"Leapin Lizards!" It's Blogger's Challenge Day

Don't ask! (That's in reference to the title of this entry)...I just wanted to make reference to it being Leap Day and that phrase came to mind for some reason. It has nothing to do with my card at all but it sounded good!

Before I get to the particulars of this card let me also say, HAPPY BIRTHDAY MEGAN...my niece (the one who's cancer is in remission for those of you who remember my talking about her). She is celebrating her actual 5th birthday this year. Plus she is no longer a teenager as she turned 20 today.

Okay now back to our regularly schedule program...Card deets:

Oops I forgot to mention that we were suppose to follow the above sketch found on page 44 of the Spring/Summer catalog. I didn't really want to do a Sympathy card so I decided instead on a St. Patrick's Day card which will be going to a certain leader of another Group I belong too. (Let's see if she guesses that it's her)...

Card Base: Green Galore. Then I used one of my new Cuttlebug Embossing Folders (Distressed Stripes) on Gable Green Card stock. I stamped the sentiment (Ann-ticipations) first though in Glorious Green ink before embossing. I added 4 Green Brads (Queen and Co.) to the corners and distressed the edges with the Cutter Kit. Next a piece of Green Gable Card stock and some Clover Designer paper (Lucky Charms by Reminisce) which has a nice shimmery look to it. I added some tiny green rickrack that I found in a bag of old odds and ends that my mom had in her sewing stuff. Isn't it just the cutest little rickrack you've ever seen!

My Gnome (Gnome Clover by Stampendous) was stamped in Basic Black ink and water colored on SU watercolor paper using an Aqua Painter and various SU ink pads. A big shout out her to Anna Wight for her tips and encouragement on water coloring. I think this one turned out pretty good. For some added pizazz I used White Liquid Applique on his beard (see close-up photo) and then doodled a border with a BB marker. I also added a Lime Green Prima flower and another green brad. Then I mounted my focal image using foam mounting tape to complete my card.

I love how this turned out and I hope the recipient does as well. Don't forget to check out all the other great cards/projects using this sketch. You'll find them by clicking on the Blogger's Challenge Bar on my sidebar.

Cattitude Monday - Cool Cats

I haven't done one of these in a very long time and someone sent this picture to me and I just couldn't resist passing it on! - I will try harder now to get my entry for Cattitude Monday ready on a more regular basis.

Enjoy their "Coolness!"

A Good Egg for Easter

When I first saw this set I couldn't see myself buying it (so not my normal style) but then I kept seeing such cute cards done with it that I "caved" and purchased it. Thanks to all you "enablers" out there!

We did this card at my monthly Stamp Club meeting last week.

Card base: Certainly Celery, So Saffron stamped in SS ink with the Polka Dot BG stamp and distressed with the Cutter Kit.

Next I added a strip of CC and one of Pretty In Pink which I stamped the flowers on with Pixie Pink ink. I stamped the chick with Basic Gray ink and colored it with So Saffron & Apricot Appeal markers. Then I stamped the same chick on some Certainly Celery designer paper & just cut out the egg portion and glued that over the egg on the chick image. I punched this out with a Marvy Scallop square punch and layered it on So Saffron card stock. I punched out a flower with the Three For You punch box and added a Pretty in Pink brad and some Pretty in Pink taffeta ribbon. The sentiment was stamped with a Basic Black marker.

This is a quick & yet cute little Easter card if you are in need of something fast & fairly easy to duplicate.

BCG Wk 35 - Oh So Lovely

Today's Blogger's Challenge Group "challenge" was a Color Combo challenge. We had to use Brilliant Blue (a color I rarely use except for 4th of July cards), Purely Pomegranate, Old Olive. We could use White or Vanilla as an added color.

I must admit that this seemed like an ODD combination of colors to me when I first read the challenge and then I took the colors out and put them together and was pleasantly surprised at how nice they actually look together.

I discovered this morning that I actually own the SU set, (Oh So Lovely) as I found it in my stamp cupboard this morning while searching for a set to use for the challenge. I decided to go for a watercolored image using the berries in the set. Now everyone (well maybe not everyone) knows that I claim to be "watercolor challenged" but I have been working very hard on trying to get better. I used my Aqua Brush and ink pads to water color my image on Whisper White card stock. I added some Speckles (Itty Bitty Backgrounds) in Brilliant Blue ink stamped off a couple of times before I stamped on my image as I didn't want them to be to bright.

Then I added 3 Brilliant Blue brads and mounted the image on a piece of Brilliant Blue card stock.

My card base is Old Olive. Then I stamped the Fine Lace Background with Purely Pomegranate ink on PP Card Stock and layered that to my card base. I stamped the sentiment (Lots of Thoughts) with PP ink on WW card stock & added the leaf from (Sage Thoughts) with Old Olive ink stamped off once. I cut the circles out using my circle Nestabilities Dies. I punched out a photo corner of BB card stock & pierced it. The images and photo corner were mounted using foam dimensional tape. I also highlighted my berries with a Spica Glitter Pen.

I love how this turned out. - Be sure to check out all the other great cards from the Blogger's Challenge group on my sidebar.

BCG Wk 34 Layout Challenge

It's FRIDAY!!! - Yep, that means it's time for the Blogger's Challenge Group to post their cards/projects. We are now on Week 34 and for this challenge we were to use the "layout" on the Birthday Card found on page 42 of the Spring/Summer idea book. It looked like such a simple layout that at first I thought it was way to plain for my taste. I decided to try it out though and created not ONE but TWO cards with this layout.

Card 1 features very little stamping. The card base is Mint Melody (SU - Retired) I stamped the sentiment (SU-Curvy Verses) with Mint Melody ink (I'm sad that this color was retired as we have nothing even remotely similiar and I like the soft feel this color has.)

Next up I added a strip of some wavy stripped designer paper (Die Cuts With a View) and a piece of Rose Red card stock cut with Fiskars Cloud pattern scissors and pierced with a piercing tool. I also added a piece of Apricot Grosgrain ribbon.

For my main image the card stock is Rose Red, Apricot Appeal. I pierced the edges of the RR card stock & punched out the AA with a Marvy Scalloped Square punch. The Butterfly is actually a Dimensional sticker (Source unknown right now as I can't find the package they came in) The smaller butterflies are from the same package of stickers. I added a piece of ribbon by May Arts and a Certainly Celery brad.

Card 2 is my favorite this week. I just love these stamps. The stamps are by The Cat's Pajamas (Clearly Swanky - Havin' a Pow Wow and It's a Western Thing) Just to darn cute if you ask me.

My card base is Chocolate Chip which I layered with Creamy Caramel stamped with the Paisley (SU) background stamp in Close to Cocoa ink. 3 dark green brads (Queen and Co.) were added. Then I added a strip of Close to Cocoa layered with a piece of SU Outlaw Designer Series paper. I stamped the sentiment with Chocolate Chip ink & piecred the edges. My main focal image was stamped in Basic Brown inkon Whisper White card stock first, punched with the Marvy Scalloped Square punch and colored with various Prisma Color Pencils and blended with Gamsol. I sponged the edges with Sage Shadow ink and layered it to a piece of Choc.Chip distressed with the Cutter tool kit. I stamped the badge with Sage Shadow ink and punched it out with 3/4" circle punch and added a dark brown brad and a piece of 5/8" Chocolate Chip grosgrain ribbon. Image was mounted with dimensional tape.

What a FUN & easy layout. - I hope you've enjoyed these cards as much as I did making them.

Be sure to check out all the great creations by using the Blogger's Challenge button on my sidebard.

Exciting news - Verve Visual

Man I have been DYING to tell everyone but had to keep it a secret. I can now tell you that I was honored to be asked to be a Guest Designer over on Julee Tilman's (Poetic Artistry) Verve Visual blog: http://vervevisual.blogspot.com/2008/02/guest-designer-ida-krause.html

I had a lot of fun creating my cards & decided to go with a Seasonal Theme for the 4 cards I did so I could showcase the versatility of this FABULOUS new set.

Thank you so much Julee for this opportunity. It was a great experience. I have another card I did with this set that I will post later today.

BCG Wk 33 - Hope Springs Eternal

Today is of course, Friday and time for Week 33 on the Blogger's Challenge Group. This week we had a Color Combo challenge,

(Rose Red, Pumpkin Pie, Old Olive, Taken with Teal - White/Vanilla optional)

What an interesting combination. I realized right away that the colors were used for the Bali Breeze designer paper so I knew that I just had to use at least one piece for my card. It's really weird but when I start out to make a card my stamp room can be totally clean and by the time I'm finished it looks like a disaster area!

I also had no clue what I was going to do for my card and then I decided on using this cool bird image (bird images are really "in" right now) by Penny Black. I've had it for sometime but have only used it a couple of times even though I love it. The colors worked great for this image and the sentiment (also by Penny Black).

This year I'm trying to branch out (no pun intended) a little more and not always do a standard size card. Today's card is 4 1/8 x 1/2 and will fit inside a legal sized envelope.

My card base is Rose Red (distressed with Rose Red ink) with a layer of Old Olive stamped with the Canvas Background in Old Olive ink and layered with a piece of the Bali Breeze DP and a strip of Pumpkin Pie Grosgrain ribbon.

I colored directly on the stamp using SU Markers in the above color combination. I did have to use a Close To Cocoa marker for the tree branch. I lightly misted my card stock (Whisper White) and huffed on my stamp before stamping the image. The same procedure was done for the sentiment. It should have been moved down just a hair but I think it looks okay. I highlighted the bird with a Clear Spica Glitter pen (not sure if you can see that in the scan).

I used the ticket corner punch and layered this to Taken with Teal and added Old Olive brads and mounted my image with foam dimensional tape. Then on the side I added 3/4 punched circles of Taken With Teal and added an Old Olive button (I so rarely use buttons so this was another "Out of the Box" for me) with a tiny piece of Pumpkin Pie card stock as the thread. The buttons were glued down with glue dots and I mounted them with a piece of Sticky Strip so they would be sure and stay on the card.

So there you have it. I love Spring and find these colors very refreshing. I hope you do as well.

Check out all the other great projects by clicking on the Bloggers Challenge Bar on my sidebar.

Snow Much Fun

Well here we are again with the results of yet another snow storm.

We just got rid of the last snow and then yesterday it dumped on us again. Trust me this is the most snow we've had here in Walla Walla in 10 years or better!!! - Again I am not a big fan of winter and snow but I did venture out and took these pictures of Greta and Coleen having fun in the snow. Coleen just loved being out side in the snow. I am so glad that when I saw that snowsuit on sale for only $18 that I bought it because she's certainly got a lot of use out of it this winter.

What a fun creating they came up with. It's not your typical snowman but it certainly has character!

BCG Week 32 - Penguin Paradise

Tired of cold, wet, dreary weather? - Maybe this card will put you in the mood for Spring!
Today's challenge for the Blogger's Challenge Group (Week 32) was to do the layout on the cover of the SAB Catalog (Sale-A-Bration) - Which just happens to start today. - Now mind you when I looked at that layout I again thought, "You've got to be kidding me!" Again this was NOT something that I would have ever thought of doing. But once again I took up the challenge and came up with this cute little card. I just got this stamp yesterday. Isn't she the absolute CUTEST little Hula Penguin you've ever seen? Would you believe that she was only .99! - Talk about a bargain. I found her and a little boy Penguin, Flipflops, Popsicles and match paper here:

http://www.acherryontop.com/company/imaginisce/company/imaginisce/line/a_shore_thing

I had a few problems getting this card together as I ended up making 3 different Penguin panels before I manage to get the grass stenciled "right-sideup!"

Card base: Real Red, Penguin Paradise DP (A Shore Thing-Imaginisce)

Barely Banana stamped with the Sanded BG (hard to see in photo) with Apricot Appeal ink.

Penguin stamped on Whisper White, colored with Prisma Color Pencils & blended with Gamsol.

I masked my little penguin with Eclipse Art Masking Tape and stenciled the clouds with Bashful Blue and the grass with Certainly Celery ink.

I cut out a small strip of Certainly Celery cardstock and covered it with a glue pen and then sprinkle on Spring Mint glitter (Art Institute) and glued it down for a waistband on the grass skirt. I cut out a seperate flower and added some shinyness with a Clear Spica glitter pen and mounted it with foam dimensionals. I used some zigzag scissor for my border of Certainly Celery and pierced holes on the sides. Then I punched out a circle from the, Sweet Summer Breeze DP (A Shore Thing - Imaginisce) with the 1" Circle punch. It was a little to large to put down at the bottom like the sample so I "fudged" a little and moved mine up above the greeting.

The sentiment was stamped with Close To Cocoa ink and is by, (Inkadinkado). The ribbon is from Seaside Originals (SU - retired).

Be sure to check out the other cards. You'll now see a banner on my sidebar that says,

Blogger's Challenge, if you click on it it will take you to a page with all the members links to their blogs. - Have fun browsing all the great blogs.