Muse Card Challenge #200

Check out this week's great Muse card created by Jenni Murray

Here's my card

 

I was inspired by

- the square format of the card

- the focal image of a flower and leaves

- a central circle to form the backdrop for the flower

- the black/white polka dots (well, I reversed it because I didn't have any white with black   polka dot paper)

- simple sentiment

I used SugarPea Designs' Enchanted Garden stamp set. I stamped the images with VersaFine Onyx Black ink and coloured in the images with copics. The sentiment is from Clearly Besotted's Many Mini Messages stamp set.

Thanks for visiting

sue

a2z Scrapbooking - You're So Lovely Card

It's my turn to post a card over at a2z Scrapbooking

Here's my card

I used Hero Arts CL949 You're So Lovely to stamp the blooms and leaves. Using copic markers, I added colour between the stamped lines on the blooms to add some dimension and shading. For the leaves, I added some shading on the ends of the leaves. I chose to place the blooms and leaves towards the top of the card. The sentiment from Hero Arts CL943 Color Layering Bouquet balances the blooms and leaves. A few sequins adds just a bit of sparkle and shine.

Come shop at a2z scrapbooking etsy shop for Hero Arts supplies. If your cart gets over $25, use my code Sue15 for 15% off your purchase.

Thanks for visiting
sue

Muse Challenge #199

I love participating at the Muse Card Challenge. Most weeks, I have to really try to think outside the box and to stretch my imagination. It's a great challenge and it has encouraged my creativity.

This week, the Muse is Tracey McNeely. Usually, her work features bright colours. This week, it's different - have a look





Here's my card

I focused on
- the creation of a stencil using a die
- the light pink colour
- a heart as the focus
- gold embellishment

I just received the Simon Says STAMP Heart of Flowers die. I die cut and used the negative as a stencil, applying Spun Sugar distress ink with an ink blending tool. I used the same die with a small piece of gold cardstock to cut out the small flower near the center of heart. I adhered the pieces on the inked flower (made placement easier). The sentiment is from Simon Says STAMP Favorite Flowers stamp set.

Thanks for visiting
sue

Less is More Challenge #311

I have a love/hate (well, hate is probably too strong a word), maybe a love/dislike relationship with one-layer cards. I feel a bit of added pressure to create a one layer card - what happens if I accidentally leave a smudge or drop my stamp or other boo-boo? I can't cover it up with a die-cut or sentiment banner. 

The current challenge at Less is More is

One Layer Card Week

and the theme we've chosen is 

Favourite Drink / Beverage

Here's my card

I masked off the area with post-it tape and added distress inks (peacock feathers and twisted citron) with ink blending tools. Then, once carefully removing the post-it tape,  with black ink, I added the cute image from Unity Stamps - A Little Party stamp set. The sentiment is from The Alley Way Stamps Tea Par-tea stamp set.

Thanks for visitng
sue

Calling All Sistahs - January Edition

It's that time of the month ...

Calling All Sistahs is a campaign started by Michele Gross of CAS-ual Fridays Stamps after her discovery of breast cancer.   The idea behind it is to remind our sistahs to do their monthly self exams and annual mammograms.  Michele designed the Calling All Sistahs collection during her cancer treatment and is now donating 50% of her profits from that line to National Breast Cancer Foundation.  This is an important reminder for all my sistahs. This month, Michele is adding a special sequins mix, Sistahood Sparkle from Pretty Pink Posh, designed exclusively for the Calling All Sistahs line at CAS-ual Fridays Stamps. Quantities are limited and once they're gone, that's they're gone!

Did you know that 1 in 8 women in the US and 1 in 9 women in Canada will develop invasive breast cancer in her lifetime. Look around, do you see 8 (or 9) women? Think about it, on average, one of them will develop breast cancer. It's up to us to do something to do what we can to reduce that incidence. Annual mammograms and monthly self exams are one way for us to take an active role. This is your monthly reminder.

We'd love to have you join us on this important Blog Hop. The Calling All Sistahs' Blog Hop will require the use of any CASual Fridays product, no longer restricted to the Calling All Sistahs' product line. Won't you join us and help us to spread the word?

Unfortunately, my package of Sistahood Sparkles is sparkling up the post office. However, I made my card in advance, hoping that there would be a package in my mailbox today. I added my own sequins to add that bit of sparkle, I love.

Here's my card

It's a simple one this month. I used clear embossing powder with stamps from CAS-ual Fridays Stamps Word Ribbon stamp set. I added colour with distress inks (spun sugar and picked raspberry) with ink blending tools. 

Next on the blog hop is 

Kimberly Rendino

Here's the entire blog hop list, in case you get "lost"

Cas-ual Fridays Stamps
Rahmat Gouse

Penny Ward

Gwendolyn Estrada

Vicki Dutcher

Ceal Pritchett

Kara Stainbrook

Sue Nagata << you are here

Kimberly Rendino

Susan White
Shona Chambers

Lori McAree

Nora Noll

Melissa Miller

Lori Kobular

Lydia Evans

Sandi Pressley

Lisa Lahiff

Mary Moisan

Claire Apostoloff

Kelly Griglione

Theresa Knopf

Jeanne Jachna

Heather North

Thanks for visiting
sue

TIME OUT Challenges - Challenge #74

Thanks to the ladies at TIME OUT Challenges for the Honorable Mention last challenge. The current challenge is a Theme with Optional Twist challenge

The Theme is:

Winter

and the optional twist is:

White on White

(you can use black and other neutrals for the sentiment)

Here's my card

I used some white shimmer paper to die cut snowflakes using Simon Says STAMP Maryanne Snowflake and Alexis Snowflake dies.  The sentiment is from Simon Says STAMP Hand Lettered Winter Wishes stamp set and was heat embossed using silver embossing powder.

Thanks for visiting
sue

Simon Says STAMP: Wednesday Challenge

The current challenge at Simon Says STAMP Wednesday Challenge is

Winter Birthday

Now, I'll admit that until today, I had never made a seasonal birthday card, never mind a winter birthday card. However, my cousin's daughter has a birthday coming up later this month so I thought I'd make a card for her. She's into acrobatics and gymnastics so I felt it was appropriate to have the super cute penguins tumbling. Here's my card.

I used Penny Black's Let's Chill stamp set. I stamped the top half of the penguins with pink, purple and teal ink. I carefully fussy cut the hats, scarves and ear muffs. I stamped the penguins in their various cartwheel-like positions and added hash marks to give the impression of movement and dipsy-doodling. The sentiment is from Paper Smooches' Sentiment Sampler stamp set.

Thanks for visiting
sue

Muse Card Club Challenge #198

Very happy to have found time to play with the gang at Muse Card Club. This week's Muse is Anita Bowden who created this great card




Here's my card

I started by clear heat embossing using the Impression Obsession Cover-a-Card Canvas stamp. I added distress inks (picked raspberry, blueprint sketch, mermaid lagoon, cracked pistachio) using ink blending tools, overlapping the colours slightly. I then die cut out a 3" circle. Then I white heat embossed the Birthday Wishes sentiment, which uses the Simon Says STAMP Birthday Messages stamp set on black cardstock. The On Your Special Day sentiment is from WPlus9 Designs Happy Wishes stamp set. I used my MISTI and a circle die to shape the sentiment. I popped up the circle with some fun foam.

Thanks for visiting
sue

a2z Scrapbooking January Challenge

Posting a card over at a2z Scrapbooking today. 

January's challenge is 

Here's my card

I used the emboss resist technique to create my card. I started with the largest flower from the Hero Arts CL980 Happy Mother's Day stamp set. I used clear embossing powder and heat set the images. I find it a bit difficult when stamping multiple images. I can't see where the versamark stamps. For me, I stamp one image, add embossing powder, then I can see where I've already stamped. It makes it easier for subsequent image stamping - working to keep the stamped images separate. I heat emboss the entire card panel once the stamping is complete. 

I used distress inks (picked raspberry, blueprint sketch and mermaid lagoon) applied with ink blending tools to add colour. The sentiment is from the same stamp set. I used silver embossing powder for the sentiment. One tip, make sure that the distress inks have had sufficient time to dry (or use your heat tool). Otherwise the embossing powder may hang around where you don't want it too!

Here's a close-up

I trimmed the panel a bit, so that when applied to an A2 card, there is a thin border. I added a couple of sequins to add a bit of sparkle.

We'd love for you to join us in our January - Anything Goes challenge. Just be sure that the focal image is a Hero Arts product. You can add your creation here

Thanks for visiting
sue

Sunday Stamps SSC143

There is a color challenge at Sunday Stamps this week.




Here's my card

I was inspired by this post on Virginia Lu's blog, where she made her own watercolor paper. I used distress inks (spun sugar, shaded lilac) and Hero Arts ink (soft cantaloupe) added with a waterbrush on watercolor paper to create a plaid. I used Simon Says STAMP's Believe die to cut the sentiment. I added Wink of Stella to the sentiment to add a bit of sparkle. Here's a close-up.

To add dimension to the card, I used a piece of fun foam to pop up the watercolor plaid panel.

Thanks for visiting
sue

CAS(E) this Sketch #203

There's a super fun sketch for this week's challenge at CAS(E) this Sketch




Here's my card

I started by inking up a panel with distress inks (broken china, salty ocean, faded jeans) with ink blending tools. I then used WPlus9's Wave Border Designer die to cut the waves. I used The Alley Way's Castaways stamp set for the cute fish and The Alley Way's Sea Mates stamp set for the sentiment. I coloured the fish in with copics and added glossy accents to the fish's eyes.

Thanks for visiting
sue

My Favorite Things: Sketch Challenge 314

Here's the sketch for the current sketch challenge at My Favorite Things




Here's my card

I used the Santa stamp from MFT's Christmas Cuteness stamp set. I coloured the image with Copics and added glossy accents to the small heart on Santa's hat. I found some patterned paper for the background and a scrap of green cardstock for the sentiment, which was from the same stamp set.

Thanks for visiting
sue

Simon Says STAMP: Wednesday Challenge

The current challenge at Simon Says STAMP Wednesday Challenge is

New Something

Here's my card

I used one of the Christmas gifts I just bought for myself, Simon Says STAMP Wild Beauty stamp set. It's my "new" item. I added colour by using Simon Says STAMP Lots of Dots stamp set with a variety of inks. The sentiment is from Simon Says STAMP Big Scripty Greetings stamp set. I matted the card panel with black.

Thanks for visiting
sue

Mojo Monday 478 Contest

The current challenge at Mojo Monday features this great sketch




Here's my card

I started with the Charming Cone Flowers stamp from Unity Stamp. I coloured in the image with copics. I used a circle die to cut out the focal image. I matted it with a scalloped circle, cut with a Spellbinders die. The sentiment is from Hero Arts Color Layering Bouquet stamp set. I used patterned paper from the 6x6 Making Memories Cheeky Collection - Abby paper pack. 

Thanks for visiting.
sue

Freshly Made Sketches: #269 - A Sketch by Linda

I'm slowly getting back into card making after a hectic Holiday Season. I'm loving the simplicity of the current sketch at Freshly Made Sketches




Here's my card

I started by inking up a panel using distress inks (mustard seed, spiced marmalade and picked raspberry), applied with ink blending tools in a random fashion. I cut a 1" and 1/4" strip. The sentiment from Simon Says STAMP Flower Friend stamp set was stamped with Hero Arts Ultra Pink ink. I finished the card with a few sequins.

Thanks for visiting
sue

CASology: Week 230

As we battle snow and ice here in Vancouver, it was fun to create a card in line with this week's challenge at CASology




Here's my card

I started with CAS-ual Friday's Snowy Sayings stamp set and Simon Says STAMP's Hand Lettered Winter wishes stamp set. I heat embossed with clear embossing powder. To add colour, I used distress inks (Faded Jeans, Salty Ocean and Tumbled Glass) applied randomly with ink blending tools.

Thanks for visiting
sue

TIME OUT Challenges #73

Slowly getting back to "normal" after a hectic holiday season.

Found some crafting time and wanted to join the current challenge at Time Out Challenges. The current challenge is an "Inspired by Words" challenge.

'With each sunrise we are given a chance for a new beginning'

Here's my card

I was inspired by sunrise and felt that new beginnings represent "hope". I started by stamping the city silhouette from MFT's You're Super stamp set.  Then I made a 3" circle mask (using the outer portion) along with a 1" circle mask where I used the 1" circle for the "rising sun". I also added a strip of post-it tape below the city's silhouette to limit where I inked. I added distress inks (squeezed lemonade, mustard seed and spiced marmalade) to mimic the sky. The sentiment is from The Alley Way Stamps Making Holidays Bright stamp set.

Thanks for visiting

sue

a2z Scrapbooking Monthly Challenge - January 2017

Happy New Year!

It's the first day of the new year. I hope that 2017 brings you much joy and happiness.

We have a new challenge at a2z Scrapbooking


We'd love for you to join us. Just remember to have a Hero Arts product as the focal point and you're good!

Here's my card

I used Hero Arts You're So Lovely stamp set and Hero Arts inks - Soft Cantaloupe, Pale Tomato, Ultra Pink, Green Hills and Moss. For the sentiment, I used gold embossing powder. To complete the card, I added gold sequins and a vertical strip of gold cardstock.

Thanks for visiting
sue

House of Cards January Challenge

Happy New Year friends!

How is it already a new year? What happened to Christmas? So much stress heading into Christmas and then before you know it, it's over. I was fortunate enough to spend Christmas with family back in Ontario. It was nice!

Since it's the first day of January, that means that there must be a new challenge at House of Cards.




Here's my card

OK - so I stretched the challenge a bit. Instead of adding a building, I added the silhouette of several buildings. I thought that I'd start the year off with a sunrise card. The buildings are from MFT You're Super stamp set. I then cut a 3" circle mask - keeping the "outside" and a 1" circle mask - keeping the circle to cover the moon. I added distress inks (squeezed lemonade, mustard seed and spiced marmalade) with ink blending tools to create the sky. The sentiment is from Neat and Tangled's Scandinavian Prints stamp set.

We'd love for you to join us at House of Cards this month - create a card with a building or use the inspiration colors.

Thanks for visiting
sue