autumn leaves

Hi friends.  I love autumn.  I think it's my favorite season.  I love the rich, vibrant colors of the fields and trees.  I love the crisp, cool air.  And I love the smell of burning leaves.  We've had a few cooler days and nights.  It was in the upper 40's this morning. 

My card making tends to reflect the current season, so I made some with autumn leaves.  This one was made for the mixability challenge on SCS. 

The background was done with a brick stencil and gesso.  Once the gesso was dry, I sponged turquoise ink over it and then wiped most of the ink off the gesso.  The leaves and acorn are stamped with wonderfall (SU) and cut out.  I added a lot of sponged color to the leaves.  Both colors of burlap are ribbon.

The 2nd card was made for the inspiration challenge on SCS, which was a zentangle site.

 
I used the die that matches the stamps from the first card, but did not use the stamps for this one.  On the die cut leaf, I added vein lines and then just starting doodling.  I used colored pencils and white gel pen to enhance the doodles.  I love how it turned out. 

The background is a rubbernecker stamp. The light green layer was actually a light yellow cardstock, but I thought a green would match better and bring out the green on the leaf.  Since I already had it glued to the black backing, I just sponged it with green to change the color.  All just part of the way I create as I go.  Not too much planning.  Even when I do plan ahead, I usually end up changing things along the way anyway. 

Thank you so much for taking time to stop by for a visit.

It isn't much

Hi friends. 

It isn't much, but every time I looked at this card from my last post, I knew that it needed something.  It just seemed unbalanced. 

So I decided to fix it.  All I did was add three faux sequins.  Here's the improved card.  I like it so much better now.  What do you think?

Thanks so much for stopping by. 

blue and white

Hi friends.  I stamped today!  Or I should say, I made a card, since sometimes I stamp, but don't finish anything.  I was working on class cards a couple of days ago and stamped the flowers, but decided not to use this one for my class.  Today I decided to use it for the inspiration challenge on SCS.  I used this image as my inspiration. 

Although it took quite a while to color the flowers with inktense pencils and a waterbrush, I kept the card pretty simple.  I hope you like it. 

Thanks so much for stopping by. 

sizzix challenge

Hi friends.  I decided to participate in this month's challenge on the Sizzix blog.  This is the inspiration for the challenge. 





I used the mason jar die to cut jars from white cardstock and clear acetate.  I also cut a partial from some shimmery gray cardstock for the jar cover. 

Using button, button from SU, I stamped a lot of buttons with tuxedo black memento ink and colored them with copic markers.  Some I didn't color.  All the round ones were punched out with various circle punches, but those that weren't round had to be cut out with scissors. 

Then I just started gluing them onto the jar back until the jar was filled with buttons. 

I attached the acetate to the back underneath the cover so the glue wouldn't show. 

Some faux stitching seemed appropriate with the buttons.  The jar is attached with dimensional foam tape. 

The sentiment is from rubbernecker, and is die cut with spellbinders labels seventeen. 

Thanks so much for stopping by. 

garden trellis

Hi friends.  My sister was having our dad's cousin over today and asked me if I wanted to come for lunch, so I said 'sure'.  I'm a person who likes to keep my hands busy, so I grabbed a pack of white cardstock, a few stamp sets, a couple of inks, watercolor pencils and my basic tool kit.  My intention was to just stamp and color images.  I also grabbed a crochet project in case I needed a diversion. 

I did color a few images, but that isn't much fun if you don't have a specific project to put them on.  So I checked out the inspiration challenge on SCS.  Most of the samples given and even pictures on the selected site just didn't do anything for me.  So I went back to the samples.  I chose the fifth sample and took my inspiration from the trellis in the background. 

Since I only had white cardstock, I swiped my vintage photo distress ink pad down the paper to color it brown.  Then I cut thin strips from the colored cardstock to build a trellis. 

I stamped leaves and flowers from peaceful petals (SU).  The flowers were colored with inktense pencils and water brush, and the leaves were colored using a blender pen dipped into my vintage photo ink pad.  Then I fussy cut them out... yeah, I cut around all those tiny stems.  I don't do that often, but I really wanted the trellis to show behind the flowers. 

The sentiment is from the same set. 

I then punched some 1/8" circles from the same brown cardstock to make some faux brads. 

I sponged vintage photo ink along the edges of the card and the trellis panel. 

Thanks for stopping by today. 

hexagons

Hi friends.  Since I have a stamping class next week, I thought I should get started on my samples.  Today's inspiration challenge on SCS was just the push that I needed.  I chose the sixth sample given for my inspiration, because it looked like brown paper bag. 

I used one of my new frameworks dies from Tim Holtz/Sizzix to die cut a piece of paper bag and then cut a few more from different colors of cardstock.  I paired a larger hexagon from Sizzix with these for the sentiment.  

Thanks so much for stamping by. 

neglected

Yes, I've really been neglecting my blog.  I can't believe it's been over a month since my last post.  I suppose that is mostly because I haven't really been creating much.  Not that I haven't done any crafting, because I have.  I made cards for my classes, I've been doing a bit of crochet, and I started quilting another one of those quilts that have been sitting for a couple of years waiting for me to stick a needle in. 

Here are two of the cards from my last class.  The first one is called a double dutch fold. 

I used the SU hostess set simply sketched and colored the image with a waterbrush and intense pencils.  I love those and really need to get the big set of 72.  I only have 24 and it always seems like the color I really need isn't there.  I guess I need to save some money so I can get those. 

The second card is a whitewashing technique -- so fun.  You embossed the image in white EP and then color it with white ink and a waterbrush.  I chose to leave mine neutral and not add any additional color. 

And I have another card that I made for today's inspiration challenge on SCS.  I chose the 2nd sample given as my inspiration.  I used a new background stamp from SU called hardwood -- awesome stamp. 

I have something else I worked on this week, but I'll save that for another post. 

Thanks so much for stopping by. 

toilet paper molding

Hi friends.  It surely does not feel like Saturday today.  But, since it is, I participated in the inspiration challenge on SCS.  I chose the first sample given and took my inspiration from the red and white vase. 

I've wanted to try toilet paper molding since I've seen a few samples on various sites.  So I thought this would be the perfect opportunity.  It is a fun technique and the results are quite stunning. 

You place a stack of toilet paper on your rubber stamp, wet it and then press the TP into the stamp crevices.  Once it is dry, you can use it on your project.  I used my heat gun and let it finish air drying.  I used French filigree background stamp from SU.  You can see the texture a little better in this second photo.  I wasn't sure how well it would die cut with one of the thinner dies, but I was pleased with the result. 

The flowers are from simply sketched (SU).  I stamped them twice, fussy cut them, but on one I cut off the bud, and placed them so I would have a taller image. 

I also punched a border with an abstract flower border punch. 

inspiration challenge

Hi friends.  Today I decided to make a card for the inspiration challenge on SCS.  I chose the first sample for my inspiration. 

I used paper from a Black Market Paper Society stack for the background, with a strip of black dividing the two. 

The image is from a new stamp/die set called Lady with Hats from Hero Arts, which has framelits to match the stamps.  I stamped the image on naturals ivory and die cut it.  Then I sponged vintage photo distress ink on the edges and attached it with foam tape. 

The sentiment is also Hero Arts and, after snipping the ends to points, received the same treatment as the main image.  

Thanks so much for stopping by today. 

hope you can cling to day 29

Hi friends.  October is almost over and that means there are only a couple more challenges for breast cancer awareness on SCS.  Here is the card I did today. 

Challenge thirty-two - subway art with heart.  A card with text that resembles subway art.

I wasn't sure what I was going to use for this challenge.  I wasn't sure I had any appropriate stamps, but after some searching, I remembered that natural beauty - one of my all time favorite SU sets - had the perfect stamp.  I stamped it on white with black archival ink and die cut it with a postage stamp die (spellbinders).  I've had this die for months and this is the first time I've used it.  Then I sponged the edges with ballet blue ink.  Blue, black, and white has always been one of my favorite color combinations, and it didn't fail me here.  I love how the black makes the words stand out. 

I stamped the French filigree background (SU) in bashful blue on the white card base.  Then I attached the piece of black and the main image on the black. 

I stamped flowers from the same stamp set on white with tuxedo black memento ink and colored them with copic markers.  I added some white gel pen highlights in the flower centers.  After positioning the flowers on the card, I added three punched black dots as faux brads. 

Thanks so much for stopping by. 

hope you can cling to day 23

Hi friends.  Here's my card for today's challenge for breast cancer awareness on SCS. 

Challenge twenty-six -- Impossible Things Happen.  A card inspired by a fairy tale. 

For awhile I was really stumped by this challenge.  I have no stamps that have anything to do with fairy tales.  And I already used the idea for Cinderella's carriage for another challenge.  I thought about using an apple (Snow White), but I don't have an apple stamp either.  I decided to go on line and see if I could find a digital image to use.  And then I remembered that I have a dollar stamp of a high heel shoe.  Perfect!  I can make Cinderella's glass slipper!

I stamped the shoe in tuxedo black memento ink and die cut it with a spellbinders circle die.  I embossed it and sponged with cool caribbean ink.  I colored the shoe with copic markers, trying to get the look of glass.  Then I decided to go one step further and added crystal effects.  This is not one of my favorite products, and I wasn't happy with it, so I scraped it all off.  But I still wanted to shoe to be glossy, so I colored over it with a versamarker and then added clear embossing powder & heated it.  I used two coats.  For a little extra bling, I added a rhinestone.

I decided to add a frame with a tear drop circle die cut from cool caribbean card stock.  On the white card base, I stamped the tiniest snowflake from snow swirled (SU) and added some sparkles with a marker.  Then I added some glitter to make it look like fairy dust.  The sentiment is from a set of words I bought years ago at a local craft store.

Thank you so much for stopping by today.

a little blue

Hi friends.  No, I'm not blue or depressed.  My card is blue.  I stamped like crazy this past week.  Each year Splitcoaststampers.com has a week of challenges for fan club members only.  It's fun, a little bit crazy, and there are prizes, so I always try to participate.  Usually that means I'm playing catch up all week.  But somehow, this time I managed to keep up pretty much each day, and I actually finished on the day the final challenges were posted, a couple days before the deadline, which is Monday night. 

So I'm going to posting most of the cards I made for those challenges, but I'll just post one or two at a time.  But... not today!  Today I have a card I made for yesterday's inspiration challenge on SCS.  I chose this framed print as my inspiration.

I used an old SU set called because I care.  I stamped the hydrangea with tuxedo black memento ink and colored it with copic markers.  I added some white gel pen dots in teh flower centers.  Then I die cut it with a labels collection framelits die (SU/sizzix).  I added some faux stitching around the edge with a black marker.

My card base is ballet blue.  The sentiment is from impression obsession.

I added a strip of pattern paper and popped up the main image.  Done. 

After stamping all week, I needed a nice simple card.

Thanks so much for stopping by. 

quick inspiration card

Hi friends.  I saw that the inspiration challenge on SCS was posted, so I went to check it out.  It didn't take me long to find this Meridien dress for inspiration and make a quick card. 

I didn't want to use such a bright orange and have it look like halloween, so I chose groovy guava as my card base. 

The black strip is made with a border punch.  The flowers are die cut with Spellbinders flower bouquet miniabilities die, then embossed in the die and stenciled with groovy guava ink.  The center flower is raised on dimensional tape. 

Then sentiment is from Hero Arts.  I love when a card goes together so easily. 

Thanks so much for stopping by. 

flowers and inspiration

Hi friends.  Tonight I noticed that the inspiration challenge on SCS had been posted, so I decided to play along.  I was inspired by this halter dress that is all in brown flowers.  I knew right away which stamp I was going to use.  It's a flower (A Muse) just like those on the dress. 

I stamped the flower randomly in tea dye, gathered twigs, and vintage photo distress inks and then sponged tea dye and vintage photo over to darken the card stock.  I layered this on chocolate chip and an ivory card base. 

For the main image, I used the same stamp, but used salty ocean distress ink.  I added the sentiment (Endless Creations) in jet black stazon.  The sponging around the edge is vintage photo.  I again used chocolate chip as a layer. 

I used my crop-a-dile to punch a hole for the ribbon, and added dimensional tape to raise the image piece up off the background. 

This was a really easy card to make and will also be my entry in Robyn's flower challenge on facebook. 

Thank you so much for stopping by. 

friday feature - faux birch bark

Hi friends.  Sorry I haven't posted for a couple of weeks.  Last week Sunday, I came down with the flu and it took me almost a week before I really felt like doing anything.  I can't even remember the last time I got the flu - probably over 20 years ago.  I know I've been blessed with exceptionally good health.  Anyway, I'm better. 

Today, after teaching my technique class this morning, I knew I still needed to come up with something for my Friday feature over on the OWSE blog.  I decided to combine that with a card for the inspiration challenge on SCS from last Saturday.  I went a little outside the box in choosing my inspiration.  Instead of a product, I chose the tree in this picture at the top of the category and decided to make some faux birch bark. I've always loved the look of birch bark in crafts, but I would hate to harm the trees in order to get pieces large enough to make things with.  This turned out to be a great substitute, and I really love how it turned out. 

For a full detailed description on how I made this card, please hop on over to the OWSE blog.  Thanks so much for stopping by. 

sepia

Hi friends.  I hope you are having a great weekend.  Today I spent way too much time (overthinking) making a card for the inspiration challenge and the technique lovers challenge on SCS, but I'm finally finished.  For my inspiration, I used this gorgeous sealing wax stamp, which I think is probably ivory, but I can't read Chinese! 

I decided to use sepia technique, which is super simple.  I used ivory card stock and vintage photo distress ink for all the layers.  I stamped a PSX delphiniums stamp on a mini baroque die cut (Tim Holtz/Sizzix), and then used my water brush to spread the ink.  I also pulled some ink from the ink pad with the brush to make some areas darker. 

I used two background stamps, dotted diamonds (Rubbernecker) and pretty pattern paper (Cornish Heritage Farms).  Two other dies were used as well - baroque (Tim Holtz/Sizzix) and lacy ovals (Spellbinders). 

All of the layers were sponged with vintage photo and the edged darkened even more using a sponge dauber.  The front layer is raised on dimensional foam tape. 

I'm really happy with how this turned out.  Of course, I'd love to have that sealing wax stamp, too. 

Thanks for stopping by.

five challenges in one

Hello friends.  Tonight I checked out the inspiration challenge on SCS, and as I looked at the sample inspiration pictures, I realized that I could combine this challenge with some of the others for this week.  The inspiration sample that I chose to work with is a girl in a denim dress.  The other challenges are mix-ability (rip it, paste it, ink it), free for all (geometrically speaking), ways to use it (girls rule), and technique lovers (transform a map). 

I started with a white card base.  I had a photo copy of an old map, so I tore it into strips, inked the edges with vintage photo ink and glued the strips to my card base.  Then I inked over the whole thing with faded jeans ink. 

I traced around the insert from a used tape roll on some denim from an old pair of jeans and then cut out the circles.  I could have used a die and my cuttlebug, but was too lazy to pull them out. 

I chose a lady stamp from Stampendous.  I stamped her on white card stock with jet black archival ink, traced around a small container, and cut that out.  Then I sponged faded jeans all around the circle, just leaving her face uninked. 

The sentiment is from Cornish Heritage Farms.   Both the lady and sentiment circles are popped up on dimensional tape. 

I gave the card a bit of a frame by adding the fancy photo corner punches. 

Thanks for checking in. 

faux wood

Happy Saturday!  Last night, while I had the house to myself, I was busy stamping.  I made two cards that were very similar, but used different stamps for each. 

One was for a challenge to on Stamp TV for their newest stamp release party.  The challenge is to make a card using faux wood technique. 

The faux wood background is made by dragging your ink pads down the paper until you have the look you want.  I used creamy caramel, more mustard, really rust, and chocolate chip inks.  Then you make board lines and nails with a black marker. 

The image is part of a Gina K set called stately flowers 1.  I stamped the flower with tuxedo black memento ink and colored it with Copic markers.  Then I die cut it with a spellbinders oval, and backed it with a scalloped oval in black. 

The lace piece is from lacy borders (GKD), stamped in ballet blue and trimmed along the image.  I lightly sponged some creamy caramel over it to age it a little. 

The sentiment is from the same flower set. 

The second card is for the inspiration challenge on SCS.  I chose a hedgehog clock as my inspiration. 

Then I pulled out a very old SU stamp set called hedgehog happiness.  I made the card the same way as I did the first one.  The only differences are the sentiment is part of the stamp, and the horizontal strip is made with ribbon stripes (GKD) in wild wasabi ink. 

Thank you so much for stopping by today.  I hope you are enjoying your weekend. 

sending smiles

Happy Saturday.  I made a card today for two challenges.  OWSE Yahoo group has a couple of challenges each month, and one of the February challenges is a color challenge - blue, orange, and straw yellow.  The inspiration challenge on SCS was also my inspiration.  I chose this layered flower pin as a basis for my card design. 

My background is white, stamped with scratchy straw (Cornish Heritage Farms) in more mustard ink.  I also sponged the mustard ink over the background to soften the color from a bright white.  The fancy photo corners are punched from mustard card stock. 

The flower layers are from Heartfelt Creations, stamped with jet black stazon on white card stock and sponged with ballet blue and only orange ink. 

I die cut elegant flourishes (Tim Holtz/Sizzix) from ballet blue card stock. 

The sentiment is from Hero Arts.  I finished off the flower with an orange flower brad. 

inspired by a lamp

Hello, my friends.  Just a little break from the 21 cards.  I sat down tonight and made a card for the inspiration challenge on SCS.  My inspiration came from this lamp. 

I randomly colored the leaf and floral Hero Arts background stamp with tea dye and vintage photo distress markers, misted the stamp with water and stamped on my ivory card stock.  I sponged vintage photo ink around the edges of this piece as well as the card base.  I backed the stamped piece with black. 

The 'ribbon' is actually made of card stock, colored with tea dye and vintage photo distress inks and then faux stitched with white gel pen. 

The sentiment is from a retired SU set. 

Thank you so much for stopping by.  Have a blessed weekend.