Be Inspired Challenge #10: Take Two

This is actually the first try I made with the BIC last week, but the layout wasn't coming together with the main image panel. So I set it aside and came up with this card shown HERE in a previous post. I came back to it another day and this is the result.

All the techniques I used are the same as in the previous card, so I won't repeat myself.

Supplies:

Stamps: Ginormous Flowers, Much Appreciated, Baroque Motif, French Script (retired)

Paper: Whisper White, Cool Caribbean, Certainly Celery, So Saffron

Ink: VersaMark, Certainly Celery, Cool Caribbean, So Saffron, Mellow Moss

Accessories: Distresser, Sponge Dauber, Sponge, Clear Embossing Powder, Oval Coluzzle, Paper Flowers (makingmemories), Silver Brads

4.25 x 5.5 card

Thanks for stopping by.

Weekend Sketch Challenge # 45

This is my creation of of Beate's Weekend Sketch Challenge. I managed to make this card on Friday, but am only able to upload it today. This weekend was quite busy: Friday night we went to a hockey game with some friends. I haven't been to one in years. It was quite fun, I have to admit. Saturday night we had some friends over for dinner and Sunday Byron's mom came for part of the afternoon and supper.

I learned something new that other day: Embossing with VersaMark & Dye Inks. I found a new blog with some great hints and techniques. It is called Kiyomi Krafts. She has a great tip for embossing in a colour if you don't have pigments inks or coloured embossing powders. All you need is your dye ink or Classic ink (SU), VersaMark and Clear Embossing Powder.

1) Ink up your stamp with VersaMark or any other clear embossing ink.
2) Ink your stamp with the dye ink of your choice.
3) Stamp on your card stock and emboss. That's it!

I tried this technique on the Ruby Red strip. It worked!!

Supplies:

Stamps: Nature Stamps (Autumn Leaves)

Paper: Very Vanilla, Basic Black, Ruby Red, Watercolour Paper, Scarlet's Letter DP (Basic Grey)

Ink: Black Stazon, Ruby Red, Old Olive, VersaMark

Accessories: White Thread, Sewing Machine, Sponge Dauber, Black Ribbon (unknown), Dimensionals, Clear Embossing Powder, Aquapainter

4.75 x 5.5 card

Thanks for stopping by.

Ginormously From the Heart

Today the water has been shut off in our house. Last night a pipe started leaking at the back of the sink. It is in a very unaccessable place so we need to get someone in to fix it. It looks like most of the pipes have been replaced except for this one piece. I can see why. The guy is going to have to cut a hole in the floor or in the wall at the back of the sink to reach this itty bitty piece of lead pipe to fix it. The joys of having an older home.

On this card I used the Kissing and Rock & Roll technique:

1. Ink up the Stitched Background stamp in Cranberry Crisp. Set it down face up.

2. Stamp the Ginormous flower in Cameo Coral ink and stamp off on scrap paper. I wanted a lighter background colour so the Stitched BG will show up better.

3. Stamp the flower on top of the inked up Stitched BG stamp. This is called Kissing.

4. Roll the edges of the flower in the Cranberry Crisp ink. This is called Rock & Roll.

5. Finally stamp the flower on the Whisper White card stock.

6. Follow the above steps with the leaves in Sage Shadow and Always Artichoke. (I left out Step 4).

Supplies:

Stamps: Ginormous Flowers, Holidays & Wishes, Stitched BG

Paper: Whisper White, Blush Blossom, Wild Asparagus DP (my mind's eye)

Ink: Cameo Coral, Cranberry Crisp (retired), Sage Shadow, Always Artichoke

Accessories: Crystal Brad (making memories), Dimensional, Grey Ribbon (Michael's), 3/4" Circle Punch, 1 1/4" Circle Punch

4.75 x 4.75 card

Thanks for stopping by.

Be Inspired Challenge # 10

I began this card at 10:00 last night (I usually head up to bed at that time) and finished it at 10:45. I guess I was really inspired to do Beate's Be Inspired Challenge.


Here are the steps I took to make the main image panel:
1. Swipe Whisper White card stock with Embossing Buddy to get rid of the static.
2. Ink up the Swirl from Baroque Motifs in Certainly Celery.
3. Ink up the Girnormous Daisy flower in VersaMark.
4. Carefully stamp the VersaMarked Daisy on top of the Baroque Swirl and then on to the Whisper White card stock.
5. Clean Swirl and ink up in VersaMark.
6. Stamp Swirl in right edge of Whisper White card stock.
7. Use heat gun to emboss with Clear Embossing Powder.
8. Use Sponge in a circular motion to add ink (Certainly Celery, So Saffron, Mellow Moss & Cool Caribbean) around the embossed images. Wipe images clean with a kleenex.

To complete the card:
1. Stamp French Script on the Certainly Celery strip of card stock.
2. Ink up the Swirl with VersaMark and stamp on top of the French Script. Heat Emboss.
3. Stamp "thanks" in Certainly Celery on Whisper White card stock.
4. Cut out using Oval Coluzzle.
5. Cut out another oval in Cool Caribbean.
6. Tape "thanks" oval on top of Cool Caribbean oval and trim CC to make a smaller frame around the "thanks.
7. Distress all edges of card stock.
8. Use a Sponge Dauber to sponge Certainly Celery around "thanks".
9. Complete card by taping together, adding ribbon and popping up the oval image with dimensionals.

And there you have it. Forty-five minutes later. Well spent time, of course.

Supplies:

Stamps: Ginormous Flowers, Baroque Motifs, Much Appreciated, French Script (retired)
Paper: Whisper White, Cool Caribbean, Certainly Celery
Ink: Cool Caribbean, VersaMark, So Saffron, Certainly Celery, Mellow Moss
Accessories: Clear Embossing Powder, Oval Coluzzle, Distresser, Sponge Dauber, Sponge, Dimensional, White Satin Ribbon (Michael's)

6.5 x 3.25 card

Thanks for stopping by.


P.S. For those of you who live in Winnipeg, I found Powder Pals at Dollarama for.....only a $1. Wow! What a great deal. You can find the same one's at Michael's for about $17. Amazing. If you want to get one, you can find them in the bead section - close to the scrapbooking section - in Dollarama. I love using Powder Pals for embossing, using glitter or microbeads. They make it easy to pour the product back into the jar.

Hummingbird Thanks

Does anyone know what colour hummingbirds are? I think the next time I pull out this stamp I will check online to see what they look like. It has been a while since I've seen one in real life. My parents in BC have a feeder outside their kitchen window and I've seen them there flitzing about. One minute they are there, the next, they are gone....sort of reminiscent of knowing what colours they are.....used to know, know I don't. LOL

By the way, I need to use a new blender pen. Aargh! Hint: If it seems dry on the scrap paper, then DON'T use it.

Supplies:

Stamps: Spring Song, Live Your Dream (thanks)

Paper: Basic Black, Cranberry Crisp, Whisper White, Phoebe DP (Basic Grey)

Ink: Black Stazon, Close to Cocoa, Cranberry Crisp, Rose Red, Old Olive

Accessories: Black Brads, Stamp-a-ma-jig, Blender Pen

4.5 x 4.5 card

Thanks for stopping by.

Live Your Dream in Orange

There is orange in this card - the flower, ribbon, brads and designer paper - but I don't think it is too over powering.
























Supplies:

Stamps: Live Your Dream
Paper: Old Olive, Scrapbook Walls DP(Chatterbox), Whisper White
Ink: Old Olive, Pumpkin Pie, So Saffron
Accessories: Paper Piercer, Mat Pack, Orange Brads (makingmemories), Small Oval Punch, 1" circle Punch, Label Punch, Orange Ribbon (Michael's), Dimensionals, Paper Snips, Two-way Glue Pen, Green Cosmo Gitter

4 x 5.5 card

Thanks for stopping by.

Weekend Sketch Challenge # 43

What a day..... Today my oldest had his birthday party. He turned six on the 14th. I can't believe where the time has gone..... And it is a beautiful day and it is a good day to clean up my flower beds..... And I am going out for dinner tonight with some girlfriends. I'm not sure if I will have time for any stamping today.


Yes, this is last week's sketch challenge of Beate's. One week late. I guess I'm just a little behind. I have yet to do her challenge for this week. I hope to get around to it this weekend sometime.

By the way, I stamped the bird on Naturals White card stock, stamped another one, cut it out and popped it up with dimentionals on top of the first.




Supplies:

Stamps: Spring Song, Stitched Background
Paper: Infuse (Basic Grey), Old Olive, Ruby Red, Naturals White
Ink: Brown Stazon, Close to Cocoa, Chocolate chip, Ruby Red, Old Olive
Accessories: Sponge Dauber, Aquapainter, Dimensional, Olive Satin Ribbon (Gale's), Small Corner Rounder Punch

4.5 x 4.5 card

Thanks for stopping by.

PS. This picture is a bit washed out. I have an Ott light that I use when taking pictures of a card. I'm not always sure where to place it. If anyone has any hints on how to use the light to its best advantage, PLEASE let me know.

Sketch Challenge # 172

Another Bordering Blue card for this weeks Sketch Challenge on Splitcoaststampers.

The main image is stamped on watercolour paper with Brown Stazon. I used the Aquapainter to colour in the bird. Not sure what kind of bird it is, but I have been changing colours to match the paper of the card. So the identity of the bird changes every time. LOL

Supplies:

Stamps: Spring Song
Paper: Anna Griffin Designer Paper, Naturals White, Bordering Blue, Creamy Caramel, Watercolour Paper
Ink: Brown Stazon, Bordering Blue, So Saffron, Creamy Caramel, Close to Cocoa, Chocolate Chip, Old Olive
Accessories: Cream 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon, Dimensionals (EKSuccess), Paper Flowers (makingmemories), Silver Brads, Aquapainter

4.25 x 5.5 card

Thanks for stopping by.

Be Happy with Bordering Blue

Lately it seems like Bordering Blue is one of my favourite colours. I have been using it a lot. I made this Bordering Blue card last week along with the previous card and I used it again today with the Card Sketch Challenge (I will post that card soon).

On this card I used the Emerging Colours Technique. I've used this technique a number of times and always have fun with it. I first stamped the Naturals White card stock with Stitched Background stamp in Bordering Blue. Then with the bold leaf and flower images I stamped over top the Stitched background with VersaMark and embossed with Clear Embossing Powder. Lastly, I inked up the Brayer with Bordering Blue ink and ran it over the card stock. I kept doing that over and over until the colour was ever over the entire piece. It takes a bunch of times to get it ever. I used a baby wipe (you can use a kleenex too) to carefully wipe the ink off the embossed images so the underlying stitched background can be seen more clearly.

When I was done with the brayering, I noticed that the right hand side looked kind of "blah", so I punched out "be happy" from the Word Window Punch. It fills up that space nicely.

Supplies:

Stamps: Stitched Exotics, So Many Sayings (retired), Stitched BG
Paper: Bordering Blue, Naturals White, Designer Paper (Anna Griffin)
Ink: Bordering Blue, VersaMark
Accessories: Clear Embossing Powder, Brayer, White Grosgrain Ribbon, Word Window Punch

4.25 x 5.5 Card

Thanks for stopping by.

Blog Candy Winner

Whoo hoo!! It is that time... to pick a winner of the blog candy I posted last week. I let random.org pick the entry number for me. I guess I could have just put the numbers in a hat and pulled one....

The lucky winner is #10 by Carrie with the following comment:

Wish I could make my scallops look as nice as yours! Thanks for the chance to win this candy!
April 10, 2008 8:30 PM

Thanks Carrie! Please email me your snail mail address so I can send the goodies to you. (You can find my email address when you click on "View my complete profile" at the top right of my blog.

Please keep scrolling down so you can see a new card.

Thanks for stopping by.

Andrea

Black and Blue Birthday Wishes

I made this card last week, but I didn't have time to post it before our trip.

I stamped the images with Black Stazon so it wouldn't run when I used ink to colour it with a blender pen and aquapainter (on the larger areas). I used Black Stickles on the "dots" of the flower and some of the outline of the leaves. Quick and easy.

Our trip to San Antonio was awesome, by the way. The weather was great and was such a wonderful change from the weather we've had here at home. (Although, now that we are back, the weather is definitely looking up. - Isn't it funny how we seem to talk about weather so much? I guess it often dictates our mood.) We had such a fun time. There are so many great places to explore in North America alone.

Supplies:

Stamps: Time Well Spent, Hugs and Wishes
Paper: Bordering Blue, Basic Black, Naturals White
Ink: Black Stazon, Bordering Blue, Night of Navy, Certainly Celery
Accessories: Black Stickles, Aquapainter, Blender Pen, Striped Ribbon (Michaels), Silver Ribbon Slide

4.25 x 5.5 card

Thanks for stopping by.

Blog Candy

I passed 5,000 hits. Thank you for coming to visit my blog.


I've been trying to do a bit of spring cleaning (yes, believe it or not, but here in Manitoba the weather is sloooowly getting warmer and spring is coming) in my stamp room and will be giving away some of my stash - some of which is Stampin' Up! stuff, some not. So here is what you will receive:


- A variety of ribbon (I think I use it on almost every card. I must like it a lot! LOL)
- Flower Fusion (SU)
- Silver Ribbon Slides (SU)
- Acetate
- Brads
- Green Micro Beads
- Yellow Flowers
- Studio G Clear Stamps and Block
- 6 x 6 Brocade Backgrounds Designer Paper (SU)
- 6 x 6 Assorted Designer Paper
- April '08 Paper Crafting with Photos magazine by Paper Crafts

To win, you need to post a comment. If you like, please comment on what you would like to see more of on this blog. For example, more personal chit chat? less? exact steps and measurements used on a posted card? etc. I'd love to hear from you.


So, make a comment to this post and add your entry number to your comment. (First person to make a comment is #1, second person is #2, and so on.) I will determine a winner using random.org on Tuesday, April 15 after I get back from San Antonio. (Yippee!! - I yelled that REALLY loudly. LOL)


Good luck and thanks again for stopping by.

Simply Said with Beads

Here are the other two cards I made the other day while working with the micro beads (Card #1). I also tried out larger beads from Stampin' Up! (Card #2)

By the way, there are two things I absolutely LOVE about these cards.

One: This stamp set - Simply Said. I loved it when I bought it. But sadly, I haven't used it in a while. It was sitting very neglected on my shelf. I had to pull it out for these cards and use the beads in the centers of the flowers.

Two: Tombo Liquid Glue!!! This stuff is AMAZING! I have tried wiggling the beads and they are STUCK ON! Awesome stuff. I could go on and on..... I am curious on how they will hold up in the mail.

Supplies:

Stamps: Simply Said, Thanks from Much Appreciated (Card #1), Warm Wishes from Holidays & Wishes (Card #2), Kindness Jumbo Wheel (Card #1), Print Pattern BG (Card #2)

Paper: Bashful Blue, Chocolate Chip, Naturals Ivory, Whisper White

Ink: Chocolate Chip, Bashful Blue

Accessories: Blender Pen, Distresser, Photo Corner Punch, Tombo Liquid Glue, Mat Pack, Paper Piercer, Green Micro Beads from Dollarama (Card #1), Certainly Celery Beads from SU (Card #2), Chocolate Chip Grosgrain Ribbon (Card #1)Antique Copper Anchor (Card #2), Antique Copper Brad

4.25 x 5.5 cards

Only four more sleeps until we leave for San Antonio. I better start packing. LOL

Thanks for stopping by.

Stitched Exotics and Micro Beads

The other day while I was at Dollarama, the local dollar store, I came across micro beads. They had a whole bunch of colours but I controlled myself and just bought green, blue and silver. Yesterday I got out the green beads.



I made sure that I used my embossing buddy to get rid of the static of the beads by rubbing it all over the inside of the powder pal. Otherwise they will stick to your fingers and the powder pal when you want to pour them back into the container. You also need to be careful that they don't bounce all over the place when you are pouring them on to your project.


First I stamped the flower from Stitched Exotics on Certainly Celery in Whisper White Craft ink and embossed it with White Embossing Powder. I then used the Tombo Liquid Glue on the five inside points of the flower, lay it in the powder pal and poured the micro beads over the glue until all of it was well covered (as shown in the picture).

I pressed them down gently and poured the excess off.







For the leaves, I stamped on Whisper White with Certainly Celery ink. I then followed the above steps. I lay the flower and leaves aside to dry for a bit then cut the leaves and flower with the Paper Snips.


"Celebrate" was stamped in Whisper White on Bordering Blue card stock and the embossed with White Embossing Powder. I added the flower and leaves with dimensionals. I used two kinds. The EKSuccess dimensionals are quite thick so I used them on the flower to give it more height than the leaves, on which I used SU dimensionals.


The "flairs" at the edge of the Whisper White card base stamped in Bordering Blue ink. First I stamped off on a piece of scrap paper and then on the white card stock. I sponge daubed the edge of the card base with Bordering Blue.


I was on a roll, so I made two more cards. So hopefully I can post those in the next day or two.


Supplies:


Stamps: Stitched Exotics, Celebrate Everything
Paper: Whisper White, Certainly Celery, Not Quite Navy, Bordering Blue
Ink: Whisper White Craft, Certainly Celery, Bordering Blue
Accessories: White Embossing Powder, Green Micro Beads (Dollarama), Tombo Mono Multi Liquid Glue, Dimensionals (SU and EKSuccess)


4.25 x 5.5 card


Thanks for stopping by.

Tried a New Technique on Monday - TLC162

Paper Tole

Yesterday I tried out Monday's Challenge on SCS. It took me basically all afternoon since I'd work on it five minutes here, five minutes there. The challenge called for using the Paper Tole Technique with an image other than a flower. I pulled out my Fun & Fast Notes set. I hadn't used the stroller image and thought I'd "go for a walk" with it. I have a couple of friends who are pregnant so I know that this card will come in handy. ( I guess I'd make a different one for you, Val, since you've seen this one now. LOL)

I stamped the image three times on Naturals White card stock. I coloured all the images with Certainly Celery and Night of Navy with a blender pen and aquapainter and then I cut out two of the images VERY CAREFULLY. To get in between the wheels I used an exacto knife. The bottom image I punched out with the Marvy Scalloped Square. I used dimensionals to pop up the upper two images.

I used the Small Corner Rounder Punch to make a scalloped edge to Olive Den Plaid patterned paper. I taped the patterned paper on top of Night of Navy card stock and used the Word Window punch. I inked up the sentiment ONLY of the stroller stamp and used my stamp-a-ma-jig to stamp the words inside the window.

Yes, the cutting of the image did take a bit of time, but the rest of the card came together nicely.

Supplies:

Stamps: Fun and Fast Notes

Paper: Naturals White, Old Olive, Night of Navy, Olive Den Plaid (Scrapbook Walls by Chatterbox)

Ink: Certainly Celery, Night of Navy, Brown Stazon

Accessories: Blender Pen, Aquapainter, Marvy Scalloped Square Punches, Small Corner Rounder Punch, Navy Organdy Ribbon, Word Window Punch, Sponge Dauber, Dimensionals, Paper Snips

4.5 x 4.5 card

By the way, I am not sure how often I will be able to make a post. My DH and I are going to San Antonio, Texas in a week and I've been busy getting the house and food ready for my in-laws and the boys for when we are gone. I am sooo excited (Whoo hoo!!!) to leave this cold province for five days. But remember, once I hit 5,000 hits, there will be some blog candy. So stay posted.

Thanks for stopping by.