TECC40 - We Wish You A Merry Birthday!

Time for another Cupcake Friday Sketch.  This week's sketch is really a fun one and very versatile.  In fact I have several ideas rolling around in my head to use with this sketch but they will have to wait since tonight is Halloween and also the start of the PBR Bull Riding Finals (Yes, I love Bull Riding) so I'll be busy passing out Candy and watching Cowboys ride bulls!

For my card today I chose to use this adorable image by Penny Black, Inc.  - I bought this set for my mom and she graciously allowed me to use it for this card.  (Thanks Mom!).                                  My card base is Handsome Hunter (a color I rarely use).  I layered that to Real Red.  Then I added some designer paper by BoBunny (Shabby Princess line) and a Cuttlebug Strip of Brushed Silver.  I layered on another piece of HH ran through the Cuttlebug with the Swiss Dot embossing folder and brushed lightly with a Craft White ink pad.  I also added a couple of strips of the HH card stock on the top and bottom of my designer paper.             

I colored my focal image with Prisma Color Pencils blended with Gamsol.  I stamped a second image and colored and cut out only the Cupcake.  The frosting, flame and dots on the scarves are all highlighted with Spica Glitter Pens for extra shimmer.  The sentiment was stamped with HH ink.  These were layered on Rectangle Nestabilities.  The small cupcake is from Inkadinkado (Mini Clear Stamps).  I added a pink faux jewel.  The sentiment there is also from Penny Black and was stamped in Real Red ink and layered onto Circle Nestabilities.  All images raised with foam mounting tape.  I added 2 silver brads to the upper right hand corner as well.

This card will work well for anyone with a birthday in December.

Trick or Treat Smell My Feet...

Give me Something Good To Eat! - Happy Halloween and Happy Friday Blogger's Challenge.

Today's challenge is of course a Halloween Challenge.  I created this card for my Stamp Club this month. 
Card Base:  Kiwi Kiss layered onto Basic Black and then Basic Gray stamped with the Sanded Background in Craft White Ink.
I added a strip of Ghostly Greetings Designer Paper and a Scallop punched edge of Basic Black .  Then I tied some Kiwi Kiss Satin ribbon around all the layers.  I stamped my focal image (Batty For You) with Kiwi Kiss ink and then colored the sentiment with a Basic Black Marker before stamping it down.  I punched it out with the 1 3/8" Circle punch and layeed that onto a Scalloped punched piece of Basic Black card stock.  This was then layered onto Tangerine Tango and Basic Black and I pierced the corners and mounted it with foam mounting tape.  Simple, Easy but FUN!

Go check out all the other Spooktacular Creations celebrating Halloween by clicking on the Bloggers Challenge Icon on my sidebar.

Happy Haunting and be safe out there tonight!

TECC39 - Trees of Joy

I think I'm "Addicted" ----Addicted to Taylor's Cupcake Friday sketches that is! For the past few weeks I've tried my best to make time for her fun sketches and this weeks was a super fun one. I love Taylor's Sample and also Kathie's sample was just wonderful. Now you aren't required to use cupcakes but if you have them, "Why not use them" is the motto there.

This week though I decided to go Christmas and since I haven't yet purchased Taylor's new Christmas set (What's Wrong With Me?) I opted for Christmas Trees instead.

My Card Base is Real Red (which I think is very Christmasy looking) and I layered it with a layer of Old Olive and then Tempting Turquoise that I ran through the Cuttlebug with the Snow Dots embossing folder. Then I added a piece of designer paper (Bunny Beanie Ski Bunny by Artic Frog) which I based my color scheme on. I stamped my Christmas tree (Studio G) with Palette Noir Black ink on Papertrey Select White card stock after cutting them out with my circle Nestabilities. I colored the tree with a Copic Marker (Pale Olive YG95) and colored the star with a Yellow Spica Glitter Pen and then added the faux jewels (I used Crystal Effects to glue them down.) This was then layered to a circle of Pretty in Pink and mounted using foam mounting tape.

For my 3 long layers I used Whisper White Card Stock and layered Old Olive Card Stock on top. Then I tied the bows using Ridinghood Red Taffeta ribbon. I also added a piece of Pretty in Pink to the bottom and pierced it. I wanted to add a sentiment but there didn't seem to be room until I hit upon the idea of using the word JOY which I computer generated and then punch out with my small star punch (SU). It's really very sparkly in real life (to bad scans don't show that so well.)

So now go check out the other cards by clicking on the (links to this post) at Taylor's Blog here.

Want to Win Some Blog Candy

Hey, Who doesn't want NEW rubbah? - If you want a chance to win some head on over to Chrissy's Blog and enter for your chance to WIN. You can find the link here. Easy Peasy as they say so don't delay and pass the word on.

BC70 - Frosty Lives

Hello, Hope your week has gone well. It's time once again for another Blogger's Challenge. This week was certainly a BIG Challenge for me. - Our assignment was to create something you would give as a gift. I am so NOT creative when it comes to gift ideas or packaging ideas for gifts either. In fact I almost opted out of this challenge.

However I figured I might as well give it a try and so this is what I came up with. I think it turned out okay. I'm not totally happy with it because I just don't think I'm really very good at this kind of thing but it will have to do for today.

First off thanks to Lauren Meader for coming up with this template which you can down load for FREE here. It's a very cute and fun idea for a little package to give a small gift item in.

The details for my boot are as follows:

Card Stock: River Rock, Papertrey Select White, Designer Paper (Figgy Pudding - Shiver by Basic Grey), Bashful Blue. Ink: River Rock, Bashful Blue, (SU) - Blush Copic Marker, Cool Gray Copic Marker, Cream Copic Marker

I printed out the template on the PT Select White and then again on the Designer Paper and layered them together and then distressed the edges. Then I printed out the "accesories" on River Rock Card Stock. I ran the cuff through the Cuttlebug with a Snowflake embossing folder, and then embossed it with Iridescent Ice EP. I did the same with my snow flakes on the Bashful Blue and River Rock card stock. I used an SU Snowflake Punch and a small snowflake punch (source unknown). My snowman stamp is by: Hampton Art Stamps. I colored him with the Copic Markers and paper pieced his hat. I raised up the mittens and his nose with foam mounting tape and added Frosted Lace Stickles and a Clear Spica Glitter Pen to give him some shimmer. I also pierece the boot heal and toe and faux stitched them with a Mellow Moss ink pen.

So that's it for this week. Be sure to check out all the other great gift ideas by clicking on the Blogger's Icon on my sidebar.

Who's There

While browsing some of the blogs I follow today I came upon this entry at Inky Paws that sounded like fun. It was a challenge for the Dirty Dozen Alumni over on SCS - They had to use Googlie Eyes on their cards and absolutely NO pumpkins. After looking through my Halloween stamps I realized just how hard that had to be because so many of my stamps featured a pumpkin in them somewhere. I opted to use an Epoxy Sticker (Creative Imaginations) and spiders from (Batty For You and Booglie Eyes-SU) fo my card.

The card base is Pumpkin Pie layered with Kiwi Kiss distressed with the cutter kit and KK ink. Then I added a layer of Basic Black that I ran through the Cuttlebug with the Spiderweb embossing folder and brayered White Craft ink ove it. I tied a sheer white ribbon around all the layers. I stamped the Spider from Booglie Eyes with Black EP and colored it with a Blue Berry Copic Marker(BV04) and then cut it out. I layered it onto some Kiwi Kiss that I also ran through the Cuttlebug and embossed with White Craft Ink and Iridescent Ice EP and then punch out with 1 3/8" Circle Punch. I stamped 2 spider with Kiwi Kiss ink and colored the legs with a black marker on Whisper White card stock and punched them out with the 1" circle punch and layered them onto punched out circles (1 1/4") of Lovely Lilac card stock. I added Googlie Eyes to all the spiders. My Sentiment sticker was layered onto a Pumpkin Pie rectangle cut with Nestabilities Die. All images were raised with foam mounting tape.

This was a fun challenge to try and now I have one more Halloween card ready to mail out!

Cattitude Monday - Images of Fall

Happy Monday! - I couldn't resist sharing this photo of Callie-Jo.  Yesterday when we came home from church we were commenting on where each of the cats were laying and Mike said that Callie-Jo must have been sleeping in a box somewhere because she wasn't on the couch or in any of the chairs in the living room like the other 3 cats were.  Then he turned and discovered exactly where she was laying.  I had to get the camera and get her picture even though being up on the mantle is suppose to be a big "No-No."  She just looked so comfortable up there.  I'm not sure though what I'm going to do about putting up my Nativity this year since the younger 2 cats don't seem to grasp the concept of having "boundaries" as to where they can and cannot be. 

 This next picture I took about a week ago.  This pumpkin was growing on top of these people's fence and I found it rather unique so I snapped a couple of pictures.  The frost got the vine later in the week so I'm glad I got the picture when I did.Lastly here is another picture of Coleen taken at the Pumpkin Patch last week.  For those of you who read my blog and have asked Coleen is my "Granddaughter."  I'll share a picture of her and her mommy late this week.

Have a great day and enjoy the beauty of the season.

Bad or Fattening - TECC38

Time for another FUN Cupcake Friday Sketch Challenge.  Taylor over at http://tayloredexpressions.blogspot.com/ came up with another super sketch this week.  It's always fun to see what the sketch is going to be and if you haven't given it a try why not do so.  To quote Taylor, ( You're not required to use cupcakes for the challenge, but if you got 'em why not use 'em!?) Today I had a chance to play along and here is what I came up with.

I just  love the expression on the girls face.  I started by choosing my DP (Debbie Mumm for Jo-Ann - Baby Boy) and went from there with my color scheme.  The card base is Only Orange followed with Kiwi Kiss and the checkered designer paper.  I tied Orange Grosgrain ribbon to divide the two colors and added 2 half circles of Only Orange (I hope that doesn't disqualify me following the sketch since there weren't any half circles but they just looked good to me so I added them.)

The stamps are by Inkadinkado (Mini Clear Stamps)

I colored the images with Copics, Only Orange Marker, and Spica Glitter Pens.  I masked the girl off and sponged the grass under her with Kiwi Kiss ink.  I mounted the girl and cupcakes on Orchid Opulence card stock and pierced the edges.  I added small faux jewels as the cherries on the cupcakes.  My Quote Bubble was computer generated and I added some small orange mini brads. 

This was hard to photograph due to all the sparkle as the DP was pre-glittered.  Here is a close-up of the cupcakes and you can sort of see some of the shimmer from the glitter pens. So now go check out the links on Taylor's blog to see what everyone else has come up with using this sketch. 

BC69-Autumn Beauty

Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower. ~Albert Camus


Hello and Happy Friday!  -  I for one am happy that this week is about over.  It's been a super busy one for me.  Monday we  took Coleen to the pumpkin patch and also celebrated my niece's 25th birthday, Tuesday was our Bowling League day,
Wednesday I took my mom for doctor's appointments and worked on cards for my Stamp Club meeting.  Last night was the Stamp Club and I didn't get to bed until nearly midnight and then was up about 5:30 as hubby made a little to much noise after he got up and I couldn't go back to sleep. So needless to say I was a bit late getting around to making my card for today's Blogger's Challenge Group.
Today was a COLOR challenge day (Old Olive, Really Rust, Ridinghood Red) and Neutrals (White, Vanilla or Confetti)
When I pulled out the 3 colors and put them together they just seemed to bring to mind the colors of the Fall leaves and that's how this card was born.
My card base is Really Rust distressed with Rust ink.  Then I layered Very Vanilla with a piece of Old Olive that I stamped with the Sanded Background in Old Olive ink.  I added a Scallop piece of Ridinghood Red and a strip of textured Really Rust card stock and pierced holes in the scallped piece.  I also added 3 Really Rust Eyelets (I hate it that SU discontinue the small eyelets)
For the focal piece I stamp an Oak leaf from Autumn Leaf Prints (SU-Retired) using Old Olive, Really Rust, Ridinghood Red.  I used the "Rock-n-Roll" method to stamp the leaves in mulit-colors. I then stamped my sentiment (Creative Cousins) with Basic Black ink.  That may have been "cheating" a little since it wasn't one of the colors mentioned but the saying wouldn't have shown up any other way.  I added Old Olive Grosgrain Ribbon to the corners and mounted it on Really Rust card stock and mounted it with foam mounting tape.
Then I punched out 3 leaves in the challenge colors and distressed them with the same color of ink (the punch is also an SU Retired punch) and raised them with the foam mounting tape as well.

So now be sure to check out the other great creations by clicking on the Blogger Challenge Icon on my sidebar.

Finally I leave you with one of Coleen's picture's from the Pumpkin Patch

A Budding Artist

Yesterday I was distressing some card stock with my Pumpkin Pie ink pad and happened to leave the pad in the living room.  A short time later Coleen came in and ask Grandma for some glue.  I asked her what she wanted glue for and she said she was making her mommy a card.  Naturally I asked to see her card and I discovered she had this white piece of paper and a piece of cardboard that I had left in the living room.  She had taken a marker and colored the white paper and wanted to glue on the brown piece with the punched out cherry on it.

That's also when I discovered she had taken my Pumpkin Pie ink pad and tried to distress the piece of cardboard with it like (looks like she was paying attention to what Grandma was doing).  I wasn't to thrilled about her using the ink pad but shook it off and ended up helping her make her card.  I got stickers out and let her pick what she wanted and where she wanted to put them.  She also wanted a ribbon and a flower so she got to pick those out as well.  She even stamped the inside and wrote her own name (I helped with the "mommy" portion) but for the most part she did this all by herself.  Her mommy loved it and of course Grandma just had to take a picture to share with you all.

Here is the inside of the card.    

TECC37 Ghostly Fun

Well it's time once again for another FUN and Challenging Sketch from Taylor (Taylored Expressions) Cupcake Friday challenge.

Wow this was a challenge trying to figure out how to fit in all those different circles.  I had this cool idea in my head to use the Cuttlebug Spiderweb Embossing Folder so I used that for my starting point.

Then I wanted to use some of the Creepy Crawly Designer Paper (retired SU) that I hadn't used up and several of the patterns featured cool circle patterns which were perfect for this sketch.  My only problem was that I wanted to use this spooky epoxy spider sticker (Creative Imaginations) in the center of my spiderweb but I didn't want the card to be to scary so I opted for some fun Ghost images and a few more spiders for a little scariness as well. 

My card base is Pumpkin Pie layered with More Mustard (distressed with the Cutter Kit) and then layered with the Basic Black Spiderweb rubbed with White Craft ink.  I added 3 patterns of the designer paper and embossed some spiders (Papertrey ink) with Black Ep.  Then I used a circle of More Mustard edged with a Gold Spica Glitter pen (to resemble the moon) and raised that up with foam mounting tape.  My Laughing Ghost is from, (Hey, Ghoul Friend - retired SU).  I highlighted it with a Copic Marker and Frosted Lace Stickles.  The Boo Sentiment Ghost are from Great Impressions.  I colored the Pumpkin with Only Orange, Green Galore and highlighted the eyes with a Yellow Spica Glitter pen and the ghosts with the Frosted Lace stickles.  They were also raised with foam mounting tape. 

Check out the other cards using this sketch by visiting Taylor's Blog and clicking on the links to the sketch.

BC68 - Geometric Inspiration

Happy Friday! - My weekend doesn't start till Sunday but I wish all those who's weekend starts after work on Friday a fantastic and relaxing weekend.  For our Bloggers Challenge this week we were given this photo of a bedroom ensemble (not sure of the source) as our Inspiration piece.  I just love the color combo (Red, Black and White) as it lends itself to some really striking cards/projects.  I knew right away the stamp set I wanted to use.  I chose to use the Eastern Blooms stamp set from (SU - Stampin'Up!) for my card.

My card is just a bit out of my normal comfort zone in that the Geometric patterns are not something I normally work with nor is my card design. I do like how it turned out though. 

I started out by embossing the large flower on a circle of Whisper White CS cut with a Circle Nestabilities Die.  I used Chinese Red embossing powder (Embossing Antiquities) It's so bright and has just a hint of gold in the powder as well.  Then I embossed another flower and cut it out and added Black Diamond Stickles to the flower center.  Once it was dry I turned the flower and glued it down to the original flower with a glue dot.  I layered this to Basic Black and some Poppy Red  textured card stock(Chatterbox).  The I embossed two flowers with Black Diamond EP (JudiKins) and added 2 poppy red mini brads (Queen and Company) to the centers after I cut them out and cut the petals so they would be more dimensional looking. 

My card base is Whisper White that I layered with the textured Poppy card stock.  Then I used the Traffic Jam Cuttlebug Embossing Folder on Basic Black card stock.  I also used a technique from Technique Junkies current issue (Cuttlebug Highlights) using a brayer and a White embossing pad. I love how this turned out and it was so easy.  I stamped the sentiment  Green Thumb (Papertreyink) with Scarlet Pigment ink (Colorbox) and embossed with clear ep.  Then I piereced the edges and made a little banner tag. I also added a black button and some red thread.  I got the idea for the banner tag from Anna Wight who's used these little tags on several of her cards lately and I really like the looks of them.Thanks Anna for the inspiration.   I curved it slightly and anchored it down on both ends with glue dots.  I added some 1/2 inch punched circles of the poppy card stock with white brads (Queen and Company) to the side.  My focal image was raised with foam mounting tape to complete the card.  It really has a lot of sparkle due to the embossing powders.  I tried to get a close-up of the detail so you can see how sparkly it really is:  So that's it for this week.  Make sure you check out all the other members blogs to see how they were inspired by this weeks Inspiration Piece.  Why not give it a try yourself.

Tis The Season - SGGW Mystery Image

The Stamp Girls Gone Wild (don't you love that name?) just finished up another round of our Mystery Image challenge.  In case you aren't familiar with the Mystery Image challenges what takes place is one member signs up to be the Hostess and she gets to pick the "Mystery" image that we all use for our cards.  Then she stamps several copies of the image and mails them to each person signed up to play in the challenge.  This way we have several to play around with (just in case we make a boo boo) or we want to layer etc..on our cards.  This time the hostess (Stephanie) chose this adorable image (Carol Singing Charlotte) from Whiff of Joy stamps.  This is a relatively new stamp company so be sure to stop by and take a peek at what they have to offer.

For my card I went with a color scheme based on my designer paper (Basic Grey Figgy Pudding - Forest).  I love all the pretty patterns and colors of the trees in this paper.  I colored Charlotee with Prisma Color pencils blended with Gamsol.  Then I cut out the hat from one image and used White Liquid Applique and Dazzling Diamonds Glitter to add some sparkle.  The hat was then raised with foam mounting tape.  I also added sparkle to the musical notes and her star necklace with Frosted Lace Stickles.  (See Close-up for more detail.) I masked the lower half and sponged in the ground using an oval punch to create a template.   I mounted the image on Always Artichoke paper (Card Base is the same).  My sentiment is from a small set of Studio G Christmas stamps.  I stamped the sentiment in Always Artichoke ink, punched it out with a circle punch, layered it to a larger circle of Riding Hood Red and highlighted the dots with a Red Spica Glitter pen.  I used the Zigzag Embossing Punch (Martha Stewart) to create my border and tied a piece of Always Artichoke Grosgrain ribbon around it.  I added 3 Dew Drops to the side for embellishment to complete the card.  All images raised with foam mounting tape.

Once I receive my card from my partner I'll post it here to so you can see another idea using this adorable stamp.

Can't wait to see what the next Mystery Image will be. 

Blog Candy Alert - Check it out

I found a blog today that had a link to another blog (Stamps, Paper, Scissors, and Donkey Smiles) where she is giving away some really CUTE stamps. Check it out for a chance to win and spread the word.

Chocolate and Strawberry Delight

 Ah the weekend...time to relax and kick back from a long weeks work (Who am I fooling)...Today was World Cardmaking Day and would you believe I managed to make 1 (yes, One) card today!  My life on Saturday's is anything but relaxing.  Since my daughter works Saturdays I end up taking care of my granddaughter all day and rarely find much time to stamp.  Today was no exception.  My mom needed to go shopping and since she doesn't drive I have to take her shopping.  By the time we got through shopping it was time for lunch and it was nearly 1:00 before I got started on my card.  Thankfully I was able to do the new sketch for Taylor's Cupcake Friday challenge.

This was a "challenging" sketch for me since I always seem to have a difficult time figuring out how to do cards that have "angles" to them instead of the normal rectangles or squares.  At any rate I figured it out and this is what I came up with.    I used my Hero Arts Cupcake set and stamped 3 cupcakes on patterned paper (DCWV) two with Chocolate Chip Ink and one with Rose Red ink.  I cut out the wrapper portion only.  Then I stamped the same cupcakes again on White Card stock with the same inks and cut them out.  I used Brown Liquid Applique for the frosting on 2 of the cupcakes and Stawberry Puff Paint (Colorpoint) on one.  I sprinkled Dazzling Diamonds glitter on the stawberry one while it was still wet.  Then I stamped the flowers again on White card stock in the two colors of ink colored them with Copic Markers and highlighted the pink flowers with a clear Spica Glitter pen for some shimmer.  Then I added brads inPinks and Browns (Queen and Company) to the centers of the flowers.                                                         

 My card base is Chocolate Chip layered with Rose Red that I distressed with the Cutter Kit.  Then I layered some more patterned paper, (Colorbox).  For my center strip I used Pink Piroutte Card Stock that I ran through the Cuttlebug with the Swiss Dot embossing folder and layered it onto Rose Red that was also distressed.  My Sentiment was stamped on Pink Pirouette with Rose Red ink and punched out with a circle punch, layered to Rose Red and then Chocolate Chip punched with the Scallop Punch (SU) and pierced.  Then I added felt flowers (SU) and a bright pink brad.  All images were raised with foam mounting tape.

BC - Spooky Kind of Love

Well another week has come and gone and once again it's time for the Blogger's Challenge group to post cards/projects.  For this week we were given the "Theme" of,  Love/Anniversary - or "Falling for You."  which sort of left things open to interpretation.    Since I enjoy Halloween so much and it is a "Fall" holiday I decided to do a card that I could give my hubby for Halloween.  I have several different "Skeleton" stamps but this one always makes me chuckle when I see it.      For some reason I am reminded of that cartoon which features a woman skeleton sitting on a park bench waiting for, "Mr. Right."   -  I couldn't find the exact cartoon but I did find this pillow so you can see what I'm talking about.                                                                        

Does that mean that I don't think my hubby is, "Mr. Right?" - Not in the least because for me he is but let's face it no man or woman is perfect so if you're looking for a (Mr. or Miss Right) you may end up like the cartoon before you find them.  Okay now on to the card details:

Card Colors:  Green Galore, Only Orange, Lavendar Lace & DP (Halloween Dots - Karen Foster Designs). 

I decided to "Sew" on my card today for some reason...I guess because I always admire those who sew on their cards as it really adds something to them.  I an so NOT a seamstress and in fact I was having a horrible time trying to get my machine to work this morning.  I practiced first (thank goodness) and while the stitching looked sort of okay on the front of the card stock this is what it looked like on the back.

Obviously something was wrong and after several attempts to figure it out on my own I had to have my mom come over and see what I was doing wrong.  Apparently I had the thread in wrong (I missed one loop hole). I finally managed to get my border sewed and while it's not perfect it's not all that bad either.

Stamp (Dancing Skeletons by PSX) I colored the image with Prismacolor Pencils blended with Gamsol. The Polka Dots on her dress were highlighted with an Orange Glitter Pen which sparkles in real life but didn't show up on the scan.  I mounted the image to Lavender Lace card stock.  They were cut out using Rectangle Nestabilites.  I added a Felt Flower (Maya Road) and a Prima Flower and Purple Brad.  The sentiment was computer generated.  I'm sure hubby will like the card and I hope you do too.

Be sure to check out this weeks theme by clicking on the Blogger's Challenge Icon on my sidebar.