Sunday, June 30, 2013

Bloglovin

Tomorrow Google Reader will cease to exist.  I have been switching all the blogs I follow over to Bloglovin.  I'm sure it's going to be a real mess and I hope you continue to follow me. Just click on the Bloglovin word for the link and sign up.  You can import your blogs from Google to it in a flash! And I do have a Bloglovin button in my left sidebar if you are a new follower.  Another reader is Feedly by Firefox.   Please come back!  I have a cute card posting tomorrow! 

Friday, June 28, 2013

Triple Embossing... no, Quadruple Embossing!

I sure enjoy being a Technique Junkie and taking part in the monthly 1 on 1 swap.  This month my card uses the Triple Embossing technique.


I had a heck of a time working this technique in my Big Shot but I got 'er done!  I love how it turned out!  But can you figure out what I used to color my embossing?


Here's a closer look at the actual technique.  Notice the shimmer!  In real life it's just gorgeous!  I used a product I haven't used in YEARS!  And my pointer finger was quite colorful when I finished it...


Ta Da!!  I used Metallic Rub-Ons!!!  I have 3 sets of these and, after seeing the technique and taking the class from Ken Oliver of Spellbinders, I got them out and started playing. I used embossing folders from Cuttlebug and Tim Holtz and the stamped image is by Red Rubber Designs.  Do you have products hidden away that you haven't used in a long time?  I challenge you to get them out and play!!

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

WOYWW 212 and Snowflakes!

I decided to play today with showing you my desk.  Oh my!  It's busy!  No, not neat and tidy anymore!  And this post picture is brought to you in honor of Julia at the Stamping Ground! Yeah, it's her fault that I'm enjoying looking at crafters' desks all around the world!


Yep, I'm playing with my Big Shot trying out a new "technique" from the Technique Junkies!  I need to get my swap card done and I'm working on an idea. What a mess!  Paper trimmer, embossing folders, scissors, and who knows what!  I'll post the card later when I get it finished.

I did finish my 3rd project for my Christmas in July class coming up.  I'm still working on the supply list and directions and should have it done today.


It's supposed to be about 105* today so hopefully this card will cool me down with thoughts of northwest Wyoming in the winter.  We enjoyed skiing though I was quite slow and quite chicken about having wrecks.  I used my Spellbinders Shapeabilities Create A Flake 1 die set and the Inky Antics Snowman Soup stamp set on this card.


After embossing the flakes I swiped a blue ink pad over them to get some color.  And I colored the snowman with Copic markers. I'm still debating about adding some rhinestones or maybe some lines with the Stardust Clear Gel pen.  What do you think?

Now that you have viewed my desk and card please click on the Stamping Ground and check out all the desks and cool projects/inspiration!  Grab your coffee, tea, or whatever and enjoy!  And if you're so inclined please leave a comment about what you think of my desk or card.  Thanks!

Monday, June 24, 2013

Snowman/Snowflake Tag for Christmas

After we got home from Nogales, Mexico Saturday hubby got called in to work. So much for his day off.  So, I decided to work on another project for my upcoming Christmas in July class.  I got out my Spellbinder Snowflake dies, my Cuttlebug Snowflake embossing folder, and the Inky Antics stamp set I'm using (Snowman Soup).


I stamped the "snow" stamp from the set using VersaMark ink and added some Stardust Clear Gel pen squiggles in the snow.  I die cut the flakes and embossed them - fun trying to lay the snowflakes in particular spots in the embossing folder but I managed pretty good.  I used Nestibilities Labels 1 for the center.


I added itty bitty clear rhinestones to the eyes and added some coloring with my Copics.  You can see a bit of the snow and snowflakes in this pic. The green card stock was 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" as I wanted it BIG. Now onward to my card for the class....

Saturday, June 22, 2013

A Joyful Hello

I've been looking at Pinterest again and seen a gorgeous card that I traced back to SplitCoastStampers.  Funny, I'm a member but haven't been on the site for ages!  Now, I did change up the card quite a bit...  didn't use ribbon, didn't use any die cuts, used a different border punch, different stamps, different embossing folder, yep, a lot of changes.  I think the only similarity at this point is the general layout.


Such a nice clean design.  I like the simpler cards as people generally seem to be more inclined to make a card like it.  So, if you do Pinterest, pin away!  The stamps are all from Red Rubber Designs.  I used the Sunflower set and the Joyful Hello set.


I colored with Copics and added some faint bling with the Stardust Clear Gel pen.  I tried to get a pic of it in the center flower.  The border punch is by Fiskars and it was a bit difficult to use with the thickness of the card stock.  I had to kinda baby my punching so that I wouldn't break the punch.  Now that this is done I think I may have a use for it...

Today we have dental appointments in Nogales, Mexico.  We'll start with breakfast at IHOP on the Arizona side then walk across and go 2 1/2 blocks in to the dental office. We'll be done by noon and back across by 1 in the afternoon.  I hope to work on my Christmas projects when we get back.  I'm using a stamp set by Inky Antics called Snowman Soup and have hit a real brain block. Bummer.

Thursday, June 20, 2013

Father's Day and Christmas????

Ah, I missed showing you my desk yesterday.  Good reason.... I was out of town.  We were up by dawn and on the road to Phoenix, AZ to get some parts for where my hubby works.  We stopped at a Cracker Barrel restaurant and had a great breakfast (love their hash brown casserole) and I purchased a gift for our granddaughter whom I plan on seeing in August.  Then, with the help of Minnie (our Garmin GPS) we were at Totten Tubes (steel and iron dealer) by about 9:30 am and back in Tucson by noon.  I made a quick trip to Michaels for some rhinestones and velcro dots and on home.  I was so tired I barely stayed awake for church last night!  Anyway, I promised to show you my last Father's Day card (for my dad) and I finished 1 project for my Christmas in July class next month.


My dad is an amazing mechanic and seems he can get just about anything motorized to run properly.  He's worked on chain saws, lawn mowers, cars, trucks, and a lot more.  I had this scrap of pattern paper left over from a class and thought it was perfect.  And out came my Spellbinder label dies and a Red Rubber Designs stamp and ta da!!


Here's one of my Christmas projects.  It's a little treat box from a 8 1/2" x 11" sheet of card stock.  I used a Penny Black stamp set called Snowman Soup.  The top is closed with a velcro dot.


I get a kick out of this poem from the stamp set.


I colored the snowman with Copics and added a black rhinestone for the belly button and used Spellbinder label dies.


And the inside....  You can fit a small package of hot cocoa mix, some mini marshmallows and a peppermint or cinnamon stick in here.

Today I do have a class to teach using those cool Spellbinder dies from the class I took with Ken Oliver.  I only have 3 students but that's okay.  I have to go to work first cleaning at our church then a quick lunch.  Tonight we'll be going into Tucson to watch a baseball game so it will be a LONG day again.

Monday, June 17, 2013

Another Father's Day Card

I still have 2 more Father's Day cards to show you.  This is I gave to hubby.  While I was helping mom pick out a card for her to give dad (she sometimes wants me to make a card for her and sometimes not...) I see the neatest stickers by EK Success of mustaches! Funny, that word makes me think of mustard... weird how my mind wanders.  Anyway, I digress.  My hubby has a mustache though now it's way more white than red but his hair on his head is still red.  (There I go again.)  I picked a mustache that most closely resembles his and some scrap papers and here's what I came up with...  (oh, a dangling participle - I homeschooled our son for 5 years).


I used 3 different circle punches and some pattern paper I printed out from a digital pack by The Angel Company.  The text is from a Lawn Fawn set.


I tried to get the cool shiny effect of the 'stache but it just wasn't working.


I felt the card needed a bit more bling so I added these 3 gems at the bottom.  I found a cool poem online for the inside and I was done.  He liked his card.  I still have 16 'stache stickers to use!  Wednesday I'll show you dad's card along with my desk... I am working on getting kits made for my Thursday class and some samples for my July Christmas class.  Desk is still a bit neat... Obviously I'm not getting much done today but it's still quite early.  Just wait until I get home from working out at Curves.

Saturday, June 15, 2013

Mountain, Moose and Saddle

Tonight we'll be going to the Texas Roadhouse to celebrate Father's Day with hubby and dad.  We like to beat the rush.  So now I'm going to show you the other 2 cards I mailed out this week to our grandson-in-law and daughter's boyfriend.


Our GIL (can I use that?) is a real cowboy.  He trains horses and works cows in northwest Wyoming.  I follow his page on FaceBook and love seeing the horses.  (I had a purebred Arabian for 22 years that I trained, showed, and rode--- loved that animal.)  All stamps and papers are from The Angel Company.  I used 3 circle punches and love how they layer.


Here's a close up of the stamped image. I sponged the edges of the white and scalloped pieces with brown ink.


Our daughter's boyfriend likes to hunt pheasant but I didn't have any bird stamps but they live not from from the mountains in southeast Wyoming so I thought this was appropriate.  Stamps are by TAC again.  (I have HUNDREDS!)  The corner piece was done with a Cheery Lynn Designs die and I added a square rhinestone. 


I ran the corner piece through my Xyron sticker maker but if you do, please be careful.  This delicate corner wants to crinkle and tear. It does seem kinda deco design but I needed something not feminine... 

Next post I'll be showing you my cards for hubby and dad so stay tuned!

Friday, June 14, 2013

Common Theme... Water

This Sunday is Father's Day.  I have yet to make my cards for my hubby and dad (I'll get them done later today) but I did get them in the mail for our 2 sons, grandson-in-law, and daughter's boyfriend.  Here's a couple of them.  I try to fit the them to the guy's personalities.


This card was made for our oldest.  He lives on the west coast just a few miles from the ocean. The stamp is from Fiskars and the paper from The Angel Company (I still have LOTS of TAC paper).


I have a cool gem collection in shades of blue and they were perfect for some embellishment! The pattern paper's design even is kinda like waves.


Our youngest son is in Wyoming (our home town in the northwest) and works for an irrigation district that delivers water to the farmers.  But this old windmill is the way ranchers water their cattle out on the prairie.  Many are still working in the west and I love seeing them turn and hear them squeak. The windmill stamp is by TAC but the text is by Lawn Fawn.  Paper again is from TAC.


I colored using my Copics and found my E35 totally dry!  Well, it is one of the first I purchased about 3 years ago.  Anyway, I also used some twine from The Twinery and a black rhinestone for embellishment.

Have you gotten your cards completed??  At least the 4 I had to mail went out this past Monday so the guys should have them in time.  Tomorrow I'll show the other 2 cards so please come back!



Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Wednesday's Workdesk and Circles....

Are you getting tired of seeing my desk?  I've really enjoyed showing you not only my desk but other areas of my work room which has gotten me to do some straightening and organizing.  I appreciate Julia at the Stamping Ground for giving me and many other crafters an opportunity to see what each other is doing!  What a hoot! So, are you ready?


Let's see... what is here.  Hmmm... left to right. Paper for card making and scrapping.  I got some gorgeous paper from BoBunny called Prairie Chic that I plan on using for a page on our oldest granddaughter.  On top of the paper pile is a pad by Pebbles.  Next is some stamps in DVD cases sitting on top of 3 Copic books.  Then my work space with a card on it.  Mom needs an anniversary card and I'm working on it.  I've actually posted it quite a few months ago but all I need to do is add some text inside.  As to the rest of the stuff... far right is my OTT light and a couple buckets of paper.  Not bad.  Desk is begging for some creating time.


This was my thermometer yesterday.  Yep, 108 * F!!!  Oh my gosh!  It was misery to be outside.  We aren't going to get any break for the next 10 days, at least that's as far in the future The Weather Channel will tell. This was early afternoon in the shade...


And a card..... I used the Picot Edge Circle die set by Spellbinders for this.  It's 1 of 3 (others recently posted) for my June 20 class.  As of yesterday there is 1 signed up...   The stamp is by Hero Arts.

So now that you've read my post please leave a comment if you would and click HERE to go to Julia's blog and enjoy the MANY who participate in the international blog tour.  You never know what you're going to see!  And check out her post on June 9!!!  This blog tour is published! How cool is that!

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Resplendent Rectangles by Spellbinders

I decided to add an extra post as I have so many cards done!  I have 4 of my Father's Day cards complete and another card using a Spellbinder die set.  So, I'll show you this one....


Look at all those layers and yet, there's one missing!  I didn't do the smallest layer as I didn't have any stamps from AZ Scrapbooking that would fit in it.  This card is 4" x 6".  I do recommend that you use wax paper between the die and the card stock when cutting.  And watch your "sandwich" on your die cutting machine.  I followed the instructions on the Nestabilities insert and it was a bit of a bugger but it worked.  I had to add some card stock shims to get complete cuts.


Here's a closer view of the layers and embossing.  The text is from a Lawn Fawn stamp set. I think this card turned out really nice!  Do you have any dies you like?  Have you used them lately??

Monday, June 10, 2013

Anemone Flowers by Spellbinders

I mentioned a bit ago that I purchased a few of the new dies by Spellbinders when I took the classes by Ken Oliver.  I love the looks of this set and can see that I'll be using it frequently.  This card is one of three I'll be teaching June 20th at the AZ Scrapbooking store in Green Valley, AZ.


I love the dimension the flower makes!  I did 4 different shades of purple.  I cut a large flower from the 2 darkest shades and cut out the center petal.  I then cut the middle size from the medium shade and the small size from the lightest.  The the flower center from a scrap of yellow. I curled the center petals up. The text is from a Hero Arts set called Say It All.  I used the Fiskars Treading Water border punch on the green strip.


Here's a closer look at the flower. This would make a wonder gift bag topper.  My mind is going wild with ideas!  What can you come up with?

Friday, June 7, 2013

More Cards from the Spellbinder Class

Are you ready for some more cards I made this past weekend with Ken Oliver?


In this class we used the M-bosslbilities folders.  We colored the raised design with pastels.  I get a kick out of this stamp as I learned to shot as an early teen.


Here's another using the other side of the embossing folder but I colored the raised design with metallic rub-ons that I've had for over 10 years!  I used about 4 different colors. And then there's the cogs and brass items.  Very cool!  This text is a stamp from a set by The Angel Company.  These cards are growing on me...  What do you think?  Now I'm playing with some Spellbinder stuff for my June 20 class... Got 1 card done out of 3.  Hopefully today and tomorrow I'll get them done.

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

It's Another What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday!

I did get a picture! By golly, and my desk is loaded!  I have been working on finishing the cards from the classes with Ken Oliver of Spellbinders and they're done!  I did post a couple in my last post and I'll do a couple more here.


Hmmm... what's here.... My Artbin that holds my dies is under my paper trimmer on the left.  I need more inserts since I purchased 3 new die sets by Spellbinders.  You can see the edge of one on the white magnetic sheet.  There's my box of sponges just to the right of that. On my scrap paper to the right (yeah, I'm going left to right here...) are the cards that I made and they are going to be on display at the AZ Scrapbooking store in Green Valley, AZ as Debi (the owner) doesn't have any samples for the dies we used in the class.  Now there is one card I didn't finish and don't plan to as I'm not pleased with the colors. If you want to see things closer you can click on the photo and it should enlarge.  Now, on to some cards.


We played with the Cogs die for this card.  This is so much NOT my style but it was fun.  Ken called this a masculine card.  I didn't even use all the "cogs" we were given but I will use the leftovers somewhere.


We also used a die for the tags under the 7. One of the "students" was helping cut these out as me and another teacher from the store cut ALL the cogs.  I think we cut 27 for each of the 17 students (including me) for 2 cards.  Susan's little CuttleBug was smoking from the use. I used my Crop-a-Dile to add the eyelets on the tags and we were given some real cogs for using, too.  I used my Beacon 3 in 1 glue to adhere those.

I still have a 3 more cards not posted from the class but they'll be a post for another day.  I hope you will go to Julia's blog, the Stamping Ground, and enjoy looking at all the desks around the world.  Last week was the 4th anniversary of this blog tour of desks and Julia has done/is doing a great job of bringing together crafters for this weekly event.  So, leave a comment if you're so inclined then click on her blog name and check out so many more.  There's great inspiration and organizational ideas to be seen!  Grab a cup of coffee, tea, or whatever and enjoy!