2008 March » Rainy Day Creations

Why I Stamp

Mar 132008

My friend and neighbor, Michelle, is a fabulous artist. When you walk into her home you are surrounded by her gallery of beautiful paintings. She is also an art teacher. A couple of weeks ago she invited me to come to one of her classes that she holds in her home.

This is my “finished” project. It’s a tulip. *chuckle*

(This is as big as you are going to see it! Believe me you don’t want to see it any larger than this!! lol)

Michelle was wonderful. She explained how to use the white and darks to make your image pop. It was really fun despite the fact that I was the only first timer in the class and wished more than once that I could hide my creation under the table. Michelle said that I had just been looking at it for too long. And that if I just put it up and came back in a couple of days it would look better to me. I could relate to that as that is sometimes the case with making cards as well. But the difference is that instead of having to draw your image there is this really cool thing called a stamp! Well I thought I would give the 2 day test a try. Nope. It still looked pretty bad to me!! lol So why do I stamp? Yup you guessed it! I CAN’T DRAW!!!

Awwww… That feels better. 🙂

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Stamps: Terrific Tulips, Sentiment from Rubber Soul (I added the exclamation point.)
Paper: Whisper White, Brilliant Blue
Ink: Brilliant Blue, Ballet Blue, Bashful Blue, Whisper White Craft
Accessories: Taffeta Ribbon, Brads, Clear Embossing Powder, Heat Gun
Technique: Emboss Resist

Crafty Crafty..

Mar 122008

Crafty Secrets Clear Art Stamps! I LOVE LOVE LOVE their vintage oh so Victorian images!! This card started out as my March Christmas card for the Christmas card challenge over at Splitcoaststampers.

But somewhere it took a turn. I think it may have been the Springy green ink. In any case it just didn’t feel like Winter to me. So it became a birthday card. I have 4 sisters, 2 sisters-in-law, 2 daughters-in-law and 2 granddaughters. So it’s always nice to have some feminine birthday cards on hand.

This card is only one layer (not counting the Ruby Red card base). I first stamped the pole and hanging basket and bird on Very Vanilla card stock. Using a template I cut the oval out of a sturdier card stock. This gives you a “frame” with an oval opening. Using this frame placed over the Very Vanilla stamped piece, I sponged with Ruby Red around the oval shape in the frame. Then I took the oval itself and placed it over the sponged oval area. I then sponged in Certainly Celery on the outer portions of the Very Vanilla piece. The faux stitching around the oval shape helps to hide any imperfections that may result from the sponging. It also helps to define the oval. The corners were stamped in Ruby Red and “joined” by more faux stitching. There’s a little coloring with markers in Certainly Celery, Ruby Red, Rose Red, Yoyo Yellow and Garden Green. I added some pearls and Primas with Stickles. All stamps are Clear Art Stamps from Crafty Secrets.

Now back to the drawing board for that March Christmas card challenge!

Beate's Tuesday Inspiration Challenge #4

Mar 112008

Isn’t this beautiful! It’s a textured cutting board and is the inspiration piece this week over at Beate’s blog.

Here’s the card I made for it. I love this sentiment. As soon as I saw the set with it from See D’s, I knew I had to have it. It touched my heart as I truly believe that everything that is alive has a soul.

Since there was so much I loved about this piece, I decided to use several elements from it for my card. The split background, the colors, the black silhouettes and those wonderful swirls were all included. For my background swirl panel I used my Cuttlebug’s “Divine Swirl” embossing folder on Barely Banana card stock. With a Stampin’ Spot in Ruby Red Craft, I pounced the “back” side of the embossed paper intentionally going for an uneven color coverage. I then stamped it with the “Sanded” backgrounder and sponged around the edges with Ruby Red Classic ink. The butterfly from “Essence of Love” was stamped in Ruby Red Craft on River Rock card stock. After cutting it out I took a Ruby Red marker and outlined the image.

Stamps: Kitchen Sink “Hearts & Roses”, See D’s “Silhouettes of Nature”, SU!’s “Essence of Love”, “Sanded”, “En Francais”
Paper: Barely Banana, River Rock, Basic Black
Ink: Ruby Red Craft, Classic and Marker, River Rock, Basic Gray, Basic Black, Jet Black Stazon
Accessories: GG Ribbon, Rhinestone Brad “Fire”, Black Brad, Corner Punch, Corner Rounder Punch, Cuttlebug and “Divine Swirls” Embossing Folder

Be sure to check out yesterday’s post for some…

* * * * * BLOG CANDY!!! * * * * *

Rainy Day Blog Candy! SAB Winner's Choice!

Mar 102008

Random.Org has chosen comment #22 – Sandyh50 to receive one of my SAB sets!!

Sandy I have emailed you. Let me know which set you would like and your address. I’ll get it in the mail to you asap!!

I’ve decided to go ahead and give 2 sets away!! Number 2 on the Random.Org list is comment #82 – Kathy Hering!! Kathy as soon as Sandy lets me know which set she wants, I will email you with what is still available for you to choose from.

Congrats ladies!! Hope you have fun with your stamps.

Edited 3/14/08

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Let’s do it again! I would love to make a trip to the Post Office and mail ONE of these Sale-A-Bration sets to you!! Just leave a comment here on this post. I will use random.org on Friday, March 14th to pick the winner. If it’s you, then the set coming your way is YOUR CHOICE!

And here is what you will be choosing from:

Friendship Blooms

Lots of Thoughts

So Many Scallops

Birthday Whimsy

Merci

Here’s a silly card I made with the Birthday Whimsy set.

Silly because I thought it would be neat to cut off the bows at the top of the presents and attach silver cording through the middle of the image. But it wasn’t. What was I thinking! To repair the damages I added some funky fibers. I think it helped make them look a little more like gifts again. But next time I’m definitely leaving on the bows!!

Stamps: Birthday Whimsy

Paper: Soft Sky, Groovy Guava, River Rock, Basic Black, Ginger Blossom DP

Ink: Jet Black Stazon, Versamark

Accessories: GG Ribbon, Funky Fibers, Rhinestone Brad “Fire”, EP, Corner Punch

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This post is now closed to comments.
Edited 3/14/08

SCS Sketch Challenge #166 - A Little Late

Mar 082008

So I’m a little late with Splitcoaststamper’s Wednesday sketch challenge. Sometimes I just don’t know when to stop. If it is a sketch that I really like, and oh my this was sure one of those, I just have to make more than 1 or 2 or… Look at this beautiful sketch!

I mean really. Who can blame me for making 5 cards with it? *chuckle*

I wonder if the amount of fun I have making a card is proportional to the mess I make in my craft room while doing it. If that is the case, then I surely had a blast with these!

Stamps: Twill Backgrounder, Sentiment is Hero Arts
Paper: Handsome Hunter, Blush Blossom, Mellow Moss, Whisper White, Paper Pizazz DP “Joy’s Vintage Papers”
Ink: Handsome Hunter, Versamark
Accessories: Velvet Ribbon, Brad, Prima, Stickles, Flower Punch

Stamps: Twill Backgrounder, Elegant Cheer
Paper: Night of Navy, Bashful Blue, Mellow Moss, Whisper White, Paper Pizazz DP “Joy’s Vintage Papers”
Ink: Handsome Hunter, Versamark
Accessories: GG Striped Ribbon, Brads, Primas, Stickles, Flower Punch

Stamps: Twill Backgrounder, Elegant Cheer
Paper: Night of Navy, Mellow Moss, Whisper White, Paper Pizazz DP “Joy’s Vintage Papers”
Ink: Handsome Hunter, Versamark
Accessories: GG Ribbon, Brads, Prima, Stickles, Flower Punch

Stamps: Twill Backgrounder, Sentiment is Wordsworth
Paper: Handsome Hunter, Orchid Opulence, Whisper White, Paper Pizazz DP “Joy’s Vintage Papers”
Ink: Handsome Hunter, Versamark
Accessories: Organdy Ribbon, Brads, Primas, Stickles, Flower Punch

Stamps: Twill Backgrounder, All Holidays
Paper: Handsome Hunter, So Saffron, More Mustard, Whisper White, Paper Pizazz DP “Joy’s Vintage Papers”
Ink: Handsome Hunter, Versamark
Accessories: Gingham Ribbon, Brads, Primas, Stickles, Flower Punch

BLOG CANDY ALERT!!

Be sure to stop by on Monday. I’ll have another SAB set waiting for a new home!

Saturday's Inspiration Challenge Goes Green

Mar 072008

St. Patrick’s Day is just over a week away. So what fun that the inspiration piece this week at Splitcoaststampers is a beautiful green quilt. Here it is.

And here is the card I made that was inspired by this quilt.

To start I stamped the flourish and shamrocks on Whisper White card stock with Versamark. Using clear embossing powder I then heat embossed them. Brayering was next with Certainly Celery and Garden Green. The Print Pattern backgrounder is also stamped on Whisper White with Certainly Celery.

I had never tried brayering until I saw Michelle Zindorf’s wonderful creations. She is so sweet and generous to have some great tutorials on her blog that show how she achieves her fabulous brayered backgrounds. And even though my attempts do not come close to her works of art, it has become one of my favorite techniques to play with.

Stamps: Baroque Motifs, Print Pattern, Sentiment is Rubber Soul, Shamrock is unknown
Paper: Garden Green, Whisper White
Ink: Garden Green, Certainly Celery, Versamark
Accessories: GG Ribbon, Gingham Ribbon, Rhinestone Brad, Clear EP, Brayer

SCS "Ways to Use It" Challenge #156

Mar 062008

What a fun challenge Julia has for us over on Splitcoaststampers today! She has challenged us to use our computers in making a card. So first using Word I drew up this little sketch.

Then I made a card using it.

The sentiment was also done using Word (and Websters) and then printed out on card stock. The word “happy” is a font called “Adler” that I got from ScrapVillage.

If anyone wants to make a card using this sketch, please feel free to do so. Post a comment here with a link to your card. I would LOVE to see what you have come up with!

Happy Stamping!!

Stamps: Circle of Friendship
Paper: Real Red, Whisper White, East Coast Prep DP
Ink: Printer Ink, Real Red, Jet Black Stazon
Accessories: GG Ribbon, Circle Punches, Computer

Patty's Bad Day

Mar 052008

Got an email from my brother-in-law today. It would seem that my dear sister-in-law took a terrible fall on the ice while she was out for her morning walk with her dogs. He was able to get his 4-wheel drive truck into the park to pick her up and take her to the hospital. She had 5 fractures in the 2 leg bones and a dislocated ankle. She had to have surgery to repair all the damage and will be off her feet for 4 to 6 weeks.
I think my brother-in-law’s last paragraph summed up Patty’s bad day.

“Other than being upset about falling on the ice, the pain, not being able to do her mail route, being dressed in nothing but a gown and having to look forward to surgery then months being confined, she is doing well…. Remember her in your prayers.”

Stamps: Main image is from Inkadinkado, Sentiment SU! “So Many Sayings”
Paper: Very Vanilla, Watercolor, SU! DP “Prints” in More Mustard
Ink: Jet Black Stazon, More Mustard, Chocolate Chip Marker, Reinkers in Bashful Blue, Summer Sun, Pretty in Pink, Cameo Coral, Blush Blossom, Regal Rose, Certainly Celery, Creamy Caramel, Close to Cocoa
Accessories: Aqua Painter, Word Window Punch, Velvet Ribbon from SU!’s Ribbon Originals “Theatre”, Flower Brad

You're The King

Mar 042008

My new Elvis stamps from Cornish Heritage Farms arrived yesterday. I had a football board meeting last night so didn’t get a chance to use them until this morning. Oh the torture to have to wait! lol

My oldest sister Linda is a huge Elvis fan. When I saw these stamps I knew I had to get them to make her some cards and possibly other projects as well. Several years ago another sister and myself took Linda to Graceland for her birthday on Elvis’ birthday. Linda can’t travel on her own so this was something she never expected. We toured the mansion of course and had some birthday cake. I think she loved every minute of it!! Here’s a cheesy photo from the trip!

Stamps: Cornish Heritage Farms Elvis series, SU! “It’s Your Birthday”
Paper: Whisper White, Basic Black
Ink: Jet Black Stazon, Going Gray
Accessories: Burgundy Velvet Ribbon, Plastic Heart

DP Makes It EZ

Mar 032008

I couldn’t resist buying this designer paper Saturday. I went shopping because I needed to get new blades for my paper cutter. Well no matter how many times I tell myself when I walk through the door, ‘I will walk PAST the designer paper. I will NOT stop. I will NOT look.’ I always do, and I always find some that I just HAVE to have. This paper is from one of those great big pads with a whole collection of papers in different patterns in coordinating colors. They sure do make beautiful rich easy backgrounds. Yummy!

As soon as I got home I stole up to my craft room and made a couple of cards. Besides the sentiments, I stamped a row of fleur de lee flourishes at the top of the saffron panel on the burgundy card. On the saffron card the main image is stamped in craft ink.

Stamps: So Saffron Card Sentiment from Rubber Moon and main image from Crafty Secrets Clear Art Stamps “Frame It”; Bravo Burgundy Card Sentiment and Fleur de Lee from See D’s “Phrases Collection” and “Victorian Flourishes”

Paper: So Saffron, Bravo Burgundy, DP from K & Company

Ink: Bravo Burgundy Classic and Craft

Accessories: Bravo Burgundy GG Ribbon, Satin Roses, Rhinestone Brads, Always Artichoke Brads, Circle Punches