white roses for a black challenge

Hmmm... does that sound a bit rebellious? Actually, today's ways to use it challenge on SCS was to use black on your card. And what works with black -- well, white, of course.

Today, I went to my sister's, so we could stamp together. Since I wanted to put dinner in the slow cooker before I left, I was running a bit behind schedule and I also couldn't figure out what stamps to take with me, so I left the ones in the bag that I had used in class on Tuesday and threw in a couple more, plus some black and white card stock. Whatever else was in the bag went along as well. I didn't even think about needing anything to color images with.

I was going to use a completely different stamp set. I stamped the main image and a background -- didn't like the background, so I flipped over the card stock and stamped a new one, which I really liked, but now the image and background really didn't 'go' together. So I grabbed the rose from fifth avenue floral and stamped it twice and cut them out. I liked the roses with the background, and chose to leave them white, since I didn't have my coloring tools along, but I needed something behind the roses to separate them from the mostly white backgound. Since my goal was using black on my card, I decided to somehow use black here. An oval seemed like a good idea, so I used my sister's coluzzle to cut an oval.

Now I really didn't want just a black and white card. I wanted at least a little bit of bright color and I love red with black and white. But, alas, I did not have any red card stock with me and my sister only had some that was much more burgundy - not the color I was looking for. So my next choice was ribbon. I wanted wider and was going to put it straight across the card, but had to use what she had, which was some shimmery bright red 1/4" ribbon, so I decided to lay two pieces side by side. As I was playing around with it, I realized that I liked at on the diagonal, so that's where it ended up.

I glued everything down and then realized that I needed just a little bit more red. Unless I wanted to peel the card apart, it was too late for brads or eyelets, so I decided to make some fake brads. I first tried punching through the ribbon with a crop-a-dile, but it wouldn't work, so I just glued a small strip of ribbon onto some black card stock and then the crop-a-dile went through just fine and I had some pretty glittery faux brads.

What's in it?
stamps: fifth avenue floral, pocket silhouettes (SU)
ink: jet black stazon
paper: whisper white, basic black
other: scallop border punch, ribbon, crop-a-dile, coluzzle, foam tape

Thanks so much for stopping by. Be blessed.

And another butterfly

Here I am again. This is my card for the third challenge for Gina K's April stamp release. This challenge was called yummy recipe, which meant that there were certain items that needed to be on the card.

I started by stamping the butterfly (Gina K) with black stazon ink on vanilla card stock, coloring it with colored pencils and gamsol, and cutting it out. Since the butterfly was cut out and none of the card stock color showed through the color, it didn't matter that I ended up pairing this with white card stock on my card.

One of the elements needed on the card was one piece of designer paper, so I looked into my supply for a piece of blue that would match the butterfly. This is a piece from a very old stack (I'm not sure who it's made by or where I bought it).

I like this layout with the partial circle, so I decided to use it on this card. My original plan was to place the butterfly on the circle, but I didn't like how that looked, so I had to come up with plan B. What do I put with a butterfly? Well, flowers, of course. None of the flower sets that I have from Gina seemed to work, so I chose these coneflowers from Paper Inspirations. Rather than do some elaborate coloring, I decided to just leave them blue and go for a monochromatic card.

Another element in the challenge was three eyelets. OK, that was easy. The third element was to use two different ribbons or fibers. This was the hardest part of the challenge for me. I liked the grosgrain ribbon along the edge, but the 2nd one was the kicker. I tried several ideas before coming up with using the yarn as the butterfly body and antennae. I've seen others use ribbon for this, so why not yarn? I attached the butterfly with dimensional tape under the wings.

What's in it?
stamps: take flight (Gina K), brushed coneflowers (Paper Inspirations)
ink: jet black stazon, brilliant blue
paper: ballet blue, brilliant blue, white, dp (stack ?)
other: colored pencils, gamsol, blue eyelets, crop-a-dile, cuttlebug, Bigz scallop circle and clear circle dies (Sizzix), royal blue grosgrain ribbon, blue yarn, foam tape

Thanks so much for stopping by. Be blessed.

Another butterfly

Hello again. This is my second challenge card for the Gina K stamp release. This challenge was called double vision, which meant that you had to make a background with the same stamp that you used for your focal image.

The butterfly from Take Flight (Gina K) was stamped with stazon in on vanilla card stock and colored with colored pencils and gamsol. The I cut it out, leaving off the antennae. When possible, it's much easier to simply stamp the image again and glue the colored image over it, which is what I did on this card.

I chose tangerine tango card stock for the card base to go with the colors on the butterfly. The background layer is the same butterfly stamped many times with tangerine ink.

I decided to place the butterfly on an angled panel with some eyelets on one end. The butterfly wings are raised on dimensional tape.

For the sentiment, I first stamped it right on the background piece, but it didn't show up well, and it was crooked (which is why I prefer my stamps wood-mounted). This set is still unmounted. So, anyway, I needed to fix my booboo. So I stamped the sentiment on some tangerine and just made a strip across the bottom of the card. All in all, a very easy card.

What's in it?
stamps: Take Flight (Gina K)
ink: jet black stazon, tangerine tango
paper: tangerine tango, very vanilla
other: colored pencils, gamsol, crop-a-dile, eyelets, foam tape

Thanks so much for stopping by.

A Butterfly

Hello. It's a new week - a time for new opportunities. Yesterday it rained all day, sometimes pouring (lightning & thunder) and sometimes just misting, but whatever, it was WET. Today looks like maybe more of the same, though I haven't checked a forecast.

Thursday evening Gina K had another stamp release. Although I totally missed the on-line party, I wanted to play along in the challenges, since there are always randomly picked winners that receive free stamps. And who doesn't like free stamps? So yesterday, I stamped my cards for each of the challenges. To make it a bit easier, I decided to use the same image for all three challenges. I used a butterfly from the Take Flight stamp set stamped with stazon ink on vanilla card stock and colored using color pencils and gamsol.

The first challenge was to adorn your corner. I used yellows and oranges for the butterfly and sponged the cs edges with chocolate chip and matted with chocolate chip card stock. For the corner, I decided to use one of my crocheted flowers. I die cut some leafy branches with a sizzlit die from SU, added a couple snips of orange ribbon and attached the flower with a jumbo brad.

The card base is vanilla. The next layer is chocolate chip topped with some digital designer paper from Gina K that I sponged along the edges and then ran through my cuttlebug in the CB textile embossing folder. It's really hard to see the design on the paper. I added a horizontal stripe using three pieces of grosgrain ribbon. Then I attached the image panel on dimensional tape.

What's in it?
stamps: take flight (Gina K)
ink: jet black stazon, chocolate chip
paper: very vanilla, chocolate chip, always artichoke, digital dp (Gina K)
other: sponge, grosgrain ribbon, crochet flower (handmade by me), little leaves sizzlit die (SU), cuttlebug, CB textile embossing folder, colored pencils, gamsol, jumbo brad (Making Memories), foam tape

Thanks so much for stopping by. I'll have a couple more posts today with the other challenge cards. I could put them all in one post, but I understand that most people prefer just one card per post.

Oh, my gesso!

A Monday hello to you. After such a nice warm day on Saturday, today was only 45. And drippy. Not really raining, just sprinkling most of the day.

The technique challenge on SCS today was gesso resist. After checking the gallery and seeing all the wonderful cards, I really wanted to try this technique. But... no gesso. There might be some in the house -- in DD's art supplies, but she didn't know where it was and didn't have time to look before she left for work, sooooo.... I did a Google search and found a recipe for an alternative made with water, white glue (PVA recommended) and talcum powder. Since I do have all of those, I thought I'd give it a try. Of course, being the rebel that I am, I decided to use Elmer's school glue instead of PVA, since we still have many bottles around from when the kids were in school, it's a fraction of the price, and it really doesn't get used for much else.

The recipe called for 2 parts water, 1 part glue and talc to make a batter consistency. I made about 1/2 cup. I mixed and mixed and mixed in the talc (a LOT of talc) and also added more glue, so I think it was more equal parts glue and water. Now I've never actually worked (or even seen) gesso, so I really didn't know what I was striving for, but I finally came up with a mixture that seemed workable.

The first step was to paint the gesso on a magazine page -- text seemed to be best. Then you needed to let it dry and add a couple more coats so you had a milky, translucent covering. Drying time took forever. I got impatient and helped it along a bit with my heat gun. Then I stamped the flourish with versamark and embossed with clear embossing powder. And then I sponged certainly celery ink over the image. The gesso gives a nice texture that the ink brings out.

I stamped the flowers and leaves on white, cut out and sponged the edges. The flowers have white brads in the center and are popped up. Even though the darker ink on the flowers is rose red, it seemed to match the ruby red card stock better, so I used that for the mat. The faux piercing was done with a rose red marker.

What's in it?
stamps: petal pizzazz, baroque motifs (SU)
ink: regal rose, rose red, certainly celery, versamark
paper: certainly celery, ruby red, whisper white, magazine page
other: clear ep, heat gun, sponges, white brads, gesso, foam tape

Thanks so much for stopping by. I'd love to hear what you think. Be blessed.

framed verse

Happy Saturday. We had a beautiful day today - about 75 and mostly cloudy. I was going to go outside and do a bit of yard work, but I procrastinated too long and by the time I got outside, it started to rain, so I didn't get much done. I don't think it lasted very long, but by then I was on to something else.

It took me a long time to make my card for the inspiration challenge on SCS today, but I'm really happy with it. It also fits the ways to use it challenge and the fan club monthly theme for April.

When I checked out the web site for the inspiration challenge, I found this sea spray pillar to use as my inspiration.

I made a pattern for the bird from a couple of cards I'd seen recently. Then I glued some old music to a piece of cereal box chipboard and cut the bird from that.

I stamped antique background in versamark on the bird, clear embossed it and then sponged brilliant blue ink over it. I added some chocolate chip around the edges. The wing is cut from brushed silver and sponged along the edges with brilliant blue.

I ran the cool caribbean card stock through my cuttlebug Swiss dots embossing folder and sponged the edges with brilliant blue.

I stamped the verse on some cream card stock and then die cut it and embossed it with my nestabilities labels 4 dies. I used the same set of dies for the silver frame.

The flower is made up of several silk flowers from Michaels and a brad which I sanded, then embossed with blue embossing foil and then with irridescent ice ep.

The frame, the bird, wing and flower are all popped up on dimensional foam tape.

What's in it?
stamps: antique background (SU), verse (unknown)
ink: brilliant blue, chocolate chip, versamark
paper: brilliant blue, cool caribbean, cream, brushed silver, cereal box chipboard, old music
other: cuttlebug, cb Swiss dots embossing folder, nestabilities labels 4, silk flowers (Michaels), brad, sponge, clear ep, heat gun, blue gem (JoAnns), foam tape

I'm so glad you stopped by for a visit. Your comments are always welcome. Be blessed.

inspiration challenge

Happy Saturday. Today's card is what I did for the inspiration challenge on SCS this morning. I was a bit rushed with a busy, but I wanted to make a card inspired by this piece.

I managed to get a lot of texture into this one. The left side of the card is creamy caramel stamped with old burlap background, a Judikins stamp that I've had a long, long time. Then I ran the piece through my cuttlebug with the friends forever embossing folder and brayered over the raised parts.

The blue on the right is canvas fabric, which I picked up at Walmart. I also stamped the same background on that and then stamped the Penny Black lace flower in white (which barely shows) and chocolate chip craft inks. I decided to heat set it just in case it wasn't dry. I didn't want to chance smearing the ink. Since I wanted to cut around part of the flower, I painted over the back of the canvas with acrylic paint to stabilize it.

Now, I've probably mentioned at some time in the past that bordering blue is my least favorite color in SU's palette, so I wasn't too happy with this card. It was very bland and I thought it needed a little punch, so I added the ribbon, the jumbo brad, the faux brads down at the bottom and some faux piercing. I'm not sure if you can tell, but I also took my chocolate chip marker and just drew a line around the image piece. I also stamped the card base with the same lace flower.

What's in it?
stamps: beautiful borders (SU), lace flower (Penny Black), old burlap (Judikins)
ink: creamy caramel, close to cocoa, white craft, chocolate chip craft, chocolate chip marker
paper: bordering blue, creamy caramel
other: blue canvas, cuttlebug, cb friends forever embossing folder, jumbo brad (Making Memories), mat pack, white gel pen, brayer, chocolate grosgrain ribbon

Thanks so much for stopping by. Comments are always welcome. Be blessed.

Wings

Hello. I stamped today. I probably should have been cleaning, but I really needed to stamp. Although I did do a couple of loads of laundry.

The ways to use it challenge today was to use labels. What I ended up with was completely different than what I had in mind when I started out. I had an idea on how to use the labels, but wasn't sure what stamps to use, etc. So while I contemplated that, I decided to work on another card for an upcoming class. I was basically going to case this card from Lydia, but didn't have enough basic gray card stock, so opted to change the colors. Then once I got going, I decided to use the labels on this card instead.

I stamped the flowers and leaves in not quite navy. The butterfly is stamped in stazon and colored with yoyo yellow and only orange markers. White gel pen is added to the dots.

For the strip of labels, I sponged them with yellow and orange and then stamped the butterfly several times. Then I put the labels on a strip of black card stock.

What's in it?
stamps: God's beauty (SU)
ink: jet black stazon, not quite navy, yoyo yellow, only orange
paper: kraft, basic black, whisper white, address labels
other: sponge, white gel pen, foam tape

Thanks so much for stopping by. Comments are always appreciated. Be blessed.

Melody

Quick card

Happy Saturday. Since I'm still in the midst of clearing and organizing, but I wanted to make a card for the inspiration challenge on SCS, I made a really quick one. I chose the vine pattern from the selected web site, but rather than making a card that was white images on a black background, I did the reverse, which was much faster. The stamps are all from cheep talk (SU). I added some score lines on the middle layer and put black brads in the corners. The image panel is raised. Easy peasy card.

What's in it?
stamps: cheep talk (SU)
ink: basic black
paper: basic black, whisper white
other: scor-pal, piercing tool, black brads, foam tape

Thanks for stopping by. Be blessed today.

SU Occasions Mini Brochure

Good morning. You can now order from the Stampin' Up Occasions Mini Brochure. The sales period runs from April 1 - June 30, 2009.

AND... it gets better...

From April 1-30, when you buy $40 in products from the Occasions Mini or host a workshop totaling $150 or more, you'll get one item from the "Under $10" page (p. 208) in the Spring-Summer 2009 Idea Book & Catalog--FREE!

Please contact me by email if you wish to place an order. (USA only)

Have a wonderful day.

Melody

recycled soda can

Hello. It's been awhile since I've posted. I really haven't been stamping other than for my classes and a lot of those cards have been cased, so I typically don't share those.

I'm in the midst of clearing out my craft room so that I can actually use it for crafting instead of storing 'stuff'. But when I saw the ways to use it challenge today on SCS, I knew I wanted to play. I had already tried to die cut a soda can, but I wanted to try one with polished stone on it. I used this week's sketch challenge as well.

I used Ranger alcohol inks for the polished stone technique and then ran the metal through my cuttlebug with a nestabilities die. I think I needed a couple more shims of card stock, since it didn't cut through very well, and I had to play with it a bit to get the pieces apart. The wing is dp using the smallest die in the set and then I cut off the beak. I wasn't sure how well the glue would hold the metal on, so I added a button and a brad.

The background pieces are embossed in the cuttlebug and sponged to enhance the raised portions.

what's in it?
stamps: cheep talk (SU)
ink: elegant eggplant, alcohol inks (Ranger)
paper: tempting turquoise, basic black, white, cool caribbean, dp (mat pack - SU)
other: Mountain Dew soda can, button, black brad, crochet cotton, sponge dauber, piercing tool, cuttlebug, CB embossing folders, nestabilities dies, foam tape

Thanks so much for stopping by. Comments are always appreciated. Be blessed.