MIM0109 & IC165 - She's So Sweet Sneak Peek!!

I made this card for both IC165, which you can see here...I was inspired by the one in the top left corner...and MIM0109. As you can see the card on the left is the *more* card and the card on the right is the *less* card. This month's *dirty girls* theme was Making a House a Home. Well, I will tell you one of the major things that makes my house a home, is my family. This little girl image is just so sweet, it reminds me of my little 5 yo DD. While we don't have much in the line of flowers in our back yard (since we live in the desert), we do visit Northern AZ A LOT! During the summertime they have the most wonderful wild sunflower growing all over the place in the white mountain area, and true to form, every year, my DD always comments on how beautiful they are! Such wonderful memories!!

Let's start with the *less* card. I am very excited to show you a sneak peek of this adorable new image from Innovative Stamp Creations, which will be available starting February 9th! I stamped her in Palette Noir Black and then colored her with re-inkers and my blender pen, along with a few copic markers for accents. The background stamp called Little Specks is also a new image coming out from ISC this February 9th. I stamped it in more mustard on the so saffron card base.

I then finished off the card with some Baja Breeze ribbon tied with a simple knot, the cute little sentiment and some antique gold brads in the top corner.

For the *more* card, I kept the image and layout the same...only for this image I sponged both a ground and some clouds in the background. All the edges of the card is distressed with a Tim Holtz distressing tool, and then sponged it with more mustard.

I added some additional embellishments to this card also. Instead of the simple knot, I actually tied the ribbon in a knot, and added a Tim Holtz trinket pin (which actually says *moments* but you can not tell that from the picture). I also layered the ribbon with an additional piece of more mustard card stock. I then added some Tim Holtz washers under the brads in the upper right corner and then dented them a bit with a hammer.

Card Details:

Images: She's So Sweet and Little Specks Background

Paper: More Mustard, Baja Breeze, So Saffron, White

Ink: Palette Noir Black, Baja Breeze, More Mustard, So Saffron, Creamy Caramel, Copics

Accessories: Baja Breeze Ribbon, Tim Holtz distressing tool, Tim Holtz Trinket Pin, Tim Holtz brads and washers

LSC205 & SSnotime72 - CAS Rose

I made this card for LSC205 - where we were to make a clean and simple (CAS) card. Love CAS cards, but I rarely make them! It is hard for my mind to wrap around CAS, but I knew that if I pulled out a kitchen sink stamp set, I would be able to do it...thier images are just so amazing they can totally hold thier own without a lot of embellishments! I also made this card for ssnotime72 - where we were to make a love themed card.

I decided to do a simple valentines card today. Love this single rose from KSS. I stamped it with regal rose, rose red, ruby red and riding hood red. The leaves were stamped with mellow moss, old olive, and always artichoke.

I then finished this card off by stamping the sentiment in basic black, and using the SU scalloped edge punch for the left edge and adding a strip of riding hood red paper.

One layer cards are pretty foreign to me and my style, but I do love them...I am thinking I should start making more of them!!

Card Details:

Images: 3 step heart and roses - KSS

Paper: Whisper White, Riding Hood Red

Inks: Regal Rose, Rose Red, Ruby Red, Riding Hood Red, Mellow Moss, Old Olive, Always Artichoke, Basic Black

Accessories: SU Scalloped edge punch

ISC Blog Challenge #22!

Today's blog challenge over on the Innovative Stamp Creation's Blog - It's all in the Suitcase!! I made a valentines card for my DH along with a matching tag for this totally adorable suitcase!

For the card, I used the Assemblage stamp set. I stamped the background stamp with some walnut stain distress ink on some pink pirouette paper. I then distressed the background with some sponged walnut stain ink and a Tim Holtz distressing tool.

For the heart, I used a grungeboard heart from the elements package. I covered the heart with some tattered rose crackle paint. Once that dried, I used the heart image from the Assemblage stamp set and stamped in with walnut stain distress ink. I placed the heart on top of a piece of chocolate chip DP and tore and sponged the edges. Then I added a Tim Holtz word key (with the word "heart" on it) over the top of the grungeboard heart.

I then finished off the card with the sentiment (also from Assemblage) which is also distressed and sponged with walnut stain distress ink. Oh! How could I forget the corner embellishments! I used some Tim Holtz brads and washers, and then hammered them a bit to dent them.

For the totally ADORABLE suitcase (which you can also get from ISC), I made a matching tag with the same background stamp with walnut stain distress ink on some more pink pirouette paper. I then added a Tim Holtz key hole backed by some DP, and the sentiment.

Now for the fun part! This adorable suitcase is just the perfect size for a gift card (as you can see here, my DH is getting one from Home Depot...not sure if the gift card is more for him or me since he will probably be buying stuff for the "honey-do" list I have for him, LOL!!) I also added some caramel filled treasure candies for instant gratification! :)

Project Details:
Images: Assemblage - ISC

Paper: Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa, Pink Pirouette, Bella Rose DSP
Inks: Walnut Stain Distress Ink

Accessories: Tattered Rose Distress Crackle Paint, Chocolate Chip Twill, Grungeboard, Tim Holtz Word Key and Key Hole. Small Suitcase

SC213 & TSG03 - Butterfly Happiness with Dimension!

I made this card for SC213 and TSG03 where we were to use one of the lovely There She Goes stamp sets and add dimension for our card with...what else - dimensionals!

I chose TSG's Butterfly Happiness for my card today. Love this set...so very versatile! I first stamped the leaves image on the main image panel in kiwi kiss. Then I stamped the sentiment in Riding Rood Red. I stamped the butterfly in Riding Hood Red on Pink Pirouette paper. The leaf panel, sentiment and butterfly are all popped up on dimensionals.

To embellish, I added some red gems on the butterfly's body, and some Pink Pirouette ribbon behind the sentiment panel.

This was really a great sketch today, and I LOVE adding dimension to any card...very fun!!

Card Details:

Images: Butterfly Happiness - TSG

Paper: Riding Hood Red, Kiwi Kiss, Pink Pirouette, Bella Rose DSP, Whisper White

Inks: Riding Hood Red, Kiwi Kiss

Accessories: Pink Pirouette Ribbon, Red Gems

CC203 - Home Tweet Home

I made this card for CC203 - Pacific Point, Baja Breeze, and Garden Green. Such a cool and calming color combo! I also thought it would be perfect for the new Home Tweet Home set from Flourishes. Such a fun little set!

I stamped the branch image with basic black and colored the branch with a creamy caramel maker, and the leaves with my blender pen and garden green re-inkers. I then stamped the two little birds on the branches and colored them with my blender pen and baja breeze/pacific point re-inkers. Next, I sponged some clouds in the sky with baja breeze. I then stamped the bird house on a different piece of paper, colored it, cut it out and popped it up on the branch picture with some dimensionals.

To embellish the card, I added the sentiment with the large oval punch and designer label punch, and placed three green gem brads in the corner. I was also VERY excited that I finally got to use some of the pacific point ribbon that my Upliine gave me! Very fun!!

Card Details:

Images: Home Tweet Home - Flourishes

Paper: Baja Breeze, Pacific Point, Garden Green and Whisper White

Inks: Same as above plus Creamy Caramel and Basic Black

Accessories: Gem Brads, Pacific Point Ribbon, Large oval punch, Designer label punch

TLC205 - Pleated Sea Shells

I made this card for TLC205 - To use pleated paper on your card. I also checked out the Monday Kitchen Sink Challenge and the challenge there was to use one of Kitchen Sinks's non flower stamps. I just got these sea shells in the mail last week, so this was just perfect!

For the paper pleats I used some close to cocoa Candy lane DSP and tried to mimic the sandy beach (but it looks more like a fence...oh well, LOL!). The shells are stamped in creamy caramel, close to cocoa, and chocolate chip on very vanilla paper and then cut out. I then placed them all on a piece of close to cocoa sponged very vanilla and use a spellbinders label #2 nestabilities.

I finished off the card by sponging the blue card stock "sky", adding some small rope across the bottom, and the sentiment from Ready 4 Any Holiday set from Kitchen Sink.

Card Details:

Images: 3 step Sea Shells, Ready 4 Any Holiday - KSS

Paper: Very Vanilla, Bordering Blue, Close to Cocoa, Candy Lane DSP

Inks: Creamy Caramel, Close to Cocoa, Chocolate Chip, Bordering Blue

Accessories: Rope, Label #2 Nestabilities, Scor-Pal

FS103 - A GOuLD Star Stamper!!

I made this card for FS103 - Vicky Gould is this week's FS and boy oh boy does she have a fantastic gallery...I think I was lost in it for over an hour today while finding a card to CASE. I finally decided on this bold butterfly card.
I chose this butterfly card because I really wanted to use my new Simple Friendship stamp set from SU!! Love this butterfly sooooo much, and thought this layout Vicky did would be perfect for it, and to show off some of the new Candy Lane DSP from SU also!

I started off by stamping the butterfly image with riding hood red on very vanilla paper and then cut it out. I stamped the En Francais background stamp on my close to cocoa base. I then cut three 1 1/4" strips of different Candy Land DSP, and distressed the edges. I then stamped the sentiment on more DSP, layered and distressed the edges.

To embellish I added some pale pink crimped ribbon with a large flower brad (I did not have a charm like Vicky did), and as with Vicky's card, I added three silver brads at the bottom of the card.

It was so very much fun CASEing Vicky today! Vicky you are one fabulous papercrafter!!

Card Details:
Images: Simple Friendship, En Francais
Paper: Close to Cocoa, Riding Hood Red, Very Vanilla, Candy Lane DSP
Inks: Riding Hood Red, Close to Cocoa
Accessories: Pink Crimped Ribbon, Flower Brad, Silver Brads

WT202 - Pattern Pizzazz

Boy that is just a fun word...Pizzazz!! :) Well the challenge today was to jazz up some regular DSP. I chose to sponge and mask over some Parisian Summer DSP with a Tim Holtz flourish mask. I placed the mask over a piece of DSP and then sponged it with some pink pirouette ink, and voila you have just given an already pretty piece of DSP some more pizzazz!


I decided to pair this masked DSP with one of my new Our Daily Bread sets I got last week called Flourished Christian Symbols. I took another piece of the Parisian Summer DSP and embossed the dove with some white embossing powder. I then mimicked the sponged/masked background and sponged a little bit of pink pirouette over the embossed dove to make it stand out more. (I also did the same steps with the sentiment). I then kept with the sponging theme and sponge all of the edges of the card with a little more pink pirouette. I then finished the card off with a little bit of white taffeta ribbon.

Card Details:
Images: Flourished Christian Symbols - Our Daily Bread
Paper: Whisper White, Pink Pirouette, Parisian Summer DSP
Inks: Pink Pirouette, Versamark
Accessories: White Embossing Powder, Sponges, Tim Holtz Flourish Mask, White Taffeta Ribbon

SC212 - In My Prayers

I made this card for SC212 - I did flip the sketch...I really wanted to use this image, and thought it would look great with this sketch, only flipped. So this is what I came up with.

The images on this card are all from Innovative Stamp Creation's Tranquil set. I stamped the branch with chocolate chip, and stamped the flowers at the end with riding hood red. I then stamped the bird in close to coca, cut it out and propped it up on the branch with dimensionals. For the background, I sponged clouds with baja breeze on the very vanilla card stock, and stamped the canvas background stamp from ISC on the close to cocoa base.

I finished off the card by adding the sentiment with some kiwi kiss satin ribbon. Pretty simple today, but I do think this card is very tranquil, which is what I was going for.

Card Details:

Images: Tranquil & Canvas Background - ISC

Paper: Close to Cocoa, Riding Hood Red, Kiwi Kiss, Very Vanilla

Inks: Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa, Riding Hood Red, Baja Breeze

Accessories: Kiwi Kiss Ribbon, sponges

CC202 - Always Thankful

I made this card for CC202 - Kiwi Kiss, Bravo Burgundy and Regal Rose. Yes...the regal rose IS there, there is just very little of it, and it is sponged with bravo burgundy! LOL!!

I decided to try my hand at faux bleaching too. To create the faux bleach look you can check out the tutorial over on SCS. For the faux bleach on my card, I used images from Innovative Stamp Creation's Minibook Series: Be Thankful. I embossed the images with clear embossing powder. I don't have any color wash like she used in her tutorial so instead I used some alcohol inks (current and lettuce). Once I added the inks I then placed a piece of copy paper over the image and ironed it with a craft iron. The look you get is a bleached look. Very fun!!!

I then sponged the edges with bravo burgundy and distressed them with a Tim Holtz distressing tool. I finished off the card with some kiwi kiss satin ribbon in two of the corners.

This faux bleaching technique was really fun, I will definitely be doing it again!!

Card Details:

Images: Be Thankful - ISC

Paper: Bravo Burgundy, Kiwi Kiss, Regal Rose, Glossy White

Inks: Alcohol Inks, versamark

Accessories: Clear EP, distressing tool, kiwi kiss ribbon sponging

TLC204 - Mosic Tulip

I made this card for TLC204 - the faux mosaic technique. I just love this technique...in fact, if you would like to see a tutorial that I did a few months ago you can see it here.

The DSP I used to create my mosaic was Parisian Summer from SU. For the "grout" I used some white pearly embossing powder. The image...I know, isn't it fantastic...is a new set from Kitchen Sink Stamps called Bitty Tulip Bouquet. For the flowers I used barely banana, so saffron, and blush blossom. For the leaves I used mellow moss, old olive and always artichoke. The bowl was stamped with going gray, basic gray and basic black.

To finish off the card, I added a sentiment from KSS Ready 4 Any Holiday set, and a little bit of yellow taffeta ribbon in the corner (although it looks gold in the picture, you will have to take my word for it, that it is really more of a yellow color.) :)

Hmmm, from my last few posts, I seem to be on a tulip kick...after all, they are my favorite flower!

Card Details:

Images: Bitty Tulip Bouquet, Ready 4 Any Holiday

Paper: Whisper White, So Saffron, Parisian Summer DSP

Inks: Barely Banana, So Saffron, blush blossom, mellow moss, old olive, always artichoke, going gray, basic gray, basic black

Accessories: Taffeta ribbon, circle punches

SSNoTime70 - Grandmother Inspired

I made this card for SSNoTime70 - we were to be inspired to make a card that a senior citizen would love...I was inspired by my Grandmother who LOVES tulips...ever time I make a card with tulips I think of her!


Anyway, to create the tulip wreath, I started with drawing a circle and then stamping the smaller tulip from Flourishes Simple Thank You set. I then filled in between the tulips with the leaves from the larger tulip in this set. I colored the image with some copic markers, and then ran it through my big shot with a spellbinder's labels one nestability.


I kept the rest of the card pretty simple, in ssnotime fashion. For the background, I stamped the larger sentiment stamp from this set in chocolate chip on Pink Pirouette paper. Then, I added some chocolate chip ribbon and the sentiment again stamped in chocolate chip on pink pirouette paper.

I really do think my Grandmother will love this card...I will definatly have to save it for her!!

Card Details:
Image: Simple Thank You - Flourishes
Paper: Whisper White, Pink Pirouette, Chocolate Chip
Ink: Copics, Chocolate Chip, Basic Black
Accessories: Label #1 nestabliities, Ribbon

CC201 - Daddy's Birthday

I made this for CC201 - Not Quite Navy, Baja Breeze and Kraft. This combo came a the perfect time for me...my dad's b-day is tomorrow and I needed to make him a card. I also knew that I wanted to use this Nature Silhouette set from SU!

I started out stamping the Buck and tree/grass image in Craft black and then stamped a little more grass to make the scene a tad longer. Then, I embossed with clear embossing powder. Next, I punched a circle out and layered it over my image to create the moon. I then brayered Baja breeze over the entire image, and sponge some Not Quite Navy and Black Soot distress ink in the darker areas, and removed the punched circle.

For the background, I used SU's weathered background stamp and sponged more black soot distress ink and Not Quite Navy over the edges. I distressed all of the edges of the main panel with a Tim Holtz distressing tool.

I finished off the card with some black twill ribbon and some Tim Holtz brad and washers. I sure hope he likes this card...I have a feeling he will...LOL!!

Card Details:

Images: Natures Silhouette, Weathered Background - SU!

Paper: Kraft, Not Quite Navy, Baja Breeze

Inks: NQN, Baja Breeze, Black Craft, Black Soot Distress ink

Accessories: Brayer, Circle Punch, Sponges, Black Twill, Tim Holtz distressing tool, Tim Holtz washers and brads.

ISC January Release!!!

I have some very exciting news...you may know that I was a spot guest creative architect for Innovative Stamp Creations for the months of November and December...well, I have asked by Betsy to continue on a permanent basis!!! How exciting is that!! What better way to get going then with a couple of projects with the new January release!

The above card was made with the Refections set...love this butterfly!!! When I saw it, I immediately thought of making a suspension card. I started by stamping the image in black, colored it with copic markers, and cut it out (the new largest circle punch from SU punches the whole out of the inner circle perfectly)! I used the canvas image for the background, along with some walnut stain distress ink sponged on the edges. I suspended the sentiment within the circle with some linen twine. I then finished the card off with some so saffron twill from SU.

Card Details:

Images: Reflections - ISC

Paper: So Saffron, Close to Cocoa, Bordering Blue

Ink: Basic Black, Copics, Walnut Stain Distress Ink, Close to Cocoa

Accessories: So Saffron Twill, Linen Twine

I made this 4" x 4" minibook with the AlterIt! set from the minibook series. This is only the second time I have used my bind-it-all, and I am soooo loving it!

The front and back are made with plain grungeboard. I started out by using some Scattered Straw distress crackle paint. Once it was dry, I stamped the corner image with some Pallette Noir ink. I then sponged a little pine needles distress ink on the edges of cover. For the sentiment, I stamped it in black on a piece of white card stock. I then sponged scattered straw and pine needles distress ink over it. Next, I adhered it to some plain grungeboard and cut it out.

For the closure, I used a hinge from a package of elements grungeboard. For a little sparkle, I added some scattered straw distress stickles, used some brads to hold it on the back and a Tim Holtz snap to hold it on the front.

I then finished it off with some cream taffeta ribbon sprayed with a little glimmer mist to give it some added sparkle.

Minibook Details:

Images: AlterIt! - ISC

Paper: Grunge board, White Card stock

Ink: Pallette Noir, Pine Needles distress ink, Scattered Straw distress ink

Accessories: Bind-it-all, scattered straw distress crackle paint, Tim Holtz snap, scattered straw distress stickles, brads, ribbon, glimmer mist.

LSC202 - Don't Go Breakin' My Heart! :)

I made this card for LSC202 which was titled Don't break my heart, but ever since I read it I have had the song Don't go Breakin' my Heart in my head...it is driving me crazy!!!

Anyway, The challenge was that we were to use any colors plus red, any stamps...a bonus if you used hearts...and pretty much any embellishment you added needed to be red or have hearts.

So I pulled out SU's Something New to Love set...love these hearts!! I stamped them with Riding Hood Red on Pink Pirouette paper, and cut them out. I then took a square piece of pink pirouette and close to cocoa, tore the edges, and layered them behind the hearts.

As you can see, pretty much most of the card is distressed with the direct to paper technique. I also tore the bottom portion of the base, turned it up and stitched it with some twine thread. I then finished the card off with some striped ribbon tied at the end with some more twine thread.

After finishing this card, I decided that it could be masculine enough to maybe even give it to my DH...what do you think?

Details:

Images: Something New to Love - SU

Paper: Close to Cocoa, Pink Pirouette, Candy Lane DSP

Inks: Riding Hood Red, Close to Cocoa

Accessories: Twine Thread, Striped ribbon

SC210 - More Coffee with Friends!

I made this for SC210...such a fun sketch!! I decided to use Flourishes Coffee With Friends set again today...I just love this set...mmmm coffee!!

I stamped the mug in basic black on white card stock and then colored the mug with copics. Then I stamped the same flourish from the middle of the mug all around the mug and sentiment in pink pirouette. The DSP is from SU's Raspberry Tart DSP which will be available beginning January 19th! I then finished the card off with some purely pomegranate satin ribbon and some square pink brads.

I kept it pretty simple this morning...having a busy day! Hope you all have a good one!

Card details:

Images: Coffee with Friend - Flourishes

Paper: Pink Pirouette, Rose Red, White, Raspberry Tart DSP

Ink: Basic Black, Pink Pirouette, copics

Accessories: Ribbon, Square pink crystal brads

CC200 - Hmmm this was a toughie for me!!

I made this card for CC200 - Pumpkin Pie, Handsome Hunter and Brilliant Blue?? Talk about out side of my comfort zone!! I have had this rustic rooster set for over a week now and just could not wait to put some ink to it. I was not sure it would work with this color combo, but this is what I came up with.

I do not have much in the line of brilliant blue, so I decided to create my own DP with some alcohol inks and glossy card stock. The alcohol inks I chose were denim, rust and oregano. I then thought that the glossy part of the card stock was not really the look I was going for on this card, so I used a Tim Holtz sanding grip with sand paper to rough it up a bit, and then I sponged a little bit of brilliant blue ink over that to make it a tad brighter and truer to brilliant blue.

The top portion of the background, as with the rooster, were stamped in pumpkin pie and then sponged with more pumpkin pie. Also, where there is an edge on this card, it is distressed with one of Tim Holtz's distressing tools.

I used the small round image from this stamp set to embellish with a SU build-a-brad. You can not see it very well in the full picture of the card, so I decided to take a closer picture of just the brad. I have never really used a build-a-brad before (except at the 2007 SU convention). They are really a lot of fun!!

Card Details:

Images: Rustic Rooster - SU!

Paper: Glossy White, Very Vanilla, Pumpkin Pie, Handsome Hunter

Inks: Alcohol Inks, Pumpkin Pie, Brilliant Blue

Accessories: Twill Tape, Build-a-brad, Tim Holtz Distressing Tool, Tim Holtz sanding grip

TLC202 & ssnotime68 - Thank you with some BLING!!

I made this card for both TLC202 - where we were to use the tacky glitter technique and ssnotime68 - where we were to make thank you card.

What a fun technique! I first learned this technique at the 2007 SU convention, but never tried it out until today! Basically you just use your sticky strip, place it on your card and then sprinkle with glitter. Here I made a fun glittery border for my blue tulip. The tulip, by the way is an image from Flourishes Thank You set. I colored the image with some blue and green copic markers. I then layered the image and background border with some bashful blue scalloped card stock.

To finish off the card, I added the sentiment and some baby blue grosgrain ribbon.

Card Details:

Images: Thank You - Flourishes

Paper: Whisper White, Bashful Blue

Inks: Basic Black, Copics

Accessories: Bashful Blue Fine Glitter, Sticky Strip, Baby blue ribbon, scallop punch

FS100 & DSKETCH1208 - Coffee With a Friend!

I made this card and mug set in honor of National Coffee Day which is celebrated September 29th for this month's Dirty Girls Sketch Challenge - DSKETCH1208. The mug was also inspired by this week's FS100 on SCS Julie! You can see her mug here. I have had this Starbucks travel mug for over a year now, and when I saw her mug it gave me the inspiration to finally alter mine! Thanks Julie!!

For my mug I used some Candy Lane DSP from SU, and the Coffee with a Friend set from Flourishes. I inked one of the coffee mugs with my black pen and then colored it with some copic markers. I then cut it out and layered it on some pink pirouette with riding hood red sponged edges, and a chocolate chip scalloped square. I then stamped the heart shaped flourish, colored the edges near the black, cut it out and placed it just above the mug. I then finished it off with a *coffee* sentiment.

For the card, I used the same coffee set from Flourishes. I again colored the images with some copic markers, cut them out and then popped them up on dimensionals. I stamped the heart flourish at the top of the mug stack and outlined it with a pink copic. I then placed it all on some pink pirouette paper with sponged riding hood red edges. Finally, I layered it with some matching DSP from SU's Candy Lane package.

I finished the card off with a bit of my favorite chocolate chip ribbon and a sentiment punched out with my 1 1/4" circle.

Project Details:

Images: Coffee With Friends - Flourishes

Paper: Pink Pirouette, Chocolate Chip, Candy Lane DSP

Inks: Copics, Riding Hood Red, Basic Black

Accessories: Chocolate Chip Satin Ribbon, 1 1/4" circle punch, Starbucks Travel Mug