Sunday, February 27, 2011

Creations By Gill M Challenge

The theme for the new Creations by Gill M challenge is Mardi Gras. Theres is no sketch and no specific type of project required so just go with whatever takes your fancy - the only stipulation is you need to use the colours Purple, Gold and Green. A few weeks ago I was in a blog hop that was based on a holiday theme and we had to come up with something with it for a birthday. When I seen the challenge I thought I would just reshow my card. I had drew and pieced the mask together and I think it is fabulous. Would love for you to visit Gill and check out her blog, maybe do the challenge and show her some love by following her.

Get Well Card Challenge on Paper Patch Crafts Facebook

Anne of Paper Patch Crafts is having a Get Well Challenge on her Facebook, you have til March 4 to get the challenge posted to her facebook.This is the card that I entered into the challenge. I use the Echo Park Be Mine Papers, Prima Swirl Pearl Bling and handmade flowers.
This is the sketch that you will need to use. You have a chance to win a Record Scrapbooking Pack from Echo Park.
Here is a side view of the flowers. The lilies I drew using a template that I made, then I used the McGill Paper Blossom Tool Kit and Mat to make my flowers to press to give them dimension. It is nice to be able to draw simple shapes but if you aren't able to that McGill has the punches to make the Lily along many other flower punches.
My quill flower is a circle that I cut to form a spiral and used my tweezers to roll and form a flower.
You can see this close up of the Lily. I used the paper from the Be Mine collection. Notice the small dots, that is Glossy Accent to make the Lilies look like they have dew on the. I hope you enjoy my card and go over the Paper Patch Crafts to do the challenge. I know Anne would love for you to come an visit her facebook, blog and store
Supplies:
Echo Park Be Mine: Love Letters, Black Diamon, Polka Dot, Stickers Element and Alphabet sheets
Recollections: Black Rhinestones
Prima: SIIP Swirls
Gloss Accent
McGill Paper Blossoms Tool Kit and Mat

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Second , Third, and Fourth "Stylish Blog Award"

Wow how sweet to have a second Stylish Blogger Award given to my blog. This means a lot to me and I would like to thank Elizabeth for awarding it to my blog. Make sure to visit Elizabeth blog at LM & CW Creations to see some beautiful projects and I am sure if you decided to follower her blog she would love it and I know that Katie from the Scrapbox would love for you to pop by her blog also because she just gave me my third Stylish Blogger Award. Oh, I can't forget Alina from Addicted to Scrapbooking she just gave me my fourth Stylish Blog award. I believe my head is swimming. It is so nice to see that I can inspire other designers and these ladies are so very talented in their own right. Thank you both.

One Stamp -Technique Thursday

Well today is Technique Thursday, the only difference is that I am only going to show you three different techniques but using the same stamp. I selected these techniques today because several I have talked to recently say they can't tell the difference in Copic and Watercolor pencils. I hope this will help you see the difference between the first 2 cards, I used Copic on the first and Watercolor pencils on the second. My last is done with Tim Holtz Distress Ink.
The stamp I selected is the Hero Arts Thank You Cling. My cards are all A2 size that have been faced with paper from Making Memories English Garden.
Card#1-Copic Markers-R24, R83, R85, Y15, Y26, B93, B97, and G14. I first stamped my image with Memento Ink on to white card stock, this is the preferred ink because it won't run on you. Color your image first with the lightest color and then take the darker color and do your shading. When finished fussy cut the image out and place it on pop dots.
Card#2-Watercolor Pencils-Light Blue, Dark Blue, Pink, Green, and Green. Stamp your image with Black Stazon Ink and using a H20 pen and your watercolor pencils paint your image in. Finish your card just as you did in Card #1.
Card #3-Tim Holtz Distress Inks-Worn Lipstick, Fired Red, Wild Honey, Broken China, Faded Jeans, Peeled Paint, Aged Mahogany and a H20 Pen. First, stamp your image with Versamark and Black Embossing Powder. (Embossing acts as a resistance so if your Distress Ink gets on it you are able to wipe it off with a light damp paper towel.) Paint your image in the lightest of the Distress Ink and do your shading with the darker Distress Ink using your H20 pen. Finish your card as you did with Card #1.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Moxie Fab Stamp It Technique Week: The Stamping with Marker Challenge!

Moxie Fab is having a stamping challenge with markers on their blog. We are to create a stamped paper crafted project (card, gift bag, tag, layout, home decor item, mini-book cover, etc.) that incorporates a stamping with markers technique in an innovative way.
We were asked to share what we created for the Stamping with Markers Challenge in the Moxie Fab World and link it back to this post to encourage our followers to play along and I for one sure hope you will try the challenge, Moxie Fab is giving away a set of 36 Ciao Copic Markers isn't that Moxie Fabulous.
Here is my fabulous "Friends" card that I would like to share.
I stamped on Memory Box paper with Memento Ink and of course used my Copic Markers to colored it in. My stamps are from Hero Arts. Notice the stem of the flower I curved the stamp before I stamped it to make my stem. (I think we forget that we can stamp on pattern paper and change it up). I guess that is my unique technique with markers for the Moxie Fab Challenge.

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Imaginisce February Color Challenge

Alphra from Imaginsce got to choose the challenge for the month of February and she decided on a Color Challenge of blue, yellow and pink. All I had to do was create a project of any kind using the above picture as my inspiration. Then link my finished project before Feb 25 on the Imaginisce site to be in the running for a $75 i-top package or Imaginisce collections of the same value.
I made this "sweet" mirror for my grand daughter. I thought how "sweet" it would be for her to hang it in her bedroom. The color challenge was just the prefect inspiration to get it done. I chose the Enchanted Fairy Trails paper to use for the mirror frame and used my Holiday Cricut Cartridge to do a fit to page eyelet circle.
I also used my Holiday Cake Cartridge and cut a fit to page eyelet scallop circle from a piece of Lucy Bird paper. It measure 5 3/4" in diameter. I cut the circle into small triangles at the scallop edge to make all of my pieces.
I just used my flower kit from McGill and rolled my flowers, layered them on a 3/4" circle and made these "sweet" flowers to place on my mirror.
I also used some of the Imaginisce Pop Up Poises and some quilled flowers I make from circles (I shared a how to on a previous post). I did some fussy cut flowers, bird and butterfly from my Lucy Bird Paper. I also added some pretty pink tatted ribbon on the inside of the frame, along with some blue gemstones on the center of my blue flowers.
Supplies:
Imaginisce Lucy Bird
Imaginisce Enchanted Fairy Trails
Imaginisce Pop Up Poises
Cricut Holiday Cake Cartridge
Ribbon
Mirror









Storage Tuesday with Distress Inks and Sponges

I have seen a lot of different ideas on how to use and store your Distress inks, so I thought I would share with you what I do with mine. I have only 17 of the 31 colors and 2 distress tools. When I first get a new ink color I cut a piece of white paper into a 1 3/4"x 2 3/4" rectangle and using my blending tool I distress the paper on each side with a clean pad and new ink. I write on one side of the paper the color of the ink and place it and the sponge in the a small plastic bag that I bought at Hobby Lobby (100 for $1.99). When I get ready to use the distress ink I already have a dirty sponge that matches it, so I take it out of the bag, place it on the blending tool and I will use it until I think I need to replace it. They last a long time.
I never know if stamper know this or not but you should store your stamps upside down that way your ink is always at the top of the ink pad. If you have see Distress Ink you know they sit on top of each other and it is hard to tell what the color are. So I took pink labels (just because I like pink) and wrote the color on all four sides, that way I know which color it is and I know longer have to go through all of the colors. Makes life very easy when using my Distress Inks.
I have all of my little plastic bags on a large ring so all I have to do is get them and find the color I am going to be using. This keeps them all together and I don't have to root through them.
I store my ink in a plastic container with my blending tools and plastic bags that have my sponges in them. I have a friend that suggested these containers. You can pick them up at your local discount store or craft store. I hope you enjoyed this storage idea and are inspired on how to store your Distress ink and the most economical way on how to save on sponges.

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Friendship Blog Hop Feb 19-21

Welcome to the Friendship Blog Hop! If you've come from visiting Lezlye you are in the right place place. If you were just looking at my blog and want to play along with our blog hopping fun, you can go to the beginning at Crafty Card Gallery This blog hop is all about friendship; cards that you would love to send to or receive from a friend - congratulations, good luck, thanks for being a friend, etc. Sometimes it's nice to just send a card to a friend for no particular reason or to celebrate something with them. There will be opportunities to win some blog candy and get lots of ideas! So sit back, and enjoy the hop!

I created my card because at the end of the day I wish I had taken the time to call a friend, a love one or just an aquanintance to just say "hello". It seems like we all live such busy lives so I was so glad when I was asked to participate in the Friendship Blog Hop, I think I may just make a bunch of friends cards so I will have them to send out. I am sure as we go through this hop we will see some amazing cards that we will be inspired to make.
I made my Friend Card from Graphic 45 papers: On the Dot, Hopscotch, Buttons A La Mode, and Mantique.I also did all my distressing using Tim Holtz Inks: Aged Mohagany, Broken China, and Tea Dye. I used ColorBox Chestnut to stamp the Clock from the 7Gypsies Venice Stamp collection. The cute stamp that says "Hey Friend-just saying hello" is from Basic Grey. I stamped it on a tag using Black Memento ink. The Antique Bronze Brads and ribbons really dress the tag and the pocket of the card
I also made this "Friends" frame and placed a photo of myself and my BFF in it. We hadn't seen each other for 2 years, our husbands both work for the same company and on a fluke we happen to be at the same company meeting. I love Kathy "Katz" she is my best BFF, I think I will have to send my "Friend" card to her.
I used an unfinished frame, My Minds Eye Union Square "Moments, Lost and Found "Favorite" papers on it.
I made this fabulous tag using a Tim Holtz Filigree stamp, Pumice Stone, Worn Lipstick, Victorian Lace and Fired Brick Distress Inks on it. I fussy cut the bird cages from a piece of the My Minds Eye paper along with bird frame and placed it on the tag also. I embellished the tag with a "Giggle" ticket, a "Cherish Philosopy circle tag, a metal swirl circle that I used on the "Giggle" ticket and some hand made beads to hang from the top of the tag.

I took some of the ribbon from My Minds Eye Lost and Found collection and sprayed it with Wheatfields, Coffee Shop and Cranberry Zing Glimmer Mist to take it from being white to giving it a vintage look. I added a button to the end of the ribbon that I had placed on my frame. I hope you enjoy my frame, card and our "Friendship Blog Hop". Now on to the next stop on the Friendship Blog Hop and that is to my friend Denise.

Friday, February 18, 2011

Trigger Trigger-Comfy Cozy

Moxie Fab World Trigger Tuesday Challenge-Comfy Cozy!!!
This is the picture that Moxie Fab World gave us to be inspired by, isn't it relaxing and beautiful. The photo comes from page 26 of the online Bed and Bath Catolog from Pottery Barn. I knew
My card became the literal transformation of the project. I first started with a piece of My Minds Eye Tickled pink paper from the Fine and Dandy Paper Pad because it reminded me of the pillows on the day bed. I thought about how relaxing it would be to relax on the day bed and just look out the window and see the beautiful flowers and that is where my flowers and sentiment came from. I stamped right on to the paper with my Sketched Flowers from Stampabilities and Memento ink and colored them in with my Copic B00, B02, R83, R85, G02, G05, Y 13 and Y26 markers. My Inkadinkado Mason Frame and Hero Arts Friends were stamped on white card stock using Memento Ink. I distressed the edge of my frame and Tickled Pink paper using the Tim Holtz distress tool to make my card have the shabby appeal of the shelf that is about the day bed, I also inked the edges of flower paper using Tea Dye with a blending tool. My sentiment is ink with both the Tea Dye and a bit of the Broken China to for a look of the sky.

I placed my Tickled Pink paper to my card base, place my sentiment on pop dots. The last thing that I did was to take some crochet ribbon and distress it with the Tea Dye and blending tool. When I had this done I placed it at the bottom of my card to for the crochet throw that was slightly hanging off the day bed. Adding some staples to the edge of the card gave me the metal that I need for my day bed.
I hope you enjoyed my interpretation of the Moxie Fab World Comfy Cozy Challenge and take the plunge and play along.

Thursday, February 17, 2011

One Stamp-4 Techniques and Two Different Winners!!!!

One Stamp-4 Techniques
ONE STAMP - TECHNIQUE THRUSDAY!!!!
I am excited to announce that on Thursdays I am going to try very hard to show you how to take "one" stamp and use it with different techniques.

This we I selected Memory Box Adore Peony Collage to do my stamping techniques in.
Card #1-Watercolor pencils and a H2O pen. I first stamped my image with Black Stazon Ink on to watercolor paper. I start with a yellow watercolor pencil and my a H20 pen. Using the H20 pen and touching the tip of the pencil color the poppy in. Next do the same with a light shade of green to do the stem and leaves the same way. Taking an orange watercolor pencil and highlight your poppy starting at the bottom of the poppy and lightly going up toward the top of the image by touching the tip of the pencil with your H20 pencil. Remember to clean your H20 pen by stroking it on your paper towel until the tip is clean before going into another color. Lastly, do the same to the stem and leaves with a darker green.
Card #2-Copic Markers Technique. Stamp your image on to white card stock using Black Memento Ink. Color your image in using G02, G05, YR04 and YR07. Color your poppy first with the YR04 and then add your depth to the poppy using YR07, then color your leaves and stem first with G02 and add your depth with G05.
Card #3-Embossing and using Glimmer Mist. Using Versamark and black embossing powder stamp and emboss your image. Now shake up your Sugar Maple and Olive Vine and with a small paint brush paint your images in.
Card #4- Stampin Up Markers. Stamp image with Black Versafine Ink. Using Only Orange, Summer Sun, YoYo Yellow, and Ballet Blue color your images. I selected these colors because they are what I had on hand. I first colored the poppies with the Summer Sun and then deepen with Only Orange. For my stem and leaves I colored them with the Yo Yo Yellow and then went over them with the Ballet Blue because I know blue and yellow make green :) and that makes me happy.
All my cards are A2 cards and were made the same way. I first distressed the stamped images after I had them colored using the Tim Holtz distressing tool, I then took my blending tool and Tea Dye Distress Ink and inked the sides of the stamped images. I took a piece of Jillibean Pasta Fagioli Romano Cheese paper, inked the sides with the Tea Dye Distress Ink and then glued it to the top of my A2 cards. I placed a 12" piece of sheer burnt orange ribbon on top of my card and glued my image over the top of it. I made some loops to the right side to finish off my card using the Tim Holtz Tiny Attacher.
Hope you are having fun learning new stamping techniques and now on for some fun announcements from last weeks blog hops and that is

WINNERS!!!!!

First is from Kinderstampo Vintage Valentines Blog Hop Feb 12 and 13 and the winner is Giselle she said... your bag is gorgeous!

Second is from Sweet Heart Valentine Day Blog Hop is Debby she said...
The 'sweeties" in my life are my young adult sons...and they are all special because they are wonderful husbands and sons...Happy V Day!
Congratulations ladies-I will be emailing you.

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Its My Birthday and I Quill If I Want To.

Today we are celebrating Linda birthday-"Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you...." and in celebration of her day she is having a blog hop. So if you have come here first make sure to start at the beginning of the hop at "Crazy Quilling". If you have arrived here from "You Made Me With Crafts" with Alex you are on the right path. I hope you go through the whole hop because I am sure there will be a lot of quilling ideas, tutorials and projects. ALSO ... if you are looking for the Sweetheart Valentine Blog Hop please go to yesterdays post or HERE.
Now here are my cards.....
As you can probably tell I am not a quiller but I gave it a try the economical way. I used a paper trimmer, a paper tweezers and some Quick Dry Glue and a Echo Park Paper Pack "Be Mine" Collection.
My "Hello Stamp is a new Hero Arts Cling Stamp. I stamped it twice and and fussy cut one of the Hello's to place on pop dots, for my little quilling rolls I made them with 1/16" strips of Be Mine paper. I started wrapping the strip into a circle with my tweezers and applying a small amount of glue along the way and when I got the width I needed I just stopped, tore off the remaining strip and glued into place.
Here is a little side view of the Hello paper with my little quilling rounds on it. If you really would like to learn the correct way to quill I would go and really check out Linda blog she by far know what she is doing and has some wonderful ideas, projects and tutorials on her blog.
My second card again is made with the Echo Park "Be Mine" paper. My "Friends" stamp is the Hero Arts Dictionary Greeting. I made some more of the little rolled circles and made a small flower at the bottom right corner of my card, added a 3/4" circle and a match pearl to the top of it. I inked both of my cards uisng a Black Colorbox ink.
Here is a closer view of my flower and my little rolled circles. I distressed my Friend definition using the Tim Holtz distresser, inked the edges and attached it to one of the die cuts from the Be Mine Paper Pak using the Tiny Attacher Stapler.
To make my flower I punched out a 3" circle and starting on the outside I started cutting to make it spiral, once I had gone around the whole circle and it was spiraled, I then took my tweezers and working from the outside just started rolling it around the tweezers, gluing occasionally with my Quick Dry, once I got it completely rolled I pushed it off the tweezers. Remember to hold on to it. I place some adhesive to the bottom of the flower and allowed it to release itself a little and glued it to the top of my card. I made a few more of the little rolled circles but this time I let them release a little and glued them near the flower to make it look like leaves.
Thanks for stopping by Scrapbook Flair and now on to your next stop which will be at A Scrap Above with Bonnie.
*Make sure to visit each hop along the way, there is a lot of amazing projects, information, and birthday candy to be given. Please leave a comment, away to get in touch with you and become a follower. I would love it!!!"
Also I want to remind you to look and comment on the post for yesterday - "Vintage Valentine" I am doing a hop with KinderStampO.

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Sweet Heart Valentine Day Blog Hop

I am excited about Valentines Day coming up and all of the love we will be seeing. Denise-Dee's Designs From My Heart is hosting our Sweet Heart Valentine blog hop. This is so exciting, there are 27 fabulous designers, lots of eye candy and lots of Valentine Sweets to be had. The hop is from Feb 14th through the 16th so you have plenty of time to make it to each blog and leave a little love. LOL. The beginning of the hop is at Dee's Designs From My Heart so make sure to go back if you didn't start there. Denise will have all of the fabulous details on how to enter in the grand Valentine giveaway. If you arrived here from Sandra - 365 Days of Cricut you are hopping in the right direction
Denise asked each of us to create something that we wish our sweetie would give us for Valentine Day.
I thought I would love to receive a small journal with love notes and some of our favorite photos of us over the years and that is what I created. I hope you enjoy my journal that I will be giving my sweet husband of 37 years.
I laid the back and front of the book out so you could see the details of the covers. I used Pink Paislee Cupid Papers, Tags, and embellishments, along with Making Memories Charmed metals, Love Notes Slides, and Love Note Ribbons throughout my Maya Road Book.
Pages 1 and 2. On page 1 I fussy cut a two small flower, glued one down and placed the other on a pop dot, added some Glossy Accent to the center to give it a raised look. I also added my ribbon that wrapped around to the front of the book as you can see from the previous picture. All of my pieces that I have added to my book are distressed using the Tim Holtz distressing tool and inked with Chestnut Roan Ink
Page 3 is a diecut and again two flowers that I fussy cut, distressed, inked and glued it to the front on the paper that I had placed on the page. Page 4 is a diecut from the Postcard sheet that says 10 Things I Love about You. I distressed and inked but before I placed it to my page I added a small ribbon tab to the right off Postcard. I then added my metals and ribbon to the page.
Here is a close up of the metals on the page.


Page 5, 6 , 7 and 8 are pretty simple I just used some of the Postcards that I fussy cut along with flowers. Just remember to distress and ink so you have consistency throughout your book. I also added just a little Glossy Accent here and there for some character.
On page 9 I added a metal "Memories" label and placed it on pop dots. I also stapled my brown check to the top of the "Always and Forever" Postcard before I placed it on the page using the Tim Holtz Tiny Attacher. Page 10 is again just one of the pretty Postcards.
Here is a close up of the metal embellishment. I hope you have enjoyed the written instructions for my Maya Road Journal. It truly is simple to make and would be a wonderful gift to give to someone you love.
Thanks for stopping by and make sure to go to the next stop on the Sweet Heart Valentine Day Blog Hop which will be over at Paula's Owl Be Scrapping I am sure she has something really special in store for you.
And now for a little Valentine Candy: How about some Scrappy Cat Journal and Believe Stamps, oh and no Valentine would be special if there wasn't a little surprise.... so expect a surprise in your package if you win the giveaway.

Sooooo.....
*Make sure to become a follower of my blog if you haven't, leave a comment telling me what is so special about the sweetie in your live and an email so I am able to contact you"
Again thanks for stopping by and make sure to stop in regularly. Pammejo