December Challenge at STAMPlorations

Hi Everyone,

It’s time for the December Challenge at STAMPlorations. We are welcoming Laura Jane from After Hours Leaves & Flowers as our Guest Designer for what naturally will be the last challenge of the year, and to celebrate the year 2014 I combined several of this year’s challenge themes in one project, which incidentally rings in 2015 too … a cover for my new diary!

My inspiration came from the following challenges:

June – Stamps & Borders – scored border enhanced with gel pen

July – Stamps & Glitter – pink glitter embossing powder, WOW

August – Stamps & Die Cuts – cats

September – Stamps & Markers – Sakura glitter gel pen

October – Stamps & Embossing – dry embossed border and heat embossed butterflies

November – Stamps & Layers – all layers real and faux

I probably could have included a couple more, but I decided to stick with the obvious ones …

so, here it is, the front cover …

You know the way I like to leave myself encouraging messages around the place, well of course incorporating them into my diary cover was a must, especially once I saw the new Trendy Butterfly set which is out this month. 😀 Even better it is the set that our STAMP CLUB  subscribers get for free.

Back to how I made this … first of all I wanted my cover to have a fresh feel with texture and energizing to pick up and hold. This is how the colours came about and the idea of creating dimension through stamping and placement rather than adding 3-D elements. I used one of the leaves stamps from the new VIGNETTE Trendy Leaves set, I love anything nature … even spiders since I cured myself of a mild phobia through starting to call them Frederick. Don’t ask me why this name, all I can say is it worked! I have since discovered that they are my allies since they LOVE a good feast of mozzies and I’d much rather the spiders feast on mosquito than mosquito feast on me, but I’m digressing here …

Well I stamped the leaf all over in a colour that matched my card, I then shadow stamped the butterflies using the reverse of my stamp and once dry I heat embossed them in pink. I then stamped the smaller butterflies using pink pearlescent pigment ink for a translucent and shimmery feel, scored my border, blended the edges, stamped my sentiments in black and added a black die cut cat before highlighting the border with my gel pen. The cover itself is based on a similar one I shared here, I simply adjusted the measurements and pocket size to fit my calendar.

TIP! It is best to work with thin card or thick paper on this project as it folds into shape more easily.

This is the inside with space for envelopes, note cards and pen. For the note cards I used simple stamping and masking by first stamping the butterfly and masking it off before stamping the leaves around it. Rounded corners complete the look.

This is where I tried to catch some of the glimmer and shimmer in the sunshine of both my embossed and stamped butterflies, you can just about make it out when you click on the photo to enlarge.

Of course I had to add a little marker ribbon too …

 

Hope you feel inspired to pick one of our past challenges, monthly or sketch, and link up with us this month.

This challenge will run until 31st December and the winner will be announced 6th January 2015The winner receives 2 stamp sets (3″ by 5″) if she used STAMPlorations stamps in her entry; if not, she receives 1 stamp set. She also gets to be the guest designer for the February 2015 Challenge. This month with us all being so busy we won’t be doing the frequent player prize draw. We are making up for it by having an extended sketch challenge with great prizes here and of course our Anything Goes challenge for any project using STAMPlorations stamps here.

Before I go, just a quick reminder about the STAMPlorations DT call, if you’re interested in joining our amazingly creative team, check out the details here.

 

 

cat dies – Xcut by docrafts

corner rounder punch – Creative Memories

 

Pool Party and Bermuda Bay inks from Stampin’Up!

thin green card – Poundland

ribbon, gems, WOW embossing powder, gel pen from stash