Sunflower Studio

TCP TUESDAY #116 - Technique Challenge {SNEAK PEEK}

What a treat!  ALMA is this week's Hipster Hostess with the Mostess for today's TCP Tuesday challenge.  She's mixin' it up and the challenge is to use the COLORED PENCIL & GAMSOL technique to color our images.  This is definitely a technique that needs a bit of practice.

I wanted to enter my card in the current EMBELLISH MAGAZINE.COM challenge (above) so I got special permission to give you a little SNEAK PEEK at one of the new sets coming from THE CAT'S PAJAMAS.  This one is called AND BABY MAKES... Cute, right?! 

Why don't you join us in the challenge?  You know that we're still looking for next month's SWANKY STAMPER.  Use keyword TCPTUES116 when uploading your card to SCS and make sure to add your link to Alma's blog.

Alma has soooo many really great new "goodies" for us all in the July release...BIG, BIG GOINGS ON IN THE WORKS.  Be on the lookout for more hints and such to come very soon...

SWIMMIN' BY TO SAY HI! {sfytt}

Can you tell that I have summer on the mind?  Anything having to do with WATER is a good thing right now cuz it's HOT, HOT, HOT here in Maryland!  So here's my card for this week's SKETCH FOR YOU TO TRY.  I knew that I wanted to use this set, SWIMMIN' BY, from ANNA WIGHT for WHIPPER SNAPPER DESIGNS.  In my hunt for matching papers I came across a pad by Anna Griffin in my stash.  It's a very eclectic combination of patterns...shells, cross-hatching, burlap...so I went with it.  I'm likin' how it turned out too. 

As usual, Copic markers and the airbrush and Nestabilities dies are my go-to tools.  I also used an oldie but a goodie - Twinkling H2Os on the little fish in the background of the central image.  Love that stuff!  And I went a little crazy with the buttons but they were all so pretty that I couldn't resist the colors.  Twine and buttons are from PTI.  I added a little bit of SU! Crystal Effects on the windows of the sub - and subsequently put my hand or finger in it while it was trying to dry..3 times!  Takes a while to dry, dontcha know.

Click in with the other SFYTT girls to see what they have in store for us.  Many of them are featuring stamps from VERVE this week and JEN's got a great prize too...participants with this week's sketch will be entered to win a $30 Verve gift certificate!!  Details can be found on JEN's BLOG.

Susan Liles
Amy Rohl
Amy Sheffer
Megan Lock
Amber Hight
Sony Christoph
Jodi Collins
Jenn Diercks
Kelly Lunceford

and Jen del Muro with a new special guest designer for June, Andrea Ewen. 

SUNNYSIDE UP

Wouldn't it be nice if all of your days DID start off SUNNYSIDE UP?!  Here's another card using Anna Wight's new SUNNYSIDE UP set from WHIPPER SNAPPER DESIGNS.  Can you believe that this has taken me most of the day?  Where's the mojo?!  It's in SLO-MO, that's where!

Patterned papers here are in the Thrift Shop pad from October Afternoon - my new fave.  They remind me of a vintage picnic.  I also used Spellbinder's Nestabilities petite oval and petite scalloped oval dies, PTI buttons and twine, and, as usual, my Copic markers and airbrush.  I also added some antique book page...that always adds texture and interest.  So fun!

TCP TUESDAY #115 - INSPIRATION CHALLENGE

TONI is the Hipster Hostess with the Mostess this week and she's got an inspiration challenge for us.  Take a peek at this mosaic tile piece.  Oh how I would love to have this in my spa bath...if I had a spa bath.  Anyway, how does it inspire you?  Colors?  Shapes?  Mood?  Join us this week by posting a link to your card on ALMA'S blog.  Make sure that you use keyword TCPTUES115 when uploading to Splitcoast.

As for my card...I went with the shapes AND the colors.  And it turns out that I copied Toni's use of stamp set too!  Great minds think alike.  This fun penguin in his floatie and the sentiment are in the BY THE SEA set from THE CAT'S PAJAMAS.  I paired him up with some new Bitty Dot Basics papers from PTI.  {The colors were right there on the front of the pad next to each other screaming at me to use them!}  I cut out little 1"x1" squares to mimic the tiles, did a little wonky sewing around the edges, added a piece of thick rope from SU!, and some buttons and twill ribbon, also from PTI.  I added a little bit of Crystal Effects to each floatie to make them shiny.  

The whole thing makes me want to run down to the pool and jump right in!

YOU LOOK MOO-VELOUS {sfytt}

You do...YOU DO LOOK MOO-VELOUS!  I just love this cute little cow in a dress from ANNA WIGHT'S newest WHIPPER SNAPPER set, PARTY ANIMAL.  As soon as I saw her this little "mirror" idea came to mind.  I'm not sure that my execution was exactly as planned...but she's still cute as can be. 

My card follows JEN's SKETCH FOR YOU TO TRY for this week.  I used De-Lovely patterned papers from Cosmo Cricket...bright and fun and summery!  And in addition to the mirror idea, I have been dying to try this little felt rose idea that I saw on Betsy Veldman's blog.  I'm thinkin' that it might be a tad much for this card but here it is anyway.  {It's really easy and adorable so I'm still gonna make some more!}  I have a feeling that this is a sentiment that Anna has thought of before but I was too lazy to look through my sets this morning so I just hand wrote it.

Click in with the SFYTT girls today to see what they made with the sketch and then join us.  YOU could be JEN's next guest designer! 

Susan Liles
Amy Rohl
Amy Sheffer
Megan Lock
Amber Hight
Sony Christoph
Jodi Collins
Jenn Diercks
Kelly Lunceford

and Jen del Muro with a new special guest designer for June, Andrea Ewen. 

3 GREAT COMPANIES, 1 GREAT CAUSE - SALE!

The Cat's Pajamas, Verve Stamps, and My Favorite Things have banded together in a fund-raising effort that also benefits YOU!

By shopping at The Cat's Pajamas, Verve Stamps , and/or My Favorite Things you can save 10% now through Sunday, June 20th.

In addition, our three Companies are donating a portion of the proceeds for the next three days directly to Susan and Eric so they can devote their energy and time toward healing and caring for their children and not worrying about how to pay for rising medical bills.

The The Cat's Pajamas Deets:
No code is needed! Everything in the store is 10% off!

The MFT Deets:
The code for MFT to save 10% is SusieQ. You'll enter it at checkout in the promo/discount code field and click redeem. It will discount everything on the site, no exclusions!

The Verve Stamps Deets:
Save 10% on all everything Verve, no code needed!

ERIC'S FUND

 

This lovely post was copied from the blog of ALMA DE LA ROSA.  I couldn't have said any of this any better but I do feel exactly the same as Alma does about Susan.  Please help out if you can...

"Once in a while, someone you don't know in person, someone whose life you get to share through her blog or her art, makes you feel special, by just allowing you a peek into her life. By sharing the brightness of her personality with you.

That person shares so much of herself, giving you crafting tips and bursts of wit that have you spewing over your morning coffee when you eagerly go to her blog each morning, that you feel like you know her, and she you. And that if you saw her on the street, she would give you a warm hug, tuck your arm under hers and take you to lunch at Chili's. She is part of what makes your day special.

This is how I feel about my friend and Design Team Member, Susan Liles. Except I know her. For real. And she is as real as the person you imagine. Smart. Funny. Creative as all get out. Warm. And so willing to give of herself.

Except this time, she needs my help. Your help. Her husband, Eric, has been battling a very aggressive form of cancer for the past few months. He is the bread winner of the family and he is out of sick time at work while he goes through round after round of chemo. And, of course, the medical bills are piling up and figuring out how to pay those bills is something you just shouldn't have to deal with when you are trying to get someone better.

If you are interested and able, donations can be made to them via PayPal using the "Donate" button on her blog. If you would prefer to donate anonymously or have any questions, you may contact Sheila. Every bit helps. Especially your prayers and encouragement!"

This Friday through Sunday, MFT, Verve and TCP will be having a special sale to benefit the Liles family. You receive 10% off any purchase with a percentage of the sale going to the Liles family.

shop The Cat's Pajamas
shop My Favorite Things
shop Verve

TCP TUESDAY #114 - Sketch Challenge

Look, Mom, no markers!  Shocker there, right?!  I decided to give my colored pencils a little love for this week's TCP Tuesday sketch challenge.  There are a few girls that are smokin' with the pencils and gamsol. I get their blog feeds each day and just sit and drool over their handiwork....wow.  Those things take a lot more practice than you would think!

Anyway, I am this week's TCP hostess and I came up with this scrolly sketch.  Don't have that shape in your repertoire?  Hmmm...use a decorative edge punch on all four sides of that layer.  That could be fun!  My card uses the scooter bunny from the JOYRIDE set.  The complete supply list is below.

I hope you'll join us and give it a try.  Don't forget to add a link to your card (either from your blog or Splitcoast) to ALMA's BLOG so that you can be entered in the monthly Swanky Stamper contest.  The keyword to include is TCPTUES114 {Plus, take a peek at the new Divine Twine that Alma has in her store....yummmmmm-o! Can't wait to get my hands on some of that!}

Stamp set:  JOYRIDE from The Cat's Pajamas

Paper:  SU! Kraft, patterned papers from the Thrift Shop pad by October Afternoon

Ink:  Tuxedo Black Memento ink, Onyx Black Versafine, PTI Vintage Touch inks

Other:  Prismacolor Colored Pencils, Gamsol, SU! Top Note die, PTI flower dies and buttons, sewing machine

CAFFEINE PROBLEM? {sfytt}

Hey there Saturday stampers....this week's SKETCH FOR YOU TO TRY is being sponsored by SKIPPING STONES DESIGN.  Well, what's that mean?  It means that JEN has something good to give away.  FREE stuff is always good, right?!  Create a card using this week's sketch and maybe the winner will be YOU.  Check in with JEN's BLOG for all of the details...

I used the FUNNY COFFEE VOL. #1 set from SKIPPING STONES for my card.  Just the look on this poor lady's face had me giggling.  {I'm not a coffee girl, myself.  I can definitely go for a can of Caffeine Free Diet Coke in the morning though....what's up with that?  It has absolutely no redeeming factors!}  The set has a bunch of funny sayings, this poor bedraggled woman, a Starbucks type of cup, a coffee cup and saucer, and a "coffee ring" that might be left on a table if you weren't careful enough with your cuppa Joe.  Fun stuff!

So take a few minutes this weekend to get your card together and enter to win.  Need a bit more inspiration?  Drop in on the SFYTT girls and see what they've done with the sketch...

Susan Liles
Amy Rohl
Amy Sheffer
Megan Lock
Amber Hight
Sony Christoph
Jodi Collins
Jenn Diercks
Kelly Lunceford

and Jen del Muro with a new special guest designer for June, Andrea Ewen. 

DAD YOU ROCK! {TCPTUES113}

This week's TCP Tuesday challenge is to use ANY ALPHABET SET FROM THE CAT'S PAJAMAS.  Alphabet sets are some of my very favorite stamps.  I'm hoarding a few...quite a few...but you'll never know when you'll need 'em, right!

I teamed up PJ and the owl from the HAPPY CAMPER set with the COOLVETICA and BABYDOLL alphabets.  These patterned papers have been calling to me from the corner of my table all week.  It's fun to use something that's not "vintage-y" for a change. (I've kindof been stuck on that type of dp for a while now!) These are from the Basic Grey Max & Whiskers 6x6 pad.  I love that they coordinate without being all matchy-matchy.  Pretty simple card this week...

Grab your TCP alphabet stamps and put together something to show us.  Remember that YOU could be this month's SWANKY STAMPER.  Add a link to your card over on ALMA'S BLOG so that you'll be in the running for that KAT'S KASH!  Use keyword TCPTUES113 when posting to Splitcoast or any other gallery.