CASE study #24

I'm slowly getting back into my challenge routine; one I've been playing in most weeks is CASE Study.  Here is the inspiration card that we are to case:

Here is my take on Mercy's card:

Supplies: blue cardstock, ledger paper, passion fruit BoBunny dot paper, versafine onyx black ink, Hero Arts CL383 Antique Engravings, E5388 Traditional Butterfly, CL493 Live Life, Sizzix swiss dots embossing folder, tiny pink buttons

Shabby Tea Room challenge #46

Isn't this inspiration picture from the Shabby Tea Room wonderful?  It was chosen because most of our country is in the midst of a deep freeze, and it is a beautiful capture of winter at its loveliest.

I love the crisp white against the beautiful blue.  Here is my submission for this week"

I'm also entering this into Really Reasonable Ribbon's Heart challenge.

Supplies:  aqua and white cardstock, versamark ink and white embossing powder, Colorbox Frost White ink for flourishes, Hero Arts K5298 Blooming Heart, CG110 Flourish Background, impression obsessionCL65 Love is All Around, winter white seam binding, Hero Arts spring button

A splash of lilac

I've missed playing with the Play Date Cafe challenges!  This week it's black and white with a splash of lilac.  I have really grown to enjoy these "splash" challenges!  Here is the lovely inspiration:

And here is my submission this week:

Supplies: white, black and dotted lilac cardstock, versafine onyx black ink, Hero Arts S5341 Lace Background, K5175 Houndstooth, CG130 Butterflies, CL493 Live Life, ribbon, lavender gems, ek success scallop border punch

CR84FN challenge 12

Isn't this inspiration graphic from CR84FN a lovely one!  I was a little wary of using kraft with the pastels, but, as usual, after playing with the colors, I really like this combination!

Here is my submission for this challenge.

I'm in Florida now as a snowbird, and brought down a limited number of supplies, one of which was this vintage rose print that I printed off at home (sorry I can't remember where I snagged it).  I used that as my start, and added some pearly Core'dination Amethyst cardstock, running it through my Textile embossing folder, along with the kraft card base.  Thanks to Donna Mikasa, I ordered some winter white seam binding and dyed it with spun sugar mixed with some water to make it pale pink.  I added a doily, the sentiment and some pale pink pearls.  I think this one will be a Valentine for my parents! 

Thanks, Mona, for these lovely colors!

Supplies: kraft and Core'dinations Amethyst cardstocks, vintage rose print, paper doily, hand-dyed seam binding, spun sugar distress ink, Hero Arts CL311 Valentine Flourish (sentiment), pink heart pearls

Some pink Valentines

I'm still making Valentines.  These 2 have several things in common: the papers and the Sizzix embossed background.  I'm so glad I got this folder; it works really nice for Valentine's Day cards without being too obvious.   

This first one uses some new Hero Arts flower stamps and a doily.  The flowers were paper-pieced using my favorite ginghams and dots for both the flowers and the leaves.

Supplies: white and St. Valentino Core'dinations cardstocks, Amuse pink and green petite gingham papers (a gift from from Robin), The Paper Store Baby Girl Pink Gingham, BoBunny green gingham, BoBunny double dots Passion Fruit and Avocado designer papers, Hero Arts CL495 Blossom Art, Paper Salon sentiment, versafine onyx black ink, Sizzix embossing folder with hearts and swirls, paper doily, pink gems

And this one has very little stamping.  I used my scalloped heart nesties to make a negative image to pop above the gingham background, and then centered a smaller nestie heart in the center, also popping it up.  The papers are some of the same used above, and I added the beautiful white lace ribbon and a tiny pearl heart.

Supplies: white and St. Valentino Core'dinations cardstocks,  Amuse pink gingham, BoBunny passion fruit dot designer papers, versafine onyx black ink, Sizzix embossing folder, white crochet lace (a gift from Carole), pink pearl heart

I'm entering the first one in Wee Memories "Anything Goes" challenge this week and the second one in the Really Reasonable Ribbon's Heart Theme challenge and into the Tuesday Trigger challenge at Moxie Fab World.

It's a GIRL!!!

Just had to share my joy in learning that our second grandchild was born this morning, and she's a little girl!!!  Alma weighed in at 8 lbs.10 oz, and both Momma and baby are doing great! 

Having had 2 boys myself, a male dog, and sweet little Liam, our first grandchild, I was hoping for a girl!  Here's a rerun card, that I've already shared here, but I sure had a little girl in mind while I was making it!

Blooming Heart Valentines

As I said in my last post, I usually send out lots of Valentine cards each year, and in the past each one was completely different from the next.  But I haven't started mine yet for this year, and I'm beginning to panic, so I thought I'd try doing a design 3 times, just varying the colors and sentiments.  Here are my first 3 cards using the Hero Arts Blooming Heart stamp, and all stamped on kraft cardstock:

This first one was stamped in versamark and embossed in white, framed in black, and then added to a white card base with the sentiment stamped in black.  The skinny black and white gingham ribbon and script-stamped butterfly with a heart gem were added to finish.

Supplies: kraft, black and white cardstock, Hero Arts K5298 Blooming Heart, AR109 Heartfelt Wishes, versamark ink and white embossing powder, versafine onyx black ink, gingham ribbon, Martha Stewart butterly punch, white heart gem

This one was stamped in versamark and embossed in a pink embossing powder, then framed in pale pink parchment cardstock, punching the edge with the hearts.  The sentiment was stamped using the same embossing powder.

Supplies: kraft and pale pink parchment cardstock, Hero Arts K5298 Blooming Heart, CL301 Hugs n Hearts, versamark ink and Stamp n Stuff Blushing Pink Pastel embossing powder, Martha Stewart lacy heart edge punch

And for the final card today, the blooming heart was stamped in black ink and colored in with pink colored pencil, framed in black, attached to a pink card base and finished with my newest sentiment set and some pink gems.

Supplies: kraft, black and pink cardstock, versafine onyx black ink, Hero Arts K5298 Blooming Heart, CL493 Live Life, pink Prismacolor pencil, pale pink gems

90 Minute Scramble

At the Hero Arts flickr group, every couple of weeks we have what is called a 90-minute scramble.  The hostess posts a challenge, in this case Barb asked us to "Frame It Up", to use any kind of frame we'd like and complete our card in 90 minutes.  Here is my card for today; the wreath is my frame for the sentiment:

Since I used pink and green, I'm also entering this into The Ribbon Girl Color Challenge #4, and because of the hearts it also fits into Really Reasonable Ribbon's challenge #16: Hearts.

And also I can use this as a Valentine this year - I usually send out about 30 of them, and I'm just now starting!

Supplies: white cardstock, Hero Arts CG215 Wreath of Leaves, CL310 Hugs&Kisses Heart, versamark ink, peeled paint distress and worn lipstick distress inks, clear embossing powder, Really Reasonable Ribbon pink dotty grosgrain ribbon, punched hearts

White and bright

The Shabby Tea Room challenge #45 is "White and Bright", to use white and only 1 other color.  Here is my submission:

Inspired by a card on the Hero Arts Blog by Kelly Rasmussen, I used a doily that Agata sent to me as a mask on white cardstock, and sponged on broken china distress ink to bring out the detail, then continued the sponging all around the doily image.  Then I overstamped the script in the same ink, and my sentiment in black ink.  The flowers were stamped and embossed in white on 2 different aqua/turquoise cardstocks and cut out, then popped above each other, finishing with a button.    Here is a detail to show the layers on my flower:

Supplies: white, aqua and turquoise cardstocks, broken china distress ink, versamark and white embossing powder, versafine onyx black ink, doily for masking,  Hero Arts stamps CL496 Layered Flowers, S4878 Old Letter Writing, AR130 Handwritten Sentiments, pale blue button, white twine

Red, kraft and brown

.....are the colors for this week's CR84FN challenge.  Here is the inspiration picture:

And here is my entry:

I started with Jennifer McGuire's technique to use an acrylic block and some water-misted fired brick distress ink to make my red background.  That was overstamped in brown with the Love quote, then trimmed out and framed in dark brown cardstock.  I added some beautiful ecru crochet lace (a gift from Carole), and also some stamped heart buttons hung on some tan twine. 

I'm also entering this into Really Reasonable Ribbon's challenge: Hearts. 

Supplies: cream parchment, kraft and dark brown cardstocks, fired brick distress ink misted with water on an acrylic block and Memories Artprint Brown inks, Our Daily Bread "1 Corinthians", Hero Arts CL406 SparkleClear Buttons, crochet lace, twine

It's been awhile......

I've been working on a project that had a time limit, and couldn't allow myself to stamp, but the project is finished now, so I'm so glad to be making cards again!  I really missed it!  Only problem is that my mojo is lagging behind, after about 2 weeks off.   So I kept this card simple, using this adorable Pure Innocense digital image, taking my colors from this scrap of printed paper. 

Pink and green always make me happy, and it just so happens that these are the colors chosen this week for the Ribbon Girl Color Challenge #4. 

Supplies: Pure Innocense digital image, Hero Arts CL267 Card Messages, nesties ovals and scalloped ovals dies, unknown designer paper, white and pink cardstock, Prisma watercolor pencils, pink dotted grosgrain ribbon, white twine, pink heart gem

2011 Hero Arts Hostess Blog Hop

Hi! Welcome to the first day of a week-long Blog Hop featuring the Hero Arts Hostesses showcasing the new 2011 Hero Arts stamps!  I am so honored to be part of this group of amazing ladies.  You should have arrived from the talented Kelly Booth's blog.  If not, and you'd like to start at the very beginning, go to the Hero Arts Blog for a listing of all those blogs participating.  I hear there will be some prizes!
I've made 3 cards for you today, so let's get started.

I thought it would be fun to make a clear card.  The flowers from the new BLOSSOM ART set remind me a little bit of pansies, and so they were stamped on yellow and periwinkle, and the leaves on green cardstock, cut out, embossed with dots, then stacked.  The acetate card was stamped with the Flourish Background.  The sentiment is from a new clear set called SENDING SMILES MESSAGES.  It was stamped on a die-cut embossed tag which was framed in dark periwinkle inside the front of the acetate card to hide the adhesive. 

Supplies:  clear acetate as card base, white, periwinkle, yellow and green cardstocks, Hero Arts CL495 BLOSSOM ART, CL490 SENDING SMILES MESSAGES, CG119 Flourish Background, K4923 Pattern Flowers (smallest flower), Versafine onyx black and StazOn Cotton White inks, Sizzix swiss dot embossing folder, Cuttlebug die-cut and embossed tag, blue and gold pearls

This card started with my most wanted new stamp of 2011, called MUSICAL COLLAGE.  It has a bird in the right hand corner, but for this card I decided to cover it with some more of the BLOSSOM ART flowers.  They were stamped in brown ink on pink cardstock (and centered with a rolled rose), and the leaves, also in the set, on green cardstock.  The Musical Collage was stamped in the same ink on a creamy parchment paper, and distressed lightly with victorian velvet, bundled sage, and antique linen distress inks.  Then I simply added the beautiful dusty pink hand-dyed seam binding (a gift from a very special Hostess), some delicate lace, and the sentiment from last year's clear set called Just Find Me, dotted with a pink pearl. 

Supplies:  cream parchment and green cardstocks, Lasting Impressions Guava Checks and BoBunny Passion Fruit Dot (rolled flower) designer papers, Palette Burnt Umber ink, victorian velvet, bundled sage, and antique linen distress inks, HA S5501 MUSICAL COLLAGE, CL495 BLOSSOM ART, CL434 Just Find Me, hand-dyed seam binding, PTI button, lace, CH173 Heart Accent pink pearl

And for my final card today, I used this adorable woodblock stamp called IT'S A PARADE.  It was stamped twice (to get the correct length for the card) on parchment cardstock, then framed with various designer papers and put onto a kraft card.    I added the sentiment from a SparkleClear Messages set, and a heart button and twine to finish.

Supplies: parchment and kraft cardstock, designer papers from October Afternoon Thrift Shop and Cosmo Cricket Togetherness mini albums, HA G5469 IT'S A PARADE, CL131 Sparkle Clear Messages, Versafine Onyx Black ink, Memories red to edge sentiment label, Nesties one label, twine, red heart button

Thank you so much for taking the time today to visit my blog.  Please leave a comment because every comment left along the hop gives you a chance to win new Hero Arts 2011 stamps! 

Now I'll send you along to the next stop on our hop, the sweet Lisa Carroll's blog - I know she has created something wonderful  for you.   If you get lost along the way, or if a link doesn't work, you can always go back to the Hero Arts Blog for the master list of blog links.  Also, please email tami@heroarts.com and provide the blog address that has the bad link so we can fix it. Thanks and happy hopping!

 Hero Arts Hostess 2009

We are so excited!

Please join me and 4 other Hostesses here on Monday, January 10, as we start a week-long blog hop showcasing the new 2011 Hero Arts stamps, and then visit the Hero Arts Blog every day next week for more of the hop!

Here is one of the first cards I made when I received my stamps:

It uses the new woodblock FLOWER SWIRL VINE  K5486 and also a sentiment from the new clear set SENDING SMILES MESSAGES CL490, plus several shades of Hero Hues layering papers.

See you Monday!

Eleven Elements for 2011

The challenge this week at the Shabby Tea Room is to make something using 11 elements.  At first I didn't think I was up to the task, but after I'd seen some of the other submissions I decided to give it a try, and I'm so glad I did, because this was so much fun putting together.  Here's my card:

I knew I wanted to use this beautiful mauvy hand-dyed wrinkled ribbon from my friend Donna, so I went looking for a vintage image to pair it with.  I thought this gorgeous basket of lilacs was perfect.  Then I just matched up some designer papers, found some lace (a gift from Tiffany) and the rest flowed from there.

So here is my list of items:
1. cardstock for the base of the card
2. designer papers, Websters Pages and another unknown
3. vintage image
4. hand-dyed wrinkled ribbon
5. vintage button
6. lace
7. stamping (sentiment)
8. heart charm
9. tiny heart stick pins
10. fabric flowers
11. pearls
12. punched ferns

Also submitting this to the Flourishes challenge: The Colors of Love, using shades of pink, white, and red, and to the Really Reasonable Ribbon challenge: Something New, being this lovely hand-dyed ribbon.

Supplies: ivory parchment cardstock, Websters Pages dp, PTI Vintage Picnic Sentiments, Hero Arts woven lace ribbon

Play Date Cafe Challenge #63

Here is the inspiration photo from the Play Date Cafe Challenge this week:

This was another challenge that I thought was impossible, but after looking for a "grass green" designer paper and finding this leafy Susan Branch one, my mind started working and here is the simple design I ended up with:

I stamped the wreath 4 times, twice in Memories green ink and clear embossed, and then once in Versamark embossed in gold and again in Versamark embossed in silver.  Taking these pictures at night was lots of fun.  I'm adding another one just so you get the full effect.  It changes as you tilt the card.

Supplies: white cardstock, Susan Branch design paper, Hero Arts CG215 Wreath of Flowers, Memories green ink and clear embossing powder, versamark ink and  Ranger super fine detail gold embossing powder and super fine detail silver embossing powder, PTI sentiment from Vintage Picnic Sentiments, green ribbon from Kath, die-cut label from my friend Yvonne

Oh Mercy!

Did that draw you in?  :) Our muse this month at CASE Study is Mercy Kerin and she's given us a really fun inspirtion card:

I love that she used so many coordinating designer papers, something I love to do but haven't for awhile, so I couldn't wait to play.  I CASED her card completely, just changing to my happy colors of pink and green, and using a digital Pure Innocence image from Heather Ellis.  Isn't she sweet?

Supplies: white cardstock, imaginisce Lucy Bird  and my little shoebox papers, Heather Ellis digital image, Hero Arts sentiment CL434 Just Find Me, versafine onyx black ink, nesties label eight,  Prismacolor pencils and mineral spirits to blend, green gingham ribbon, Kaiser green flower gems

Winter White

Hi everyone!  Hope you're having a good day - we're having some fluffy snowflakes coming down, but it doesn't appear to be accumulating very fast, so I'm just enjoying the show! 

This card was made for 4 challenges; first for the The Moxie Fab World Tuesday Trigger, shown here.  Gorgeous, huh?

                                               

It also qualifies for the Clean and Simple challenge from Paper Play, for the New Beginnings challenge at Simon Says Stamp, and for Really Reasonable Ribbon's Something New challenge (mine is my new Nesties Labels Four).  

I chose 2 cardstocks, one a solid ivory (card base and tag) and the other a creamy parchment (background panel).  I stamped the lace background in Versamark on the parchment, and embossed it with Ranger's Embossing Pearl in silver.  It doesn't appear silver at all to me, but it does give a lovely pearl shimmer. 

Next I stamped my sentiment using antique linen distress ink, and then stamped versamark over the entire label and heat embossed with more of the pearl embossing powder. 

Here's a closeup to show you the lovely pearliness - I think I've found a new favorite embossing powder!

I finished by adding some ivory pearls, an ivory ribbon and a bow tied with a button topped with a larger ivory pearl.

Supplies:  Ivory and cream parchment cardstocks, Hero Arts S5341 Lace Background, AR130 Handwritten Sentiments, Versamark ink and Ranger Embossing Pearl Silver, antique linen distress ink, labels four Nestie, Hero Hues pearls from the Sunshine Mixed Accents pack, ivory ribbon

Inspired by the 2011 Hero Arts catalog cover

Made for the January challenge at Hero Arts and also for Simon Says Stamp and Show challenge: Show us your new stamps, and for the Flourishes Timeless Tuesday challenge: Flowers. I think the cover of the 2011 Hero Arts catalog is one of the prettiest yet, so I made my own version, using 2 new clear stamp sets from it. I used distress inks to color the flowers.

                            

Supplies: white and BoBunny passion fruit dot cardstocks, CL495 Blossom Art (flowers), CL493 Live Life, Versafine onyx black, mustard seed, victorian velvet, broken china, spiced marmalade and worn lipstick distress inks, HA art flowers, various buttons

Show your Newest Stamp

That's the challenge at Simon Says Stamp and Show, and I'm only too happy to oblige :)  I've been playing with some brand spankin' new Hero Arts 2011 stamps, and these flowers are part of a clear set called Blossom Art:

The flowers and leaves from this set were stamped on various colored cardstocks, and distressed with some fired brick distress ink. The aqua background was embossed with a Sizzix embossing folder and sanded, then it was layered with a My Mind's eye striped dp, some lace and the sentiment from another new clear Hero Arts set called Sending Smiles Messages.

Also adding this to the Flourishes Timeless Tuesday challenge: Flowers.

Supplies:  Core'dinations Bluebell, various orange, gold and green cardstocks, My Mind's Eye striped paper, Versafine onyx black and fired brick distress inks, lace

A new color challenge for the new year!

Mona Pendleton has started her own color challenge, aptly named CR84FN!  For the first official challenge, we are to use yellow, peach and pale pink.  Being the pastel girl that I am, I had to try this one!  Here is the inspiration:

And here is my submission:

Birds and Swirls was embossed on pale pink cardstock for the base of the card, and sanded.  The main image is called Butterfly Field, stamped in 3 shades of distress inks: worn lipstick, spiced marmalade, and mustard seed, then cut with a nesties scalloped circle die, and framed with a doily.  The beautiful hand-dyed seam binding is a gift from my sweet friend Donna, centered with a PTI button.  I added a butterfly and a smaller scalloped circle for the sentiment.

I'm also entering this into the Really Reasonable Ribbon challenge: Something New - that would be this lovely hand-dyed ribbon/seam binding!

Supplies: white and Hero Hues carnation cardstocks, Cuttlebug Birds and Swirls embossing folder, Hero Arts CG176 Butterfly Field, CL169 SparkleClear Happy Thoughts, CL383 Antique Engravings, Versamark and Versafineonyx black inks, worn lipstick, spiced marmalade and mustard seed distress inks, paper doily, PTI button, hand-dyed seam binding, colored pencils

Sweet Baby

Challenge #42 this week at the Shabby Tea Room is to use this photo as our inspiration, and to incorporate fabric:

Coincidentally, we are about to become grandparents for the second time, and, being a Mom to 2 sons, having a male dog, and a husband, I'm hoping just a little for a baby girl.  So when I saw this photograph, my mind went into feminine overload and here is what I came up with:

These fabrics are some of my favorite scraps from a pink and green quilt I made a few years ago.  I pieced a tiny quilt, cut out a Stampin Up Top Note label shape, and zig-zagged it to the creamy parchment paper backing, adding some lace and the teeny buttons.  The sentiment was stamped on the oval label and secured by some organza ribbon.  I felt all it needed was these tiny rolled roses, made from BoBunny Tutu Dot.

I spent a happy afternoon putting this together, and if we happen to get another sweet Liam (our first grandson), then that's just fine, too.  I'll keep you updated!

Supplies: various fabric scraps, cream parchment and pink cardstock. lace, tiny buttons, precut oval label, pink organza ribbon, Hero Arts CL264 Precious Baby (sentiment), BoBunny Tutu Dot for rolled roses