Chartreuse Anyone??

When is the last time YOU used this color??  I'm not sure I EVER have.  In fact, I didn't even know what the color "chartreuse" looked like.  I had to google it. teehee.  It is a color combined of 50% green and 50% yellow.   The latest issue of Stampers Sampler (dec/jan 2010) issues a challenge to create a project using what I would have referred to as "frog green".  So when I started going through my cardstock, I thought, that's a little bright for me, but I"m gonna give it a try.  So I breezed through my issue of Stamper's Sampler trying to get the feel of what their style is.  I would sum it up as collage.  Here is what I came up with ...

I decided to combine 2 of my most favorite things, stamping and music.  In case the quotes don't look familiar, you can find them in 3 of my favorite songs :

Free to be Me by Francesca Battistelli

Ordinary Day by Vanessa Carlton

Unwritten by Natasha Bedingfield

Now I'm tryng to decide if I want to connect all 3 with jump rings and hang them on the wall, or put stands on the back of them and just sit them out in my craft room.

Stamps : Lost Coast (I bought this set of girlies a couple of years ago and I'm so glad I finally got ink on them.  I just checked out their site and I love all of their collage stamp.)

Background Stamps : Music & Polka Dots - Cornish Heritage Farms, Diamond - Hero Arts

Paper : Green and brown cardstock.  Yellow distressed paper by Basic Grey (Urban Couture - Chiffon)

Ink : Brilliance Pearlescent Brown

Copics YG03 and YR04 (I had to throw the orange shoes in there because they don't match, and that makes here "Free to be me")

Flowers : Prima

Ribbon : Yellow Antique shop, Green local craft store

Collage paper on #3 DMD Collage Elements

Empemera : sewing Lilly's Treasures (sold locally, email me if you are interested in ordering)

Post card and stamps - Marcella/K&Company

Clock face - Making Memories

ON A PERSONAL NOTE :

My daughter (20)  has started running, and has agreed to run some races with DH!!  Does that mean I'm off the hook and he's going to quick nagging me to exercise with him??  A girl can only wish!  He is so excited and you should hear him giving her advice on how to train.  Her first race will be the "Pirate Run" in february and yes they are going to run in pirate custumes.  Some kids never grow up, teehee.

FCD A Little Birdie Told Me Birthday Card

Happy New Year!!

It seems like it  has been forever since I posted.  I've been busy purging and cleaning my house for the new year.  Getting a few things organized, like my birthday list.  I have vowed to send more cards out this year, instead of hoarding them.  So I have generated a birthday list to keep me on track.  I have tons of birthday cards to make. How do you like the one above?  I'm still trying to get used to using the copics.  Man those things are addicting.  A friend and I found an awesome deal ($4 each for sketch) and we just ordered a few more.  I told DH this could be my wedding anniversary gift.  Yes, most women want diamonds, flowers, candy ...  I want markers, teehee.  I know you girls get it. 

Well as I mentioned above, I've been purging, organizing closets, cleaning the grout (yuck).  I don't know what it is about the new year that makes me want to do this, but I do.  How about you?

I've missed being crafty, playing along with challenges and blog hopping the last couple of weeks.  But now with the holidays wrapping up, I'm ready to GO!!  Time to get my priorities straight, teehee!

This week for my FCD post I'm sharing with you this cute little "Happy Birday" set!!

You can check out the "A Little Birdie Told Me" set at the FCD store HERE.

Paper : My Minds Eye 8x8 Paperpad (1/2 price from Hobby Lobby)  I love the colors of this pad (brown, yellow, aqua, very light lime green)

Ink : Brilliance Pearlescent Chocolate (my most used ink pad after Palette Noir and Burnt Umber)

Thick and juicy pigment ink with a slight shimmer ( I sound like I'm at a wine tasting, teehee)

Takes forever to dry though.

Ribbon : my stash

Faux stitching : Close To My Heart stamp from years ago.

Tag punch : Paper Shapers

Spellbinders Labels 1 die set (I am getting ALOT of use out of this one)

That's all for now!  I hope you weekend is a great one!

BLOW OUT SALE at FCD!

BLOW OUT SALE!!  Pamela at FireCracker Designs for Pamela just increased the sale to 70% selected items!  Hop over today and check out these great deals!  HERE


Sale applies to SELECTED INSTOCK ITEMS ONLY so get them before they are gone!
Due to the steep discounts on these items, coupons are not applicable.
Orders recieved AFTER December 15th WILL NOT be shipped until January.

And make sure you check out her ADORABLE Digi Gift Cards!  A $5 gift card to FCD will make a great gift for a crafty friend!

(I will leave the info about the FCD sale at the top until it's over)

Impression Obsession Challenge Time

Quick post with a card I designed for last weeks Impression Obsession Challenge, for those of you who are tired of looking at Christmas Cards, teehee.  This is my first Copic project!  I'm trying to figure them out.

Stamps : Background - "How do I Love Thee",  "Bashful Cherub", and Sentiment - "Tucked Inside"

Tools : Frame - Spellbinders, Cuttlebug embossing folder

Other : stick pin - Prima, glitter on the wings - Prisma Glitter by Stampendous

You can view all of my VALENTINE projects HERE.

Ornate Christmas Ornament

I love to put up Christmas Trees.  It's just another way to express myself artistically.  I hope to have a bigger home someday, and add more.  I have my largest tree in my living room and wanted that tree to SPEAK  the true meaning of Christmas. It's loaded with clear lights, burgandy and gold embellishments and lots of Nativity Ornaments. This year I'm adding these regal cross ornaments.  I think they will fit the theme perfectly.

I created this Ornate Cross Ornament using a stamp I purchased at a stamp show a couple of years ago.  The manufacturer is Holly Berry House.  They sale lots of medallion style stamps that would be gorgeous when stamped in repitition, cut and pieced together like I have above.  In addition, mine are double sided.  It took me a while to get them done ( I started them last year), but it was worth the time, and now I have a handmade ornament to pass down.   I'm going to shop for some gems to finish them off.  And I'm thinking some gold trim as a hanger will be perfect.  You can view more of Holly Berry's  gorgeous cross stamps HERE.

Inchy by Inch Challenge : Chirstmas Carol

Each of these little squares are 1" x 1"

Designed using 3 inchies inspired by the "Chirstmas Carol" Challenge over at Inchy by Inch.

Stamp Set : Crafty Secrets Christmas Joy

Patterned Paper : Penny Black

Ribbon and embellishment from local craft store.

Colorization : Prismacolor Pencils with OMS

I had soooo much fun adding white and red fun flock to the scarf and holiday hat! Then I added a little glitter (stampendous prisma glitter).

First Annual "March of the Snowmen" Blog Hop

Hi everyone!  I'm so excited to introduce to you the first annual "March of the Snowmen" Blog Hop!  I love snowmen images and so do all the other designers participating in this blog hop.  This talented group of ladies has planned some sensational snow flurried projects for you.  So before I list my own mini march of snowmen projects let me introduce you to our designers!  Make sure you scroll all the way to the bottom of my post before you start hopping though, because I'm giving away TWO blog candy packages!!  And check out each designers blogs carefully for MORE blog candy announcements!

Angella Crockett

Barb Foster

Deb Felts

Jen Carter

JenMarie Taylor

Jodi Heuser

Kelly Landers

Latisha Yoast

Laurie Unger

Laurie Willison

Linda Duke

Melisa Waldorf - You are here now

Michelle Bartnett

Mona Pendleton

Pam Imholz

Stacy Rogers

Snowman Project #1 was designed using a vintage FREE digi download from a challenge blog : Digital for Tuesday Challenge Blog.  They post a FREE vintage digi image each tuesday for you to design with.  The blog is sponsored by Clearly Vintage.  The owner sales vintage stamp sets that are wonderful.  So I wanted to take a minute to share this wonderful find with all my vintage lovin' friends.  I also designed this project for another challenge blog : Sunday Postcard Art.  When I can I have been playing along with challenge blogs for inchies, ATC's, collage, mixed media recently.

A postcard is 4" x 6".  I started with a piece of cardboard, tore away some of the surface to reveal the "ripples".  I layered on Weathered Wood Crackle Paint, then Sky Making Memories Acrylic Paint and lastly Picket Fence Crackle Paint.  I colored my image with Prismacolor pencils and OMS.  I add Shimmerz.  My "snow" is liquid applique.  I love that stuff!  I add a little white fun flock around the brim of the girls hat and Stampendous Prisma glitter to feather and ball on tip of girls hat.  All the other embellishments are things I picked up in the Christmas section of a local arts and crafts store. 

Snowman Project #2 was created using a wonderful vintage cut out by Crafty Secrets Heartwarming Vintage line of products.  I'm gonna be giving this one away at a Cookie Swap tomorrow night that is held annually by some of my Scrapbooking buddies here in town.

Snowman Project #3 was created using "Gifts of Love" by FireCracker Designs by Pamela.  You can check this set out HERE.  I love Martha Stewarts Snowflake border punch!  Perfect for you winter cards.

Snowman Project #4 features "Snowman Nativity" by The Angel Company.  I created my own watercolor background for this one, then stamped and embossed the snowflakes creating my own DP.  This is a Score-pal card, Cami card.  You can find the directions on the Scor-pal site.  If you are interested in ordering this set online from a TAC demo, let me know.  I can hook you up!  I'm hoping one of the designers in the hop show cases "Merriest Wishes".  It is one of the cutest snowman sets I have EVER seen!

The window creates a great card!

Here is another project using "Snowman Nativity" for Project #5.  I loved these little guys soooo much, I couldn't help creating a home decor project so I could sit them out on a table and enjoy them.  I used old wood stamp blocks as my base.

Blog Candy Packages for 2 Lucky Winners!

 

To qualify for blog candy all you have to do is leave me a comment with your email address included.  You have until 8pm EST Sunday December 6th.  At that time I will draw 2 names to win the above blog candy.  I will post the winners by 9pm EST.  Good Luck ladies!!

Thank you so much for stopping by!  I hope you enjoy the hop and are inspired to create your own snowmen projects to bring some winter cheer to your home or to someone else's mailbox this year!

Artist Trading Card / Christmas

Hello.  I bought one of those 7 Gypsies Revolving ATC Holder.  What a cool way to set your ATC Art out.  I decided to try and create ATC for different holidays that I can sit out with all my other holidat decor. Here are my first Christmas ATC's.

Artist Trading Card 2.5 " x 3.5"

DP : Making Memories Vintage Findings Kit

Image : Dover Publications Holiday Vignettes Book

DP : Making Memories Vintage Findings Kit

Image : Dover Publications Holiday Vignettes Book

Red Pearls : Memory Box

You can view all of my ATC's HERE

You can check out all of Christmas Projects HERE.

I won $25 free Impression Obsession!

TEEHHEEEEEE (giggling).  Who doesn't love winning free stuff!  Every 2 weeks or so, Shirley Ross and the IO DT share inspiration and a customer challenge via a Blog Hop.  And Mitra, IO owner, offers up a $25 gift certificate to their online store!!  I love Impression Obsession images and started playing along.  Shirley has been posting the challenges for customers in advance, so you have time to do some shopping for the perfect IO image to use for the challenge.  Last week my name was drawn and I just finished doing a little shopping!  I can't wait to get my new images in the mail.  We would love to have you join us!  I have already created my card for this weeks challenge.  You can see the challenge and blog hop on Thursday HERE.

Here is my entry for the upcoming challenge.

I used Winter Wonderland F2268
I stamped my tree with VersaMagic and embossed with White Embossing Powder.  I realized that you were not going to be able to see the details if the entire card was white, including the stamped image, so I brushed over the embossed image with some green ink.  I used my Cuttlebug and embossing templates to create my textured background.  I used my Martha Stewart border punch to create even more white texture.  I added white Pearl Glitter and pearls to the tree.

And here are the details for upcoming challenges that Shirley shared recently:

Dec. 3 -- WHITE (Mainly White) challenge
Dec. 17 -- VALENTINES/LOVE
Jan. 7 -- SPRING
Jan. 21 -- SHAPED card (anything but rectangle)

I hope you will join us in the next challenge. If you would like to prepare early here are the guidelines:
Impression-Obsession stamps only please.
Entries will be accepted until the following Saturday at midnight.
You email your entry to me using the Email Shirley link provided near the top of the second sidebar to the right.
All participants' cards will be posted here and also permanently in our IO Customer Album in the very next sidebar over.

If you live in Jacksonville, know that I have purchased Impression Obsession stamps locally at Pictures In Time, Scrap and Stamp, and A Small Cleverness.

Or shop online at Impression Obsession Online Store.

Joy Banner Triangle #2

 I just completed the second triangle for my Joy Banner that I'm creating along with the gals over at Ready... Steady ... Stamp.  Here are the guidelines for this section of the project :

I gotta be honest.  I forgot about the Kraft paper and in a panic decided that I could add it as a dangle from the bottom, whew.  I think long term, though, I will be changing this out to a large gold star.  That would match my first section better.

I hope this inspires you to start a Christmas Banner of your own! Need more inspiration??  Jump over to Ready, Steady, Stamp and check out the other girls projects!

GinaK Designs - Little Tees

 I used Little Tee's to create this one.  The sentiment is from Elegant Post.

I stamped my images on DCWV Citrus Matstack.  The Matstacks make it easy since all the paper coordinates and they are the perfect size for card making.  The paper already had glitter on it, so my card was quick and easy!

I hope everyone isn't too stuffed with turkey to get crafty this weekend.  Thanks for stopping by!

Christmas Phrases by FCD

Hello!  I hope everyone has arrived back home safely if you had to travel for Thanksgiving.  I love Thanksgiving, it's my favorite holiday!  But I'm always exhausted by the time it's all over with.  I think it's because I try to get so much done in just a couple of days.  So I'm finally getting back on the computer tonight to find that I have recieved a gazillion emails since tuesday and that my post didn't go off as planned on Wednesday.  So you are gettin' a two tonight.  I'm starting with my FCD post you should have received Wednesday.  As you may remember, Pamela from FCD gave us each 2 wonderful Christmas sets to work with for November and December.  Tonight I'm focusing on Christmas Phrases.  These sentiments are perfect for so many different Christmas cards.  These sentiments would make a beautiful card if used alone with some decorative paper.  But I chose to combine them with a couple of other FCD Christmas sets.

. 

I combined this one with the ornament top and star from Season's Greetings.

I cut the tree section from a piece of green textured paper.

I combined this one with the snowflakes from Gifts of Love.

I found some snowflake patterned paper and stamped my FCD snowflakes using VersaMark Ink and embossed with white embossing powder.  Sooooo easy!

Pamela  packs alot of options on a plate, so you really get your moneys worth when you order from her.  It's not to late to order your Christmas stamps from her, because she mails them out so quickly.  The latest they will be shipping before the holidays is December 15th.

Hoping to post my FCD Christmas Ornaments by Sunday.  See ya then!

Inch by Inch ...

Without further ado ...

Sand Between My Toes

I have been checking these little works of art for well over a year now.  We have a wonderful stamping/mixed media/collage store here in Jacksonville, A Small Cleverness.

They do monthly ATC and Inchie swaps among other wonderfully artistic activities.  I go there often and check out the artistic endeavers of these talented ladies.  And I'm ALWAYS amazed at how much they can get into a 1" square.  These little squaures can be combined to create larger works of arts.

The above set was created for the Inchy by Inch Challenge Blog.   The theme was texture.  I decided to go with sand, since I had these tiny sea shell stamps.  I used Goldens Coarse Pumice Gel.  It can be purchased in the Art section of most art/hobby stores.  It's greyish and can be mixed with acrylic paint.  I'm not happy with the color of my sand, but didn't have time to remix and start all over.  I think most of these tiny shells are from an Impression Obsession set and a Mini Technique Tuesday set I've had forever.

Passionate About Purple

Photo not so great.  A little harder to photograph these little guys.  Sorry.  I created this one for Small World of Inchies and Twinchies.  The theme was Purple.  I kinda cheated, because I went shopping for some images specifically so that I could do inchies.  I found these decorative sqaure stamps, perfect for stamping inchie backgrounds, by Inkadinkado.  So then all I had to do was find a tiny butterfly stamp in my stash.  I used 2 different shades of purple.  I stamped the background twice, trimmed the darker shade down to the frame, secured /popped it up to the lighter base.  Stamped the mini butterflies in the darker purple, cut with cuticle sissors and adhered with a tiny bit of glue at the butterfly body, so that the wings could "fly".  I added some Stampendous Pearl Glitter!  LOVE that stuff!

Scroll down to the next post for a totally different look from the ATC's and Inchies.  You will see why I said the last couple of days I had a "variety" of projects to post!

FCD November Blog Hop!!

Pamela sent each of us 2 of her new Christmas Sets to work with for the next 2 months.  I have been having a ball creating with Mistletoad and Christmas Phrases.  It's not to late to order YOUR christmas stamps.  Order online today!  Shipping is fast with Pamela! 

On the 8x8 Layout above I used one of the phrases from Christmas Phrases along with one of Pamela's other Christmas stamp sets, Season's Greetings.  The tag below was designed using Season's Greetings as well.   

Pamela also designed a special Manger Digi for us to work with as well.

I combined it with Christmas Phrases to create THIS CARD.

And you can check out the projects I have designed using Mistletoad HERE.  Only 2 Mistletoad sets left at the store, so check out these projects and then place your order today!  While you are over there check out the Flower Soft and Shimmerz!

I can't wait to share the other projects I have designed using these sets.  Please check back weekly to check out some more options using these sets!

Thanks for stopping by!!

Christmas Banner Challenge

Today I'm posting the first section of a Christmas Banner.  The girls at Ready, Set, Stamp Challenge Blog have inspired us to create a banner one section at a time, every 2 weeks.  So at the end of the 8 weeks we will reveal the completed banner.  No cheating allowed because you have to wait for the specific recipe every 2 weeks.  Our banner has to be an inverted triangle.  We get to choose our own colors.

A few other standard rules with their challenge are 1 stamp minimum, and no "cute" projects.  So please don't tell me my project is "cute", teehee.  Here are the rest of the ingredients for this portion of the challenge:

As you can see they have very specific requirements, so this one will limit me and may prove to be one of the hardest challenges I've done.  So hopefully I will make it to the end!  Last year I ran across a Dover Publications Book with lots of vintage images for different holidays.  So I've been dying to use them, and this seems like a great challenge to work my Christmas images from that book into a project.

My triangle measures 6 1/2 across the top and 7 1/2 from top to bottom.  I stamped and heat embossed the stars (Crafty Secrets) in gold to my DP (Creative Imaginations) and then ran the VersaMark pad along the edges of the triangle and embossed in gold as well to make it coordinate.  Obviosly my primary colors will be red, white and gold with a splash of green.  I added some Stampendous white Pearl Glitter to the letter "J", the snowballs, on the tree and around the edges of the triangle to tie that element in.  I used Stampendous red Pearl Glitter on the berries for the holly.

The next set of ingredients will be posted tomorrow, so I can't wait to see what they are!