Banner card

You have probably seen this technique all over the place.  It is currently the sketch challenge over at Blessings Ink, so I had to give it a try:

The banners made me think of international flags.  They are all cut from the SOTF (scraps on the floor, although some people think the S stands for something else).  This technique works with any scraps of any size.  A little sponging of blue distress ink gives it the clouds in the sky look and feel.

Challenges:

• Addicted to stamps - use Kraft
• Eclectic Ellapu - masculine
• Southern Girls - banner
• Oldie but a Goodie - bright colors (I've got ALL the colors!)
• Shopping our Stash - oldest DP (it's the pink one underneath on the right - Dollar Tree, 50 sheets for a buck)

Mrs. Gorsky

I saw a four fold card with pop-outs, and I had to try it.  If only I had a better camera...

This will fit in a standard size card envelope, but it opens to a really nice size with a lot of deep dimension.  Now you may be wondering,  Who is Mrs. Gorsky?  I have a stamp a friend gave me, a stamp she got in a  grab bag of stamps that she considered unusable.  This is that stamp:

I don't know why anyone would make a stamp with all that on it, but they did and I have it.  This is the card I made for it (I stamped this on a panel on the back).  If you have a better idea for a card with this stamp, just ask and I will send it to you.

Challenges:

• Crafts for Eternity - very vintage
• Crafty Catz - Dies and punches
• Just Add Ink - pop outs
• Aud Sentiments - share the inside sentiment
• Divas by Design - Fancy Fold

Mono Mosaic

Mono Mosaic is a technique from the Technique Junkies newsletter.  It has very detailed directions for a very specific size and style.  however, since it is never the size I want to make, I end up improvising, and that would be all right if I could cut a square.  I can't cut a square, as anyone in my inchie group will tell you.  I can't cut a straight line, even with my special fiskars paper cutter.  However, I like this technique too much to leave it alone.

This technique also calls for geometric stamps, which I don't have.  I just improvised with what I did have, namely the snail&co set from a•muse studio.  I was able to create 4 different fills to cut into blocks for the technique, which is all I really needed.  This card fulfills the color challenge over at Stamped Blessings, and these other challenges:

• Allsorts - things with wings
• Alphabet challenge - anything with wings
• CAS-ual Fridays - black and white + one
• Stampavie and more - lots of layers
• Shelly's Images - neutrals with a pop of color

Take 2

You may remember that a while back, I asked for feedback on how to improve a card that I made that really wasn't very good at all - in fact, I made it for a design team, and the blog owner refused it.  Pretty bad, eh?  I asked for feedback on how to improve it, and based on the feedback, I submit the following:

I used the Mono Marker technique to give the flower some pop, and I deliberately double-stamped the sentiment to give it some depth.  The green leaves use a green embossing powder my friend Diane gave me, and the flower is stamped with orange ink and embossed with clear. Stamps are from a•muse studio.

Ravens Spirit

Yesterday was very busy for me - not only did I host a Superbowl party, but I had a construction crew coming in today to demolish my kitchen and family room.  However, I did find a minute for crafting.
I did root for the Ravens, but not because of any strong feeling about football.  First of all, Baltimore is only 2 hours away, so it is almost a hometown team.  Second, Ravens!  Edgar Alan Poe!  What a cool reason to pick a mascot.  Third, Purple and black is about half my wardrobe, is it was easy to dress in the right colors.
However, I felt I needed a little something more than just purple and black, so I decided to make a bit of Ravens jewelry.

Not a great photo of the pin, or my purple shirt, but I will tell you how I did it.  First, I found a picture of the Ravens logo and printed it out, on a scrap piece a paper.  It fit nicely inside an oval punch, so I punched it, and I also punched a couple of ovals out of an old cereal box, and glued all the layers together with PPA.  After it dried, I put a little leafing pen around the edge (not very neatly, I fear), and attached on a pin back (I used glue dots, but if it were jewelry I wanted to wear a lot, I would have used red tape).  It was so fast and easy!

Wheely cute

Sometimes you don't want a super romantic valentine, you just want a cute one.

I was having a little trouble splitting the sentiment onto 2 hearts, and it was a little off-center, so I used the tiny flower from the snail&co stamp set to balance it out.  The bike and sentiment are from the enjoy the ride stamp set, both are from a•muse studio.

Challenges:

• 2 Sisters - white, red, and pink
• Addicted to CAS - heart
• My Sheri Crafts - valentine
• ATCs/Cards with Attitude - ribbons and lace
• Moving along with the Times - punch