Burlesque Mashup

I loved Holly's inspiration for this week's Friday Mashup challenge, the upcoming movie Burlesque. Now, although I'm unlikely to run out to see this movie, visually it would be very appealing. In fact, I do have Moulin Rouge in my DVD cabinet for that reason. So I had to play along, not only with the color challenge but also the burlesque theme.

The main image was based on a vintage ATC I made some time back. I white-embossed the background with En Francais and sponged with Melon Mambo. I added some stitching to give it a little more vintage/textile feel.

Stamps: Artistic Etchings, Timeless Treasures, Rustic Rooster, En Francais BG; Paper: Whisper White, Melon Mambo, Basic Black, Welcome Neighbor DSP; Ink: Basic Gray, Versamark; Accessories: White embossing powder, Sponge, Raven black lace, Black ribbon, Button, Linen thread, Large Oval punch, Scallop Oval punch, Sewing machine, Thread.

Edit to add, my submission won! I get to be a guest designer next week. Don't forget to play along with me!

Thanks for stopping by!

Funky Birthday Card

I was combining this week's Mojo Monday and ColourQ challenges, and the result is this funky birthday card.

I love the wind-blown leaves image from Wandering Words, and I replaced the sentiment with a birthday one.

And I actually loved Taken with Teal being used last year with fall cards (replaced with Bermuda Bay here). But I'm thinking it is the DSP pattern that is throwing me off, which is the stuff I had in coordinating colors. I really love the main image panel... I would rip it off and put it on another base, if I wasn't pressed for time. Too bad. :(

I actually re-photographed at an angle, to help hide the wide open area at the top. Reminds me of how they cut off the top of really bald politicians' heads (heehee).

You can see the stitching in the close-up.

Stamps: Wandering Words, Warmest Regards; Paper: Dusty Durango, Cherry Cobbler, Bermuda Bay, Very Vanilla, Raspberry Lemonade DSP; Ink: Dusty Durango, Cherry Cobbler, Bermuda Bay, Crushed Curry markers; Accessories: Scallop Trim border punch, Crushed Curry ribbon, Top note die, Big shot, Sewing Machine, Thread.

Edit to add: Oh my goodness, I thought this card was so funky, and it was crowned honorable mention colourQ Courtier on the ColourQ challenge website. :)

Thanks for stopping by!

Countdown To Christmas: A Wish For Peace

Seven weeks to go...

This is an remake of a card we made at club last year, with updated colors, paper, ribbon, using the Cracked Glass technique. Since Stampin' Up no longer sells Glassy Glaze :(, I created the cracked glass with 4-6, yes up to 6!, layers of clear embossing powder. And this was a swap, so multiply that by 10.

I was asking darling hubby about his opinion on the card, and he asked, "Does it weigh more than 10 grams?" He has been making comments lately if a card doesn't have the prerequisite number of Heidi layers. Now he has to feel the card before he can make an opinion.

Close-up of the cracked glass.

Stamps: A Wish for Peace, Teeny Tiny Wishes; Paper: Crumb Cake, Soft Suede, Whisper White, Very Vanilla, Deck the Halls DSP; Ink: Soft Suede, Versamark; Accessories: Sponge, Clear embossing powder, Scallop Edge punch, Modern Label punch, Word Window punch, Very Vanilla taffeta ribbon, Early Espresso grosgrain ribbon, Eyelet, Crop-o-dile, Sewing machine, Thread.
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Some VSN Challenges

There was a mini VSN (virtual stamp night) back on October 15. I played along that night and weekend. A great way to get some thank you notes made!

The first challenge was "Calming Pastels", use soft cloud colors with pastels or chalks.

We also could use shredded styrofoam for fluff, but my shredded cardstock looked too messy, so I went with the white gel pen. And, let me tell you, once Little Missy saw me using the Poppin' Pastels technique here, she has been asking to color with Versamark and pastels ever since! VSN created a monster!!

Next up, "Inspired by Cloud 9", paper that is. Schirmcat gave us some photos of her patterned paper to help inspire a card.

Here I used Mojo Monday sketch #150 and ColourQ challenge #12 to help me along. A little bit of a non-traditional Christmas card. What kind of thank you card is this, you ask? Well, I just stick a little post-it note inside them and give them out.

Then came a technique challenge (technique challenges are my favorite), "Foxy Oxi". We had to use the Foxy Oxi technique, which uses Oxiclean, on our card.

Here I used Mojo Monday sketch #157 and ColourQ challenge #54. This card won honorable mention on the ColourQ website. Check out the stitching on the side of the ribbon.

And finally, "An Angel's Favorite Hiding Place" challenge. Here I thought one of my favorite images, a blowing dandelion. "Dandy, dandy, dandy, dandy, dandelion. There's something pretty dandy 'bout you... doodle-li-doo-dido." Oh, sorry! Anyway, when you blow a dandelion, are they wishes, or angel kisses?

Here I used Mojo Monday sketch #70 and ColourQ challenge #32. And I used iridescent ice on the main image.

All the supplies I used can be found in my SplitCoastStampers gallery.

Thanks for stopping by!

Easy 3-D Pumpkins

These 3-D pumpkins were a shoebox swap project from a recent team meeting, which I just got around to putting together. So cute, and perfect for the Friday Mashup challenge #16.

These guys are made by cutting twelve 1" strips of cardstock, punching a Crop-o-dile hole on either end of the stacked strips, attaching both ends with brads and spreading out the strips. I believe my strips were 5" and 6" long. You can use ribbon as well to hold the strips together. Then decorate the top with leaf die-cuts, buttons, ribbon, etc. Spritz and curl a thin strip of Autumn Spice DSP to create a curling vine.

I actually threaded the ribbon through the button on this one. I know, what was I thinking?

Stamps: None; Paper: Cajun Craze textured, Autumn Spice DSP; Ink: None; Accessories: Old Olive and Garden Green buttons, Old Olive ribbon, Linen thread, Brads, Crop-o-dile, Leaves #2 die, Big Shot.

Edit to add, my submission won! I get to be a guest designer next week. Don't forget to play along with me!

Thanks for stopping by!

Technique: Faux Barn Board

I chose the faux barn board technique for my technique swap at the Syracuse shoebox swap. Oh my goodness, be very careful choosing techniques you have never done before! There were a lot of iterations, but maybe that will lead to some useful hints for you.

So first, here is the technique and sample.

Close-up:

Hints:
1. Make sure your glue is not old. I started with glue that was from my 21-year-old son's elementary school days. Not good!
2. Try to apply a smooth, bubble-free glue layer. There were a couple times that bubbles caused me some trouble. Don't stress about it; just make sure you don't have globs of glue on the edge of your cardstock.
3. I found that when allowing the glue to dry, I could just hit it with my heat gun until the glue went from wet and shiny to opaque. It took less than 1 second for each area your heat gun is hitting.
4. Apply plenty of white acrylic paint in the last application step. Too little paint, and it won't crack.

Stamps: Farm Life; Paper: Crumb Cake, Cherry Cobbler, Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla; Ink: Black Stazon, So Saffron, More Mustard; Accessories: Aquapainter, Watercolor Crayons, Acrylic paints, Elmer's Glue-All, Sponge brushes.

Thanks for stopping by!

Same Layout, Different Colors

Hi Everyone, Seeing a recent ColourQ challenge got me intrigued on how it would look brayered.

I used the same sunset layout that I have done before and just changed out the colors. Again, once you get the brayering technique, it's an easy-peasy card.

I brayered River Rock from the bottom and Tangerine Tango from the top. I then brayered Poppy Parade from the top, half way down. They are bold colors, but me likey!

Stamps: Just Believe; Paper: Poppy Parade, Whisper White, Basic Black; Ink: River Rock, Tangerine Tango, Poppy Parade, Black Stazon; Accessories: Brayer, Brads, Circle punch, Post-it note, Dimensionals.

Thanks for stopping by!