Stamptoberfest begins....

I am planning on lots of inky time today for Stamptoberfest... hosted by Two Peas Stamping board. My first project is this Halloween banner for Nancy's challenge. I have never created one before and found it a lot of fun! My daughter is off making her own banner. (I will add it later to this post if she finishes. :)

Nancy provided the template and the challenge was basically to create a pennant/banner for Halloween.

The only hard part was to photograph it as it didn't quite fit in my light box. I ended up outside trying to find a hook to take a picture on.

Here is a close-up:

The paper is Basic Grey Eerie... The stamps are all Hero Arts. This also applies for the current HA challenge so I will share it over there as well!

Lots of fun... Come over and play if you can. Stamptoberfest runs from today until the 25th..

Thanks for stopping by...

Suzz

Butterfly Wings

Still playing with piecing for the Hero Arts challenge... I created this last night after I bought a few of the new clings from Hero Arts.

I don't usually buy Patterned Paper as I really like to create my own. :) But I love the Basic Grey lines. The 6 x 6 pads are my favorite. I get a smattering of the different papers all at a size that works really well on cards.

I used paper from the new Indian Summer line and the Urban Prairie papers.

The butterfly stamp is the new Hero Arts Cling set called Butterflies. The flourish is from the Hero Arts Clear Set.

Products:

• Basic Grey - Urban Prairie, Indian Summer
• Hero Arts - Butterflies, Thank You Flourishes, Everyday Sayings
• Versafine - Imperial Purple
• Martha Stewart Edger - Cornice

Hope you have a lovely day!

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

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

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

Teal, Brown, Light Green...

These cards all started from a color challenge and veered off to a little darker palette. I ended up making two cards as I was playing around. This happens to me a lot when I am creating, I end up with major scraps and this time I decided to create two cards that look very similar but with two different layouts.

Card # 1
Card # 2

Unfortunately the vintage paper photographs so much darker and the stamping is really a lovely layer ontop of it.

Products:

• Tim Holtz - Stampers Anonymous - Flights of Fancy
• Cornish Heritage Farms - Silhouette Blooms I
• Hero Arts - Heart Winged Butterfly
• Impression Obsession - Inspire
• Versafine - Vintage Sepia, Deep Lagoon
• Ranger Distress Inks - Shabby Shutters, Broken China
• B Line Lace Background
• Fiskars - Border Punch
• Martha Stewart Edger
• Marvy Uchida Scalloped Circle, Circle Punch

Thanks for stopping by...

Suzz

Kwerner Challenge # 47

Kristina's Color Challenge this week: http://www.kwernerdesign.com/blog/?p=1122 contains colors I used earlier this week to make several cards. I actually felt like I was stuck in a rut using the orange, brown, yellow and white. :) So when I saw her colors it gave me a chuckle..

I went a different path with this card and tried to incorporate more white, different shape and look and feel from my earlier cards.

I am addicted to my new Cornish Heritage Farms stamp (lined paper). I also just purchased a grid paper stamp of theirs which I have been playing with as well and I love for a background effect.

Products:

• Cornish Heritage Farms - Lined Paper
• Hero Arts - Heart Winged Butterfly
• Stampabilities - Tapestry Pattern
• Hero Arts - Happy Birthday To You
• Memories - Honey
• Martha Stewart - Cornice Edger Punch
• Gems, Ribbon, Buttons - Unknown
• Versafine - Vintage Sepia
• Prisma Color Pencils

Thanks for stopping by...

Suzz

Smiling Faces

Another entry in the Hero Arts Windows Challenge... I kept thinking of flowers with the little faces in the center..

The little dolls are stamped on the inside and I cut out the holes in the card where the punch wouldn't reach. :) The center of the flowers was created using a 3/4" circle punch.

I drew in pencil (very lightly) the circle on the inside of the card by closing the card and tracing the opening. This gave me the positioning for the little girls face. The stamps are clear for the girl so it helped me line up the face perfectly. I erased the lines after I stamped if they were visible.

Everything else is very simple. I stamped the houndstooth on white cardstock and then stamped the flowers and cut them out.

Products:

• Hero Arts - Houndstooth
• Hero Arts - Sparkle Clear - Arigato
• Hero Arts - DesignBlock - Outline Flowers
• Versafine - Vintage Sepia
• Adirondack Brights - Pool
• Cuttlebug Embossing Folder - Swiss Dots
• Martha Stewart - Cornice Edger
• Hero Arts - Petite Birthday

Thanks for stopping by...

Suzz

Spring is in the air...

Okay... Just today. We had a beautiful day today of around 65 degrees and the sun is out and you definitely can feel spring. The Hero Arts blog challenge this week is spring.. So I made a card which I felt resembled spring.



I reverse masked the circles to create the background and the flowers in the cricles. The colors are light green and dark purple.

Products:

• Hero Arts - Heart Flower Blossoms
• Hero Arts - Screen Shadow
• CuttleBug Embossing Folder - Borders, Swiss Dot
• Martha Stewart - Border Punch
• Memento - New Sprout (How appropriate)
• Zig Watercolor Markers
• Tombo Watercolor Markers
• Hero Arts Gems

Thanks for stopping by...

Suzz

KWerner Color Challenge #45

Kristina's Color Challenge this week: http://www.kwernerdesign.com/blog/?p=954 are black, grey, and white. Lovely elegant colors. They are wonderful for graphic designs or wedding cards.

Here is my interpretation of the colors:

Love these new stamps from Inkadinkado. After I took the picture I realized that the middle background piece looks like vellum. It is actually white cardstock stamped with grey ink.

Products:

• Inkadinkado - 99263, 99257
• Versafine - Black Onyx, Smokey Grey
• Spellbinders Nestabilities - Scallop Circle
• Martha Stewart Cornice Border Punch
• Marvy Uchida Circle Punch

Thanks for stopping by...

Suzz

Inspirations...

On the Hero Arts Blog http://heroarts.com/blogs/club/category/motivation-mondays/ they are featuring artists who participate in their challenges.

Kiara is one of the artists being featured. Her blog is here: http://stampingcafe.blogspot.com/. Kiara's cards are always beautiful and elegant and have the cutest embellishments.

The challenge on the HA blog is to be inspired by one of the featured artists. Here is my attempt to emulate some of Kiara's style.

Products:

• Hero Arts - Clear Design - Woodland Critters
• Hero Arts - Fancifaul Flower Filament
• Hero Arts - Designblock - Wavy Leaf Pattern
• Versafine - Vintage Sepia
• Spellbinders - Nestabilities - Labels
• Martha Stewart Border Punch - Cornice
• Versamark Watermark Ink
• Light Pink Embossing Powder

Thanks for stopping by... I am going to see if I can emulate Kelly B talent next!

Suzz

KWerner Challenge # 42

Kristina's Color Challenge http://www.kwernerdesign.com/blog/?p=701 this week reminds me of butterscotch..


I looked at the colors and thought of my alcohol inks. Butterscotch, Rust and Lettuce. I have used these colors together before and liked the effect. So I pulled them out to create a beautiful background color. (Side note: There are new colors out in the acohol inks from Ranger and they are on my list to get!)



Since I have done a card with similar colors I wanted to do something different for the flowers. I use a light yellow embossing powder and was really pleased with the effect.

Products:

• Ranger Alcohol Inks - Butterscotch, Lettuce, Rust
• Versamark Watermark Ink
• Light Yellow Embossing Powder
• Magenta - 09150M
• Verses - Kiss of the Sun
• Martha Stewart Ribbon
• K&Company & Kaisers Gemstones

Thanks for stopping by...

Suzz

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Happy Birthday Challenge

Been struggling with creating things lately.... Here is an entry for the Hero Arts weekly challenge. It was based on an idea from Godelieve... http://www.flickr.com/photos/stampingmathilda/3170141676/

I stamped the frogs on patterned paper from Basic Grey and added some color using the colored pencils.

Products:

• Hero Arts - Clear Design - Birthday Expressions
• Hero Arts - Sparkle Clear - Froggy
• Hero Arts - Clear Design - Birthday Messages
• Basic Grey - Periphery
• Martha Stewart - Zig Zag Border Punch
• Memories Dye Ink -Honey
• Versafine -Olympia Green, Lagoon
  

Thanks for stopping by...

Suzz

Thinking of You...

I have been playing around with this new Penny Black Clear Set. There are these beautiful images that I thought would look lovely in watercolor. I cheated and didn't use my watercolors The images are stamped on the front of acetate and a sticky adhesive is put across the back. I then took chalk and colored on the adhesive. This technique gives a beautiful muted effect.

Products:

• Penny Black Thinking of You
• Pebbles Inc, Pearlescent Chalk
• Martha Stewart Border Punch
• White Crochet Flowers (A gift from Jacqueline!)
• Turquoise Crochet Flower - (I can't remember the brand name but know I purchased it at Archiver's)

Thanks for stopping by...

Suzz

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

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

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

Hero Arts Weekly Challenge - Thanks

This weeks challenge at the Hero Arts Blog http://heroarts.com/blogs/club/2008/12/29/a-new-week-and-new-year-and-a-video-and-giveaway/ is thanks cards and if you use a holiday theme there is an additional giveaway. I was playing around last night trying to create a pink Christmas cards as I really love pink in Christmas cards. I stumbled onto making this tree. I had a lot of fun creating it...

Recipe:

1. Start with a kraft card 5" x 7". Stamp the words using versamark and emboss with iridescent/kaleidescope embossing powder. (Doesn't show up on this picture but it has a little glimmer to it)
2. Take a sheet of dark pink cardstock and stamp with the snowflakes/circles border across the entire sheet and heat emboss using light pink embossing powder. (White was very close to giving the same look as I tried both. :)
3. Cut 1 1/2" strips from the background paper. Using the Martha Stewart Cornice Border punch create the scalloped look on each strip. Cut 7" from one of these scalloped strips.
4. Cut 1/2" from the front edge of the card to allow the scallop to show up on the right edge. Attach the scalloped edge to the right edge of the card.
5. I started with a 4" strip and kept decreasing in size by 1/4". You should do this until you reach 2" 1/4". This will give you 8 layers to your tree.
6. Now the tricky part. take that strip of 4" and put the corner edge of the scallop aligned ot the cutting line on your cutter. Tilt the scalloped strip to give a nice diagonal line on the paper and cut the corner off.
7. Repeat until you have your 8 layers of the tree. I pop dotted the entire first layer to give a good base but every layer after that I only put 2 foam dots on the top half. This helps the layers lift up a little on the bottom half.
8. The charms were something I found at michael's as they have good sales on these and some are clearanced at Hobby Lobby too.

Products:

• Hero Arts - Joyful Holiday Messages
• Hero Arts Clear Design - Classic Christmas Borders
• Pink Embossing Powder
• Versamark Watermark Ink
• Modern Romance - Thank You Charm
• So Charming - Angel Charm
• Ribbon, Pearls - Unknown
• Martha Stewart - Cornice Border Punch

Happy New Year to you and your loved ones. Blessings to you all in the new year. Thanks for stopping by...

Suzz

Lovey Dovey Challenge - OCC

This card is for 2 different challenges. The OCC challenge is a Lovey Dovey Challenge http://ourcreativecorner6.blogspot.com/2008/12/lovey-dovey-challenge.html and is based on a sketch from Hero Arts Blog Challenge: http://heroarts.com/blogs/club/2008/12/19/having-fun-on-friday/ I am giving this to my DH. He is always there taking care of things and really is a wonderful husband.

There wasn't much recipe. The only thing I did was I stamped on a transperancy to make the pair of skunks. The grass is made from distress re-inkers put on acetate and cardstock laid on top of it to absorb the ink. The sky is sponged.

Products:

• Hero Arts Clear Design - Woodland Critters
• Spellbinders Nestabilities - Scalloped Circles
• Fiskars Circle Template & Circle Cutter
• Cuttlebug Embossing Folder - Tiny Bubbles
• Marvy Uchida Corner Rounder Punch
• Distress Re-Inkers - Mustard, Lettuce
• Distress Ink - Broken China, Shabby Shutters
• Pink Sharpie -(Noses)
• Rubber Stampede - Prairie Grass
• Ribbon - Martha Stewart
• PP - Unknown

Thanks for dropping by!

Suzz