Say it with a Flourish!

This challenge at Flourishes was particularly fun for me, because I LOVE working with the ribbons and lace, and buttons, and pearls, and well, everything vintage and romantic!

Here's my card. 

When I have a morning like today, I have to just shut myself off in my scrap room and play...  I am sooo frustrated with my medical doctors right now,I could scream!!!!  Leave it to say, from what I'm experiencing, this country's health system is going down the toilet!  But, for now, I'm happy playing with my goodies!

And suffice it to say, when I fell in love with the resin pieces, I decided I had to have tons! Little ones, big ones, and all colors and shapes...  isn't this one gorgeous! Definately a "no mailing" card!

The stamp is Flourishes "Medallion", and I absolutely love it!  I have used it more than most!  It heat embosses so beautifully and detailed.

I've also used this sketch from CardPatterns, as my jumping-off sketch guide.

They have some wonderful metal sheets to giveaway over there!  Check it out!

Pattern Paper:  My Mind's Eye, "Lost and Found"

DYSU Challenge #50 WINTER!

 Welcome back for a new challenge here at Do You Stack Up?!

As the chilly weather moves in, we want you to show us your

Winter projects!

This week's Sponsors:

Crafty Emma £10 Gift Voucher (exc p&p)

Digi Darla Digital Stamp Club One Month’s Membership

Inky Impressions
$10 Gift Certificate

I chose to go with a decorated jar to hold candy canes...seems everyone enjoys an occasional sweet treat around the holidays!

With the adorable image, "Reindeer Rides"  from Inky Impressions, it was so easy!
Here's "Rudolf, the Red-Nosed Reindeer" for the
challenge at "Scrap It With A song" (a Christmas carol).

I didn't want to loose the image by wrapping it tight around the jar, and didn't have a larger jar, so I made little "wings" with tri-folded cardstock, and attached them to the backside of the cut out image.  I may transfer this whole image to a different jar or box later. But for now, the candy canes show through the window and look so yummy!

  I added homemade "flower fluff" to his antlers and to the ones on the building.  And of course, he had to have a shiny, red, blingy nose!

And wanting to make it more vintage, I inked the edge of the image with Distress Ink.  It still needed an old-timey look, so I glued some DCWV holiday paper added to the lid, along with the traditional red bow!

The tickets are Tim Holtz with an Inkadinkado Christmas sentiment stamp.

Check out the rest of the team's goodies, and join in the fun this week at

DYSU!

Also, this project was entered in the challenge at

Simon Says Stamp and Show (Through the looking glass)

Stampendous Color Challenge

This month, the color challenge at Stampendous Impressions is

Pink, Cream, Gold, and Brown. 

That said VINTAGE to me immediately! 

Isn't this Stampendous image just gorgeous?  It's called "Rose Corset".  And the KaiserCraft pattern paper I used for the background is flocked so it looks like wallpaper.

After coloring my image with Copics, I used my little Spritzer and "spit" some soft pink/lavender ink (Copics V04) around the finished image, casually masking it off using my hand.  The little buttons are made with my Pearl Pen.  I stamped the sentiment from Stampendous "Happy Messages" set onto my matted stamped image, and finished it off by attaching a gold ribbon and bow.
Copics used for this image: 
E00
E51
E33
R81
RV21
RV04
Since I use primarily Ciao markers, I'm unable to simply take a photo of the Copics I use, showing the numbers.  Someday...

P.S.  Note to anyone out there considering starting Copics, go with the Sketches! They cost just a bit more, but there are several advantages.  You don't need to refill as often, they have the identifying letter/number on the caps, and there are many more colors available in the Sketches.  I am mixing the two types of markers, but storage of both together  tends to be a problem.

Dreaming of a White Christmas?

I saw this challenge on Scrap It With A Song and absolutely had to laugh out loud!  Being in the desert of Arizona, I doubt very much if any amount of dreaming will result in a white Christmas! But it doesn't stop us all from making our winter cards and layouts!
I made several versions of this card for my friends and relatives, most of whom live in areas where they really will have snow!

I've been getting my Copics out more now since I started classes. 

Hopefully, my coloring skills will only improve.

I used beads, glitter, and embossed the snowflakes to make this one

different and a little special.

Also, entered in the challenges at:

 Party Time Tuesdays (Red and Green)

Scrap-Creations (Snow!)

Papertrey Part Deux

I had such a good time with the first card, so I decided to make a second one for this fun challenge at Capture the Moment for Make it Monday!

I heat embossed the stamped design on the dress form and then followed up by coloring it with Copics.  Loving those Pearl Pens, too! Makes adding the little details so quick and easy!  The sentiment is Papertrey Ink, of course!

new papertrey challenge!

The Make It Monday challenge at Capture the Moment this week is to color with your Copics on an embossed image or sentiment...
Needless to say, this made me a bit nervous.  There are so many rules about what you CAN and CAN NOT touch the Copics ink tips to that I kinda freaked.

But here is my card.  I heat embossed the Papertrey sentiment and the butterfly stamped image from my stash. Then I highlighted the butterflies in flight with my markers.  I noticed a bit of a white residue left on my marker tips so I cleaned them thoroughly to avoid any gumminess or problems next time I use them.  I would suggest always cleaning them if you are in doubt about where those tips have been!

I like the soft color it added to my butterflies.

And it gave me an excuse to use some of the Prima flowers a friend gave me recently!

(Thanks, Jennifer!)

DYSU Challenge #49

So glad you could join us once again for a new challenge at Do You Stack Up?!
This week we want to see Something Old!
It could truly be something old, or just a vintage style or image.

This week's Sponsors:

Saturated Canary Digis Winner’s Choice of 2 Digis

Gecko Galz Prize Package: Pack of paper of the winners choice, 4 collage sets of the winners choice, a stamp set of the winners choice, and vintage pearl button pack, vintage lace, and Gecko Galz fibers

I really fell in love with this image from Saturated Canary!
I actually split the digital in two on Photoshop and used it as seperate images.
I love the way it turned out!
It reminded me of when I was a young girl (yes, THAT long ago) and we used to play with cups as phones! This new generation doesn't have a clue how to use their imagination!
I still love using all the banners!

Aren't they adorable?
I carefully planned the placement so that the little gal inside the card wasn't showing from the cover.

I'm still good  friends and stay in touch with my grade school buddy, and she so enjoys getting my cards. 

Now, Go check out the rest of the Design Team's creations this week!
FUN!

This card is also entered into the CONTEST:
"Celebrating Relationships Challenge in the Moxie Fab World"

Flashback Friday 18.0! OWLS!!!

Wow, I am not a huge fan of the owls...although I used one just a short while back. But this was my first "owl" card that I made not so long ago...May, 2010 to be exact.  It was for "Send Love Today" for kids with brain tumors.

I remember the stamp I had with me at this particular retreat had only the words "Whoooo... "  and then "thinking of you" so I had to adlib and add the "is" and the "?"
Looking back, I would definaltely do it differently today. 
Like I said, this blog challenge really takes you back.

Flashback Fridays

DYSU Challenge #48

Tied it up!

Sorry to be late posting...apparently the time I spend with my elderly parent's totally messes with my calendar!  This was to have posted earlier, like on December 1st!   Hope you enjoy it anyway!
Ribbon (or anything that ties)!

Yep, this week the challenge at Do You Stack Up was to use anything you can tie-

string, ribbon, twine, jute, shoelaces...well, you get the picture!

This week's Sponsors:

Stamp Fairy Winner’s Choice of 3 Digis

Copic Marker Scrapbooking 6 Copic Ciao Markers (North/South America), Martha Stewart punch (rest of the world)

Sparkle Creations Rubber Stamps Charlotte with a Rose and Scooter Chloe Rubber Stamps

The frame is one I found in Michael's Dollar Bin, already white and ready to go!

This was also my first card using my Viva-Decor Pearl Pen!

 I love the way it makes perfect, tiny little pearls every time!

Inside of card:

I attempted to highlight the image of the pocketwatch with glitter glass, and what it ended up looking like was a crystalline coffee ring...LOL!  Oh well, it's pretty, too.

The sillouette is from Stampendous,

and I never miss a chance to use their Fran*tage Essentials Glitter Glass! 

The paper is from GCD's , "Antiquities" paper pack! Gorgeous stuff!

NOW, Stop over at the DYSU blog

and check out all the other Design Team's cards! 

Again, sorry I totally blanked on the date!  Had it pre-posted a week ago and everything!!!  Kicking myself!Eeeek!

Craft's Meow wishes...

This is my favorite fairy stamp ever!  Wait, I've never really been much of a fairy person, so where is this coming from?  Only the fact that this little stamp won my heart about a year ago and I just can't get enough of her!

This week's sketch challenge at Craft's Meow is ideal for a simple, yet elegant card.

I heat embossed the sillouette in black to make it POP off the pattern paper.

I love the delicate little wings...

Paper used was Basic Grey, "Origins" and Nestie used was Labels Eleven.

My Grafico is having a Giveaway!

http://www.partyblog.mygrafico.com/silhouette_giveaway/mg_silhouettegiveaway/

Enter to win an amazing gift this holiday!http://www.partyblog.mygrafico.com/silhouette_giveaway/mg_silhouettegiveaway/

Merry Mistletoe!

The current Holiday Diva Dare challenge at Verve is to make

 "A Handmade Christmas" project,

using your Verve stamps,

of course!

 I love the way the "Leafy Sprigs" die works with the "Bloom and Grow" stamps to make a perfect mistletoe branch! I simply cut and stamped 7 of the larger sprigs, and layered them with pop dots between to give it dimension. I wanted berries with some "umph" too, so I used round pearl buttons I had saved from an old sweater that had long ago been discarded.  I think it came out really nice.  I won't mind at all hanging this up over the entry during the holidays!  Off to my closet to find more buttons!  LOL!

Christmas Challenges

Simon Says Stamp  and Show has a challenge this week to "show some stars" on your card!  I pulled out this little Magnolia image from several years ago and sat her on a sparkly snow drift.  I love the Stampendous Fran*tage collection, but it doesn't show up very well in photos...

Also, this card is entered at Magnolia-licious!

(Because I could really use some new Magnolia holiday images!)

Fall's not over yet!

Let's not jump into Christmas just yet!  It's only the end of November...almost another month until Christmas.  Fall always gets cheated when it comes to celebrating.  We put up our Thanksgiving decorations and 2-3 weeks later, we take it all down.  I like to enjoy this season as long as possible.

I love owls.  I'm not obsessed like some folks (and you know whooo you are!) , but I like them.  When I moved to the desert, I was only acquainted with very different type of owls that I knew back in the Midwest.  In Arizona, you have the tiny little burrowing owls that live everywhere; in school yards, along freeways, in our subdivisions.  Then we have these amazing, huge desert creatures that fly over and leave a shadow to be feared on the ground!  I have long been aware that they could easily attack and pick up my little dog.  But, they are still so cool!

So, let's not say "goodbye" to Fall just yet!

Enjoy!

Supplies:

Papers: Jillibean Soup

Stamp; Studio 112

Die; Verve

This card will be entered in the challenge at:
Wee Memories  (woodland animal, esp. OWLS!)

Challenges Galore!

This month HAS to be the most inspiring of the year! So many challenges to help you get your Christmas/Holiday cards finished!

"Capture the Moment", has a "ruffle" challenge! I love ruffles, whether handmade out of ribbon or paper, or store bought.  I chose to make mine out of my Hug Snug ribbon to keep a soft, cream color to my card.

The sketch I used was from Card Patterns blog, flipped, of course! 

Supplies:
Stamps; Papertrey Ink, "Button Boutique"
Ribbon; Hug Snug (internet purchase)
Ink; Tim Holtz, Distress Ink, "Vintage Photo", and Quick Quotes, "Banana Bliss"

Enjoy the season, and take advantage of all the great ideas and inspiration out there!

Holiday Flourishes!

There's a new Christmas challenge at Flourishes!

The challenge is to make your card round like a wreath!

Cute idea, eh?

My Flourishes "Medallion" stamp

worked perfectly for this challenge! 

I love the romantic, detailed look of the design.

Heat embossing it in black made it really POP off the blue!

The gold tulle bow is much softer and less bulky than it looks in the picture.

The little center glass piece is one that I found at Michael's in the Dollar Bin.  It had a magnet attached to the back, but that peeled off easily!

The real bonus was the matching rub-ons!

So, I decided to finish the inside of the card by stamping the music again

and adding the vintage phonograph rub-on.

Supplies Used:

Cardstock:  Bazzill Shimmer Blue

Stamps: Flourishes "Medallion"; Hampton Art, "PS0576" (Cosmo Cricket)

Die Cut: Cricut, "Art Philosophy" cartridge

Rub-Ons;  Michael's, "Vintage Finds"

Adhesive: Helmar's 450

Having a great Monday, with the weather in the 70's and sun shining all day!

Gotta love these Arizona Fall days!