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

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!

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
Dimensional Sticker: Making Memories Black Tie
Doves and glitter-backed pearls: Jolee's Boutique Doves
Heart charm from my stash (don't remember mfr.)

Christmas in June

Okay, okay, I'm well aware that Christmas in May didn't happen here at Heart's Delight, so to make up for it, I'm making eight of these cards, instead of my usual four per month. I'll still be on track for getting Christmas cards sent on time this year....with one teeny-tiny problem. It's miniscule, really. When I figured out how many cards I needed to make on a monthly basis, I didn't know I'd be getting to know so many new card-swapping friends this year. I think what I really have to do now is make six or eight Christmas cards per month. Just need to find the time, LOL!

For a while, I wasn't too pleased with the way this card was looking, because it started out really too plain. I just kept adding to it, starting with VersaMark swirls on the Real Red cardstock base. That was a good beginning, but the white layer on top of it lacked something. Edging it with the snowflake border punch added some more detail, but it still needed a little more. I didn't want more red swirls on the main white background, so I stamped the swirls with the VersaMark and heat embossed with JudiKins Clear Detail embossing powder. Subtle, but nice. I don't know how well you can see it in the photos.

The main image, from Stampin' Up! was stamped in Real Red Classic ink on Neenah Solar White cardstock, then cut and embossed with a Nestabilities Labels Four die. I used the next larger die to cut/emboss some Real Red cardstock, and the next larger die to cut more Solar White cardstock. Swirls were stamped on that last layer in red ink, and the edges were also inked.

The sentiment, from the same SU set, was cut with the SU large oval punch. The edges were inked and I used the Making Memories slot punch tool for the holes through which the ribbon was threaded. The edge of the die-cut image was glittered with Martha Stewart Crystal Fine glitter, as was some of the image, and red pearls from Sally completed it!

Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Real Red, Neenah Solar White
Stamps: Main image and sentiment- Stampin' Up! 'To You & Yours', Background swirls- Inkadinkado 'Warm Holiday Wishes'
Ink: Stampin' Up! Real red Classic, VersaMark
Embellishments and tools used: ribbon from Michael's, glitter- Martha Stewart, JudiKins Clear Detail EP, JudiKins Diamond Glaze, Fiskars snowflake punch, SU oval punch, Marvy Uchida corner punch, Nestabilities Labels Four dies (run through the Cuttlebug), SU Stampin' Dimensionals popped the image up, Making Memories slot punch tool, Sally's pearls

So Sorry for Loss

This card is for the sad occasion of another friend having to put their beloved pet down. That seems to be happening an awful lot lately. :-( And I know of yet another that will have to make that painful decision in a day or two. *sigh*

That sweet little kitty face is called Peeking Kitty by Rubber Stampede, and as soon as I saw it at the store, I knew it had to be made peeking out a window. I cut the window frame from heavy cardstock (Neenah Solar White Cover 110 lb.) using a Fiskars portable paper trimmer. It makes cutting inside corners really easy, but you have to be careful to not go too far (don't look too closely at the photo, lol).

The flowers in the window box are from the Stampin' Up! Friendships Grow set, which I stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink and masked four times, lining them up with a Stamp-a-ma-jig. The window box I just drew with a ruler, cut out, added shading with Copic YR24 Pale Sepia, and then popped up on Stampin' Dimensionals. The flowers were double popped up to make it look like they're hanging over the box. I added some Hero Arts Sparkle Gem Small Blossoms to the flowers for interest.

The texture behind the kitty was aFiskars texture plate, and the dry embossed flowers on the right are from the Cuttlebug Just My Type embossing folder set (see to right). I hadn't played with that set yet, but I really like the way it turned out, so I'll be using it more.




Copic colors used>>>>

Inka Wedding

Click any image to enlarge

Here is card number two. This is from the Inkadinkado Wedding clear stamp set. This was stamped in VersaFine Onyx Black, since the image didn't need to be colored.

I ran some pink parchement (Paper Co.) through the Cuttlebug with the Textile embossing folder, then fastened the black mat on the left side.

Isn't that ribbon gorgeous? I got it from My Favorite Things (it's in the Royalty Collection Ribbon Pack). After knotting the ribbon and adhering it, I rounded the corners on the image and added glitter to the edges with a Quickie Glue Pen. It was fastened over the ribbon/mat.

I used Shimmerz Blingz Pixie Dust on the wedding gown to make it look like satin and added Taylor's Tiny Twinkles rhinestones to the bride's hair and the sentiment. The pearls are from Sally.

Lucy's Get Well - PTW Challenge

A friend from the stamp club to which I belong is battling a very serious illness, so I wanted to make a little something to cheer her and let her know she is in my thoughts and prayers.

This week's challenge at Papertake Weekly is a fabulous sketch from Dawny, that I think works perfectly for this card.

This is the first time I've inked up any of my Sarah Kay stamps (and I've got about nine of 'em, so far). I had fun coloring it with my Copics! This stamp is called "My Sweet Lili" and, as I have been doing a lot lately, it was stamped in VersaFine Onyx Black and heat embossed with JudiKins Clear Detail EP. (Helps me stay in the lines when I'm coloring, don't you know, lol.)

I'm not positive about the papers I used, since some of them were from my scraps. I do know the dark burgundy textured paper is Paper Company Weave (color name unknown), and the pink linen-look is DCWV. The photo corner punch used was EK Success Paper Shapers. The lovely pink pearls were from Sally (and I need to order more!). The little heart buttons are a brand called Dress It Up, a Jesse James Company. Found 'em at Michael's. And the dry embossing was done on the Cuttlebug with the Argyle embossing folder.

Cardstock: Paper Co., DCWV
DP: From the huge satchel my BFF Barb sent - don't know the brand name!
Stamps: Image- Stampavie Sarah Kay "My Sweet Lili", Sentiment- H & M Stamps "A Time of Caring"
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, VersaMagic Eggplant

Sympathy for Mary, LSC206

My cousin, Paul Torok, passed away Friday after battling colon cancer for several years. I made this card for his wife, Mary, who is just the sweetest, most delightful woman. They had only found each other 5 years ago, but I am so glad for the time they did get to spend together.

The SCS Challenge LSC206 (Say What You Feel) was perfect for this. The only stamp we could use was a sentiment, which I had already planned anyway. I knew Paul would be called home to be with the Lord soon, so I bought the cross for the card last week. Paul and Mary were deeply religious (he was a minister), so I thought a simple card, with just a sentiment and cross was appropriate.

Cardstock: The Paper Company Weave Black, Neenah Solar White Classic Crest Cover
Stamp: Impression Obsession "Sympathy Sentiments"
Ink: VersaFine Onyx Black, heat embossed with JudiKins Clear Detail EP
Accessories: Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder, Nestabilities Labels Two, Taylor's Tiny Twinkles black rhinestones, black satin ribbon from my stash, silver cross

Bella Rose, SCS IC164 Challenge

I think I'm gonna give this card to DH for Valentine's day, since it turned out so purty, LOL! This was the Saturday inspiration challenge on Splitcoast Stampers. We were to use any of the Lang calendars as inspiration for our card. I chose a page from the Cottage Garden calendar. If you click on "More Images" on that page, it's the third row, second column. So, do you think the card looks similar? ;-)

I had just bought that rose stamp on sale at Michael's last week, and it turned out to be perfect for this challenge. The Paper Tole method seemd to be the right thing for this card, so I stamped it three times, colored it with Copic markers and then cut it out. The first cut was the entire rose, with rosebud and leaves. The second cut was the rose sans outer petals, the outer petal of the rosebud, and the bottom leaves (separate). The third cut was the center of the rose, and the rosebud with stem, which I used to add another bud above the rose (along with the extra leaves). I cupped the layered petals a bit to add dimension, but didn't do it nearly as much as shown in the tutorial linked above.

The background to the rose is a scrap of Anna Griffin DP I had, which was run through the Cuttlebug with the Argyle embossing folder. The green DP is also Anna Griffin, but I stamped the Bella Toile background from Stampin' Up! on it with Old Olive Classic ink.

Copic colors used in photo to right:


Cardstock: SU Very Vanilla, Bazzill
DP: Anna Griffin
Stamps: Rose- Inkadinkado Fine Line Classics #90575X, Background- Stampin' Up! Bella Toile, Sentiment- H&M Stamps "Our Love" set
Ink: Brilliance Graphite, Stampin' Up! Old Olive Classic
Embellishments: Stampin' Up! Styled Vanilla Hodgepodge Hardware, Textured Trios ribbon and Recollections pearl brads, both from Michael's

Yikes! One Week Until Christmas!

I have been frantically trying to get my Christmas cards finished and in the mail. I'd have them all done, if I didn't have a million other things I have to do, as well (laundry, shopping, cleaning, etc.). And this year, since I have made so many new friends on SCS, I have even more cards to send than usual.

My New Year's resolution will be to complete at least 5 Christmas cards every month, starting in January. ;-)

That being said, here's one that I finished earlier this week. I love that image from Impression Obsession - it just cracks me up every time I see it! I used Stampin' Up! Not Quite Navy Classic ink to stamp the image and blender pens to move the color where I wanted it. The scarf and hats were colored with CTMH markers and I added Stickles to the pompoms on the hats. The image was matted on DCWV glitter CS, then Not Quite Navy CS. Underneath it all is embossed Snowflakes done on the Cuttlebug. The glitter snowflakes were punched out using Marvy snowflake punches. Ribbon from Michael's.