DTGD + OCL

I am so honored and privileged to be invited to make a sample for my friend, Bev Rousch, for her Dare to Get Dirty challenge!  My project is a combination of some old favorite OCL stamps and some brand new Authentique designer paper on a black "manilla" envelope for Halloween...it was a whole lot of fun, and it's a two-fer, also for this week's OCL challenge to use banners on your project. Perfect timing!  :)  

Access to the DTGD challenges is one of the privileges of being a SCS fan club member!  I hope you will join and play along!  Instant uploads and access to the monthly Dirty Dozen gallery are other perks, so membership is definitely worth it!

Before you go, be sure to check out the Our Craft Lounge challenges! A new challenge is posted on the OCL blog each Friday.  Our design team creates some fabulous projects to inspire you.

While I used old favorites on my card today because I couldn't wait to use my new Halloween paper, we *just* released three new stamp sets, so look for those if you missed the blog hop earlier this week!

Notes:

black "manilla" mailing envelope

Authentique Enchanting designer paper and companion alphabet stickers

Our Craft Lounge stamps:  Mummy X-ing, Granny's Potion (spider), On the Fence (bat)

Memento Tuxedo Black ink

Copic markers

Queen & Co Trendy Tape

Maya Road vintage kraft flag pins

Studio Calico wood veneer hearts

Flower Soft ultrafine moss green

black twine

More New OCL!

I'm back with another OCL card which is also a Dare to Get Dirty challenge from Angela.  This is one of those rare "stamped only, no-coloring" cards!  Look Ma, no Copics!  ;)

The colors and design of this Olde World map designer paper provide a great backdrop for this romantic sentiment from Miles to Go!  I added Tim Holtz metal trinkets and some stamped accents from Vintage Traveler.  I actually had planned to use a Copic-colored line art image in place of the key hole accent, but changed my mind at the last minute!  This has more contrast and adds some vintage character!

Remember to visit the OCL blog for all the details about prizes!  Visit SCS to find out more about the DTGD challenges!

Notes:
OCL's Miles to Go sentiment, accents from Vintage Traveler
Memento ink
Ranger distress inks
Tim Holtz Idea-ology metal trinkets
two-toned satin ribbon
jute thread 
Kaiser Craft latte pearl
button

New from OCL!

Our Craft Lounge is releasing some fun new stamps, so today our team is hosting a blog hop to share and celebrate!  You can see the full color panels for each set on the OCL blog and order the stamps directly from OCL but before you shop, hop through our designers' blogs to see what great ideas they have come up with for using these fabulous sets. 

 We're giving away some prizes for the comments you leave from now through Friday on our blog posts, the OCL blog posts and the OCL Facebook page.  Look for the details on the OCL blog!

Also, mark your calendar for next week, because we will be back with more fun stuff!  :)

My card for today reminds me of a trip my family took the summer before my senior year of high school.  We drove from Louisiana to California, stopping at most of the major national parks along the way, including the Alamo, Carlsbad Caverns, the Grand Canyon, and finally Sequoia/King's Canyon, where my brother was working as a young US Forest Ranger.  It was the best trip of my young life, and I'm very grateful I have gotten to revisit some of those places in the years since then!  I would love to take my son on that same journey!  

I used a combination of Copic markers and paper piecing with Echo Park This and That Charming designer paper to design my Happy Camper, although the Copic markers match so well you may have trouble telling which is which.  The sky was sponged in using a scalloped circle mask and Clearsnap ink.  The various destinations are cut from the designer paper.  Of course, for young kids, a road trip seems to take forever, so this "Are we there yet" sentiment is particularly appropriate!  I inked it with Memento ink, then went over the dotty parts with a fine-tipped marker and accented it with a  "butterfly" bow of brown jute.

I'm happy that I can submit this card for Stacy's Make Mine Masculine DTGD challenge!  

• Amber Hillman
• Broni Holcombe
• Deb Felts
• Debbie Corbari
• Debbie Fisher
• Joy Stagg
• Kendra Wietstock
• Lori Barnett
• Melissa Cash
• Michelle Pearson
• Stephanie Serrano
• Tammie Edgerton

Gina K Inspiration Hop and DTGD!

Were you able to join us for last night's Gina K Designs release party?  Whew, that forum was hoppin'!  Forget dinner,  bathroom breaks, or even taking your time to reply!  Do that and you're 5 pages behind!  ;) SUCH a blast, so much great inspiration, and a chance to really get to know each other.  I love that!  If you missed it, you can still check it out!  Hey, even if you were there, it all happened so fast that you might want to take another look!

Today we're sharing projects made with the new StampTV kit, Falling for You!  My card also features the Origami Diamond Fold that my dear friend and current SCS Dirty Girl, the Wickedly Wonderful Wendy shared with me for a challenge she's hosting (are you a Fan Club Member?  you need to be!).  This cool fold features a flap that tucks into a little diamond-shaped pocket formed by a few score lines...Wendy's video tutorial is easy to follow and the fold is quick and fun to do!  It starts with an 11-inch square of designer paper.

That cute plaid-bellied frog was stamped on a scrap of white card stock and colored with Copic markers, then cut out and popped up with foam dots.  For the focal image and sentiment panels, I layered some Pure Luxury card stock squares cut and embossed with large and small  classic square Nestabilities.

Another image from the set adds a little interest to the inside.

In this view you see can the little pocket for the flap and what the card looks like when opened.  The little button-embellished gingham bow is for accent only since the diamond-shaped pocket holds everything securely closed.  Thanks, Wendy, for teaching us such a fun, cute fold!

Notes:

Pure Luxury card stock

Falling for You StampTV kit

Memento Tuxedo Black ink (time to re-ink mine!)

Large and small classic square nestabilities

Pop dots

Mono Multi adhesive (I use this glue on nearly every card I make!)

MS edge punch

11-inch square of designer paper*

gingham ribbon

button

jute thread

*I much prefer the scale of 6 x 6 or 8 x 8 inch printed designer paper pads for card-making but still use 12 x 12 scrap-booking designer paper for making cards with special folds!

There's lots of inspiration here!

• Gina K
• AJ Otto
• Carolina Buchting
• Cathy Tidwell
• Deb Felts
• Donna Baker
• Emily Giovanni
• Giovana Smith
• Janice Whiting
• Jennie Harper
• Jimmi Mayo
• Lee Murphy
• Melanie Muenchinger
• Michelle Woerner
• Sharon Harnist
• Suzanne Dean
• Tami Mayberry
• Theresa Momber
• Tina Gilliland
• Vicki Dutcher

Dare to Get Dirty!

It's Dare to Get Dirty week at Splitcoaststampers!  The Dirty Girls and Dirty Dozen Alumni are thrilled to host some fun challenges for our fan club friends...we're hoping to inspire you and get your MOJO flowing!  If you're not a fan club member yet, you can find out about it here!  We hope you'll join us!  You don't wanna miss this fan-club-exclusive event!

I combined this week's OCL sketch with Christine's DTGD challenge for this simple, summer-time card.  All supplies are from i {heart} papers.

Notes:

OCL's Growin' with Granny

Memento ink

Copic markers

Platinum Sparkly Fluff

Echo Park For the Record designer paper

Basic Grey buttons

Burgundy double-faced faux suede ribbon

Zva Creative dimensional adhesive dots

Combining Challenges

The Dare to Get Dirty challenges are going strong over on SCS, and today is also a new sketch on the OCL blog, so I decided to combine a them for today's card.   I considered trying to fit it in for Dawn's Friday Free 4 All too, but because I chose to go with warm colors, I couldn't make that one fit!

This set is one of my favorite sets for Spring...it is a great fit for Anna's, Joan's, and Melanie's DTGD challenges.  The Joy Ride designer paper and button are just perfect with this image!  The button says "Dreams become reality" and that is exactly what happens when a seed that was dormant begins to grow! I love little details like that!  ;)

Notes:
Cosmo Cricket Joy Ride designer paper and button
Our Craft Lounge Hoppin' into Spring stamps
Memento Tuxedo Black ink
Copic markers
Jute thread
SU and GinaK card stock
Sewing machine

Sew Fabulous!

Today it's my turn to host one of the Dare to Get Dirty challenges!  This was such a fun card to make using Asela's set, Sew Pretty, which she so generously gave to me...I'm so blessed that she does this quite often!  She is so sweet to share, and I am amazed at her talent!  Love you, girlfriend!

This image is a combination of paper piecing and Copic marker coloring/shading.  I just love it because it reminds me of the days (before child, LOL) when I sewed all of my own clothes...I loved browsing those big thick books for a pattern to use!

I've been on a Thrift Shop roll lately!  I kept this one monochromatic, adding lots of sponging and stitching to add some interest.  I wanted it to inspire thoughts of dainty, lacy feminine things, pearls, and corsages...and I just love how this rolled flower came out!  I am still debating whether to add a little dusting of clear Stickles sparkle to it!  You can barely see the pearl tucked deep into the center of it.  I'm in love with that gorgeous crinkle ribbon!  It makes the prettiest bows!

Notes:
October Afternoon Thrift Shop designer paper
Nestabilities classic rectangles
Memento Tuxedo Black ink
Copic markers
Tim Holtz tea-dye distress ink
Crinkle crepe ribbon
Kaiser pearls
MS border punch
Singer sewing machine

Here's another Dare to Get Dirty card that combines a couple of challenges.  Don't you just love the prints from Basic Grey's Olivia?  Inspired by this Lizzie Anne sentiment, I trimmed a trio of designs into one inch squares to make a little quilt with multiliner faux stitches.  A few colorful buttons, a little bit of black jute fiber (separated into single strands) and a bold black bow really brighten this CAS design.

Surprise!

Here's a project that I made as a sample for the Dare to Get Dirty challenge that Holly's hosting today! Thank, Holly, for inviting me to play! 

The polka dots from The Girls' Paperie that I used on my last project were still on my desk, and they just seemed to go with this image!

I had the worst time getting a photo angle on this that would show you what it's all about!  It is a cool little origami gift box with a belly band that sports a cute beach scene using Our Craft Lounge's Beach Days.  The box sides flip up to meet at the center, and when closed, the belly band hides the "seam."  Here's what it looks like opened.  The instructions for the box are on the Scor-Pal website.

Notes:
Scor-Pal
Memento Tuxedo Black ink
Copic markers
The Girls' Paperie designer paper
Red grosgrain ribbon

Another Dirty Challenge Card!

This is a combo card for Dare to Get Dirty Challenges hosted by Jeanne and Kim. I used some beautiful October Afternoon Thrift Shop designer paper, one of my favorite Lizzie Anne Designs stamps (January's mix, From the Heart), Memento ink/Copic markers, embellishing with stitching, a trio of buttons and a big red bow.  The floral design and inked edges lend a vintage feel to the design.

Additional notes:
Nestabilities classic ovals
Tim Holtz tea dye distress ink
jute thread

Access to the Dirty Dozen gallery each month, and the annual Dare to Get Dirty challenges are some of the perks to being a fan club member,so if you aren't one, you should be!  Check it out!

"Dirty" White Space

Ryann is hosting one of today's SCS Dare to Get Dirty challenges,to embrace the white space, so I stamped this cutie using two Lizzie Anne sets.  The watermelon image is from Simply Sweet, and the sentiment, a perfect match for it, is from this month's mix, Turn Toward the Sun.  Love that giant green satin bow! 

This was SUCH a fun challenge!  Thanks, Ryann!

Lizzie Anne Design Team Challenge

On the 17th of each month, the Lizzie Anne Designs girls participate in a design team challenge. This month our challenge is to use a product on your card that is not a typical go-to product for cardmaking.

At first I thought I'd use a birthday candle, but the only one I had was a big thick number 3.  Nevermind that!  Then I decided to use some beads for a bookmark, but I didn't really like the way that turned out.

Finally I went digging in my craft stash through all the stuff I normally use for wood-working.  I found this thin gold wire,which inspired me to use this cute bee and matching sentiment from the sixlet, Great Expectations.

I pulled several other things out of the stamping stash...I've had the ghost flowers for forever, and bought this "cute" ribbon right back in February when Lucky You (and the bee tree) was released.  The Max and Whiskers designer paper and paper tape trim are more recent purchases.  I also used Memento ink, Copic markers, and eyeliner black Sparkly Fluff.

It made me smile when I saw that the very first Dare to Get Dirty 2010 challenge (Lost and Found) fits right in with today's LAD DT challenge.  Current and former Dirty Dozen girls will be hosting challenges through the weekend and beginning of the week, so be sure to check them out and play along!  It is gonna be a bunch of fun!

Be sure to visit the LAD blog to see who's playing along in today's DT challenge...can't wait to see what they came up with!

Moved by the Music

I had so much fun participating in DTGD last year, and this year I'm beyond excited to be a Dirty Girl hosting a challenge! When choosing mine and looking back at previous themes for ideas to revisit, the one that grabbed my attention was For a Song. Since my blog is titled With a Stamp and a Song, the choice was obvious!

I listen to lots of music, and I often get stuck on a certain song that remains a favorite for a long time! My current favorite is When the Saints, by Sara Groves. I love the melody, am inspired by the lyrics, and as someone who loves to sing I keep wondering how she sings such long phrases...does the girl ever breathe?! LOL! For those of you who've never heard it, here are the lyrics. You can click play to hear it as you read along!

When the Saints by Sara Groves
Lord, I have a heavy burden of all I've seen and know.
It's more than I can handle
But Your Word is burning like a fire shut up in my bones
and I can’t let it go

And when I'm weary and overwrought
with so many battles left unfought

I think of Paul and Silas in the prison yard
I hear their song of freedom rising to the stars
And when the Saints go marching in
I want to be one of them

Lord it's all that I can't carry and cannot leave behind
it all can overwhelm me
but when I think of all who've gone before and lived the faithful life
their courage compels me

And when I'm weary and overwrought
with so many battles left unfought

I think of Paul and Silas in the prison yard
I hear their song of freedom rising to the stars

I see the shepherd Moses in the Pharaohs court
I hear his call for freedom for the people of the Lord

And when the Saints go marching in
I want to be one of them
And when the Saints go marching in
I want to be one of them

I see the long quiet walk along the Underground Railroad
I see the slave awaken to the value of her soul

I see the young missionary and the angry spear
I see his family returning with no trace of fear

I see the long hard shadows of Calcutta nights
I see the sister standing by the dying man’s side

I see the young girl huddled on the brothel floor
I see the man with a passion come and kicking down that door

I see the Man of Sorrow and his long troubled road
I see the world on His shoulders and my easy load

And when the Saints go marching in
I want to be one of them
And when the Saints go marching in
I want to be one of them
I want to be one of them
I want to be one of them
I want to be one of them

So my challenge to you is to be inspired by your favorite song, or by your love of music in general! Let the lyrics and the music move you...I chose this song because I absolutely love it. I had the perfect stamp for it (from Flourishes), and wanted to incorporate elements of my Louisiana heritage into the card so that it would also work for the old familiar version of the song, O When the Saints Go Marching In. Crank up the volume and get to work! ;) I'll be excited to see what you come up with!

DTGD/LSC Combo Card

I hope you're having fun playing Dare to Get Dirty challenges! I have been working mostly on cards for upcoming design team commitments, but I did squeeze in one DTGD/LSC combo card. The set I used, The Journey, was a gift from Asela (thank you so much! I love it and have had so much fun with it already!). This was an interesting project for me, because while I have used my red Prisma colors a lot on various images, I realized today that this is probably the first time I've used red as the dominant color. It took me a while to get the shading and highlights that I wanted, and even still, I think I need a lot more practice! You can tell that my stitching needs a bit of refining too! I keep teasing fellow-dirty-girl Kim Teasdale that she needs to tutor me, but I'm seriously hoping she'll teach me some of her tricks for such perfectly even stitching! Until then, I'll keep muddling along!

My card is constructed of Ruby Red, Creamy Caramel, and white SU card stock sponged with a bit of Tim Holtz distress ink. I used a silver gel-pen for the grill, headlights, mirror and hubcaps of the truck, so I decided to add a mat of metallic silver paper and some silver brads as accents. The tag was made with a Nestabilities die and was tied with a small scrap of May Arts two-tone ribbon, both from i {heart} papers.

This image makes me smile because it reminds me of my brothers...they love to refurbish old vehicles, and in fact, my brother Tom had a truck that was similar (probably older) to this one. So often I find images for stamping that remind me of sentimental, special things!