DS73 & ISSC38: Sparkly Spider Trails to you!

I'm getting so excited for Halloween! I liked the look of two similar sketches this week, the first is from the sketch on Deconstucting Jen's blog:

   

The other is from a new blog I've discovered called iSpy Sketches:

With these two in mind, I created my card. I wanted to use the little witch on her pumpkin from Greeting Card Kids before Halloween went by because it's the cutest image. I've been trying to incorporate the use of my Simply Scored tool a little more in my card making, and look at what I came up with...

My little spiders have left trails of iridescent ice in their path! I created the look of "engraved" paths with my Simply Scored tool, aren't they cute? My spiders are little pearls that I coloured black. Then, I added some legs. I guess they make rather cute and not scary spiders.

And here's my little witch...

I stamped her on watercolour paper and painted her in, then highlighted with markers for a little more definition.

The accent on my greeting is actually a button under the glimmer brad and the little bow.

I tried to capture just how much my spider trails shine in this picture. 

I've only partially decorated the house, but preparations are under way. I have my costume and I read recently that it's supposed to be a full moon on Oct. 31st! ouuuuuh, scary!!!

Stamps: Greeting Card Kids, Teeny Tiny Wishes

Ink: Basic Black, Perfect Plum, More Mustard, Pumpkin Pie, Crumb Cake

Paper: Basic Black dsp, Crumb Cake, Pumpkin Pie, and Perfect Plum cardstock, watercolour paper

Tools: Simply Scored, Circles Die #2, XL Scallop Circle, heat tool

Extras: Iridescent Ice embossing powder, Plum Perfect button, black Glimmer Brad, linen thread, pearls, permanent black marker

Have a great weekend!

MDS Gratitude

Here is the final MDS project I did for Thanksgiving. I mounted the central panel on some River Rock cardstock, but keeping just a small edge. I put a small piece of that birch paper I love along the back, but not before using the little hearts border on it. I find I use this little punch most at Thanksgiving, which is strange because I always assumed I'd be using it for Valentine's when I bought it.

Stamps: Autumn Days, Autumn Harvest (digital)

Ink: More Mustard, Cajun Craze, Pumpkin Pie, Early Espresso, Really Rust, River Rock (digital)

Paper: Autumn Spice, Frostwood Lodge

Tools: MDS 2, pinking hearts border punch

Extras: Crumb Cake grosgrain bow (digital), Walk in the Park (bird)

The Autumn Spice designer series paper in the background is textured and so pretty, both sides were so pretty that I allowed the other side to show on the inside. This is my favorite of all the Thanksgiving cards I made.

I'm off to watch a scary movie. I've gotten a bunch of them to get me in the mood for Halloween.

CCMC 221 & HSS 139: Grateful Pumpkin

Here is the card I made following the challenge at Hand Stamped Sentiments which asks for anything Pumpkin!

Once again I'm using MDS for the front panel of the card and I'm using that sketch from Create with Connie and Mary again! It's simple but still fun, love it!

Stamps: Holiday Blitz, Autumn Days, Grateful Heart Thanksgiving (all digital) & Friendly Words jumbo wheel

Ink: More Mustard, Pumpkin Pie, Always Artichoke, Chocolate Chip, Crumb Cake (all digital) & Crumb Cake ink pad

Paper: Crumb Cake cardstock

Tools: Jumbo wheel

Extras: Linen thread, More Mustard grosgrain ribbon, Pumpkin Pie satin ribbon, Chocolate Chip wide satin ribbon

I pulled out my jumbo Friendly Words wheel and rolled it along the side of the card and in the inside but kept it tone on tone.

I did colour the stem of my pumpkin in Always Artichoke with the MDS 2 colouring tool, i'm sorta wondering how we made anything without it now.

CCMC 221 & PPA 144: So Thankful

Well, it has been a busy summer and somehow it's already October. What?!? October? There's been moving and all that goes along with moving, but at least we were able to go through a lot of stuff and decide what to keep, what should go, and that in itself feels great.

I've been working on some baby shower projects which I will reveal once finished, and also a lot of My Digital Studio products! Some of the MDS products I made for Thanksgiving and thought I would give you a peek at them. I used the sketch from Create with Connie and Mary since it allowed me a large space to place my MDS work in.

One of the coolest parts about the MDS artwork is that it now allows you colour in/over any stamp (with the MDS 2 upgrade that is!) So I used the new colouring tool on my branch with leaves digital stamp.

Stamps: Autumn Harvest (digital)

Ink: More Mustard, Cajun Craze, Early Espresso (digital)

Paper: Well Worn dsp, Autumn Spice dsp, Frostwood Lodge dsp

Tools: MDS 2

I purchased these fall digital products during the sale Stampin' Up! just had, and I've had great fun playing with my new goodies...see!? I've made it a hybrid project by adding my MDS work to cardstock and highlighting it with various designer series paper.  The challenge over at the Paper Pal Arts has given us the colour palette of More Mustard, Cajun Craze, and Early Espresso to use, so I chose to follow this one as well!

I am IN LOVE with the paper on the largest flag, the birch looking paper. I want it to be a staple but it's from last year's holiday mini so, I'll have to enjoy only what I have. Sigh.

And now I leave you with a picture of Mom's Pecan Cognac Pie, it's to die for! Those are apple pies in the background which I will never ever tire of... I think mom is dying to try to make some new stuff and we keep on asking for the same old thing. In order to accommodate, she made a number of pies/desserts and we were truly spoiled. (There was also a steamed chocolate bread pudding with Grand Marnier and warm chocolate sauce over top-sorry no picture, it's all gone)

Thanks Mom!

I do day

Here is the other card that I made for my friend's wedding. Well, I made it for a friend who was also attending the wedding. 

Stamps: Word Play

Ink: Basic Black

Paper: Whisper White cardstock, non-su iridescent vellum paper

Tools: Framed tulips and polka dot embossing folders, labels collection framelits die

Extras: organza ribbon, rhinestone

Here is a closer view of the ribbon treatment and the perfect place for a rhinestone on top of the ring.

This card is a perfect example of what the Big Shot can do, since most of it cannot be done without it.

Hope your finding ways to enjoy this heat wave, phew!

If there isn't a better way to wake up!?! It's when I wake up to find out that my Blushing Bouquet was in the top 3 at SUO challenges. I only rather recently discovered their challenges and quite enjoy a place that celebrates Stampin Up! products, regardless of whether they are retired or not.

The other entries were all so lovely, you must check them all out. I discover the coolest blogs I never knew existed whenever I check out the work of other challenge entries. So many creative ways of using ribbon, colour, layouts, I actually do get lost in them for hours.

Have a great day and I hope something unexpected pops up into your life and gives you a real smile today too!

SUO 50 & PPA 106: Blushing Bouquet

I have been working on this little project for awhile, fiddling with it here and there in between making cards, but I finally finished it! I had an intended recipient I was going to give it to but their birthday came and went and I hadn't finished the project. It just so happens that my project follows the guidelines for The Paper Players' neat little challenge:

Isn't that a fun idea for a challenge?! I love it! My project falls under the bottom line of the grid: Floral, Ribbon, and Punches.

I also am submitting my little bouquet to the Stampin Up Only's challenge which asks us to use either buttons or brads in our project. Mine uses some sparkly Blushing Bride brads, can you find them?

Stamps: Flower Fest, Tiny Tags, A to Z

Ink: Blushing Bride, Regal Rose, Versamark

Paper: Blushing Bride, Regal Rose, Pear Pizzaz, Very Vanilla, Naturals Ivory cardstock and First Editions dsp

Tools: Blossom Petals builder punch, Boho Blossoms punch, Fancy Flower punch, Jewelry Tag punch, 5 Petal Flower punch, Blossom Bouquet Triple Layer punch, 1/3" circle punch, Itty bitty punch pack, ¾” circle punch, sticky strip, and sticky sheets, dimensionals, iridescent Ice embossing powder, heat gun, snail, glue dots, sponge daubers, Crystal Effects

Extras: pearls, Blushing Bride poly-stitch ribbon, Blushing Bride glimmer brads, vintage trinkets

*non-SU product: styrofoam ball, circular wooden box, straight pins

A little iridescent ice to make it sparkle. The A to Z stamp is used for this sparkle to mimic the words on the other flowers but this picture is too blurry to see it.

Trying out fun things with the Blossom Bouquet Triple Layer Punch (that is now retired...sigh)

Maybe I'll just hang onto it and give it to her next year. First Edition newsprint is by far my favorite paper to work with and I'm so glad to see it in the catalog next year. I have to force myself to work with other papers.

Thanks for visiting. I hope your summer is keeping you nice and busy (but in a good way), just as mine is!

For the Newlyweds

Well, the wedding is over and I've had time to recuperate. Now, I can finally share my card with you.

Stamps: Always Elegant, Teeny Tiny Wishes, Whimsical Words

Ink: Versamark, Crumb Cake, Soft Suede

Paper: Very Vanilla cardstock

Tools: Flower Fusion die, Heat gun, glue dots, dimensionals

Extras: Iridescent Ice embossing powder, pearls

This card is difficult to capture with the camera, but I tried. I used iridescent embossing powder for my central stamp. I really wanted to have the border to my front panel match my central stamp exactly, so I stamped versamark all over the edge of the border and used iridescent ice once again.

When tilted into the light the image shines and yet disappears a bit, but if tilted back, the image becomes more clear again.

Using the flower fusion die on each corner brings dimension and gives a great excuse for more pearls!

I decided to use the same image on the inside but in a more visible way with Soft Suede ink. Using the versamark pen I added a few sparkles to the word "heart."

It required a bit of a bigger envelope but so what! There is no better excuse to embellish than a wedding.

We had a great time. I love weddings where you know a lot of people and they're all great people. So much fun! 

I rarely create cards all in one colour. It was kinda neat to make this one. Using the template provided from Sketch Frenzy Friday, I decided to make the large stamp as the focal point in front and centre.

SUO47: Mushroom Sparkle and Frills

How about a little mushroom sparkle to brighten your day? It sure brightened mine. They are so cute I couldn't help but smile at them. Can you guess where they are from?

Stamps: Everybunny, Teeny Tiny Wishes

Ink: Soft Suede, Perfect lum, Certainly Celery, So Saffron and Early Espresso

Paper: Certainly Celery, Soft Suede, Perfect Plum, So Saffron, Whisper White cardstock, Certainly Celery dsp

Tools: Decorative Label punch, Scallop Ribbon punch,, sticky strip, dimensionals, blender pens

Extras: Certainly Celery satin ribbon, champagne glitter

In keeping with the theme over at SUO's challenge, I created a ruffle with the sating ribbon and some sticky strip to either side of the mushroom panel.

Although it may be simple in appearance, those little mushrooms took some effort to separate. In the original stamp they all sit in a cluster together. See...

Here's a close up of my mushrooms with their glitter. They were great fun to colour.

I came across some real little mushrooms in the parents' backyard on the weekend. I didn't even see them in the long grass and almost stepped on them. They were cute little white ones. So cute!

Fast and Fab

June is a busy month! I've had to attend birthdays and a bridal shower, and then I have a wedding coming next weekend. Plus the stamp room is moving and is pretty much a big mess. So, I thought I would share a card I made for a girlfriend's birthday with you.

Stamps: Fast & Fabulous, Whimsical Words (both retired)

Ink: Basic Grey, Sahara Sand, white pencil crayon

Paper: Marina mist cardstock

Tools: Crystal Effects & a toothpick

Extras: white baker's twine

It's so simple but still lovely. It measures 3" x 6".

I stamped the flower in Basic Grey onto the cardstock. I then did some highlighting with a white pencil crayon, to the flowers and greeting.

Next, I added Crystal Effects to the flowers and just slightly to the word "thought" in the greeting, spreading it around with a toothpick. What is Crystal Effects?

It gives a glossy effect to an image and makes it somewhat 3D. In this case, it made the cardstock a deeper blue around the edges of the flower. I did not use any blue on the card, the blue on the card is from the Crystal Effects deepening the colour of the cardstock. I let it dry overnight.

Finally, once dried, I went around the edges of the flowers with a Sahara Sand marker, to soften and shadow it further.

I think I need to make some more, but maybe try a quicker version and use clear embossing.

I'm off to get ready for this wedding. I need to find some shoes, oh and make the card!

Hope your June is filled with fun activities too!

Clean and Classy

Hi there!
Sorry for the long gap in posting. I have had a whole lot going on...whew...and it's not all done. To be honest, I haven't had much time for stamping, other than the work I was doing on my Artisan Design Team entries. Their announcement stating that the Artisan Award now allowed even small-time demonstrators to apply, inspired me to send in some creations. I'll share them you after the winners have been announced.

I'd like to share with you a card I made last year but that I still love! I've been going through my stash because my entire stamp room is in the process of being moved and renovated so please bear with me. Sigh. It'll be great when it's done, let's just focus on that. : D

This card so perfectly clean and classy!

Stamps: Engraved Greetings (retired)

Ink: Basic Black

Paper: Basic Grey, Not Quite Navy, Cherry Cobbler, and Whisper White cardstock

Tools: corner punch, spiral punch, 1/16" hole punch

Extras: big designer star brad (retired)

I don't think I will ever be able to give this set away. LooOOOoooove that vintage newsprint feel!

I used my stamp-a-majig to put the finial on the the top and bottom edge of the card's insert. 

Well, that's my little show-and-tell episode for today. A blast from the past but sometimes great cards never go out of style.

Hope you're enjoying whatever new projects you've decided to take on lately!