Lucky Draw

The recent post of my latest card trick was a butterfly die cut "face card" from a deck of playing cards. Here's the link. This post is to show you that not much of anything ever makes it to the trash bin in my studio. The leafs attached to the tree with pop dots are the residuals from the butterflies ' wings and have sprouted new life on this sizzix tree. This, then is card trick No. 7 using a cuttlebug embossing panel, "Lucky Draw" by Art Impressions.

Now I've got to go play Gin Rummy with DH and wear out some more cards.

See other card tricks under titles: King for a Day, Queen for a day, Drama Queen, Gogh have great Birthday, and A Perfect Pair.

Pretty Woman

After creating and posting the Cinema Saturday challenge for Pretty Woman, I couldn't get the Roy Orbison song out of my head. This, then was my inspiration to have another go at it using the same image and materials, but adding a scalloped lace border by Fiskars, and attaching the flowers and vines (Stampendous) with foam dots to make a pretty woman walking down the street....(ah there goes that tune again). The phrase is computer generated, laminated, and framed with a sizzix die cut from copper cardstock to match the first layer. The first challenge card is here and offers more details about this challenge celebrating their 50th cinema challenge. To see how the design team was inspired for this challenge go here. Now, if I could just remember all the words to the song, I wouldn't have to keep repeating.... "Pretty Woman, walking down the street....pretty woman....."

Achieve

Pretty Woman is an all-time movie favorite of mine and this week, this film is the featured challenge in celebration of their 50th challenge at Cinema Saturday -- a new spot I've come to via a Gina K link as she is their special guest designer this week. I have been a long-time admirer of Gina K and have enjoyed watching her grow in the exploration of her talents as she spreads her love and generosity. Following Gina, has lead me to great videos, ideas, and wonderful bloggers. I think Gina K is a "Pretty Woman" - inside and out. The Cinema Saturday challenge: use the movie Pretty Woman and explain what it inspired in your creation using paper piecing. You can see the design team's inspired contributions here. Congratulations on 50!!

My contribution is "Achieve" -- In the movie, Pretty Woman -- self respect and self worth were to be achieved (not to mention the prince in shining armor.) I haven't seen this movie in years but the lines I always remember with a smile are the ones delivered to the snobby dress shop sales lady: "Remember me? -- Big Mistake." The day before Vivian was treated with distain at the shop. After telling Edward of her treatment, he sent her out the next day with assistance, and after an adventure in shopping and with many packages in tow, she came back into the dress shop and inquired, "Remember me?" -- and said, "Big Mistake." This image by Rubber Stampede, exudes self-confidence and achievement, you can just image this as Vivian with package carriers behind her. Other stuff: glossy black swirls – Sizzix, flowers – Stampendous, cuttlebug panel, crystal gems, foam dots, and copper metallic panels. Thanks for coming to visit!

The Queen of Diamonds

Springboarded from a Cuttlebug session where I was Cb'ing a bunch of panels which launched me into butterflies, which brought me back to my old deck of playing cards, wherein this card evolved. I guess you get the idea that I have a hard time staying focused! Here is card trick number 6 (see earlier posts for previous "tricks"), and probably one of the quickest cards I've made in a while. Stamp collage background on pale gold cs, sponged with the same inks I stamped the images with: Memories Sepia, Port Red, Brown, and Black. The butterfly is from Sizzix and only mounted in the center to make the wings free. Corner punch: Emaginations; stamps: EK Success, Stamp Happy. Glossy Black card face. Now, I've got to do some real work: Laundry!

A Plan

A plan indeed! This morning, I was delighted to follow one of Gina K's links to bring me to the Stampin' Sisters in Christ blog challenge. Also very exciting, is to learn of Gina K's sponsorship of this particular challenge by offering up two gorgeous to die-for stamp sets. The challenge is based on a sketch and a scripture:

Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

The blog says: "What better challenge for this scripture than a sketch challenge... plans! The Lord lays the foundation and we have lots of options about how to build on that foundation,..." The sketch below is the foundation. I enjoyed playing along and look forward to your comments.

Stamps: "Believe" by PSX, Covered Bridge by Embossing Arts --Other Stuff: Paper - DCWV, coloring by Prismamarkers, leaf punch, gems, and ribbons from stash

Heart's Desire

From the Penny Black challenge comes a request to make a creation inspired by "Heart's Desire." This Penny Black image called "Chicky Night" is a good representation of a "heart's desire" -- spending time with friends -- and would make a good birthday greeting for one of my chicky friends. There is a heart's desire missing from this image, though, -- there should be a stamping chick! The image was "colored" cutting certain elements out of five stampings on various cardstock and printed papers, and then overlayed on the original stamping on the cream colored cardstock. A little extra color was added with watercolor pencils and glitter, etc.

Stuff I used in this project: Watercolor pencils, Cuttlebug embossing folder, Fiskars Border Scallop Punch, G Orange glitter, Art Institute Glitter, Baby stick on earring, Sizzix (gold frame), fern punch.

Stamps: Penny Black, Hearts Phrase Hero Arts, "Desire" - from a set of self-inkers from Costco, flowers, Stampendous,

I hope you get your heart's desire and thanks so much for stopping by. Please take a moment longer to write me a comment -- I'd love to know what you think.

Surprise!

This week the House Mouse challenge is to create a design to present a gift card. House Mouse challengers and the lovely work of the DT can be found here. I fashioned this card to look like a gift box featuring these three little HM guys/gals who have donned their caps of ribbon -- raised with additional stampings, and brightened with liquid laminate and Art Institute glitter.

I love the papers that I “inherited” but unfortunately, do not know what company to credit. The mice are colored with prismacolors and gamsol – my new latest fav technique and I created the message on the computer which says: “pretty little be-ribboned mice here to bring you something nice” – printed on cardstock, liquid laminate and glitter, and layered. And, what’s a surprise without a pop up?

The pop up inside is where the frolicking begins –

whether these three mice have had their quota of caffeine is anyone’s guess but they are certainly happy to be giving this Starbucks gift card. Aunty Amy’s coffee cup has been stamped twice and glued only on the edges to create a pocket for the card and inserted in the middle of the pop up mechanism. If you look closely, you’ll see that there are mouse tracks all over this platform – so it may be that they really have been into the coffee.

Stuff I used: Prismacolor markers, Gamsol, Liquid Applique, Art Institute Glitter, Marvy Scallop punch, Cuttlebug embossing folder, Sizzix (heart, cup, coffee word, beans, and swirl), DeNami blue ice glitter

Stamps: House Mouse, Inside cup (folder for gift card), Aunty Amy, Decoration for cup: Inkadinkado, “Sending you a Cup of Love” – Darcie

There really is a “need” for all this stuff, I keep telling my DH. He will be surprised on the day that I have inked, cut, punched, glittered, and tied everying into a bow all that I have in my studio.