You Rock

Today I have a card I made for one of my daughter's friends. They both perform in a band that plays at local venues and this weekend they celebrated her 13th birthday. She plays a mean guitar and is very into classic rock but she is also not a girly girl so pink and glitter was not going to work this time around.

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I actually used various distress inks to make the background and then sprayed a little water over it for a mottled look. I then lightly stamped some sheet music and inked the edges. The focal image was made with clear embossing powder and then I sponged some more distress ink around the embossed image.

I was a bit worried that it would look masculine because of the colors I chose, but since I kept it on the lighter side, I think it works perfectly for a young lady.

Products Used:
Stamp Sets - CTMH You Rock (retired); PTI Background Basics: Sheet Music
Paper - SS White, Twilight
Ink - Versamark; Walnut Stain, Broken China, Crushed Olive, Forest Moss, and Shabby Shutters distress inks
Spellbinders Wonky Rectangles, PTI By the Numbers, MFT Fishtail Flags Die-namics, clear embossing powder

March Heartfelt Creations Alumni DT Hop

Welcome to the April Heartfelt Creations Alumni DT Blog Hop! Be sure to comment along the way in order to be eligible to win the $25 gift certificate to the Heartfelt Creations Store. There is a list of all the participants at the bottom of the post so make sure you visit all the blogs for a better chance at winning. Comments close at midnight on Friday, March 28, 2014 and a random winner will be announced on Saturday, March 29th at noon.

For my card this month I stamped my image using Versamark and then sprinkled clear embossing powder. I then used a couple of distress inks and a water brush to color over the image for a watercolor effect. I mounted the panel onto a base that was dry embossed with a Sizzix folder. I really like the clean and simple look and the card is perfect for when you need something quick.

Don't forget to leave a comment here and on the other designers' blogs in order to be eligible for the $25 Heartfelt Creations gift certificate. Once again, you have until midnight Friday, March 28, 2014. You're next stop is Giovanna's Blog. You're going to love what she created!

Alumni DT Participants

Amarilys Doria
Cibele Glazer (You are Here)
Giovana Smith
Deneen Treble
Caroline Duncan
Loretta Lock
Glenda Brooks
Lee Ann Barrett
Mary Faus
Candy Slabaugh
Alissa Wells
Emilia van den Heuvel
Lisa Allen

Products Used:
Stamp Sets - Script Aster Background and Classic Message
Paper - SS White
Ink - Memento Gray Flannel; Versamark; Antique Linen, Tumbled Glass, Dried Marigold, Wild Honey, Forest Moss Distress Inks
Sizzix embossing folder, clear embossing powder

Flower Soft - Santa Bottle Tag

This week I wanted to show you a project I created with the Santa and Pals stamp set from Flower Soft.

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This set is so fun and I decided to use it to make a bottle tag. I cut the tag with a die and also cut an extra piece that I ran through the cuttlebug using a Sizzix bricks embossing folder. I rubbed Fired Brick and Vintage Photo distress inks over the embossing. I stamped and colored the Santa image with my copics and then cut him out. I then added some Ultra Fine White Flower Soft to his hat, beard and cuffs for some added texture. I cut a strip of dark grey cardstock and attached it to the top, glued Santa behind it and popped the panel up on the bottle tag.

Can't you just imagine Santa, after a long night of delivering gifts, emerging from the last chimney with a drink? I can.

As always, please be sure to check out the Flower Soft Facebook page for more inspiration.

Products Used:
Stamp Sets - Flower Soft Santa & Pals and Christmas Spirit
Paper - SS White and Smokey Shadow
Ink - Flower Soft Ultra Fine White, Spellbinders Die, PTI Wine Bottle Tag die
Copic Markers - R22, R24, R27, R29, R59, R89, E00, W1, W3

PTI April Inspiration Blog Hop

This month's Papertrey Ink Blog Hop focused on an inspiration photo and I have two cards to show you using the same stamp set and the same technique.

Inspiration Photo

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I used the 2011 Anniversary Set (Pretty Peonies) and stamped the outline image with Worn Lipstick distress ink onto watercolor paper.  Then, using a waterbush, I pulled the color into the center of the flowers and leaves.

I stamped the sentiment from the complimentary Thank You set that was sent out earlier this year by PTI and added a couple of pearls.

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My second card uses the same technique but this time I added a layer of vellum over the card front to soften the image.  I also used some 1/8" scor-tape along the edges and added some pink glitter.  This has a double purpose because not only does it add that wonderful sparkle, but it also hides the adhesive I used to attach the vellum to the card front.  The flower is a dimensional sticker I had in my stash but it matches so nicely.  What a happy coincidence.

If you are interested in playing along or want to see some other projects based on the inspiration photo, click HERE.

Products Used:
Stamp Sets - Pretty Peonies, A Big Thank You
Paper - Hibiscus Burst, Simply Chartreuse, watercolor paper, vellum
Ink - Worn Lipstick distress ink, Versafine Onyx Black
Scor-tape, adhesive pearls, glitter, sticker

Heartfelt Creations - Western Sympathy

Today I have some wonderful news!  Thanks to all of you who voted, I have been asked to remain on the Heartfelt Creations Design Team for another term.  I am thrilled to be able to continue bringing you projects made with these awesome stamp sets and dies.

For today's card, I used the Western Elements stamp set with some distress inks and a water brush to create this scene.  I stamped the image onto a piece of watercolor paper using Versafine Vintage Sepia ink.  My sentiment was cut using the Perfect Petals die and popped up with dimensional foam.

I hope you will visit the Heartfelt Creations Blog to see what all the other ladies have created this week. There you will also find the detailed instructions on how to make my card.

Products Used:
Paper – PTI Fine Linen and Cream; Watercolor paper
Ink - Versafine Vintage Sepia; Pine Needles, Peeled Paint, Crushed Olive, Vintage Photo, Walnut Stain and Old Paper distress inks; Tea Dye Duo
Water pen, dimensional foam

Western Elements PreCut Set

Large Elegant Words

Classic Message PreCut Set

Labels 8

Perfect Petals Die

InLinkz.com

Sketch 172 - Mojo Sunday?

Here's my submission for this week's Mojo Monday challenge.  Yes, I realize it's Sunday.  However, this card has been sitting in my studio in various forms since Monday so doesn't that count?

I used paper from the DCWV Once Upon A Time Mat Stack and paired that with PTI's Fine Linen which has quickly become one of my favorite "go to" neutrals.  I embossed a piece of Cream cardstock with one of the new Tim Holtz Sizzix folders and then distressed the edges and inked them with a combination of Antique Linen and Vintage Photo distress inks.  I then lightly stamped the text image from an Inkadinkado stamp in CTMH Bambo ink ontop.  The flower is from my stash and may be a Prima but I am not positive.

This is not my usual card style which is why I think it took me so long to create.  I may have been overthinking things a little but I have to say I am very pleased with the outcome.

I Believe: Flower Soft Sprinkle Challenge

This week's Flower Soft Challenge is to make a project using with a children's theme or usig a child's image and of course some Flower Soft.  You can find more info on the challenge HERE and I hope you'll play along because there are prizes involved!

For my project, I chose to use one of the new card toppers called Christmas Night from the Charlie's Ark Sepia Collection as my focal image.  Don't you just love this little girl?!?!  First I cut the image with an oval nestabilitie die and then used some Ranger distress inks to sponge around the edges to make the image look "old".  Then I embossed the entire image with clear UTE embossing powder, put the image in the freezer for a couple minutes and when I took it out, I cracked it in several places.  I then rubbed a little more distress ink over the entire image again so it would get into the cracks.  I didn't have any gold paper so I cut a piece of cream cardstock with my scalloped nestie die and painted it with my Gold Adirondak acrylic paint dabber and then added some stickles along the edges.

I stamped the silhouette Santa from the CTMH I Believe stamp set in the corner and then layered my little girl on top.  The "I Believe" sentiment is from JustRite Stampers Christmas Nested Sentiments and Verses.  I added Gold Flower Soft down one side of my card using a strip of 1/8" scor-tape.  The pattern paper is from DCWV and the flowers are Prima. I sponged the edges of the card with Tea Dye duo inks from PTI.  I wanted a vitnage feel to this card which was inspired by the sepia image and I think I achieved it.  Let me know what you think.

Happy Haunting

CTMH-Spellbound; PTI-2009 Halloween Tags

I know it's been awhile and I won't bore you with the gory details. Suffice it to say I have been "under the weather" and then a new Wegmans opened nearby and of course once I was feeling better, I had to check it out. What an awesome place. I find myself making excuses to go food shopping. Imagine that.


Now on to my card. I really love all the brayered cards I have seen but I have to admit, although I have one, I have no idea how to use it properly. Instead, I took out my blending tool and various Distress Inks to create the background for this card. The graves and the spooky fence you may recognize as Martha punches and the bats are negative scraps from an EK Success border punch. I used a white gel pen to highlight the branches of the tree and a yellow Sakura glaze pen for the eyes, nose and mouth of each pumpkin. It all comes together to create a pretty eerie Halloween scene. And if you have time, please check out my daughter's card in the post below.

Colors of Fall

I love the colors of Fall and wanted to incorporate them into this card. I used a rectangle as a mask for the center of my cardstock and used various Distress Inks to achieve the Fall coloring for the border (once again using the Ranger foam tool). The leaves are Spellbinders shapeabilities which were cut, embossed and stenciled. I inked the dies before cutting them and inked the "veins" after embossing with chalk inks. I am really impressed with the Tim Holtz line of Distress Inks. The colors are beautiful and the texture of the ink is wonderful to work with. It stays wet just long enough to emboss or add perfect pearls for a little shimmer.



CTMH Products
Cardstock – Colonial White, Chocolate, Honey
Ink – Chocolate, Autumn Terracotta
Stamp Set – November Word Puzzle

Other
Distress Inks – Various
Chalk Inks – Various
Shapeabilities – Harvest Leaves
Copper brads
Martha Stewart ribbon