Changes -- Link Party #47

Hello Cropstop friends! Here we are at the beginning of a new year and with it comes some BIG changes. This will be the FINAL CHALLENGE for the Cropstop blog as I have decided to step down and Haylie-Jo has decided to give the blog a break for a while. We've enjoyed working together for these past two years, and have been inspired by all of your beautiful work.

Supplies and Tools:

Knitted Embossing Folder (Couture Creations)

Create a Flake Dies (Spellbinders)

Red Sampler Pack (Canvas Corp)

Distress Embossing Ink (Ranger)

Burlap String

Primary Bark Embossing Powder (Wow!)

Winter Wonders Stamp Set (All Night Media)

Scotch Foam Mounting Tape

Cuttlebug

Challenge Rules:

1. Create ANY new project using a product or two from one of the companies CropStop carries in the store. (It’s ok if you didn’t buy it from us, and also fine if it’s a product we don’t currently have it in stock as long as it’s from one of the companies we carry!)
2. Please, no back-linking old projects
3. Limit 5 entries per challenge
4. Link your project here, link back to this post, and mention the CropStop Challenge in your post.

Optional Twist for this final challenge is:
Create a project in NEUTRAL TONES and I'll enter your name twice in the random draw!

(Note: This last challenge will run through January 30th - the winner will be announced January 31st!)

December Link Party #46

Happy December! It's time for a new link party here on the blog and today I'm sharing a fun festive card to kick things off.

Supplies and Tools used on this card:

Knitted Embossing Folder (Couture Creations)

St. Nicholas 2 Stamp Set (Graphic 45)

Pine Needles/Fired Brick Distress Ink (Ranger)

Dotted Ovals Dies (Spellbinders)

Distress Embossing Ink Pad (Ranger)

Brilliant Sparkle Gold Embossing Powder (Cosmic Shimmer)

Gold Ribbon

Scotch Foam Mounting Tape

Now it’s your turn to share the projects you’ve been working on! As always our link party is "Anything Goes" with these few simple rules

1. Create ANY new project using a product or two from one of the companies CropStop carries in the store. (It’s ok if you didn’t buy it from us, and also fine if it’s a product we don’t currently have it in stock as long as it’s from one of the companies we carry!)
2. Please, no back-linking old projects
3. Limit 5 entries per challenge
4. Link your project here, link back to this post, and mention the CropStop Challenge in your post.

We’ll choose one random Winner who will receive a prize from the CropStop Store! (100 or more links = two winners and two prizes!) Thanks so much for linking up with us, we look forward to seeing all your great entries this month. Grab our badge and help us spread the word that CropStop is a great place to play along!

Optional Twist for December:

Create a Christmas card in traditional colors (red/green) and I'll enter your name twice in the random drawing for a prize (for each project linked). 

November Link Party - # 45

Hello crafty friends! It's time for another link party here on the Cropstop blog. Today I'm sharing an autumn window card I created with a floral embellishment. For a mini tutorial on creating the sunflower visit this post from several weeks ago. (This card uses one each of the two smallest sizes.)

To create the background I scored a piece of kraft cardstock every 3/4 of an inch and swiped my walnut stain distress oxide across it. I die cut and distressed the window using the same ink. I also sponged all of the leaves with coordinating colors to add more depth and interest to them.

Supplies and Tools:

• Scoring Board
• Sunflower Stamp Set (Heartfelt Creations)
• Meadowbird Branch Die Set (Memory Box)
• Window Two Die (Spellbinders)
• Fall Folliage (Tim Holtz)
• Frond Punch (Martha Stewart)
• Burlap String
• Sponge Daubers
• Instant Coffee
• Distress Ink in these colors
• Gathered Twigs 
• Mustard Seed
• Fossilized Amber
• Spiced Marmalade
• Mowed Lawn
• Distress Oxide (Ranger) in these colors
• Walnut Stain
• Peeled Paint
• Squeezed Lemonade
• Wild Honey
• Cuttlebug
• ATG gun

 Now it’s your turn to share the projects you’ve been working on! As always our link party is "Anything Goes" with these few simple rules

1. Create ANY new project using a product or two from one of the companies CropStop carries in the store. (It’s ok if you didn’t buy it from us, and also fine if it’s a product we don’t currently have it in stock as long as it’s from one of the companies we carry!)
2. Please, no back-linking old projects
3. Limit 5 entries per challenge
4. Link your project here, link back to this post, and mention the CropStop Challenge in your post.

We’ll choose one random Winner who will receive a prize from the CropStop Store! (100 or more links = two winners and two prizes!) Thanks so much for linking up with us, we look forward to seeing all your great entries this month. Grab our badge and help us spread the word that CropStop is a great place to play along!

Optional Twist for November:

Create a project that includes fall leaves and I'll enter your name twice in the random draw.

October Link Party - # 44

What do plaids make you think of? For me, they evoke feelings of cool autumn nights, curled up with a good book, a warm (plaid) blanket, and a cup of something steamy in hand. That's why the entire month of October I plan to share easy, do-it-yourself, plaid backgrounds you can create using markers. There are also a couple fun ways to use your plaids, so you won't want to miss any of the Monday inspirational posts this month!

Supplies need to create your own plaid background:

• Markers
• Ruler
• Graph Paper (optional)
• I found that placing a piece of graph paper under my card front made it much easier to line up the ruler and create straight lines

Directions for my background:

1. Beginning with an orange marker - create wide stripes both vertically and horizontally
2. Next use a yellow marker and add wide stripes in between your orange ones
3. Add some thin brown stripes
4. Add some thin green stripes
5. Using a darker yellow marker -- trace over every other yellow stripe to darken it and add interest to your background
6. Using sponge daubers, ink around the edges with dark brown ink
 

Supplies used on this card:

• These colors of Distress Ink (Ranger)
• Vintage Photo
• Ground Espresso
• Rusty Hinge
• Fossilized Amber
• Pine Needles
• Mermaid Lagoon
• Sponge Daubers
• Sunflower Stamp Set (Heartfelt Creations)
• Spellbinders Nestabilities (Circle and Scallop Circle)
• Fall Foliage Dies (Sizzix - Tim Holtz Alterations) 
• Markers
• Ruler
• Instant Coffee
• Burlap Ribbon
• Rhinestones
• Glue

Note: For a mini tutorial for the flower on this card, visit the Tutorials Tab at the top of the blog and click on 3D Sunflower.

Now it’s your turn to share the projects you’ve been working on! As always our link party is "Anything Goes" with these few simple rules

1. Create ANY new project using a product or two from one of the companies CropStop carries in the store. (It’s ok if you didn’t buy it from us, and also fine if it’s a product we don’t currently have it in stock as long as it’s from one of the companies we carry!)
2. Please, no back-linking old projects
3. Limit 5 entries per challenge
4. Link your project here, link back to this post, and mention the CropStop Challenge in your post.

We’ll choose one random Winner who will receive a prize from the CropStop Store! (100 or more links = two winners and two prizes!) Thanks so much for linking up with us, we look forward to seeing all your great entries this month. Grab our badge and help us spread the word that CropStop is a great place to play along!

Optional Twist for October

Include a plaid element somewhere in your creation,

 and I'll enter your name twice in the random draw.

September Link Party - #43

I realize that fall officially begins the end of this month, but I'm not quite ready to let go of my summer yet. So....today I'm sharing one last summer card before I start into sunflowers, pumpkins, falling leaves, and all things autumn!  Here's a fun little summer scene I created with dies and layered on an embossed (and sanded) doily.

Supplies used on this card:

• Lattice Embossing Folder (Creative Expressions)
• Texture Fades Doily Embossing Folder (Sizzix)
• Core'dinations Pastels (Core'dinations Cardstock) 
• Sandpaper (or Sand-it-gadget)
• Wreath Die Set (Spellbinders)
• Funky Florals #1 Thinlits (Tim Holtz Alterations)
• Meadowbird Branch Die Set (Memory Box)
• Sentiments Five Die Set (Spellbinders)
• Seedless Preserves Distress Oxide (Ranger)
• Sponge Daubers
• Tiny Pearls
• Purple Ribbon
• Mounting Tape
• Cuttlebug
• ATG gun

 Now it’s your turn to share the projects you’ve been working on! As always our link party is "Anything Goes" with these few simple rules

1. Create ANY new project using a product or two from one of the companies CropStop carries in the store. (It’s ok if you didn’t buy it from us, and also fine if it’s a product we don’t currently have it in stock as long as it’s from one of the companies we carry!)
2. Please, no back-linking old projects
3. Limit 5 entries per challenge
4. Link your project here, link back to this post, and mention the CropStop Challenge in your post.

We’ll choose one random Winner who will receive a prize from the CropStop Store! (100 or more links = two winners and two prizes!) Thanks so much for linking up with us, we look forward to seeing all your great entries this month. Grab our badge and help us spread the word that CropStop is a great place to play along!

Optional Twist for September:

Create a project that includes a doily of any kind (embossed, die cut, stamped, or bought) and I'll enter your name twice in the random draw.

August Link Party - #42

Time for another link party here on the Cropstop blog. Last month I shared an easy way to create a striped background, and this month I'm back for Take #2.

To create the background for my first card I:

•  stamped my Abandoned Coral Distress Ink (Ranger) on my acrylic block and spritzed it with water
• using a wide paintbrush I painted messy lines across my watercolor paper and added splatters

I decorated this card by:

• stamping two flowers/stems from the Blossom Stamp Set (Tim Hotlz) in Versamark Watermark ink, adding black embossing powder, and heat setting
• I painted the flowers with Abandoned Coral/Picked Raspberry Distress Ink and the stems with Mowed Lawn/Pine Needles Distress Ink
• The sentiment is from the Bird Crazy set (Tim Holtz) and is embossed on the card front

For my second card I painted smaller stripes in the center of my watercolor paper panel using blues and greens. The colors of distress ink from top to bottom are:
Twisted Citron, Cracked Pistachio, Peacock Feathers, Salty Ocean, Mermaid Lagoon

I decorated this card by:

• stamping the butterfly and hearts from the Watercolor stamp/stencil set (Tim Holtz) on water color paper and fussy cutting
• stamping the sentiment (Bird Crazy stamp/stencil set - Tim Holtz) in two colors of distress ink, slightly offset from each other
• adding some clear glitter to the hearts and center of my butterfly

 Now it’s your turn to share the projects you’ve been working on! As always our link party is "Anything Goes" with these few simple rules:

1. Create ANY new project using a product or two from one of the companies CropStop carries in the store. (It’s ok if you didn’t buy it from us, and also fine if it’s a product we don’t currently have it in stock as long as it’s from one of the companies we carry!)
2. Please, no back-linking old projects
3. Limit 5 entries per challenge
4. Link your project here, link back to this post, and mention the CropStop Challenge in your post.

We’ll choose one random Winner who will receive a prize from the CropStop Store! (100 or more links = two winners and two prizes!) Thanks so much for linking up with us, we look forward to seeing all your great entries this month. Grab our badge and help us spread the word that CropStop is a great place to play along!

Optional Twist for August:

Create a project that includes a striped background and I'll enter your name twice in the random draw.

July Link Party - #41

Hello friends! Today I'm sharing my updated tutorial for creating a weathered wood background. I originally posted this on the Wordpress blog, but since we are no longer using that site I thought I'd post it over here as well.

Step One: Gather your supplies - White Glue, Paint, Stiff Cardboard, Sandpaper
Step Two: Cut your cardboard to size and using a Scoring Board, create boards every 1/4 inch
Step Three: Cover your entire piece of cardboard with white school glue and let dry till tacky

Step Four: Paint over your tacky glue with your choice of paint (I used Blueprint Sketch Distress Paint ---- NOTE: do not apply using applicator, remove lid and use a paintbrush!)
Step Five: Dry using a heat gun (if you did it correctly, cracks will appear)
Step Six: Add a coordinating color of paint  and heat set (I added Hickory Smoke Distress Paint)

Step Seven: Apply a little bit of Picket Fence Distress Stain and rub in with your finger (heat set)
Step Eight: Re-score your lines
Step Nine: Sand edges and center to create a rough, worn look

Here's how I finished creating my card:

• I added a piece of blue Petaloo lace across the bottom of my wood background
• I die cut a bird cage using the Gilded Birds die (Memory Box - Poppystamps) from dictionary page
• In the bottom corner I added greenery and branches cut from the Fall Foliage Thinlits (Tim Hotlz)
• I created crinkle ribbon using seam binding and Wild Honey - Worn Lipstick Distress Oxide (Ranger)
• I created three flowers by layering punched dictionary pages and adding a tiny pearl to the center
• I tucked a pretty little bird from Mitrushova Art into my ribbon
• The top of the cage features one of the dictionary page flowers glued over a Burlap String bow
• Underneath is a tiny die cut tag (Cuttlebug) stamped with a sentiment from Dina Wakley's Little Birdies and inked withe Walnut Stain Distress Oxide

 Now it’s your turn to share the projects you’ve been working on! As always our link party is "Anything Goes" with these few simple rules:

1. Create ANY new project using a product or two from one of the companies CropStop carries in the store. (It’s ok if you didn’t buy it from us, and also fine if it’s a product we don’t currently have it in stock as long as it’s from one of the companies we carry!)
2. Please, no back-linking old projects
3. Limit 5 entries per challenge
4. Link your project here, link back to this post, and mention the CropStop Challenge in your post.

We’ll choose one random Winner who will receive a prize from the CropStop Store! (100 or more links = two winners and two prizes!) Thanks so much for linking up with us, we look forward to seeing all your great entries this month. Grab our badge and help us spread the word that CropStop is a great place to play along!

Optional Twist for July:

Create a project that features a handmade wood background of any kind and I'll enter your name twice in the random draw (for each project linked)!

June Link Party - #40

It's time for another link party here on the Cropstop blog! Today I'm sharing a different kind of inspiration with you -- it's a page out of my new art journal! I've been admiring the work of several ladies on different design teams with me, and finally took the plunge and started an Art Journal myself.

Here's how I created my page:

• I started by painting my page with a layer of clear Gesso
• Using Sponge Daubers,  I added some distress oxide in the following colors:
• Broken China ~ Faded Jeans ~ Peeled Paint ~ Frayed Burlap ~ Walnut Stain
•  I wet my ink, moved it around with a paint brush, and reapplied ink till I reach a desired color pattern
• I spritzed the ink with water and heat set
• In the upper right corner I added a torn piece of an old sewing pattern using  clear Gesso as my adhesive
• To the right I applied white Gesso through the Measured stencil from Tim Holtz and heat set
• I stamped the Seamstress stamp from Prima in Tuxedo Black ink (Tsukineko)
• I stamped one of the Julie Nutting dolls (from Holiday Bliss) on an old dictionary page in Tuxedo Black ink (Tsukineko)
• I restamped her dress, hair, and shoes on various pieces of card stock, fussy cut them, and added them over the original doll
• I colored her flesh with a Touch Five marker
• Behind the doll I added some Prairie Thistle die cuts from Memory Box/Poppystamps

• I added some Washi Tape strips along the bottom center of my page
• To the left I stamped the plaid background stamp from Impression Obsession in Faded Jeans Distress Oxide
• Over top I added two Repeat Impressions flowers, stamped on watercolor paper in Versamark Watermark ink and embossed with black embossing powder
• They were colored with Sonnet Watercolors and fussy cut
•  I also added a piece of greenery cut with the Fall Folliage dies (Sizzix) and a tiny wire hanger from my stash
• The sentiment was computer generated, printed on white card stock, inked with  distress oxides, and stamped with the plaid background stamp from Impression Obsessionin Brilliance Moonlight White Ink from Tsukineko
• I die cut an embroidery hoop from Waffle Flower and added it around the largest word 

Now it’s your turn to share the projects you’ve been working on! As always our link party is "Anything Goes" with these few simple rules:

1. Create ANY new project using a product or two from one of the companies CropStop carries in the store. (It’s ok if you didn’t buy it from us, and also fine if it’s a product we don’t currently have it in stock as long as it’s from one of the companies we carry!)
2. Please, no back-linking old projects
3. Limit 5 entries per challenge
4. Link your project here, link back to this post, and mention the CropStop Challenge in your post.

We’ll choose one random Winner who will receive a prize from the CropStop Store! (100 or more links = two winners and two prizes!) Thanks so much for linking up with us, we look forward to seeing all your great entries this month. Grab our badge and help us spread the word that CropStop is a great place to play along!

OPTIONAL TWIST FOR JUNE:

If you enter an ART JOURNAL PAGE this month,  I'll enter your name twice (for each project linked) in the random draw!

May Link Party - #39

It's time for another challenge here on the Cropstop blog! Today I'm sharing a different kind of "spring" card created with Inka Gold metallic rub.  I realize that Inka Gold isn't a new product, and I'm late to the party (as usual). However, since a lot of the mixed media supplies are "new" to me, I'm having a lot of fun discovering their uses and playing with them in my projects.

 Here's how I put this shimmery card together:

• To begin with, I painted a piece of white card stock with Clear Gesso (you'll read more about my new-found love of this next week!!)
• I thinned some Graphite Inka Gold with water and, using a small paintbrush, I added this over the gesso layer
• Once dry, I embossed it with the Victoria embossing folder from Cuttlebug
• I then rubbed Platinum Inka Gold over the embossed part of the card
• The butterfly is a die cut from the Anna Griffin (Cuttlebug) set Butterfly Trio
• I rubbed a just bit of  Platinum Inka Gold over it to give it some sparkle and shine
• I also added strip of white pearls down the center for extra dimension
• For my sentiment, I die cut a saying from the Phrases Set One (Spellbinders) set four times and glued them one on top of the other
• The top layer also features  Platinum Inka Gold and makes the sentiment softer than a the stark white it was

The photo below gives you a better idea of the shimmer Inka Gold adds to your creations! 

Now it’s your turn to share the projects you’ve been working on! As always our link party is "Anything Goes" with these few simple rules:

1. Create ANY new project using a product or two from one of the companies CropStop carries in the store. (It’s ok if you didn’t buy it from us, and also fine if it’s a product we don’t currently have it in stock as long as it’s from one of the companies we carry!)
2. Please, no back-linking old projects
3. Limit 5 entries per challenge
4. Link your project here, link back to this post, and mention the CropStop Challenge in your post.

We’ll choose one random Winner who will receive a prize from the CropStop Store! (100 or more links = two winners and two prizes!) Thanks so much for linking up with us, we look forward to seeing all your great entries this month. Grab our badge and help us spread the word that CropStop is a great place to play along!

OPTIONAL TWIST FOR MAY:

If you use INKA GOLD on the project you link up this month, I'll enter your name twice (for each project linked) in the random draw!

April Link Party - #38

It's time for a new challenge here on the new Cropstop blog. After missing the month of March (due to technical issues with the other blog), we're so happy to be back on schedule!  

Today I'm sharing a bright and cheery bird themed card I created to inspire you! Here's how I put this happy spring card together:

•  I started by running a piece of pink polka dot designer paper through my Fiskars Paper Crimper
• I layered my pink piece on a piece of green dp and cut a blue strip for across the bottom
•  Using a piece of White Sheer Ruffle Edge Ribbon I tied a pretty bow around the bottom of my card front
• Next I cut the large birdcage from black card stock using the Gilded Birds die from Memory Box and popped it up using mounting tape
• Using the same set I die cut two little white birdies to perch inside the cage
• I decorated my cage with some flowers from the Tea stained Teals set (Petaloo)
• In the top corner I stamped a sentiment from  Little Birdies (Dina Wakley) in Tuxedo Black Ink (Tsukineko)
• Inside I added a decorative panel punched with the Petal Heart punch-all-over-the-page (Martha Stewart)

Now it’s your turn to share the projects you’ve been working on!
Here’s how our challenges work:

• Create ANY new project using products from companies  CropStop carries in the store. It’s ok if you didn’t buy it from us, and also fine if it’s a product we don’t currently have it in stock as long as it’s from one of the companies we carry!
• Please, no back-linking old projects.
• Limit five (5) entries per challenge.
• Link your project here, link back to this post, and mention the CropStop Challenge in your post.
• We’ll choose one random Winner who will receive a prize from the CropStop Store! (100 or more links = two winners and two prizes!)

Thanks so much for linking up with us, we look forward to seeing all your great entries this month. Grab our badge and help us spread the word that CropStop is a great place to play along!