[DYSU] Challenge #34 - Card for Man or Boy

Hello everyone - it's time for another Do You Stack Up (DYSU) challenge. Are you ready? If so, I'll reveal our theme: For a Boy or Man. Yep, masculine cards are one of my favorite challenges, because I have so many important guys in my life, and I have to think twice before grabbing that pretty little ribbon or glitter. At least, if I still want to be friends with the aforementioned guys :) 

Isn't this inspiration picture too adorable? Hop over and give Miranda some kudos, since she's the one behind the scenes putting these together for us. 

Today's card highlights a digital stamp from The Stamping Boutique. I have the perfect little soldier to showcase for a fun card for a little boy.


Stamps: (AJ the Soldier) The Stamping Boutique; (Half Pint Heroes) Waltzingmouse Stamps
Paper: (Paper Basics Card Stock - Smokey Shadow) Papertrey Ink; (Basic Card Stock - White) Recollection; (Preppie Card Stock Pack) Bazzill
Ink: (Memento - London Fog) Tsukineko; (Perfect Match Pigment Ink - Vintage Cream) Papertrey Ink
Embellishments: (Soft-core Color Pencils) Prismacolor; (Metal Stickers - Nailheads) Mark Richards; (Impression Plate - Woodgrain) Papertrey Ink

Soldiers always have these beautiful uniforms on, and I decided to give AJ one of those royal blue ones. I remember somewhere in the recesses that yellow and blue are suppose to be complementary colors, so AJ received some yellow-gold trims.

The background is created using an impression plate. Since I wanted the texture to stand out more, I swiped my Vintage Cream ink pad over it. I actually am not a fan on how it turned out. It's too prominent, but the gray and yellow was too stark of a contrast for me, too. It's one of those lost causes... can't be happy one way or another ;)

Here an up close look of AJ...



I hope to see you play along this week. Hop over to the DYSU blog to see some other goodies the DT has whipped up this week. Don't forget to leave a few loving comments along the way :)

Our sponsors this week:

Digi Darla One month digi stamp membership

Stitchy Bear $10 Gift Voucher

Stamping Boutique Winner's Choice of 5 Digis

[Scrap Our Stash] August Challenge - Re-do a Project

This month at our Scrap Our Stash's August Challenge we are looking back on creations and are re-doing a card, a layout, a project.

I remembered making my brother a graduation card and added a surfboard element to it. (In fact, here's a little secret - this card won me a GDT spot with Scrap Our Stash.) It's also the inspiration start point for my re-do card.



Here is my new take on this card's layout, theme and technique. It's also a card for my little brother, who happens to have a Birthday today...Happy Birthday, Dude! :)


Stamps: (Free Spirit; Free Spirit Sentiments) Waltzingmouse Stamps; (Up, Up & Away) Papertrey Ink
Paper: (Paper Basics Card Stock - White) Papertrey Ink; (Basic Card Stock - White) Recollections; (Heat Wave) American Crafts
Ink: (Memento - Tuxedo Black) Tsukineko; (Jenni Bowlin - No. 4 Lemon Drop, No. 3 Chili Powder; Tim Holtz Distress Ink - Antique Linen) Ranger; (Perfect Match Pigment Ink - Hawaiian Shore, Simply Chartreuse) Papertrey Ink
Embellishments: (Impression Plate - Woodgrain; Rustic Jute Button Twine) Papertrey Ink; (Nestabilities - Label No. 4) Spellbinders

Instead of a matted sentiment, there is a window for the main focal point. Both cards use twine as an embellishment, the surf boards as embellishments. Both cards have a type of embossing, but my latter card has significantly more clean execution and finesse. It's safe to say that my photography has improved over time as well, don't you think? ;)

So here is your look back and re-do chance...Check out the Scrap Our Stash's August Challenge. You have until the end of the month to finish, so don't forget to enter!

Make a Wish

The Craft's Meow has a monthly sketch challenge going. I had to pull a card together before heading off on my vacation, so I decided to pull the sketch inspiration from the August TCMMCSC.

It's been a while since I had bought some Emma's Shoppe bought from Lisa's fantastic store, but haven't put it to good use.


Stamps: (Butterfly Kisses) Nine B Designs;
Paper:(Paper Basics Card Stock - Vintage Cream, True Black) Papertrey Ink; (Emma's Shoppe Collection) Crate Paper
Ink: (Memento - Tuxedo Black) Tsukineko
Embellishments: (Designer Brads - Claire) SEI; (Key Ingredient Kit "Penelope's Potpourri" - Ribbon) Taylored Expressions

I inked up this cute little girl and stamped her on pattern paper (something that I don't do too often). At this point, I realized that all the elements from the sketch aren't going to fit into this card. I pulled some of the inspiring elements off the sketch that resulted in adding some cute brads, more pattern paper and a ribbon.



I hope it tickles! Come play along, won't you? There are some cute stamps at stake with designers such as Nina Brackett, Jenni Suchins, and Michelle Bertuzzi to be had!

[Mami Doodles] Challenge #32 - Shaped Card

You girls were absolutely amazing. In our latest Mami Doodle challenge there were 158 entries! Did you gals have fun? If so, we have another exciting challenge for you today: Shaped Cards.

When Elisa created this cute little Girl with Balloon, I know I wanted to make something special with her. However, a few cards ended up starring a different Mami Doodle Digi. So this time, I picked the image first and decide to make it fit the challenge :)


Stamps: (Girl with Balloon) Mami Doodles
Ink: (Tim Holtz Distress Ink - Sugar Spun) Ranger
Paper: (Paper Basics Card Stock - Lemon Zest) Papertrey Ink; (Scrap Pack Card Stock - Blue) Recollection
Embellishments: (Soft-core Color Pencils) Prismacolor; (Summer Days: Alpha Stickers; Rub-on Accents, Epoxy Brads, Element Stickers) Echo Park; (wire) Recycled

This girl reminds me of a Lily. Little Lily with a red balloon! I chose a scalloped circle because it reminded me of the sun. The card fell pretty easily together when the sentiment was picked. From the sentiment I got the a color scheme that helped with coloring Lily's dress. I decided to cut out the balloon as a separate element and adhere with glue dots to a white wire that I had bent into a shape.



The clouds from the Summer Days collection were really cute, and I had to somehow incorporate them. A couple of clouds were trimmed out from the stickers and then placed across the top border. The sentiment is matted onto a blue piece of scrap card stock and adhered with a matching brad.



The flower bed is also from the Summer Days collection and make a great color burst addition to the card, don't you think?



Go check out the rest of the DT's inspiration to find amazing inspirations on creating shaped cards. You're really in for a sweet, sweet treat!

Thanks for stopping by, and Happy Friday!

[Paperplay Challenge] Week 33 - Recipe

Note: If you are looking for DYSU challenge - please keep scrolling :)

How are you today? By the time you read this, I'm on a jet plane to Europe! So here is hoping that blogger will be reliable while I am away! This week is a recipe challenge 3 Embellishments, 2 pattern paper, and 1 piece of lace. I was really excited about this, until I read the lace. As some of you might know, lace is far outside my comfort zone ;)


Stamps: (Bonzia Bear) Just Some Lines; (Sweet Dreams) Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps
Paper: (Paper Basics Card Stock - Dark Chocolate) Papertrey Ink; (Basic Card Stock - Cream) Recollections; (Archaic) Basic Grey
Ink: (Tim Holtz Distress Ink - Vintage Photo; Jenni Bowlin - No. 11 Brown Sugar) Ranger; (Memento - Summery Sky) Tsukineko
Embellishments: (Soft-core Color Pencils) Prismacolor; (Topnotch Twill Tape - Fine Linen) Papertrey Ink; (Eyelets) Making Memories; (Stickles - Baby Blue) Ranger; (Lace Pack - White) Kaisercraft

Have you spied my lace? Yep - disguised with a good dab of Vintage Photo to blend into the color scheme. My third embellishment is a little tricky to see on the photo. If you guessed Stickles, then you're right and you have some amazing eagle eyes :)



I started coloring Bonzia and over time the digi became a tag. Since I didn't like the harsh edges, I put  my Vintage Photo to good use. I actually had a tough time finding three embellishments I liked, but settled for some eyelets, since that was one of the items I had in an appropriate color. A cute sentiment to accompany the slumbering bear, and I called the card done.



I hope this challenge gets you excited, and if this is outside of your comfort zone, it might just the right reason to take on the challenge. Come check out the other Paperplay Challenge DT's designs and don't forget to leave them some love.

Our sponsors this week:

• Just Some Lines

[DYSU] Challenge #33 - Thanks

Have you seen our next challenge for Do You Stack Up (DYSU)? Yes, you read right it is Thanks ...One can never have enough Thank You notes in the card stash, so this is the perfect opportunity to get crafty!

My card this week highlights a cute digi from Crafty Emma, UK-based store, called Relaxing Ronnie.


Stamps: (Relaxing Ronnie) Pollycrafts Designs for Crafty Emma; (Free Spirit Sentiment) Waltzingmouse Stamps
Paper: (Paper Basics Card Stock - Spring Moss, Ripe Avocado) Papertrey Ink; (Basic Card Stock - White) Recollection; (Paperie Poolside & Greenhouse) Making Memories
Ink: (Memento - Tuxedo Black) Tsukineko
Embellishments: (Soft-core Color Pencils) Prismacolor; (Creamotions Mosaik - braun pearl) Artoz

I decided to distress the edges on the base card stock to give it the relaxed, masculine look. The card stock and pattern paper colors are purposefully on the lighter side, to let Ronnie pop off the card with his fun, bright clothes. 



A simple strip of paper helps create continuity, while giving me a perfect place to stamp on my sentiment. Those mosaic tiles on a business trip in Germany and thought they were really neat. They come in all sorts of colors and I recently saw them at an Archivers in Michigan! They might become part of my standard embellishment stash now :)



I hope to see you play along this week. Hop over to the DYSU blog to see some other goodies the DT has whipped up this week.

Our sponsors this week:

Prairie Fairy $10 Gift Certificate

Crafty Emma £10 Gift Voucher

Little Claire Bike Set Stamp

Since WeeMemories is sponsoring a masculine challenge, I am adding this little card into the pool :)

[Walzingmouse Blog Waltz] You Are Just my Cup of Tea

Hello there - it's been forever since I have been able to take part in one my favorite stamping activity - a WMS Waltz! I've been missing a bunch lately and had to mark and make an effort this time around to play along. If you're new to a Waltzingmouse Blog Waltz, you can read all about it here. Join in next month and waltz along, won't ya? It's a waltz of endless inspiration and super talented ladies!

This waltz's theme is Coffee or Tea! Yes - I'm a coffee and tea lover. Can't get enough of either brew. So it isn't any surprise that I whipped out my Afternoon Tea sets, right? I apologize in advance for bad photography...


Stamps: (Afternoon Tea, Afternoon Tea Sentiments) Waltzingmouse Stamps
Paper: (Paper Basics Card Stock - Fresh Linen) Papertrey Ink; (Infuse) Basic Grey
Ink: (Jenni Bowlin - No. 11 Brown Sugar) Ranger; (Tea Dye Duo - Chamomile) Papertrey Ink
Embellishments: (Pearls - Blush) Kaisercraft; (Luxe Satin Ribbon - Dark Chocolate) Papertrey Ink; (Border Punch - Upper Crust) Fiskars

I actually used the current Waltzingmouse Sketch as my inspiration (and will link up to the site, unlike two weeks ago where I made a card and forgot ;). And since I can't follow sketches to a tee, you can tell where I deviated ;)

I stamped the background with twin tea cups, alternating a solid and a outlined cup with tea dye ink. It looks pretty neat in real life, because the effect is subtle, but the photo hardly shows it. Sorry for the bad photo shoot. If anyone has tricks how to get that background to show up, let me know! I could always use a few good photography pointers!

The cute sentiment really inspired me to get my tea-groove goin' on my card...It probably helps that I was sipping a good batch of green tea while crafting! Yum!



Pretty quick and simple card. I'm off galavanting again on another trip, but I hope to get my coffee binge on when I'm in Germany. Are you a tea or coffee person, and if so, what is your favorite?

[DYSU] Challenge #32 - Emboss It

Thanks everyone who played along with us last week! I felt so inspired on how you pulled off black with a pop of color, especially since I had such a tough time with the challenge!

Are you up for a new challenge with Do You Stack Up (DYSU)? Then whip out your embossing folders, impression plates, or your heat gun. This week is all about Embossing It.

This week image is a digi from Digi with Attitude, and my little Dancing Disco Tween has all the spunk to be a "digi with attitude." Sorry for posting this card late, but I've been living on the road again and managed to miss a due date...Ahh better planning next time, right?


Stamps: (Dancing Disco Tween) Digi with Attitude; (Eat Cake) Waltzingmouse Stamps
Paper: (Paper Basics Card Stock - Raspberry Fizz) Papertrey Ink; (Basic Card Stock - Cream) Recollection; (Two Scoops) Basic Grey
Ink: (Perfect Match Pigment Ink - Fresh Snow) Papertrey Ink
Embellishments: (Soft-core Color Pencils) Prismacolor; (Zing! Embossing Powder - White) American Crafts; (Cuttlebug A2 Embossing Folders - Spots & Dots) Provocraft; (Rhinestones Strass) Recollections; (Stickles - Silver, Gold; Glossy Accents) Ranger

I really wanted to play with some glitter, and Disco is the right excuse. After all it was John Travolta in "Saturday Night Fever" that introduced us to disco with his disco floor dance moves. The bright disco ball, the shiny clothes, the outrageous hair and the crazy make-up...



I heat embossed the "dance floor" with white embossing powder and also dry embossed the whole card base using my Spots & Dots folder. Lots of bling to make a girly tween's birthday rock, and I call it done :)

Come be inspired by the rest of the DTs creation. They won't disappoint, and I promise to be back to my normal scheduled posts by next week!

Our sponsors this week:

Sassy Studio Designs Winner’s Choice of 4 Digis

Digis With Attitude $10 CAD (Canadian Funds) Gift Certificate

Crop Stop Winner’s Choice of 3 Digis

[Paperplay Challenge] Week 31 - Christmas in August

Note: If you are looking for DYSU challenge - please keep scrolling :)

I love this challenge that we have for you this week. We are celebrating Christmas in August. How fantastic is that? I have been meaning to get started with my Christmas cards, but you know how that goes. So I love how this is the perfect excuse to whip one up! Hope you find this challenge inspiring as well.


Stamps: (Twas the Night Before Christmas, Very Vintage Christmas) Waltzingmouse Stamps;
Paper: (Paper Basics Card Stock - Ripe Avocado, Kraft) Papertrey Ink
Ink: (Tim Holtz Distress Ink - Vintage Photo, Antique Linen) Ranger; (Memento - Tuxedo Black; Versamark) Tsukineko
Embellishments: (Rustic Cream Button Twine) Papertrey Ink; (Burlap) Hollmann Textil GmBH

I already knew that I would take out my favorite Christmas stamp sets out for this card. So it wasn't such a big leap that I also used the latest Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge as my inspiration.

The tag is removable and can be used separately from the card. The card can then be re-purpose to hold a gift card. Or, heck, hole-punch a gift card and thread the existing tag through it. The background is stamped with a cute vintage sentiment. It really brings the point home that this is a "Christmas" card, don't you think? ;)



A little bit of burlap and rustic button twine that match, gave this card a whole rustic feel. The stitching is faux, and matches the cream, brown, green color scheme.



I hope this challenge gets your Christmas crafting mojo going. Come check out the other Paperplay Challenge DT's designs and don't forget to leave them some love.

Our sponsors this week:

• Simon Says Stamps - $15 Voucher

[DYSU] Challenge #31 - Black with a Pop of Color

Have you seen our next challenge for Do You Stack Up (DYSU)? Yes, you read right it is Black with a Pop of Colour ... not Color!

Actually, I wanted to point out the spelling difference, because it's a nice little reminder of how international our little group is! We are thirteen girls and we represent 6 countries. The representation covers Canada, Holland, Norway, United Kingdom, and United States + territories (special props for Puerto Rico representation). So do stop by the girl's blog and leave then a colo(u)rful comment, won't ya?

I am featuring an image from Copic Marker Scrapbooking. It's a fun image to remind us that our summer days are counting down. I'm currently in Detroit and was ready for sweltering heat, but instead, it's cold and rainy. Boo!


Stamps: (Sandcastle) Copic Marker Scrapbooking
Paper: (Paper Basics Card Stock - True Black) Papertrey Ink
Embellishments: (Soft-core Color Pencils) Prismacolor; (Cuttlebug A2 Embossing Folders - D'Vine Swirls) Provocraft

I colored this little image with some color pencils, because I don't own any Copic markers (yet!). Sorry, Copic Marker Scrapbooking folks!

The challenge to use only one color (and only a wee bit of it) almost drove me to madness...It was a fun way to push boundaries and decided to chop up the image and give it a tiling effect. After all, there is only so much you can do with only black, right?



Some of the girls said it looks like the sandcastle is glowing. Hopefully in a good friendly, not Halloween-y or scary way. Well, let me know what you think ;) In the meantime, go check out the other gals' *amazing* work and come play along. If I can do throw something together for this challenge, so can you!

Our sponsors this week:

	Copic Marker Scrapbooking 6 copic ciao marker (North/South America), Martha Stewart punch (rest of the world)
	Shelly’s Images Winner’s Choice of 3 Digis
	Through the Craftroom Door 1 year PDF subscription

[Scrap Our Stash] Merci with Red, White and Blue

Last month our Scrap Our Stash's July Challenge was to use Red, White & Blue. I have been traveling so much for work or burning the midnight oil, that this project completely slipped my mind.

Here is a quick thank you gift for the hostess that I whipped up for a coffee & cake invitation, using the colors set forth by our challenge.


Stamps: (Victorian Frippery, Seasons of Love) Waltzingmouse Stamps
Paper: (Paper Basics Card Stock - Pure Poppy) Papertrey Ink; (Basic Card Stock - White) Recollections
Ink: (Memento - Tuxedo Black; Brilliance - Pearlescent Sky Blue) Tsukineko
Embellishments: (Baker's Twine - Pure Poppy) Papertrey Ink; (Baker's Twine - Soiree) Pink Paislee

This is a cute & fast tag to wrap a glass jar of chocolate covered coffee beans. The white card stock is sponged with a little bit of pearlescent blue to take the edge of the stark white color contrast. A bit of fun blue and red baker's twine to tie it all up...Voila!



Check out our next challenge Scrap Our Stash's August challenge. You have a month, so don't forget about entering!