Friends With Flair

It's Friday and time for Friends with Flair over at Unity. Always the multi-tasker, I have used this opportunity to fulfill a couple more Squirrely Challenges from Nancy and Farley. My challenge to the two of them was to start our Christmas in July card project. A day late?  So I have created three Holiday cards using a Unity stamp. I also used an embossing folder which was Farley's challenge. The middle card shows an inking technique on the embossing folder. I used Blueberry ink from The Stamps of Life. The technique I used for the two outer cards was wet gelato gel sticks on the folder. I like both looks a lot and will be using these techniques again soon. Thanks for stopping by. Happy Holidays!!!

Old Skool Easel Card

The Squirrels Nancy, Farley and I have started up our Squirrely Challenges again. We've had a long break but we are back. This time we each challenged the other two to use a technique or make type of card. Nancy challenged us to make an Easel card without utilizing the dies that have come onto the scene. Mine is very simple but I am happy to use some of my stash of supplies. I bought this popsicle set from The Stamps of Life and hadn't even opened it yet. I used several dies from my stash also and whether you can tell or not, the popsicle is watercolored with a technique I learned in my latest Onlinecardclass, Watercolor for Cardmakers. It's a simple card but I'm happy with it. Thanks for looking. Now go take a gander at the wonderful creations from the other Squirrels.

Washi Tree

Ms.Nancy over at Squirrely Art has challenged us this month to make a card using the latest craze of washi tape. Up until I started receiving the Simon Says Stamp kits, I did not have one inch of washi tape. Now I have it all over the place. However, these strips are actually all from my weekly shopping experience at Target. Not sure they are actually washi but they are tape. This is one of those cards that I didn't have conceptualized before starting and then lost interest in before completing. It is what it is. They always look so much better in my head. Why is that? Card base, label and stamp are from the December Simon Says Stamp Card Kit. White panel is Bristol Smooth cut on the Silhouette allowing a tree to peek through. Faux stitches were applied using a template I bought eighty odd years ago and never used. Hooray. Used my stash.

Squirrely Challenge - Distress Stain Dip

Halloween is over and now it's time to create cards for the Winter holidays. My first offering is a multi-tasked card, as usual. Time also for the monthly Card Sketch over at Club Scrap. This is the sample I created to go along with the sketch. The front of the card was embossed with a Tim Holtz Texture Fade and then highlighted with Spiced Marmalade Distress Ink. I cut a hole using a two inch circle punch to allow the interior panel to be revealed, along with the turkey. ALSO, Nancy has posted a new Squirrely Challenge. This time she asks us to use the Distress Stain Dip technique. The interior panel is glossy cardstock colored using this Technique Junkies technique. The card base, both panels and turkey all use Club Scrap papers from various kits. The turkey was marinated with Distress Stickles in Vintage Photo. Thanks for looking.

In The Middle

Head Squirrel Nancy has posted a challenge for another Technique Junkies technique called In The Middle. If you don't receive their newsletter, you should check it out. It's a great resource. For this challenge, I used a stamp in my stash and paper from a fabulous paper pad from Authentique called Enchanted along with Ranger Distress Inks. I've been making a lot of Halloween cards from these items and loving it. You should also cruise over to Nancy's blog to take a look at her sample as well as links to the other Squirrels. Thanks for looking. 

Embossed Puzzle - Part Deux

Combined with Club Scrap's September/October Card Sketch Challenge. Multi-tasking again. I thought I could use the Squirrely Challenge with those hundreds of Frame in Frame cut-a-parts from Club Scrap. I separated several color sets and then reassembled them using the Technique Junkies Embossed Puzzle technique. This particular one is on a Rhapsody card base using pieces from Stratosphere, Academy and Bistro with a tag from Time and Space. All edges inked with Distress Inks in coordinating colors.

Thanks for looking. If you want to play along at Club Scrap, join us here.

Squirrely Challenge - True Love

Sliding in at the last minute as usual, here is a card I made for Nancy's Squirrely Challenge. The Technique Junkies technique is called Distress Spritzing. Contrary to my usual luck, I succeeded with the technique on the first try. Rather than using a purchased stencil, I cut a cardstock stencil on my Silhouette. I'm very pleased with the results and can't wait to try it again. Love the look. Give a faux-bleached look to the design. Cardstock from my stash used for the card and base. Fiber and Image from Club Scrap. Stickles used on letters. Distress Inks used for the technique and for edging. Thanks for looking. 

Tag Fence

Better late than never. Finally finished the most recent Squirrely Challenge from Young Nancy. I'm still behind on the previous one but it is on my table waiting for inspiration to complete it. 

This one is called Tag Fence and is fairly simple. If you would like to check it out, visit Technique Junkies. For the card panel, I am still focusing on Using My Stash by breaking into an ANCIENT pad I bought years ago from ProvoCraft called Pathways and designed by Michelle Anderson. The bicycle stamp is an oldie from Stampin' Up. The grape leaves are from a recent Fiskars set called Aged to Perfection. All inks used are from Tim Holtz Seasonal Summer set. Luscious. Thanks for looking.

Spritz and Flick - Squirrely Challenge

I'm late. I'm late. For a very important date. I missed the cut off for Nancy's Squirrely Challenge. Mr. Linky is even closed out. Boo hoo

But I am posting anyway because, darn it, I made the card. This is one of the Tim Holtz Techniques taught in his recent class Creative Chemistry. He calls it Spritz and Flick using Distress Inks. I used the technique on the butterflies and their mats. My color choice was Seedless Preserves for the butterflies and Shabby Shutters for the mats. The spritzing was done with my homemade recipe of Perfect Pearls spray. All shapes cut on Cuttlebug using Spellbinders dies. The card base is from Club Scrap's Lotus Pond. The card panel is from Stampin' Up's First Edition Specialty Designer Series Paper. All edges inked with Tea Dye Distress Ink. Thanks for looking. Please excuse my tardiness.

Squirrely Challenge - Layered Masking

This week's Squirrely Challenge from Nancy is Layered Masking from the January/February Technique Junkies newsletter. As has become my routine, I struggled with this one, primarily because I wanted it to have a St. Paddy theme AND (ever the multi-tasker) it had to be monochromatic to fit in with Club Scrap's PSL challenge this week. This is the result. The background image is from Club Scrap's Celtic kit from 2006. The bold stamped images are Stampin' Up. The cardstock and ribbon are all from Club Scrap (Let Me Count The Ways, Dream in Color and Serengeti). Thanks for looking.

Be sure to visit all the Squirrel Girls to see what they have done with this challenge. Many beautiful cards have been created.