2010 February »

Saturday Stamping!

Chipboard/Illustration Board, Humor, Just for Fun Rubber Stamps, Sewing/Stitching, Spellbinders, Stamp Simply Ribbon Store, Techniques 19 Responses »

Feb 272010

Happy weekend! I hope you’re having a good one so far . . . and maybe the sun is shining where you are! I was talking with my aunt on Thursday of last week about how we all needed to get away to somewhere warm. The only place I could think of that was warm and sunny was Hawaii . . . . I think we’ll wait awhile longer!

One day last week, and I truly don’t remember what day, the doorbell rang and it was The only thing I’m expecting is a sunhat that I ordered the day before and knew it couldn’t be the hat . . . Spellbinders . . . it was from Spellbinders! New release dies are in the house . . . .

Then today I was just a rockin’ in the recliner when the postman rang the doorbell . . . still not the hat . . . all the new Ranger Distress Inks in the house . . .

Can I just say how gorgeous the new colors are and that they are much needed to fill in the gaps. Particularly in the green and red families I couldn’t resist heading down to the studio, organizing them all first, and then playing a little!

As I’m sure most of you know, one of my favorite things to do is to make a humorous card with a twist. I truly find it funny in its on way to take an image, make a stunning card, and then insert a sentiment that you would not expect.

and then the inside

I wanted this image to look old, so I did a very light wash of Vintage Photo on some watercolor paper and then stamped the image in Coffee. A few of the bathing suits were then water colored with my new pink . . . Spun Sugar. The image was mounted on a piece of illustration board, the edges sponged in Vintage Photo and then the piece was covered with Sepia Accents.

I kept trying to find the right designer paper, and finally settled on some scraps of BasicGrey Porcelain and of course, I couldn’t resist using some of those new Spellbinders™ dies that arrived. For a finishing touch, I swiped some Spun Sugar ink on my craft sheet, misted it with water and dapped it up with the twill ribbon. While the ribbon was still damp, I swiped Antique Linen sporadically along it and then tried with my craft iron.

Stamps: D2737 No Good Girls and C3218 Beauty Pageant from Just For Fun® Rubber Stamps
Paper: Watercolor; Brown and Pink; BasicGrey Porcelain
Ink: Ranger Archival Coffee, and Vintage Photo, Antique Linen and Spun Sugar Distress
Accessories: Spellbinders™ S4-130 Classic Rectangles – Small, S4-132 Classic Rectangles – Large, S4-256 Big Scalloped Rectangles – Small, and S4-241 Jumbo Scalloped Borderabilities Petite;
May Arts Ribbon – 1.25” Brown Crochet Lace, 100% Ivory Jute and 5/8” Ivory Twill from Stamp Simply Ribbon Store; Ranger Mini Mister, Non-Stick Craft Sheet and Sepia Accents; Sewing Machine; Buttons; Foam Mounting Tape

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a fabulous weekend. Remember, life is short . . . live each day to its fullest and take advantage of the adventures offered!

Stamp Simply Ribbon Store -- Be True To Yourself!

JustRite, Sewing/Stitching, Spellbinders, Stamp Simply Ribbon Store, Techniques, Watercolor 196 Responses »

Feb 232010

Good morning and welcome to the first official Stamp Simply Ribbon Store blog hop! I’m so excited about today’s project and can’t wait to take a look at what the other designers have done.

Before I get started with my project, I need to give you a few details about the hop . . . BECAUSE I know you don’t want to miss anything . . . in particular, how to win a Webster’s Pages Postcards from Paris Kit.

The hop is starting at Sharon’s blog, No Time to Stamp. She will direct you to the next blog in the hop, that person will send you to the next, etc., etc., etc. The designers participating in today’s hop are as follows:

Sharon Johnson (Stamp Simply Ribbon Store)
Deb Saaranen
Holly McMillen
Michelle Woerner
Sherry Cheever (me)
Linda Duke
Barb Schram

In order to win the Webster’s Pages Postcards from Paris Kit, even though it’s not necessary, you are highly encouraged to leave a comment on each designers’ blog. ( let me tell you a little secret . . . The blogs have been numbered 1 to 7. A number will drawn on February 27 at 6:00 p.m. which will correspond with one of the blogs . . . THEN a second number will be drawn which will be the comment on the winning blog!) Get it . . . the more you comment, the more chances you have to win! Now, don’t tell anyone that you heard that from me . . .

So, on to my project for today! When this hop was first discussed, Sharon challenged us to “Be True To Ourselves”. Well, I couldn’t think of a better way to be true to myself that to get a little vintage with some distress thrown in, to add plenty of layers with some sewing, along with different designer papers! I know it’s an eclectic mix, but one that comes so easy to me . . . that it can’t help but be me!

The JustRite flower image was stamped and embossed three times and then water colored with Aged Mahogany, Fired Brick, Peeled Paint and Shabby Shutters Distress Inks. Here’s a close-up of the layers.

All the edges of the Webster’s Pages Postcards from Paris paper was sponged with Antique Linen and then sewn to a cream background panel. The “A Beautiful Day” tag was distressed like crazy, sponged until there was no tomorrow and then attached to a frame made from Spellbinders™ S4-190 Labels Four. I used the inside of the frame as an additional background behind the image that was die cut/embossed from Spellbinders™ S4-110 Classic Ovals – Large. A border made from Spellbinders™ S7-014 Classic Lace Border Grand was stitched down the side to separate the layers of designer paper. The 5/8” Ivory May Arts Twill, which I added over the top of 1.25” Brown May Arts Crochet Lace, was stained with Antique Linen Distress Ink and water. Now that was just way too much fun!

Stamps: JustRite Plant a Little Love Set
Paper: Cream; Watercolor; Webster’s Pages Postcards from Paris Kit including the Days of the Week Journaling Cards and Calendar Tags
Accessories: 5/8” Ivory May Arts Twill; 1.25” Brown May Arts Crochet Lace; May Arts Ivory 100% Jute; Spellbinders Labels Four, Classic Ovals – Large and Classic Lace Border Grand

All product listed above can be found at Stamp Simply Ribbon Store.

Now that you’ve seen my project, it’s time to send you on to the next blog in the hop . . . Linda Duke. But before you decide to leave me, make sure you leave a comment so you’ll have a chance to win the Webster’s Pages Postcards from Paris Kit!

Thanks for hopping by today and remember . . . life is short, make the most of your day and enjoy the adventure!

Misting with Markers Video Tutorial!

Just for Fun Rubber Stamps, Misting with Markers, Sewing/Stitching, Spellbinders, Stamp Simply Ribbon Store, Techniques, Tombow Marker, Tutorials, Watercolor 23 Responses »

Feb 192010

Good Friday morning! I hope you had a good day yesterday. Mine was mind blowing. I finally figured out why I’m having such trouble getting my videos done. My new camera is MP4 and my software doesn’t work with it . . . well yeah, I knew that, but it finally occurred to me to get a converter. Hopefully editing and uploading a video won’t take all day now!

I made three cards using the Misting with Water technique, each different but with the same image, papers, etc. The difference is with the method of the technique.

The first card I showed you yesterday. Here are the other two.

Misting the paper and the stamp before stamping.

Misting only the paper rather heavily.

Stamps: D2645 Wildflowers from Just For Fun® Rubber Stamps
Paper: Watercolor; Core’dinations Essentials Purple Ritz and Dahlia; KaiserCraft Lilac Avenue Collection from Stamp Simply Ribbon Store
Ink: Ranger Antique Linen Distress; Tombow Markers
Accessories: Spellbinders™ S4-112 Classic Ovals – Small, S4-252 Big Scalloped Ovals – Small, S4-251 Big Scalloped Ovals – Large, and S4-218 Lattice Borderabilities® Petite; KaiserCraft Rhinestones and 1.25” 100% Silk Lavender May Arts Ribbon from Stamp Simply Ribbon Store; Ranger Mini Misters; Brads; Sanding Tools

Well, I’m off for my 6-week surgical checkup today. Thanks for stopping by and remember life is short, make the most of each day and enjoy the adventure!

Misting with Markers!

Just for Fun Rubber Stamps, Misting with Markers, Spellbinders, Stamp Simply Ribbon Store, Techniques, Tombow Marker 19 Responses »

Feb 182010

Good morning and how the heck are ya? I’ve got to tell you that I’ve been having so much fun in the studio the last couple of days, and yesterday was no exception. I’m finally feeling like I’m back in the groove and wanting to try some new things! I’m laughing to myself because someone left me a comment the other day that my mind must run at fast speed all the time . . . yep, it’s pretty much like that. The only problem is I don’t make notes (and if I do I misplace them) and I don’t keep a sketch/idea book. I get in a mood to do something and off I go and by then I’ve forgotten about all the other 99 ideas I had!

After I posted my Coffee Filter Flower video the other day, I had a comment from a reader about another video tutorial. Somewhere in the back of mind (what I have left) I remember promising Cheryl some months back that I would do this tutorial for her. I absolutely loved what she wrote about the flower video, how much she enjoyed it but she was still waiting on my water coloring technique tutorial. Oh yeah . . . that one! It actually made me giggle because it sounded so much like me

So here’s what I have planned. I worked on three samples yesterday, each using the same technique, Misting with Markers. Here’s one of the samples for you to look over while I’m working on the video . . . I thought it would be nice if I was awake, fresh and possibly showered before I made it . . . if you know what I mean!

The image will be part of the video, but its coloring the stamp with markers, misting with water and stamping on paper. It really bugs me that I used lavender paper and ribbon and it just didn’t capture well in the photo! Maybe the rest of them will. One of the new Spellbinders™ releases are the Big Scalloped Ovals and since I had them, I couldn’t resist using them for this project.

Stamps: D2645 Wildflowers from Just For Fun® Rubber Stamps
Paper: Watercolor; Core’dinations Essentials Purple Ritz and Dahlia; KaiserCraft Lilac Avenue Collection from Stamp Simply Ribbon Store
Ink: Ranger Antique Linen Distress; Tombow Markers
Accessories: Spellbinders™ S4-112 Classic Ovals – Small, S4-252 Big Scalloped Ovals – Small, S4-251 Big Scalloped Ovals – Large, and S4-218 Lattice Borderabilities® Petite; KaiserCraft Rhinestones and 1.25” 100% Silk Lavender May Arts Ribbon from Stamp Simply Ribbon Store; Ranger Mini Misters; Brads; Sanding Tools

I’ll have the other samples and the video ready a little later. In the meantime . . . thanks for stopping by and remember . . . life is short, enjoy today’s adventures!

WOO HOO There's a New DT in Town!

Chipboard/Illustration Board, Crafty Secrets, JustRite, Sewing/Stitching, Spellbinders, Stamp Simply Ribbon Store, Techniques 38 Responses »

Feb 172010

Good morning! Boy do I have some exciting news to share with you today I’ve been sitting on my fingers for weeks now and just about to burst. I’m sure some of you have noticed that I’ve been using lots of new May Arts Ribbon from my friend Sharon Johnson’s store, The Stamp Simply Ribbon Store. Sharon and I became acquainted when we were doing the daily challenges together on Splitcoaststampers, and that was definitely a few years back.

When I found that I needed someone to work with on May Arts Ribbon, I immediately thought of Sharon and sent her an email. Being the darling that Sharon is, she not only let me link to her store but she also provided me with that luscious silk ribbon I’ve been using so much of.

Well let me tell you what happened a few weeks ago. Sharon decided that it was time The Stamp Simply Ribbon Store had a Design Team . . . and she asked me to be on it! I am so very excited to be working with Sharon, but look at this list of designers I also get to work with.

Sharon Johnson (Stamp Simply Ribbon Store)
Deb Saaranen
Holly McMillen
Michelle Woerner
Sherry Cheever (me)
Linda Duke
Barb Schram

I hope you take a few minutes and visit each of their blogs today . . . you are going to see some awesome projects if you do! We’ve all been working really hard to get ready for our reveal and trust me, you won’t be disappointed. BUT before you start hopping away from here . . . lookie at what I did!

That beautiful background paper is from Webster’s Pages Post Cards from Paris. Make sure you look closely because you don’t see this very often on one of my cards . . . the background is only ONE layer! I love this paper so much that I couldn’t cover it all up. The image is mounted on a piece of illustration board and the edges were sponged with Antique Linen distress ink. I made a frame using Spellbinders™ S4-190 Labels Four to go under the image and used S4-114 Standard Circles – Large and S4-125 Classic Scalloped Circles – Small for the sentiment. Look at that luscious Taupe silk ribbon . . . it feels so nice when you are working with it! Sharon has taken the guess work out of the paper and ribbon for us, and has a special Webster’s Pages Postcards from Paris Kit. It’s the kit that shown in the header picture at the top of this post!

Stamps/Images: JustRite Custom Design Cardmaking Kit; Crafty Secrets Heartwarming Vintage Collection Birds and Botanicals Journal
Paper: Webster’s Pages Postcards from Paris
Accessories: Spellbinders™ Nestabilities; 1.5” 100% Silk Taupe May Arts Ribbon

All Product Listed Above From The Stamp Simply Ribbon Store

Now don’t forget to go check out all the other designers’ blogs. Oh and come back next Tuesday, we we have the first official Stamp Simply Ribbon Store blog hop and some fabulous blog candy!

Thanks for stopping by and remember . . . Life is short, take advantage of today’s adventures!