Cuteness Overload!

Greetings! Have you checked out Stampotique's new release? Have you done the blog hop? If you answered "No!" to either question, you really ought to head over to Stampotique and check out the new stamps. And if you like to win fun and fabulous stamps, click over HERE and start the hop! I know that you'll be inspired by the artwork!

Here's my second ATC for July's "Frame It" theme. I've used the super-cute penguins from The Crew with Words on the Side (Karen Hayselden). 

The Crew with Words on the Side (without the words) was stamped with Tuxedo Black Memento ink, colored with Copic markers, fussy-cut, and edged with a Black Artist Pitt Brush pen (Faber Castell).

Mottled blue cardstock was cut to size, then the lower bit was painted with Titanium White Media Fluid Acrylic (MFA) paints (DecoArt). When the paint was dry, the penguins from The Crew with Words on the Side were adhered. Crystal Glamour Dust glitter (DecoArt) was added over the white paint to add an icy touch.

Black specialty cardstock was die-cut twice with the filmstrip from the At The Movies die set (Die-namics). The filmstrips were adhered to the back and the front of the image panel, then adhered to a ATC-sized piece of clearish acetate. 

The sentiment was computer generated and die-cut with a stitched circle die from the Blueprints 3 die set (Die-namics). The leftover black cardstock was die-cut with an arrow die (QuicKutz). Staples from my beloved Tiny Attacher (Idea-ology) were used to secure the frame and arrows to the acetate. The final step was to adhere the ATC front to an ATC cut from the same blue cardstock.

Thanks for visiting today!

I shall enter this ATC into the following challenges:

• Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenges: Anything Goes

• The Corrosive Challenges: Nature/Animals

• Die Cut Divas Challenges: Make It Glitter

A Cockatoo (ATC) for You!

I'm totally fascinated by Cockatoos and Parrots. They're such smart birds that can talk, sing, and dance. Watching them on YouTube is endlessly entertaining and makes me wonder why the term "birdbrain" is synonomous with a person of low intellect.

Anyway, when I saw that I Brake for Stamps has a Cockatoo ATC, I had to have it. Here's my first ATC with it. If you'd like it, let me know and I'll have it winging your way soon!

The Cockatoo ATC was stamped with Tuxedo Black Memento ink (Imagine Crafts) and colored with Copic markers. It was matted with black cardstock, a scrap of green patterned paper from the Tropical Travelogue 8x8 pad (G45), then onto black cardstock again. I like how the black makes the bright colors of the Cockatoo ATC pop!

I Brake for Stamps has a huge and varied collection of rubber stamps that you ought to check out right now. Click on my badge below to be whisked over to I Brake for Stamps to check out all of the goodies! Best of all, if you buy something, you can get a 10% discount off of your purchase if you use this code: SAVE10KATHI!

Thanks for visiting today!

Stampotique's New Release Blog Hop!

Stampotique Design Team members are so excited to showcase the new stamps being released from Stampotique this month. If you haven't had a chance to see what's new, you can click on over to the Stampotique website here.

As always, Stampotique is pleased to present a variety of stamps from our artists that appeal to anyone — scrapbookers, card makers, and art journal enthusiasts. Stampotique is also thrilled to announce a new artist  Tracy Scott. You can see her stamps HERE. We always love to know which stamps are your favorites, so while you are hopping around, make sure to say "hi" on our blogs and share the names of your new favorites.

We'll be giving away a $30 gift certificate to the online store and a grab bag of stamps to two random winners who have visited the blogs. We will pick the winners on our first challenge in August.

Have fun hopping!

You should have arrived here from Karen Hayselden's blog, where I'm sure you saw something fantastic!

Here's my first card with Donald and the Kitty Cube (Daniel Torrente).

Donald was stamped twice with Tuxedo Black Memento ink (Imagine Crafts). One Donald stamped image was decapitated and his right arm was amputated. He didn't even scream! One of the cats from the Kitty Cube was stamped atop Donald's back with Tuxedo Black Memento ink with the help of a Stampa-ma-jig stamp positioner. The other cat from the Kitty Cube was stamped with Tuxedo Black Memento ink and fussy-cut. All the images were colored with Copic markers.  The elements that were fussy-cut were edged with a Black Pitt Artist pen (Faber Castell). The lower kitty from the Kitty Cube was positioned between Donald's hands and Donald's head, arms, and hands were adhered over their counterparts.

Wood-patterned washi tape was added to the base of the image panel, which was die-cut with a Nestabilities Large Rectangle (Spellbinders) die. The patterned papers, including the sentiment are from a very old patterned paper pad. "Nap, Eat..." is a sticker from my huge collection of cat-themed craft supplies.

Here's my second card with Skelly (Kira Nichols).

Skelly was stamped with Tuxedo Black Memento ink and colored with Copic markers. The image panel was die-cut with a Nestabilities die and adhered to a piece of patterned paper from a 6x6 pad (Prima Marketing). The edges of the patterned paper were distressed and the card front was adhered to a kraft card. A Hello Speech Bubble die (Savvy) was used to die-cut kraft and white cardstock. The bubble was then adhered to the card front to finish the piece.

Here's my third card featuring Treasure Chest (Arwen McCullen), Casper (Tracy Scott), and Agatha's Parrot (Magda Polakow).

Treasure Chest, Casper, and Agatha's Parrot were all stamped with Tuxedo Black Memento ink, colored with Copic markers, fussy-cut, and edged with a Black Pitt Artist pen. I added a black eyepatch to Casper to add to the pirate-ish theme of the card.

The Treasure Chest was coated with a layer of Distress Collage Crazing Medium (Ranger) and allowed to dry.

White cardstock was die-cut with the Puffy Clouds die (Die-namics) which were then colored with Copic markers. Yellow cardstock was punched with a very old sun punch (Emaginations), then colored with Copic markers.

Tan and aqua cardstock were torn and layered atop a piece of blue cardstock. A VersaMarker pen (Imagine Crafts) was used to add a bit of shading to tan cardstock to look more like sand. A White Gel pen (Sakura of America) was used to add whitecaps to the sea. Chit-Chat stickers (Idea-ology) were used to add the sentiment. 

The card panel was edged with Hickory Smoke Distress ink (Ranger), then adhered to a kraft card.

Thanks for visiting my blog today!

Your next stop on the hop is Nellie van Leeuwen's blog where you will be thrilled by her fabulous artwork!

If you get lost along the way, you can find the complete hop roster at Stampotique Designers Challenge blog.

Thinking of You

I'm finally beginning to slowly get back into the swing of things. As I've related, my mother passed away in the beginning of June. On June 13th, we received word that my brother, who lived in Thailand, had undergone a series of cardiac arrests. They were able to resuscitate him, but there was extensive brain damage, and he died on June 24th.

The beach (in off season) and the ocean have always soothed my soul, so here's a card using Stampinback's There's Always Time for Friendship rubber stamp sheet and the Quarter Dahlia rubber stamp sheet that are both available at I Brake for Stamps.

The dinghy from the There's Always Time for Friendship rubber stamp sheet was stamped with Tuxedo Black Memento ink (Imagine Crafts) and colored with Copic markers. The sentiment from the Quarter Dahlia rubber stamp sheet was stamped in the sky area of the scene.

140 lb. Mixed Media cardstock (Strathmore) was die-cut with a Nestabilities die and colored with Copic markers. Clear Media Crackle Glaze (DecoArt) was brushed over the colored die-cut and left to dry. Once dry, Titanium White Antiquing Glaze (DecoArt) was brushed over of the Crackle Glaze, allowed to settle into the cracks and dry. When dry, the Antiquing Glaze was wiped with a damp cloth. The die-cut frame was then brushed with two layers of Media Ultra-Matte Varnish (DecoArt) to seal the piece.

The frame was adhered over the beach scene and the framed beach scene was adhered to a card.

I Brake for Stamps has a great selection of Stampinback stamps as well as a huge and varied collection of rubber stamps that you ought to check out right now. Click on my badge below to be whisked over to I Brake for Stamps to check out all of the goodies! Best of all, if you buy something, you can get a 10% discount off of your purchase if you use this code: SAVE10KATHI!

Thanks for visiting today!

Beach or Sea Challenge!

This week's Stampotique Designer's Challenges is "Beach or Sea".  Here's a blurb about the theme.

"The beach is always such a relaxing place to be, whether it's sun or just fun in the sand and surf, let's see your best beach or sea themed projects this week."

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!!! Remember to check to see the deadline for all of this month's Stampotique Designers Challenges!

Here's my card with Stampotique's Smushasha (Daniel Torrente),  Mansfield Sea Turtle (Daniel Torrente), Roger (Daniel Torrente), Gawan (Amy Wilson-Wellenstein), and Balin (Amy Wilson-Wellenstein).

Smushasha, Roger, and two Balins were stamped with Tuxedo Black Memento ink (Imagine Crafts) onto Neenah cardstock and onto Eclipse Tape (Judikins). The Eclipse Tape versions were fussy-cut and placed over Smushasha, Roger, and the lower Balin on the cardstock. Mansfield and Gawan were stamped over the masks. All the masks were removed and the images were colored with Copic markers.  The Octopus stencil (The Crafter's Workshop) was placed over the sides of the image panel and the long seaweeds were traced with a Copic marker. The Aquarium stencil (The Crafter's Workshop) was placed over the image panel and the coral was traced. The stencils were lifted and Copic markers were used to fill in the seaweed and coral images. When I was happy with the image panel, BG Copic markers were airbrushed over top. The image panel was set aside while I created the rest of the card.

140 lb. Mixed Media cardstock (Strathmore) was cut to 10" x 7" and scored at 5". One of the Circle Nestabilities dies was used to die-cut a circular aperture from the card front. Mixed Media cardstock was die-cut three times with the Porthole die (Marianne Designs) and twice with the Dots border die (QuicKutz). The card front, the inside of the card front, the Portholes, the Dots Borders, and the extra scraps of Mixed Media cardstock were sponged with several layers of Metallic Silver Media Fluid Acrylic (MFA) paint (DecoArt). A Nuts and Bolts Punch die (Marianne Designs) was used to die-cut a silver-painted scrap of cardstock. The philip head screws were brushed with black paint, which was immediately wiped back, leaving black paint in the cross of each screw. Black Artist Brush Pen (Faber-Castell) was used to add some definition to two of the porthole dies.

Rust paint was created by mixing Media Ultra Matte Varnish (DecoArt), Payne's Grey, Quinacridone Gold, Quinacridone Burnt Orange, and Media Silver MFA paints in a small empty jar. The edges of the Dot Border die-cuts and the edges of one of the Porthole die-cuts were painted with the rust paint. The hinge from the second painted Porthole was fussy-cut, edged with the rust paint and placed atop its counterpart. The philip-head screws were adhered to the porthole.

A slightly larger die from the Circles Nestabilities die set was used to die-cut acetate, which was adhered to the underside of the painted embellished Porthole die-cut, which was then adhered over the aperture. The second silver-painted Porthole die-cut was adhered to the inside of the card over the aperture.

Screws from Andy Skinner Industrial Elements Bolt and Washers chipboard sheet (Tando Creative) were painted with Silver Metallic MFA paint. The Dot Border die-cuts were adhered to the card as shown and the silver-painted chipboard screws were adhered over the dots. More rust paint was added here and there to the card front to add to the visual interest.

The image panel was adhered to the inside of the card and I called it done!

Here are two more views of the card!

Inside Spread

Image Panel

Thanks for visiting today!

I shall enter this card into the following challenges:
• DecoArt Media's Under the Sea Challenge
• Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenges: By the Sea
• Fashionable Stamping Challenge: Under the Sea
• Mixed Media World Challenges: Under the Sea

Key Keeper "Frame It" ATC!

I did have a few rays of sunshine during my absence from the blogosphere. I am delighted to report that I will continue as a design team member with Stampotique Originals for another term! Click here to read more about the Stampotique Designers, including me!

Stampotique Originals has a very active Facebook page, where ATC swaps, challenges, and fabulous Stampotique artwork is shared. If you haven't joined the group yet, click on over, and sign up!

Our current ATC challenge is called "Frame it!" Here's my ATC featuring Keykeeper (Kira Nichols).

Keykeeper was stamped with Tuxedo Black Memento ink (Imagine Crafts) and colored with Copic markers. The image panel was set aside while I worked on a frame and the background for the ATC.

Black Media Gesso (DecoArt) was applied to a black chipboard frame using a palette knife and allowed to dry. Dioxazine Purple and Translucent White Media Fluid Acrylic (MFA) paints (DecoArt) were mixed and stippled over the frame. Metallic Gold MFA paint was stippled over top. The frame was set aside to dry. When it was dry, it was adhered over Keykeeper.

140 lb. Mixed Media cardstock (Strathmore) was painted with Dioxazine Purple, Translucent White, Quinacridone Violet, and Quinacridone Magenta MFA paints and heat set to create additional texture.

Jet Black StazOn ink (Imagine Crafts) was sponged over a Keyholes stencil (Ranger) and heat set. This panel was then edged with Jet Black StazOn ink. A black mdf heart was painted with Metallic Gold MFA paint. Gold metallic cardstock (Recollections) was die-cut with the Hint of Lime font die (Die-Versions). The heart and sentiment were adhered to the panel.

Thanks for visiting today!

Just a Note

You might have noticed that I have been M.I.A. from the blogosphere for the last month or so. My life hit a rough patch when my mother took ill right around Mother's Day and was hospitalized with pneumonia. Her conditioned seemed to stabilize, then worsened. They did further testing which revealed stage four lung cancer. The day she received her diagnosis, she wrote her own eulogy that she wanted read at her funeral by one of her sons-in-law. It follows. 

~~~

"Sing no sad songs for me. 

My life has been fun and funny because I have been fortunate to have had the love a guy for over sixty years. I had three incredible children who are different from each other, which has made it fascinating to watch them develop into unique individuals. Miracle of miracles, they each have found their soul mates. The icing on the cake is my three special grandchildren. 

There have been special friends, you know who you are, who have added immeasurably to my life. 

To my sisters and their families, our relationship was unique. 

I am not a woman of valor. I am a woman who is loved and gave love.”

~~~ 

Five days after receiving her diagnosis, my mother died with my sister, myself, and our husbands by her side.

This card, featuring Lark (I Brake for Stamps), was inspired by my mother's eulogy and her love of nature.

Lark (I Brake for Stamps) was stamped with Tuxedo Black Memento ink (Imagine Crafts), colored with Copic markers, fussy-cut, edged with black marker, then matted with black cardstock.

Kraft cardstock was embossed with a musical notation embossing folder. Slightly darker kraft cardstock was die-cut with a fancy tag die with a sentiment die inside it. The sentiment die was used a second time to die-cut black cardstock, which was inlaid in place. The embossed cardstock and the sentiment tag were lightly edged with Black Soot Distress ink (Ranger).

I Brake for Stamps has a huge and varied collection of rubber stamps that you ought to check out right now. Click on my badge below to be whisked over to I Brake for Stamps to check out all of the goodies! Best of all, if you buy something, you can get a 10% discount off of your purchase if you use this code: SAVE10KATHI!

Thanks for visiting today!