Wednesday, July 31, 2013

A Few More Dare Cards - Keep the Faith

Today I'm sharing a few more cards that I made for the Dare To Get Dirty challenges going on all week over on Split Coast. I'm not going to be able to get them all done the way I did last year - but I'm enjoying making the ones I have time to do!  I've been using stamps and supplies that I haven't gotten out in a while and using some techniques that have been long forgotten!   And that's always a good thing - to use what I have!

For this card I rubbed my ink pad over the inside cover of the embossing folder and then embossed the panel to get this lovely background!  I die cut the verse from Isaiah with a Mega Mat die from PTI and layered it over the panel with foam dots.
On this card I gold embossed the Psalm from Our Daily Bread, drew a  partial frame around the card with a gold Spica pen and added a die cut 'grateful' along the top.
 And for my third card today -  I die cut the Isaiah verse with a Wonky Rectangle and added the die cut 'blessed' along the bottom.  Both up on foam dots
 
 I'm entering this card in a new challenge I found recently -  the Word Art Wednesday  This week it's anything goes.

Fear Not Embossed
Stamps: Our Daily Bread - Scripture Collection 1
Paper: vintage cream - PTI
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Ranger Distress Shabby Shutters
Accessories: Mega Mat Stack - PTI, Embossing Folder Sizzix - Tim Holtz Springtime Background & Borders Set

Grateful
Stamps: Our Daily Bread - Scripture Collection II
Paper: vintage cream - PTI
Ink: Versamark
Accessories: gold embossing powder, hot gun, Spica gold pen, glue pen, grateful die from Counting my Blessings Set - PTI

Blessed:
Stamps: Our Daily Bread - Scripture Collection 1
Paper: white - PTI, DP - Memory Box Brioche 6x6 paper collection
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black
Accessories: Wonky Rectangles - Spellbinders, Blessed die from Counting my Blessings set - PTI


Monday, July 29, 2013

WMS Bedtime Story Sketch

Today is the very first Waltzingmouse Pajama Party -  you can check out all the details on the Waltzingmouse Blog.  Come along and join in the fun!   There are 3 challenges that were revealed a week or so ago so you could get a head start on your projects (they need to be linked within 24 hours) -  and tonight the 4th challenge - the Bedtime Story Sketch -  is being revealed! (you have a week to create and link up your sketch card)

Bedtime Story Details

Each Pajama party will end with the Bedtime story sketch - this will be a sketch challenge that we will present to you on the night of the pajama party, you will see the sketch and some inspiration samples on the Pajama Party blog post and you will have one week to link up your challenge cards.

Don't forget, throughout the pajama party we will be looking out for that special person to join us as a guest DT member during a future release!

Hope you can join us! And do invite your friends!

So -  here's the Bedtime Story Sketch for this month!

and here's a card I created using the sketch!


I used several WMS stamps on this card today -  the flowers are from You're a Doll (I used the cut files for this set but you could just as easily hand cut these flowers!), the green strip is stamped with Crackle Reverse Mini (I LOVE this little stamp! It's stamped twice here to cover the panel.), the background panel is Cabin Plaid Background and the sentiment is from Vintage Garden Seed Packet.   Two of the flowers are up on foam dots and I added rhinestones to the center and below the sentiment!

I'm also adding a card for the 1st challenge - Tickle Me Silly

I can't wait to see what you all come up with using this sketch -  You have a week to create your card and link it up over at the Waltzingmouse Blog    (The Tickle Me Silly, You're a Doll and In the Background Pajama Party challenges have to be linked up within 24 hours)  Thanks for joining us!

Sketch card:
Stamps:  You're a Doll,  Crackle Reverse Mini, Cabin Plaid, Vintage Garden Seed Packet - Waltzingmouse
Paper:  White - PTI
Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black, Ranger Distress Wild Honey, Festive Berries, Evergreen Bough and Weathered Wood.
Accessories:  Rhinestones - Kaiser Craft, foam dots, You're a Doll cut files - Waltzingmouse.
Tickle Me Silly card
Stamps: Waltzingmouse - Funky Feathers
Paper: white - PTI
Ink: Ranger Distress Worn Lipstick, Tattered Rose, Peeled Paint, Chipped sapphire, Wild Honey
Accessories: Houndstooth Embossing Folder - Provo Craft

Saturday, July 27, 2013

Three for the Dirty Dare

Saturday started a full week of Dare to Get Dirty challenges over at Split Coast -  you have to be a member of the Fan Club to see and participate in the challenges so I can't tell you why I made the following cards (!) but I can tell you how I made them!  There will be at least 5 challenges a day all week - so I don't think I'll be doing them all - but here are 3 of the 5 that I've done so far.

For this pretty little 4 1/4" x 4 1/4" Thank You card I used stamps from Waltzingmouse -  the flower, leaves and sentiment are from Camellia and the gingham stamp is from Gingham and Co.  The bloom is popped up on foam dots and I added 2 dew drops

My next card is, oddly enough, a Halloween Card!   I was initially going to make a lovely summer flower - but when I decided to use the Tattered flower die by Tim Holtz I felt I had to make it more grunge - and then chose some cool Halloween papers for the flower and the background.  So here it is!  The sentiment is from the Hocus Pocus set by Waltzingmouse.
And for my last card today -  I have a 5" x 5" wedding card.  I embossed the panel with a Sizzix Clock Works embossing folder and layered a glitter gold die cut clock face using the Tim Holtz Alterations weathered clock die.  The sentiment is from Cornish Heritage Farms.
 

Hope to see you Monday night at the Waltzingmouse Blog for the Pajama Party event!

Thanks Card
Stamps: Waltzingmouse - Camellia and Gingham & Company
Paper: white - PTI
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Ranger Distress Salty Ocean, Picked Raspberry, Peeled Paint
Accessories: foam dots, camellia cut files - Waltzingmouse, dew drops. 

Happy Haunting
Stamps: Hocus Pocus - Waltzingmouse
Paper: rustic white - PTI, DP - Authentique/Enchanted
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black
Accessories: foam tape, rhinestones - Kaiser, tattered flower die - Tim Holtz Alterations 

Forever Begins Now Card
Stamps: Wedding Centers set - Cornish Heritage Farms (retired)
Paper: vintage Cream - PTI, glitter gold - Michaels
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black
Accessories: glue pen, foam dots, weathered clock die - Tim Holtz Alterations, flower brad - Making Memories, clock works embossing folder - Provo Craft

Friday, July 26, 2013

A Golden Birthday and a Neon Paintbrush

Yippee!  It's the weekend!  and even though it's raining tonight -  it won't dampen my spirits!  

I have two cards to share tonight made for several challenges out there in blog land.

My first card is a little bit of Mixed Media - as I used something new I just purchased - Black Embossing Paste.  I used it with my Aspen Trees stencil and it gives a great result - it's textured and a bit raised so there's a bit of dimension when you look at it.    I used a gold gel pen to draw my frame and a glitter-gold card stock for the die cut 'birthday'
I used this weeks' Cas(e) this Sketch for my card.
 I'm also putting this in Cas-ology cue card Gold and Bloggers Challenge - They Say it's Your Birthday and Addicted to Cas - Code word Glitter!
 and one more -   Seize the Birthday - anything goes!
 For my next card I used a brandy-new die that I got from MFT -  this great little paint brush!  The die has three pieces - the handle, the metal band and the textured brush (see the bristles?) - SO FUN!
This card was made for The Play Date Cafe - Black and White with a Splash of Neon Yellow 
 
and I used this week's Freshly Made Sketch  

 I used a Lemon Gelato to get the neon color - rubbing it on the brush and also the twine.  The black panel is embossed with a Herringbone Embossing folder and the sentiment is cut with a deckled edge mega rectangle Nestability.
Thanks for stopping by today -   don't forget the WMS Pajama Party coming up on Monday!


Aspen Birthday
Paper:  white - PTI, gold glitter - Michaels
Accessories:  Gold Gel Pen - Uniball, Aspen Trees Template - The Crafters Workshop, Black Embossing Past - Studio 490, glue pen, birthday die - PTI

Paintbrush card
Stamps:  Sentiment - Cornish Heritage Farms/Motivational Centers
Paper:  white, true black - PTI, brushed silver - SU
Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black
Accessories:  Lemon Galato - Farber Castel, paint brush die - MFT, Lemondrop Bakers Twine - the Twinery, Herringbone embossing folder - Provocraft, foam dots, deckled rectangle mega rectangle - Nestabilities.


Thursday, July 25, 2013

Thanks in Acetate

Here's a card I made a few weeks ago for the Inspiration challenge over on Split Coast.  The inspiration for us that week was the Poketo web store!  I was inspired by this colorful confetti wallet .
 And here's the card I was inspired to make.
I remembered I had a sheet of patterned acetate and this wallet reminded me of a piece of it. I've had this package of Transparent Artistic sheets for probably 5-6 years  (I think I got it from Stampington & Co. when I was just buying anything I saw that was crafty! I don't see them there now) and I was so happy to finally use a piece of it!!

So I stamped the THANKS from the WMS set Say It Loud in black directly on the white card base, then layered this piece of acetate (with the orange background, red dots and grey lines) over the card and sentiment, using special vellum glue dots that don't show. And I'm done! So all the color that you see is the pattern on the sheet of acetate. Not quite as colorful as the wallet - but still 'cool' I think!

Don't forget to check out the WMS Pajama Party coming up on July 29th starting at 7 pm EST (12 midnight in Ireland!) -  you can make some of the challenges ahead as you need to link them up within 24 hours of the start -  check it all out here.

I'll be posting a card right here using the Bedtime Story Sketch which is one of the challenges! You have a week to link up your sketch card as it will not be revealed until the party.   Hope to see you then (with your PJ's on!)

Stamps: Waltzingmouse - Say it Loud
Paper: white - PTI
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black
Accessories: Vellum glue dots, Clearly Creative Transparent Artistic Sheet - Molecular - Magic Scraps

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Quick - there's a Sale at WMS until Midnight!!

I promise I'll be here soon with a card!!!

but for now -  get over to the Waltzingmouse Store -  Claire is offering 25% off of baby stamp sets in honor of newly born Prince George Alexander Louis!   You have until midnight tonight so hop right over quick!
well -  actually here are two projects  I made using the above set when it was released!

So get over there right now!  there are just a few hours left depending on where in the world you are!

Monday, July 22, 2013

You're Invited to a Waltzingmouse Pajama Party!!

Just popping in to let you know that you're warmly invited to a Waltzingmouse Pajama Party!
 It's going to be on July 29th and you'll find all the details on Claire's Blog.  You don't have to use WMS stamps - but if you do - there are prizes to be won! Join us for challenges, fun, prizes and a chance to join us during a future release as a Guest Design Team member!   Hope to see you there!

Sunday, July 21, 2013

Sweet Sherbert

Today I'm playing along for the first time with the Play Date Cafe challenge - these are the colors to use this week. Makes me think of summertime orange and lime ice cream sherberts!
My stamping friend, Mona Pendleton, is the guest designer and sponsor for the prize this week - so I used one of her MFT stamp sets, Tropical Sensations,  for my card.  I also have the die set that goes along with the stamps - so it makes it super easy to make a beautiful creation!
I embossed a Fleur de Lis Nestability Square on my card base.  Then I stamped the flower, stamen and leaves on the die cuts and layered them over the frame with foam dots.  The flowers have two stamps so you can accent them with different colors of ink in the centers.

Today is the last day of our weeks' vacation and the 90 degree humid heat finally broke -  it's in the 80's today and there is a cool breeze that feels SO good!   We've opened the windows and turned off the air conditioners and it's just lovely!

My son Josh and his partner April are coming over for late lunch and we'll have it on the deck (I thought we might have to eat inside with the heat).  Looking forward to their visit and having a lovely afternoon before heading back to work tomorrow!

Thanks so much for dropping by today!

Stamps:  Tropical Sensations - MFT
Paper:  Vintage Cream - PTI
Ink:  Ranger Distress Spiced Marmelade, Dried Marigold, Mowed Lawn, Versafine Onyx Black
Accessories:  Dienamics Tropical Sensation dies - MFT, Fleur de Lis Square die - Spellbinders, foam dots.

Friday, July 19, 2013

Thinking of You as Still the 1

Happy weekend everyone!  I have two cards to share today -  first up is a card I made using this weeks' Cas(e) this Sketch
I used some pretty ribbon flowers from Craftpon.com and I die cut my sentiment from Waltzingmouse with a Sentiment Strip from MFT.
 
My next card was made for the Cas-ual Friday's challenge - to use a number or numbers on your creation.
I used a cute little dart board from Stampcow - framed by an embossed Nestability Circle as my focal point.  The dart board is surrounded by numbers. 
 I used a die cut arrow from MFT for my sentiment 'You're Still the One' from Verve.
With yet another vacation day in the 90's with high humidity - Kent and I went to the mall for a late lunch at Buffalo Wild Wings and then went to the movies and saw Red 2.   We had just watched Red on Pay Per View and we  loved both movies - have you seen them?  They are really funny amongst all of the gun shooting and car crashes!

Thinking of You:
Stamps:  Country Labels 14 - Waltzingmouse
Paper:  White - PTI
Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black
Accessories:  ribbon flowers - Craftpon.com Etsy Shop, glue dots, foam dots, Sentiment Strips Dienamics - MFT

You're Still the One
Stamps:  dart board - Stampcow.com Etsy Shop, Feeling Groovy stamp set - Verve

Paper:  white - PTI
Ink:  Ranger Distress Picked Raspberry
Accessories:  Circle Nestabilities, foam dots, Tiny Twinkles - Taylored Expressions, Arrow Die - MFT

Thursday, July 18, 2013

Don't Forget the Little Guys

Today I have 3 projects to share -  using some of the smaller stamps from the Waltzingmouse June release sets You're a Doll, You're a Doll Additions and Country Labels 14.  I often don't think of using the little pieces by themselves - I'm so focused on the main images of a set!

First,  I made a Feel Better card with flowers and faces from You're a Doll and a sentiment from Country Labels 14.
 Aren't these flowers cute with their sweet little faces!?! I punched the faces with a 5/8" punch and popped them up on foam dots.
 
Next -  I stamped the little rose and leaf  from You're A Doll and a sentiment from Country Labels 14 on a white panel for this pretty little card.  I used a scallop edge punch on the bottom of the white floral panel and popped it up on foam tape over the patterned paper.
 Here's a close up of the panel.  I adhered Tiny Twinkles to the center of each rose.  This sentiment would be great for an Anniversary, encouragement or a Valentine's card.
 
For my third project - I decorated a little 2 3/4" x 4 mini polka dot paper bag using stamps from You're a Doll and You're a Doll Additions.   I added two strips of Washi tape behind the label that is up on foam dots.  A gift card would fit nicely inside! 
Here you can just see the stamped hearts behind the rhinestone hearts.  I also sponged the edge with red ink before removing the piece from the Labels 15 Nestability.
 
So the moral of the story is - DON"T FORGET THOSE CUTE LITTLE STAMPS in your bigger stamp sets!!

We're coming near to the end of our week's vacation (sigh) -  today Kent and I are off to visit my cousins in Eaton Center, NH -  a wonderful little town just outside of North Conway.  They have a house on a little lake (called a pond actually!) nestled in among the hills.   They live there in the summer and in FL in the winter - so I like to get up to visit them when they are nearer to us.



Feel BetterStamps:  face and flower - You're a Doll set, feel better from Country Labels 14 - Waltzingmouse
Paper:  White, Simply Chartreuse - PTI
Ink:  Ranger Distress Salty Ocean, Crushed Olive
Accessories:  foam dots, 5/8" circle punch - EK Success

Love you to Bits
Stamps:  rose from You're a Doll set, love you to bits from Country Labels 14 set - Waltzingmouse
Paper:  white, Spring Moss - PTI, DP Sidewalks 8X8 pad October Afternoon.
Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black, Ranger Distress Worn Lipstick, Crushed Olive
Accessories:  glue pen, Tiny Twinkles - Taylored Expressions, foam dots, scallop edge punch - SU.

It's What's On the Inside Bag
Stamps:  xxx's half circle from You're a Doll set, sentiment and heart from You're a Doll additions set.
Paper:  True Poppy - PTI
Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black, Ranger Distress - Festive Berries
Accessories:  heart gems - Michaels, Labels 15 Nestability, black and white dotted washi tape - Darice, red/white dotted bag - Impress.


Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Steam Punk Nipper Winston

I've got a cool metal foil card to share with you today!
For this fun steam punk background I embossed a 4 1/4" x 5 1/2"  piece of foil sheet tape with the Riveted Metal Embossing folder by Tim Holtz.  I then hand embossed some more lines with an embossing tool and  pressed some circles inside the squares using the tip of a click-open pen (without the ink clicked on).  Next I painted over the whole sheet with black acrylic paint - rubbing most of it off after I applied it.  I also rubbed some Rub N Buff Autumn Gold Wax metallic cream over some of it and buffed it with a paper towel.
 
 My cute little aviator is a digital image from Octopode Factory named Steam Punk Nipper Winston. I colored him with Copics. The sentiment is from Waltzingmouse and I die cut it with a Wonky Rectangle Nestability. Both are layered onto the foil with foam dots.
I made this card for the Technique challenge over on Split Coast.  I feel like I cheated a little using an embossing folder to create my foil background instead of hand tooling the whole thing  (!)   There's a great video on You Tube showing how to make your own metallic foil background here:

I actually learned this technique last May at a class with Tim Holtz - You can see the heart I made at that class on my blog post here.

Stamps: Digi Image - Steam Punk Nipper Winston - The Octopode Factory Etsy Shop, sentiment from Free Spirit Sentiments - Waltzingmouse
Paper: white - PTI
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black
Accessories: Foil Tape Sticky Back sheets 6"x12" - Ranger, black acrylic paint, brush, Riveted Metal Embossing Folder - Sizzix Tim Holtz Alterations, Copics: BG32, BG10, E00, E31, E37, N6, N12, R20, Wonky Rectangle Nestabilities, Rub n Buff Autumn Gold Wax Metallic Cream

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Mixed Media Baby Boy

I'm so excited to share my mixed media baby boy gift bag with you today!
I made it using the colors for the Mixed Media Color Challenge -  blue, turquoise and a neutral

My hairdresser is having her 2nd child in Sept - and my last appointment with her before she goes on maternity leave is in August.  I wanted to give her a little something for her new baby boy -  she has a 4 year old daughter, Amya, so I know she could use something in boy colors!

I made this cute little 'nest' to put on the bag using blue and brown  felt rick rack and a thin strip of burlap.  I adhered a blue heart with a sequin to the nest.
Here's a pic of how I made the nest - braiding the 3 pieces together.  I adhered the braided piece to a felt circle starting at the center and wrapping it around, gluing here and there as I went.  For my little nest I made the strips 10" long and I cut a 1 " circle for the felt base.
I found instructions for this sweet nest on Melissa Phillips blog here:
For my bag - I used black acrylic paint on the Mini Chicken Wire stencil and black ink for the sentiments.
I lightly sprayed Cornflower Walnut Ink over the whole bag, tag and stork that was stamped on a piece of sticky back canvas.  I attached the tag to the bag with a brad.
I brushed Snow Cone Gellato mixed with water over the Mini Hexagon Stencil for the blue at the bottom of the bag. 

And here are the cute sock booties and bibs that I rolled up and put in this sweet gift bag.
The linen bag measures 6" x 10" -  I think she'll like this -  She'll certainly not receive another gift bag like it!
 I'm also entering this in the Just Us Girls challenge this week - Mixed Media.

Today is the 4th day of our week vacation -  Kent and I are heading off to the Museum of Russian Icons  in Clinton, MA - where they are having a special exhibit of Matryoshka - Russian Nesting dolls - this month. It's been so hot out we are trying to find things to do indoors!

Stamps:  Cornish Heritage Farms - Baby Love
Paper:  Tempting Turquoise - SU
Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black
Accessories:  linen bag - Pouch Mart.com, felt rick rack - Ofray  (Michaels),  burlap - JoAnns, blue felt - Michaels, scallop heart Nestability, mini hexagon and mini chick wire stencils - The Crafters Workshop, Copics B21, Y21, Fabric Fusion Adhesive - Aleene's, tag die - Tag Sale #3 - PTI, Corn Flower Walnut Ink Spray - Tsukineko,  Natural sticky back canvas - Claudine Helmuth's Studio Ranger, black acrylic paint - Ceramcoat, blue sequins from stash.