SPARKS Challenge Card - Get Well

I've got another SPARKS challenge card for you today.

It just so happens that in my recent CTMH order, in addition to my new sanding kit, I had two new ink pads: Grey Wool and Sunkiss Yellow...providential when you look at this inspiration photo, don't you think?



For this card, I was really inspired by the line/shadow of the gray branch of flowers. I used the flower and leaf from the Hot Concoctions stamp as well as my trusty blending pen to mimic that branch. Then I cut around it, leaving a little bit of a white border and adhered it to some Juniper cardstock with liquid adhesive.

I also really love that the fabric texture comes through in the photo, so I wanted to sand the entire piece once I got it adhered....DISASTER!

Turns out sanding doesn't work so well when you fancy cut an intricate piece (which is very thin in places, and on which you also did a lot of shading with the blending pen)....the whole top layer (with all the stamping) came right off! Not what I was expecting, but it turned out to be a happy accident.

When you sand the top layer of your cardstock off, you end up with a kind of felty looking layer. So, I went ahead and re-stamped on that layer....being a little more careful with the blending pen this time as the color shows up more saturated on this layer. (I'm planning to do a lot more experimenting with this. You can create some pretty neat textured backgrounds with this technique.)

The teapot and cup which are also from the Hot Concoctions set are stamped (three times) on some Grey Flannel cardstock which is then sanded. I added the ground for the teapot and tea using the blending pen.

I scored another piece of Gray Flannel cardstock and sanded that to create a mat for my main piece and to add a just a touch of that yellow, I swiped the Sunkiss Yellow stamp pad around the edges of the white card base. By the way, I found the cheapest, and best scoring tool....an old (dried out) ball point pen. Love that it never 'jumps' like the old scoring stylus I have!

So there you have it. This card has a much different look than the other Paper Smooches cards I've made, but I really like how it turned out.

Supplies Used:
Stamps: Paper Smooches - Hot Concoction; CTMH - A Little Bit of Everything
Ink (CTMH): Grey Wool, Sunkiss Yellow
Paper (CTMH): White Daisy, Juniper, Grey Flannel
Other (CTMH): Blending Pen, Sanding Kit

Embellish Leaves Color Trends Challenge

I just received a small order of CTMH supplies in the mail which included the sanding kit, and had to try it out. At $3.50, this little sanding block/file make a great stocking stuffer, and they are great tools to have in your arsenal.

I decided to make a quick one-layer card for the current Embellish challenge.

I started with a 4x6 piece of Desert Sand cardstock, and just sanded away at it. I wanted a lot of the white core (all CTMH papers, including the patterned papers have a white core) to show through. I really like the distressed look this gives, almost a wood grain.

Then I used the large leaf from Something Splendid, bending it a little so it was straight, and stamped it three times with three different colors.

I thought about leaving the card sentiment free, but decided to use the 'thinking of you' sentiment from Say it in Style. Then I stamped just the 'thinking' a couple more times above the original sentiment using the same ink colors I used for the leaves.

All that sanding left the edges sanded too, but I ran the distressing tool around them to get it a little rougher.

Usually at this point I would adhere it to the card base letting a little bit of a frame/mat show around the edges, but I decided not to this time. I really like the rustic feel of this card, and wanted to keep it very simple.

Hope that you are having a wonderful Thanksgiving!

CTMH Supplies Used:
Stamps: Something Splendid, Say it in Style
Ink: Topiary, Garnet, Twilight
Paper: Desert Sand
Other: Sanding kit

10 Things - Thanksgiving

Journaling doesn't come naturally to many people. Maybe you don't like the tone of your writing (I often cringe when I go back and read what I wrote because it's SOOO stream of consciousness). Maybe you get writer's block. Maybe it's just too difficult/time consuming an excercise when you're just struggling to get pictures in books.

If any of these describe your situation, lists might be the solution you're looking for.

A list can be short - just one word, or long - a description, even a paragraph expanding upon that, or somewhere in between.

Making a list of '10 things' is all the rage right now, but 10 is just a number. If that's too long a list for you, make it 5. Or tie it to the theme of your layout/story. For example, 6 things I love about you, for someone's 6th birthday/anniversary. You don't even need to tie in a number. Use a word or name to make a 'list' acronym. For example: things I love about Carina: Caring/Crazy/Crashing, Adorable/All-out/Appetite, Renegate/Roly Poly/Riotous, etc.

Start off with the short, and see where it takes you. A great card or layout doesn't need to have the long description. Short and sweet can be just as effective. If your descriptions are intimate thoughts that you don't want everyone reading, there are lots of great ways to hide journaling in tags, behind photos, etc.

I wanted to share my list of 10 things I'm thankful for this Thanksgiving, and I've actually created three lists so that you can see the short, the long, and the in-between of it.

Short:
1) God
2) Andrew
3) My daughters
4) Family
5) Our home
6) My job
7) My other job
8) The plan for next year
9) Friends
10) Time off

In-between:
1) God - his grace, and the knowledge that he is sovereign.
2) Andrew - our marriage, it's a work in progress, but we are truly growing together.
3) My daughters - what a joy they are, how amazingly different and complementary they are, and how proud I am of them.
4) Family - that they are close by and for who involved they are in our lives.
5) Our home - we're so blessed to live in the shadow of the nation's capital, we're so blessed to have a home and to be so close to so many activities, parks, etc.
6) My job - especially during these difficult times, I am thankful to be gainfully employed.
7) My other job - I'm grateful to have found Close to My Heart, to be putting away money in our 'fun fund', and to have an outlet for my creative energies.
8) The plan for next year - to be able to work part time once Ellie goes to Kindergarten.
9) Friends - what would I do without them!
10) Time off - time away from work, to relax and be with Andrew or Andrew and the girls, our larger families, or friends.

Long:
1) God - for his grace as I am truly undeserving; for the knowledge that he is sovereign and that even when I have not idea what is going on, he is working out a purpose in my life; and for the promises he has made to me in his word.
2) Andrew - for our marriage - that we are working at it. It's often hard work, but we are working at it. That he is stepping out as the head of our home, and that we are setting aside time together each day to be together in prayer and the word.
3) My daughters - for the joy and blessing they are to me. Even when I'm so frustrated that I'm yelling, I wouldn't trade them for anything. They make me want to be better, so that they will be better. They challenge me, but at this stage in life love me unconditionally and with no holds barred. I can't imagine life without them and find it hard to remember life before them.
4) Family - for the fact that the geographic distance between family members is shrinking. Mom and Dad have been living in Virginia officially for just over a week now. I love that they will be so involved and accessible to the girls. I love that the rest of my family, though far away, makes the effort to get here and see the girls. They aren't strangers. The girls know and love each of them. I love that Andrew's family is close by also, and that Ellie has been able to spend extended periods of time in Lynchburg visiting with grandparents, aunts and uncles, and cousins. This is so different from when I was growing up and all our relatives were living across the globe and were essentially strangers.
5) Our home - for the blessing of having a home, and that we live in such an amazing area. There are so many opportunities here in Arlington, VA. And even more, for the gift of being able to live in the United States of America. I'm only a generation removed from growing up in a different country. I have often thought about how vastly different my life would have been if my grandparents/parents had made slightly different choices. I would be living somewhere else, speaking a different language, perhaps lacking many of the freedoms I enjoy and often take for granted. I love my home, and I love my country!
6) My job - for the blessing of having one during these difficult times. It's often not the most glamorous or even enjoyable work, but it allows me to contribute to our family's needs and to have the means to help others also.
7) My other job - for the gift of Close to My Heart. This is an endeavor I stumbled upon, but has allowed me to grow and learn and nurture the artistic side of me which has been busy doing other things for the last several years. I've been blessed to be able to save some spending money for the trip Andrew and I have planned next summer. I've been blessed to make new friends/customers/consultants. I've been blessed to meet and be encouraged by folks like you, and the rest of the creative blogosphere. I love this second job and I love how unsure I am of myself when it comes to this. It's been a step out on faith, and I continue to be amazed at how the story unfolds.
8) The plan for next year - for the ability to work part time once Ellie starts Kindergarten. Like many working moms, I have often felt the tension between working and staying at home. It's necessary to work, and I'm not sure if I would be good at staying home full time, but working full time makes life so crazy! I feel that in many ways I parent differently (even though I shouldn't). I make allowances because I want our time together to be fun, and wonderful, and I don't want to go down that difficult path of discipline where I know the rest of the evening will be shot. I want to be able to take time to let Ellie help me cook instead of rushing through it to get some food on the table so we can get to baths so bedtime isn't late. I want to be able to sit down and read and help with the homework. Maybe my rosy picture of what I'm going to do with all that time next year isn't realistic, but if I can even get to part of that list, be there when she gets off the bus, have that time to really be there and listen, it will be worth it!
9) Friends - what would I do without them! They put up with me, encourage me, help me, and pray for me. I'm not always great about keeping up with them, but I know that they are there, and that I can call on them when needed, and I think they know that I would do the same for them.
10) Time off - for time away from work to be with Andrew, or Andrew and the girls, extended family, or friends. To be in my natural state where I can say and be who I am without worrying about my appearance, or having to think about my words (although I should probably still think about that a little). To be me. I find that I crave these times more and more as 'grow up'. I need these times to recharge, refocus, and remember what it's all about.

So there you have it. A long post, and no artwork, but I hope that it's encouraged you to try making a list. Even if you don't have time to do the long or in-between, job down the short list and come back to it later. See where it takes you, but try it. Journaling takes practice, and the more you do it, the easier it gets.

Hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

CASE Study Card

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I've been wanting to try out the CASE Study challenge for a while now, but I must admit that I've been a little intimidated. They do some amazing work over there! This week, as soon as I saw the card, I knew exactly what I would do.

First I used my sponge tool to create the background.



Then I stamped the Bethlehem scene leaving a little bit of space on the bottom of the card. I inked up my acrylic block and stamped that at the bottom for the ground.

I added the stars using white pigment ink - I thought about stamping over them twice to get more white, but I really like the kind of translucent look that a single layer achieves.

I cut two circles, one 1/2" smaller than the other, and stamped the sentiment and stars on there. The dark circle was colored by swiping my ink pad over the edges of the circle. I adhered the two circles together timmed them at the top, and added them to the card.

This card was really quite easy to put together and I really love how it turned out. I'm looking forward to playing along at CASE Study again soon!

CTMH Supplies Used:
Stamps: Glory to God, Happy Clusters
Ink: Cocoa, Pacifica, White Daisy
Paper: whtie Daisy
Other: Sponge Tool (from distressing kit)

Moxie Fab Trigger Tuesday - Fall is in the Bag

I've played along on a number of Moxie Fab challenges, but this is my first Trigger Tuesday entry. This is partly because the timeframe is pretty compressed for me, and partly because if I'm not immediately struck or 'triggered' on a challenge, I usually don't enter.

This week I immediately had a vision for what I wanted to create, and the card really came together quickly.

I cut 3/4" strips of cardstock from colors that I found in the trigger photo, and then adhered them to a base piece of cardstock on a diagonal.

For the off-white front piece, I punched three circles using a 1" punch, and then cut the 'sticks' using my craft knife. I actually created a template for the 'lollipop' shape using a scrap piece of paper. Then I used that to determine the spacing of the images and traced the stick portion so I could easily cut it with the craft knife.

The sentiment is adhered to the blue piece of cardstock, and then scored to wrap around the off-white piece with the lollipop cut outs.

I like how graphic and modern it feels. Hopefully the folks at Moxie Fab World will too!

CTMH Supplies Used:
Stamps: Say it in Style
Ink: Cocoa
Paper: Colonial White, Pacifica, Chocolate, Honey, Desert Sand, Sunset
Other: Sparkles, Dimensional Foam Tape, Cutting Knife

H2H Challenge - Metal Mania, and Moxie Fab Medallions

Seems like I am just always behind on my Heart 2 Heart challenges these days, but at least I'm not as late as last week, right? Maybe by next week I'll be caught up...

This card is for the hubby who celebrates a birthday on Wednesday. I'm also going to link it up with Moxie Fab World's Medallions challenge.

I started off knowing that I wanted to use the little photo hangers to string up the banner, and that it would say i heart u, but beyond that I wasn't quite sure where we would end up.

The medallions I made are 'smashed'. While I like the look of medallions, I just kind of think they're impractical. I mean, if you're going to send someone a card, or spend all that time on a layout, don't you want something that won't end up smooshed? So, I set out to make mine smooshed to begin with.

I scored 3/4" pieces of cardstock every 1/4", but when I went to fold them, on the 'hills' I pivoted the cardstock a little bit, so that the scored line ends up in the center of the fold.

I used the tombow to connect the ends, and then shaped it into a nice tight medallion which I adhered to a small punched circle using the tombow. It's kind of an imperfect science, but it gives you the same basic look and feel of a regular medallion. And, you know it's still going to look that way even if you put a ten pound weight on it.

The pennant pieces were cut using the Cricut Art Philosphy cartridge at 3 1/2". They are scored 1/2" from the top and folded. I wasn't planning on using the hinges, but in the spirit of 'Metal Mania', I thought we could use some more metal. The hinges are great because it's a nice tight fit with the hemp...doesn't slide around, yet you can still move it and adjust it easily.

Originally I started with plain Cranberry cardstock and an Outdoor Denim frame, but I thought it looked too plain, so I cut a smaller frame using the same paper I used for the medallions to put on top of the plain frame. Then I busted out my Happy Clusters stamp - the Christmas tree one, and stamped inside the frame using Cranberry ink to get the tone on tone effect.

I really like how it turned out, and hopefully the hubby does too!

CTMH Products Used:
Stamps: Happy Clusters, Cocktail Alphabet, Set from Elemental Workshop on the Go
Ink: Outdoor Denim, Cranberry
Paper: Cranberry, Outdoor Denim, Bamboo, White Daisy, Lucky Level 2
Other: Photo Hangers, Hinges, Hemp, Dimensional Foam Tape, Cricut AP cartridge

SPARKS Challenge Card

I wanted to play along with Paper Smooches current SPARKS challenge. I was inspired by the shape of the apples and the leaves as well as the colors. Here's what I came up with:



All the stamps used on this card are from the PS Hot Concoctions set. I used the steam swirls to echo the leaves on the apples, and did a fair amount of paper piecing for the card.

The tag/tag frame were cut with the Cricut Art Philosphy cartridge, and I freehand drew the little smiley face on the spoon.

It took me a while to come up with a plan for this card as the Orla Kiely print is so bold, but I think the card does evoke the graphic nature of the print.

Hope everyone had a great start to the week!

CTMH Products Used:
Ink: Black, White Daisy
Paper: Sunset, Outdoor Denim, White Daisy, Lucky Level 2
Other: Cricut AP Cartridge, Craft Knife, Dimensional Foam Tape

Other Products Used:
Paper Smooches Hot Concoctions Stamp Set