Kiss Your Mate Day

April 28, 2021April 28, 2021 | Lisa K

Today is the day to share cards created for the Challenge Your Stash Group at Split Coast Stampers. The challenge is to make a card showing a kissing couple, a couple in love, or love for a pet. I made two cards using the same technique.

For each of these cards I used the mirror image so they faced each other. I tend to use this technique every year for our anniversary. That is quickly approaching in about 3 weeks, so this challenge was perfect timing for me.

The elephants are from a new set from Lawn Fawn called elphie selfie flip flop with matching dies. I learned I was able to die cut the reverse, but flipping my cardstock over. I colored the elephants first with alcohol markers, so it bled through and I could easily see where to mount the die. I used dotted paper from My Favorite Things for the scene. This card will be posted to the monthly MISTI Monday challenge at SCS.

The seahorses are from a limited edition stamp set from The Stamps of Life. For these images, I die cut first then stamped the reverse image. I use a stamp called Mirror Image, where I stamp the image on the stamp then use that stamp to place it on my paper. Sometimes it is quite light, so I have to trace with a black marker. The background was made using alcohol inks on vellum cardstock. Basically you scribble with the marker then brush or dot rubbing alcohol all over the ink to create the blended background. I use 99% alcohol as the paper stays flatter. I saw this on a SU Demo video. It is fun to create and every background is different.

I am adding these cards to the Simon Says Stamp Anything Goes Challenge.

Thanks for looking at my cards for this month’s challenge. I like both so am not sure which will go to my husband. We will be celebrating our 30th anniversary.

Buddies CASE

April 24, 2021 | Gayle Chrvala

It’s been awhile since I last posted but I have been working continuously on prepping cards for the “Making Cards for Troops” organization. May 8th my girlfriends for life and I will be getting together to assemble these cards. The group has requested all occasion cards but no holiday cards except Christmas so I’ve been working to cover a variety of cards. I believe I am up to 24 packs of 5 cards…..one original in each and 4 to make.

I was totally inspired by Bonnie’s card with the dragonfly about a month ago so this is my version of Bonnie’s gorgeous card. Of course my card is not as complex as Bonnie’s but I’m pretty happy with how it turned out. I decided on warm tones in kraft, ivory and brown. I need a nice gray not green gray but gray gray ink!

The stencil is TCW Sunflower Meadow designed by Carmen Medlin that I found at SSS. I inked that with GKD Kraft ink. My frame was made using two Waffle Flower A2 Lacy Layers Dies and a template that Lisa B had sent to me. Thank you Lisa. I use it often. Instead of the dragonfly, I decided on this soaring bird from GKD’s Springtime Silhouette StampTV kit and stamped in and the sentiment that I found on my desk in Vintage Photo Distress Ink. My cardstock was all Recollections from my Michael’s store. They have a nice variety of heavy weight cardstock in shades of four colors. Unfortunately, their layering weight is only 65 lb and not the matchy/matchy with the heavy weight cardstock.

I have to make one more of these for my sample as I decided to give this one to Will for his birthday on May 2nd. Thanks for inspiring me Bonnie and the rest of our Stamp Buddies. Next I’ll be case-ing Lisa B as I have the die cut from her Pantone color challenge card on it’s way to me, too.

Patriotic Cards

April 19, 2021 | Lisa K

Someone asked for help with cards for her parent’s nursing home. She was specific in wanting July 4th cards. My Buddy Judy sent me her left-overs from last year, so I put them to good use and created 6 or 8 cards with her supplies, then created a few more. Here is a selection from the cards were mailed.

I think the box held 15 or so cards. I counted but didn’t really pay much attention. I promised her 10 cards, but she got a few extra. Once I had an idea, I duplicated it several times. These will be given to the residents at the home and there are around 70 residents. Hopefully several people are providing enough cards.

Unicorn and Rainbow

April 9, 2021 | Lisa K

I finished a card yesterday with a Unicorn and a Rainbow under a cloudy rainbow sky.

http://daranddiane.blogspot.com/2021/04/anythng-with-rainbowunicornmermaid.html https://www.retrorubberchallengeblog.com/my-blog/2021/03/challenge-155-rainbow-connection.html

The rainbow stamp set, from The Stamps of Life, rainbow2stamp, was released in July 2017 and has been in my stash that long. The unicorn is from Paper Smooches Spectrum set, released in 2015, now retired. I used several ink colors to make the clouds. This is a bright card that will probably be sent to someone needing a bit of encouragement.

Yellow and Gray in 8 min and 47 sec

April 9, 2021 | Lisa K

Today I sat down with two stamp sets, mounted on wood or acrylic ready to stamp, ink opened, markers ready, and timer set to create a flower card in 10 minutes. I tried one yesterday and couldn’t make it happen.

http://www.asyouseeitchallenge.com/2021/04/247.html https://modsquadchallenge.com/perfectly-pantone/

I used only yellow and gray to color and black to stamp on white cardstock. Stamps used are Sweetbriar Rose and Happy Thoughts, both by Stampin’Up. The gray cardstock is SU from the Neutrals collection and the white is Gina K Designs. I did a quick color with Spectrum Noir Citrus Blend, CT1, 2 and 3, Copic Cool Grays, C1, 2, and 3. My timer showed 1 minutes and 53 seconds left, so that made 8 minutes and 47 seconds used to complete the card. I have someone in mind to send this to, so it was worth the quick creating.

April Crafters’ of Faith Challenge

April 7, 2021 | Lisa K

On the 7th of each month is a new challenge for the Crafters’ of Faith group on SplitCoast Stampers. This month the verse is: Psalms 30:5 For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.

I focused on morning using Lawn Fawn Sunflower ink for my sun rays. I used the stencil from the March Paper Pumpkin kit. In creating this card, I used a video for inspiration. I can’t remember her name, but used her idea with stamps and paper I owned. The mat layer is Seaside Spray embossed with the Subtle embossing folder. It was good thing I purchased it as it is retiring the end of the month. The focal was placed on one of the card bases from the kit, which is Pretty Peacock. I like this card. I think it will be used for anyone needing a bit of encouragement.

Rainbow Quarters

April 6, 2021April 6, 2021 | Gayle Chrvala

The challenge for the AAA Cards is Two Quarters + optional twist Rainbow!!! Hmm! So I made some templated by folding a sheet of copy paper 5-1/2 x 4-1/4 into quarters four different ways. My single card has the two quarters in the middle of the card front. Using SSS Mix & Match circles stencil and Distress Oxide Inks, I completed my rainbow then stamped dragonflies from GKD’s Dreams Take Flight and the sentiment from Verve Stamps Thoughtful Florals.

I had fun creating this one and decided to keep going with my two quarters.

Same Stencil and Tim Holtz Alterations Sizzix Chat Cats stamp set and die and the two quarters are really on the corners of the card.

For this card the two quarters are in the middle and I opted for light blue cardstock. I think I should have stuck with white cardstock. Same stencil and rainbow inks and added SSS word die cut multiple times.

And my final two quarters are on the two edges and also on light blue cardstock with a GKD Massive Messages sentiment. I did add some GKD crystalline drops to my three cards not entered in the challenge. I’m trying to get into the habit that if I make one card to make at least a second or possible four of the same design for Mailing Cards for Troops organization.

Thanks for stopping in and taking a peek. Off to watch some baseball and our Phillies.

Seven Minutes Flat

April 6, 2021April 6, 2021 | Gayle Chrvala

My adrenaline was flowing last night watching my Phillies with a come from behind win over the dreaded Mets so I decided it was a perfect time to play along with the As You See It Challenge #247 Blossoms theme Speed Challenge. You have 10 minutes to complete your card project on this challenge. So, taking a deep breath and gathering the cardstock, patterned paper, stamps, ink, markers and paper cutter, I was ready to begin. My blossoms and sentiment from GKD’s Whimsical Spring stamp set were both stamped in Versafine Clair Nocturine black ink on a piece of Recollections Sea & Sky patterned paper pad then colored with some SU and Memento markers. I added a few GKD Crystalline drops and Liquid Pearls in Buttercup adhered all the layers and DONE! Seven Minutes Flat. This came together so easily that I made a second one. Of course, it did take longer thank 10 minutes for the crystalline drops and liquid pearls to dry. Another fun challenge from AYSI.

Thanks for stopping in today and taking a peek.

April Beware!

April 5, 2021April 5, 2021 | Gayle Chrvala

Two Old Bats Halloween Challenge: April Anything Halloween

The April challenge with the Two Old Bats Halloween Challenge is Anything Halloween. Using their Inspiration Mood Board, I was focused on using greens and well that cupcake too. I die cut a circle from Spellbinders Classic circle dies and used some removable tape to adhere the circle to my card layer so I could sponge a variety of TH Distress Oxide Inks , then switched the circle with the outer mask to lightly sponge the inner circle and flicked the sponged background with some water. My cupcake was the largest one I could find in my stash comes from TPC Studio Cupcakes stamp set, my witch hat is Recollections Halloween clear stamp set which was stamped in black, clear heat embossed and fussy cut. The sentiment is SSS Halloween sentiment strips and added two green googly eyes to complete my card for this challenge.