The New Flatness

I really wanted to push myself a little further with a one layer card. I was looking at Taylor's new sketch and was possessed to attempt it in one layer. I happened to be talking to Lysa at the time and she dared me to add Kristina's new colors into the mix, too. I couldn't pass up that challenge!

A special card for the special Hero Arts blog birthday!

Taylor's Sketch

















Kristina's Colors










Three Challenges: All in One Layer
Supplies:
HA Clear Design Cupcakes
Colorbox Lime Pastel, Ice Blue, and Dark Brown chalk inks (sponged)
Making Memories ribbon
Favorite Findings buttons
pearl stickers









I used a lot of scraps for various mats (lots of thinking on this one! Which part to sponge first?) and some strategic Xactoing for the ribbon.

So flaaat:

One Layer = Hard!

It's a special week over at the Hero Blog - It's the blog's first birthday! In honor of that, this week's challenge is to use only one paper layer (ribbon, gems, buttons, etc all still allowed). Talk about hard, I learned to make cards by mounting my images and using more than one layer. Plus stamping and coloring directly on the finished piece? Can't cover that up if you mess it up! I did find one elusive, one layer card I had attempted many moons ago. I remember I had abandoned it because I didn't like its lack of layers! Needless to say this week was a true challenge for me. Especially after seeing all the amazing creations on the blog and in the Flickr group, definitely some true works of art and some amazing faux layers - stunning optical illusions!

Here are my creations. Honestly I can't tell if I like them. I don't not like them, but I just have a hard time in a one layer mindset! "Hmm, are they missing something? Well, what would you add? Another layer!"

I started the easy route with a HA Card Art stamp:
Supplies:
HA CardArt Flower Thank You
HA flower gems
Stickles - stardust
pearl stickers
buttons unknown
colored with Copics











A Day to Celebrate
Supplies:
HA large and small solid circles
HA solid narrow rectangle
HA Clear Design Birthday Messages
Colorbox Chalk inks
Cakes colored with copics
Offray ribbon
K & Co. gems
Stickles - Yellow (on cake candles)






A harder one on Kraft paper (white paper is much easier!)
Supplies:
HA I love my Dog
HA small solid circle
Doodlebug Tags
Colorbox Chalk inks
Tea Dye Distress ink
Pup, frame, and ball Copic'd
Offray ribbon
Pearl stickers
Favorite Findings buttons
Ranger Glossy Accents ("drool" on ball, kind of hard to see)


Phew! I do have one more that was a special effort. Stay tuned for that post! (Or click here)

Kitten Gardening

The BFF (remember her from here?) had a birthday this week, so I did what any good pal would do and grew her a cat.

Meow:
Supplies:
DCWV paper
Bazzil Dotted Swiss paper
Magenta cat image
HA Clear Design Birthday Messages
Favorite findings buttons
Offray ribbon
Ranger Glossy Accents (on nose)
K & Co. gemstone
Pearl stickers








Now with added dimension:

















Happy Birthday, Ashley!

Tiptoe Through the Tulips

I got this kitty stamp at the stamp show - four weeks ago! He's been sitting around, colored, since then just waiting for the perfect card.

Enter TECC #61:














Tulips are my favorite!
Supplies:
SEI Dill Blossom patterned papers
Bazzil Dotted Swiss paper
Magenta stamp
Ranger Glossy Accents (on kitten's nose)
Flowers unknown
Favorite findings button
Hemp cord

Raspberry Suite Color Challenge

Dawn McVey is now doing a color challenge! Her color combinations are always vibrant and lovely so I definitely wanted to give this week's challenge a try.

The colors:














The Attempt:
Supplies:
DCWV papers
Bazzil Dotted Swiss paper
SU! Warm Words
Heidi Grace patterned and felted flowers
La Di Dah Courtyard felted shapes
Making Memories Ribbon
Pearl stickers






I do wish my green were a little lighter, but this is the closest I had to the sample. I do like how it turned out though.

Here's a closer look at the big flower:

A Fun Hybrid

Since I hate putting things away I usually have a ton of paper and scraps out from cards I've just made (or attempted and abandoned). I pulled this one together with the leftovers I had laying around after my Color Inspiration and Window cards. Not for any contest, this one's just for fun:

Supplies:
DCWV papers
Clearly Wordsworth Sweet Pea
Offray Ribbons
JoAnn brand buttons
Stickles - Yellow









Everybody now! "You make me happy when skies are gray! You'll never know, dear, how much I love you. Please don't take my sunshine away!"

Windows (Not from Microsoft)

This week's Hero Arts challenge is Window Cards. I've been a little slow on the window ideas so this is the only entry I have so far (well, I did re-enter my cheese). Not sure if I'll get to another before the weekend is up, but windows will be on my mind!

A Nice Day...

















...To Play
Supplies:
DCWV papers
HA Clear Design Love my Dog
HA Clear Design Love my Cat
HA Clear Design Elephants (the clouds are the tree minus the trunk from that set)
K & Co. gemstones
Favorite Findings buttons
Offray Ribbon

Color Inspiration #47

I had coincidentally used yellow and brown on a previous card this week (see future window post here) so was excited to see this week's color inspiration - No need to dig out a bunch of new papers!











Thinking of You
Supplies:
DCWV papers
Penny Black Love in Bloom
HA Clear Design Messages
Favorite Findings buttons
Offray Ribbon

The Mighty Jungle

For this week's installment of Taylor's Cupcake Challenge, I finally went out and got the oval nestabilities. I've been thinking about them for a long time! Eventually I'll get their scalloped partners, but that's another day, another coupon. I also got to put my new jungle critters to good use!

Here's the sketch:

















Giraffe Family
Supplies:
DCWV papers
Offray ribbons
Autumn Leaves Mindy's Zoo

A Spring Scene

Another new thing I thought I'd try is to make a little scene on one of my cards. It started because I thought it would be cute to have an elephant and duck playing in the water, wasn't sure what else to do around that other than try a springy scene.

Fun & Laughter
Supplies:
Bazzil Bling cream cardstock
DCWV patterned paper
HA Clear Design Elephants
HA Clear Design Playful Animals
HA Ink n Stamp Birds and Branches
Fiskars Celebrate (sentiment)
Stickles
Ranger Glossy accents
Pearl Stickers
K & Co. gemstones
Simply grossgrain ribbon