Hayfever Crafting

Well, today was raining.  Actually it was a day fit only for a fish!!! For some reason my hayfever went ballistic this morning and I am basically surviving with a tissue stuffed up one nostril to keep it from continuously dripping... YUCK!!  Despite the rain and the sniffles, we ran errands, got soaked and so I returned to my craft table, where I should have stayed all day, for a little tlc.

Can I tell you how much I am loving all this distressing stuff I bought my last trip to the Scrapbox?   It was so much fun I will be attending church tomorrow with blue fingertips.  LOL... Even though they will notice, no one would ever ask...

My first creation today was a sympathy card for our church organist/choir director who recently lost his mother.  He is a wonderful man with a great sense of style so I wanted the sympathy card to reflect his unique persona. 

I started with my SU Very Versatile stamp set.  I really like this little sprig of flowers just because its so clean and simple.  I stamped the image on SU confetti white card stock.  Then I took my Ranger distress ink in Broken China and rubbed it across the bottom third of the card stock.  Then I took a couple of drops of my SU Bashful Blue reinker on a wedge of sponge and rubbed that back and forth across the middle third of the card stock.  Then I flipped the sponge over and rubbed the residual ink that had bled through it acoss the top third.  Once this was complete I took my Glimmer Mist in Cranberry Zing and gave the card stock one light  spritz.  The great thing about distress ink is that water can completely change the way it looks.  I flicked the card stock a couple of times with wet finger tips and voila. 

I matted the image with SU Pacific Point, Elegant Eggplant, and Perfect Plum with dimensionals underneath the Pacific Point Layer and the Perfect Plum.  Then I stamped the sentiment on a separate little piece of confetti white and adhered with my tombo. 

I think it's just beautiful.  It is a LOT more clean and simple that my usual creations.

And onto the more ornate.  I have become a bit obsessed with glimmer mist and masking.  This next card started because I HAD to play with how I could layer glimmer mist, distress ink and Ranger Perfect Pearls over each other...

Sorry the picture is so dark... I have limited graphics software at my fingertips and it's getting late.

This card has a pocket in the front that is made by only sticking down the very bottom and sides of the dark purple panel to the front of the card. The base of the card is SU Rose Red with the Bella Toile background stamp added with Versamark.  The entire card base is spritzed with Perfect Pearls in Blush mixed with water in a mini-mister.  The front panel is Elegant Eggplant spritzed with the Perfect Pearls in Blush as well.   Ribbon is from the retired SU Beach Front originals.  Flowers are from Prima and are paper. 

The tag that is stuck inside the panel is what inspired this card.  Here's a close up of the tag...

Call you see all those beautiful swirls and vines?  I applied a few layers of glimmer mist and heated each one to help them dry.  Then I used a Tim Holtz mini mask and rubbed distress ink in Broken China over each section as I moved the mask.  Then  I spritz the tag with Perfect Pearls in Blush for extra sparkle.

Whew... that was fun... I don't think I'll have more time to craft tomorrow... but I better get cracking because my wedding anniversary is Wednesday and I have NO clue what kind of card I'm going to make my hubby.

TTYL

A Busy Weekend of Krafting

I had three crafting goals to achieve this weekend.

1. Participate a Mojo Monday sketch challenge;
2. Try Beate's Wiper Card Tutorial on Splitcoast Stampers; and
3. Do the Sheet Load August sketch challenge.

I am happy to report...because my child is a SAINT... that I was able to finish ALL three!!! Whoooppppiiiieeee...

First:  Mojo Monday...did you know Mojo turned 100 this week and to celebrate their terrifically gifted team has been posting new layouts on a DAILY basis?  I know I can't keep up but I have been loving what the ladies have been creating.  Nothing like a little "kraft voyeurism" to keep the paper crafting creative juices flowing! 

I participated in Mojo 100 - Day 5 sketch challenge put together by the very talented Teresa Kline (check out her blog here).   I had a LOT of fun with this card.  

It all started with this fab tree stamp from Great Impressions which I picked up at my local scrapbooking store The Scrapbox.  I stamped the wee tree with Memento ink in tuxedo black and used my Stampin Up chalks and a blender pen to fill it it.  Then, I put a thin covering of crystal effects laquer over the chalks to seal the image and make the colours pop a little.   I FINALLY succumbed to the lure of Tim Holtz and the amazing distressing inks he has through Ranger.  I used broken china which is a nice denim blue to stamp a background image (also from Great Impressions) and then rubbed it all over the card base using a sponge.  Then I flicked water droplets on the ink and let the the "magic" happen.  LOVE IT.  All cardstock and DP used for this card is Stampin Up.  The Ribbon is from the Haunted line by Cosmo Cricket.  The card is topped off with Kaiser adhesive pearls and a mini library clip.  Cute...so cute. 

SECOND:  The Wiper Card...the tutorial was fab as usual (Beate is a goddess) but I can't say I loved the results.  The "wiper" doesn't really want to fold back down into the card so it's really a "one shot deal" so to speak.  However, it ended up super cute.  Here it is...

All  card stock, DP and accessories are SU.  The wee little bird stamp is from Great Impressions and is coloured with my WONDERFUL Pantone Tria markers.  I will blog about these fab alcohol markers soon! 

LAST:  but not least...my Sheet Load submission... whew... this card was cut, recut, stuck and restuck... I had a hard time making it work.  I was committed to use my free Whimsie Doodles digi stamp on this card.  Isn't he just the cutest little turtle EVER???  The images are coloured with Tria markers and SU inks with a watercolour pen.  it's not my best card...nor my worst.  Maybe I'll try again... but not now...

Oh well, gotta run.  My sweet pea wants to play ponies in the tub... at least there's bubbles.

XOXOXO  K

Well...it's about time...right???

So I have finally taken the plunge. After following all of those very talented ladies out there sharing their paper crafting sweat, tears and triumphs, I thought..."I could do that too!". So here we are...