Friday, August 12, 2011

Egg-cellent Challenge

Hey People!  Today the E-Team is introducing a new challenge that will be open to YOU to participate in! 

Have you ever watched the Food Network show Chopped?  The premise is 4 cooks are given a basket of ingredients (some that you would NEVER think of using or combining) and are given 30 min to come up with an appetizing dish that uses the required ingredients.  After each challenge, the "chef" who does not meet the requirements is "chopped" from the competition, until only one winner is left.

Daisy has issued as similar challenge to the E-Team and YOU!  We are inviting you to join us in this new challenge!



It's an Egg-clectic Challenge!!


To enter, you must use the following 3 materials in your project. 

Any die from any manufacture of die cut machines
and an egg carton


Link your project to the eP blog any time beginning Friday, Aug 12 until Sunday, Aug 21st.  A challenge winner will be chosen and posted on the eP blog Monday, Aug 22nd.

Of course, there is still the chance for other goodies!  Just leave one comment, starting today, Friday, Aug 12 until Sunday, Aug 14, on the participating E-Team member blogs and two random winners will be chosen to win some of the new 6x6 paper pads that have arrived at eP PLUS some more surprises!  The winners will be posted on the eP blog on Monday, Aug 15. 


The E-Team
Me!
Linda L couldn't join us this week.  But make sure to stop by her blog and see what she has been creating!

Ok!  Onto my projects!  Yes, I created two projects, using the same layout and techniques, but one masculine and the other feminine. To be honest, I had grand (dis) illusions of creating something "outside the egg carton", but it would appear that my mojo and I could not agree on the trial attempts.  So, I decided to keep the frustration levle low and make it simple. 


I began by misting the lid of a cardboard egg carton with water so that I could pull off the top couple of layers, removing the writing.  I then heavily misted a portion with Tattered Angel's Tattered Leather Glimmer Mist and Antique Brass Glimmer Mist.  I used Spellbinder's Classic Diamonds Nestabilities to cut my shapes and then ran the diamonds through a Cuttlebug embossing folder.  Here is a close up that (kind of) shows the glimmer and texture a bit better (I hope!)


To make my background, I used my favorite technique of Wrinkle Free Distress, randomly wiping Distress Inks in Weathered Wood and Brushed Corduroy along my craft mat and misting with more Tattered Angel's Glimmer Mist again in Antique Brass.  I then laid a piece of SU's Textured Very Vanilla in the beaded up inks.  In real life, the glimmer makes a subtle shimmer, that is not too obvious to be used on masculine cards.  The edges were sponged with Brushed Corduroy and then I just swiped the very edge along my Walnut Stain ink pad.  The sentiment, from Tim Holtz's Just Thoughts, was stamped with Walnut Stain.  The entire panel was then matted on Basic Black card stock and adhered to a 5 1/2" square base of Pure Luxury Ivory. 

The die cut diamonds where then mounted on a piece of basic black card stock that was misted with Tattered Angel's Pearl Glimmer Mist.  A thin mat of the textured Very Vanilla behind that finishes off the strip. 


And for the girly version:



Exact same technique, Wrinkle Free Distress, for the background but this time  I used Distress Inks in Victorian Velvet, Scattered Straw and Wild Honey. The mists used to bead up the inks were Tattered Angel's Glimmer Mist in Tuscan Sun and Cherub Pink.  The sentiment is from the same set, Just Thoughts, and was stamped using Vintage Photo Distress Ink. 

I left the egg carton the original thickness with the writing on it for the butterflies (cut with the Mini Butterflies die).  The butterflies were again heavily misted with Tuscan Sun and Cherub Pink Glimmer Mists.  I customed colored the 1/2 back, self adhesive pearls with Copic marker


The green card stock is SU's Kiwi Kiss.  The panel under the butterflies was stamped with Versamark, using the large stamp from Wendy Vecchi's Art Colors Life set.  Another misting of Pearl Glimmer Mist was applied for a bit of shimmer.

Simple, yes.  But think about it, eggs are pretty simple too, but can be the focal of a recipe!  I think these egg carton embellishments add that extra element that makes this simple sketch pop!

I hope you will join along and play with this Egg-celant Challenge!  Here's the positive on joining...you might win some goodies for your effort without having to worry about getting CHOPPED!!  hehe


45 comments:

Bast said...

Great projects. I love those butterflies. TFS and thanx for the inspiration. I have to give that a try.

KimMJ
bast830@comcast.net

Gigi Escalante said...

I like the texture of the embellishments you made with the egg carton.

Broni said...

Oh my goodness, girl! These are similar but still so different and uniquely beautiful! Love how you die cut and embossed the pieces of egg carton! And I really love all the shimmer too!

Cathy Y said...

Nice cards. The squares on the first one look like leather - great idea!

Anne Temple said...

Love the clean and simple lines of both of your cards! They are beautiful and no one would know it was made with egg cartons. Thanks for sharing your Wrinkle Free Distress technique too - definitely have to try it.

Anonymous said...

Wonderful projects, love the butterflies. Thank you for sharing.

di said...

great use of the egg carton - love the very textured effect.

Melody (lacyquilter) said...

These are wonderful, Starla. I love both versions.

Carol W. said...

Beautiful cards! Great use of the egg carton TFS

MORMOR said...

I love the texture on the butterflies. Now i shall be saving egg cartons, and my husband will continue to think I am beginning to be a hoarder. I guess the key is to use my great finds and ideas, not keep them in boxes and crates.

Theresa said...

LOVE the texture! never thought egg cartons could be so egg-citing!

bethann said...

now that's recyling at it's best. really became glam.

Gail Dixon said...

I see you got your mojo back! Beautiful work!!

Kathy/NorthCarolina said...

Wow! And wow! So very cool! You ARE a good egg!

Sandy said...

Fabulous cards. I love how the egg carton words show through on the butterflies and I love how the embossing looks on the diamonds. Great job!!!

Lillian Child said...

Keeping frustration LOW is a good thing - I try to practice that daily (grin). Your projects are lovely!!

Sylvia said...

Well Starla! You have really thought out of the box! Or the egg carton! I would have never thought to cut it up and die cut it. Your projects are fun and waking up the old brain! Fabulous! Have a fun Friday!

Wanda Cullen said...

What a great pair of cards using these elements...gorgeous! Too bad my egg carton was styrofoam...limited me in my options!

Marjie Kemper said...

Seriously good recycling! Love the two different looks to your cards, as well.

JoanneO said...

Liked both cards but my favorite was the butterflies! Love butterflies! Thanks for sharing your talent.

Lynda said...

Very cool...2 very different looks with the same techniques with a plain old egg carton! Great creativity...

Anonymous said...

Two great cards! Love the butterflies and the man card is just that - perfect for a man!

Dorothy C.

Robin said...

Who knew egg cartons could add so much texture to cards. Great way to recycle - both cards are terrific - the texture, design, & colors. Thanks for such an egg-celant project

Kathy Eddy said...

Love your use of the egg carton. Great job on this. Love the butterflies.

Shannon said...

Man you girls sure are talented and so creative with your ideas using the egg carton. I love the look of this card and how it would be perfect for a man. I love the simplicity of it and yet the texture and everything else that went into it is not simple at all but beautiful. Thank you so much for sharing and inspiring.

Noreen said...

The egg cartons really give a different texture, and they take color differently, too. Thanks for the ideas!

slbt17 said...

the egg carton looks great embossed!
Sandra ltb

Sue D said...

Great cards--I like the textured egg carton embellishments.

Anonymous said...

You embossed the egg carton... very clever, each card is lovely.

Glenda said...

How cool is that! Finally a DT that is all about the creative side and not just an advertisement! I love that you were challenged with an egg carton. I'd still be here scratching my head...just lovely. Love the butterflies!

land of ahz said...

These are so cool! i love the shimmer and leaving the egg carton print on the butterflies was pure genius! thank you for sharing!
hugs candy

Micki said...

Are you kidding? Girl I love your cards and the egg carton die cuts add just the right amount of awesome texture!~ Ooohhh I so know what to use all the little pieces I have left. lol, I always love to scroll down (slowly) because I know I'll be blown away even when you say you've had no mojo.

Definitely love your cards.... hugs

Janet L. said...

Simple-maybe, sensational-definitely! I love seeing the texture and the depth of the carton embellishments. Great job, Starla.

Shirley N said...

Your masculine and girly cards are both beautiful! Love the texture of the butterflies, great job with the egg cartons!

Jeannine said...

Loving the butterflies---would have never thought to use egg cartons---thanks for sharing

CuddlyBunny said...

OK, first I love that you've thought in the girl and boy directions simultaneously! Very smart (and hard to do, I think).

And then ... I just LOVE the cards! Wonderful designs!

Unknown said...

Beautiful cards. Those butterflies are just so pretty..

Deborah345 said...

These are so pretty I bet they shimmer in reality.

Larissa Heskett said...

WOW!! Who would of thought you could make egg cartons looks so elegant looking!! I LOVE the clean designs of your cards!! What a fun idea and I'd have NEVER guessed you used an Egg Carton!! THANKS for sharing and have a FABULOUS WEEKEND!! =)

Rachel V said...

Love these cards! Simple, yet beautiful. Who knew egg cartons could look so amazing?

Vic said...

I love the texture of the egg cartons. Both your cards are great.

Jody said...

I'm going to have to buy a different brand of eggs, I guess. My cartons are styrofoam and they just break apart when you try to do anything with them, lol! Great ideas with the cuttlebug embossing folders. Love the cards!

Stef H said...

hey sunshine... just poppin in to say... THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR KIND WORDS, THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS. i am truly blessed to have such wonderful friends.

will be in touch soon.

hugs & smiles,

Daisy said...

Your projects were awesome. Loved how simple yet resourceful you were with the egg cartons. Both the cards are different but the same in simple elegant design.

Auntie Em said...

Your cards with the embossed embellishments are gorgeous. You would never think of using an ordinary thing like an egg carton to create something so pretty and textured.
Thanks for sharing! :)