"Something Spooky"

Yep, there's some real spookiness going on over at

Stampin for the Weekend!

 

The challenge is to create something spooky for the holiday!

 

Easy enough with all those terrific images out there!

 

I chose to use one of my favorite sponsors,

Saturated Canary!

She's gorgeous and rather scary at the same time!

 

 

 

Image used:

"Withering Fairy"

 

Colored with Copics, and paper used is Graphic 45.

 

Have fun, and create something really scary! LOL!

 

~Jan~

A Bevy of Butterflies!

In recognition of

Breast Cancer Awareness Month,

I made this layout using the prettiest butterfly stamp ever

and one of my favorite quotes!

 

Crafter's Companion

 has many different styles of stamp images...

funny, cute, sincere, and insightful.

I loved these butterflies from

"Flying Colors"

(part of the Sheena Douglas collection)

the very first time I saw them!

 

 

The proverb was taken from the internet.

I think it speaks volumes when it comes to the brave women who

face breast cancer every day!

"There, but by the grace of God, ..."

 

 

A side view showing the dimension I added to each butterfly.

 

I colored them with my alcohol markers.

Then, with the antenna and the Glossy Accents added, they really came to life!

 

 

This is definitely one of my all-time favorite layouts.

No personal photos, or even experiences journaled, but it simply reflects how I feel about the trials that one must be faced with when battling a horrible disease.

 

If you look closely, you will also see how I implemented a new embossing folder from Die'Sire!  More of that at Crafter's Companion later this week!

 I made the background layer more vintage by cutting and distressing the edges and inking it to appear more aged.

Paper:  Graphic45, "Botanicabella" 
Cardstock:  Bazzill

Thanks for sharing in this special project with me
and Crafter's Companion!



More delicious embossing....

On my card today, I used the adorable image from

Crafter's Companion's

Christine Haworth

called

"In Trouble Again"

 

I think you'll agree that this little guy is just too cute for words.

 

The challenge at Crafter's Companion this month is

Stripes and/or Dots,

so this is how I put a vintage twist on my entry.

 

 

I loved the background on the image enough that I grabbed a piece of the tan cardstock that I used as a card base, and altered it to serve as a

background "brick mat" on my card.

If you want to see how this was done, I will be Guest Designing this month  at

Crafter's Companion (yippee!) and they, and I, will be posting another card and tutorial on this technique on September 17th!

 

 

 

 

Here you can see the shimmer on the "wall" and the way it entirely changes

the look of the plain cardstock paper.

It also gives it the feel of vinyl.  Cool, eh?

 

 

And with an image that adorable,

I needed an extra special sentiment for the inside.



DYSU CHallenge #86!

We have three amazing sponsors this week:

One Year PDF subscription

Winner's Choice of 5 Digis

$16 Gift Certificate

Fantasy, combined with Halloween, mix in a bit of romance...

I had some Graphic 45, "Hallowe'en in Wonderland" paper left over from Fall last year and decided to use it to clear the way for yet more NEW papers!  Whee!

Other than the spider who was stamped and heat embossed, no images were used on this card.  And the sentiment was one generated on my computer in Word...

easiest card I've made in a while!

Since "Alice" is a fictional character, I figured this would count as a fantasy project!  I dearly love little Alice. And it would be so like me, too, to pick up and eat a biscuit just because it said "Eat me"... yea, I'm gullible that way! 

Go check out the rest of the Design Team's projects!

I'm sure their fantasy cards are fun, too!

Oldtime Memories...

Well, not my memories, of course...

I'm not quite old enough to remember these old stick horses, and by the time I was born,
little boys were not wearing the short pants... 

But we all rode around on our more "modern" versions of the hobby horse.

No, in the 50's they still didn't "neigh" when you pulled a string, or make a clicking sound when you ran...we DID have to use a bit more imagination than that!

This is one of the gorgeous new releases from
STAMPENDOUS!

The new stamp,
"Hobby Horse",
is absolutely vintage perfect.

I have been waiting for just the right images to use with my

Graphic 45, "Playtimes Past" papers, and this fits the bill!

The image is cut out with Spellbinders, "Labels Nine", colored with Copics, and then the frame was cut three times (twice on chipboard, once with pattern paper) and layered over the image. The whole thing was then popped up off the card.

The little banner was also strung and popped up to give even more dimension.

Ahhh, my heart swoons when I get a new vintage stamp.

Get on over to Stampendous to see the rest of the Design Team's creations!
They're sure to knock your socks off!

Not only do some of them have their own blog candy, Stampendous will be drawing a winner for this great prize pack.

How do you win it? It's easy! One of the featured bloggers today will be choosing a random commenter from her blog, and that lucky person will be announced on the Stampendous blog tomorrow. The more places you leave a comment, the better your chances are to win! Below is the list of team members who are sharing inspiration today:

Stampendous Impressions
Kristine Reynolds
Jennifer Dove 
Taylor Usry (has blog candy)
Jan Garber
Lea Kimmel 
Pam Hornschu
Rhea Weigand
Wendy Price
Tenia Nelson
Krissy Fossmeyer
April Derrick

Please leave a comment so that you can be in the running to win this terrific stamp and gorgeous glass glitter!

A Peek Through Poe's Window...

Perhaps it's just the dark side of me, but I love Edgar Allen Poe's works.

I have since I was a young reader.  I remember sneaking a flashlight into bed to lay under the covers and read until late into the night.

With the release of this new Stampendous stamp,
I was thrilled!

Presenting: 

 "Nevermore"

The heat embossing brings out every tiny detail in this image.

Fortunately, Stampendous makes the BEST Detail Black Embossing Powder!

Once I stamped, embossed, burned the edges, and matted this image, it just looked so much as though I were peering through a window...

Poe's window perhaps...

And with the addition of the "lace curtains", it becomes even more so.

What sends a "Halloween" message better than that?

This is one of those cards I may have to keep for myself.

Just sayin'.

We're in the fourth day of  showing off new products from Stampendous! I hope you have enjoyed what you have seen so far!
Not only do some of the team members have their own blog candy, Stampendous will again be drawing a winner for this great prize pack.

How do you win it? It's easy! One of the featured bloggers today will be choosing a random commenter from her blog, and that lucky person will be announced on the Stampendous blog tomorrow. The more places you leave a comment, the better your chances are to win! Below is the list of team members who are sharing inspiration today:

Stampendous Impressions
Jennifer Ingle
Kristine Reynolds
Jennifer Dove 
Lynn Mercurio
Taylor Usry (has additional blog candy)
Jan Garber
Susie Moore
Lea Kimmel
Wendy Price
Janelle Stollfus

Suzanne Czosek 
Tenia Nelson

Leave a comment!

You never knwo who the featured Design Tem member will be for today!

DYSU Challenge #78 - Clouds!

Our sponsors this week:
Crafty Sentiments - http://craftysentimentsdesigns.co.uk/
* Winner's Choice of 4 Images



The Paper Shelter - http://www.thepapershelter.com/
* $20 Gift Certificate



Gecko Galz - http://www.geckogalz.com/
* Entire July Collection (The Digital Paper Pack "Great Adventures", 6 different collage sets including Vintage Travels & Wild West dominos, and a digital stamp set "Mermaids Garden" a prize pack worth $30)


     This was a tough one because I was so excited choosing my "Gecko Galz" image,

that I totally blocked out the fact that our challenge was to, in some way, incorporate "blue skies" or clouds!  There have been a few times I have gotten a card started and realized that, in the excitement of using an image, paper or color,
 I've forgotten to consider the challenge requirement.
At that point, you just have to laugh and start over! 

Thankfully, nothing was glued down when I decided to go with the
heat embossed clouds.

This card was made to commemorate the U.S.'s fight for freedom

and why we celebrate July 4th.

I usually like to stay away from the typical bright red, white, and blue, but these muted papers and the subtle, vintage image won me over!

These Gecko Galz sheets are so beautiful, I want them all!

And if you want to know how the little banner was made, I printed the image a second time much larger, and cut the banner flags from a section of the printed image!

I had, only yesterday, received these little flowers from Wendy Robinson in a prize box from a Zva blog hop! Perfect timing, Wendy! I tinted them with my Copics to coordinate with  the print and quickly had a sweet embellishment!

Have a wonderful weekend and, for those of you stateside,
have a fun and safe upcoming
Fourth of July 
celebration!

Inspire...

I have been dying to get this little fairy all inked up since she

arrived in my mail the other day!

I used the challenge sketch at Craft's Meow who makes this

amazing little stamp!

When I make cards, I usually even make a larger size card, but this week I decided to try something new. At least one thing...every week... so this week it is to make an ATC card!  Not easy for me. Normally such a tiny canvas in with which to work!  But, in this case, the folks at Simon Says Stamp & Show stated that it need not be a traditional size ATC.  (2 1/2" x 3 1/2") Whew!  So I added less than an inch each direction and went with a 3 1/4" by 4" card base. I know! Not a lot of difference, but baby steps, baby steps....

I had already stamped the second sentiment in the center when I realized the sketch calls for the sentiment on the bottom. (I also noticed several of the DT had used more than one sentiment...just sayin'....)

If you look closely, you'll see my tiny, wee sentiment along the bottom of the card.

I also flipped the sketch a bit, but stuck to the basics of it.

For my next trick of the week, this is the first time I have ever stamped and heat embossed on vellum! Yea, I know...under a rock...

It turned out really nice! I stamped the little fairy with my Momento black ink, sprinkled it with black powder, and carefully heated it up! Not so tough! It melted properly and never even looked like it would melt or burn! Love it!

So, in a nutshell, I have learned several new techniques this week and all because of a few wonderful blog challenges!

Supplies used:
Paper;  Graphic 45, "Renaissance faire Collection"
Stamps; Craft's Meow, "Butterfly Kisses"
Dies; Cricut, Art Philosophy
Rub-on; Scenic Route paper Co.
Pearls; Recollections

This little creation will be entered into the challenges at:
Craft's Meow Shop Sketch Challenge
Simon Says Stamp and Show (ATC card)
Crafty Creations (Fabulous Fairies)
Simon Says Stamp Challenge (Dies to die for)

Mad Hatter Party!

You're invited to join me at "The Altered Alice" challenge blog  for an Un-Birthday Party!   Those of you familiar with Alice in Wonderland, know that nothing is what it appears to be there!
Here is my invitation made just for the occasion.
Mad Hatter Day is celebrated either on the 6th of October, or on the 10th of June, depending on where you live. (See explanation here.) 

Also, part of the celebration is to bring something to the party! Well, those who know me also know that I go nowhere without my tea!  And would I ever be on time without my pocket watch? LOL!

Note that the tag on his tag reads, "10/6"...which is the size.

 But in different parts of the world,

"Mad Hatter Day" is celebrated either on

October 6th, or June 10th! Cool, eh?

My tiny teabags...

Everyone, please, join me in a cup of tea on Friday!

I'll be sitting back and relaxing and having a few myself!

And check out the party!