Anything Goes and/or Christmas.

I'm back again today with my creation for this week's Outlawz Coloring Challenges, which is "Anything Goes and/or Christmas". I opted for "Anything Goes".

Here's my card using SCACD's Steampunk Siren's Call, one of the new rubber stamps from new Eclectic Sea Collection.  

Steampunk Siren's Call was stamped with Tuxedo Black Memento ink (Tsukineko/Imagine Crafts) and colored with Copic markers. When I was done coloring her, I placed a stencil from Memory Box over it and used my Copic markers to create a background, then matted with silver metallic cardstock (Recollections). Clear Gelly Glaze pen was used on the screws and rivets on Steampunk Siren's Call to add dimension and shine. Pink pastel pencil was used to add a touch too much blush to her cheeks. 

The silver cardstock was die-cut with SCACD's Contempo Compass Statement Corner die and the Steampunk Corner die (Memory Box). My beloved Mini Gears die (Memory Box) was used to die-cut gold metallic cardstock (Recollections) The Contempo Compass Statement Corner die-cut was altered and the Steampunk Corner die-cut was trimmed. Both die-cuts were adhered and the little gears were added atop some of the gears.

The image panel was adhered to seriously old patterned paper by Sonnets and then mounted to a white card.
 
My Outlawz Coloring Challenge teammates, Carla, Penny, Karen, Vannessa, and I challenge you to create a project using at least three of the colors in the photo below. Share it with us at The Outlawz Coloring Challenges and visit my teammies' blogs for some eye candy.

Thanks for visiting today! 

Oops. Late again!

I'm late with my creation for this week's Outlawz Coloring Challenges. Bad, bad me letting life get in the way of crafting! This week's challenge at The Outlawz Coloring Challenges is a color challenge, courtesy of Design Seeds.

My Outlawz Coloring Challenge teammates, Carla, Penny, Karen, Vannessa, and I challenge you to create a project using at least three of the colors in the photo below. You can use any coloring medium you like, just as long as you color! 

Our June sponsor at The Outlawz Coloring Challenges is Fairy Tangles Art (Norma J Burnell). Norma is offering our lucky winner three digis of their choice from her Etsy shop.  Play along with us for your chance to win!

Here's the color palette, which I chose because these are my a few of my favorite colors!

 

Here's my card with Jaye and Feathered Friends (Fairy Tangles Art).

Jaye and Feathered Friends was slightly reduced in PhotoElements, printed out with my laser printer, then colored with Copic markers. These digital images are furnished with some slight shading to the face, which was at first a bit of a challenge, but then proved to be very helpful. I used a slightly different color combination on her face and am quite happy with with it. I just wish I had written it down. Silly, silly me. 

I wasn't thrilled with the way her hair came out with just the Copic markers, so I ended up pulling out my black and white Prismacolor pencils and added some details with those. I added a touch of shading behind the around the blue jay on her should with Derwent pastel pencils and also added a touch of blush with a pink pastel pencil.

Clear Gelly Glaze pen (Sakura) was used to add dimension and shine to the beads. My Black Glaze pen (Sakura) was used to add dimension and shine to the blue jays' eyes. Black Spica Glitter pen was (Copic) was used to add a touch of glitter to the ends of the black flourishes.

Jaye and Feathered Friends is quite a detailed image, so I kept my design simple to keep the focus on it. The image panel was die-cut with one of the dies from the Nesting Rectangles die set (Lifestyle Crafts/We R Memory Keepers) and matted with slightly larger rectangles from the same set. For some reason, I was left with some splintery bits of paper, which resisted sanding, so I solved this conundrum (great word, better white wine) by distressing the edges with my handy dandy paper distresser (Tonic).

The Thank You die (Spellbinders) was used to die-cut one of the leftover scraps from the cardstock I used. This was adhered and I called it done.

Thanks for visiting today!

I shall enter this card into the following challenges.
• Craft Your Passion Challenges: Anything Goes
• Scrapy Land Challenges: Favorite colors and dies 
• Simon Says Wednesday Challenges: Anything Goes 

Wings!

Astrid Stulemeijer is the hostess this week at Stampotique Designers Challenge Blog. Her challenge is "Wings".  Here's what she said about her challenge!

"Every stamper has a little Frankenstein in them. Give a stamp without wings a pair of them. Have fun creating!"

If you'd like the chance to win your choice of $30 worth of Stampotique stamps, you should play along with this challenge. You have until the end of the month to create and share your challenge projects for this month. Visit Stampotique Designers Challenge blog and be sure to read the rules so that you'll have the chance to win that great prize!!

Here's my card with Stampotique's Verdette (Janet Klein) and Angel Wings - 2 sided (Arwen McCullen).

Angel Wings - 2 sided was stamped with onto Neenah cardstock, colored with Copic markers, fussy-cut, edged with black markers, then brushed with Irridescent Medium (Winsor & Newton). The wings were set aside for a bit.

Verdette was stamped with Tuxedo Black Memento ink (Tsukineko/Imagine Crafts) onto Neenah cardstock and a sheet of old patterned paper from a 6x6 pad by My Mind's Eye. Both images were colored with Copic markers, fussy-cut, and edged with black marker. The Neenah colored Verdette had an accident (intentional) when her arms and hands were removed and parts of her dress were cut away. The patterned paper Verdette's became a dress donor when her dress was cut away from the rest of her. All of this was a bit traumatic for Verdette. She felt much better when she was furnished with new stylish print dress and even happier when her arms were reattached! Since she was so calm throughout this entire process, Verdette was rewarded with Angel Wings - 2 sided. Alas, Verdette had to wait to test out her new Angel Wings.

I wanted to create a shimmery sky so I experimented a bit with my favorite sky colors from the Media Fluid Acrylic (MFA) paint range (DecoArt). Cerulean Blue MFA paint was dripped onto a plastic lid, lightened with a few drops of Translucent White MFA,  then thinned with about a quarter of a pipette of Irridescent Medium (Winsor and Newton). This wash was then sponged across a sheet of 140 lb. Mixed Media cardstock (Strathmore).

I love a touch of pink in a sky, so Primary Magenta MFA paint was lightened with Translucent White MFA paint, thinned with about a quarter of a pipette of Irridescent Medium, then sponged over the shimmery blue. This process was repeated with straight-up Translucent White MFA paint. I continued to add layers of Irridescent Medium-thinned paint until I was happy with the result.

Metallic Gold MFA paint was mixed with Interference Gold MFA paint, thinned a tad with Irridescent Medium, then sponged over a Starburst stencil.

Very old, somewhat dried up, alphabet rub-ons by Making Memories were used to add the sentiment.

My sky was complete so it was time for Verdette with her Angel Wings to echo the sentiment and fly. So she did.

Thanks for visiting today!

I shall enter this card into the following challenges:
• AAA Cards Challenges: Paste and/or Stencils
• Allsorts Challenges: Use a Stamp
• Creative Card Crew Challenges: CAS
• Tuesday Throwdown Challenges: Stenciling
• Simon Says Wednesday Challenges: Anything Goes

SCACD Eclectic Sea Rubber Stamp Release Blog Hop!!!

Today SCACD is holding a blog hop to celebrate a newly released exclusive rubber stamp set Eclectic Sea Collection, which has nine rubber stamps all together. Eclectic Sea Collection is a twist on how something land-bound might be seen in the ocean; for example a Sunflower on land becomes a Coral Sea Flower in the ocean and vice versa.

Check out the Eclectic Sea Collection as these are really unique and elegant stamps. SCACD Artist Carmen Medlin and Susana collaborated on the images and we are so happy to be showcasing them to you. This collection is now available for purchase in the USA HERE for the Eclectic Seascollection.

If our International Friends are interested in purchasing these stamps, they can email Susana.

You should have arrived here from Donna's blog, where you definitely saw something amazing!

Here's my card featuring Humminghorse*.

Humminghorse, from the Eclectic Sea Collection was stamped with Tuxedo Black Memento ink (Tsukineko/Imagine Crafts)  onto Neenah cardstock and onto Eclipse Tape (Judikins). The Eclipse Tape version was fussy-cut and set aside to be used as a mask. The Humminghorse stamped onto cardstock was colored with Copic markers, masked, and airbrushed using the Copic Airbrush System. I used my Colorless Blender (Copic) to remove the background, which created whiteawater bubbles, which I then highlighted using Clear and White Gelly Glaze pens (Sakura).

White metallic cardstock (Recollections) was die-cut with the Oceana Corner die (Memory Box) and colored with Copic markers. When you color or ink white metallic cardstock, you end up with a lovely shimmer. Sadly, you can not see the shimmer since it was raining and overcast when I took the photo.

The image panel was matted onto black cardstock, which was mounted onto very old patterned paper, then onto the card front.

Now that I'm done blathering, you can hop along to Roni's blog, where she will delight you with her creativity! If you get lost along the way, you can always find your way by visiting SCACD's store blog, Heart and Hugs.

Thanks for visiting today!

* Please note: There is a digital stamp that is very similar to Humminghorse. It's called Hoverfly.

Celebration!

Kim Howard, Stampotique's Design Team Coordinator, is the hostess this week at Stampotique Designers Challenge Blog. We're celebrating our 200th challenge, so Kim is challenging you to create a celebratory card! Here's what she has to say about her challenge.

"Join us for our 200th challenge this week by celebrating. Create with a celebration, anniversary or best wishes creation. We thank you all for joining us each week at our challenges and hope you have a much fun creating with Stampotique as we do!!!"

If you'd like the chance to win your choice of $30 worth of Stampotique stamps, you should play along with this challenge. Visit Stampotique Designers Challenge blog and be sure to read the rules so that you'll have the chance to win that great prize!!

Here's my card with Cocoa Bird (Kira Nichols), Baby Cthulhu (Kira Nichols), Happy Lion (Kira Nichols), and Happy Head Appliances (Daniel Torrente).

Cocoa Bird, Baby Cthulhu, Happy Lion, and Happy Head Appliances were stamped with Tuxedo Black Memento ink (Tsukineko/Imagine Crafts), colored with Copic markers, fussy-cut, edged, with black markers, and set aside while I worked on a background for them.

Aside from making a scene (on my card), one of my favorite ways to use die-cuts is to add them to a scene, then paint over them to add dimension and interest. 

The following words, the champagne bottle, and glasses were die-cut from white cardstock using a variety of different dies from different companies. I'm just going to list the dies below because it's easier!

The die-cut words were adhered to 140 lb. Mixed Media cardstock using Matte Glue n' Seal (Ranger). The cardstock was then brushed with a layer of White Media Gesso (DecoArt). When that was dry, Media Modeling Paste (DecoArt) was applied over the star portion of Punchinella Quintet stencil (Joggles) and allowed to dry.

Cerulean Blue, Translucent White, and Primary Magenta Media Fluid Acrylic (MFA) paints were randomly sponged and dabbed over the surface. Primary Yellow and Green Gold MFA paints were stippled here and there to add additional color and interest.

Primary Magenta MFA paint was sponged over the star portion of the Punchinella Quintet stencil and Tranlucent White MFA paint was sponged over the circles portion.

When I was happyish with the background,  Black Pitt Artist pens were used to outline the words to give them more visual weight.

The champagne bottle die was also used to die-cut thin gold foil paper and off-white cardstock. The champagne bottle and champagne glasses die-cuts were colored with Copic markers. The foil was adhered to the neck of the bottle and the off-white die-cut was cut down and doodled with a label from my fictitious winery, The Grapes of Kath. My beloved Clear Gelly Glaze pen (Sakura) was used to go over the glass portion of the bottle, the entirety of both glasses, and the Cocoa Bird's beak, talons, Happy Lion's nose, and the eyes of all three creatures.

A craft knife was used to cut slits in the fussy-cut Cocoa Bird, Baby Cthulhu, and Happy Lion so that they could hold the bottle and glasses. The bottles and glasses were adhered to the corresponding creature. Washi tape was added as a grounding element, then Cocoa Bird, Baby Cthulhu, and Happy Lion were adhered to the background. The Happy Head Appliances hats were adhered and Pink, Green, Blue, and Gold Stardust pens (Sakura) were used to add a touch of glitter to the hats pom-poms.

The entire piece was edged with Jet Black StazOn ink (Tsukineko/Imagine Crafts) after sniffing the ink pad, then adhered to a black card.

By the way, Arwen McCullen, one of Stampotique's stamp designers and a dt member, is giving away her Goth Cake stamp. Click here for more information!

I used the following die-cuts.
• "You're" and "party): Handwritten Sentiments (Little B)
• "So": Accessory Words 3 (Frantic Stamper)
• fantastic (Frantic Stamper)
• Enjoy (Cherry Lynn)
• celebrate (Spellbinders?)
• Cheers (Elizabeth Craft Designs)
• Celebrate (Die-Versions)
• laugh (?)
• Champagne Bottle: (Memory Box?)
• Champagne Glass (larger): Cheers Glass Charms (Die-namics)
• Champagne Glass (small): Let's Toast Die-namics)

Thanks for visiting today!

I shall enter this card into the following challenges:
• Through the Purple Haze Challenges: Bright Colors
• Simon Says Monday Challenges: Don't Cut, Paste
• Stamping Sensations Challenges: Die Cuts and Punches
• We Love to Create Challenges: Anything Mixed Media
• Simon Says Wednesday Challenges: Use your Favorite

Red Rose Day!

This week's challenge at The Outlawz Coloring Challenges is Red Rose Day, which is today. It's an actual holiday and here's some information about it, courtesy of Holiday Insights.

Red Rose Day is a time to enjoy and appreciate America's favorite flower.....the red rose. A red rose signifies love. A June setting for Red Rose Day is very appropriate, as this is by far the most popular month for weddings. And, they are in bloom in the gardens across America this month.

In addition to being the most popular cut flower, roses are also the most popular flower in flower beds and around foundation of houses, garages and sheds. They are easy to grow, producing a bounty of sweet scented flowers from June up to the first frost."

My Outlawz Coloring Challenge teammates, Carla, Penny, Karen, Vannessa, and I challenge you to create a project with at least one red rose for this challenge. You can use any coloring medium you like, just as long as you color! 

Our June sponsor at The Outlawz Coloring Challenges is Fairy Tangles Art (Norma J Burnell). Norma is offering our lucky winner three digis of their choice from her Etsy shop..  Play along with us for your chance to win!

Here's my card with Sweet Pea Stamps/Ching ChouKuik's Black Rose Fairy.

Black Rose Fairy was stamped with Tuxedo Black Memento ink and colored with Copic markers. Her cheeks received a touch of blush courtesy of a chalk pencil. Lipstick Red Spica Glitter pen (Imagination Int'l) was used on her necklace and Black Spica Glitter penwas used on her dress.

The image panel was die-cut using one of the Rectangle Nestabilities dies (Spellbinder). Red cardstock was die-cut using the next largest die. Black patterned paper was die-cut with the next largest size. A Fleur de Lis Rectangle Nestabilities die (Spellbinders) was used to die-cut black cardstock.

Very old patterned paper from the Black Tie collection (Basic Grey) and polka dotted patterned paper (unknown) were layered. Red cardstock was die-cut with the Double Scallop Border die (Die-namics), Scalloped Corner (QuicKutz), and a Fancy Tag (Spebllbinders). Sparkly black vellum was die-cut with the Alison's Ribbons die (Cherry Lynn Designs) and the Thanks die (Elizabeth Crafts).

The card was assembled, red rhinestones (Recollections) were added, and I called it done.

Thanks for visiting today!

I shall enter this card into the following challenges:
• Scrapyland Challenges: Anything Goes
• CCEE Stampers Challenges: Roses
• One Sweet Challenge: Dies or Punches
• Cherry Lynn Designs Challenges: Creative Corners

At Last! Favorite Friends!

Last week was crazy, so I didn't get much done craft-wise. Here's my project that works for two challenges!

Gez Butterworth was the hostess last week at Stampotique Designers Challenge Blog. Her challenge is "Favorite Stamp!" Here's what she said about her challenge!

"We've ALL got one! What's yours? We would love to see your favorite Stampotique images (if you can't pick just one) on your creations this week. Which stamp makes your heart skip a beat?"

If you'd like the chance to win your choice of $30 worth of Stampotique stamps, you should play along with this challenge. You have until the end of the month to create and share your challenge projects for this month. Visit Stampotique Designers Challenge blog and be sure to read the rules so that you'll have the chance to win that great prize!!

This week's challenge at The Outlawz Coloring Challenges is Friends, in honor of National Best Friend Day. My Outlawz Coloring Challenge teammates, Carla, Penny, Karen, Vannessa, and I challenge you to use create a project for this challenge. You can use any coloring medium you like, just as long as you color!  

Here's my card featuring the four friends from my beloved Birdy Up (Kira Nichols) stamp.

Birdy Up is one of my favorite stamps because it has four adorable birds. Each bird can be used alone or in combination with the others, which gives the stamp incredible versatility.

Birdy Up was stamped with Tuxedo Black Memento ink (Ranger) and colored with Copic markers. Each bird was fussy-cut then edged with black marker. Clear Gelly Glaze pen (Sakura) was used on their claws, beaks, and some of their eyes. I assure you that it merely tickled them. They laughed. I heard them.

The birds in Birdy Up like to create scenes, so that's exactly what I did. The Carousel Bird Cage die (Poppystamps), the Delicate Chain die (Poppystamps), the door die from Our Home Album and Finishers Die Set (Top Dog Dies), and the Lock and Key die (QuicKutz) were used to die-cut a sheet of Metal Foil Tape(Ranger).

One of the two Carousel Bird Cage die-cuts underwent surgery to create an doorway, the door die-cut was adhered, and a link from the Delicate Chain die-cut was used to create a latch on the door. The main part of the cage was gently shaped. The second The Carousel Bird Cage die-cut was adhered behind the altered cage using dimensional tape. One of the Birdy Up birds was positioned in the doorway then adhered using dimensional adhesive.

Kraft cardstock was die-cut with the Garden Step Ladder die (Poppystamps) and assembled.

The patterned paper used for the wallpaper is very, very old Chatterbox paper. White cardstock was scored, cut to size, then added as bead board along the bottom. Floor boards were drawn onto brown cardstock, which was then adhered to the bottom of the card. One of the sayings from a Friends rub-on (7 Gypsies) was added to a scrap of patterned paper that had been die-cut with one of the dies from the Rectangle Nestabilities die set (Spellbinders), then matted onto brown cardstock that was die-cut with a slightly larger die from the same set.

The Garden Step Ladder die-cut was adhered to the card front and two of the birds from Birdy Up were adhered to the ladder. The fourth bird was adhered to the floor. The key was added below the beak of the top Birdy Up bird.

The Carousel Bird Cage die-cut was adhered to the card front, the Delicate Chain die-cut was threaded through the Carousel Bird Cage's top, and then hung. The hasp on the QuicKutz Lock was cut and the lock was added to the door latch using a foam adhesive square.

The sentiment/picture frame was adhered to the scene, the cardfront was adhered to a card, and I called it done!

Thanks for visiting today!

I shall enter this card into the following challenges:
• Poppystamps Challenges: Oh Boy!
• Scrapyland Challenges: Anything Goes
• Dies R Us Challenges: Love Birds
• Ladybug Craft Challenges: Use Your Dies

Shimmer and Shine!

I am the hostess this week at Stampotique Designers Challenge Blog. My challenge is "Shimmer and Shine!" Here's what I've got say about my challenge!

"My spirit animal must be a magpie as I am attracted to all things that shine,
shimmer, or glitter. My challenge for you is to create a project that literally shines!"

If you'd like the chance to win your choice of $30 worth of Stampotique stamps, you should play along with this challenge. Visit Stampotique Designers Challenge blog and be sure to read the rules so that you'll have the chance to win that great prize!!

Here's my card with Stampotique's Skull Moon Small (Arwen McCullen),  Buru (Daniel Torrente), and Puss Puss (Daniel Torrente).

Skull Moon Small, Buru, and Puss Puss were stamped with Tuxedo Black Memento ink (Tsukineko/Imagine Crafts) onto Neenah cardstock, colored with Copic markers, then fussy cut.

Skull Moon Small's eye socket and nose hole were colored with Red and Yellow Stardust Glitter pens (Sakura). Clear Wink of Stella Glitter pen (Zig/EK Success) was used to add a layer of glitter to Skull Moon Small, then several layers of Clear Gelly Glaze pen (Sakura) coated the glittery colored Skull Moon Small to add dimension and shine.

Here's a close-up of Skull Moon Small.

Purple and Clear Stardust Glitter pens were used on Buru's hair and Clear Wink of Stella Glitter pen was used to cover Puss Puss.

A Copic Multi-liner pen was used to trace the small sideways-facing skull from the Skullduggery stencil (Andy Skinner/Tando?) onto 140 lb. Mixed Media cardstock (Strathmore). The stencil was flipped so that I could trace the skull facing in the opposite direction. The outline was filled in, the joined skulls were fussy-cut, colored with Copic markers,  and some cracks and teeth were added with a Multi-liner.  The joined colored skulls were brushed with a thickish layer of Clear Rock Candy Brush Stickles  and set aside to dry.

While it was drying, a piece of white metallic cardstock (Recollection) was sponged with Concord Grape, Chipped Sapphire, and Salty Ocean Distress inks. When dye inks are sponged onto white metallic cardstock, they create a shimmery affect that is truly lovely. Black Soot Distress ink was sponged lightly over the top bit and along the sides. Glittery Black Washi tape (Recollections?) was added to the base of the now-shimmery colored cardstock.

The dried glittery skulls were adhered over the tape, then Buru and Puss Puss were perched atop the skulls. Skull Moon Small was hung in the sky to shine upon the scene.

Here's a close-up of Buru and Puss Puss perched atop the skulls, though Buru's hair appears white and Puss Puss head appears to lack glitter.

I haven't decided who will get this card for what occasion, so there is no sentiment.

Thanks for visiting today!

I shall enter this card into the following challenges.
• Anything But Cute Challenges: Make it Masculine
• Let's Craft and Create Challenges: Add Some Sparkle
• Smudgy Antics Challenges: Anything Goes with a Twist (Use Three colors)
• Forever Dark Challenges: Anything Goes