Girl Talk

     Been missing quite a bit of this past week.  I was taking the time to enjoy the weather and putter around the house with a few things.  This time of year makes me want to get organized---not that it usually happens or at least not for long.  LOL

     I really enjoyed coloring those pears a couple of weeks back and I decided to get my pencils out again and play with some of my very neglected Lili of the Valley stamps.  This one is called "Best Friends".

     I'm not really all that happy with the card.  I think I overdid the sky and I was clueless about how to finish off the bottom section of the wall.  I still have a lot to learn about coloring with pencils period, but it was fun anyway.

     Here's a closer shot.  Don't look to closely cause you'll find something wrong for sure.

     I've used the sketch from Deconstructed Sketch #143.
     Have a great week!

Supplies:
Paper--My Mind's Eye "Collectable--Remarkable", Recollections, Georgia Pacific
Stamp--Lili of the Valley "Best Friends"
Ink--Memento Tuxedo Black, Prismacolor Pencils and odorless mineral spirits
Tools--Nestabilities Squares, MFT Die-namics Fishtail Flags Stax
Miscellaneous--Walmart buttons

A wish for spring

     Spring, spring, our azaleas are in full bloom as well as the wisteria and I had a gorgeous purple petunia outlined in white open today in my planter.  Our beekeepers bees are filling my yard with there buzzing and the March wind is definitely roaring like a lion.  LOL  We want to see YOUR spring cards for this weeks challenge at Papercraft Star.

     For my card, I've pulled out one of my Lili of the Valley rubber stamps and colored the image up with Copics and Prismas.  I'm really enjoying the combination of the two mediums together.  There's more gorgeous MME papers.  Guess I should have warned you that you might need some sunglasses for this one.  LOL  I added lots of Stickles and some puff paint on her dandelions.

     We'd love to have you play along this week for your chance at some great digital downloads from our sponsor, The House Across the Bay.  It's Anitra's turn to showcase some images this week and you really need to pop over to the PCS blog and check out her project along with the rest of the DT.  There is some awesome inspiration to be seen there.

     I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Going Grey with Scrap-Creations--flowers

Incy Wincy--things with wings

Paper Creations Ink--things with wings

Let's Ink It Up--show us your flowers

Paper Sundaes--color palette

Sugar Creek Hollow--layers

Colour Create--color palette

     Happy Wednesday!

Supplies

• Papers:   My Mind's Eye "Ooh La La--For Her", Bazzill, Copic XPress-it Blending card
• Stamp:  Lili of the Valley "Dandelion Clock"
• Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Copics, Prismacolor pencils and OMS, Marvy Uchida white gel pen
• Tools:  Nestabilities Standard Circles large and Classic Scalloped Circles Large, MFT Die-namics Fancy Flourish
• Miscellaneous:  Recollection pearls, Cotton Candy and Crystal Stickles, Prima and Recollections flowers, Tulip Puffy paint, paper doily from my stash

Light My Way

     I was lucky enough to win this beautiful stamp a while back on the AMAZING Bev Rochester's blog.  Her work with Lili of the Valley stamps is out of this world gorgeous. 

     When I saw that the new challenge for the Color challenge group at The Outlawz was silver, white and celestial blue, this stamp was the first thought that popped in my head.  So I dug it out for its initial inking and I was off.  This is another for fun card.  Actually, its another "I need more Christmas cards!" card.  LOL

     The base is a pretty Bazzill color called Whirlpool.  The mat is plain white cardstock that I ran through the Textile embossing folder.  The DP's are from MME and the image is done in Distress inks.  I couldn't get the card to photograph too well.  My light box was reflecting everything off all of that shiny silver and it made her dress looked more washed out than it is.  The stars are done in glitter and her wings are covered in Diamond Stickles.

     I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges: 

ABC Christmas Challenge--anything Christmassy

Creative Belli-winter and Christmas

Divas by Design--anything goes

Flutter By Wednesday--open challenge plus angel, fairy or butterfly

Simon Says Stamp--photo inspiration
Bearly Mine--non-traditional Christmas colors

Creative Card Crew--tis the season

The Stamping Boutique--non traditions Christmas colors

Tuesday Throwdown--celebrate the season

Craft Your Passion--anything goes plus glitter

The Crafty Bloggers Network--shades of winter

Incy Wincy Designs--non traditional Christmas colors

Seems a Little Sketchy--sketch

Addicted to Stamps--Christmas card

Let's Ink It Up--Christmas

Stampin' Sisters in Christ--use an angel

Sugar Creek Hollow--non traditional Christmas colors

Fairy Fun Fridays--use white and something blue

Wags 'n Whiskers--snow angels

     Have a fabulous week!

Supplies

• Papers:  My Mind's Eye Lost and Found Portabello Road, Bazzill, Georgia Pacific,  Strathmore 90 lb. watercolor paper
• Stamp:  Lili of the Valley "Angelic Candle", Papertrey Ink "Mixed Messages"
• Ink:  Distress inks, Brilliance Starlite Silver Dew Drop, BG01 Copic for pearls
• Tools:  Martha Stewart Holly punch, Cuttlebug and Textile embossing folder
• Miscellaneous:  Dritz Cheesecloth, The Paper Studio pearls, Kraft Outlet White Round Metal Edge tag, Diamond Stickles, silver glitter from my stash, Celebrate It ribbon and trim

Let It Snow

     We want to see Christmas cards this week at The Kraft Journal.  Hope you've gotten a good start on yours already.  That clock is a tickin'!
     My card was created with a Brown Kraft cardstock base, matted with Buff Ivory.  I've used designer papers from Lily Bee Designs. 
     I've never tried to make a card like this before.  It may be hard to tell in the top photo, but the center circle has been removed from the front piece of the card and the image is attached to the inside of the card base.  Here's a side view.

     I cut a scalloped circle of the Buff Ivory to go around the opening and frame the image.  For embellishments I used some Jenni Bowlin banner chipboard pieces which I covered in DP and added puffy paint to for a snow effect.  I also used the paint around the circular opening.  The banner pieces are threaded on Red Baker's Twine.  The snowflakes were punched from glittered paper and attached to the card with glittered snowflake brads.  I used a White Round Metal Edge tag for the sentiment and added a Christmas Epoxy brad through the tag hole.      James the bear was the first image I colored when I started playing with my distress inks and he's just been biding his time for me to put him on his own card.
    I'd like to enter my card into the following challenges: 

Craft Your Passion--anything holiday or winter related
Hooked on Craft--Winter wonderland
My Craft Spot--Christmas through the window
Ooh-La-La Creations--lots of sparkle
Addicted to Stamps--Christmas card
Fashionable Stamping Challenge--I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
2 Sisters--holiday
Allsorts--pennants or bunting
Stamp, Scrap, and Doodle Saturdays--red, green, kraft, white/cream
Phindy's Place--a sprinkling of snow
The Poodles Parlour--Christmas
Totally Papercrafts--Christmas
4 Crafty Chicks--snowflakes
The House That Stamps Built/Designers Choice Challenge--snowflakes
Scrapbook Sisters--Christmas Time
Everybody-Art-Challenge--Christmas card
Oldie but a Goodie--let it snow
Party Time Tuesdays--snow us what you got
The Outlawz POM--anything goes

     Hope you can play along with this week's challenge and hopefully get another one of your Christmas cards done and ready to go out.  You just might win your own little Christmas present if you're our lucky monthly winner of the $15.00 store voucher to Kraft Outlet.
Blessings,


Kraft Outlet Supplies


Brown Kraft Cover Weight cardstock
Buff Ivory Cover Weight cardstock
Red Bakers Twine
Jenni Bowlin Chipboard banner pieces
White Round Edge Metal Tag
Christmas Epoxy brad


Other Supplies


Paper:  Lilybee Design, Colorbok glitter paper
Stamp:  Lili of the Valley "James the Bear In the Snow", Papertrey Ink Mixed Messages
Ink:  Distress inks, Marvy Uchida white gel pen
Tools:  Nestabilities Standard Circles large (S4-114) and Classic Scalloped Circles Large (S4-124), Martha Stewart snowflake punches and Cherish edge punch
Miscellaneous:  snowflake brads and glitter from my stash, Tulip puffy paint

Papers and Pixels Guest Article

     Last month I was approached by the editor and chief, Laura Boetto, of Papers and Pixels online crafting magazine and asked to do an article for the November edition.  I was honored and flattered to be offered the opportunity.  The following tutorial article was prepared for the magazine which is being published today.  Make sure you pop over to their website and check out all the great crafty ideas they share in their publication.  This is a subscription, but if you'll register you can go on the forum and look at some of the back issues to see exactly what they offer in each issue--lots of cools stuff from digital to regular paper crafting.
     So let's get started!
     I'm going to show you how to make a sliding tag card.  You can find a great tutorial for this type of card by Beate Johns on Splitcoast Stampers, but I wanted to show you how to do it with a different shape and size.  Here's a photo of the card when it's open.

Step 1:  Cut a card base 6” x 12” for a 6” x 6” card.  (You don't have to make a regular base for this card if you just want the slide out to be your complete message.  You'd just need a 6" x 6" square for the base.)Also cut as many mats you would like to include on top of your base card.  For my card I cut three mat pieces.

 Step 2:  For this card I chose to use a Martha Stewart punch around the page set to create the central mat of my card.  Depending upon which set you use, the inside measurement of your decorative mat piece will vary.  For this particular punch you have a four inch square to work in.  Photo #2 shows the particular measurements I used for my card.  These can vary depending upon the size of your image.  Mine measured 3” x 3’ including the double matting.

Step 3:  Mark out the measurements on you deco mat lightly with a pencil and then cut and score accordingly as shown in photo #3a.  I attached my deco mat to some cardstock for another mat at this point (#3b).  If you decide to do this also, make sure you only place glue around the edge of your deco piece.  You will cut through both layers of paper and then trim away the bottom layer of paper ONLY.  Make sure you only cut on three sides and score the other vertical lines.

 Step 4:  Cut a piece of regular copy paper ½” x 6” for a card stabilizer.  Also cut a tag just slightly wider than the cut out on your deco mat.  Turn the deco mat over to the back and apply adhesive to the small scored section at the bottom as shown in photo #4.

 Step 5:  At this time you would go ahead and decorate your tag.  Once decorated, take the copy paper piece and wrap it around the tag and secure the ends with adhesive.  Don’t make this too tight because you want your card to freely slide through it.

 Step 6:  Attach the copy paper piece to the top lip above the center cut and scored piece of you deco mat (this would be attached to the mat for the deco mat if you construct your card like mine).  Slide your tag through the loop (make sure it’s facing backwards) and attach it flush with the bottom of the small scored section on your deco mat.  When you flip the deco mat over, you can pull the tag up and the center scored section will make the mountain fold your image will attach to.

Step 7:  Cut designer paper pieces to frame the center pull out section.  Also cut pieces for the upper and lower scored sections on the pull out.  When attaching the pull out section make sure you only attach adhesive to the outside edges as shown in photo #7b.  You tag needs to be able to move freely for the animation of the card.

Step 8:  Assemble and embellish your card.

Hope you like the tutorial. :-)

I'd like to enter Mr. James into the following challenges: 

Forever Friends--Christmas is coming + animal

Cutie Pie Challenge--bears

Wags 'n Whiskers--Christmas

Crimbo Crackers--Christmas +sparkle

Pile It On--traditional Christmas

Have a blessed day!

Supplies 

• Papers:  Basic Grey Jovial, Bazzill, Recollections, Copic X-Press It Blending card
• Stamp:  Lili of the Valley "James Bear Pile of Presents"
• Ink:  Copics, Memento Tuxedo Black, Vintage Photo Distress ink
• Tools:  Martha Stewart Cherish punch around the page set, EK Success corner rounder, Tim Holtz Tiny Attacher
• Miscellaneous:  glitter, Offray ribbon, Prima poinsettia and leaves, Recollections pearls

Christmas Tag Tutorial for The Kraft Outlet

If you're looking for my Papercraft Star Challenge #55 post for today, please go here, and I have a for fun card posted here also.
     It's my turn again this week to bring a tutorial for the Kraft Journal readers so I have taken a step by step look at creating a special little holiday tag.
     For the first step I used a Mini Kraft Merchandise Bag and sliced off the fringy top at at angle.  I then used a decorative edge punch along the cut edge to create a cute tag pocket.  Since the bags are so thin, make sure you really squeeze your punch hard or you might even try adding an extra layer of plain paper to add a little thickness for punching.

     The large Grungy Prim Tags fit perfectly in these little bags.  I trimmed a small amount off of the bottom for my project.

      Next I stamped a Christmas tag stamp onto the Grungy Prim Tag with some sepia ink.

     I wanted to dress the tag up a little bit so I masked off the stamped area and used Versamark and embossing powder to add some snowflakes to the perimeter of the tag.

     To make the snowflakes pop, I sponged on a little Aged Mahogany Distress ink and then Vintage Photo and wiped the excess ink off of the embossing.

     To add some interest to the Buff French "Carte Postale" Postcard Shipping Tag, I used some gel medium to add torn pieces of Vintage Dictionary page to the tag.

     As you can see, some of the gel medium leaked out from under the Dictionary page, but I really like how it looks.  I inked the entire tag with Vintage Photo and then used Black Soot Distress ink to give it a singed look.  I stamped a postmark stamp using Fired Brick Distress ink in the corner.

     Time to put the tag together with all the little extras!
     First I added the punched pocket and tag.  I tied some Red Bakers Twine around the pocket.  Next came the little bear image that I matted on some Lunch Bag Kraft Cardstock.  On it's left, I tucked a little lace under the edge and glued on a Christmas Epoxy Brad which I broke the prongs off of.  The ticket was printed on my computer using a digi that my sweet friend Dana has for free on her blog here.  I just added the sentiment in Photoshop, printed it out in red onto some Brown Kraft Cover Weight cardstock, trimmed it, and used a ticket corner punch on the ends.  I added a piece of Twill Tying Tape through the postcard tag hole and last, but not least, some punched holly leaves complete with berry pearls that I colored with a Copic marker to match.  All the pieces were edged with Vintage Photo and Walnut Distress Stain inks.

      I'd like to enter James the bear into the following challenges:

Winter Wonderland--holly and/or ivy
Polka Doodles--Christmas in July
Class Act Insider--Christmas
Sugar Creek Hollow--tags
Stamptacular Sunday--pockets
Creative Inspiration Paints--inspired by Christmas
Creative Inspirations--Christmas in July
iCopic--anything but a card
Pollycraft Monday--Christmas in July
A Spoon Full of Sugar--tags

Hope you found something to try in the tutorial. Have a great week!


Kraft Outlet Supplies

Buff French "Carte Postale" Postcard Shipping Tags
Vintage Dictionary Pages

Twill Tying Tape
Grungy Prim Tag
Mini Kraft Merchandise Bag
Red Bakers Twine
Brown Kraft Coverweight cardstock
Lunch Bag Kraft cardstock
Christmas Epoxy Brads

Supplies from my stash that can also be purchased at Kraft Outlet

Vintage Photo Distress ink
Walnut Stain Distress ink

Other Supplies

Paper:  Copic X-Press It Blending card
Stamps:  Lili of the Valley "James Bear in the Snow", Recollections "Snowflake", Making Memories "Passport', Inkadinkado "Christmas Tag Wishes"
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Versamark, Versafine Vintage Sepia, Black Soot, Fired Brick, and Aged Mahogany Distress inks
Copics:  BV29, E02, E41, E43, E47, G82, R24, R46, R59, YG67
Tools:  Martha Stewart Holly punch and Eyelet Lace edge punch, Stampin' Up Small Ticket Corner punch, Marvy Uchida heat gun
Miscellaneous:  The Paper Studio pearls,  Stampendous White Opaque embossing powder,  Liquid Applique, Claudine Helmuth Studio Matte Finish Multi Medium gel, Diamond Stickles, lace from my stash

The Outlawz Copic Challenge Guest Designer #4

     The challenge this week at The Outlawz Copic challenge is Things with Wings so here's a Lili of the Valley image I've had for a while and finally inked up.  I had some 12 x 12 My Mind's Eye papers, but I just had to go out and buy the 6 x 6 pad (two actually LOL).  We'd love to have you come join in the fun of this weeks challenge with us.  Hope to see you there!

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Aud Sentiments--anything that will make someone smile/enjoy their day
Craft Us Crazy--anything goes
Do You Stack up?--wings
Dutch Dare--colour inspiration
Moving Along With the Times--cute and cuddly with a punch
Southern Girls--Happy Birthday
Crafts and Me--add a flower
Divas By Design--pastels
Flutterby Wednesdays--butterfly, fairy or angel
Ladybug Crafts Ink TLT--summer birthdays
Cupcake Inspirations--photo inspiration
Mark's Finest Papers--bright and cheery with pink, yellow, and green

Blessings!


Supplies

Papers:  My Mind's Eye, Coordinations, Georgia Pacific, X-Press It Copic Blending Card
Stamp:  Lili of the Valley "Birthday Fairy" and Stampendous "BDay Circles"
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black and  Bamboo Leaves
Copics:
            skin  E000, E00, E11, R20
            hair E31, E35, YR20
            clothing BG01, BG02, BG05, BG07, B000
            bear E31, E35, YR20, R20
            present G82, G94, Y04, Y28, Y32, R83
            shading  W1, W3
Tools:  Nestabilities Labels One (S4-161) and Classic Scalloped Circles Large (S4-124), Martha Stewart Vintage Floral edge punch and Frond punch, EK Success 1 1/2" Circle punch, sewing machine
Miscellaneous:  Jolee's pearls, Wild Orchid and Recollections roses, Michaels ribbon, Wright's pearl trim, Crystal and Waterfall Stickles

Guest Designer at Card Patterns

     I'm so excited to be able to share this card I made as a Guest Designer for Card patterns. If you'll remember back a few weeks, I posted a little peach and green ballerina. Well, that little sweetie won me a Top Six and Guest Designer spot for Card Patterns.

     The card is based on sketch #113 and I decided to go with another Lili of the Valley stamp.  This is another first inking and it's colored with Copics.  I've used some more of my fantastic K and Company Julianne paper pad.
     Here's the sketch.  It's a great one by Nina Brackett, and I'm sure they'd love for you to play this weeks challenge.
 

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Lili of the Valley--Love is in the air
Incy Wincy Designs--buttons and bows
Pink Elephant--color palette

Blessings!



Supplies

Papers:  K and Company Julianne, Bazzill, Recollections, Copic Express-it Blending card
Stamp:  Lili of the Valley "Times to Treasure"
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Forest Moss Distress ink
Copics:
            skin E000, E00, E11, R20
            hair E31, YR20, YR21
            girl's clothing RV10, RV11, R83, R85
            boy's clothing E41, E43, G82, G85, E31, E57
            book Y28
            bench E43, E47
            ground G82, G85
Tools:  Nestabilities Standard Circles Large, Classic Scallops Large, Classic Ovals Large, and Classic Scalloped Ovals large; Martha Stewart Frond punch, sewing machine
Miscellaneous:  paper doily, Wright's pearl trim, Kaisercraft pearls, Recollections mini roses, Basic Grey button, Offray ribbon

A peach and green ballerina

     The challenge this week at Lili of the Valley was to create something with a LOTV stamp using peach and green.  So here's another stamp that was sitting in my drawer never inked.  I'm almost as bad at hoarding my stamps as I am with hoarding paper.  LOL
     My ballerina is colored with Copics and surrounded by lots of pearls and pretty peach ribbon, some of which I tied on the thin green satin ribbon and some of which I made little ribbon flowers with.  The DP behind the image has a soft peachy floral papttern on it.  I also added a small amount of green chalking around the image and some peach glitter glue around the die cut.
     I'd like to enter this card in the following challenges:

Lili of the Valley--peach and green
Card Ideas--card for a young child
Card Patterns--sketch
Fussy and Fancy--a card for a child
Wags 'n Whiskers--ribbons and pearls
ABC--r is for ribbon
Flutterby Wednesdays--anything goes with butterfly, fairy or angel
Freshly Brewed--flowers
The Stamping Boutique--handmade flowers

     Hope you're having a wonderful weekend!
     Blessings!


Supplies

Papers:  Paper Pizazz, Bazzill, Recollections, Copic Express-it Blending card
Stamps:  Lili of the Valley "Little Ballerina", Martha Stewart "Butterflies"
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black
Copics:
            skin E000, E00, E11, R20
            hair E31, E35, YR20, YR21
            clothing R000, R00, R02, G40, G82, G94
Tools:  Nestabilities Standard Circles Large(S4-114) and Classic Scalloped Circles Large(S4-124), Martha Stewart Layered Arches edge punch and  Frond punch
Miscellaneous:  ribbon from my stash, Recollections pearls, Studio G glitter glue, Inkadinkado Blending Chalks

Best Friends

     This card was sooo much fun to make.  It feels like forever since I've really sat down and created something just for the fun of it.  I had made a card of this style for the Fred, She Said blog hop and had several requests for the instructions (you can scroll down a couple of posts to find the tutorial) so I needed to make another one for some instructional pics.  No use letting the parts and pieces go to waste so this is what came out of them.
     Sadly this is not the only Lili of the Valley stamp I have that hadn't been inked yet.  I hope to put the rest of them to use very soon.  This one is called "Best Friends" and it was a dream to color, especially since it got stamped on a piece of the brand new pack of Copic Express-it blending card I just got.  I've been using Gina K and there is a huge difference.  The Copic paper was incredible to blend on.  I was worried at first because everything seemed so dark, but as it dried or soaked into the paper it looked fine.
     For my papers I used a combination of DCWV and the gorgeous GCD Studios Ella Blue stack.  Love that brown and blue combination.  The rose on the front of the envelope is my first try at a new style of rose made using the Retro Flower punches.  I was pleased at how it turned out for a first try and I'm sure they'll get better with practice.  I colored some white cardstock with a couple of the blue Copics I used on the image so the rose and little flowers would match the image and papers.  I also used my Copics on the pearls.

     I was very happy with the image except for the hair.  I haven't got the hair techniques down yet, but I had lots of fun anyway.
     I'd like to enter this card in the following challenges:

Lili of the Valley--spring
ABC Challenge--roses (there's the one I made and the DP paper has blue roses on it)
Tuesday Throwdown--florals
House of Gilli--ribbon and pearls
Sugar Creek Hollow--stitching

This is my third post for today so if you missed anything please scroll down.
Happy Thursday!


Supplies


Papers:  GCD Studios Ella Blue, DCWV Luxury, DCWV cardstock, Recollections, Georgia Pacific, Copic Express-it Blending card
Stamp:  Lili of the Valley "Best Friends"
Ink+:  Frayed Burlap Distress ink, Waterfall Stickles
Copics: 
             skin E000, E00, E11, R20
             hair E50, E53, E57
             clothing B91, B93, B95, B97, E41, E43, W1, W3
             wall E71, E74, E79
             flowers Y32
Tools:  Nestabilities Classi Scalloped Circles Large (S4-124) and Standard Circles Large (S4-114), Martha Stewart Vintage Floral edge punch and Frond punch, EK Success Scalloped Scallop edge punch and Retro Flower punches, sewing machine
Miscellaneous:  Martha Stewart ribbon, Jolee's and Recollection pearls