Sunflower Studio

DARE TO GET DIRTY CHALLENGE WEEK {scs}

Are you a Fan Club member over at SPLITCOAST STAMPERS?  Well, if you are then GREAT.  You're already in-the-know.  If not, what have you been waiting for?  The powers that be at Splitcoast keep their all seeing eyes out for fresh new stamping talent each and every month.  They select the best of the best and those people become member of the DIRTY DOZEN design team.  Each month a new theme is revealed and the team works on dozens of cards and projects that will WOW and inspire.  They truly are amazing!  The catch is that you've gotta be a member to see all of that fabulousness.  How do you become a member?  Go HERE for lots more info. 

More to the point though is that you've gotta sign up now!  Each year, right at this time, past Dirty Dozen designers come up with seven days of fun and unique challenges for fan club members to try out.  New ones are revealed each day.  And each challenge is accompanied by eye-goggling samples that are made by still more DD designers.

Here's my first sample.  It's one of yesterday's challenges but I can't give you the challenge details since you've gotta be a member for that, silly!  My card uses another of my new digital stamp images from TIDDLY INKS.  This one's called ROYAL PROCLAMATION.  I love her.  In my mind she's the Red Queen.  I used patterned paper from October Afternoon (red check) and Basic Grey (floral).  I colored some cream seam binding ribbon red with a Copic reinker for my fluffy bow and then added small paper flowers (Prima). She's even got glittery gloves and boots!

I'll have a few more samples that I've made for other challenge hostesses later in the week.  And then I'll have a challenge going as well on Thursday, 8/4.  Check in at the DTGD thread and give something a try, why don't ya?!

WHACHADOIN' WEDNESDAY #2 & SCS DDA AUGUST CHALLENGE

Hi All!  I'm killing two birds with one stone with this card...here goes:

WHACHADOIN' WEDNESDAY #2 - SPARKLE  

The challenge this week at STORAGE UNITS, INK & MORE! is to use some *sparkle* on your card - glitter, Stickles, etc.  It's sort of hard to see in the photo but I added a bunch of Stardust Clear Glitter Pen.  This is one of my favorite tools.  It adds just a bit of sparkle without obliterating the color beneath.  It's a subtle addition but really finishes off your card or project.

I used the IT'S MY PARTY set - a new set for this month!  The card actually uses four stamps from this cute set:  the birthday girl, the balloons, the pile-o-presents, and the "celebrate!" sentiment.  See what a little masking can do?!

So, what will you do to "sparkle" up one of your cards this week?  Make something glittery and post a link HERE on the SUInk & More! blog.  If you post to Splitcoast, please use keyword SUINKWWC2.

 

SPLITCOAST DIRTY DOZEN (PAST & PRESENT) AUGUST CHALLENGE

I haven't been able to participate in a challenge with the Dirty Girls in a few months.  I'm always *WOWed" by the creativity of those gals so I'm excited to be able to join in this time.  The details for the challenge are:

• BIRTHDAY theme
• must include numbers
• can't use the word "birthday"

Uh-huh...you got that right! 

For the number portion of the challenge, I used these great Skinny Dip Numbers that I bought from Purple Onion Designs.  I haven't had time to mount them to the EZMount yet so I trimmed the rubber strip to just include the numbers (chopping of the punctuation symbols) and I mounted them to an acrylic block with a glue stick for some quick stamping.  (This is a great trick that Pat Huntoon told me about.  You have to make sure to clean off the rubber AND the acrylic as soon as you're done stamping but it works like a charm!) 

I watercolored all of the images using Stampin' Up!s new In Colors.  I wanted the number background to be a little "messy" so I smeared the color around a tad.  It's kinda fun to not be so keyed in to the details sometimes.

Anyway, I'm sure it'll be a real treat to check out what the other Dirty Dozen girls made today.  You can see all of the cards uploaded for this challenge HERE or by typing DCB808 in the keyword part of the gallery search at Splitcoaststampers.com.

WISH BIG GNOME

    Here he is again...can you tell that I love this little guy?  I wanted to try this week's color challenge at Splitcoast.  They're up to CC#155 and the combo is Basic Black, River Rock, and Whisper White.  I exchanged some watercolor paper for the white and added patterned paper.  (I almost can't make a card these days without it!) 
    The gnome is from Stampendous and the cupcake, candle, and sentiment are all separate stamps from A Muse.  I watercolored the images with SU! dye inks and a waterbrush and then added some sparkle with a Sakura Stardust Glitter pen (fabulous...YOU MUST HAVE ONE!)  I love the 'understated celebration' look that this card has.  The patterned paper is from a 6x6 Basic Grey pad from the Periphery collection.  And I, again, did the 'knotted ribbon corner' thing that I've CASED from Jeanne Streiff.

FEBRUARY DIRTY GIRL CHALLENGE

    Today's the day for the reveal of this month's Dirty Girl Challenge cards.  This is the third month that Jami Sibley has set this up for us.  It's so fun too!  All of the past and present members of the Splitcoast Dirty Dozen are allowed to participate. 
   

    The parameters for this month's challenge were as follows:

1.  Use stamps designed by Dirty Dozen members (Anna Wight for Whipper Snapper, Lisa Strahl for Cornish Heritage Farms, or Melanie Muenchinger for Gina K Designs).  If you didn't have any of their stamps you could CASE a card designed by one of them.
2.  Spring color combo
3.  NO CuttleBug/Big Shot/Wizard or similar diecut/embossing machines

Guess who's stamps I used?!?  HA...like you really had to guess.  I used Anna's new Whipper Snapper stamps, of course! 
    Remember those commercials where the little kid's voice over would say, "Thanks Eessa Bunny...bawk, bawk!"?  What were those for?  Cadbury Eggs?  I think so.  Anyway...I always loved that ad and that sentiment is where the idea for this card came from.  Should I apologize for having to do this to Anna's bunny?  Naa!  ha...I just crack myself up.

Supplies:  Bunny & Happy Easter from Spring Has Sprung set, chick and grass from BoPeep's Sheep set by Anna Wight for Whipper Snapper Designs; CS - Pink by Bazzill, green and yellow by DCWV, Papertrey Select white, patterned papers from Bon Bon pad by Marcella by K&Company; Ink - Graphite Black Brilliance ink; Other - Prismacolor markers, brads, ribbon, glue pen, Dazzling Diamonds glitter, flower by Doodlebug, White Signo Gel pen.

Click HERE to go the the Splitcoast gallery that contains the cards for this challenge.

SO MANY SALES...

    Here's another stamp that hadn't been inked up before today.  As soon as I saw a card made with this little cutie I knew that I had to have her.  Come on....a shopping Elzybell!  She's perfect!
    This card follows this week's Sketch Challenge #163 and Color Challenge #153 at Splitcoast.  The background patterned paper is by EK Success and the smaller piece is by DCWV.  The sentiment is by Wordsworth.  Remember those Making Memories 'spring rings' that were all the rage a while back?  Dug those out for this card and it hangs the tag perfectly from the SU! Kraft taffeta ribbon. 
    The whole thing just makes me want to run to the mall....uh-oh...too late...spent the money for the day on Papertrey at 9am this morning!

DAISY BE WELL

    I'm trying to get back into the habit of doing the sketch and/or color challenges at Splitcoast each week.  This week was Sketch Challenge #161 and it's a really fun one.  This week's Color Challenge #151 was a whopper:  Yo Yo Yellow, Going Gray, and Basic Gray.  Woooooweeeeee!  That's definitely a doozie but I took the challenge!  (Click here to go to the Sketch Challenge #161 gallery and here for the Color Challenge #151 gallery.) 
    As you can see, I combined them in this bright and cheery get well card using Anna's Posies For You set.  I'm thrilled with the way this turned out.  See what happens when you step outside of your comfort zone...a happy surprise!
Supplies:  Stamps - Posies For You - Anna Wight for Whipper Snapper, sentiment by My Sentiments Exactly!, SU! Canvas BG; CS - Yo Yo Yellow, Going Gray, Basic Gray, shimmery white from Marco's Paper; Ink - Basic Gray, Onyx Black Versafine; Other - White and Green Sakura Souffle pens, Yellow Prismacolor marker, SU! Slit Punch, 1/16" hole punch, Heidi Swapp flower, Martha Stewart flower punch, white punched flower wedding confetti from Target, Doodlebug Button

PAILS & POSIES - SKETCH CHALLENGE 160

I decided to try this week's sketch challenge over at Splitcoast.  It's been a long time since I sat down to do one of these but I love 'em.  This is for Sketch Challenge #160.  Can you believe that they've done 160 sketch challenges?  WOW!! 
    I had this triptych idea in my head and once I had that part done I just couldn't add the final layer in the sketch.  Oh well...it's loosely based.  The pails and flowers are from Anna's Posies For You set.  The little birdie and bee are from A Muse Artstamps.  I'm still playing with my Prismacolor markers.  (I actually drove on down to Michael's and bought a set of colors that I didn't have in my collection.  I really do have 'purchasing' sickness...somebody stop me NOW!  I also visited the JoAnn's around the corner and for those of you who liked the plaid paper from yesterday's card, those pads are on sale for 40% off this week...DEAL!)
Supplies:  Stamps - Posies For You by Anna Wight for Whipper Snapper, bird and bee from A Muse, Linen BG from SU!; CS - Marigold Morning (ret.), Rose Romance (ret.), Old Olive, Basic Black, Papertrey White; Ink - Brilliance Graphite Black, Onyx Black Versafine, Rose Romance; Other - Prismacolor markers, peach velvet ribbon, SU! Slit punch, 1/16" hole punch, sponge, Sakura Stardust Glitter Pen, corner rounder.

SNOWY PENGUIN

The Splitcoast Dirty Dozen - both past and present - participated in another challenge this month.  The criteria this time was to use a penguin image, to include 'ice' (sparkles), and to NOT use blue on your card.  I love how varied and gorgeous all of the artwork is!  You can go to the DCP1207 gallery at Splitcoast to view all of the cards.

    I based my card on Alma's Cat's Pajamas Sketch #5.  I'm so behind on my sketches and I hadn't really gotten a chance to stamp due to the holiday rush.  I love stamping so it was definitely a treat to get to sit down and do some today. 

Supplies:  Stamps - Christmas Penguin (D7481), 3 Snowflakes (C-6345) from The Cat's Pajamas; CS - Basic Gray, Ruby Red, Very Vanilla, "Christmas Is..." patterned paper by Cloud 9; Ink - Black Versafine, Sahara Sand, Basic Gray; Other - MM Buckle, SU! Basic Gray Taffeta ribbon, glue pen, Dazzling Diamonds, red brads, Twinkling H2Os, waterbrush, thin black pen.