Thursday, October 6, 2011

2 Challenge Cards

I've completed a couple more challenge cards I wanted to share with you today. First up is this origami folded Christmas tree card I made for the Stars & Stamps mid-week throwdown found here. The challenge is to create a Christmas card and mail it to OWH before the deadline of Oct. 31st. I followed Jan's great tutorial for making this tree, and went a little crazy with a gold paint pen! I find that tracing around the inside edges of a die cut (with the image inside) using a marker of some sort not only defines the image, but at the same time it eliminates the need for a mat which means lower mailing costs. I used a labels eighteen for the tree background, and used some BoBunny scraps of paper to create the tree. I doodled just about everything with the gold paint pen, but I was happy with the way it turned out.
I made this card for the WT343 challenge to use some sort of a hot beverage or container for a hot beverage on our cards. For the background, I used random strips of retired SU! dp, adhered them to a scrap of card stock, and cut it using the top note die. After cutting, I embossed the image with a SU! square lattice ef. The image was cut with a labels eighteen die, and I drew around the edges with a black marker to define it, because adding a larger mat would have covered up most of the background. The image is SNSS Rhubarb's cuppa joe, and the sentiment is from Cup of Cocoa. The rest is pretty much blah blah, so if you need any details, shoot me an email and I'll fill you in!
Have a fantastic Thursday and thanks for stopping by!

Carol

18 comments:

Lynn said...

I love your cards! The tree is wonderful and makes me want to give it a try. I totally agree with you about lining edges with pen. I have been doing that for a long time to help cut down on bulk and am so happy to see someone else does it as well! TFS!

Jan Hunnicutt said...

Wow Carol your tree is gorgeous and I love the way you've used the die under it too, wow! :) Your sweet bear card is darling too, love it! Thanks for playing in our challenge at Operation Write Home again this week :)

Jen M said...

Gorgeous tree card, Carol! I love all of the gold accenting!

Donna Hanley said...

Carol, Wow That Christmas tree is beautiful. I love how you doodled the gold pen around on there. What a mess it would have been had I tried that. That background paper is just outstanding. Beautiful ribbon also. On you second card. How precious. I love the effect you get when you embossed a finished piece like that. Again, what a fabulous job you did with the marker. I know mine would have been all wobbly. I really need to practice that because sometimes you need that definition but as you said don't want to hide the whole background. You are one smart cookie.

Ronni Unger said...

Both are so beautiful - that teddy bear is so darn cute!

JD/ Jill said...

Both are great cards, Carol....but I especially like the tree card. I made one of those but mine did NOT turn out as nice as yours did. Glad you gave the link so I can give it another try. Hope you have a great day. Miss getting together with you...hint...hint...

Marlene said...

Beautiful! I don't know why I never think to use my embossing machine...much less on patterned paper. It's such a beautiful effect!

Kathryn said...

That stenciling tip is great. I have yet to do anything like that with my Nesties and I'll be sure to give it a try. Thanks!

LeAnne said...

Wow, that tree is FABULOUS~I love the little peek of Santa you've got going there too! This is one super card. I haven't been around much to comment, but I have been reading your blog every day!

Linda said...

Love your cards! The gold outline on the tree is a cool idea and adds alot! Also the bear card is super adorable! TFS!!!

Joanne (jojot) said...

fabulous dimension on the first card and texture on the second...both are fabulously fun and fine

Sue from Oregon said...

great creations Carol! Love the dimension and texture on both of them!

Denise Marzec said...

These are AWESOME, girlie. That folded tree card is amazing and I love all the outlining you did with the gold. The bear card is TOTALLY adorable in orange and black...so sweet!

JenMarie said...

These are FABulous!!

Benzi said...

Wow! Your origami fold tree is beautiful. I've never tried that and it looks like fun.
Love your cute image on the other card and the fun bg you used.

Diane Jaquay said...

LOVE the dimensional tree!!

Shannon White said...

Wowzers Miss Carol! These are both so Wonderful! Love the 3-d Christmas tree cad! I love Jan tutorial and have it on my list to try for this year's Christmas cards! Your's turned out So Gorgeous Lady! love it! And your Sweet Rhubarb card is tooo CUTE! 8-) love the embossed bg you made too, really sets off the whole Adorable ensemble! Love both of these!

Happy Sunday to you!

Hugs
Shannon 8-)

Paper Therapy Ponderings said...

that is a beautiful card with the tree and love the teddy bear card also.

Barb Housner