CPS193 & SSIC65

I made this card for the Stampin' Sisters in Christ John 3:30 (He must increase, I must decrease) Challenge.  Here's the challenge from the blog:


Challenge: You have three choices this week: 1. Make a CAS (clean and simple) card (representing "you" needing to decrease); or 2. Make a "More is More" card, (representing that He must INCREASE); or 3. Show us a simple version of a card and then show us the "More is More" version.

I chose option #2.It is 6 x 6, has layers, inking, rub-ons, ribbon, bling, etc., etc.  :)  For me, More is More comes much easier than CAS.

I also used this week's sketch from CPS for the design. 

I found this tutorial on SCS that I used to make my decorative edged circle in the background of my card. You definitely need to stick to 20# paper when using this technique.  This paper is obviously more like 24# and it almost didn't work.  With a little encouragement from my scissors I was able to make the last layers cut thru.  Then I used Labels 4 for the sentiment block & the mat for it.  The sentiment was stamped with VersaMark & then embossed in black.

Supplies:
CS - Bazzill, Georgia Pacific
PP - Bo Bunny (Olivia) and the cream paper is misc from my stash
Ink - Colorbox Fluid Chalk (creamy brown), Versa Mark, Stampendous EP (black)
Stamp - Stampendous
Embellishments - Ribbon-Offray; Rub-ons & Bling - BG
Tools - Cuttlebug embossing folder (D'Vine Swirls), Nestabilities (Labels 4), EK Success Corner Rounder
Challenges: SSIC65, CPS 193

Door Signs - Coordinating Projects

I made a couple coordinating signs for the girls to post on their door to welcome visitors, and to alert visitors that studying or sleeping was going on in the room.

You will notice the little owls on the Welcome sign.  I had just gotten an adorable owl punch from Stampin' Up right before I did the signs.  Since Kendra loves owls, I just had to include it.  I coordinated each owl's belly with each girl's sign.  =)  The punch has dots for the owls eyes but they are tiny so I used bling eyes for these.

Supplies:  
PP: BG Ambrosia
CS:  Bazzill, Recollections
Rhinestones: Studio 18
Brads:  Oriental Trading
Owl Punch:  SU
Cricut:  Jasmine

I altered a little notebook for each girl to coordinate with her door sign.  I tried to put a verse on the front that I thought was applicable for each girl.  Psalm 37:4 is one of Kendra's favorite verses, one of her roommates is a Church Music major and the other is a nursing student.

Supplies:  
PP: BG Ambrosia
CS:  SU
Button:  MM
Ribbon:  Offray
Punch: Fiskars
Ink:  Color Box fluid chalk

Door Signs - Junior Year

Kendra's college requires the girls to post the names of each girl in the room on the door.  Most rooms use this as an opportunity to decorate their door.  So far, I've been able to make 12 x 12 signs for each girl in Kendra's room all 3 years she's been at college. You can see the sign for her sophomore year here. Each year she chooses a different BG line so that the signs will be "coordinating but not matching."  This year she chose Ambrosia. 


I just realized I haven't posted this year's sign yet.  I keep forgetting to get her to ask her roommates for permission to post their signs so I'll just show you her's for now.  Since I've been told college girls like bling, I was able to put a bling flourish on each girl's sign.

Supplies:
PP:  BG
CS: Bazzill & Recollections
Bling: Recollections
Cricut font: Jasmine
Computer font: Arial

ODBDSLC37 - Owl Sour Cream Container

When I saw this tutorial over at Splitcoaststampers for a sour cream container treat holder I knew I had to give it a try.  It's a simple project and great for mass production.  I know just the project it will be used for in the next few weeks.  =)

It's perfect for this week's Shining Light Anything But A Card Challenge over on the Our Daily Bread Designs Blog.  You can find all the details for the challenge here.  My little project is very, very simple compared to the gorgeous examples.

I decided to do a trial run as a small thank you treat for a friend.  It was so much fun.  I have to warn you...making these little guys can be quite addicting. I filled it with fall colored M&M's. 

NOTE:I changed the size from the tutorial to 4" x 6".  The size listed in the tutorial would also work for a unique gift card holder.  I also don't have a crimper so I used my new score board and went across the ends with 3-4 score lines 1/8" apart.

Supplies:
PP - Paper Studio
CS for owl - Recollections
Owl punch - SU
Circle & Scalloped Circle punches - Paper Studio
Ink - Memento Tuxedo Black
Stamp - Studio G
Ribbon - Paper Studio
Pearls - BG Opaline

Chris' Amazing Mega Birthday Blog Candy

You will just have to check out this blog candy for yourself.  It's amazing how generous Chris is being for her birthday.  She has two prizes she's giving away.  The first one is fantastic assortment of scrapping & card-marking goodies and the second is a personalized stamp with your name & blog addy on it.  Check out her post here about how to have a chance to win her candy.

 Here's a pic of the assortment of goodies she's giving away.  You can also see a pic in my sidebar.  If you click either picture it will take you to her blog post.

Owl's Hello Card - SSCC57

Our daughter likes owls and this paper from Paper Studio is a hit with her.  We were sending her a care package this week so I made her a simple card to include with it.  It also qualifies for the Stampin' Sisters in Christ Challenge #57 -- Use fall colors.  I tried a new technique I'd read about somewhere (sorry, can't remember where) to use a piercing tool to punch holes in your paper and then "connect-the-dots" with your pen to make the faux stitching look more realistic.  It's pretty realistic because it's crooked just like my real sewing.  :)  There's a lot more I could have done to make this more fancy but I was going for quick & easy since my time was short.

Supplies:  
CS - Recollections, Georgia Pacific
PP - Paper Studio
Ribbon - Offray
Marker - Stampin' Up
Stamp - Studio G
Ink - Memento Tuxedo Black

Stationery Set - Hybrid project

I used another one of my clear plastic boxes to hold a stationery set.  This set had the cards printed on the computer so the box lid and gift card holder were the only parts done traditionally.

Here are the cards inside the box:

I also made 2 x 2 mini-gift cards to match.  I made a little box to hold the cards.

Box outside (closed):

Box opened:

Cards & box:

Traditional Supplies:
CS & Card bases - Recollections
PP - K & Company
Ribbon - Offray
Spellbinders - Petite Ovals Large, Petite Scalloped Ovals Large
Cuttlebug Embossing folder - Victoria 

Digital Supplies:
Computer font - Edwardian Script
PSE7

Showers of Blessing - SSCC56

This card is for the Stampin' Sisters in Christ Challenge #56.  The challenge is to use stitching (real or faux).  As usual, I chose the faux option.  :)

I used prismacolor pencils for the image and used a prismacolor coloring stick to make the "rain" on the solid yellow background.  I also used some stickles for the rain.  The second picture shows that a little better. And yes, I do realize my coloring skills need some work.  That's the very reason most of my cards are sentiment only cards.  *smile*

I also decorated the interior of the card.  I really like this digi stamp set from Sweet 'n Sassy stamps and didn't want to leave anything out.

Supplies:
CS - Georgia Pacific & The Paper Company
PP - BG
Spellbinders Nestabilities:  Petite Ovals Large, Petite Scalloped Ovals Large, Large Deckled Rectangle, Decorative Photo Corners, Labels Four
Let It Rain - digi stamp set - Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Zig Ball Writer
Prismacolor pencils
Ribbon - Offray
Robin's Nest Dew Drops
Stickles - Waterfall
Sketch:  CPS183

Altered Clipboard

I love making altered clipboards as gifts. I've made several over the years but have never made one for myself. I keep wishing I had one at work so I decided that the time had come to make one for me.  :)

I love the colors in this Basic Grey paper line.  Kind of bold in a subdued sort of way.  LOL

Amazingly, even though I have tubs of ribbon (thanks to my sister, Eva), I didn't have any in the right colors in differing widths.  I kept adding more & more colors & ended up with this mix.

I chose to keep the back just one solid pattern and not put any pictures or anything on it this time.

One thing I did differently this time - I used a brayer to smooth out my papers.  I have always just used an old gift card.  That works OK, but now that I have a brayer...well, let's just say, this is the first clipboard I've made that is air bubble free.  I'll be using my brayer from now on.  :)

If you want a great tutorial on how to make your own clipboard, here's a very easy-to-follow one by Patter.  She broke it down into three parts: 

Altered Clipboard {Part 1}
Altered Clipboard {Part 2}
Altered Clipboard {Part 3} 

Patter added pics to her clipboard and gives great tips on how to add them safely to your's.   A neat thing she does is punch holes in the paper that goes on the back of her clipboard where the brads are attached.  I never thought of doing that and will have to give it a try next time.

Thanks for stopping by.

Supplies:
Papers:  BG origins
Ribbons: Craft Essentials, Paper Studio, Offray & Misc.
Paint: Anita's All-Purpose Acrylic
Other:  Modge Podge (matte)

SSS72 - Hebrews 4:16

I really enjoyed this sketch from The Sweet Stop.    I think I'll be using it more than once.  :)  I'm hoping to do at least one more this week.  We'll see how that goes! 

I used the bow tying technique featured here on Patter's blog Create X3.  It's sooo easy!

I took this on our front porch in the early evening.  I'm hoping the lighting isn't too bad for you to see the deep green color.  I'm really liking these colors from K & Company.  Here's a close-up of the verse matting.

Supplies:
Card base & cardstock:  Recollections
Papers:  K & Company (TC Blossomwood)
Ink:  Colorbox fluid chalk (dark brown), Versafine (vintage sepia)
Stamp:  Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps (Prayer Changes Things)
Other:  Ribbon (from my stash), Nestabilities Label 4, BG Opaline pearls, Paper Studio brads