Catsfish

Quick post today with cats and fishies! I mean, how could I not? The central portion of the tank is cut out and lifted with foam tape for dimension.  I'm fully expecting to see one of those cats dip a paw. I have another idea for depth but not sure when I'll fit that in. Too many ideas, too few hours. The background is washi. I wanted a pop of color, perhaps because the weather here in the PNW is still so blah.

I'm entering this in Simon Says Anything Goes, Watercooler Wednesdays #116 Masculine Anything Goes

The Details:  Your Next Stamp Scratch Pad, Lawn Fawn Fintastic Friends, Memory Box crab die, Pretty Pink Posh sequins, Memento Tuxedo Black, Copics, Waltzing Mouse Stitched Scalloped Rectangle die, mystery washi (looks Doodlebug to me), Ranger Glossy Accents, Wink of Stella

Stamplorations CAS #14 Challenge

It's time for a new challenge over at Stamplorations CAS with the optional color twist of HOT PINK. Oh, yes, please!!!! I love hot pink!

I masked a stamped a few houses from the Houses set, choosing to color only one that luscious hot pink. I used the congrats sentiment from Patchwork Frenzy Graphic Squares as this is meant for a coworker who bought an old Victorian house and is wondering what she has gotten into--LOL!

Use the code STAMPGIRLTONI to get 20% off all regular- and sale-priced stamps, stencils and dies! This code cannot be combined with any other discount codes. Happy crafting!

The Details:  Stamplorations Houses and Patchwork Frenzy Graphic Squares, Cutplorations Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle die, Copics

Jump!

I'm jumping for joy with how this card turned out!  She looks cute but then there's a weird dingly dangly tab sticking out of the top of the card--what's up with that?  Why, you can make her jump!!!!

I started out by sponging the background using Distress Inks and a couple of acetate masks I had made with Lawn Fawn and Mama Elephant dies.  Once I established the layout, I diecut the slot and built up the foam channel on the back.  Next I colored the leaves and girl, paper-piecing her hat and scarf with leftover Lawn Fawn fall plaid paper.

I added the pull tab as an afterthought because it wasn't easy to make her jump by grabbing onto her poor hat.  It's no problem with the tab and easy peasy to cut away the excess foam.  Notice the little stoppers about midway up?  That's to prevent her from jumping above the sentiment. Ignore the stamping and sponging you see.  I was repurposing paper.

I'm entering this in Coffee Lovers Fall Blog Hop, Simon Says Wednesday Anything Goes, Mod Squad Falling Leaves, AAA #74 Masking

The Details:  Lawn Fawn Perfectly Plaid Fall 6x6 paper, Slide On Over dies (coming soon to the store!), and mask created from Grassy Bordner die, Ranger Round Ink Applicator and Multi Medium Matte, Distress Ink Mowed Lawn, Twisted Citron, Tumbled Glass, memento Tuxedo Black, Copics, mask created from Mama Elephant Cloud Border die, Waltzing Mouse Stitched Scalloped Rectangle die, MFT Pure Innocence Jump for Joy, and Spin and Slide Disks, Sakura white pigment pen

Lawn Fawn Perfectly Plaid Fall 6x6 Paper

Ranger Round Ink Applicators

Ranger Round Ink Applicators Refills

Ranger Multi Medium Matte

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Happy Birthday, Tonya!

Happy happy happy birthday to my friend, Tonya!  Tonya is a kooky gal who makes me laugh.  She's also my enabler with her store, The Heart Desires.  THD has been open just a few months and has been a dream of Tonya's for a long while.  May all your wildest dreams come true, Tonya!

For the card I die cut the Smitten Kitten designer paper -- love those pierced edges and Tonya loves pink so how could I not use this paper.  Then I stamped and colored up the fairy.  It's easier to see in person but the yellow I added to the blue shade of her tunic and underskirt lend them an iridescent look.  The wings are sparkled up with some Wink of Stella too.  She is a fairy after all.  I next masked her off and sponged fluffy clouds using my homemade cloud mask.  The best part of the card tho?  It lights up!  Look at her glowing wand when you press her skirt.  Such a fun surprise!

You should have arrived here from Laura and are next hopping over to Kimberly to see what she designed in celebration of Tonya's big day!

I'm entering this in Shopping Our Stash #270 Fairies and Angels, Simon Says Wednesday Gift It, and Seize the Birthday

The Details:  Waffle Flower Lacy Layers dies, Doodlebug Kitten Smitten 6x6 paper, Ranger Round Ink Applicator, Ranger Multi Medium Matte, Wink of Stella, Chibitronics, Distress Ink Tumbled Glass, Simon Says Secret Garden, My Favorite Things Magical Unicorns sentiment, Stampendous Detail Fine White embossing powder, Pop Tone cardstock base, Copics

Waffle Flower Lacy Layers Dies	Doodlebug Kitten Smitten 6x6 Paper	Ranger Round Ink Applicators	Ranger Round Ink Applicators Refills
Ranger Multi Medium Matte

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Dream Big, Piggy

I am loving the plaid paper and cute animals I'm seeing everywhere, aren't you?  I used the plaids from two different pads.  Lawn Fawn plaid as sky--heck, yes! Jen Hadfield farmer red plaid for the diecut--had to, there's a pig!  Punny dream big--again, it's a pig!  For the JH plaid, I used Copic RV04 to spark up the solid sections of the paper design.  Gotta have that pop.  I also created a gray shadow for the sentiment die and covered it in a bit of Wink.  Okay, a lot of Wink.  Same goes for little piggy's wings.  See all that sparkly goodness?

Do stop by The Heart Desires Store for these products and much more.  TTYL!

I'm entering this in Shopping Our Stash #265 What's the Good Word, Simon Says Wednesday Make for the Border, Cardz 4 Guys #133 Words

The Details:  Neat and Tangled You Can Do Anything die, Pebbles Jen Hadfield Everyday paper, Lawn Fawn Perfectly Plaid paper, VersaFine Onyx Black, Clear Wink of Stella, Ranger Round Ink Applicator, Mama Elephant Landscape Trio, Clearly Besotted Trouble in a Tutu, Recollections 110lb white cardstock base, Copic R000, R00, R01, R02, RV04, T0, Scotch foam tape, Distress Tumbled Glass

Neat & Tangled You Can Do Anything Die	Pebbles Jen Hadfield Everyday 6x6 Paper	Lawn Fawn 6x6 Plaid Paper	Wink of Stella, Clear
VersaFine Onyx Black	Ranger Round Ink Applicators	Ranger Round Ink Applicators Refills

InLinkz.com

Stamplorations CAS July Challenge Reminder!

We're still rockin' the orange over at Stamplorations CAS Anything Goes challenge.  Come join in the fun!

The Details:  Stamplorations Bold Sentiments:  Believe, Stampin' Up World Traveler embossing folder, Hero Arts Neon Yellow to Orange, Doodlebug black enamel dots, Simon Says stitched rectangle die, Recollections 110lb white cardstock

HLS Mixed Media March Challenge!

The new Happy Little Stampers Mixed Media Challenge starts today.  The keyword is "water."  There are sooooo many possibilities with this one!

I immediately thought of watercolor.  I happened to have one final piece of a watercolor galaxy left over so I pulled that out.  I stamped and embossed the sentiment and had planned to place the square directly on top of the embossed stars panel but it was blah.  Silver vellum and mirrored stars fixed that problem in a jiffy.  I love the depth of the layers and galaxy panel.

I can't wait to see what you come up with!

The Details:  Gansai Tambi watercolors, Stampendous white embossing powder, Versamark, Tim Holtz stars, Memory Box stars stencil, Dreamweaver embossing paste, My Favorite Things pierced square die, Canson Effects trans silver 27lb paper, Glossy Accents, Recollections 110lb black cardstock, PTI 140lb white cardstock base, Simon Says Work Out sentiment

High 5!

Had this idea brewing for a while and got my kick in the butt to do it by CASology #160 Number. 

I used Deco Foil transfer adhesive as a stenciling medium.  I learned it's important to sweep the surface as smooth as possible so it's easier to get the foil to stick in one go.  Also, it needs to dry for a spell before adding the foil to achieve maximum stickiness.  Not stickiness but stick-to-it-ness.

The Details:  iCraft Deco Foil and Transfer Adhesive, CAS-ual Friday sentiment, 5 mask cut with my Cameo, PTI 140lb white cardstock

I'm also entering this in Daring Cardmakers Let's Hear it for the Boys, Just Add Ink #276 Cards for Males   

Enjoy the Moment . . . Smile

The House of Cards is back from a little summer break and we have a brand new super fantastic challenge for you.  I personally love inspiration pic challenges because you have so many possibilities to play around with.  This time I chose to go with the citrus colors (yum!) on my wildflower background.  I wasn't sure how the "Enjoy the Moment" sentiment would show up but I stamped it a couple of times using the MISTI to make it really bold.  Love!

The Details:  Hero Arts Pale Tomato, Orange Soda, and Everything Flower Background, Memento Dandelion, Recollections 110lb white and black cardstock, PTI Reasons to Smile and Mixed Messages sentiments, Memento Tuxedo Black, Simon Says stitched rectangle die

I'm entering this in Inkspirational #85 Wild, Addicted to Stamps and More! #151 Anything Goes, Crafty Cardmakers and More 141 sentiment, Virginia's View #16 100% Stamped

Your Time to Soar

I was and am really smitten with the Card Concept inspiration picture.  I replicated the color by dotting 4 (5?) different alcohol inks (love these!) on the edge of an alcohol ink applicator and swiping it repeatedly across a piece of glossy cardstock.  It turned out so amazing.  You'll definitely see that on my cards in the future.  With this card I'd plop it in the clean and layered category; there's a graphic quality too.

The Details:  Avery Elle Look Up sentiment, Memento Tuxedo Black, Adirondack alcohol inks, Memory Box Dancing Butterflies, Isabella Butterfly and Rhone Butterfly Wings dies, Recollections 110 lb white cardstock, Simon Says stitched rectangle die

I'm entering this in The Card Concept #37 Butterfly Effect, Just Add Ink #267 Typography, Simon Says Wednesday Fav Product or Technique, Addicted to Stamps & More! #149 CAS

Edited:  How could I have forgotten Fusion?  Shame on me!

Celebrating You

Next week I am sending someone to run a public health meeting in Nairobi in my stead.  She's really young and new to the mechanics of such a thing but has really been pushing herself hard to learn the ropes (and stop my hair from going gray!).  This card is for her.  I plan to have another team member take it along and give it to her when the meeting is over.  She will definitely have earned it!

The Details:  Stampabilities Cherry Blossom stamp, PTI sentiment (Signature Greetings?  Frankie is lying on top of the package--LOL), Memento Tuxedo Black, Recollections vellum and 110 lb white cardstock base, Hammermill Color Copy 80lb Photo White Cover Stock, MFT stitched rectangle dies, Glossy Accents, Gold Smooch, Copic E19, E33, E37, E97, B21, B23, B26, RV10, RV13, RV14, T1, N7

Oh, dang, I just noticed I missed coloring one of the buds.  Do you see it in the upper left corner right beneath the frame?  She'll be too glad the meeting is over to notice, I'm sure!

I'm entering this in CAS(E) This Sketch! #114, The Paper Players #236 CAS Floral, and Fantasy Stampers #32 Spring is in the Air (isn't it tho!)

Oh, My Stars!

I am loving how this turned out.  Anybody else reminded of the Looney Toons cartoon starring Bugs Bunny and Gossamer where Bugs pretends to be a hairdresser?

Nothing much to tell on this card.  I sponged the stars using a fab gold pigment ink, die cut the speech bubble (cannot get enough of this new die at the moment--working on another card idea using it and crossing my fingers it turns out), added the sentiment then sponged the stars on the speech bubble (because it hadn't occurred to me to extend the stars onto the speech bubble until afterwards--wasn't a problem at all).  Here's another pic so you can see how I curved out the speech bubble. I used a double stack of foam tape just down the middle of the diecut then used Glossy Accents to glue down the ends for that effect.

The Details:  Delicata Golden Glitz, Hampton Art clear embossing powder, Versafine, Memory Box die, Recollections white cardstock, Lil' Inker sentiment, foam tape, Glossy Accents, black glossy cardstock for base, Heidi Swapp stencil

I'm entering this in Daring Cardmakers CAS, Addicted to CAS #45 Geometric, The Male Room Seeing Stars, AAA #17 Stencil, Simply Create Too #69 Something New

Run With It

The current theme at CASology is Run so I ran with it.  Yes, I just wrote that.  LOL.

Rather self-explanatory card. I diecut the rainbow  and watercolored the ends.  Then dripped the same colors beneath.  Those Peerless colors are vibrant, aren't they? 

The Details:  Tim Holtz watercolor paper, My Favorite Things rainbow die, Peerless watercolors, Darice cloud embossing folder, Stampendous white Detail Fine embossing powder, foam tape

I'm entering this in CASology #105 Run, Simon Says Wednesday Emboss It, Less is More #182 Anything Goes  

Yeah, baby!

I was very excited to receive my first CAS-ual Fridays stamps so I combined them with the  current CASE Study and Card Concept colors.  I thought it would be fun to cut out the flower with a circle and inset it.  I then mounted the panel with foam tape on the card base.  I then stamped & embossed the banner sentiment in gold.  You can just tell in the photo that I cut out the banner in vellum and layered it.  I tried a few different colors then went with classic black for the bottom sentiment which I embossed in white.  I added white Enamel Accents around the flower--I love the dimension and shine there.  A few holographic gold sequins finish it off.


The Details:  Pop Tone Sno Cone cover stock, CAS-ual Fridays Woot Woot stamps, The Good Life 12x12 designer paper, Darice holographic gold sequins, gold embossing powder, Versamark, Stampendous detail white embossing powder, white Enamel Accents

I'm entering this in CASE Study #200, Simon Says Spots & Dots, The Card Concept #14 Colors (clean and layered), Addicted to CAS #43 Celebrate

Bicycle Shaker Tutorial

I enjoyed making the music shaker so much I worked up two more using my bicycle die.    The first has the shakers as the wheels and a fun rainbow ombre watercolor wash.  For that I layered narrow bands of colors on watercolor paper, letting them overlap to create a nature looking gradation. The second card has the shaker as part of the basket--I was thinking a basket full of flowers here.  So fun!  I love, love, love how the embossing and impressing turned out.  Such very different cards although using the same elements.

Step 1:  I embossed the clouds until about halfway down the card.  My folder didn't cover the entire front so I used a stylus and the embossing folder to add a couple more clouds on the right.

Step 2:  I wanted grass but didn't want another layer so I impressed it.  Notice how I changed the vertical position each time I impressed it.

Step 3:  I die cut the bicycle, keeping all of the interior pieces.  I didn't keep the main bicycle diecut because it had impressed grass in it.  Instead, I cut out a second bicycle from another cardstock.
Step 4:  I thoroughly taped down the bicycle to the card, excluding only those areas where the shakers were going to be.

Step 5:  I glued my transparency film behind the wheels then built the shaker barriers out of a double layer of foam tape.  I enclosed the shakers using diecut circles.  I then added more foam tape along the edges and open areas of the card before adhering to the base.

Alt: For the basket I die cut a circle around the basket before taping the bicycle back in then proceeded largely as described above.

The Details:  Marianne Designs bicycle die, PTI cardstock and "celebrate" sentiment, Penny Black Nature's WIshes sentiment, Darice embossing folder, Savvy Dies grass, Pretty Pink Posh clear 4mm sequins, Lifestyle Crafts plain circle die, My Favorite Things Stitched Circle die, Versamark Onyx Black ink, foam tape, patience

I'm entering this in Addicted to Stamps and More Make Your Mark, Simon Wednesday Shake It, Just Add Ink Shakers, The Friday Mashup #167 WaterColor Wash, Virginia's View Challenge #5 Die Cuts, AAA Cards #10 Watercolor, TIME OUT #9 Fun in the Sun