Friday, June 27, 2014

FWF: Every Artist

It's Friday once again, everyone, and I have a special Unity card to share with you for today's Friends with Flair.  This one was can be found in print, on page 92 of the current Take Ten Summer 2014 issue.  I submitted this card for a "sage green" call, but the sage projects aren't going to be published until the Summer 2014 issue of The Stampers' Sampler.
    
 
If you have the desire to see your projects in print, set a goal to submit a few.  It's so interesting which ones they choose and which don't make the cut.  You see, the cards that don't get chosen aren't necessarily bad.  It may be that they already have lots of orange cards, for example, but they have a spot on a layout with red cards that needs to be filled.

Most magazines offer you the opportunity to have your project returned to you if they choose not to publish it.  I always let them keep it -- who knows when they'll need my lavender card to fill a spot?   I've had a project published almost two years after I submitted it.  That wouldn't have happened if I had insisted that it get returned to me.
   
It's such a thrill to see your project in print!  In addition to the excitement, there are often other perks, too.  Typically, the publisher sends you a complimentary copy of the issue your project is featured in.  Depending on the products your project features, you might also qualify from some reward swag (typically called "Publication Incentives").  I've been keeping a comprehensive list of paper & stamp companies that offer such incentives and links to their specific guidelines.  It's right here on the blog, up top, labeled "Publication Incentives", or you can click on that phrase here.  I would definitely encourage you to support companies that offer these.
      
I hope you'll take a chance and send in a few of your favorite cards, and I hope to see your project in print someday soon.
   
Happy Stamping!
  

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Weekly Challenge #24 - Birthday

What a giant coincidence!  Or did Tammy somehow plan this?  Today we're kicking off a birthday card challenge, and today is my sister's 40th birthday!  Sometimes things work out so well!
     
        
I had a ton of fun making this card!   The papers and stamps we're featuring today (from the Jillibean Soup Birthday Bisque line) are so colorful, happy, and upbeat.  When I noticed the "Olde Style" root beer embellishment, I decided to edge all of the papers with brown chalk ink.  While it did add some aging, it certainly did not dull the bright colors!
   
My favorite thing about this collection is that there are plenty of other ways to use it besides birthdays.  The balloons can signify any celebration, as can the banner paper.  Many of the embellishments are event-neutral.   And as far as finding paper to match?   There are so many colors in there, you definitely will have something in your stash that matches perfectly!
   
Also submitted for these challenges:
2 Cute Ink Challenges:  Birthday 
Amusing:  Four (or more!) Colors
Cards Galore Encore:  Anything Goes 
Sunday Stamper:  Patterned Paper
        
Happy Birthday, sis, and Happy Stamping!

Thursday, June 12, 2014

FWF: A Birthday Card Featuring Wine

TGIF, everyone!   It's Friends with Flair Friday, and I have a fun card to share with you.

My sister is celebrating a big birthday in a few days.   She's a fan of wine and I wanted to make a wine-related card for her.  Unity Stamp Co. had the PERFECT stamps to convey what I wanted to say.  First, I started with the wine bottles from the Let's Get SIP FACED stamp set.   I liked the "aged to perfection" sentiment that comes with it, but I hoped to find something a little more specific to a big birthday.   I think the perfect sentiment came with the Marlow Fashionista {itty bitty}, with the Italian Proverb "Age and glasses of wine should never be counted."


I had a very hard time finding just the right colors to go with the way I colored the wine.   Luckily, I still have a few sheets of the retired Stampin' Up! color Bravo Burgundy.   I held up the piece of burgundy cardstock to tons of papers in my stash, and the closest match came with the Eva line from BasicGrey.  I chose the "Courtier" pattern from a mini-pack.   The pennant die is from Sizzix and I colored with Copic markers.


Happy Stamping... and Happy Fortieth to my sister!  :)

   
Submitted to Challenges:
A Creative Romance:  Anything Goes w/ Birthday Option
Baffies Kreativladen:  Many Circles
Crafty Cardmakers: Uses Circles
Loves Rubberstamps Challenges:  Clean & Simple
QKR Stampede:  Anything Goes
Sister Act Card Challenge:  Anything Goes
The Stamping Chef:  Anything Goes
Use Your Stuff Challenge:  Circles


Tuesday, June 03, 2014

Weekly Challenge #22 - Father's Day

 With Father's Day coming up, I already have my standard plan in place.   I'll make my dad's favorite Strawberry Pie, hope I can find some nice fresh sweet corn & tomatoes for his favorite dinner, and I'll make him some sort of nautical Father's Day card.  
   
My parents honeymooned in Fort Lauderdale and ended up renting an apartment and staying for more than a year.   A few years (and 2 kids) later, they returned to Fort Lauderdale.  Dad's return lasted for 30 years!   I remember our house had lots of jars of seashells and paintings of boats.  We even had a table fashioned like a boat propeller.
   
So when I learned that we'd be featuring the "Anchored" line from Authentique as well as the "Float My Boat" stamp set from Lawn Fawn, I knew this combination would be perfect for my dad.
    
    
For today's card, I used three different patterns of paper from the "Anchored" paper line.  I was going for a vintage look, so I edged all the pieces with Chestnut Roan chalk ink from Clearsnap.   I think my favorite part of the card is the "ahoy" sticker, which also came from the "Anchored" collection.   Dies for the ovals and anchor are from Spellbinders.
  
Also submitted for these challenges:
SCS Sketch SC490
Eureka Stamps Father's Day 
Incy Wincy Designs Something for a Guy 
Squigglefly Father's Day 
Cards Galore Encore Anything Goes 
Ladybug Crafts Boys and/or Dies 
Really Reasonable Ribbon Masculine & Using a Fiber/Ribbon 
Amusing Challenges Father's Day w/o Digi 
Lacy Sunshine Punches or Dies 
Corrosive Challenges Anything Goes 
Pumpkin Spice Blog Summer 
We Do Doobadoo Different Shapes  (ovals & rectangles)

    
Happy Stamping!