Floating Friendship Collage

This card uses Innovative Stamp Creations (ISC), the color challenge from SCS AND two Technique Junkies. The two techniques are Color Collage and Floating Sentiments. The colors for the color challenge are Purely Pomegranate, Basic Black and Soft Sky.

I really like how this turned out, and it really was so simple! I did make a slight change to the Color Collage by using Soft Sky c/s instead of glossy; I hope Pat forgives me! ;)

Stamps: Friendship (ISC); Ink: Purely Pomegranate, Basic Black, Blue Bayou, StazOn Black, Apricot Appeal & Almost Amethyst (background), Snow Cap (Adirondack); Paper: Purely Pomegranate, Basic Black, Soft Sky; Accessories: acetate, corner punch (SU retired).

7 Things Tag & CB Birthday Card

7 Things Game

I was tagged by Jamie at Stamp This! for the 7 things game.


The Rules for 7 Things:

1. Link your tagger and list these rules on your blog.

2. Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.

3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.

4. Let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

So, here are my 7 things:

1. My favorite color is purple. Yes, even when I was a child, before Donny Osmond made purple popular! (Does that date me???)

2. I am left handed, although I do things like throwing or cutting with scissors right handed. (Just wanted to note that I do NOT throw scissors!) Crafts like crocheting or sewing I can do either handed.

3. I went to my first Stampin' Up! workshop October 2000 while my DH was deployed to Bosnia, thinking "why would anyone use rubber stamps, you'd only use them once?" Yes, that's what I thought! I was a demo April 2001!

4. I am the eldest of four, and am older than my two half-siblings from my father's second marriage.

5. All four of us have served in some manner in the Army! I am a ten year veteran, one brother and sister are currently on Active Duty and my other brother is in the National Guard (currently serving in Iraq.)

6. I HATE raisins, but LOVE wine and grapes!

7. I lived in Alaska from age 15 until I was 21. Such a beautiful state, but I would only go back to visit; it is WAY too cold for my thin blood now!

7 People that I tag:

1. Britta Not only do I enjoy her projects, but her children are so darling!
2. Nancy She is a sweet friend and a talented crafter!
3. Frances Check out her G'day Mate card!
4. Libby She's got a great blog, PLUS she is offering some Blogoversity Candy!
5. Colleen Some more gorgeous cards!
6. Cindy She's a true crafter, she stamps, quilts, crochets and more!
7. Susan All I can say about her blog is WOW!

Now that you have read through all of that I wanted to leave you with this card.


My MIL is such a sweet lady and her birthday is coming up in early May. She totally supports my craft habit in some way each Christmas! She has totally supported my CB addiction so I wanted to use my CB to make her card. Perhaps I overdosed a little? ;D

Here are the steps I used to make her card. I almost forgot to add that I used a sketch from PageMaps' CardMaps.

1. I used a piece of cardstock with a TJ technique that didn't really work, but still had such lovely color and shimmer that I decided to keep it. I ran it through my CB and used it here along the top of the card.

2. I used StazOn Black to stamp the Happy Birthday onto acetate then used my CB to cut the inner circle tag. TIP: The tag die is slightly larger than the center of the So Many Scallops stamp and some of the outer part of the stamp is cut into when using the die, so I used some StazOn Cleaner to carefully clean the edges.

3. I wanted to use some more of my new PK Glitz Azure glitter so I ran the acetate through my Xyron 150 then adhered the glitter to the back of the acetate. I punched a Tempting Turquoise scallop and layered the acetate tag on top using the silver brads to adhere the layers.

4. Next I used one of those small embossing square folders along the bottom. I ran it through three times moving the folder to get the design along the bottom.

5. I used a double layer of thin black organdy ribbon to separate the two layers.

6. The Turquoise scallop needed something to separate it from the Tempting Turquoise layer so I punched another scallop from Basic Black and layered under the turquoise scallop, then used mini glue dots to adhere it to the card.

Stamps: So Many Scallops; Ink: StazOn Black, Brilliance Gold, Pumpkin Patch Spectrum pad; Paper: Tempting Turquoise, Basic Black, glossy; Accessories: acetate, CB folders & circle tag die, 3/8" Black Organdy ribbon, PK Glitz Azure glitter, Xyron 150, silver brads (SU), scallop punch (SU).

Polished Glittery Fairy

When I ordered from Stamp Francisco I ordered two fairies. Here is the second one. This card uses Beate's weekend sketch challenge #44 and some Polished acetate that I (still) had lying around.

I read a technique on Jamie's blog that showed how to add glitter to stamped acetate. I sort of modified her technique because I used acetate that was already polished. In a nutshell this is what I did. (Please check out her blog to see how she did her version, it's really cool!)

1. Stamped on polished acetate.
2. Ran acetate through Xyron.
3. Placed acetate (intact) onto light table.
4. Cut sections of the carrier off from the acetate only where I wanted to place my glitter. (I did this a section at a time adding the color of glitter I wanted in that section.)
5. Trimmed my acetate to the size I wanted my completed piece to be.
6. Removed the remaining carrier from my acetate and placed the acetate on a piece of Whisper White cardstock the same size as my acetate and burnished the acetate to the c/s.
7. Layered this piece onto a layer of Brocade Blue, then added to my card.

Let me talk about the glitter I used here. When I attended the scrapbooking convention two weeks ago in Collinsville, IL I stopped at the P K Glitz booth. I just fell in love with their glitter and Powder Keg Emboss Powder! I just loved how you could coordinate the EP with the glitter and the colors are beautiful! I could only afford to purchase three colors (Eggplant, Azure & China Jade.) I used all three on this card as well as SU's Dazzling Diamonds (on the crown.) The China Jade was used on the jewel in the crown, so I'm not sure if you'll be able to see it. I used Azure on her wings, but blue and yellow make green so it looks like her wings are green. The eggplant was used on her dress. In retrospect, I probably should have used one of my COPIC markers to remove the alcohol ink from the crown area before adding adhesive, but that would have taken way too much forethought! LOL! At the time I didn't even know what colors I was going to use.

As for the rest of the card I used my Swiss Dots CB for the two Very Vanilla sections, then used a sponge dauber to brush Brocade Blue onto the dots. The designer paper is from DCWV Old World mat stack (top right) and Wild Asparagus (lower left). Yes, a simple layout, but with the effort of adding the glitter to the acetate I didn't feel the need to embellish any further. :)

Stamps: Stamp Francisco; Ink: StazOn Black, Brocade Blue, various alcohol inks; Paper: Brocade Blue, Very Vanilla, DCWV & Wild Asparagus Designer paper; Accessories: acetate, CB & Swiss Dots folder, Glitter Glitz, Dazzling Diamonds, light box & exacto knife.

Flourish Fairy

I recently found a stamp company, Stamp Francisco, and NEEDED to purchase a few stamps. I needed a Thank you card and decided to use some of the stamps that arrived today with Technostamper's Monday Lunchtime Sketch Challenge #13 and used SCS's Color Challenge #162. To add to all that, I used two TJ techniques, Cracked Glass and Aged Tiles. Whew!

I don't think you can see it, but I added a sprinkle of Iridescent Ice EP to the "Cracked Glass" to give some sparkle.

This looks so pink! Ack! The colors are Groovy Guava, Blush Blossom and Basic Gray. Just looking at it now, I think it needs some more embellishments, perhaps some pearly thingies in the lower right???? Maybe??? I'll take a look at it again in the morning, perhaps it will look better to me after a few hours of sleep. :) Hopefully, we won't have another earthquake to wake me up at 4:30 in the morning again!

Stamps: Flourish B/g, Fairy Blowing Kiss (Stamp Francisco) Define Your Life (SU); Ink: Blush Blossom, Groovy Guava, Basic Gray; Paper: Blush Blossom, Groovy Guava, Basic Gray; Accessories: Tag punch, Clear Embossing Powder, (sprinkle of) Iridescent Ice, sponge dauber.

Polished Leopard

Did I mention that I made several (quite a few) of these TJ Polished Acetate pieces? Here is another one. Sorry if you are getting bored with them. These stamps are from Artfulinkables called Lazy Leopard. I liked this piece of acetate with Wild Wasabi behind it and thought it could have a "wild, jungle" feel to it. Hence the leopard.

As I began the painful process of determining what to "accessorize" this card with my hand headed toward my Cuttlebug drawer. I quickly spotted this new addition to my stash; so I decided to see how it would look to use the CB folder. I liked it, but wanted to accentuate the "spotted" feel around the edges so I masked the area so just the edges would get sponged with Chocolate Chip.

I had to adhere the acetate to the cardstock so out came the brads. After I added the four black brads I thought it needed a little something more so I added three copper brads (didn't put a fourth because I didn't want it into the sentiment.)

No, it still didn't feel finished yet. . . . . then I decided that I wanted to add some ribbon to give it the feel of a tail. I didn't have any fibers that were the right color, that was when I remembered something on SCS about frayed ribbon (a challenge actually.) I simply partially wrapped the ribbon around the lower brad so it is held in place sandwiched between the acetate, cardstock and the brad. As long as I don't show it to my son it should survive. ;)

ETA: I used a COPIC marker to remove some of the alcohol ink in the ears and eyes (can't really tell there). It is subtle, so you probably won't notice without me pointing it out.

Stamps: Lazy Leopard (Artfulinkables); Ink: various alcohol inks, StazOn Black, Chocolate Chip; Paper: Basic Black, Wild Wasabi; Accessories: acetate, brads, Cuttlebug, sponge dauber, black grosgrain ribbon, masking tape, 1/16" hole punch. ETA: COPIC marker.

Polished Acetate Tree

When I was playing with the TJ Polished Acetate technique awhile back I made quite a few. I paired them up with various colors of cardstock. And there they sat! Literally sitting out on my desk. I placed this piece of acetate onto Sky Blue cardstock that was leftover from my card yesterday and realized that it looked awesome (if I say so myself,) even better than on the other blue I originally paired it with.

The only problem I find myself faced with when I'm working with some of these backgrounds is that they are so eye-catching that I don't want to cover them too much. I have to find just the right stamp to balance the size, color and hmmmm, I guess intensity of the background (if that makes sense.) With this piece of acetate I used a blue and green alcohol ink and perhaps a brown, because you can see on the left that the brown is one of the colors, so I'm not sure if I added a brown or if the colors just muddied and made a brown.

The second problem I have is how to attach the acetate to the cardstock without using adhesive that will show threw. Hence the reason I frequently use brads. Can't brads fix everything? ;D

I did mix my metals here, using gold on the acetate and silver hardware. Problem is that I didn't have brown or gold and didn't want to work to color what I had to match. I sure hope that there aren't Craft Cops that will be hunting me down! LOL!

I was afraid that I didn't have enough details of interest, so I added the Weathered background on the brown layer and distressed the edges. I think with the rock feel of the acetate and the tree, they all work together. *crossing fingers*

Stamps: Lovely as a Tree (SU), Weathered (SU), sentiment (ISC); Ink: various alcohol inks, gold mixative, StazOn Timber Brown, Chocolate Chip; Paper: Sky Blue, Chocolate Chip, Bashful Blue (sentiment); Accessories: Silver HPH & brads, acetate, brown ribbon (American Crafts), distresser.

Polished Prints

I found a background going through one of my scrap drawers. Here is a tip I realized tonight; if you aren't using a technique immediately write the name on the back! LOL! I don't remember the name of this technique so if you recognize it feel free to drop me a note. It looks like a brayered polished stone. ETA: This technique from Technique Junkies is called Brayered Rainbow from the April/May 2007 newsletter!

The stamp in the center is embossed directly onto the background. I poured through all my embellishments but just couldn't find anything other than these (very) old photo corners I bought when I was first getting into scrapbooking (around 1999). Everything else seemed to distract or made it feel off balance to me. Sometimes less IS more, I'm hoping it works with this!


This stamp set is Reverse Prints, now retired. I wanted a bold stamp to draw the eye inward because the background had so much going on with the color, metallic shimmer and French Script b/g.

Stamps: Reverse Prints, French Script; Ink: ENCORE silver, Caribbean Sea Kaleidacolor, VersaMark, StazOn Black; Paper: Soft Sky, Basic Black, Glossy; Accessories: brayer, black EP, photo corners, heat gun.

Butterflies

I indulged in some "rubbah adultry" (channeling Jan Tink) not too long ago, but just recently screwed up the courage to cut into the rubber. I purchased a sheet from Innovative Stamp Creations (ISC). Isn't that butterfly gorgeous?!!

When I was playing with the Polished Acetate technique (TJ) several weeks ago I made quite a few and have left them out on my desk. I finally got around to using one of them.

Ever have one of those cards that you feel like you just can't "solve"? I guess this was mine. I had the acetate stamped and layered on my c/s just couldn't figure out the sentiment. Well, I even had the hardware (which started out as pewter.) I just couldn't seem to get the energy to figure out how to put it together. I wanted black hardware and remembered that Faith often will use Sharpies to color her hardware. I started that, but just didn't like it. So I decided to alter it with EP. I heated it with my heat gun and dipped in black EP and reheated until I got it melted like I wanted, then did the other end. This works soooo much better when you use heat to adhere the EP than something like ink or VersaMark (which will allow the EP to slip off!)


Notice the different color brads. I used Tempting Turquoise CRAFT ink to color then embossed with clear EP. You have to treat these brads very gingerly because as I noted above, the EP will slide off.

The sentiment is very small, but reads, "the only way to have a friend is to be one". I will be giving this to a lady in Troy's school that helped me today with directions today to the ENT.

Speaking of ENT, I am back on the antibiotics (for another 20 days!) *sigh* Hopefully, the antibiotics (and the other two medications he prescribed) will get my sinuses healthy!

STAMPS: Friendship (ISC), Cheesecloth (SU); Ink: StazOn Black, CRAFT Basic Black (sentiment) & Tempting Turquoise (brads), various alcohol inks; Paper: Tempting Turquoise, basic black; Accessories: HPH, Black EP, brads, Ticket Corner punch, acetate.

Every Girl Needs Glitter

As I sat looking at my first card I realized that there was nothing glittery. (Doesn't every little girl need some glitter?) I was inspired (from a demo at the Scrapbooking Convention) to modify some silver brads by dipping them in Rose Red CRAFT ink, then dipped them in Hologram Highlights and heated from the bottom. I like this better!

What do you think?

Pink Birthday

I sent off DH today, dropped Troy off at a friend's house and headed for the CKU Scrapbook convention! Yes, I was a bad girl and jumped into some retail therapy to distract myself from the thought of ten weeks of single parenting! LOL! Its my excuse and I'm sticking to it! :D

We have a birthday party to attend tomorrow for Troy's "best girl" Erin. She is turning four. Now what do I have to make a card for a four year old girl???? She is definitely All Girl! I knew I needed to use pink so I searched (and searched!) Mostly for designer paper and found some retired pink sheets. I decided to use Beate's week-end sketch challenge #42, so that made things easier. I also thought I'd add some "Faith Dots". I sooooo don't do these very well! LOL! Guess I need more practice! I used some Stampin' Dimensionals to pop up the sentiment.

I hope she enjoys it. If nothing else I know her mother will!

Stamps: It's Your Birthday; Ink: Basic Black; Paper: Positively Pink (Retired), Whisper White, Designer Paper (various); Accessories: PUNCHES: 1 3/8" & Scallop, Signo White Gel Pen, Positively Pink Marker (Retired), Stampin' Dimensionals.

Walnut Birthday

I decided to mix the Technostamper's Challenge #11 with the TJ Walnut Ink Resist technique to make a birthday card for DH. Although his birthday isn't for another week, he leaves for 10 weeks on Saturday so we are celebrating tomorrow.

I meant to stamp the bottom "happy birthday" right side up, but oops! LOL! I sure hope this is masculine enough for him! *eyeroll* This is for the guy that thinks purple isn't masculine. I don't think I could have used any more masculine colors than this! Tip: I stamped and embossed the leaves then punched them out. So much easier to do it this way then try to center the leaf after your card stock is punched.

Stamps: Weathered B/G, It's Your Birthday, With Gratitude; Ink: CRAFT Very Vanilla, VersaMark, Walnut Ink; Paper: Really Rust, Basic Black, Very Vanilla; Accessories: Spiral punch, 1 1/4" and 1 3/8" square punches, Vanilla EP.

Back to Work

I am finally really starting to feel better, well until the doctor called with the results of my CT scan, which shows I have Sinus Disease, (aka: sinus infection). No wonder I felt so bad! I must admit I feel better knowing that it wasn't just a cold that had me so wiped out. I am getting the itch back to start creating, this is what I made today.

The new TJ newsletter came a week or so ago and I bought some Createx paint yesterday to try the Createx Creation technique. I have a few more backgrounds made, but haven't had time to finish cards with them yet. This version of the technique uses the brayer.

I used Morning Soft stamp and colored with Twinkling H2O's. Honestly, I had hoped that the H2O's would be more vibrant, but it is what it is. Although Rich Regals are my favorite color family I rarely use Taken With Teal because it is such a strong color, but with this background I thought they would work well together. I got to use my new styled silver Hodgepodge Hardware; yea!

Stamps: Morning Soft, Small Script; Ink: StazOn Black; Paper: Taken with Teal, Basic Black, Glossy; Accessories: Createx paint, Twinkling H2O's, HPH, large oval punch, ticket corner punch.