Oct
03
2009
Hey y’all! All the Member Companies at Splitcoaststampers are hosting challenges today. The first one I looked at this morning and knew I wanted to do was Crafty Secrets’ Challenge, Pop It!
I decided not to use any of my stamps, but to use the Girlfriends Creative Scraps sheet. I need a few birthday cards this month and thought I would kill two birds with one stone.
All the edges of the papers were sponged with Antique Linen Distress Ink and the bottom layers were sewn to a background panel. I used the Spellbinders Contemporary Hearts Borderabilities, layering one over the other with sponging on the bottom one. The embellishment was made with 1” strips of Graphic 45 paper, rubbed with Matte Accents and then dipped in Vintage Glass Glitter. Here’s a close-up where I think you can see both the Borderabilities and the glitter.
I think this card also qualifies for the Crafty Secrets weekly challenge, to use a handmade embellishment . . . oh yeah!
I hope you’ve had time to stamp today! I’ve got a few more challenges I want to take part in so I’m heading back into the studio!
Sep
16
2009
A few years ago, I was a Challenge Chaser. I know some of you know what that means, but many of you probably do not. On Splitcoaststampers there were a large group of us that did the daily challenges. We chatted in the mornings while waiting for the challenge to be posted, getting to know each other and becoming on-line friends. Once the challenge was posted, we scurried off to do our card, posted it, commented on everyone else’s cards and then headed our own ways. We’d start all over the next morning! It was great fun as well as great learning experiences.
I’ve tried to do the daily challenges over the last couple of years, but my schedule or other priorities seemed to keep me from them. One of my favorites was Wednesday’s Sketch Challenge. Today I decided to see what the sketch was and give my hand at it. I don’t remember the challenges being this hard . . . or perhaps my ways of stamping have changed . . . yes that’s it, I’m sure of it.
I struggled with this card today and as I was finishing up, tying the bow and finally getting pictures, it occurred to me that I don’t go by sketches anymore. No wonder this was so difficult today. I just start stamping now, not even thinking about how I’m going to assemble the card until I’m there. It just all flows together and I when I’m finished . . . I get what I get! So, the bottom line . . . if I really want to challenge myself, I need to do more sketch challenges.
Anyhoo, here’s my card for the Splitcoaststampers Sketch Challenge.
The edges of the background papers were sponged with Old Paper Distress Ink, a Gold Paint Dabber was run along the edges and then the paper was all sewn together. The reindeer was embossed with Queen’s Gold Embossing Powder and then die cut with a Spellbinders Square Nestabilities. Old Paper Distress Ink was used to sponge and distress the paper. On the inside of the card the sentiment Merry Christmas was also embossed with the Queen’s Gold.
I hope you’ve had a fab day so far and thanks for stopping by!
Sep
15
2009
Good Tuesday afternoon! I’m still working on my coffee, trying to fight off a nap so I can sleep tonight. How many of you have ever had a flu shot? Yesterday was my first. I let my doctor talk me into getting one and lord have mercy . . .
it will be my last! I’m not sick yet (which is my biggest fear) but my arm hurts like hell. Can you imagine trying to sleep last night, one side of your nose that you are unable to breathe through and when you roll over to the side that will let you breathe, your arm hurts! MERCY!!! I’ll never let them talk me into another, that’s for damn sure. I’ve been just fine all these many years without ever having one and I’m sure I’ll be okay in the future.
Speaking of the future, I can’t even begin to tell you how much fun I’m having right now. I am in my seventh heaven playing with images that I purchased some time ago and never had the time to put ink on. Not only that, but I’m also loving that I am able to get back to my roots of stamping and having fun with it. Thank goodness vintage and shabby chic are on their way back . . . because I’m having an absolute ball!!!
Today’s card is one that I actually have made for the Color Challenge on Splitcoaststampers. It has been so very, very long since I’ve been able to participate in one the Splitcoast Challenges or even wanted to. I’ve been thinking about them for a few weeks now and decided today was the day. Of course, it didn’t hurt that today’s colors I absolutely love . . . . pink, brown and white. They actually said Pretty in Pink, Soft Suede and Whisper White. Since I don’t have ALL of these colors any longer, I decided to compromise and Neenah white and my pink is from SEI.
For the image background, I used the Wrinkle Free Distress technique with the colors Soft Suede and pink. I added some Gold Perfect Pearls to the water before I misted the ink to give it some shimmer. Once the image was stamped on the background, the flower was water colored with pinks and yellows. The background received a light blue color wash. I used Spellbinders Small and Large Deckled Rectangles to make the frame and the Fleur de Lis Borderabilities. I found some old lace in my stash and to age it, I stamped some brown ink on my craft sheet, misted it with water and ran the lace through it . . . the lace isn’t as bright now.
- Stamps: Orchid Postcard from Magenta
- Paper: Arches Watercolor; 7 Gypsies Classic Paperie; SEI Chocolat; Neenah Classic Crest Solar White; Soft Suede
- Ink: Ranger Archival Coffee and Vintage Photo, Broken China and Old Paper Distress; Pink and Yellow Tombow Markers
- Accessories: Spellbinders S4-213 Fleur de Lis Borderabilities and S4-201 and S4-202 Deckled Rectangles; Sewing Machine; Mounting Tape; Sponge Daubers; 7 Gypsies Paper Fasteners; Vintage Button and Old Lace; Koi Water Brushes; Ranger Non-Stick Craft Sheet, Mini Mister and Gold Perfect Pearls
I hope you’re enjoying your day and thanks for stopping by. I’m off to see what kind of trouble I can get into OR maybe I’ll just take a nap!
Jul
24
2009
Good Saturday morning! For the past few days there has been a special event taking place on Splitcoaststampers. In order to thank the Fan Club Members of Splitcoaststampers, the past and present members of the Dirty Dozen Design Team (the “Dirty Girls”) have been hosting challenges. If you are a Fan Club Member you can check out the challenges in this forum. If you are not a Fan Club Member and would like to be, just out this page!
My friend Kittie is hosting one of the challenges today. I was very honored when she asked me to make a sample for her and here it is!
The images from Kittie’s, stamp line – Cause a Scene, were stamped randomly on watercolor paper and there was no masking involved. Because I thought out my design beforehand, and stamped the images far enough apart, there wasn’t any need to mask. In my mind, there needed to be crops somewhere in the field, so I chose next to the barn. Using the smallest flower image from Kittie’s Outdoor Master #1, I stamped in lines next to the barn to simulate crops.
Thanks for stopping by today and if you are a Fan Club Member, I hope you join in today’s Dirty Dozen Challenges on Splitcoaststampers. I’ll be leaving for CHA tomorrow so the next time you hear from me . . . . . I’ll be with the Red-Hot Mommas!!!!!!
Apr
17
2009
Good morning! 
This was going to be the day that I would being the videos. What I’m thinking is actually babbling in a video. Then I will have my card and the necessary deets. That way for people who truly aren’t interested they can skip the video. This has been in the works for a month or so now but I have yet to get it done. I didn’t write about this project last night when I finished, well because . . . I wanted to do the video. Alas, I got out of bed this morning with a headache and today is probably not the day to start. I did promise a reader however, that I would do a video tutorial on the fragment tag I used on my Wacky Wednesday card. It will be coming real soon!
A number of months ago, I truly can’t remember how long . . . maybe 4 or 5, I was at Target shopping. I found in the Dollar Spot a package of 3 unfinished wood frames that some how jumped into my cart. I had an idea of what I wanted to do with them, but unfortunately time has not been on my side.
You know that project I was talking about yesterday? The one I had to let dry, blah blah blah? Well, it is one of these frames. It’s funny how I was working on a frame and then yesterday’s Splitcoast Ways to Use It Challenge was for frames. 
I just had to finish the frame last night.
The frame is fairly close to what I had imagined. This one is a practice piece, as I have an idea for my mother and her colors are definitely NOT green, orange and blue. This one will hang in my studio which does have blue and green accents. Now that I have general premise down, I can move on to the one for my mother.
The unfinished frame was painted with acrylic paint and once that was dry, a layer of Distress Crackle Paint was applied over the acrylic paint. After the Crackle Paint had dried, the edges and various places on the frame were sanded to appear worm and handled. The flower embellishment is made with Grunge Paper. The leaves were stamped, inked and then cut out. The layers for the flower were die cut with Spellbinders Daisy Heads Shapeabilities, inked and then over stamped with Rubbernecker’s Loose Weave Background. For the panel inside the frame, that “Inky Thing I Do” was done with Antique Linen, Spiced Marmalade and Broken China. Those colors were used because the flowers were inked with Spiced Marmalade and Broken China. The sentiment was stamped in Ranger Archival Coffee.
If the photo looks funny, I took the picture with the frame upside down (didn’t want to mess up those grunge paper leaves and flower) and then rotated it in Paint Shop.
I hope each of you have a great day and thanks for stopping by!
I must leave you with this: 
I just saw it and it made me giggle. I just can’t help myself some times!
