Stone Fish Crosses

I sure hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend! I created this card today using the faux bleach technique, where I stamped the stone fish image with versamark in and heat embossed it with clear EP. I then used three different alcohol inks to create the background. Finally, I pressed the image with a warm iron, to remove the embossing powder to leave just the white portion of the image...giving it a bleached look!

To finish off the card, I added the cross in the background created with some SEI DP. I also created a ruffled ribbon with some Teal Grosgrain ribbon from the Really Reasonable Ribbon Store! Finally, embossed the base copper panel with a Tim Holtz embossing folder and added four half backed pearls from Ava Creative colored with copics.

Thanks so much for visiting today! Have a wonderful day!

Connie

Card Details:

Images: Stone Fish - ODBD

Inks: Alcohol inks, embossing powder

Paper: Taken with Teal, Copper Paper, SEI DP, Glossy White

Accessories: Iron, Clear EP, Tim Holtz embossing folder, Ribbon from the Really Reasonable Ribbon Store, Half Backed Pearls - Zva Creative

Masculine Birthday!

Hello! Well, my husband's birthday was last week (actually it was on Valentines day) and I needed to make him a card. When you think masculine you may not normally think of ribbon. However I do have a few "go to" ribbons for manly cards. One being twill! Two of my favorites for Masculine cards are cream and black. As you can see here, I decided to go with the black twill tape! I love using twill...it ties wonderfully into a a bow or just a simple knot, which is what I have done here, since I was going for that masculine look! Twill does come in many different colors, and the Really Reasonable Ribbon store has lots to choose from!!

Now on to the rest of my card. When I saw this image and sentiment from DRS designs I knew I had to get it for my husband! Here I have inked the sentiment and image with craft black and heat embossed it with clear EP on glossy card stock covered with Tim Holtz Alcohol inks. The DP is from Basic Grey's Indian Summer package, and the base was embossed with the distressed lines cuttlebug embossing folder.

Thanks so much for visiting! I hope you have a wonderful day!

Connie

Card Details:

Images: Silhouette Hiker - DRS Designs

Inks: Craft Black, Alcohol Inks

Paper: Basic Black, Glossy White, Tangerine Tango, Basic Grey Indian Summer DP

Accessories: Distressed Lines Cuttlebug Folder, Twill Tape from Really Reasonable Ribbon Store, clear EP, Heat Gun

Our Daily Bread Designs May Day Blog Hop!!

Hello everyone! Welcome to Our Daily Bread designs May Release Blog Hop! The hop will run from May 1 through Monday, May 3 at 8PM Eastern Time. The winners will be announced on the ODBD blog on Tues. May 4.

We have a special "May Day" blog hop for you this month! For our hop, your are going to collect flowers from each designer to fill our May basket! If you got here from Sandee's Blog, you are in the right place! If not, you might want to go to the ODBD Blog and start from there so you don't miss anyone! There will be three winners for this hop. Each winner will receive a $15.00 store credit toward stamps at the Our Daily Bread designs store! For all the hop details, and qualifications to win, be sure to head on over to the ODBD Blog!!

Now, onto the card I have for you today! This month ODBD is releasing 3 new sets, 2 of which are just perfect for Graduation cards! The set I used today is called As You Graduate.

For the main image, used Lemonade, Peach Bellini, and Raisin alcohol inks and glossy paper to create a sunset look. I then heat embossed the image with black craft ink and clear embossing powder. The fold I did for this card is known as a Joy Fold Card. The DP is from Basic Grey's Green at Heart package. To finish off the card, I added a bit of organdy black ribbon, and some orange gems!

From here you will hop to Lorelie's Blog, but before you leave, here is the flower I'm giving you: LILACS

Thanks so much for visiting today! Have a wonderful weekend!!

Connie

Card Details:

Images: As you Graduate - ODBD

Paper: Basic Black, Basic Grey's Green at Heart, Tangerine Tango

Inks: Lemonade, Peach Bellini, Raisin alcohol inks, Craft Black

Accessories: Clear EP, Orange Gems, Black Organdy Ribbon

Our Help in is the Name of the Lord!

Hello all!! Today, I decided to create a card using some Tim Holtz Alcohol inks!! I just love playing with alcohol inks!! My mixture for behind the verse and the card background uses a bit of Meadow, Lettuce, Denim, and Silver mixative. Love how it can create a polished stone look on some Glossy white paper!!

Once the ink was dry, I heat embossed both the Vine border and the verse, which is from the Scripture collection 3 set released last week! To embellish the card I added a layered cross from the Spellbinder's Cross Collection. I then paper pierced a border around the card, added some black brads and light green crystal gems. To finish it off I added a bit of black ribbon.

Thanks so much for visiting today! I hope you have a wonderful day!!

Connie

Card Details:
Images: Scripture 3, Vine Border
Paper: Shimmery Green paper, Glossy White, Basic Black
Inks: Versamark, Meadow, Lettuce, Denim Alcohol Inks
Accessories: Paper Piercer, Spellbinders Cross Collection, Light Green Gems and Brad, Black Brads, Black Satin Ribbon

Mother Teresa Inspirational Quote Book

I have seen many inspirational quote books, and when I saw all the wonderful quotes in both Our Daily Bread Designs Mother Teresa and Let Us Begin Sets, I thought it would be fun to create my very own inspirational quote book with them!

For the cover, the background paper was created by using glossy paper and alcohol inks to give it a sort of marbled look. The images and sentiment are all stamped in black craft and then heat embossed with clear EP. Additionally, the two flowers in the corner images were stamped again, heat embossed, cut out and the placed over the already stamped images. The corners have been ticketed, and then adorned with a few hero art black half pearls. Finally, I created the book with my bind-it-all, and added some black and rose red ribbons across the spiral top.

These two wonderful sets have a total of seven quote, so I then used the remaining six quotes within the book. I have a few samples of the inner pages here for you. This first page uses the larger of the two lotus flower corner image, while the second uses the smaller lotus corner image.

For these pages, I used the largest Label 1 nestability. Again, the sentiment and images were stamped in craft black ink, and heat embossed with clear embossing powder. Additionally, each of the lotus flowers were stamped and embossed on some more of the alcohol ink covered glossy white paper, cut out, and popped up on a few dimensionals.

Thank you so much for visiting today, and I hope a few of these quotes from my quote book has inspired you!

Connie

Quote Book Details:
Images: Let us Begin, Mother Teresa
Paper: Basic Black, Rose Red, Glossy White, Whisper White
Inks: Raisin Alcohol ink, Pearl Alcohol ink additive, craft black
Accessories: Clear EP, Hero Art Black Half Pearls, Ticket Corner Punch, Black Ribbon, Rose Red Ribbon, Chipboard, Label 1 nestabilities

ISC 6th Anniversary Bash Blog Hop & Blog Candy!

Hello everyone, and welcome to today's Innovative Stamp Creation's Blog Hop. ISC now 6 years old, and boy are we celebrating big time!! You may have arrived here from Kathy's blog, if not, that is okay, you can start at any of the DT members blogs, and keep hitting the blog hop banner in each of our posts (mine is at the end of this post), and eventually you will travel through all of the DT's blogs and end up at the one where you started!

This Month's Release:

Serenity

Flourishing Ivy

Picturesque

Australian Daisy

This months release is a beautiful one, and get this...you can get them, along with any other purchase at 15% off through July 31st!! All you have to do is use the coupon code: travel. You can see more deets about this discount on the banner on the side of my blog!

Now, as if 15% off your entire purchase is not enough! To celebrate their Anniversary, Betsy, the owner of ISC, has decided to give each of her DT members the opportunity to offer up 2 free stamp sheets as Blog CANDY!! All you have to do is leave a comment on this post by midnight EST Wednesday, July 15th, and you will be entered to win 2 FREE SHEETS OF YOUR CHOICE!! Also, when you comment, please leave your e-mail address...it will be so much easier for me to contact you that way if you win! The winner will be announced some time Saturday July 12th...so good luck to you!! Also, you will definitely want to visit all of the DT members blogs because you will get this same opportunity to win on each of their blogs too!! How fun is THAT!!

Okay, I think I have put my card post off long enough! Here is the card that I have for you today!



I have used the new Serenity sheet for this card. I stamped the image in palette black and colored it with copics, I added a bit of Sakura clear gel pen to the waves to give it a really watery look (it is very hard to see in the picture though, but trust me it gives it an awesome look!!) I also stamped the bottom portion of this same image in creamy caramel on the base piece of creamy caramel.

For the bucklez on the side of my card, I started with a mint green buckle, but it really was not the right color I was going for, so I decided to alter it a bit with some copper ranger alcohol ink additive. I sponged the copper all over the buckle to give it a sort of aged copper look. I really like the way it turned out! I then finished off the card with a bit of twill tape connected to the bucklez with a couple of antique brass brads.

Thank you so much for stopping by today! Be sure to come back tomorrow for more samples from this month's release! Now, head on over to Sabrina's blog to continue your "Tour"!

Connie

Card Details:
Images: Serenity - ISC
Inks: Palette Black, Creamy Caramel, Copics, Copper additive alcohol ink - Ranger
Paper: Creamy Caramel, Whisper White, Mellow Moss, Basic Black, Bashful Blue
Accessories: Bucklez, Sponges, Twill tape, Antique Brass Brads

ISC Sneak Peek Day 1 - Picturesque

Hello! I am very excited about this month's release over at Innovative Stamp Creations (ISC).

Today I decided to show you a peek of one of the new scene images being released this month. This one is called Picturesque. Isn't is just so calm looking! Make me feel calm just using the image!!

For my background I used the Splatter Technique from this month's TJNL The colors I used for the background are baja breeze, Kiwi Kiss, and So Saffron re-inkers. I then stamped the image over the background with palette black ink. I thought those colors together would give a sort of sunset vibe for my beach picture.

To embellish the card, I added a bit of rope on one side along with some brads from Little Yellow Bicycle, on the other. For the sentiment, I used a Heidi Swapp Mini Ghost Shape that I colored with a bit of Lettuce Alcohol ink, and attached with a few antique brass brads.

Now, on to some more FUN news!! ISC is turning 6!!!! To celebrate their birthday, ISC is planning a HUGE Blog Hop from July 13th through July 15th. We will not only be showing you some more wonderful fun samples, but EACH of the DT members will be giving away 2...yes 2 FREE ISC Sheets to one lucky winner who posts comments on their blog during this time frame. So, make sure and come back next week for all the fun!!

Thanks so much for visiting today! Make sure and come back tomorrow for another ISC Sneak Peek!!

Connie

Card Details:

Images: Picturesque - ISC

Paper: Crushed Curry, Baja Breeze, Old Olive, Very Vanilla

Inks: Baja Breeze, Kiwi Kiss, So Saffron, Palette Black, Lettuce Alcohol Ink

Accessories: Heidi Swapp Mini Ghost Shape, Rope, Little Yellow Bicycle Brads, Antique Brass Brads.

FTTC12 - Lovin' Acetate!

Today is another Timeless Tuesday challenge over on the Flourishes blog, and today's challenge was to use acetate on your card. I decided to give the acetate and tissue technique another try, and let me tell you every time I do it...I just love it!!

There is a great tutorial on this technique over on SCS, and I followed it pretty closely. The only different I did was to use Tim Holtz Adirondack alcohol inks instead of the SU reinkers used in the tutorial. I first stamped the image in black stazon directly on the acetate. I then turned the image over and added the alcohol inks. To apply the inks exactly where I wanted them, I used an Adirondack alcohol ink applicator. For the flowers I used eggplant, for the leaves I used lettuce, and for the background I used a mixture of denim and cool peri with a bit of blending solution to lighten it up. Once it was dry, I applied some crystal effect and then smoothed the crumpled tissue paper over the back. I had a scrap of the background left over so I used it for the sentiment also, which is covered with a designer label silver hodgepodge hardware.

I really wanted to add a bit of purple ribbon to this card too, however, I really don't have much in the line of purple since it is not a color I use often. So out came my trusty white satin ribbon, and SU elegant eggplant reinker, and I dyed the white ribbon purple! I thought it turned it very close to the elegant eggplant paper accents on the card. However, my fingers are another story, LOL!!! To finish off the card, I added four small crystal brads from my SU pretties kit.

I really do like the look this technique gave this wonderful violet image...it is kinda like an abstract watercolor!

Have a great day!

Connie

Card Details:

Images: Sweet Violets - Flourishes

Paper: Acetate, Tissue Paper, Whisper White, Elegant Eggplant

Inks: Elegant Eggplant reinker, Stazon Black, Alcohol inks: Denim, Cool Peri, Eggplant, Lettuce

Accessories: Crystal Brads, Hodgepodge Hardware, Designer Label punch, White Satin Ribbon dyed purple, Crystal effects.

ISC - Nature Silhouette II

Here is another sneak peek for this month's Innovative Stamp Creations release which will this Monday! The set that I used for this card is called Nature Silhouette II, and it has some very pretty images!!

To create my sunset background, I use some alcohol inks...lemonade and peach bellini. which are brand new..and for the ground I used caramel. I masked each portion of the background off, added some ink to my applicator and sponged it on, starting with the lightest color.

Once I got the background I was looking for, I stamped two of the images from Nature Silhouette II in craft black ink covered it with clear embossing powder and heat embossed them. I also heat embossed the sentiment which means "Thinking of You" in English, and then added a new ornate plate from Tim Holtz over the sentiment. To finish off the card, I added a bit of saffron ribbon originals from SU!

Card Details:

Images: Nature Silhouette II - ISC

Paper: Basic Black, So Saffron, Glossy White

Inks: Alcohol inks - lemonade, peach bellini, caramel, Craft Black

Accessories: Tim Holtz Ornate Plate, clear EP, So Saffron Ribbon Originals

SC222 - Happy Mother's Day!

I made this card for SC222...such a fun sketch! I chose Innovative Stamp Creation's Delicate Rose as my image today. For the main image, I stamped the it with palette black and colored it with copics. I then added a bit of Tim Holtz scattered straw distress stickles. The edges of the image and sentiment have also been sponged with Tim Holtz scattered straw distress ink.

For the bottom background panel, I started with two new light alcohol inks (Lemonade and Peach Bellini) along with some pearl mixative, and sponged it over a piece of glossy white paper. I then stamped the rose background image with mustard adirondack pigment ink, covered it with clear embossing powder and then heat embossed it.

For the top panel, I stamped a piece of barely banana card stock with ISC's Little Specks background stamp in scattered straw distress ink, and also sponged the edges with a little more ink.

To finish off the card, I added some kiwi kiss ribbon and a few rhinestone brads!

Card Details:

Images: Delicate Rose, Little Specks - ISC

Paper: Barely Banana, Kiwi Kiss, White, Glossy White

Inks: Lemonade and Peach Bellini Alcohol inks, butterscotch adirondack pigment ink, Palette black, copics, scattered straw distress ink

Accessories: Rhinestone Brads, Kiwi Kiss Ribbon

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

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

LSC201 Sketch Book - I got to use my new Bind-It-All!!

Oh my! It has been a full week since I posted last!!! I did not get buried alive by the loads of gift wrap my kids demolished from their presents on Christmas. I just have been busy with all the holiday stuff that I am sure many others are busy with!! LOL!! :)

However, I got a Bind-it-all (BIA) for Christmas this year, and just could not wait to put it to use!!! So, I decided to create an 8"x8" sketch book. For the images, I used Innovative Stamp Creations About Me set. To create the swirled background I used glossy paper and three different brown colored alcohol inks along with some gold additive. I then stamped the ornate image and the sentiment with craft black ink and embossed with clear embossing powder (I used my stamp-a-ma-jig to make sure all the images lined up correctly). I then colored some plain grunge board with some white acrylic paint and covered that with some more gold alcohol ink. Next, stamped the pen image with black craft ink and embossed again with clear powder, cut it out, and popped it up with some glue dots. I then added the red swirls, which are from the Rustic Artsy Swirls set with some ruby red craft ink and embossed them with some more clear powder.

I used some Riding Hood Red taffeta ribbon along with some fun gold and brick red ribbon to dress up the black bind. Then, I finished it off with a Zutter's antique gold perfect closure where I dyed the leather strap with black alcohol ink to match the black accents on the cover.

Wow! The BIA is just way too much fun to use! I am sure I will be finding all sorts of things to bind in the new year! Speaking of the new year...I hope that everyone has a save and happy New Year's Eve, and a fantastic New Year!!

Project Details:
Image: About Me, Rustic Artsy Swirls - ISC
Paper: Glossy White, Riding Hood Red, Basic Black, Antique Gold
Inks: Ruby Red Craft, Basic Black Craft, Alcohol Inks
Accessories: Grungeboard, BIA, Riding Hood Red Taffeta Ribbon, Gold and Brick Red Ribbon, Zutter's Perfect Closure, Clear EP, stamp-a-ma-jig, 8"x8" chipboard covers

CT1208 & SC208 - Wings of Friendship

I made this card for both this week's SC208 and for this month's Dirty Girls challenge of CT1208 Obscure Holidays...The obscure holiday I chose for this card was "Learn More about Butterflies" which is celebrated on March 14th. LOL!!

The images I used for this card is from the About Me set from Innovative Stamp Creations. The background was created with ranger alcohol inks - meadow, slate, denim and silver. I then stamped the flower flourish image and the sentiment in craft black and heat embossed with clear EP.

For the butterfly, I painted some plain grunge board with some lake mist colored ranger acrylic paint, and stamped the butterfly with craft black and again embossed with clear EP. I then cut it out and popped it up on dimensionals. I finished the card off with some sheer white ribbon in the corner.

Card Details:
Images: About Me - ISC
Paper: Whisper White, Night of Navy
Inks: Alcohol Inks, craft black
Accessories: Clear EP, Sheer White Ribbon, Grunge Board, Acrylic Paint - Lake Mist

LSC197 - Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow!!

I made this card earlier this morning, but ran out of time and could not add it until now. Today's LSC197 on SCS was indeed limiting. We could only use snowflakes (snowflake images, die cuts, DSP, embossing folders, etc). The colors had to be monochromatic, we had to add some sparkle somewhere, and the sentiment could only be one word. I do believe I have captured all three in this card.

I started out with a cuttlebug snowflake die cut, I tried to cut some grungeboard with it, but it is really just too thick, so I ended up trimming the last layer of Grungeboard with my scissors. I do know, however, that the snow flake die cuts from SU would be able to cut the grungeboard, so that is just and FYI for anyone interest.

Once I had the snowflake cut out, I painted it with some faded jeans distress crackle paint, then I took my ranger inking tool and added some pearl mixative over the dried crackle paint. To finish off the snowflake I then rubbed a light coat of ice stickles over the top and added the clear crystal brad in the center.

The snowflake DSP is from SU's ski slope package, and I also added a few more snowflake on the card with the snowflake cuttlebug embossing folder.

I then finished off the card with some double stitched blue bayou ribbon.

This card was very fun to do...I am having a blast working with grungeboard and paints...a whole new world of stamping for me!!

Card Details:
Images: Warm Word for sentiment
Paper: Whisper White, Blue Bayou
Ink: Blue Bayou
Accessories: Distress Crackle Paint, Ranger Pearl Mixative alcohol ink, Ice Stickles, Crystal Brad, Baja Breeze Ribbon, Grungeboard, Snowflake Embossing folder, Snowflake die cut.