Ways to use it challenge

For those of you that follow my blog, you probably know that I am a fan of coloring esp using the gamsol technique. Well today's challenge on SCS was to use your pencils and I could not have been more pleased. I did 2 cards today as a matter of fact. This first card is also for the hanna stamps weekly challenge.



I colored my image and used my nesties to matte it. I then used a spica glitter pen to highlight the umbrella and I used crystal effects on the raincoat. After all some raincoats are that shiny vinyl type material so I thought that might be cool. I matted some dp and attached to my cuttlebug layer. I die cut my ribbon tag and punched out my sentiment with my word window punch and attached it. The scallops on the oval were paper pierced. I adhered everything to the card base and finished off with some primas with rhinestone centers.

Here is a close up look for you:


Supplies:
stamps- rainy day and things hanna would say both from hanna stamps!
ink- real red, palette noir
CS- real red, white, bashful blue, summer picnic dp
accessories/tools- nesties, cb swiss dots folder, tag trio, tafetta ribbon, word window punch, paper piercer, spica glitter pen, crystal effects, prismapencils, gamsol, primas, rhinestones

My second card uses the ellie elephant image from high hopes. I also colored this with my prismapencils and gamsol. One tip I can share with you that I use is that I frequently will use an eraser to help remove some color and highlight my images where I want some more shading. This card is pretty straight forward with a simple layout to let the image take the show. I did paper pierce the corners of my image and attach my sentiment tag with a safety pin to my ribbon.



Supplies:
stamps- high hopes elephant, PTI sentiment
CS- berry bliss dp, regal rose, white
ink- palette noir, regal rose
accessories/tools- paper piercer, regal rose grosgrain, tag, safety pin, prismapencils and gamsol

I hope you have enjoyed my cards today!

Triple challenge

Well I do love the challenges on SCS but frequently I am not able to fit all of them in so like some others I combine them but not often do I combine 3 of the weekly challenges. I used the try a new technique challenge which was to use faux embossing- pretty cool too! I did the color challenge which was to use rose red, kraft, and black and I used the sketch challenge.



I first sponged the edges of my kraft rectange and then stamped my images with white ink. I then stamped over slightly with the black ink hence the faux embossing. Truthfully I should have used my stamp a majig but I was a bit pressed on time. Oh well- good enough. I inked up my sentiment and highlighted the word JOY with my black marker and stamped it. The bg kraft layers were stamped with some of the same images as the main image in versamark ink. I then assembled all the layers together, tied my ribbon and added my flowers.

Supplies:
stamps- verve Serenity
ink- versamajic white and black, versamark, rose red
CS- rose red, kraft, black
accessories- primas, rose red brads, stitched ribbon

I appreciate you stopping by- have a blessed day!

gettin distressed with DRS

I you are all having a nice day. My card today is actually posted on the DRS designs blog because today was my turn to post. I post there every other Tuesday. So I am actually going to direct you there just so I am not posting the exact same thing here too. I had originally hoped to post a card for the color challenge today on SCS but unfortunately I did not get time to make one today. Maybe I will combine the color and sketch challenge together tomorrow. Anyway go check out my card here. Thanks and stop by again soon.

Mojo Monday 49

Julee Tilman's sketches are awesome and this one is no exception. Take a peek:



I started by stamping my image on shimmer white and coloring with a combo of SU markers and copics. I then pierced around the image, sponged the edges and added rhinestones to it. I double matted it and set aside. I stamped the sentiment and matted it then attached between the image and the scalloped part according to the sketch. I assembled my dp layers using a corner rounder to make the scallops on the bottom layer and accected them with rhinestones. All the scallops were pierced as was the row at the top of the card. I tied my choc chip satin ribbon around it and attached to my card base. This also combines the dirty dozen fan challenge to use bling and uses the color palette for the verve project parade this month.

Supplies:
stamps- SU espress yourself, PTI year round puns
ink- brilliance pearlescent chocolate
CS- shimmer white, pretty in pink, close to cocoa, choc chip, berry bliss dp
accessories- rhinestones, corner rounder punch, su scallop punch, nesties, paper piercer, satin ribbon

Have a terrific day!!

"Torn"

Well as I am typing this I have 2 songs going through my head and I thought it would only be fair to do the same for you reading this. The first has the lyrics "Torn between two lovers..." and the other "I'm already torn". I don't know who sings them but anyway...on with the reason you came.

I actually made 3 cards today in a fairly short amount of time, well short for me LOL. All of them use the same main stamp from one of my new releases from DRS designs.


These first 2 cards are exactly the same but just using a different color scheme. I started my stamping my verse on confetti white paper and then tore all around it. I tore the image because it is the way to use it challenge today on SCS and besides I thought it reminded me of an old well used bible page. I then distressed it by using the direct ink pad to paper technique and just swiped lightly around the torn edges. I double matted it and attached brads in the corners. I tend took my snowflake swirl stamp (love this one) and stamped it 4 times on my card base once in each corner. I attached my main image and finished off by tying some organdy ribbon at the top.

Supplies:
stamps- DRS designs L972 and F875
CS- confetti white, night of navy or cranberry crisp, brushed silver and gold
ink- navy and silver, gold cranberry
accessories- organdy ribbon, cord, silver and gold brads

Now the real reason I made 3 cards today. I first stamped my image on the confetti white and I planned on using it with this patterned paper but when I went to assemble my card I noticed the paper had a cream base not white so I needed to stamp it again on vanilla CS. I could not let the other image go to waste so I whipped up the other 2 cards in different colors because I wanted to see what other color scheme would look like. So I restamped this image on vanilla, tore and inked the edges and crumpled it to distress it some more. I then lightly sponged over it so that the ink would highlight some of the creases. I matted it and attached 2 brads on the top. I tied my ribbon around the bottom of my dp which I also tore. Next time I will tear it a bit lower so more card base shows. I attached the paper and image to my base and there you have it! They are pretty simple cards which would not be too difficult to reproduce for Christmas cards. Sometimes simple is good.

Supplies:
stamps- DRS designs L972
CS- cranberry crisp, true thyme, holiday thyme dp
ink- cranberry crisp
accessories- brads, stitched ribbon

Be sure to check out the DRS designs website where you can get these and some other cool stamps. I am off to go out and play with my kids now, have a great day!

sketch challenge with Gina K.

Today's sketch on SCS is a great one! I know I will use this again. I just knew I wanted to use this image from Gina K. Designs when I saw it.



I colored the image with prismamarkers and used a clear stardust gelly roll pen on the stork and stickles on the baby for sparkle. This was matted on a giga scalloped circle- my nesties arn't here yet. I stitched my triangles onto my brocade layer and tied a ribbon around the center. I then attached my image to it using pop dots. I stitched the other coordinating patterned paper to another brocade layer and attached to the base. I embellished the corners with some satin ribbon. I stamped my sentiment, punched it out with my word window punch and attached a brad. The top corner was embellished with buttons before attaching the smaller square layer to the card.

Supplies:
stamps- Gina K Designs how sweet it is, PTI favor it baby
ink- palette noir, brocade blue,
CS/dp- brocade blue, PT lemon tart, heidi grace dp
accessories/tools- lemon tart satin ribbon, blue grosgrain ribbon, brocade brad, buttons, pop dots, word window punch, diamond stickles, clear stardust gelly pen, paper piercer, prismacolor markers (light cerulean blue, slate blue, deco yellow)

Thanks for your visit today!

Color challenge 180

Hi there! Can you believe it I am posting 2 days in a row!! Before I get on with my project today, I thought that I would share some more wonderful news with you all. First, 2 of my cards are going to be pulished. One will be in the March 2009 issue of papercrafts magazine and the second is going to be in the May 2009 issue of cardmaker magazine. I am so excited because these are my first publications. If that is not enough, I received an honorable mention from Nichole at Papertrey for one of the entries I submitted for the guest star stamper contest.

For today's card I wanted to use some of the new releases from DRS designs for the SCS color challenge. Today's colors are ruby red, close to cocoa and blush blossom. You can see the specifics here to play along. I mean who can resist playing with new rubbah LOL? Take a look:



I stamped my star image with versamark ink and embossed it. I then punched out my stars and embossed one of them. I did not have any gold star brads to match my card but no problem! I embossed my silver brads and made them gold! I never tried it before and it works beautifully. You can make any of your colored brads shimmery by embossing them- cool huh? I then stamped my bow image and embossed that. Now, all the embossing is done and we can start assembling everything. I stamped my blush layer with my swirly stamp all over with versamark and did the same with the cocoa strip. I pierced the red strip before adhering to the cocoa strip in the middle and then attaching to the blush layer. I used my 2 SU markers to color in only part of my sentiment. The whole sentiment would not fit well on my card so I omitted part of it by using my markers. I used the ticket corner punch on the cocoa layer and matted my blush layer on it. I attached my large star image and used a pop dot to adhere the star in the middle of it. I tend placed my other star punches and the star brads that I embossed around my card before I attached to the card base. I finished off my trimming my middle strip with gold stickles to frame it. Here is a note for some of you who have expressed concern about ribbon on cards and it being too bulky: I have no ribbon on my card but have used my new ribbon stamp instead. This is a perfect solution because it does not add bulk and you can make it any color you want so no problem when you don't have the color ribbon to match your project. This stamp was just released from DRS designs and it comes with a ribbon outline which you can color and a solid ribbon which is what I used here. So run on over to the drs website and take a peek. Be sure to let them know that I sent you too.

Supplies:
stamps- DRS designs M900, P903, P607
CS- ruby red, blush blossom, close to cocoa
accessories/tools- SU ticket corner punch, Victorian gold embossing powder, gold stickles, SU markers in ruby red and cocoa, paper piercer, star punch, versamark pad, star brads

Thanks for visiting today and have a blessed day!

Guest Designer for H&M Stamps

I just wanted to announce here that I have been asked to be a guest designer for H&M Stamps for Sept- Nov. How cool is that? They have some great clear stamp sets so if you get a minute be sure to check their website out. Also, there are going to be lots of new sets (not sure if I can say how many) released on September 1st so stay tuned for some sneak peeks in the next couple weeks.

DRS challenge #2

The second DRS Designs challenge is posted on the blog today. It was to use piercing on your card. You can check out the details so you can play along here. Those of you who are regular followers of my blog know that I use paper piercing on my cards quite often so I was completely thrilled with this "challenge" Here is my challenge card for today:

I started by coloring my image with my copic markers. I then paper pierced the dots in the image, sponged my edges and adhered to my oval scallop. I added a button with floss tied through it to the center of the flower and pierced the scallops. I used paper piercer to do faux stitching on my white layer and to pierce the pink and purple strips in the middle. I tied my stitched ribbon (of course) around the center and double matted the white layer before attaching to my base. I stamped my sentiment and accented it by using a half word window punch with a brad on each side of it. I finished by attaching my image to the card with pop dots.

Supplies:
stamps- DRS designs B250 (sent) and K603
CS- PTI plum pudding, SU wasabi and pretty in pink
accessories/tools- wasabi stitched ribbon, PIP brads, paper piercer, pink marker, mat pack, corner rounder punch, button, floss, copics (RV11, RV13, G21) prismamarker in dark green

Thanks for stopping by today and don't forget to visit the DRS blog and see what the other DT members have to show you. Have a great night!

Copic coloring challenges

Hope you are all doing well. I have been busy with my 2 daughters' birthdays and my hubby's too. Boy I just can't seem to get caught up and I have not done very much stamping lately and when I have I did not have time to blog it unfortunately. I also have a different computer now and that is taking me some time to get used to as I went from a PC to a MAC. But to make up for that I have 3 cards to show you today. The way to use it challenge on splitcoast today was to use copic markers. I was so happy and I really caught a break on this challenge because I had some design team work to complete and was going to be using them anyway- hooray!

The first card is also for the hanna stamps weekly challenge. Amanda came up with a terrific sketch and you can check it out here.

I started by stamping my image and coloring it with my copic and prismamarkers. I then matted it and stitched around it with my new janome sew mini. This is seriously the first time I have sewed anything and I even threaded the machine and everything all by myself...ok with the help of the gina k tutorials LOL. I added some rhinestones for buttons and stickles to the snowman. I then ran my white strip through my cuttlebug snowflade folder and sponged some blue ink over the raised images. I stamped my sentiment and stitched around that. I then stitched around my dp layer and attached it to my base. I tied my ribbon around my card and added my sentiment over that. I am on a roll with the stitching now LOL! I need to practise getting it a little straighter though, looking for tips on this one. All in all, I am happy with how it came out.

Supplies:
stamps- snowman riley, everyday sentiments- both from hanna stamps!
CS/paper- SU bliss blue, bashful blue, holiday thyme dp, GP white
ink- palette noir, SU bliss blue
accessories- cuttlebug snowflake folder, dew drops, taffeta ribbon, stardust stickles, rhinestones, copics (E21, E33, E37, G21), prismamarkers ( light cerulean blue, slate blue)

The next 2 cards use my new DRS designs stamps. They are just so cute- IMO anyway!

I stamped my busy bee and colored him with my markers adding stickles to the wings. I stamped my lemon paper and the white strip with the circle bg stamp. I want to let you know that all the DRS bg stamps are just terrific and there is a huge variety of them! They are a breeze to stamp and are a good sized stamp so you get a perfectly stamped bg. I used my scallop punch (waiting for my nesties to come in) to mat the bee. I used a white gel pen to make the dots on the scallops and the matted border. The layout is Julee Tillman's annivervesary sketch #12.

Supplies:
stamps- DRS designs B244, H512, C561
CS- PTI lemon tart, SU black, white
ink- palette noir, PT lemon tart
accessories- SU scallop punch, white gel pen, diamond stickles, black brads


The 2nd card uses another DRS ladybug stamp. I showed some cards last week using the other ladybug stamp. The image was colored with prismamarkers and the black spots were colored over with my spica glitter pen. I stamped my white layer with another polka dot bg stamp, corners were punched with ticket corner and adhered to my base. The red strip was run through my cuttlebug and brads were added to the corners. I paper pierced the black strip and tied my ribbon around it. The sentiment was stamped on a circle and glued underneath the black strip. I attached my image with pop dots. The layout is Julee's sketch #11.

Supplies:
stamps- DRS designs H628, B250, F578
CS- real red, black, white
ink- palette noir, real red
accessories- spica glitter pen, prismamarkers, cuttlebug dots folder, paper piercer, circle punch, striped grosgrain, black brads, ticket corner punch

I was also given 2 brilliant blog awards- one from Debbie and one from Silke but I can't seem to get the photos uploaded so when I can get that straightened out I will be posting those. Thank you girls for thinking of me and I can't to display my award!

Hope you like my projects for today and have a nice night!

DRS Designs first challenge

Well, I did my first challenge for DRS Designs and it is the first time I have played with their stamps. The challenge was to use inchies on your card. Here are all the details if you would like to play along. You can also see what the other DT members did with the challenge so check it out!



I started by coloring part of my stamp with a black marker. I did this because one little lady bug fit perfectly in a 1" square. I colored the ladybugs with my prismacolor markers and added crystal effects to the black dots. I stamped my middle panel but used scotch tape to mask off the "red" so that I could color only that word with my red marker. I used a corner punch to highlight the image and added rhinestones in the corner. The awesome layout is from Julee Tillman who is doing 12 sketches for annivervsary. You can check out the details here.

Supplies:
stamps- DRS Designs G695, G576
CS- white, real red, black
ink- palette noir
accessories/tools- crystal effects, striped grosgrain, martha stewart doily lace punch, rhinestones, red marker, paper piercer, CM square punch

Here is another card I did using the same stamp as in the card above.
I used another one of the sketches from Julee for my layout. Check it out here.



Supplies:
stamps- DRS designs G695, A070
ink- palette noir
CS- bazzill bling, real red, white, black
accessories- CM circle punches, black brads, square punch, prismamarkers, crystal effects

have a great day and be sure to check out DRS designs website to see where you can get some awesome stamps!

Simple Sunday stems

First, even though she can't read this I have to say HAPPY 4th BIRTHDAY to my youngest daughter Lauren. So, because it is her birthday I most likely won't be stamping today unless it is after she goes to bed but that is doubtful. I am just posting now real quickly because I am waiting for my hubby and we are taking the girl to ChuckECheese.

So I have a quick simple card post for you that I did a couple days ago. Well it is the same design but 3 different versions and I will be making more because my grandma wants me to make some card gift sets for her to give to her friends at Christmas. I thought that these would work well and I still have some more colors and sentiments to do but take a peek.





To create these flower cards cut out 5 ovals using a punch or nestabilites or similar product. I used the SU large oval punch. Sponge around the edges of the ovals to define them. You can use patterned pattern or solid paper whichever. Then cut out a circle from your paper. To make the stem I used my creative memories system wave but you can hand draw and cut out. I laid down my stem and then arranged the ovals over the top and tucked the circle underneath those. Stamp your sentiment beside the flower. As you can see, you also jazz up your card a bit by doing something with the corners like using the ticket corner punch and adding pearls/brads, or using a corner rounder/corner punch. To finish off I tied a ribbon into a knot and attached to the stem with a glue dot. I hope that you like them and will give these a try- simple, pretty and easy.

Have a blessed Sunday and see you this week when I have some new DRS Designs projects that I will be sharing. I just got my starter kit yesterday so I look forward to playing.