Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Mojo Monday #278 - Fisherman Stamp


It's another week of weird weather, so I have been holding off taking pictures and posting cards.  We hit the high 50's yesterday with rain.  Today it has been snowing all day with below zero temps for tonight.  With the snow coming down and everything white again I thought it might be bright enough to take some pics.  My card for today is for the Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge #278.  It's all about circles and squares this week.  I used a new stamp I picked up last week.  One of my favorite stores was having a 50% sale on all of the Whipper Snapper Design stamps, so that they could bring in the new spring line.  So how could I pass that up.  Here were the two sketches you could pick from.



Here is my card...





I find it hard to make male cards.  Partly because most of my stamps and papers lend themselves more to the feminine side.  I opted to use the Die-namics chevron die to make points and circles for the sentiment instead of scallops to give it a more masculine feel.  I stamped another hat to accent my sentiment.  As a kid we would fish on the river that went through the small town I grew up in.  We would put our catch on a stringer.  I tried to duplicate that with the fish hanging off the strings.  I also added Glossy Accents to all the fish to give them a little something.  The sentiment was something I just typed up on my computer.  After I made the card I thought I should have used "Birthday Fishes".  Oh well, that can be another card.






Paper: X-Press It Blending Card, SU Basic Black
Pattern Paper: From my Stash
Assorted Punches
Skin: E000, E00, E21, R20
Hair: E23, E25, E27
Hat & Shoes: E41, E43, E44, E47
Shirt: Y13, Y15, Y17
Overalls: B91, B93, B95, B97
Fishing Pole: W3, W5, W7, R29, YR21, YR23, YR24
Fish: YG93, YG95, YR21, YR23, YR24



  

Friday, January 25, 2013

MFT Wednesday Sketch Challenge

Today's card is for the MFT Wednesday Sketch Challenge.  For more info you can check out Splitcoast Stampers for all the details.  I used the PI stamp set "Fairy Girl".  I colored her in with my Copics and used papers from a paper pack that I have had for ages. 

  Here is the sketch for this week.



Here is my card.





It's a little hard to see in the pic, but I added Stickles to her wings and the tip of the wand.  I also colored some white pearls with my black Copic marker and added them to the corners.



Paper: X-Press It Blending Card, SU Basic Black
Pattern Paper: DCWV "The Green Stack"
Stickles & White Gel Pen
Hair: E35, E50, E53
Skin: E000, E00, E21, R20
Dress & Mushroom Cap: R32, R35, R37, R39
Stem of Mushroom: BG78, BG75, BG72
Grass: G28, G24, G21







Thursday, January 24, 2013

Exciting News! Dutch Dare Challenge #201 "Winged Things"

Exciting news...I am now a member of the Dutch Dare Challenge Design Team as of yesterday, so I am hitting the ground running.  I hope you will take the time to check out the challenges and participate.  This week's challenge #201 is "Winged Things".  I'd like to thank our great sponsor this week Sweet N Sassy Stamps.  They have both clear & digi stamps along with their own line of dies.  For this challenge I used the digi image "Butterfly & Flower".  I colored it with my Copics - matted it on a piece of white card stock that I ran through one of my Cuttlebug folders. 


Here is my card.





It's a little hard to tell in the pic, but I printed a second image colored only the butterfly, cut it out and added it to the card using pop dots to give it a more 3D appearance.  The image is layered on a larger circle of white card stock and then the scalloped circle in black.  


    

Here are the details for my card.

Stamps: Sweet N Sassy Digi Stamp "Butterfly & Flower"
Ribbon from my stash
Flower: Y13, Y15, Y17, Y19, E59, E23, E25, E27, E29
Butterfly: YR24, E41, E43, E44






Tuesday, January 22, 2013

PTI Make It Monday #101 - Layered Embossing

Today's card is for this week's PTI Make It Monday challenge.  In this week's video Heather Nichols shows how to layer embossing.  Who knew you could do that!  So I dug into my stash and for a person who really doesn't do much embossing I had quite a few colors.  (Black, White, Clear, Gold, Silver & Pink - who knows where the pink came from :)
For the challenge you must use one PTI product.  I just started buying from them, so my collection of stamps and dies is small.  I went with "Funky Florals", which was a free set I got earlier this month.  I used some pastel paper from my scrap bin.  I started off using the white to emboss the petals, then pink and finally the centers with black. The flowers were die cut with circle dies and I just fussy cut out the notches.  I tried using clear powder for the petals, but when I embossed the black ran all over and was just a mess!  The sentiment is also from the set and I stamped it in black and embossed it with clear powder.  I just find it's less of a mess and you don't have to worry about all those bits of powder this way.  It needed  a little something, so I topped it off with a bow I made using the Die-namic Dainty Bows.  Not quite sure if this card really knocks my socks off, but I don't think it's that bad that it needed to go in the trash.  Leave a comment and let me know what you think.





I took this picture later in the afternoon, so its a little on the dark side.


Stamps: PTI Funky Florals (limited edition set)
Assorted Embossing Powders
Paper: Assorted Papers from my scrap bin

This was a limited edition "free" with purchase set.  Not sure if it will be available in the future.







Sunday, January 20, 2013

The Deconstructed Sketch Challenge #85

Today's card is for The Deconstructed Sketch Challenge #85.  This is my first time posting for this challenge, but I had an idea for this sketch and went with it.  There is still time to post a card if you would be interested.  January 24th they will be posting their favorites for the week.  

Here is the sketch.




For this card I left my Copic markers in their bins and let the pattern paper take center stage.  I pulled out several dies and used one of my favorite papers "Everyday Enchantment" from Stampin Up, which has since been retired.  The sentiment is also from SU - and yes it also has been retired.  This is one of my go to sentiment sets and I was sad to see it go.  The roses were made with one of the patterns in the pack and the leaves were die cut using the PTI die "Turning a New Leaf".  I don't have the original stamp set that goes with this die set, so I used the "Embroidered Blooms" stamps that was just recently released.  I will probably get the "Turning a New Leaf" stamps in the near future.


Here is my card.




Here are the details for this card:

Stamps: SU "Sincere Salutations", PTI Embroidered Blooms
Pattern Paper: SU Everyday Enchantment, Sheet Music from my "stash"






Saturday, January 19, 2013

Cute Card Thursday Challenge - Diamonds are Forever!

Hello everyone...
Today is one of those unseasonably warm days for winter - 40 degrees, but they are talking about a cold front coming in tonight with temps below zero degrees for most of the coming week.  Brrrrrrr... I'm planning on staying inside tomorrow, which means I can work on my cards!  My card for today is for the Cute Card Thursday Challenge - Diamonds are Forever.    Suggestions were for a diamond anniversary card, wedding or just a card with a lot of bling.  I went with a wedding card.  Normally, I make A2 size cards, but for wedding cards I usually go bigger.  I have a stash of 5 x 7 envelopes just for this purpose.  If you check out my blog you probably notice l like to use whimsical or cute type images.  I went more traditional with this card.    



Here is my card.




The back panel was stamped with a flourish stamp.  It was one of the first stamps I bought.  I don't have the packaging anymore, so I can't tell you what stamp company it was from.  It's hard to see in the pic, but I colored her veil & dress with a B000 Copic marker to give it a shadow effect.  The sentiment is from Stampin Up and I actually bought this set just for this sentiment.  I love how the "o" is made to look like a ring, so I added some bling to look like a diamond.




Here is the same card done in gold.



Here are the details...

Rhinestone from my stash
Silver Gel Pen
Skin: E000, E00, E21
Hair: E30, E31, E33, E35
Flowers: R81, R83, R81
Shadows: C1, B000, Blender Pen




Just want to thank everyone for their wonderful comments.  I read them all and it gives me a chance to visit your blogs.  I love to see what everyone else is doing.  There are just so many creative people out there.

That's it for today.
Until next time...

Friday, January 18, 2013

MFT Wednesday Sketch Challenge #107

Things here have been rather busy.  That means I don't get to spend as much time in my little corner in the basement that I craft in.  But late yesterday afternoon I was able to get down and make a card for the My Favorite Things Wednesday Sketch Challenge.  To get more info  and see the posted cards you can check out the MFT forum at Splitcoast Stampers.  


Here is the sketch for this week.




Here is my card.




For today's card I used the PI image "Freckles".  I also distressed the edges of the pattern paper using Antique Linen Distress Ink.  Now on Thursdays MFT is posting MFT Academy.  This week was coloring with PrimaColor pencils.  One of the things Inge did with her card was add a flourish around her image.  I thought that was a really neat look, so I did it here on the newsprint pattern paper.  It might be hard to see in the photo since I used the Antique Linen Distress Ink.  It is a very subtle look that I think sets off the image.  Here are the details for today's card.

Stamps: PI "Freckles" & Stamps of Life - Small Flourish
Pattern Paper: MME "Moments"
Skin: E000, E00, E21, R20
Hair: E30, E31, E33, E35
Pants: B91, B93, B95, B97
Shoes: C3, C5, C7, C9







Wednesday, January 16, 2013

PTI Make It Monday - What To Do With Oversized Cards

Papertrey Ink's Make It Monday series has hit 100!  In honor, one lucky winner will win a $100 gift certificate to Papertrey Ink.  I could do a lot with that $100 dollars!  This week the challenge is how to package those A2 cards with elements that go off the page.  What do you put them in?  Dawn McVey has a wonderful video showing what she does with oversized cards.  There were some really great ideas.  To see the video and find out more about the challenge click HERE .  This will take you to Nicole Heady's (Papertrey Ink) blog. 
First, I made a card using the new Embroidered Blooms stamp set.  I have larger envelopes, but I wanted to do something different.  I really liked how Dawn used a glassine bags to package her cards, so that is what I had in mind.  Since I didn't have any bags, I used vellum.  I am not much for using my sewing machine, but I stitched the sides together.  There is a flap in the back and I topped it off with a "fishtail flag" in the same motif as my card.  I think together it turned out well.

Here is my card in my vellum envelope.




The vellum is sheer enough to see the matching card.

Here is my card.



Paper: SU Bashful Blue & Vellum (I had in my stash)
Pattern Paper: SU (was in my scrap bin)


Until next time...


Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Mojo Monday Using Whipper Snapper Designs Birthday Beagle

Today we took both dogs for an over night stay at a Doggie Bed & Breakfest.  We have never boarded our dogs before, so this will be a new experience for them.  We want to plan a vacation, so this is a test run to see how they do.  They are staying in the log cabin room.   Hopefully, all will go well.  As any dog owner will tell you it sure is quiet when they are gone! 





On to my card...

It's another Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge.  This week's sketch is #276.  For my card today I stuck pretty much to the original sketch.  I am using another stamp from Whipper Snapper Designs.  

Here is the sketch:



I colored the stamped image with Copics, added some Glossy Accents to his nose and used some yellow Stickles to sparkle up his pompom on the hat.  The red paper actually came from the pattern paper pack.  The pattern paper with the "Woof" has a glossy shine on the "o's", so there is a bit of glare on the photo.  I used a retired SU stamp to create the "happy birthday" on the right side of the card.





Stamps: Whipper Snapper Designs "Birthday Beagle", Sentiment SU "Happiest Birthday                   Wishes" (retired)
Paper: X-Press It Blending Card, SU Whisper White, Yellow (from my stash)
Pattern Paper: The Paper Studio "Spoiled Rotten"
Stickles & Glossy Accents
Body: YR12, YR23, YR31
Nose: E25, E27, E29
Spots: E13, E15
Hat: R35, R37, R39
Shadows: W00, W01, W03





  

Saturday, January 12, 2013

Beat the Blues + Birds = Blue Birds / Two New Challenges


Today's card is for two different challenges.  The first is for Cute Card Thursday - Challenge 251 Beat the Blues.  The challenge is to make something that is blue, helps you beat the blues, or is humorous.  The second challenge is for Chocolate, Coffee & Cards - Challenge 30 For the Birds.  Quite simply anything regarding birds.  So "beat the blues" + "birds" = bluebirds.  When you see my card you will understand my play on words!




I've had this stamp from Whipper Snapper Designs for quite a while.  I hadn't had an occasion to use it yet, so both challenges offered up the chance to dust it off and ink it up!


Pattern Paper: SU - something that was in my stash
Birds: B91, B93, B95, B97, YR04, YR07, YR09, Y02, Y04, Y18
Branch / Flowers: E43, E44, E47, RV02, RV04, RV06, YG61, YG63, YG67
Butterfly: Y04, Y18, W5, W7









Please leave a comment!
I would love to hear from you...

Until next time.

Thursday, January 10, 2013

MFT Wednesday Sketch Challenge

Well, it is time for another MFT Wednesday Sketch Challenge.  I just got my first A` La Mode stamp set, so I wanted to try it out.   I was a little nervous about coloring in the thin arms & legs, but I did ok and didn't go out of the lines using multiple colors - phew!!!  For the sketch this week I turned the sketch upside down.  The image was facing to the left and I just thought the sentiment should do the same.  I didn't have an oval die big enough for the image, so I improvised with one of my other dies.  And since there were balloons - you know the glossy accents was going to be used!  Here's the sketch this week...



    


Here's my card...




As you can see I used the same die to cut out red card stock and just cut it in half, trimmed the edges, so they wouldn't peak out and attached it to the sides of my image.  Since this was a simple sketch I used a couple of pattern papers to jazz it up a little bit.  I think this turned out cute, so she is off in the mail for my sister's birthday later this month!  


Here's the details:

Stamps: A` La Mode "Big Birthday Wishes" (image & sentiment)
Glossy Accents
Skin: E000, E00, E21, R20
Hair: E31, E33, E35, E37
Pants: R20, R22, R24, R27
Shoes & Shadows: W00, W1, W3, W5, W7

P.S.  I just received my MFT order last week with the A` La Mode stamp set.  I could not find the stamp set when I tried to link up to the site for my post.  I tried googling it with the same results.  I don't know if this is just an error or if it has been discontinued.  Sorry about that.









Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge

This week they are forecasting 50 degree weather, which is unheard of for January.  Right before the holidays we were hit with a foot of snow, so it has made it hard for the wildlife since everything is buried.  The bad part is the deer are eating all of our bushes.  This was looking out my kitchen window.  It has a screen, so the pic is a bit blurry.  The deer use our sidewalk to get from the front to the back yard. 




Now on to my card!

Today's card is for the Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge.  I used the same papers as my last card, since they were on my desk and I also did the same type of bow.  The image is from Whipper Snapper Designs and I just used the chicken and masked off the rest of the stamp. I used my fishtail dies and enlarged my square to add a sentiment.  






Here is my card...


Sentiment:
Sending Happy Thoughts To Brighten Your Day

Stamps: Whipper Snapper Designs "MacDonald's Farm & TPC Studio for the sentiment
Y13, Y15, Y17, YR04, YR07, YR09, R35, R37, R39, W00, W1, W3



Just to give you an idea this is the original stamp.  I have also used just the cow and masked off the rest of the stamp.



Until next time...