Challenge Guest Designer : Therese Calvird

Hi, I’m Therese Calvird. I live in the sub tropics in Australia near some of the best beaches in the world, with my husband and furchild, a three-year-old black and cheeky cat called Lilith. I’ve been making cards for over 10 years and had always enjoyed all different crafts, that is, until papercrafting ‘took over’. I ventured into Youtube about 4 years ago and being quite technologically challenged I’m not really sure why I did, it was one of those things that I just wanted to do and so with some bumps and big learning curves along the way I’m still having heaps of fun with it. I enjoy keeping in contact with everyone via my blog lostinpaper as well as at my Youtube channel here. I was so excited to be asked to guest at the Tic-Tac-Toe challenge today and thought for a bit of fun I would share a video showing just how I made this card.

So here it is:
https://youtu.be/bX6vKiesrbs

Thanks for everything and good luck with Challenge No 12, it’s another great one (and just in case you were wondering, I used the diagonal elements today)!

Introducing New Tic-Tac-Toe Challenge Design Team Members!

Hello! It's Ka here today and I can not believe that we're already halfway through 2016. Crazy how time flies when you're having fun and fun is our motto here on the Tic-Tac-Toe Challenge!

Today I am introducing the newest Design Team members for the next term, July through December. My current Tic-Tac-Toe Challenge Design Team has been so FABULOUS and I can't say how proud I am to have such an amazing group of talented and supportive group of friends. I hope you had enjoy their projects as much as I have. I consider myself lucky to have work briefly with each one of them and they will be greatly missed! I'm looking forward to having our new members join us and I'm sure it'll be another fabulous term!

Please welcome the new Design Team Members for the Tic-Tac-Toe Challenge and visit their blogs when you get a chance. I know you'll love them and their projects just as much as our previous designers.

Blog: Rachel's Card Corner
Instagram: @rbergfeldcarddesigns

"Hi, I'm Rachel Bergfeld, and I'm an Indiana native who's been transplanted to Southwestern Arizona for the time being. I still feel like a newlywed (just over 2 years) and my husband and I have 2 dogs and 3 cats, but no human children yet. I started papercrafting in 2011 when I decided to try to make my own Thank You cards for my wedding. Little did I know that I was starting a full-blown obsession with that cardstock and simple rubber stamp!

My style has since evolved into Clean and Simple by nature and necessity. I live pretty far from all of my family and I like to stay in touch with a handmade card every so often, but they have to stay fairly flat to make it through the mail undamaged. I will occasionally play around with other styles just for fun and variety! I love card making because receiving a handmade card feels like getting a little hug over long distance. It's a great way to keep in touch with the people in my life that I don't get to see very often. When I'm not making cards in my craft room, you can usually find me curled up with a good book and a dog or a kitty (or 2!) or else playing video games with my husband."

Blog: Varada Sharma

Instagram: @varadasharma

"Hello! My name is Varada Sharma and I live in Franklin, TN with my truly wonderful husband and two lovely princesses. Growing up, I wasn't much artsy-craftsy, but when I got to college, I developed a huge interest for sewing and painting. I think some of my Mom's love for making handmade things rubbed off on me then.

When we moved to the United States, I dribbled first into jewelry making and home decor before finally settling on card making as 'my thing'. I love how card making let's me focus on a project that is achievable in one sitting most of the time. I love how it lets me experiment with different designs, colors and mediums. And best of all, I love how I can brighten someone's day by giving them a card I made myself. I don't have any definitive style of card making or crafting. I just roll with whatever inspires me at that time. I am so thrilled to be part of the design team at tic-tac-toe challenge, of which I have been a big fan for a long time. Can't wait to inspire this community with my creations and get inspired in return. :-)"

Blog: Craft Ghetto

Instagram: @craftghetto

"Hello!! I’m Channin, pronounced just like the typical pronunciation of Shannon, my parents are creative too ;). I’m a mother of two little girls both under the age of 4 and just recently took a break from being a teacher to be a SAHM. I’ve been making cards for about 4 years now. It all started when I got my Cricut and I went looking for an outlet to create with it. I soon discovered card challenges and though them I rediscovered stamping and I was hooked!! I love this craft form because you get to experiment with design and play with a variety of art materials and when you are done you have created kind gesture for a loved one. I would love to say that I have one style but I definitely dabble in many styles, but honestly clean and simple is probably my most favorite."

Blog: Judy's Card Corner

Instagram: @judy_marino

"Hello, friends! I am so excited to be joining the Tic-Tac-Toe Challenge Design Team! I am married to my high school sweetheart, mom to four kids, and am employed as a school psychologist. My other hobbies include singing, gardening, reading, and scrapbooking. (I must also admit that I am addicted to Pinterest.) I was introduced to card making in the late 1990's when my best friend sent me a hand-made Christmas card and encouraged me to try it...and I have been hooked ever since! I love the clean and simple style, although I also enjoy cute scenes and paper-piecing designs. I love sharing my designs and I am always inspired by what others share...that's why I am SO excited to join the design team at the Tic-Tac-Toe Challenge!"

Our returning members:

I am so grateful to have these two ladies returning and designing for this challenge blog again. Welcome back you two!

Blog: A Creative Touch

Instagram: @hobbitnoll

"Hello! My name is Nora Noll and I am excited to be a part of the Tic Tac Toe Challenge Design team. I have been a crafter since I can remember-starting with hand-sewing and have taken classes in everything from pottery to decorative painting. I started paper crafting in my teens, and have been doing some sort of paper craft for almost thirty years.

I would not say I have a particular style, though I am not a one-layer wonder. I tend to have many layers on my cards and own die cuts for almost all of my stamps. Layering helps me cover up my mistakes when I make them so that I do not have to throw away a whole card! Paper crafting is a stress release for me. I create for no other purpose then to have fun and relax. I know that being part of this design team is going to be a lot of fun and I cannot to wait to get to know everyone."

Blog: My Lime Journal

Instagram: @mylimejournal

"Hello! My name is Amina and I am deeply in love with paper crafting. I live in the UK with my awesome husband. We have two cute kids who fill our lives with happiness and laughter. I used to teach in a Primary school but currently a SAHM. I love making cards, albums, mixed-media, altering and anything in between. I have always enjoyed being creative. In fact as a little girl I used to love playing with scissors and glue. I bought my first ever stamping supplies in 2005. YouTube videos totally changed my life in 2009. Since then I have fallen deeply in love with this awesome hobby. For me, ‘ME TIME’ means making cards, tags, mini books and journals. I would describe my crafting style as eclectic and wide ranging. I love making shabby chic cards with layers as well as simple cards with just one layer. I love my hobby and have become friends with some awesome people. Love the crafting community. So excited to be a part of TIC-TAC-TOE challenge and looking forward to getting to know everyone."

So those are all the lovely ladies joining us for this term and I hope you enjoy their creations! I'm so excited to have each of them and cannot wait to see all the creative things they'll be sharing and inspiring us with! Welcome to the team, ladies!!!

Challenge #12 Inspiration with Lindsey

Good morning! Lindsey here, sharing some additional inspiration for Challenge #12.  It also marks my very last project as part of the Design Team.  I cannot believe how quickly the last 6 months have gone by!  What an absolute treat and privilege it has been to be a part of this team!  Ka, Mady, and all the DT, thank you so much (from the bottom of my heart!) for making this such an amazing experience for me.

For my project today I chose to work with the diagonal starting from the top left: doily, jute/natural twine, and metals.  We have a wedding to attend in a few weeks, so I used the colors and feel of their wedding as my inspiration. 

The doily anchors the entire focal point on this card, and I love the soft, feminine touch it adds. My main metal element is a silver wreath, which seemed a little to harsh in contrast at first.  So order to maintain a soft feel to this card, I added an offset vellum wreath on top.  My favorite touch on the wreath is the little twine twirls tucked under my loosely watercolored flowers.  I just think they are so fun!

This card is jam-packed with embellishments, which is not the norm for a CAS cardmaker like me, but I'm happy with how it turned out.  It's always good to stretch yourself from time to time, and I love that the Tic-Tac-Toe Challenge encourages me to do that.  I think the Challenge 12 Board has so many fun options, and I cannot wait to see how it inspires you to play along!

Card Supplies

Stamps: Concord & 9th (Flourish)

Ink: CTMH (sorbet), PTI (melon berry, ocean tides)

Dies: Clearly Besotted (congrats), PTI (rustic wreath)

Other: CTMH (twine), Pretty Pink Posh (sequins), Recollections (pearls), doily

Champion Guest Designer : Diana Sharapova

Hello, crafty friends! My name is Diana and I'm super excited to be invited as a Guest Designer at the Tic-Tac-Toe challenge today. I'm originally from Russia, but currently live in Slovenia with my wonderful husband and 2 year old son. I started making cards about a year and a half ago and since then I've become totally addicted to this hobby. I like to try new techniques and learn new things about crafting. But the best thing about my passion is to be able to make unique things for my friends and family. Please feel to pop over for a visit on my blog: Moments of Creativity.

Today I would like to share with you a card based on the current challenge and I have chosen the first line for my project which is Doily, Layers & Dimensions, and Bird/Bees/Butterflies. Here is a look at my card:

I've decided to make a cute little scene with some bright summer colors.The adorable Coffee Friends are a freebie from Craftin Desert Divas which I colored with Copic markers and fussy-cut so that I could place them in the middle of the summer scene.

The background was made in 3 stages:
1. I die cut some of Marianne Designs and Mavelu papers with Blueprints #20 by My Favourite Things.
2. Placed them on a piece of paper colored with Spun Sugar Distress Ink.
3. Then I die cut French Pastry Doily by Cherry Lynn Designs, colored its center with distress inks and placed it on top of the design papers.

Once the main scene was complete, I stamped a sentiment using Harold's ABCs by Lawn Fawn, white heat embossed it and foam mounted it on my card to add some dimension. On top of the second part of the sentiment I placed a butterfly from Mama Elephant's Butterfly Kisses stamp set. I have also used a couple of enamel dots to finish off my cards.

Hope you all have enjoyed this inspiration for the current challenge at the Tic-Tac-Toe and got inspired to join our challenge! Thank you, Ka, for having me as your guest for this challenge and I'll be looking forward to having a chance to create something else for one of your next challenges.:)

Warbling of the nightingale

Hello there,

Olesya Kharkova is here to show you my card process on challenge 12 board. This time I have chosen the following elements: Cork-Jute/Natural Twine-Bird/Bees/Butterflies. This board is super inspiring and interesting to work with.

I took a kraft card base measuring 10x15 cm. Adhered double-sided tape all around the perimeter of the card base to place the layered frame.

The front panel was made with several layers of thin kraft paper, old book pages and was sewed with a sewing machine. For the Cork element I found some cork patterned paper in my stash and cut out a circle using my scissors. The wreath was made with jute and some sisal.

Adhered the cork circle with a double-sided tape only in the middle so that I could put some other elements under it.

I fastened the wreath using my stapler.

Prepared vintage looking cut out and sponged their edges with Antique Linen distress ink because some of them had snow white borders.

Put the cut outs under the cork circle using Zig 2 way glue pen and two layers of foam tape for the window. Stamped the sentiment " Have a splendid day!" with Archival Coffee ink. This ink fit here much better than the black one.

Placed the front panel on top of the card base and popped it up with foam tape. Made some white dots-splatters with my white gel pen.

Here is the finished card.

Thank you so much for stopping by! Hope this project was inspiring! Have an amazing day!

Olesya.