This should be entertaining!

We're going to a surprise 50th Birthday party for a friend who emphatically told me she did NOT want a party for her 50th. Too bad, so sad.

Here's her card that goes with her special martini glass present.


Here's the inside:


Shockingly, the martini/cupcake image, by Impression Obsession, was colored with Copics. The sentiment on the outside is by Savvy Stamps. The sentiment on the inside is by River City Rubber Works, whose stamps crack me up. But then again, I am easily amused. The teeny martini on the inside is from Inky Antics.

The paper is from the Cupcake 6x6 pad by Basic Grey. It's old, but cute. Like my friend (and like me).

In looking at this, I see a few raggedy edges. I had a stockpile of blade refills, but apparently, I've burned through them. Of course, I was at Michael's today with my trusty coupon. But being a spacy me, didn't remember. *sigh*

Thanks for visiting today!

Wishing you all the Berry Best!

Here's one that meets a bunch of different challenges, including Sketch Saturday's most recent sketch.

Here's the sketch.


Here's my take.


The Chef is a digi from Kenny K Downloads. She was colored with Copic markers. The R series can be such a pain, but I'm relatively pleased with the way she came out.

The patterned papers are from Basic Grey's Nook & Pantry 6x6 pad. The strawberry patterned paper was perfect for the Kenny K's Krafty Krew Challenge of "Strawberries & Cream". I fussy-cut some strawberries, added Glaze pen to them, cut a slit in the sauce pan, and added the berries.

The sentiment is from the late lamented Odd Bird Planet. I do love that FUNky font!

A bit of distressing with Old Paper Distress ink, plus some gemstones, and the card was done!

P.S. Ay-yi-yi: Second time this week that I forgot to use my beloved Glaze pens on buttons. *sigh*

Thanks for visiting today.

I shall be entering this card in the following challenges:
• Kenny K's Krafty Krew: Challenge #103: Strawberries & Cream
• Sketch Saturday #217
• Simon Says Stamp & Show: "Hey Girl"
• CMC Challenge #48: "Anything Goes with a Girly Twist"

Bombshell Stamps Iconic Hump Day Hop!

Alison, our hump day head hot shot, has decreed that this month's theme is Iconic.

Here's what she's got to say about the theme.

You will need to break out those fabulous, teeny weeny stamps that come with all of your sets and use them as your focus. You'll be able to use one large image too, but let's keep it as 1 (feel free to use none!). The focus is on all of the little icons.

So, you should have gotten here from Kim's blog.

I love all the secondary stamps and icons that come with all of Bombshell's stamp sets and find them to be tremendously versatile. In fact, I decided that I would not use one of the large stamps and went with a smaller stamp and three icons for my card.

Here it is!


All stamps are from the Hula Girl set. I used the Aloha Bird Banner for the focal image. I used the Serigraph technique to create the background paper. This technique involves brayering different colors of ink, stamping and heat embossing with white embossing powder, more brayering, and then stamping more images using colored ink. Clear as mud? I thought so.

It's freakin' hot here in New Jersey, so I wanted to use a summery palette. I also decided to break out the Distress inks, especially some of the newest colors and do something I had never done before! I actually colored the focal image with the Distress Ink using the Craft Nibs and Craft Nibs holder. That holder is genius!!! It makes using the Craft Nibs so much easier! The Distress pads that I used are: Old Paper, Antique Linen, Spiced Marmalade, Ripe Persimmon, Worn Lipstick, Picked Raspberry, Faded Jeans, Tumbled Glass, Salty Ocean, and Mowed Lawn.

A rather ornate Spellbinders die was used to showcase the focal image and kept the design CAS because I thought the background paper that I created was on the busier side.

I used a full 8.5" x 11" sheet of white cardstock to make my Serigraph patterned paper. I used the leftover pieces for my photo background and will be using them for another card or cards soon!

Let me know if you want details about this technique. I'd be happy to share the info.

Thanks for visiting today!

In case you've gotten lost or want to start all over again,here's the blog hop roster!
Bombshell Blog
Alison
Laura
Torrey
Sparkly Engineer Mary
Stempelientje
Glittery Katie
Kelli
Jodi
Alaine
Kim

A little night music?

Here's Akiko by Kraftin' Kimmie. Her name means "Sparkle" and she surely does or at least this card does!



Akiko was colored with Copic markers, die cut, masked with Winsor & Newton masking fluid, and then the background was airbrushed. I lifted the mask and added some glaze pen to the flute and some sparkly glitter pen accents to the flowers and her hair jewels.

I found amazing shimmery green cardstock in my stash. I *think* it might be by Club Scrap. I used the Bamboo 6x6 stencil by The Crafters Workshop and airbrushed G46 through it. I airbrushed a separate piece of the cardstock to be die cut for the sentiment.

I had a "Eureeka!" moment, when I realized that I had Ideology Tissue Tape with musical notation on it. It got airbrushed to match Akiko's kimono.

A few gemstones were strategically placed to finish the card. I just wish you could see the shimmer on this card. *sigh*

By the way, this is my "application" card. I'm throwing my proverbial hat into the ring for a chance to become a Krafty Girl. I don't think my chances are too good because I know of at least two fabulous artists that have applied. But, you can't win if you don't play...

Thanks for visiting today.

I shall be entering this card into the following challenges:
• Simon Says Stamp & Show: "Anything Goes"

Hello Charlotte! Are you feeling dotty?

Hah! My new stamps from Kraftin' Kimmie came the other day and I finally got a chance to get them mounted. Yahoo! I had to play with them right away, so I got out Charlotte first and decided to combine a whole mess of challenges with the card.

I used Dawny's Sketch for Simon Says Stamp Challenge, saw some spots for Cheryl's Lots of Dots (#137) Challenge for Kraftin' Kimmie's Challenge Blog, and did Craft Your Passion's Kraft, Lace, or Ribbon Challenge. I'm feeling sooooo efficient!!!

Here's the sketch!


I flipped it 90° and came up with this!


I stamped the image onto Cryogen white cardstock, which while not the whitest cardstock in the world, is shimmery. I'm a magpie, so I just love things that sparkle and shimmer. I colored the image with Copic markers to match the dotted paper from My Mind's Eye Miss Caroline-Fiddlesticks paper. I found some kraft-colored dotty Bazzill cardstock, which I used for the card front and for part of the sentiment die cut. Kraft-colored lace was added to one of the dotty layers to add another horizontal element. The sentiments were cut with Labels Four Nestabilities and I used brown rub-ons for the ever-so-original greeting. I did veer from the sketch because I just had to add another pink element and some bling.

Boo. Hiss!!! I just realized I forgot to add Glaze pen to the dolls' buttons.

Thanks for visiting today!

I shall enter this card in the following challenges:
• Cheryl's Lots of Dots (#137) Challenge for Kraftin' Kimmie's Challenge Blog
• Dawny's Sketch for Simon Says Stamp Challenge
• Craft Your Passion's Kraft, Lace, or Ribbon Challenge

Bring the Heat Blog Hop -- Post #2

See the post below for all the Smeared & Smudged Blog Hop information!

Here's my second card for the hop! Two posts in one day. Wow. Shock-a-roo!



Devilish Daphne (VB-121-M) lives on page 6 of Third Coast's Halloween'07 Supplement. She was stamped and colored with Copic markers, masked with Winsor & Newton masking fluid, airbrushed Y13 over the entire image panel, then airbrushed a few different Y and YR markers through the Flames stencil by The Crafter's Workshop. When I was done airbrushing the flames, I added some Black Soot Distress flames to add that sooty look. I peeled off the mask and added Spica glitter pen accents to her pitchfork, horns, and shoes. Glaze pen was added to her shoes and pitchfork to add dimension and shine. I drew a line in so it would like as if she were walking a tightrope over the flames of Hades.

The Thermometers (FA-517-J), from page 17 of the Spring '12 catalog were stamped with Onyx VersaFine ink and heat embossed with clear embossing powder. They were colored with Copic markers. Red Spica glitter pen was added to the mercury tube. and then Glaze pen was added to make 'em dimensional and shiny.

The background of the card was airbrushed using the same colors as above, though I cheated and started with some yellow cardstock.

The sentiment was computer generated.

Thanks for visiting today.

Just in case you missed the hop, here's the list again!
Tori

Black Dragon

Windy

Jane

Shell

Susan S.

Madelein Bouquet

Lady Brayton

Kristy

Glittery Katie

Alison

Lisa

Bombshell Stamps Blog

Wendy

Kathi

Dianne

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

"Bring the Heat" Blog Hop with S&S!

Welcome to the "Bring the Heat" Blog Hop! You should have gotten here from Wendy's Blog!

I'm thrilled to be participating in the "Bring the Heat" Hop sponsored by the Smeared & Smudged community.

If you are unfamiliar with Smeared & Smudged, here's how they describe their community!

Smeared and Smudged is an online community of rubber stampers and crafters who enjoy using alternative, gothic, edgy, and unique stamps in their designs. We thrive on different and unusual. We welcome the macabre and devious side of things, and most of all, we embrace ALL types and styles of art. Whether or not you “come to the dark side”, your creations should be a reflection of you. Here at Smeared and Smudged, the most important thing is being yourself.

The theme for this hop is "Bring the Heat" and here's Smeared & Smudged's blurb about it!

The theme is BRING THE HEAT! This is totally up to interpretation....some ideas would be using heat embossing, hot glue or fire. Or even using imagery of fire, heat, or even something SEXY! Step outside your comfort zones - the HOTTER the better!!! It can be a canvas, a card, a scrapbook page, an altered item, an art journal page, etc. Use your imaginations. Also, don't forget the S&S rule that is has to be stamped somewhere (digi stamps are fine)

Here's one of my projects using the devil from the Cherry Bomb set by Bombshell Stamps! I'm working on a second card and hope to get it uploaded later today!


The devil was stamped onto Cryogen white cardstock and colored with Copic markers. That cardstock is offwhite and has a nice shimmer to it. Unlike the other shimmery cardstock in my stash, Copics blended really nicely.

I used a clear Glaze pen to highlight his horns and monocle. Red glitter pen was used on his eyes and the cigarette tip to give them a nice red glittery glow. He was masked and airbrushed with Y21. I taped a flames stencil from The Crafters' Workshop and airbrushed a variety of Y and YR Copics over him.I grabbed my beloved Black Soot Distress Ink and added some black sooty flames to the base, above his cigarette, and around all the edges of the card

The sentiment is from the Memory Box and was die cut with a combo of Nestabilities and QuicKutz dies. Sheer black dotted ribbon and red rhinestones were used to finish the card.

Thanks for visiting my blog today!

Your next stop on the hop should be Dianne's blog

If you get lost, here's the complete roster!
Here's the Blogroll for the hop!

Blog Roll:

Tori

Black Dragon

Windy

Jane

Shell

Susan S.

Madelein Bouquet

Lady Brayton

Kristy

Glittery Katie

Alison

Lisa

Bombshell Stamps Blog

Wendy

Kathi

Dianne

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