Tuesday, November 30, 2010

A little 3D

Today I would like to share with you a little basket I created for the color challenge at Stamp TV this week. I normally keep those projects strictly over there, but I wanted to show the other photos, and I was limited to one over there.


The body of the basket was created using a template and stamp from the Rubber Cottage. I must admit that it was fun, except for the lid. I think that what I ended up doing will work for my purposes.
After I cut out the pieces of the template and scored my lines, I stamped the basket weave stamp that is included with Bermuda Bay ink from SU!. I then highlighted each weave with a Frost Blue Copic marker. Everything was adhered with Score Tape and small silver brads attached the pieces. Melanie Muenchinger's new Year of Borders set, designed for Gina K. Designs, was stamped across the lid with Old Olive ink, and then colored with Copics. The flower center were dotted with Enamel Accents, that makes the dots 3D. My basket lid is Ocean Mist CS and lined with a piece of Basic Grey, Eskimo Kisses. The handle is Green Apple CS. Both are Pure Luxury from Gina K. Designs. I created the closer with a circle punch, brad and hemp twine loop. After all that, I just had to make a coordinating tag using Melanie's Year of Flowers set.

I would like to enter this into a few Christmas challenges:
Just Us Girls: 3D challenge
Christmas Stampin' : Anything goes
Bunny Zoe's: Christmas but not a card
Stamp Insanity: Try something new
Freshly Brewed: Christmas/Winter Theme
Inktegrity Design: Anything goes
Fab n' Funky: Going with the flow
Stamp and Create: Tis the Season

Hope you like my project, and stop back again real soon!

Sunday, November 28, 2010

My First Project as a Rose!

As one of the newest flowers in the bouquet, I would like to present my very first project. Connie Rose is project coordinator this month, and has asked us to make a book mark. I won't go into details, but let's just say our little packets of supplies did not arrive due to a technical malfunction out of her control. Being the strong Roses that we are, we created beautiful bookmarks to accomplish the task. Please take time to visit the other Roses, Sue, Connie, Olga, Patti, Kerrie, Betty, who is on hiatus, and Kym.

I started with chipboard and made mine a wee bit on the long side, as I am more of a magazine reader and it would work much better. The designer paper is from Little Yellow Bicycle. Since I just received some new Pure Luxury card stocks for my birthday, I had a few new choices, and decided to go with the Smoky Slate as an accent. I used a Labels Four Spellbinders die, scored and folded in half as my top feature. I then cut ovals in the same Slate and smaller in white as my focal image. The saying I thought was inspirational and came from my stash of unmounteds which are unknown. I added stitching with a white gel pen and felt leaves to decorate. I drilled a hole and added hemp twine with the ends sandwiched in circle punches and a felt leaf added to dangle.

That is it for this morning, I hope you have a glorious Sunday!

Saturday, November 27, 2010

A Very Special Thank You!

Sorry I have been a real slacker the last few days. I truly tried to enjoy the holiday and go with the flow. Yesterday was spent shopping and celebrating my Birthday! I want to thank all of my sweet stamping friends for their thoughts, cards and well wishes. You all made it very special this year! I am quite use to a quiet day, but I was greeted with a stack of mail when I returned home.

My card was created using a new Heartfelt Creation stamp that I recently acquired. I just love it! It is called Baby Bluebirds and is # 815E. If you have a few minutes, check out all of the newly released goodies. They are gorgeous! My image was colored with Copics, sponged with Pear Tart ink form SU!. My papers are from K&Co's Madeline collection. I added white pearls and some soft green fiber as my accents.

Here is hoping that the rest of you're weekend is super! Be warm and be safe.

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

So Thankful For You

I had such a fun time with my New stamps from Heartfelt Creations, making my last card, I had to keep playing. This card uses the stamps from HCPC3328 Swirly Autumn Leaves PreCut Set. It was colored with Copic Markers and Stickles and Glossy Accents were added. My designer paper is from Little Yellow Bicycle and a paper doily was added. I muddied up all of my edges with Vintage Photo Distress Ink, and added a few blue gems and some gold cording as accents.

This is a quickie post, and I hope it finds everyone well on this pre-holiday Tuesday! Thanks for stopping by for a look see!

Monday, November 22, 2010

Joan's Gardens Challenge #24

This week, with the holiday fast approaching, the challenge at Joan's Gardens has us creating a project which includes the following:

1. Create a Thanks giving card.
2. Use something Fallish such as Leaves, Pumpkins or Indian Corn (if you don't have a stamp use a leaf from your tree.
3. The color Green.
4. Some kind of swirl or vine.

I was able to get some great Heartfelt Creations stamps last week during one of Joan's sales. They were just perfect for this challenge!

My card was created using HCPC 3329 Pumpkin/Autumn Vines Pre-cut Set. The sentiment was taken from HCPC 3328 Swirly Autumn Leaves PreCut Set. I used a layer of dp from the Memory Box, Blackbird collection. Images were embossed with gold detail powder and colored with Copic Markers. The vines were all hand cut. I added a few olive pearls as accents. That's about it!

I know it is a busy week for everyone so if I don't get to say it later, Happy Thanksgiving! My kids came yesterday and we had a huge turkey dinner. Today I am using as a rest day! Six hours of cooking, 10 minutes of eating, and hours of clean up. Still, I know we are so blessed!

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Sleigh Ride

I have been getting quite a good jump on my Christmas cards and thought I would share one that I just finished. I recently won this large stamp on Ebay for 99 cents, so this is the first time I am stamping with it. It is an older stamp from Hampton Art Stamps, but it delivered nice crisp lines.

After starting with Green Apple Pure Luxury card stock as a base, I added dp from Memory Box and their Mistletoe collection. Next was more PL in Onyx Black. My image is colored in Copics and sponged with Baja Breeze ink from SU! I have been using this color a lot but it is the shade that suits me most, with the newer papers. The sentiments are from Theresa Momber's stamp set called Very Merry Christmas, and is available through Gina K. Designs. I added Stickles for sparkle and an inked flower from Making Memories.

On a personal note, I would like to tell my friend Patti and her DH, that they are in my thoughts. Here is hoping for good news today. The mailman brought me a gorgeous card and goodie from across the big pond , so I want to thank Sue W. Olga, I received your card yesterday after I posted and it is just beautiful! Thank you all for making me feel so special. This birthday is starting early and I am loving it. Have a great day, everyone!

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Penguins and Snowflakes!

It has been quite a few weeks since I was able to do the Speedy the Cats Friends Challenge, but when I saw that I had to add a snowflake, I knew I had to fit this one in! I decided to use an image of Mo Manning's called Penguin with Gift. I just loved coloring it and I hope I did this cute little guy justice.

Copics were my choice for coloring. I tried creating a winter background for him by adding some swirls by hand to the ground to create snow. I traced the swirls with Diamond Stickles for sparkle. My sky was a very old snowflake stamp that has the maker so worn, I can't read it. The sponging and snowflakes are all in Baja Breeze ink from SU!. My base is Onyx Black Pure Luxury with a dp from K&Co. The ribbon was part of the monthly club from Really Reasonable Ribbon. As for my large snowflake, it is an MS punch, sponged with Baja Breeze, coated in Versamark, sprinkled with UTEE, and then heated 2x. I added a glitzy center by Recollections and.

I really hope you like this little guy as much as I do. I didn't realize until I went back to make sure of the image name that his gift under his arm, is a wrapped fish!!! How cute is that? Very windy day ahead of me here in PA. The news is saying that it flipped around planes at the airports. Yikes! Be safe out there!

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Have You Tried This?

After hopping to may blogs, and seeing lots of these medallions, I thought I would try making one myself. Now I did not use the die that is just out on the market, but rather, I used a border punch and a score board. It was quite interesting trying to get the thing folded, flipped inside out, and stuck to a base circle all in one step.

Since I always make birthday, holiday and sympathy cards, I decided to add to my Anniversary stash. I used a new silver gilding ink around the lacy part of the medallion. the flower is from Prima, called Fabric Fancies and was already glittered. The dp is Making Memories and the black card stock is Pure Luxury from Gina K. Designs. Pearls were added as accents.

That was a little easier! Something tells me I have a 25th anniversary looming somewhere, in which case I can glitter 2 numbers and add them. Have a wonderful day, my faithful friends!

Monday, November 15, 2010

Joan's Gardens Challenge #23

I started on this card for Joan's Gardens Challenge around 5 a.m.. I had no idea where it was going, but I was determined to fit in all of the requirements. Here is what they are.......

1. Create a Window card (Create an opening on the front of the card to see the image stamped inside.)
2. Use Christmas Ornament - or something similar
3. Some thing Gold
4. Something fuzzy

So far, I have shown you the inside of my card. My ornament is a clip on glass bird form Flourishes set called All That Glitters. My designer papers are from Memory Box and the card stocks are from Gina K. Designs. I used Nestabilities Beaded Oval and Scalloped Oval dies under my bird. The sentiment is from GKD stamp set called Festive Frame by Melanie Muenchinger. I did some sponging with Rich Cocoa, Memento ink and then threaded some fuzzy fiber from Adornaments, and tied a bow. Next I turned my attention to the ornament and decorated his tail, beak, and legs with Champagne gold Stickles. The rest of the bird was coated in Glossy Accents.
Where is my window you ask? Well, this was the hard part. I thought about cutting an oval that was divided equally on the front panels, but it just was not working. I decided to add an 1 1/4 inch hole, just big enough for the birds head to peek out. I ran a metallic gold Sharpie around the hole to make it look finished. An MS border punch was used to dress up the front. I needed to create a closer so I cut an oval in half, used the gold Sharpie on the scallops and added gold beads. A Velcro circle was halved and positioned under the closer.

Phew, what do you think? That is what I call some serious playing! I may even do a little more on the front. Maybe a border stamp? I sure do love the inside, though!

Saturday, November 13, 2010

Trying Something New

A friend and fellow Rose, Kym, does lots of these beautiful 3D cards. Olga Rose asked her the other day where we might find some of the sheets she uses. She was gracious enough to share a few places, and I thought I would try it out.

It just so happens that tomorrow is my DH's birthday, and I wanted a card to give him from our furry baby, Jessie. We always kid that we should have a Lab in each color, so I thought this would be fitting.

My card base is SU! Soft Suede that I ran through the Cuttlebug in a Swiss Dot EF. I added a layer of forest green scrap card stock, and then started to build my scene. There are 3 popped layers and then the black pups head. I must admit, this was really fun! I can see me doing these in between, when the mojo is low. I layered my sentiment on some SU punches and then added piercing. The card was finished with a couple wraps of hemp twine.

Thanks for taking a look. I hope to get in some quality play time today, so I may be back.
UPDATE: You guys are tough, lol! Here is a link to the free sheet. http://www.3dsheets.tripod.com/index.html

Thursday, November 11, 2010

It's Veterens Day!

I decided to post a photo of a card that I had created for my Cousin, awhile back. She had just lost her Dad, and I wanted to honor him. This is a photo of 3 Brothers. Mike, Joe, and Paul. They all served at the same time during WWII. Although they served in different branches, they all saw action, and were able to come home, marry, and raise families.

They grew up in a tiny little borough in PA, and I remember as a little girl, hearing the stories of how my Grandmother was the only lady in her town who had a silk banner with 3 stars, hanging in her front window. They hung these so people would know they had someone from the household fighting in the war. The handsome Navy man in the middle, is my Dad, Joe. He was the finest man I will ever know and I miss him dearly.

Anyhow, please take time today to think of friends and loved ones who have served or are still serving, so that we can be free. Attend a parade or a service. Perhaps, just speak their name softly during you're day.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

A Couple Of My Apple Cards

I have been trying to work on apple cards in my spare time, and I thought I would share a few of them. The lady does not need them until Spring, so I have plenty of time.

Both cards use a new stamp I received from Heartfelt Creations. It is called Red Delicious #277E. It has a white card base, followed by a layer of Basic Grey. My plaid panel was made using my new Sizzix plaid EF. I ran ink pads directly onto the folder, and I love how the background came out! I added a row of stitched ribbon with a duo of metal and pearl brads. My sentiment is from Gina K. Designs, and was cut out with an oval Nestabilities die, mounted on double layered rectangles. My apples were colored with Copics and popped up.

My second card is again a white base, layered with Grass Green PL card stock, and a top layer of glittered paper from the DCWV Citrus collection. My sentiment is from Impression Obsession layered on Labels Fourteen Nestabilities. I stamped a checkerboard border with an old SU! stamp. Sorry, don't know the name but it is all apples. This time I colored my apples like Granny Smiths, in all green Copics. It is such a great stamp to color!

Okay need to get my hair out of it's towel and dress for work! Have a great day!

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Challenge Completed and Some News

The challenge for Joan's Gardens is #22 and again, Joan has a list of steps for us to follow.

A character ( preferably Magnolia or Sarah Kay)
Some thing that sparkles
Nestie by Spellbinders - New if you have one
Greeting

Joan, you always come up with great ideas! I started with a white card base layered with Pure Luxury Innocent Pink and paper from the Olivia collection from Basic Grey. My character is from Sarah Kay and is called Sweeping. The sentiment I chose to coordinate is a digi that is an unknown . Both were cut out with Spellbinder Nestabilities Long Classic Scalloped Rectangles Small. Say that 3x fast...... LOL! For sparkle I added some Making Memories glittered flowers with Dewdrop centers and a shimmery bow. All of the images were sponged with SU! inks and colored with Copics.

Now, on to my news! There is a special group of ladies that formed over at Stamp Tv, and they call themselves "The Roses". Well, today I was asked to become part of the bouquet! I am so honored! The group does a special challenge each month and posts the last Sunday. The members take turns hosting. As I get more detail, I will be sure to fill in my followers. Thanks again, ladies, I shall now bear the name Mary Anne Rose.

Saturday, November 6, 2010

Ornaments

Here is another card that I created using Flourishes Stamps. I remember how excited I was to get this set, because I have many of these ornaments from when my Mom was a little girl. I still use the angel that was on the top of her very first Christmas tree.

I started with a layer of Jovial from Basic Grey on my base card. My next 2 layers are Lipstick Red and Sweet Corn, Pure Luxury card stock from Gina K. Designs. The Flourishes set that I used is called All That Glitters. I decided to use a sentiment from Christmas Tea. Branch of Old Olive were stamped across the top of my panel to give the ornaments a place to hang from. I staggered the sizes of ornaments I stamped and colored them with Copic Markers. Glossy Accents were added in strategic areas and then sprinkled with fine glitter, for sparkle. Gold cording was wrapped on my corners and tied in a bow.

Copic colors I used were: 0, BG000, BG05, BG07, C1, E55, E57, G05, N5, R24, R29, V04, Y17 and YG06

Thanks for you healthy wishes. I am on the mend. Have a great day!

Friday, November 5, 2010

Cup of Friendship

Last Christmas, I received some gorgeous stamp sets as gifts. As the holiday cards had all been sent, I saved them for this year. Boy, are this set is fun! It is from Flourishes, and is called Christmas Tea.
I started was a white base and then added a layer from the Basic Grey Jovial collection. I added two wraps of ribbon, Two glittered brads on silk poinsettias, and lots of color with my Copic Markers. Behind the teacups, I dotted with Crystal Accents let it dry and then used weathered wood Distress ink to make the dots pop.

The Copic colors used are: C1, C3, C5, B0000, B00, BG05, BV29, E35, R24, R29, Y17, YG06, and YG17.

Fighting a tummy bug here so I will keep this short. Have a wonderful weekend!

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Heavy Heart

Pets become such important parts of our lives, and it hurts terribly when they leave us. Our best friends lost their doggie the other day to old age. He was one of the smartest dogs I have ever had the pleasure to have met. Sad to say, it was his time to run and play in greener fields.

I made this card to help ease their pain a bit. My base is Ivory with layers of Chocolate Kiss and Lipstick Red Pure Luxury. I used a poem that I recently bought at a convention from Purrs and Pants Stamps. I distressed the panel with Vintage Photo, Distress Ink. My hydrant and bones are from an old SU! set that does not have it's name. I colored them with Copics, popped up the hydrant over some stitched ribbon. The bones and part of the hydrant were coated in Glossy Accents.

Have a good day!

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Poinsettia Time!

Recently, I was lucky enough to win a gift certificate from Patti J.'s blog, called Cherish Each Precious Day. Thanks again, Patti! I chose my certificate from Heartfelt Creations, and was able to choose some very lovely things! This card is created using a couple of them.

To begin, I stamped the HFC Open Poinsettia stamp 1461D, onto Basic Grey Fruitcake paper 2x with VersaMark and embossed with gold detail ep. I cut both out and layered, but removed some of the petals for my top layer. I added Crystal Effects to the center and used Dewdrops as accents. I outlined all of my petals inside the gold embossing using a Copic marker #R39.

My card base is Pure Luxury Soft Sand card stock with a layer of the reverse side of my BG Fruitcaker paper. The paper has distressed edges but I added a wee bit more with Vintage Photo Distress Ink. I stamped my leaves which are from the HFC set called Leafy Swirls PreCut HCPC 2254. I again embossed with gold detail and colored my leaves with Copic colors # G00 and BG10. As I use to scrapbook quite a bit, most of my older Basic Grey is in 12x12 size and the collections included adhesive letters that have been neglected. I decided to use them to form my sentiment, in the hope of using them up.
My poinsettia was mounted to the front, and I decorated the inside, leaving that sentiment to be determined later. Hope you like! Happy Hump Day!

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

My Blog Has "Tude"!

My friend Olga, gifted me with this awesome new award. Thanks so much, buddy! If you follow all the directions that come with it, you can receive a $5.00 gift certificate from Digi's With Attitude. You can find all the specifics right here.
One of the rules of the award is that you must tell 3 unknown facts about yourself:

1) I recently lost 40 pounds.
2) I hate driving on roads that are not rural.
3) I secretly wish I had red hair.

Now I must hook up 5 deserving Bloggers:






Be sure to hook up your post to the Digi's With Attitude Challenge Blog!

Monday, November 1, 2010

November Already?


Yipes! Time is flying, and the temps are starting to dip. Just wanted to share a quick post with you all this morning. This card has been laying on my desk for a couple weeks. I try to keep cards like this on hand, but I just haven't found a challenge for it. I purchased this gorgeous Impression Obsession stamp while I was visiting my DD. We found such a good deal, that she had to get it also. My papers are from DCWV's Latte collection. I added wrinkle ribbon, Stickles, pearls, and a vintage button for my accents. I used the largest of the Labels Ten Nestie set and cut off the bumps to fit my image. This card has great sparkle but again, I can not make it pop.

Thanks so much for stopping by, and just know that I appreciate each and every visit!