Monthly Archives: October 2008

Sometimes…Just Sayin’

Sometimes we have good days.  And yes, sometimes we have bad days. Yesterday for me…not so good in the creativity department.  I’ll save myself the embarassment of telling you how long it took me to make this card, but let’s just say it took way WAY longer than it should have.

Sometimes You’re the Frog

STYTF

That frog looks like how I felt.  I tried so many different layouts and papers, inks and embellishments.  This is what I finally ended up with.  The punches were still on my table so I used those to create the flowers.  (I would have used Primas if I had more than one brown one.)

I stamped the fly twice onto vellum, cut out each and adhered one over the other, bending up the top set of wings.  One of the punches has a little swirly/springy thing on it so I used that to “prop” the fly.

I watercolored the frog with SU’s Old Olive (reinker).  I outlined the frog with a gray Copic and then “attempted” to feather the edges with Copic’s colorless blender pen.  Here’s a great  tip for using the colorless blender pen:  Before touching the pen to the paper, make sure it is in fact the colorless blender pen and not one of the gray markers.  (You know how I know this…)

I used a clear gel pen on the eyes and spots, and some leftover scraps made a quick matching envelope.

Thanks so much for stopping by!  And today may you be the frog…or the fly.  It depends on how you look at it.  🙂

StampsStarving Artistamps   Ink:  Adirondack Pitch Black, SU Old Olive   Cardstock:  Prism Suede Brown Dark, Herbal Garden Light, Natural Smooth, Vellum   Patterned Paper:  October Afternoon   AccessoriesMcGill punches, Basic Gray brads, Spellbinders Nestabilities, Making Memories trim, brown marker, Sakura 3-d clear gel pen, waterbrush, pop dots.  Card size 5 ½” x 4 ¼”.

A Little Memento

Nope, not a keepsake or a typo, but today’s challenge over at Cornish Heritage Farms is to use Memento inks by Tsukineko.  And since I have very few of these, I have for you “a little Memento.”   (Okay…no more corny jokes.)

Every Day is a Blessing

         EDIAB375

This Thursday, October 16th, CHF is releasing some of Kim’s flower silhouette images as single stamps.  They are just like those in the sets, but a little smaller.   I used “Boxwood” with Rubarb Stalk Memento ink.  I only inked the stamp once and then repeatedly stamped off until the image was no longer visible.

EDCU300RHere’s a close-up of the trim.  (I never know if I’ve pulled off this scrappy look of layering stuff.  **shrugging shoulders**)  I stitched the darker piece to the card front, then used glue dots to adhere the short strand of pink flowers and buttons. 

I made a quick and easy matching envelope by cutting the patterned paper a little shorter in width than the envelope and tapering the top sides to match the flap.  (Just remember to only adhere the flap portion of the patterned paper so the envelope will close nicely.  This allows the inside portion to move slightly up and down when the envelope is opened and closed.)

Be sure to check out how these other CHF designers used their Memento inks (which, by the way, are on sale!).

Alli         Julia           Kristine       Kim 

Val         Sherrie      Julie
Thanks so much for stopping by!  Have a great day!

Stamps:  CHF “Boxwood” (Kim Hughes Collection), CHF “Time to Stamp” (The Rummage Bin)   InkTsukineko Memento Rubarb Stalk and Tuxedo Black   Cardstock:  Prism Vanilla Cream (base), Crabapple Dark, Natural Smooth   Patterned Paper:  Basic Grey Perhaps 6×6 paper pad   AccessoriesTrims by Prima, Buttons by Basic Grey, white string, sewing machine, sponge, glue dots.  Card size 5 ½” x 4 ¼”.

Even Sweet Little Elzy Can Say it Like it Is

What a great sentiment!  I found this one while apple picking my way to a 15% discount at Addicted to Rubber Stamps a while back.  (Insert rolling eyes.  Obviously I had no pressing issues that day.)  Anyway, I couldn’t pass up the sentiment.  How many times have you wanted to say “I understand.  I just don’t care”?  Or better yet, how many times have you actually said it?    I’ll admit to it (maybe even this last week), but sometimes I tend to say too much.  My husband can surely attest to that.

I Understand…

     IJDC

I paper-pieced Elzy’s dress using the front cover of the paper pack.  Those little squares that show the patterns in the pack?  They’re perfect for piecing little parts and many of mine are cut all over.

IUIJDCCU2To make the flower, I used two of McGill’s new Perfect Petals punches.  I love these.  The two I used have five to seven little flowers on each punch, perfect for layering.   Once I stacked the pieces and adhered them with the tiny brad, I bent each petal up just a bit for added dimension.

Thanks so much for stopping by! Have a great weekend!  (And just for the record, I usually do care, but there are times….)

Stamps:  Elzybells Art Stamps “Girl on Swing” and River City Rubber Works “I Understand”   Ink:  Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black   Cardstock:  Prism White, Super Smooth White   Patterned Paper:  Rubber Soul Meadow’s Edge   Accessories:  Copic markers, McGill Petite Petals and Baby Blooms punches, Bazzill 3 mm brad.  Card size 4” x 4”.

All Good Things Must End

Happy Wednesday!  I tried to post this earlier but my blog was not cooperating.  Anyway…

We made this at my very last Stampin’ Up workshop.  Yep, I’m done (for various reasons).  In a way, I’m a bit disappointed as I liked getting together with friends to stamp but…it’s time to move on.

Thank You

TUSU

I used one of  my all-time favorite color combos, Chocolate Chip and Cameo Coral.  I blew the dust off of my Floral background and I used my last piece of Aged Copper Hodgepodge.  THAT I will miss.  If anyone knows where I can buy hardware pieces that have that dark, aged look, please let me know.  I’ve seen antique copper all over, but nothing like these very dark aged pieces.  I *heart* them!

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you have a great day! 🙂

Cardstock:  Chocolate Chip, Cameo Coral, Very Vanilla   Stamps:  SU Fresh Cuts, Floral   Ink:  Chocolate Chip   Accessories:  Aged Copper Hodgepodge, Martha Stewart Ribbon, Sponge.  Card size 5 ½” x 4 ¼”.

And the winners are…

Random.org

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:
29  <——JENNIFER SCULL  ————————#1-Magazine
79  <——SUSAN LILES (susiestampalot)—#2-Magazine and the Loot

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Congrats!  Please email to me your address and I’ll get your goodies out to you!  (Or I’ll email you.)  🙂

Thanks, everyone, for visiting!

Make it Quick

TGIM (for me anyway)!  Today’s Chick Challenge at Cornish Heritage Farms is to make quick cards.  That’s a bit of an oxymoron for me as none of my cards tend to be quick.  Even the most simple designs usually take me a while to create.  I just hope this one doesn’t look like I quickly threw it together.

Congrats

            CCC

It helps me to speed things along by using patterned paper.  One less thing to stamp, right?  The green background and dotted paper are both from CHF’s Mocha Chica paper pack created by Kim Hughes.  I cut a strip of black cardstock using a scallop blade in my Fiskars Rotary Trimmer, adhered a thin strip of bright pink paper, zig-zagged and added some white dots.  Pretty quick and pretty easy.  🙂   

Be sure to check out these other CHF designers.  They are sure to have fabulous quick cards for your inspiration!

Julia                    Jen                    Kim                       Kristine

Val                      Alli                     Joanne                 Carole

Julie                    Sherrie             Becky                    Lisa Silver

In the CHF gallery, a separate category has been set up just for quick cards!  You can see it here.

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Have a great day!  (If you haven’t had a chance to sign up for my give-away, check out the next post.  And thanks for helping me to get rid of duplicates and triplicates! 🙂 )

Stamps: Cornish Heritage Farms “Baby Love” (Kim Hughes Collection)   Ink:  Stewart Superior Palette Noir   Cardstock:  Prism White (base), Black, Intense Azalea   Patterned Paper:  Cornish Heritage Farms Mocha Chica (Kim Hughes Collection)   Accessories:  Prima flowers, Basic Grey buttons, May Arts ribbon, Inkssentials white gel pen, Fiskars Rotary Trimmer/scallop blade, white string, sewing machine, glue dots.  Card size 4 ¼” x 5 ½”.

Just for Fun, WCMD and Blog Candy

Happy Saturday!  Lots to share so let’s get started!

Time for this month’s Just for Fun challenge with Carole!   Once Carole’s “mystery paper” was enroute, I chose Bikababeabella from  Stamping Bella for our challenge.  (The paper is “Mischa” from the Hoodie Line by Luxe…love it!)  

Also my fellow stamper, Lynda Benden, who is a member of Our Creative Corner, asked me to be her guest this month.  (How fun!  Thanks so much, Lynda!)  Her challenge for me was to include bling of any kind on a card.  Yay…that’s easy!  🙂

Dare to be Different

      DTBD400

I used my Copic markers to color the image then I added some bling. The entire image is colored with some color of Spica glitter pen.

DCU300I used a scalloped square Nestability die to frame the image.  I cut two black scalloped squares, cut them apart and then pieced them back together, overlapping one of the scallops on the top and bottom to create a rectangle of the size I needed.  (I got this great tip from Susan Liles.  She’s one smart cookie.  I never would have thought to do that!)

I added Heidi Swapp bling in each scallop, a tiny Hero Arts adhesive crystal on the flower on the bike and the sentiment is embossed in black (for even more shine).

Don’t forget to check out Carole‘s project!  It’s bound to be fabulous and, as always, I can’t wait to see it too!

WCMD Fun

Not long ago, Paper Crafts Magazine began World Card Making Day as a time to set aside for getting started on all of your holiday cards.  As one of the sponsors of this project, Cornish Heritage Farms has some fun challenges, chat and prizes to share today.  You can find ALL the details here!

Paper Crafts Magazine has provided to me two copies of their latest publication “Cards, Gifts & More” to share with my blog readers. So here’s what I’m going to do. 

One winner will receive a copy of the magazine. 

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WCMDLA second winner will receive the magazine PLUS an SEI Poppy 12 x 12 paper pack, Bazzill In Stitches stitching templates, Basic Grey Journal Flourish clear stamps, Close to My Heart Library Cards clear stamps, an EK Success ready-made scrapbook album and a We R Memory Keepers double-sided tab dispenser w/refill.

All you have to do is leave a comment on this post.  To keep it fair, only one comment per person please.  I will select two winners on the evening of Tuesday, October 7th, approximately 9 p.m. (est) via random number generator.  #1 gets the magazine, #2 gets the loot (and the magazine). 

Please visit the World Card Making Day website for lots of great ideas and ways you can  celebrate this holiday.

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Have a great weekend! (“Say it Like it Is” Saturday will return next week!)  🙂

He Said She Said

What a fast week!  Where did it go?  It’s Thursday already…that means it’s time for the WT challenge at Splitcoast Stampers.  Today’s challenge is to use quotes. 

Never Give Up

NGU3b

I didn’t feel like using flowers (which is strange because that’s usually my first choice) so instead I pulled out Making the Grade.  I think this quote works for a school-ish card, yes?

NGUCU

Stamps:  Cornish Heritage Farms “Making the Grade” (Kim Hughes Collection), “Motivational Centers” (Mona Lisa Moments), Grid Paper Backgrounder   InkAdirondack Pitch Black, Aqua and Raisin by Ranger   Cardstock:  Prism Suede Brown Dark, Iced Teal, Natural Smooth   Patterned Paper:  My Mind’s Eye “Star Bright”   Accessories:  Buttons by Autumn Leaves, white string, sewing machine.  Card size 5” x 5”.

And remember, today brings the release of two adorable new sets at Cornish Heritage Farms, Little Gal and Little Guy.

Here’s my Little Gal card:

Smile, Girly

SG2

I used Copic markers to color the butterfly and created my own background paper by repeatedly stamping the ladybug on the Blush Red cardstock.

SGCU3Stamps: Cornish Heritage Farms “Little Gal” and “Tag! You’re It!” (Kim Hughes Collection)   Ink: Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black   Cardstock:  Prism Blush Red Light, Super Smooth White   Patterned Paper:  My Mind’s Eye Kaleidoscope Birthday Girl   Accessories:  Copic markers, ribbon, brads.  Card size: 5 ½” x 4 ¼”.

I think these are just the CUTEST! 🙂

 Lgal         Lguy

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Have a great day!