Celebrating St Patrick's Day with an MFT card sketch

I liked the simplicity of card sketch #167 at My Favorite Things blog this week, so I used it to make several St Patrick's Day Cards (which hopefully are arriving in mailboxes today).

I'm trying to use up the many card bases I have from Club Scrap's Greetings to Go kits, so I looked through for anything green and found these tall cards. My shamrock embossing folder isn't long enough to cover the whole front, so my tip of the day here is to use 2 smaller pieces and then mask the separation with another strip (the diagonal in this case). I made a variety of sizes, but all matching the sketch.
The word Lucky was cut on my Silhouette several times (5 for each card) and then inked with distress ink in a rainbow of colors, then glued together in a staggered pattern, then covered with clear wink of stella glitter pen (completely inspired by Jen Mcguire's post here). I printed the sentiment "to have you as a friend" to adhere the lucky word to, and added different embellishments to each (some have twine, some have washi tape, etc).

Thanks for looking and may the luck of the Irish be with you today and everyday!

Happy Mother's Day (a wee bit early)

Blogger has thrown me for a loop. I'm still getting used to the re-design of posting, but this too shall pass.
Below are my Mother's Day Cards for my Mom and my SO's Mom. Hopefully neither will peek at my blog before Sunday.
For both cards, i've used paper from Graphic 45 & Club Scrap Celestial & Concrete Jungle Kits. 
The Silhouette was (oddly enough) cut on my Silhouette from an image I found online and traced as was the oval cut out and oval frame.

 

I'm submitting this first one for the following challenges:
PP94 (The Paper Players Challenge Blog) - In Celebration of Mother's
MMSC 138 (Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge Blog) - Sketch
PPA134 (Pals Paper Arts Blog) - colors: Calypso Coral, Baha Breeze & So Saffron
   

          

Here's the 2nd one...similar but different and using the same papers and shapes, etc.

  

Way late in posting this

My sister had a birthday last week and altho i sent my card on time, i didn't get a chance to post it in a timely fashion. She is an avid bike rider and I thought this was perfect for her. I took inspiration from several different google images and it came together almost exactly as I had envisioned (which never happens!).
I used an actual map of California (where she lives) and the rest of the papers are from Club Scrap kit called "Expressions". The girl on the bike image is a shape I actually purchased from the Silhouette online store. I cut it out of white paper (with my silhouette) and then inked it with black soot distress ink and sprayed with perfect pearl water mixture. I made the card into a z-fold with a window so the girl would pop off the front. She is mounted onto a transparency that was also cut with the silhouette. I found the quote online and built everything else around it. I just love it and it was soooo perfect for a cyclist!

Happy birthday sis. I love you and miss you bunches. Can't wait til we ride together again. kiss kiss.

Color Throwdown & Less Is More Challenge

Not a lot of time to write tonight, but I'm submitting this for the 2 challenges below:

Color Throwdown #176 - use colors pool party, crumb cake, chocolate chip & rose red

AND

Less is More Week 51 - "Cut it Out"

Paper is Club Scrap - Pool party color is from Adobe Kit & Rose Red is from Ornamental (?)

Sorry for the cell phone photo :(

TFL...G'night folks.

Squirrely Challenge - Chalked Embossed & a few other Challenges met!

Here is another card for Nancy's Squirrely challenge using a technique junkies idea called chalked embossed. I made several different backgrounds at once and this is one that still needed a card for a home. I've added pink and brown as well as paper piercing (using the Stampin Up tool that Nancy gave me) to qualify for the Friday Mashup challenge as well. Since I used a butterfly embossing folder, I'm also linking to the Flutterby Challenge.

I've used all Club Scrap paper from the Dream In Color kit (my least favorite of all time) and I'm still not sure i like the color combo of red, pink and brown with the yellow I already had on the background, but i'm going with it!

Submitting for:

Flutterby Challenge # 186 (open)

Friday Mashup #42 (red, pink & brown, & piercing)

You can also see some of the other squirrel girls take on the chalked embossed technique:

Jen

Julie

and of course, our fearless Squirrel Girl leader, Nancy

Christmas Card inspired by T!m!

I’m still trying to figure out how I am going to play along with Tim’s 12 Tags of Christmas. I don’t like to do tags (they serve no purpose and I have trouble with art that has no purpose, lol), so I’m working on creative solutions to apply the techniques.

Here is a card that came out of one of my attempts at Day 1 (using the embossing folder/heat embossing technique). It uses browns from Club Scrap kits Autumn Splendor and All That Jazz. Also, the starry starry night sizzix embossing folder and perfect pearls powder in perfect gold over Club Scrap stars stamps from Sparkle (I think) and Christmas 2006 unmounted set (too bad you can’t really see the shine in the photo). The words and nativity are Silhouette cuts that I inked with Brushed Corduroy DI and then sprayed w/perfect pearl water mixture in same gold powder.

I don’t do many religious cards, but I do have some recipients on my list that might appreciate something like this. Thanks for looking!

Squirrely Challenge - Pinwheels

I am a big fan of all things patriotic and when I found this card online, i knew i wanted to copy it and use it for my Squirrely challenge and a sketch challenge over at Club Scrap . The maker of this inspirational card is a a military wife and makes the most beautiful cards for OWH which I've been meaning to do for the longest time. Hopefully this will kickstart me on that journey.

Shimmery blue - Solstice
Shimmery red - Ornamental
Black (base) – Expressions
Plaid – unknown (not club scrap
Center of flower and stem cut with Silhouette

My 2^nd pinwheel is another shameless copy of anothers art! This card by a fellow Club Scrapper, Diana (thank you for the inspiration!!). When I saw it, I knew it would be perfect for my Mom who has an entire bathroom decorated with this happy little Kokopelli dude.

All paper and the ribbon is from Club Scrap’s Adobe kit. I even traced the Kokopelli from the kit in my Silhouette software and cut him out. He’s inked with vintage photo distress ink and then given a shine by Copper Memories Mist.

Grungy Monday 05 - Run For The Roses

The latest challenge(#05) at Studio L3’s Grungy Monday was to use T!m’s niche technique so wonderfully demonstrated here. Since I’m doing all of mine as 8x8 scrapbook pages, I opted not to use foamcore and instead just used layers of thick stock and dimensional adhesive in between to create the look of depth. I hope that’s ok! My niche was cut on my Silhouette in the shape of the state of Kentucky and then filled with Roses!

I am a Kentuckian by birth and that means something very special to me. I truly love my home state and hope to someday soon move back across the Ohio River to once again be home. Kentuckians are also very proud of our thoroughbred horses and the Kentucky Derby. Every year on the 1^st Saturday in May, millions watch “the most exciting two minutes in sports” known as the Kentucky Derby. It’s a one and a quarter mile long “Run For The Roses” at Churchill Downs racetrack in Louisville Kentucky.

I couldn’t imagine a more fitting song inspiration than Dan Fogelberg’s Run For The Roses.

Born in the Valley And raised in the trees Of Western Kentucky On wobbly knees With mama beside you To help you along You'll soon be a growing up strong. All the long, lazy mornings In pastures of green The sun on your withers The wind in your mane Could never prepare you For what lies ahead The run for the roses so red – From sire to sire It's born in the blood The fire of a mare And the strength of a stud It's breeding and it's training And it's something unknown That drives you and carries You home.

And it's run for the roses As fast as you can Your fate is delivered Your moment's at hand It's the chance of a lifetime In a lifetime of chance And it's high time you joined In the dance It's high time you joined In the dance --

It brings a tear to my eye every time and even more so now that my Dad is gone…he loved horseracing and collected Derby memorabilia. Ok, enough of that emotional stuff….I’ve not used a single rubber stamp on this creation I’m embarrassed to say. The images are from art by Trish Biddle (amazing stuff) and even the racing program page that I made into a background was printed from google images; as was the bottle of Woodford reserve w/mint Julep. The base paper and mini roses are from Club Scrap’s April kit called Welcome. The background is a Claudine Hellmuth technique, although I think T!m also has demo’d it too.

I also want to shout out a thanks to Nancy at Squirrely Art for the lace that I used around the outside. She sent it to me some time ago and I've been waiting for just the right way to use some of it! Thanks Nancy!

Inspired by InkspiredTreasures

When I saw this card on Connie Babbert's Inkspired Treasures blog, I was more than inspired, I was determined to copy it! I just put it in the mail a few hours ago to my BF's sister.

She uses a new Stampin Up punch called Blossom Bouquet Triple Layer Punch. I was in love at first site, so I created a similar (very similar) version in the Silhouette Software and made myself a bunch of bouquets!! I love cutting these kinds of embellishments in white and having them on hand when I'm doing a card. I can grab a handful, use my distress inks, and color them any shade I need!!

If you have a silhouette or any digital die cutter that can use GSD files, I'm happy to share it. Just leave a comment or send me an email and I'll get it to you as soon as I can!

Paper is Club Scrap: unknown white and Poetic yellow.

I think the yellow felt ribbon came to me as a blog candy I won some time ago.

The buttons were all white and I colored them with my Bic Mark Its

HAPPY EASTER!!

I know this is a serious and very important, religious holiday, but I just couldn't resist making this cute little easel card. I hope I don't offend anyone. Have a wonderful Easter!

Challenges:

ECP Challenge #36 - Easter

CYDA #18 - Easter

Scrappy frogs Challenge - Easter

Papers: Club Scrap Jubilee & Autumn Splendor

Bunnies & Sentiment shape cut on Silhouette

Grungy Monday 4 - Thunder Island

For this week, Linda is having us follow Tim’s technique which involves inking or stamping on a texture fade/embossing folder before inserting your paper as demonstrated here. When I read the challenge, I immediately thought of doing a sunrise or sunset using his rays folder. Simultaneously, I’ve been itching to try a Michelle Zindorf inspired background and voila…the two came together perfectly in this piece. Coincidentally, Simon Says stamp & Show was running a similar challenge to use a Tim Technique.

As I have explained, I initially planned to theme all of my GM submissions around songs. I naively thought that I would come up with the song I wanted to use and then make my piece for it. That has rarely been the case. As I worked on my background and then found the Ralph Burch Mermaid art, I found myself humming (& yes, sometimes singing) the 1978 one hit wonder Thunder Island by Jay Ferguson. I’m very pleased with the way it all came together and may be my favorite one so far. Thanks for looking.

Sha-la-la-la-la-la my lady
In the sun with your hair undone
Can you hear me now calling your name
From across the bay
A summer's day laughing and a-hidin'
Chasing love out on Thunder Island

Distress Inks: Mustard Seed, Wild Honey, Spice Marmalade, Barn Door, Stormy Sky, Faded Jeans, Chipped Sapphire, Black Soot

Other: Glossy Accents, Pearl Glimmer Mist, Silhouette, Ralph Burch, Mermaid art printed from the internet, Hibiscus shape is Club Scrap with minor alterations

Club Scrap Paper: Paisley Orange, Expressions Black. Sand is from DCWV travel stack

Another Christmas Card

I managed to eek out another Christmas Card tonight using the Comics kit from Club Scrap. I also managed to meet a couple more challenges. I created the hat cut in my Silhouette, drew the details on and colored and glittered away! This is similar to one of my St Patrick's day designs. I think I may do one for every occasion with HATS! That brings me to the challenges:

Simon Says Stamp & Show: Hats ( i know this isn't really their style, but I hope it's acceptable!)

Christmas Card Challenge Week #17: No Stamping

G'night...off to watch Idol from last night!

Hello

Just a random card I made to meet a challenge at The Color Throwdown blog

As almost always, I've used Club Scrap Paper. 3 kits, Comics red & black, yellow bookplate is from Poetry and the cream card base is from Hearth & Home (i think?). The yellow butterflies were just white cardstock (cut with my silhouette) inked with mustard Seed DI and sprayed with Pearl Glimmer Mist. I've also been wanting to try this embossing technique for a while and i really like the results.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

I made these and the next set for Club Scrap's PSL Mixed Kit Week Challenge

Paper: Club Scrap-Common Threads green, Memoirs brown and white. Dotted is old stuff from my stash
Fiber: Club Scrap-Ornamental
Bling: clear gems colored with Bic Mark It, ultra fine glitter applied with quickie glue pen & perfect pearls (on one only)
Design: scraplifted from Mariana Grigsby
but hat is my own design cut on Silhouette.
Stamp: years old shamrock from stampin up

Paper: Club Scrap-Memoirs kraft and green (inked with peeled paint distress ink to darken), Pure&Simple white (or black)

Fiber: Mirror, Mirror
Celtic Knot cut on Silhouette, Martha Stewart punch used for scallop border.

Sketch from mojomonday.blogspot

Cards for PSL (Pro Scrapbooking League)

The PSL is in full swing at Club Scrap and here are 4 cards i made yesterday for the Mixed Kit Week Challenge. The Design for this was completed scraplifted from Mariana Grigsby, although i did design/draw my own hat and cut it on the Silhouette.

Club Scrap Kits Used:

Paper: Common threads green, Memoirs brown/kraft and white, dotted is unknown from stash
Fiber: Ornamental
Bling: clear gems colored with Bic Mark It, ultra fine glitter applied with quickie glue pen & perfect pearls (on one only)
shamrock stamp from stampin up

Compendium of Curiosities Challenge Week 33

Hello...it's me; running late as usual. I'll try to keep this brief as I have a presentation to prepare for tomorrow. I really tried to photograph this many times and I just can't get it to capture the colors quite right. That card base and feather are almost exactly the same color, but it's just not reading that way (feather looks more blue for some reason).

I'm submitting this for the 33rd Studio L3 Compendium of Curiosities challenge. I've followed the instructions on T!ms' book; page 56 (Altered Metal Alcohol Inks).

Cardstock and feathers are all Club Scrap. Mask is my own design cut on my Silhouette.

Purple card base from Blossom Kit.

Teal panel from Expressions Kit

Yellow from Solstice Kit

Feathers from Birds of a Feather Kit

Personalized set of Thank You cards

My SO's Mother is a sweet, dear, wonderful lady who writes the most amazing Thank you notes after visiting your house or receiving a gift, etc. She has a lovely way with words and always makes your gift/deed feel extra special. She had a birthday in January and I made her a set of personalized Thank You cards. Of course, she turned right around and thanked me with one of my own cards. Anyway, I thought I'd share them here. I used a cardstock bundle I bought at Walmart some time ago with a TM of Imagine That on it (not sure if that's the brand name or the name of the design?). Very simple and thoughtful gift if you have someone special to give them to.

Compendium of Curiosities Challenge Week 27

I spent a few hours yesterday making scrapbook page layouts using a technique called ALSB™ from Club Scrap. I will normally do an entire kit this way and store them in albums waiting for the perfect photos. I find this method much, much easier than starting with a handful of photos and working the other way. It seemed backward to me when I was first introduced, but now I know it's the best thing that's ever happened to my scrappin' life! This layout (and the ones I will post below) are from the May 2010 Blossom Kit (not much of it left to purchase!) which is one of my personal favorites as it uses the most yummy shade of my beloved purple. Ironically, the butterfly (which was cut on my silhouette) was used as a mask on an earlier challenge.

I've incorporated Linda's CCC #27 challenge into this particular layout by misting over a club scrap mask from the Arts N Crafts kit using Glimmer Mists and a homemade distress mist. If you want all the details of this homemade concoction, and for a million other reasons, you must purchase your very own copy of T!m's book here.

Here are some of my nekkid (without photos, lol) Blossom layouts:

Club Scrap's ALCM Card Deck

ALCM™ is an acronym for Assembly Line Card-making. Club Scrap has put together 52 versatile card layout ideas for you to have available at your fingertips. The deck comes complete with 52 cards and a storage tin; each card features a unique formula, gather list, cutting instructions and skill level guide.

The wonderfully cool thing aboutALCM™ (& ALSB™ - Assembly Line Scrap-booking) is how efficiently it uses the paper. The cutting instructions are a breeze to follow and you usually don't even have a scrap of unused paper left. They give you the "bones" of the card and it's up to you to alter or embellish as you like.

The Thank You cards below utilize the 5 of diamonds. This particular card calls for 2-12x12 pieces of coordinating paper and it yields 4 cards with only the teeny tiniest scraps left behind.

Club Scrap Products Used:

Blue paper is from Varsity collection

Print is from the Asian Artisan Kit

Thank You stamp comes from the Gimme A Ring Unmounted stamps

Other Products:

Stylized Flower Embossing folder from ProvoCraft (Cuttlebug)

Faded Jeans and Tea Die Distress Ink from Ranger

Pearfect Pearl in Forever Blue and the Perfect Medium bullet pen

Flower is Studio G stamp I think.

*************************************************************************************

These 4 cards were created using the 5 of Hearts which also instructs you to use 2-12x12 pieces of paper to make 4 cards.

Club Scrap Products Used:

Print is from the Be Wonderful Kit (available only through Crafters, like myself!)

I'm ashamed to say that the plain blue is CS, but I can't identify which kit...so sorry.

The white fiber & shark/dolphin stamp is from the Castaway kit

Other Products:

Faded Jeans and Distress Ink from Ranger

Martha Stewart Arch Lattice punch

Thanks, Bird & Swirl are Inkadinkadoo (I think).

Happy Birthday is Autumn Leaves stamp set.

Chipboard flower unknown. Rounded Posie flower was cut on my Silhouette.

White Pen from Inkssentials

Now, I know you want one of these decks, so send me an email and maybe I can get you a deal!

T!m's 12 Tags of Christmas - Day 8

Here is my Day 8 creation (for lack of a better term)...it's certainly not a tag!

This is a lovely votive lantern thingamajig. The base of this is started life as a zen garden from Dollar Tree...to which i added 3 battery powered votive candles from dollar tree. the lantern shade is made from the most beautiful sheet of pearly white paper from the newest Club Scrap collection called Vogue which has been stamped with Brilliance Starlite Silver and Club Scrap's own white pigment ink pad in swirls (unknown) and sparkles (Club scrap).

The row of houses and sleigh & reindeer were cut with my Silhouette out of an old piece of Club Scrap paper from the Bugs collection and inked with Pine Needles & Barn Door. The reindeer are stamped with the poem "twas the night before Christmas". The Sky's The Limit! is a stencil from the Club Scrap kit called wings. The houses are topped with White Opal perfect pearl and sprinkled with ultra fine glitter and also sprayed with English Ivy glimmer mist.

The clock/moon is exactly that. Both images were downloaded from the internet and overlaid in photoshop. I printed the combined image onto transparency and adhered to another piece of the pearly paper which was inked with Mustard Seed DI.

I think it took me longer to type this description than it did to do the actual piece. Onto day 9!