A new challenge and a blog hop at The Twist!

Happy Saturday!  I hope this weekend finds you with plenty of time to relax and recharge...and STAMP!  Today there's a brand new challenge over at The Technique Twist...Blurred Vision Watercolour.  I did a couple of projects for this challenge.  I've got one for you today...I'll post the second next week :)  For this one I used the sketch challenge over at Stamping Royalty for my layout.  Here is the sketch:

...and here is my project:

Valentine's card featuring the Seasonal Sayings and Hearts Aflutter stamp sets and featuring the Blurred Vision Watercolour technique.

Now I did a bit of a twist on this technique...rather than stamping and then blurring the image with water, I did the opposite!  I first did a watercolour wash of the backgound piece using Pool Party ink and an aquapainter.  (You can make this as dark or light as you'd like, depending on how much ink you use) Then, while the paper was still wet, I stamped the red hearts.  The result is blurred images that bleed a little into the background.  Kinda cool, no?

The DSP I used is from the new Fresh Prints Designer Series Paper Stack (132996) from the new Occasions catalogue...*love*! The sentiment is from the Seasonal Sayings set.  I inked it with Pool Party and Real Red markers and then die cut it with the Hearts Collection framelits.  I added a little Retro Fresh Washi Tape (133001) and a little Real Red button I had leftover from Christmas projects.  The final touches are the blingy arrow and "xoxo", both die cut using the Label and Circle Card Thinlits respectively.

Inside view with sentiment from Hello Lovely

On the inside I used a leftover piece of the background from the front which I adhered using more Retro Fresh Washi tape.  The sentiment is stamped in Real Red, fussy cut and then adhered with dimensionals.  I added one more blingy heart from the Circle Card Thinlits.

So...whaddya think?  Ready to give this technique a try?  When you do be sure to link up over at The Technique Twist and show us your stuff!  Here is the list for the Blog Hop:

• The Technique Twist
• Julz
• Becky B
• Pam
• Terria
• Leena
• Katie Zoey Ha
• The Technique Twist

There's a great prize involved so be sure to comment on each blog as you hop & you must link up your own new creation for this challenge to be eligible to win.  Blog Hop & Challenge ends on Friday, January 17 at 1155p ET. The next stop on the hop is Katie's Blog so hop on over and see what she's created to share with you! Remember, if you find a link that doesn't work, you can always hop back here for a list of direct links to all the blogs in the hop!    Happy hopping!

More Twisted Faux Patina

Today I have another card I did for this week's Faux Patina challenge at The Technique Twist.  Check it out...

Thank you card featuring the Faux Patina technique and using the Wonderful Wreath stamp and the Seasonal Sayings stamp set.

For this one I wanted to get a more rusted look, so I changed up my colour choices for the Faux Patina.  Here is what I did:

• I inked the smooth side of my Beautifully Baroque TIEF with my Crumb Cake ink pad and ran a piece of Naturals Ivory card stock through.  Then I sponged the entire surface with (in this order) Cajun Craze, Always Artichoke and Early Espresso ink.  I then lightly brushed the panel with my Versamark and heat embossed with gold embossing powder.  
• I cut the Faux Patina panel into four after completing the technique.  (Use the Rotary attachment for your Stampin' Trimmer...you'll get a perfect cut!)
• I inked the wreath in Crushed Curry and then daubed the outer and inner edges with Cajun Craze.  I stamped it on Very Vanilla and then die cut it using the Circles Collection Framelits.
• The sentiment is heat embossed in Early Espresso.
• The kinky twine is pulled from a strip of the 1-1/4" burlap ribbon.  It is a nice, bulkier alternative to Linen Thread.

If you haven't already done so, be sure to check out The Technique Twist blog for more great takes on Faux Patina from our design team!

Time for a new Twisted Challenge

Today is the 15th which means its time for a new technique challenge over at The Technique Twist!  This week we're all about Faux Patina...one of my very favourite techniques!  Today I'm going to share one of two cards I did for this challenge...

Any-occasion Man-card featuring the Faux Patina technique, along with the Seasonal Sayings (128009), Clockworks (131973) and Off the Grid (130736) stamp sets.

There is lots going on on this card!  I did this one with my monthly techniques group last week and they loved it.  Here is a rundown on what I did:

• To create the Faux Patina panel I inked the smooth side of my Alphabet Press TIEF with my Crumb Cake ink pad and then ran a piece of Whisper White card stock through it.  I then sponged with Island Indigo, Always Artichoke and Early Espresso ink (in that order) to get the depth of colour.  Then I lightly rubbed my Versamark ink pad across the whole panel and heat embossed with both gold and silver embossing powder.
• The background panel is a piece of Early Espresso card stock that I stamped with the Off the Grid stamp and then heat embossed with Early Espresso embossing powder.  I then stamped the gears from the Clockworks stamp set using the silver Encore Metallic ink pad (132142).
• The sentiment is also heat embossed but this time I used gold, silver and Early Espresso embossing powder.  I sponged the edges lightly with Early Espresso ink and curled the banner with my bone folder before adding the Antique Brad (117273).

I really loved creating this card.  It has been a while since I did this technique...it really can be addicting, especially when you start playing with other ink colour combinations.  Be sure to visit the other design team members' blogs to see their fantastic creations the stop by later this week to see my second project and you'll see how switching up the ink colours gives a whole new look to this technique. 

Happy New Catty!

Ok, so I know I'm a few days late, but YIPPEE!!  The new Spring Catalogue is now live and full of fabulous new products to inspire you.  I've been having great fun this weekend playing with some of my new goodies and I have lots to show you this week!  I know I've not been very good about posting the last month or so, but now that the holiday craziness and our Disney vacation are behind me, I'm ready and raring to get back to stamping!  So, enough chit-chat...on to some fun!  Today I have a card for you that combines two challenges in one.  Over at Pals Paper Arts this week there is a colour challenge that uses a great combo:



And over at Freshly Made Sketches there is a fun sketch challenge.

So, I decided to combine the two and came up with this fun card:

Love note for PPA150 and FMS67  featuring the Seasonal Sayings stamp set and lots of new catty product!

I have to admit that I really love the way the Melon Mambo pops against the Basic Black!  What an awesome duo they are!  I using lots of new products on this card..here is a list (and their product numbers in case you just HAVE to order them!):

Delicate Details Lace Tape (LOVE THIS STUFF!!) 130966

Honeycomb TIEF 129378

Designer Builder Brads 129329

Sunshine and Sprinkles DSP 126922

Large Rhinestone Basic Jewels 129324

I really had fun with this colour combo and just might have to use it again some time soon! 

TGIF!

Happy Friday!!  What a week this has been!  Work has been so busy and I've had something on every night and am just so ready for the weekend.  Unfortunately things aren't going to settle down much as we have family arriving from Austria tomorrow for a month-long visit and then my nephew's first birthday party on Sunday.  Ah, it just never ends...I need more hours in the day...either that or the power to stop time!
Enough whining...on to the good stuff!  Today I have a project to show you that I CASE'd from one of my fellow designers over at Craft Project Central to do as the make-n-take at my Tri-City Stampers team meeting this week.  It is a fun-fold Halloween card....take a look:

Cute Halloween card featuring the Googly Ghouls stamp set and Howlstooth and Scarringbone DSP.

Open the top flap...

...and then the bottom one to reveal the sentiment from Seasonal Sayings.

Isn't that a fun fold?  I love that little mummy peeking out the cut-out at the top of the card.  The cool thing about this design is that it would be easy to tuck a little treat inside!  Gotta love a card that doubles as a treat holder.  The Googly Ghouls stamp set is just about the cutest thing ever!  I am not a fan of the gory, blood-and-guts Halloween thing, but I do love fun, cute images and this set fits the bill.  That little spider with the googly eyes is just adorable.  I think I might have to find another use for him after Halloween is done...he's just too darned cute to only use at Halloween!
Have a great weekend...and check in tomorrow...I'll have another fun Halloween project for you!