Sunflower Collage - Stampendous

Hello, blogging friends! It's time to share a wonderful new stamp for the new Moving Along With The Times Challenge! I hope you can play along. Challenge #74's theme is JUNE BLOOMS - just make sure your card's focal image is a flower(s) and share your card!

We have a guest sponsor this month who will be providing a prize to one lucky player: Crafty Ribbons. My card features Yellow Ric Rac Ribbon. Challenge ends July 4 at 11PM Eastern Daylight Time. Looking forward to seeing your floral creations on the challenge blog!

Today's project contains a bit of mixed media styling, using every bit of this gorgeous 6x6 Stampendous Stamp called Sunny Sketch!

I loved the way it looked with only the color - no glitter or embellishment.


But we all know I can't NOT add glitter! (love the double negative?)

After heat setting with White Detail Embossing Powder, I used assorted Watercolor sprays, markers, and reinkers - whatever was in my stash with colors I wanted to achieve. It was fun and easy! An acrylic block was my palette and I scribbled, dabbed and sprayed whatever color onto it. Then an Aqua Flow brush made easy work of the colors. Be sure to wet your paper before applying color for more fluid blending.

  

Nuvo Aqua Flow water brush

This two-pack includes one medium brush and one fine brush.

I stamped a 2nd flower, embossed it, and spritzed with Nuvo Mica Mist in Turkish Rose and Violet Lustre. This effortlessly produced a pearly iridescent flower, resisting the White Detail Embossing Powder. The flower was spritzed with water, and each petal was crimped and shaped. Every 2nd or 3rd petal was cut off so the flower beneath could be seen:


The flower center was fun! I adhered layers of Pink Fizz MicroFine Glitter, Glass Glitter in Fuchsia and Silver, Silver Leaf Tinsel Glitter and some micro beads on top of Dimensional Glue:



Raspberry Pink Crystal Drops have been used inside the yellow flower, along the bottom border, and a few other places. Dimensional Glue with Starfire Ultrafine Glitter was also used along the border and elsewhere:

Products Used:

• SNS Stampendous Sunny Sketch 6CR004 Rubber Stamp on Cling
• SNS Hampton Art Word Layering Greetings SC0752
• SNS White Detail Embossing Powder
• SNS Nuvo Mica Mist in Nebula Blue, Turkish Rose, Violet Lustre
• SNS Silver Leaf Tinsel Glitter GT3004
• SNS Glass Glitter in Fuchsia and Silver
• SNS Pink Fizz MicroFine Glitter GM2050
• SNS Starfire Ultrafine Glitter
• SNS Raspberry Pink Crystal Drops
• SNS Dimensional Glue, Brushable Glue
• SNS Nuvo Aqua Flow water brush (has medium and fine in the pack)
• Assorted Watercolor sprays, water-based markers, water-based reinkers
• Papers: 110lb Neenah cardstock in white, turquoise, sunny yellow
• Spellbinders: Grand Nestabilities Labels One, Grand Nestabilities Decorative Labels One
• Beadies

Challenges this card is submitted to:

1. As You Like It Challenges (June 21) Wet or Dry Embossing - Which is your Favorite and Why? - I have always enjoyed wet embossing because of the richness it affords. Watching it raise up into shiny, creamy textures, and marvelous colors, I can't help but be addicted to the possibilities such as resist techniques, simple golden elegance, or making my own metallic or sparkling paper for die cuts. It's a great distressing tool, too. I love playing with my EP! 7/5
2. Cardz 4 Galz Challenge #74 Sunny Summer Days 7/5
3. Dare 2B Artzy (June 3) Bright Colors 7/1
4. Crafting from the Heart #211 Anything Goes 6/27
5. Crafty Cardmakers #214 Wet or Dry Embossing (white detail EP around all the images). 7/1 (C15)
6. Creatalicious Challenges #141 AG with flowers 6/29
7. Morgan's Art World Challenge (June 15) 7/15
8. Pammie's Inky Pinkies Challenges #1824 Anything Goes 6/25
9. Stamping Sensations (June 3) Anything Goes 7/1 (sep post aft)
10. The Creative Crafters #5 Anything Goes 7/12
11. We Love 2 Create (June 3) Anything Goes Mixed Media (same post) 7/1
12. World Wide Open DT Challenge #6 - AG for a DT 7/15

On a Personal Note:

My Hoya plant (commonly known as Hindu Rope) is blooming again! Each year, there will be more blooms, as long as I don't trim it, because Hoyas tend to bloom in the same spot each year. Here are 2 draped "ropes" with blooms:

In this bloom, the tiny waxy shell that contains the velvety starburst can still be seen at the bottom of the bloom. It has not burst open yet:

Like Christmas Cactus, Hoyas grow up trees in the wild and have many air roots.

Thanks for visiting today!
love,

Sew and Sew {Cardz 4 Galz}

Hello, blogging friends and visitors! It's great to see you this morning, and I hope you are doing well.
It's typical summer weather in Florida - HOT AND STEAMY!
But I love where we live, and it would take something very important to make us move away.

Time for a new challenge at Cardz 4 Galz Challenges today!
Badges are awarded for the Spotlight Winner and Top Picks.

Challenge #50 is chosen by teamie Caz -and the theme is:

  Sew and Sew  

Show us your sewing themed cards using any technique and medium!
Challenge ends on July 5.

Today's design celebrates the birthday of a very special friend who has been there for me time and again! It's different from anything I've made before, and anything she would expect; however, I am using her favorite citrus colors - tangerine, lime, lemon - those are colors she loves.

The collage is comprised of freebies from The Graphic Fairy and Create with TLC,

then colored with Copic Markers and Distress Inks.

A little stitching down the side of the lacy punch panel, and a couple coats of clear EP on the butterflies to help them match the gloss on the buttons:

Products Used:

• A collage created with several images from "Create with TCL" and "The Graphics Fairy"
• sentiment computer generated
• colored with Distress Inks, Copic Markers
• SW pierced rectangles
• rick rack and buttons from my Great Aunt Agnes
• Clear EP on the butterflies for texture, embossing folder triangles
• Stitching on the black card stock panel punched with MS border lace punch

Challenges I'd like to play in please:

1. A Perfect Time to Craft Open Challenge #6 - Anything Goes 7/1
2. Butterfly Spot Challenge #14 Bingo Card (Buttons, Butterflies, Bows - rick rack) 6/28
3. Classic Design Team Open Challenge #15 - Anything Goes DT 7/1
4. Crafting With An Attitude #28 - Anything Goes 7/6
5. Crafts Galore Encore JUNE - Anything Goes 7/1
6. Crafty Girls Creations - Anything Goes 7/6
7. Dragonfly Dreams (June) Make it Sparkle 7/2 (green frame is glittered, butterflies are coated with clear EP to make them shine)
8. Making Memories Crafting #6 Anything Goes/Bingo Board (diagonally from top right BLING - IMAGE - DIE CUT  7/7
9. World Wide Open Design Team Challenge #23 - Anything Goes DT 7/15
10. Path of Positivity Challenge #50 (please read below)

Although the theme FAITH, HOPE, LOVE are not wedding related in my card,

they are about the importance of RELATIONSHIPS.

I was inspired by my treasured friend during the creation of this project (especially the asymmetry, colors, and vintage style). It is nothing like she would expect, nor anything like I've made in the past.

Although symmetry is what many of us prefer in our lives, this card is a reminder that the best times in our lives are unexpected, occurring when and where we least expect them, and coming from the least likely source(s).

The “base” is a digital collage including:

Friendship based on a firm foundation similar to sisterhood. The vintage aspect reminds us of long-lasting events and friends. The older, antique “tools” (sewing machine, scissors, dress form) remind us that as we age, our hearts remain young if we only embrace the new “lifestyles” that find their way to us - whether it be in new friends, new material things, new thoughts, RENEWAL.

1. Sewing represents the fabric of our lives - the stitches that hold it together, or might even require pulling out, and restitching where necessary. The rick rack from Great Aunt Agnes’ sewing stash, was used to cover up sewing mistakes, and to adorn everything from potholders to baby clothes. The rick rack of our lives is our willingness to be flexible, to roll with the changes Life brings us, to transform what we can about ourselves, and to accept the rest. 
2. Buttons hold openings together - but always, buttons can be undone, accidentally lost, and even changed to modify styles. They come in different sizes - some shiny and dull. Buttons are the stays - little gifts - that keep our lives interesting yet held together. Some of them are bright and shiny, like good times with family and friends, and happiest of memories. Some are dull and unlikeable, symbolizing the darker, unhappier moments of our lives. On this card, one of the buttons is on a butterfly’s body, ready to accept its transformation.
3. The butterflies remind us of freedom and beauty. We can allow ourselves to be held prisoner by the “dull buttons” of our lives, or we can find freedom through those hardships by flying off, changing our perceptions, and becoming the beauty of who we are no matter what happens. The dress form reminds us that one form will fit many, but it is the custom tucks and trims that make us each unique.
4. The Sparkle (glitter) and Lightness (feather) we bring to our lives, and the lives of others, is all dependent upon our choices. We can make ourselves and others feel guilty and “small”, or we can free ourselves and others by moving forward constantly, setting an example by growing continually, and being content with the preciousness and joys in our lives.
5. My friends are those Precious Joys in my life - they bring out the FAITH, HOPE AND LOVE. Friends are color and buttons, butterflies and rick rack, vintage and contemporary - all things beautiful and valued.

Thank you for enriching my life!Stitched Hugs,

BD and AD - {Dies R Us} {Out of the Box technique} {Spotlight technique}

Hello, sweet crafting friends! 
Thanks for dropping by for a little
Dies R Us Inspiration!

Today's project is all about BD and AD!

that is...

BEFORE die cuts and AFTER die cuts!

It also features the Spotlight technique with dies - 

using the same colors, 

and

the same stamp image, 

to see how differently the same spotlighted images can look 

by simply changing the die cuts.

click below for:
STORE
PINTEREST BOARD
CHALLENGE BLOG
FACEBOOK
INSPIRATION BLOG

My cards use the following DRU Products:

                                                       each card has the following for the two "spotlight" elements.

Sue Wilson - Canadian Collection - Montreal (for dainty oval)

Sue Wilson - Noble Dies - Classic Adorned Squares (rose pop up)

Card One (butterfly in corner):

Sue Wilson - Noble Dies - Ornate Pierced Rectangles (for frame)

Memory Box - Cascadia Butterfly Trio and Leavenworth Butterfly Trio

Taylored Expressions - Mini Leaves

Card Two (brown tones):

Spellbinders - Card Creator 5x7 Elegant Labels Four

Sue Wilson - Noble Dies - Classic Adorned Squares (rose pop up)

Sue Wilson - Canadian Collection - Montreal (for dainty oval)

Card Three (dark background):
Spellbinders - Card Creator 5x7 Detailed Scallops

Spellbinders - Mega Nestabilities Curved Rectangles (to create smooth turq panel for stamp)

Dee's Distinctively - Flourish Set Four

Card Four:
A2 Card is the BD (before dies):

none!

The Out-of-the-Box die cut technique was developed for images that might be larger than dies.
"Spotlighting" is an old, old stamping technique.  

Here are links for the Out of the Box Video and a step-by-step pictorial tutorial.

For another of my unusual out of the box cards, please click here. 

For some gorgeous Spotlighting ideas, please visit this Pinterest Board.

Psst! If you are new to Pinterest, please know you don't have to sign up or have a Pinterest account in order to enjoy all the lovely Pin-spiration you'll find there.

An "olden days" style Spotlight card without dies to fancy it up:

To accomplish the Spotlight technique using dies, it is easiest to deliberately choose crooked shapes, or shapes like circles that can be easily rotated on the image. Because the Out-of-the-Box technique on this card uses level dies (as opposed to round), I needed to be sure that the pop up portion would not be crooked when adhered. I'm not always good at "eye-balling", so this is how I solved that issue:

CARD ONE:

How to create the first card's shaped base and frame:

CARD TWO:

Putting the frame and card together:

Using the "negative left overs" on the interior:

CARD THREE:

Changing it up by using a dark background and white embossing powder, but all the same colors:

To create the frame:

Interior using the left over pieces:

Our BEFORE and AFTERS:

Other Products:

• Image: Joy! Crafts Clear Stamp "Floral Flourishes"
• SU White cardstock, Recollections glitter paper
• Tombow Markers
• StazOn Azure Blue, Mermaid Lagoon and Stormy Sky Distress dye inks
• Craft Essentials EFOB0010 Basket Weave embossing folder (Card 3)
• SNS - Detail White EP, Meadow Spark Ultrafine Glitter,
• Inks: Moonlight White Brilliance (distress 3rd card), VersaMark, Mermaid Lagoon, Old Paper, Tea Dye,
• Prima Flowers,
• Paper: SU, Recollections Glitter, Vellum

Challenges I'd like to play in please:

1. Craft Your Passion #307 - Anything Goes 4/19
2. Crafting from the Heart #107 - Anything Goes 4/19
3. Crafty Gals Corner #67 Use Die Cuts or Punches 4/19
4. Dream Valley #129 Anything Goes 4/25
5. Inspiration Destination Challenges "#81 Anything Goes" 4/19
6. Tuesday Throwdown #289 - Use Your Die Cuts 4/19

Stamping Hugs Always,