card by adding splatters with Inktense pencils.

Check out the cards that the TO team + guest designer Valentyna made and then come play with us!

Thanks for stopping by! Don't forget to smile :o)

Paper craft project no. 473: Thanks

Hello! Back today with a card for the current challenge at Time Out. There is still a week left to play over there. It's Home Sweet Home challenge, where we have an inspiration photo:

I took inspiration from the soft pink and flowers in the photo to create my almost one-layer card. I stamped the framed dogwood and colored it with Memento brush markers. I finished it by adding the thanks diecut.

My card doubles as a reminder for the Giving Thanks hop and linky party we're doing over at STAMPlorations. The event started yesterday with 38 participating designers, including my TO teamies Shona and Anita :o) 

Check out the cards that the TO team + guest designer Hazel made and then come play with us!

Thanks for stopping by! Don't forget to smile :o)

Paper craft project no. 472: Thankful and grateful

A big hop happening over at STAMPlorations today: the 2nd Giving Thanks Blog Hop. There are 38 designers in the hop (15 awesome guest designers representing various challenge blogs and events), a linky party for you to share your "thankful" or "grateful" projects, and tons of prizes up for grabs.

I made 2 cards using the new products for the hop. Here's card #1. I created the background by dry-brushing several gouache paints and then die-cut the panel using the medium die in the Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle dies. I stamped the harvest basket (Many Blessings) on mixed media paper, colored it with the same gouache colors I used for the background, and die-cut with the coordinating die. Then I die-cut the Thankful twice and layered them.

Now for card #2. With a #8 flat brush, I dry-brushed gouache paints again on the card base. On tissue paper, I stamped the basket of apples (Be Thankful), decoupaged it using matte gel medium, and colored the image with more gouache paint. I die-cut Grateful twice and layered them as well and the card's done, easy peasy :o)

I hope you'll check out the event and see the projects that the other designers made. You have until the end of the month to leave comments and link up a project or two of your own. You'll find all the details here. Plus if you scroll down some more, you'll find links to all the designers.

And last, there's a huge sale on the STAMPlorations store. Select stamps, stencils, and dies are 35% off + all order of $25 and up get free worldwide shipping.

Thanks for stopping by! Don't forget to smile :o)

An InLinkz Link-up

Paper craft project no. 471: Magical holiday season CAS card

Sharing a card today featuring the awesome stamp set designed by the equally awesome Kimberly Wiener! NORDIC KNIT TAG is being released under the Limited Run Stamps line by STAMPlorations :o) We're having a mini hop and one lucky crafter who leaves a comment on the STAMPlorations blog and designers' blogs will win Kimberly's set.

Pretty cool stamp set, right? Just begs for a clean and simple card -- which is exactly what I did. I die-cut the medium tag from the Luggage Tag dies on white card stock then I placed it at an angle over my card base, securing it with washi tape underneath so it wouldn't move while stamping. I placed the card base on my DIY stamping press and stamped the snowflake border in two different colors. Then I stamped the pair of reindeer in red and the sentiment (from Warm Hands, Warm Hearts) in black. 

Hope you'll check out the cards that the stamp designer herself made + cards and tags by Toni and Vicki featuring these fun stamps. Just head over here. And until Tuesday, November 15, Kimberly's Nordic Knit Tag stamp set is 10% off at the store.

Thanks for stopping by! Don't forget to smile :o)

Paper craft project no. 470: Jingle bells tag for Holiday TAGplorations

Hey guys! I'm back with another tag I made for the Holiday TAGplorations blog hop and linky party at STAMPlorations. Hope you'll check out the event -- 10 crafters who leave comments and/or link up their holiday tags (any holiday!) by November 25 will win gift certificates and some sweet CUTplorations tag dies. For the full details, click here. :o)

For my holiday tag, I used the largest die from the CUTplorations Luggage Tags nesting dies for my tag base (a thin kraft chipboard). Then I stamped "CHRISTMAS" (Trendy Christmas Trees) in pumpkin pie ink -- on white CS, it would be a dark orange-y color, but on my chipboard, the ink came out a nice brown that's slightly darker than the base. Then on mixed media paper, I stamped the large Christmas bells, colored them with Zig markers, and then fussy cut. I die-cut the Jingle Bells die three times and layered them or dimension. I wanted to emboss the top layer but I couldn't find my Versarmark inkpads. I have one big one and 3 small ones but since my work area is such a mess, who knows where they are. I did find my Delicata golden glitz inkpad and thought that might work so I swiped that on then heat embossed Jade Pearl (green) embossing powder. I rather liked the hint of gold undertone (you can see it in the photo).

I hope you'll check out the tags that the STAMPlorations girls made for the first Holiday TAGplorations event. And we'd love for you to join in on the fun and share your holiday tags -- remember, your tags don't have to be Christmas tags...they can be any holiday you celebrate!

Linking up to these fab challenges:

• Just Keep on Creating November Anything Goes Link-Up
• Creatilicious Challenge #102 - Anything Goes (Optional: Anything but a Card)
• Crafting Circle Crafty Awesomeness Challenge - Holiday

Thanks for stopping by! Don't forget to smile :o)

Paper craft project no. 469: Merry Christmas tag for Holiday TAGplorations

Hey, there! Today is the start of the first STAMPlorations Holiday TAGplorations Blog Hop & Linky Party. The girls and I have come together to share our holiday tags. Plenty of prizes up for grabs too -- gift certificates and tag dies will be given away to 10 lucky crafters who leave comments and/or link up holiday tags. For the full details, click here. :o)

For my first holiday tag, I used the largest die from the CUTplorations Luggage Tags nesting dies and stamped the large poinsettia twice then colored it with watercolor brush markers. I layered two Merry Christmas phrase diecuts and embossed it with gold. Pretty simple but bold tag :o)

I hope you'll check out the tags that the rest of the team made -- I promise you won't be disappointed. The Holiday TAGplorations designers gallery is one of the best collections of holiday tags around :o)

Thanks for stopping by! Don't forget to smile :o)

Paper craft project no. 468: Blessings one layer card

Hello! Back today with a card for the current challenge at Time Out. There is still a week left to play over there. It's an Inspired by Words challenge -- "Give thanks with a grateful heart."

I decided to keep it simple and went with a one layer card with autumn colors + an image and sentiment apropos for Thanksgiving season. I used the sketched over at CAS(E) This Sketch.

First I stamped the basket of apples (Thankful for Autumn), colored it with Inktense pencils, and masked it before stamping the grungy borders three times in Distress inks. Stamped the sentiment from the same set in black and then added the grungy brackets (Art Marks) in red.

Check out the cards that the TO team + guest designer Karren made and then come play with us!

Thanks for stopping by! Don't forget to smile :o)