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!

Fall and Halloween...

From time to time, I'll get an email with another cardmaker's blog address and I'll browse their creative websites and learn new things. I was sent Michelle Zindorf's Freedom in Creating blog and fell in love with a lot of her ideas. She's a Stampin' Up demonstrator and her cards are fresh and exciting.

This first card is an adaptation of her card titled "On a Cliff - Tutorial #258" (you'll find this card on the first page if you scroll down a bit) and another card titled "Lonely Owl - Tutorial #243 (you'll find this card on the fifth page of her website). Both tutorials are well detailed with excellent instructions. I added a few of my own personal touches, and I'm quite pleased with the techniques I learned with this card. The stamp set I used from Stampin' Up! is called "House of Haunts". The flying bats is a stamp from Stampscapes called Gulls, but look like bats from my point of view! I used a white Signo pen to add the highlights to the tree and ground. Card size is 5 x 5 inches.

These next two cards were created from her card titled "Blowing in the Wind - Tutorial #257" (about half way down the first page). As you can see, I changed the design a bit, added my own touches, and a new card was born! The leaf stamp on the first card is from Judikins and the leaf on the second card (below) is from Inkadinkado. The sentiment on the first card is from Stampscapes, and the sentiment on the second card is from Stampendous!. First card size is 4 1/2 x 5 1/2 and the second card size is 5 1/2 square.

My latest necklace has a Fall feel to it. The cubed bead has a base of white, with a pretty orange/gold/red frit burned in, then accented with a gold-filled bail and findings on a gold necklace.

Seasonal cards...

My cards for today are quick and easy for the upcoming holiday seasons! I used a wide variety of items from my stash for these cards and you can find most of them at your favorite craft store. Now, on to the instructions!

I received my Debbie Mumm paper stack from JoAnn's online yesterday, and the fall designs are adorable! The pine cone paper is soft and was perfect for my idea! I mounted the paper to a peach card measuring 5 1/2 x 4 1/4 inches. I "inked" the leaf stamp from Judikins with the Essential Glue Pad and stamped it on a scrap of peach cardstock. With Martha Stewart glitter, I added green for the center of the leaf, then orange and gold for the sides and let it dry. Once it was dry, I cut the leaf out and put it aside.

With the Cuttlebug, I cut out a scalloped brown square. I stamped the "Fall" stamp from Hero Arts, using Memento Rich Cocoa ink onto peach cardstock. I mounted the stamped image to the brown square at an angle and added gold pearls. I mounted this to my card, added pop dots to the leaf cut out and adhered it beside the fall sentiment. Lastly, I added a brown ribbon and tied it in a knot. A pretty and easy card for a loved one!

Here's a pretty Christmas card using the Snowflake embossing folder for the Cuttlebug. Once my paper was embossed, I took a stipple brush and added blue ink around the edges of the card. I mounted this to a purple card sized 5 1/2 x 4 1/4 inches. I stamped a Christmas tree from the Winter Wonderland Stamp set at Michael's onto a small tag. I outlined the tree and ground with a purple glitter pen.

With my stipple brush, I added color to the tag with Memento inks in blue and light purple. I added a pretty bow and mounted the tag with pop up dots onto my card. Lastly, I added sparkly rhinestone swirls on the corners on the card.

I think this next card is the cutest thing I've made in a long time. I used my scalloped circle Nestabilities in the Cuttlebug and cut 4 circles and assembled my basic snowman. I found some too cute snowman face rub ons at Michael's that fit my snowman perfectly! The "tis the season" scarf is a stamp from the same Winter Wonderland stamp set from Michael's. I added tiny black dots for the snowman's belly, and added just a touch of blue and purple ink with my stipple brush.

I used an EK Success Snowflake punch for the edges of my decorative background paper. I mounted that piece to a purple card sized 5 1/2 x 4 1/4 inches. I cut and embossed a Cuttlebug snowflake and added a purple epoxy dot to the center, then mounted it to my card in the upper right corner. Lastly, I attached my snowman to the card then sent it off to my sister who loves Snowmen!!

How are these for cute? I made these aliens for my son! Al loves my glass beads, and every time I sit at the torch, I make him an Alien bead. These are just a few of the ones I have made for him!

Another in the series....

Here's "Gone Batty!", which is the second scene in my Halloween Series using cut outs, masking and Stampscapes stamps. The technique for this scene is similar to the one in my previous post with the Halloween Ghost. I used only Memento inks with this scene. I cut out a moon and the bat, then laid the cut outs down on glossy cardstock. I stamped the Cloud Cumulus with London Fog ink over the entire card. With the Colorbox Stylus, I added color for my night sky, using Lulu Lavender, Grape Jelly, Paris Dusk, Bahama Blue, and Dandelion inks. I removed the masks and my bat and moon were exposed.

Next, I laid down the paper I cut the moon from over the scene, and replaced the bat mask. This left just the moon exposed. I applied Dandelion, Cantaloupe, Tangelo and New Sprout inks on the moon with the Stylus. I then removed the masks again, and only my bat was left white. I laid down the paper I cut the bat from over the scene and stamped the "Eyes" from the Symmetry: Sheet 4 using Memento Tuxedo Black ink. I added Paris Dusk, Grape Jelly and Tuxedo Black inks on the bat. I tapped a touch of Dandelion ink on the eyes. Lastly, I stamped the Spooky Branch over the scene in a random manner and finished it off by adding purple rhinestones to the bat for eyes.

I was asked to make a monkey pattern for a wonderful lady who will be stitching him for charity. I think she said she had to make over 5,000 cards! WOW! I say! I think after 10 cards sewn, Dawn will think she's going bananas :)(Right click on the pattern to download it to your computer)

Here is a recent necklace I've made using my own lampworked beads, sterling components with Swarovski crystals. The floral bead in the center takes about 20 minutes alone to make at the torch, but I love how it turned out. I etched all the beads except the pinks ones for a soft effect.

a fun technique...

For this technique, I cut out a ghost on scrap paper and laid it down on glossy cardstock sized 5 1/4 x 5 1/2 inches. With the Colorbox Stylus I added color with Memento inks in this order: Tangelo, Potter's Clay, Lady Bug, Rhubarb Stalk, and Tuxedo Black. I also used Marvy Ink Pad Wine between the Rhubarb Stalk and Black.

Next, I laid the piece of scrap paper that I cut the ghost from, over the inked part of the card which revealed the white part of the ghost. With Memento Tuxedo Black ink, I stamped Stampscapes Eerie Moon, then the large Cloud Cumulus stamp above and below the moon. With the Stylus, I added Memento Grape Jelly ink to the upper and lower portions of the ghost (the stamped clouds). With a paintbrush, and black ink, I added the eyes and mouth for the ghost.

I stamped the bat (Hero Arts) in the moon, then used the Large and Small Spooky Branch (Stampscapes) on the outer portion of the card. Once finished, I mounted it to a piece of black cardstock, then a purple card.

Special Note: I'm so excited! Kevin Nakagawa, the owner of Stampscapes, is going to make this Halloween scene into a postcard!

I did the same technique with this card as well. I laid a snowflake cut out from Sizzix onto my glossy paper, then stamped Rocky Peaks, Cabin with Fence, Pine Row, and the Water Pattern (All Stampscapes stamps).

With the cut out snowflake still on the card, I added color with the Colorbox Stylus. I used Marvy Ink Pads in the following colors: Salvia Blue, #3 Blue, Prussian Blue, Deep Lilac, Pale Violet, Pine, Brown and Black.

I removed the cut out and lightly added Salvia Blue and Deep Lilac to the snowflake. I then stamped the sentiment (also from Stampscapes) and added a lavender rhinestone to the snowflake. I mounted the scene on black then purple cardstock. Card size 5 1/2 x 4 1/4 inches.

Fall Scenic Card...

I stamped the leaf on a scrap piece of paper for a mask, then put it on glossy matte cardstock! I then brayered Adirondack Lemonade ink onto the whole card. I added Peach Bellini on the ends, then a little bit of Marvy Orange to deepen the color. Next I stamped the same leaf with Versamark on the card around my masked leaf. I embossed those leaves with clear embossing powder. Next, with Marvy inks (Yellow, Orange, Terra Cotta, English Red) I brayered the scene darker. Once that was dry, with a wet q-tip, I removed the ink from the embossed leaves which left the lighter leaves.

I removed the leaf mask, then laid the scrap paper that I cut the leaf out of over my scene. This left the masked leaf exposed! I stamped the small unmounted Lakeside Cove and the Crooked Branch from Stampscapes with Memento Black ink. With the Colorbox Stylus, I added color to my scene (Salvia Blue, Deep Lilac, Pine, and Brown Marvy inks). Lastly, I stamped the Stampscape sentiments using black ink. The leaf stamp is from JudiKins. Card size: 5 1/2 x 4 1/4 inches