Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Back to School


School is in session in most places.  We've been back at school since the first week of August.  For this card, the blackboard is a free digital stamp from KLM Digi Stamps and the little boy perched on top is by CC Designs Take A Seat Sugarplums set.  Everything is colored with Copics.

I colored and then cut out each design and then adhered them to my card base.  It took longer than I initially thought to color the blackboard because there are so many layers of C4 and C6, each making the image slightly darker.  But I like the end result - it looks like a blackboard to me (although I think a lot of schools now use white dry erase boards - oh well). 

This week's challenge at Stamp Something weekly challenge blog is back to school.  Go on over, there's still time to play.

Sunday, August 29, 2010

Tag, you're it!


For this butterfly tag, I used part of a Tatter Angels Glimmer Screens (Fanciful Screens) butterfly mask and spritzed Midnight Blue Glimmer Mist and Cherry Ice Smooch Spritz all over.  After removing the mask, I colored in the butterfly with Sundance (yellow) Smooch Pearlized Ink.  The final step was to thread deep red  ribbons through the tag opening.

This is a fun and quick way to make a tag.  You can use almost anything for a mask - just be sure it doesn't move when you are spraying your color.  This tag is very shimmery and glittery in person.

Head on over to Let's Ink It Up's first challenge:  have yellow in your design.  Also check out Stamping Vacation's challenges.

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Imagine


Wee Henrietta Bookwork is a digital stamp from Hambo Stamps.  (If you haven't checked out their rubber and digital stamps yet, you should because they have some really fun stuff.)  After printing out Henrietta, I colored her with Copic markers and then cut out the image.  She was then layered on top of my rug and my "patterned" background.

The "rug" is a Labels Ten by Spellbinders and I stamped the word "imagine" (by KI Memories) because you can let your imagination go far and wide when you read a good book.  The background was run through my Big Kick using the Damask embossing folder by Tim Holtz.  The books in the background are actually clip art from my computer that I re-sized to fit my card.  I did use a clear glitter pen on some of the book bindings, but the light didn't reflect that well  in this photo.  The final step was to layer onto black cardstock, which I decided to forgo the usual rectangle shape for this card.

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Cornucopia


Fall is (hopefully) just around the corner.  Although it's hard to believe since we are still in the mid 90s.  This image is by The Artful Stamper and was just begging to be used today.  The saying is from a discontinued set by Stampin' Up.  I used Copic markers and Spica Glitter pens to color the image in.  I cut out the image and layered it onto a solid green cardstock that I stamped with a leaf background stamp by Cornish Heritage Farms using Forest Moss Distress Ink .  Although CHF recently closed their doors, you can still find some of their stamps.  I double stamped and colored a few pieces of the fruit so that I could pop dot them for added dimension.   Add a couple pieces of yarn (brown and green) and a few embellishments, and you're finished.

Here is a closer look so you can see the glitter pens and the dimensional aspect of the card:


Check out Raise The Bar (sketch) and Mark's Finest Papers (harvest) challenges this week.  You still have time to play along too.

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Hey Daddy-O


Wee Henry Bongo is a free digital download image by Hambo Stamps.  I made this card for my hubby, since he loves to play music.  After printing the image out, I used Copic markers to color him in.  This was an easy card to make because the rest of it is layering onto different papers (four layers here).  He says this is one of his favorites (and no, he doesn't say that about all my cards : ) ).

If you like to use digital stamps, Stamp Something challenge blog is having a digital challenge this week.

Friday, August 20, 2010

Ribbon Dress


Over at Ch{all}enge Masters, the card challenge for this month is to use ribbon in an unusual way - not just a bow or knot.  So here's my take on this challenge. 

The stamp, an older one by Hampton Arts, is stamped a bit higher on the cardstock so there's room for the skirt.  After stamping the image, take your favorite straight blade (I like the Fiskar's one) and cut a slit along the bottom edge.  Choose your favorite ribbon strips and slide them through the slit and adhere to the back.  You can add as many (or as few) as you like.  To emphasize the red, I used a gel pen to color in the corset top ruffle and the string ties.  I also highlighted the corset lines with a clear glitter pen (but they don't show up in this photo).

Adhere this layer onto your favorite patterned paper (so the back of the ribbons don't show).  Then, attach to your card base.  Now, go and use some of your ribbon supplies in an unusual way.  I'd love to see what you come up with - or better still, join Ch{all}enge Masters and be challenged with lots of great ideas.

Monday, August 16, 2010

Summer's Over?


This week Raise The Bar is having a fun back to school challenge using your ABC's (animal, brown, clean & simple).  So I decided to use my unbelieving chimp who's wondering where the summer went. 

The image came from My Heart Stamps For You and is perfect for both the "A" and the "B" part of the challenge.  (Since most of my cards fit under the clean and simple category, the "C" part of the challenge was super easy.)  He's stamped and embossed on brown cardstock using Walnut Stain Distress Inks and Distress Embossing Powder.  I then fussy cut him out and adhered him to a light green patterned paper.  

I used my Studio G (very) small alphabet set pegs to write out the saying and a black Spica glitter pen (which looks like this) was used to give it a little bling (although that doesn't show up very well in this photo).  This layer is then adhered to another piece of patterned cardstock that I distressed with a Heidi Swapp edge distresser.  I also threaded some brown ribbon into a large grommet for a bit of an accent.

The final step is to adhere to your base cardstock.  In this case, I decided on a dark green, dry embossed with leaves.

Sunday, August 15, 2010

Baked with Love


This month's Ch{all}enge Masters Stamp challenge is to use an existing stamp (a smaller one works better) to create your own background paper.  For this clean and simple card,  I chose one of the few clear stamp sets that I own.  All of the images are from the same cooking themed set but, unfortunately, I don't know who manufactured it.

The background was created by first airbrushing my Copic markers onto white cardstock.  Then the "Baked with Love" image was stamped over the entire area with Antique Linen Distress Ink.  I also stamped three chocolate chip cookies onto this layer as accents.  This was adhered to the tangerine base cardstock.

Before stamping the smaller green rectangle with the same image, I used my Scor-Pal to score the paper horizontally, vertically, and diagonally for an embossed look.  Next, I used two "inchies" (1" squares) and stamped the apron and rolling pin and colored them with Copic markers.  I pop dotted them for added emphasis.

Come join us at Ch{all}enge Masters for different challenges every week.  Some of the many challenges are altered projects, different types of layouts, cards, etc.  We have lots of fun and you could be the Monthly  Ch{all}enge Master and win something from one of the sponsors.

Sunday, August 8, 2010

Blossoms


I used a variety of techniques while making this card.  Since I didn't have any patterned or solid paper that I liked with this, I made my own base using glossy card stock sprayed  with Cornflower Walnut Ink by Tsukineko.  I blotted some of the excess spray to give it more of a mottled look. 

This gorgeous vase is an older stamp by Magenta.  I used Distress Inks to color in the image with an aqua brush.  This is a simple technique where you stamp the ink pad colors onto your craft mat and use a small aqua brush to pick up the colors.  I combined a couple different colors until I came up with the shades I wanted.  Since I wanted the vase to be raised, I outlined the image onto chipboard and cut it out; then I adhered the vase to the chipboard so it would have a solid feel to it.  (I didn't think pop dots would give me the exact effect I was looking for.)

The posy branch is part of a set from Heartfelt Creations.  I stamped the image several times, masking the previous ones, until I had the look I was going for.  I did use Copics (RV00, RV02, YR61, G03, G07, E25, E27) to color this image.  I then fussy cut the branchs using either my Exaco knife or my Color Bee scissors by EK Success.  These are the best scissors for cutting out tiny details.  It cuts through the paper like it was melted butter.

Heartfelt Creations also has die cuts (made by Spellbinders) to match a number of their rubber stamps, including this one.  I used the smallest flower die to cut out some blossoms in vellum.  I airbrushed the white vellum with YR 61 to match the blossoms better.

Here is a close up so you can see the vellum flowers better:

I used a tool from my cake decorating supplies to curl each individual vellum petal.  (This is the same tool used to curl petals made from gum paste or fondant.  Don't worry, I have more than one, so this one is now in my craft room.)  Who knew these tools would serve a dual purpose : ) ?   Next, added small pearls to the four corners and to the center of each flower.  The final step was to layer this onto black cardstock.

Thanks for checking it out..

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Thanks


This cute puppy image is from Inky Antics and was colored with Copic markers (of course).  I stamped the image twice so I could cut out his paws and pop dot them to hold the sign of thanks (a sticker from Creative Memories).  The sign itself was cut using the smallest die from the Large Deckled Mega Rectangle set by Spellbinders.  I also cut out my image with Spellbinders Classic Squares - Small using the "out of the box" technique.  Basically, you place your die on the image and gently outline with a pencil where the die will cut.  Then you fussy cut out the portion you want to be on the outside. After that, reposition the die back onto your image, making sure the part you cut out is on the outside of the die, and cut out like normal (with a Wizard, Cuttlebug, Big Shot, etc.). 

The base of the card was a plain piece of white cardstock that I pounced on with my Distress inks until it looked the way I wanted it too (plus it's a fun stress reliever technique : )  ).  I used the EK Success Embossed Curved Edger Punch  for the bottom of the card.  I added a bit of yellow paper on the inside because I thought the white showing through on the bottom edge was too stark.

Here is a close up view of his paws holding the sign:
Thanks for stopping by today!

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Hearts a'flutter



This is a more subtle version of this post.  I chose to make this a vertical card and toned down the patterned paper.  I applied glue and Flower Soft to fill in my heart and Stickles to highlight the wings.  A soft yellow solid piece of cardstock is used for the base of this card.  Both stamps are from Unity Stamps.

I personally like this version better.  The original post was based on a sketch challenge, using multiple pieces of patterned paper.  What's your opinion; which one do you like better?  Leave a comment and let me know.