Thursday, January 19, 2012

Week Three of the Dream Team Valentine Challenge

So, two weeks ago the new Dream Team introduced our followers to our change in challenges. Each month we'll run a different challenge for YOU to play along with. You'll have ALL month long to create and link to the Dream It Up! blog, as many times as you want, with one of two opportunities to win a fabulous stencil design from Dreamweaver Stencils! For the month of January, the challenge is to wow us with a Valentine-themed project. My card for this third week features the Heart Lock stencil (yes, once again), only this time with a different technique from the first week's post. The ink transfer (or letterpress) technique is soooo simple, and sooooo effective! All that is necessary is to apply ink in some form (ink pads, Memories Mists, Color Solutions alcohol inks, etc.) to the surface of the stencil. Place this face up on the bottom platen of whichever embossing/die-cutting machine you may own (my personal fave? The Sizzix Big Shot Pro!). Then spritz the top of the stencil with a little alcohol to rewet the ink, place cardstock panel face down on top of stencil, rubber embossing mat over this, with two clear platens over the top of all. Confused? Yeah, I know that your manual will tell you to sandwich all of this between two clear platens, but we recommend having the two platens on top to protect your stencils. For my card, I spritzed with a small amount of Strawberry Daiquiri Memories Mists on my stencil. The cardstock was a a watercolor paper with a canvas texture. The process highlights the texture while embossing the beautiful Heart Lock stencil image. The sentiment (You & Me) was also machine embossed, but dry this time. With a lacy punched border and a couple flowers, you have yet another fab Valentine card completed for the sweetie in your life. If you haven't visited the rest of our amazing new team, you will definitely want to do so now:

If you've made the rounds already, then get your Valentine mojo on and create something "love-ly" of your own and link it on the Dreamweaver Stencils Dream It Up! blog. You have until February 1st by midnight to be eligible to win.


at 6 comments:
Labels:

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Kissing Tag with Red Hot Spice!

It's the 15th of the month, which means that it's Gourmet Rubber Stamps' team challenge again! This month our challenge was "Kissing Tag"...no, not THAT kind of kissing tag, although you can if you want...anyway...the team is creating some Valentine-themed tags with any of the Gourmet Rubber Stamps' images. My tag creation is attached to my hot sauce bottle, and a perfect Valentine gift for the man in your life! My hubs loves to use Frank's Red Hot Sauce on his signature Buffalo Wings, and when he made some for us a couple of weeks ago, I suddenly looked at that bottle in a whole new light! I created a wrap around label for the bottle so that it now says "Red Hot LOVE"! The images were stamped on kraft cardstock and ink distressed, plus the focal image was embossed in white for added pop. The tag attached to the bottle uses more images from the new January Diner's Club set, "Sealed with a Kiss", embossed in white and smoochy red lips as well. The whole project becomes a unique and fun gift for the Red Hot love of your life! To play more "kissing tag", hop around to the rest of the team blogs for more Valentine tag inspiration...and remember, these wonderfully fun images can be purchased on the Gourmet Rubber Stamps' website!

at 5 comments:
Labels:

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Stampendous Challenge, Week 2...Bling It On!



Here we are with the second Saturday of the month of January, which means another opportunity for YOU to play along with the Stampendous "Bling it On!" challenge for the new year. Once again, my version is not screaming bling, a little subtlety, please. However, my Fantasy Tiles card is covered in gorgeous new Stampendous Fran•tage Elements Aged Ivory and Aged Bronze Embossing Enamels! You have to see to believe these embossing enamels...a variety of textures, sheens, and sparkle in EACH bottle! You think these are gorgeous? Wait until you see what is being released at CHA in two weeks! Amazing new designs and fabulous new Fran•tage Elements in new varieties. Oops. I guess I slipped a little, as the tile images used on this card are part of the new release...just a teaser for you. These come in a Perfectly Clear set, and all the tiles are one inch...perfect for those "Inchies" that everyone is addicted to. The larger image, Profile Portrait, is a Cling image to be released as well. I kept my color scheme in these french vanilla shades, with the pretty sheen of the embossing enamels, texture of paper roses, and a snippet of old lace, the entire card reads vintage glamour. Now take a look at what these Stampendous team members have created to dazzle you today:

Melinda Gleissner
Jennifer Ingle

We want YOU to play along with us!  Just add you direct link to your card (make sure you've loaded it up with tons of BLING) to the linky tool below my signature (or on the Stampendous blog) no later than February 2, 2012 at 11:00 PM EST.  You don't have to use Stampendous products to play along, but we sure love it when you do!  And as an extra incentive for playing, one lucky person (drawn at random from all the entries) will receive this gorgeous Cherub Wishes Perfectly Clear Stamp Set:




at 10 comments:
Labels:

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Handbags and Valentines? Why Not?


Some of you will probably think that I'm cheating this week, and some of you will probably think that I just managed to be more organized. To be honest, the first is probably more accurate. As I worked on my project for the Woodware UK challenge (Handbags at Dawn!), I was torn as to how I would complete the challenge. No purse stencils or purse stamps in my repertoire, so I decided to create a purse and decorate it with Dreamweaver Stencils. This thought led me to the next idea...I could use this project for the Dreamweaver Stencils' challenge this month as well!
This yummy Tiffany-Box-Blue-colored cardstock was sitting on my workspace, so that with the black and white would be perfect for the elegant clutch I was going for. Then I decided to make a card portfolio out of it with pockets on the inside to hold a set of thank you cards. The pockets and flaps were created from my new Spellbinders' Mega Dies. The main portion of the "purse" and front flap was stenciled with first Memories Mists Iridescent spray* and then brushed with Metallic F/X Glacier*. The result is a soft, subtle, shimmer with the Damask* image. The same stencil was used to machine emboss the side panels, the pockets, and the blue panels on the cards. The flap of the "handbag" and the cards were then paste-embossed in black with the Tole Heart*, and covered with beautiful Black Pearl Glitter from Stampendous*.  I added a Stampendous Class A' Peel sentiment* in black, as well as a ribbon bow and a Velcro closure (hook and loop). It would be easy enough to change the sentiments to create Valentines or wedding cards. For those of you here visiting from the Woodware UK blog, be sure to check out what the rest of the Woodware girls have been creating for their "Handbags at Dawn" challenge. For those of you here from the Dream It Up! blog, the girls have more inspiration for you, and encouragement for YOU to play along with us this month. Remember, you have ALL month to post and link your Valentine creation(s) to the Mr Linky on the Dream It Up! blog, for the opportunity to win one of two stencil designs! Come on...show us what YOU'VE GOT!


*Woodware UK:
Damask Stencil
Tole Heart
Matte Black Embossing Paste
Metallic F/X Glacier
Stampendous Black Pearl Glitter
Stampendous Class A' Peel Tiny Greetings

*Dreamweaver Stencils US:

Damask Stencil
Tole Heart
Matte Black Embossing Paste 
Memories Mists Iridescent Spray
Metallic F/X Glacier



at 11 comments:
Labels:

Monday, January 9, 2012

New "Coveralls" Stamps from Gourmet Rubber Stamps


 Gourmet Rubber Stamps has recently introduced a new line of images called "Coveralls"...jumbo sized cling stamps that cover six inches of cardstock goodness. Perfect for backgrounds on cards and tags, but also for scrap pages and decor. For this card, I focused mainly on the pocket portion of the "Back Pocket" image. In remembrance of my favorite floral-embroidered jeans in high school, I added the folk art flower from the Diner's Club December "Let's Celebrate" set, embossed with white EP three times on an extra pocket. This enabled me to tuck inside a little tag with the great "Good Friend" sentiment from the Lizzie Anne Designs line. A few rhinestones and a baker's twine attachment finishes off this card.
at 2 comments:
Labels:

Saturday, January 7, 2012

A New Stampendous Challenge...BLING It On!

It's the first Saturday of the year and the first Saturday of the month...clean slate! Let's fling some bling on it! The Stampendous Design Team were challenged to bring on the bling this month. Glitter, Shiny Essentials, Class A' Peel Sparkly stickers...anything with a sparkle and sheen! Normally, I'm not big on bling. I like things a little more subtle and sedate. This is exactly the direction I went with my featured card today. I used the brand new release Cling Pensive Portrait image for my focal point and the new Cling Garden Background for, well...the background. The images were stamped with Rich Cocoa Memento, and only a soft pink chalk was added for color. I added a vintage ribbon bow with a pearl corsage pin and pearl scroll. This is where
I had a little fun. I rubbed Versamark ink over the pearl elements and embossed them with brand new Fran•tage Aged Ivory Embossing Enamel. The result was a gorgeous pearly sheen with hints of gold and an antique finish. Just in case you are wondering if I inked, embossed, and placed each individual pearl from the flourish...no, I did not. I'm too lazy for that. The whole thing was left intact on the carrier sheet while I performed my Fran•tage magic. When cool, I carefully picked the entire flourish off the carrier in one piece and placed it on my card. Yep. I'm pretty happy with it.
Not blingy enough for you? Then check out what the rest of our uber-talented team has blingified (technical term) for the challenge this week:

Melinda Gleissner

We want YOU to play along with us!  Just add your direct link with your card (make sure you've loaded it up with tons of BLING) to the linky tool below my signature (or on the Stampendous blog) no later than February 2, 2012 at 11:00 PM EST.  You don't have to use Stampendous products to play along, but we sure love it when you do!  And as an extra incentive for playing, one lucky person (drawn at random from all the entries) will receive this gorgeous Cherub Wishes Perfectly Clear Stamp Set:






at 11 comments:
Labels:

Thursday, January 5, 2012

The Dream Team 2012 Challenges Begin!

Welcome to the first posting of the Dreamweaver Stencils' Dream Team 2012 ! We're changing things up a bit for this year, and YOU can help. The first Thursday of every month will feature our new challenge and will extend through the entire month. This means that YOU have ALL month to play along with the one challenge, as many times as you want. Sometimes it will be a color challenge, sometimes a theme, and sometimes a technique. We are hoping that an entire month will give you plenty of time to be inspired, create, and link to the Dream It Up! blog . Each month we are offering TWO prizes...one for the most creative version of the challenge (does not have to be Dreamweaver Stencils ' product, but we sure are happy when it is!), and the second for the best use of Dreamweaver Stencils ' product in the challenge. This could be stencils  (of course), Embossing Pastes , Metallic F/X , the new Color Solutions , etc., anything you find on the Dreamweaver Stencils' web site , or in your local store. Don't know where your local store is? The list can be found on the web site . Not near any of the stores listed? There is also an online site to purchase from, Stencil with Style !
 
For the month of January, we challenge you to create something for Valentine's Day! You have until January 31st, 11:59 PM EST, to post and link your creation(s) to the Dream It Up! Blog   Mr. Linky. The winners will be announced February 2nd, along with the February challenge. Here is my version of this month's challenge:


Dreamweaver Stencils has a gorgeous selection of stencils with hearts in various styles...simple, ornate, Celtic, gothic, and romantic. The Heart Lock is one of my faves, and I used a very simple technique to create this card. The background white panel was stenciled with Memories Mists Strawberry Daiquiri (sounds yum, doesn't it?) through the Damask stencil. The focal piece is a panel of Double-sided Adhesive adhered to a white cardstock panel and covered with Stampendous Multi Crystal Glitter. Then this panel was also stenciled with the same Memories Mists. I chose the MM method mainly because I already had these products out on my workspace as I went on a Valentine binge for this month's challenge. You'll see more from this binge over the next few weeks. When using the Memories Mists, I highly recommend that you tape your stencil down on all four sides with removable tape as usual. Then place the piece in a cardboard box and spray from about 8-10 inches away. The box will help to contain the overspray. To finish off my card, I created the gold foiled key by stenciling on red cardstock with Versamark ink, embossing with Stampee Stuck on You bonding powder, placing a piece of gold Stampee foil face up over the surface, placing between a folded sheet of printer paper, and running through my hot laminator. I also added a little Two Way Glue Marker to one of the Dreamweaver Stencils' 3" Embellishment Pins, and rubbed the leftover foil bits over the surface. This with the ribbon and rhinestone bling, added to the very romantic feel of this Valentine.

Need more inspiration? Please visit the rest of our fabulous team listed here:



at 9 comments:
Labels:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)