Sunflower Studio

SUINKWWC53 - BACK TO SCHOOL!...Prize Week!

Not sure about you all but we are counting down to that first day of school in these parts.  We have just over a week to go.  By the way, am I the only one who remembers not going back to school til after Labor Day?  What's up with that anyway?  Did we always have to go the 180 days like they do now?  So odd!

But, like I said, it's time!  To celebrate...uh, or commiserate...the design team at STORAGE UNITS, INK & MORE! are featuring BACK TO SCHOOL cards and projects.  There are tons of great papercrafting products out right now that highlight school and SUINK has the perfect set to go along with them....A TOUCH OF CLASS. 

I was inspired by a decorated composition book on the HYBRID CHICK blog.  Have you subscribed to that feed?  The blog features projects by a bunch of different papercrafters....most of them using some sort of digi product.  I don't always end up creating the hybrid project but I am inspired each and every time I get the feed.  My book is covered by patterned paper included in one of the newest collections by Cosmo Cricket...THE BOYFRIEND.  It's so yummy that I had a hard time even cutting into it!

I used various stamps from the A TOUCH OF CLASS set...the desk, the globe, the math problem, the A+, the "class by yourself" sentiment, and a part of the "back to school" sentiment.  There's a cute little girl in that set too but since I have a boy, I decided not to stamp her here.  I also dug out one of my all time favorite alphabet sets...Tall Tales Alphabet from Stampin' Up! for the title of the book. {I haven't used any SU in ages and I really do need to clean house but I'll never part with my alpha!}  I stamped the letters with red chalk ink and then outlined them with a thin black marker, added the shadow with a copic, and the highlight with a white gel pen.  I love the overlapping letters!

It's hard to tell but I attached a wide ribbon to the back cover of the book with one of those big Bazzill brads.  That way, the ribbon becomes the bookmark...a little something I saw in the HYBRID CHICK version.  Yesterday, I bought a new EK punch at Mike's...that's where the big scalloped edge came from.  I also used the SU! notebook paper punch, some Nestabilities dies, a chipboard arrow, oooh...and a new die from Sizzix for the big bracket piece.  {Got myself a Big Shot Express too recently...that thing cuts like a dream...works on the Sizzix and cuts chipboard! AND used it with my Spellbinders dies too...woo hoooo!}  I added a bunch of fun buttons from Creative Imaginations with some PTI button twine.  

So, do you think I'd actually let my little guy use this for school?  NOT...it's mine....ALLLLL MINE!  {Oh dear!}

Why don't you join us in this challenge?  Post a link to your BACK TO SCHOOL themed card or project on the SUINK blog and you'll be entered in a random drawing to win a stamp set of your choice from STORAGE UNITS, INK & MORE!  Hurry it up...you have until the end of the week!  Please use keyword SUINKWWC53 if you're posting to SCS or PCP.  Have fun! 

HAPPY BIRD-DAY!

This week's challenge with STORAGE UNITS, INK & MORE! is to create a card with a unique shape.   For whatever reason, this tree idea came to mind right away.  And...while it's not really a "shaped" card per se, I'm goin' with it anyway.

I hand cut the tree and branch shape from the front portion of the folded card.  Then, I stamped a tree bark patterned stamp by All Night Media using FRENCH ROAST ink by SUINK to create the tree.  I used an oval punch to create the hole for the little pink owl to hoot through.

Speaking of the owls...I think these are just adorable.  They're included in another brand new set from SUINK called YOU'RE A HOOT.  They're just hanging out in the forest enjoying a "happy bird-day".  On a side note, we hung some new bird feeders in the back yard on Sunday and wouldn't you know that between the Blue Jay and the darn squirrels ALL of the seed is already gone.  I think they've been having a "happy BIRD-day" too!!  My patterned paper is by Bella Blvd. and it's called Family Tree.  I used some more new SUINK buttons and some SU! twine and Papertrey ribbon to finish it off.

You can get more details on this week's SUINK Whatchadoin' Wednesday challenge on the SUINK blog.  You'll want to be checking in over there frequently in the following weeks.  They're celebrating their one year anniversary and there's some big, awesome giveaways and such that'll be coming your way!

SUINKWWC44 - LET'S HEAR IT FOR THE BOYS! & BLOG CANDY

Poppin' in to share my card for this week's challenge at STORAGE UNITS, INK & MORE!  This week we're celebrating the men in our lives with a masculine card...doesn't have to be for Father's Day but, hey, why not!

My card features one of the brand new sets from SUINK, OCEAN COMMOTION, and another set from way back at the beginning of SUINK's stamp releases, LOOK WHAT I CAUGHT.  So here's the little fishing boy....do you think he has any idea what lies beneath in the deep blue sea?

I first created the seascape by stamping the images and then airbrushing in the background colors.  Here's another really neat thing about the Copics...you can use the colorless blender to "lift off" some of the color that you've already added.  So, I went ahead and sprayed the sand color and then the various blues right over top of the fish images.  Then I used the blender to remove some of that color.  I added the color for each fish/critter/plant on top.  Any of the leftover background color was "pushed" to the side by the overlaying color.  Cool beans!

I stamped the fishing boy on a separate sheet of paper, colored him, and then carefully cut out the entire image.  I used foam tape to raise him up a bit over the sea.  He creates a perfect "photo corner", right?!  At this point I'm trying to figure out where a sentiment would fit and the bobber came to me.  I cut out the white circle with a Nestabilities die, stamped the sentiment (DAD from the THINKING OF DAD set and {relax} from the LOOK WHAT I CAUGHT set), added the red stripe and some small outlines with a Copic Multiliner.  I cut out the top of the bobber from a scrap of red cardstock and drew in the shaded top.

To celebrate the new SUINK stamp releases for this month AND the fact that Father's Day is right around the corner, I'm giving away an OCEAN COMMOTION stamp set.  Leave me a comment on this post letting me know what you'll be giving your Dad/Husband/Grandfather for Father's Day....I need some ideas and soon!  I'll accept entries until Sunday, June 14th at midnight eastern time.  I'll let the random number gererator pick a winner and announce the winner on Monday, June 15th. 

SUINKWWC43 - Sketch Challenge

This week's challenge on the STORAGE UNITS, INK & MORE! blog is a sketch challenge.  And looking through what the other DT gals have done it looks like many of us had the same idea....to use the brand new FORE set.  This is the cutest little golf set that I have ever seen!  I hope you like it as much as I do...

I bought this little LIME RICKEY 6x6 BASIC GREY patterned paper pad this past weekend and have been dying to use it.  I knew that the papers in the pad would be the base for this card.  I also turned the sketch onto it's side so that the circular portion is on the bottom...it worked better for my little golfer this way....it grounded him.

I stamped the golfer, drew in the ground at the bottom and colored the grass.  Then, masking the golfer and the grass, I used the Copic Airbrush and various Copic Markers to add in the dusk sky.  I think it calms the crazy papers just a bit.  I added a smidge of button goodness - also from SUINK - to the lower right corner to fill in the yellow space.

Ooo...almost forgot to mention, I will have some SUINK BLOG CANDY in the next few days.  I'll be giving away one of the new sets...not one that I personally have shown so far so stay tuned!

SUINKWWC38 - Flowers, Flowers, Flowers!

The card challenge this week at STORAGE UNITS, INK & MORE! is to make a card that features FLOWERS!  That's an easy one since it's Spring and all.  More than just regular flowers sprouting up everywhere, I'm in love with the Pink Dogwood trees that are all over the place here in MD right now.  They're gorgeous and their pink flowers really stand out next to the green of everything else budding right now.  Just fabulous!

Ooopsie..back to the card.  I combined this SUINK challenge with this week's sketch challenge #226 at Splitcoast.  It's a good one and a great way to really use some of your patterned paper stash.  My card features the cute little boy from the SUINK BOYS 'N BUGS set and the sentiment is included in the new THINKING OF MOTHER set.  This'll probably be the card that I get this year...ha...made by me!  All of the fun paper is from the Blossoms & Butterflies Stack pad by DCWV.  The large flower is by Doodlebug and the smaller one is a Prima.  Some Stamping Bella Baubles finish it off.

Make sure that you use keyword SUINKWWC38 when you're uploading your flower card to SCS or PCP this week so that we can find your flowery creation.

WHACHADOIN' WEDNESDAY CHALLENGE #37

Squeezing a little something in tonight for the WHACHADOIN' WEDNESDAY CHALLENGE with STORAGE UNITS, INK & MORE!  This week's challenge was to create two cards using the theme "Same But Different".  So, you could use same colors, same layout, same stamps, same theme...lots of possibilities.

I chose to create two cards with sort of an EARTH DAY theme.  I printed the digital image of earth from SHABBY MISS JENN DESIGNS (mentioned in my previous post today) on cardstock for both cards.  Here are the deets for each...

YOU MEAN THE WORLD TO ME

This was the first thing that came to mind when I sat down with my box of SUINK stamps.  Save the Animals!  The WELCOME TO THE ZOO set is a new release for April and these animals are soooo cute.  The sentiment that just sums it all up is actually from A Muse.  I printed the earth image and cut it out and then layered it to die cuts created with the brand new Inverted Scalloped Circle Nestabilities dies.  Makes my little Earth glow, right?  I used one of the Nestabilities Labels dies to cut the black shape layer and ran that piece through the Cuttlebug in the Swiss Dot Embossing folder for the starry sky.  See how great the Coredinations cardstock is when you emboss and sand?  It really reveals that inner core color!  Not sure where the excellent green/blue gingham ribbon came from but I love it.  I finished it all off with a big ole button from Creative Imaginations. 

IT'S A SMALL WORLD AFTER ALL

For my second card using the theme, I had it in my mind to use various SUINK kid images around the little earth.  I realized that they were a bit too big and my card would be huge.  Changing the plan a bit...I decided to create my own patterned paper using the Earth image for the perfect background.  I dug through lots of sets for the images...here's where you can find them:
FARMER BOY - LEAF IT TO ME set
CHEF GIRL - KISS THE COOK set
DOGGIE - BOYS 'N' BUGS set
LUMBERJACK BOY - ROUGHIN' IT set
CUTE SUIT GIRL - VOTE FOR ME set
CHEERLEADER - FIRST & GOAL set
The sentiment was printed on the computer.

The other SUINK design team gals have come up with their own twist on the challenge.  Click over to the SUINK blog and check them out.  Why don't you grab your stamps - preferably SUINK images since it's their challenge - and see what comes to mind.  Please use keyword SUINKWWC37 when uploading to Splitcoast.

WHACHADOIN' WEDNESDAY CHALLENGE #31 - Easter Cards

Is it Wednesday?  Well for about 45 more minutes it is!  Squeaking in just under the wire then, huh?  This weeks Whachadoin' Wednesday Challenge at STORAGE UNITS, INK & MORE! is to create an Easter card using the YOU'RE SOME BUNNY SPECIAL set that was released this month.  This is another versatile SUINK set...not only does it have everything you'll need to create some adorably cute Easter creations, you'll be able to use many of the stamps in other non-holiday cards too.  I really like that about these sets!

So here's the kids out for their Easter Egg hunt in their Sunday finest.  So bright and colorful!  The little chicks have joined in to help root out the eggs...just look at that one that hopped right off the ground.  (ha ha...one of those "happy mistakes"...riiiiight).

Make sure to click on over to the SUINK blog and see what the other design team ladies have created.  They really are making some amazing cards over that and I wouldn't want ya to miss them.  Please join us if you like and post at Splitcoast...use keyword SUINKWWC31 so that we can find your artwork.

Supplies:  Stamps - YOU'RE SOME BUNNY SPECIAL set from STORAGE UNITS, INK & MORE!; Paper - Papertrey White, Coredinations textured CS, patterned papers by DCWV; Ink - Tuxedo Black Memento ink; Other - Copic Markers, Dew Drops, Martha Stewart seam binding ribbon, Janome Sew Mini Machine, SU! scalloped edge punch.

WHACHADOIN' WEDNESDAY CHALLENGE #27 - Monochromatic Color Challenge

The week got away from me and here I am just now posting my WHACHADOIN' WEDNESDAY CHALLEGE cards for STORAGE UNITS, INK & MORE!  One of their new February sets is this adorable St. Patty's Day set called BLARNEY STONE.  So, all of my cards use this same sweet set and , of course, THEY'RE ALL GREEN!  (I know Valentine's Day is upon us but it's never to early to think about the next holiday, right?!)  I hope you've checked in over at the SUINK blog to see what the other DT gals have created with the MONOCHROMATIC COLOR CHALLENGE.  Join us and post your creation on Splitcoast or PCP.  Use keyword SUINKWWC27 as your tag or keyword.

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY

More dancing!  This time it's the Irish gals...it's called clogging, isn't it?  Like Michael Flatley and all?  Instead od my dance line going across the card, I decided to go up and down this time.  A little masking and they're doing a jig!

Supplies:  Stamps - Blarney Stone from Storage Units, Ink & More!; Paper - textured cardstock by Coredinations, Papertrey White, patterned paper by Reminisce; Ink - Tuxedo Black Memento Ink; Other - Copic Markers, SU! scalloped edge punch, shamrock confetti from JoAnn's.

THE IRISH

Don't ya just love Lucky Charms cereal?  It's always been my very favorite...yup...40-something years.  I think I've got the little boy turned on to it's sugary goodness too.  What's that say about my mothering skills?  Oh well...here we have Lucky's green bowler, a big mug-o-beer, the love, friendship and loyalty of the claddagh, and, of course, a pot-o-gold at the end of the rainbow.  How fun!

Supplies:  Stamps - Blarney Stone from Storage Units, Ink & More!; Paper - textured cardstock by Coredinations, Papertrey White, patterned paper by Scenic Route; Ink - Tuxedo Black Memento Ink; Other - Copic Markers, Nestabilities dies, Stamping Bella Baubles.

IRELAND 4 EVER

What's St. Patty's Day without a leprechaun?  This jaunty little guy is celebrating his heritage with a big pint of ale and a sprint over the moors.  (uhh...sure!)  Maybe he's out to fetch his crock of gold from where ever it's been hidden.  He's a happy little guy...no doubt about it!

Supplies:  Stamps - Blarney Stone from Storage Units, Ink & More!; Paper - textured cardstock by Coredinations, Papertrey White, patterned papers by Karen Foster; Ink - Tuxedo Black Memento Ink; Other - Copic Markers, Nestabilities dies, Stamping Bella Baubles, Creative Imaginations button, clover from JoAnn's.

WHACHADOIN' WEDNESDAY CHALLENGE #23 - Valentine Treats

Here's a little treat box that I created for WHACHADOIN' WEDNESDAY at Storage Units, Ink & More!  They have these truly adorable Valentine's sets this month.  They're irresistible!  Yesterday, Holly came over to craft with me and we created these using the largest of the Spellbinder's Nestabilities Classic Scalloped Heart dies and this gorgeous Chocolate Box cardstock by Coredinations from SUINK.

Now this new cardstock - and I've mentioned it before - is soooo yummy!  It's "chocolate" on the more textured side and a color on the other side.  When you sand the chocolate side the color shows through.  That makes it a "natch" for embossing and sanding.  In fact, as I look at these photos I'm thinking that I should have done a little embossing to dress up the top of the little box a bit - maybe next time. 

As for the box, I cut out two scalloped hearts and sanded the edges.  I cut a 1-1/2" x 12" strip for the sides of the box.  I scored the strip on the long side at 1/2" and then snipped that 1/2" side about every 1/4" to 1/2" so that it would easily form the heart shaped sides of the box.  Use a good sticky tape (red line) to adhere the sides to the box bottom.  Then, I punched holes in the top and bottom of the box at the same place so that I could run the ribbon from the bottom of the box through the top and into a bow.  This loverly ribbon is from American Crafts and the little heart on the tag is from Jolee's by EK Success.  I made the box with the little cherub from the WILL YOU BE MY VALENTINE set.  Holly made the other box and used sentiments from the SWEET THINGS set along with hearts from the WILL YOU BE MY VALENTINE set.  The tissue inside the box is made for treats from the Martha Stewart line at Michael's and each box held about eight Krackle heart candies.  YUM YUM!

SUINKWWC18 - Holiday Sets/Non-Holiday Cards

The design team at Storage Units, Ink & More! is still working on making those sets really stretch out over the year.  I mean, you buy those holiday sets and then they just sit in a box or on a shelf.  What else can you do with them?  Well....think outside the box and make the images fit for other occasions.

Here's the first thing that came to mind for me....I love this little sledding boy from the SNOW DAY set.  But let's see what he can do on the water.  Can he hang ten?  SURE HE CAN!  I colored his snow clothes a bright "Body Glove" yellow so that he's wearing a wetsuit.  What's he got on his head?....uh...not sure...lets pretend it's the hood for the wetsuit...ha ha.  And his surfboard is a little curvy...but you have to overlook these things and see the big picture.  I think it works!  And I also used the little palm tree from the OH HOLY NIGHT set to create the tropical scene.  See...VOILA!  A great card that you could send from your island vacation to the family back home.  Give it a try!

If you're uploading to Splitcoast or Paper Craft Planet, make sure that you use keyword SUINKWWC18.  Check in at the SUINK blog to see what the other gals came up with this week.

Supplies:  Stamps - OH HOLY NIGHT and SNOW DAY stamp sets from Storage Units, Ink & More!; Paper - textured CS from Coredinations, Papertrey White, SU! Confetti Tan (retired); Ink - Tuxedo Black Memento ink; Other - Copic Markers and Multiliner, Inkssentials White Gel pen, Canson Photo Corners, American Crafts brads, Fiskars Deckle Edge Scissors, computer for sentiment.