Aloha Flamingo

Aloha again,

Hope you are doing well. This is another card based on variations of one color (monochrome). This is CAS (for me, it is LOL) in all pinks. I will enter this into this week's MIUM challenge at StampTV - for Cat who wants us to use one color.

Stamp Set: "Aloha" by Theresa Momber for Gina K. Designs
Inks: Memento Angel Pink (sponging), Stampin' Up Strawberry Slush, Regal Rose and Blushing Bride
Sequins: Verve Pastels
Pearls and rhinestones from stash
Pink Twine, Diamond Stickles, Signo White Gel Pen
Copic Markers

Mahalo to each of you for stopping by!!!

Avocado Flowers

Aloha friends,

Here is a card using various shades of green distress markers, topped with Signo white gel pen. When done coloring I outlined the petals with the gel pen which gives an almost embossed look. I added dots of white around. Sage colored pearls and prisma glitter lie over the centers of the flowers. What drew me to purchase this stamp is that the flower image is so beautiful, but the sentiment is part of the entire stamp.

This sure is CAS compared to the last card I made!

Stamp by Stamin' Up: "People Like You"
Distress markers
GKD Pure Luxury White Cardstock

Thank you dear ones for stopping by!!!

Night Ocean with Blue Flowers

Aloha,

Do you ever feel like breaking out of the box? Me, too. It just felt good to get a fussy card out of my system. I just cut a strange size card, with a different twist to the gatefold closure. This is made for Cat's It Takes Two, Only Two Colors STV Challenge this week, STV14MON42. 

Size of base cardstock: Folded closed it is 8-1/2 inches tall by 4-1/4 inches wide; opened up it measures 8-1/2 inches by 11 inches. Yes, I used an entire sheet of 120# GKD white cardstock ☺

Recipe follows photos.  (This card looks so much better in real life. I just could not get the pictures to really focus well or get the lighting right, heavy sighs).

Front with right side "gate" flap opened---

This is the center, inside panel, the scene of the night sky over the ocean --

Next is the inside, left panel. I want to apologize for the blurriness! So when you open the card, this is the left part of the "gate" fold--  (I think it's enough room for a personal message, or perhaps to insert a photo of a trip to Hawai'i or a photo of a couple in love, kids, so on...)

Finally, this the front right side of the card, the right portion of the "gate" fold. 

For those of you who are curious how parts of this card is made, I offer the products and techniques below, separated by the card parts.

Front left, main panel:

Anna Griffin embossing folder "Eleanor Lace" used twice to emboss entire panel

Die Cuts - Flowers stamped and die cut using Heartfelt Creations Fleur de Lis sets

Die Cuts - Memory Box "Elegant Scrollwork" and Impression Obsession Leafy Branch #055-N

Die Cut Sentiment - Spellbinders 5 x 7 Detailed Scallops, second die from center

3/8 inch royal blue grossgrain ribbon

Gina K. Designs Prisma Glitter (LOVE it!)

Martha Stewart and Want2Scrap Pearls

Memento Inks Summer Sky and Night Sky

Sentiment - Gina K. Designs Elegant Florals

Inside left panel:

Blue card layer by Bazzill

White die cut panel - Spellbinders Respendent Rectangles, fifth from center

Flowers stamped and die cut - Heartfelt Creations Fleur de Lis sets

Memento Inks Summer Sky and Night Sky

Pearls

Gina K. Designs Prisma Glitter

Inside center panel:

Stamp Sets Gina K. Designs: Elegant Florals, Spring Florals (all the leaves)

Liquid Pearls Baby Blue (sets of 3 berries here and there on the stems)

Gina K. Designs Prisma Glitter

Wink of Stella in Clear

White Gel Pen Signo

Memento Marker, Paris Dusk

Apple Barrel Acrylic Paint, white - splattered with toothbrush across the sky for Milky Way stars

Marvy 1 inch circle punch as mask for the full moon

Corner Rounder punch 2 corners

Inside right panel:

Bazzill blue card, hand sketched shape and fussy cut

Flowers and pearls as listed above.

Outside/front right side of "gate" flap:

Curve cut with Spellbinders A2 Curved Borders One, #3 die from the right

Want2Scrap blue rhinestones

Bazzill blue cardstock 

Anna Griffin "Brocade" embossing folder on the blue panel

Sponged edges with Memento Summer Sky

Piercing tool to enhance die cut holes

Sand paper to sand down the embossed panel. Creates two colors and depth to the embossing.

All flowers and branches, scroll work die cuts adhered with Ailene's Clear Gel Tacky Glue, as well as for adding all the glitter, and for adhering all the pearls and rhinestones.

Panels adhered with Scor Tape 1/4 inch

If you actually read the recipe, you deserve HUGE APPLAUSE!

Thank you so much for stopping by ♥

(now to make the box!!!)

Sympathy for Friend

Aloha everyone,

I always feel heart break when someone loses a loved one. There's not much to say and if you are far away, you cannot physically hug them. But I always hope that a card with a note of care will help some how. That is what this card is for, a gentleman friend.

The stamp set is by Stampin' Up, called Serene Silhouettes.

I stamped the image with Memento Warm Cocoa ink, then covered with clear embossing powder and heat set. Pattern Paper is from Gina K. Designs "Shabby Spring" paper pack. I added some silk ribbon in aqua and colored pearls with Copic markers for embellishment. Copper brads from Gina K. Designs as are the base cardstock (Pure Luxury 120# white). Brown layer is Bazzill.

Thank you for looking and leaving your sweet, kind comments ♥

For Friend Facing Health Challenge

Hi everyone,

This card is for a friend who received a frightening health diagnosis. I hope she maintains her strength and hope and that is what this card is about.


Stamp Set: Flourishes "Mother's Words of Wisdom" floral wreath, butterfly from Gina K. Designs
Image colored with Copic Markers with red Liquid Pearls. Background paper embossed with Anna Griffin flower folder. Epoxy butterfly half round over peach grossgrain ribbon. Butterfly watercolor pencils by Derwent, round accents by Liquid Pearls. Butterfly and sentiment covered with clear embossing powder. You can probably see sparkles from Wink of Stella here and there. I colored the rhinestones pale orange for the butterfly antennae. Cardstock 120# Gina K. Designs white pure luxury, and Bazzill peach for the layer.

(I'm sorry for remembering the exact name of the bicolor pattern paper but it was from a pack, the exact sentiment die cut name, and the Anna Griffin Emb. folder exact name I will need to look up later. Having a difficult day with pain today so cannot get up to look, but will when I can.)

        



                         Thank you for stopping by ♥   

October Anniversaries

This sure is a popular month for our friends to have anniversaries! I'm so behind, have no idea if I can catch up. But here are two:

First one is Always and Forever, a stamp duo from Gina K. Designs. I use the technique of embossing with a Spellbinder die on both these cards. Both pattern papers by Anna Griffin. Here is a link to Gina's video tutorial:

How to emboss with a Spellbinder Die

(This was card #300 uploaded to STV :)

And this is very similar, but using Because of You, another stamp set duo by Gina K. Designs.

Sparkles over both dresses, hair and flowers by Wink of Stella clear glitter pen. 

Thank you very much for taking a look!!! ♥

Over and Under the Sea Flip Card

Hi there,

StampTV is having a challenge this week to use water in a creation. This took me a while to complete.

Stamp sets: Oh, Boy; Quite a Catch; Under the Sea - all by Gina K. Designs
Copic Markers
3D Crystal Lacquer
MS glitters; Gina K. diamonds glitter
Aileen's Clear Tacky Glue
WOW embossing powders
Sizzix / SU label flip it die, with words "hi" and "I♥U" and labels from same die set
SU label punch
Marvy large vase punch
White Gel Pen Signo
Sakura glitter pens
Stickles Diamond
Googly eyes
Paper and cardstock Gina K. Designs


The front of the card has images from the Oh Boy stamp set. I colored them, fussy cut, dipped in covered with clear glue, then glittered, dried and covered with 3D Crystal Lacquer over all of that, let dry again. Even the ocean is colored, covered with 3D Crystal Lacquer and edged with Stickles diamonds. It's hard to tell but that is a whale on the left side with 2 googly eyes. I just cut out the 3 fish and covered them with glitter then Crystal Lacquer.

The back of the card has images from both Quite a Catch and Under the Sea sets. I blended Copic colors onto the three main fishes, then heat embossed the yellow fish and green sea weed. The three bigger fish (includes the star fish) all are covered with 3D Crystal Lacquer. They are pop dotted up.

I loved the sentiment from Quite a Catch set but didn't know where to put it. So I cut it out with a Marvy large vase punch, turned it upside down and trimmed it into a large drop of water. I drew the fish hook with a worm wrapped around it, covered those with Sakura glitter pens, and covered it all with more 3D Crystal Laquer (am running low on this now :)

Some of the little bubbles on the paper also have Crystal Laquer for dimension and texture.

Front:

This is the back side:

Close Up:

I hope you enjoyed this and thank you so much for stopping by ♥

Breast Cancer Awareness at StampTV

First time for a FLIP card. I purchased the circle and the label flip it dies from SU. This is the circle. I will say that when I make anymore of these, I will just pre-adhere the pattern papers to the card base because cutting out each custom layers is TOOOOO hard (slaps forehead)!

Cardstock, pattern papers and stamp set by Gina K. Designs, "Strength and Hope, designed by Theresa Momber.

It was a very fun card in that I combined different techniques that I don't use all the time --  RECIPE is a bit complex, but will explain the details and how to's:

The focal butterfly was stamped in VersaMark then brushed Perfect Pearls in Pink, Blue (which combined to purples), and gold for the ribbon in the middle of the butterfly. The colors are iridescent and change as you move the card!!! I covered the ribbon with 3D Crystal Lacquer for soft, epoxy like finish. There's a pink rhinestone hidden in the center of the lacquer ribbon.

Below the focal image is a Quilled Butterfly :) with 2 mini pink rhinestones for antennae.

In the top right of the front card you will see a pink glitter ribbon. That started out stamped in Tuxedo Black ink - the large ribbon stamp from the set, then fussy cut it out. I used a paint brush and covered the top with Mod Podge, sprinkled pink glitter and dried. Then I took a black marker and covered the edges of the ribbon to really pop the pink glitter up. I covered the entire pink glitter ribbon with 3D Crystal Lacquer so it's clear, shiny and raised up. It's EASY to make your own embellishments.

The sentiments are stamped in Delicatta Gold Ink. They stay gold and glittery. The back of the card has 3 pink rhinestones in the upper left corner and the word "HOPE", and another 3 tiny pink rhinestones beneath it.

I added white gel pen stitching and dots all around the margins.

Another difficult part of this card was to line the pattern papers up the right way because there is a right side up on both papers. I messed that up the first time - we can't have upside hearts or mis-matched patterns, can we?

I do love this card. When you pull or push the sides, the center circle with the butterfly and word "Hope" flip around. You can have up to four different scenes depending on how you fold and set the card down!!!

I don't want to lose any more friends to cancer, and this month we highlight and encourage everyone to keep checking - you never know when you might feel or see something not quite right. GET IT CHECKED! This includes MEN.

Front of card, with crease to stand up tall --

Close up of Perfect Pearl Shimmer on butterfly, and 3D Crystal Effects on ribbon --

Close up of BACK of card (the circle flips around) --

Final look at the front of the card :)

Many thanks for stopping by and leaving your ever sweet comments ♥

Pheasant, Thinking of You

This is a card for a dear friend's husband who is up against serious illness. I didn't know what kind of a card to make other than it being masculine.

I used Stampin' Up "Walk In the Wild" pheasant image, and some B and B tree stamps. I cut out a mask for the mountains, then sponged Memento inks for the sky, mountains, land. I drew in some grass and highlights with Memento markers. There is a faint touch of Wink of Stella on the pheasant neck and breast for iridescence. Inside says "Thinking of You" part of the same Stampin' Up set, with a larger fir tree stamped in Cocoa Brown. The envelope has oak leaves and acorns, the back has faint pine trees as a small forest.

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

Copic Class Day 10 - Creating Backgrounds

Hi friends,

Today's try went better than yesterday's. I stayed away from the grays which I am still waiting for refills to arrive.  The colors are mostly within one family group - the browns. Even the pinks you see are from the E group in Copic markers (Earth tones). For the background, I used BG10, the lightest I have in that group. I then used the Blender or "0" pen to soften the outer edges. No bling, no Wink of Stella. The birds are only here because a deep smudge turned up. My hands are very clean, so it must have been from a marker tube or its lid.

It's a lovely stamp set, similar to yesterday's, both by Phyllis Harris. This one is called " ...and for a moment" -- I love it!!! It reminds me of when I was a teenager, taking care of horses at summer camp. I would get up very early each morning, and with another girlfriend, we would care for our horses, saddle up, and take off freely through the woods and pine trees of the Pacific Northwest. Ahhh, another lifetime ago.

GKD Ivory 80# cardstock, no layers. Signo Gel pen white -- dots on her little dress.

I am going to cry when this class is over. I have THOROUGHLY enjoyed each day. Highly recommend you take it, even if you want independent study because it's overflowing with video tutorials, overflowing!

Link to Online Card Classes

Again, thank you so VERY much for taking the

time to visit, to comment ♥

Copic Class Day 9, Creating Backgrounds

Hi, sweet friends,

You can probably tell by now which Copic markers I am still waiting eagerly to receive refills for. This class will take you through every drop of ink in your markers, so if you plan on taking it, and it's THE best coloring class ever :) then make sure you already have all of your refills and your markers are almost but not quite dripping good and ready.

Today's class was even better than yesterday. However, you won't be able to see that my looking at the background I made LOL. It was the first time I ever used the chisel tip end of a Copic marker. Definitely a long learning curve... I ran out of C5 while creating the shadow, tried to add C3 and made more of a mess rather than shadows.

To plug up some empty space, I added 3 butterflies and some squiggily flowers, their vines drawn by a marker. Wink of Stella clear covers the butterflies and flowers. The sweet little girl is wearing a pink stud earring and has a clear stud on the pocket of her overalls.

But I LOVE LOVE LOVE the class, and this stamp image by Phyllis Harris and this "First Love" set. It's available at Unity Stamp Company. Today's obstacle for me was 1) create a background using Copics, and 2) This will be a one layer card (thud), mistakes and all.

Thank you very much for stopping by to take a look at what we are doing in class (kisses).

Kisses to each of you ♥

Copic Day 7, Working with Difficult Colors!

Red. Just the thought of coloring with red means my work is going to bleed and bleed badly. Why? It's just how I roll, or, how the markers roll. But this time, I confronted my RED  markers head on and told them, "YOU DON'T SCARE ME." {gulp} and started coloring.

I used swift, light flicking motion with the markers and didn't soak the colors in, plus I tried to stay a micrometer (grin) away from the image's lines to make sure no red touched the image outline. Also, I used the deepest, darkest red I had - R59 - because if you are going to confront your fears, you may as well pick the fears you dread the most, right?

So here is the boldest, deepest, darkest red flower I've ever colored in my life. And look Ma, no bleeding. I didn't even need my blender pen!!!! Cause you know what happens when you touch blending fluid with red, right? Yup, let's not go there.

Thank you so much for looking --- wish you were here to fist pump with me, cause RED, 

YOU DON'T SCARE ME ANYMORE!!!!! (as much)

Copic Coloring Day 5, Shading my Tealarina (what?)

Hi, there dear friends,

This is a ballerina that I colored teal, so that's where the Teal-a-rina came from :) I am getting loopy from coloring and coloring and coloring, not to mention repairing both our printers, reinstalling software, dealing with health insurance and other details of daily life... Just like you must be coping with, too, so I REALLY thank you for taking the time to looky at what I am doing in class.

I used chalks as the background to create a kind of floor with shadow and a horizon line so she isn't spinning in air.

I also used to Signo gel pen to create tons of polka dots - remember in the good old days when we ladies wore a crepe type organza that had polka dots on them? Or was it crinoline? I remembered that from when I was little so I wanted her tutu to be like that.

Thank you dear friends, for coming by to see me and my Tealarina!

Copic Class Day 6 - Using the Copic Blender Pen on Animals?

Yup, you heard that correctly. In this class our assignment is to color, then use the blender pen in creative ways to add design and texture to the critters. :D On some, I poured some blender pen refill onto an old cloth and pressed that onto the dog or foxes to create some of that kind of texture. Other times I used the blender pen to create intricate designs. Yes, I'm still out of my comfort zone.

Thank you very much for taking a look at my crazy animals!