Steampunk'd!

Meet Polly (WT-004-M), found on page 41, of Third Coast Rubber Stamps' Spring 2012 release.

Polly was colored with Copic markers, accented with Spica Glitter Pen,"fussy cut", and set aside.

I used Victorian Violet Distress ink to randomly stamp the Solid Single Gear Small (CO-276-EE, from page 15, onto ledger paper from My Mind's Eye's So Sophie: Graceful 6x6 paper. Then the sentiment, Steampunk Grunge (WS-185-D), which can be found on page 18 was stamped over the gears and the top part of the word was "fussy cut". The ledger paper was then layered onto violet patterned paper from the same pad.

Distress Ink was sponged through The Crafters Workshop Time Travel stencil and onto the layered paper. Polly was positioned atop "Steampunk" and I called it done.

Thanks for visiting today!

Merci for a new stamp release!

Woo-hoo! Third Coast Rubber Stamps has revealed the new release stamps, which includes lots of Steampunk as well as some other great stuff! Best of all, the new release stamps are 20% off through June 10th! Click here to be whisked away to check it out for yourself!

Here's my card featuring Flying Fran (VB-395-R) which you can find on page 41 of the Spring '12 Supplement.

I decided that Flying Fran was a French aerialist and gave her a tightrope wire. She was colored with my Copic markers. The patterned paper is from the Curtain Call 8x8 pad by Graphic 45. I've been using the heck out of that pad!

"Merci" (WS-113-BB) is also from Third Coast Rubber Stamps and can be found on page 26 of the Early Spring '08 Supplement.

BTW, the card is enormous at 5.5" x 8.5". I also discovered that the !@#$% Recollections 8.5" x 11" paper is only 10 15/16". Drove me nuts til I actually measured the freaking paper and realized why things looked uneven. Reminds me when the monochromatic Bazzill cardstock in the packs was 1/16" short.

It also photographed oddly and distorted the layering. It's really actually straight irl, except for that 1/16" discrepancy along the top. *sigh*

Thanks for visiting today!

I shall enter this card in the following challenge(s):
• Simon Says Stamp & Show Anything Goes

The REAL Mother's Day Card

So, after I made the other Mother's Day card, I realized that last year's Mother's Day card used that image. So, I just HAD to make another.

In the middle of it all, I received my new limited edition Spring Distress inks, which made me have to re-organize. Being a me of little attention span (gnat-sized), I ended up doing a major cleaning of my table and storage.

Since I didn't have to mail my card since I'm seeing Mom tomorrow, I was able to put off finishing the card (the image had been stamped and colored) until today.

So, without further blather, here it is!

The image is the super-sweet Fairy Mom and Babe (VB-032-M) by Third Coast Rubber Stamps. I colored it with my Copic markers and added a bit of Spica glitter pen to their antennae. Glaze pen was used on the acorn.

The patterned paper is from the Porcelain 6x6 pad by Basic Grey. The flowers were die cut with a Sizzix flowers die from white cardstock and then colored with Copic markers. I cut the ends off of it to make the die cut look more like the flowers in the image. The flower petals were curled up and/or down and sequins were colored with Copic markers. I used tiny rhinestones (also Copic colored) for the centers and for the top corner of the punched mat.

I finished up the card using a border punch and a sentiment by Purple Onion Designs.

Thanks for visiting today. If you're a mother, Happy Mother's Day to you! I'm off to have ribs made for me by my lovely husband!

I shall be entering this card in the following challenges:
• Outlaws Copic/Promarker Fridays: Garden challenge (since the fairies are in a garden)

• Oozak Challenge Blog: Spring Colors

Bombshell Stamps May Sketch Challenge

As you know, I create monthly sketches over at Bombshell Stamps. Please feel free to grab your Bombshell stamps and have a go at the sketch. If you do create a project, please share it with us over at Bombshell's Forum and at Bombshell's Blog. Sharing it at both places will give you two chances to win your choice of a free set of Bombshell Stamps! I think that's worth playing for!!! (Yes. I watch Survivor.)

Here's the sketch!

Here's my take on it!

Full Sail Ship from the Homeward Bound set is probably my favorite Bombshell stamp or at least it's in the top five. Homeward Bound was one of my first sets that I got many, many moons ago with holiday cash. I think it's a perfect stamp for so many different occasions ranging from Bon Voyage to Birthday to Get Well Soon! Yep. I love, Love, LOVE it.

Anyway, the lovely ship, sea, and sky were colored with Copic markers.

I kept going back and forth on patterned papers and finally said to myself (and yes, I talk to myself), "Self, why not use that Tim Holtz Core'Dinations Nostalgic Kraft-Core cardstock and some embossing folders?" So I did. The blue/kraft was embossed with the Rays Texture Fades (bottom) and the Retro Circles Texture Fades(mat). The red/kraft was embossed with a Cuttlebug Dot embossing folder. Then the red and blue pieces were sanded to reveal their lovely kraft innards.

The patterned paper is from the Kraft Basics 6x6 pad by Basic Grey. I have no idea why the heck they retired the Basics collections. I thought they rocked and were ever-so-useful. Silly rabbits should have asked me first. *snort*

Best of all, I used printed twill that I've had since dinosaurs roamed the planet. Or something like that.

So, thanks for visiting today!

I shall enter this card in the following challenges:
• Craft Your Passions #109 Distressed and Torn Edges
• Simon Says Stamp & Show "Favorite Stamp"
• Outlawz Monday Greetings "Anything Goes" challenge

Mother's Day Card #1

I'm getting ready for Mother's Day by making a few cards. Once I have a few, I'll decide which one to actually send to my mom. There's no need for you to worry about her seeing it here because she doesn't visit my blog.

IMHO, this image is perfect for Mother's Day. It just exudes sweetness, don't you think? It's from The Enchanted Gallery's Nature Spirit and Domino Art set I colored it with Copic markers and then chose the patterned papers and ribbon to match. That's the polar opposite of the way I usually do things, but I wanted to play around with hair color and the V family of Copics.

Both patterned papers are from My Mind's Eye 6x6 pads, which I love and adore. The striped paper is from So Sophie "Graceful" pad and the other one is from Six by Six "A Beautiful Life" pad.

Yes, I do consider myself to be "bow impaired". However, I used beautiful hand-dyed seam binding sent to me by the lovely and talented Nicole, who hand dyed it herself!!! The ribbon is kind of crinkly and variegated and makes a gorgeous fluffy imperfect bow! Thank you Nicole!!!

The sentiment is from an incredibly useful set by Purple Onion Designs.

I used a Spellbinders' Lattice Rectangles die as well as their nameplates die. Since I messed up cutting the image and had to trim it way down, I added a layer of of cardstock to mat the image and scored vertical lines for some visual interest. Pearls (colored with Copic V25) were used to finish it off.

I should mention that this is one of my go-to card designs. I never get bored using it.

Thanks for visiting today.

I shall be entering this card in the following challenges:
• Craft Your Passions #109 Distressed and Torn Edges
• Outlawz Friday Promarker/Copic "Mother's Day" challenge

Happy Bird Day!

Greetings. Here's a birthday card that fulfills a bunch of different challenges, though some of them end in a few hours. Procrastination is my middle name. :D

I used this week's sketch, #SC #383, from Splitcoast Stampers.

Bird Fairy, by Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps, was colored with Copic markers in what I consider to be spring colors.

The sentiment is by the late lamented Odd Bird Planet and works for the cutie blue jay being held by the fairy.

The patterned papers are all from Basic Grey's Kioshi 6x6 pad. That's one of my most favorite collections of theirs. Ever.

I forgot to touch up the bird's beak with Glaze pen and to touch up some of the detail lines that I missed when stamping. Bad me. I'll do it now, so I don't forget. Besides, I have to decide who will get this card...

Thanks for visiting today.

I shall be entering this card in the following challenges:
• Splitcoast Stampers Sketch #383
• Kraftin' Kimmie's Blog -- Oops. Missed it. Thought I had 'til midnight! Bummer.
• Simon Says Stamp & Show: Kaleidoscope of colors
• Simon Says Stamp: Birthday Challenge
• Oozak Challenge #2: Spring Colors

Happy Lei/May Day!

Not only is it May Day, it's Lei Day in Hawaii.

So, I combined a mess of challenges and came up with this card using a sketch from Oulawz Sketch Wednesday.

Here's the sketch:

Here's my take on it:

The guitar player Hula dancer is from Bombshell's Hawaiian Girl set and Aloha Bird Banner and Hibiscus flower from the Hula Girl set. Both were colored with Copic markers (*list below). I used the outside the box (circle?) diecutting technique and "fussy cut" both the stamped hibiscus flowers (upper left) and the Aloha Bird Banner.

There is no patterned paper in this card, which I know is shocking. Instead, I created my own background using Worn Lipstick, Ripe Persimmon, Mustard Seed, and Spiced Marmalade Distress inks, which were sponged over an old Club Scrap stencil onto Kraft cardstock. The mat square was created the same way with the same Distress ink colors, but used the star portion of the Punchinella stencil from The Crafters Workshop.

Instead of ribbon, I punched a border using a Martha Stewart/EK success border punch. I also moved the flowers and used a sentiment stamp in place of a bow! (True confession! I'm awful at tying bows!

Thanks for visiting today!

I shall be entering this card in the following challenges:
• Oulawz Sketch Wednesday.
• Raise the Bar Challenge #102 -- "Lei Day"
• The Kraft Journal "Make it Monday" Sketch Challenge
• Simon Says Stamp & Show "Kaleidoscope" (lots of colors) Challenge -- BTW, Simon Says carries Bombshell stamps!