This was a fun challenge! Its from Gingersnap Creations and can be found at: http://gingersnapcreations.blogspot.com/2010/07/gc61-chestnut-theme-challenge-heat.html

I was able to dig into my supplies and test out a few things in the process. There are some things I think I would do different but this is the end result of my playing & I'm sticking to it.

The supplies I used were mostly from a dollar bin at the local Rite Aid bought years ago except for the 'u' & 'n' which are from ki-memories alpha called Gumbo Alphabet Soup. First I cut the sun rays using Hot Off the Press Diamond Folds #2 templates, dabbled alcohol inks in cranberry, butterscotch, & eggplant over the rest of the tag & both flower pieces, highlighted the cut edges with Stampendous Red Dragon embossing power, and blended Color Box pigment and chalk inks in yellow citrus, canary, and warm red for the center of the sun & used those same colors & also violet around the edges of the tag.

CCC #6 - Collage - Transformed

This was a rush job for me. Only two days to complete the challenge - but it was fun while it lasted!

For this challenge I started with a rather large 'C' that I was going to do something with but after I got it home it just wasn't flowing the way I wanted it to. I finally gave up and went to bed. But once again the late night attack came and I found myself up at between 1:30 & 4 a.m. I'm starting to think that's when I'm the most creative because I was able to put this card together fairly quickly. Its either that or I need to stop doing these challenges because its waking me up at night and I can't sleep until I finish! ;o) My ingredients included K & Company Studio K paper, a metal butterfly that Linda gave me in a package with other stuff, an old dictionary page, a couple of prima flowers with snap brads for the centers, and tumbled glass and tea dye distressed inks.

CCC #5 - Distressed!

I'm sure you've had crafters/stampers/scrappers/writers block. Well, Scrappin' Saturday was like that for me. Its always so much fun when everyone gets together at Linda's for Scrappin' Saturdays. But yesterday for some reason I was just out of sorts. Everyone was playing and creating and I was sitting there thinking and thinking and thinking. I played just enough to create a compass and a ships wheel and then I was done. I mean really I couldn't even think straight. I couldn't emboss properly and Linda really should have taken the heat gun and scissors away from me! It was my second time working with Tim's grungepaper so that was kinda cool.

After I left, our movie crew went to see Inception - WOW!! Go see it folks it was great. After the movie I was able to do something - it took awhile but I finally found all the pieces to go with my compass and finished my card at 6 a.m. this morning! I used paper from a fall paper stack, and Tim's Distressable Traveler cardstock and a border from K & Company called Life's Journey.

Gonna have to hurry with the next challenge as I'm off to Comic Con in San Diego on Wednesday!! Have fun everyone.

ACCC #4 - Practice makes...Art!!

Whew!! Its all in the stamp isn't it? Well, and the right colors of paint? And the supplies that you have?

I found a card this week that my best friend Linda made for me years ago. She's not going to appreciate me very much but I'm including the picture for you to see. Its nothing like her art today - which is amazing. It got me to thinking though about these challenges & how part of our creative process is defined as we practice our art.





I tried this one twice, well two that I kept anyway... I ended up with Capture Hugs & Kisses and Dance (thanks Linda for the great stamp) The great thing is I get to keep doing it! Keep matching things up, trying different colors, phrases, & arrangements. I love paper arts!!

Let freedom ring!

Thank God we are free!!

CCC #3 - ATCs

For some reason this challenge was just that for me - challenging!! Both in effort and in thought. I messed around with so many different ideas and colors that I was exhausted but couldn't stop after 8 hours of effort. The fact that I only produced three ATCs is a bit frustrating. Now I remember why paper scrapping was so difficult and why I switched to digital. Its so much easier to create, toss, and rearrange in digi - those "well, that looks like crap", "what was I thinking", "now I've wasted that element", moments are easily fixed but with paper they all come rushing back like a bad dream. One nice thing was using some of this stash I've had for years - Colorbok 3-D alpha, Studio K framed words, and a foot clip from Staples on the "Journey" ATC; Mark Richards Crystal Alpha, "See" sticker from Simple Scrapbooks, The Paper Co. quilling papers that I then colored with distressed inks blending Rusty Hinge, Vintage Photo, Black Soot, and Gold Mixatives for my shell in "See Shells" ATC ; some rhinestone flowers that I picked up in the $1 bin at JoAnns with Scribbles 3-D iridescent gold paint centers, Sentimens Rub-ons, a butterfly stamp (a find at the Dollar Tree) and some metallic ribbon on "Inspire" ATC. So I have three ATCs plus maybe six other background pieces I can use. Deep breath... what will Monday' challenge bring?

I did do some digi scrap too and created two cow cards - well really in the mood cards. So heres the one problem I have with digi - my printer!! It has a mind of its own when it comes to color so my pink and brown cow cards came out purple and pink. Buying a new printer this week that can manage all these colors. I put the cards together anyway practiced using my new Ranger alcohol inks on my Heidi Swap letters and I'm satisfied with the result.