Sunflower Studio

TCP TUESDAY #64 - INSPIRATION CHALLENGE

Hey there...we're back to Tuesday again and it's challenge time with THE CAT'S PAJAMAS design team.  Come on!  You know you wanna play along and, hey, you can win $25 in Cat's Cash if you're chosen as the Swanky Stamper for the month.  Just do it!

Toni is the Hipster Hostess with the Mostess this time and she's challenged us with this photo of some cool refreshing beverages....YUM!  So, what about this will inspire you?  The colors, the drinks, the shapes....does it inspire you to go and find a margarita?  Well that's a whole 'nother thing, isn't it?!

Sprinkle (from the It's a Mod, Mod World set - W-7512CL) is having a little shindig with the rest of the cats.  You know, sun's goin' down...just the right time for a little drinkie-poo.  They're all thinking that same thing!  The drink photo actually encouraged me to dig deep into my paper stash for this patterned paper by Out There Scrapbooking called Fruit Garnish Black and that inspired my color scheme.  Along with Sprinkle, I used the little Think Drink (B-7474) stamp and the Cheers (C-7445) sentiment to complete the card.  I needed a bunch of same color buttons and all of these are by Creative Imaginations.

So, go grab your TCP stamps - or your stamps of choice - and let's see what you create.  Please use keyword TCPTUES64 if you're posting to Splitcoast or PCP.  Don't forget to add a comment post HERE on Toni's blog with the link to your card so you can be included in the Monday Slideshow on Alma's blog too.

TCP TUESDAY #63 - Sketch Challenge

It's sketch challenge time again for TCP Tuesday.  Love me some sketches!!  It's actually Carole's week and she came up with the sketch.  BUT, she's having some computer issues so Jen will be standing in as this week's Hipster Hostess with the Mostess.

I'm still using the new CAT'S PAJAMAS set,  HAPPY CAMPER.  I'm crazy about it!  I also used Alma's new alphabet set, NIGHTIE, for my background that says "STINKY" over and over again.  Gotta love a good alphabet set and a clear alphabet is even better.  I just lined up my individual letter stamps on one block and stamped it up...can't do that with a wood mounted alphabet, ya know.  I did a little creative altering of my ribbon and used a Copic marker to color every other line mustard so that it went with my color scheme.  Another most excellent use for those markers!  My big buttons are from Creative Imaginations.  And in the center of it all is Mr. Stinky...my card would be nothing without him!

Here are the details for the challenge from Jen's blog since I haven't posted them in a bit:

So, wanna play along with the TCP Tuesday challenge?…EVERYONE can! Here’s what you are gonna want to know…
1. Each a week one of the The Cat’s Pajamas DT Members will host a challenge.
2. The challenges will vary {stamp, color, theme/inspiration, sketch, etc.}
3. You will have until {this} Saturday night to complete the challenge.
4. Link your project on this week’s hostess’ challenge announcement. This week you will link your project on THIS post on Jen's blog.
5. TCP stamps are not required, but of course, highly encouraged. Unless it is a challenge calling for a specific stamp
6. There will be one winner each month. They will be deemed that month’s Swankiest Stamper and get $25 in Cat’s Cash {money to spend on the TCP site!}.
7. When uploading to SCS, please use the keyword TCPTUES63 for this challenge.
8. Alma will post the entries from the week the following Monday on her blog.
9. The newly crowned Swanky Stamper will be announced on the first of the month and have his/her winning entry posted on The Cat’s Pajamas website where he/she will reign for the entire month.
10. Oh yea…HAVE FUN!

TCP TUESDAY #62 - Stamp Challenge

This week's TCP Tuesday challenge is to make a card or project using any penguin images from THE CAT'S PAJAMAS.  There are a bunch of them so there are some great options!  My card uses the Celebrating Penguin from the YOU SAY IT'S YOUR BIRTHDAY set (N-7544 CL) and the Happy Birthday sentiment from the SMELLS LIKE CAKE set (N-7543 CL).  He's so very festive, right?!

I made a little variation of my HAPPY CAMPER CANTEEN project that's this month's Project of the Month on The Cat's PJs website.  Have you tried it yet yourself?  I would love for anyone that has to share their project...send me a picture!  I used some really thick acetate sheets from Inky Antics for the base on the treat holder.  The patterned papers are by Fancy Pants and all of the fun and colorful buttons are from THE CAT'S PAJAMAS (available soon in this color grouping...the Outdoors colored buttons are available now).  The scalloped strip was made using one of the new edge punches from EK Success.

This week's HIPSTER HOSTESS with the MOSTESS is SUSAN LILES.  Click -->>HERE<<-- to go directly to her TCP TUESDAY post and link your card.  If you're uploading to SCS or PCP, please use keyword TCPTUES62 so that we can check out your creation this week.

TCP TUESDAY #61 - COLOR CHALLENGE

Just call me "Last Minute Leigh"!  YUP...just squeezing my TCP Tuesday card in right under the wire again this week.  Well, it's just under the wire on the East coast.  If we're talking Kitty Kat time (where Alma is in San Fran) then I'm good.  Plenty of time to go...

This week's Hipster Hostess with the Mostess is Jen del Muro.  She came up with this really fun and, I think, unusual combo - Brown, Yellow, Aqua and Red as an optional color.  How fun, right?!  Yellow is so NOT one of my usual colors but it's fun to step out of my comfort zone once in a while.  I chose to feature images from Alma's new sets again.  This time, the new alphabet, NIGHTIE, on the brown layer (clear embossed to look tone on tone a la one of Jen's recent projects), and HAPPY CAMPER for the main image.  Can you tell that I love these sets?  I also used buttons from the GREAT OUTDOORS button pack and ribbon from the brand new GREAT OUTDOORS ribbon pack.  How great that all of this goes so well together!  LOVE IT!  Don't forget that you can get both of the new stamp sets, the buttons, AND the ribbon in this month's KITTY KAT PACK and get a HOOT of a deal. 

Grab your Cat's PJ's stamps today and get to work on something using the color combo.  This is a new month and the SWANKY STAMPER of the MONTH title is, again, up for grabs.  You know you wanna win...and $25 in Cat's Cash too...yea baby!  Click -->>HERE<<-- to head over to Jen's blog and link up your card.  Please use keyword TCPTUES61 if you're posting to Splitcoast and/or Paper Craft Planet.

TCP TUESDAY #60 - Inspiration Challenge

This week's TCP Tuesday Challenge is to use this room photo from The Container Store website for your inspiration.  That really leaves it wide open, right?  Are you inspired by the colors?  The shapes?  The lines?  I went with the circles and then with the vertical lines that represent the clothes on the hanging rack.  What a fun room!  (I'm in the process of trying to figure out what to do with the little boy's room and this is giving me ideas!  Poor little boy...he's eight and his room has no paint, a yard sale headboard, and his baby dresser...yeesh!)

I'm stuck on this cute little bear from the brand new HAPPY CAMPER set from THE CAT'S PAJAMAS that will be available for ordering this coming Friday.  I bought some Koh-I-Noor Woodless Colored Pencils the other weekend at that stamp show so I gave them a try.  I'm in awe of those that have mastered the colored pencil/gamsol technique.  I've got quite a ways to go, I think.  This great paper is really all one piece from Scenic Route called Providence Scrap Strip.  I did a little sewing to make it look more like strips of patterned paper.  I didn't even need a sentiment since the paper contained fun strips of words that worked for my card.  I finished it off with a bunch of Dew Drops and Bella Baubles (I never know which since I poured them all into one container!).

While Toni came up with this week's challenge, she was having some computer issues.  So, Ana will be the Hipster Hostess with the Mostess this week.  Click -->>HERE<<-- to post a link to your inspiration creation.  If you're posting to any of the online galleries, please use keyword TCPTUES60 so that we can all find you.

TCP TUESDAY #59 - SKETCH CHALLENGE

Happy Tuesday!  This week we have a sketch challenge from Carole!  It's a good one too...lots of possibilities...here we go:

 

How fun is this bear?!  He's part of a brand spankin' new stamp set by Alma de la Rosa at THE CAT'S PAJAMAS.  The set is called "HAPPY CAMPER" and will be available for ordering on Friday, May 29th.  Come on...you know you want it and you haven't even see the whole thing yet!  I not only stamped the bear here but I stamped the tree - masking to make a forest - the clouds, and the sentiment too.  Starting today, be sure and check in with the other TCP design team members for some more peeks at the set.  It's really got it all and more with Alma's hip, happenin' flair.  The set also coordinates perfectly with the Cosmo Cricket Mr. Campy patterned papers, used here, that we all had to have.  (Got a bunch in my stash.  Don't you?)  Plus, Alma's gonna have some snappy new buttons and ribbon that will match all of this.  You've gotta make sure that you check back on the 29th!  (She's got a new alphabet too....woohoooo!)

And, don't forget to click over to Carole's blog so that you can post the link to your rendition of the sketch.  Click >>HERE<< to go directly to her TCP Tuesday post.  Please use keyword TCPTUES59 if you're posting to Splitcoast or Paper Craft Planet.

TCP TUESDAY #58 - STAMP CHALLENGE

I've got all kinds of excuses for not getting my card made and posted on Tuesday....well, you know I don't do anything until the last minute....um, it was sunny on Tuesday so I decided to read outside instead of stamp inside...uhhh, ditto for Wednesday...so here we are on Thursday and I'm done!  Yea!

SUSAN is the Hipster Hostess with the Mostess this week and she's chosen the Cat's Pajamas signature set, IT'S A MOD, MOD WORLD, for this week's challenge.  You can use any image in that set so you've got lots of choices!

My card uses this awesome paper combo from My Mind's Eye...their paper is so great since it's thick, double sided, and perfectly coordinated!  This turned into one of those "no-mo" cards - meaning, maybe I shoulda stopped before the sewing part...it got kinda busy with all of the pattens going on...that happens sometimes, right?  I masked Poochie in his spaceship and used the Copic airbrush and two different markers to add the background...really like how that turned out.  The ribbon is from SU! and the big brown button is by Creative Imaginations and the small orange button is from SUINK.  I also used this week's sketch challenge at SCS - #228 - for my layout.  This little sentiment, also from The Cat's Pajamas, is called "Captured" (C-4207).

I haven't posted all of the SWANKY STAMPER details in a while so here they are for any newcomers:

Here are the deets. (Lifted from Ana's page.)
1. Each a week one of The Cat’s Pajamas DT members will host a challenge.
2. The challenges will vary {stamp, color, theme, sketch, etc.}
3. You will have until {this} Saturday night to complete the challenge.
4. Link your project on this week’s hostess’ challenge announcement. This week you will link your project HERE.
5. TCP stamps are not required, but of course, highly encouraged. {Unless it is a challenge calling for a specific stamp}
6. There will be one winner each month. They will be deemed that month’s Swankiest Stamper and get $25 in Cat’s Cash {money to spend on the TCP site!}.
7. When uploading to SCS or PCP, please use the keyword TCPTUES58 for this challenge.
8. Alma (that's me) will post the entries from the week the following Monday on her blog.
9. The newly crowned Swanky Stamper will be announced on the First of the Month and have his/her winning entry posted on The Cat’s Pajamas website where he/she will reign for the entire month.

TCP TUESDAY #57 - COLOR CHALLENGE

Happy Tuesday, peeps!  It's time for a new challenge from THE CAT'S PAJAMAS.  Toni is again the Hipster Hostess with the Mostess this week and she came up with a fun, nautical feeling color combo.  Can you create a card using Navy Blue, Green, and White?  I'm sure ya can!

And now that I've said that, I myself went off of the color path a bit and used sort of a Not Quite Navy and Olive color scheme.  Oh well... sometimes my hands and my brain don't quite get together and coordinate, KWIM?

I was working on channeling Heather Nichols this week.  I am always in awe of her use of Kraft colored cardstock as a base for her cards and projects.  It's a really clean starting point.  The patterned paper here from Pebbles Inc. is really what influenced my color scheme.  Aren't these gorgeous papers?  Very calming colors...they're right up my alley!  I also inked up the edges of my paper with a white pigment inkpad - again, a la Heather.  I did a bit of sewing to add interest and texture too.

I stamped Big Fifi from the It's A Mod, Mod World Clearly Swanky set onto cream CS and colored him with Copics.  I then cut out the stamped image with one of the petite oval dies from Nestabilities.  I drew in the ground and then used my Copic Airbrush system to add the background while the paper was still in the die...great masking tool!  Fifi is layered to a couple of the Labels Four shapes from Nestabilities.  I added the ribbon from Papertrey and some Prima Flowers with button and Dew Drop centers to finish it off.  I'm loving all of the asymmetrical card designs that people are creating right now.  It doesn't always work for me though...I've gotta work at it.  The little sentiment is from A Muse and just fit the card.  This'll work for Mother's Day.  One down and one to go....

So, get your colors out and grab the TCP stamps.  Make your card and post the link to it HERE on Toni's Blog.  If you're uploading to SCS or PCP, please use keyword TCPTUES57.

TCP TUESDAY #56 - Inspiration Challenge

Ready for an inspiration challenge?  This week's TCP Tuesday challenge is to use this photo for inspiration.  These are so fun as everyone ends up with something completely different.  What part of the photo will inspire you?  The colors?  The shapes?  The images on the cups?  And aren't these cups so springy too!  Toni picked these from the MoMA online catalog...love 'em.

So, think about the photo and decide what inspires you...grab your Cat's Pajamas stamps and get to work.  Toni is the Hipster Hostess with the Mostess this time so you'll need to post a link to your card >>HERE<< on her blog.  Please use keyword TCPTUES56 if you're uploading to SCS or PCP. 

I almost forgot...I tried to work in the CPS sketch this week too.  They're on week number 113.

Supplies:  Stamps - Arrgh! Piratey Clearly Swanky Stamp Set (S-7545); Paper - Papertrey White, Blue and Vellum CS, SU! Confettin Tan (ret.); Ink - Onyx Black Versafine, Tuxedo Black Mememento ink, Ranger Walnut Distress ink; Other - Copic Markers and Multiliner, Dew Drops, Papertrey Grosgrain Ribbon, SU! Label Die, Ranger sponge ink applicator.

TCP TUESDAY #55 - SKETCH CHALLENGE

Happy Tuesday!  Hopefully you're all enjoying a fabulously sunny day...that's what we have in Maryland.  And we deserved it too....it was a complete washout yesterday and looks like it's heading that way for tomorrow too. 

It's sketch time again for the TCP challenge.  Carole Burrage - your new sketch challenge Hipster Hostess with the Mostess - has come up with a fun sketch for all of us to try.  The amazing day had me reaching for the golf stamps.  I think Poochie is channeling Payne Stewart today.  Gotta love that plaid or argyle, right?  I used these Cat's Pajamas stamps:  Golfer (F-7419) and Hole in One (C-7447).  I drew in the rolling hills with my Copic Multiliner - looks like somewhere in Ireland, me thinks.  This argyle and striped paper is actually all from one sheet of Cosmo Cricket's Lil Man - Dapper Dan patterned paper - no cutting between the patterns.  Worked perfectly for the sketch.  I colored everything with the Copics and added a pinked circle frame via my Nestabilities dies.  Some Martha Stewart dark orange seam binding ribbon, small paper circles and brads, and a tiny tag (Cuttlebug) pinned on the knot finish it off.  I stamped "FORE!" using the JustRite Brayton alphabet.  (I know I have a "fore!" stamp somewhere but couldn't find it...isn't that always the way!)

Anyway, I hope you'll be playing along this week.  Make sure that you use keyword TCPTUES55 if you're uploading to Splitcoast or PCP.  You should post the link to your card --->>HERE<<--- on Carole's blog.