CSSC #11 Mid-Challenge Reminder

We're about mid-way through my CSSC #11 sketch challenge, so here's another another card I made:

Yeah, it's crooked. It was more crooked before, so please just tilt your head a bit. I thank you.

I started out by opening my NBUS (never been used) Bokeh Dots stamp set from Ellen Hutson. I inked the images in Memories Unicorn ink, then heat-embossed them with Hero Arts white embossing powder.

Then I masked off a strip of the panel and blended three Distress inks over the embossing.

This is actually the second card I made. I managed to destroy the first one when I mis-stamped the sentiment. I knew I should have used my MISTI!

The boo-boo:

Whoops!

I considered cutting or artistically tearing off the corner and inking up the card stock behind it. That would have been easier than starting over, but I started over. I did use my MISTI for the sentiment on the finished card.

Those dark smudges you see are actually stars from my Martha Hearts and Stars confetti. I attempted to cover up some imperfections in the card stock (probably schmears, but I'm in denial), but I think it just may draw attention to them instead. Oh, well.

A few words of caution: It's important to at least pretend to pay attention to what you are doing. When one gets into mass-production mode, it's easy to grab the wrong product. In my case, I had a teeny tiny star to glue down, so I grabbed the small bottle of Matte Medium to add a drop of glue. Unfortunately, when I turned it over to do that, I dumped a squillion tiny stars everywhere. Can you say "static cling"? OMG, what a mess. I got most of them back into the bottle, but I suspect I'll be finding those babies all over the house for a while.

Anyway, I hope you'll play along with this month's sketch. The link-up is on the original post; you have until 11:55 pm EST on the 21st to enter.

Thanks for stopping by!

Some of the stuff I used: SU Bermuda Bay card stock (I think), and the following:

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CSSC #11

It's the first of the month, and time for a new Crooked Stamper Sketch Challenge.

Here is this month's sketch:

which is based on this card by Sybrina:

Sybrina submitted her card for consideration (see bullet #3 under the Rules), and since I'm using it, she gets a guest gig. Here's the card she made for the challenge:

Aren't those reindeer adorable? Please stop by her blog to see details about her card.

And here's my card:

Some of the stuff I used: WPlus9 Festive Greetings, MFT Merry Messages,
Hero Arts dye inks (Navy, Bubblegum, Green Hills), clear Wink of Stella

Yes, you see (gah) pink! I followed the colors in the current MFT color challenge:

It's a challenge, right?

Please feel free to flip the sketch, change the shapes, add layers, patterned paper, or whatever floats your boat. As long as I can recognize the basic sketch in your creation, it's all good!

The winner will receive something from my basket of give-away goodies.

The link-up will be open until Monday, December 21st, at 11:55 pm EST. 

Enter soon! Enter often up to three times! And remember to have fun!

An InLinkz Link-up

CSSC #10 WINNERS

Thanks to everyone who played my November sketch challenge.

The winner for November is Annie with this card:

I love all the gold, the snowflake, and the shaped banner.

The two Honorable Mentions are Lynn:

I really like the bright background paper, the embossed center panel, and the ribbon.

and Carol L:

I like how she used a shape for top sentiment, and the two patterns of paper are so different, yet work so well together (even if they are pink :)). 

Congratulations, ladies! Feel free to grab your badge from the CSSC Rules & Badges page, and display it proudly on your blog. You've earned it!

And Annie, please contact me (email in the right side bar), to claim your prize!

I'll be back on the first with a new sketch!

Thanks, again, for your support! xo

CSSC #10 Mid-Challenge Reminder

We're about mid-way through my CSSC #10 sketch challenge, so I went into the craft room today to make another card.

Let me just say "it seemed like a good idea at the time". You see, I caved and bought a roll of washi tape (I KNOW, right?) ... Sigh, here's the card, then I'll explain:

And yes, it follows the sketch, which I turned on its ear:

This all started with a roll of Santa's Belt washi tape. I thought (innocently enough) that it would make for an easy card. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Three hours later ... just kidding - it was only about an hour and a half ... I had a card.

What took so long? Well, just because I found the SSS Schoolhouse Red to be an almost perfect match for the washi tape, so what? I had a red rectangle with a piece of washi tape on it. Big whoop.

I used a piece of plaid paper from my ancient Basic Grey Jovial 6x6 pad for the horizontal element. Then, when I placed the red rectangle over it to the left, it practically filled the card. I didn't want to cut it down too much, as I liked that there were two gold grommets/holes on either side of the buckle. Plus, Santa isn't skinny.

Also, I wanted to use HO, HO, HO as the sentiment, so I dissected (trisected?) a stamp to get just one HO, stamped it thrice with Memento Luxe black ink, and clear-embossed it. Then I cut them out with a circle die and layered them on black circles for contrast. Not only did the Santa fill the left side of the card, those circles filled the right side.

I accepted defeat and made a 5x7 card.

I did trim down the Santa a bit, but I kept the two-grommets-per-side on the belt. Santa's coat looked nekkid, so I found an old 1/4" punch and punched some black card stock for buttons.

I tried and tried to get all three of those HO circles to work on the right side, but it was just too much, even on the 5x7 base. I opted to stamp the HO twice on the card base, and used only one circle HO. (Go ahead, have some fun at my expense. I can take it.)

I added the merry Christmas from a Lawn Fawn set.

For my last act, I added red pearls to the snowflake centers, then covered the buttons with Glossy Accents and set the card aside to dry.

Not able to leave well-enough alone, I made a second card using the same orientation of the sketch:

This card happened because I had a stamped kitteh out on my desk, and a strip of a Gelli print, so all I needed was a sentiment. I opted to use my now-opened Dylusions word set.

I added the "ha ha ha" using an old MFT alphabet set to help elongate the image on the left side.

About that sentiment. I think it's a hoot, but I had to change the comma into a semi-colon, and {shudder} till should be 'til (short for until), but I couldn't figure out how to fix it. Next time I'll mask off the second l. It's spelled properly on the packaging. Sigh.

And yes, it pretty much follows the sketch:

So, there are 10 days left to play. LOTS of time!  The link-up is on the original post; you have until 11:55 pm EST on the 21st to enter.

Thanks for stopping by!

Some of the stuff I used: Basic Grey Jovial 6x6 paper pad, Little B washi tape, 1/4" circle punch, SU black card stock, Neenah linen card stock (off-white/cream), Copics (0, C1, C3, C5, RV11), vat of clear embossing powder, Doodlebug Red, White & Blue pearls assortment, MFT Mini Banner Alphabet, and the following:

InLinkz.com