Just Us Girls - July Guest Designer - Photo Week

This is my last post as the July Guest Designer for Just Us Girls! 

What a wonderful time I have had creating with the Design Team this month! 

Thank you so much ladies for inviting me to play with you!

This week is Photo Week and here is the challenge!

What beautiful shades of orange with the soft green leaves, bling floral centers and text background!  So much to inspire us!

I was inspired by the flowers, the colors and the text background in the photo!  

Pretty much all of it, right?!

I got out the May Corner Adorner stamps and die from PTI.  I stamped the flowers in Summer Sunrise - then die cut two single flowers, stamped them in Orange Zest and layered them over the first stampings with foam dots. 

I die cut the card base using PTI Noted: Pinked A2 die.  I die cut the panel using one of the dies in the Noted: Scalloped A2 set.  I stamped Wendy Vecchi/Stampers Anonymous Script Background over the panel and then sponged the edges with Ranger Distress Tea Dye ink.  I layered the little bouquet over the panel with foam dots as well as the stamped sentiment strip.  Then I added orange rhinestones to the flower centers.

So please join us over at Just Us Girls showing us your creation inspired by this lovely photo!  You have until 9 pm EST August 2nd to link up your card.

Stamps:  Script Background - Wendy Vecchi/Stampers Anonymous, Corner Adorner: May - PTI
Paper:  Vintage Cream, White - PTI
Ink:  Hero Hues Black, Ranger Distress Tea Dye, Orange Zest, Classic Kraft, Simply Chartreuse, Summer Sunrise - PTI.
Accessories:  Noted: Pinked A2 die set, Noted: Scalloped A2 die set, Corner Adorner: May die set - PTI, rhinestones - Kaiser, foam dots, Blending Tool - Ranger.

July Papertrey Ink Blog Hop

Today, I'm participating in the July Papertrey Ink Blog hop!  

Here is the inspiration photo for this month.

Papertrey Ink has had several ocean/beach themed stamps and dies released the past two months and I think I bought just about all of them!   

Here is my card.  I was inspired by the colors and several of the ocean flora and fauna images!

I used the Reef Builder Die Set and Shape Shifters: Oval 2 die for my card, cutting them all out in 3 shades of blue, white and red.  The sentiments are from Sentiment Staples - Thinking of You.  

I added Sea Breeze Nuvo Jewel drops in the little ovals on the top of the blue/red plant in the bottom right corner..

I have a dear friend at church that is having some health issues that aren't quite diagnosed yet and this will card will be going to her, hopefully to bring her some comfort.

I can't wait to see how everyone interprets the inspiration photo this month -  you have 12 hours to load up your card - you'll find the link at the Papertrey Ink Blog here.

I'm also linking my card to:

Happy Little Stampers

Stamps:  Sentiment Staples - Thinking of You - PTI
Paper:  White, Dark Indigo, Pure Poppy, Enchanted Evening, Blueberry Sky, Spring Rain - PTI
Ink:  Dark Indigo - PTI
Accessories:  Reef Builder Die Set, Shape Shifter: Oval Die - PTI, Sea Breeze Nuvo Jewel Drops,  foam dots, Tombow Glue.

Happy Happy Birthday!

Today I have a birthday card to share. We always need a supply of these on hand right?!

I inked 2 panels of watercolor paper by rubbing Ranger Distress Tumbled Glass and Spun Sugar onto my craft mat, spritzing with water and then pouncing my panels into the wet color.  I did one color at a time, drying between pounces until I achieved the look I wanted.   I used one panel as my background and one to die cut the shapes out of.  

The balloon and stars are popped up on foam dots and I tied a piece of Blossom Bakers Twine onto the balloon, and stamped the sentiment in black directly onto the panel.

I'm joining in the following challenges with my birthday card:

Ellen Hutson July Pantone Color Trend cardmaking challenge 

a random pick wins a $50 gift certificate to the Ellen Hutson Store!  

I was inspired by the birthday cake with the stars and the balloons.

 Seize the Birthday

Inkspirational

 Happy Little Stampers

 Just Us Girls

 Stamps:  So Many Sentiments - Neat and Tangled
Paper:  watercolor - Canson, white, Lovely Lady - PTI
Ink:  Ranger Distress Tumbled Glass and Spun Sugar, Hero Hues Black
Accessories:  Seeing Stars Die - Neat and Tangled, balloon die - MFT, foam dots, craft mat, water mister, heat tool, Blossom Bakers Twine - The Twinery.

Birthday Journal Trinket Box using Eileen Hull Sizzix Dies and Color Box Blends Ink

My grandniece, Mila, turns 6 in August  - and I always make special personalized cards for each of the grands. 

For Mila's card this year, I used Eileen Hull's  Sizzix dies to make a Wrapped Journal Trinket Box!  Here it is closed up.   I die cut 2 labels from Bookplate Hinges and Labels  and added 'Mila is 6' using my Brother Label maker.

I know Mila will be opening and closing this box a lot - so I wanted an easy but durable clasp, so I screwed a Hitch Fastener in the binding area and looped a piece of elastic cord through the cover.  

I was afraid Velcro would eventually rip off the paper and she doesn't know how to tie yet if I bound it with a ribbon!

I adhered washi tape along the top and bottom of the binding and front cover - to hide the holes in the binding that would have been used to attach the signature pages inside the journal.

The Journal cover opens to reveal a Trinket Box inside - where I again used the Hitch Fastener and elastic cording for the clasp.

I glued some rhinestones over the holes in the cover that would have been used to tie the signatures into the journal. 

Inside the Trinket Box, I placed several photos of Mila from this past year as well as a Happy Birthday Balloon!  

And Mila can add her own 'little' things like bracelets and figurines!

I added die cut balloons and sentiment circle on this panel.  The hearts come from the Journaling Cards die

I added my salutation on this panel - using a die cut from Credit Card Sleeve and Tags die.  I cut out the small flower from Bookmark Tag and Pocket Dies out of the panel and then out of a lighter pink and inserted the lighter flower into the space!

I adhered a panel cut from Journaling Cards - Hearts into the bottom of the trinket box adding some heart rhinestones.  A 6 year old can never have enough bling right??!!

Here are the photos of Mila from this past year that I placed inside the Trinket Box - held together with a key chain so she can just pull out the all the photos at once.  I cut all the photos to 3" x 4" size and rounded the corners.

To cover the Wrapped Journal with patterned paper - I die cut two pieces, one of dots (this has large dots on one side and small dots on the other - the same with the plaid.

I find it is easier to use 2 or 3 panels rather than one big piece - as the paper can pull away from the folds.  I used two panels here - and I creased the paper at the folds before gluing them onto the matboard.

I inked the sides of the box and the box binding with Tutu Color Box Blends Ink.  It's so easy to do with the foam applicator on the ink container.

I also inked the inside of the Wrapped Journal on the places I didn't put patterned paper.

To keep the black elastic cord from pulling through the hole I punched -  I cut a circle from Eileen's Bookmark Tag and Pocket Dies out of White Paper Leather and made two holes to tie the elastic through (like those old hole protectors you could stick on notebook paper!)  I did the same thing on the Trinket Box clasp.

I'm pretty sure Mila will love her little box card!

 During the month of July, Eileen's Inspiration Team will be posting creative projects using Eileen's Book Club 2 dies and Color Box Blends Ink.  

Each week the projects will be gathered and posted on Eileen's blog so be sure to check it out!

Also linking my birthday 'card' to:

Seize the Birthday

Inkspirational

Stamps:  Party Time - Stamplorations

Paper:  White Little Stizzles Mat Board - Sizzix, White Leather Paper - Sizzix, Hibiscut Burst, Raspberry Fizz, Sweet Blush, Pale Peony,  Bitty Big Pale Peony Patterned Paper Collection - PTI.

Ink:  Tutu Color Box Blends Ink, True Black - PTI

Accessories:  Wrapped Journal Die, Trinket Box & Frame Dies, Journaling Cards Dies, Credit Card Sleeve & Tag Dies, Bookplate Hinges & Label Dies, Bookmark Tag and Pocket Dies, Floral Arch and Words dies - Eileen Hull/Sizzix,  Numbers Die, Balloon Die - PTI,  Happy Birthday Die - Ali Express, washi tape, key chain, rhinestones, Blossom Bakers Twine - The Twinery, Zutter Corner Rounder, black round elastic cord -  Joann, Hitch Fasterners - Idea-ology, P touch Brother Label Maker, photos, Crop a Dile punch, ScorTape, Tombow Glue.

Just Us Girls - I'm the July Guest Designer! Color Week

I'm back again as the July Guest Designer for Just Us Girls!

This week is Color Week and here is the challenge!

I often have trouble creating when I am told to use certain colors (!?) it can mess with my mojo!  But this week was a breeze because I just got out the same stamps I used last week on my JUGS card since they are perfect for these colors! 

I cut a panel of water color paper, masked an area to create my section of 'ocean' and pounced the panel onto my craft mat where I had rubbed Ranger Distress Cracked Pistachio and then spritzed with water.  When I had achieved the coverage I wanted, I removed the mask and dried the panel with my heat tool.  To define the edges better, I drew lines with my 01 Black Micron Pen.

Then I got out the PTI Salt Air: Fauna and Salt Air: Flora stamps and dies. (The stamps seem to be back in the shop but the dies are still back ordered).  I selected what fauna and flora I wanted and stamped them onto the die cuts using Pale Peony and Aqua Mist PTI Inks.  I layered them over the 'ocean' strip with foam dots, stamped the Psalm verse from an older Sweet N Sassy set called Beauty by the Sea and added 3 enamel dots.

I layered the panel to a slightly larger Hawaiian Shores panel and then to a white card base.

So being told what colors to use wasn't so terrible for me this time! 

I hope everyone is having a wonderful summer - getting outdoors and enjoying yourself - maybe even getting to the beach?!  Looking at this card makes me want to go there!

So please join us over at Just Us Girls showing us your creation using aqua, pink and white!  You have until 9 pm EST July 26th to link up your card.  I'll be back next Saturday with my last creation as Guest Designer for JUGS.  What a fun month I've been having creating along this talented team!

I'm also linking my card to:
CAS Watercolour Card Challenge 

 

Stamps:  Salt Air: Fauna, Salt Air Flora - PTI, Beauty by the Sea (retired) - Sweet N Sassy.
Paper:  Water color paper - Canson, white, Haraiian Shores - PTI
Ink:  Hero Hues Black, Pale Peony and Aqua Mist - PTI, Ranger Distress Cracked Pistachio.
Accessories:  Eclipse Tape (for mask), craft mat, water mister, enamel dots, 01 Black Micron Pen, foam dots,  Salt Air: Fauna Die set and Salt Air: Flora Die set - PTI.

Always be a Mermaid

Today I'm playing along with the Color Challenge over on the Ellen Hutson, LLC Blog - I'm sneaking it in just a day before the deadline as I just found out about it!

I used a newly released Essentials by Ellen set by Julie Ebersole called Inner Mermaid as well as the coordinating die set. 

 I colored the background by smooshing Distress Inks in Dried Marigold, Scattered Straw, Shabby Shutters and Twisted Cintron onto my craft mat, spritzing with water and then pouncing my watercolor paper panel onto the mat -  one color at a time - drying in between pounces - until I got the look I wanted!

I colored the mermaid tail, star fish and shell with Tombow Markers - spreading the color out with a Clear Glitter Wink of Stella so I could get 'dark to light' coloring.

I hope you can see the lovely glittery look in the close up below. (maybe click on it to enlarge?)

Ellen Hutson LLC has a new Facebook where members can post their creations using product from her shop and if you request to be a member now - she is offering a 15% discount in her shop!  Check it out here.

And here is the link to the color challenge on the Ellen Hutson blog.  

A random entry will win a $50 gift certificate to Ellen Hutson LLC!

Stamps:  Inner Mermaid - Essential by Ellen
Paper:  watercolor paper - Canson, Tropical Teal, White - PTI, Bristol Smooth Surface.
Ink:  Hero Hues Black, Ranger Distress Dried Marigold, Scattered Straw, Shabby Shutters, Twisted Cintron.
Accessories:  Inner Mermaid Dies - Essentials by Ellen, purple dew drops, Tombo Glue, Clear Glitter Wink of Stella, foam dots, Tombow Markers.

Mid Month Reminder - July CAS Mix Up Challenge - Color Your Dies!

I'm here today with a mid-month reminder about the fun July CAS Mix Up Card Challenge -  this month Bonnie has asked us to color our die cuts!

This time I water colored my die cuts using Ranger Distress Inks.

I used Lovely Layers dies from PTI to die cut my flower out of watercolor paper.  Then I picked out what color Distress inks I wanted to use - Mowed Lawn, Abandoned Coral, Spiced Marmalade and Frayed Burlap. I rubbed one color at a time onto my craft mat, spritzed the color with water and brushed the watery color over each die cut piece.

I dried each piece with my heat tool and then dipped my brush into clean water and splattered the water onto each piece one at a time, drying each piece with my heat tool.  I love the added texture the water spots create!

I adhered the flower layers to each other with foam dots accept for the smallest one, which I just glued on.  I added a little curve to the leaf/petals  pieces with my finger before adhering them to each other. I added a brown enamel dot to the center.  Then I adhered the flower to a white card panel with another foam dot.

I stamped the sentiment  from Lovely Layers Stamp Set from PTI beneath the flower and adhered the panel to a white card base.

So please join us in this fun challenge - to color your die cuts!  It's always fun to find new ways to use our craft supplies right?!

You'll find YouTube Videos of different ways to color your die cuts as well as some awesome inspiration from the Design Team  as well as our awesome guest designer Susan Joyce (Cat's InkCorporated) over at the CAS Mix Up Blog here.  You have until July 24th to link up your cards!

Stamps:  Lovely Layers Stamp Set - Papertrey Ink.
Paper:  Water color paper - Canson, white - PTI
Ink:  Ranger Distress Mowed Lawn, Abandoned Coral, Spiced Marmalade, Frayed Burlap, Hero Hues Black.
Accessories:  Lovely Layers Die Collection - PTI, foam dots, brown enamel dot, water, paint brush, heat tool.

Just Us Girls - I'm July Guest Designer! Trend Week

I'm back again as the July Guest Designer for Just Us Girls! 

I was asked because I was chosen Chic of the Week on May 18th.

This week it's Trend Week and here is the challenge!

There are so many wonderful techniques for watercoloring a background.  

Today I used Ranger Distress Inks - rubbed onto my craft mat and spritzed with water to make my background.  I did one color at a time - pouncing the watercolor paper panel into the wet water-based ink on the mat.  I dried the panel with my heat tool and then pounced it again into the wet ink until I was happy with how it looked (I like lots of spots!).  

Then I wiped off my craft mat and rubbed the next color on and spritzed with water following the same steps as with the first color.  I used 3 Distress Inks for my background in this order - Twisted Cintron, Mermaid Lagoon, and Hickory Smoke.

I also got to use my brand new stamps and dies from PTI 

(I love when I use new stuff right away! Often times it sits in my craft room until I forget I bought it!)  Salt Air - Flora and dies, Salt Air - Fauna and dies and Salt Air Sentiments.

Inside I stamped: Let's Shell-ebrate!  It's Your Birthday!  and I also stamped a shell.

So please join us over at Just Us Girls showing us how you watercolor a background!  You have until 9 pm EST July 19th to link up your card.  You'll find lots of inspiration from the wonderfully talented Design Team as well!

I'm linking my card to:
Seize the Birthday

 

Stamps:  Salt Air - Flora, Salt Air - Fauna, Salt Air Sentiments - Papertrey Ink.
Paper:  Watercolor paper - Canson, White, Hawaiian Shores - PTI
Ink:  True Black, Ocean Tides, Dark Indigo, Blueberry Sky, Orange Zest, Cocoa Bean - PTI, Hero Hues Black, Ranger Distress Mermaid Lagoon, Twisted Cintron, Hickory Smoke.
Accessories:  Salt Air - Flora Die set, Salt Air - Fauna Die Set - PTI, foam dots, green dew drops, Tombow Glue, craft mat, heat tool, water mister.