'Tis the Season!

Oops!  It seems that I've forgotten to post anything here in over a week.  Maybe this will explain...

Ha-ha...cracks me right up!  The stamp is from Sparkle-n-Sprinkle and it's colored with Prismacolor pencils.  The background technique is one from the December 2010 Technique Junkies Newsletter, called Pencil Resist.  The papers are Basic Grey Fruitcake collection, and the sentiment is from Stampin' Up!

I've got to go make merry...hope you're enjoying the holiday season as well!

I Just Can't Wait

Remember when you were a kid and it seemed like Christmas would never get here?  Now it seems like it gets here so fast there's no time to enjoy the season.  I'm sure it's because, as kids, the only thing we had to do is sit and wait like little Jupiter here.  Although...he's an elf so shouldn't he be busier?

Jupiter (from Starving Artistamps) is colored with Copic markers, and the brick wall he's sitting on was made from a tutorial in the December 2010 Technique Junkies Newsletter.  I took my wall one step further and embossed it using extra coarse sandpaper as my embossing plate (I used a piece of black gasket rubber and a couple of shims to get just the right sandwich thickness for my Cuttlebug).  I lost some of my "mortar" after I did the sandpaper embossing so I went over it with a Versamark pen and added more embossing powder.  It went on kind of messy, which actually made the brick look more realistic.  

Here's a detail so you can see the texture. 

I made the tag from a piece of white chipboard airbrushed it with a Copic marker and a couple of grungeboard numbers that I dyed with distress ink and covered with distress Stickles. 

Whether it's going by fast or slow, I hope you're enjoying your holiday season!

Busy as an Elf...

That's been me the last couple of days making cards with my new Juniper and Jupiter stamps from Starving Artistamps.  The little cutie is Juniper Elf.  She's partly colored with Copic markers, and partly paper pieced.  The card layout I've used here is called Flap Fold, and it's one of the cool tutorials on the Technique Junkies Fancy Folds and Motion Paper Crafts CD.  I have to admit that I don't always have the patience to do fancy folded cards, but this one was easy to cut and even easier to put together.

Stay tuned...I'll have more holiday cards to post other the next couple of weeks.  Like I said, I've been busy as an elf!

A Mixed Bag

Happy Friday, everyone!  It's weird, but even when you aren't working, Fridays still feel good.  The big difference is that Sunday evenings and Monday mornings also feel good.

As the title of this post says, I've got a mixed bag for you today.  First, I want to thank everyone for the lovely comments on my last post...they mean so much to me!

And while we're on the subject of comments on my blog, I realize that I forgot to choose a winner for the Technique Junkies CD #8 at the end of October.  Better late than never, I just shook my iPhone for a random number and the winner is #10, Donelda.

Yeah, and I missed my semi-regular Tuesday post again.  I did think of it, and even got as far as getting my camera out to take pics, but the battery was shot.  I put it on the charger and one thing led to another, and here it is Friday already.  Anyway, here's what I'm working on at the moment.  First up is my Bug Light picture.  I don't even know how many hours I've put into the sky so far.  It's not quite done yet, but I'm going to leave it for now and move on to a different area. This is a pretty lousy picture, but it is proof that I've gotten at least a little bit more done on this one.

The project I'm really excited about at the moment are these mittens I started knitting last night.  The cuffs are done with corrugated ribbing, which I had never tried before.  I haven't done stranded knitting of any kind in quite awhile so at first it felt like I was knitting with two left hands with all thumbs.  But, once I got the hang of it, I was zipping along pretty well.  I found the pattern on Ravelry.  If you knit or crochet and haven't discovered Ravelry yet, be sure to pay them a visit.  The site has tons of patterns, forums, blogs, groups, databases that let you catalog your yarn stash and supplies, and project albums.  It literally took me days to explore the whole site!

The final item in my bag today is a card that I made for the Design Junkies blog using the Designer Tiles technique from the August 2008 newsletter.  The stamps are from Inkadinkado, the papers are a mix of scraps and new Basic Grey Jovial, and the "grout" is Ranger old paper Distress embossing powder.

OK.  I think that's it for now.  I'll see ya when I see ya!

Craft Season has Begun!

It's after Labor Day, the weather has turned cooler, and the days are shorter.  All of these things signal the beginning of Craft Season, which almost immediately turns into Holiday Craft season.  All of a sudden, it doesn't seem to early to start working on Christmas cards, and here's my first one. 

I used the DoodleFactory Backlit Blooms Poinsettia and sentiment from Starving Artistamps.  The poinsettia is stamped with Copic markers.  Yes, you can do that!  The instructions can be found in the June/July 2010 issue of the Technique Junkies Newsletter.

Starving Artistamps has a whole slew of new stamps out besides these gorgeous blooms.  Best of all, Tracey is giving away some of the new stamps as blog candy all month on the company blog.  Check it out and spread the word!

Poinsettia Card

Since Christmas is only a few days away, I think this is going to be my final Christmas card posting for the year.  This is the card I made from the poinsettia painting I posted  a week or so ago.  Until I made the holly cards, this was my favorite card ever.

I cut the poinsettia image "outside the box", and then mounted that on a red mat.  The scalloped square is cut with a Nestabilities die, and the yellow square is cut using a Martha Stewart Punch around the page set.  I also added maroon Stickles dots to the green scalloped panel just to add a bit of bling.

Merry Christmas!

Divine Diva Inspiration Challenge #18

It seems like I've been waiting for today's challenge forever!  Lori sent us this photo quite awhile ago, and when I saw it, I just couldn't believe my eyes.  I had just started working on a new painting that I was hoping to get done in time to use on my Christmas cards.  A painting (from a design by Lynda Montefusco) of a bouquet of greenery with holly berries and currants...WINTER BERRIES!  Can you believe it?

I finished the painting last week--not exactly last minute, but close.  The original is 8" x 8" and is done with Prismacolor pencils on Stonehenge paper.  I scanned it and then used every single one of my Photoshop skills (a few of them aquired just for the occasion) to get the greens and reds to match the original.  Then I reduced the image to about 3" x 4" and printed it on some good quality, heavyweight drawing paper. I needed a very simple layout because I had a bunch of these to make in a very short time period so I went with the oval focal point and red background from the inspiration piece.

So here you have it...my favorite Christmas card ever:

As always, everyone is invited to play along in the Divine Diva challenges, and if you do, please link your creation here. If you upload to PCP or SC, use the keyword DDIC18. For even more inspiration, please visit the other Divine Divas: Anne, Chris, Lori, Julie, and Kerri

Have a great day, and join us if you can!

Here's my smART-Word challenge card...where's yours?

The smARTworks design team along with owner, Susan, have a monthly challenge, and it's so easy to play along.  Just make a card inspired by the word of the month and post a link to your card on our smART-Word Challenge blog.  I know it's a busy month for many of us, but if you can take a break from your  holiday prep, we'd love for  you to join us! 

The word for December is Christmas, and I made this card using the smARTworks Snowy Pines and Little Say sets.  The paper is from Memory Box, and I stamped my pines with Dark Moss Fluid Chalk ink.  I added a few shadows with a green colored pencil and dimensional glitter glue (from Sparkle and Spinkle) and pearl glitter for the snow.  You could use any glue for the glitter, but the dimensional glue makes mounds that look just like snow.

Merry Christmas!

Poinsettia Painting

This weekend was our big "clean the house, put up the tree, and get the rest of the decorating done" weekend. For some unknown reason, we don't like to put everything out too early. I'm not sure why because I really love having the house all decked out. Next weekend is all baking, all the time.

I finished this painting a few weeks ago and decided to use the image on some of my Christmas cards. The poinsettia is done with Prismacolor pencils, and the background is a combination of Derwent watercolor pencils and Inktense pencils. The original is 8" by 8" done on Rising Stonehenge paper. I'll show you the cards later, after I've gotten them in the mail.

Happy Holidays!

Oooh...Glitter!

I wish you could see how cool this card looks in person! I used Barbara Trombley's Art Glitter.  The color is called Green Briar, and it is so pretty...mostly green with little bits of gold and copper and red.  And, talk about easy! This is one of my extremely rare 10 minute cards. I used a Martha Stewart glue pad to ink up my Snowy Pines stamp from smARTworks, stamped it onto some pretty printed paper and sprinkled on the glitter. Next a ran a coordinating piece of paper through my Cuttlebug, and added a mat with some Kraft cardstock, sponged and distressed the edges a bit, glued everything together, and added a plump little bow.  I just love it when a plan comes together!  : )

Happy Holidays!

Brrr...DoodleFactory has Gone to the Arctic

Welcome to the Starving Artistamps New Release Blog Hop
and One Day Only Blog Candy Giveway!

We are so excited to present our newest release...DoodleFactory Arctic

You are going to want to visit all the stops on our hop because someone is giving away a complete unmounted set of the new release for blog candy! We are keeping the blog candy open for one day only so your chances of winning are even better! (blog candy ends 11am PST December 8th, 2009 the winner will be announced on or before December 9th 2009). If you have arrived here on your own and are just finding out about the blog hop you should start at the Starving Artistamps Company Blog

And, now for my cards...

Eskimo Girl

Stamps: Starving Artistamps – DoodleFactory Arctic
Supplies: Cardstock, printed paper (Basic Grey Eskimo Kisses), brown paper bag, Copic markers, snowflake stickers
Ink: Adirondack Pitch Black, Ranger Distress Ink – Tea Dye
How To’s: Stamp images and color with Copic markers; cut out. Create background panel using Technque Junkies Brown Bagging tutorial (12/09). Assemble as show to create an A2 card.

 

Merry Christ-moose

Stamps: Starving Artistamps – DoodleFactory Arctic; harlequin background
Supplies: Cardstock, Green Coredinations paper, Cuttlebug, embossing folder, twine, Stickles
Ink: Adirondack Pitch Black, Versafine Black
How To’s: Stamp image and color with Copic markers; cut out. Cut and emboss panels; stamp red panel with harlequin stamp; sand green embossed panel to highlight embossing; punch several snowflakes. Assemble as shown to make an A2 card, and highlight center of snowflakes with Stickles.

 

Chill Out!

Stamps: Starving Artistamps – DoodleFactory Arctic
Supplies: cardstock, printed paper (black/white polka dot), Smooch Spritz (blue), Copic markers, ribbon, Cuttlebug, oval Nestabilities die, circles embossing folder.
Ink: Adirondack Pitch Black
How To’s: Stamp images and color with Copic markers; cut out. Spray a piece of blue cardstock with Smooch Spritz; let dry. Cut panels; emboss white panel, and assemble as shown to make an A2 card.

Thank you for stopping by my blog, the next stop on the hop is: Lori @ Inking Aloud
In case you get lost somewhere along the way here is the complete list of stops:
START HERE: Starving Artistamps Company Blog
Juliana @ Stampin' With Inky Fingers
Donna @ Dee's Studio   (you are here)
Lori @ Inking Aloud
Lydia @ Understand Blue
Tracey @ Stamp-o-matic
Jenn @ Confessions of a Scrapaholic
Eva @ Muffins pyssel
Nina @ Ninas krumelurer
Dawn @ Amusing Musings & Things

Thank you for hopping with us! You can find the new Arctic collection and much more at Starving Artistamps.

Snow Today!

The weather in New England sure can keep you guessing. The other day it was in the mid 60's. Today? Snow.  Are you ready, Freddy?

Reddy Freddy

Stamps: smARTworks - ABC Happy Winter

Supplies: Cardstock, Copic markers, Cuttlebug, embossing folders, Nestabilities, ribbon, Stickles

Ink: Adirondack Pitch Black

How To’s: Stamp image and color with Copic markers. Cut and emboss panels, assemble, and embellish with Stickles as shown to make a 5 ¼” by 5 ¼” card.

Divine Diva Inspiration Challenge #17

For our inspiration piece this week, Lori chose these cocoa mugs from Garnet Hill.  Aren't they great?  I've been doing these challenges since September, and I'm not sure which part is more fun...making the cards or checking out the cool sites Lori finds!

Anyway, when I first saw these mugs, I knew just what I wanted to do for my card.  And, joy of joy, it came out just the way I pictured!  I made my background by using the handle of a paintbrush to make random dip dots with white acrylic paint.  Just dip the handle into a puddle of paint and holding it straight up and down,  touch it lightly to the paper--perfectly round dots!  Have trouble making dots that look random?  Here's a trick I learned that works...make your dots in groups of three in a triangle pattern.  I'm not quite sure why this works, but it does.  Another thing I did to make sure the dots weren't all the same size was to make two or three dots before I dipped into the paint again.  I'm going to try this method with different color combos, because I think it makes a great polka dotted paper.

As for the rest of the card, the image is from smARTworks, and I colored it with my trusty Copic markers.  Seriously, I don't know how I lived without them!  I stamped the image directly onto the background and again on white cardstock.  I colored the white one, cut it out, and glued it over the background image.  I did the sentiment with stick-on letters, and you can't tell in the pic, but they are glittery...because I can't seem to make a card without glitter these days, lol!

Remember, everyone is invited to play along in the Divine Diva challenges, and if you do, please link your creation here. If you upload to PCP or SC, use the keyword DDIC17. For even more inspiration, please visit the other Divine Divas: Anne, Chris, Lori, Julie, and Kerri

Have a great day, and join us if you can!

Silver Pines

Are you ready for a Christmas card blitz? I'm just making my cards now (wish me luck with that, lol!) so I'll have plenty to share over the next couple of weeks. I don't like to make 60 cards of the same design, but no way will I have time to make them all different. The strategy I'm using so far is to make a card, and if I like it, make a few more while the supplies are still out on my table. So far, it's working out pretty well.
Here's a card I made over the weekend. The glimmer on the blue panel is just unbelievable in real life, and the card went together really quickly so this was definitely one of those "make a few more" cards.  So how about you?  What's  your Christmas card situation? 

Silver Pines

Stamps: smARTworks Snowy Pines
Papers: card stock - white, light blue
Inks: Versamark; Ranger Distress Ink - Weathered Wood, Broken China
Other Supplies: silver embossing powder, Cuttlebug, Swiss Dots embossing folder, oval Nestabilities, Smootch Spritz - pearl, blue
Embellishments: silver cord
Special Techniques: Technique Junkies Newsletter, Dec. 09 - Antiqued Glimmers
General Instructions: Cut oval frame and emboss; stamp trees with Versamark, emboss, and cut out; create blue Antiqued Glimmers panel; cut and assemble as shown using foam tape between oval frame and blue background.

Starving Artistamps is sponsoring 2S4Y this Week!

I play along with the 2 Sketches 4 You challenge whenever I can because I just love a good sketch challenge. Whenever Starving Artistamps is sponsoring, I make sure to get a card done...you know...being on the SA design team and all, lol. The 2S4Y design team always has some amazing cards for inspiration so be sure to check them out. And, here's mine to (I hope) add a bit more inspiration. And if you need a bit more incentive, the stamps I used are part of the awesome prize you could win!

Star of Light

Stamps:  Starving Artistamps - The Nativity
Specialty Papers: Strathmore cold press watercolor
Inks: Versamark; Fluid Chalk Blue Iris
Other Supplies: White Embossing Powder, Inktense Pencils, Copic marker, scalloped border punch, ribbon, Nestabilities die, Cuttlebug, Waterbrush
Special Techniques:  Watercoloring - Stamp image with Versamark onto watercolor paper. Wet an area of the image with water until it is quite wet.  Use the brush to pick up color from the tip of an Inktense pencil, and the lightly touch the tip of the brush into the wet area.  The color should start to spread immediately.  If the color doesn't spread, rewet the area with more water.  Continue wetting and adding color.

The Holidays are Upon Us

I am so not ready...haven't even started my Christmas cards.  I've made a few, but so far they've all been design team stuff so I can't keep them.  I wonder if I could get away with sending photos of Christmas cards? 

The card I'm sharing today is one I made for Starving Artistamps using the new Nativity set.  I also used the weave background for my card base.  The images are colored with Prismacolor pencils, and I highlighted my Cuttlebug embossing with brown chalk ink. 

That's it for now.  I have to get back to my stamping...there are only 28 days until Christmas.  Ack!

Holy Family

Hi everyone, and thanks to all of you who wished me a happy birthday.  I had a very nice day off work, and my DH gifted me with a gorgeous bracelet...what more could I wish for?

I only have time for a quick post, but here's another card I made using the Nativity set from Starving Artistamps.  I colored the images with Copic markers, then I masked them and airbrushed the background.  I used my colorless blender to remove some of the color around the halo, and then added gold Stickles to highlight.  The rest is pretty self-explanatory I think, but as always, feel free to email me if you have any questions or need more info about this or any of my cards.

Bye for now!

Silent Night

I have another card to share using the new Nativity set from Starving Artistamps.  This was such an easy card to make, and I really like the way the star shines brightly against the soft neutral color palette.  The images and sentiment are stamped with Memento Rich Cocoa ink on Ivory Pearl cardstock, which is so shimmery in real life.  I did my coloring with Copic markers in muted shades and added a single crystal to the star.

If you're liking this set as much as I do, don't forget that you can get 10% off my using my discount code:  SAVETENDD

My Mojo Returns!

You may have noticed that it's been a little quiet around my blog lately.  It's true that I've been busy lately, but the biggest reason is that I've had NO MOJO!

I'm happy to say that I found at least a little of my mojo this week and was able to make this card, which I'm quite pleased with.

The image I used is from the Starving Artistamps The Nativity collection.  I used the Technique Junkies Penciled Twinks technique to color the image.  Basically, you shade the image with colored pencils, and then instead of plain water, use Twinkling H2O's or any other shimmery watercolors to blend the pencil. 

For my layout, I used the sketch from SC254 on Splitcoast.  The background paper is Basic Grey Marrakech, and the square panels are red cardstock embossed with my Cuttlebug.  I sprayed the background panels with Gold Smooch Spritz for some extra glitz, and I have to say that I just love the effect!  To finish the card, I added a gold bow and a Prima crystal embellishment.

That's all for now.  My friend and I are off to the mall for some lunch and a bit of retail therapy.  Hope you have an enjoyable Saturday planned as well!

Hey, Honey...Do you have any more cards made?

I thought I was through making Christmas cards days ago, but oops!, not so. The deal I have with my DH is that I make the cards, and writes them out and addresses them {bless his heart!}. Everything was going fine until I heard him utter those dreaded words, "Do you have any more cards made? I need like 8 more." Huh? Oh no!

I needed some cards, and I needed them fast, so I CASEd a few of the cards I had already made. This one is a rework of the "Snow" card a made a couple weeks ago. I used the same layout and technique (Technique Junkies Faux Designer Paper), but I changed the stamps and colors. The stamps on this card are from Inkadinkado, Memory Box, and I Brake for Stamps. I used a variety of inks, but the basic colors are gold, cocoa brown, olive green, and brick red.

Enjoy this last weekend before Christmas! We got about 8" of snow today and there's another storm headed here for Sunday, and then a little more snow forecasted for Christmas Eve. Looks like were definitely going to have a white Christmas here! My plan is to get my last minute shopping done tomorrow and spend Sunday snowed in and doing my Christmas baking.