Challenge Issued

August’s challenge at Scrap It Girl is to create a project with arrows or numbers.

I opted for numbers and created this birthday card …

The papers are from We R Memory Keepers.

The numbers stamp is from Tim Holtz.

I tried a new technique … cutting out canvas flowers.

I used Tattered Florals and Tattered Leaves from Tim Holtz to cut out the canvas pieces. (The canvas is from DCWV).

I then layered the cut pieces together and used a decorative brad to attach it to paper. Once attached, I glued the leaves on and fluffed the petals.

Now it’s your turn … create a project (a card, layout, home decor piece, party decor, or anything else) using numbers or arrows and post it here before the end of the month …

You could win an amazing package of prizes!

Good luck!

 

Spring Chickens

This week’s challenge on the iCopic blog is to use red Copics to color an image.

I decided that in the midst of winter, it would be good to have a little taste of spring. So I chose a Stampavie stamp that featured baby chickens.

I love Stampavie stamps — especially the ones designed by Sarah Kay. They are sweet and bring out all sorts of feelings of warmth. I think they just want to reach out and hug you!

(click on the image for a close-up view)

I used DCWV papers from their Green Stack — made from recycled paper. I love the texture on these papers and it’s easy to mix and match the patterns.

I added buttons, a brad and a flower from my stash and a bit of Distress Ink to add some color/dimension to the flower.

Here are the colors I used …

I used the chisel end of the dark brown (E44) to edge each of the papers. I think it gives it a nice, finished and professional look.

When frustration strikes …

If you scrapbook long enough, you are bound to reach a point where your vision vanishes, your idea fails and you cannot possibly see how the page will ever be finished.

I have stacks of pages that fall into this category — ones I started, became frustrated with and gave up, shelving them for another day.

At a recent crop, one of my friends found herself in this position. In typical Marty style, she conjured up a commercial — a parody of the Viagra commercials — all related to scrapbooking.

While we all laughed, her frustration was very short lived — Scrapagra provided that extra boost she needed and she finished her project without any further setbacks.

I thought it would be fun to make some real Scrapagra (in the form of candy) to bring to crops to help us out when we hit that frustrating paper wall. My first attempt, in a really cute jar that I realized after it was finished still smelled like the artichokes it once contained, had to be scrapped. No one would want to eat artichoke flavored candy, after all.

So then I grabbed a pail made by Stampendous and came up with this …

The nice thing about Stampendous pails (vs. other companies’ pails) is that they are food safe, so I knew I could fill it with candy.

I used a die, Distress Ink and background stamp from Tim Holtz, papers from DCWV, stamps from Studio 490 and letters from QuicKutz to create the jar.

I added a hitch to the top as a handle on the lid and added purple flowers from Prima.

The blue flower is also from Prima, but I airbrushed it with Copic Sketch Markers so it matched the blue in the paper.

A few brads and some tulle from my stash and it’s ready to go to the next crop! Thanks for the idea, Marty!

 

The Unloved Colors

This week’s challenge on the  iCopic Blog is to use unloved Copic colors.

For me, choosing the colors I rarely use was easy. I only had to look at one section in my Copic holder — Violet.

I have nothing against violet, or any shade of purple for that matter. It’s not like certain shades of green that I just plain do not like. But, for me, violet is a shy color. It never asks me to play. It doesn’t call my name. I don’t crave it.

I tend to like the warmer shades — yellows, browns, oranges and reds — along with blue, blue and more blue. Those are the colors I tend to reach for. And, they are the ones that catch my eye.

So, while I don’t dislike violet, I don’t love her, either.

But, since I was challenged to make something I liked featuring her, I went for it. This is what I came up with … (click on the image for a better look)

The stamp is from Magnolia and the word stamp is from Studio 490. Papers are from DCWV and gems are from KaiserCraft. The ribbons were in my stash and the cardstock is from American Crafts.

I stamped the image on X-Press It! and used these colors to color the image:

Then, I added a bit of Distress Ink to the background and colored the purple parts with atyou Spica in lilac. I love the sparkle it provides … not too much and not too little, but Just Right!

What colors do unlove?

Thanksgiving Challenge

I have a lot to be thankful for this year. It has been a rough one and without the support of my family and friends, I am not sure it would have been manageable.

So, I have been making quite a few thank you cards lately to send to a few people to let them know how much they helped.

And since, the iCopic Weekly Challenge is to make a thank you or Thanksgiving card, I thought I would share this one …

My husband’s camera is out of commission for the moment, so I scanned this instead. The colors might be a little off, but I think you can see enough to get the idea.

I stamped Riley on X-Press It Blending Card with Memento Ink and then colored him in with Copic Sketch markers.

The papers I layered are from Reminisce, the ribbon is from American Crafts (stapled with the Tiny Attacher), cardstock from my scrap bag and brads from my stash. The card that I used is from DCWV.

Although you can’t see it very well, there is one great new technique I discovered. You can make a metallic looking gold color (like the buckle on Riley’s hat) by coloring with  Y28 and then going over it with at you Spica in clear. Very cool!!

 

Repurposed Recipe Box

I am continuing to modify items to make them fit the new look I want in my new house.

This time, it was my recipe box.

I did this box (a kit from We R Memory Keepers) several years ago — long before I knew anything about paint, adhesive, etc. It was cute, but I never really loved it. And, since it was red/white/black chicken paper, it didn’t really fit in my new kitchen. So, I ripped it apart and started again.

First, I painted the edges with a white Paint Dabber from Ranger.

Then I covered the entire box, inside and out, with papers from TPC featuring a beautiful Mediterranean tile look in bright blues and oranges. I added a bit of ribbon, a matching tag and some stickers. Then, using DCWV paper, I cut out the letters on my Cricut, ran them through a Xyron and called it done.

This version looks much better and although a bit fancy, it definitely matches the colors in my new kitchen.