The Perfect Birthday Card--Tidbit Tuesday

Hello Everybody!

This weekend one of our friend's son turned 3, and we got to go to his party.  Since my son is a few months younger-the present part was easy.  It's the card part that is hard to me ;)  I thought about buying a card but that just seems so strange when I make cards.  But I had to do something and fast!

So I saw a post on Facebook from Orlando Mommies that showed a baby painting on a canvas.  But there was masking tape on the canvas so when the paint dried-pull up the tape and you have whatever was masked.

Brilliant!  I gave my son a base card (with paper in the card and bigger paper under the card) and gave him crayons.  I put a piece of masking tape on the card beforehand so that I could stamp a sentiment.

Here's his drawing...

And here's the finished card.  Perfect!  On the back of the card I put that Magnus had colored it.  It's so nice and cheery.  It would make a good card for grandparents and other family members.

Until next time my friends...have a colorful day!

Tidbit Tuesday--Did someone say free?

Hello Everybody!

On Sunday I was driving to my friend's house and while I was in her neighborhood I passed by a house that had a table set up.  The sign on the table said "Free."  So I had to pull over!  There was a TV and some old pots, but there were old text books too.  Now I can't fill my space up with a bunch of old text books-so I only took 3 of the 6. :)

I am most excited about the chemistry book.  Look at this organic equation.  It just screams cool background! :)  Until next time my friends...remember one woman's trash can be another woman's treasure!

Red Light--Stop! Green Light--GO!

Hello Everybody!

**I have revised this post.  Please scroll down to see my corrected entry!  :)  Thanks!

Today I made something I haven't made before--ATC's or Artist Trading Cards.  A month or so ago I found a new challenge blog called The Game.  It's really cool how they incorporate different games into their challenges.  Sometimes the project is also specific such as this one.

The game going on today is Red Light, Green Light.  You can go here to check it out.  I remember playing this at the roller rink.  So much fun!  :)  It's not as much fun in the car-LOL!

ARTchix Studio is the sponsor, and they have a great package they are giving away.

So the challenge is to use the colors red, amber yellow, and green in ATC's.  I made 3 ATC's and decided to honor each color separately.  **However for the challenge all three colors need to be on the ATC so I have added my card with all 3 colors (thank you Susan!).  All together I have made 4 cards to make a little set.

Here is my entry for the game:

Here is a closeup.  It's really the finishing card to the set.  In my mind if you stop, slow down, and then go (red, yellow, green) and you do that in balance you will achieve harmony.  Maybe, right?  ;)  The butterfly is from Recollections (at Michaels).

 
Here is the (now) complete set of ATC's.  Scroll down, and I'll show you some highlights!

Here are my cards just starting out.

I put index paper from a text book on my cards.  The I used white Washi Tape from Recollections around the edges to make them a bit neater.  I used clear embossing powder and a swirly stamp from Autumn Leaves on each card.

 Since the index paper is glossy, I applied gesso to the paper so whatever color medium I used would stick to the card.

For the red card I used Fired Brick Distress Ink. I also used ChitChat letter stickers from Tim Holtz.  Red means to stop-so the words are this card are reflective of the past.

I used Mustard Seed yellow Distress Ink and then went over it with Walnut Distress Ink to give it more of an amber color.  Since yellow means to slow down, those are the words I use to reflect slowing down and reflecting (I know I used it twice).

The green is from a green Smooch spray since I didn't have a Distress Ink with a strong enough green color.  Green means go so the words here are about now and the future.

Here are all of my cards again.  I really like the way they turned out.  Thanks for stopping by!  Until next time my friends...slow down and enjoy the scenery!--And carefully read the instructions!  ;)

A Flowery Happy Birthday

Hello Everybody!

I am so excited to share with you this card I made!  I am submitting it into the following challenges:

Sparkle N Sprinkle July Sketch Challenge SNSSC09:

Moxie Fab World:  Stamp It! Cards Birthday Challenge.

Here's my card.  I used Sparkle N Sprinkles stamp set 429 Blossoms for all of the flowers and sentiment.  I made the background using stamps and clear embossing powder.  The flowers going down the side are embossed in colors and then I cut them out.  The butterfly is from Heidi Swapp and I used the sentiment that came with the Blossoms set except the original sentiment says Happy Bloomin' Birthday but that didn't fit on my butterfly, so I masked it to get just the Happy Birthday.

Instead of using the circle, I used the butterfly.

Scroll down and I'll show you some more details.

I used a piece of white DCWV cardstock paper for my flowers.  This is just the clear embossed flowers.

I used Distress Inks of various colors for the background.  I started with Mustard Seed for the centers of the flowers.

I used faded jeans, concord purple, and fire brick red for the rest of the background.  After I was finished putting the Distress Ink on, I used a paper towel and wiped over the flowers to take off whatever ink was on them.  It helps bring them back to white.

Here's a different view of my card.

Here's a close up of the flowers and butterfly.  I used Stampendous embossing-the dark pink, blue, and purple.  For the lighter pink I used Sparkle N Sprinkle's Strawberry Sherbet Embossing Powder.  For the Butterfly outline I used Purple Stickles.  The sentiment was done in Forest Green Staz On Ink (better for the plastic surface) and a little gesso to make the sentiment stand out.

Here's a closeup of the background.  I love embossing!  So magical!  :)

Here's my card again.  Until next time my friends...have a wonderful flowery day! :)

My Favorite Technique-I just can't stop!

Hello Everybody!

I have one more card to share with you tonight.  I made this card for a friend of ours who's birthday was this week.  I thought it would be great to submit it to the Simon Says Stamp and Show: Anything Goes-No Rules!

I bought some new tissue paper the other day and used it on this card.  This technique is from Tim Holtz's A Compendium of Curiosities Volume 2 on page 38.  It really is my favorite!  I almost have all of the steps memorized!

I embossed Happy Birthday (TPC Studio stamp) with gold embossing powder.

The world is a Jenni Bowlin stamp and the crown is a Tim Holtz grunge board piece.

I hope you like this card as much as I do!  Until next time my friends...happy crafting!  See you again real soon! :)

Cascading Gears

Hello Everybody!

It feels like FOREVER since I posted something fun and creative!  Summer is flying by!  Well I have been working on this card for a couple of days.  It's so cool!  It's called a Cascading card and you can find the instructions here (try it-it's not as hard as it looks!).  Mynnette does an awesome job of showing you the steps.

I am entering this card into Mynnette's Technique Tuesday:  Cascading Card and Simon Says Stamp and Show:  Anything Goes-No Rules!  Woo Hoo!  No Rules just right!  ;)

So here's my card.  Scroll on down, and I'll show you some highlights.

I bought Tim Holtz's gear die last week and couldn't wait to use it.  This was the perfect card for it!  I haven't made a cascading card before.  As a matter of fact of was thinking that maybe I should add a little diversity to my card making and then there is the challenge of making a different shaped card.  It was meant to be!  I also used Tim Holtz's tissue tape (I LOVE it!) and one of his metal sayings.  I used Distress Stain on the lace to change up the color and used various Distress Ink to make the front more interesting.

Here's a closeup of the front.

Here's is an aerial view.  :)  It shows the different levels of gears.  This card was a lot of fun to make.  Thank you so much for stopping by!  Until next time my friends...I have to get in gear!  (I know I know) ;)

Technology Tidbit Tuesday

Hello Everybody!

Today's Tidbit is about Technology.  You may have seen or already have it but one of my favorite artists has his own app.  If you guessed Tim Holtz you are correct!  Just look up his name and download his free app!  He talks about it here, so go check it out!  I think it's brilliant.  And now I know what stamps I want for Christmas!  :)

So I really thought that is all I had for today but there's more!  I look at who is referred to my site (after I check the stats!) and I saw this Stumble site.  I click and hope I can see it-sometimes you can't.  I think it's cool and could possibly be a great place to go if you just want to surf the web.  It's called Stumble Upon.  And I haven't set up an account but I already went to one cool site.  The site is about an artist that carves images in books.  Say what?  Go here and check it out--Awesome!

So if I saw this as my referring site that means people are stumbling onto my little spot in the world-how cool!

Until next time my friends...what cool places have you stumbled upon?

Call Me Maybe!

Hello Everybody!

I am sure that most everybody has heard "Call Me Maybe" by Carly Rae Jepsen.  If you haven't, you can go here and see the video-which is pretty cute.  I still like the song, and I was listening to it on the way home today when this idea popped into my head for the Simon Says Stamp and Blog Challenge-Layered.

Let me show you my card!  The numbers are layered.  Scroll down, and I'll show you some details!

The phone came from this paper which is Graphic 45.  It's from 2009 called Communique.  I have a few other papers and this is the first time I have ever cut into one of my Graphic 45 papers.  They are so pretty--but alas...I must use them!

The paper on the right is the base for my numbers square.  It's Basic Grey.  The card on the right is the beginning of my card.  That is Tim Holtz paper.

Here's a close up of the layered numbers.  I used all sorts of numbers and it was fun to put them all on there.  I used pop dots for the Graphic 45 phone.  The sentiment is made from Kaiser rub-ons.

The lyrics say "Here's my number, Call me maybe."  Until next time my friends-I'm hoping Simon Says calls my number! ;)

Tidbit Tuesday-Tissue Paper

Hello Everybody!

I am posting this late because last week was so busy!  My sister and her family visited from out of town, and we had so much fun!  And 2 friends came to visit on separate days.  So it has just been an exciting time for seeing friends and family.

I did get to sneak away to Micheal's because I was looking for something for my husband's upcoming birthday.  Now wouldn't you know they have new stuff-which I wasn't prepared for.  LOL!  So I had to exercise lots of control and not buy too many treats for myself!

One of the new things (to me anyways!) is printed tissue paper in the specialty scrapbook paper area.

There are 5 sheets in this pack for no more than $2 (prices and coupons may vary).  They had a few other prints but I chose just 1.  How cool!  They had 12X12 canvas paper too.  I'll be back ;)

Until next time my friends--If you want to save your money-don't go shopping! ;)

Masking Tape Card

Hello Everybody!

Hope all is well in Blogland!  I am waiting for my sister to arrive and thought I would make a quick post.  I have been working on this technique and then this morning I was able to put the card together and take a few pictures.  I am submitting this card to the Do More With Less: Guest Miae Rowe challenge.  Go check it out.  Miae does a great job explaining the Masking Tape technique and it's easy and fun to do!

Here's my card.  The letters are glittery letters but I don't remember the brand.  The flowers and stems are all apart of the Masking Tape Technique.

Here is my first piece of cardstock with masking tape on it that I sprayed.  You need gesso to put on the tape.  I didn't have any but I have been seeing people use it all over the place.  So when I saw this technique I decided the time is now!  I am so happy I bought it because I've used it on a few different projects.  I googled other uses for it.

Here is a close up of the flowers.  The orange color is Tattered Angels, red from Smooch, and the green is from October Afternoon.

Here's my card.  Thanks for stopping by!  Until next time my friends...who knew a little masking tape could be so much fun? :)

Tidbit Tuesday-Happy Fourth of July!

Hello Everybody!

I know I am a day early but Happy Fourth of July!  I hope that everybody has a fun and safe Holiday!

I made for July 4th cards and had a few of them sealed up when I realized that I hadn't taken pictures of them!  I always cut it close and this was no different.  My husband took them and rushed them to the Post Office on Saturday to make sure that if they were to heavy or thick, that we had the correct postage on them.  He's awesome that way :)

So I have a few photos to show you.  They aren't crisp as I was at our dining room table trying to get them addressed and written out and that is when my realization hit me.

Making Fourth of July cards usually isn't one of my fun holidays.  That seems strange to say but there is only so many things you can do with red white and blue...or is there?  This year I bought some new stamps for this holiday from Sparkle N Sprinkle and incorporated techniques.  Techniques like Tim Holtz and embossing.  Having changed my mindset-these were some of the funnest cards I have made.  Let me show you...


Here's one where I used Mudd Puddles Bahama Sand to make the sand.  This looks like a mere beach card..add 1 American Flag-Fourth of July card!

Here is a close up of the sand.  I love this stuff!!

I sprayed Tattered Angels on some special paper I got from the Spectrum Noir class I took at the Scrapbook Expo.  The paper didn't buckle.  The square is glitter tinsel from Sparkle N Sprinkle.  I won silver and red in one of their blog hops and it is so fun to place with!

 I remembered that I have the US on my Cricut-the Going Places Cartridge.  Awesome!  These are 2 or 2 and half.  I had made a few in 3 inches, also.

I embossed the blue panel and then used a white Cat's Eye ink over the raised image.  The USA is sparkle gem letters from Hobby Lobby.

Why not add some glitter tinsel and glitter and the blue is embossing powder.

Why not mix 3 colors of embossing powder and put them on my USA?  It's better to mix the colors together then to put blue and red on the surface separately.  I tried both ways :)

You can see I didn't do a good job spreading evenly.  LOL  I still liked how this turned out.  I used the  Swiss Dots embossing folder for the red paper.

Here is another mixed embossed USA.  The Forever Liberty may look familiar...she from a book of stamps :)  I distressed her a bit with walnut stain distress inks.  The vintage image is from Tim Holtz Seasonal paper.
Oh and the outer "paper" is Tim Holtz tape.  It's a Tim Holtz 4th of July!  (Seriously you rock!)

I masked the USA and created this with Distress Inks.  I like the Statue of Liberty in the middle but I don't like the red.  You know how you have your favorites...this one for me not so much :)

This is Tim Holtz cor'edination paper that I sand papered and distressed.  The paper lace is from K&Company.

I made 17 different cards this year for Independence Day.  For me that's awesome because I will make a few different ones and find one that is easy enough to duplicate.  Not this year though-and that makes me happy.  :)

Until next time my friends--Have an awesome Independence Day or a Fantastic Wednesday :)