Another b-day card

One of the reason I bought the Tremendous Treats: Valentines set was for the puppy.  It was adorable in the Tiny Treat version, and the super-sized one is just as cute.

I colored the pup using Copics T1, T4, T6 and a colorless blender.

I used the scripty Background Basics: Text Style and Birthday Bash Sentiments

Colors are Concorde Crush, Pear Pizazz and Smokey Shadow.

Rosie Posie Birthday Blitz

My dad will be 80 in January and I am blitzing him with birthday cards over the next few weeks, 1 for each decade ...

Here is one that I made using my new Rosie Posie set (the flowers are big and bold but the hexagon background strips are incredible)

I used the medium and small hexagon strips and stamped them in True Black then stamped Background Basics: Text Style in Real Red.  For the sentiment I used Happy Day

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Inspired by ...

... this purse

I was at a friend's house tonight and some other friends dropped by as well.  This was the purse that my friend's daughter had ... SO adorable

Here is the card I made:

No stamping, almost all punches or die cuts.  I used the Banner Builder dies for the feathers on the chest, a 2" circle punch cut in half for the eyebrows, 3 circle punches in graduated sizes for the eyes and then fussy cut the beak to closely match the picture.

Everything was mounted on a Crumb Cake base. Main colors are Pumpkin Pie and Ocean Tides.  The patterned paper is the Jolly By Golly mini deck from Cosmo Cricket.

ETA:  I couldn't help it, they were so stinkin' cute I made a whole herd of them (or whatever it is you call a group of owls :)

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OWH Sunday Sketch #100

OWH Sunday Sketch posted its 100th sketch last week.  I finally had a chance to work on it about mid-week and am just being able to post

This birthday card is for a dear friend of mine's gramma who will be 94 in January.  I was originally going with a quilt type of theme but changed to the mixed patterns after I opened my PTI order.  I used the Bitty Background Blocks for the gingham layer and the rest is Rosie Posie.  The sentiment is from Happy Day

Colors are Baja Breeze, River Rock, Blushing Bride and Concord Crush from this weeks Moxie Fab World Tuesday Trigger.

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Moxie Fab World Tuesday Trigger

I rarely have a chance to participate in the Moxie Fab world challenges although I love all of them.  This week, the colors and stripes just inspired me. I almost made a bargello but that seemed too obvious to me and I wanted to do something different.

I played off the stripes and colors and made a new, modern take on the stripes using my new Rosie Posie set with its awesome-tastic hexagon background building strips

I decided the closest colors I had were Blushing Bride, Baja Breeze, River Rock and Concorde Crush (all SU!).  I stamped the open and solid hexagons in stripes alternating the colors like the trigger picture.

The sentiment and focal layer are from Happy Day

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Another Birthday Blitz - CPS 248

I had a birthday blitz back in November to celebrate my aunts 90th.  I figure my dad's 80th should be equally blitzed (1 card for each decade).

Here is the first one using the CPS 248 sketch:

 I used Tiny Tags 2 along with the Tiny Tags die for the stars.  I pulled out my pour neglected Fancy Flourishes for the swirls.  And see that Celebrate stamp ...

Thats from my SU! Sale-a-bration preorder ... coming in January.  Its called Outlined Occasions and can be selected free with any $50 purchase. I colored the outline in using Copic Sketch markers R24, R29 and R59.

Inside I did a little more with the Flourishes.

MIM: Tags from Dies

I love when technique tutorials show you new ways to use things.  I went to a stamping conference once upon a time and one of the classes was 20 things you can do with markers.  The presenter said you should be able to come up with 10-20 things that you can do with something to make sure that you aren't just impulse buying.  I found that to be sage advice.  One day I will follow it :D

So at least now I have another thing I can do with my dies ... make tags !!

I actually made a couple of different ones because they were so stinkin' simple:

First up is a snowflake tag for my nephew.  I decided to go grungy for his birthday card and present tag this year.  I first cut the snowflake with the fold, then a full one.  On the full one I spritzed with Silver Foil, Blue, and Vanilla Shimmer Smooch Spritz.  I then over-stamped with the Grunge Me set using True Black

 See the sparkles ... so shiny, but also "boy" since its graffiti :)

 The second tag is super simple, I used Tag Sale 5, Background Basics: Circles and In the Meadow.  I offset the full tag a little to show the white underneath.

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OWH Sunday Sketch #99

This week I'm using the Sunday Sketch to prep for a stamp camp I'm holding at work this week

I had originally planned to make a more detailed card, but I am running out of steam to prep anything too intricate and my nights are booked from now til Friday when I start my vacation.  So this simple little layour combined with a high contrasting color combo seemed a better alternative.

Colors are Poppy Parade and Basic Black with a little Crumb Cake thrown in for the card base.  Stamps are Think Big Favorites and Harvest Berries.

Oh and if you stuck with reading for the whole post you get to learn the surprise.  I'm not bringing any of these stamps to stamp camp.  It will be a sample card for the layout, and they will be able to use the 12 other sets I'm bringing (for on of the attendees to make a calendar that everyone else has made already).  This will be a good test of their design skillz ... muwahahahahahahah ....

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Another OWH Sunday Sketch

I really like this weeks Sunday Sketch apparently,  I keep having ideas to make with it. This one is a shower card for one of the gals at church who is getting married next month.  The shower is today (nothing like keeping it last minute :)

Her colors are  indigo and grey/silver.  I couldn't find those colors in wrapping paper when I looked (at 1 store ... last night ... last minute remember) but I found some great striped paper that had a bright blue, turquoise, a lighter blue and white.  I really like the bright color combo so got that and knew immediately that I could make a card to match (horrible when you look at wrapping paper and think "Tempting Turquoise and Pacific Point")

I used my Hounds tooth embossing folder [SU!] and Background Basics stamps [PTI] for the patterns.  The bunny and gift stack is from TCP.  The sentiment is from Rustic Branches [PTI]

I spritzed the gift stack with vanilla Smooch Spritz [SU!] to give it a little celebratory sparkle.

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OWH Sunday Sketch: Merry & Bright

Most of my Christmas cards were made the week of Thanksgiving and mailed shortly thereafter.  I made one last one tonight to send with my niece's Christmas present using this weeks OWH Sunday Sketch (#98)

I used Rustic Snowflakes patterned paper for the squares ... it was released a year or 2 ago and has this great multi-patterned sheet.  I punched using my square punch right in a line so the pattern from the page is carried over in the squares..  The sentiment is from Fillable Frames #9

I added some texture to the base layer with Polka Dot Basics impression plate and some sparkle to my snowflake using Smooch Spritz (both vanilla and gold)

Main colors are River Rock and Poppy Parade.

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Last SFYTT of the Year

Its the first Saturday of December and that means Sketch For You To Try time!  This is the last sketch of the year.  I've been happy to be able to participate in all the sketches this year. 

Here's a look at the past entries I've had for 2011:
Jan, Feb, Mar, April, May, June, July, Aug, Sept, Oct, and Nov.

It was really fun looking back over the whole year of sketch challenges :)

Here's December's offering:

 

 When I saw the sneaky peek on Facebook I just thought "snowflakes, its perfect for snowflakes".  So snowflakes it is ... Not a lot of stamping on this card  just the cloud from Up Up and Away and the sentiment and tree from In The Meadow.  The rest is patterned paper and die cuts (rolling hills, large and small snowflakes).

I added glitter and rhinestones to make it sparkle!

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OWH Sunday Sketch #97: Birthday Girl

My baby girl will be 19 next week - my how time flies!  She LOVES The Nightmare Before Christmas, as does my stamping buddy Tara.  Tara got these awesome NBC stamps from Simply Betty and I combined it with this week's Sunday Sketch for a birthday card of epic proportions

 I made the plaid panels using the striped image from Background Basics: Retro [PTI] stamped in True Black and Smokey Shadow.  The sentiment is from Birthday Bash Sentiments.

For Sally and Jack I colored with copics: T1,T4, T6 and V99 for the grays and black, E19, E8, R89, R59, R29, Y15 for everything else

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CPS #246 and a Color Bleed

I wanted to try the OWH Tuesday Tutorial this week - a Copic color bleed technique that produced some awesome samples.

I started out creating the background layer by coloring with BG02, 05, and 07.  Then I dropped colorless blender solution on it, let it dry and dropped some more.  I wanted the primary drops on the darker squares to represent the circles in the sketch

When I saw how the background layer turned out, I knew I had to get out my a la modes Groovy Girl stamps .... it was just too hippie not to.

I actually stamped the girlie twice and did the color bleed technique on her dress as well, although I colored in a spiral pattern hoping for a nice tie-dye effect.  I paper pieced the dress in, then did some light coloring on the rest of the image. 

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Vacation Project #7 - Nice Day for a {Winter} White Wedding

We have 4 pastors at my church.  Two of them have been serving together for 20+ years.   I think its somehow right and proper that 2 of their children are getting married.

Congratulations Jon and Jessica! 

Since its a January wedding I went with a winter theme.  I used all white card stock, die cut some damask snowflakes [PTI].  Using my Xyron, I covered the fronts with adhesive and glittered them up so they sparkle ... A LOT :).  I used my Tiny Tags [PTI] die to make the tag (I chose one with a heart since its a wedding) and used the Mr&Mrs stamp from Tiny Tags II

You may also have noticed the embossed rectangle behind the snowflakes.  I used my rectangle nesties and embossed with it.  I know I learned this technique on Nichole Heady's blog, but I couldn't find it there.  Here is a Splitcoast Stampers tutorial on how to do embossing with a die.

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Vacation Project #6 - One Last Christmas Card

While vacation isn't officially over until Sunday night, I need to get back on a little bit of a routine tomorrow so I won't be able to spend hours upon hours in my little hideaway.  I made this one last Christmas card using his weeks MIM technique

I started with a 4.25"square Garden Green card base.  I die cut the Mat Stack 3 and Mat Stack 3 Layerz dies using Naturals White and Cherry Cobbler respectively.

I stamped the sentiment in graded shades of Cherry Cobbler.  The deer silhouette was stamped in True Black and the pine tree was in Garden Green (both full strength)

I also added a little glitter to the tree image, to go with the sentiment (tree tops glistening)

All stamps are from In The Meadow.

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Vacation Project #5 - Another Birthday Card

Actually another birthday card pretty similar to the other one I made this week.  I loved the layout and so made a bright happy one for my sister.

I used my new TCP stamp set (love the bunnies!) along with the happy block letters from Birthday Bash Sentiments

I stamped the bunny and present stack image twice, once on my layer and once on a scrap.  I did some light coloring on the bunny layer then went a little nuts on the present stack :)  Who wouldn't love a happy stack of gifts like that, I ask you!

I cut out the stack of presents and then adhered it to the bunny with foam tape to really make it look like he was peeking out from the behind all those gifts.

For the plaid layer I used the striped image from Background Basics: Retro and tempting turquoise, melon mambo, and delightful daffodil inks. 

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Vacation Project #4 - Hambo Hoedown #43

This week's Hambo Hoedown was to use something soft on your project.  I made it (barely) by using some wide twill striped ribbon.  See it - yeah over there on the far left side, next the notebook paper punch ... yep that's ribbon.  Its soft and it counts.  I wanted to put a bow or a knot there too, but due multiple attempts at this card, I didn't have enough left to do that.

Here is the whole card.  I really struggled with this one today and I'm not sure why.  I did learn something new though.  If you accidentally die cut paper that has adhesive all over the back, you can clean your steel dies with rubbing alcohol.  It will eventually get the adhesive residue off  *cough don't ask cough*

I used the new Computer digi for the main image and shrunk down my balloon penguin to fit in the computer screen.  I printed the sentiment using Courier font and die cut with the Half and Half die from PTI.

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Vacation Project #3 - A Christmas Card

I finally got to a Christmas card (new design) today.  I mass produced a few already but I've posted those already so didn't re-post.  This is the first new design I've made so far this week.  I used the MIM Layered Background using Sentiment Stamps technique and paired it with this weeks CPS sketch

For the stamps I used In The Meadow and Background Basics: Music, both from PTI.  I stamped off once with the sentiment then stamped multiple times on the card stock.  I stamped the horse and sleigh in True Black.  I distressed the edges with Cherry Cobbler, Garden Green and Tim Holtz Tea Dye Distressing Ink.

I also added a little bit of glitter to the rolling hills background layer.

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Vacation Project #2 - Birthday Cards

OK so its not just Christmas cards I need to get done this week.  I have a few birthdays coming up that I need to make cards for as well. I used this week's OWH Sunday Sketch (#96) as the starting point and paired it up with my new TCP A Beary Good Year stamp set ... I've loved this bear from the first time I saw him on Jen Del Muro's blog and I finally just bit the bullet and bought the set (and a couple others ... those bunnies are adorable too!)

I stamped Mr. Bear on Soft suede card stock to minimize the coloring, then just added darker coloring for his hide.  The little cake is from the same set.  The Happy blocks are from Birthday Bash Sentiments [PTI]

Colors are Cherry Cobbler, Delightful Daffodil, Pumpkin Pie, Navy and Kraft

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Vacation Project #1 - Penguin Tags

I decided that I was taking Thanksgiving week off of work many months ago.  Last week I decided what I would do with my time off (besides hang with the girls).  The winners - bake pumpkin bread and make Christmas cards.  The card making also includes gift tags and since there was a lot of die cutting I started with those first

I used Tag Sale #5 and Winter Penguin (PTI), Lacey Circles and Regular Circles (Spellbinders) dies for these.  I stamped the new Background Basics: Circles background in fresh snow ink then used Simple Alpha and the Winter Penguin stamp set to finish off the medallion

Not sure what it is but I love penguins ... this year any way.  Just so adorable.

Now it's time to head back to the basement and work on the Christmas cards :) 

I Love vacations!

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A Hambo Holiday

The Hambo Hoedown this week is to use a tag in your project.  The Wee Henry Turkey digi was the participation prize for last week's hoedown and I used it to make a simple Thanksgiving card for my parents

I wanted to have a rough linen look, but my linen texture plate was too subtle so I went with the square lattice embossing folder from SU!.  I actually sewed the black embossed layer on with a zig zag stick.  You can tell in person, and it gives a nice subtle texture over the top of the lattice pattern.

I cut the tag with the button card die from PTI, embossed with the square lattice, then distressed the edge with Tim Holtz Tea Dye distressing Ink

Wee Henry and his buddy were colored with Copic Sketch markers.

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