Crafty Challenge January 2023 Blog Hop

 Welcome to the today's Crafty Collaborations Crafty Challenge Blog Hop for January 2023!  I hope you are enjoying the wonderful projects created by this talented group of Stampin' Up! Demonstrators based upon the challenge prompts.  To hop along, click on the next talented blogger in the list at the end of my blog! 

I chose a stamp set and coordinating die from the 2022 - 2023 Annual Catalog that I haven't played with in a very long time.  I wanted to take a break from all my new products and play with something that I hadn't picked up lately. The Celebrate Sunflowers Cling Stamp Set and the Sunflower Dies have always been some of  my favorites from the Annual Catalog!  

The Crafty Challenge for this month consisted of the following:  

When I sat down Saturday morning, I tried something new in designing my card.  I walked through my catalogs and noted stamp sets/dies that had Thank you sentiments, an image that would work for sponging different ink colors on it, pearl embellishments and listed out the Regal Color Collection.   

What are the Regals Color Collection?  This collection of colors is so rich - well, they are regal!  Stampin' Up! has a number of products all coordinating in this color collection:  12" x 12" Cardstock, 8 1/2" x 11" Cardstock, 6" x 6" Designer Series Paper, Classic Stampin' Pads, Classic Stampin' Ink Refills, and Stampin' Write Markers.  Select colors are available in Stampin' Blends markers:  Cherry Cobbler, Real Red, Old Olive, Pumpkin Pie, Cajun Craze, Shaded Spruce and Blackberry Bliss.  

I am always drawn to these beautiful, dark, saturated colors on the color wheel.  Especially, Blackberry Bliss.  Lol!  Blackberries are some of my favorite berries - I love the dark inky color they leave on my fingers when they are fresh and juicy!  So this part of the challenge was easy!   

When I came to the tile labeled Sponging - I had to stop and ponder on this one!  I use my Sponge Daubers often to distress the edges of images, card fronts, sentiments, etc.  However, I tend not to use my sponge daubers that often for other stamping projects.  We used to have sponges for blending, but with the introduction of my very favorite Blending Brushes - I divested myself quickly of sponges.  As I walked through the Sale-A-Bration catalog for inspiration, I saw the fun "Love You" sentiment on page 14 showcasing the free with $100 purchase - Dandy Designs 12" x 12" Designer Series Paper.  And it came to me  - use my sponge dauber for a gradient colored project.  And the big sunflower was perfect for this!  

Click Here for the free tutorial for my Celebrate Sunflower Card. 

Take a peek at the inside of the card!  

Thank you so much for hopping by!  Please leave a comment as I would love to hear how you would design with today's Crafty Challenge prompts! 

I invite you to visit the blogs of the other talented Crafty Collaborations' demonstrators participating in today's Valentine's Day Blog Hop!  Have fun!  

KEEP ON CRAFTING!