The book at the Once Upon a Time Challenge Blog is Where the Wild Things Are.
I remembered that on one of my trips, I had picked-up some scrapbooking papers in this theme, so I set-off on my own little wild adventure to try to find them ... and thankfully I was successful before the challenge ended.
I used the layout from the Sunday Stamps Sketch and two of the papers by Paper House.
Rather than add a vertical sentiment, I substituted one of the circle puffy stickers to finish the card.
On my list of things to accomplish this weekend were some birthday cards. I used the March Sketch Challenge at Unity Stamp Company.
I used my never-been-inked Winnie the Pooh Sweet Little Smiles for my focal image with the separate party hat stamp, so I'm also linking-up at the NBUS Challenge.
I stamped & colored Pooh and then managed to lay my image down in some residual ink on my studio table (ugg) so I started over and stamped and colored him again, but I liked my first image better. My solution was to detail cut the first image and use foam tape to attach him on top of the second image for some dimension, but I couldn't get that tiny pom pom on the top of the hat to line up ... so solution number two was to swap it for a felt flower ... a card maker always has to be ready to pivot.
I finished with a reverse birthday sentiment from Unity Stamp Company ... so kind, so caring, so you Sentiment Kit.
I'm also linking-up at the We Love Stamping Challenge where the optional theme is Spring.
This week's Just Us Girls Challenge is all about Repetition.
I started with this repeating circles Gel Press Print that to me just screams that it need to be a birthday card.
I used this week's Try Stampin' on Tuesday (or Not) Sketch and several vintage wood mounted stamps for a slimline design, so I could feature as much of those overlapping repeated circles as possible..
I paired my vintage Savvy Stamps Birthday Owl with a repeatedly stamped A Muse Happy Birthday sentiment for a second element of repetition.
It's perfect for a birthday party I'll be attending this weekend.
Saturday I took a Washi Tape class with Donna Downey and had fun stretching my Washi Tape Muscle.
I started with three different half sheets of cardstock - 2 colors of kraft and one white. (I was so into the creative process, I forgot to take in-process photos). I seldom use washi on kraft, but since Donna was giving it a try, I decided I would too.
We started by applying paint and then using a baby wipe and stencil to remove the tape. I used the Studio Light Mindful Moodling Mandala Circles Mask that reminds me of RBG's collar. It ultimately ended-up being mostly covered by washi, but it does add to the overall design.
Next I played with layering on lots of different washi tapes. For one, I kept it monochromatic teal ... for the other two I went with rainbow ... and I used lots of black and white washi tape on both including these new thin washi tapes from Dylusions. I particular loved the one that looks like zig-zag stitching.
You can see some other recognizable tapes in there like Alexandra Renke's Coffee Cups, and a few I'm sure from the Eyelet Outlet Washi Tape Store. We used matte medium over and under the washi tape to keep it securely attached to the cardstock.
The next step was to come in with Paint Pens and Stabilo Pencils to add marks. Mark making has always been hard for me for some reason, so I channeled my inner Damsel of Distressed and Dori Patrick Art.
Since I was creating in person with Donna (and got to tell her in person how much attending her Inspired event years ago changed my artsy self), I pulled out some of her stamps from Unity Stamp Company - Art & Possibility and stamped them on the same kraft cardstock and attached them to my Mixed Media Washi Tape Collage.
I felt like my piece needed more marks but I wanted them to have serious contrast, so I pulled out some black Love from Lizi Peel-Offs to finish the design. I just love how this one turned out.
Next I needed to make a Unicorn Card for a six-year-old's birthday, and I thought my washi tape on white would be the perfect background for a magical unicorn.
I trimmed it down to 5"x5" square and then framed it in black cardstock before attaching it to my card base. I added some more of the zig-zag stitched washi tape and some Alexandra Renke Birthday tape to finish the design.
I die cut the Alexandra Renke Unicorn and backed it with some of her gorgeous paper. I finished with sentiments from Alexandra Renke as well. I love how this one turned out too.
Such a fun way to spend my morning and stretch my creative muscle.
When I saw the Autumn Boldness Colors at the Sunday Stamps Challenge, I was pretty sure I had a piece of paint brayered paper in my stash from Art Camp (you can click through to see the process) in that exact color palette.
And sure enough, my memory hasn't totally failed me (although some days I wonder).
I decided to use the paper as my card base and combine it with some new Poppy Stamps products for the Poppy Stamps Make it Magical Challenge (because what is more magical than a Whittle Unicorn).
I die cut the Poppy Stamps Geometric Deco Plate twice from Orange and Red Cardstock. Next I die cut the Poppy Stamps Whittle Unicorn twice from shimmery yellow cardstock and a scrap of my background paper (that I used for the mane, horn and heart outlines).
I paired it with a sentiment from Poppy Stamps Whittle Wild Animal Sentiments to finish the card.
I'm also linking-up at the Dies R Us Anything Goes Challenge where they sell lots of Poppy Stamps dies.
The new 100th Lawn Fawnatics Challenge is all about the Kids.
I chose images from Lawn Fawn A Little Sparkle (with Coordinating Dies ... so I'm also linking-up at the Dies R Us Anything Goes Challenge) together with the layout from the Global Design Project Challenge.
My landscape is die cut with the Lawn Fawn Stitched Hillside Borders Die.
With my Unicorn's cute little Fairy Friend I'm linking-up at the Anything Goes with Wings Challenge at Creatalicious Challenges.
I also used two Lawn Fawn Designer Papers - Spiffy Speckles & Really Rainbow Scallops.
And I'm also linking-up at the Furry Animals Challenge at Seize the Birthday (because you know Unicorns have fur).
I wanted to make a Cat card this morning for several Challenges, so I chose the adorable Max form the Max & Millie Stamp set by Taylored Expressions.
Since I was using Taylored Stamps, I decided to join her February #TEMakerChallenge, which luckily for me includes use something starting with C (in addition to Watercoloring and Taylored Expressions SoCal Color Palette). The SoCal Color Palette was certainly a bit out of my comfort zone, but I managed to find Karin Markers that were close to those hues to do my watercoloring on my image. I love how I was able to blend the purple & green on the balloon and polka dot package.
I originally die cut with a Hexagon, but then later decided to use the detail die for the image, so I could incorporate the four shades of cardstock from the SoCal Color Palette.
I used the cardstock in the four colors together with the Sketch from the Sketch Saturday Challenge replacing the heart with a larger stitched circle die. With my Scalloped Punched Border, I'm also linking-up at the Add A Border Challenge at the Heart 2 Heart Challenge Blog.
I finished with some enamel dots for the bling and a Peaches & Cream Button for my stash inspired by the Incy Wincy Designs Challenge to use an Animal and/or Buttons. I threaded it with some Pink Champagne floss.
My initial reason to use a Cat was the Feline Fine Clean & Simple with a Cat Challenge at The Paper Players, but with my enamel dots and buttons, I think I failed on the Clean & Simple front, so I won't link-up.
The Fox Challenge at CASology was the perfect opportunity to feature some Cute Foxes Stickers from {a vintage girl} & her daughter. Remember my Discount Code SMILYNSTEF gets you 15% off your order.
I thought the two cuties with the balloons would be perfect for a birthday card using the Sketch Layout from the Fab Friday Challenge Blog. I kept my images to the right side of the card to leave lots of white space on the left.
I pulled out a vintage wood mounted A Muse Happy Birthday! and paired it with a sticker sentiment from Typewriter Phrases.
I'm also joining the Global Design Project where the theme is Animals.
When I saw the How to Catch a Star book cover at The Library Challenge, I immediately knew what I wanted to make.
I die cut the Waffle Flower Stars Pattern Background from Navy Cardstock and cut it into three pieces. Then I spent a while hunting for some 3-D stickers that I knew I had in my stash (from The Dollar Tree I believe). While I was hunting I found some red Doodlebug stars that were also perfect to add a bit more red from the book cover.
I finished with a simple sticker sentiment attached with foam tape.
The layout is the Sketch Challenge from The Paper Players.
I had also intended for my card to be for the AAA Cards CAS Challenge, but decided it didn't meet the Maxi White Space requirement, so I used the punched stars to make a second super-CAS design.
Die Cuts, sticker sentiment, strip of cardstock and foam tape. Oh to be able to sleep under the stars instead of shivering under my flannel sheets.
Often this weekend of the year I am hanging out in Ames, Iowa with the Taylored Expression Crew at Stamp Joy, but this year we all had to hang-out virtually. I was thrilled that Mona (aka @MyCraftyDreams was able to travel to Cedar Rapids, so we got to craft together with 900 of our closest crafty friends through Facebook Live classes (how did we not remember to take a picture of us together).
Friday's class was four cards using an adorable new stamp set Social Butterflies. It included both a red rubber set & a coordinating clear set to stamp the color on the butterflies.
I think the first card we made was my favorite of the day ... I love the simple combination of masking with a bit of splatter.
I messed-up the next one a bit (what's new), so had to trim down my panel a bit to get it straight ... so I rescued it by putting it on a colored card base.
The next one involved fussy cutting and masking with Heather Nichols signature neutral color palette.
The final one for the day included textured embossing with ink blending.
Saturday's classes started at 9am and we were able to complete 10 cards through 7 different Facebook Live Classes. It was a full day of paper and ink.
We received this Full of Flowers red rubber stamp set together with coordinating clear set & stencil to use throughout the day. I loved this color combination (so much so that I had to add that Peaches 'n Cream ink to my collection).
I added some clear bling to the finished card.
The next card included three things I usually avoid - dogs, glitter & a shaker design - but I embraced all through and it actually came together with no mess due to Taylor's assembly tips, which was a miracle to me.
I added some red peel-off stirps and silver bling to finish my design.
Card #3 was our mass produced card. Taylor provided enough to make 4, but I pulled a bit extra from my own stash and was able to complete 6 cards, which was an awesome way to stock my holiday card stash.
The inking of the embossing folder was a long-forgotten technique that produced such a cool look with the snowflakes ... and I also love Taylor's Drip Drop Embellishments.
We got this fabulous color blocking stencil in our class supplies that produced this stunning ink-blending effect ... and miracle-of-miracles, my white gel pen actually worked.
I didn't really like the font for the sentiment chosen for the next card, so I used one of the other stamps that was in our set.
Next we created with rainbows and had some fun with foiling using 1/8" score-tape.
How do you not love googly eyes.
I have the Life of the Party set that we used for our next card, so I may have to make some other variations using the different animals.
I did not have Taylor's Dotted Stencil, so I used a similar one from my stash. I also put the sentiment on white cardstock rather than stamping right on top of the dots for a bit more contrast.
And the final card featured water coloring with Taylor's intensely colored liquid watercolors. I went over the top with some shimmery watercolors from my stash for a bit of sparkle.
I swapped out the sentiment again because I needed more Birthday Cards for my stash. I loved how we trimmed the water colored panel for a inset sentiment.
IT was a super-fun weekend and creating ... and even more fun by getting to create with person with a crafty friend. I'm already looking forward to next year.
