Ready, Set, Emboss: NSD Challenge 2015

Erika challenged us to emboss our next project, dry, heat, wax resist, etc or all of the above!  Check out her blog as she did some great projects and even posted link to some helpful videos!

I tried a new technique by painting my embossing folder with an acrylic "wash".  Just a fancy term for diluted paint.  I ran the paper through once to get most of the paint off because I was going for a subtle effect.  It's hard to see in the picture, but I think I achieved what I was going for.  Erika was handing out extra points for multiple embossing techniques AND using cricut cuts, so I also heat embossed my sentiment and made some borders using Paper Lace 2.   I also finished using up my teal and purple paper from my color challenge!  woot! woot!

Thanks for stopping by!

Illuminate Your Creativity: NSD Challenge 2015

When jojoy over on the Cricut Circle MB posted a tutorial on creating luminaries and said they were easy, I was like, yea right.  Nuttin' is easy.  But you know what???  She was RIGHT!  The was the fastest of all the challenges I did.  The longest part was deciding what image I wanted for my luminary and eventually chose this one from Folk Art Festival.

My son happened to be visiting that day and took my luminary on his way out the door.  I guess I will have to create another one.  Which means buying more shimmer paper.  :-)   If you have Monster Bash and Folk Art Festival, you can try one using this file.  I promise they are easy!  And make GREAT bathroom night lights!

https://us.cricut.com/design/#/canvas/27471687

Thanks for stopping by!

Crafting With Negative Nelly: NSD Challenge 2015

Sara's challenge to us was to Use the Negative Portion of Our Cut to create a project.  I decided I needed to do something with moons and stars because I snapped this pic of my granddaughter totally immersed in the Weather Channel.  I think she will become a meteorologist or as she prefers, a storm chaser.  We've had a least 5 tornadoes heading towards us in the mountains of West Virginia in the last couple of weeks. :-)   I created this overlay and backed it with some coordinating pattern papers.  I even reused the stars left over from the negative.  This was a fun challenge and I think I will be doing more of this.  Most of the time I just throw the negatives away.  Hmmm...maybe I need another "scraps to save" pile.  hehe

Be sure to head over to Sara's blog to see the awesome project she created for this challenge.  Thanks for stopping by!

Tag, You're It: NSD Challenge 2015

Colleen said Tag, You're IT!  Break out those tags and used them on a project instead of HOARDING them!  Ok, ok.  Now since I am hosting a few challenges myself and will need some Thank you cards to send out with the goodies, I figured this may be a good place for me to use those tags.

My challenge entry ~

 

This was really fun challenge because I got to play with some bright polka dolts, some baker's twine AND gold embossing powder.  swoon!  And I'll be able to get those goodies out the door that much faster when the challenge times are up.  Be sure to stop over at Colleen's blog and see all her wonderful loveliness.  She's got a great layout using tags.  Thanks for stopping by and dig out those tags!

Picture This!: NSD Challenge 2015

The next challenge that I worked on was a "framed" project. 

These were the rules:

1) You must incorporate a song title, or song verse into the project.
2) This is a "framed" project. The frame can be bought, homemade, paper, wood that is up to you!
3) The lyrics can be vinyl, paper, leather, metal, grungeboard, chipboard, printed with the Explore or Imagine--anything goes!!

Since I have like TWO framed pictures in my entire home (I dislike dusting), it was just a matter of eeny, meeny, miney, mo and then figuring out what verse to put on mo.  Here's what I came up with.

Sherry was right.  This was a really quick project with instant gratification.  You can go to her blog here to see more Picture This! inspiration.  Thanks for stopping by!

Spring Into Action: NSD 2015 Challenge

We have a bunch of creative ladies working on all kinds of challenges over on the Cricut Circle message board.  The first challenge I worked on was actually a timed challenge.  We had about 90 minutes from the time the challenge was posted by the the lovely Jenny D. to create something with a spring theme.

Here's my entry.  A tag is simple enough to make in 90 minutes, right?  lol  Let me tell you, this thing came right down to the wire.  But ~ it sure does wonders to jump start your creativity and prepare you for the challenges to come. 

I started with a #8 manila tag and stamped with embossing ink and heat set with white detail embossing power.  Over that, I added bright yellow dylusions ink.  The embellishments were all from my stash ~ K&C Company.  I even heat set the ribbon.  This was a fun challenge as I just love making tags.  They are little works of art.   Thanks for stopping by and I hope you tried this challenge too!

NSD 2015 Challenge: Show Your True Colors

 Happy National Scrapbooking Day!

I love beautiful colors, don't you?  I've noticed a recent trend with purple and teal.  It seems to be everywhere.  So your color challenge is to make a project - card, layout, tag, altered item, anything you want! - using this color palette. You can use paper, colored pencils, markers, crayons, gelatos, paint, you get the idea.  Anything goes!

 Not fond of dark colors?  Ok, then I will give you an alternate choice.  How about coral, yellow and gray?
Springy right?  And it also happens to be just PERFECT for Mother's Day!

 Here's my take on both color palettes.  I chose to do cards because I have a lot of them to make in May.  As you can see, my color challenge also includes a little coloring.  I used water color pencils to complete the design on the front of this card.  Who says coloring is just for kids?? lol

And because I was in the mood to do some painting, I decided a canvas combining the two palettes would be cool.

Now it's your turn.  If you absolutely dislike both color palettes, pick one you do like and tell me what your inspiration was when you post your project.  Show me what you got!

Post your project on the Cricut Circle Message Board under the Show Your True Colors thread for a chance to win there. And leave me a link here to your project in the comments for a chance to win here.  If you aren't a Circle member, just post a link in the comments where I can find your project.  Any gallery or forum will do.

Even if you don't have time to make a project, describe to me what your project would be and I'll enter you anyway.

Two winners will be drawn (one each from the message board and blog entries) to win a set of Prisma colored pencils and water brush markers. Make sure I know how to find you!

AND each person who posts a project (either a link here or on the MB), will be entered to win my Canvas! You have until midnight, May 17th to complete this challenge and Tacoah will pick the winners on May 18th.  Have fun!  And if you aren't already a follower, please consider joining.  I always love to see new "faces" and I treasure each one of your comments.

And be sure to check out these blogs over the weekend for even more NSD fun!

Sara- www.sarawandrews.com

Col’s Creative Corner – http://www.scrappycol.blogspot.com/
Jenny- http://kozfam5.blogspot.com/

Maria-  http://stampcutcreate.blogspot.com/
Heidi – http://cowgirl1hh.wordpress.com/
Erika - http://EKittyscraps.blogspot.com
Sherry - http://littlescrapofheaven.blogspot.com