Steampunk Heart - New digi stamp from CraftyGirl Creations

Steampunk Heart

The creators at StitchyBear's Digi Outlet (SBDO) are always adding great new products, and today I'm showing off this fun Steampunk Heart by CraftyGirl Creations.

I adore CraftyGirl's funky images, and I added my own doodle to the frame. I colored the image with glitter pens, cut out the frame separately,  placed the piece onto a black backing and attached it with an Action Wobble.

Our current challenge at One Stitch at a Time (OSAAT) is Distressing, and I used a similar technique here as I did for my Design Team card.

The background is embossed on a black-topped cardstock from Core'Dinations and sanded to show the white core. The white strip is the same textured white cardstock as the base card but is embossed with the same gear-patterned folder. It's popped up with foam tape. The gears are metal embellishment, and I attached an extra gear on the end with a brad. Yes, it turns!

Feeling Sketchy #106

I'm entering this card into the following fun Challenges:
Feeling Sketchy: Card Sketch #106
Miriam's Crafting Blog Monthly Challenge: Steampunk
My Craft Spot #156: Metal

Update: This card was chosen as a Top Pick for Feeling Sketchy #106 and was also a random prize winner for their November challenges.

Thank you for visiting, and hope you'll check out the great products at SBDO,

Pilin' on the Die Cuts

This week at Pile It On our challenge is to Use at least 2 Die Cuts. You can use physical dies, electronic dies, or pre-cut dies made by yourself or store-bought. We're sponsored by StitchyBear's Digi Outlet, and since I happen to also be on the DT for their challenge blog One Stitch at a Time (OSAAT), I incorporated their current Use Orange challenge in my project featuring Air Balloons by CraftyGirl Creations.

Die sets used: Lacey Circles from Spellbinders, Clouds from Impression Obsession

The Air Balloons digi stamp was colored with Copics and gel pens, and I used the blender/texture technique for the background. The image & a background were cut with scalloped dies, and each layer was popped with foam tape.

The clouds are cut out of this bright blue paper instead of being glued on top. I backed the blue with the white base card. The sentiment cloud is cut from white paper and stamped with a sentiment from an Inky Antics set. I glued some orange felt ribbon onto a dark blue rubber tourniquet, and added a strand of blue gems.

Challenges:
ABC Challenge: U for Unique / Anything Goes
Crafty Creations #273: Orange (2nd entry)
Fab 'n' Funky #232: Anything With Ribbon
Kitty Bee Designs: Dies and/or punches
Moo-Mania & More: Bright & Cheerful

Thank you for visiting & inspiring my crafting! Hope you'll join us at Pile It On and OSAAT,

Orange you glad it's Autumn?

SBDO October Prize Pack

This fortnight at One Stitch at a Time (OSAAT), our theme is the Color Orange. StitchyBear's Digi Outlet (SBDO) has hundreds of digital products from many wonderful artists. Even if you don't use a store image, you'll still be in the drawing to win the super-duper October prize pack.

I used the lovely Air Balloons by Crafty Girl Creations and Sizzix's Flip-It die to create this card. The card is cut from one double-sided DP. The little balloon stamps are from my stash. I fussy-cut one for the front piece, but the border is stamped onto medical paper tape. Everything is colored with Copic markers. I used some orange burlap, orange ric-rac, and a groovy orange-and white washi tape. The sentiment is a gold Starform sticker that I colored blue.

I'm entering this card into the following fabulous Challenges:
Crafty Creations #273: Orange
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper: Anything goes with Patterned Paper
Crafty Little Fairies: Use only one designer paper (base card is one double-sided DP)
Simon Says Stamp: Transportation

Thank you for visiting, and hope you'll join us at One Stitch at a Time,

Craftygirl's Love Hand - Rainbow

For this week's One Stitch at a Time Challenge (theme: Anything Goes), I used Love Hand Doodle by CraftyGirl Creations, available at StitchyBear's Digi Outlet. After playing with several ideas, I ended up making two complementary cards. You can read about the copper-hued version in a separate post.

For this card, I used the back of the pre-embossed paper I used for the other version. I filled the debossed sections with a white glaze pen. I also used my favorite corner punch.

I colored the image with Copics; I actually did it twice, because I didn't like my coloring the first time. It's fun to color, though! I colored the drywall tape with a black Copic.

I almost always use a fork to make bows, but the Delicate Bow Tutorial at Useful DIY made it easy to make this fancier version. It uses up a lot of ribbon, but it really does come out looking good. I must admit I'm a little proud of how I was able to line up the center ribbon to show the words. I got this ribbon 2nd-hand quite some time ago, and it was just what I needed for this project. The primary-color ribbon has been in my stash forever as well.

Inspiration/Challenges:
Craft-Dee BowZ April Challenge: Anything Goes with a Handmade Bow (2nd entry)
Simon Says Stamp: Clean & Simple (4th entry)
Tok Bobok #11: CAS

Thank you for visiting, and hope you'll join us this week at One Stitch at a Time,

Craftygirl's Love Hand Doodle - Monochrome

This week at One Stitch at a Time (OSAAT), our theme is Anything Goes. StitchyBear's Digi Outlet has hundreds of digital products from many wonderful artists, and if you use one of our products you'll be entered to win the super-duper April prize pack of 7 digis. If you don't use a store image, you'll still be in the drawing to win a $3 gift certificate.

You'll definitely want to check out all the beautiful OSAAT Design Team projects, in particular Shell's card using this same image.
 
I've always been intrigued by this Love Hand Doodle by CraftyGirl Creations, so I ended up making two cards. You can read about the rainbow version in a separate post.

The image was printed on a shiny white paper and heat-embossed in black (I have some tips from doing this here).

I followed the Delicate Bow Tutorial at Useful DIY to make the fancy bow using a fork. The "I Love You" printed ribbon is from Making Memories; the copper-ish ribbon is from my stash, and I literally used the last bits!

The pre-embossed backing paper (Colorbok, I think?) was inked with a copper ink, and I added some drywall tape that I colored with a gold pen. The copper backing layer is from Recollections; I can't get enough of this gorgeous paper.

Inspiration/Challenges:
Artistic Inspirations: Anything Goes / Clean and Simple (CAS)
4 Crafty Chicks #191: Embossing
Craft-Dee BowZ April Challenge: Anything Goes with a Handmade Bow
Love to Create: Monochromatic + Ribbon
Natalie and Amy's Challenge #19: Embossing
Really Reasonable Ribbon #93: Monochromatic Color & Ribbon
Simon Says Stamp: Clean & Simple

Update: This was chosen as a DT Favorite for the Artistic Inspirations CAS challenge. Thanks!

Thank you for visiting, and hope you'll join us this week at One Stitch at a Time,

Open your Eyes... Spots and/or Stripes at PIO

This week's challenge at Pile It On is "Stripes and/or Dots" and I had a lot of fun with it! We're sponsored by StitchyBear's Digi Outlet, so I used Globe Turtle by CraftyGirl Creations.

As soon as I saw this great image, I thought of Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels, where the world is carried on the back of a turtle. I used a quote from his book The Wee Free Men:  “Open your eyes and then open your eyes again.” I didn't make this card for any particular occasion, but it could be a fun card to celebrate Earth Day, which falls on Tuesday, April 22nd this year.

The inner circle, with the sentiment and ribbon pull, rotates independent from the base the the top turtle piece. This is a relatively simple technique: I glued a flat, round brad in between the top layers, and secured it in between the bottom layers. There's an eyelet in the bottom layer for stability. I made the holes & set the eyelet with my Crop-O-Dile.

I added some actual shells with Glossy Accents.

One of the challenges I'm entering this into is "Showcase your Style" at As You Like it. I think this is pretty representative of the classic CG style, ha! Lots going on, but with clean lines, and with a moving element. When I started cardmaking, I always had an interactive element. I also included paper piecing, one of my favorite techniques.

Inspiration/Challenges:
Animal Friends Challenge: Dots + Animal
As You Like it Challenge: Showcase (and explain) your Style
Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge: Lots of Patterned paper
Crafty Ribbons: Anything Goes with Ribbon
Cardz 4 Guyz: Spots & Stripes
Doodle Pantry #43: Any Digi Goes
Ruby's Rainbow: Spots and Stripes
WordArt Wednesdays: Anything goes (must be uplifting, no dark images or themes)

Thank you for visiting,