Thursday, April 30, 2009

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

New Baby

Niece and Nephew on my husbands side are expecting their first baby! Since we live a long, long ways away from them, I wanted to send them a card to let them know how excited we are! Also, it's just another reason to make a card :)

I think this is the first time I've used this set (except for using these adorable little chicks on a project one time). Of course, we don't know if they are having a boy or a girl, but I thought this was neutral enough (even if it does lean towards boy a little).

Each of the stars are cut out and adhered with a dimensional.

All supplies SU:
Set: Nursery Necessities
Cardstock: White, blue bayou, kiwi kiss
Ink: Blue bayou, kiwi kiss

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Kwernerdesign's 50th Color Challenge

Kristina Werner has posted her 50th color challenge on her blog this week. She comes up with some great combinations and always has fun, inspiring picture to go along with it. I really love what she came up with for her 50th!
At first I just stamped the flowers on this card, but I really wanted them to pop out, so I stamped then on colored cardstock (with chocolate chip ink--no black ink allowed for this challenge). Then I cut them out and adhered them with dimensionals. A small layer of chocolate chip cardstock behind them makes them stand out even more.
The textured/swirled white cardstock is layered on white. I love doing this. It makes such a crisp, clean card.
And here it is:
All supplies SU:
Set: Friends Always
Cardstock: White, chocolate chip, real red, tempting turquoise, summer sun
Ink: real red, chocolate chip
Accessories: Big Shot texture plate, dimensionals

Summer


All these fun bright colors, and the butterflies remind me of summer! And yes, it's finally warming, and greening, up in Wisconsin!
The butterflies are all stamped on different sheets of the Pink Flamingo Designer Paper. I didn't think I would like this paper at first, but I've fallen in love!
Each butterfly is cut out, and then adhered to the card with a dimensional. The rub-on along the side is from a cute pack I bought in the Archeivers *hot deals* spot. I think the maker is Fancy Pants.
The butterflies are from various SU sets.
Have a great Tuesday!

Monday, April 27, 2009

Technostampers Monday Challenge

It's time for another one of Mary Jo's great sketches. You can see all the details on play along on her blog.

I see that I forgot to round the corners of my top layer, but I guess that's minor.
I stamped my focal image on the cut out circle, but when I layed it on the designer paper, it got lost in the print. I thought I would try cracked glass to make it stand out a little more.
For those of you who are unfamiliar with this technique, you heat emboss clear embossing powder on your image. If you are not using UTEE (ultra-thick embossing powder) you need to melt multiple layers so you have a nice, thick coating over your image. Then you stick it in the freezer for a few minutes. This hardens the embossing powder up. Take your image out of the freezer and lightly bend it to crack the embossing powder, or "glass."
Here's the card (finished size 5 1/2 square):
All supplies SU:
Set: Garden Silhouettes
Cardstock: White, old olive, bella rose dsp, chocolate chip
Ink: Pretty in pink, old olive, rose red
Have a great Monday!
Don't forget to add your card to Mary Jo's blog if you use the sketch, so everyone can see it!

Friday, April 24, 2009

Three Clovers Thursday Challenge


Kerry's blog challenge this week was "It's a Zoo." We needed to make a card using an animal, or animals. I sorted through my stamp sets, I found this long lost, unused and neglected one.
Can elephants be cute? I think this one is! I watercolored him on confetti white and after cutting him out, applied him to the card with dimensionals.
I didn't know if I would like this Pink Flamingo Designer Paper, but wow, is it fun! Bright colors for the most part, and some neat patterns.
The layout for this card is also Splitcoast's weekly sketch challenge. Since I was a little late on both, I thought I would combine the two :)
All supplies SU:
Set: Have a Heart (long since retired)
Cardstock: White, black, pink flamingo dsp
Ink: watercolor crayons

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Wedding Card


I was recently contacted throught Etsy about doing wedding invites for a couple in Italy. I was asked to look at some pictures they had posted online and come up with some ideas from there. They had a beautiful picture of red poppies that inspired this card.
I submitted 3 cards for them to look at, but this was my favorite. To be honest, I was quite intimidated at the prospect of doing 130 of the same card (that's a lot of repetition), and having them be wedding invites at that (don't want to mess anything up). So, I wasn't terribly disappointed when they told me that had found their invite elsewhere. I was glad that they asked me to try though.
The flower bud is stamped on watercolor paper, cut out and applied to the card with a dimensional. I applied it slightly off, to give the flower even more fullness.
Here's a close-up of the flower:
All supplies SU:
Sets: French Script, Bloomin' Beautiful
Ink: Red riding hood, tangerine tango, olive
Cardstock: White, red riding hood, olive
And that is the story of my 15 seconds of fame :)

Monday, April 20, 2009

A *Green* Challenge



The Etsy Team I have been hoping to become a member of is having a green challenge this month. We had to make something out of an empty ribbon spool .

I don't usually hang on to this kind of thing, but luckly I had one that was almost empty. So, I was able to play.


First, let me say, I am not an *outside the box* thinker. I like things neat, straight, lined up, etc. When someone shows me a circle punch, I see a circle. When someone shows me an empty ribbon spool, I see garbage. You know what I'm saying. I just can't envisions. So, to come up with an idea was a challenge in itself for me.


At first I thought I would do some kind of fold out album, but as I started working with this, I wondered if a circle card wouldn't be better. (Or maybe I just go lazy, and the card was easier.) :)


I covered both sides of the spool cardboard with designer paper, scored a fold line along the edges, and *sealed* them together with lilac brads. Then to add a cuteness factor (because I love cuteness), I added the ribbon.


The inside has a little field of flowers going on, to match the outside paper, and says "celebrating you." Wouldn't this be a fun card to give for a birthday or just because?


Well, guess what, I'm giving it away. All you have to do is leave a comment on this post and at the end of the week, I'll either send it to the one lonely poster, or if there are multiple posts, I'll do a drawing. Also, in your comment, let me know if you plan to mail this to someone. It fits a standard A2 envelope (but barely). If you are going to mail it, you won't have to add extra postage with an A2 though. If you aren't going to mail it, I'll send you a larger envelope.


Technostampers Monday Lunch Sketch



Here I am with more flowers....it must be spring fever :). It's still mostly dreary and cold in Wisconsin, but little bits of green are peaking through.
You can see sketch details on Mary Jo's blog, and play along too.


I'm a color lover. Hardly ever will I make a card using pastels. I love bright colors and/or rich, deep colors. Especially when I am using flowers.


I pulled this stamp set out for another project, but since I just love the poppy flower, ended up making 4 other cards with it.


The poppies are stamped with staz-on onto watercolor paper, and colored with re-inkers. This is my current favorite way to watercolor. I say current, because I also love to use watercolor crayons, but right now the crayons have been getting a little rest :).


Enough blathering and on to the card:
The background was made using a Big Shot texture plate. To be honest, I just lucked out having the River Rock layer's texture match up with the red texture. Love it when that happens though!
All Supplies SU:
Set: Bloomin' Beautiful
Cardstock: Textured River Rock, black, red riding hood, watercolor paper,
Ink: Staz-on, red riding hood, tangering tango, summer sun, old olive, garden green

Saturday, April 18, 2009

Hoot Hoot

I just love these little guys. They look like you could just grab them and give them a big squeeze! The sayings that come with this stamp set are adorable too. Hoot-hoot hooray...cracks me up!

This is a fun birthday card, that I've made for a few different people. Each of the owls are stamped on the branch, and then the hats need to be added. On this card, the owls are on watercolor paper, andthey are colored with re-inkers. Again, with the watercoloring :) Yes, I love it!

I used a piece of designer paper for the scalloped edge to add a little more *funness!* What I really think is great about this card is the fact that there is no age limit to it. Sure a kid would love it, but there are plenty of fun loving adults that would appreciate the card as well.

All supplies SU:
Set: Owl Together Now
Cardstock: Chocolate chip, baja breeze, kiwi kiss, watercolor paper
Ink: Chocolate chip, close to cocoa, creamy caramel, tangering tango, real red, baja breeze, kiwi kiss

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Flight of the Butterfly


Don't you just love butterflies? They are bright, colorful and seem to represent a free spirit. I saw an idea similar to this on splitcoast a while back it has stayed with me. I finally had a chance to try it out.
I used many different butterflies from different stamp sets, some current, some not. I stamped them on different pieces of designer paper, cut each one out, and then mounted them with dimensionals.
The white background is textured with a Big Shot Texture plate.
Happy Thursday!

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Etsy Connection Newsletter

I'm so excited! I'm going to be one of the feature artists in the Etsy Connection newsletter tomorrow. There are 5 artists from Etsy featured each week. I'll post the newsletter on Friday if I can.

To sign up for the newsletter, go here. Click on the link posted in the blog. The blog has some sample newsletters for you to see, but you will be signing up for an actual newsletter that is emailed to you. (Note: when you sign up, it may say that you are signing up for an IT newsletter, but don't despair, you are actually singing up for Etsy Connection. They also publish an IT newsletter).

I Love Hydrangeas




Hydrangeas are some of my favorite flowers! I'm lucky enough to have a number of them around the yard too. We have blue ones, pink ones and white ones. I can't wait to see them again this year.


I used some new photo software and I think the colors might be a little off on this picture. The background is brocade blue, but it looks a little more purpley here.


I stamped the words on the pot, stamped the flowers on watercolor paper, and cut them out before mounting them on the pot. The background is textured and then sanded. Even though the cardstock doesn't have a white core, it still brings the texture out a little bit more when it's sanded.


All supplies SU.
ETA: I figured out the colors on the photo software. I changed the picture, and this one is more true to the real card.


Have a great Wednesday!

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Negative Image


This was a little bit of an expirement. You can ink up the texture plates and then when you run them through the Big Shot, your impressed image is white with a colored background. So, I thought I would try the same thing with the embossing folder. The ink doesn't take to the folder as well, but it's still a neat look.
The cardstock almost has a textured look to it, and the embossed flowers really stand out.
I didn't want to do too much else to the card, since there is such a large focal image. It's simple, yet elegant.
All supplies SU:
Set: It's your Birthday
Cardstock: White, Baja Breeze, Pacific Point
Inks: Baja Breeze, Pacific Point

Monday, April 13, 2009

Technostamper Monday Sketch Challenge




I found this sketch a little bit tricky for some reason. I actually made a couple of attempts before I settled on this card.


I think this might be the first card I ever made that I didn't stamp a single image. The flowers on the caribbean cardstock are SU rub-ons, as are the saying and flowers on the little piece.


I'm not sure who the maker of the designer paper is. I've had the pack for quite some time. The colors go pretty well with SU's though.


I added the felt flowers at the last minute to try and bling it up a little, but not sure if I succeeded or not. You can view the details and play along on Mary Jo's blog.

Friday, April 10, 2009

Un-Spotlighted


I had so much fun watercoloring the rose from Fifth Avenue Floral in the post below, that I made another one. Only this time, I didn't spotlight, I watercolored the whole thing.
It's just starting to warm up here in Wisconsin, and I see that some of our rose bushes are barely starting to sprout out. I get so excited to see color outside this time of year.
The rose is stamped on watercolor paper, and colored with re-inkers. I always start with the lightest color (0ften I wash the entire image with a gold or light yellow), and then work up to the darker colors. The last step is to add accents of dark color for shading and depth.
All supplies SU:
Set: Fifth Avenue Floral
Ink: Staz-on, So Saffron, Tangerine Tango, Red Riding Hood
Cardstock: Vanilla, Red Riding Hood, Black, Bella Rose DSP, Watercolor paper

Thursday, April 9, 2009

Spotlighting


I was gone most of the day today, but took a few minutes when I got home to make a card. The layout is todays SCS Sketch Challenge, and I knew right away it would be a perfect layout for a technique called spotlighting.
For this technique, you only color part of an image, to really spotlight it. I really love watercoloring this rose from the Fifth Avenue Floral set. There are so many different color combinations you can use with it.
I textured the Kiwi Kiss with the distressed texture plate. I actually did it twice, turning it 90 degrees for the 2nd run-through.
All Supplies SU:
Set: Fifth Ave Floral
Cardstock: Vanilla, Watercolor Paper, Kiwi Kiss, Black, Bella Rosa DSP
Ink: Red Riding Hood, Tangerine Tango, Kiwi Kiss
Kiwi/Vanilla Satin Ribbon

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

In a Field


I was making a different card with these die cut butterflies, and realized that I had cut out the wrong size. Well, I love these die cuts, and couldn't just throw them away, so I had to come up a new card to use these on.
I'll admit, the butterfly body was not my original idea at all. SU did the same thing on the cover of their last catalog (but their card is completely different).
This butterfly is floating through a field of prairie flowers :)
All supplies SU:
Set: Pocket Silhouettes
Cardstock: Regal Rose, white, sweet always DSP
Ink: Regal Rose, Pumpkin Pie, Chocolate Chip
Accessories: Hat pin, beads, wire

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Kindred Spirts


I wanted to do one more card with Mary Jo's Monday Sketch (see post below for sketch details, and a link to her blog if you want to play along).


I just love butterflies. They can be whimsical or beautiful, depending on what you match them with. I used the Friends Always wheel for my background, and just lucked out that Kindred Spirits and True Friend show up around the butterflies. (love it when that happens)


The butterflies are die cut. I sponged the edges of the largest to "age" it a little. The butterflies are raised with dimensionals as well.

Monday, April 6, 2009

TSSC Monday Sketch Challenge








When I saw Mary Jo's Technostamper Monday Sketch Challenge, I knew there were a lot of things that could be done with it.



What I really wanted though, was something that would POP right out at you. I tend to go for florals, so grabbed my Fifth Avenue Floral stamp set, and stamped the flowers on watercolor paper. I watercolored them with re-inkers, cut them out, and adhered them with dimensionals, so they would really stand out.


I love how this card turned out. It's even better in real life. All Supplies SU:
Set: Fifth Ave. Floral
Carstock: White, Basic Black, Bella Blossom DSP, Watercolor Paper
Ink: Staz-on, Red Riding Hood, Tangerine Tango, Kiwi Kiss, Pink Pirouette






Here's a close up of the flowers:



Saturday, April 4, 2009

Sketch Challenge



This was an SCS sketch challenge a while back. You cut out a circle, and then cut it in quarters. You only use 2 of the quarter on the card.


I love these colors together: red riding hood, kiwi kiss and chocolate chip. There is a tad of summer sun in the center of the flowers too.


I stamped the flowers on white and then stamped them again on another piece of paper. I cut out just the blooms and then adhered them to the card with small pieces of dimensionals. It is so much more life like with the raised portion.


The paper is Raspberry Tart which is a current favorite of mine. I say current, because that changes often. There are so many great papers to choose from!


Stamp Set: Le Jardin Botanique

Friday, April 3, 2009

Bloom



I had this flower laying around and knew it was too pretty to throw away, so thus, another card is born :)


Sometimes all a card need is a simple layout to really showcase the stamped image. I tried adding a few other things, and it all looked off. The focal point is so large, that it needed to stand alone, without other embellishments.


The flower is raised, and the center is raised a second time.
All supplies SU:
Set: Fabulous Flowers
Cardstock: Ruby Red, chocolate chip, white, dsp
Ink: rugy red, pumpkin pie, chocolate chip

Thursday, April 2, 2009

Celebrate


Kerry's blog challenge this week is : Eat it! (Are you singing Michael Jackson's Beat It now? I am) The card must have some sort of food on it.
I immediately thought of Chef Pierre from Viola. This guy is so fun! You can dress him up any which way and he never complains either :).
I paper pieced his jacket with Bella Rosa DSP, watercolored his pants with Kiwi Kiss and added a little shadowing with Bordering Blue Watercolor.
His neck kerchief and sleeve cuff are raised, as is the cupcake. The candle says "Celebrate." Since I am listing this on my Etsy shop, I didn't want to add any other type of saying, so the buyer can use it for whatever type of Celebration.
Check out Kerry's blog if you want to play along!

Sparkle


Once again I find myself with little flakes of sparkle and shine on my face, hands, shirt, etc. That's what happens when I use glitter. I once heard someone say, that before you add glitter to a card, you should just wipe some on your face and get it over with :)
This layout is the Splitcoast Sketch Challenge for the week. Fun and simple.
The card says "Happy Birthday, Someone like you should be celebrated every day."
I haven't used Pick a Petal in a long time, and had fun with it. It's really an easy set to use. When I was done, I just knew the card needed *something,* and thus the glitter!
All supplies SU:
Sets: Pick a Petal, It's Your Birthday
Cardstock: Gable Green, Tempting Turquoise, White, Rainbow Sherbert DSP
Ink: Green Galore, Tempting Turquoise
Apricot Grosgrain

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Manahattan Floral



I bought this texture folder a little while back, but haven't really used it yet. I pulled it out today thinking I would use it as a background piece, but once I saw how pretty it is on it's own, I know I couldn't cover it up with something else.


This was one of the quickest and easiest cards I have done in a long, long time, but really, I think if I added anything else to it, it would take away from the embossed flowers.


The sizzix texture folders are so easy to use, and they give a very deep, crisp image.


All supplies Stampin' Up:

Stamps: Best Yet

Cardstock: Red Riding Hood, White, Black

Ink: Black

Accessories: Red Riding Hood Satin Ribbon, Manhattan Floral Texture Folder