A Peek Into My Stamping Room

Guess Who......

is the Featured Stamper for today's challenge on Splitcoaststampers?  ME!!!  Can you believe it?  I know I was so surprised and excited when Beth sent me a private message to tell me the news!  What an honor!  You should go check out the challenge and make a card.  I would love to see what you make!

Here are a couple of cards I made for a recent magazine submission that didn't get picked up.  I think they are great cards!

For this card, I used some beautiful paper from The Girl's Paperie.  I just love these colors and the shabby look they give!  I used the Blossom die templates from Spellbinders to make my paper flower.  The sentiment is from Gina K. Designs.  I even dusted off the sewing machine, too!  See the distressed edge on some of the layers?  I used a little machine called the Distrezz It All from Zutter.  I bought it from 7 Kids College Fund and love the looks you can get when using it.  I have never been very good a distressing with those handheld tools but this little machine works great!

Well I know I am going to have a great day!  All the wonderful cards in the Featured Stamper Challenge gallery just make me smile! 

June 1 brings some changes!

Hey everyone!  Hope your holiday weekend was great!  Mine was fantastic! Here is a great way to start your June off!  DRS Designs is having a stamp-a-day giveaway.  Check it Out!

Since today is June 1, there are some changes going on around here.  Yesterday was my last day on the 7KidsCollege Fund team.  I want to say "Thank You" to Tab for having me on the team plus thanks for all the cool stuff!  She has a fantastic selection of paper crafting products and I hope you will continue to check them out!  I know I will.  Plus when I use items from her store, I will still link you up so you can purchase them.

Also, since its June 1, I am officially on the Mark's Finest Paper Team!  So excited to work with Faith, the owner and designer of Mark's Finest Paper stamps.  They are truly wonderful and I have to say I just love them!  

I have a whole bunch of projects to show you starting tomorrow.  Plus I will have a tutorial to share with you on using your Copic Markers to do the Polished Stone Technique.  You will need your favorite colors of Copic Markers, Metallic Paint Pen, Acetate, Ranger Blending Solution, Glossy Paper and cotton balls.  You probably already have that stuff and I know you will have as much fun as I did getting inky!!  Talk to you tomorrow!

It's Tuesday!

I probably don't need to tell you that, do I?  Are you looking for something to do today?  Well, I have a new challenge blog for you to try!  This week, DRS Designs, is sponsoring the challenge at A Spoonful of Sugar Challenge blog.  Your challenge is to make a Cute & Girlie Project!  You can see my 2 projects for this challenge on the DRS Designs blog.

I do have a card to share with you today.  Yesterday, I had the time to participate in the Monday Technique Lover's Challenge on Splitcoast.  The challenge was to make a Frame or Shadowbox on your card.  Here is my project!

The stamps for this card are from Mark's Finest Paper.  This set will be released in June so you are getting a little sneak peek!  The set is called Believe in You.  I just love how romantic the images and sentiments are in the set.  I can't tell you how excited I am to be working with Faith, who owns Mark's Finest Paper!  When I got my design team goodies, I was overcome by her generosity!  Just amazing! 

To make this card, I stamped the flower image multiple times onto white cardstock using Tuxedo Black Memento Ink pad.  I colored the flowers in using R02 & R11 Copic Markers.  For the frame, I used Labels 5 Nestabilities.  I stamped the sentiment using the memento ink and colored the butterfly using the same copic markers.  The border down the side is the Eyelet Borderabilities.  I added the ribbon and bow plus some rhinestone stickers from Zva Creative.  After I put everything together, I added some Crystal Stickles to the middle of the flowers and to the butterfly.

This card came together to easily!  I just love when the mojo is working like that, don't you?  I have lots of more goodies to share with you in the coming days!  Have a great day!

 

When Nothing Goes Right......

This week I have been working on samples using new releases from DRS Designs.  This is one of the cards I made using a new release!  This stamp describes some of my days lately.  I used the When Nothing Goes Right greeting and for the stamped background I used Design Dots.  The patterned paper strip is from October Afternoon Thrift Shop Collection. 

Here is another card I made that would be great for a boy!

The sentiment is a new release called Out of This World Birthday greeting.  I stamped the To The Moon image using Tuxedo Black memento ink pad and colored it in with Copic Markers.  I added some shimmer using a Sakura Gelly Roll pen but its kinda hard to see.  The background is stamped using Versamark ink pad and the Starry Background.  The ribbon is from my stash! 

Hope you are having a great week so far!  Next week I can let you in on a secret I have been keeping!  I am excited to share it with you!  Talk to you soon!
 

Happy Mother's Day!

Well, I sure hope you had a Happy Mother's Day whether you are the mother or just celebrating Mother's day with your mom!  I had a great day.  I spent it with my mom and girls.   They pampered me very nicely, thank you!

Here is the card I made for my mom.  She laughed out loud when she read it!

This is a new release from DRS Designs called I Said So Mother's Day Greeting that I stamped and cut/embossed using a Labels 1 die template from Spellbinders.  I think its funny especially in our situation.  The background was stamped using Tattered Rose Distress ink pad and the Silhouette Branch Background stamp.  The patterned paper is from October Afternoon Thrift Shop line.  I used the Fair Isle Borderabilities for the bottom detail on the patterned paper.  I punched a slit into my sentiment panel and threaded some ribbon and tied a knot.  This is a great sketch to use for almost any card.  You can change things up pretty easily by using different stamps, paper and embellishments.  

Last year at this time, things were not very good for our family.  My dad had entered into Hospice care and was confined to a hospital bed in the front room of the house.  While we had tons of family and friends visiting, I tried to make a nice dinner for my mom.  I am so glad that this year was much better.  I miss my dad a ton but I am glad he is not suffering anymore and is at home with Jesus.  Please pray for my mom and my family this coming week, okay?  The one year anniversary is almost here and its a tough time.  Thanks!  

 

Featured Stamper Challenge

Every Sunday on Splitcoaststamper there is a challenge called Featured Stamper.  One stamper is picked and you look at her gallery and CASE a card or project of this stamper.  Well, while Sunday was a super busy day, I did find the time to make a card but I didn't find the time to upload it!  So here it is now!

I used this great new stamp I just got from Memory Box called Inspire Butterfly Collage.  Isn't it a beauty?  You know I am a sucker for anything with butterflies on it!  This was such a simple card to make because I didn't have to think of a layout.  I just used my favorite colors, stamped the image, colored with copics and finished the card!  Cool!  I hope you have a great Monday!

Supplies Used:

Stamps - Inspire Butterfly Collage - Memory Box

Cardstock - Melon Berry - (PTI); Chocolate Brown, Pure Luxury Pure Ivory - Gina K. Designs

Accessories - Rich Cocoa Memento Ink Pad, Copic Markers, satin ribbon, pearls, Mega Curved Rectangle Nestabilities.
 

Butterfly and Pearls!

Here is a card I made recently using some pretty Webster Pages Petite papers and Gina K. Designs Stamps!

This was actually a pretty simple card to make.  I used my new Sweet Plum Memento ink pad for this card.  First I stamped the butterfly image onto the patterned paper and then stamped it again onto ivory cardstock and cut out the butterfly.  Position the pearl flourish into place and then layer the butterfly using 3d foam squares.  I stamped the sentiment onto ivory cardstock and punched it out using a new punch I just bought from EK Success.  I layered this onto a piece I cut/embossed from the Lattice Pendant die.  I added more pearls in the corners and under the sentiment.  This was a fun and easy card to make. 

Supplies Used:

Stamps - Take Flight & Eclectic Summer Sayings - Gina K. Designs

Patterned paper - Webster Pages Petite Papers

Cardstock - Bravo Burgundy (SU), Pure Luxury Pure Ivory Cardstock - Gina K. Designs

Accessories - Pearl Flourish & Pearl Accents - Zva Creative, Lattice Pendant - Spellbinders™ Paper Arts, Sweet Plum Memento Ink - Tsukineko
 

Unique Chipboard Tag!

So in the next few weeks, a few important people in my life will be having birthdays plus Mother's Day is coming up.  My oldest daughter will turn 17 next week and I wanted to make something for her that was a step above a card.  So while playing around with my supplies, I decided it would be neat to make a chipboard tag for her present and then she could use it in her room as a wall hanging, too.  Here is the finished project!

I have created a small tutorial to show you how I made this project.  This is the type of project that is fun to make because I got to use a bunch of my stash of goodies!

First step - Using a pencil trace around the piece of chipboard onto the patterned paper.  Here I am using some Prima Watercolor Rainbow Collection - Whimsy - paper.  It's so beautiful that I had a hard time cutting into it!

After cutting out the patterned paper, I glued the paper to the chipboard and used a sanding block to smooth the edges.  In the past, when doing this step, I have usually used a glue stick.  But a friend of mine told me about Zip Dry Paper Glue from Beacon Adhesives and it works great!  It allows you some wiggle room to get the piece of paper into place but there is no need to wait for it to dry!  Fast, fast, fast!

 

Using a blending tool and Tattered Rose distress ink pad, I sponged around the edges of the tag.  Then using my Crop-a-dile, I added a hole with a large pewter brad.

Now you can set the tag aside and begin working on the embellishments.  I just love those swirly, flourish chipboard frames you can buy now but I really hate paying so much for just 2 or 3 of them.  So I decided to make my own frame using the Fair Isle Pendant die templates from Spellbinders™ Paper Arts.  The pendant has the perfect center to use to make a wonderful frame!  First, I cut some 120lb Kraft cardstock using just the largest die in the Fair Isle template set.  Then I left the paper in the die and positioned the center into place using some repositionable tape.  See how it looks in the picture?  I fed this thru my Wizard™ and cut the center.

After cutting the center, I left the cardstock and both dies in place and embossed.  The sandwich I used in the Wizard is:  White Master Mat, die (cut side up) with cardstock, Tan Embossing Mat and White Master Mat.  Feed that thru the Wizard and it looks so nice!

Now its time to get messy!  On my Non-Stick Craft Sheet, I inked up the Kraft cardstock frame using White Craft Ink .

After inking, I applied some Heat & Stick powder to the wet and inky frame.  I heat set that just for a few seconds following the directions for Heat & Stick powder.  Now the only place I know to get Heat & Stick Powder is from Stampin' Up!  It's cool stuff and I used it alot!

Apply some micro glitter all over the frame and heat set again.  Now you have a beautiful white, sparkly frame to use on your tag!  Isn't it gorgeous?  I wish you could see it in real life cause its so pretty!

Using the otherside of the Prima patterned paper, I cut a small square to fit inside the sparkly frame.  Using the Fair Isle Borderabilities, I cut/embossed the bottom scalloped detail for the tag. 

I used 1/8" Sookwang Adhesive tape to adhere my square of patterned paper to the frame and to attach the scalloped border to the tag.  This tape is the same as Scor-Pal tape only cheaper!  It's another great adhesive to have on hand.  I also use this size of the tape to adhere lace to a project and its so thin that it works perfectly!

I stamped this sentiment from Gina K. Designs onto the patterned paper and punched it out using a new EK Success punch I got a couple of weeks ago.  I added all my embellishments and the pearl flourish to complete the tag!

Those paper roses are from Prima, too!  The letters are from the sale bin at Hobby Lobby.  Sometimes you hit the jackpot on those sales, don't you?  The pearl flourish is from Zva Creative!  I love how you can shape the pearls to fit where you need them to go!

After making this tag, I cut up another cereal box and made a second tag.  Yes, I used a cereal box.  I cut 2 pieces of the box and glued them together to get the weight I wanted.  It's a great way to recycle, don't you think? 

This tag is for my mom.  I used some Shabby Green Door patterned paper that was a present from my friend, Heidi.  The flowers and pearls are from Zva Creative.  I used some more of those sale bin letter tiles and some ribbon at the top of the tag! 

So what do you think?  Are you ready to make something unique for the next special birthday in your life?  I think you should give it try!

Stardust and Babies!

It was a mini Virtual Stamp Night over at Splitcoaststampers last night.  I got to work on 3 of the challenges but have to say only one of my projects turned out any good!  I guess not much mojo for me last night!  Here is a card I made for the Babies, Babies Challenge.  You were to make a project about Babies or Weddings using a MonoChromatic color scheme.  Here is my card!

For this card, I used some Graphic45 patterned paper.  I cut out the panels using a Scalloped Rectangle Lg Nestabilities.  The bottom detail on the card is made with the Eyelet Borderabilities.  The sentiment is from Practically Perfect stamp set from Verve Stamps.  I stamped it onto Ivory cardstock and cut/embossed it using the Fancy Tags die.  The I carefully cut around the embossed edge and layered it onto a Fancy Tag cut from So Saffron.  I threaded the ribbon thru and tied my bow.  I added some pearls from Zva Creative and it was all done!  Pretty easy card probably but last night it wasn't easy!  Don't you hate days like that?  Hope you are having a great weekend.  I will have some Mother's Day projects to show you on Monday!

Ways To Use It Challenge

Today on Splitcoaststampers is the Ways to Use It Challenge.  Today's challenge is called Mixing Patterns - so you must use different patterns on your project.  So here is a card I came up with!

I used some Webster Pages 6x6 Petite papers in different patterns.  But what I really want to show you is the felt flower I made the other night using The Wizard™ and the Dahlia Nestabilities™.  The dies cut thru the 100% felt like butter.  It was awesome!  I cut a Scalloped Paisley out of green felt for the leaf.  I then stacked everything together and using a needle and thread sewed thru all layers.  Super neat, huh?  Here are a few more I made!

 

I stitched around the outside of the layers on one of my flowers but that takes a long time!  I can't wait to make some projects for these cute flowers to decorate!  Hope you have a great day!  If you are interested in a tutorial on this, please leave a comment!  Very fun!