Follow Your Bliss…

Hello!

I was needing to use some of my new SU! goodies, so here’s the result of that. I had originally intended on having the textured guava cardstock as a cardbase, so I stamped the baroque bg stamp on it using guava ink. When I lifted the stamp, I found that because the cardstock was textured, it left the texture on the solid rubber. Well, I couldn’t possibly let that go to waste, so I stamped it again on some vanilla cs, and got this yummy textured print! I guess this could be considered the kissing technique, using textured cs instead of another stamp. COOL!

I set aside that guava cardstock for another time, and decided to use this one. I overstamped it using the new En Francais bg stamp in river rock ink, then trimmed it and distressed the edges. Using my Spellbinders cutting, embossing and stenciling dies, I made a vanilla embossed panel, and an artichoke embossed scalloped panel for my focal image.

In keeping with the textured theme, I stamped the vanilla panel with the linen bg stamp using river rock ink. I used the new brocade basics set, and stamped the flower, leaves and sentiment using guava and artichoke inks. The flower was created by simply stamping that “half flower” side by side. The flower center is a 1/2″ punched circle from paper included in the secret garden scrappin’ kit. It is up on a dimensional. A bit of stickles finish off the flower center.

I wrapped a piece of the new Theater ribbon across the bottom of the vanilla panel, added a couple thumbtack brads, and adhered it on some popup glue dots. I distressed the edges of the vanilla focal panel, and adhered it to the artichoke scalloped panel, then pierced three corners, and mounted this on dimensionals to the guava card base.

Be sure to check out Lindsey’s store, where over half of the items are on sale!! Check it out HERE!

Tomorrow I will not be doing a Friday Favorites, but I think you will definitely want to be coming back for the next few days, as I will be sharing some sneak peeks from CHA!! WAHOO!!

Chat with ya later!!

Hello! Here’s another card for CHA. I made the large scalloped rectangle window using the Spellbinders die. I LOVE being able to make a window in my cards with these dies! You can place them anywhere you want, and not have to worry about the reach of a punch! YAY!!

I adhered the Basic Grey paper to the inside of the front panel after making the window. I stamped 5 of the Lockhart Christmas Lights on PaperTrey white cardstock, then colored them with Copic markers. I cut them out, and adhered them to the patterned paper using dimensionals. I added the rub-on sentiment, gold brads to the corners, then added Stickles to the bulbs, and the circles on the paper.

I photographed it, and was editing the photo, when I realized that it was just too plain for my liking. Soooo…I added the random stitching around the image to tie in with the curly strands of lights on the paper. I like it much better now, and hope you do, too!

Don’t forget to keep checking Ellen, Debbie, and Michelle’s blogs to get even MORE inspiration with Copic, Spellbinders and Lockhart! We’ll keep filling you with ideas, so that when your purchases from Ellen arrive, you’ll be ready to hit the ground running!!

Thanks for stopping by! ~HUGS~

More fun stuff for CHA! These wine charms were really fun to make! I just stamped the Lockhart Christmas Light on the shrink plastic, (which had already been run through my Wizard with the Spellbinders scalloped oval die) and colored with prismacolor pencils. I stamped the monograms, and added little black dots to enhance the ovals a bit. Then I punched the hole and added the jump ring. I heated them with my heat tool and then added them on to these little gold hoops with some fun beads! Easy Peasy! Here’s a closeup of one for ya:

While I had the scalloped ovals and shrink plastic out, I though I’d make a few ornaments, too. So I grabbed all 4 of my Lockhart stockings, and stamped them on some large Spellbinders scalloped ovals. I decided to color these with Copic markers.

I couldn’t get a good pic of them all together, they look a little dark there. Anyway, I mounted them (with mini glue dots) on to another shimmery white embossed scalloped oval that I had sponged with some gold ink, then ran the gold cord through the eyelet. Another fun, easy project! Here’s a closeup of one of the ornaments:

I hope you liked today’s projects! I had a lot of fun making them!

These little gift tags are headed to Chicago for CHA. I created them using a large Spellbinders oval scalloped die, and then a smaller embossed oval basic die. I folded a rectangle card, using this Basic Grey Fruitcake double sided paper. Then ran it through my Wizard with the scalloped edge hanging slightly off the left side. Next, I made 2 embossed basic ovals: one for the front, and one for the inside, seen here:

The Lockhart packages were colored with various Copic markers , then I sponged around the egde with a mixture of cranberry, ruby and artichoke inks. Stickles were added for some shimmer Sentiment is hand lettered.

I just realized I forgot to ground the image with some shadowing, so I’ll be doing that before I send these off! As a final touch, I wrapped some gold cord around the side fold, and knotted. I often like to fray the ends of the gold cord when I use it. Just a little bit more texture for some interest.

These are so simple, and you could crank a dozen of these out in no time flat!

Next, I’ll be sharing some fun goodies with more shrink plastic! Hope you are having a great weekend!

Happy Friday!

Today’s favorite is none other than….COPIC SKETCH MARKERS!! I’m sure you knew these would be coming soon enough, right? And what better day to have them as my Favorite? Ellen has them available for pre-order in her store HERE, and for 13 hours today, Friday July 13th, (6am-7pm Pacific time) you will receive 13% off your entire purchase by using the code 131313-V2 !! WOO HOO! Thanks Ellen!!

These markers are absolutely the best I have ever used. I have talked about them in the past couple weeks with you, and shared some of my favorite things:

• ability to blend the colors seamlessly
• ability to layer colors on top of each other
• you can significantly lighten the color by using the Copic colorless blender on top. (in addition to being able to blend)
• fast drying, permanent
• dual ended for wide and narrow coverage
• refillable
• tips are able to be replaced in the event you ruin one (you’d be hard pressed to ruin one as they are extremely high quality)
• the sketch markers fit in the airbrush system (seen below)
• wide range of gorgeous colors! (Ellen has hand selected colors for you and most coordinate with SU!)
• comfortable to hold, and their shape prevents them from rolling off your work surface
• tight fitting, color coded caps

Hmmm, I guess that is enough reasons from me, LOL! I could go on and on about them. You can scroll down in my sidebar, and click on “Copic” under categories, to see the previous posts I have done with them. They are an investment, but I will tell you that they should last you a lifetime. I just love my Copic Sketch!!! Here is what the airbrush system looks like:

This photo shows the Y21 marker (color match to SU! Saffron) locked in place. For this card, I airbrushed around the Lockhart Sweet Treat Stocking. Then, I ran the same marker around the edge, using the embossed edge from the Spellbinders die-cut as a guide. See how it gives the illusion that there is another layer? Cool, huh?! And that took about 7 seconds, LOL! Speaking of Spellbinders, click on that link if you’d like to see the dies available for pre-order in Ellen’s store. Yep, that’s right, they are part of the 13% off sale today, and the NEW Lockhart stamps too! WAHOO!!!!

Other items of note on this card:

• Copic Sketch colors used were: R59, YG17, Y21, YR14, V09, B21. And for shading, two warm greys: W0, W3.
• “Noel” rub-on is Cosmo Cricket, paper is Basic Grey Fruitcake and available from Jacksonbelle HERE.
• the darker red shading on the stocking was simply done by layering the same R59 marker a couple times to make it darker there. Here’s a closeup of it:

So there ya have it, Copic Sketch markers. Hop on over to Ellen’s to check them out, and get your 13% off today! Tell her I said HI!!

Colorin’ Kate did a coloring tutorial with her Copics on SCS this week, too! Check it out HERE!

Have a great weekend!!

Here’s a simple little project for your Christmas mantle!

Click on the thumbnail for larger view:

I purchased some small cake boxes (5″ square and 3″ deep) and spraypainted them gold. (You could also get some wooden blocks for this, instead, but I needed something lightweight) I also grabbed some unfinished wooden letters, and sprayed those with a creamy ivory paint. After the letters were dry, I sponged the edges with Colorbox fluid chalk ink in olive pastel. I wrapped the boxes with this gorgeous white organdy ribbon that has raised gold metallic stars, and secured to the back with some FabriTac.

Next comes the fun part! Using these AWESOME Spellbinders dies!!! I chose the largest scalloped square (about 4 1/8″) and ran my Basic Grey green paper (from the Fruitcake line purchased HERE) through the Wizard. Wallah! a perfect scalloped square! Next, I chose 2 sizes of the nesting basic squares and ran those through using the coordinating red, and holly berry papers.

How many of you have trouble figuring out what would be the right size panels to layer inside this scalloped square? I know I do. It’s called trial and error, right? And how much time do you waste doing that? Well guess what? You don’t have to mess with that anymore! You will have all of the perfect nesting sizes, and can easily determine which is the right one! I can totally dig that!

So, after my shapes were cut, I adhered them together and attached to the front of the box. All that was left was to adhere the letters. I tied a narrow piece of the matching ribbon to each letter, then attached them to the center of the scalloped square panel using popup glue dots.

This is such an easy project! The part that took the longest was waiting for the paint to dry! LOL! I hope it inspires you to make one for YOUR Christmas mantle!

Don’t forget to keep checking Ellen’s blog for more sneak peeks, and then tomorrow’s lucky Friday the 13th 13% off sale!!

I have some more great news to share! Y’all know Lindsey, right? My favorite Jacksonbelle? Well she has been asked to do some design work for Inkadinkado!!!! WAHOOOOO Lindsey!!! You make their stamps look GOOOOD baybee! Head on over to her blog HERE and congratulate her, OK?
Thanks for stopping by! HUGS!!

Happy 11th of July!! LOLOLOLOL!!

I had this idea in my head for the past couple weeks using PaperTrey’s new Text Boxed set. I thought the dandelions looked just like fireworks, and it’s the perfect time of year for it…so here it is…a week late.

Inks used were: Colorbox Fluid Chalk in lipstick red & blue iris, ancient page coal black. Cardstock is PaperTrey white, and Real Red. The flag stripes were created from one of the stamps in the Faux Ribbon set, and the greeting is from Little Lady. The two main flowers were glittered with dazzling diamonds and a quickie glue pen, and the “flying” firework was stamped with Tsukineko’s Essential Glue pad, and sprinkled with SU! romantic red glitter.

Of course I had to use an embossed, scalloped Spellbinders rectangle for the main image panel. You’ll be seeing a lot of these die cut shapes from me, as I absolutely LOVE them! I used the small star from the Text Boxed set in each corner of the scalloped panel giving the illusion that they are brads. The red glittered starburst is up on dimensionals, as is the blue panel and the scalloped panel.

Items of note:

• Be sure to check out Ellen’s contest HERE! The rules are at the bottom of her post. Trust me, you WANT to enter!!!!

• You will also want to enter her drawing HERE! She has some fabulous things to give away!! This same post gives you the discount code to use in her store on Friday. 13% off everything in her store, including Copics, Spellbinders preorders, and Lockhart Stamp Co new releases! WOO HOO!!

• Craft Critique is having a ribbon carnival! They have my Copic dyed ribbon linked, as well as many ideas for using ribbon! Check it out HERE!!

Make today a great day!!!!

Well today is the big day!! We get to reveal some goodies we have been working on for Spellbinders!! Ellen Hutson, Michelle Wooderson, Debbie Olson and I have been working feverishly making items to display at CHA. Hop on over to their blogs to check it all out!! You won’t want to miss this! I am going to share two things with you today.

This first card will not be at CHA, but uses the Lockhart Stamp of the Month “Packages”. It is available in Ellen’s store HERE. Isn’t it just darling?

I wanted to show the versatility of this stamp, as it can be used for any occasion-not just Christmas! I am pretty sure the birthday recipient would have a smile on their face when they opened this bright, cheerful card!

The gifts are colored with my beloved Copic markers (Y17, YR09, R29) and the shadow is done with YR31. Of course the gifts are sparkling with Stickles

Ellen announced today on HER BLOG that the Copics will be available on Friday for her big Friday the 13^th sale!! Ellen has worked so hard getting the perfect colors for you, so that you will have a wonderful palette to work with. At over 300 colors to choose from, I am sure you agree that Ellen deserves our thanks for her hard work! Many of these colors will also coordinate with SU! as well! BONUS!

OK back to the card. I used 3 different Spellbinders dies: the largest scalloped rectangle, a medium scalloped oval and it’s nesting basic oval. I am SO IN LOVE with these dies, as well as the Wizard machine. Look at that adorable EMBOSSED scalloped edge! And the basic oval is embossed as well! These dies make it so easy to make a professional looking card in minutes! I am sure you have all read about the storage on these babies. How does a few CD cases sound? AWESOME!

I created this next item for CHA. I stamped the chickadee (Impression Obsession) on a piece of shrink plastic (Shrinky Dink, to be exact) and I colored it with Prismacolor pencils. Then I ran it through the Wizard using the largest scalloped oval (about 4 1/8” wide). I punched a hole, and added a gold jump ring, then shrunk it using my heat gun. (Be sure to remember to punch holes and add eyelets or jump rings before you shrink your item!) The charm shrunk to 1 ¾”.

I have it on a wine bottle for this photo display, but you could use it to dress up a gift, or even as a Christmas ornament! Scalloped shrink plastic…it’s a good thing, and not an easy feat if you were to try and use a punch! Oh wait, you can’t even GET a 4 inch scalloped punch, can you? Hmmmm methinks these dies are pretty flippin’ fantastic!

Thanks for visiting, and I hope you enjoyed the little peek into what I have been working on! There will be even more to come, so stay tuned!

Happy Monday!

I made this last night, ohhhhhh around midnight, LOL! The main image is colored with a combination of Copic markers (R83, E31, YR31) and Prismacolor pencils. I love the shading that you can achieve using these two mediums. Do you see the white highlights on the frosting of the cupcakes? That was achieved by first coloring the cupcake with Copic R83, then taking the Copic colorless blender, and removing a bit of the color in that area. COOL, huh?

I custom dyed my white rickrack with my Copic marker. If you haven’t seen how that is done, see my post HERE. The cupcakes are embellished with pink twinkle stickers, and Stickles. The word window punch allows the sentiment to show through. The patterned paper is retired “Loves Me” from the SU Winter mini, and it’s mounted on a cocoa card base.

I have some more exciting news to share with you! Have you been to Ellen’s blog today?! She made an announcement that you can read HERE. I am so excited to be joining the Spellbinders team!!! I am honored that Ellen chose me!! I am among such a group of amazingly talented ladies! I cannot WAIT to share some designs with you, on how fabulous these dies are! I will have a design for you tomorrow, and in the upcoming days, so stay tuned!

Well, I must get to work!! Hope you all have a great day, and thanks for stopping by!

Well I know blog land has been filled with everyone’s wish lists from the new Stampin’ Up! catalog. So…since I didn’t have time to make a card for today’s entry, I am going to share my list with you. The items that are noted with an asterisk are on order and should be here in a week or so!

This list is rather bittersweet for me. I will no longer be a Stampin’ UP! demo. There are many things in my career coming around the bend, and I do not have the time to find a continuous stream of new customers. I enjoyed the discount, but making the quarterly minimums was very difficult, as I did not have a wide customer base. All of that is OK, though! I can support my dear friend and help her make her minimums, now! Because of Stampin’ UP!, I have made some amazing friends, and found a hobby that brings me so much joy. I will be forever grateful that I was invited to attend that workshop in August 2003!!

So here it is, my first list as a “customer”!!

Stamps

*109345 Moose You

*109357 Heartspeak

*109395 Wanted

*109260 Priceless (my number one favorite set!!)

*109683 Swirly jumbo wheel

*109369 Short & Sweet

*109411 Brocade Basics

109689 Batty jumbo wheel

107563 Ho Ho Ho

109677 Mistletoe wheel

109685 Neighborhood jumbo wheel

109300 With Gratitude

109493 Absolutely Fabulous

109523 Define Your Life (this one might be too spendy for me though)

Backgrounds

*109521 En Francais

*109264 Baroque

109491 Posy

109294 Sanded

109425 Friend by Definition

Paper

*109148 Outlaw

*109153 Porcelain Prints

*109151 Le Jardin

109155 Creepy Crawly

*109154 Cutie Pie

Scrappin Kit

*109635 Secret Garden

Accessories

*109541 Priceless Brass template

109041 5 petal flower punch

109108 & 109128 Build a Brads

*109070 White taffeta ( I plan to dye this!)

109071 Vanilla taffeta

*109184 Sherbet ribbon

*109186 Theater ribbon