Flower Challenge

Good evening All!

During a time of snowflakes and snowman I think it would be a good idea to remember flowers. Thanks to Brown Sugar Challenge Blog and our sponsor Sami Stamps we can! Here is my card for tonight.

Our theme this week at Brown Sugar Challenge flowers.

Our theme this week
Flowers

Hop on over to see some other images from our
sponsor, Sami Stamps.
They even have some free images to choose from!

This card is very subtle and fitting for a
sympathy card.

To me this woman is hanging her head in grief.
Touching and poignant. 

The die cut flourish and bundle of flowers add to the color of this card.

Sympathy cards seem to be a bit challenging for me... You want the right image and message to convey your condolences without being too drippy or insensitive. I think color has a lot to do with setting the tone of a card. Here I added soft subtle colors surrounded by a simple burgundy frame. To me this seems appropriate for a sympathy card. So grateful I am not needing to use it right now but when the time is right it here waiting..

Thank you so much for stopping by and really appreciate your visit today. Looking forward to seeing your cards at BSCB! Link up and join the fun!! Have a great day and for those who celebrate Halloween have fun and be safe!!

All the best,
Shawna

Another Poinsettia Card

Hello all,
For this post I will be playing with Sunday Stamps and Happy Little Stamper Christmas Challenge. Here is my card..  I am going to write more later I am helping with my son's harvest party in school. I wanted to get these in before it goes in the land of my good intentions.. Here is my card

Entering Challenges:

Sunday Stamps: SSC112- sketch

Happy Little Stampers Christmas Challenge: October 2015- Poinsettia 

     

I will explain more later!! I really enjoyed both of these challenges.. Will blog more a bit later.. Thanks for stopping by and stay tuned for more description.

All the best,

Shawna 

Arachnophobes Beware (Seriously)

Hello to the ones who actually opened this post!

For today I am playing along with City Crafter Challenge Blog. Their theme really intrigued me this week with 'Creatures of the Night'. Here is my take on the theme.. Shiver!!

This is not your beloved Charlotte! 

Entering Challenge:

City Crafter Challenge Blog: Week285- Creatures of the night

 AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!! I actually had to face my own fears of creepy crawlies too.  Because I am not too keen looking at spiders I wasn't quite sure how their legs really worked. I decided to suck it up in the name of art and took a closer look at spiders. After I got my shivers out I started to draw them on the card and realized what a beautiful design spiders legs are.. They are so efficient and so well 'built'. In the end, I wasn't so creeped out, in fact, I was in awe of the miraculous creature.

Wanted to add as much texture as I could. So I added
dimensional paint on the spider. It will make you want to touch it..
Or...maybe not.

I think the sentiment is the best part of the card. I can just imagine a horror
 movie trapped in the web and as the spider approaches says this..

Shiver...  The sentiment is in the valentines/love part of my collection but thought it would be perfect for this card.. It is taken as sinister, cunning, and evil! Just like in the horror movies.

Well that is it for me..  I do expect comments on the lovely dreams you will have during your slumber tonight. Thank you for stopping by TheGrandStampede and we will see you soon with another card. It will have unicorns, rainbows, sparkles, and lots of hearts (from my valentine/love part of my collection).

All the best,
Shawna

The Little Monster

Hello All!

For today I am playing along with Friday MashUp! I usually have all the best intentions of linking up with them but somehow it never seems to work out; until tonight!! Here is my card.. Enjoy!

All the ribbons is very colorful and playful!

Entering Challenge:
Friday MashUp!: Challenge FM231

I don't think I made a card this cute in awhile. So, when I saw this challenge I knew right away what I was going to do and it came together like a dream!! This was a great way to use up ribbon that was quite literally collecting dust.. I really don't use ribbon enough. Seriously, check out my board TheGrandStampede on Pinterest. Maybe I over did the ribbon theme on the card but I really don't mind because I just love it. 

I had to use hot glue to adhere all the ribbon together because remarkably glue don't really work. I was remembering my architectural days of building models and how painful but helpful this crafting material can be. It is also where I learned to really swear!!

I think my little creature reminds of Cousin It from the Addams Family. Cute in his own way and so funny but strange and a little bit freaky!! 

Remember Cousin It!
I watched this show everyday after school.
This is when televisions were pieces of furniture and not picture frames. 

As you can probably guess this card is not exactly light. I didn't want a floppy affect when you opened it up. So I reinforced the back with heavy weight CS that compensated for the weight of the 'embellishment' monster on the front.

This little guy is so cute with all its color and googly eyes.
Tons of dimension just like the inspiration photo.

That should do it for me. I hope you have enjoyed your stay and I certainly do appreciate the time you have taken out of your busy day to visit.  If you are so inclined, please comment I do enjoy what you have to say.. Thank you again everyone and we will see you soon at TheGrandStampede.

All the best,
Shawna

Teal Shaker Card

Hello Readers,

I am writing on behalf of Make My Monday Challenge Blog this evening. Their challenge this week is inspired by one of our team members favorite crafting elements; Teal, sequins, and twine.. Oh man, sequins and twine... Umm. I would have never put these two together but wow it worked out beautifully! Here is my card for tonight..

This card shows all the elements for our challenge this week. Interesting combination that made for a great card! I used the complimentary rust color on the edges of the card to frame the teal ornaments. I also did the same behind the shaker element of the card featuring rusty luster CS.

I do hope you join us for the challenge this week.. I am looking forward to see what you come with all these bits and pieces in mind. 

Challenge for this week at Make My Monday

You can see the shaker sequins, glitter, and the luster of the CS
 through the detailed die cut ornament. 

Cross pollinating two colors on different elements such as these ornaments
 prove to make for a cohesive design

Entering Challenges:
ABC Christmas Challenge: U- Unusual Christmas Colors

Well here is a sobering thought... Only two months till Christmas!! Yikes!! However, I am sure we are set ready to go for this season of giving! Not me, no way Ho-say!

But here we are, and well, I am kind of excited for Christmas this year.. My children are 8 and 10 and the magic of Christmas is still very much alive. However I know my days are numbered, so I better enjoy it while it still lasts..
My ten year old already knows about Santa but she wants to believe. I guess I should take her lead because Christmas can be magical for those who do and/or want to believe.

There is still plenty of time my friends. Just breathe and lets make a card to calm down.. And for those of you who don't make cards, well.... I'm not sure.. LOL!!

That should be it for me!! I hope you all enjoyed your visit and I would enjoy to hearing your comments. Thank you so much for your visit and I hope you can join me again.

All the best,
Shawna

Helloween

Good Evening Everyone!

For tonight I am playing along with Just Us Girls, TimeOUT Challenge, Always Playing with Paper and Fusion. This week is the their color challenge and here is my card for tonight.

It is of course a play on words. Thought I would keep the background
clean and white so the sentiment will be the star of the show. 

This card will fit in a standard letter envelope.  Also its flat design
will allow for easy mailing. 

The brackets around the word 'hello'
helps it to be more pronounced

Linking up with the following Challenges:

Just Us Girls #315-Color Week- Purple, Orange, and Black
TimeOUT Challenge Blog: Challenge #42- Photo Inspiration

Always Playing with Paper: The Challenge- #47 Photo Inspiration

Fusion- All Hallows Eve

      

When making this card I unknowingly misplaced my letter 'a'. However, very close by was one of the letters 'e' then, Eureka!! I had it.. I thought the play on words was pretty witty. Plus you probably wouldn't notice it right away because it is such a small 'error'. The parentheses help to pop out the word 'hello'.

That should do it for me.. I hope this finds you well and I want to thank you for joining me this evening. If you are so inclined I will delighted if you leave me a comment.. Take care and we will see you soon!!

All the best,
Shawna

Sympathetic Floor

Hello All!

This card was inspired by a Facebook post my husband saw. He told me that this would make a funny sentiment.. I fell in love with him all over again! So he is ACTUALLY interested and better yet, listening to me about my craft. I read the quote and instantly said 'Yes, this would make a GREAT card'.  So here it is.

This card was actually very easy. I used Stampin' Up Hard Wood background stamp on brown card stock then heat embossed and sanded it down for less of a shine. Then I used Stampin' Up Gorgeous Grunge set for stains maybe from a old house. Lastly, I lightly sponged the entire card with brown ink for more of the distressed look. The sentiment was typed and printed. Throw a little chevron banner mount it on white cardstock and VOILA!

Entering Challenges:
City Crafter Challenge Blog: Week 284- Into the Wood
Addicted to Stamps and More: #164-Make your Mark

I know we are all busy people and it is my hope that you can have a good laugh, take a deep breath and have a great day.

Thank you so much for stopping by and remember any comments are greatly appreciated. Take care all and we will see you soon..

All the Best,

Shawna

HB Halloween Style

Hello Everyone,

For today I am playing along with CAS(E) this sketch, Colour Q and Addicted to Stamps and More. They were all wonderful inspiration for today's card.

Here it is... Enjoy!

Contrast with the black and white is broken by the
color introduced in the card.

The sentiment 'happy' is the negative space
from the white space on the base.

Very colorful in spite of all the neutrals. The pops of orange
are fun and whimsical. The bat I think is a wonderful addition
to this Halloween birthday card.

Adding an image in front of a sentiment
proved to be challenging. Our little bat, a bright orange circle, and
vellum seemed to the perfect fit.

I know I have said this before; Wow! was this challenging.. I had many ideas and tried a ton of ideas until I went to bed, unsuccessful. This morning I gave it once more try and here we are. It came together so quickly; I couldn't believe it! I guess it just proves having a terrible nights sleep will solve any problem.

Seriously, I really like how it turned out. Even though its color is mostly neutrals the pops of orange give the design life and energy. Perfect for a birthday card!

Entering Challenges:
Colour Q: cQc#312
CAS(E) this Sketch: CTS#145
Addicted to Stamps and More: #166- Anything Goes

    

Well that should do it for me! I want to thank you for stopping by and if you's like leave a comment; it is always appreciated. Take care and look forward to seeing you soon!

All the best,
Shawna

Spooktacular!!

Hello Everyone,

For today I am writing on behalf Make My Monday Challenge Blog. This weeks theme are to use inchies or twinchies! This is my card for tonight!! Enjoy!

Masked off the inchie squares and sponged them gray. The sentiments are
stickers! It made placement a breeze.

This week's challenge:
Use inchies or twinchies!

Sponging the edges to give it a misty and dark appearance
where things go bump in the night!

These little monsters are again, stickers! I just tucked them under the
'spooktacular' sentiment where the only thing showing were their eyes. 

I have always said Halloween is the only day of the year where your children are actually encouraged to go door-to-door begging for food. My husband has always said there should a warm beverage waiting for the adults who are freezing. Yet somehow their kids are just oblivious that it is in the 30'sF (-1.11C). I guess it must be the adrenaline of having fun.

Well that is all for me, I really hope you stop on over to Make My Monday and see what the others have created; it may inspire you to play along!! At least that is the plan. So come on over and link up.. I am looking forward to see what you create.. See you there or be square (Get it? pun was intended! HA!).

All the best,

Shawna

Texture

Hello Everyone,

Over at House of Cards we have the most amazing challenge for the month of October. The challenge is creating texture and/or follow the given color palette. Oh two-in-one challenges are always my favorite projects to work on.. Here is my card for tonight. Enjoy..

Finished Card

Pictorial How-To 

1. Modeling/Texturing paste, re-inkers, and cardstock
will get you started.

2. Add a couple of drops to a non pourous
surface. I like to keep the color close to the droplet
to make sure I am getting the correct color. 

3. Get your favorite stencil and lay it over your CS
and adhere it down to the table or portable surface.

4. Mix your paste with the re-inkers and start spreading
it around with a knife or, in my case, a popsicle sticks
all over your CS

5. When you have covered the CS with paste CAREFULLY
peel the stencil back and see your result.

6. When you are finished with your tools
clean them ASAP or they will gunk up.

The finished background full of texture and loaded with color.

Finally decided what sentiment stamp to  use. I swear sometimes
the longest time is picking out a sentiment.

The leaves on the dark background paper is
so striking

Added just a bit more detail to the card.

Entering the following challenge:
City Crafter Challenge: Week 283-Paste It!



Well that should do it for me.. I hope you enjoyed my tutorial and hope to see you at The House of Cards.. Take care all and please leave a comment if you feel so inclined.

All the Best,
Shawna