Ready for Snow....

I remember being young in school and wishing so very hard for snow days! Here in Georgia it only takes a few flakes for the city to close up.... but it's not often we get too much more than a few flakes!  I worked up tutorials for three similar snow themed cards for Outlines. I do love these new nesties!!!

CLICK HERE to see my tutorial using this image on three different cards.

Stamp Simply #158 - Sari Inspirired

Sept. 24 - ssnotime158 - Bridal Inspiration - The Challenge in Sharon's words: I fell in love with this photo when I saw it!  This is a bridal sari for an Indian wedding.  I absolutely LOVE the colors, the texture, the shimmer of the fabric, the beading, the patterns.  Today's challenge is to use this photo for your inspiration and just run with it -- take what speaks to you from this photo and show us all your FAB creations!  Can't WAIT to see what you all come up with!  And PLEASE, share with us what did speak to you from this gorgeous photo!

Play along and link your project on Sharon's blog, No Time to Stamp, using Mr. Linky. See what colorful projects the team cooked up this week....our Ring Leader - Sharon, Janine Orchard, A J Otto, Deb Saarenen, Deb Neerman, Barb Anders, and Barb Schram. And we have a Guest Designer with us for this challenge... welcome Chrissie Stokes, you can find her blog here --> Simply One of a Kind.

I loved this picture and the colors..... but then I ended up struggling with my card!!! I'm still not entirely happy with it. I tried to incorporate the warm colors... but ended up more orange than rusty brown like in the inspiration pic. ONE day I will learn to print these pics out instead of relying on my poor memory.  I remembered oranges and went with copper to try and incorporate some metallic tones...... but now in the pic I see it's more of a golden color! The fabric in the pic has lots of texture going on and I did try to bring that in my card with Cuttlebug embossing folders and the brown vines on the blue paper are flocked. I do love these colors together, but feel my card is out of balance somehow. Finished card is an A2 size.

• Stamps: Happy Birthday by Endless Creations
• Ink: Versafine Sepia Brown and Clear EP
• Paper: Brown, Copper, all other DP from Kaisercraft's Peachy Keen 6x6 Collection
• Other: Cuttlebug Folders, Prima Flower 

Encouraging words...

For this week's Design Team Challenge call from Serendipity Stamps, 

we were asked to create a card that offers encouragement.

Please visit .... Amy,  Anya, and Lynda to see what they created for this  challenge!

I love, love, love quotes and always have trouble resisting adding to my collection.... I thought this worked well as an encouragement type card that could lend itself to many situations. I chose colors that are soft and soothing and matched up with the natural/woody feel of the image. Simple and quick coloring with Copics on the image. I also airbrushed a little Copic Color before popping my pieces out the Nesties. Both Nestie shapes are popped up using foam tape. Final card size is 5 1/2" square. 

• Stamps: All stamps are by Serendipity Stamps - Nest in Tree Set #222QCL
• Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Memento Tuxedo Black
• Paper: Neenah Classic Crest Solar White, Kraft,
• Other: SU Taffeta Ribbon, Misc. Button, Copics/ABS, Cuttlebug Folder, Spellbinder's Labels 17 and Oval Nesties

Apples for sale!

I'm not sure where you can buy an apple for five cents, but if I were to pass this on the road... the cute little kitty cat peeking out below the sign would entice me to stop, if not the price of the apples. I used my beloved Copics to color this fall image. I also used the Cover a Card Wood Grain stamp on the background... I love that woodgrain stamp. It finds it's way on to a lot of my cards lately. A few simple stitch marks and a little bow to top it off....Again -- with a big stamp or a great image like this, I just don't think the card needs too many embellishments.

• Stamps: All stamps by Impression Obsession: Apples #H1782, Cover a Card - Woodgrain
• Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Versafine Vintage Sepia
• Paper: Neenah Classic Crest Solar White, Orange, Yellow, Brown
• Other: Souffle Pen, Copics, Jute String, Bow Easy Tool

Stamp Simply #157 - I'm cracking up....

Sept. 17 - ssnotime157 - Cracked Glass - Deb Saaranen selected our challenge this week and her selection is the Cracked Glass Technique.  If you've never done Cracked Glass before, you can check out Beate's SCS tutorial.

Play along and link your project on Sharon's blog, No Time to Stamp, using Mr. Linky. See what colorful projects the team cooked up this week....our Ring Leader - Sharon, Janine Orchard, A J Otto, Deb Saarenen, Deb Neerman, Barb Anders, and Barb Schram. And we have a Guest Designer with us for the next two challenges... welcome Chrissie Stokes, you can find her blog here --> Simply One of a Kind.

I had not done this technique in YEARS! Thanks Deb for a fun and great challenge! AND I used a stamp that had never been inked before. I love it when I do that! I stamped my image on Neenah Classic Crest Solar White and colored with Copics. I cut out my leaf with Spellbinder's Labels 9. Then I started the process of layering the clear embossing powder, creating my glass. I think I used about six layers and I was using Ultra Thick Clear. I let it cool and harden and then started cracking! After cracking, I rubbed brown ink in between the cracks, wiping away the excess. Everything else on the card stayed pretty simple, leaving the focus on my cracked leaf. I love this style when used on vintage designs.... but this leaf caught my eye and I went another direction.

• Stamp: Leaf by Stamp Oasis
• Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
• Paper: DP by Imaginisce, Brown, Neenah Classic Crest Solar White, Ivory
• Other: Jute String, Bow Easy Tool, Copics, Spellbinder's Labels 9

I have been staying busy lately, reorganizing my stamp room. It's a BIG mess and if you saw it you would not believe it. I have so much stuff pulled out and spread everywhere. OMG... it could do me in. I'm not taking any before pictures, too embarrassing... but give me a week or two to get things in shape and I'll take room pictures. I'm expanding with stamp storage in a second room. I wish I could wave a wand and have it all done like the vision in my head. I really wish!!!! I keep finding all sorts of things tucked everywhere and I get sidetracked way too easily. 

Peace, Love, Joy

It's been a long time since I have colored anything with out using Copics. I used re-inkers and a paintbrush to add color to this holly image. I embossed with gold on water color paper and then just painted. When I was finished with the image, I used a water brush to wet the the edges of the image, making the color bleed outside of the lines. 

I added a simple sentiment and bow to finish it off. This image was the focus of a tutorial I did for Outlines, using the same image three ways. You can see instructions and the other cards on the Outlines site.

CLICK HERE to see my tutorial using this image on three different cards. 

Stamp Simply #156 - Let's Hear it for the Guys!

Sept. 10 - ssnotime156 - Lets's Hear it for the Guys! - This is the challenge from Sharon: Guy cards just don't seem to come as easy for most of us as pretty, frilly, girlie cards -- agree?  This week let's come up with some great ideas for guy cards -- any reason -- birthday, thank you, get well, thinking of you, etc. -- let's just make some cards that are more suited to sending to the guys in our lives.  Only one other stipulation -- NO BOWS!!!  You may use ribbon or string, but in a *manly* fashion -- LOL!!!!

Play along and link your project on Sharon's blog, No Time to Stamp, using Mr. Linky. See what colorful projects the team cooked up this week....our Ring Leader - Sharon, Janine Orchard, A J Otto, Deb Saarenen, Deb Neerman, Barb Anders, and Barb Schram. 

My guy card is pretty straight foward. Lotsa layers, but other than that it's simple. I used pattern paper from Graphic 45's A Proper Gentleman collection and paired it up with this Lincoln quote. Nothin' fancy going on. I  used Cuttlebug folder in the background on the parchment paper. I used a little cat's eye to add some ink around the edges too.... but that's all. After I finished I realized I should have paid more attention to what portion I used of the paper, as I cut off all the heads with my quote panel, ooops. Sorry Guys! 

• Stamps: Lincoln Collection by Wordsworth
• Ink: Versafine Vintage Sepia
• Paper: Black, Ivory Parchment Card Stock, DP by Graphic 45 - A Proper Gentleman 8x8 pad
• Other: Cuttlebug Folder, Cat's Eye Brown, Corner Rounder

Have a wicked day....

For this week's Design Team Challenge call from Serendipity Stamps, 

we were provided with this sketch to use for our card. 

Please visit .... Amy,  Anya, Kathie and Lynda to see what they created for this  challenge!

I started out with the sketch idea, which I flipped on to it's side for my layout.... and then this bling somehow got all over my card! I hardly ever use these swirly pieces. I love 'em but they never seem to work on my cards. I thought it ended up working on this one, in a weird sort of way. Halloween cards allow for a little weird factor! I also went different with my color choices, inspired by the Graphic 45 cobweb paper. I colored everything with Copics and added a little soft airbrushing over the sentiment. The graveyard image actually features a fence behind it too, but I cut it down to just show a grassy hill to work on to my card.  Finished card size is an A2.

• Stamps: All stamps by Serendipity Stamps - Graveyard #1229H, Have a Wicked... #1228D
• Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Versafine Onyx Black
• Paper: Olive, Black, Neenah Classic Crest Solar White, DP by Graphic 45
• Other: Misc. Bling Swirls, Copics/ABS

Things that go BUMP in the night.....

Bats, Rats, Creepy Crawlies.... ugh.... shivers up and down my spine. I do love making the Halloween cards. I always have, what other Holiday can you use crazy stamps combined with bizarre colors and have it be OK?!? This card shows off another Cover a Card background that IO released this summer. I used Spellbinder's Mega Classic Scalloped Ovals Large to frame the sentiment. The little white dots were created with Ranger's White Enamel.... if you haven't' tried this yet, you should! It is bright white and I love the way it pools and settles with a perfect domed top and the shiny finish. 

• Stamps by Impression Obsession: #CC056 Cover a Card Halloween, #C3519 Bump in the Night
• Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Memento Tuxedo Black
• Paper: Bo Bunny Orange Polka Dot DP, Orange, Black, Neenah Classic Crest Solar White
• Other: Ranger's White Enamel, Spellbinder's Mega Classic Scalloped Ovals Large, Black Twill Ribbon, Orange and Black Copic

DOGS on my blog!

Outlines just released some cute Dog themed stamps and I got to play with them right away, working with them last week... 

Heheeeeee.... I loved this sentiment!!!!!! I'll be using it again!!!

We all know cats are way smarter that dogs, but I'll concede that cats and dogs can be equally as cute and lovable. These new stamps are just pieces from new dog collage stamps that Outlines just released.  All of the cards use paper from Kaisercraft's Jungle Bug 6x6 collection, loved the bright colors mixed in with these cute poochies. I'm completely addicted to 6x6 pads of paper.... and my Copics.... and my Nesties. 

CLICK HERE to check out the new release of stamps from Outlines.

CLICK HERE to see my tutorial on these cards. 

Prickley Pear BLOG HOP!

Welcome to the Prickley Pear Rubber Stamp Blog Hop to introduce a new line of coordinating die cuts and clear stamps. Visit the Design Team’s daily releases and the Prickley Pear Rubber Stamp blog from September 5th until September 8th to have chances to win one of four prize packages worth $50 in PPRS products. Of course each of the prize packages will feature one of the new release sets: 
Pumpkins, Cardinals, Oranaments, and Holiday Trees. 

More than one chance to win.

Each day you have more than one chance to win. Start at the Prickley Pear Rubber Stamp Blog. Leave a comment on the blog for one chance to win. Then hop on over to the day’s release blogs and make comments there for more chances to win. Sounds easy enough. And the bonus is that you’ll see some fabulous paper projects featuring the new sets. For each release, you’ll have 2 days to participate…you’ll have until midnight the night AFTER the release day to enter comments. Please just one comment per blog.

Check the Prickley Pear Blog for the full Release schedule with links.

Today we are previewing the new Pumpkin Clear Set. 

And the other blogs to visit for the hop are: 

Nicole at The Prickley Pear Blog 

Jennifer at her blog: Random Vintage Finds 

Both these cards were created with the new Pumpkin set, and I know neither card shows off the pumpkins.... leave it to me to be different! The top card used the Fall senitment embossed three times and then cut out with one of the new nesties, Lacey Squares, with a little Coic airbrushing and bling for highlights. I used the large leaf and embossed that on pattern paper, cutting each one out. My button is supposed to represent and "acorn".... what do you think? 

The fence and the sentiment are two different stamps, I just paired them up together. You knew if there was a kitty in the set, I would be using that stamp! See that bad little cat perched on the fence post, looks like he has serious attitude! After stamping, I masked with Eclipse tape, creating a moon and airbrushed the background with Copics. I used a charcoal cat's eye ink pad around the edges. Around the edges of the Beaded Ovals Nestie I added jute string, using a craft needle (with a large eye) to make quick work of it.

Laugh Loud......

Now that Copics have taken over my cards.... I have to remind myself to emboss! When I first saw something embossed it was like Christmas morning -- my eyes got wide, my jaw hung open and I was instantly hooked on this crazy hobby. I love embossing and especially embossing on pattern paper. I did a three card tutorial for Outlines featuring simple gold embossing, many of the cards feature gold embossing using pattern paper, I love the way it looks, with the gold being so shiny and raised. When I was making these cards, I kept asking myself why I don't reach for my heat gun more often! 

LINK to Outlines where you can see full instructions and stamps used for these these cards.

LINK to a pdf file that you can print out with full instructions.

Stamp Simply #155 - Falling Leaves

Sept. 3 - ssnotime155 - Falling Leaves -  A great theme for this time of year!  So today's challenge is to incorporate leaves into our projects -- any type of leaves, any type of card or project -- let's just see some beautiful Falling Leaves this week as we transition into fall mode!

Play along and link your project on Sharon's blog, No Time to Stamp, using Mr. Linky. See what colorful projects the team cooked up this week....our Ring Leader - Sharon, Janine Orchard, A J Otto, Deb Saarenen, Deb Neerman, Barb Anders, and Barb Schram. 

I thought this image fit the Falling Leaves challenge perfectly. This is another scene from Impression Obsession's Summer's CHA release. AND... see the black kitty peeking in the window... how could I resist adding this stamp to my collection! My bad little cat doesn't go outside but spends a lot of time on the screened in porch. When the leaves start falling, a few always manage to sneak in under the doors and he attacks them all like he is a fierce predator defending his kingdom. I used Copics (of course) to color this image. Love the smooth blending you can achieve with Copics on the multi colored leaves. And for the background I used four squares and glued them to a panel - running them all thru the Cuttlebug at the same time to keep the embossing nice and cohesive.

• Stamps: #H1792 - Peeking Pumpkin from Impression Obsession 
• Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
• Paper: Brown, Orange, Tan and Neenah Classic Crest Solar White
• Other: White Wrinkled Ribbon, Bow Easy Tool, Cuttlebug Folder, Misc. Button, Copics

IO Challenge - Shakin' it!

OOOPS! I'm posting a bit early, I goofed! --- so if your checking this out on Wednesday, be sure and check back to the IO Blog on Thursday for all the details and links to the Design Team's Creations!

Today brings another challenge from the Impression Obsession Design Team.... the theme for today is Shake It Pouches with a Halloween Theme.  Check out all the challenge details on the Impression Obsession Blog and play along with us! 

I just got my hands on new the Nesties and I'm lovin' them! I used two of the new styles on this card with my Shake It Pouch. I can't believe I actually had orange seed beads in my stash, but I did!!! There's about a million embedded in my carpet right now too, lol... I had a little spill! I embossed the image in the shaker pouch, added my little beads and then layered it up for a quickie card. I thought these glittery domed pearls would be a fun touch and I also added some silver stitch marks around the black layer to have another touch of silver on the card. 

• Stamps: All Hallow's Eve Set #CL284 by Impression Obsession
• Ink: Versafine Onyx Black and Clear Detail EP
• Paper:DP by SEI 6x6 "Spooky" Paper Pad, White, Black
• Other: Shake It Pouch by IO, Seed Beads, Glitter Dome Pearls, Spellbinder's Lacey Squares and Nestie Label 15, Silver Gel Pen

Halloween Zentangles!

Outlines Rubber Stamps just came out with new images made just for your Zentangles.... let your pen create one of a kind designs! I was thrilled to get my hands on these a few weeks back and do a three card tutorial over at Outlines on using these. These images would be ideal for paper piecing too! If you a newbie to Zentangles and want to explore, you can find a series of "how to" books HERE and more on the Zentangle Website.

LINK to Outlines where you can see full instructions and stamps used for these these cards.