WWC82 Libby's Challenge

On Sunday our temperature dropped from a high of 37 to only 18 degrees and we had high winds all day.  The trees in our back yard were swaying and bending with every blast of cool air and leaves and twigs were blowing everywhere. What an exciting day! 

Considering the focus on our blowing trees, it seems pretty funny and timely to usher in Libby Fen's TREE theme WWC82 for the Watercooler Wednesday challenge today.  
 

Here's my card:

I decided to use my Woodland Textured Impressions Embossing folder on my card face for this week's Tree Theme after watching a video by Diane Dimich on Youtube (see link at end of post).  Without a doubt, this has to be one of my all time favourite embossing folders, and I decided to CASE her card. 

I barely got to use mine last year before it was retired with the Holiday catalogue, so I was truly thankful that Stampin' Up! Demos were able to influence Stampin' Up!  to bring it back in the 2016-2017 Annual Catalogue season. Here's my version using this folder:
   

The beautiful grouping of trees on the inside of the card is from a retired stamp set called Happy Scenes.  It works well with this embossing folder.

Supplies:  

Stamp Sets: Happy Scenes (R), Timeless Textures, Picture Perfect

Ink: Dapper Denim, Soft Sky, Marina Mist, So Saffron, Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Mossy Meadow (R), Wink of Stella Clear Brush

Card Stock: Always Artichoke, Dapper Denim, Whisper White, Crumb Cake

Accessories:  Big Shot, Trimmer, Woodland Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Bunch of Banners Framelits, Sponge Daubers, Aqua Painter, Linen Thread, Dimensionals, Tom Bow Adhesive 

How I made it:

1.  I used a 4 1/4" x 11" piece of Always Artichoke for the card base and scored it at 5 1/2".
2.  The first layer is cut from Dapper Denim and measures 4" x 5 1/4".
3.  The second layer is a piece of 3 3/4" x 5" Whisper White card stock which was stamped with the tree scene from Happy Scenes and sponged with inks before being run through the Big Shot machine. 

 

4.  To colour the embossing folder open it up and working with a sponge on the side of the folder that has the "Sizzix" label on it, apply ink and stamping in this order:

• Sponge soft sky on the bottom 1/3 of the embossing folder, followed by Marina Mist. 
• Sponge a circle for the sun in So Saffron towards the middle top of the embossing folder.  
• Sponge Dapper Denim on the top 1/3 of the embossing folder.
• Stamp the tree scene from Happy Scenes twice on the bottom third of the embossing folder in Mossy Meadow ink
• Place Whisper White card stock inside the embossing folder.  Before stamping look through the front of the embossing folder to set up the position you want your card stock to be stamped on, then run it through the Big Shot.  
• Add details to the ground and trees using an Aqua Painter.  I coloured the tree trunks in Crumb Cake, the grass in Mossy Meadow.  I used a small speckled stamp from the Timeless Textures stamp set stamp set to make small speckles of Mossy Meadow and Crumb cake inks on the grass.  
• Attach the Whisper White layer with Tom Bow Glue to the Dapper Denim layer.

5.  To finish the card I stamped the sentiment "Just a Note" from the Picture Perfect stamp set on a small scrap of Crumb Cake card stock.  I attached this with a piece of Linen Thread that was wrapped twice around the layer of Dapper Denim and Whisper White. The completed layer was adhered to the card base with Tom Bow Adhesive.
6.  I cut a piece of 5 1/4" x 4" Whisper White and attached it to the inside of the card.  I stamped this panel with the tree scene in Always Artichoke.

7.  To complete the card and add a little shimmer to the trees I used a Clear Wink of Stella Glitter Brush along the sides of the tree trunks and branches.  

I hope you like my tree card today.  Here's a link to Diane Dimich's YouTube video that explains how to ink up the inside of the embossing folder.  If you haven't tried out this technique before play around with it and see how much fun it can be.  I know you'll enjoy it.  

Well that's the end of my post for this week.  I hope you've check out the rest of the design team at the Wacky Watercooler for this challenge.  Leave us some comments, because we love to hear from you.  We like it even more when you play along with our challenges, so hopefully we'll see you at the Watercooler.  In the meantime...........

Happy Stamping!
Penny Token's Stampin' Blog 
August Hostess Code EZGKEM73

The Wacky Watercooler Blog Hop Steps It Up for August

I don't know about you but I simply can't believe how quickly this summer is zooming by.  Not only is it rolling by quickly, but its time for the Wacky Watercooler Blog Hop once again.   Didn't we just celebrate?

I want  to welcome the awesome Fiona Whitehead to our group of Wacky Watercooler designers. Fiona's participated in many of our challenges and is a very talented stamper whom I know you're going to enjoy!  

The Wacky Watercooler Blog Hops has been pretty consistent over the years with design artists generally featuring three different projects for the hop. but we've thrown that concept out the window for today.  Yes, that's right, our August hop has a twist that we hope you'll enjoy!  Each design artist is starting out with an ordinary "I'm in a hurry I need to get this done" type of card".  Their second project will take that very same card and "step it up" a notch, and then our final projects will be a totally stepped up version that shows how fancy we really can get with this card. Don't be fooled, this is not as easy as it sounds!

Before we begin, our hops work on a circle basis so if you've started with me, just keep following the links until you wind up back here again.  If you've arrived from Heidi Weaver's blog I'm sure you're still reeling from her amazing projects.  At the end of my post just click on the Watercooler that says "next" and you'll go to Marsha Reed's amazing Coffeepot Stamping Cafe, where she has some fabulous projects.  What fun!

Project One: 
Okay, so this is the starting point of my "plain jane", "simple", "I'm in a hurry" type of card.  The focal point, the hydrangea, comes from a set I hadn't had an opportunity to use yet called Thoughtful Branches and it's matching Beautiful Branches Framelits.  This bundle is available only during the month of August or as long as supplies last.  So, what better time than this hop to show case it, and boy am I glad I did, not only for the end results but because it was an exceptionally fun bundle to use. 
 

Supplies:  (Note:  This supply list is for the three projects)
Stamp Sets:  Gorgeous Grunge, Thoughtful Branches (Limited Edition Only Available in August 2016),and Butterfly Basics. 
Ink:  Elegant Eggplant, Perfect Plum, Rich Razzleberry) So Saffron, Sweet Sugarplum, Wisteria Wonder
Card Stock:  Sahara Sand, Rich Razzleberry, Pear Pizazz, Sweet Sugarplum, Whisper White.
Accessories:  Big Shot, Trimmer, Beautiful Branches Framelits (Limited Edition Only Available through August 2016 or while supplies last), Itty Bitty Accents Flower Image Punch(R), Small Butterfly Punch, Tom Bow Glue, Dimensionals, Basic Rhinestones, Fluttering Embossing Folder 

How It's Made:  
1.  I cut an 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" piece of Sahara Sand card stock for the base and scored it at 4 1/4". 
2.  I looked very carefully at the fading hydrangeas in my garden to get the colour perspective and then created a palette on a piece of Whisper White card stock, using the Gorgeous Grunge splatter and spot stamps and the hydrangea image from the Thoughtful Branches set.  The colour mix was made up of:  Perfect Plum, So Saffron, Elegant Eggplant, Sweet Sugarplum and Wisteria Wonder.  

Note: I took this picture before I stamped the hydrangea image across it, so it was a lot fuller when I finished.

 3.  I cut out the hydrangea flower head with the Beautiful Branches Framelits.  It cut like butter and I must say I was so impressed, because I don't have a precision plate.

4.  I cut a second hydrangea out of Sweet Sugarplum card stock and adhered the two flower pieces together with foam tape. Glue the combined flower head in the top left hand corner using Tom Bow glue.  Tip One:  Before adding the adhesive shift the flowers just slightly so it the flower head looks fuller. Tip Two: There isn't a lot of room between the floors to fit in dimensionals so instead I cut a very small strip across the top of my adhesive foam strip and these eensy weensy pieces fit perfectly to separate the two layers and give some fullness.  

5.  Cut the stem from Pear Pizzazz card stock and adhere with Tom Bow glue.  I just did tiny little dots of glue on the back side of the leaf image and I used tweezers to lay it down on the card stock and secure.  

6.  The beautiful "Thank You" sentiment from Thoughtful Branches was stamped in Elegant Eggplant Ink just below the leaf on the left hand side of the card bottom.  

7.  The inside of the card has a 5 1/4" x 4" panel of Whisper White card stock with the simple "Your Kindness Makes a Difference" sentiment stamped in Elegant Eggplant ink.  

Project Two:

For the second project the following changes were added:
1.  I added a 5 3/8" x 4 1/8" layer of Rich Razzleberry card stock.

2.  The next layer is a 5 1/4" x 4" layer of Sahara Sand card stock.

3.  I stamped and assembled a hydrangea the same as in project one.

4.  I added a small Rich Razzleberry butterfly to the leaf.  It was punched out with the Bitty Butterfly punch. and three basic rhinestones were added to its center. 

5.  I used a retired punch called the Itty Bitty Accent punch (flower image) to punch out a number of small flower images which I shaped with a stylus ball so they had some shape. The flowers were attached with Mini Glue Dots.  I also added small basic rhinestones to their centers.

6.  The stem and sentiment placement was the same. 

7.  Nothing changed on the inside of the card.  

Project Three:

For my third project the following changes were added:

1. I added the Rich Razzleberry layer as in project two.

2. The Sahara Sand layer was embossed with the Fluttering Embossing folder.

3. I stamped the Thank you sentiment  as in projects one and two.  I then stamped the honeycomb stamp from Butterfly Basics , randomly over the Sahara Sand layer.  I used Sweet Sugarplum ink, but I stamped off before applying each image.
  
4.  I added the hydrangea as in Project Two but added more flowers and fluffed out the base so it was fuller. Instead of adding Basic Rhinestones I added small Basic Pearls.  I added Wink of Stella to all of the flowers.

5.  The stem placement was the same but I coloured the leaves and stem with Wink of Stella.

6.  I added two more butterflies in Rich Razzleberry and one in Sweet Sugarplum to the stem and added pearls to their centers instead of rhinestones.

7.  For the inside of the card I added a 4" x 5 1/4" layer of Rich Razzleberry card stock followed by a 3 3/4" x 5" layer of Whisper White.  The sentiment remained the same, however I randomly stamped the honeycomb image and added three butterflies.

Well that's it for my three "STEP IT UP" cards.  I hope you enjoyed this presentation, and the way I've used this stamp set to create them. I'd like to hear your comments, and which card you liked the most.
 

Marsha Reed

Heidi Weaver

Wacky Watercooler Blog Hop 

Happy Stamping!
Penny Tokens Stampin Spot
August Hostess Code:  EZGKEM73

WWC81- Gail's Colour Challenge

We're mid-way through August and in BC we're finally getting some weather that speaks of Summer.  It's been hot and sizzling all week with temperatures ranging in the high 30's (C) but no one's complaining, at least not yet!

I always think of Summer as the season of heat and vibrant colours and this week at the Watercooler Wednesday Challenge, our talented Gail Allen is bringing you just that.  She's pulled together some pretty exciting summer colours to challenge our imaginations. 

Here's My Card:

Since August is also a hot birthday month I thought I'd respond to this challenge with a gender neutral birthday card that's a fiesta of colour and images.   We've got balloons, splotches and sparklers and it all says fun!  

Supplies:  

Stamp Sets:  Balloon Celebrations, Stylized Birthday and Gorgeous Grunge
Ink:  Pear Pizzazz, Watermelon Wonder, Peek A Boo Peach, Daffodil Delight and Momento Tuxedo Black
Card Stock:  Pear Pizzazz, Watermelon Wonder, Peek A Boo Peach, Daffodil Delight and Very Vanilla
Accessories:  Basic Rhinestones, Balloon Bouquet Punch, Wink of Stella, Paper Trimmer, Sponge Daubers, Tom Bow Adhesive, Scissors

Assembly:
This is a pretty easy card to assemble - only ten steps required and it comes together really fast.

 1.  Cut the card base from Pear Pizzazz.  It measures 4 1/4" x 11" and is scored at 5 1/2 for a top folding card.

2.  Cut two pieces of Very Vanilla card stock measuring 4" x 5 1/4" - one is for the face of the card and the other is the inside panel.

3.  Cut a strip of Watermelon Wonder card stock 1/2" x 5 1/4" and a strip of of Peek A Boo Peach 1/4" x 5 1/4".

4.  Before assembling the front do the stamping on the Very Vanilla piece:  Stamp the sentiment "Happy Birthday" from the Stylized Birthday in Pear Pizzazz towards the top center of this card stock.  Make sure your ink pad is nice and juicy so you get a good impression.

The Stylized Birthday is a one stamp wood mount image Order #141828.  The image measures 2 1/4" x 1 3/4".

Randomly Stamp splotches from Gorgeous Grunge in the challenge colours over the remaining Very Vanilla piece.  

Gorgeous Grunge - 5 piece stamp set comes in Wood(130514)and Clear Mount (130517).  The stylized textured images really help create awesome images!

Stamp the small dandelion from the Balloon Celebrations stamp set randomly between splotches.  The overall effect you're trying to achieve is "fiesta" "confetti", "fireworks"...... in other words FUN!
 

Balloon Celebration - 35 piece Photopolymer Stamp Set #140675

 5. Cut two 1/4" x 5 1/4" strips from the Very Vanilla piece.  It should now measure 3 1/2 x 5 1/4.  Glue this to the card base lining up on the right hand side.

6.  Adhere the Watermelon Wonder strip on the left side butting it against the Very Vanilla strip.  Center the 1/4" x 5 1/4" piece of Peek A Boo Peach down the center of the Watermelon Wonder strip.
   
7.  Punch out balloons from scraps of Pear Pizzazz, Watermelon Wonder, Peek A Boo Peach and Daffodil Delight card stock.  Stamp the balloons with the dotted balloon image.  Position and stamp the balloon strings on the Very Vanilla card layer on the left side of the sentiment.  Adhere the balloons with Tom Bow adhesive.  The last balloon is mounted with dimensionals.  

For some extra detail I ran the Clear Wink of Stella Glimmer Brush around the edges of the balloons and on the dandelions in the background panel.  Love this stuff - it's subtle but picks up the light for some extra sparkle.

8.  Adhere strips of Basic Rhinestones down the center of the Peek A Boo Peach strip to the top of the first balloon and from the last balloon to the bottom of the strip.
  
9.  Finish the inside of the card with a 5 1/4 x 4" Very Vanilla card panel.  Attach the two 1/4" x 5 1/4" stamped strips to either side of this panel.  Stamp the sentiment "Let Us Celebrate" in Pear Pizzazz ink along the top left side of the strip, and add a couple of Gorgeous Grunge Splatters.

10.  Stamp the top half of the balloon strings from the left hand bottom corner of the panel towards the center.  Adhere one of each coloured balloon so they look like they are rising from the bottom of the card.  I offset the orange balloon so it actually overlapped the edge, and then I cut off the excess balloon.   

Okay now that was easy wasn't it?  Did you like this colour combo?  I hope you'll play along this week and link up your creation with our linky tool.  It's easy and our team of design artists would love to see how you've used this colour challenge.  If you're unsure go back and check out their cards - they're awesome!  Oh and while you're at it leave us some comments because we like feedback too.  

Happy Stamping!
Penny Tokens Stamping Spot

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Watercooler Wednesday - WWC80 Heidi's CAS Challenge

Our bathroom renovation started last week and we've been up to our eyeballs in water related issues, so it was kind of ironic that Heidi's theme for her Watercooler Wednesday Clean and Simple Challenge this week is "Water".  

Since Clean and Simple (CAS) cards always seem to be a challenge for me and because I don't have a lot of water themed stamp sets, I had to really put on my thinking cap to come up with an original and fresh card design.  I hope you like it as much as I do. So with an idea about a school of fish in mind, this is how I started out and then my card designed morphed into the one below:  

Here are my working "drafts" of my card.  I like the final version which is below.

Here's My Card: 

 

Nothing like a school of fish swimming by to make you think of water.  My card base is an 8 1/2 x 5 1/2 piece of Island Indigo card stock scored at 4 1/4".  I used a single layer of Whisper White card stock for my stamping layer and it measured 4 1/8 x 5 1/4".  Note:  This layer should have measured 4 x 5 1/4". but I was out by an 1/8th of an inch, my layer doesn't fit evenly on the card front. I couldn't do anything about the wrong measurement because I'd already applied my glue before I discovered this.  Oh well "go with the flow", if you get my "drift"! 
 
Supplies:
Stamp Sets: Seaside Shore #141625, Stylized Birthday #141828
Ink:  Island Indigo
Card Stock:  Island Indigo and Whisper White 
Accessories:  Tom Bow Glue, Wink of Stella.

I kept the inside of this card pretty plain by just stamping "Happy Birthday" from the Stylized Birthday stamp in Island Indigo ink on a piece of Whisper White card stock that measured 4 x 5 1/4" (got it right that time).

 
I really like the size and timeless classic script featured on this single wooden stamp, and I'm glad I've added it to my collection. It really produces a good solid image, which is so important. 

I wanted the images from the Seaside Shore stamp set to look like a school of fish swimming by and I think I accomplished this.    Before starting on the school of fish I stamped the sentiment "Hoping Your Day Goes Swimmingly" and then masked off both corners of the card so I had clear lines to stamp the design along.

Seaside Shore a 15 piece clear mount rubber stamp set

Now It's Time For You: 
Well what do you think?  Did you like this challenge?  Are you ready to Rock the Watercooler this week and link up your card?  I sure hope so! I also hope after looking at the other Watercooler Wednesday design team artist's cards that you've been doubly inspired and will consider playing along with us.   

Entering challenges is such an awesome way to enhance your card making talents and get great feedback on your creations. After all, it's all about sharing and it's fun and easy.  So what are you waiting for? 

To help you out here are some guidelines you need to follow to be eligible for this week's challenge:

• For the CLEAN AND SIMPLE (CAS) challenge the card must feature either a single layer upon which you stamp or a base with one single layer that you've stamped on (card stock only no dsp).
• Because it's a CAS challenge, no embellishments or die-cuts or anything except the simplicity of stamping for the "clean & simple" is allowed. 
• No embossing folders allowed.
• Heat embossing is allowed since heat embossing does show up better than simple stamping. (Yeah!)
• Your card or project, and this is really important, may not be entered in more than four challenges including the Watercooler Wednesday challenge.
• Keep it clean and simple!  And have fun! 

I'm also adding my "Water" themed challenge card to the "Just Us Girls" Challenge Blog as their theme this week is the word "Water".  Hope appropriate and coincidental is that?  Make sure you check out their challenge site too.  

Check out this challenge site too!

Happy Stamping!
Penny Tokens Stampin' Spot
August Hostess Code:  EZGKEM73

WWC79- Watercooler Wednesday Challenge

What's with this weather?  Whew, we went from a hot breezy day yesterday to rain clouds and a "turn on the fireplace" type of morning!  Honestly it feels like fall out...............and that's not good as we're craving the lazy hazy days of summer.  

My "I still want summer" craving is the basis for my card in the Watercooler Wednesday WWC79 Kath's Sketch Challenge today. I'm thinking seaside shore weather not autumn leaves! I really enjoyed this wonderful sketch that Kath  chose for this weeks challenge.  I had fun with it and I know you're going to have fun with it too!  

Here's Kath's Sketch:

Here's My Card:

It was my friend Lynda's birthday on August 1st, so instead of the usual "girly girl" card I decided to make this fun shaker birthday card.  I started the card with a Calypso Coral base, followed by a 5 1/4 x 4" Mint Macaroon layer.  The third layer is a piece of 5 1/8 x 3 7/8" piece of Dapper Denim.  The fourth layer is a piece of  3 3/4 x 4 7/8" piece of By The Shore Designer Series Paper.  
 

#141640 By The Shore Designer Series DSP  - 12 double sided 12 x 12 sheets.

I cut  a 1 1/2 strip from the bottom of the dsp and then cut the remaining piece from the top down at 2 6/8" to get the two top pieces.  Easy peasy!

The shaker part of card started with a 3" circle of Very Vanilla card stock.  I stamped fish and shell images from the Seaside Shore stamp set in Mint Macaroon and Calypso Coral, added a sandy bottom with Crumb Cake and stamped the sentiment with Dapper Denim.  

I added the Dapper Denim circle frame and window sheet with Foam Adhesive Strips (love this stuff) and filled it with sequins and blue glitter from my stash.  What fun!   

TIPS:  If you remember to run your anti static Embossing Buddy around the edges of the window sheet on the inside before adding your shaker filling you will reduce static cling.  It really works well.  

Also, I used the old Circle Framelits to cut out the Very Vanilla circle, the Dapper Denim frame and window sheet. You need to run over the window sheet framelit a couple of times or add a shim so it cuts through the acetate. 

The classic "Happy Birthday" sentiment is the single wood mount "Stylized Birthday" stamp from the new annual catalogue.  Love it!  

Although it looks like I used lots of cut layers on the inside of this card I have simply added a 4 x 5 1/4" layer of Dapper Denim and a 3 3/4 x 5" layer of Very Vanilla card stock.  I had a 1" by 3 3/4 strip of DSP which fit nicely on the bottom of the card and a 1/2" strip of Dapper Denim to complete it.  

Supplies Used:
Stamp Sets:  Seaside Shore 141625, Stylized Birthday 141828
Card Stock:  Calypso Coral, Dapper Denim, Mint Macaroon, Very Vanilla
Scrap of Window Sheet
Ink:  Dapper Denim, Calypso Coral, Mint Macaroon, Pool Party, Crumb Cake
Accessories:  Big Shot, Trimmer, Tom Bow Glue, Dimensionals, Foam Adhesive Strips, Embossing Buddy, Circle Framelits, Glitter, Sequins

Thank you for dropping by and checking out my card today.  I hope you'll check out the other Watercooler Wednesday design team artists and maybe leave a comment or two.  We always like hearing how we're doing and whether our cards are inspiring for you.  

Happy Stamping!
Penny Tokens Stampin Spot
August Hostess Code:  EZGKEM73