It's all about smARTworks challenges today!

One of the requirements of being a smART Cookie for smARTworks is to participate in a semi-monthly team challenge. Susan sends each member the same stamp set, and our instructions are to make something...no telling, no peeking, no discussion...just make something. For the latest challenge, we each received the WD-211 Grow On! set, which apparently, she envisioned as a cluster of little blue flowers. Well, Susan unveiled the challenge results today (check it out here), and I had a good chuckle when I looked all those pink projects! I swear, Susan...there was no telling, no peeking and no discussion!

When I looked at those little flowers, I immediately saw cherry blossoms. And, I had already decided that I wanted to do a 3-D project this time. Oh, and I had a sample piece of handmade paper that I was just itching to try. The boxes and bags and shelves full of stuff in my craft room just wouldn't do, so I set off to Michael's where I found this nifty photo holder in the unfinished wood aisle.

After giving it a light sanding, I stained the wood using a Versamagic Chalk ink applied directly to the wood. After it dried, I brushed on some water based matte finish sealer. I stamped my image onto the handmade paper with Stazon ink, colored it in with Prismacolor pencils, and then glued it to the front of the block. I finished it off with a pink bow, but honestly, I think I liked it just as well without the ribbon.

In case you're wondering, the cute little girls in the photos are two of our DGD's. And, here's a close-up of the image:


I said it was ALL about smARTworks challenges today, and I wasn't kidding. Today is also the day to announce the next smARTworks Tea Party Challenge. It's Giovana's turn this time, and she's challenged us to make shape cards...any shape, which includes squares and rectangles. So...no excuse not to play along with this one...any card you make will fit the challenge! Join us, won't you?