Challenges by AR-Holiday Fun

With the holidays fast approaching, everyone’s mind is turning to gifts and festive home decor. So, our theme for the latest challenge at Challenges by AR is to create a 3D project with a holiday theme.

I used Adela’s Golden Nugget Box template to make this pretty little seasonal package. The template is cut from light blue cardstock. I made the belly band from turquoise cardstock and covered it with a coordinating snowflake patterned paper.

The box is decorated with some turquoise satin ribbon and a pretty felt snowflake that I cut using a CutUps die from The Cat’s Pajamas. For a little sparkle, I attached blue crystals to the snowflake. It’s set on the box with a button at its center. I stamped the “merry wishes” sentiment from the TCP Merry Wishes set on a turquoise oval in turquoise ink and attached that to the box.

To join the challenge, all you need to do is create a shaped card or 3-d item with a holiday theme and link it to the challenge post on the Challenges by AR blog. One lucky participant will receive a template of their choice from Creations by AR.

Materials Used:
Golden Nugget box template (Creations by AR); Merry Wishes stamp set, CutUps Snowflake and Circus Panels dies, aqua Divine Twine, blue felt (The Cat’s Pajamas); Tempting Turquoise Classic ink, Bashful Blue and Tempting Turquoise cardstock (Stampin’ Up!); designer paper (Heidi Grace Designs); turquoise satin ribbon, white button (Michaels); ScorTape

Challenges by AR-Fall Fun

It’s time for the latest challenge from Challenges by AR. Lisa’s our hostess this time and we’re being generously sponsored by MyGrafico.


Our theme this go-round is fall and Halloween projects using Adela's templates. I used elements from MyGrafico’s Spooktacular and Falling for Autumn Elements collections to decorate Adela’s cupcake basket template.

I printed the basket template on a pretty deep red cardstock, then cut the basket out and used my ScorPal and ScorTape to assemble it. I printed the orange plaid paper from the Spooktacular collection on matte photo paper and cut panels of the paper to dress up the sides of the basket. A piece of red grosgrain ribbon, embellished with a wooden button tied with a little baker's twine, is wrapped around the basket.

To match the challenge's fall theme, instead of putting a cupcake inside of the basket, I replaced it with a seasonally appropriate nut-covered caramel apple (yum!) wrapped up in a clear plastic bag. With a few modifications, the apple was a perfect fit for the basket. I made holes in the tops of the handles to accommodate the stick in the apple, then set it in the basket.

I made a coordinating tag to attach to the apple using a strip of the same patterned paper as I did on the basket, plus a leaf element from the Falling for Autumn Elements collection. A fun apple-themed sentiment stamped on the tag finished things off.

Be sure to check out what the rest of the talented Challenges by AR team has cooked up for you. And, you can play along, too. Just create a shaped card or 3d item with a fall or Halloween theme and link it to the post on the Challenges by AR blog and one challenge participant will win a free set of their choice from MYGRAFICO.

Materials Used:
cupcake basket template (Creations by AR); Falling for You stamp set (Paper Smooches); Memento Rich Cocoa ink (Tsukineko); Lipstick Red cardstock (Gina K Designs); Spooktacular and Falling for Autumn Elements Collections (MyGrafico); Crumb Cake cardstock (Stampin' Up!); red grosgrain ribbon (Michaels); orange baker's twine (Divine Twine); wooden button (Simplicity); ScorPal, Scor Tape; foam tape

Challenges by AR: Something Sporty

I’m the host for the latest challenge at Challenges by AR. I asked the team to create “Something Sporty” using Adela’s templates.

Here’s my creation using images from Clear and Simple Stamps. I made a gift ensemble that would be perfect to give to a coach at the end of a team’s season. I started by making the Pillow Box Hanger template from kraft cardstock. Since I used cardstock instead of patterned paper for the template, I made an insert for the inside from some star patterned paper.

I used the same patterned paper on the front of the pillow box and added some stamped accents using the Alpha Varsity and MVP stamp sets. The template’s the perfect size to hold a few tiny gifts—in this case, an energy bar, some energy drink mix packets, and a whistle. There’s still room to squeeze in a gift card, too.

I made a matching card to go along with the pillow box. To tie the pieces together, I used the same colors and embellishments, including the twill tape and the whistle image. The sentiment says, “Thank you for a great season.”

You can check out the rest of the Challenges by AR team’s creations and all of the challenge details here. I hope you'll play along with us and create a shaped card or 3D item for the challenge--one of Adela's fabulous templates is up for grabs!

Materials Used:
Pillow Box Hanger template (Creations by AR); Alpha Varsity and MVP stamp sets, Perfect Little Black Dress and You’re Such a Gray-cious Host inks, Dare to Be a Diva Red, Kraft Like a Rockstar, and A Blanc Check cardstock, A Blanc Check twill (Clear and Simple Stamps); Sports Edition II-Circle Tags designer paper (Teresa Collins); silver brads (Making Memories); circle punches (EK Success); foam tape

Go Wild with Challenges by AR

Welcome to the first Challenges by AR challenge! Each month a very talented group of ladies will provide you with a fun challenge theme and lots of inspiration, all using templates available at Creations by AR.

In honor of our first challenge, we're having a week-long celebration with two ways to win. One winner will be chosen from the comments each day for the next seven days (check the challenge blog for the winner's name). The daily winner will receive a brand new, yet to be released template from Creations by AR (includes PDF and SVG/DXF files). And, anyone who plays along with the first challenge will receive a certificate for $1.00 towards a purchase at Creations by AR. One challenge participant will receive two templates of their choice from Creations by AR. The first challenge will be open from July 7 at midnight PST through July 14 at midnight PST.

Here's my project for this month's Wild Prints themed challenge. I fell in love with Adela's new Elegant Sole template and had to try it out with an animal print. The shoe's front is made from the print pattern and the rest is made from coordinating solid cardstock. Once the shoe was put together, I dressed it up with some sparkly jewels. A strip of small brown crystals runs along the edge of the shoe with a big clear crystal at the center. I'd love a fabulous, stylish shoe like this one!

I made a simple coordinating card to go along with the shoe using images from the Just My Style set from Clear and Simple Stamps. The set's shoe image was a perfect match for my pretty shoe. The card uses the same patterned paper and solid cardstock with some elegant cream satin ribbon as an accent.

Here are all of the creative Challenges by AR team members who will be sharing projects today. Be sure to stop by and check them out.
Vicki Garrett
Maria Levine
Magdalena Cortez
Lyn Bernatovich
Lori Tecler (you're here!)
Lisa Somerville
Lisa Eisner
Adela Rossol

Materials Used:
Elegant Sole template (Creations by AR); Just My Style stamp set, Perfect Little Black Dress ink, Dish All the Dirt Brown, Kraft Like a Rockstar Tan, Kraft Like a Rockstar Cream, A Blanc Check cardstock, Copic markers, On the Catwalk Cream satin ribbon, Simple Adhesive (Clear and Simple Stamps); Natural Animal designer paper, brown crystal lines (Recollections);circle punches (EK Success); large clear crystal (Mark Richards)