random reflections

Two Cards; Three Challenges

This is my second post today, for the Team-up Thursday and Kim Klassen's texture photography challenges, scroll down.

I'm on a roll this week with card challenges and enjoying it! For my Mother's Day card, I used a sketch from Card Patterns . . .

and the Just Rite Color Challenge.

 

Here's my take:

I used two Just Rite stamp sets, "Breath of Spring" and "Happy Everything." The two yellows and the blue in the challenge show up on the tulip image which I colored with Copic markers. The green became the card base and scallop. The dies were from Papertrey (medium scallop) and Spellbinders (tag), the ribbon from my stash, and the pearls are Hero Arts. We'll be away for Mother's Day so I'm happy to have this ready to put in the mail to my MIL.

The next card is for the Less is More challenge, "a touch of red." I had a red butterfly left from a previous card this week, so this card came together quickly. I'm very happy with it, and think it's a design I'll use again.

The cardstock is Select White from Papertrey, and a green textured cardstock from American Craft. The brand of leaves is a Sizzix die, and the stamp are Hero Arts (butterfly) and Papertrey (sentiment.)

 

 

 

 

Team-up Thursday: Design & Kim's Texture Link-up

Nancy's been on the road, but she sent this perfect shot for this week's Team-up Thursday, "Design," taken at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC. Although I've been to Asheville at least four times in my life, I've never made it to the Biltmore, and it's on my list of places to see. I was in Canada on Saturday and found this lovely door handle at the Meglamania Winery in the Vineland area near Niagara-on-the-Lake.

I also wanted to play along with Kim's Tuesday Texture Link-up (just two days late!) Here's the image SOOC, no cropping or editing.

  

And here's the new photo with texture.

The challenge was to use the new "warm sun" texture, which I did. Then I used the "overlay" blending mode at 100% and decreased the saturation. I thought it needed more contrast so I used the "multiply" blending mode at 35%. I think I like the warmer, textured version, the best.

Celebrate

I have a blogging friend who excels at combining card challenges. Yesterday's post was simply luck, but this time I set out to combine the sketch from Clean and Simple with the Challenge to "spotlight an animal" on a card at Mark's Finest. Here's the sketch which I stretched out so all my butterflies would have enough room. This card fits into a buisness style envelope perfectly.

Here's my take on the challenges.

I'm really happy with this card, and it's in an envelope ready to send off to a good friend for her birthday later this month. The cardstock is Bazzil Blush Red Dark. It has a slight texture to it, and next time I'm at an Archiver's I'll be looking for more of it. The patterned paper is from October Afternoon's Road Map series, and the tiny stickers are Cosmo Cricket. The butterflies are from an older Hero Arts clear set. Somehow I lost the name of the set, and I don't think it's available any more since I couldn't find it on the HA website. All the butterflies were colored with Copic markers and then enhanced with Spica glitter pens. The photograph doesn't pick up the sparkle very well but it's definitely there IRL.

We are celebrating here as Matt got word yesterday that he has a full-time job with benefits in Denver, CO starting May 2. We'll be leaving the end of the month to help him with the move, and then extending our trip to visit friends and family in Arizona, and Sarah and Adam in California. Can't wait!

Card Set--Three Challenges

It's not often that there are two challenges looking for the same kind of project. But the Waltzing Mouse Stamps challenge this week is to create a card set.

And yesterday Moxie Fab World posted a similar challenge for a card set. Today Cath posted a second challenge for Gift Card Holders, and as it happens, my card set is a set of gift card holders!

These 3X4 inch cards were designed as tiny packages that open to reveal another gift:

I recently got the new Crate Paper "Emma's Shoppe" paper pad, and all the patterned papers are from there. The cardstock is Neeah Solar White, and the bright pink came out of my scrap folder. I used a Sizzix embossing folder, the Papertrey Ink rickrack die, and some twine from Paper Source (silver) and The Twinery. The sentiment is from Waltzing Mouse Rescue Remedies Additions. I couldn't find a tag die the right size so I cut them myself and used an old decorative corner punch from Carl.

Embellish Trim & Color Trend Challenge

I wanted to make a thinking of you card to send to Deb's mom, and thought I'd combine it with the current Embellish challenge. Here's the Embellish color  inspiration:

In addition to the color challenge, decorative trim also needed to be added to the card. Here's my take on the challenge:

Once again, the green seems much duller looking on Type Pad than IRL or on my monitor (which is color calibrated, to boot!). So frustrating! The card base is PTI's Ripe Avocado and the sentiment panel is PTI's Spring Moss. The patterned paper is from the Gertie pad (Stella and Rose by My Mind's Eye). I'm loving these paper pads for card making! The stamp is Sending You by PTI. The first time I saw it, I didn't think I'd add it to my collection, but I'm so happy I did. The sentiments and "frame" are so versatile, I know I'll be using this again and again. The ribbon is from Paper Source and the pins came with a scrapbook kit, but I think they might be Maya Road. I also added some sage Flower Soft to the middle of the flower.

 

Project 64: Spring Green

Another week has flown by and it's time to link up with Project 64. (You can check out the other entries with that link.) This week's color was Spring Green. Instead of using the project's crayon image, I thought I'd take a photo of the way I package my crayon for the week.

As usual, everyone gets involved in looking for the color of the week. Yesterday we were in Canada with good friends and we were all keeping a sharp eye out for spring green. Sadly, we didn't find any good candidates. Like western New York, not much has begun to bud in Ontario. When I came home with a new scarf this week, however, Tracy noticed right away that it was spring green. I bought it because I loved the spring colors, never considering at the time that it was also perfect for the challenge.

Today I decided to join the Lamberton Conservatory in Highland Park. It's just a few blocks from here, and now I can go over and take photos without having to remember to put some money in my pocket! I found several candidates for spring green.

A Boston Fern

The ribs of the palm leaf

And my favorite:

A hydrangea bud that will eventually turn bright pink.