My blog is called "Creative Smiles" because my designs are the result of incorporating mistakes. With fumble fingers that drop whatever they are holding - repeatedly, it takes a lot of giggles, smiles and creative patience during my crafting process. xx

Showing posts with label Z-fold. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Z-fold. Show all posts

Thursday, June 15, 2023

PSX Botanical Iris {Beautiful Blossoms Challenges} and freebies

 Hello, blogging friends! Thanks so much for visiting! I have an invitation for you -- to join us at the Beautiful Blossoms Challenge beginning today!


We are a
fun "mood-board-inspired" monthly challenge which features Flowers as the main focus.  

 The Mood Board is a starting point, and your artwork is where your imagination takes you! 

 I was inspired by: 

  1. The colors purple, pink and green.
  2. The Iris flower.
  3. The vintage feel of the Bouquet in a Vase.

Both cards feature the same colors with the exception of the shading around the frame, and the shadows around the image. Just that little bit of refinement changes the appearance of both cards!

I'll start off with the backs of the cards. The sentiment below is also being offered to you as a freebie gift in three versions. Just scroll down for it.



I have only made one other Z-fold card. But seeing so many Double-Z Fold fun fold cards recently, I felt inspired to make these simple creations. They are 5x7 size. Here is the front of the dark purple:

It was colored in Copic Markers after being stamped in VersaFine Clair Monarch Purple and heat set in Clear Detail embossing powder. This version is highlighted in the jade colors. On the left side of the card are three torn strips from Coordinations cardstock, which have been dry embossed, sanded and distressed. The image basically hides the details, unfortunately.


I am ashamed to admit this stamp is well over 20 years old and has never been inked. The interior has room for a handwritten message in a frame I doodled:

Next is the same image, colored in the same theme colors, but a lighter card stock, and purples around the edges rather than the jade greens. It completely changes the look of the colored image:

The horizontal green lines are ribbons. The "Double" part of the card has been dry embossed, as has the front left:

These were really fun to color and assemble, AND I learned a lot about coloring, embossing, and testing adhesives prior to using "unused" stash! (giggle)

QUESTION TIME!

When you color an image with any medium, or make a background, or add color to any project...  

do you often wait for several hours or even overnight to see how the colors set? I do that to determine if a strong enough tint was achieved (not that I'm a colorist), or if a few additional touches are needed. But then, I am a very slow crafter, and also have to correct boo-boos the next day (giggle), so I tend to start out too light, and progress to darker hues or tones after. What about you?

Thanks for stopping by. Hoping to see your amazing floral creations in the challenge!

Products: both cards use: PSX K-3131 Botanical Iris Stamp, VersaFine Clair Monarch Purple, Clear Detail embossing powder, Copic Markers, EKSuccess Dragonfly Punch, Spellbinders Fleur de Lis Rectangles S4-317 (one of my first ever SB dies!)       Dark Purple card - Cracked Pistachio Distress ink, Craft Concepts Secret Garden EF, Coordinations Dark Purple "Sandable" cardstock, Dies: Impression Obsession Grass DIE038-J,     Lavender & Green card - Seedless Preserves Oxide, Tattered Lace Victorian Rose EF, Ocean Mist Really Reasonable Ribbon

Freebies - A little late for Spring this year:

My gift to you - Arrangements of the same sentiment for use on the inside or outside of your projects. Please do not sell these Sentiments. Use on any of your projects, including projects involving any design teams you might be on.

Click on the image to bring it to full size. Because of the changes Google Made with Blogger (June 2020), your image will appear to be solid black. Don’t panic. Right click and do a SAVE AS PNG. Once it is saved on your hard drive, you can open it and it will have a transparent background. I create PNGs instead of JPGs so they can be placed anywhere on a scene or project, and so backgrounds can be made using them. Please let me know if you have any problems. I hope they serve you well!

Enjoy!


I would love to paraphrase this to say: Spring Flowers are Winter's Dreams revealed. Do you think that is acceptable, or do you prefer Khalil Gibran's exact and more beautifully poetic words?





this one is for a vertical setup:


Playing in the following fine challenges please!

  1. Worldwide Crafters and Colorists Challenge #6 AG (entry 1 of 3) 7/12
  2. A Perfect Time to Craft #6 AG (check 8/1)

  3. Classic Design Challenge #6 AG 7/1

  4. Pammie's Inky Pinkies #2323 AG 7/19

  5. Craft Rocket Challenges #104 Use Dies 7/1 (Spellbinders Fleur de Lis Rectangles S4-317, Impression Obsession Grass DIE038-J multiple times)

  6. Creative Creases
    #59 Anything Goes with a Fun Fold 6/22
  7. Dragonfly Dreams Challenges (June 4 "June") Fancy Folds Challenge 7/1 (both cards are double Z fold cards)
  8. Ally's Angels #71 Anything Goes 7/10
  9. Bastel-Traum Challenges #124 Flowers-Plants 7/15
  10. Craft Rocket Challenges #104 Use Dies (Spellbinders Fleur de Lis Rectangles S4-317 - one of my first ever SB dies! - Impression Obsession Grass DIE038-J)  6/29


hugs,

Friday, February 28, 2014

March Reveal - Sparkle N Sprinkle


Sign up for


Welcome to Sparkle N Sprinkle's March 1 Reveal.

Happy Smiles to all my dear blogging friends and to new followers
Carmen, Barb, Jenny, Maria, Tanti K, Gabriela, Michelle, Danielle, Gabriela, Leeann and Naomi

This month Sparkle N Sprinkle is featuring five versatile stamp sets.
Two of the sets are perfect for Christmas.
Many SNS customers said they promise themselves to make Christmas cards but something always comes up. So this month's technique kit uses the pretty Red Cardinal drawn by Rosiland Solomon.

The Winter Cardinal stamp set is available by itself on line.
It is also included in Jazzy Jill's Technique Video for the month.
AND it can be purchased as a digital image.

The first of the month also means a new challenge at SNS Creative Challenges where the theme is always 
"Anything Goes with Loose Glitter, Embossing Powder and/or Flocking."

click here for complete directions to my card 
it was actually a simple card because the embossing makes it look great!

Debuting stamps sets (please click image to enlarge)

Born to Shop #554
also available as a digital image here
(also available as a digital image here)

Iris Frame #532
Springtime Spunky #537


How the SNS Mystery Party works:

On Five of the participating blogs below, a Commenter will be selected to receive a prize
No one knows who the five Mystery Designers are, so you may wish to visit each blog to leave a comment. Winners will also get to choose one Glitter and one Embossing Powder to go with their new stamp set.  Winners will be announced on March 3 on Facebook, the SNS blog, and on our blogs:

April Williams
Anne Temple
Anita Scroggins
Donna Ellis
Shona Erlenborn
Eret Pank
Mayra Duran-Hernandez
Emmy van den Heuvel
Belinda Shupe
Marie Berquist
Jazzy Jill

Each of the five stamp sets are available at 20% off.
Promotion valid through March 3. 
You may also phone the SNS Shoppe to place your orders.

I did it! I made a card which folds flat!
proudly taking a bow before the audience - and laughing at myself

Even with the two layers of extra thick Stardream Cardstock, it weighs an ounce, so can be mailed in a single-stamp envelope, folded with the top flap closed, or with the Z-fold left in tact. 
My card is 6" tall and 7" wide when the Z-fold is left in place.
Or it may be folded "in half" and is only 6" x 5.25".
I'll "cheap out" with a rectangular envelope so the Post Office will accept it.

Not sure what type of fold this actually is because the card completely morphed on its own.
Can it be counted as a Z-fold?


Like everyone else, I want to make my Christmas cards a little all year long, so my card uses the new Cardinal and Peace images. 

The Cardinal is stamped with Rhubarb Stalk Memento ink and colored with Copics. With this color ink, there is no dark outline to the stamp. 

Also used are stamps from two other SNS Christmas sets (listed below). They have been heat embossed with Tuscan Sun and Tuscan Star EP. To add a touch of red and green to the aged gold, Chantilly Glitter was added to the distressed panel in front, and the greenery in the other 2 panels.

(Wahhh! the glitter colors do not show up in the photography - so sorry!)

 I dug out some Stardream cardstock which had not seen the light of day for at least 5 years and decided to use a gold-brown motif for a change. That luscious brown is laced with gorgeous metallic gold throughout! It's beautiful!



The cardinal on the front is looking out over his winter wonderland at his friend on a distant tree.


Where the fold is between the sentiment and winter wonderland, I created a bit of a "hinge". There are actually 2 folds 1/8" apart. This accommodates the thick Stardream Cardstock Layers and prevents the 2 panels from rubbing against the glitter on each side.

Standing up:




Sparkle N Sprinkle Products Used:
Spellbinders: Grand Stately Circles, Grand Labels Four
Copic Markers: R05, R29, R56, R59, W03, G21, G94, YG67
Ink: Antique Linen (Distress), Galaxy Gold (Brilliance), Rhubarb Stalk (Memento)
VersaMark Ink
VersaMarker
Cardstock: Neenah Solar White, Brown-Gold Stardream, Gold Stardream
Embossing Powder: Tuscan Sun EP414, Tuscan Star EP426
Glitter: Chantilly G1041, Fire Engine Red G1007
Brushable Glue #540

Challenges this card is playing in:

  1. ABC Christmas Challenge (Feb 19) - D is for Die Cuts (3 die cuts used) 3/3
  2. Christmas Card Challenges #13 - Anything Goes Christmas 3/1
  3. Fab N Funky Challenges #205 - Christmas  3/3
  4. Craftin' Desert Divas (Feb 24) - Glitter it Up - 3/1
  5. Crafty Cardmakers #110 - Come Fly With Me (must use bird) 3/1
  6. Crafty Girls Challenges #12 - Anything Goes 3/3
  7. Little Miss Muffet Challenges - #80 - Anything Goes 3/3
  8. Jellypark Challenges - "Things With Wings" - 3/12
  9. Stampin' for the Weekend - "Sparkle N Shine"{lots of EP (2 colors) , and lots of Glitter (2 colors) sorry that my camera could not capture all the glitter and shine very well - 3/12

Warm Florida Hugs,