Follow Your Bliss…

Happy Saturday!

Just a couple things to share with you today:

• Julia is having a great giveaway celebrating her 100,000 hits! Head on over to her blog HERE and enter to win a gift certificate to Jacksonbelle Embellishments!!
• Speaking of Jacksonbelle Embellishments…She has the NEW Basic Grey Infuse line in stock! Head on over to her store HERE and go get yours before she sells out!
• And last but not least, speaking of Basic Grey Infuse….you’ll want to be coming back to visit my blog, SOON! There’s going to be a treat for you!!!

Good morning, and Happy Friday! I am looking forward to several days off after I finish work today. YAY!!!

Today’s favorite is patterned paper by Flair Designs. I purchase mine from Jacksonbelle Embellishments. Lindsey carries a great mix of lines by Flair.

This company is one of my favorites, because they have a wide variety of styles. Some of my faves are: western (Horsin’ Around), baby (Baby of Mine), Christmas, Autumn, and Hit the Beach (my latest favorite and used on today’s card). They carry a good mix of vintage as well as whimsical.

It is a lighter weight paper, so it won’t add a lot of bulk to your cards. Hop on over to her store and take a peek…it’s even on sale!! I think you will like what you see!

This card is very simple. I used 2 different patterns from the “Hit the Beach” line. I LOVE that line of drinks! LOL! I machine stitched it to the tahiti graffiti pattern, then adhered it to a PaperTrey white card base. I accented the drinks and flowers with Sitckles. I punched out one of the drinks with a 3/4″ punch, stamped “party”, added Stickles, then added a page pebble on top. (for those that don’t know what that is, it’s a clear dome-shaped epoxy sticker)

I punched a hole at the top, ran some silver cord through, and attached it to the pink striped May Arts ribbon. As a finishing touch, I added 3 green thumbtack brads (Karen Foster) to the bottom left side. My friend Michele uses those brads all the time, and she shared where she gets hers from. Naturally, I had to buy them, as I have always loved seeing them on her cards. You can get them HERE. Thanks, M!

Wishing you all a wonderful, happy, safe 4th of July weekend! Don’t forget your sunscreen!!!

Julia’s challenge today on SCS is to use scallops! (Not the food…though I do have some in my fridge…a gift from my sister…YUM-O! I don’t think they would look very good on a card, tho, LOL!)

Didya see Julia’s tutorial on making scallops with the slit punch? Click on that link if you haven’t! It’s cool I used the same method for the scallops down the sides of my card, except I used the small corner rounder punch with the guard removed. I like the soft, gentle curve of these scallops!

I used some new toys for this card. I used my Giga scalloped rectangle punch, and my Copic markers and airbrush tool. I stamped the flower on the “rough side” of an inkjet transparency, (lilac, eggplant, and artichoke markers) then punched it out. (It’s not very easy to punch out the shape from the transparency…I had to use a good bit of pressure.)

Using the negative space as a mask, I airbrushed two blues: B23, and B000 around the scalloped space. Then I dabbed on some Copic colorless blender with a tissue to blend out the colors in the center. Debbie Olson shows the airbrushing tool on yesterday’s blog post HERE. Have I mentioned I love my Copics?

After stamping the sentiment using Ancient Page coal black ink, I matted the panel in black, layered the scalloped transparency image on top, and secured with silver brads using the mat pack and paper piercer.

I stamped the scalloped saffron cardfront with well worn words using marigold ink, then overstamped on top of that with the leaves from petal prints also in marigold ink. I sponged a little around the edges, then layered a piece of PaperTrey white cardstock behind it. Added a little piercing and faux stitches, some white May Arts ribbon, and finally the focal image on some pop-up glue dots!

Thanks for stopping by! Have a great day!

Well we are at it again! Michele, Lindsey, Julia and I have decided on Daisy D’s paper and Stampendous stamps for this challenge! I love both of these companies!! Be sure to click on their names to check out what they have done with the challenge!

This Daisy D’s Attic Heirloom swatch double sided paper is so yummy and vintage shabby! Click on that link and head on over to Lindsey’s store–it’s on sale, and practically free!!! I used two of the patterns, and tore the green side for a more distressed look. I sponged all the edges with Ranger vintage photo ink to really bring out the depth.

I colored the Agapanthus stamp using markers: garden green, lilac, eggplant and cocoa. Then I misted the stamp with water and stamped it on vellum cardstock. I then over stamped that with the linen bg stamp using creamy caramel ink, and sponged all of the edges again with vintage photo ink. That is by far my favorite ink to use for distressing. I love the warm reddish brown hue that it has.

I attached the focal image to the main panel by machine stitching some small, random zigzag stitches around the sides with brown thread. Then, I added some faux stitching at each corner for a little more interest.

I stamped the PaperTrey sentiment on another piece of the patterned paper using Ancient Page chocolate ink, then punched it out with the small oval, and sponged the edges again. I mounted this inside of the aged copper hardware label holder, then ran the May Arts ribbon through. I put 2 pop-up glue dots on the back side, adhered to the card, then tied the ribbon.

Finally, I mounted all of this to a chocolate chip “tent style” cardfront.

I hope you enjoyed our challenge this week!

I have a special day coming up next week, and I am going to celebrate it with you!! Be sure you keep checking back, as there will be some fabulous “Treats” involved!!

I wanted to use my other Stampendous “Scenic” stamp this morning, so out came the lavender!

This is a very simple, clean card allowing the focus again, to be on the image. It’s watercolored on PaperTrey white cardstock using wasabi, garden green, marigold, lilac, ruby red, cocoa, choc chip, soft sky, and bashful. I cut it out following the shape of the image, and layered it with pop-up glue dots on to a piece of marigold cardstock that was first wet, then scrunched up, and dried with my heat tool. The edges are slightly sponged, as well.

That piece is then matted with wasabi, and black. The sentiment is stamped to the side with Clearsnap Ancient Page coal black ink (same as the focal image). I love this ink!! A gorgeous rich, deep, waterproof and archival black ink!

Next comes the fun. I custom dyed my SU! white grograin ribbon using my Copic Marker! Since these markers are alcohol based, they can be used on so many surfaces, including fabric! I used Grass Green (YG17) which is nearly identical to wasabi.

Here’s how I did it…

FABULOUS!!!!!

The ribbon becomes slightly stiffer, when dry. No messy re-inkers needed, and no green fingers, since it dries so quickly! I love these Copics. They are so amazingly versatile! I can’t wait to use them in more interesting ways. Ellen Hutson will be carrying them soon in her store, in packs of 12, 24 and 48!
Feel free to link this on your blog if you would like to share it with your readers!

Have a great day, and thanks for stopping by!

I didn’t know where I wanted to go with this card, but here is the final destination, LOL! I had the image colored, the layout planned, and didn’t know what else to do!

So when I can’t think, I fall back on my old standby…background stamps and sponging.

The “Scenic Sunflowers” are watercolored on watercolor paper using several inks: marigold, celery, wasabi, garden green, ruby red, soft sky, bashful, choc chip, and cocoa. I stamped flannel plaid on the marigold card base using marigold ink. Then, I sponged all around everything with Ranger vintage photo ink.

I wanted to keep it simple, and let the image be the spotlight. So, I just added three chocolate knotted ribbons, a PaperTrey sentiment with some piercing, and faux stitching around the focal image. Wallah~ done!

Hope you are all having a great weekend! Thank you for stopping by!

Stamps: scenic sunflowers (stampendous), flannel plaid, faux ribbons (papertrey)

Ink: marigold, celery, wasabi, garden green, ruby red, soft sky, bashful, choc chip, cocoa, ranger vintage photo, palette burnt umber

Paper: watercolor, marigold

Accessories: sponge, aquapainter, mat pack, pop-up glue dots, sm. corner rounder

Happy Friday!!! TGIF!!

Today’s favorite that I would like to share with you is my Teflon Bone Folder that I purchased from Ellen Hutson’s store. It comes in two sizes: Large, and Standard. Mine is the large. This bone folder is FABULOUS! First of all, it’s not real bone. I know some folks might have a serious “ick factor” by using the SU! one, since it is, truly, beef bone.

This teflon one has a nice weighty feel in your hand. If you use adhesive, or ModPodge, this will not stick!

I have made a comparison for you to show the *huge* difference in folding your cardstock and paper with this teflon bone folder.

The first picture shows three folds using the SU! bone folder. See the shiny edges that it leaves when you crease the fold? I hate that! If I am going to spend an hour making a card, I don’t want my fold to be all shiny and unprofessional looking. Especially if I am going to be sending it in for publication!

This next photo shows the same layout on a different card using the teflon bone folder. See the beautifully smooth, shine-free folds? Doesn’t that look so much better? I think so.

So there you have it. My favorite bone folder…that isn’t really bone I highly recommend getting one for yourself so that you can see and feel the difference!

Now I’m off to finish this card I started! Have a great weekend!!

I made this card for today’s sketch challenge on SCS. Rox chose one of Ellen Hutson’s cards, so I just *had* to participate! I mean who doesn’t love Ellen?!

My Copic markers arrived yesterday, and I was just so excited to use them! I colored the Lizzie Anne Jolies Fleurs flower using 3 colors: Blush (R20), Heath (V01), and Rose Mist (R83). These colors coordinate beautifully with pale plum, blush blossom and pretty in pink! I love that you can get a deeper tone of the color by coloring over it a second and third time. And the ink blends so beautifully! I am sold on these markers for SURE!

I stamped the smaller flower on the pale plum card base using ColorBox pink pastel fluid chalk ink, then stamped my CHF Paisley backgrounder on the blush panel using blush ink, and adhered it to the cardfront. Next, I cut out my flower using the circle coluzzle template, and layered it on a pink giga scalloped circle. I pierced each scallop, then added a dot of the rose mist marker to accent. Added stickles to the flower and set aside to dry.

I cut 2 small strips just under 3/8″ and used my word window punch to make the tabs. On the larger tab, I used my Stampamajig to align the sentiment, and stamped it in black ink. Then I adhered them to the card and accented them with silver brads.

By then, the stickles were dry, so I mounted the focal image to the cardfront on dimensionals, and pierced around the outside just like Ellen did on her card.

One of my lucky treat winners will be receiving this in her prize package!

Now, to answer the two questions from my prize winners:

Q: What is your favorite technique and can you do a tutorial on it?

• Several of you asked this question. I would say my favorite technique is watercoloring. I find it very calming, and I love to work with color! If you all would like for me to do a tutorial on how I watercolor, let me know, and I will do it for you, OK?

Q: Are your cards available for sale?

• Several of you also asked this question, as well. Yes, my cards are available for sale. I generally price them between $5 and $8 each, depending on the embellishments used, and time it took to create. If you are interested in purchasing them, feel free to email me, (click on “Email Me” under my picture in the sidebar) and we can work something out!

Hope you all have a great day!! Hugs~

Thank you all for your questions! I will be answering them in the next several weeks, so be sure to check back often!

The random number generator chose number 101: Lilian!!!!
hi trudee~
i am a subscriber through google reader and i LOVE reading your blog everyday. thanks for offering such great treats for us!
what is your favorite technique and can you do a tutorial on it?
Thanks!

Lilian, please click on the “Contact me” link in the sidebar below my picture and email me your address! I will get this out to you ASAP!!

And for the next winner, who won the subscriber prize:

Liane Tatum!!!!!!!!!!!

Liane also left this comment:

Your work is amazing !! I especially love your pomegrante poppies !! question :are your cards available for sale ? thanks for the beauty and inspiration !!! Liane

Liane, please email me as well with your address so I can send your winnings!

I will answer these two questions tomorrow! Hope you all have a great evening! I will be having another giveaway most likely next week. Trust me, you won’t want to miss this one!! WAHOO!!

This weeks’ TLC challenge on SCS is to make a quick and easy card that can be made in about 10 minutes. Well that is a challenge for me! I like to fiddle around with my cards till they are “just right”. It generally takes me an hour to make a card. If it’s less than that–its a bonus, LOL! My philosophy is “all good things come in time”. So why rush it?

So, with the challenge in mind, I grabbed an old standby–Roses in Winter. It’s a great set for making a quick card. I thought it would look lovely in pomegranate ink, with accents of wasabi and guava.

There’s nothing fancy to tell ya on this card. Simple 2-step stamping, a little distressing around the focal image, a little stitched ribbon, Stickles glitter around the blossoms, and some piercing to finish it off. Card measures 5×5 Easy Peasy!

I’ll be back tonight for the drawing of Trudee Treats! 

Stamps: roses in winter, butterfly kisses (papertrey)

Ink: pomegranate, guava, wasabi, memories black

Paper: papertrey white, pomegranate, guava

Accessories: mat pack, stickles, stitched ribbon, dimensionals, distresser tool