Squigglefly Challenge Really Pushed Me...

...out of my comfort zone and into a whole new world of stamping.  And my granddaughter loves it!

This cute little critter, from Squigglefly called Daisy Bear digi image, is a great image for cards and, as I found out today, for kids' Tshirts, too!  As this was my first attempt at "stamping" on clothing, there are a couple boo boo's, but Bella, my model here, sees past them.
I printed my image in a 5x7 size to fit the 4T cami that I planned to decorate.  I wanted to give Squigglefly a shout out, so I went to PhotoBucket.com and added their name under the image.  That was the root of my first mistake.  When I used the copier at work to copy it onto a sheet of T Shirt transfer paper, I forgot that I had put words with the image, so I didn't "mirror image" copy it.  If you look really closely, the name Squigglefly...is backwards!!! LOL
Another mistake I made was to copy the image onto the transfer paper AFTER coloring it with Copics.  Granted, I would have had to color copy it, but it sure would have saved me some time and grief!
One last mistake---I used OLD transfer paper, and the image didn't transfer onto the shirt 100%.  I tried to "fill in" the lines with a fine-tipped Sharpie, but I wouldn't advise using one.
Well, those were the bad things that happened while trying out a (new to me) technique. Now for the good news.  My granddaughter absolutely LOVES the shirt!  And that, dear reader, is why I am posting a "less-than-perfect" project.  Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, or rather the eyes of the wearer, and to Bella, my project, made especially for her, is beautiful, faults and all.
The challenge this week at Squigglefly Challenge Blog is to use media that excites your sense of touch.  I used puffy paints and Liquid Glass for that effect, and it must work, as Bella keeps rubbing her hands over the front of her shirt!! 

Here's another project, a card using Squigglefly's Content Kitty digi image.  The card base is made from handmade paper, and the photo just doesn't show off the raw texture of it.  I colored Kitty with Copics and used Flower Soft and Liquid Glass for a little feline texture as well. I also placed adhesive-backed ribbon to frame the front window of the card, as well as fiber along the spine and  some hand-cut vellum leaves.  It really is a sensory-laden card!
You are invited to jump in the challenge at any time this week.  You don't have to use a Squigglefly image, but if you do you'll be eligible for prizes.  If you don't have any, try some of these FREEBIES out.  Just have fun!


Close up of Content Kitty image



Masking Technique

Today I can cross off another technique that I have never tried before: Masking!
I know, I know, you ask why I haven't done it before, because it is simple enough.  But I had no design in mind that would utilize the technique.

Then my son received a card in the mail from a crafting friend.  She had used this technique and her card was simple and beautiful.  By the way, Melissa, my son thanks you for thinking of him during his recuperation.  He is doing very well!
Anyway, I scraplifted her "sketch" and using the same technique, came up with a set of Thank You cards that my daughter had asked me to make so she could send to family after her birthday.  (I love the fact that I didn't have to nag her to send them)


Bella's Bedroom Wall

 I pulled a couple of cling buterflies off my craft room wall for a mask.  When my 4 yr old Bella stays the night, she gets to paste on a sheet of cling butterflies that I purchase from the local Dollar Store before going to bed.  (That's right, you made the correct connection.  I share my craft room with my granddaughter)
So, the card base is plain old white card stock, and the masked layer is various leftover pieces of cream-colored cardstock.  I applied the two smaller clings to the left side of my card and distressed that side with tim Holtz Distress Ink in Vintage Photo.  After peeling off the clings, I stamped a tiny butterfly on SU Kaleidescope Ink pad in Wild Berry over the inked area.  The sentiment is from my very first set of SU stamps, bought before the "turn of the century". (wow, that sounds like I'm old...wait, I AM old!")  LOL
The inside is left blank for my daughter to write in her personal message to all who gave her gifts for her sweet 16th birthday.
So now you've seen the uncrafting part of my craft room and learned that I am behind the times when it comes to techniques.   No worries, I am quickly catching up.  There are so many blogs with inspiration projects, videos with tutorials, and new products coming out every day that I MUST keep changing and learning or else I may just get left behind, stuck in a tar pit like...well, I'm not THAT OLD!!!

Hambo Hoedown #28



Hedgehog digi-image

 Did you take advantage of Hambo's sale on retiring stamps and images?  I did--I love their images, they're just so darn cute!  I made a card for the Hambo Challenge Blog using Hedgehog digi-image and their challenge sketch.
I colored two images using Copics: C1,3; BG10; RV00,34;Y17; YR04 & RV34.  I glitzed his shaggy mane with yelloe, Orange and Magenta Sticklesw, and buffed up his nose with CTMH Liquid Glass. I used dimensional dots between the two image layers.  He's holding a handmade flower that my friend Anna made (thanks, hon) and I found the perfect quote to go with his pose--don't you think?
I took a little poetic license with the sketch, but it still follows the basic theme and shape of it.  I don't usually follow a sketch for my cards or layouts.  I just find a central focus of my project, work on the colors and patterns, and let my muse take me where I want to go (sometimes it veers off, though).
So what are you waiting for.  Every player who follows the rules of the challenge gets a free digi, and one random winner gets a prize!  Check out the Hoedown now!

A Little Fairy Gratitude Goes a Long Way

I went to sleep last night with a Tim Holtz Distressing Technique Book in my hands.  I snagged it at a garage sale last weekend for a buck and boy, am I glad I got it!  I don't normally do the big "distressing, collage, more is better" kind of style, but...


closed card

 I woke up with this idea for a card.  I used to make a lot of trifold shutter cards, but hadn't lately, so that was the base for my "experiment".  I knew I wanted to use one of my Fairy stamps from Crafter's Companion.  AND I wanted to try out my new Crafter's Companion Ultimate Tool for all that scoring and folding and cutting involved.  With all those ideas in mind, I begin to build, and I mean BUILD, my card into what you see here.  The scoring, cutting and folding was a BREEZE using my Ultimate Tool.  If you don't have one, you can use a ScorPal, but it is so much easier to have everything at your fingertips! After selecting patterned papers from my leftover stash, which I promised myself I would cut in half by end of year, I ransacked my desk, my cubbies, my drawers, my tins--anywhere I could remember putting small embellie leftovers.
I colored my Fairy, which is from the Fairyopolis Fall Collection, (coordinating colors with my papers), using COpics: E00,08,35; Y15; YR07,61; YG03; G94 & RV00.  I also used Apricot and Butter Zig brushables. 

I used Stickles on her wings and dots of Liquid Glass on the fruit on the branches and in her hand to make my fairy shimmer.  I also added a mix of colors of Flower Soft to the "vegetation" in her hair (see close-up).

I had found some lace at our church's rummage sale this summer, and got quite a haul of different colors and designs for my money.  I distressed the cream colored lace with Brown ink and attached it to the front panel of my card, then adhered my fairy image onto it with dimensional dots.  I also had to use adhesive Dots so that the image would stick and stay stuck to the lace!

Okay, using the ideas mighty Tim gave me in his book, I started adding (and taking away) tiny embellishments--jewels, buttons, bows, leaves, fibers, clips, etc--onto the many faces of my card.  I even stamed a few sparkly stars here and there, then added Gold Pearl Ex for a subtle glow.

I printed the sentiment "Thank you fairy much" on my computer, adhered it, and then took a deep breath and stepped back.  I don't think it's too awful for my first attempt at "throwing everything but the kitchen sink onto a card" technique.  I actually kind of like it!!  It's a nice way to usher in Autumn, although I'm probably a little too early (but hopeful for some cooler weather).

I like this card because it is a Thank you card and I'm always in need of them, the design lets me stand it up for a 3 dimensional display, and Crafter's Companion Challenge Blog has a new challenge for August, and I will be entering this in their new challenge.  The challenge runs through the end of the month, and everyone is welcome to come and play in it!

Thank You Never Looked So Good

I learned a new (to me) technique today!! I stamped and colored my Crafter's Companion Popcorn the Bear images, and then heat sealed them onto a pillar candle!! I love the look of it and will remember how easy it is around Christmas time!!

Meanwhile, Crafter's Companion Challenge Blog has a new challenge for August, practically a free-for-all! it only asks that you use one of their images, and use a thank you theme on your project! The hardest part of the challenge was choosing which stamp set to use on my project! LOL I decided on Popcorn the Bear "Thanks a Bunch" stamp set, and stamped popcorn, the sentiment and a couple flowers onto lightly colored mulberry paper, then used Copics: E00,35; G00; BG15,72; YG03; Y17; YR61 & RV13 to color them all. Following an excellent tutorial on SCS, I heat embossed the images onto a white pillar candle I picked up at WalMart for $2. I love the way the candle is smooth and doesn't show that I put extra layers onto it.

WARNING: Learn from my mistake!! Make sure the candle is RIGHT SIDE UP!!! I finished off my candle and then discovered I had stamped my candle upside down! Boohoo!! But the girl scout in me came to my rescue, and I used a knife to pull the wick through the bottom of the candle, thereby saving the day, my project and my pride!!


You have all month to play in the Crafter's Companion Challenge Blog, so have fun!!

I am doubly happy to add my project to CRAFT YOUR PASSION challenge blog, as this week's challenge is sponsored than one of my fave companies, Crafter's Companion, so my project is so very appropriate, although I will mention you don't have to use a sponsor's product to join in their challenges!

Play TicTacToe at the Hambo Hoedown

I mae a card using the new Hambo Stamps digi-image "Indian girl" and am playing in the Hambo Hoedown Challenge #27:  I Chose my embellishments from their TicTacToe Board and made a card with ribbon, eyelets and punches. 

The Hambo CHallenge Blog has this to say about this week's challenge:  Not only will players receive a free digi image, but----
“Each of the first four weeks in August we will be choosing one participant to be a Guest Designer for one week of our September Hoedown Challenges! Hoedown Guest Designers would receive their image early and have their card showcased at the Hoedown”
My card is a step fold card.  i printed, colored and pieced my digi image and placed it on the front face of my card.  I used Copics E00 & YR61 for the skin color, and 100, C1&3 for her hair. Her outfit and mocassins are paper pieced.  I attached a feather onto her headband for a little texture.
I used my Crop-a-Dile to place eyelets on my linen cloth ribbon, and punched the corners of my patterned papers.  I also punched some random swirls that i attached to the front of my card.  I added a handmade flower (thanks Anna), some cloud and sun stickers/diecuts, and glitzed the sun.
the sentiment reads:  "Anyone who says sunshine brings happiness has never danced in the rain"  I thought it a perfect sentiment, as my little Indian girl seems to be dancing her own little rain dance.
I hope you like my card, and I hope you have time to play at the hoedown this week!

If Pigs Can Fly...

The challenge for this week's Squigglefly Challenge Blog is to use a Squigglefly image and add a handwritten sentiment, doodle or something hand-drawn to your project.  I chose to make an altered notebook for my dreams.  Some people call it a wish list, others a bucket list.  Regardless of its title, it's the things you want to do either before you die or when you have money to burn and the time to spend it!
I am a list maker.  I love to make funky, unique notebooks for my lists.  So when I saw this cutest of cute digi-images from Squigglefly called Wanda, I knew I had to use her on one of my notebooks!
I took her sentiment, which allows her to believe that pigs can fly (after imbibing of the delicious local sangria), and decided it would go well as a cover for a notebook to list out all my secret wishes, heart's desires and pipe dreams. 
Here is where I will put my fabulous two-month long trip to Europe; my Cadilac Escalade; my winter home in Cozumel.  Here is where reality and imagination merge into a world of possibilities, if only on paper. And if I get lucky, maybe I can cross an item or two off my list in the future!
Meanwhile, I printed two copies of this fabulous image to color with Copics: B12,97; YG03,05,23; R29; Y17; V000; RV00 & BV00, and adhered them together for a tiny bit of dimension.  I used papers from my stash, as well as a bit of ribbon, some jewels and some flowers.  I used Stickles and Liquid Glass to polish her up, and expanded on her stamped wings by cutting some petals off a Prima flower and embellishing with Stickles.

The cover of my altered notebook reads: "If pigs can fly,
why can't I..."

The inside cover continues with "Why can't I... Ask for the moon, Deam a little dream, Have my cake and eat it too, Wish upon a star, Chase my dreams, Reach for the stars..."

Why don't you join in the fun this week at Squigglefly Challenge Blog.  If you don't have one of their images, you can shop HERE or pick up a FREEBIE to work with.  And if you have a bucket list somewhere with the wish to "play in a blog challenge," then here's one you can cross off this week!!