Classes and Challenges

I'm supposed to be taking Stretch Your Stamps 2, but I'm having a hard time playing along with everything I've got going on. Too busy to think straight, basically.

Anyway... here's three cards, two for class that are direct copies, solely for technique, and the third for the Always Playing with Paper Challenge #12, because I liked the color combo and thought it would go well with the Simon Says kit that I hadn't played with yet.

A Note: Glossy Accents is the devil. You will get it everywhere. It will bubble. You will put your thumb in it. It will fall on its face before it dries. You will hate yourself. Cards with glossy accents are like the hot buttered toast of the craft world -- you will drop it on the floor and it will be a disgusting wreck.

Another Note: Wink of Stella will re-activate your watercolor. Stella and this technique do not mix. <sigh>

Lastly, for the challenge. Love how I somehow wrecked the sentiment -- it was perfect -- before I got a photo of it. I blame the above watercolor cards. I was spraying a bit of water around. I know it's my fault, but it's still sucky.

ETA: This card was one of three runner-ups for the Challenge! I'm so totally honored!

Check This Out! Two Challenges in One

The current Lawnscaping Challenge is 'Back to School'. Well, I'm never going back to school again. [Grad school -- once is enough!] And since I don't have any human children, I wasn't sure what I would do for the challenge and thought about skipping it. But, thanks to a lot of the inspiration pieces using the Dewey Decimal kit, I decided to bust it out since I have it and take a stab at the challenge. I also decided to combine it with the current Freshly Made Sketch, #148. So, here's my creation.

I love the little library card. Stamped on ivory in brown to give a more worn look. I remember these things from grade school before electronic check outs. I used the Check It Out sentiment along with a few sentiments form a Studio Calico date/time rotary stamp. Really going for the "this is awesome" feel. And I added the month and year too. I love that the stamps are off-kilter, just like a librarian in a rush would do. I think it's a little busy overall, but I still really like it.

 

Sending Lots of Love, Belatedly

I missed someone's birthday, so I am having to play catch-up with this card. I have been hyper-busy with extra work, extra volunteering, and oh yeah I tried to go on a week-long vacation. What ever was I thinking?

Anyway, this card is made from the July Simon Says kit. First time I got to touch it, actually! It's a super-cute kit and I really like it. Rather than put all of the navy paper in the back, I cut two small strips of it for the edges. I used a light patterned paper on for the mail panel. I don't often stamp on patterned so I thought it would be a neat thing to do. I cut out a bunch of envelopes and attached them on different layers. I kinda wish I clear embossed the sentiment for some shine and texture, but alas, I did not.