All Good Things Must Come To An End...

    I can't believe the months have just flown by. But, they have and it is now time to take a look at the last Waffle Flower Crafts Challenge inspiration card for this term. I can't tell you how fun and fulfilling it has been to be included as a part of the WFC Challenge Design Team. I am truly thankful for all the opportunities my time with Waffle Flower has afforded me. I had so much fun and will be forever grateful for Nina, Tessa, Kymona, Tenia, and Shelly for making my experience on the CDT so amazing.
     So, without further ado, let's take a look at the inspiration photo for the June 22-July 5th Challenge...

     As you can see it is an eclectic collage of items and colors. I really loved the green and yellow tones throughout and decided to let that be my main focus. I used one of my all time favorite Waffle Flower Crafts stamp sets, Notions. The Notions set is so versatile and fun to use. I love "puzzling" the stamps together to make multi colored images, it can be very therapeutic as well as creative to use this set!
     Here is the card I created, I used green and yellow inks from my stash in order to create my card front. I actually blended several inks together in order to create a unique color for the sewing machine and feel it worked out quite well. I think the ink blending technique transformed the focal point in a way that helped it both stand out as well as mesh smoothly with the other stamped images. What do you think?

     A little bit of metallic twine and a couple of rounded corners was all that was needed to finish off a card that was both easy and extremely fun to create. If you would like to create a card based on the inspiration photo, please do so and submit it in our Challenge here. The Challenge Design Team will vote on a winner and that lucky person will win an awesome WFC stamp set of her/his choice. So come on and play!

Huggies to All,

Jennifer.

Having Fun With Color

     For me, the perfect way to brighten a drab day, is to create a card using some of my favorite color combinations. I love the colors included in the latest Waffle Flower Crafts Inspiration Challenge. Pink, sherbert orange, lemon yellow, and sky blue always make a lovely combo to work with. I also took inspiration from the rolled edges of the photo display itself. Combining these two elements helped me create a card that I absolutely loved making. Without further ado, here is a peek at the WFC photo that fueled my card-making fires...

     Below is the card I created as an inspiration for all of you who wish to join in on our Challenge this time around. I used both the color scheme and the photo to come up with the focal point of my card. After custom coloring the card-stock rectangles, I white embossed the adorable dog and balloons from the Waffle Flower Crafts On My Mark set. I absolutely love this set. It is so versatile and sweet. There are so many ways to use the designs and the word stamps. It is fast becoming one of my most used sets. 

     If you would like to join in on the fun and enter a card of your own in our Challenge, please check out the WFC Challenge blog post HERE. We would love to have you participate. And, remember if your card is chosen as a winner, you will be the lucky recipient of a Waffle Flower stamp set of your choice. Not only does the WFC Inspiration Challenge allow you to stretch your creative wings, it gives you the chance at a nifty prize as well! Until my next post---be well and have a wonderful week.

Huggies to all---Jennifer.

A Beautiful New Waffle Flower Challenge Inspiration Card...

     As some of you know, I have been feeling a bit under the weather. But, nothing could stop me from downloading my take on the Waffle Flower Crafts inspiration photo for May 25-June 07th! I love the cool look of the floral shaped rug in the photo. And, the color scheme is a combination I choose to work with fairly often. Because of this, I knew exactly what I wanted to do as soon as I saw the inspiration photo for this Challenge. Let's take a look...

     I absolutely LOVE my Flower Circles Die Set from WFC. It is one of the most versatile dies I own. I used the outer die to mimic the shape of the rug in the inspiration photo. I cut this shape three times from card stock I had previously sprayed with my Lindy's Shimmer Sprays. I then intermingled the different center pieces with the floral outside pieces. As soon as I had a color combination I liked, I used liquid glue to adhere the die cuts to my card front layer. I then attached this to my card blank and----voila! A simple, beautiful card that looks very intricate and can be used for almost any occasion. I am so happy with the finished piece...

     I love creating these Challenge inspiration cards. If you would like to stretch your creative wings and join in on the fun, please visit us at the Waffle Flower Crafts Blog/Challenge page by clicking HERE. Each Challenge, a winner is chosen by the Challenge Design Team. The lucky winner gets to pick out an awesome set of WFC stamps for her/his very own! It doesn't get much better than that---so join us and show us what you got!

Huggies For All---Jennifer.

Waffle Flower Crafts Challenge for May 11-24

     Is there anything more beautiful than fresh cut Spring flowers? I love them. That is why I was so happy when I saw the inspiration photo for this Waffle Flower Crafts Challenge. The sweet little daisies in their retro cup reminded me of how wonderful and simple nature can be. I knew instantly that I wanted to create some sort of "flower" using the Waffle Flower stamps I already own. Take a look at the inspiration photo, and then take a look at my card. Can you guess which stamp I used to create my daisy/flower bases?...

     ...and here is the card I created using the photo as my inspiration...

     Give up? I used the balloon stamps from the On My Mark set. I simply stamped the balloons in a cross pattern---north, south, east, and west. This gave me the circular, flower like design I was going for. Some gold spray from Lindy's Stamp Gang, and a few more stamps from Waffle Flower (tiny green hearts and orange bursts from the 100% Love set), and my card front was set! Although it may be hard to tell from the photo, this is an offset tri-panel card. To finish things off, I attached a "peek-a-boo inside closure" which I created from the WFC Surface-Tag with Scallop die set.

     I really enjoyed creating this card and hope it inspires you to use your stamps to create new and unique focal points. Please join us in our Challenges at the Waffle Flower Crafts Challenge page which can be found HERE. A new winner is chosen each session. It is your chance to flex your creative muscles and win a stamp set of your choice to boot! Hope to see you there.

Huggies to all---

Jennifer.

Sometimes Finding Inspiration Is Half The Fun...

...or, as in this case, deciding on the inspiration is where the fun can really be found. Let me explain. For this Waffle Flower Crafts Challenge inspiration card, I really needed to dig deep and study that photo carefully before I was able to come up with a design I was happy with. Sometimes I can look at an inspiration photo and instantly design a card in my head. Other times, I may need to focus more on the color scheme rather than the content of the photo. But, for some reason, this challenge really stumped me. So, I began to pick apart all of the pieces of the photo that really stood out to me. The, design on the comforter and the gilded mirror took center stage, as well as the greenery throughout. But, none of these things "spoke to me". Then I spotted the painting on the wall (reflected in the mirror). I loved the fluid lines and colors---but, how could I translate those things into a card? Suddenly, it hit me...mixed media!

     By using metallic paints and stencils, I found I could recreate the feel of the painting. And, by ghost stamping with my Waffle Flower Crafts stamps, I could achieve the effect I wanted in my inspiration card. Yes! Now, to start things off, here is the inspiration photo for the April 27-May 10 WFC Photo Inspiration Challenge.

     Notice, the painting in the mirror's reflection? That is what I based my card design on. Initially, I was not sure if this would work out. But, I am actually very pleased with the outcome. I used metallic acrylic paints and stencils for the background. I then cut white vellum to mimic the "flowing" feel of the painting. Next, I used my "In Every Way" Waffle Flower Crafts stamps to produce an ethereal design on the vellum. The vellum was pressed into the paint before it dried, so no other adhesive was necessary. It was actually quite easy and very fun. Here is the finished card...

     I hope this card inspires you to join in on the Waffle Flower Crafts Inspiration Photo Challenge fun. If you would like to learn more about the challenge and the submission information, please click HERE. This link will take you to the WFC Photo Challenge page where you can see the Challenge Design Team's take on the inspiration photo. This is also where you will find the link to submit your card in the Challenge. Card submissions are judged and the winner receives their choice of a WFC stamp set---so come and play!

     Until next time, have a wonderful day and a stress free week!

Huggies to all---

Jennifer.

Waffle Flower Crafts Challenge Inspiration Card

     There may be nothing more beautiful in the natural world than the majestic butterfly. And as you can see in the newest Waffle Flower Crafts Challenge inspiration photo, the colors of the butterfly can be as diverse as nature herself. When I first saw the photo, I was struck by the gorgeous hues and iridescent tones within the butterfly's wing. I instantly knew I wanted to capture those colors and use them as a focal point on my card cover. Below, you can see the photo for yourself. If you are as inspired as I was, please join in on the WFC Challenge (more info. on how to join in will be at the end of this post). We would love to see what you come up with and of course, there is the chance to "win" a beautiful Waffle Flower Crafts stamp set.

     Isn't this an unusual looking butterfly? I love the rich browns, oranges, and splashes of teal blue with purple. Simply stunning. When creating my inspiration card, I took advantage of the color scheme and threw in a little butterfly embellishment for good measure. My focal message was conveyed using the versatile Waffle Flower Crafts In Every Way stamp set which can be found at this link. These stamps were perfect to create the word block/labels which could then be turned into tiny phrase tags---love that set!
     Now, without any further ado, here is the inspiration card I came up with for the April 13-26 WFC challenge...

     Below is a close-up shot of the stamped tags I created. Note: many of the WFC stamp sets include phrases or words that look lovely when used on their own as labels or tags. These embellishments are easy to make and can really "personalize" a card in a very special way.

     If you would like to join in on the fun and submit a card that was inspired by our Challenge photo, then please follow this link to the Waffle Flower Crafts Photo Inspiration Challenge page. With each new Challenge, I am amazed at the creativity and inspiration level of each entry. Not only are the WFC challenges fun, but the lucky winner (as chosen by the Challenge Design Team) will walk away with a stamp set of their choice---and have you seen the new release this month!?!

     Thanks for checking out this post, and please remember to join in on the fun. Until next time, have a wonderful day and a week full of fun and creativity!

Huggies to all---Jennifer.

     Warm weather, sunny skies---can it be Spring already? Yes, Spring is here and so is another awesome Waffle Flower Crafts Challenge. This segment's Challenge is so cute! When I saw the inspiration photo, I instantly knew what I wanted to do for my card cover. The inspiration uses some of the colors I love most---pink, gold, and black---as well as a pair of adorable puffy clouds. This would be a fantastic design to highlight a nursery or toddler's room don't you think? So Cute! So without any further ado, here is the inspiration photo for the March 23rd-April 12 WFC Challenge.

   
     And, because I am so excited to show you what I came up with---here is the card I created  to (hopefully) inspire and amuse you...

     I had so much fun creating this card. I hand cut the pair of clouds and the raindrops. I simply sketched them on some card stock and cut them out with a pair of sharp scissors. I couldn't find a nice matte gold card stock, so I used my Encore metallic gold ink pad to color in the raindrops. I am very pleased with the result.
     If you feel inspired and would like to join in on the fun at Waffle Flower Crafts, simply click here. We would love for you to stop by and check out the entire Design Team's take on the inspiration photo. You can visit each talented member's blog by clicking on the cards shown. And don't forget to create your own masterpiece and enter it into our contest. The winner receives a stamp set of their choice...and who wouldn't love that! Especially with the new April release coming up. So cute and so inspirational! So join on in, we would love to have you.

Huggies till next time---Jennifer.

     One of the best reasons to join in on a Card Challenge is to improve your creativity. At Waffle Flower Crafts, there is a lot to get creative with! This Card Challenge's photo inspiration is a good example. I love the clean, modern vibe and "Springy" color combos. When looking at an inspiration photo, I often check out the little details and use those as the design for my card. For example, in the photo below, I love the texture and feel of the throw pillow. This, coupled with the color combo, seems like a good starting point for my card layout. What do you see in the inspiration photo? The orchids? The succulents? The mirrors? All of these would be a great springboard for the focal point of your next card. And....did I mention the beautiful Spring colors?...

     Below is the card I created to inspire you to use your creativity and imagination when creating your Card Challenge design. Trust me, the colors ARE an exact match for the inspiration photo...but, I seem to be having issues with either my camera or my editing software. The colors came out much too neon and a lot of the texture was lost. However, I believe this card uses the textures and vibe of the inspiration photo and that counts a lot too!

Front cover of Challenge Inspiration card (left); inside the card (right).

     If you would like to join in on the fun and play with us at WFC, please click HERE. This link will take you to the Waffle Flower Crafts Card Challenge page. Once there you can see what my fellow Card Challenge Design Team members came up with to inspire you and find links to their blogs. More importantly, don't forget to check out all the lovely stamp sets at WFC that are sure to take your creations to the next level. Remember, the winner of our Challenge gets to pick out a stamp set of their choice as an awesome "thank you" for playing along and winning.

     Until next time, Huggies to all---Jennifer.

Note: The stamp sets used are Waffle Flower's Monochrome and On My Mark. The inks used were a custom blend of Tim Holtz and Brilliance inks.

     Waffle Flower Crafts has some seriously awesome stamps sets, including the one I used for this weeks challenge. It is a set called "Rock My World", which includes some rock and pebble images that are unique and versatile. This is the first set I ever bought from WFC, and has been a favorite ever since. When I first saw this Challenge's inspiration photo, I knew I wanted to mimic the pillow's color scheme and design. I love the geometric lines and funky appeal of the colors within the inspiration photo.

I instinctively reached for the Rock My World set, and used the rock elements as my focal point. I included the whimsical hand drawn floral stamps next. And, after adding some thin cut strips of metallic silver card-stock, my card was finished. Here is the card I came up with.

     This week's Challenge photo is quite an inspiration, and I encourage you to play along with us at Waffle Flower Crafts. If you would like to join in on the fun, you can enter our Challenges here. Also be sure to check out the WFC blog and to follow the links to all my fellow Challenge Design Team member's blogs for more inspiration and fun. We would love to have you play along. And, if you win, the prize is an awesome WFC stamp set of your choice! Hope to see you there...

Huggies to all---Jennifer.

     It's that time again---time for another great Waffle Flower Crafts challenge inspiration photo and card!

     Aren't these colors amazing? Again, I chose to work with the colors and graphics in the inspiration photo. I love the lines and geometric look created by the cement blocks and steps in the background. I used silver thread infused baker's twine to mimic the lines, while I chose to recreate the colors in my focal piece. In reality, the colors I used on the heart graduate into each other smoothly while clearly showing the four shades of blue, purple, khaki, and yellow as seen in the photo inspiration. Unfortunately, this was a bit hard to capture on film, but I think you get the picture, right?  

     I truly love the "Loved" stamp set, as it is a true classic with many, many uses. You can find this set on the Waffle Flower Crafts website, by clicking here. Be sure to visit the Waffle Flower Crafts inspiration challenge page for your chance to show off what you are inspired to create. Also, be sure to check out the links to all the Challenge Design Team members example cards. It really is a treat to see what my fellow DT members come up with. These challenges are so fun, and if you are chosen as a winner, you will be the lucky recipient of a stamp set of your choice. Believe me, WFC has some innovative and fun sets to choose from. I hope to see your creation entry soon.

Huggies to all---Jennifer.

     Today, I am here with another amazing Waffle Flower Crafts challenge inspiration card. As you can see from the inspiration photo, the color focus and mood this time around are quite playful and full of fun. Just the thing to brighten up a cold winter day. 

     I really love Waffle Flower's new stamps. They are super cute and quite unique. For this challenge, I decided to use the On My Mark and Monochrome sets. Both are from the latest release and I think they combine to make one cute card! The animals are so sweet, and I just knew I had to use them together in this challenge's card.

     Don't you just love the little animals?!? I think these 2 sets will definitely get a workout this spring. I already have several birthday and "happy spring" cards in mind in which to use them---so cute! And don't even get me started on the Halloween cards I plan on creating this year---these are truly versatile, year-round stamp sets. Remember to head on over to the Waffle Flower Crafts blog and join in on the WFC Inspiration Challenge fun. It truly is an inspiration. And, those who play have a chance at winning a stamp set of their choosing---that's always a plus!

Huggies to all---Jennifer. 

     Hello everyone! Today, I am here with the first of this months wonderful Waffle Flower Crafts Challenges. When I first see a challenge inspiration photo, I am usually drawn to one of two things: the color scheme or the content (especially the feel and mood of the photo). For this challenge I chose to work with the colors of the inspiration photo.

     I love the dark navy, blue-grey, red, and deep chocolate color combination. I also noticed that the metallic accent lines in the background gave the whole photo a "finished" feel. So, I included gold in my card's color scheme as well. I thoroughly enjoyed making this card and feel I came pretty close to honoring the colors in the inspiration photo.

     The bear is a little less blue-grey than I had hoped for, but I am pleased with the results. I also used a new (to me) technique which uses complimentary die-cuts to hold the card closed. The dark navy "flower" die-cut is attached to one side of the card, while the white circle with the bear is adhered to the other side. I love trying out new card folds and closures, and this is one variation I will employ again on future cards.

     I hope you like the card, and my take on the WF Challenge inspiration photo. I can't wait to see what my fellow Challenge DT members come up with. If you would like to take a look too, here are the links to their blogs:

 Kymona Tracey

Shelly Kurth

Tenia Nelson

     Well, that is it for today's card. Be sure to check back on the 26th to see the second card for January. It will be based on a different inspiration photo, and I can't wait to show you what I have come up with!

WAFFLE FLOWER CRAFTS STAMPS AND DIES USED: Flower Circle die set, Tribal Thank You stamp set. These items and more can be found here.

p.s. ***COMING SOON*** Stayed tuned for the only "non" crafts related post I do all year....IMATS LA (Los Angeles)!!! For those of you who don't know what IMATS is, it is the International Make-Up Artists Trade Show. I go every year and love it! This year it is on January 16th-18th and will be held at the Pasadena Convention Center (as usual). Even though my blog focuses on card making, rubber stamping, and altered arts, I have had a good response in the past when I posted a short description of my time at IMATS and some photos. It is the only off topic post I do all year and I hope you will find it as interesting as I do. After all, make-up is an art form too, right?

Huggies to all of you---Jennifer.

     I can't think of a better way to launch my new blog than with an exciting new announcement...
     Last month, I received an email from Tessa Wise at Waffle Flower Crafts inviting me to be a part of their Challenge Design Team. You can bet I read that email several times (just for the sheer thrill of it) before I joyously accepted! I even received a beautiful new badge for my blog, and I am absolutely thrilled.

     I will be posting my first post as a member of the Waffle Flower Crafts Challenge Design Team on January 12th. Be sure to check back then and see my take on the inspiration photo. I will also create a list of links to my fellow team member's blogs---very inspirational, so much talent! It really is a treat to create with Waffle Flower's unique stamps and dies, and I cannot wait to share the loveliness with all of you. Until then, have a wonderful day and keep crafting!