Cherish the Moments

Tim's tag this month is a rainbow of watercolor and I had a great time inking up stencils and playing with the distress inks.

I loved that he used butterflies because any excuse to ink up butterflies is a good excuse! I used a Crafter's workshop stencil with Ranger Distress Inks.  The butterflies are Stampers Anonymous and the sentiment is from DarkRoom Door.

I played around with different colors and stencils:

 I loved the army colors on this stencil

 Two others I started to cut down and sponged the edges. I even started a few more butterflies!

That's all for now!

Suzz

Sail Away

Ship Ahoy!  I just received a postcard stamp and my first instinct was to pull out my flowers but I decided to see what masculine stamps would go with the Postcard Stamp.  I decided to use the new Darkroom Door Frame Postcard  with the ship from the beautiful Sail Away set.

I was pleased with how the ship fit in the postcard.   I added a hint of color with the Ranger Distress Inks - Salty Ocean, and STAEDTLER watercolor pencils.  Behind my post card I stamped a panel using the Darkroom Door Background Stamp - Woodgrain stamped in Ranger Archival Ink - Potting Soil

Thanks for stopping by!

Suzz

All about Me

The challenge for this week at Simon Says Stamp and Show is what are you known for.  I spent some time thinking about this challenge. 

I pulled out some different elements based on things that are my favorites and what I think I am know for.

Colors in varying shades, hues and contrast are what inspire me on a daily basis.  I love playing with monochromatic or neutrals and I decided to try to blend some colors together that I like to use.  

A recent love of mine is the Ranger Metallic Distress Stains.  I used them to smear the background and create a gold/bronze effect.  I added a layer of text to the background.


I knew that my project needed to have wings as I am always adding butterflies, birds or dragonflies on my projects.  I stamped the dragonfly multiple times,  once on the cardstock and twice on tissue paper.  I added a layer of blue watercolor on the backside of the tissue paper. I edged the wings with a touch of gold.

I looked through my verses and found a few that I thought represented what I feel about my artwork.. The background paper is white cardstock inked up with the gold distress stain. I had to add a touch of twine as I am always using it on my projects.

I wanted to include something about me personally:

I drink quite a bit of Diet Pepsi.  I decided to incorporate it somehow in my project. I cut apart a bottle and used it with some glimmer mist.  I  created the watermarks in the background on my card.  I highlighted the rings after they were dry by using a touch of blue watercolor.

Products: Ranger Distress Stains - Antique Bronze,  Ranger Distress Stain - Burnished Pewter, Tattered Angels Glimmer Mists, Stampers Anonymous, Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz Classics # 1, Stampers Anonymous - Mistakes and Creativity,  Stampers Anonymous - School Desk, Tim Holtz Idea-Ology - Tissue Tape Symphony, 7 Gypsies - Antique Brass Corners

Why don't you join us this week?  Take something that you are known for and create a project and link it up to the challenge  for an opportunity to win a gift voucher from Simon Says Stamp:

Have a wonderful Monday!

Suzz

Cowgirl Christmas

Are all your Christmas presents bought? I am almost there.  Work is what has me busy right now and trying to finish up a few things to get to my vacation.  I saw the Ranger blog issued a challenge on Gifts and I needed another gift card holder.  I created this with a good friend in mind:

 When I was working on my canvas the other day I borrowed my husbands staple gun to put the canvas onto the frame. During the process I had to reload the staples and used up a box of staples.  I was going to through the box in the re-cycle bin but than realized another great box for a gift card!

Here is the box: 

Which I decided to paint:

 

 And then I decided to cover the outside surfaces with stamped cowhide:

 I stamped the cowgirl on white cardstock and colored her with STAEDTLER Karat Aquarell Watercolor Pencils. To giver her more depth in the color I embossed her with clear embossing powder.  On the inside I attached pattern paper and stamped the sentiment using brown ink.

I rummaged through my Christmas embellishments and found a few rusty snowflakes along with some pine cones and holly leaves.

I stuck a gift card inside and I was done.  Overall a pretty quick transformation.  The paint drying took the longest time.

Products:  Artistic Outpost - Cowgirl Strength, Snowy Woods, Ranger Archival Inks - Coffee, Ranger Distress Inks - Walnut Stain, Adirondack - Snow Cap, Ranger Distressing Tool

Thanks for stopping by!

Suzz

Halloween Stair Step Card

I have been wanting to try this idea since I first saw the stair step cards but wasn't inspired to create the layers. So I have been waiting for the right challenge and stamps to inspire me.
The last day at Stamptoberfest was yesterday but there was one more challenge open til today which was a last minute Halloween card. I decided that I was going to use my graveyard stamp, some Basic Grey Eerie paper and create a stair step card. I bought the fun graveyard stamp thinking this would look awesome on the stair step card.


The measurements are 11" x 5 1/2". You score at the following measurements: 1 1/4", 2 1/2", 4 1/4", 6", 8 1/4". Fold it like a fan. Then you basically design each layer to create a scene.

I knew I wanted my first layer to be the graveyard which was just stamping it twice on a piece of cardstock measuring 5 1/2" x 4". I then cut along the edges and colored with my copics.

I cut the Basic Grey paper larger than the areas and ripped the top edges and colored with my copics.

The fence was just white cardstock stamped with the wood finish stamp from Hero Arts.

The moon was sponged and stamped on with the Inkadinkado and Hero Arts Halloween stamp sets.

I hope you enjoy my pop-up Halloween Scene! I enjoyed creating it...

Boo to you and yours!

Suzz

Stamped Mask

One of the challenges at Stamptoberfest or Stamptoberfest over at Two Peas was to create a mask. I was intrigued by it because I had never created one before. I think inspiration takes all forms and trying something completely different stretches the brain and keeps it creative.





This was so much fun to do and when I got done I realized my butterflies really looked like fire because of the colors I used. I also got comments that it looks like leaves.

I also promised Tanya (my youngest) that I would share her halloween banner. I think it was very cute. I cut out the shapes and she took it upstairs to her room on her table and created it.

This is the full string of pennants. You have to see all her hand drawn Halloween items and the phrases she put on there cracked me up.

I think the Wiztober comes from Disney channel. We love to watch Wizards of Wizardly Place.

Thanks for stopping by...

Suzz

Stamptoberfest Challenges...

I have a few more things I have created for the Stamptoberfest...

The first was for two different challenges. One is to create a tag hosted by Laura and the other is to use a technique called Josephs Coat.

The Josephs coat challenge is hoasted by Daria and she provided the details on her challenge.

The technique is to cover the surface with a layer of blended colors. You could use a brayer on a blending of colors using dye ink on a glossy card surface. You cover the entire surface. You then take and stamp your images using Versamark. Heat emboss using clear embossing powder.

Now take and cover the entire surface with a dark dye ink. Her examples used black and I decided to use the brown ink. Wipe off any excess and your images that are embossed will pop out.

I created mine using sponges and Ranger Distress inks. I covered with the Ranger Corduroy brown dye ink and I didn't use glossy cardstock I used regular white cardstock. When I was finished I clear embossed the entire surface to give it a glossy finish.

The picture doesn't show how rich and beautiful the colors are. I really enjoyed this and will probably do it again. :)

The second is a scrapling challenge hosted by Martha.

This worked out perfectly as I had a scrapling from the card I shared the other day and just added an acetate overlay of the words and trees. Simple and easy as can be. Of course it took me a long time to come up with simple and easy. :)

Hope you have a wonderful day!

Suzz

Last couple of days...

I have had so much fun in the last couple of days....

We had a global day of service for work where we were able to pick a location from a bunch of different volunteer opportunities to spend a half day volunteering.

This year I selected the Chicago Botanic Gardens. I have never been there before and wanted to check it out. The gardens were gorgeous and I didnt' even get to see that many of them. Definitely worth another trip out... I will be planning on that another day.

When we arrived they have a few speakers to kick it off and then you split up and get assigned to your activities. I was dressed and geared for weeding, raking, outside work in the gardens. I was assigned to a leader and lead us out to see his garden he was responsible for and then told us we got to spend the morning making creatures/animals for their annual halloween event. So we basically created animals from dried leaves, berries, pinecones and flowers. I couldn't believe how much fun we had. I wish I had pictures but I didn't know we were going to be doing something like this. What a wonderful morning.

I followed that up with meeting with a friend who is also a stamper for lunch. Where we proceeded to have a lovely lunch and talk stamping talk for an hour!

Then Thursday I had another lunch with another my friend Lisa yesterday! She is the one who started me down this stamping path!

My friend Lisa made me this lovely card for my birthday. We both love the Asian influenced stamps, so she made me this lovely card using the Hero Arts stamp in the background and the main image is from The Greeting Farm.

Gorgeous card! Thanks Lisa!

Just a couple more things and then I will stop rambling...

Two Pea's stamping board is having a fun Stamptoberfest which is being held Oct 17th through Oct 25th.

The thread describing all of the challenges is located here. I am hosting a foiled again challenge. There are always so many fun and different challenges that if you get time you should go play along.

Finally... Here is my card to share with you today. It is for 2 different challenges. Hero Arts Holiday Add On challenge and a 2Peas class that Jennifer McGuire was teaching on embossed backgrounds.

The background is just an stamped and embossed with clear embossing powder. I then sponged on purple and blue dye inks. Add some water drops and you have the background. I then took the felt snowflakes from Hero Arts and sprayed glimmer mist on the white ones to give the blueish - purple effect and created a wreath of snowflakes.

Products:

• Hero Arts - CL112 - Classic Christmas Borders
• Cuttlebug Embossing Folder - Snowflakes
• Penny Black - A Merry...
• Ranger Distress Inks - Concord, Broken China
• Clear Embossing Powder
• Versamark Watermark Ink
• Versafine - Deep Lagoon
• Spellbinders - Nestabilities - Labels
  

Sorry for the long post. Have a lovely weekend...

Suzz

Happy Birthday Dad!

My dad's birthday is coming up soon. I am always forgetful as his is so far apart from any other birthday except mine. So I get lulled into not worrying about birthday cards or presents and then I realize when my birthday pops up that his is just around the corner.

I decided to use up some scraps for scraps sunday....

I had punched out the leaves on one of my Caardvarks sketch challenge cards last week and this little scrap was laying there and I loved the effect and decided to create a card around the punched out leaves.

The circle was already cut and had a tiny bit of green distressing on one edge. Don't know why or how but decided to go with it and finish distressing it and then added the wood grain.

Very simple card and my dad will enjoy whatver I send him. Even though the buttons are not too manly.

Products:

• Hero Arts - Woodgrain Pattern
• Hero Arts - Delicate Leaves
• Ranger Distress Ink - Peeled Paint, Corduroy

Have a blustery day! I feel like we are like Pooh and his friends because the wind is really blowing and it dropped 15 degrees from yesterday. Fall is definitely in the air.

Suzz

Caardvarks Thursday Sketch

The Thursday sketch for the Caardvarks Sketch Challenge is:

Here is my interpretation # 2:
This inside says "Is 50?" I used my Silhouette for the branches. There is PP on the owls as a background from Basic Grey.

My first interpretation was mostly beautiful patterned paper from Basic Grey.
I stamped the poppies on the PP paper and cut them out and curled them up. The centers of the flowers are pretty glass beads which you can't see the translucense in the picture.

Products:

• Basic Grey - Wisteria
• Marvy Uchida - Butterfly Punch
• Penny Black - Poppies
• Hero Arts - Design Block
• Inkadinkado - Owl Stamp
• Hero Arts - Wallpaper Flowers
• Ranger Distress - Antique Linen
• Memento - Dandelion, Rich Cocoa
• Adirondacks - Sunset Orange
• Versafine - Imperial Purple
• Clear Embossing Powder
• Versamark

Thanks for stopping by...

Suzz

Sorry it has been so long...

I have been busy with work and been trying to create a video. We ran into technical difficulties making the video but I still have plans to create a few videos. Stay tuned for those.

I have also been busy stamping... Just didn't get a chance to post them

I created two different projects for the Hero Arts blog Challenge: http://heroarts.com/blogs/club/2009/09/14/in-celebration-of-learning/ The challenge this week is about learning. Looking at cards from when we first started and what we have learned along the way.

The second challenge is from Louise's blog. http://kardkrazy.blogspot.com/2009/09/tag-challenge-16-grid-tag.html She hosts a Tuesday challenge and this week's challenge is grid tags.

For me the tag was a new area that I had never explored and was learned along the way along with the uses of scraps, embellishments and even grid cards... So this encompasses alot of things I have learned along the way in my stamping journey.


This was made from some beautiful scraps sent to me from Jacqueline. Thanks Jacqueline!

The second card is a thing I am still learning... How to use white effectively or negative space in my cards. I do tend to like my colors.. :)




So this was a little challenge for myself to keep my card in the whites/ivories...

Card Products:

• QuicKutz Embossing Folder - Diamonds and Dots
• Versamark
• Clear Embossing Flowers
• Clay Flowers
• Sheer Ivory Ribbon
• Hero Arts - Old Letter Writing
• Hero Arts - Real Salvia
• Hero Arts - Everyday Sayings

Tag Products:

• Ranger Distress Inks - Peeled Paint
• Memento - Rich Cocoa
• Versafine - Vintage Sepia
• Hero Arts - Monarch Butterfly
• Hero Arts - Purple Wash
• Penny Black - berry branch
• Hero Arts - Artistic Windows
• B Line Design - Bird Silhouettes
• Verses Rubber Stamps - Grow Old
• Inkadinkado - 96127 - CC
• Hero Arts - Old Letter Writing
• Hero Arts - Raindrop Background
• Hero Arts - Flower Word
  
  Thanks for stopping by...
  
  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

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

Odds and Ends

I decided yesterday to pull out all my scraps and try to put something together. This consists in a pile that could cover my entire desktop. So I sorted through and pulled some shapes and colors that could work together and came up with this.

Not everything was a scrap but many of the individual pieces were. :)

Products:

• Hero Arts - Heart Winged Butterfly
• Cornish Heritage Farms - Silhouette
• Cuttlebug Embossing Folder
• Hero Arts - Raindrop Background
• Memento - Rich Cocoa
• Ranger - Embossing Powder - Lettuce
• Ranger Distress Inks - Peeled Paint
• Versafine - Vintage Sepia
• QuicKutz - Die Cuts
• Fiskars Shape Template - Ovals

I hope you are having a wonderful weekend.

and as my youngest is saying now... Peace Out...

Suzz

Thinking Inking - Crackle Distress

Jennifer McGuire has been hosting videos and classes on 2 Pea's using all different types of Ranger Inking projects. The videos can all be found here... http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/mb.asp?cmd=list&forum_id=52.

This weeks class is about crackle paint. I don't have any but I have a crackle finish which I used in place of the crackle paint.

I combined this with a vacation/travel challenge on the Hero Arts Blog this week. I only have one stamp for Hero Arts which is a travel type of stamp so I used that to create my tag.

Tag Recipe:

1. Smear multiple colors of acryclic dabbers on a piece of acetate.
2. Use a makeup sponge mix parts of the color together (this is in one of the videos Jennifer has up on 2 Peas)
3. Smear on white cardstock to create a background.
4. Let that dry and then stamp the image onto the paint background using a pigment ink.
5. Clear emboss the stamped image.
6. Layer on the crackle gloss finish. I put it on and then smeared it around with another makeup sponge. I put two layers on.

The butterfly is made from grunge paper and I applied the same finish but with a really thick layer and attempted to dry it using the heat gun. It didn't crackle but gave it a beautiful glossy finish. :)

The background of the card is made from distress inks smeared onto acetate and spritzed with water until they became very watery.

Everything else is a combination of stamping with brown pigment ink and embossing with gold embossing powders.

Products:

• Ranger Acryclic Paint Dabbers - Gold, Stream, Juniper
• Ranger Queens Gold Embossing Powder
• Versamark Watermark Ink
• Versafine - Vintage Sepia
• Ranger Crackle Glaze
• Hero Arts - Heart Winged Butterfly,
• Inkadinkado - 94010-N
• B Line Designs - Paris
• Hero Arts - Collage Take Time
• Stampers Anonymous - French Market
• Stampers Anonymous - Lined Paper
• Ranger Distress Inks - Peeled Paint, Broken China

Thanks for stopping by...

Suzz

I'm seeing stars...

Another card using the orange and blue with the stars. I was working through using a template from the crafter's workshop http://www.thecraftersworkshop.com/. I love these little plastic templates as they are so versatile and can be used as stencils, templates, or for piercing.

I wanted to play along with 2 Peas thinking ink classes by Jennifer McGuire as well as the HA blog challenge for complementary colors.

This was a little soft in colors for me, so I added some little punched out stars to add a layer.

The background is sponged on around the template and sprinkled with water to give the watery background.

I also created a star button from a die cut and embossing several times.

Products:

• Crafters Workshop Template
• Hero Arts Birthday Messages
• Hero Arts Artistic Windows - Wood grain
• Ranger Distress Inks - Spiced Marmalade, Broken China
• Versafine Habenero
• Versamark Watermark Ink
• Clear Embossing Powder
• Crystal Stickers
• Twine - Unknown

Thanks for stopping by..

Suzz

Inspired by...

This week on the HA blog they are highlighting some of the designers who submit to the challenges and were selected by the HA designers. Jacqueline is one of the days on the blog. Her blog is here: http://myscrapbasket.blogspot.com/ . I am a big fan of her work as she is always creating dreamy, elegant and beautiful cards. You can spend alot of time looking at one creation as she always has multiple layers in her cards. This card is inspired by Jacqueline.

I also was able to use up some more scraps that I had started and never used. Almost everything besides teh embellishments was something I had started and never used on a card. Also the PP in the background was a scrap that Jacqueline sent to me!

Products:

• Hero Arts Design Block Tree
• Hero Arts - Real Wild Aster
• Hero Arts - Friends Background
• Hero Arts - Artistic Butterflies
• PP - Unknown
• Versafine - Vintage Sepia
• Ranger Distress Ink - Pine Needles
• Adirondack - Orange
• Floradoodles - Minidelphin
• Hero Arts - Anytime Messages

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

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