Best Fishes

Every Friday on A Shade of Blue Sharon does a "Technique Junkies Challenge" Last Friday's challenge was a glitter window. Here is my card for that challenge. But don't forget to see what she has up her sleeve for today!!

Cardstock: Cool Caribbean, Only Orange, Basic Black, Whisper White; Stamps: SU's Very Punny Accessories: Marvy Mega Scalloped Square, Word Window Punch-SU, 1 3/8 Square punch, Zyron Sticker maker, Ultrafine Glitter, Stampendous glitter embossing powder, heat gun, Brads, Sakura Gelly Roll silver glitter pen. Ink: Cool Caribbean, Palette Noir Black, Only Orange craft

I saw a tutorial on how to make this card on Beate's Blog about a week ago and thought it would be a great way to incorporate Sharon's challenge. So I stamped the little fish with my palette ink and colored him with Watercolor Crayons, then I ran him through my Zyron and dipped him in the glitter and secured him behind the window cutout. I got the idea for the scalloped tag from Asela at her blog - Hop Art Studio So then I was looking at the leftover scalloped corners and wanted to see if I could sort of frame them around the window opening. I punched another square out of Only Orange and proceeded to trim some more, they fit almost perfectly. I'm pleased with the end result. I used the Gelly roll pen in silver glitter to add the dots in each scallop. If you want me to try to create a tutorial for the corners, just leave a comment on this post!

Now for the brads.....I love to make matching glittery brads for some of my creations. I take a brad, scuff it up real good with a sanding block, smush it into a pigment ink pad (here I used Only Orange) then dip it into embossing powder and blast it with my heat gun. I then put them into the freezer for a few minutes for a quick set. If you try to use it too quickly everything comes off. Oh yea- and always use tweezers when doing this, or you will burn your fingers....believe me!!

This card is going out to someone who is just starting something big and new!!!
Best Fishes everyone!!!

Challenges

Every Thursday on A Shade of Blue I post a product challenge. Yesterdays challenge was to use Watercolor Paper. It has been quite a while since I worked with mine. Here is the card I made

Cardstock: Pumpkin Pie, Certainly Celery, Basic Black, Apricot Appeal and Watercolor Paper Stamps: SU's Delight in Life Ink: Versamark, Certainly Celery, Palette Noir Black and Black Stazon for the flowers Accessories: Cuttlebug Divine Swirl embossing folder, Word Window Punch, Fiskars scissors "cloud", Twinkling H2O's and waterbrush

The card base is made from Pumpkin Pie. I then ran the basic black through the cuttlebug, I thought about swiping some ink over the embossing, but decided it against it. I stamped the little dot thingies from the set onto the celery cardstock in versamark. I wanted the small flower to have a little more "pop" than I would achieve with the versamark ink, so I inked it with celery but stamped off on scrap paper before stamping on the strip. I pierced the top of the strip and trimmed the bottom with my Fiskars scissors. I used the Word Window punch for the tabs, glued them to the black base and added copper brads. I stamped the large flowers with Stazon onto wataercolor paper and painted them in with my Twinkling H2O's; cut them out then mounted all three with pop-dots.

I am really pleased with how this turned out. Here is a side view

I am actually getting another post ready for later today, so keep your eyes peeled!!! Enjoy!

Sometimes you feel like a nut.....

Sometimes you don't!! Hubby and I traveled this past Sunday to the PA - Delaware border to get his "Belated" Birthday gift {we had the ice storm the day I was going to go shopping!} We stopped for lunch first, so I decided to ask the "big" question!! "Would you mind if we went a little further and stopped at Michael's first?"(Me) Holding breath......."Where is this place anyway?"(DH) "Right next to Lowe's Sweetie"(me) So he dropped me off (insert shocked face!!) and said "when your done call me" Wooo Hooo!!!! I was in search of those elusive clear $1 stamps everyone has been raving about. Backtrack a moment....couldn't find them at my local M's...... The bin was picked over big time, but I managed to scrounge about 6 sets and one block. Not totally my style...but they may make some nice Blog givaways I also had a 50% AC Moore coupon in my purse...Hmmmm what to get. I spied this box of cards from DCWV

List price is $9.99 so I thought hey...$5 for a box of 60 cards and envies...not bad at all!! Because they have a scalloped or pinking edge to them!! Coolies!! 60 cards and envies for $5 what a bargain. Well, let me tell you....they are ONLY card fronts even though the box front says "60 A2 cards" they even have some card fronts without any fancy edges. But really, for $5 I can't complain. Then I came up with an idea.....I had this incredible inspirational moment for a card design, so today I got the chance to create it....

Not really what I had envisioned...Sometime you feel like a nut!!! On this card I used one of the scalloped card fronts cut it in half, then trimmed some more off of each half and adhered it to a card with the fold in the center (is there a technical name for this one? please let me know!) Well, before I adhered the scalloped halves I stamped them with 2 sets from TAC "Best Feelings" and the little circle thingie is from "Deco Designs". I used my Versamagic Dew Drops. I Love that ink!!! I added eyelets to create a closure with ribbon (used my Crop-a-Dile!!!) The ribbon is from my stash, then I added some self adhesive rinestone flowers that I found at Joann's in the $$ bins Not super thrilled with this one though....

So I played around again, this time forgoing the DCWV card fronts and came up with this.

Sometimes you don't.
I like this one a lot better!!!! This started out as the card above, then I used my scalloped scissors from Fiskars and cut down each side. It still didn't look right so I angle cut each side with the same scissors then turned the "card" on it's side. The card base is Certainly Celery from SU and the inside panel is Apricot Appeal. I used my Coluzzle to cut the white circle, the Apricot Appeal center was puched with my Mega Marvy Scalloped Circle punch, and the outer purple circle was cut with my Coluzzle as well. I unmounted my "Whirly Twirly" wheel!!!! and used my Tea Leaves Versamagic ink to stamp it on each scalloped half. The center image is from Stampendous; She's called Princess and is from their Calendar Chicks collection. I colored her with my Prisma pencils and Gamsol. I then went over the wand and veil with my Versamarker and added some glittery translucent EP (also from Stampendous) In the center of her wand, I added a little rinestone for some extra "Bling"

Here is what it looks like open

Sorry for the blurry pic....I don't know what I did. Well gotta run....I'll show some pics from Greg's surprise party soon!!!!

I'm a Stamp??!!

So back in January, on my birthday actually, my Husband and I went out shopping. I asked him if he wouldn't mind stopping at Joanns {insert shocked smilie here} He sat in the car while I went browsing the store, well actually just the papercrafting section...hehehe...... They had a bunch of stamps on clearance, so rubber addict that I am, I had to check them all out. I came accross some female images by Stampendous, and one of them was called "Melanie" so of course I had to buy it!!! I inked it up the other day, fiddled with the card, fiddled some more and came up with 2 cards that were nothing like I had originally envisioned! I think I'm in a slump But I shall share with you all anyway! Please give honest opinions and suggestions.

This one is a 5 1/4 inch square card

This is a regular A2 size card

I'll upload paper details later.

Holy Cow!

This was the scene the day after our "ice/snow" storm. Poor Greg left at 5:30 am for work Friday morning and didn't return until 5:30 Saturday morning because he had to plow all night! So what did he do when he got home??? Wake me up.....to let me know he was home (ok fine..) but then after tossing for about 30 minutes in bed, he told me he was hungry as well!!! So I, bleary eyed, got up!! Made coffee!!! (hey...the man keeps me in stamps!!! could I deny his request?) and made him some breakfast. So after he took a nap, he decided to get up and start chopping ice!! So here I am panicking because the Lawn Announcement people were coming at some point to place the signs..... Because!!!!! His Birthday was the following day...March 18!! He turned "The Big 50" The large cow says "Holy Cow Greg's 50" with 50 smaller cows scattered around!! Hehehehe


Thankfully it all worked out that, when they came, he was inside resting!! And just to let you know...he said he was not happy...but I think he really was on the inside!!! Hehehehe


With this inspiration I came up with a card for him

I used the Cow from GinaK the oval from AMuse and the little cows are from SU's "Very Punny" SAB set from this year. The sentiment was created by me on my computer, and as you can see,the printer is acting really wonky!!

Greg does not get this whole "blogging" thing sooooooooo I think it is safe to share with you, that we will be having his "Surprise Party" tomorrow night at his sisters house!!! Talk about several cryptic phone conversations!! OY!! I can't wait until all this is over!! I will let you all know how it went and share some pics from the occasion.

Coming Soon: Stay tuned - Tomorrow - "I'm A Stamp??!!!!"

And.....I ordered my first Bella's!! they shipped on Monday and I can't wait to get them!!!

New Toys

Hey, I'm Back!!!

On Wednesday our weather was beautiful, we went up to 79 degrees and it was sunny. Less than 48 hours later what do we have? Sleet, Freezing Rain and Snow with 29 degrees showing on the thermometer!! Talk about being miserable, Ugh!!!

But then the mailman came.....and guess what he brought me..... My A Muse goodies!!! I just could not resist those ovals any longer!! And I must add that these are my first A Muse stamps ever! I ordered them from them directly from the company Tuesday evening and they arrived today!! Talk about service...Wowzas!!! Plus it's making the "Winter Blues" a little more tolerable.
I'm going to post another card, why, I have no idea, because I don't like it at all. And to add insult to injury, it took forever to put together even with no stamping involved!!! I just had a really hard time matching up the colors. Wait until you see it, you're gonna laugh. I think the positioning is a little wonky too!
Supplies: Cardstock; Black, Always Artichoke, Copper Shimmer, Gold Shimmer: Cuttlebug embossing folder Textile: Ink; Brilliance Platinum Planet: Cricut Base Camp cartridge for the 50

I probably should have turned the flash off when I took the picture, it seems the flash is just bouncing off the shimmery cardstock and ink! My Husband turns 50 on Sunday, so I wanted to come up with something different. This is not what I envisioned though! I have since come up with 2 other ideas for cards for him, and when they are done, I will upload them (whether they are presentable or not!! hehehe). So look for them soon!

As Promised

Here is the second card I made. Same layout just a different image and paper

Supplies: White card from a pack at AC Moore: Patterned Paper, DCWV Once Upon a Time Mat Stack: Stamp by Rubber Stampede~The Magic of You~: SU Ticket Punch: Prima flowers: Ribbon and cording

This next card I made is for our Dentist. Three weeks ago he went sledding with his kids, flew off and landed on his arm. Well, he broke it bad!! He had to have surgery on his arm and he's coming along pretty well. I saw him yesterday as he was drilling & filling my cavity!!! So here is what I am going to put in the mail to him tomorrow

Supplies: Pig and sentiment stamp by GinaK Cardstock- More Mustard, Chocolate Chip and Basic Black by SU: Patterned Paper by DCWV: Marvy Mega and Giga Scalloped Circle punches, SU Word Window & Slot punch: Techniqes- OMS with Prisma Pencils and Woodgraining by GinaK

Aren't the Bandaids adorable!! Not my idea though, I got it from AmyR It is in one of her posts from maybe a couple months back (don't have the time to go searching...)
Well, enjoy...I'll be back soon!

I'm off and running!

Ok here goes, I guess I'm blogging!!! I would like to start off by saying Thanks to all of you who have commented so far!! I will admit that I was not really ready for visitors...kinda like the doorbell ringing just as you step out of the shower. LOL

I must also say that this whole blogging thing is very new to me, so please bare with me as there is still much fine tuning yet to come. If any of you have any tips or recommendations I would love to here from you. Actually I have a few questions....How would I do the "subscribe to my blog thing"? and the "email me" thing? I told you I'm very new to all of this, hehehe!

A little further down I will be sharing a card that also features my new Watermark!!! I happened accross Cindy's blog and read the rave reviews about her service, saw her wonderful samples, so I contacted her and I had my Watermark in no time! Thanks Cindy!!! There is also a permanent link off to the right that goes to Cindy's blog if you want to learn more about getting your own.

I will say that I made several feeble attempts on my own in Photoshop. I have never worked with Photoshop or any other photo editing software, so where did I get off thinking I could do it? Who knows, but I came to some realizations....It was much easier and less frustrating to have Cindy create one for me, and.....that I am not "Tech Savy" at all!!


Now on to card sharing......

Supplies: The white card is from a pack at AC Moore, Patterned paper from DCWV Once Upon a Time mat stack, the stamp is from Rubber Stampede called "Moonlit Fairy", Prima flowers, rinestones from the craft store and ribbon.

This is the card I made for my SIL's birthday, I also made a similar one for my Parent's to give to her. I will post that either later today or tomorrow. So do ya see it!!! My watermark!!! I love it!!