TECC44 - Bow Wow Christmas

One of my favorite things about Friday is Taylor's Cupcake Sketches.  This weeks sketch was a fun one.  I have trouble though with these type of sketches because I can never seem to get my squares to look even or find the right size needed for the card.  So try not to notice the little things that are slight "off" on this card.  No Cupcakes used this week.

I wanted to use "Traditional" Christmas Colors for my card but little did I realize how hard it would be to find traditional colors on background papers.  Our LSBS did not have a single pattern in traditional red and green.  I ended up scouring through my scrap piles of papers and came up with a couple of patterns that pretty much fit.    I stamped the adorable dog (Whipper Snapper Designs) on Whisper White Card stock and colored him with Prisma Color Pencils and cut him out.  I added Red Fun Flock to the bow and White Liquid Applique and Dazzling Diamonds Glitter to his hat.  I cut out circles of red and green with my Nestabilies Dies and stamped the snowflakes (SU) and added DD Glitter to them. 

I embossed my snowflakew with my Cuttlebug and the Snowflake Embossing Folder after I stamped the sentiment first with Black Ink.  I added red/green striped ribbon and tied a knotted bow. Then I piereced the edges of the red card stock and rounded the corners.  The image was mounted with foam mounting tape.

Here is a Close Up of the little dog so you can see the details on him better.

Details:  Stamps: Cozy Critters (Whipper Snapper Designs) Snowflakes from Festive Favorites - (Retired SU)

Card Stock: Real Red, Glorious Green, Whisper White, Designer Papers (Source Unknown).

Ink: Palette Noir Black, Prismacolored Pencils & Gamsol.

Other: Cuttlebug, Snowflakes Embossing Folder, Stripped Ribbon (American Crafts) Circle Nestabilities Dies, Paper Piercing Tool, Corner Rounder Punch, Dazzling Diamonds Glitter, White Liquid Applique, Foam Mounting Tape

BC75 - If At First You Don' t Succeed

Try, Try Again.  -  I was all set to post to the group that I wouldn't be participating in this weeks Bloggers Challenge.  I just couldn't seem to get inspired by the Inspiration piece for some reason.  Oh it's a beautiful bedroom and the colors were so rich and luxurious but nothing was coming to mind.  I had tried a couple of things and they looked awful.  Then I went through my stamps and discovered one that I thought would work and before I knew it my card had come together and I like it!

I was inspired after all....First from the colors, I love the rich, warm feel of these colors.  I also love the textures and elegance.  I tried to capture that look in my card.  My card base is Really Rust layered with some Brushed Gold card stock.  Then I used a piece of Very Vanilla and stamped my sentiment (Hero Arts) with Palette Noir Black ink and embossed it with the Textile Embossing Folder. Then I layered a strip of Really Rust with 3 pieces of Cream Satin Ribbon (Offray).

 I stamped my Sun image (All Night Media) and colored it with Prisma Color Pencils and blended the colors with Gamsol.  I cut this out and added some highlights with a Gold Spica Glitter Pen (you can't see it in the scan but it shimmers in real life).  I layered this to a circle of Very Vanilla that I edged with Encore Metallic Gold Ink and layered that to a circle of Really Rust.  The image and the Circles are raised with foam mounting tape.

And there you have it. -  So now check out the other Bloggers Challenge Group blogs to see how they did with the Inspiration Piece.  You can do so by clicking on the Bloggers Challenge Icon on my side bar.

We Gather Together

HAPPY THANKSGIVING! - I want to extend a warm thank you to everyone who has visited my blog this year and left such wonderful comments.  I truly appreciate you and have so enjoyed the chance to share my cards with you.  I am thankful to have a place where I can come together with others who share the same passion for stamping that I do.  May each and everyone of you have a warm, safe and Happy Thanksgiving.

I leave you with a simple Thanksgiving card that we did at my stamp club this month. Stamps used:

Sanded Background, Itty Bitty Backgrounds and  Holidays and Wishes.  Card Stock: Sage Shadow, Really Rust, Pumpkin Pie, Chocolate Chip, Old Olive and Autumn Vine Designer. Ink: Sage Shadow, Chocolate Chip.  Other:  Small Oval Punch, Slot Punch, Paper Piercing Tool, Distressing Tool. Sage Grosgrain Ribbon.

Thanksgiving Scarecrow

Here is a card that I recently did for a 1-1 swap on another group I belong to.
Stamps:  Happy Blessings (SU Holiday Mini) Canvas BG
Card Stock: Really Rust, Sage Shadow, Whisper White, Autumn Vine Designer Paper.
Ink: Palette Noir Black, Various SU ink pads, Aqua Painter.
Other:  Scallop Punch, Circle Punches, Rectangle Nestabilitie Dies
Sage Shadow Grosgrain Ribbon, More Mustard Brad.

I paper pieced the overalls and raised the crow up using foam mounting tape.

That's it pretty much.  Sorry for the quick post but I'm off to bowl on League this morning.

Poinsettia Christmas

Today I decided to give this sketch a try.  Tammy posted it on her blog

but I didn't have any Ovals and so I thought that I couldn't participate.  She emailed me right away and assured me that it would be okay to use any shape just so long as it matched the sketch.  Well I couldn't not do a card after that so here is what I came up with.

I used (Christmas Window - Penny Black) for my focal image.  I watercolored it with Crayons, Ink refills and an Aqua Painter.  I added Icicle Stickles to the flower centers and highlighted the stars with a Yellow Spice Glitter Pen and the petals of the Poinsettia with a Clear Spica glitter pen to add some shimmer.  Then I mounted it to a piece of Always Artichoke card stoke that I did some faux stitching on and distressed the edges.  This was then mounted on a piece of Bravo Burgundy Card Stock.  My card base is Always Artichoke layered with Bravo Burgundy and some retired designer paper from Stampin'Up!.  -  I embossed the sentiment (Hero Arts) with Claret Tapestry EP (PSX) and added some faux pink jewels underneath part of the sentiment.  I also tied Artichoke Grosgrain ribbon around the card.  The main panel was raised with foam mounting tape

Warm and Cozy Christmas

Hi,  Wow I can't believe how fast time seems to be flying.  Thanksgiving is less then a week away now.  I had time today to do the sketch over at Taylor's blog for Cupcake Friday.  I was so excited when I saw that Laura had been chosen as the featured stamper this week.  I just love her blog and the way she does the different sketches each week - Fantastic!     I finally got a chance to play with a new stamp set that I recently purchased.  The stamp set is called, Cozy Critters and can be found at Whipper Snapper Designs.  This set was illustrated by the fabulously talented Anna Wight (Sweet Miss Daisy).  I just love how adorable this little cat is and for those of you who know me the kitty image was a natural choice for my first one to ink up from this set. 

I watercolored my image with ink pads and an Aqua Painter.  Then I masked the image and sponged the grass using an oval stencil and also sponges a soft sky leaving my border white by
          keeping the paper inside the Nestabilites Die while I sponged on the color.  I stamped and watercolored the hat then added Dazzling Diamonds Glitter and cut it out and mounted it with foam mounting tape.  Then I added snowflakes using white Liquid Applique.and some glitter for extra sparkle.  I mounted this on a scalloped rectangle of Ridinghood Red Card Stock and layered it onto Kiwi Kiss cs with foam mounting tape.

My card base is Ridinghood Red layered with Always Artichoke and designer paper by Basic Gray. I colored the Sentiment from the set with Ruby Red and Always Artichoke markers.  I layered this to Artichoke cs and added a punched out snowflake (the reverse side of the DP) that I embossed with Iridscent Ice EP and layered with a smaller white snowflake and a tiny red brad.  I added 3 larger red brads (Queen and Co.) to the side along with punched circles of Artichoke card stock.  This was raised with the foam mounting tape. 

After I had the card completed I realized that I should have cut my sentiment a tad shorter to match the sketch more closely but once you stick that foam mounting tape down it's not coming off without ripping the paper so it's staying put.

I hope you like this card as much as I did making it.

A Time for being Thankful - BC74

For the beauty of the earth
For the glory of the skies,
For the love which from our birth
Over and around us lies.

Lord of all, to Thee we raise,
This our hymn of grateful praise. - Folliot S. Pierpont


It's Friday and that means it's time for another Bloggers Challenge.  This week our theme was a card or project about (Giving Thanks).
With Thanksgiving just a week away what could be a better theme.

For my card this week I used the Kim Hughes set:  Let's Get Stuffed for my card.  I colored the Cornucopia with Prisma Colored Pencils blended with Gamsol. You can't see it but the fruit and vegetables were colored over with a Clear Spica Glitter pen for some shimmer.   It was stamped on Whisper White card stock with Palette Noir Black ink.  I layered this to a Circle of Always Artichoke cs and another of Ridinghood Red and added 3 mini red brads (Queen and Company).
My card base is Ridinghood Red layered with More Mustard, Always Artichoke.  I stamped the sentiment first and then embossed it using my Cuttlebug and the Pumpkins embossing folder.  Then I layered a strip of designer paper (Apple Harvest - Provo Craft) and a piece of More Mustard cs that I scalloped and pierced.  I also added a thin strip of the Ridinghood Red card stock and tied Artichoke Grosgrain ribbon around the layers and tied it in a knot.
Be sure to check the other members blogs to see their cards/projects by clicking on the Blogger's Icon on my sidebar.

Have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving.

Holiday Greetings

Today I'm sharing one of the cards that we did at my November Stamp Club meeting. It's pretty much a "Case" of a card from the current catalog (See Page 40)  The only things I changed were the Stamp (I used a different one from the same set) designer paper and I added a scalloped border. 

 The details:   Stamp Set:  Big On Christmas

Card Stock:  Real Red, Sage Shadow, Whisper White, Ski Slope Designer Paper

Ink: Basic Black, Safe Shadow, Real Red,  Old Olive, So Saffron. We used Aqua Painters and watercolored the tree once on a separete  piece of paper, cut it out and mounted it over the original image with foam mounting tape.  We also added Dazzling Diamond Glitter to the star and red tree ornaments.

Other: Scallop Punch, Paper piercing tool, Silver Brads, Ridinghood Red Taffeta Ribbon.

Easy Peasy but cute and the ladies loved it.  Sometimes it's nice to case a card and just give it a little extra pizzaz to make it your own.

TECC42 - A Thanksgiving Scarecrow.

Time for another Cupcake Friday Sketch from Taylor at Taylored Expressions. - Today I haven't been feeling well as I started catching a cold on Friday. I think the strain of the super busy week last week finally got to me. At any rate I wanted to participate but my creative mojo sort of was a bit on hold. However...I did come up with a card. There is however absolutely NO stamping on this card and no cupcakes either :o( I hope that still qualifies it for the sketch though. It's not the fanciest thing I've ever done but I do think it's cute and I hope you will as well.

Details: Card Stock: Really Rust, Old Olive, So Saffton, Only Orange, Very Vanilla
Scarecrow Stickers (Yep, I used stickers) from Sandylion
Rectangle/Scallop Rectangle Nestabilite Dies
Leaf Punch (Retired SU)
Cuttlebug Embossing Folder, Square Punch, Paper Piercing Tool.

The sentiment was computer generated. A quick and easy card for when you just aren't feeling up to stamping. It's hard to stamp when your sneezing and blowing your nose!

Oh and for thos who may want to see here is a picture of hubby's arm 3 days after the surgery. Pretty Gross huh? He's doing pretty good though and has hardly taken any pain pills.

Do You Want to Win

Time for a few blogs with Giveways...First up Blog Candy is available here: Claudia at Pretty Pressings http://rosaswelt.blogspot.com/2008/11/pretty-pressings-anniversary-blog-candy.html has some really great stuff not to mention all the wonderful projects on her blog.

Kristen also has some wonderful stuff available over on her blog.

Now if you don't enter you can't win so head on over and sign-up. Just in case you win but you hate the stuff (is that possible) feel free to drop me a line and send it my way! Hee Hee

BC73 - Always Peaceful Christmas

It's been quite a week here.  My husband had surgery on Monday (on his left elbow) and so I was gone most of the day because we had to travel out of town for the surgery.  I am happy to report he is doing well.  Tuesday was my Bowling League and last night was Bible Study and I've also been preparing for my monthly stamp club meeting. Needless to say I wasn't sure I'd get everything done on time but thank the Lord I was able to finish everything that needed to be done and on time!                                   

 For the Bloggers Challenge this week we had a color challenge: (Baja Breeze, Chocolate Chip, Vanilla or White).  At first I wondered just what on earth I could come up with using only those colors.  Then I saw a card that I thought would work great for the challenge.  I can't find the source of where I found this card now so if it turns out to be yours please let me know.  The only information I had on the jpg was the name, Kandis.  - I love the idea of the bird image and pretty much followed the layout changing things here and there to make it my own.

My card base is Chocolate Chip layered with Very Vanilla.  Then a piece of Baja Breeze DP from the Ski Slope collection in the Holiday Mini catalog. I added a piece of the Chocolate Chip from the same collection and rounded the corners. Then I "sewed" around it with white thread.  It's not totally even but with my bulky machine and the fact I'm somewhat sewing challenge I think it looks pretty good.  I stamped the berry branch  twice from (Always - SU) with a Chocolate Chip craft pad and embossed it with clear EP and then cut them out. I layered them along with felt flowers (Flower Fusion Too) and brads (Queen and Company).  I also added a piece of Chocolate Chip stitched ribbon from a retired SU ribbon set.  I stamped the word Peace (All Holidays) by just coloring the one word with a Chocolate Chip marker.  I added 3 punched out cirlces 1/4"  of CC card stock with a faux jewel glued in the center.

For my focal bird image I stamped the bird from (Always) in Baja Breeze ink and cut it out.  Then I used a Versa Mark pad and Iridescent Ice EP to make my bird very sparkly.  I then clear embossed the small flower from the set with CC ink and punched it out with a 1/2" circle punch and raised it up with foam mounting tape and added a brown bead for the eye. 

This is somewhat of a different (more artsy) Christmas card then I normally make but I like how it turned out.  You can even see that I added some extra to the inside of the card as well.  Be sure to check out the other challenge members blogs by clicking on the icon on my sidebar to see how they used this color scheme.

TECC41 - Jolly Old St. Nick

Time for another great Cupcake Friday sketch from Taylor.  For this week I chose not to use a Cupcake Image (It's not a requirement but if you have them, "Why not use them?") since I am in need of Christmas cards I went with a Christmas theme for my card.

Stamps Used:  Jolly Old Elf (Retired SU) I love this set and haven't used it much so I thought I'd dust it off and give it some love. Frosty (for the sentiment) also Retired SU.

Card Stock:  Ridinghood Red, Old Olive, Very Vanilla 

Designer Paper: Scenic Route

Other: Punch - Martha Stewart

Circle Nestablities Dies (Spellbinders)

Cuttlebug Swirl Embossing Folder

Old Olive Brads

Ridinghood Red Taffeta Ribbon

Iridescent Ice EP

If you need details on how this card was made feel free to e-mail me.  I'm in a bit of a rush this morning so I'm not including the details of how I made this card.

BC72 Same But Different - Riley Celebrates the Holidays

HAPPY FRIDAY! - Boy am I glad this week is over (more importantly I'm glad I don't have to listen to any more Political campaigning - UGH!) Moving right along...

For our Bloggers Challenge this week we had (Same But Different). We could either make 2 cards using the same stamps but different layouts or 2 cards using the same layout but different stamps. I opted to do my cards using the same stamps but different layouts.

My cards are also part of the Mystery Image Challenge on another group (SGGW) that I belong too. The image that I'm using is Riley Moose (Isn't he adorable?)

For my first card I used Ridinghood Red Card stock for my base and then layered that to Old Olive. Next I embossed a piece of Kiwi Kiss cs with the Snowdots embossing folder and my Cuttlebug. I added to Red Brads (Queen and Co.) to the side. Then I added a strip of Ridinghood Red cs layered with designer paper by Scenic Route (Rocland Lindsey Street). I colored my Riley image with Prisma Colored Pencils and blended with Gamsol. I added some sparkle with a clear Spica Glitter pen to the Snowman and Riley's hat. It's hard to see in the scan but it really looks pretty in real life. I colored and cut out another hat and mounted it over my image with foam mounting tape for added dimension. These were cut out with Rectangle and Scalloped Rectangle Nestabilities. I added a banner of Kiwi Kiss that I stamped my sentiment (Hero Arts) with Garden Green ink, distressed the edges with Kiwi Kiss and pierced it. I also added a red button threaded with white thread. This is a neat idea for a sentiment that I learned from Anna (Sweet Miss Daisy) which you can read about here: to complete my card.

For my 2nd card I used a layout from Beate weekend sketch #64 found here . I really liked this sketch and wanted to give it a try. I am very happy with how it turned out. My card base is Chocolate Chip layered with Old Olive that I stamped the Fine Lace (SU Retired) background stamp with Old Olive ink and distressed the edges. Then I used a piece of designer paper (Ski Slope collection from the holiday mini catalog). I added scalloped pieces of Real Red card stock that I pierced and layered with strips of Chocolate Chip and a piece of Old Olive layered with the Chocolate Chip felt ribbon from the holiday mini. I love how fun that ribbon looks. I stamped my sentiment (Hero Arts) with Chocolate Chip ink. My Riley image was watercolored using and Aqua painter and colors to match the DP. I added some liquid applique to Riley's hat and the snow under the snowman. I also added frosted lace stickles to the snowman. I cute my images out with Circle Nestabilities. I punched a snowflake out of Baja Breeze card stock and embossed it using a Versa Mark pad and Iridescent Ice EP. Then I layered a smaller snowflake punched with Shimmery White cs (source unknown) and added a mini red brad (Queen and Co.) and mounted my image with foam mounting tape.

Don't forget to click on the Blogger's Icon on my sidebar to see all the other great cards/projects for this weeks Same But Different Challenge

Blog Candy Alert and Award

Hey Suzanne over at Scrap Blitz is giving away Blog Candy. See this post to check it out for yourself. http://scrapbitz.blogspot.com/2008/11/biggest-blog-candy-evah.html. What a great giveaway.

Also I received the following award:

from my good friend Elena (The Red Haired Girl) and wanted to give her a personal thank you for nominating me for this wonderful award.

You can learn about this award by going here: http://arteypico.blogspot.com/.

I visit a TON of blogs and it's always hard to pick out just 5 favorites so if your name isn't here it doesn't mean that you aren't a favorite of mine.

1. Laura - She is super duper talented so if you haven't checked her out yet be sure to do so.

2. Paula - A blog I recently discovered through Anna Wight (Sweet Miss Daisy). She does fabulous coloring.

3. Sharon - Another new blog I've been enjoying. She has a nice clean approach to stamping that I really like.

4. Jenn - She has such fun cards on her blog and oh so cute.

5. Jackie - Yet again another new blog that I've added to my list of favorites. You'll find clever, cute & creative cards here.

Be sure to check them out.

A GoodBye To Halloween

Well November has arrived and so has our "typical" Fall weather.  (Rainy and Gloomy).  I thought that today I would share a few photo's from Halloween 08 even though it's all said and done now.  I think life marches on so quickly sometimes and we often forget the "little" things that make it so special so I'm sharing a few photo's today that show how special life can be, I hope you enjoy them.

This is our sweet little Granddaughter Coleen all decked out in er Pink Fairy costume.  Her mom bought it while "pink" was still her favorite color. She has since moved on to the color blue but it was to late to change costumes to suit her ever changing favorite color!  Doesn't she look innocent? (If only that were true)LOL.

Next up is my great nephew and his mom (Andrew and Shelby).  He's the Incredible Hulk.  My niece works in a bank and they all had to dress up for the day.  She certainly looked different but rather cool in her Gothic Princess outfit.

Lastly here is a picture of all the pumpkins we carved. The cat on the end was done by Greta (our daughter) and Coleen.  Next up is the Haunted House on the Hill which my hubby, Mike carved.  He always does the really intricate patterns from the book.  The Happy Smiley face is the pumpkin I carved for my mom.  She hates spooky so we always have to choose a non-scary pattern for her pumpkin.  Lastly I also carved the Pirate Skelton. My hand was getting a tad tired so Mike helped me finsh it up. 

In spite of a drizzly night we had quite a number of Trick-or-Treaters but not near the number that there use to be when Halloween was still a Safe Time to go out at night.  Now they have down town parties or candy give out from the stores and other places kids can go besides the door-to-door trick or treating that I did as a kid. 

Anyway I hope you have enjoyed these photo's as much as I did sharing them.