Wednesday, March 30, 2011

New Tim Holtz Die!

I love all the new stuff that came in the mail last week from Frantic Stamper!!  (My card uses a new Magenta butterfly stamp called "Papillion Post Card".)  Lots of new Primas, stamps and paper goodies; but, the best ever -- EVER -- that I've had so much fun with is this new Tim Holtz "Mini Paper Rosettes" Sizzix Sizzlet die! (scroll to the very bottom of the page of THIS LINK to find it and grab one!!!)  You can run 2 pieces of DP through your die cutting machine and you get four, cut-scored-ready-to-fold, rosettes in 2 different sizes.  I couldn't stop making them this weekend!!


Here's a pic of the strips of scored and scalloped paper that the die cuts for you.


After die cutting your paper, accordion-fold the paper strips along their very-well defined scored lines and glue the ends together. Let them stand while the glue dries.




Next, use both hands to flatten them out so that the bottom (unscalloped) edge gathers in the center.
 


Hold and add glue to the center area.




Add a matching DP circle to center of the front and the back of the rosette for stability.  (BTW, the little center circles are cut at the same time you run your paper through to die cut the rosettes!)



Now you have four rosettes ready to embellish or immediately stick onto your card or 3-D project!  Super fast...seriously easy as pie!! Awesome, right?!!

By the way, if you haven't stopped by recently, the Frantic Stamper blog has been reformatted into a fantastic resource for stampers and crafters!!  Lots of tips, techniques and product reviews and tutorials!!  Check it out and leave Fran some love!!  

TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

Blog Award! Thank You!

I so appreciate the award Julie and Emily!!  How awesome that you thought of me!!  I want to get this posted and pass it on, so while I'm checking out my blogging buddies that I want to pass it on to, I thought I'd go ahead and share it with you!!

Thank you so much, I love that you thought of me and stopped by to say so!!

Hugs!


Monday, March 28, 2011

A CAS Card for Today's Challenge


Hi Everyone,

Today's challenge over on the Woodware USA blog is "CAS".  I love CAS cards!  A single image and some DP and you're done!!  There are some wonderful samples on the blog made by our DT -- you just gotta stop by!!

My image is from WWUSA's "Take it Easy" set.  Cute images that can be used for lots of different occassions, not just as Get Well, etc.!

Hope you'll join us in the Challenge this week.  Pop over to WWUSA blog for all the deets.  Your entry will be eligible for our monthly drawing for a free Woodware USA set and you the opportunity to be chosen as a guest designer for a future challenge!! 


TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

Sunday, March 27, 2011

A Woman's Work

This weeks Featured Stamper over on SCS is Elaine (aka Quixotic).  Wow, can this girl color!  I checked out her blog and she has several tutorial on Copic Coloring, really really excellent work.  I learned I have a lot to learn with that medium!!

I chose to Case this "Lola Di Vinci" card of hers.  I kept the color scheme and layout, but changed out all the materials to what I have on hand.  My image is "Wanda" by Loralie Designs.  These images are so much fun!  They all come with "accessories" to the main image, just like paper dolls!  I picked up several from Loralie's collection last year at a trade show. Another Loralie Design I made is posted here if you want to see another example.


I paper pieced her dress, apron, and hair wrap.  Then I used all copics to color in the skin, hair and shoes.  The DP is Cosmo Cricket "Salt Air" and Me and My Big Ideas "Fashion District". The punch and ribbon are SU! and the sentiment stamp is from Viva Las Vegas Stamps (picked it up last month from that outrageous stamp store!). Finally, her earrings and necklace are Basic Grey Opaline half back pearls.


TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

Monday, March 21, 2011

Black and White and ?


Hello All,


Today is a COLOR CHALLENGE over on the Woodware Blog!  Come join us for a chance to win a free WWUSA set and/or a Guest DT spot!  The rules are found on the WWUSA Blog, where you will also link your fabulous card for commenting and selection by the DT! 


The image on my card is from the Lunch in Paris set, another Jennifer Grant set, which I love!  Her quirkly art nouveou style makes me happy!! 

Please stop by the Woodware USA blog to join in the challenge and see what other images and designs are waiting there for your inspiration!!

Thanks so much for stopping by!!

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Oh My That's Sparkly!


Hi Friends,
Yesterday I stopped by my LSS (since I was in the neighborhood, ahem..) and picked up this crazy sparkly, thick CS!  It's almost chipboard, it's so thick, which is awesome because it runs beautifully through my Big Shot.  The paper is American Crafts "Glitter Palette".  I sliced off a section of several of the colors and die cut some flowers and leaves to play with.




I checked out the Etsy Challenge for this week and this really bright and colorful handbag caught my eye so I chose as my color inspiration. 



Then I checked out this week's FS over on Splitcoast to find inspiration for a card to make so I could use these insanely sparkly flowers and came across this "Dogwood Fancy" card by "MBRCuties25" -- who is this weeks FS!  It worked great as a jumping off point so here is what I came up with:

The dies I used are Sizzix Paper Sculpting Daisy and the leafy branch is from SU's Bird and Branch punch.  The pom pom trim and sentiment are also SU.

 TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

Saturday, March 19, 2011

Dedicated to Demetria

Glossy and Old Olive CS, "Autumn Leaves" Kaleidescope ink pad; Black Momento Ink, SU! Pocket Silhouettes

Hello All,

This card is for the IC over on Splitcoast.  The website this week is Kirkland's; I love the artwork there, I've been to the actual store many times!

 I was inspired by this painting:  "Spiced Canvas Sunset"

It was the perfect background for a card I wanted to make today.  My cousin, who I was very close to when I was growing up, has been admitted to a mental hospital suffering from bi-polar disease and is in a severe and dangerous depression.  Her doctors are closely monitoring her and changing her meds daily to try to help her.  She's an incredibly gifted writer, poet, and humanitarian and my heart is praying for her recovery.  I hope you will too!  Her name is Demetria, and here is a link to her biography and a peek inside some of her works.

Thank you so much friends!

Hugs,

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Inspired by an Amazing Sunset!


Hello All!

The second ever "For Your Inspiration" challenge is posted over on the FYI Blog -- check out the awesome projects inspired by the photo above!


Here's the card I came up with.  I stamped Stampin' Up!s "Dotted Spring" in the background with Versamark and used hologram glitter EP for some sparkle.  The Butterflies are from  Kitchen Sink's Butterflies set which I stamped using a variety of blues, purples and pinks.  I threaded the satin ribbon through holes that I punched with a Fiskars border punch.

Join in the fun and show us your beautiful creation by linking it to the blog!!  You can find all the details posted there.  Can't wait to see what you come up with!!

TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

Monday, March 14, 2011

Woodware Challenge -- Spring!


Hello Everyone!

Here's my card for this week's Woodware USA Challenge - Spring!  I used the set "Haute Couture" because the hats, shoes and accessories in this set are all about Spring! 

The DP on this card is "Madeline" by Prima and the sentiment is from "StampingScrapping" designed to be compatible with Spellbinders Fancy Tags dies. 

Stop by the WWUSA Blog this week, join in the challenge for a chance to win a free WWUSA set and a chance to be a Guest Designer!!  All the deets can be found here!!

And some good news!  You can receive 15% off all orders from the WWUSA Store by entering code: DISCOUNT during checkout!  See the NEW Woodware Spring 2011 Collection and the NEW Jennifer Garant line.   

TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

Friday, March 11, 2011

IC Challenge and a Quick Tip!!

Hello Friends!

It has been awhile since I've had a chance to blog!!  I went on vacation and then came back with a terrible multi-virus thing that required masses doses of antibiotics and steroids to kill.  But, the good news is, it worked!  Just in time for the weekend - LOL!!

My card is for the Inspiration Challenge this week that I get to host!  I chose the website "Fossil" because my sister just got a job there (after 2 YEARS of job hunting) and it looks like a fabulous place!!  I'm so excited for her and excited that it led me to this fun inspiration site!!  (Did you know Fossil even sells antique retro items??)



I chose this fun "Sasha Butterfly Clutch" as my inspiration.



My butterflies are made with Prima "Madeline" DP and SU's Butterfly Bigz die.  I used SUs Priceless set for the swirls and embossed them with gold EP.  The border punch is MS.  Addtional stamps used are SU's "Shapes and Shadows" and "Well Scripted".

I also have this quick tip for ya!!


For the butterfly antennae, I used these Blue Moon metal eye pins that are traditionally used for bead work.  They are so cool, they already have a tiny loop ("eye") at the ends so all I had to do was twist and adhere to the back of the butterflies!  All three packs of them came on one card, and they are 3 different lengths. 



I tried to get a close up of the curly antennae but it dosn't show up so well.  You might click on the photo for a close-up look.

I haven't tried yet, but I think next I'll try using them as stick pins for embellishments. 



TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

Thursday, March 3, 2011

For Your Inspiration! Challenge #1 !


The very first "For Your Inspiration" challenge is underway today over on the "For Your Inspiration Blog!"  Head over there as fast as you can to join in and see what the DT has come up with!  We'd love to have you participate and see your creativity at work!!  All the details on what you can win and how to enter are posted there! 


This is the gorgeous photograph to inspire you this week!  This was the first time I'd had a scenic photograph as inspiration, so this really challenged me -- I love that!! 

I started with black CS and smeared some Blush Rose and Ivory Colorbox chalk inks lightly across the bottom of the black panel.  I erased some chalked areas with a plastic eraser in rectangular patterns and then dotted them with a white Signo gel pen to simulate a skyline.  I then die cut daisy shapes from silver "mirror board" and placed them randomly on the black panel over my skyline.  I layered the panel onto Rose Red and Black CS.  I created a frame for my picture using some of the scraps of mirror board.

So what do you see in that photo??  Create whatever it inspires you to do and share it with us on the FYI blog!!  This challenge is open to all crafters and any medium can be used to create anything at all that the photograph inspires you to create!

I hope you'll join us!

TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

For Your Inspiration!


Hello Friends,

Beginning this Thursday, March 3 and continuing every 1st and 3rd Thursdays of each month, there is an awesome new challenge that you can join in!!  It's called "For Your Inspiration" (aka "FYI") challenge!   I'm very happy to let you know that I have been invited to join the Design Team by the very sweet and talented coordinator Steph (aka "Where'd All My Money Go") for the next six months!

This challenge will present gorgeous photography to inspire you to create!  The "Lovely Lotus" badge (shown here) will be awarded to the winner of each challenge and each participant has a chance to be a Guest Designer for the challenge!  I hope you'll join me THURSDAY for the inaugural challenge!!  (Specifics about how to participate in the challenge and be eligible to win will be posted on Thursday on the new "For Your Inspiration" blog!!  Be sure to check back!) 

Here is the list of the FABULOUS DT Stephanie assembled:

Steph (our coordinator) "Where'd All My Money Go"
Brenda "Rose Blossom Legacies
Corinna "Stampin With a Java Junkie"
Debbie "Live, Life, Loud"
Valerie "Paper & Cookies {creative pursuits of a crafty suburban mom} "
Wanda  "Cullen-ary Creations"

I had not "met" most of these ladies in my blogging circles yet, but I have to tell you, I'm now wondering where the heck I've been looking all this time -- these are some truly talented crafters!!  I think you'll agree!!  Hope you'll get a chance to visit them and leave some congrats love!!

See you Thursday!!

TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!