Ooops! Time to Rock the Vote ...

Well, better late than never, right!?! I apologize for the delay and all the confusion. Since we've lost a few days of voting, we'll extend the voting until November 22, okeedokee?!?

Check out the kewl entries, below, and be sure to vote. The poll is located on the right side bar so be sure to vote for your favorite entry ... and tell your friends and family, too!

And, due to holiday commitments and time constraints, we'll be suspending the Challenges until after the first of the year.

Thanks all of you for your patience and continue support; you know you rock!

~Hugs,

Deb & Jewels

Time to "Rock the Cover" Halloween-Style!

Are you ready to rock? Well, get ready to brew up some fun because this month's challenge has a bit of trickery, a little witchery, and some very ghoulish behavior!

This time around, we're asking that you create a card inspired by an album/CD cover of your favorite Halloween-ish musical group!

To help get you started, here's a couple of quick suggestions: The Smashing Pumpkins, Cheap Trick, or The Black Crows.

The only requirement is that your musical groups' name reflects some aspect of Halloween. You might want to consider: costumes, trick or treatin', skeletons, graveyards, black cats, ghosts, witches, spells and potions, and so on.

The best way to track down a CD cover image is by doing an image search on google.com. When you arrive on the site, click on "image search" in the upper tool bar and type in your search query. Easy-peasy!

DEB'S ROCKIN' THE COVER HALLOWEEN-STYLE

For this month's challenge, I chose The Smashing Pumpkins' self-titled CD:

And here's my take:

I stamped my images, two from the "Crow About" Collection by Green Pepper Press, and the bare tree by Victorine Originals, twice ... once on my card stock base and once using Versamark on matching card stock.

I heat embossed my images with "Ultra Deep Snow Fall" embossing powder, cut out the images, trimming closely, then used a million slivers of dimensionals to pop them up over the original image.

Finally, I added some grosgrain ribbon, and punched out some leaves with a craft punch. So easy, it's spooky!

JULIE'S ROCKIN' THE COVER HALLOWEEN-STYLE

After perusing the spooky titles, I picked this "smashing" inspiration piece! Smashing Pumpkins that is! I loved the purple, the black and the bling!

And here's how I rocked it with my card.....

I got the purple, the bling and the touch of orange. And, forget the rockin' pumpkins--- I've got a rockin' cat ... and a bunny! FYI: that's a Halloween bunny! LOL!

This card was so fun to put together because - when you look at it- it's basically just patterned paper and some fun embellishments. there is one - yes - one stamped image - the spider web on the tag (Hero Arts). That's it!

I used the Halloween Cotton Scraps from Crafty Secrets for my main image. Gotta love the kitty rockin' out! I sewed around the outside of my cotton scrap and frayed the edges a bit. Mat it on to some black and polka dot glitter paper (Hobby Lobby) and then assemble!

The purple background paper is also from Hobby Lobby as is the black sheer wired ribbon and silver cording. The "trick or treat?" tag is actually computer generated and was punched with a 1" circle punch and then matted on a 1-1/4" orange circle.

THE SPOOKY DEETS ON "ROCK THE COVER HALLOWEEN-STYLE"

If you'd like to participate, and we'd love it if you do, simply create a card inspired by an album/CD cover from one of your favorite spooky groups! Post a photo of your inspiration CD cover and your finished card on your blog, and leave a comment here letting us know. We'll do the rest!

If you don't have a blog, just let us know and we'll get your photo uploaded to our gallery. If you'd like to post your creation on SCS, please use Keyword YKYRo4.

And please remember to provide photos of both your card project and the inspiration CD cover.

You have until Friday, November 7th at midnight EST to post your card; voting will begin a 12:01 AM on Saturdy, November 8th. The winner of this month's challenge will be announced here on November 15th ---when we kick off a whole new rockin' challenge!

Finally, please, just one entry per person, per challenge. And make sure your entry is a new creation instead of a link to a past creation.

Click HERE to see all of the rockin' Halloween-style entries!

ANNOUNCING SEPTEMBER'S "BACKGROUND MUZAK" WINNER!

After seeing all the way cool entries ... you guys rocked the vote and the winner is ... drum roll please: STACY!

Here's a look at Stacy's winning entry:

Congrats, Stacy! This is one rockin' card! Please send us your email address so we can send you a rockin' graphic for your blog ... or your desktop!

Congrats to all the other players as well; your cards were totally terrific! And thanks to everyone for voting; you know you rock!!

~Hugs, Deb and Jewels

Time to See Who Rocked it Best to Background Muzak!

Hello rockin' paper crafters! It's time to hit pause on our third ever YKYR challenge. The entries are in and now it's time to pick your fave!

If you'd like to see the entries on our photo gallery, click HERE. If you want to take a closer look, just click on the photo for a larger view.

Don't forget to tell all your friends and family to click in their vote!

Another challenge will be issued on the 15th. In the meantime - YOU KNOW YOU ROCK!

~Deb and Jewels

Rockin' to Background Music......

Are you ready to rock? It's time for our September challenge!

This month, we challenge you to create a card featuring background stamps! We want to see your bodacious creation featuring a stand-alone backgrounder. Feel free to add embellishments but be sure to use a backgrounder that rocks all by itself!

Here's our "Background Music" samples to get you going:

Julie's Muzak!

For this challenge, I went back a few years to a stamp that is one of my favorite background stamps but not one I can grab for a lot of different cards. Here's a look at my creation so you get my gist ....
This tree background stamp is made by Rubber Monger and it is one I bought, oh, maybe even five years ago! I stamped it with Versamark and embossed it using black detail embossing powder. Using a paint brush, I then painted on bleach to make my trees look like birch trees.

I mixed Simple Solution with Luminarte's Pure Mica to paint my leaves with an autumn flair! I used Metallic Copper, Real Gold and just a touch of Scarab Beetle.

After that, add the phrase (Impression Obsession) on a scrap piece of paper, mat the whole baby up, add a hot fix nail head and some brown satin ribbon and you're done!

Deb's Muzak!

I chose to use this kewl backgrounder from Club Scrap for my "Background Music" sample:

I stamped my image using Staz-On ink, matted it, added two gold charms, and some gold rhinestones. Quick and dirty easy; just the way I like it!

THE DEETS ON BACKGROUND MUSIC:

We know there are so many rockin' backgrounds out there and you know you probably have two or three or twenty stuck someplace in your craft room! So, dig them out, make some sweet background music, and post a comment with a link-up here by October 5th at 11:59 PM. We'll do the rest i.e., get your creations in our gallery!

If you don't have a blog but want to play - no worries! Email us, or leave a comment letting us know you need us to upload your image to our gallery. You can also upload your card to Splitcoast Stampers, keyword YKYR3. Click HERE to see the "Background Music" entries.

Voting starts October 6th at midnight and the winner will be announced here on the 15th when we kick off a whole new rockin' challenge!!

Finally, please, just one entry per person, per challenge. And make sure your entry is a new creation instead of a link to a past creation. Thanks!

SEPTEMBER WINNER:

After seeing the 20 super duper fab entries... you guys rocked the vote and the winner is ... drum roll please:

JOANNE!


And here's a look at Joanne's winning entry:

Congrats, Joanne! This is one rockin' card! Please send us your email address so we can send you a rockin' graphic for your blog. Congrats!

And thanks to everyone for playing and voting; you know you rock!!


~Hugs,
Deb and Jewels

Time To Rock The Vote!!!

Well folks, the deadline has hit and we fade out on yet another rockin' challenge! Time now to rock the vote and pick your favorite heavy metal artist! Are these entries fantastic, or what?!?

If you'd like to see the entries on our photo gallery, click HERE. You may click on any photo for a larger view.

Don't forget, if you're in the running tell all your friends to vote for you, and your family, neighbors, kids' teachers, that lady at the grocery store... you get our jist!

Another challenge will be issued on the 15th. In the meantime - YOU KNOW YOU ROCK!

~ Jewels and Deb

Rockin' It Heavy-Metal Style

Are you ready to rock? It's time for our August challenge! This month, we challenge you to create a card featuring metal! Lots of metal, the heavier the better. We want to see your most metalicious card creations evuh! Here's our "Heavy Metal" samples to get you going:

Deb's Kickin' It With Heavy Metal!

I have literally dozens of these Rusty Tin-Tiques shapes in my studio ... and I rarely use 'em; wow, that's unusual, huh?!? But, today's the day!

My card was created on Bazzill card stock then matted with designer paper from Making Memories. To create 'waves,' I tore strips of BasicGrey heavy-weight paper, distressing the edges and curling them forward. I stamped my sentiment, from "Healing Expressions Art Stamps", available HERE, using black distress ink. I created my 'sun' with a circle punch, hand-drew and cut-out some pathetic lookin' sea gulls, stuck my rusted tin sailboat between the 'waves' ... and anchor's away!

Julie's Kickin' It With Heavy Metal!

I have to admit, this idea threw me for a loop! I thought I had a ton of ideas and I just kept staring at all my supplies in my stamp room, I came up with a blank every time! So, I emailed my creative genius and bud Deb and said, "Hey, what are you doing for the challenge? I need some help." Well, shortly after came an email with no less than 50 things you can do with metal on a card!! LOL! I am sure she'll email it to you if you are stumped! :-)


I decided to keep it simple and predictable. I used a piece of solid brass. I have no idea why I had this in hand. It is not a stamping grade metal, it is about twice as thick. It was down the wood working aisle at my local craft store. I cut off the size of a card front, ran it through my Wizard with a Cuttlebug Embossing Folder and called that part good.

The sentiment is actually part of a background stamp from Flourishes that I just inked up one part of and then added the word "Thank You." You can see the set by clicking HERE. Notch off two corners, add some hot fix nail heads and a piece of black satin ribbon.... and you're done. Pretty easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy!!

THE "ROCKIN' HEAVY METAL" DEETS:

We can't wait to see where your rockin' creativity takes you ... whether you kick it with a metal embellishment or rock the card with a whole bunch of heavy metal!

Just remember to get your entries posted on your blog, with a link-up here in the Comments, by September 5th at 11:59 PM. We'll do the rest ... meaning getting your card in the YKYR gallery so everyone can "ooooh and ahhhhh" over it!

If you'd like, you can upload your card to Splitcoast Stampers, keyword YKYR2. If you don't have a blog, but would still like to play, let us know: we'll get your photo into our gallery for you! Click HERE to see the "Rockin' it Heavy Metal Style" entries.

Voting starts September 6th at midnight and the winner will be announced here on the 15th when we kick off a whole new rockin' challenge!!

Finally, please, just one entry per person, per challenge.

LAST MONTH'S WINNER!

Before we go... The votes have been cast, the poll is closed, and congratulations are in order for Kristine B., winner of our first challenge, "Rock the Cover." Y.ou K.now Y.ou R.ock, Kristine!! Here's a look at Kristine's winning card:

And here's Kristine's inspiration CD:



Kristine, please send us your email address so we can send you a rockin' graphic for your blog. Congrats!

Thanks!

See you back here in blog land because, let's face it - Y.ou K.now Y.ou R.ock!

~Hugs,
Deb & Julie

Vote Now! Because YOU Decide Who "Rocked The Cover!"

First off, Julie and I would like to thank all of you for making our first Y.ou K.now Y.ou R.ock challenge a success! We're blown away by your response and hope you'll continue to visit the blog and participate in more of our rockin' challenges!

And WoWzA, we're simply amazed by the talented card makers who took part in this challenge ... every card is truly outstanding! Thank goodness WE don't have to choose the winner.

If you had fun participating in this "Rock The Cover" challenge, we hope you'll be back to participate in our next rockin' challenge which will be announced here, and on our personal blogs, Out To Impress and Paper, Ink, Scissors, & Stamps, on August 15, 2008. Remember: everyone is eligible to enter, including previous winners, but please, only one entry per person, per challenge.

Now that all the entries are in, it's time to select the winner. And we need your participation. That's right, the winner is decided by your votes!

In the unlikely event of a tie, the challenge moderators (ummm, that's Deb and Julie), will choose a winner. Please, we beg of you ... don't let it come to a tie; Julie and I will be forever picking just one entry from this amazing field! So please, ask your friends, bloggin' sistahs, family members, co-workers, and penpals to come vote for you ...

And here's how: Notice the poll on the top right side-bar? Well, that's it! Everyone receives just one, completely anonymous vote and voting will end at midnight on August 13, 2008. You'll be able to see who's winning by checking back here for polling results ... but you can't see the results unless you've cast a vote. And with only one vote per person, per challenge, don't hesitate to cast your one and only vote for yourself!!

Because we (happily!) have so many entries, it's nearly impossible (well, with our busy lives, it is), to upload and link out 44 photographs. So, the best way to view the challenge entries is to check out the large slideshow post, below. Or, you can visit our Gallery, located HERE. You may click on any photo for a larger view.

The winner of the "Rock the Cover" challenge will be announced here and on our personal blogs on Friday, August 15, 2008. Deb's blog is HERE and Julie's blog is THERE.

If you have any questions or comments, please don't don't hesitate to leave a comment or email us; we love to hear from you!

Enjoy the slide show and thanks so much for playing and voting ... Y.ou K.now Y.ou R.ock!

~Hugs,
Deb & Julie

"Rock The Cover" Challenge Entries:

Welcome to a whole new kind of challenge site!

This blog was the brainchild of two stampers who ink with abandon and love it when their cards "rock." They often create with tunes pumped loud and thus, the creation of a site that is inspired by their rockin' styles.

This isn't your mother's challenge blog. We're bound to get a bit wacky around here! And, this site is perfect for those people who like to blog without obligation. Once a month - that's how often we'll post a challenge! Every 15th of the month, here it will be waiting for you! You'll have 3 weeks to get the challenge done and the last week the voting begins!

What do you get when you win? Aside from our true appreciation for playing? You win the Y.K.Y.R blog icon and you'll be entered in a chance to win the 'Ultimate Rocker' contest at the end of the year. At year's end, we'll take all the challenge winners, give them a new challenge - and you get to decide who wins it all. For this ultimate rocker - there'll be some rockin' prizes!

Here's CHALLENGE #1 - ROCK THE COVER!
Take a look at the CD in your player. Check out the art on the cover and be inspired in some way! We're not going to be literal here. Just take an element that you like and use it in a card!

Julie's Take

When we dreamt up this idea, I didn't cheat! The Black Eyed Peas was playing in the player and, although I stared at the cover and wondered how I was going to make a card from this I had to ask -- What do I see here? I saw the popping red color, the flourishes, the fun script, the circle. Let's face it - I could be inspired by the "look" or I could have used the monkey for inspiration. Well, I don't have monkey stamps!! At least - not yet!

So, I inked up some fun flourish stamps (Cornish Heritage Farms Rummage Bin) and used the word "Dream" from one of my word window sets from Impression Obsession. The circle scallop is also an Impression Obsession stamp that I gold embossed. Add some bling and some hot fix nail head brads and VOILA - you're done. It's funny because this is a card I would never have dreamt up on my own. So, look at the world through rockin' sunglasses! You never know when you just might find that fun inspiration!
Deb's Take

Like Julie, this CD really IS in my player ... in my studio. Honestly, I've never been a Mandy Moore fan, but I love every song on this CD and have played it practically non-stop since it was released.

For my project, I was inspired by the filmy, lacy dress and the cowboy boots Mandy's wearing on this cover. I was tempted to work off the owl, but owls are everywhere right now and I wanted to create something with more of a "western" feel:

I created this paper bag card using walnut-inked stained lace, die-cuts and designer paper from Cosmo Cricket's "Wanted" collection. I embellished the card with metal brads and washers, punched out photo corners and file tabs. I bound the card with a length of dark brown leather cord.

I stamped my focal image, from Comotion, and my numerals, from MaVinci's, using "Black Soot" Distress Ink by Ranger Industries.

The Deets

Link your card in a comment here OR use the keyword YKYR1 on Splitcoast Stampers. After all, we'd all love to be able to check out the entries in one spot--- wouldn't we??

Voting will begin on Tuesday, August 6th, so get your entries up on your blog, leave us a link-up here in the comments, and we'll get your card and your inspiration CD cover in the gallery. Remember: the last day to submit entries is Tuesday, August 5th ... voting will continue until August 14. On August 15, we'll post the winner!

So, turn on the CD player and blast the stereo louder. This ride is about to get interesting!