Time for a New Sisters Challenge!

Today brings a new challenge at the Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers! We have a really good one for you this week, that I think everyone can enter...

You read it right -- C is for CRAP (Why Did I Buy That?)! I have a feeling that every crafter has those "it seemed like a good idea at the time" items in their craft supply, whether they are stamps, patterned paper, dies... I'm pretty frugal with my crafting dollars, but I had no problem picking what to use for this challenge. In fact, it was easy to make two projects! I started with a Spellbinders die set that I bought soon after I got my Cuttlebug, and had never used satisfactorily. With inspiration from Google, this resulted:

I discovered, thanks to Google, that one of the things I'd been doing wrong was trying to combine different flower sizes, instead of layering several of the same size. And as I created these flowers, I realized I was using not just die crap, but two other crap, why did I buy that items! I was SO disappointed when I bought Stampin' Up's ruby red cardstock -- let's just say, if Dorothy's slippers had been this colour, I believe there would have been a lot less fuss. I sponged the edges of the petals with Hero Arts snow chalk ink, another disappointing purchase for me. A gift bag using this template, a little ribbon and patterned paper... and the crap looks pretty good! 
Of course, Google offered more than one idea about using these dies...

This time, I used a crap, why did I buy that embossing folder, too. This patterned paper, though? Love it, not crap at all. :D This card involved a lot of sponging, very much outside my usual creative box. I think it all resulted in a pretty card, if not in my usual style. 
Since I used dies as the starting point for both these projects, I'm linking to Simon Says Stamp's current Die Crazy challenge.
Are you starting to feel inspired? Thinking about those neglected, why on earth did I buy these, items? Be sure to check out the rest of my sisters' creations -- we seem to have a remarkable flair for using crap. ;) You have until Friday the 30th to join in the fun!

Supplies: (gift bag) Stampin' Up very vanilla & ruby red cardstock, Amy Tangerine sketchbook patterned paper, Hero Arts snow chalk ink, Spellbinders carnation creations dies, small hole punch, Pebbles Inc. ribbon, May Arts twine; (card) white cardstock, Dear Lizzy lucky charm & Creative Imaginations patterned paper, Memory Box happy birthday stamp, Memento rose bud ink, Crafts-Too embossing folder, Queen & Co. white brads

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Classy, Again

Friday! And a long weekend here in Canada... our unofficial start to summer, although the weather doesn't seem to be agreeing quite yet. Friday means Unity Friends with Flair, and I'm back with another card using the set Undeniably You:

Look! I designed a dress that isn't red! A few red triangles barely count. I don't think I'm in a creative rut, this set just happened to be perfect for the card recipient. This is a little bigger (6 1/4" x 4 3/4") than the average A2 card... it will be signed by a group of people, so I wanted to leave room for everyone. ;) I used three different papers from Echo Park's Here & Now paper pad -- such a short-cut when you know everything will coordinate. I used markers to selectively ink the sentiment. Those sequins are so very teeny, but sparkle perfectly. With my die cut frame and sentiment oval, I'm entering this card into Simon Says Stamp's current Die Crazy challenge, as well. 
Have a great weekend! Stop back in tomorrow -- the Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers has a fun challenge coming up! And a few hours left in the current one, if you're so inclined... 

Supplies: white, grey & black cardstock, Echo Park Here & Now patterned papers, Unity Undeniably You stamps, Versafine onyx black ink, Zing clear embossing powder, Stampin' Up gumball green & Ranger black soot distress markers, Spellbinders oval and labels 5 dies, Simon Says Stamp (I think) clear sequins, pop-dot tape

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Something Different

Happy Thursday! I thought I'd pop in and share something I recently crafted... but not from paper: 

Yes, it's a SPOCK monkey! Oops, is my nerdy side showing? ;) Yep, Star Trek fan here. And with my nephew's firstborn arriving a few months ago, I had to make this. I saw one in a store, but where's the fun in that? And then I wouldn't have discovered there's an entire book dedicated to Star Trek crafts. In case you are starting to worry, I didn't actually run out and buy it; just borrowed a copy from the library. At the beginning, it's just like making a regular sock monkey, not that I'd ever made one before:

That's an ear sitting beside him. :D The ears aren't quite shaped the way I would have liked them, but I think they get the idea across. I also didn't want Spock to be scary, so kept the classic eyebrows thin and short, hoping he wouldn't look too angry. 
I'm not abandoning paper for socks anytime soon, but making my Spock Monkey was a lot of fun! 

P.S. There's a day and a bit to go in the current Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers challenge. If you have Mother's Day cards still to post, or want to really get a jump on next year, please join us! Saturday sees the start of our next challenge... and it's a good one. ;) 

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A Classy and Fabulous Birthday

Happy Friday! It's a beautiful and warm one here (at least so far; thunderstorms are forecast), and I hope it's nice wherever you are, too. It's been too long since I've linked up with Unity's Friends with Flair, so I'm glad to have a birthday card to share today.

I do love this set. I also love that you can design your own dress with it... funny how mine always end up with some red in them. The colours were also inspired by this month's Unity colour challenge. I masked the sentiment so I could stamp it in two colours and use the two halves to frame the main image. Inside the card, I matched the two fonts as best I could on my computer so I could write "Have a fabulous birthday". 
Have a great weekend!

Supplies: white & Stampin' Up pear pizzazz cardstock, Basic Grey True Love patterned paper, Unity Undeniably You stamps, Memento tuxedo black, Brilliance graphite black & Versamark inks, Zing clear and Ranger rich red embossing powders, Spellbinders circle & scalloped oval dies, pop-dot tape

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Who's Your Mama?

The Alphabet Soup challenges continue at The Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers... today we present Y IS FOR YOUR MAMA! It's time to make Mother's Day cards! 

I just need the one Mother's Day card, and that is for my mother-in-law, so there is a definite lack of snark here today. ;) 

Since she is a former piano teacher and choir member, I think this card should be just about perfect for her. ;) I'm adding this card to the Clear it Out purple challenge (the punched mauve bird & purple cardstock), the Card Concept's monochromatic purple challenge (in the clean and layered style) and Simon Says Stamp's anything goes challenge.
Check out what the rest of the Snarky Sisters have come up with for this challenge -- and don't worry, one or two of the design team did manage some snark. We are also highlighting our guest designer and recent challenge winner Shari! And then, what are you waiting for? Time to finish those Mother's Day projects and join us! 

Supplies: white, mauve & purple cardstock, milled lavender and dusty concord distress inks, Radiant Rain shimmering ice mist, Memory Box woodland branch and virtuoso music dies, Stampin' Up bird punch, Spellbinders music embossing folder

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Embellish It!

Happy Saturday! I hope you are enjoying a spring-like long weekend. Saturday means it is time for a new challenge at the Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers.

Continuing with our alphabet soup theme, this week is E is for Embellishment. Two or more embellishments, please, whether they are the same or different. I don't tend to do a lot of card embellishment, so mine is, no surprise, subtle...

This card will be for my husband's aunt, who turns 92 next week, and is the youngest senior I've ever known. Since she both five-pin and lawn bowls, this image from The Graphics Fairy seemed made for a card for her. None of my woodgrain papers seemed right, but the gold striped paper gives the suggestion of a bowling lane. And the black pearls in opposite corners worked to tie the entire scene together. 
Check out the rest of the Snarky Sisters' embellished offerings, including this week's guest designer, Princess Judy! Enjoy the rest of your weekend. :)

Supplies: white and tan textured DCWV cardstock, Basic Grey Hey You!, Creative Imaginations Signature Collection Dots and Stripes Warm & My Mind's Eye Stella and Rose Hattie patterned papers, A Muse Studio Birthday Greetings, Graphics Fairy digital image, Versamark & broken china distress inks, clear embossing powder, distress markers, Wink of Stella clear glitter marker, Glossy Accents, Recollections black half-pearls, pop-dot tape 


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