A Bubble-y Happy Birthday / Nacho #56

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Hey y'all. I hope you're having a great week and I'm so glad you came by today. It's Tuesday and you know what that means, Yep- it's time for another Nacho Challenge! :) It's a color challenge this week. Many of you know by now, these terrify me! Soooo many options, but I have to say I'm soooo excited with how it turned out!!! Let's see what you think. Here's my card for this week's color challenge-

Happy Dance!!!!!

Here's the Color Palette we were working with for this week's challenge. Can you guess them from the card?

So, I have to say I wasn't too sure about this combo at first, but once I started looking at it, I got a fall kind-of feeling. I didn't want to be predictable though, go figure, so I had to find something else to do with these colors. It's been a while since I did a "New" technique on here so I figured it was time to throw a new one in. Remember a few weeks back when I couldn't find my brayer in all the packing chaos? Good News/Bad News- Good News I found my brayer/Bad News I couldn't find the dauber case that I needed for this week's technique. Luckily I found some extra sponge wedges and was able to continue on.

Can you tell what the technique is? I gave you a hint in the post-title. It's Bubble Wrap! Something I have plenty of. Luckily I was able to find some with the small bubbles. :) I randomly sponged the 3 colors on my piece of bubble wrap and then used it like it was a background stamp. I laid my Very Vanilla c/s on top of it and used my grid paper to smooth the back of the c/s into the bubble wrap. Here's what it looked like when I was done-

Do you see that area 4 bubbles from the left? Yep- Imperfection! ACK!!! Almost flipped it over and started again. I couldn't put something out there in Blog-landia that was that glaringly "messed-up"!!! Oh-No-Sirree.  However, I know that a lot of these techniques are not suppose to be pure perfection, so here's a surprise- I just went with it. As you can tell, I took some Early Espresso Bakers Twine and wrapped it around 3 times and it was just enough to cover my little oops. WHEW!!!!  My sentiment is from Label Love and our new coordinating label punch has an indention in the middle that was just right for mounting over this. Hmmm, this came together almost like it was supposed to be an oops. :)

You know I like pretty insides, so here you go-

The little present is from the Best of Birthday's set and the greeting is from Really Good Greetings, LOVE that set! I really am so excited with how this card turned out. It's a good thing no-one could hear the shrieking in my house or they might have wondered what was going on.

Well, that's all I have for you today, I hope you enjoyed today's card and I really hope it inspired you to try this fun new technique and to join us in this week's color challenge.  I can't wait to see what you come up with! If you have questions or comments about today's card, don't forget to leave me a message below so I can get back to you. Your comments make my day. :)

Thanks so much for taking time out your busy day to stop by my little corner of the world. You are very appreciated! Till Next Time-

Remember- Life is often more about the storms than the peace they seek to overwhelm. It's not about Waiting for the storms to pass but Learning to Dance in the Rain.

Be Safe-

Shan

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A Wishy-Washi Thank-You :) / NAC #55

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Hey y'all. Happy Tuesday! I hope you're having a good week! I have a bright a sunny card for you today.

I don't know where you are, but not only has it been a little overcast here in the DMV, but yesterday we had a very sad day with the mass shooting at the Navy Yard. So even though this card was made a few weeks back for a different occasion, it really fits for today's post. By the way, if you get a moment and you believe in the power of prayer or at least the power of goodwill, if you get a chance to send some good thoughts and positive energy to the families of those that lost love ones up here and those who will be struggling to go to work now due to this tragedy, I'm sure it would be much appreciated by all.

Do you ever find it funny how you get inspiration for your cards or projects? This week at Nacho Average Challenges  we have a sketch challenge, and as soon as I saw this week's sketch I knew what I wanted to use right off the bat. YEA!!! I just didn't know how I was going to get there? *Facepalm* But I persevered and I'm so excited with the end result. Here's what I came up with-

Can I just tell you that I did a little happy dance when I finished with this card? Yep! *HappyDance* 

Ok- that was after I conceded that I wasn't going to be able to easily add the gift card under the embossed framelet piece. But really, it didn't take me long to give that little bit up, then I danced around. I originally wanted to lift the flap up and have the gift card underneath, but in the end it wouldn't have laid nice enough so I'm happier with it like this. Many of you know I'm trying to sell my house. Well, I have some really good neighbors that built their house at the same time that I did 11 years ago. While I've been a single mom, the husband has often helped to shovel my sidewalk in the winter or mow my yard in the summer. I would go out to do it and just find it already done. So I got them a Gift card so they can go out to a nice dinner. They have a sweet little girl that I've watched grow up, and there's enough on the card for her to go too, but I'll offer to watch her so they can have a date night.

Here's the sketch we were using-

Sorry about the blurry photo, somehow I think I missed the newest upload. :(

When I first saw this sketch I knew I wanted to use Washi tape. Isn't funny how that works? Not DSP, not ribbons or embellishments, Washi right off the bat. Then I just had to figure out the rest of it. I have to say it actually came together pretty quick especially since my stamp room is in the closet.  I used my Gingham Garden Washi and DSP in addition to my Perfect PolkaDots and Plenty of Petals Embossing Folders. I created the whole card sitting on the floor of one of my spare bedrooms in about 30 minutes. LOVE when that happens. Normally I have a pretty inside to show you but I forgot to get pictures. More pretty washi inside though.  

Well that's all I have for you today. I hope you enjoyed it and I hope it brings a little sunshine and cheer into your day. What I really hope though is that it makes you want to pull out your supplies and play along with us Nachos. We can't wait to see what you come up with! If you have questions about today's card, or just want to give me a little digital love, feel free to leave me a message below and I'll be sure to get back to you. Your comments make my day!

Thanks so much for taking time out of your busy day to stop by my little corner of the world. you are very appreciated! Till next time-

Remember- Life is often more about the storms than the peace they seek to overwhelm. It's not about Waiting for the storms to pass, but Learning to Dance in the Rain.

Be Safe-

Shan

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The Perfect Blend /NAC # 54

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Hey y'all. Happy Tuesday! I hope you had a good weekend, and that you're having a great week so far. :)

I don't know about you but I'm always so excited when Tuesday's come around because it means we have an all new challenge at Nacho Average Challenges. This week it's all about Color. Now if you're new to my blog, these are my least favorite challenges... there's just sooo many possibilities! However, I'm pretty excited with how today's card turned out. I kept it pretty clean and simple, well at least for me that is. There's not even a dimensional or a speck of glitter to be found anywhere, and here it is-

Here's the Color Challenge we have for you-

Great colors, don't you think? I started with a base of Soft Suede cut at 4 1/4 x 11 scored @ 5 1/2. I used my Stripes Embossing Folder and Big Shot to create the plaid design with the Pear Pizzazz and Island Indigo colors on a scrap of Very Vanilla c/s. The best way to do this is to use your Brayer to add your ink to your folder. Note I said the "best way." Yep, guess who couldn't find her brayer in all the packed supplies? I had to apply my ink directly from my pad to my folder. That kept my color from being applied evenly, which probably wouldn't have bothered too many people, but did you notice the title of my blog? Obsessive-Compulsive. However, I'm going to go with the fact that most plaids are not uniform in color... that's my story and I'm sticking with it. I mounted my new plaid background on a piece of Pear Pizzazz c/s. I actually think this could also be a really feminine card as well with a lighter base, but since I couldn't find my brayer, it was just taking a little more time than I had to give with the move prep to try and make a second "feminine" version. Perhaps once the move is finished. Oh and in case you were wondering, I inked the word Coffee up with my Soft Suede Stampin' Write Marker and used my Stamp-A-Ma-Jig so I could stamp it 3 times on the label.

Most of you know I love pretty insides, so you know I had to do something there too, right? Here's what I came up with-

If you had told me I would ever have liked a set with the word "Grunge" in it, I would have told you that you were crazy! Even when we found out we were getting the Gorgeous Grunge set as one of our Free Convention Sets, I wasn't quite convinced about it, but I have to say, I'm a Believer! It was perfect for the coffee splatters here. :)  And, how about that coffee cup ring? I used the lid to one of my embossing powders? I don't remember who I first saw that trick with, I think it was Ms. Lee Conroy, but how  great is it with this set!?!

Well, that's all I have for you today. I hope you liked my card and I sure hope you'll come play with us and give this week's challenge a try. I can't wait to see what you come up with! If you have questions about today's card, leave me a comment below and I'll be sure to get back to you.

Thanks so much for taking time out of your busy day to stop by my little corner of the world. You are very appreciated. Till Next Time-

Remember- Life is often more about the storms than the peace they seek to overwhelm. It's not about Waiting for the storms to pass, but Learning to Dance in the rain.

Be Safe,

Shan

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Believe... Welcome Back From Summer / NAC #53

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Hey y'all. Happy Tuesday! I hope you had a safe, restful, and happy Labor Day weekend with your family and friends. :) Now normally I would be trying to post the new Digital Downloads for you this morning but I'm very excited to be sharing something new with you instead. I'm on the Nacho Average Design Team and every Tuesday Morning we will have a new challenge for you. It will either be a sketch or a color challenge. My teammates and I will share our takes on the challenge with you and we hope you'll show us what you come up with too! This is my first time being on a Design Team and I'm so excited to be taking this journey with all of you.

Here's my card for this week-

And here's this week's sketch-

Do you ever see a certain type of card and love how it looks but never make it yourself? I have never designed and stamped on newsprint/patterned paper before. I've loved the look on plenty of other's cards, but have just shied away from it personally. I even bought the whole pack of DSP and horror of horrors never stamped on it. But, I figured being with the Nacho's was a chance for me to Challenge myself so Go Big or Go Home and you know what? I really like the effect! It's so subtle.  I inked up part of my background stamp with my Stampin' Write Markers and stamped it directly on my new Modern Medley Print DSP. 

It's hard to see but for just a little something extra, I added a some Dazzling Details to the little hummingbird and scattered around on the flowers.

                          

The sentiment is from Snowflake Soiree and is stamped in Warm Brown Sugar to match the card base. I thought it just went well with the overall feel of the card. I used my paper snips to flag the end. I know a lot of people use their square punch, but I swear, I just can't get it even that way! Old school for me I guess. I sponged the edges with Strawberry Slush and used my bone folder to give it a little dimension. A little Tombow at the end and in the middle was all it took to secure it.

Here's a look at the inside, you know I like pretty insides-

The sentiment here is from Blooming with Kindness. See that sweet little bird at the bottom? He's just left over from the front. Let's not tell him that though. :) I just huffed on the stamp to re-moisten it and stamped it again. I added a little more Dazzling Details and my card was done. I know just who this card is going to and I sure hope they like it! How about you?

Well, that's all I have for you today. I hope you liked my card and I hope it inspired you to play along with us over at Nacho Average Challenges. We can't wait to see what you come up with! I'd love to hear what you think, so if you have questions or comments, don't forget to leave me a message below. 

Thanks so much for taking time out of your busy day to visit my little corner of the world. You are very appreciated! Till Next Time-

Remember- Life is often more about the storms than the peace they seek to overwhelm. It's not about Waiting for the storms to pass, but Learning to Dance in the Rain.

Be Safe,

Shan

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