Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Bombshell Stamps Hump Day Hop!!!

Alison, Bombshell's lovely and talented Hump Day Hop Head Hostess, set this month's theme which is ...

"Give it to Me, Baby!" What's that mean? You've got to make a gift for someone using your Bombshell Stamps. Even if that someone is you! ;) This also means no cards! Unless of course, you are making a super snazzy gift card holder, but let's give it the old college try and try to make something else. I'm talking jewlery, altered art, mini canvases...anything that you could give to someone as a gift. The possibilites are endless!


Oops, my project is late, so if so inclined, come back later to check it out!

Why not take a few seconds and play with my fish and the kitty?---> You can also sign up as a "follower". :D



Close Up of the stamped image:


Close up of the chipboard elements at the top of the wall hanging.


Close up of the mini clipboard:


I could have kept going, adding more stamped images, bling, flowers, and other "schtuff", but then I would never have gotten this project uploaded in time. So, I decided "less is more" and called it done. It is now being weighted down to flatten it a bit. Since it will be gifted to someone, I'll ask if they want me to add more "schtuff" to it!

Yes. So, it's a wall hanging that contains a calendar, mini-clipboard, and a 3" Post-It note pad. The Party Pin-up from the Man's Ruin set was stamped twice and colored with Copic markers. I cut out the parts on the top of the glass and coated the glass with several layers of embossing powder. It was then die cut. Distress ink was sponged over the image while it was still in the die cut. The cut-out pin-up was adhered in place so that it looks like her head, torso, arms, parts of her legs, and feet are dry and her posterior and part of her leg are in the cocktail.

The chipboard flourish and numbers were also colored with Copics and then several layers of embossing powder were added. A rose from the Alter Skulls set was stamped directly onto the chipboard mini-clipboard. It was heat embossed and colored with Copic markers. It was masked, then airbrushed, then coated with VersaMark, and heat embossed it. It created an odd effect.

The patterned papers are from the very old, beloved, and hoarded Vagabond collection by Basic Grey. I also used Washi-Tape and rhinestones.

Here's the hop list:
Bombshell Blog
Alison
Sparkly Engineer Mary
Torrey
Alex
Alaine
Milo
Meredith
Kathi

Thanks for visiting today.

I shall enter this wall hanging in the following challenges:
Outlaws Promarker/Copic Fridays "Food" challenge
• Simon Says "Anything Goes"
iCopic #62 "Bling" Challenge
Basic Grey #59 Anything Goes challenge
Pile it On "Bling" challenge

Friday, December 23, 2011

Bombshell's "Get Steamy" Steampunk Challenge #2

Bombshell's Ms. December,the lovely and talented Torrey, challenged us all to create a Steampunk project using our Bombshell Stamps. This is my second card and boy did I have fun! Please note, I must be feeling tilty because I could not get a straight photo.



Close-up:


This time, Bombshell's Pirate Wench from A Pirate's Life set was Steampunk'd.

I created a quasi-Victorian Steampunky outfit for her with a laced corset, a long skirt, an overcoat, and a hat. All parts of her outfit, as well as her face, were colored with Copic markers in Christmas-y colors. After I put her back together, I went over her cheeks to add a bit more pink and messed up, so I ended up having to add some chalk to make them look a bit less blotchy. Now she looks like she's having a hot flash.

Retrospectively, I would have given her skirt some texture via stamps, an embossing folder, or drawn in pleats. Next time. :D

I did give her a lapel pin consisting of watch parts and a gemstone. Her hat is adorned with another tiny gear and gemstone, as is the sentiment tag. The sentiment is from the Mixed Messages set by Paper Trey Ink, which is incredibly useful since the sentiments are teensy.

Once again, I used the Timeworks Cuttlebug folder for the background. I brushed the raised portions of the kraft cardstock with my brand-new Delicata gold inkpad by Tsukineko (my great dh got it for me from Simon Says Stamp!). It's a fabulous glittery gold that gives great coverage!

German Dresden Foil Swan Wings and a border were used to add some Victorian Glitz to the card. You can find both at Retro Cafe Art Gallery. Some gears that I got at Michael's were painted with a Gold Krylon pen and added around the black and red roses.

Thanks for visiting today and best wishes for a lovely holiday!

I shall enter this card in the following challenges!
Outlawz Greeting Monday: Bling Challenge
Craft Your Passion: #89--Things with Wings Challenge
iCopic #61: Last Minute Holiday Challenge
Simon Says Bingo Challenge -- NO patterned paper, gemstones, & flowers!
Pile It On Bling Challenge
Bombshell's Steampunk Challenge

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Jack Frost strikes again!

I've had this one in my head for a long time and finally got around to making it. It's seasonally appropriate too since it's getting cold in these parts.



Close up:


Jack Frost was feeling feisty and decided to explore an enchanted forest. He discovered a Toadstool House (DT-022-M)and just had to work his magic upon it and the surrounding trees.

I had to work a little "magic" myself when creating this scene. The Toadstool House has lovely flowers and butterflies adorning it. Since they were seasonally incorrect, I had to get rid of them. I used some repositionable Scotch Tape and covered them, inked the stamp, lifted the tape, and stamped the image. Then I stamped Jack and some branches from the Branching Out set by Taylored Expressions, so that Jack would have a platform so that he could spread frost wherever he wanted.

All stamped images were colored with Copic markers, were masked, and a background was airbrushed. I corrected the lines of the Toadstool House's roof with a fine tip pen and also added some shading dots to match the rest of the roof. The branches were outlined too. When that was done, VersaMarker was used to color the roof of the house and several layers of clear embossing powder were heat set. I repeated this process on the tree branches and on the ground.

Pearl Paint Dabber was added with a toothpick to the roofline, chimney, tree branches, and ground. While it was still wet, Prisma Glitter was sprinkled on to add some sparkle. More Pearl Paint Dabber was toothpicked onto the sky to simulate snow.

Jack's cuff's and hat were flocked to add a bit more texture.

I used my new snowflake corner die from Memory box and die cut white metallic paper. My Mind's Eye patterned paper from a 6x6 pad was used. The branch stamp is from the Branching Out Coordinates set. The sentiment is a beloved and retired A Muse stamp. Some rhinestones were added to finish the card.

Thanks for visiting today.

Friday, December 16, 2011

Bombshell Christmas!

Last weekend was SCS's VSN and I really wanted to participate, but time/mojo were non-existent. I also wanted to play along with some other challenges, but those deadlines sneaked by before I was ready.

So, this card was started with iCopic's "Black Hair" challenge and VSN's non-wintry Christmas card in mind. That means that I stamped Bombshell Stamps Hawaiian Girl and colored her with Copic markers. I finally finished this card last night. *sigh*



The sentiment is from the Holiday Accessory set which has all sorts of useful seasonal holiday motifs. The patterned papers are from Basic Grey and 7 Gypsies.

Thanks for visiting today!

I shall enter this card into these challenges:
• Outlawz Copic/Promarker "Celebrate" Challenge
• iCopic Weekly Challenge #60 "Holidays"
• The Paper Variety: "Anything goes"

Friday, December 9, 2011

Sweet digital stamps from Bombshell Stamps!

There's a limited edition digital set called Gingerbread Pin-Up, that is available as a digital set only through the end of December. It has three Gingerbread people, some cookies, candy, and some fun sentiments.

Here's a card that I created using this set!


Here's a close up!


Thanks for visiting today!

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Oooh! Candy!

Cheryl, my very talented and lovely friend, is offering some blog candy on her blog. Here's a link so that you can play along too. While you're there, check out her work. She's freaking awesome!

Mmmm Mmmmm Good!

Genie Lamp Wishes!

When I saw the Genie Lamp (AP-346-J) stamp from Third Coast Rubber Stamps, I knew that I had to have it. It actually comes separately or in a set with a larger lamp that's facing the other way. You can find it on page 25 of the Early Spring, 2007 Supplement.

Here's the first card I've made using it.



The lamp and smoke were colored with Copic markers. The patterned paper is from Basic Grey's Marrakech 6x6 pad.

Since I'm trying to build a stash of birthday cards, I decided to use the warmest wishes sentiment with it.

Thanks for visiting today!

Friday, December 2, 2011

Steampunk Butterfly meets challenges!

I am so efficient that I scare myself. Ha!

Here's my sketch for Bombshell for December: Why not play along? Link is below!


Here's my take on my sketch and for Ms. December's Steampunk Challenge!


When Bombshell's Ms. December,the lovely and talented Torrey, challenged us to create a Steampunk project, this idea popped into my head immediately. Better yet, I had the time to play, so play I did!

I stamped the biggest butterfly from the Butterfly Dreams set onto the reverse of a piece of patterned kraft paper from the Tim Holtz' Kraft Resist Ideology Paper Stack using Onyx VersaFine ink. I then heat embossed the image with clear embossing powder and colored it with Copic markers. The Copics blended fine on the cardstock, though the kraft color influenced their color. When I was pleased with the butterfly, I "fussy cut" the wings and edged them with black marker because I can't abide contrasting edges. Must be the Virgo in me.

I took a piece of butterfly patterned paper from the same pad, embossed it using Clockworks Cuttlebug folder, inked it with Chipped Sapphire, Broken China, and Worn Lipstick Distress Inks, distressed the edges, then edged with Black Soot Distress Ink. Three metal coins from EK Success were colored with Copic markers and ribbon was used to position them following the sketch.

I found a piece of cloudy blue vellum in my stash which was die cut with a Spellbinders die. The butterfly's wings were adhered with different levels of dimensional adhesive. Watch parts became the butterfly's body and antenna and were adhered with Matte Accents. I actually learned from past mistakes and set the piece aside overnight.

When I was assured that everything was dry and secure, I adhered the vellum/butterfly piece to the card's front, added some Ideology Game Spinners, used some rhinestone brads to add some bling, then stamped the sentiment and die cut it.

Thanks for visiting today!

I shall enter this card in the following challenges:
Bombshell's December Sketch Challenge
• Bombshell Stamps' Ms. December's Hot & Steamy Challenge
Simon Says Stamp "Anything Goes" Challenge
Retro Cafe Art Gallery Contest
iCopic Blog's Weekly Challenge #58: Vintage & Distressed
• Outlawz Greetings Monday "Anything Goes" Challenge
The Kraft Journal's "Favorite Project" Challenge

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Third Coast New Release & SALE!!!

There are 13 pages of fabulous new stamps available now. Better yet, they're on sale for 20% off until December 10th! Gotta love that! Click HERE to check it out! Additionally, there's an Overstock Sale going on too! Here's a link to that info!

Here's a card using the brand new Ready for Winter (VB-372-N), which can be found on page 2 of the November 2011 Supplement!



I stamped the gal twice onto white cardstock, colored the parts with Copic markers, then cut them apart. The jacket was stamped onto black & white herringbone paper from the Burberry Cottage 6x6 pad by Pink Paislee and colored with Copic markers. Black Glaze pen was added to the buttons, then the jacket was cut out.

The gal was reassembled (sounds gruesome) and put aside. I die cut white cardstock and airbrushed it with light blue while it was still in the die. A snowflake flourish by Third Coast was stamped three times with Frost Dazzle VersaMark ink and heat embossed with holographic embossing powder. The edges of the die cut were edged with a VersaMarker, then heat embossed with the same holographic embossing powder. The gal was positioned in the die cut and Copic Opaque White snowflakes were added with a toothpick.

The patterned papers are from My Mind's Eye and Pink Paislee. The sentiment stamp is by Rubber Soul.

I shall enter this card in:
• Moxie Fab World's "Get Inspired by Fashion" challenge
• Outlawz Copic/Promarker "Anything Goes" challenge
• Craft Your Passion #86: "'Tis the Season" Challenge
• Simon Says "Anything Goes" Challenge