My entry into the Guest Designer Challenge

When I went to bed last night, I had an idea of what I wanted to do for my entry into the MFT Guest Designer Challenge. I even had colors chosen.

I went down into the dungeon (my stamp place) and created it - took my time. I was proud of it - am proud of it. I uploaded it onto SCS and linked it to the forum. Then I looked at some of the other entries.

I almost cried.

There are days when I don't think my cards will ever match up to some made by others. Right now I'm wondering why I even decided to enter this contest. That if this card is the best I can do, why bother?

Sorry, I'm having a little pity party right now.

Here's my card:

Stamps: MFT - You Take the Cake, SU - Print Pattern. Paper: Soft Sky, Purely Pomegranate, Very Vanilla. Ink: Soft Sky, Basic Gray, Purely Pomegranate. Accessories: Coluzzle, Basic Black and Going Grey SU Markers, Cropadile, ribbon, dimensionals.

MFT

The new My Favorite Things stamps released this evening, along with the new challenge on how to be the February's My Favorite Guest Designer.

This month's challenge is to create something that isn't square or rectangle. We also have until 8:30pm tomorrow (Thursday) to complete and upload. I'm thinking of ideas. I just hope they turn out they way I want.

Off to do a little bit of sketching before bed.

Again, no altered mailbox

You're going to get sick of me bringing up the altered mailbox. I'm starting to get sick of bringing up the altered mailbox.

But I have a card to share.

This is for the SCS color challenge: Barely Banana, Wild Wasabi and Blue Bayou. The chipboard is neutralized with Brilliance Moonlight White (it's a shimmery white) and Barely Banana was sponged on top. I glued some rhinestones onto the chipboard to make it even more shimmery.

Stamps: Friends (I can't remember by whom). Paper: Blue Bayou (cs and dp), Wild Wasabi, Barely Banana, Whisper White. Ink: Brilliance Moonlight White, Wild Wasabi, Barely Banana. Accessories: Basic Grey chipboard, rhinestones, corner rounder punch, spiral punch, ribbon, dimensionals.

Still no Altered Mailbox

I could keep milking this thought for awhile. Truth is, I started altering a mailbox tonight. It's just not done. I'm not sure what I want to do to the ends - or little alterations to make it really pop. I'm feeling a little indecisive about what I want to do with it right now. Hopefully it will be fit for public viewing soon.

Anywho, I made 2 cards today. I was actually hoping to have them finished, photographed, and uploaded to SCS by 7pm so I could be in the Gina K. Release Sketch Challenges. *laughs hysterically* RIIIGHT. Things working against me:

1. I am a procrastinator by nature. I seem to love doing things at the last minute. I didn't start said cards until this morning, but I sketched and plotted my cards last night so I was ready to go.
2. I was a good friend and took a coworker's hours at work because she was sick. I went into work at 10 - I only gave myself 30 minutes to work on these cards - figuring that I'd have time after work to get them finished.
3. I work at a daycare - which I've mentioned in the past. We close at 6 - theoretically anyway. We often have late pick-ups. Like today. I didn't leave work until 6:20.
4. I was planning on making French Toast for dinner. I needed eggs. Off to the store after work. *le sigh*

Did I get my cards done on time? NO.

Paper: Barely Banana, Lavender Lace, Mellow Moss, white, So Saffron Prints DP. Ink: Versafine black onyx, Lavender Lace. Stamps: Stamping Bella. Accessories: ticket corner punch, corner rounder punch (for scallops), Marvy Extra Jumbo Scalloped Circle punch, primas, dimensionals, brad, chipboard circle (under the Mellow Moss circle), mat pack, SU! Markers, Sakura Glaze pen

Stamps: Gina K/Langley Boy. Paper: Ballet Blue, Basic Gray, Vellum, Autumn Leaves Adhesive Mat. Ink: Versamark. Accessories: brads, silver embossing powder.

No Altered Mailbox today

But a Featured Stamper Card!

I was drawn to this: http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/photo/654422 card by the Featured Stamper today and wanted to recreate it in my own way.

• I don't own Zoofari, but I DO have It's a Jungle Out There by MFT stamps.
• I tend to cut all my SU paper down to 6x6. Great for "normal" cards, but doesn't quite work when you're working with 9.25x4 cards. I found a piece of Cosmo Cricket Storytime (I think that's the title of the collection) and pulled the colors for the card from the stripes.
• My animals are stamped in Versafine Black Onyx and colored in with Prismacolor pencils and baby oil - Gamsol Magic with a twist.
• I used the bigger polka dots from the Prints papers as my frames for my animals. I also colored them to match the frame.
• It's superduper hard to see, but there's an arched sentiment under the the frames. It's was too long to go straight across, so I curved it (thanks to flexible acrylic stamps) to fit.

Paper: Almost Amethyst, Basic Black, white, Cosmo Cricket dp; So Saffron, Pumpkin Pie and Certainly Celery DP. Ink: Versafine black, Almost Amethyst. Accessories: So Saffron brads, 1 3/8" circle punch, Prismacolor pencils, baby oil.

Coming soon...

Altered mailboxes!

Yes, I jumped on the Target $1 Spot Mailbox wagon. I currently have 6: 1 pink, 2 red, and 3 white.

I can't wait to see what I can do with them.

*gasp* It's a card!!!

I seriously haven't stamped since Christmas Eve. I was feeling lazy. I even skipped one of my Visualize Verses challenges.

But... I'm back and with a new card. :)

Today's (well technically tomorrow's) Visualize Verses poem is:

"Feelin' Good" - performed by Michael Buble, the Pussycat Dolls, and I'm sure numerous other artists.

Birds flying high

You know how I feel

Sun in the sky

You know how I feel

Breeze drifting on by

You know how I feel

It's a new a dawn

And a new day

And a new life for me

And I'm feeling good

So good, yeah

Fish in the sea

You know how I feel

Rivers running free

You know how I feel

Bouncing on the tree

You know how I feel

It's a new a dawn

And a new day

And a new life for me

And I'm feeling good

So good

So good

Dragon fly out in the sun

You know what I mean

Don't you know?

Butterflies all having fun

You know what I mean

Sleep in peace when day is done

That's what I mean

World is a new world and a bold world for me

Stars when you shine

You know how I feel

Scent of pine

You know how I feel

Oh, freedom is mine

And I know how I feel

It's a new dawn

And a new day

And a new love for me

And I'm feeling...

Oh...

I'm feeling good

You know how I feel

You know how I feel

YouYou know how I feel

Feeling good

I'm feeling good

I'm feeling good

Feeling good

Feeling good

It's a new dawn

It's a new day

It's a new life for me

• Card base is Sage Shadow - regular card size. I chose it to go with the DP:
• DP is Autumn Leaves - Manhattan collection. I love this paper, it really close to Sage Shadow in color and a very pretty pattern. I ticket corner punched the dp and placed copper brads in the corners.
• Basic Black cardstock in between the card base and the dp makes the color difference less noticeable.
• My butterflies are stamped on Whisper White with Papertrey's Butterfly Kisses. I stamped in Sage Shadow and Groovy Guava and cut them out. I folded the wings to they're 3D and popped them on a dimensional.
• Ribbon is May Arts brown polka dot organdy.
• I grabbed some of my Primas and layered them together and attached them with a copper brad. Then attached them to the card with a dimensional just above the knot in the ribbon.

Side story: I've talked about my stamping space before. It's in the basement - one of the reasons I refer to it as the dungeon. It's wonderful in the summer - it's maybe 65 down there. Right now? It's 13 outside. The basement's probably hovering at 50 - at the MAX. I have poor circulation in my hands and feet, so I'll wind up with blue fingernails. Going downstairs tonight to make this card, I put on sneakers so I didn't walk on the floor stocking footed and I put on a sweatshirt to keep myself warm. Honestly, I feel it's ridiculous, but it's cold down there!