Wacky Watercooler April 2016 Blog Hop - A Focus on the Retiring In-Colours

One of my greatest pleasures in the past year and a half has been playing along on several of the Wacky Watercooler Blog Hops.  Now that I'm home and settled back into a crafting routine once again I'm totally excited about participating in their latest hop which is focusses on the 2014-2016 Stampin' Up! In-Colours which will soon be retiring.  

Say good bye to the 2014-2016 In-Colours - Tangello Twist, Mossy Meadow, Lost Lagoon, Hello Honey and Blackberry Bliss

Okay let's get to it! The Wacky Watercool April Blog Hop is a "circular blog hop" running from 6:00pm Thursday April 21st through 6:00pm Saturday April 23, 2016.  The focus is on the 2014-2016 In-Colours which will soon be retiring.  No matter where you begin just keep going to the “next” blog on the list and eventually you'll wind up right where you started. What fun!

If you've been working your way forward through this hop you'll have arrived here after visiting the totally talented Libby Fens's blog.   What a great selection of cards she posted to start this blog hop off.  


CASEing Our Friends:
For my first project I've been given the privilege of CASing a card designed by the very talented Marie Green.  Marie has one of those great blogs where you want to spend time wandering so it was difficult narrowing down my choice of cards to CASE.  If you haven't visited Marie's "My Tanglewood Cottage" blog site before, make sure you do, because you'll come away with lots of ideas and tips. 

Telescoping Card Technique:
For my first CASE I fell in love with one of her more recent projects entitled the "Traveler".  This is simply an incredible and inspirational card which offered me an opportunity to play with a "new to me" technique called "telescoping". Here is Marie's stunning "Traveler" card.  

Here's My Card: 

For this card I've used three of my favourite retiring in-colours - Lost Lagoon, Mossy Meadow and Hello Honey for the base and layers of my card. I also used a gorgeous designer series paper featuring those colours from the "Going Places" DSP paper pack which also retires the end of May 2016.   

This incredible marbled sheet of designer series paper was the perfect match for my second layer.  I cut a 4 x 5 1/4" piece and sponged around the edges with Lost Lagoon ink, then randomly stamped the small dots image from Party Pants around the edges, with Versa Mark Ink.  Gold Glory Embossing Powder was heat set on the dots. Love it! 

Here's a closer look at the "telescoping" layers used to highlight the big blue Maine Lobster.   I only added three layers, while Marie used four in her sample. I have to say I'm totally fascinated by the 3-D dimension this easy technique achieves.  Tip:  Make sure that you increase the depth of the foam tape for each layer you add above the first layer and use good firm foam tape so the layers don't sink. 

I used the center 3 squares on the Square Framelit Dies (counting from the center of the framelits set), but using Circle or Oval framelits would also achieve this same effect.  Originally I was going to line up the squares in a block in the center of the card, but changed this to a diamond pattern as it better suited the stamping on my design and really helps to focus on the lobster which was my intent. 

Don't you love this "birthday banner"?  This super easy to cut and stamp banner is from the coordinating Large Number Framelit Dies and Number of Years Stamp Set.  I really liked the cool "happy birthday" sentiment in Boys Will Be Boys and it fit perfectly on this banner. Bonus!  Because I liked the antique look of the dark embossed gold dots on the DSP layer, I repeated this accent on the stamped collage layer. 

One of my favourite things to create are Collage images.  For this one I began by stamping the 3 x 4 piece of Very Vanilla card stock the printed verse stamp from By the Tide.  To achieve a lighter image that I could layer other images on I stamped off the Mossy Meadow ink before each application of the word stamp to this layer. I then randomly stamped the coral image at full strength in Hello Honey.  Next I stamped the Sea Horses and Anchors in Mossy Meadow.  The beautiful lobster which is the focal point of the card front was stamped in Lost Lagoon.  I sponged the edges in Lost Lagoon and Hello Honey.

The inside of the card features a 5 1/4" x 4" layer of Very Vanilla card stock stamped in Hello Honey and Mossy Meadow.  I thought the sentiment "Hope your day stacks up to be...." from the Sprinkles of Life Stamp Set was a really fun and appropriate verse considering the stacked layers on the front of the card. 

 

Supply List: 
Stamp Sets: By the Tide, Party Pants, Number of Years, Boys Will Be Boys 
Sprinkles of Life 
Ink:  Lost Lagoon, Hello Honey, Mellow Moss, Versa Mark and Gold Glory EP
Card Stock:  Very Vanilla, Mossy Meadow, Lost Lagoon
DSP:  Going Places (Spring Occasions 2016)#140581
Accessories:  Square Framelit Dies, Heat Gun,  Large Number Framelit Dies, Big Shot, Dimensionals, Foam Tape

Peek-A-Boo Technique Card:
For my second CASE I chose a Peek-A-Boo Technique card from Marie's blog, that actually was part of the Watercooler Blog Hop in April 2015. Again, this is a "new to me" technique and I just had to try it with my own spin for a boy's birthday card.   

Here's my card:  

For this fun masculine peek-a-boo card I started with a Very Vanilla card base covered with a Mossy Meadow/Very Vanilla designer series paper from the Going Places DSP pack.  I used the Boys Will Be Boys stamp set to stamp the Robot in Mossy Meadow ink.  I used a blender pen and Hello Honey ink to colour the Robot. The Lego image was stamped on scraps of Lost Lagoon, Hello Honey and Mossy Meadow and then fussy cut glued together to form one multi piece block. I stamped the YoYo image as a background on the sentiment piece in Hello Honey.  This is such a fun stamp set to have on hand for crafting kids cards. 

When you open up this card, the magic of the Peek-A-Boo technique begins.  
As you open the card front the picture in the oval changed from the Robot to the Parachute image.  What fun!  To add some dimension to the parachute I first stamped the parachute image on the 2 1/2" oval and then stamped it again on Hello Honey.  I cut out the parachute from the Hello Honey piece and mounted it on the original image with dimensionals.  I used the Large Numbers Framelit set to cut out the number five in Lost Lagoon card stock. The "Look Who's Turning" sentiment is from the Number of Years Stamp Set.  And the "Happy Birthday to you" sentiment is from Party Pants a 2016 Sale-A-Bration stamp set.

The next few pictures show the back panels of this card.  You don't have to do anything with these panels, but I decided to continue decorating and stamping on them and this is the result.   

Supplies:

Stamp Sets:  Boys Will Be Boys, Party Pants, Number of Years

Card Stock:  Mossy Meadow, Lost Lagoon, Hello Honey

DSP:  Going Places (Occasions Spring Catalogue)

Ink:  Mossy Meadow, Hello Honey, Lost Lagoon

Accessories:  The Big Shot, Ovals Framelit Dies, Itty Bitty Accents punch (Star), Banner Punch, Dimensionals, Sponge Daubers, 11/4,1 3/4 and 1/38" circle punches, scissors  

Double Fold Card:
For my third  and final project I was inspired to CASE a card made by Lisa Curcio of Lisa's Stamp Studio.  She called it a Double Fold Card. 

Grateful Bunch Double Fold Card by Lisa Curcio of Lisa's Stamp Studio.

For measurements and a video on how to make this card click on this link.

Here's My Card:  
The sky's really the limit when creating with this fancy fold card.  It's just that super simple but it packs a big wow! I chose to use Blackberry Bliss as the main colour in this card and have added only small touches of Lost Lagoon and Mossy Meadow.  I think it turned out pretty posh?    

Supplies:
Stamp Sets: Remembering Your Birthday, Party Pants 
Card Stock:  Blackberry Bliss, Whisper White, Lost Lagoon, Mossy Meadow
Ink:  Blackberry Bliss
Accessories:  The Big Shot, Botanical Gardens Thinlet Dies, Lost Lagoon Ribbon, Black Berry Bliss Ribbon, Rhinestones, dimensionals 

I hope you're having fun on the blog hop today and that my creations have been an inspiration for you.  Let me know if you have any questions about the projects I made, I'd be happy to respond.  

Now it's time to move on to the amazing Buffy Cooper's blog to see her wonderful creations.  Enjoy! 

Buffy Cooper

Libby Fens

Wacky Watercooler April Blog Hop

Happy Stamping!

Penny Tokens Stamping Spot  

Celebrate Today Birthday Wishes!

May is a totally huge birthday month for me.  Probably my biggest month of the year!  I know so many people who are celebrating their special occasion, that it's kept me busy churning out cards and today I'd like to share three of them with you.

This is a Peek-A-Boo Flip Top card in Bermuda Bay, Calypso Coral and Whisper White card stocks.  The DSP that you can just barely see is from the new Annual Catalogue, and I know it's one that you're going to want to own. 

The balloon is cut out with the Balloon Framelits which gives a perfect finish every time.  I just love these framelits! 

The Happy Birthday sentiment that's stamped in Calypso Coral ink is from the Celebrate Today stamp set.  This perfect 17 piece photopolymer stamp set has lots of sentiments and balloon images as you'll see in my next cards.

My second birthday card uses a fun combination of Watermelon Wonder and Cucumber Crush two of the 2015-2016 In Colours paired with Bermuda Bay card stock.  Wow what a happy colour combo!  You'll be seeing them a lot as summer approaches and the new catalogue season gets under way!

This is a shaker card that I made using a new-to-me technique with fun foam.  I'm currently writing a tutorial on this technique and for the Peek A Boo Flip Card and plan to post these tutorials in early June.  I hope you'll come back to check them out.

Once again I used the Celebrate Today stamp set, the Balloon Frame Lit dies  and that oh so special DSP from the 2015-2016 Annual Catalogue.  You can save 15% on the dies and stamp set by purchasing them as a bundle. 

The sentiment on the inside of the card is from "Remembering Your Birthday" stamp set.

Remembering Your Birthday in Wood and Clear Mount styles.

My third and final card was once again made with the Celebrate Today stamp set and is a warm mix of Cantaloupe Crisp, Island Indigo and Hello Honey card stocks and inks.  I think you're going to like this one too!  This card design could easily sub for a Grad Congratulations card and the colours could be changed up to reflect the school of the recipient..... just a thought!

The Hello Honey card base was embossed with the Lucky Stars Embossing Folder.  The DSP is from the All Abloom DSP Paper Stack that will be retiring soon. 

The birthday sentiment is from the Petite Pairs stamp set. 

And that's my three birthday designs made with the Celebrate Today and Balloon Framelit Dies.  I hope you enjoyed this post and will return in June to see the tutorials.  

Happy Stamping!
Penny Tokens 

Two Card Challenges in One

Today I'm combining two fun challenges for my project.  I chose the first  because of it's awesome sketch and the second challenge because of  it's fun and motivating theme. The end result is a very colourful Birthday Card that I think you'll like.

Banners are always an easy way to add interest and charm to a card face. I think that's what attracted me to The Paper Players #206 challenge. This wonderful sketch has three banners and an oval for the focal point.

Over at the SU Only blog they're holding a "theme" challenge called "Favourite New Toys"  102 All you have to do to participate is make a card or 3D project using something that's new to you in relation to stamping.  That's right, it's all about bringing out the unused toys ....you know, the stash of new stamping stuff that's gathering dust on your work table. What a great motivator!


Here's My Card: 
In my last order I'd purchased the Blended Bloom single wood mount stamp, some Stampin Blendabilities and the All Abloom Designer Series Paper Stack and they've barely been touched, so I think they qualify for the "new toys" category.

How I Put This Card Together:
Unless I've got something specific in mind or I'm creating with a colour challenge sketch I often let the designer paper I pick help me decide what the rest of the colours in the project will be. 

For this card I could have used almost any one of the awesome patterns in the All Abloom DSP pack, but when I saw this small bold print my decision was made. This particular print reminded me of old fashioned wall paper with it's big flowers and tiny background print.  I also really liked the blend of Island Indigo, Daffodil Delight and Mossey Meadow. 

With the All Abloom Paper Stack you get 24 sheets: 4 ea. of 6 double-sided designs. 4 1/2" x 6 1/2". Acid free, lignin free. These coordinate beautifully with Blushing Bride, Daffodil Delight, Island Indigo, Lost Lagoon, Mossy Meadow, Pistachio Pudding, Strawberry Slush, Whisper White, card stocks and inks.

Creating the card front was easy.  I made a standard A2 card base in Island Indigo, and embossed the front of it with the Fancy Fan embossing folder.  For the next three layers, I pieced together Daffodil Delight measuring 3 1/2" x 4 3/4", Mossey Meadow measuring 3 3/8"x 4 5/8" followed by the DSP which measures 3 1/4" x 4 1/2".

Originally I was thinking of colouring the Blended Bloom image with Blendabilities, but I'd only purchased the Old Olive and the Cherry Cobbler sets and they didn't work with my designer paper choice. So I had to put on my thinking cap at this point...... what to do? what to do?

The "aha" moment came when I remembered I had Island Indigo, Mossey Meadow and Daffodil Delight re-inkers and could use them with a colouring technique that works really well with line stamps.  Big grin here! 

The process is simple.  I began by stamping the Blended Bloom image in Versa Mark ink on Whisper White card stock and then heat embossed it with White Embossing Powder.  

Next I sprayed water all over the image until it pooled and then using my aqua painters added ink to the wet surface.  Like magic the ink flows around the embossed edges of the petals and the colours mix to give a vivid image.  I touched up around the edges with the lightest of the Old Olive Blendability markers and I also added some Pistachio Pudding ink on a few of the petals for a softer green look.  

This almost looks like an eye, but trust me it's just the flower center. To give the flower some added colour and dimension I stamped off two additional flower images in Daffodil Delight and Mossey Meadow inks. The Daffodil Delight flower center was cut out with a 11/4" circle punch.  I sponged around the edges with  Island Indigo ink.  I punched out the Mossey Meadow image with  a 1" circle punch, and then coloured in the circle with the three Old Olive Blendability pens.  I finished this image off with a large rhinestone and attached it to the Daffodil Delight circle with a dimensional. 

Before attaching the flower to the card face, I cut three banners from scraps of Island Indigo, Daffodil Delight and Mossey Meadow cardstock, and embossed them with the Fancy Fan Embossing Folder.  A couple of Rhinestones were added to the two outside banners to bring attention to the sentiment "A Birthday wish that's just for you".  This wonderful sentiment and the one on the inside of the card are from the Remembering Your Birthday Stamp set.

I stamped the Blended Bloom in Island Indigo ink on the inside of the card and added the sentiment "friends and fun and presents too! Happy Birthday".

 

 Blended Bloom line drawing stamp is only available in Wood Mount. 

Remembering Your Birthday is a fun sentiment based stamp set that comes in Clear and Wood Mounts and is also available in French and Spanish.

I hope you enjoyed both of these challenges today and will leave me a comment to let me know what your "new toys" you haven't played with yet.  Perhaps you could do one or both of these challenges too.  There's still time.

HAPPY STAMPING 
PENNY TOKENS 

 August 2nd, 2014  Just a Note:

Thanks to Mike Funk at the Paper Players, my card was one of ten cards chosen for the "Cut Above".  Congratulations to the challenge winner, Paula Sievers, from Austrailia,  and all the other noteables!

Connie and Mary Thursday Card Sketch Challenge CCMC313

My stampin' buddy Debby came over this afternoon and we made some awesome cards. What a great time we had.   It's nice having some sketches available when other stampers visit, because it gives us something to work on and we all like doing the challenges. 

One of the cards we made today was based on the "Create with Connie and Mary" Thursday challenge.  

Here's the Challenge Sketch.

Here's My Card:
I really liked this sketch from the moment I saw it and I quickly had a vision of the card I wanted to make.  The sketch design really made me think of sports for some reason and since I only have one sports related stamp set, Good Sport, my decision was final.

Supplies:
Stamp Sets:  Good Sport (retired), Remembering Your Birthday
Designer Series Paper:  Moonlight Paper Stack, Silver Glimmer Paper
Card Stock:  Whisper White, Smokey Slate,  
Ink:  Basic Gray, Lost Lagoon, Hello Honey
Accessories:  Trimmer, Circle Framelits, 1 1/4" and 1 3/8" circle punches, Star from Itty Bitty Accents Punches, Basic Rhinestones, Dimensionals, Adhesive, Glue Dots. 

I decided to turn the design on its side and have the patterned paper pieces at the top of my card.  I used paper from the Moonlight DSP paper stack.  I can't say enough about this little paper pack, it makes it so easy to mix and match colours. For example the three paper designs I chose made me think of a playing field, balls and penalty flags.  

I cut a piece of Smokey Slate card stock to measure 1 7/8 by 5 1/2 and used this for a base for the patterned paper.  I cut pieces of the patterned paper to measure 1 6/8 by 2"  and then cut them again on angles to match the sketch pattern.  When I attached them to the smokey slate base I left small gaps in between the pattern pieces and then adhered small strips of Silver Glimmer paper along these seams.

I chose a soccer theme for my birthday card and I think with the bling I added it's clearly a feminine card. Before I attached the designer paper panel, I stamped the flourish once on the card base in Lost Lagoon ink and then again on a scrap of Whisper White card stock, then adhered the panel over the top half.  

I cut out the circle with my Circle Framelits and then mounted it with dimensionals, matching the bottom swirls to the swirls stamped on the card base.  I punched a glimmer paper circle with the 1 3/8" circle punch and adhered it to the center of the flourish with dimensionals.  The soccer ball was stamped in Hello Honey and adhered to the glimmer piece with glue dots. 

Three basic rhinestones were attached to the stars.I stamped Happy Birthday in the bottom right hand corner of the card front with the Basic Gray ink.   The stamp is from the Remembering Your Birthday stamp set and it was just perfect for this card.. 

I stamped another great sentiment from the Remembering Your Birthday to the inside of the card and added a small silver glimmer star punched out with the Itty Bitty Accents Punch pack.  To finish the inside I cut a piece of the DSP to measure 3/4" x 5 and adhered it to the top of the inside panel. 

Remembering Your Birthday is an 8 piece stamp set that comes in Clear or Wood Mount and is available in French.

If you like my card I hope you'll leave me a comment, and I hope you will check out the submissions by the Connie and Marie Design team as well as other folks who've accepted the challenge.  And how about you? There's still lots of time to make your own card with this fun sketch and play along.  

Happy Stamping!
Penny Tokens