Technique Lover's Challenge at SCS

I have a very messy house and even messier craft room, so I had decided to put a moratorium on stamping yesterday.  My plan was to clean, clean, clean.

Then, temptation overtook me and I took a gander at this week's Technique Lover's Challenge over at Splitcoast.  Well that was the end of my plans for cleaning.  The stocking above is a actually a gift card holder.  The gift card fits right below the cuff and you can leave a sentiment right above.  Claire Brennan (Waltzingmouse) generously provided the stocking template that we can all download.  I have so many ideas for these little stockings!!!

Recipe: 
Stamps:  JustRite
Paper:  Frances Mayer, DCWV
Ink:  SU, Anna Griffin, Tim Holtz
Accessories:  Rhinestones, glitter pen, stickers, punches

Let me know if you decide to make one of these stockings, I would love to see what all of you come up with.

Til next time,

Holiday Lounge Ornament Tutorial

I recently made a discovery that blew my socks off!



SU's Holiday Lounge Designer Series Paper is perfect to use with vintage photos from the 50's and 60's.  Vintage is a nice way to say that I'm old!

I pulled out some photos of my family from way back when; some holiday, some not, and decided that I would make photo ornaments.  I hope to have a whole tree covered by Christmas. 

Check out the following tutorial:

All SU products used, except the jingle bells.

Here are the basic elements of your ornament:

* 1-3/4-inch circle punch

* Two 2-inch circles of Holiday Lounge DSP

*Two scraps of HL DSP to stamp with your ornament top from the Sweet Centers set.

* One 1-3/4-inch circle punched Post-It (make sure you punch where the sticky part is).

* One Sweet Centers Treat Cup (Optional).

1.  Place your Post-It circle in the center of one of your 2" circles.  This will help you mark where you need to punch.  Then, place your 2" circle into your 1-3/4-inch punch.  I sometimes use another Post-It to act as a handle while I punch small pieces.

2.  You now have your frame for your picture.

3.  Stamp the ornament top on your scap DSP.  Make sure you stamp the opposite side of the design you wish to see on your ornament.  Cut the ornament top piece, excluding the wire hanger.  Be sure to leave a little tail at the bottom (refer to photo).  Use the 1-3/4-inch punch to slice a small curve into the bottom of the ornament topper.  This will allow the top to sit flush to your ornament.

4.  Now the fun part.  Time to put your ornament together.  I made a photocopy of the photo I wanted to use.  I also punched out some embellishments with the party hat punch (retired).  Feel free to add what you like here or leave it plain. 

5.  I punched my photocopied photo with my 1-3/4-inch punch and adhered it to the second circle.  I then added pieces of Dimensionals around the border of the circle. 

6.  Add your embellishments (if desired).  Place one of the ornment top pieces at the top of your ornament, lining it up with the edge of the circle.  Adhere the other ornament top pice to the first top piece, making sure the side you want to see is showing, back and front.

Adhere your frame circle over the photo, lining up edges.  Now you can add a hole to the top for ribbon and embellish as desired.  I added a little glitter and a snowflake punched shape.

And here is the finished product:

Here is one I did with the Sweet Centers treat cup and a stamped image from the Winter Post stamp set.

I added some jingle bells to make it a shaker ornament, but you could add glitter, buttons, whatever you want.  I'll add my decorated tree when it's all done.  I hope you enjoyed this tutorial.  I'm still working on the lighting, as my studio is quite dark.  I may have to bring in my husband's spotlight to get clearer photos. 

Til next time,

TLC247 Snoopy Dreams Come True

There's a great Technique Lover's Challenge going on over at Splitcoast this week.  The technique is to use a Coluzzel or Nestability to extend your image outside the line.  I decided that a sleeping Snoopy would fit this challenge.  I used a standard square Nestability to make my square.  After coloring with Prisma Pencils  and Gamsol and gel pens, I kind of lost my mojo and couldn't figure out where I wanted to go with this card. 

I pulled out my basket of Cuttlebug folders and came across the Journaling Card folder.  I ran some textured bright blue cardstock through, I found it was much easier to see how I wanted to format the card.  Here's a tip:  Primary colors go well with images such as Peanuts, Disney or Sesame Street. 

I distressed the blue CS with some sanding, added a strip of glittered CS at the top with my sentiment and ribbon, and then came the really fun part; I made some 5-layer buttons (sans the buttonholes) shaped like snowflakes.  If you haven't tried this technique, I highly recommend it.  It has to be my favorite of all the Technique Lover's Challenges that I've participated in.  Check it out on SCS.

Supplies: 
Paper:  DCWV, SU Whisper White and Real Red
Stamps:  Stampabilities Decorated Dog House, SU In the Stars
Ink:  StazOn Black,  SU Barely Banana, Brilliant Blue
Accessories:  Gel pens, Prisma Pencils, white button, ribbon, Nestabilities square, snowflake punch, SU Photo Corner punch, Cuttlebug Journaling Card Embossing Envelope.
IN OTHER NEWS:

You may have noticed I have a new badge in my sidebar 

Thank you Sue Daly  for choosing me for this award.

Here are the rules:
1.Post it on your blog, along with the name and blog link to the person who sent it to you.

2.Pass the award on to 15 other bloggers that you've newly discovered.
3.Remember to contact the bloggers and let them know they have received this very cool award!

Here are the people I have chosen to receive this award:
1.  Jen Diercks
2.  Heidi Karpen
3.  Jeni Sannes
4.  Monika Davis
5.  Carrie Fitch
6.  Lynn Weiss
7.  Jennifer
8.  Antoinette Chavez
9.  Shannon Fudge
10.  Sharon Lougheed
11.  Melyssa Connolly
12.   Debbie Cobari
13.  Ashley Cannon
14.  Carolina Buchting
15.  Beth Norman

I hope you are familiar with the names above, but if not check out their wonderful blogs.

Til next time,

OWH Drawing Winner

I used the below Research Randomizer Results and came up with the following number:

Research Randomizer Results


1 Set of 1 Non-unique Numbers Per Set

Range: From 1 to 45 -- Unsorted

Job Status:

Set #1:

15

That would make Kathyc our winner!

Kathy wrote:  "I love the card with the buttons! Guys are gonna love all of these cards!!"

Kathy, please send me your address, so I can get your goodies out to you. 
Thank you everyone who particpated in Operation Write Home Veteran's Day Blog Hop.  I so enjoyed reading all your comments.  You made my day!!! 

FS145 Narley Christmas

Congratulations Dawn (Treasure Oiler) on being our Featured Stamper this week at Splitcoast!

Here's the card I cased of Dawn's:

Surf's Up


And here's my card:

Things I changed: 
*The theme of the card.
*Paper and colors.
*Embellishments.
*Stamp set.

Things I kept the same:
*The basic sketch.
*The surfboards.

Recipe:
Supplies:  Provo Craft paper, SU CS, Do the Hula stamp set from SU (retired), punches, dimensional stickers, styrofoam, creamy caramel re-inker.

The sentiment is printed on the computer.  I paper pieced the surfboards and created a wreath with SU punches.  The snowflakes are created using a starfish punch and eyelets. 

To make the sand:  I rubbed two pieces of styrofoam together to "grate" it and then colored with SU re-inker.  I added a little glitter for sparkle, then glued it to the card.

It was really fun making a non-traditional Christmas card.  Hope you like it.

I'll be back with the winners of yesterday's OWH Blog Hop in a few minutes.

Til then,

Operation Write Home Veteran's Day Blog Hop

Today's the day for the OWH Veteran's Day Blog Hop.  If you are not familiar with OWH, it is a charitable site designed to provide cards for soldiers to send to their families, as well as cards of support and thanks to our heroes.  Please click on the link below for more information.  I have recently become involved with OWH and now have my son involved through his school as well.  It's a great way to give back.

 A total of 77 bloggers are participating today and there are tons of creations, blogs and prizes.  So let's get started...

Here is my "Any Hero" card designed to honor the sacrifices that soldiers and their families make for us on a daily basis:

Recipe:  The base is SU Chocolate Chip.  The main image is a poppy (Bloomin' Beautiful).  I chose this because whenever I donate to the Veteran's Administration, they always give me a poppy to wear in my buttonhole ("Buddy" Poppy).  I colored the main image with Prisma pencils and Gamsol.  The image is then layered on Whisper White and Rose Red.  I created the lettering using my JustRite stamps painted with a little bleach.

The second card I created is a Valentine a soldier can send home to his sweetie:

Recipe:  I have been playing around with the Sweet Center's stamps from SU.  They are so versatile.  Here you can see that you don't need to necessarily use the Sweet Center's cup in your design.  In this example, I paper pieced the balloon and basket and accessorized using ribbon, stitching and buttons.  The clouds are sponged over a scalloped circle punched Post-It.  If you would like to see more Sweet Centers Ideas and tutorials, please refer to my archive.

Now for some blog candy! 

Just leave a comment on this blog for a chance to win a goody bag full of wonderful things to create cards for our heroes.  Winner to be announced in tomorrow's post. 

Now back to the hop:

If you started here, please click here to go to the beginning of the hop at the OWH site.  While there, check out this fantastic organization:  Operation Write Home Veteran's Day Blog Hop

For the next blog, please click here to go to:  My Craft Central and visit Tammy and her wonderful creations. Wait til you see her cute fur baby.

Til Next Time,

SC254 Hedgie and the Snowman

This happy little hedgie is for the Sketch Challenge over at Splitcoast.  I colored with Prisma pencils and Gamsol, then added some stamped snowflakes using white Craft ink, embossed, and then sponged with Bashful Blue.  To preserve the color intensity of the pencils, I sprayed the surface with a matte sealer.  Hope you like it!

I'll be back later with more Sweet Centers ideas.  Stay tuned!

Operation Write Home Blog Hop

I will be participating in the OWH Veteran's Day Blog Hop on Saturday (11/14).  I originally thought it was being held yesterday (read the directions Wendy).  Sorry for the confusion. 

Anyway, check back on Saturday for my tribute to the troops and my first ever blog candy!


More later,

More Sweet Centers

I still have Sweet Centers ideas on my brain.  Here's a little ladybug card I created for a friend who will be having surgery on Friday.  I'm including it in a gift basket.  Can you guess the theme?

Here's the recipe:  Green Galore card base, red DSP was a scrap I had left over from Summer Picnic, but any red patterned paper will do.  The red piece is cut to 5 x 4 inches and the bottom two corners were punched with the Ticket corner punch.  I used my 1-3/4 punch for the whole for the cup.  The ladybug's head was punched with a 1-1/4" punch and then I slipped it into the 1-3/4-inch punch to make the curve.  The stripe on the ladbug's back and the antenae were just a scraps I trimmed.  The small circles were made using a hand-held 1/4" punch.  I also used a strip of Whisper White at the top after punching with the scallop punch and piercing.

Til next time,

Ways To Use It - Noel Tag

Three posts in a day, that's a record for me!!!!

I noticed the Ways To Use It challenge over at SCS is to use stickers.  I have tons of stickers.  I keep giving them to the kids to use for projects, sealing envelopes with them, etc., but still, I have an entire drawer full of stickers.  I think I spent an entire decade collecting.  I even wanted to visit Mrs. Grossman's factory to see how the stickers were produced.  I loved stickers!!!!!

Now, not so much.  But, I have to say, I do love these dimensional, glittery stickers I found in my drawer.  I don't know the brand, as the packaging was long ago discarded, but these are fun stickers.  I used my Cricut to cut a large tag, covered it with Provo Craft paper and all kinds of fun things, like buttons and glitter, a CM snowflake diecut that had been altered. You can really go wild with embellishments on these fun tags.  Anyway, this is what I came up with.  Hope you like it.  I think I'm going to make an even larger one to hang on a door knob this holiday season.  What fun!  Hope you check out the challenge and have a great day!

Til Next time,

Sassy Lady Birthday Card

Hi again,

My friend, Eileen, has a birthday this week and I wanted to send her a card that would make her laugh.  I think this sassy lady will do the trick.  I made sure she had lots of bling! 

I've had this stamp for quite awhile and just love adding all the 3-D embellishments that make her so fun. 

RECIPE:  I stamped the lady twice on WC paper, painted with re-inkers and a small brush.  After she was dry, I cut her out and started laying on the glitz.  I poked three holes and pulled through the fiber around her neck.  I added glitter for her earrings and Crystal Effects to make her lips shiny.  I cut out the flower on her hat and her sunglasses and popped them up.  I also added some black glitter and gel pen to make the glasses really sparkle.  I used Nestabilities to cut my mats and make the lady appear as if she was popping out of the frame.  I didn't have any brightly colored feathers, otherwise I would have added those to the plummage on her hat.

This was such a fun card to make.  I wish I could see Eileen's face when she opens it. 

  Happy Birthday Eileen!!!

Til Next Time,

A Christmas for Noah

Hi All,

I received an e-mail yesterday that a little boy, named Noah, who is in the last stages of neuroblastoma will be celebrating Christmas with his family next weekend.  Noah has requested Christmas cards.  The first thing that came to mind was that reindeer card I made last week.  Wouldn't he love that?  So, here it is, ready to go out to Noah and his family.  If you would like to contribute to Noah's Christmas cards, here's the address:

Noah Biorkman
1141 Fountain View Circle
South Lyon, MI
48178

Til next time,

Check Mate

Hi All,

No tutorial today, but I have a card.  This is for my DH's birthday.  He loves chess, the colors blue and grey and history.  I think this card fits the bill. 

I put the following quote inside:

“Combinations have always been the most intriguing aspect of Chess.


The masters look for them, the public applauds them, the critics

praise them. It is because combinations are possible that Chess

is more than a lifeless mathematical exercise. They are the

poetry of the game; they are to Chess what melody is to

music. They represent the triumph of mind over matter”

(Reuben Fine)
 
DH also has a passion for baseball, but I just couldn't find any way to mix love of these two games, so that will have to wait til next year.
 
Til next time,