Dimensional Collage Fragments

This week the Compendium of Curiosities challenge was Dimensional Collage Fragments from p.63 of Tim's book. This challenge works hand in hand with Simon Says Stamp and Show some ephemera. I chose to use the large circle fragment to work with. I dug into my stash of ephemera to create the collage behind the fragment. I included things such as a canceled stamp, monopoly money, a beverage label, a cigar band, a raffle ticket, a part of a bingo card, an ice coupon, and a glossy paper sample with the mardi gras mask.  They are collaged on a piece of paper from the Chemistry handbook. The card panel was colored with distress ink. I waterstamped over the distress ink, but that didn't scan too well. The Curiosity definition stamp is one of Tim's new stamps. The flourishes are also from Tim's collection. I love it when distress is so colorful.

Stampotique 25 and Faux Barnwood Technique

This week the Stampotique Designers Challenge is to use the Technique Junkies technique Barnwood technique from the current newsletter. This challenge week requires the use of Stampotique stamps in our art. The Critter Sketch challenge this week asks for a sentiment. When I was planning my card I thought  that Relaxin' was the perfect image and the chosen sentiment went perfectly with her. I love the sentiment and thought it made the perfect kind of sentiment for the Critter challenge. I decided that the best place to showcase barnwood was the Rickety House (Tim Holtz die). Once I put all the elements together with paper from Club Scrap, I had my card. I had fun. Hope you enjoy.

Penciled Twinks Peony

The Try That Technique challenge this week is Penciled Twinks from the February 2008 Technique Junkies newsletter. I used this lovely peony from Heartfelt Creations for my image. I had never tried this technique before and I really like how it turns out. The flourish is also from Heartfelt Creations. I used a Viva Decor black paint pen to highlight it. The sentiment is from Club Scrap.

Critter Sketch Challenge 53

This week the challenge at Critter Sketch was a sketch challenge with the addition of a ribbon. Well, I needed a birthday card for a 15 year old boy (who is a great soccer player) and I had just received this sports ribbon in a grabbag. Putting these elements together, I created this card. I have had this soccer ball die and embossing folder for a long time. I knew it would come in handy one day.

Bloggers Challenge Friday

This week was a sketch week at Bloggers Challenge.  I decided to combine the sketch with the challenge at Created By Hand which was “Winter Landscapes/Shades of Blue”.  All of the stamps used except the sentiment are from Heartfelt Creations. The oval frame is  a die also from Heartfelt Creations. Creative Inspirations paints were used to color the image. The shimmer of the paints adds to the winter feel of the image.

Stripes and 3D

This week Simon Says Stamp and Show some stripes. Tuesday Throwdown challenged us to use 3D. I guess the stripes speak for themselves in my card. I will say that the background paper is from My Minds Eye and has delightful texture and shimmer on it. The image is a Faerie Poppet from Christine Haworth. I used the level up Technique Junkies for my 3D effect. It is sublter than using pop dots for each level, but there is definitely dimension. The image is actually a foil type paper. Of course flatbed scanning loses some of the dimension and finish.  In real life, the image really pops.

CCC33

This week the Compendium of Curiosities challenge was Altered Metal Alcohol Inks from p.56 of Tim's book. I used Tim's On the Edge Townscape to cut my metal sheet. the background is a piece of designer paper. I stamped over the paper with the large flourish 1 stamp and also a background stamp from Stamp Zia. The sentiment is from the TH collection. I adhered one of the townscape houses over the building in the sentiment stamp to coordinate with the bottom of the card. Each of the houses was colored with a different alcohol ink. I even colored the brick walk. The windows are actually transparent in real life. I used sepia accents to give them some color and gloss. I used one of Tim's keys and highlighted the "ART" of heart with pearl alcohol ink to go with the sentiment. I was in a kind of playful mood today. I sure had fun putting this card together.

Route 66

I got my kicks making this card today. The challenge at Critter Sketch #52 was to use this sketch and add pink. Hels' Sunday Stamper Challenge 142 was Route 66/numbers. I pulled out a set of stamps I love to use, Artistic Outpost Route 66. all the stamps used on this card are from this set. I started by stamping the road map four times on the background panel. Then, because maps are not usually white and since I needed pink for the challenge, I sprayed the background with Vintage Pink Glimmer mist for both color and glimmer. I also used a cuttlebug folder to add a little texture. I used a little artistic license for the triangles across the top of the card by using one of Tim Holtz' On the Edge dies. I've been wanting to use this ribbon to represent a road for a long time.

Road trip anyone???

Quilt Pattern Floral Tag

I haven't worked on a tag since Tim Holtz' 12 Tags of Christmas, so this project was a lot of fun. This week Simon Says Stamp and Show a Tag and Created by Hand says to create art using the theme of "Quilting/Stitches". I started my tag  with a background using the Patchwork technique from the June/July 2010 Technique Junkies newsletter. Once the segments were colored with distress inks, I waterstamped the leaves background stamp from Heartfelt Creations.  The zigzag stitching is a Tim Holtz stamp. The sentiment is from Club Scrap. Each of the flowers was stamped four times (two larger and two smaller stamps) and cut out. The petals were rounded using a rounding tool. The  flowers and flourish are also  from Heartfelt creations. I used a pretty brad as the flowers' centers. Using a paper piercer, I pierced holes along the edges of the tag and drew in the edge stitches.

Blogger's Challenge

This week the Bloggers Challenge is embossing. This is my kind of challenge.  I decided to make a card using both embossing powder and embossing folder. My background was done using an embossing folder. The frame is die cut and dry embossed. The image was stamped and embossed with clear embossing powder. The image is a stamp from Heartfelt Creations. Actually it is part of a stamp. The whole stamp has three cardinals, but the frame only held two of them, so I masked off the stamp and inked the two birds I wanted. The frame die is also from Heartfelt Creations. It was cut with regular cardstock. I added some texture and glitz with pumice stone Stickles.
Other challenge entered: Play Date Cafe: Red, green, and black.

Compendium of Curiosities Challenge 32

The weeks are flying by, We have almost completed all of the techniques in Tim Holtz' book for the Compendium of Curiosities challenges. This week we tried the inking and stamping masks technique. I had to improvise a little, since I didnt have the masking material. I ended up using a transparency and a spray tempoary glue. It worked well, although I had to rub off some residue glue after I finished. I used a technique learned during the 12 tags of Christmas. I made a stamp using a sheet of foam and a die. I used the die to make the mask also. The background was made using distress inks: dusty concord, peeled paint, broken china, and worn lipstick. The card was edged in walnut stain. Antique linen was layered over the entire card and then various stamps were used. I thought that the sentiment "Live in the moment..." was appropriate for a snowman image.

Level Up

This week The Try That Technique challenge was Level Up from the Aug/Sep 2010 Technique Junkies newsletter. This is a cool technique. It wasn't technically hard. There is a lot of detail work; at least there is when you choose something with a lot of jagged edges. I think there is a total of 6 layers on this card (and no pop dots). Of course, the scanner doesn't show the dimension as well as seeing the card first hand. The stamp is from Auntie Amy (now under I Brake for Stamps). I used my Creative Inspirations paints to color the flower and leaves. Not only is the card dimensional, it also has a lot of shimmer. I added the pearls for that added touch.

Queen of Hearts Tim Style

Of course Valentines Day brings the idea of hearts and love to the forefront. Today's card does work with several challenges. The Compendium of Curiosities challenge is to use the technique Rusted Enamel from p. 41 of Tim's book. I love this technique and it's easy to do. My large heart, wings, and crown all use the technique. I think next time I will try to knock off more embossing powder to give a more rusted look. They certainly look like enamel pieces. The Created by Hand challenge is the Queen of Hearts. A special Queen of Hearts challenge for Valentine's Day can be found at the Quietfire Blog. Hels Sunday Challenge at Ink on My Fingers is Love, and I believe that nothing says Love like hearts.
The background was embossed twice with a Cuttlebug folder. The first time I did it on white cardstock. The second time it was done using red mirror cardstock. I cut off the edges and adhered the red over the white. The heart, wings and crown were created using the Rusted Enamel technique and then die cut using the winged heart die from Tim Holtz' line. The white heart buttons are from my stash.
Happy St. Valentine's Day from the Red Queen herself.

CHAPTER 1 Challenge - Week 3: Changes in form and dress forms!

Chapter 1's challenge is to make something that features a dress form, OR to make something that changes in form!  You can read the full text and all the challenge details here.
We are so excited that STAMPOTIQUE ORIGINALS is sponsoring our first challenge with a $30 gift certificate for one lucky winner, and their design team is going to play along! Be sure to visit their Stampotique Designer's Challenge blog where you can play every week! There is something to please everyone at Stampotique Originals!
As a member of the Altered Alice I got to choose one stamp to use for the challenge. I chose Bob's In Time Out. Here is the card I created.

When I saw Bob, I knew he would be fabulous sitting on the caterpillar's mushroom. Alice is upset to be only 3 inches high, but the caterpillar gets insulted because he is exactly 3 inches high. He does, however, help Alice by telling her of the growing and shrinking sides of the mushroom. Don't you think Bob looks good on that mushroom?
Why don't you have some fun and visit The Altered Alice.

True Love

Bloggers Challenge this week is to show some love. I used new stamps from Club Scrap to create my card. The technique used is neutral shadows from the current Technique Junkies newsletter. Simon Says Stamp and Show embossing. The circle of hearts are embossed in white and then shadowed over with cool peri ink.  The frame is die cut using a Spellbinder die. I used rhinestone flowers and a Viva Decor Pearl Pen around the frame.
Hope everyone has a wonderful Valentine's Day full of love.

Valentine Love

The Stampotique Designer's Challenge this week is Valentine or Love. To create my card I started with a piece of Core'dinations paper and embossed it with a Cuttlebug embossing folder. I love this folder. I think it says it all. I sanded the raised parts of the images and words. I topped off the panel with Rock Candy clear Stickles for the look of vintage sparkle. Over the embossed hearts I put some filagree buttons. Tuesday Throwdown had the challenge of using buttons. Moon Girl from Stampotique was stamped on a separate piece of cardstock and cut out. I used a red Viva Decor Pearl Pen for her heart and the glitter pen for her wings. Isn't she sweet.

Designer Tiles with Critter

The Try That Technique challenge at Technique Junkies is the Designer Tiles technique from the August 2008 newsletter. The challenge at Critter Sketch is to include an animal/critter on our work. I had to use Haiku Bunny on this card (Short story version...I just won it on Ebay) so I used pieces of Asian paper for my tiles. The sentiment is from Club Scrap.

Time and a Sketch

This week the Critter Sketch challenge is a sketch. The Sunday Challenge at Ink on My Fingers is Time. I combined the challenges since they worked so well together. I love the pocketwatch stamp from the Artistic Outpost stamp set The Outpost. I love the image within the image. The gears are from a Tim Holtz die. I thought that they fit the theme. They are painted with my silver paint dabber. The background is glimmer mist sprayed on watercolor paper. My sentiment is from Club Scrap.  The little embellishments are actual watch pieces.

Compendium of Curiosities Challenge 30

This week the Compendium of Curiosities challenge is Altered Metal with Paint from p.48 of Tim's book. Well, there's a lot of love in the air at this time of year, so my card reflects that feeling. Hel's Challenge at Ink on my Fingers was sentiments.

The background of my card is from one of Tim's paper stacks. It is overstamped using cool peri with one of Tim's flourish stamps. I used victorian velvet distress ink on the edges. The heart (Club Scrap) is stamped with fired brick distress ink and embossed with clear embossing powder. There is a keyhole on the heart stamp, so I put one of Tim's keyholes from the Idea-ology line over it and altered it with my white paint dabber.. The key and frame also have been altered using the white paint dabber. I stamped the main sentiment and used an oval fragment over it. It fit into the frame. (Not tightly, I did glue it with glossy accents). I stamped the other words using jet black ink.

Love is All You Need

This  card combines three challenges from this week. Simon Says Stamp and Show some Love. Tuesday Throwdown wants to see stitching. Card Positioning Systems (CPS Designers) challenged us with a sketch. My focal image is from Stampsmith. The sentiment and the paper is from Club Scrap. The metal heart frames are from my stash. I used my Tim Holtz distressing hammer to give them some texture. The little pearl hearts are also from my stash. Just remember, as the Beatles sang, "Love is All You Need."

Black, White, Red

Black, White, and Red is the color challenge at Bloggers Challenge. With Valentine's Day just around the corner, a "love" card seemed appropriate. The background of black and white papers has been floating around in the back of my head for some time now. Today was the day to use the idea. I used the large and small baroque Bigz Dies to cut the center focus for my card. In the smaller panel I die cut the word love and a keyhole. I used pumice stone distress ink along the edges of the white and red die cuts. The white was embossed using a texture fade and then I put rock candy stickles over the raised parts. On the red I stamped music notes. The key was also die cut and then covered with silver stickles. I think I know just the person to give this card to.

Orange and Turquoise

The latest challenge at Stampotique Designers Challenge Blog is to use the colors orange and turquoise in a card. Since this was January's 4th week challenge the requirement is to use Stampotique stamps on the art. I chose this collage stamp by Amy Wilson for my focal image. I used the rolled corner technique from the latest Technique Junkies newsletter.