OWH Sketch Challenge - #251

Good afternoon!  It is new sketch week over at Operation Write Home.  They are up to #251.  This week's sketch looks like this:

I made a thank you card to send personally:

 

The strips are cut from a tag that I made at a Club Scrap Retreat workshop last summer.  It was my first experience using a Gelli Arts Gel Printing Plate, and I can tell you that we used some acrylic paint, but that is about all I remember about the supplies used for that.  The supplies I used to finish the rest of the card are:

**paper from Gina K, Club Scrap and SEI

**I think the sentiment stamp came in a kit from some class I took a long time ago, but I don't remember who was the sponsor (or even what the class was!).

**sentiment stamped with Tsukineko Brilliance ink, then embossed using Gina K clear powder

**dies are from Spellbinders

**Copic Markers used to color the bottom layer of the sentiment tag

**ribbon is upcycled, eyelet flower from Club Scrap, and brads (I believe) are from We R Memory Keepers.

Since this was such a quick and easy sketch, I also made a thank you card to send along to OWH:

This one uses another tag made at the Club Scrap Retreat.  I can tell you that the stencils used with the Gelli Plate are from Club Scrap.  I used one of the stencils along with Distress ink to create some interest on the background paper.  Other supplies I used are:

**paper from Gina K and Club Scrap

**stamp from Inkadinkado

**VersaMark and Distress ink, Zing embossing powder

**ribbon from Club Scrap

**label die from Spellbinders

**not sure what brand the nail heads are, but got them at JoAnn's a while back.

Thanks for stopping by!

Stretch Your Dies - Day 2

Ok, so one of the things I like about the Online Card Classes like Stretch Your Dies is that I don't have to be online at a certain time each day to follow along.  The OCC people, Jennifer McGuire and Kristina Werner generously allow life time access to the classes once you pay your fees.  The interactive parts are only open for a set amount of time, but it is great to be able to revisit the videos anytime for refreshers, or, as is my case, to finish the class when life lets you.

That said, I have completed some cards using the techniques taught on Day 2 of the Stretch Your Dies class and since the gallery is still open I thought I would share.

This one is my favorite:

This uses "Die Cuts Within Larger Die" technique.  I have to admit that I liked doing this until I got to the part where I had to add dimensional adhesive to all those little flower petals.  At that point I was thinking that I would never do this again!  However, after I saw the final results, I think I will end up doing it again...the extra effort was so worth the results!

The supplies I used are:

**paper from Club Scrap and Strathmore (Watercolor paper)

**the circle die is from Spellbinders and the flower dies are Heartfelt Creations

**Distress re-inkers for the flowers, Distress ink for the sentiment 

**sentiment stamp from Taylored Expressions

**Zing clear embossing powder (on the sentiment)

**the crepe paper was left over from a class project I took a long time ago (don't even remember the project any more).  I altered the silver color with Copic Marker.

**ribbon is from Club Scrap  

I also made cards using the other two techniques taught on day 2:

Thanks for stopping by!

Stretch You Stamps Day 1 & OWH Mid-Month Throwdown

Good Afternoon!  Once again I have one card that I am submitting to two different challenges.  The Operation Write Home Mid-Month Throwdown for March is red, white and blue.  The Online Card Class - Stretch Your Dies Day 1 introduced a few fun techniques for using word dies.  I combined the two events into one card that I will send to OWH as AnyHero mail.

Two of the three techniques taught in the class (On The Edge, and Heat Shrink Craft Foam) were used on this card :

Here are the supplies I used:

**paper and flag stamp and ribbon from Club Scrap

**"thank you" die from Die Versions, star dies from Momenta

**flag and edges inked with Club Scrap ink, stars colored with Copic Markers then sprayed with Perfect Pearls spray.

Here are three other cards from day 1's class:

 

They all were already made using red white & blue before I saw the Mid-Month challenge.  All three of them will be used as AnyHero mail.

Thanks for stopping by!

One Card - Two Challenges

Hello again!  Two blog posts in two days...it is amazing that I had that much creative time.  I'm not complaining though!  It has felt good to be in my scraproom playing with my supplies.  And, there have been some fun challenges to help spur on my creativity.  Today's card will be submitted to two different challenges.

Operation Write Home is hosting their 250th sketch challenge. Wow, now that is a lot of inspiration. You can find all of their sketches here.  Go check them out - there are some really fun ideas in that bunch!  And over at Club Scrap, they are starting up a monthly technique challenge on their blog.  This month's challenge is to use multiple ink colors on a single stamp, stamp with Gelatos and water, or stamp with markers (or any combination of the three).   

So, I took the OWH sketch:

and made this card:

Since I don't own any Gelatos, I used Faber Castell and Stampin' Up water color crayons to color directly on the butterfly stamp (Club Scrap, "Papillion" kit).  Then I sprayed a light mist of water on it, and stamped onto my paper.  After fussy cutting it out, I used some Stickles to give it the glittery look.  I can do the glitter because I will be sending this out personally, not donating it to OWH.  They have very strict guidelines that need to be followed to keep our heroes safe.  The background is done with various Glimmer Mist sprays.  

Other supplies I used are:

**paper from Club Scrap

**stamps from Club Scrap - background (on circle) "Vogue", sentiment from "Pure & Simple"

**dies from Spellbinders

**Gina K ink on circle, VersaFine ink for sentiment

**Gina K embossing powder on sentiment.

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Thanks for stopping by! 

OWH - March OBDB Challenge

Happy almost spring!  At least I hope it is almost here.  Life has been pretty crazy around here and the extra cold and wintry weather hasn't helped much.

Over on the Operation Write Home blog, Our Daily Bread Designs is hosting their monthly challenge.  For march the theme is Sentiments.  Basically we should use a sentiment as the focal point of the card.   As usual, if there are 50 cards linked up for the challenge, ODBD will pay shipping for two boxes of cards to be sent to our heroes serving overseas.  I just think that is so cool!

Anyway, here is my card for the challenge:

I learned the background technique from my Club Scrap Retreat-in-a-Box back in 2009.  (If you can't make it to either of their annual retreats in Wisconsin, you have the option of having the workshop projects, and goodies sent to you.  How convenient is that?)  I remembered how much fun it is when I recently saw this Metallic Marvels Ghosting Technique blog from Club Scrap (thanks for the reminder Julie!).

The supplies I used for this card are:

**paper from Gina K and Club Scrap

**background stamp from Heartfelt Creations, sentiment stamp from Stamp Oasis

**Club Scrap metallic re-inkers, VersaMark and Powder Puff inks

**embossing powder from Club Scrap

**polka-dotted ribbon (running diagonally) from Club Scrap, altered with Copic Markers, green ribbon from Taylored Expressions

**I am not sure where the eyelet (or is it a grommet?) and the "gems" are from.

Thank you for stopping by!