CongRats - A Retirement Card

It's Thursday, which means it's time to post the second card that I created as October's Guest Designer for Topflight Stamps! It's a retirement card for my husband, who retired last week. When I first saw Katzelkraft's Les Rats des Villes - City Rats Unmounted Red Rubber Stamp Set, I knew that eventually I'd be making this card.

Here my card with Katzelkraft's Les Rats des Villes - City Rats and Les Drôles Accessoires-Funny Accessories  Unmounted Red Rubber Stamp sets.

Topflight Stamps Products Used:
Katzelkraft's Les Rats des Villes - City Rat Unmounted Red Rubber Stamp set
Les Drôles Accessoires-Funny Accessories Unmounted Red Rubber Stamp set
Onyx Black VersaFine™ ink by Tsukineko®

Other Products Used:
Solar White Classic Crest® Cardstock by Neenah Papers
Tuxedo Black Memento™ ink by Tsukineko®
Copic® Markers:
   Rat Fur: E30, E31, N0, N1, N2, N3. N4, N5, BV000, BV20, C3, C4, C6, C6, C7
   Rat Ears, Paws, and Tails: BV000, BV20, R00, R11
   Rat Eyes: B21, B23. YG01, YG03, Y13, Y19
   Podium: W00, W1. Y000, E21. E23, E37
   Track: E13, E15
   Stands: B60, N1, N3
   Crowd: Y11, Y13, Y19, YG07, R24 ,R59, B04, B06
   Trees: G24, G85
   Sky: C4, B21
Clear Glaze® 3D Glossy Gel Pen by Sakura
Black and blue cardstock by Bazzill Basics Paper®
Black Soot Tim Holtz®Distress® ink by Ranger Industries
Speech Bubble Die set by Spellbinders®
Mixed Messages Clear Stamp Set by Paper Trey Ink
Banner Stamp by Stampotique
Glitter Alphabet Stickers by Making Memories

Instructions:

1. Three rats from the Les Rats des Villes - City Rats Unmounted Red Rubber Stamp Set were stamped with Tuxedo Black Memento ink onto white cardstock, fussy-cut, colored with Copic markers, then edged with a dark marker to get rid of those nasty white edges. The rats' eyes and teeth were coated with several layers of Clear Glaze® 3D Glossy Gel Pen to add dimension and shine. 
2. The winners' podium from Katzelkraft's Les Drôles Accessoires-Funny Accessories Red Rubber Stamp set was stamped with Tuxedo Black Memento ink onto white cardstock. It also was fussy cut, colored with Copic markers, and edged with a dark marker.
3. The rats and the podium were set aside while I worked on the background. They kept each other amused while I toiled. 
4. I googled track and field race tracks, found a suitable free photo, downloaded it, then used PhotoElements to change it from color to a black and white charcoal background, which was lightened quite a bit before being printed onto Copic friendly cardstock using my laser printer. The background image was colored with Copic markers, softened even more with the colorless blender, then trimmed to be used as the card front.
5. The banner was stamped with Memento ink, colored, fussy-cut, edged, then adhered to the background card front. 
6. Glittery letter stickers were added to spell out "CongRats".
7. The card front was edged with Black Soot Distress ink, then matted with black cardstock.
8. Light blue cardstock was die-cut with a small speech bubble die twice and the tiny sentiments were stamped with Onyx Black VersaFine ink onto them. VersaFine ink always gives a wonderful clean impression when stamping small and/or detailed stamps.
9. The winners podium and the rats were adhered to the card front and the tiny speech bubbles were added. 
10. The card front was then mounted onto a 5x7 blue card.

BTW, Some links in this post are affiliate links which do not affect the price you pay but allow me to earn a small percentage of a sale. Thanks! If you shop at Topflight Stamps, please use my coupon code, KATHIREREK855, for 10% off your order.

Thanks for visiting today!

Flowers and Friends

 It's Kristen's turn to host the Stampotique Designers Challenges and here's what she's got to say about it!

"We may be nearing towards the end of summer, and for most, the flowers are fully bloomed, but for me, some of the best flowers are yet to come.  I love the gigantic sunflowers and the autumn mums, and for that reason, I challenge you to use flowers in your creations this week. Have fun!"

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

Here's my rather large card that features Stampotique's Happy Head Appliances Cube, Cousin Carmine, Angel , and Merry Fairy. The stamp artists for all that I used are Daniel Torrente and Jill Penney.

 

The heads of Cousin Carmine, Angel , and Merry Fairy were stamped using Tuxedo Black Memento ink, die-cut with Nestabilities Circle dies by Spellbinder, colored with Copic markers, and matted with black cardstock scalloped circle die-cuts. These were set aside while I created the "flowers".

The hats from the Happy Head Appliances Cube were stamped onto leftover scraps of sponged, stenciled cardstock, colored with Copic markers, fussy-cut, then shaped with embossing styli (styluses?). Additional circles were die-cut from white cardstock, covered with adhesive, and the hats were adhered with the points facing inwards, to form flower petals. The colored, matted heads of Cousin Carmine, Angel , and Merry Fairy were adhered to the centers of the flowers.

Washi tapes were adhered to the base of yellow patterned KMA cardstock (from the dark ages) and ribbon was adhered to form the flowers' stems. The yellow cardstock was matted with dark red cardstock, then adhered to the card.

Clear and light blue vellum was die-cut with a Paper Trey Jar and Lid die. The blue vellum was adhered to the clear vellum then the jars were adhered over the ribbon stems. White Wink of Stella pen was used to add detail to the jar. The flower heads were adhered to the ribbon stems, then additional ribbon was formed into loops and adhered to the stems to become leaves.

The sentiment was computer generated and printed onto the same yellow patterned KMA cardstock using a laser printer. This piece was die-cut and adhered over the three jars. Gemstones were added to finish the card.

Thanks for visiting today!

I shall enter this card in the following challenges:

• My Besties UK Challenge: Anything Goes and Flowers
• Simon Says Monday Challenges: Anything Goes
• Hiding in My Craftroom Challenges: Use Ribbon
• Inkspirational Challenges: Use Red, Orange, and Yellow

I've got some sweet news!

I've been asked to join Outlawz Friday Alcohol Markers DT Group! Yay!

This week's challenge is Something Sweet and here's my card, using Sweet Tooth, a digital stamp by Elisabeth Bell, who is sponsoring our March challenges.

I based my card on Stella Says Sketch #204.

Here's my card!

I printed Sweet Tooth on Neenah cardstock with my laser printer and colored it with Copic markers to match the Secret Garden patterned papers by Graphic 45. Most of the edges were sponged with Antique Linen Distress ink. Die-namics die cuts were used for the border and the bow. An ancient QuicKutz die was used for the sentiment, which was from PaperTrey Ink's Friendship Jar set. "U.R" came from my beloved-and-rapidly-vanishing Doodlebug rub-ons.

Thanks for visiting today!

I shall enter this card in the following challenges:

• Catch the Bug: Stella Says Sketch #204
• Aud Sentiments Challenge #101: Sentiment for a Girl
• 7 Kids Challenge Blog: Anything Goes
• Deep Ocean Challenges: Just for a Girl
• Through the Purple Haze Challenge #31: Use a Digi

Birthday card!

I don't know about you, but I am always running out of suitable birthday and thank you cards. So I've been making these whenever I get a chance and stockpiling them waiting for a card to match a recipient. Not everyone appreciates every style, kwim?

Anyways, here it is!

I stamped Stampotique Originals' Girl with Heart Purse with Black Archival ink onto 140 lb. Mixed Media cardstock by Strathmore. I love that stuff. It's got a smoothish surface, but is heavyweight and tough enough to take a lot of abuse and abuse it I did!

Girl with Heart Purse was colored using my somewhat limited palette of Distress markers. I used the narrow side for the really skinny bits of her. I found that applying color with the brush tip onto my craft sheet and then using a barely damp water brush worked well for coloring her. I also used Craft Nibs with the Craft Nib holder to apply some of the colors as well whereI wanted to add a bit of shading in small places. If you don't have the Craft Nib holder and like the sharpish point of Craft Nibs, go get one. It's ergonomic and all that fun stuff. :D

A Distress marker was used to outline Girl with Heart Purse and to add a dotty background around her. I tore the edges, wet the cardstock, then sponged Tumbled Glass and Pumice Stone Distress inks onto the image panel.

The background was created with Tumbled Glass Distress Stain and sprays that I made with Fired Brick, Wild Honey, and Pumice Stone Distress Reinkers, water, and mini-misters. First Tumbled Glass Distress Stain was applied to the cardstock until I had the depth of color that I wanted. The colors were sprayed onto the craft sheet and the cardstock was dragged through the puddles. Water was misted onto the cardstock, and panel was heatset. Another layer of Tumbled Glass Distress Stain was applied and heat set. This process was repeated until I had a background that I liked.

I found an old Pebbles stencil that had birthday candles on it. I covered the flame parts of the candles with Post It notes and was left with the vertical candles. I changed their orientation to horizontal, then sponged Tumbled Glass Distress ink over the stencil on both sides of the panel.

I also had another old stencil that had little flower bouquets on it. The bouquets were traced using the fine tip of the Distress markers, then colored in with the brush tip.

Musical Washi tape was colored with a Copic marker, then used to ground the image panel. The same colored Washi tape was applied to a scrap of white cardstock and die cut with old QuicKutz arrows. Hearts were punched, sponged with Tumbled Glass Distress ink, and a birthday sentiment from Paper Trey's Mixed Messages set was added to one of them. I adhered everything and managed to leave an inky red fingerprint where I didn't want it, so I used the second heart to cover it. Tiny Attacher staples to the arrows and the heart.

I also have red fingerprints on my forehead, but they'll wash off. Besides, I didn't feel like stapling it to my head. I figured that might hurt.

Thanks for visiting today!

I shall be entering this card in the following challenges:
• Stampotique Designers Challenge #117: Birthday Theme
• Come & Get It Challenges: Birthday Theme
• The Squirrel & The Fox Challenge #53: Happy Birthday

An Owl Bookmark and Paper Artsy Fresco Paints

So, my friend and "boss", Susana, told me about Paper Artsy's Fresco Paint. She's an evil, evil enabling woman.

First I had to do my requisite amount of research and watched myriad U-Tube videos, read reviews of the paints asked friends their opinions, blah, blah, blah. Then I agonized a while because after all, I do not have much luck with acrylic paints or rather, didn't until I tried the Distress Paints. Being me, I agonized a bit more, then found a sale and bought a few opaques and a few translucents in my usual favorite color palette.

Then they sat for a spell while I watched even more videos, several times. Finally today, I got them out and gave them a go.

Here's what happened.

I started out by grabbing a leftover scrap of 140 lb. Strathmore water color paper, figuring that I'd be abusing the heck out of it, plus I wanted it to stand up to the rigors required of being a bookmark, which is hard work.

Three opaque Fresco paints were put onto my craft sheet, then sponged onto the paper using Cut N Dry Foam. I blended the colors, experimented with the coverage, and generally played around. When I was happy with the result, I heat set the paints. Then I repeated the process adding a few of the translucent paints into the mix. I added a bit of water spritzes, and did some blending and "knocking back" using a baby wipe. When I was happy with that layer, I heat set it. I did this several more times, building up layers of color, then set the paper aside to dry completely.

I cut a piece from the Study Hall patterned paper from the Oxford Collection by Basic Grey. I rarely buy 12x12 paper these days, but AC Moore had a sale and had this sheet, which I figured (correctly) would be useful. I "fussy cut" the top of the paper between the books and used a black Big Brush pen to change the color between the books, though I should have done this step when I was feeling a bit steadier-handed. This patterned paper was adhered to the dried painted watercolor paper.

I wanted to use the owl from the Birdy Up stamp by Stampotique, so I placed a Post-It note over the other birdies, inked the stamp with Jet Black StazOn ink (and yes, I sniffed the pad), removed the Post-It note, and used a Stamp-a-ma-jig stamp positioner to position and stamp the owl.

The next step was to color it, which I did using Distress markers. I ended up having to add shading with a Prismacolor pencil because the ink from the Distress markers didn't work for layering. Go know. I also used the colored pencils to deepen the eye and talon color. Then I coated the eyes, beak, and talon with my ever-so-useful-almost-a-necessity Clear Gelly Roll Glaze pen!

The quote is from a set that I've had forever by Paper Trey Ink, but never used. Bad, bad me!

The flourishes at top and side were created by sponging Frayed Burlap Distress ink over a stencil by Andy Skinner/Tando (which was also purchased due to that evil temptress mentioned above).

The bookmark was mounted on brown cardstock and I called it "Done!"

Thanks for visiting today!

I shall be entering this bookmark into the following challenge:
• Stampotique Designer's Challenge #105: Anything But a Card
• 613 Avenue Create #25: Anything Goes 
• Challenges for Everybody: Anything Goes!

Welcome to Happy Town!

You can probably tell that I was in a whimsical mood when I created this card.



I was in the mood to create a scene, so I pulled out my Happy Town stamp by Victoria Case for SCACD. Since I sometimes like to create back stories for my stamps, I tried to figure out who might live in this cute village and remembered all the Chicklet stamps by the late lamented Odd Bird Planet.

So I stamped the lady & gentleman chicklets, masked them with Cansor & Newton masking fluid, then stamped Happy Town. I decided that the scene was missing a little something, so I added the little something fairy chicklet atop one of the houses and a trio of hearts.

I lifted the mask, colored the scene with Copic markers, masked again with masking fluid, airbrushed the background, lifted the mask, added glitter and Glaze pen accents to the windows, a lovely glittery skirt to the fairy chicklet, and then wrote a huge run-on sentence to describe my process. BTW, I colored first, then chose papers, which is a deviation from my norm. Oddly freeing.

We know a lot of folks (including ourselves) who celebrate anniversaries this month, so I added a Paper Trey Mixed Messages sentiment to a die cut.

The striped pattered paper is by Basic Grey and I'm not sure who makes the paper with the big dots.

Thanks for visiting today!

Building the card stash: Birthday

I don't know about you, but whenever I need a birthday card, I don't have one that works for the recipient. That's odd considering that I probably have a few thousand handmade cards filed in various places. So, I'm building my stash of birthday and thank you cards since those are the ones I need most frequently.

I decided to take a bunch of challenges with this card. I took Outlawz Monday Greetings "Distressed" challenge, plus used I used this week's sketch from the Outlaws Wednesday Challenge Group

Here's the sketch:


Here's my take on the sketch:



I used Garden Eyes by Susana's Custom Art. I won her so I'm bound and determined to use her often. Besides, she's fun to color. I love those eyes!!! She was colored with Copic markers (list to follow). Winsor & Newton Iridescent Medium was used on her wings. I masked her with Eclipse tape, then airbrushed BG90, BG93, BG72, and a touch of Y000 over her.

The big honkin' flower was die cut from white metallic paper using old Boss Kut dies. I inked 'em with Rose Red and Angel Pink Memento ink, shaped them with a stylus, then stacked them. The swirls are that same metallic paper cut with QuicKutz dies that I colored with BG53. The leaves were punched from the same paper and then colored with YG23. Note: when you ink white metallic paper, it retains its shimmer!

Patterned papers from Basic Grey's 6x6 Lemonade papers were used for the card. The edges were distressed with the TH Tonic Distressing tool, then sponged with Worn Lipstick Distress Ink, which was also used on the reverse of the paper for that rolled edge.

The sentiment is from the Mixed Messages set by Paper Trey Ink and was stamped on a tiny tag by QuicKutz.

Copic Markers used:
Skin: E50, YR000, YR0000, R11
Hair: E51, E53, YR30, YR31, Y000
Eyes: YG21, YG23
Shirt: Y11, Y00; BG53,57, YG21, 23, 25
Pants and Shoes: R81, 83
Wings: Custom Less Than R81, R83.

Thanks for visiting today!

I shall be entering this card in the following challenges.
• Outlawz Monday Greetings "Distressed" challenge
• Outlaws Wednesday Challenge Group
• Simon Says "Anything Goes"
• iCopic Lovers Challenge #78 "Spring Colors"
• Oozak Challenges "Anything Goes"

Thank you!

I recently won blog candy from SCACD but the prize stamp was a surprise! The stamp arrived on Monday and I was delighted to receive Garden Eyes, which is from Susana Loves Stamps fabulous new Eyes of Beauty and Dreams Collection.

Here's my first card with her, using SCS Sketch #378!


I pulled out my Copic markers and started coloring her face. It came out a bit darker than I would have liked, so I gave her black hair instead of the blonde I had planned. Since it's spring and the trees are beginning to sport their YG colors*, I found some favorite older Memory Box Enchanted papers and took my palette from them. Then I was thrilled to discover that Pearlescent Lavender Brilliance ink matched the B60 series really well, so I used that to sponge ink over the die to give Garden Eyes a nice background.

The sentiment is from the Mixed Messages set by Paper Trey Ink!

*Yes. It's true. I think in Copic colors now.

Thanks for visiting today!

I shall enter this card in the following challenges:
• Outlawz Promarker/Copic Fridays "Anything Goes" challenge
• Simon Says Stamp "Use your favorite tool" challenge -- Mine are Copics and/or Dies.
• Oozak Blog "Anything Goes" challenge

Easter Surprise!!! Variations on a theme!

I've done this sort of card before where something unexpected comes out of an Easter egg.

Here's my really brightly colored card:



Here's a close-up:

This time, I felt like using some of my poor neglected Memory Box Penguins. They used to have a dozen or so differently attired penguins, but have discontinued some of them. This makes me sad since I adore these funny penguin stamps!

This is the retired Carmen Miranda penguin who freakin' cracks me up. She cracked up that egg too! The egg, quote bubble, and a thin strip were punched, die-cut, and cut from a left over piece of serigraph technique cardstock that I used for this card. The cardstock was stamped using Bombshell's Butterfly Queen set.

Carmen was colored with Copic markers. Clear Glaze pen was used on her beak and feet. I colored the "ice" with C0 Copic marker, added Sakura Glitter pen, and then put Clear Glaze pen over that to make it look sparkly and icy.

The punched egg was cut using decorative scissors that I dug out from a bottom drawer. I can't remember the last time I used them! I outlined it with a combo of Copic markers and Sharpies. The Sharpie pen worked better over the white embossed images. I then coated the egg with Glaze marker and shaped it to make it more 3D.

The small sentiment is from Paper Trey's Mixed Messages set, which is infinitely useful since the sentiments are tiny!

The patterned papers are from MME Everyday Tango and Basic Grey!

Thanks for visiting today!

I shall enter this card in the following challenges:
• Outlawz Promarker/Copic Friday's Easter challenge
• Splitcoast "You Have Me in Stitches" challenge

Thanks friend!

While I was coloring the second "Madame Cat" card, I realized that I was not happy with the total pinkness of R81, so I made my own "less than R81" pink Copic marker by mixing one squeeze of R81 refill with a few pipettes full of Copic blending fluid.

The result is a paler pink which I used to color the dress of this super-sweet little girl from the same Cats unmounted sheet by The Enchanted Gallery.



I used E40 & R0000 for her skin; YR30, Y23, and & 26 for her hair; R81 & "less than R81" for her dress, and C1, C0, C00 for the kitten.

The patterned paper is from the Urban Prairie 6x6 pad by Basic Grey. The scalloped ovals and the bottom layer (with the paper lace trim) was popped up on dimensional adhesive. The pearls and button were airbrushed with R83 and the Copic airbrush system.

The edges of the patterned paper and the little sentiment-bearing tag (Mixed Messages by Paper Trey) were distressed to add a shabby feel to the card. Last of all, the card is a small one, measuring 3.5" x 5". Fun size!!!

Thanks for visiting today!

I shall be entering this card in the following challenges:
• Simon Says Stamp Challenge -- Layers of paper
• Outlawz Greeting Mondays: Pearls & Lace

Bombshell Stamps' Hump Day Hop!

I'm the last stop on this month's Hump Day Hop, so you've probably been totally inspired by some serious eye candy!

To refresh your memory, Alison, our lovely Bombshell Hump Day Hop Captain, issued a color challenge for this month's blog hop.

Here is the color palette:


Here's my card, which scanned bizarrely!


I wanted to use the koi from the Lotus Garden set, but I also wanted to use one of the Bombshell pin-up stamps, so I decided to go a bit whimsical and have the mermaid from the Mermaid Anchor set hitch a ride on her friend, the koi.

The mermaid and koi were colored with Copic markers and are much lighter in real life. The silly scanner really weirded out the colors, and my limited Photoshop skillz met their match. If it's nicer out tomorrow, I'll try to take a photo and share that instead. However, you'll just have to pretend for now. The mermaid's hair is very close to the lightest yellow orange. The koi's tale is lighter and more variegated.

The patterned papers are from MME's Home (old) and Fine & Dandy Boy (new). I just happened to have the perfect sentiment from the Everyday Button set by Paper Trey Ink!

Thanks for visiting today.

Here's the hop list if you got lost and/or want to revisit any of the spectacular artwork you've seen.
Bombshell Blog
Alison
Laura
Mary G.
Torrey
Cheryl
Stempelientje
Kelli
Alaine
Glittery Katie
Celina Anthony
Paula
Milo
Sparkly Mary (The Birthday Girl!):
Alex
Kathi <---You're here!

World Card Making Day Blog Hop!

It's World Card Making Day and I'm participating in an official Blog Hop sponsored by Paper Crafts magazine! So far over 200 people have signed up! Wow! Here's the link to the blog list.

Here's the first one, using Bombshell Stamps' Man's Ruin set. I decided to stamp onto print paper and then color the skulls with Copics and used a touch of red Stickles as "blood drops". I used my birthday gift (from me to me with love) of Spellbinders' Ironworks Accents.



Here's my second card!


Since I was having fun stamping on patterned paper, I did it again! This time I used Third Coast's Heart Rose (CK-108-G) from page 67 of the catalog. I colored the Heart Rose using Copic markers and the feather blending technique I learned at my Certification class.

The patterned papers are from the Butterfly Garden collection by Pink Paislee. I used another birthday present (the Heart Circle Nestabilities set) with a circle Nestabilities die. A tiny tag die by QuicKutz was stamped with a sentiment from the Mixed Message set by Paper Trey Ink. I've been trying to build up an inventory of thank you cards...

Thanks for visiting today!

Pink Fairy Card

Flowers are starting to bloom, so it was time to get this stamp inky! I decided to use SCS Sketch #327, but had to flip it, and move some elements around a bit to make it work with the stamp.

Here it is!


The flower fairy is from the Fairy Fantasy unmounted sheet by The Enchanted Gallery. I love all the images on this sheet.

The sentiment is from the Mixed Messages set by Paper Trey Ink. That's one seriously useful set, that I especially like because the sentiments are tiny!

I colored the image with Copic markers in shades of pink (for the iCopic dt audition). I added a layer of Iridescent Medium to her wings to make 'em translucently glimmery. The background was chalked with shimmery palette chalk by Pebbles. Finally, I used three buttons to finish it off!

Thanks for visiting today!

Paper Trey 2010 Favorites Contest!

Paper Trey Ink is celebrating their fourth year with a fabulous contest, where their customers choose their favorite project from 2010 and post it for a chance to win a fabulous prize! I love Paper Trey and I love to win freebies. Read about the contest details by visiting Nichole Heady's Blog.

I actually mailed away several "favorite" Paper Trey cards without photographing them. Bad me. However, my most favorite 2010 Paper Trey card is one of two Chanukah* cards featuring Paper Trey Ink's Mazel Tov stamp set that was published in the November 2010 issue of CardMaker. (*I had a third Chanukah card in that issue too, but it didn't use a Paper Trey stamp! Go me.)

Here's it is (completely out of season):


The dreidel was colored with Copics and highlighted with Spica glitter pen. Distress Ink was used to sponge the background.

Thanks for visiting today.

Thanksgiving Third Coast Thursday

The Kitty Fairy (CH-681-G) is a Third Coast stamp which was colored with Copic markers. The branch and leaves are from the Fall on Me set by Technique Tuesday and were stamped with Memento inks and accented with Copic markers. The sentiment is from the Mixed Messages set by Paper Trey Ink.

The patterned papers are from the Restoration 6x6 pad by Crate paper (the mat layer). The background papers are from the Indian Summer 6x6 pad by Basic Grey.

Happy Thanksgiving and thanks for visiting today!

It's Technique Tuesday Tuesday again!

I missed a few weeks of my Technique Tuesday Tuesdays because I was away on vacation. However, I did bring stamps, Inktense pencils, and some Copic markers with me and played whenever I got a chance. I must say that there's something very relaxing and civilized about sitting outside by a pool, under some palm trees, coloring.

I didn't put together many cards, just card fronts, so it's taken me a little while to turn them into full cards.

That turned out to be okay because we've had a death in the family, so I needed to make a condolence card. Here it is.


I stamped the maple and oak leaves from the Fall on Me set by Technique Tuesday and colored them with my Inktense pencils. The colors are much more intense than watercolor pencils. Plus, when they dry, the color is permanent and translucent and lends itself to layering of colors.

The sentiment is from the Mixed Messages set by Paper Trey. The patterned paper is by Cosmo Cricket. I colored the white thread in the ribbon with a Copic marker. It looks much cooler irl.

Thanks for visiting today!

Tuesday's Technique Tuesday card

I created this one for a WCMD challenge over at the Technique Tuesday's SCS forum. The challenge was to use markers. Ha! So not a challenge! These days a challenge for me would be to use any other medium!

Anyways, here's a bright and cheerful card using Technique Tuesday's My Little Poppy Shoppe set that I got at the CK Convention back in the summer.



The flower, stem, and leaves were stamped with Memento inks and colored with Copic markers. The patterned papers are from the Origins 6x6 pad by Basic Grey. I love this collection! The little sentiment is from the Mixed Messages set by Paper Trey Ink, which is fabulously useful with small sets and great fonts. I'm pleased to say that I used three (3) buttons, which leaves a million, gazillion, trillion in my four repurposed jumbo-sized Jif peanut butter-turned-into-button jars.

The design took one of those famous left turns, but I'm kind of pleased with the way the card came out. Oh and the poppy is yellow because that's the only color I've ever seen irl. I must google "Poppy Images" to see what other colors they can be.

Prattle, prattle. Oy. Sorry.

Thanks for visiting today!

Variations on a theme

The theme is Thank You cards. The stamp set is Growing Wild by Technique Tuesday. Oddly enough (for me), these cards will actually be mailed as acknowledgement and gratitude for birthdayversary gifts.

Merci Bouquet: Sentiment by Savvy Stamps

The grass was stamped using three different shades of Memento Green ink. The flowers were stamped with Dauber Duo inks. I don't know if these are still being made. They are very useful for inking portions of stamps. Fortunately, I still have a cache of them. So glad I'm a hoarder.


Thanks just doesn't seem like enough: Sentiment from the Autumn Abundance set by Paper Trey Ink.


The grass was done the same way, but this time the flower portion of the stamp was colored with Pentel Watercolor pens direct to the stamp and then inked.


Thanks so much: Sentiment by Paper Trey Ink


One of the main reasons I bought this set was because I loved the hummingbird. However, as a bird-brained bird-watcher, I needed the flower to reflect a food source for hummers. I found the flower stamp in a Technique Tuesday set that was retired. I call it "Little Flower" set because it's comprised of little flower heads, stems, and some leaves. So I inked the flower stems from the Growing Wild set and used the other flower. Everything on this one was inked with Memento inks with the exception of the hummer, which was inked with Adirondack Stream.

The blue paper for all cards is by Fancy Pants. The last card also uses papers by My Mind's Eye and Cosmo Cricket.

That's probably enough babble for now.

Thanks for visiting!