P3 Challenge 10-1-10

October1, time for a new challenge at Paper Cubed!
This month, the challenge is to make a 3D project using acetate. Anything goes (except for cards), so get out your acetate and create something fabulous, and share it with us. You have the whole month to play along, and you could win yourself a prize!


For me, October means Halloween, and Halloween means CANDY!

So, here's what I made:

Here's the 3D tour:

BACK

SIDE:

And here's one of the acetate candy cartons close up:

To make this Halloween treat holder, I used an adorable template from Lauren Meador called Milk Made, which you can get HERE.  I modified it a bit, because I wanted the sides to be bigger, and I used 2 stuck back to back to make it hold 4 cartons.  The acetate I used is just overhead transparency sheets, which I put together with glue dots. The glue dots are visible on the seams, but when they are full of candy you don't notice them. The spooky trees were cut with my Cricut and Stretch Your Imagination cartridge, the circle tags using Plantin Schoolbook cartridge. The cool fence border is a Martha Stewart punch. I used Spellbinders Nestabilities Labels Four for the title label and some of the tombstones. Rounded tombstones were cut freehand. Other details are sponged backgrounds for the tag stamps and threaded buttons. 

The only difficulty I had making this project is resisting the urge to eat most of the candy (I may have had 4 Reece's peanut butter cups and a handful of the Reece's Pieces, but I can't confirm or deny it since I was distracted by the mess on my table).  I'm pretty happy with how this turned out, now I have to decide if I want to keep this or give it away!

You must check out what the fabulously talented P3 Design Team has created this month! Go on over to Paper Cubed and check them all out, and do go to their blogs and leave them some love! These ladies are so creative, and I get so much inspiration from them.  Once you get all inspired, please join us at Paper cubed this month, and create something using acetate! Upload your project and play along! This challenge is open all month!

Recipe:
CTMH products:
      Inks in White Daisy, Black, Pansy Purple and Goldrush
      Cardstock in Black, Pansy Purple
      Stamps D1442 Thriller and D1311 October Word Puzzle
      Black buttons
      Black hemp
      Mini glue dots
      Liquid Glass
Solid black cardstock from SU
Acetate overhead transparency sheets from office supply store
Martha Stewart fence border punch
Inkadinkado Stamps 98302 Cats and Bats, 98303 Creepy Crawly
Spellbinders Nestabilities - Labels Four
Cricut Cartridges Stretch Your Imagination and Plantin' Schoolbook
Halloween ribbon unknown...had it in my stash
Template: PTI My Timeless Templates by Lauren Meador - Milk Made
Techniques: sponged backgrounds, masking, die cuts

Thanks for visiting my blog!
Lorrinda

H2H#25 Ready for a Sketch?

It's week #25 over at the Heart 2 Heart challenge blog! It seems like just yesterday Mary started this weekly challenge to showcase CTMH products, and it's been 1/2 a year already! If you would like some inspiration featuring fabulous CTMH products, you really should check out this blog. There are some very creative people sharing their art there!

This week is a sketch challenge!

Here is the sketch we are to use:

My kids are already talking about Halloween costumes, so that's where my inspiration came from today. I rarely give out Halloween cards, but I couldn't resist breaking in this stamp set:

Recipe:

All products CTMH

X7122B You Rock Level 2 Paper Packet for printed papers

Olive cardstock for card base

Black cardstock for mats

D1442 Thriller stamp set (skeleton, hearts and sentiment)

D1311 October Word Puzzle retired stamp set (bats random stamped background)

Black embossing powder and heat gun

2 black Photo Hangers

Black Organdy Ribbon

Scissors to distress edges

Inks in Black, Olive, Pansy Purple, Goldrush and Versamark
Techniques: embossing, masking, sponging, scissor edge distressing

Thank You  for visiting my blog!

Lorrinda

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Edited to add:

Guess I should be making more Halloween cards, this one was chosen for the Friday Five! Thank you ladies! H2H is one of my favorite places to get inspiration for CTMH products, it means a lot to me to have my card chosen by you!

Christmas Card MOJO

I am trying to get into Christmas Card mode.

It's tough to think Christmas now, but last year I was scrambling to finish up my cards at the last minute,

and I swore to myself that this year I would get a head start.

Last year, at Thanksgiving, I gave away gift boxes of Christmas cards to my family. 

 I made bulk cards, 6 each of 12 different designs.

I was browsing my pics and came across these from last year,

and thought I would share some Christmas mojo with you.

Here is the box I made:

And here are the cards that were inside:



They all loved the cards

.

I asked them to return the box and I promised to refill it for them this year.

I have a few new cards made, but I still have a lot more to do.

I'll share them here when they are all done.

Thank you for visiting my blog,

Lorrinda



Hedgehog Pop-Up Stage Card

I just love these little CTMH Hedgehogs. They are so cute!  I am having fun with these pop-up stage cards, see my post HERE for a link to the tutorial.

My daughter needed a birthday card for a slumber party, so we whipped up this one. She colored, I cut and pasted.  Didn't she do a great job?  It was her first time with watercolor pencils and a waterbrush.

And since we didn't have time to go gift shopping, we included cash in the pop-up:

How cool is this? Money popping up out of the card, just what every girl wants...

Recipe:

All product CTMH

My Acrylx Stamps D1423 Happy Forever and C1257 Happy Birthday

X7108B Dayream Level 2 papers

3505 Watercolor pencils

1771 Waterbrush

Z679 Liquid Glass

Z341 Mini Glue dots

Pink ribbon scraps

Thanks for visiting my blog,

Lorrinda

H2H Sentimentally Yours

This week's challenge at Heart 2 Heart  is to use a sentiment as your focal point.

I've had this idea for a while, and I finally got around to doing it! I'm also going to enter this in the P3 September challenge which is to make a bookmark.

I had fun with this one:

And here is the back of my bookmark:

Recipe:

All Products CTMH.

My Acrylix Stamps:

C1263 Charm Uppercase letters

B1175 Atomic Caps letters

A1070 Atomic Lowercase letters

C1034 Beary Much

Exclusive Inks:

 Z2118 Desert Sand

Z2114 Cocoa

Paper: X7102B Notebook Level 2 kit

Ribbon Z1316 Cocoa Collection

Z293 Photo Hanger

The bear's little book was made from scraps of paper, and popped up with foam dots.

Feel like you need a little crafty mojo?  Join in a challenge and let the creativity loose! I have links to a few here on my blog, and there are hundreds more on the web.  Many challenges offer prizes too!

Thanks for visiting my blog,

Lorrinda

OLW20 Three plus One

The One Layer Wednesday challenge at Simplicity this week is to use only 3 stamped images plus one sentiment, on a one layer card (meaning cardstock folded in half).

Here's what I came up with:

I wanted to use my new stamp set from CTMH called A Sip.
The color is a bit off, the mug is barn red with clear embossing powder on it, but in the pic it appears very dark. It is much brighter IRL! I used silver ep on the spoon, and the steam swirls are done in white daisy pigment ink.  I stipple brushed white daisy ink around the edes of the card to look frosty, and I couldn't resist adding some puffy liquid applique foam.  We are supposed to keep embellishments to a minimum, or I would like to add some "chocolate sprinkles" to the foam. Maybe I still will....

Thanks for visiting my blog,
Lorrinda

SCS Double Challenge card

I made this card for 2 challenges at Splitcoast Stampers this week:
SC297 Sketch challenge for the front, and TLC289 Try a New Technique for the inside!

Here's the front using Roxy's sketch:

And ta-da! Here's the inside using the Pop-Up Stage Technique:

This is much easier than it looks, really! Kim Score of http://www.paperpunchaddiction.com/ did a fabulous tutorial on this Pop-Up Stage technique on her blog. You can find it HERE!

I didn't think this would fit in an envelope, but as you can see it really does lay quite flat, and I had no problem fitting into a standard card envelope.

Recipe:

CTMH products:

Stamps: Snowmen/flakes: D1244 Snowfriends

             Trees: D1315 Evergreen

             Star: D1320 Shining Star

             Sentiment: D1179 Festive Thoughts

Patterned paper: X7103B Aspen Level 2 Paper Pack

Cardstock in Outdoor Denim and White Daisy

Inks: Z2167 Creme Brulee, Z2160 Twilight, Z2140 Outdoor Denim, Z2163 White Daisy

Z679 Liquid Glass

other products:

Snowflake Brad

White glitter

Stickles

Thanks for visiting my blog!

Lorrinda

OLW19 B&W plus a spot of color

The One Layer Wednesday challenge  at the Simplicity blog for this week is:

Rules for OLW19

1. A one-layer card is defined as a single piece of cardstock folded in half.
2. Make a card that is mostly black and white with just a spot of color. Remember to keep embellishments to minimum.

Sounds easy right? I gotta say, I struggle with the only one layer thing, but here's mine:



Recipe:
All product CTMH
1386 Black cardstock
C1327 Snowflake Kisses stamp set 
Z673 White Daisy Embossing Powder
Z1327 Sparkles
Z555Craft Heater

This card turned out like I had planned, but I gotta say that white embossing powder on black cardstock is a pain in the @#$%. This was my 3rd attempt. I kept getting stray specks where I didn't want them. 

Summary, my CAS card is clean, but I can't say it was exactly simple...
I like this card, but I won't be making it in bulk!

Thanks for visiting my blog;
Lorrinda

Count Your Blessings

I decided to do a throw down challenge card, and use

• the sketch for the CAS83 challenge at Splitcoat stampers,

• the colors from the H2H color challenge which are

•  and the first stamp I saw in my craft room (which happened to be this a tree stamp because it was still on my table from the last card I made)

If you tend to overthink your cards like I do, you should try a throw down challenge too! Grab a sketch, pick 3 colors, and reach into your stamp box with your eyes closed.  See what happens, you may be pleasantly surprised!

This card took 11 minutes from start to finish...

Recipe:

All product CTMH

Tree stamp: B1319 Four Sesons

Sentiment: D1312 November Word Puzzle (retired)

Ink pads in Autumn Terracotta, New England Ivy, and Honey

White Daisy cardstock in textured and smooth

Sponges and adhesive runner

Thanks for visiting!
Lorrinda

Warm and Fuzzy

I feel like a fraud.

I need to come clean.

I lied on my last post about the products I used to make this card:

Well, it wasn't a TOTAL lie...I did use a product called Flower Soft, which is a wonderful product from the U.K. available now in many North American craft supply stores and HERE.

 

Making this card, I discovered something about myself. 

 I am impatient and cheap.

Which explains why, when I found that I didn't have any green Flower Soft, which was imperative for me to execute my card as I envisioned, I had a mini PMS meltdown, because I live in the middle of NOWHERE and how was I supposed to finish my card? I can't just run to the closest craft super store (3 hours drive), and online order deliveries take at least a week! What's a crafty girl to do?

I improvised.

And, I discovered a thrifty little trick: I can make my own!!!

Because I love my blog readers, I am going to share with you.

I love the poem "Everything I Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten." Don't you?

HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN FUZZY FLUFF

(That's what I decided to call it)

Take a scrap of cardstock...

(I don't wish to offend any CTMH purists, but white core cs doesn't work as well for this)

roll it up tight:

Then get your grater:

I found this one at IKEA, because I know someone will ask. It comes with 2 sizes of graters (I used the small holes), a container that snaps onto the grater and a lid. It is awesome! I've had it in my kitchen for 3 years and never used it once....this baby is staying in my craft room!

Rub that rolled up scrap of cs across the grater a few times,

and you get this:

Beautiful Fuzzy Fluff!

TIP: Turn off the ceiling fan, or any other source of air movement in the room. Ask me how I know this.

Now, this stuff isn't exactly the same as Flower Soft.  Here's a closeup to show the difference:

The stuff on the left is mine, on the right is the Flower Soft.

It is plastic, and spikier.

But on this card I used both, and I bet you couldn't tell until I pointed it out, could you?

To adhere it to your project, just put dabs of a liquid glue wherever you want the stuff to stick.

I used CTMH Liquid Glass, because it's the best, but you can use white school glue too. You don't need much.

This Fuzzy Fluff is free, and you can make any color you want! You could store it in a jar if you want to, but I just make enough to use when I need it. I have plenty of scraps, I can always make more...

Now go forth and FUZZIFY!

Thanks for visiting my little blog,

Lorrinda

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EDITED TO ADD: 

I received a lovely message from Michelle at Pink Paper Paradise,

she started a weekly linky party with this post!

You should check out her new Make it Monday NON-challenge linky party!

 Link up your own creations, ideas and tutorials and inspire others with no challenge rules or deadlines. 

Check out the links for some great ideas and inspiration.

Happy blog hopping!

 

OLW18 Trees

I have been following a blog called Simplicity for quite some time now. You may know Late Blossom's work on Split Coast Stampers, she is the queen of CAS(Clean and Simple) cards. You can check out her gallery HERE.
I have always loved her simple style, but whenever I try to copy it I end up going overboard and end up with something not so clean and simple. 
Well, Late Blossom has a weekly challenge called One Layer Wednesday, and in order to groom a clean and simple style, I will need to challenge myself. So I finally decided to jump in and play along with her challenges.

This week, the OLW challenge is to use a tree stamp.
Here's what I ended up with,

I used  a CTMH stamp set B1319 Four Seasons, black ink, Flower Soft stuck on with Liquid Glass, and a scrap of black hemp because I thought it looked bare without it (Hello,CAS challenged, remember?) I think I could really get to like this CAS thing, this card took all of 10 minutes to make. The glue isn't even dry in this picture. I just want to spend less time on my cards and more time on my scrapbooks. Afterall, most people will toss a card after it starts to collect dust. Not me, but most people.

But the best part is the cheesy sentiment inside. 

I thought about stamping it, but didn't feel like piecing together all those letters, and printing it out from the computer would make it a 2 layer card, which breaks the rules. So, I handwrote it, even though I don't like my handwriting...Wow, this CAS style is so liberating!

Oh yes I did. The minute I saw this stamp set that song popped into my head. I've been dying to use it.

 I may be dating myself, but I always sing along to James Taylor.  I sing to Lady Gaga too, I'm a cool Mom.

But just to make me feel older than I already do, I have to share this:

On a recent summer road trip, I was singing along to Bon Jovi "Living on a Prayer", and my 9 yr old Shane whined from the backseat, "Mom, can you pleeeease change the station? I don't like music from the nineteen hundreds!"

My husband thought it was hilarious.  OK, I laughed too...that kid is making me gray.

Thanks for visiting my blog,

Can you believe 3 posts in 3 days?

Lorrinda

H2H Challenge - How fancy are your folds?

I've missed playing along with the H2H challenges this summer!  I've been following along and there have been some fabulous challenges that I really wanted to join in, but I just never seemed to be able to find the time.

I'm baaaack!  I was so happy to send the kids off to school this morning so I could play! The challenge from Heart to Heart this week is to include fancy folds on your project. Not sure if this gatefold can be classified as a "fancy" fold as it is actually very simple...

...so I made the inside fancy to compensate!

Here it is fully open,

Recipe:

All product CTMH

Felicity paper pack (special promo, not available anymore :( so sad, I love these papers)

Stamps D1266 Baby Steps and D1262 Express Postage

"clothesline and pins" out of Waxy Flax in Colonial White

Inks in Twilight, Bamboo, Barn Red and Cocoa

I colored the images using a Blending Pen and ink pads

BabyBlue safety pins hold up the clothesline,

Cuttlebug and Sizzix texture plate in Harlequin for embossed background.

What do you think? Does this qualify as a fancy fold card?

 I'm entering it for this weeks' challenge at H2H anyway!

Thanks for popping by,

Lorrinda

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I wasn't sure this qualified as "fancy folds", but I guess the gals at H2H liked it anyway, because they chose it as one of their Friday Five this week. Thank you so much! I would sure hate to be one of the judges, I don't know how they choose just 5 from all the wonderful entries...

P3 Challenge 9-1-10

First, I'd like to apologize to all of my followers for being absent this summer...it has been busy with the kids at home, and camping, and weddings, and reunions, and shopping for back to school...
I've really mised my crafting time, and now that school has started again and our routine is somewhat back to normal, I hope to get back into my craft room!

Today is Sept.1, and that means a new challenge from Paper Cubed!
The challenge this month is to make a Book Mark!  Here's what I came up with:

Recipe:
CTMH  D1306 Treasure Life My Acrylix Stamp
CTMH  X7090B Silhouette Paper Pack (retired)
CTMH  Z1300 Just Blooms Paper Flowers
CTMH Z1034 Designer Ribbon Rounds Black Collection
CTMH Inks in Z2105 Black, ZZ2163 White Daisy, Z2118 Desert Sand
Spiral clip, Brad and eyelet in pewter

I first stamped a dandylion flower image in white pigment ink onto bamboo cardstock, then I stamped the verse in black ink over top. I matted it onto black cs, then layered it onto a printed background paper, then another piece of black cs. The finished dimension of this book mark is 8cm x 20cm.

I then embellished it with some paper flowers, spiral clip, brad and eyelet. I kept the embellishments fairly flat. I threaded a length of ribbon through the eyelet, and secured it with a very tight black bead.

Join us for this month's challenge! Just pop over to Paper Cubed, check out the rest of the talented design team's fabulous creations for inspiration, and play along! You could win a Martha Stewart punch!

Thank you for hanging around this summer,
Lorrinda