Cubes

Still in the playing mode, I made a card for Less is More's #378, Sketch 24. I struggled a little with this one for several days because I just couldn't get the spacing right. My first attempt produced this card:

I really wanted to create a card like some that the design team had made. Anita's was my favorite, so I went to her blog and studied. The result was my second card, which is all but a blatant plagiarism of Anita's (or shall we call it an innocent CASE?).

I'm glad I was able to squeak in before the deadline on this because. . . 

  

Thanks for looking!

Berries and Boxes

After several disappointing results using the only berry stamp I own, I was ready to give up on making a card for Addicted to CAS's Challenge #143, Berries. However, I happened to notice that another project I'd rejected, a watercolored hydrangea, had a very cool leaf that I hated to throw out. One thing led to another. I cut out the leaf using a square punch, then stamped one more strawberry with my old rubber stamp, this time on watercolor paper, and punched that out too. I mounted both with foam tape on an embossed card front, then added a sentiment. Voila! I had a "Berries" theme card and I was happy because...

Mermaid Dreams

 There's something about a rainy day that gives me permission to create cards! Not that I need permission (retirement is awesome) but this sunny, warm summer has just beckoned me outdoors and away from my craft studio. So, yesterday's rain just sat me down and got me back into the groove.

For inspiration I decided to participate in a couple of CAS challenges, beginning with AAA Cards' Game #122, Use a Stencil. One of the cards on my to-do list is a birthday card for our six-year-old granddaughter, who's into princesses and mermaids. 

Her card ended up being just a little too gaudy for CAS, I thought, so I created a couple versions that were more fitting.



I began with a mermaid scale stencil I had made earlier this year using my Cricut and a Google image. Here's the link to the Ken's Creations video that taught me how to do it. With Distress Oxides in Mermaid Lagoon (naturally) and Seedless preserves, I created a swirl to suggest a mermaid tail. Then I showered it lightly with shimmer spray. 

Next, I stamped the sentiment with Gina K's new archival black ink along with the tail. The sentiment if from Sunny Studios and the tail from Flora & Fauna. I added a little heat embossing to the tail using a powder from my stash called "Psychedelic." You can catch a little of the shimmer in the photo below.

To add texture, I used an embossing folder from Darice across the bottom corner, simulating waves. After adding a few bubbly embellishments, I diecut the frame using Crazy-Double-Running-Stitch-Rectangle-Nesting-Dies from Cutplorations, then adhered the whole thing to a card.

I created the version below the same way, only using Versamark with the sparkly embossing powder. The mermaid tail came out in a pale, shimmery gold. This one I mounted with foam tape to make it pop out a little.

All in all, even though I began the whole process wondering if I'd get inspiration I like the way these turned out. I guess the secret is to just begin and the inspiration will come!

Thanks for looking.

Supplies used: