Charcoal look

Just a quick post tonight while I'm still awake! :) While I was spending time (oodles of time!) over on Pintrest I saw something that really caught my eye. It was a video tutorial about using a black and a white pencil over kraft paper with OMS to mimic the look of a charcoal drawing. How awesome is that? So, I looked through my file of digis (printed some time ago) and decided that Poppy from Crafts and Me would be perfect to try this out. I think I got a little heavy handed, but practice will make me better at it (this was my first attempt). Don't be afraid to try it!

So after I colored her according to the video I cut her out with a nestie using the Out of the Box method I linked to in the last post.  Since the square die wasn't working well I trimmed off two of the sides to make it fit better and added the sentiment stamp to balance the right side.  This was layered over two pieces of black card stock that was punched with a Martha Stewart punch then over another nestie shape (a TJ technique) colored with Distress Ink.
The final layer isn't a layer at all - actually it's a line drawn in black pen with black pencil right up next to it that I blended outward with OMS to give it depth.  After rounding the corners and adding some white ribbon it was ready to go. :)
I hope you have a lovely Thanksgiving filled with the best food, friends & family, and thankfulness that defines your day together!
Thanks for dropping by!

Have you seen my missing mojo?

If so, would you ask it (ever so nicely) to return to me? Thanks, I'd appreciate it! ;D
I will admit that I've spent much of what I had on a new blog background. Which isn't perfect yet, but *is* a WIP that I intend to finish up soon!
I do have a card to show you. Not spectacular, but worth showing I think. Somehow it went completely sideways - you see, it didn't want to be what I intended! I was trying for the Neutral Shadows technique again, but a little altered. Well, look:
I stamped the image on a piece of asian newspaper (that I adhered to white c/s for strength) and embossed it with white powder. Using a small stippling brush I added Antique Linen Distress Ink around the branches and a little Peeled Paint to the leaves (which is not a part of the technique, but I couldn't resist). It didn't look the way I wanted it to - in fact it was *ugly* - so I spritzed it with Perfect Pearl Mist and set it aside to dry.
The background was another piece of the paper (again, backed with white c/s) and edged with more Antique Linen. I found the soft green ribbon in my stash and added it to the card. Once I added the main stamped panel I realized that it was too blah looking. I found some soft green Radiant Pearls in my stash and brushed some *very* diluted color over the back panel.
The white embroidery thread and asian inspired coin were the final touch before adhering the whole thing to a white base.
So. Not at all what I wanted, and certainly not as exciting as I planned. But in the end I think it works fairly well.
Thanks for dropping by!

Oh yes, the kraft mood continues!

Good thing I bought a whole bunch of kraft card stock at the last show! :)

I see so many awesome things 'out there' that I just can't seem to contain myself. lol This particular one was inspired by a lovely card done on kraft with daises. Now, I don't happen to have any appropriate daisy images, but I thought this flower image was fairly close. Upon further reflection I realized that I didn't do very much the same at all! Much like the card that was inspired by Etha, this one took on a life of it's own. Don't get me wrong - I'm grateful that my mind works in such mysterious ways (usually!), but I really do *love* that daisy card!

I started by stamping the flower from the Brenda Walton Inkadinkado set on kraft paper with Desert Sand memento ink. Then I used a white, very light blue and light yellow prismacolor pencil to color it in. Except the stem which was colored with my new Zig chalk white marker (which goes on clear then dries to white). I trimmed out the flower piece, added the sentiment and edged the entire thing with more Desert Sand.

The background was stamped with Desert Sand - it's another stamp in the Inkadinkado set - and then dotted with the Zig marker in the center of the flowers. I popped up the flower piece on double foam dots, cut a slit for the ribbon, et voila!

I really love how simple and clean this looks!

Thanks for visiting!

Did you have a happy Fourth?

I did! :)

We had a nice little BBQ at my dad's house and then off to see the fireworks. I've done a little studying since last year so I actually got some cool looking fireworks shots! Amazing what you can do with a digital camera at night....

Anywho, I have a little something pretty to show you. I found these great clear overlays that just begged to come home with me - how could I resist? They're about the right size to lay over a 4x6 photo, not exactly card sized, but I figured I'd make them work!

I clear embossed the birdbath stamp (also new from Inka) on white paper. Using cotton balls I rubbed in Peeled Paint, Broken China, Pine Needles & the denim color to make a nice scene. After that had dried I used some VersaMark & white Perfect Pearls with a Rhonna Farrer swirl to give a little depth and shine.

Since I had to allow enough space for both the flowers at the top and the word at the bottom I had to position the overlay over the image and draw around the edges of where it should be placed in relation to the image. I could have cut all in one go, but I was terrified that I would mess up the cut somehow and ruin this gorgeous overlay (there are four more designs in the pack - that rocks!)! I cut the main image down to 4x4, repositioned the overlay on it (using vellum tape) and trimmed the overlay down to size. Since the tape showed just a tiny bit (and I didn't like that!) I pulled out a heart shaped corner punch and made a half inch white vellum mat. Finally I mounted the whole shebang on a 5 1/2 x 5 1/2 base card - sort of a purple/blue IRL.

Here's a 'side shot' so you can see the PP a little better.

While it's not very 'wedding-y' I think it is appropriate for something like an anniversary? Either way, I love how it came out!

Thanks for dropping by... hope you're having a great week!

Yikes!

Has it really been that long?? I guess I got busy and didn't really notice how long it had been! In my defence, we've had all sorts of interesting things going on over here. In the last month my little boy has had pneumonia AND turned 3 (with the gazillion necessary doctor visits). I've been working on stuff - some of which I can't show, some I'm not ready to show and some that I'm not sure if it's done yet. Do you do that? Sit on a card for days, wondering what little 'something' it's missing? lol *I* certainly do! ;)

So, even though I've been MIA, I have been busy. Really, really busy!

Since I'm not quite ready to show you the card on my desk (I really do think it's missing something), I figured I'd share another card that I submitted (and was returned). The sub call was for Shabby Chic, and I, uh, don't really *know* much about that style. I guess it's not the kind of style I'm comfortable with! lol It did make me think outside my cozy little box, but it's not what I'd be doing on a regular basis.

Shabby Chic to me means lots of layers (distressed ones especially), sewing, vintage ephemera, multiple patterns in soft colors and possibly buttons. I tried to incorporate most of these things, but I don't do well mixing patterns or adding tons of layers. I *do* have some awesome fabric ribbon, it's all frayed and cool looking, but it was in the wrong colors - so I bleached it! Or, at least some of it. It came out a nice neutral cream, which was great since I started with blue. You can see that I layered the cream with some light blue scraps on the left - I thought it added a very shabby touch!

I think other than the bleached ribbon, everything else is pretty self explanatory. And yes, I did pierce all those holes before sewing with 2 strands of floss. Meh. Never again! If anyone has any tips on *how* to separate two strands of floss from the regular piece (without major snarls) let me know... pretty please? :)

Thanks for visiting!

Not a speck of black in sight...

Hello again!

I tried and tried to get a good pic of this card... alas, the blue layers are shiny/metallic and throw the camera off every single time! So, the colors won't look as good in a picture - you'll just have to trust me that they match IRL! :) If you saw this in person you would know that both blue layers are the same paper. Does that give you an idea of the trouble I had? And since there was such trouble balancing the blue, you can't even see that the stem extends down on the lined paper. Sheesh. I didn't realize that I would need a degree in PSE to start a blog!

I don't do enough with this dandelion stamp, I really like it (read: HAD TO HAVE IT! lol) and always seem to forget it when I'm looking for a more delicate image. Oh well, I used it this time! Hope you enjoy and thanks for visiting!


Recipe: blue scrapbook paper, lined scrapbook paper, tan C/S & ribbon, flower from Penny Black, sentiment from B Line Designs, white ep, tan ink

Something mellow

Hello again!

Today I have something a little more mellow - no black! A little amazing, no?

I *love* this stamp from Third Coast, but then I love all the stamps I get from Val. If you've never gone to see her offerings - do!
Once again I was lured by the Distress Inks, they are very easy to blend using Tim's blender. The only problem I have is remembering not to put the edge down first - I'm working on it. Some days are better than others, this time I didn't get any hard edges (woohoo!).

Thanks for visiting!


Recipe: Bamboo Post stamp from Third Coast, background paper from DCWV, ribbon from my stash, Distress Inks & blender, white embossing powder, 'Journey' is from another stamp by Rubber Stampede (partially inked)

Just a quickie

Ok, just a quick post! Dh hasn't started updating my OS yet, but I have been busy making sure that everything is ready. Soooo... just droppin in to post the first card I've made with my Katzelkraft stamps. Oooooo, I *love* those stamps! This particular bird cried out for something elegant, like a wedding or wedding shower. I might add a greeting before sending it - assuming that the occasion warrants it.

Ok, the details. The bird was stamped with 2 colors of Distress Ink on a small piece of cream cs. Then I scored the edges with my Score It - but it needed more. I pulled out the Dimensional Pearls from Ranger & painted the edges - IRL it is very close to the color of the background paper. That designer paper was my downfall. I had to put a moratorium on buying paper (NO more room!) several months ago, but this paper was calling me by name. I think it was whispering that it needed Katzelkraft to be happy. *lol* Everything else is pretty self explanatory.

Thanks for dropping by!

Recipe: green & cream cs, satin edged ribbon, designer scrapbook paper, stamp from Katzelkraft, White Opal Dimensional Pearls, Score It, Brilliance Galaxy Gold, Antique Linen & Vintage Photo DI, Hero Arts pearls.

How 'bout something quiet?

So, how would you like to see something 'quiet'? You know, some things just require a more restrained touch... weddings, funerals, new babies. Somehow I don't imagine that a *bright* card is always appropriate - or appreciated! :D

Here's a little something that I made for a friend when his wife was pregnant. Can you imagine, I think their baby boy is four months old now! This really was an easy card to stamp and I was able to use my Curvy Cutter (this was before I got circle Nesties!). A little glitter pen, a few 'fake' dew drops and voila!
The stamps are from Inkadinkado, a clear set that was only available at Joann's earlier this year. I know you can't really tell, but those circles were outlined with a brown glitter pen - sparkly IRL, I promise! At first I wanted to center all the circles on top of eachother but it looked too much like a bull's eye. Ack, not the right look! Now these are the 'fake' dew drops that you could find at Michaels - I haven't seen them in months, but they were in floral and they have flat backs. I do have some of the real thing. Honestly the differences are mostly size (real DD are smaller) and finish (there are rough spots on the fake ones that can be trimmed off with scissors), otherwise they feel pretty much the same. You do have to use a clear drying glue to adhere them or maybe something with glitter - Stickles anyone? :)
Thanks for dropping by!

Recipe: Light & dark aqua cardstock, brown cardstock & brown pattern sb paper, brown glitter pen, aqua ink, versamark & white embossing powder, Score It, acrylic drops, white ribbon, Glossy Accents (to glue the acrylic drops) and double sided foam tape.