SAF 2017: 10th Anniversary Tradition - Tin & Aluminum...

Day 3

10:00 PM Challenge:  "Create a project featuring some form of the tarnished foil technique."

And this is the final challenge! I can't believe I participated in so many challenges and have to admit, I'm exhausted! I'm going to need to take a break for the next few days and look at what's been posted by other people.

I didn't have a tin sheet like Laurie used, so I used aluminum foil. I folded it like she suggested and ran it through the Cuttlebug with a striped embossing folder. I rubbed black ink on it first, and then embossed copper and gold embossing powders, randomly placed on the foil. After that was done, I rubbed black ink over it again. I will admit at this point I kept saying to myself "I don't like this and what am I going to make with it??"

Then I got the idea of making a Halloween card with it. The ghosts and sentiment banner are die-cut in Soft Stone cardstock, stamped in black ink and placed on foam tape for dimension. I placed the foil on True Black cardstock and adhered it to a white cardstock card base.

At this point, I was saying to myself "hmm, not too bad!" It's actually starting to grow on me! 😄

Card Details:

• Stamps:  PTI Happy Haunting
• Paper:  PTI True Black, Soft Stone, White Stampers Select
• Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black; Versamark; Stazon Jet Black
• Dies:  PTI Happy Haunting; Tag Trio Nestabilities
• Tools:  Heat Tool
• Other:  Cuttlebug Pajama Stripes Embossing Folder; Aluminum Foil; Foam Tape, Embossing Powder
• Size:  4.25" x 5.5"

SAF 2017: 9th Anniversary Tradition - Pottery...

Day 3

6:00 PM Challenge:   "Create a project featuring a dough tag."

The ornaments Nichole made were really pretty and I haven't made clay dough in a long time. So using cornstarch instead of salt seemed interesting and I like the whiteness of these ornaments.

For my first batch, I made the dough (Recipe Here), stamped and baked them and they came out looking great! I stamped tissue paper like Nichole, sprayed it with a sealer only to see the ink run a little bit, but not that bad. As the tissue paper dried on the ornaments the ink looked better. But later in the day when I looked at the ornaments, they were all cracked!!!

I won't be using these ornaments but wanted to share my disappointment:😞

I decided not to give up! 😀I made another batch, this time just impressing a snowflake stamp into them. I didn't want to take the extra step with the tissue paper in case these cracked too. I literally took this picture when they were almost cooled out of the oven, adding fun fur for the ornament hanger. I'll have to wait until later to see if these crack too. Fingers crossed!

I did read cracking can be caused from too much humidity in the air, so maybe I'll try these again in cooler weather. They do look prettier with colors although the plain white is sort of pretty too!

Update:  24 hours later and 2 of these cracked! 

Project Details:

• Stamps:  PTI What The Doodle: Snowflake
• Other:  Dough Recipe; Cookie Cutter; Fun Fur
• Size:  3" Round

SAF 2017: Anniversary Tradition - Bronze...

Day 3

2:00 PM Challenge:  "Create a project featuring bronze metallics."

Perfect Pearls is another craft item I have a lot of and never seem to use. So I was happy when Jessica's technique involved using it.

I used the new Mix & Mat: Pinked Edge die (that just came in the mail this morning!) and die-cut it in Olive Twist cardstock. I placed Versamark refill on a glass block, and using a very fine paint brush, painted the veins in the leaves. I sprinkled it with copper embossing powder and melted it. I never would have thought about painting Versamark so a great tip for me.

For the background, I used the technique just learned from Natasha about inking up your impression plate with ink before running it through your machine. I used Kraft ink on Kraft cardstock and ran it through the Cuttlebug with the Woodgrain impression plate.

The Mix & Mat die is on foam tape for dimension. Last, I die-cut the banner in Kraft cardstock and stamped it in Cocoa Bean ink.

Card Details:

• Stamps:  PTI Keep It Simple:  Thanksgiving
• Paper:  PTI Kraft, Olive Twist
• Ink:  PTI Cocoa Bean; Versamark
• Dies:  PTI Mix & Mat: Pinked Edge, Tag Sale: Quilted, Woodgrain Impression Plate
• Tools:  Heat Tool
• Other:  Zing Embossing Powder; Foam Tape
• Size:  4.25" x 5.5"

SAF 2017: 8th Anniversary Tradition - Bronze...

Day 3

12:00 PM Challenge:  "Create a project featuring Perfect Pearls or a similar metallic pigment powder." 

And yet another chance to use my Perfect Pearls! And a rather easy technique that looks like it's not so easy.

I used Terracotta Tile cardstock for my card base, adding three strips of Scor-Tape on each side. I brushed on gold Perfect Pearls and wiped away the excess with a paper towel. Boy that stuff really gets on everything!

The leaves are die-cut in Rustic Cream cardstock. The one leaf is stamped with Summer Sunrise with Morocco ink around the edges, and the other stamped in Harvest Gold with Summer Sunrise around the edges. The veins are stamped in Cocoa Bean ink. I placed on leaf on foam tape for dimension.

Happy Thanksgiving is stamped in Dark Chocolate ink. The addition of the stripes makes the card look much more elegant.

Card Details:

• Stamps:  PTI Leaf Prints, Keep It Simple: Thanksgiving
• Paper:  PTI Terracotta Tile, Rustic Cream
• Ink:  PTI Dark Chocolate, Cocoa Bean, Summer Sunrise, Harvest Gold; Memento Morocco
• Dies:  PTI Leaf Prints
• Other:  Scor-Tape; Perfect Pearls; Foam Tape
• Size:  4.25" x 5.5

SAF 2017: 7th Anniversary Tradition - Wool...

Day 3

10:00 AM Challenge:  "Create a project featuring stitched felt cookies."

Well, I'm happy to be using felt again for another project! And as soon as I saw Debbie's video, I knew I was going to use my Sweet Holiday Wishes dies to create the cookies.

I used three different cookie dies and used 3 layers of felt, 2 for the sandwich portion and one for the filling. To stitch them together, I used a blanket stitch. Thankfully I won't be graded on my sewing because it's really not that great. I did get better as I did the last cookie (the tree) but I was getting tired. I should at least get an "A" for effort!😀

Project Details:

• Dies:  PTI Sweet Holiday Wishes
• Other:  PTI Hibiscus Burst, Simply Chartreuse, Vintage Cream, Harvest Gold Felt; Taylored Expressions Khaki, Chocolate Chip, Powder Felt

SAF 2017: 7th Anniversary Tradition - Wool...

Day 3

8:00 AM Challenge: "Create a project featuring a stitched layered embellishment (felt or paper)." 

I was happy to see we were going to be using felt, because I have a lot of it and never seem to use it. Heather made a cute little card with leaves and it was so nice I made something similar.

I die-cut the card base in Kraft cardstock, using the die from the Don't Forget To Write kit. The square is cut in Rustic White cardstock and stenciled with Lemon Tart ink. I stamped the sentiment in Cocoa Bean ink.

The leaves are die-cut in Orange Zest and Harvest Gold felt using the Happiness In Bloom dies. I did a backstitch in brown thread to stitch them together.

Card Details:

• Stamps:  PTI Pumpkin Patch
• Paper:  PTI Kraft, Rustic White
• Ink:  PTI Cocoa Bean, Harvest Gold
• Dies:  PTI Don't Forget To Write, Happiness In Bloom
• Other:  PTI Orange Zest, Harvest Gold Felt; Memory Box Texture Mesh Stencil; DMC Floss #433
• Size:  3.75" x 3.75"

SAF 2017: 6th Anniversary - Iron...

Day 2

10:00 PM Challenge: "Create a project featuring a metallic embossed die-cut."

After watching Yana's video, I couldn't wait to try this technique! It's a simple idea, but really packs a lot of wow!

I die-cut the outline of the snowflake in the middle of a snowy piece of pattern paper. Using the detailed snowflake, I die-cut it in white cardstock and adhered it to a handle like Yana showed us. I rubbed Versamark ink on it, sprinkled it with silver embossing and melted it with the heat tool. I repeated this same step 3 more times. No matter how many times I've done heat embossing before, it never gets old. I am mesmerized watching it melt!

The snowy panel is adhered to a white cardstock card base. I placed the metal snowflake in the middle and glued it in place. The banner is die-cut in white, 4 times, stacked and glued together, with the sentiment stamped in black ink.

My final step was tying fun fur around the top of the card. If you notice, a lot of my "snowy" cards have this on it. It just screams "snow" to me!

Fun technique - I will be doing this again!

Card Details:

• Stamps:  PTI Tremendous Treats: Christmas
• Paper:  PTI White Stampers Select, Tinsel & Tags
• Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Versamark
• Dies:  PTI What The Doodle: Snowflakes, Birthday Classics: March
• Tools:  Heat Tool
• Other:  Embossing Powder; Fun Fur
• Size:  4.25" x 5.5"

SAF 2017: 5th Anniversary Tradition - Wood...

Day 2

6:00 PM Challenge:  "Create a project featuring an inked impression plate (or cover plate, stencil, etc.) technique."

I don't think I've ever inked up an impression plate before. Embossing folders yes. But this technique that Natasha showed us really adds extra pizazz to the woodgrain!

I inked up my Woodgrain Impression Plate with Scarlet Jewel ink and impressed it onto Scarlet Jewel cardstock. I adhered the panel to a Kraft cardstock card base. Next, I die-cut all the parts from Holiday Greens in Rustic Cream cardstock.

The larger leaves are stamped in Kraft ink and the smaller leaves in Ripe Avocado ink. The pine cones are in Cocoa Bean ink and the cluster is done in Olive Twist and Scarlet Jewel inks. I arranged them on the card, placing the cluster and the small pine cone on foam tape for dimension.

Merry is die-cut four times in Olive Twist cardstock and glued together. I cut a strip of Rustic Cream cardstock and stamped "Christmas" on it in Cocoa Bean ink. My last step was adding a little glitter to the tips of the cluster.

Card Details:

• Stamps:  PTI Holiday Greens, Wet Paint Holiday
• Paper:  PTI Kraft, Scarlet Jewel, Rustic Cream, Olive Twist
• Ink:  PTI Kraft, Scarlet Jewel, Cocoa Bean, Ripe Avocado, Olive Twist
• Dies:  PTI Wet Paint Holiday, Holiday Greens, Woodgrain Impression Plate
• Other:  Foam Tape; Glitter
• Size:  4.25" x 5.5"

SAF 2017: 5th Anniversary Tradition - Wood...

Day 2

4:00 PM Challenge:  "Create a project featuring some kind of woodgrain inlay technique."

I've had these wood sheets that a friend gave me years ago, so it was nice to be able to finally use them! Lizzie stained her wood, but I liked the natural look and kept it as is.

I die-cut Cover Plate: Center Stage in Pinefeather cardstock and adhered it to a Rustic Cream cardstock card base. I die-cut the wood sheet with the same Cover Plate and inlaid it into the Pinefeather.

Using Limitless Labels Ovals, I die-cut one in Pinefeather cardstock and one in Rustic Cream cardstock. I stamped the sentiment in Cocoa Bean ink and adhered it to the card with foam tape.

After I was done making this card, I had the leftover negative from the wood sheet and decided to make a card with it. Sort of like 2 cards for the price of one! 👍

For the inlaid portion, I die-cut the Cover Plate using Enchanted Evening cardstock. I die-cut a circle in the same cardstock and another one in Vintage Cream cardstock. The sentiment is stamped in Dark Chocolate ink and the circle adhered with foam tape.

I actually like the blue one better, but I like blue better than green. And now I have two more masculine cards to add to my stash!

Card Details:

• Stamps:  PTI Offbeat Birthday
• Paper:  PTI Pinefeather, Rustic Cream, Enchanted Evening, Vintage Cream
• Ink:  PTI Cocoa Bean, Dark Chocolate
• Dies:  PTI Cover Plate: Center Stage, Limitless Layers: Ovals, Limitless Layers: Circles
• Other:  EK Success Wood Sheets; Foam Tape
• Size:  4.25" x 5.5" 

SAF 2017: 4th Anniversary Tradition - Linen...

Day 2

12:00 PM Challenge - "Create a project featuring stamped linen wraps."

I didn't think I was going to participate in this challenge because I didn't have any linen around the house. When the list came out for what was required for the SAF challenges, I didn't want to have to go out and buy anything, I just wanted to use what I had. I was looking for something today and happened to find one linen napkin all by itself in the drawer!

I used stamp ink for my project - and placed the napkin in the Misti. This allowed me to stamp a few times to get nice, deep colors. I stamped the wreath first in Spring Moss ink and then went over it again with additional sprigs in Ripe Avocado ink. The pine cones are stamped in Cocoa Bean ink and the berries and sentiment in Pure Poppy ink.

The hardest thing was finding a box to wrap and it was a little difficult to wrap this particular type of material. I think the linen Amy used is much more flexible. I'll have to keep my eyes open for that the next time I'm at the material store.

Project Details:

• Stamps:  PTI Sprig Wreath
• Ink:  PTI Spring Moss, Ripe Avocado, Pure Poppy, Cocoa Bean
• Other:  Linen Napkin

SAF 2017: 3rd Anniversary Tradition - Leather...

Day 2

8:00 AM Challenge:  "Create a project featuring faux leather."

Well, here I was again, trying to think outside the box because I don't have glycerin to use for this project. So I googled "how to make faux leather" and found a video where you rub coordinating ink on cardstock to give you a faux leather look. Thankfully, the challenge doesn't say we have to do it the way it was presented.

I started with a piece of Kraft cardstock and with my stamp pad, rubbed Kraft ink all over it. It does kind of look like leather, not as much as Ashley's version, but it'll do! Next, I stamped the sentiment in Dark Chocolate ink, several times using the Misti to make sure it was nice and dark. It even looks a little bit the way you see writing on leather, where it's not 100% solid.

I used a stitched rectangle die like Ashley did to give it a more authentic look. I placed the panel on fun foam and layered it on a piece of Enchanted Evening cardstock and adhered it to a Kraft cardstock card base.

Since it's a masculine card, I added jute around the spine. A few stitched stars in Enchanted Evening and Spring Rain cardstock finished things off. Must get some glycerin the next time I'm at the drug store and try doing this again.

Card Details:

• Stamps:  PTI Offbeat Birthday
• Paper:  PTI Kraft, Enchanted Evening, Spring Rain
• Ink:  PTI Dark Chocolate
• Dies:  Lil Inker Designs Stitched Mats: Rectangles, Stitched Stars
• Other:  Fun Foam; Jute
• Size:  4.25" x 5.5"

SAF 2017: 2nd Anniversary Tradition - Cotton...

Day 1

8:00 PM Challenge:  "Create a project featuring colored cotton."

I have to admit that when I saw this idea of putting cotton in paint it didn't really appeal to me. I don't have any fun colors of paint and thought, what can I use? Then I remembered I have all these pretty colors of chalk! These challenges are getting me to think outside the box, which is a good thing!😎

I pulled out a couple of cotton balls and rubbed two shades of blue chalk on them. I knew I wanted to use them as clouds, but didn't want these huge, puffy clouds on my card. Then I wondered....what would happen if I ran the cotton through the Cuttlebug with a die? Well, it turned out to look like pressed cotton and actually looks pretty good! I made both clouds and set them aside.

On white cardstock, I lightly brushed Enchanted Evening ink across the front so it would take away some of the bright white and look like a wintry sky. I die-cut the mountains, stamped them with black ink and rubbed the same blue chalk on the top. The mountain is on foam tape.

I die-cut the polar bear and his sweater, coloring the sweater with Copic markers. He's also on foam tape for dimension. The sentiment is stamped in black ink. The clouds are adhered with glue, and look much better than I thought they would! I placed the panel on a Dark Indigo cardstock card base.

Card Details:

• Stamps:  PTI Warmest Wishes
• Paper:  PTI White Stampers Select, Dark Indigo
• Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black
• Dies:  PTI Warmest Wishes, Heart-2-Heart #6
• Copics:  B37, R24, W3
• Other:  Cotton Balls; Chalk; Fun Foam
• Size:  4.25" x 5.5"

SAF 2017: 1st Anniversary Tradition - Paper...

Day 1

6:00 PM Challenge:  "Create a project featuring paper scraps and vellum overlays."

Well, we all have a lot of scraps, so this was sort of easy to pick out colors to use. I pulled out my Cover Plate: Hearts and die-cut the hearts in three colors: Raspberry Fizz, Hibiscus Burst and Lovely Lady. Using the negative from the Cover Plate, I adhered eight hearts of each color onto white cardstock.

Next, I die-cut the hearts in polka dot vellum, scored them down the middle and randomly placed them on the hearts. I folded the hearts a little to give the card some dimension. I stamped the sentiment in black ink and I was finished!

Card Details:

• Stamps:  PTI Inside & Out: Love
• Paper:  PTI White Stampers Select, Raspberry Fizz, Hibiscus Burst, Lovely Lady, Vellum
• Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black
• Dies:  PTI Cover Plate: Hearts
• Size:  4.25" x 5.5"

SAF 2017: 1st Anniversary Tradition - Paper...

Day 1

4:00 PM Challenge: "Create a project featuring a handmade paper embellishment."

I wanted to make something quick for this challenge and liked how Rebecca used scraps and a glassine bag. She showed us many ideas which I'll have to try at a later date.

I cut matchstick size pieces of Hawaiian Shores, Tropical Teal, Raspberry Fizz and Harvest Gold cardstock and placed them in a glassine bag. I folded the top and adhered it to a white cardstock card base, covered with a piece of Confetti Toss pattern paper.

Celebrate is die-cut in Raspberry Fizz cardstock and placed on an angle. I stamped the sentiment on a piece of white cardstock in black ink. Simple!

Card Details:

• Stamps:  PTI Ways To Say: Birthday
• Paper:  PTI Confetti Toss, White Stampers Select, Hawaiian Shores, Tropical Teal, Raspberry Fizz, Harvest Gold
• Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black
• Dies:  PTI Good Times
• Other:  Glassine Bag
• Size:  4.25" x 5.5"

SAF 2017: Take Ten Warm Up Challenge...

Today is the kick-off of PTI's Stamp-a-faire weekend - and this year it's 3 days of fun instead of 2! It looks like a lot of fun challenges and techniques to do over the next few days. The party has already started with the 2:00pm challenge.

Day 1

2:00 PM Challenge: "Create a project using one of the ten photos/color schemes as your inspiration."

Nichole provided 10 inspiration photos for us to look at and included the list of PTI colors that go along with them. This is the photo I selected - I love the choice of colors in this! It has lots of flowers and looks like it's stitched on linen, so right away I thought of using linen cardstock. Instead of butterflies, I decided to use a bird. 

On Fresh Snow linen cardstock, I stamped the petunias in Berry Sorbet and Pure Poppy inks and the centers in Harvest Gold ink. The leaves are stamped in Green Parakeet and New Leaf inks. After I had the flowers completed, I created the sky by rubbing Hawaiian Shores ink around them with a dauber.

The bird is die-cut in white cardstock and stamped with Pale Peony, Berry Sorbet, Pure Poppy and Scarlet Jewel inks. I added the beak and eye in black ink. I die-cut the bird 3 times and glued and stacked it together. It just adds a nice bit of dimension to the card!

Before I adhered the bird to the card, I decided to flick black splatters on it by mixing black ink and a bit of water. I used a paintbrush to carefully make the splatters, trying not to get too many on the flowers.

The sentiment is stamped in black ink. Looking at the inspiration photo, I noticed the strip of binding and decided to make my own "binding" by adding a strip of Pale Peony striped paper.  This took a little longer than the 40 minutes I think we were supposed to use for this challenge, but it was worth taking the extra time!

Card Details:

• Stamps:  PTI Humming Along, Garden Gate
• Paper:  PTI Fresh Snow Linen, Pale Peony Stripes
• Ink:  PTI Berry Sorbet, Pure Poppy, Scarlet Jewel, Green Parakeet, New Leaf, Harvest Gold, Hawaiian Shores; Memento Tuxedo Black
• Dies:  PTI Humming Along
• Other:  Water; Paintbrush; Dauber
• Size:  4.25" x 5.5"