Thank you.....

     Oh yeah, can we just say AGAIN......I am lovin' my Silhouette Cameo.  While playing with my Silhouette today (there is sooooo much to learn) I came across a blog where they have monthly challenges using the Silhouette.  This was just the opportunity I needed to push myself to try something new - faux stitching with my Cameo.  While I have watched many tutorials and knew that I could print and cut, I really didn't fully understand what I could really do with this baby.  Today I drew my own rectangle, filled it with my color choice, did some other fancy schmancy button clicking to add some stitching and made my card background.  Of course the proportions are all to scale since I also cut the dark brown after tracing my original drawing.  Then I loaded a tag that came with my machine, choose a coordinating color to my background and poured it in, did some more fancy schmancy button clicking and created some more faux stitching and then sent this to the printer for printing, loaded it into my Silhouette and cut.  I have to take credit for fussy cutting the boots after I stamped and colored them (Stampin Up can be a little fussy about digitally reproducing their images).  The boots were placed on pop up foam and placed over an image stamped on the card so I wouldn't lose the shadowing of the original stamped image.  Some words were added with a stamp to my tag and my card was finished.
     No it is not a real fancy card......but I am just thrilled with the print and cut option and LOVE the faux stitching affect......I know I will use this more.  Entering this in the challenge at Silhouette Challenges.  

Supplies:  Silhouette Cameo, Stampin Up Wild West, Pop ups, White and Brown Cardstock, Copics

Challenges:  Silhouette Cameo - Faux Stitching, 

Fishy Birthday

     Yep, I have had a few days off - that means play time!!!  Of course my stamp room is a mess, so my first thoughts this morning were 'clean it up before you play'.  Normally that would mean put the Copics away, refile all the dies you have laying around, give myself some workable space......but I have several projects in the 'half finished' mode laying around, so today I decided 'cleaning up meant 'finish those cards'!
     Since before Christmas (yes, that long) I have had a piece of acetate sitting that I ran through my Cuttlebug to use as an overlay.....for whatever reason after I ran it through it ended up in a corner of my desk.  Then about two weeks ago I saw it and began to think of using it - I actually dug some old paper out from a scrapbook set a friend gave me.  Once again the card got laid to the side.  No more, today I finished it.  It is going to go into my Birthday stash, I'm thinking this will work for a guy, with a sentiment on the inside and a few waves and fish to finish it off.
     It was great fun putting this together - like like the look of the embossed acetate and will certainly be doing more of this in the future.

Materials:  Cuttlebug School of Fish EF, Cardstock, Spellbinders Circle Die, Stampin Up Bliss Blue Ink, Inkadinkado Stamp

Challenges:  Use it Tuesday #57 Masculine

Wild West West Headin Home

     If you are one of us crazies who loves to play with 'da Man' (sometimes known as the cowboy from the Wild Wild West  by Stampin' Up) - then you will appreciate this project.  'Da Man' does not usually appear without a story, seems there has long been, a feud of sorts, going on between a few Splicoast Sweeties who ink him up regularly, (catch the stories here) as well as a whole blog entitled Women of the Wild Wild West.  Yes, we have a thing for this cowboy.
      He has been retired for years, he arrived on the Stampin' Up scene in 2002 and was retired shortly afterward....I didn't even know of Stampin' Up until 2004 so I missed any opportunity to purchase him.  There is a movement afoot (here) to rally together and get Stampin' Up to bring him back, sigh, we can only hope.  With the help of the underground I was able to broker a deal through the Mudder out west and obtain a set of  'da Man' - cost me a pretty penny but was worth it.  Now when I get ideas on how to use him,(and oh girls I have soooo many ideas)  I don't have to reach out and ask a friend to stamp a few for me, I can 'play' at home with 'da Man' in my own little stamp room.  Yes, we stampers are a bit eccentric, but we is loveable.

An overview of the tissue box

'da Man' up close and personal

The West Ranch is next to the Bloom's Ranch

this leads to lots of stories I must say.....

What's a forest without a little wildlife.

     Of course, whenever one is inspired to do a project like this a mess ensues - LOL - while no Copic's were harmed in the making of this card (a disclaimer for Blooms) my work station turned into one heck of a mess......guess I'll spend today cleaning up.  Happy trail everyone!!

Materials:  CS, Cottage Cutz Die, Spellbinders Floral Oval, Martha Stewart punches, dimensionals, rhinestones, Copics, Stampin' Up (da Man), Computer, blood, sweat and lots of laughter.  

Challenges:  Simon Says Stamp Challenge, Anything Goes, Stampin' Sisters in Christ 158 

Out of the Box

    One of my co-workers is in charge of a church fund raiser, I told her I would make some cards and items to donate.  I already have my ornaments done, a set of cards and thought it would be fun to make this tissue box cover, and pair it up with some other things.  These are fun and easy to make - you can find directions with a video here, on Splitcoaststampers. They make a great gift to someone who is not feeling well with a card, and some tea bags.
    I used my new Cottage Cutz dies for the trees - while they look nice, they look even nicer when you add the piece that looks like the trunk of the tree, just didn't feel that was necessary for the look I was going for.  My scripture is from Stampin Up - 'Trust God' - a set I recently ordered and have used quite a bit.
     While I have made some of these with a patterned background paper, I like the simplicity of the blue run through an embossing folder, then highlighted with some silver paper....and or course a little bling for the Holidays!!

Supplies: CS, Spellbinders, Cottage Cutz, Recollections, Stampin' Up

Challenges:  Simon Says Stamp Challenges, Anything Goes, 

Trust

     My oh my, how the weeks are flying by.  I am finally using both arms after my surgery - not that being one armed stopped me from doing some stamping......stamping is a real form of relaxation for me.  I just had to plan my cards out and take my time, and use a lot of straight cuts.  Nice to feel comfortable using all the tools I have at my disposal, and be able to color with my Copics again.  This card is for the church bookstore.....they tell me they need some more and I am happy to oblige.  I will also put it in a few challenges because its always fun to put your name in the pool to win something.
     I really like this Lattice Motif die and think it looks great using matching papers.  Of course, its always fun to have an excuse to make some flowers.  These were cut with a die from white cardstock, then I put a little ink on the edges, rolled, layered, and then spritzed them with some Shimmer Sparkle.  The vines are from my Cheery Lynn die, and I edged the card, and die with my gold leaf pen.,

Supplies:  Spellbinders Lattice Motif, Cheery Lynn vine, McGill Stylus, Gold Leaf Pen, Mango Frost Matstack, Stampin' Up Trust God.

Challenges:  Simon Says Anything Goes,  Perfect Sentiment PSC47, Stampin' Sisters In Christ #154

Kissed by the sun and God

 

  This little cutie from Mo's Digital Pencil "Little Umbrella" screams summer....and I think now that it is mid August (and kids are back to school here) I have realized all those things I meant to do to celebrate the sun.  When we were at the Ranch I had to watch my sun time by the pool, and riding (not easy when its 110 degrees) as the medication I was on warned me to be cautious....I decided to follow the directions and did not get to spend the time I so enjoy in the pool and basking in the sun.  Now, before I know it, summer is just about gone!  So why not color up this lovely lady.
      When I began coloring her I posted her in process on my Facebook page.  One of my friends, who is in charge of Cross Walk Bookstore in Missouri (where I send a lot of my Christian cards for sale) challenged me to put some scripture to it and send it to them.  Loved the challenge - while there were some scriptures I thought of, I just happened to get a Stampin' Up order in the mail a few days later and lo and behold my Trust God set contained what I think is a perfect sentiment.  "Each one of us is God's special work of art".  Inked it up, put it on paper, and viola - a card that makes me 'smile'.  I am in the process of coloring and putting a few more of these together as I think it is the perfect birthday card for a few of my friends.

Materials:  Stampin' Up sentiment, Mo's Digital Pencil, Copics, cardstock, corner punch, Marvy punch, Inkadinkadoo shells stamp

Buckaroo in training

     Women of the Wild West - woo hoo - got me my cowboy.  After losing to higher bids on e-bay a sister stamper hooked me up. A little across the continent negotiating and at long last I had him in my arms....thank goodness I have an understanding husband!   The Man's a little used, but what man isn't LOL!!  Some of the ladies at Splitcoaststampers have a little rivalry going on about the Man here - I made this card for the Get Dirty Masculine challenge.  I have been waiting for the little buckaroo to arrive for a week with this card in mind.  I do like my western stamps. 

Materials:  Spellbinders, Copics, Stampin Up Wild Wild West, Sutter Stamps, Unity sentiment, Local King Rubber Background

Angelic

   
     Recently I was inspired by a card I saw created by Marianne' Papirverden with this fold, and wanted to try my hand at it.  I have figured out a few things doing this, one being you do not want to use a really heavy cardstock for the base of the card, it makes this really thick to fold....and if I do another (which I most likely will) I will probably do it more like hers and round the outside panels.  I am also considering using a brad on the next one so that the top swings up to hold a message as well as for a signature, as it is now you would have to write a note and sign the back of this.  In spite of what I learned I do like this, I am especially fond of the DP, a very feminine look.  You can find Marianne's blog by clicking above if you want to see her card, it is quite lovely.

Materials:  K&C Company Ancesttry.com paper, Spellbinders dies, Our Daily Bread Design Scripture Series 1 Customer Favorites, Stampin Up image, Rhinestones


Challenges:  Our Daily Bread Design Anything Goes 115, Stampin Sisters in Christ Use Something New

Our Daily Bread Designs Challenge Challenge 114

This week's challenge at Our Daily Bread Designs.....

....is anything goes (114)  but it must use Our Daily Bread Stamps.

To make the challenge even more fun, we will be giving out a prize, a $15 gift certificate to be used toward stamps at the Our Daily Bread Designs store!! Entries for the prize must be submitted by Sunday July 8th at 8 p.m. EST. One random winner will be chosen and announced next Saturday. 

While it is not required to use Our Daily Bread Designs images and sentiments on your creations, we would love to see them if you have them. As a way of recognizing those who do use Our Daily Bread Designs stamps, we will again be choosing three or more of our participants  for the  Shining the Light Award . In order to qualify for this award or join the challenge, however, you must use Our Daily Bread stamps and have your submission added to Mr. Linky by Sunday, July 8th at 8 p.m. EST. If you upload your creations to Splitcoast Stampers or any other online gallery, please use the keyword is ODBDSLC114. When creating your posts on blogs please include a link to the challenge.

Now on to my take for this challenge:

     There are many places I like to shop for craft supplies. Recently at Michael's I found these fabulous $1.00 frames and bought a 'bunch' in different shapes and sizes.  This design has been in my head since I first saw this oval.  I covered the frame with a paper that has an old wood look. The image and sentiment are from Our Daily Bread Design "Light of the World" set.  It was colored with my Copic's and sponged in Stampin' Up Bliss Blue around the edges.  It just seemed to call out for some shells, which also happened to be found at the same store as the frame.

For more inspiration for this challenge, please visit my dt sisters:

Jan Marie Ennenga,   Jan Keen,   Lori Ulrich, 

Kathy Roney,   Rosemary Dennis,  Sabrina Jackson

To see all the creations in one place or join the challenge, click here.

Be still my heart...

     If you know me at all, you know that there are two styles of stamps that take up many drawers in my stamp cabinet compared to the other drawers.....those would be Christian stamps and Western stamps.  It has been with great pleasure that I have watched the market for Christian stamps grow and suppliers of those same stamps as well.  It is a little more difficult to find Western stamps that are to my taste...this one of da Man, retired by Stampin' Up many years ago is a favorite of mine.  While I do not own this stamp, I have come to know a lovely women (Greenie) through Splitcoaststampers, who befriended me, and sends me a supply of this 'hunka, hunka' cowboy so I can create cards with him.
      She surprised me recently when she sent images of him stamped on patterned and colored paper.  I am a little use to coloring him and loved that she thought to challenge my thinking.  Looking at this image I decided to look through some of the photos I took during my recent vacation at the White Stallion Ranch, in Tucson, Arizona.  One of the shots I took of the tack room (the place that saddles, blankets, etc are stored in) seemed an appropriate background for da Man. Kind of like having him on vacation with me (whoot, whoot)!!
     I will post this at Splitcoaststampers on the "Bring the Man Back" page.  With the anniversary of Stampin Up around the corner a group of us are rallying them to bring back this set, or at least da Man.  My last visit to e-bay he was selling for $180.00, while I love the stamp, I don't love him that much.

Supplies:  Photograph, CS, Spellbinders, Stampin' Up

Da Man on the move....

     Yep, its 'Da Man' and he is on the move.  He has spent a little time here in Georgia but is getting ready to move on to meet up with someone special.  Hard to come by Da Man, he was part of the Wild Wild West set retired by Stampin' Up back in 2004, but there is a movement by some of us to try and bring him back for their anniversary - you can check those details out at the 'Bring Back Da Man' site at Splitcoaststampers. 
     I don't own this stamp, but because of the generosity of some lovey ladies I have some stamped copies of him.....it is only occasionally that I am able to play with him and bring him to life...the real thing would be so much better, hence the reason many of us want Him back!!!!
     Real cowboys do wear red especially when they are on their way to meet up with  their girl .... sigh..... hope she enjoys him.

Thanks for stopping by,

Materials:  Stampin Up RETIRED Wild Wild West Stamp, Copics, Cricut Wester, Ribbon, Crimper.

Ain't This Cowboys First Rodeo

     I wasn't smart enough to buy Da Man when he was for sale with Stampin' Up, but I am lucky enough to have a friend who sent me several stamped images of him so I could play.  There is a  coo to bring Him back if your interested check this site out  Bring Back the Man at Splitcoaststampers.  There is a whole blog dedicated to the man here at Women of the Wild West, check him out.
    Da Man has packed his saddle up after his most recent rodeo, I think he is hoping Miss Kitty will give him a nice foot rub when he gets home......sigh, if he were here I would give him a foot rub :)
   

     Just had to post a few pics from some visits to the Ranch....I've made lots of friends over the years and always look forward to visiting with them.  I have been blessed to meet and get to know several people from around the world.

 

Isn't he sweet

Me and Flavio from Switzerland

This little fella was only a week old when I snapped this

On a ride in the Catalina's with my favorite Cowboy

Challenges:  Joyful Stamper, Anything Goes,  Make it Monday Anything Goes

Red for Love

     Well it is the first week of the New Year - I am happy to say I do not make resolutions....I am one of those 'day at a time' people.  This doesn't mean I don't have goals I want to achieve, but each day brings new things and challenges and I like to try to be flexible.  LOL, because my family might not think I'm as flexible as I would like to believe.  

     I found this fun glitter foam at Michael's and just had to buy it...my idea was to use a die with it and see how it would layer up for a Valentines card.  By my standards getting my Valentines cards done now is 'very' early.  I usually have a bunch of ideas in my head and wait until the last minute to see if they will work. This is a pretty simple card, and the picture really doesn't do it justice.  The foam came out great when I cut it - no white around the edges showing because it is red all the way through.  Then I gold embossed a dollar stamp I had (it was a circle and that was the best fit) and used an old Stampin' Up sentiment for the bottom that I also gold embossed.  The outer layer of red was run through my GC with a circle die to create a framed look.  I used my gold leafing pen to edge the inner circle and the outer edges of the red layer.  

     It is a simple but very pretty card....the inside says "I will love you till the day after forever..." with a red rose stamped off in red over it.  I think my DH will like it  

     Just a note that I used my new watermark created by Dina Kowal - I had wanted something with horeses (imagine that!) I follow her and know what a fabulous artist she is so when I saw she created watermarks I contacted her.  I think its pretty cool!

  

 

Materials:  CS, Superfine Gold Embossing Powder, Stampin Up - Love, Hampton Art Stamp, Spellbinders Dies, Glitter Craft Foam, Computer generated sentiment inside. 

Challenges: Joans Gardens (JG512) Valentines and embossing, Sentimental Sundays - Anything Goes

My Refuge

    This is an older stamp from Stampin Up that I have had for quite some time.  I wanted to create a masculine looking card to use and thought that these deer would be perfect.  I used my Prismacolors to shade in the background and the animals.  I used a lovely scripture sentiment from Proverbs that I have from Our Daily Bread Designs and some paper from The Paper Studio.  You can't tell but I sprayed the layer with the stamp on it with some shimmer mist for a very nice effect.  This is a card that will be going to the Church bookstore and I will be entering it in the challenge over at Our Daily Bread Designs.    

Thanks for stopping by - Have a Blessed Day,

Materials: Our Daily Bread Designs Scripture 7, Stampin Up, The Paper Studio paper, CS, Gold CS, Shimmer Mist, Prismacolor Pencils. 

Challenges:  Our Daily Bread Designs SLC 90, Simon Says Anything Goes,  Word Art Wednesday

Little Baby....

     The challenge over at Stampin Sisters in Christ was to dig out an older stamp, that hasn't been used for a while....I have had this sweet little baby stamp for a few years and have only used him once, the sentiment is at least 10 years old, one of my first stamps.  I think they work well together. It took very few Copics to color this with as it is a simple image. I am also entering the Our Daily Bread Designs Sketch Challenge 83, so I followed the layout they have this week.  I wanted my background to be subtle so I chose a  paper that has a silver grey to it with earthy green flourishes, then added a few pearls and stars with some glittery white ribbon.
     To date I have finished a bunch of Christmas cards with some new stamps I have that were fun to not only color but hopefully will send the message of the real gift of 'Christ'mas.  Thanks for stopping by.

Challenges:  ODBDSLC 83, SSC Challenge #114, Make it Monday #62

Supplies:  CS, Ribbon, Pearls, Rhinestone Stars, Dimensions, Stampin' Up Sentiment, Stampendous Stamp, Copic Markers