Tuesday, March 31, 2009

A Sticker Card

Supplies used - Memory Stor DP from Costco, Mary Englebert sticker from Michaels, pink staples, misc pearl ribbon.
I do a challenge with a dear friend of mine, Joanne of SleepyinSeattle fame, every month to get each other to use our obscure, hoarded embellishments or to try a technique not used in forever. For the month of March, we decided on stickers. And even though I had all month to do it, I'm finally getting it posted!! Before March is over!! TA DA!! This card has no stamping on it, and I used DP that DH got me from Costco (which by the way was a spontaneous and unexpected gesture on his part -- he just came home with this huge satchel of DP, he rocks, huh?!!). The card features a round circle and round scalloped circle that I made with my Nestibilities dies. It's mounted on dimensional tape, and layered over said DP. It's adorned with some lacy pearl ribbon that I got at a flea market many moons ago. I made and attempt at the shabby-chick look to go along with the sticker I chose. Sort of a vintage, old fashioned thing going on. The sticker is from the $1.00 bin at Michael's that I picked up last year. They are Mary Englebert stickers, come three to a packet, and have at least 3 layers of dimension to them. They're really very cool!! These pics are my attempt to get a photo for you of their dimension. The bow is made from the same pack of DP I spoke of above. I cut a strip of the paper and misted it with water, crunched it all up, opened it up and smoothed it out. I sprayed it with water again and repeated those steps one more time. Next I twisted the damp, opened-up strip of paper in the middle enough so I could tie it into a knot. I then flared out the ends and trimmed it at each end so it was shaped like a bow. When I had it shaped like I wanted, I just blasted it with my heat gun so it would hold it's shape (works kind of like paper mache). Then I adhered it to my card with some Zip Dry glue. I stapled it in a couple of the corners and sponged the creme colored panel just a tad with Colorbox Sienna cat eye chalk ink. And that pretty much did it! Thanks for stopping by!!

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Easter Chicks

Here's a really fast, easy Easter card for you. I used 4x4" squares of white CS, embossed them with a Nestibilities Label 2 die. Then stamped "Happy Easter" from a Costco set of clear stamps inside the frame. Next I made the chick with two 1-3/8" punched DP circles, cut one of the circles in half and layered on the whole one. The little wing is a Small Tulip punch from Punch Bunch. I drew in the legs and snipped a teeny beak from scraps. Lastly, adhered a 5mm googly eye. I mounted them onto Barely Banana CS and that was it! I made 8 of them in half an hour, easy peasy!! Thanks for stopping by!

Saturday, March 28, 2009

World Record Unity Blog Hop!!

Supplies Used -- Unity Stamp Company Butterfly Beauty set, SU Textured Blue Bayou and Window Sheets. Pallet Noir Canvas and SU Blue Bayou ink. Versamark and Hollogram EP, and SU Large Oval and Scallop Oval punch.
Welcome to my contribution to the Unity World Record Blog Hop! To start at the beginning of the Inspirational Blog Hop, go HERE! At each stop, you'll find a Sample Card, the card artist's favorite quote, and a link to the next card in the Hop! Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body. But rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, wine in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO HOO what a ride!" Instructions for creating this Transparency Card can be found on my blog here. Now hop on along and check out THIS LINK TO CHRIS' CORNER for your next stop of the World Record Unity Blog Hop!! If you get a chance, please leave me a comment, I'd love to know you were here! Ya'll come back now, hear???!! Have a wonderful day!!

Friday, March 27, 2009

Inspired by Glenda Mosher

Stephanie (aka Smilin Steph) asked me to fill in as host for her this weekend over on SCS. I had been hoping for another opportunity because a little bit ago, I was checking out one of my favorite stamper's Blog, and it turns out she's a gifted, professional painter! Her name is Glenda Mosher, but she goes by RobinRingtail around SCS. l urge you to check out the many lovely paintings she has posted over on her blogspot/gallery. There is wonderful artwork to soak in. I always find it inspiring, so I knew I wanted to highlight her work for the next Inspiration Challenge (if I got the opportunity)! So here you are! Today's IC is to check out Glenda Mosher's Art Gallery and create a card or project inspired by her work! I chose this "The Retiring Ones" painting -- I often browsed through her gallery and somehow this one kept pulling me back. I'm a sunflower, daisy, blackeyed susan kinda gal, so I'm guessing that's why I came to favoring this painting. To create my card, I used several different stamps from Stamps by Judith and Heather. First I stamped the barrel and masked it. Then I took 4 different colors of Versafine Chalk ink and sponged outwardly from the masked barrel to create a spray-like effect in the background. I then stamped my little blackeyed susan stamp muliple times over the barrel, and then removed the mask. Next I colored in the image with Copics and added a "connector" heart charm by Explorer, to the front of the barrel. I layered the image onto black textured paper, Mellow by Basic Grey, and miscellaneous DP from a Costco stack. To finish it off, I added a ribbon and some large brads by Joann's Essentials. Hope you will check out Glenda's gallery and play along! If you don't have time to make a card, by all means, leave her some "love" on her gallery and let her know you checked it out!! Giant Hugs All!

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Bookmark the Belli Challenge!

Hi everyone! Stop by and check out the Creative Belli Challenge Blog today!! The DT is posting bookmarks!! Yep!! All kinds of fun ideas there!! You should make one too and link it to the Belli Blog so others can see your awesome ideas!! If you also upload to SCS, be sure to use Keyword CBC60 so it gets loaded into the Belli Challenge Gallery!! So for the challenge, I made two bookmarks, just because...uh, I can... and plus I love Corner Bookmarks (like the second one I made below but didn't know if I'd have time to finish!). But first, here's the low down on a good old fashioned bookmark for ya: The swirly bird is by Inkadinkado from the Morphic Birds set. I stamped it in Bravo burgandy onto white CS and cut it out, "outside the box" following the tail feathers shape. I sponged over it with Soft Sky, then used a Bravo Burgandy marker to define the bird a little better. I used more Bravo Burgandy around the edges of the bookmark and then layered it onto a Taken with Teal. I added sparkle and bling with my Sakura Glue pen and Dazzling Diamonds and some clear jewels from HL. I found some matching ribbon in my ribbon stash and knotted a piece at the top. Now, here's the what-to-do for the Corner Bookmark (you know, I don't even know if that's what it's called, but for right this minute, that is what we're calling it!!) To make the "Corner Bookmark", the actual corner piece, start with a piece of DP and fold it into quarters. (Cardstock almost gets too thick and bulky for this part of the project, so you may want to stick with DP.) The size of your DP depends on your bookmark design. For this card, I used 9" x 6-1/2" piece. After you fold it into quarters, open it up and cut away one of the corners. Next you need to fold it back into the quarters so you can see where you need to stamp your image(s). Fold the right side (with the now missing upper corner) over to the left and fold the top piece down. Now you'll be able to see how it will sit on the corner of a book page. Tape together the top two flaps so it becomes the Corner Bookmark! Now you can stamp and decorate your Corner Bookmark! I used the butterfly from SU's God's Beauty Hostess set and carried the theme to the base of my card. I cut around the stamped images to make the bookmark a little interesting, not a typical rectangle. I also stamped and cut out two butterflies and attached them to the top of the bookmark a little beyond the actual bookmark, one on the front and one on the back, so that when someone has it in their book, the butterfly wings sticks out. I designed this particular card so that the Bookmark Corner sits over the corner of the top layer of the front of the card. That meant I had to raise that top layer (this is a picture of the back of the top layer) so the bookmark could slip over it and easily pull off and on. I used strips of dimensional foam tape. But you don't have to do that! It works perfectly fine just slipping your Bookmark Corner over the main part of the card!! Here's how it should look when it's in use. Also, here's a card from my SCS Gallery that I made eons ago, same concept, but as you can see, one layer: If you have any questions, please let me know!! I know I leave out details as I'm going along. Just ask me!! Thanks for checking in!!

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Transparency Card

Ooh I had time for a CAS Challenge this week! These are always quick cards so that's probably why I think I can handle it! The CAS Challenge this week over on SCS is to make a card with punches. Miss Boo says: "This week we are using punches. Whether you're using them as an accent or as the main image, punches are quick and easy. Just remember to keep it clean and simple!" This is pretty darn quick and simple -- I promise!! I used a 12" x 4-1/4" piece of white SU Textured CS, scored it at 4" and at 8". Folded in one side so now it appears to be just a regular looking white card. Then I used my Large Circle Nestibilities to cut a semi-circle chunk (well, it's a little bigger than a semi-circle -- I didn't measure it exactly) out of the folded side. I grabbed my "newly acquired" (ahem...yippeeh) SU "Clearly Thanks" printed window sheets (LOVE these things!! -- Look Out Card Club!!) to fill the void. The window sheets come in 8-1/2" by 11" sheets with multiple white images printed on them, so I picked the leafy image and cut it out just large enough to fill the negative space that my semi-circle left. Tucked it under the fold so the white leafy print was positioned nicely in the negative space, and then taped it all down on the inside-back. The taping down part doesn't show because the fold covers it over. I then set out to decorate the rest of the card. Here's where my CAS part comes in -- I punched 2 green leafy accents using my McGill "Pine" punch (see there, I did it!!). I tucked them under 2 pink, faux silk flowers that I salvaged from an old arrangement I had in my house awhile back. (I removed the plastic stamen from the flower's center and separated the petals -- it used to be a single gawdy looking thing but it became two card embellishments -- hee hee -- when I separated it.) I added a couple of sparkly Jolees' Jewels from HL to the centers and then stamped the Easter sentiment on the inside of the card. That's it! I'm telling ya! Easy Peasy!! No texture, no layers, no stamping ('cept the sentiment). I'll be making more of these, so if you want a tutorial, holler at me and I'll take more photos next time to explain it better and post them. (I gotta say though, this thing was a BEAR to photograph since it's practically all white and the transparency sheet proudly reflects the light from every angle LOL!!!) Thanks for checking in!!

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Challenge Cards

OK you crazy Tres Amigas challenge gals! I'm jumping in this week, I love that MS Living Mag cover!! Great choice Joanne! I went with the Easter theme and the color combo. Very cool!! The bunny rubber stamp on this card was purchased years ago, I don't even remember from where, and the only ID on it says "Ann-ticipations Stockton CA". I use it every Easter, I think he's adorable! The layers are misc. paper from my scrap drawer and the sentiment is raised up on pop dots. Some polka dot ribbon and itty bitty half-back pearls to make it girly!! Then, this is my card for the Featured Stamper this week. It was none other than Beate, and lordie, who can pick out a single card from her gallery that you want to Case! I literally stopped going through it after awhile because I had Fav-ed so many of them, I figured at that rate I was recreating her gallery! LOL! Anyhow, I went with her Stitched Friends Card and cased the layout and color scheme. I used All Holidays for the sentiment and popped it up a bit. Thanks for checking in!!

Saturday, March 21, 2009

Tag Card

This is for a couple of challenges this week -- the Doubledog Dare Challenge and the Inspiration Challenge! Our Doubledog Dare Challenge Hostess this week was the lovely and talented Charlene (aka LilLuvsStamping). Her challenge to us was to make a gift tag, or tags with a "bit 'o green" (cuz it was St. Patrick's day when she hosted") ... easy peasy. Well, here it is many days later and I still haven't done it yet, so I'm combining it with today's IC. :0) Today's inspiration pieces for the Inspiration Challenge are from an Etsy shop called Little Daisy Designs. Cute cute cute little girl's clothes! My card finally evolved after choosing this little apron skirt. See, I'm telling you, just the cutest clothes!! <--- OK, so here's the supplies I used. And here's what I did: I die cut 3 large tags out of White CS with my Sizzix Thick Cuts Tags die. Then chose multiple DPs and solid CS scraps that went along with my inspiration piece. I ended up with Basic Grey Marrakech paper, SU Patterns Pack in red and Tempting Turquoise. I don't have any black striped paper, so I stamped some using SU Classic Stripes bg stamp with Versafine Onyx Black ink directly onto the tags. I created a couple of flowers using my MS Layering Daisy punch, more DPs, and Basic Grey Glazed Marrrakech brads. I layered those onto more DP and a black scalloped square using my SU Scalloped square punch. For the center tag, I punched a black scalloped oval using my SU Scalloped oval punch and SU Large oval punch. Used SU markers in Tempting Turquoise, So Safron, Real Red, Always Artichoke and black on the "So Kind" sentiment from SU Priceless stamp set. That got layered onto my DP and I added a black stripped ribbon by RibbonFX. I finished them off with more black stripped RibbonFX. One tip for ya, add a smidge of adhesive under the ribbon before you tie it, if you use pointy tags like these. That keeps that ribbon from slidding off to the sides of those tags. As for the back...well, not too impressive. I plan to finish it when I give it away. [Rollyeyes!] So thank goodness I don't need to give it away right now! :0) Thanks for stopping by today!!

Friday, March 20, 2009

Mothers Day Fan Card

The nicest person found one of the Mother's Day Fan Cards I made last year in my SCS gallery and asked me for instructions...YIKES! I didn't write up any but I promised I would figure out something and get her the info. The ones below are posted on SCS, but I don't know which one it was that she originally saw. Anyhow, I thought I would include them in this tutorial just so you could see how different they can look depending on the DP and stamping you use for each one. Here's how they're done... (Just know that the number of layers and card size will vary depending on how creative you feel!) This tutorial is specifically for the 5-1/4" square card shown at the top center of this post. I started with a 4-3/4" square piece of Textured Pink Piorette CS for my base and a 10 x 4" piece of Walk in the Park DP series (both SU) to make the card. I created a scalloped border with my SU Scallop Border punch. (For this tutorial, I will call the scalloped side the "top" of the fan and the straight edge the "bottom".) Next I scored the 10x4" piece every 1/2" (I used my Scor-Pal, but you can measure and score it any way that is easiest for you). I folded at the score lines in an accordian faschion to make the piece pliable. Each end of the fan piece starts out as a "valley" fold. I then flattenend it back out again, flipped it over, and on the back side of the printed DP, I ran a tape runner along the "bottom" edge of the fan piece. Next I accordian folded it back again (here you see the back side) and squeezed the bottom part together so it starts to stay taped together at the botom. No worries if it doesn't stay completely taped together yet. Next I picked a corner of my Pink Piourette card base and marked both sides of the one corner at 7/8" to use as a guide for placement of the fan. Next, I ran tape along each end of the folded accordion fan piece -- (on the back side of the DP). I aligned the fan piece, print side up, at one of the 7/8" marks on the corner of the pink card base, and smoothed down the folded end that had the tape on it. I "stretched" open the fan across the pink base, then attached it at the other end to the other side of the base right at the 7/8" mark on the other corner. Then I focused on decorating the base of the card using stamps to make a background and the sentiment, and added ribbon, butterflies, diecuts and half-back pearls for dimension. I layered the now decorated base onto Tempting Turquoise CS and attched it to the main base of the card. Hope you enjoyed it and make a few of these yourselfs!! I'd love to hear from you if you do!! Thanks for checking in!!