Stamps, Paper, and Ink

Happy Memorial Day

Had to post today in honor of the holiday, one of my favorite cards from the Dirty Dozen Gallery back in February when the theme was "Bold, Masculine, and Dirty."

I wanted to design a card to thank all those who serve in our U.S military branches, including my husband who served for 21 years. He truly is my hero and best friend.

Many thanks to all the men and women who have served and continue to endure the hardship of military life to keep us safe!

This card was done with a background stamp - the bold stripes - and a wheel! I wanted lots of neutrals so the colors would pop. I threaded elastic cord in-between the stars and knotted it at each end, also adding machine stitching on the striped panel to further carry out the military theme.

I'll be back to artisan entries tomorrow. The best is yet to come, I think!

Stamps: Hero (Jumbo Wheel), Solid Stripes

Paper: Very Vanilla, Night of Navy, Bravo Burgundy, Sahara Sand, Whisper White

Ink: Sahara Sand, Night of Navy Craft, Versamark

Accessories: Star punch, silver cord, Brushed silver brads, piercing tool, machine stitching

Artisan Entries - Best Wishes

I intended to post much earlier today, but I've attended two high school graduation parties for over 6 hours today!! This time next week it will be my son's turn. I'll keep this short since I'm all talked out! That doesn't happen very often, lol!

 

Here is card number two of my Artisan Award Entries. If you'd like to see my other entries, they begin on THIS  post. I have to tell you that this project was my least favorite of all I did and to top that off, I don't like the photo I ended up with.

The colors were inspired by a top that I have, and yes, I did use Only Orange on purpose, lol!  My goal for this card was a detailed look done mostly with ink. I used two different background stamps on the Basic Gray panel, and added sponging and a distressed look with the Color Spritzer and second generation stamping on the vanilla panel. Even though this card looked much better IRL, it is not the clean crisp style that I love. Wondering why I chose to make it?  I wanted to show a variety of styles and stamping skills, and I ran out of time towards the end.

Thanks so very much for your positive feedback, you all are the very best!! I appreciate each and every comment and all your support. I'll be back on Monday!

 

 

Don't forget to check out these talented artists!

Jamie Jackie Patty

Katy Melissa Tina Kelly

Ashley Carmen Monika Tracy

Sam Jenn Renee Carrie

Supplies~  all supplies by Stampin' Up!
Stamps: Greenhouse Garden, Medallion, Solid Stripes, Oval All
Paper:Very Vanilla, Only Orange, Always Artichoke, Sahara Sand
Ink: Only Orange, Apricot Appeal, Always Artichoke, Versamark, Sahara Sand

Accessories:Vanilla 5/8" grosgrain ribbon, Large Oval punch, Scallop Oval punch, Scallop Trim punch, Color Spritzer, Elegant Bouquet Embossing Folder

Order from me online anytime HERE or e-mail me HERE with any questions you have!

Artisan Entries - Heart Take Wings

I'm having a hard time deciding what to show you next. I don't want to put all my favorites out in the first couple of days even though it is tempting!  Trust me though, I am holding my absolute best (especially my other 3D!) for the very end. Based on your very kind comments, I feel encouraged that you'll keep coming back. <g>

The 3D projects are what I thought would be the hardest, but it didn't turn out that way at all. For me, the most difficult is coming up with the idea, usually then I am good to run with it. Once I got going with this frame, it was as if my heart took wing completing the project. Well actually, I took off running to the nearest (uh--mmm...) local craft store to get the frame which measures about 2 feet across and stands up on its own.

 I planned the color scheme around the Sweet Pea DSP and a balance with three panels light (white and blue pattern) and 3 dark (featuring the Olive Polka dot pattern.) Sorry my photo colors are off a bit, but I can't fix that now, lol! There's much more brightness and lots of white in the project IRL.

 

Once I had the main scheme for the panels, I had lots of fun figuring out what to put in them. The top middle frame is simply DP.

For the bottom left panel, I had fun constructing the flower using the Heart to Heart punch. For the flower center, I used a circle of card stock and added glitter. I used a big dollop of Crystal Effects on top of the glitter and I love the result of dimension and shine. The circle is like a dome with sparkles inside. I used another punched flower behind the center.

On the bottom right, the flowers are layered die cuts and buttons. I even called Stampin' Up! to make absolutely sure that they OK'd the use of cotton thread in those buttons!

Click the photo for a closer look.

I love the sentiment from the Hope Happens set, and it was the next thing I added, stamping on a Sending Love Notes die cut. After that it was easy to decide to add bright colored butterflies and accents on the last two frames.

I would have really enjoyed keeping this project. After I finished it, I considered what a nice addition it would be to my desk. You've seen THIS view from my window, here's the inside view where you can see the Cool Caribbean walls of my craft room. Sorry for the long post, hope you enjoyed the project!

"Plant your feet firmly, and let your heart have wings"

Supplies~  all supplies by Stampin' Up!
Stamps: Hope Happens
Paper:Chocolate Chip, Sweet Pea Designer Series Paper, Whisper White
Ink: Chocolate Chip

Accessories:Sending Love Notes-Hugs, Boho Blossoms, Heart to Heart and 3/4" Circle punches; Eggcellent Eggs Kt, White taffeta ribbon, Playground Designer buttons, Fine Supernova glitter, Crystal Effects, Stampin' Up! Birds and Blooms Sizzlet, Swirls Scribbles Sizzlet, Stampin' Up! Beautiful Butterflies, Beautiful Wings Embosslit, Big Shot.

Order from me online anytime HERE or e-mail me HERE with any questions you have!

Artisan Entry--Easter Blessings

In case you missed yesterday's post, I am sharing in the next ten posts the projects that I created to enter the Stampin' Up! Artisan Award. I didn't win, only 10 winners are chosen,but I am pleased to have completed entries that I am proud of and I'm happy to share them with you.

We were required to create five cards, three scrap pages, and two 3D projects using a variety of styles and creativity.

I 'll start with this card because it's the first that I made. It's the detailed elegant style I love best!

 

I used reinkers and an Aqua Painter to color. The Bashful Blue panel is embossed with the Finial Press folder, sorry the details don't show up. The swirls on the Top Note panel are rub-ons.

Hope you like it! It's hard sharing that you didn't win. I'm OK with it but will not enter again since this is my second try.  Comments are especially welcome <g>

Supplies~  all supplies by Stampin' Up!
Stamps: Abundant Joy
Paper: So Saffron, Basic Black, Bashful Blue, Sweet Pea Designer Series Paper, watercolor, Vellum
Ink: Black StazOn, reinkers

Accessories:Pretties Kit, Aqua Painter, Eggcellent Eggs Kit, White Satin Ribbon, Finial Press Embossing folder, Stampin' Up! Lots of Tags, Big Shot, machine stitching

Here's a blog roll of other talented artists sharing their entries. You are sure to be inspired!!

http://jhurley90.blogspot.com/
http://igotstamps.com/
http://jackietopa.typepad.com/
http://paperpatty.blogspot.com/
http://onyxstamps.com/
http://www.reneevs.blogspot.com/
http://monikastamp.wordpress.com/
http://www.inkspotsandgumdrops.blogspot.com/
http://www.alattestampin.com/
http://wwwsaucystamper.blogspot.com

Beautiful Butterflies

After getting back from vacation, my mojo seemed a bit slow to warm up. I tried to make a card yesterday, but it ended up in the trash!  The fabulous Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge gave me a great jump start today. I'm sure you won't mind if I sneak this post in before my promised Artisan Entry posts begin tomorrow!

 

I used the Elements of Style stamp set and colored the flowers and butterflies with Stampin' Up! markers.

Almost heaven....

I'm back from my WVa mountain vacation and it was a great time visiting with family and playing! I'm glad to see that some of you checked in on the posts that I left for you and liked the masculine cards. I will be sure to continue interspersing those masculine projects among my other posts.

I do have some fabulous cards to share with you today, done by talented stampers who are also dear and wonderful friends!

But first there are two announcements.

I'd like to let Sandra R know that she won the draw to participate for FREE in my Something New video class!  Congratulations, Sandra! Thanks to all who posted, your opinions matter and I really will take them to heart. 

The second announcement is a personal one. Back in March I completed 10 projects which I mailed in to the Stampin' Up! Artisan Award Contest.  I put all my effort (and a good bit of heart!) plus more than 40 hours of work into these projects. I didn't win. After all they can only pick 10 winners out of hundreds!  I can't say I'm not bummed. I'd love for you to cheer me up. And, as always, I'll share my work with you.

Beginning tomorrow, and for the next ten days or so, I will be posting my projects. There's more!  I'll add links to others as a mini blog hop. So, do check back!

Here's a line up of some of my favorite cards!

From Kim

The inside says, "I picked you"  I love the way she used Shimmer paint to add sheen to the ocean waves.

Another sweet pretty from Kim-

   

This bright and happy card from Donna makes me happy too!

 

Here's a beauty from Judy - I love her details!

I am glad to be back and honored that you have stopped by today. I'd love to hear from you!

Thank you, friend

 

This little line up of boys was my take on an inspiration piece from a Dick Tracy comic strip. The border is 3 dimensional, created with designer paper, circles and popped up shapes. The diamond shaped pieces are scraps (think donut holes!) you get from using the Lattice Die. I just have to say how much fun it was figuring out a way to use those scraps. Isn't it cute??? I guess if I said brilliant I'd be bragging, lol.

I added details with the gel pen.

Stamps: Very Thankful, Tiny Tags

Paper: Old Olive, Sahara Sand, Whisper White,Taken with Teal, More Mustard, Real Red, Night and Day Designer Series Paper

Ink: Basic Black, Taken with Teal

Accessories: Vintage Brads, Medium Jewelry Tag Punch, 3/4" Circle Punch, Black Gingham Ribbon, Designer Buttons Playground,Uni-ball Signo Gel pen, Lattice Bigz Die

Cool Dude

 

Using My Digital Studio to make this full photo page of my son was so easy and gives a really professional result. Starting off with a great photo was a huge help. This shot gave me a great little story to journal. I loved pausing to reflect on this cool dude who is my son and how much I appreciate him.

I keep thinking now that summer is here, I'll have time for more scrap booking. Then I remember how fast the summer flies by!  Oh well, and it's really not officially here yet. 

Trendy Trees Double-take

Our challenge was to show a card and then make changes to show the stepped up version. (scroll down if you missed the first card.) It was really fun evaluating ways to add to the card. For my double-take I popped up all three trees and added machine stitching, a paper tab and button, brads and an extra layer. I also stamped the sentiment in two colors.

Trees are a go-to for me and always great for a masculine card.

Stamps: Trendy Trees

Paper: Taken with Teal, Whisper White, Sweet Pea Designer Series Paper Stack, Chocolate Chip

Ink: Chocolate Chip,Taken with Teal, Always Artichoke, Pumpkin Pie

Accessories: Piercing tool and mat, Jumbo Brads, Button Latte Designer Buttons, sewing machine

Trendy Trees

The day has come when I can finally share some of my cards from past Dirty Dozen challenges with you. My first month the theme was masculine cards - a somewhat daunting way to begin! I am happy to scatter a few of these cards on posts over the next week or so. Hope you'll get some ideas.

This card uses the Trendy Trees set and is my LESS version of the challenge.

Stamps: Trendy Trees

Paper: Taken with Teal, Whisper White, Sweet Peas Designer Series Paper Stack

Ink: Chocolate Chip, Taken with Teal, Always Artichoke, Pumpkin Pie

Accessories: Piercing tool and mat