Birthday Paradise

Doesn't this look like a fun place to be? Especially with the cool wind that was blowing here all day, I'll take paradise!

I used a set I recently purchased from Artful Inkables called Paradise Island. I am going to give this to my DH for his birthday. Yes, I know it doesn't say happy birthday on it. Humor me, my DH is deployed "to a very hot region" and I know he'll be working as normal on his birthday. So this sentiment just seemed so appropriate!

I used 2 Sketches 4 You #48 Bonus sketch for the layout. Then I used the Copic Colour Challenge #56 to use BV02, G02 and B32. I also used Copic Creations challenge #24 to use your favorite Copic technique, (I used feather blending, check out my flower.) AND I used Artful Inkables challenge #16 to make a birthday card in celebration of their birthday. Whew! Only four challenges for one card! LOL!

In other news, I am SO EXCITED! I will be attending the Copic Certification class that will be held in St. Louis in April!! Woo-Hoo!! I am beyond ecstatic! I was so surprised they chose me since I wasn't applying under a store. Our next assignment will probably be back overseas and I would love to be able to do some teaching and I think being certified will be so very helpful.

Stamps: Paradise Island (AI); Ink: Tuxedo Black, Danube Blue & Summer Sky (Memento); Paper: Ballet Blue & Garden Green (SU), Solar White (Neenah); Accessories: Copic markers, stickles, Scalloped Rectangle Nestabilities, large sponge dauber, pop dot, purple organdy ribbon (SU).

RSC Challenge

I have been hanging out at RubberStampChat for awhile. It reminds me of SplitcoastStampers before it became so big. Well, they have a monthly challenge that I enjoy doing. Usually it is a sketch challenge and this month is no different. The company sponsoring the challenge this month is Scrolls Work. The challenge sketch can be found here. And here is my submission:

I am really into blues and greens again and added yellow to help "Springify" the card. I used the Spritz and Shimmer technique from the June/July 2007 newsletter. The sentiment is taken from a Scrolls Work stamp the I used the Huff technique so to only use the first two lines of the stamp, (the original stamp is about 3.5" long.) I plan on sending this to my deployed hubby, so I thought just these words were enough. :-)

I used my Copic YR12 marker to color the brads, so they really coordinate with the yellow cardstock and break up the Bashful Blue layer.

Since the front of the card is heavy with all those layers I added a layer to the inside. Brought some of the So Saffron inside to compliment the color scheme. (Sorry for the fuzzy picture, I couldn't get a clear shot no matter how many pictures I took.)


Stamps: Floral Peacock & Missing You (Scrolls Work); Ink: Tuxedo Black, Summer Sky & Cantaloupe (Memento), Basic Black (SU); Paper: Garden Green, Bashful Blue, So Saffron; Accessories: Water, Black detail EP, Perfect Pearls, silver brads, Copic YR12, CB tag & Corner die, Sunflower Glimmer Mist (Tattered Angels ~ sentiment layer).

Victoria Case ~ Cosmo Cricket

Have you seen Victoria Case's artwork? I've been keeping an eye on her work. I did purchase a digi at the beginning of the school year, Ben, a boy headed off to school. (It was a limited edition.) I'm on her email list and she recently offed a special and I couldn't resist and bought a few. I mentioned that I would love it if she ever designed a boy gymnast as I haven't been able to find any boy gymnastic stamps for scrapbooking Troy's last few years in gymnastics. Well, don't you know that within a few days she drew two for me!! They are awesome! Take a look at her site! (Just scroll down just a little.) Aren't these great?! Thanks so much Victoria! Troy loves them!

This image, Bee Friends, is one of the stamps that I purchased. I used the SCS CS270 for my layout. I had to add the pearls at the bottom to add some balance. I started out coloring the green because of the Copic Creations color challenge #23 to use green.


Do you follow the Cosmo Cricket blog? Are they hysterical or what??? LOVE reading their blog! I couldn't help but post a comment recently and guess what I won??? Some yummy blog candy: a Double Deck of Material Girl & Garden Variety and some Tiny Type stickers. (I have been watching for Cosmo Cricket at my local large retailer's stores, but haven't jumped in yet.) The designer paper on my card is all from them. I loved the yellows with the Garden Green card base. (That center embossed So Saffron piece looks better IRL, the color didn't scan well.) I love the earthy Spring feel to this card. Thank you so very much Cosmo Cricket! I am really looking forward to using more on some future projects!

Stamps: Bee Friends (Victoria Case); Ink: Tuxedo Black & Cantaloupe (Memento), Paper: Garden Green, So Saffron, Ruby Red (SU), Solar Crest (Neenah), Designer Paper (Cosmo Cricket); Accessories: Copic Markers, various atyou Spica pens, white gel pen(Signo), Label Four (Nestabilities), dew drops (generic).

For Michelle

I'm dedicating this posting to my friend Michelle H. . . . . . blah, blah, blah. . . . (can you believe she finds my postings boring???? LOL! Love ya Michelle!

Now onto serious business! I think my loss of mojo isn't actually lost mojo but rather over whelming stimulus because there is so much inspiration that I become unable to decide which sketches and stamps and colors and. . . . . Well, I'm taking the first steps to wade through and craft again.

Here is a close up of the butterfly.


I started with sketch #47 from 2Sketches4You and decided to make a butterfly my central image. I chose a butterfly from IBFS Things With Wings. Copics Color Challenge #53 provided the colors for the butterfly; Y17, YG03 & C7 (I added YG00.) I sprayed Shimmerz Spritz Babys Breath to give it some shimmer.

Here is the complete card.


The background layer uses the Rainbow Double TJ technique. (You have to be a TJ member to have access to this technique.) The stamps used with this layer are from Sweet N Sassy Stamps called Dream Silhouettes and is a retired clear stamp set. I'm not sure if Korin offers it as a digi.

Stamps: (IBFS), Dream Silhouettes (SNSS); Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento), VersaMarker, Certainly Celery; Whisper White Craft (SU); Paper: Wild Wasabi, glossy, So Saffron, Solar White (Neenah); Accessories: Doily Lace boarder Punch (Martha Stewart), Night of Navy Grosgrain ribbon, white embossing powder, pearl dew drops (generic).

Frog Valentine

I first wanted to show you a picture of my Valentine. Before I even got out of bed this morning I had TWO Valentines from my little guy! He used his cardstock but my glitter pens (asking afterward if it was okay! Hahah!)


I was going to post a picture of his Valentines to me, but Blogger won't allow me up upload another picture right now. I will note that the first Valentine's card opened backwards, or perhaps his heart was just upside down! ;)

Before I show you the card I made my DS I wanted to send out a "Thank You!" I actually WON a new set illustrated by Theresa Momber from GinaK's sneak peek last week called Hang In There. Theresa is terrifically talented! I just love seeing her artwork and tutorials. She definitely inspired my card, not just because I used her set. You see, the night I saw on Gina's blog that I had won, my DS came downstairs to get me and I was so excited I showed him the set and a couple of DT samples before I took him back up to bed. Well, he commented that perhaps I could make him a Valentine's card using the cute frogs (he's ALL boy! LOL!) I told him I would if the set arrived in time, (I definitely wasn't expecting it that soon you know, there's always hope.) Imagine my surprise when a package arrived in my mailbox Friday! YES!! It was here and without further ado here is the card I made for him.


I had to take several pictures to get a good shot of this. This card uses the Double Embossed Metal TJ Technique. I was at Hobby Lobby several months ago in the framing section (not usually in that section of HL) and found this roll of soft aluminum on sale so I bought it. I KNEW I'd be able to use it for something! Thanks so much Pat for the inspiration!

The layout is from today's CPS card sketch #154. They actually posted it a bit early (last night) to their Facebook page so I immediately started to use it for this card.

Can you see Theresa's influence on this card? After I colored this cute little guy using my Copic Markers I masked him and sponged all around him. I really like how this turned out!

The DP was embossed with the Leafy Branch folder and brayered Bamboo Leaves (Memento) over to highlight the embossing.

Thanks for reading this far!! Happy Valentine's Day!

Stamps: Hang in There (GinaK); Ink: Memento: Bamboo Leaves, New Sprout, Dandelion & Cantaloupe, SU Basic Black Marker (sentiment); Paper: Wild Wasabi, Neenah Solar White, DCWV Old World textured mat; Accessories: Cuttlebug & Leafy Branch EB folder, Soft Aluminum sheet, Heart punch (Emagination), Large Sponges, Copic Markers: G02, G09, G28, E43, E44, E49, YG00, YG03, YG63.

Yes, I'm still here. . . .

I've been so caught up with the holidays, my DH deploying and getting my DS and I on our routine I've just not had the mojo for stamping. Well, I needed a card for a friend and was motivated to receive a digi freebie from Sweet N' Sassy Stamps (SNSS) on Paper Craft Planet (PCP) that I put together a card. The challenge was an inspiration challenge for "The princess and the frog."

Here is the version I entered at PCP:


To receive the early bird freebie your card had to be uploaded by 10pm and I made it by minutes! After I posted this I noticed that my dew drop moved and required fixing. I went ahead and made some upgrades to the card at that time.

I used this week's sketch by 2 Sketches 4 You, isn't it lovely? I did turn it on it's side so I could use this princess image. Color combo from SCS CC254 was to use Bashful Blue, Soft Suede, Ruby Red and any neutral. I colored using my Copics. Here is the upgraded card:


Stamps: Princess, Forget Me-Nots (both from SNSS); Ink: Tuxedo Black & Summer Sky (Memento), Close to Cocoa (SU); Paper: Close to Cocoa, Ruby Red, Solar White (Neenah), Bashful Blue D/P (SU); Accessories: dew drop (generic) Distress stickles, clear atyou Spica, Copic markers, sponge, brown ribbon (American Crafts) brad (SU).