Sunflower Studio

TCP TUESDAY #16 - INSPIRATION CHALLENGE

Tuesday...Tuesday...Tuesday....come on, say it with me....TUESDAY!  If it's Tuesday then it must be time for another Cat's PJs challenge.  This week we have an "inspiration" challenge from Jen Del Muro.  Jen's filling in this week for Carole and her inspiration came from this really neat fabric by Michael Miller.

For whatever reason, in my mind this fabric had purple in it.  I'm not sure now that it has any purple at all!  Funny how your brain does that to ya.  But it immediately made me think of the "Guide Lines" paper pad that I hadn't even opened yet from Papertrey Ink.  I paired three different papers from the pad with three fun Cat's Pajamas stamps:  Crooked House (E-5253), Bats (D-6326), and Haunt It (D-5262).  It's never too early to start thinkin' about Halloween, right?!

Go find some patterened paper or stamps or whatever comes to mind when you view the inspiration fabric...grab your TCP stamps and enter this week's challenge over on Jen's Blog.  Make sure to use keyword TCPTUES16 if you're uploading at Splitcoast.  The other TCP gals will be sharing their takes on the fabric too so check them out.  Alma's got the Holey Moley Monday slideshow up and running featuring last week's sketch challenge.  Go and see those cards too!

Supplies:  Stamps - Crooked House (E-5253), Bats (D-6326), and Haunt It (D-5262) - all by The Cat's Pajamas; CS - Marvelous Magenta (ret.), Elegant Eggplant, White Shimmer from SU!; Ink - Black Onyx Versafine, SU! Black Craft ink; Other - Copic markers and blender pen, SU! Pewter Hodgepodge Hardware, ribbon from Michael's, EK corner rounder, piercing tool, SU! black detail EP.

TCP TUESDAY #15 - SKETCH CHALLENGE

HAPPY TUESDAY!  It's sketch challenge time again for TCP Tuesday.  Get out your favorite Cat's Pajamas images and give this one a try...

The idea for this sketch came from a card that Amy Rohl entered into TCP Tuesday Challenge #13 - the color challenge.  I loved it...the big ole flag/pennant shape going down the middle of the card...and I loved Amy's card too.  That layout stuck in my mind and here we are.  Remember that you can always turn the sketch on it's side or even upside down.  I can't wait to see what you make with it.

Oh, by the way, Linda Nicholson was the Swanky Stamper for June.  CONGRATS, LINDA!  Her card is being showcased on the Cat's Pajamas Swanky Stamper page and she gets $25 in Cat's Cash to use for more TCP stamps.  That could be you for the month of July!!  Enter for this week's challenge by posting a link to your card HERE at the bottom of my post.  If you post to Splitcoast, please use the keyword TCPTUES15.  I'm hoping that the other TCP designers are able to play along this week.  (Has the summer gotten crazy or is it just me?  Where is the time going?!)  You can click over to their blogs - the list is on the left.  Alma's got the Holey Moley Monday slideshow up and running on her blog so that you can see the cards from last week using the "Relaxing" stamp with Sprinkle in the floatie...fun fun!

Supplies:  Stamps - Catch 'Em Kitty (F-7524), Ghost Town (G-7532), Howdy (C-7514) - All by the Cat's Pajamas, Simple Alphabet by Papertrey; CS - Marigold Morning (ret.), Confetti Tan (ret.), Wild Wasabi, and Chocolate Chip from SU!, Papertrey White; Ink - Palette Noir hybrid ink, Jumbo Java chalk ink; Other - Copic Markers, thin black marker, Nestabilities dies, brads by DCWV, eyelets by MM, ribbon by KI Memories ( tan check - colored with peachy-orange Copic marker a la Carole Burrage!)

TCP TUESDAY #14 - "RELAXING" STAMP CHALLENGE

We're heading off to the beach for the 4th of July weekend but I wanted to squeeze this in....it's TCP Tuesday!  Oh wait, uhhh, Thursday?  Anyway, Katie is the Hipster Hostess with the Mostess this week and she chose to highlight this fun Cat's Pajamas stamp, "Relaxing" (F-7467).  Sprinkle "shore" does know how to relax!

The in-laws are having a little 4th of July gathering on Saturday (See!  Our days are all mixed up!) so I thought these fun picks would be perfect to dress up the food table.  All is colored with Copics and then I added some SU! Crystal Effects to make the floatie and the glass look shiny.   I used four different Nestabilities dies - two circles, a scalloped cirle, and the star.  How cool is that star!?  Oh, and the sentiment is by A Muse.

Surf on over to the other Cat's PJs design team blogs (listed at left) to see what they've created with this stamp.  Then, create a card using Relaxing Sprinkle and post it to Katie's blog to be entered in July's Swanky Stamper contest.  Linda Nicholson was the Swanky Stamper for June and you can see her card HERE.  If you're posting to Splitcoast, use keyword TCPTUES14.

TCP TUESDAY #13 - COLOR CHALLENGE

Hey There!  It's Tuesday so gather your Cat's Pajamas stamps and get to work.  This is an easy one so no excuses for not participating this week.  It's actually, Toni's week to be the Hostess with the Mostess but she's on vacation.  Sooooo, I'm stepping up to the plate.

I like to find color challenges within patterned paper from my stash.  This one started with fun paper from Scenic Route's North Shore collection.  I'm especially taken by the Strip Combo sheets that they make to go with their collections.  (I used another one from a different collection on last week's TCPTUES card.)  They give you the look of a bunch of coordinating papers cut into strips - but it's really just one sheet of 12x12!  The colors for the challenge that I pulled from this paper are Olive, Dark Red, and Sky Blue.

Here's my card featuring the It's A Mod, Mod World Clearly Swanky set.  Who could resist Fifi, Poochie, and Sprinkle blasting off to outer space.  I used Copic markers to color the images and then added a bit of 'bling' with some Silver Stickles.  The ribbon is by We R Memory Keepers.  The little medallion was created with Nestabilities dies.  Oh, and I did a teensy bit of sewing with my Janome Sew Mini machine...a la Anna Wight, dontcha know!

As usual, visit the other TCP gals (links are on the left) to see what they did with the color challenge and then create your card today!  Post a link to your creation here on my blog by the end of the day on Saturday, June 28th.  If you're posting to Splitcoast, use the keyword TCPTUES13.  All entries will be collected and then featured on Alma's blog in next week's Holey Moley Monday slideshow.  Plus, you'll be entered to win the $25 in Cat's Cash and the title of Swanky Stamper for June.  Good luck!

TCP TUESDAY #12 - INSPIRATION CHALLENGE

Carole Burrage is the biggest riot!  She is so funny and so daggone creative.  (I can't wait to meet her at CHA in Chicago in July!)  It's already been a big week for Carole and it's only Tuesday!  It was announced that she is one of the newest "Dirty Girls" at Splitcoaststampers.  This is a huge honor and there's no one more deserving...what took them so long?!  And then she won some stamps from one of those other companies - free stamps is good, right?  But the biggest highlight of Carole's week just must be that she's, once again, THE HOSTESS WITH THE MOSTESS for TCP Tuesday!

Carole came up with an "Inspiration" challenge for all of us.  She visited some fancy schmancy hotel recently and took photos of what are supposed to be...uh...draperies?  Anywho...it's supposed to be a challenge!  You must go to her blog and look at those photos.  Scroll down a bit on Carole's blog and you'll see that she MADE her matching ribbon on her card using plain ribbon and Copic Markers.  There are endless uses for those things.  And Carole's ribbon is un-freakin-believable!

I'm not sure that I could quite grasp the ENTIRE challenge inspiration.  I did use a bow - although MUCH smaller than the inspiration bow.  And I did try to go with the green and yellow combo.  Somehow, some Soft Sky just crept into my card.  (It might have had to do with this Scenic Route patterned paper...one look and I was in love.)

My friend, Holly, was asking about Polyshrink the other day and that was stuck in the back of my brain.  It popped out when I got ready to make my TCP card and, thus, the little sunflowers.  I think it's a fun card...I like it.

So, take a look at Carole's blog for the challenge details and then grab your Cat's Pajamas stamps and get to work.  The Swanky Stamper title for June is up for grabs and, hey, it could be YOU!

Supplies:  Stamp - Cat & Flower (F-7442) by The Cat's Pajamas; CS - Soft Sky, So Saffron from SU!, Spring Moss and White by Papertrey, patterned paper by Scenic Route - Savannah Scrap Strip 1; Ink - Palette Noir and Burnt Umber inks, Spring Moss Palette ink from Papertrey (grass); Other - paper piercing tool, Papertrey grosgrain ribbon, SU! hemp cord, clear Polyshrink, Sizzix Large Daisies die, 1/4" hole punch, Bic Mark-It permanent markers, White Signo Gel pen, Copic markers.

TCP TUESDAY #11 - SKETCH CHALLENGE

Yea...big fun Tuesday!  And, like last week, I'll have a few different posts for you with fun things so take a minute to read through the details...

The TCP Tuesday rotation is back around to me again and that means that it's time for another Sketch Challenge.  This sketch is based on my 'Be Yourself' tennis shoe card that I posted last week.  I think it's got a ton of potential.  

Remember that you don't always have to be so literal with the sketches....turn it on it's side so that the circle shape is on the left or the right...flip it upside down so that the circle's on the bottom.  And play with putting your image on the bottom (like the tennis shoe card) or on the top (like this card).  You could also put your image in the rectangle and trade the circle shape for a big 'ole flower or maybe another shape.  You can also tuck the circle under the rectangle or place it on top of that layer.  The most important part is to have fun and be creative.  Grab your Cat's Pajamas stamps and get to work!

As always, if you post to Splitcoast, please use keyword TCPTUES11 so that we can all "ooh" and "ahhh" over your artwork.  Add your comment to this post by the end of the day on Saturday, June 14th so that we can include you in the challenge.  The Swanky Stamper title for June and $25 in Cat's Cash is up for grabs!

The other TCP gals should have artwork on their blogs (they're listed at left) using the sketch as well so check in with them for some inspiration.  And head on over to Alma's blog to view the Holey Moley Monday slideshow that includes all of the cards from last week's challenge.

Supplies:  Stamps - Errol (E-6370), Simon Sees (E-6373), Skull & Swords (C-6378), and Shipwrecked (E-6380) - all from The Cat's Pajamas; CS - Kraft, Black, & Vellum from SU!, black and turquoise textured by DCWV, Papertrey white, pirate wrapping paper from Target; Ink - Palette Noir hybrid ink; Other - Prismacolor and Copic markers, MM eyelets, American Crafts brads, hemp twine, SU! Black Embossing Powder, ribbon from Michael's.

I thought I'd include a little Technique Tip this week.  It's not a new tip by any means but since I used it on my challenge card this week, I thought I'd clue you in.  Hey, you might have been looking for JUST this exact solution for something that you're working on!

I needed a sentiment for this pirate card and I didn't have anything that fit exactly.  And I knew that I wanted to use vellum for that portion of the card.  I decided to print a made up sentiment right from the computer onto the vellum and emboss it.  Here's a quickie instruction list so that you can try it yourself:

 INKJET EMBOSSING

1. Create a sentiment in whatever program that you're comfortable using on your computer.  I used Adobe Photoshop Elements for this. 
2. Find a font that you like and that fits the 'flavor' of your card or project.  I find lots of FREE fonts online and download them.  (I'm a bit of a font-a-holic!)  Try www.dafont.com for some great fonts.  This one is called DESYREL.
3. Measure the area on your card where you'll be adding the font so that you can size it correctly on the computer.  You may need to print it onto regular printer paper a few times to get it just right.
4. When you've got the right sentiment, in the right font, in the right size, print it onto white paper.
5. Cut your vellum (or other non-porous type paper) to the size that you'll be using on your card. 
6. Tape (regular scotch tape) the top edge of the vellum directly over your sentiment on the white paper that you printed in step four.  Just tape the very edge...you'll want to be able to peel this tape off of your vellum later without ripping it.  Make sure that you're taping the vellum exactly over what you printed before and at exactly the place where you want your printing to appear.
7. Add this paper to your printer and print your sentiment onto the vellum.
8. As soon as the paper comes out of the printer - while it's still wet - add embossing powder to your sentiment.  Carefully peel the vellum from the white paper and use your heat gun to emboss.
9. Add your sentiment to your card.

TA DAHHHH!  Pretty cool, huh?! 

NOTE:  This technique definitely works better on non-porous paper (vellum, glossy cardstock, etc.).  You can try it on regular paper or cardstock but the ink will, most likely, sink into the paper before you get the chance to add your embossing powder.

TCP TUESDAY #10 - STAMP CHALLENGE

Yup...Tuesday again and I've got some really great things to share with you today between this post and the next one.  This one first...



It's - OBVIOUSLY - TCP TUESDAY....yea!  This week's Hipster Hostess with the Mostess is Katie and she's chosen to feature the Indians (F-7537) stamp.  You can get this one individually or just go ahead and get the whole Clearly Swanky Havin' A Pow Wow set (S-7511) and you'll have so many great images. 
     
So, for my card...now you know you're in for a long explanation... Debbie Olson (the Queen of all things stamping) made this really great little gift card folder using the Scalloped Paisley Nestabilities die a little while back.  (She included fabulous directions too and you can see them HERE.)  Right then and there I knew that I needed that die...long story short...it came yesterday and here we have my version of Debbie's great idea!
   
Instead of tucking my flap beneath a layered stamp image and tying a ribbon around the card, I created a band that will slide off of the card so that you can open it.  I love this...it's a special way to give a gift card.  Leave it to Debbie to figure out something so easy and unique at the same time.
    
Make sure that you check in with the other TCP gals (listed on the left) so see what they've created with the Indians stamp.  And then get to work on your card!  Post your comment to Katie's blog to be entered into our July Swanky Stamper contest.  If you upload to Splitcoast, please use keyword TCPTUES10.   Alma's also got the Holey Moley Monday slidshow up and running on her blog that includes all of the Orange, Yellow, and White color challenge cards from last week.

Supplies:  Stamps - Indians (F-7537) or Havin' A Pow Wow set (S-7511) by The Cat's Pajamas, Karen Foster Casual Snap Stamps, Papertrey Ink - Father Knows Best (inside sentiment); CS - Cool Caribbean, olive textured by DCWV, brown textured by Bazzill, white Shimmery by SU!, patterned papers by American Crafts; Ink - Versafine Onyx Black ink; Other - Copic & Prismacolor markers, MM brads, SU! silver cord, Nestabilities dies, SU! Word Window punch

TCP TUESDAY #9 - COLOR CHALLENGE

   



I'm baaaaaaccccckkkkk!  Not that I really wanted to leave the sun and the fun in the Bahamas.  Thankfully, it was a glorious weekend here in Maryland so I didn't have to pout during the holiday...hee hee.  I had a wonderful time and our trip was soooo relaxing and the water was the most amazing clear turquoise color with white powdery sand.  I would highly recommend Great Exuma to anyone who is looking for some R&R.   (If you're looking to party then you'd have to look somewhere else...this place was se-clud-ed!)
    It's so hard to get back into the stamping swing of things.  At least the day started out cloudy here and I didn't feel guilty about doing some 'work'.  I decided to procrastinate and run some errands instead and finally sat down to stamp at 9pm tonight.  It IS TCP Tuesday, though, so I wanted to squeak a card in under the wire.
    Challenge number nine is a color challenge:  use ORANGE, YELLOW, and WHITE, along with your Cat's Pajamas stamps to create a card or project.  Toni is again the Hipster Hostess with the Mostess so be sure and leave a comment with the link to your card over on her blog this week.  Please use the keyword TCPTUES09 if you're uploading to Splitcoast.
    Be sure to look in on the other TCP design team members for more color challenge cards this week and stop over at Alma's blog for a refresher on the challenge details and to take a look at the Holey Moley Monday slideshow of last week's cards inspired by sitcoms...they're a riot!

TCP TUESDAY #7 - SKETCH CHALLENGE

    It's a Tuesday...it's a Tuesday...yup, yup...it's a Tuesday!  Time for the next challenge.  Gather up your Cat's PJs stamps and supplies and give this sketch a try.  I am the Hipster Hostess with the Mostess this time out so you can post your comment with a link to your card here on my blog.  Don't forget to include the keyword TCPTUES07 if you're posting over at Splitcoast.
    
    I'm looking forward to seeing what everyone does with the sketch.  Check in with the other TCP design team members (marked with TCP in the list on the left) for some more inspiration.  Oh, and most importantly, remember that all of the entries this week will be featured on Alma's blog next Monday and one winner from all of the May challenges will be selected as Swanky Stamper for the month.  You get that $25 in Cat's Cash too...yea buddy!

Supplies:  Stamps - Simon Sees (E-6373), Shipwrecked (E-6380), and Swashbucklin' Day (D-6372) - all from The Cat's Pajamas; CS - PT White, Old Olive, Ruby Red, Chocolate Chip, Confetti Tan and Really Rust from SU!, patterned paper from Urban Rhapsody pad by K&Company; Ink - Onyx Black Versafine ink, Ranger Walnut ink for sponging edges; Other - Nestabilities dies, black Zig Millennium pen, sponge, Copic & Prismacolor Markers, SU! copper brads.

TCP TUESDAY #6 - STAMP CHALLENGE

HAPPY TUESDAY!

     This week we have another stamp challenge....create a card or project using the Ring of Flowers (E-7462) stamp from The Cat's Pajamas.  Katie Stilwater is this week's Hipster Hostess with the Mostest so she's got all of the details over on her blog.  Create your card and make sure you leave a comment with the link to your card on her TCP Tuesday post.  Please use the keyword TCPTUES06 if you're posting over at Splitcoaststampers so that we can all leave you nice comments!

    Don't forget to click on over to Alma's blog to see the slideshow containing the cards created using the color BLUE that were entered in last week's challenge.

    And....here's my contribution for this week....Pretty Poochie Mother's Day Flowers! 

Supplies:  Stamps - Ring of Flowers (E-7432) and Big Poochie from It's A Mod, Mod World clear set (W-7512) from The Cat's Pajamas, sentiment from Stamping Sensations; CS - olive textured by DCWV, Burgundy, Pink, Rose, Mustard, Saffron from SU!, Papertrey White, patterned papers from Basic Grey in the Sugared 6x6 paper pad; Ink - Palette Noir Hybrid ink, Black Onyx Versafine; Other - SU! scalloped circle punch, EK circle punch, sewing machine, DCWV Brads, Prismacolor and Copic markers, Dazzling Diamonds glitter and Crystal Effects from SU!