Christmas Blue Bird

The Outlines Design Team is showing off designs featuring Friendly Fliers this week... 

birds, butterflies, dragonflies... you get the idea!

As always you can play along with Outlines for a chance to win $25! Find all the details on The Outlines Blog.

Check out what the team came up with:

 Lisa Silver - Robin Kirkpatrick - Sandy Hulsart - Kecia Waters - Sue Kment - Jeanne Strieff

 This bright little bird was easy and fun to color! You can see the Copics I used below. I added a border punch along he bottom edge... love this intricate border!

 The ornament I colored twice, using the second to pop up using foam tape. You can see I added piercing around the edges of the birdie panel. After adding a few layers with Perfect Layers Rulers, I also popped the entire panel with foam tap on to the card base.

A few embellishments to complete the card.... Viva Black Pearl Pen Black on the Bird's eye, Viva Kiwi Pen on the ornament, Viva Clear Pen on the Holly Berries and stars as well as Swarovski Crystals to add sparkle!

• Stamps: Caroling Bird G-1116  by Outlines
• Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
• Paper: DP is My Mind's Eye - Lime Twist Life of the Party "Happy Day" Argyle Paper #LT1026, 
• Other: Perfect Layer Rulers, Martha Stewart Border Punch, Swarovski Crystals  - Aquamarine (size 5 & 7) and Light Siam (size 7 & 9), Viva Pearl Pens, Misc. Ribbon, Bow Easy Tool

Christmas Center Step Card

Time for a Prickley Pear Card! 

Check out what the team came up this week by heading over to the Prickley Pear Blog!

 This is a mini Center Step Card, you can find the directions to create a step card HERE. I cut mine down slightly and have a smaller center panel. I've been seeing this center step card popping up everywhere... and then my pal Miriam did not one, but two last week and I decided I had to try one! 

 I used the PPRS matching Ornament Die to cut the two gold portions. The stamped ornament I cut down around the edges, so that a gold border would show once I layered them together. I few Copics to add color and I edges the ornament with a Warm Red Chalk Cat's Eye.

I used Dimensional Silicone under the pinecone ornament layer to give it a rounded popped up appearance.I used Perfect Layers Rulers to add the 1/16" border layers around the sentiment panel. I love the coordinating dies that PPRS has to match not one but two ornament sets in this case! Here are the two sets that show all the ornaments.... endless possibilities here!

• Stamps: Ornament Set #2 by PPRS, Coordinating Ornament Die #D0010
• Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Cat's Eye Chalk - Warm Red
• Paper: DP is from Authentique's 6x6 Wonder Pad, Neenah Classic Crest Natural White, Gold Metallic Card Stock
• Other: Gold Cord, Bow Easy Tool, Dimensional Silicone, Adhesive Gems, Spellbinder's Long Classic Rectangles, Perfect Layers Rulers

Trimming the Tree

 The challenge over at Flourishes this week is to use an image that is a tree or has leaves. Timeless Tuesday Challenge #141 <---- Click for details. A perfect reason to ink up this new Christmas stamp set! 

 I stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink and airbrushed while the image was still in the Nestie. I outlined the inside frame with a fine tip black pen too. I used Blender Pen to remove any green color from the little girls dress and also the little ornaments on the string.

 After cutting the image out with a square nestie, all of the other layers were created with Perfect Layer Rulers... giving me crisp clean and even layers. Around the white layer I added to embossed lines down each side, using my Scor-Pal. I added a little dot of Viva Clear Glass Effects on to each little ornament ball making them shiny and raised.

Here is a peek of the inside of the card... I am LOVE with this die and especially cutting the pattern out on the liner for a card. It's a Memory Box Die called Piestra Tile. The die does not cut any borders so you can add the pattern across a large piece of paper.

• Stamps - All stamps by Flourishes - A Gift for You
• Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
• Paper: Neenah Classic Crest Solar White, Black, DP is Memory Box 6x6 Mistletoe Collection
• Other: Ribbon by SU, Misc. Green Button, Piestra Tile Die by Memory Box, Copics ABS, Spellbinder's Square Nesties, Adhesice Crystals, Dimensional Silicone, Spellbinder's Banner die, Perfect Layers Rulers, Scor-Pal, Viva Clear Glass Effect Gel Pen, Bow Easy Tool

Thanksgiving

It's about Thanksgiving today with the Serendipity DT.

Check out what the ladies are serving up today:  Amy - Anya - Kathie - Miriam - Linda 

 Spellbinder's Grand Nesties Circles and Scalloped Ovals made it easy to frame this image quickly! If you are in the mood to color this is your image! A few little gems to embellish and added a bow along the top edge.

 I stamped the image in Memento Rich Cocoa ink. Here are the Copics I used to color the image. It took me about an hour to color this one! I also added some airbrushing around the edges before taking it out of the Nestie.

I added the sentiment on the inside of the card. All of the time went in to coloring on this one... the card base and layers were easy peasy!

• Stamps: All stamps by Serendipity Stamps - 672 K Horn of Plenty, 529 E Happy Thanksgiving II 
• Ink: Memento Rich Cocoa
• Paper: Brown, Neenah Classic Crest Natural White (ivory), All DP is from Bo Bunny 6x6 pad - Forever Fall
• Other: Adhesive Gems, Bow Easy Tool, Spellbinder's Grand Circles, Spellbinder's Grand large Scallop Circles, Foam Tape

Outlines - Pretty in Pink

Today the challenge at Outlines is "Pretty in Pink". 

Join us for a chance to win a $25 Gift Certificate. 

Find all the details on the The Outlines Blog.

Check out what Pink treats the team has to share today:

 Lisa Silver - Robin Kirkpatrick - Sandy Hulsart - Kecia Waters - Sue Kment - Jeanne Strieff

 I'm still in love with making shaped cards with my Spellbinder's Grand Dies. I used the Grand Scalloped Square for this card, covering the entire card front with pattern paper cut from the same die. I thought this little dove might be cute in a pinky theme. Since the dove had the little olive branch in his beak, thats where the green came in to play. 

 I stamped the image twice, cutting out an extra dove and star to use to pop up over the originals. You can see here the Copic Markers I used to color the image. Really just two colors going on, which made it really quick and easy. I added airbrushing around the edges, before removing the nestie from the die using RV11.

Olivine Swarovski Crystals added extra sparkle (sizes 5,7,9 and 12). I also used the Viva Glass Effect Gel Pen to add a little shine over the leaves. On the scalloped edges of the green layer... a Viva Cream Pearl Pen to add small pearl embellishment.... I also added teeny tiny pearls on the hearts in the wings, using a toothpick to apply the pearl pen. A teeny little black pearl pen dot for the eye too! Straight line layers were all done using Perfect Layers Rulers. You can see I curved the two "extra" pieces, using Dimensional Silicone to pop them up. 

• Stamps - by Outlines Rubber Stamps -  G1117 Flying Peace Dove
• Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
• Paper: All DP from Authentique's Uncommon 6x6 Paper Pad,  Neenah Classic Crest Natural White (ivory), Green
• Other: Viva Cream Pearl Pen, Viva Glass Effect Gel Pen, Olivine Swarovski Crystals , Picksey Pick Ups, Bow Easy Tool, Perfect Layers Rulers, Ivory Seam Binding Ribbon, Black Pearl Pen, Copics/ABS, Spellbinder's Circles and Scalloped Circles Nesties

CUTE kitties!!!!

 Prickley Pear Rubber Stamps

I have been longtime friends with PPRS and am looking forward to being more involved with the NEW and talented Design Team and inking up the new images they are coming out with on a regular basis! The DT shares new cards each Monday! Check out what the team came up with on the PPRS Blog! Also they have an October Sketch Challenge you can play along with too! 

Die cuts, layers and simple stamping for this little card. AND more black cats.... do you see them around the little circle. I could not resist those little kitties! I know that I have now had multiple posts in 24 hours... feast or famine! 

The adorable black cats and the Halloween sentiment are both from the new Fall Circles Clear Set. The Scalloped Eyelet Circle Die is from Prickley Pear... I love how very delicate the edge is! And the die is sized to accommodate any of the circle designs in this set! The center stamps shown in the set are not connected to the borders and are all interchangeable too. Cute stuff! All of the straight line layers were created using Perfect Layers Rulers and I added a few tiny little orange adhesive pearls around the circle to embellish. Easy Peasy!

• Stamps: Circles Clear Stamps Set Fall by Prickley Pear
• Ink: Versafine Onyx Black
• Paper: Neenah Classic Crest Solar White Orange, Black
• Other: Scalloped Eyelet Circle Die, Spellbinder's Circles and Scalloped Circle Nesties, Mandarin Orange Baker's Twine by the Twinery, 1" Punch, Black Button, Bow Easy Tool, CB Folder by SU, Foam Tape, Perfect Layers Rulers, Spellbinder's Nested Lacey Pennants - Banner Die

Halloween Hi...

 So the challenge this week at Flourishes (Timeless Tuesday #140 <---- Click for details) was a Halloween card... so I pulled out the Witching You a Happy Halloween set. Of course I was gonna ink up the kitty and whipped out this simple square card.

 I stamped my kitty and broom, cutting them out using Labels 22, outlining the inside frame with a black Micron Pen. I also punched a circle out of Eclipse Tape to create the moon. After I airbrushed I peeled the circle away, which left the circle area blank for the moon. I outlined the inside of the oval nestie with little stitch marks using the Micron Pen.

 Before I peeled away the "moon" I traced the edge of the circle to give the moon more definition. I also added the bat stamps in to the mix. You can see the Copics I used to color the image. I airbrushed the orange color on with YR09. On the large black Labels 22 layer, I also embossed with a CB folder. 

The orange stripe paper in the background is sparkly, so I thought I would bring more sparkle in by outlining two of the layers using a Viva Holographic Glitter Liner. It dries with a raised finish and none of the glitter rubs off. I finished the outside straight layers with Perfect Layers Rulers.

• Stamps: Flourishes - Witching you a Happy Halloween
• Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Versafine Onyx Black
• Paper: Neenah Classic Crest Natural White (ivory), Orange, Black DP by SEI
• Other: Spellbinder's Labels 22, Spellbinder's Oval and Scalloped Oval Nesties, Black Jute String, Bow Easy Tool, Perfect Layers Rulers, Viva Holographic Glitter Liner

The color purple....

The Impression Obsession Design Team is all about the Color Purple today, that was the challenge. As always you can play along with us for a chance to grab $25 to shop at IO! Check out all the details on the Impression Obsession Blog. Check out what purple delights the team cooked up for you today: Dina, Julie, Jeanne, Laura, Vicki and Deborah.

 No Copics, again. Simple heat embossing for this card. Since the challenge was purple, I started by choosing the purple paper that had little gold flecks in it, which led to me  choosing the gold paper. I stamped the flower four times on the purple paper, cutting out different layers. I crumpled them up, but still wanted them to have more texture so I ran the pieces thru an embossing folder too. I stacked them up with foam tape in between each layer. I also tucked some leaf pieces under the flower too.

I added the get well strip banner along the bottom, adding a 1/16" border with Perfect Layers Rulers. I was so glad to see this new Get Well Clear Set with this last IO release... it has everything you could need!

• Stamps: by Impression Obsession - Get Well Wishes #CL330, Romantic Rose #L8535
• Ink: Versamark and White Detail Embossing Powder
• Paper: Gold Embossed card stock, Misc. Purple, White, Green Pattern Paper
• Other: Martha Stewart Border Punch, Gold Adhesive Pearls, Textile Pattern CB Folder, Foam Tape, Perfect Layers Rulers

Happy Owloween!

 This little cutey owl is on sale for the next few day over at Outlines! I had fun coloring him up and adding all the little embellishments. I used Spellbinder's Wonky Rectangles for both panels. I loved this shape when they came out and these dies had worked their way in to the back of the pile. I'm sure that never happens to anyone else, LOL. It really is true for me... Out of sight, Out of mind!

You can see the Copic Markers I used in this pic. 

But if you want more info and to check out the sale then you can use this LINK to view a full tutorial on this card and two other cards. All of the card details and step by step pictures are over there, so I'm not gonna list the supplies below.

Outlines - Birthday Butterfly

Today the challenge at Outlines was to make a Birthday card. Simple enough! Join us for a chance to win a $25 Gift Certificate. Find all the details on the The Outlines Blog.

Check out what the team has to share today:  Lisa Silver - Robin Kirkpatrick - Sandy Hulsart - Kecia Waters - Sue Kment - Jeanne Strieff

 No Copics today. Just simple stamping and cutting out. I stamped the butterfly twice. trimming the outer layer off the top butterfly. I used Dimensional Silicone to pop it up. I FINALLY used some of the Cuttlebug Embossing Strips... I have a whole container full of them and they were out of sight... I moved them to hopefully a more popular spot on the desk! 

I added a few black Swarovski Crystals on the embossed strip. On the butterfly body I added Black Viva Pearl Pen. I used a toothpick to apply it to the skinny antennae and also used the toothpick to poke at the body after applying so it would not have a smooth finish. I used a Square Nestie to cut out the sentiment and added additional layers using Perfect Layers Rulers. I used Scor Pal tape to adhere the jute string wrapped around the card front and then topped it off with a bow, cutting off the bow tails. Finished card size is an A2 and it opens at the bottom, tent style.

• Stamps: F-58 Heart Butterfly, D-785 Happy, Happy, Happy
• Ink: Versafine Onyx Black
• Paper: Authentiques Splendid 6x6 pad, Neenah Baronial Ivory, Black, Blue
• Other: Jet Size 9 Swarovski Crystals, Viva Black Pearl Pen, Perfect Layers Rulers, Black Jute String, Bow Easy Tool, Picksey Pick Ups, Glossy Accents to adhere Crystals, Dimensional Silicone

Old Timer....

 One of the challenges at Flourishes this week was called the Name Game... Use your initials to coordinate with supplies used on your card. Find all the details on the Flourishes Blog. My initials are JSG.  

J - Jute String (I had to think a minute or two about a "j" embellishment!)
S- Silver card stock.. looks white in the pic, but it's silver!
G - Gems on top of bow.

I thought the paper from Bo Bunny's Timepiece Collection was made to go with Flourishes Moments in Time Stamp Set. I stamped the images and the sentiment on Bo Bunny paper from the same 6x6 pad, I also edged it with Walnut Distress Ink. I added a thin coat of Crackle Accents over the clock face.  I added a thin black mat to the banner using Perfect Layer Rulers and then popped it up with a little dab of Dimensional Silicone.

• Stamps: Moments in Time Stamp Set by Flourishes
• Ink: Versafine Onyx Black
• Paper: DP is from the 6x6 pad - Bo Bunny's Timepiece Collection, Silver card stock, Kraft card stock, Black
• Other: Jute String Bow Easy Tool, Perfect Layers Rulers, Crackle Accents, Dimensional Silicone, Misc. Gems, Spellbinder's Circle Nesties

Merry Little Christmas!

Outlines is sponsoring the challenge this week at Crazy4Challneges!

Come join us and play along! The challenge is easy peasy: 

The holiday season is heating up! Create something today for an upcoming holiday
and incorporate heat embossing in your creation.

 A quick card to make... it took more time to put the pearls all over than it did to make the card! Lots of Nesties make up the card and then they just layered up to make for a fast card! I heat embossed the sentiment panel with Versamark and White Detail EP. I don't heat emboss things as much as I used too, always turning to my Copics and coloring instead... but I need to, it is such a nice finish with a stamped image!

I created the scalloped green frame, taping and cutting with two nesties at once, to cut the inside and outside making a frame. I popped the frame up with small slivers of foam tape. The sentiment panel is also popped up to stand slightly higher than the frame. I went a little nutso with the pearls! 

• Stamps: Merry Little Christmas Square Large, by Outlines
• Ink: Versamark and White Detail EP
• Paper: DP by Kaisercraft December 25th 6 1/2" pad, Gold Metallic, Neenah Classic Crest Solar White
• Other: Adhesive Pearls, Spellbinder's Scalloped Squares, Spellbinder's Squares, Spellbinder's Labels 16, Spellbinder's Grand Scalloped Squares, White RIbbon by SU, Bow Easy Tool, Perfect Layers Tools

One Sweet Man.

Today I'm sharing a sweet themed Holiday card with Impression Obsession images. 

 When I started the card... my only idea was that I had all these great embellishing opportunities to jazz up the frosting on this cute little Gingerbread Man. BUT as sometimes happens with cards.... it all changed up. I pulled out this vintage colored paper and edged everything with Walnut Stain Distress Ink. I thought shiny frosting wouldn't quite work as well since everything else on the card had more muted tones.

 I stamped the Gingerbread Man in Memento Rich Cocoa on Curious Cryogen White. The Curious Cryogen paper has a little sparkle in it, you can see some white spots in the picture ----- those are tiny little sparkles. Hard to take a great pic to show it off. I colored him up with Copics and then used Distress Ink Walnut Stain to sponge around the edges. 

I finally broke open some of the Spellbinder's Edgeabilities and used the Classic Scallop on this card... loved this wide scallop edge! I curved the sentiment and also the gingerbread man and popped them up with Dimensional Silicone.

• Stamps: All stamps by Impression Obsession - F8619 Holiday Word Border, B3728 Delicious Wishes, F7649 Gingerbread Boy
• Ink: Memento Rich Cocoa Brown, Versafine Crimson Red, Distress Ink Walnut Stain
• Paper: Authentique Wonder 6x6 Pad, Neenah Classic Cresit Natural White, Green, Kraft
• Other: Spellbinder's Classic Scallop Edgeabilities, Spellbinder's Labels 18, Spellbinder's Long Classic Rectangles, Authentique Wonder 6x6 Pad, Red Ribbon by SU, Perfect Layers Tools, Bow Easy Tool, Dimensional Silicone, Ranger's Blending Tool, 

Autumn Chair

This week the Serendipity DT has an inspiration picture to work with for today's challenge. 

 Check out what the team came up with and where they took inspiration from to design their card: Amy - Anya - Kathie - Miriam - Linda 

 I took inspiration from the oranges and the wooden platter, trying to bring the orange color and wood theme in to my card. I had fun trying a new technique with the background.

 Here are the Copics I used for my image. The four markers grouped together at the top were the ones I used to shade in the background. Before I took the oval out of the Nestie, I used the inside edge of the die as a guide to add my stitch marks with a fine tip brown pen.

 To create the background panel I used Distress Inks (Peeled Paint, Spiced Marmalade and Brushed Corduroy) and the blender tool to add random color to a white piece of paper. I did use 110# paper so that it would be nice and strong even after absorbing the ink. 

My next step was to emboss the inked up panel with a wood grain CB Folder. After it was embossed, I used the blending tool to apply a darker ink (Walnut Stain) over the entire panel. While this did darken the background slightly, it mainly emphasized all the embossed lines. This picture above shows the finished panel. I saw an example of this technique (done much better than mine, lol!) at Laura Fredrickson's blog in this post. I definitely want to play around more with this technique and next time will pick a smaller main image to showcase the background a bit more.

• Stamps: #1224H Autumn Chair by Serendipity Stamps
• Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Distress Inks
• Paper: Neenah Classic Crest White, Brown, Orange
• Other: Ranger Ink Blending Tool, Bow Easy Tool, Perfect Layers Rulers, CB Wood Grain Folder, Spellbinder's Ovals and Scalloped Oval Nesties, Misc. Ribbon

Outlines Autumn Apples

Monday means another card for Outlines. Today the challenge is Halloween or Fall themed cards. As always, you can play along and win a $25 gift certificate. You can find all the details on the Outlines Blog. Check out the fall designs that everyone came up with this week:  Lisa Silver - Robin Kirkpatrick - Sandy Hulsart - Kecia Waters - Sue Kment - Jeanne Strieff

 Simple and easy with this NEW Apple Cart image. I started with the image and the apple paper and I went through a TON of failed ideas with the apple paper before finally settling on a simple layout. 

Copics to color..... airbrushing with Y21 around the edges before removing it from the Nestie. After I mounted the image on the card I used a Viva Bronze Pearl Pen to add accents in the middle of the flowers. A row of paper piercing down the right side... easy peasy card for today!

• Stamps: F-1196 Apple Cart by Outlines 
• Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
• Paper: Jillibean Soup -Apple Cheddar 6x6 pad, Neenah Classic Crest Natural White (Ivory), Black, Red
• Other: Viva Pearl Pen Bronze, Bow Easy Tool, Perfect Layers Tool, Ribbon by SU, Black Micron Pen, Spellbinder's Rectangle Nesties, Copics/ABS, Paper Piercer