Finishing 2012...

I can't believe it's been two months since my last post...I'm such a bad blogger.  :-(

It's been so hectic trying to get ready for the Holidays and creating gifts, cards and shopping.  Things are settling down a bit, but it's back to the grind and work on Wednesday.  So, I took today to finish my December tags and I'm ready to start new projects in 2013.  And, I realized that I never posted November's tag...so it's here, too.  I promise I'll be back in a day or two to post pictures of everything I've been working on.  In the meantime...

I hope you have a wonderful, happy, healthy, prosperous and crafty 2013!!

Couldn't sleep...

It was a (not so) bright and early morning for me...way too early!  Lots of reasons why I couldn't sleep, and one of the reasons was I couldn't stop thinking about yesterday's amazing ideas from the Holiday Card Workshop...wow!  Here's a card I created incorporating ideas from all of yesterday's teachers...have a great day!

The image was colored with Inktense colored pencils, using a water brush dipped in Biscotti Perfect Pearls Mist...it adds a wonderful, soft shimmer.  The image was also outlined with grey Copic markers...I love how it makes the image pop.

Supplies:  Cardstock - Basic White (PaperTrey Ink), Patterned Paper (Authentique); Ink - Jet Black Archival and Antique Linen Distress (Ranger); Stamps - Birds (Magenta), Sentiment (PaperTrey Ink); Other:  Inktense Colored Pencils (Derwent), Biscotti Perfect Pearls Mist (Ranger), Copic Markers

Getting ready...

It's hard to believe as we deal with Hurricane Sandy here in the Northeast that the Holidays are just around the corner!  They'll be here before we know it.  A new class started today to help me kick start my holiday card making...and I took a little time this evening to create this cute 3x3 mini card...

Supplies:  Cardstock & Ribbon (PaperTrey Ink); Stamp & Decorative Paper (Memory Box); Other - Copic Markers, Forest Moss Distress Ink

Stay safe everyone...and take time to stamp something today!!

Trick or Treat Frame...

I was so fortunate to win some Halloween goodies from Tim Holtz last week on his blog...

I took some time today to play and created a Halloween decoration for our home...

My sincere thanks to Tim and Mario for always be so generous!  The trick or treat sentiment is covered in glow-in-the-dark glitter.  The pumpkin is covered in orange rock candy distress glitter that I colored using Sunset Orange alcohol ink.  The background of the pumpkin is acetate colored with various alcohol ink colors.  The cat was painted black and covered with black flocking.

Have a happy October, everyone!!

Halloween Tag...

I just loved Tim's tag for the month of October...awesome!  From the moment I saw his tag, I had a vision of what I wanted to create.  It was great fun and I have another idea that I just might share later this month.  Have a wonderful, spooky month of October!!

WCMD...

WCMD 2012 Challenge 1:  Holiday Greetings with Julie Ebersole

This sentiment just spoke to me.  I think I'll keep this tag nearby as my motto throughout the holiday season... :-)

Supplies:  Cardstock - Manila Tag (Ranger); Stamps - Santa (Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous), all other stamps (Dylusions/Ranger); Ink - Jet Black Archival (Ranger), Postbox Red, Cut Grass and Black Marble Ink Sprays (Dylusions/Ranger); Other - green paper scrap, White Signo Uniball Pen, Ribbon (Stampin' Up!)

More WCMD Projects...

I was able to complete a couple more challenges today...what a great way to spend the day!  Hope you have a wonderful week!

WCMD 2012 Challenge 5:  Trend Watch Challenge by Julia Stainton

Supplies:  Cardstock - Basic White (PaperTrey Ink); Stamps - Happy Harlequin Stamp Set (PaperTrey Ink); Ink - Jet Black Archival (Ranger), Lady Bug Red and London Fog Grey Mementos (Tsukineko); Other - Harlequin Die (PaperTrey Ink), Double Sided Tape (Sookwang), Sterling Glitter (Martha Stewart)

Celebrating World Card Making Day 2012!

I have always wanted to play along on World Card Making Day, but something always gets in the way.  Well, this was my year to play!  I took some time this morning and again this evening to create cards for three different challenges...Woo Hoo!!  I even created another card that I am going to submit - for the first time ever - to the Paper Crafts Magazine World Card Making Day contest!  Yes, I was a busy girl.  Check out my projects...

WCMD 2012 Challenge 2: Pinterest Inspired Challenge by Chari Moss

on The CLASSroom at Ellen Hutson

The challenge was to use this photo as inspiration for a card.

Right away, my eye was drawn to the watercolor-looking flower in the middle.  I knew I had a great background stamp to use, which I embossed it in white on light gray cardstock and watercolored the flowers using purple Distress Inks.

Supplies:  Cardstock - Soft Stone and Plum Pudding (PaperTrey Ink); Stamps - Flower Burst Pattern Background and Find Joy Sentiments (Hero Arts); Ink - Versamark (Tsukineko); Shaded Lilac, Dusty Concord and Seedless Preserves Distress Inks (Ranger); Other - Waterbrush, White Embossing Powder (Hero Arts), Button, White Twine

Next...Hero Arts October Sketch Challenge

Here's the sketch that served for inspiration...

...and here's my card...

The flower is white embossed then covered with Distress Inks and spritzed with Perfect Pearls/water.  To have the perfect matching scalloped border, I used the same Distress Ink to cover white cardstock that I used for the chevron stamp.

Supplies:  Cardstock - Basic White (PaperTrey Ink); Stamps - Sweet Petals Flower, Zig Zag Background and Simple Messages (Hero Arts); Ink - Pumice Stone, Picked Raspberry and Seedless Preserves Distress Inks (Ranger) and Jet Black Archival (Ranger); Other - Perfect Pearls Water, Leaves (Prima)

Next... Ranger Challenge

Ranger and Tim Holtz announced today that the Seasonal Distress colors will now be part of the Distress Inks palette and available all the time...YAY!!  Now, I want stains and Distress markers, too!  They asked for people to share projects using their favorite Seasonal Distress colors.  I already had the purple inks on my craft sheet for the first project, so I thought to clean up the ink, I'd use it for the background of tag.  I added some Pewter metallic stain and the tag was so beautiful I had to finish it off right away.  Here's my tag...

Supplies:  Cardstock - Manila #8 Tag (Ranger); Stamps - Classics #1 and Mixed Media (Tim Holtz/Stamper's Anonymous); Ink - Shaded Lilac, Dusty Concord and Seedless Preserves Distress Inks, Pewter Metallic Stain, Jet Black Archival (Ranger); Other - Seam Binding Ribbon, Tim Holtz Ideaology items

So...while I'm blogging...which doesn't happen as often as I'd like, I thought I'd also share a couple of projects I completed earlier this week.

This is a retirement card I created for a friend...

And here's a prize for an event I'm attending later in the month...a bottle of wine perfect for October, a bottle tag and a gift card holder...

Okay...before I overload my blog (which is not used to all this activity), I better call it a night!  I hope you have a chance to get creative this weekend!  Happy Stamping!!

More Sunday Inspiration...

I had lots of play time today...I love it!  Here are a couple more projects I created...

I created this card to send to a friend who helped me plan and run a major event yesterday...hope she likes it!  The inspiration for this card came from Jennifer McGuire and some projects she shared in the Kick Start class.

Supplies:  Cardstock - Basic White (PaperTrey Ink), Yellow (Stampin' Up!); Ink - Jet Black Archival (Ranger); Stamps - Sentiment (Stampin' Up!); Other - Foil Tape Sheets (Ranger), Crystal Glitter Ritz, Copic Markers, Star Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Crystal Stars, Harlequin Embossing Folder (Tim Holtz Alterations/Sizzix).

And, the inspiration for this cute project came from Stephanie Ackerman.

Supplies:  Stamp - Tim Holtz (Stampers Anonymous); Ink - Jet Black Archival (Ranger); Other - Copic Markers, Claudine Hellmuth Studio Paint (Ranger), Mini Glass Heart Ornament, Glue N Seal (Ranger), Tissue Paper (Tim Holtz Idea-ology), Distress Stains (Ranger), Rock Candy Stickles (Ranger), Crackle Paint (Ranger), Seam Binding Ribbon.

Sunday Inspiration...

The Kick Start class has been awesome!  So many ideas to gather inspiration when my creative mojo has taken a break.  I received a catalog yesterday and the cover was the inspiration for this card I created today as we celebrate the beginning of Fall...

Supplies:  Cardstock - Acetate Folded Card (Hero Arts); Ink - Alcohol Inks & Distress Markers (Ranger); Die - Tattered Leaves (Tim Holtz Alterations/Sizzix); Other - Gold Leaf Pen, Acetate.

Above is my card with the catalog that served as the inspiration.  Have a GREAT week!

A birthday wish...

A dear friend of mine is having a milestone birthday this week and is celebrating with a trip to South Africa!  It's been a life-long dream of hers to take this trip and it became reality for her and her husband.    She was so excited about it...and I am, too!  I can't wait to hear all about the trip and see all the pictures!  I created this card, which will be waiting for her when she gets back...

Supplies:  Stamps - various Tim Holtz sets (Stampers Anonymous); Ink - Distress, Archival and Adirondack (Ranger); Cardstock - Kraft (PaperTrey Ink, Claudine Hellmuth Sticky Back Canvas (Ranger); Other - decorative tape, twine, button, wish tag and mini paper clip.

And, taking a tip from the Kick Start class, when I saw this stack of ink pads, I wanted to remember this color combo, so I took a picture for now - until I figure out the best system for tracking color combos for me.

Thanks for stopping by!  :-)

Kick start...

I am participating in a new class called Kick Start from Online Card Classes.  It's the first day, and boy, it did NOT disappoint!  Already some great ideas to find inspiration for my future cards and paper craft projects!  I'm so glad I had a little time tonight to play and create.  Have a GREAT week!

The inspiration for this card came from Jennifer McGuire and the faux stitching that Kristina Werner often does on her cards.

Supplies:  Stamps - Lotus Background (Hero Arts), Pen & Sentiment - Happy Trails  (PaperTrey Ink);  Ink - Stormy Sky, Bundled Sage, Frayed Burlap Distress Inks (Ranger); Cardstock - (PaperTrey Ink); Other - Signo White Gel Pen

A Crafty Labor Day...

I was determined to make the last day of my vacation a fun one...so, it was all crafty time for me!  It was perfect timing since Tim Holtz unveiled his September tag a couple of days ago.  I replicated his tag, but also created an art journal as well.  I LOVE this technique!  I was lucky enough to take the Heart & Soul class during his visit to Absolutely Everything and I've been wanting to use this technique on a couple of different items, and this gave me a perfect excuse to create something new.  It's back to work tomorrow, but I'm looking forward to another craft day soon!  Have a great week!

Vacation's Over...

Ah, vacation! I am wrapping up my vacation this Labor Day.  Unfortunately, the past week went by way too fast.  We enjoyed a few days in Bar Harbor, Maine and Acadia National Park.  It was our first visit, but it won't be our last.  It's a beautiful part of the country...and we will definitely return for another visit!  Here are a few pics...

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Oh my!  I can't believe it's been over a month since my last post....where does the time go???  It has been a super busy summer and there hasn't been much crafty time.  But, I did manage to make time this weekend to create because today is my mom's birthday....Happy Birthday, Mom!...and I had to make her a card.

The technique for this card can be found at Ellen Hutson, The Classroom.  I didn't have the Copic reinkers, so I used ink straight from the marker with the colorless blender.  It resulted in a paler effect, but I like it.

It was also time to create my Tim Holtz tag for August.  I did create a tag, and I loved it so much, that I used the same design for the cover of an envelope book I created for my mom which holds five different gift cards.  Tim, it's another beautiful design and I know my mom will love it!

The frame is a Memory Box die, the silhouette is a Dreamweaver stencil and the sentiment is from PaperTreyInk.  All other supplies & embellishments are Tim Holtz.

         

The idea for the book came from PaperTrey Ink's Stamp-a-faire Mini Book Challenge by Ashley Cannon Newell.  This is the second one I've made...super easy and lots of fun for the recipient!

Well, I'll try to make sure it doesn't take another month before my next post!  Enjoy these last couple weeks of summer!!

Catching Up...

A new online class started this week called Stretch Your Stamps.  Unfortunately, it was a busy week at work and now I am a whole week behind.  But, I did get a couple of cards made today and hopefully I can catch up on the rest this week.

Day 1 Card...

Day 2 Card...

I am still trying to catch up on a few projects in the Color Love class, which ended this week.  :-(  It was such a great class and really stretched my creativity.  This class definitely took me out of my comfort zone, but it was a blast!  Here are a couple more projects...

Have a GREAT week!

Create Art...

"Beyond the Doodle" project from Color Love class.

And I had to make a card, since my stamps are feeling neglected.  Happy Sunday!!

A creative July...

I've been having such a great time creating this month!  Joanne Sharpe's Color Love class has been amazing!  Totally out of my comfort zone, but I've learned so much about products I've had stored away for years and I'm really enjoying this creative time.  Here are a couple of watercolor doodles I created as part of the class...

And, of course, now that Tim is back from his journey to the Land of Oz (Australia), I had to create my version of the July 12 Tags of 2012...

And, the creativity won't stop any time soon (thank goodness)!  There are still a couple weeks left of Joanne's Color Love class AND...a new Online Card Class starts on Monday - Stretch Your Stamps!  Woo Hoo!  Can't wait!  I hope you have a wonderful and creative weekend!