Stamping Vacation: What a Guy Challenge

[Edited to add: the Stamping Vacation blog is on hiatus and I am not sure if it is permanent or not. Thanks for all your support!]

This month's What a Guy challenge at the Stamping Vacation challenge blog invites us to create a masculine card with a fishing theme. Since Father's Day is approaching, there's no better time for this!

Here's my project:

The fishing-man image is from a former sponsor of Stamping Vacation: Stamping Dragon Designs.

In retrospect, I should have used a punch to add interest to the upper edge of the patterned paper... Oh, well...

You have an entire month to link your creations for this challenge: until June 19th. Each entry qualifies towards a drawing at the end of each month, this month's prize being a $25 gift certificate to the place of your choice!

There's still time to enter the other challenges I'm currently over-seeing at Stamping Vacation: Have You Tried, White Space and Lots of Paper. The more entries there are, the larger the chance I have of winning a gift certificate being offered to the design team! Thanks for your support! ;)

Thanks so much for stopping by! I look forward to seeing your creations!

{Supplies--all Papertrey Ink unless noted}

• Cardstock: Kraft, Stamper's Select White
• Patterned Paper: Library Ledger
• Stamps: fisherman image (Stamping Dragon Designs), My Father, My Hero
• Ink: Dark Chocolate, Versamark (Tsukineko), Weathered Wood & Antique Linen (Tim Holtz Distress Ink)
• Die: Deckled Rectangles (Spellbinders)
• Other Tools: ink blending foam (Inkssentials), rustic jute twine, Corner Chomper (We R Memory Keepers)

Stamping Vacation: Lots of Paper Challenge

This month's Lots of Paper challenge at the Stamping Vacation blog asks us to go through our patterned paper stashes and find something with large flowers on it. Piece of cake!

I was really excited about this challenge because I knew that paper like this would be perfect for a Mother's Day card. I made this for a former co-worker to give to her mother.

I actually had to plan where I was cutting the patterned paper to fit my card so that I had some flowers that I could cut out. Using a craft knife, I cut out an entire flower plus just the petals of another flower. I curled them up a bit and used dimensional adhesive to reattach the largest flower. You can see the effect better here:

I added some Liquid Pearls at the very end.

This photo allows you to see the shimmering foil detail better:

I experimented quite a bit with different tag shapes before settling on this Grommet Tag by Spellbinders... I use these quite a lot... I love them!!

{Supplies--all Papertrey Ink unless noted}

• Cardstock: Soft Stone, Summer Sunrise, Silver Shimmer
• Patterned Paper: Vivacious (SEI)
• Stamps: Delightful Dahlia
• Ink: Starlite Silver (Brilliance)
• Die: Grommet Tags (Spellbinders)
• Other Tools: Silver Pearl Liquid Pearls (Ranger?), pearls (dollar store), craft knife (EK Success), dimensional adhesive

Stamping Vacation: White Space Challenge and PTI MIM: Embossing with Dies

This month's White Space challenge at the Stamping Vacation blog invites to try making a white card with something attached with a brad.

This week's Papertrey Ink Make It Monday invites us to emboss using their dies.

I incorporated these 2 challenges together to make a grad card for a former coworker.

It's impossible to see in the photograph but the white panel is embossed with clouds.

Using the school's colors, I stamped the grad hats, used a gold gel pen to fix up the cords a bit and then cut them out, adhering them with dimensional adhesive.

For every entry over at Stamping Vacation, you have the chance to win a gift certificate! If one of my challenges (What a Guy, Have You Tried, White Space and, on Sunday, Lots of Paper) has the most entries this month, I win a gift certificate! You have a month from the challenge post date to enter.

Thanks for stopping by!

{Supplies--all Papertrey Ink unless noted}

• Cardstock: Stamper's Select White, metallic gold (Recollections?)
• Stamps: For the Graduate
• Ink: Mediterranean Blue and Galaxy Gold (both Brilliance - Tsukineko)
• Dies: Clouds 1 & 2, Grommet Tags (Spellbinders)
• Other Tools: brads (Recollections?), Corner Chomper (We R Memory Keepers), gold gel pen (Sakura)

Stamping Vacation: Have You Tried Challenge and Moxie Fab's Tuesday Trigger

This month's Have You Tried challenge at the Stamping Vacation blog invites us to try putting ribbon over lace... something I've been meaning to try anyway!

The colors for this week's Moxie Fab Trigger Tuesday just blew me away! I had to participate!

The sketches over at Random Acts of Creativity and Limelight Papercrafts were perfect for what I had in mind. :) Limelight is also focusing on floral stamps... Perfect again!

Since I had also been recently asked to do a 60th birthday card, I incorporated these three four challenges...

I tried to keep the colors close to the Moxie Fab trigger, as well as having some pretty flowers. Don't you love Spring?!

The incentive to participate in Stamping Vacation challenges is always the gift certificate awarded to one lucky winner each month... The more entries you have, the better the chance!

As I mentioned here, this month, the DT members also have a chance to win a gift certificate... If one of their challenges has the most entries! I would be most appreciative if my reader's would be willing to try entering one (or more) of my challenges this month. So far What a Guy and Have You Tried are up. White Space will be up tomorrow and Lots of Paper on Saturday. Don't worry... your entry doesn't have to be in by the end of April... Just by end of the challenge (one month from live date).

Thanks so much for stopping by!

{Supplies--all Papertrey Ink unless noted}

• Cardstock: Rustic Cream, Spring Moss, Vellum, Lemon Tart
• Patterned Paper: Pretty Pastels
• Stamps: In Bloom, Big Birthday Wishes
• Ink: Pear Tart (Memento - Tsukineko), Versamark (Tsukineko), Sweet Blush
• Ribbon: Sweet Blush grosgrain
• Dies: Ribbon Banners (Spellbinders), Parisian Doily, By the Numbers
• Impression Plate: Vineyard
• Copics: Y21, 0
• Other Tools: lace (dollar store), clear embossing powder (Filigree), Corner Chomper (We R Memory Keepers)

Stamping Vacation: What a Guy Challenge

This month's What a Guy challenge at the Stamping Vacation blog invites us to use a lawn or garden care theme. I left this one until nearly the last minute, lacking inspiration.

The strangest thing happened...

For the first time EVER, my husband took an interest in what I was trying to accomplish (papercrafting-wise). He didn't come up with my idea, but he certainly contributed to it. It really can be wonderful to craft with others... They can see something where you can't!

The burlap was perfect for grass! I colored it with my YG17 Copic and that bit of burlap color that peeks through certainly looks like real grass does! And this grass needs a cutting!

Keeping masculine cards simple is a great rule of thumb.

I'll probably make this a Father's Day card inside.

The incentive to participate in Stamping Vacation challenges is always the gift certificate awarded to one lucky winner each month... The more entries you have, the better the chance!

The DT member with the most participants in their challenges (for this month only) also receives a gift certificate! Would be most appreciative to any who play along with this challenge as well as the ones I'll be posting later this month (Have You Tried, White Space and Lots of Paper).

Thanks all!

{Supplies--all Papertrey Ink unless noted}

• Cardstock: Spring Rain, Simply Chartreuse, Dark Chocolate
• Stamps: Harold's ABCs (Lawn Fawn)
• Ink: Dark Chocolate
• Die: Grand Labels (Spellbinders)
• Copic: YG17
• Other Tools: sewing machine/thread, burlap

Stamping Vacation: Lots of Paper Challenge

This week's Lots of Paper challenge at the Stamping Vacation blog invites us to go through our patterned paper stashes and find something with circles and squares on it.

I had to go through my patterned paper stash a ways before finding success but I loved what I found!

I made a very quick and simple masculine card by inking the edges, die-cutting a deckled rectangle out of it to show the stamped sentiment and then popping it up over the card base.  Finished it off with some twine and a button.

Every entry into a Stamping Vacation challenge gives the participant a chance to win a $25 gift certificate to the place of the winner's choice!

Good luck!

{Supplies--all Papertrey Ink unless noted}

• Cardstock: Fine Linen
• Patterned Paper: MVP (We R Memory Keepers)
• Stamps: Daily Designs Sentiments
• Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento), Black Soot (Tim Holtz Distress Ink)
• Button: Enchanted Evening
• Die: Deckled Mega Rectangles (Spellbinders)
• Other Tools: Jute Button Twine

Card Fix-up

I have, on occasion, gone back and fixed up a card that I wasn't entirely pleased with. In this case, my silhouette card for Stamping Vacation's Have You Tried challenge went from this:

...to this:

I finally got my paper-piecing in!

{Supplies listed on original post here with only the addition of the A2 Envelope Liner die.}

Stamping Vacation: Lots of Paper Challenge

This month's Lots of Paper challenge over at the Stamping Vacation blog asks us to go through our patterned paper stashes and find some with hand prints, footprints or paw prints. All participants will be entered into the monthly draw; this month, a $25 gift certificate to the place of your choice!

The only thing I had was some footprint vellum (a gift from Stefanie) so I made a baby card.

I had difficulty improving this picture but it's not my favorite card anyway.

I sort of distressed the edges of the vellum, much more difficult than cardstock. I added a Scor-Tape border and sprinkled some Prisma glitter on it. I made the bow using my Bow-Easy and added some circle layers (one glittered) and threw a puff ball on top.

This project also corresponds with Papertrey Ink's Make It Mondays, which invites us to use glitter with Scor-Tape. Since this is a scheduled post, however, it probably won't make it into the links in time.

{Supplies--all Papertrey Ink unless noted}

• Cardstock: pink shimmer
• Patterned Paper: footprint vellum (unknown source)
• Stamps: Inside & Out: Baby
• Ink: Palette Noir
• Other Tools: Circles dies (Spellbinders), paper distresser (Tim Holtz), glitter (Prisma), It's a Girl ribbon (unknown source), puff ball (Recollections), Bow-Easy (Posi Bendr), Scor-Tape

Stamping Vacation DT: White Space Challenge

This month's White Space challenge at the Stamping Vacation blog invites us to create a card that is mostly white, along with anything gingham. I used a gingham ribbon to make a little rose on my card. They're fairly easy to make and so cute!

First, I embossed the largest Spellbinders Labels 17 die and then left the die in place when doing the edge inking. I also kept the die in place, along with some Post-it Note masking, while doing my flower stamping.

As for the gingham rose, I just took a foot-long (or so) strip of ribbon and twisted and coiled until I got a rose. The wider/thicker the ribbon the easier (this was not my fav ribbon to use!). It's a good idea to try and keep the back flat, if you can, so it will stick to the double-sided adhesive better. I used Scor-tape to adhere the rose to the card as well as some Glossy Accents in places to hold the rose together (I learned the GA tip from Jennifer McGuire but couldn't find where!).

{Supplies--all Papertrey Ink unless noted}

• Cardstock: Stamper's Select
• Stamps: Year of Flowers: Lily of the Valley
• Ink: Spring Rain, Tuxedo Black (Memento)
• Ribbon: Spring Rain gingham
• Die: Labels 17 (Spellbinders)
• Other Tools: ink blending foam (Ranger)

Stamping Vacation: Have You Tried Challenge

This month's Have You Tried challenge at the Stamping Vacation blog invites us to try sewing beads to a creation.

I have to admit that I kind of cheated. ;)

I have this ever-so-handy spool of beads on a wire that is perfect for this type of thing (I used it here). You can also, obviously, create your own string of beads.

There are, obviously, other ways to do this, including hand sewing or gluing individual beads here and there. But I forgot that I was going to try this.

No worries. I still like the final project:

I started with a strip of Canvas-impressed Dark Chocolate cardstock which I sewed to a wider strip of Dotty Biscotti patterned paper.

The die cut/embossed flowers are Spellbinders, which I used Harvest Gold cardstock for and then inked the edges with Tim Holtz Scattered Straw Distress Ink. The leaf was done with New Leaf cardstock and inked with Forest Moss Distress Ink.

I added the wired beads by placing it in the general area I wanted it and then paper-piercing a few holes along the path. I then used a needle and thread to hold the wired beads in place.

I trimmed the petals of the flowers so that they were flush with the Kraft card base. I didn't want the focus to be too much on them. The sentiment, on the other hand, goes way off the edge of the card using Double-Ended Banners on Rustic Cream cardstock. The stamp is from Garden of Life.

The butterfly is another Spellbinder and I used a technique I hadn't thought to use with them before. After die-cutting and embossing the butterfly, I kept the die on and colored in the spaces with my Versamark pen. I then heat embossed clear embossing powder to give it that shine you see. I had to do it twice to get a good effect. I'll def try this technique again with other dies!

The colors on this are so bright and cheery, I love it!

Thanks for stopping by!

{Supplies--all Papertrey Ink unless noted}

• Cardstock: Kraft, Dark Chocolate, Harvest Gold, New Leaf
• Patterned Paper: Dotty Biscotti
• Stamps: Garden of Life
• Ink: Scattered Straw and Forest Moss (Tim Holtz Distress Inks), Versamark pen (Tsukineko), Dark Chocolate
• Dies: Sunflowers/Leaf and Butterflies 2 (Spellbinders), Double-Ended Banners
• Impression Plate: Linen & Canvas (Canvas side)
• Other Tools: sewing machine/thread, beads, paper piercer (Tim Holtz), paper piercing foam pad (Bazzill), dimensional adhesive, ink blending foam (Inkssentials)

Stamping Vacation DT: What a Guy Challenge

This month's What a Guy challenge over at the Stamping Vacation blog invites us to create a masculine card with a clock or watch on it. Any timepiece, I guess. ;)

I used this opportunity to make my husband's birthday card, even though his bday isn't until May...

It's hard to tell but I inked the edges of the Blueberry Sky card base with Stormy Sky Tim Holtz Distress Ink. The edges of the Kraft cardstock were distressed with the Tim Holtz Paper Distressing tool.

Thanks for stopping by!

{Supplies--all Papertrey Ink unless noted}

• Cardstock: Blueberry Sky, Kraft
• Stamps: Make a Wish Additions
• Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento), Stormy Sky (Tim Holtz Distress Inks)
• Button: Blueberry Sky
• Twine: Rustic Jute
• Embossing Folder (Cuttlebug): Gears
• Other Tools: Timepiece (Tim Holtz), Paper Distresser (Tim Holtz)

Stamping Vacation DT: Lots of Paper Challenge

This month's Lots of Paper challenge over at the Stamping Vacation blog asks us to use paper that looks like fabric, such as linen or gingham. I hunted through my collection and was ecstatic to find some denim-looking paper!  With it, I created these:

I think of them as my "Bald Dragonfly" cards... I hope Karen doesn't mind! ;)

I couldn't decide which one I liked better...

Anyone have an opinion?

Thanks for stopping by!

{Supplies--all Papertrey Ink unless noted}

• Cardstock: Kraft
• Patterned Paper: denim (unknown brand)
• Stamps: Fillable Frames #1, Fillable Frames #2
• Ink: Dark Chocoalte
• Buttons: Terracotta Tile
• Other Tools: jute twine

Stamping Vacation DT: Have You Tried Challenge

This month's Have You Tried challenge at the Stamping Vacation blog invites us to try using designer paper to cover our card base.

 After taking this picture, I added 3 black rhinestones to the top left corner.

After covering the Fine Linen card base with Teresa Collins paper, I ruffled some True Black grosgrain ribbon on two strips of Scor-tape.

I stamped the sentiment on a Summer Sunrise frame (made with Mat Stack 4 and Fillable Frame #11) and covered it with Glossy Accents.

I die cut and stamped flourishes using Embellishments, arranging them around the frame. Overkill??

I rounded 2 corners with my Corner Chomper and added the rhinestones (not pictured).

Thanks for visiting!

{Supplies--all Papertrey Ink unless noted}

• Cardstock: Fine Linen, Vintage Cream, Summer Sunrise
• Patterned Paper: Teresa Collins (can't recall the name...)
• Stamps: Embellishments
• Ink: Summer Sunrise, Orange Zest, Tuxedo Black (Memento)
• Ribbon: True Black grosgrain
• Dies: Fillable Frames #11, Mat Stack 4, Embellishments
• Other Tools: Glossy Accents (Ranger), Corner Chomper (We R Memory Keepers), black rhinestones (dollar store)

Stamping Vacation DT: What a Guy Challenge

This month's What a Guy challenge over at the Stamping Vacation blog asks us to create a masculine Valentine's card. Groovy! I'm gonna need one!

This sentiment is courtesy of our sponsor this month, The Stamps of Life.

This passed the "husband test!" Simple is best, n'est-ce pas?

{Supplies--all Papertrey Ink unless noted}

• Cardstock: Kraft
• Stamps: youare2kind (The Stamps of Life), Round & About Sentiments
• Ink: Versamark (Tsukineko), Pure Poppy, Tuxedo Black (Memento)
• Other Tools: scoreboard (Martha Stewart), clear embossing powder (Filigree)

Stamping Vacation DT: Lots of Paper Challenge

For this month's Lots of Paper challenge over at the Stamping Vacation blog, we need to go through our paper stashes and find some paper with words/text on it. I love this type of paper and don't use it enough!

Since I need to work on my Christmas thank you cards, I chose some Christmas-y text paper.

The snowman image is from Stamping Vacation's December sponsor: Cardmadfairy.

This was my first time attempting the Spellbinders cut-out technique and didn't quite do it correctly but no matter. ;)

Thanks for stopping by!

{Supplies--all Papertrey Ink unless noted}

• Cardstock: Stamper's Select, Pinefeather, Linen Vellum
• Patterned Paper: Polar Expressions - Frosted Forest (Imaginisce)
• Stamps: image (Cardmadfairy), sentiment from Signature Christmas
• Ink: Noir Palette
• Buttons: True Black
• Copics: B0000, T1, R27, R59, G28, BG99, 0, random orange
• Dies: Circles and Labels 17 (Spellbinders)
• Other Tools: sewing machine/thread, white gel pen (Signo)

Stamping Vacation DT: Have You Tried Challenge

I forgot to post this at the time of the challenge but this month's Have You Tried challenge on the Stamping Vacation blog asks us to try weaving ribbon through lace. I've weaved lace through felt before but I think this was a first for this.

Due to time constraints, I didn't do any coloring (plus this look deserves watercolor pencils, which I don't own) and so the card is quite blandly monochromatic. I also don't care for how the sentiment turned out stamped on the image. I do like how the "embroidery hoop" turned out, though.

The image is from Stamping Dragon Designs, Stamping Vacation's sponsor from October...

{Supplies--all Papertrey Ink unless noted}

• Cardstock: Stamper's Select, Rustic Cream
• Stamps: embroidery hoop image (Stamping Dragon Designs), sentiment from You're Sew Lovely (Lawn Fawn)
• Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento), Antique Linen (Tim Holtz Distress Ink)
• Other Tools: lace (dollar store), ribbon (Michael's), Circle and Grand Labels 1 dies (Spellbinders), Stardust gel pen (Sakura)

Stamping Vacation DT: What a Guy Challenge

This month's What a Guy Challenge at the Stamping Vacation blog is to make a black and white masculine card. This immediately called to mind a 40th birthday card, where tradition has declared the colors to be black.

I recalled, belatedly, that I could have made the banner sentiment out of Harold's ABCs or something instead of hand-printing with a Copic Multiliner pen. Ah, well.

{Supplies--all Papertrey Ink unless noted}

• Cardstock: True Black, Stamper's Select
• Stamps: Banner Builder
• Ink: Fresh Snow, Tuxedo Black (Memento)
• Other Tools: Circle die (Spellbinders), Double-Ended Banner die, Multiliner pen (Copic)

Blog Candy Giveaway and Mark's Finest Papers

Christmas approaches and t'is the season to give!

This month, Mark's Finest Papers is sponsoring the Stamping Vacation blog and, as a design team member, I received a beautiful stamp set to promote! So the team here at Aspiring to Creativity put together a lovely blog package for one lucky commenter to receive!

Included:
Mark's Finest Papers stamp set (as pictured)
Stampin' Up Christmas stamp set
Hero Arts stamp set
Basic Grey bitsy stamp set
Studio G assorted holiday stamp sets (2)
assorted American Crafts and other ribbons
Cuttlebug die and embossing folder (Tricks and Treats)
Cricut Cuttlebug Companion embossing folders (Once Upon a Princess)
Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist (Frost and Peppermint Stick)
Tim Holtz Masks (Concerto Music and Flourish)

To Enter:
Go to Mark's Finest Papers and take a look at their excellent quality stamp sets! Choose one that you like, come back here and tell us which it is and what you like about it.

Also, if you have a blog, please post about our giveaway! Thank you!

End Date:
This giveaway will end November 30th at 11:59pm MDT. Comments will be closed at that time. The winner will be chosen by random.org and announced sometime on December 1st.


Thanks for visiting!

Stamping Vacation DT: Lots of Paper Challenge

This month's Lots of Paper Challenge at Stamping Vacation asks us to use paper with trees on it:

Card construction is pretty self-explanatory but the thread used on the focal tree is a variegated quilting thread with blues and greens in it... Very pretty! The stitched border had to be done twice because the bottom border didn't quite match the other sides. Don't like it but it was a calculated choice. ;)

Thanks for stopping by!

{Supplies--all Papertrey Ink unless noted}

• Cardstock: Stamper's Select, New Leaf, Pinefeather, Vellum
• Patterned Paper: Christmas Prints
• Stamps: Vintage Ornaments
• Ink: Palette Noir
• Other Tools: rhinestone flourish (dollar store), sewing machine/thread, A2 Envelope Liner die

Stamping Vacation DT: What a Guy Challenge

November's What a Guy Challenge at Stamping Vacation asks us to use twine on our masculine creation. I incorporated this into a whimsical Christmas card I created using scrap deer from this project.

I tried to create a dark, snowy night starting with a snowflake Cuttlebug folder and white ink. I smudged ink on the edges and use a cotton swab to apply some ink to the embossed snowflakes as well as create my own fluffy ones.

The deer are from the Christmas Cheer Cricut cartridge and the sleigh from Joys of the Season. The sentiment is a dimensional sticker from Recollections (Michaels).

{Supplies--all Papertrey Ink unless noted}

• Cardstock: Stamper's Select, Enchanted Evening
• Ink: Fresh Snow
• Other Tools: Snowflakes embossing folder (Cuttlebug--I believe it is an exclusive folder to Custom Crops); Cricut cartridges: Christmas Cheer, Joys of the Season; dimensional sentiment sticker (Recollections); cotton swab, black twine ribbon (Michaels)