Fusion Challenge #7

(note: this is my second post of the day, for the CAS-ual Friday's challenge click here or scroll down)

Yet another FUSION winner from the last challenge (what a great card, you really have to check it out if you haven't already!) I have a feeling this week might provide a non-FUSION winner ... let's see!

My challenge, as always, is based on the sketch only. This is a 10-year-old birthday card for our dear friend and neighbor who's in love with orange and glitter. Gathering crepe paper layers along a long running stitch makes the boarder. Then to break up the white embossed sentiment, the first row of text is colored with green alcohol markers.

Head on over to the Fusion Challenge to check out the inspirational Design Team, and also the gallery, which I'm sure will be amazing.

Thanks for looking!
-Kelly

CFC #101: Stamp on Patterned Paper

Wow, what a hoppin' 100th challenge party we had the last two weeks, with 227 entries! Some serious inspiration in the gallery, if you haven't gotten a chance to check it out yet. This week the challenge is to stamp on Designer Paper.

I started out with the floral stamp from CAS-ual Fridays Loving Thoughts embossed in red glitter on a subtle, damask-like paper. At first I was going to thread this really funky red fiber through the centers of several of these and make a garland. I was annoyed getting them to hang evenly, so laid it down on the blue paper and it kind of looked like a funky necklace. A tweak here and there, and I ended up with a jewelry box card. 

Here's the front. The mat stack die is used as an impression on the top of the box. The sentiment is embossed in silver from Only You. Simple, just like a presentation jewelry box.

Then upon opening the "box" you see the necklace on its lining. A hold punch is used to notch out holders on the top to dangle the necklace on. 

Since I wanted to get a ton of dimension for the box, I mounted the panel on two layers of cardboard. The spine is scored 1/8" thick, so it accommodates this dimension when folded shut.

I was still a little unsure how to finish this card (just what is its purpose?) and was going to leave it blank for now. Then I came across the Moxie Fab gift card holder challenge. That's it!

I cut out a panel to mount on the top-inside of the box for a gift card. Then got excited thinking how cute this would be for a teen girl birthday present! Stick a Charming Charlie's gift card inside, especially since this is the type of costume jewelry they sell, and you're all set.

Don't forget to head on over to the CAS-ual Fridays Challenge to see the rest of the design team inspiration, and play along in the fun!

Our sponsor this week is CAS-ual Fridays Stamps : )

Thanks so much for looking!

-Kelly

CAS-ual Fridays Release: Houndstooth and Zigs & Zags

I am so in love with all the sets from the May CAS-ual Fridays Stamps release, it's a little sad being the last sneak day. But on the other hand, I'm super anxious to share these cards!!

I totally lost it when I first saw the houndstooth. Seriously. I sent a note to Michele right away, so thankful that I'd really get to work with these. This set has large, medium and small houndstooth patterns. So, which to use, which to use? Totally can't decide ...

Alright, we're using all of them. At once! Anyone remember those Magic Eye posters that you stare at and a 3D image is supposed to pop out after several minutes?

Image credit

 
Those never worked for me (and, FYI, the link above is to an article that explains how to do it). Still can't see those darn 3D images! But I do like the idea of having a lot of patterns that make one big pattern. Back to the card above, do you see a yellow-outlined diamond pattern? Kinda cool!

I had to try another version in different colors. Solid, orange diamonds stand out to me on this one. 

 There's also a fabulous Zigs & Zags set, where this last card comes from ... 

It's a border stamp, but you can certainly stamp it repeatedly as a background. I made a mask to sponge the pink on, and then freehanded the yellow above so there were no hard lines on top and it would blend out more. Sewing, silver embossing, enamel dots, and yes, a single quatrefoil from my bag of scraps round out the card.

If you haven't already, head on over to CAS-ual Fridays Stamps to see what the other super-talented designers did with these sets. So much inspiration! And, check back on Friday for the full reveal of all five must-have sets!

Thanks so much for looking!
-Kelly

Winner! Winner!

We have a winner of the free copy of 350 Cards and Gifts!

 

Miriam, it's you!! Please send me your address and the lovely folks at Paper Crafts will be sending a copy right to you. 

Thanks so much to everyone for your incredibly kind comments.  I've said this so many times, but it's so true, we have the best on-line community ever!

CAS-ual Fridays Release: Tech Talk

Ahh, the power of these keys! Invaluable to us for blogging, now they can be on our cards too! These are from the Tech Talk set to be released on Friday at CAS-ual Fridays Stamps.

This one is a little out there ... but it looks exactly how I felt a couple months ago when I completely stuck my foot in my mouth when chatting with friends. My head started spinning as I replayed exactly what just happened (the hand cut circles), and my head was screaming "Delete! Delete! Delete, delete, delete!!!!"

The keys are embossed and fussy-cut. So many fun uses for these!

Hopefully it's not a card I'll need again, but if I do at least I'll be ready so I can give it in a timely manner. I never seem to find the words in person, but giving an "I'm Sorry" card is so much easier.

Be sure to stop by tomorrow for the debut of two more sets. On Friday each set will be revealed and available on CAS-ual Fridays Stamps.

Thanks for looking!

-Kelly

ETA: Thanks to Ardyth for reminding me that this fits the Tuesday Trigger! Hope you get a chance to play too, so many possibilities with this one!

Exploring Brickworks

Yesterday I confessed my love for the Frankly CAS-ual Fridays Stamps set. Today, I'm going to make another confession, this time about Brickworks. Complete and total love affair (sorry, Frank).

It's got solid bricks, outline bricks, zig zag bricks, dad's sentiments and grad's sentiments. A total go-to set. Let's see some cards ...

When I thought about bricks, the first thing that came to mind is Pink Floyd's iconic cover for The Wall. A quick search on www.dafont.com comes up with a free Floydian font, which I use for this card ...

Stamping the outline bricks over the computer-generated sentiment is all it takes to finish this simple, but effective card. If I could, I'd send it to my good friend from Jr. High who introduced me to Pink Floyd (RIP Suzy!!)

Here's a card with a traditional, filled-brick stamping, although the brickwork is interrupted to make room for the gold sentiment. The school colors on this graduation card are repeated in the collegiate banners (tiny flowers from Bold Wishes).

Finally, here's another Graduation card. The watercolor splotches are less structured, in contrast to the tidy bricks. The sentiments on the banner and on the card are separated for more flexibility in your stamping. I threaded ribbon loosely through holes on the end of the banner. There are sequins here, but I resisted putting them directly on the card base. Instead, they are threaded on the end of the ribbon along with a crystal bead.

Really have just scratched the surface with this set. Stay tuned for two more posts before the final reveal at CAS-ual Fridays Stamps on Friday!

Thanks for looking!

-Kelly

Frankly

 YAY, it's release week for CAS-ual Fridays Stamps! And this month there are not three, not four, but FIVE fabulous new sets released! I am seriously in love with them. Here are some cards from Frankly.

This set has a great flourish stamp that can be used on its own, or stamped in a pattern. Here's what the stamp looks like on its own. The rest of the cards feature this flourish stamped in a pattern.

 Here's what the flourish looks like stamped overlapping and facing each other. Lined up across the card they have an Art Deco pattern feel, I think. The silver sentiment is one of the secondary sentiments. Looks great on its own (even without the main "Frankly My Dear.") 

Here's another version. This time the double-stamped flourish is also rotated to create a one-layer flower. Two colors are used on this one. You know I'm a sucker for details ... I love how the center of the flower is the perfect size to emphasize the word "thank" in the sentiment.

More angles. I'm loving angles.

One more card. I couldn't put this stamp down! This time I stamped a bunch of the flourishes facing each other in a row (which actually inspired the second card in pink), cut them out, and made them into a 3D flower. The gold sentiment is another secondary sentiment. There are just so many great sentiments in this set.

I'll be back Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday with more sneaks. The final reveal on the CAS-ual Fridays Stamps blog will be on Friday!

Thanks so much for looking!

-Kelly