A Very Dotty Happy 18th!

Can you tell we are absolutely dotty about our neice and she has a special birthday!  Well in England anyway.  They really celebrate 18th and/or 21st birthdays.  The 21st is more traditional but 18th is really popular too especially as they finish secondary school and don't really graduate like we do in the US (They do national exams and get their results a few months later).

I used a couple of Gina K Stamps sets for this.  I stamped the greeting on the white die cut circles with a rainbow of memento colors.  I then stamped the shirt with the lady bug red on scrap paper and before I cleaned it off I added some metallic Tsukineko ink to the stamp and stamped again to keep the color and add a metallic sheen to the lettering on the T shirt.  I cut out the shirt and put foam tape on it.  I then used my Spellbinders dies to cut out circles in both white and black.  I cut and adhered them together adding the shirt to the front and decorating with rhinestones.  Then I made the background layout and decided to go overboard with the dots theme and emboss the background which meant four passes through the folder and machine with some hand embossing to tease out the dots that get smashed in the sides of the folders.

Time to attach the image circle using some more foam tape and of course I just had to add the rainbow dotty ribbon I already had in my stash!  I don't know if it works or not but I like it.  What about you?

Ingredients

Card size -8.5 x 5.5 inches

Cardstock - Neenah, The Paper Source, Georgia Pacific

Stamps - Gina K - Just So Sporty & Little Tees

Ink - Memento, Tsukineko

Accessories - Embossing Folder, Die cuts, Ribbon, Crystals

CAS Kentucky Wedding.

I saw this link on Paperlicious blog and remembered that I had seen the challenge whilst looking for inspiration for this card.  It didn't occur to me that I had actually used bling until I was blogging this so I am delighted to be able to "enter" this in CAS-ual Fridays challenge!

I took inspiration for this card from the invitation.  Basically I reversed the colors and used stamps from my collection to create a similar effect as the card but with a difference.

The colors for the wedding apparently are purple and blue.  I decided not to use the purple and just keep it simple.  Apparently the blue was chosen by the groom for UK basketball.  It really is a religion here.

I know a lot of people struggle with Wedding Cards but I think if you know the invitation is designed by the couple then it gives you more information than who and the venue - it gives you a style and reference point.  That said when I got married I had plain and simple black and white invitations.

This is what I came up with using the invitation as inspiration.  The damask stamps are from Clear Dollar Stamps and I think they mimic the original pretty well.

You can't really tell but after I colored the rings with Copics and then went over the top with some Tsukineko galaxy gold for a slight sparkle and of course the ladies ring need a "diamond" to sparkle too.  And I think that qualifies as "bling" on a CAS card!

What I really like though is the embossed border to just take it one step further than the original.

Ingredients

Card size - 8.5 x 5.5 inches

Cardstock - Neenah, Recollections

Stamps - Clear Dollar Stamps, Just Rite Stampers, See D's

Ink - Memento, Galaxy Gold

Color - Copics

Accessories - Spellbinders Nestabilities, Rhinestone (I just couldn't afford the diamond for a card!) and NO airbrushing - I might have to have a moment of silence.

Ipod and Jeans Birthday

Well, take a great card and a great stamp that you can't find anywhere and sulk about it for six months and this is what you come up with. However I digress and should start at the beginning...

In January I found this great blog entry Just Give Me Stamps and like everyone that sees a great card I HAD to have THAT stamp... well I search and search and no luck so I decided to think outside the box. I ordered a denim backgrounder from Cornish Heritage Farms.

I started this card with 2 sheets 5.5in x 8.5 in white GP cardstock that I wiped faded denim distressed ink over. I then took my denim stamp and stamped over the cardstock to get the jeans look. Playing with the Scor-pal I made gussetted folds the pocket would hold the "Ipod". I then stamped the stitching with Graphite black ink (and yes I hold my hands up that the stitching could have been neater but heck, these are old jeans *WINK*). Then with the cropadile I punched through the layers of the pocket and once in the upper right corner of the card base and attached the brads. Then I attached the front to my card base and stamped the See D's Happy Birthday greeting on the pocket with platinum planet.

Now on to the "Ipod" - I took a sheet of pearlescent cardstock and cut it at 3 inches. Then I took the Scor-pal and scored it at 6 inches and also 1.5 inches from the ends. The screen is blue pearlescent cardstock backed with black and the circles I cut with Quickutz cookie cutters circle dies (my circle Nestabilities came the day after I finished this!). I then got my Just-rite monogram Stamper out and made the sentiment for the screen. The folds on the inside of the ipod are just the right size to hold a nice check (cheque for you Brits) as well!

So I'm hoping that this is just about the perfect card for a teenager no matter what their interests are!

4th of July Birthday!!!

I guess I really should have more subtle titles - or maybe just sub titles as I know my brain and my thoughts don't always marry up!

Well today is a very special day - it is our entire little family unit's first 4th of July together or as the DH calls it Colonial Day. Honestly how can you argue with him! lol His uncle used to tease me that England were just seeing if the US could manage on their own... that was over 15 years ago, I think he may have been on to something. HMMM

I guess I better give you the heads on the card - its for a dear friend of mine in England - I have to say I was inspired by the artwork of this blog http://zindorf.blogs.splitcoaststampers.com/ (I know the work there is fabulous but keep coming here too please! I'm begging you here people! LOL)

I stamped my main image from High Hopes and colored her in using prismacolor pencils and baby oil. I then framed the images using the star border from Technique Tuesday stamped with platinum planet ink and clear embossed the stars. I decided to mask the main image and then sponged Distressed Ink in Fired Brick and then in Faded Jeans. I then stamped my denim background from Cornish Heritage Farms using my Adirondack denim pad. The stars are quickutz diecuts and then colored with the Fired brick and the platinum planet and adhered with 3D zots. The See D's greeting was stamped with the Adirondack denim pad and then highlighted with the distress pads. The card base is Archiver's own cardstock linen blue.

Hope you like and have a safe and happy 4th of July!

Ingredients:

Stamps - High Hopes, See D's, Technique Tuesday, Cornish Heritage Farms

Color - Prismacolor pencil

Ink - Adirondack, Distress ink, Brilliance

Dies - Quickutz

Cuttlebug anniversary

Well I really can't take any credit whatsoever for the design of this card - I was inspired by the creations Heartprints Cuttlebug Gallery you have to admit they are just scrummy and so effective.

The receipients of this card are my Brother-in-law and Sister-in-law in England - their anniversary is Sunday AND I know it won't get there in time but still sending them lots of love as they celebrate their anniversary - the world can always do with more love.

Big note to self - I need a stamp for the "Happy Anniversary" - I nearly made myself cross-eyed lining up all those letters! You really can't tell by the photograph (which was taken about three seconds before I popped it in the envelope and sent it on its way) but there are embossed lines to separate the sections.

Ingredients:

Embossing - cuttlebug stylized flowers and devine swirl, Fiskars trimmer

Stamps - My Sentiments Exactly

Ink - Versamagic Dew Drop chalk ink in Pixie Dust, Spring Pansy and Aloe Vera; Sakura gelly roll stardust clear.

Bouncing baby boy!

Here are a couple of cards I have made for a friend and her family on the safe arrival of their little boy. I feel a bit giddy because I have what my husband calls a "lovejob"* order to do another similar one for another couple having a boy at the end of June. Still and order is an order and its my very first - so needless to say I am absolutely delighted!

*lovejob - you do because you love them and don't expect to get PAID!

Ingredients:
Cardstock - DCWV pastels, Georgia Pacific. Archiver's
Stamps - Main Image - High Hopes
- Alphabet - MSE, Stampendous
Color - Prismacolor pencils
Ink - Archival Jet Black, Adirondack Espresso, Tsukineko Dew Drop Summer Sky
Ribbons - Michael's
Brads - Making Memories

WILD for you!

This is the card I made for DH for our anniversary - even after all these years I'm absolutely WILD for him! He really is the greatest.

The main image stamps are from High Hopes stamped with Archival Jet Black. The sentiment was made with Stampendous alphabet stamps for the small letters and My Sentiments Exactly for the "WILD" - stamped with Cosmic Copper Dew Drop ink. All colored in with the my trusty Prismacolor pencils and baby oil technique. I decided to keep all the colors muted (read masculine LOL) and tonal. The base cardstock is Blue Linen from Archiver's, with the image mounted on brown Bazzill.

Ingredients
Stamps - High Hopes, Stampendous, MSE
Ink - Archival Jet Black, Cosmic Copper Dew Drop
Color - Prismacolor pencils
Cardstock - Archiver's, Bazzill, Georgia Pacific

Mother's Day card

Well this card was inspired by the Accordion Card on the Papertake Weekly Challenge last week, that Jukie clued me in on for an idea, and then I looked today before I uploaded and my card seems to fit this week's challenge too! So I am going for it - I can only be wrong (right?) and if I am I'm sure I can live with it either way! LOL

This card was made with some bold DP that I don't know the make of (I would hate to admit how long I have had it)! layered on some DCWV pastel green and lavender cardstock. The dotted organza ribbon is from Michael's and the stamps are Stampedous, Inkadinkadoo, and Hero Arts. The ink is Tsukineko 's Versamagic Dew Drop chalk ink in Spring Pansy and Aloe Vera. AND yes the dots in the flower inspired me to use the dotted organza! Oh and they don't show on the flower so much but each dot in the center of the stamped flower on the front has a dot of glitter glue on it for a bit of BLING!

You can't quite make it out but I used the stamp on the front again on the last "topper" that we wrote messages on for my mother. Hope you like!

Ingredients

Cardstock - DCWV, Georgia Pacific, unknown patterned paper (let me know if you know!)

Ink - Tsukineko's Dew Drop in Spring Pansy and Aloe Vera

Stamps - Inkadinkadoo, Stampendous, Hero Arts

Ribbon - Michael's

A little Thank you!

Well I know I have been a bit quiet on the blog front but life definitely hasn't been quiet at all! I've got a few bits and bobs to share once they get to their receipients (which would probably help if I actually posted some of them! LOL.



So here is a card I have actually posted. I used the Faux Silk technique off SCS.

Ingredients

Stamps - I Brake for Stamps, Stampendous

Color - Tsukineko Dew Drops, Prismacolor pencils

Cardstock - DCWV

Hope you like!

A Wedding Card

This is a wedding card I made for a couple getting married in late April. I took my color cues and design elements (the monogram initials in a heart) from the couple's invitation (which they had designed themselves) and what knowledge I had about the color scheme of the wedding.

I really wanted this to be special and I hope the couple likes it. The card is 5x7 made out of white linen cardstock, gold irredescent vellum and black linen cardstock. The linked hearts are out of my Celebration images See D's set. The Monogram are Stampendous exclusive to Archivers. These were stamped in Dew Drops Galaxy Gold (really shimmery).

I used a Hero Arts stamp with Versamark and then O'So sticky embossing powder to make the beaded heart over the monogram. I then used a cut to size a strip of OSo sticky tape to bead the line of hearts at the bottom of the card.

I then made an envelope out of hammered cardstock by using a technique of using measurements of 1/8 inch larger than the card in all directions and then using a corner rounder on the exposed corners. I found the how-to somewhere on SCS - sorry having a dipsy brain moment. So if it is your technique please let me know. Then I lined the envelope with matching vellum to finish it off.

PS - if you look carefully at the close up you can just about see the hearts on through the gold vellum.

Personalised Pens

Just thought I would share some of the personalized pens I made to send out for Easter. I got the instructions from SCS, the pens from Wally's world and the Beads and adhesives from PennyWiseArts. Again I used paper for the stamping as I couldn't find the right sized labels and adhered with glue. The Alpha stamps are my Hero Arts set, the background stamping on the pens are from See D's - boys toys, cute and cuddly and Morsels -whimsical garden. The butterflies were colored in with prismacolor pencils and I used Archival Inks black, Versafine -red, Dew drops - galaxy gold, pixie dust, spring pansy, sea breeze and perfect plumeria.

Limited Supplies? Well not really....just to die for

Well, it wasn't really set as a limited supplies challenge with these last few posts but I think it probably looks like it - Again my lovely bunny stamp makes an appearance - this is the card I sent my Brother in law and Sister in law for Easter.

The cardstock is DCWV brights pack - its lovely mauve colour (purple-y rose) and of course it has the lovely texture that the DCWV color stacks have. I then put the card and a half size blank through my cuttlebug with two of my Quickutz cookie cutter dies to make the apeture and the backing for my stamped image. I put GP white cardstock through the cuttlebug for the stamped image and cut. I stamped the Penny Black bunbun on the cardstock and colored with Prismacolors/gamsol technique from a previous post.... I then positioned a bit of thread (long enough to go across the gaps and stay) on the back of the stamped image and glued the corresponding sized flower on the back. Then I placed the image in the middle of the aperture and put the threads across the back of the front of the card and glue the card blank to the back of the front. I then stamped the message with my Stampendous circle talk alphabet with VersaMagic Dew Drop - Perfect Plumeria.

Hope you have a wonderful and safe Easter Holiday and remember, don't eat the little brown eggs if the Easter Bunny visits your garden LOL

Slight variations of the kickstand theme - Easter

Now, say that title three times fast while standing on your head drinking water from a glass .... or don't it's your choice LOL!

They also fit in with the DCM challenge this week! WooHoo!

As I know 4/6 of these cards have gotten to their destination and the other two probably don't frequent my blog - I'm sharing the rest of my Easter Cards with you.

The single card is one I made for my neice - the previous one I shared was for my nephew (hope he doesn't notice the flower on the bunny - however he is getting to the age where he probably would have preferred a different type of female bunny - but then I wouldn't be a very good Auntie now would I?!?!?!?!)


I combined the embossing and the kickstand card template for these. For the one for my neice I went over the embossing with a Tsukineko Dew Drop Spring Pansy ink. The lettering is stamped with the same ink with Hero Arts alphabet stamps and colored over with a Sakura Souffle pink. The bunny is flocked with Stampendous Fun Flock in white after being colored with Prismacolor pencils. The cardstock is DCWV and Georgial Pacific white. The embossing is Cuttlebug embossing folder Bloom dots. The stamped bunny is bun-bun from Penny Black stamped with Archival Ink black and cut and matted with Quickutz Cookie cutter flowers.

The set I did are pretty much the same except with out the stamped message, and the inking of the embossing and with an assortment of ribbon I got from Michaels. Hope you like!

Hoppy Easter

Well, when I am on a roll I just go with it, LOL but I think it is good for people to see different cards with the same image. This card I CASEd the Kickstand technique from Confessions of a Naptime Stamper great blog if you haven't seen it!

I used Penny Black's bun-bun again --- I WILL get my money's worth out of it!!! - the cardstock is DCWV brights pad and DCWV glitter pad, the scallops are Quikutz cookie cutters flowers, some eyelets and my Hero Arts alpha stamped in Aegean Blue Dew Drop. The image is colored in with Prismacolor pencil using the artist grade mineral spirits technique and then I took it one step further and flocked the bunny with white flocking. I like how it turned out - almost like a real little bunny with a flower behind her ear sat there LOL!

Hope you like.

Plain and Simple

There is no other way to describe these cards in my opinion. A fantastic stamp from VivaLasVegastamps and some alphabet stamps/sentiment and voila - a simple card that I think is quite effective and I hope brightens the day of the recipients of Mr O - who wouldn't want to receive a Mr O? And the people getting these definitely deserve them!

Mr O - is stamped with Brilliance Dew Drops Galaxy Gold. "The Winner is..." is my clear alphabet stamps Sophie. Stamped in Tsukineko Aegean Blue. "Thanks a bunch" is a Stampendous stamp stamped with Tsukineko Perfect Plumeria.

The notelets I bought at Wally's World and I decided as the notecard is so simplistic that the envie could do with a little help too.

What you can't pick up with the camera is just how much that ink is still shimmering on the paper- I girl really has to have a bit of glitz with the glamour now doesn't she!

Hope you like.

I have been very busy whilst I have been AWOL over the last couple of weeks and can't wait to share with you all the fun stuff I have been up to - including my first altered item!!!! beads, and lots of fun techniques that I have found out about on Splitcoaststampers!