Christmas Wings

It is Saturday already so that means a new challenge at Sugar Creek Hollow.  This week we want to see THINGS WITH WINGS - BIRDS and BUTTERFLIES - and BATS too.  Don't forget, we are a vintage and shabby chic challenge blog so make sure your cards or other paper-crafted projects are done in one of those styles.

This week I decided to try some of the things that Sue showed me when I visited her for a day on my recent trip to England.  Now I must put a disclaimer in here to say that unlike the fabulous things that Sue can do, my card only has some of the easier techniques- you have to walk before you run, right?

I started with the background and sponged a piece of card stock with Old Paper and Crushed Olive Distress Ink.  Then I took a big snowflake stamp, inked it with white ink and randomly stamped over the green.  I tried to emboss it with some clear embossing powder but I wasn't fast enough.  Once it all dried, I realized it didn't jump out so I took my 40% off coupon over to Michaels and bought Forest Moss Distress Ink.  I sponged that over everything and not only was the green colour more to my liking but the snowflakes popped - now I was happy.

I used my newly purchased crinoline and Tim Holtz Tattered Florals die (purchased at The Funkie Junkie Boutique) and made the big flower, which I dyed with Aged Mahogany Distress ink.  It wasn't as deep a colour as I wanted so I sponged more distress ink over each layer after they dried - now I was happy.  The bird is a digital stamp coloured with Prismacolors.  I knew the tag needed texture so I embossed it with a Forest Branches folder.  Yesterday I discovered something called diffusers which would have allowed the section with the bird to stay flat so needless to say that item has been added to my shopping list.

The snowflakes are little wood cuts that I bought in England and I sealed them with Mod Podge and then when they were dry I rubbed some gold Stickles on with my finger so there would be just a little bit of sparkle.

So I got inky and all in all I am happy with the result of this card but the best of all is that I have another Christmas card ready to go.  I am anxious to try some of the other things I learned so stay tuned.

I am going to enter this card in the following challenges:

C.R.A.F.T. Challenges - Make your own embellishments (Flower)
Crafting for all Seasons - Things with Wings
Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes
Whimsy Inspiration - Anything Goes
Emerald Faeries - Use a Tag
Creative Craft Challenges 2 - Anything Goes
Digital Tuesday - Say it with Flowers (must have digital element - mine is the cardinal)
Holly Jolly Christmas Challenge - Christmas Tags
Partytime Tuesdays - Anything Goes
The Stamping Boutique - Embossing
Card Mania Challenges - Handmade Flowers
Frosted Designs  - Embossing
Frilly and Funkie  - Linking in the Sunday Share

Image:  Christmas Cardinal (Tracy Vinson - no longer available)
Sentiment:  Computer Generated
Card Stock:  Staples
Colouring Medium:  Pencil Crayons (Prismacolors) with OMS (Gotrick)
Tools & Embellishments:  Aged Mahogany, Crushed Olive, Old Paper, Vintage Photo, Wild Honey Distress Inks (Ranger), Pearl Brad (Gartner), Gold Stickles (Ranger), Fibers (xx), Forest Branches Embossing Folder (Cuttlebug), Circle Punches (EK Paper Shapers), Moonlight White Archival Brilliance Ink (Tsukineko), Snowflake Wood Cuts (Manufacturer Unknown)

Vintage Animals

Our challenge to you this week at Sugar Creek Hollow is to make a card or other paper-crafted project featuring VINTAGE ANIMALS.

We will be choosing one random winner who will receive a digi of our choice along with at winner's badge to display.  The Design Team will choose their Top Pick and that creator will receive a winner's badge but will also be in the running for a monthly Guest Designer spot.

I am back from my two-week vacation in England and Rome.  We had a busy but lovely time and for the most part the weather co-operated.  I met up with Anne Ray, who was the DT Leader at Phindy's Place and we spent a day together in London visiting the Tower of London and chatting.  It was so nice to see her again.

I also spent a day with Sue Carrington, who was on the DT for Isabella's Sketchbook with me and she taught me a whole bunch of things about stamping, which is something I have never done before.  I can't wait to try what I learned.  It was so nice to meet her in person and we had a super day.

Unlike people here in Canada as well as those in the US, the people in the UK were able to see the Paralympics from London and I got to watch some of the action from the last week along with the Closing Ceremonies.  The athletes were inspirational and it was so much fun to watch.

I loved Rome and found the history almost overwhelming since there is so much to take in.  People drive and park like maniacs there and I was disappointed to see the amount of graffiti they have.  The food (and wine) are terrific and there is a little restaurant on almost every corner.

For my card this week, I have used a lovely image from The Graphics Fairy and paired it with some paper I also found online, some die cuts, a ribbon rose, a sentiment tag I created myself and a few pearls.

I am going to enter this card in the following challenges:

Whimsy Inspirations - Anything Goes
Creative Craft Challenges 2 - Anything Goes
Sassy Cheryl's - Die Cuts
Crafty Boots - Children's Stories
Make My Monday - Vintage Childhood
Crafty Ribbons - Vintage
Digi Doodle Shop - Anything Goes

Image:  The Graphics Fairy
Sentiment:  Computer Generated
Card Stock:  Cream (Staples), Blue (Recollections)
Papers:  Cuttlebeez
Tools & Embellishments:  Brad (Making Memories), Pearl Stickers (Recollections), Pearl Strand (Michaels), Old Paper Distress Ink (Ranger), Checked Ribbon (Michaels), Leaves (My Stash), Button & Floss (My Stash), Petite Scalloped Circle Nestabilities & Lacy Motifs Shapeabilities (Spellbinders), Scalloped Circle Die (Nellie Snellen)

Pretty in Pink

The challenge this week at Sugar Creek Hollow this week is called PRETTY IN PINK and we want you to make a vintage or shabby chic card in shades of pink.

We will be choosing one random winner who will receive a digi of our choice along with a winner's badge to display. The Design Team will choose their Top Pick and that creator will receive a winner's badge but will also be in the running for a monthly Guest Designer spot.

I found this vintage floral postcard online and paired it with lots of hot pink - a little old with a little new.

I am still away on vacation and will be going back to England from Rome tomorrow and then we head home on Wednesday. I am not looking forward to going back to same old, same old so hope that a winning lottery ticket is in my future so I can travel even more - love it.

Image: Ephemera's Vintage Garden  
Card Stock: Recollections  
Paper: Pink and Parchment (My Stash)  
Tools & Embellishments: Ribbon & Tulle (Fabricland), Button (My Stash), Pearls (Recollections), Lace Doily Motifs Shapabilities (Spellbinders)

Fabric Snowman

This week at Sugar Creek Hollow, we want you to make a vintage or shabby chic card and use FABRIC ( other than Ribbon or Lace).

As you can see I did use a tiny strip of ribbon on my card because I forgot that part of the challenge - daaah - but my snowman image is fabric.  I did remember that I bought a piece of printed cotton a couple of years ago with a bunch of Christmas images on it and I cut this one out, glued it onto card stock and then trimmed it before I framed it with the jute.  Here is a photo of the fabric and if you look closely at the bottom left corner you can see where I cut out the image and then laid it back down to take the photo.

The wonderful corrugated snowflakes were a gift from Linda (The Funkie Junkie) and I highlighted the raised parts with a bit of cream paint as I did with the kraft embossed strip.

I am on vacation in England as you read this so this is a scheduled post.  It is going to be a wonderful week because we are off to Rome next week for 6 days.  I hope all of you have a wonderful week too.

Image:  Fabric Snowman (Fabricland)
Sentiment:  The Beary Scrap
Card Stock:  Green (Wassau), Kraft (Rrecollections), Cream (Staples)
Papers:  Striped (Sandylion Sticker Designs), Polka Dot (Bo Bunny)
Tools & Embellishments:  Snowflake Punch Around the Page Set (Martha Stewart), Ribbon (Fabricland), Aged Mahogany Distress Ink (Ranger), Jute (My Stash), Buttercup Craft Paint (Americana by Deco Art)

Vintage School Days

The challenge this week at Sugar Creek Hollow is called VINTAGE SCHOOL DAYS, which is so timely because school has either just started or will be starting next week pretty well everywhere.  My five-year old Granddaughter is heading to Grade 1 on Tuesday and boy is she excited, especially after spending all day Thursday shopping with her Mommy for new clothes and school supplies.

We want you to make a vintage or shabby chic card  with a school theme and we will choose one random winner who will receive a digi of our choice and a winner's badge.  The  Design Team will also choose their Top Pick and that creator will also receive a winner's badge and will be in the running for a monthly Guest Designer spot.

I think this card inspired by the 50s image is fun and best of all I managed to make it flat so I can actually mail it without robbing a bank to pay for the postage.  I do want to warn you that the next few cards you will see from me are going to be pretty simple in their design because I am heading off on a vacation and had to rush to get all my cards done before I leave.  With the dreaded bookkeeping job that has taken so much of my time and a wicked migraine this week, I really did not have time to think about my designs.  But some good has come out of this - the headache is finally gone thanks to a lower barometric pressure, I got the cards done, the bookkeeping job will just be part-time when I return and I am off to England and Rome - woo hoo!

I am going to enter this card in the following challenges:

Creative Belli - Back to School
Digi Stamps 4 Joy - Back to School
Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes
Crazy Amigo Challenge - Back to School
Sassy Cheryl's - Back to School
4 Crafty Chicks - Back to School
Digi Doodle Shop Challenges - Vintage
Do You Stack Up - Back to School

Image:  Jacquie Oakley
Sentiment:  K& Company
Card Stock:  Cream (Staples)
Paper:  Summertime Designs
Tools & Embellishments:  Paper Clip (My office), Clock (Cut from Provo Craft Paper), Vintage Photo Distress Ink (Ranger), Letters (Computer Generated), Paper, Notebook, Ruler, Pencil Clip Art (Online)