Clear Dollar Stamps Guest Designer Challenge September

The Clear Dollar Stamp Guest Designer Challenge for September HERE was a sketch and/or color challenge. You could use just the sketch, just the colors, or combine both. I chose to combine both. This is the sketch:


The colors to use were:
Not quite navy (warm muted blue)
Pumpkin pie (deep orange)
Chocolate Chip (dark brown)
OPTIONAL to add: Always artichoke (dark grayish green)

I chose to combine both. This is the sketch: As always, I have stories about my entry, but first pictures. If you want to read more, the story is below. You can click on the pictures to make them larger.

CDS Autumn Blessings Stamp Set used for this card.

CDS Wagon Wishes and Pumpkin Patch used for this project

When I first saw the colors, I thought "Fall" but then I thought, "I've just made about a million fall cards, maybe I'll do something different." Then this image of a Not Quite Navy sky with a Chocolate Chip Tree (oh, how I'd love one of those if they existed) and Pumpkin Pie pumpkins in the moonlight filled my mind. The only problem was I could NOT remember how to make the moon using Versamark. I knew I could mask off a moon, but I KNOW I saw a tutorial once upon a time about using Versamark. I did the logical thing: I asked on SCS! Guess what? No one else could tell me how to do it, either, BUT they did all seem to think masking it would be the best thing to do. They also suggested adding a hint of another color so the moon wasn't stark white. I have to say, I really liked that idea, but looking out my window right now, the moon is pretty stark white tonight!

I first punched a circle with a paper punch, then used the hole in the paper to put in some So Saffron color (yes, I did add an extra color---oops!). Then I stamped the tree and pumpkins from Autumn Blessings with Brilliance Black and embossed with clear embossing powder. My friend Karen (Miss Iowa 81 on SCS) had taught me to use a stippling brush with distress ink on the edges of images, so I used that technique to make the circle around the moon a bit "fuzzy." I then decided I really liked the stippled look, so ended up doing the entire sky with a stipple brush and Not Quite Navy Ink. I also stippled the grass with Always Artichoke. The tree branches and leaves, as well as the pumpkins, were colored with Watercolor Crayons and a Niji waterbrush. The word "Autumn" was inked with Brilliance Coffee Bean ink.

The image was large, so I used the largest of the Nestabilities Labels 3 dies. To get a border in the navy paper I traced around the largest die and cut it out. I sewed the image to the background/border with a dark brown thread. The little mini brads are some I got from CDS's clearance section. I love to browse to see what's new in there. The word Autumn & the brown oval were punched with the SU oval punches. I used the CM circles to get the big semi-circles punched for the edge. As you can see in the close up, I cut out the pumpkins a 2nd time and popped them up with pop dots to give the card some dimension.

For the envelope, I knew the card was too big for any standard envelope. CDS's Katie Renz has some wonderful tutorials and I wanted to use this one to make an extra large envelope. That would have been great, but the envelope I had was about 5.85" by 8" & my card was 6" x 6"! LOL! As you can see, I improvised. I added some strips to the edges of the envelope to extend it, then made the flap slightly larger than the size Katie said to use. It fits, and that's what counts! LOL!

For the little candy box, I stamped the wagon from Wagon Wishes and the pumpkins from Pumpkin Patch, masking them so I could have 3 pumpkins on that wagon. The little pumpkin that is popped up near the bottom (panel D in the sketch) has the words "Fall Fun" stamped in brown. The semi-circle was punched with a Nestablilities scalloped circle then embossed with the Cuttlebug Embossing Folder Pumpkins (which I also got in the CDS clearance section---I'm tellin' ya---go check it out!). I used a dark brown "belly band" to hold the pieces together and slide onto the box. Again, I used Miss Iowa's stipple technique for the edges of the main image. Then I added buttons for the wheels. Aren't they cute? =) Of course, I knew all along what candy I wanted to put in this box and was so happy to find some at Jo Ann's. I even used my 40% off coupon on them (tee-hee!!).

I THINK those are all the details. Now go to CDS to check out that clearance section, see all their NEW stuff for August, then to ClearlyIStamp to see all the good stuff coming on on Tuesday, September 1st! If you are or know a car enthusiast, I think the new car stamps are way cool. Of course, in my family, it's motorcycles rather than cars, so I have the CDS motorcycle set! I am totally in love with the Tea-RRIFIC Tea Set Stamp Set, and I don't even drink tea unless it's cold outside and it's herbal tee with NO real tea in it. I've been told it's illegal to not be an iced tea drinker in Texas. I think they're serious, so don't tell the sheriff, okay?

Thanks so much for looking. Have a blessed day!