Sunflower Studio

THINK LOVE {tcp tuesday 155 - sketch challenge}

Yay...my turn to host a challenge has come up again!  I'm the sketch gal for THE CAT'S PAJAMAS and this time I have a tall, skinny card for ya.  Well, you could also lay it over horizontally if that works for you.

I used a bunch of great sets and dies from THE CAT'S PJs for my card.  Let's see...

Stamp sets - BEAR HUGS, LOVE LETTERS, and BIG BEAR

CutUps dies - GRASS and STAMP TRIO

I really like it when I can make the various images work together.  Here, in my imaginary little story, the brown bear is is love with the big bear on the postage stamps.  Hee hee...aren't they so cute?!  I used a page from an old atlas for the background - more fun stuff from my Grandpa's house...my treasures, ya know.  And, I've seen this little banner shape lately and wanted to try that so I cut those by hand.  The airmail Divine Twine ties it all up!

Just in case you'd like to know some size information for my card, I'll provide that for you:

card base - 3-7/8 x 7-1/8

dp panels - starting at the top - 1 x 3-1/4, 2-1/5 x 3-1/4, 1 x 3-1/4, and 2 x 3-1/4

main image panel - 2-1/4 x 5-1/2

 

I'm a little backwards and I just start the card and let the sizes fall where they may.  That's why I've got all of these odd sizes.  If you wanted to stay close to my size you could make your base 4" x 7" and then keep the dp and main image panels as listed above.  I really hope you join in this week and give it a try!

I've recently made a couple of airbrushed cloud backgrounds and thought I'd try to make a little tutorial video to show you my process.  I'll include that here.  It's really my first one so I'm hoping to improve as I make more.  It's fun though!

Once again, the keyword for this week's challenge is TCPTUES155.  Please use that when you upload to Splitcoast so that we can see your work.  We scour those galleries daily looking for our choices for PICK OF THE LITTER and WEEKLY WINNER.  AND, you should also upload to ALMA'S BLOG to be included in the SWANKY STAMPER contest.

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.

SLIT PUNCH SCALLOPED FLOWER TUTORIAL

This slit punch scalloped flower is an easy takoff from the Slit Punch frame that was made so popular a few months ago by Maria Bell.  She was so great to share that with us all and it's been a big hit.
    In sitting down to make something for a punch challenge on my Blogger's Challenge group this just popped into mind.  I'm fairly punch challenged and don't normally come up with cute little ways to use those things.  Thankfully...there are a ton of people who can.  I'm sure if you search around over on Splitcoast you'd find a bazillion way cool ideas.  I really liked how these turned out though.  You can find scallops on everything these days and there are many scalloped circle flowers as well.  BUT, if you don't have any of those, here's an easy way to make them yourself!

Step 1:  Cut out two 3" circles from patterned paper.  (See photo 1.)  I used my Marvy Giga circle punch to make it easy but you could use any circle cutting system that you have.  I used contrasting papers but you could use matching ones too.

Step 2:  Cut out a 2" circle from the center of each of your 3" circles.  For this step, I used the Creative Memories Circle Cutting system.  I love it because the templates are clear and the cutter works effortlessly.  You could use another punch to do this step but it's harder to line it up exactly in the center.  If you do use two punches, it's easier to cut the smaller circle first and then center that in the larger circle punch.  You'll now have a donut shape and a 2"
circle.  (See photo 2.)

Step 3:  Insert your Stampin' Up! Slit punch onto your donut shape from the inside as shown in Photo 3.  Make sure that you have your punch positioned so that you can see the actual cutting and not the top of the punch.  The top rounded edge of the punch should be just inside of the outer edge of your donut shape.  Go ahead and punch.

Step 4:  After your first punch, move the punch over until you see just the bottom edge of one side of the slit that you just punched.  (I'm left handed so I move my paper circle to the right and my punch to the left...if you're right handed you might go in the opposite direction.)  You're going to punch again right next to your first punch.  By having each punch overlap ever-so-slightly you'll ensure that your scallops fit evenly and that the outer edge that you'll be discarding will come right off.  If you overlap too much your scallops might not fit evenly but you can still fit that last one in...it might be slightly smaller than the others but it still works.  (See photo 4.)  Continue cutting slits in this same way all the way around your donut.  Repeat all of this for both of your donut shapes.  I was able to fit 12 scallops around the 3" circle.    Photo 5 shows your finished scalloped circle flower shape.

Step 5:   Insert the 2" circle that you cut out in step 2 into the center of each of your scalloped circles.  I used tape to attach them from the back side.  (See photo 6.)  Photo 7 shows the two finished flowers with their contrasting centers.

Remember that you can click on any of the photos in this tutorial and you'll get a closer up view of that picture.  It might help in the punching part of the tutorial although it's still hard to see what's been punched in the photos of the patterned papers.

Voila!  You're ready to use your Slit Punch Scalloped Flowers on your project or card.