Less is More Week 4

As a new blogger and challenge participant, I am thrilled to have found the newly formed Less is More challenge blog. Everyone is extremely kind, and I have already learned so much by participating in the challenges and seeing the amazing work created by the other participants.



For this week's challenge to use three squares, I decided to try something new to me by masking and sponging. I have been especially inspired by the incredible work of Heather T. and her Bits and Pieces blog. She creates stunning backgrounds.

What do people usually use to sponge? A sponge of some kind, I'm guessing. :) Well, I used what I had on hand this Sunday evening, and that was a cotton ball. It seems to have worked well enough. I masked the three squares and "cotton balled" them with Memento Desert Sand.

For some reason, autumn leaves popped into my mind, so I stamped each square with a leaf and then stamped the sentiment below. I think the middle leaf extends too far above the square. I meant it to only extend slightly, with the stem hanging down a little farther and somewhat 'framing' the sentiment.

Overall, though, I am tickled with how this turned out, and I'm looking forward to experimenting with this technique more in the future.



Supplies:
Paper: PTI white
Stamps: Hero Arts
Ink: Memento Desert Sand, Rhubarb Stalk, Potter's Clay

OWL 42

I didn't think I'd be able to participate in this week's One Layer Wednesday Challenge at Styles Ink, since I don't have any music stamps. When a couple of the other participants mentioned singing birds, I remembered this little $1 stamp that I picked up at either Michaels or JoAnns last spring. The music notes are super tiny, but music notes they are!

I know a lot of people don't purchase dollar stamps, but I've had relatively decent luck with the ones on wood blocks. This little bird, which I adore and couldn't say no to, gives me a pretty good image each time I use it.

I tried this bird in other places but she just kept wanting to be down in that bottom right corner! I made the first one on an A2 card with a little gingham ribbon, and then made several more as little 3-1/2 X 5 note cards. I like to have a supply of these on hand for little notes and thank yous. I finished them off with some diamond stickles in the flower centers on the bird's wing.




Supplies:
Stamp: Studio G dollar stamp (gasp!)
Ink: VersaMagic Spring Pansy & Sea Breeze, Color Box Chalk French Blue on A2
Paper: PTI white
Other: ribbon from stash, diamond stickles, corner rounder

February Papertrey Blog Hop - Scallops!

PTI's February blog hop is focusing on the use of scallops. My favorite recent projects using scallops are these two baby onesie cards I recently made for a baby gift and baby shower. They both use scallops as trim along the neckline and leg holes. So sweet!

I can't claim credit for this brilliant idea. Rather, I stumbled upon this excellent tutorial, and used Lauren's directions to make my own onesie cards. I didn't have the same supplies she used, but managed with what I had on hand.

Rather than use a scallop circle punch, I made my scallop trim using a very old pair of scalloped scissors. I scored lines on the sleeves instead of a scallop trim, and added eyelets for the snaps at the bottom. I went traditional pink and blue, using PTI sweet blush for the girl card and PTI spring rain (i think) for the boy card.

Be sure to check out Lauren's great tutorial. Making these sweet onesies is super simple and so much fun!



I also wanted to share one of my favorite cards (also seen in this post) that uses a Martha Stewart scalloped dot edge punch. I love this sweet punch, and have used it on many cards and scrapbook layouts.

Creative Scrappers Sketch # 144

This is my first time playing along with a sketch on the Creative Scrappers website. When I saw this sketch, I knew I wanted to give it a try. I have scrapped for years, but only recently started using sketches to help plan my layouts. I am finding them to be tremendously helpful.

I tend to do more multi-photo layouts, so it was fun to focus on just one picture for a change. I love this photo of my two sweet girls on their "back-to-school" night. I surprised myself by ending up with a lot of browns in my paper choices, but I am happy with how it turned out.


This is the first scrapbook layout I have uploaded to this blog, and my hubby has asked that I blur the images and names of our children. I wonder if there is a way to do it that doesn't look quite so creepy!? While I'd love to show off my two darlings, I have to say I'm a little bit paranoid as well. Hopefully I can do that and still play along.

Make It Monday # 3

I should probably call this post "Make-It-Do Monday," as I didn't have the tools needed to try the technique on this week's Make-It Monday challenge at Capture the Moment. I thought it was brilliant to use tape for a glitter strip, so I decided to give it a try with the things I already had on hand.

I don't have scor-tape, and the only glitter I have is the chunky glitter my kids and I use on their craft projects. I decided to try it with my tape-runner and some very old glittery embossing powder. It worked! I don't have an appropriately sized circle punch or a banner die, so I cut my own. Certainly not as neat and tidy, but it had to do.

When I was thinking of how I wanted to use the glitter strip, I remembered a sketch from a few weeks ago on Clean and Simple. I used that to make my card. It is pink and sparkly, and will be perfect for my little girl's sixth birthday which is coming up this spring.

I love the addition of the glitter strip to this card.



Supplies:
Paper: PTI white and pink scraps from my scrap drawer
Other: old embossing glitter, tape runner, Cuttlebug die for the "6"

Spring at "Less is More"

The ladies at Less is More challenged us to create a clean and simple spring-themed card for this week's challenge.

For me, tulips are the quintessential spring flower. Right now, even though it was snowing last night, my tulips are pushing through the ground. When they bloom, they will fill my garden with many shades of pink and purple

When I was growing up, though, the tulips in our garden came in two colors - red and yellow. Spring evenings would often find the neighborhood kids gathered in our yard for a game of hide and seek or kick the can, and we would often get 'a talking to' for trampling Mom's tulips!

I've had this Hero Arts tulip stamp for years, and I don't think I've ever made a card with it. I knew I had to go with either red or yellow, so I chose yellow, which I think is a springy sort of color. There is nothing new or fancy about this layout, but it works for me.

I think it is a cheery sort of card, and I will pop it in the mail to my 93 year old grandmother who just had a pacemaker procedure. I'm trying to be better about actually sending cards I make, rather than just popping them in a drawer!



Supplies:
Stamp: Hero Arts
Ink: Stazon
Paper: PTI white and yellow from stash
Prismacolor pencils
Ribbon from stash

Make It Monday 2

This is the second card I made for Make It Monday #2 at Capture the Moment. The challenge was to use a vellum sentiment strip. The white flowers and pearls seem more "wedding" to me than "birthday," but alas, I have no wedding sentiments.


Supplies:
Paper: PTI
Stamps: Bo Bunny

One Layer Wednesday 41

This week's One Layer Wednesday at Simplicity is a Christmas challenge - red and green on white or cream and only one layer. This is my first time playing along with one of Susan's challenges, although I have been lurking on her blog for most of the last year! I'm finally brave enough, I guess.

I've been expanding my meager stamp collection, based largely on Susan's recommendations, into Stampin' Up, Hero Arts, and PTI. I just purchased this old set (Best Blossoms) on eBay, and while it's not Christmas, I wanted to play with it. Stamped in red and green, I figure it looks festive enough.

I scored a triple frame around the images, and while it was a bit of a pain, I really like how it turned out. I just got the scoring board for Christmas from my mother-in-law, and I honestly don't know how I've lived without it. I'm in love!




I'm not thrilled with my stamping and placement of the leaves, but after several tries it just had to be good enough! I made the first card on vintage cream, and then thought I'd try it on white. I'm not sure which I like better, but I think they're both okay. Sorry for the dark pictures; it's a dreary sort of day in Washington. I'm going to have to work on my photography!

Thank you, Susan, for your inspiration. I'm really happy to finally be playing along!

Supplies:
Stamps: Stampin' Up, Hero Arts sentiment
Paper: PTI vintage cream, white
Ink: Brilliance pearlescent ivy, VersaMagic red brick

One Layer Wednesday 40

I have been inspired by so many of the One Layer Wednesday challenges on Susan and Jennifer's blogs. I finally sucked up the courage to play along!

Here is my card for this week's "Two for the Show" challenge hosted at Styles Ink.



I think I may have cheated by scoring a frame around the images, but I just couldn't leave it alone. Without the frame, the images would have been lost in space! If this wasn't a challenge, I would seriously consider adding a few pearls to the center of those flowers.

Supplies:
Stamps: Bo Bunny
Paper: PTI vintage cream
Ink: Tsukineko pearlescent beige

Make It Monday # 2

This is my first challenge. Ever!

At Capture the Moment there is a new Make It Monday series. This week it featured a vellum sentiment strip. I have stamped on vellum before, but never done the scoring. I got a scoring board from my mother-in-law for Christmas, and I was anxious to try it out.

Here is my first attempt:


Supplies:
Stamps: Inkadinkado Doodle Flowers
Paper: PTI white, aqua mist, ocean tides
Ink: VersaMagic oasis green and aspen mist

First Post

Welcome to my blog! I created this new public blog as a place to participate in card-making and scrapbooking challenges.

A few years ago I was placing an order from Oriental Trading Co. for goodies for one of my daughter's birthday parties. I saw these big paper flowers on clearance and added them to my basket. I love using them on cards, and this one was perfect for a summer wedding shower.


My posts will be random, just like my crafting. I may go a month without creating anything, and then I'll be up every night for weeks making cards or scrapbook pages. My style tends toward clean and simple. I don't have a lot of fancy supplies, although I do have a cuttlebug, which I love.

Enjoy!

Supplies:
Paper from stash
Flower from Oriental Trading
Cuttlebug embossing folder - Stylized Flowers