Pure Laziness

I've really been back in the stamping groove lately, but I have been so lazy about posting my cards to my blog.  Here are a few I've made.   I've provided a direct link (in parentheses under each card) to my Splitcoaststampers' gallery for the card details, if you're interested.

 (Mimi's Christmas)

 (The Gift of Love)

(A Season of Blessings)

 (Joyful Christmas)

 

 (Leaf Stamping)

 (Birthday Bouquet)

Have a blessed day!

Get Yer Motor Runnin'

...head out on the highway! It's time for a road trip over at SCS. The Clean & Simple challenge yesterday was to make a road-trip themed card. A stamping friend sent me this Snoopy & Woodstock image quite some time ago and I'm finally using it!  I colored the image and background entirely with Copic markers.  I then used a deckled rectangle Nestability to cut it out and pop it up on my white card stock.  Very clean, very simple!

 Thanks for stopping by!


 

Birthday Love

We have a family member whose 21st birthday is coming up and she loves pink so I went with a monochromatic pink theme for her card. I used a stamp-a-ma-jig to line up the hearts and sentiment.  I love the new In Color Strawberry Slush!

 

Supplies I used

Stamps: Hearts a Flutter, Bring on the Cake 2

Paper: Strawberry Slush, Whisper White

Ink: Pretty in Pink, Regal Rose, Strawberry Slush

Accessories: stamp-a-ma-jig; brad; gingham ribbon; Edgelits Adorning Accents, Paper Piercing Pack, paper piercer, glue dot, Crop-a-dile, corner dimple punch

 

Casing Harriet

Yaaaay! I found some time to play in my stamp room today. I actually made two cards, both of which are casings of a talented stamper from Splitcoaststampers (SCS). Her name is Harriet...known as hskelly on SCS...and she is the CAS Alumni being honored with the Clean and Simple challenge today. We were to select one of her cards and case it, making it our own with a few changes. Here are the two cards I made, as well as the links to Harriet's cards.

(Link to Harriet's card)

Supplies I used:

Stamps: Treasured by Sweet n Sassy; Itty Bitty Banners by Stampin' Up

Paper: Whisper White, Pacific Point, So Saffron

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black; Stampin' Up More Mustard

Accessories: Copic markers, Crystal Effects, glitter glue, gemstones, Itty Bitty Banner Framelits, circle Nestabilities, Long Classic Nestabilities, dimensionals

 (Link to Harriet's card)

 Supplies I used:

Stamps: Six-Sided Sampler, Amazing to Zany by Stampin' Up

Paper: Whisper White

Ink: Chocolate Chip, Early Espresso, Always Artichoke, Pistachio Pudding, Melon Mambo

Accessories: hexagon punch, sponge daubers

 

Summer Thanks

My goodness time sure does fly by. It's been a little over two months since I made a card and posted anything to my blog. I'm not even sure anyone will stop by since I've been out of the stamping loop, but I'm going to post my card anyway.

As some of you know, I've been diagnosed with cancer (liver and brain), so I've been pretty busy dealing with all the wonderful events related to my care and treatment. I'm giving it my best fight and trying to remain positive and lean on my faith in God. I've also had so much wonderful support from family and friends that has touched me deeply. Thank you to all of you! I love you so much.

Before I move onto my card, I would like to especially thank our good friend, Clair, who recently ran in a Relay for Life race that my other good friend, Jane, organized and dedicated to me. Here's Clair wearing a special shirt he had made.  What a guy!!



Okay, so onto my card.  Since I was feeling especially good today and had some available time,  I decided to participate in the technique challenge over at Splitcoaststampers. We were to choose one of the first 50 technique challenges posted. I chose #9 - Crayon Resist - as it was one of my favorite techniques when I first began stamping.  This is a very simple technique.  I stamped my image onto Glossy White cardstock (you can also use Stampin' Up's Whisper White) and then used a white crayon to draw my lines/dots around the flowers and stems.  The last step is to sponge ink over your image, wiping away the excess ink to reveal the white crayon resist.

 

I've been itching to use some new Stampin' Up goodies I ordered a while back.  The new in colors are so pretty that I just had to have them.  Here's a list of the supplies I used in my design:

Stamps:  Summer Silhouettes, Thank You Kindly 

Paper:  Whisper White, Glossy White, Strawberry Slush, Crisp Cantaloupe

Ink:  Memento Black; Stampin' Up Strawberry Slush, Crisp Cantaloupe, Pistachio Pudding

Accessories:  Labels 9 Nestabilities, paper piercer, corner punch, white pearls, dimensionals, white crayon, sponges

If you did stop by, thanks and let me know that you did.  I hope you're having a grand day.
 
 

Masking Fluid Resist

Finally, I am able to upload a photo and can share this card I made for my nephew's birthday several days ago.  I used the Masking Fluid Resist technique on my card. Basically, your flick Masking Fluid onto your card stock, let it dry completely, stamp your image in it's lightest color, sponge in the lightest color, and keep repeating these three steps, using a darker shade of ink each time.  When you are done stamping and sponging, you rub off the dried Masking Fluid to reveal the base color card stock (here it is white).  I love the artistic outcome!




My shades of green, from light to dark, are mustard seed, crushed olive, peeled paint, and forest moss,  Distress Inks.

After I heat embossed the butterflies in black, I colored them with a gold glitter pen and covered with Glossy Accents.

 

A Mother's Day Gift

My Mother's Day gift was given to me by moi' and that was to do a little stamping.  It's been quite a while since I've been able to stamp due to an illness I'm battling, but I found that I had a little energy and garnered some mojo from the featured stamper over at Splitcoastampers, silli (Silke). I cased her cute Hambo Stamps card here.

I've tried, unsuccessfully, to upload the photo of my card for two days now.  Not sure if it's a Blogger issue or what, but here's a link to my card in my Splitcoaststampers' gallery.



I'm not sure how often I'll be back over the next couple months, but it sure felt good to be at my stamping table today.

For all you mom's out there, I hope you had a terrific day yesterday!


 

CCEE Oldie But Goodie

Do you have some "oldie but goodie" stamps in your collection that have been neglected for a while? How about taking up our CCEE Stampers' challenge to pull one or more of them out and make a card with us this week?

I chose to use an old retired stamp set from Stampin' Up called Roses in Winter and a triple time technique for my card today.  I used Pink Pirouette and Regal Rose for my roses and Garden Green for the leaves.  The button is die cut from striped designer paper.  I finished the card off with bakery twine.


 

Please visit our CCEE Stampers' blog to see what the rest of the team designed!

CCEE Pencils, Please

This week I challenged the CCEE Stampers to use colored pencils only in coloring their images. I used my Stampin' Up watercolor pencils and a blender pen for Violet below.

 If you'd like to play along or see what the rest of the design team created, please visit our CCEE Stampers' blog.

Supplies I used:
Stamps:  Violet, Victorian Lace bg, Word Set 2 by Rubbernecker Stamps
Paper:  Not Quite Navy, More Mustard, Cajun Craze, Whisper White
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black; Stampin' Up Not Quite Navy and Really Rust
Accessories:  oval Nestability, brads, spiral and scallop border punches, paper piercer, watercolor pencils, sponge dauber, embossing folder, dimensionals

CCEE The Eyes Have It

I am the CCEE Stampers' March challenge hostess and, for this first week in March, I challenged the team to use eyelets in their design.  My eyelets are in the center of my flowers (Rose Red), as well as the four corners (Always Artichoke) of my card below.

 I used the Puzzle Piece Resist technique on my card.  I stamped my Rubbernecker Lace background stamp with Versamark onto white card stock and heat embossed it with clear embossing powder.  I then die cut the flowers with my Rose Creations Nestabilities.  I applied River Rock and Always Artichoke inks to the background layers, and I applied Rose Red for the flowers and sentiment.  I then fit the flower puzzle pieces back into the green background, applying them with Tombow glue.

Here's a closer view so you can see the texture of the Lace background image, as well as how the puzzle pieces fit into the design.

Please visit our CCEE Stampers' blog if you are interested in seeing what the entire team created for this challenge or if you'd like to play along with us.

 Supplies I used:

Stamps:  Lace background and Word Set by Rubbernecker
Paper:  Whisper White, Rose Red, Always Artichoke, River Rock
Ink:  Rose Red, Always Artichoke, River Rock
Accessories:  eyelets, twine, dimensionals, blender tools, clear embossing powder, Versamark, heat tool, Beautiful Wings Embosslits

Spring Flowers

 I was glad that Mary, the color challenge hostess on Splitcoaststampers, chose such pretty colors for the color challenge this week:  Primrose Petals, Raspberry Ripple, and Bashful Blue with the option of making either an Easter or Spring-themed card. I chose the Spring theme.

 

I don't have the new Stampin' Up In-Colors Primrose Petals or Raspberry Ripple, so I chose colors I did have on hand that I thought came close to the new ones.  I used Rose Romance (that's going back a bit, eh?) and Purely Pomegranate...both retired colors.

I inked up the flower stamp with the Rose Romance and then lightly spritzed with water for a water color effect.  The flower centers were punched using the circles on the owl punch out of Purely Pomegranate.   I also covered them with Glossy Accents.

Supplies I Used:

Stamps:  Secret Garden and Flight of the Butterfly (Stampin' Up)

Paper:  Whisper White, Bashful Blue, Purely Pomegranate

Ink:  Stamping Up Rose Romance, Memento Tuxedo Black

Accessories:  Secret Garden Framelits, Paper-Piercing Pack, owl punch, Cheery Lynn Fanciful Flourish die, dimensionals, fan fold embossing folder, Beautiful Wings embosslit, Bashful Blue brads

CCEE Fairies

Frances challenged the CCEE Stampers to use a fairy image in our design today.  I got several free images, including this sweet Lili of the Valley fairy image, out of a Papercraft Inspirations (a UK publication) magazine last year and totally forgot I had them until I was searching for something else one day and came upon them.  I colored her with Copic markers and added turquoise stickles to sections of her wings and wand.

The crocheted flower was white, but I colored it with my Sage Bundle distress pad to match my Sage ribbon.  The button in the center is a dark eggplant color.

Here's a closer view of this sweet little image

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a blessed day!

Supplies I used:
Stamps:  Lili of the Valley
Paper:  White, Eggplant
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories:  Copic markers, crocheted flower, ribbon, button, Polkadots Card Creator die, Labels Seventeen Nestability

More Old Muse Color Challenge

This week's color challenge at Splitcoaststampers is being brought to you by yours truly to use More Old Muse: More Mustard, Old Olive, and Midnight Muse. Dessert option is watercoloring.

I watercolored my bird and my background. I used a direct to paper technique for the background, running my More Mustard and Old Olive ink pads across my card stock and then applied a light spritzing of water. Once dried, I stamped the Inspired by Nature image with Midnight Muse.

I used my bird punch for the bird and leaf branch, watercoloring him with reinkers and a watercolor brush. I sponged the edges with Midnight Muse for definition.

I love how vivid and rich these colors are together!

 





 

CCEE "C" is for Cocoa and...

Frances is the March CCEE Stampers' challenge hostess. This week, she challenged us to think of as many things as possible to use in our card that begin with the letter "C".

 My "C's" are:  cardstock, Cherry Cobbler, circle card, Cocoa the Mouse image, Copic markers, Certainly Celery ribbon and brad.

If you'd like to play along and/or see the designs of the rest of the team, please visit our CCEE Stampers' blog.

Color Challenge

Today's color challenge hostess, Peggy, on Splitcoaststampers, gave the colors of Crumb Cake, Chocolate Chip, and Certainly Celery. In my mind, these are fabulous colors for a masculine card.

I stamped the ferris wheel with Chocolate Craft ink and heat embossed with brown embossing powder. After I die cut the image with a rectangle Nestability, I left it in the die so I could lightly sponge Crumb Cake around it. I also lightly sponged Certainly Celery on my houndstooth embossed bg panel.

Supplies I used:

Stamps: Feeling Sentimental by Stampin' Up

Paper: Chocolate Chip, Certainly Celery, Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla

Ink: Chocolate Chip Craft, Certainly Celery, Crumb Cake

Accessories: 1" circle punch, houndstooth embossing folder, brads, corner rounder, brown embossing powder, heat tool, sponge dauber, rectangle Nestabilities

A New Day

Mary Marsh was chosen as the featured stamper on Splitcoaststampers (SCS) yesterday. Mary's gallery is full of wonderful designs. I chose her A Special Purpose card because I love the butterfly theme, and I also need a card with an encouraging sentiment.

 Per challenge rules, we are required to change two or more things in our casing of the featured stamper's card to make it our own.

Things I changed:
1. sentiment stamp
2. colors
3. added punched corners
4. added pearls
5. used various colors of card stock vs dp for the small butterflies

Supplies I used:
Stamps: Sentiment by Rubbernecker
Paper: Very Vanilla, Pink Pirouette, Pretty in Pink, Regal Rose, Rose Red, dp
Ink: Rose Red
Accessories: Beautiful Wings Embosslits, ticket corner punch, pearls

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

CCEE Flat Backed Treat Box

The CCEE Stampers' challenge this week is to make a Flat Backed Treat Box. Bonus points if we included a heart in our design.

 (click on image for larger view)

Splitcoaststampers (SCS) has a great tutorial on their website for this fun treat box.  I used some old designer paper from Stampin' Up (a part of my New Year's resolution to use my designer papers and ribbons!).  I stamped the image with Memento Tuxedo Black ink and colored it in with glitter gel pens.  I made a faux heart button for the red heart at the top, die cutting the heart three times out of Ridinghood Red card stock, gluing them together, piercing two button holes, and covering with Glossy Accents.  The hearts at the bottom right were stamped and punched with my heart trio punch.

Click here to check out the creations of the rest of the design team!

Supplies I used:
Stamps:  Love You Much (Stampin' Up)
Paper:  Ridinghood Red, Very Vanilla, designer paper
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories:  trio heart punch, corner dimple punch, heart die, paper piercer, glitter gel pens, dimensionals




 

Blue Secret Garden

I love the blue/brown combo for the Free for All challenge on Splitcoaststampers!

 My card base is Bashful Blue; the brown matting and leaves are Coredinations card stock.  I used a Gesso resist technique for my flowers.  You apply Gesso to some kind of text print, let it dry, stamp your image with Versamark and heat emboss it with clear embossing powder.  I then die cut the flowers with the Secret Garden Framelits, sponged Bashful Blue ink in the center and Midnight Muse on the outer edges.  Added blue Liquid Pearls and a light sprinkling of dazzling diamonds.  For the white base, I lightly sponged Bashful Blue toward the center, added Midnight Muse on the outer edges, and then finger walked the French Script text.

TFL!

CCEE

Frances is the February challenge hostess for the CCEE Stampers, and she's kicking off this first Thursday in February with a weather challenge in honor of Weatherperson's Day, which was on February 5.  She challenged the team to create a card that features some sort of weather, e.g., sun, clouds, rain, snow, etc.

I went with clouds and rain for my theme, using my Friendship is Shelter Jolinne image by My Favorite Things (MFT).  I paper pieced her umbrella, jacket, and boots, and colored the rest of the image with Copic markers.  I also used my MFT Clouds Die-namic, dry embossing the largest one with a polkadotted embossing folder after I stamped the Forever Friends sentiment.  The background designer paper is also cloud themed.

 

 (click on image for larger view)

Please visit the CCEE Stampers' blog to see what the rest of the team members created and perhaps join us in our challenge!

Supplies I used:

Stamps:  Friendship is Shelter Jolinne by MFT; sentiment from The Journey set by Gina K

Paper:  White, cloud dp

Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Baja Breeze

Accessories:  copic markers, Mesh on a Roll, clouds Die-Namics, Labels 23 Nestabilities, dimensionals 

 

Inspired by Earrings

Stef gave us the Villa Sorgenfrei website as our inspiration website today. What beautiful items they have! I love these gorgeous earrings and drew my inspiration from them for my card today.  This is also for the first Mixed Media challenge that started yesterday on Splitcoaststampers. Lydia's challenge is called Yin Yang to use one shiny medium and one matte medium. I used Distress Inks sponged on Crumb Cake card stock, and I used Glossy Accents for the center of the flower as well as a red glitter gel pen for the outer stitching and dotting on the flowers. I also used black embossing powder on the two flowers and separated them with dimensionals. I used Pumice Stone ink to stamp the leaves in the background.

Supplies I used:

Stamps: Secret Garden

Paper: Crumb Cake

Ink: Ranger Distress Inks in Pumice Stone, Fired Brick, and Black Soot; Stampin' Up Marigold Morning

Accessories: Secret Garden and Labels Collection Framelits, Blender Tool, Glossy Accents, black brad, dimensionals, red glitter gel pen, black embossing powder, heat tool

 

CCEE Make It Hot

Make it a hot theme is what Joanne, the CCEE Stampers' challenge hostess for January, has challenged us to use in our card designs this week. 

My godmother passed away this week, so I used our hot theme to make a simple, one-layer sympathy card for her family.

(click on photo for larger view)

I've always been inspired by the beautiful works of Theresa Momber and Michelle Zindorf and have them to thank for the inspiration behind my creation.

I stamped the Inspired by Nature weeds with Black Soot Distress Ink and heat embossed with clear embossing powder.  I made a mask for my sun using a 1" circle punch and then sponged my various colors.  I used Adirondack Lemonade yellow for the very center of the sun.  I then blended Summer Sun (Stampin Up) Wild Honey, Rusty Hinge, and Vintage Photo (Ranger Distress Inks).  At the bottom of the card, I used Vintage Photo a little heavier and then I blended Adirondack inks in Lettuce and Pesto for a tinge of darker green for the ground.

If you'd like to play in our challenge this week and/or see the creations my teammates made, please visit our CCEE Stampers' blog.