2011 February » fresh & fun

Waiting for the First Blooms

Challenge, Copics, Flourishes, LLC, Gina K., Nestabilities 26 Responses »

Feb 282011

Thursday’s Way to Challenge on Splitcoast was to use Gray on your project. Gray is the main color here in Ohio in the winter. Gray skies, gray dirty snow….. the winter was long and I can’t wait to see the first blooms to appear. So I combined my wish for Spring with the Gray challenge to create this card.

I started out stamping the Crocus image from Flourishes Year in Flowers 1 in Tuxedo Black Memento Ink on Neenah Solar White cardstock. It was cut down to a pretty small square and colored with Copic Markers (Flower Petals: Y11, Y13, Y15, W3, Leaves: YG91, YG93, YG95, Background: B0000, B000).

Next I stamped one of Gina K.’s gorgeous Lovely Labels 2 with Lightning Black Brilliance Ink. It was cut and embossed with Classic Circle and Label 15 Nestabilities dies and adhered over the image. The layers were adhered to a piece of black cardstock, cut and embossed with Lacey Square Nestabilities dies.

A 4 3/4″ long strip of white cardstock was cut and embossed with a Lattice Borderabilities and adhered under a 2 3/8″ x 4 3/4″ piece of Pink Paislee’s Queen Bee paper. The layers were adhered to 4 3/4″ square of another piece from the paper pack. The layers were stitched to a 3/16″ bigger piece of black cardstock.

May Arts Organdy Ribbon was tied around the horizontal layer and topped with a Queen Been Brad before the layers were adhered to a 5 1/4″ x 10 1/2″ piece of White cardstock folded in half. The image layers were adhered to the card base with dimensionals.

The sentiment is from Flourishes Tag Lines. It was stamped in Tuxedo Black Memento Ink on a piece of Neenah Solar white cardstock, cut and embossed with JustRite Stampers Exlusive Nested Sentiments Spellbinders die. Silver Recollection Pearls finish off the card.

Thanks so much for stopping by! Have a wonderful day!
Hugs and smiles

Ready for another give away?

Blog Candy 66 Responses »

Feb 282011

I have decided to have a little blog candy every last day of the month for a while. I usually only use newly released stamps and have all these older stamps which could need some love. This month I will give away two older Unity Kit of the Month kits,

as well as a pack of Maya Roads chipboard flowers and some May Arts Ribbon. If you don’t have those stamps yet and would like to give them a new home, just add your blog link to the Mr. Link underneath. If you don’t have a blog, you can also use the direct link to your splitcoast gallery (http://splitcoaststampers.com/go/username). You don’t have to actually have a gallery, you just have to be a member to be able to use that link. AND…..if you aren’t a member yet, it’s easy and free to join.

I will pick a winner randomly with random.org Wednesday evening. Good luck!
Hugs and smiles

Kraftin' Kimmie and CPS sketch

Challenge, Copics, Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps, Nestabilities 26 Responses »

Feb 272011

Today’s CPS sketch challenge is sponsored by Kraftin’ Kimmie stamps. The sketch didn’t really lent itself to Kimmie’s big images, so I only used part of Charlotte for my card.

I cut three 1 3/8″ squares out of Neenah Solar White cardstock. On the first I stamped Charlotte’s head and the doll she is holding in Tuxedo Black Memento Ink, on the second the doll she is holding in her other hand. The third square was stamped with sentiments from Sassy Sentiments. I stamped the extra stamp doll that comes with Charlotte on a scrap paper.

The images were colored with Copic Markers (Charlotte’s hair: E37, E47, E49, Charlotte’s skin: E000, E01, E11, Charlotte’s Dress: RV42, R32, R35, N3, N5, N6, YG01, YG03, YG17, Doll eyes: N3, N5, N6, Doll Skin: E40, E41, E42, E43, Doll Dress: BG10, BG11, BG13, Doll Collar: Y13, Y15, Y17, T2, Background: BG10, BG0000) and layered on black cardstock, cut and embossed with the smallest Lacey Square Nestabilities die.The extra doll was cut out and adhered to the sentiment panel with dimensionals. The image panels were paper pierced.

A 2″ x 5 1/4″ piece of October Afternoon Modern Homemaker paper was adhered to a 4″ x 5 1/4″ piece of the same paper pack. All four corners of the big layer were rounded before the layers were stitched to a 3/16″ bigger piece of black cardstock. The corners were rounded as well.

Black Ric Rac was adhered over the edge of the horizontal strip. Over that green ribbon was tied and topped with a Build-a-Brad (Stampin’ Up!) was topped with a big silver Kaisercraft Rhinestone. To dress up the upper half of the card a bit, I added a Recollection Rhinestone swirl above the bow and three Buttons (Cosmo Cricket and October Afternoon to the top left corner. The buttons were stitched to the card with black waxed Linen.

The card base is a 8 1/2″ x 5 3/4″ piece of Core’dination cardstock folded in half. Three tiny Silver Kaisercraft Rhinestones in each of the top card corner finish off the card.

Thanks so much for stopping by! I hope you have time to play with the sketch! Have a great day!
Hugs and smiles

Kraftin' Kimmie Challenge #67

Copics, Grand Nestabilities, Kraftin' Kimmie Challenge, Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps, Nestabilities 18 Responses »

Feb 262011

Today’s card was created for several challenges. The background was created with the Bargello Technique, which was the Technique challenge on SCS on Monday. The sketch is from Cute Card Thursday’s challenge and the Scallop Circle was used so the card would fit Kraftin’ Kimmie’s challenge today.

For my sample I picked Drucilla. I lover her slightly demented look. I stamped her in Tuxedo Black Memento ink and cut her out with Classic Circle Nestabilities and the Out of the Box Technique. The image was colored with Copic Markers (Skin: YR0000, YR000, YR00, Dress: YG01, YG03, YG17, N1, N3, N5, N7, Stockings: R12, R15, R17, E30, E0000, Doll: E30, E31, E33, Hair: E15, E25, E29, Background: B0000, B000, B91). The image adhered to Black cardstock that had been cut and embossed with Classic Scallop Circle Nestabilities.

My Bargello background was created out of Echo Park’s For the Record Patterned Paper. I cut my strips 5/8″ wide. The background was cut with Label 1 Grand Nestabilities and layered on a hand-cut, slightly bigger piece of black cardstock. The layers were stitched together. Two tiny tabs were cut with one of the Label Trio dies, adhered to the top right corner and topped with Silver Recollection Pearls.

The image was adhered with dimensionals and Prima and Bo Bunny Flowers were taped around it. One of them had a Basic Grey Button center, the rest were topped with Recollection Pearl Brads.

The sentiment is from Sassy Sentiments. It was stamped in Tuxedo Black Memento ink on Neenah Solar White cardstock that had been cut and embossed with one of the Double Ended Tags.

The main card was created out of one 4 3/4″ x 9 1/2″ piece of Sno Cone cardstock folded in half. Two bigger pieces of Sno Cone paper were cut and embossed with Grand Label 1 Nestabilities and adhered to the front and back.

Thanks so much for stopping by! Have a wonderful weekend!
Hugs and smiles

Happy Birthday, Jan Marie!

Copics, Die-namics, Flourishes, LLC, Nestabilities 62 Responses »

Feb 252011

Let’s light the candles and strike up the music, the owner of Flourishes – Jan Marie Caruso – is celebrating a birthday and we’re helping her by getting the party started! Why not leave some love on the Flourishes blog HERE and while you are there, start to hop on through the Flourishes team members who are honoring her special day! Happy Birthday Jan Marie! Or hop on over to her blog directly and post your well wishes there.

For my birthday card I chose the brand new From the Desk Of Flourishes stamp set. I couldn’t wait to get this set and ordered it as soon as we could. It’s just soooo pretty and the image is so much fun to color.

I stamped the image in Tuxedo Black Memento Ink on Neenah Solar White cardstock. It was cut and embossed with the largest Classic Square Nestabilities die and colored with Copic Markers (Flower petals: YR21, YR12, E25, Flower center: E25, E29, Leaves: YG01, YG03, YG17, Flower Pot: YR12, YR14, E25, E29, Letters: E0000, E30, E31, Pen: E21, E25, E29, C1, C3, C5, Ground: T0, T1, T3, Background: B0000, B000, B91, Bookmark: B91, B93, B95). The image was then adhered to a piece of Canyon Brown cardstock, cut and embossed with the largest Scallop Classic Square Nestabilities die and the edges were paper pierced.

A 4 1/2″ x 5 1/2″ piece of Echo Park For the Record patterned paper was stitched to a 1/4″ bigger piece of Canyon Brown cardstock. The layers were adhered to the card base, a 5″ x 12″ piece of Core’dinations cardstock folded in half.

Two 3″ long strips of Solar White cardstock were cut with Faux Crochet Die-namics die and adhered to a 2 1/4″ x 3″ strip of a different piece of For the Record paper pack. May Arts Brown Gingham ribbon was tied around it, before it was adhered to the bottom center of the card front. A bow was tied out of the same ribbon with the help of Bow-Easy, topped with a brad bought at my LSS and adhered over the ribbon strip.

The sentiment is from Flourishes Tag Lines . It was stamped in Tuxedo Black ink on Neenah Solar White cardstock, cut and embossed with the medium die from the Tag Trio set. The tag was tied to the bow with waxed Linen. Bronze Kaisercraft Rhinestones finish off the card.

Thanks so much for stopping by! Please hop on over to the other designers celebrating Jan Marie’s birthday:

Barbara Anders

Christine Okken

Cindy Lawrence

Danielle Kennedy

Dawn Burnworth

Julie Koerber

Leslie Miller

Stacy Morgan

Betty Wright

Cindy Haffner

Dee Jackson

Maki Jones

Silke Ledlow

Tammy Hershberger

Cindy Coutts

Heather Jensen

Kathy Jones

Yvonne Hagane

Have a wonderful day! Hugs and smiles

Flowers for you

Challenge, Copics, Flourishes, LLC, Mo's Digital Pencil, Nestabilities 25 Responses »

Feb 242011

Isn’t that the cutest image? It’s called Bunches and it is from Mo’s Digital Pencil. I have to tell you that I love my new Laserjet printer I bought the other week. No more smearing and it was only $99 on sale at Best Buy! Plus it’s wireless, so I don’t have to drag my laptop in the other room to print! I am loving it!!!

I created this card for Sunday’s Featured Stamper Challenge on Splitcoast. This week the featured stamper was StampGroover. I picked this card of hers to case. I kept it a spring card with the same main colors (yellow, red, green). I did have to add a bit more patterned paper, a bigger ribbon and some bling.

The image was printed on to Neenah Solar White cardstock, cut and embossed with Label 3 Nestabilities and colored with Copic Markers (Yellow Flowers: YR21, YR24, YR14, Red Flowers: R02, R05, R08, Dark Red Flowers: R24, R29, R39, Leaves: YG01, YG03, YG17, Purple: V12, V15, V17, Dress: YR21, YR31, 1/5YR31, Hair: E15, E19, E18, Sky: B0000, B000, B91). The image was adhered to a piece of black cardstock, cut freehand and the edges of the image layer were paper pierced.

A 2″ x 5″ strip of Echo Park For the Record was adhered to a 4″ x 5″ piece of the same paper line. The bottom corners of the paper were rounded, before they were stitched to a 4 1/4″ x 5 1/4″ card front. White May Arts Silk Ribbon was tied around the vertical strip before the card front was adhered to a 4 1/4″ x 10 1/2″ piece of Neenah Solar White cardstock folded in half. (I don’t like to show stitches or ribbon on the inside of the cards.) The bottom corners were rounded.

A sentiment is from Flourishes stamp set Tag Lines. It was stamped in Tuxedo Black Memento ink on a piece of Solar White cardstock, cut and embossed with the smallest Lacey Square Nestabilities die. The inner panel of the square was colored with Copic Marker B0000. Silver Recollections Pearls (thanks to Silke Ledlow for letting me know that you can get those at Michaels!!!) finish off the card.

Thanks so much for stopping by!
Have a wonderful day! Hugs and smiles

Video Tutorial on SCS - 2, 5, 7, 10 Box

3-D items, Copics, Die-namics, JustRite Stampers, Nestabilities, Video Tutorial 19 Responses »

Feb 232011

For today’s Tutorial from the Archives in the weekly inkling I picked Jenn‘s darling 2, 5, 7, 10 box. For my sample for the video, I chose JustRite Stampers new Birdhouse set. I love birdhouses and these are a lot of fun to color.

I stamped the image in Tuxedo Black Memento Ink on Neenah Solar White cardstock, cut and embossed it with Classic Circle Nestabilities and colored it with Copic Markers ( House: B32, B34, N4, Y43, Y35, Y38, YR14, Leaves: YG01, YG03, YG17, Flowers: R02, R05, R08, Flower Center: YR14, E09, E29, Dragonfly: Y11, YG03, Background shading: W00, W1, self mixed marker 1/5th YR31, 4/5th Blending solution).

The image was adhered to a bigger piece of Basic Black cardstock, cut and embossed with scallop circle Nestabilities. The edges of the image layer were paper pierced.

For the box base I chose a 8 1/2″ x 11″ piece of Kraft cardstock. The flap was decorated with a 3″ long strip of white cardstock cut with the Faux Crochet Die-namics Border die. The box is held close with May Arts Gingham ribbon.

A 2″ x 3″ strip of Echo park “For the Record” paper was adhered to the box front before the image layers were taped down with dimensionals. Silver Recollection pearls finish off the box front.

The sentiment is from JustRite Stampers new Cling stamp set called Fancy Tags. It was stamped in Tuxedo Black Memento ink on Neenah Solar White cardstock that had been cut with JustRite’s new Spellbinders dies called Nested Sentiment dies.

Here is a video for the visual learner:

Thanks so much for stopping by! Have a wonderful day.
Hugs and smiles

Happy birthday Mouse

Challenge, Copics, Grand Nestabilities, Meljen's Designs, Nestabilities, Whimsy Stamps 23 Responses »

Feb 222011

Isn’t that a darling image? It’s a new digital image from Meljen’s Designs sold by Whimsy stamps called Birthday Cup Mouse. When I saw Friday’s Free for All Challenge (Birthday cards for kids),

I printed out the Birthday Cup Mouse with my new Laserjet Printer (LOVE it!!!, no more smearing) on Neenah Solar White cardstock, cut and embossed it out with the largest Classic Circle Nestabilities die and colored it with Copic Markers (Mouse: N1, N3, N5, YR000, YR00, YR01, Cup: BG10, BG11, BG13, Candles: E21, E25, E29, Y38, YR07, YR18, Candle Flame: Y13, Y15, Y17, Candle Glow: Y00, Background: B0000, B000, B91). The image was layered on a piece of Chocolate Chip cardstock (Stampin’ Up!) cut and embossed with the largest Beaded Circle Nestabilities die and the edges were paper pierced.

Different patterned paper from My Mind’s Eye Fine and Dandy True Blue paper pack was cut down to 1″ squares. A 5″ square of white cardstock was run through my Xyron machine and the 1″ squares were adhered to it. The squares were stitched over diagonally, then cut down to a circle with the smallest of the Grand Classic Circle Nestabilities die. The circle was adhered to a piece of Chocolate Chip cardstock. I placed the die used for the quilted square circle back on that circle and used it as a guide to cut down my Chocolate Chip layer.

Light Orange Core’dinations cardstock was folded in half and cut with a Grand Scallop Circle Nestabilities die. Brown May Arts Organdy Ribbon was tied around the quilted card layers and topped with a October Afternoon button. With the button the sentiment tag was tied on the bow as well.

The sentiment is from Whimsy’s Oval Snippet. It was stamped on Neenah Solar White cardstock with Tuxedo Black Memento Ink and cut and embossed with one of the Tag Trio dies. Lots and lots of Silver Kaisercraft Rhinestones finish off the card.

Thanks so much for stopping by! Have a wonderful day!
Hugs and smiles

Brave Birds

Challenge, Nestabilities, Unity Stamps 21 Responses »

Feb 212011

I created this card for a Way to Use it challenge. Kim challenged us to use Silhouette stamps. The layout is from a CPS sketch.

I stamped the birds from Unity’s Brave Girls on a 1 7/8″ x 4 3/8″ piece of Classic Cream Cardstock with Midnight Black Brilliance ink. The image was layered on a piece of Canyon Brown cardstock, that had been cut and embossed with Long Rectangle Scallop Nestabilities. The edges of the layer were paper pierced.

A 2″ x 4″ strip of Cosmo Cricket Early Bird Paper was stitched to a 4″ x 5 1/4″ piece of the same paper pack. May Arts Gingham ribbon was tied around the vertical strip before the layers were adhered to a 5 1/2″ x 4 1/4″ card base out of Canyon Brown cardstock.

A half circle of Early Bird paper was adhered under the lower right of the image layers before those were adhered to the card with dimensionals. Pewter Kaisercraft Pearls were adhered to the half circle.

The sentiment is also from the Brave Girl set. It was stamped on a piece of Cream cardstock, cut and embossed with one of the Labels Trio set from Spellbinders. A Pewter Kaisercraft pearl on each side of the label finish off the card.

Thanks so much for stopping by! Have a wonderful day.
Hugs and smiles

Just Rite Stampers Bird House

Borderabilities and Pendants, Challenge, Copics, Just For Fun Rubber Stamps, Nestabilities 16 Responses »

Feb 202011

Last Tuesday’s Color Challenge on Splitcoast was a tough one for me: Pacific Point, Wild Wasabi and So Saffron.

I decided to use an image from JustRite Stampers new Birdhouse set, that I had just received in the mail. I stamped the image in Tuxedo Black Memento ink on Neenah Solar White cardstock, cut and embossed it with Circle Nestabilities dies and colored it with Copic Markers (Green house: G40, G21, G24, Yellow House: Y21, Y23, W2, Blue House: B21, B23, B26, House bottoms: W00, W1, W2, Leaves: G21, YG63, YG67).

The image was layered several time. The bottom base is a piece of White cardstock cut and embossed with the largest Eyelet Circle Nestabilities die. It was topped with the sentiment circle. In it’s center was first a black cardstock circle and finally the image center.

A 4 3/8″ long white cardstock strip was cut and embossed with the Eyelet Borderabilities die. The strip was cut in half and adhered top and bottom to a 2 1/4″ x 4 3/8″ piece of Circa 1934 Cosmo Cricket patterned paper piece. That layered strip was adhered to a 4 3/4″ square of paper from the same paper pack. The top left and bottom right corner were rounded before the layer was stitched to a 3/16″ bigger piece of white cardstock.

May Arts black lace was adhered over the horizontal strip before White Organdy ribbon was tied over it. The bow was topped with a Cosmo Cricket Button. The card base is a 4 7/8″ x 9 3/4″ piece of Wild Wasabi, folded in half with to of the corners rounded. Snow Kaisercraft pearls on the top right and bottom left finish off the card.

Thanks so much for stopping by! Have a wonderful day!
Hugs and smiles