CCEE1836 Shadowbox Card

Maryann started off her month as hostess of the CCEE Stampers challenge blog with a fun technique challenge -- a shadowbox card.  This card has been around for a lot of years, but she said that she has noticed some modern twists lately and asked us to show our version of a shadow box card.  I watched a Jennifer McGuire video and created this fun card, using images from a fun Kindred Stamps set called Tea Friends.

The background for the inside of my shadowbox is from an old MFP Stamp Shop set called Tree Scene.  There are lots of trees in that background, but I only had to use a mask once.

Make sure you check out some more shadowbox cards over on the CCEE Stampers blog.

Karen Burniston September Designer Challenge - HOUSE

Can I start this blog post by saying that I am so excited to be part of the Karen Burniston Design Team and being able to play along with the rest of the very talented ladies on the team?  The September Designer Challenge is entitled HOUSE.  As a new member of the team, I don't yet have the dies from the new September release, which includes a really cool "house" die; but I was able to play along in this month's challenge by using a house stamp and a couple of other Karen Burniston dies -- the Fancy Label Accordion die and the Fancy Flourish Frames.  I used just a simple sentiment from the Sunny Studio Christmas Home stamp set on the front, which in reality is actually the back!

But when you open this accordion, you'll find my houses.

I love the way the Fancy Flourish Frames accent the edges so nicely.  Of course, I spent more time popping out those cut-out sections than I did stamping!

The dies used on this card are:

Woodland Christmas

Happy Labor Day, everyone!  I'm celebrating by using one of the brand-new dies from the CottageCutz Christmas (Part 2) release, called Merry Christmas w/Deer Family.  The entire release is on sale at 25% off, as part of the CottageCutz Labor Day Sale.  Check it out!

And now, on to my card for today.  Even though there are three layers on this card, it almost looks like a one-layer card.

To start, I cut my cardstock as follows:

White - one piece 5 1/2" x 8 1/2" (scored at 4 1/4") and one piece 4 1/4" x 5 1/2"
Red - one piece 4" x 5 1/4"

Using various Ranger Distress inks (Mowed Lawn, Scattered Straw, Dried Marigold, Red Lipstick, Tumbled Glass) and sponge applicators, I created my background on the smaller white piece of cardstock.  I had cut this piece larger than what I would ultimately need so that I could trim the edges and remove the dark marks along the sides.

I then cut my die-cut images from red (for the sentiment banner) and tan (for the trees and deer).  Prior to cutting the sentiment, I adhered a piece of double-sided adhesive sheet so that it would be easier to attach the sentiment to my card.

Using Ranger Distress Vintage Photo ink and a sponge dauber, I sponged around the edges of the deer and trees (lighter on the trees than on the deer).

After running the trees through my Xyron sticker maker, I constructed my cardbase and began to make my scene.

Once the trees were attached, I ran the deer family through my Xyron sticker maker -- although I had to use the next-size larger one for the buck, who was too large to fit through the 1" sticker maker.

After adding the deer to my scene, my card was completed.

Only one CottageCutz die was used on this card:

Scor-Pal "More Than One Score" -- Clean and Simple

My card for the September Scor-Pal Clean and Simple Challenge is a bit more than one-layer, which is what I usually think of when "clean and simple" is mentioned.

I stamped an old image that I've had for many years in the bottom corner, balancing it with the simple "thinking of you" sentiment at the top.  Whenever I see pansies, I always think of my grandmother, who had lots of pansies in her garden.  So this card was made with lots of love.

After coloring the flowers in shades of yellow and purple, I scored the crosslines using my Scor-Pal, then mounted the panel on a purple piece of cardstock, and finally on the yellow card base.  I always need "thinking of you" cards for my church card ministry -- another one into the stash!

Check out the Scor-Pal Blog for some more ideas for Clean and Simple.

CCEE1835 Flowers

Frances ended her month as hostess for the CCEE Stampers today.  She told us the in her part of the world (Australia), Saturday (Sept. 1) is the first day of spring.  Flowers are beautiful any time of the year, so she asked us to show some flowers on our cards this week.  I love making shaped flowers with the many Heartfelt Creations flower stamps/dies.  That's what I used on my card, on which I placed no sentiment.  I may add one when I use this card.

Be sure to check out some more floral beauties on the CCEE Stampers blog.

Teacup Snowman

I've got another card made with one of the new CottageCutz Christmas dies -- a cute little one called Teacup Snowman.  I thought I would make a fun fold card today called the Joy Fold Card.

To start my card, I cut all the cardstock:

Two pieces of red - 4 1/4" x 8 1/2" and 3" x 8"
Two pieces of patterned paper - 2 3/4" x 3 3/4"
One piece of patterned paper - 2 3/4" x 4"
One piece of patterned paper - 4" x 5 1/4"
White cardstock for die cutting

I constructed my card first by scoring the two red pieces of cardstock -- the larger one at 5 1/2" and the smaller one in half at 4".

I then adhered the patterned paper on both pieces . . .

. . . and glued the smaller piece to the inside panel.

I opened the small panel and stamped a sentiment on the inside.

I set my card aside and cut the Snowman Teacup die from white cardstock.

Using Copic marrkers, a small black pen, and a white gel marker, I colored and constructed my snowman . . .

. . . adhering him to the front panel.

A Joy Fold card usually requires something on the front to hold the small panel closed.  So I pulled out an old CottageCutz holly die and made a closure for the front, adhering it with large foam circles.

Here again is my completed card.  You can see how the corner tucks in behind the holly sprig.

CottageCutz dies used on this card are:

Ride the Wind Day

Frances continues as hostess for the CCEE Stampers this week and tells us that today is Ride the Wind Day.  This day was created to celebrate the anniversary of the first man-powered flight.  There are so many things that rely on wind for them to work, and Frances asked us to include something that needs wind on our cards today.  One of the things on my bucket list that I have accomplished was to ride in a hot air balloon.  That's what I included on my card.

Be sure to check out some other wind-driven things over on the CCEE Stampers blog.