Tuesday Trigger + Make It Monday + retrosketches

It seems like forever since I have participated in Papertrey Ink's Make it Monday challenge. This week Ashley demonstrated how to use reinkers and gesso to make custom paints. You can check out the video tutorial here at Make It Monday #123: Making Your Own Paint.

I used the retrosketch #70 for the card design and the Tuesday Trigger: Scene in Tangerine for my color palette and idea to use fabric on the card.

The first step was to die cut a few burlap flowers and leaves, then I started playing around with the ink & gesso. Orange Zest, Summer Sunrise and Simply Charteuse were the PTI inks I used, along with Mustard Seed Distress Ink.

I originally cut natural burlap, but thought the colors were a bit muddy when painted on, so dug through my fabric to find a white burlap. The same Happiness in Bloom stamp & die sets were used to cut a couple of cardstock flowers and leaves. The sentiment is from Bountiful Banners.

A Lifestyle Crafts embossing folder mimics the weave of the burlap and adds more texture to the card. My 14 year old son came in when I had everything done except the sentiment - he thought there was too much white space and it should go on the embossed panel, but I really wanted to tuck the sentiment tag in the flowers. Was he right?

Thanks for stopping by,

Jacquie

Paper Smooches + Tuesday Trigger + Retrosketches + Make It Monday

I had a very productive time in the office this morning.

First up is a card I made for the Paper Smooches Spark Trend Watch challenge to be inspired by this collage of photos and use gold on a project.

I pulled out the gold glitter embossing powder and some shimmer cardstock to make this card.

I did try to stamp & emboss on a white shimmer star, but the embossing powder was not co-operating, so I ended up using regular cardstock for the center star.

The embossing powder worked just fine on the vellum banner that finishes off the sentiment.

Next up are a couple of cards for this week's Tuesday Trigger: All Sweetness & Light at Moxie Fab World. Cath has done it again with an amazing inspiration photo. I'd LOVE to have this bedding in my room, but I think it is a little too feminine for my husband.

I was inspired by the colors, the font on the "A" on the nightstand and the white pompoms on the duvet cover. 

The design of this card came from this week's retrosketch.

Because I used the negative of my letter die cut on this card, I had the word "thank" sitting on my desk begging to be used, so I made another quick card for the Tuesday Trigger.

Once again, the colors are a big part of the inspiration, but on this card I embossed the main panel to mimic the colorful quilt in the photo.

With a number of scraps on my desk and a graduation party to attend this weekend, I couldn't help making another card for the Make It Monday: Flagged Borders challenge from Dawn McVey at Capture the Moment.

The sentiment is from PTI's Birthday Bash Sentiments stamp set and the flags are cut with the Sketched Shapes dies.

I hope you were able to have some creative fun today!

Thanks for stopping by,

Jacquie

Tuesday Trigger + CASology & Retrosketch

It's always a good day when I have time to make a couple of cards.

First up is one for the Moxie Fab World Tuesday Trigger: Pretty Little Petits Fours. I am so glad this was a three week challenge, because I'm really happy with the card I made.

I inked white shimmer cardstock with Spun Sugar distress ink to make my "Petits Fours" squares and topped them with vellum flowers. A touch of color is added with Copic markers and the centers are silver micro beads.

The shimmer squares sit on a wood embossed panel that is attached to a silver shimmer card base. 

This second card is based on the current retrosketch and the CASology cue word "hexagon".

I really liked the saturated colors and hexagon panel on the CASology Design Team member Tracey's card which led me to this creation.

This was a very fast card to make - both the hexagon panel and the sentiment flag are popped up with dimensional adhesive.

Carpool duties are calling me, so I have to run!

Thanks for stopping by,

Jacquie

Retrosketches #57 Sympathy Card

Sadly, I need another sympathy card so I turned to the current retrosketch to help me put it together.

I love the sketch and it really helped make this card come together quickly. A Technique Tuesday stamp, Distress Ink, Authentique papers, Martha Stewart butterfly punch and piece of fiber from my stash are all that are used here.

One of the rectangles is popped up with foam adhesive and the whole panel is also adhered onto the card base with foam adhesive.

Thanks for stopping by,

Jacquie

Retro + CASology + 10 Minute Craft Dash + Moxie Fab Washi Challenge

I think I need to treat every card I make as a 10 Minute Craft Dash and the bonus is this one combines four challenges!

I had the retrosketch #54  in mind and pulled out a couple of Distress Inks and cardstock, stamps and washi tape and set the stop watch to see if I could pull this off.

In real life the greens are a closer match, but doubling up the washi tape did make a more intense shade.

The "phone home" idea came from the CASology Cue Card: Extraterrestrial - ET was the first thing that came to my mind and I love any excuse to use one of the Mini Blueprint stamps.

Cath at Moxie Fab World has issued a number of challenges to celebrate Card Creations Week, including the Washi Tape Challenge.  The ribbon on this card is made by taking a long strip on washi tape and folding the sticky sides in on itself.

The result is almost a waxy feeling ribbon that I tied into a bow.

The final time for this one was just under 9 minutes and most of that time was fishing for letters to stamp the sentiment and folding the washi tape!

I'll be back later with a "way more than 10 minutes" card that I am taking a break from.

Thanks for stopping by,

Jacquie

Two Cards, Three Challenges

I am doing a happy dance today because I have several uninterrupted hours to myself after a couple of weeks of very little "me" time. I don't know about you, but I need my "me" time.

Cath at Moxie Fab World put out a challenge to make a card based on the current Camera Craze. These sweet little camera dies from My Favorite Things were patiently waiting on my desk, wondering if they were ever going to meet my Big Shot, so I paired them with the MFT Peek-a-Boo Squared die and a stamp from the Technique Tuesday's Favorite Memories set.

My second card is for the CASual Fridays Challenge #90 Black & White plus one.

I used the current retrosketch for this one.

It may look like I took the sketch very literally, but this little spectacle die from Taylored Expressions has also been sitting on my desk for a few weeks begging to be used, so how could I say no?

The card is probably heading to a dear friend as her annual belated birthday card. I am hanging my head in shame, because it really is embarrassing that I can never seem to get a card in the mail to her on time.

I have another hour before I have to pay attention to others, so I'm heading back into the office.

Thanks for stopping by,

Jacquie

Retro Sketch Tuesday Trigger: Sweet Dreams

My kids aren't back in school until next week and the schedule they are keeping this week means I have a nice hour (or 2 or 3) in the morning before they start demanding my time and attention. I am really been enjoying the creative time and have another card to share today.

Cath posted the current Tuesday Trigger: Sweet Dreams at Moxie Fab World blog several weeks ago. This image has been in the back of my mind and I decided to pair it with the current retrosketch#44. I love Arielle's sketches, but often find myself running out of time before I use one (and this one will be squeaking in a just few hours ahead of the deadline).

I knew I wanted to play with the quatrefoil pattern in the carpet of the Tuesday Trigger and used the Memory Box Tessatina border die and cardstock to create a similar design. Creating the pattern myself allows me to control the color palette and add extra texture to the card.

The soft teal and yellow/gold colors really appealed to me, so I used them along with the clean, crisp white. A button and twine embellishment tie the two panels together and the Papertrey Ink sentiment sits on a My Favorite Things Fishtail Flag panel. I love mixing product from different companies!

I am linking this card to the Simon Says Stamp Challenge New Something because of the my new Tessatina Border Die.

Thanks for stopping by,

Jacquie

Retro, Colour Q, CAS-ual Snowflakes

I hope you don't mind if I combine a few challenges - time is at a premium these days and I really wanted to play along.

I have been trying to find time all week to use retro-sketches #40  - I love the linear, graphic design and really wanted to play with it.

I had a number of blue snowflakes hanging around my desk - they are leftover from another project I can't show you until next week, but when I saw the Colour Q Challenge #166 palette, I was happy to use them up.

The Simon Says Stamp challenge is to use snowflakes, so I am linking up there as well.

Finally, I saw the CAS-ual Fridays Challenge this morning to feature a knot.

CFC81: Create a Clean And Simple project that features a knot or knots.

I just have to point out that this is the first time I have successfully masked and inked 2 colors with a wood block stamp (yes, I know a few out there just gasped hearing I actually own a few wood block stamps knowing about my aversion to them LOL).

The card is pretty simple with a couple of sizes of Martha Stewart punches, a Penny Black stamp, Color Box Blue Lagoon Chalk Ink, Memento Nautical Blue ink, Fishtail Flag Die-namic, Really Reasonable Ribbon blue Baker's Twine, and a turquoise jingle bell rounding out the supplies.

Thanks for stopping by,

Jacquie

retrosketches #33

A few card makers I have been admiring in blogland are using retrosketches with the cards they are submitting to other challenges, so I decided to check it out and join in the fun. You can find details of their challenges and current sketch at their blog here.

I don't have too many small dies that would cut shapes to dangle, so I dug around the bottom of my punch basket and found this ancient Christmas ornament punch from Emagination Craft Inc. that punches the ornament in two pieces.

The papers are all Authentique Festive, the sentiment is from Martha Stewart and inked with Brilliance Rocket Red.

The ornaments are hung from a My Favorite Things Notched border using linen thread that has been inked with Brilliance Spanish Moss. The border piece is adhered with foam dots to give the thread a little room. 

A few of the ornaments are also on foam adhesive. Rock Candy stickles adds a bit of glitter to the tops of the ornaments and also runs along the top of the notched border die.

Thanks for stopping by,

Jacquie