Medallion card for 50th Anniv.

As I was blog surfing the other night-early morning I found a Fabulous Blog & I am now listing it in my favorites http://tennesseejoy.wordpress.com/ Please check it out! I went through all the pages of her blog & was especially wowzerd at a medallion card she made with a stamp from a company I had never heard of "Holly Berry House." I googled it & found their site. I wanted one of their medallion stamps Like right now! I wound up buying one on E-Bay & got it within a cpl days-Yea! The card I created is for a 50th wedding anniversary for a family that I have been friends with for 20 yrs. The medallion is stamped twice & embossed in gold on cream c/s.

Then stamped onto gold ppr twice & embossed in gold. Then you carefully cut out the different layers, stack them, & add pop dots between layers. I am very pleased with how it came out & hope that my friends enjoy the card.

As a requirement for accepting Alfred's award I need to list 5 things that make me happy....

1) Blog surfing-I love finding new ideas & there are sooo many great ones out there!

2) Finding great bargains
3) When I create something & it turns out better than I hoped it would
4) Reece's candy (chocolate & peanut butter is a little piece of heaven)
5) Making someone else happy, makes me happy!

I am working on my list of who I will pass this award on to.

Sundae Shoes

You scream, I scream, we all scream for ice cream! What a perfect combination...I love Ice cream, I love shoes! Sundae Shoes! This stamp is from Stampendous & I just couldn't resist it.

Alfred http://copicart.com/ Listed ice cream as his #1 favorite thing and was so nice to honor me with my second blog award !!! So this card seems appropriate. Thanks, I will be thinking of my most favorite things & post ASAP

On this card I used w/c ppr & Marvy markers with paintbrush & water to color image. I used Scribbles 3-d paint for whipped cream & Nestabilities to cut scallop layer. The background ppr is by Carolee's Creations, but I added the black dots because I just felt it still needed something. This turned out so cute, I know my daughter is gonna steal it when she comes over to do laundry tomorrow! HEY-Did anyone watch the video (link) of her singing in the last post? It's really good. (it was at her church)

An Award....for Moi?

Thanks SO Much! When I started blogging, just one month ago, I never knew how rewarding it would be. Now I get an award? Wow! How fun is this?!?Barbara & Becky both felt I should have this award so I am doubly honored. I appreciate every ones comments & feel that friendships are forming all across the country! Thanks again ! I even figured out how to actually accept the award & place it on my blog....and its SUPER CUTE!

Now for 5 addictions.....not necessarily in this order!

1) Being creative ...I love learning new techniques, seeing & trying new ideas!
2) Shopping...gotta have the right supplies & tools to be creative....right?
3) Chocolate....Uh Hello ~
4) Talking /bragging about my beautiful & so talented daughter (see her YouTube video, she is the one with long red hair)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXh1hgEtCp0 and my smart & handsome son.
5) Laughing (usually at myself) having fun...life is too short - laugh & enjoy everyday!

I think I am supposed to pass this on to 5 other blogs.....I will be choosing & Posting the recipients soon.

Coffee Filter Flower

I figured out the trick to punching through the coffee filters- You need to have about 3 filters stacked together! When I tried to punch just one single filter, it kept getting stuck in the punch & would rip trying to get it out. The thickness of 3 filters works great & you get 3 times as many petals from each punch! When I started this flower I planned it around a ppr that is a blue toile (french provincial) pattern that I wanted to use as a background. Who knew blues are so hard to match? When I was coloring the petals with chalk pastels I could not seem to get them to match the paper.....so on to plan B. (Does this kind of stuff ever happen to anyone else?) So I used on old lace background stamp by Stampin' Up (long retired I'm sure) I've had for ages. Then I made a special trip to Hobby Lobby to get ribbon & lace to finish this card. There is room that I can add a sentiment later, if I wanted .

Basket of flowers

This is another one of my watercolor attempts. The stamp is Alesa Baker for My sentiments Exactly, I bought it on E-bay! The stamp is bigger that it looked so I was pleasantly suprised when it arrived. I used Marvy markers to ink allmost all of the image then stamped onto w/c ppr.

I watercolored the basket then added the leaves & flowers using stamps by Art Impressions. Then the flowers & leaves are gone over with tiny amout of water on paitbrush to give watercolor effect. Then I washed in green under basket & added grass and tiny flowers (stamps by Art Impressions) Last I washed in some blue background. The printed paper is HOTP-20570 Lavender Rosebuds--Paper Pizazz /Hot Off The Press.

Butterfly for splash theme challenge

Julie over at Splash of Color http://splashofcolor-juliestamps.blogspot.com/ posted us a challenge with a butterfly theme & a splash of glitter. So here is my submission! This motivated me to use a butterfly stamp that I had not ever used. I don't know who made it. (clear stamp) I stamped it on w/c paper & cut it out. I find it easier to cut out anything detailed when it is thicker paper. It is outlind with waterfall stickles & then I added vintage glass glitter in diamond dust on the wings (its not very sparkly but adds texture) Background is stamped with clear stamps bought at Hobby Lobby & Nestabilities used to cut shapes that are under butterfly.

What a month!

Well today makes it one month since I started my blog...shewww! I have learned a lot in in a month...and I still have a long way to go. I wanna take a computer class to learn about links, and a few other things I can't figure out how to work (like my counter) !

I took a class on Copic markers at our local stamp store "StampAntonio" yesterday. It was taught by Geeta Suggs who is a certified copic instructor for A Muse. Copic's are alcohol based ink markers & I had never worked with Copic markers. Years ago in college art classes I used similar Prismacolor markers which are similar. I have mixed feelings about these markers I found them hard to work with. It may be because I really like the watercolor technique I achieve from water based markers. So for now I am gonna stick with what I know & love, but I don't want to limit myself. I love to learn new things & don't want to limit myself! I know all things take practice to get good at. Here is one of the projects from the class. The markers bleed, so on the top part of the icing it got out of the lines.

Monogram

This is a simple and quick monogram card. I have seen so many great monogram cards on SCS that I decided I needed to try it. The paper is by die cuts with a view (12x pink stripe) and stamps are by Inkadinkado.

The card on the right I made first but decided that the stripes needed to be lower. I am happier with the one in the easel.

I am off to my class & am taking my camera!

Chrysanthemum

I just love love love flowers! I allways seem to go back to making cards with some kind of flowers...maybe its because I can't seem to keep the real ones alive. So I gravitate to buying "floraly" stamps. I recently bought this clear set....but I threw away the packaging....and now don't remember who it's made by! Sorry. The paper is by Paper Adventures (Ivory Floral) I used Marvy markers & w/c paper. This watercolor technique is my favorite- BUT I am taking a class tomorrow on Copic markers. I am very excited!

I have been trying to get into Valentine's mode....so here a couple of cards I recently made. I paper pieced the frog based on this felt frog I found at Hobby Lobby. The first one takes a while, making the pattern, but then I can make as many as I want.....and out of scraps! The cherub is a stamp I have had for several years & this is the first time I have ever used it. It is probably retired , but it says Sugarloaf products. I tried to search Sugarloaf products with not much luck, maybe they are no longer in business??? If anyone knows please share the info. I am curious.

Thanks for the comments, they really do make my day! I just started blogging less than a month ago....and honestly didn't know if anyone would ever be interested in looking at my ideas.

So it is nice to see all of you stopping by. OH- I can't seem to get my counter to work....if anyone can help with that, I would greatly appreciate it!

Card Easel

I wanted to share with you how to make an easel out of card stock. These are great because you can put them into the envelope with the card you are sending! I can't take credit for the idea though, my favorite water color teacher Susan Casto showed this to me!


Start with a sheet of 81/2 X 11 card stock & fold in half. Be sure to crease fold.

Then fold in half again. Crease the fold well.

I stood it up, so you can see how it will stand up, when it is finished....But first you need to cut.

I drew in the lines so you can see the basic idea. I usually just freehand them. I start at the top, it's a little tough to cut through 4 layers of card stock so use good scissors. The folds are the two bottom sides.

After you have cut it out you will be left with the basic easel. All you need to do is glue .

It may be hard to see that I have glued the right side but not the left. These are really easy! Please let me know if you found this help full. If you still need help please also let me know. It would be easier to show in a video, but I don't have one. Remember this is the BASIC IDEA...these can be made to coordinate with the card...as part of the gift you are giving. Have fun!

I had been wanting to try to make one of these paper flowers out of coffee filters, so today I tried it. I probably won't make more because it was a pain in the patootie! I couldn't get the punch to cooperate with the coffee filter, it kept getting stuck! Maybe there is some secret that I haven't been let in on! I am happy with the results, but it took way too long. The punch is from the punch bunch & works much better with card stock. http://www.thepunchbunch.com/theme.htm (It is the begonia petals )

After I Punched enough petals, they were shaded with chalk pastels, then assembled. The book "Paper Bouquet" by Susan Tierney Cockburn is help full. I took a class here at our local stamp store "StampAntonio" a while back & learned the basics.

Enameled roses

I just received some new stamps from Clearly Rubber Stamping. http://www.clearlyrubberstamping.com/home I knew as soon as I saw them that they would be perfect for water coloring, which is my FAVORITE! They come from Canada so they took a while to get here, but I think they were worth the wait! I Stamped the flowers on to watercolor ppr using Rose romance marker & leaves using Tombo 228 then using ink from the markers (on my palate) and water colored them in. I cut them out & used Diamond Glaze to give them the enamel effect. The sentiment is from Cloud 9 clear set "Love" that I bought from JoAnne Fabrics super store. The rest is just layering & as an afterthought I added the ribbon. I think this could be a Valantine or a thank you note

Set of Magnets

This is a set of magnets that my daughter asked me to make for her dorm room. She just moved into the dorm at the University of the Incarnate Word. Her room is decorated in black & white (zebra stripes) and hot pink. Really cute! Small but cute! Anyway these are for her mini fridge which is stocked thanks to good o'l mom! She'll be coming over to pick these up & do laundry in a couple of days. wink

Valentine with flowers

A couple of you asked for the exact punches I used for the flowers in the previous posting- so I here are ! I have collected punches from many places (even Big Lot's) but The Punch Bunch has by far the best selection http://www.thepunchbunch.com/ These flower punches are also used on the red flowers here on the Valentine Card. The swirls on the background are from a clear set I bought at Hobby Lobby. When I take them out of their original packaging to store them in my binder, I no longer remember who made them...this is the only problem with clear stamps. The "Happy Valentine's Day" stamp came from the $1.00 bin at Michael's...I love it when I find good bargains! The red card easel is made from a sheet of construction paper left over from my sons school project. They are easy to make & can fit in the envelope with the card. Let me know if you are intrested in a tutorial!

Fun & Cheerful 3-d flowers

These cards are just fun and cheer full. I have been playing with my cuttlebug and I just love it.

The embossing adds so much. I got inspired by looking on SCS, then got busy! The Flowers are from punches, but this is the first time I have used brads in the centers. (way easier) If you like the polka dots you will love this blog http://mothermark.blogspot.com/ It is one of my favorites!

Fuscia Flowers

I was playing with my new Me & Carrie Lou stamps again last night... Fuscia flowers are so beautiful and so vivid in real life, I found them a little challenging to paint. Then when I photographed it this morning I found a boo-boo. Oops! I painted one of the leaves as a part of the flower. Well, I decided to post it anyway...and I will be trying this one again.

Hibiscus

This is my new Favorite! For my first time using this stamp I just love it. I am so happy with how it turned out, and it didn't take long either! The stamp is from Me & Carrie Lou. I mentioned how to get these great stamps in a previous post (Wildflowers) I wish I had all of them! I used LePlume markers by Marvy to ink the stamp on watercolor ppr. Then painted in with same markers using my palette from art impressions (I use this EVERY TIME I watercolor) When I finished I lightly spritzed with Glitz Spritz for just a little shimmer.

This card began with a stamp from the $1.00 bin at Michael's- the bird with swirls. I used dull blue & mocha LePlume markers by Marvy to ink it, then stamped onto watercolor paper. I water colored it using ink from markes and...I really liked it. I cut it into a circle using nesties. I used pprs I bought on clearance at Michael's & the vine ribbon today at StampAntonio....it just fell together. Oh, the sentiment is from a clear set by Cloud 9 "Love"

I also learned a Great New Trick today from Susan Casto at StampAntonio! How to make the card stand from a plain ol' piece of cardstock in about a minute flat....and it even fits into envelope so you can give it with the card!!! Let me know if anyone wants to know how....maybe I am the only one who didn't know about these but I thought I thought it was GENIUS!

Wildflowers: By Me & Carrie Lou

I am so happy to have received my Me & Carrie Lou stamps!
Thanks to Jerri http://jerrikay.blogs.splitcoaststampers.com/ who helped to inspire me, then share the info of how to buy these beautiful stamps. I immediately called Violett's in Lakeland, FL (863)644-0801 & they were so great helping me me! I can't wait to be able to see the full line! I used watercolor ppr & some markers that were already on my desk-I will say it took longer than I usually spend and I am still not totally happy with my final results.....but I can look back in a year from now and see how far I have come---Right? I sure wish I could take lessons from Jerri! I am however looking forward to taking more WC classes with Susan Casto at Stamp Antonio!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! This is my frst post of the new year since my computer was down for a few days! So I have been busy playing with my new Cuttlebug, Nestabilities and some new stamps! (some old ones too) The Flower stamp is an old one that I got many yrs ago as unmounted rubber so I have no idea who it is made by. I used it on watercolor ppr with gold embossing the colored in with markers, then water colored with water.

The other is simply stamped onto watercolor ppr using markers then watercolored, then I used stickles for a little sparkle. The saying on the pink card is one I had made by Village impressions

http://www.villageimpressions.com/index.htm They are clear sheets & you cut them apart-I had an 8x10 sheet made & about 20 sayings fit into that size.(I picked size & fonts) She worked with me & I highly recommend her. The saying on the green card is from Crafty Secrets http://www.shopatron.com/product/part_number=SL15/555.0.23009.0.0.0.0 I LOVE their stamps!!!!! Ta Ta For Now .......more is soon to come