Sisterhood Sunday - Silver Bells

It's time for another Rubbernecker Sisterhood Sunday challenge!  You, too, can participate in our challenge and enter a chance to become a Sunday Sister, as well as win a prize.  Get all the details on our Stampin' Sisterhood blog.

This week we were given this beautiful photo as our inspiration.

I absolutely love the vibrant blue and silver combo and, therefore, labeled my card Silver Bells (I love the song Silver Bells, too)!  Here's how I was inspired for my card design.

I stamped the Bells with Holly image with Versamark and heat embossed it with silver embossing powder.  The bells, bow, and berries were colored with Copic markers; the holly with Silver Smooch.  I painted glitter over the bow

Here's a complete list of the supplies I used:

Stamps:  Bells with Holley (#209-08)

Paper:  Brilliant Blue, Whisper White
Accessories:  Copic markers, Versamark, silver embossing powder, heat tool, Silver Smooch, glitter, silver brads, Classic and Lacey Squares Nestabilities, Martha Stewart Punch Around The Page Snowflake Punch

Again, please visit our Stampin' Sisterhood blog for the challenge details, as well as to see the designs of my Rubbernecker Sisters!

3D Ornaments and Looking Out the Window

For the CCEE Stampers' challenge this week, Frances challenged us to use an ornament in our design.  I used Stampin' Up's ornament punch to create my 3D ornaments.

I punched four of the ornaments from Debbie Mumm Christmas paper, folded them in half and glued them together for my 3D ornaments.  Easy peasy!  The ornament also lays flat for ease of mailing.

If you'd like to see what my friends Shirley, Joanne, Frances, and Cindy created and/or play along with us, please check out our CCEE Stampers blog!

I made this card for the Ways To Use It challenge on Splitcoaststampers to case a card of someone's card we have in our Favorites gallery.  I love this beautiful window card by jaydekay.  Here's my version:

I used these artsy trees from Rubbernecker's Snowflakes and Stardust set for the view outside the window.  I used Purely Pomegranate and white cardstock; Purely Pomegranate and Pesto inks.  The window and holly diecuts were sent to me by a friend.  I believe the window die is by Spellbinders.  The bird is a Stampin' Up punch.

Metallics and Glitter!

Hello, stamping friends!  It's Thursday, and today I have not one, but three, designs to share with you.

First up, is our Dolce Stamps and Cards challenge.  Fellow design team member, Tara, challenged us to use metallics in our design, and owner, Sandra, indicated she'd like to see some glitter used.

I stamped the poinsettia image with metallic silver ink and then heat set it with silver embossing powder. I watercolored the poinsettias with Razzleberry Twinkling H20 which are a metallic, shiny color.  The leaves and pines were colored with green Copic markers.   I used a small poinsettia die to die cut the center of the Sookwang ornament and covered that with Elizabeth Crafts Purple Highlights glitter.  I centered the poinsettia with a Robin’s Nest purple bead.  I used Elizabeth Crafts Lavender glitter for the rest of the ornament.

Please check out the Dolce Stamps and Cards blog to see what my Dolce sisters have designed, as well as to get all the challenge details so you can play along with us and be entered for your chance to win a gift certificate to the Dolce Stamps and Cards store!

Next up is my CCEE Stampers card.  Hostess Cindy challenged us to use chipboard in our design. 

 I used a round circle piece of chipboard and covered it with this beautiful rich, deep green Christmas designer paper by Bo Bunny.  The Santa image in the center is a Heartwarming Vintage cut by Crafty Secrets.  I used my Sizzix die for the brushed gold flourish behind the image; I used my lacey circle Nestability for the brushed gold background paper.  I know my cardstock LOOKS like kraft in this photo, but it is brushed gold by Stampin' Up.  I tied a piece of gold cord at the top to hang this as an ornament on my tree for now.

Swing by our CCEE Stampers blog to see what Joanne, Shirley, Frances, Cindy, and Tosha have designed and to get the details to play along with us!

Finally, I made this card for the Pals Paper Arts challenge to put on the ritz in our design.  I used lots of glitter cardstock for mine.  I used all Stampin' Up products.  The star is their small star punch.

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a fabulous day!

Getting the Tree

Please visit the Rubbernecker Stampin' Sisterhood blog for the complete details on my card!  Thank you! 

Sisterhood Sunday - A Sketch Challenge

Yes, it's time for another Rubbernecker Sisterhood Sunday!  Today's challenge is a sketch challenge.

I pulled out sexy "Carrie" for my holiday card today.  I watercolored her dress and wrap with Stampin' Up reinkers using Cherry Cobbler and Always Artichoke.  I colored her skin, hair, and shoes with Copic markers.  The polkadotted designer paper is from Stampin' Up's designer series pack - Regals Collection.

Please visit our Stampin' Sisterhood blog to see what my sisters Julia, Frances, and Jen created and the challenge details to see how you can join us with an opportunity to win a prize!

I'm also submitting my card to this week's Pals Paper Arts color challenge to use Cherry Cobbler, Always Artichoke, and Very Vanilla.

My supplies:
Stamps:  Carrie (Fashion Ladies 2010 - SKU #494-05);
Paper:  Very Vanilla, Cherry Cobbler, Always Artichoke, Stampin' Up Regals Designer Series Collection
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Cherry Cobbler, Always Artichoke
Accessories:  Long Classic and Scalloped Rectangle Nestabilities, Classic Circle Nestability, Candi gold brads, large polkadotted embossing folder, corner rounder, Copic markers, reinkers, oval punch, green organdy ribbon, marker, dimensionals

Peace on Earth

I didn't get a chance yesterday to upload this card I made in honor of one of my friends, Dawn (DawnL on Splitcoaststampers) who was named Queen for the Day this week as we were busy celebrating a second Thanksgiving dinner with my husband's family yesterday.  Dawn's creations are always so beautiful.  I chose to case her Peace on Earth card you can see here.   Below is my case of her original card.

While my cardstock may look like Kraft in my photo, it is not; this is a beautiful brushed Gold cardstock by Stampin' Up.  I heat embossed the Peace on Earth sentiment with black embossing powder.  Why so much black on a holiday card, you may be asking?  That, too, was part of the Free for All challenge on Splitcoaststampers (SCS) to use black for a holiday card.  I also took the opportunity to try my hand at spirelli for the first time, using this beautiful gold crochet thread around a lacey circle Nestability.  It was so easy to do following this tutorial on SCS!  I was going to put a button in the center, but didn't like what I have on hand and then I stumbled upon this jar of little gold jingle bells in my stash.  I attached them with Aleene's Tacky Glue.

Dolce Stamps & Cards, CCEE Stampers & Pals Paper Arts Challenges

Happy Thanksgiving to my American friends!  I, like many of you, will be enjoying time with my family today.  However, I do have a couple posts to share with you beforehand.

First up, Edna from the Dolce Stamps and Cards Design Team challenged us to make a center step card.  You, too, can join us in this challenge and enter your card on the Dolce blog for a chance to win a gift certificate!!

I did mine using this adorable Merry Mouse image by Impression Obsession.

I colored this adorable mouse image with Copic markers.  I added lavender glitter to the small stripes on his scarf and dots of champagne glitter on the tree.  After I embossed the blue panel with a dotted swiss embossing folder, I went over the raised dots with a sanding block to whiten the dots so they appeared to be falling snow. 

Here's a list of the supplies I used:

Stamps:   Merry Mouse and May Your Celebrations sentiment by Impression Obsession

Ink:   Memento Tuxedo Black

Paper:  White, We R Memory Keepers dp

Embellishments:   lavender and champagne glitters, white snowflake brads

Tools:    Copic markers, Big Blossoms and Classic Square Nestabilities, dotted swiss embossing folder, 3D Dots, sanding block

Next is my weekly CCEE Stampers challenge card.  Tosha has been doing a 4, 3, 2, 1 countdown for the challenges in November, and we are now on 1.  Tosha asked us to make a one-layer card.  I kept mine VERY clean and simple with this cutie-patootie snowman image from Close To My Heart, their So Sweet Seasons stamp set.

I heat set the image with white embossing powder.  Then I colored the image with light shades of gray on the snowman's body, blue for the sky, red for his scarf, and black for his eyes and buttons.  I used my Copic markers which did not resist the white embossing!  Cool, huh?  I framed the image with the rectangle frame from this same stamp set and then added the little "brrrr" sentiment.  Lastly, I put some Star Dust Stickles on the snow on the ground.  You can't see the sparkle in my photo, but it's there!

We'd love it if you joined us in our CCEE Stampers challenge.  Just go to our blog to get all the details and check out the fabulous one-layer creations from Tosha, Cindy, Frances, Shirley, and Joanne!

Last, but not least, is my submission to this week's Pals Paper Arts challenge to use pearls in our design.  I used pearls for the center of my poinsettia.  I also made this card for the Ways to Use It challenge on Splitcoaststampers to use ribbon in a fancy way.  I did a ribbon weave around very vanilla cardstock.

I used Cherry Cobbler for my poinsettia (Spellbinder's die) and River Rock for the holly leaves and card base.

Thank you for stopping by and blessing me with your cyber friendship and comments!

Lazy, Lazy!

I must admit to laziness occasionally when it comes to posting my creations to my blog.  I'm pretty good about uploading them to my Splitcoaststampers' gallery.  Sometimes it's all about lack of time to keep up with both and sometimes I honestly wonder if it's worth all the work to maintain a blog.  My days just get away from me with all the things to do, and I just don't get all the time I'd like to visit and comment on the blogs of my stamping friends.  If I've missed yours lately, I do apologize.  Too bad I don't have a Mini Me who I could assign this task to---ha!  ha!  Seriously, I know how much I value the input I receive, so I really do try to support my blogging friends as much as possible.  Anywhooo, here are three creations I've made in the past couple days.  I've also been designing some clean and simple gift sets for a customer that I'll share with you soon.

First up is a very clean and simple (CAS) card I made for submission to the Winter CAS design team.  Our challenge was to use designer paper and ribbon.  I stamped my butterfly onto this pretty polkadotted designer paper and punched it out with my butterfly punch.  I added the 1/8" black/white tafetta ribbon for it's body and silver cord for the antennae.  This card is actually one of five that I made for one of the gift sets I referenced above.  (Stamp set used is Flight of the Butterfly by Stampin' Up).

I love the challenges at Splitcoaststampers as they help to get my creative juices flowing.  My friend, Joan, challenged us technique lovers to make a card using snow.  I went with a gray tone card with just the one splash of color for the tree in front.  In real life, it sparkles and has a soft glow to it.  I stamped the images in Going Gray and sponged Going Gray and Basic Gray for the sky.  I used Martha Stewart Tinsel Glitter for the snowy hills, and added red stickles for the ornaments on the green tree.  I also used icicle stickles for the roof top and some of the falling snow in the sky.  (Stamps used are The Moose is Loose Kittie Kit and Christmas Phrase Set by Rubbernecker).

My third card is one I made as a guest designer for the color challenge on Splitcoaststampers.  We were given the colors of Marina Mist, Pear Pizzaz, and Blushing Bride with a dessert option to make a Christmas card.  Well, I obviously forgot about the dessert option, but I suppose I could still use this for a non-traditional Christmas card.....maybe????   I had to substitute Blush Blossom for Blushing Bride. I did add just a hint of Pink Pirouette to my Blush Blossom watercoloring because Blushing Bride looks like it has more of a pink cast to it. I also don't have Pear Pizzaz so I used a mixture of Certainly Celery and Old Olive to get as close to Pear as I could. I used Glossy Accents on the Embrace bloom after I was done watercoloring.

You may have noticed that these cards are all pretty clean and flat.  I'm trying to be better about not adding too much bulk to my cards because they are easier (and less expensive) to mail that way.  (Stamp set is used an oldie, but goodie called Embrace Life by Stampin' Up).

That's it for now as I need to get some beauty sleep.  Thanks for visiting and your comments.  I really do appreciate them!

Sisterhood Sunday

Happy Sunday and welcome to Sisterhood Sunday!  Today kicks off the first of the weekly Sisterhood Sunday challenges by the Rubbernecker design team members.  We were given the following photo as our inspiration piece.

I drew upon the rich colors from the photo seeing Soft Suede, Cherry Cobbler, and Gold for my design.  I used this beautiful poinsettia image, coloring it first with Ranger's Fired Brick and then sponging Stampin' Up's rich Cherry Cobbler in the center for depth. I stamped it twice, cut it out, and separated with dimensionals.   The center of the poinsettia is a Candi gold embellishment that looks like a brad but isn't (they are cool!)  I used brushed gold cardstock for my leaves and then crimped them.  I also used the Pine Sprig in the background stamping it first with Soft Suede and then heat embossing it with metallic gold.

I also used a Sizzix Flourish embossing folder on the Soft Suede panel.  I topped it off by adding touches of gold with my gold leafing pen and then spritzing champagne shimmer mist over the entire piece of cardstock.  I felt my gold organdy ribbon needed a little something extra, so I added what was originally gold cord that I colored with a Cardinal Red Copic marker.

Please visit the Rubbernecker blog to see what my other sisters from the Stampin' Sisterhood have created for your viewing pleasure and also for details on how you can win a prize!

Holiday Hop

Hello Rubbernecker Sisters!! HOP day has arrived!! The Stampin’ Sisterhood has LOTS to share today!! Thank you for joining us! We all thought it would be a great idea to share some of our holiday images. So, sit back and enjoy. If you leave some LOVE at EVERY stop along the way, you will be entered into a random drawing for your choice of one Rubbernecker Stamps stamp SET!! Yes, you read that right:   a SET, not a single image!! Now, how AWESOME is that?! Mr. Rubbernecker wants YOU to be able to choose, so you will LOVE what you get!! 


I chose to use this framed holly image for my holiday design.  I first watercolored the holly with Garden Green and then went over that with Oregano Twinkling H20.  I colored the berries with Red Jasper Twinkling H20 and then went over those with deep red stickles for some sparkle.  I used Garden Green to sponge the outer edges of my frame.  I really try to keep my holiday cards to a minimum in terms of layering and bulky embellishments to help keep down the mailing costs.

(click on photo for larger view)

Here's a complete list of the supplies I used:
Stamps:  Holly Frame (SKU #1596SO)
Paper:  Whisper White, Cherry Cobbler, Christmas dp
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Stampin' Up Garden Green, Twinkling H20s in Oregano and Jasper Red
Accessories:  red brads, embossing folder, sponge dauber, red velvet ric rac, dimensionals

OK, we know that you are busy, so you will have until THURSDAY 11/17 to HOP!  Our WINNER will be announced on the RUBBERNECKER BLOG, on FRIDAY 11/18!!  Good luck!

But wait, I have some other exciting news to share, too!!  Beginning Sunday, November 20, we will be having weekly Rubbernecker challenges called SISTERHOOD  SUNDAYS!  We hope you'll join us as we are going to have a blast!  Who knows?  You could win a prize on SUNDAYS too!!! 

Here's the blog list of all the Rubbernecker Stampin' Sisters for ease of your hopping! 

• Bev Gerard
• Charlene Driggs
• Charlene Merrick
• Frances Gumprecht
• Holly McMillen
• Jacquie Peifer
• Jen Charboneau
• Jennifer Cuthbertson
• Joan Ervin
• Judy Rozema
• Julia Aston
• Juliana Swanson
• Karen Hunsaker
• Kecia Waters
• Kittie Caracciolo
• Maria Gurnsey
• Rubbernecker Stamps

Happy hopping!

Dolce Stamps & Cards and CCEE Challenges!

It's time for yet another Dolce Stamps & Cards challenge! I am the challenge hostess for this challenge, and I challenged the team to make their own designer paper by using all or a portion of their main image.

For my card, I used this beautiful poinsettia image by Stampendous.   I stamped the poinsettia image twice; first on white cardstock with black ink and then on vellum cardstock with gold ink.  I heat embossed the image on the vellum with gold and colored the image from behind and in front.  I cut out the vellum poinsettias and layered them on top of the white cardstock with dimensionals.  I also gold embossed this same image on the background white cardstock.  I used my "Joy" sentiment Sizzix die on gold glitter cardstock and looped it over these fun Candi brads.

I hope you'll join us in this challenge!  You can get all the challenge details at the Dolce Stamps and Cards blog, as well as see the creations the design team made!  The winner of the challenge will receive a $10.00 gift certificate to the Dolce Stamps and Cards online store which is full of all kinds of awesome stamping goodies. In addition, any order over $40.00 from a challenge winner will be credited back shipping fees!  Be sure to read all the challenge rules on the left sidebar on the Dolce Stamps and Cards blog so that you're eligible to win the prize!

Next up is my weekly CCEE Stampers challenge.  Tosha challenged us to use three different shapes on our card.  I used my classic circle, lacey circle, big scalloped square Nestabilities and Stampin' Up's Peekaboo die.  I used this week's MoJo sketch for my layout, and I used Verve's Petals & Stems stamp set. 

Here's a closer view of the cute little peekaboo window.  I made the little door handles by stamping the smallest dotted circle from Verve's Petals & Stems set three times, gluing them together, and then covering them with Glossy Accents.

Here's yet another closer view with the doors of the window open so you can see the sentiment inside.

I'm so glad you stopped by, and, as always, I appreciate your comments!  Have a SUPERB day!

Pine Sprig Christmas Tree

(click on photo for larger view)

It's Wednesday, which means it's time, again, for my Wednesday's Worktable posting on the Rubbernecker blog.   I have a couple other pictures posted there, as well as the details on how I made my tree, if you're interested.

As always, I appreciate your visit to my blog.  I hope you're having a spectacular day!

Gold Christmas

This is for the last August challenge I gave the CCEE Stampers, which is to be inspired by the word "Gold." 

I gold embossed my poinsettia and sentiment {both made by Rubbernecker};  I made a rolled ribbon flower out of gold ribbon using Beate's tutorial on Splitcoaststampers; and I used a gold leaf pen for the gold frame around the image and sentiment.

Here's a close up of the rolled ribbon flower

You can get all the details on our CCEE Stampers blog and see the creations my friends Shirley, Cindy, Joanne, and Frances made.  Maybe you'd even like to play along with us!

Dare I Do Christmas in August?

Yes I do!

(you can always click on the photo to make it larger)

Not only is it time for my weekly Wednesday's Worktable posting on the Rubbernecker blog, but it's also time for another Dare to Get Dirty design for the daily challenges the Dirty Girls are hosting on Splitcoaststampers for Fan Club members!   I hope you get time to check both out!  

Oh, and one more tidbit of information....did you know that Rubbernecker customers' designs are being showcased on the Rubbernecker blog on Saturdays?  Yesssirrreee, Bob!  Come join us!

Christmas Carolers in Spring

Are you ready for another CCEE Stampers' challenge?  This week JoJo has challenged us to get a start on our Christmas cards by making one.  After all, it's ONLY nine months away!

I stamped my carolers (Rubbernecker) on SU watercolor cardstock in Versmark and embossed them with black embossing powder.  I masked the carolers and then stamped the tree.  I used a mixture of Copic markers and watercoloring with reinkers to color my scene.  Specifically, I used Copic markers for the skin tones, boots, and the lamp post.  Everything else was watercolored.  I like how well the watercoloring stays within the lines of the image when I heat emboss the images first.  However, I did note that you have to be careful with the Copic markers because they seem to want to smear the black embossing even after it's cooled.   I used white acrylic paint for the base of my snow and then added liquid applique for texture in the snow.  Using a blending tool, I applied Weathered Wood distress ink and Night of Navy dye ink for the sky.  I first watercolored the tree with Certainly Celery and then dabbed with Pine Needles distress ink over that.

Why not get a start, if you haven't already, on your Christmas cards and join us in our challenge?  You can get all the details, as well as see the fab creations of Shirley, Cindy, Frances, Tosh, and Joanne on our CCEE Stampers' blog.

Stamps:  Caroler with Dog (#337-09); Trees with Snow Set (#52-0206) by Rubbernecker
Cardstock:  Brocade Blue, Black, SU watercolor cardstock
Ink:  Certainly Celery, Cherry Cobbler, Old Olive, Soft Suede, Baja Breeze, Blue Bayou, Night of Navy, Close to Cocoa (Stampin' Up); Pine Needles and Weathered Wood Distress Inks (Ranger)
Accessories:  Copic markers, watercolor brush, gingham ribbon, Bow Easy, black embossing powder, heat tool, white acrylic paint, liquid applique, versamark, Aleene's Tacky Glue

Mittens, Mittens

That's definitely what we need to have in Michigan right now:  mittens!  It has been bitterly cold this week.

For this last CCEE Stampers challenge in December (we're taking a break for the holidays), I challenged my team mates to use a mitten(s) in their card/project design.

Aren't these mitten Nestabilities darling?  I had ordered the dies, but the company was currently out, so my good friend, Tosha, sent a bunch to me.  Thanks, Tosh!  I adhered styrofoam flakes (I rub two styrofoam balls together) for the fur on the mitten cuffs, as well as a snowflake punch centered with an olive brad.

The white background was embossed with the large polkadots embossing folder.  I cut 1/4" strips of red and olive cardstock and glued them on an angle over the white panel.   The sentiment is by Rubbernecker.

Please stop by our CCEE Stampers blog to check out the challenge details, play along with us, and see what my team mates, Shirley, Joanne, Tosha, Frances, and Cindy have made!

Have a wonderful day!