Challenge #44- "The Sweet Life"

I am back to the two-week challenges.  I hope this will give more of you a chance to enter my challenges.  Well, Challenge # 44 has the theme "The Sweet Life".  I know this sounds a little vague, but your creation should be about what makes life sweet to you.

It could be candy and cupcakes.  It could be hitting it big in Vegas; getting a new puppy, or even a walk in a garden.  What makes life sweet?

Vicki

Getting a chance to travel is what makes life sweet to me.  I chose Moth Fab image and the sentiment La Dolce Vita from Stampotique colored her with  Copic markers.  She is on a base of cardstock which had buildngs as the background..  I also stamped additional  travel stamps on the cardstock.  In the corner is a paper flower and some scrolls.

Tricia

Tricia created this "sweet" card with Stampoiques Sunfleur stamp colored with copics. Glimmer Glaze was added to the dress and shoes for a little shimmer. What a cute image to use for a springing card celebrating life. She used a TJ Newsletter technique on the background called "Misted Stencils". The flourish was cut with the cricut and glimmer mists were added. The bow was done with a "bow easy".

Sharon

For my tag I've used "Moth Fab" & the Italian "Sweet Life" Sentiment designs from Stampotique - great images - I had a lot of fun creating with these. My background is the Herringbone Technique which you can find instructions for at Splitcoast Stampers. I've used pink and orange coloured patterned papers and; card and finished off with some matching fibres.

Petra

Sweet Summer Treats

... strawberries, cherries, cupcakes, some sweet tea, ...... let's have a picnic with all our friends from Stampotic. The stamped images are layered on free magazine papers, Bazill Basics and some Kraft Card ... and I did a little bit of machine stitching around the nestabilities label and the paper pieces. Enjoy the picnic!

Valerie

Valerie here. For our challenge this week I have made a card for a little girl, who loves pink, blue and lilac. The background has been embossed with a texture fade folder. The middle panel has been cut with an ancient die, sorry, don't know from whom. I stamped it with the image of the kids and the sentiment, and embossed with Ranger Tinsel EP before colouring with water-colour pencils. I threaded a narrow, pink ribbon through the holes, and added the lilac daisies.

Michele

The collage stamp is from Stampotique by artist Amy Wilson.  I used the "background pop" technique from Technique Junkies.  The outline flower stamp is by Connor's Collectibles.  My card celebrates the sweetness of being a woman.  

 Jenn

And this is Jenn - I made a page in my art journal using Gesso and acrylic paints. I always print/stamp my images and sentiments on copy paper when I do this, as the thinner paper adheres to the page with Mod Podge much better than cardstock.  I used 2 stamps from Stampotique, the character and the dictionary text behind the sun (definition for art), and then I dribbled paint to look like raindrops.

                                     

I am so excited to have Stampotique as my sponsor this time,  Their stamps are so original and fun to use.  Stampotique gives us a little info about them below:

STAMPOTIQUE Fine Art Stamps began June 1, 1996, in Phoenix, Arizona, out of the love for rubber stamping and papercrafting. We began as a fine art rubber stamp store and in January 2000, began manufacturing our own rubber stamps. We now ship all over the world, although remaining a ‘mom and pop’ business so that we can still offer full attention to each and every order.

On November 17, 2007, the retail store closed its doors in order to allow us to concentrate on our growing website, both retail and wholesale.

We hope you will find our site inspirational and continue to revisit at your leisure. Our intention is to continuously update with new images, new samples and all the latest and greatest ‘must haves’ of the industry. Feel free to send us your creations and we will post them on the website for the whole world to enjoy..

Stampotique is offering a wonderful prize to the winner which is picked by the random generator..  They are offering a $30 grab bag for Stampotique (stamps only).  Doesn't that sound wonderful?  I wish I could enter..

Charlie Chaplin

Here is another card to promote my current challenge "Black and White with a Dash of Yellow".  To go directly to the challenge, just click at the top of my sidebar.  This card uses a digital background and an image from Altered Pages.  I just love the striped background and I think it goes perfectly with the Charlie Chaplin image.  On the side, I have placed two handmade "tickets" and at the top is a printed piece of chipboard with a brass button.

Don't forge to go to Altered Pages and check out the information about the retreat that are going to have.

Red Hat Bird

If you are a "mature"  lady (I dislike the word mature) , you may belong to the Red Hat Society.  Well, this little bird, colored with Copic markers, is the "queen".  She is all dressed up in her red hat. and she is spreading the word that there is a challenge on Just Some Lines with the theme "Tweet, Tweet".  Needless to say, it is a birdie challenge.  You may want to drop over and check it out.

Challenge # 43 - "Black and White with a Dash of Yellow"

NOTE:  This is a one-week challenge!  I guess you are wondering why all of a sudden I am having a one-week challenge.  Well, I'll tell you how it is.  When I was scheduling my challenges I did not see this week.  Otherwords, I miss-counted my weeks.  Therefore, I have thrown in a challenge just for this week.
This is a colot challenge....black and white with a dash of yellow.  It can be a card, tag, book or an altered item...anything as long as it has the color scheme.

I hope you are inspired as you take a look at the Design Team's creations.

Vicki

I did something a little different this tine.  I do not have an inage as such on the front of my card.  I took a couple of Cheery Lynn dies and used them for the front,  Since the color scheme is Black and White with a Dash of Yellow, I made the Flourish and the sentiment in the corner yellow.,  If you will look carefully, you will see clear stones on the flourish to give the card a little bling.  These act as flowers.  It really looks nice in person where you can really see the stones.  I needed a couple of sympathy cards and I feel this will do nicely. 

Tricia

I used an older 2007 TJ Newsletter technique called Veined Marble. This is a really easy and beautiful technique. I used Glimmer Mists instead of the color wash spray.
I colored the flowers with my Inktense colored pencils.

Michele

I couldn't resist this whimsical image from the Altered Pages "Gypsies, Tramps & Thieves" collage sheet. This ATC includes some black and white designer paper, some black, white and yellow designer paper with additional distressing in yellow, the dancing gypsy and her dance partner the (mostly) yellow butterfly. She puts me in a happy mood!

Sharon

I made a little card using an image from Lisa's Altered Art plus a black & white background image from a 12 x 12 sheet from Stamp It plus added various embellisments in the colour theme.

What a great colour combination & one I hadn't tried before!

Petra

I chose a little simple design for this week's challenge: Black and White with a Dash of Yellow whereby it turned more into 'some yellow dotty spotty design' using a plain A6 card and stamping on it with a Great Impressions, Penny Black and Lili of the Valley stamp. To create a bit more depth I stamped the image a second time and cut out individual elements - the butterfly, some flowers and the little dot on the watering can and coloured them in various tones of yellow

Valerie

Hi everybody, Valerie here. I have made a card featuring TH's old jalopy die-cut. The windows and trim have been made with music paper, and the car has been mounted onto some yellow and white patterned BG paper with foam squares, with yellow and white flowers for wheels. It should have a *Bon Voyage* sentiment, but the box with the sentiments seems to have gone on holiday....
Have a good week, and take care of yourselves!

Jean of Altered Pages has offered to sponsor this one-week challenge.  She will be giving away a couple of her collage sheets to the random generated winner,.  This is a must-see site.  It is loaded with many beautiful digitals,  Her online store carries many additional items, especially to use on an altered creation.  She has books, tins, and boards.  She even carries rubber stamps and papers as well as tools and kits.   I am sure whatever you need can be found on her site.  Just click on the logo above and you will be quickly transported there. 

Also, Altered Pages is having a retreat in July.  It is a great deal.  For only $240 you get three days of classes, lodging, food , supplies, and goodie bag.  Click on their name or logo and find out all the details.

.

Celebrating Graduation

I made a celebration card for my oldest daughter who graduated the other night with honors.  It has taken a while, but she did it while working a full-time job.  I am entering the card in Classy Cards and Such's CCNS07 challenge, a graduate card.  My card uses a number of items that Beverly has in her store.  The first item is the Swedish Spring Cheery Lynn die which is in yellow.  I stamped the word "Celebrate" on it.  After placing a flower in the corner, I used another die, Fanciful Flourish, which I cut into various pieces so the scrolls and leaves were where I wanted.  She now carries this in a mini which probably is what I really needed here.  I guess I will have to order one.   On top of the flower is aa little yellow butterfly cut with another Cheery Lynn die.  As a final touch I put a little bling around the flower.  Classy Cards and Such carries a number of different types of bling in their inventory.

I think my daughter will like the card.

Using a Picture as Inspiration

I have created a card using a  photgraph as inspiration.  This is a challenge being held on the Digi Darla blog. The main thing I picked from the photo was the various shades of blue, the white, and the little touch of beige.  This is a white card with mats of various pieces of blue cardstock.  The white cutout doilly is from Stampin' Up,  The little beige border was made with a border punch.  At the top is a butterfly sticker.  The blue and white print in the bottom  right is actually the back of a box of playing cards.  The image, which I just love, is from Floppy Latte Digitals.

To the right of my card is the photograph that I used for inspiration.  I have entered this in Bunny Zoe's "Anything Goes" challenge.

Don't Forget to "Tag" It!

You have another week to submit  your entry into my "Tags" challenge.  Everyone loves to decorate with tags.  Don't forget they can be stand alone tags, attached to a card or package, or a holder for tags.  Your entry may have a single tag or it may have multiple tags.

Remember if you cannot find the current challenge,  that you can always find the shortcut to the current challenge at the top of my sidebar.

Now let's take a look at some additional ideas the Design Team has for the challenge.

Vicki

My tag uses three images from Gecko Glaz.  I put a little "zing" on my mannequins,  One has a border punch around the waist, another has some red rafia around the waist, while the third has three punches out dots on the chest and a flower at the bottom.  The images were put on a tag made from a sheet of a legal pad.  Also on the tag were pieces of paper trim and measurement notations.  Some twisted yarn and feathery yarn were attached at the top.

I am also entering this into Simon's Stamp and Show's "Anything Goes".

Michele

I made another tag using an image from our challenge sponsor Vintage Image Madness. This very dramatically attired actress is reaching out for something -- so I gave her a butterfly! My blue tag is stamped with a french script stamp from Stampin Up and I've added designer paper and embellishments. I anticipate making this tag into a triptych later, but one tag at a time!

Sharon

I have 2 tags for this week - the first uses images from Lisa's Altered Art and has been made in shades of "white". I just love this young lady and her "oversized" hair bow!!

Sharon

My second tag uses a beautiful gypsy image from Dezinaworld along with patterned paper scraps and a little gold leaf charm. I used little tiles to amke the word "Dream".

Petra

A sweet lady adorned with flowers - an image from Prima Marketing stamped on Scrapcake paper. The embellishments are some crochet lace, a Prima Marketing flowers, some pearls and a little label. The image is layered on corrugated card which is slightly covered with Distress Stains.

Valerie

Hi you all, Valerie here. The background paper for both tags is a freebie from Free vintage digital stamps. The steampunk trunk and animals on the first tag is an image from Inka Heaton at *Altered Artifacts*, the other images are from my stash.

Valerie

Have a good week you all!

I am excited to have as my sponsor for this challenge Vintage Image Madness. Casie's site has a huge supply of one of a kind vintage images. You will have to go to the link above and visit her site. The images are very affordable and she even has a subscription plan if you wish to get a number of images.

Featured Designer for Just Some Lines

I am so excited to be the feature designer this week for Just Some Lines. I have created a couple of things for you this week.

The first card I created uses Gab-Window Gaze. I think she is so cute with all her curls. I used a black base and then a mat of partially black and white designer paper and partially solid yellow cardstock. I like the color combination as it has a crisp and clean look and that is what Gab is doing--cleanibg. The embellishment is a flower which has a yellow punch flower that I clipped and curled the petals and a bought flower on top. For the flower center I used a clear stone. The sentiment is by Stampin' Up

.

Here is my second creation--a tag. I did a few things different on this tag. The background is made of two pieces of material. The image is also Just Some Lines. The two girls are colored with Copic markers. The clouds are two pieces of foam. The thread at the bottom is adhesive thread. Down the side I put a sentiment which I made on the computer.

Tutorial

I have a little tutorial for today. It is for a Post-It Note Cover. The directions are so simple that there is really no need to film it. Just follower step by step.

Post-It Note Cover

1. Cut a piece of cardstock to 3.5 inches x 7.5 inches.

2. Score on the long side at 3.5 inches.

3. Turn cardstock around 90 degrees and scor again at 3.5 inches.

4. This will leave you a band in the middle of 1/2 inch.

5. Take a bone folder and crease the two folds so they are crisp. NOTE: do not put post-it pad into the cover until you have finish step 6.

6. Decorate as desired. If you use lace or a trim that wraps around the cover like I did, you will want to cut 2 pieces of designer paper or cardstock to cover where the trim begins and ends. Cut these into two 3.5 inches squares.

Glue these pieces on the front and back (inside).

7. Insert your 3 inch square post-it note inside and glue. Make sure you have the glued side of the pad facing the spine of the cover you just made. Your cover may either open from the bottom or from the side like mine.

Here is my little finished Post-It Note Cover. So much fun! Quick and easy!

Challenge # 42 - "Tags"

I try to keep the themes of my challenges varied.  Some call for a particular image or subject matter, while others have an open theme, but require the use of a particulaar technique or type of creation.   In some cases, you need to use a particular popular product or tool. 

This challenge should be fun and is one everyone can enter no matter the products they use or skill.  The challenge this time is TAGS.  You may use one tag, multiple tags or you may even make something to hold your tags like I did.

Vicki

I made an albumn to hold tags.  This was really fun as I had never really made an albumn before.  It took two sheets of 12x12 cardstock and then I used some of my scraps for the tags.  My tags are not decorated yet except for the flowers at the top of each.  I want to create a theme with the tags, but I haven't decided yet what that will be.  However I wanted to show off my tag albumn.  I am really pleased how it turned out.

Tricia

Tricia created this card using “Tag”s… The baby foot stamp is from Recollections and baby hand stamp is from stampabilities. The letter stamps and tag punch are from Stampin Up!  She used the sponged goose bump technique from the most recent Technique Junkies newsletter. Distress inks were used for the background.

Valerie

For my tag I have used a vintage image from *Free Vintage digital stamps*. I made a triptych tag, using some black card from an old calendar for the base, some scrapbook paper from Webster's pages, and added some school embellishments. I made holes in the sides and tied the pieces together with some silk twine. It was fun to make, and is now standing on my printer.

Michele

My tag features a sweet flower girl from our challenge sponsor Vintage Image Madness. The base is a blue tag stamped with a word stamp by Stampendous. I chose and ripped some coordinating designer paper as a background for the image. It is finished off with lace, beads, a butterfly sticker and twine. Tags are always great treats to give as gifts and vintage images are fun to work with. Hope you will join the challenge!

Petra

The little tag was so much fun to put together: Jenny Bowlin paper which I stamped on, gold embossed and machine stitched around the edges. The little birdie image is from the Graphics Fairy, the Happy Birthday stamp from Lili of the Valley. All other embellishments are from my stash.

Vintage Image Madness

I am excited to have as my sponsor for this challenge Vintage Image Madness.  Casie's site has a huge supply of  one of a kind vintage images.  You will have to go to the link above and visit her site.  The images are very affordable and she even has a subscription plan if you wish to get a number of images.



Spring Fever

I made an ATC for Wicked Wednesday's "Spring Fever" challenge.  My ATC emphasizes the feverous Spring Break.  And where do  you go on Spring Break?  To the ocean, of course.  I used a digital from Alpha Stamps'  Bathing Beauties #2 collage sheet, printed a tiny calendar, and made a computerized sentiment.  And last, but not least, you have to have sun during your Spring Fever Break.  Can't you just feel the warmth?   I wish I were there.

Summer Fun

On this card I made a point of using many pieces of scrap paper and cardstock.  As I make my cards and other art creations, I find that I have so many pieces of pretty paper left.  I just can't seem to throw those piecees of paper away.  I think all these came together fairly well.   They are mainly of flowers and solid paper.  My image is a digital from Just Some Lines.  She is colored with Copic markers.

The sentiment--well it is from a Jo Ann advertisement.  It was the perfect thing for my card.