iCopic challenge #49

This week's challenge at iCopic was to color an image with red hair.  I don't have a lot of reds in my small Copic collection, but I gave this one a try, anyway.

I used Copic R35 Coral, YR02 Light Orange, and E37 Sepia for the lil' witch's red hair.  I added a little bit of sparkle with Spica glitter pens on the stars, broom, and witch outfit.  The patterned papers are from Bella Blvd's "Too Cute to Spook" line.

Check out the altered projects @ Practical Scrappers!

Wow, there are some amazing projects posted on the Practical Scrapper site today - all for the challenge to share an altered item.   There are altered albums, notebooks, frames, treasure boxes, and even an altered shoe and a globe - way cool!

Here's my altered item.  I started with a grapevine wreath, spritzed it with some gold Glimmer Mist for a little bit of shimmer, and then adhered leaves that I die cut from patterned paper.  (Bella Blvd papers and Cricut Doodlecharms cartridge for the leaves)  I had some old chipboard alphas that I covered with patterned paper to spell "Fall" and added a little "happy" tag to the first letter.  I really love the Bella Blvd "Finally Fall" line - such wonderful colors and patterns!

PS - while you're at the Practical Scrappers site, be sure to check out their new card contest - sounds like fun!

Time for another Sassy Lil Card Sketch!

Wow!  Hard to believe that September is almost over!   Here's the third card sketch this month from Sassy Lil Sketches:

Here's my card from the sketch:

If you use any of the card sketches this month, be sure to link your project back to the Sassy Lil Sketches blog for a chance to win an awesome prize from Authentique Papers!

Whimsie Doodles Inspiration Challenge

This month's inspiration challenge at Whimsie Doodles was to create a card inspired by this photo:

http://shimandsons.typepad.com/.a/6a00d834529fce69e20133f55dad74970b-pi

I took my inspiration from the color scheme - mostly white with just a touch of black, orange and green (and I added a smidgeon of purple).

I used the Whimsie Doodles Halloween Tags digi images to make these cards.  I inked around the edges and colored the pumpkins with Copic markers, then added a grommet and some ribbons and twine.  I printed the tag a second time, only this time with the answer to the riddles and then adhered the two tags on the left side to make a card.

And, just in case you're wondering, here are the answers to the riddles:

1) What did the pumpkin need for its boo boo?

     A pumpkin patch!

2) What do ghosts wear?

     Boo jeans!

Would you like to win some Authentique goodies?

Practical Scrappers is joining up with Authentique to offer you a chance to win some scrapping goodies!  Check out this post here for your chance to win!  

Just by looking at the amazing items posted on Practical Scrappers, I can tell that I'll need to add some Authentique papers to my stash - they have some gorgeous lines!

Unity Stamp's Sept sketch challenge

This is my first time joining in on the monthly sketch/KOTM challenge @ Unity Stamps.  Each month Unity posts a card sketch, and the challenge is to use that sketch AND only stamps from one of their kits of the month.  You can check out this month's challenge here: http://theunitystampco-kotmsketch.blogspot.com/
For my card, I used their Sept 2009 kit of the month (pumpkin stamp and sentiment stamp).  I stamped the pumpkin several times on different pp scraps, then pieced them together.  I did some faux stitching and added some buttons with bakers twine ties and lots of inking with Rusty Hinge, Peeled Paint and Wild Honey Distress Inks.

CAS-ual Friday's paper piecing challenge

This week's challenge at CAS-ual Fridays is to create a Fall themed card with some type of paper piecing. I used a pumpkin stamp (Unity Stamp Co) to create my paper pieced item.  I stamped the pumpkin on four different pp scraps, then cut the images apart and pieced them together to make one multi-hued pumpkin.  The two crows are from an older Stampin' Up set.  They were colored w/Copic markers and then cut out and adhered to the pumpkin.  The bottom green strip is made from a Martha Stewart border punch.  I love making Fall cards.  It's my favorite season......football, Fall festivals, Halloween and Thanksgiving!

Update your stash with Practical Scrappers!

Practical Scrappers is starting a new feature on updating your stash.  This week we're focusing on finding new ways to use your old flat flowers.  I have a lot of the old Prima paper flowers in my stash, so I was inspired to find new ways to use them.  On my scrapbook page, I took several of the tiny flowers and stitched them to the top of a border punched strip, for a cute casual page accent.

For the "roses" on the two cards, I started with three flat Prima flowers.  Mine were all the same size, just different shades, but you could also use flowers in staggered sizes.  I took the lightest color flower, put a mini glue dot in the center, then just smushed it around the end of a paintbrush to get the tight flower center.  I added a mini glue dot to the middle of the second flower, placed the first one on top, and then squeezed the two together.  I did the same thing with the third flower, and then unfolded them just a little to get the roses.  On some of them I added a little pearl center.  
We'd love to see your ideas for updating your flower stash!

The first Sassy Lil Card sketch for September

It's hard to believe it's September already - where did the summer go?    But, a new month means new sketches to work with, so let's start off the month with a Sassy Lil card sketch!

And here's my card from the sketch:

I used some BoBunny Ad Lib papers on this one.  Even the flower and sentiment are cut from the pp - I just popped up the flower with foam adhesive and added a little gem center.
We have a fabulous sponsor this month - Authentique Paper!   If you use any of  the Sassy Lil card sketches this month, be sure to link your project back to the blog for your chance to win a prize from this awesome new company!

Cardabilities sketch for August 30th

I was inspired by the current Cardabilities sketch to use my Cricut Elegant Edges cartridge for the shaped image.  I cut the image at 3.5", and then sized my digital stamp to fit.   I printed the digital image out, then positioned the die cut shape over top, adhered it at the top edge only and ran it back through the printer.  This is a great way to get your journaling, sentiments or digital stamps positioned to fit a die cut shape. 

The paper is from Bella Blvd., digital stamp from PC Hug Club (colored with watercolor pencils) and baker's twine from The Twinery.

Reversible Fall/Halloween banner

I just received the new Bella Blvd "Finally Fall" and "Too Cute to Spook" papers that I ordered from Tammi at My Scraps & More.  Love these papers!  They are just perfect for altered projects, so I decided to use them to make a reversible banner for Fall and Halloween. 

To start, I took one sheet each of Fall patterned paper and one sheet of Halloween themed paper, then cut each sheet into four 6x6 squares.   I placed the squares together, right sides out, and adhered each pair at the middle and the bottom.   (You don't want to put adhesive at the top because you'll be stitching there.)  I punched a border from contrasting cardstock - four from green and four from orange, and then adhered the borders to the bottom of each square, matching up the edges.  The green border is on the Fall side and the orange border on the Halloween side.   I threaded my sewing machine with brown thread through the needle and white thread in the bottom, and then stitched each pair together about 1/4" from the edge and again abot 3/8" from the first row of stitching.   I used a large eye needle threaded with two strands of baker's twine to string the banner together.  I ended up using a wooden skewer to help push the needle through the stitched channel - next time I'll make my stitched channel a little wider  :)  

I used my Cricut and the Cindy Lou cartridge to cut the alphas at 4-1/2", but you could also use chipboard  letters or large alpha stickers.   I cut the alphas twice from scrap cardstock and once from patterned paper, then stacked them together with the paper on top.  This gives a little dimension to the letters without adding much weight.   I adhered one letter to each banner, and then added a few silk and felt leaves to the Fall side, and some paper and stamped embellishments to the Halloween side.

In between each banner, I used glue dots to adhere pairs of buttons to the twine, using muted warm colors on the Fall side of the banner and brighter colors on the Halloween side.

Here are some closeups of a couple of the letters:

I hope you enjoyed this, and are inspired to make your own reversible banner!