Feline Fun for AHSC #276

Hello and welcome back again, crafty friends!  I had so much fun with this project I just can't wait to share it with you.  Usually I start with a particular sketch I want to use but this week inspiration struck first and I was lucky enough to be able to combine my idea with the sketch for my design team duties (or should I say, privilege) for the Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge.  And, as I love to combine projects with other challenges so that I can help promote the efforts of my fellow crafters, I will submit this one to play along in the Color My Heart Color Dare Challenge #303 (Tic-tac-toe grid based on the colors in CTMH's Central Park kit); Challenge #6 over at the Double Trouble Papercrafting Challenge blog (Anything Goes/decorate the inside of your card/combine with a previous partnering challenge blog); and the Three Amigos Blog Hop Challenge #17 (Time Warp theme, use your choice of any past theme from 2018, my project qualifies for #16-embossing and #15-die cutting).  Trust me, it's way easier than it sounds, and a ton of fun so let's get started!

details:  I got my inspiration from wanting to combine this "spotted" patterned paper from the Central Park kit with the super cute Cat's Meow stamp set.  I used Lemon and Mink cardstocks to create a layered base.  I also used Heather CS with the largest of the basic ovals Thin Cuts and White Daisy CS with the largest of the stitched oval Thin Cuts to create a base for the central of the sketch.  I used black Memento ink to stamp the silhouette image of a cat on that oval base as well as the cat emoji faces and the outline of the word bubble (all from the Cat's Meow set mentioned earlier).

For the horizontal border piece, I used the side of a piece of Poppy cardstock with the solid-looking piece from the hearts border Thin Cuts dies, and the traditional shade of Poppy for the heart-frames border, which I then touched up with my clear shimmer brush to add a little shine and to also help differentiate the shades.  I used Poppy ink for the "hello" sentiment, which is from a retired set called Love My Cat, and popped up the word bubble with some 3-D foam tape.

 

For the cat paw borders, I used Mink ink with a part of the M-sized Paws stamp set (I "amputated" part of the stamp to make it easier to work with for this project, but cut it in such a way it will easily fit back together for future projects).  I used Poppy ink with the two smaller-print sentiments (from Cozy Cat and Love My Cat) and black Memento for the "purrrfect" sentiment and the cat silhouettes, all three of which are from Cat's Meow again.  The ball of yarn image is from Love My Cat and I stamped it on the card in Lemon, stamped it in black ink on Lemon cardstock, and fussy cut and adhered.

I should note, I chose the Lemon, Poppy, and Mink colors to work with the Color My Heart Dare, which is also a previous challenge partner over at the Double Trouble Papercrafting Challenge Blog, which allows me to enter it for play in both of those challenges, and the die cutting and embossing qualifies for two past themes at the Three Amigos Blog Hop Challenge.  And, of course, this sketch is for AHSC and for once I am *EARLY* with a project so this sketch will be open for play starting Monday morning, 8/6/18, and you will have until 9:55 pm Eastern/10:55 pm Central on Sunday, 8/12/18, to link your projects.

Thanks for stopping by happy crafting!  ~~  Annette

Santa In July for AHSC #274

Hello again, crafty friends!  I broke out some oldies but goodies to play with this week's sketch at Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge.  I didn't plan to start on Christmas cards just yet but the first two ideas I had for this sketch didn't quite pan out, so I was inspired to think outside the box... or calendar page.  In addition to creating this card for this week's AHSC design team submissions, it meets the themes for a couple of other current challenges so I will be entering it to the Heart2Heart Challenge Blog for their Christmas In July; the Double Trouble Paper Crafting Challenge Blog for their Christmas Only theme; and the Three Amigos Blog Hop Challenges for their embossing theme.

details:  All products used are from CTMH and almost all of them are retired.  I started with the red "plaid" from the Believe paper kit.  The stamped image is from a set called I Believe (C1427) and inked in Holiday Red.  The scalloped edge frame was cut in Topiary CS using the Art Philosophy cartridge, and I used Pear colored mini-brads to add a little extra interest.

The tag is from the Home for the Holidays (SOTM in 2014) and was cut using the Art Philosophy cartridge.  The sentiment from the Santa Claus set (C1567) and was initially cut from the Artbooking cartridge but I was a little pressed for space so I ended up trimming it up a bit by hand.  Both images were stamped using a Sweet Leaf mini pigment ink pad, covered in clear embossing powder, and heat embossed.

I used some Topiary mini chevron ribbon to for embellishment and to secure the tag.  I used the scallop border Thin Cuts with white glitter paper.  To get a scalloped edge on the base layer too I cut the white glitter paper first, glued it so that the very edges of the scallops met the edge of the patterned paper, then positioned the solid-piece scallop thin cut over the glitter paper, taped the straight edge in place, positioned the piece so that the scallops faced the opening of the Cuttlebug, and then I just rolled them into the device only until I could feel the increase in pressure that indicated a cut was being made.  I had to finish trimming the dips between one or two sets of scallops but otherwise it worked very well.

And that's all there is to this one!  Don't forget the weekly deadline at AHSC is 10:55 pm Eastern/9:55 pm Central on Sunday, 7/29/18, and you can enter your artwork by going HERE.

Thanks for stopping by and happy crafting!  ~~  Annette

Patriotic Thank You for AHSC #272

Hello again, crafty friends!  We have another fun and fabulous sketch to work with this week at the Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge.  To make things twice as nice, we have partnered with the folks at the Double Trouble Paper Crafting Challenge Blog for their 3-2-1 recipe and sketch challenge.  How fun is that?!?!  We at AHSC always love to have you play along, but I sincerely hope you take time to also play along, or at least check out, the Double Trouble challenge as well as this is just their 4th challenge and they are already off to a fabulous start!

details:  I started with this awesome fireworks-themed designer paper I've had for ages (and cannot identify, sorry).  After going through all my color swatches, I decided that Sapphire and Cranberry were the best matches so those are the colors I went with.  I ran the Sapphire cardstock through the confetti stars embossing folder, the Cranberry cardstock through the stripes embossing folder, and then I sanded both to get the white core to show through.

I used Sapphire and Cranberry ink with the retired Vintage USA stamp set to get those distressed star images.  I used the basic stars Thin Cuts to cut the smallest star from white glitter paper.  I also used the glitter paper to frame the stars and to add those three stars in the lower left corner per the sketch.

For the banner, I used Sapphire with the Thank You (M1185) stamp, Cranberry ink with this banner image from the retired Hello Lovely stamp set, and finally ran that through the coordinating Thin Cut die.

This is one of those sketches that has endless possibilities, and we would love to see your take on it.  As always, you have until 10:55 pm Eastern/9:55 pm Central on Sunday, 7/15/18, to enter your creations HERE.  And don't forget to stop by and check out, and hopefully play along, with the Double Trouble Paper Crafting Challenge Blog.

Thanks for stopping by and happy crafting!  ~~  Annette