Inspired by...

Here's my second inspired by card.. Tiffany is another wonderful artist and she is very clever with creating her card projects. Here is her card that inspired mine. http://www.flickr.com/photos/myfairytalebook/3222659817/ Spend a few minutes wandering through her gallery on flickr and you will be amazed.

Take a look at that flower, notice anything? I also wanted to highlight the little black tag. Andi just sent me a bag of goodies and these little puffy tags were in there! So fun, so I added it just for effect!

Products:

• Hero Arts Heart Winged Butterfly
• Basic Grey - Urban Prairie Corn Husk (Love this paper, still my fav of the Basic Grey)
• Hero Arts - Petitie Happy Birthday
• Hero Arts - Graceful Leaves
• MSE - Little Birdie
• Ranger Distress Embossing Powder - Lettuce
• Memento - Bamboo Leaves
• Fiskars Border Punch
• Lace Trim Unknown
• Pearls - Kaisers

Thanks for stopping by...

Suzz

Sometimes the destination is not what you had planned..

Do you ever start down a path with a card and then when you finish up you are not sure you like where you ended?

That is how I feel about this card. I had this piece of light wood from Kodomo which I sprayed with glimmer mist and embossed with the rangers adirondack embossing powder. It was too dark so I added the white highlights and kept going. :) I tried to place it on the card with the same colors and overall ended up with a very dark card.

So I am not sure if I like this card as much as I did the scrap I started with but I wanted to move onto other scraps.

I thought I would share are a few outdoor shots of our yard. This is the peak time for all my flowers and I love to walk around and enjoy them.

These are the flowers which were the snow mushrooms in the winter time. I don't cut them down in the fall as I like the texture of the dried flowers.

This is the front corner of our house and the window is where I work in my craft space.

I was just enjoying the contrast of the deep maroon and the light pink flowers.



This is the same bed with all the lavendar but the top layer. We have two layers on one side of our house.

And last but not least is one of the reasons I have been spending less time creating cards.. This is Ms. Emma she is 5 months old and part beagle and collie. She has tons of energy. Way more than me so we are always trying to come to an agreement on how to use up that energy. (Making the kids do running laps with her. :)

Have a great weekend. Thanks for stopping by..

Suzz

Friends...

This weeks challenge at Hero Arts is to create a card based on friendship. I have met so many wonderful friends online with my cardmaking. My card I made from the challenge is based on scraps that my on-line friend Jacqueline sent me. I was so excited as she sent me a package the other day and not only did she send me scraps, but she also sent me an ATC. Her ATC is so beautiful and lovely...

and here is my friendship card made from some of her scraps she sent to me...

She sent me the beautiful arch window and the butterflies are stamped on some pretty mauve patterned paper.

I used a new technique to make the window background. I have still to create some more pieces using this technique as I love the effect. The technique leaves your creation looking like spun suger.

Recipe for the Stained Glass:

1. Spray Glimmer Mist on tissue paper. Completely cover the tissue paper with the colors desired.
2. Dry the tissue paper. I used my heat gun and heated it up.
3. Versamark the entire colored tissue paper and heat emboss with clear embossing powder.
4. This will create a stained glass effect.

I have also done this with white embossing a stamped image first and then spraying with the glimmer mist and embossing.

Products:

• Hero Arts - Long Branch
• Hero Arts - Slanted Tree
• Hero Arts - Artistic Butterflies
• Tattered Angels - Glimmer Mist - Patina, Old Vine
• Versamark Watermark Ink
• Clear Embossing Powder
• Ranger Seafoam White Embossing Powder
• Versafine - Vintage Sepia

Thanks for stopping by..

Suzz

I included

Art Creations Challenge Friday #8

The Art Creations Challenges always provide beautiful backgrounds and stretch my creativity. Challenge # 8 is http://artcreationsfriday.blogspot.com/2009/01/8th-challenge.html to use this painted background:

There is so much wonderful color and depth in this background I wasn't sure if I could add to it.
Here is my end result. Unfortunately with the snow we are having.... I can't get an outside picture and I scanned it which means you can't see the glaze on here which pulls the colors and gives it another layer of texture.

Products:

• Versamark Watermark Ink
• Clear Embossing Powder
• Ranger Distress Embossing Powder - Vintage Photo
• Prima Flowers
• Gems, Twine, Butterfly Charms - Uknown
• B Line Design Spring Blossoms
• Penny Black Bare Tree
• Penny Black Berry Branch
• Asian Lady - Uknown

Thanks for stopping by...

Suzz

Art Creations Friday Challenge # 7

Art Creations Friday Challenge http://artcreationsfriday.blogspot.com/2009/01/7th-challenge.html is to use this beautiful background:


There is a range of beautiful colors in this background. I decided to use the corner which contained the beautiful rust colors.
The background was so lovely I only stamped the branches with orange and brown and the butterfly, sentiments with black and embossed the flourish using the Ranger Vintage photo embossing powder which not only gives it color it also has texture.

Products:

• Ranger Distress Inks - Spiced Marmalade, Vintage Photo
• Versafine Black Onyx
• Versamark Watermark Ink
• Ranger Distress Embossing Powder - Vintage Photo
• Lace - Unknown
• Inkadinkado - Flourishes
• Stampabilities - Matthew 7:7 02
• Paper Inspirations - Leafy Stem
• Stampabilities - DragonFly 02
• Ranger Stickles

A side note...

I started with a 6 3/4" x 4 3/4" piece and had a vintage photo to the right.

I didn't like how the image looked after I finished everything else so it was chopped off. That left a little of the sentiment still stamped on the image I had left.

So what you see with the sentiment now is a cover up of the remnant of the sentiment from my original design.

I am really pleased with what I ended up with but wanted to share because I find myself designing to fix my mistakes in some cases.

Does that ever happen to you?

Suzz

Art Creations Friday Challenge # 2

This friday's challenge from Art Creations http://artcreationsfriday.blogspot.com/ was to use a background painted by Vintage Wil. This is her background:

It is very pretty because there are other tints of colors in the background and I happen to have a fondness for grey although I don't use it alot in my cards. I consider it another great neutral.

Here is my card made from the background:

Recipe:

1. I started with a mask that I just purchased from Tim Holtz that I have been wanting to use. I laid it along the side of the paper. I sponged over it with the teal ink.
2. Ink the bird in the branches stamp with versamark and stamp next to the masked border and the bottom left corner. Heat emboss with copper metallic embossing powder.
3. Stamp the flourish on the top right and left side with versamark. Heat emboss using green embossing powder.
4. I also purchased a mask from Heidi Grace at the same time. I placed a portion of that in the top left corner and sponged over it with the same teal ink.
5. I placed the same floral mask on the bottom and inked over that. Sponge teal around the outside edges.
6. Stamp the sentiment in the middle on the bottom half of the card using teal ink.
7. Tie twine around and use button in the knot. Add two more buttons on either side.

Products:

• Ranger Distress Ink - Pine Needle
• Penny Black - Natures Dance
• Verses Rubber Stamps - Apache Blessing
• Tim Holtz - Borderline Mask
• Heidi Swapp - Mask Floral
• Judikins Metallic Copper Embossing Powder
• Ranger Embossing Powder - Lettuce
• Versmark Watermark Ink
  

Thanks for stopping by...

Lace Challenge on SOF....

Still playing with Stamptoberfest challenges over at Two Peas...

SOF Lace Challenge: http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/userblogpost.asp?id=39658

I knew I would play along with the lace challenge.... Who can resist lace and the images that lace brings to mind.... The only real challenge is they wanted a holiday card with lace and this takes me to the card I already made with lace and holly and berries... So I tried a different path...


















Recipe:

1. Background paper: The background was made with the distress re-inkers. I put 4 or 5 drops of tattered roses in a mini mister full of water. Drenched a piece of paper and added the salt to draw the color in concentrated areas. The next step was to wait for it to dry and rub off all the stuck on salt.
2. Ink the stamp with Versamark Watermark Ink and stamp in a row across the paper until the entire background is covered. Heat Emboss with tan embossing powder.
3. I then used the EK Success corner rounder. It has a guard you can remove which then allows you to create a half circle on the edge of the paper. The first scallop you punch doesn't have to be lined up anyhwere specifically. The second half circle you want to try to line up the end of the paper scallop in the left side of the punch. You want to do this with bottom of the punch facing you. Play with this on scrap paper the first time you try it. (or in my case 3 or 4 times to feel comfortable)
4. Then I decided I wanted to stamp on top of the patterned background. The only issue is that the embossing powder I used was a distressed embossing powder which means it has a texture and doesnt' take the ink very well. So I decided to use acetate. I pulled out my acetate and my StazOn inks and stamped all the images.
5. The sentiment ended up being mounted because I stamped it on the acetate and the lines of the words are to fine and didnt' show up clearly. So I re-stamped on a left over piece of the background. Whenever I make background paper I usually do the full sheet and save the extra pieces.
6. The rest of the card is putting bits and pieces together. The lace hids where I attached the acetate to the background paper.

Products:

• Hero Arts Design H4946 Long Branch
• Hero Arts F4899 Bird in a Cage
• StazOn - Olive Green, Jet Black
• Versafine Onyx Black
• Stampendous TC55 Holiday Quad Cube
• Ranger Distress Embossing Powder - Old Paper
• EK Success Corner Rounder Punch
• Penny Black 3028F - Joy, Hope...
  

I really like how this card turned out. I hope you enjoy it too..

Shhh.... Stamptoberfest Challenge...

Stamptoberfest is an event hosted on Two Peas by some of the stampers. Here is the link to the master thread on the event: http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/mb.asp?cmd=display&thread_id=2629323

All the different stampers over there host different challenges and provide RAKs.
I had so much fun at their last event that I decided to host a challenge myself for Stamptoberfest.

The challenges start Friday and stay open all week. My challenge is Unique Embellishments. You need to create a card, layout, ATC, Moo, arch with a unique embellishment. I was working on my sample this weekend and I am going to share it right now.

Shh... This will be posted on Two Peas on Friday but you get to see it today. :)

My unique embellishment is this beautiful brooch. I don't even remember when or where I purchased it.

I think I bought it because it was on clearance and I thought wouldn't it be wonderful to put this on a card to someone...

Well someone special is going to get this for their birthday.. (My sister Jodie has a birthday coming up) She is an artist and always dressing in vintage clothing. I hope she likes the card and the brooch.

The other thing about this card is that it opens differently. I think it is fun and different but my ever so logical husband asked... But you have to untie the ribbon and where are the words... Here is what the inside looks like:

Recipe:

1. Cut a 11" x 5" green cardstock rectangle. Score at 2" and 9" on the length of the card.
2. Using the threading water punch border punch the sides of the card.
3. Cut a 5" x 4 1/2" ivory cardstock. Emboss using the Cuttlebug Embossing folder. Ink the embossing with light green dye ink.
4. Cut a brown cardstock 5 " x 4 1/2" and mount on the center of the inside of the card.
5. Attach the embossed ivory rectangle on top of the brown cardstock.
6. Cut slits in the front flaps on the card. Measure 1" in from the outside of the card and 2" down from the top of the card. Cut a 1" slit for ribbon. Pull the ribbon around the outside of the card in through the slits into the card.
7. Cut 2 2"x5" brown cardstock and stamp the birds and swirls with Versamark Ink. Heat emboss with green embossing powder. Accent with light green gems.
8. Attach the brown pieces to the folds on the front of the card over the ribbon.
9. Stamp the sentiment on ivory cardstock using green ink. Cut to a rectangle. Cut a slightly larger rectangle from brown cardstock. Attach the sentiment to the brown cardstock. Center the sentiment behind the ribbon and attach to the embossed background.
10. Tie the ribbon in a bow and attach the brooch.

Products:

• Hero Arts DesignBlock - Poinsettas and Birds
• Hero Arts Clear Designs - Birthday Messages
• Cuttlebug Embossing Folder - Birds and Swirls
• K&Co Gemstones, Hero Arts Gemstones
• Ribbon - Michael's
• Versamark Watermark Ink
• Ranger - Embossing Powder - Lettuce
• Ranger - Distress Ink - Peeled Paint
• Memento Dye Ink - New Sprout

We will all have to sign on the side of the card as to not ruin the look. But I think she will appreciate the layout of the card and how it is different. I also thought of making the embossed piece on the inside a card that opened up. But I like the secret message under the bow and brooch.

Please come on over to 2 Peas and play along on any of the challenges! If nothing else come and check out the gallery with all the great stamping projects people will post for the challenges.

Thanks for visiting.

Shabby Chic...

The Hero Arts Challenge this week
http://heroarts.com/blogs/club/2008/09/15/ribbons-and-lace-and-pearls-oh-my/
is to create a holiday card that is shabby chic.

I created this card first:
and thought it was more country than shabby chic...
I was then inspired to create this:

There wasn't much to this recipe but I will include the products.

Products:

• Hero Arts DesignBlock Poinsettas & Birds
• Hero Arts - Merry Christmas
• Cuttlebug Embossing Folder - Birds & Swirls
• StazOn Solvent Ink - Timber Brown
• Marvy Uchida - Tag Punch
• Martha Stewart Doily Lace Border Punch
• Kaisers - Pearls (I really like their pearls and gems... They tend to go on easier and not lose their glue)
• Versamark Watermark Ink
• Ranger Distress Embossing Powder - Vintage Paper