Just Us Girls - Photo Week

Nancy has a fun, girly photo to inspire us for our Photo Week Challenge at Just Us Girls.  What little girl wouldn't want that bedroom?

Come play along with us at JUGS this week!  Wait until you see the fun creations the Design Team along with our Guest Designer - Lee Ann Barrett have come up with this week.

This photo inspiration had perfect timing for me, I needed a birthday card for my niece/goddaughter and these colors were perfect for her.  The stamp set is Lots of Lines by Gina K.  Randomly stamped the circles in Memento London Fog and Angel Pink and the smaller solid dots were stamped with Brilliance ink.  Stamped the sentiment directly on the card, but it seemed to get lost in the dots, so stamped again on white cardstock and die cut the banner cutting off the top of the d and the bottom of the y and lined it up over the first one.

If you come and play along in our challenge, you could be chosen as our next Chic of the Week, which gives you a shot at becoming our Guest Designer for the entire month of February!  Can't wait to see how this photo inspires you.  Please limit your entries to 3.

Masculine Birthday

Playing around watercoloring with Distress Inks and playing in some challenges, too.

TIME OUT - birthday with a masculine twist

STAMPlorations - April Challenge - Stamps & Technique




CASology - Wet

Stamped the images with Memories black ink on Tim Holtz Water Color paper then used distress inks to paint the scene.  I smeared the inks on my craft mat and added a little water off to the side.  Dipped the brush in the water then the inks.  The blue panel is Distress Ink direct to paper, sliding it from left to right.
Stamped the sentiment on blue vellum, heat embossed with white ep and attached over the image.
This card was inspired by Michele Zindorf's style.

Thanks for stopping by!

Just Us Girls Technique Challenge #236

Lisa is challenging us to make a watercolor background this week.  This is totally new to me, but I love to try new techniques and I think it is going to be one of my new favorites.

Don't forget to check out  our Guest Designer - Lee Anne.

I used  Twinkling H2Os in varying shades of orange for the background on Tim Holtz watercolor paper.  Then stamped the flowers and sentiment from Gina K in Memories Black ink after the background was dry.  Layered on black and onto SU Apricot Appeal.  Rounded one corner to add some interest.

Here are some links to the JUGS blog and design team

JUGs blog

Vicki Dutcher

Lisa Kind

Nancy Leppek

Maria Levine

Sharyn Polesel

Marisa Ritzen

Cheryl Rowley

Sue Trembeth

Sue VanDeVusse (me)

How to play: Please copy and use our graphic on your post. You need to upload your new project [no back dating please] for this week's challenge to your online blog or to a public photo gallery. Leave a link that goes directly to your project in the Linky Tools form at the bottom of this post. If you upload to online galleries, please use the keyword or tag, JUGS236. After you post to Linky Tools you may also leave a comment here.  We ♥ love hearing what you think of our challenges!

Deadline to be considered for the "Chic of the Week" is 9:00 PM EST on Thursday, April 17th . The Linky Tools form will close at that time.  Our "Chic of the Week", will be announced the following Friday morning. Thanks for playing along.  We can't wait to see what you create for Just Us Girls!

Cupcakes

Always in need of a birthday card so I used the Stamplorations sketch

Simon Says Stamp theme - Happy Easter and/or Sweet Treats

And the TIME OUT Challenge - Birthday with optional twist of make it masculine

I obviously did not go masculine!  Punched out squares of orange polka dot dp and rounded the two opposite corners on each.  Added white circles, but it looked too plain, so added the faux stitching with a black gel pen.  Added 2 strips of washing tape, lining them up, to the white layer.  The cupcakes are an old Sizzix die colored with Touch Twin markers and then stamped with the heart sprinkles from Gina K's Square Pegs.  Stamped the sentiment, also from Gina K in Versafine Onyx.  The card base is Gina K Pure Luxury Mango.

Thanks for taking a look!

Watercolor Background with Iron-Off Embossing

Playing around with a technique I learned from Jennifer McGuire's Blog - Watercolor Backgrounds and  Iron-off Embossing.  Be careful when you visit her blog, she is quite the enabler, she makes you need things you didn't know you needed.

I stamped the flourish with Versamark on watercolor paper and heat embossed with clear ep.  Added Distress Inks with sponges randomly on the watercolor paper and misted heavily to blend the colors.  Got impatient waiting for it to dry, so used my heat gun to speed up the process.  Inked the flowers with Distress Markers, lightly misted and stamped on white cardstock.  Framed the flowers with Core'dinations Shattered die cut with an oval frame, lightly sanded around the edges and adhered with Tombow Mono.  Added the leaves, died ribbon with threaded button - attached with a Tombow Power Tab, vellum butterfly (sponged with Brilliance Ink) and some Paper Pen pearls in cream.

Challenges:  Mod Squad Challenge Blog - make your own background paper

                   STAMPlorations Blog - Monthly Challenge - Stamps and Favorite Technique

                  The Card Concept -in the Shabby Chic category

               Time Out Challenge

           Tombow Challenge - April Showers - they do bring May flowers

Thanks for visiting!

You Rock!

I combined three challenges:
Stamplorations sketch

The Card Concept - to create a birthday card. I think this would qualify for Freestyle Collage.

The Mod Squad Challenge - ColorfuLEE Yours! color challenge to use reds and browns

I used the Gina K set Live Life Loud.  Stamped the guitar first with bronze ink and heat embossed with copper ep and colored with Touch Twin Markers.  Masked the guitar and stamped the rectangle and the music bars.  Removed the mask and stamped the sentiment.  Added a few little wooden stars that I won (thanks Laurie) to finish it off.

Ink:  Memento Lady Bug, Rich Cocoa and Espresso Truffle, Encore Bronze.

Thanks for dropping by!

Stamplorations Sketch

Using the sketch from the STAMPlorations Challenge Blog.

For the borders, I sponged Memento Bamboo Leaves and Olive Grove through a stencil, then stamped the flowers from Gina K in Bamboo Leaves.  Die cut the ribbon slider on white and Gina K Fresh Asparagus and cut out the white sentiment to layer on the green.  Folded a strip of washi tape in half and threaded through the ribbon slider.  So quick and easy!

Thanks for stopping by!

Just Us Girls Technique Challenge #231

Sharyn has a fun technique for us this week - Weathered Wood Background.  Here is a link for the tutorial.

And once again, please welcome our talented Guest Designer for March - Calypso!

I stamped the tulips from one of my favorite sets by Gina K - A Year of Flowers, colored with Touch Twin Markers and cut them out.  Die cut an oval from DCWV Burlap paper (it is burlap on the front and paper on the back) and sponged Black Soot Distress Ink around the edge and adhered the tulips.  I added more lines than the turtorial and black gel pen "nails".  Stamped the sentiment, also by Gina K with Memento Espresso Truffle ink, added a couple of word window punch pieces and a couple of black Paper Pen pearls.

Can't wait to see what you create with this fun technique!

Here are the links to the JUGS blog and design team

JUGs blog

Melissa Hubert

Vicki Dutcher

Lisa Kind

Nancy Leppek

Maria Levine

Sharyn Polesel

Marisa Ritzen

Cheryl Rowley

Sue Trembeth

Sue VanDeVusse (me)

This is also for the March Challenge at Stamplorations - Stamps and Spring

Just a reminder:  If you win Chic of the Week in any of our March  challenges, you are in the running to be chosen as our Guest Designer for the month of May.

How to play: Please copy and use our graphic on your post. You need to upload your new project [no back dating please] for this week's challenge to your online blog or to a public photo gallery. Leave a link that goes directly to your project in the Linky Tools form at the bottom of this post. If you upload to online galleries, please use the keyword or tag, JUGS231. After you post to Linky Tools you may also leave a comment here.  We ♥ love hearing what you think of our challenges!

Deadline to be considered for the "Chic of the Week" is 9:00 PM EST on Thursday, March 13th . The Linky Tools form will close at that time.  Our "Chic of the Week", will be announced the following Friday morning. Thanks for playing along. 

Sketched Happy Colours

Playing along with Freshly Made Sketches

And Colour Me...!

I didn't have the exact colors, but I hope these are close enough.  Stamped the circles from Gina K's Lots of Letters and the dots and sentiment from an old SU set.  Inks used:  Memento Lilac Posies and Hero Arts Tide Pool.

Thanks for stopping by!

Hexagon Sympathy

A few challenges were incorporated into this sympathy card.
Mod Squad Challenge -Thinking of Spring

STAMPlorations - Stamps and Stitches



Moxie Fab - Happy for Hexagons Challenge

Stamps by Gina K.  Stamped the flowers on watercolor paper and used die ink and a waterbrush to color them.  Layered onto Gina K Fresh Asparagus cardstock die cut with a scalloped rectangle die.  Added some Paper Pen pearl dots.  Stamped the stitched label, paper pieced and added the sentiment with Memento Olive Grove ink.  Embossed the Core'dinations White Washed cardstock with a hexagon folder and sanded the raised parts and edges.  Added some Wink of Stella the the tulips for a little shimmer. The card base is Gina K Bubblegum.

So glad you stopped by!

Just Us Girls Challenge #228 - Color

Sharyn is our hostess this week and she has a fabulous photo for our inspiration for this week's color challenge.

I went with the blue, pink, yellow and green!  The rocking horse is from Gina K's Oh Baby! set which I colored with Touch Twin markers and cut out.  Layered the blue scalloped, yellow oval and green striped ovals then added the rocking horse.  Added white Souffle gel pen dots to the scalloped oval and Paper and Pearl pen "pearls" on the embossed background which is Core'dinations White Washed in green.  Tied on the yellow ribbon and layered onto the blue base.

Here are some links to the JUGS blog and design team

JUGs blog

Melissa Hubert

Vicki Dutcher

Lisa Kind

Nancy Leppek

Maria Levine

Sharyn Polesel

Marisa Ritzen

Cheryl Rowley

Sue Trembeth

Sue VanDeVusse (me)

How to play: Please copy and use our graphic on your post. You need to upload your new project [no back dating please] for this week's challenge to your online blog or to a public photo gallery. Leave a link that goes directly to your project in the Linky Tools form at the bottom of this post. If you upload to online galleries, please use the keyword or tag, JUGS228. After you post to Linky Tools you may also leave a comment here.  We ♥ love hearing what you think of our challenges!

Deadline to be considered for the "Chic of the Week" is 9:00 PM EST on Thursday, February 20 . The Linky Tools form will close at that time.  Our "Chic of the Week", will be announced the following Friday morning. Thanks for playing along.  We can't wait to see what you create for Just Us Girls!

One More Valentine

This one is for:  The Card Concept - Monochromatic Pink



STAMPlorations - Sketch



And Mod Squad Challenge - Valentines, must use hearts and glitter.

Used Gina K White and Passionate Pink cardstock.   Added 3 strips of washi tape.  Stamped the sentiment in Memento Rose Bud, die cut then cut out the center.  Die cut another die and inked with pink chalk ink and adhered the sentiment on top, then added a couple Paper Pen pearls.  Punched out some little hearts from Core'dinations Glittersilk cardstock.

Thanks for taking a look!

Chevron Birthday

A new challenge blog to me - Seize the Birthday, with the option of chevrons for toppings.

 Thank you to Nancy for letting me know about this challenge blog.  Hopefully, no more last minute birthday card making.

I did a kind of rock n roll technique on the chevron by Gina K with yellow and red ink by Hero Arts.  Stamped the Imaginisce bird and paper pieced it with some fun stripes.  Stamped the berry branch and added some Viva Decor Paper Pen pearls in red, orange and yellow.  Added the sentiment by Gina K on a Spellbinders ribbon slide die cut and trimmed a scrap of dp as a faux ribbon.  It was all done and I noticed a tiny smudge!  Viva Decor Pearl Pen opal dots to the rescue.

Thanks for taking a look!

CASEing Cammie

Over at the Mod Squad Challenge - Are You on the CASE? - you are to pick a card of someone else's that inspires you and CASE it.   I chose this card by Carolyn King aka Cammie.

And also for the Over the Edge challenge at CAS-ual Fridays, to have some element extend beyond the edge.

I changed the colors and the shape of the window.  Added a strip of washi tape and added some white gel pen dots to the scalloped border piece.  The star at the top extends slightly over the edge. I used the same stamp set by Gina K - Stars.  Stars and sentiment stamped with Adirondack Denim ink.

Thanks for taking a look!

Color Blocked Thinking of You

I used the challenge from CAS-ual Fridays

and the challenge from Colour Me

I used a stencil and chalks to make the color blocks then stamped the image and sentiment from Gina K's Elegant Florals.  Cardstock:  Neenah Solar white and Gina K Fresh Asparagus.  Ink:  Memento Olive Grove.

Thanks for visiting!

Just Us Girls Challenge #224

Vicki is our hostess this week with a beautiful color challenge at Just Us Girls!

I didn't have the exact colors listed for this challenge, but substituted with Gina K's Ocean Mist and Turquoise Sea.  I used a couple of Gina K sets and a CASual Fridays sentiment.  The flowers were stamped with Versamark and then Vivid Teal and heat embossed with clear ep.  Did the same with the sentiment over the flower stems and added a Sizzix bookplate die and attached with brads.  The centers of the flowers were made with a Viva Decor Pearl Pen and colored with a Prismacolor marker to make it the right shade.  Lightly sponged around the edges of the kraft layers with Antique Linen Distress Ink.

I am also adding the first card I made for this challenge

Remember that our Chics of the Week have the chance to be a Guest Designer, so the more you play the more chances you have to be a JUGs Guest Designer!

How to play: Please copy and use our graphic on your post. You need to upload your new project [no back dating please] for this week's challenge to your online blog or to a public photo gallery. Leave a link that goes directly to your project in the Linky Tools form at the bottom of this post. If you upload to online galleries, please use the keyword or tag, JUGS224. After you post to Linky Tools you may also leave a comment here.  We ♥ love hearing what you think of our challenges!

Deadline to be considered for the "Chic of the Week" is 9:00 PM EST on Thursday, January 23rd .  The Linky Tools form will close at that time. Our top pick, "Chic of the Week", will be announced on the following Friday morning.

Thanks for playing along!
We can't wait to see what you create for Just Us Girls!

A Couple of Challenges

A new challenge card today:

STAMPlorations Blog   

And at CAS.ology

 

Stamps by:  CASual Fridays, Studio G sentiment and unknown paint smear purchased from Scrap Ace

Inks:  Memento Tuxedo Black and Hero Arts Neon Green

Cardstock:  Gina K Pure Luxury White and Key Lime

The circles were colored with Sharpie neon markers and white Souffle gel pen dots on the sentiment.

Thanks for stopping by!

From the Bottom of My Heart

There's a new challenge blog - The Card Concept and this is their first challenge.

We are supposed to choose a style as well as use the colors in the inspiration photo.  I have never really thought about what style my cards fit into, but I am going to take a stab at this being Shabby Chic out of the choices they listed.  The pink looks pretty red in this photo, but it is Passionate Pink by SU.  Stamps used are by Gina K:  Simple Hearts and Happy Hearts.  Frayed Burlap Distress Ink was sponged around the hearts.  The little hearts are covered with Liquid Pearls and the little pearls were made with a Cream Paper Pen. Stamped the hexagon border in Versamark then Passionate Pink on kraft and heat embossed with clear ep, I think the embossing is what is making this look so red.  Tinted the baker's twine with Antique Linen Distress Stain to make the white look more cream or kraft.

Thanks for taking a look!

Just Us Girls Challenge #223

Sharyn has a fun technique challenge for us this week at Just Us Girls!

I feel like I need these bright colors as I sit here in the cold and snow.  Stamped the SU flamingo on Neenah Solar white and then onto a couple different scraps of dp from my stash.  Pieced the dp pieces onto the flamingo and balloon. Colored the beak and legs with a Primacolor marker and the hat with Sakura Stardust gel pens in aqua and orange.  I first stamped the "HAPPY" (Pink Paislee) directly onto the image panel, but messed it up, so re-stamped it on another piece of cardstock and trimmed it to fit across the top.   It looked too plain so decided to add some dots with a Sakura Stardust aqua gel pen.  Added a strip of washi tape and tied on some twine.  Stamped "birthday" (CAS-ual Fridays) with Memento Rose Bud and Versamark and added some Stampendous Crystal embossing powder on GK Wild Dandelion.  Die cut the edge of the GK Passionate Pink layer and added Liquid Pearls.

Remember that our Chics of the Week have the chance to be a Guest Designer, so the more you play the more chances you have to be a JUGs Guest Designer!

How to play: Please copy and use our graphic on your post. You need to upload your new project [no back dating please] for this week's challenge to your online blog or to a public photo gallery. Leave a link that goes directly to your project in the Linky Tools form at the bottom of this post. If you upload to online galleries, please use the keyword or tag, JUGS223. After you post to Linky Tools you may also leave a comment on the Just Us Girls challenge post.  We ♥ love hearing what you think of our challenges!

Deadline to be considered for the "Chic of the Week" is 9:00 PM EST on Thursday, January 16th.  The Linky Tools form will close at that time. Our top pick, "Chic of the Week", will be announced on the following Friday morning.

Thanks for playing along!
We can't wait to see what you create for Just Us Girls!