Creative Sketches Week 4 Mother's Day

This week, the Creative Sketches Design Team tries to combine a Sketch and a Holiday card.  Knowing that Mother's Day is really not all that far away, I started thinking of what my mom might like to get in the mail. My Mom does not love pastel colors, which typically are used in the spring and for Mother's Day so that makes it challenging to make a card for her.   She loves rich jewel tones though. I was thrilled that I was able to combine the Color Challenge from Just Add Ink (Rich Razzleberry, Old Olive, Crumb Cake, and Whisper White) with the Creative-Sketches.com Sketch Challenge to come up with a card that I think my mom will love!

This adorable card uses one of my favorite Holiday stamps sets, All Holidays.  It covers just about every major holiday in the year.  So versatile!  I pair with my trusty Big Shot Top Note Die, and Vintage Wallpaper Embossing folder, my new Boho Blossom punch, the two Step Bird Punch, and some wonderful Designer series paper from the Bold color pack.

To add a little sparkle on this card, I used my favorite Old Olive 5/8" grosgrain ribbon, a Rich Razzleberry brad, and some wonderful pearls. I love the different sizes with the pearsl too!

So, go on over to Creative-Sketches.com and post your holiday card! Can't wait to see what you make!

Creative Sketches Week 1 Challenge

This week for our sketch challenge, we had a vertical layout with several thin layers.  I decided to use one of my layers with a stamp instead of adding a piece of cardstock.  It is a little hard to see in the picture, but look to the left of the larger image.  I used my other layer as the edge of the top note die.

I have really struggled with Poppy Parfait as a color, but this color challenge from Handstamped Sentiments provided the Colors for the week, Pear Pizzaz, Poppy Parade, and Blushing Bride.  I like the combo very much.  I will definitely be using it again soon!  I cheated slightly and added a tiny sliver of Crumb Cake!  Sorry guys!

The stamp set I used is Just Believe.  I absolutely this set and have used it several times.  I had not used the frame stamp though so it was great to get that inky!  Hope you like it and want to go over to Creative-sketches.com and give it a whirl for yourself!

Creative Sketches Week 3 - Watercolor

I adore watercolors!  When I was in college as an illustration major, my media of choice was always watercolors.  I am always happy to spend some time with my trusty aqua painters. The colors of my pictures below are a tad off, so think Tempting Turquoise, Pear Pizzaz, and Poppy Parade.

This is the Happy Together stamp set, which has the most adorable little birds. I painted their bodies with Tempting Turquoise using multiple coats.  I liked that the stazon covered by the ink, just looks like a rich dark blue, and I can still see the details for the feathers.  It is important to let things dry between coats.  I also let everything dry and then did a light wash of pear pizzaz at then end for my ground.  I used my marker tip to color in the beaks and go over the feet so they were peach parfait instead of black.

Creative Sketches Week 1 Challenge

This week at Creative-Sketches.com, we are working with a Sketch challenge.  What can you make with this Sketch?

I don't have any handy Oval cutting dies,so I chose to use my Stampin' Up! Big Shot, and my largest Circle punch. (We have an even larger circle in the current Mini catalog, but I don't on that yet!) I really love Elements of Style, and wanted to showcase the gorgeous flowers in a subtle fashion.  I stamped it out and punched out 2 circles, the trimmed out two more flowers. I used the stamp in the background, for a tone on tone look.  I also used my Color Spritzer to add interest to the bottom half of the card.  my Top Note die, trimmed the long way added another element to the card.  The final element was my grosgrain ribbon.

Pop over and send us your card submissions!

Santa Big Shot Treat Holder

Yesterday I went to a meeting my upline was having, and we could bring a 3D Holiday item as a Shoebox Swap. I loved the Mummy I made a few weeks ago and I wanted to see if I could turn that same basic idea into a Santa. I googled the Coca Cola Santa for inspiration, and then went to town.

This little guy is pretty easy, but has lots of steps. I started with 4 card size pieces sheets of cardstock I ran through my Top Note Die on my Big Shot. Then I sketched out a rough hat shape and trimmed that out of Real Red, and then trimmed out the lower half of Santa's beard, and used the scrap white to make my fur trim for the hat. Apricot Appeal made a perfect face for Santa. I used my sponge Daubers and pastels to add blush to his cheecks.

I trimmed scallop oval made perfect mustaches after I cut it in half and scooped out the middle a bit. I punched 2 whisper white 1 inch circles for eyes, and 1 more for a pompom hat. I also punched 2 basic black half inch circles. I punched a 1 inch circle from real red and cut that in half for the lower lip. I used my slit punch for a nose from pretty in pink. I used my small oval to punch out eyebrows from whisper white. I took the Basic Black pastel and darkened my eye brows.

I took a Sahara Sand marker to add details for the eyebrows and mustache and beard. I also used the sponge dauber on the edges of the beard. I also used my White gel pen as a highlight on the eyes, nose and lower lip.

And no Santa would be complete without a touch of dazzling diamonds on the pompom and hat trim.

To Assemble Santa, I filled a small cello bag with soft peppermints and stapled the bag shut. then I used a pop up glue dot on each side and pinched the two together. Santa can stand up by himself now!

Feel free to duplicate Santa if you like, but if you have a blog, please link back to me! Have fun with it!

Fall Craft-Punch Art Owl

So It is just my wishful thinking that is was fall and that school had started up again, but if you are feeling the same way, try out this cute little guy.

To make Mr. Owl you need some Stampin Up punches and the Big Shot Top Note Die. You need three shades of brown cardstock. I chose Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa and Creamy Caramel, but Soft Suede and Kraft would work too. I also used Whisper white, Pumpkin Pie, Dusty Durango, and Basic Black. You need a small cello bag, and two pop glue dots (or booger glue as I call them)

For punches:Scallop Circle, 1 3/8" circle, 1 1/4" circle, 1" circle, small oval.
You also need sponges and a stamp pad or two in the cardstock colors you choose.
Cut out the Chocolate Chip Top Note and score it in half. Fold it over and sponge around the edges.
Punch two scallop circles from Close to Caramel and sponge those as well. Then Punch out a 13/8" circle and tear it in half. I crumpled mine and sponged it. That is your eyelid. Punch out a Very Vanilla 1 1/4" eyeball and a 1" black pupil. I punched out two beaks with the small oval. I layered the Dusty Durango on the bottom and the pumpkin pie in the center.

I placed my beak down first, then my scallops, and layered the rest up on top. After that was complete, I filled my bag with candy corn, but carmel popcorn, or any other candy would be lovely. I loved the bright orange color of the candy corn:) This would make a great halloween treat bag.

To assemble the bag, fill it with candy, fold it over then staple it shut. Place a booger glue dot on each side, and squeeze the edges of the owl on top. You are done! Yeah!! Quick, fun and totally adorable.

To Order any of the punches needed to make this guy, click here to access my store 24/7.

Top Note Box

This wonderful box is really easy to put together. You need your Big Shot Top Note die, designer series paper, cardstock, and the white cardstock from the back of the package of designer series paper. Then you need 1 piece of 8.5x11 paper. I used the Walk in the Park Designer Series Paper, Baja Breeze, So Saffron. Cameo Coral and Basic Gray would also work

You also need a paper trimmer with the scoring slider or a bone folder, sticky strip, a stamp set ( I used Great Friend from the Spring mini catalog) scissors, a corner rounder punch, ribbon, and the snail adhesive, and dimensionals.

I got the template for this box from this website .
Trim your cardstock to measure 7.75 x10.5. Then score on the dotted lines and cut on the solid lines. Gentle fold in the flaps and put the box together using Snail Adhesive. Take a 5/8" ribbon and tie a knot or bow in front of the box. (I used some adhesive on the ribbon to keep it in place.) The ribbon helps hold the box together. Punch the corners on the lid flap so the lid is easy to close.

After you run the cardstock and designer series paper through the Big shot, put them all together in a sandwich. This will be the top and bottom lids to your box. I took the scrap from my 8.5x11 cardstock and cut it in half. (5.5 x.5) I stamped the leaves from Great Friends, trimmed it to fit my lid and adhered it to the lid. I took a 2.5 strip of Whisper white and stamped 2 butterflies and the Label from Great Friends in Baja Breeze and cut the butterflies out. Then I my Stamp-a-ma-jig and used it place my for you stamp in the center of the label. Once that was done I trimmed that out as well. I used dimensionals to pop the label and the butterflies on the box lid.

To put the box together, you need to take two strips of sticky strip for the top and bottom of the box. I like to line up the box top and make 2 tiny marks to help me match the second lid. I do the bottom lid first and then the top.

Now, fill the box with a sweet treat and you are all done!

Scrapbooking with Rub-Ons

I wanted to create a simple page using my Fall-Winter 08 Hostess Level 3 Rub-ons. I had some pictures I took at Thanksgiving to do. Riding Hood Red Cardstock matched the red in my top picture wonderfully and helped it really pop off the page as well as linking the two images together, so I used that as my mat for my image. By extending the edge of the image, I created a space for some journaling. I used my ruler and pencil and then wrote the journaling using my Always Artichoke marker. I also love Kraft as my scrapbooking background. It is so versatile and can go in any color direction. The Bella Rose designer series paper on the edge give another element to the page.

I took my big shot and ran two pieces through using the Top Note die. I trimmed the perforated edge of the Whisper White piece to use that as my title. I took my rub-ons and applied them to title block, and the bottom right corner.

Crazy for Cupcakes

This sweet birthday card was cooked up at a recent workshop.

Ingredients
Crazy For Cupcakes
Raspberry Tart Designer Series Paper
Whisper White cardstock
Kiwi Kiss cardstock
Rose Red cardstock
Big Shot Top Note die
Scallop Edge Punch, and Scallop Circle, 1 3/8" Circle Punch
Dazzling Diamonds, Crystal Effects
Kiwi Kiss and Rose Red Classic Ink, Black Stazon,
Stampin Up Markers
Two Way Glue
Dimensionals
Snail Adhesive

The Card
Trim a Rose Red cardstock to 5.5x8.5. Fold in half. Stamp the edges of the card with Rose Red Ink. (Versamark would also work if you have that instead) Cut a strip of DS Paper and a strip of Kiwi Kiss cardstock an half inch wider than your original. Scallop the edge and adhere the ds paper on top so the scallop shows on the bottom. Mount on the card.

Run the Whisper White & Kiwi Kiss Cardstock through the big shot with the Top Note. Cut both top Notes in half. Trim along the dotted line of the white top note and stamp the cupcake tower with Stazon. Let it dry then color in the cupcakes with markers. Dot the cupckes with Two Way Glue, and apply the Dazzling Diamonds. Apply that to the Kiwi Kiss top note.

Stamp the cupcake again on Whisper White and cut it out. Color it in with markers. Stamp the happy birthday phrase tightly so that it forms a circle and punch it out. Adhere the cupcake to the stamped circle with a Dimensional, and then apply that to a Rose Red scallop punched circle. Then fill in the cupcake with Crystal Effects. Let that dry then adhere to the card.

Big Shot Cupcake Card

I made this birthday card using my Big Shot and Big Bold Cupcake die cut set and Top Note die. It was simple to use the big shot and really easy to make multiples to send out as invitations. The stamped happy birthday is from my favorite All Holiday set.

The Card

Step 1.
Run Whisper White cardstock through using the Top Note.


Step 2.
Run Barely Banana, Rose Red, Chocolate Chip, and Whisper White through the Big Bold Cupcake. Cut cardstock for each color into 2.25 squares and run through the Big Shot. Take the Candle pieces and apply to the Top Note with 2 Way Glue.



Step 3.
Place the cupcake top down on top of the candles.



Step 4.
Place the cupcake bottom down leaving a small amount of white showing through.


Step 5.
Take the flower piece and white center together with a dimensional and place on cupcake base.


Step 6.
Stamp Happy Birthday on the card with Baja Breeze. Apply Snail Adhesive to the back of the Top Note and place on the card.
Ta Da!