Thursday, June 30, 2011

Locomotive


The challenge this week at AiFactory is to use your favorite embellishment.  You can find this cute Toy Train clipart at the AiFactory Store.  I love anything to do with trains, and this would make a cute card for any train enthusiast.  The track is an older decorative strip from Sizzix


Most people think of ribbon or buttons or flowers when they think of embellishments, and although I do use those types of embellishments, they aren't my favorite.  Can you guess what mine is by looking at the photo?  Here's a hint:  I used it 8 times.  Give up?  I LOVE to fussy cut and pop dot portions of an image.  I also used another favorite - Glossy Accents (on the bolts on the engine).  


You have until July 6th to show us your favorite embellishment.  Be sure to visit the other design team members and see what their favorite embellishment is too.  If you like what you see, don't forget to leave us some love - we all appreciate comments.  I would love to know what your favorite embellishment is.



Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Last Call Leonard - DTD New Release Blog Hop


It's that time again - the Dude Time Doodles New Release Blog Hop and I've chosen to showcase Last Call Leonard.  The sentiment that I've paired Leonard with is from Create with TLC.


I'll bet you'll never guess what the "mirror" behind the bar was made with.  It's the inside of my coffee container bag.  (I've heard you can use alcohol inks on them too, but I haven't had a chance to try that yet).  I thought it made a pretty good mirror.  What do you think?  Leonard is colored with a combination of Copic markers and Creative Inspiration paints. I've highlighted several areas that were colored with Copics with the paint (parts of the bar, the whiskey in the glass, his eyes) and I painted directly to color his tie, the whiskey bottle, and the swirls around the sentiment.

The Blog Hop doesn't have a starting or ending point; so no matter where you hop, you're at the right place.  Just keep on hopping until you've gone full circle and hopped to each of us.  Don't forget to leave each of us some love along the way.   All New Releases will be available in the STORE at 10am EST.  

You should have arrived here at Anne-Made directly from Dude Time Doodles blog.  From here, you can hop on over to Miss Janet's and see what she has in store for you (you'll love it!).  Here's the list of Dudette's in case you get so dazzled by all our artwork and you loose your place.  Also, please give a great big welcome to the newest Dudettes to our design team family: Janet, Michelle, NanaConnie, Dawn, and Linda.  Don't forget to leave everyone some love - you never know who will be the mystery hostess with the goodies!


Ingredients:
Copic markers: E00, E01, E11, R20    C5, N5    E31, E35, E37    B21, B26    E31, E57, E59    B0000, E99, colorless blender
Creative Inspiration paints: Mellow Yellow (tie), Gold (whiskey, eye pupils), Sage (bottle), Tanzanite (swirls), Frost White (bar area)


Thursday, June 23, 2011

Let's Go to the Beach




This week's challenge at Stamping with the Dragon is Summer Fun and what can be better than going to the beach?  The twist this week is to use this sketch:
Tams_sketch.jpg


As you can see, I just flipped it.  The sketch is from Maya and you can find this sketch here.  I used the Summer Fun image from Stamping Dragon Designs and tweaked it just a little.  Instead of a circle, I decided I wanted an oval - that's the beauty of digital stamps.  And for another change - I didn't use Copics; I used chalks and a couple Zig markers to color this image in.  Chalks are great to use because you can erase your mistakes (it's hard staying in the lines when you're using a little round ball and tweezers :-)  ).  I also used a Martha Stewart punch that I found at my local craft store called Cherish on my matting an strip of paper and some Glossy Accents on the beach ball.  The sentiment is a sticker from Creative Memories that I've had for quite a while.


You have two weeks to upload your Summer Fun project at Stamping with the Dragon.  Be sure to see all the other Summer Fun projects the rest of the design team has for you too.






This card was published in the July, 2011 issue of Scrapbook, News and Review magazine.


Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Retirement Nag

 

Dude Time Doodles has been working over time on a very top secret project and we are happy to announce that the illustrious, beautiful and snarky Marlooney (Marlene Shaw) has joined the Dude Time Doodles team as a feature artist!  How cool is that?   The above is titled "NagNag" and I chose one of Marloonely's sentiments (RatRace3) to go with it.  You should go check out her blog when you have a chance - it'll definitely make you laugh.


You've got to feel sorry for the poor guy in this image.  He's worked his whole life waiting for the moment he can retire and have some peace and quiet.  How he could have expected that with that wife of his, no one's knows.  I'm sure she's got a honey-do list a mile long.....


The image and sentiment were printed on Cryogen White cardstock (great stuff -  :-) thanks again, Tammy) and colored with Copic markers and Creative Inspiration paints.  Creative Inspiration paints are a really neat iridescent paint that goes on quickly and easily.  They're like bling in a bottle - so shimmery and sparkly!  (Be on the look out for a little tutorial on how I use these a bit later).  The hubby's shirt is painted with just the paints (no marker colors underneath), both his and the wife's hair are highlighted with the paints, as well as the flowers on her dress.  


Here's a great close-up so you can see how shimmery the cryogen paper is (you can really tell on his pants) and how much bling the paint has.  It's at a slight angle so the light captures the iridescence really well.


I distressed the edges with a bit of Distress Ink, added a large round button for a closure and tied Baker's twine around the card.  The side of the card base was cut using a Sizzix die called Card Fronts, A2 Eyelet and Ornate.


Be sure to welcome Marlene as DTD's new featured artist.  I'm sure you'll love her work as much as the rest of us Dudettes do.

Ingredients:
Copic Markers (C3, N5    E00,E01, R20    RV55, RV66, Y18    E23, E35, E37);  Creative Inspiration paints ( Tanzanite, Sunshine Yellow); Baker's Twine; Sizzix die; button from stash




Sunday, June 19, 2011

Sweet Romance


If you follow my blog with any regularity, you know that most of my cards are made for specific design teams. But every now and then I have a bit of extra time to make other projects.  This is one of them.  I found this Soda Pop digital image at Digi Doodle Shop and fell in love with it, along with several other images.

I decided I wanted the outside to look like a window with you looking in, along with a trusted companion.  The window was created with Sizzix Movers and Shapers magnetic die and the rest of the outside is decorated with (old) Creative Memory stickers.

Here's the inside of the card. The main image is colored with Copic markers and I printed it on Copic X-Press It paper.  The sentiment is from Raindrop Echo Designs and the floor is a rubber stamp from Beeswax Rubber Stamps (Fancy Floor).  I fussy cut out the images so I could create a soda fountain store reminiscent from the 1950's.   (Although I wasn't around back then, I've seen pictures).


Here's a close up of the image itself:


Enjoy your day!



Copics used: R81, R85, R89    B21, B24, B28    Y11, Y21    E000, E00, E01, E11, R20    G20, BG0000, BG000    E13, E15, E17    YR12, YR18, E97    E27    B93, B95, B97, E81    R21, N0, W4    C1, C3, C4, C6    Y21, Y23, Y26

Friday, June 17, 2011

Rupert Loves Rock 'n Roll


Rupert Plays Rock and is "So Very Lucky" to have has his own record deal.  How cool is that!?  As with most rockers, he's even got ear piercings (and some hidden tattoos).  Rupert is a digital image from Stamping Dragon Designs that I've colored with Copic markers and fussy cut out.  What better way to showcase Rupert than on top of his own 45rpm record.  (It's really patterned paper from DCWV that I cut into this shape and adhered to a circle base).

Here's the inside, where I used a rubber stamp from Unity Stamps and inked the edges with Distress Inks.




You still have time to join us for the Friendship challenge going on now at Stamping with the Dragon.  You won't want to miss out on what the rest of the team has for you this week either (you can find their blog addresses in the tab above).




Copics used: R81,R85,R89, E34, E35, E37, B60, C3    YG0000, YG21, YG23, YG95, YG97, YG99
Other ingredients: Spellbinder's Grand Circle (#5), Classic Ovals Small, Classic Circle; Distress Inks (Peeled Paint); DCWV paper; jump ring

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Summer Fun - AiF style

(outside)





Summer is definitely here!  That's going to be your challenge this week at AiFactory - Summer Fun.   For a fun change of pace, I made a pop-up card using Sizzix's scallop circle 3-D pop-up die. A Sizzix Decorative Strip (Trees, Palm) and an older Sizzix small die (Sun #2) was used to create my popped up scene.

I chose one of the images form the Surf's Up Ready for Swim Dudes clip art set and printed him twice.  I fussy cut the image out and the boy twice so I could pop dot him.   Glossy Accents was added to the inner tube and the boy's sun glasses and I painted some Smooch (Sundance) pearlized ink on his swim trunks.  

Here's a closeup of the boy:

You have one week to upload your summer fun projects to the AiFactory Challenge Blog.  While you're visiting the challenge blog, be sure to see what other summer fun projects the other design team members made for you.

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Lord Money Man



Are you ready to be inspired?  I hope so because the Inspiration Challenge at Dude Time Doodles begins today and this is your inspiration:

June Inspirational Challenge

As soon as I saw the board, I knew right away that I wanted to use Lord Money Man.  He's colored with Copic markers, fussy cut out, and framed with Spellbinder's Labels Twenty (#4,5), which is pop dotted above the image.  The sentiment, which is part of the Lord Money Man set, and the mat were die cut with Spellbinder's Small and Large Deckled Rectangles (#2).  I added a bit of Glossy Accents to the monocle, some buttons, and a bit of suede to finish it off.  The card base was punched using Martha Stewart's Cherish Around the Page punches.


You'll have one week to upload your project based on the inspiration board to Dude Time Doodles - and don't forget to make it monochromatic and that it has to be for a DUDE (masculine themed card).  You don't have to use a Bonibleaux Designs image, but it really makes us happy when you do.  


While visiting the challenge blog, go see what the other Dudettes have in store for you today too.  If you like what you see, leave us a comment and let us know - that always makes us smile.  Also, today (6/15) is the last day you can apply to be a Dudette on the Design Team - so don't hesitate any longer.





Copics used: E000, E00, R20    N0, N2    B0000, E23    N2, N3, N4, N6,N8, N9




Saturday, June 11, 2011

Under the Sea



NEW week, NEW challenge at AiFactory.    The NEW challenge is to use something NEW on your project!  Don't forget to tell us what it is!  You have until 11:59EST on Wednesday June 15th.   No back linking will be accepted but you are welcome to combine with other challenges.  We would really love for you to use one of our images although it is not a requirement.  Do check out all the great stuff we have in our store 


The design team is using the NEW Mermaid digital stamp collection for your inspiration.  I combined four of the images from the set to make my project.  I also flipped a couple of them (another great thing about digital stamps - you can flip, re size, place them in front or behind each other).  I also colored my images with Twinkling H2O's for an iridescent look.  After coloring, I fussy cut the images out so I could use some handmade mulberry paper for the background.


To complete the project, Spellbinder's Grand Labels One (#4,6) were used to cut out the mulberry paper and to make my frame.  I pop dotted the frame so it would look a bit like an aquarium.  


Here's a different angle, so you can see all the dimension and all the shimmer.  Plus, I didn't adhere every part of the image.  As I was fussy cutting the sea weed, it curled a little.  I liked that look and thought the best way to capture it was to only adhere a small portion of each piece.


Be sure to see the other design team member's inspirations.  They are really cool and hopefully will give you some great ideas.

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Friendship


The theme this week at Stamping with the Dragon is Friendship.  The design team will be using images that showcase the dragons and fairies together.  So be sure to go see what everyone else has created for your viewing pleasure.  You can find this digi stamp, called Resting Place, at Stamping Dragon Designs along with lots of other great images.  The winner will receive four images of her choice from Stamping Dragon Designs.


The image is colored with Copic markers.  I added Shimmerz paint (Angel Wings) to the fairy's wings and Rupert's chest plus I mixed Broken China Distress Stickles with the Shimmerz paint on my non stick craft sheet and painted Rupert's wings and horns for added glimmer.  


Spellbinder's Labels Fourteen (#3) was used to cut out the sentiment (by Raindrop Echo Designs) and the image was die cut with Scrap-Mart's Label 1 (#5) dies made by Spellbinders using the "out of the box" technique.  For the background paper, I used a Dreamweaver's stencil I had and ran it through my Grand Caliber machine - it worked just like an embossing folder.


You have until June 23 to upload your friendship project at Stamping with the Dragon.  Can't wait to see what you create for us.


Copics used: B01, B02    E00, E01    T1, T4, T7    Y00, Y02, Y11



Wednesday, June 8, 2011

The Graduate


The timing of Kurtis the Graduate 2011, a freebie from Dude Time Doodles, is perfect.  You have a week to grab Kurt and upload him for a chance to be a guest designer at DTD.  (You still have a week left to apply  to be a full time design team member too.  The details are here.)


I made this card for the Exchange Student that has been living with us during his senior year of high school.   And the amazing thing is that this image looks a lot like the person receiving the card!  I was able to stretch the image (since it's digital) because the recipient is 6'9" tall and I wanted a tall card!


I printed the image out twice so I could fussy cut out the robe and pop dot it for added dimension.  I kept the shoulders flush with the card and pop dotted the rest.  Here is a different angle so you can see what I'm talking about.  

I used a number of Spellbinder's dies for this card, including making the card base from the Grand Large Labels. Both the outside and inside sentiments are from Create with TLC.  The scallop strips are a MFT die-namic.  







On the inside, I also used an Accu-Cut gift card holder die along with the Spellbinder dies and my sentiment. 

Don't forget you have until 6/14 to upload your Kurt creation to Dude Time Doodles Challenge Blog.  

Ingredients:
paper: Crylon Irridescent paper; Creative Memories
Copics used: G05, G07, G09    E00, E01, R20    E50, E53    E97, E99, E47    E25, E27, E29
Dies: MFT scallop strip; Spellbinders Curved Rectangles (#6), Large Labels (#3), Small Labels (#3,4), Grand Large Labels (#5,4,2); Sizzix Texture Plate (Elegant Designs)
Other: Spica glitter pen, Enamel Accents, ribbon




Sunday, June 5, 2011

Congrats!


Graduation season is upon us.  I normally don't pay that much attention to it, but since I have a graduating senior,  this year was different.  That means that a lot of our friends kids are graduating this year as well; therefore lots of Anne-Made cards :-).     (You'll get to see a few of them here.)


This cutie is a digital image from Hambo Stamps (they also have girl graduates too) that is colored with Copic markers.  I fussy cut him out and layered him.  I distressed the Swiss Dot paper with Antique Linen to give it a bit more color (other than green).


I got a little carried away with the inside, using more green and a decorative strip die cut from Sizzix that I've had for ages.  The sentiment and inside stamps are clear stamps that I had, but I don't know the manufacturer.


Congrats to all the 2011 graduates!



Copics used: G16, G17, G19, G28    E41   W5, W7, S8    R20, E00, E01, E11    E29

Friday, June 3, 2011

Folk Art



This easel card was cut using Spellbinders Grand Squares (#3) and fabric for the background.  The Folk Art Stamps image is from Stamping Dragon Designs.  I copied and reversed the buttons to make a frame.

For the flowers, I used Glossy Accents on different sections of the bloom, depending on which flower
 I was working on to give it added dimension.   I thought about adding real buttons to the image, but decided to paper pierce the string portion of the image and hand stitched embroidery floss on top.  To make the easel stand, I mimicked the button image with real buttons and embroidery floss.  The sticker is from my stash.

There's still time to enter our Stamping Dragon Designs challenge going on now.  Also, be sure to see what the other members of the SDD team has dreamed up for you as well (blog addresses are under tab above).

Copics used: G19, G28, YG13    YR 61, YR65, YR68, YR09    YR21, YR61


Thursday, June 2, 2011

Most Distressing




That's the challenge this week at AiFactory: Distressing.  I decided to take a slightly different approach to the word and used my Distress Inks to distress my background papers.  Sponge your favorite colors onto the blank cardstock until you're happy with the results and then spritz with water.  You can heat set it or let it air dry - pretty simple and a pretty easy distressing technique.  (Just to be on the safe side :-), I also used my distressing tool and distressed the edges of my distressed background paper.)

I used a couple different images from this Cute Birds and Bugs Clip art set.  For the inside of the card, I flipped the image.  I added a bit of Smooch ink, some Spica glitter pens, and Smooch Spritz for a bit of added glimmer.

You have one week to upload your (most) distressing project.  Be sure to go see what the other design team members have distressed for you too.  Have fun with this cool challenge.  I can't wait to see what/how you distress.


Ingredients:
Smooch: Siren    
Smooch Spritz: Vanilla Shimmer    
Spica: black, buttermilk, red    
Distress Inks: Mustard Seed, Barn Door, Tumbled Glass

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Gladys Salt


It's time for the Sketch Challenge at Dude Time Doodles.  I've used Gladys Salt and one of the sentiments that come with the set.  Gladys is special because she can raise one eyebrow, just like me.  My hubby calls it "the eyebrow of disapproval" because mine usually goes up when I'm not happy about something :-).

For a change of pace, I used Perfect Pearls to paint Gladys and the rest is all fabric.  It's really hard to capture the glimmer and sparkle you get with Perfect Pearls on a photo.  You'll have to trust me that it looks really cool.  It's a very simple technique - take a little bit of the Perfect Pearls powder and spritz with water.  I used my non stick craft sheet, placed all the colors I wanted to use and spritzed with water and started painting.  It's really easy to do.  I did use Copic markers to color her skin and eye color.

Curved rectangles (#4) from Spellbinders was used to cut out the image and the sentiment is cut with the Baroque Movers and Shapers by Sizzix.  I added Glossy Accents to the glasses and a few pearls for Gladys' necklace.  I also finished the inside of the card with more fabric and distressed the sentiment just a touch with a bit of Distress ink.



Here's a different angle shot so you can see the glimmer of Perfect Pearls a bit better.  As I said, i definitely looks better in person, but is a really cool effect.

The rules for the Sketch challenge are pretty simple. The main one being that it has to be for a DUDE.   You have one week to complete your project and upload it to the Dude Time Doodles Challenge Blog.  You are not required to use Bonibleaux Designs; although it would make us really, really happy and giggle a lot if you did!   It MUST be a masculine themed card.  You can use humor, innuendo, be a little naughty, sarcastic, or whatever but it has got to be for a DUDE!  Be sure to use the InLinkz button at  Dude Time Doodles challenge blog to submit your creation.

Here's the sketch.  You can flip it, twist it, or leave as is.
Be sure and check out all the other Dudette's wonderful creations.  And don't forget about the Design Team Call going on until June 15.  The details are here.

Perfect Pearls used: Heirloom Gold, Pewter, Perfect Pearl, Forever Red, Blue Patina
Copics used: Eoo, E01, E11, R20    E97, E99, E47