Let's Squash It! Challenge #20 - Final Call

Welcome back, Squashettes! We've been squashing scraps this month and using our EFs to take things up a notch.

I had a few pieces of this pretty paper in my stash and decided to bring two scraps together with this lovely dotty, spotty EF and a gorgeous floral from Stamplorations.

I love how using an EF in this way really pulls together the two papers to make a cohesive, pleasing card.

There's still a few days left until the end of the month, so why not come play along?

Inspiration for the May Challenge

 Hello Squashettes.  Gail here today with a little inspiration for the current challenge.   This month we want you to grab some of those scraps and combine them with your embossing folders.

I decided to combine this card with Jo's Christmas Kickstart theme of mini-slimline.  I found a blue panel and trimmed it to size slightly smaller than my same colour base.  Then I found a strip of blue pearlescent card with a matt core, tore it, added it to the panel and embossed the whole thing with a snowflake folder from a magazine.  A Lost Coast Designs Santa gnome in Chimney, simply stamped and fussy cut, and then I put the three pieces together.  Done!!

I hope you find time to grab your scraps and embossing folders and join the fun here at Let's Squash It!

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz

Let's Squash It! Challenge #20 - Squash Those Scraps!

Welcome, welcome, welcome to the 20th challenge here at 

Let's Squash It! 

Let's Squash It! is The Embossing Folder Challenge.  We are gonna help you explore the world of the not so humble embossing folder and encourage you to dig 'em out, knock the dust off and find old, new and fun ways to make your projects pop. 

We have an awesome team to keep you entertained and awesome challenge themes to stretch your creativity and get you using all those long forgotten and neglected embossing folders. 

For those of you who are just tuning in you can check the previous posts for the story behind the genesis of the challenge and the technique posts for awesome tips and techniques to help you make the most of your supplies and folders.

Challenges start on the 10th of the month and run to the last day at 23.59 GMT.  We will be picking top picks and a winner, who will have a chance to be our guest designer for a future challenge.  There is a little prize on offer for a randomly selected winner and these will all be announced on the 8thish of next month.   

So, Challenge #20

And this month's theme is

Use any Embossing Folder AND 

Scraps

Use any embossing folder and squash some scraps.   Please make sure you include both parts of the challenge on your card and also check da roolz to ensure your entry will be eligible for the random prize draw!

 

We are very pleased to have our Let's Squash It!! Empress joining us as our guest designer this month.  Please welcome Granne

Granne says,

I'm a Finnish mother of 2 teenage girls. I’ve been stamping since 2011. I got started when my neighbour introduced me to the world of stamping and paper crafting in real life and in blog land; that’s how my blog also got it’s name: Granne (= neighbour in Swedish).   Usually I made cards, but do love making ATC’s, Art Journal, altered items, and, and, and ... what ever seems to be fun and inspires me. Sometimes things work out nicely sometimes not, but I have fun creating.

 

And here is guest designer Granne's card

 

using
Darice Embossing folder - Multi Lines

And here's some inspiration from the team......

 

 

Gail's Card uses 

Sizzix Embossing Folder - Paris

 

 

 

Jo's Card uses 

Kaisercraft - Stained Glass

 

 

 

Check out Jo's awesome Technique Time post where she has some lovely tips 

and inspiration for using patterned scraps.

Please do check da roolz to make sure you will be in the running for da prizes.  

This months randomly selected winner will be able to choose a prize from the

Let's Squash It! Prize Vault

 

Now it your turn!

Grab your embossing folders and join the fun.

We are looking forward to seeing your cards.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Technique Time May 2021

 

Hi there, Squashettes, it's Jo here dropping by with a Technique Time post for you!

I'm here to talk patterned or design papers with you. Let's face it, we all have waaaay too many paper pads in our stash, right? I was having a little tidy and began wondering about how embossing would look on some of the papers I have in my collection. I grabbed a few sheets and decided to give it a try.

My first effort went like this:

Before

And after

Mmmmmm, well, ok. This does look lovely, but the pattern on the paper is completely dominated by the embossing. I also noticed that the DP cracked in some places as I'd decided not to spray it because the paper is quite thin. However, it's not really noticeable unless you hold it to the light.

Next, I decided to pair a folder with less intense patterning with a paper with a repeating or less random pattern. I put the paper inside the EF to give me an idea of how this might work.

This is lovely IRL, and will make a sweet background for a future card.

Then I threw caution to the wind and paired horizontal lines with an alphabet EF - nice!

Next, I found this very ordinary looking paper (told you I have a lot of paper) and paired it with this gorgeous EF...

I love the result!

All of this embossing patterns began to remind me of my patchworking and quilting days, so I tried a little paper patchwork with some tiny leftovers.

After trying it in my folder, and looking carefully at where the lines needed to cross the pattern, I made this!

I think the knack to embossing design paper is to look carefully at the patterns on both the EF and the paper - do they compliment each other or do they contrast to good effect? Very busy designs will probably end up looking too jumbled, so just take a while to look at what you have and see what works best in combination. 

This is such a fun technique and really gives some added Va Va Voom to your design papers, so why not give it a try? And why not take part in the next Let's Squash It! Challenge that is only two days away... 

APRIL WINNERS

 

 

Hello Squashettes!  Gail here today to announce the results of Challenge #19 

Thanks to everyone for sharing your gorgeous geometric/repeat pattern cards.  Just a gentle reminder to check our rules and the challenge requirements to make sure you have it all covered.  If you want to be in the running for the prize we have a link limit and we also ask that you comment on a couple of other entries.  Please also mention the brand and name of the folder you use if you know it, if only cos I may need to hunt it down and add it to my embossing folder mountain bwahaahhahahaaa.

We finally whittled down our favourite so here we go...... 

Our two runners up, impressing us with their fabulous squashing are:

Sally

Gorgeous colours and embossing folder.

 

and

Cathy

 

 

So much lovely geometry and a very cute card. 

Congrats ladies,
We hope you'll wear your badge with pride!

Our top pick and winner of our Empress of Squash award,
(with a chance to guest design for a future challenge) goes to:

Joanne

Gorgeous embossing folder and great contrast with the white die cut.

Here's your badge Joanne and well done on being our Empress of Squash.

We also have our random draw prize to award!  

Mr Random says the lucky winner is......

  

Greta

Congrats Greta!  Please email me at craftynomad@gmail.com with your address details, and also let me know which folder you want from the prize vault.  Please claim your prize by the end of May.

Thanks again for joining Jo and me for this challenge.  Our next challenge will start on 10th May.   Hope to see you there!  Hugz