Manly Cards & Tone on Tone

Yesterday I taught class, but before I left for class I played with two cards. One for the Manly challenge at Hero Arts and the other because Shari Carroll on the HA blog had created this white canvas previously which was so beautiful I have been wanting to play with a white or ivory card.

This is my manly card. I have made masculine cards before that were east and this one became too pretty. (So I added sticks) that should make it more manly. Ha!

Products:

• Hero Arts - Designblock - Floating Leaves
• Cuttlebug Embossing Folder
• Hero Arts Birthday Messages
• Hero Arts - Three Designer Leaves
• Versamark watermark ink
• Ranger Clear Embossing Powder
• Ranger Distress Ink - Shabby Shutters
• Versafine - Vintage Sepia
• Twigs

The second card was an attempt to use all one tone. I started with Ivory and added a few white touches and a slightly darker tan cardstock.



Products:

• Hero Arts Designblock - Birds & Swirls
• EK Success - Border Punch
• Prima Flowers
• Crystal Stickers - Pearls
• Ribbon Unknown
• Versamark Watermark Ink
• Ranger Clear Embossing Powder

Thanks for stopping by..

Suzz

Father's Day Cards

The challenge at HA this week was to create Manly Cards. I decided it was a good opportunity to create the Father's day cards for my dad and my DH.

The fun part of this was I die cut the smaller shapes from the letters and used them to trace an outline to create the border on the top and bottom.

Products:

• Cornish Heritage Farms - Flower Grid
• Hero Arts - Letters, Bolt, Wood Finish
• Versafine - Vintage Sepia
• Zing -Brown Embossing Powder
• Versamark
• Spellbinders Nestabilitites
• Cuttlebug Embossing Folder
• Twine, Brads
  

This is for my husband... I love using the Ranger Distress Powder Vintage Photo because it gives a texture to the embossing. I had this idea of creating wood shakes like the side of the house. Of course I did and then I didn't know where to go next. hee hee.

So just lots of bits and pieces including the tools as my husband is very handy with fixing things. I will stamp the inside with the Hero Arts Sentiment "to a Dad who can fix anything"

Lots of fun making my wood shakes or shingles.

Products:

• Hero Arts - Wood Finish
• Hero Arts - Clear Design - Happy Dad's Day \
• Ranger Distress Embossing Powder - Vintage Photo
• Prisma Color - Color Pencils

Glad to finish these cards off as you know masculine cards can be more difficult as no real embellishments allowed. :)

Have a nice day...

Suzz

Raspberry Suite Challenge #7

I decided to play along with Dawn's color challenge... http://dawnmcvey.typepad.com/these_are_a_few_of_my_fav/2009/05/raspberry-suite-color-challenge-7.html
How can you go wrong with green and pink and she said you could add white if needed.

The die cuts are from quick kutz and the only die I own from them but I like that it cuts the shape and also provides a very thin frame as well.

The raspberry paper is the Coredinations White Wash.

Products:

• Stampabilities - Tapestry Pattern
• Saavy Stamps - Silhouette Flower Garden
• Marvy Uchida - Butterfly Punch
• Quick Kutz - Cookie Cutter Nesting Labels
• Memento - New Sprout, Bamboo Leaves
• StazOn - Fuschia
• Tombo - Watercolor Marker
• Bazzil - Ribbon
• Hero Arts - Gem Flowers, pearls
• Coredinations - WhiteWash
• Hero Arts - Petite Birthday
• Crochet Flowers - Unknown

Thanks for stopping by...

Suzz

Happy Memorial's Day!

Here is the second circle card. I created the shaving cream background using glimmer mists. I tried, dye re-inkers, radiant rain, and glimmer mists. I think the glimmer mists was my favorite because of the color selection and the sheen from the glimmer. (Not that you can see it in the picture but it is there. :)

Recipe:

1. Cut out a 5" circle.
2. Spray shaving cream on acetate.
3. Smear out the shaving cream to leave a 1/4" layer of shaving cream.
4. Spray yellow, orange and red glimmer mists in various areas of the shaving cream.
5. Using a plastic knife drag the knife across the shaving cream in lines one direction and repeat in the other.
6. Lay paper on shaving cream and gently press.
7. Lift it up. You will have a layer of shaving cream on your cardstock. Lay it down with the shaving cream face up.
8. Use something plastic with a firm edge. I used my ruler and I shaved off the excess shaving cream. (This was very messy) I ended up keeping my wipes handy to keep cleaning off the shaving cream.
9. Clean off all the shaving cream and you will have a nice surprise under the shaving cream as there is a beautiful pattern transferred there when you laid it on the shaving cream.
10. You can create several sheets from one pile of shaving cream on the acetate. To get the marble effect again you have to add more glimmer mist and use the knife otherwise you will get a nice blend of colors.
11. After circle dries, stamp the Stampers Anonymous flowers around the edge using brown pigment ink.
12. Stamp the bird using the brown pigment ink.
13. Stamp the sentiment using versamark and emboss with white embossing powder. It didnt' come out as white as I would have liked so I touched up with the white gel pen.
14. Add accents to the flowers and the bird using the white gel pen.
15. Ink the entire surface with versamark and heat emboss with clear embossing powder. (repeat 3 times)
16. Attach twine to hang. This is actually a card with the twine there to hang it afterwards.

Products:

• Tattered Angels - Glimmer Mists - Tuscany Sun, Daffodil, Red Velvet
• Versafine - Vintage Sepia
• Signo - Uni-ball White Gel Pen
• Stampers Anonymous

Today is the day to remember the honor of the men and women who have fought or served for their countries and given up their lives to protect the lives of others.

I am thinking of the people in my life who have served or are serving today in our armed forces.

Suzz

Go Green Challenge

I do have my second circle card to share tomorrow and I have to admit it is one I really enjoyed making. I bumped my circle card because I have one last card I made for the HA go green challenge which ends today.

The white background is from a Making Memories set and I used it to stamp the leaves pattern. The only issue is there is a finish on the paper which made it interesting to stamp on and emboss. I stamped using a pigment ink and clear embossed but I think the heat gun actually melted the finish and left the orange a little muted.

Products:

• Hero Arts - Design Block - Floating Leaf Pattern
• Hero Arts - Happy Birthday
• EK Success - Border Punch
• Versafine - Habenero
• Ranger - Clear Embossing Powder
• Prima Flowers
• Ribbon, Gems Unknown

Thanks for stopping by... I hope you are enjoying a beautiful weekend.

Suzz

Circle Cards...

I finally got inspired last night and created 3 different cards. But two of them were inspired by one sketch I drew a few nights ago. So you are going to see 2 circle cards one today and one tomorrow. Unless I cook up something different today.

In real life this doesn't look that pink. Must have been the sunlight pulling out the glimmer mist! It started as a graduation card for my nephew but now it is going to be for my niece. :)

This was created for the HA blog go green challenge. I re-cycled a borders gift card envelope (the half circle behind Ms. Owl) and the newspaper around the edges.

The recipe for the background and the flowers were to spray daffodil, Tuscany Sun, and Red Velvet on white cardstock(Circle) and newspaper(flowers). Use a paper towel to remove any excess ink or another piece of cardstock to save for future use.

Products:

• Hero Arts Flower (Owl Hair)
• Hero Arts - Long Branch
• Hero Arts - Wood Finish
• Versafine - Vintage Sepia
• Impression Obsession - Sentiment
• Inkadinkado - Amy Smyth - Owl
• Tattered Angels - Glimmer Mist - Daffodil, Tuscany Sun, Red Velvet
• Prima Flower
• Borders Gift Card Envelope

Thanks for stopping by..

Suzz

Orange, Browns and Yellows again...

I started with two challenges and only ended up with finishing one. But one of the challenges was a color challenge which I didn't finish. So that is why I have my yellows, oranges and browns again.

Today has been a bit challenging for me.. Do you ever have those days where you get up and something goes wrong and then everything you touch after that you break or it doesn't work. Well that has been me today. This card was about the only thing I finished without breaking. :)

The HA blog challenge is to go green. I re-cycled a piece of cardboard from packaging from Making Memories. They have the cutest background in their little accessories. This was a light blue grid paper. Unfortunately, I stamped so many colors you can't see it.


Thanks for stopping by...

I am not even going to attempt putting down the products today. I bet I would get them wrong.

Suzz

Shaving Cream & Re-Inkers

I was watching good old Martha Stewart doing a marble technique with water and thought.. Hmm... I have never tried the shaving cream technique. So I sent my daughter up to borrow my husband's shaving cream. Much to my disappointment it was a gel. :)


I had to sneak out later and get me the cheapest brand of shaving cream. I sprayed out the shaving cream on acetate and dripped drops of the re-inkers (Blue, Green, Yellow) and used a pointy object to swirl and mix. This is one of the backgrounds I created. It was very dark and hard to stamp over so I embossed with the white flourishes and then added a layer of the ferns stamped in versamark and embossed with brown embossing powder.

I added the sentiment embossed in white embossing powder, gel pen accents and gems.

Products:

• Hero Arts - Design Block - Flourishes
• Hero Arts - Three Ferns
• Martha Stewart - Cornice Border Punch
• Zing Embossing Powder - Brown
• Uni-Ball Signo White Gel Pen (Love this pen.. bought another brand and it really doesn't compare)
• Ranger - Seafoam White Embossing Powder
• Ranger - Distress Re-inkers Broken China, Shabby Shutters, Mustard

Thanks for stopping by...

**** Updated... There is a great video of shaving cream and how to do it here: http://stamptv.ning.com/video/shaving-cream . Some one was kind enough to comment and point me there.

Suzz

Raspberry Suite Challenge # 6

I had both Dawn's http://dawnmcvey.typepad.com/these_are_a_few_of_my_fav/2009/05/raspberry-suite-color-challenge-week-6.html and Kristina's color challenges sitting out yesterday and decided to play with Dawn's first because it only had 4 colors to work with.

That coral pink is a tough one. I don't know about you but I only have ribbon that was that color. No paper, ink or anything that popped out at me.

I used a damask stamp from Judikins and went from there. I am still suffering a lack of inspiration and it took me a long time to create this one card. :) My DH birthday is coming up and I am going to have to come up with something quick for him. :O

Products:

• Judikins - Damask
• Adirondacks - Pool
• Martha Stewart - Ribbon
• Memento - Rich Cocoa
• Versamark
• Zing - Brown Embossing Powder
• Cuttlebug Embossing Folder - Textured Textile

Have a great Monday!

Suzz

Spellbinders Impressabilities

I have been lacking the creative juices this week and struggling to create things. I had this new template from Spellbinders that I wanted to see what I could create with it.

I have tried 4 things with my new template (masking with glimmer mist/sponging), inking and stamping, and dry embossing). This is from the masking with glimmer mist.

The template is very pretty and has a lot of fine detail. I took the template and laid it on patterned paper from Making memories. I then took my Red Velvet Glimmer Mist and sprayed the entire surface. After I finished that I laid a piece of white cardstock on the inked template and took the reverse image. If I get enough mojo back you may see the other piece. Both turned out fantastic. I was impressed with the clarity of detail on the masked and stamped versions.

The background is the same patterned paper stamped with a tapestry stamp and heat embossed with white embossing powder.

Sorry about the colors on the picture. Tried taking it early this morning and can't get to my light box to shoot it in there. (Would have been a better picture standing up)

Products:

• Tattered Angels - Glimmer Mist - Red Velvet
• Spellbinders - Impressabilities Flowers
• Versafine Onyx Black Ink
• Stampendous - Happy Birthday
• Quick Cutz - Nesting Label
• Making Memories - Patterned Paper
• Floradoodles - Flowers

I am off to plant some perennials we have a layered terrace full of perennials and we have lost a few on the top, so I am going to put in re-inforcements. :) This picture was taken at the end of June last year. You can't even see the top layer from the bottom as the beautiful catmint keeps it from being visible.

Have a great day!

Suzz

Hey There!

I won this frame stamp from HA for a Honorable Mention and haven't played with it yet. I decide to frame out the little dolls hanging out together.

The background color is actually brown but it photographed so dark it looks black. The paper is the coredinations whitewash. I used both sides on the card. The frame is stamped and embossed on the teal side of the paper and the polka dots is embossed on the white side and sanded to share the teal underneath.

The brown cardstock is embossed with a light blue embossing powder to coordinate with the teal on the whitewash.

Products:

• Hero Arts - Four Dolls
• Hero Arts - Swirly Frame
• Hero Arts - Sparkle Clear
• Hero Arts - Decorative Bamboo
• White Embossing Powder
• Versamark Watermark Ink
• Copic Markers
• Coordenations - Whitewash Paper
• Cuttlebug Embossing Folder - Swiss Dots

Thanks for stopping by... Raining, Gloomy and wet! Hope the weather is good by you!

Suzz

Dots and Ferns

I was inspired by Kiara's lovely card: http://stampingcafe.blogspot.com/2009/05/one-layer-monday-week-4.html because when I looked for something to do with dots for the challenge this week at HA blog I pulled out the three ferns stamp and decided to emboss it on a PP with dots.

I embossed using light yellow embossing powder on the lovely lilac patterned paper. I used a template with the circles and sponged them on using embossing powder. I accented the entire fern with pink gems and tied off the stems with a little sheer pink ribbon.

Products:

• Hero Arts - Three Ferns
• Hero Arts - Gems
• Stampendous Stamp n Stuff - Sunny Yellow Pastel
• Versamark Watermark Ink
• The Creative Workshop - Stencil
• Hero Arts Sparkle Clear - Messages
• Tapestry by CR Gibson - Geo Breeze
• StazOn - Fuschia

Thanks for stopping by..

Suzz

Sunshine and Flourishes

I started this yesterday with just playing with the warm yellow and gold background I made awhile ago from inks and water.

I stamped flourishes in a honey color on the background and a grid paper stamp using the same yellow.

I then added my flowers and butterflies using my favorite brown pigment ink.

Accented the effect with some white gel pen and my favorite overall versamark and clear embossing to bring out the colors.

I am going to skip the product list but all the stamps are Hero Arts. If you need a particular one, drop me a line and I will be happy to look it up for you.

Suzz

Inspired by...

HA blog challenge this week is inspired by the people in the group. Jenn B is a fantastic designer and does some beautiful work. I was inspired by this card: http://www.flickr.com/photos/scrapperjjb/2587939447/ If you get time you should take a wander through her cards /projects. They are all wonderful.

I cased the card and followed her design and just swapped out the stamps and patterned paper. I made my own patterned paper. This was the easiest card because the design was done for me. :)

Products:

• Hero Arts - Designblock - Wavy Leaf Pattern
• Hero Arts - Fanciful Dot Filament
• Hero Arts - Houndstooth
• Hero Arts - Button Flower
• Hero Arts - Birthday Definition
• Cuttlebug Embossing Folder - Swiss Dots
• Spellbinders - Butterflies 2
• Hero Arts - Shadow Inks - Soft Rose
• Memento - Rose Bud, Rich Cocoa
• Versafine - Vintage Sepia

Happy Mother's Day!

Suzz

Kwerner Color Challenge # 51

Here is Kristina's color challenge # 51 too late to submit. :)

The colors were brown, rose, mustard, and white. I found this shape from a set of journaling pieces and traced it onto cardstock and created the mask and frame.

I masked and stamped the brown houndstooth and clear embossed it. I sponged the pink on using a mask.

I then stamped the brown flowers and colored them in using my colored pencils and watercolor pencils.

Add a few accents.. and done..

Products:

• Penny Black - Poppies
• Hero Arts - Houndstooth
• Versafine - Vintage Sepia
• Memento - Rose Bud
• Prismacolor
• General Kimberly Watercolor Pencils
• Clear Embossing Powder
• Hero Arts - Clear Design

Happy Mother's Day!

Suzz

Raspberry Suite Color Challenge & HA Blog Challenge

The Raspberry Suite Color challenge has such lovely colors this week...

I know I don't use them alot but I truly love pinks all shade of pink. I loved the colors in this challenge and it tied into a challenge on the HA blog. The HA blog challenge is to be inspired by another designer in the group. I picked this card from Annette: http://www.flickr.com/photos/25153293@N05/3200066972/ She makes the most beautiful cards and uses her colors so wonderfully. I have been wanting to use the pink sponging ever since I saw this card she created.



Here is my case of her card and the colors from the Raspberry Suite challenge:




I also tried out my new light box. I don't think it is as nice as my outdoor shots when it is sunny, but will be a good alternative for the gloomy days.



Products:

• Memento - Rose Bud
• Cuttlebug Embossing Folder - Swiss Dots
• Hero Arts Design Block - Silhouette
• Versafine - Smokey Grey
• Clear Embossing Powder
• Hero Arts - Fanciful Leaf Filament
• Versamark Watermark Ink
• Uni-Ball White Gel Pen
• Lace Trim, Charms, Ribbon (Unknown)
  

We are having gusty winds and rain off and on today. (Little cooler too!) I thought I would share a few more pictures of the spring flowers that are finally here in our yard! Yeah!

Thanks for stopping by...

Suzz

Ferns and Flowers

This card actually inspired my card I shared yesterday. As I was sponging on this I had a little scrap that faded the green to ivory and the circle card started from that idea.


Nothing to difficult here... Just stamped, clear embossed and sponged to my heart's content. I actually stamped with versamark first, pigment ink for the ferns and then clear embossed the entire surface. Then I sponged with my green dye ink.

Products:

• Ranger Distress Inks - Shabby Shutters
• Versafine - Vintage Sepia
• Clear Embossing Powder
• Brads, Ribbon - Unknown
• Hero Arts - Three Ferns
• Hero Arts - Black and White Flowers
• Verses

Thanks for stopping by...

Suzz

Caardvarks Challenge - Don't quote me

The Caardvark's challenge http://caardvarks.blogspot.com/2009/05/dont-quote-me-but.html is to use a quote on a card. This card is actually a circle card. I laid it on brown cardstock to show off the colors.


I love this little black and white flower stamp from Hero Arts. It makes such a beautiful background!

Products:

• Impression Obsession - C5319 Lofty Dreams
• Hero Arts - Black & White Flower
• Hero Arts - Monarch Butterfly
• Fiskars Circle Templates / Shape Express Cutter
• Clear Embossing Powder
• Versafine - Vintage Sepia
• Ranger Distress Inks - Shabby Shutters, Tea Dye
• Vellum

I have a second card using the same techniques (Sponging, Resist) but with a very different feel coming along. If work lets up a little I will try to finish it tonight so I can share with you tomorrow.

Have a great day!

Suzz

Happy Birthday Marie!

My good friend Marie had a birthday yesterday and we all went out to lunch at a Mexican restaruant. Very good food and good company.

This was her birthday card.


She loves her earth tones and I thought she would appreciate the browns and gold.

The brown cardstock is the new Coredinations chocolate cardstock. Brown on one side and another color on the other. You emboss it and sand off the brown to reveal the other side.

Products:

• Cornish Heritage Farms - Silhouette Blooms
• Versafine - Vintage Sepia
• Cornish Heritage Farms - Grid Paper
• Memento - Rich Cocoa, Honey
• Marvy Uchida Corner Rounder
• Coredinations - Core Color - Chocolate
• Ribbon Unkown
• Hero Arts - Happy Birthday

Thanks for stopping by..

Suzz

Sunday Sunday

I have 2 cards to share. One is for fun and using up some background paper I made using the old smear the ink on the acetate and spritz it with water and the other is for the HA blog challenge May Flowers this week.

Recipe for card #1:

1. Start with a piece of acetate and smear the oranges, yellow and green ink randomly on the acetate and add water until the colors run together.
2. Lay white cardstock on the ink. Flip over with the acetate and smear the color around until you are pleased with the effect. Set aside to dry.
3. Cut circle (4") from dye ink background.
4. Stamp Fern using brown dye ink on circle. Slightly offset and stamp again using green dye ink.
5. Accent brown with white gel pen.
6. Versamark entire surface and heat emboss using clear embossing powder.
7. Repeat. (I wanted a more even finish so I did this 2 times)
8. Woodgrain background: Cut 5" x 5" white cardstock square. Stamp woodgrain 4 times using pigment ink. Spray entire surface with tuscany sun glimmer mist. (Beautiful orangey brown color)
9. The rest is assembly. I wrapped the twine 3 times and threaded each end through the two buttons on either side. Tied a separate piece of twine through the big button and made a bow and used glue dots to hold each piece down.

My second card was made from some beautiful scraps sent to me from Jacqueline. She sent me some music paper and pink vellum. (I never used any colored vellum before and I love the effect!)

Nothing to difficult here but the ribbon is actually this really pretty plum velvet and it looks brown. :(

I also took clear buttons and used the scraps of the music paper to make the background for the buttons. (The designers at HA were doing this and I thought what a fun way to use up some of my little scraps)

Products:

• Hero Arts - Three Ferns
• Hero Arts - Design Block Woodgrain
• Hero Arts - Design Block Outline Flowers
• Cuttlebug Embossing Folder - Birds & Swirls
• EK Success - Border Punch
• Glimmer Mist - Tuscany Sun
• Versamark Watermark Ink Pad
• Butterfly Punch - Marvy Uchida

Have a great sunday!

Suzz

National Scrapbooking Day

Two Pea's is hosting challenges all weekend for National Scrapbooking Day http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/nsd2009/. I created this card for a few of the challenges...




I was at my favorite LSS and they were offering 30% off on everything. I picked up this awesome template/stencil from The Crafter's Workshop. I traced it to make the shape of the card and the circles around the inside I sponged using this template.

The Sentiment was a new verses stamp. I thought the sentiment was a lovely expression and unfortunately I have needed several sympathy cards.

Products:

• Memento - Bamboo Leaves
• Ranger Distress Inks - Broken China, Shabby Shutters, Brown Corduroy
• The Crafters Workshop - Orchid Template
• Stampendous - Angathapus Cluster
• Cornish Heritage Farm - Dotted Diamonds
• Hero Arts - Soft Sand Shadow Ink
• Verses - Gently, Lovingly

Thanks for stopping by... Hope you get to play today for NSD!

Suzz