Creative Crew Challenges for August Cont'd

This month's holiday-focus over at Splitcoaststampers' Creative Crew challenges is Friendship, Family, or Sister Day. The challenge is to create a project for one of these days using paper piercing, Pocketful of Posies DSP color palette (choose 3), and a sketch.

I have three sisters with birthdays this month, so this is for one of them.

I also used this week's Friday Mashup to help guide my color choices (closest colors to turquoise, red, and black + handmade flowers). ETA: This card also works for this week's Our Creative Corner challenge. What's the chances of that?

Here's the inside of the little pull-out pocket.

Stamps: Best Friends Forever, Under the Big Top; Paper: Poppy Parade, Early Espresso, Whisper White, Pocketful of Posies DSP; Ink: Baja Breeze, Early Espresso; Accessories: White Baker's Twine, Silver brads, Neutrals Collection button, Pearl jewels, Dotted Scallop Ribbon punch, Circle punches, Word Window punch, Paper piercer, Dimensionals.

The scrapbook-focus challenge is one of the easiest subject matters, in my opinion, friendship. Sensing a friendship theme here? How easy is it to find a photo of friends, new or old, and scrap it?

I wanted to use some elements that comes with the starter My Digital Studio CD, since this is a picture from my first Convention in 2009, and it was at that Convention that they unveiled MDS. This picture depicts the lovely and lasting friendships I made that first year. Project 52: Week 31, page 38.

MDS Elements: Stamps: Enjoy Every Moment, Thoughtful Overlays; Other: Summer Home template, Summer Home DSP, Summer Home embellishments.

Hope you'll stop in this month and play with us! Thanks for stopping by!

Creative Crew Challenges for August

I've got a treat for you! Because of the upcoming blog hop this weekend, I'm going to post a couple of my Creative Crew projects early, so you get a sneak peek of some of the challenges. You can put on your thinking cap for a couple extra days to play along with us. Don't squander the time, eh? :P

August's Splitcoaststampers' Creative Crew catalog-focus challenge is to use the piercing tool on a friendship project. I can't just use one way of piercing, right?

I used the piercing tool and template to pierce an outline around my base layers. My main image has piercing and stitching (using the sewing machine), 'cause I'm addicted to sewing on my cards. Then I tried something new. I stamped the leaf images from Raining Flowers, I pierced by hand, and then I stitched the outlines with White Baker's Twine, dyed with Lucky Limeade ink. The sketch is Mojo Monday sketch #201.

The Peach Parfait flowers were paper pieced and sponged with Calypso Coral ink. Lots of fun dimension, don't you think?

Stamps: Raining Flowers, Just Believe; Paper: Peach Parfait, Lucky Limeade, Soft Suede, Very Vanilla, Paisley Petals DSP, First Edition DSP; Ink: Peach Parfait, Calypso Coral, Lucky Limeade, Early Espresso; Accessories: White Baker's Twine, Eyelet, River Rock ribbon, Sponge, Piercing tool, Petal Cone die, Big Shot, Sewing machine, Thread, Dimensionals.

The DSP/color-focus challenge is to use three colors from the Pocketful of Posies pack to create a friendship card. I selected the most bright and happy colors for this sweet candy card.

What a fun hello card for a friend! Like candy, it's all about the colors, don't you think?

Stamps: Sweets for the Sweet; Paper: Daffodil Delight, Early Espresso, Whisper White, Very Vanilla, Pocketful of Posies DSP; Ink: Pear Pizzazz, Poppy Parade, Daffodil Delight, Early Espresso; Accessories: Early Espresso Baker's Twine, Buttons, Curly Label punch, Sewing machine, Thread, Dimensionals.

I hope you'll come play along with our challenges this month. Thanks for stopping by!

July's Creative Crew Challenges Cont'd

July's Creative Crew holiday-focus challenge is to create a national spirit project. Express what your country mean to you.

I ended up with a couple holiday-focus cards, because my first card below used retired stamps. I try to avoid that, but I really wanted to express what my country means to me... wide open spaces. I grew up in the midwest, riding my horse across open farm fields. Big sky and the freedom feeling of just riding across open space is really my definition of America.

I wanted to try a brayer card in sepia. ColorQ challenge #88 started me down this path, so I thought I would stay with those colors.

I also drew inspiration from 'Ocicat' on SCS.

Stamps: Wanted, Le Jardin Botanique; Paper: Soft Suede, Cherry Cobbler, Whisper White; Ink: Crumb Cake, Soft Suede, Early Espresso, Chocolate Chip, More Mustard, Creamy Caramel, Soft Suede marker; Accessories: Sponges, Brayer, Post-it notes, Circle punch.

My other project is a Fourth of July celebration tree. Weird?

I find Independence Day cards/projects to be difficult, but this one works... I think anyway. I added some bling to help make the holiday sparkle.

Stamps: Season of Friendship, Something to Celebrate, Happiness BG; Paper: Cherry Cobbler, Not Quite Navy, Very Vanilla, First Edition DSP, Nautical Expedition DSP; Ink: Early Espresso, Versamark; Accessories: White embossing powder, Itty Bitty punch pack, Word Window punch, Modern Label punch, Button Latte, Early Espresso Baker's Twine, Rhinestone jewels, Riding Hood Red striped grosgrain ribbon, Sewing machine, Thread.

I haven't had a chance to play with the scrapbook-focus challenge, focus on family. I've got a page in my head, and I hope to catch up with that in the coming days.

ETA (7/30/11): I finally got my family-focused scrapbook page done. This is the tail end of our France trip last year with the in-laws, visiting the city of Eze and Monaco.

I wanted to use bright blues and greens, because all the colors in Monaco are so bright and vibrant. This is only the first page I've gotten done from this trip. Many more waiting to be created. This is page 36 of Project 52.

MDS Elements: Urban Oasis DSP, Summer Home embellishments.

Make sure you head over to the demo side of Splitcoast and play along with us! Thanks for stopping by!

July's Creative Crew Challenges

Hello new In Colors! I'm posting July's Creative Crew challenges a little early, since we'll hit the ground running on July 1 with the new catalog and Convention around the corner. For the DSP/color-focus challenge, focusing on the new In Colors, I created an In Color rolled flower tree.

I'm not sure I should have gone with so much rhinestone bling, but what's done is done. I created a kind of patchwork background with First Edition DSP scraps, to keep it subtle and the focus on the colors. No ribbon either. What'cha think?

Stamps: Season of Friendship; Paper: Lucky Limeade, Calypso Coral, Wisteria Wonder, Pool Party, Island Indigo, Early Espresso, Very Vanilla, Whisper White, First Edition DSP; Ink: Lucky Limeade, Early Espresso; Accessories: Sponge, 1" Circle punch, Scallop Edge punch, Rhinestone jewels, Sewing machine, Thread, Dimensionals.

The catalog-focus challenge this month is playing with new stamps! I pulled out the new set My Friend and coordinating paper Pocketful of Posies. Starting with Mojo Monday sketch #196, I came up with this groovy little number.

Stamps: My Friend; Paper: Baja Breeze, Rich Razzleberry, Night of Navy, Soft Suede, Whisper White, Pocketful of Posies DSP; Ink: Baja Breeze, Night of Navy, Versamark; Accessories: Scallop Edge punch, Cupcake Builder punch, Neutrals Collection button, Linen thread, Sponges, White embossing powder, Coluzzle.

If you are a SU demo, make sure you stop by the demo side of Splitcoast and play along with us! Thanks for stopping by!

June's Creative Crew Challenges Cont'd

I have some more Splitcoaststampers' Creative Crew Challenge samples to share.

For the holiday-focus challenge, we used a love bird ensemble inspirational photo to create a project that involved birds, maybe for a wedding, although not necessarily. For my project, I actually made an ATC, which was my swap at the Syracuse shoebox swap a few weeks back. I used the flower punch from the Itty Bitty punch pack, so it also be a sample for the flower challenge this month.

I saw the idea to put the love birds inside the "O" of love from Cindy Elam, which I thought was brilliant!

Stamps: Love You Much, Clearly For You; Paper: Marina Mist, Very Vanilla, Bride Specialty DSP; Ink: Chocolate Chip, Marina Mist, Chocolate Chip marker, Marina Mist marker, Pear Pizzazz marker; Accessories: Sponge, Itty Bitty punch pack, 3/4" Circle punch, Cog punch (for circle), Pearl jewels, Baja Breeze seam binding, Button, Linen thread, Dimensionals.

The scrapbook-focus challenge is to incorporate a poem into your project. Well, my project warped into 3-D framed art.

Lots of sponging and grunging. This is taken from a project I saw in another publication, and I reproduced for a little birdhouse project, but I really wanted to make some framed art. This would make a great house warming gift.

And, all my projects this month incorporate flowers... more of that flower-making illness I was talking about. This time I wanted to use the new Doily triple layer punch. So this one also applies for the catalog-focus challenge.

Stamps: French Foliage; Paper: Soft Suede, Very Vanilla, First Edition DSP, Newsprint DSP, Le Jardin DSP; Ink; Soft Suede, So Saffron, Sahara Sand, Whisper White craft, Soft Suede marker; Accessories: Sponges, Neutrals Collection button, White Baker's Twine, Baja Breeze glass glitter, Doily triple layer punch, Scallop Trim edge punch, Modern Label punch, non-SU chipboard heart.

Please stop in and play with us!

June's Creative Crew Challenges

It's time to share some of this month's Splitcoaststampers' Creative Crew Challenge samples with you.

The catalog-focus challenge is to use any flowers except stamped flowers. Button flowers, felt flowers, die-cut flowers, punched flowers, crocheted flowers... you get the drift. Well, I have an illness. Stampin' Up makes it so easy with all the flower options, especially the Vintage Adornment flowers and Ribbon Rosettes from the previous Occasions mini. And although I had a ton of ideas for this challenge, I just couldn't use these pre-made babies. Well, I could, but I didn't. While they sit within reach of me, I have to make the flowers. Hopefully no one will beat me with a wet noodle.

I created some rolled Concord Crush flowers to create a clean and simple (CAS) card, using the Clean & Simple fall to layout #132. It was really fun to use stitching to create the stem and vein in the leaves!

ETA: These flowers are made like this tutorial. I use circle punches to make mine.

Stamps: Sincere Salutations; Paper: Pear Pizzazz, Very Vanilla, Springtime Vintage DSP, In Color DSP; Ink: Concord Crush; Accessories: Various Circle punches, Scallop Trim edge punch, Birds & Blooms die, Big Shot, Sewing machine, Thread.

The color-focus challenge is based on the Sunny Garden DSP color scheme, Poppy Parade, Daffodil Delight, Pear Pizzazz, and Peach Parfait. I also used the flower punch from the Itty Bitty punch pack, so this card can also apply for the flower challenge.

This card uses Mojo Monday sketch #178.

Stamps: Thoughts & Prayers; Paper: Daffodil Delight, Poppy Parade, Peach Parfait, Very Vanilla, Greenhouse Gala DSP, In Colors DSP; Ink: Peach Parfait, Pear Pizzazz marker; Accessories: Sponge, Itty Bitty punch pack, Pearl jewels, Poppy Parade ribbon, Coluzzle, Scallop Circle #2 die, 3" Circle die, Big Shot, Sewing machine, Thread.

Make sure you stop in and play with us!

Scrappy Friday: More Creative Crew Challenges

Morning Everyone, I have a couple more samples for May's Creative Crew demo challenges on Splitcoaststampers. Even if you are not a demo, you can always see the challenge cards by searching "creativecrew" in the gallery.

This month's DSP/color focus challenge is inspired by Elegant Soiree DSP, use neutral cardstock with a splash of color. I love this neutral look; it is so elegant! An extra step is to use naturals or confetti cardstock rather than Whisper White or Very Vanilla.

I thought the Elegant Lines embossing folder could look like sea waves, so it was an easy pairing with the Sail Away single stamp from the Summer mini.

I tried to make a less frilly bow, so perhaps this could pass as a masculine card.

Stamps: Sail Away; Paper: Naturals White, Crumb Cake; Ink: Soft Suede; Accessories: Brads, Neutrals Collection button, Early Espresso baker's twine, Baja Breeze seam binding, Elegant Lines embossing folder, Big Shot, Dimensionals.

The scrapbook focus challenge is to make a vintage scrapbook page using black & white or sepia photos. Fun idea! Personal bookkeeping: it is week 18 of Project 52, and I've created 25 pages.

I had hoped to make a real life, hold-in-your-hands, cardstock page. But it wasn't meant to be. It is rather easy to put together a vintage page with My Digital Studio. There are so many vintage and distressing options. In this case, I only had to use Love Letter DSP, which is already quite distressed.

These are photos of my grandmother and father. I have several more photos, passed down to me after she died, and you can just see the adoration on her face. This is the same grandmother that passed down to me her sewing machine, sewing box, and dining room table which my club ladies stamp on. I think of her often!

MDS elements: Love Letter DSP, Cherry Cobbler Scallop Trim punch, Black zig zag stitching, Red corduroy button, Black grosgrain ribbon knot.

Thanks for stopping by.

Creative Crew May Challenges

Morning Everyone, Remember I told you I was selected to be part of Creative Crew on Splitcoaststampers' demo side? This is my first month, and the challenges are out there and live in the demo challenge forum.

If you're not a demo, you can't see the challenge forum, but you can still see the cards in the gallery. Just search "creativecrew". There are four challenges each month: catalog, DSP/color, holiday/seasonal, and scrapbook focus challenges.

The catalog challenge is to use distressing tools (sponges, distressing kit, cutter kit, etc.) to age up the project, to make something new look old. I had a couple not-so-straight-forward technique ideas for this one, cracked glass or faux mother of pearl. Actually I had a lot of card ideas, but not so much time. So for my little notecard, I used sponging on the edges, and I also ran my DSP piece through the Framed Tulips embossing folder and sanded the design. There is no problem that can't be solved over a cup of tea, or so I've heard.

Stamps: Morning Cup; Paper: Peach Parfait, Early Espresso, Whisper White, First Edition DSP, In Color DSP; Ink: Peach Parfait, Early Espresso, Soft Suede marker, Peach Parfait marker, Pear Pizzazz marker; Accessories: Sponge, Sanding block, Aquapainter, Neutrals Collection Watercolor Wonder CrayonsEyelet Border punch, Itty Bitty punch pack, Bitty button, Linen thread, Framed Tulip embossing folder, Big Shot, Sewing machine, Thread.

The holiday/seasonal challenge for May is his and hers cards, i.e., Father's Day and Mother's Day. Use the same layout to make a masculine and feminine card. Once I settled on a layout, it went pretty smoothly. I am a sucker for circular main images.

Here are some close-ups.

Stamps: The Open Sea; Paper: Not Quite Navy, Basic Gray, Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla, Nautical Expedition DSP; Ink: Soft Suede, Basic Gray, Crumb Cake, Cherry Cobbler, Early Espresso, Not Quite Navy, Night of Navy, Black Stazon; Accessories: Sponges, Aquapainter, Early Espresso baker's twine, Perfect Details texturz plate, Circles #2 die, Tasteful Trim die, Big Shot, Sewing machine, Thread.

Stamps: Easter Blossoms; Paper: Rose Red, Pear Pizzazz, Very Vanilla, Springtime Vintage DSP; Ink: Rose Red, Black Stazon; Accessories: Aquapainter, Brads, Circle Scissors Plus, 3" Circle die, Tasteful Trim die, Big Shot, Sewing machine, Thread.

I'll share more challenges on Friday. You can peek in my gallery if you can't wait. ;)

Thanks for stopping by!