ric#98

Hey guys,

Check out the new Runway Inspired Challenge:

source: vogue.com

I knew for sure I wanted to make a Christmas card, so here's what I came up with:

The background is from Poinsettia and Pine, stamped in Ruby Red ink.  My sentiment is from Halftone Holidays.

Just a short post today - check out the other gals who are posting this morning...their projects rock!

Heather Hoffman

Gayatri - Handmade By G3

Aga - Just Made From Paper

Altenew Card Class

What?  I can't believe it's been a month since I last posted!  I promise...I haven't been neglecting my card making. I have actually been doing a lot over at Altenew!

Not only have I been posting cards over there, but I am also hosting a card class through Altenew Academy!

It's called "Clean and Simple Boutique Cards," and there are 6 days of videos and project inspiration....I really hope you can join us!

I have a discount code AND a giveaway over on the Altenew blog today.  Head over there if you want more info!

ric#96

source:  vogue.com

Yea, a new Runway Inspired Challenge!  

I just adore this look from Banana Republic...so ladylike, but in an update way!  Her accessories just rock - I totally want those shades and bag.  And the coordinating shoes!

I was mostly inspired by the color palette and florals, so I reached for the Beautiful Day stamp set from Altenew's latest release.   

I stamped the images using inks from our purple and blue color families.  Then, I cut them out and mounted them to a piece of Arches hot pressed watercolor paper that I painted with some quick swipes of color.  The sentiment was a mix from two sets - the "hello" from Bejeweled, and the "beautiful" from Beautiful Lady (both Altenew).

I used Desert Night ink for the outline and sentiment - I think this might be my new favorite sentiment ink, for when I want something different than black. It's nice and dark, and stamps so crisply.

Here are the other girls that are posting today:

Heather Hoffman

Tasnim Ahmed - Cards & Bookmarks

Aga - Just Made From Paper

We hope you can play along!

ric#95

source:  vogue.com

Wow, just check out that gorgeous dress from Marchesa!  The colors, the lacy details, and those amazing shoes - this look is just incredible!

For my Runway Inspired Challenge card, I knew I wanted to incorporate the colors, a floral element, and texture.  I then remembered this old textured cardstock that I haven't used in at least a year, so I was happy to break that out :)

My sentiment is from this amazing stamp set which was created by Hero Arts in collaboration with Jennifer McGuire.  Jennifer recently launched an incredible challenge aimed at spreading kindness through handmade cards, gifts, notes, treats, etc.  You can find more info at sharehandmadekindness.com.

Please visit these gals from the DT to see what they created, and then head over to the Runway Inspired Challenge blog to play along! :)

Heather - Houses Built of Cards

Gayatri - Handmade by G3

Tasnim Ahmed - Cards & Bookmarks

Aga - Just Made From Paper

Feature at Simon Says Stamp!

Hey friends!  I just wanted to let you know that I have a card and tag featured today over at the Simon Says Stamp blog. I'd love it if you popped by over there to check it out!

ric#93

Happy Tuesday, friends!  I think you are going to love this week's inspiration for the Runway Inspired Challenge:

source:  style.com

I picked this one because I love her skirt - the colors remind me of sand art!  I decided to play around with the translucency of the new Altenew Crisp Dye Inks, and here's what I came up with:

The balloons (from Birthday Greetings) were stamped in various colors of ink, and then I finished the card with our new "Happy" die cut, and a sentiment from Halftone Happy.

I hope you like it!  Please visit my DT friends to see what they created, then head over to the Runway Inspired Challenge to play along!

Heather Hoffman

Mayuri - Candles in the Garden

Lindsay - Note to Self

Aga - Just Made From Paper

Gayatri - Handmade by G3

OCC Winner

The winner of a spot in the current Watercolor for Card Makers 2 class (as chosen by random.org) is...

HussenaSeptember 23, 2015 at 4:22 AM

My fave watercoloring medium is watercoloring using distress inks ..Never get tried with it ..I am most excited to try watercoloring using Gansai tambi watercolors as I have yet to try it :)...Thank you so much for a chance to win ..Really hoping I get lucky this time :)

Congrats, Hussena!  I just sent you an email :)

OCC Giveaway

Hello strangers!

I wanted to let you know that I am teaching a class with Jennifer McGuire and Kristina Werner through Online Card Classes.  We started yesterday, and so far it is amazing and the students are really enjoying the content!   You can join anytime, and you will have lifetime access to the class.

“Join instructors Kristina Werner, Jennifer McGuire, and Jennifer Rzasa—plus special guest artists—on an exploration of new and inspiring ways to watercolor… no matter what medium you have on hand. Whether you’re new to watercolors or have taken our previous Watercolor for Card Makers course, this mini class is a can’t-miss for technique lovers! From traditional paints to markers to pencils and crayons, you’ll learn tips for using each medium with beautiful results. Plus, we’ll inspire you to transform your watercolors into gorgeous cards!”

We are playing around with traditional watercolors (tube and pan), Distress Inks, watercolor pencils, watercolor markers, peerless watercolor, and more! To win a spot, please leave a comment answering the following question:

What is your favorite watercolor medium?  If you have not used any watercolor mediums, which are you most excited to try?

Please leave your comment by tomorrow, September 23rd, by noon (ET)!

ric#91

Super short post today, folks!  It's nearly midnight and I just realized I never wrote anything on my draft of this post!  Whoops :)

Here's the latest Runway Inspired Challenge:

source:  style.com

And here's my card:

If I remember, I'll update this post sometime tomorrow with more details!  

Lindsay - Note To Self

Gayatri - Handmade By G3

Heather - Houses Built of Cards

ric#90

Hey there, strangers!  Today we have a brand spankin' new Runway Inspired Challenge, this time inspired by Monique Lhuillier!

source:  style.com

I am in love with this feminine dress...isn't it gorgeous!?  

I think made and re-made this card about 4 times before I was happy with it.  I felt like I couldn't get it to look the way it did in my head- has that ever happened to you?  Well anyway, I continued to play around with everything until I ended up with this:

After all of that work, I love how it turned out! First I stamped a Hero Arts map background stamp with grey ink on my card base, and covered it with vellum.  Then, I stamped a bunch of elements from Altenew's Vintage Flowers, and die cut them with the coordinating dies.  I tried my best to get the colors to match the inspiration dress.

Once it was all arranged the way I liked it, I adhered it to the card with foam tape.  Lastly, I added the sentiment, which is from Altenew's Sketchy Cities America.

Lindsay A. - Note To Self

Heather Hoffman - Houses Built of Cards

Mayuri - Candles in the Garden

Gayatri -  Handmade By G3

We hope you play along!

ric#89 and Altenew updates

Good morning!  Today there is a brand spamkin' new Runway Inspired Challenge for you....

source: style.com

Our sponsor this week, FishScraps, has donated digital products to the DT to use on our projects!

This was a very quick and easy card to put together.  I used two images from Fresh Lemon Digital Stamps to create a background, and printed it onto textured cardstock.  Next, I stamped a sentiment from Altenew's Baby Zoo set onto peach cardstock and mounted it to the card with foam tape.  The only other thing it needed was a strip of grey cardstock!

My second card is a lot more technique-y (yes! I made two cards!).  Using Photoshop, I created a striped background from the Watercolor Digital Paper and printed it out.  Then, I went to work on the flower.   I used an image from Succulent Clipart Silhouettes to make a cut file for my Silhouette Cameo.  Once the pieces were cut from white cardstock, I mounted them onto a super thick piece of plastic and cut it out by hand.  It looks so cool in real life!  I then stamped the sentiment (from Fresh Freesia) with grey ink, and mounted everything to a peach card base.

Gayatri - Handmade By G3

Mayuri - Candles in the Garden

Heather Hoffman - Houses Built of Cards

Lindsay A. - Note To Self
Aga - Just Made From Paper

A BIG thanks to Carrie, owner of FishScraps, for donating three amazing prizes!

Third Place:  $25 gift card

Second Place:  $50 gift card

First Place:  $100 gift card!

Lastly, if you didn't know, Tasnim and I just released 9 new stamp sets for Altenew!  I've been posting my projects over on the Altenew Blog, but figured I would re-post them here in case you haven't seen them yet :)   I have been out of town and very busy (more grad school work and other projects! lol), so I sadly haven't posted all my cards using all of the sets yet.  Hopefully I'll get the rest up within a week or so!