An Inspiring Face

Stephanie over on SCS found a really great website for the Inspiration Challenge this weekend called the Charm School Drop Out. I love collage, and this website has many excellent samples. I was appropriately intimidated since this style has always eluded me, but I know there's no other way to learn it other than to just go for it!! I chose this altered photo of John Lennon as my inspiration piece. Nothing to do with what I think of John Lennon, the photo just appealed to me. So this card is actually my second try. My first try was just a mess, it's on it's way to the City Recycle center. I think I figured out by keeping it simple, it looks like more than it really is, which is good. I think. Oh well. Anyhow, here 'tis!!

The music sheet background is a stamped image Joanne (Sleepy in Seattle) sent me a billion years ago (remember those Joanne??)! I then stamped the face from the "Friends" sheet by Innovative Stamp Creations over the music notes background in Momento Black Tuxedo ink. Next I pulled out the retired SU Best Blossoms set and stamped several of the large flowers in Versamark randomly over the card and covered with clear EP. I heat set them and then sponged the panel all over with Ranger Walnut Ink. I trimmed the whole image down intentionally so it was sort of squatty shapped (I liked that look from the inspiration piece). I mounted it onto a black layer leaving enough of a border on the bottom so I could add a sentiment. I attached a die cut flower I made from the Daisy #2 Flowers die from SU. Finally, I used a white rub on sentiment from the SU SAB rub ons from last year.

Thanks for the awesome challenge Stephanie!!

Casing an Artist's Asian Artistry

Supplies Used: Stamps - Asian Artistry. Ink: StazOn, Kiwi Kiss. Accessories: Rub On sentiment, brayer, WWC. Technique: "Brayered Mountains"

Supplies Used: Stamps - Asian Artistry. Ink: StazOn, River Rock. Accessories: Rub On sentiment, brayer, daubers.

I was browsing around for some ideas to use this new Hostess Set from SU called Asian Artistry and found a card in the SCS gallery that I liked. I went to the artist's blog and oh my goodness...I couldn't look away!! I just loved what she did with the set and the brayer techniques she was sharing. So these cards are total cases, right down to the color schemes (almost!) and the white highlighting detail. Please check out Sandi McIver's blog to see her fabulous work -- and why I cased her cards!! Thanks for stopping by!

Patriotic Card Challenge!

Hello all! This week's Creative Belli Challenge is to create a card, scrapbook page, or project with a patriotic theme. Use the colors red, white, and blue, or incorporate other symbols of patriotism, such as stars, firecrackers, flags, military symbols, etc... Check out the Creative Belli Blog to see the DT's submissions and to submit one for the challenge!! We'd love to see what ideas you come up with!! I went with the R, W, and Blue colors, some star jewels and some punched stars from sparkle paper for the design of my card. I used the Stampin Up Stars Jumbo Wheel and embossed it with Judikins Egyptian Gold EP. Finished it all off with a big red bow! Now it's your turn!!

Innovative Stamp Creations

Hi all! Hope you're having a wonderful Spring weekend!! I'm posting more cards that I made from the giant stash of rubber stamps I received from Betsy at Innovative Stamp Creations. Did I mention how much I love their images?? If you missed the earlier ones, I also posted some here at the beginning of the month. The first card features the very cool bird from the "You're Special" set, prolly one of my fav sets so far! I masked off the center area and created a background stamping the Wood Grain background stamp (which comes with 2 free images when you purchase it!!) and the Canvas background stamp over the mask. I removed the mask and stamped the bird in Momento Tuxedo Black ink. Colored it in with copics and added some red and yellow jewels (from Hobby Lobby). I cut out some swirly Sizzix corners and stamped the sentiment (also from the You're Special set) in the corner. I just love this bird!! Same bird...but this time stamped with Versamark onto velum and heat embossed with white EP. Threaded ribbon across the top to attach it to the card base, and finished off the bird with faux rhinestones by Jolees Jewels. Super simple!! The large sentiment on this card is from "You're Special" and the smaller sentiment and large dragonfly are from "Elegant Artsy Swirls" (I focused on that set earlier this month, it's another fantastic set of stamps!). I heat embossed the dragonfly with gold EP and added "Mother Lode" super fine glitter from Carter's Sequins. The background is DP by Crafty Secrets. The fab brad is from KC and Co. I created a ribbon tail for the brad using textured paper and some smaller brown brads. Thanks for checking in!!

How About a Sketch

Supples: Card base is Very Vanilla CS. All other DP is Basic Grey Lemonade. Sentiment is Innovative Stamp Creations; Flower created with MS Stacking Daisy punch and Leafy Branch. Butterfly created using Purple Daisy Designs Butterfly stamp and accompanying punch (fabulous!!). Hologram glitter added to butterfly. Additional embellishments: Basic Grey coordinating brads, SU flower punch and Purely Pomegranite DS ribbon, Nestibilites Label 2 or 3 or 4, I forget which, Cuttlebug Houndstooth embossing folder.

O.k. Sometimes I can be a real dork. I looked at the sketch challenge over on SCS today when I got home from work and thought it would be simple and fun; and because there were multiple layers, it would be a good way to use up some DP scraps. So I drew out the sketch real quick, took it to my craft room and worked up a card. I did not end up using scraps, I broke open my new Basic Grey Lemonade paper. And proceeded to use a piece upside-down. See the upside down cherries? I used my butterfly stamp and matching punch from Purple Daisy Designs. And then I decided the sketch just wasn't right. So I went back to my computer, looked at the sketch again and realized I had drawn it wrong. Or at least, not completely right. Where was my brain?? Anyhow, that's what I get for rushing through a card after a long day at work!! But you know what they say, a bad day card making is better than any day at work. uhhh, I know... "they" don't really say that, huh? :o) Hugs all!

Challenge Cards - Copic and DDCs !!

This card is for two challenges this week! The first is the Doubledog Dare Challenge that Anne Harmon (aka Inking in Red) issued this week -- Make a card for a child. The DDC challenge this week is found here, Post #11 over on SCS in the Challenge Forum. This Dare worked out perfectly for me because I needed a child's card this week, so thanks Anne!! Also, I've wanted to join in this second challenge for awhile. The Copic Color Challenge. It can be found here every Wednesday and the challenge is simply to create a card using the color combo suggested. You don't have to have the exact colors they use, but you do need to use Copics. This week the color combo is BV04, RV11, Y23. I don't have those three colors exactly, I have BV04, RV10, Y21 so I went ahead and used these colors instead. I colored an Anya image I got in the mail from Anita Hoovey, these are sooo easy to color!! I added "Mother Lode" Hologram glitter from Cartwrights Sequins, Beads, and Vintage Buttons to her crown, septer, and a little in her hair (what Princess doesn't want sparkly hair??). Also added some matching Primas with color coordinated jewels and and punched the border in the 3 matching CS colors with an EK Success border punch. Color coordination is everything in fashion you know. Second Doubledog Dare Challenge!! This second card is for the Doubledog Dare Challenge from LAST week issued by Bev (aka Beestamper). You can find the announcement posted on the challenge forum over on SCS here: Doubledog Dare Challenge, Post #2. The dare was to use this awesome sketch she created!! How talented is she?? This was really fun Bev! I used SUs Kind & Caring Thoughts Hostess Set. This set will be in the new SU Catalog. The CS is two of the new In Colors from the new Catalog: Soft Suede and Rich Razzleberry. (The new In Colors compliment eash other so well, they are fabulous!!) I stamped the same colors on SU DP, used a Cuttlebug folder to emboss texture, and added ribbon and giant antique brass eyelets. I made faux stiches with a white gel pen to finish off the edges. You can find the weekly DDC challenges posted on SCS for all to play every Tuesday here: DDC Post. Be sure to leave me a comment if you post a card for the Challenge on your blog and/or on SCS -- use Keyword "DDC" in the SCS Gallery! The DDC girls will all be posting samples, so please check out their blogs and search DDC in the SCS Gallery to see their cretions. Grab the blinkie from the sidebar of my blog or from the DDC Forum Post for your own blog and play along!! TFL!! Have a great evening everyone!

Fathers Day Shirt

Had to do it...I see these shirt cards everywhere and they're always so cute, but I had yet to make one myself. I was blurffing yesterday and came across this tutorial at Stamp with Kathy E and I thought it looked fun. Here's the Word file Tutorial that I got from her blog for making the suit card: Download Suit.doc It was really so much easier than I originally thought it would be. The step by step instructions really helped! No stamping, just satin ribbon, a bit of DP and cardstock! The only thing I changed as far as the tutorial goes, is I cut about 1/2" off the bottom so the whole thing fits into a standard size envelope. If you give this a try, let me know! I'd love to see what you make!!

Sumtoy!

Supplies used: SU Kind and Caring Thoughts, Itty Bitty Backgrounds. Manhattan Rose embossing folder, Blue Bayou DS ribbon, 1/2 corner punch, dimensionals. Ink: River Rock, Blue Bayou. Paper: White, River Rock, Blue Bayou textured.

This is my card for the Featured Stamper challenge this week. Roseanne (aka Sumtoy) over on Splitcoast wears the crown this week! I always enjoy her posts in the gallery, she has such an artistic flair! I chose this card from her gallery: From the Soul . I kept the same composition, changed out the stamps, the embossing folder and color scheme. Used the Rock and Roll technique for my branch of leaves. Congratulations Roseanne!!

Cheers to You -- Inspiration Challenge

Here's my card for this weekend's IC. Fascinating website, there's lots there to be challenged by, you should give it a try!! I chose this wine bottle packaging, not sure why I was attracted to it other than the monochromatic look and CAS design. I tried to recreate it, and I needed 3 Aniversary cards for June, so this worked out well. I used my never-before-used SU "Cheers to You" set. This was a freebe set from SU courtesy of SAB. I cut pieces of the the striped Close to Cocoa Patterns Pack DP to represent the lines on the label of the wine bottle, and added some hardware and copper twine for texture and to incorporate the copper color on the label. ( It's a little late tonight so I didn't spend a lot of time on this -- can you tell??!!). Hope you have a great stamping weekend!! Thanks so much for stopping by!!

Belli Challenge #67 - AND Design Team Call!

Hey Everyone!!

The Creative Belli Design Team is looking for 3 talented stampers to be part of our Design team for the second 6-month 2009 term!!! ANY stamper -- YOU!! -- are invited to apply! No DT experience required. Check out the Creative Belli Design Team Blog for all the details!! This is one great bunch of gals, we'd love to have you and your creativity on our team!! In the meantime, the current Belli Team has posted their designs for the latest challenge: A Fathers Day themed card + Sketch Challenge. We are borrowing this Sketch from Sweet and Sassy Stamps Blog. Here's my submission:The image is SU Golden Oldies colored with Copics, Making Memories DP, Bordering Blue CS, Basic Grey ribbon, and jumbo eyelettes from EyeletOutlet.com. I covered the mini chipboard pieces (crown and stars) with chunky gold glitter. (I especially love that little crown!) Be sure to check out the other Belli girl's submissions -- you'll find them all posted on the Belli Blog along with links to their blogs and instructions on how to submit your card for the challenge!!

Thanks for checking in!!

I Am So Caught Up!!

Yahoo!! This is a happy day! At long last I have caught up with all my DDC challenges, my Belli challenges, and Father's Day!! Just in time to start a new list tomorrow LOL!! Here's the results of concentrated stamping all day yesterday....

This is a combo DDC Card for Joanne (aka Sleepy in Seattle) and for the DDC this week that I hosted. Joanne wanted to see flowers with lots of bling on the card, and I wanted to see newsprint on your card. So I made flowers with the newspaper and added bling to the flower's centers, bling across the top, and then I layered it onto some shiny reflective CS.

This next card is another DDC Card. This one was hosted by Charlene (aka Where M&Ms Gather): Charlene gave us a challenge to use paper piercing, paper piecing, and the colors Black, Sage Shadow, Regal Rose and Kraft. My photography didn't capture the colors quite right, but trust me, they are the real deal!! Don'tcha love those cool Primas?? They're Artsy Flower Mini Tin Mums by Prima Flowers. I made the square windows using Sizzix Movers and Shapers Window Panes XL die. The sentiment is from SU's Note of Thanks kit. Oh...and the paper piecing is the 3 little flowers on the Kraft panel. They are from SU Eastern Blooms set stamped onto some scrap BG paper. This DDC Card is for the challenge that Michele (aka Stop and Stamp the Roses) hosted. Michele's challenge was to use sponging on your card, and include 2 different ribbons and hardware of some kind. I used Basic Grey Glazed Brads -- I am so obsessed with those brads, they make me happy. I own so many!!!). They are from the Lime Rickey collection. Does anyone out there have any idea what the heck a "Rickey" is??? To corner punch this card, I used my new WeRMemoryKeepers Chomper that I got at the Arlington Scrapbook Convention this weekend. It's a combo 1/2" and 1/4" corner punch. Wonderful tool, punches so smoothly and effortlessly and you can see exactly where you're punching. Punches thick stuff (chipboard, acrylic, multiple sheets of CS) and thin (which the more expensive Zutter corner punch does not!). I love love love it. A great tool to add to your arsenal if you haven't already!! They run about $17.00 -- shop around and you'll find a good deal! If you want to join in ANY of the DDC challenges, please feel free to do so!! We'd love to see your cards. Just upload to SCS using keyword DDC and leave a comment letting me know so I can alert the other DDC gals!! We wanna leave you some luv!!! I also did a Belli Challenge card for next Wednesday's post -- so please stop by to see that one later this week. Thanks for checking in!!