Tissue Time

No sob stories today (I hope) but for the latest challenge at The Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers, we are asking you to break out the tissues... or at least tissue paper!

Edna took our newest prompt literally, but I went with more of a traditional paper crafting route and pulled out some tissue paper to see what I could come up with. My first few attempts trying various techniques went nowhere fast, but then I hit on this tutorial by Loll Thompson. Ooh, fun and inky! 

This background uses red, orange and yellow distress inks, and is adhered to some heavy white cardstock. I added this girl - I thought her little smirk was just right - and embossed the sentiment right on the tissue. (Full disclosure: I did not colour this image... it's a castoff from Emily, who wields Copics with much greater skill than me. Luckily, she's not a saver the way I am.) 

I found making these watercoloured tissue paper panels a bit like gelli plate printing... once you've started, you might as well make a bunch. So I also made a second, not snarky card: 

I used blue, green and yellow this time, hoping for an underwater vibe. I used the same yellow and green to watercolour my turtle, and again added the sentiment right onto the tissue panel. A few shimmery sequins highlight the sentiment and look a bit like air bubbles. This one's going into the current Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge, Make Your Own Background. 

Be sure to check out all the ways my sisters in snark, including our latest Queen, Karola, have interpreted this challenge! And we are sharing an exciting announcement, as well. I hope you will be inspired to join us... the next snarky crown could be yours! 

Supplies: (studies show) white & black cardstock, tissue paper, Avery Elle Red and Goldie stamp & die, The Ink Road The Struggle is Real stamp, Versafine onyx black, candied apple, carved pumpkin & squeezed lemonade distress inks, Ranger clear embossing powder, Copic markers, foam tape; (turtley awesome) white & black cardstock, Canson watercolour paper, Versafine onyx black, mermaid lagoon, mowed lawn & squeezed lemonade distress inks, Ranger clear embossing powder, Little Things from Lucy's Cards rainbow iridescent sequins, foam tape

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Muse: Christmas Visions Debut

Hooray! It's my turn to be THE MUSE at Muse: ChristmasVisions! Oh, the pressure. :D Here for your potential creative inspiration is my card: 

Once again, I'm using plastic wrap to create my background — I still love this technique and the effect it gives! (There are several variations on using plastic wrap; this is the one I like to use.) Blue and mauve distress inks give me a wintry sky. The light colours seemed to suit white better than black for the house in the woods silhouette. A bit of yellow vellum lights the window. 

I'm going to add my little scene to three other challenges: Happy Little Stampers February Christmas challenge (but no hearts), Jingle Belles' A Colouring We Will Go and Shopping Our Stash Home Sweet Home.  

I would be thrilled if you joined in and were inspired by my first muse card for ChristmasVisions! You have until 8 am EST Monday, March 5th to play along. 

Supplies: white cardstock, yellow vellum & Canson watercolour paper, Stampin' Up Winter Memories stamp, Stampin' Up lulu lavender, tumbled glass, broken china & shaded lilac distress inks, MFT blueprints 24 stitched rectangular & CUTplorations stitched winter landscape dies

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Christmas Trees

Yep, another Christmas card. This time around, I'm taking inspiration from Cornelia for Muse: ChristmasVisions. (Next week it's my turn for the first time!) Here is Cornelia's fun and colourful card: 

I was inspired by the bright colours, the triangular trees, and the clean layout. Here's my version: 

I initially thought of some of the more graphically-designed tree stamps in my collection, but chose this fun die, instead. It was only later, when I went to check on the main challenge blog, that I discovered my teammate Kimberly had the same thought! Our process and results are quite different, though.) With distress inks, I sponged rough triangles about where I knew my trees would be. The least fun part of this die is putting adhesive on without making a mess. This time around, I used my smallest glue dots, and even then had to roll them up a bit. From foil cardstock, I cut the three stars and the "merry" sentiment. 
As you can see, Christmas cards are one of the few times I also decorate the envelopes. Not quite in the league of "mail art", but I usually try to find an image that coordinates with what goes inside. 
I might as well take advantage of making a Christmas card by linking up to a couple of other themed challenges: Jingle Belles: A Colouring We Will Go and Happy Little Stampers: Christmas Anything Goes (no optional hearts on mine). 
There is still a day and a bit to play along, so why not get in the mood for Christmas cards with Cornelia's inspiration... then you'll be all fired up when my card makes its appearance on Wednesday! 😉

Supplies: white, textured blue American Crafts & Rager silver foil cardstock, candied apple, mermaid lagoon & mowed lawn distress inks, Essentials by Ellen Geo Tree, MFT blueprints 24 & Winnie & Walter merry dies (Winnie & Walter Ina Word: Merry stamp on the envelope)

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Final Valentines

At least I think these are the final valentine cards for this year. 😉 I didn't want to post them until they were received, which happened yesterday. 
My first card is based on my friend Tracey's card for the current Muse challenge. Here's her card: 

I took my cues from the sponged background, the bear plus heart, the layout and the white on black sentiment. Here's my version: 

Rather than a two-colour background, I used just blue on my main panel, then used a heart stencil and a barely damp cloth to lift some of the colour through the stencil. My little bear is embossed with sparkle embossing powder and watercoloured. 
With a love theme, at least a bit of red, and an ARTplorations stencil, I'm also adding this to this month's STAMPlorations challenge, Paint It Red. 
My next card is inspired by wanting to justify my purchase of a 12"x12" valentine-themed paper pad. 😆 In my defence, it was $4 at Dollarama (thanks, snarky sister Barb for the bargain alert!) and the glitter and foil sheets alone practically make it worth getting. Here's my first card using some of it:

I went with a full postal theme, cutting the patterned paper with a postage stamp border die and adding a little stamped and paper-pieced love note as the focal point, popped up on a white heart. 

Crazy to say, this is my third post today! My reminder card for the current Naughty or Nice challenge is here, and my post for today's new Seize the Birthday challenge here. 

Supplies: (here's a hug) white & black cardstock, Canson watercolour paper, My Favourite Things Bitty Bears stamps, Versamark, Versafine onyx black & faded jeans distress oxide inks, Hero Arts sparkle & white embossing powders, Zig markers, MFT blueprints 24 dies, ARTplorations Hearts All Over stencil, foam tape; (love letter) white & black cardstock, EK Success/Martha Stewart Love Notes patterned paper, PSA Love Birds stamp, Versafine onyx black & Memento Luxe love letter inks, Ranger clear embossing powder, Simon Says Stamp postage stamp border & QuicKutz heart dies, foam tape

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Birthday Coffee or Tea?

It's time for a new challenge at Seize the Birthday! Our topping for this latest challenge is sure to be a popular one: Coffee or Tea!

As always, our topping is optional; as long as you've got a birthday project, we'd love you to share it with us. 

I drink more tea than coffee, but decided to go with a coffee theme anyway:

After initially trying a very clean and simple design, I ended up with this groovy card! The Bunn-style coffee pot and the orange that I chose for the sentiment seemed perfect for a retro treatment. And of course a punny sentiment never hurts, either. 

You may have one or two coffee or tea-themed stamps or papers in your crafting collection... but even if you don't, I hope you'll join us! 

Supplies: white & Stampin' Up mambo melon cardstock, Stampin' Up patterned paper, A. Jillian Vance Design Simply Said: Pothead, Brew-tiful & Beautiful Rose stamps, Versamark, Catherine Pooler tiki torch & Stampin' Up early espresso inks, Hero Arts clear embossing powder, foam tape

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Love Reminder

Valentine's Day has come and gone, but that doesn't mean you have to stop feeling the love! The February challenge at Naughty or Nice Challenges, All Loved Up, continues for another ten days. 

  

This time I tried to go a little bit naughty (or at least humorous) and used the optional colour palette more as *inspiration*. 

Ooh, look at *all* that masking so that my potty people could be holding hands. :P I paired these older Unity stamps with a much newer sentiment from Technique Tuesday. Luckily, I found some patterned paper that matched the potty girl ink colour! Since the colour palette suggests I should have more pink than blue...

I think this card works perfectly for the current CASology challenge: Together.

Lovey-dovey cards don't have to be for just Valentine's Day! Especially if you add an element of naughtiness. ;) You still have ten days to play along with us! 

P.S. I'll be back in a few hours with the new Seize the Birthday challenge! 

Supplies: white cardstock, Basic Grey True Love patterned paper, Unity Sweet Paper Pals & Technique Tuesday You Aren't Normal stamps, Versafine onyx black, Altenew rouge & Caribbean inks, QuicKuts nesting hearts & Sunny Studio Stamps fishtail banners dies, fun foam

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Travelling the Galaxy with the Sisters

The Sisters are travelling to galaxies far, far away with our newest challenge: G is for Galaxy! As it has turned out, a few of us have a added a mini Doctor Who theme to today's offerings as well. Here's my contribution: 

I'm still having fun with the plastic wrap technique I used for Challenge 103, and thought it might make a fun galaxy background with the right colours. I sponged several colours of distress ink on watercolour paper, gave it a good misting with water, and pressed some crinkled plastic wrap on top. Once it was dry (one thing about winter: things like this dry faster...), I spritzed it all over with some sparkly mist for a little shimmer. The TARDIS is stamped and watercoloured with chipped sapphire distress ink. 

The sisters each have their own unique take on galaxy cards, as does our current Queen and guest designer, Helen! Travel cyberspace to see their projects, then set off on your own crafting flight! 

Supplies: white & navy cardstock, Canson watercolour paper, Viva Las VegaStamps Doctor Who stamps, Versamark, mermaid lagoon, blueprint sketch, chipped sapphire & wilted violet distress inks, Ranger clear embossing powder, Tsukineko sparkle sheer shimmer mist, foam tape

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Mixing It Up with a Hippo

There's a new Mix It Up challenge at Ellen Hutson! This month, they are pairing up with Hero Arts. I used one set from each, and two stamps from each set, to make this: 

I really wanted to make this card yesterday, but a headache had other ideas. But today I was able to put it together with a clear head, yay! The hippo and party hat are from the Essentials by Ellen set Wish Big, and the spectacles and sentiment from Hero Arts' Irreverent Birthday Messages. Mr. Hippo is stamped in grey ink and coloured with Spectrum Noir markers. For once I was able to leave the toenails unpolished. ;) His hat is shaded with purple Copics, then the polka dots added with a colourless blender. I purposely stamped the specs right over his eyes, then added a coat of gloss to emphasize the myopia. I used a stippling brush for the grass he's standing on. 

Supplies: white & AC cardstock, Essentials by Ellen Wish Big & Hero Arts Irreverent Birthday Messages stamps, Versafine onyx black & smoky grey inks, mowed lawn distress ink, Ranger clear embossing powder, Copic & Spectrum Noir markers, MFT diagonal stitched die, Gelli Roll clear glitter pen, Nuvo morning dew crystal drops, foam tape

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More Christmas Inspiration

It's still not my turn to be the muse at Muse: ChristmasVisions, but I'm keeping in practice by being inspired by the other members of the design team. Here's the current offering by Chriss Blagrave: 

So I'm standing by the first rule of Muse: ChristmasVisions — use the inspiration card as a starting point. So I took inspiration from the wreaths, bird, and the general colour scheme. From there, I made a quite different looking card... 

I watercoloured my little scene after stamping with grey ink and embossing in clear powder. My mad photography skillz don't really let you see the grey of the ink or the panel mat. Sigh. The red layer is dry embossed for a woodgrain texture that suits the scene. 
This is going into Simon Says Stamp's Wednesday Anything Goes challenge and the HLS watercolour challenge (but no hearts on this one). 
So yes, it's February, Christmas seems so far away, but as our fearless leader Ardyth says, your December self will thank your February self for getting ahead of the rush! There are still a few days left to be inspired. 

Supplies: white, red & PTI smoky shadow cardstock, Canson watercolour paper, Stampin' Up Winter Memories & Hero Arts Friends and Family stamps, Versafine smoky grey ink, Ranger clear embossing powder, Zig markers, Papertrey Ink woodgrain impression plate

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Blow Out the Candles...

It's Thursday, and that means there's a new Seize the Birthday challenge starting! Our new optional topping theme is CANDLES. 

If candles aren't your thing, any birthday-related project will do. I wanted to put a cake with my candles, which led to a long process for what should have been a straightforward card. But here it is: 

Someday I will find the perfect cake stamp. (I have a few of those: the perfect Santa is another ongoing quest. Of course what's perfect for me may not be perfect for you; personal opinion is funny that way.) In the meantime, I went through what I had, and this Unity cake stamp is my largest. I masked off the candles (there are only five, and three of them are solid — I didn't want brown candles!) and the "eat cake" sentiment in the top layer. (I think next time I will use the cake upside down; the *frosting* makes more sense to me that way.) I added as many candles as I could. ;) 
I hope Nancy doesn't mind that I've decided to appoint myself the comic relief member of the design team whenever possible. :D  
Everyone on the Seize the Birthday team has a different interpretation of our candles theme, including our current guest designer, Kristie, so be sure to check them all out! If you need to make a birthday card, consider putting candles on it (or not!) and join us! 
P.S. This is my second post of the day! My contribution to the new Naughty or Nice challenge can be found here. 

Supplies: white & blue cardstock, Stampin' Up real red glimmer cardstock, American Crafts Hip Hip Hooray patterned paper, Unity Eat Cake, Hero Arts Irreverent Birthday & Paper Issues/Snarky Stamps Ahh Birthday stamps, Versafine onyx black, Brilliance coffee bean & squeezed lemonade distress inks, Ranger clear & Hero Arts sparkle embossing powder, Copic markers, watercolour pencils, MFT blueprints 24 & Taylored Expressions champagne flutes dies, Wink of Stella clear glitter marker, Studio calico red star sequins, fun foam

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All Loved Up

Happy February! The month of hearts and valentines and all that other mushy stuff. Except for snow; it won't get mushy around here for another month or so. 

We may be called Naughty or Nice Challenges, but we seem to be making it difficult to go naughty this time around! 

We've titled our February challenge ALL LOVED UP, and we've even added an optional colour palette filled with pastel colours. Even though all those shades of pink were hurting my brain, I had to go nice:

Watercolouring is my go-to strategy when seeing a colour challenge with several shades of one colour, so I collected my pink and red Zig markers for the three roses. Silver embossing and greys sort of cover the neutral colour. (I thought more of the knife blades than the actual given shade...) A background wash of shimmery blue covers that colour. If you squint, you'll see I used a background stamp with watermark ink to add some interest to the pale pink base. The sentiment is white-embossed on a dark pink. 
Now it's over to you! Perhaps you'll take on the triple challenge of the theme, the colours AND making your project naughty! You have until February 25th to join us.
P.S. I'm back in a few hours with a new inspiration card for the latest Seize the Birthday challenge!

Supplies: Stampin' Up pink pirouette & melon mambo cardstock, Ranger watercolour paper, Great Impressions Rose Trio, My Favourite Things Tropical Sensations & Hero Arts Envelope Background stamps, Versamark ink, silver & Hero Arts white embossing powders, Zig markers, Twinkling H2Os, MFT blueprints 24 die, fun foam

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