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Thursday, July 26, 2012

PSPP July Challenge - Fancy Fold

Hello Friends!

I belong to the Pink Slipper Pajama Party Gals over at SCS.  This month Maggie challenged us to:

Make a "fancy fold" card and something that you haven't done before.


Well, oddly enough I had seen a fun fold card on Shelby's blog a few weeks ago and at that time I knew I wanted to make a Magic Fold Card.  Shelby referenced this video.  I had just received a new Magnolia stamp, Winter Skating Tilda, and could not wait to ink her up!

So I followed the video tutorial using cream card stock to create the base.  After I had the first two layers of the base, I used a fiskers snow border punch and then used some embossing powder on the edges to give it an extra glimmer.  I used MME paper in purples to accent the cream.  I did not want to use traditional Christmas colors, but instead a cool color.

After coloring her up with my copics I cut her out so I could perch her up on a chipboard tag to make her look like she was sitting on a window.  The chipboard tag was embossed with white snowflakes and then inked with concord grape distress ink to match.  I used dimensional glue dots to bring her up off the card and chipboard.





Copics used:
Skin:  E000, E00, E11, E13, R20
Hair:  E31, E35, E37
Jacket & Skates:  RV0000, RV91, RV93, RV95
Scarf, Pants & Hat:  BV20, BV23, BV25, C3, C5

I added some white flowersoft on the hat for the ball.


The inside is also adorned with matching paper from the outside. I used a spellbinders die on the inside to add the two sentiments by Stampabilities.  I also embossed the same snowflakes from the outside on the inside to give it a wintery feel.  They are hard to see in these pictures.

I would like to enter this in the following challenges:
DRS - Christmas
Shelly's Images - Christmas
Stamp n doodle - Christmas in July
 Party Time Tuesdays - Christmas in July
Shopping our Stash - Use something new
CMC Copic Challenge - Anything goes with a girly twist
Magnolia Stamp Lovers - Tilda only
Simply Magnolia - Embossing

Thanks for stopping by!  I hope you gained some inspiration today.
Blessings until next time!
Athina

Saturday, July 21, 2012

ATC Happy Birthday!

Hello Blogging Friends,

I hope you are all well, feels like I have been gone forever!!

Today I am sharing some of my ATC birthday creations.  I belong to an ATC group within my family.  We make a special card for birthdays for each of the members.  So here are just a few for the month of July.  July is a very busy birthday month!!

The first, I  used water colors and my Tim Holtz distress markers.  The edges are inked with pumice stone and tumbled glass.  The sentiment is by Stampin Up.



The second is inked with bright colors of distress ink, then I used a background stamp with white picket fence stain to soften it a bit.  I then stamped it with butterflies and decorated them with stickles.


The last one is the same principal as the second just different colors and a multitude of stamps with white stain.  All stamps on this one are from Stampers Anonymous.

They all turned out very different, but they were very easy to create.

I would like to enter these into the following challenge:
ATCs with Attitude - Anything goes


I hope you enjoyed them.  Thank you for stopping by!
Blessings until next time...
Athina

Sunday, July 15, 2012

To my BFF!

Hello Friends!

I am finally back!  Sorry for my absence.  My computer went down and took everything with it!  Luckily I have a back up drive so I now have a working computer and all my files, thanks to my little brother!

Well, last Monday was my best friends birthday.  She is more than any girl could as for in a best friend.  It is so funny because many people often ask, "Why are you to such good friends?".  You see, she is very bubbly and vocal.  I on the other hand am pretty quiet.  But they say opposites attract right?  She is fantastic and keeps me in line always reminding me to think of the other side.  We met in college and have had so many fun times together.  I know she is one person I can call on at any time and she will say, what can I do for you!  She is the best!

Well on to the card.... She really likes the Sarah Kay stamps because they remind her of Holly Hobby.  When I found this one, Babette cuddling with Kitten, I knew it was the one I wanted to use for her card. 

I colored her up on cryogen paper with my copics.  I also wanted to give the wood floor a try that I learned online at CMC classroom.  So here is my first attempt.  I want to practice some more, but I don't think it turned out too bad for the first time.  The card itself is a gate fold card, in which I used either MME or Paper Studio ( I can't remember the brand, I am sorry) paper on the exterior. 





The inside, I coordinated with matching paper.   I made the tag and ribbon to match the inside.

Using what I have learned in Creative Chemistry 101, I made this tag.  I love how it turned out. I started off with a white tag.  I then applied different colors of distress ink, then spotted it with water and heat set.  Then I went over it with more distress ink to deepen the colors a bit and then a darker ink around the edges.  I heat set it again.  Then I took a background stamp (the swirls) and used picket fence distress stain on the stamp and stamped the tag.  I heat set it again to set the white.  I was not quite satisfied at that point, it needed something else.  So after looking around my stamps, I found Stampin Up Delicate Doilies and they match the background paper.  So I dipped them in different colors of distress ink and randomly put them on the tag.  Once I was satisfied, I did one final heat set and stamped the sentiment by  American Art Stamps.

Once I laid the tag on the inside of the card, it did not quite stand out, so I trimmed it with black card stock and adhered the ribbon.  The ribbon is crate ribbon in white.  I again used my distress inks in different colors to go over the ribbon for color and stamped a few of the doilies on it too!

Copics used

I would like to enter this in the following challenges:
Alphabet Challenge - L is for Lace
Daring Cardmakers - Lace and pearls
Paper Pretties - Try a new technique (floor with copics and distressed tag)

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you enjoyed my project today.  I had so much fun making it and letting my creative juices flow!

Blessings until next time...
Athina

Sunday, July 8, 2012

For a Special Lady!

Hello Friends!

Today is a special day!  My Aunt is celebrating her birthday.  I can tell you in the last 10 years we have become very close and I am very grateful for our relationship.  I guess I can blame her for this crazy addiction I have.  I remember telling her when she asked me to scrapbook with her, "I am not that patient, I don't think I could do it."  Well, here we sit today and she blames me for getting her into trouble with supplies and You Tube.  I guess what comes around goes around, right?! =-)

Well, we both have a love for the same man... Ummm, that would be Tim Holtz.  So I thought I would take some of the things I am learning in the Creative Chemistry 101 class and make a card for her.  She will 'get it'!.  Others would likely say, what did you do with that mess of stuff.

So for the tag, I used distress inks in blues and greens.  I then used some stamps with white picket fence stain and stamped on top of the first layer of distress ink.  I heated it with a heat tool to make sure it was sealed.  Then I used black Archival ink to stamp the bird and flowers (stamps by Tim Holtz Visual Artistry collection).  I also stamped a bit of texture in black to add some extra dimension.  When I completed the stamping, I used black soot distress ink to go around the images to make the center pop out a bit more.  The ribbon on the top was white, but I used tumbled glass distress stain to give it color to match the tag.

The background is actually a black piece of cardstock.  I took crackle paint in white and painted the cardstock.  I was too impatient to let it dry, so I heated it also.  Once it cracked, I went over it with peeled paint and tumbled glass distress ink for additional color.  Don't be shocked, but I then wadded that piece of black cardstock up and then flattened it out and distressed the edges.  I figured that since the tag was a bit grungy, I would make the background grungy as well.




The inside was much simpler.  Just a piece of Bo Bunny paper that matches the outside.  I distressed it then took a white piece of cardstock to stamp the sentiment.  The edges of the white cardstock are inked with more peeled paint and tumbled glass distress ink.


When I finished, my hands were pretty stained.  But overall, I am very happy with the result.  I can't wait to play a bit more with the inks and stains.  They are pretty cool!

Have a great day!
Blessings until next time...
Athina

Friday, July 6, 2012

Water Color with Distress Markers

Hello!

I have been playing some more with the techniques in the Creative Chemistry 101 online class.  I finally broke down and bought some of the Tim Holtz Distress Markers.  They are pretty fun to use.  I tried the watercolor technique with them and I think it turned out pretty well.

I first put a couple of Tim Holtz Visual Artistry stamps on an acrylic block.  I then just put some color down on the stamps with the markers.  Once I had the stamps colored, I spritzed them with water and stamped them on water color paper.  They blur a little bit, but that gives them the soft color.  I then heat set that set of images.  Then I thought I would try to spritz the same stamp with water again to see if I could get more color out of it.  Well, not a lot of color, but it filled in some of the areas "behind" the image.  Once I was satisfied with the flowers, I colored and stamped the butterfly using the same method.

To finish off the image, I used pumice stone and tumbled glass distress ink to ink the edges of the image. Pumice stone has now become my favorite color.  Then I stamped the sentiment from the same stamp set in the corner.  I fixed the image to a mat and put it on the card face.




For the inside, I used some more water color paper and just one of the images.  This image came out a little bit blurrier than the front, but I am ok with it.  I think it just looks soft.  I stamped the sentiment and ran some distress ink around the edges of the paper.  Then matted it to a background.


I hope you enjoyed this technique and will give it a try!

I would like to enter my card in the following challenges:
LEJ Designs - Fabulous Flowers
The Crafty Bloggers Network - Anything Goes
Dream Valley Challenges - Things with Wings
Stampin Sister in Christ - Use something new

Thank you for stopping by!

Blessings until next time!
Athina

Thursday, July 5, 2012

Crafty Gals July Challenge

Welcome Back Blogging Friends!

Today, I have a challenge from the Crafty Gals Blogging Group over at SCS.  Our host this month is
Patty.

So our challenge this month....

Christmas in July! And since clean and simple cards are my very favorite your challenge this month is to make a clean and simple Christmas or Holiday card. I can't wait to see all of your holiday cards!

Well, I thought about this all month.  I struggle with the CAS cards a bit, but I finally looked around enough and found some inspiration from Laura Williams in the November 2010 Card Maker magazine.

Recipe:
Image:  Stampin Up Jolliest Time of Year
Sentiment:  Brother Sister Design Studio
Paper:  Red & Stripes by MME, I have no idea who the holly paper is by.  It was in my stash.




Please stop by and see the other wonderful creations from the Crafty Gals group.


I would like to enter this in the following challenge:

Thanks for stopping by!   

Have a great day!
Until next time....
Athina