Frame It! #11 November Monthly Guest Designer Challenge with Simone Carr

 Hello Ai fans!

Welcome to our Monthly Guest Designer Challenge.

This month's theme is Frame It!

We want you to use frames.

These can be actual picture frames, frame dies, polaroid picture frames, 3D paper frames like the easel frames, you name it.

Any kind of frame you like.

I will not be choosing a Guest Designer for January.

Due to lack of entries we are discontinuing this challenge.

The winner will still receive a free stamp set but there will be no guest designer. December will be our last one with Dot.

Though Simone's cards are all holiday/winter themed, yours do NOT have to be as long as you frame something.

Our November Guest Designer is Simone Carr and she has several beautiful cards to inspire you. Before we see what she created, let's see who won our October, Along Came a Spider Challenge.

We chose Dot Freel for her spooky haunted house card!

Congratulations Dot!

You will be the Art Impressions December Guest Designer.

Dot,  please contact me at Renee@artimpressions.com

so that we can discuss your challenge theme and to claim a free stamp set of your choice.

Now for the Lucky Random Winner of a freebie stamp from me, provided you have a U.S. address.

#5 Gabriella B.

Please contact me at Renee@artimpressions.com with your address to see what freebies I have and claim your free stamp.

Now for our November Guest Designer.

Let's see what Simone has to share.

Her task was to frame something. This was the first card she sent me and I was THRILLED.

Hello Everyone,

I'm thrilled to be back as the guest designer for November! For this project, I’ve used the 5350 Animal Nativity Set, a stamp set I haven’t had a chance to use until now, and I’m excited to share how I brought it to life.

I started by stamping all the images with Memento Toffee Crunch ink on Canson Watercolor Paper. Then, I colored each image using the Tombow Watercolor Markers in the following shades: N25, O26, N35, N55, O55, N65, 177, 526, 703, 856, 942, 947, and 977. After die-cutting the images, I moved on to the background.

For the background, I ink blended Distress Oxide in Squeezed Lemonade to create a soft glow, surrounded by Chipped Sapphire to evoke a nighttime sky, all on Strathmore Bristol Smooth cardstock. To add a magical touch, I splattered Dr. Ph Martin's Bleed Proof White for a starry effect.

For the frame, I used wood grain cardstock, inked the edges with Memento Toffee Crunch, and then layered it with foam adhesive between two frames for extra dimension. The frames were adhered to the ink-blended background, and I arranged the nativity animals with a mix of foam adhesive squares and glue to create depth. Finally, I added a little extra shine by applying Nuvo Crystal Glaze on the star for dimension and sparkle.

Materials & Tools:

Tombow Watercolor Markers: N25, 026, N35, N55, 055, N65, 177, 526, 703, 856, 942, 947, 977

Canson Watercolor Paper

Strathmore Bristol Smooth

Distress Oxide: Squeezed Lemonade and Chipped Sapphire

Dr. Ph Martin's Bleed Proof White

Memento Toffee Crunch Ink

Penny Black 51-825 Double Frames

Spellbinders Indigo Cardstock

Nuvo Crystal Glaze

Glitter Pen

Double-Sided Adhesive Tape and Foam Squares

Card Measurements:

Sidefold card: 4 1/4" x 5 1/2"

Background card: 5 1/8" x 3 7/8"

I’m looking forward to seeing what you all create and can’t wait to share more inspiration with you throughout the month!

Best regards,

Simone Carr

Simone loved this challenge so much, that she created three more amazing cards for it!
I'm blown away by the beauty of each one.

We're so lucky to have so much inspiration for this challenge.

Happy Holidays everyone!

For as long as I have duplicate stamps I will choose a random winner.

These will be for U.S. residents only since these will be mailed by me personally

and not Art Impressions.

If you are selected as the freebie winner I will send you a photo of what I have

and you can choose from that.

Here is the fine print...

✻ Please make a new card or handmade crafty creation.
✻You can make any item you wish; this is not limited to cards!

✻ Limit two submissions per person. 

✻You MUST use Art Impressions stamps or dies! You may use other companies products but the main focus should be on Ai items.

✻If you win, you will receive one free stamp set of your choice. In return you will create a brief write up explaining how you made your item and email it to me. (Reneé) 
We will share your creation on Art Impressions social media.
✻If you would like to participate in the challenge but not be
considered to be a guest designer please place an X after your name.

 ✻Please include your first name and last initial on your submission.

✻We love to comment on your entries, but keep in mind if you use a private group or a platform that you need to sign up for, we probably won't be able to.

✻ The Ai Challenge is open to everyone, international submissions are welcome!

✻ Include a link back to the Ai Blog or grab our button on the top right of our sidebar!

✻ Share the Ai love if you can, by clicking and commenting on your fellow crafters.

✻ Make sure to get your link up by the deadline to enter your creations.

✻ Good luck and happy crafting!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

All Aboard! by Janet

 Hello all! I'm here today with a card that I had so much fun making. These adorable penguins and train car are from a new set called 5929 - Christmas Train Set. It comes with the penguins and train cars. It has matching dies for all the pieces including a holly spray and candy canes. 

To make this card, I started by stamping the train car that's full of gifts, the three penguins, two train wheels, two sprays, and three candy canes. After I colored them, I used the dies to cut the pieces out. I added jewel brads to the wheels and  attached them in the right place with foam dots. I tucked one of the penguins into the gifts and glued candy canes to each of the penguin's hands. I used two small snowflake dies to cut three out from 5782 - Snowflake Frame Set and glued them to the side of the car.

Next, I made the background using blue, green, and pink alcohol inks dropped on to a gel plate and thinned and mixed the inks with plain alcohol. I added a few drops of silver metallic ink to the plate and then dipped yupo paper into the inked surface. The resulting panels look marbled and soft. I dipped several panels and set them all aside to dry.

I chose my favorite panel to use as the background for the card and trimmed it so that I could add the green mat before adding it to an A2 card in blue. The last step was to foil and cut out a sentiment label with my Silhouette Cameo machine. Once that was done, I stamped it with a sentiment in the set. I glued it to the front and added the holly spray and a snowflake sticker with a gem in the center. 

I really like the fanciful background that sets the stage for these magical and whimsical penguins. If you enjoy penguins and Christmas trains, this is a must have set for your collection!

Thanks so much for joining me to see what I created for you today. Please visit the Ai store for the sets I used and all the things you need for your card, journal, and tag making projects. Happy creating!

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