Butterfly Sunday...

This is another one of the stamps I colored while playing with the Copics. I love my butterflies... So I decided to color a few using the copics.

I purposely tried to keep the color palette simple because I wanted the butterfly to shine! I thought about stickling or gemming it up but restrained myself! :)

Products:

• Hero Arts - Heart Winged Butterfly
• Hero Arts - Heart Flourish
• Cuttlebug Embossing Folder
• Clear Embossing Powder
• Versamark
• Copics
• Versafine - Deep Lagoon

I am teaching this afternoon a template class and a family party after that... So no more crafting today. Although I shouldn't have snuck in this card...

Have a blessed Sunday!

Suzz

Color It Challenges

The Hero Arts Challenge this week is Color It... http://heroarts.com/blogs/club/2009/08/24/a-new-colorful-challenge/ Jennifer McGuire is hosting and has several videos with great tips on quick coloring techniques. This is perfect timing for me as I just took my Copic class and added markers to my collection. So a great time to practice and play.

Here are two cards I colored and created over the last several days.

These little children were patiently waiting for me to finish the card. I couldnt' figure out what they should be doing and decided that she would hold a little flag to finish off the card.

The vellum is embossed with one of the new CB embossing folders. So pretty!

Products:

• Hero Arts - K5193 Flower Word, Special Moments, All Occasion Messages, LP146 Asian Dolls, K5232 Dot Flourish Border,
• Rubber Stampede 3258R Wild Rose Background
• Versafine - Vintage Sepia
• StaZon - Cactus
• Memento - Black Tuxedo
• Copic Markers
• Spellbinders Nestabilities - Labels
• Cuttlebug Embossing Folder

Thanks for stopping by...

Suzz

Shaker Card

Hero Arts Blog this week is coloring. I have been playing around with this new stamp from Hero Arts and my Copic markers. I first created this:

and then decided to create a shaker card with blues so I created a second scene of trees with more blue and greens.

I am not sure if I like the stamping on the acetate. I think the snowflakes are too distracting. But I did like the snow (Diamond Dust). Been playing around too long with this card, so going to leave it as is and move onto something else. :)

Products:

• Hero Arts - Winter Pine
• Hero Arts - Design Block - Stunning Snowflakes
• StaZon - Hydrangea Blue
• Cuttlebug Embossing Folder
• Copic Markers
• Twinklets - Diamond Dust

Thanks for stopping by..

Suzz

Caardvarks - My StampBOX Challenge

Caardvarks challenge this week is to use black, white and hot pink... Now how can you go wrong with that? Here is the link to the challenge: http://caardvarks.blogspot.com/2009/08/mystampbox-challenge.html

Strong colors and I love them.. I made the tissue flowers again because I think they are so beautiful and I used 2 new Hero arts stamps.

Products:

• Hero Arts Designblock - Antique Flower Background
• Hero Arts - Cling Stamps - Special Moments
• StaZon - Fuschia Pink
• White & Clear embossing Powder
• Versamark Watermark Ink Pad
• Versafine Black Onyx
• EK Success Punch (Leaf)

Thanks for stopping by... I hope you enjoy your Sunday!

Suzz

Ruff's Up!

I had volunteered to send a card to a tween boy and hadn't gotten around to it until now. So this was my attempt at boy humor. First time I used gems for this type of embellishment. Hee... Hee... I think when you have dogs you spend a lot of time cleaning up after them. :)


The inside of the card has a little pop-up with the same dog and it says "What's the scoop?"

I hope he will appreciate the humor. I will try it out on my son when he gets home to see what he says.

My second card is a scrapling which I made into a magnetic bookmark. My middle daughter gets very little attention being the middle child and loves to read. So I combined the Hero Arts challenge which is to mail a card to someone into a special bookmark for my middle daughter. She will love it as she is a big reader and it has her initial on it.


The stamps for the bookmark / Scrapling are all Hero Arts. I covered the K with purple stickers and it doesn't show in the picture as nicely but it is a beautiful sparkly purple. The ribbon runs along the inside.

I used a thin magnet that we got at a parade. We are always getting these little rectangle magnets at parades, in the mail, etc. So this was a great way to recycle it as it is very easy to cut them and use them as they are so thin.

The dog-house is hero arts stamps for the dog and bone.

Thanks for stopping by...
Suzz

Poppies are so beautiful

I went away for the weekend to get my Copic Certification. Learned tons of information. All available online. :)

I got home and was very excited to practice and realized.... I don't have enough of the colors grouped together to do the proper shading.

So I will keep practicing with what I have and slowly build up my colors.

I took my class at a stamp store in Eau Claire Wisconsin Named: Picture This http://www.mmemorieslast.com/. Lovely store, class room and a scrapping retreat right behind it. If you are in the area... Worth the drive to check it out.

This all leads into me acquiring some new stamps.


I picked up this great background stamp from Cornish Heritage Farms... Scrapblock Newspaper Ads 6 x 6.

I new I wanted to ink it up and used the light grey dye ink to create my background. The circle is 5 1/2" and mounted on a 5" x 5" square black cardstock.

I stamped the Flourishes Poppy onto the stamped background using Versafine Ink and used my watercolor pencils to color in the flowers.

I attached the little charm from Plaid and this is what it says:
There are always flowers for those who want to see them.

Products:

• Cornish Heritage Farms - SB-119XUM Newspaper Ads
• Flourishes - Poppy Patch Set # 35
• Versafine - Black Onyx, Vintage Sepia
• Memento - London Fog
• Watercolor Pencils
• Inkadinkado - Bumblebee 99259-MM
• Plaid - Plenty of Flowers Charms
• Ranger Stickles

Thanks for stopping by...

Suzz

Christmas in Summer...

Here comes Christmas... This card was created for the Caardvark challenge and also using the Hero Arts Sketches for this weeks challenge. http://caardvarks.blogspot.com/2009/08/hero-arts-winter-wonderland.html and http://heroarts.com/blogs/club/2009/08/10/sneak-6-and-sketches/

The background and snowflakes are embossed with Enchanted Gold Embossing Powder. It is very light and sparkly.

I am off to take my Copic Certification and very excited about it. Will hopefully be able to put it to good use and start building my copic supplies.

Suzz

Chinese lantern

I was inspired to try to make a chinese lantern card. They are always so pretty in color and celebration that I thought why not make a card in the shape of a chinese lantern.



Recipe:

1. Cut 2 circles from white cardstock. These were 4 3/4".
2. Trim about 1/4" off each side to give the flat surface.
3. Cut rectangles from white cardstock for the top and bottom. Mine measured 3" x 1 1/2" on the top and 2 1/2" x 1 1/2" on the bottom.
4. I masked my pieces but if I were to do it again I would cut another circle and cut them in strips. Because you can see my masking is not 100% straight!
5. Cut 3 masking strips 1" wide and 5 " long.
6. Stamp using versamark alternating patterns. Heat emboss using clear embossing powder.
7. Sponge alternative colors. I used dye ink for the red and tried to use gold brilliance for the gold. It wasn't as gold as I would have liked.
8. Stamp dots along the top and bottom pieces and emboss with gold embossing powder.
9. Sponge on red ink on top and bottom pieces.
10. Cut gold wire to shape into half circle. Tie ribbon and slide on pearls.
11. I used my new silhouette to cut the branches from white cardstock. Stamp wood grain and sponge brown dye ink.
12. Attach flowers and accent with pearls.

Products:

• Hero Arts - Designblock - Dots and Flowers
• Hero Arts - Antique Brocade
• Hero Arts - Sparkle Clear - Arigato, Happy w/int
• Ranger Distress Ink - Fire Brick Red
• Brilliance - Galaxy Gold
• Clear Embossing Powder
• Versamark Watermark Ink
• Ranger Embossing powder - Queen's Gold
• Floradoodle - Flowers (I know they are called something else now, but can't remember the name. :)

Thanks for stopping by...

Suzz

Card created 2 different ways

As you may know I have a little scrap issue... Meaning everytime I create a card I end up with as many scraps as I do the finished card. My definition of scrap is pieces that I have created with intention of using them on the card but they get discarded as they don't fit, match, etc the final creation.

Yesterday I decided that I wasn't going to let the scraps go and I finished two of the same card.

Here is one of the cards that I started with...


And here is the second card that was spawned from the first.

These are both for the Hero Arts Challenge on the blog this week. They have provided sketches as the challenge. Sketches are harder for me to work with rather than easier... Don't know why...

Products:

• Hero Arts - Old French Writing
• Versafine - Vintage Sepia
• StaZon - Teal Blue
• Watercolor Marker
• Hero Arts - Heart Winged Butterfly
• Hero Arts - Pop Stems
• Hero Arts - Kanji Poem
• Hero Arts - Everyday Sayings
• Hero Arts - Birthday Messages
  

Thanks for stopping by...

Suzz

A great friend

I recieved a lovely package from Jacqueline and she included this adorable card...

Love how that little girl looks so pensive...

I also pulled out a glimmer mist background from my large collection and decided to stamp it up...

1. The background was created by spraying white cardstock with yellow glimmer mist.
2. Lay mask over yellow background.
3. Spray teal glimmer mist over the mask. Lift off the mask and dab up any excess glimmer mist.
4. Key for spraying glimmer mist is to shake until the sediment disappears and hold 6 inches away and spray in strokes. I have found that some spray bottles get clogged and you get spots so if this happens take the top off and run it in warm water to remove any clogging. Play with it on scraps to get comfortable with the even coating.
5. Stamp the Lined Paper using brown pigment ink on the background.
6. Stamp the berries using brown pigment ink over the background.
7. Stamp butterfly and birds using versamark and emboss using orange embossing powder.
8. Outline birds and butterfly using white gel pen.
9. Stamp sentiment using versamark and emboss using brown embossing powder.
10. Accent berries with copper stickles.

Thanks for stopping by...

Suzz

Distressed Fern

Here is the remainder of the scraps!

Love the 3 leaf fern stamp! It is so fun to play with and gives such a strong effect. So many great inspirations using the fern and cutting out the edge that I had to try it.

I will move on now as I cleared the rest of the pieces from these cards into my scrap pile.

Products:

• Hero Arts - Three Leaf Fern
• Hero Arts - Brocade
• Hero Arts - Sentiment
• Ranger Distress Inks - Brushed Corduroy, Antique Linen, Shabby Shutters
• Versafine - Vintage Sepia

Thanks for stopping by...

Suzz

Clean up of the desk...

I started three cards and tried to finish them up... Here is another card from that batch.. You can tell because they are all using the same color scheme.

I had a picture of white dandelions on a olive green background. I decided to do the reverse and used green embossing powder to put the Angathapus onto a white background.

Recipe:

1. Stamp flowers on white background using Versamark Ink.
2. Emboss with green embossing powder.
3. Dry emboss marsh embossing folder over the top of stamped images.
4. Sponge with brown dye ink to highlight embossing.
5. Drip water on stamped images and sponged background.

Products:

• Hero Arts - Antique Brocade
• Stampendous - Angathapus Cluster
• Hero Arts - Anytime Sayings
• Cuttlebug Embossing Folder
• Ranger Distress Inks - Corduroy Brown, Antique Linen
• Ranger Embossing Powder - Lettuce
• Versamark Watermark Ink
• Twine, Button Unknown
  

Thanks for stopping by...

Suzz

Sneak Peek at Hero Arts

This weeks challenge was sneak peeks of the new releases from Hero Arts. Lisa Spangler did several new cards using a rose http://heroarts.com/blogs/club/2009/08/05/watch-it-wednesday-sneak-peek-3/ which were beautiful! I was lucky that the new rose was available at the local Archiver's and I was able to pick it up and try some of the techniques she used.

The technique I had seen Jennifer and Lisa use before is coloring on kraft cardstock after stamping. I have been wanting to try this for awhile. I stamped the outline using versamark on green cardstock and embossed with white embossing powder.

Then I colored in using watercolor pencils on the green cardstock. I really like the effect it reminds me of the cloisenne pieces I saw in China when we visited.

Products:

• Hero Arts - Special Moments
• Hero Arts - Antique Brocade
• Watercolor Pencils
• White Embossing Powder
• Versamark Watermark Ink
• Ranger Distress Ink - Antique Linen

Thanks for stopping by...

Suzz

Scraps from yesterday

Decided to make a card from some of the scraps from my card yesterday. I punched a few butterflies and flowers and tried a threading of the ribbon a little different.

Something simple to share with you. Off to play with an idea I had on vacation.

Suzz

She had ink on her fingers...

We are back... Sat down after everything was unpacked, started laundry, returned car.... etc...

and started inking up! I had left a few unfinished pieces on my desk that I was playing with and finished them off into this card...

Love the new background cling stamp from Hero Arts.

Products:

• Hero Arts - Heart Winged Butterfly
• Hero Arts - Antique Brocade
• Hero Arts - Old Letter Writing
• Versafine - Toffee, Vintage Sepia
• Hero Arts - Shadow Ink - Soft Sand
• Fiskars Circle Templates
• Crushed Velvet Ribbon - Michaels
• Pearls - Michaels

Here are a few more pictures from our trip.

Flowers in front of the falls...

On our bus tour in New York we went in front a window owned by DKNY and I saw this shot and I couldn't resist. All the mannequins waiting for their latest fashion waiting to happen!
and last but not least my little ones on the deck below the falls. I was trying to keep the camera out of the spray!

Thanks for stopping by...

Suzz

Still on vacation and sharing another card...

We are still travelling.. Can't wait to get my fingers inky again...

This was the circle cut out from my other card which I shared earlier this week. I have used the punched out flowers around the circle card before but I always think the circle is so bare without an edge. :)

The flowers were made from a glimmer mist paper stamped with the grid paper stamp from Cornish Heritage Farms.

The circle background was glimmer mists and the stamped One Sheet Wonder/Masterboard.

The edges were darkened with a brown dye ink sponged on the edges.

The tag is vellum and stamped with StaZon. Tied with twine another punched flower and button.

I had to share a few more pictures from New York City. We took a bus ride around the city and I am sharing a few pictures. I don't have my photo editing software to do touch ups but enjoyed the architecture and buildings from the trip and wanted to share a few pictures.

We stopped in Cooperstown too but it rained and I mean rained alot so I didn't get any pictures although it is a cute town and we would have meandered more if it wasn't pouring buckets on us.


Recognize this sign. :)

Just one of the many sculptures on the building. He is looking fierce. :)
Thanks for stopping by..

Suzz

Niagara Falls...

I wanted to share a picture or two from vacation and another card from my masterboard.

The frame is from the Masterboard and I precut a square after I measured the size of the largest die cut.

The flowers are stamped with a yellow pigment ink. The bees have some stickles applied which you can't see with this picture.

Products:

• Cornish Heritage Farms - Silhouette Blooms I
• Inkadinkado - Bee Stamp
• Versafine - Crimson Red, Vintage Sepia, Habenero
• Memories - Honey
• Cooredinations - Chocolate
• Bazzil Ribbon

Now onto a few pictures from the falls. We stayed in the States as we don't all have passports. :)

We went on the Maid of the Mist boat tour and the Cave of the Winds... I tried to stay out of the water and still get pictures.

The first shot is from the deck down below the falls:

The second was taken on the boat. We were luck to see multiple rainbows. I didn't get the clarity on my pictures because the auto focus had a hard time due to the fog and it couldn't focus on anything because of all of the mist.

Thanks for stopping by...

Suzz

Another card from OSW

This was another card from my one sheet wonder. The center was cut from 2 labels die cuts from Spellbinders. I popped the center and re-stamped the sentiment in the center.

After I put it together I decided it was too bare around the edges and versamark stamped the flowery branch and clear embossed it to add a little shadowy effect.

We spent yesterday at an amusement park and are now at the Great Wolf Lodge with water galore. Today we are going onto Niagara Falls which I have never seen and am looking forward to!
Products:

• Cornish Heritage Farms - Silhouette Blooms
• Cornish Heritage Farms - Grid Paper
• Tattered Angels - Daffodil, Tuscany Sun, Red Velvet
• Spellbinder Nestabilities
• Twine
• Versafine - Vintage Sepia, Habenero, Crimson Red
• Versamark Watermark Ink
• Clear Embossing Powder
• Buttons

Thanks for stopping by...

Suzz