Inspired again....

Happy Sunday!
I was inspired again by Karen D at her blog - Snippets. Take a look at her newest creation, then take a look at my versions. What do you think?

 This one I used peacock feathers and silver embossing powder.

 My second try, I used spiced marmalade and silver embossing powder.

I sure like the look, and the fact that it is not perfect sure helps me hide imperfections....They look like I meant them!  lol! Thanks for dropping in.
I joined in some great challenges too. See below:

Simon Says- FLOWERS

Craft Stamper- ANYTHING GOES

Card Fever

Good Morning!
FUNNY STORY:  Last weekend, I was looking through some of my older cards that I created some time ago. I started to set aside a few cards I wanted to duplicate. I choose a few that had a bunch of distress inks on it, and I just purchased a few new colors and wanted to see if I could duplicate the same look with a few new colors.

Several hours later, I had created close to 15 different card backgrounds and they all looked FABULOUS! I was loving ALL of them! (don't you love it when that happens?) I began to think that I could produce and complete all these cards in one weekend, what an accomplishment that would be to brag on my blog!

Just as I began assembling my cards, I RAN OUT OF ATG tape! Can you believe it? I order tape 12 rolls at a time. I guess I did not realize how low I had gotten. I had to stop my assembling, and go online and order more rolls. GEEZ!

Needless to say, I found a great deal on EBAY, I placed an offer for 4 dollars less than their advertised price, free shipping to boot....and they accepted my offer. It was mailed out of Miami (I'm north of Tampa) and it was here in 4 days.

This weekend, I had Friday off of work, and I assembled all 15 cards beautifully. I am very pleased with the fresh look of these cards. What, you want to see them? Oh good. Here are just a handful. Take a look:

 The twine I used was not matching the color of the distress inks used, so I dyed the twine! that was new to me. It looks great! On the right card, I attempted to use sequins. They were bigger than I wanted, and not quite the right color. I am not that thrilled with the look. I tried to cover a few ink blotches. *he he*

 Many of the other ones look VERY close to these, so I didn't want to post all of them. I had TOO much fun creating these. I even gave a few away as gifts already. Thanks for stopping by. More coming!

Beautiful Backgrounds!

Hello everyone!

I love when I dig through some backgrounds that I created forever ago, and I finish them into a beautiful card that I did not envision back then. Here are a few of those.

 I LOVE the backgrounds on this duo! The sentiment completes the card.

I just purchased all I need to create Jennifer McGuires ink color swatch book. I have over 100 different inks, and thought it was about time I got them sorted and cataloged to see what I have, and what I lack in my collection. Stay tuned to see my version of a swatch book!

Veteran's day Duo!

Happy Veteran's Day!

Being a teacher has its perks. Getting a Tuesday off is one of them! I have been organizing and prepping my craft room for the holidays! I ran across this adorable stamp and enjoyed these cards with my copics. This stamp set is from Stampendous, entitled Snowman Flurry, (2010)

Duos: Summer goes too fast!

Hey everyone!

I am not going to bore you with how busy I have been, and how I have not been able to spend time in my craft room until the END of my summer. As much as I love card making, and crafting, there are other items that must have my attention so that I can craft. Anywho....

I made a vow to accomplish 3 craft items this summer. (Only three, you are thinking?) Wait until you hear these.....BIG!

Item 1: I will RE-CREATE  my Christmas list. Somehow my digital Christmas database went POOF! Granted, I only had 20-25 names in it, but still. I texted, called, left messages, and face-booked everyone I needed to track down and asked them for their current address. Why you ask? I am going to make handmade Christmas cards this summer, and have them ready to mail to everyone in my database! (I told you....BIG)

Item 2: I will  CREATE (from my Christmas list) a BIRTHDAY list! I took only relatives, and dear friends off the Christmas list, and created a birthday list with addresses and dates. (not the year, silly) Why you ask? I am going to make handmade birthday cards for everyone for the next 12 months, seal, stamp and have them ready to go with the date on them, so to mail them out a week early!

Item 3: I want to create EXTRA birthday cards to pass on to our school based SUNSHINE committee so that every Sunshine committee member gets a hand made card this year! (I can dream, right). How many teachers join the Sunshine committee? About 50.

 

Status:

• I am missing 2-3 people on my Christmas list, but otherwise, it is DONE!
• I have completed my birthday list and finished cards for July through December. 1/2 DONE!
• I have a handful of Extra birthday cards started, which I am sharing with you here. 1/2 DONE!

Pretty good, and school starts up again in three weeks!

 

On to the cards. Disclaimer: I am having a tough time with picture taking. I tried these photos 3 times. with two different cameras. (my phone, and my 6 year old stand alone) So please bear with me. These pictures are not my best, but I can't seem to get better shots right now.

 

 

I need to make more masculine birthday cards. I always gravitate to girly - pretty cards. So I went surfing for masculine cards, and came across this digital stamp set. I LOVE this chick! He came with a bunch of sentiments that go along with the stamp. I used the same one here twice. The site is called: From the heart digital Stamps. I purchased a few other ones too, as you will see. I am book marking this site for sure!

Duo Set Two:

 

Again, this masculine card digital stamp is created by From the heart digital Stamps. I don't know if you can see, but the foam is puff paint, and the glass is shiny. Although I used beer, you can make it kid-friendly and call it root beer! (lol)


Duo Set Three:

 

 

Ok, these are a set of three cards, not a duo, but I am SO EXCITED about this, and I will tell you why! I splurged and bought a subscription to A CARD MAKING KIT subscription. For a monthly fee, a BRAND new set of stamps and materials with matching accessories comes to my door from SIMON SAYS STAMPS. (I love them). These cards are from the AUGUST kit. (it comes mid-July) and I created these adorable cards from the kit. I even had to purchase new copic markers to get the cones just right. (I had no browns in my collection of 10 markers) I love the way they POP and the bright summer colors in the papers.

 

Thanks for joining me, see you soon!

Christmas Card Duo!

Hello Everyone,
I am so excited to have a week off of teaching, and getting back into my creative mood! I unpacked my Christmas crate full of Christmas stamps, festive papers, embellishments and left over ideas from last year. I got right to work on these two cute cards!

This snowman is adorable, isn't he? He is a digital image I purchased from C.C. Designs last year. I never found time last year to enjoy him, so I pulled out my copic markers and had fun with the light bulbs.  I also purchased a pack of winter paper called "The Artic Wishes Stack" from DCWV company. The entire stack has these blues in it, so everything coordinates with everything! I added the fiber and the elegant eggplant border. I almost forgot ....love the puffy hat? I used white liquid applique for the 3D effect!

It was this adorable reindeer that led me to make my purchase at C.C. Designs. He is another digital image. Unfortunately, I don't own the right copic marker colors to finish him in the browns. So I pulled out my colored markers. Sadly, he just doesn't "POP" like the snowman does. (I think a copics order is in the near future) But I still love him. 

 Here are both cards together. Just can't go wrong with these images. Stay tuned, there is more to come!

Featured Stamp: Glass Vases by Hero Arts

Happy Saturday!
I sure do look forward to the weekends when I have time to create in my craft room and post my creations on my blog to share with you. I sure do enjoy it. Today's duo features a gorgeous stamp that I grabbed from a craiglist ad. What a great stamp! This makes for such a clean and simple card. I did not put a sentiment on them, but I think I might along the bottom when the occasion comes to it.Take a look:

Supplies: Stamps:Glass Vases - Hero Arts  Paper:  Neenah Cardstock  Inks: Yo-Yo Yellow, Bundled Sage, Tuxedo Black Tools/Punches/Dies: SU! markers.

Featured Stamp Set: Pocketful o' Posies by Hero Arts

Hello All!
 I wasted no time experimenting with my new purchases. I have a duo to share with you using the Hero Arts Pocketful o' Posies.

On duo one, the three flowers are evenly spread apart, and colored with copic markers. Both cards are on river rock cardstock by SU.

On duo two, I used colored pencils and gamsol to blend the colors together. I used clear embossing on the edges and on top of each flower. The purple rectangle behind has been dry embossed as well as distressed and clear heat embossed around the edges.  The sentiment is embossed black to tie it all together.

Supplies: Stamps: Pocketful o' Posies - Hero Arts, Feeling Better soon 02 - Stampabilities  Paper: River Rock - SU, Perfect Plum - SU, Neenah Cardstock  Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black, VersaMark - watermark, Copic markers, Colored pencils, Gamsol Tools/Punches/Dies: Paper distresser, Embossing folder Other: Black Embossing Powder, Perfect Plum ribbon

Featured Stamp: Northwoods Rubber stamp

Hello Everyone,
My holiday break is sadly coming to an end. :( This is probably my last post until the weekend comes. On Friday I got a chance to together with a friend of mine, Marie. She is a avid stamper too. I borrowed a few of her stamps to produce a few cards.This cute stamp is from Northwoods Rubber stamps.

In the left image (you can't see it well), but the background is an inked piece of white cardstock that I used a the iskssential blending tool on with (wait for it....you won't believe me....tuxedo black dye ink from Memento) I know, I know...what was I thinking! But it looks great.

In the card on the right, I used a new gadget called "Sew Ribbon". I have tons of ribbon and I really struggle finding a new way to incorporate ribbon into my cards. I think this gadget may just help me out!
Feel free to leave a comment. I would really enjoy some thoughts and inspiration.

Featured Stamp: Rose by Local King Rubber Stamp

This company is very quickly becoming my favorite small line of stamps. I can never pass by their booth without falling in love with a dozen stamps. The cool thing about their line, is most of the more complicated images come with a matching die. The technique they feature at the table is to use water based markers as randomly and as messily (is that a word?) as you can, and the images come out amazingly! Here is my duo for you to enjoy!

 



Duo on the left features the Rose stamp and its matching die by Local King Rubber stamp. I used Stampin up! paper with tumbled glass distress ink by ranger. The over was sponged with a mini ink pad that I have had for years. I am not sure if versacolor makes the heliotrope color anymore. I used the en francais and perfect words (hostess) sets. I added blue rhinestone and a touch of blue fiber for the tag.

Duo on the right uses the Rose stamp as its focus. The purple beneath it is another mini pad I had from Ancient page dye (foxglove) with another  Local King Rubber  background stamp called Happiness. I popped the background using an embossing folder, but before I ran it through my cuttlebug, I inked the negative side with some tumbled glass distress ink. and touched the edges up with black. (don't see the small smear...opps) I am still learning!  :)

Enjoy, and see you soon!

Featured Technique: Blending with Masking

Welcome,
For this duo I cannot take credit for the idea. I leaned on another artist for inspiration for these; Darlene. I love the simplicity of this card, and how it can be used for many occasions.

For Duo #1 - I used light tack masking tape (my husband uses it in his line of work, I borrowed it from him) to frame one inch around the card. With bashful blue, pretty in pink, and certainly celery I blended the three in order with my blending tool. I used a tiny butterfly punch to punch out the three butterflies and used a black marker to create the path and the border.

For Duo #2 -  I re-used the same pieces of masking tape to create the frame. I blended dusty concord and worn lipstick distress ink with pacific point to create the background. I found a little foot punch that was in my "sell" pile, and decided to imitate two friends walking along side together for this card. I used the darker colors to give the impression of harder times. (did it work?) Again I used a black marker to create a random frame. Enjoy!

Featured Stamp: Flower by Purple Daisy Designs

This week's duo features a very elegant daisy stamp that I found at a local stamp convention I attended a few months back. I am kicking myself for not purchasing the other matching stamps that went with this flower. (ohh well, I can't take them ALL home, can I?) This stamp is so versatile, and yet so simple.

In the first card, I used the Just for fun film frame and template. I used tempting turquoise and passion pink (paper too) with staz-on jet back ink.

The second card in the duo uses brilliant blue and glorious green stampin' up ink. Both cards have the true friend stamp from stampin' up. I am not sure which set it is from. Enjoy!

Featured Stamp: Agapanthus Cluster by Stampendous

I have decided to begin my blog again. I am really excited to get this up and running. When I really take hold of this and run with it, I will be purchasing my own domain name and make it more formal. Until then I wish to introduce my first DUO. I will be featuring one stamp, or one set of stamps for each post. Each stamp will be displayed in two cards. These cards feature the stamp: Stampendous P107 Agapanthus Cluster.