*Time Out Challenges #297*

There's a great new challenge that starts today at Time Out Challenges... you get to make a card that depicts your favourite season.

I absolutely love all things Christmas when it comes to card making, but I decided to go with my favourite weather season for this card... and for me, it's spring.  It's the promise of longer days, more sunshine, warm nights, blue skies and lots of pretty flowers...

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Granny Apple Green

*Stamps:  The Ton Easy Expressions
*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Waffle Flower Nesting Squares; The Ton Easy Expressions

*Embellishments:  HAI Supply flowers; Spellbinders Opal Gems

*Challenges:  Time Out #297

*Time Out Challenges #296*

 Happy Last Thursday of August, creative friends!  How on earth is summer almost over?  Calgary has had such a wet and cool summer (although this week has been fabulous)... I'm so sad to see the sun setting earlier and earlier... and in a few weeks I'll be getting up before dawn again on work days.  So sad.

Today I am here with the team at Time Out Challenges with Challenge #296...

I had a scrap of patterned paper in my stash that didn't seem big enough to do much with...  So I cut it in half and used it to frame a wonderful friendship sentiment...  I added some butterflies to finish it all off.

Card Info

*Paper:  MFT Party Time

*Stamps:  Gina K You Give Me Butterflies

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Washi:  Pinkfresh Studio Fluttering Butterflies

*Dies:  Pinkfresh Studio Fluttering Butterflies

*Etc:  foam adhesive

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Challenges: Time Out #296

*Time Out Challenges #294*

We have a "pick two" challenge for you at Time Out Challenges!  What's that, you ask?!  Well, pick at least two of the words on the graphic below and create a card to share with us!

I was an over-achiever and I used three words... star, stripes and rainbow!

I started out by taping rainbow stripes of cardstock to a piece of printer paper.  I then cut it out with a star die to create this gorgeous striped star.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Real Red, Terracotta Tile, Crushed Curry, Old Olive, Misty Moonlight, Gorgeous Grape, Highland Heather, Basic Black

*Stamps:  The Ton Easy Expressions

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Revolution Nesting Stars; The Ton Easy Expressions
*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Challenges:  Time Out #294

*Time Out #293*

There's a new challenge at Time Out Challenges... this time we are playing with the prompt of our favourite song.

I am turning 55 next week and I am in need of cards for all my friends who are turning the same age thsi year (I am still friends with people I met in elementary school... and one friend I've had for almost all of my 55 years!) and I need card to send to them this year.  To me, none of my old friends have ever aged.  One of my favourite songs is "Forever Young" by Alphaville.  It's a song from back in the mid-80s and I've loved it from the first time I heard it.  It's one of those ones that when my phone plays it, I have to turn up the volume and start it over.

For my card, I used a fun sentiment and some soft colours to make a pretty but cheeky card to send to one of those old friends...

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black; Spellbinders Fairy Tale, Fog

*Stamps:  MFT Sassy Pants Birthday Greetings 2

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  MFT Linked Chain Circles, Stitched Chain Circles; Spellbinders Be Bold Blooms; Floral Spray

*Embellishments: Kaiser Pearls

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Challenges:  Time Out Challenges #293

*Time Out Challenges #292*

Happy Thursday creative friends!  It's time for a fun new challenge at Time Out Challenges!

A patient at work was talking about his birthday gift to his wife last week... for her 75th birthday she wanted to go on a hot air balloon ride.  He was telling me how amazing it was.  That was in my head when I got around to making this card... hot air balloons are a form of travel!

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basicd Grey

*Paper:  Stampin' Up Lighter Than Air

*Stamps:  MFT Bitty Birthday Wishes

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Stampin' Up! Hot Air Balloons

*Etc:  foam adhesive

*Challenges:  Time Out #292

*Time Out Challenges #291*

It's time for a photo inspiration challenge at Time Out Challenges.  You can be inspired any way by our photo... just make sure we can see where your inspiration came frome.

I was inspired by the heart and all of the different textures in it.  I cut a heart shape from white cardstock and used an embossing folder to make the textures.  I then lightly brushed some ink over it, making some of the spots stand out a little more.  I had hoped to get a little closer to the coral colour in the photo but I failed LOL

Card Info

*Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Early Espresso

*Stamps:  Waffle Flower Sweet Lattice Sentiments

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne; Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Dried Marigold; Gina K Tomato Soup

*Dies:  Hero Arts Nesting Hearts; Waffle Flower Sweet Lattice Sentiments

*Embossing:  Sizzix Organic Petals

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Challenges:  Time Out #291

*Time Out Challenges #290*

Happy Thursday friends!  It's time for a new challenge at Time Out Challenges... and we are doing our Pick 2 challenge again!  Please choose any two (or more) of these elements to include on your card (and be sure to tell us which words you used in your post!)

I used the words Ribbon, Repeat and Bold... but instead of real ribbon, I did a ribbon technique with patterned paper.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black

*Paper:  MFT Bundles of Blossoms Brights
*Stamps:  Honeybee Best of Everything

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Honeybee Best of Everything; Pinkfresh Studio Slim Strips

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Etc:  foam adhesive

*Challenges:  Time Out #290

*Time Out #289*

We have a winged things challenge at Time Out Challenges... I can't wait to see your favourite winged things!

I had a few things I could choose from... and I almost went with something different... but I landed on this design with those gorgeous Pinkfresh washi tape butterflies.  Butterflies are special to me as I believe that when one comes near me, it is my Mom (who passed away in 2010) saying "hello".

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black
*Stamps:  Studio Katia Birthday Greetings

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Washi:  Pinkfresh Studio Fluttering Butterflies

*Dies:  Pinkfresh Studio Fluttering Butterflies; Ellen Hutson Essential Circles

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Etc:  foam adhesive

*Challenges:  Time Out #289; The Paper Players #738

*Time Out Challenges #288*

 Time Out Challenges has been really challenging me this year!  There have been so many prompts and themes that are outside of my wheelhouse.  I can skip, but I don't like to do it too often.  So for todays card I had to stretch it more than a little.

I know that there are stamps out there that I could have used, but nothing that I have in my stash.  And I don't want to buy items for my stash that I will use once in a blue moon (I am a little frugal with my stash spending I guess).  I thought about Star Wars and along with the title image (like the graphic above), my first thought was the opening sequence with the stars and the open black space...  I created my stars on black cardstock with a white gel pen and an Aqua Shimmer pen.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black; Spellbinders gold foil

*Ink:  white gel pen

*Dies:  Simon Says Stamp Big Thanks

*Etc:  Nuvo Aqua Shimmer

*Challenges:  Time Out #288

*Time Out Challenges #287*

 There's a new photo inspiration challenge at Time Out Challenges this week...

With our photo challenges, we want to know what inspired you in the photo.... I'm sure you might be scratching your head if you look at my card without knowing what I saw when I looked at the inspiration photo.  I was inspired by that swag of flowers along the edge of the booth....  lots of green with a few pink flowers.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Spellbinders Blush

*Stamps:  Hero Arts With Sympathy; The Ton Easy Expressions

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne; Copics

*Dies:  The Ton Easy Expressions

*Embossing:  WOW clear embossing powder

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Etc:  foam adhesive

*Challenges:  Time Out #287

*Time Out Challenges #286*

 I took a break with the last challenge for Time Out, but I am back today with my card for challenge #286.  This one is one of our new challenge types... the pick two.  Use at least two of the choices from the graphic below.

I chose to play with florals and spots.  I did a panel of embossed circles and added some die cut elements to it...

Card Info

*Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Basic Black

*Stamps:  Pinkrresh Studio Vines & Roses

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Noctune

*Washi:  Pinkfresh Studio Rainbow Daisies

*Dies:  Pinkfresh Studio Rainbow Daisies, Vines & Roses

*Embossing:  Lisa Horton Layered Bubbles

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Challenges:  Time Out #286

*Time Out Challenges #284*

The challenge at Time Out Challenges is a theme challenge...  our theme is "The Red Carpet".  I have officially become "old" and I don't pay much attention to celebrities and award shows any more.  I honestly don't have a clue who so many of "these people" are LOL!  I was going to sit out this challenge, but kept getting drawn to the pretty rainbow dress in the challenge graphic.  NOTE:  You don't have to follow the graphic... just show us something that was inspired by something you saw on the Red Carpet!

Like I said, I kept coming back to the pretty rainbow dress... so I used it as inspiration for this clean and simple card.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Petal Pink, Calypso Coral, So Saffron, Pear Pizzazz, Pool Party, Highland Heather, Basic Black

*Stamps:  The Ton Easy Expressions

*Dies:  The Ton Easy Expressions

*Etc:  foam adhesive

*Challenges: Time Out #284; The Paper Players #728

*Time Out Challenges #283*

One of my favourite challenges every year at Time Out Challenges is our CASE the Designer Challenge...  and with this challenge, we are also celebrating Time Out's 11th Birthday!

And as I started to write this post, I realized that my sentiment wasnt the most "birthday" even though my card is... sigh... I think I musth have grabbed the wrong sentiment out of my bin, thinking it was one of the birthday ones.  I guess I wasn't paying attention!  So I had to quickly change things up... I found a larger sentiment, stamped it on a die cut circle and completely covered the original sentiment, this time popping it up on some foam adhesive.

I chose to rotate my design and instead of flowers, I used balloons and spots.  I kept the embossed part of the design, the one colourful side, a centred black and white sentiment and while I too did a top layer, I added a thin black matted layer as well.

Card Info
*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black
*Paper:  Stampin' Up! Full of Life
*Stamps:  Studio Katia It's Your Birthday
*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne
*Dies:  Waffle Flower Nesting Circles
*Embossing:  Spellbinders Floating Balloons
*Tools:  Perfect Layers
*Challenges:  Time Out #283

*Time Out Challenges #282*

 It's time for another wonderful challenge at Time Out Challenges.  This time, we have a photo inspiration challenge... and the prize is the cool item in the photo!

 It's that just a beautiful bag?  I love the black, white and red colour scheme.  I chose to do daisies instead of snowflakes for mine.

Card Info
*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black, Cherry Cobbler
*Stamps:  Honeybee Stamps Best of Everything
*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne
*Dies:  Jillian Vance Design Dancing Daisies Cover Plate; Honeybee Stamps Best of Everything
*Tools:  Perfect Layers
*Challenges:  Time Out #282
 

*Time Out Challenges #281*

 We have a new challenge style for this week at Time Out Challenges...  pick two!  From the graphic below, choose at least two things for the card you make.

I found that a lot of these lent themselves to going together quite easily....  can you guess what words I chose before scrolling to see my card?

I won't keep you in suspense... I chose "layer", "stitch" and "heart".... and probably "love" works in there too...

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black, Cherry Cobbler; Spellbinders gold

*Stamps:  MFT Essential Sentiments

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  MFT Pierced Hearts

*Tools:  ScorBuddy

*Etc:  foam adhesive

*Challenges:  Time Out #281

*Time Out Challenges #280*

 There's a new challenge at Time Out Challenges...  and it was a struggle for me!  But first, let's see what the challenge is.

See?  What on earth does that challenge graphic mean? This is one of our new challenges that we've put in to rotation... it's an "inspired by" challenge.  Each of these challenges will be "inspired by your favourite..." and for this challenge, it's your favourite things to do in January.

Well, I live in Western Canada where the temperature in January can be a little above freezing to way below freezing.  The periods of darkness at this time of year are long, and even when the sun shines, it might be cold outside.  I am not an outdoorsy person by any stretch... and while I have hobbies and things I enjoy doing, I don't have things in my stash that reflect those things in my life.

My card, I think, truly represents what I like to do in the winter... watch the snow fall (it is pretty afterall) and stay warm!

I embraced the white on white for my card today.... used a cableknit embossing folder to show that warmth.  I cut the snowflake 3 times out of white cardstock to really make it pop up against that textured background.

Card Info

*stamps:  Simon Says Stamp Christmas Blessings

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Simon Says Stamp Marie Snowflake; Simon Says Stamp Christmas Blessings

*Embossing:  Sizzix Cableknit

*Challenges:  Time Out #280

*Time Out Challenges #279*

Happy New Year, my creative friends!  I hope that the holiday season treated all of you well and that you are all fresh and ready for whatever the New Year brings.  I spent a little time away from my creative space in the last 10 days or so, enjoying some time without deadlines.  But I am back today with my first design team card for 2025.

Time Out Challenges has a "Beginnings" themed challenge as our first challenge of 2025.  You can interpret this theme in any way you want...

I have been busy working in a crochet blanket for a little guy that showed up about 6 weeks early.  I finished in the last days before Christmas and needed a card to give with the gift.  A new baby is a pretty epic "beginning".  The little guy was in the NICU for several weeks, but got to go home with his Mom and Dad on December 30th... a great way for them to both finish off 2024 and to start 2025.

As this was the first card I was making after a little break from creating, it was a tough go.  I tried a few different things before settling on this design...

Card Info

*Paper:  Stampin' Up! Full of Life

*Stamps:  Altenew Bundle of Joy

*Ink:  Versfine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Art Impressions Baby Mini Dies; Hero Arts Infinity Hearts; MFT stitched rectangles

*Foil Plate:  Spellbinders Twilight Sparkle Strip

*Foil:  Spellbinders Gold

*etc:  foam adhesive

*Challenges:  Time Out #279

*Time Out Challenges #277*

We have a fun new inspired by words challenge at Time Out Challenges...

My first thought for this challenge was to do something in black and gold, like something I'd wear for a fancy evening.  But the more I thought about it, the more I wanted to play with something a lot more fun!  So I pulled out that Catherine Pooler stamp set I used a few weeks ago and came up with this!

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Real Red

*Stamps:  Catherine Pooler Nice List; The Ton Easy Expressions Holiday

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne; Memento Tuxedo Black; Copics

*Dies:  Catherine Pooler Nice List; The Ton Easy Expressions Holiday

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Challengs:  Time Out #277

*Time Out Challenges #276*

It's time for a new challenge at Time Out Challenges... and for the next two weeks we are encouraging you to show us your cozy cards!  You can interpret this however you'd like, as long as we can see how your card is "cozy".

I pulled out some ugly Christmas sweaters and a cable knit embossing folder to make my card.  These sweaters were a 12x12 piece of paper from Photoplay... I bought a couple of them and used my Brother Scan 'n Cut to cut them all out.  

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Shaded Spruce

*Paper:  Photoplay Tulla & Norbert's Christmas Party

*Stamps:  Mama Elephant Jingle Greetings

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Embossing:  Stampin' Up! Cable Knit

*Tools: Perfect Layers; Brother Scan 'n Cut

*Etc:  foam adhesive

*Challenges:  Time Out #276

*TIme Out Challenges #274*

There's a new photo inspiration challenge at Time Out Challenges...  one of our team members took this photo while on vacation and we all thought it would be a great challenge prompt!

I agreed, until I went to make a card!  Honestly, all I could see was the black and white of the chalk board... so I went with a black and white card.

Card Info

*Paper:  MFT Black & White Stripes
*Stamps:  Simon Says Stamp Big Old Birthday

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Challenges:  Time Out #274