A Few Changes for 2012--January Challenge

Welcome to the first posting of the Dreamweaver Stencils' Dream Team 2012 ! We're changing things up a bit for this year, and YOU can help. The first Thursday of every month will feature our new challenge and will extend through the entire month. This means that YOU have ALL month to play along with the one challenge, as many times as you want. Sometimes it will be a color challenge, sometimes a theme, and sometimes a technique. We are hoping that an entire month will give you plenty of time to be inspired, create, and link to the Dream It Up! blog . Each month we are offering TWO prizes...one for the most creative version of the challenge (does not have to be Dreamweaver Stencils ' product, but we sure are happy when it is!), and the second for the best use of Dreamweaver Stencils ' product in the challenge. This could be stencils (of course), Embossing Pastes , Metallic F/X , the new Color Solutions , etc., anything you find on the Dreamweaver Stencils' web site , or in your local store. Don't know where your local store is? The list can be found on the web site . Not near any of the stores listed? There is also an online site to purchase from, Stencil with Style !For the month of January, we challenge you to create something for Valentine's Day! You have until January 31st, 11:59 PM EST, to post and link your creation(s) to the Dream It Up! Blog Mr. Linky. The winners will be announced February 2nd, along with the February challenge.
This month's challenge is Valentine's Day.
Here is my version of this month's challenge:

I chose to feature the cards that I am teaching in a January 14th class at My Craft Room in Troy, Michigan. While my focus is on the metals, I have a couple of extra techniques thrown in. Lets start on the left, shall we? For this card, I used two stencils. One, the candy hearts, can only be obtained by taking the class. I ran that stencil through my Cuttlebug with plain metal, dripped alcohol inks on it, and sanded it. The other was the Plaid Stencil LX 7002. I used that one with Adirondack Dye Inks to create the plaid on the background. The middle card also features that Plaid Stencil, this time run through the Cuttlebug with SEI Velvet Paper. It is difficult to see how beautiful it looks because velvet paper does not photograph well. Then, I used the Cuttlebug with the Cathedral Windows Small Stencil LJ 909 and fuschia coated aluminum. I sanded the metal and put it back through the Cuttlebug without a stencil to flatten it out. I put the metal face down on top of the Heart Swans Stencil LM 2000. I used the Mercart metal tools with the stencil to create the 3D swans. Then, I filled the back with Mercart Backing Paste and let it dry. Once dry, I pounced some alcohol ink right over the swan area to enhance and seperate them from the background. I then sanded the swans well, using the Mercart Fiberglass Tool when I had to get it very shiny in little areas.The final card in the row was the easiest. The background was created with Damask LX 7001 run through the Cuttlebug with Core'dinations Color Core paper and sanded. The Heart Swirls Stencil LL 567 was also run through the Cuttlebug, but with black coated aluminum. It, too was sanded. That was it. Simple, right?

Need more inspiration? Please visit the rest of our fabulous team listed here:

Pam Hornschu (our fearless leader)

Laura Drahozal (me)

Louise Healy

Wendy Jordan

Terrece Siddoway

Kristi Van Doren

Georgia Sommers

Lee Kellogg

Liz Martin

Cyndi Bundy

Cherylynn Moser

Jessie Hurley