Baking Girl for OCC and Unscripted Sketches

This is easily one of the most time and effort intensive, technique loaded card I’ve made in a very long time. Hope you think it was worth it!

The OCC challenge this week is a supply challenge: 1, 2, 3, 4!

USE 1 patterned paper, 2 layers, 3 stamps and 4 embellishments. I used the focal image and my sentiment as my 2 layers (I thought at the time that mats didn’t count and the card base doesn’t count). My 3 stamps are the sentiment, the girl and the damask stamp for the wallpaper background. I used the flower as one embellishment, the center as another (I’m not counting them separately because I was trying to mimic the look of a vintage button which had the pearl look already on it.) and the ribbon and white button each as one. It took some brain power but it was really fun so I hope you will play with us at the OCC blog!

I rarely describe my thought process while making a card and this one required a LOT of thought so it is perfect. I started with the image. After choosing it, I immediately went on a hunt for some patterned paper to go with it because I with so many colours needed, I wanted all my markers to coordinate with the paper and some to match the paper. I choose the cupcake paper from Basic Grey’s Nook and Pantry pack. I stamped the image twice, coloured and cut out my images.

I meant to take a picture and forgot but when doing paper tole, you don’t always have to use the entire bottom layer if it doesn’t make sense. Behind this gal is the table only except where she overlaps the table, I left her torso in. But below the table and for her head, I cut away all the excess. I only left her torso in because her arms overlap things on the table and from the side it would look weird if there was nothing behind her, like a partial jar of sugar!  But the rest of the image looks more realistic because there is nothing behind her. I colour only the edges of the image underneath to save time and ink.

Normally, I would just airbrush in an indistinct background and shadow but I ran out of ink so I decided to go all techniquey! I drew in a horizon line and flooring lines and masked off the wallpaper area. I sponged in the planks in one at a time hoping I would get variegation in colour by mixing two inks; since the ink blend would never be the same, I figured I’d get differently shaded planks. Unfortunately, I should have used traditional inks, not Distress inks because they blended so well I neither have distinct colours nor darker edges and lighter centers for each plank.

Then I used the faux batik technique (SCS) for the wallpaper and sponged in my wall colour. I’ll let you look that up rather than describing it as this post is already way too long but use tinted embossing ink if you have it, just saying ‘cuz this gal is covering up some weirdly patterned wall paper! This time Distress ink was perfect as it gave me a smooth finish. I was so proud that the background techniques worked so well together; I agonized over which to do first in case I messed one up!

Now I started thinking about my card layout and chose this sketch from the ones I save on my iPhone. But when I layered the focal image over the cupcake paper, it overwhelmed the delicacy of the image even when matted. Back to the drawing board. Remember, I have to keep in mind the 1, 2, 3, 4 challenge at the same time! Couldn’t decide what to do and briefly started working on a recipe file for my kitchen, covering the front with another paper from the same pack. But the front was too small for one sheet of DP and I thought now the cupcake paper would work because it would cover the excess areas on the edges and be far enough away to not overwhelm. But I just couldn’t mess up the OCC challenge with 2 sheets of DP!

So I settled on this THIRD piece of DP and started back on a card. I made my favourite type of home made flower which turned out how I wanted it to and I was happy again. Here I describe how I made it: Scalloped Scrunch Flower. This time I used the 4 smallest shapes. I found a button to match the center and coloured the pearls with my Copic. I already had Baked Love in mind for a sentiment, I just chose one that worked with my image and space I had left. I always leave the journaling until the last minute when I scrap too and have to find space! Whew! Finally, all requirements were fulfilled! Total? About 5 hours! Yep, crazy right? A couple hours of that was figuring what to do!

Click on sketch for link to Unscripted Sketches.

I hope you will play with us at the OCC this week. We love having lots of players and don’t forget! We now award prizes to the top 4 cards choosing a Top Talent and a Talented Trio! And you just HAVE to visit the blog to see all the talented designers in our awesome team!!! Click on their blog names to visit their sites and leave ‘em some love!

Enjoy, Rebecca

RECIPE
Stamps: image-Sarah Kay Whiff of Joy, sentiment-CHF, damask-Gel-a-Tins
Ink: Victorian Velvet (flower), Scattered Straw, Antique Linen, Frayed Burlap, Vintage Photo, Embossing Distress Inks, chocolate chip-SU!
Paper: Basic Grey DP, chocolate CS-SU!, white CS-Taylored Expressions, natural white CS (flower, sent layer)-PTI, blush CS (flower)-PTI
Accessories: Buttons-stash, yellow ribbon-Masterstroke, Perfect Pearls (made into spray for flower), foam dots-Jody Morrow, scalloped circle and labels 8 Nesties, twine-PTI, clear EP-SU!, brad (centre of flower under button)-stash, Copics Rv95, V91,95, R00,11,20,27,59, YR23, Y21, G21,24, BG10,15,72,75, B45,91,93,95,97, E00,08,11,21,31,33,35,37,40,47,49,71,77,93, W1,3, C3,5, 00, corner chomper

Pink snow anyone?

I just love using pink for wintery scenes. I actually HATE winter but I don’t mind crafting that focuses on winter because I am warm and snuggy in my house while I work! And snowflakes are so pretty!

The background was stamped with a music background in sweet blush ink. Then white ink was swiped along the edges for a frosty look. I toned down the super white doily with distress ink because they white was just too stark, especially since my ‘snow’ turned out a bit yellow/ivoryish.

Speaking of the snow, I used Tim Holtz recipe for UTEE snow. You mix 2 parts white UTEE with 1 part clear UTEE, a dash of white glitter and moisten that to a paste with Glossy Accents or similar clear drying dimensional glue. Then apply very carefully, use gloves if you aren’t using a tool or spatula, wherever snow would naturally fall on your image. It is great too for placing on the top edges of chipboard letters or other dimensional objects as it sits along the top edge nicely. That is how Tim used it on a 12 Days of Christmas tag a couple years ago. I actually used one part each white and clear UTEE but I wished I hadn’t because I think it would be whiter otherwise.

I paper pieced the main areas of the image except the skirt. The rest is coloured with Copics except her mitten which was cut from felt. I coloured over her coat to brighten it some because it was too peachy. It actually looks less peachy IRL than it does in the photo. The first mitten I cut from felt didn't look so great because the ink smudged so I just cut the shape by hand without any outline and did the same with the pompoms on her hat.  I airbrushed the background but I sure wished I had done so before I paper pieced it because the mask I created sat up higher off the base paper than it normally would leaving funny edges without ink and making it hard to get into the small grooves like the one between the girls legs and the edge of the snowman’s body. Oh well…

The snowflake was cut using MFT new snowflake dies from shimmery white paper. I sponged the base snowflake and the top snowflake with the same pink ink. I looked high and low for a white/clear rhinestone brad but I only had coloured. So I know what I am getting the next time I go to Michaels! For the background, I wanted it to appear that snow was falling so I took a fine tipped glue pen and put tiny dots of glue over the image and added white glitter. In case you are wondering, the snow accumulated only on the snowman and not the little girl because the snowman has been outside much longer!

Enjoy, Rebecca

RECIPE
Stamp: MFT Pure Innocence, CHF music scrapblock
Ink: Memento black, PTI sweet blush and white
Paper: sweet blush CS-PTI, white CS-Xpress it blending card, doily-Wilton, Jolly by Golly DP-Cosmo Cricket
Accessories: Zva rhinestone, MFT dies, Crystal Effects, UTEE white and clear, Snow Glitter-Stampendous, rickrack-stash, pink and white felt-stash, Label 1 Nesties, Copics: Bkgd-B12,45 Skirt-B91,93,95,45, Shadows C1 Branch, boots-E47,49 Face E00,21,93, Pink tone over jacket to brighten, shading-RV21, RV23 Stockings-E53,31, Buttons-C7, 100, Snowman shading-BG10

Oven Thank You for Whimsical Wednesdays

My mom and dad are renovating their kitchen so they gave us their stove which is much nicer than what we had. So I decided this would be a perfect opportunity to make a thank you card using a fabulous sketch from a special young lady.

I know my mom will ADORE this cute paper from Thrift Shop just like I do. I kind of wish I had used chalk ink for the sentiment so it stood out more but I added the buttons to draw the eye to it.

Isn’t this a great sketch? So detailed for a kid! This one is the work of Katie, Team Member Andrea’s daughter. I am definitely going to save this one. We are going to have some more sketches from Team Members kids this month. We also have a NEW SPONSOR! this month, Sweet Pea stamps. I have to thank Randi for arranging for us each to receive THREE actual RUBBER STAMPS!! Thanks for the stamps Sweet Pea! I only got mine this afternoon living in the boonies here in Canada (kidding! I only live 40 minutes from Toronto!) so I will create with mine next week!

Please visit all the DareDevils, especially Andrea’s to comment little Katie for her sketch! I hope you will play with us too, be sure to make a project with the sketch, upload it to your blog or gallery with DDSC34 and come back to Whimsical Wednesdays and link up with Mr Linky. Be sure to use the direct link, not your general blog link.

Enjoy, Rebecca

RECIPE
Stamps: Cornish Heritage Farms, sentiment-unknown
Ink: Vintage Photo,  Antique Linen Distress Ink
Paper: riding hood red, vanilla-SU!, Thrift Shop, Fly a Kite-October Afternoon
Accessories: vintage lace, gingham ribbon-stash, flower-Scrapbook Sally, foam dots-Jody Morrow, buttons and twine-PTI, Copic E31 (to darken the gingham ribbon), crystal effects-SU! (to make the strawberry look like an epoxy brad)

Pink and Brown Apron for Whimsical Wednesdays

I LOVED this week’s inspiration challenge by Madelynn. I mean who wouldn’t love this room! I WANT that chandelier! I took inspiration from the colours of course, but also the framed aprons on the wall. Be sure to enlarge the photo if you can’t see them clearly.

The apron ‘strings’ actually tie around the back of the card. Cute touch huh? The pocket sits away from the apron too. I adhered the bottom in a slightly smaller diameter circle than I cut the pocket with. This means that the sides will angle in slightly especially when you push them that way. Leaves room for a 3-D object in the pocket. I haven’t found anything to use so I hope to find a doll rolling pin perhaps to stick in there. I might even glue one end of a note to it and wrap the rest around the pin tying it with ribbon. The recipient would unroll the paper to read the message.I traced around an oval Nestie for both the ‘armhole’ and the bottom of the pocket and hand cut them.

This month we have an AWESOME new SPONSOR, The Greeting Farm (TGF)! They provided me with a great image for use this week. But this is the funny part! It is an image of a teen/tween aged boy! Umm, how do I do pink and brown with a boy… So I hope you will come back next week to see ‘Jake’!! You have to play along with the inspiration challenge this week though because if you do, you can win a great prize from TGF! So channel your inner girlie girl and find inspiration in this room! I think we are all playing this week so be sure to check out all of the DareDevils blogs, links on my sidebar or find a full list at Whimsical Wednesdays. Don’t forget after creating a fabulous project using the inspiration photo, to link up on the WW site with a DIRECT LINK using Mr Linky! If you don’t, you won’t be entered to win! To upload to a gallery, use DDSC30.

Enjoy, Rebecca

RECIPE
Stamp: Cornish Heritage Farms
Ink: chocolate brown
Paper: Bittersweet-Basic Grey, chocolate CS-SU!
Accessories: Bittersweet brads-Basic Grey, sheer white ribbon (I gathered it)-stash, chocolate pearls-Dollarama, pink ribbon and rickrack-stash, Nestabilities

S’Mores Kit

This was a super fun project. My bff reads my blog so I couldn’t post it until I gave it to her. She and her family are camping this weekend at Sibbald’s Point Provincial Park. They don’t go often so this was a big deal for them. So I decided to surprise them with my version of a s’mores kit; in case you are wondering, my version includes peanut butter and chocolate chips instead of chocolate bars (cheaper too!) I spread the peanut butter on the graham crackers and dip that into a bag of chocolate chips. The rest is made as usual. Fun and Yummy, right? I also added bag clips to seal leftover crackers and marshmallows as well as knives to spread the peanut butter.

I used a photo box as the base. I stamped trees all around the bottom using a modified rock n roll technique. I used olive over all, chocolate chip for the ground and tree trunks and artichoke for the tops of the trees. I say ‘modified’ rock n roll because normally the whole stamp is rolled in a single colour; here not only did I use two colours but I used them in selective areas.

I put woodsy looking ribbon all the way around the lid and then went to work on the top. I used the SU! colour spritzer to add cocoa fly-specking to he lid. The rectangular chipboard was painted with acrylic paint, then sponged with close to cocoa ink and the dots were stamped with chocolate chip ink. The marshmallows were tricky; first I cut the edges off of circular chipboard pieces, then painted it white with acrylic paint. Then I tried Copics and dye ink sponging for a toasted look but it didn't look quite right. So I added a thin coating of Liquid Appliqué with a paint brush. OMW, then the dye ink started soaking through and I thought they were ruined but after I heated them, the ink that soaked through just made them look toasted, how I wanted them in the first place! YEAH!

The chocolate chips were stamped and individually cut out and foam dotted on. TO make the fire, I stamped a solid log stamp in cocoa ink on cocoa and caramel paper. For more interest, I stamped several logs with the stamp curved on the block. The flames were cut by hand, edges were DTP inked and I added some lines with a marker. The fire was assembled with clear pop dots. The lettering was done with foam and rubber alpha sets, with large letters in acrylic paint and the small ones in dye ink.

I am so sorry that I haven’t been posting regularly. I expect to go back to my regular schedule of at least 4 posts a week starting this week. A weird set of circumstances led to not much posting. For those of you who just subscribed, thank you and I promise, the postings will increase!!

Enjoy, Rebecca

RECIPE
Paper: pumpkin, mustard, cocoa, ruby red, chocolate chip
Ink: cocoa, chocolate chip, caramel
Stamps: log-CTMH, small alphabet-SU!, large foam alphabet-Heidi Swapp, chocolate chip-Baked with Love by CHF, Lovely as a tree-SU!, Background stamp-Itty Bitty Backgrounds-SU!
Accessories: Liquid Appliqué, foam dots-Jody Morrow, clear dots-Zots, brown, white and red acrylic paint, chipboard-SU!, Ribbon-Stash (Michael’s $1.50 bin)

Cookie Box

I found the cutest tutorial for an Animal Cracker box at Inky Doodles. Since I didn’t have cards I HAD to do, I played with this template. It makes up so easily and quickly… which is why I forgot to cut the traditional oval hole in the front, working too fast! These would be so cute for all kinds of gifts. Mine is clearly for homemade goodies but can you imagine making them for Girl’s Night Out-nailpolish, lotion, nail file? How about a kid’s party favour box with bubbles, candy, stickers little toys? It would make a great baby shower or bridal favour box too! Oooh, how about using it for the guest bathroom, putting tiny toiletries in it when you have overnight gifts!

This box isn’t too fancy so it should be easy to see how it is decorated. I stamped the  chocolate chips on the ribbon with chalk ink. the eyelets were brown but with too much grey so I warmed them up with my R59 Copic. You can’t see it but I split a circle Velcro dot in half, placing one half at each end of the flap to hold it closed. I am putting this on Etsy so I just used an easy name for an example of customization possibilities. Only thing you can’t see, the lid paper obviously has ivory hearts on it but it also has a  layer of hearts in chocolate  ink underneath.

Enjoy, Rebecca

RECIPE
Stamps: Baked with love-CHF, chocolate chip wheel-SU!
Ink: chocolate, caramel, cocoa-SU!, chalk ink Color Box (twill tape), Versamark
Paper: vanilla, chocolate, cocoa, caramel CS-SU!
Accessories: twill tape-stash, WRMK-eyelets, Crop-a-dile, Foam tape-Jody Morrow, Cut n Dry Foam-Ranger, Velcro Dots-Wal-Mart, ivory EP-stash