Tuesday, August 13, 2019

Snowpeople Challenge for CASS

Hi everyone,

Wow, what a whirlwind of a summer! How can it already be August? A lot has happened over the last month and things don't look like calming down for a while. However it is mostly good, so I cannot complain!

With all the rain we have been experiencing, both plants and weeds are thriving - rather than post a weed, my August header is a plant that is blooming for the first time for me - Ligularia (commonly known as Leopard plant) - so pretty in the shade of my arbor!

As for my card - the Christmas at Sweet Stampin' Creative Challenge for August our optional theme is "Snowpeople". Here is what I created using only a freebie from a magazine - don't you just love it when that happens?



Here is the package that I received: 



So first off I used the embossing folder and then positioned the little tree within the circle in Versafine Clair Nocturne. I then masked off the part of the circle where the snowman would overlap so that he would stay within the snow globe.



Next I colored very minimally the scarf, hat and nose using Copics.



... and a little blue bling was provided to his buttons with Blue Lagoon Nuvo Glitter drops.



Next some clear White Blizzard glitter drops were added to the berries and centers of the snowflakes. This was then set aside to dry.


The inside was stamped with a sentiment from the same package along with another little blue snowman.


The light blue frame was die cut with Cheery Lynn Celtic Squares Boutique Stacker Frames. This was attached to a white card base. Once the Nuvo Drops were dry, this was then pop dotted on to the top of the blue frame.


... and that concludes my "Snow People" card for today! I hope to see you join in the fun over at Christmas at Sweet Stampin'? Surely you have at least one stamp of a snow person?!?!? ... and if not you can still join along as that is just optional.

I'd like to play along in the following challenges:
The Holly and the Ivy Challenge #54: Anything Christmas Goes
Jingle Belles Rock: Blue Christmas
CCEE Stampers 1932: Embossing Wet or Dry

Hope you've enjoyed my share today?

Shona



Tuesday, July 9, 2019

Christmas in the Sun!

Hi there,

I'm so hoping that everyone's summer is going along well. My July header is the result of one of the first Monarch eggs that were laid in my Waystation, as far as I know. I brought them in and reared them in cages and they are now on their way to create future generations! (There are some pics. below  - if you are interested).  Despite the very wet weather that we have recently been experiencing, the yard is coming along - as well as the weeds! It took me four weeks to install my 12 yards of mulch, as there were days on end of rain and then we were away and then .... you know the scoop!

So now that the hot and humid has finally hit us - this month's Christmas at Sweet Stampin' theme actually was easy as I was thinking instead on weeding and mulching a little beach time would be fun and deserved!

So out came an oldie but goodie from Sparkle N Sprinkle:




She was stamped twice in Versafine Clair Acorn and then heat embossed with clear detail embossing powder. One was colored using finger daubers and Memento inks: Dandelion, Cantaloupe and Toffee Crunch and was then fussy cut. 


The second one was the background panel which was sponged with the Dandelion and Summer Sky ink from Memento. The details of both were colored with Copics, including the shell and bushes.


To get the little sign I stamped out the other little guy from the set who was carrying it. 


Florida or Bust from the same set, positioned with the Stamp Platform was stamped in Versa Fine Claire Glamorous and then heat embossed with Clear Detail powder. This was then fussy cut.


The background was then layered on to a piece of light blue cardstock (also with the postage die cut). This was then added to a die cut piece of light blue before being layered to yellow (die cut with MB Cross Stitched Frame). This was all layered to a white card base.


Using the Quickie Glue pen Creamsicle glitter was added to the bikini, Celestial glitter to the snow parts and the beach. Pinkerbell was also added to the shell in the same way. 


Happy Christmas from the Sparkle N Sprinkle Christmas Sayings set 223 was stamped in Versafine Clair Acorn and then heat embossed with Teddy Brown (EP187).


That wrapped it up for today! Looking forward to seeing all your fun cards highlighting Christmas in the sun!

Below are the products I used in my creation:

Sparkle N Sprinkle Christmas Flamingo 343
Sparkle N Sprinkle Christmas Sayings 223

Versafine Claire Acorn
Versafine Clair Glamorous
Memento Dandelion, Cantaloupe, 
Toffee Crunch & Summer Sky
Clear Detail (EP280)
Teddy Brown (EP187)
Quickie Glue Pen
Pinkerbell (G1130)
Celestial (G1031)
Creamsicle (G1140)
Memory Box Cross Stitched Frame
22 Craft Postage
Copics
Yellow, Blue and Pink Baker’s Thread

I'd like to enter the following challenges with my card today:
Krafty Chicks Challenge #463: Christmas in July!
Crafty Calendar Challenge - July Challenge: Christmas in July
The Holly and the Ivy Christmas Challenge #52: ATG
Try Stampin' on Tuesday Challenge #416: Christmas in July
World Wide Open Design Team Challenge #6: ATG
Classic DT Open Challenge #7: ATG
Scrapy Land Challenge #7: Use a die make that SL carries
Take It Make It July Challenge: Anything Goes
Double Trouble Challenge #32: Christmas in July
Retro Rubber Challenge Blog #114: Use a stamp older than a year

Lastly, for my nature loving friends - you might enjoy my latest backyard photography:

Below you can see (1) the female Monarch laying an egg and then (2) the egg, then (3) it is about to hatch and then (4) is day one! I bring in the eggs that are laid outside to rear them in cages to help the Monarch population. The butterfly photographed in the header will hopefully be the grandmother of the generation that will make its way to Mexico for the winter. 




Hope you've enjoyed my share today? Till next time!

Shona

Wednesday, June 12, 2019

FLAMINGO CHRISTMAS GREETINGS!

Hi there,

First of all my June header is an Iris, a photo I took on our Master Gardener Trip to the Presby Iris Gardens in Montclair, New Jersey. In this 7 1/2 acre garden there are over 1,500 varieties of Iris, which produce over 100,000 blooms in one season. It really was a spectacular vision - waves and waves of every color of the rainbow and more! Each iris was marked, but I neglected to get this beauty's name!

... and today I have a fairly flamboyant card for Christmas! We were asked at Christmas at Sweet Stamping to use non-traditional Christmas colors - now looking at - it looks more like Halloween! 



I stamped the three images on white cardstock in Versafine Clair Nocturne, using the stamp platform for even coverage and then I heat embossed with Sparkle EP to give a nice raised effect. The three cuties were then colored with orange and purple Copics.



Memento Dandelion was then sponged on the bottom half and Lulu Lavender was applied likewise to the top portion.



The sentiment was stamped on white cardstock with Versafine Clair Nocturne and then heat set with Concord embossing powder.



I then sponged a little Memento Dandelion ink over the top of the sentiment after die cutting with the Spellbinders Grommet Tag.



A thin piece of Tear-ific Tape was torn and placed at the base of the card front.



After removing the protective backing, I applied Stampendous Royal Purple Crushed Glass Glitter and then SNS Creamsicle glitter was burnished into the open areas.




The card front was layered to purple and then after adding the sentiment with mounting tape and bakers twine, I used Dimensional Glue to add the googly eyes.



This was then layered on to a white card base to finish off the card.

Below are the products that I used in my card today:

Sparkle N Sprinkle Winter Flamingos Set 2 #861
Concord (EP419)
Sparkle (EP107)
Versafine Clair Nocturne
Versamark
Memento Dandelion Ink
Memento Lulu Lavander
Stampendous Royal Purple Crushed Glass Glitter
Creamsicle (G1140)
Tear-ific Tape
Dimensional Glue
Copics
Spellbinders Grommet Tags
Yellow bakers twine
Googly Eyes

Today, I'd like to join in the following challenges:

Take It Make It Challenge June: Anything Goes
World Wide Open Design Team Challenge #05: ATG
Classic DT Open Challenge #6: Anything Goes
The Holly and the Ivy Christmas Challenge #51: ATG

I look forward to you coming back to see me soon,

Shona