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!!!

It's Meow or Never

I can hear Elvis now...

This is for Brenda's challenge at SCS VSN. We needed to make a B&W card, and hopefully with a piano. I found the image free online at Coloring Pages and made the sentiment up in Word.

Thank you so much for looking!

Ombre Ocean

I am so happy to create an ombre colored ocean. Melanie Muenchinger has a stamp set called Pretty Patterns and I used the chevron to stamp the background. JustRite has At the Beach and I love these beach images. I colored the sun rays with Sakura glitter pen so it super sparkles! I popped up the beach image, added copper brads, and finally a couple 3D embellies: a hibiscus and a shell.

Thank you for looking!!!

Nana's Quilt

I really love country living and handmade with love items. But I don't have the patience or know how to quilt. But I can COLOR a simple quilt!!

I just fussy cut the images and stamped onto SB oval nesties, sponged the edges with Jumbo Java ink, as well as Brilliance Gold (smaller oval). Added pearls, gold nail heads, and scalloped the top, zig zagged a stitch line around the pattern paper. Finally, tied a couple twine bows onto the 'rod' holding up the quilt.

Thanks so much for looking!

Tickled Pink

Whew, this VSN over at SCS comes to a close this Saturday, so must hurry to get these last few entries made and uploaded.

Ann wants us to make something that has both rough and smooth, so I whipped up a mixture of joint compound (for sheet rocking), with some glue and a touch of pink Liquid Pearls. After getting it to a thick consistency, I covered the stamp from Elegant Elements with a bit and stamped all over the panel this way. I filled in the white space with Perfect Patterns small square and small floral circle. Using the heat tool, I dried the homemade Gesso {smile} within about two minutes, then finished sponging with Pixi Dust Pink by VersaMagic.

Added the tag and ribbon, then the vellum butterfly (thanks Shari) and called it done!

Thank you for looking!

Several Cards at Once :)

Sure beats a lot of small posts, but these are made for SCS VSN Opposites Attract.

Thank you so much for looking!!!

Oregon: Beavers or Ducks???

Typically them thar's FIGHTIN' words LOL.

FUN challenge for Kim's "Rival Teams" over at SCS VSN Challenge this last weekend

Humor often diffuses tension so how about these cards? The answer to the first card is ... "Duck-U-mentories!!!" {big grin}

Both images are digis from the net. I used Swiss Dots EF on the duck's card, and Argyle EF on the beaver card.

Thank you very much for stopping by to take a look, get a chuckle, feel a little happier? Yes!

Thank you so much for visiting my crafty outlet !!!

Moon Rise

I love Theresa Momber's tutorials on sponging a variety of scenery. She can blend colors like nobody's business.

This is for Ann's "I Spy" VSN Challenge over at SplitcoastStampers Website. The VSN this month is about opposites. So I spied a dark sky with a bright moon rising. Using Theresa's sponging technique in my humble way, I tried to recreate an ocean scene with stars twinkling above. Yes, I have a long, long way to go but the more steps we put forth forward, the closer  to the goals we get, Yes? Sitting still doesn't get us any closer to achieving :*

Stamp Sets by Theresa Momber, "Aloha" and "Tropical Nature." Both available at GKD.
Pure Luxury cardstock available at GKD.
Memento inks and markers used, as well as Signo White gel pen for stars and waves.
Cuttlebug Twig embossing folder
Pop dots to lift the panel from the card.

Moon Rise

Thank you dear ones for looking!

Autumn Leaves - Using Perfect Pearls

Aloha,

This is a favorite time of year for many people. I love it. It was our mother's favorite time of year, too. I am playing the song while typing this. You can hear it to by right clicking on the link, and choose 'open in another tab.' Enjoy!

Nat King Cole sings Autumn Leaves 

I used Fall Foliage stamp set by GKD. Ink up the largest leaf with Perfect Pearls Perfect Medium, or VersaMark, stamp the leaf all over dark brown cardstock. I used one of the brushes from the Perfect Pearls set, then stippled/dabbed the colors (gold, red, green, copper) onto different portions of the leaves. Take the larger brush and gently brush the excess pearl powder away. I rounded the corners of two layers.

Carefully measure the focal image into thirds from both directions (I like to use millimeters for this part because it is easier). Cut the image into 9 pieces and carefully adhere to your cardstock layer. I used liquid MonoAdhesive for this project as it gives you more time to rearrange pieces before drying.

If using the Perfect Medium or VersaMark, no setting spray is required. I covered my ivory cardstock with Embossing buddy to get it nice and non-static-y :) then stamped the sentiment onto ivory using VersaMark, sprinkled gold embossing powder onto it, then heat set. I cut it with a SB Fancy Tags #2. Added gold pearls to sentiment and popped onto the card.

For a dear stamping friend in Oklahoma ♥

Darice "Falling Leaves" embossing folder
Perfect Pearls: bronze, gold, red, green
Perfect Medium
Spellbinders Fancy Tags 2
Stamp Set: Fall Foliage by Gina K. Designs

Entered into: StampTV Mix It Up Monday, Use Darker Colors
                    Through The Craft Room Door "Anything Goes"

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

Aloha