Monday, November 28, 2011

Monday Funday #9 with Margie

It's another TGF Farm Fresh Monday Funday challenge!  Today's host is our wonderful team captain, Margie!  The challenge...rule of 3 - use three of any item - ribbon, brads, buttons, etc.  For my card, I have three ribbons, three colors (Mickey Mouse ears, pants, and shoes), and three designer papers.
The base is Stampin' Up's Real Red with layers of Daffodil Delight and Basic Black.  The designer papers are from Paper Studio, Reminisce, and Sandylion.  The border punch is EK Success' dotted scallop.  The TGF images are Stampin' Anya and, the new November release, Wild Sprout Matilda.  They are colored in copic markers, and their shirts are paper pieced.  I used a Mickey icon punch to make the hats, by cutting a bit off the bottom of the icon.  Anya is cut with a classic circle nestabilities, embossed, then inked with Pool Party, then mounted on a basic black scalloped circle.  I wrapped white grosgrain ribbon around the base and tied with a piece of baker's twine and a red button.  I have skipped a sentiment for now.
Be sure to head over to the FFC blog and play along!  Thanks for looking!  April

Sunday, November 27, 2011

Heart Journal - week 19

Ahhh, we are in the final month of TGF's Heart Journal challenge.  This week's challenge is "Chaos" - no neatness allowed!  Yea, I am one to go tidy, so this was a challenge. 
I started with Tim Holtz tissue tape and overlapped and skewed them.  Next, I made a wash with Kelly Green acrylic paint and water.  (I don't use green often, so I purposely picked it to work with.)  I tried to darken the edges a bit and lighter in the middle.  Once that dried, I used a polka dot stamp from SU and Wild Wasabi to stamp the bottom and sides, with a random one tossed in on top, then inked the outer edges.  I used the Tim Holtz clock and gears masks, dousing them in Silver Foil Smooch Spritz.  Once dried, I added the title with Tim Holtz tile stickers and -for some complete randomness- I added a blinged cherry decal.  It makes absolutely no sense, but that's part of the idea, right? 
What's really funny is this sort of started as either a distressed, aged piece, or a vintage Halloween thing, but it went a totally different direction as I started working.  In the end, it turned out ecclectic and kinda cool, if I do say so myself.  Thanks for looking!  April

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Heart Journal - week 18

This week's Heart Journal assignment is "Parents" - make a spread centered around your parents, life as a parent or parents in general.  One of my favorite quotes is from "Fern Gulley: The Last Rainforest" and it says "We didn't inherit the earth from our parents; we borrowed it from our children."  I took that a step further and made my spread centered around the concept of Mother Earth. 
I found this fantastic image in several places online, but did not find who to credit it to.  I transfered the basic sketch by pencil, then filled in with sharpie.  Next, I found another image with a fetus inside the planet Earth, shrunk it and incorporated it into the sketch.  I filled it in with acrylic paints.  Once the planet portion dried, I used a spouncer to add in white clouds.  For the darkest blue, I used a stencil brush and pounced it to give it some texture.  The next step was to make stars with some glitter paint.  Once set, I spritzed the entire spread with Vanilla Shimmer Smooch and heat set it.  I used a silver marker to write the quote.  I am not a fan of free-hand drawing or painting, so this was well out of my comfort zone.  It took a lot of time, but the effect is really nice.  Thanks for looking!  April

Monday, November 21, 2011

Monday Funday Sketch #2


sketch
It's another Monday Funday at the TGF Farm Fresh Challenge blog!  Today's challenge is a sketch by our own, Margie Cortina
The base of the card is Chocolate Chip with layers of Very Vanilla and Old Olive.  I took the sketch and rotated it on its side.  The Very Vanilla layer is dry embossed with the Cuttlebug polka dot folder.  The scalloped border is Whisper White with brown polka dot grosgrain ribbon.  The image is Navajo Anya and is colored in copic.  I masked over top of her, then stamped a medallion over top, then embossed in clear embossing powder.  Once cooled, I sponged olive chalk ink over top, then cut with a classic oval nestabilities, then mounted over the scalloped oval with dimensionals.  The scalloped oval is from Cricut's Ashlyn Alphabet in Pumpkin Pie.  The sentiment is stamped in olive chalk ink on Very Vanilla, then punched with the wide oval and mounted over the decorative label punch.  I added a couple of pearls to the sentiment.  The card is an easel style but displayed on its side.  The inside is decorated with leaves stamped in Whisper White craft and embossed with clear powder.  Once cooled, they are cut out and mounted on dimensionals.  I used a scrap of Early Espresso baker's twine to tie on the brown leaf.  The medallion, leaves and sentiment are from SU's Day of Gratitude set. 
Now, head on over to the TGF Farm Fresh Challenge blog and play along!  Thanks for looking!  April

Friday, November 18, 2011

Friday Spyday #7 with Mercy

 It's my turn to host Friday Spyday over at TGF's Farm Fresh Challenge blog.  I wanted to stick with our fun Twilight inspired theme, so I hit the Wild Sprouts section of the gallery and spied....Mercy!  I love her colors and card style and her little WS Odette is to die for! 
Mercy's card
My card is Chocolate Chip with layers of bubble gum pink and SEI Valentine themed paper.  It is double sided so I used both sides in the design.  The image is WS Dressy Joyce digi and is colored with copics and has little pearl earrings added.  She is mounted on a class oval nestabilities.  The blocks are stitched before  assembly and some brown polka dot ribbon added.  The felt heart is Heidi Swapp.  I punched the paper hearts from scraps.  The sentiment is from Artful Inkables Fictionally Inspired stamp set and is stamped in Timber Staz-On, then mounted with dimensionals. 
Inside, I have a special surprise for my friend.  The Bella bracelet is made with a heart crystal and the pewter wolf charm is inked in Timber Staz-On, then heat set.  I simply used a perferator, then folded the flap in, punching a couple of holes using my crop-a-dile.  To seal the flap, I used two mini silver brads. 
So, head over to the Farm Fresh Challenge blog and play along with us!  Thanks for looking!  April

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Pixie Dust Studio "Breaking Dawn" Hop

Our friends at Pixie Dust Studio Challenge decided to celebrate the newest Twilight Saga movie by having a blog hop!  Our task:  create a project using PDS Twilight images and use red, black, white or silver and add some sparkle.  You should be arriving from Cheryl's blog.

Fire & Ice, Wolf Jacob, tent & True Love digis
I have had this paint can sitting around, so I used some Jet Black Staz-On to ink it up.  All images are colored in copic markers.  The lid has the "And so the lion fell in love with the lamb" quote printed in Twilight font and combined with the lion and lamb (True Love) digi.  The side of the can is the Eclipse camp site scene.  Edward and Jacob (Fire and Ice) are fighting for Bella's (Eclipse Bella) attention in front of the tent, while Seth (Wolf Jacob image shrunk and flipped) sits at Edward's side and Victoria (not shown) is off to the side biding her time.  I used some snow paint to add some dimension and ground the characters to the scene.  The other images are Edward and Bella (Marry Me...Bella) and the meadow (Love Sparkles).
Edward's skin is sparkling with Spica pen, but I couldn't get it to show in the photos.  I also have quotes that go with the scenes.  I used bits of the challenge color ribbon and a "twilight" icon keychain to finish the piece. 
Marry Me...Bella
Love Sparkles

To get your own fab Pixie Dust characters, hop on over to Pixie Dust Studio.  All images used are available in the Twilight Mega Pixie Pack.




Next stop on the hop: Taylor
Thanks for looking!  April

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Heart Journal - week 17

This week's Heart Journal assignment is "Soul Food" - create a spread around a favorite food or drink.  My absolute favorite treat...See's Candies.  YUMMY!  Of course, I don't live anywhere near one, so I have to rely on the kindness of my mother to send them as a special treat from time to time...and are they coveted when a box arrives. 
I watered down some Pool Blue, Pumpkin and Butter Apple Barrel acrylic paints and tried to make an effect of a sunset (I was out of purple).  I used the snow writer paint and spread with my fingers to make some dimensional clouds.  I found some pics of my favorite varieties of See's and printed them on cardstock, before running them through my Xyron sticker maker.  Next is a fine liner to draw the strings, write names, and doodle the title.  Thanks for looking!  April

Monday, November 14, 2011

Monday Funday #7 - Twilight challenge

Yea, like we were going to let Breaking Dawn pass without a Twilight inspired challenge.  Today's Farm Fresh Monday Funday challenge is to use red, black, white and/or silver.  If you have any of the Wild Sprouts, pull them out and make them shine! 
The base is Cherry Cobbler with layers of Very Vanilla and designer papers from Paper Studio and Recollections.  The card design is based on Mojo Monday 210.  The border is Martha Stewart's drippy goo punch.  The checkered ribbon reminds me of Breaking Dawn chess pieces and was purchased at Michael's, then topped with a black pearl.  The image is Wild Sprout Logan, colored in copics, then a clear Spica pen was rubbed over his face to give a little sparkle.  I gave him a cloak to make him the Volturi guard member Demetri.  To make the cloak, I used a piece of post-it not to cover the lower half of Logan to create a mask.  Next, ink the stamp with Whisper White craft ink, remove mask, and stamp on Basic Black.  I used a white gel pen to finish the robe and went over the lines of the hood to darken.  Next, I used a craft knife to cut out the face, trimming the outline of the robe with scissors.  Then, I used a glue pen to attach over the top of the colored image.  There you have it, a Volturi robe-clad character.  The sentiment is stamped with a Studio g dollar alphabet stamp on Very Vanilla and the quote is from New Moon.  A few pearls on the bottom right corner, finish the card.
Now, it's your turn.  What Twi-inspired piece can you create?  Thanks for looking! April

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Breaking Dawn Bookmark

Happy Breaking Dawn!!!!  In celebration of the new movie, I decided to make bookmarks for my daughter and her friends.  These are stamped with stamps from Artful Inkables Into the Moonlight and Fictionally Inspired.  I backed them with Chocolate Chip cardstock and Tattered Time photo mats from DCWV.  The top of the bookmark is a decorative label punch folded in half, then set with a jumbo eyelet and threaded with ribbon.  Super fast and cute!  Be sure to come back and see more Twilight-inspired projects this week!  Thanks for looking!  April

Saturday, November 12, 2011

Ahoy, Matey!

This is for TGF's Movie night at SCS.  The challenge is to create a card based on a favorite movie.  Since I have been all about Twilight on our weekly challenges, I decided to give Pirates of the Caribbean a shot.  Here is my salute to Elizabeth Swann in her pirate best.  Papers are SU's Bravo Burgundy with Karen Foster DP.  To make the notched corners, I flipped my EK Success circle punch over and the punch is divided into quarters.  Line the corner up within one section, then punch as usual.  The image is Matey Anya digi colored in copic markers then cut using the classic oval nestabilities.  I tied knots in some jute twine and wrapped it around a strip of DP and used some mini staples to hold in place.  The sentiment is printed in Batik font and cut using the deckled rectangles nestabilities, the mounted in a wax seal.  Last is a couple of shots of Gold Glow Smooch spritz.  Thanks for looking!  April

Friday, November 11, 2011

Friday Spyday #6

It's another Friday Spyday at the Farm Fresh Challenge blog!  This week is a lovely card by theredhairedgirl. 

theredhairedgirl's card

I am sticking to the Twilight theme.  This card features Whisper White, Basic Black and DP from Hobby Lobby.  The red satin ribbon is from Michael's.  The images are TGF's Wild Sprouts Logan and Wild Sprout Jade and are colored in copic.  Jade is from the Roll Call Kit.  I stamped Logan's hoodie on black cardstock in Whisper White, masking the bottom portion, then using a gel pen to finish the "robe".  It took a little work to set the robe over Jade and I had to cut her pigtails, sigh.  If you haven't figured it out - they are Jane and Alec Volturi.  Yea, Alec should have had brown hair, but I didn't think of it until I had already colored...oh well.  The characters are mounted on Nestabilities scalloped circle and oval cuts.  The background behind the characters is from New Moon and features Jane and Alec ("They send you out for one and you come back with two...and a half....Well done.")!  The finishing touch is three mini silver brads on the opposite corners.  Be sure to head over to the TGF Farm Fresh Challenge blog and play along.  Thanks for looking!  April

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

November Retro-Fresh Challenge

 It's time for another Farm Fresh Retro-Fresh challenge!  This month, not only do we use a TGF stamp that is at least six months old, but use turquoise and berry pink colors.  I am sticking with using Twilight-inspired Wild Sprouts Ebony and Hugh. 
The base is Tempting Turquoise with layers of Rich Razzleberry, bubble gum pink, and DP from my local scrap store.  The border punch is card suit from EK Success.  The image is colored in copic markers, then cut out with nestabilities.  I used some mini brads from SU and a bit of ribbon.  The sentiment is printed in Twilight font, punched with 1 3/8", 1 1/2" and scalloped circle punches, then mounted with dimensionals.  The card is called a "Joy Fold" card (tutorial on SCS).
card opened

Reminder from Jess:
Don't forget that the DECEMBER Guest Designer contest ends 11/10, so make sure to get your entries in to Jess before the big reveal of Phase 1 on our Facebook page on Friday, 11/11!

What's more? Please join us at 7pm CST on Friday, November 11th in our SCS Forum for our First-EVER TGF "Customer Challenge and Chit-Chat" night! Our first night will be a MOVIE THEME event so pop some popcorn, grab your favorite candy, and join us for LIVE chatter, trivia, and a challenge with our first Customer Hostess to be revealed shortly! :)

If you're not able to join us for the live chat no worries- we will be doing these at different times of day to include our overseas friends when we can. Challenge will be open ALL weekend, too, so there will be time for EVERYONE to play! We'll wrap up about 10pm CST or whenever we conk out- but for now, get ready to join us for a night at the movies!

See you soon!
Thanks for looking!  April

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Heart Journal - week 16

Yay, I'm ahead of the curve this week!  Missing the deadline last week has had me falling all over not to miss another one.  This week is "Heart to Heart" - create a spread using hearts or have a "heart to heart" with your soul.  Yea, not one of my preferences right now...it will only lead to ugly things. 
So here it is...
I printed the words to the new Christina Perri song "A Thousand Years" in Tall Paul font .  I cut a heart out of a sheet of paper to make a stencil, then inked with Soft Sky and Purely Pomegrante.  On the right side, I used CTMH's Brown Bag to ink the tree from SU's Season of Friendship.  The leaves are stamped in Whisper White craft, then embossed with Silver and Gold metallic embossing powder.  After the embossing set, I went back and stamped hearts from SU's Things I Love set in Purely Pomegrante.  Sweet and simple!  Thanks for looking!  April

Monday, November 7, 2011

Monday Funday #6

It's another Monday Funday at the TGF Farm Fresh Challenge blog!  This week's challenge is NO designer paper and use 1 ribbon. 
The base is Pool Party with layers of Whisper White and Wisteria Wonder.  The border is SU's lacy scallop border punch.  The image is from TGF's photopolymer clear "Tea-rrific" set and is stamped in Lucky Limeade, Pool Party, Calypso Coral, and Island Indigo.  All the tea cups are mounted with dimensionals.  The sentiment is printed on cardstock, then punched with the word window punch.  I made a bow with a scrap of green satin ribbon, then used a silver mini brad through it to attach to the sentiment.  I pierced around the corners of the Whisper White, before mounting on the Pool Party base.  Hop on over to the TGF FFC blog and play along with us!  Thanks for looking!  April

Friday, November 4, 2011

Friday Spy-day with Danni!


Danni's card
This week's TGF Farm Fresh Friday Spy-day challenge is with Danni!  Be sure to hop on over to the TGF FFC blog to check out the samples and play along.  Don't you just love the rich paper...reminds me of origami paper! 

My base is cotton candy pink and is cut to a multi-panel card, like Danni's.  The layers are basic black and star print from Paper Studio at Hobby Lobby.  The image is TGF's Miss Anya Hats Off and is colored in copic markers.  I added a bit of glitter to the hearts on her hat.  Isn't she just sassy?  I added some bling around her.  The sentiment was printed on cardstock and mounted on a decorative label punch with dimensionals.  The glitter stars are from scraps of the designer paper, run upside down through a Xyron sticker maker, and coated with glitter.  Thanks for looking!  April

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Heart Journal - week 15

Can you believe I couldn't remember it is Thursday?  Yea, I messed up and forgot my Heart Journal.  This week is "Stickin' To It".  Hmmm, well, what to do?  I decided to do another Twilight inspired page.  I wanted a vintage feel with some wedding type momentos. 
The base is painted in Toffee, then a layer of Eggshell Creme with some Elmer's white glue mixed in.  I was hoping it would crack more, but still got a bit of a weathered look, so it's okay.  I sanded the edges, then stamped some flourishes in Timber Staz-On, adding some pearls to the design.  The characters, TGF's Wild Sprouts Edward and Camille, are also stamped in Timber on Very Vanilla, then colored in pencils.  I used the ticket corner punch and mounted on Chocolate Chip.  I used some Tim Holtz brand itmes - mini paper clip, sentiment tag, jounalling tags, tiny attacher, film strip ribbon, tissue tape, and date stickers, throughout the design.  The journalling tags have Bella & Edward's initials stamped from Studio g dollar acryllic stamps from Michael's.  Thanks for looking!  April

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Meet Matilda!

Today is TGF's November release day!  Meet Wild Sprout Matilda...one of four new rubber stamps from The Greeting Farm!
The card design is inspired by Deconstructed Sketch #23 (I know, it's late, but better late than never!).  The base is Whisper White with layers of Brilliant Blue and Pawsitively Prints DSP.  Matilda is colored with copics and the corners notched with a ticket corner punch.  I used the scallop border punch from EK Success and Stampin' Up.  I added a couple of pearls to the top left.  The sentiment was printed on cardstock in Comic Sans font, punched with the word window punch, and mounted on a wide oval and decorative label punches.  I used some white twine to make the little bow before mounting with dimensionals. 
Be sure to check out the rest of the TGF Farm Fresh DT creations and head to the TGF Splendid Stamping blog to see the all the new November release!  Thanks for looking!  April