Friday, February 27, 2009

Three Little Chicks


I dusted off the few A Muse stamps that I have, and I had forgotten this little gem. These chicks, however small, are really adorable! This was a great sketch on the Mojo Monday blog...Mojo75. I can't believe that Easter is around the corner. I wasn't able to get to church on Ash Wednesday, but I did eat small meals and abstain from meat on that day. When you aren't used to it, you really have to think about not eating it! However, I was better prepared today, and even our 4 year old daughter is getting in on the action! "I'm not eating meat eider, Mommy!" I love how she says either! Anyway, sorry to get off track!

Here are the card details:

Stamps: Chick Trio by A Muse, sentiment from SU's More Great Greetings
Paper: Basic Grey Two Scoops, SU Wild Wasabi, Chocolate Chip, and Regal Rose
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Wild Wasabi
Accessories: EK Success border punch, SU ribbon, Blue rhinestone stickers, American Crafts Pure Glitter pen, Copics (Y02, BV00, YR02, RV11, RV34, G24) and spica glitter pens


Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Raindrops Keep Falling on my Head



I just love this stamp from Whiff of Joy...the name is Willow with Umbrella. She just has a sweetness about her, and I really enjoyed coloring this image because of the fun details. Hopefully, we can have some rain around here soon! This card is also my entry for the Whiff of Joy Guest Designer Call. I keep saying it, but you've got to be in it to win it! I figure that if I at least keep trying, I'm attempting to do my best and break out of my mold a bit. If anything, I have increased the amount of blog posts I make, found some awesome stamp companies, and stretched my abilities. There are so many people out in blog land to learn from! Ok, back from my little tangent!

Card details:

Stamps: Willow with Umbrella by Whiff of Joy; sentiment from $1 Studio G clear stamps
Paper: Riding Hood Red; Modern Milan Designer Paper by Me and My Big Ideas; Riding Hood Red DSP
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories: SU ribbon; SU and CM circle punches; EK Success edge punch; Copics (Shirt-R37, R39, B12; Jeans-B34, B45, R37; Skin-E02, E21; Hair-E57, 0; Umbrella-R37, B12; Shoes-N5); Spicas - clear, black

Let's put on my Paper Makeup!!

Whoa, hold on to your hats, I've got three Paper Makeup cards to share today! These are my three entries for the design team call.


My first card is using Chelly with Clover, and she just has a certain amount of spunk in her! I love her, especially with her leg kicked up in the back. I used Shimmerz on the shamrock and her wings. The world just seems brighter when you use Shimmerz!!
Card details:
Stamps: Chelly with Clover by Paper Makeup Stamps
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Paper: Groovy Guava, Choc. Chip, and Wild Wasabi CS and DSP
Accessories: Primas, SU brad, Shimmerz (Celery and Pixie Dust Blingz), SU Scalloped Edge punch, Copics (skin-E21, E00, R20; hair-Y21; Outfit-YR02, YR07, G24; Shoes-E33; Wings-E40; Shamrock-G24)


The second card uses a quote as the main focus, and for some reason the idea popped into my head while I was in the shower. For some reason, I zone out in the shower and have brief moments of clarity! I love this quote, and I equate hope and butterflies together in my own mind. The quote reads, "When the world says 'Give Up' Hope whispers, 'Try it one more time.'" Ain't that the truth!!!!

Card details:

Stamps: "When the world gives up..." by Paper Makeup Stamps
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Purely Pomegranate
Paper: Urban Prairie by Basic Grey, Very Vanilla and Purely Pomegranate CS
Accessories: MS butterfly punch, Primas, Shimmerz Pixie Dust Blingz and Sunflower, Making Memories Slice Noteworthy cartridge
The final card is with the ever ethereal Penelope from Paper Makeup stamps. She is definitely a beauty. I cut out the image, as I do with a lot of them, but I didn't realize how difficult that was going to be with the curls on the train of her dress. Next time, I will cut around her!!
Card details:
Stamps: Penelope by Paper Makeup Stamps
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Paper: Sultry by Basic Grey, Choc. Chip by SU
Accessories: Brown and Rose Red Grosgrain ribbon, Primas, Rhinestone brad, Nestabilities Labels, Copics (hair- E33, E57; Skin-E00, R20; Dress-RV02, RV34, RV11; wings-E41; shoes-RV34) and spicas for accent

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

RUN!!!


I know that is the craziest sentiment, but it just worked for me! And, I really didn't have another sentiment on hand that was fantastic!! So, after a glass of wine, I made up this one. In fact, I fell in love with this cute little guy named Spike from Paper Makeup Stamps because he reminds me of one of my all time favorite Friends' episodes. Remember the one where Phoebe runs through Central Park like a crazy person? Yeah, Spike reminds me of that, and he makes me chuckle every time. This card is for a sketch challenge over at PMS called PMSCC1, and it is a cute one!! Come on over and play!! We all love a good sketch challenge!

Here are the details:

Stamps: Spike by Paper Makeup Stamps
Paper: Riding Hood Red, Pacific Point, Pacific Point DSP, Georgia Pacific white
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Riding Hood Red, Pacific Point
Accessories: SU oval punches, SU ribbon, SU flower punch, Rhinestone sticker, Copics Original(Body: B12, B14, B37; Mouth: RV11, R20; Teeth: E41)

Monday, February 23, 2009

Anya and the Rockers


I was a big Barbie fan, back in the day! I remember Barbie and the Rockers, but I think it wasbeyond the "acceptable" age for me to play with those particular Barbies. But, what the heck, I still play with Barbies...I just do it with a four year old now!! I was trying to dream up something fun for Anya to do, and this card came to me!

I do have to tell you all about the background paper. It was black with line drawings of roses with leaves. Well, like a crazy person, I sat there and colored them in with Spica glitter pens in red and green. (I think I may be a little obsessed with coloring) Anyway, I cut the curtains free hand and put rather crude lines to denote folds in them. The stretchy ribbon I found was a perfect addition as a tieback. Anya is so fun to play with, and she always does the coolest things.

Card Details:

Stamps: Rockstar Anya by the Greeting Farm, sentiment computer generated
Paper: DCWV designer paper, Real Red CS by SU, Georgia Pacific white, Basic Black by SU
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Summer Sun for sponging of circle
Accessories: Copic markers (hair: E33 and E57; Dress: R29; Skin: E00; Guitar N5 and spica red and black glitter pens); eyelets; silver cord; Red/pink elastic ribbon from Target; red rhinestone stickers

Saturday, February 21, 2009

We Need a Little Spring!


The weather has been crazy here in the Carolinas...one week it is in the 60s and 70s, then the next we are in the 30s and 40s! At least we do have sunshine! That's more than I can say for my family in western New York where winter can last from Halloween to Easter. So, I'm hoping to inject a little sunshine here and think spring!

This Magnolia card (I made two) is for two women in my Magnolia-licious yahoo group for their "rain" month (they are "showered" with cards!). Tilda is a great stamp to color, and it is good practice for my ever-evolving technique. Trial and error is the only way to keep on practicing! In fact, I usually stamp at least two of the image so that I can "audition" different colors and shading on one. I am really liking the Pink and Dark Pink combo lately...I finally added Dark Pink to my collection!! Slowly but surely I will have all of the Original markers!!!

Here are the details:
Stamps: Tilda with Sunflower from Magnolia; sentiment from More Great Greetings by SU
Paper: Regal Rose and Rose Red cardstock; Rose Red DSP; Basic Black CS (all by SU)
Ink: Rose Red, Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories: CM (1/2 inch) circle punch and SU circle punch (1 3/8 inch); SU Scalloped edge punch; Copic markers (Skin-ROO, R20; Dress/socks-RV11, RV34; Shoes-E5; Hair-E57; Flower-G24, Y08); Shimmerz (Sunflower); SU grosgrain ribbon

If you get the chance, hop on over to Pamela's blog at Firecracker Designs...she has awesome die cuts to match her stamps, so cutting out images is easier than ever!! She's having a blog hop for the next few days with blog candy!!!

Friday, February 20, 2009

I'm Completely Bananas...

...over Paper Makeup Stamps!! If you haven't checked out these little cuties, what are you waiting for? This particular stamp was adorable, and I really like the sentiment that goes with it. Katie offers them either bare or mounted on EZ Mount. And, her sentiments that she sells separately come in different sizes. I love sentiments and quotes, so being able to tweak the size is great! And, a little birdie told me that she will be carrying nestabilities in the near future...one stop shopping!
I finally got my mojo back, well, thanks in part to the Mojo Monday blog and getting some new stamps in the mail. This is MOJO74 from this past Monday, and I really wanted to play around with my new Monkey Business stamp!! In addition, Katie also had her first color challenge on her blog with the colors being pink and gray. And, when I saw the bow element of this card sketch, I thought, "Oh boy...I'm really bow-challenged!" However, this one came out pretty well! Here are the details of the card:

Stamps: Monkey Business by Paper Makeup Stamps
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Paper: Amy Butler DP; Basic Grey Euphoria; SU Black, Pink Pirouette, and Basic Gray cardstock
Accessories: Copic and spica markers, nestabilities, MS ribbon, prima flower, rhinestone brads, SU oval punch

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Oh, Joy!!


Isn't she a cutie? She is called Little Missy from High Hopes stamps! I knew that I couldn't wait to color her!! And, I had to make her blonde like my little almost blonde cutie. I colored her last night, but I didn't even have a clue what colors I was going to use. "Fate" intervened, and I knew that I wanted to use the 6x6 pack of Euphoria paper from Basic Grey that I ordered from Jacksonbelle Embellishments. (Pssst...it's actually my second pack of the same paper...I love it!) I even broke out the Making Memories slice to cut some of the background pieces. Finally, I had it all put together, and the ribbon just wasn't right. Unfortunately, I had already stuck everything down. How can I remedy this? Well, the heavens opened up, cue chorus, and I thought, "PRIMAS!" Haven't you ever had one of those moments? Well, whispers from God don't always work with me...I need more like a clonk on the head (but that's a whole other story!). The image is colored with both Copics and pencils (like Prismas but by Faber Castell).


You're probably asking why she busted out all of her tricks on this one? Well, I'm trying out for a guest designer spot on the High Hopes team. The goal was to submit one card using this sketch and submit by this Sunday. Hey, you gotta be in it to win it, right? Wish me luck...I'll definitely need it!!


Here are the details:

Stamps: Little Missy by High Hopes, Sentiment by SU (Small Script)
Paper: DP is Euphoria from Basic Grey, CS is Orchid Opulence, Tempting Turquoise, and Pink Pirouette by SU
Ink: Adirondack Pitch Black, various inks for sponging
Accessories: Making Memories Slice, ribbon, prima flowers, Pixie Dust Shimmerz Blingz, SU oval punches, Cuttlebug embossing folders, Copic markers and Faber Castell pencils, Gamsol, blending stumps

Monday, February 16, 2009

A Wise Woman Once Said...


..."I think someone should invent Beerguard because how often do you actually spill Scotch on the carpet?" Ha!! Ha!! That was priceless! I'm not a Scotch drinker, but this woman looks like she can navigate around a Scotch bottle!! The sentiment on the card is from Viva Las Vegas stamps. The lovely "mature" woman in the lounge chair is by Impression-Obsession (I think!!). This woman has some serious attitude...I love it!!

Card Details:

Stamps: Sentiment from Viva Las Vegas Stamps, Impression Obsession
Paper: Cool Caribbean, Barely Banana, Pixie Pink
Ink: Pixie Pink, Adirondack Pitch Black
Accessories: Rhinestone stickers, ribbon, CM oval patterns, Cuttlebug swiss dots folder

I've been out of my stamping room for a few days because of other engagements. And, it seriously looked like a bomb went off in there! Actually, my house also reflected that, too! So this weekend was spent cleaning and organizing, and I spent 2 1/2 hours organizing the craft room last night also. When you go through things, then you realize how much you actually have and don't use, so I just had to list some things on splitcoast. Why, you ask? Well, to buy more stamps of course. I was so enamored with a new stamp company, Paper Makeup stamps, that I had to make a second order. And, The Greeting Farm released new fairy stamps this weekend. DUH...no brainer! I must shop!! So, now that cleaning is done for at least a couple of days, I must focus on the good stuff...creating!

Friday, February 13, 2009

Love is in the Air!

Yes, I know, it's a theme!! Well, I actually made this card last week, but I had to include it today on my blog. I'm really trying to challenge myself to post more on here, in my gallery and participate in more challenges. It really has been fun! And, stepping outside of my SU box is quite enjoyable also. However, today, I'm featuring a card from an SU set!! This card is for the LSC206 over at SCS, and the objective was to only feature one stamped sentiment on your card, no other stamping allowed. Well, thank goodness for patterned paper and nestibilities!!
Here are the details:
Stamps: Love Matters by SU
Paper: Pretty in Pink, Purely Pomegranate, Berry Bliss DSP
Ink: Adirondack Pitch Black
Accessories: Rhinestone stickers, nesties (classic hearts, scalloped rectangles) copic and spica markers, ribbon

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Cheers to You, Anya!!

Ra Ra Ree, kick 'em in the knee. Ra Ra Rass, kick 'em in the other knee!! Ok, I just had to do that!! When I saw the new release of this Anya, I knew that I had to take the plunge and own her! She is so adorable! This card is for two challenges: CC205 on SCS and JBE039 for Jacksonbelle Embellishments Tuesday sketch.
Here are all of the details:

Stamps: Cheer Anya by The Greeting Farm, Cheers to You sentiment by SU
Ink: Adirondack Pitch Black, Old Olive
Paper: Pink Pirouette DSP, Perfect Plum, Black, Old Olive DSP
Accessories: Scalloped Square Nestibilities, CM Circle Cutter, CM and SU circle punches, Shimmerz (Angel Wings and Pink), copics
Give me an A...

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

"I Miss You!" said the Gorilla


Oh, the eyes on this sweet Gorilla really tell a story!! Don't you just want to hug him? He's so sweet, and I finally was able to play with the image from Paper Makeup stamps. If you haven't checked the site out, you just have to...so much utter cuteness!!
Also, I used Shimmerz on this card to make the hearts pop from the Cuttlebug embossing folder. I honestly don't know why I hadn't discovered these awesome paints sooner!
This card is also for two challenges: Mojo73 and TLC207. I think I may have become a little bit challenge obsessed!!
I seem to be having a theme going in the last week...hearts, hearts and more hearts. I guess that it is fitting with Valentine's Day right around the corner! However, I have to actually get some of these in the mail today if I have any hope of getting them to their destination on time!

Here are the details of this card:

Stamps: Guilty Gorilla from Paper Makeup
Ink: Adirondack Pitch Black, Purely Pomegranate
Paper: Riding Hood Red, Pink Pirouette CS and DSP, Black
Accessories: Nestibilities (scalloped squares), Ribbon, SU oval and word window punches, Pink Shimmerz, prima flowers, rhinestone brad, Cuttlebug embossing folder, copic markers

Sunday, February 8, 2009

Mojo Monday #72


This is my first official Mojo Monday sketch, and I'm finishing it in the Eleventh Hour, so to speak!! The sketch is Mojo 72, and it is quite a fabulous sketch!! In addition, I was able to play with my brand new stamp from Paper Makeup stamps, and it is called Caliope...such a cute one!!

Here are the details:

Stamps: Caliope by Paper Makeup stamps, sentiment from SU's Great Greetings
Ink: Purely Pomegranate, Adirondack Pitch Black
Paper: Bittersweet by Basic Grey, Black
Accessories: MS heart border punch, CM 1 1/4 inch circle punch, copic markers, Shimmerz, and ribbon

I concluded my week of challenges...I still haven't posted one that I did, but I promise that I will post it tomorrow!

Tilda February Sketch Challenge


I really have kept true to my word, and I have worked on challenges this entire week...Monday through Sunday! I will post some of my other creations in the next couple of days! This particular sketch was from the Magnolia-licious Yahoo Group that I am part of, and the sketch challenge is viewable here. This is a great group of stampers, and I am also part of their "rain" group! Above all, it is also my month to be rained on...I receive Magnolia cards throughout the month of February. How wonderful it is to get cards with this sweet little face arrive on an almost daily basis!

Here are the details for this card:

Stamps: Throwing Hearts by Magnolia
Paper: Berry Bliss DSP, Choc. Chip, Pretty in Pink, Purely Pomegranate all by SU
Ink: Adirondack Pitch Black
Accessories: Copics, spica, and American Crafts glitter markers; sparkly brads; MS heart edge punch; Heart nesties; 1 inch SU circle punch; MS ribbon; Cuttlebug Hearts Embossing folder
I also have some fabulous blog candy to tell you about, especially if you love Tilda!! It is the anniversary blog candy over on the Carlz Cardz blog!!

Friday, February 6, 2009

True Love...Ian and Anya style!


I'm still on my challenge quest this week, and I am combining two, but three again! I am seriously stepping out of my box this week. I don't think that I have ever used this many embellishments on one card before! I did the WT204 on Splitcoaststampers, and it was to use layers of embellishments. In some cases, I layered three...impossible, you say? Actually, it just came pouring out of me this time. Perhaps you could have called me embellishment-repressed. Well, not anymore! The second challenge is a Valentine's Day challenge over on The Greeting Farm, and you can see it here. I have to include my little poem for this adorable couple!! And the third is for the stamp something challenge this week!! I love that blog...it gets my creative juices flowing!! Here is the link for the current challenge!


True love comes
but once in your life.
When Ian met Anya,
he knew it was right.

The batting of her eyelash,
the blush of her cheek,
made his heart flutter,
his knees go weak.

The love they share
is a lasting one.
In the game of love,
they both have won.

I have use the following for this 5 1/2 inch square card:
Paper: Bittersweet by Basic Grey, Choc. Chip by SU
Ink: Adirondack Pitch Black
Stamps: Cake Topper by The Greeting Farm
Accessories: Copics for coloring, Iced Lavendar and Pink Shimmerz, Primas, pearls, felt, chipboard from Bittersweet, Top Note die, Paper doily, rub ons
Other: I painted the paper doily with Pink Shimmerz to give it that sparkly sheen.

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Shimmery Butterfly




This seems to be my week of challenges and firsts...today's first is my use of Shimmerz!! I keep seeing them, loving them, and when I finally got a little extra money, I thought...have to have them now!! Well, I can't get them locally, so I went on the web in search of them. Lo and behold, I saw that Pamela at Firecracker Designs carries them in her webstore. That was awesome because she lives less than a half hour from me! I called her up, ordered them, and I went to pick them up the next day! I was beside myself with excitement! I had to play with them, even just a little! I used them to paint over the butterfly image from Savvy Stamps. I used Angel Wings over the Memento Rich Cocoa ink.

This card is for two challenges--Splitcoast's SCS214 and the Color Throwdown blog's CTD28. It was so much fun to play both challenges for my Wednesday stamping!

And, I'm so excited that my orders came from The Greeting Farm and Paper Makeup stamps today! I cannot wait to play with them!!

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

It's Going to be a "Challenging" week!


I'm making an effort to do more challenges, and what better week to start than this one! Yesterday, Monday, I completed TLC206 on Splitcoast, and it was a recessed window (bottom picture). It's a little difficult to tell that it is recessed in my picture, but trust me, it is! This is the first time that I actually wished I had a Scor-Pal! I don't seem to do much scoring, but it definitely would have come in handy. To compensate for my lack of Scor-Pal, I used a pencil and ruler to draw the 2 inch and 2 1/8 inch squares on the paper, scored it with my Cutterpede (free hand, sort of), and I folded it away from the pencil lines. I call it my rather non-traditional Valentine card because of the colors that I chose...Kraft, Not Quite Navy, and Riding Hood Red. I used the liquid pearls that I picked up at the beach last week, and I dusted off my Creative Memories heart punches.

The next challenge (the first picture) is actually two in one...woohoo!! I stumbled across a great little blog that hosts a sketch challenge weekly...Twinkling Tuesday. With the sketch MTTSC8, I used the color combination from CC204 on Splitcoaststampers (Tempting Turquoise, Pink Passion, Gable Green, and Lovely Lilac). It's a bright one, and it is also my very first Anya (The Greeting Farm) card!! This is an image from my friend, but the stamp is actually in the mail for me! I can't wait to play with the real thing!!

Now, for a blog candy opportunity that I came across:
Gramma's House of Cards (if you love Tildas)