Girl in the Rain

I think I've broken my own record with this card. I didn't actually mean to; but it just so happens that so many challenges harmonize SO well this week! This card plays in EIGHT--yes, EIGHT--challenges!

Are you ready? Here they are:

1) Card Positioning Systems Sketch 142:

(I've flipped it vertically)

2) Daring Cardmakers "Scraplings" - 3rd entry

3) My Time to Craft #66 "Under My Umbrella"

4) Creative Card Crew "Strings Attached" - 2nd entry

5) Secret Crafter "Four Seasons" - 2nd entry - (just think "April Showers"....)

These next are the color challenges. What I am wondering is...how did they all end up so similar?!

6) Scrapmaster's Paradise Color Combos #24 - Bashful Blue, Real Red, Certainly Celery

7) Color Throwdown #69 - Chocolate Chip, Green, Cream, Dark Red

8) Color Dare #43 - Rose Red, Chocolate Chip, Light Green

And here is my card:

I made the umbrella 3D by stamping 3 separate images and cutting out parts of the umbrella in each, as follows:

First I practiced my coloring with Crayola colored pencils; then I used a ZIG Glue Pen (I love this thing!) on the raindrops and Comotion Cleartops "Gossamer Blue Glitz" embossing powder.  I find that my new glue pen does not let the embossing powder blow away when in thin lines, the way my embossing ink pens sometimes do.  This particular powder does shimmer slightly.  I embossed the raindrops on each layer, so that they would be uniform on the finished image.

Next I cut out the pieces with my X-Acto blade and attached them on top of each other using 3D Zots, which I had to cut in half:

This lovely image is from Nature's Blessings.  You can buy all their stamps unmounted, red rubber only for a really fabulous price--and coming from me that IS saying something! :)  Use double-sided tape to temporarily mount them to your clear acrylic blocks.  I recently purchased a number of images from them and have been quite happy with the quality.  Here is a little coloring/image detail (pre-raindrop embossing):

Materials used on this card:

Kraft and Chocolate Chip cardstock (my last sheet!--aah!)

DCWV Textured cardstock Green #1

Blue paper from My Mind's Eye, embossed with Cuttlebug Divine Swirls

Script paper from "Autumn Splendor" 8x8 collection by Making Memories

"Girl with Umbrella" from Nature's Blessings stamps

Circle Punches from EK Success

Swiss Dot embossing folder

Brads from Spare Parts

Butcher's twine

Crayola colored pencils

Comotion Clear Tops "Gossamer Blue Glitz" embossing powder

ZIG glue pen

Thermo-web 3D Zots

Thank you so much for visiting, as always.  May you all have a wonderful day, and happy crafting to everyone!  Remember to enter for my early 10K hits candy before you go! :)

Have a great day,

--Kathryn

Pumpkin Scrapling

The challenges are as follows:

1) Tuesday Morning Sketches 3-2-1 "Recipe Challenge"

2) Daring Cardmakers "Scraplings" - 2nd entry

My last card came entirely from the scrap-bin, and while this one follows in that regard, it is also the REAL size for a true scrapling--i.e., it uses that narrower bit of cardstock that's left over when you trim the full sheet down for a larger card.

Materials used on this card:

Kraft Cardstock

DCWV "Thanksgiving Words" Paper

Parchment and brown cardstock

DCWV Textured cardstock Green #1

Blue mat paper from My Mind's Eye

Script Paper from Making Memories "Autumn Splendor" collection

Clear Pumpkin stamp from the Fabulous Fall Stamp Kit by TPC Studio, colored with Crayola pencils

"Flavia" Alphabet stickers from Colorbok

Brown pigment ink from Stampabilities

Coffee Bean pigment ink from Rubber Stampede, for inking edges

Scalloped Circle Nestabilities by Spellbinders

Divine Swirl Embossing Folder for Cuttlebug

Martha Stewart Doily Lace edge punch

EK Success 1-inch circle punch

Brads from Spare Parts

Have a great day, and don't forget to enter for my early 10K candy HERE before you go!

Smiles,

--Kathryn

Happy Thanksgiving Cornucopia

Note:  This card hails DIRECT from the scrap bin. NO new papers were harmed in the making of this card! :)

 

The challenges are as follows:

1) The Cuttlebug Spot "Fruit" theme (OK, so there are a few vegetables in there too... ;)

2) Creative Card Crew "Strings Attached"

3) Daring Cardmakers "Scraplings"

4) Secret Crafter "Four Seasons"

Materials used on this card:

Parchment cardstock

Brown cardstock

Blue mat paper is from My Mind's Eye

Patterned blue paper and script from Making Memories "Autumn Splendor" collection--a current favorite

"Orange Stripes" from the My Mind's Eye "Wild Asparagus" collection--another favorite

Clear stamps from the Fabulous Fall Stamp Kit by TPC Studio (JoAnn's)

Brown pigment ink from Stampabilities

Coffee Bean pigment ink from Rubber Stampede, for inking edges

Scalloped circle dies from Nestabilities by Spellbinders

Martha Stewart Doily Lace edge punch

EK Success small corner rounder

"Wrought Iron" embossing folder from Cuttlebug folder+die set

Brads from Spare Parts

3/8-inch brown Robert Stanley ribbon

Butcher's twine

Detail of coloring:

I colored the images with Crayola colored pencils. I know some folks prefer Prismacolors, and these really are superb pencils. But I just can't buy brand new CP's when already I have a big collection of perfectly good Crayolas sitting around. These do just fine as well, and the color selection has never let me down, even from the medium-sized box!

Here's a quick tip I've learned as well:

If you want smoother blending with colored pencils, try coloring

over your image first with the WHITE pencil.

Make sure you lightly cover the whole area, since if you miss a spot then it will show up as darker color when you add the next layer. Then color as you normally would over the white base. The overlaid colors will lay down smoother and blend more easily this way. Of course, I have also found that if you use a regular glue stick to adhere the image to its mat first, the glue softens the paper and if you color at this point, it will also give you a smoother image. The key is just to be patient and not press down too hard.  I've also heard that baby oil helps to blend; but I've not tried it yet.  Probably that technique will be a favorite go-to after the baby himself is here :).

Here's a view of the inside, using that wonderful embossing folder "Wrought Iron," which I just fell in love with as soon as I saw it!...Isn't it stunning?!

I can hardly believe Thanksgiving is already so very close. I don't know about you all, but I am getting into baking mode! Pumpkin bread and walnut apple crisp... yeast rolls, gingerbread and all! Later this evening I plan to make some banana bread. I think there will probably also be chocolate involved. :)

As always, thank you so much for visiting. Your comments really do brighten my day, and I appreciate the chance to see so much lovely work from others that both lifts and inspires.

Don't forget to enter for my big (early) 10K blog candy HERE before you go! :)

Have a great day!

--Kathryn

November Giveaway...early 10K

So, we'll OFFICIALLY say it's a November giveaway... but really I'm celebrating soon-to-be 10K hits early... since things will only get busier from here on into the holiday season, and I'd like to leave this candy up until the 30th.  Anyone is welcome to enter; just leave a link on your blog for me and if you want to become a follower, that's great too.  Then leave a comment here and tell us all something you are thankful for this season!  That's it!

This giveaway will close on November 30th.

One picture can't hold everything; there is a LOT stuffed into this box!  So here are some more photos of all the goodies:

2 DCWV Assorted Brights Stack 2x12 packs of 87 strips each

2 pks Nature's Garden Alpha and Butterfly stickers by Colorbok--over 210 letters in EACH

3 pks Flavia Alpha and Dragonfly stickers by Colorbok--over 240 letters in EACH

Big bag of Chipboard flowers, 4 packages "Remember When" Metal Charms, tags, theme tiles and attachments, Offray "My Moments" Ribbon roses, 7 Bunches of Wedding Flowers, Rubber Stampede "Fern Postcard" stamp and 10 Colorbok Acetate Tags:

....LOTS of 12 x 12 papers, various companies:

AND WE'RE NOT THROUGH YET!!!!

Part TWO:

(2) 8x8 sheets of chipboard words

4 Comotion Embossing powders, plus 2 others from Embossing Arts

MiniMarks Accessories 2 rubons by American Crafts

Li'l Davis Designs "Thanksgiving Embellished Backgrounds" from the Jennifer Bowlin Collection

Comotion Permanent Black Ink for use on Non-Porous surfaces (have used this a little, but otherwise don't need it anymore, so am passing it on :)

BIG package 12x12 "Limeade" patterned paper by Colorbok

3 patterns from DCWV Far East 4x6 mat stack

Leave me a lovely comment with something you're thankful for, leave me a link on your blog, become a follower if you like, and don't forget, as always, to...

Have a great day!!!

--Kathryn

Carrot Tree, 4 Challenges

Usually one does not immediately think of Orange, Kraft and Green as a Christmas color palette; but I have had a really enjoyable time this afternoon making this Carrot Tree Card:

I've used Sketch 140 from Card Positioning Systems:

And here are the other challenges:

2) Stamp Something "Cute and Fuzzy"

3) My Time to Craft "Scallops"

4) Daring Cardmakers "Punches"

I am not normally a humongous House Mouse fan, but the Happy Hoppers do make me smile.  It think it's their lack of little claws!  I like how the Martha Stewart snowflakes on this card also remind me of the frilly foliage on the tops of carrots (I suppose you'd have to be a gardener to think of that, really...or a rabbit! ;)

My latest favorite tool has been the X-Acto blade (as some of you may have noticed!).  It's amazing what getting some new, sharp blades can do for you!!!  I hadn't meant to cut around these little guys for this card... but almost every time I go ahead and do a close cut, just for experimentation's sake, I am pleased with the result.  You never know unless you try; the worst thing that could happen is that you'll have to stamp and color the image again.  I find that the close cuts just add that much more detail, and focus your attention more keenly on the most interesting elements.

As for Kraft paper, it's quickly becoming my obsession; I LOVE its look!  So versatile, so simple, so very krafty-fab!  Sadly, however, I think this card used up my last sheet--unless I am very lucky and have some hiding out somewhere.

Materials used on this card:

Kraft cardstock and Kraft White Paisley from Making Memories

Forest green cardstock

Basic orange paper from My Mind's Eye

White cardstock (for stamped image)

"Carrot Tree" from Happy Hoppers 2006 collection by Stampabilities

Image stamped with Archival Black ink and heat embossed with Ranger Superfine clear powder,

Colored with Crayola pencils and BIC Markit Marker (Key Lime), for the tree

Martha Stewart snowflake punch

Brown buttons from stash

Butcher's twine (find this in the painting & tools section of WalMart)

X-Acto blade

Nestabilities scalloped circle dies

Cuttlebug machine and Divine Swirl embossing folder

Thanks for visiting, happy crafting all and have a wonderful day!

--Kathryn

Clean and Simple Snowflake

There's a real hum-dinger of a challenge on over at Charisma Cardz...

No Backing Papers!

Well of course when I saw this I thought, ok, there's No way... Not possible, Not for me...

Of course, even I know that's the surefire way to spot a challenge that will make you get outside your comfort zone and really grow.  So, here I am... playing the impossible!

I came up with a sketch for this one in my head during the middle of the night; it was primarily the thought of pleated paper, white-on-white, that got me going.  I've been leaning more toward a clean-and-simple style of late anyway... so I decided this was a chance to really go all the way with it.  I assumed the prohibition against backing papers did not include mats, since the DT had a few in there too... so as far as I'm concerned those papers don't count! :)  I pleated the paper by hand, as I don't own a crimping tool.  That part was tedious, but worth it.  I love the clean, freshly-fallen-snow look of this finished card.  It glitters a lot more in real life than the photos show.

Materials used on this card:

White cardstock

Country Blue Crackle from The Paper Studio

Xerox #32 Silver Pearlized Elegance 32 lb. paper (Office Depot clearance)

Holiday Time Glittered Snowflake sticker (CLX1305), from WalMart

Stampabilities "Merry Christmas 06", stamped with Stampabilities Embossing Ink and heat embossed with silver powder

Irridescent Bead Garland

Martha Stewart Snowflake Punch

3/8-inch Robert Stanley white ribbon

Silver brads from Spare Parts

Thank you for visiting, and have a wonderful evening all!

--Kathryn