Danger

My grandson is growing up (13 already and is as tall as I am) and I know that he won't be "scared" for not one second with this card -- but I do hope he enjoys it! This was inspired by GinaK's latest StampTV tutorial on making a gatefold with a twist. The twist being that there are two outer components --the skull image attached to one side; danger, attached only to the other side allowing the card to open.

The best fun was creating the inside. The Mummy is attached by a black thread at just the point that will allow him to "spring" from his tomb when the card is opened! There's no danger in having fun!

Details: Stamps: Stampendous, Inkadinkado, Cuttlebug folder, Sizzix die cuts,

Stickers from Stash

Pink Ribbon

To relaunch my blog after a short hiatus, Stampin' Sisters in Christ challenge this week was a good place to start. The challenge is to create a "mostly pink" card that also sports a pink ribbon -- this is in honor and prayer for those battling cancer. A gatefold was my choice for this and I am making one for each of my friends who are cancer survivors. Thanks "Sisters" for re-inspiring me.

Details: PSX Stamp, Diamond Glaze, Art Institute glitter, Cuttlebug embossing folder, gold EP, $ store flowers, ribbon - stash.

Friends Make Everything Bearable

I've been watching the Teddy Bear Stampers for awhile and looking at all my lovely teddy bears sitting on my shelf begging to be inked. The first challenge card I made was for the Summer Bear challenge -- 'cept I missed the deadline - so this time I am posting earlier! This challenge card is for Love My Teddy -- and you can see that not only do I love my teddy, but he loves me!

The Wired Angel's inspired flower idea makes a great stopper for this easel card. Go have a look at her tutorial. And, if you visit Crafty Ann's, she has shape easel templates to download as well as some great examples of easel cards. In addition, Crafty Ann's challenge this week is to make an easel card -- so I've finally made a card that fits more than one challenge! The teddy bear was colored with prismas and OMS, hearts are embossed. Thanks for your comments -- they are always so uplifting and make everything bearable!

Other stuff I used: Stamps: PSX, Stampin' Up, Stampendous, DeNami;

Martha Stewart Border Punch, Cuttlebug embossing folder, gold pen, Emaginations punch, little foam hearts, gems.

Just words

Just words? Stampin' Sisters In Christ by DT member, Candace, presents a scripture: Psalm 119:105 "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." Her challenge is to use only words -- no image in a creation this week. Because the verse I used was to dominate the card, I decided to make a tent card to draw extra focus. The design paper is from a

pad (Two Scoops) I cut into for the first time sent to me by Kelly at KL StampinNscrappin (random prize draw at a House Mouse challenge). Kelly has a new challenge every Saturday and among her DT tutorials is one for a tent card.

Stuff I used: Northern Lights Embossing Powder, Birthstone Kaleidacolor stamp pad, Nestabilities, Cuttlebug embossing folder, MS Border punch, Emaginations punch, ribbon, flowers, heart from stash. Stamps: Embossing Arts and Stampendous. Sometimes it just amazes me how much stuff it takes to make just one card! I feel so lucky! (to have lots of stuff).

Peace

I always enjoy the Stampin' Sisters in Christ challenge and I have missed a couple of weeks so I am doing "make-up" by creating a second card for this week's challenge. The challenge details are here along with my first post. This card a product of some of the pieces I couldn't get on to my first card (below). From the beginning, I had wanted to use the dove as an important image for Peace and so when I created this second larger card, I was able to do just that. The Dove is a Sizzix die cut, tolled, and overlayed with another die cut (embossed). MS border punch and some more of my new favorite flowers (Primas) from my blogging friend Sue. Again, go visit here (Stampin' Sisters) and here (Sue's Rubber Stamping Adventures) for great examples of creativity. Two posts in one day -- a new first for me! Thanks for coming by. This one is being delivered to my sister in Christ, Ann.

Psalm 46:10

Stampin' Sisters in Christ challenge verse: Psalm 29:11 "The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people with peace." The Challenge: Make a card/layout/project using a peaceful image or a verse about peace. For extraordinary inspirational pieces submitted for the challenge, I encourage you to visit Stampin' Sisters in Christ. When I think of peace, I think of God and the DeNami stamp: Psalm 46:10 seemed just right for the centerpiece of this card. "Be still and know that I am God." (Now that is peace that passeth all understanding.) I was delighted to have just received in the mail some beautifully frosted prima flowers from my blogging friend Sue's blog candy to complete this card. Sue's Rubber Stamping Adventures is another great place to visit for fabulous card creations -- go take a look and tell her hello - she presents new blog candy every month -- not to mention great eye candy. Sent to Sandy B with sincere sympathy for her loss of Joe.

Stuff I used: Cuttlebug embossing folder, from stash: ribbon,

heart brad, sizzix die cuts, and those beautiful new Prima flowers

(blog candy) from my friend Sue

Table Scraps

Here's a little exercise when you just have a few minutes -- I did these while doing the laundry (well, sort of doing the laundry). The benefits are two-fold: easy little cards and your work table gets cleared off. Challenge yourself to use those little scraps, bits and pieces and "rejected" cut outs, punch outs and images leftover on your work table for quickies. You'll be surprised, what you can do with just what's on the table!

In this case, the heart "stems" were left over from a die-cut, and the hearts punch from scraps on the table.

Added: Cuttlebug panel, stamping on stems from Embossing Arts.

P.S. I added a wire spiral to dangle from the top of the heart and sent it on its way to wish my new Friend Chris a Happy Birthday.

-- keep going -- there's more!



On the table: left-over die cut parts of a Lion, the heart, flower, and circle seal.
Added: Cuttlebug background, and jagged sponged panel.

A Get Well and Thinking of You to my dear Aunt Dot (90 years old!)






and come take a look at the last one below....




On the table: Hearts, stars and card stock pieces from a die cut (that I decided looked just like candles).
Added: Cuttlebug panel, and two stamps (unknown), Diamond Glaze.

Birthday Wishes to JTB

Thought for the day: Those table scraps can turn into tasty morsels -- and the laundry might get done too!

Would you tell me please?

. . . which way I ought to go from here? Alice has quite an adventure ahead of her at Oh, Alice! the Alice In Wonderland Blog Challenge. Chapter Two this week is a sketch like this one "running in a sketchy circle":
My creation is with DCWV papers, Martha Stewart Border Punch, Stamps: All Night Media, Embossing Arts, Art Institute Glitter, Cuttlebug Embossing Folder, Sewing Machine, Computer generated verses, Memories ink pads, extra stash stuff.

The way I should go from here is down the rabbit hole and into my Laundry Room! Have a great day no matter where you want to get to.

Someone Special

For Someone Special

Visit Just Magnolia's blog and enjoy the DT's beautiful creations for the challenge to make a card for someone special -- now that is an easy one! My Someone Special is actually two someone specials: This month, my son, Dain, is receiving his Master of Fine Arts in Painting; and his girlfriend is receiving her cap and pin for nursing. I am christening my very first Magnolia purchases for this event by making a celebration card for each of them. In Sherry's honor, the little Student Tilda now has a red cross for her hat. The bubbly has little gems mounted on a thin sliver of acetate behind the glass and inside for that someone special, I've stamped and colored a rose and added "It's Your Special Day." A Special Day indeed for someone very special.

For the other Someone Special -- Dain

I pieced Edwin and set him atop a collage of "famous art." Here's what the collage looked like before Edwin came aboard:

Sherry's: Stamps by Magnolia, Posh mpressions, All Night Media, Sizzix, Cuttlebug Embossing Folders, ribbons, gems, flowers from stash,Prismacolor Markers, Diamond Glaze, Art Institute Glitter
Dains: Stamps by Magnolia, PSX, Inkadinkadoo, Hero Arts, Zumbali, Rubber Tree, Museum Stamps, Ek Success - Image Tree, Sizzix, Diamond Glaze, Art Institute Glitter, Prismacolor Markers

Thanks for visiting, please tell me what you think.

High Handed

Card Trick No. 8. And indeed this is a trick because if you ask anyone who plays cards, they will tell you that this is a Royal Flush which is the highest hand you can get – and, of course, it is also the hardest one to get. That would indicate that this card is a real treasure and would indeed be a Royal greeting. I miniaturized the cards, painted them with liquid laminate and gave them a light Art Institute Glitter sprinkle. The pale blue Cuttlebugged background edged with gold is to simulate the design on the back of the cards and is dusted with chalk to bring out the interesting surface texture. The gold tassel was yet another trick as the gold cord was running rampant like a bad hair day until I finally got it to succumb with a little white glue blended into the fringe. The playing cards are foam mounted at the top and glued at the bottom to seem as though they are being held. The crown is from a foam mounted stamp set (unknown). See other card tricks under titles: King for a Day, Drama Queen, Gogh have great Birthday, A Perfect Pair, Lucky Draw, Queen of Diamonds, Queen for a Day. -- Just remember, when you can deal yourself a hand (such as I have done here), always give yourself a Royal Flush!

I'm on a Roll

I'm on a roll - rolling the Cuttlebug that is. The challenge at the Cuttlebug spot this week is "fruity" -- the DT's lovely creations that are fruity and delicious are here. Since I just vacationed in Hawaii -- I'm still dreaming of eating those wonderful Pineapples. I had more stuff planned for this one and my MFA son told me "no more stuff." -- After he left for school, I tied on the little circle labels -- LOL.
So, here's one I made for my son's approval (without so much stuff) --and since it isn't so fussy, I think my special AZBIL will love it as he is from Hawaii. Happy Birthday Jeff!

Some of my regular visitors will be surprised that I can't come up with a fruity joke - so I guess all the creative juice has been squeezed out of me. Thanks for coming by -- please tell me you were here.

The pineapples and flowers are Sizzix, stamps - PSX, Comotion, Hero Arts. Other stuff, DeNami blue ice glitter, gold pen, Memories Brown Ink pad, Marvy Orange ink pad, watercolor pencils, Liquid Laminate, DCWV paper

White Christmas

The Penny Black Blog Challenge this week is White on White. I encourage all who visit here to go take a look at the Design Team's amazing contributions for this challenge. In the laundry room, I have no trouble with my whites -- but when there are so many yummy colors to be had in the studio, I had to wash away my desire to use colors -- though thank goodness the challenge does allow for the image to be in color. Most all elements are raised with pop dots -- except for the textured layers of snow. Because there is (subtle) shimmer to this card -- I am also presenting this to Our Daily Bread Designs Blog challenge "Show us the Shimmer".

Here's a better look at the shimmer:


Stuff I used:
Penny Black Rubber Stamp: "Aiming to Please" (scarf paper pieced)
5 different Cuttlebug Embossing Folders, Martha Stewart Snowflake Border,
Emaginations Snowflake punch, Sizzix tree die,
white satin Picot ribbon, shimmery paper,
crystal gems, Art Institute Glitter, mica powder,
asst. fibers, water color pencils, pop dots

All to show my dh that it takes a "Lot of Stuff" to make a card! Thanks so much for dropping by...please take a moment to tell me what you think.

Don't Say Boo

In front of this dilapidated house stands three charming fellows waiting to greet their guests for Trick of Treat. The house, bats, and welcomers are made dimensional with foam mounts. The smoke is from a fabric softener sheet. The ground is textured with a Cuttlebug Embossing folder and is cut with Emaginations Peaks.

Inside to create a little action, the "Boo" sticker is affixed with a wire spring so that when my grandson opens this card it will bounce and surely scare him to pieces!

Stamps: G Studio (Hampton Art), Stampendous, other images, Sizzix and Martha Stewart.

Designed by another

Pansy Painter

This week's House Mouse challenge is to create something using paper tole -- the DT has done the usual lovely, lovely work. This is a new technique for me and I can't wait to do more. Several of the flower petals and several leaves and one of the stems are raised through the paper tole technique. I also did the burnishing on the back of the mouse image though I didn't applique over it. The primary flower has a dollop of crystal lacquer and three seed beads in the center. The background is a cuttlebug embossing folder lightly chalked and the edges are gold cs - also cuttlebug. The circle seals and butterfly are stickers from the Dollar Tree. You will be surprised that I have no clever remarks for this one -- but my son isn't around to grimace.

Mail Call

Post update: Got my laundry done and found time for a "do-over." I think this works better as a smaller card -- what do you think? One of my blogging friends also reminded me how important mail call is for our servicemen and women she says "...mail call doesn't mean more to anyone than them." I think this would be a great "hello" to someone like that! (additional stamps by Stampendous).

Original posted card:

Another Penny Black challenge that kept me from doing my laundry today. LOL -- But as some of you may know, my studio is in the laundry room so I can occasionally load the washer (when the top of the washer and dryer aren't covered with stamp supplies and layouts). This Penny Black cat has a special message for you -- "share" (from a PSX collection .) So that is what I am doing though I am not totally convinced that this card works --maybe I need to do more laundry and less inking and thinking. The flowers are stamped twice and layered with foam mount for dimension and dotted lightly with Art Glitter (my fav). Cuttlebug embossing panel, flower stamp (Posh Impressions - All Night Media). Guess that's all I can say about this one -- except: share yourself with others by sending mail to friends and family. My Aunt Dora used to say that it was a sad day when there was no mail in the mailbox. Older folks especially look forward to those cards and letters -- despite e-mail, good old fashion "mail call" is still very important.
Here's the Penny Black sketch challenge and I encourage you to go visit here to see the awesome talents of the Design Team. Thanks for stopping by.