Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Tuesday Throwdown Shaped Cards

     Today's Tuesday Throwdown challenge is sponsored by Catherine Pooler, an independent Stampin' Up dealer.  She will be providing the prize for our winner!  The CS, image, and sentiment for my card are all SU products; the card stock is two-sided, patterned and comes from the Europa collection, called Pumpkin Pie.  The image and sentiment are from the Gnomes set, oldies but goodies.  I thought this Gnome was perfect for a Halloween/fall card.  Who wouldn't want to be a cute gnome at Halloween?


     I rarely do shaped cards, for two reasons:  I don't have many dies really large enough to make a card and I like A2 shaped cards since I do so many cards for Operation Write Home.  (Please check out the last paragraph of today's posting for more info about OWH.)  But when I found out that our Tuesday Throwdown challenge was going to be for shaped cards (nothing square or rectangular), I had to figure out what to do!   One Stitch at a Time also has a "Shape Up" challenge theme, and Paper Cutz wants us to do "Stars, Circles, or Diamonds."  Obviously, mine is the circle, and The Stamp Man theme is "Circle It."  Along that same line, Card and Scrap says "Not 4 Sided" and a circle was the first thing that came to mind.

     This one is made from a large (5 1/2" diameter) doily die, with the paper folded at the top and the die positioned just below the fold line.  Once the doily was cut, I stamped the Gnome into the middle of it, and heat embossed the image with black, detail EP.  I loved the black on orange combination so I did nothing else in the way of coloring him.  I did stamp a sentiment on the inside (also heat embossed) and add the orange gingham bow to the front, made from ribbon that came from Really Reasonable Ribbon -- their challenge theme is "Fun 4 Fall".  In addition, Meljen's wants us to use ribbon on our projects this week.  You can see the other side of the Pumpkin Pie CS in the photo below.


     I'm sending this card to a friend of mine who happens to have a Halloween birthday!  I thought the sentiment was perfect without having to say either Happy Birthday or Happy Halloween.  She'll know, since Halloween is her favorite holiday.  :-D

     Time to talk about all the other challenges, made easy again because of all the fall/autumn colors/Halloween themes this week.  I'll start with Pile It On (Fall is for Fun) because, in addition to their theme each week, they want us to make cards which can be used is as many challenges as possible.  I always select my challenges before I start on my cards.  That way, I know the card will fit the particular challenge and, if it doesn't when I'm finished, I can eliminate that challenge from the list.

Hanna and Friends - Autumn/Halloween
Paper Crafting Journey - Black, orange, & white
One Stop Craft Challenge - Halloween
Pals Paper Arts - Inspiration photo; Fall/Thanksgiving
Craft Your Days Away - Halloween colors, orange and black
Crafty Pad - Monochromatic
Through the Craft Room Door - Halloween
Card Cupids - Use Orange
Dream Valley - Halloween
Designed 2 Delight - Cute Halloween

     I promised you some additional information about Operation Write Home.  They are a fantastic, non-profit, organization which gathers up donated, hand-made cards for shipment to our deployed military troops that they use to send greetings home.  All this week, OWH is being supported by card makers just like you and me, helping them to raise funds for postage.  It's going to take more than $13,000 to mail boxes of Christmas and holiday cards to the soldiers overseas just this upcoming season.  One of the fund-raiser, blog hops will be starting here on my blog this next Friday morning, and featuring some cute and clever digi images which you can buy to help OWH in its cause.  All the proceeds (less the Paypal fees) from the digi sales are being donated by the artists to OWH.  (Our fellow DT teamie, Deedee, is one of the artists!  Another is Katlyn of K 'n K Designs.  Thank you, Deedee & Katlyn.  We love you for doing this!)  Please mark your calendar and come by here on Friday.  Thanks.

     That's it for today except that we'd love to see you play in the Tuesday Throwdown challenge this week.  Remember, any shaped card except square or rectangle; even octagons will qualify!  See you over there.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

   

27 comments:

Donna Hanley said...

Connie, the card is quite different and I do love that doily die and may hae to get it. the black and orange combo stands on it's own nicely. The ribbon is just hits the spot. nice job.

Anonymous said...

Connie, your card is gorgeous!! Love the lace circle die shape and the orange color is brilliant for a Halloween birthday!! :) Thanks for the info about OWH! HUGS

Victoria Lavender said...

Hi Connie, I love this! It's simple and powerful! Cool beans. I can't seem to sit still since returning from my trip. Hence I haven't made cards for troops as I'd done last year. But I want to send $ for stamps. I'll check out the main website to see how that's done. Keep cranking out the great designs..."Go Nana Go!"

Benzi said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Benzi said...

NanaConnie, your doily die shaped card is soooo pretty. It is perfect in orange for your friend with the Halloween birthday.

jimlynn said...

Great shaped card! That die is amazing and so pretty with the little gnome sitting in the center of it. VERY CUTE!
Lynn

Steph Lee (Arty Carty) said...

Your doily die is soooo pretty and I like larger shaped cards myself too. who is the manuf. of the die? your gnome is just too adorable as well. Hugz, Steph

Pam~ said...

I don't do shape cards much either and I always like them. Yours in no exception ... love the doily look! Thanks for joining Pals Paper Arts this week!

NanaConnie said...

Steph asked about the die. It called English Tea Party and it's by Cheery Lynn designs. Search for "Doily Dies" and you'll find several. :-D

Kiki said...

Wow, this looks fantastic! Love the shape of your card and the colours you've chosen.

Thanks so much for joining us at Hanna & Friends.

Hugs, Kiki

Marjo said...

Gorgalicious card! Love all your added details. Thanks so much for sharing with us at OSAAT.

xoxo Marjo

Marlene said...

LOVE your doily card! Where do I find a die like that? Is it a Spellbinders die?

MagsB said...

Wow, what a fantastic shaped card! It's just beautiful - and the little gnome is so cute! Thanks for joining in at Dream Valley Challenges!

luv, Mags x

Donna Ellis said...

PC, your Autumn Cards are marvelous - I've enjoyed browsing them this afternoon and being refreshed - looks like you are become so versatile in your coloring styles! Thanks for sharing...

Linda Simpson said...

Love the shape of your card Connie and the colour is gorgeous. The gnome is just adorable.

Hugs
Linda xxx

Kathleen B. Hernandez said...

I haven't done shaped cards too. Oh dear! Maybe sometime in the future.

Your circle card looks just fabulous! Will try to look up a doily die too when i get a chance. =)

Thanks for the inspiration! And thanks for joining us at Paper Crafting Journey’s Colour Challenge!

Kathleen – Guest Designer
Blog: “Let’s Get Scrappy!”

Choccy said...

Such a beautiful card !!
Thanks for sharing with us at One Stitch At a Time for our 'Shape Up' challenge.
Good Luck !
Hope to see you back next week :O)

Choccy x

Cheryl said...

Beautiful card! I love the shape and clean design.


Thank you for joining our USE RIBBON challenge at Meljen’s Designs.

~Cheryl~

Unknown said...

Very nice. Love that portly gnome!

Mel said...

Very pretty shaped card, I love it. Thank you for joining us at TTCRD Challenges.

Davi said...

NanaConnie this is really a beautiful card!! Cute little gnome to go with it :)

majsan said...

What a cute image!! Loved it...
Thank you for joining us at CARD AND SCRAP
Hugs
Maria

Diane said...

Fab card Connie !!

thanks for joining us this week at The Crafty Pad !!

hugs Diane xx

aqualeiga said...

Hi,
such a sweet monochromatic card!! Thanks so much for joining us at THE CRAFTY PAD this week.
Hugs, Ali x

Sharon said...

Wonderful card! Love the Gnome!! I'm so glad you shared it with us at Paper Cutz Challenge!!! :)

Steph Lee (Arty Carty) said...

Hey Nanaconnie ... am visiting again as TTCRD DT. still loving you doiley die and your portly gnome. Thanks for sharing your little cutie with us at TTCRD. xxx Steph

CG said...

Wow, what a wonderful card! So unique & striking. I too have a friend with a Halloween birthday, I get to make him fun cards too!