Friday, April 30, 2010

She's So Special...

I made another card and it's in the mail to my niece for her birthday tomorrow. I played with one of my favorite floral sets, Watercolor Plants.  I also used a challenge from Paper Wings as inspiration which was to use every stamp in the set. So, without further ado....


I used DCWV cardstock and stamped the flowers using VersaMark ink.  I then sanded the cardstock which made the flowers pop. I added the wide sheer ribbon for a bit of embellishment.  Then I stamped the image on the white cardstock with Sage VersaMagic ink.


I stamped the image twice without reinking so you can see the flowers faintly in the background.  The text is from the Great Greetings set and stamped with Noir PH ink.  I didn't get it spaced very good but the effect is there.

BTW....  My niece will be 21.  She's an absolute cutie and is a med student at a college in Kansas.  And another little sidenote...  My fingernails match the background cardstock.  Cool green!!!  I will be changing the color soon. LOL!


Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Hoping Your Day is...

I needed to make a birthday card for my niece for my folks go give and decided to use the Wonder & Joy set as it's just SOOO cute!  And the phrases that come with it are wonderful, too.  So let me know what you think...


I used Amberly Grace SWIC, cardstock, and ribbon.  I used the Fiskars Treading Water border punch to create the bottom border.  It shows up nicely on the white card base.  Can you see the shimmer of the balloon?  I used the Stardust Clear Gel pen on it.  Love that pen! I did raise up the tag with text using some mounting tape.


I used my Basic set of Copic markers to color the clothing and balloon of the little girl.  I hope to purchase a larger set that TAC carries but gotta save up some moolah first.  I also used my Prismacolor Pencils to color the hair and skin.  I also used some OMS (odorless mineral spirits) and a blending stump on the skin and love how it blended!  Can you see the blush on the cheeks?  Look ma, no lines!!  LOL! I'm thinking I should have outlined her with the Cool Grey Tombow Marker for a bit more POP.

I did screw up the posting of this - it was to be my post for the 30th so will get in gear and make another care since I need one myself!

We had FUN!!

I just had to have a picture taken of the great gals who attended Linda's party last Saturday!  The card was a hard one but, with my friend Susanne's help, we got it across! You seen in a previous post the card I made for the example.  Well, some gals were very creative and changed it around!  How exciting to see them grasp the concept and make it their own! So, without further ado....


On the couch from left to right: Linda, Pensa, Gayle, Mary, Shannon, and Sue.
On the floor: Eunice, Brianna, and me.
We had lots of giggles, a bit of frustration at times, but most said they'd make another! 
These gals also planned to scrap the rest of the day but we had to leave due to other plans. I'm sure there were giggles all evening!  Thanks, ladies, for a wonderful time and I sure enjoyed meeting all of you!

Monday, April 26, 2010

Special Easel Cards

I belong to a yahoo group called the AZ Stampers.  Each month we try to have what's called an Above/Below swap meaning that when you sign up you commit to sending a card to the person above you and below you on the list.  This month the swap is to send an Easel card.  These are so cool!  So, here's what I made!  These cards are kinda small, just 3 1/2" across.  Very easy and with the Scor-Pal, a piece of cake!


I used Amberly Grace SWIC and matching cardstock along with matching ribbon!  Love how these coordinate!  The little girl comes from the Wonder & Joy set and the text is from a March special called S is For She (no longer available).  I colored the little gal with Copic Markers and skin-tone pencils.  I only have a basic pack of markers but hope to purchase more.


The flower is made by Flower Doodles and I colored it with the Copic markers.  Love how it turned out.


I used a technique called Out of the Box when cutting and layering the little gal.  I bet the gals will enjoy these.  What do you think??

Saturday, April 24, 2010

I got it done!!!

Finally finished my card sample for tomorrow's FunShop!  Not that it was difficult but very time consuming coloring and cutting out all those images!!  Which then I decided to stamp all the necessary images to save time.  I really don't want the gals to be spending all their time passing the stamps and ink pad! So, without further ado...


I used the stamp set Little Cupcake as that's what Linda wanted me to use along with making a Middle Step card.  And the beautiful pattern paper is from the Miss Moxie SWIC. I made it rather simple as I wanted the gals to learn the concept of the card style.  I used markers to color the images and some are popped and glittered with the Stardust Clear Gel pen.  Here's a close-up of the cupcake at the top:


See the bling??  Just enough to catch your eye.  It's also on the flame of the candle and the sucker. I sure hope to party goes well....   Since this is posting the day of the party I'll have to let you know later!

So, what have you been doing lately??

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Busy, busy, busy....

I've been working feverishly today getting ready for a FunShop on Saturday in west Tucson, AZ. Linda has 10 confirmed and a possible 5 more that haven't made up their minds yet! We're making Middle-Step cards, a bit more difficult card than usual. Linda fell in love with one I made and taught at the AZ Scrapbooking store in Green Valley, AZ a month ago. Thank goodness that my friend, Susanne, is coming along to help me! I hope to get the card we're going to make finished shortly and posted. So please be patient!

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Sending a Latte....

I'm sorry I missed posting a couple days ago.  Seems like the end of last week got real hectic.  I went to Nogales, Sonora, Mexico to get my teeth cleaned along with various other errands and did not get anything made to post!!  But I just got this card made for a swap on Technique Junkies 1-1.


I used our hostess gift called Floral Mug.  You can get this stamp FREE with a $100 net order.  It is a fairly large stamp.  The technique is a golden oldie to me called Crayon Resist.  I used glossy white paper for the base and a K-Pad called Calypso along with my brayer. The text at the bottom is from the set Sending a Latte...  Oh, I used Noir PH ink to stamp the images.



I tried to do a closeup so you can see the resist and the Stardust Clear Gel pen but glossy paper really reflects the light! Can you see the dots at the tops of the tulips, in the center of the daisy, and the lines in the leaves?  Well, they're there!  Just a hint of bling.  And do you like my bow at the top of the card?  I used the Bow Easy to make it. Boy, that is one cool tool!

Friday, April 16, 2010

Another Deer Dad card...

I just love this deer from the Greatest Dad set that is on special this month.  If you want one you need to order soon!  Anyway, this is one of the cards for a May class at the AZ Scrapbooking store in Green Valley, AZ .  The class is called It's A Guy Thing.  The other 2 cards have images by Terry Medaris, an amazing artist who can do fantastical things with Prismacolor Pencils.  Anyway, here's the card and some closeups.


I purchased the brown and camo paper from the store.  All 3 cards use it and I cannot tell you who makes it. I cut the spot that had the names!  Oh well. I did use Noir PH ink to stamp the images and Prismacolor Pencils, Odorless Mineral Spirits, and a blending stump to color.


Don't you still just love that expression?  I again used the Stardust Clear Gel pen on the eye to give it a glint of ornery-ness.

I used the 3/4" circle punch and pop dots to create my embellishments.  Needed something to balance the card and the brown cardstock that I used has such a great shimmer! Love it! I won't be able to use this card for Father's Day as it'll be on display at the store for at least a month after the class.  Darn.  Well, I'll make more cards! Problem solved!

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Deer Ole' Dad...

No, I don't have a typo....   It's actually part of a phrase in one of the special sets this month called Greatest Dad!  Check out how to get yours by clicking on the April Specials tab above....  So, want to see what I made?
 

I played with the Marker Tapping technique from the Technique Junkies newsletter.  Pretty cool, huh! I colored the deer with Prismacolor Pencils and stamped with Noir PH ink.  I used DCWV brights cardstock stack for the dark brown cardstock, a brown button, and white scrappers floss. I also used the Mega Circle punch for the layer beneath the deer.



I used the Stardust Clear Gel pen on the eye.  You can say he has a glint in his eye, kinda makes him look like he's up to some shenanigans....   No Bambi here! LOL!



I popped the deer with foam mounting tape for a bit more dimension.  I like how this card turned out.  And, for some reason, I can make masculine cards a bit easier than feminine.  Anyone else with that problem? Anyway, I think most any guy would enjoy this card and it was very easy to make.

Monday, April 12, 2010

Cards 4 Sale...

I haven't been as productive as I'd like but did get a few of my past class samples ready to sell at the AZ Scrapbooking store in Green Valley, AZ.  There is 1 card (bottom left) in this picture that used TAC stamps and I plan on pulling a few more from my stash to sell.  Each has a matching envy and a label on the clear protective sleeve telling what phrase/text is inside the card.  Since these are rather simple cards I'm thinking about $2.25 to $2.50 each. 



So, what do you think?  Am I pricing them about right?  I need to make more money for my June trip to Wichita, KS for the annual T.A.C. Seminar.

A little personal note, my hubby got a new job!  We're praising the Lord as he applied last Monday, interviewed last Wednesday and got hired!  Pay is a bit less than we're used to but we'll probably be in a lower tax bracket.  Insurance isn't near as good but the job is more up his alley.  He's been a farmer all his life pretty much and he will now be working on New Holland farm equipment (he's really a John Deere guy) as a service man doing warranty work, setting up of new equipment, hauling equipment (has a commercial driver's license), and whatever else.   He's spent all weekend cleaning his tools and fixing up his BIG tool boxes. I think he's excited!

Saturday, April 10, 2010

My 2nd teaser...

You've now seen the masculine southwest card.  How about the feminine card?  I hope to get back to using my TAC stamps after I get these class samples out of the way.  So, without further ado...


Here's the finished front.  The cute little jeweled flowers are by Flora Doodles and there are 80 florettes per bag of various sizes  (some packages have colored florettes).  This is the only picture with the florettes as the others were taken before these little cuties were applied..



Here you can see the open card with all the folds. Thank goodness for my Scor-Pal!  The stamps are by Martha Stewart and Stampendous.


And finally the front flower.  You can almost make out where I used the Stardust Clear Gel pen inside the flower. Love using that pen!  So, onward to my next class.  I did get those samples done but won't post those for a while.  And I had a large order come in so have been busy cutting out the stamps for my customers, many are first timers for me.

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Ok, I'll show one of the teasers...

My last post I gave a little teaser of a couple cards.  Well, I finished one for my April 21st class and here it is. I used a very retired set called Kokopelli, a great southwest set with 8 images. I did get permission to use this set as I didn't want to buy wood mounted stamps but will push their products in the class.


Here is the completed cover.  I used the Stardust Clear Gel pen in the sun's spiral. And you can see the buttons and white scrappers floss for a bit of embellishment.


Here is is open. I also used the Stardust Clear Gel pen on the Kokopelli.  The panel to the left has a "Happy Birthday" phrase from a Hero Arts set that I purchased for the class.  This card isn't quite as complicated as it seems but it did take some time.  Thank goodness for my Scor-Pal! The solid cardstock is by Core'dinations and the pattern paper is by Far and Away. (I would have preferred to use one of our great pattern papers and matching cardstock but since this is for a class at the store I had to use most of their products.)  I used Burnt Umber and Raw Sienna P.H. inks as they matched so well! Also used the Giga Jumbo Scalloped circle punch and a larger circle punch which framed it wonderfully.  This is an oversized card,  6" x 4"  when closed (and 6" x 12" when open) so I'm sure the postage would be more than the standard rate when mailed.

So, was this one worth the tease?  Now, on to finish the other card!

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

A Little Teaser....

I'm working on a couple cards for my April 21st class at the AZ Scrapbooking store in Green Valley, AZ.  They are multi-fold cards but I only have the base cards done, no stamping as of yet.  The folds are a bit intricate but any intermediate stamper can accomplish them.  So, without further ado, here's the nekkid covers:



I had to use a paperclip to hold them close.  So, do I have you curious?  Wondering?  All that good stuff?  Well, ya gotta stay tuned!  A little hint, the top card will be masculine and the bottom, feminine.  Hopefully I'll get at least one completed for the next post.

Sunday, April 4, 2010

Another Easter card...

Here's another Easter card I made for today.  Again, I used a retired set (man, I need to purchase something current!). I used some unbleached muslin from a huge package I purchased at our local beauty supply store and cut a strip in thirds using my pinking shears. 


I used a set called He Is Risen.  I stamped the image in Noir PH ink in the center of the square and heat set, then, using my Niji water brush, I picked up color from my Prismacolor H2O pencils and carefully colored. The paper is Juliette SWIC and matching cardstock.  Also used staples to attach the fabric to the light purple square.


Here's my closeup of the stamped fabric piece.  I had to be real careful as the colors would bleed into each other.  And for some reason the center of the stamp didn't print very well when I stamped.  But I still like how it turned out for a somewhat quick card.


I seen a card similar to this that inspired this card.  It was over on Paper Wings and I love going there to see what other angels have made.  This set was retired a year or so ago and it's also from He Is Risen. I used some paper scraps to make the background.  I'm thinking the burgundy is much too dark, should have used something much lighter.


I used my Copic markers to color this.  This is my very first attempt. I purchased a basic set from the AZ Scrapbooking store to play with as I don't have the cash yet to purchase a big set that we carry. I can see how these can get addicting...

Today is Easter.  We celebrate the fact that our Lord and Savior rose from the tomb and is now seated in Heaven to the right of God the Father.  And I praise Him for my salvation as He is my Hope and comfort in this troubled world.  I KNOW I will join Him in Heaven upon either my death or my Rapture. May you have a blessed day today.

Friday, April 2, 2010

Some Easter cards...

I was preparing gifts for our 2 youngest granddaughters when I realized I don't have any Easter cards on hand!  Shocking!!  And I don't have any CURRENT Easter stamps on hand!  Even more shocking!!  So, what does one do??  Dig out some retired sets!  And I did!  Here's one of the few I made:


I used the wonderful set called Our Saviour.  I love the script and the flourishes in the design.  I used Penelope SWIC, cardstock, and ribbon and matching Pumpkin Spice Versamagic ink and a piece of black cardstock.
  

And how do you like my bow?  I used the Bow Easy that I purchased at a convention in Tucson, AZ last month.  I'm not saying who in our family is getting this card but I think they'll like it.