Friends Never Go Out of Style

This card base has been kicking around forever, waiting for me to finish it. I pulled it out to create a belated birthday card for a friend.

I tried doing a pinch of silver and Kaleidoscope embossing powders.

At this point, I had a tool malfunction: my Goosebumps shimmer spray was completely clogged. I tried flicking the goo on, but it didn't look right. I tried smearing it around and got an interesting, though completely smeared, look. I'm not completely satisfied, but neither am I completely disappointed.

The interior:

{Supplies--all Papertrey Ink unless noted}

• Cardstock: Scarlet Jewel, Stamper's Select White, True Black
• Patterned Paper: unknown
• Stamps: Fashion Sense
• Ink: Scarlet Jewel, Memento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko), Versamark (Tsukineko), Memento Dandelion (Tsukineko)
• Other Tools: clear and silver embossing powders (Filigree), Kaleidoscope embossing powder (Stampendous), Clear Star gel pen (Sakura)

Guest Designer for Craft Hoarders Anonymous Challenge Blog - Embossing

As you know, I'm a guest designer at Craft Hoarders Anonymous Challenge Blog for July, and they are having their 12th challenge right now. The challenge is to use some form of 'embossing' on your project. Types of embossing to choose from are dry embossing using a folder, heat embossing with powders, die embossing, and of course the currently popular and trendy paste embossing! As I don't have any embossing paste yet, that left me with three choices. I decided to use all three of them on a card!

The underlying cream rectangle was dry embossed using the Cuttlebug folder "Grace's Frame". The die cut oval was also embossed using Spellbinders' "Floral Ovals", and the flowers and leaves are all heat embossed on colored paper using white embossing powder and then cut out. Embossing overkill? Well maybe...

I used 'Rusty Hinge' Tim Holtz Distress ink and ink blending tool to edge my papers with. Here are some more photos showing some of the details of this card.

What is your favorite embossing technique? What would you create using all three of these embossing techinques? Why don't you hop on over to Craft Hoarders Anonymous and check out what the DT has posted to inspire you, and join in on the challenge! You could win a wonderful prize and be a guest designer yourself!

Thank you for stopping by, and of course, Happy Papercrafting!

A Special Thank You Card

I have crafted a time or two during my lengthy absence from this blog, but, as I tend to do things last minute, have not had a chance to photograph or post my work. I am hoping that my crazy-busy days are over, leaving me more time to craft on occasion.

Regardless, my mother has continued to fill this blog with her fabulous creations! While our styles differ--almost opposite ends of the spectrum!--we certainly appreciate this hobby that we share.  :)

A friend of mine has graciously provided last-minute daycare for my youngest child on several occasions recently. I have collected a fabulous basket of goodies to give her along with this card:

This was my first time pulling out Papertrey Ink's Meadow Greens stamp set and dies. Due to my inundated email inbox, I unsubscribed to the majority of my staple blogs, but I can never seem to detach myself from my beloved PTI. My wishlist continues to grow! The supplies I used are listed below. Feel free to ask any questions about techniques in the comments.  :)

The inside:

Coordinating envelope:

As always, thanks for peeking!

{Supplies--all Papertrey Ink unless noted}

• Cardstock:  Soft Stone, lightweight white (scraps)
• Stamps: Meadow Greens, Embellishments (sentiment)
• Ink: Versamagic Spring Pansy, Memento Lulu Lavender (both Tsukineko), Spring Moss, Chamomile, Tim Holtz Antique Linen Distress Ink (Ranger)
• Dies: Meadow Greens
• Accessories: Rustic Cream Button Twine, brad (random)

Spectrum Noir Fun - Animals

-Scrapbook Parade has completed their first round of Spectrum Noir Beginners classes, and now it's time to have some fun!

Time to refine our skills, and still learn a few new techniques. This class is about colouring with dots for a textured look, colouring on paper piecing, and of course a little something easy and familiar too.

These are the two cards for this class.

These stamped images are from the same stamp set from Penny Black entitled "Tiny Wishes". Let's begin with the cute little girl hedgehog.

As you can see he is paper pieced. It takes extra time to do this, but the visual effect is so worth the extra time. And using the markers on the designer paper to add shape and shadow is fun to do.

To colour the little darling, I used the dot method, except for her face. This adds dimension and texture to her prickly parts. I'll get a little closer for you so you can see it a little better, maybe.

Like her polk-a-dot shoes? Well, anyway, she has her main body, arms and face coloured on the main piece of paper. Then, on another piece. I coloured her arm holding the backpack strap, the other pink strap, and the rose in her hat. I cut these out. Then out of the pink diagonal paper I stamped, coloured and cut out her hat. On the light green dotted paper, I stamped, coloured and cut out her shoes, while doing the same with her dress on another patterned paper. Then all these layers are glued over each other to create a bit of dimension. You can see it much better in real.

Here is the card from the side so that you can see the glued layers and the  popped up layers of the card.

On to the easier colouring piece, the cute little hanging mouse.

Tiny things are hard to colour, and this image is full of tiny things. I just love the dangling tiny mouse, though.

Here is a close up.

Here's a side view to see all the popped up layers. You know me and layers. lol!

Well that's all there is to see. Oh, I nearly forgot to mention the paper! I used My Minds Eye Collectable "Memorable".

Here is my practice piece for those taking my class in August.

Thank you for stopping by today to have a looksee, and thank you for leaving your comments too. I still can't believe that I'm teaching this when this only my 7th time using markers. I love the Spectrum Noir markers! I wonder if I'll ever find the time to complete my accreditation! I've been trying for a month now, but have so much to do....

Happy papercrafting!

PTI Make It Monday, CASE Study and Freshly Made Sketches

Betsy Veldman has the most fabulous tutorial at this week's Make It Monday! Unfortunately, I didn't select the best stamp image to reproduce it. My inking doesn't show! I'll try this technique again.  ;)

I selected my colors from this week's CASE Study and used the sketch from Freshly Made Sketches.

As mentioned, my attempt at Betsy's vellum inking technique fell short due to the image I chose but I swear there's Orange Zest ink on there!  :)

I did a bit of inking on the wooden brad as well as around the Kraft cardstock.

Thanks for peeking!

{Supplies--all Papertrey Ink unless noted}

• Cardstock: Summer Sunrise, Kraft, Orange Zest, Hawaiian Shores, Vellum
• Stamps: Embellishments, Harvest Berries, Lattice (Hero Arts/Studio Calico)
• Ink: Versamark (Tsukineko), Dark Chocolate, (Orange Zest), Walnut StainTim Holtz Distress Ink (Ranger)
• Dies: Heart border, Harvest Berries
• Other Tools: white embossing powder (Filigree), Opaque White Mister Huey Mist (Studio Calico), seam binding, Rustic Jute twine, wooden brad (?), Uniball white gel pen (Signo)

PTI Blog Hop: My Dear Friend

So many stamps, so little time! I took some crafty time with my PTI!

I chose the simplest and most unique bouquet color scheme for my first PTI Blog Hop card:

I started by impressing a frame into a Vintage Cream card base. I cut a plain circle out of scrap cardstock and used the negative die-cut to blend an ink border with Antique Linen and Old Paper Tim Holtz Distress Ink.

I used the Anniversary set Birds & Blooms to create the focal wreath. In order to soften the New Leaf and Limeade Ice inks, I stamped once on some scrap paper before stamping the flowers.

This is the first time I tried using paint on stamps! A fun technique that resulted in some pearlescent zing (difficult to appreciate from the photo)! I do like the bit of impasto that resulted!

The sentiment was stamped with Old Paper ink.

I added a touch of Clear Star gel pen to the New Leaf flower centers.

Thanks for peeking!

{Supplies--all Papertrey Ink unless noted}

• Cardstock: Vintage Cream
• Stamps: Birds & Blooms
• Ink: Pinefeather, New Leaf, Limeade Ice; Antique Linen and Old Paper Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Ranger)
• Dies: Eyelet Circles, Standard Circles (both Spellbinders)
• Other Tools: ink blending foam (Ranger), Pearl craft paint (Martha Stewart), Clear Star gel pen (Sakura)

Lucky to Count You as a Friend

Here is the second card that I made for the Scrapbooker's Paradise "Playing in Paradise" challenge: Feeling Lucky?

I took the die-cut from the first card I made and made a CAS card with it.

As you can see, it is best to stamp the sentiment AFTER spraying Glimmer Mist. :)

I'm also entering this into the Simon Says Stamp Anything Goes challenge.

Thanks for peeking!

{Supplies--all Papertrey Ink unless noted}

• Cardstock: Stamper's Select White, New Leaf
• Stamps: Wonderful Words Additions
• Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko)
• Dies: Wonderful Words
• Other Tools: Sweet Clover Glimmer Mist (Tattered Angels), iRock/rhinestones (Imaginisce)

Friends

I actually made this card last week for the recent White challenge at A Blog Named Hero but didn't have a chance to photograph it in time. (I went to Arizona this weekend--LOVE the landscape and pleasant temps!--to visit with family.)

Anyway, this card also fits A Blog Named Hero's current challenge: CAS. Hooray!

Thanks for peeking!

{Supplies}

• Cardstock: Stamper's Select White (PTI)
• Stamps: Friends are Treasures (Hero Arts)
• Ink: Pure Poppy and New Leaf (PTI), Spiced Marmalade Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Ranger), Memento Dandelion, Blue Danube, Grape Jelly and Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko)
• Other Tools: flower (Kaisercraft), Corner Chomper (We R Memory Keepers), rhinestones/iRock (Imaginisce), sewing machine/thread

CAS-ual Fridays and Moxie Fab

I was absolutely thrilled and intrigued by the current CAS-ual Fridays challenge to use your own blog header as your inspiration!

I change my blog about twice a year because I get bored but I love my current theme and LOVE the card that I made based on it!

Can you believe it's going to snow here overnight and into tomorrow?? I'm devastated!! As a result, the weather is less than hospitable for photographing paper and so I've returned to my indoor photography setup. This results in a somewhat softer picture but I'll live.  ;)

I went back and forth about adding some bling (as I did with this card) but decided that as is, this card could be used for a masculine recipient. Though, come to think of it, who gives "friend" cards to men??? Oh well, definitely CAS. [Edited to add:] I did go back and add 3 rhinestones around the sentiment...

I took a page out of Kasia's book and used Copics to match the stripes on my blog header. Note to self: Post-it notes don't prevent Copic bleeding, duh!!

I'm also entering this in the Moxie Fab World World Card Making Day Hello card challenge.

Thanks for peeking!

[Edited to add:] This card not only got VIP status at CAS-ual Fridays but it got singled out by Cath on Moxie Fab!! What a fabulous start to a long weekend! ;)

{Supplies--all Papertrey Ink unless noted}

• Cardstock: Fine Linen, Stamper's Select White
• Stamps: Think Big Favorites #3
• Ink: Canyon Clay, Memento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko)
• Other Tools: Herringbone impression plate, scoreboard (Martha Stewart), Copics

CASology and My CoDesigner ;)

My seven-year-old son saw this die on my craft desk and immediately commented that it looked like a piled-up ice cream cone. I thought that was a terrifically creative idea!

It took some time to get around to it but I decided that CASology's "white" challenge worked well for a vanilla super-cone!

I don't think I did my son's idea credit, perhaps multiple ice cream scoop colors would be better. ;)

Thanks for visiting!

{Supplies--all Papertrey Ink unless noted}

• Cardstock: Stamper's Select White
• Stamps: Sugar Rush (Paper Smooches)
• Ink: Brilliance Pearlescent Chocolate (Tsukineko)
• Dies: Simple Circles border, Sweet As Can Be ice cream cone
• Felt: Vintage Cream, Fine Linen
• Other Tools: scoreboard (Martha Stewart), E__ Copic marker

Gift Set - Scrapbook Parade Class

I just love this little folded double box that I came up with to hold a set of six cards with six matching gift tags! The box reminds me of the school pack packs children had in the 30's and 40's from photos I've seen.

Opening the box, you'll find the box has two sides!

And this is what the box holds.

You'll recognize the 6 x 6 Websters paper. And here they are, card and tag, in their individual sets.

I used Glossy Accents on the bicycles of the card and tag. I wish I had less of the doily showing on this next card, but it's too late now. I did have fun making the flowers though! I also left room for a stamp on this one.

Nothing fancy about any of these cards. I let the papers do the talking, and kept it simple so that they could be more easily mailed than some of the cards I tend to make.

Room for a stamp on this one as well.

I like how the palm tree card turned out.

And finally, the wedding dress card and tag.

I didn't show the backs of the tags, but there are little matching images on the backs as well.

So that's the set! Did I mention how much I love the little box? lol

Thank you for stopping by again today and leaving your comment. Always fun to have visitors. Happy crafting everyone!!