Celebrate Today!

Hello my fellow bloggers and crafters!

Whew! I have just finished a tough challenge (for me any way) over at Moxie Fab World. It's called The Birthday Sketched Challenge. You could go two ways with the challenge: either use the sketch with only stamps or no stamps at all. I decided to do the stamps only. Big mistake for me. You should have seen my desk when I was done. Tons of stamps, ink pads and I think I had all of my acrylic blocks out too. But I did it and I'm pretty happy with the out come although it took me lots of tries. I wanted so badly to add paper, texture, ribbon just something! Let me tell you it was so hard not to use any thing other than stamps.

Any way here is my card:

 

I think it looks better in real life. It might help to click on it to make it larger.

Here is the sketch that was provided by the talented Betsy Veldman:

 

I used the flip flop image because the card is for our neighbor who seems to live in flip flops even when the weather is wet or cold. Also we have been to Hawaii with them a couple of times so I wanted a tropical theme.

 I stamped the image three times using a different ink each time. I used Peacock Feathers, Spiced Marmalade and Mowed Lawn distress inks

The leaf border is stamped in the Mowed LawnLots of different stamps were used. In fact  every stamp I used on this card was from a different stamp set.

 Both sentiments were stamped in Spiced Marmalade. The Happy Birthday is from a Papertrey Ink set and Celebrate Today is a Hero Arts wood stamp.

On the inside the sentiment is from a Hero Arts set and the leaves and border is from an Inkadinkado set. Unfortunately I smeared some ink on the card so I had to stamp another set of leaves around the sentiment. I don't care for the second set but I guess it looks better than the smear of green ink. :(

Since I still had all my stamps out I stamped the envelope too and added two more stamps from two different stamp sets. I used the three same colors of ink as I did on the card.

Seriously I never would have thought it would be so hard to use stamps only but I did it and am pretty pleased how it turned out (well except for the smudge. That really bugs me.)

If you like to make cards with only stamps please tell me. I would love to see how you created yours.

Thanks,

Teresa

Hooked on Hexagons

Today's card is for two challenges: Hooked On Hexagons at Moxie Fab World and Retro Sketches.

The Hooked on Hexagon challenge is to create a paper crafted project (card, gift bag, tag, layout, home decor item, mini-book cover, etc.) that incorporates hexagons in an innovative way. http://www.moxiefabworld.com/2012/07/hooked-on-hexagons-challenge.html  You really should check out the challenge as Cath has provided us with tons of beautiful and inspiring photos.

The second challenge is a sketch  from Retro Sketches http://retrosketches.blogspot.com/2012/07/retrosketches-20.html 

 Here is the awesome sketch:

This is my first time playing at Retro Sketches. I have been a bit intimidated by the sketches since I am more of a CAS girl but this week I took the plunge.

Here is what I came up with when I combined the two challenges:

 To be honest I don't know if I am pleased with how it turned out or not. One minute I love it and the next I'm not so sure and think maybe I over did it with embellishments. I made a few changes to the sketch because the vertical element that I used on my card is so much taller than on the sketch

The pattern papers I used are from this 6x6 paper pack from Paula Deen. Ha! I guess everyone is getting in on  paper crafting world! Found it in the dollar section at Michael's for $1.50.

They also had matching tags to go with the papers. And if I had looked at the tags before I started my card I could have used the tag that would have been more of the correct size for the vertical element. Next time I'll know better.

I was pleased with the way my cluster of embellies turned out but again I'm not sure if I over did it. The first time I thought I was done I decided it needed a butterfly. So I punched, embossed and inked a pale yellow butterfly and added it to the top of the cluster.

Then I wanted to add the word Celebrate on a mini tag and place it along the bottom of the flower but the tag covered up too much of the butterfly embossed hexagon. So I went to plan B and placed it at the top right side of the vertical element.

I decided to use the Swiss Dot embossing folder on the vertical element, butterfly and the smallest hexagon. I used a butterfly embossing folder on the medium brown cardstock hexagon and I spritzed it with perfect pearls.

The hexagon punches are Creative Memories and the butterfly and both leaf branches are Martha Stewart. I inked the edges of the two pattern paper hexagons. I used three different sized peals: a large one for the center of the flower, a tiny one on the wing of the embossed butterfly hexagon and the three at the bottom left corner are medium size.

I thought I would ask my you, my blog friends, if you think I over did it on the embellishments or if it is just right. I would appreciate your input as I said before I am more of a CAS type of gal.

Thanks!

Teresa