Coloring on Vellum - Back to Basics Challenge

Hello, everyone! Did those of you who braved Black Friday survive?
Hoping this finds you and yours in good health.

It's time for a brand new Back to Basics and Beyond Challenge!
BBB is also having a DT Call! If you're looking for an easy-going, fun great to work with, and one that is using a different technique in each challenge, please check out the DT info on our home page.

For the next two weeks, join us by uploading an "Anything-Goes" project as long as it uses vellum which has been hand colored on the back side. I have not used this technique in over 10 years! How sad is that. This challenge has awakened a renewed passion for playing with it. The team has all kinds of inspiration and a variety of styles to view, so take a look! Hope to see yours there.

My cards feature an old Outlines Rubber Stamp by Hampton Art. The stamp has been in my stash since 2011, but is one of my favorites. The vellum has shiny confetti on it. VersaFine Clair Golden Meadow was used to get a clean, crisp image, then dredged with Gold Detail Embossing Powder. It melted very quickly:

First up is a lovely, soft rendition using only 2 colors of Copic Markers. I heat set Gold Detail Embossing Powder on the front side of the vellum, flipped it over, and colored with a pale blue #12 copic marker, and then darker color in the smaller areas:

The top of the vellum is folded over a piece of white cardstock, and adhered from behind to pale aqua cardstock.

The blue copic marker shades the entire embossed area:

The second card includes a fun, wonky frame using two square dies:

The dove was stamped on vellum as above, but colored with more hues and with darker colors. VersaFine Clair Golden Meadow was distressed around the edges of the frame and dredged with Gold Tinsel Embossing Powder to give a little sparkly effect:

The sweet sentiment made me feel good, so that's why it's there giggling - It's on a strip of the same vellum. I love this challenge - always getting me out of my box!

Hope you have time to join us!
Back to Basics and Beyond Challenge

Products Used:

• Images: Hampton Art Outlines Holiday Dove PS0573, and Hero Arts Merry Christmas Sentiments 4x6 CL722
• Gold Detail Embossing Powder
• Gold Tinsel Embossing Powder
• VersaFine Clair Golden Meadow
• Copic Markers
• Paper: Confetti Vellum, Turquoise, Aqua and White
• Dies: Spellbinders Grand Square, Classic Square

Challenges I'd like to play in please:

1. Crafting by Designs #Nov 28 Christmas 12/5
2. Crafty Creations #379 AG 12/12
3. Creative Craft Challenge #113 Christmas 12/7
4. ScrapyLand Challenges #102 Use Die SL sells (SB Grand & Classic squares) 12/3
5. Holly and Ivy Christmas #41 AG Christmas 12/2
6. Mod Squad #Nov 28 Christmas with a Critter 12/5
7. Make My Monday #85 Non Traditional Colors (turquoise/aqua) 12/8

Wishing you all a safe and happy holiday season.

Poinsettia Easel - Back to Basics and Beyond

I'm so happy you are here, and that you have time to share in my little creation.
It's time for a brand new Back to Basics and Beyond Challenge!

For the next two weeks, join us by uploading an "Anything-Goes" project as long as an easel "fold" technique is used. The team has all kinds of inspiration and a variety of styles to view, so take a look! Hope to see yours there.

My card features a Stampendous 6x6 stamp which has been cut down:

I started with this gorgeous Stampendous Poinsettia Collage stamp on textured watercolor paper and VersaFine Clair Tulip Red. What dreamy details this fabulous ink picks up! I have all the colors and am delighted my favorite store now carries them - (get an extra 10% off using my discount code)

Because of the heavily textured paper, I stamped the image 3 times to capture all the details:

Apple Red Detail EP276 was used on the top half of the image, and Clear Detail EP was used on the bottom half:

I stamped two more partial images for layering purposes and heat set with Firecracker Detail EP291 because it contains glitter:



Here is the main image embossed and watercolored:



A 6x6 red panel was cut, and 1/2" Double-sided Tear-ific Tape was applied to each side. Tomato Red Glitter Tinsel was burnished into each side:



Gypsy Red Microfine Glitter was burnished into the tinsel to cover up all the tiny crevices:



The sentiment from Happy Holidays 897 was stamped with VersaMark Ink and heat set with White Detail EP298,



A close up of the image:

An old Martha Stewart Trim punch was used for the easel stop. There are 8 layers adhered together.


Dynamites Holly Branch die was decked out with Gecko Green Microfine Glitter and Fire Engine Red Ultrafine Glitter:



I promise the dimensional flower is glittery and not so dark around the edges in real life.

Hoping to see your pretty easel cards in our challenge this time!

On a sad note, this is my final official SNS design team card, but I'm grateful to still be using their products!

Products Used:

• Stamps: Stampendous Poinsettia Collage, SNS Happy Holidays 897 (also available digitally)
• Embossing Powders: Firecracker Detail EP291, Apple Red Detail EP276, Clear Detail EP, White Detail EP298,
• Inks: VersaFine Clair Tulip Red, Fired Brick Distress, VersaMark Ink
• Adhesives: Nuvo Deluxe Glue, Brushable Glue, 1/2" Double-sided Tear-ific Tape,
• Glitters: Tomato Red Glitter Tinsel, Gypsy Red Microfine Glitter, Gecko Green Microfine Glitter, Fire Engine Red Ultrafine Glitter, 
• Other: MS Double Arch Deep Edge Punch, MS Double Arch Corner Punch, MS Double Edge Trim Punch, Zig Watercolor Markers, Dynamites Holly Branch die
• Paper: Watercolor, Poppy Red

Challenges I'd like to play in please:

1. Allsorts Challenges #493 Poppies or RED 11/16 sep post
2. Christmas at Sweet Stampin' (Nov 14) 12/3 (sep post)
3. The Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge #40 Anything Christmas Goes 11/17 (sep post) C15
4. Try Stampin' Or Not on Tuesday Nov Technique Challenge - Glitter - (I have 2 types microfine glitter, glitter tinsel, and 1 ultrafine glitter) 11/25 (sep post - they have multiple challenges each month)
5. Dream Valley #190 Use Dies AND punches (3 Martha Stewart punches and one Dynamites die) 2nd entry, C10, 11/16 sep post
6. Make My Monday Challenge #84 Winter Foliage 11/25
7. Pammie's Inky Pinkies #1845 AG 11/19

Stamping Hugs,

Woofie's Christmas - Moving Along With The Times

Hello, friends! So glad you could visit today.
Christmas cards, of course, with an unusual seasonal greeting.
It's always fun seeing how different an image looks with a simple change in colors.

It's time to share a Project for the new Moving Along With The Times Challenge!

Challenge #84's theme is WINTER ANIMALS - for the next 2 weeks just make sure your project has winter themed animals on it and upload!

My card features the adorable Mr. Woofie, excited to enjoy his first snowfall -- after all, he IS a Florida Puppy, just visiting relatives for the Christmas holidays. (giggle)

Mr. Woofie has been colored in four shades, die cut, and coordinated with SNS Microfine glitters. These glitters are velvety smooth, and don't cover up the intricate details of the die cuts:



In the next step, I applied the frames to sticker paper:

After putting a coffee filter under the exposed panel, I applied a little glitter:


Thoroughly burnish in the glitter:


Do the same thing with each image:


Adhere the glittered panels to a white card base and select a sentiment:



Stamped with Versafine Clair Ink, clear detail embossing powder was then applied to the sentiments and heat set:



Magenta - Orchid Rose GM2016 and Purple Delight VersaFine Clair Ink:



Marine Blue GM2049 and Blue Belle VersaFine Clair Ink

Gecko Green GM2045 and Green Oasis VersaFine Clair Ink:

Day Dreamin' GM2052 and Chianti VersaFine Clair Ink:

Close Up of the images:
The sentiments were each stamped in a different color VersaFine Clair, and heat set with Clear Detail EP280. I began collecting these inks in March, and dearly enjoy them. I want to purchase the remaining 6 colors LOL - they capture the detail of a stamp wonderfully, and are easy to emboss with.

Products Used:

• Image: Woofie's Christmas Rubber Stamp 468, also available digitally and Eskimo Kisses 788 (sentiment), also available digitally.
• Papers: Neenah Solar White, White
• Adhesives: Sticker Paper, Nuvo Deluxe Adhesive with fine tip, Dimensionals
• Microfine Glitters: Marine Blue GM2049, Orchid Rose GM2016, Day Dreamin' GM2052, Gecko Green GM2045, Teal Velveteen GM2017
• Embossing Powder: Clear Detail EP280
• Inks: VersaFine Clair in the following colors - Blue Belle, Green Oasis, Purple Delight, Chianti, and Memento Sweet Plum, Memento Paris Dusk
• Others: Copic and PrismaColor Markers, MS snowflake punch
• Dies: Wild Rose Studios "Rose Frame",  3 Sue Wilson Double Pierced Rectangles dies

Challenges I'm Supporting with these cards:

1. Dream Valley Challenges #190 "Use Dies and Punches" (punch MS Snowflake, dies Wild Rose Studios Rose Frame and 3 SW Double Pierced Rectangles) 11/21 (sep post) C10
2.  Paper Craft Challenges #24 "Friendship" 11/21(sentiment "friends warm the heart")
3. RetroRubber Challenge #99 Anything Goes (my rubber stamp set is a "virgin" rubber stamp set that is 6 or 7 years old.) 11/17 (sep post) C10
4. Try Stamping on it (Nov 1 Glitter Tech) Use Glitter 11/24 (sep post)
5. Classic DT Open Challenge #11 AG for DT 12/01 (sep post)

Hugs from Florida,

Christmas Cardinal - 2 Crafty Critter Crazies Challenge

Happy November First to all my critter-loving friends!
Today begins a new Challenge at Two Crafty Critter Crazies where we love to see any project with a critter on it! Critters include "real life" everything alive (except humans and flora), to mythical creatures as well. Our sponsor is Sparkle N Sprinkle, so join us with your crafty creations this month for a chance to win and be recognized.


Yikes! I waited to the last minute to do my Christmas Cards! Thank goodness for the digital artists who provide marvelously pre-colored images for negligent folks such as myself.

My cards feature the beautiful Cardinal and Holly Digital Set 895 (also available in rubber). I printed two to a page and used that lovely SW holly die - it's so ornate with the piercings and details. Each card is a little different, but all use the same image and dies.

 First, here's a close-up of the cardinal, colored by Tracey-Lynn Miller of Fred She Said designs. Tracey is a dream artist to work with, and I dearly love the images she makes for SNS.



My cards are 5.5" square, and flat for mailing.
While these cards use two frame style dies, they would be pretty using a single die cut for smaller cards, or for making name-place plaques on a holiday table.

Check out this bright white on red card! The "shadow" behind the Merry Christmas is a separate die. The Tonic set is a 2-die set where you can cut them out together, and make a great "negative" image in addition to the Merry Christmas, or they can be used individually, to achieve color variations like I have done on these cards. The Red Card has a green-red print "slab" behind the white Merry Christmas:

Next is a White on Green variation with a red center and red slab:

Solid green outside, solid red around the cardinal, and red/green designer paper in between:

Finally, I used some designer paper with a red center panel.
I think it is my favorite, but I like them all! It was a great way of using up some of my odds and ends Christmas cardstock.

For quick interiors, I used my own SNS digital set Happy Holidays Digital Stamp Set 897 (also available in rubber). The digital set has some black-and-white and colored holly corners, and also a border with it. So I quickly arranged the following and copy-and-pasted it 3 more times. It would be pretty all by itself!

Thanks for stopping by today. Hoping you enjoyed seeing how we can still experience the joy of card making, while using some quick tools!

Products Used:

• Images: Cardinal and Holly Digital Set 895 (also available in rubber), Happy Holidays Digital Stamp Set 897 (also available in rubber)
• Dies: Tonic Slab Merry Christmas, Sue Wilson Ornate Holly Framed Noel, SB Decorative Labels One

I'd like to play in ScrapyLand's 100th Challenge pretty-please- AG with SL dies - Tonic, Sue Wilson, Spellbinders 11/7

stamping hugs,