Monday 30 January 2012

Golden Morning

Over at Splitcoaststampers the CAS Challenge is to use a jigsaw puzzle as an inspirations...here it is:
I first cut a large circle with a Spellbinders Nestie from a large post-it-note, making sure that it was on the "sticky" end.  I stuck the post-it-note with the circle cut out of it on the card where I wanted the scene to be.
I cut some round slopes for hill shapes from post-it-notes and stuck them where I'd like the hills to be across the bottom.  I saved the negative bit, or the post-it-note which I'd cut the hill shapes from, for later use.
I cut a small circle with Nesties for the sun and stuck that where I wanted the sun to be, saving the negative bit, or the post-it-note from which the sun was cut, for later use.
I then took two cloud die cuts and used them to sponge the sky, placing them randomnly, starting at the top, and moving downwards, just sponging around the top edge so that there is plenty of white space for the "cloud" effect.
When the sky was completed I removed the sun circle post-it-note mask  and took the piece of post-it-note I'd cut it from and placed it exactly over the uninked circle area...I then sponged inside the circle with yellow and orange.
Time for the hills!  I removed the post-it-note shaped hills and used the negative post-it-note I'd cut them from, placing them exactly over the uninked area so that  the sky area was covered...then sponged inside the hills with two shades of green, darker at the top of each hill and lighter at the bottom. 
After removing all the masks...a perfect inked circle!
The tree was cut with My Favorite Things Sheltering Tree and Leaf Trio Die-namic.  It was cut from cream cardstock and then sponged with SU's Soft Suede ink so that the embossed bark texture is more visible.
For this tree only the two smaller sized leaves were used.
The sun coming up on a beautiful summer morning made me think of this sentiment from Verve:
"Morning by morning, new mercies I see."
Somehow it's easier to "see" the mercies on a sunny morning but they're just as real on a gray winter day like today! 
If my instructions aren't clear enough, please let me know...or if you think a photo tutorial would be helpful! 
Supplies include:
Papermill Shop White Linen cardstock
SU Lucky Limeade cardstock
SU Soft Suede ink
SU Yoyo Yellow ink
SU Cool Caribbean ink
SU Lucky Limeade ink
SUCertainly Celery ink
MFT Sheltering Tree and Leaf Trio Die-namic
Verve New Mercies
Versafine Black Onyx ink


Friday 27 January 2012

The Perfect Blend

Wendy Weixler (wendybell) at Splitcoaststampers has us celebrating National Chocolate Cake Day (I believe that's just in the U.S.!) by making a card with kraft and brown.  I'm also honoring Toni (ravengirl) who is Queen for the Day with my card using Sweet n' Sassy Stamps Cocoa's Latte.  Toni  made a card about tea and friendship and I love this little sentiment because it reminds me of all the fun times of coffee and chat I've had with my good friends! 
I sponged the circle while still in the die and also sponged my paper piecing to give the look of dimension. 
I still have my sewing machine out of the closet so it's been fun to add stitching to my cards lately!
Have a great weekend everyone!
Supplies include:
Ranger Distress Frayed Burlap ink
Memento Tuxedo Black ink
Versafine Vintage Sepia ink
Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles, Lacey Circles
October Afternoon dp
Echo Park dp
Stampin Up Lucky Limeade cardstock
Kraft cardstock 
Stampin Up button
Stampin Up seam binding
Copics
Sewing Machine

Thursday 26 January 2012

Valentine Hugs

I've created this card using week 3 of this month's Viva la Verve sketches, created by Teresa.  I've discovered that I have a serious gap in my Nesties and dies when it comes to hearts so this one was cut free hand, or at least with a little stencil I made.
All edges have been sponged with Ranger Distress Frayed Burlap.  The heart has been sponged with SU's Real Red for more definition. 
When it comes to wrapping twine vertically on a tent fold card this way, the only solution I can come up with is to cut a tiny slit with my craft knife along the fold.  I also add a tiny touch of glue at the bottom so the twine doesn't slide around going in and out of an envelope.
The sentiment banner was made with a small square punch.
Supplies include:
Basic Grey Picadilly dp
My Minds Eye dp
Ranger Distress Frayed Burlap ink
SU Real Red ink
Verve Kind Words
SU button
Twine (The Twinery)
SU Real Red cardstock
Sewing machine
Small square punch

Monday 23 January 2012

Belleek for Mum

 The Technique Challenge  at Splitcoaststampers today is to make a card with the faux porcelain look - Judy (stampingQueenJAR) was inspired by the gorgeous porcelain produced at the Belleek factory when she visited Ireland and Northern Ireland.  Well, since we live only a few hours from the factory, I had to give this a try!  When my parents come to stay from the U.S. my Mom loves to visit the factory and has picked up some beautiful pieces over the years.  Belleek now produces some modern and minimalist lines but my Mom loves the traditional pieces including the ones with flowers and shamrocks.  I created this card for her for Mother's Day, and this Waltzingmouse sentiment seemed perfect - because of it's meaning and because Waltzingmouse stamps are from Northern Ireland!
The technique involves inking up one side of the embossing folder with a color such as Ranger Distress Antique Linen or SU's Crumb Cake.  I went a step further and added several layers of clear embossing powder to give the shiny effect of porcelain.  I also used a few layers of clear embossing on the flourish and flower.  The flower is punched with Martha Stewarts hydrangea punches.
I kept the card clean and simple for the CAS Challenge to use the color combo pink, celery and white...strictly speaking this isn't white, it's off-white!
Supplies include:
Waltzingmouse Roses in Bloom (sentiment)
Craft Concepts Budding Vine embossing folder
Versafine Black Onyx ink
Ranger Distress Antique Linen ink
Martha Stewart hydrangea punches
Cheery Lynn Designs Fanciful Flourish

Thursday 19 January 2012

Perfect Love

I created this card using Week 1 of the January Viva la Verve sketches.  All the edges have been sponged with Ranger Distress inks and I stitched the panels onto the dp before attaching it to the card base.
I used a small square punch to make the fishtail effect on the sentiment banner.  This ribbon frays badly when it's cut at an angle so I sealed the ends with a lit match.  Yeah, I know, it's living dangerously, but I've gotten pretty good at holding it just in the right spot so it doesn't actually burn the ribbon!
My card is for a good friend who is trying to overcome a fear but feels it's nearly impossible.  Recently this Bible verse has become very meaningful to her and it's on the inside of the card, hence the two heart pins to represent God's love:
"Perfect love casts out fear..." I John 4:18
So with God's love and help I know she'll triumph over fear!
Supplies include:
Verve Words of Wisdom
Memory Box, Basic Gray dp
Ranger Distress Antique Linen, Frayed Burlap ink
Memento Tuxedo Black ink
Button (October Afternoon)
Twine
Ribbon
Pins
Small square punch
Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles

Wednesday 18 January 2012

Chickadee

This is a card I designed using the sketch over at Splitcoaststampers Sketch Challenge today and also the photo for the Sweet n' Sassy Stamps Inspiration Challenge this week...take a look at Taylor's fabulous photo and you'll see why I chose these colors and elements.

I colored the berries in gray hues and highlighted them with a white gel pen, before adding Stickles and glitter - it's not evident in the photo however.  I was trying for the look of some white berries I see on bushes during the winter.  The gray dp has some fabulous sparkle on the polka dots and the whole panel is framed in gray.
Supplies include:
Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles
Silver cord
Button
Memento Tuxedo Black ink
SU Pool Party ink
Silver pearls
Sewing machine
My Minds Eye dp

Sunday 15 January 2012

Happy Dancin'

I made this card for the Featured Stamper Challenge at Splitcoaststampers - my friend Linda (Holstein) is being featured today and I love her style with scoring and embossing so my card had to include that!
My sister sent me this pom pom ribbon which matched the dp perfectly and I found an old SU stamp pad called Sage Shadow to sponge the circle.  The silhouette is heat embossed for a good strong image. 
This sentiment is exactly what I want to say for many occasions whether big celebrations or just those times when you want to let a friend know you're rejoicing with them!  The stamps are from the set Together Silhouettes by Sweet n' Sassy Stamps
Supplies include:
Pom pom ribbon
SU Sage Shadow ink
Black embossing ink
Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles
MFT Dizzy Doily Die-namic
Sizzix embossing folder
My Minds Eye dp

Saturday 14 January 2012

Apple of My Eye

I've been having so much fun with this new set Punny Fruit and Vegetables designed by Korin at Sweet n' Sassy Stamps. Though the sentiments and images are perfect for Valentines, they can be used all through out the year for so many different occasions. They're also very easy to color, cut out, and pop up as
I did with this smiling little apple. I distressed all edges with Ranger Distress ink and did a bit a of stitching to try and add to the country farmhouse look. I made a small pennant with the main sentiment by using the corner of a small square punch to give the fish tail effect on the right side. This works great for those of us who don't have pennant or banner dies yet!
While making this card I kept thinking about this verse in Psalms, when David was recognising God's incredible love and and asking for His powerful protection to continue:
"Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings."
Psalm 17:8
Imagine the delight of receiving a card with this wonderful sentiment - "You're the apple of my eye" - what a way to remind someone how much you love them!
Supplies include:
Papermill Shop green cardstock
Twine (The Twinery)
October Afternoon button
October Afternoon dp
Sewing machine
Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles
My Favorite Things, Dizzy Doily Die-namic
Copics
Small square punch
Ranger Distress Antique Linen, Frayed Burlap ink
Lifestyle Crafts Inverted Square Nesting dies

Friday 13 January 2012

Enduring Love

We were to use something hot and cool to make a valentine today for the Free for All challenge at Splitcoaststampers - I used my favorite ink pad ever, Cool Caribbean from SU, and a hot pink rose.
I love using hearts along with verses about God's love, and hadn't inked up this Unity sentiment yet!
I'm also honoring Judy (jaydekay) at SCS who is Queen for the Day 95 - I used a heart and flower layout from one of the cards in her amazing gallery.
I sketched a heart on paper and cut it out to use the shape left on the page for a mask.  I tape down the card onto my table with masking tape and then tape down the paper too, so that they both stay in place while I'm sponging.  The leaves and flourishes are snipped from a die-cut using my favorite Cheery Lynn Designs Fanciful Flourish.
Supplies include:
Unity Faith sentiment
Cheery Lynn Designs Fanciful Flourish die
Wild Orchid Crafts rose
SU Cool Caribbean ink
SU Lucky Limeade cardstock
Memento Tuxedo Black ink

Thursday 12 January 2012

Lace Covered Wedding

Last year I made wedding invitations for our neighbors daughter and each one was completely covered in lace - I glued a liner inside to cover up the edges - needless to say, it was a big job, but she was delighted with them!  For this I used one of the card bases that I had leftover.  I cut out an embossed heart free hand - but if you find that tricky you can always google a heart in images (or any object for that matter, I've done a guitar, boat, and various other things) and use the outline as a template.  The ribbon here was on a Christmas present and I used a vintage button, which was in a jar of them which  I bought at St. Georges Saturday morning market in Belfast city center (or "centre" for my U.K. readers!)
I entered this in Splitcoaststampers Ways to Use It challenge because it was about using stickers - I stuck the sentiment sticker onto cardstock so that it could be popped up.
Supplies include:
Lace
Papermill Shop cream linen cardstock
Vintage button
Ribbon,
Sizzix plaid embossing folder
Making Memories Definitions sticker

Wednesday 11 January 2012

Hi, Hot Stuff!

I made this using the great layout for the sketch challenge at Splitcoaststampers today - Korin's hosting the challenge and this is a set she designed!  I love the fun images in this set called Punny Fruit and Vegetables from Sweet n' Sassy Stamps - they're so easy to color and pop up!  I added the sentiment using a speech bubble cut with the MFT's Say What Die-namic and finished off with a bow, buttons and stitching.  The sketch really suits clean and simple cards, and I know I'll be using it again!
Supplies include:
MFT Say What Die-namic
SU Lucky Limeade cardstock
Scrap dp
October Afternoon buttons
Sewing machine

Monday 9 January 2012

Quick and Easy Gift

I don't know about you, but I'm into candles during the dark winter evenings in January, especially right after taking down all the bright, cheery Christmas lights!  So now I have a couple of Yankee Candles which are all used up and wanted to recycle the jars.  I put the jar in a pan of hot water to loosen the last of the wax, popped it out and cleaned the last little bits of wax out with a paper towel.  The process soaks the label off too.  I then got it sparkling clean with dish soap and filled it with inexpensive red scented tea lights. 
Then it was just a matter of adding a verse cut with Nestabilities Labels Four and a rolled rose using MFT's rolled rose Die-namic.  I finished by adding butcher's twine and a button to the lid.
I was keeping this CAS for today's challenge at Splitcoaststampers to use die-cuts, but I plan on making a few more of these and maybe doing them up with tags, more flowers, some dp, etc.
This is gift for a good friend and I hope this verse encourages her as much as it does me.  What it says about God and His relationship with us is absolutely incredible to me!  The picture of God quieting us with His love, taking great delight in us, and rejoicing over us with singing reminds me of a mother with her baby.
Supplies include:
Our Daily Bread Designs Scripture Series 1
Spellbinders Nestabilities Labels Four Large, Small
Ranger Distress Antique Linen ink
Memento Tuxedo Black ink
Felt
SU Taken with Teal, Lucky Limeade, Very Vanilla cardstock
Cheery Lynn Designs Fanciful Flourish die
MFT Rolled Rose Die-namic
Button
Butchers twine

Saturday 7 January 2012

Happy for You

I just had to reach for this fantastic silhouette set again when Wendy at Splitcoaststampers gave us a "potpourri" list of different things to include on our card for the Free for All challengeSweet n' Sassy Stamps Together Silhouettes is already a favorite set!
I heat embossed  the little girls in brown for a good strong image and then I used a layout similar to one of Wendy's cards as she was Queen for the Day at SCS!
I inked up one side of the embossing folder with Ranger Distress Antique Linen to give the embossing extra definition.
It's a gray and overcast here in Northern Ireland and I'm off to do my housework.
Whatever you're doing this weekend, I wish you a good one!
Supplies include:
Brown embossing ink and powder
Ranger Distress Antique Linen
My Minds Eye dp
Coordinations brown cardstock
MFT Faux Crochet Die-namic
Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles Large, Small
Ribbon
Felt
Gem brad
Cheery Lynn Designs Fanciful Flourish (leaves)
Jute twine

Thursday 5 January 2012

Sweet 'n Sassy January Release Blog Hop



Happy New Year! 

Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps has an amazing release planned for this month, and the Design Divas are so excited!  Eight new clear stamp sets and three new sets of dies will be available in the store tonight.  Wherever you are, I hope you're cozy and comfortable and have something hot to sip....you don't want to miss out on a single one of the creations showcasing the new goodies!
                            Here's my first project with one of the new sets:

I'm going to have so much fun with  Punny Fruit and Vegetables - it has an apple, beet, pear, chili, peach and orange as well as this darling pea pod, along with some really fun puns as sentiments.
They could be used for all kinds of occasions and other sentiments include "smile", "thank you", and
"Happy Valentines Day".
I stamped the pea pod three times so that I could pop up various parts of it. 
The card base is covered with dp and the bottom corners rounded. 
I added a flower and flourishes using dies and finished with a border and twine.
Supplies include:
Copics
Sweet n Sassy Stamps Punny Fruit and Vegetables
Memory Box Pristine border
MFT Fanciful Flourish Die-namic
MFT Small Flower Die-namic
The Twinery twine
Echo Park dp
Lifestyle Crafts Inverted Square Nesting Dies
Fiskars corner rounder
Mini button

Together Silhouettes is a set designed by Dina Kowal and has three gorgeous silhouettes plus 5 fabulous sentiments.  I love the way the sentiments are designed with such a beautiful font.  The umbrella has a separate image so that it can be colored or paper pieced - what a great idea, there's so much room for YOUR creativity here!
I heat embossed the silhouette for a good strong effect on the dp and distressed all the edges for a vintage look.  I did a bit of stitching and added a banner and twine across the top corner.  Each penant has a little punched heart.
The twine is dyed with Ranger Distress Antique Linen ink to help it blend with the vintage look.
Supplies include:
Sweet n' Sassy Stamps Together Silhouettes
October Afternoon dp
Stamping Up dp
My Minds Eye dp
Ranger Distress Antique Linen, Frayed Burlap ink
Black embossing ink and powder
SU Basic Black, Real Red cardstock
Papertrey Ink Banner Builder die
Mini heart punch
The Twinery twine
Pearls
Lace
Spellbinders Nestabilties Circles
Sewing machine


One more card with the fabulous set Together Silhouettes.  This one I tried to keep CAS and I thought it would make a great Valentine!
Supplies include:
MFT Layered Label Die-namic
Verve A Cut Above From the Heart die
Brads
Black embossing ink
Sewing machine
Spellbinders Nestabilities Ovals

And now take a look at the rest of the Design Divas (and our very special January guest)...they've all whipped up some gorgeousness!
Your next stop on the blog hop is with Monika Davis and I know you're in for a treat!


Thanks so much for stopping by and enjoy the rest of the hop!  Don't forget our Release Party over at Splitcoaststampers tonight.  Join us on the Member Company Forum for all the fun!


        
                                 

Sunday 1 January 2012

2012 - Bring It On!

Just for TODAY, New Year's Day, Sweet n' Sassy Stamps are giving away this fabulous digi over on Facebook.  It's "Tank", Korin's cat, and he's not only just perfect for New Years but for all kinds of celebrations, particularly birthdays, throughout the year!  Don't forget Sweet n' Sassy Stamps has new releases coming out on Thursday, January 5th and I can tell you now, you're going to love them, there seems to be something for everyone!  It kicks off with a blog hop on Thursday, and you can see what the Design Team have come up with using the new sets.
I based my card on a layout by Lana (LunarLana) who is the Featured Stamper over at Splitcoaststampers today.
I used my new Lifestyle Crafts Inverted Square Nesties for this - those dies are such good value, there's 18 of them in the set!  This is made with the largest and measures approximately 5 and 1/2 inches.
Supplies include:
Sweet n' Sassy Stamps Tank digi
Echo Park dp
Papermill Shop cream linen cardstock
Coordinations Brown cardstock
Lifestyle Crafts Inverted Square Nesting dies
Spellbinders Nestabilities Ovals
Ranger Distress Frayed Burlap
Buttons
Twine (The Twinery)
Sewing machine