SOS #226: Light My Fire

It's Tuesday, and time for a new challenge at Shopping Our Stash. This week's theme is Light My Fire, and we'd like you to use something related to light (light bulb, spotlight, street light, fire place, candles, etc.) LOTS of options!

Here's my card:

The candle image is from Paper Smooches. I knew I wanted to use it, but I was not sure about the colors. HA, who am I kidding - it needed to be blue and green, of course.

I pulled out my Lawn Fawn Snow Day paper pad and selected a few papers based on the current MFT Sketch:

I turned mine horizontally, but otherwise I think I was pretty true to the sketch.

For the stripes, I used the index sheet from the paper pad. I can never figure out how else to use those.

I colored the candle with some BGs (not the singing group) and a YG. I love Sandy's Hex Chart - it's such a help in selecting colors across color groups that blend nicely.

The candle needed grounding, so I stamped the leaves onto the same green paper I used for layering and fussy-cut them.

I needed to use something from MFT, so I broke open my Merry Messages set and stamped it across the bottom of the card, a little off-set to the left to make room for the circle.

For my last act, I added Ruby Red Liquid Pearls to the berries, clear Wink of Stella to the candle's flame, then covered the flame in Glossy Accents.  I also added a few pieces of Martha's confetti for some more shiny (and to follow the sketch):

So, do you have candle or fire or light bulb or some other "light" images? I hope you'll play along with us this week at SOS. Also please stop by the SOS blog to see what the other DT gals have cooked up.

Thanks for stopping by!

Some of the stuff I used: Copics (0, Y19, Y35, BG32, BG34, YG21), and the following:

InLinkz.com

Deck the Halls

I know, I know, it's still the first week of November, and I've made another Christmas card, and not even for a challenge. Here's my card, then I'll explain:

I was enabled to need this set last year, and for some reason I pulled it out of my Holiday Stuff drawer the other day. I stamped the string of lights repeatedly to cover two sides of the card. Then the card panel seemed very white, so I used some Distress Ink to add a bit of color to the main open area, and tried to add a bit around the edges and between the bulbs, too.

I colored the tops of the lights with a gold gel pen, colored the lights with Copics, then covered the lights with clear Wink of Stella. They are shiny:

For my last act, I used my MISTI to stamp the sentiment.

I plan to focus more on Thanks and Fall-themed cards in November, but since I haven't designed my Christmas or Chanukkah cards yet, a few more will undoubtedly slip into the mix. Oh, and this card won't be my mass-produced card. Nuh-uh. My mama didn't raise any fools.

Thanks for stopping by!

Some of the stuff I used: Copics (0, Y13, Y08, YR02, YR15, B02, B05, G02, G05, R02, R35), gold gelly pen, and the following:

InLinkz.com

Happy Birthday

Here's another challenge card I made this past weekend:

This is my take on the current sketch at Your Next Stamp:

which I rotated:

I had part of a panel left from a Gelli print which I used as the main panel on my card. I just added the horizontal card stock strips which were cut from remnants on my desk. One of these days I'll find the bottom of that remnant pile!

For the sentiment, I used the Happy Birthday from my Mama Elephant Make A Wish set. It's perfect for this kind of sketch.

I used my MISTI to stamp the sentiment since I wanted to use my Archival black ink, and my ink pad is in dire need of re-inking. Sadly, I don't have (or can't find) my re-inker, so until a new one arrives, I get to stamp and stamp and stamp again until I get good coverage. I think I did five or six impressions. Then I had to let it dry.

Once the ink dried, I finished assembling the layers.

I love how easy these Gelli prints are to use as backgrounds. I haven't made any new ones since my initial effort, but as soon as the pile thins, I'm all over that. I even have some new Martha shimmer paints to try.

Thanks for stopping by!

Share Handmade Kindness

I've been using some Hero Arts stamps the past few weeks that weren't released yet. They are part of a project initiated by Jennifer McGuire to encourage us to ... share handmade kindness. Please make sure to stop by her blog at http://www.jennifermcguireink.com/. You can also check out http://sharehandmadekindness.com/. Make sure to watch her videos to see her message. Her blog post explains the month-long challenge, which starts Monday, November 2nd.

Also, the stamps I've been using are for sale starting today at Simon Say Stamp and Ellen Hutson (linked below).

I've made another card today using one of the new stamps:

This sentiment is so perfect.

The layout is based on a card at Stamplorations for their CASEsplorations challenge.

I chose to CASE Deepti's card:

Here's my card again since I've added so much stuff ...

I first masked the flowers. This is when you wished the stamps came with dies; I fussy-cut that baby, yes, I did.

Once the flower mask was in place, I stamped a background stamp in Simon Says Stamp Fog ink onto a white background. The background stamp is an old old old SU stamp. The words are from an old Irish blessing. My brain breaks into song whenever I read the words. Here is the song of which I speak (by Barrage):



I just love that piece of music.

ANYway, Once I stamped the background, I removed the mask, stamped the image in the space left behind, colored it with Prismacolor pencils, then blended with a Dove blender pen. In hindsight, I could have stamped the image before I masked it. Whatever.

Did you notice ... this is a one-layer card! As such, it qualifies for the current Just Us Girls challenge to make a one-layer card:

So rare in my world.

Thanks for stopping by!

Some of the stuff I used: SU background stamp, and the following:

InLinkz.com

Kitten Sitting

Here is my second cat card from today for the Cat Lovers' Hop, posted separately to keep Inlinkz happy. (My first card is here.) Hopefully with Inlinkz's next upgrade we'll be able to link multiple cards from the same post.

The cats are from Stampotique, and the sentiment is on an unlabeled wood block. I stamped it, cut it apart, and drew lines around the edges. The lines weren't intended to be so squiggly; my hands just aren't all that steady.

The layout started as the current sketch at Feeling Sketchy:

which I rotated:

I also moved the clippy element to the right to make room for my cats.

Hopefully I'm done with cats for a while.

I'm off to link up! Thanks for stopping by!

Some of the stuff I used: Kitten Sitting by Stampotique, mystery-source sentiment, SSS Stitched Rectangles dies + Spellbinder's Standard Square dies used to make the base for the sentiment, Basic Grey Granola paper, american Crafts brads, Distress Ink Broken China, Copics (0, R08, RV11, E49, E74, E71, W2)

Yoga ... Wine ...

I'm in challenge mode today, trying to get some things posted before the cut-off.

A few days ago, I got wind of a Cat Lovers' Hop, and it was extended through today. I was already in cat mode due to my guest gig this fortnight with the lovely Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers, so I went with it and made two more cat cards.

Here's the first one:

I've combined a few challenges here. First, the sketch is from a new-to-me challenge, As You See It:

The plaid strip, left over from making this card, is for the current Curtain Call challenge:

And one last entry is Just Add Ink, to use anything with a W. I'm counting the word wine. :)

Here's my card again, since I've loaded up with challenge graphics:

I thought this Paper Smooches cat was perfect for this sentiment that jumped into my shopping basket a few weeks ago. The greenish circle was also sitting on my desk, and the jury is still out on whether it's close enough to the green in the plaid or not. It might be too blue. Oh, well.

I know exactly who's getting this card, too. ;)

I'm off to link up. Thanks for stopping by!

PS: My second cat card is in the next post. Gotta keep Inlinkz happy.

Some of the stuff I used: SU black card stock, Copics (0, RV11, C00, C0), and the following:

InLinkz.com

CSSC #10

It's the first of the month (can you believe it's November?!) and time for a new Crooked Stamper Sketch.

Here is this month's sketch:

which I based on the cards in this post. Here's one of them:

 

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 Saturday, November 21st, at 11:55 pm EST. 

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

An InLinkz Link-up