Ah, to be cool under the sea!

It's over 90° here and don'tcha know that the freakin' central air went out? Yep. It's true and I'm whinin' about it. I wish I had a pool or lived near a beach so I could cool off. Alas and alack. I can't. There's always the shower, but that doesn't last long. I can't even open a window because the freakin' male cicadas are screaming their little lungs out trying to get laid, so they can create the next generation, who will burrow into the ground and do this all again seventeen years from now. These cicadas are hormonal teenaged boys. 'Nuff said.

Anyways, I decided that I was going to get my mind off my hot house, the horny cicadas, and the impending bill for the repair/replacement of the ac/furnace. I chose to play around some more with my Distress Paints, my water mister, and create a tag and do a challenge or two in the process.

This is what happened.



So, first I put some Chipped Sapphire, Salty Ocean, and Mowed Lawn Distress paints onto my craft sheet. I spritzed the paints and the tag and my face with some water from a Mini Mister. I dragged the tag through the paint, spritzed it with water, and heat set the first layer. Then I repeated the process using up the paint that was on the craft sheet. The next step was to sponge a mix of Black Soot and Mowed Lawn Distress paints through one of the plants on an old Club Scrap stencil to create sea plants along the bottom. I also sponged a combo if Mowed Lawn and Peeled Paint over a leafy plant on the same stencil. When I was happy-ish with it, I heat set that layer. Then I grabbed my beloved new favorite Tiny Circles stencil by The Crafter's Workshop and sponged Picket Fence Distress paint here and there. Because I could. So I did. That layer was heat set.

Octopet by Stampotique was stamped using Onyx Black VersaFine ink and embossed with clear detail embossing powder. Two fish from justjohanna/Odd Bird Planet were treated the same way. Both the octopus and the fish were colored with Silkz Acrylic Glazes which added some shimmery color to them.

Since I save everything, I happened to have a scrap from a Hammermill Inkjet Traansparency. I cut it to the same size as the tag, punched a hole in it, and then it took a ride through the Big Kick in the gorgeous Art Nouveau Waterfall embossing folder by Couture Creations.

The sentiment is from the Animal Love set by The Rubber Soul. I've had several of those sets forever. I probably got them because of the silly sentiments that go along with goofy animals. I can't resist either. Anyway, I stamped the sentiment onto a reject tag, cut it down, and added it to the tag.

I stapled the embossed transparency over the tag and then added some pretty sheer colored ribbon to finish the tag.

Thanks for visiting today!

I shall enter this tag into the following challenges:
• Stampotique Designer's Challenge #102: Transparent
• Simon Says Stamp: Anything Goes
• Anything Goes Challenge Blog #93: Handmade Background
• Party Time Tuesdays #122: Anything Goes

Bombshell Stamps Hump Day Hop!

It's the last Wednesday of the month, which means it's time for Bombshell's Hump Day Hop! This month, Alison, our lovely and talented Challenge Captain, has decreed that the theme be "Banners".

Banners are on trend right now, but Bombshell Stamps was ahead of the trend! Many of the stamp sets include banners and there's also a set with nothing but banners! Here's a link so you can check out the stamps for yourself and count the banners!

You should have gotten here from Kelli's blog where I'm sure you saw something to wow you!

I'm the last stop on the hop.

Here's my project, up a bit late. Sorry 'bout that.


One of my first sets of Bombshell Stamps and still one of my favorites is Homeward Bound. There's something about that clipper ship that appeals to me. I do love to sail and I love the ocean, but it's more than that. I think it might appeal to my inner wanderer and adventurer. It's perfect for so many different cards ranging from Get Well (rough patch) to Bon Voyage cards to Father's Day. It's just an incredibly versatile set.

But, I digress. How very shocking! *snortle*

The ship was stamped with London Fog Memento ink and colored with Copic markers. I did add some white gel pen scribbles to simulate sea foam and whitecaps. It was mounted on patterned papers from the Pride 6x6 pad and Glory 6x6 pads. Both pads are from Authentique. I love that Pride works so well with Glory, which was last year's patriotic pad. I love when manufacturers do that. It makes it easier to mix, match, and use your stash, which always makes me feel thrifty. When I feel thrifty, I get the urge to spend. So it works all around!

Hee. I digressed again. Sorry. Well, not really.

Anyway, once I was done layering the papers, I stamped the sentiment banner from the Homeward Bound/ set using Tuxedo Black Memento ink and colored it with Copic markers. When I was done, I fussy cut it and layered it below the stamped image.

I die cut the flags banner with a die cut from Taylored Expressions from patterned paper from the Glory pad. I painted a sheet of red Core'dinations Kraft Core--Nostalgic cardstock with Tarnished Brass Distress paint, die cut it with old, Old, OLD QuicKutz star dies, then sanded 'em a bit. I adhered the small ones between the flags and used the larger stars to cover the ribbon tie thingies on either edge of the flag banner.

Thanks for visiting today!

However, if you got lost along your way, here's the...
Bombshell Stamps Hump Day Hop Roster!
Bombshell Stamps Blog
Alison
Jodi
Marnie
Glittery Katie
Kim
Michelle
Alaine
Monika
Teresa
Sharon
Kelli

By the way, did you know that our hops are open to anyone who owns a Bombshell stamp, even the freebies? Why not hop along with us next month? We'd love to have you!

I shall enter this card in the following challenges:
• Simon Says Challenge: Anything Goes
• Party Time Tuesdays #122: Anything Goes
• Craft a Scene: Ships in the Night -- Let's say mine is very late afternoon because I misread the challenge.

Happy Bird Day!

Did you know that I'm a birdwatcher? It's true. I used to actually travel around to see them, but these days, I'm content to see who visits my backyard, though when we travel, we usually bring along a birding guide. I've always liked toucans and would love to see them in the wild one day. Therefore, when I saw this new stamp by Stampotique, appropriately named Toucan and Budgie I had to have it.

This is the first time it got inky!


Since I'm trying to play along with the Stampotique Designers Challenges, I stamped Toucan & Budgie onto text paper from the Lost & Found 2: Blush 6x6 pad by My Mind's Eye. After checking some toucan images on the 'net, I colored him with Copic markers. When I was done, I added some Clear Glaze Gelly Pen to his beak, his eye, his feet, and to the budgie's eye.

A second piece of the same text paper was sponged with New Sprout Memento ink to tint the paper. Mown Grass, Scattered Straw, and Barn Door Distress inks were sponged over the Leaf Frame stencil by The Crafter's Workshop. When I was done, I die cut the center of the paper to frame the stamped, colored image. After die cutting, I sponged the opening with Black Soot Distress ink, then adhered it over the the stamped image.

The sentiment, by justjohanna/Odd Bird Planet Stamps, was stamped with Deep Lagoon VersaFine ink onto that same text paper and die cut with a Spellbinders die. The paper was left in the die so that it could be colored with Copics to be all matchy-matchy. When it was removed from the die, it was sponged with Distress Inks.

The same text paper was punched with a five-petal flower Paper Shapers punch that I've had forever. I colored all three flowers with Copic markers, wet the flowers, and molded them to make 'em dimensional. The three flowers were adhered atop one another with the petals slightly offset. A tiny flower was punched from the same patterned paper with a Fiskar's punch, colored with Copic markers, wet, scrunched, and adhered to the center of the flower and a black pearl was added.

The card was finished with ribbon and some gemstones.

Thanks for visiting today!

I shall enter this card in the following challenges:

• Stampotique Designers Challenge #101: Text
• 613 Avenue Challenge #21: Anything Goes
• Crafting When We Can Challenge #45: Punches & Die cuts
• Robyn's Fetish Challenge #161: Birds
• The Corrosive Challenge Blog: Challenge #175 - I've Been Framed

Meet Cyd!

Cyd, the cicada, has just emerged from his nympho-exoskeleton and was posing on one of the brick planters that flank my front door. He's one of a 17-year cidaca horde that will be swarming my area of the northeastern US for the next four weeks. Here's a LINK to more information than you ever wanted to know about these lovely locusts.

The cool weather (20-30° warmer than it was on Thursday) will likely have a small impact on their emergence, which means that they will directly affect end-of-school-year activities, such as graduations. Interesting and somewhat cool at first, the cicadas will rapidly become a noisy nuisance that will end up crunching under foot and under tires.

For what it's worth, I am contemplating ways that I might be able to preserve a few since their wings are sheer and rather cool. I'm seriously contemplating spray painting a few of them silver or dipping 'em in UTEE. What do you think???

I can be such a birdbrain!

That's the truth. Just got this Stampotique Owl with wings and had to have him perched upon SCACD's Steampunk Clock, which is ever-so-cool and one of the fabulous Mixed Media Blank Canvas Collection.

I seem to continually remember birthdays when it's too late to mail a card. Odd for a cardmaker, don't you think? So I decided to make a belated birthday card, figuring that the "I can be such a birdbrain" sentiment, by justjohanna's Odd Bird Planet, was just about perfect for it (and for me).

Anyways, here's the card.


I should mention that the owl stamp is currently unavailable at SCACD. I got the last one. Neener neener So mature. SCACD does have other Stampotique Originals stamps.

Here follows my longwinded description of the card's creation. It sounds way more complicated that it really is. I'm given to hyperbole and verbosity.

First I used repositionable Scotch tape to cover the wings portion of the Owl with Wings stamp as well as his branchy perch. I inked the stamp, removed the tape, and stamped the owl's body onto white Neenah cardstock using Tuxedo Black Memento ink. Then I stamped off onto Judikins Eclipse tape and fussy cut the owl from the tape and layered the mask over the owl. Using my trusty Stamp-a-ma-jig stamp positioner, I stamped the Steampunk Clock, so it would appear that the owl was standing on the pipe at the top. Again, I stamped off onto Eclipse tape and fussy cut the clock and pipes, though I had to do it in different sections because I'm just not that talented to do it at once. Those masks were placed atop their respective images. I used a Post-It note to cover up the owl, inked the stamp, and then removed the Post-It note. Using the stamp positioner again, I stamped the wings over the body, the clock, and the pipes.

I removed all the masks and set them aside for later use. The images were colored using Copic markers, which I won't list because I put them away. Oh well.

Then all the masks were repositioned in place over the stamped colored images and Pumice Stone Distress ink was pounced over the entire piece of cardstock. Then I grabbed my Bricks stencil by The Crafter's Workshop and sponged Aged Mahogany Distress ink over the stencil. The bricks looked too "new", so I shabbed 'em up with my beloved Black Soot Distress ink. I use that ink on most every project, even if it's only to edge those disgusting white edges!

I removed the stencil and the masks, only to realize that I messed up. Big time. I forgot to mask something, so I had to do a quick "fix" by changing the color and adding a bunch of Glaze pens over it to make it look a bit less gross. Oh well, perfection is overrated and is not a high commodity chez moi. I added some shading behind the owl and the clock to make them pop off the brick wall a bit more. I added Glossy Accents to the owl's eyes and I ran out to pick up this week's share from my CSA!

When I returned the eyes were dry, so I added some Clear Gelly Roll Glaze pen to the owl's beak and talons to make 'em dimensional and shiny.

With so much going on, I decided to just mat the scene on black cardstock, then onto a Kraft card. The sentiment, from justjohanna/Odd Bird Stamp, was stamped onto that same Kraft cardstock using Onyx Black VersaFine ink. I cut it into a strip, scored it, cut wedges from the ends, and inked it with both colors of Distress ink. I popped it the sentiment up onto dimensionals to make it more bannerific.

Thanks for visiting!

I shall enter this card in the following challenges:
• Stampotique's Designer's Challenge #100: Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp: Favorite Inks (I love 'em all, but love Black Soot Distress ink a whole lot
• Anything Goes Challenge Blog #93: Handmade Backgrounds
• Crazy Amigos Challenges: Templates
• No Matter Which Challenge #9: Things with wings
• Oozak Challenge Blog: Anything Goes with Earthtones
• Corrosive Challenges #174: My Sentiment Exactly

True North

Crafting is my "True North". It keeps me grounded, engaged, and happy. I can lose myself in inks, paints, stamps, and paper for hours on end. I think about it often, see the world in terms of Copic colors, and gain inspiration from the tiniest of things.

Hence this small 6x6 canvas:


As you might have noticed, I love maps. Old maps, new maps -- it doesn't matter. I love 'em, collect 'em, and sacrifice 'em regularly. This map is a AAA map of California that has to be ten to twenty years old. Those folds were impossible to flatten, so I just let 'em do their thing, figuring that they add texture.

The compass is one of three stamps from SCACD's Nature's Directions set. The other two stamps in the set are a very cool lightning stamp and a gorgeous pair of Steampunk wings. Check out this set. You'll love it.

Anyway, the compass was stamped onto the map using Onyx Black VersaFine ink, which is the perfect ink for detailed images and/or for embossing with clear embossing powders. The image was embossed with clear detail embossing powder and colored with Copic markers (Ys, YRs, Rs, Gs, Ns). When I was happy with the coloring, I went over the compass using a VersaMark Marker, added a layer of clear embossing powder, and repeated the process several times until a thick glossy image had been built up. I stamped the True North sentiment, which is one of the four stamps in the Follow Your True Heart set, from using Olympia Green VersaFine ink and heat embossed using clear embossing powder. "Art" is from Bombshell's Sacred Heart Art set and was also stamped with the same green ink and heat set with clear ep.

Here's a close-up of the glossy compass!


The next step was to grab my Chevron Arrows stencil by the Crafter's Workshop and pounce Light Blue 3D Stamp Paint by Viva Decor through the stencil using a piece cut from a plain kitchen sponge. Permit me to rave about this paint. It's glittery, which appeals to my inner magpie. It's thick, which adds a sandy glittery texture, which can be spread thickly or thinly, depending on your project. Either way t dries quickly, which appeals to my more impatient side. And a little goes a long way, which appeals to my inner cheapskate. Plus, Viva Decor 3D Stamp Paint comes in several colors and is on sale now!!!!

Here's a close-up of the paint that shows its shimmer and texture!


Back to it! So, I pounced the gorgeous paint over the stencil, removed the stencil, and wiped the paint off of embossed compass, sentiment, and words. Since they were embossed, they resisted the paint! I also cleaned the stencil really quickly using a baby wipe and Purell, which is never far from me. I'm a germaphobe, so I have bottles of Purell in almost all rooms of the house, in my car, and in my hand bag.

The next step was to sponge Bundled Sage over the map. The Viva Decor 3D Stamp paint resisted the ink, as did the embossed bits. I wiped excess ink off everything and proceeded to the next step which was to sponge Mown Grass and Pine Needle Distress inks over the star portion of the Punchinella stencil by the Crafter's Workshop.

The map was further cut down to ~8" square and glued to a 6" square canvas using Multi Medium. This was left overnight to dry. The last step was to sponge a bit of Olympia Green VersaFine ink over the Tiny Circles stencil by The Crafter's Workshop.

It's been very rainy here this weekend, so I had some difficulty catching the glittery goodness of painted arrows and the shine/dimension on the compass. Alas.

Thanks for visiting today!

I shall enter this canvas into the following challenges.
• CMC Copic Challenge Group: #68: Anything Goes

• The Artistic Stamper Creative Team Blog: May Challenge - Words

• Outlawz Twisted Thursday Challenges: Add Texture!

Tah Dah!

When I first saw Trixie Tapper by Kraftin' Kimmie, I knew I had to have her because I could envision her tap dancing on a variety of surfaces created from patterned papers, die cuts, stencils, and suchlike.

Here's an example!


Trixie Tapper by Kraftin' Kimmie, who happens to be on sale at SCACD, was stamped with Tuxedo Black Memento ink onto white Neeenah cardstock. She was colored with Copic markers, which I'll list below. When I was done coloring her, she took a ride through my Big Kick, in a Nestabilities die, then stayed there as I sponged Old Paper Distress ink around her. Then she was liberated from her metal prison and her cane and shoes were treated with a few layers of Clear Gelly Roll Glaze pen to add dimension and shine. May I declare how much I love my Glaze pens? I totally do. A lot. They're a necessary staple in my craft room.

I started out with a khaki/black/white color scheme and was going to add a pop of deep red on Trixie's vest and top hat. Then I decided to color Trixie's tresses an auburn shade and didn't want to clash. So I went with a teal/turquoise instead.

I had already decided that I was going to have Trixie dancing atop the piano keyboard from a sheet from Curtain Call 8x8 pad by Graphic 45 and knew I was going to use a strip of tickets as well, so I had to find patterned paper to match Trixie's vest. Thankfully, I have a tiny bit of patterned paper to choose from (Remember that bridge from a previous post? Still want to buy it? *grin) and I selected a sheet from the Notable, Collectable 6x6 pad by My Mind's Eye, which is also on sale.

The stamped panel was layered onto the MME paper. The piano keyboard was cut from its sheet of patterned paper, edged with Black Soot Distress ink, then layered onto the card front. The ticket strip was cut from its sheet of paper, the edges were distressed with the T!m's Tonic Distress Tool. I scored between the tickets, sanded on the folds, then the folds and edges were sponged with Old Paper Distress ink. This strip was layered over the card front.

I thought the "Tah Dah!" sentiment by justjohanna/Odd Bird Planet was perfect for the card, so I stamped that onto a Spellbinders die cut. Photo corner dies by QuicKutz were used to cut music notation paper from the Avignon 6x6 pad by 7 Gypsies (I hoard that pad!) and from the Notable MME pad. The corner dies were stacked and added to the upper right hand corner.

The entire card front was sponged with Black Soot Distress inks and mounted onto Kraft cardstock. The final step was to add some black gemstones to the corner, sentiment strip, and Trixie's hat band.

Thanks for visiting today!

Copic markers used:
Skin: e00, e50, E51, BV00
Hair: YR14, E07, E19, E19, E29
Eyes: C00, BV000
Tux & Hat T3, T4, T5, T7, T8
Vest & Hatband: BG09, BG57
Shoes: C00, C1, C6, C10
Cane: E21, E23, E25

I shall enter this card in the following challenges:
• Kraftin' Kimmie Challenge #178: Let's get sentimental
• Simon Says Stamp & Show: Little Papers
• Mad for Markers Challenges -- One for the Girls
• The Crafter's Cafe #16: Mom and/or for a woman
• Cute Card Thursday #269: Dancing Queen
• Clear It Out Challenges: Anything Goes (2 or more patterned paper)
• Papertake Weekly: The Sound of Music