Gift Card Holders

I found this fantastic new challenge site called Festive Friday. The challenges are all Christmas related. Although I missed the first one, I'm getting in under the wire for the second one. We were given a photo for inspiration. 

I decided to make some gift card holders to tie into Sandi's Bank on Christmas. Sandi is giving us a monthly prompt so that we have everything in place by the time Christmas rolls around. This month we are to make six gift card holders.

Here are my first two holders. I used the colors from Festive Friday and went with their rustic country theme.  I used a two-sided Christmas paper and matching stickers from my stash of Webster's Pages.  The leaves are from the Tim Holtz die.  Burlap also from my stash, cut into a strip of trim.  The holders are kept together with a Velcro type fastener. 

Festive Friday Challenge: FFC02 Rustic Country Theme  until February 27, 2013 at 11:59PST

Stampin' Up Card

Because I belong to a local club that gets together monthly for Stampin' Up AND because I like to enter challenges, I've found a couple of new ones to participate in that focus on Stampin' Up products.  So here is a card I made as my first time entry for these sites.

Stampin Up Only Challenge:  Sale-a-bration Time: use something from the catalog
due Feb 23 3am EST

Paper Craft Crew Challenge:  Card Sketch and at least 2 Stampin' Up products or stamps
 due Tuesday, February 26, 2013 at 11:59 PM EST at which time voting starts. 
Voting ends on Friday, March 1st at 10 AM EST.
Oh wow!  I got the most votes!  What a wonderful surprise!



 Here are the Stampin' Up products I used:

Bicycle and word celebrate from the Feeling Sentimental stamp set in the Sale-a-bration catalog

Early Expresso embossing powder
Very Vanilla card stock
Crumb Cake card stock
Early Expresso card stock
Decorative Label punch
Antique brad
Square Lattice Folder 
Stampin' Dimensionals

He Was a Curious Fellow

I saw this fantastic Steampunk 2 Art Journey stamp plate in the November 2012 Craft Stamper Magazine. I ordered it direct from the company in the Netherlands. This week I found some challenges that are perfect for inking up these stamps. And I used each and every one that came in the set.

I started with a turquoise linen card.  The bottom is embossed with my newest Stampin' Up Textured Impressions Sissix embossing folder--Honeycomb.  The top is stamped in Stampin' Up Tempting Turquoise with the bubble wrap background stamp from Rogue Redhead Designs, LLC. stamp plate: Behind the Scenes, and, in Ranger Wild Honey Distress ink, the smaller stamps from the Art Journey set.  I then blended in some Making Memories Manila acrylic paint. I used a piece of twine from my stash to help separate the top from the bottom.

I stamped and printed on Stampin' Up Very Vanilla card stock.

I stamped the male image in Ranger Rusty Hinge Distress ink and fussy cut it. I edged it with Ranger Wild Honey Distress Ink marker.  I stamped the wings with Black Archival Ink, distressed them with Rusty Hinge,  fussy cut them, and edged them with Ranger Vintage Photo Distress Ink marker.  The images are popped up with dimensional foam dots. 

I hope you enjoy my play on words.  After I generated on the computer my words, I cut them out and overstamped with the smaller Art Journey stamps in Rusty Hinge and then created word boxes with a black Sharpie.

The metal parts:  A piece of necklace chain (from Walmart) and a Tim Holtz Idea-ology gear which I "rusted" with Tim Holtz Adirondack Alcohol Ink in Terra Cotta.

I made this card for the following challenges:

Sugar Creek Hollow Challenge #49 Metal Mania
All Sorts Challenge #194 Things With Wings
So Artful Challenge:  Curiosity/ Rust and Turquoise
Simon Says Stamp and Show Challenge:  Metal-ology

Manly Valentine Tag

Yay me.  On track for 2013 with my February Tim Holtz tag. 

 

Right off, I didn't have the blueprint stamp.  I improvised the stamped background by using Tim's Sissiz sewing texture fade with the arrows and pattern markings.  I used the Gecko Galz playing card from the Game Time collage sheet.  Since I didn't need to color the card, I used my distress markers to shade in the impressions from the texture fade. 

Second game changer was I reversed the color combo in order to use my red Coredinations Heart paper.

I used a darker tag but did follow Tim's directions to paint it with distress stain.

I do a lot of fussy cutting and 3-D effect with dimensionals--so I followed along with the technique on the playing card.  I folded the hearts for a mini honeycomb effect.  I outline my images with distress marker for a finished look.

Other Materials Used:
Ranger Picket Fence distress stain
Ranger Vintage Photo distress marker
Ranger Worn Lipstick distress marker
black Sharpie
bakers' twine from stash
Tim Holtz Ideaology Vial Label
Imaginisce Washi Tape
Jo-ann's ornamental heart
Tim Holtz tissue tape

As Tim said, I'm sharing my love this month:

 I'm entering this tag at Tim Holtz' blog where you can find the complete tutorial on how to make this tag.

Also submitting this tag to:
The Craft Room:  Challenge: Something for a Man

Rogue Redhead Mini Love Note

There's a Rebel Challenge over at Rogue Redhead Designs, LLC.  It's to make and submit a 3 inch mini love note card.  Winner received a $15.00 USA voucher to spend in the Rogue Redhead Designs on-line store.  You have until March 3 to link up your entry. 

Here's an idea I came up with for the challenge as my design team sample:

 

 

I used:

RRD Behind the Scenes stamp plate. 

RRD Snow Hugs stamp plate.

I hesitate to call it a tutorial, so I'll say: if you'd like an explanation of how I made the card, please stop by Rogue Redhead Designs' blog HERE.  

Be sure to check out that Rebel challenge too.  You'll find it at the top in right column over at RRD.

Gecko Galz: Vote For Your Fave DT Valentine

 

Voting has begun for your favorite design team Valentine.  Here is the card I made for the contest:

Your vote for my card is appreciated.  However, whether or not you vote for me, I hope you vote so that you are in the drawing.  

http://geckogalz.com/30daysofvdcards.html 

The form is on the second page and everyone who votes is put into a drawing for a fab Gecko Galz prize pack!

And don't forget to claim your free digital stamp today--your little Valentine treat from Gecko Galz. 

Club Cards

I missed Stampin' Up card club yesterday--dropped my kids off at the airport instead.  When I got back, I stopped by to pick up my cards and place my order.  I ended up attaching the bow to my fave card of the 3--you know which one, right?--the vintage brown one.  And I made in entirety the dog card.  So here's this month's club creations:

Scrapling Cards

My version of Sugar Lump Studios 14 Hearts Day 7 Silver and Script Scraplings:

All images are from Paper Whimsy.

Kraft card; 2-1/2 inches wide
Script tags and Music from Vintage Page Designs
copper brads and dresden scrap

Ivory scraplings from an album project; 3 inches wide
Michaels Melodies and Lace Craft Tags
script from old book pages
buttons from stash

Taking a blog break for a couple of days.  Have a busy weekend coming up.  Happy crafting everyone!

Journal Gift

The prompt and overall design is from Sugar Lump Studios 14 Hearts: Day 2 Be Mine Greeting Card Journals.

I did not have a circular doily in the right size so I used a heart shaped paper doily which allowed me to enter a couple of challenges requiring hearts.  (love when it works out that way) 

The bird card on cover, word strip and circle inside are from Gecko Galz February Release:  Heather Hudson Collage Collection: Here Comes Spring. The postcard is from Gecko Galz Postage collage sheet. 

Cardstock is DCWV Linen Closet; 
Vintage sheet music given to me a Xmas gift exchange; 
Bits and bobs from my collection;
QuicKutz nesting doily heart; 
Stampin' Up scallop punch; 
Ranger Distress Ink Marker in Vintage Photo.  I swiped a couple of Ranger Distress pink inks over the bright pink heart to tone it down.  
Vintage button from my collection;
Sakura Gelly Roll Pen-Stardust (to bling up the roses);
Recollections clothes pin 

I'm entering these challenges: 

Try It On Tuesday challenge:  Get Ready to Celebrate Valentine's Day  at least one heart (2 on cover, one inside)

Gecko Galz Ephemera Emporium Papercrafting Yahoo Group:  Very Valentine gift: challenge: heart, word "love", frilly-- due February 9. 

I'm gifting this card journal to my cousin who is an avid bird lover and gardener.  Maybe she'll recognize the button from babcia's button bag.

Little Boy Blue Card

Here's one of my design team creations for Gecko Galz. 

I have triple layered the card stock and to create dimension, I fussy cut the image and added buttons threaded with twine, silk vine, and a flower.

I'm entering my card in a couple of challenges.  I've listed them below along with a more detailed description of my card.

All Sorts Challenge Week 192 Let's Get Cute 

This adorable image is from Gecko Galz February release:  The Children's Hour collage sheet.

The Craft Room Challenge: Handmade Embellishments-Make Your Own 

I embellished the image by fussy cutting the jumper, hat and wing and adding them as a second layer with foam pop dots.   The wing actually has a double thickness of foam dots.  The printed design from Gecko Galz shows a threaded button on two corners.  I created my own embellishments by using clear buttons and twine.  I was careful to position the twine exactly as it was in the design so that the image underneath looked like a shadow or mirrored image.  
The Crafty Bloggers Network:  February Challenge #8 Sponsored by Elizabeth Bell

Since she is offering two delightful images as the prize, I thought this delightful image was an appropriate entry for the theme Anything Goes.

Monochromatic Vintage Love Tag

Nancy of Sugar Lump Studios is providing us with some awesome prompts and samples in her 14 Hearts.  Day One was a fabulous altered cigar box filled with tags and cards.  See it HERE where I linked up my tag.

Here is my take on the tag:

I chose this beautiful image of my mother and instead of a vintage label or card, I went with this Basic Grey sentiment.  Rather than a printed butterfly, I used this special crocheted butterfly with paper rose and pearls handmade by my cyber friend Cathi from Ireland.  To balance the crochet and the dark center, I chose a dark brown crocheted trim from Really Reasonable Ribbon. 

Instead of vintage script and music papers, I used my new background stamps from  Rogue Redhead Designs, LLC:  Behind the Scenes stamp plate.  I stamped Handwriting in Coffee Archival Ink directly onto a manila tag.  I followed Nancy's prompt to use a scallop at the top of the tag--I stamped Handwritten Music Sheet onto a lighter beige card and punched a scallop circle with my Stampin' Up punch.

Other materials:
Ranger Distress Ink Marker: Vintage Photo for edging
Simplicity Pearl trim
 
I'm entering these challenges:  (some I've entered more than once this month--what can I say--I'm a monochromatic vintage love kinda crafter!)

Really Reasonable Ribbon:  Challenge #65Monochromatic and Ribbon
The Craft Room:  Monochrome
Fashionable Stamp Challenge #40:  Show Some Love
Sugar Creek Hollow Challenge #47 Romantic Love  (I'm sure my dad thought my mom looked and was romantic)
The Cheerful Stampad Challenge #53 You Have My Heart (the sentiment)

Unruly White

Today marks a new month and time for the Ribbon Cutting issue of  Unruly Paper Arts blogozine  

In addition to all of the wonderful blogozine features from the columnists, each month there are two Reader Art Quests (RAQs) 

Here is my design team sample for this month's RAQ 2, Carte Blanche.

Since the card is all white, I chose to use a variety of white papers and textures.
Card base and heart:  Stampin' Up Shimmery White card stock.  It is impossible to see, but there is a glitter effect in the paper.  At stamping card club, we affectionately call it the wedding paper.  It is not a pure white, more of a winter white.
Frame: plain white card stock
Mat:  white glassine paper which, after I embossed it, took on a plastic effect

Products used:

Spellbinders Nestabilities Fleur De Lis Rectangle die
QuicKutz Nesting Doily Heart die
Sizzix Stampin' Up Square Lattice embossing folder
Simplicity Half Pearl Ivory
Prima Shabby Chic resin Eros
Hatpins from my ancestral collection
recycled wired glitter ribbon
recycled glassine envelope for insert
ZVA Creative silk flower

I hope you will be able to join us at UPA with your Carte Blanche creations.  Don't forget to return to Unruly Paper Arts at the end of the month to vote on your favorite entry!

I'm entering this card in:

The Craft Room Challenge:  Monochrome

Really Reasonable Ribbon Challenge 65:  Monochromatic Color and Ribbon

A Layered Floral Card

Welcome February--and new products at Gecko Galz.  I'm lovin' the beautiful florals in the digital paper pack, the birds, and images of children and women.  

Be sure to head over to the Gecko Galz website for details on new products and specials.  And of course, our Valentines with instructions and specials continues on....

So much to choose from--so here's my first design team sample:

You are familiar with the Triple Stamping technique--stack a 2", 3" and 4" square, stamp all 3 together at once, then take apart and mat with papers 1/8" bigger; then restack.

I used this same technique with this beautiful Ring Around the Rosey Gecko Galz paper from the February digital paper pack, Pocket Full of Posies. I selected a portion of the design and cropped it into a 4 inch square. I printed it 3 times and then cut 1/2 inch all around on one and 1 inch all around on another. By cutting all 4 edges, you keep the image centered. I stacked with DCWV linen card stock.mats and card. 

Tip: to create a rich feel, I printed on canvas paper. The ink actually grabs in some areas and looks shiny--the same effect as if you painted the flowers onto the canvas. 

Additional Materials:  Seam binding bow and Martha Stewart punch butterfly.

I'm entering these challenges:

Sugar Creek Hollow--new challenge every Saturday:  #46 Lots of Layers

I Love You Dearly Valentine Tag

I got to play a second time this week with the hot off the press background stamps from Rogue Redhead Designs, LLC.  This time I used the reverse sequin waste and the handwritten music sheet from the new Behind the Scenes stamp plate for my tag background.

You can see this tag at the Rogue Redhead Designs blog HERE.

I added this lovely lady from the February release of Gecko Galz All Dressed Up collage sheet.

The heart and sentiment are from this week's freebie at Paper Whimsy.  (I'm going to post this on their FB page as a thank you for the freebie sheet of hearts and sentiments)


Inks:  Ranger Distress Inks in pumice stone, tea dye, antique linen (to distress the manila tag) and weathered wood (to stamp the reverse sequin waste); Archival in Sepia (to stamp the handwritten music sheet).

I used a lot of odds and ends from my stash including the trims (brown lace is Webster Pages), Simplicity half pearl ivory trim, Kaiser Craft gray half pearls, Heidi Swapp chipboard clock, a remnant from a crocheted doily, a vintage hat pin from my auntie's collection, and a handmade blue/gray flower from my cyber friend Bitsy.

I'm entering this tag in these challenges:

It's All About the Vintage and Beauty Challenge #36 Lace and Pearls

Gecko Galz Papercrafting Ephemera Emporium Yahoo Group:  Valentine themed tag

Fashionable Stamping Challenge#40: Show Some Love 
I have so much on this tag, that I had to move the ribbon to the side so that you could see I stamped the entire tag before adding all the embellishments.

and I'm also following along with Tag Tuesday -- this week being the alphabet letter "d" for Dearly--as in I love you dearly