SCS VSN Challenge

Helloooo! I'm hostessing a challenge for the current Virtual Stamp Night (VSN) over at Splitcoast. The VSN happens several times throughout the year, and this is how it works:

Once the VSN is announced, people submit ideas for the theme. If chosen, you get to host one of the challenges.

During VSN, for a specified period of time (6-9 pm EDT on Friday, and 1-8 pm EDT on Saturday), a challenge is posted every hour. Each challenge follows the main theme, but has its own twist.

You have one hour to complete each challenge. Some people do them real-time, and play, post, repeat. Some people do them when they can throughout the weekend, and just upload to the galleries by the deadline. You are on the honor system for the one hour thing. And thinking doesn't count against your time unless otherwise stated in a specific challenge's post. :)

So, the main theme for this VSN is Summer Vacation, and here is the Master Thread where all the challenges are posted together. It's updated every hour. There are also individual posts for each challenge.

My challenge is to make a card using hills. I used to take my kids on vacation every year (until they got too old and too busy), and two vacations jumped out me while thinking of a possible topic. I thought about our trip to New England where we drove up Mt Washington in New Hampshire. I also thought about our trip to Colorado, where we could see Pike's Peak from our hotel lobby. Thus, my challenge to use hills or mountains in your creation.

Here's my card:

Aside from cutting the hills with various dies, this was a very easy card to make. I say that because I managed to mess up several of the cuts. No, really.

I colored the trees with Copics, and cut the house out of Kraft card stock so it would stand out against that sky. The sky was made by sponging blue ink over a cloud die-cut. So easy to do. I actually have cloud papers, but they were too busy, and this gave me the subtle look I wanted.

My biggest challenge was getting that sentiment lined up. It's a wood stamp, so no see-through for me! I first stamped it on vellum, but thought it looked dumb. I was sooooo sure if I stamped it on the card I'd mess up, after all that hard work, but I used the Stamp-A-Ma-Jig, closed my eyes, and ... ta-da! I got it straight! Go, me!

My last act was adding in the obligatory three birds. Hey, it's what I do.

Now, I think you should come on over to Splitcoast and play along with some of our Summer Vacation challenges!

Thanks for stopping by!

Products used: A*Muse cloud die-cut, A*Muse sentiment, SU 2-way glue pen, and the following:

InLinkz.com

Epic Brussel Sprouts Birthday

I am not an upcycler when it comes to cards. I rarely save non-stampy items to use on cards - I just don't have the space. But when I saw my Brussels sprouts came in a cool purple mesh bag, I knew it needed to be used on a card. I brought it into the craft room and forgot about it.

Then today on Splitcoast, they announced the Fan Club theme* for January: Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap (upcycle something), so I did! And I even I made two versions of the card. Here is the first one:

This card also generally follows an optional sketch we were given. I had my Core'dinations Beach/Whitewash card stock out for something else, so I thought I'd use this green piece with the purple mesh. I cut two ovals, one nested inside the other, and flipped the smaller oval over to the other side of the card stock.

I added a purple layer from the same Beach 12x12 pack, and embossed the "epic" to pull in more purple. Yeah, I know it's not the right color purple, but since purple is only one step above (gah) pink in my world, mostly due to my inability to get different purples to play together, I'm not losing any sleep over it.

Here is the second version, just flipped vertically:

 

I got a little better with adhering the mesh here - spread it out more and used more Sookwang/Be Creative tape to hold it. I also had to use a lot more of the tape to hold down the oval ... sticking things to mesh is serious business, apparently.

This was fun!

Thanks for stopping by!

* If you can't access the SCS links, you need to join Splitcoast's Fan Club. I think it's worth it for all the resources and challenges they provide.

Products used: Core'dinations Beach/Whitewash 12x12 card stock, vat of clear EP, Spellbinders Petite Ovals, and the following:

InLinkz.com