Gingersnap Creations Challenge - Things That Leap

It's time for me to jump back into the Gingersnap Creations challenges; I've been away too long!

This time, I'm going for the Once in a Blue Moon challenge - Things that Leap.

I can't tell you how much I adore this set from Komodo.  It comes with the water rings, the lilypad and the tiny little frog.  I wanted a little more depth than normal, so while the lilypads are colored with Memento and stamped on white paper, I stamped the frog on acetate with StazOn (inked it green and then rolled the feet/head in black) and mounted it with foam tape - it's basically a shaker card without anything inside the shaker pocket.  

I love the color scheme as well - blue and green is becoming one of my favorite combos.  I used a great  die from Papertrey to make the border accent.

Thanks for stopping by!

Gingersnap Creations Art Exchange - Magnets

Gingersnap Creations is having another art exchange - Encouraging Words Refrigerator Magnets.  I decided to try for a heart theme and set about making my magnets. 

I did a shaker magnet.

I tried a new technique (the 'puddle' of white embossing power with the sentiment 'embossed' in it).

I used my new Papertrey Ink set for the first time.  I love this house!

And then I stalled.  I had the quote: "A friend is someone who reaches for your hand and touches your heart."  The sentiment was too large, I didn't like the color on the vellum, I couldn't think of anything else to do, blah blah.  I dithered and I dallied and I finally came up with a magnet that was... done.  I didn't love it, I didn't hate it.  I hung them all on the fridge to test the magnet adhesive overnight.  

This afternoon, I started taking pictures.  I did the first three and went I went for the fourth...it wasn't there.  The magnet was still on the fridge but the actual piece was missing.  I asked hubby if he'd seen it - nope.  I searched high and low - it's not under the fridge (yes, I made hubby move it), it didn't fall down the side, it's not on the counter. It's gone.  There are two suspects who have a long criminal history when it comes to crafting mishaps but this is impressive, even for them.

They're not talking, of course.  I suspect the mystery may never be solved.  So, I'm off to make another magnet!  I think I'll have to give the heart theme a pass this time and skip the fridge test. 

Wish me luck!!

Random Redhead Challenge - Planes and Trains

Slipping in under the wire again at Gingersnap Creations for their Planes and Trains Challenge with a hint of steampunkishness. 

The vellum is printed with clocks and I stamped the plane on the front with StazOn but the other images are on cardstock underneath the vellum. 

This is one of my favorite sentiments, I use it for 'missing you' and 'thank for your help' cards.  I love how hazy it is under the vellum. 

I didn't like how boxy the finished card was, so I ran the top panel through a edging die to add the cool border on the left. 

As always, thank you for looking!

Gingersnaps Challenge - On the Road

I'm just a posting fool this weekend!  I have been crafting my little heart out and I was so pleased to find out that Gingersnap Creations was doing some Steampunk themed challenges.   I've been plotting on the best way to raid my husband's toolbox.....

Below is my entry for their On the Road Challenge.  I don't have any car stamps, but I found this cool picture in my ephemera stash.  No need for purloined toolbox items yet, but soon.  :)

I stamped the letters in Memento and highlighted the Gear embossed background with the same using a dauber. 

Enjoy!

Ride 'Em Cowboy!

I wasn't even born when Clint Eastwood starred in For a Few Dollars More - I saw it when I was an impressionable pre-teen and I fell in love with the Man with no name.  So, when Gingersnap Creations posted their Chestnut Theme - Cowboys and Cowgirls, I knew I had to include my first movie star crush. 

Say hi to the sexiest cowboy ever.  Swoon.

I distressed a black and white photo that I grabbed off the web and put it behind a rolled opening.  I colored a few chipboard stars and highlighted them, as well as the background paper, with a black gel pen.  I hand folded the rosette and added the twine.  I found a sheriff's badge in my charm drawer and I was done.

As always, thanks so much for visiting!

Red and Gold Gingersnap Creations Challenge

Where has the time gone? It's been almost three weeks since my last post.   Yikes!  In my defense, I got my first ever stamp order from Papertrey Ink, and for me, new stamps equals 0 creations because I spend all my time touching and ooohing and fondling and aaahing and rearranging all my other stamp sets and very little time actually stamping.

But! I did manage to get photos of this this beastie.  Here's my Red & Gold color challenge for Gingersnap Creations.  I used several papers/labels that I purchased from Collage Stuff (definitely check out her page - she has some cool swaps going on).  

I painted a slide mailer gold and layered my Asian papers, added a few punched flowers, a charm and some gold embossing powder.  The spine is covered in red velvet ribbon (which you handily can't see) and accented with a takeout chopstick from a local eatery.  I simply cut it down to size with my husband's bolt cutters and then sanded the end until I was happy.  Distress ink aged it nicely and I wrapped it in some gold cord.  I had a rough time getting it to stick to the spine so I ended up having to use hot glue.    

Inside are some more papers that I accented with Asian labels, a crackle stamp, clear embossing powder, more distress ink and some plastic slides.  The labels were glossy and didn't really take the distressing ink that way I would have liked.  I should have distressed first and then embossed.

I'm unsuprisingly incapable of not adding black to red, so I snuck in some black fibers and ivory beads with my gold and red tassels.  

As always, thanks for stopping by and enjoy!

Gingersnap Coaster Exchange!

My husband has had strep throat and an ear infection for the past two weeks and I'm exhausted.   I haven't got to craft at all, so I'm just going to post the coasters that I made for the Gingersnap Creations yahoo group Coaster swap.  The theme was hearts.

This one took me the most time - the entire thing is hand punched hearts and then each heart was individually curled with a awl and then glued down. 

This beast was a pain - I had the coolest gold paper incorporated but I decided at the last minute to add some gold embossing powder to cover up any glue overlap.  When I used my heat gun, all the gold bits melted and I had to go back in with a glue pen and more embossing powder.   Note to self: don't apply heat to things that melt!

Years ago, I purchased a shoebox full of stamps at a garage sale.  The stamps are still attached to envelopes, so I sat in front of the tv and peeled stamps off bit of paper and sorted them by color during a horror movie marathon.  Go Friday the 13th!    

Last, but not least, is this cute little clown girl.  The background was embossed with a Tim Holtz folder and then randomly heat embossed.   I was in the throes of a short-lived ruffle fascination for this one and the one above.   I have odd interests. LOL! 

Enjoy and thank you for looking!!

Gingersnaps Challenge - Office Supplies

Sometimes it's hard from me to actually craft - well, I can craft, but it ends up being stuff that I don't do anything with.  I generally throw it into a basket and there it sits until the end of time.  When I have to send a card, I actually go out and buy one.  I know, how crazy is that??

So I've made it my goal to make cards that I can use.  Here's my first attempt; I decided to go with a Thank You card.  It's for the Spicy Supply - Office Supplies Challenge over at Gingersnap Creations.   I "liberated" the tiny little butterfly clip from my work desk, as well as a manila file folder to make my folder.  

  Can I mention how tickled I was to make the little coffee cup rings on the folder?  Lots of Tim products used on this one - mostly his stamps and embossing folder.

Enjoy and, as always, thank you so much for looking!

Another Spring Card

So, I have no idea what the ettiquette is, but Whoot! I'm squeeing about getting a Ginger Gem Badge for my Panic! at the Disco inspired project.  Thank you!

Today's card is Spring inspired again.  I love the rain, but a little sun wouldn't be unwelcome right now.

I wanted to play with some very cool bumpy glittery wrapping paper that I got from Pennywise Arts - I glued it directly to cardstock since it was so thin.  The image is colored directly on the stamp with Memento markers (my favorite technique for coloring) and then stamped onto white paper.  I then covered the entire image using the Essential Glue Pad (dab, don't rub, or the image will smear) and covered it with irridescent glitter.  I may add a ribbon, but I also like how simple it is.

I also thought I'd share a picture of my workspace - I have a huge light table but, as you can see, I've managed to clutter it up until I have nothing but a corner to work in.  Sadly, I'm pretty sure that I took the picture because I was impressed that my work space was so neat...

Please tell me that other crafters have this problem!!

Enjoy and thanks for looking!!

The Ballad of Mona Lisa

I collaged - kinda.  Maybe I just serendipitied... or something.

I love Panic! at the Disco -  they just released the video for their first single - The Ballad of Mona Lisa - off their new album, Vices and Virtues.  The video is set at a steam-punk funeral and I couldn't resist digging through my stamps to find something to send to my fellow Panic! fans.

This is the master that I did - I'm not sure it counts as collage since the majority of the layers are just different inks - Memento, Brilliance, Versafine, VersaMagic and some Stampin' Up colors. 

I added some brads, some paper gears, a few metallic tissue paper embellishments and ta-dah! Cards to send to my steam-punk Mona Lisa loving friends.



It wasn't until I finished them that I realized they would fit nicely into the Random Redhead Challenge - Crowns at Gingersnap Creations.  I feel accomplished. :)

Thanks for looking!

Gingersnap Challenge - Charms

Today, I am going to be a posting fool, since I haven't posted all week - work was a killer. 

I completed two Gingersnap Creations challenges - the first one closes today and is the Spicy Supply Challenge - Charms.  I've been debating on whether or not this counts, but I'm going for it anyway.

This guys is Justice from Stampers Anonymous - it's hard to tell from the picture but his robe is made up of 5 different layers, with each layer being molded along the fold lines and pleats.  I was originally just playing with different embossing powders but an ATC fell into my lap.   I'm going to make him my first post at Bella Creations in the Oh La La Group.

I found the perfectly sized cross, as well as the rusted filigree corner, in my charm supplies - it's probably something that I would have thrown away last year, but it's a great addition.  

Please enjoy and thanks for looking. 

My First Challenge and Everything You Never Wanted to Know About This Card

So, I decided to do a challenge and I picked Gingersnap Creations - Coffee and Cream.  They have some fantastic entries.

Of course, I decided right away that because of the color combo I would do vintage  - a technique that I definitely struggle with.  How can you struggle with vintage, you ask? Because things generally touch in a random and crazy way.  Yes, yes, I stuggle with collage as well.  My batty brain just likes to make things that are even and symetrical. 

So, here is my first try: 

Let me regale you with the birth of this card - it was originally a 3 x 7 card. But it was too long and I cut it down.  Then I ripped one edge - too much - and trimmed it up.  Now it was way too skinny.  So I decided to go with an ATC, and I trimmed some more, added some pages from a 1940s book, did a little distressing and made a flower of distressed petals and a furniture brad that I beat around with a hammer.  For reasons unknown, once the flower was attached, I was thrown into a tailspin and decided that it needed to be a card again and ta-dah!  I'm not sure what my reasoning behind the pink is - perhaps there should be a sub-grouping of the challenge called Coffee, Cream and SweetnLow. 

On the plus side, I did notice that this fit in nicely with another challenge - Paper Pals Arts - Those Were the Days Vintage Theme (PPA80) so I'm going to be brave and enter it into both.

Thanks for looking!  As always, concrit and comments always welcome.