Squirrely Challenge – Graduated Color

This week the Mother Squirrel challenged us to use a Technique Junkies technique called Graduated Color from the April/May 2011 issue. I made two cards using the technique and was much happier with those results than the ones from my Grungy Monday 09 attempts.

All supplies are from Club Scrap. The cardstock used is from Stratosphere and Raku. The paisley stamp is by Michael Strong for Club Scrap. Graduated color achieved using pigment inks. I used my paisley embossing folder from Provocraft to texturize the background panel.

Thanks for looking.

Club Scrap June Card Sketch

I made another card for the Club Scrap June Card Sketch. The original sketch included a Z-fold technique. I made this card to post showing that the sketch could also be used for a flat front card. And this is the result.

Of course, the stamp is from the May kit called Papillon which still makes my heart go pitty-pat. All cardstock is from Club Scrap (kits used are Written Word and Retro). Tim Holtz sheet music embossing folder used on panel. Pearls are from my stash. Manufacturer unknown. I used pigment inks on glossy cardstock to get an image that pops using the Squirrely Challenge of Gradient Color from Technique Junkies.

Grungy Monday–Week Nine

This week I struggled with the Shabby Chic technique as taught to us by Tim Holtz on Day 10 of the 2007 Christmas Tags.

Linda at Grungy Monday at Studio L3 has challenged us to create art with this technique. Whatever. I’m not happy with mine but it is finished and I have to go with it. These concepts are always so much better in my head than once I have actually finished the project.

This week I interpreted Savoy Truffle by George Harrison which first appeared on the White Album. It was a song about Eric Clapton’s chocolate addiction and how he had to have all his teeth pulled out because of it. Lovely thought. Anyway, I’ve always liked the song, being a fan of chocolate myself. Just hope I don’t eventually have to have all my teeth pulled. Of course, Eric was much younger when that occurred than I am now. And I think he had a few more bad habits, as well.

You know that what you eat you are                                                                  But what is sweet now turns so sour

Cardstock used is from Club Scrap’s Chocolate Shoppe kit. Adirondack Paint Dabbers used were Pool, Sunshine Yellow and Sunset Orange. Chocolate stamps are from Stampa Rosa, Stampin’ Up and one unidentified one. Thanks for looking.

Denim, Rust and Dust

This is a card I created for the June 2011 Card Sketch Challenge at Club Scrap. I used the Five of Diamonds from the Assembly Line Card Making Idea Deck which is an excellent tool to kick start your creative mojo.

Cardstock is from Club Scrap (Rust and Dust from Wild Wild West, the blue is from Scholarship). I used the Faux Denim technique from Technique Junkies to create the blue panel. The eagle stamp is from Stampin’ Up. In addition to the Club Scrap challenge, I am posting this at the current color challenge at Gingersnap Creations calling for Denim, Rust and Dust with a Wild West theme. Get your cowgirl on! Unfortunately, I don’t have many stamps with Western theme so I went patriotic with my image. Thanks for looking. Your comments are always appreciated.

Honoring our Heroes

This week, our Mother Squirrel Nancy chose to challenge us with paper engineering. She picked a card called a Free-Standing Pop-Up card based upon a tutorial at Splitcoast Stampers. I chose to use a patriotic theme in honor of Memorial Day, or as we called it when I was young, Decoration Day.

All cardstock and embellishments are from my unmarked stash. The rubber stamps are from an old Stampin’ Up set which I had never used, if you can believe that. The eagle stamp was stamped using the Grungy Monday 08 technique of inking with dye inks followed by a spritz of Perfect Pearls spray before stamping. I am so pleased with the results.

In addition to the Squirrely Challenge, I am also posting this at Simon Says Stamp to meet their challenge of using Stars and Stripes on your project. Thanks for looking.

Retirement & Challenges

The wife of a friend of my hubby is retiring in a few weeks and DH agreed to “allow” me to make the card to send to her. I was having so much fun with the Grungy Monday technique that I was stamping out images right and left. I have quite a stash now for future cards. I chose the Club Scrap Tulips in a Row stamp for this card as it is such a lovely floral image. All supplies are from Club Scrap with the exception of the Strathmore Bristol smooth paper used for image base. Kits used include Apothecary card base, Private Eye green panel, Nature’s Wonders stamp, Gimme a Ring button, and fabric leaves from the Retreat Bundt. Watercolor effect created using Stampin’ Up dye inks and homemade Perfect Pearls spray. Thanks for looking.

I am posting this card in several blog challenges. The sketch is from Clean & Simple Stamping. The color selection meets the challenge at Color Throwdown.

Grungy Monday – Week Eight

I can’t believe we are on the eighth week of Grungy Monday at Studio L3. This week our lovely hostess Linda has assigned us the task of following a technique taught to us by Tim Holtz back in September of 2008. Please check his blog for steps to achieve this look.

Continuing with my Technique Book with a Beatle theme, I am using one of my newest stamps, purchased on a recent trip to Cambria. I was so excited to find this stamp as I don’t often stumble across Beatle stamps. Unfortunately, the manufacturer is unknown to me. If any of you know of a source, please refer me in the comments below. Thanks so much.

I remember the night of February 9, 1964, as clearly as if it was last night. My family was making our frequent Sunday night visit to an invalid family friend, an older gent we knew as Grampa Graus. I was playing on the floor in the dining room with my two younger brothers. The adults were all in the living room watching the Ed Sullivan Show. My Dad came into the room and said, “You have to come into the living room and see these guys on TV.” Now, how did my Dad know those four guys were going to become so important in my life??? Well, for whatever reason, he encouraged me to come in and see these four crazy guys with their moptop haircuts. And, of course, I never looked back. Those four guys were the center of my universe for a lot of years. So I certainly can’t forget the time or place when I first saw their faces.

I’ve just seen a face. I can’t forget the time or place.

Supplies used: Strathmore Bristol smooth paper as page base, Tim Holtz embossing folder, various dye inks, Beatle rubber stamp manufacturer is unmarked, cyclist stamp is from Club Scrap as is the blue cardstock from Destinations kit. Perfect Pearls added to water to achieve the watercolor effect.

Thanks for looking. Your comments are appreciated.