RIC#97 + HLS December CAS + Seize the Birthday

Today I managed to make a birthday card, just not sure it is suitable for the soon-to-be 17 year old boy who is supposed to be getting one tomorrow. I thought I missed the deadline for the Runway Inspired Challenge #97 and was pleasantly surprised to see I had a couple more hours to enter a card.

The trim on the Tory Burch dress instantly made me think of Mexican Papel Picado banners with their intricate cut-outs. I tried to replicate that idea with an MFT stitched flag die cut that was partially die cut with a MB Piestra Tile border die. The flags are inked with Spiced Marmalade Distress Ink and strung over a Salty Ocean inked panel. The sentiment is from PTI's Stylish Sentiments: Birthday stamp set.

I'm also linking this card to the Happy Little Stampers December CAS Challenge to use a favorite technique (partial die cutting) and Seize the Birthday in the Anything Goes category.

It looks like I will be heading back to my desk late tonight to work on something a little more masculine.

Thanks for stopping by,

Jacquie

RIC95 + SSS Thanks & 25 Days of Christmas Tags + HLS November Christmas

I had a little fun in the office today, ending up with a card and tag to share.

The Runway Inspired Challenge #95 gives us a striking Marchesa Notte dress with a lacey floral pattern that immediately made me think of the Tremaine Square die from Memory Box.  I inked a panel with Salty Ocean Distress Ink before cutting it with the die. A second die cut is made from Raspberry Fizz cardstock and the flowers are snipped and layered on the blue die cut. 

This lacey, floral panel is adhered on the outside edges to a navy panel and then to a slightly larger pink panel. A PTI sentiment finishes off the card and fits the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge this week, Simon Says Thanks/Thanksgiving.

My second little project is a tag using the PTI Warmest Wishes stamps and dies. I just could not resist this polar bear!

I was inspired by Ashley Marcu's tag on Day 1 of Tracey McNeely's 25 Days of Christmas Tags celebration and the Happy Little Stampers November Christmas challenge to make a tag.

Tomorrow morning I'm off to play with Mixed Media canvas and maybe sneak in a little shopping. Hope you have some crafting time lined up for the weekend.

Thanks for stopping by,

Jacquie

RIC #93 + CTS#144 + CASology #168: You

I spent a little too much time this week trying to channel my inner Ted Harrison after I saw the bright, colorful dress for Runway Inspired Challenge #93 but my hands and head just weren't in sync and I walked away from my desk for a while. 

Then I saw the wonderful sketch for CAS(E) the Sketch! #144 and started looking at using the RIC colors in a different way.

The CASology Week 168: You challenge helped me decide on which sentiment to use.

A number of Paper Smooches Fresh Snow snowflakes were die cut from watercolor paper and colored with Zig Clean Color Real Brushes. {sigh} I am regretting that I only bought a box of 24 colors and know what will be going on my Christmas list this year.

It you aren't familiar with Ted Harrison, he is a Canadian artist whose distinctive, colorful paintings are instantly recognizable.  Can you see why I thought of him when I saw the Emilio de la Morena dress?

Thanks for stopping by,

Jacquie

Runway Inspired Challenge #91 + Seize the Birthday + Simon Says

After all the buttons & bling in yesterday's post, I went in a completely different direction for this bold, graphic birthday card.

  

I think it is pretty obvious how Runway Inspired Challenge #91 influenced the design.

A Tim Holtz border die is cut in black, lime and aqua cardstock to create a panel echoing the design on the model's top. 

This panel is popped up on a black card base, making it very hard to photograph straight on. These side angles give a much better view of the dimension.

The sentiment is created with MFT High-Rise Alphabet and Number Die-namics cut from white, lime and aqua cardstock and stacked together.

I am also linking this card to Seize the Birthday in the Anything Goes category, Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge Blog challenge to Make It Colorful and Virginia's View Challenge #18 Geometric Patterns.

Thanks for stopping by,

Jacquie

RIC#90 & Muse #129

Hello there!

I was happy to have some crafting time today and ended up with a couple of cards ready to share. This first card is inspired by the Runway Inspired Challenge #90 and this sweet dress.

A number of small flower & leaf images from a variety of stamp sets were used to create a floral pattern on a white doily before a die cut sentiment was added. The sentiment was cut three times for added dimension, with the dark green bottom layer offset slightly and the top yellow layer covered in glossy accents for a little shine. The lightest gray Soft Stone card base gives a subtle contrast to the white doily.

This second card is inspired by Anita's card for Muse #129.

I followed her design very closely, using two Tim Holtz stencils to create a pattern on the white panel. The burlap stencil is place diagonally on the panel and partially inked with Tumbled Glass Distress Ink, then the Dot Fade stencil is placed diagonally the other way and inked with Mustard Seed Distress Ink.

A PTI die cut provides the popped up sentiment.

The panel is adhered to an Aqua Mist card base.

Thanks for stopping by,

Jacquie

RIC#78 + FMS174 + Seize the Birthday + Simon Says Texture

One of the benefits of reorganizing my stamps and dies into a theme based system is uncovering a few old favorites that have been hiding at the back of the bins. I immediately thought of these Elizabeth Crafts candle dies when I saw the striped top in the Runway Inspired Challenge #78 photo. The sketch from Freshly Made Sketches #174 provided the perfect design and I am also linking this card to Seize the Birthday and the Wednesday Stamp Challenge at Simon Says Stamp to use texture.

A Darice embossing folder provides the diagonal lines on the red panel and the sentiment is from an older PTI set, Birthday Bash.

A little Wink of Stella provides a touch of glitter to the candle flames.

Thanks for stopping by,

Jacquie

Runway Inspired Challenge #74

Happy New Year!!

I'm popping in with a quick post, just a few hours before the Runway Inspired Challenge #74 is closing.

    

I loved the watercolor look of the print on this dress, so masked off a square panel to watercolor in yellows and orange before adding a Memory Box die on top.

The die is cut twice, once in white and again in red to get the thin frame echoing the belt of the dress.

We had a wonderful New Year's celebration here, starting with waking up to a little snow on Palomar Mountain New Year's Eve morning.

There was only frost at our house and I'm looking forward to temperatures warming up significantly next week.

Thanks for stopping by,

Jacquie

RIC#63 + Fusion {Red, White & Blue}

I finally have my hands on the Painted Flowers stamp set from Altenew and I'm in love :) 

Using watercolor paper, the outline of the flowers was stamped and heat embossed first, then filled in with Distress Inks and a water brush.

The sentiment is from another Altenew stamp set, Label Love, and is also heat embossed.

The color palette and design of this card was influenced by Runway Inspired Challenge #63 and the current Fusion {Red, White & Blue} sketch.

Thanks for stopping by,

Jacquie