Always Take the Scenic Route

It's a new challenge at Time Out Challenge #320 and we have a beautiful photo from teammate Katherine of architect Antoni Gaudí's Basilica Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain. I decided to take the idea of bright colors seen through a window. Stop by all of the team's blogs to read how they made their cards as well as that of our Guest Designer Jane Taylor of Purplejet!

Here's what I used to make my card:

• Spellfbinders Vista View Window dies
• Lawn Fawn woodgrain card stock
• La La Land Summer Vacation Paper Pack
• Tim Holtz Idea-ology sentiment strips

I die cut three windows to stack for dimension. I skipped the acetate this time because it is so hard to photograph! I traced the window perimeter on the scene I chose, then fussy cut it to fit behind the panes. The view has many of the same colors as the photo but is tropical instead of stained glass.

I wanted to add texture to the "walls" surrounding the indoor windows, so I chose the woodgrain card stock. Then I chose a sentiment and liked this one with "scenic" in it!

Our wonderful sponsor is Top Flight Stamps, generously offering a $25 store credit as a prize for our Challenge Winner, who will also get an invitation to join us as Guest Designer for a future challenge.

We anticipate a beautifully colorful gallery this round and can't wait to see what you create! Thanks for stopping by!

Carol

Boo!

Hello! I guess it is time to think "fall" and get some projects made. Sunday Stamps SSC392 Framed Focus inspired me to create a shadow box following their sketch. Here's my take on it.

I've made shadow boxes before and they are not too complicated. For this one I added the patterned paper to the sides to follow the  horizontal part of the sketch and ghosty patterned paper inside for the vertical part of the sketch. I popped up the jack o'lantern on a popped up rectangular "box" and adhered the clouds to each other, then the sides of the frame. (I die cut both clouds twice to make them sturdy.) I wanted a sentiment so I stamped and fussy cut the BOO! and a teeny ghost to pop in the corner. The finished shadow box is about 7" x 4 1/2" and 1/2" deep.

What I used:

• Sizzix Edison Colorize dies
• Stampin' Up! Spooky Bingo Bits stamp set, patterned paper (pumpkins and shadow box)
• Altenew Obsidian black ink pad

There are lots of different sizes of shadow boxes on Pinterest and the tutorials have photos to follow. My next one will be square.

Have you started fall projects yet? I may still make summery ones but not for long. Happy summer's end and beginning of fall.

Thanks for stopping by,

Carol

Starfish in a bottle

It's time for Word Week at Just Us Girls #836 and Water is the theme! There are so many ways to go with this word from bodies of water, to a drink in a glass, to rain, to waterfalls. The sky's the limit. I decided to make an underwater scene in a bottle with several different products across brands. The team has lots of great ideas for you so hop along from blog to blog and play along with us! Our talented guest Betty Keefe is on board as well.

What I used:

• Birch Press No One Like You stamp set
• Spellbinders Whale in a Bottle die set
• Simon Says Stamp Under the Sea Animals stamp and die sets
• Altenew Artist Markers
• MFT Wave dies
• Archival Ink Cobalt. ink pad
• Cork "card stock"
• Sequins from lots of sources
• Twine

Some of the details: I decided on a shaker version of this bottle so it took quite a while to make this card. The starfish is on the outside of the window to stand out from all that is going on in the water. This cork is a longstanding part of my stash and I love to use it as a realistic element on cards.

We hope you will join us this week to make the gallery awash (pun intended) with water!

Thanks for stopping by!

Carol

Thanks Friend

Summer is passing so quickly and my teacher friends have to get ready to go back to school very soon. This card is for a world traveler friend of mine that I get to see in August! Just Us Girls #835 is Die Week and Anything Goes with dies. I LOVE this Hero Arts set, even with the teeny tiny eyelashes and mouth. I couldn't help pairing it with my seaside scene stencils!

Take a stroll though the team's use of dies for some fun reading and inspiration. Our August Guest Designer is Betty Keefe and she has a beautiful die cut card for you, too. We love to be inspired by your cards each week, too!

What I used:

• My Monthly Hero July 2026 Kit
• Concord & 9th Seaside stencils, Mini ink pads 
• Altenew Obsidian black ink pad
• Red glimmer metallic and silver holographic card stock
• SU! patterned papers

I went looking for red card stock for the scooter and ran into a scrap of this glimmery red that I just love. (Source unknown) Then I found a scrap of holographic silver for parts of the scooter and another glittery piece for the lights. I just had to make her glasses match the scooter, too. I wanted to pop her up on a wobbler, but it stands way too high off the card. The second photo above shows the glimmer and sparkle better.

The scenery is ink blended lightly so that she could take center stage but I wanted the water and sky to match well with her dress. I made a couple of boo boos, but I wasn't going to start over after the die cut portion was adhered and they might escape the eye.

Come play along with us with your die cut creations!

Carol

Adventure Awaits You

It's time for our Pick Two Challenge at Time Out #319 which gives you six prompts to choose from to make a card. Use at least two of the words or all six! They are: Monochrome, Geometric, Floral, Stitching (faux or real), Birthday and CAS. I chose Geometric and CAS with the triangular waves, sails and sentiment, as well as the round sun. 

Newton's Nook is our generous sponsor for this challenge, offering a $25.00 store credit to our winner. The winner of our challenge will be invited to be a Guest Designer in a future Time Out Challenge, too!

Our Guest Designer for this challenge is Heather Heroldt, of Handmade by Heather, and winner of Time Out #314 as Guest Designer. Heather is a very talented designer and a frequent and loyal Time Out participant. We always love to see her work in the gallery, and we greatly appreciate her support. Treat yourself to a stroll through her BLOG for some wonderful inspiration!

What I used to make this card:

• Spellbinders Colorblock Landscape dies (2021)
• Memory Box Marina Sailboats dies
• Tim Holtz Ideaology Small Talk sentiments

I used the sun rays to make a gradient sea and sunset, and the circle to make the sun. The Sailboat is black to be a silhouette and the sentiment is black to match it. I hope it fits the clean and simple definition close enough...it has clean lines and white space.

Come play along with us! See you in the gallery?

Carol

Triangle Santa Tag

It is time for the Gorgeous Gift Tags Instagram Hop for August and the optional theme is Baby Shower. I usually have a use for the optional themes, but since I don't this time I went with Christmas to add to my stash. (Although this could be a cute gift tag for a Christmas present for a baby girl!) It can be a gift tag, decoration, place card, or an ornament. It is three-sided and each Santa has a slightly different hat. The variations are endless. Here he is (or they are)!

What I used:

• Simon Says Stamp Triangle Santa dies, Triangle Tab die
• Pink Fresh Studio Christmas patterned paper scraps
• Twine
• White ribbon
• Chalk (for cheeks and noses)

Here is the tutorial for the assembly of the tag/decoration/ornament. Last year I made a 3-sided bear version and added a little tag at the top (tied to the strings) with the To/From on it for use as a gift tag. The recipient of it loved it. I'll be making more of these soon enough, and I might need the penguin version, too...wink wink.

You can start the hop at my Instagram account if you wish: @sawithadtomakeit. The ladies are very  creative, so don't miss it!

Thanks for stopping by!

Carol

Get Your Sparkle On!

Whether it's a birthday party, a jewelry party, a dressy occasion, no particular reason or something special, it's always fun to add some accessories like bracelets. The Inspired By Challenge #IB400: "Bracelets" has a reason to celebrate...400 challenges!! Here is my party with all the glitz and shine from the bracelets worn by all the ladies. I was inspired by the colors, but of course the bracelets!

What I used for my card:

• Concord & 9th Handmade Holiday dies
• Ellen Hutson Spread the Sparkle stamp set
• My Favorite Things Pop the Champagne die set
• Sequins, pearls, enamel dots
• Altenew Obsidian black ink pad
• White glitter card stock
• Silver glitter card stock
• Gray glitter card stock
• Teal Glitter card stock
• Cork adhesive sheet
• Pink and Main patterned paper (bottle)

Trying to use the challenge colors and lots of subtle sparkle, I die cut all the arms, then started adorning them with embellishments and die cut bracelets. I ink blended the arms a bit for shadow. The two silver bangles are free-moving for an interactive detail. Some of the arms are popped up on foam tape for dimension and the flying cork is made from some cork "paper" I've had forever. I was also inspired by my JUGS teammate Denise Morgans, @dennymor who always adds details from the front of her card to carry over inside her cards. In my case, the sentiment had to be split up over the front and inside to fit!

Can you hear the party music playing? 

Thanks for stopping by!

Carol