Good morning!  Hope you had a good day yesterday.  It was rainy here, but I still spent the morning running with my girls.  There was some last minute shopping that needed to be done for me.  Kate needed to get some supplies for her new classroom (Yeah for my middle school educator) and Mallory needed some stuff for her sorority meeting she’s got coming up.  In and out of the rain we ran, until at lunch I was soaked to the skin and cold.  I had asked Mallory about a pedicure earlier in the week, as I had never had one before . . . until today.  Because Mallory told me the chairs were heated, I treated myself and the girls to pedicures at a little place next to where we had lunch.  I can’t believe that I have NEVER treated myself to a pedicure before, but I can guarantee that it will not be the last.  Just look at these great footsies!

I asked if I could have a discount because I only had 9 toes.  They only laughed at me and continued on.  Hmmpf!

Anyhoo, after my nap (I was sooooo cold with a major headache and wrapped up in a blanket . . . that’s all it took) I was feeling pretty good.  I headed down to the studio and wanted to stamp, but just didn’t know with what.  Following my plan of using stamps that have not seen ink ever or for a long time, I pulled out my new Wings of Friendship.

I colored the image with markers, misted with water and then stamped on hot press watercolor paper.  I was beginning to sponge the edges of the background and realized that it probably had a white core, so I decided to sand instead.  I left the sentiment off the front, as I realized that this would make and fabulous all occasion card.  I’ll stamp something on the inside when I get ready to send it.

• Stamps:  Wings of Friendship from Stampin’ UP!
• Paper:  Arches Hot Pressed Watercolor; K&Company Classic K Bailey Mat Pad; SU Rich Razzleberry and Soft Suede
• Ink:  SU Markers Rich Razzleberry, Soft Suede and Bermuda Bay; Tombow Markers Avocado; Ranger Old Paper Distress
• Accessories:  Ranger Mini Mister; SU Ribbon, Eyelet Border Punch; Brands; Sanding Tools; Tsukineko Sponge Dauber; Venture Foam Tape

Here’s hoping you have a great day, and thanks for stopping by!

Oh my BADness!  I have been so buried this week under paper, glitter and ink that I haven’t had time just to stamp.  I’ve been getting ready for my part of the Spellbinders CHA Blog Frenzy that . .  . well it’s like this . . . .   I got last part of my projects done today, still have some more to do, but I just had to take a minute and clear my head.

I did something today that I haven’t done for a very long time.  I pulled out my absolute favorite floral image of all time!  For some of you, I don’t even have to show you the card and you’ll know the stamp.  For some others, it’s been so long since I’ve put ink to this image that you’ve probably never seen anything I’ve done with it.

Are you ready?  My Penny Black Blush stamp!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you haven’t been able to tell over the last bit, I love stamping on wet watercolor paper and today is no different.  I misted the watercolor paper and let it sit for a few minutes to soak up the water.  When the paper was just damp, I stamped Rubbernecker French Script in Old Paper Distress Ink.  I let the ink sit for awhile, and then when I had the look I wanted, I finished drying with my heat tool.  The flower was inked using Tombow Markers, misted with water and then stamped over the French Script.  I felt the look of one single flower was lonesome, so I added 2 more . . . just for the fun of it!  The image was then cut and embossed with Spellbinders S5-014 Small Deckled Mega Rectangles.

I chose BasicGrey Wisteria for the background papers and matched them up with Prism Iced Cobalt and Spring Willow Medium.  The edges of everything, including the scalloped border, were sponged with Old Paper Distress Ink.

• Stamps:  Blush from Penny Black; French Script Background SKU:448 from Rubbernecker Stamps
• Paper:  BasicGrey Wisteria; Prism Iced Cobalt and Spring Willow Medium; Strathmore Watercolor
• Ink:  Ranger Old Paper Distress
• Accessories:  Spellbinders S5-014 Deckled Mega Rectangles, Small and S4-174 Petite 5-1/2” Deckled Scalloped Borderabilities; May Arts Ribbon; Tsukineko Sponge Dauber; Venture Foam Tape; Brads; Ranger Matte Accents and Mini Mister

I hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend and thanks for stopping by!

Good morning! I hope everyone enjoyed your holiday weekend!  I had the family in on the 4th for a cookout and some together time.  Of course, it rained so I set the grill up at the garage door and everything worked just great!  Good times with my girls, their boyfriends and my mother!

Sunday afternoon I felt the need to be creative, but didn’t know what I wanted to do.  I have projects that NEED to be done, but I was in the mood to play and not be too serious about it. I thought about doing some water coloring, but silhouettes were calling me from across the room.  So I went to my SU cabinet, opened the doors, and there in front of me . . . . Inspired by Nature!

I’ve gone through so much watercolor paper recently that it was difficult, but I did find one scrap that was the right size for the images.  The first thing I did was mist the watercolor paper with water and let it sit until semi dry.  While the paper was drying, I went ahead and colored the grass with markers.  When you could still see water sitting on the paper, I misted the stamp with water and then stamped on the watercolor paper.  Because I wanted this background image softer, I misted the stamped image with more water, let it bleed a little, and then dabbed off the water with a towel.  The flowers were then inked with markers, misted with water and stamped over the background.   Oh how I’ve missed playing around with silhouettes with this technique.

• Stamps:  Inspired by Nature from Stampin’ UP!
• Paper:  Strathmore Watercolor; Prism Spring Willow Dark; SU Rich Razzleberry; BasicGrey Eva
• Ink:  Ranger Old Paper Distress; Tombow and SU Markers
• Accessories:  Spellbinders S4-218 Lattice Borderabilities; Ribbon; Brads; Tsukineko Sponge Dauber; Venture Foam Tape; Ranger Matte Accents

Now I have a challenge for you today.  I’ve been getting emails from some of you saying that you subscribe to my blog, but I never see you comment.  I love it when you leave a comment, because that is one of the ways that I get to know you!  I’ve made some great friends through my blogging and sometimes actually get to meet them in person.  Anyhoo, here’s my challenge!  Leave me a comment, especially you subscribers that are to shy to comment , and I will pick one lucky winner to receive this card!  You have until midnight EST tonight!  Can’t wait to hear from you and thanks for stopping in today!

Good morning!  Before I hit the road this morning, I wanted to share an SU! card with you.  I know, I can hear some of you now . . . an SU! card?  Well, I am still a demonstrator and do have a Stamp Club, but I rarely use SU! unless it’s for Stamp Club.  One reason is that I haven’t bought much from the last few catalogues.  When I saw the Level 2 Hostess Set, Kind and Caring Thoughts, I NEEDED it!  It’s floral and a silhouette . . . oh my badness!

Anyhoo, here’s my first sample with the set.

One of my favorite techniques to use with floral silhouettes, is to stamp on damp watercolor paper.  I mist my watercolor paper thoroughly and let it sit until just slightly damp.  My image has been colored with markers, and when the paper is ready I mist the image with water and then stamp onto the damp paper.  If the ink hasn’t bled enough to give the effect you’re after, you can always mist it with water and then dry with a heat tool to keep it from bleeding further.  This is what I did with the gingko leaves in the background.  By the time I got around to stamping the red flowers, the paper was already dry so the only water effecting this ink is that which is misted on the stamp.

• Stamps:  Kind and Caring Thoughts from Stampin’ UP!
• Paper:  Prism Spring Willow Dark and Black; Strathmore Watercolor
• Ink:  Ranger Archival Jet Black and Old Paper Distress
• Accessories:  Spellbinders S7-014 Grand 12” Classic Lace Borderabilities, S4-140 and S4-138 Petite Ovals, and S4-139 Scalloped Petite Ovals Large; Tombow Markers; Venture Foam Tape; Ranger Matte Accents and Mini Mister; Tsukineko Sponge Dauber; Sewing Machine; May Arts Ribbon

I hope you have a great day and thanks for stopping by!

  I can hardly believe that midweek is here and it’s Wednesday!  I don’t know how Monday and Tuesday went by and I did nothing creative.  It happened though!

The card I had for you today is one I finished a few days ago and never got it photographed . . . let alone get it mailed . . . . because a friend of mine is having a birthday today . . . .

Kittie this one’s for you!

(sorry, your card is still sitting on my desk)

Anyhoo, since today is Hump Day it’s also WACKY WEDNESDAY Challenge Day!  To play along with us “Red-Hot Mommas,” check out Bev’s challenge to us today on the Rubbernecker Blog.  She’s actually challenged us to use both metal and ribbon on our project this week.  So how many of you use brads?  How many use ribbon?  Use both together?  You’ve got the challenge done already!  It’s pretty simple to play along . . . make a card to fit the challenge and then post a link to your project on the Rubbernecker Blog.  Who knows, it might be YOU who wins a Gift Certificate for 40% off your entire Rubbernecker Stamps order!

Even though Kittie’s card fit this challenge, I decided to make another.  You see, I’ve still spent a chunk of time trying to get that Jerri Kay mojo working and got so engrossed in water coloring Sunday afternoon that I just had to finish this card up last night for today’s challenge.

The image was embossed with Queen’s Gold EP on watercolor paper, and then water colored using Tombow Markers.  They seem to be growing on me and I’m obsessed!  For the background, I decided that designer paper (after a long search through my stash), was just too busy for this image and I needed a more muted soft background.  SO, I decided on the Wrinkle Free Distress technique using colors from the flowers and watercolor paper.  Oh how I LOVE the look of this technique on watercolor paper.  For the side border, I cut a piece of paper a little longer than I wanted and then die cut and embossed with the new Spellbinders S4-218 Lattice Borderabilities.  I decided how wide I wanted the border, scored at the desired width and folded it over the background panel.  Since I needed to have ribbon and something metal for the WACKY WEDNESDAY Challenge, I ran the ribbon through the Lattice border and tied off a gold heart that I found in my junk jewelry stash.

• Stamps:  63-03 Floral Pot from Rubbernecker Stamps
• Paper:  Strathmore Watercolor; Prism Butter Cream
• Ink:  Ranger Distress Embossing, Dried Marigold, Shabby Shutters and Worn Lipstick
• Accessories:  Spellbinders S4-218 Lattice Borderabilities; Ranger Mini Mister, Non-Stick Craft Sheet, Queen’s Gold Embossing Powder; Watercolor Brushes; Venture Foam Tape; Ticket Corner Punch; Tombow Markers; Gold Metal Heart; DMC Embroidery Floss

I hope you decide to play along in the WACKY WEDNESDAY Challenge and thanks for stopping by today!  By the way, you may want to stop by Kittie’s blog, Kittie Kraft, and wish her a Happy Birthday!