Ahoy 70

 

Challenge #300 has just gone live at Time Out Challenges and this fortnight we have the theme

In the Clear 

We would like to see you use at least one clear element on your project.   That might be acetate, vellum, glossy accents, crystal drops etc. - as long as you can see through it, it's clear!

Challenge #309 is generously being sponsored by Uniko and they are offering our Top Pick as chosen by the design teams £25 credit to their store!  

The Top Pick will also be invited to join Time Out as a guest designer in a future challenge!  Speaking of guest designers, our guest designer this fortnight is our winner from Challenge #304!   You can check out how xx and my talented team mates have interpreted our CLEAR theme over on the Time Out Blog!

My husband is a bit of a sea dog and around this time of the year I'm always trying to think of a new nautical idea for his birthday ... and this year it's a big one!

This clear theme was the perfect opportunity to dig out this NBUS window die (Memory Box Ocean Porthole) and a yellow submarine (Gummiapan Cute Submarine) seemed like the perfect thing to put on the other side of that window!

I cut an aperture in a front panel and the card front using a circle die slightly larger than my porthole and sandwiched a sheet of acetate between them.  Then I cut the porthole twice - to cover the hole on the front and back sides of the aperture (inside of the card).  I cut them from the same dark grey card stock but applied gilding wax to get that tarnished brass look!

The submarine was cut three times.  The bottom layer was kept intact.  The next layer up, I trimmed off the periscope and propellor.  From the last submarine I trimmed off the turret.  These Gummiapan dies are designed so that you only need to snip in one or two places to build up 3-D images.  Finally I cut just the porthole from another snippet and removed the inside window part.  I blacked out the window then added the porthole on top.  I cut all the layers from yellow cardstock but added shading with alcohol markers.  To give the submarine's porthole a glassy appearance I added glossy accents.

I found this DP featuring ocean creatures and cut a circle just large enough to be seen through the porthole.  In this way the DP was visible through the window but there was enough white space inside on which to write (I thought the pattern was a bit too busy)!

So I hope I've given you some ideas on using a clear element and I hope you can take some Time Out and join us this fortnight.  You have until the April 1st to link up your entries ... we can't wait to see how you get In the Clear this fortnight!

I and grateful for and would like to enter the following challenges

NBUS Challenge #84 - NBUS dies - Ocean Porthole, Cute Submarine;

Shopping Our Stash Challenge SOS569 - I'm Counting On You (use numbers);

Krafty Chicks Challenge #812 - CAS;

Neglected Stuff Challenge March - Porthole die has been waiting since May 2023 to be used, Submarine since January 2024;

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you go away a little inspired!  Your visits and comments are always a joy and always appreciated!  And if you leave a comment, I’ll know you were here and should be able to find you!

Kate

Birthday CASE

Challenge #308 has just gone live at Time Out Challenges and this fortnight we are celebrating Time Out's 11th Birthday with a CASE of the very talented Stef Perry.  Stef's work can be seen on her blog Perry Papercrafts and there is always loads of inspiration!

Here's a closeup of Stef's lovely card!

Whenever I am CASEing, there is a nifty acronym coined by Ardyth Percy-Robb that I use to help me take inspiration from someone else's work but make it my own - L I M E S!

List

Include

Modify

Exclude

Spin

These are the list of things that I noted about this design 

the flowers;
the background texture;

the brown border top and bottom;

gold foiled and die cut sentiment;

spattering;

twine!

I included

the flowers;
the brick texture;

gold foiled and die cut sentiment (Spellbinders GLP-380)!

I modified the borders to be a frame, 

I excluded the string and spattering,

 and my Spin was I used die-cuts instead of stamping

This challenge is sponsored by Waffle Flower who are offering our winner as voted by the Design Team, a generous $25 Store Credit.    

The Top Pick as chosen by the Design Team will also be invited to join Time Out as a guest designer in a future challenge!  Speaking of guest designers, we are joined this challenge by Verena Shapiro - our winner of Challenge 303!  You can also see how Verena and the rest of the team have CASEd Stef's card over on the Challenge Blog!

So I hope you can take some Time Out and join us this fortnight.  You have until the March 12th to link up your entries ... we can't wait to see how Donna's card will inspire you!

I and grateful for and would like to enter the following challenges

NBUS Challenge #84 - NBUS Sizzix Floral Layers die set by Sophie Guilar, Spellbinders GLP-380;

Can You Handle the Pressure March Challenge - Embossing folder is Tim Holtz Brickwork;

Triple B March Challenge - Just Blooms;

Ellibelle's Garden Party No. 12 - Anything in or from a garden;

Shopping Our Stash Challenge SOS568 - Golden Years (use gold);

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you go away a little inspired!  Your visits and comments are always a joy and always appreciated!  And if you leave a comment, I’ll know you were here and should be able to find you!

Kate

Not so Frosty Hugs

 Sparkles Christmas Challenge 182 has just gone live and Caz has chosen Snowman (men or person/s) as our theme for March!

Finally, I had an excuse to use this NBUS snowman that came in the 2024 Advent Calendar from Gummiapan ... and this lovely Holly frame that came in the 2025 Advent Calendar!

The frame was cut twice and stacked.  I embossed one of the frame negatives with an unbranded embossing folder for a snowy background.

The snowman's body was cut three times for strength and dimension.  When I cut the first one, I placed a little sellotape behind the snowman to keep the bits in place (nose, eyes and buttons), then I coloured these bits and the arms with alcohol markers - I didn't need to be too careful because I cut another snowman (sans bits) and added this over the top!  On the 3rd snowman I removed the arms so they seemed to be further back than the body.

Once I'd cut the snowman's man (from black cardstock) I went over with glossy accents and added this sprig of holly!  I also added glossy accents to the buttons.

After agonising over a sentiment for way too long, I remembered that Olaf the snowman liked warm hugs and so I used this unconventional seasons greeting (Spellbinders Vivid Script) instead of something more traditional!  I also added glossy accents to this sentiment!

Don't forget to check out all the great snowman inspiration on the Sparkles Christmas Challenges Blog and I look forward to seeing your snowmen in the gallery!

I am grateful for and would like to enter the following challenges:

NBUS Challenge #84 - NBUS Snowman and Holly Frame;

Jingle Bells Fa La La La La Challenge - inspired by a Christmas song (Frosty the Snowman);

Fab'n'Funky Challenge #631 - use Dies and/or Punches;

Alphabet Challenge - V is for Volume - (i.e. dimension ... a fair bit of stacking and foam tape in this design);

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes;

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you go away a little inspired!  Your visits and comments are always a joy and always appreciated!  And if you leave a comment, I’ll know you were here and how to find you!

Kate