Christmas in July!

Wow what a busy summer! Even though the summer heat is still upon us, it's time to start thinking Christmas! This card is the first of a series of monthly Christmas cards that we will make at my house from now til November. Card colors are Real Red, Chocolate Chip, and Very Vanilla, and the stamps are "Merry Christmas" sentiment from Teeny Tiny Wishes, and the Elizabeth stamp from the new catalog. The background of the card sparkles with Vanilla Smooch Spritz. All products are Stampin' Up! and are available in the 2010-2011 big catalog. TFL!

Matching 6x6 Page and 3x5 Card

This is matching 6x6 scrapbook page and 3x6 (6x6 folded) card to demo at an upcoming workshop. I used textured So Saffron for the base, and Bella Blue dsp. The sentiment is Three Little Words stamp set. TFL!

Dimensional Flower for a Wonderful Friend

This is for today's color challenge on SCS. The challenge was to use Melon Mambo and Soft Suede, plus neutrals of your choosing. I decided to try making one of Beatte's Dimensional Flowers from the tutorial on SCS. Stamps used are Fresh Cuts (flower border), sentiment from All Holidays, and Medallion background stamp. And of course the colors are Melon Mambo & Soft Suede, with Whisper White. TFL!

Just Gellin'

Today's Free 4 All Challenge F4A11 on SCS was called Just Gellin' - obviously we were to use gel pens on our card. I created the background for this card by stamping Bella Toile in Ruby Red on Ruby Red cardstock first. Then I used my Big Shot to cut out Scribbles & Swirls Sizzlet on a piece of scrap cardstock, and used that as a stencil with my with gel pen on top of the stamped image. The main image & sentiment are Upsy Daisy. I inked the stamp with perfect plum, then sponged Ruby Red ink on the top of the image. The main image is stamped on Barely Banana cs, and the background is streaked with Summer Sun and Perfect Plum ink using sponges. The purple ribbon going across the image isn't ribbon at all, but actually a 1/2" strip of Perfect Plum cs with "stitches" drawn on with my white gel pen. TFL!

Guitar Dude on Faux Metal

I made this card for today's sketch challenge on splitcoaststampers.com. It literally came together in 5 minutes because I had the main image laying in a scrap pile! I created the faux metal background a few days ago using the acrylic distress technique...this is silver shimmer paint on Basic Black cs. The guitar dude is the Just Guitar stamp from Stampin' Up!, stamped first with black Staz-On, then Versamark on top using my Stamp-a-ma-jig to line up the images, then embossed with black embossing powder. I used scraps of the faux metal paper to punch out photo corners. The red layer is from the Jackpot designer series paper pack, and the orange layer is from the Cast-a-Spell designer series paper pack. Everything is layered on Basic Black, and the card base is Basic Gray. All supplies are Stampin' Up! TFL!

Sparkly Mom!

This is for yesterday's Ways to Use It challenge on SCS. The challenge was to use chipboard. I created the "MOM" image using my Big Shot to cut images out of a cereal box, gluing several layers together to simulate chipboard. Then I sponged & glittered the letters & flower to make them extra-special! I also used the Big Shot to create the background: I covered a piece of Brocade Blue with silver Shimmer Paint; when it was dry I ran it through the Big Shot with a texture plate, then I used a sanding block to remove the paint from the raised areas & let the blue show through. This technique is called Acrylic Distress and was a Weekly Inkling a few weeks ago. The white layer is punched with the new Scallop Trim Border punch. Colors for this card are Brocade Blue, Barely Banana, and Whisper White. TFL!

Box of cards

My neighbor's son joined the army, so I made this card & box for him as a going-away gift. The box is full of cards & envelopes so he can keep in touch with his mom while he's away.

Recent cards

It's been waaaaay too long since I've posted anything...I've been scrapbooking more than card-making lately, but here are a few cards I've made over the last few weeks:





a quick card to celebrate spring!

This Easter card features Chocolate Bunny stamped w/Versamark on Chocolate

Chip cs, then clear embossed.

















































Sock Monkey...one of my favorites!

birthday card for my hubby

Valentine's Day Cards

Valentine's Day cards for my neice & nephews using my favorite stamp sets...


Sock Monkey and Loads of Love are two of my all-time-favorite sets from Stampin' Up!...


And this is the new set Something Sweet...I got this one in the new clear mount style - makes it a snap to line up the images on your card!

Faux Mother-of-Pearl

I found this fun technique on Paper Patty's blog here:

http://paperpatty.blogspot.com/2010/01/shimmering-pastels-or-faux-mother-of.html

She has all the instructions to do this Faux Mother-of-Pearl, or Shimmering Pastels technique on her blog...the only difference is that Patty used Stampin' Pastels and I used ink instead for a bolder color. TFL!

Tote-ally Tess

Tote-ally Tess...another new stamp set featured in the Occasions Mini Catalog! Tess just loves to stamp, and with her tote bag full of scissors, Stampin' Write markers, and Stampin' Around wheels, and her favorite stamps in hand, she's ready for any occasion! I just love this adorable new set! And those of you who follow me on Facebook, this is the card I was working on the other day when I decided to blow off the excess Dazzling Diamonds instead of tapping it off, & I ended up sparkling myself!

Something Sweet

Mr Brown brought my new stamps from the current Mini Catalog on Tuesday...this is the new set "Something Sweet". I ordered this set in the new clear mount style - LOVE IT! You can see just where you're stamping! I chose bright, happy colors for the jellybeans & dispenser...Real Red, Brilliant Blue, Summer Sun and Certainly Celery. I thought the scalloped-edged border on the top looked like a candy shop awning. The "pile" of jellybeans on the bottom right came about out of necessity - I used them to cover an ink smudge! Sometimes what starts out as an accident turns out to be a good idea! TFL!