Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Punchy Stand-up Card (SCS TLC228)




Had a little fun with the punches on this card. It seems like I always forget to use them and, Lord knows, I've amassed quite a collection of them! **Hello, my name is Cindy and I'm addicted to punches (and stamps... and Copics... and paper... and ribbon... and...well, you get the idea)**

A couple days ago, while exploring color combinations, I found that Stampin' Up! Rich Razzleberry and Dusty Durango go quite well with So Saffron! Who knew?! My camera doesn't capture it well, but if you have some, pull out the cardstock and check for yourself. The So Saffron I used is from the Stampin' Up! Designer Series Paper pack.

I got the idea for doing a stand-up card while perusing the Splitcoast Stampers Challenges. This was TLC228, from 3 weeks ago. I tell you, if you are EVER stuck for an idea, or think you've lost your mojo, please visit the SCS Gallery or Challenge Thread for a kick-in-the-pants shot of inspiration! I guarantee you will find something that sparks your fancy. :-D

BTW, the instructions and template for making a stand-up card can be found HERE.

I was teaching my granddaughter water-color techniques, and chose this Penny Black Kickin' image. It turned out so cute, I went ahead and used it for the card. I used an Aqua Painter with the Dusty Durango and Creamy Cocoa Classic ink, then added the other colors from my Derwent Watercolor pencils. I really need to add more SU colors to my collection. **Hmmmm, I think I also need to add "ink" to my list of addictions, lol!**

The Nestabilities Labels 4 cut/embossed the image, but the next size up (to use for a mat) was too big, so I traced around the outer edge of the die I used for the image and cut it out by hand. Worked pretty well, I think! I'll be doing that again. ;-)

Used the Nesties Curved Rectangle die for the Rich Razzleberry background and ran it through the Cuttlebug with the Swiss Dots folder.

Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Rich Razzleberry and Duisty Durango, Strathmore 140 lb. watercolor paper
Pattern Paper: Stampin' Up! So Saffrom Designer Series
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, SU Rich Razzleberry, Dusty Durango and Creamy Cocoa
Stamps: Image- Penny Black Kickin' (3829H), Sentiment- Stampin' Up! Embrace Life
Accessories: Cuttlebug, Nestabilities Labels 4 and Curved Rectangles, Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder, SU Word Window punch, tiny flower punch (mfr. unknown), adhesive pearls

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Light up my Life


Here's another card for the Copic Creations Color Challenge, which is still Botanicals. I love this Stained Glass Daisies stamp from Heart and Soul Rubber Stamp Company. It's so versatile and was so much fun to color with the Copic markers. (Lovin' that new B0000 Pale Celestine!) Yellow Stickles added to the daisy centers added some bling.

The butterflies were punched with a Martha Stewart punch out of Stampin' Up! Tempting Turquoise Designer Series paper, with the same punch used for the black butterfly "shadows" underneath. I popped the butterflies up to really
highlight the shadow effect.

I'm having so much fun with the new In Colors from Stampin' Up! I like
how the Soft Suede complements so many of the regular colors, and at first I wasn't too sure about the Crushed Curry and Dusty Durango, but I'm coming up with more combinations that are working (like in tomorrow's card!).

The Copic colors used were B0000, B000, B00, YG03, YG07, YG17, G24, and Y15.

Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Soft Suede, Tempting Turquoise and Basic Black
Pattern Paper: Stampin' Up! Tempting Turquoise Designer Series Paper
Stamps: Image- Heart & Soul Rubber Stamps, Sentiment- Stampin' Up!
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories: Cuttlebug machine, Cuttlebug Floral Screen embossing folder, Martha Stewart butterfly punch, black grosgrain ribbon in 2 widths


Thursday, July 23, 2009

How I Spent the Day Yesterday


Yesterday was a blast! My granddaughter and I spent almost the entire day in the craft room exploring card making techniques new to her. She's really catching on, and is developing quite an eye for design details. I love it! The only time we came out was to eat and go swimming for a little while.


Today we are back at it, but first I wanted to share the cards she made yesterday.

Please leave a comment about Tay's cards, so I can share it with her,
and thank you for visiting my blog and looking!

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Christmas in July (CSAYL challenge)


When I first started card making (at BFF Barb's urging), waaaaay back at the beginning of last year (grin), I told her I had lost my crafting mojo and didn't have any idea where to start. She very kindly pointed me to Splitcoast Stampers, and to one blog, in particular, Maria Bell's Card Inspired.

That was all it took, I was hooked. I was so blown away by Maria's creations.... I wanted to make cards like THAT! I joined Maria's card club (at that time she was a CTMH demo), and spent way too much money on my new found addiction.
:-)

After a while, I dropped out of the CTMH card club, but would still check out her blogs periodically for inspiration. Now I've come full circle! Maria and I are back in touch through Facebook, and I am participating in Christmas Stampin' All Year Long - Maria's Sketch Challenge # 26!

Okay, I know I didn't use a stamp on this card, but bear with me, okay? It was a sketch challenge, it didn't say I had to use a stamp, lol. I'm going to use this design to make the four Christmas cards for this month, and I don't have time for a lot of stamping/coloring. Besides, my new demo kit just arrived from Stampin' Up! and I need to open it!

Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Whisper White and Bashful Blue
Inked edges: Not Quite Navy

Embossing: Sizzix Christmas set, Cuttlebug Swiss Dots

Embellies: Ribbon and Swarovski crystal

Monday, July 20, 2009

We Moooved....


Well, actually, we haven't but I couldn't resist breaking out some Penny Black stamps and coloring them. These cows just crack me up! Can't you just imagine them standing around, munching grass and gossiping?

Hmmmm, I think I've been away from my stamp cave for far too long.....now I'm imagining animals having conversations.
LOL

Okay, I've got to get this posted and then assemble a couple more cards and get them up in the next few days. Come back again and see me soon!

Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Green Galore and Whisper White, The Paper Company Basic Cardstock Charcoal Black
Stamps: Image- Penny Black Ladies Devine, Sentiment- Heart and Soul Rubber Stamp Co.
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Copics: R000, R05, R08, R20, R32, B000, B32, B34, E09, E11, E33, E35, E53, YG03, YG07, YG17, Y15, C-3
Fiskars Border Punch, Nestabilities Large Deckled Rectangle die

Strawberries...(Copic Creations Challenge No. 8)



... are just about my favorite fruit, along with peaches, blueberries, cherries, grapes, apples, plums, melons, anything citrus.......aw heck, let's just include everything except bananas! :)

So I was delighted when Flourishes released this stamp set, featuring STRAWBERRIES! They look so yummy, and are so yummy to color with my yummy Copic Sketch markers. *grin*

Purely by coincidence, this week's Copic Creations Challenge is Botanicals, and irony of ironies, the sponsor this week is Flourishes! You'd think they planned to get that stamp set in my hands just in time to play, lol.

As
soon as I got my order from Flourishes (a few days ago), I stamped out three of these using Memento Tuxedo Black on Stampin' Up! Whisper White cardstock and went to town on 'em!!!

After it was colored, I cut it out with a Nestabilities Large Deckled Rectangles die, then edged it with Copic YG17.

I used the Copic markers on the strawberry charm, purchased from the Hobby House, UK. That is also where I found the Papermania Pearl Brads. The filigree flower is from Flourishes Finishing Touches.

After running the bottom half of the SU Very Vanilla cardstock through the Cuttlebug with the Swiss Dots embossing folder, I added the red polka dot ribbon and "popped" the image using SU Stampin' Dimensionals for some depth. The card base is Stampin' Up! Real Red.

Copic colors used:
Y0000, R14, R24, R27, R29, YG17, YG67, G20, W-1, W-3





Saturday, July 18, 2009

AND NOW, FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT!

Okay, first off I'd like to make an announcement.... *ahem* .... I am pleased to announce that

I am now a Stampin' Up! demonstrator!!!


Woohoo
! Smiley from millan.net

I love the quality of their products, and the new things they come out with each year are awesome (just wait 'til you see the Holiday 2009 Mini catalog!). I've been considering it for a while now, and finally decided to take the plunge this past week. So, if any of you need anything from Stampin' Up!, I'd be honored to help you! If you have any questions whatsoever, related to SU or not, my contact info is on the web site. (You can click the SU logo to get there.)

I've been busy trying to learn the ropes and get my SU web site up and running, so between that and trying to preserve the bounty from the garden, I haven't gotten any cards done lately.

I did, however, timidly test the waters of scrap booking! My stamping buddy Pam convinced me to try it. I wanted to make a SB for my son and his new wife of their recent wedding. This is the result....my very first scrap book page, made just last night!



I still have to get photos printed and placed on the page, but at least I've started the project. This page will have a picture of the bride and groom separately.

I used the branched floral Cuttlebug
border embossing folder from the Just My Type set on the edge of the photo mats. I think it ties in well with the subtle branched floral print on the designer paper, plus it adds dimensional interest.

Background page: The Paper Co. Weave White
Photo Mats: The Paper Co. Basic Cardstock Charcoal Black Designer paper: Making Memories Wedding stack

Rub-on: Making Memories Black Tie
Dim
ensional Sticker: Making Memories Black Tie
Doves and glitter-backed pearls: Jolee's Boutique Doves

Heart charm from my stash (don't remember mfr.)

Sunday, July 12, 2009

New Sarah Kay Noel Collection

The new Sarah Kay Noel Collection images being released for the 2009 holiday season are so adorable, and they are perfect for coloring with Copic markers. They are available for pre-ordering right now. Just click on the links below to see what's available. I can't wait to get my paws on them!

Noel Charity
Noel Eve

Noel Faith
Noel Joy
Noel Peace
Noel Santa

Noel Shepherd
Noel Stocking
Noel Treats


Speaking of Copic markers, have you seen the new Pale Copic Sketch markers? They are the answer to my prayers for really, really light background shading around an image. These are the new colors:

V0000 Rose Quartz,
BV0000 Pale Thistle, R0000 Pink Beryl, RV0000 Evening Rose, Y0000 Yellow Fluorite, YR0000 Pale Chiffon, G0000 Crystal Opal, YG0000 Lily White, B0000 Pale Celestine, BG0000 Snow Green, C00 Cool Gray, W00 Warm Gray.

Everyone seems to be sold out of them at the moment, but Ellen Hutson has ordered a bunch more and you can place an order one of three ways (see below) by sending an email to customerservice@ellenhutson.com.
  1. Please send me an invoice for the new set of markers - I would like to preorder and pay for my markers at this time. I am aware that you do not have a date as to when they will arrive in your warehouse, but trust that you will send them as soon as you receive them. (We will not take preorders once we reach the total number of marker sets we have on order at this time. Once we reach our limit we will notify you and put you on a waiting list.) OR
  2. Please add me to an email list to be notified when more markers become available on your store, Ellen Hutson LLC. I would like to purchase them from you, but would prefer to wait until they become available and I am willing to take a chance that you might run out again. OR
  3. Please add me to the list of those who are interested in purchasing these markers within the next year, I would like to let Copic know that I am most definitely going to be purchasing these new pale color Copic markers within the next 12 months, I am saving my money and I can guarantee you that these are a must have - so please order in more.
Trust me, these new colors are da bomb!

Friday, July 10, 2009

Missing in Action, Yet Again!

Just a quick post today to let you all know I'm still here! I've been trying to keep up with my garden's bounty, as seen here (this is just this week's work):


That photo doesn't include the 10 quarts of dill pickles I made last week. I love canning, but I DON'T like that it is keeping me out of my craft room. Normally, since I'm the Queen of Procrastination I'd put it off, but the veggies would get rotten, and we can't have that now, can we? Kinda defeats the whole purpose of having a garden and growing things organically!

Anyhoo, this is what I'll be working on tonight (al
ong with a bunch of cucumbers in the fridge), tomorrow is the stampin' club meeting, and then Sunday I may have an announcement!


That bunch of tomatoes is off one plant that I planted over a year ago! We keep hacking it back when it gets too unruly, and it keeps growing and producing those lovely red gems. We had fresh tomatoes all winter!!!

See you Sunday!

P.S. Anyone need some zucchini? :-D