11/12/2013

DCWV November Stack-a-holic Challenge

    UPDATE: I'm so excited to learn my gift tag made the TOP-10 winners list at DCWV! You can check out the other winners here: http://dcwvinc.blogspot.com/2013/12/november-stack-holic-challenge-top-10s.html

 Thanks for popping in today. Hope you are enjoying your winter. Mine has been really busy, but not too busy for another Stack-a-holic challenge from DCWV. Instead of a card challenge this month, we have an ornament challenge, or a gift-tag if we prefer.

     This is my year for gift-tags, I guess. I've had several challenges asking for gift-tags recently. I made this tag as a Christmas tag, but I could easily use it for a number of occasions.
     Here's how I made this one. I cut a light minty-green tag shape (2.5" x 7") from DCWV's Homespun Cardstock Stack - my absolute favorite stack of all time. All other paper for this tag comes from DCWV's Handy-Dandy Stack. I punched a double-loop edge (Martha Stewart) on the bottom end of the tag. I cut a smaller panel from a coordinating patterned paper and adhered it along the side. I ran a small strip of light red/dark rosy patterned paper through my crimper (Fiskars) and matted it with a white panel that was also trimmed with the double loops.
     To make my medallion, I punched a 12" length of a lattice chain edge (EK Success) from the same paper as the side panel. I scored it every 1/2" and fan-folded it into a medallion. It is so pretty and lacey in person. I adhered the snowflake brad (the Paper Studio) with hot-glue in the center.
     I heat-embossed the to-from tag (Fiskars)  in white ink and white embossing powder on the back of a scrap left over from the minty green tag. Then, I punched two holes and laced a length of white, satin ribbon between them. I also added a ribbon to the back so I can tie the tag to a present.
     There is still plenty of time to play along with us. Here's a copy of the sketch we had to work with and a link to all the rules. http://dcwvinc.blogspot.com/2013/11/november-stack-holic-challenge.html

11/06/2013

Handmade Elements Challenge

    Thanks for stopping by today. Always love your visits. I'm playing along this week in Core'dinations ColorCore Cardstock online crop and getting a head start on my Christmas cards.

     The challenge here was to make a card using handmade elements. I made my Christmas tree with two sizes of heart punches (Fiskars). I used two shades of olive and dark rosy red from Core'dinations Nostalgia collection.
     First, with the lighter olive, I embossed - well actually I debossed because I got the paper against the plate (Spellbinders) upside down. But, I liked it so I went with it. I sanded the cardstock and punched four large and one small heart, turned them so the pointy end was up, and glued them together to make a tree. I decorated with pearls and a star which began life as a flower. I adhered the tree with foam tape to the rosy red panel.
     I cut a same-size panel of darker olive and embossed it with a folder (Sizzix) and fussy-cut the center out. I added thicker foam tape to adhere the top panel.
     You still have time to play along. Check the Master Challenge list here: http://www.coredinations.com/index.php/2013/10/31/master-challenge-list/



11/03/2013

CAS Christmas Card - Snowstar

     I'm playing along this weekend in Core'dinations ColorCore Cardstock online crop and getting a head start on my Christmas cards.
      Those who know me would tell you that I almost always use non-traditional colors for my Christmas cards - like this purple, blue and white card. The object of this challenge is to create a clean-and-simple card with a sentiment and two or less embellishments. As you see, I only used one which I call a snowstar.
     To get the snowflake brad (the Paper Studio) to shine, I laid it on the back side of a 5 x 7" grape panel from Core'dinations' Nostalgia collection. I marked the arms of the snowflake and then scored from the back along those lines. I did a little sanding and my snowflake, I mean snowstar, shines!
     I heat-embossed the sentiment (Fiskars) with white pigment and white embossing powder. I lightly sanded the edges of the tag to make it stand out against the same color background. To finish, I adhered the panel to a white card base.
     Thanks so much for stopping in today. There is still lots of time left if you want to play along with us. See the Master Challenge List here: http://www.coredinations.com/index.php/2013/10/31/master-challenge-list/



11/02/2013

Christmas Tags

UPDATE:   I'm excited to learn my tags won in their category! You can check out all the other winners here:    http://www.coredinations.com/index.php/2013/11/12/hard-core-crop-winnners-in-here/

  I'm playing along this weekend in Core'dinations ColorCore Cardstock online crop and getting a head start on my Christmas tags.
     The object of this challenge was to create at least two tags and to stamp on the tags. I used an olive green and three shades of rosy red from Core'dinations Nostalgia collection to make my tags. I used embossing folders(the Paper Studio) to create the quatrefoil and dotted textures. I used a combination of dies(Spellbinders)  and punches (Fiskars) to make the embellishments. I heat-embossed the sentiment (Cosmo Cricket) with white pigment and white embossing powder. Added a giant diamond (real, of course) and some ribbons. Two tags down and lots more to go.
     There is lots of time left to get your projects in if you want to play along with us. The Challenge Master List is here:  http://www.coredinations.com/index.php/2013/10/31/master-challenge-list/

11/01/2013

A Great Big Thanks

 
     If you popped in today expecting to see a card, you might get one later today. But first, I owe you all a big thanks! You guys are buying so many e-book copies of my book, A Deliberate Life: A Journey into the Alaskan Wilderness, that you have brought new life to it. And, the price is super - less than $4 at bn.com and amazon.com. I know you have been buying copies since it was first published, but once my publisher made it an e-book, sales have really taken off again. Thank you so much to each one of you.
     I'm currently working on the illustrations for a children's picture book I wrote. It will be out before long. I'll keep you posted about the release date and other info.
     You guys really are the greatest!
 
 
 
 
 

Core'dinations Online Crop

 
There is a fun online crop going on at Core'dinations ColorCore Cardstock this weekend. And, we have until Nov 10th to get our projects in. Yay! I love having extra time. Thanks, Core'!
 
You can check out the Master Challenge list here:
http://www.coredinations.com/index.php/2013/10/31/master-challenge-list/comment-page-1/#comment-64127

Check out all the fun on Facebook here:
https://www.facebook.com/events/475922629187858/477463629033758/?notif_t=plan_mall_activity