Thursday, October 30, 2014

HallowThanksMas Week 5

We are back to the original theme of the month, HallowThanksMas!  Yes, Halloween, Thanksgiving AND Christmas, but not all together, mind you.  As usual, we'd love for you to play along with the challenge and link your creations to the Inlinkz tool on the Dream It Up! blog. Just in case you are wondering...NO, YOU DO NOT NEED TO POST SOMETHING WITH ALL THREE HOLIDAYS ON IT! However, you get bonus points for actually using Dreamweaver stencils and product on your creations! And bonus points might actually earn you an extra stencil as our monthly winner...just sayin'!
 
Here's my creation for today: 
 
This is another metal creation.  I used both the green coated aluminum and the red coated aluminum.  I cut the ornaments out first using the DG674 Nested Ornaments Die and my Cuttlebug.  I then placed them on the LX7026 Chevron Background and ran it through my Cuttlebug with the stencil face up, the metal face up on the red and face down on the light green, the Rubber Embossing Mat and two B Plates.  I used the same sandwich with the red metal (face up) and the LM 283 Vertical Celebrate Stencil.  I dripped Color Solutions in Mojito into the "wells" on the lighter green ornament.  I sanded all of the metal projects to remove the coating on the raised portions.
 The background was created much the same way, but with paper in the sandwich and both the LX7025 Crusade Background Stencil and the paper face down.  I left the stencil in place as I sprayed it with Memory Mist MM25 Gold. 
The holly ornament was created with the FJ917 Holiday Greetings Embossing Folder. I put a couple of drops of Winter Red Color Solutions into the berry sections.  I then lightly sanded the whole thing.
I attached the two chevron ornaments and the celebrate word with Double Stick Mounting Paper.  Then, I pasted the LL3045 Small Oval Ornament Stencil with Glossy White Embossing Paste and attached the holly ornament while it was wet.

Remember to visit the entire Dream Team for more inspiration:

 
An InLinkz Link-up

Monday, October 27, 2014

A Creative Blog Hop

My friend, Linda Neff, invited me to participate in a Creative Blog Hop.  Apparently, I have only to answer a few questions and pass along a great name for you to check out next week.  That is all I HAVE to do, but I have been dying to share this project for some time, so bear with me, please.  If you are only here for the answers to my questions, just zip past all the pictures, okay?
So, here is the project that I wanted to share:
It was so much easier than it looks.  I used Dreamweaver Stencils (I am on their Design Team), metals, my Cuttlebug, some alcohol inks, May Arts ribbon and some cardstock and adhesive.  Let me tell you how I did it.
1)  I ran the Dreamweaver Stencil LG758 Jellyfish through my Cuttlebug with the following sandwich:  A Plate, stencil face down, blue coated aluminum face down, Stamping Details Rubber Embossing Mat, and two B Plates.
2)  I ran the Dreamweaver LM248 Happy Birthday Stencil through the Cuttlebug the same way, except that both the stencil and the metal were face up.  For this one, I temporarily left the stencil attached.
3)  I dripped Color Solutions alcohol ink on both pieces, staying towards the outside on the jellyfish and inside of the letters on the word.  Since the metal was already blue, I didn't worry about covering every singe area.  I used the colors Aquarius and Blue Velvet and just a Q Tip wherever I felt I needed to smear the colors.  I let them dry.

4)  I sanded both pieces.  The words were sanded completely with the stencil still under the piece.  The jellyfish was just lightly sanded.

5)  I used a Q Tip to apply Color Solutions in Pearl White to the top of the jellyfish, blending it with the blues a little.
6) I assembled the card.
Thanks for being patient with me.  I hope you enjoyed it.
Now, on to the questions:

1)  What are you working on at the moment?

Honestly, when I am not working on blog posts or design team work, I never, ever make cards.  I primarily scrapbook.  I also do plenty of things that would be considered home decorating.  I am working on a Halloween place setting for two right now, relying heavily on my Silhouette Cameo.

2)  How does your work differ from others in your genre?

I think my work differs from others because I enjoy using a variety of materials, especially metals.  They are so easy and fun to use that I am surprised the more people don't work with them.  I have always had a soft spot for specialty materials like metal, wood, vellum, fabric, glittered, holographic, mulberry, velvet and handmade papers.
 
3)  Why do you create?

I am inspired by most things that I see.  I can't imagine what life would be like without the creative process.  When I imagine things in my head, I am excited to try and breathe life into the ideas.

4)  How does your creative process work?

Sometimes life inspires the creativity, and sometimes it is a challenge or competition and yet other times it is the materials.  Whatever inspires the ideas, once I get on a roll I fill pages of notebook paper with sketches and scribbles.  Every now and again, I get lucky enough to come up with a fully formed idea, but generally there is a lot of revision before something actually comes to fruition.  I usually have to have a pretty complete idea before I start a project.  Then, of course, it changes, often entirely, as I work.

For your exploration next week, I present Kristi Parker Van Doren of Kristi's Creative Café.  She is absolutely fearless.  She combines various styles and materials in very creative ways.  I hope you enjoy her work.

I am also going to have you take a look at Pam Hornschu, the fearless leader of the Dreamweaver Design Team.  She posts as 1Pampered Stamper.  Her work never fails to astound me with how ingeniously she creates.  I would never think of such creative ways to use stencils and stamps.  She inspires me.

Check those out next week.  You won't be disappointed.  I hope you come back again soon!

Have a great time looking!  I hope to see you back.

Friday, October 17, 2014

Sandy Claus is Coming to Town--Day Five


SANDY Claus is Coming to Town!

Yes...SANDY Claus! All of this week, the Stampendous and Dreamweaver teams are playing with a mix of their products, along with some wonderful, SAND-ABLE papers from Core'dinations. Join us as we sand our way to the "core" of all things Christmas and the Holiday season. Of course, there will be prizes, and we give away the best...this time with a mix of fun Core'dinations products as well. To be one of three prize package winners, follow the posted link lists each day, leave a comment, and winners will be selected from these comments at the beginning of next week. Here is what you might win:


Here's what I'm showing off today:
 
This card was much easier than it looks.  The LS 92 Merry Christmas Stencil and the LX7027 Quatrefoil Stencil were run through the Cuttlebug with my Rubber Embossing Mat and sanded.  It took a little effort, but Wow! did I ever love that chalk effects Core'dinations card stock!  It really made everything pop. 
For the flower, I stamped the Stampendous Jumbo Cling Rubber Poinsettia Stamp three times on the alcohol ink friendly variety of  Core'dinations Card Stock with Momento Ink.  I also stamped it once on smooth green card stock.  I cut the leaves out of that and colored them (and the yellow flower insides) with Derwent Inktense Pencils.  The flower itself was colored with Spectrum Markers.  I them fussy cut it and adhered it down, allowing the tips of the petals to overlap the card edges.  I cut additional petals from the second and third image and raised the outside edge of the petal with foam while adhering the insides flat.


 
 
I added a May Arts ribbon and I was done.
 

Leave a comment for me, and head to the next on the list:

Dreamweaver:
*On Stampendous team as well

Core'dinations:
(will not be posting on their company blog, but individual posts only)

Head on over to the Stampendous blog for links to their posts:

Thursday, October 16, 2014

Sandy Claus is Coming to Town--Day Four



SANDY Claus is Coming to Town!
 
 
Yes...SANDY Claus! All of this week, the Stampendous and Dreamweaver teams are playing with a mix of their products, along with some wonderful, SAND-ABLE papers from Core'dinations. Join us as we sand our way to the "core" of all things Christmas and the Holiday season. Of course, there will be prizes, and we give away the best...this time with a mix of fun Core'dinations products as well. To be one of three prize package winners, follow the posted link lists each day, leave a comment, and winners will be selected from these comments at the beginning of next week. Here is what you might win:
Here's what I'm showing off today:

 
 
First, I sprayed the back of the Large Damask Stencil LX7001 with Strawberry Daiquri and Metallic Gold Memory Mists and ran them through my Cuttlebug with Color Core Core'dinations Card Stock and the Rubber Embossing Mat.  (Sadly, you can't see the shimmer it created in this photo).  I waited for the card stock to dry before I sanded it to reveal the beautiful core color. 
As I waited, I used Metallic Gold Embossing Paste on White Canvas Textured Core'dinations with the LL 3009 Christmas Script Stencil. This had to dry as well.
 I used the DL3005 Holly & Berries Die Cut with Color Silk Card Stock.  The flourish is from the gorgeous Stampendous Jumbo Cling Rubber Poinsettia stamp set.  I used Gold Delicata ink and Stampendous Clear Embossing Powder on vellum.  I stamped it twice, using the extra edges on the sides of another piece.  I attached it to the white card stock and fussy cut the edges.  After that, it was a simple matter of assembly, using May Arts Ribbon and a few rhinestones.  
Leave a comment for me, and head to the next on the list:
 
Dreamweaver:
*On Stampendous team as well

Core'dinations:
(will not be posting on their company blog, but individual posts only)

Head on over to the Stampendous blog for links to their posts:

Thursday, October 2, 2014

HallowThanksMas?

Can you tell that sometimes Dream Team's "Fearless Leader", Pam Hornschu, has a hard time deciding on monthly challenges? Since the team will be taking turns all month with the Smeared and Smudged 31 Days of Halloween, and we are doing a Christmas collaboration with Stampendous and Core'dinations the 13th - 17th, the confusion should be understandable. Therefore...happy HallowThanksMas! As usual, we'd love for you to play along with the challenge and link your creations to the Inlinkz tool on the Dream It Up! blog. Just in case you are wondering...NO, YOU DO NOT NEED TO POST SOMETHING WITH ALL THREE HOLIDAYS ON IT! However, you get bonus points for actually using Dreamweaver stencils and product on your creations! And bonus points might actually earn you an extra stencil as our monthly winner...just sayin'!
 
Here's my creation for today:
 
 
I really wanted to share this project, even thought it is REALLY an autumn card, so I am calling it "Thanksgiving".  I am hoping that everyone is okay with that!
On this card, I used Stencil LX7027 Quartrefoil , Stencil LL3043 Oak Leaf, Stencil LL3044 Maple Leaf and Stencil LM295 Autumn.  I used the my manual die cut machine (in my case, a Cuttlebug) and the Stamping Details Rubber Embossing Mat on all of them.  The real difference in the components is in the materials and finishing.
The background was created with Core'dinations card stock that was sanded after it was embossed.  The word Autumn was "debossed" by running it through the machine with the stencil face up and the red coated aluminum, also face up.  It was sanded afterwards with the stencil still in place underneath.
Now, the leaves.......First, I embossed the mustard colored aluminum. I put the stencil and the metal face down in the machine.  After I removed it, I used the metal tool beginner's kit to "pouf" out the metal, making it further embossed.  Then, I flipped it over and used the Teflon tool in that beginner's kit to make vein lines.  After I fussed a little while, I finally had it the way I liked it.  Then, I filled the back with Mercart Filling Paste.
After a couple of hours, when the paste was dry, I used regular scissors to cut around the leaves.  I then dripped several colors of Color Solutions Alcohol Inks onto the leaves and smeared the colors around with Q Tips.  I used Paprika Red, Christmas Red, Crème Brulee, Aspen, Pumpkin and Mojito.
 
 
I love the shine under the colors.  It looks almost like the leaves were cut from fire opal. 


 
It was the combination of the metal color and the Color Solutions that excited me so much about this card.  I hope you enjoyed it, too.

Remember to visit the rest of the team, as well as our guest designer, as confusion takes rein...could be interesting!

An InLinkz Link-up