WWC31 Heidi's Sketch Challenge

Where is the time flying to.  Suddenly summer's over and it's time for another sketch challenge at the Watercooler Challenge.  

This sketch #WCC31 was designed by the very talented paper crafter, Heidi Weaver.  If you're into cards or layouts with lots of layers then this one will be right up your alley.  

I decided to combine this great sketch with the colour challenge at Colour Me.  It's colour challenge CMCC#86 and showcases Pool Party, Lost Lagoon, Cajun Craze and Tangerine Tango with a neutral of your own choice. I chose to combine these colours with Whisper White.

Here's my entry:
My card started with a 5 1/2 x 8 1/2 Whisper White card base scored at 4 1/4".  The first mat measuring 5 1/4 x 4" is cut from Pool Party and I sponged around the edges with the same ink.

The next mat measures 5 x 3 3/4".  I started with a 5 1/2 x 8 1/2 sheet of Whisper White card stock and stamped a random pattern with Sponge Daubers in the four challenge colours. Some dots were full strength and others were stamped off almost to opaqueness. I also used the dotted image from the Watercolour Wings stamp set and stamped it over the circles in Lost Lagoon ink.  Once all the stamping was done I cut the paper down to the above size for the mat.  I also die cut the three butterflies with the Butterflies Thinlet Dies. 

Note:  If I was making this card again, I think I would have changed how I used the Tangerine Tango, because it's simply too bright a card stock and overwhelms the left side of the card creating an imbalance. In retrospect, I should have have die cut the large Butterfly image and placed it as the bottom layer of the Butterfly stack. I would have then substituted a strip of Lost Lagoon for the Tangerine Tango banner and probably embossed it with the large Polka Dot TIEF, to mimic the circles on the background paper, instead of using the smaller Perfect Polka Dots TIEF which is now retired. 

 

I stamped the sun burst from the Kinda Eclectic Stamp set on a 2 3/4 x 2 3/4" piece of Whisper White.  It makes a nice background design.  In retrospect I should have stamped it using Versa Mark and Lost Lagoon inks and then heat set it with clear embossing powder.

Kind of Eclectic Stamp Set comes in wood or clear mount.

 

For the inside of the card I stamped the Happy Birthday sentiment the butterflies and the border strip using images from the Basic Butterfly stamp set.

This eleven piece coordinating stamp set and matching butterfly dies come in a bundle in either wood or clear mount styles. You can save 15% off the regular price of the stamps and dies by purchasing them as a bundle.  I'm totally in love with my clear mount.

I think I've fallen in love with the Boho Chic Embossing folder.  It's one of my favourites this season.  It looks great layered over other images or on it's own.  In this picture you can see a bit more of the background paper that I stamped with all the sketch colours.  Background papers are so much fun to make.

Supplies:
Stamp Sets:  Butterfly Basics, Kinda Eclectic, Watercolour Wings 
Ink:  Cajun Craze, Lost Lagoon, Pool Party, Tangerine Tango
Card Stock:  Whisper White, Cajun Craze, Pool Party, Lost Lagoon, Tangerine Tango
Accessories:  Big Shot, Trimmer, Perfect Polka Dots(R) and Boho Chic Embossing Folders, Basic Butterflies Thinlet Dies, Basic Rhinestones, Silver Charm (R), Dazzling Details, adhesive and dimensionals.

Well I hope you enjoyed today's colour and sketch challenges.  There's still a little bit of time to play along so if you want to get in on the fun, please click on the Watercooler Challenge or the Colour Me Challenge or both to find out the details.   

HAPPY STAMPING!
PENNY TOKENS STAMPING 

Wacky Watercooler Spring Fever 2015 Blog Hop

I was absolutely thrilled when Heidi Weaver asked me to participate in the Spring Fever Wacky Watercooler Blog Hop this month.  This is one of those really fun blog hops where the design participants always come up with awesome projects relating to a stamping theme.    This hop celebrates Sale-a-bration and the Spring Occasions catalogues.

Whether you linked to me from Christine Giuda's Dancin Stamps blogspot or this is your first stop on the Spring Fever Wacky Watercooler Blog Hop, I hope you'll enjoy what I have in store for you. This is a triple project post, so make sure you keep scrolling down!  

Oh and just remember our blog hop is hopping in a circle so grab some refreshments and continue hopping until you return to your starting point. It's quite a  journey and I'm sure you're going to find plenty of inspiration along the way. I'd love it if you left a comment to let me know that you've stopped by, and how you liked my projects, and I hope you'll come back to visit me again. 

In case you have to leave or get lost, here's a list of the blogs participating in this hop:

Buffy Cooper  

Jackie Susnik 

Christine Giuda 

Penny Hanuszak 

Heidi Weaver  

Deborah Smart  

Stefanie Pletscher  

Marsha Reed  

Priscilla Ivler  

Gail Allen  

Kath Ricks 

My Favorite Past Project:
I was thrilled to learn that Kath Rick's blog "All That Scrap" was assigned to me for the favorite past project part of the blog hop.   

Let me tell you, choosing a card to CASE (Copy And Share Everything) from Kath's blog was definitely a hard choice for me as there are just so many exciting posts. Kath's card making creativity has long been an inspiration for me, and I sincerely enjoy visiting her blog and checking out her many challenge and technique posts.   I hope you'll drop by and check it out too.  You won't regret it.  

Here's the card I chose for my "past favourite".  

Card created by Kath Ricks of All That Scraps Blog Spot - February 13, 2014

Here's my version of Kath's Birthday Card:

I liked the Watercolour DSP Kath used for her background and the blend of white, yellow and black layers. I also liked how the floral image was showcased on the black background left by the die cut.  I decided to copy the colour scheme but changed up my layers, dies and stamp sets for my rendition. I hope you like my version and will leave me a comment on it.

I'm a big fan of the Butterfly Basics stamp set in the Occasions Spring Catalogue, so when it came to designing this card I didn't have to think very hard about which stamp set I'd use.  The floral image is fabulous whether it's stamped in it's entirety or shown as only a partial image and I think it's one of those stamps that looks good coloured or just stamped in black ink.  I would have liked to have used Blendabilities on this image however I think it looks okay coloured with Stampin' Up! markers.  Let me know what you think.   

I chose to play up the black and white frame on Kath's card by adding an additional two layers below the designer paper layer.  Note:  Before adhering the first black and white card stock layers, I cut a die image from the centers to reduce their overall weight on the card.  Because my image was larger than the one Kath used I opted to use the Window Frames Collection Framelits to cut the opening in my dsp layer before embossing it with the Honeycomb Textured Impressions Embossing Folder.  Note:  DSP becomes really fragile to handle once it's embossed, so I didn't want to risk tearing it.  

This is the inside of the card and the Whisper White panel measures 5 1/4" x 4".  I stamped the Honeycomb from the Basic Butterfly stamp set across the center of the page and then layered the sentiment from the same set on top of it.  Two  1/4" strips of Basic Black and DSP were layered across the bottom. 

Here you can see some of the detail and colouring of the stamped image.  

Supplies Used:

Stamps:  Butterfly Basics and Petite Pairs 
Inks: Black Memento Ink, Hello Honey
Markers:  So Saffron, Starfruit, Crushed Currie, Old Olive, Wild Wasabi and Pear Pizzazz
Card stock:  Whisper White, Basic Black 
DSP: 
Accessories: Window Framelits, Paper Trimmer, Big Shot, Honeycomb Embossing Folder, Adhesive

Butterfly Basics Stamp Set page 26 of the Occasions Catalogue

MY SECOND PROJECT:

I'm totally in love with the stamps and products in this year's Sale-A-Bration and Occasions Spring catalogues.  My favorite stamps are the Lotus Blossom and Basic Butterfly because of their soft feminine images and the ease with which you can combine them.

For my second project, I decided to make a Center Stair Step Card featuring both these stamp sets.  If you've never tried a stair step card before, now's your chance.  I hope my instructions and photos will help you along.  In my opinion, stair step cards have such a wow factor when they come out of the envelope, that makes them fun to give!   
Here's my Card:

Supplies:
Stamp Sets:  Lotus Blossom, Basic Butterfly, Petite Pairs and Gorgeous Grunge
Card Stock:  Basic Black, Whisper White and Calypso Coral
DSP:  Stacked With Love 
Ink:  Tuxedo Memento Black Ink, Cantaloupe Crisp, Old Olive 
Accessories:  Trimmer, Score Pal, Bone Folder, Basic Butterfly Framelits,
Basic Pearls, Old Olive 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon, dimensionals, glue dots, and adhesive strips.

How Did I Do It:
Although you may think this is a difficult card to make, fear not, because it's super easy.  This card requires only a few cuts and scores and then you're off to decorating it, so just follow my steps:
1.  Cut your Basic Black card base to measure 5 1/2" x 11".  
2.  Using your trimmer place your card stock facing the right side and at the 1" mark, move the cutting blade down to the 6 1/2" mark on the ruler.  

3.  Flip the card stock over and repeat this cut on the other side.  These are the only two cuts you need to make on this card stock. 
4.  Starting with the card stock facing the top of your trimmer, score from the outside edge of the card stock to the beginning of the cut at the 1" mark then move over to the other side of the card and repeat.
5.  Move the scoring blade down to 2" and score to the cut line and again on the other side of the card.
6.  Move the scoring blade down to 5 1/2" mark and score but this time move to the inside of the cut lines and score just the center part of the card.  This will be the fold line for the front of the card.  
7. Move the scoring blade down to the 6 1/2 " mark and score from the outside edge of the card stock to the score line and repeat on the other side.

The score lines are the dashes at 1", 2", 5 1/2" and 6 1/2". 

 Note if you're using a Scoring Tool to do the scoring, complete all the scores at 1", 2", 6 1/2" and then remove card stock, flip it and repeat for the other side of the card stock and then score only the center at the 5 1/2" mark.  To fold score lines, start at the 1" score and do a mountain fold.  At the 2" score line do a valley fold and at the 5 1/2 and 6 1/2" score lines do a mountain fold. Reinforce folds with bone folder. 

The 1", 5 1/2" and 6 1/2" score lines are folded as mountain folds and the 2" is a valley fold.

8. Decorate the side, front and bottom panels with Stacked with Love Designer Series Paper and Cranberry Crisp card stock. Here are the measurements for the panels:

Black card base before the panels are adhered. 

Side Panels:

Cut two pieces of Cranberry Crisp measuring 4 1/4" x 3/4".  Cut two pieces of DSP measuring 4" x 5/8", adhere to side panels. 

Bottom Panel:

Cut one piece of Cranberry Crisp card stock to measure 5 1/4" x 3/4" and a piece of Stacked with Love DSP to measure 5" x 5/8".

Center Panel:

Cut a piece of Cranberry Crisp cardstock to measure 3 1/4" x 4 1/4".  Cut a piece of Stacked with Love DSP to measure 3 x 4".  *Cut a piece of Basic Black cardstock to measure 3 3/4" x 2 3/4" and a piece of Cantaloupe Crisp to measure 3 5/8" x 2 5/8".  The Whisper White panel is 2 1/2' x 3 1/2".  

Adhere all the card stock and DSP pieces to the panels, except for  the ones marked with an asterisk (*) above.  They will be added with dimensionals, once the stamping is done. 

9.  Stamp the Lotus Blossom stamp image in Cantaloupe Crisp on the Whisper White panel. the stems are stamped in Old Olive and I added some splatter with the Gorgeous Grunge splatter stamp in Old Olive and Cantaloupe Crisp.  Stamp the "Happy Birthday Wishes" in Olive Green.  Stamp the small butterfly from the Butterfly Basics stamp set in the upper corner. 

10.  Tie a piece of Old Olive 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon around the card panel and add a bow.  Adhere to Cantaloupe Crisp and Basic Black panels noted above and then mount on center card panel with dimensionals. 

11.  Die cut two of the medium sized butterflies with the Butterfly Framelit Dies and adhere with glue dots to the bottom right hand side of the card.  I used Basic Pearls on the center of the butterfly.  

Can be bought as an individual die set or as part of a bundle.  See page 26 of the Occasions Catalogue.

12.  For the card inside I cut a piece of Whisper White card stock to measure 5 14" x 4" and adhered it to the inside.  I stamped Happy Birthday from a no name set and some more of the Lotus Blossoms to finish the card.  

Additional Project:

I am also going to show you some of the other card sets that I've made with these stamp sets and hope you will enjoy them too.  

This card set was made with Tangelo Twist and Hello Honey inks. 

Matching envelopes which I made with my Envelope Maker.  

I made four of this card style and they featured mixed sayings - "Happy Birthday", "Thank You", "Get Better Soon" and "With Sympathy".  I used Tangello Twist and Mossey Meadow Inks. 

The inside view and matching envelope.

Loved the addition of the Gorgeous Grunge Splatter!  It really adds a watercolour effect to these card fronts. 

This one is quite unique in that I had been stamping over top of a piece of Whisper white card stock on my piercing mat, and at the end of all the stamping I was left with a collage of images.  I couldn't let it go to waste so cut the card stock down to card front size and used it.  I quite liked this "art work". 

The following sets of cards were down in Old Olive and Strawberry Slush inks and cardstocks.  

All of the thank you cards had a similar inside. 

Well that's it for me for today.  But I'll be back again with some more projects later this week, so I hope you'll come back. Thanks again for visiting and for your feedback.  Much appreciated. 

The next person on our Wacky Watercooler blog hop is Heidi Weaver and I know she'll have something awesome to share with you.  

Click here to go to Heidi Weaver's blog: 

Click here to go to Christine Giuda's blog: to go to 

Click here to go the Wacky Watercooler Blog 

Happy Stamping!

Penny Tokens