Just Sharing: Stamping on Candles

I am still getting myself situated in Cairo. Lovin every minute of it too. My guest bedroom will double as my craft room. It has a desk and I've request a bookshelf in there as well. Plenty of room for my printer and my sewing machine.

Until I get that up and running in the next few weeks, I'm going to share some info and tutorials that I've been coming across.

I saw the image of candle and thought "how'd they do that?" Beate Johns from Splitcoast Stampers produced this tutorial. I do like how it turns out and she says that you can still burn the candle even though it has a bit of tissue paper on it. It's a short vid. I hope that you like it as much as I did.

2 Sketches 4 You :: Take Good Care

I almost did not do this week's challenge because I don't have any large stars. I guess I could make one, huh?

But I was near Archiver's and that made it possible. I went to As, bought a piece of cardstock and used their Ellison dies. I was hopeful that I could match up the cardstock w/some patterned paper.

This ended up looking nice. At least I like it. I have been soooo critical of my cards lately, but this one has a bit of character.

Nothing new and nothing fancy; just the basics.

Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:
cardstock: craft supply and Bazzill
patterned paper: K&Co. Que Sera Sera
star die cuts: Ellison
ribbon: Offray
stamp: Hero Arts
ink: Color Box
dry embossing: Cuttlebug Texture Textile

The World's Best Looking Greeting Card

Okay ... so I was a bit over the top w/the title post, but a girl can dream right? And in my world it's all about the dreams.

This card is based on a 2 Sketches 4 You sketch. This week it was Laura at the helm. Sometimes I scratch my head w/sketches, but not this time. I have way too many scraps in my work area so I just started pulling some and tried to coordinate. Then I lost the desire to coordinate, but somehow it still works here.

I purchased some lace a few weeks ago because I've been seeing it on more and more projects and I thought today'd be a good day to try it out.

I have a lot going on here. That's why I mentioned it as "The World's Best Looking Greeting Card". Here are the elements from the designer's perspective - that would be me:

• Used the Cuttlebug and inked the dry embossing
• Used the sewing machine to add more texture
• Stamped on the patterned paper for added effect
• Used a journaling stamp, but did not journal - ah, ha ...
  
• Created the flower using felt, muslim, stamp and button - love that
• Used felt and die cuts to cut out heart and the letter 'u' - that was tricky since my felt is flimsy and the heart and letter did not cut cleanly; had to use scissors
• How about that ribbon? It's got the wire in it so I could fluff it up (still working on my bow making skills)
  
• And finally, the bling - a heart bling - it's all about the bling!

This card is truly one of my favs and it did not take forever to make. Oh, I'm also submitting this to Card-A-Licious. And yes, it is as yummy as it sounds. The challenge was to use a journaling spot.

Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:
cardstock: craft supply
patterned paper: Basic Grey
stamp: Scrappy Cat
ink: VersaMagic
dry embossing, heart and alpha die cuts: : Cuttlebug
ribbon: Wright's
button: Foof a la
stamp: Inkadinkado
bling and felt: unknown
lace: Wyla/Joann
other: sewing

Cuttlebug Challenge :: week 3

Another week and another challenge over at the Cuttlebug Challenge blog. This week's challenge almost crippled me. Sometimes I just don't want to think outside of the box.

The challenge was to make something other than a card or layout. I had to make a list of things I might be interest in making: magnets, book marks, ATCs ... yeah, it was a short list for me. But then I sort of got an idea that I had wanted to try out last year, but never got around to it. I had to high tail it to Michaels and find the star that I ended up altering. I know that Pat Catans has paper ones, but Pat Catans ain't so close to where I live. The one here is metal.

This project was not simple in the least. I ended up creating a parallelogram template to use for each point on the star. Who wants to do alegbra at my age? Took me a couple of tries to get it near right. But wah-lah! I like the way it looks, though I am going to go back and use some Modge Podge on it because the paper is not staying on.

Oh, and love that paper, right? Basic Grey does not disappoint. I used paper from a couple of different lines. I think it's Figgy Pudding and Dasher or Blitzen.

Well, thanks for reading my post ... here's what I used:
patterened paper: Basic Grey
dry embossing: Cuttlebug (one of the small snowflake folders)
ink: VersaMagic
star: Michaels
ribbon: American Crafts

cps 82 cards

This week's CPS (Card Positioning Systems) sketch is/was quite simple. I don't have a sketch preference meaning lots of details or very little. I just interpret the way that I want to.

So the interpretation this week could not be contained to just one card; not for me at least. I just got overly excited and the next thing I knew I'd made two different cards. Way too much fun. I did make a concerted effort to keep things simple.

Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:
Thanks x 3 Card
cardstock: Bazzill
patterned paper: Basic Grey
dry embossing: Cuttlebug
ink: VersaMark and Tim Holtz/Ranger
circle punches: EK Success
other: sewing
Sending Love Card
cardstock: Bazzill
patterned paper: Basic Grey
heart die cuts: Quickutz
dry embossing: Cuttlebug
stamp: Oogaloo/$1 Michaels
ink: VersaMark
embossing powder: Ranger

Great Birthday :: cps 79

My vision for this card was a bit off. When I saw the sketch, I knew what stamp I would use. I really do like the stamp, but it was not my friend for this venture. But this is better than my take on last week's Card Positioning Systems (cps) sketch, which never saw daylight and was promptly dismantled.

So here I present you w/another crafty card ... I promise to do better.

Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:
cardstock: craft supply
patterned paper: Basic Grey
ink: Colorbox and VersaMagic
stamps: Hero Arts (birthday) and Inkadinkadoo (flower)
oval: Nestabilities
other: sewing

Feelin the Fabric :: 2 Sketches 4 You

Thanks for stopping by my blog ... just so happens that today is my birthday! Yea, me.

Wow, wow ... I am bit excited because I am very much in like w/this card. I've been wanting to use more fabric on my cards, but I just have not. Actually, I've been inspired by lurking on Donna Downey's blog and website; she had lots of fabric albums that are quite nice.

Well, my friend Ericka is an interior designer and she was 'purgin' the other day and had lots of fabric swatches that she was going to toss out. Lucky me. That's all is need are the swatches; most of them are at least a foot long. I just love the patterns and colors; mostly neutral/earth tones which is just my speed.

I like the rustic, natural and messy look of this card. But considering I have still not mastered the art of sewing a straight line w/my sewing machine, messy and unfinished is the look that I will get whether I strive for it or not. :-)

Oh, this card is based on Kazan's sketch from 2 Sketches 4 You.

So thanks for looking .... here's what I used:
cardstock: craft supply
fabric: Ashley Manor and muslin
stamp: Stampabilities
ink: Staz-On and Tim Holtz/Ranger
flower: ??
button: Foof a la
rick rack: Creative Impressions
dry embossing: Cuttlebug Textile Texture
embroidery floss: DMC
twine: Darice
other: sewing machine

Workin Another Sketch CPS :: 76

I'm trying to get in the habit of submitting to several sketch blogs each week. I'll be working on a card for 2 Sketches 4 You before the week is out.

For now, I tried my hand at the Card Positioning Systems (CPS) sketch for this week. It was posted on Sunday evening. It's a rather simple sketch providing much room to improvise. As always, I wanted to do more, but sometimes simple is best.

I plan to send this to a friend who has her first chemo session last week after being diagnosed w/breast cancer. I'm going to include a set of Thank You cards that she can send out to her family and friends.

Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:
cardstock: craft supply
patterned paper: Creative Imaginations and Basic Grey
stamps: Inkadinkadoo
ink: Versa Color
bling: unknown
other: sewing machine

NOTE: I have other images, but Blogger is importing them upside down and sideways; oh well.

Laura's Sketch 4

I've been making lots of cards, but I have not posted them anywhere. I usually post on the blog, on 2Peas as well as on Splitcoast Stampers. That's usually in addition to posting it for whatever challenge or sketch that I am using.

So, I'm trying to get caught up.

I am really gearing up for the Papertrey Ink July Blog Hop, which takes place next week (more on that for tomorrow's post).

I like way this card turned out, however, I contemplated it for quite some time (while on the phone too). I started to sew on the scalloped part, but I thought that would be too much and if I only sewed the scallop then that would not be enough. I like the added touch of the butterflies. I used the Papertrey Ink Chocolate Remixed sampler (click on the paper to downloard the pdf) and printed it out on vellum paper. Oh, and for this card I used 2 Sketches 4 You.

Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:
cardstock and scalloped edge: Bazzill
patterned paper: K&Co., Papertrey Ink and Basic Grey
ink: Tim Holtz/Ranger
stamp: Hero Arts
butterfly punch: Martha Stewart/EK Success
embossing: Cuttlebug
oval dies: Nestabilities
other: sewing

cps :: 65

Here is my take on this week's cps (card positioning systems) sketch. Kinda cool and fun.

cardstock: craft supply
patterned paper: Basic Grey
stamp: Hero Arts
ink: Tim Holtz/Ranger
oval and scalloped oval: Nestibilities
ribbon: Michaels
flower punches: EK Success
bling/rhinestones: craft supply

sketch this :: 49

For some reason I was stalkin out the sketch this site today just waiting for a new sketch to be posted. Well, my (im)patience paid off because it's a cutie. To me it is more challenging to take their sketches and use on cards because they seem to be a better fit for scrapbook layouts.

But have no fear, take the challenge ...

After a few weeks of not using my sewing machine, I decided this would be a good sketch to 'bring back the stitching'. I'm not really a 'self-tooter' but I am diggin this card. In some ways it seems too busy, but I like the collage-like feel of it.

patterned paper: Basic Grey's Boxer
cardstock: Bazzill
stamp (writing): Inkadinkado
ink: Tim Holtz/Ranger
butterfly die cut and embossing: Cuttlebug
ribbon: AMM
sentiment: created using Photoshop CS3

Beautiful Butterfly

So Cuttlebug has some new items. And this butterfly is one of them. It is one of the 3x3 dies and it comes with 4 embossing folders. Each folder has a different pattern. But the embossing folders only have an embossed pattern to match the size and shape of the die cut butterfuly. Does my explanation make sense? What I want to say is ... why didn't Provo Craft use the entire folder using the embossed pattern? That way I could emboss not only the butterfly, but other shapes as well? You know they don't have to pay me in cash for these ideas, a Cuttlebug item or two would do the trick.

So enjoy this card ... I'd like to say hold off on the purchase, but this die is too cute to put off, but I am hopeful that they will get right on my idea to change the embossing folder.

A Brithday Card!

I should be in bed - busy life, busy week.

But I've been trying to get ahead. I made this card for a friend whose birthday is in May. Now, if only I can get the package and the card in the mail before the birthday.


cardstock: craft supply
patterned paper: K&Co. Amy Butler
circle punch: EK Success
stamp: Stampin Up!
ink: VersaMark
embossing powder: Ranger
ribbon: unknown

cps :: 58

I'm feeling good about this card. It's not in my typical muted color scheme. I used the K&Co. Amy Butler Designer Paper Pack. I like it so much, that I might actually get the larger 12x12 sheets.

Oh, and CPS stands for Card Positioning Systems. They provide sketches for cards and crafters then create their version of the sketch.

Additionally, I saw a post on Card Studio Designs called Card-A-Day. Now I probably won't do a card-a-day, but the topic for today was use "just for you". I have this $1 acrylic stamp that I love, but I have not used and so, I put it to use.

Oh, and I putted out the heat gun and heat embossed the sentiment.

Thanks for looking.

cardstock: Bazzill
patterned paper: K&Co. Amy Butler
circle and flower punches and corner rounder: EK Success
ribbon: Michaels
acrylic stamp: Michaels $1/Hampton Arts
ink: VersaMark
embossing powder: Ranger
brads: Joanns

sketch this cards :: 40

I've been scouting out the sketch this cards site a lot ... good people and good stuff. So I laid out this card - and with a Valentine's Day theme, of course.

Again, my sewing is in the baby stages. My zigzag is unsteady and I need to figure out why.

cardstock: Bazzill
patterned paper: Basic Grey
heart die cuts: Cuttle Kids and Quickutz
stamp: Michaels $1 stamp
ink: VersaMagic
ribbon: Joanns

sketch this cards :: 39

I took a minute to create a card (actually two) based on a sketch this design. The layout is so simple, yet lends room for lots of creativity and lots of fun too.

I'm new to sewing (which is shameful since my mom is a self-taught seamstress). There is a lot going on w/this card, so I thought a simple straight stitch would add a nice touch.

I love the look of cardboard, so there it is - taking up space.

Aren't those hearts adorable? They are dies from CuttleKids. I took a gamble and got them. They do work in the Cuttlebug, but you have to use the sandwich/directions for using a Quickutz die. It still gives a nice clean cut too. For more images of the two different cards, check out my 2Peas Gallery.

patterned paper: Basic Grey

cardstock: Archiver's

stamp: Savvy Stamps

ink: VersaMagic

other: staples, thread, sewing machine

Caardvarks Happy New Year Challenge

This card is so basic. I feel like it is missing something...

It's time for the 'love' to begin ...

I've started on my Valentine's Day cards. This one is quite simple, but oh, so cute.

cardstock: craft supply
patterned paper: Basic Grey
die cuts: Quickutz and Cuttlebug
stamp: Savvy Stamps
ink: VersaMagic