Stars, Elmo, and Christmas Trees

Hi everyone,

First of all, thanks to everyone who commented on the birthday candle card and Any Hero card. If it weren't for wanting to honor copyright laws, I'd publish the inspiration card for last post's birthday card. The Leisure Arts book Card Sketches for Paper Crafters is carried by Archivers -- or can be purchased at Amazon  -- if you're interested in checking it out. 

It's been a busy weekend. But, I still managed to carve out a little crafting time this weekend. :)

So, what do stars, Elmo, and Christmas trees have in common? They've all been the focus of this weekend's crafting activity!

Card 1: Your Courage Inspires Me

The first card is an Any Hero card inspired by this week's OWH sketch and this week's Midweek Throwdown challenge to make a card in red, white, and blue.

                                              

Paper: We R Memory Keepers Red, White & Blue; AC blue cardstock; Bazzill watermelon cardstock
Sentiment: Stamper's Best in Distress Ink Vintage Photo
Tools and Techniques: star punch, heat embossing with clear powder

As with most of my Any Hero cards, I rotated the sketch to make a  horizontal card.

Card 2: Elmo

The inspirations for this shaped card were: 1) a similar card posted by Sandy a few months ago and 2) this week's Casual Friday challenge to create a card with something torn.

Paper: AC Cardstock
Techniques: tearing paper
Tools: Creative Memory circle, circle punches, corner rounder

This was actually pretty quick to do. Elmo's face is a solid piece of cardstock covered by strips of torn paper.

Next time, I'm going to try and use smaller strips -- maybe quilling papers. And, I think I will fan the strips out in a circular pattern around the nose area and vary the strip lengths a little bit more.

It's also worth mentioning that the white circles are 4-plyed so that  they won't bend easily while in transit -- or while in the hands of a little one. :)

All in all, I was pretty pleased with the way this little guy turned out. :)

Card 3: Season's Greetings

The last card is part of a set I'm making for next month's craft fair.

Paper: Authentique, AC black cardstock
Sentiment: Hero Arts in Distress Ink Black Soot; Gems: Core-dinations Nightfall
Tree: Hero Arts in clear powder using VersaMark
Tools and Techniques: border punch, heat embossing 

 Parting Thoughts

I'm hoping to get a few more Season's Greetings card done tonight. We'll see...

Have a great week. Thanks for visiting and happy scrappin'!

2 for 1

Hi everyone,

A quick post to share two cards inspired by this week's OWH sketch.

                   

Card #1: A Birthday Card

This first card is pretty true to the sketch, following a 90 degree rotation.

Paper: My Mind's Eye, stash cardstock
Sentiment from Whipper Snapper, heat embossed in Distress Ink Vintage Photo
Techniques: Leisure Arts candle idea described in last post
Tool: hole punch

I initially used a AAA battery to roll the candles -- and found the technique worked well with designer paper, but not heavier cardstock. However, the candles seemed too thick for OWH. So, I went with the "smashed" versions instead.

Card 2: An Any Hero card

I was a little more liberal in my interpretation of the sketch for this one.

Paper: We R Memory Keepers, BasicGrey kraft, miscellaneous cardstock
Tools: ek success and the Paper Studio star punches; crimper, distresser, hole punch
Embellishment: strands of jute

The background paper is one that I really struggle with in this Red, White & Blue collection because it is such a strong image. After layering the red and white-starred paper, it felt okay pairing these two patterns together. And, I think it helps that the stars were punched from the same cardstock as the cream layer behind the red and white-starred paper.

Parting Thoughts

Hubby wasn't a huge fan of either card. They were both too busy for his taste. They are actually a little on the busy side for me, too -- just a little out of my normal comfort zone. But, I think they work. 

Have a great week. Thanks for visiting and happy scrappin'!

Hearts and Sparks for Heroes

Hi everyone,

Let me start by sending thoughts and prayers to those on the East Coast dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.

The images on television are unbelievable. I can't even begin to imagine what life is like for those of you dealing with such devastation and loss. My brother's family had lots and lots of rain, but only rain.

Hearts for an OWH Hero's Loved One

The card below was made for this week's OWH Midweek Throwdown and inspired by another one of Ashley's fabulous scrapbook sketches. Making cards for OWH is kind of like living in a time machine. While the rest of the world is starting to make plans for Thanksgiving and Christmas, OWHers are making Valentine's Day cards.  :)

Cardstock: Core-dinations Vintage Collection
Designer Paper and Chipboard: We R Memory Keepers
Techniques: Inking (Distress Ink Tattered Rose), embossing, punching, distressing, crimping
Tools: Sizzix folders, ek punch, heart template, crimper

The left side of the sketch was used to make the card.
An embossed heart was used for the large circle;
a chipboard piece for the 4 x 4 photo;
a We R Memory Keepers paper embellishment, layered on various papers, for the 6 x 4 photo;
and a smaller heart for the "round" sketch element, nudged slightly right.

 This was the first time I've paired different embossing folders and was pretty pleased with the results. The We R Memory Keepers paper and chipboard are from the Be My Valentine collection from a few years ago.

In addition to the Midweek Throwdown, I'm going to post this card for this month's ODBD challenge to make a card dusting off a tool or technique. It had actually been awhile since I'd used my Ranger sander. Not only was it perfect to use on the embossed cardstock, but it also worked really well for distressing the chipboard.

Sparks (aka Candles) for a Family Hero

The card below is for a family hero, my father-in-law. He will be celebrating his 89th birthday on Wednesday. The inspiration for this card came from Leisure Arts great card-making book -- page 109, to be exact.  :)

Paper: Kaiser Up, Up, and Away, DCWV Christmas & Winter Combo;
wicks: dental floss; sentiment: heat embossed with Stampendous clear powder

I ADORE the simplicity of this card -- and how it can be adapted so easily to masculine/feminine, child/teen/adult, whimsical/elegant. And, who would've thought of using dental floss? Designer Beth Matson, that's who!

The candles on the Leisure Arts sample card were round, compared to my flatter candles. So, I played around with rolling paper around a AAA battery -- and was really pleased with the result. And, I will probably use contrasting ink for the sentiment on future cards, as well as vary the sentiment depending on the recipient. :)

This seems like a good fit for this week's CAS-ual Fridays' challenge to make a masculine CAS card. Also thinking of making a variety of these to give to family and friends in 2012.

Parting Thoughts

Hoping to make some more progress on craft fair projects tomorrow. And, looking forward to tomorrow morning's sketch challenge.

Thanks for visiting. Special thanks to those leaving such kind words. Happy scrappin'!

from a grateful American

Hey everyone,

First of all, I hope this finds everyone on our east coast safe and sound. We have family in Norfolk and have been watching the weather maps regularly.

Today's Crafting News

I'm so excited! Not only did I make a significant dent in my craft show project --details in a blog-to-come, but I also had a chance to do an Any Hero card for this week's OWH sketch on the day it was posted! It seems like a long time since I've been able to say that.

Bo Bunny Liberty, jute, and a star punched from a kraft gift bag;
Sentiment: Stamper's Best stamped in Close to my Heart Night of Navy;
Gem: Hero Arts; Star Punches: Fiskars and the Paper Studio

I love the combo of navy and jute -- and it immediately came to my mind when I saw this week's sketch. I originally punched the larger star from a sheet of BasicGrey kraft paper. But, the color of the gift bag seemed a better match. And, I thought about trimming the left edge of the jute, but decided to go with this asymmetrical look. :)

Parting Thoughts

For those of you on the east coast, stay safe.

Thanks for visiting and happy scrappin'!

A Star-Filled Tribute

Hi everyone,

A quick post of an Any Hero card inspired by this week's OWH Sketch, Sketch #143.

Paper: We R Memory Keeper Red, White & Blue
Punch: the Paper Studio
sSentiment: heat embossed in Distress Ink Black Soot

When I saw the sketch, I immediately thought of rows of stars.  However, as you can see, the sketch calls for five 0.5-inch rows. Since my smaller star punch was a little wider than that, I went with 3 rows. In addition, I rotated the sketch to go with a pre-written Any Hero card message.

A trick I recently learned -- that everyone else probably already knows :) -- is to cut the small strips and adhere them to the card before cutting them to the "correct" length. This was certainly  much easier than my previous strategy of trying to measure first and then adhere.

Oh, and one more thing, I placed the center star in each row first. Then, I placed the far left and right stars. Lastly, I placed the second and fourth stars -- "eyeballing" them between the end and middle stars.

A simple, but heartfelt, card that I hope will convey gratitude and appreciation to a hero.

Parting Thoughts

Hoping to get to work on a project for the upcoming Craft Show.

Have a great weekend. Thanks for stopping and happy scrappin!

3 for 1

Hi everyone,

I have three cards from one sketch to share today. But, first, a couple of thank yous.

Thank You #1

As always, recent comments from followers and visitors are truly appreciated. Special thanks to Kathryn for her reminder to make a template of the little candy corn cards before I ship them in the mail to my nephews. I would've totally forgotten to do that. :)

Thank You #2

This one's a huge shout out to the wonderful people at Oak Creek Printworks. For the second straight year, I ordered sleeves for cards I will be selling at an upcoming craft show. And, for the second straight year, I was blown away by this company in Simi Valley (Pacific Time Zone) -- totally blown away. I called Monday after work (Eastern Time Zone) and my order arrived in Wednesday's mail!  Moreover, I had a wonderful conversation with Nancy when I placed the order and the sleeves are fabulous! 

Thank you, Oak Creek Printworks -- you totally rock!!!

And now for the main attraction... Drum roll, please.  

Paper: Jillibean Dutch Mustard Soup

                                                Card #1

While Pizazz It! is no longer a brick and mortar store, it is building a nice online presence. The card at the right was made from a wonderful card kit that was put together by Tiffany, who is a former Pizazz It class teacher and a great little designer. This sketch became the inspiration for two more cards.

Card #2

I used this design to make a few holiday cards for an upcoming craft show. For the show, I try to make several different designs to appeal to a variety of potential customers. Since this design has a quilt-like feel to it, I used some old-fashioned-feel paper to make several cards like the one below.

Paper: Authentique Festive collection, AC Christmas cardstock; Emagination punch, which was a garage sale bargain  :)

Since the paper combination was a little busier than what I typically use, I decided against a sentiment. But, that's not necessarily a decision carved in stone. :)   A shout out to Lynn at Scrapbook Art's OWH Card-Making Party last month for the idea to shadow the little Christmas tree. (BTW  This little card is already inside its protective sleeve.)

Card #3

The final card is for this week's Throwdown Color Challenge to make a card with black, white, and a pop of green or red. Since I had just mailed my holiday cards to OWH, I went with red and made my first Valentine's Day card of the season -- although I must confess I went with cream and black to use paper from the yummy DCWV All Dressed Up collection. :)

DCWV All Dressed Up, AC Christmas cardstock; EK heart and Fiskars border punches; heart-shaped gems ???

The Fiskars punch was another great garage sale bargain -- which made up for the this-three-way-heart-punch-is-so-darn-cute-but-more-than-I-want-to-spend impulse buy at my LSS. :)  I was really, really pleased with the way this card turned out. It was fairly labor intensive with all the punching, but definitely worth it.

Parting Thoughts

I really need to get some things done for the craft show. And, I'm hoping to get a little time to work try out this week's Sunday sketch. But, there are a few things that need some attention before I can get to the Menopause room. 

Hope everyone has a great week!  Thanks for stopping by and happy scrappin'!

Candy Corn, Anyone?

Hi everyone,

Just one card to share -- a non-Halloween Halloween card for my nephews. Even though it might not look like it from this scanned image, this is actually a shape card.  :)

The final card made; materials: AC Value Pack cardstock

Version #1

When I showed the first version of this card to hubby, he asked if I were going to add eyes to the ghost. I had thought myself that this shape could make a cute Charlie-Brown-like ghost. When I told him it was supposed to be candy corn, he said it didn't look like candy corn to him. So, the sides became more linear and tapered.

I'm thinking about making a few of these candy corn cards for OWH next year. But, if I do, I think the orange section needs to be larger and the other two sections -- especially the off-white top section -- need to be smaller. Also wondering how these would look on a standard 4.25 by 5.5 inch card with some funky non-Halloween, Halloween printed paper as the base....

Also thinking that the shape of Version #1 could make some cute ghost cards...

One tip for making the card above: I ripped 2-inch strips from the cardstock, cut them into rectangles that were longer than the card, taped each section down, and then trimmed the edges around the card.

Parting Thoughts

Goal #1 is to get my OWH Christmas/winter cards boxed up and ready to send.  Not quite sure what  will happen after that. :)

Have a great rest of the weekend. Thanks for your visit and happy scrappin'!

OWH Sketch #141: Patriotic Gratitude

Hi everyone,

Actually had a chance to make a card after all! The following is an Any Hero card inspired by this Sunday's OWH sketch.

We R Memory Keepers Red, White & Blue (patterned) , Bo Bunny Liberty (solid navy), Bazzill watermelon; Hero Arts sentiment in Close to My Heart Night of Navy; Fiskars and the Paper Studio star punches; crimper

 Parting Thought

I recently received a comment asking about crimping. I'm actually using just a garage sale find paper crimper that doesn't even have a company name it. If  you're interested in learning more about using a crimper, click here to see a short video -- to which I have no affiliation whatsoever. :)

Gotta run. Have a great week!

And, thanks for visiting and happy scrappin'!

Merry Christmas... and Happy New Year!

Hi everyone,

Many thanks to everyone who made a card for last week's OWH Sketch #140. Extra special thanks to those of you who posted cards and/or left such kind comments. (It's always amazing to see how one sketch can produce such different cards. :)  Looks like another great sketch from Julie this week.)

Kudos to those who are sharing cards on your blogs for the World Card Making Day Blog Hop. I took a quick look yesterday and am hoping to spend more time there today. At first glance, I saw some really pretty cards -- definitely worth a second look. :)

A Christmas Card Inspired One of Ashley's Sketches

That's right -- one of my favorite designers posted another great scrapbook double-page sketch! I used the left side as inspiration for the following card.

 

Authentique Festive collection, stash cardstock; computer-generated font; Creative Memories circle templates and miscellaneous circle punches; crimping and inking

Once paper choices were made, there wasn't anything too complicated with this card. My biggest decision was which paper(s) to use for the punched-out circles in the bottom left and top left. Some papers seemed like too much, others not quite enough. When I finally decided to use the same pattern for five of these circles, the card felt just right -- as Goldilocks would say. :)

Finally, I inked the outside of several of the larger circles in Adirondack Espresso, and I inked edges and crimped ridges on the cream and red ornament paper using Close to My Heart Desert Sand and Adirondack Espresso.

Think I'll post this one for the ODBD October Challenge to make a card using circles.Isn't it great when one card does double duty?!   :)

Parting Thoughts

Not quite sure how many cards I'll be making today. There are a couple of things on my to-do list that have to come first. And, I actually need to plan out what my next couple of card-making weeks will look like. :)

Have a good rest-of-the-weekend and a great start to the work week. As always, thanks for stopping by and happy scrappin'!

Card-Making Parties and Midweek Challenges... Oh My!

Hi everyone,

Hope the work week got off to a good start. I have one card to share. But, first a shout-out to my favorite OWH card-makers and LSS.

The Second Annual Card-Making Party at SBA

Last year, the wonderful folks at Scrapbook Art helped organize an amazing card-making party. We were blessed to have corporate funding to help pull off the event. (To check out last year's event, click here.)

This year, these wonderful ladies weren't about to let a lack of financial funding stand in their way. Without any corporate funding, the second annual SBA card-making party resulted in 1424 card being shipped to OWH!  To see photos of this party -- along with other parties from around the country, click here. :)

Serious kudos to Jeri, her prep team, and Terri and her wonderful staff at Scrapbook Art!!!

And, now to the card portion of this post...

The following card was made for last week's Midweek Throwdown challenge, which was to use stickers. Speaking of stickers, I've learned some great tips this past week from the OWH blog team's sticker cards. Thanks to all!

Bazzill paper; Creative Imaginations Holiday Phrase stickers

I've had this sheet of stickers for so long -- think I picked it up at a garage sale. And, I really love them, but never quite got around to designing a card with them. Looks like this week's challenge solved that problem! (And, there are 34 more stickers left on this sheet!)

One of the things that I really like about these stickers is that their background is clear -- llike the SRM stickers, which I am totally going to have to check out. :)

My biggest challenge was picking out just the right color of cardstock to complement the stickers' colors.

I picked up a little trick from a PBS show called the The Spotted Canary. The host of this show, Joy, placed the bottom edges of a row of stickers on the top of a see-through ruler to help line her stickers up exactly as she wanted them. I tried that with the bottom row of stickers on this card -- and, boy, it was so much easier than my former try-peel off-try-peel off again method. :) 

Parting Thought

As always, thanks for stopping by!  Have a great week and happy scrappin'!