Saturday, June 30, 2012

Sol

This atc uses a TJ technique from the past, October 2006 to be exact. The technique is called Powder Keg enameling. I think the heat wave we are undergoing and the challenge, create a little sunshine, at Inspiration Emporium inspired this atc. The technique basically involves layers of embossing powder which melt into each other to give a fairly smooth and beautifully colored result. I can't remember who made the sun stamp. I think the atc is now inspiring me to go and find a cold glass of iced tea.

Happy Birthday Dahling

I seem to be singing the same song the past few posts. Today is June 30 and which means the June monthly challenges are ending. I had to get up early today to finish my Stampsmith challenge card with the theme humorous birthday. I made it with a few hours to go. To make my card I used the sketch challenge from Mojo Monday, although I did turn it on its side. My card features Mae West from Stampsmith's Fame 1. The birthday greeting is also a Stampsmith stamp. The "Age" sentiment is from Club Scrap. All of the die cuts are from Spellbinders. The background paper is My Mind's Eye. The lace is from Classy Cards 'n Such. I did try an experiment on my card. Since I had just tried photo tinting on my Tim Holtz tag yesterday, I wondered if I could use the same technique with a photo stamp. Yes, you can. The only warning is that you must use waterproof ink to stamp the image or it will smudge when you add the distress ink color. Guess how I know that. I used archival ink to stamp the image. If you want to see a demo of photo tinting, check out the June tag on Tim's blog; Tim has a video demo.

12 Tags of 2012 -- June

Well, it's still June for  20 some hours. What happened to this month. I finished my June tag for the 12 Tags of 2012 just in time. I really love how the photo tinting with distress in turned out. The image Tim gave us was too cute not to use. I can't wait to see what July brings.

Friday, June 29, 2012

Celebrate the 4th of July

The 4th of July holiday is upon us and here is a card to celebrate. This week the Bloggers Challenge wants us to celebrate the 4th. Sweet Stamps is looking for a patriotic or summer card. The Artistic Stamper's June challenge is red, white, and blue. To make my card I stamped the July 4th background stamp on a piece of white cardstock using white acrylic paint. The panel was then colored using barn red distress stain. Using a wet cloth, I wiped the distress ink off the letters. I used the letterpress technique by dry embossing the words with the matching texture fade. I die cut the flag and colored it using distress markers. The book panel was cut using a spellbinders die. The pretty corner flowers are from SweetStamps. They are colored using distress markers with the red flowers made with a Viva Decor red paint pen. The sentiment is from Tim Holtz's ChitChat. The rhinestone stars are from my stash.
Hope everyone has a safe and fun 4th of July.
By the way, I'm sorry about missing last week's challenge. I haven't missed many Bloggers Challenges since I started. I was in Washington DC for a wedding and a little rest and relaxation.

Thursday, June 28, 2012

Easel Gift Box

Well, the temperature in Chicago hit 101 today. What better place for me to spend the day than in my cool, basement studio. Today I created an easel gift box.  It actually meets several challenges. At Our Daily Bread Designs the challenge was to use three stamps. I used two sentiments and the bicycle image from the Bicycle stamp set. City Crafters  wants us to create a gift, rather than a card. Put some chocolates in the box and you have a wonderful gift. Creative Belli challenged us to create anything but a card. And I Brake for Challenges wants to see summer fun.
The easel box technique and the watercolor reinker are both techniques from Technique Junkies.

Best Wishes

The challenge at Cheery Lynn this week was right on time with my life. One reason for my trip to Washington DC this past weekend was to attend the wedding of my friend's daughter. I used the beautiful wedding die from Cheery Lynn to make my card for the couple. The card was in shades of silver. I added the rhinestone/pearl heart at the top, a few rhinestones on the lacy part, and the sentiment sticker at the bottom. This die is awesome.

Simplify

I've been missing in action pretty much all last week. I missed all of my usual challenges and more. I was trying to get over pneumonia and then I spent a few days in and around Washington DC. I couldn't even get to my email because the Wifi in the hotel was really weak. However, now I'm back! I've got a lot to catch up on, so here goes.
I'm back to my challenges. This card was done with a few challenges in mind. The challenge for Compendium of Curiosities II was tissue wrap flowers from p. 38 of Tim Holtz's book. This week's challenge is sponsored by The Funkie Junkie Boutique.  Kraft Journal had an anything goes challenge. Simon Says Stamp and Show wants depth of distress.
To create my card I started with a panel of Core'dinations paper. I dry embossed it with a numbers folder from Cuttlebug and then sanded the raised numbers. I used my Distrezz-it-all to distress the edges. I used walnut stain distress ink along the edges. The flower was made from Tim Holtz's tissue paper according to his technique directions. I added ripe persimmon distress ink to the edges and a Webster's Pages embellishment to the center. The clock was die cut from black cardstock. The butterfly (top and base) are from Webster's Pages. The simple sentiment is from Tim's Chit Chat stickers.

Sunday, June 24, 2012

Stamping Fun

I was looking for a little stamping fun today, so I combined the adorable bears from Rogue Redhead Designs new release, Getting Grizzly, and a fun technique from the current TJ newsletter. I stamped the two bears on white cardstock and then masked them. I overstamped with the background stamp. The panel was die cut with a Spellbinders die and a backing panel was cut to from the image. I used the circle colored collage technique to color the image panel. A side note here. I actually didn't have any circle stamps, so I used a Tim Holtz technique and die cut circles from foan and adhered the shapes to packaging. Now I have three circle stamps, (you may be seeing this TJ technique again now that I have circle stamps) The background panel was made using distress stains. I pounced several colors on white cardstock and then sprayed with water to move the colors a little (This is a variation of some of Tim Holtz's techniques.) I stamped the sentiment directly on the background panel with archival ink.

Monday, June 18, 2012

Parrot Times Two

At Frilly and Funkie the challenge was an inspiration one based on this picture of the parrot. The Stampotique Designers challenge was twin images, to use the same image twice on our piece.
My parrot isn't an elegant parrot in flight; he seems more to be in need of a little more self esteem. He is, however, a parrot (Stampotique). He seems to be looking at his refelection. To create his reflection, I stamped him on a flat piece of rubber and then stamped the new image on my paper. Then, using the stamp positioner, I stamped him again on the paper. I colored the parrots using Prisma pencils and gamsol. I used glimmer mist sprays to color the two halves of the image oval. To frame the image I used a Spellbinders oval. The front of the base card was dry embossed using a Sizzix folder. The sentiment, which I love, is from Stampotique designs.

Sunday, June 17, 2012

Enchanted Garden

This week the Cheery Lynn challenge theme is roses. The theme of the challenge at Take a Word is floral. Fashionable Stamping has the theme of nature.
I used the miniature rose die from Cheery Lynn for the roses, the leaves are from the flourish leaf strip, and the fairy is the one free wish die. I added a few inspirational jewels from Creative Inspirations Paints and highlighted the roses and fairy wings with CI paints. I wish my garden was enchanted by this lovely fairy.

Friday, June 15, 2012

Fathers Day

Sunday is Father's Day. This is the card I created for my Dad. I am so blessed to be able to say that Dad is 91 years of age and still going strong. I love you Dad. Happy Father's Day.
This week the Bloggers Challenge theme is masculine. I used the sketch from the Mojo Monday challenge for the layout of my card. The challenge at Great Impressions is die cuts and/or punches. My image was die cut using a ODBD/Spellbinders die and the sentiment was cut using a punch.

My image is a LaBlanche stamp which was colored using distress markers. The sentiment is from Club Scrap. My background panel is a piece of wood paper. I love the wood paper for masculine cards.

Happy Father's Day to all the Dads out there!

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Pretty in Pink with Diamonds

This week's theme at The Octopode Factory Friday challenge is girls just want to have fun. Hels Sunday challenge at Ink on my Fingers is pretty in pink. I really think that these challenges work really well together. Let me add in the challenge on the Technique Junkies blog , the acrylic block taping technique from the current TJ newsletter, which I used for my background.
My image is Anabelle Lee from the Octopode collection. She does look pretty in pink and adorned with diamonds. The sentiment is computer generated. Of course, with a sentiment like that, I had to add a lot of bling. I even sprayed the background with glimmer mist for the sparkle.

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Pocket Watch

The pocketwatch is one of my favorite Tim Holtz Idea-ology pieces to work with. This week the Compendium of Curiosities II challenge was the pocket watch technique from p. 35 of Tim's Book. I am also entering this in the Simon Says Stamp and Show anything goes challenge.
The challenge this week is being sponsored by the wonderful Simon Says Stamp.
The pocketwatch, swivel clasp, compass sticker, and sentiment are all from the Tim Holtz collection. The chess piece, flowers and pearl are from my stash. My piece is relatively simple, but I do love the look.

My Honey

Rogue Redhead Designs has a brand new full-size plate in the Essential Elements range - Getting Grizzly!  These sweet bears range from cuddly cubs to grown grizzlies, each with their own personality.  These new images are great to craft up some furry fun for your friends and family with “just because” cards, fuzzy and fun scrapbook pages and a bevy of other bear-related designs. As with all RRD’s other "full-size" plate designs, Getting Grizzly features great elements for card creation all in one plate - a full-size background, focal images, design elements and sentiments. 
Get Getting Grizzly until July 31st for the low introductory price of $17.60, 20% off its regular price of $22.00.  Don’t forget that Rogue Redhead Designs also stocks mounting supplies!
I created my card using the current RRD challenge sketch and the new Get Grizzly stamps. I also had the challenge at Kraft Journal (Cards for Him) and Tuesday Throwdown (Critters) in mind as I made it. The kraft background panel was stamped with the full-sized background stamp. I overstamped it with the sentiment which I also heat embossed. The little bear with his honey pot and the bee were colored with distress markers. The cute corner stamps are also part of this new stamp sheet. I thought that this card would make a great card for Father's Day, his birthday, or just because.

Sunday, June 10, 2012

Friends

The current Stampotique challenge is bright colors. I've combined that challenge with the Three Muses challenge of warm colors, and the Tuesday Throwdown challenge of friendship.
I'm not sure what came over me today; fun things happen when you use Stampotique stamps. I picked up Heads and a thought popped into my head. I looked at the image and saw fingerprints. So I pulled out my bright Adirondack archival inks and started putting my fingerprints over the image to color the heads. I cut out the stamped and colored image and adhered it to a black panel for contrast. I stamped the Stampotique sentiment at the bottom of the panel with Perfect Pearl Medium and used Perfect Pearl Confections powder to color the letters. The top sentiment are sticker letters. I think you'll agree that my little friends card depicts lots of warm and bright colors.

Love Just Gives

Something old, something new, something borrowed), something blue is supposed to bring good luck to a bride on her wedding. Well, this week, Our Daily Bread Designs challenges us to create using the something old, something new, something borrowed (gifted), something blue theme and Take a Word has wedding as its theme.
My wedding card features a  die cut in deep blue (new from Cheery Lynn this week), cream paper which I have had for years, and a bling embellishment that I received from my sister. the background was stamped in sand using the ODBD crocheted lace stamp. The sentiment is also from ODBD.

Week 2, CHAPTER 16: Going Postal!

Alice found this box tucked away in her closet. What could be in it?
The Fish-Footman began by producing from under his arm a great letter, nearly as large as himself, and this he handed over to the other, saying, in a solemn tone, `For the Duchess. An invitation from the Queen to play croquet.' The Frog-Footman repeated, in the same solemn tone, only changing the order of the words a little, `From the Queen. An invitation for the Duchess to play croquet.'
Then they both bowed low, and their curls got entangled together.
--Chapter 6, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

Just like the Queen's letter to the Duchess, our challenge this month is to create something with a postal theme - stamps, postcards, letters, envelopes; however you choose to interpret that. As always, all entries that meet the challenge theme are accepted but Wonderland entries are encouraged (they get two chances instead of one in the prize drawing). Friday, June 22 is the last day to enter this month's challenge.
Our sponsor is Stamp Attack, a British company that is well known (among other things) for their fantastic Alice stamp plates which have sold to customers all over the world. In fact, Helena Bonham Carter, the actress who played the Red Queen in the Tim Burton Alice movie, purchased sets of Alice stamps from Stamp Attack, which were then delivered to the studio! Enabler alert: Stamp Attack offers speedy worldwide shipping for only £1 on unmounted stamp orders, so go on and check out their beautiful stamps!
The winner will receive a Stamp Attack gift certificate for £13.50, which is equivalent to one of the Alice stamp plates! We will be showing off two new offerings from Stamp Attack: Alice Faux Postage and Mouse's Tail, aren't they great?


My inspiration for this Challenge:

Alice opens the box and memories of Wonderland start flooding back.







Inside she found postcards sent to her by her friends in Wonderland.






There was a bracelet with shrink plastic charms of Wonderland postage.
















And there was a book which held the tale of the Mouse tail. Alice wept a tear of happiness as she remembered the wonderful times she had in Wonderland.

All of the stamps used in the different projects (except the book cover) are from Stamp Attack. When I saw the new stamp releases, my imagination took over. I hope you enjoy the projects and the fantasy that went with them. I hope you will join in the fun and add your piece to The Altered Alice challenge.

Saturday, June 9, 2012

Soar

They don't call it a challenge for nothing. Make a manly card using dies which are frilly and ornate...can it be done? Yes, it can, with the right paper and the right image. Here is my manly card. Artistic Outpost has masculine as its monthly challenge theme and Cheery Lynn wants us to make it manly.
My image is from the Artistic Outpost set, Charles and Amelia. My background and flower paper is from Graphic45 A Proper Gentleman. All of the dies used are from Cheery Lynn: background - Reflections Celtic Chain Mega Doily, layering panel - Spring Flower Burst Doily with angel wing (done with vellum), and the flower and leaves - Build a Flower 1. The sentiment is an adage ticket from Tim Holtz.

Friday, June 8, 2012

Anniversary

It's Friday and time for Bloggers Challenge. This week the challenge is anniversary. This challenge and my card work well with the challenge at Creative Belli Blog which is sentiment only.
My base card is cryogen white and the layering panel is a beautiful, shimmery white cardstock. I used splendid circles from Spellbinders for the center. I cut and layered all of the layers using gold metallic paper. The sentiment (Club Scrap) was stamped on adhesive backed vellum, cut out with a circle die, and adhered to the center die cuts. To finish off my card, I added a little bling and a few white roses.

Thursday, June 7, 2012

All the World's a Stage

I always enjoy doing The Octopode Factory Friday challenge. The images are all so fun, so I feel like I can have a little fun when I work with them. This week's challenge is black and white. I just got the Shakespeare image, so I wanted to work with him. I decided to create a stage. I used pieces of corrugated cardboard painted white for the curtains. Since Shakespeare wrote the plays, I have him thinking about the lines and there's a pen nib he can use to write them down. I can't wait to see what he comes up with.

Imagination is Boundless

This week the challenge for Compendium of Curiosities II is repurposed packaging from p. 62 of Tim's book. I decided to try both techniques Tim described. I used the packaging that the texture fade used on my card was in. The first layer on my card is some of Tim's tissue paper. I did add alcohol inks to the embossed layer. Can I say that I absolutely love the snowcap mixative. It does wonderful things when used along with other colors--in this case, aqua and sailboat blue with a teeny touch of shell pink. The flower was cut from the tattered flowers die. The bird was stamped with a Tim stamp that I have had for years and still love. The sentiment is a wodrd band which I distressed with the snow cap dabber. Another week, another fun Tim technique.

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Kindergarten Graduation


As I said in my last post, Joshua, my grandson, is graduating from kindergarten tomorrow (Wednesday) This is the card I'm giving him. My layout is based on the sketch challenge at Mojo Monday.
My image is from Disney-clipart.com.
I am also entering my card in the Ink on My Fingers Sunday Challenge with the theme red, white, and blue, and in the Kraft Journal challenge which is graduation.

End of the School Year

It's the end of the regular school year. Joshua, my darling grandson, is graduating from kindergarten. He had a wonderful teacher this year, so of course, I had to make a thank you card to go with his gift from Mommy. I  pulled out my Graphics45, An ABC Primer, for my card. The addition cards and background paper are from the pad. "Thanks" is cut from grungepaper using Tim's Word Play die. The letters are colored with barn door distress stains and then covered with rock candy stickles. The strip being held with the tiny clothespin is a replica of the behavior chart system they use in the class. Joshua just beams when he moves his clip up to "outstanding", so I thought it appropriate that his teacher be on outstanding too.
Grungepaper, stickles, the number cards, and the embellishment clip all add texture to this card, so I'm entering it in the Simon Says Stamp and Show some texture challenge. I love it when a card comes together like I planned.

Monday, June 4, 2012

Beauty and the Butterflies

The current challenge at Classy Cards 'n Such had me stumped at first. I have problems with color challenges especially unusual color combinations. I really thought that it would be difficult to combine yellow, orange, and aqua in a card. However, once I got started, it was a great combination. I stamped my image (Great Impressions) on white cardstock and painted it with Creative Inspiration Paints. I do love the shimmer of these paints.
My background was made by using the Cheery Lynn French Lattice large die to cut a sheet of two sided adhesive. I adhered the adhesive die cut to the aqua panel and then added Creative Inspirations Paints glitter to the adhesive. I now had a sparkly aqua background for my card. I added a framing panel to the image in orange. Two yellow and orange butterflies (Cheery Lynn butterflies and angel wing) and a crepe paper flower highlighted with yellow paint (Cheery Lynn miniature rose die) were added to embellish the card. Now here's a card that is bright and cheery.
You can get both Cheery Lynn dies and Spellbinders dies at the Classy Cards 'n Such web site.

Ticket to Ride

This week the challenge at City Crafter is ticket to ride-create a piece with transportation and a ticket. On my card I got to use my "On the Railroad" set of Tim Holtz stamps. I've been waiting for a chance to use these stamps. I also got to use the archival resist technique again from Creative Chemistry 101. I just love that technique. For my ticket, I used one of Tim's adage tickets.

Friday, June 1, 2012

Never Give Up Hope

This is my last posting for today. The Try That Technique challenge at Technique Junkies is challenging us to use the layered masking technique from the Feb/Mar 2012 TJ newsletter. I've been admiring this technique done by several of the other TJers. This was a great opportunity to try it for myself. 
I'm also excited because Cornish Heritage Farms stamps are back and now CHF is sponsoring a challenge. The theme is anything goes. Both the lighthouse and sentiment are from the CHF collection.

Wishing

The layout of my card is based on the SweetStamps challenge sketch. My card also meets the challenge at Kraft Monday which is emboss and embellish and the challenge at Frilly and Funkie which is kraft and twine. My background panel has been dry embossed and the embossing was lightly highlighted with distress ink. The front panels are kraft cardstock. The long front panel was also embossed and highlighted with distress ink. The stamp is a part of a larger SweetStamps stamp which was stamped with distress ink and colored with watercolor markers. The sentiment is from the Tim Holtz collection. The embellishing pearls and twine are from my stash.

Kind Words

Today has been a fun day. I spent quite a bit of time in the studio, so it'll be a long blog night tonight. This card was created for a couple of challenges. At Our Daily Bread Designs, the Shining the Light challenge is pink, black and/or grey, and white/vanilla.The Ink on my Fingers Sunday challenge is words. My background panel is from a dictionary page (lots of words) which I stamped with pink (worn lipstick distress ink) dahlias (ODBD). The sentiment is also from ODBD. The ribbon was white and dyed with worn lipstick distress stain.

One Layer and Masculine

Fridays do roll around quickly. It's Bloggers Challenge time again and this time we are to make a one layer card. It's not as easy as it sounds. To make my card I started with a piece of manila cardstock. To create the background color I used distress stains on the front of the card. Then I stamped my postage and frame stamp from Hero Arts. This stamp has a matching embossing folder which highlights several of the stamps, postage marks and center tag shape. I went over the embossed areas with antique linen distress ink and the edges with vintage photo. The sentiment is from Club Scrap. I did add the two brad like embellishments to the tag image. I think the resulting card has a very vintage and masculine look.
I'm also entering this card into Simon Says Stamp and Show one for the boys, into Tuesday Throwdown with the theme masculine, and into Three Muses with the theme postage stamps.