I'm back....

I went to CHA and had tremendous fun... I unfortunately did not take pictures! I spent most of my time doing make and takes for the store I was representing.

I also have some exciting news. I am going to be teaching classes at my local stamp store! They asked me if I would teach a few classes and now I am working on cards for the classes!

Here is something I have been playing with today. The background is made using a resist technique.

Thanks for stopping by...

Suzz

I was asked to provide products.. I usually do... Sorry about that...

Products:

• Hero Arts - Sparkle Clear - Mini Messages
• Hero Arts - Decorative Bamboo
• Hero Arts - Artistic Butterflies
• Prima Flowers
• StazOn - Olive Green, Pumpkin
• Ranger Distress Inks - Tea Dye
• Glossy Cardstock
• Gems - Crystal Stickers, Kaisers

Year in Cards

2 Peas is hosting a year in cards and this month is Kristina Werner. http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/cg_display.asp?cmd=display&seed_id=28705

She gave 3 layouts and assigned homework of a valentines card. I doubled this up with the Hero Arts hearts challenge.

Products:

• Martha Stewart Border Punch
• Hero Arts Clear Design - Woodland Critters
• Ribbon - Michael's
• Basic Grey - Periphery
• Hero Arts - Pearls, Hearts
• Cuttlebug Embossing Folder - Floral Fantasy
• Stickers - Making Memories
• Sizzix Hearts
• Marvy Uchida Corner Rounder

Thanks for stopping by...

Suzz

Art Creations Friday Challenge # 9

ACF Challenge # 8 is this pretty little girl: http://artcreationsfriday.blogspot.com/2009/01/9th-challenge.html

I framed her out with a page from an old book which I masked and sponged with a pink color. I then mounted it on a tan cardstock with a light tan inked damask stamp.

I added some antique lace and velvet ribbon and paper flowers.

Thanks for stopping by...

Suzz

2 Challenges and a Baby Card

The OCC challenge this week is embossing resist http://ourcreativecorner6.blogspot.com/ and the Hero Arts is pocket cards. I actually took a little different spin on the pocket card. I was inspired by Lisa Spanglers really cute paper clips http://sideoatsandscribbles.wumple.com/?p=877.

I need to make a baby card for a friend of mine who just had a baby girl. I wondered if I could duplicate Lisa's cute idea with big safety pins. Similar to those duck head safety pins used for old diapers.

Here is my take on a pocket card with Saftey Pins in the pockets. I thought she can take them out and use them for accents on the baby book.
The safety pins are stuck into little pockest under the front of the card.

Mini Recipe:

1. Mask top and bottom: stamp with versamark , heat emboss with clear embossing powder and sponge the pink dye ink.
2. Measure out where you want the four pins to slide in and cut slits.
3. Punch lace border for top and tape only on outside edges and bottom of lace.
4. Cut out a white rectangle for inside of card. Tape along the bottom and sides. This allows for a pocket on the inside of the card for the safet pins to slide into. This helps them lay flat on the front of the card.

Products:

• Hero Arts - Designer Posies
• Hero Arts - Designer Alphabet
• Martha Stewart Doily Lace Border Punch
• Memento - Rose Bud
• Large Safety Pins

Thanks for stopping by...

Suzz

Just for fun....

I shared a few of my cards with a good friend to use as samples in classes she teaches. Unfortunately she asked me how did you do create one of the cards I shared with her... So of course I had to try the technique again because I couldn't remember. Here is my new card...

Recipe: (This way I will have it documented for future reference.)

1. Cuttlebug emboss white cardstock.
2. Sponge embossing using olive green dye ink. Sponge over the entire card lightly with brown dye ink. Spritz with water. Dab up excess. (Lay something on top while drying to prevent curling of the paper.
3. Punch circle (3") from white cardstock. Ink stamp with green and brown ink. Stamp tree on circle.
4. Sponge top half of the circle with blue dye ink. Sponge bottom half of circle with olive green ink lightly. Lightly sponge brown dye ink all around the edges of the circle.
5. Shade in outline flowers with orange color pencil. Add light green gems on flowers randomly.
6. Attach orange prima flowers randomly on Cuttlebug Embossed image. Add light green gems to center of flowers.
7. Mount and layer all pieces. Attach leafy vine before layering all pieces. (I decided to add mine at the end.)

Products:

• Marvy Uchida 3" circle punch
• Hero Arts Slanted Tree
• Cuttlebug Embossing Folder
• Prima Flowers
• Hero Arts Green Gems
• Ribbon - Unknown
• Ranger Distress Inks - Shabby Shutter, Broken China, Vintage Photo
• Memento - Rich Cocoa Dye Ink

Thanks for stopping by..

Suzz

KWerner Challenge #38

Kristina's Challenge this week: http://kwernerdesign.com/blog/2009/01/color-inspiration-38.html is red, pink, orange, and white. I really love the pink and orange combination and the red adds a real punch...





This card was supposed to have some beautiful multi-colored poppies but I ended up with a very simple card of butterflies.

Thanks for stopping by...

Suzz

Vintage Veranda Challenge

My friend Jacqueline: http://myscrapbasket.blogspot.com/2009/01/dreaming-of-far-away-places-challenge.html is the guest designer at Vintage Veranda and hosting a challenge for January called Dreaming of far-away places: http://www.thevintageveranda.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=17

Here is my entry:


Products:

• Radiant Rain - Twinkling H20's
• B line - Betsy
• Hero Arts - Design Block - Tree, Wavy Leaf
• Judikins - Copper Embossing Powder
• Inkadinkado - Flourishes
• Hero Arts - Old French Writing
• Hero Arts - Take Time Collage
• Stampabilities - Classic-Fleur-De-Lys
• Versafine- Vintage Sepia
• Twine, Lace Trim, Pearls
• Crochet Flower - Thanks Jacqueline!

Thanks for stopping by...

Suzz

Another pocket card...

Here is my second pocket card. These little animals are so cute and I know I have used them before in a similar fashion... I had an idea of a palm tree hanging out of a pocket with a few animals peeking out..

The tag by itself looks like this:

Products:

• Hero Arts Clear Design - Playful Animals
• Hero Arts Clear Design - Wooldand Critters
• Basic Grey Paper
• Versafine Pigment Ink - Lagoon, Smokey Grey, Olympia Green
• Prisma Color Pencils
• Cuttlebug Embossing Folder
• Memento Dye Ink - Rich Cocoa

Thanks for stopping by...

Suzz

Pocket Cards

The Hero Arts Challenge http://heroarts.com/blogs/club/2009/01/12/motivating-you-with-pockets/ is pockets. I wanted to make a clear pocket.... I had cut out these cute little hearts for the Kwerner color challenge last week and they were not used so I decided to pull them out.

The area with the pink background is the pocket. I put cranberry alcohol ink on the acetate to make a pocket that adds some color and texture but allows you to see the cute heart link inside.

The interesting part was after I made the three little hearts I linked them together using craft metal and I cut up a flat magnet and attached it to the back. So after I give the card they can pull out the linked hearts and hang it up on the refrigerator!

Recipe bits and pieces:

Hearts:

• Cut out using my sizzix die cuts.
• Stamped letters using versamark and heat embossed with light pink embossing powder.
• Letters are Making Memories Stickers. Stick on cardstock, sponge with red ink and cut out and pop dot.
• Using hole punch punch holes in top and bottom of each heart.
• Take craft wire and cut two 1" pieces. Using a rounded needled nose pliers bend around the end to get S hook.
• Hook the pieces together and tie ribbons on top and bottom. (I would swap top ribbon to a sturdy ribbon. Mine flops when I put it on the refrigerator)

Pocket:

• Acetate cut out and inked with red alcohol ink and blending solution.
• Attach pocket and use lace trim to cover adhesive.

Products:

• Hero Arts - Sandras Letter Background
• Hero Arts - DesignBlock - Wavy Leaf Design
• Versamark Watermark Ink
• Light Pink Embossing Powder
• Acetate
• Ranger Alcohol Ink - Cranberry and Blending Solution
• EK Success Adornments
• Red Craft Wire (Unknown)
• Sizzix Hearts Die Cut
• Magnet - (This was given out at a parade as advertisement. It worked great.. Thin, lightweight and easy to cut and glue dot onto the cardstock)

That's it... I hope you enjoyed it. Now I will put this away for valentine's day...

Suzz

Birthday Wishes

This card was made because I wanted to play with a Hero Arts Designblock and create a layered flower. The layering also allowed me to put it in the weekly challenge from Hero Arts.

I apologize for the photo. Taken at night.

Products:

• Hero Arts DesignBlock Outline Flowers
• Hero Arts - Old French Writing
• Hero Arts - Birthday Wishes (Clear Design)
• Ranger Distress Inks - Shabby Shutters, Broken China, Weathered Wood, Spiced Marmalade, Antique Linen
• Memento Rich Cocoa
• Marvy Uchida Corner Rounder

Thanks for stopping by...

Suzz

Still taking down Christmas ornaments...

Okay I slacked a little yesterday and all the Christmas decorations did not make it down. I was making envelopes and a tag to go with some cards I made a long time ago. I spent some time yesterday designing the matching piece. Usually I don't do anything like this and it was kind of fun. (Can't share them unfortunately as they are being shipped off to hopefully be published).

I am posting a card I made a few days ago that I thought was fun.

Products:

• Hero Arts - White & Black Flower
• American Crafts - Ribbon
• Inkadinkado Humorous Birthday - Blog Candy from Ethel!
• Memento - New Sprout
• Versafine - Olympia Green
• Prismacolor

Thanks for stopping by...

Suzz

Snow Mushrooms...

I woke up today and saw what the snow storm had created right by my front door... SNOW MUSHROOMS!

We are still sitting in the middle of a small snow storm getting around 8 - 10" of snow.

I wish I could say I have been sitting here enjoying being cooped up and stamping away but actually I have been doing chores and working on taking down our Christmas decorations down. :( The house always seems so empty after we put everything away...

Hope you enjoy my snow mushrooms!

Suzz

Art Creations Challenge Friday #8

The Art Creations Challenges always provide beautiful backgrounds and stretch my creativity. Challenge # 8 is http://artcreationsfriday.blogspot.com/2009/01/8th-challenge.html to use this painted background:

There is so much wonderful color and depth in this background I wasn't sure if I could add to it.
Here is my end result. Unfortunately with the snow we are having.... I can't get an outside picture and I scanned it which means you can't see the glaze on here which pulls the colors and gives it another layer of texture.

Products:

• Versamark Watermark Ink
• Clear Embossing Powder
• Ranger Distress Embossing Powder - Vintage Photo
• Prima Flowers
• Gems, Twine, Butterfly Charms - Uknown
• B Line Design Spring Blossoms
• Penny Black Bare Tree
• Penny Black Berry Branch
• Asian Lady - Uknown

Thanks for stopping by...

Suzz

Kristina's Color Challenge # 37

Kristina's Challenge http://kwernerdesign.com/blog/2009/01/color-inspiration-37.html is from these pencils....

What wonderful colors... I decided to pull out some die cuts and layer different shapes. I started with circle card. This actually is 2 circles and I folded the back circle a little and attached it to the front to make a card. (A tip picked up from Lisa S) I then used several other shapes. The butterfly is stamped using pigment ink on vellum. The butterfly is embossed using Ranger Distress Embossing powder (Vintage Photo). I love it as it leaves a beautiful texture which actually emulates the texture on a butterflies wings.


Products:

• Floradoodles - Flowers (I love how realistic the texture is on these flowers.)
• Spellbinders - Scalloped Circles, Labels
• Bazzil Ribbon - (This was a deal 1.99 at Archivers for 15 yards)
• Inkadinkado - Butterfly Stamp
• Ranger Distress Embossing Powder - Vintage Photo
• Versamark Watermark Ink
• Prismacolor Color Pencils
• Gems - K&CO
• Making Memories - Letter Stickers

Thanks for stopping by...

Suzz

Glimmer Mist Leaves

The olive green glimmer mist from Tattered Angels is such a beautiful color. It combines a very pretty green with a sheen of gold. I also purchased this beautiful stamp from Hero Arts and decided to use it as the background.

The recipe for this is very simple. The background was made by stamping the leave image repeatedly on white cardstock using Versamark Watermark Ink. Heat emboss the images using clear embossing powder. Spray the Olive Green Glimmer Mist across the entire image and wipe with a paper towel to smear the excess across and get an even color. Buff the embossing to remove any excess color. Just a couple of hints working with the glimmer mist. 1. Shake Shake Shake... The gold will settle on the bottom and you will know when you have shaken it enough as there will be no settling on the bottom. 2. If you can't get anything to come out of the spray bottle run it under some warm water. This will loosen up anything that is clogged in the sprayer. After you run the warm water make sure you spray on scrap paper until you get an even spray again.

The only other thing to mention is the stamped image on the circle was a green ink and brown ink mixed together.

Products:

• Hero Arts - Black and White Flower, Elegant Flower
• Hero Arts - Clear Design - Birthday Messages
• Hero Arts - Petite Birthday
• Tattered Angels - Glimmer Mist Olive Green
• Fiskars Circle Cutter & Circle Template
• Versafine - Olympia Green, Vintage Sepia

Thanks for stopping by...

Suzz

Busy Busy Busy...

I had a really busy weekend and have been working on typing up instructions for cards. So I have made a few odds and ends but nothing too significant. I worked on multiple things yesterday which are now scraps to be pulled out at a later date I am sure... The Hero Arts Challenge this week is layers. http://heroarts.com/blogs/club/2009/01/05/motivation-monday-layers/

Here is what I pulled together.... The inspiration for this was a picture of two wall panels that were wooden cut-outs of a white trees mounted on a pink wall.

Recipe:

1. Smear Worn Lipstick and Vintage Photo on transperancy and spritz with water until they blend together. Lay white cardstock on ink. Pull up and lay flat to dry.
2. After the background is dry stamp image using Versamark and emboss using white embossing powder.
3. Cut into 3 panels.
4. Mount on multiple layers of cardstock.
5. Stamp writing on flower using Pigment Ink.
6. Stamp sentiment on cardstock and cut out with punch. Cut slightly larger circle half to mount sentiment.
7. Tie ribbon and attach flower with button center and attach sentiment to top half of flower.

Products:

• Ranger Distress Inks - Worn Lipstick, Vintage Photo
• Versamark Watermark Ink
• Ranger Seafoam White Embossing Powder
• Hero Arts Design Block - Butterfly
• Prima Flower
• Hero Arts - Sandra's Letter
• Versafine Vintage Sepia
• Ribbon Unknown
• Kaisers - Pearls

Thanks for stopping by...

Suzz

Pink Elephants on Parade

There is something about pink elephants... I bought one of the new Hero Arts Sets with the elephants. I love pink elephants! Add some polka dots and you have very cute... This card was made to allow the pink elephants to parade across the hills. My sister also likes elephants so I will save this card for her.

I stamped the trees and grass using another Hero Arts stamp as a background. Everything else is stamped and cut out. For me that is an easy task when I am watching something on T.V. I think I was watching Christmas in Connecticut with Barbara Stanwyck... (I had tivo'ed it over the holidays and just got around to watchign it)

Products:

• Hero Arts - Clear Design Elephants
• Hero Arts - Sparkle - Love That
• Hero Arts - Three Designer Leaves
• Ranger Distress Inks - Shabby Shutters, Broken China
• Versacolor - Opera Pink
• Letters - Making Memories - Stickers
• Prismacolor - Colored Pencils

Thanks for stopping by..

Suzz

Small share today...

Here is a little card I did for the Hero Arts Challenge of thanks. I was busy yesterday typing up instructions to send off some projects. I also played around with some little pink elephants who haven't made it on a design yet.


I found this snowflake in an after Christmas sale. There was a little pack of 3 plastic iredescent snowflakes in the ornament aisle. I immediately thought accent for a card and bought them. I stamped the writing on them using the StazOn ink.

Products:

• Basic Grey - Wassail -
• StazOn - Royal Purple
• Fiskars Threading Water Punch
• Versamark Watermark Ink
• Clear Embossing Powder
• Button, Ribbon - Unknown
• Hero Arts Sparkle Clear - Simple Messages
• Hero Arts - Three Holiday Messages
• Hero Arts Clear Design - Warmest Winter Wishes

Thanks for stopping by...

Suzz

Art Creations Friday Challenge # 7

Art Creations Friday Challenge http://artcreationsfriday.blogspot.com/2009/01/7th-challenge.html is to use this beautiful background:


There is a range of beautiful colors in this background. I decided to use the corner which contained the beautiful rust colors.
The background was so lovely I only stamped the branches with orange and brown and the butterfly, sentiments with black and embossed the flourish using the Ranger Vintage photo embossing powder which not only gives it color it also has texture.

Products:

• Ranger Distress Inks - Spiced Marmalade, Vintage Photo
• Versafine Black Onyx
• Versamark Watermark Ink
• Ranger Distress Embossing Powder - Vintage Photo
• Lace - Unknown
• Inkadinkado - Flourishes
• Stampabilities - Matthew 7:7 02
• Paper Inspirations - Leafy Stem
• Stampabilities - DragonFly 02
• Ranger Stickles

A side note...

I started with a 6 3/4" x 4 3/4" piece and had a vintage photo to the right.

I didn't like how the image looked after I finished everything else so it was chopped off. That left a little of the sentiment still stamped on the image I had left.

So what you see with the sentiment now is a cover up of the remnant of the sentiment from my original design.

I am really pleased with what I ended up with but wanted to share because I find myself designing to fix my mistakes in some cases.

Does that ever happen to you?

Suzz

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year and I hope it brings you and your loved ones a blessed year!

Yesterday I worked on Kristina's Color Challenge... http://kwernerdesign.com/blog/2008/12/color-inspiration-36.html

Here are the colors:

I loved this color combination. I immediately die cut some hearts in red and green thinking I would emboss them. I ended up using the cut out as a mask instead. Here is my main heart.

I stamped the pretty floral/flourish stamp on white cardstock and embossed using light pink embossign powder. I then took the cardstock where I had cut out the hearts and used that as a mask and sponged on the red ink to make my hearts.

I purchased these charms with sentiments. I thought this was an appropriate sentiment.

Products:

• Paper Inspirations - Floral Flourish
• Creative Beginnings - Pastel Pink Embossing Powder
• Martha Stewart - Doily Lace Border Punch
• EK Success - Red Adornments
• Sizzix Heart Die Cuts
• Ranger Distress Inks - Fire Brick
• Plaid Enterprised - Fresh Metal Charms - Love

Thanks for stopping by...

Suzz