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Saturday, January 29, 2011

Happy Day

Hi All!  So the wonderful thing about taking part in the different card challenges out there is that sometimes you get pushed out of your comfort zone and have to take on a completely different style than you're used to.  That's what happened to me this week in the Tickled Pink Stamp Challenge.  This week their challenge is to do something Vintage and their DT had some amazing projects to take inspiration from.  Now I like to incorporate vintage touches in my projects but rarely have I ever done something that is completely vintage.  I tend to go for more clean lines and and crisp designs.  So this completely lived up to the 'challenge' title!  I used the sketch from Friday Sketchers which helped take layout off my plate and let me really get into making everything as vintage as I could...can I just say I don't think I've ever spent this much time on one card! 
I used 20's Evie from the Tickled Pink Stamp Store because she seemed the perfect fit for a vintage card.  I colored her up with my Copics and the proceeded to distress the heck out of her and every paper on my project :)  I also got to use my brand new distressing tool from Imaginisce and I'm sure glad I had it on hand because it made the distressing much easier!  I know that there are some amazing designers out there who take Vintage to a whole new level but for my first time I'm pretty happy with the finished project!  I think I see more Vintage in my future :)
The card is being entered in the following challenges: Tickled Pink Challenge Blog- Vintage; Friday Sketchers- Sketch; 2 Sisters Challenge Blog- Girls Just Wanna Have Fun (use a female image)
Supplies: Card- Truly Yours Archivers; Stamps- 20's Evie digi stamp- Tickled Pink Stamps, Sentiment- MFT Ala Mode Time To Celebrate; Copics, Ink- Momento Tuxedo Black, Ranger Distress Ink- Frayed Burlap, Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist- Creme de Chocolat; DP- Jillibean Soup- Kraft, Little Yellow Bicycle- Blue Brocade, Websters Pages- Vellum Cards Beautiful You; Ribbon- Recollections; Flowers- Prima, Recollections; Tim Holtz- Key and Keyhole 

Be Yourself

Hi All!  I wanted to share a new card with you...it's inspiration is one of my favorite quotes as the challenge over at the Tiddly Inks Challenge blog is to use a favorite quote on your card.  "Be yourself.  Everyone else is already taken. ~Oscar Wilde"  When I was growing up I always wanted to fit in and be just like everyone else- have the right hair cut, the right clothes and hang out with 'cool' crowd (I think we all struggle with this at some point).  I grew to realize that what truly makes us special are the things that make us uniquely ourselves.  I have this quote up in my bathroom as a daily reminder that the world would be a boring place if we were all the same and who I am as an individual is something I should celebrate not try to change.
This image, Aisha (which you can find here) from Tiddly Inks, seemed the perfect complement to my quote and as a bonus was a total blast to color up!  Its hard to tell from the pictures but I made her sandals and some of her bracelets gold with my glitter pen and used a jewel for her bindi.  I really like the finished product and I loved being able to combine my love of quotes with my love of card making.  When I'm having trouble finding my mojo in the future I think I'll remember this challenge and try finding inspiration in a quote!
I'm entering this card in the following challenges: Tiddly Inks Challenge Blog- Quote Me; Fab 'n' Funky Challenges- Delight In Your Digi; Totally Gorjuss- As YOU Like It; Crafty Catz- Flowers; Stampin' For The Weekend- All Warmed Up
Supplies: Card- Truly Yours Archivers; Image- Tiddly Inks; Quote Card- Hallmark; Color Medium- Copics; Ink- Momento Tuxedo Black, Ranger Distress Ink Frayed Burlap; Flowers- Roses Recollections, Pink flower Green Tara; Pearls and Gem- Recollections; DP- Bo Bunny Sophie Tickled Pink and Rae; Inspire Tag- Tim Holtz 

Sunday, January 23, 2011

A Toxic Valentine

Hi All!  I know the title of this post is kind of funny but it just so happens that my image is from the Sweet & Toxic set by The Greeting Farm...and for some reason (probably because I'm a girl) when I think of the set I always think of the boy as the 'toxic' out of the two :)  I had quite a bit of fun with this one I must admit- I'm entering a few challenges and used the sketch from the Tickled Pink Stamp Challenge blog only to find out that even though they carry this stamp it's not eligible for the challenge.  But that's okay because the sketch led me to this awesome card so it's all good :)  Note to self though, make sure to ask if you aren't sure an image counts!
One of the things, as silly as it might sound, that makes me smile when I look at this card is the fact that I finally managed to pull off blond hair!  I'm still relatively new to Copics and have to say that blond hair has been my nemesis but I have finally prevailed!  I'm sure it will get better but I'm just glad it looks blond instead of yellow :)  It's the little things in life, you know?
I'll be entering this card in the following challenges:All That Scraps Wednesday's Challenge- Early Valentines; Papertake Weekly Challenge- Ribbons & Pearls
Supplies: Image- Sweet & Toxic: The Greeting Farm; Ink- Momento Tuxedo Black, Tim Holtz Distress Ink: Black Soot; Coloring Medium- Copic Markers, Spica Pen: Clear; Cardstock- Black: JoAnn's, Silver and White Scalloped Edge: Bazzil; DP- Red: Elegant Berry: The Paper Company, Grey Damask: Little Yellow Bicycle; Pearls: Recollections; Flowers (all): Prima; Lace Ribbon Embellishement: Recollections; XOXO Tag: Echo Park Be Mine Element Sticker Sheet

Friday, January 21, 2011

Around the World- Mo's Digital Pencil Challenge


Hi All!  I was hopping around some challenge sites that I haven't participated in before but wanted to and came across the perfect challenge at Mo's Digital Pencil Challenge Blog- Around the World.  Now the hardest thing for me was how to interpret this challenge.  My sister has been to about 25 different countries (all before the age of 25 might I add!) and even lived abroad in both Madrid Spain and Madagascar when she was in the Peace Corp.  So suffice it to say I've done many cards over the years that found their way to her where ever she might be and almost all of them have had something to do with different cultures and traveling- plus all of her stories give me endless inspiration!  However, when I read the title of the challenge, and saw the DT's inspiring work, what actually stuck out for me was a completely different take on the challenge at hand.

I was recently asked to make a card for a couple who had just sent announcements out that they were adopting a baby girl from Africa.  The announcement itself had a scripture from the bible on it, so I knew instantly that was important to the senders, as well as the baby girls African name and it's translation which happened to be 'beauty'.  I knew instantly that I would find at Mo's Digital Pencil the perfect digital stamp for this occasion having just browsed through the whole section of the shop entitled 'We Are All Colors' a few days earlier.


I colored up Zola with my Copics since she just seemed the perfect fit for this card.  It had to go through the mail so it couldn't have to many bulky things on it so I used a DP that had plenty of detail on it's own and found a quote online that seemed to meld all the different elements together I was going for.  It may be a simple card but I think the meaning of it shines through...
Supplies: Card Base- Truly Your's Archivers, DP- Bo Bunny Sophie, Copics, Ribbon- stash, Sentiment- printed quote from Word, Tools: medium corner rounder

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

The Journey

Hi All!  Just a quick post...I was asked to make, well basically a 'card front', something that could be placed in a 4x6 frame as a special keepsake.  This specific gift is for someone who is moving out of the country from a good friend and fellow traveler.  I hope that it's something she can keep close by as a reminder of all those who love her state side :)

Sunday, January 16, 2011

I {Heart} U

Hi All!  I've got a sweet little card for you today that's going to go into a few different challenges!  But first things first...
I have to admit that I've been a little obsessed with coloring images in black and white with my Copics lately....I don't know what it is but when I look at an image I see it two ways- one in color and one in black and white.  Maybe it's the simplicity or the classic look B & W brings but I couldn't resist making a challenge card at least once with a black and white image (and who am I kidding?  there will probably be many more to come!), here I've used the digi stamp Lil' Valentine Luca, who you can pick up here, from Tickled Pink Stamps
This card was fun because I got to use a couple of brand new things I picked up at the store...the rolled rose from Michael's (love clearance finds!) and the Kiss word stick by Tim Holtz.  The card itself came together pretty easily, just a few ribbons here and a couple flowers there :)  The biggest challenge ended up being taking pictures for the blog since the heart, with the I {heart} U sentiment is actually a mirror.  Try getting a picture of a mirror up close without actually getting your image in it- wasn't easy but I eventually prevailed! 
This card is going in the following challenges: Tickled Pink Challenge: I {heart} You, Copic Creations: Anything New and Stamp Something: Anything Goes
Supplies: Image- Digital Stamp Lil Valentine Luca Tickled Pink Stamps; Copics- W0 W1 W3 W5 W7 W9; Xpress Copic Paper; Card base- Truly Yours Archiver's; Kiss Word Stick- Tim Holtz; DP- We R Memory Keepers Merry January Scarf; Cardstock- Bazzill Basic Paper Fawn Small Scallop; Flowers- Paper rose- Recollections Michael's, Blue and white paper- Green Tara; Distress Ink- Frayed Burlap; Lace Embellishments- Recollections Michael's; Heart Mirror- Heidi Swapp; Pearls- my stash

Friday, January 7, 2011

Tickled Pink Stamps New Challenge Blog!

Hi All!  I've been dying for Tickled Pink Stamps to have their first challenge on their new challenge blog and it's finally here!  It's a pretty easy one to get things started- Anything Goes...

As a gift for a friend who loves to journal I decided to make a Journal in a Jar.  She loves funky vintage clothes so I couldn't resist using the Lil Fashionette digi stamp 30's Lylah from the Tickled Pink Stamp Store because I could envision her in that fabulous coat clutching a sweet little purse just like Lylah is. 
The jar was empty when I took the picture but I filled it with journal prompts that I printed in different fonts from my computer before I gave it to her and added a journal to finish.  I had so much fun putting this together, and especially coloring this amazing image.  I'm happy to say the gift left her speechless which was a huge compliment.  I'm already trying to think how I'm going to top it next time!
Supplies: Digi Stamp- 30's Lylah Lil Fashionette- Tickled Pink Stamps; Copic Markers; Clear Paint Pail- Michaels; Green Velvet DP- SEI; Jillibean Soup DP- Cup of Yak; Classy Red Pearls- Queen and Company; Paper Flowers- Green Tea Flowers in White, Colored with Copics; Sentiment- Printed from Computer

Monday, January 3, 2011

My Sister's B Day!

Hi All!  I feel like I've been slacking in the blogging department...but with the holiday's I'm sure I'm not the only one :)  My sister was home for almost two whole weeks and I'm sad to see her leave tomorrow.  But I'm glad that we were able to celebrate her birthday while she was home.  She's usually pretty easy to get gifts for; I know a gift card will go a long way- she's an Americorp volunteer so she can always use something that allows her to play since she doesn't make much money.  Plus, there was the bonus that I got to pull out some new product I purchased from Denami Design, a gift and favor template, to make the gift card holder.  I purchased a digital stamp from Kenny K a while ago named Kitty Katastrophe and colored her with my Copics and I loved her so much I just hadn't found the perfect thing to place her on...so when I was looking through my stash of colored images I just knew she'd be perfect!  A girl can always use a little sass on her birthday :)  Since the gift card holder was pretty small there wasn't much need to do anything else once I had the image adhered with pop dots but it was missing just a little something to balance it out so I sifted through my ribbon stash and found a simple little scrap of ribbon that added that final touch.
I'm happy to say that my sister loved the holder as much as the gift cards themselves which is exactly why I love making cards...I always say that when a card is handmade it ceases to be 'just the card' and magically becomes a part of the gift...and who doesn't love that?