BLOG CANDY TIME!!!!!!!!!!!

Aloha dear friends,

~ Blog Candy ~ Celebrating 50 members! I've been MIA lately due to injuring two lumbar discs and some other health issues and important life events. I miss EVERYONE! Each of you means so much to me and I just want to say thank you! Retail value of all gifts given in this candy is over $50 US.

Rules:

If you live in the USA, I can easily mail you these prizes. If you live outside the USA, I will need to send you A2 size, flat items only - papers, embossing folders, etc., because the shipping cost is simply too high to mail bulky or heavy items.

Entering is Super Easy! I hope notifying the winner is just as easy...

1. Leave me a little comment below.

2. See the link over on the top of the right side column? It says Follow by Email? Enter your email address to follow. You might have to confirm it but that's it.

3. Under that link it should say Join this Site. Please join. Once I hit 75 members, it will be time for more blog candy to be sent out. The biggie blog candy will be the 100 member mark as well as the next blogiversary!

I will use an online Random Number program to choose the winner.

You do NOT have to jump through a Wheel of Fire, holding one foot behind your back, with a spoon in your mouth, teetering a raw egg in the spoon, reciting the alphabet backwards. I stopped entering giveaways because of how hard they make it to enter.

Candy!!!! All items are brand new, unopened - I accidentally bought two of everything so YOU win lol!!! If you already own these items, you may wish to wait for the 75 member giveaway as it will all be different prizes.

                                                                           

Blog Candy Products

1. Darice Embossing Folder of "Grass" #1218-75. This fits the Cuttlebug and Big Shot along with similar die cut machines using two plates for embossing sandwich. The folder has a butterfly. flowers, and grasses with dimensional tops on the grasses, more like fern.
2. Marvy Uchida Clever Lever Craft Punch, 1" diameter circle. This is way easy to use, fast when you need circles, and can make so many things out of it - snowmen, faces, moons, suns, and much more.
3. Tim Holtz Distress Inks in "Old Paper"' and "Vintage Photo with two unused sponge daubers, not pictured here.
4. A brand new stamp set, deep red rubber and closely cut to the images, by Nina Brackett for Gina K. Designs, to use ALL YEAR LONG -- Fanciful Tags!!!!!!!!!!!!
5. I will include some pretty papers and ribbons, brads and eyelets and other surprises before closing up the package to be mailed out.

WINNER WILL BE CHOSEN AND ANNOUNCED ON JANUARY 1, 2014!!!!

Please mark your calendars and I will do my ultra, mega best to notify you by email, Facebook, and thru the general cardmaking grapevine.

Finished :)

Hi friends,

Well, the light at the end of the tunnel has arrived (and it's not a train). The 2013 SCS HYYCT month of challenges has finished. (I can barely type LOL).

Here are my last creations. Forgive me for not typing info on them...

Thank you for your loving comments and encouragement!

With aloha ♥

Friendship Notepad for SCS HYCCT challenges

Eeek I almost forgot about this, do you believe it? We've been so busy at SCS I can't remember what I've made!

This is a gently altered spiral notepad. I used the Cropadile to punch holes in my MS dp every where there is a metal wire wrung. Then I cut angled slits towards each punched hole so that I could slide and push this dp onto the spiral binding. I used some glue to hold down all the dp around the binding, and used Scor Tape for the borders of the dp. Inside I used the same dp and just tried to be neat. Finally, I added a ribbon and an epoxy puffy sticker as the focal sentiment.

I am adding a new pink pen which has Susan G. Komen printed on it in gold.

This will also be packed up and sent to the breast

cancer patients in Texas soon ♥

Aloha! 

Floral Friends and a Positive Outlook - two more cards for SCS HYCCT!

Hi there,

This is the first time I worked with acetate. After trying Copics (no), Distress inks (no), and a few other inks, I read up on YouTube what does work? Ta Da - Our Humble Sharpies :D

You must color quickly lest you color over dry ink. This removes the ink! I used two shades of pinks and greens, and had to color as fast as I could. I outlined all of the image (stamped originally with StazOn) with more black Sharpie because it no longer was bold enough to see.

The 'smeary' parts in the photo are actually the shadows cast from the image towards the beige embossed paper insert behind it - It was the best picture I could get. It looks so much better IRL -- why is that so much of the time?

Because the corners smeared a bit, (Color Box Chestnut Roan), I stamped lace and florals around the card, then distressed edges. But the acetate is clean, sparkles and shines!

Stamps by GKD Dogwood and Butterfly by Theresa Momber, Corner Embellishments by Anna Griffin 18th Century Garden, Lace by SU.

The next card was supposed to resemble "subway art" but I have no idea what that looks like. The only sentiment I have that might come close to that is the one I used by Hero Arts below.

I love the dp which is from Susan Wright for K & Company. The mat pack is stunning.

Thank you dear ones for stopping by and taking a look!!!

Aloha ♥

Going to Town

Do you have many memories from when you were very, very young? I do. I think I was about 4 yrs old when our neighbor and landlord Mrs. Finke would take us to town in the very early 60s.

Our mom and all of us kids would pile in and she would take us to heavenly McDonalds. This was before they sold over a million burgers! Then we would go to a little grocery store (long before there was a 7-11) and buy a little bit of candy. I mean a little bit. We were very poor. But I recall eating those fake coke bottles, kind of like gummy bears? But when you bit into them, a tiny bit of yummy coke flavored goodness would cover your taste buds. That was very cool. Like - How did they get Coke inside a gummy candy bottle?

This card is made in memory of Mrs. Finke. She was what neighbors were all about - love, generosity, and goodness.

{Stamp Set: Technique Tuesday, All Aboard}

 

Almost at the finish line

Pant pant pant...

We are nearing the end of a month long challenges run at SCS Hope You Can Cling To journey. I will upload the last few I've made, just to save us time and typing :)

1. Blue Suede (shoes) Slingback Pumps!

Yes, this was for a challenge based on any of Elvis' songs. Used the Sakura glitter pen on the heels and shoe lining. Thank you to Kyra Scrapycat at STV for sending me her gifts of GKD Ocean Mist Ink and Ribbon which matches my GKD Ocean Mist buttons perfectly. Ahhh. Matchy matchy.
I also touched the glitter pen to all the smallest circles on the dp, and along the borders of the wonky rectangle and sentiment. It's really sparkly IRL. {Stamp Set: You've Got Style by GKD}

2. Sparkles in my heart in this Floral. Stamps by GKD, a la Theresa Momber with "Aloha" stamp set. I colored the flowers with Copics, then dusted the tops of everything with Stickles Diamond glitter and on the leaf, Lime Glitter. I simply embossed the card with Sizzix Birds (and Wreath) EF. Finally, I dotted the stamen with Viva Gold Pen dots. I do love sparkles! So I gave the birdie a little blue rhinestone eye :* {Stamp Set: Aloha by GKD}

3. While this is not for the SCS HYCCT challenges, it is for a friend living in Indonesia. She is superbly artistic and I sent her some PSX, Northwoods, and D. Morgan scenic stamps to play with. Hope you like them Dina!  ♥ {I think this stamp by is Precious Moments, sorry I can't remember for sure} Doesn't she remind you of the Little House on the Prairie Show?

4. Who doesn't like Winnie the Pooh? Esp Classic Pooh? I thought this could cheer up someone coping with the treatment for breast cancer, bring back memories from long ago.

It's very simply colored, sponged in clouds, used a tree stamp from a recent GKD set, and added dry embossing to the background dp. I had some dark chocolate brown pearls and the silk blue Maya Arts ribbon as embellies. HANG ON POOH AND PIGLET! {Stamp Set: Touch the Sky by All Night Media}

5. Riley Riley Riley. You daredevil you. Isn't he fun? I colored with Copics and added Stickles diamonds as big, snowball size snow flakes dumping onto him. He is a beginner skier but took the Black Diamond Lifts... This can't end well. I love the inside sentiment -- "Yeah, I don't have one of those." {Stamp Set: Ski Riley by Riley & Co.} Handtyped and printed the sentiments.

6. Finally, there is a mixed media card to share. Throwing caution to the wind, I reached for whatever was close and not used much. So this is the first time breaking open both the natural Mica flakes and the A/C duct tape from Home Depot (thanks honey). I embossed the sentiment (Darice Border Sentiments) onto AC tape, and after adhering the AC tape to cardstock, I cut it with Cheery Lynn Exotic Butterfly #3 Medium (whew) die cut. Then I rubbed on paste in dark green and gold to the dp and both the sentiment and to the butterfly, added a few turquoise gems for color. Lastly, I sprayed fixative over the top to hopefully adhere the mica flakes permanently. The flakes went on top of Glossy Accents. The butterfly is popped on foam.

I know this is a lot to look at and try to absorb.

Thank you ever so much for

stopping by and leaving your tender comments!!!

Aloha ♥

All for Hope You Can Cling To at SCS

I am still continuing to try and keep up with the October Breast Cancer support cards to be sent to a hospital in Texas.

The first card up is a very simple one to make, allowing the beauty of Gina K. Designs designer paper to glow through. There is a simple, gold embossed leaf as an embellishment under the sentiment.

The next card uses a free coloring image online which I just printed and colored, cut out each boot, curled them a bit, then sprinkled with glitter and pop dotted. The sentiment is just typed up and printed.

The third card is based on the Perry Como song and I just wanted it to be simple and let the star be the focal image. It's hand sketched along with the pocket.

The fourth card is also simple, using the "kissing" stamp technique. I used a fruit stamp from Gina K. Designs and kissed it with the SU Irish blessing verses stamp then punched it with a scallop punch.

Finally, Kittie C. used a serene theme for this challenge, so I used Theresa Momber's stamps and sponging technique for this ocean sunset.

Thank you very much for stopping by and taking a look!

Touch the Sky

This is also made for the HYCCT challenges at SCS. It was fun to make, and hand make the hills, trees and clouds :)

Stamp set, cardstock and dp by Gina K. Designs "Petals and Wings."

As always, THANK YOU for your kind and sweet comments!!!

Snowy Bridge

When it gets warm here, and especially humid, I imagine laying in the snow - ahhhhh.

I stamped this Northwoods stamp, "Winter Bridge," in Summer Sky blue by Memento. Then using Copics #B000 and B00 I added shading. Then I stamped VersaMark all over the image and sprinkled Dazzling Diamonds glitter over that.

All cardstock from GKD.

Thank you for looking!!!

Butterfly Dreams

This is a card for a challenge hostessed by Angela at SCS called "Inspiring Words."
The hardest part was finding the sentiment to use. The one I settled on is from a Gina K. Designs grab bag I won a long time ago, but isn't it a beautiful saying? It took me quite a while to pick this one.

After that the card is very simple. I used dp from K&Company by Susan Winget. The whole paper pack is gorgeous. I then took a Sakura clear glitter pen and outlined all the butterflies, then added a few dots here and there.

I made a matching bookmark and called it done. Easy Peasy after all those more difficult cards recently!

Thank you for stopping by and taking a look!!!

Ambered Leaves

Here is another card made for the HYCCT project. We were to use metal in our cards. I cut out 3 pieces of foil (glued first to scrap cardstock) from leaf dies. I then added colors, Perfect Pearls, and metallic pastes, then more Perfect Pearls. ---I forgot to say that the last step is to use two coats of UTEE for making the leaves extra shiny, smooth, charm-like, and translucent.
I used a crimper to some background paper and I think the rest is self explanatory :)

Thank you dear friends for stopping by and looking!

Hidden Sentiment Technique

This was a fun path to walk down. I had never made one of these before and didn't use a template. It was very interesting and a little tedious to make it 'work' correctly. But in the end, it is very worth the extra time and engineering to have a card become kinetic like this.

Stamp Set - PaperTry Ink, Flower Fusions #12
Cardstock and dp - Gina K. Designs

Thank you so much for looking!!!

Pink Friends

It's breast cancer awareness (well, all kinds of cancer awareness) time. It's also too painful for me to remember how many of my own friends have died from breast cancer and other diseases. But if we can help just one person to endure the challenges of a diagnosis and all that it entails, then these tokens of our support may bring them hope and a smile.

Made for the HYCCT challenge and Lee wanted us to have a pink camo type background. I used glossy card, made a basic polished stone with pinks, silver & gold inks and alcohol. This dried overnight. I stamped flowers onto it, colored them in with Anna Griffin watercolor markers and the rest is pretty self explanatory. Just wanted a simple card.

Thank you for looking!

An Autumn Wreath

Hi friends,

Today is a special day for card makers. I made this one for the SCS HYCCT Challenge in which we use at least ONE paper punch (LOL) in our project.

Well, I've been wanting to create a leaf wreath for such a long time, so today is the day.

First I punched all the different types of leaves out (thanks Martha Stewart punches). Then I sponged different colors onto each, also Delicata Gold ink, then burnished each until they furled like a leaf. I cut out a large circle and popped it onto adhesive dots and used this as the base for the wreath.

Then I began building, one leaf at a time. I added the ribbon, then finally the rhinestones.

Thank you for looking!

Baby, You've Got It!

For the HYCCT challenges at SCS. This is for Bridgett - I chose pink ombre for the way I colored her corsette, and I chose the Pink Shop with the dress frame.

I chose some pattern paper and stamped Irish blessing across it with Delicatta gold ink. Next I embossed it (cherry blossom EF) by Darice. After cutting the image and pick background out plain pink card, I edged the pink layer with darker pink ink and ran it through an embossing folder (damask by Darice). I used pink sponging and gold sponging on this layer as well.

Main image and sentiment both heat embossed in gold, then image colored with Copic pink markers.

The rest is fairly self-explanatory, adding pearls, adding a bow, twine and button.

Stamp Set and cardstock by Gina K. Designs, "You've Got Style."

 Thank you for looking!

Hey, You're Not Sharing!

House Mouse has the sweetest little mice. We are supposed to make a card that will bring a smile to the recipient. While I think most cards will make people smile, House Mouse images pretty much guarantees it :D

I tied ribbons around their tails because the ink smeared on two of them. It was also fun to pierce the edges, something I don't usually do and would like to more often.

For the HYCCT challenges over at SCS.

Thank you for looking!

Winter Nights

I love seeing snow, esp at night and how quiet it makes everything. I also miss seeing the deer creep across the land, looking for food, standing majestically in the moonlight. We nailed up so many No Hunting signs on our last property and were always shocked when people would come up in pick ups, a spot light and guns shooting. We had to duck in our own homes. Don't miss that! But in my mind and on paper, I can see the way it should be.

Made for Beate's HYCCT "Flat is Beautiful" challenge, plain flat card.

Stamp Set by Theresa Momber, available at Gina K. Designs "Life is Good" (I just used the larger deer and one of the sentiments in this set) I added a tail and extra points to his antlers.

Masking and sponging (pink and blue). I cut a 1 inch circle from Scor Tape, covered it with clear glitter and that is my moon. I used both glitter and white gel pen for snow/stars.

Much aloha for looking.

Queen Anne's Lace Aglow

Challenges:

SCS HYCCT Courage and Strength CAS Challenge

CASology #64 Harvest Challenge



Thumped Memento inks Mango, Bamboo Shoots, and Red Magic to the stamp and pressed to GKD 120# Pure Luxury white cardstock. I used the Sakura clear glitter pen over the sentiment as well as a few touches to the tops of the flowers, then added a few score lines and called it done.

Thank you for looking!

Hope You Can Cling To (HYCCT) Challenges October 2013 at Splitcoaststampers (SCS)

Well, that was a mouthful. I've never entered this challenge before, but it's mostly one card per day and I hope I can do that.

Autumn Mums

The very first card for this month and challenge is a stamp set by Gina K. Designs called "Friends Are Flowers." I CASE'd one of Gina's video cards, too. She made one with inverted sentiment and image with so much interest and texture. Finally, two years later (?) I made one.

Here is the link to Gina's video to see how to make this:

http://stamptv.ning.com/video/reverse-nestabilities

I just changed the die sizes and the stamps used. The rest is very similar to hers.

Cardstock and stamp set by GKD.
Copic Markers, Spectrum Noir Markers, Prisma Glitter
Spellbinders dies: Circle, Scallop, Rectangle
Cuttlebug Embossing Folder "Swiss Dots"
Want2Scrap Red Rhinestones

Thank you for looking!

Now this is MY kinda' GUY!

This is an image from Diamonds Stamp Company (out of business). When I saw it, I had to use it to make something for my main man, Bruce. He works at Home Depot (in plumbing no less) and he takes exceptionally great care of me. When he saw this he laughed and said he had to lose some weight off his tummy LOL.

Magnets on the back so he can put it up on his locker at work {grin}.

Thank you for looking!

Always Butterflies

As summer ends, autumn begins, where do all the butterflies go? They used to cover San Juan Capistrano, but I heard recently they have not been there as much. We have them here year-round. They always seem to come back in spring and summer on the mainland, so I feel there's Always Butterflies.

This is another card that started out CAS and quickly turned into another "Oh, no" and shabby here we come. I had also tried a new technique in the background that (click link for simpler tutorial as well as video ==>) Lydia at Splitcoaststampers  taught via tutorial today. She calls it Bokeh. I called mine a failure LOL because I could not find a new pencil with a round eraser near me. So I used the next similar thing: the broken chop sticks I keep in my craft box for when they come in handy, like today, to stand in for the pencil erasers, which they could not possibly live up to. The paint didn't look like round circles, but rather like splotched messes.

Create the background:

Color gelatos onto your stamp. Using an Aqua brush or any paint brush with water, thin and blend the color on your stamp. Stamp the image onto cardstock.

Next you create the bokeh dots around the shadow image. Take your gelato color (I used the same blue) and color a small area on an acrylic block. Add a touch of water to thin, then dip your pencil eraser in. Tap gently around your image, first close to the image so that the most color is deposited around the image, and as you tap farther away, the dots get fainter. Keep doing this until you get a 'dreamy' dotted background all around the image.

Now for the main, to-be-fussy-cut image: I am using a butterfly by the way. Color your image with the colors you would like. I used yellow, green, medium and darker blue. Use your aqua brush to blend the colors to a wet, creamy consistency, then stamp onto a fresh piece of cardstock. You can add Gelato color directly to your image if you want it to be more vibrant, using your finger to blend. Time to cut this out. It will be adhered over the shadow that you created earlier.

I didn't like my shadow image background. so I tore off the edges and added sponging with yellows, greens and blues by Memento. Then I sprayed it with Shimmer Pearls (I make it), scrunched it up, then took a heat tool to it so it cried crumpled. I added some Glitterata Gold ink to the edges. Background done.

It really lacked pizzazz. Enter Prisma Glitter {grin} - ahh, just the right thing to doctor this up. First I painted the butterfly with Mod Podge, and laid it in a small container of glitter, spooning it over and over until it was all covered. I used a heat tool and heated it from underneath to set the glitter, and adhered with strips of foam adhesive to the shadow/bokeh/crumpled background.

The rest is pretty self explanatory, but please ask questions if you have any. My dh exclaimed, "It's as big as a 747!!!" which drew me down, including the corners of my mouth, into a frown. I will definitely be practicing bokeh more once I find a new pencil eraser :D

Thank you for looking!

Paris Anniversary

Ok, I made an anniversary card for this month that isn't autumn related like I mentioned in the last post...

For a couple that celebrated their 32nd anniversary in Paris (yes!). They have no clue this is coming their way or that I know their real anniversary is tomorrow lol. Don't you love surprising friends?

Stamp set by Gina K. Designs, "Sent with Love"
Sizzix "Elegant Wreath" oval framed embossing folder
Inks GKD Black Onyx and Memento chalk inks
Dazzling Diamond glitter
Martha Stewart leaf punch
Corner rounder punch
Memento Markers
Sakura glitter pen Red
Purchased flower
3D Crystal Lacquer (poured a bit over the pink heart)

Thank you for looking!!

Autumn Leaves Anniversaries

This is a busy month for making anniversary cards. I am using autumn leaves as a general theme for all my friends with anniversaries this month. Here is one of the cards.

Rubber Stamp Tapestries makes various sets using small stamps on pegs. You create scenes or images by multiple stamping in different colors. Here is a wreath. I also used the small dot from PaperTrey Ink's dots and spots for the little purple berries. I used Viva Decor Gold as gold berries.

Each of the autumn leaves cards are different, but I am thoroughly enjoying making every single one.

Thank you so much for looking!!!

WEEEeeeee

I'm so happy to be finished with the latest VSN challenge at SCS. I am plum worn worn worn worn worn (ok, you get the message) out!

Remember these round metal sleds from way back? When they hit some ice, we went flying! Too bad they didn't have speedometers on them LOL. I was sure we caught a lot of air. My younger brother Roy and I stayed out in the snow until we were frozen, numb, and even wet in our woolen clothes. They itched. But we had a blast.

Here's to my brother!

Thank you for looking!

Flower Friend

I love La La Land Marci stamp images. This one is Kimono Marci. Their images are very fun to color because there's so much hair, face, and clothing space.

Used CB Asian Basketweave embossing folder for the background, some Midori flowers, and an Anna Griffin tag (because I am crawling to finish this week long VSN challenge at SCS). Four more challenges to go before Saturday afternoon..... so this is what running a marathon is like (not really).

Thank you for looking!!!