Twinkling Wildflowers

Looking for another way to use your H2Os? Both of these cards feature the same background technique called Twinkled Faux Stippling from the TechniqueJunkies Dec '06/Jan '07 newsletter, and the main elements are stamped in H2Os also. So, very shimmery in real life, not so much in a scan LOL

click on photo for more detail

Cards measure 4 1/4" x 5 1/2"

Script and flowers/stems are by Hero Arts, verse is by Biblical Impressions, and the flower phrase is unknown because the stamped name on the side is too blurred.

I think these are pretty straight-forward, just stamping and layering. The brads in the bottom card are orange and purple, and the inks are from Stampin' Up!. Pale purple cardstock in the top one is metallic.

Thanks for looking!

More Beach Scenes

I think I might be addicted to this sheet of rubber from Time To Stamp/I Brake For Stamps!! lol I really, really like beach scenes - they remind me of one of the coolest Bible verses: Proverbs 8:29, talking about creation "when He gave the sea its boundary so the waters would not overstep His command, and when He marked out the foundations of the earth." And the built-in collage effect makes these so easy to use, especially paired with interesting backgrounds.

Click photos for details

Cards measure 4 1/4" x 5 1/2"

Both cards use a current TechniqueJunkies newsletter technique called Reinker Splash. The more times you do it with the same color, the lighter the background will get. I really liked the bold blues in this first generation piece. I used Stampin' Up!'s Buckaroo Blue and Night of Navy, and there is some silver mixed in but it probably doesn't show at all in the scans.

All stamps used are from the same sheet. On the top card the blue ink is Stampin' Up!'s Buckaroo Blue, and the brads on the bottom one are irredescent blue metal.

Thanks for looking!

One Stamped Page, 8 Cards!

I put the following 8 cards together over the weekend - my Mom's birthday is coming up and her request was for a set of cards. I'm hoping she likes the theme I picked... I tried to use minimal embellishments to make them very mail-friendly. Hope you like them Mom - I know you're peeking (I would!) ;o) The ferns shimmer nicely in real life.

I used that technique where you stamp an 8 1/2" x 11" piece of cardstock and then cut it into specific sections to use on 8 - 10 cards. You can find the pattern here at the Trish Bee Design Studio if you click on "10 Minute Collage" and then click on "template".

To make my background paper I used a Hero Arts set of ferns. I painted the rubber with H2Os in two shades of green and stamped them around randomly. When this had dried, I used Distress reinkers in Antique Linen and Old Paper and the Reinker Splash technique from the current TechniqueJunkies newsletter to add an aged look to it.

After I finished the background piece I looked for three different green cardstocks that would blend with the colors in the bkgd - they pull the group together and match pretty well irl.

All the cards below measure 4 1/4" x 5 1/2"

Click on any photo for a close-up

Inks used are Stampin' Up!'s True Thyme, Brilliance Galaxy Gold, the two Distress mentioned above and Shabby Shutters, black Versafine, Staz-On Timber Brown, and Palette Burnt Umber.

This one has gold brads and cording, and an ink-swiped embossed panel. I used the Cuttlebug Script folder and True Thyme. The phrase stamp is by Hero Arts in True Thyme, edged by sponging Antique Linen.



Cording is gold. Faith tag is from a large 6-tag My Sentiments Exactly! stamp. It was stamped in Old Paper and then edged and the word highlighted with SU!'s Chocolate Chip. I used two circle punches to make a matching reinforcement. The fern panel and background panel are edged with a Prismacolor gold marker. The script (Penny Black) is stamped in Antique Linen and Chocolate Chip.



I stamped a few extra ferns on white cs using the H2Os - this one I edged by stippling with Antique Linen, and the black pad. The sentiment is by Anna Griffin, stamped in black, and the patterned panel is edged with a sponge and the black ink. The embossed cs is the CB Tiny Mosaic folder.



The marbled bkgd stamp on this one is by Judi-kins. The quote stamp is by Postmodern Design. The background was edged with a Tim Holtz distressing tool. The three panels are edged with the gold marker.



This card actually has dark brown cs even tho it looks black here. I stamped over the bkgd cs in gold using a Judi-kins crackle stamp and edged it with brown ink. I used another spare fern panel, stippled and edged it with Timber Brown and stamped it with the sentiment (Anna Griffin). I cut slots with a large ribbon punch and threaded sheer green ribbon thru it, then layered it to a brown panel, and a green deckle-edged panel.

I used various inks (including VersaMagic Cloud White) to stamp the ferns on two other colors of cs and cut all into 1 1/2" squares, except for the center panel that I stamped the sentiment (Rubber Riot) on in brown ink and edged with the gold marker.

I used Shabby Shutters to stamp the large fern, then stamped the thank-you block (Savvy) over it in the Versafine and edged it in True Thyme, which I also used to stamp the two small ferns in the corner.



The cardfront and layer on this is antique metallic gold. I used the Stylized Flowers CB folder on this one. The sentiment is Anna Griffin, stamped in True Thyme on a panel that had a fern lightly stamped on it previously. Both white panels were sponged with Antique Linen.

So Much News!!!

I am feeling so honored to have been given this award by my great friend and fellow stamper Manna Go check out her blog if you've never been there, and enjoy it some more if you already have! :o)

It would be impossible to narrow down the bloggers I love, but here are a few you may have missed and need to see! To them I pass on this award...

Debbie at Thinking Inking , who posts nearly every day and has a perfect eye for color! Her use of Copic markers is legendary, and her range of themes and techniques is wide-ranging.

Shelly at Stamping With Shelly , whose link was sent to me by Linda, knowing I would love her multilayered works of art immensely! Her work is unique and you can look at a card five minutes straight and not see it all, but you won't miss anything with her great descriptions and sources given.

Kimm at Kimm's Daily Grace , who offers beautiful and varied artwork, tutorials on aspects of card making, and mini challenges for color combos, etc. Her artwork will inspire you to try all kinds of new and interesting things!

Please check out my sidebar for more awesome blogger's work, and more coming soon!!!

My second happy news is this fabulous custom rating sign made by Erin Grotegut of Stamper Storage. You can also click on her link under the item in my sidebar anytime if you'd like to contact her. This particular image is a custom order and design so no borrowing allowed :o)

My third, but no less happy, piece of news is that this card below that I shared with you earlier (see post index, it's under animals) is appearing in the brand new RubberStampMadness magazine! It is included in an article on one of my favorite stamp companies, I Brake For Stamps!

Thanks for sharing my joy!

Glitzy Medallion

The colors on this card actually match in real life - the scanner sometimes does funny things when there are different dimensions on a card (ie. glitter, etc.)

Card measures 4 1/4" x 5 1/2"

I followed the instructions for Glitzy in the current TechniqueJunkies newsletter. Main ingredients needed are metal stencils and glitter. I rarely use my stencils anymore so I was excited to see this technique come along!

The stencil I used on this one is an Anna Griffin by All Night Media. The rubber stamp for the background is by Judi-kins, and the word is Stampin' Up!, from the Small Script set. The pink ink is Fresco Vatican Wine, and the blue cardstock is Stampin' Up!'s Bordering Blue. The flat back self-adhesive pearls I had picked up at Archiver's.

Thanks for looking and if you live anywhere near me, stay warm!!

Sketch Challenge Anniversary

No special technique here, just stamps and ink! I wanted to do a card utilizing the layout from this week's Technostamper Monday Lunchtime Challenge #5. Thanks to Pat Huntoon and her blog for the idea of trimming around the vine :o)

Click photo for detail

Card measures 8 1/2" x 4"

The cardfront irl is a lightesh dark purple with pebble texture. All stamps used are from a little Heidi Grace unmounted clear 12 pc. set sold at Joann's, etc. for about $7.99.

I used an old dye ink pad from Close To My Heart called Plum Mist, and a Versafine black for all elements. On the white panel I stamped the flower with stem in the plum ink, edged the sides with the black ink and a sponge, and stamped the flourish in the two right side corners.

On another white panel I sponged plum ink over all. I stamped the vines/stems twice as shown and trimmed closely on one edge. I stamped the tiny blossom over all using the plum ink. To thread the ribbon, I punched a template using the large 3/4" ribbon slot punch by McGill. At the center point I laid this template down, drew the lines in with pencil, lined these up under the punch slots and punched. I measured equal distances from this point using a centered ruler (very cheap and very irreplaceable!) I adhered this piece to the left side over the flower stamped white panel.

For the word panels I stamped one part of the phrase on each of three plum sponged rectangles and rounded two corners. I stamped the flourish in plum over the words and edged the panels with black ink. They seemed too flat so I added strips of self-adhesive flat-backed crystals as shown which are quite reflective irl.

Thanks for looking!

Shadowbox Portrait

Here's another shadowbox card using the same template as in the last post. Stamps used are from Innovative Stamp Creations, as are the Tim Holtz chipboard flourishes, crackle paint and acrylic rectangle.

Click photo for detail

Card when flat measures 5 1/2" x 4 1/4"

I had some scrap paper left over from the last time I did the TechniqueJunkies Veined Marble technique. I think it was a grocery sack that caught the overspray, and that's what I used here. The inside of the oval and the card edges are inked with a sponge and Versafine black ink.

*tip*

I had to adhere the brown kraft to a sturdier white cardstock panel for stability before putting the card together, and sponging the edges mentioned took care of any white edges showing.

I stamped the portrait in black Versafine ink on the white cardstock back panel, let it dry, then colored it in with Q-tips and Stampin' Up! chalks. I used a stencil brush to apply SU's Creamy Caramel around the edges of the panel.

For the acrylic rectangle, I stamped the word in black ink on a white scrap, then inked the side veil with SU's Tempting Turqouise and stamped it over the word for visual texture. I edged the panel with the black ink and a sponge. To apply the acrylic I laid it over the word panel, traced the border with pencil and trimmed it. I put a thin layer of Diamond Glaze over the word panel and pressed down till the air bubbles were gone and the coverage was smooth.

I applied Distress Crackle Paint in Broken China to the flourishes, cut a short leg off it and applied them as shown with Glue Lines. I used Glue Dots and foam dots to apply the flowers after putting matte black brads thru the centers.

Thanks for looking!

Shadowbox Bird

I had a really tough time getting a decent photo of this 3D card, so I apologize for the shadows.

Trust me! This is one where you really want to click the second photo below to see the background close up, and other details...

(open view)

(closed view for mailing)

Card lying flat measures 4 1/4" x 5 1/2"

Before I start describing the process let me just say I was inspired to make card after Lisa S., a TechniqueJunkie designer, posted a beautiful card with this shadowbox form to the email group, and provided a link on her blog to the directions at SCS here. The beauty of this template is that the card folds perfectly flat for mailing and fits in a regular size envelope!

Almost all stamps are from a bird sheet (Time To Stamp) from I Brake For Stamps. I followed the directions in the link above, which are SO easy! The card just consists of a blue piece of 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" cardstock for the front, and a white one of the same size for the back, and they are only joined on the last 1/2" on each end.

*tip*

Avoid scoring until you have stamped the front and your ink will lay better.

I wanted a rustic birdshell look to the front, so I started with blue cs, stamped Stampin' Up!'s Linen background on it in Adirondack Mushroom, then overstamped this with SU's splatter bkgd stamp using white pigment ink (the best brand for this being Colorbox).

I didn't have an oval cutter so I punched a large oval out of cs (using an Emagination Crafts Inc. punch), laid it down on the cardfront, traced it with pencil, and then trimmed it out with a small blade scissor.

*tip*

If your cutting isn't perfect, sponge around the opening and layer embellishments over the horrible spots.

My cutting was pretty good LOL but I sponged Mushroom ink on the oval edges and outside card edges for definition. I stamped the images shown right over the background in Mushroom and SU Mellow Moss, and stamped other images on white scraps using SU So Saffron also and trimmed them out. The eggs were stamped on the oval I removed from the center, cut out and applied to the nest. The paper flower and leaves are connected by an antiqued flower brad and held down with a glue dot (if I put the brad thru the cardstock it might rub a dark spot on the white when going thru the mail).

For the inside I stamped the images as shown, going all the way to the top, bottom and side edges so that no matter how the card is tilted the entire inside is covered. To get the swirlies on the bird, after I had inked the solid stamp with Mushroom, I pressed the uninked rubber of the leaf stamp onto it, removing some ink and leaving a pattern. Then I just scored both pieces, folded and taped the very end panels. Sounds complicated - super easy!

Thanks for looking!

Celtic Pendant

This image is from the same Innovative Stamp Creations sheet as yesterday's card.

Card measures 5" x 6 1/2"

I started with a cream sheet of cs, and used a technique from TechniqueJunkies called Burnt Edges, applying Distress inks in the green family.

*tip*

Distress inks take longer to fully dry than regular dye inks so if you plan on embossing, let it sit about an hour.

I used Adirondack Ginger to stamp the heart, then colored it in with pencils. The coloring is more blended in real life than the scan shows. I punched the corners from cream cs with Old Paper applied to it, then stamped with the word stamp using Ginger ink, and edged with Distress Vintage Photo ink and a sponge. I added antiqued copper brads to the the corners as shown.

I laid a sheer pale green ribbon along the edges, attaching it with mini Glue Dots. I applied the corner panels over the these adding more Glue Dots on each point.

I adhered the main panel to a dark brown piece of cs. I used an exacto knife to cut a slice just inside the loop and wrap a coordinating ribbon thru and over the top and adhered it to the reverse with Glue Dots.

For the larger background panel, I pressed a Distress pad in Vintage Photo onto a craft sheet, spritzed the area with water, and pressed a cream piece of cs into it. I layered this to a brown panel and then adhered the main panel to it. I added the decorative square brad as shown.

Thanks for looking!

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

Nope, you're not suffering Deja Vue, I actually did post this card awhile back, so if you'd like instructions just go to this page. I couldn't resist giving you a heart card on Valentine's day but I don't do many! HOWEVER! Keep an eye out - I'm working on one today using an Innovative Stamp Creations Celtic style heart from the same sheet, and a TechniqueJunkies technique called Burnt Edges and will try to post it late tonight or tomorrow....

I just want to take this opportunity to say to all of you who visit here, I love you guys! All of your comments and emails to me are so appreciated :o) Hope your day is warm and fuzzy.

Sale info!!

Just a quick note to let you know Krista at Wood-n-Paper, Ink is offering 20% off her stamps RIGHT NOW! Just enter code IR20 at time of check out to recieve the discount.

This giraffe on the card below is one of her fabulous images. Isn't he handsome?!

Shimmery Blossom

This is the other card using the same technique as the previous post. All stamps are Innovative Stamp Creations, from the Flowers & Elements sheet of rubber. It has the softest sheen to it irl. I know it's hard to tell from a scan, but the cardfront is metallic cardstock in a gorgeous plummy wine, and the ribbon is a lighter shade, also metallic-like.

Click on photo for more detail

Card measures 6" x 4 3/4"

This one went very quickly after I had practiced the technique. I stamped all the elements as shown in black Staz-On, then followed the TechniqueJunkies Opalite Color Infusions technique instructions from the current issue (02/08). See my tips yesterday to help you along with this one.

I colored the flower in with various colored pencils, leaving some of the background showing thru.

*tip*

If you're going along happily coloring an image in with colored pencils, and then realize you've gotten way too dark, just skim over the image with one of those pen-shaped white erasers. It will take just enough color off to leave you with what appears as highlights.

I had been meaning to cut this panel down a bit, but decided I liked all the edges too much! Which just goes to show - start with the size cs you mean to end up with before you design your stamped images!! LOL When will I ever learn??? ;o)

I layered the main panel to a black panel, then over the ribbon-wrapped metallic cardfront.

*tip*

This ribbon was actually wired, which I hadn't realized when I bought it. It's a good idea to remove the wire so it doesn't cause ridges under your cs. To do this, carefully push down one side of the ribbon at one end. You should see a skinny copper wire poking out. Grab this with a needlenose plier, hold the other end of the ribbon tight and gently pull on the wire. It should slide right out and leave you with a nice soft edge.

Thanks for looking!

Shimmery Shore

Sorry for the absence of artwork posts - I haven't had a chance to stamp much lately.

This card uses a technique from the current TechniqueJunkies newsletter called Opalite Color Infusions. In real life it has a soft shimmery look overall.

Keep an eye out - I have another main panel stamped and ready to go using Innovative Stamp Creations flowers!

Click photo for more detail

Card is oversize and measures 5" x 6 1/2"

I started by stamping the main image in the center of a white panel, and then added images around the edges (all stamps from the I Brake for Stamps/Time to Stamp sheet of rubber) to my liking. I followed the steps in the newsletter to layer the color as shown.

*tip*

If you have Opalite reinkers but not pads, go get a sheet of Rangers Cut-n-Dry stamp pad foam, cut a 2" x 2" square, add enough reinker for your project, then label the reverse with a Sharpie so you'll know what color you've got. These can be stored in a small sealed baggie.

*another tip*

I found that this technique transferred a lot of the Opalite to my dye pads, so I restricted myself to pads I didn't care much about!

I cut the image panel into graduating panels as shown, eyeballing sections ahead of time to see where the gaps wouldn't interfere (ie. thru her head, etc!) LOL

*tip*

To line the panels up, I used a pencil to draw one line straight across the bottom of the black panel at the distance from the edge shown, and another along the side. Then I aligned the first image panel into this corner. The black panel was layered to a slightly larger white cardfront.

I stamped some of the elements on white scraps and layered them over black scraps for tags and the phrase line. The tags have black rivets in the holes, and sponged-on coordinating color for the edges.

Thanks for looking!

Adding just the right embellishment!

There's a beautiful snowfall going on right now - makes me want to sit with my nose pressed against the window watching it come down :o)

About a week ago I made a go-to list for myself of current embellishments/techniques I could add when I get stumped on a card I'm working on. Sometimes you feel done but the card still seems bare and you're just not 100% there. So I wanted to share it with you too.

• cut quotes into word panels
• use paper piercer for borders, doodling, stems
• scalloped layers under straight edges
• roughed up edges
• watercolored shading around main image
• cutting main image past border
• mixing fonts
• layer paper medallions, flowers
• ticket punched corners
• hardware with ribbon attached
• flat-backed gemstones in a row
• mixed patterns
• punched corners held down with rivets
• flourishes
• machine stitched borders
• 1/2 circle notched panels
• belted and knotted ribbon
• circular labels
• notebook punched paper
• trendy color combos
• tags in assorted shapes with words
• faux stitching with white gel pen
• Cuttlebugged panels
• painted chipboard
• embossed borders, sanded
• word window tags
• pop-dotting elements
• Asian-inspired lines
• stamped twill/ribbon
• file folder label tabs
• stamping over book pages/text
• arch form
• altered puzzle pieces
• fabric flowers
• doodling in black

Seahorse Collage

I was pretty happy with how this turned out, and I must say it wouldn't have been possible without my Christmas-gift Cuttlebug - it's the gift that keeps on giving! (thanks again Dad ;o)

Also many thanks to Betsy at ISC for sending the foil sheets, which she carries (it's called Shimmer Sheetz), along with my last batch of stamps so I was able to try this technique so quickly. This was my "practice" card before I used the product with ISC stamps, but I liked it so much I had to share it here!! LOL

Card measures 4 1/4" x 5 1/2"

The main image panel was inked in various shades of pigment inks, direct to paper. The images (from Oxford Impressions, the By the Sea sheet) were stamped in black Staz-On over this. The ticket and hotel sign were stamped on a piece of white cs brushed with light green pigment ink. The shells were stamped in black ink on a piece of dark green cs.

The white swirls are on a background of heavy foil (which you can see as multicolored shimmer irl), and it is a technique from the current TechniqueJunkies newsletter. The dark green cardfront was embossed with the Cuttlebug Tiny Bubbles folder. The swirls are the Cuttlebug D'vine Swirl folder.

Thanks for looking!

Magic Pattern Chair

Hope your week is off to a good start!

This card features a TechniqueJunkies technique from the current newsletter (Feb 08) called Magic Pattern.

Card measures 6 1/2" x 5"

The white base card is stamped and edged in Staz-On Timber Brown ink. The stamp is a building cross-section blueprint image from Rubber Baby Buggy Bumpers, which is now out of business but some of their stuff can be found at StampFrancisco.

For the main image I used a chair by Eat Cake Graphics. My paper had warped quite a bit and didn't want to flatten even after sitting under a VERY impressive stack of stamping magazines LOL so... I held the image up to a window, used a pencil to trace the chair, and then used a rolling ball embosser on a mouse pad to make the image stick out even further. When I mounted the main image panel to the wine panel I put pop-dots under the chair area, and double-stick tape on the rest. IRL there are no grey areas on the chair - these are slight shadows.

The colors on the panel are subtle and look fine IRL but if I had it to do over I would have made the background a bit darker. To help it stand out more I edged it with a sponge and Stampin' Up!'s Bordering Blue.

For the sentiment panel, I stamped the phrase (Rubbernecker) in Adirondack Cranberry, and then used a stipple brush to add some to the edges. After this had dried, I stamped the house (100 Proof Press) once on scrap paper in Bordering Blue, then over the words. I adhered this to a wine panel, and added irred. blue brads to the corners.

Thanks for looking!

Tall Tulip Sympathy

Happy weekend!

I'm so glad it's here - after years of not going to church regularly I finally started right around Christmas and look forward to it now. I told my husband only half jokingly that even spending the whole morning in church, my Sundays seem to have way more hours in the day than the others! I plan to use some of that extra time stamping LOL ;o)

(Click photo for detail)

Card measures 7 1/2" x 3 3/4"

The tulip panel uses Twinkling H2O's and a technique from the current issue of TechniqueJunkies called Penciled Twinks. I only own six of the colors, but as you can see, with this technique you get lots of tonal variations, which the scanner can't begin to pick up.

I stamped the tulips (Rubber Stampede) with Versafine black ink, then colored it in and trimmed closely. I adhered this to a light green panel I had stamped With Sympathy (Anna Griffith) on in Brilliance Pearlescent Crimson. I had some oddball papery ribbon in the right color so I tied this on as shown. I went back and forth about where to have it cutting across and finally decided not to cover up any of the flowers/stems.

I ran a piece of the reddish cs thru the Cuttlebug with the Script folder, and then highlighted the embossed area with the Brilliance ink. I just used a regular circle punch to nip each corner. I pop-dotted the main panel over this, and affixed these to darker green cs, and more of the reddish. I tried introducing some purplish cs to tie in the flowers more, but irl this is the combo that worked best. I attached black brads to the four corners to provide the hint of a border.

Thanks for looking!

More Exciting News!!

Good morning :o)

Pat of TechniqueJunkies has asked me to sign on for the rest of this year as a designer for the newsletter!! I am very excited at the prospect of putting out some inspiring cards for the subscribers and sharing any stamping knowledge I come across along the way.

Along the lines of sharing, I was able this past week to index the TJ techniques from 2007 into a list indexed by supplies used. So if you have a product at home sitting neglected, or remember using a specific item in a technique last year but can't remember the technique name, just go to the list and look for a key word. For instance, say you get the urge to use some acetate sheets - find Acetate on the list, and right under it you will find a row of all techniques that use acetate, with the newsletter publication date listed next to each technique. All TJ subscribers can access this file by going to the TJ Yahoo home page, clicking on Files, scrolling down to the title of the file, and clicking on it. That should open the file for you to glance thru or print out.