cute cards...

This week was my time to make some "cute" cards! I don't normally make cutesy cards but I've been having so much fun creating them lately, and I do believe I will do more! The first two cards are from a new stamp set I got at Michael's from Inkadinkado called "Friendly Characters".

I stamped the penguin image on Whisper White paper (Stampin' Up!) with Memento Tuxedo Black ink, then colored it with Prismacolor markers. I layered that piece to glittery blue cardstock and set it aside. Next I used the Swiss Dot Embossing folder with the Cuttlebug on my white card, and embossed a piece of glittery white cardstock with the Swirls folder. I added the "swirled" piece to matching glittery blue cardstock. I cut out a circle with the Reversed Scallop Nestabilities die, mounted it to my "swirled" piece and tied a pretty bow around it. I mounted that piece to my "Swiss dot" card, and finished it off with a glittery snowflake with a blue rhinestone. Card size: 5 1/4 x 5 1/4 inches.

This one is just too darn cute! I stamped the cow on Whisper white cardstock, then mounted it to a black and white gingham designer paper. I added charming photo turns with polka dot brads to this piece. Next, I cut out a Scalloped Circle with my Nestabilities Die and adhered that to glittery black cardstock. I punched a strip of white cardstock with a Martha Stewart punch, attached it to the bottom of my glittery cardstock piece and added a lavender bow. I mounted this to a white card, and finished it off with pearls. Card size: 5 1/2 x 4 1/4 inches.

I found three pretty coordinating designer papers at Hobby Lobby and just knew I had to use them with this dragonfly stamp from Michael's. I cut two pieces of aqua cardstock and mounted each with one of the papers, then put the last paper as the main background for my card. I stamped the dragonfly with Memento Tuxedo Black ink then colored with Prismacolor markers. I tied a peach grosgrain ribbon to one square, mounted my stamped image onto another square then adhered them to my card. I punched a scalloped circle, stamped the sentiment with Marvy "Caribbean Blue" ink on a smaller white circle, attached it to my scalloped circle then mounted it to my card with pop dots. I finished the card with paper flowers and decorative rhinestones. Card size: 5 1/2 x 4 1/4 inches.

Thanksgiving and a Puppy...

Is there a cuter card than this? I am so please with this card as I don't do "cute" cards often, and I don't know why because I LOVE them!! This card was made for my niece and fits the Crazy 4 Challenges theme this week which is Thanksgiving! I cheated and made two cards, one cute and one more elegant.

I stamped the "Gobble til you wobble", "Turkey" (both from Cornish Heritage Farms) and "Happy Thanksgiving" (Stampabilites) on Whisper White cardstock with Memento Tuxedo Black ink. I colored that cute turkey with Prismacolor markers, then adhered that piece to chocolate brown cardstock and put it aside. The designer background papers are from the Paper Studio, and I punched a Martha Stewart pumpkin border out of orange cardstock. I assembled my pieces on a bright orange card sized 5 1/2 x 4 1/4 inches, tied an ivory ribbon to the card, and finished it off with rhinestones.

This next Thanksgiving card uses Perfect Pearls, and a pretty leaf stamp from Stampendous. I just love their stamps! I stamped "Happy Thanksgiving" (Stampabilities) using Memento Rich Cocoa ink on Whisper white cardstock. I stamped the leaf with Versamark above and below the sentiment. I brushed purple, green and copper Perfect pearls onto the two Versamarked images with a paintbrush. I wiped off the excess dust with a makeup sponge, then tied a ribbon around the card. I attached chocolate brown strips to a olive green card sized 5 1/2 x 4 1/4 inches then mounted my leaf piece to the card. I added a rhinestone leaf and small circle rhinestones to finish the card.

This last card is a darling digistamp by Jules' Junk and you can see the rest of her images at Digital-Ink Co. I made this card for the Dancing in Pajamas TCP Tuesday Challenge. I colored the puppy with Prismacolor markers then added some snow and glitter to his hat and pom-pom. The designer background papers are from the Paper Studio, and the ribbon, rhinestones, buttons and flowers are from Michael's. Card size 5 1/2 x 4 1/4 inches.

More challenges...

So, today's posting is all about challenges! I love them, and it certainly stretches my imagination. The first card is a combination of two challenges, one by "No Time to Stamp? Stamp Simply #108" and the other is by "My Favorite Things: So You Think You Can Stamp" contest.

Stamp Simply #108's challenge was to use Kraft Paper paired with Black and MFT is to celebrate Dance: Flip, spin or lift, so I made a Spinner card! Of course, it had to be Halloween as this is a favorite holiday!


Using one of the larger Nestabilities Labels Four, I cut out my center opening, out of my kraft card and 2 pieces of the spider web paper (the Paper Studio). Next, going one size down for the label, I cut out 2 kraft pieces then with Versafine black ink, stamped my images: Tree (Hampton Art), Spider Web & Spiders (Inkadinkado), Spooky and small Spider Web (TM Designs). With stretch cord (in the jewelry section) I made my spinner piece by stretching the cord on the back of one of my stamped images, then adhering the back of my other stamped image onto the other piece, covering the cord. I attached the cord to brads at the top and bottom of my center cut out, stretching it tightly so that my images would spin when turned. I used Martha Stewarts Spider Web Corner punch for the corners, added rhinestones and highlighted areas with a Signo White Gel Pen. When you give this card, you turn the image about 10 times, then close the card. When the receiver opens the card, the image will spin! Card size: 5 3/4 x 4 1/4 inches. (Top image is one side, image below is the other side.)


My next card is a combination challenge as well. I needed to use Purple, Orange, and Olive Green for the challenge over at Pals Paper Arts, and a Mo Manning digital image and Purple for Mo's Digital Challenge. This delightful image worked well for both challenges!


The adorable little girl image was a freebie on Mo's group at SNR Card Universe and fits perfect for the orange, green and purple theme. I printed the image on Whisper White cardstock, then colored with Prismacolor Markers. I stamped "Trick or Treat" from Hero Arts then mounted it to an olive green panel. I cut a strip of Halloween designer paper (The Paper Studio) and adhered it to a punched corner purple patterned paper. I then added orange grosgain ribbon, then added this piece and the stamped image piece to an orange 5 1/2 x 4 1/4 inch card. I added a pretty bow, paper flower embellishments and rhinestones to finish it off.


Lastly, this is the necklace I made for my daughter's birthday this year. Let me tell you, this was a bugger to make!!! She absolutely loves Jack Skellington from A Nightmare Before Christmas, and when I saw that someone made tiny glass Jack faces, I had to see if I could put them into a glass bead. WELL!!! I had never done this before and the glass pieces are maybe 4 mm, I'm talking TINY. So I melt the white and black glass rods onto the mandrel, make a pretty swirl, add some dichroic sparkly glass for snow and then take a deep breath! I plunged a hole into the hot bead, insert the glass face and melt it in a bit. This is where it got tricky! Since these glass faces are so tiny, you have to add a dollop of hot clear glass on the top of this glass face and it will magnify it. I only purchased 12 of the faces! It took me 12 times to finally make THIS bead! Some cracked, some got soot on them, others were smeared, and I was pulling my hair out! Finally, finally, a week before her birthday, this bead emerged! She loved it, and I had fun telling the story!

Snowy Thinking...

Well, I've been having enormous fun these past few days with "blog hopping". If you don't know what that is, it is a group of blog owners, sending you on a merry round of card viewing. A lot of them are from a particular design team, a stamp company's blog, etc. Some have challenges that include a "sketch" of which you can participate.

As an example, my first card is for the "Mercy's Tuesday Sketch Challenge #42", and you have to make a card using the sketch above, then post your card to your own online gallery or blog, then go to Mercy's blog and post your link. It's a way to challenge yourself with new card ideas!

My challenge card uses Hot pink Bazzill cardstock, and a Marvy Matchables "Caribbean Blue" ink pad. I first stamped the large snowflake (Inkadinkado) with Caribbean blue on white Bazzill cardstock. Next, I stamped my sentiment (Close to my Heart) on white cardstock, then stamped a tiny portion of my large snowflake on the corners. I next layered it to a hot pink glittered cardstock. I punched my upper and lower right corners with a Fiskars Emboss plus Punch, then added a few lines around three sides with my Scor-Pal. I tied a pretty teal bow around my card, then mounted my sentiment with pop dots. With a Stardust GellyRoll pen, I colored my snowflake, then added gemstones to finish the card. Card size 5 1/2 x 4 1/4 inches.

This next card is my version of a card on Andrea Walford's blog. Of course, I altered it for my own card, but I love the look! I stamped the flourish from the "Nightingale" stamp set by Inque Boutique in #3 Blue from Marvy Matchables. I then inked the snowflake (Inkadinkado) with #3 Blue and Prussian Blue on each half then stamped it so that it looked like the snowflake was hanging from the flourish.

I tied a pretty sparkly blue/gold ribbon that I purchased from Hobby Lobby, and added rhinestones on the flourish and snowflake. I next punched a snowflake border (EK Success) on blue glitter cardstock, mounted my flourish piece, then attached it to a white card. Card size 4 1/4 x 4 1/2 inches.

Thomas Kinkade and a Ghost....

It's Mojo Madness #107 and here is my entry for the contest! You can find out more on the Mojo Monday blog! I used a Thomas Kinkade stamp (Cornish Heritage Farms) called "The Open Gate" for this card.


I stamped my image twice on glossy paper with Memento Tuxedo Black ink, then heat set it. I cut a scalloped circle out of one image using a Nestabilities Die. I colored that image with dye based inks and a paintbrush. I cut the ends off of the second image, attached them to cardstock, and mounted them to a coordinating designer paper with two punched corners. I found a pretty white satin ribbon and put it over the bottom portions of the black/white images, then mounted the scalloped circle with pot dots in the center. I placed the circle carefully to align the image so that it fit on top of the other images and looked seamless. I finished the card off with rhinestones (according to the Mojo Madness sketch provided) and adhered it to a sky blue card. Card size 5 1/2 x 4 1/4 inches.


This second Kinkade card uses the "spotlight" effect and I used "It Doesn't Get Much Better" and "It Doesn't Get Much Better Vignette" stamps from Cornish Heritage Farms. I stamped both images onto glossy paper with Memento Tuxedo Black ink. I punched two corners of the full scene, stamped "Peace in the lower right corner, and dusted a bit of color in two corners with the Colorbox Stylus. I then mounted the image to sky blue cardstock, then to a teal card. I colored the vignette with Memento inks and a paintbrush, then adhered it to the black/white scene with pop dots. I added rhinestones to finish the card. Card size 5 1/2 x 4 1/4 inches.

Here's my card for the Crazy 4 Challenges Week 5 Sew Happy Challenge! How cute is this card? I have a darling quilted Halloween Banner kit using fabric, and thought that I could use the pattern for a great card! I scanned the pattern into my computer, resized it to fit a card, then cut out the pieces using patterned paper. I then put the pieces together onto a glittered black cardstock. With a black pen, I added the tiny "stitches", then mounted it to an orange card. His eyes are black rhinestones. Card size 5 1/4 x 5 1/4 inches.

10 minutes or less...

I've been swamped all week, so I've taken a few minutes to make 2 cards that took less than 10 minutes each. As we head into the Holiday season, I bet a lot of us are going to have to squeeze our cardmaking into small amounts of allotted time!

I've used the "Autumn Harvest" stamp set from Stampin' Up! for these two cards. I love this little set as it's so versatile and perfect for the Fall holidays. This first card is for a friend who has a birthday in October, and her sister asked me to make a card that had pumpkins and sage green incorporated.

I punched the Fluer-de-lis border on both sides of a soft yellow cardstock sized 4 x 5 1/2 inches using an EK Success punch. Next I stamped "Happy Birthday" (Close to my Heart) in Memento Rich Cocoa. I then stamped "Dot Flourishes" (Inkadinkado) using Pear Tart where my pumpkins would be. I stamped the two pumpkins from the stamp set onto light orange cardstock using the Rich Cocoa ink. With Pear Tart, I stamped the small leaf on the light orange cardstock as well.

With a sponge, I tapped Memento Dandelion and Tangelo inks onto the pumpkins. I tapped a light amount of Rich Cocoa on the stems. I then added a touch of New Sprout ink to the leaf. I tied a pretty brown/gold ribbon around the card then attached my pumpkins and leaf using pop dots. Lastly, I added tiny brown rhinestones on the sentiment. Card size 5 1/2 x 4 1/4 inches.

This next card was fun! My sister and I were doing a challenge where you can only use two colors in your cards, and we had to use the "Dot Flourishes" stamp set from Inkadinkdo. Her card was adorable with lime green and pink as the main colors!

I stamped the flourish stamp using Memento Tuxedo Black onto dark orange cardstock. I then tied a black with orange polka dots ribbon around the card and knotted it. It's hard to see in the photo but the black piece behind the pumpkins is glittered cardstock. I repeated the process for the pumpkins as with the previous card. I added the faces instead of leaving the pumpkins blank. I omitted the leaf, instead cutting out a tag and stamping "Trick or Treat" (Hampton Arts) onto it. I mounted the pumpkins to the glittered cardstock with pop dots, attached the tag with a polka dot brad, then finished it off with orange rhinestones. (Yes, Robin, I have that stamp set for you!) Card size 5 1/2 x 4 1/4 inches.

Don't forget to check out my friend Sandy's blog, as she has been doing some adorable cards for Halloween, Winter and more. Her parchment crafting is gorgeous too!

Scenic Cards....

Stampscapes is probably my favorite stamp company, and I've been creating a bunch of scenes lately. Fabulous cards can be made using these scenic stamps, from simple to elaborate. So many different techniques can be used with the images. You can brayer the ink onto your cardstock, sponge, stipple, direct to paper and more. The owner of the company, Kevin Nakagawa, has created a stamp line that can take your level of stamping to a higher plain. If you are looking for something new, take a look at the Stampscapes website, the many tutorials and galleries. Once you get bitten by the scenic bug, you'll become addicted.

Check out my gallery 1 and gallery 2 on the Stampscapes website, and that's MY scene on the home page! How exciting is that!!!

"Winter Chill" uses the Colorbox Stylus for color in this scene. I covered the entire cardstock (non-glossy) with Adirondack Lights Aqua ink first, then used Ranger Archival Ink Teal from the bottom to the center of the card. Lastly, I added Adirondack Denim to the lower portion of the card to deepen the water.

For the distant shoreline, I took the straight edge of Marvy Matchables #10 Lt Blue ink pad and swiped downward, then turn the card around and swiped again. This made the shoreline, and the reflection. For the sky, I added a bit of Teal ink into the sky, leaving some light spaces for clouds. I stamped the images next, then added white highlights with a Signo White Gel Pen. Card size 5 1/2 x 4 1/4 inches.

This next scene, I went directly to the glossy paper with my ink pads. I used Memento inks in the following colors: Dandelion, Cantaloupe, Tangelo, Lady Bug, Rose Bud, New Sprout, Pear Tart, Rich Cocoa and Tuxedo Black. These ink pads are the little tear drop pads that you can purchase at Michael's in sets of four.

Cover the entire glossy card with Dandelion ink, then on the upper portion, deepen the Dandelion with Cantaloupe ink. I added swipes of Tangelo, Lady Bug and Rose Bud inks until I liked my sunset. On the lower portion of the card, I covered the Dandelion with New Sprout and Pear Tart. In a few areas, I went over again with Pear Tart in a sweeping motion to get my impression of the pasture.

With Rich Cocoa, I stamped the Spotted Horse from Stampscapes in the grass, then added the Gulls to the sky using Tuxedo Black. The background wheat (Inkadinkado) I stamped with Pear Tart, then added the foreground wheat (Stampabilities) with Tuxedo Black. Card size 5 1/2 x 4 1/4 inches.

(Click on picture to see larger version of the tags)

These next 4 tags is for a Tag Swap on my Stampscapes II Yahoo Group. I wanted to show the different ways you can use the same stamps by just changing the ink colors. I love the effect!

Here is one of the twelve new Paper Embroidery Patterns I released this week! You can see all my new patterns on my Stitching Website or on my new Etsy Store! That's right, I finally opened a store on Etsy for my Patterns, and you can also purchase custom ordered stitching cards! It will take me a bit of time to add all the patterns and cards, but keep checking back. I'm also in the process of opening another Etsy store for my Lampwork Beads and Jewelry. Stay Tuned!