PPRS March 2012 Sketch Challenge: In Dreams

Hi Friends! It's Prickley Pear time! Want to have a chance to win a $15 gift certificate to the Prickley Pear store? Okay! All you have to do is make a card based on this sketch, link it to the PPRS blog post by the end of the month, and you're in the running!

In honor of St. Patrick's Day, I used a lot of green in my take on this sketch:

Be sure to stop by the PPRS blog to be inspired by what the rest of the Design Team has to share with you, then create your own card and link it to the PPRS blog post. I can't wait to see what you come up with!

Thanks for visiting, and have a wonderful day!

~Hugs,

 

Stamps: Owl with Bird, In Dreams (Prickley Pear Rubber Stamps)
Paper: Origins (Basic Grey); vellum
Ink: Copic markers; Distress Ink
Dies: Big Scalloped Ovals, Classic Ovals (Spellbinders)
Accessories: Ribbon (Offray); faceted gems; sewing thread; Glossy Accents; Liquid Pearls
Size: A2 (4.25" x 5.5")

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Tuesday Morning Sketch Challenge #137: Lavender Birthday

Hi Blog Friends! Here we are back at Tuesday again, and time for another Tuesday Morning Sketch Challenge (TMS#137). This week, Jessica, of There She Goes Stamps, is sponsoring us, and it's also the Judged Challenge, so the added twist is: Monochromatic. 




Check out Melissa's sketch:

And, here's my interpretation:

I stamped the sentiment and cake image with Colorbox ink and set it with my heat gun before coloring with Copics. This card is for my daughter to give to a friend for her birthday, and my DD's one request was that I use a lot of Stickles, so I've used it on the cake and the two little candles in the sentiment to give the card a little sparkle. I wanted to add "pearls," but I think something is wrong with my Violet Pearl Pen. The dark purple dots on the small squares are the Pearl Pen. They wouldn't retain a pearl shape at all--just flattened completely out. I noticed while using it that it was very thin. Guess that one may never work right.

I loaded up the inside with more Stickles, but left most of it clean so my DD can sign it. 

If you'd like to enter two challenges at once, the current TSG challenge is a "Surprise" challenge, which means simply to add a surprising element to your card.  This could be a hidden message or pop up.  If you really stretch your imaginations - this card could really hit that WOW Factor.

Ready to play?  Good!  Because we're ready to see what you do with this.  Have fun and don't forget to go to the Tuesday Morning Sketches blog and link up your creation and leave some love for the team.  Be sure that if you want love left for you to turn off word verification.  And, if you do decide to add the TSG challenge go on over to the TSG blog to link up there, too.

Thanks for stopping by today!

~Hugs,

 

Stamps: Topsy Turvy Cakes (Just Rite)
Paper: Watercolor Bouquet (K&Co)
Ink: Colorbox; Distress Ink; Copic Markers
Dies: Classic Ovals Lg, Classic Scalloped Ovals Lg, Fancy Tags Three (Spellbinders)
Accessories: Dots, Circles & Stars embossing folder (Sizzix); Offray ribbon; metal flowers; Stickles; Pearl Pen; foam dots
Size: A2 (4.25" x 5.5")

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Tuesday Morning Sketch Challenge #136: Sweet & Sassy

Happy Tuesday, Friends! Yes, happy is a good word for Tuesday because it's time for a new Tuesday Morning Sketch (TMS136). This week's sponsor is Guylou's Inimitability Digistamps, and our very own Marie designed the sketch.

I used the Eve digistamp, and Eve reminds me of the 1970's, with her bellbottoms and giant dangly loop earrings. I had the perfect paper--Hippie Chic, from DCWV--so I decided to paper piece at least part of her outfit. You would think paper piecing would be difficult with a digital stamp, but it's not. For this image, I printed Eve onto a piece of white cs to use as my base. Then I printed the image again onto white paper. I had a piece of cs that had strips of different dp's on one sheet, so I cut out the section I wanted to use, taped it to the white paper, lining up the dividing line between the two different dp patterns with the line on the image just above Eve's knees. I ran the paper back through the printer, printing the exact same image onto the patterned dp, and then cut out the pants from the dp. I did all my Copic coloring before attaching the pants to the image, and I used Copics to add a touch of shadow to the pants.

I used gold and silver Stickles for Eve's earrings and necklace, and for the rest of the card, I used dp from the same Hippie Chic stack. I just love the retro look! I mostly stuck to the sketch, but I really wanted to use the orange plaid cs on this card, so I trimmed my image as much as I could, and added the plaid as an extra layer to frame the image. It completely changed the look of the card, and brightened it up a lot. The "Sweet and Sassy" sentiment is from a Just Rite stamp set called, Topsy Turvy Cakes. I embossed the oval with a navy embossing powder, stamped the sentiment in orange, sponged a tiny bit of color around the inside of the embossed oval, then covered the entire area inside the embossed area with Glossy Accents.

For the inside, I punched a border from the orange plaid dp and attached it to the top of white cs, matted with navy. Then, I stamped a "sassy" birthday cake image and "Celebrate" sentiment (both from the Topsy Turvy set) in the lower right corner. I used a yellow Copic to add just a few bright touches to the flowers on the cake. This would make a great birthday card for a teenage girl, I think.

This is such a fun sketch, and a gift certificate from Guylou's Inimitability Digistamps is up for grabs! Don't you want to play along with us! :) For all the deets, and some fab inspiration from the rest of the team, head over to Tuesday Morning Sketches. You have until Sunday at 8:00 P.M. EST to link your creation. 

I can't wait to see what you create! Thanks so much for stopping by my blog, and have a great week!

~Hugs,

 

Stamps: Eve (Guylou's Inimitability Digistamps); Topsy Turvy Cakes (Just Rite Clear Stamps)
Paper: Hippie Chic (DCWV)
Ink: Copic Markers; Distress Ink; Memento
Dies: Classic Rectangle Large, Classic Scalloped Rectangle Large (Spellbinders)
Accessories: Postage Stamp Edge Punch (EK Success); embossing powder (Stampendous); ribbon; Glossy Accents; Stickles; foam dots
Size: A2 (4.25" x 5.5")

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Tuesday Morning Sketch Challenge #135: What???

Hi Blog Friends! Can you believe it's already Tuesday again? Wow, the days really fly by, don't they? But, I love Tuesdays because it means we have another sketch for you at Tuesday Morning Sketches! I can't wait to show you the card I made with this week's awesome sketch, created by our own Melissa.

Digi Doodle Shop is sponsoring the challenge this week, and I used the most adorable Digi Doodle image for my card. It's called Twitty Diddle. He's a bird, maybe a pelican, and he appears to be just a little surprised, or maybe worried. Whatever he is, I love his expression. I colored him with Copics and used Glossy Accents on his eyes.


And, here's how I interpreted that deer-in-the-headlights look:

Whaaat?!? Don't you know that's what he's thinking? I had such fun with this card! I sewed all the layers down, cut the Fancy Tag out of chipboard, coated it with Mod Podge, then sprinkled it heavily with glitter and sprayed it with a clear gloss to keep the glitter from flaking off. I put Liquid Pearl dots on the perimeter of the image and popped it up onto the glittered tag, then popped the entire thing up on the card.

For the sentiment, I cut the letters with my Alpha Bubbles dies, colored them with a Martha Stewart glitter marker, then adhered them to the card with glue.

Here's a look at the popped up layers.

For the inside, I printed the sentiment, in a dark brown, onto a transparency and rubbed it onto white cs. I colored in the letters with Copics, in a gradient pattern of three shades of blue, then added Diamond Stickles for sparkle. I attached a scrap of dp left over from the front of the card and added Liquid Pearls to the motifs. The yellow doodling just above the dp is hand drawn with a fine tip marker. On a piece of blue cs, I scored lines along the edges, adhered the sentiment panel to it, then glued it into the card.

I can think of a dozen occasions for which I could send this card, for everything from encouragement to congratulations--even for a birthday! And, little Twitty Diddle is so stinking cute, I know he'd add a smile to someone's day.

So, will you join us for the sketch challenge? I sure hope so! You have until Sunday at 8:00 PM (EST) to link your creation, and one lucky winner will win a gift certificate to the Digi Doodle Shop! All the details are on the Tuesday Morning Sketches blog, and you can get more inspiration from the rest of the design team there, too.

Thanks for stopping by today. I hope you have a creative week!

~Hugs,

 

Stamps: Twitty Diddle--digital stamp (Digi Doodle Shop)
Paper: Hattie Papers (My Mind's Eye); Circa 1934 (Cosmo Cricket); Splendid (Authentique); chipboard
Ink: Copic markers; Distress Ink; glitter marker (Martha Stewart)
Dies: Labels Fourteen, Fancy Tags Two (Spellbinders); Alpha Bubbles (Sizzix)
Accessories: Seeing Spots embossing folder (Cuttlebug); rhinestones; sewing thread; glitter; Glossy Accents; Stickles; Liquid Pearls; foam dots; transparency (for making rub on letters)
Size: A2 (4.25" x 5.5")

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PPRS February 2012 Sketch Challenge: Heart Pocket

Hi there, Friends! It's the 15th, and you know what that means...Prickley Pear Sketch Challenge time! We've got a really cool sketch this month, that may have you thinking a little bit out of the box.

When I first saw all those circles, I immediately thought of buttons, or flowers, or some other grouping of round items--you know, the obvious choices. But, I don't always like to go with the obvious. So, for this month's challenge, I opted to think in hearts instead, with February being the month of love, and all. :)

I'll be interested in seeing all the different ways people interpret this sketch. The possibilities are endless. You can mosey over to the Prickley Pear blog to see what the rest of the design team came up with, then show us what you've come up with by linking your creation on the PPRS blog post by the end of the month. There is a $15 gift certificate up for grabs for one lucky participant!

Thanks so much for visiting me, and have a fantastic day!

~Hugs,

 

Stamps: Heart with Daisy's (Prickley Pear Rubber Stamps)
Paper: Summer Song (My Mind's Eye)
Ink: Distress Ink; Staz-On
Dies: Classic Hearts (Spellbinders)
Accessories: Love is in the Air embossing folder (Cuttlebug); ribbon (Berwick); Mod Podge; glitter; Stickles; Prismacolor pencils
Size: A2 (4.25" x 5.5")

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PPRS January 2012 Sketch Challenge: Cupid with Wings

Hello Friends! Did you get a chance to see some of the new Prickley Pear Red Rubber stamps during the blog hop the past few days? Aren't they great! I hope you'll have a chance to order some of them.

Well, the 15th always brings another fun PPRS sketch challenge, and this sketch is so cool. At first, I wasn't sure what I would do, because, this is one of those sketches that works no matter which way you turn it. But, once I turned it on it's side and found my lace, I was good to go.

With Valentine's Day just around the corner, and all those new stamps crying out for ink, I decided to use the new Cupid stamp and make a Valentine's card.

I used red sticky tape to adhere the lace to the main panel. It was really thick on that side, so I backed the rest of the entire piece with three layers of crimped cardstock. I use that method in lieu of foam dots a lot. It seems to work a lot better for large areas.

Isn't this Cupid adorable? Yeah, he runs around shooting people with arrows, but with that angelic face, wouldn't you have to forgive him? :)

I colored him with Copics and fussy cut around the edges, using my trusty razor knife for the interior sections. Then, to set him off from the busy red and white bg, I cut a piece of gray cs slightly larger for his shadow, and popped Cupid up on it. I put tiny dots of Glossy Accents on Cupid's eyes.

The heart was fun to make. I cut the heart and wings out with a Sizzix die, then edged the heart with a glitter marker and heat embossed the Be Mine stamp with white embossing powder. Using a very pale pink feather, I cut two small pieces and hot glued them to the back of the wings. This was a kind of ratty looking feather, but I liked that messiness on the wings.

So, now it's your turn. How will you interpret the sketch this month? I can't wait to find out. So, head on over to the Prickley Pear blog for all the deets on the challenge and to get seriously inspired by the rest of the design team's creations!

Have a fantastic week!

~Hugs,

 

Stamps: Cupid, Be Mine (Prickley Pear Rubber Stamps)
Paper: Yours Truly (Echo Park Paper); Basic White Paper Pad (Basic Grey)
Ink: Copic markers, Distress Ink
Dies: Heart with Wings (Sizzix)
Accessories: Zing embossing powder; glitter ribbon (Joann); lace; rhinestones; Glossy Accents; foam dots; glitter marker (Martha Stewart); feather
Size: A2 (4.25" x 5.5")

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A Prickley Pear New Release Party Blog Hop!

Welcome to Day Three of Prickley Pear's new release of Valentines and Steampunk themed Red Rubber Stamps!

To celebrate this new release we are having a three day long Blog Party with loads of inspirations by the Design Team and a give away! One happy participant will win a $15 gift certificate to the web shop. All you have to do is leave a comment on each of the participating blogs and tell us what you think about the new release. The last day to enter is Sunday, January 15th, at Midnight EST. The winner will be drawn randomly from one of the particpating blogs, and will be presented on the Prickley Pear Blog on Monday, January 16th.

For my blog hop card, I'm using the Mojo Monday 223 sketch and the January color palette from Kathy's Lily Pad Palette Challenge.

I chose the new Hearts ATC stamp and the True Love stamp for the front of my card.

  

I heat embossed the True Love sentiment with silver metallic embossing powder, however, it was difficult to see on the patterned paper. I really wanted it on that part of the card, so I took two different purple Copic markers and colored the embossed area. I like the result and it's nice to know I can match my embossing to just about anything this way, now. :)

I did a lot to the Hearts ATC stamp, but the photo doesn't do it justice. In person, it has an irridescent, almost translucent, dimensional look to it. To achieve that look, I first stamped it with a purple Colorbox pigment ink. Then, I colored the hearts randomly with Prismacolor pencils that matched the dp and used Gamsol and a blending stump to blend and soften the colors. Next, I spritzed it with silver Shimmer Spritz. After that dried, I saturated the entire thing with mineral spirits. (I'm not sure if that step actually did anything, but I gave it a try). Once the mineral spirits dried, I re-stamped the image with silver Colorbox ink, and again with Chipped Sapphire Distress Ink. I also sponged the Chipped Sapphire ink along the edges of the rectangle. I attached it to the main panel of the card with shiny silver eyelets. That's Crystal Stickles on the little white dots of the lavender circle die cut.

Here's a shot from another angle so you can see the layers and the dry embossed panel better. There is actually a fairly large heart embossed on the white layer, but the circles ended up covering it up.

For the inside of my card, I used a sentiment stamp called "Each Day." I used Spellbinders Edgeabilities to cut the brackets and hearts at the bottom of the sentiment panel.

Here's a close up of the decorative edge. I filled the open circles with peacock blue Stickles, and the open hearts with lavender Liquid Pearls.

And, that's it for my card. What do you think about the new stamps? Me? I love them! I'm going to take that Hearts ATC stamp and do some experimenting. It's so pretty just stamped and left uncolored, but I liked how much the image changed every time I did something else to it. Now, I want to try other things--maybe my Copics, some paint, chalk, nail polish...anything I can find. If I come up with something fun and funky, I'll be sure to share it with you. :D

In the meantime, don't forget to leave a comment on my blog about the new stamps, then be sure to visit the others on the Design Team to see what they've got to show you and leave comments on their blogs, too.

Kristii

Cheryl (that's Me!)

Ujjwal

Audrey

Remember, you have until Sunday at midnight to comment on everyone's blogs for maximum entries in the drawing. 

Thanks for stopping by today, and Happy Hopping! Good Luck!!!
 

Stamps: Hearts ATC, True Love, Each Day (Prickley Pear Rubber Stamps)
Paper: Violet Garden-Digital paper pack (Print Candee); Cafe Mediterranean (DCWV)
Ink: Colorbox; Distress Ink; Copic markers 
Dies: Std Circles Lg, Classic Scalloped Circles Lg, Classic Rectangle, Classic Bracket Edgeabilitiese (Spellbinders); Brackets (Tim Holtz & Sizzix)
Accessories: Love Is In the Air embossing folder (Cuttlebug); Zing silver metallic embossing powder; Prismacolor pencils; Gamsol; mineral spirits; ribbon; pearls; eyelets; sewing thread; Stickles; Liquid Pearls; Shimmer Spritz; foam dots
Size: A2 (4.25" x 5.5")

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Prickley Pear Rubber Stamps Monday: Hello Pretty Bird

Hi there, friends! And, Happy New Year! I hope you all had a fantastic holiday season! My DD got her much anticipated karaoke machine for Christmas and an unexpected "real" sewing machine. We're being serenaded at all hours of the day and night, and aprons and tote bags will probably be showing up around here in droves very soon. :)

My DH is recuperating quickly from his knee replacement surgery and even though I fell down the stairs a few days ago and sprained my foot and ankle (did I hear someone say "sympathy pains"?), I'm still able to hobble around, so it's not getting in the way of my cardmaking. Good thing, too, because it's the first Monday of the new year, and that means it's time for another Prickley Pear Rubber Stamps creation.

 

I used the Tuesday Morning Sketch # 126 for my card layout. I turned the sketch sideways and took a couple of liberties, but followed the basic design.

 The flowers on the right side of the card are the die cut negatives from the Lotus Border die cut. I filled the centers with two different colors of Stickles and edged each petal with Crystal Stickles after spritzing them with Shimmer Spritz. The die cut bird is adorned with Stickles, also. I heat embossed the word "Hello" in the birdcage with a green embossing powder.
 
The brown and white strips along the top of the card are strips of decorative tape. I've had it so long, it had lost all it stickiness, but it still worked fine with a few dots of glue.

 
I left the inside blank for a personal message. I just love tilted panels.
 
It's been two weeks since I posted a card here. I was afraid it was going to be really hard to get back into cardmaking, but one card is all it takes to get me excited about stamps and paper again.

Be sure to go by the Prickley Pear Rubber Stamps Blog and see what the other ladies on the Design Team have to get your creative juices flowing.
 
Thanks for stopping by today! And, may the New Year bring you good health, pure joy, and overflowing prosperity.
 
~Hugs,

 

Stamps: Bird & Birdcage (Prickley Pear Rubber Stamps); Everyday Sayings (Hero Arts)
Paper: Best of K&Co; The Basics (The Paper Studio)
Ink: Memento, Tim Holtz Distress Ink
Dies: Bird (Prickley Pear Rubber Stamps); Labels Thirteen, Labels Four, Bird Flourishes, Lotus Border Petites (Spellbinders)
Accessories: Glossy Accents; Shimmer Spritz; Stickles; Ribbon (Michaels); embossing powder (Adirondack); Pearl Pen; Decorative Tape (Heidi Swapp); foam dots
Size: A2 (4.25" x 5.5")

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PPRS December 2011 Sketch Challenge: Merry Christmas Poinsettia

Hi Blog Friends! It's the 15th, and that means it's time for another Prickley Pear Rubber Stamps Sketch Challenge. Here's December's sketch. I love the two sections of three stripes. There are so many ways you can go with that.

With Christmas only ten days away, I wanted to make at least one more Christmas card.

Now's your turn! Here are the rules:

**Make a card based on this month's sketch and link it up using the linking tool on the PPRS blog, no later than December 31, 2011.

**We'd love to see you use your PPRS stamps, but there are NO product restrictions--the challenge is open to everyone!

**The prize is a $15 gift certificate to the PPRS web shop! You can use it for Clear Stamps, dies, and best of all Red Rubber Stamps! Anything in the PPRS shop!

**One winner will be chosen by random.org for a $15 gift certificate to the Prickley Pear web shop!

How easy is that? For lots of creative inspiration from the rest of the design team, check out the Prickley Pear Rubber Stamp blog, then create your own interpretation of this sketch. Who knows, you may be starting off the New Year with a $15 gift certificate for PPRS goodies!

Thanks for stopping by today! I hope you get to do something crafty and fun this week!!!

~Hugs,

 

Stamps: Poinsettia Bunch, Merry Christmas 2 (Prickley Pear Rubber Stamps)
Paper: Susan Winget Glad Tidings (K&Co)
Ink: Copic Markers; Tim Holtz Distress Ink; Memento
Dies: Big Scalloped Ovals Sm, Classic Ric Rac Edgeabilities, Holly Accents (Spellbinders)
Accessories: Polka Dots embossing folder (Cuttlebug); Zing embossing powder; Pearl Pen; Stickles; Distress Stickles; Enamel Accents; foam dots
Size: A2 (4.25" x 5.5")

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