Dark & Dreary

CCMC167 Dark & Dreary

September 15, 2011 By Connie | 4 Comments

Today it is time for another Create with Connie and Mary Thursday Challenge! We have a FUN color challenge for you today!

We are almost at the END of our Preview Session…and the Early Bird Special pricing! Saturday is the LAST DAY to take advantage of the $5 off price…making it only $29.95 US for over 36 projects with FULL STEP-BY-STEP tutorials! If you don't know what one of our tutorials looks like, check out a couple of the ones from our Design Team that have posted over the past 10 days! We know you'll want to be a part of our subscribers…I can honestly tell you that the projects I've seen so far are beyond FABULOUS!!! They will be great for Stamp Camps and Classes or to give away for holiday and Christmas gifts! You DON'T want to miss it and you don't need to be a demonstrator to subscribe (although you can take this as a tax deduction!)

We have a FABULOUS lineup on our Design Team and our Special Guest Designers! Our Design Team includes, Elizabeth Price, Debbie Henderson, Robin Messenheimer, Mary Brown and myself who will be doing projects every week during the six week subscription. Our Special Guest Designers are Wendy Weixler, Deb Currier, Melissa Davies, Sandra Farrell…today's announcement is CARRIE GASKIN…joining us again for this Edition. And we have another one to be announced on Saturday! They each will be doing one project for our subscribers over the six weeks…and they are WONDERFUL projects! So…hurry over to Create with Connie and Mary and sign up NOW…or click on the Buy Now button on my right sidebar of my blog!

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OK…back to our Create with Connie and Mary Color Challenge CCMC167! Here it is…Cajun Craze, Old Olive and Basic Gray.

For my card, I chose to dig out a Halloween set from last year that I used a LOT, Dark & Dreary! I combined it with a fun new set this year called Spooky Bingo Bits! Those little images are SO much fun and I love the greetings in it! I also had to add the neutral Basic Black for a few accents.

I started with a base of Old Olive cardstock. I layered on Cajun Craze cardstock that I ran thru the Big Shot with the Stripes Impressions Folder. I added some aging with a sponge dauber and Basic Gray Classic Ink on the stripes. Then I took the stripe pattern from Frightful Sights Designer Paper going horizontal for contrast. I hid the seam with some Old Olive 1/8 Taffeta Ribbon.

For the focal element, I stamped the candelabra from Dark & Dreary stamp set in Basic Gray on Whisper White, then colored the candles with Cajun Craze and Basic Gray. I added two Rhinestone Jewels. I punched it with the Decorative Label Punch and placed it with Stampin' Dimensionals on a piece of Old Olive cardstock. I stamped the spider web from Spooky Bingo Bits several times on the Old Olive with Basic Black ink and stamped the word Spooky in Basic Black at the bottom. I layered the Old Olive on 1 1/4 punched circles of Basic Gray cardstock. Fun and whimsical, huh?

Make sure to check out what the rest of the Challenge Team did this week over on Create with Connie and Mary! Great variety this week! Then get out your stamping supplies and play along…upload your creation to Inlinkz over there!

Psst….shhh…don't tell Mary I told you, but you REALLY are going to want to stop by my blog TOMORROW for some "sweet stuff"…and a great idea! Shhhh…..

Paisley Prints Flip Card

October 5, 2010 By Connie | 9 Comments

I know! I promised this tutorial after the Control Freaks Tour de Freaks blog hop last month and it has taken me MUCH longer to find time to pull this together than I anticipated. I had a big stamp camp last weekend and that, combined with regular classes and developing Create with Connie and Mary projects has consumed all my time lately! But enough excuses…right?

Here is the Halloween Flip Card I made for the Tour as a reminder…

So, I thought I'd change up the holidays and make one for Christmas! Here is the finished picture!

Here are the general supplies used to make THIS card. I did not include them on the tutorial because I figured you'd be decorating your own!

The base cards is Always Artichoke. I adhered Candy Cane Christmas Designer Paper to the same size Baja Breeze cardstock in order to get extra sturdiness from the flip portion of the card.

The front design element, I stamped the tree from Paisley Prints in Always Artichoke on Baja Breeze cardstock, then added a torn piece of Whisper White on the bottom for snow. I added a Square Fire Rhinestone Brad to the top of the tree. I layered it on Always Artichoke and then Cherry Cobbler cardstocks. On the front, I added a snowflake cut from Northern Frost Strip Die and a Cherry Cobbler Designer Button that I tied with Linen Thread.

At the top pullout tag portion, I stamped Make Merry from Grateful Greetings stamp set with Cherry Cobbler ink and punched with the Small Tag Punch, it is layered on the Large Tag Punch of Always Artichoke cardstock, then placed on the tag. The ribbon pull is the Cherry Cobbler Seam Binding Ribbon. I punched thru the tag layers with the Crop-A-Dile to add the ribbon.

In the bottom window, I stamped Christmas Greetings from Grateful Greetings stamp set in Basic Black.

All the scoring and cutting dimensions are on the downloadable tutorial with pictures of the steps! Hope you enjoy and make one for yourself. I can tell you once you've made one, you'll see how easy it really is to make! Leave me a comment and let me know what you think or if you make one yourself…I'd love to see it!

FLIP CARD TUTORIAL

We are just starting Week 2 of Create with Connie and Mary! This week we are featuring Day of Gratitude and French Foliage from the Holiday Mini. For $39.95 you get over 48 FANTASTIC projects…that's about 83 cents per idea! It's not too late to join! There is a new project posted every day and there will be an average of two fabulous tutorials each and every week. NEW is a project sheet for every project not having a tutorial! Our sites stay up long after the session is done, so you will always have access to the site and the tutorials. For more information and to see our Preview Week projects please visit at Create with Connie and Mary!

Create with Connie and Mary Saturday Challenge

October 2, 2010 By Connie | Leave a Comment

It's time for the Create with Connie and Mary Saturday Challenge (CCMC-HM1)! This challenge is for our subscribers to participate and earn a chance to win one of two $75 gift certificates or one of two free subscriptions to the next Edition of Create with Connie and Mary. It was a FUN sketch. I know I had fun with it…I think our Guest Designers did, too!

This week on Create with Connie and Mary, we've been focusing on Dark & Dreary, Spooky Nights Rub-ons and MIdnight Musings from the Holiday Mini Catalog. It's not too late to join this 8 week subscription! We are just getting started. You'll have access to all the previous posts and tutorials long after the sesson is over!

As you can see, I used a rectangle card format rather than the square card. I also used Stampin' Up!'s Nite Owl Designer Paper again for my card…I just LOVE those ads on the one page. So spooky! I started with a base of Basic Gray cardstock, then layered on Tangerine Tango. The next layer of Old Olive I stamped the spiders in Basic Black randomly over the background. I added more of the Night Owl Designer Paper and the Dotted Scallop Ribbon Punch from Tangerine Tango above and below it. In between, I added the Black Flourish Jewels…they are just SO much fun and add just the right touch of sparkle!

Next to the ad from Nite Owl Designer Paper, I put a spider on Stampin' Dimensionals. He was stamped in Basic Black on Whisper White, the colored with the Tangerine Tango Marker. I added a Black Jewel to the bottom part of his body. Then he was punched with the 1" circle and layered on the 1 1/4" circle of Tangerine Tango. He looks real with that orange spotted body…I get those on my tomato plants! Yuk!

Check out what the rest of our Design Team Members have done this week with the sketch challenge:

Mary Brown – StamperCamper's Corner

Cristena Bagne – Gettin' Crafty

Rochelle Gould – I stamp, I create, I have fun!

Jenn Picard – A New Ink on Life

Supplies:

Set: Dark & Dreary

Classic Inks: Basic Black

Cardstock: Old Olive, Whisper White, Tangerine Tango, Basic Gray

Accessories: 1" Circle Punch, 1 1/4" Circle Punch, Dotted Ribbon Punch, Black Flourish Jewels, Stampin' Dimensionals

If you haven't checked out the Create with Connie and Mary site yet, now is the time to do it! We feature new Holiday Mini products every week. There is a new project posted every day and there will be an average of two fabulous tutorials each and every week. NEW is a project sheet for every project not having a tutorial! We like to have lots of fun so we have challenges and prizes for our subscribers. Our sites stay up long after the session is done, so you will always have access to the site and the tutorials. For more information and to see our Preview Week projects please visit at Create with Connie and Mary!

September Tour de Freaks!!!

September 19, 2010 By Connie | 52 Comments

It's time! The monthly Tour de Freaks is going on now brought to you by the fabulous Control Freak Swappers! I know I'm always blown away by the swaps that I get from this group! You've just come from Cindy Major's Blog...aren't her projects darling? Make sure to take the entire tour…we have 11 stops this time! The theme this month is Fall or Halloween! I can't wait to see everyone's projects!

My first project is a Flip Card. I haven't done one of these in years! I've always loved interactive cards…and this one is especially fun, but pretty easy to make! My Stamp Club will be making one of these at our meeting next week, so they are getting a little sneak peek…I haven't decided it I'll use this Halloween one or make up a different one. Here is the front.

The base is Cajun Craze and I layered on the Nite Owl DSP from the Holiday Mini. To give it extra strength, I adhered it to Pear Pizzazz cardstock. You can't see it, but it does help support the sliding mechanism. I stamped the Happy Halloween sign from Stampin' Up!'s Dark and Dreary with Black Craft ink once on Whisper White and embossed with Clear Embossing Powder, then again on Cajun Craze and punched the 31 out with the 1/2 circle punch. The sign is layered on Cajun Craze cardstock. I also added a few of the Black Flourish Jewels on the corners for a little bling! I adhered a 1 1/4 punched Daffodil Delight textured cardstock "moon" in the upper edge of the sign and stamped the Raven with Basic Black on Whisper White, then cut him out and placed him on the moon. And the magic happens when you pull the Black Raven Lace Trim ribbon tab!

The center sign piece flips open and reveals a greeting "Trick or Treat, Scary & Sweet" from Stampin' Up!'s Grateful Greetings that I stamped in Basic Black on Cajun Craze. Then the top where I stamped the Candlelabra from Dark & Dreary stamp set in Basic Black and watercolored with Cajun Craze, Daffodil Delight and Basic Black Stampin Write Markers and my AquaPainter. isn't that FUN??? I was thrilled with how it turned out! Leave me a comment if you want me to post directions after the Blog Tour is over!

OK, for my next project, I found some wire garden decorations at the nursery. I just knew I could do something with them! So, when I was trying to think of a 3D project (and cleaning out my back room), I found them again. I made the Pumpkins by cutting three Ovals for each from the Scallop Oval Frame die from Pumpkin Pie cardstock. I sponged the edges with Tangerine Tango Classic Ink and adhered them together in a trio. I added the Chocolate Chip stem that I ran thru the Big Shot with the Square Lattice Impressions Folder. I also cut a 1/4 inch strip of Old Olive cardstock, wrapped it around my stylus to make it curly. I adhered these to the wire with glue dots.

Then I cut some fall leaves with the Leaves #2 die in Cajun Craze, More Mustard and Cherry Cobbler cardstock. Each of them is texturized with the Perfect Polka Dots, Square Lattice or Finial Press Impressions Folders. I added Neutral Designer Buttons that I tied with 1/8" Early Espresso Taffeta Ribbon in a knot thru the button holes. I also punched four 1 3/8 circles from Early Espresso cardstock and added the Fall letters cut from Timeless Type Alphabet Dies and Old Olive cardstock. I also glittered them with Versamark and Iridescent Ice Embossing Powder! Finally, I added the Black 1 1/4 Striped Ribbon the wire between each panel.

BUT…wait…there is a surprise!!! Flip it over and you can decorate for Halloween, too!

So, I used 3 more Ovals for EACH Jack-o-lantern on the reverse side. I used the 1 1/4 Square Punch for the eyes, then cut a 1" square in half for the nose. The mouth I used the Circle Scissors Plus Tool to cut the crescent shapes, and cut out the teeth areas. I added the stems the same as the other side. At the top, I added Basic Black 1 1/4 Circle Punches and the word Boo! behind the Fall letters on the reverse side. So…I got TWO decorations for the price of one…pretty cool, huh???

And….here is the display as it is on top of my Cabinet in the kitchen area! I'll be able to get a good three months of use out of it before I put up Christmas decorations after Thanksgiving!

Hope you enjoyed my Fall/Halloween projects! Now you are in for a "TREAT" with Mary Brown's fun projects, so continue on the tour by clicking on the button below! Enjoy!

Dark and Dreary

September 6, 2010 By Connie | 3 Comments

Well, Dark and Dreary kind of describes our morning here, looks like it may rain (and we need it!), but it is also the name of Stampin' Up!'s new Halloween set in the Holiday Mini! Of course, I rarely see a Halloween set that I DON'T like…this one is no exception! I love the raven and the Halloween sign in it. So, when I saw TechnoStamper Monday Lunchtime Sketch Challenge #138 this morning, it looked like a perfect fit! Then I saw Mary Brown's square card and copied that shape for mine! I don't do a lot of square cards, mainly because they cost extra to mail and the larger ones don't fit in my card storage very well, but I do like them!

And here is my card:

I started with a base of Pumpkin Pie and layered on the polka dot designer paper from Wicked Fun. I wrapped some Basic Black Satin Ribbon around and tied a knot. I stamped the Happy Halloween sign on Very Vanilla with Basic Black Ink, then used my Crop-A-Dile to cut 1/2 circles along the edge for a postage stamp look. I stamped it again on Pumpkin Pie, then punched out the 31 with my 1/2 circle punch and popped it up with a Stampin' Dimensional. I stamped the Raven in Basic Black on Very Vanilla and cut it out. The moon is the NEW 2 1/2 circle punched from So Saffron and sponged with Daffodil Delight ink. I placed it in the background, then popped the Halloween sign up with Stampin' Dimensionals and added the Raven with a Stampin' Dimensional, too. Finally, I added three of the new Black Jewels to the upper right corner for some BLING! Fun!

It's time for an EARLY BIRD SPECIAL for the Create with Connie and Mary Holiday Edition! It's an 8 week subscription featuring stamps and products from the new Stampin' Up! Holiday Mini. Right now you save $5 of the regular $39.95 price. There is a new project posted every day and an average of two fabulous tutorials a week. NEW this year is a Project Sheet for every post! Our site stays up long after the session is done, so you will always have access to the site and the tutorials. Preview week starts September 12th! For more information, please visit at Create with Connie and Mary!

Dark & Dreary

August 30, 2010 By Connie | 5 Comments

Good morning! (I can still say that although I'm pushing the envelope on how close it is to noon and getting this posted!) I hope you had a wonderful weekend. They go by fast, don't they?

On Sunday, I was joined by a great group of gals at our Convention Round Up Demo Meeting! I always have fun at these and come away so inspired! It is good to see everyone. We also do a swap as part of our program and I came away with a lot of really awesome cards! I'm glad I found the time to make some swaps!

Here is the card I made. I went with a Halloween theme (of course!) I used Dark & Dreary…one of the sets that is in the new Holiday Mini coming out on Wednesday! I've been having a LOT of fun using it AND that new Spider Web Impressions Folder…what do you think about it? OK, here are the deets!

The base card (cardfront since it was a swap), is Tangerine Tango. I added a layer of Basic Black that I ran thru the Big Shot with the Spider Web Impressions Folder. I then used my Sponge Dauber and highlighted parts of the web with Platinum Shimmer Paint to make it stand out. On the right of the Tangerine Tango, I stamped Treat or Treat, Scary & Sweet from the Grateful Greetings Stamp set. I love the variety of holiday greetings in this set! Then I stamped the spider from Stampin' Up!'s Dark & Dreary set and filled in his body with Basic Black marker. I also drew a line with the marker and a ruler from the top. I stamped the crow from Dark & Dreary in Basic Black on Whisper White, cut him out and placed him with a Stampin' Dimensional.

For the focal piece, I stamped the candlelabra in Basic Gray on Whisper White and punched it with the new XL Decorative Label Punch (I'm going to ADORE that punch!), then layered it on Basic Black cardstock and then Basic Gray cardstock. I colored the flames with Daffodil Delight Stampin' Write Marker. Then I stamped the Crow from Dark & Dreary in Basic Black on Whisper White and cut him out. I placed him in front with a Stampin' Dimensional. LOVE how that looks!

I was really happy with how my swap card turned out…even doing them LAST MINUTE before the meeting! As I said, I was glad I found the time because I really did get some awesome swaps back!

I promised several people the template for the Bat Cone I made for the Tour de Freaks this month. OK…here is the PDF for the Bat Cone treat favor!

BAT CONE

Hope you have a wonderful day!

August Tour de Freaks is here!

August 19, 2010 By Connie | 40 Comments

Wow…this really snuck up on me this month! I can't believe it is the 20th and time for the monthly Tour de Freaks, brought to you by the Control Freak Swappers! You've probably just come from the talented, FABULOUS Patty Bennett's blog!

Our theme this month was Sneak Peeks from the new Holiday Mini Catalog! I know my customers are already commenting on how much they LOVE this mini…I do, too, as my pocketbook will attest to….ouch! lol! I just had to have it ALL! I especially love a lot of the accessories in this mini…it is FULL of them. You'll notice a lot of them on my projects this month!

To begin, I have a Suspension Bat card! I had SO much fun making this one! It kind of evolved! I started with a base 5 1/4 x 5 1/4 card of Tangerine Tango. I added a 5 1/4 x 5 1/4 piece of Nite Owl Designer Paper (from the new mini) on the front. I used my Circle Scissors Plus to cut a 4" circle from the front thru both layers at the same time (if I were doing it again, I'd make it a little smaller…say 3 1/2). I ran the back half of the Tangerine Tango card stock thru the Big Shot with the Spider Web Impressions Folder…cool! Then I rubbed some White Craft Ink over the raised embossing with a sponge dauber. This base card was layered onto a 5 3/8 x 5 3/8 piece of Basic Black card stock for extra support.

Between the Tangerine Tango front and the Nite Owl Designer Paper, I added two strings of Linen Thread and pulled them tight between the layers, then adhered the layers together. I sandwiched two layers of the Bat Punch together with the Linen Thread in between…this makes it look like they are flying! I sponged White Craft around the edges of the bats and added a Rhinestone jewel to their heads. I wrapped some of the new 1/2 Raven Lace Trim into a bow in the upper left corner…love that stuff, too!

I stamped the spider from Stampin' Up!'s Dark & Dreary on Whisper White, colored it with the Basic Gray Marker and cut it out. I added two 1/2 backed pearls for the body…one smaller than the other. and placed it on the Spider Web with a Stampin' Dimensional. I used the new Decorative Label Punch with Basic Black Card stock, sponged around the edges with White Craft Ink. I cut EEK out of Tangerine Tango "glitter paper" with the Timeless Type Alphabet die and adhered to the front of the Label. Then I placed the label on the front of the card. (Note: to make glitter paper, apply Versamark to the card stock direct to paper, pour on Iridescent Ice EP, shake off excess, then heat set…makes glitter paper in every color that Stampin' Up! carries!) I LOVE my blinged out Suspension Bat card!

My second project was just as fun! It's a Bat Cone Candy Holder. It makes me LAUGH! I traced a bat pattern onto Basic Black card stock, cut it out, then ran it thru the Big Shot with the Texture Plates Kit #4. I had to run it thru a couple times to get the entire bat textured. I used the sponge dauber and White Craft Ink to go around the edges. I added Real Red Glimmer Brads for the eyes and drew the fangs with my White Gel Pen. I pulled it into a cone shape and secured in the back with Sticky Strip. I added a hanger with 1/2" Raven Lace Trim by piercing holes in the sides of the cone and tying knots inside the cone.

For the treat, I filled a small Cello Bag with Halloween colored M&Ms and tied it closed with a piece of the Raven Lace Trim. I added a tag made with the Dark & Dreary stamp, inked in Basic Black and stamped on Whisper White, then punched with the Decorative Label Punch. I added the 31 by stamping again on Real Red, then punching with the 1/2 circle punch and placing it on top with a Stampin' Dimensional. I also used a sponge dauber with Basic Black ink and sponged all the edges.

EDIT: As promised, here is the Bat Cone Candy Favor template to download!

DOWNLOAD BAT CONE

Next on the Blog Tour is the wonderful Mary Brown! I KNOW her projects will be awesome as usual! Make sure to stop by and see all 11 stops on the Tour this month! Thanks for stopping by!