Pink and green rings

There's a huge New Year's celebration over at Jacksonbelle Embellishments, complete with challenges and blog candy! Here's the card I did for challenge #1 (JBENYE1), which is to use something to do with "rings".

As I was looking through my stamps, I found the Circles & Dots set by Inkadinkado. There were several that looked like different kinds of rings, so I went with those.
Check out that ribbon! I used a Fiskars punch I found at Michaels that creates the ribbon slots (much like the SU scalloped edge punch). Neat, huh?

Stamps: Polka Dots and Paisley (SU), Circles & Dots (Inkadinkado)
Paper: Pink Passion, Green Galore, Gable Green, Whisper White (SU)
Ink: Pink Passion, Green Galore, Gable Green (SU)
Accessories: Wide Oval punch (SU), Leave it to Weaver punch (Fiskars), Rain Dots (Cloud 9 Design), ribbon (Michael's)

Mod Birthday

As soon as I saw Laura's Sketch 16 on 2 Sketches 4 You, I knew what I wanted to do with it.

I've had a small swatch of colours hanging by my desk for months, and have already used them on a card, but wanted to try another. Pumpkin Pie, Brilliant Blue, and Soft Sky (or Bashful Blue). SU's Jersey Shore DSP just happens to have those colours, plus Wild Wasabi, which I love too.

(Click on the photo to see a larger version - the smaller version doesn't show the detail well)

Chloe has a friend who is one day older than her, and I wanted to make his card in advance (well, two weeks is far in advance for me!). I used my Sakura glitter pen to add lots of sparkle. I debated whether I should add some to the stars on the background - what do you think?

I used Crystal Effects for the icing and popped up the spaceship and then the cake on that. Doesn't he look like he's delivering it?

Stamps: So Many Scallops (SU), It's a Mod, Mod World, Smells Like Cake (The Cat's Pajamas)
Paper: Soft Sky, Pumpkin Pie, Whisper White, Jersey Shore DSP (SU)
Ink: Close to Cocoa, Pumpkin Pie, Soft Sky, Brilliant Blue (SU)
Accessories: Blender pen, Crystal Effects, 1 3/8" circle punch (SU), Glitter Dots (Jesse James), Glitter pen (Sakura), 1 1/2" circle punch (Marvy Uchida)

Happy {Pink} Birthday

This card is based off of a sketch on Jen's blog, i{heart}2stamp. I covered a sticky star with chunky pink glitter, and decided to go with a monochromatic colour scheme. I wanted to do more with the layers, but didn't want to sew. Oh well. I'd already given up on an (almost) completed card because it just wasn't working, so I wanted to get this one done!

Stamps: Alphabet Soup, Hung Up on the Holidays, Mini Messages (SU)
Paper: Whisper White cardstock, Purely Pomegranate textured cardstock, Bali Breeze DSP (SU)
Ink: Purely Pomegranate (SU), VersaMark (Tsukineko)
Accessories: rhinestones (Kaiser), sticky star (Confessions of a Ribbon Addict), clear embossing powder (Ranger), ribbon (unknown)

The stocking

This is Chloe's stocking, which was from a kit I bought at Michael's. Click on it to see a larger version of the photo, where you should be able to see all the embroidery and appliqué work.
I'm embarrassed to admit it, but I started this stocking THREE years ago, for Chloe's first Christmas. Each year I'd still hang it up, even though it was only partially finished. Well this year I had just a wee bit left to do, so I manged to finish it on Christmas Eve!

I'm quite proud of it, although I'll never make fun of someone for just buying a pre-made stocking. If you add up the hours I spent on this...well, let's just not go there :p

Even more blog candy!

Check out Erika's blog for some sweet blog candy. She's celebrating her birthday with a gift for a lucky blog reader - free tuition to an upcoming Journaling 101 course!

Happy birthday Erika!

Christmas Blog Candy

Check out Jill's blog candy - she's celebrating 50,000 hits and the end of her 12 days of Christmas countdown. She also just joined the Jacksonbelle Embellishments design team, so she has a lot to celebrate!

Congrats Jill!

ps. Hoping to get into the crafts room tomorrow. I got a sewing machine for Christmas!

Note of Love

This card is for Jen's SFYTT sketch and Our Creative Corner's Lovey Dovey Challenge.

I masked the "note of love" stamp and stamped the background stamp over top (it's the definition of the word love). The rest is fairly obvious.
Stamps: Lots of Thoughts, By Definition (SU)
Paper: River Rock, Ruby Red cardstock, River Rock textured cardstock, Ginger Blossom DSP (SU)
Ink: River Rock, Groovy Guava (SU)
Accessories: Crystal Effects, brads (SU), Dew Drops (The Robin's Nest), flowers (Prima), large brad (Making Memories)

ps. Does anyone else find that some of their Dew Drops aren't very solidly coloured? See how these ones look spotty? Is that normal?

pps. I'll be posting blog candy for my blogaversary and 5000 hits - late, I know - soon, so stay tuned!

Cuttlebugged Christmas

This is based on Mojo Monday #65. I wanted to use a bunch of new stuff, so I incorporated what I could. I also wanted to use the Treetops cut & emboss kit, which I bought MONTHS ago, and haven't used for a single Christmas card this year. Whoops?

The little charm is using PolyShrink! I LOVE this stuff, and can't wait to use it more. I punched out the circle, punched a 3/16" hole, stamped the "snowflake" in StazOn, and used my heat gun to shrink it. Man, that's fun! It looks like it's going to fold up and not work, but just be patient. There are some good tips on the Lucky Squirrel website. I attached it with a silver jump ring.

The rest of the card is fairly obvious. I used my new Nesties for the large circles. It's hard to see, but the white circle is embossed with Swiss Dots.

Stamps: Cute Converse, In the Spotlight (SU)
Paper: Chocolate Chip, Whisper White, Blue Bayou cardstock, Soft Sky textured cardstock (SU)
Ink: Blue Bayou (SU), Timber Brown StazOn (Tsukineko)
Accessories: White ribbon, 1 1/4" circle punch, Word Window punch (SU), Large & Small standard circle Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Swiss Dots & Snowflakes embossing folder, Treetops cut & emboss kit, Cuttlebug (Provocraft), dew drops (The Robin's Nest), jump ring (Blue Moon Beads), PolyShrink (Lucky Squirrel), Heat tool (Marvy Uchida), Crop-o-dile (We R Memory Keepers)

Whoops!

I had some background image issues earlier. It should be fixed now!

New toys!

Sorry I haven't been posting, I've been so busy these last few days! Thankfully I picked up some inspiration yesterday:

Yep, I've got Nesties! The classic circles and scalloped circles, in small and large. Also the Curlz kit from JustRite and Dew Drops! Um, and a bunch more stuff, actually, which you will see over the next few days ;)

Birthday Wishes

This card is for the Pink Cat Studio challenge #2 over at PCP. The challenge was to create a project that:

- is 6x6
- uses thee groups of three items (i.e. stamps, ribbon, paper)
- uses Tempting Turquoise, Pixie Pink or Pink Passion, and Silver OR Old Olive, Night of Navy, and Ruby Red, and Kraft OR Lavender Lace, Perfect Plum, and Gray

I started with the silver paper, and used the swirly tree from Limitless Limbs, which I though would make a great flourish! I stamped it in VersaMark, and embossed with silver glitter gloss.

I stamped Lily in StazOn on SU watercolor paper, and used my ink pads and blender pen to colour her in. I made a mask to stamp her wings and the flourishes (from the same tree).

To make her wings nice and shimmery, I used Making Memories glitter paint. Prima flowers, lots of stickles, rhinestones, and some paper piercing finished off the card.

My three groups of three are: three flowers, three rhinestones, and three punches.

Stamps: Dress Up Lily, Limitless Limbs (Pink Cat Studio), For a Friend (SU)
Paper: Pink Passion, Tempting Turquoise cardstock, Watercolor paper (SU), silver paper (unknown)
Ink: Tempting Turquoise, Pink Passion (SU), StazOn, VersaMark (Tsukineko)
Accessories: Ticket corner & wide oval punch, blender pen (SU), Stickles (Ranger), flowers (Prima), rhinestones (Kaiser), glitter paint, paper piercer (Making Memories), silver glitter gloss embossing powder (unknown)

Blog candy from the Craft Cave!

Check out Chelle's blog for some yummy candy! She's celebrating over 1500 hits, and is giving away THREE stamp sets, paper, ribbon, embellishments, and more!

ps. I do have a card to share, but it needs to dry, and I need to go to sleep (it's almost 2am)! I'll post it tomorrow :)

Pink Joy & Cheer

A quick card for Color Throwdown #22. This week the colours are: pink, green, and black! I couldn't resist the Cuttlebug smoosh ;)

Stamps: So Many Scallops (SU)
Paper: Gable Green, Whisper White (SU)
Ink: Pink Passion, Basic Black, Gable Green (SU)
Accessories: Scallop, 1 1/4", 1" punches, Joy & Cheer CB embossing folder, CB (Provocraft), rhinestone (Kaiser)

Lily Decorates

I made this card for the 12 days of Christmas challenge on PCP. This is for the ninth day (nine ladies dancing), where we had to make a card with a girl on it.I used a mix of Limitless Limbs and Dress Up Lily. I had been thinking about this card for a few days, and it turned out just how I pictured it!

I stamped all the little pieces on a piece of scrap cardstock, and cut them out. For the presents and ornaments, I also stamped them on the main image, so I wouldn't have to cut out the ribbon. Most are popped up a bit, to add lots of dimension.

Does the tree stand look familiar? It's the crown from Dress up Lily! I stamped it, cut off the three points, and drew a line to make the bottom.

I created the scalloped mat using this tutorial on SCS (thanks again carley!). A little bit of Stickles (of course!) and a wee sentiment finishes it off.

Stamps: Dress Up Lily, Limitless Limbs (Pink Cat Studio), Cute Converse (SU)
Paper: Real Red, Whisper White cardstock (SU)
Ink: Glorious Green, Basic Black, Chocolate Chip (SU)
Accessories: Real Red, black journalling markers, Scalloped Edge & Word Window punch (SU), Stickles (Ranger), pencil crayons (Media)

'Tis the Season

Inspired by this sketch from Cat's Creations, as well as the black and white challenge on PCP, I came up with this card. As you can see, I'm into embossing lately. I smooshed the chipboard ornament onto my VersaMark pad, and dumped embossing powder over the whole thing.

I didn't like the black background showing through the cut-out bit of the ornament, so I backed it with a piece of silver paper, which I also used for the sentiment.

I also embossed the mat around the sentiment and the "snowflakes" in the background. Lots of Stickles (of course!) and a rub-on finish it off.


Stamps: In the Spotlight (SU)
Paper: Basic Black, Whisper White (SU), silver (unknown)
Ink: VersaMark (Tsukineko)
Accessories: chipboard ornament (Melissa Frances), sparkle brads (Making Memories), rub-on (Deja View), black embossing powder, Stickles (Ranger), corner rounder punch (EK Success), silver cording (Market Special Crafts), silver pearl embossing powder (unknown)

A Holiday Hello

You MUST check out this recipe on Julie's blog, Paper Pleasing Ideas. Yum, yum, yum! I'm definitely making some this year.

So anyway, I've got a card in the works, but it involves a lot of trimming, so I put it aside for a bit, and threw this together (I'm an instant gratification kinda gal).
I stamped the poinsettia with VersaMark, and then dumped on Heat and Stick powder and heated it up. It makes a kind of glue so that you can add glitter (and it will stick). I sprinkled red glitter in the middle, and then (what I thought was) bronze glitter on the leaves. I stamped the sentiment in VersaMark, and covered with black embossing powder. Then I just heated the whole thing.

So it turns out I have bronze embossing powder, NOT bronze glitter. Oh well, it still worked.

TIP: After you load your stamp with VersaMark, load it with an ink that matches your embossing powder (so stamp in VersaMark, then immediately stamp in your ink - the VersaMark won't damage your ink pad, and you'll have a coloured sticky image!). That way, once you emboss it, if you miss a few tiny spots, you won't be able to see them! I did NOT do that here (for the sentiment) and I wish I did.

To finish it off, I edged the panel with a metallic leafing pen, and mounted it on a white cardstock base. It almost looks like a single layer card!

Stamps: Elegant Christmas (The Cat's Pajamas)
Paper: Whisper White (SU)
Ink: VersaMark (Tsukineko)
Accessories: Heat and Stick powder (SU), Copper Leafing Pen (Krylon), black embossing powder (Ranger), red glitter, bronze embossing powder (unknown)