CAS(e) This Sketch #380

Today I'm playing along with the folks at the CAS(e) This Sketch challenge blog.  The sketch this week is very different and I've had a lot of fun watching to see everyone's take on it.

Any guesses as to what I saw in the design?

Ha!  Yep, Shark Time!  

I began the card with an ink blended stencil technique I first saw on Instagram by MFT designers Laura Devalo and Jodi Collins.  The stencil they used is a part of  MFT's latest release.  I ordered it immediately *blush* but because I don't yet have it, I did some improvising with a different stencil as inspired by my dear friend Michele.  I ink blended onto the stencil, turning it several times to get the water effect.  Very cool.  

In order to get the shark in the right position for the sketch I had to do some mirror stamping.  I find that I get the best results with this technique if I use a crisp black pigment ink so I heat set it with clear embossing powder prior to some careful Copic coloring.  I curved the sentiment along the line of the shark, matted the panel on a piece of black card stock and finished it off with some clear droplets.  

Here's a peek at the inside of the card....

  

This one was really fun to make and I love getting new inspiration for my favorite well loved stamps.

Supplies:

Avery Elle - Shark Hugs stamp set (shark)

Avery Elle - Hello Chum stamp set (greeting)

Avery Elle - Celebraytion stamp set (cupcake)

Vicky Boutin - stencil

Distress Oxide - Tumbled Glass

I'm off to see just which card challenge inspires me next!

Stay safe and healthy my friends!  

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Thank you for visiting my little crevice of the crafty blogosphere.  Your time, comments and friendship are much appreciated.  

Happy Crafting!

Jules

Tic Tac Toe Challenge #072

This is my second post for today.  Please scroll down to see the new CC&S challenge card for this week.  

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I've just returned from a wonderful little getaway to North Carolina where I visited my son and his family and wow, am I'm ever ready to move.  Seriously.  The heat here in Florida (and let's not even venture into our shameful Covid numbers) is unbearable.  I gave myself a couple of days before hopping back in to some of my favorite online card challenges.  

For my first challenge, I'm back playing with the folks at the Tic Tac Toe blog.  I'm especially excited to play once again as my very first card entry two weeks ago earned me the distinction of being Designer's Choice.  Here's this week challenge game.   

Today I've chosen the right column of Stitching/Circle/Ice Cream to create my card.  The circle and the ice cream are obvious in my design. The stitching is a bit more subtle and is easiest to see on her wrist.

I began my card with some alcohol ink coloring/die cutting of the ice cream cone which I topped off with a bit of Glossy Accents.  The hand was also die cut, followed by a touch of ink blending to create the skin tone.  The focal circle was cut from leftover stenciled card stock that I will share with you tomorrow. *teaser, ha!*  The holes were cut from the circle using a specialty die.  (I love being able to add a little bit of interest to the inner circle by backing it with some bright card stock.) For the background I used a panel die to create the chicken wire effect and then popped out all of the negative pieces.  I selected a few of these pieces to pop back in and blended them with some ink prior to placement.  The sentiment was heat embossed in white onto a scrap of black card stock.  I finished it off with a little jewel on her finger and must say, I'm pretty pleased with the outcome.    

Supplies:

Avery Elle - Sweetest stamp set

Ellen Hutson - Handful stamp set, Hands die, Alpine Snowfall die

MFT - Stitched Stax Circle die

Kat Scrappiness - Woodgrain Frame Diamond panel die

I'll be back tomorrow with another challenge card.  

Stay safe and healthy my friends!  

_________________________________________________________________________

Thank you for visiting my little crevice of the crafty blogosphere.  Your time, comments and friendship are much appreciated.  

Happy Crafting!

Jules

CAS Colours and Sketches #379

Even in this crazy world of ours, time seems to go by much too quickly.  Today marks another Tuesday which means it's time for new challenge over at the CC&S blog.  Challenge #379 is a sketch from Jeanne.

I used an implied approach to both my focal circle as well as the large shape elements in her sketch as you can see here....

I began my stamping the half circle element onto a panel of smooth white card stock.  I then stamped the three piece butterfly image in three different colors of ink and the sentiment in a crisp black pigment ink.  Rather than incorporating two large shapes as illustrated in the sketch, I chose to balance out my design with the smaller floral and gem elements.  I matted the white panel onto a slightly larger black scalloped panel and then adhered the whole thing to a soft mint card base.  

Supplies:

MFT Brilliant Butterflies stamp set

The Ton - Pragmatic Wreath stamp set

WPlus9 - Sunshine Layers die set (scalloped panel)

assorted gemstones

I hope to see your creation in our gallery this week!

Stay safe and healthy my friends!  

_________________________________________________________________________

Thank you for visiting my little crevice of the crafty blogosphere.  Your time, comments and friendship are much appreciated.  

Happy Crafting!

Jules

Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers #164

Hello Crafty Friends!  It's time for more fun over at the Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers challenge blog.  Our prompt for this next fortnight is Z is for Zebra.

While I do own a zebra stamp I was at a loss to come up with a sufficiently witty sentiment.  I did find a stencil with a somewhat tribal feel and knew I could make it work. 

Allow me to let you in on my secret.  When in need of some sass and snark, look no further than Art Impression old bitty stamps.  I chose an old bitty image/sentiment from one set, combined her with a cake hat from another set and added it all on top of a black/white tribal background.  Voila...Zebra!  Ha!

To create my card I began with the background.  I used an ink blending tool to apply the tribal design onto a piece of smooth white card stock using black pigment ink which I then heat set with a clear embossing powder.  I used a combination of Copic coloring and patterned paper piecing for Miss Bitty.  Like I mentioned above, the cake is actually a hat from different AI set.  I colored and fussy cut it out before placing it in Miss Bitty's outstretched hand.  The sentiment was heat embossed in white on black card stock.  When assembling the card my white background panel seemed a bit stark so I did a bit of ink blending in green, darker at the bottom with a fade out towards the top.

Oh!  We can't forget the inside of the card.  It's what really adds the final snark.

Yep!  Happy 29th Birthday from your 110 lb friend!   (I'm both, by the way.  *wink*) 

Supplies:

Art Impressions - Never Too Old to Laugh and Birthday Hat stamp sets

Hero Arts - Graphic Pattern stencil

Lawn Fawn - designer paper

Please check out our blog post and show us your inner zebra!  I will be looking for you in the gallery.

Stay safe and healthy my friends!  

_________________________________________________________________________

Thank you for visiting my little crevice of the crafty blogosphere.  Your time, comments and friendship are much appreciated.  

Happy Crafting!

Jules

CAS Colours and Sketches #378

The new color challenge is up at the CC&S blog and I am in love with the selection!  Isn't this trio so pretty?

 

For our color challenges, you must use all of the stated challenge colors. You may also use neutral colors;  however, the challenge colors should be the most noticeable ones featured on your card. We use Stampin' Up color names for reference, but you are welcome to use any other companies' products as long as you match the challenge colors as closely as possible.  

I went through my collection of alcohol markers in search of some that match closely to those above.  While Copic brand markers are my go to, I thankfully have many sets from various manufacturers so I was able to find just the right colors.  

I was thoughtfully gifted this stamp and die set from a dear friend and had to put it to use right away.  It was perfect for a color challenge but I particularly love these bold colors.  This card was fairly straight forward to create.  I colored the image using blue for the flowers, green for the leaves and purple for the berries.  I die cut three squares of white card stock and colored them in with one of each color.  I stamped and heat embossed my sentiment onto the green square and adhered them all to the inside of the stamped image.  I adhered the entire panel onto a card base made from 110 lb Neenah Solar White card stock and sprinkled a few white clay hearts around to finish it up.  

Supplies:

Simon Says Stamp - Window Frames stamp and die set

Kat Scrappiness - Clay Hearts

assorted alcohol markers

Stay safe and healthy my friends!  

_________________________________________________________________________

Thank you for visiting my little crevice of the crafty blogosphere.  Your time, comments and friendship are much appreciated.  

Happy Crafting!

Jules

Miscellaneous Masculine Cards

A couple of weeks ago I created a card set using bright fun colors.  I really loved how they turned out so I decided to create a similar set in using more masculine colors.  I just never seem to have the right ones in my stash when I need them so hopefully this will help.

I'm a sucker for bold color blocked stamping and really should do it more often!

Supplies:
Avery Elle - MOD stamp set
Ranger - Distress Oxide inks
Simon Says Stamp - thanks die set
Misc - enamel dots

Stay safe and healthy my friends!  

_________________________________________________________________________

Thank you for visiting my little crevice of the crafty blogosphere.  Your time, comments and friendship are much appreciated.  

Happy Crafting!

Jules

Thanks a Melon

Hey friends.  I squeezed in a little extra time in my craft room to create something non-challenge related.  I was itching to use some of my newest goodies!  Today's card is simple but sweet.  

After coloring this cutie with Copics I stacked her four high and adhered her to a panel from which I die cut out that adorable brick wall.  I added a thin black "hollow" mat so as to let the red from the card base show through.  A stamped sentiment and some black clay hearts was all that was needed to call this one was done. 

Supplies:
MFT - Pure Innocence Sweet Summertime
The Greetery - Brick Layer die.  (I can already tell this is going to be one of my new favs)

Stay safe and healthy my friends!  

_________________________________________________________________________

Thank you for visiting my little crevice of the crafty blogosphere.  Your time, comments and friendship are much appreciated.  

Happy Crafting!

Jules