Monday, January 31, 2011

Another two-fer!

This time I used the same sketch from Splitcoast Stampers (see below) and also complied with their Butterfly Flight challenge! Woo-hoo!



This card features one of the butterflies from Bombshell's beautiful Butterfly Dreams set. I love all of the butterflies in the set and chose this set because I wanted to use some of the Flower Soft that I've amassed.

The butterfly was colored with Copic markers. Her eyes are touched with some Spica pen for a bit of glitter. There's some Flower Soft on the center part of the butterfly. I hope you can see it.

The papers are by My Mind's Eye and are bright and cheerful, in contrast to the white dullness that surrounds my house at the moment. Spring and butterflies can't arrive soon enough for me!

The sentiment is a rub-on.

Thanks for visiting today!

Howdy! Two challenges, one card!

I used the latest sketch from Splitcoast Stampers. I had wanted to try to color one of the Bombshell pin-ups like an old-fashioned sepia photo.

Here's my result!


I used the focal image and sentiment from Bombshell's Western Gal set, which is now available in rubber as well as digital!

I colored the cowgirl using E00, E000, E11, E13, and E15. I had planned on using leather-looking specialty paper, only to discover that I didn't have a brown StazOn inkpad. Oh! The horror! So I had to "Plan B" it and used Cosmo Cricket papers that look like decorated, distressed wood.

The sepia coloring worked out well, so I'll likely do it again. Sadly, my photo was taken at night, so the colors are a bit wonky.

I have another card almost done, using the sketch and will post it as soon as I can.

Thanks for visiting today!

Saturday, January 29, 2011

Technique Tuesday Stamping Tech Challenge!

Teri, the fabulous and talented boss of the Technique Tuesday Stamping Techs, issued a challenge to the Stamping Techs and I was invited to play along! The challenge was to create a card/project inspired by something in Technique Tuesday's gallery.

My card is a "mash-up of two cards from Technique Tuesday's gallery, You Teach Me by Teri and You Are Simply the Best by Charlene, aka Willow.

Here it is:


I stamped the vase, stems, and flowers from the Long Stemmed Sentiments set with Mementos, colored with Copics, then used a Nestabilities die to cut out the image. I embossed the rectangle with the Swiss Dot embossing folder.

The color scheme, embossed stamped/colored image, sentiment shape, and twine were inspired by Teri's card.

The layout, flower placement, and color scheme were inspired by Charlene's card.

Thanks for visiting today!

Friday, January 28, 2011

Snow Queen Revisited *snicker*

I took these photos to show you how much of the white stuff we've got on the ground right now. I'm in these photos as a "measurement stick", as it were.

I'm ~5'3"ish in these photos as I'm 5'1" (according to my driver's license *grin*) and I'm wearing 2" heels.

Oh yeah. It's currently snowing. Again. Bother (which is a nice version of what I'd really like to say).

This one is to show the snow behind me and which also explains why my biceps hurt today. It was tough to get the snow up there.


This one is to show off the beautiful scarf that was hand-made specifically for me by Nicole, my good friend and role model for persistance and the importance of a positive attitude. She's wicked talented too.


By the way, that is snow, not dandruff in my hair. Please ignore the crow's feet, straggly eyebrows, etc. I need to use some tooth-whitening stuff or lay off the coffee and red wine. Guess which option I'll choose.

Thanks for visiting!

Snow Queen! Bombshell Stamps' "Snow Bunny" Challenge!

Bombshell's Ms. January, Alaine, issued a "Snow Bunny" challenge, which was way too topical for me since the Northeast has been bombarded with blizzards and snowstorms since Christmas.

I'm posting my challenge card, Snow Queen, in the hope that Mother Nature will stop being a frigid bwitch, warm her heart, and stop with the snow already.

Here it is!


This is one really glittery card because snow is glittery. Sadly, you can't really see all the glitter in the photo. Big bummer.

I used Bombshell Stamps' Butterfly Queen set and colored her with Copic markers. Her crown, belly button, added bracelet, and bra straps are glittered, as are the edges of the the Nestabilties layers. The focal image was masked, then stamped with snowflakes from the Holiday Accessory set using metallic ice blue Brilliance ink. I heat embossed with polysparkle embossing powder. Silver metallic cardstock and glitter stickers added to the overall iciness of the card. The patterned paper is by Fancy Pants.

Thanks for visiting today!

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

It's Tuesday and love is in the air!

Here's another card that I did for my stint as Guest Stamping Tech, using Splitcoast Stamper's "Love is in the Air" Dirty Dozen/Fan Club theme.



Once again, I used Technique Tuesday's Aviary set. The heart is from the Infinite Wisdom set. I used a border from the Vintage Lace Borderlines set. The word "Love" is from an old TT word set and the "in the air" was computer generated.

The sky patterned paper is old Cosmo Cricket. The black/cream patterned paper is by 7 Gypsies. The only coloring done was on the heart, which was colored with Copic markers.

Thanks for visiting today!

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Distressed mood!

I felt like getting a bit distressed and inky, plus I wanted to use these tickets that were sent to me over a year ago!

So, I gave into my mood and created this card!


Since I'm very honored to be one of two Guest Stamping Techs for Technique Tuesday over at Splitcoast this month, I've been on a roll with my TT stamps. This card uses the Aviary (bird), Weather Report (sentiment), Little Sentiments (border swirl), and Flea Market Finds (flourish) sets.

The patterned papers are from the Periphery 6x6 pad by Basic Grey. I used pink and blue Distress inks to add some sky-like colors to the griddy paper, then stamped the bird, sentiment, and small flourishes. The grid paper was layered onto a blue patterned paper. I sponged the same ink onto the Ideology tickets to blend with the grid paper. However, being a dweeb-like me, I cut before I measured, only to realize that I cut the layered stamped papers too narrow for the three tickets to go across. Since I didn't have another sheet of the grid paper, I took another piece of blue patterned paper, stamped the swirly border vertically along the edges (albeit wonkily), then layered again. I added the tickets, stapled on some lace, and called it done, though it's hardly perfect. Perfection is overrated anyway. Ha!!!

By the way, if you haven't commented below on the Technique Tuesday Blog Hop post, you might want to do so and then hop along, so you have a chance to win a fabulous set.

Thanks for visiting today!

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Technique Tuesday Blog Hop!

Welcome to the first-ever Technique Tuesday blog hop!

I’m one of Technique Tuesday's Guest Stamping Techs this month, and I’m joining the Stamping Techs for the first-ever Technique Tuesday blog hop today. We are all sharing today some of our favorite projects made with with Technique Tuesday’s stamps.

The hop begins on Teri’s blog . She is linking to the next designer’s blog. And then that designer is linking to someone’s blog and so on. Teri has a list of all the hop’s players so please check out her blog if you get lost along the way.

With every comment you leave on the blog path, you’ll be entered to win A Pocket Full of Posies stamp set from Technique Tuesday.

Here's what you can win!


Teri will pick one person at random from all the comments made by midnight Eastern time on 1/24 to win the stamp set. So the more comments you make, the better chance you have to win! Be sure to check Teri’s blog on 1/25 to see if you are the lucky winner.

Here are my cards:




I had been itching to try the Black Magic technique where you stamp in white, heat set, then color over it with colored pencils. You're supposed to use white gel pens to accent your design, but I didn't feel like it. Click here to see the SCS Black Magic tutorial. **Please note: I did not create the technique or the tutorial. I just experimented. I like the technique and will definitely do it again.**

I decided to try this technique on black and gray cardstock to see how it would look. I got out my Va Va Bloom set which recently retired, though you still can find this great set at your local stamp store or online (I found some sets at Scrapbook.com).

The black card also uses a lovely lacey border from the Vintage Lace Borderlines set which I heat set with black sparkly embossing powder to go with the black glitter border around the flower. The scalloped layer is shimmery vellum, but as usual, you can't really see all the lovely glitter. Bummer!

The sentiment on the gray card is from the Little Sentiments set.

Thanks for visiting my blog and for joining our hop today. The next stop on this hop is the blog of the awesomely talented and very sweet Tiffany!

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Another two-fer card!

This one uses the "Love is in the air" sketch over at Splitcoast Stampers and gray instead of black to fulfill Moxie Fab World's "Gray is the new black" challenge. I'm not thrilled with it, but done is done and done is good!

So here it is:


The birds and bitty heart are from Technique Tuesday's Aviary set. The birds were stamped in gray ink and then colored with warm gray Copic markers. The heart was also stamped with gray ink and the colored with markers. The patterned paper is from Basic Grey.

There is no sentiment yet. I haven't whether to use it for Valentine's Day, for an anniversary card, or a thank you card. When I do decide, the sentiment will go underneath the birdies in the gray area. So just pretend. OK? ;D

Thanks for visiting today!

Monday, January 17, 2011

Polka Dotty Dot & Sketch Challenge!

Teri, the fabulously sweet and talented hostess of the Technique Tuesday forum over at Splitcoast Stampers, issued a Polka-Dotty Dot challenge, which I combined with SCS's Sketch #315.

Here's my take on the challenges.



In my quest to use or toss old papers, I updated this very old Basic Grey paper with the circles from Technique Tuesday's Infinite Wisdom set. The hearts within the circles are also from that set. Bitty hearts from the Aviary set were used on the raised circles created with a Cuttlebug folder on pink patterned cardstock. The vase, stems, and flowers are from the Long Stemmed Sentiments set and were colored with Copic markers. "Thanks and "My Friend" are also from the Long Stemmed Sentiments set. The flourish is from The Weather Report set.

Thanks for visiting today!

Friday, January 14, 2011

Mojo and Energy -- MIA!

Hi all,
I've been MIA lately, due to a rotten upper respiratory thing (thanks offspring) that has left me zonked. Plus, my mojo has been MIA too, though I still get lots of ideas, just no energy. *sigh*

However, there is good news that has me stoked. I am one of this month's Guest Stamping Techs for Technique Tuesday over at Splitcoast Stampers. I've been collecting Technique Tuesday's stamps for several years since I discovered their Wayfarer's alphabet set. Sadly, it's retired, but I still love that font!

Anyways, here are two cards that I submitted (but weren't accepted) to Paper Crafts using one of their sketches with Technique Tuesday's The Cupcakery and Message in a Banner sets. Both sets from the aptly named, Little Treasures collection and are small but mighty.




Copic markers were used to color the images. Glaze pen was used on the cherries. A mix of patterned papers were used as well.

Thanks for visiting today!

Monday, January 3, 2011

Glittery Glam Season's Greetings card!

Here's another card that qualifies for the Glitter is Glam challenge over at Moxie Fab World.



Here's a close-up that might show more of the glittery aspect. I so need to figure out how to photograph glittery cards! **OK. I tried again and oddly enough, the only photo that shows the glitter was shot from a few feet away and were out of focus. However, you can see that the tree and background are really glittery! If anyone has any hints for me, please share. Keep in mind that it's too freakin' cold to shoot outside!


I already had the tree circle stamped, embossed, and sponged with Distress Ink but it was looking too autumnal. Since we still have snow from our 30" blizzard, I added some "snowy sparkle" to the tree with the Quickie Glue Pen and glitter. By the way, the tree is from the Fall on Me set by Technique Tuesday. This set is retiring, so it's on sale right now. I love the set and am bummed out that it's retiring, but just because it's retired, doesn't mean that I won't use it!!!

A while back I was looking at my embossing folders and wondering whether debossing the design and then using Stickles in the indentations would look okay. However, when I decided to put this card together, I didn't feel like waiting forever for Stickles to dry. :D So, I used my Sakura Quickie Glue Pen in the indentations of the debossed shimmery black metallic cardstock by Recollections. I dumped on Pigma Glitter onto the entire diecut and pressed the glitter into the debossed areas and let it dry. Then I added more glue, more glitter, and let it dry some more. I added some "snowy sparkle" to the tree with the Quickie Glue Pen and glitter.

I used white metallic paper and embossed it the "correct" way. I computer generated the sentiment onto the metallic white paper and then smudged some black ink over it after I die cut it. There are greyish gemstones on the black metallic diecut and in the corners. They're not showing up in the photo. I'm just glad that the glitter is sort of visible, though it's way, Way, WAY glittier (new word) irl.

Thanks for visiting today!

Glittery Glam Bombshell Sketch Card!

Happy New Year!!! Wishing everyone a happy, healthy, prosperous year filled with love, laughter, and loads of craftin' mojo!

Here's a New Year's card based upon my January sketch for Bombshell Stamps. Since I wanted it to be especially festive, I used a lot of glittery accents, which makes it qualify for the Glitter is Glam challenge at Moxie Fab World.

Here's the sketch (Feel free to use it and share over at the Bombshell Forum.)


Here's my card:


Since I wanted to use the Party Pin-up image from the Man's Ruin set by Bombshell Stamps, I had to turn the sketch 90°.

I stamped the image twice and used Copic markers to color both images. I used a VersaMark pen over the parts of the pin-up that were in the glass and the glass itself, added clear embossing powder, and heat set the image to give it dimension and shine. The beauty of this was that I was able to just sponge ink over the whole thing to create a background, then I just wiped of the excess ink and voila! The second colored image was cut and adhered to look like she was outside the glass.

I bet the above made no sense. Oh well. I know what I did. Hee.

I used Stickles on the rim of the glass which also served to cover up the seam. Glittery Alpha stickers by Making Memories added some bling to the year. The brown ribbon and tinsel are also glittery. I hope you can see that.

The patterned paper is by Fancy Pants from my stash!

Thanks for visiting and Happy New Year!!!