TBS DT: May Sketch - Framed

Hello hello and happy Monday to you! We're smack dab in the middle of our May sketch challenge and the design team is bringing more samples to tickle your fancy and get your creative juices flowing. This week we're adding a little extra design team challenge - embossing.

My project is sorta kinda still in the works. We had house guests this weekend and they were way too much fun to steal away for a little crafty time. *wink* Sooo, here's the front of a future easel card. A friend wants a set of frame cards as gifts for a wedding shower. One for the bride and one for the bride's mom. How nice!

The wedding colors include a teal-ish blue, so I went with the deliciously muted tones of papers from the Prima Botanical 6x6 stack. The lace-covered frame has an opening at the top for the photo.

My embossing was done with folders - the dots give the blank "pre-photo" area a little interest, and the embossed swirl above the flower mirror the pearly swirls.

It's hard to see in this photo, but the easel panel on the bottom has the same swirl embossing as the front.

Card Recipe

Paper: Prima Botanical 6x6 stack; Bazzill Basics Truffle and Avalanche
Medium: Distress Ink in Vintage Photo; Distress Stickles in Star Dust
Embellishments: (3)Kaisercraft Pearls in Snow; Flower, lace, pearl swirls from stash
Adhesive: Scor-tape; EK Success 3D Foam Dots in 1/8" and 1/16"

Thanks for visiting - check back all week for great samples from our design team! There's still time to enter your project using our Beary Sweet sketch - you could win a $20 gift voucher to The Beary Scrap!

Cheers,
Susan

Philadelphia Flyers and Layering Chalk Ink

Update 11/22/10: This card has been entered at Make It Monday Linky Party for a possible weekly feature at Michelle's Pink Paper Paradise blog. In Michelle's words: "Its a great way to showcase your favourite card or project to new people. You can even revive an old post. So come along link up and check out the other submissions and remember is all about just sharing the creativity and you may even find yourself making some new blog buddies." How great is that? Thanks Michelle!

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Hello crafty friends! We made it over the hump (day). Yay! Today I want to share the last of a series of birthday cards made for a dear friend to give to her granddaughters. I have loved the work, but admit it was challenging, too. Generally, my cards are made to tickle my own fancy. These cards were made for specific teen girls whom I've never met but know a little about.

The most important thing I needed to know about Tiana is that she "bleeds Flyers orange". For a while I had no idea how to translate this onto a card ... until Kenny K released his All-Starz line. Hello Hockey Girl! I used Kenny K's images for the twins in July and the first November birthday. Kenny K has been very good to me and he doesn't even know it!

The ticket is my own design (duh) and the numbers are Tiana's birthday and age. I thought this was clever... *ahem* Susan=Dork.

What's up with the pennant, you ask? Weeelll, about 10 years ago I made this huge, wonderful Washington Redskins banner for friends. Each colored piece was hand-cut and layered from felt. I wish I had a good detail photo - sorry.

Then I made a Baltimore Ravens one for my husband, which I don't seem to have a photo of... (although it's hanging in the attic so I could show you if you want to make your own). This is a long way around to tell you sports teams and felt are in my blood. Ha! I figured since I could make these banners, why not a little pennant for the Flyers? Well , let me tell you, there's a biiig difference between a 30" x 40" banner and a 2" pennant. *sheesh* I am the queen of biting off more than I can chew! It worked out, though. I think it's cute, if obviously hand-cut! *grin*

Anyway, Hockey Girl is layered twice - the hat, left arm and left leg are all popped up. It kinda makes her a little more sassy, don'tcha think?

Oh, I wanted to share an example of layering chalk inks. I've talked about it before, and remembered to snap it in progress so you could see what I've been blathering on about. 

I first "edged" the paper in orange chalk, but it seemed too orange, so I added a little dark brown to the very edge and over the orange a little. 

See? The orange peeks through but has a little dimension now. That's the great thing about chalk inks - you can layer!

So here's the finished card with gift box. Honestly, I'm a little sad that it's all over. Julia, thank you *so* much for your friendship and your trust. You haven't seen this last card yet, so I hope with all my heart it makes you happy.

Challenges Entered

• If The Shoe Fits FF #54 (11/18): DIY embellishment - pennant
• Creative Prompts #41 (11/30): Go Confidently... 

Card Recipe

• Digital Stamp: "Hockey Girl" from Kenny K Downloads
• Paper: Bazzill Basics in Mud Pie and Navel; Basic Grey Ambrosia in Tangy, Quince and Fresh Squeezed for the envelope
• Medium: Copics for skin; Prismacolor pencils with OMS; Stickles in Icicle, Spiced Marmalade, Star Dust; Versa Magic chalk ink in Orange Spice and Jumbo Java
• Embellishments: Kaisercraft Pearls; Ivory satin and sheer ribbons from stash; Mulberry flowers from Prima and The Beary Scrap; Pins from Grandma
• Tools: Scor-Pal; Cutter Bee scissors; sewing machine; printer
• Adhesives: Scor-Tape; Silicone glue; Glue Dots - I'm really liking these 1/8" ones in place of the normal foam dots I use. I suspect the foam dots don't stay on as long. I know heat affects them.

So,  there you have it! Thanks for stopping in today.

Cheers,

Susan

TBS DT: Birthday Girl for Sketch Challenge

Hello! Hope your weekend was great! We had a bit of a warm spell Sunday and got tons of yard work done. Yay! Sunday night we were entertained by trick-or-treaters. We saw some really fun costumes and absolutely adorable wee ones!

Here is my card based on the sketch challenge that starts today - it's made for a friend's granddaughter.

 

Challenge Entered

• Sentimental Sundays (11/6) - Birthday

Card Recipe

• Stamp: Kenny K
• Paper: Bazzill Mocha Divine and Guacamole; Basic Grey Kioshi
• Medium: Copic Sketch markers for skin tones; Stickles Lime Green, Crystal, Star Dust, Milled Lavender; Chestnut Zing! Embossing Powder; Prismacolor pencils
• Embellishments: Mulberry Roses; Lace, pins and ticket from stash
• Adhesives: Scor-Tape and Glue Dots

 Today starts the new Beary Sweet Challenge - we're on #13! Can you believe it? Here's the sketch:

 If you'd like to play along with our sketch challenge, go HERE for all the details - you could win a $20 gift voucher to The Beary Scrap!

Thanks for visiting!
Cheers,
Susan

Edwin's Pirate Costume

Hiya! Here I am again with another Halloween Maggie. Isn't Edwin the cutest? I'm including a lot of photos - please let me know if it takes too long to load and I'll fix it for future viewers.

He's layered, of course. I also layered the sign - it's hard to see, but the sword handle and the bottom roll are both popped off the base layer. The sword and the skull and crossbones are covered in Glossy Accents.

 

 

I colored skin tones with Copics and the rest with Prismacolor pencils. I finally have more Copics in color families so I can start practicing. Just need to make the time!

Challenges

• Corrosive #8 (10/31) - Halloween
• Crafty Creations #91 (11/2) - Halloween
• Little Red Wagon #52 (11/2) - Halloween
• Daring Cardmakers (11/4) - Trick or Treat

Cheers,
Susan

CLP #27: July Sketch Challenge!

Hello friends! Here we are at another month - can you believe it? No one ever pressed that big "pause" button for me last month... in fact, I think June flew by faster than May! (Or is it just me getting older? *grin*)

This month the CLP Sketch Challenge #27 is sponsored by Sassy Studio Designs - check out all the sassiness here. This month's winner will have their choice of 4 Sassy Studio digital stamps!

Welp, Chelsea didn't disappoint on the July sketch (has she ever?!). This is another fabulous one! Way back, many moons ago our lovely Chels offered up a sketch with a similar curve to it. I was intimidated by the curve and hemmed and hawed over even trying it. I finally jumped in and gave it a whirl and boy was I pleased with myself! Not only did I conquer a fear, I did with a little bit 'o flair, too.  ::pause while I pat myself on the back:: *ahem*

Anyway, when I saw this sketch I *knew* I could ride that wave, so to speak.

... and the beautiful sketch:

I stayed pretty true to it, with the exception of the detail in the top left corner. That's always been my pleasure with sketches - staying close to the original design. Sometimes it's a challenge, and sometimes it just falls right into place. This card definitely fell into place easily!

I used Prima papers won as part of a CLP challenge in January... yes, I've been hoarding them! It's sort of poetic that they end up on a CLP DT card many months later, no? I definitely have embossing on the brain, and it spilled out onto this card. Three of the four visible layers were embossed on the Wizard with Cuttlebug folders. I can't believe I don't reach for these more often - I just love the textures!

I've set aside my Prismacolor pencils and experimented with distress inks once again. I'm really happy with this effort and will definitely continue as I build up my collection. I'm turning into a Tim Holtz junkie and now have a spreadsheet I can access on my phone with all the colors and types. This way I'll always know which pad/refill/stickles/crackle I have and can buy on the fly without repeats... It's a sickness, I tell ya!

Anyway, I've use a Dusty Attic music note die cut, painted white and then Stickle'd with Icicle. If you haven't discovered DA yet, go RIGHT AFTER you comment here and check 'em out. *grin*

Here's the full inside - I love the easel style card by don't really love the signature panel, so I tucked it behind the easel this time.

Now that I've loaded you up on photos, I'll bid adieu and wish each and every one of you a happy weekend. Here in the States it's Independence Day on the 4th. We're spending a long weekend with the in-laws in another state and will be on a boat in a lake watching fireworks. I'm excited! Safe travels to you all!

The CLP July Sketch Challenge runs from July 1 - July 31, and you can get all the wonderful details and enter your project here! Good luck, and can't wait to see your beauties!

Challenges

• Stampavie #101 (7/14)  - Sparkling (wings are covered in sparkly shiny Stickles Star Dust)
• Pile It On #25 (7/3) - Paper: Fold it, bake it, do something to it (I've embossed the heck out of it!)

Cheers,
Susan

CLP #25 DT

Hello friends! Today is May 1st and time for the Crafting Life's Pieces monthly sketch challenge. If you've read my ramblings for a while you'll know I am a huge fan of Chelsea's sketches, and I'm very pleased to be on the inaugural Crafting Life's Pieces Design Team. Whoo hoo!

I've used one of Chelsea's Gurlee Girl stamps, called "Kisses Girl". Isn't she adorable?

I've used Basic Grey's Urban Prairie "Monarch" paper as embellishments on the front and inside - the butterflies are pretty cool! I painted them with Pearl Glimmer Mist - a very subtle effect that doesn't show up well here. That's what our imagination is for, right? *wink*

Here is Chelsea's wonderful sketch - please pop on over to the CLP Challenge Blog to see the other team member samples and play along!

Card Recipe

• Stamp  - Gurlee Girl "Kisses Girl"
• Paper - Bazzill; Basic Grey Urban Prairie collection - Monarch, Bountiful; Basic Grey Bittersweet "Mousse"
• Medium - Prismacolor pencils with OMS; Stickles; Glimmer Mist
• Embellishments - Prima rose; all others from stash

Challenges

• CLP #25 - Sketch
• Creative Card Crew #49 - April Showers Bring May Flowers
• Alota Rubber Stamps #34 - Flowers
• Charisma Cardz #17 - Girly Card with Flowers
• Creative Inspiration #58 - Easel Card 
• Paper Play #17 - Pretty Pastel
• Creatalious Challenge #9 - Flowers and Wings
•  Basic Grey #19 - Photo Inspiration (little girly doll, hearts, pink & blue)

Thanks so much for stopping in - you make my day!

Cheers,
Susan

"Things With Wings" Week at TBS

Edit 4/19: I'm really pleased to announce I won over at Roses on Paper for their "Layers" challenge. Thanks Summer and Mr. Random! *grin*
 
Hello hello! I'm here, ringing in another Monday with The Beary Scrappy Gals. Who knew I'd love Mondays so much?!

Spring is such a wonderful season - we had another glorious weekend here in Maryland. I hope you did, too! Our temperatures were considerably lower than last weekend's "heat wave", but the yard work was the same. There's so much to do in the Spring! We pulled a ton of weeds, fertilized the lawn, and trimmed up a few shrubs and a holly tree. I'm pretty sure a Robin is building a nest in the holly tree, so I worked quickly. She chirped at me quite a bit!

Speaking of birds, it's "Things With Wings" week at The Beary Scrap. I start the week with Magnolia's Edwin, and Gini will end our week with a great Tattered Angels tutorial. In between you'll be inspired by fabby projects from Patricia and Jamie, and perhaps a bonus from yours truly. *wink* I'm really inspired by this theme!

If you've been reading me for a little while, you'll know I'm obsessed with a new convert to Magnolia stamps. This is Edwin, chasing after these beautiful MS punched butterflies.

Oh my! I was thrilled when Kimm told me about this Monarch punch, so much so that she loaded it onto The Beary Scrap store site while we chatted just so I could order it right then and there. How's that for incredible customer service? Thanks Kimm! 

The bottom butterfly layer is punched from BG Kioshi "Sayuri" and edges are inked with purple. The top layer is purple vellum, and was an adventure to create. I started with "Stickling" the edges... they curled up a bit but it wasn't too bad. After that dried I decided "More is Better!" and Stickle'd one whole wing. Can you imagine the curling from that much glue? Haha! (No, I didn't learn my lesson from the first application.) Fixing this involved a heat gun and a certain amount of contortion to keep it from rolling up as it dried. Good thing I have that third hand... just kidding!

Ok, so here's a better way of Stickling vellum: put a few dots of Tombow Multi 2-way glue on the back of a fresh butterfly and let dry so it is repositionable. Adhere this to scrap paper and Stickle away! Either let air dry or use your heat gun to dry the Stickles. Once dry you can remove it from the scrap paper. So much easier!

I have a special 'Thank You' to our very own DT Patricia for inspiring my pearl butterfly trails. Thanks sweets! :)

Oh, and the neato grass technique is from Paula Tracy's tutorial at Splitcoaststampers. Isn't it cool?

Challenges

• Midnight Madness #48 - Sketch (top and bottom ribbon elements are replaced with pearls)
• Oh, Alice, Chapter 8 - Flowers
• Stamp Something - Stitch Something
• Sew Many Challenges - Stitching
• Just Magnolia #50 - Punch It Out
• Quixotic #20 - Joys Of Spring
• Roses On Paper #35 - Layers
• Flutterby Wednesday #104 - Sparkle w/Butterfly
• Allsorts #47 - Petals and Pearls

Card Recipe

• Stamp - Magnolia
• Paper - Basic Grey Kioshi - Lily Child, Sayuri, Plum Blossom and Mokuren (green layer) from the 6x6 paper pad; Bazzill Mauve Ice; Neenah
• Medium - Copic E000, E11, R20 for skin; Prismacolor pencils; Stickles Star Dust; Glimmer Mist Pearl (painted onto butterfly net)
• Embellishments - Kaisercraft pearls; Prima roses; vintage pins and stash; sewing machine

Thanks for stopping in!

Cheers,

Susan

Easter Greetings

Update: I am very pleased to tell you I've won the Midnight Madness Gold Star Award! I am floored and honored and speechless right now. :) Thanks so much, ladies!

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Hello! Hello! I hope you had a wonderful Spring weekend. I spent mine at Grandma's, where the crocus and daffodils are blooming and brightening the otherwise dreary landscape. It was a cold weekend here in Maryland, but the sun shined bright . :) 

Can you believe it's already Easter?! Here in our Beary Scrappy neighborhood the eggs are hidden and the kids are ready to hunt! Here's Sweet Tilda, patiently waiting for the OK. She doesn't have far to look, does she?

I've used Easter paper from Best Creation, and boy was it a treat! It's a nice weight and has just the right balance of "glittery shiny" and flat. I didn't feel the need to add a single drop of anything shiny to the paper...  now *that's* a time saver! I distressed the small blue layer with scissors, and lightly inked edges of all the Best Creation papers with chalk ink.

I really like Colorbox chalk inks because of their layering capabilities. Once a layer is dried, another layer can be added on top - much like coloring with Copics or Pencils. The layers blend together well and dry to a soft, matte finish. The Cat's Eye stamp pad is perfectly sized to dab quickly around the edges.

Tilda is colored with pencils and her skirt is double layered with a touch of lace. Her trim is touched with Stickles, and she's raised up on Glue Dots for added dimension.

I cut out small glittered eggs from the "Easter Words" card stock, chalk inked the edges and tucked them into the grass on Glue Dots. I used my trusty sewing machine to finish the edges!

Challenges
Midnight Madness #46 - Sketch
Fussy and Fancy #7 - Easter
Totally Paper Crafts #9 - Pink and Green
Magnolia Down Under #39 - Stitching

Card Recipe 

Stamp: Magnolia's Sweet Tilda

Paper: Bazzill Guacamole and an unknown brilliant blue; Best Creation "Easter Words" and "Playful Easter"

Medium: Prismacolor Pencils and OMS; Stickles "Star Dust"; Glimmer Mist Pearl; Colorbox Cat's Eye Fluid Chalk Ink "Creamy Brown"

Embellishments: Kaisercraft Pearls in Snow; Prima flowers; miscellaneous from stash

Thanks for stopping in!

Cheers,

Susan

Happy Birthday from The Beary Scrap's DT

Hello dear friends! The design team is very excited at the coming arrivals at The Beary Scrap! Right now you can pre-order the delicious Basic Gray Kioshi, Magnolia's Hoppy Easter and new Kraftin' Kimmies Moonlight Whispers. I'm over the moon at KK's Angry Ballerina stamp!

This week, the Beary Scrappy Girls are celebrating BIRTHDAYS! Whoo hoo! Happy birthday to everyone celebrating this week.  Although my big day isn't until May, Magnolia's Honey Tilda is here to celebrate with you!

Tilda is colored with Prismacolor Pencils and blended with OMS (odorless mineral spirits). Her wings sparkle with Stickles and her antennae are made from black wires. After coloring her honey jar I covered it with Glossy Accents for a faux glass effect.

Challenges

• Crafting Life's Pieces #23 - Sketch
• Just Us Girls #25 - Colors
• Fussy and Fancy #6 - Green 
• All That Scraps - Easel Card
• Penny's Paper-Crafty #25 - Birthday
• Just Magnolia #47 - Easel Card

My Card Recipe

Stamps: Magnolia Honey Tilda and Honey Jar

Paper: Bazzill Truffle; Basic Gray Sugar Rush

Medium: Prismacolor Pencils; Glossy Accents, Glimmer Mist Pearl; Stickles Star Dust; Color Box Chalk Ink

Embellishments: Kaisercraft Pearls; Prima flowers; venise lace and some pearl bits from stash

I hope you've enjoyed your visit, and be sure to visit the TBS DT blog tomorrow for Patricia's birthday treat!

Cheers,

Susan

Come Celebrate The Beary Scrap DT!

Hello! It's the final day of our "Celebrate" week at The Beary Scrap DT blog. It's been a fun week, and I hope you've had a chance to pop over and check it out! Today I have an easel card to show you - this is my second one and I *lovelovelove* the style!

My easel card has a ton of layering, and it's all about Basic Grey's Sugar Rush. I've used 4 Sugar Rush papers for a little variety. :) If you're trying to figure them all out, the "Celebrate!" banner is printed on the flip side of BG's Bottle Cap. The banner edges are tricked out with Stickles Star Dust. I use Star Dust a lot - it's delightfully iridescent and picks up the surrounding colors. You'll see it on the confetti, too!

My solid color layers are made up of Bazzill, and a few others from my stash. I'm a big fan of Bazzill grass cloth texture - even peeking out in layers it adds a little je ne sais quois to each cards. Haha! High school French... oh so many years ago.

For a little added shine and sparkle, I've used Robin's Nest Dew Drops "Water" and BG's Sugar Rush Glazed Brads. The balloons are finished with a glossy dimensional glue. Bixby's little nose and his balloons are popped up with Glue Dots, as are the balloons on the "inside" of the card.

Challenges 
Creative Card Crew - Celebrations


Recipe
Stamp: Karen's Doodles "Bigsby" digital stamp
Paper: Basic Grey Sugar Rush (Peanut Brittle, Licorice, Pulled Taffy, Bottle Caps); Bazzill (African Daisy & Guacamole); miscellaneous from stash
Medium: Prismacolor pencils with OMS, Glossy Accents, Stickles Star Dust
Embellishments: Robin's Nest Dew Drops "Water", Basic Grey Glazed Brads, embroidery floss

Thanks for taking a look! Our celebration may be over, but have no fear! Next week I'll have a tutorial for you at The Beary Scrap DT blog, and our theme is "Luck O' The Irish". Of course, I've picked a technique I've never done before, so wish me luck! 

Cheers,
Susan