Splitcoast Stampers Virtual Stamp Night I Treasure You

     Here are some cards I made for the Virtual Stamp Night over at Splitcoaststampers.com. The theme was I TREASURE YOU.  The first challenge was titled TREASURED HOSTESS.  I cased (used another person's card for inspiration) a card from the suggested gallery and this is what I came up with.  I don't think I am allowed to post her card though.  I am calling it "LOVE YOU BUNCHES OF BANANAS".

Mama Elephant Basic Borders
WPlus9 Winter Woodlands
Fiskars All Year Greetings

     The second challenge was titled SCAVENGER HUNT.  There were so many requirements for this card that it stifled my creativity.  I don't really like this card that much but I managed to meet all the requirements of the challenge: Distressed neutral layer, metal embellishment, soft item like a ribbon, stamped image of something found on an island, dry embossed colored layer, AND doodling.  I don't like my doodling, distressing or forcing the stamped image to go with the card, BUT here it is and it is called BEACH DRAGONFLY:

Inkadinkado Sand Dollar

     The next challenge was called TREASURED FURRY FRIENDS.  This was very easy for me and came together quickly with the supplies I had on hand.  The dog image was already colored and cut out, I had the perfect sentiment and the frame was already die cut.  I just added some low profile adhesive metal gems and it was done.  I call it THINKING DOG.

Lawn Fawn Critters in the 'burbs

Cloud 9 Designs Simple Thoughts-Dog

Basic Borders set by Mama Elephant, Birthday Card Set, and Defective Die

Defective Die

      I received a defective die set from Simon Says Stamp (the Stitched Rectangles set). and in the aqua layers of the cards below you may notice there is a spot near a corner where 2 of the stitch details did not show up.  After inspecting my die I noticed the stitch details were never put on the die to start with.  I have emailed Simon Says Stamp and I suspect they will take care of the error.    

     

Mama Elephant Basic Borders
Avery Elle Balloons

     I had already die cut the blue card pieces though so I used them.  I just tried to cover the defective area with edges of the large balloon.  I tried the following sketch from Papertrey Ink because I wanted to play with the stamp set.  That was really fun but I needed to use my MISTI for lining up the borders.  I wouldn't have been able to do it otherwise.  Here is the sketch I used.

     I decided not to add the "dots" over the lowercase i's in some of my Birthday die cuts.  I thought the balloon strings could substitute.  I don't think it worked out too well though so if I do these again I will definitely glue the dots over the I's.  I might even glue them in before giving these cards away.

     I am trying to increase my skills.  Right now there are still three things terribly wrong with these cards that prevent them from looking professional.  The problem with the defective die (which wasn't my fault and should be easily fixed),  the fact that two of the greetings had a little too much glue on them and it is sticky on the front of the card  (I know there is a special eraser you can get for glue boo boos though so I will look for that), and one of the backgrounds that I put stripes on came out wonky.  The stripes line up with each other but they aren't straight with the rectangular piece I stamped on.  I also am not sure I am entirely happy with how well the ink stamped on the balloons.  I stamped each balloon twice because I didn't get a good image but I have excellent ink, excellent card stock, and excellent quality stamps. I did notice that initially I had to stamp the Mama Elephant border stamps twice in each spot to get a good image but by the last card I made I noticed that I was putting my ink on in a very quickly repeating pressing fashion.  Once I slowed down and gently and slowly pressed the ink into the stamp repeatedly it seemed to only require 1 stamping.  

    Here are some additional supplies I used: Perfect Match Aqua Mist card stock from Papertrey Ink,  Perfect Match Black card stock from Papertrey Ink, Neenah Solar White card stock, Perfect Match Aqua Mist dye ink from Papertrey Ink, Buttercup Creative Color pigment ink from Mama Elephant, Plumberry Creative Color pigment ink from Mama Elephant, Versafine Onyx Black ink, Stitched Rectangles wafer dies by Simon Says Stamp, Birthday Trio Die Collection from Papertrey Ink, MISTI by My Sweet Petunia.