December Creative Challenge {background building}

It's our monthly challenge with the DT from My Favorite Things. For this month's creative challenge, we were asked to build a background with any existing MFT stamps and dies. A challenge is a challenge and I'm up for it! Actually, when I sat down to work this challenge, I smiled and thought THIS is the basics of stamping. My first card I ever made was repetitive stamping of an image to create a background. I then breathed a little easier and knew this would be fun!
I thought about what catches my eye when I shop for pattern paper.  Recently, I am ALWAYS picking paper with a great Chevron pattern included in it. I decided I wanted to recreate some of that pattern paper myself. So I did! and it was soooo easy thanks to the CHEVERON STRIPED DIE-NAMCIS. 

I cut a bunch of the skinny, thinner Chevrons from Black Licorice card stock. Then I lined them up on some Sweet Tooth card stock. After I had the spacing, I glued them down and ran a stitch around the edge.  I distressed them up a bit, by adding some Picket Fences Crackle Paint. I love the look. 

Here is a look at the finished Chevrons, stitched and painted up. I really love how the crackle paint "tones" down the black. 

One of my favorite sets to layer stamps with is OWN YOUR STORY. It has a beautiful flourish, a text stamp, and a few other doo-dads you could add here and there. I cut a POSTAGE STAMP STAX  Die-namics from some Sno Cone cs and then stamped the text stamp in a pale blue ink. 

When layering stamps, always start with your lightest ink, then gradually add darker inks withe each layer of stamps you add. I used a Kraft colored ink to stamp the flourish over the text stamp. 

Then I used the pretty "hello" from the new ON THE LINE by Lisa Johnson and stamped that in black ink.  

I added a few embellies to complete the card. I cut out one of the INSPIRED BY BUTTERFLIES DIE-NAMICS from Kraft cs, then gave a few brushes of the Crackle Paint. I needed an accent color, so I tied some Red Hot ribbon around the card and topped the butterfly with a matching button. 

I also wanted to show you how fun stamping a background onto fabric can be.  It really can dress up any project and give that handmade touch your gift may need!

I had a few more holiday gifties to finish up.  You know, those little gifts for those essential people in your life-teachers, co-workers, neighbors, bus drivers, ect.  I always like to give a little something to let them know you care. So I made up a few of these burlap sacs and you can tuck just about ANYTHING inside. 

Simply cut (or tear) a piece of fabric about 4-6 inches wide and 12 inches long. Fold it in half and then stitch up the side. Leave enough room to pull the threads and leave a raw edge. It does NOT have to be perfect. I do not measure, just eye-ball it. 

After  I have it stitched up and all the raw, edges exposed, I go ahead and stamp. The MFT Premium Dye Ink is fabulous for stamping on fabric. I used the Darling Dots stamp set to add some fun Wild Cherry polka dots.  I flipped it over and added dots to the backside, too. 

It is a holiday gift, so I wanted to make it look that way. I pulled out the SEASONAL SENTIMENTS  and used the small snowflakes included to add a few more accents to my sac. I stamped those in Jellybean Green ink. I finished it off by adding the words "joy" and "peace" in black ink. 

Here are all the parts of the sac, before I tied it all up.  The bracelet is the gift, going inside. I wrapped it up in some tissue paper and tucked it in before I added the twine. 

I added a giant POINSETTIA  to make it really say WOW!!! I layered up two of the largest flowers and two of the smaller ones (in Red Hot cs and Wild Cherry cs) and dusted them all with some MS coarse glitter.   Two of the matching Poinsettia Leaves were tucked in behind the blossoms.  I tied it accented it with a pretty Whip Cream Button and twine. 

Since I have three of these sacs completed, I had to add a little tag so I know which ones goes to who. I cut one of the DECORATIVE CIRCLE STAX DIE-NAMICS and added a few more polka dots (love that Darling Dots Stamp set!) along the bottom.  See how even a few dots, can dress up a background on a small tag. The "to" is also from the SEASONAL SENTIMENTS STAMP SET. 

Thanks for stopping by today.  If you are like me, you are busy, busy finishing up all the Holiday Prep. So Thanks for taking time out to say "hi" today. 
Kim's Blog has the full list of the DT members playing along this month in our Creative Challenge. 

Here's my Inlikz list. click to shop any of the products I used today. 

On the Line	Chevron Stripes Die-namics	Inspired by Butterflies Die-namics	Postage Stamp Stax Die-namics	Kraft
Black Licorice	Sweet Tooth	Sno Cone	Red Hot Grosgrain Ribbon	Seasonal Sentiments
Darling Dots	Poinsettia Die-namics	Decorative Circle STax Die-namics	Red Hot Card Stock	Red Hot Button
Wild Cherry Card stock	Whip Cream	Hemp Twine	maraschino red twine	Jellybean Green Ink
Wild Cherry Ink	MS coarse glitter-crystal	Picket Fence Crackle Paint

InLinkz.com