A booquet for you....

I made this for last weeks sketch challenge. Unfortunately, it took me awhile to finish it...lol. I stamped him in black staz on onto watercolour paper and watercoloured him with a paintbrush and ink pad lids. Added some of last years Halloween night designer paper. (still have to order the new stuff...love it!). I added googly eyes in his bouquet for a fun touch.

Stamps: Best Fiends, sentiment (Amuse). Inks: blk staz on, vintage violet, bordering blue, ruby red, blush blossom. CS: basic black, vintage violet, more mustard, watercolour paper, and Halloween night designer paper. Access: vintage violet stitched ribbon, googly eyes, ticket corner punch, circle punch, brads, dimensionals.

I just love Halloween and have a hard time not buying every set out there. I love all the spooky decorations too but we live out in the stix so, we don't ever get any trick or treaters so, there is no need to go over the top with decorations here...lol. We do the basics because of our daughter and we do have a few family traditions that we take part in, so it is fun. Just wish I could do more....ha ha ha.

Have a great day!

Sahara sand snowman...

Here is another from the archives...if I ever get some descent light (so overcast and cloudy here) I can photograph some rescent stuff for ya'all.

I made this one for a swap I was in, stuff from the new mini. I got together with my upline and a few friends and borrowed her punch pals set for this card. There is dazzling diamonds under the tree (as a snowline) to look like snow. I got the colour combo from the idea book and catalogue.

Stamps: Punch pals, flannel plaid bg, weathered bg, and warm words. Inks: sahara sand, basic black, mellow moss and inks for using with the blender pens (bordering blue, mellow moss, close to cocoa, ruby red, so saffron). CS: sahara sand, ruby red, mellow moss and whisper white. Access: scallop punch, circle punch, dazzling diamonds, 2way glue pen, blender pens, blk pencil crayon for top hat, word window.

To tell you the truth, I am not super happy about this card. Unfortunately, I made these quite a while ago and was in so much pain from the accident that, I am surprised I even got anything done...so, that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.....hee hee.

I am actually, just finishing another design for another swap and I am super happy with how that one came out. After this weekend, I will be able to share that one.

Wild woman cowgirl...

Sorry I have been MIA lately. Too much on my plate right now. I wanted to share this card from my archives. I was inspired by Steubner from Splitcoast on parts of this card. Thanks! for the inspiration. I used my prismacolour pencils, gamsol and a stump to get this incredible colour. I still need work on my shading and what not but hey...practice makes perfect right?! I used my sewing machine on this baby too.

Stamps: Carrie- Rubber Romance, paisley bg and flannel plaid bg. Inks: Basic black, buckaroo blue, close to cocoa (stamped off). CS: buckaroon blue, real red, more mustard and whisper white. Access: word window punch, brads, metal photo corners (making memories), grosgrain ribbon, prismacolour pencils, gamsol, a stump and sewing machine.

Autumn Cowboy...

Todays colour challenge on Splitcoast was to used the colours river rock, chocolate chip and really rust together. I pulled out my cowboy cutie...better known as "cowboy kid", I stamped him onto a piece of river rock cs in black staz on, and watercoloured him using a paintbrush and just pressing the lids of the ink pads. This card has tonnes of distressing on all the edges of the cs, distress ink applied, and sewing with my sewing machine. (I actually had to run my sponge, covered in distress ink along all the sewn stitches....they were too white!). I curled a couple of the edges on the main image just to add to the rustic, worn look of the card. The riveting circle and his little badge are embossed with gold emboss powder. A couple of snaps in the corner, some chocolate grosgrain and a little doodling with my black ped on his bandana and this "bad boy" was all done!

Stamps: Cowboy kid, riveting, quick thinking. CS: river rock, really rust, choc chip and outlaw designer paper. Inks: black stazon, really rust, choc chip, versamark pad and pen, distress ink (Tim Holtz-walnut stain). Access: paper distresser, sponge, spritzer tool, emboss powder, heat gun, circle punches, choc grosgrain, snaps, crop-o-dial, sewing machine, blk sakura pen and paintbrush.

Spooky 2,5,7,10 box...

2 posts in one day...that is a rare thing...ha ha ha! For the technique challenge today we are making little boxes or gift bags. This is a 2, 5, 7, 10 box designed by Jen Balcer. If you would like to play along and find a great tutorial on how to make this little box, go here. I have made a very similiar box before called a 2, 4, 6, 8 box that is also very easy to make but, quite a bit smaller. I pulled out some new stamps to play with this box. The trick or treaters and sentiment is Amuse of course and the black cat is inkadinkadoo. (always bad when you stop in at the local scrap store..."just for a peek"...you know you are coming out with goodies...wink!

Stamps: Amuse, inkadinkadoo. CS: pumpkin pie, basic black, old olive, last years Halloween night designer paper. Ink: Basic black. Access: mega circle punch, giga scallop circle punch, hole punch, gingham ribbon.

The box design is very simple...I would have loved to really decorate it up more but, just wasn't sure how. I am now wishing I had used a bg stamp to take up some of the naked orange space. Maybe a little hanging tag with the sentiment would have been a nice touch...hanging from a safety pin or something. Oh well, can't complain now, hope ya'all like it!

Cheers!

Workshop cards...

So here are the cards that were used in my workshop. The first one I got the technique and layout from my friend Tanya....Thanks hon! I used the "bronc buster" set for a few reasons...firstly, the image is big and fills a lot of space and secondly, I just love it! haw haw! The word window acts as a slot for a hidden meaning, the round tab punch adds some flair to the pull out message. Pretty straight forward for the workshop.

stamps: Bronc buster, it's your Birthday. CS: kraft, really rust, choc chip, sage shadow and outlaw designer paper. Inks: choc chip. Access: hemp twine, round tab punch, word window, brad, crop-o-dial.



For the second card, I did emboss resist using the "snowflake spot" and "snow flurries". Such a cute winter scene.

stamps: snowflake spot, snowflurries, many merry messages (inside card). CS: sahara sand, soft sky, ruby red and glossy cs. Inks: versamark, ruby red, soft sky. Access: brayer, emboss powder, heat gun, circle punch, ribbon.

Who doesn't love emboss resist?! Such a great technique.

From the heart...

What do you think of my new photo set up? I read a really great post by mona lisa, that spoke about photographing your cards. I decided to play a little bit and use some of the tips provided. Looks so professional! hee hee.


I created this card for the sketch challenge on Splitcoast. Unfortunately, I needed a get well card for a co-worker of my husbands so decided to follow the sketch. I pulled out this awesome Crate paper and set to work. I stamped the happy harmony set in so saffron and then stamped it again in versamark and embossed it with sparkly emboss powder. I did a tonne of sewing on this card and lots of distressing too.

Stamps: Happy harmony, holidays and wishes. CS: cranberry crisp (still love this colour!), so saffron, wild wasabi (my first time actually using this colour), very vanilla and crate paper. Ink: so saffron, basic black, versamark, distress ink-Nick Bantock (VanDyke brown). Access: sewing machine, emboss powder, heat gun, hodgepodge hardware, certainly celery grosgrain ribbon, sponge.
This was a fun sketch challenge to try, and I must admit, when I first saw it, I was not even gonna give it a shot, once I looked in the sketch challenge gallery, I was very inspired to try it and I am glad I did. I must say that I am very pleased with the outcome of this card.

Purely snowflakes...

Today's colour challenge on Splitcoast was purely pomegranate, taken with teal and always artichoke. For some reason when I heard these colours I thought of snowflake spot and a wonderful mix of these colours. I did add river rock as my neutral colour (I hope that's okay). I added paper pierced holes in the corners of the card base. Ticket corner punched corners and lots of layers. I added the words "joy and peace" on the main image.

Stamps: Snowflake spot, paisley bg, snowflurries, everyday flexible phrases. CS: always artichoke, river rock (as my neutral), purely pomegranate, taken with teal, and confetti cream. Inks: purely pomegranate, taken with teal, always artichoke, river rock. Access: teal grosgrain ribbon, ticket corner punch, paper piercer, mat pack.

This was a fun combo to play with and I think the taken with teal colour really adds a punch to traditional Christmas cards.

Thanks for checking out my creations and mindless blabber...lol.

Cheers!

True Friends...

I LOVE this stamp by Rubber Romance, her name is Carrie and I think she is just adorable! Todays technique challenge on Splitcoast was gamsol magic (I don't think I have coloured this much since I was a kid...lol). I saw in the Rubber romance gallery on Splitcoast where someone had sketched in a barrel for Carrie to rest her leg on...I had to try it out! This is a huge accomplishment for me as drawing is really not my strong point...lol. Overall, I think it came out alright.

The sentiment on the front says " a good friend will bail you out of jail...But a true friend will be next to you saying...Damn, that was fun!"

Stamps: Carrie (Rubber Romance), true friends sentiment (Rubber Romance), flannel plaid bg. CS: Buckaroo blue, more mustard, real red and whisper white. Inks: Basic black, buckaroo blue, distress ink (Tim Holtz-walnut stain). Access: brads, mustard grosgrain ribbon, prismacolour pencils, gamsol, stump, fine tip black sakura pen.

Sympathy blossoms...

First off...I need to vent about my camera... I HATE it!!! I don't know what is with it but, the pictures seem to be getting worse and worse. With every project I make I seem to spend more time trying to get a descent photo of it. I swear, I can take 3 shots and not move or change a thing and all 3 shots come out totally different...how is that even possible? It goes through batteries faster than I have ever seen humanly possible. Seriously, I can take 4-8 photo's and the battery is done! I would say, it is time for me to invest in a new camera, and the thing that really angers me the most is the fact that the camera is not that old! So, if you have any good suggestions for a nice new camera, please post and tell me about them, the brand and why you like them...thanks!

Now, onto the real post! For the limited supplies challenge we were to make a sympathy card. The main image had to be a flower, only 1 background and 1 sentiment was allowed, no designer paper or cuttlebug and light embellishments. I have discovered that I need more flower stamps. Because I have almost no selection, I pulled out blossoms abound again and set to work. I stamped right onto kraft cs for the main image, embossed the over layer in white, sponged around it very lightly for some dimension. I used a sheet of transparency over the main image and stamped my sentiment onto it using staz on ink. The rest of the card is pretty self explanatory. I went nice and simple on this as, it is a sympathy card and I wanted nice clean lines and a fresh look.

Stamps: Blossoms abound, cheesecloth bg, warmest regards. CS: buckaroo blue, whisper white, bashful blue and kraft. Ink: mellow moss, buckaroo blue, white craft, versamark, staz on. Access: brads. grosgrain ribbon, transparency, white emboss powder, heat gun

Ciao!

Holiday criss cross card...

For the ways to use it challenge. Make a card with pockets, out of pockets, etc. There is a really neat tutorial on how to make these criss cross cards on Splitcoast, so, I whipped one up and decided to use it for the challenge. The tutorial is very easy to follow and I just adore these cards. This is something I will be making again.

Stamps: baroque motifs, snowflake spot (sentiment), snow flurries. Ink: bravo burgundy, white. CS: true thyme, bravo burgundy, last years holiday designer paper. Access: true thyme stitched ribbon, tab punch, corner rounder, scissors, candy cane stickles.

Julia Stainton also has a really neat looking gift card holder card she made on her blog that I am hoping to try out later today. Thanks for stopping by!

PS I wanted to quickly add that the poinsetta on the belly band of this card was cut from last years designer patterned paper. I added the stickles in the center and then slightly curled the petals for a more realistic look.

Groovy Blossoms...

I combined the colour challenge and the sketch challenge this week. The colour challenge found here, was to use groovy guava and always artichoke together. If you would like to check out the sketch challenge, look here.

I decided to use my blossoms abound set and to get the lighter colour for the base of the blossoms (this is a 2 step stamp) I stamped off twice with the guava and then stamped it to my main image. For the lighter colour in the leaves, I stamped off once with the artichoke ink. I distressed a few edges and added a little bling with my stickles. The flannel plaid bg on my base, was also stamped off and then I lightly walked my fingers across to give it a very unfinished look.

Stamps: Blossoms abound, flannel plaid bg, happy everything. Inks: groovy guava and always artichoke. CS: groovy guava, always artichoke and very vanilla. Access: hodgepodge hardware, grosgrain ribbon, stickles, paper distresser.

" Oh Christmas tree..."

For todays technique challenge on Splitcoast we are making surprise pop up cards. I have made them before and they are so fun! To view Beate's tutorial on this card look here.

I added some extra layers and used last years Christmas designer paper, which I love. I can't wait to buy the new colour (in this design) from the catty, wintergreen I believe is the name. I already had the main image panel stamped from a previous project so decided to use it. You can't see it in the picture but the tree has dazzling diamonds all over the branches...looks so pretty!

Stamps: Lovely as a tree, holidays and wishes and snow flurries. Inks: always artichoke, choc chip, bravo burgundy and distress ink: Van Dyke brown (Nick Bantock). CS: bravo burgundy, true thyme, natural ivoy, Christmas designer paper. Access: 2way glue pen, dazzling diamonds, black gingham ribbon, stapler, circle punches.

Genuine Birthday...

I made this for the Featured Stamper challenge on Splitcoast. You choose a card from the "featured stampers" gallery and then case it (copy it). You have to change at least 2 things from her card. I got the idea of the Genuine stamp with the eyelets in the corners from Debbie Olson's card. Thanks for the cool new idea! This is the card I cased from Inglishrea. I traced the whole genuine design using my sakura gelly roll pen. It is so sparkly in realy life and reminds me of a cowboys belt buckle.

Stamps: Bronc buster, happy everything. Inks: Chocolate chip, really rust and distress ink (Nick Bantock-Van Dyke brown). CS: chocolate chip, really rust, kraft and outlaw designer paper. Access: hemp twine, eyelets, cropodial, corner ticket punch, sakura gelly roll pen, sponge, prismacolour pencils, gamsol and a stump.

I just love this set, it makes such nice masculine cards!