The Card Concept #22 - Thank-Fall

Welcome!  Time for another Card Concept challenge, and the theme is "Thank-fall."

Here's the inspiration photo.  I picked the colors and pumpkins as the basis for my card, and made sure to keep the elegance factor going, since that is my style for the challenge (Classy & Elegant). You can see the whole list of styles here, if you'd like to play along with us.

This punch art pumpkin is very easy to make.  I have a quick tutorial in THIS post to show how I made mine.

Sure hope you get a chance to come play with us.  The challenge is open for two weeks, and it's just for fun.  Fall fun, that is!

The Card Concept #20 - Boo, It's A Chandelier!

Hello!  It's time for a new challenge at The Card Concept, and for the next two weeks, it's all about Black, Orange and White.  There's also a fabulous inspiration photo (see below my card), featuring a Halloween-ish buffet.  I was inspired by SO many things in the photo!

Here's the challenge pic:

Oh, the black and white gingham tablecloth!!  Love it.  I had this bow sitting in my black ribbon bag of scraps, and it's just perfect.  And see the candelabra on the table?  I thought a Chandelier stamp (Inkadinkado) would be a great focal point, since it has candles on it, as well.

Some retired Stampin' Up! patterned paper, a BOO sentiment (Autumn Apparitions / SU) and a few rhinestones were the finishing touches on this Classy & Elegant card.  (Remember, at The Card Concept, there are 6 defined styles in which to create...C & E is my designated style.)

I'm so glad you came by for a visit.  I hope you'll join us for the challenge!  Click HERE for all the details.

Stamps: Chandeliers - Inkadinkado; 'boo' - Autumn Apparitions - Stampin' UP! Paper: True Black, white - PTI; black & orange pattern, Pumpkin Pie - SU Ink: black - Inkadinkado Fibers: black and white gingham bow (taken from some packaging) Accessories & Tools: circle punch; rhinestones

The Card Concept #18 - Apples For You

Time for a new Card Concept challenge!  We've got a Back-To-School theme, and I made a card to give to a teacher.

Here's our inspiration photo, below.  I was inspired by the chalkboard, the tree, the apples, and the colors.

I employed the chalkboard technique with a Verve sentiment from Glad Tidings, and a little Hampton Arts flower, paired with fun glittered Jolee's stickers.

My spot on the Card Concept Team is as a Classy & Elegant designer.  The definition is listed as any of these:

polished
shiny finish
sparkling embellishments
rich color scheme
sophisticated sentiments
regal
sweeping
dramatic
monochromatic
layered textures
awe
impress

Must admit I had a hard time working with a school theme and still creating something elegant.  Not sure I've actually achieved that...

Hope you get a chance to play with us!  Check HERE for all the details.  :-)

Stamps: sentiment - Glad Tidings - Verve; flower - Wedding - Hampton Arts Paper: True Black - PTI; Poppy Parade - SU Ink: Versamark - Tsukineko; Whisper White craft - SU Fibers: bakery string - from a real bakery! Accessories & Tools: white embossing powder - SU; apple, tree, branch stickers - Jolee's; large tag die - SU; White Opal Liquid Pearls - Ranger 

The Card Concept #16 - Hydrangea Bouquet (again!)

Hello!  I'm back with a reminder card for The Card Concept #16.  Once again, I've got a punched bridal bouquet for the wedding card challenge.

Today's card is 5" x 7", compared with the A2 size of 4.25" x 5.5" from last week's card.  I did a tutorial on the creation of this bouquet HERE.

Since I had extra room on this card base, I decided to make a nosegay holder from a piece of vanilla cardstock.  I hand-trimmed the shape, and embossed it to give texture.  The sentiment is from Papertrey Ink's Happily Ever After set.

If you are inspired to make a wedding card, please join our challenge!  You still have one more week to link up HERE.

Stamps: Happily Ever After - Papertrey Ink Paper: Naturals White cardstock - SU Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black - Tsukineko Fibers: sheery celery ribbon - Offray Accessories & Tools: Regal Flourishes embossing folder - Sizzix/Tim Holtz; Hydrangea Punch - Martha Stewart; Lemon Yellow Liquid Pearls - Ranger; circle die - Spellbinders

The Card Concept #16 - Hydrangea Wedding

Welcome!  It's time for a new Card Concept challenge, and oh, boy, was I excited when I saw the inspiration photo (below my card), as it involves weddings and hydrangeas.  Yippee!

Here's my Classy & Elegant card, as that is my category at the CC --

How 'bout this gorgeous photo below, huh?  Those blue hydrangeas set my heart a-pounding!

Obviously, I chose to center my card around those beautiful blossoms, and the colors in the picture.  I used my Martha Stewart Hydrangea Punch a BUNCH of times in soft blue, pale green, and ivory.

Here's a little tutorial on how I did it (and you can tell by these colors that there's another card to post soon!).  I used Aleene's Quick Dry Tacky Glue for this.

1) The hydrangea punch cuts were layered in a random fashion on a circle die cut, using only the larger hydrangeas first:

2) Start adding the tinier ones to help fill in gaps, and also to layer on top of some of the larger blossoms.

3) After you feel you've sufficiently covered gaps with the tiny flowers, add centers on some of the hydrangeas with yellow Liquid Pearls.

You can see what fabulous dimension this technique gives to a "bridal bouquet".  I added some ribbon streamers and a bow to finish it off, with a sentiment from Wplus9's Fresh Cut Wreaths.

There are LOTS of new faces and new changes over at The Card Concept.  We've got something now called a Wild Card Team!  This team will be designing in each of the 6 styles over the course of their term with us.  I'm so excited to see what everyone does!

Thank you SO much for your visit today, and I hope you can join us at The Card Concept with YOUR wedding card!

Stamps: Fresh Cut Wreaths - Wplus9 Paper: Vintage Cream - PTI; Baja Breeze, Certainly Celery, Very Vanilla - SU Ink: Versafine Onyx Black - Tsukineko Fibers: moss green, white sheer ribbons - Offray; moss satin ribbon - Anna Griffin Accessories & Tools: Lemon Yellow Liquid Pearls - Ranger; circle die - Spellbinders; Hydrangea Punch - Martha Stewart

The Card Concept #14 - Hugs

Bold card, coming at ya!  It's a reminder card so you'll come play with us at The Card Concept.  =)

Oooo, I'm rather liking a bold card once in a while!  The color combo for the current challenge pushed me out of my comfort zone a bit, and that's a good thing.

When I made my initial card for challenge #14, I had the Punched Tin background stamp from Market Street Stamps still lying on the table.  I put this one together that same day.  Actually, I like this card better than the first one!

If you'd like to play along with us, click HERE for more details on the challenge.

See you soon!

Stamps: Pennant Party - Paper Sweeties; Punched Tin background - Market Street Stamps Paper: True Black, white - PTI Ink: black - Rubber Stampede Fibers: red satin ribbon

Accessories & Tools: red gems - Queen & Co.; blue flower puffy fabric sticker - Carolina collection - Anna Griffin; circle die - Spellbinders; Mini Wavy Pennant die - My Favorite Things

The Card Concept #14 - Hello, Black & White!

Hello black and white, with a dash of red and teal, that is!

Hi there!  It's time for a new Card Concept challenge, and we've got a color palette for you to play with this time 'round.  Guess you can already tell what the colors are...

Our inspiration picture --

I made a Classy & Elegant card, taking inspiration from the patterns on the back pillow and the blanket. The pillow is black and white, and totally reminded me of the Punched Tin Background stamp from Market Street Stamps (aaahhh, I do treasure my discontinued MSS stamps).

The blanket in the above photo has a design that made me think of my Herringbone embossing folder. After adding a 'hello' die cut, a couple of flowers, and a ribbon, I was done!

Speaking of embossing folders like this one, does anyone else find that their cardstock buckles a bit after embossing with an intricate design?  It bugs me, but I don't know if there's really anything to fix the problem.

Sure hope you will join us for the Card Concept challenge.  Click HERE for all the details!

Stamps: Punched Tin Background - Market Street Stamps Paper: True Black, white - PTI Ink: black - Hampton Arts Fibers: black ribbon - Stamp Simply Ribbon Store Accessories & Tools: Hello die - Memory Box; blue, red paper flowers - Inspired By Stamping; Herringbone embossing folder - Cuttlebug

Happy News! The Card Concept #12 - Nautical

I've got some wonderful news:  I am a new member on The Card Concept's Design Team!  I am filling the 'Classy & Elegant' seat there.  Huge thanks to my friend, Lesley Croghan, for inviting me aboard.  =)

The new challenge is Nautical-themed.  Isn't the inspiration photo so serene?

Searched my stash for anything with an anchor, and came up empty-handed.  Instead, I grabbed a sand dollar image from Blockheads Paper Arts.  This swirly embossing folder lends an ocean-like feel, too.

I gilded both sand dollars for a touch of fanciness, so that my card would qualify as a Classy & Elegant creation for the challenge.

That beautiful sentiment is from Stampin' Up!'s Occasional Quotes, and it's the first time I've inked it.  I'm doing pretty good in a self-challenge of using up my stuff, without buying anything new.  Of course, I've just gone and bought a new stamp set from Power Poppy...it's so hard to say no when there's so many awesome goodies out there.  Is there a 12-step program for crafters like us??

I'm so glad you came by today, and I hope you get a chance to join us at The Card Concept.  Click HERE for all the info you need.   

Stamps: sand dollar - Seashells with Round Frame - Blockheads Paper Arts; sentiment - Occasional Quotes - Stampin' Up! Paper: white, kraft - PTI; Night of Navy - SU Ink: Versamark, Versafine Onyx Black - Tsukineko; Walnut Stain, white chalk ink - Ranger Fibers: navy satin ribbon - Offray Accessories & Tools: pearls; gold embossing powder - SU; D'vine Swirls embossing folder - Cuttlebug; Fancy Labels Dies 2 die cut - Inspired By Stamping