Little Stinker

This card is for the color challenge this week at Splitcoaststampers. The colors are Terracotta Tile, Coastal Cabana and Granny Apple Green.  While these didn't immediately scream FLORAL to me I had an idea about using a skunk in a floral wreath and decided these colors would work.  And I had no other idea what to do with them.  Sometimes with challenges, you have too many ideas and other times not a one.

The card went quite quickly.  I ran the die through my die cutter several times in the colors.  Because I didn't want as many Terracotta flowers as the blue I didn't have to run quite as many in that color; however, I needed the same number of centers as blue flowers.  So I use my 1/16 and 1/8 inch punches to cut some of the centers!  The dessert option is an embossing folder and originally I was not going to use one until I found this one in my stash.  The style was so perfect I just had to use it!

Stamps: Stampin' Up! Hedgehugs, Stampin' Up! Swirly Frames, Stampin' Up! Perfect Words
Dies: Cottage Cutz Spring Lamb & Chick (flowers)
Ink: MFT Black Hybrid, Stampin' Up! Crumb Cake, Copic marker N0 (shadow on skunk)
Cardstock: Whisper White, Terracotta Tile, Coastal Cabana, Granny Apple Green
Accessories: Stampin' Up! Spring Flowers Embossing Folder

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The Two Hour (Ten Minute) Card

I've done these posts before.  The one where the card takes WAY longer than it should have.  Often it's because things so horribly wrong - dropping my ink pad on the almost finished card or a marker drips, etc.  But today's card just took a long time because of decisions.  And it was for a sketch challenge so THAT decision was done when I started the card!

It is also for an inspiration challenge where I used the colors.  Another decision made.

So, why did it take so long?  I have a LOT of patterned papers and it just took awhile to decide.  When cards are simple, the simple choices can have a big effect.  So, I had to decide on the dots versus a check, and then what size dots.  Should the frame be black with a red insert or red with black?  Or something else? I did many die cuts and just started playing with the pieces until I arrived at something I liked.

As for the sentiment, I was looking for a Valentine's day one (even though I don't need another Valentine card) because what else would you do with this card?  When I saw this I knew I had to use it.  I can always use another thank you card!  It would have been hard to make this a thank you without the "heartfelt" in the sentiment.

Now for the ten minute version.  As I was picking up and putting things away, I realized I had almost enough leftovers to make at least one more card and if I didn't do it right then, I'd probably never do it.  I chose the kraft color for the tag and base as it tones down the "love" aspect and I think makes for a better thank you card.  Ten minutes later - I was done!

This one took about 10 minutes to make.  That is one thing about CAS cards.  Very often, after the first one is made subsequent cards go very quickly.

The challenges for the card are:

Stamps: Simon Says Stamp Thanks

Dies: The Stamps of Life Double Hearts, MFT Gift Tags, MFT Banner

Paper: MFT Black & White Basics, Stampin' Up! Botanical Blooms, Real Red, White, Black, Crum Cake

Accessories: Provo Crafts Dots embossing folder

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Chocolate Helps

My card today is for this week's color challenge at Splitcoaststampers.  And let me just say that Mango Melody is NOT my favorite color.  Yet when all was said and done, it pretty much took center stage on this card.

The colors to use are Mango Melody, Pumpkin Pie and Pool Party.  Fortunately Stampin' Up! makes blends in those colors so I had less color matching to do.  I do like to use colors that are lighter than what SU offers so I usually add Copics to the mix.

After coloring with the markers I went back over the image with Prismacolor pencils.  I find I can get much more detailed this way.  It's a technique I learned many, many years ago using Prismacolor markers under the pencils. Sometime I will remember to take a before and after Prismacolor photo so that you can see the difference.

I decided to add actual buttons to the cart and thought I could save time by not coloring the wheels.  Well when I put the buttons on, even though they are slightly larger than the stamped wheels, you could see a bit underneath the buttons.  This is because the thread caused the buttons to be a fraction of an inch up from the paper. I ended up taking them off and coloring the wheels in the Pool Party.  No shading, just a flat color.  It is something I will do from now on when adding embellishments like this.  It didn't take much time at all.

Stamps: Stamping Bella Bundle Girl with Chocolate Bunny, Chocolate Sentiments
Dies: Queen & Co Simple Borders, MFT Dome Stax and Tag Builder #5
Paper: Doodlebug Happy Camper, Mango Melody, Chocolate Chip, Pool Party
Accessories: Pumpkin Pie ribbon, Subtles buttons
Markers: Stampin' Blends Pumpkin Pie Light & Dark and Copic YR000; Stampin' Blends Pool Party Light & Dark and Copic BG0000; Stampin' Blends Mango Melody Light & Dark and CopicY11; chocolate E25, E29, E21, E23; grass Stampin' Blends Mossy Meadow Light and CopicYG61; skin E01, E00, E11
Prismacolors: Mango - 916, 917, 1002, 1003; Pumpkin  118, 1033, 1032; Pool Party 905, 922, 1086; chocolate 1082, 947, 946, 945; grass 1005, 988, 1097; skin 933, 939, 997

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Inlaid Die Cutting

My card today celebrates Valentine's Day and a birthday.  I have a friend born on February 14.  This is one of those subjects that can get a bit touchy.  Do you send one card or two?  Well, since I wouldn't normally send her a Valentine's card I don't feel like I'm cheating her with one card.  And truly it's not a Valentine's card - it only says "Happy Birthday!"  I simply use hearts and the red/pink colors as a theme.  Last year's card had a birthday cake in reds and pink.

The card uses an inlaid die cut technique.  I've done this before and it can get pretty intricate, but not so much this time.  To do this technique, cut your die from the color you'd like as your frame and as many colors as you'd like to inlay.  In this case, just two.  Save all the pieces.

After gluing down the frame, insert the pieces.  It's rather like a jigsaw puzzle.  I did try to keep things somewhat organized when I removed my pieces from the die and put them in piles for the upper part, middle part and lower part of the frame.

I only wanted to highlight part of the die since I thought it would be too busy for the zebra if it was all filled in.  By varying the colors some hearts are in front and others behind.

This was a simple card to make (zebra equals little coloring) and is for the color challenge this week at CAS Colours & Sketches.  I hope you'll find time to join us.

Stamps: MFT Zippy Zebras, MFT Anything But Basic Birthday
Dies: MFT Zippy Zebras, MFT Hearts Entwined
Cardstock: Real Red, Flirty Flamingo, Silver
Ink: Copic markers N0 and N1; Stampin' Blends Flirty Flamingo Dark (ears) and Real Red Dark (flowers)

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An Anti-Valetine

This card is an anti-valentine Valentine for my husband.  Basically, this is me in the morning.  I'd like to think I'm sparkly, sunshine and rainbows in the morning - like a unicorn.  But in reality....not so much.

I'm closer to this.  I tried to give her mane a dulled look and purposely avoided any sparkle on the card.  How hard is THAT with a unicorn?

So why is this an anti-Valentine?  For one, it's for the current challenge at Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers.

And for another, most Valentine's cards don't use the terms "stuck" and "get used to it".  But hubby and I have been together now for 38 years (married for 35) so they may be appropriate! :)

Stamps: The Rabbit Hole Designs Caffeinated Unicorn
Sentiment: Simon Says Stamp Sentiment Strips
Inks: Copic markers R81, R83, R85, RV000; C00, C0, C1; N0, N1, N2, N4; R01, Y11, G40, B41, V22; Y11, Y13, Y15; E47, E49

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