Negative Space with a Positive Outcome

Have you ever missed a deadline because you were in the wrong week in your planner?  Yes? No?  Just me?  I did that this week.  On Tuesday I missed my dog's grooming appointment in the morning because I thought it was the day I was supposed to be at the dentist.  On Wednesday I didn't have a card ready to go for the current challenge at StampNation because I thought it was our sponsor week, (that card was done weeks ago) when in fact that is next week as well.  Aye yi yi.  Some weeks I truly wonder about myself.

All is well, and I am back on track with my days.  Thankfully Maureen is very understanding and let me slide for this week.  Our groomer was also accommodating and Bella will be getting "pretty" next week.  Unfortunately I still have another week to dread going to the dentist.  On the bright side, I get to share my Design Team cards with YOU because I didn't get them posted in time for the challenge at StampNation.  How is that for turning negative into positive?

Did I mention the challenge this week (for real) is to use Negative Space on your cards?  Fitting isn't it?   Thankfully the challenges at StampNation never close, so I can go add them to the challenge thread after I post here.

As you can see I was super inspired by this theme.  I chose blue ornaments so I could keep up with my personal 6 week Merry Monday challenge.   For each of these cards I die cut my ornament/circle out of white cardstock, then layered the ornament stamp/glitter paper behind.  The die cut piece was embossed then popped up using dimensionals over the ornament paper.

MM#134

 If you have ever mixed up your weeks like this, I would love to hear about it in the comments below.  If you never have, then please share your organized secret!

If you would like more information on StampNation, and/or to join the fastest growing online community of passionate paper crafters, clicky here.

Fancy Stamped Ornament
Stamps: Ornament Keepsakes (SU); Seasonal Flourishes (WMS)

Ink: Night of Navy, Versamark (SU)

Paper: Whisper White, Soft Sky, Night of Navy
Accessories: Holiday Ornament Framelits (SU),;Liquid Platinum Embossing Powder (Ranger); Wink of Stella Glitter Pen

Glitter Ornament  (all Stampin' UP!)
Stamps: Christmas Bliss 

Ink: Lost Lagoon 

Paper: Various Glimmer Papers, Whisper White
Accessories: Circle Framelits, Early Espresso 1/8" Tafffeta Ribbon, Silver 1/8" Ribbon, Decorative Dots Embossing Folder

Dazzling Christmas

My plan for this card is nothing like the end result, but I have to say I love this card so much that I want to keep it.   But, I won't.  I'll send it to my pink-loving friend who will love it even more than I do. 

This was my first time using heat and stick powder.  I went a little overboard and used it with dazzling diamonds on the ornaments, the background and kept using it to make another card.  My work space is covered in glittery goodness.  :)   

Oh how I wish you could see this sparkle in person.  The card started when I saw the new challenge that Monica, from Add A Little Dazzle, has created.  She put up this scrumptious "frosted pumpkins" inspiration photo.

DDC#1

 Don't you just love it?  My first thought was a Victorian tea party.  I still plan on making a card with that theme, but somehow when I got to the hobby room I just had to turn those pumpkins into glittery pink ornaments.  Afterall the challenge is to become a Dazzling Diva.  You need shimmer and sparkle for that, right?  

The card has touches of pear pizzazz and craft along with blushing bride, raspberry ripple and white.  If you are wonder why I used these colors specifically, it's because of this week's Dazzling Duo's new Triple Threat week.  I thought the colors went well with the inspiration photo.  What do you think?

DD#80

As if these two challenges weren't enough inspiration I had to pull out a sketch too in order to make this card work for me.  You see, after I made the sparkly background paper and 2 dazzling ornaments I couldn't figure out how to put them together.  

My plan was to put them as a grouping in the corner, but it didn't look right, so I pulled out the new sketch from Retro Sketches and stamped a Crumb Cake ornament with Crumb Cake ink and went to work pulling the card together.

rs#91

As you can see I did another lane swerve while actually putting the card together.  My plan was to have all the ornaments in a row like the rectangle on the sketch.  I even adhered the linen thread with tombow mono multi glue at the same length.  Next I glued the Crumb Cake ornament on the card and tucked a couple of leaves from SU Bird Punch behind it.  I decided to put the pink and raspberry ornaments up a bit from the center ornament.  First I popped up the Raspberry Ripple ornament, then I glued a couple of branches behind it.  As I turned over the Blushing Bride ornament it landed just slightly down from the center and I loved the slant it created so I decided to just adhere it down in the bottom corner and have the leaves help in creating a gently slope.   I hope you can still tell how this sketch inspired me.  

Yes, I took inspiration from three different fabulous challenges, but I ended up with a lovely card for a dear friend and her family.  I already feel like a winner.   

If you would like me to film a video on the heat and stick powder or how I made the ornaments, please leave me a comment below and I will try to get one up for you later this week.  

Creative Blessings,

Heather North

Stamps: Snowflake Soiree, Ornament Keepsakes, Petite Pairs

Color: Blushing Bride, Crumb Cake, Pear Pizzazz, Raspberry Ripple, Whisper White
Accessories: Heat & Stick Embossing Powder, Dazzling Diamonds, Linen Thread, Bird Punch, Ornaments Framelits

CLICKY to go to my Stampin' UP! store. 

Christmas Duo

For my ACAD (A Card A Day) blog challenge we were asked to make a Christmas card using Non-traditional Christmas colors.  

The colors for my first card were chosen because they are this week's Dynamic Duo.  Color challenges are usually EXTREMELY challenging for me, but not this one.  Having just two colors actually helped me and challenged me to try 2 colors together I might not have.  I'm bookmarking this site, for sure!

My second card colors were inspired by one of the WCMD challenges.  I pulled together Bashful Blue and Pink Pirrouette to make the second card.  The Bashful Blue cardstock was run through the Big Shot using the Lacy Brocade embossing folder. 

Sorry about the photo quality.  I took these pictures at night and it is difficult to get good pictures at night with my camera.  My next investment is probably going to be a light box. 

Time for you to make a card using non-traditional Christmas colors.  What will you choose?

Creative Blessings,
Heather North


October Christmas Gift



Lacy Brocade Embossing Folder



Ornament Keepsakes Bundle



Balloon Ornaments

Yesterday the new Stampin' UP Holiday mini catalog went live.  In the morning, after dropping off my son at Driver's Ed, I was thinking about 2 things. 

1) What card could I make to showcase one of the great new products from the Holiday mini?
Even though I love the Holiday's, it was such a nice sunny day yesterday that I couldn't get into the Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas mood.  Soooooo.... I started thinking more about the 2nd thing...

2) Do I have a stamp set that I could use to make a birthday card for a 4 year old girl?  (Avery's birthday party is this weekend, and I don't have time to order a set just to make her card.  oops)


As I was driving my mind drifted a bit to how beautiful the sky was.  The sky was a brilliant blue and the clouds were white & fluffy.  I thought about making another sky card, but that didn't seem very "holiday" ish.  I thought, I could probably make balloons for Avery's card, and put them in the sky, and then I thought about using the ornament stamp and Framelits to make that card.   Here is what I came up with.

After I stamped the balloons, I thought they looked more like hot air balloons than regular balloons, but that's okay, because they are still SUPER cute!

I'm thinking about adding some Dazzling Details to the center of the balloons to make them sparkle a bit.  What do you think?

I'm probably going to cut those Baker's Twine "tails", but they look good dangling down when you are holding the card.   To make that banner I cut a 1" strip of Whisper White cardstock, then stamped the sentiment from Seasonal Sayings set.  Then I colored in some of the letters with Pool Party, Blushing Bride (retired) and Wisteria Wonder markers.  I notched one end into a tail, then took my Marina Mist marker and made dash lines around the banner. 

Here's a peek at the inside of the card.  It would make a darling card front.  I used the Blue Ribbon stamp set, along with my marker and punches to add some layers and color to the ribbon.

So, even if you are not in a "holiday mood" or "mode" you may just find something in the new Holiday mini to inspire you today. 

Creative Blessings,
Heather North

P.S.  If you have not yet seen the Holiday Mini click the catalog image below to check it out online.  :)


2012 Holiday Mini

Ornament Keepsake Bundle



Seasonal Sayings



Christmas Mojo in July

Seems like everybody is doing it these days, so I am jumping on the bandwagon and creating a Christmas card in the middle of July.  How could I resist with my pre-order from the Holiday Mini calling to me.  :)  How many new items can you spot in this card?

New Stamps, New Embossing Folder, New DSP (not from the mini catalog though, you can get that right now!), New Framelits... and one last new to me item, the 2 1/2" circle punch.  Yep, I was in stamper's paradise today. :)

Close up so you can see the texture and Dazzling Diamonds.  I'm probably going to add some more DD to the Cherry Cobbler ornament.  The inspiration comes from this week's Mojo Monday sketch. 

Creative Blessings,
Heather North

Stamps: Ornament Keepsakes
Ink: Cherry Cobbler, Gumball Green
Paper: Be of Good Cheer DSP
Misc.:  Holiday Ornaments Framelits Dies, Linen Thread, Circle Punches

Be of Good Cheer