Welcome back to the craft room and today’s Flashback Friday April Challenge Card #1 post. As crafters, I think we all reach a point in our creative journey where we look at everyday objects and immediately imagine how they might work in a project. Back in 2011, when I created this challenge card, it took me a little while to figure out what I wanted to use. But once the idea struck, I knew it would be perfect! Let me show you what I used and how it turned out.
StampTV April Release Party Challenge Card
That Thursday night, I joined another fun release party at StampTV. The event was packed with exciting new stamp sets, inspiring card samples, and of course, a couple of creative challenges. The very first challenge of the evening was called the Random Findings Challenge.
The mission: use something that wouldn’t ordinarily go on a card!
At first, I was completely stumped—what could I possibly use? Then I remembered a little envelope of washers I had purchased two years earlier for making washer pendants. I’d had so many big ideas for them back then, but never found the time, and they ended up gathering dust on my desk.
Well, this was their moment to shine!
Here’s the card I created with those cute little washers:
As you can see, it’s very clean and simple, but the washers add such fun texture and unexpected visual interest as the flower centers. I have to say, I think it turned out pretty cute!
Card Details
- Cardstock: GKD Heavy Base Weight in white
- Stamp: Autumn Leaves flower, stamped with Tuxedo Black Memento ink and heat-embossed with Judi Kins clear detail powder
- Coloring: Bic Mark-It Pens – Yellow Blaze for the flowers, a touch of Summer Melon at the base, then blended back with Yellow Blaze. Centers colored with Sunset Orange.
And here’s a close-up of the shading:
It’s far from perfect, but the smooth blending is so much easier on this cardstock compared to standard paper. On regular cardstock, the results were definitely less than satisfying—this paper really makes the difference!
I wasn’t quite sure what to use to attach the washers, but I ended up going with Crystal Lacquer. My original plan was to apply it only in the centers of the flowers. However, the first blob came out way too fast, and to fix that little boo boo, I made a quick design decision and covered the entire flower instead.
If you look closely at the photo below, you’ll notice where the Crystal Lacquer didn’t go on perfectly even. Next time, I’ll take a little more care (and probably turn on a few more lights—it was already 11 pm when I got to this point, lol!) to get a smoother finish.
Even so, I love how the washers gave the flowers such a unique touch. And that’s the beauty of these challenges—they push you to experiment, problem-solve on the fly, and sometimes end up with results you never expected.
I always enjoy the StampTV challenges. They’re such a fun way to stretch your creativity and try something new. If you haven’t jumped in on one yet, I highly recommend it!
Thank you so much for joining me for today’s Flashback Friday April Challenge Card #1 post. Looking back on this project, I still really love how it turned out! If I could change one small detail, I would have tried coloring the washers with alcohol markers. I’m not sure if it would have worked, but it might have taken the design up one more notch on the awesome ladder!
Now I’d love to hear from you—what’s the craziest or most unexpected thing you’ve ever added to a card? Share your story in the comments! Until then, have a fantastic weekend, and I’ll meet you back in the craft room again soon.
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