MFT Sketch Challenge 389

June 18, 2018June 18, 2018 curlesuecardsLeave a comment

Happy Monday and welcome back! This is my first blog post in my new house, featuring the first card I made in my new craft room! To say I am excited is an understatement.

The card I am sharing today is for this week’s MFT Sketch Challenge. After taking a few weeks off, I was really struggling to find my mojo. It didn’t help that I ordered a whole bunch of new items after I closed on the house (turns out my closing cost were A LOT less then what was estimated.

Since my mojo was missing, I decided to organize my new items, and check out the sketch challenges. Not only is my card inspired by the sketch, but it’s also inspired by a card Barbara Anders designed (here). Her design is the reason I bought the Fireworks set.

Here is the sketch for this week.

Here is my card.

Unfortunately, the sun was not cooperating with me today. I used several Altenew inks to stamp the fireworks, and Hero Arts’ Silver Sparkle Embossing powder for the sparks and stars. I cut out the fireworks panel using the Mod Rectangles and layered it onto a Grout Gray card base with fun foam. I used the WOW die cut on Silver Sparkle cardstock and layered it on 4 white sets. The message from You Wow me was stamped on vellum and heat embossed in Hero Arts Silver. The envelope is MFT Metallic Silver.

I had a lot of fun making this card, but also was frustrated. I didn’t realize how rusty I was going to be, and I made some mistakes. I guess I forgot that it took time to get to where I was, and it takes practice.

Thanks for stopping by and hanging out while I worked through this house stuff. I’m happy to be back and sharing cards with you.

Nicole

Kit Unboxing · New Products

Hero Arts June My Monthly Hero Unboxing

June 13, 2018 curlesuecardsLeave a comment

Hey guys! Just popping in real quick to share a post for the June My Monthly Hero kit! I don’t have a card to share, like I normally would, but I did get to test out the ink spray included in the kit!

Here are the kit contents:

First of all, check out the cute new packaging!

Super cute! Let’s open that baby up!

Look at all that fun! Love the bright stickers!

I can’t wait to try out the layering ocean and cloud Stamps! All of the Design Team cards were stunning. I love the hello written in the sand too, and the Adirondack chair. Such a great kit!

Here are the matching dies.

And the fun stuff! Four new ink cubes, those bright stickers, the sand embossing powder and…sea foam shimmer spray!!!

So, of course I had to try the spray out. Since I’m currently “camping,” in my condo before we move our furniture tomorrow, all I had to test it on was the packing slip from the kit. And of course I’m working with horrible lighting.

You can see it’s still wet, but I think I captured a little bit of the shine in the second picture. It’s a lot less green when it dries, and totally gorgeous! I promise I’ll share better sample soon.

Guess what? I painted my new craft room! I wasn’t sure if I was going to get to it before we moved. My hands are still swollen from it, but I did it!

Here is a sneak peek.

This was taken right after the last coat, at almost 8 at night, and the tape is till up. I can’t wait to see it in daylight, all cleaned up.

We officially move tomorrow, and I’ll share a post with before and after pictures of my craft room. I was able to roll out the rug for the room too, before I painted though. It’s gorgeous!

Can you tell I’m excited? Really, at this point, I just want it all done. Between all the physical labor and fighting with my landlord, I’m over it!

Back to card making :)! In celebration of my new house, and with the spending freeze over, I may have gotten a little carried away with craft purchases. I grabbed some new MFT and Concord and 9th, along with some items from Altenew and Stamping Bella I had my eye on for a bit. So, lots to share once I get my room put together!

Thanks for stopping by!

Nicole

Making Cards · New Products · Rambling

Concord & 9th Hooray!

June 8, 2018May 28, 2018 curlesuecards3 Comments

Happy Friday!! I’ve got another weekend of manual labor ahead of me, with little crafting… But I do have some cards to share with you today. I finally have the post with C&9’s Triple Step Hooray and Confetti Card dies.

I do need to apologize, I didn’t get the chance to use really get creative with these. The designs are very similar. As I get more time with this set, I’ll try new things. I also highly recommend checking out the post on the C&9 store for these sets. They have tons of great ideas!

The first thing I did was stamp Triple Stamp Hooray in a ton of colors. I thought I had pictures of all the panels, but I don’t and now they are packed up (or cards below). I did stamp some in my favorite Delicata shimmer inks, which I will share when I dig all my stuff out again!

Here is my first card, which pretty much set the tone for the rest.

I used three inks for Altenew’s Tea Party set (Altenew inks are great for this). Then I used the two larger dies from Confetti cards to cut out the panel and the confetti images.

I added some of Simon Says Stamps’ Crimson glitter cardstock behind the die cut confetti. Yummy!

I stamped the sentiment from the Hooray kit in the lightest Altenew ink that I used (Coral Bliss) and added it with foam tape. I brushed it with clear Wink of Stella too.

The card base is MFT’s Wild Cherry, with a matching Red Velvet envelope from Gina K.

Next up is a card I made as a special request from a friend, to use as a birthday card for her Dad.

This panel was stamped with Altenew’s Sweet Dreams inks, then trimmed down to I think 4″ x 4″. I cut a panel of Gina K’s new Tranquil Teal about 1/4 of an inch bigger, then used a MFT Snow Cone card base. The sentiment is also from the Triple Step Hooray set, added with foam tape. For this card, I stamped the confetti images instead of die cutting them.

Last up is pretty much a copy of the first, with differnet cards. My friend also needed a graduation card, and she loved the design of the first card.

For this card, I stamped the Triple Step Hooray in Altenew Jet Black, Delicata Red Shimmer and Silver Shimmer. The glitter card stock is the same, and the sentiment was stamped in Delicata Red too. Even the card base and envelop are the same. Why mess with a good thing? lol

As I mentioned, I recommend checking out the C&9 website. They have so many awesome designs to help spark creativity, unlike my post. Hopefully I can redeem myself soon, if I can even find my stamps!

Thanks for stopping by! I really appreciate you sticking with me through this crazy time!

Nicole

Challenges · Making Cards · New Products

Hero Arts Challenge- Watercolor

June 6, 2018May 28, 2018 curlesuecards2 Comments

Happy Monday! I spent a crazy weekend moving small stuff into the new house, and am exhausted! But, I wanted to take a quick minute to share the card I made for the May Challenge from A Blog Named Hero.

The challenge this month was to use watercolor.

I wanted to use the new card kit for this challenge, and also need to make something a bit quick. Here is my card:

I stamped the trunk and branch images from the kit in Versamark ink, on the kit’s watercolor paper, along with the sentiment. Then I heat embossed them in white. I sprinkled Atlantis Burst Nuvo Shimmer Powder on the panel and sprayed it heavily with water.

I also mixed some of the Shimmer Powder with water on my craft mat, and brushed it around the branches.

I added some jewels from Lucy’s Cards and added the watercolor panel to a Neenah Classic Crest Solar White Card base.

It’s a pretty simple card, but I enjoyed making it. There is something about that shimmer powder… it’s gorgeous!

Thanks for stopping by!

Nicole

Challenges · Making Cards · New Products

Floral Challenge-Missed Deadline

June 4, 2018May 30, 2018 curlesuecardsLeave a comment

Oof! I am paying for all the work put in this weekend! Moving is no joke, and I’m just moving the small stuff right now…

So, in true Nicole style, I missed the deadline for the Where Creativity Meets C9 May challenge… but I might as well share my cards with you!

Since I had all those panels I created with the Painted Rose set, I thought this was the perfect opportunity to use them!

I took the panel with the Lavender Pearl embossing powder and die cut it. Then I went through my alcohol ink panels to find one that matched. I added the rose to the panel with foam tape, then tried to figure out that to do for the sentiment.

I die cut the Hey There from Fabulous Phrases out of both MFT Boysenberry and Summer Splash card stock, intending to use one of the colors. I could decide which one, so I layered them together, a little offset. I’m pretty sure this is the first time I’ve tried this, although I’ve seen it used a lot. I like the effect!

I added a couple of Nuvo Glitter Drops in Purple Rain, and slapped on a Neenah Classic Crest Solar White card base. Pretty happy with how this quick card turned out. I had so much fun. I made a second card!

While I had the Painted Rose panels out, I was inspired with another design.

This card is fairly similar. This panel uses Hero Arts Pink Primsa embossing powder on Lawn Fawn Black Licorice cardstock. Instead of die cutting the rose, I used the outside die from Confetti Cards.

I cut the sentiment from You’re My Happy out of MFT Tickled Pink four times and layered them together. I brushed tons of clear Wink of Stella over the letters, as well as the leaves. Pink Lucy’s Cards jewels accent the image along with some clear Nuvo Drops. The card base is also Tickled Pink, with a matching shimmery envelope.

I think this card is my favorite, out of the two. There is something about the combination of the pink and black, with the shimmer in the embossing powder and Wink of Stella…it’s gorgeous in person!

Thanks for stopping by!

Nicole

Challenges · Rambling

Where There is a Will….

June 1, 2018May 27, 2018 curlesuecardsLeave a comment

Welcome back and happy June! I am officially a home owner!!! We closed yesterday. As you can imagine, I’ll be pretty busy the next couple of weeks. Here is a peak at my new craft room:

fullsizeoutput_27ed

I can’t wait to show you the after pictures!!!

The movers are scheduled for 6/14, but I’ll be running items over to the new house in my spare time (it’s only about 5 miles away). I was really worried that I would have to take a break from posting, but I think I found a way around it. The 30 Day Coloring Challenge!!!

It’s perfect! The challenge starts today, all you have to do is spend a little time coloring, and it provides a few minutes of peace in the crazy coming up! Besides, this is the 10th anniversary of the coloring challenge. I had to find a way to participate!

I prepped by stamping a bunch of images to color.

This time I didn’t focus on stamping images for cards, but instead images I wanted to color for fun.

I also used a different, Copic friendly black ink, on each piece. This way I can test them out again

I even stamped a couple of images on dark cardstock and watercolor cardstock. You can see Concord and 9th’s Wonderful image was a favorite.

I didn’t stamp a ton, as I know I won’t have a lot of time or energy. I plan to color a little bit at a time. I can pack up all of my craft supplies and just leave out my markers and watercolors.

I do have a couple of post to share this week, with cards I made ahead of time. Once I have exhausted those post, I’ll share my coloring every couple of days.

Thanks for stopping by!

Nicole

Challenges · Making Cards

MFT Sketch Challenge 386

May 30, 2018May 30, 2018 curlesuecardsLeave a comment

Hello, and welcome back! Today I have a quick post for you, to share the card I made for MFT’s Sketch Challenge 386.

I have to admit right away that I was inspired by Donna Mikasa’s card. I pretty much Cased her card. But, it was so pretty, and I need a quick and simple design.

Here is my card;

My original plan, much like Donna’s card, was to cut the Mesmerizing Mandala from white cardstock, and layer it over an alcohol ink panel. But, then I started about thinking of ways to switch it up and decided to cut the mandala from the alcohol ink panel. I had a panel with some splotchy areas that perfectly fit the mandala.

I usually cut the mandala shape several times, to give it dimension. This time I only cut it once. Instead. I added a bunch of White iridescent Lucy’s Cards jewels.

The sentiment is from Anything But Basic Birthday Wishes, and I die cut it using Stitched Fishtail Sentiment Strips. I added the sentiment with foam tape, and wrapped it up with Gina K Design’s Passionate pink card base and matching envelope.

See, quick and simple. Trying to squeeze out a couple more cards before I absolutely have to pack.

Thanks for stopping by!

Nicole