USA!! USA!! USA!!

Hello all,
Wonderful news!! My friend is finally a U.S. citizen! She has passed all her tests that would probably challenge my knowledge of this country. She is so proud to be an American and I am so proud of her. I am just beaming right now!! So, naturally why not celebrate with a card!!

I took the Paper Players challenge #228 to heart while making this card. I wanted my card to scream HOORAY!! The exaggerated punched stars and the wooden 'U.S.A.' sentiment I think did the trick.. 

The 'tattered' flag look. I achieved by ripping strips of red and white paper then distressing them for an aged look. The wooden letters were left unfinished and distressed just a bit to add texture. With all this craziness I left the blue part of the flag a rectangle to add some structure and slightly distressed the edges.

So here we are and I hope you like it!

Card Size: 4 x 6

I just love the way this card turned out.. But more importantly, I am proud to know what it represents.  My friend is a U.S. citizen and America is lucky to have her in our ranks. God Bless my friend and God Bless America!

Entered Challenge:

The Paper Players Challenge #228

On another note it is time to take a blog break. My family needs some attention so I will be there to give it to them.. I will be back soon, so please don't forget me!! Take care and have a wonderful night!!

All the best,
Shawna

Fabulous Feathers!

Hello Again!
Today's card was probably the most challenging of all! The challenge for CAS(E) this Sketch #106 was, at first glance, no problem!! Got it... Well, no I didn't get it. I actually went through 3-4 tries before I came up with this design and I just love the way it turned out!

The colors are coming from Create with Connie and Mary color challenge #CCMC338.  I am in love with this color combo! The stamp set is the Four Feathers bundle from Stampin' Up!  I used the die to mask the feathers off to have that layered 'X look'. The sentiment is the Perfect Pennants set from Stampin' Up! I got this stamp set specifically for this sentiment.  One of my favorite sayings of all time! The size and shape of the sentiment is perfect for the banner. Then, I just added a few sequins for some sparkle.

The 'X' pattern is consistent with the CAS(E) this sketch #106
and love the colors!

Card Size: A2- 4.25" x 5.5"

Layering the black border with the white border
'lightens' up the design.

I hope you enjoyed this card as much as I enjoyed making it (when I figured it out!). Have a great day and we will see you soon with another card from TheGrandStampede..

Sending good thoughts your way!

All the best,

Shawna

  

Ombre Sunset

Hello All!

Attention! I wanted to let everyone know that I made the Headliner from The Paper Players!! Wahoo!! I am so happy and grateful for The Paper Players for choosing my card. Click here to see the link. I have proudly added their badge on the sidebar! 

Now I would like to concentrate on one of my favorite techniques which was inspired by Inkspirational: Challenge #74 .  The ombre effect - Gently fading from one color to another.  You will see from my card I blended lots of colors together using Prismacolor pencils to get a faded effect of a sunset. I just love the texture of the sunset.

The purple horizon has a hit of what might be water. The white hills highlight the ombre sunset. I matted the image on white paper and used Stampin' Up! Hardwood stamp for the background. I love, love, love this stamp. So versatile with color, style, and layout options. Well here it is! I hope you like it.

Like in nature, just love how the sunset has texture. 

Close up view of the sunset.

That is all for now.. Stay warm and we will see you sooner then later!

Rosey Bokeh

Hello All,
I hope this post finds you well and warm.
The card I have for today has its inspiration from The Paper Players Challenge #227 (Which by the way was my dorm room number in college.).  On my own, I would have never put these colors together but they work fabulously together!

The Paper Players

Challenge #227

The bokeh background was done using a green-blue base then used lost lagoon by Stampin' Up!  to layer the dots for the bokeh pattern.  Then a final coat of blue for the foreground.

The 'crisp cantaloupe' was more of a challenge.  I don't have that color on hand BUT I do have Blendabilities Pumpkin Pie and Melon Mambo. I colored the roses by blending those colors together and just love the way it turned out.
Embossed the ferns in tan, added a border, and finally the sentiment which I think is very fitting.

Well enough chit chat here it is..

Card Size: 4.25x5.5

Showing Detail

Love, Love, Love how the roses came out! It isn't 'crisp cantaloupe' but a little 'pumpkin pie' and 'melon mambo' will go a long way.

That is all for now.. Thank you for stopping by and we will see you soon!
All the best,
Shawna

Supplies used:
Lost Lagoon Ink Pad
Butterfly Basics Photopolymer stamp set 
One in a Million by Stampin' Up! (retired)
Fifth Avenue by Stampin' Up! (retired)
The dots actually from the centers of Daydream Medallions by Stampin' Up!

Celebrating Winter

Hello All,
Announcement: I want to give a HUGE thank you to the Paper Craft Crew and its voters for making me the Featured Artisan this week.  Click HERE to see the post!  I grabbed their badge and is proudly displayed on my blog. Thank you again.

I hope this post finds you well and warm.. Speaking of warm, I will be waking up to -6 tomorrow so why not embrace the cold with a nice winter card!

I used the sketch from the The Paper Crew Challenge (PCCCS126) and the color inspiration from the House of Cards January color challenge. The colors were so much fun to work with and glitter is always a fun add on.

I am also entering the Make My Monday Challenge! This is the perfect card for the challenge. I made it for my daughter who has a birthday in two weeks.

House of Cards January Challenge

Paper Craft Crew Challenge
PCCCS#126

Make My Monday Challenge
Winter Birthday Theme

The sketch however was a bit challenging. I am not really a bow person but by using the winter theme I implemented a snowflake instead of a bow and justified it to the left. My sentiment is from Blooming with Kindness from Stampin' Up!. Part of the snowflake is from a paper stack I had around then layered it with the Festive Flurries Stamp and Die set. I also saw a hint of stripes on the bottom of the sketch so I just made them wavy and glittery. This stamp by Stacy Stamps - Stained glass wave has become one of my favorites! It is so versatile the possible designs are endless..  Well enough chit-chat here is my card.  I hope you enjoy it..

Paper piecing was done to create the border

 Glittery reflections

Lots of dimension and glitter

This color scheme is perfect for a winter birthday!

Thank you guys so much again.. We will see you soon.. Good night.

Deco Peacock

Hello Readers,
The card for today focuses on my favorite style of art, Art Deco. When I saw the HSS Inspiration Challenge #202 from Hand Stamped Sentiments I thought I would create banners with a couple of embellishments. Then I looked at it more closely and said 'The colors remind me of Art Deco!'. If you not familiar with this style here is a website that explains it pretty well.. Anyhoo, Here it is..

Very minimal color which agrees with the Art Deco palette. 

I just love the shimmer on the leaves.
The detail on this stamp is amazing!

The peacock and other natural elements are reminiscent of the Art Nouveau period but the color is pure Deco. The two styles overlap during the transition period to pure Art Deco with all its geometry we all know and love.

 

The 1920's was filled with opulence, elegance and glamour. Over the top way of life with gold, flappers and amazing art! I tried to illustrate this by using The Perfect Peacock from Stampin' Up! embossed in gold on black cardstock background. The 'white' embossed vellum roses are the perfect touch along with the white colored flowers on the peacock stamped image. The patterned paper leaves are embossed lightly with gold. I also decided to use a tri fold card and a curved edge for the first panel (look closely the peacock is kind of hiding it.) Here is a peek on the inside panel.

 The roses look like they are dry embossed directly on the paper but it is actually embossed vellum adhered to the card. The inside of the card I left blank for a personal message.

So I hope you like it because I had a ton of fun making it! That is all for now! Leave a comment and let me know what you think.

Challenge Entered

HSS Inspiration Challenge #202

by: Hand Stamped Sentiments

Word Up!!

Hello Readers,
Today I literally woke up and said 'I know what I am going to do for the Words 2 Scrap By Challenge!'  I have been interested in this challenge because that is exactly what it was 'a challenge'. I couldn't really figure out what I was going to do with a hashtag sentiment. This was going way out of my comfort level. So, Game On! Thinking and sketching - Nothing... Ugh! Better go to bed.. Then I wake up and there it was!

Word Clouds!! PERFECT! Why do you ask? Well, hashtags to me represent moments in time or bits of information to a larger, more detailed picture. So I wanted this card background to be short, one word sentiments that describe what the hashtag sentiment is about. So I go Google Search and it didn't take me long to find WordItOut!!  This site had exactly what I was looking for!! And here it is!!

                             

W2SB Challenge #13: #youchoosetheword(s)

Close up

My background is words of gratitude, nature, and, yes, the word 'stamp' which is a must if given by me.. The hashtag will hopefully give the recipient of this card hope for a new year! 

I simply printed out the word cloud, die cut the letters out of cardstock, stamped and heat embossed the hashtag and there we have it! 

Simple design that conveys just what I wanted to do!

I mistakenly printed four of them so why stop at this hashtag! Let's do more...

 

 That is it for me.. Good night, stay warm and we will see you soon!

Shaker Thank You Card

Hello Again!

I hope this posting finds you all well on this first workday of the New Year.  As promised I have decided to enter into not one but two challenges today. I have a lot of Stampin' Up! stuff so these challenges all involve mostly all their product..

One of the challenges I am entering is  The Paper Craft Crew Sketch #125- PCCCS125. The sketch immediately reminded me of a shaker card.  So used some dots for the background and glitter to shake and then adhered a Stampin' Up! Sizzix 'thank you(s)' die cut on top of the clear window. Grunge splatters seem to extend the glitter. The sentiment I thought would be perfect for my neighbor. 'Thank You & Thank you (kind doer of good deeds).

CCMC336 - Color Challenge by Create with Connie and Mary.  I just love the color palette. It reminds me of Valentines Day. However, I didn't go there! I went in an entirely different direction! And here it is!!

Thank you 

& 

Thank You (kind doer of good deeds)

Thank you & Thank You (kind doer of good deeds)

The white die cut 'thank you' goes well with the colored dots.

Close up view to show all the dimension on this card.

I really enjoyed making this card. Together the sketch and color palette really just made the ideas flow out and onto paper.  

Here are the sets I used all Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted:

Gorgeous Grunge

Lots Of Thanks

MANY THANKS Thank You Sizzix Sizzlits Die by Stampin' Up!

Box of Dots - Hero Arts

Ampersand Die - MFT

Framelits Die and Clear Acrylic Stamp Set - Banners 2 - Sizzix

Leave me a comment and let me know what you think. Have a great day everyone and see you soon!!

Clean Slate

Hello All!

Well I think I have decided to make a New Years resolution and that is to join a few challenges! I have found Virginia's View Challenge particularly interesting..
Lots of white space and one layer cards are something I am trying to improve on.

So I decided to use Wetlands Stamp Set by Stampin' Up! and By the Sea 2 from Gina K. Designs. I am not sure where the sentiment came from but it is an absolute favorite!

Used some distressed ink and masking technique there we have it a single layer with lots of white! I was having so much fun with it I made a set of three. Enjoy and see you soon!

 Wetlands 

Card Size: 4.25"x5.5"

Wetlands Trio

Card Size: 4.25"x5.5"

Entering Challenge

Sir! Yes, Sir!!

My daughter went to an Army birthday earlier in the month. What fun was it to make a masculine card. This was an all boy party filled with pretend play.. She had so much fun being the only girl!! I just told her not to have anyone call her 'Hot Lips'!!! 

 Sir, Yes SIR!

size: 4.25 x 5.5

I have had this patterned paper for awhile now just waiting for the perfect card! Well here is it!! I die cut the word 'Sir' and used to dot the 'i' with one of the  Gorgeous Grunge stamp. Gorgeous Grunge was used for the majority of this card. Splatters and the diagonal element were all used from this set.. I just love this set because you have control where you put the splats. I know it sounds weird but it is good to have control sometimes!

'dog tags' have the birthday boys name and miscellaneous numbers and digits.

Stamp Sets Used:

Happy Patterns by Hot Off the Press

Gorgeous Grunge Clear Stamp Set by Stampin' Up!

Just Sayin'  and Word Bubbles Framelits Die both by Stampin' Up!

Have a great day and hope your New Year didn't start with a hangover!!! No I wasn't yelling..