Chillax

Just a quick post this morning as we're off for a day at the cottage of my niece's in-laws in Hampstead, New Hampshire.  It's a gorgeous summer day here and the cottage is right on a lake so I think it's going to be a lovely day to be outdoors with friends and family!

I wanted to join in at the Muse Challenge #130 this week where Tracy's card was the inspiration.  

Here is her card:

and here's the card I created.  I used stamps from two Waltzingmouse sets.  I stamped the palm tree and sentiment from My Island onto Vintage Cream Linen card stock.  The blossom from Free Spirit Boy was stamped on white card stock, colored with Ranger Distress Markers, cut out and layered over the tree with foam dots.

Wishing everyone a wonderrful weekend!

Make it Monday -- Die Cut Kissing - Halloween Sky

I made today's card for the PTI Make It Monday challenge.  This week Betsy shares her creative new version of stamp 'kissing' -  Die Cut Kissing.  Betsy has a lovely tutorial here.  

Basically, you ink up a flat surface stamp, rock and roll the edges in a darker color, press it lightly against a die cut from a coverplate die to pick up the design from the die cut - then stamp onto a cardstock panel. (watch Betsy's tutorial - it's not quite as confusing as it sounds without pictures!!)

The only flat-ish stamps I could find from the plethora of PTI stamps I own - were the Watercolor Wonder Stamps and the only coverplate die I have that I thought would work for this is the Night Sky Cover Plate. And here is the card I made using Betsy's Die Cut Kissing Technique.

Here's a photo of the die cut piece of the coverplate -  you can see where I 'kissed' it with my inked stamps before stamping them onto the Fresh Snow Linen Card stock.  Pressing the stamp lightly onto the die cut piece - picks up the pattern of the die cut -  here it picked up the stars and dots.

I inked my stamps first with Enchanted Evening and then 'rock and rolled' the stamp on my Smokey Shadow ink pad - getting that color only on the edges of the stamp. Then I stamped each stamp onto the linen panel -  here's a close up showing how the 'kissing' transferred the cut outs of the die (stars and dots) to the stamp.  Pretty cool huh?!

I love the look of this - I never would have thought of creating this card on my own - that's the fun of challenges like Make It Monday -  learning and trying out  new techniques!  The headstone and sentiment are from Haunted Headstones Stamps.  I also used the headstone and bat dies from Haunted Headstones Dies.  I used the 'rock and roll' technique in stamping the headstone as well with the blue and black inks.

You'll find the Make it Monday challenge here.

Stamps:  Watercolor Wonder, Haunted Headstone Sentiments - PTI

Paper:  White, Enchanted Evening, True Black, Fresh Snow Linen Cardstock - PTI

Ink:  Smokey Shadow, Enchanted Evening - PTI

Accessories:  Haunted Headstone Dies, Coverplate Night Sky - PTI, black rhinestones - Kaiser, foam dots.

First Day of School

I made today's card using some of the wonderful Petite Places stamps and dies from PTI -  I am SO enthralled with the little 3D  buildings you can make with these dies - but as you see here -  you can also make them flat.  The school, flag with fence and sentiment are from Petite Places School Stamps and coordinating dies.  The tree is Scene It Everyday Die and the blue circle is Scene It Basic Backer.

I'm linking this card to:

Addicted to CAS challenge - Code Word School

 Can You Case It?

First Day of School
Stamps:  Petite Places - School - PTI
Paper:  White, Simply Chartreuse, Textstyle Bitty Box Basics - PTI
Ink:  True Black, Pure Poppy, Enchanted Evening - PTI
Accessories:  Dies - Petite Places Schook, Scene it Basic Backer, Scene It Everyday Die - PTI, Black Sharpie.

Stay Cool!

I had so much fun creating this card today - using my brandy new Let's Chill - popsicle dies from Reverse Confetti (thanks to my enabler Amy Tsuruta!).  I added a little twist to them though -  I made them melting a little using my Martha Stewart drippy punch.  I just cut a little strip the same color as each popsicle and adhered the piece behind the bottom, cutting it to fit.  The sentiment is from MFT.

Cute right??!!

I'm linking my cool pops card to several challenges:

Inkspirational - Word Prompt MELT 

(the inspiration for my drips!)

Less is More - Sketch

Crafty Calender Challenge - Bingo -  I used Die Cuts/Kraft/Blue - across the middle

Stay Cool!
Stamps:  Snowboard Boy - Pure Innocence My Favorite Things
Paper:  White, Berry Sorbet, Summer Sunrise, Limeade Ice, Kraft - PTI, DP Sn@p Simple Stories.
Ink:  True Black - PTI 
Accessories:  Drippy punch - Martha Stewart, Popsicle Dies - Reverse Confetti, foam dots.

Cardz4Guyz Challenge - Myth and Magic

Welcome to my 4th and final post as one of the August Guest Designer's over at Cardz4Guyz.  This week the challenge is a tricky one...... Myth and Magic.

Not finding anything particular in all of the millions of stamps I have (!) that definitely screamed Myth or Magic I decided I'd go with a hidden message - which seems like magic!! 

When you look through these fun glasses, a message suddenly appears on the framed panel! I used Secret Agent Glasses die from PTI to die cut the glasses and the Top Secret and Restricted Access stamps are from Secret Agent stamp set, also from PTI.  The green frame was die cut with 2 Stitched Rectangle dies from Waltzingmouse and the stamp I used to 'camouflage' the sentiments is Mini Crackle (presently on sale!) from Waltzingmouse.

when you hold the red acetate lens of the glasses up to the pattern (stamped in Hibiscus Burst - similar to the red acetate) - the sentiments (stamped in Simply Chartreuse) are visible!  This one is "Sending warm thoughts for a speedy recovery' (Healing Touch Sentiments - PTI)

This one is "Hope you're back on your feet again soon" (an old wooden stamp from Inky Antics)

and the third one is 'Feel better' (an old wooden stamp from Art Stamps)

Wouldn't it be fun to receive this interactive card in the mail?  This is going to my stamping friend Anne's husband Jay who just had foot surgery today (which is why I particularly used the 2nd sentiment "hope you're back on your feet soon"!!) and I hope it will bring a smile to his face!

Please  join us over at the Cardz 4 Guyz challenge where you'll find lots of inspiration from the Design Team  -  there's a new challenge every Tuesday.   I have really enjoyed my time as Guest DT for August and I thank the team for inviting me to join in.  It certainly has been a challenge to create something masculine each week! 

I'm also linking my card to the following challenge:

Cut It Up - Old School (use old supplies or techniques)

 two of the sentiments I used are old wood backed stamps 

Stamps:  Healing Touch Sentiments and Secret Agent - PTI, Mini Crackle - Waltzingmouse, Feel Better - Art Stamp, Back on Your Feet - Inky Antics.
Paper:  White, Kraft, Simply Chartreuse, True Black, Red Acetate - PTI
Ink:  Hibiscus Burst, Simply Chartreuse, Classic Craft - PTI
Accessories:  Stitched Rectangle Dies - Waltzingmouse, Secret Agent Glasses - PTI, Tiny brads - Michaels, foam dots, Scotch Quick Dry Adhesive.

The Simple Joys of Life - Once You Hit 64

I've got two CAS cards to share today.  First up, a floral card.

I used stamps from an older set from Papertrey Ink - Green Thumb (so old it's in the  PTI vault and costs more to purchase now!)  - I love the starburst look of these blossoms!  I masked the sentiment and stamped the florals around it (the technique on last weeks Make it Monday).  I added green rhinestones to the center of each blossom and double matted it to colored card stock.

I'm linking this card to:

Happy Little Stampers CAS Challenge - Masking

AAA Card Challenge - Maskerade

City Crafters Challenge - Around the Corner (stamp in just one corner)

 Try it on Tuesday - Flowers

My second card was made for my friend at work -  our birthdays are about a week apart - so we always give each other cards and we go out to eat together.  It's a little tongue in cheek and I hope she takes it in the humorous way it was meant (!!???!!!)  I used some just released stamps and dies I got from PapertreyInk - Haunted Headstones Sentiments, Haunted Headstones, Haunted Headstones Dies and Scene It Halloween.

I can't believe I'm using them so quickly after I purchased them - usually I buy things, tuck them away and there they sit!  

 (I used Fine Linen cardstock for the cloudy moon/star background so it would be less macabre than black with the stamped tombstone!)

  I hope Deborah is still speaking to me after she opens this!! LOL!!!

I'm linking this card (just in the nick of time) to:
CASology Cue Card - Number

Simple Joys
Stamps:  Green Thumb - PTI
Paper:  White, Hibiscus Burst, Simply Chartreuse - PTI
Ink:  True Black, Orange Zest, Hibiscus Burst, Limeaide Ice - PTI
Accessories:  Rhinestones - Kaiser
Once You Hit 64
Stamps:  Haunted Headstones Sentiments, Haunted Headstones
Paper:  White, Fine Linen, Soft Stone - PTI
Ink:  True Black, Classic Kraft - PTI
Accessories:  Haunted Headstones Dies, Scene It Halloween Eve dies - PTI, Rhinestones - Kaiser, foam dots.

Just the Cutest Little Thing

I'm joining in with the Tag You're It challenge today.

And what a sweet little tag from Jen to inspire us - a cute little bear and fun party balloons on strings!

I decided to go 'baby tag' and pulled out the Sweet Cheeks stamps and dies from PTI.  I was inspired by the primary colors of the balloons,  the blue tag and the bear (I just used bear heads!).  I arranged the safety pins sort of like the balloons.

while I had everything out I made a pink one as well with  pig, chick and frog heads!

You'll find the Tag You're It challenge here.

 I have some photos to share from the Wenham Tea House where my sister and I had lunch yesterday to celebrate her birthday (which was actually in April but we kept having to change the date!).

First,  we had a lovely pot of Earl Gray Tea to share

along with a delicious warm raspberry scone, clotted cream and jelly.

We ordered the Plated Luncheon - assorted Tea Sandwiches of the Day, salad, and grapes.  They also brought us little corn muffins with a delicious cinnamon butter.

For dessert they served a pastry and two cookies (we were so full, we took the cookies home for later!)

All in all, a lovely afternoon with my sister!

Stamps:  Sweet Cheeks  - PTI
Paper:  White - PTI,  blue and pink ginghams - Amuse
Ink: Boy: Pure Poppy, Enchanted Evening, True Black - PTI, Dandelion - Memento: Girl - Limeade Ice, Hibiscus Blast, True Black - PTI, Dandelion - Memento.
Accessories:  Sweet Cheeks Dies and Tag Sale #2 Die  - PTI, twine - The Twinery, foam dots, 

Wear a Mask

I finally got my Guiding Light stamp set from PTI out and used it!  I used the masking sentiment technique for tis weeks Make It Monday challenge.  I stamped the sentiment on a sticky note - cut it out close to the sentiment and placed the sticky on my card panel as a mask.  Then I stamped the light house over the sticky,  removed the sticky and stamped the sentiment in the open space - so it looks like the sentiment is in the center of the stamp! 

I die cut the panel with a Stitched  Rectangle from Waltzingmouse and layered it over a newsprint patterned paper that I had stapled a piece of Film Strip Ribbon to.

I'm linking this card to the following challenges:

Make It Monday - Masking Sentiments

The Male Room - use newsprint

Freshly Made Sketches - 200th Sketch!

 AAA Card Challenge - Maskerade

Happy Little Stampers CAS challenge - Masking

Yay - it's Friday!  It's raining here in MA and we may have scattered showers all weekend - but that's ok - I won't be working!  I have a lovely lunch planned with my sister on Saturday - I'm taking her to the Wenham Tea House to celebrate her 65th birthday.  Looking forward to having some lovely Earl Gray Tea, tea sandwiches and a scone!

Stamps:  Guiding Light - PTI
Paper:  White - PTI, DP Paperstash/Collage Tim Holtz
Ink:  Soft Stone, True Black - PTI
Accessories:  Film Strip Ribbon - Idea-ology, Mini Attacher - Ranger, Stitched Edge Die - Waltzingmouse, rhinestone - Kaiser.

Art with Heart - August Challenge - Frank's Shoe

Today I have a fun project to share - that I made for Eileen Hull's August Art with Heart  challenge - Old is New.  Use one of her older dies for your creation.   Eileen designs for Sizzix and I just LOVE all of her dies!

I decided to use her - Shoe 3D die - and I had all intentions of making a sweet little baby boy shoe for a friend who is having a baby boy in a few months.   But something dark and ugly came over me and this is how my shoe ended up!  

Kent says it looks like Frankenstein's shoe and, yes, I guess that is the look I was going for!  I left the ribbon hanging instead of tying a bow as it looked more sinister somehow......

 I have several step by step photos to share just how this all came about!  First I die cut the shoe out of Little Sizzles Cream Matboard.  Then I assembled it.  Next I covered the outside with Graphite Texture Paste using my palette knife.  It has a rough sandy texture and a little glitter  in it.  I poked a wooden barbecue skewer through the lacing holes to clear the paste out of them.  I left the shoe overnight to dry.

I used the shoe die to cut out pieces to line the shoe with - I just had to cut them down a little bit to fit inside.  I trimmed the side pieces along the bottom edge so I didn't mess up the lacing holes.

I painted around the inside seams and along all the edges of the shoe and any other parts that the cream matboard showed through.

and then I fit the lining pieces inside - being sure to match up the lacing holes.  On my finished shoe - you can't even see the lining! (but I know it's there!!??!)  The papers are from Paper Stash - Regions Beyond.

I colored a piece of Crinkle Ribbon with Black Soot and Spiced Marmalade Distress Markers.  Tim showed us this technique on his July Tag.  Then I spritzed it with water so the colors blended.

I crunched up the ribbon and dried it with my heat tool.

I threaded the ribbon through a large eye needle (that I made sure would fit through the hole before forcing it!) and laced up the shoe - being careful when I pulled the ribbon through the holes that they didn't tear.

Then I started preparing things I wanted to put on my shoe.  I colored the Crossbones and Oddities Spider by dropping Espresso Alcohol Ink on them - purposely not covering them completely so some of the silver still showed.

I dabbed Espresso and Butterscotch Alcohol ink along with Blending Solution on this Oddities word tag.

I filled the shoe with orange/black/white basket shred to hold the tongue of the shoe up.  I folded a piece of cool spider web ribbon in half and stuck it into the shoe against the back,  I added the spider to the web with a jump ring (see it there?!)  I backed the ephemera moon to a piece of black card stock and stuck it into the back of the shoe on a Memo Pin. I glued the web to the back of the moon to help keep the web up.  The ephemera skeleton is just sitting on the edge of the shoe.

I used Alpha Parts/Newsprint to spell out BOO on one side of my shoe.  I adhered it with Multi Medium.

and with a 'nod' to the fact it's supposed to be a baby shoe -  I spelled out 'mummy' on the other side (a little double entendre!)  Since the letters are black - I rubbed some Brushed Pewter Distress Spray Stain over them with my finger so they stood out a bit better against the black shoe.

I attached the Oddities word charm to the lacing with a Loop Pin and adhered the Crossbones and Ephemera 31 with Multi Medium.

I really love how my Halloween shoe came out - I think it will be a fun decoration for my kitchen windowsill!  My little shoe measures approx. 1 3/4w"x4d"x2h" - perfect size for a little party favor.

This month we can win a Sizzix Prize Pack!  Check out all the details at the Art with Heart Blog.

I'm also linking my creation to:

The Mixed Media Monthly Challenge - Get Texty

Paper:  Little Sizzles Cream Matboard - Sizzix, Paper Stash/Regions Beyond - Tim Holtz
Ink:  Ranger Distress Vintage Photo
Accessories:  ScorTape,  Shoe 3D die - Eileen Hull/Sizzix, Adirondack Alcohol Inks - Espresso, Butterscotch and Blending Solution, Brushed Pewter Ranger Distress Spray Stain, Idea-ology - Alpha Parts/Newsprint, Adornments/Crossbones, Oddities, Crinkle Ribbon, Loop Pins, Frightful Ephemera, Jump Rings, Memo Pin,  Ranger Distress Markers Black Soot and Spiced Marmalade, Multi Medium - Ranger, Graphite Texture Paste - Prima, Spider Web Ribbon - May Arts, Umber Acrylic Paint - Dina Wakley.