Friday, June 29, 2012

The World Is A Canvas

This is my second post for today.  A clean-and-simple birthday card awaits you one post down!

Hello again.  :D


This card has an eclectic look to it.  I wanted to try something different.  The base is stamped with Hero Arts' Antique Background.  Beyond that, all the colorful layers are die cuts from K & Company.

I like this sentiment --


Challenges entered:



Thank you to The Shabby Tea Room for my Honorable Mention Cup of Tea for 'Bonjour'; to Sugar Creek Hollow for my Win for 'Bonjour', and to

for choosing me as their Super Nova Winner for 'White Wedding'!

Stay cool, everyone!  



Dimensions: 4.25" x 5.5"
Stamps: Antique Background - Hero Arts
Paper: Crumb Cake - SU
Ink: Early Espresso - SU
Fibers: twine - Creative Impressions
Other: K & Co. Brenda Walton Ephemera Pack, Die Cut Cardstock & Vellum Pack; button; pearls

Simple Birthday Wishes

How are you doing today?  Is it hot where you are?  It's 97 degrees here in New Jersey today.  Plenty hot!  I cleaned our pool this morning, and had to do some sweeping in the VERY hot attic.  We had roofers here yesterday, and they left a bit of a mess up there.

I did find time to make two cards today, so I could play in some challenges.  Here's card number one (with card number two to follow in another post):


It's a simple birthday card, using some neglected things:  the Stampin' Up! set Watercolor Trio, and this embossed punched piece.  It came from one of those awesome $1.00 Scrap Bags from my SU demo.  All I did was add "water" in the form of shimmer paint, and some pearls.


On that embossed punch, I painted a coat of  Creative Inspirations' Tanzanite shimmer paint, and then a coat of Winter Frost, to lighten it up.



Challenges entered:
This is Papercraft Star's anniversary week, and each day there is a new challenge (all are open until July 9th).    I thought I would be unable to join this 'Cool Drink' challenge, because I don't have any drink stamps, but Sylvia helped me think outside the box, er, drinking glass.  

Thanks for coming by!  




Dimensions: 4.25" x 5.5"
Stamps: Watercolor Trio - SU
Paper: white - PTI
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black - Tsukineko
Other: corner rounder punch - EK Success; Tanzanite, Winter Frost shimmer paints - Creative Inspirations Paints; pearls - Recollections, Queen & Co.; Rose Red, Garden Green, Basic Black markers, Ornament punch, Square Lattice embossing folder - SU

Thursday, June 28, 2012

Inspired by Stamping Inspiration Challenge #15


Independence Day is fast approaching here in the States, and we've got a patriotic inspiration photo for you at Inspired By Stamping Inspiration Challenge!  

Here is my card -- 


Using a free digital image (link at end of post) as my inspiration, too, I thought about how blessed I am to live in the USA.  That's why I chose to use this sentiment and frame from Cherish:  life is, indeed, beautiful.  I appreciate the freedoms we have here.  I appreciate the hard work our military is doing to help keep those freedoms, too.

This pretty little cream rose is for sale at Inspired By Stamping, too!
I used Crackle Paint on the digital image, to give it some age, then inked the edges.  Can you see it here?




The red rose - an image from Elegant Flowers - reminds me of the rose called "Mr. Lincoln".  I colored it with rich red Copic markers.


Photo Credit
And don't forget:  for orders over $75.00 at Inspired By Stamping, Joanna throws in a free gift for you!  Isn't this freebie so sweet?




I hope you get a chance to play with us!  



Dimensions: 4.25" x 5.5"
Stamps: Elegant Flowers, Cherish - Inspired By Stamping
Paper: Ruby Red, Whisper White - SU
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black - Tsukineko; Crumb Cake - SU; Walnut Stain - Tsukineko
Other: Off White Flower - Inspired By Stamping; Rock Candy Crackle Paint - Ranger; Copic markers; pearls - Queen & Co.; doily - Wilton; Vintage Clip Art - Vintage Holiday Crafts

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Twinkle, Twinkle & A Little Monster

This is my second post for today.  Please scroll down one to see my 
Creative Inspirations Paints wedding card.

Hello to the new faces I see on the sidebar, and people who signed up to get email updates!  So nice to have you here.  I really appreciate your time.  :-)

I spent a lovely hour of stamping today with my 10 year old.  Each of us created something I'd like to share with you.

I combined some challenges to make mine:



I brought out my box of scraps to create this.  These sat before me until something pleasing materialized.  It took a while. ;)


The stars are from the new Unity goodies I received in the mail the other day.  I ADORE this set, Twinkle Twinkle.  The sentiment is part of it, too.


To me, this could be a baby card OR a 'love you' card for just the right grown up or teenager.

I really did do some embossing on here, promise!  It was hard to photograph.  I used a frame around the patterned paper portion, and then embossed this little heart.  I realize it's not the focal point of the card, but I really wanted to incorporate some embossing so I could play at Papercraft Star.  (-:


My daughter's card is just too stinkin' cute, if you ask me.  She came up with the idea all on her own.  I bought Fright Night from Unity, and it has this damask-patterned pennant banner stamp in it.  She looked at it and said, "Those could be teeth for a monster."  And thus, a rosy-cheeked monster card was born.


She wants to give this to her aunt, whose birthday is on Halloween.  Inside, she has a birthday sentiment.

Because of those embossed rosy cheeks, I'll enter her card with Papercraft Star, too.  And I'm also placing this in the DYSU challenge, 'Inspired by a Movie' -- "Monsters, Inc." of course!! (oh darn!  I missed the deadline on this.  :-(


Thanks for joining both of us today!



Star Gazing Card:
Dimensions: 4.25" x 5.5"
Stamps: Twinkle Twinkle - Unity
Paper: Crumb Cake, Bella Bleu & green pattern - SU; Old World Stack - DCWV
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black - Tsukineko
Fibers: cream lace - Hero Arts; taupe satin ribbon - Michael's
Other: Big Shot; Bricked, Fleur de Lis and Vines Frame embossing folder - Sizzix; Heart-to-Heart punch - SU

Purple Monster Card:

Dimensions: 4.25" x 5.5"
Stamps: Fright Night - Unity; Teeny Tiny Wishes - SU
Paper: Perfect Plum, Real Red, Whisper White, Basic Black - SU
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black - Tsukineko
Other: 1/2", 1" circle, small oval punches - SU; Big Shot; Square Lattice embossing folder - SU

Wedding Hearts

Hello!  Creative Inspirations Paints has a new challenge this week:  weddings.  There's something exciting about making a wedding card, knowing that many brides (myself included) keep the cards they receive as treasured memories.


I used the Lace Border stamp from Sweet Stamps, which was a gift from SS to the Creative Inspirations Paints design team (we got to pick out designs we wanted) when I first joined.  I LOVE this stamp!  It creates a pretty pattern, reminding me of a bridal lace.

(This twill looks different shades of red in each photo!
I could not get them all to match in the photo editing program)

I used two heart punches -- Full Heart and Heart-to-Heart -- and a cereal box to create my shapes.  They were glittered with Regal Red Resplendence and Burgundy Resplendence (links in the details section below).  I added a little resin flower from Recollections, which was white to start.  I painted it with Gold Shimmer Paint.  Now it looks very 'black tie'.  :D



I don't know where I got this twill from.  It's in my scrap bag of red ribbons.  I do know the lace is from Hero Arts, though.  I had to add pearls....you know me!

If you'd like to enter your wedding card in the challenge, details can be found HERE.  You do not need to use CI Paints to enter.  :-)

On a personal note, I am entering this at Sweet Stamps -- the challenge is summer, and what could be more summery than a wedding? -- and at Lawnscaping's Challenge - Splash of Color (mine is burgundy/red).  


Thanks for joining me today!  I appreciate your time.  



Dimensions: 4.25" x 5.5"
Stamps: Love Story - Verve; Lace Border - Sweet Stamps
Paper: Very Vanilla - SU
Ink: Bravo Burgundy - SU; Memento Tuxedo Black - Tsukineko
Fibers: burgundy twill; ivory crochet lace - Hero Arts
Other: Gold shimmer paintRegal Red, Burgundy Resplendence glitters - Creative Inspirations Paints; Heart to Heart, Full Heart punches - SU; pearls - Queen & Co.; cereal box chipboard; resin flower - Michael's

Monday, June 25, 2012

Shabby Chic Toile

So....when I was brand-new to card-making several years back, the only game in town for me was Stampin' Up!.  It was at an SU party that I fell hook, line and sinker for the world of stamping.  I didn't even know then that other stamp companies existed, and when they did start to enter my peripheral crafting vision, I thought there was no WAY they could be as good as SU.  (happily, I was proven wrong -- but SU stamps still hold a special place in my heart)

Since my foray into stamping began, I have tried many different stamp companies and have fallen in love with various lines.  Can't believe I ever thought I could never cherish clear stamps:  now, they are my fave type of stamp.  The rubber variety sits largely unused around here lately.

That is, until this afternoon.  My delicious box full of Unity stamps (I'm pretty much new to the brand.  Thank you, Emily, for enabling me) arrived, and I had a chance to play with a few tonight.  OH. MY. GOODNESS.  I LoVe the stuff!  I can see how addicting this will be, this Unity stuff (again, *thanks*, Emily ;).


I'm tying together a summer theme for some of the challenges listed below.

I used Pale Plum for the Tea Time Toile background stamp.  It's a little tough to see, but there are kids climbing trees on this stamp.  So fun for summer!  The clear, dotted acetate panel was in a $1.00 Scrap Bag from my Stampin' Up! demo a long time ago.  I thought it added a fun edge to this card.


The birds stamp is from Play in the SUN, and the sentiment is from a set by the same title.  There's a canvas circle behind the birds; that's something from my local craft store.

And speaking of the sentiment, there's some symbolism going on there.  After stamping it, I cut a "V" on one end, inked all the edges, then roughed 'em up with my fingernail.  Then I crumpled it, and attached it to the card.  All that distressing and rumpling symbolizes ME before school let out.  (anyone who follows my blog knows how stressful these last couple of months were for me (it's ALL good, but it was all too much) (this part ties in with the Simon Says Stamp challenge).   The sentiment is there to remind me that summer will refuel my soul.

Challenges entered:



Did you see the new Paper Crafts special issue called Stamp It! yet?  I've got a birthday card on page 49! 

Thanks for visiting!  You've made my day.  :o)




Dimensions:  4.25" x 5.5"
Stamps: Tea Time Toile, Play in the Sun, Relax,Renew,Restore - Unity
Paper: white - PTI; dotted clear sheet - SU
Ink: Pale Plum, Early Espresso, Soft Suede - SU
Fibers: cream lace - Spare Parts
Other: canvas circle - AC Moore; pearls - Queen & Co.; Big Shot; circle die - Spellbinders

Thursday, June 21, 2012

Play Date Cafe 137 - Color Splash


Yay!  It's Color Splash time at The Play Date Cafe again.  Those are my favorite challenges there, and judging by the amount of players we always get those weeks, YOU all favor them too!  

Your creations should be black and white with just a SPLASH of Cobalt Blue.

I leaned heavily on black, with some paper from My Mind's Eye -- 


Our sponsor this week is Want2Scrap, who generously provided our DT with gorgeous bling.  I used blue bling to really dress up my sentiment.



Can't wait to see your splashy creation hanging in the gallery at The Play Date Cafe!

OH, don't forget -- if you haven't already left a comment-to-win on my post HERE, please do so!  You have until 11:59 AM EST, June 21, 2012.  (One comment per person, please.)  I'll draw a winner on Friday, June 22 and post the name here that day.  :D



Dimensions: 4.25" x 5.5"
Stamps: Kind Words - Verve
Paper: Garden Vignettes by Carina Gardner - My Mind's Eye; white - PTI
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black - Tsukineko
Fibers: cobalt satin ribbon (stash)
Other: blue rhinestones - Want2Scrap; corner rounder punch - EK Success; Big Shot; Fancy Tags Three - Spellbinders

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

White Wedding

Can't help but think of that song by Billy Idol when I hear the words "White Wedding".  ;-)  What got me started on that:  the challenge at Papercraft Star (one of my FAVE challenges) this week is 'White on White Wedding'.


I paired it with a sketch from Card Positioning Systems:


....and, I was inspired by my friend Jinny's card that uses the white-on-white faux dry embossing technique, too.


The faux embossing.  Different-sized circle punches, embossed in a folder....


My favorite part:  a punched heart, covered in shimmer-painted hydrangea blossoms --


I had saved a bunch of painted blossoms, leftover from THIS project in May, and so this part was easy.  :D  I tucked some polyester leaves behind the heart, and then it didn't look quite right, so I added a Little Leaves Sizzlit die cut, cut into three parts.  This cluster became a little fussier than I planned, but it'll do.

Look what happened when I stamped the back of the card:


Grrrrrr!  Dropped the darned stamp.  So, I fixed it like this:


I just happened to have that piece, same size and punch and everything, just lying on the crafting area.  It was put to work immediately!  It's not ideal, and I SO wish that boo-boo hadn't happened.

A big HELLO to my new email subscribers and followers. :D   I appreciate that you like my stuff enough to want to see it again!  And for everyone else who always visits, I appreciate each of YOU, too!  Thank you so much!



Dimensions: 4.25" x 5.5"
Stamps: Blessings - Verve
Paper: white - PTI
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black - Tsukineko
Fibers: white felt ric rac; white crochet trim - Simplicity
Other: 1", 1 1/4", 1 3/8", 1 3/4" circles, Full Heart punches - SU; hydrangea punch - Martha Stewart; Victoria embossing folder - Cuttlebug; Big Shot; pearls - Queen & Co.; white poly leaves - AC Moore; Little Leaves Sizzlit - SU; Scroll Pattern punch - EK Success

Monday, June 18, 2012

Bonjour!

There's a challenge at Splitcoast called Featured Stamper every Sunday, and this week the special person is Emily Keaton, my very, very good friend.  I just HAD to play along!  Congrats to you, Emily, you deserve this special honor.  :D

HERE is Emily's card that I was inspired by.  Note the Eiffel Tower image on her card, and you will instantly know why I chose this one to CASE!  I looooove the French look.  :-)


I used an Eiffel Tower image from a set by Our Craft Lounge called Vintage Traveler.  See the gorgeous pearl and rhinestone bling above it?  It's from Want2Scrap.  The little roses (link below in details section) are from Inspired by Stamping --  love, love, love the flowers Joanna offers!


I colored a white doily by wiping it with a black ink pad.  Emily's card uses a white doily in this half moon shape, and I loved that detail.  The sentiment is from Inspired by Stamping's All Year Wishes I (link in details section below).



I am also playing in The Shabby Tea Room's challenge, Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend.  Here is their inspiration photo --


...and I'm also playing in a new-to-me challenge, Sugar Creek Hollow.  This week's theme:  'More is Better' - a vintage, shabby chic or primitive card entry that should have LOTS of embellishments.  I have quite a few on my card!

Before I go, just wanted to mention that my 'Mr. & Mrs. Toast' Father's Day card is featured at Laura Love's blog, Loves Rubberstamps HERE.  Thank you so much, Laura!  It was very sweet of you to do so.

Thanks for coming by today!



Dimensions: 4.25" x 5.5"
Stamps: Vintage Traveler - Our Craft Lounge; All Year Wishes I - Inspired by Stamping
Paper: Very Vanilla, Basic Black, Whisper White - SU; Black & Ivory Designer - K & Co.
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black - Tsukineko
Fibers: black lace - SU; white daisy lace - Offray
Other: white doily - Wilton; bling - Want2Scrap; mini flowers - Inspired by Stamping; Double Embossed Dotted Lace punch - EK Success; Wide Oval punch - SU
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...