Rainy Day Creations

It’s time for another Dirty Challenge over on Splitcoaststampers.  The challenge was to use paper piecing.  Another part of the challenge was to use Fall or Christmas colors.  I didn’t remember that part and made the birthday card first.  Oops.  So I made the Christmas card, too, to qualify for the challenge.  Since I wanted the cards to be a set, I used Unity’s cute little floral image from their “Gratitude=Joy” Kit across the bottom of both cards.  For the Christmas card, I added the little red “berries” with a marker.

I love to paper piece, but sometimes I get a little crazy with lots of teeny tiny pieces of paper to glue.  But you can have just as much fun and make it a whole lot easier by using a simple shape to piece such as this square gift.  The paper pattern is repeated elsewhere on the card, too, which helps to emphasize the paper piecing on the gift.

The gifts are actually popped up on the inside of the cards.  They show through windows that have been punched on the front of the cards.  This is such a quick and easy way to add an element of fun!

Plus when the card is open, you still get to see the main event!!

Happy Crafting!

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Stamps: Unity “Gratitude=Joy” (floral) & “Birthday Chic” (birthday sentiment); Victorine Originals (gift); Flourishes “Holiday Greetings (Christmas sentiment)

Papers: Basic Black, Very Vanilla, Ballet Blue (birthday butterfly), Old Olive (Christmas pines); Provo Craft DP

Inks: Memento “Tuxedo Black”; Yellow, Blue, Red, Green and Black Markers

Accessories: Nestabilities; Brads; Yellow and Green Dotted Ribbons; Martha Stewart Butterfly Punch; McGill Pine Punch

Just a quick post today.  SO much going on everywhere with all the fun celebrations in honor of World Card Making Day.  I played along in the Inspiration Challenge on Splitcoaststampers again this week.  The inspiration piece is a water bottle from Kir DeVries found here.

Hope everyone is enjoying their weekend.  There are so many great challenges going on today.  Of course one of my favorites is the party going on over at Ellen Hutson’s the CLASSroom.  She is giving away BLOG CANDY with every challenge… and lot’s of it.  If you have a chance, check it out.  All you have to do to enter each challenges’ blog candy is leave a comment!  Of course, you can play along in the challenges as well!  Happy Crafting!!

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Stamps:  Asian Artistry and Teeny Tiny Wishes

Papers: Whisper White, Basic Black, DP Yellow Bicycle ‘Red Herringbone’

Inks: Jet Black Stazon, White Gel Pen, Copics:

Accessories: Black GG Ribbon, Paper Piercer and Template, Rhinestones, Cuttlebug ‘Vintage’ Diecut

I’ve been having so much fun this week playing along in several challenges.  This card is for Splitcoaststampers Inspiration Challenge #199.

Here is the cute little dress at The Pajama Squid that inspired it.

This came together really fast.  I first stamped the grass and then used the “Bird Call” Cuttlebug embossing folder to dry emboss the image over it.  After inking up my mirror stamp, I ran it over the embossing to highlight it.  I also sponged around the edges.

Hope everyone is enjoying a wonderful weekend!

Happy Crafting!

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Stamps: Farm Life, Inspired By Nature and Mirror Image Stamp

Papers: Very Vanilla, Not Quite Navy, River Rock

Inks: Old Olive, Always Artichoke

Accessories: Cuttlebug and Provo Craft “Bird Call” Embossing Folder, Stitched GG Ribbon in Blue Bayou, Not Quite Navy Brads

Had the chance to play along in  Splitcoaststampers Sketch Challenge today.  The layout is flipped 90 degrees, but I think that’s legal.

The only stamp used was the sentiment.  The main image is Jenni Bowlin designer paper that I colored with Copics.

We are enjoying a wonderful Autumn with warm sunny days and cool crisp evenings.  Doesn’t get any better than that!  Hope you find some joy in your day, too.

Happy Crafting!

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Stamps: savvystamps.com ‘Happiest Birthday Script’

Papers: Papertrey Ink and Jenni Bowlin Studio DP

Inks: Memento ‘Rich Cocoa’; Copics:

Birds: 

Leaves: 

Branches: 

Apples: 

Sky: 

Accessories: Paper Piercer and Template; GG Ribbons; Primas; Tim Holtz Mini Paper Clip; Kaiser Pearls; Martha Stewart ‘Picket Fence’ Edger Punch

The card I made today is for this week’s Inspiration Challenge at Splitcoaststampers.

Here is the inspiration piece that I chose from the LAMA e-store.

I love stamping directly onto designer paper.  This fun one is from Graphic 45’s “Times Nouveau Collection”.  I have stamped Unity Stamp Company’s “Everlasting Romance” on it with Memento “Tuxedo Black” ink.

Kaiser pearls are placed around the popped up cutout section of the image.

The last couple of weeks I’ve been rearranging my craft room.  In so doing I have discovered (or should I say rediscovered) a multitude of wonderful stamps and papers, ribbons and inks that I had acquired over the last couple of years.  These products are now at the forefront on my stamping table, and I am so looking forward to getting to know them!  Unity’s “Everlasting Romance” makes one!  lol
Have a great weekend.  Happy Crafting!!

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Stamps: Unity Stamp Company “Everlasting Romance”; A Muse Sentiment

Papers: Papertrey Ink “Lemon Tart” Cardstock; Graphic 45 “Times Nouveau Collection”

Inks: Memento “Tuxedo Black”

Accessories: Kaiser Pearls; Ribbon Lace “Saucy”; GG Ribbon; Bow-Easy

It’s time for another Dirty Challenge over at Splitcoaststampers.  This month the required element is a dog image or sentiment with a summer color scheme.  And this polka dot pup also fits in Sharon’s Stamp Simply Challenge #101 - Let’s Polka.  Here is my card.

Just a quick post today.  My DGD’s are still visiting. 

Happy Crafting!

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(All products are Stampin’ Up! unless noted.)

Stamps: “All In the Family” and “Everyday Flexible Phrases”

Papers: Whisper White, Garden Green and DSP Autumn Meadows

Inks: White Gel Pen; Memento Tuxedo Black; Copics:

Accessories: Ellen Hutson Inchie; Cuttlebug and Swiss Dot Embossing Folder; Linen Thread, Satin, Taffeta and Gingham Ribbons, Button, Paper Piercing Tool and Template

That’s right!  Woohoo!  It’s day three of the “Dare to Get Dirty ‘09″ celebration over on Splitcoaststampers, and today it’s my turn to host a challenge!  Here is the sample card I made for it.

Are you curious as to what the challenge is?  Hope you will come on over, check it out and play along.  You can find my challenge HERE.  All of the DTGD09 challenges can be found HERE.  (Note: Although you will be able to see the DTGD09 gallery, you will need to be a member of the Fan Club to see the challenges and upload into the DTGD09 gallery.)

Have a great weekend and… HAPPY CRAFTING!!

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Stamps: SU! “Asian Artistry”; Hero Arts “Four Chinese Wishes”

Papers: SU! Basic Black, Chocolate Chip, Whisper White; Penny Black “Carte Postale Collage”; Green DP (unknown)

Inks: Memento “Tuxedo Black”; SU! Chocolate Chip; Copics

Accessories: SU! 1-1/4″ GG Ribbon; Kaiser Black Pearls

It’s time for another party over on Splitcoaststampers (SCS) as they celebrate the birthday of the Dirty Dozen.  It’s called “Dare To Get Dirty ‘09″, and Dirty Girls both past and present are inviting you to play along in 8 challenges per day for 3 days!  Yup… there are 24 challenges total!  It started yesterday and continues today and tomorrow.  So if you haven’t joined in the fun yet, you can check it all out HERE on SCS.  (Although you will be able to see the DTGD09 gallery, you will need to be a member of the Fan Club to see the challenges and upload into the DTGD09 gallery.)

I was so honored when Laurie Schmidlin (Lauraly) asked me to make a sample for her DTGD09 challenge today, and here it is.

I had so much fun playing with this acetate.  It was a challenge to try and figure out how to suspend it without having any of the “support” system showing.  This is what I came up with.

Pop dots or dimensionals were placed under the ric rak to offer support along the entire side.

The sentiment is also giving support to the acetate.

Now working with acetate or clear card stock was NOT what Laurie’s challenge was all about.  Why not hop on over to SCS to see her challenge.  Then play along!

Oh!!  And tomorrow I get to host a challenge.  Sure hope you’ll join me, too, at 9AM PST.

Happy Crafting! 

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Stamps: SU! “Extreme Surfboard” and “So Cool”

Papers: SU! Whisper White, Summer Sun, Apricot Appeal and Ballet Blue; Acetate

Inks: Jet Black Stazon; Copic Marker B26

Accessories: Rik Rak; Stickles; Kaiser Rhinestones; Nestabilities Circle Dies, Cuttlebug

This card is for the Inspiration Challenge #189 over on Splitcoaststampers.  I got my inspiration from this photo.  I thought the model looked like a tree the way she was posing!

In trying to imitate the speckled design on the shirt, I colored directly with markers, lightly spritzed with water and then stamped.  This is another one of my favorite techniques.

I think the end result looks like a water colored time-consuming  process.  But, in fact, it took only seconds.  Really!  No fussing about with it.  The faster the colors are applied, the better it seems to look to me!

I love ribbon (who doesn’t!) so decided to put on three different ones that matched this beautiful new “Nouveau Chic” Designer Series Paper from Stampin’ Up!.  (And speaking of love… this paper is incredibly GORGEOUS… oh my!!)  The ribbon does not lay flat its entire length.  But rather, for some variation, has a little hill just above the button.

This sentiment is one of my all time favorites.  It is stamped on vellum and adhered to the card under the faux stitching which helps hide any tape that might show through.

Have a wonderful weekend and…  Happy Crafting!!

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All products used on this card are made by Stampin’ Up!.

Stamps: “Le Jardin Botanique”

Papers: Basic Gray, Very Vanilla, “Nouveau Chic” DSP, Vellum

Inks: Markers: Basic Black, Sage Shadow, Handsome Hunter

Accessories: Sage Shadow GG Ribbon from the Ribbon Originals “District” Collection, Basic Gray 3/8″ Taffeta Ribbon, Apricot 1/4″ GG Ribbon, Basic Gray Corduroy Button, Black Hemp Twine, Photo Corners Punch, Paper Piercing Tool and Template

This Friday a good friend turns 50.  His wife is throwing him a party.  This is the card I made for him.  On the inside it simply says, “You’re old.”  Got the layout from today’s Sketch Challenge over on Splitcoaststampers.

He is an avid reader so tomorrow I’m off to the bookstore to find him some sort of old age survival manual.  Really.  What are friends for?  heheh

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Stamps: Lost Coast Designs “Persian Skull”; SU! “Teeny Tiny Wishes” and “Itty Bitty Backgrounds”

Papers: SU! Whisper White and Basic Black; Stamping Station DP

Inks: SU! Basic Black and Not Quite Navy; Copics

Accessories: SU! Hemp Twine and Piercing Tool and Template; Cuttlebug and “Spiderweb” Embossing Folder; Kaiser Rhinestone; K&Co. Fancy Brad