Creation Station December Hop: Santa's Workshop

 Welcome to the December, 2023, Creation Station Blog Hop!!!

Our theme this month is Santa's Workshop.  Wow!  Lots of possibilities and I am sure you are going to get plenty of ideas and inspiration from this month's hop.  Be sure to click the "Next" link at the bottom of each post to hop around and see all of the ideas we are sharing today!

This Santa's Elf created a Christmas Match Game using the images in the Festive & Fun stamp set (#162078).  Doorbell, my grandson's Elf on a Shelf, is magically stopping by this week to take it to Easton at some point before Christmas!

There are two each of 5 designs. The cards are each 4-1/2" x 2-1/2".  The images were stamped in Tuxedo Black Memento ink and colored with Stampin' Blends.  After coloring, the cards were backed with the Copper Clay design from the  O Holy Night designer series paper pack (#161986).  I used a retired corner rounder punch to finish the edges of the cards.  Before Doorbell grabs the card box, each of these cards will be laminated to handle all the use by a 4 year old and his buddies.

The cards fit inside this box designed to look like a card deck box--only a bit bigger at 4-3/4"l x 2-3/4"w x 1/2"h.  It was created with Copper Clay card stock and the same pattern designer series paper as the backing on the cards.  A Copper Clay deckled circle (#162286)  was decorated with a fussy cut greeting and bird image from the Festive & Fun stamp set and a Shaded Spruce "tree" die cut with a die from the Gorgeously Made die set (#161202).  The box is closed with a piece of Copper Clay textured ribbon (#161629). I used a retired 1-1/4" circle punch to make the thumb notch in the front of the box and a retired corner rounder punch to round the corners of the box lid flap.  

Here is a sketched pattern for making the box.  It is 7" wide scored at 1/2", 3-1/4", 

3-3/4", & 6-1/2".  It is 6-3/4" high scored at 1/2", 5-1/4", 5-3/4".  It is also scored at 4-3/4" between the 3-3/4" and 6-1/2" vertical score lines.  The photo shows the scored lines as dashes and the cutting lines in pink highlighter.

Hope I've inspired you to check out your stamps to make your own little Match Game.  It will make a great stocking stuffer!

Now let's head over to Yvonne's blog, The Creative Teacup, and see what she has made to inspire us!

To Yvonne's Blog . . .

Wishing you a very blessed and merry holiday season!

--Sara Nell

Creation Station November Hop: Containers & Vases

 

Welcome to the November Creation Station Blog Hop.  This month our theme is vases and containers--any vessel we can fill with something!  This is a fun one and I can't wait to see what the other members of the team have filled for us!  To make sure you see all of the projects, click on the "Next" link at the end of each blog post. 

For my projects today I am using the products in the Earthen Elegance Suite (#161518), which includes the Earthen Textures Bundle (#161514, stamp set and dies), the Earthen Elegance designer series paper (#161503) and the Natural Wavy Trim (#161517).   I have always loved ceramics, pottery and natural elements, so this suite was perfect for creating my filled vessels.

When I see a a display of pottery in a store or at an arts and craft fair, I automatically head over to them!  That is what inspired this card.  The small pot in the stamp set was die cut multiple times out of a ceramic pattern from the designer series paper. I added some "ears" to a few of the pots and just a floral sprig and some greenery to one pot (Calypso Coral stamped and Wild Wheat).  The greeting was stamped in Pecan Pie and die cut using the label die from the Gorgeously Made die set (#161202).  The background is Old Olive card stock embossed with the Exposed Brick 3D embossing folder (#161600).  A bow of Wild Wheat Jute (from the In Color jute trim pack, #161637), a layer of Pecan Pie card stock and a Very Vanilla Thick card base complete this card.

This card was created with two of the long thin pots die cut in two different patterns of designer series paper and a stamped and die cut short pot.  The Pretty Peacock ombre pot was shortened, topped with "pottery ears" and a pattern both die cut out of Gray Granite card stock.  The taller pot was trimmed with Gray Granite Baker's Twine (from the Essentials pack, #155475).  The two smaller pots are filled with plants die cut out of Moody Mauve and Pebbled Path card stock and a Pretty Peacock piece of designer series paper.  The background is a piece of the same ombre patterned designer series paper that was used for the middle pot.  The greeting was stamped in Pretty Peacock on Very Vanilla card stock and die cut using a Tailor Made Tags die (#155563).  A layer of Gray Granite card stock and a Very Vanilla Thick card base complete the card. 

This Basic White note card was layered with a piece of Copper Clay card stock and a beautiful ceramic pattern from the designer series paper.  The short pot was die cut out of Pretty Peacock card stock and embossed with the scalloped die in the Earthen Textures die set.  It was toped with Copper Clay "ears" and trimmed with the natural wavy ribbon.  The plants are Crushed Curry (stamped), Pretty Peacock and Early Espresso. The greeting was stamped in Copper Clay on Basic White and fussy cut. 

Hope you have been inspired by these projects--the Earthen Elegance Suite is a fun and beautiful one!  Now let's all head over to the talented Barb Pfeffer's blog, Just B Stamping, to see what she has created for us.

To Barb's Blog . . .

Have a great Fall!

--Sara Nell

 

You're a Great Friend--#tgifc443

 The TGIF Challenges team has a great inspiration challenge this week.  There are a lot of ways to go with this one.  The inspiration photo is kind of magical with a silvery mottled background and a few magical looking bits with an owl on top of one--a bit of Harry Potter for Halloween.  So what did I do with this?  Something unexpected!  The first thing I was drawn to in the photo was the mottled background-so that is what I used for my inspiration.  The collection of items on the page made me think of a collage.  I wasn't feeling the color palette on the card today, so I made my mottled background and collage piece with a Fall theme using Granny Apple Green, Pumpkin Pie and Daffodil Delight, falling leaves, and bare trees:

My first step was to stamp and emboss the typed image from the Gorgeously Made stamp set (#161193) using VersaMark ink and Clear Stampin' Emboss Powder on Watercolor paper.  I repeated this image up the front of the paper and then stamped and embossed the bare branch from the Earthen Textures stamp set (#161504) randomly over the page.  Next, I placed dots of each of the three ink colors one at a time on a clear block, spritzed them with water, then picked the ink up off the clear block and on to the embossed images using a piece of Window sheet.  Once the watercolor piece was dry, I dry embossed the paper using the Leaf Fall 3D embossing folder (#159847).  The greeting was stamped in Granny Apple Green on Basic White and die cut.  The greeting and die are from the Gorgeously Made stamp set and coordinating dies (#161202). The tree branch was stamped in VersaMark and embossed with White Stampin' Emboss Powder then die cut using the Earthen Textures dies (#161513).  

The finished piece was layered on Granny Apple Green card stock and a Basic White thick card base.  Here is the inspiration piece:

How did I get my card out of that picture?  My inspiration came from the background with a barely visible hint of walls that inspired me to use a collage and watercoloring technique that I haven't used in a few years.  Hope you like it!

Have a spooky Halloween!

--Sara Nell  

  

 

Boo to You in Glow in the Dark--#tgifc442

Life has a way of taking unexpected turns, but I am back again to enter another TGIF Challenges sketch challenge.  I had fun with this one.  I have been wanting to try my hand with the Glow-in-the-Dark specialty paper (#162221) from the Them Bones Suite Collection in the current mini catalog. So, I created this card using this week's sketch challenge:

The skeletons of the person, dog and cat were stamped on the glow-in-the-dark paper with VersaMark ink and then embossed with white embossing powder.  The stamped images and die cuts were made using the Bag of Bones stamp set and dies bundle (#162219).  The designer series paper is from the Them Bones designer series paper pack (#162215).  This photo was taken in full light as was the close-up below:

The next two photos were taken in the evening after the card was covered and with just a soft evening light from my ring light.  I think you can see a bit of the glow-in-the-dark effect on the skeletons.  It took a bit of trial and error to get these photos.  You could really see the skeletons glow when the lights were off in my room.

I took a few liberties with the sketch but I still think I kept to the spirit of the sketch with the dog (named Raven after my grandson's neighbor dog) and the cat (named Ghost after another neighborhood pet--and, yes, those are their real names!!!) taking the place of the floral stems in the sketch.  The greeting was changed to a circle but placed over a horizontal rectangle in the form of grass in the cemetery.

Hope you have a great day!

--Sara Nell

   

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