Tuesday 22 May 2012

Paper and Such Father's Day Challenge



Time for another challenge at Paper and Such, and this time we're creating cards on a Father's Day theme!  I pulled out the fantastic Deer Dad set again, it's perfect for masculine cards.  
I grew up in the Copper River Basin in Alaska and enjoyed the beautiful Wrangell mountains in full view every day.  Sometimes when the sun set over the mountain range there would be a pink, gold or purple glow which was absolutely radiant.  I was trying for a bit of that look on my card, then realized my sun wasn't low enough for a sunset!  
But it was fun to make and I love creating scenes around this regal buck.
I used post-it-notes as masks for the mountains and sun and
MFT's Fishtail Flags STAX Die-namics to make the dp banner. 
I hope you're inspired by the Father's Day creations the Design Team have created for the challenge - I've really enjoyed being a Guest Designer with these talented ladies!
Supplies include:
Memento Tuxedo Black ink
Ranger Distress Spun Sugar ink
SU Old Olive, Lucky Limeade, Orchid Opulence, Baja Breeze, Basic Gray, Yoyo Yellow ink
SU dp
SU Early Espresso cardstock
Brads
Copics
Post-it-notes

Sunday 20 May 2012

Morning Glory Sympathy


Today's Featured Stamper at Splitcoaststampers is Candance Pierce, aka candylou.  
I love Candance's style and chose this clean card with lots of white space to CASE: Happy Birthday.
I love the embossed background and the pink and white color combo she chose.
I changed the theme from birthday to a sympathy card - it's a sad fact of life that we always need to have sympathy cards on hand, and the all white background suits the clean style I prefer for sympathy cards.
This flower image is Morning Glory from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps and I love how easy it 
is to color - the leaves on the image are every bit as beautiful as the flowers.
The sentiment is from the SNSS set Elegant Blessings.  A simple sympathy sentiment in an elegant font is absolutely invaluable as far as I'm concerned!
I changed the card to a square and offset the image to the left.  Instead of using liquid pearls I used half pearls.
Supplies include:
Paper Mill Shop white linen cardstock
Memento Tuxedo Black ink
Ribbon
Pearls
Copics
Sewing machine

Wednesday 16 May 2012

Lighten Your Load


Someone asked me to make a retirement card and the Sketch Challenge at Splitcoaststampers seemed perfect for using Papertrey Ink's On My Couch set...it's always fun to paper piece, kind of like a mini interior design job!  I popped up the seat cushions and the pillow adding a tiny brad.  
The main panel of the sketch is tilted, which makes this cozy little living room look a bit like it's in an earthquake zone!
All the panels were stitched, I'm kind of stuck using a zig zag stitch as I can't seem to get my tension adjusted properly for a straight stitch.
I sponged the main panel - the ink was a little too pink and a deep coral was the color I was aiming for so I lightly added some rust sponging to bring the color closer to the matching shade I was looking for.
I combined two sentiments from the set for this...I'll add the persons name using a tiny tag also.
The seam binding is crinkled by spraying it with water and scrunching, and I added buttons and ric rac to finish.
Supplies include:
Papertrey Ink On My Couch
Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles
Sewing machine
Buttons
Twine
My Minds Eye Miss Caroline Howdy Doody dp
DCWV dp
Memento Tuxedo Black ink
Versamagic Pixie Dust ink

Sunday 13 May 2012

Praying for you


The Featured Stamper at Splitcoaststampers today is TracyMac - what  a gallery full of beautifully colored images!  HERE is the card I chose for my inspiration today.  
I sponged the circle while still in the Nestie die with Ranger Distress ink and then popped up this Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Rose Blossom image on it.  I love coloring this rose and it's also easy to cut out.
I used three panels to the left instead of one - my mother recently sent me MFT's Fishtail Flags STAX Die-namics, and once I started making those, I couldn't stop!  
My Mom is a card maker herself and is always sending me fun and useful things - thank you, Mom!  Mother's Day was in March here in the U.K. and Ireland, but I know those in the North America are celebrating today...for all of you who are mothers or who care for others with a mother's heart....have a very happy Mother's Day today!
Supplies include:
Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles
Twine
October Afternoon button
Ranger Distress Scattered Straw ink
Memento Tuxedo Black ink
Copics
My Minds Eye, Cosmo Cricket, SU dp

Saturday 12 May 2012

Big Day


A dear friend and I were out shopping this afternoon for another friend's birthday present - I came home to design a card to go along with our gift and here it is!  
I used the My Favorite Things Wednesday Sketch Club #71 sketch by Julie this week and got my inspiration at Hard to Find, the website Anne picked for today's Inspiration Challenge at Splitcoaststampers.  Several items made me think of dp that I had - this Floral Frame and the French Rural Red Pin Board.   That pin board is right up my alley!
All edges have been sponged with Distress ink and I used Versafine Black Onyx ink for a good strong black color on the sentiment.
The flower is made using MFT's Loopy Bloom Die-namic - I have some shimmery gold organza in my fabric stash which I folded over before cutting with the die, then rolled up two of them since the fabric is so fine.  
At the end of April I was delighted to be named a Favorite Find at My Favorite Things and won a gift voucher - I got this fabulous set Big Greetings - I love it!
Supplies include:
My Minds Eye, October Afternoon, Cosmo Cricket dp
Twine
October Afternoon buttons
Organza
Sewing machine
Ranger Distress Frayed Burlap ink
Versafine Black Onyx ink


Wednesday 9 May 2012

Paper and Such May Release Hop


It's release time at Paper and Such and there are two fabulous sets to showcase for you today!  
I'm enjoying the opportunity to be a Guest Designer with the talented Paper and Such team!
I made this card using a fantastic set called Deer Dad - what a regal, proud image which is very easy to color.  
I masked the deer image and then using post-it-notes, added some mountains.  I added the clouds using a Papertrey Ink cloud die-cut.
All the dp's have been sponged with Distress ink for a natural, out-door look and I added hemp twine and some leaf die-cuts to complete that theme.  The set has several sentiments for various occasions but I used the one for Father's Day so I'm all set for June!
Supplies include:
K & Co. dp
Echo Park dp
My Minds Eye dp
Stamping Up Baja Breeze, Creamy Caramel, Soft Suede ink
Memento Tuxedo Black ink
Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles
Joy Craft leaf dies
Hemp twine



This card was made using a new set called Strawberry - it includes this strawberry plant along with three smaller images and three sentiments.  What a pretty, summery image, I loved working with it!
 I had all kinds of plans with different dp's and eventually went with a more CAS bg.
I added some green cardstock behind the doily for more definition, and then added some flourish die-cuts and gingham ribbon - gingham makes me think of summer picnics!
Supplies include:
Copics
Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles
Cheery Lynn Designs English Tea Party doily
Cheery Lynn Designs Fanciful Flourish die
Ribbon
October Afternoon button
White twine
Memento Tuxedo Black ink
Stampin Up Real Red, Lucky Limeade cardstock
Paper Mill Shop White Linen cardstock 

Here's a full list of all the designers participating today so that you can check out every creation with the new sets, don't miss out on any of  the fabulous inspiration from the design team!  By leaving comments along the way, you could be the randomly chosen winner of both stamp sets - you have until Friday night!
Thanks so much for stopping by!

Tuesday 8 May 2012

Paper and Such May Flowers Challenge


I'm delighted to be a Guest Designer with Paper and Such this month along with the talented Laurel Seabrook, and it's time for one of the twice monthly challenges - it's all about "May Flowers"!
I adore poppy images and Paper and Such Poppies was so much fun to color - 
I sponged the oval with Ranger Distress Scattered Straw and colored the poppies with copics.  
I used MFT's Fishtail Flags STAX Die-namics for the panel and sentiment banners.  For finishing touches I added a button and gingham ribbon!
I hope you get the chance to play along too, I'm looking forward to seeing your creations!
Supplies include:
Spellbinders Nestabilities Ovals Petite Large, Small
Memory Box dp
Ranger Distress Scattered Straw ink
Memento Tuxedo Black ink
Ribbon
October Afternoon button
Sewing machine
Copics
White gel pen

Monday 7 May 2012

Postal Collage



  The Featured Stamper at Splitcoaststampers yesterday was Heather Telford (Heather T) and I used her style of masking and sponging for my card - I loved the look so much I decided to make another one today, a collage card using lots of fabulous Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps!
You could use any combination of stamps  for a similar look but I based mine around the postal theme using the Vintage Postcard set - I'm finding it to be such a useful, fun set of stamps to work with!
I started by measuring a 3/4 in. border around my square card and adding a post-it-note frame as a mask.  I then took various inks and sponged inside the square.  Again, any combination works, but colors which blend well together are easier, ie. pinks into purples, blue into green, green into yellow, etc.
I began stamping by using the Light of Christmas stamp for a script bg - by wiping away some of the ink on the inside edge of the script bg stamp, you achieve a faded edge instead of a hard edge.  I then took various images and stamped them randomnly for the collage look.  I thought that "God Bless You" inside the postal mark was just the sentiment I was looking for and simply added a pink pearl as an accent.  
I found this to be an easy, quick card, which was really fun to do and I hope you will too!
Supplies include:
Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Light of Christmas Background
Stampin Up Melon Mambo, Pretty in Pink, Orchid Opulence, Lavender Lace ink
Versafine Black Onyx ink
Post-it-notes
Pearl

Saturday 5 May 2012

Tough Times


I made this card for today's Inspiration Challenge at Splitcoaststampers - the website featured today is the Victorian Trading Company and there was so much fabulous inspiration that it was hard to choose, but as soon as I saw this American Beauty Umbrella, I knew I would be heading for the MFT Mini Rolled Rose Die-namics and the red felt - I never get tired of rolling those sweet little roses!  I added some black brads and leaves using the Martha Stewart Rose Leaf punch - using a scoring tool to add lines to represent veins makes the leaf pop up with lovely dimension and texture.
This is also the MFT Wednesday Sketch Club #70 sketch this week given to us by Frances (stampowl).  
My mom just sent me MFT Fishtail Flags STAX Die-namics, so making banners has become a lot easier!  Thanks, Mom!  I used my Perfect Layers tools to add a small black frame behind it.
This sentiment is so very true and the card will be going to a friend of mine who's going through a nightmare time at work - she knows we're right behind her in prayer through the whole thing, so I hope this will encourage her.
Supplies include:
Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles, Lacey Circles
Martha Stewart Rose Leaf punch
Ribbon
Brads
Sewing machine
Felt
Versafine Black Onyx ink
SU Lucky Limeade, Real Red, Basic Black cardstock
SU dp
Echo Park dp
Perfect Layers Tools


Friday 4 May 2012

Welcome Puppy

I used the MFT Wednesday Sketch Club #70 sketch for my card and bottle tag to make this set for someone who is celebrating the joy of getting a brand new puppy!
The bottle tag is on a bottle of doggie shampoo...I'm planning on doing a pampering set for a friend along the same lines, I just love being able to make a tag for all kinds of bottles so easily with the MFT Let's Toast Die-namics.
I also made a tag for a little rawhide chewbone to complete the set.
Here's a photo of the card itself:
All edges have been distressed with Ranger Distress Frayed Burlap ink.  I was wishing I had the MFT Pet Charm Die-namics and the Pinking Edge Die-namic for this, but I just used my old pinking shears - not that easy to get it straight!
I recently found some twine by Creative Expressions which is cream instead of white mixed with the colors, and I love it for distressed, vintage or retro cards.
Supplies include:
Basic Grey brads
October Afternoon buttons
Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles
Sewing Machine
Ranger Distress Frayed Burlap ink
Memento Tuxedo Black ink
SU Red Riding Hood cardstock
Jenny Bowlin dp
Pinking shears


Thursday 3 May 2012

Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps May Release Blog Hop



Hi, and welcome to the SNSS May Release Blog Hop - so glad you could join us!  Once again, we've got some exciting new stamps and dies from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps to showcase for you today!  You'll want to visit each and every stop on the blog to enjoy all the inspiration - and don't forget to leave comments because one lucky commenter will win the entire release - they will be chosen randomnly from one of the blogs, and you've got until Saturday, May 5, 8:00 pm EST! Get comfy and enjoy each and every creation the Design Diva's have come up with....here's my first card:

I absolutely love this new set called Nature Silhouettes with it's birds, butterfly, dragonfly and various botanical images....the possibilities are absolutely endless, I feel like I could make cards all day with this one!
I chose to use the Queen Anne's Lace and thistle flower images here.
I sponged a sky using a cloud die-cut before stamping this scene.  I used a sentiment from the set God's Purpose...you can never have too many Thinking of You cards!  
The dp panel is stitched onto cardstock and I used a Memory Box vine die-cut.
Supplies include:
Paper Mill Shop White Linen cardstock
SU Melon Mambo, Old Olive cardstock
Echo Park Victoria Gardens dp
Ribbon
SU Cool Caribbean, Melon Mambo, Rich Razzleberry, Lucky Limeade, Cool Caribbean ink
Sewing Machine
Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles Large, Small
Memory Box Delicate Vine die



I created this card  using a new set called Wedding Collage...the main image comes with all kinds of fabulous sentiments for the very special occasion!
I dry embossed the main panel and then embossed over that with gold ink and embossing powder for a thick enameled look.  I also embossed the edges of the image panel with gold ink though it's hard to see here.
The flourishes have been cut with metallic gold cardstock to match.
All edges have been sponged with Ranger Distress Antique Linen ink.  
To finish I added gold cording and a vintage pearl brad.
This card actually fits in a square envelope because of the image at the top of the tent fold.
Supplies include:
Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Wedding Collage
Cheery Lynn Fanciful Flourish die
Cuttlebug embossing folder
Gold embossing ink, powder
Versafine Black Onyx ink
Ranger Distress Antique Linen ink
Gold cord
Vintage button
Pearls
Paper Mill Shop cream linen cardstock
Fiskars Corner Rounder

Here's a full list of all the bloggers participating today so you don't miss a single creation - if you're following along, the next stop is with the fun and talented Taylor Usry:

Jessica Fick

And don't forget the May Release Party over in the SNSS Member Forum at Splitcoaststampers tonight at 8:00 pm EST.  There'll be full reveals of the stamps and dies, plus fun challenges and chat!
I hope you're enjoying the hop, thanks so much for stopping by!

Tuesday 1 May 2012

Pet Sympathy


I've always wished that I had a sentiment for a pet sympathy card and I now I've found a very meaningful one at Paper and Such!  This sweet little doggie and sentiment are part of a set called Patriot and Friends which includes several lovely pet images and cute sentiments as well.
And I'm absolutely delighted to be a Guest Designer for Paper and Such along with the very talented Laurel Seabrook for the month of May!
I made this for the CAS challenge at Splitcoaststampers to use brown, green and white or ivory, and feeling that I had to stick close to the challenge colors, I sponged the sky with distress ink in "brown tones" - I used a cloud die-cut (Papertrey Ink) and added grass with copics.
The little flowers are part of a Rubber Stamp Tapestry set and though it's hard to tell in my photo, there are little gems in the centers.
The little dog is colored with copics and poppped up.
Supplies include:
Paper Mill Shop white linen cardstock
Twine
Spellbinders Nestabilities Ovals Petite
Button
Ranger Distress Antique Linen ink
Memento Tuxedo Black ink
Copics
Gems
Papertrey Ink cloud die