Sunday, September 29, 2013

OWH Sunday Sketch Challenge #192

This week's challenge over at Operation Write Home looks like this:

192 Sketch

Here is my version:


DCWV 8 x 8 Travel Stack ($3.99 score from Tuesday Morning).  Favorite Findings buttons.  

Sunday, September 22, 2013

OWH Sunday Sketch Challenge #191

This week's sketch looks like this:

191 Sketch (Sept 22) 

Here is my version:


SU! Sincere Salutations sentiment, papers from DCWV The Christmas Combo, Sizzix snowflakes texture plate, stash ribbon. 

Sunday, September 15, 2013

OWH Sunday Sketch 190

This week's sketch challenge from Operation Write Home looks like this:

190 Sketch (Sept 15) (1) 

Here is my version:

 Making Memories lace, SU! Alphabet Soup sentiment, Sizzix hearts texture plate, button from my Mom's garage sale finds.  I sure miss her...

Friday, September 13, 2013

NOT a Card!!!!

If you follow my posts, you already know that I had a great Craig's List score a few weeks ago - a gallon bag of embossing powders for next to nothing.  I had some time to play today, and wanted to learn more them, what works, what doesn't, and practice using the powders.  I learned a lot, and came out with these:


A few years ago, I gave my friends wooden boxes full of gift tags for Christmas, thank you, birthday, etc.  Every year, I replenish their boxes!!  Thought these tags were a great way to learn, without creating a lot of trash. 

I learned that:
  • I can heat emboss on foil paper.
  • Just because one color and brand has great coverage, it doesn't mean that all of that color or brand work well.  Just like ink, and paper, and stamps, and...
  • Glittery embossing powder is just as bad as glitter when it comes to the mess.
  • The stamp used matters A LOT, some I thought would be great, weren't (the green trees).  Others I thought would be too detailed, weren't (the gold stars on black and red).
  • The higher the contrast between the paper and the powder, the more striking the effect.  Less contrast, more subtle effect. 
  • I can emboss with one color, and emboss the same image with another stamp and powder without burning or over-melting the original embossed image (the red, gold, and white Silent Night tags).
  • I need to learn about/buy something to remove static from my paper to avoid stray flecks on my final product. 
  • Hmmm.  Wonder if I could dry emboss, them tap on ink and then heat emboss?  SO much to learn!!!
Fun, productive day!!!

Tag and sentiment stamps from Our Daily Bread Designs, snowflakes from Martha Stewart, Spellbinder dies, VersaMark watermark ink, various brands/colors of powders. 

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

OWH Tuesday Tutorial - Paint Chips

This week's Tuesday Tutorial over at Operation Write Home is to create a card using paint chips. I have used paint chips in a few other cards on my blog.  Click here or here to see other paint chip cards. 

Here is mine:
Spellbinder die, SU! Sincere Salutations, twine a gift from my friend Annette, tiny pink pearls from my stash. 

Sunday, September 8, 2013

OWH Sketch Challenge #189



Ever hear about Pinterest fails?  That is when you see a great idea, try it, and the result is a disaster.  Well, this is my OWH fail.  I tried, I really did.  This one is bound for the trash.

The sketch looks like this:

189 sketch (Sept 8) 

Here is mine:
Sigh.  I redid this at least 4 times.  Proportions wrong, colors wrong, wah wah wah.  My outcomes are not always in line with my vision, but I always learn something.  I decided the make something that I liked!  I love pinwheel cards.  I love hexagons.  Let's combine them!!!

I will call these a win!!!  And after my week, I needed a win. 

Saturday, September 7, 2013

Loads of Love Card with Button Wheels

I inked up one of my favorite Stampin' Up sets, Loads of Love, today. 

I had a major Craig's List score a few weeks ago.  One of the things I bought was a gallon bag of embossing powders.  Wow!  I love how embossing looks, but I obviously need more practice.  The hearts and sentiment are heat embossed, and the red paper is dry embossed with a Cuttlebug folder.  Stash ribbon.

This card is part of the Our Daily Bread Designs September challenge to make a card with wheels, and the Drunken Stampers Challenge #140 to make a card with buttons.  Thus, button wheels!!!!  Our Daily Bread Designs will pay to ship 2 boxes of cards through Operation Write Home if 50  cardmakers respond to their challenge. 

OWH Sketch Challenge #188

This week's sketch looks like this:
188 sketch (Sept 1) 

Here is my version:

 Papers and sticker from DCWV, sticker mounted on coordinating paper and popped up with dimensional tape, Sizzix snowflake texture plate, Clearly Defined sentiment.