The Crazies Are Wild for Flowers

 

Rebecca Ednie is the Crazy4Challenges hostess for April.  For another week we are thrilled to have the very fabulous Teresa Kline from Paperie Blooms joining us.  Here is Rebecca's challenge for this week.

April Showers bring May flowers! Please use some springtime flowers on your card or project this week! I can't wait to see all of your daffodils, hyacinths, tulips, crocuses, cherry blossoms and all the others I've not listed!

I used an old SU stamps along with Tim Holtz watercolor crayons.  For a first try, it didn't come out too bad.  I have a long way to go with watercoloring techniques, but I keep trying.

Be sure to visit the Crazies Blog to see the garden of flowers created by the DT.

CCEEers Face Double Challenge

 

Anne continues as the April hostess for the CCEE Stampers Challenge.  This is her challenge for the week.......

 

One layer cards are always easy to mail.  Create a one layer card with a water color panel or background.

 

I so admire the watercolor creations other stampers have been doing lately.  I try and fail.  So this week I decided to try a smaller area.  I first masked the part of the panel that I wanted to remain white.  I then used a Tim Holtz watercolor crayon along with water and a brush to create the background on the watercolor paper background.

 

I then stamped and embossed the tree and sentiment.  I must admit that I really (really) like the result.  Maybe now I can again give a try to some of the other watercolor techniques.  Small steps.....small steps......hahaha.....!!!!

 

Be sure to visit the CCEE Blog to see the other fabulous one layer watercolored creations.  I am sure we will all be inspired.......this team has some real talent!!!!

 

CCEE Stampers Get Punch Happy

 

 

Welcome to week two of our CCEE Stamper February challenges with our hostess, Lynn.  She has challenged us to have a little Valentine fun.  Here is her challenge......

 

Back when I was in grade school, every Valentine’s Day my classmates and I had such fun creating Valentine Critters to decorate our Valentine boxes. The task for today is to create an animal of any kind on your card in which you use heart shapes for some of its body parts.

A while ago I had started saving punch art ideas on a Pinterest Board.  It came in handy with this challenge.  I adapted one of the collected pins to make my dog.  Hearts were used for the hind legs and nose.  Ovals were used for the head, body, snout, and ears.  I'm not sure the name for the leg punch but it is a long, slim, rounded rectangle which I bent to make paws.  I also sponged with white near some of the edges. Circle punches were used for the eyes.  I drew in the 'freckles; and mouth and added a touch of shine to the nose.  The sentiment is from a Sweet 'n Sassy dog stamp set.

Now be sure to check out the fab punched creations by the rest of the team......I can't wait to see them at the CCEE Stampers Blog.

Crazies Play with the Kite Shape

 

Happy Saturday!

It is time to kick off the February challenges! Peggy is the Crazy4Challenges hostess with the mostest for February, and our guest designer is Vicki Dutcher from All I Do Is Stamp. 

I am sure you will enjoy her fabulous creations this month!

Now onto this week's challenge......

National Kite Flying Day is coming up on the 8th so the challenge is to use a kite or a kite shape on your card.

I used a silhouette image from I Brake for Stamps (I think).  I used a stencil from my scrapbooking days to sponge in the kite shape on my card.  I then pierced around the outer edges of the sponged kite-shaped area.  With heat embossing, after masking the area, I applied the image to the sponged area.

Now....be sure to stop in to the Crazies Blog to see the kite and kite-shaped creations by the rest of this talented team. 

Popping Up with the Crazies

Hi everyone,

It's challenge time again for the  Crazy4Challenges DT.  Frances has a great challenge for us this week.......

The 19th January was National Popcorn Day, so let's add some 'POP' to our cards be it by creating a card that incls the theme popcorn; creating a Pop Up Card; just Popping up your image using foam tape or just adding a Pop of color to a black and white card.

I used a favorite retired SU stamp for my image.  I popped up the 'spotlighted' panel which was colored with Copics.  The sentiment was from MFT.

Be sure to check out the popped creations by the rest of the DT at the Crazies Blog.

Sesame Street Influences the CCEE Stampers

Our hostess for November is Frances.  Here iis her challenge for the CCEE Stampers this week.....

The 10th November is Sesame Street Day, this year celebrates 46 years since the show started. Create a card the is inspired by this show … You could feature any of the characters from the show; something related to a character eg garbage bin or cookies; or feature a letter of the alphabet etc.

Well..... I had nothing I could relate to Sesame Street, so I went with a sentiment that I think relays the 'attitude' of the Sesame Street community.  The color yellow also reminds me of Big Bird.  The actor who plays Big Bird lives in a town nearby, so that is the character we know the most about as he has been active in local events through the years.

Be sure to stop in and visit the CCEE Blog as I have a feeling that the other team members were able to do this challenge in a more literal way.

The CCEEers Get Reflective

Maryann continues as the CCEE Stampers Challenge hostess.  This is her challenge.

Hi ,
It's Maryann here with today's challenge. This week I have chosen to create something with reflections, with the suggestion that  it could be in a mirror or on water or a verse that looks into the past.

 I used a stamp by Stampscape and a rock formation that I think is also Stampscape.  The tree/rocks stamp already had some shading on it, but I added the tree reflections.  I did it by stamping on acetate and then 'stamping' it below the original stamped trees.  I colored with Copics and added piercing around the edges.  The sentiment is from MFT.

Be sure to stop by the CCEE Blog to see the reflective creations created by the rest of this talented and friendly team.

CCEE Stampers Play with Acetate

Maryann continutes as the CCEE Stampers Challenge hostess for October.  Here is her challenge.

Maryann here for today's challenge. I am asking the girls to please use Acetate in any form for their project.

I did my own version of the smacking acetate technique only I used Brushos.  After several failed attempts, I went with using just yellow Brusho, sprinkled on the acetate sheet.  This way I could be sure of the 'spread' of the powder, an issue I have when I do it directly to paper.  I then misted the powder and acetate with water and placed my paper face down on the acetate.  I then let it dry naturally and heat embossed my image by I Brake for Stamps onto the panel.  The SU sentiment was also heat  embossed .  I then added the piercing around the edges of the base card and placed three brads above the sentiment.

Be sure to visit the CCEE Blog to view the acetate related creations by the rest of this fabulous DT.

CCEE Stampers Swap Ideas

 

 

 

Lois continues as our CCEE Stampers Challenge hostess for September.  This is her challenge for this week.....

It's Thursday, CCEE Stampers challenge day.  I, Lois, am continuing as hostess for the month of September.    In honor of today's weird holiday (Swap Ideas Day), I'm asking you to make a card using a technique you've learned and want to share.  Either describe the details of the technique or link to a tutorial on the web.

I decided to share a technique that was a challenge at Splitcoast long ago.  I always loved the results, especially when used as a background for a simple card.  It is called Really Groovy Retro. 

Here are the directions given by Beate at Splitcoast.

Beate's Directions:
Retro technique is super easy and way fun. Take three colors from the same
color group (e.g. here blues) one light, one medium and one dark. Take a piece
of glossy white CS and use post it notes to cover up areas at random. It looks
better if you keep the them straight. Take your darkest color and brayer over
the entire CS. Next take some of your post it notes of and brayer over with
your medium color. Then take the rest of the notes of and brayer again with
 your lightest color. Done. You have a cool background. Stamp however you
like.

HERE are the directions I used on my card.

 I must admit though that I do it the OPPOSITE of Beate's directions.  I cover my glossy white cardstock with post it tape any areas I want left white.  I then sponge my first color over the entire area left open.  After that I cover larger areas with post it tape, sometimes covering areas already taped.  I then sponge on my second darker color.  I then repeat the process with a third and darkest color.  After you are sure it is all dry, you then remove all post it tape and.....voila....you have a retro design to play with.

I think my directions work best for me as it uses the same coloring technique that I use in Ukrainian/Polish egg decorating, known as pysanky.  You build up to the darkest.  So that is the way I go with this technique.

So....you can try Beate's directions or mine, but I look forward to seeing your creations using this technique.  Play along with us and be sure to check out the techniques used by the other fabulous CCEE Stampers at the CCEE Blog.

The CCEE Stampers Are Rolling Along

Liz is the CCEE Stampers Challenge hostess for June.  This is her challenge......

 Summer seems to just be "rolling" right in. This week is going to be a technique challenge to use a brayer. You can google "stamping techniques using brayers" to get some fabulous ideas to try. If you don't have a brayer, try some other things that can roll on ink or paint! Be creative and have fun!

The only stamp I used this week is the sentiment which is from SU>  The background is layered.  The bottom layer was done with a brayer and a Big Juidy ink pad with graduated ink from the greens to the blues..  After brayering, I then placed a stencil over the base and sponged some 'mustard' ink over the stencil, creating the boxed areas.  I then used another stencil, placeing it in the upper left of the base and sponged Tuxedo Black ink to create the large bloom.  As a finishing detail I added paper piercing.  I must say that I just love the drama of this card.....may have to try that background again with other colors.  It is perfect for silhouettes, too.

Now be sure to visit the CCEE Blog to see the fabulous brayer techniques used by the rest of this fabulous team.

CCEE Stampers Get Inky with their Acrylics

Welcome to the CCEE Stampers Challenge.  For the month of May, I (Joanne/jojot) am your hostess.  For the challenges this month, we are going to concentrate on tools and embellishments rather than themes.  Please feel free to do a faux version if you do not have the tool or embellishment.

  Here is this week's challenge.......
Get out your acrylics and your inks. I want you to create a background using inks, but no stamps or embossing folders. I also want something acrylic on your card/project. (You certainly may use stamps for your main panels….only the background must be made without stamps or embossing folders.

 Last week I went CAS with my card.  This week I worked way too hard on this one.  However, in the end I am pleased with the results.  For my background I used some spray inks on watercolor paper.  My acrylic is obviously the see-through part of the card front.  Last week I took the easy way out with my paper flower, so this week I decided to make up for it with this paper bloom mace with MFT dies.  I used a button as the center and added foliage from a number of dies.  I added the iron work borders both in and out of the front panel to hide where I adhered the acrylic sheet.

Hope you have time to stop by the CCEE Stampers Blog to see the fab creations by this very talented and friendly team.

The CCEE Stampers -- Inlaid Die Cuts

Sabrina, the CCEE Stampers hostess for February is a technique savvy stamper.  This week she challenged us to use the inlaid die cut technique.  You can find a tutorial on this technqiue at Splitcoaststampers.

I went CAS with mine.  I have had, unfortunately, a need for sympathy cards, and my stash is very low, so I wanted to keep this clean and crisp for a serene sympathy card.  I used a fern die (I think it is from Cherry Lynn Designs, but am not sure)  along with a Spellbinders circle die.  I didn't exactly do it as the tutorial instructed, but my results are the same.  I added a sentiment from Hero Arts and some paper piercing around the edges.

Be sure to visit the CCEE Blog to see the fabulous inlaid die creations by the rest of this fabulous team.

The CCEE Stampers Play with Bleach

Vicky has been the hostess for the CCEE Stampers Challenge for the month of January.  For her last challenge this month she asked us to use the 'bleach technique'.  I have done this technique before and loved the results, so this was one technique challenge I did not dread......however, I should have known that things can still go wrong.

I heat embossed my image and started 'painting' the bleach on my petal areas.  I had chosen Pumpkin Pie as my cardstock as I had wonderful results in the past.  However, after applying bleach a few times and letting it dry or heat drying it, the bleached area is not very different from the original color.  I think my bleach may be old.  We rarely use bleach in our house, so it is probably several years old.  So when you see that my color difference is very small, please understand the problem.

However, I still like the effect and the technique, so thanks to Vicky for getting me out of my comfort zone once again.

Now be sure to go and see the fabulous results achieved by the rest of this wonderful DT at the CCEE Blog.

The Opposing Crazies

 

The Crazy4Challenges DT hostess this month is Peggy.  She asked us to use opposites this week.  Could be any kind of opposites, based on color, shape, etc.

I went with my fav opposites of BLACK and WHITE.  Gotta love that combo, eh????

I used an old SU set for the bloom and a MFT sentiments set for the sentiment.

Be sure to check out how the rest of the Crazies found their 'opposites' at the Crazies Blog.

Etching Along with the CCEE Stampers

Vicky, our hostess for the CCEE Challenges in January, asked us to use a technique called stamp etching this week.  There is a tutorial for this at Splitcoaststampers at this link.

I can't wait to see what the other DT members did with this technique.  This is only my second time trying it and have not perfected it yet.

I used a stamp set from SU for my images and one from Hero Arts for my sentiment.

Be sure to visit the CCEE Blog to check out the stamp etches projects/cards by this fabulous team.

CCEE Shows Off Their Telescoping Skills

Lynn and Liz have their last November challenge for the CCEE Stampers this week.  They asked us to use the telescoping technique.  A fabulous tutorial of this can be found at Splitcoaststampers.  I used my current fav floral set from Penny Black Stamps.  I used my Spellbinder hexagon dies to create my 'telescopic' image.

Be sure to go to the CCEE Blog to check out the telescopic creations of the rest of the team.

Going 'Technie' with the CCEE

Maryann is the CCEE Stampers Challenge hostess for November.  This week she asked us to make cards using the bargello technique.  This happens to be a technique that I really like so I was glad to play with it again.

Instead of using for my entire background,  I used it for a small panel on the bottom of the design.  Splitcoast has a wonderful tutorial on this technique if you want to check it out.  The only stamping was the leaf.  I did not put a sentiment as I am undecided if I will use it for a Thanksgving card or a masculine birthday card.  We shall see......!!!!

Be sure to visit the CCEE Stampers Blog to see how the rest of the team enjoyed this technique.

Crazy for Leaves

It is now the Fall season, and the leaves take on the magnificent colors of Autumn.  For the Crazy4Challenges DT, we were asked to use leaves in some way on our cards/projects.

I used a set by Penny Black.  I did add some lines to the original stamped images, trying a simplified version of Lydia's tutorial on stamp etching.  It does add a bit more depth to the image.  May have to try a more expanded version next time.

I fussy cut out the sunflower and leaves, used a MFT die for the sentiment panel, embossed the background, paper pierced the base, and add three brads.

Be sure to go 'leaf peeking' at the Crazies Blog.  There are sure to be plently of leaves to gaze upon.

The CCEEers Play with Herringbone

This week the CCEE Stampers have a technique challenge.  We were to use the herringbone technique to create our background.  There is a fabulous tutorial for this on Splitcoast.  Once you cut your strips, it is very easy.

I did mine with what I consider to be more masculine colors.  I always have lots of feminine cards, but am lacking with the masculine category.  I did not put a sentiment as this card could be for many occasions.  When I use it I will add an appropriate sentiment.

Now......try to take the time to go to the CCEE Blog to see the fabulous cards the DT created with this technique.  They will inspire you!!!!

The CCEEers Say Goodbye

The challenge for the CCEE Stampers this week was to say goodbye.  It can be any kind of a goodbye.......to a loved one who passed, someone going off to college, someone going on a trip......any type of goodbye you can thiink of.  I went with a sympathy card as my stash has gotten thin in this category plus I am building some new 'stashes' for holiday giving.  I used to make sets of cards, but now find that my friends enjoy getting a box of all occasion cards so that is my goal right now.

Be sure to go to the CCEE Stampers Blog to see the fabulous creations by this warm and friendly AND uber talented team.