HouseMouse Cupcake Celebration

This delightful House Mouse image has been sitting on my table, Copic-colored, waiting to be made into a card for several months. I was finally able to complete it - in stages - with the final stage being adding the sentiment and bling (LOVE the new bling SU added to the catty this year - self-adhesive rhinestones and pearls!) I've got a hodgepodge of materials in this design - retired DSP and NEW In Color Concord Crush.

ENJOY!

Sweetheart Card

I designed this for a challenge from the GinaK Designs January Release party over at SCS. The challenge was to create a Valentine WITHOUT using red or pink. Good challenge, as it makes us think outside our creativity box, eh? Besides red, pink and white - what is the next thing I think of for St. Valentine's Day? Why - CHOCOLATE of course! heehee So I chose Stampin' Up! Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla and Brushed Gold as my color combination.


I used several GinaK stamp sets - all designed by Melanie Muenchinger - "Little Tees" for hers, "Just So Sporty" for his both heat embossed using SU! Gold emobssing Powder. For the sentiment, I used the "Hand-in-Hand" stamp set and my SU! Chocolate Chip Stampin' Write Marker to 'omit' and be able to only stamp the words I wanted. My Big Shot (SU!) made it easy peasy to use the Heart and Classic Petite Oval Nestabilities.

I finished off my embellishing with the SU! Eyelet Border Punch and some retired, gold, narrow organdy ribbon. SU! Dimensionals pop up the layered sentiment and the gold bow. ENJOY!

A Winter Note Card

I made this design just for the fun of it - no challenges! I had these two 'frames' left over from the SU! Top Note Die and the Nestabilities Scalloped Rectangle Die and wanted to use them (for once). The adorable little poncho girl image is a digital image from Daisy May - a freebie over at the Copic Buzz group on Papercraft Planet this past week during their Challenge #24. Okay - this design *does* fit that challenge, but I had already made one. Copic markers were used for the coloring.

I used the Stampin' Up! stamp set "Priceless" to create the winter swirl background which is heat embossed in SU! Iridescent Ice embossing powder. A strip of Melon Mambo Polka Dot Grosgrain Ribbon compliments the Melon Mambo and Bashful Blue color combination. The sentiment is from a Creative Play Stamps (CPS) stamp set, and is layered on a Fancy Tags Spellbinders Die (also from CPS.)

I used a quickie Glue Pen to outline the bottom two layers, the left and right edges of the tag and around the sentiment to add SU! Dazzling Diamonds Glitter. A couple of clear, gemstone brads (SU! Pretties Kit has these) finish up the tag which is then popped upon SU! Dimensionals. Oh yes - the Melon Mambo Top Note outline layer, was dry embossed in the Big Shot using the Cuttlebug A2 Swiss Dots embossing folder for some texture and to compliment the dots in the swirls background. ENJOY!

Baptism Card

I made this in celebration of the Baptism of friend's baby son in a few weeks. I found my sketch inspiration from Card Positioning Systems Challenge #148, as well as the Copic Buzz Group on PCP = use ribbon.

I used SU! Soft Suede as the base layer. Then Certainly Celery stamped tone-on-tone with a cross image from Creative Play Stamps First Communion stamp set, and SU! Corner Rounded. I also sponged Certainly Celery ink on the edges to provide a subtle, softer look - which unfortunately doesn't show up in the scan.


The Bashful Blue is punched with the SU! Eyelet Border Punch and is layered with a strip of Soft Suede Polka Dot Grosgrain Ribbon.

Oh look - one of my new Nestabilities again! Adore my SU! Big Shot and Nesties! lol Used to accent the adorable focal image from the stamp set "Hand-in-Hand" by Melanie Muenchinger for GinaK Designs is colored with Copic markers (I tried to make the baby's arm/hand a shade lighter than the adults) and sponged around the edge with Soft Suede ink. As well as popped up on SU! Dimensionals. ENJOY!

Thinking of You Card

Here's a design from the third challenge I participated in with the Copic Buzz group on Sunday - a design that uses 3 buttons. The focal image is Elzybells UK. The sentiment is Creative Play Stamps (CPS). And again, giving my Copic markers some loving use along with my new Classic Rectangle Nestabilities (also from CPS).

I used SU! Close to Cocoa, More Mustard (textured) & Brocade Blue card stock, as well as SU! Playground Designer Buttons adhered with Mini Glue Dots. (WHAT would I do without my SU! Mini Glue Dots?! It was love at first dot.) :)

ENJOY!

Scalloped Bling Girl Card

Another Copic Buzz challenge design - use pink and bling. I chose SU! Regal Rose as my pink, with a Creamy Caramel accent.

Have I shared how much fun I am having with my Big Shot & new Nestabilities yet?! heehee These were all from the Classic Circles Set. This is two of the same size scallop circle, with a folded over piece of Whisper White sandwiched in between. Again - colored with my Copic markers and embellished with the luscious SU! Organza Ribbon, some retired SU! flower eyelets to fill her basket, and some self-adhesive rhinestones picked up at a craft store.

This is another digital image that was a freebie from Cute Daisy May. ENJOY!

Be My Valentine Card

This is a card I created for a challenge at the PaperCraftPlanet Online group - Copic Buzz party yesterday. If you are a fan of Copic Markers - you might like to check this group out. Super nice people!

This is the first digital image I've EVER used! It was a freebie (from The Stamping Boutique) during the party. This challenge was to use pink, red & white. I used the Classic Petite Oval Nesties for this one. The sentiment is from a Creative Play Stamps (CPS) valentine stamp set. I also used some self-adhesive paper ribbon I picked up at CPS. And of course, my Copic Sketch Markers. The design is finished off with some Atyou Spica Glitter pens (by Copic and from CPS) around the edges of the paper ribbon, as well as on all the hearts in the focal image. I wish the subtle sparkles would scan, but they usually do not. The card base is SU! Ridinghood Red (retired). ENJOY!

Cinema Saturday #60 - "Chronicles of Narnia" & Blog Hop

Four days - Six cards & a pair of altered notebooks - YAHOOOOO! I used something out of most of my newest Nestabilities as well as my Copic Markers. Aaahhhh - feels good! I even tried out a couple digital images I found for free (those designs be posted here soon!)

This lovely, sparkly, iridescent design is for TWO events. It is for the Cinema Saturday Creative Challenge, #60 - "Chronicles of Narnia" (with additional challenge of 'iridescent sparkle') as well as a second design for Melanie Muenchinger's Anniversary Blog Hop.

Our family are huge fans of C.S. Lewis' "Chronicles of Narnia" book series. We even have audiobook dramatizations of all seven books on CD (highly recommended for audiobook lovers by the way - listen while you paper-craft or on long car trips.) Hubby and I have enjoyed the movies too, and look forward to sharing them with the kids when they are a bit older.

When I think of the "Chronicles of Narnia", themes like Faith, Hope & Love immediately come to m ind. Melanie Muenchinger's stamp set "Hand-in-Hand" is a perfect fit for these themes. The children siblings (sons of Adam and daughters of Eve) are symbols of hope for the Narnians, and Aslan the Lion IS the sum of Faith, Hope & Love! Even within the group of siblings - these themes run strong as one brother temporarily loses his way in Darkness. This last example is where I found my inspiration in this image and sentiment from the "Hand-in-Hand" stamp set.

I used Stampin' Up! (of course!) card stock, ink and embellishments in Night of Navy, Bermuda Bay and Whisper White, along with Whisper White Organza Ribbon, Versamark Ink, Iridescent Ice Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Big Shot and Dimensionals. Also the retired jumbo wheel "Swirling Stars." ENJOY!

Sweethearts Card

Okay - these last couple of days have turned out to be awesome for me for papercrafting time! Woohoo! Have you noticed all the new Nestabilities shapes I've been using? (Yay for my birthday and Christmas gifts from CreativePlayStamps!) My Big Shot from Stampin' Up! makes it so easy to use these.

So I decided not to wait on my blog posts - let's just say I'm catching up for all the time between the pre-Christmas posts. Maybe I'll be able to keep up after this? Um, probably not! lol anyway - I hope you all are enjoying all these designs and finding a little inspiration for your own Mojo too! (I'd love to see what you are creating, so feel free to leave links to your gallery or blog in my Comments section.)

This design is for Melanie Muenchinger's Blog Hop celebrating her two years as a stamp designer. Participants may use any of her stamp sets from these past couple of years AND she's got lots of blog candy opportunities! I own several of her sets, but so far I think this one is my favorite - "Hand in Hand". Both the focal image and the sentiment come from this stamp set.

I used Stampin' Up! Bravo Burgundy and Very Vanilla and a retired DSP. Also the SU! Modern Label and Word Window Punches. The ribbon is retired SU! Wine Narrow Organdy Ribbon. My 'special touch' for this design is the Atyou Garnet Spica Glitter Pen I used to give a subtle, dark, sparkling border around the DSP layer, the sentiment the focal heart layer and the swirls on the DSP. The Garnet matches well with the Bravo Burgundy. I wish you could see the subtle sparkle - it's so pretty! - but it wouldn't scan or show up with my camera. Guess you'll just have to trust me! heehee ENJOY!

Get Well Soon Cards 3 of 3

Here is number 3 of 3 of the get well designs I made on Dec. 31st. Can you see the Dazzling Diamonds Glitter borders? (Hint: Around the main and second layer, the focal image top and middle layers, and around the sentiment layer.)

I made this card under the notion that every girl feels better with a little glitter. Even the thermometer in her mouth is glittered! heehee [Well, at least every Elzybells (UK) girl does.] I had fun with the SU! Rainbow Sherbet DSP (retired) as you have probably surmised seeing as I used it on on three get well cards! And more fun with my Copics and Nestabilities/ Spellbinders too. For this card, I chose to only outline the girl's hair, and I drew in the left side of the pillow by hand.

Stampin' Up!: Tempting Turquoise & Gable Green card stock, Apricot Appeal 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon, Dazzling Diamonds Glitter, Dimensionals & Big Shot
CreativePlayStamps.com: Copics, Sentiment, Nestabilities, Spellbinders and Glue Pen. ENJOY!

Get Well Soon Cards continued...

The get well designs continue with the Stampin' Up! Rainbow Sherbet DSP (retired) and Copics, only this time with an adorable Elzybells (UK) girl.

I received MANY new sets of Nestabilities and a few Spellbinders for my birthday and Christmas and am finally getting a chance to play with a few of them - yahoo!

Stampin' Up!: Gable Green and Ballet Blue card stock, Rainbow Sherbet DSP (retired) and Soft Subtle Brads
CreativePlayStamps.com: Sentiment, Copics, Nestabilities and Spellbinders "Fancy Labels" die.

ENJOY!

Get Well Soon Cards

Happy New Year to all! I celebrated the grand debut of 2010 with a little Copic Sketch Markers play and stamping and designing. Woohoo! I felt fully recovered from our 100 family Christmas cards - heehee. And it's been too long for my Copics. I am also out of get well cards - thus the birth of the next three cards that I will post.

As always, I use the fabulous and favorite Stampin' Up! coordinating card stocks, designer papers and embellishments. This design uses Gable Green & Brocade Blue card stock, Rainbow Sherbet DSP (retired), and Pumpkin Pie 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon and Corner Punch. The Peanuts image, sentiment and Copics are from Creative Play Stamps.

Oohhh it felt so good to color with my Copics again - why do I stay away so long? :) ENJOY!

Cinema Saturday #50 - "Pretty Woman" Challenge

I have been working on this card since last Saturday - obviously it's been busy around here, eh? :) I heard about the Cinema Saturday Challenge from the GinaK site. Each week - they pick a movie as an inspiration. I thought this was a unique idea for adding inspiration to the paper-crafting world and wanted to give it a try. Challenge #50 was to use the technique of Paper Piecing and the movie was "Pretty Woman". I remember Julia Roberts character being a down-to-earth kind of girl (despite her... ahem, "occupation"), so I went with the t-shirt and ball cap image, but kept the pink color family and of course, the bling! I used Basic Grey Lemonade paper, Heidi Swapp bling, GinaK and SU! stamps, and of course SU card stock cuz it's the BEST (in Rose Red, Regal Rose and Whisper White). I added some Sponging and Paper Piercing for added texture. The SU! birthday sentiment is heat embossed in white and popped up on dimensionals. ENJOY!

Altered Notebook - Anniversary Special

I made a pair of these altered composition notebooks for some dear friends of ours, whom we met through Worldwide Marriage Encounter. Don & Teri are celebrating their 30th Wedding Anniversary next week - woohoo! They are a beautiful witness of God's Love through their service to Him, each other and their ten children. May God continue to bless your Sacrament abundantly Don & Teri - and all of Willeville too! :)

I am lovin' my Big Shot with my Nestabilities, and am lovin the embossing capability of the Nestabilities! And what's not to love about my Copic Sketch Markers? lol

Tip: Back to School sales are going on right now - you should be able to find these composition notebooks at a reduced price so you can stock up!

Stamps: Coast to Coast & Everyday Expressions (retired SU); Hand in Hand (GinaK Designs), WWME stamp
Card Stock: SU! Ballet Blue, Brilliant Blue & Very Vanilla
Ink: SU! Brilliant Blue & Ballet Blue, Versamark, Memento Tuxedo Black
Copics: YO2; C2; YR00, 14, 18, 20,21; B18, 21, 24, 32, 41
Accessories: Big Shot; Nestabilities Classic Hearts & Labels Four; SU! Paper Piercing Kit, Mini Glue Dots, Stamping Sponge, retired Corner Rounder Punch & retired Bluebird Grosgrain Ribbon; Scotch Double-Sided Tape.
ENJOY!

ElzyBells and Copics on the Green

Garden Green is not the first color I would think of if I were asked to pick a color that says, "Summer" - however, as you can see by yesterday's and today's posts - I'm a Summer green mood! :) And why not really - look around at all the lush greens out there. These sweet ElzyBells "Coffee Friends" girls are definitely enjoying Summer in their bright pink and yellow dresses! Another beautiful Copic Sketch Markers creation.

Continuing with the polka dot theme from yesterday - mostly because I ADORE the New SU! In Color Polka Dot Grosgrain Ribbon! :) Of course, what's NOT to like about ribbon? This time, I used the Cuttlebug A2 Swiss Dots embossing folder in my Big Shot on the Garden Green. A little shading on their cheeks, and some shadowing under their chairs all cut out with a Classic Scalloped Oval Nestabilities - then finished off with three awesome, layering SU! punches for the sentiment.

Stamps: ElzyBells Coffee Friends, SU! Oval All
Card Stock: SU! Melon Mambo, YoYo Yellow & Garden Green, Paper Trey Ink White
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black & SU! YoYo Yellow
Copics: E 25, 31, 31; W2; G24; YG17; Y02; RV25
Accessories: Big Shot, SU! Scallop, Large & Small Oval Punches, Melon Mambo Polka Dot Grograin Ribbon, YoYo Yellow 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon (retired) & Dimensionals; Swiss Dots A2 Folder; Classic Scallop Oval Nestibilities
ENJOY!

ElzyBells & Copic Puppy Love

Isn't this little puppy too cute? I adore ElzyBells images, and have had several of them for quite some time. Only they've gone unused until now , I know. Don't we all have stamps and supplies like that though? Come on, fess up- I *know* you do too!

I also pulled out my Copic Sketch Markers after a too long hiatus. I love the shading, shadowing and just plain vibrant colors of these markers. I feel like a 'professional artiste' when I use them - even if I'm not trying for any special effects! :) Here, though, there is a little shading on the flower pot and the sunflower leaves. I also created the boards on the doghouse by using a lighter shade on a darker shade. And, of course, I added the spots on the puppy.

To go along with the spotted puppy, I used the small polka dot Stampin' Up! Backgrounds Texturz Plate, along with an image from the NEW set Circle Circus. And doesn't the NEW In Color Crushed Curry Polka Dot Grosgrain Ribbon look like droopy doggy ears? There are TWO New In Colors showcased here - Dusty Durango and Crushed Curry. I also sponged some Garden Green ink around the edges of the same color base layer - it gives a nice, finished look as well as drawing your eye to the focal image.

Stamps: ElzyBells "In the dog house", SU! Circle Circus & Oval All
Card Stock: SU! Garden Green, Dusty Durango & Crushed Curry, Paper Trey Ink White
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black; SU! Crushed Curry & Garden Green
Copics: RV10; YG17, 67; G24; Y15, 17; YR 14, 18, 24; E 25, 27, 31, 33, 37
Accessories: Big Shot, SU! Backgrounds Texturz Plates, Crushed Curry Polka Dot Grograin Ribbon, Marvy Giga Scallop Circle Punch, Dimensionals, Stampin' Sponge
ENJOY!

Chat & Challenge #175 - Fifth Ave. Floral

So I hosted a Chat & Challenge over at SUDSOL this morning. This is always great fun! I used a sketch from PaperCraftPlanet. What a fun sketch, eh? I was excited to get inspiration for my own design right away - and set to work while I was hosting. I had a rose image from Fifth Avenue Floral that I had colored in with Copic Markers that I had been wanting to use. I adore the depth of shading I can achieve with my Copics. I had most of the design laid out, but I needed *something* for that vertical layer under the focal piece. I didn't want to add another color, just some texture. My first thought was to run a piece of Basic Black through with an SU! Texturz Plate - good idea. Then "I spy with my little eye" (my kids and I play this game in the car all the time! lol) something clear and shiny! A piece of window sheet lying innocently on my stamp table from who knows when! :)

















So I ran the piece of window sheet through with the Texturz plate to see if it would work - and IT DID! BEAUTIFULLY! I am so please with the outcome, as it was just what I was looking for - a little texture without another color. It's a bit difficult to photograph, but hopefully you can see it. A little glitter on the Scribbles Swirl Sizzlet, and some 1/4" Basic Black Grosgrain Ribbon run along the top and bottom edges of the card (which you can't see in the pictures) - and Happy Anniversary to my mother and father-in-law.

P.S. I layered the Top Note die cut by cutting away the perforated edge on the Basic black piece.

Stamps: Fifth Avenue Floral
Card Stock: Basic Black, Apricot Appeal
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Copic Markers
Accessories: SU Texturz Plates, Top Note Bigz Die, Scribbles Swirl Sizzlet, Window Sheet, 1/4" Basic Black Grosgrain Ribbon, Mini Glue Dots, Dimensionals, Dazzling Diamonds Glitter, Quickie Glue Pen, Cuttlebug (soon to be a Big Shot!) ENJOY!

Flight of the Butterfly

This design was filled with surprises for me! First, I made it for a Chat & Challenge (C&C) over at Sudsol ( a demonstrator only website - if you are a demonstrator - contact me for a referral to give Sudsol a try!). Now, I have been hosting C&C for several years now - this time I participated AND stamped! (Usually I just chat instead - lol) Second - I rarely use white as a basic layer AND leave so much white space. I was pleasantly surprised at the clean, crisp look with the white here. I think it really added to the over all brightness I was shooting for in this design. The third surprise is that this is a project that needed to be designed right away and I did it right away! double lol

Why right away? Thanks for asking! Some of you may remember that Steve & I have been involved with Worldwide Marriage Encounter (WWME) for many years now. In the last two years, we began to help present WWME Weekends - and that is where we were this past weekend. In our area, we follow up the Weekend with notes sent to the participating Sacraments ( couples and priests) to continue to encourage them to use the new tools they gained from the Weekend, and let them know we are still praying for them. These will be the cards I send out - thus the red and yellow WWME colors. If you would like to find out more about WWME, please click on th elink above. If you are iont he Chicago, Joliet, Rockford, Madison or Milwaukee areas - please visit HERE. Steve & I would love to see you and your spouse on a Weekend!

Stamps: Flight of the Butterfly
Card Stock: Summer Sun, Whisper White & Riding Hood Red Patterns DSP
Ink: Summer Sun & Riding Hood Red
Accessories: Scallop Edge and Trio of Flowers Punches, Dazzling Diamonds Glitter, Quickie Glue Pen, Red Eyelets, Crop-a-dile, Dimensionals
ENJOY!

Altered Notebook by My Hubby!

Did you catch the Title of this post? You read it correctly- my sweet man Steve altered this notebook (with just a bit of verbal input from me)! He even used my Cuttlebug (still saving for the Big Shot!) to cut the Top Notes and the Oval - Woohoo Steve! We were finishing up some of these as gifts for our fellow Presenting Team for the Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekend (WWME) this weekend in Rockford, IL. This one is for Fr. Dennis.
If you think Steve did a good job - leave him some comment love and kindness, and I'll be sure to share it with him.

Stamps: A Light Unto My Path & Everyday Expressions (both retired SU!), Boston Light, MA (Stampendous) & WWME stamp
Card Stock: Night of Navy, Sage Shadow and Prestwick DSP (retired)
Ink: Basic Gray & Versamark
Accessories: Top Note, Classic Ovals Nestabilities ENJOY!

First Communion

This First Holy Communion design uses both Creative Play Stamps and Stampin' Up! The First Communion set by Creative Play Stamps is perfect for creating invitations, cards, favors and scrapbook pages - not only for First Holy Communions, the images in this set could be used for Ordinations, Jubilees and any other religious occasion. I wanted a bigger cross image for my main focal piece, so I used the SU! Refuge and Strength stamp set. I heat embossed the cross in gold on half of a SU! Top Note Die.

Stamps: First Communion (CreativePlayStamps), Refuge and Strength (SU)
Card Stock: Not Quite Navy, Bashful Blue, Close to Cocoa
Ink: Not Quite Navy, Versamark
Accessories: SU! Top Note Die, Curly Label Punch, Gold Embossing Powder, Heat Tool and Dimensionals; Cuttlebug and Distressed Striped A2 Embossing Folder
ENJOY!