random reflections

A Little Sparkle

Looking through the current challenges last night, I saw that the CASology Challenge: Crystal ended this morning.

I knew just what I wanted to do, so I got started on the card last night, and got up early to finish it. There's just one problem with that---the card is full of shimmer and sparkle, and nearly impossible to photograph even with my new Foldio which has proven to be super for most cards. If I had more time, I might be able to get a better shot of it. These are OK, but the card is much better IRL! It's a valentine for my five year old granddaughter who loves nothing more than a little bling! She wears party dresses to kindergarten, and when I took her shopping for her birthday, what did she choose? A product called "Bling" that allows you to add rhinestones and gems to your clothes, sunglasses, whatever. I had the perfect stamp set for the card -- one I purchased several years ago thinking with four granddaughters it would come in handy. 

The card base is a shimmer cardstock, as is the black heart with the embossed crystal. The silver heart is die cut from the most glittery paper I've ever owned, purchased in a little shop in Milwaukee. The sentiment was embossed with a glitter embossing powder. There's glitter everywhere on my desk! You can see the shimmer better here.

The inside sentiment reads: Everything is better with a little bling! Happy Valentine's Day.

Card Supplies
Cardstock: Pink and Black Shimmer, Silver Glitter (I don't know the manufacturer.)
Stamps: Sparkle and Shine (W+9), Keep It Simple: Valentine (PTI)
Die: Stitched Hearts (MFT)

 

 

Happy Birthday

In my quest to create a card every day this month, I'm sure there will be more posts, but I doubt it will be daily. If the card fits a challenge, however, it will probably go up more quickly. Today's card fits two challenges and fulfills my desire to improve some of my techniques---in this case, ink blending. I must admit the "Life Changing" brushes by Picket Fence have made ink blending much easier. I set out to do an ombré effect on a dimensional wreath for the Addicted to CAS challenge: Ombré.

Using a set of Distress Oxide inks, this card came together quickly. A friend had die cut two of these wreaths for me. (You'll most likely see the other one soon.) And the embossed panel was in my box of ready to create items. In fact, it's been there so long, I can no longer find the embossing folder!

Entering this in these challenges:

Addicted to CAS

And the Simon Says Wednesday Challenge:

Anything Goes

Card Supplies:
Card stock: Neenah Solar White, Hibiscus Burst (PTI)
Dies: Leafy Wreath (Pink Fresh Studio), Sentiment Suite dies (The Greetery)
Stamp: Sentiment Suite: Birthday (The Greetery)
Unknown embossing folder
Distress Oxide Inks: Tattered Rose, Worn Lipstick, Picked Raspberry, Abandoned Coral

February – COMMIT

It’s the first, and I have my intentions set for this month. I was already a couple of days ago, but I made an addition after reading Honoré’s post this morning. Every year Honoré participates in LOAD – creating a scrapbook layout every day for the month. I’ve given up scrapbooking, but I decided creating a card every day would be a great addition to my intentions. I need quite a few Valentines by the 14^th, and 20 birthday cards by the first week of April. I’m going to have very little, if any, time to craft during March, so this will solve a lot of problems.

Here's today's card:

I colored the little hedgehog as part of my practice for the Colored Pencil Jumpstart class. Another personal goal is to use new or rarely used stamps this month. Kristina Werner had a video about curating a small selection of products to use for the month. I thought that was a good idea, too, so pulled a groups of Valentine and birthday stamp sets and put them in an antique wooden box I have in my craft room. I pulled a few dies as well, and two new embossing folders. You can see the embossing folder on this card. I love the Quilted Heart design.

In addition to a Card-a-Day, I’m going to complete the Colored Pencil Jumpstart class, and also complete a photography class on using the iPhone that I signed up for in October. Along with the photography class, I’m commiting to taking a photo every day this month. I took almost no photos in January. That needs to change. I’m going to focus on using my mirrorless camera when not completing assignments for the class. I’d like to take it on a trip this spring, and I need to know if it will do what I want it to do.

Finally, I’m going to continue with The Unread Shelf project. I read two books from that collection last month, and hope to do the same this month. I created a book journal for that project, and I’ll share that later in the week.

I’m entering today’s card in three challenges:

Fusion: Critter

Freshly Made Sketches 

My sentiment is higher than the one on the sketch, but I see people make adjustments to sketches all the time, and I could not find a sentiment that worked well at the bottom of the heart.

Challenge this week: Anything Goes

Now I need to get to the kitchen. I have three cute little girls and their parents coming for dinner.

Card Supplies:
Cardstock: Select White (PTI), Doll Pink (SS), Cherry Red (Gina K)
Stamp: Hedgie Luv (Penny Black)
Embossing folder: Quilted Hearts (Sunny Studio)
Dies: Stitched Hearts (MFT)