Are you this awesome in a velvet skirt?

My first order of MFT stamps arrived today! Very exciting! So...I decided to create this card for the MFT Sketch Challenge (MFTSC60) that runs until tonight at midnight. My Wübē paper was still out and since I like the colours for the MFT's Who's That Girl Challenge (MFTWTG14) so much, part of my work was already done. I added green to the blue, brown and white combination.

Where's the velvet?--I stamped the image on green patterned paper and white card stock, cut out the sofa and skirt pieces, then added white flock to the skirt for texture. The rest of my E-Girl is coloured in copics. I used my Fiskars scalloped edge punch and found that the holes were perfect for these matte finish brads that tie in with the white skirt and sentiment panel. I haven't used my slit punch for awhile, so I thought it was time--it was always a favourite. I ran the soft sky panel through my cuttlebug 'circles and spots' (not sure what the name is) embossing folder. The rest is all layers of blue bayou, chocolate chip and the Bohemia lime green paper from MME.

Stamps: Who's That E-Girl?, My Favorite Things
Ink: Adirondack dye ink in espresso; SU close to cocoa classic ink
Paper: Gina K 120lb Pure Luxury cardstock; SU chocolate chip, close to cocoa, soft sky, and blue bayou (flat and textured) cardstock; Rhythm n Blues Waves, Wübē; Bohemia Backyard "Just Be You" Stripe/Lime, mme
Other: lily white flock, crushed velvet; nestabilities circles/scallops; SU slit punch; Fiskars scalloped edge punch; SU kiwi kiss satin ribbon; sponge; circles and dots cuttlebug embossing folder; matte finish brads, Lasting Impressions; pop dots; copics: E01, W3, Colorless blender filled with B00 ink, W7, E29

A winter wish

This card is double duty for two challenges: TECC45 (Taylored Expressions Cupcake Challenge 45) and LSC197 on Splitcoast. Lots of rules to follow. First, Taylor's sketch was fairly specific--I used circles though instead of ovals (basically because I don't have oval nestabilities yet!). For the Limited Supplies challenge, I was asked to use

1. snowflake images only whether stamps, patterned paper...

2. a monochromatic colour scheme

3. some sort of “bling” or sparkle

4. one word only

I think I stuck to snowflakes--the 'swiss dots' embossing folder created the flurries. ;) My monochromatic scheme is winter silver, white and muted blue/soft grey. My bling is mostly in the silver embossing. And my one 'wish' is focal to the snowflake embellishment. The chipboard snowflake is inked up with basic gray classic ink, then sponged with white craft ink, embossed with detail silver embossing powder on the edges for a distressed look, and finally, sponged with more white craft ink and heat set. The snow flurries are also heat embossed in silver (but I used Versafine for finer detail). I was inspired by Karen's bella card recently; I've layered my nesting circle/scallop/circle in the same way.

Stamps: snow flurries and sentiment, SU

Ink: SU sahara sand classic, basic gray classic, whisper white craft; Versamark in onyx black

Paper: SU whisper white and going gray; Blitzen Fresh Snow and Jack Frost, Basic Grey

Other: circle/scallop nestabilities, SU 1/2" circle punch; SU detail powder in silver; heat gun; SU basic gray taffeta ribbon; silver hodgepodge brads; sponge; cuttlebug 'swiss dots' embossing folder

Happy Boots

Today I took my first Splitcoast Sketch Challenge, Bella #57! I was actually searching through my stash to create something for the colour challenge Kristina Werner posted today. That one's still to come--I have until Thursday, don't I? I came across a slice of Kaleidoscope's "All About Me" Dots/Teal paper, which ties pumpkin pie, kiwi kiss and blues in soft sky and something close to baja breeze all together. This happy paper was perfect for Billybootabella!

I don't have the oval nesties yet and discovered today that I've also lost the 'in-between' size coluzzle ovals. Hmm, I don't like 1/4" mats usually, so I needed a fix. But first, I embossed the white background with my cuttlebug 'Spots & Dots' folder and sponged the edges with soft sky ink. I punched circles out of the patterned paper and scallops in coordinating kiwi kiss and pumpkin pie. To add depth, I sponged the scallops with the same colour ink. Billybootabella is coloured in copics. Guess what, I took pictures this time:

I have a mix of copic sketch markers and ciaos and no real preference when it comes to the actual colouring.

Her umbrella is stamped out of the patterned paper and shimmering with H2O twinklers in sage applied with a blender pen. I thought her excellent boots needed some twinkle too.

So, back to the fix. The blue oval mat is the reverse side of the patterned paper. I sponged both oval layer edges and worked as far in as her umbrella with soft sky. I think this softens the contrast and the felt flowers are not just there to look pretty--I hope you don't notice how thick my mat is with them there!! I used diamond stickles on the mini brads to distract even more, just in case...

Stamps: billybootabella and sentiment from billboardabella, Stamping Bella

Ink: Adirondack dye ink in espresso, copics

Paper: SU soft sky textured, pumpkin pie, whisper white, kiwi kiss cardstock; Kaleidoscope "All About Me" Dots/Teal

Other: Coluzzle ovals; SU 1 3/8 and scallop punches; kiwi kiss satin ribbon; pop dots and dimensionals; H2O twinkers in sage; blender pen; diamond stickles; SU felt flowers; American Crafts mini brads powder

Nine wishes for the holidays

Peace. Home. Laughter. Happiness. Friendship. Holidays. Family. Lights. Spirit. This card is for a very good friend. Recent hopping took me from Delaney Gates' blog to Bonnie Marcus' Collection, Where Fashion Meets Paper. I loved the Hanukkah Candles party invitations--the image and the words were absolutely perfect for my friend who lives and breathes family, peace and her Jewish values. I case'd the image concept and turned again to Adobe Illustrator, my Wacom tablet and pen and lots of learning time! I think my menorah has a 'yoga' influence and I hope this is okay. I also changed the order of the words to suit my friend.


The family portrait is once again tucked into a pocket behind the focal image. The card itself is simple. I embossed the top part of the white panel with cuttlebug Swiss dots; embossed two lines below the dots using my Scor Pal; and used nesties to achieve clean, embossed edges on the menorah image and black mat. The blue is a patterned paper from my old stash; I was looking for the right blue, but coincidentally, the reverse side has white dots on blue.





Stamps: warmest wishes, Hero Arts
Ink: SU basic black, copics for flames
Paper: Xerox 110lb cardstock, SU basic black, SU whisper white textured, unknown blue
Other: square Nestabilities dies, swiss dots cuttlebug embossing folder, Stickles, Scor Pal, computer, Adobe Illustrator, Wacom tablet and pen

Now I have to create over 50 of these!

Inspired by someone on Splitcoast and eager to try out copics, I created this design version. (The orginal used SU's Garden Whimsy stamp set and if you've seen this creation, please help me find the link.) You'll see variations of this layout in the next pictures--a central square image that holds a family photo for 2008. We had family photos taken before Henri's transplant and I wanted to include a photo but still have a hand-crafted design. I also used square nestabilities and embossed with my cuttlebug 'Spots and Dots' embossing folder.

Using the same general layout without the 8 small squares in the background, I case'd one of Nichole Heady's designs (Just Because). I love her use of the Scor Pal to create an embossed grid background! The rounded corners are hers too. What's new? I turned the image into a pocket for my family portrait again and printed a sentiment in chocolate on white cardstock, which I mounted on the photo mat. This is my quick, go-to design when I run out of time making over 50 Christmas cards. No stamping; just beautiful paper.

Again, same general layout here, but I used my D'Vine Swirl cuttlebug embossing folder to emboss the top part of the background in SU pacific point. I love StampingBella bellas and spotted a swirly scene on their website. I wanted something a little different--fatter trees and more swirls!--so I created my own similar winter scene using Adobe Illustrator, my Wacom tablet and pen, and a lot of learning time! I printed my image on 110lb Xerox cardstock--I'm sure this doesn't compare to PaperTrey's white or other coveted papers--but it worked with my copics to colour the trees and the shadows. I then used Michelle Zindorf's technique (check out any of her amazing tutorials), covering the trees, swirls and snow with VersaMarker then heat embossing in clear. I sponged close to the embossed image and out to the edge, then gradually further out from the image with soft sky, baja breeze, pacific point, not quite navy and possibly night of navy. The snow and trees are highlighted with Stickles.