Runway Inspired Challenge #69 - shades of yellow and gold

source: style.com

This Runway Inspired Challenge is gorgeous and completely different from colours I usually use ... I love challenges that make me stretch my creativity ...  I took the light shades and tones as my inspiration and the randomly spaced stars (I think?) in the background as a jumping off point.

So here's my humble take on the colour scheme:

I kept it very light and avoided any black, even though it is in the picture - wanted it to be shades of yellow, gold and ... more gold!  My based (Recollections 110lb white) has a popped up stamped layer using Studio Calico colour theory's yellow ink and Brilliance Galaxy gold for some shimmer.

The circles are all Winnie and Walter's Big Bang Confetti and the sentiment is a Zing Gold Tinsel embossed holiday greeting from Papertrey's Wet Paint Holiday collection.  I am trying to get an early start on holiday cards so used this inspiration as a jumping off point.

You can sort of see the sparkle of the Zing embossing powder here and the circles that look darker are actually the Galaxy Gold ink - hard to capture the shimmer!  It's a cool embossing powder because it's a hybrid between the gritty chunkier look of glitter and the smoother heat embossed finish.  It was my first time using it and I was pleasantly surprised with how easy it was to use.  Some of the glitter embossing powders are a pain to work with.

I have been using a lot of foam tape in the roll - love the fact that the profile is a bit thinner so things are more likely to stay in one piece in the mail ... :)

Have you started your holiday stash of cards yet?

SAF Morning Timer Challenge

I tried the timer challenge and made the time at 6:17.  Not bad!

SAF 2013: Stamp-a-faire Opening Ceremony and Breakfast Bake & Take

Stamp-a-Faire 2013 has begun over at Papertrey Ink and I began this morning's Bake and take using a colour combination as inspiration.  Even though it is 3 hours earlier on the West Coast, I woke up at 5AM and blearily watched a few of the fabulous videos.

I decided to get started using some of the inspiration from the first post - complete with pictures, colours, sketches etc.  I am trying this colour combination first because it's completely out of the box for me - I rarely use orange and this combo is kind of retro and different.  Thought I would give it a go! :)

For my first card, I cut out triangles by hand and made them into a banner.  I stamped them with Memento Tuxedo Black ink using BB: Newsprint for a little added interest.  I used my faithful  Tombo Mono Multi glue to add some button twine - this glue rocks!  It dries clear and is perfect for this kind of job.  You just need to press it for a minute and it adheres cleanly.

I then used  foam dots and popped them up on a piece of LCI woodgrain cardstock.  I die cut a circle using the shape from Sketched Shapes and made a window using some acetate.  I stamped the sentiment using StazOn Jet Black  from Sketched Shapes - I am always in need of birthday cards and have quite a few coming up this fall.

What do you think of the window?  Oh don't you just love this woodgrain cardstock?  It is such a fun choice for a card base.  

My next card uses the same combo with cardstock strips of different widths on an angle.  I then added the sentiment using Fresh Ocean Tides ink in Steel Blue - the perfect colour for Ocean Tides.  I used Staples grey cardstock which works well as a dupe for PTI's Stone.

 

Not sure I like the placement of the sentiment but ah well ... I'll keep it for now! :)

Happy creating during SAF, everyone!! And thank you to the DT team for all their hard work on today's festivities.  I am heading out for coffee with a friend but will be back later with some more cards and projects. :-)

edited to add - a little bashful now as I just realized you are supposed to COMBINE a sketch AND colour combo ... oops! :(
-------
If you are looking for some crafty supplies, check out my sale page here to see if anything catches your eye.  I've got grid journaling cards, an impression plate and some stamps!

Supplies:
Happy Birthday
Paper: woodgrain white, Staples grey; PTI canyon clay, ocean tides, smokey shadow, autumn rose
Ink: StazOn Jet Black
Stamps: PTI Sketched Shapes (sentiment), BB: Newsprint
Misc: PTI Sketched Shapes (circle die), acetate,  Tombo Mono Multi glue, PTI button twine,  foam dots

Thanks so much 
Paper: Staples grey; PTI canyon clay, smokey shadow, autumn rose
Ink: Fresh ink steel blue
Stamps: PTI Mini Blooms (sentiment)
Misc:  Tombo Mono Multi glue

October Blog Hop - joy

This month's blog hop at Papertrey Ink offered up inspiration pictures with non traditional colour combinations. 

I went back to this combo because it is such a fun one.  I really wanted to use my Harlequin cover plate as an impression plate so used it on a piece of Ripe Avocado card stock.  Actually, it almost has a quilted look with the debossing.  Fun, huh?

I took this piece and cut out a hexagon with QuicKutz hexagon nesting dies and a larger set with Kraft card stock for my card base.  I added some die cuts with the Alpha dies using Scarlet Jewel, Sweet Blush and Dark Chocolate.  Some thin cuts of foam dots were made to pop the letters up from the impressed card stock and more foam dots to adhere it to the base.

I was going to use a gemstone for the dot on the 'j' but decided to adhere a mini jingle bell instead.  Why not, right?

Supplies:
Paper: PTI Kraft, Ripe Avocado, Scarlet Jewel, Sweet Blush, Dark Chocolate
Misc: foam dots; PTI Harlequin coverplate, Alpha dies; QuicKutz hexagon nesting dies, mini jingle bell

October Papertrey Blog Hop - Happy Holidays

This month's blog hop at Papertrey Ink offered up inspiration pictures with non traditional colour combinations. 

What a pretty combination this one is!  I don't tend to gravitate towards the pinks but had fun combining them with turquoise shades.  I took thin strips of Raspberry Fizz, Hibiscus Burst, Hawaiian Shores and Aqua Mist and glued them down with thin strips of Tombo Mono Multi - this glue rocks because one of the nibs is super tiny, allowing for narrow strips or small dollops of adhesive.

 I stamped the Holiday Lights' line of lights with Fresh! Navy ink and then stamped the stars in Fuschia and the bulbs in Jenni Bowlin Speckled Egg.  I chose a  Think Big sentiment for a repeat of the Navy ink.

After all the stamping, I ran it through with the canvas impression plate a couple of times - this adds great texture without being too overpowering.  Some Stickles and Liquid Pearls and that's it!

Supplies:
Paper: Staples 110lb white; PTI Raspberry Fizz, Hibiscus Burst, Hawaiian Shores, Aqua Mist
Stamps: PTI Think Big (sentiment), Holiday Lights
Ink: Jenni Bowlin Speckled Egg; Fresh! Navy, Fuschia
Misc: PTI Canvas impression plate,  Tombo Mono Multi glue, Stickles, Liquid Pearls

October Papertrey Blog Hop - Celebrate the Season

This month's blog hop at Papertrey Ink offered up inspiration pictures with non traditional colour combinations.  I love these colours together:

Unusual card sizes are always fun so I took a slim envelope  (6.5" x 3.5") and then made a Soft Stone card base of 3.25" x 6.25".  I made a Lovely Layers embellishment with Smokey Shadow, Ocean Tides and Aqua Mist layers and then impressed them with the Herringbone impression plate that I smeared with lots of  Versamark ink to make the debossing show up more.  This is a great trick and works really well.  You can even heat emboss with clear embossing powder after if you like.

 Here's a close up of the dry embossing:

I used lots of foam dots to add dimension and popped up the layers, adding a little diamond bling.  Finally, I stamped the sentiment (selectively inked) with Fresh! inks Slate and Steel Blue.

  I stamped the Herringbone background stamp and another sentiment onto the envelope for some coordination.

Supplies:
Paper: PTI Soft Stone, Smokey Shadow, Ocean Tides, Aqua Mist
Stamps: PTI Think Big
Ink: Fresh! Steel Blue, Slate; Versamark
Misc: foam dots, diamond rhinestone, PTI Herringbone impression plate

Embellish Bicycle Colour Trends Challenge

I saw this great challenge over at the Embellish (online) magazine and thought I'd use it as a jumping off point.  Here's what I came up with:

Although I love bicycle images, it turns out I only have one bicycle image in my stash from Papertrey's Everyday Button Bits.  I thought I'd find a vintage looking digital image online and try an inking technique over top ...  I printed it in a grey tone so it is not so stark against the ink.

I loaded my indestructible craft sheet with Distress Inks in rows of colour, spritzed with Perfect Pearls and Studio Calico shine mist and then smooshed my background stamp into the inky mess.  It gives a sort of watercoloured muted tone to the inks. 

You can't really see the shine in the picture but it's there, promise!

And card #2 ....
For this one I used some more of the ink that I had left over to stamp another background with my Hero Arts Classic Fabric cling stamp:

This is such a simple technique but I am definitely going to try it again.  Since I wanted four colours descending down my card, I just used the edge of my Distress Ink to put colour on my craft mat rather than the whole square.  That way, I was able to squeeze all four colours in. 

Some buttons and a sentiment and that's it!

I had lots of ink left on my craft sheet so stamped another three backgrounds and even spritzed some more to ink up some sticky back canvas I got on clearance!  You will probably see those inky backgrounds in some upcoming posts .... :P

Supplies:

Paper: Staples 110lb white, Gina K asparagus
Stamps: PTI Everyday Button Bits (sentiment), Hero Arts Alphabet pattern cling stamp
Ink: Distress Ink (dusty concord, spiced marmalade, broken china, peeled paint); Jenni Bowlin fountain pen
Misc: craft sheet, Studio Calico shine mist, online free vintage bicycle image

Paper: Staples 110lb white, Gina K asparagus
Stamps: PTI Everyday Button Bits, Hero Arts Classic Fabric cling stamp
Ink: Distress Ink (dusty concord, spiced marmalade, broken china, peeled paint); Jenni Bowlin fountain pen
Misc: craft sheet, Studio Calico shine mist, PTI buttons, rustic jute button twine

Papertrey Make it Monday #64 - Colour Inspiration of brights

Bright colours like these are not my usual - I love this combination, I just don't usually reach for these colours.  But I decided this was my chance to give it a go.  I pulled some coloured cardstock I had from the cs sampler at PTI (the old 2009 one since the new one was just recently available.  I also grabbed all the inks I could that would match these colours.

My first card was almost one layer but not quite.  I stamped using a variety of Fresh and Versamagic chalk inks.  The flowers on either end are stamped off Fresh navy ink. 

I popped up the sentiment die cut with PTI's angled labels with some foam dots. 

 

Also, the vase was stamped onto Raspberry Fizz card stock and well coated with Rock Candy stickles.  Love the bling it adds ... hard to capture on camera but it's there, promise! 

 

I fussy cut it and popped it up with foam dots with the inked side flipped over.  

Ok, see the yellow flowers?  I stamped them in Versamagic Thatched Straw ink. I wanted to add a little more oomph, so used some Liquid Pearls in daffodil.  I actually bought this Liquid Pearls wanna be bottle at the dollar store - score, right?!  So I made little dots for each of the flower bits but it ended up looking all globby since some of the flower parts are larger than others.  I thought I had completely ruined the card when I remembered that I have painted with Liquid Pearls before.  So I took my aqua pen (you could use a paintbrush instead) and removed most of the dots and then painted it within the lines of the stamped flowers.  Much better and no card had to go in the garbage.  And in person, the pearlescence is a nice addition!!

Okay, next one but this one is super subtle:

This one was WAY harder to capture on camera.  Chalk and pigment inks don't show up as well on film when stamped on kraft unless they are darker colours.

I stamped Raspberry Fizz die cuts with the red, navy and grey inks and popped them up with foam dots.  The top one is popped up even more.

Hard to see but the sentiment looks gorgeous in person with the Slate Fresh ink stamped on Kraft cardstock.

Supplies:
Gracious Mother
Paper: Staples 110lb white, PTI Raspberry Fizz
Stamps: PTI Gracious Vases, Rosie Posie (hexagons), Pretty Peonies (sentiments selectively inked)
Ink: Fresh navy, slate, red currant, provincial grey; Versamagic thatched straw
Misc: PTI Angled labels die, Stickles rock candy, Dollar Store daffodil liquid pearls, aqua pen, foam dots

Rosie Posie Anniversary
Paper: PTI Raspberry Fizz, Kraft
Stamps: PTI Rosie Posie, BB Circles, Beautiful Butterflies (sentiments)
Ink: Fresh navy, slate, red currant, provincial grey; Versamagic thatched straw
Misc: PTI Rosie Posie dies, corner rounder, foam dots

Papertrey Make it Monday #64 - Colour Inspiration of cool lavenders

This week's Make it Monday was all about using colour inspiration.  So I took the above colours to make my cards.  Always great to have a challenge to try something new ...

I took one of the new PTI die/stamp sets, Movers and Shakers, and cut a zippered frame.  These are great interactive cards and the person who opens the card rips the zipper open to reveal a message inside.  There are lots of sentiments in the set to use but I made mine more personalized and handwrote it.  I could've done a computer generated sentiment but my sister appreciates the handmade touches.  Here's a look at the hidden sentiment:

She is a new mother - to the most wonderful little boy.  I wanted her to know how amazing a mother she is.

The sentiment gets adhered with scor tape right behind the zipper die cut.  I used a scrap piece of card stock as you can see from the stamped edge of a Happy Day stamping mishap! :)

 I used my new corner rounder that is a much smaller rounded edge - I like the subtle touch it adds.

I used my beloved Quatrefoil cover plate as an impression plate for the Smokey Shadow background and used my new Hero Arts Studio Calico lattice background stamp in Versamark behind the Movers and Shakers sentiment.

A very unusual colour combination for me but I like the way the colours compliment each other.  Nichole Heady has such an artistic eye.

Okay, card number two:

Very simple and basically one layer if you don't count the pearls.  I took one of my favourite stamp sets that hasn't been used in a while (Delightful Doilies) and stamped in different colours, following the inspiration colour choices.  I used a combination of Fresh and Versamagic chalk inks.  I love the subtlety of these inks.

I selectively stamped the sentiment from Modern Wood Mats so that BRIGHTER was in an Ocean Tides shade (Fresh Steel Blue) and the rest in a Smokey Shadow tone (Fresh Slate).

Then I took some adhesive pearls and went to town.  I got a tip from a video I watched to use a craft knife to pick up and adhere the pearls - it works so much better than my clumsy hands ever could! :)  I rounded all the corners with my original corner rounder and that's it.  I stamped the following sentiment inside from an old Hero Arts set (Friends).

And my final card with this colour combo:

I have seen one of the DT members at PTI use the Wonderful Words dies as an impression plate so thought I would try this.  I rolled the 'happy' die through three times with it in different places.  I wasn't super careful about it being lined up perfectly so it is a little haphazard.  The last time, I rolled the paper through with my mats but without any dies so that the impression was the same on all three rather than being more prominent only on the last one.

I took the filagree border and cut a row and then attached four behind a Happy Days die cut.  I left the little bits in this time rather than punching them out

Some ever present foam dots helped to pop the die cut up from the card front.

Oh, and here's a card from my reject scraps - I originally was going to make a card with the Quatrefoil coverplate using all the colours from the inspiration pic but couldn't figure out a layout that I liked.  So I made a card with bits and pieces to send to my cousin. 

When I want to adhere intricate die cuts, I grab my Tombo Mono Multi glue.  This stuff is amazing!! It has a narrow tip at one end that works really well for those hard to adhere bits.  It dries clear and works so amazingly!  Here's what it looks like:

Have you ever used this?  If not, I highly recommend it!  I first saw it on Kristina Werner video and was impressed with the thin nozzle.  I keep mine turned upside down so that the glue is ready to go.  I even have a backup bottle for when I run out! :)

Supplies:

The World is Brighter
Paper: Staples 110lb white
Stamps: PTI Delightful Doilies, Modern Wood Mats (sentiment)
Ink: Versamagic Purple Hydrangea; Fresh French Lilac, Slate, Steel Blue,
Misc: K&Co adhesive pearls

Wonderful Mother
Paper: PTI Lavender Moon, Ocean Tides, Plum Pudding, Vintage Cream
Stamps: Hero Arts Studio Calico lattice background stamp, PTI Movers and Shakers
Ink: Versamark, Memento Tuxedo Black
Misc: scor tape, PTI Quatrefoil cover plate, corner rounder

Happy Mother's Day
Paper: PTI Ocean Tides, Smokey Shadow, Lavender Moon
Stamps: PTI Happy Day
Ink: Fresh French Lilac, Slate
Misc: PTI Wonderful Words die, Happy Days die, Filagree border die; corner rounder, foam dots

Quatrefoil heart card
Paper: PTI Lavender Moon, Ocean Tides, Smokey Shadow
Stamps: Wplus9 hearts
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Misc: PTI Quatrefoil cover plate, foam dots, Tombo Mono Multi adhesive