Blogger's Challenge #193: Reuse or Recycle

I'll admit this is a stretch....big time!  I am reusing (sort of) some fabric that will be unavailable on Jan. 4.  I had used the fabric on my door decoration eariler so that's how I am reusing...super LAME!!! 

I saw that Claudia had made a couple of these ornaments and I wanted to try them out.  I used the larger scallop square on the Scallop Squares Duo Bigz Die to cut out the squares and the fabric is the Deck the Halls Fabric from the Holiday Mini catalog.

I watched this video to learn how to make it.  Mine turned out a little odd shaped but only because I could only find a 2 1/2 inch styrofoam ball so try a 3 inch styrofoam ball and see if you are more successful!

Off to see how the other girls reused and recycled.  Please check them out, too!!!

Happy New Year and God's blessings to you all!

Blogger's Challenge #192: Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas (Eve)!  Our challenge this week was something Christmas.  Since we can't have Christmas without Christ, I thought that using the Rejoicing in Christmas set was appropriate for this reason!  This set is only available until Jan. 3.  There is a sneak peek as I am using the Baja Breeze Seam Binding ribbon from the upcoming Occasions Mini.  That will be available on Jan. 4.

I pray that all of you have a blessed Christmas and celebrate the real meaning of Christmas!

Peace to you from Christ Jesus, Our Savior!

Blogger's Challenge #191 Sketch Challenge

We had a sketch challenge.  My stampin muse/mojo/creativity had left me until now so I am so sorry to be posting so late!  Here's the sketch that Lisa gave us to use:

Isn't it a good one?  This is finally what I came up with.  It's uses a set from the upcoming Occasions mini and an embosslet from that catty, too.

Thanks for looking and hope you play along, too!  Please also check out what the other players created!

Blogger's Challenge #190: Happy Birthday!

Our challenge for this week was to create a birthday card!  I received my Papercrafts magazine in the mail today and saw a card by Susan Deering West that I had to CASE (copy and share everything).  It's on page 79.  She uses pinks and burgundys as her colors.  I chose to base my work on the Blueberry Crisp DSP (designer series paper.)  The bottom portion of the card is Crumb Cake...looks kind of olive in my photo...

Please be sure to see what other birthday celebrating is being done by my fellow BC members.  Also, play along!  I'd LOVE to see how you celebrate!

Blogger's Challenge #189: Christmas Ornament

Please take my word for it but this is one project that definitely looks MUCH better in real life!  Our challenge was to make a Christmas ornament.  I knew that I wanted to use the Deck the Halls Designer Fabric from the Holiday mini. 

First, I used twisted three pipe cleaners to make my base circle.  Then, I cut strips of fabric (around 9 of each color, at 5 inch lengths) and started tying knots!  I also alternated Always Artichoke and Very Vanilla seam binding pieces throughout.  (I also wanted to use the Cherry Cobbler seam binding but mine just shipped from SU today...I waited TOO long to get this stuff...it's AWESOME!!!!!) 

I wasn't quite happy with that finished product so I knew what I needed to add...BIG DESIGNER BUTTONS that match...that's what is always great about using SU product...it always matches!!!  I used linen thread to tie on my buttons and my project was complete!  I think I might hang it on a doorknob instead of my Christmas tree!

Be sure to see what the other players did for their ornaments and thanks for checking my project out!

Blogger's Challenge #179: Color Challenge

Hope you all had a safe and blessed Thanksgiving! 

Our challenge this week was to create something using blue, mustard and rust.  I chose Pacific Blue, More Mustard and Cajun Craze.  I stamped my background of the flowers and butterflies and sponged the More Mustard and Cajun Craze before I ran that paper through my Big Shot and the lattice die.  Neat look, huh?

I also used some Victoria crochet ribbon that I had dyed for a previous project. 

Thanks for looking!  Please play along and take some time to see what the other players did for this challenge!

Blogger's Challenge #178: Give Thanks!

I chose to give thanks by making and sharing a couple of thank you cards!  The first one I made for a friend who invited me to an Affair of Tables.  The theme of their table was coffee and tea so I used the images from Morning Cup to make a background set and stamped it on the background Naturals Ivory cardstock.  I added a little extra color with the color spritzer and my Crumb Cake marker.  I also sponged a bit of Crumb Cake and Real Red to antique the look.  The button is from the Big Designer Button group called Candy Cane.  So cool to have some big button options!

I created the second card to include in a set of cards to be given as a gift.  I wanted something rather simple and quick.  I used the Elizabeth stamp set and the sentiment is from the set called Just Believe.  After adding the tied ribbon, my card was complete!

Thanks for taking a peek and be sure to check out the other Give Thanks challenges by the other Blogger's Challenge gals.  AND please play along!!!!

Giveaway!

A fellow stamping friend and a fellow Blogger's Challenge player is giving away a copy of the Fancy Folds CD from Technique Junkies!!!

Here's the link so you can enter, too!

http://chrissyd723.blogspot.com/2010/11/giveaway.html

Go do it!!!  She's giving one away for every hundred entries!

Blogger's Challenge #177: November Sketch Challenge

For our challenge this week, Lisa created this really cool sketch.  I really focused on the oval portion of it.

My classroom received a gift of two fans recently so I wanted to make a special thank you to the family that donated them. 

Have a super weekend and please be sure to check out what the other Blogger Challenge Players did with this super sketch!

Blogger's Challenge #176: Patriotic

Usually when you think of Patriotic, you picture the colors red, white and blue.  My town of Crookston is participating in the Beyond the Yellow Ribbon awareness week which is actually supposed to carry out throughout the year to support the families of those serving in the military.  Our Bible study watched a video on this idea this morning so that was my inspiration for finally completing the Blogger's Challenge!  (So sorry I'm late again!)  I wanted a super simple card that was easy to reproduce and I htink that I found it!  I used the Presto Patterns DSP with Daffodil Delight ink.  Then, with the ribbon of hope stamp and some punches, my card was complete!

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to see what the other players did...I always wait to look at theirs until I finish my project so I'm anxious to check them out, too!!!

Blogger's Challenge #175: Halloween!

I have a VERY simple Halloween contribution for my Blogger's Challenge this week!  First, I made candy wrapper treats for my students.  I used the Candy Wrapper Bigz L Die for the Big Shot...whipped them up rather quickly!  I added the jack-o-lantern face from the Autumn Harvest set to make them look like little pumpkins!

I also made a little photo book to hold my Halloween pics!  I used Elegant Elegance ink with the Trick or Treat Letterpress plate.  You need to use craft ink for this item so I used a craft spot.  I added a little trim with Basic Black Waffle Paper and punched a couple of bats to complete the project.

Thanks for looking!  Sorry I was late with my contribution.  Hopefully, you'll be like me and check out what the other Blogger's Challenge players did for their Halloween projects!

Pumpkin share!

 

Thought I'd share the beagle pumpkin I did from a stencil I found online...thanks for looking!

Blogger's Challenge #174: Reuse Recycle

I found this frame in a clearance section at Walmart for less than 40 cents!  I added the sparkle on the frame using Gold Glow Smooch Spritz.  The top image is simply Crumb Cake cardstock, the moon sponged with Crumb Cake and More Mustard and then the silhouette stamped in Early Espresso. 

The bottom in background is Deck the Halls DSP and the sentiment is stamped in Early Espresso on Crumb Cake Cardstock and framed with Always Artichoke cardstock.

Thanks for looking.  See what you can reuse and recycle and be sure to see what the other BC girls did with this challenge.  There's a link on my sidebar to their blogs.

Blogger's Challenge #173: Black/White and a Splash of Orange!

Our Challenge for this week was to create a black and white card with a splash of orange...I kind of dumped on the Peach Parfait but I like the results!

I began with my Basic Black CS and ran it through my Big Shot with the Spider Web Embossing Folder.  I used my brayer again this week and with Whisper White ink, gently added the ink to the raised portions of the web.  I needed a little glammer, so I sprayed the background with Vanilla Shimmer Smooch Spritz.

The image is from the Greeting Cards Kids.  I must confess, these little images kind of creeped me out at first with those beady little eyes.  But then, I saw so many adorable cards that I got over that problem and bought it!!!  I used markers and my Aquapainter to color the image.

I punched out the image with the XL scallop circle punch and used the 2 1/2 inch circle punch in Peach Parfait as the background.  To add a little frill, I adhered a gathered up piece ( or four) of the Basic Black Waffle paper. 

The Happy Halloween sentiment is from Teeny Tiny Wishes.  A little more of a finish came with the Peach Parfait Glimmer brad and the Peach Parfait Stitched Poly-Ribbon.

Thanks for looking and please go and see the other players' Black and White and Orange creations!!

Blogger's Challenge #172: Sketch Challenge

I LOVED this sketch that Lisa created for this challenge!  I saw a lot of possibilities with it!  But when I got my new Mary Kay perfume and lotion, I was so inspired by the design of the box and the colors that I went in that direction.  Thinking of You is the name of the new scent and I love it!

Here is the sketch:

Here is the card:

Thanks for checking out my challenge this week and please visit the other players' blogs to see what they created with this sketch!

Blogger's Challenge #171: Happy Anniversary

I've seen the owls done as a couple before and since that punch was on my desk, I thought that would be my starting point.  I also incorporated a bubble heart using the new silver crinkle paper and a cotton ball!

Thanks for looking and be sure to check out what the other Bloggers Challenge players were up to! 

Blogger's Challenge #170: Reuse/Recycle

I am actually attending the Church Worker's Wives' retreat at the time this is posting but wanted to share a project that I made for that event!  My friend Kelley had the frame and asked that I spruce it up a bit.  Since our theme is Taste and See that the Lord is Good, I used coffee cups as an inspiration. 

The following are the before and after pics:

Be sure to see what the other players came up with!  Happy Stampin'!

Blogger's Challenge #168: Happy Fall to You!

Another late post this week!  I am so sorry!  I really need to work ahead and stop working behined!

Our challenge for this week was fall.  Thankfully I bought the new French Foliage stamp set from the Holiday Mini because it is one of the best for fall!

I began with glossy cardstock and used sponge daubers to add Cherry Cobbler, Old Olive, More Mustard and Cajun Craze to the entired piece.  Then, I tried a new trick that convention goers were shown at this year's SU convention (I wasn't there but I've seen it!)  You moisten a paper towel with Stampin' Up's Stamp Cleaner, use that to "ink" your stamp and stamp directly onto the preinked glossy piece.  Some of the color comes off, leaving a ghostly image.  Then, after it dried, I stamped over the ghosted image with the regular image, inked with the same colors as the background.

I also used a new punch from the Holiday Mini called Decorative Label.

Thanks for checking out my project and please stop and see the other players' postings!

Blogger's Challenge #167: September Sketch

A day late but I finally produced something for my Blogger's Challenge for this week.  Teachers went back to work last week so my brain was creative for the classroom and not so much for my stampin' area. 

Lisa gave us a sketch for this week's challenge:

It was a really fun one so I didn't miss out and came up with this card:

I began with more of a homespun look but when I added the silver to my background, that look was gone and I went crazy with the silver!

Thanks for looking and be sure to see what the other players' did!

Happy Labor Day (or as I like to call it..."Back to Labor" Day cause school starts on Tuesday!)

Blogger's Challenge #166: Color Challenge

When I first saw the colors for this week's challenge (Red, Green and Yellow) all I could picture was various flags of different countries with those same colors!  But, the inspiration hit me with a sneak peek from the upcoming Holiday Mini catalog!

I used a new stamp set called French Foliage...aren't these leaves just gorgeous?  Have I got ideas for this set!!!  My choices for colors were More Mustard, Cherry Cobbler and Old Olive.  The background is simple Vellum Cardstock run through my Big Shot with the Vintage Wallpaper Impressions folder. 

I made this card for our next door neighbor who will be celebrating his 80th birthday this Saturday.

Please take time to see what the other players contributed this week!  Happy Friday!