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   This post will remain at the top of my Blog until July 1, 2013

 Apparently there are changes coming July 1, 2013 on keeping up with how you stay updated on Blogs that you follow.  I have to tell you  Google has made it easy as far as I can tell - once I updated I started receiving one e-mail on all those fab posts ya'll make - now I can check on you from my i-phone, or i-pad when I am not at my computer in my studio.  Stalking you and all your fab works of art has become even easier.

     I have put the 'Bloglovin' button on my side post, you can click it to follow me and I think you will like the new way 'all' the Blogs you follow get updated for your reading and inspiration.  Leave me a post if you are using Bloglovin' and I'll come make sure I am following you.

SCROLL DOWN TO SEE MY LATEST POSTING - Thanks and have a great day.  

Still Waters

     Got my new stamps from Our Daily Bread Designs - This scene so appealed to me when it was released.    I am always looking for stamps that can be used for masculine cards and that go well with scripture, this fit the bill for me.
     This week I decided to join in on the Sketch Challenge at Splitcoaststampers and it seemed the perfect challenge to use my new stamp with, and will also work with the challenge over at Our Daily Bread Designs this week for wood or stone.  I stamped the background for the look of wood, then I stamped and embossed my image on a rectangular piece of kraft card stock.  It is embossed because I then took some bleach and washed it over the water to add a little different tone to the monochromatic look.  Both of the rectangles were mounted on black card stock and laid out per the sketch.  A little twine with an anchor to finish it off - I couldn't find the compass charm I KNOW I have, arghhh, need to do some cleaning in this room!!!  All in all a nice looking card to add to my stash, one that will not be there long before it is sent out.

Supplies:  Our Daily Bread Design Wood Background and Waves on the Sea, Pigment Ink, Clear Embossing Powder, Kraft card stock, Black card stock, twine, brad turned into a charm. SU chocolate chip ink, Spellbinders Rectangles Die

Challenges:  ODBDSLC154, SC436

Lets Cook Up Some Fun

     I wanted to post this last night but was just plain tired after my usual workout, a bike ride and dinner with my hubby.   My Darling Husband has purchased a bike...he wanted to find an activity we could do together and he knows I enjoy biking (not heavy duty biking, but there are some nice trails nearby).  Yesterday when he came home from golf  he informed me we were biking.  Rain was predicted and I wasn't too sure about the big black cloud just outside, but he assured me it was NOT suppose to rain until much later.  Out we headed to check the tires, filled them, loaded the bikes and headed out.  Four miles into our ride it started to drizzle - argh - we quickly turned around and got back 12 minutes quicker than it took us to get the first 4 miles. The bikes were quickly loaded onto the back of my SUV and as the last strap was pulled the skies let loose with a deluge!!  We laughed pretty hard in the car....and I can only say that I am pretty sure that our rides together can only get better from here on out.
       Mo has a challenge this week to do a Clean and Simple card with one of her images.....tee hee.....one doesn't usually think clean and simple when playing with her images. The truth is this isn't exactly how I wanted this to turn out.  My original thought was to have these two darling images over lap, but no matter how many tutorials I followed it just wasn't gonna happen on THIS card (working on it for a later date, need a few hours to play).  Once I started playing I was gonna get er done, and this was the result.  Just felt she needed a little something and added the ribbon and utensils for some embellishment.  She is going in my stash.  I have a few days off this week and plan to spend some of that time looking through tutorials to see if I can learn to 'merge'!!

Supplies:  Mo's digital images, ribbon, DP, Copics, Embellihments I p/u from Hobby Lobby but lost the package :(

Challenges:  Challenge 184 Clean and Simple at Mo's Challenge Blog

Retro Fun

     The Featured Stamper at Splitcoaststampers this week is Silli - you can visit her gallery here.  She had posted a darling retro image on a card, that I first took note of several weeks ago. I have a few retro digis that I have been wanting to use and when I went through her gallery again today I thought what better card to CASE than hers to honor her as Featured Stamper. When I first purchased the patterned paper you see here I knew it was meant to have a retro image on it - how could it not - its called Happy Days!!  I used my Copics to give some color to the image, generated a saying for the front, and fussy cut around the cans from another sheet in the set.  I will be using this as a Birthday Card once I generate an appropriate saying for the inside.
     These retro images really are catchy - guess I'm getting old, this could be my mom in the kitchen when I was younger - I have a few more that are just as sweet and hope to get them on paper soon. Ya'll have a great day!!

Supplies:  Digi from Graphics Fairy, docrafts Happy Days Designerstax, computer, Spellbinders, Copics

Postede:  Splitcoaststampers FS337

Balance is.......

     My original plan when I bought this Art Impression stamp was to mount her on an Action Wobble. I got her all colored up, fussy cut all around her, laid out my design, and don't you know the wobble was too big to center her body on.  Darn!!!  So on to plan two and placing her on some pop ups.  You have to admit she is awfully agile and balanced, chocolate in both hands will do that for you!!
     This is a center step card.  On each side of the sentiment I have placed little plastic stickers of chocolate candies - these are from the card my daughter gave me for Valentines day.  It came with a big sticker sheet full of these that were to be placed in various places on her card, there were a lot left and I thought I would put them to good use.
      I just get tickled each time I look at this 'oh so' serious looking lady - this is actually a stretch I do most mornings before I get on the treadmill, but I have to admit I don't own a pair of leotards that look like these.....I'm thinking that's a good thing.  I also have to confess that I LOVE chocolate.....I put a few miles a day on the treadmill so I can let that decadent delight touch my lips and roll around on my tongue daily and it is worth each and every step/jog I take.....Whew, feels good confessing this. Gonna post this over on Jammer Town at Splitcoaststampers......those girls know that chocolate is one of the four food groups for stampers!!
   

Supplies:  Art Impression Yoga People, Spellibnders, Ribbon, Stickers, K & C Company Cardstock, Memento Ink, Copic Markers

Lifes a beach....

     Its been the kind of spring that makes one want to get to the beach and feel the sunshine!  While it has been fairly mild in Georgia, my poor family and friends in the mid-west have been bemoaning the late snow and cold weather.  St. Louis recently broke a 100 year record for 12 plus inches of snow....I am sooo not missing living there and experiencing that.
     However, what really inspired me to make this card was the Design Team call over at Mo's Digital Pencil.  The minute I saw it was open my heart started to pound quicker, and I let out a hopeful SQUEAL!!!!  You are suppose to post something with your favorite Mo's image - LOL - I love them all, how could you possibly pick just one.  This said, if I think too hard about it I'll never get an image colored - they are all too, too sweet and fun.  So.....since I HAD to pick - I chose this lovely curvy lady with the delish umbrella drink.  We will be heading to the beach in a few months so I have visions like this dancing around in my head.  Yes, she is in a a "teeny, weeny, itsy, bitsy, yellow polka dot bikini" (hope your humming along now) with the tropics surrounding her.  There are harder images to color, but she is oh so fun to play with!!!  Of course I used my Copics to color her, my Spellbinders to frame her, a nicely discounted Paper Studio embellishment, and some ribbon, all mounted on some fun two sided Jillibean Coordinating paper. I like the way the chevron on the lower layer mimics the ripples in the sand as the ocean washes up on the beach.

     Yep, this will be me when we finally make it to the sand and sunshine.....an umbrella drink is a must!  I finished of the inside off the card as well - I used two shells that I stamped, colored lightly, spritzed, then bent into a shell like shape.  They are adhered with some Collall glue to give them dimension.  My original thought was to use them on the outside of the card, but this little lady screamed for a palm tree and coconuts.

     I had to laugh when I read the Design Team call requirements....does Mo really think it is a burden to have to color and play with one of her images weekly, or any time for that matter  - I say bring it on  - that is my kind of play.

Supplies:  Copics, Mo's Digital Pencil, Paper Studio Embellishments, Spellbinders Die, Jillibean Paper, Computer Sentiment, Collall glue

Challenges:  Mo's Design Team Call, Stamp and Create, April One Die Cut. Oozak, Pearls, lace, ribbon

Tweet, tweet, tweet...

     Playing around with some background paper from an old hymnal and made this little card.  Please don't start thinking of me as the 'crazy bird' lady since this is my second bird post in a row - as they couldn't be more different.  This little chickadee is by Our Daily Bread Designs, and cut out using their matching die as well.  He is sitting on a hymn titled "Let Him In" and is colored with my Copics, then mounted on two circles cut with my Spellbinders circle dies.  The background is some kraft paper run through a Cuttlebug Embossing Folder finished off with some ribbon and a little red embellishment.  I will be placing this in the challenge over at Our Daily Bread Designs since I used one of their stamps you can see details here if you wish to join in.

Supplies:  Our Daily Bread Design Stamp and Die, Spellbinders Circle Die, Ribbon, Cuttlebug Embossing Folder, Copics

Challenges:  Word Art Wednesday 76, ODBDSLC150 Hymns or Scripture

Another Birthday

   

    Traveling around Splitcoast this morning and came upon the Inspiration Challenge.....decided to jump in and play. We were to be inspired by a site that had lots of clothing, from prom dresses to everyday.  Considering I sell clothing as a job it was kind of fun to look at some designs by other manufacturers.  Color is big this spring, as are maxi dresses.....so I chose  this for an inspiration from Windsor 

    Shopping with my friend Katie a few weeks ago and came across this Art Impressions stamp...I just couldn't resist purchasing him.  Today I played with him and kept it pretty simple.  Colored him up with my Copics - inspired by this bright orange, then layered him over a floral background with multi colors, and used the sentiment he came with.
     Just love this grumpy lookin' fella....had to give him a little yellow in his eye to make it pop and go along with his gloomy 'tude'.   This will be going in my Birthday card stash, but may not be there long, I have a few people with birthdays soon that he might need to bring his good wishes to, tee hee!

Supplies:  Copics, Art Impression Stamp Set, Scissors, Oval Cutter, DP, pop ups

Challenges: for fun IC384

Flying Copics???

     Last Saturday the Intermediate Copic certification class was finally close enough for me to travel to for the second leg of my certification.  It was a 62 mile trip, but at least within the State of Georgia.  How awesome it was that Lori Craig taught the class, she was my instructor for my first certification in St. Louis almost two years ago.  Colleen Schaan was also in the house with us for the day (a Georgia resident) - two fabulously talented and fun ladies.   To add to the excitement I was able to take the class alongside my sister stamper and friend from Splitcoast Stamper - Katie aka Mattsgirl and the Inky Peach Designs in Blogland.  Katie is one of the 'Jammer Town' girls, where we issue throwdowns to each other and often poke fun at others, as well as ourselves, with cards that have little stories that go along with them.
     Copics are one of those tools that I said early on - "Uh uh, ain't gonna invest money is those!! No way, who needs em!"  Then they began to creep into my work, first a gray or two to shade with....then maybe a little pink and green for some flowers.......and then - "How can I NOT color this image!!"  120+ markers later I knew I was hooked.
     So now the real playing begins.....after the class you tend to hold yourself up to a whole new standard, and I am working to not be too hard on myself.  Some images just don't need to be over colored, and maybe should even just be kept simple.  That said, each time I color I know I will be wondering more and more about my light sources and trying to be brave enough to put that oh so often needed 'cast shadow', while always trying to remember to just have fun with this hobby and craft I so enjoy.
     This picture is of Colleen and Lori.....great sports who put up with my irreverent sense of humor throughout the class.  They donned the hats that I brought for Katie and myself - a little joke we have with a sister stamper who always talks about 'flinging' her Copics around the room when she colors, cuz they frustrate her so at times.  They read: Caution Beware of Flying Copics - with some wings for fun.  I mean really, you gotta love these gals for putting up with me during class - then again they can give as good as they take!

     Thanks for letting me share - if you love Copics and enjoy playing with them I recommend you consider the classes offered by Imagination International - I feel I gained insight into working with them in both of the classes I took....now to practice, practice, practice!!! 

Bows and Bling

     This card was made for a co-worker whose father passed away.  She is a talented and creative woman who re-purposes vintage jewelry into beautiful bracelets.  I am lucky enough to own one.  While all my co-workers are women, she just stands out as a 'girly' kind of girl, so I wanted to make an especially feminine looking card for her.  The stamp is by Our Daily Bread Designs and I used the matching die with it.  My inspiration for this card came from one Becca Fekken - at Amazing Paper Grace. I didn't use quite as many details as she did, but the same stamp and bow design.  It is always an inspiration to receive her updates by e-mail.  I struggled with something to use around the die, I knew I wanted black but not something too solid and strong -so I dug into my die box and came up with a Cheery Lynn die.  I made the stick pin, even coloring the pearls with my Copics to match. Adding a stick pin for an embellishment has been a personal goal of mine for a while, it was with pleasure that I added it to this card.  My sweet and lovely bow was made using the Becca Bow Maker, a recent addition to my stamp room....it really does help make a lovely and consistent bow for a card.
     The card size is 5 x 7 - with the bow and stick pin I needed to make a box to present this card in. Unfortunately, I didn't get a picture before I delivered it.  It was really neat looking, I used the same embossing folder for the top layer of the box and backed it in black as well.  To finish it off I punched a 12 x 2 inch piece of paper with a  Martha Stewart lacey edge punch and created a belly band for the box.  I adhered some ribbon around the band with a simple bow.  
     My friend Katie has been encouraging me to play along in some challenges so I am putting this card in the challenge over at Flourishes....FTTC214 (Layer two or more ribbons together) - I think using the lace and ribbon together qualifies. Also joining in at Word Art Wednesday and Cute Card Thursday.

Supplies:  Our Daily Bread Design Stamp and Die, Ribbon, Lace, Stick Pin and beads, Embossing Folder, Copic Markers, Cheery Lynn Die

Challenges:  Flourishes FTTC214  , Word Art Wednesday Anything Goes, Cute Card Thursday Something Borrowed

Time Began in a Garden

  Made this card for the Teapot Tuesday challenge over at Splitcoast Stampers.  This weeks card will be mailed to a gentleman who is ill and in need of some cheering up.  He has a love for the Lord and enjoys gardening.  This basket of goodies and sentiment from Serendipidity Stamps seemed to be tailor made for him.
     I used my Spellbinders Deckled Edge Rectangle for the image, and my Grommet Tag die for the sentiment.  The gloves were fussy cut and have a dimensional behind them.  The image was colored with my Copics and I tried my best to keep it gritty and earthy looking.
     Its always a pleasure when I can find time to make a card for the Teapot Challenges....most weeks the challenge has a theme as well as a destination for the card made - its nice to send an RAK in the form of something I enjoy doing.

Supplies:  Serendipity Stamps, Spellbinders dies, Copics, Cardstock

Challenges: MMTPT244  at Splitcoast Stampers. 

By His Wounds

     During Lent a group of musicians and worship leaders from all across the South have posted a daily devotional on You-Tube - I have been following along daily.  They have actually been using material and readings from the Book of Common Prayer - which has been interesting as some have never used this book before and their insights into the scripture has been a breath of fresh air.  Just a click of my mouse and I can have as much time to mediate and pray during the devo as I need.  How exciting this week is as we travel through Holy Week into Easter......As I have said before, this season begins much earlier for me, at Christmastime.....you can't have the cross without the creche.  I am humbled by the sacrifice Jesus made on my behalf. It is with joy that I look forward to celebrating His resurrection this Sunday.

     I have had a great time making some explosion boxes for Easter and today I worked on a 'pop-up' card. Once again I went to my 'go to' stamp from Flourishes....this is the perfect size cross, and the Easter Lilies that adorn it are just beautiful.  I stamped, colored and then cut the cross out....I also stamped a second cross that I then cut the center Lily from and colored.  Using some scrapbook adhesives I popped this up on the cross.

     Using my circle dies (offset) I cut a piece of silver to place behind my image.  With my Cheery Lynn dies I cut some greenery to place around my cross.  An Easter sentiment was placed inside of my Elegant Oval Frames from Our Daily Bread Designs and cut with their matching Spellbinders die.  A little bling, because this is a festive and awesome day I am celebrating, and the inside of the card is complete.
     For the outside I used a larger Elegant Oval Frame from Our Daily Bread Designs with a sentiment from their 'He Will Rise' set.  I cut out and colored a lily for the corner of the die.  Keeping the cross in mind I ran the  front panel of my card through my Grand Calibur with their M-Bossabilities wood die.
     Time to be getting some of these in the mail - Easter will be here before I know it.

Supplies:  Flourishes Stamp, Our Daily Bread Design Stamps and Die, Cheery Lynn Die, Bling, M-Bossabilities, Copics. 

Challenges:  ODBDSCS148 He is Risen, Cheery Lynn 73 Celebrate, Word Art Wednesday Anything Goes

Happy Dance!!

     This is a simple card by my standards, but I am doing the 'Happy Dance' as I used my brand spankin new Silhouette Cameo to create not only the patterned cutout BUT to cut around my Bugagoo Digi!!!  Yep, ever since seeing a card with an image cut out by the Cameo I have been researching on line and saving my pennies........Personally, I just love the idea of having the option of cutting around my digital stamps.  There are just occasions that this seems a better choice than trying to fit a die around them. I was even happier to see that Flourishes sells a cut file for my Silhouette that is made for one of my favorite Western stamps they make.....it is a given that was my first download when I found that out.  Not that the Cameo doesn't have lots of other fun functions......and I am slowly figuring those all out.
     Since there is a learning curve involved in this whole process I kept my first attempt pretty simple.  Stella was cut out with the Cameo and then colored.  Then I purchased a .99 cent file to use to cut a fancy end border.  After cutting this I discovered I can resize and do more fun things with this, had I been smart enough to figure that out first this would have been a larger square card with a saying on the bottom.....but I'm happy as this one was pretty quick to put together.
     So if I am missing in action this week, just know I am probably hunkered over my computer and stamping desk playing with my new toy!!!

Supplies:  Silhouette Cameo, Buggaboo Digital Stella, CB Embossing Folder, Ribbon, Copics

Low Cal Birthday Cake

     Had to wait to post this as my friend Diana's birthday wasn't until today.....didn't want to risk her seeing this before it got delivered.  We met during a Bible Study in Missouri - she is also a Weight Watchers leader, with many fine qualities that endear her to me. (There is a tutorial you can click on in my Nav bar  above on how I made the cake using Spellbinder dies) - The explosion box itself is from a 12 x 12 sheet of cardstock scored on each side at 4 inches.

     One panel wishes her a Happy Birthday and the other three contain scripture from the Book of Psalms

The outside of the box contains panels embossed with the corner Butterfly folder, layered on gold paper.

Supplies:  Spellbinders Dies, Martha Stewart Punch, Computer, Digi Sentiment, Recollections Pearls and flowers, Cardstock

Challenges: Stamptacular Sunday Challenge Dies, Oozak Challenge Anything Goes Spring (pushing it but hoping the butterflies and pink flowers qualify :))

The Bunny Shake

     Yep, I have seen tooo many You Tube videos of the 'Harlem Shake' lately and just couldn't resist making a shaker card.  While shopping recently I purchased a package of Impression Obsession shaker inserts and just wanted to play - I usually don't use a bunny for an Easter card, but this little fella was just too cute to resist.  The ribbon is from Really Reasonable Ribbon (part of a package I won during the Hope for the Cure Challenge at Splitcoast Stampers last fall) - love this ribbon, and winning it has inspired me to keep it within sight so I can use it on more cards.  The colors went perfectly with my paper, I even used a piece of plain cardstock that I punched the edge of to layer the two ribbons over.
     My bunny looked a little plain all by himself in 'shaker land' so I stamped a row of Easter eggs, which I colored with my Copics, then stamped a second row of Easter eggs that I fussy cut out as a  mask over the first row - then I stamped the bunny and removed the mask so he looks like he is sitting in the field with them.

Supplies:  Copics, Impression Obsesion Inserts, Spellbinders Dies, Hampton Art Stamps, Flourishes Stamps, Really Reasonable Ribbon, Martha Stewart Punch, Corner rounder

Challenges:  Cute Card Thursday Spring, RRR Challenge 67 Show me the Green and Ribbon