Challenge Themes

We have a new challenge over @ Our Creative Corner. Use fabric on your project, and ribbon doesn't count. Kristin from Lilybeth Boutique, is our hostess this week. So, here's your challenge this week: 'incorporate fabric into your creation. Use fabric as a background, use it as an embellishment. Stamp it, fold it, cut it, weave it. Use canvas, cotton, satin, silk, burlap, polyester, tulle, whatever. The only restriction - ribbon doesn't count as your fabric!'

Sounds, easy, sounds fun. So, lets play. I didn't want to create another card. Not that I'm tired of cards. I LOVE cards. Its an unique 'canvas' to work with. But, I wanted to spread my wings, so to speak. So, I went hunting in my craft room for some goodies. I saw this wonderful neutral color challenge, and I missed my entry by a few days. Ugh, life gets in the way of playing. So, why not use their colors anyway. So, I gathered my neutrals, this incredible download I printed for a card that I never made (from The Graphics Fairy), my favorite stamp sets, and this 'vintage' iron frame with a gate on the front (Pottery Barn).

For those of you who may not know, I love birds (and butterflies), don't really know, but there is just something ahh inspiring about them. So, yes, this is another million product project. I used stuff I love. Papers from two different companies, stamps from 5 different companies, and embellishments from at least six different companies. So, for a complete list of products used, please email me privately.

The picture frame is 8" x 10". So, I cut my base cardstock to that dimension, and then just played. I made sure that you can 'see' things with those 'gates' closed. That was the hard part. I wanted placement of different stuff, differently, but then you wouldn't be able to read the sentiment, or 'see' something. But, all in all, at the end, I am pretty happy with it.

My fabric, is the gray flower. I used a die and my Big Shot to cut two different size and shape flower shapes. And melted the ends with a heat gun. While heating, the pearl brad got a little scorched. But, I kinda like the look. It looks weathered, old, vintage. Perfect!

Thank you for looking. I hope you get a chance to play with us @ Our Creative Corner. I'd love to see what you come up with. I was actually surprised to see all the different takes on this weeks challenge. It should be fun. Come play along!

Thank-You, Creative Sketches & the Sweet Stop

It's time for another challenge over @ Creative Sketches! This week, we are hosting a color challenge. Old Olive, Bashful Blue, Basic Grey, and Baja Breeze. It sounds like alot, but they actually go super well together! Here is my card, for this weeks challenge. I used mostly Stampin' Up! products. I placed tiny half pearls in the center of my little fabric flowers, so you'll have to look real close. And now that my card is done, I kinda wish I used silver brads.

Oh well, what are you going to do? Tear your card apart for one (ok, two) little embellishments? I just might!

Now that I have these super pretty colors to work with, I'm kinda stuck. So, I went over to the Sweet Stop to see what they had. And they are having another sketch challenge. It's my lucky day! So, I used their fun, creative, and lovely sketch to complete my card. Go over to the Sweet Stop and see what other folks have done with this sketch.

Join us in this fun and creative challenge. Thank you for stopping by!

JUGs #74 & Cupcake Creations

I haven't been 'playing' with my paper craft stuff lately. I entered the Chocolate Fantasy, again, so that took alot of my time. So, its back to my paper crafting! Yahoo!

I used two challenges to create this card. JUGs has a layout challenge this week, and cupcake creations has a color challenge this week. So, I combined them both!

I really do love the challenges over at both Internet locations. They are creative, fun, and challenging. Its good to work outside your comfort zone, sometimes.

This card was made for one of my co-workers for Chocolate Fantasy. I made this card for my daughter. She was a big help, very creative, and she did that beautiful zebra. Hand-painted with edible paint. Wasn't it beautiful?

Most of the materials to make this bright and cheerful card are from Stampin' Up! Everything except the pattern paper. The only retired product used, is the oval fancy frame stamp. But, everything else is current.

19th Annual Chocolate Fantasy - Nada, Inc.

Hotels & Casinos

1st Place & Best in Show: Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort & Spa - The Hunted

Restaurants & Caterers

1st Place: Theobroma Chocolatatier - African Paint

Students/Schools

1st Place: CNM Culinary Arts - Beauty of Life

People's Choice & 2nd Place

Restaurants & Caterers: Krispy Art - Pride & More Prejudice

I am not a hotel/casino. I don't have a restaurant. I have catered a private party or two. I have never attended any formal cooking/baking/chocolate schools, on-line classes, or continuing educational classes. I participate because I think its fun. And, when I win something, its super exciting! I have been competing for 6 years now. I have won (including last night) one 2nd place, and two third place. Our solid chocolate sculpture took just over 25lbs of chocolate, 2 lbs chocolate clay, 1/2 lb toasted coconut, 1/3 lb. toffee bits, and almost 50 hrs of labor. I had two wonderful helpers this year: Sharon Reese (my mom) and Tara Tafoya (my daughter) help me. We had alot of fun doing this, and I believe that we are all happy with our prize! There is alot of talent out there, and everyone did a wonderful job! Here is a photo of our creation:

Restaurants & Caterers

3rd Place: Nada, Inc. - Maelewano (Harmony)

In the African 'wild' you typically see hippos, zebras and giraffes together living in harmony, without harming each other. There is an African man sitting under the umbrella tree (opposite side of the zebra). We did everything to scale. Our conversion was 1 inch = 1 foot. The white piece of chocolate in the foreground has an elephant stamped on it. Our scene is during the dry season, that's why there aren't any grasses. We have a tiny butterfly on the hippo's nose, making him point and turn his nose upwards. Our candy was a flower-shaped dark chocolate cup, filled with a Pomegranate flavored caramel sitting on a bed of toffee bits.

Thank you for looking! We had alot of fun this year. The Natural History Museum hosts this event each year, and we love attending! Its a black-tie gala event, causing our husbands to put on at least a suit, if not a tux, and we get to wear our pretty princess ball gowns! Thank you for stopping by! Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

OCC design Challenge

Good Morning! Alot is going on, so let me get to this week's challenge over @ Our Creative Corner. Kristin (from LilyBeth Boutique) is our hostess this month. Kristin has come up with a fabulously fun challenge. It's called '1-2-3-4 challenge', in honor of her daughter. You need to use the following required pieces on your card, layout page, 3-D project, ect paper craft: 1-pattern paper. 2-layers. 3-stamped images. 4-non-paper embellishments. So, here is my card. I wanted to make something vintage, something shabby chic, something warm and familiar.

My one piece of pattern paper is from Tres Jolie. My two layers are the doily tag from Martha Stewart and the stamped button card from Paper Trey Ink. My three stamped images are: the button card, the 'vintage style' on the button card, and my thank-you tag. My four non-paper embellishments are: seam binding from Stampin' Up!, the half pearl in my hand-rolled paper rose by Stampin' Up!, the button on my button card from my secret stash, and the tiny safety pin that holds my tag onto my seam binding by Stampin' Up!

Most of the core-products used are Stampin' Up! The solid card stocks are Crumb Cake, Always Artichoke, and Very Vanilla. I layered a scrap of First Edition DSP and Baja Breeze DSP on top of the doily. I then sponged everything with Sahara Sand classic ink. I used my 1 3/8" circle punch and scallop circle punch to create the rolled-rose. I used a scrap of DSP and my two-step bird punch to make the leaves. I sponged the rose with Pear Pizzazz classic ink.

To make the button card, I stamped the card outline in Crumb Cake classic ink and the 'vintage style' in Soft Suede classic ink. I had a scrap piece of the spring collection fabric from Stampin' Up!, so I used my picking shears to make that wonderful edge. I tied the button on with some linen thread. I wrapped some Baja Breeze seam binding around my card, and made one of those multi-bow bows to make it more feminine. I used my Crafty Style stamp set for the 'Thank You', cut around it, and punched two tiny (1/16" circle) holes to thread the tiny safety pin through.

Now, I am off to the Tamaya Resort here in New Mexico to set-up my solid chocolate sculpture, to compete in the 19th Annual Chocolate Fantasy. The theme this year is: Pride of the Serengeti. I will post a few pictures tomorrow of both my piece and my competitors. Now remember, each sculpture entered must be 100% edible, and must be at least 80% chocolate. You will be amazed at what we can do. So, please come back. I will post photos of the top three winners in each catagory (casino, artist, student) and of course mine! It's a black-tie gala event, with basically all the chocolate one can eat. There are 17 competetors this year, so you can sample the chocolates of 17 different entries and vote on your favorite!

See ya tomorrow, and wish me luck. It's an hour drive just to the Tamaya Resort, so hopefully everything makes the trip well.

Creative Sketches #22

Over @ Creative Sketches they are having a sketch challenge! You guys already know me, I turned the sketch on its side :) I'm on my last two days to finish my chocolate sculpture and make my 400 chocolate candies, so like I said before, my posts are short and minimal.

Play along in our sketch challenge @ Creative Sketches! Its a layout this week. You can use anyone's products (I used Basic Grey & Stampin' Up!).

Stay tuned, I'll have photos of chocolate to share with you!