Warm Wishes--#tgifc286

The TGIF Challenges team has an inspiration challenge for us this week.  Inspiration challenges are fun because you can take any element of the inspiration piece out and focus on that element for your project--or you can focus on two elements or three or the piece as a whole.  I pulled out two pieces of the inspiration piece for my project today:  the wood grain background and the circle motif:

My idea was to create a wreath hanging from the side of a doorway entrance into a house.  I wanted to use this wood siding photographic paper from the In Good Taste designer series paper pack (#152494)--so I couldn't put my wreath on a door!!!  I layered the paper on Gray Granite card stock with a Gray Granite card base--house colors! To soften the "siding" a bit, I lightly sponged Whisper White craft ink over the paper.

 

For my circle element, the wreath, I used a Gold Hoop Embellishment (#152474).  I got these early in the new annual catalog year but have shied away from using them.  I wasn't sure how to attach things to them.  Turns out--it was easy.  I used a thin stream of Multipurpose Liquid Glue along the back of the curved leaf element (from Forever Flourishes Dies (#152714), die cut in Garden Green), carefully layered it over the metal hoop and let it dry.  Then I continued to layer the other pieces on using Multipurpose Liquid Glue for the gold balls [die cut out of Brushed Metallic card stock (#153524) using the Poinsettia Dies (#153522)].  I used Stampin' Dimensionals to adhere the two Real Red Poinsettias.  They were die cut using the Poinsettia dies, then two were layered together and centered with Gold Glitter enamel dots (#152155).  The wreath was attached to the card front using glue dots, adhered under the foliage.  I looped a piece of Gray Granite shimmer ribbon (#152463) around the hoop to "hang" the wreath.

The greeting is from Poinsettia Petals stamp set (#153475).  It was stamped in Early Espresso on to a 5/8" x 3" piece of  Real Red card stock.  I punched the fish tail ends using the Banners Pick a Punch (#153608).  I used my bone folder to create a bit of a wave in the banner, then attached it with one dimensional on one end and two stacked dimensionals on the other end. 

See how others were inspired by this piece over at the TGIF Challenges blog here.

Thanks for stopping by!

--Sara Nell 

Simply Thankful for Autumn--#tgifc285

 A little Autumn weather finally came our way last week with some clear, crisp mornings and beautiful afternoons.  It's a little warm now--but the leaves are falling! This hint of Autumn was the inspiration for my entry in the TGIF Challenges sketch challenge this week:

The first layer is a piece of Gilded Autumn specialty designer series paper (#153520) adhered to a 5-1/2" x 4-1/4" Very Vanilla Thick card stock base.  Next is a band layer created with Cajun Craze card stock embossed with the Tin Tile 3D embossing folder (#151801).  A piece of Mint Macaron basket weave ribbon (#153553, combo pack) was adhered to the top and bottom of this piece with 

Seal+ adhesive.  Next is a layer of leaves stamped in Cajun Craze and Mint Macaron inks on Vary Vanilla card stock.  The images are from the Forever Fern stamp set and were die cut using the coordinating Forever Flourishing dies (Bundle at 10% off, #154094).  These two leaf images are very similar to the images in the designer series paper.

The circle layer was die cut out of another pattern in the Gilded Autumn specialty designer series paper pack using a Stitched Shapes die (#152323). The greeting from the Country Home stamp set (#147678) was stamped in Cajun Craze on Very Vanilla card stock and die cut using a Stitched Rectangles die (#151820).

Check out all the inspired creations using this sketch over at the TGIF Challenges blog here.

Have a great day--and enjoy this beautiful weather!

--Sara Nell

  

Happy Haunting--#tgifc284

This week's TGIF Challenges color challenge is Basic Black, Pumpkin Pie and Rich Razzleberry.  Sounds like a Halloween color combo, doesn't it?  I've been making a lot of Halloween projects lately, so I thought I'd make something different.  Nope, couldn't do it.  My mind couldn't turn off the Halloween ideas, so I just went where my brain took me:  another Halloween card!

I've made a simple layered card for you today:

The greeting is from the Celebration tidings stamp set (#153456).  It was stamped on a 1" wide piece of Basic Black card stock using VersaMark ink (#102283), and heat embossed with White Stampin' Emboss Powder (#109132) using the Heat Tool (#129053).  The ends of the piece were punched with the Banners Pick a Punch (#153608).  The greeting piece is layered over a piece of Magic in This Night designer series paper, die cut using the Stitched Rectangles Dies (#151820).  The paper is decorated with a spider stamped in Blackberry Bliss on Rich Razzleberry card stock, then die cut (Hallows Night Magic Bundle, #155188).

 

The Pumpkin Pie layer is a partial frame created with an Ornate Layers dies (#152726).  The Basic Black layer was embossed with the Cobwebs 3D Embossing Folder (#153578).  Before placing the card stock in the folder, Whisper White Craft ink (#147277) was brayered onto the lifted side of the inside design.  This helped the cobweb design stand out in the background. 

A Pumpkin Pie card base and some Pumpkin Pie rhinestones from the Holiday Rhinestone Basic Jewels pack (#150457) complete the card.

Several of the designers came up with some pretty amazing non-Halloween cards for this challenge.  Check them out over at the TGIF Challenges Blog here.

  

Hope you are having a great October.   We are having absolutely beautiful weather here in Georgia right now: cool, crisp mornings and sunny mild days.

--Sara Nell

 

October Creation Station Blog Hop--Whatever You Wannabe Stampin'

 

Hello and Welcome to the Creation Station October Blog Hop!  I'm so glad you have landed here.  Our theme this month is "Whatever You Wannabe Stampin'" and we are each being inspired by one of the five Spice Girls. This is a fun hop so you'll not want to miss any of the design team's blogs.  Just click on the Next Button at the bottom of each post to hop around to each one.

I have to admit than I am of an age that doesn't know a lot about the Spice Girls. I don't know any of their songs, but I do know that one is married to David Beckham, the soccer player and friend of Gordon Ramsey, and that one was on Dancing with the Stars one season.  I also know all of the Spice Girl names courtesy of our fearless team leader, Elizabeth Price:  Ginger, Posh, Baby, Sporty and Scary.  So, which one did I pick?  It's October.  I picked Scary:

I used the Magic in this Night suite to create this Scary Spice banner with bats and spiders and spooky designer series paper. I pulled out  the Basic Black and Pretty Peacock papers from the Magic in this Night designer series paper pack (#153517).  The banner flags were made with the two frame dies in the Halloween Magic dies (#153565).    The bats on the end flags and the web medallion on the center flag were die and fussy cut from two designer series paper patterns.  They were each adhered to Pretty Peacock card stock and then fussy cut to create a slight Pretty Peacock edge.

  

The spider image and "Happy Halloween" image are from the Hallows Night Magic stamp set (#153356/bundled with the dies at 10% off, #155188).  The spiders were stamped with Tuxedo Black Memento ink, die cut and then mounted on a web created by wrapping the 1-1/2" Silver Metallic Mesh ribbon around the flag.  The greeting was stamped in VersaMark, heat embossed with White Stampin' Emboss Powder, and die cut with an Ornate Layers die (#152726).

Iridescent pearls (#153549) decorate each of the flags.  The flags were strung together with Black Glittered Organdy ribbon (#147897) to form the banner.

This banner is headed out to my grandson for Halloween, but a banner without candy is not a good idea.  So, I decorated one of the Rectangle Tins (#153519) to coordinate with the banner:

I used the same elements from the banner and adhered them to a belly band made with the dark bats designer series paper pattern and metallic mesh ribbon.  The greeting on this tin was die cut using a die from Tasteful Labels dies (#152886).  

Let's head on over to Mikaela's blog to find out which Spice Girl inspired her:

To Mikaela's Blog . . . 

Have a wonderful and spooky October! Sorry, Scary Spice, not wishing anyone a scary one!

--Sara Nell

Halloween Night--#tgifc283

This week TGIF Challenges has another Designer Take Over challenge. I am loving this new type challenge.  The design team at TGIF Challenges really knows how to change things up in a fun way!  This week designer Tami Hewlett is taking over the challenge with her signature Ink Blending technique. She really is a pro at this technique--her cards are beautiful.  Check this one out on Tami's blog,  Swimming in Stamps.

I decided to use the Ink Blending technique to create a spooky Halloween night:

I used Stampin' Sponges (#141337) to blend Night of Navy, Misty Moonlight and Smoky Slate inks to create the night sky on a piece of Shimmery White card stock.  To make it spookier, I added splatters of Frost White shimmer paint (#147046) with a wet Water Painter (#151298).  The trees were added using White Embossing Paste (#141979), tinted with drops of both Night of Navy and Misty Moonlight refill inks, and the trees mask from the Basic Patterns Decorative Masks (#150697).

The finished sky was layered on a piece of Black Glitter paper (#153518).  (TIP:  cut the center of the glitter paper layer out with a Rectangles Stitched die--so you can use it for other projects.)  This layer was then adhered to the Misty Moonlight card base.

The greeting is from the Hallows Night Magic stamp set (#153356).  It was stamped on a strip of Basic Black card stock with Versamark (#102283) and heat embossed with Silver Stampin' Emboss Powder (#109131). Each end of the 5/8" wide strip was punched using the Banners Pick a Punch (#153608).

The Black Glitter Paper bats were die cut using the Halloween Magic Dies  (#153565).  These dies coordinate with the Hallows Night Magic stamp set and they both may be purchased in a bundle at 10% off (#155188). 

Head over to the TGIF Challenges Blog to see more wonderful examples of the Ink Blending Technique.  

Hope you have a great October!

--Sara Nell 

 

My Mind Took A Wicked Turn--#tgifc282

This week's TGIF Challenge is an inspiration challenge:  a beautiful floral wreath.  I love making wreaths! As I thought about what kind of wreath I was going to make for this challenge, my mind took a wicked turn:

You might ask what does this card have to do with a beautiful floral wreath.  Well, this is an inspiration challenge, so I can be inspired by any part of the inspiration picture.  I was inspired by a wreath, I made a wreath--a wicked spider wreath!

I used the two leaf punches in the Autumn Punch Pack (#153609), to punch leaves out of Cajun Craze, Granny Apple Green and Basic Black card stock.  I crumpled them up a bit and adhered them around a simple wreath I created with two Layering Circle dies (#151770) and Blackberry Bliss card stock. Next I added three spiders stamped in Tuxedo Black Memento Ink on Real Raspberry card stock.  I used an image from Hallows Night Magic (#153356) and the coordinating Halloween Magic dies (#153565/bundled with stamp set, #155188) to create the spiders. 

 

The greeting banner was created with another image from the Hallows Night Magic stamp set.  It was stamped in Blackberry Bliss onto Whisper White card stock.  The card stock was cut to 3/8" wide and the ends were punched out with the Banners Pick a Punch (#153608).  A bow created with a Basic Black Dark Stampin' Blends marker and a piece of 1/4" Whisper White crinkled seam binding completed the wreath.

The wreath was placed on a spidery background paper from the Magic in this Night designer series paper pack (#153517).  The paper was embossed with the Cobwebs 3D embossing folder (#153578) before adhering it to a Basic Black card stock layer.  A Whisper White Thick card stock base completes the card.  

For more wreath inspiration, head over to the TGIF Challenges Blog here.

Have a great week!

--Sara Nell

  

Happy Harvest Blessings--#tgifc218

It's the monthly sketch challenges over at TGIF Challenges. It's a block sketch that I flip-flopped left to right for my card:

The designer series paper I used for the blocks is from the Gilded Autumn Specialty pack (#153520).  The maple leaf from the Gather Together stamp set (#150589) was stamped in VersaMark onto Cajun Craze card stock, heat embossed with Gold Stampin' Emboss Powder (#109129), and die cut using the coordinating Gathered Leaves dies (#150662).

 

The greeting is from Country Home stamp set (#147678).  It was stamped in Early Espresso and heat embossed with Clear Stampin' Emboss Powder (#109130). The banner ends were punched with the new Banners Pick a Punch (#153610).

A layer of Cajun Craze card stock, a Mint Macaron card base and Mint Macaron 1/2" Basket Weave ribbon (#153553, ribbon combo pack) complete the card.

Head over to the TGIF Challenges Blog to see more great cards created with this sketch:

Have a great week!

--Sara Nell