Creation Station October Blog Hop--Tricky Treats!

 Hello!  Welcome to the October Creation Station Blog Hop!  We are an international group of Stampin' Up! Demonstrators who hop on the first Sunday of each month.  Our theme this month is Tricky Treats.  We will be sharing ideas for your Halloween festivities this year.  We've got lots of fun ideas, so don't forget to click on the Next link at the end of each post.  You don't want to miss a great idea, tip or trick. 

My Tricky Treats are for my Grandson, Easton.  He 4-1/2 years old and is well and truly into Halloween.  I made him a Halloween banner and a couple of treat envelopes plus found him a great Halloween book.  Easton called the last set of Halloween banners I made him his "scary, spooky Halloween."  They stayed on his door for almost two years until they fell apart.  This banner is bigger and sturdier than the last set so I am sure it will be on his bedroom door for a while.

Easton loves skeletons.  Of course,  I had to make his banner and treats with the Them Bones Suite Collection (#162222), including the Bag of Bones stamp set and dies (Bundle, #162219), the Them Bones designer series paper (#162215) and the Glow-in-the-Dark Bats & Ghosts (#162220). I did not use the Glow-in-the-Dark specialty paper (#162221) in the suite on these projects.  All of my flags were made with designer series paper glued over pieces of Smoky Slate card stock for sturdiness.  The large flags are 3" x 5-1/2" and the small flags are 1-1/2" x 5". 

The fish tails were made by marking the center of the flag at 1" (large flags) or 3/4" (small flags) from the bottom of the flag and then cutting in from each edge to the mark. 

It is so easy just to have fun with these products!  So many ways you can dress up and change up these skeletons.  I had to include a dog and a cat skeleton because Easton loves his neighbors' two pets:  Raven the dog and Ghost the cat--how could they not be on a Halloween banner!!!  I chose colors from the designer series paper:  Basic Black, Starry Sky, Cajun Craze, Pumpkin Pie, Basic Gray plus Smoky Slate.  Each skeleton was stamped in VersaMark, heat embossed with White Stampin' Emboss Powder and die cut.  The ribbon tying the flags together is 1-2/3 yards of Black & White gingham ribbon (#156485) colored with a Pumpkin Pie Dark Stampin' Blends marker.  

The envelope treat holders were made with a Pumpkin Pie card stock base and covered with coordinating Them Bones paper patterns.  The tombstone and the Deckled Rectangle (#159173) were stamped in VersaMark, embossed with White Stampin' Emboss Powder, and decorated with the Glow-in-the-Dark ghosts and bats.

These treat envelopes are quick and easy to make.  For the base cut a 4" X 10-3/4" 

piece of card stock and score it at 1", 5-1/2", and 6-1/4".  Fold the bottom 1" piece up and adhere it to the base using Tear & Tape adhesive on each side.  To make a tab to slip into the 1" pocket: measure 1-1/4" up on each side of the top piece and make a pencil mark.  Then measure and mark 3/4" in from each side.  Cut off the triangle formed between the two marks.  

Next up is Barb Pfeffer over at justBstamping.  Check out her Tricky Treats by 

clicking on the link below.  You are sure to be inspired by Barb's projects!

To Barb's Blog . . .

Have a "Spooky, Scary Halloween"!

--Sara Nell

 

Birthday Leaves--#tgifc436

My inspiration for my entry in this week's TGIF Challenges color challenge was, believe it or not, a message I got this weekend from a complete stranger.  She asked, "Are you the Sara Nell who made the winning card for TGIF Challenge #132?".  I said to myself "well, maybe".  Then she went on to describe the card and asked if I was the right Sara Nell, how did I do the background?  Then I knew immediately which card she was talking about because I have gotten this same question several times in the past.  I am sure the people who ask are amazed at what a simple technique it is.  Anyway, that got me thinking that it has been a long time since I have done a leaf card.  I pulled out my Season of Chic stamp set (#158810) and the coordinating Chic Dies (#158815), and created this card with this week's color challenge of Crumb Cake, Blackberry Bliss and Pool Party:

The background was created with the Exposed Brick 3D embossing folder (#161600).  Crumb Cake ink was sponged on the inside top (the side with the logo) of the embossing folder before I put the Pool Party card stock in and ran it through the Cut & Emboss Machine. This is the technique I was asked about--so easy but it gives the background a bit more depth.

On my original card I used the baby wipe technique to give my leaves a mottled look.  The background leaf image in the Season of Chic stamp set already has the mottled look, so I stamped it in first and second generation Crumb Cake ink on Crumb Cake card stock.  The second step leaf image was stamped in first and second generation Blackberry Bliss ink. the open work leaf was die cut in Pool Party.  The birthday greeting was stamped in Blackberry Bliss ink on Crumb Cake card stock and die cut using a Stylish Shapes die (#159183). 

A double bow of Linen Thread (#104199) and a smattering of Rustic Metallic Adhesive-Backed Dots (#159082) complete the card front.  The front is layered over Blackberry Bliss card stock and a Crumb Cake card base.

Have a great week!

--Sara Nell

 

Creation Station September Blog Hop--Monochromatic

It's the first Sunday of September and that means another Creation Station Blog Hop!  Welcome, I am so glad you have joined us today.  Our theme this month is Monochromatic projects using just one color or what I call "buddy colors"--the same color in different hues.  Be sure and click on the Next link at the end of each designer's post, so you can be inspired by each of our creations today.

For this hop, I thought long and hard about my color scheme.  I couldn't decide on a color and then thought, "How about Neutrals?"  One would be in browns--Gray Granite, Pebbled Path and Early Espresso--and the other would be in grays--Smoky Slate, Basic Gray and Basic Black.  As you can see in the photo, the browns made it and the grays got kicked off the line-up.  My gray project looked too much like one of last month's projects, so I pivoted to Lost Lagoon and it's buddy, Pretty Peacock, for a quick, fun and easy project using the Masterfully Made suite.

This brown project was fun and challenging to do (and even more challenging to photograph).  Each of the browns I chose has a gray rather than a yellow undertone.  I spent a bit of time trying different combinations with the daisy petals and colors before I liked the combination.  The background is Basic White embossed with the Timeworn Type 3D embossing folder (#156505), sponged lightly with Gray Granite ink before putting it through the Cut & Emboss Machine.  It is layered with a frame of Early Espresso die cut using two Deckled Rectangles dies (#159173).  The daisies were stamped and die cut using the Cheerful Daisies stamp set (#161290) and the Cheerful Daisies dies (#161296, or bundled with the stamp set at 10% off, #161297). I used the large die with the three daisies to die cut the image first in Early Espresso, then followed with parts of the same die cut in Pebbled Path, Gray Granite and Basic White.  I layered the Pebbled Path die cuts over the small daisies and the Gray Granite over the leaves, and cut out the centers of the Basic White to use with each daisy.  I stamped and die cut the single flower dies and layered them under each corresponding flower in the trio and die cut the overlay of each to layer over the daisies and daisy centers.  The bouquet was finished with the stems die cut in Gray Granite and some Pebbled Path 2023-2025 In Color Dots (#161620).  

The greeting is from the Cheerful Daisies stamp set.  It was stamped in Early Espresso on Basic White and die cut using the label die in the Gorgeously Made dies (#161202).  The card was finished with a Basic White Thick card base and a layer of Early Espresso.

I cannot emphasize enough how fun and easy it is to make beautiful cards with the Masterfully Made Suite.  I used the Gorgeously Made stamp set and die bundle (#161203) and the Masterfully Made designer series paper (#161192).  The background paper design in Lost Lagoon and Pretty Peacock was die cut with a Deckled Rectangle die and layered over a piece of Lost Lagoon card stock and a Basic White card base.  The paper design creates built-in texture on which to adhere the Basic White and Lost Lagoon die cut plants.  The greeting was stamped in Pretty Peacock on Basic White and die cut using the same label die as on my first card. The card is finished with a bow of Lost Lagoon Bordered Ribbon (#161171) and some white Classic Matte Dots (#158146).  

Head over to Vicki Boucher's Blog by clicking the link below.  I can't wait to see what she has created for us this month!

To Vicki's blog . . 

Have a great day!

--Sara Nell

   

Floral Celebrate You--#tgifc434

There's an inspiration challenge over at TGIF Challenges this week.  The inspiration piece includes a double hexagon shaped wreath with a floral swag (not a florist so not sure what it is called even though I come from a long line of florists on my mother's side!).  I saw the flowers and the geometric shape and created my own floral arrangement on a shape formed by layering two squares:

The geometric shape was created using two square dies from the Stylish Shapes dies (#159183) and retired silver foil sheets.  The resulting shape was adhered two a piece of Bubble Bath card stock embossed with the Exposed Brick 3D Embossing folder (#161600).  The embossing folder was sponged with Gray Granite ink on the inside of the folder to give the embossed image a bit more detail.  

The floral images were all die cut using the Dainty Delights Dies (#160674).  Card stock colors used include:  Soft Sea Foam, Lost Lagoon, Lemon Lolly, Basic White, Balmy Blue, Highland Heather and Calypso Coral.  The greeting is from the Dainty Delight stamp set (#161078).  It was stamped in Lost Lagoon on Basic White and die cut using a banner die from the Stylish Shapes dies.  

Petal Pink sequins from the Pastel Adhesive-Backed Sequins pack (#160387), a bow of silver Simply Elegant Trim (#155766) and a Bubble Bath card base complete the card.

Here is the inspiration image:

Hope you have a great weekend!

--Sara Nell

Seaside Hello--#tgifc433

Back with another TGIF Challenges sketch challenge this week.  I'm still in Summer mode (the HEAT!), so I pulled out my Seaside Bay stamp set (#160436) and coordinating Seaside Bay dies (#160444) to create my card:

The background is an Azure Afternoon pattern from the Bright & Beautiful designer series paper pack (#161449) layered on a piece of Azure Afternoon card stock.  It reminds me of the ocean rolling toward the beach.  I created the sandy beach using layers of Crumb Cake and Pebbled Path designer series paper using the the edge die from the die set.  Then, I splattered it using a Pebbled Path Stampin' Write Marker and the  Wink of Stella glitter brush (#141897).  I used both to splatter the ocean a bit, too.  It's a windy day and sand and water are spraying into the air.  The little sand piper (stamped in Gray Granite and glittered up) has found her lunch, which was stamped and colored with Moody Mauve, Boho Blue and Crumb Cake Blends and also glittered up.   The beach grasses were die cut using Old Olive and Gray Granite card stock.  

The greeting is from the Gorgeously Made stamp set (#161193).  It was stamped in Pebbled Path on Crumb Cake.  A flag was created with the Banners Pick a Punch (#153608).

Hope you have a great week!

--Sara Nell

 

Creation Station August Blog Hop--Ombre Blending

 Welcome!  It is the first Sunday of the month and time for another Blog Hop from the Creation Station Design Team.  

We are an international group of Stampin' Up! Demonstrators who love to share projects and ideas with you based upon a monthly theme.  Our theme this month is Ombre Blending. Be sure and click on the "Next" link at the end of each blog post to get plenty of inspiration for your next project.

Ombre Blending is a great and fun way to create a background.  All you need to get started is Basic White card stock (#159276), Blending Brushes (#153611) and/or Small Blending Brushes (#160518), and, of course, ink pads in your choice of colors. Usually, I pick three distinct colors and blend them in relatively straight rows up my piece of card stock, but for my projects today, I blended colors a bit differently:

I used only shades of blue on each of my cards.  I blended my inks on the ocean card in uneven rows from light to dark to mimic the moving tides in the ocean.  For my space card, I started from two opposite corners and blended from dark to light to the center to form a galaxy.

The ocean card background is blended with Boho Blue, Misty Moonlight, Starry Sky and Night of Navy. The speckled images were stamped randomly on the background with Night of Navy ink.  The background was die cut using the largest Deckled Rectangles die (#159173). This was layered over a piece of Night of Navy card stock and then over the Basic White thick card stock base.

The stamped and die cut images, except the greeting, are from the Beauty of the Deep Bundle (#161237; includes the stamp set, #161233, and the die set, #161236).  The tall leafy plant was stamped in Misty Moonlight and colored with Misty Moonlight light and Boho Blue light Stampin' Blends.  The lacy coral was stamped in VersaMark on Night of Navy and embossed with White Stampin' Emboss powder.  The small wide coral was stamped in Calypso Coral, with the shaded parts colored with the Lemon Lolly dark Stampin' Blends.  The branch coral was die cut out of Pecan Pie card stock.  The fish was stamped in Starry Sky and colored with Calypso Coral Stampin' Blends. 

The greeting is from the Translucent Florals stamp set (#162243, coming in the September to December 2023 Mini Catalog).  It was stamped in Night of Navy on Basic White and die cut using a label die in the Gorgeously Made die set (#161202).  Six Boho Blue 2023-2025 In Color dots (#161620) complete the card. 

The galaxy card was inspired by the galaxy patterned paper in the Stargazing designer series paper pack (#161175).  The center of the galaxy is Boho Blue, with Night of Navy, Misty Moonlight and Azure Afternoon inks blended to the center from the opposite corners of the card stock.  The images from the Reach for the Stars stamp set (#161176) were stamped in Boho Blue and White Craft inks then dotted with a Wink of Stella Clear Glitter Brush (#141897).  The background was splattered with both the Night of Navy Stampin' Write Marker and the Wink of Stella glitter brush.  I attempted to get some photos showing how beautiful this card is with all of that glitter.   They don't do it justice, but here are a couple with a glimpse:

The greeting is from the Reach for the Stars stamp set.  It was stamped in Night of Navy on Basic White and die cut using a die from the Tailor Made Tags dies (#155563).  A bow of Starry Sky metallic woven ribbon (#159198) completes the card.  This card is now off to my 4-year old grandson, who already knows all of the planets.  Grandma can't wait until he is patient enough to learn to find favorite constellations in the night sky. 

Now let's head over to Rachel Traudt's blog, Naptime is Stamptime, to see her sure to be gorgeous ombre blending projects.

To Rachel's Blog . . .

Have a great August!

--Sara Nell

Bold Thanks--#tgifc431

For the TGIF Challenges inspiration challenge this week, I picked out the colors, the stripes and the bold greeting from the inspiration piece to create this bold thanks card:

The stripes are 1/4" inch strips from Azure Afternoon, Berry Burst and Daffodil Delight card stock arranged on the Basic White card stock with 1/4" spacing.  The Berry Burst Branch was die cut using a die from the new Gorgeously Made dies (#161202).  The "Thanks" was stamped in Tuxedo Black Memento ink twice, then VersaMark ink and then heat embossed with Clear Stampin' Emboss powder to get a really bold look.  (You have to use a Stamparatus to get easy placement for the two layers of black and one of VersaMark.)  The greeting is from the Biggest Wish stamp set (#155052.

A Basic White thick card base, layer of Basic Black, and three black Classic Matte Dots (#158146) complete the card.

Have a great week!

--Sara Nell