Yellow and Black Card

 

I created this card for the Pink Elephant's challenge this week.  I used bold black and yellow colors and added a piece of vintage lace decorated with black faux rhinestone ribbon.  I spray inked the butterfies and finished it off with crystal gems.  Simple, yet striking.  I love color challenges.  Here is the inspiration picture.

Color Challenge Bird

I created this card for the color challenge #5 at Cosmic Strawberry.  I started with a patterned card and added a glittered, colorful background.  The lace section at the bottom is made with a Martha Stewart punch.  I inked a chipboard bird and placed it over a flourish that I cut on my CraftRobo.  Since fall is just around the corner, I decided to add a few leaves that I diecut from a Tim Holtz die.  The Vagabond cuts materials like burlap and thick cardstock easily.

Sketch with Color Blocking

I created this card for a sketch challenge at Die Cuttin Divas.  It was tough not making a vintage style card, but this one didn't need lace.  I used corrugated cardstock for texture and the patterned papers came from a 6x6in pad of paper called Fabrications from Teresa Collins.  I layered my cloud shaped diecuts and added a K & Co. dimensional sticker.  I love being challenged by sketches.

Key Challenge

We have a new challenge at Ruby's Rainbow Challenges this week.  This challenge is sponsored by me and it is to create something with keys.  I love the look of vintage keys and I think they work well with old fashioned embellishments.  I started by embossing my background with a key pattern and then I inked the design to make the keys pop.  I added vintage lace and an antique brass buckle.  I used some Tim Holtz stickers and a clock covered bottlecap.  I hope you will be inspired to create something with a key for this fun challenge.

Spiffy Snowman

Our new challenge at Sparkles Christmas Challenges is to create something with a snowman.  I chose a K & Co. diecut that I altered with a little snowy embossing powder and glitter.  My favorite part of the card is the watercolor background.  I started by stamping snowflakes with Staz-On ink onto watercolor paper.  Then I added Distress Stain and added lots of water.  I love the soft look of the blended colors.  I also embossed the edges and corners with a little snowy embossing powder.  The bottom punched border was super hard to photograph because it is holographic cardstock.  Be sure and show us your snowman creation and check out our sponsor Crafty Ribbons.  You could win a $10 voucher.

American Made Martha Stewart Contest

 

To all of my talented card making friends and teamies, my family and I are nominees in the Martha Stewart American Made contest.  We need FB shares to be chosen as a finalist.  I would love it if you all could click this link and choose share to help us advance to the finals.

 

We are excited to be part of this contest.  Thanks for "sharing" for us!

Colorful Metal Flowers

 

I have been busy making colorful metal flowers today.  I started with a plain, antique brass metal flower component.  I used Perfect Medium ink that I added with a paintbrush.  I sprinkled on embossing powder and melted.  You can add layer after layer.  Be careful because the metal gets very hot.  I will use Ice Resin to seal the flowers that I plan to use for jewelry.  You can find the brass flowers at Dry Gulch.

 

Watercolor Challenge

 

I have been playing around with a little watercolor because I finally got some of the Tim Holtz Distress Watercolor Cardstock.  I am so glad I did because it is the best watercolor paper ever.  It really stands up to lots of water and repeated drying cycles.  This card is very simple compared to most of my designs, but sometimes simple is best.  My daughter Alex watercolored the saying.  I am entering this card in the watercolor challenge at Party Time Tuesdays.

 

The kids all tried their hands at watercoloring with distress inks tonight.  I think they did a great job!

Back to School

Our new challenge theme at Ruby's Rainbow Challenges is "Back to School".  School started today for lots of students including my son, Joey.  It was his first day of college.  I wanted to stick with my usual vintage theme, so I found several studious ephemera pieces and layered them.  I distressed and inked edges and added a piece of a ruler as well as a pen nib.  Be sure to stop by Ruby's and see what the other design team members created.  Of course, we want to see what you create as well.

"N" for Natural Challenge

The new challenge at Alphabet Challenges is "N" for Natural.  This project has to use something natural like a pressed flower or a seed pod.  I chose chicken feathers from our very own chickens.  We have very colorful birds that lay beautifully colored eggs including green, blue and chocolate brown.  I added layers of vintage lace with a Martha Stewart paper punched border.  The antique brass filigree is from Dry Gulch.  Be sure to stop by and see what the other design team members created.  We would love to see your natural element card.

Birthday Card for Joey

 

My son Joey is turning 18 years old so I created this old-world style card for him.  I used a sketch as my inspiration and focused on vintage elements.  The vintage buttons all came from my grandmother in Illinois.  I added twine to the map tag and a metal hand to the clock.  I hope he likes it!

I am entering this card in the following challenges:
Crafty Chicks - Anything Goes
Sister Act - Anything Goes
Fan-Tastic Tuesday - Anything Goes - Square

Dry Gulch August Color Design Challenge Card

This is my entry for the August Color Design Challenge at Dry Gulch.  This was not a color palette that I would normally choose which made the challenge even more fun.  I used a painted antique copper filigree corner layered over handmade, crinkly paper.  The flower cluster has antique brass charms and a patinaed filigree flower.  I added a seed bead leaf, a butterfly charm and a resin leaf to accent the flowers.  I finished the card off with pearl gem flourishes.

I hope all of my card friends and design teamies will stop by the Dry Gulch Challenges page and show us what you can create with our Color Design Challenge.  Entries are eligible to win a $25 gift certificate to Dry Gulch and any medium is welcome.  We will have a brand new color palette for September.

 

The Sewing Room

I was inspired to create this sewing themed card by the current challenge at A Little Bit Crafty.  I stitched and distressed the background paper and added a chipboard doily.  The dressform is a Tim Holtz diecut from grunge paper that I embossed, painted and inked.  The thread bobbin is from the same Tim Holtz cutting die.  The pin strip is from a vintage spool of dressmakers pins that I found at the Robin's Nest.  The flower in the bottom corner is made from an old pattern.  The lace and buttons are all vintage and from my grandmother's farm house in Illinois.  It seems I have plenty of sewing related items.

I am also entering this card in the following challenges:
Pile It On - stitching
Digi Choosday - Shabby Chic
Milk Coffee Challenges - 2 or more diecuts

For the Birds

Our new challenge at Ruby's Rainbow Challenges is "For the Birds".  I chose a chipboard bird and birdcage for my card.  I found a beautiful piece of vintage lace that has blue flowers on it and layered it over a Martha Stewart punched piece of paper lace.  I added a little tissue tape and some pearl gem stickers.  The FLY tag was made from a punch as well.  I hope you will stop by Ruby's Rainbow and show us your creation.

Color Design Challenge Inspiration

I am working on the Color Design Challenge by Dry Gulch and I have come up with quite a few ingredients so far.  I have painted an antique copper filigree, a brass flower and a brass charm with distress paints.  These jewelry findings came from Dry Gulch and they are very versatile.   I had planned to use the pink flower for a necklace, but I think it will be perfect on this card.  I plan to have my card finished in a few days.  I hope you were inspired by our color challenge - we would love to see what you create.

Design Color Challenge

 

Design with color and inspire your creativity!

 Welcome to the

Dry Gulch Color Design Challenge!

Every month Dry Gulch Beads and Jewelry will be hosting a challenge for creative artisans everywhere.  Be inspired and unleash your creative talents!  What will you create?
{ petalled hues }

Use our colors to inspire your creativity!  Post your project using the color palette above.  Your design will be eligible to win a $25 gift certificate to Dry Gulch Beads.

Anything can be created for this challenge, including; finished jewelry pieces, headbands, wearable pendants and pins, handmade cards, lampwork beads, cuffs, etc.  All creative techniques may also be used to create your projects, like seed-beading, sewing, metal-smithing, paper crafting, leather work, painting, etc.  The sky is the limit!  Show us how creative you are with our color palette.

For this challenge, Dry Gulch is offering a $25 gift certificate prize to the winner.  The judges will be looking for adherence to the color palette, creativity of the project’s design and effort.   You may purchase and use Dry Gulch components in your project, but that is not a requirement to win.

Your judges will be the 3 generations of women who create at Dry Gulch Beads and Jewelry.  The judges may create and post their own visions of the monthly color palette also, but for inspiration and presentation only. 

We’ll publish each created work on Facebook and here on this challenge page.  Add your photo in the comments on our Color Design Challenge Facebook post  or email us your photo to custserv@drygulch.com.  When uploading, you may add a description of your work.  If also Facebooking and/or blogging your Dry Gulch Color Design project, please add a link to the Challenge on your page. 

Entries for the Dry Gulch Color Design Challenge may be turned in from now until midnight CST, Sunday, August 31, 2014.

Snowflake Challenge

This month's new challenge at Sparkles Christmas Challenges is Snowflakes.  I chose muted, vintage colors for my card.  I used old fashioned wooden snowflakes along with a little tinsel trim for sparkle layered over a piece of vintage lace.  The card just wasn't complete without the lacy border at the bottom.  Stop by Sparkles and show us your snowflake creation.  This month's sponsor is Di's Digis who has generously offered a $10 voucher for the winner.

 

Pink Flower Inspiration

This card was inspired by the challenge at The Shabby Tea Room.  The project needs to have pink, cream and lace elements.  I chose a piece of ornate pink and cream lace and a diecut leaf cluster from K & Co. for the background.  I added a couple of "awesome flowers" and a cream glittery butterfly.  The filigree leaves are findings that we carry on our website Dry Gulch Beads.  I painted them with antique linen distress paint and bent them slightly for a little dimension.  I am also entering this card in the Anything Goes Challenge at Crafty Ribbons.

 

This is the inspiration photo

At the Beach Challenge

The theme for the new challenge at Ruby's Rainbow Challenges is "At the Beach".  My sand is the loopy lace at the bottom topped with my water, the crinkly seam binding ribbon.  I gave my fish dimension with Distress Stickles (I need more colors) and the shell epoxy sticker is from K & Co.  I hope you will stop by Ruby's and see what our talented design team members created.  We hope to see your beach card too!

Thanks Tag

Tag You're It! has a new challenge this week.  Bright colors and the crispness of the black and white make a nice contrast on this tag.  I searched for a piece of vellum, but I found these diecut flowers instead.  The THANKS letters were all different pastel colors so I painted them black and added crystal lacquer so they would shine.  I even found a piece of black lace. 

 

Here is the inspiraton tag.  Beautiful!

Sketch Challenge - Mojo Monday

Today's sketch challenge at Mojo Monday inspired me to create this card.  I inked a paper doily and added a lace sticker on the side.  The two pieces of lace hanging from the top were inked as well.  I guess I am officially addicted to lace.  I love the little metal flower and the leaf pins.  It looked like it still needed something, so I added the little butterfly sticker from K & Co. 

Magazine Challenge #10



 

 

 The next challenge in the 75 Creative Card Challenges Magazine is to use buttons that you create.  I have tons of buttons ready to go, but these buttons had to be made from scratch.  I decided to use burlap paper and since I do not have a circle punch, I cut the circles out by hand.  I am sure the paper was too thick for my CraftRobo cutting machine.  I painted the buttons with picket fence distress paint and then added a little blue stain.  I tied the buttons with embroidery floss but I didn't like the clumped up floss.  I used my new Tim Holtz tool to fray the thread.  I also used the scratchy tool to distress the vintage fleur card.  On to the next challenge!