Seeing Dots...

I'm playing along with The Stamps of Life design team challenge this week...the challenge is to use polka dots on your project!

I've been itching for time to sit down and use the new special releases, icons4us and youare2kind. You could probably make just about any card you wanted to with these two sets!

As I dove into my scrap pile I spotted my leftovers from an earlier project, the summer mantle display...and guess what? Polka dots! So after hunting down some appropriate inks, this is what I made!



Hey, here's a hint for anyone who might not know this...if you are using clear stamps and are trying to use your dye inks and the ink is 'beading' up on the surface, so that the image is spotchy instead of smooth coverage...ink up your stamp with clear embossing ink first, then apply the dye ink color...and presto...smooth coverage!

Thanks for looking!

Meredith

Signs of Peace

Ooh, I feel groovy! I was having fun looking around blogland yesterday, and came across mention of the Signs of Peace challenge over on Moxie Fab World...

Initially, I drew a blank, and was going to skip this one...but after looking at the great entries so far, they brought to mind a machine embroidery design from a hip company I love; Urban Threads, called Green Peace...

So I used the design and the challenge as inspiration for this card, and here is the result!



I took four types of patterned paper (from My Mind's Eye) and used my cricut (Wild Card) to cut leaf shapes then crumpled them and adhered them in the shape of the peace sign. I found the perfect background and sentiment stamps in my April 2010 Unity KOM.

I think it turned out pretty well...maybe if I try it again I'll use several different sizes of leaves...what do you think?

Thanks for looking!

Meredith

Tilt a Whirl Challenge

Fun, fun, fun! There is a challenge over at the Cardmaker's message board to tilt the main image and sentiment on your card...and we're getting dizzy over there!

Then there is also a challenge on the Moxie Fab World blog to make an elegant card...they are showcasing their new special issue, Card Style...and you have a chance to win too if you play along!

I based my card off a Mojo Monday sketch from 2009 and tried to add lots of texture with scoring and dry embossing.



Of course, I inked the edges...(don't I always?) But other than that I tried not to fancy it up too much...I was going for 'elegant'...did it work?

As far as what I used...the cardstock is Die Cuts With a View, the patterned paper is Miss Elizabeth's (from the Dollar Tree), the embossing folders are paisley and script from Provocraft, and the stamps are from my favorite new company The Stamps of Life, this is just a couple of pieces of their very versatile Thanks2you set.

Thanks for looking!

Meredith

Picture this...Summer Mantle Display

I've been wandering around blogland...oohing and ahhing over the neat projects that so many creative people make to decorate their homes...it's wonderful.

Over at Nest to Keep I saw her version of a framed mantle display...and knew that I needed to liven up my mantle with something similar...so I did!

Here is the view of it all...



I chose to purchase various frames from the dollar store...because I thought I'd like to try my hand at spray painting them...my frame openings range in size from 8x10 to 3x3, I think that any combo would work.

I used various Cricut cartridges to cut the letters, for the most part, trying to cut them as large as would look good in the frames.

I found some coordinating scrapbook paper on clearance at Michael's...and used that for the backgrounds and the letters. The paper is by We R Memory Keepers, their White out Promenade line.

I decided to pop-dot the letters to add some dimension...



I also inked all the letter edges with dark brown...



All in all...pretty good!



Thank you for looking, and I'm linking up (showing off for the first time ever in blogland) over at Life as Lori!

And I'm also putting in a link to the mantle theme at Funky Junk Interiors!

Meredith

Kites and Butterflies

It's fun to get into the craft room...for something other than laundry!

I've been working on thinking 'outside the box', something that I am not necessarily practiced at...and when Stephanie from The Stamps of Life posted a video about using the cloud stamps from one of her sets as a flower...I thought about using the triangle of the kite from this set to make a butterfly...initially, I thought that the bottom triangle would be good...but soon realized that it wouldn't work out like I envisioned...so tried the top one....voila!

A butterfly!





How I made it:
stamps: Kites2fly set from the Stamps of Life
paper: from a scrap pack at Hobby Lobby
ink: Colorbox
cardstock: Staples
other: wire for antenna, adhesive, pop-dots

Instructions:
Ink all edges. Make a gate-fold card and cover front with patterned paper. Use top triangle stamped point to point to make butterfly wings, use kite bow to stamp butterfly body. Cut out and add wire antenna. Use pop-dots to mount butterflies to front.

For inside, cut patterned paper to fit. Add another butterfly. Add sentiments.

Thank you for looking!
Meredith

It's a bonanza card week!

Wow, participating in the crop was fun, fun, fun!

On Saturday I did some paper piecing



Used some glittery paper



And followed a sketch



Then I took a break for a day....but today, I was back in the craft room, revved up to go again!

Today I chose to make a window card



And a waterfall card...I just love waterfall cards!



That's all for now...enjoy!

Meredith

More Challenge fun

I tell you, what a blast! Between the games and the camaraderie, who knew that playing with online friends could be such fun! If you haven't yet, come on over to the Cardmaker Swap forum, and join in the fun!

Yesterday was a bonanza cardmaking day for me, four cards! All with different techniques...what a blast.

First was the 'keep it zesty' challenge...use citrus colors as your main colors...how summery!



I used papers from a Miss Elizabeth pack for this one...what used to be sold at Dollar Tree...and I was going for a 'shop front' look with the border punch I chose (Martha Stewart). The flower is a Bazzil paper flower, inked up, and the sentiment was cut with the cricut.

Next came the 'make something marvelous' challenge...use purple as your main color and include some lace. Let me tell you, finding purple in my craft room was not as easy as it should have been! And lace...where's the lace???



But I managed! The lace is actually a paper sticker on a roll...the packaging is gone, same with the papers...but they turned out fairly well!

Next in line was the challenge called 'card say moo...'....say what??? It was a great challenge, a real stretch for me, but one I'm not sorry I decided to try. Are you ready for this? The challenge is to use sweetened condensed milk to stamp an image...then you heat emboss it...sweet!!!



It really gives an elegant, old-time look to the stamp...and the detail of the stamp comes through surprisingly well! I'm not sure I'll be using this style regularly...but it was neat to try!

Last card of the day was very different from my normal...but what a cute idea! The challenge was titled 'can I water your garden', and we used this watering can template to print out a watering can to then decorate as we wished! That simple!



I loved how simple it was, and love the idea of using this as a teacher gift from my youngest son to his teachers this year!

I hope to squeeze more cardmaking around the chores today...

Enjoy,

Meredith