Experimenting

One of my favorite things about an online crop is that it gives me an excuse to play with new techniques.  The challenges sometimes push me outside my comfort zone, or at least inspire me to do something I wouldn't ordinarily.  And sometimes, the results are awesome.

As you know, two weeks ago I co-hosted the Fiskateers CHA-in-Spirit crop.  My co-host was the wonderful TracyM, who was everything a teammate should be and more.  Each of us came up with 12 challenges for the crop. 

One of Tracy's challenges was called Stars and Stripes.  The card I made was one big experiment.  I decided to play with chalk, something I've had in the craftroom for years but rarely use.  I put star stickers on a piece of paper and chalked over them, then removed the stickers. I tried chalking over a rub-on sentiment and learned that all that does is peel up the rub-on.  Finally, I stamped a sentiment with Versamark and used different chalks to color it.  I learned a lot making one little card!

Another of Tracy's challenges was to use a photo on a project.  Of course, I use photos for projects all the time, but in the spirit of the challenge I wanted to use a photo on something other than a layout.  Plus, I wanted to try something new in the process.  I found a picture of Steve and Trevor at the beach and put a rub-on in the sky.  This was the first time I'd used a rub-on on a photo and I love the way it turned out.

One of the hardest challenges for me was actually one of my own!  I challenged the Fiskateers to make a project using a C, H, and A (like a Card with Heat embossing on Acrylic).  I didn't have an idea in mind when I made up the challenge, and as the deadline loomed, I still didn't have an idea.  Until I saw Sheena's Chipboard Homemade Accents.

I cut a heart from chipboard, stamped swirls with Versamark, then added new-to-me white embossing powder.  I use an iron to heat emboss and I wasn't sure if it would work through chipboard, but it did!  I rubbed orange ink on the whole thing, rubbed some of it off the embossing, and then dabbed orange paint over the whole thing. I rubbed off a bit of the paint, let it dry, then adhered it to the bag that holds my Fiskateer scissors.  I love it.

I'm a huge fan of online crops and the creativity they inspire in me!