I Never Met a Cookie I Didn't Like!

Many moons ago, I started my culinary career as a pastry chef.  Baking and decorating cakes and cookies has always been my passion - it still is!  I love piping out elaborate swirls and designs with beautifully colored icings, adding touches of "embellishments" as you would when creating a card.  So the challenge this week at Our Creative Corner is especially tantalizing for me!

Your hostess, Kristin Tierney of LilyBeth Boutique, has asked us to make a creation based on these delish looking treats - the catch?  You MUST use something you would use in baking in your creations.  Get creative - use food coloring, paper liners, or sprinkles.  Know any cool techniques with egg whites, flour or sugar?  You need to explain your 'ingredient' in your description of your creation.  Here is Kristin's photo inspiration.

Bakin' Beauties

 Here is my design team card for some inspiration.

 I decided to make a tag this time.  I crumbled and uncrumbled the tag.  Using Shaded Lilac Distress Ink, I swiped it over the tag and then ironed it out.  That gives you a shiny, leathery look.  I wanted to create the look of a decorated cookie so I used a floral Memory Box die and white cardstock and placed that on top of the tag.

The Tim Holtz dress form die has been in an unopened box just waiting for its debut.  On white cardstock, I distressed the edge of the form with the Shaded Lilac ink and then painted the whole thing with Ranger Rock Candy distress crackle.  I LOVE that stuff!  It reminds me of a sugar cookie!

The skirt on the dress form is a cupcake wrapper from Fancy Flours.  I swiped Hero Arts Green Hills Mid-Tone Shadow ink over it and cut it to fit the form. I finished her off with a gingham sash and pretty pink rose.  I popped her up with foam dots.

The dress form die came with a spool shape.  I thought that would be perfect for the Hero Arts sentiment.  I used the same treatment on the spool as I did the form, then put a stick pin through it that I colored with a Copic to match the rose on the skirt.

The finishing touches were the piece of grosgrain through the top of the tag, the doily lace edge border on the bottom, and a final spray of Dazzling Diamonds Glimmer Mist all over the tag for a "frosty" look - like a yummy cookie!

Please drop by Our Creative Corner and join in on our challenge.  Also, check out the awesome projects from the rest of the design team - they are amazing!

  Linda Coughlin- The Funkie Junkie

Vicki Burdick- It's a Stamp Thing

Sue Butler- Scrumplescrunch

Ann Marie Hile- Stampin' Anne

 Anita Houston - The Artful Maven

Wendy Janson-  It's All About Stamping
Marcy Kaminski - En Papillote Arts (you are here!)
Holly Kean- Kean On Paper
Irena Kowalczyk (aka Rudlis) - Love, Life and Crafts
Meihsia Liu- Simply Paper Crafts
Tui Nathan- Stampin Time
Lori Rider- The Diva Stamper
Kristin Tierney- Lilly Beth Boutique
Sharon Wheet- Designs by Sharon

Thanks for visiting  my blog.  I'd love to hear your comments!

Buttons, Burlap, and Bows - OH MY!

That's what our challenge is made of - at Our Creative Corner, of course!

Our hostess, Linda Coughlin of The Funkie Junkie is back with you for a second week with a fun challenge.   Just two required ingredients, but they are some of our favorite embellishments - Buttons and  Burlap or Bows (must include buttons and either burlap or bows or both).  Easy peasy and lots of fun, right?  So grab your buttons and your burlap and your bows.  Let's see what you can do!

Here is my design team card to give you some inspiration.

I used navy cardstock and white embossed it with the this gorgeous Hero Arts Background stamp, Floral Vine Background.  I added a strip of white burlap from The Funkie Junkie Boutique. 

I created the flower using my Silhouette SL with a piece of rosy pink cardstock. The stem of the flower is done with a die from Papertry Ink - Rosie Posie and digi paper from My Time Made Easy.  I love this pretty, fresh color palette!

Please drop by Our Creative Corner and join in on our challenge.  Also, check out the awesome projects from the rest of the design team - they are amazing!

  Linda Coughlin- The Funkie Junkie

Vicki Burdick- It's a Stamp Thing

Sue Butler- Scrumplescrunch

Ann Marie Hile- Stampin' Anne

 Anita Houston - The Artful Maven

Wendy Janson-  It's All About Stamping
Marcy Kaminski - En Papillote Arts (you are here!)
Holly Kean- Kean On Paper
Irena Kowalczyk (aka Rudlis) - Love, Life and Crafts
Meihsia Liu- Simply Paper Crafts
Tui Nathan- Stampin Time
Lori Rider- The Diva Stamper
Kristin Tierney- Lilly Beth Boutique
Sharon Wheet- Designs by Sharon

SUPPLIES:
Papers - Hero Arts, My Time Made Easy, Bazzill
Stamps - Hero Arts Floral Vine Background CG442 & Good Friends CL578
Inks - Memento Paris Dusk, Versamark
Dies - Silhouette SL, Papertrey Ink Rosie Posie die set
Other - Hero Arts white embossing powder, white burlap from The Funkie Junkie Boutique, twine from True Hemp, vintage button from my stashy

Joy's Summer Inspiration Challenge at Simon Says Stamp!

I saw this photo montage from hostess Joy Taylor at Simon Says Stamp! and fell in love with it!  I haven't had much time to enter many challenges lately, but this one hit my LOVE button!

Don't those photos remind you of why we love Summer so much?  I get warm and fuzzy thinking about the lemonade stands we set up as kids, running through sprinklers and racing up and down rows of sunflowers in the neighbors' fields!

I've been loving all the Hero Arts backgrounds and this one, Radiant Banner CG446, was calling my name for this challenge!  

I saw the banner on the lemonade stand, so I took out my Taylored Expressions pennant border for that element.  All the pretty papers are from My Minds Eye.  I believe they are one of the most brilliant papermaking companies today!

I also saw the sunflower and set out to make my own version of my friend, Linda's from The Funkie Junkie found HERE in her fabulous tutorial.  It's made from cotton crinoline from Linda's boutique. (See below)  I think the flower came out pretty darn close for a first try using a different die and color.  

I pulled it altogether with a ticket label I made using the Hero Arts Homey Patterns stamp CL600.  

Wishing you all a wonderful Father's Day and a FABULOUS weekend!

SUPPLIES:

Paper - MME, Hero Arts, Bazzill

Stamps - Hero Arts Radiant Banner CG446 and Homey Patterns stamp CL600

Inks - Hero Arts Mid-Tone Shadow Inks, Butter Bar & Cup O' Joe, ColorBox Pigment Chalk Sour Apple

Dies and Folders - Taylored Expressions pennant border, QuicKutz Flower Die

Other - Dew Drops, SU corner ticket punch, Heidi Swapp Sticky Back Canvas, Hemp twine, vintage button from my stash, foam dots, crinoline from The Funkie Junkie Boutique

She's Into the Alcohol Again!

Alcohol inks, that is - my favorite technique from Tim Holtz.  I actually took my first class with him where I learned how to use this beautiful medium.

This week at Our Creative Corner, Linda Coughlin of The Funkie Junkie is our hostess with a really cool challenge.  She asks that we create a card or project using our favorite Tim Holtz technique.  A pioneer in the crafting community, his products are carried in stores worldwide. 
 
Here is my design team card for some inspiration.

I used gold and pearl metallic mixative alcohol inks on glossy paper.  I wanted a very subtle bg effect so I could emboss over it with the beautiful Hero Arts Flower Medley stamp.  I used Ranger Gold Ultrafine embossing powder.  I think it looks like capiz shell.

Please drop by Our Creative Corner and join in on our challenge.  Also, check out the awesome projects and their Tim Holtz techniques from the rest of the design team - they are amazing!

  Linda Coughlin- The Funkie Junkie

Vicki Burdick- It's a Stamp Thing

Sue Butler- Scrumplescrunch

Ann Marie Hile- Stampin' Anne

 Anita Houston - The Artful Maven

Wendy Janson-  It's All About Stamping
Marcy Kaminski - En Papillote Arts (you are here!)
Holly Kean- Kean On Paper
Irena Kowalczyk (aka Rudlis) - Love, Life and Crafts
Meihsia Liu- Simply Paper Crafts
Tui Nathan- Stampin Time
Lori Rider- The Diva Stamper
Kristin Tierney- Lilly Beth Boutique
Sharon Wheet- Designs by Sharon

SUPPLIES:

Stamps - Hero Arts CG432 Flower Medley 

Papers - Hero Arts, Bazzill, Ellen Hutson chipboard

Inks - Ranger Metallic Mixatives Gold and Pearl, Versamark
Other - Spellbinders, MME rubon, Ranger Ultrafine Gold Embossing Powder, Hero Arts pearls, Copic, May Arts rose ribbon, seam binding, vintage button

Runway Inspired Challenge #13 House of Holland

When I saw the inspiration photo for the Runway Inspired Challenge today, I RAN to create my card!  This is an outfit I would wear in a heartbeat!  I adore houndstooth and once-upon-a-time years ago, I had gorgeous black leather pants!

Key elements stuck out immediately - the houndstooth, the colors, the scarf, and the leather pants.  I wanted to incorporate those in my card some how.  I used the bottom sketch from the current Hero Arts June Challenge.

Now, I am not one to use lots of white space, so this was a challenge for me.  I decided the black and yellow houndstooth was enough space without a lot of embellishments.

The ribbons reminded me of the scarf hanging around the model's neck.  My "pleather" ribbon was left long to emulate the lean, long legs of the model.  I knew that ribbon would be perfect for a some-day card! I also embossed the sentiment to give it that black shine.  All in all, I am pleased with how this came out.  It always fascinates me how people interpret inspiration photos differently.  Thanks for visiting!

SUPPLIES:

Papers - Hero Arts, Bazzill
Stamps -  Hero Arts Houndstooth BG ST514, Made With Love CL491
Other - Versafine Onyx Black ink, Ranger Clear Embossing Powder, Webster's Pages Bloomers, foam dots, asst. ribbons from my stash