Bombshell's Hump Day Hop!

This month's theme, as set by Alison, is Paint the Town. Use paint, sprays, with your Bombshell stamps to create a project.

I'm the last stop in the hop and sadly, I have not gotten a project done for a variety of reasons... Check back later, maybe one will miraculously appear.

Here's the hop list:
Bombshell Blog: http://bombshellstamps.blogspot.com/ 
Alison: http://alisonsrandomthoughts.blogspot.com/ 
Kim: http://www.craftypinkanchor.blogspot.com/ 
Glttery Katie: http://ferrishyn-frontier.blogspot.co.uk/ 
Alaine: http://missalaineousmosaics.blogspot.com/ 
Jodi: http://elamdesign33.blogspot.com/ 
Marnie: http://www.papertivity.blogspot.com/ 
Kelli: http://cajunstampingqueen.blogspot.com/ Kathi: http://kathstales.blogspot.com/

Eek! Been busy with not-so-fun stuff!

It's been more than a week since I last posted. I'm sad because I had been being so good about crafting and getting stuff posted here. I was feeling the mojo, but sadly reality stalled that.

Suffice to say last week was a bit on the insane side. Basically, it took five days, four visits by Sears folks, my plumber, and unloading/reloading my refrigerator three times before my new fridge was delivered and made operational.

During that time, a circuit blew, I had to get in an electrician, buy a new light fixture, have the electrician come back to install it, then fix the circuit.

Then the fridge was delivered on Sunday. Yes. Sunday. While I waited the three hours for it to get cool enough to remove the tape and such and load it, I worked in my craftroom. It was storming and there was a veritable downpour.

I went downstairs to pull off the tape and set up the fridge when I noticed water on my hard wood kitchen floor. Now the old fridge was incontinent, which was why we got the new one. But it took me a second to realize that since the old fridge was gone, it was not the culprit. And not only was the floor wet, it had extensive puddling AND the kitchen table (and my two Sunday newspapers) were puddled too. Apparently rain came in somehow, found its way  to a highhat light fixture, onto my floor and table. This isn't the first time we've had leaks, so it might be time for a new roof.

If you've been keeping track, since April we had our HVAC/furnace replaced, the fridge replaced, an electical problem addressed, and now we probably will need a new roof.

Calgon/Margarita/Hot Pool Boy TAKE ME AWAY!!!

So, here's some of what I've been doing on my down time when I unpacking/repacking the fridge, waiting on delivery men, plumbers, electricians, and/or calling to check the status of all that... I love Stampotique stamps and have been making it a point to enter their challenges whenever possible. This week's challenge was a tag challenge and I do like making tags, so here it is:

I stamped Puss-Puss using Tuxedo Black Memento ink onto Neenah cardstock and onto a Post-It note. I fussy cut the Post It note and used it as a mask. A Stamp-a-ma-jig was used to position and stamp Girl with Heart Purse and Cousin Carmine. Copic markers were used to color the images. I kept their skin colors very pale and colored their hair in alternate hair colors so that their skin and hair would reflect their personalities and dress. I decided that Puss-Puss would be a bright marmalade tabby so he was colored accordingly. A dotty background and a floor were colored using a variety of colors.

When I finished the scene, I distressed the image panel using Tim's Tonic Distresser tool thingy, sponged Pumice Stone and Black Soot Distress inks on the edges, and matted it on black cardstock. I set this aside while I worked on the tag background.

I sprayed Funky Fuschia and After Midnight Dylusions sprays onto 140 lb. Mixed Media cardstock by Strathmore. Using my Inkssentials Mini Mister, I sprayed water to help the colors mix and migrate. Then I heat set and repeated the process. When I was happy with the coverage and color patterns, I heat set the inks. Then I grabbed a very old stencil that had a row of stripes and dabbed Little Black Dress Fresco Finish paint by Paper Artsy over the stripes. I grabbed my Layered Beads stencil by The Crafter's Workshop and sponged Snowflake Fresco Finish Paint over it. I was a bit surprised when the ink bled through the white, but decided it was okay. I guess I didn't heat set the ink for long enough. Lesson learned.

I wanted to add some stamping to the painted circles, so I stamped some tiny stamps by justjohanna/Odd Bird Planet using white hybrid ink and Archival Black ink. I added Pitch Black Spica Glitter pen to the skulls' orifices, Pink Spica Glitter pen to the flower centers, Blue Spica Glitter pen to the music notes, and Purple Spica Glitter pen to the hearts.

I used a Tonic punch to create the tag tops and then used the distress tool to rough up the edges. I added some Wink of Stella glitter pen to the distressed edges to give them a bit of sparkle. I found "Purr-fect" and "Together" on two different sticker sheets and used them for the sentiment.

I finished the tag by matting it onto back cardstock, punching a hole, and threading some lace, ribbon, and matching seam binding (sprayed with same colors of Dylusions) through the hole. It still needed a little sumptin', so I added a heart charm (stash) onto a black safety pin!

Thanks for visiting today!

I shall enter this tag into the following challenges:
• Stampotique Designer's Challenge #110: Tag You're It!
• Cheerful Stamp Pad: Make a Tag
• Dragons Dream: Tag It On -- Stencils, Paint, and Ribbon
• Through the Purple Haze Challenges: Use your favorite colors 
• 613 Avenue Create Challenge #30: Anything Goes

Take the High Road

That's exactly what this Steampunk Ladybug, named Fancy Free, is doing. She's walking in the clouds and when she gets tired, she can switch on the power from her dirigible!

Fancy Free is from SCACD's  new MechAnimals Collection. She was stamped in Tuxedo Black Memento ink and colored with Copic markers, which were also used to color the cloudy sky. I decided to make it a really cloudy day and made my clouds much darker than usual, perhaps because I was hoping it would rain and end this infernal heat wave. I also decided to include some gears in my clouds to reinforce the Steampunk feeling. The gears are Alterations die cuts, which were traced into the clouds using Copic markers. The color of the sky was an accident, but I can live with it since it's sort of that weird greeny greyish blue that sometimes accompanies a storm.

We never did get the thunderstorm or the break in the weather. *sigh* Po' po' me. Confined to my house in the AC because I don't like heat and humidity.

Anyway, I decided to keep the design fairly CAS and embossed white cardstock using a Gears Texture Fade. The sentiment is from a really old PSX set. It was stamped using Satin Red VersaFine ink and die cut using a Spellbinders die. Red and black polka dotted ribbon was used under the sentiment.

I added some gear diecuts, which were cut into quarters to the top corners of the stamped panel, then finished the card with small Prima gears and metal nail head thingies.

Thanks for visiting today!

I shall enter this card in the following challenges:
• Ruby's Rainbow Challenge #58: Recipe -- Ribbon, Embossing, Create your own background
• Milk Coffee Challenge: Emboss It
• The Squirrel and The Fox Challenge #48: Use Something Spooled
• My Sheri Crafts Challenge #115: Let's Take a Trip

The Usual Suspects

This idea came to my mind the first time I saw Stampotique's Line Up stamp. Then being me, the thought slipped into the deep recesses of my mind. So when Stampotique released the Birdy Up stamp, it resurfaced for a bit, only to sink again. Then last weekend, I was watching television and I saw a line up, the idea surfaced yet again. This time, I wrote myself a note and the next time I sat down at my computer, I created a line up using the drawing module of AppleWorks.

A few days passed and this morning I made this card:

The computer-generated line up was printed onto greyish/white cardstock and set aside. I stamped Birdy Up onto white Neenah cardstock using Tuxedo Black Memento ink and then colored it with Copic markers. All four birds were fussy cut and little slits were cut where their wings meet their bodies.

Little strips were die cut using a very old QuicKutz die and rub-on numbers were added to each one. The number strips were slid under the birds' wings and then the birds were adhered to my line up, which was mounted to the front of a card.

A rectangular aperture was cut into woodgrain patterned paper from a My Mind's Eye 6x6 pad. White strips were mitered onto the aperture's opening to make it look more window-like.

The sentiment was computer generated and printed onto an ink jet transparency. The transparency was adhered underneath the wood grained paper. This combination of transparency and patterned paper was adhered to the card front over the line up using dimensional foam adhesive.

By the way, I chose these blah-ish colors because I wanted this to look "institutional". I did try to add texture/dimension with both brick embossing folders and brick stencils, but both brick patterns competed with the printed line up.

This card makes me happy because it's one of the rare occasions when a project comes out the way I had envisioned it in "my mind's eye", though I must say that "clean and simple" is mostly clean and difficult for me! :D

I shall enter this card in the following challenges:
• Stampotique Designers' Challenge #109: Clean and Simple
• Crafting by Designs: Anything Goes
• Crafts and Me: Anything Goes
• The House that Stamps Built: Humor Me
 • Blogger's Challenge: Things with Wings

Experiments with Shrink Plastic, Fresco Paints, & Stamping!

I read a fabulous tutorial by Carol Quance on Paper Artsy's blog. She used shrink plastic, Fresco Paint, and Paper Artsy Stamping to make a bracelet. Here's a link to the tutorial!

I decided to give it a go, but I made a key chain, which will be much more usable for me!

Before I share it, I will mention that I am not great at using pliers and other tools and manipulating jump rings. I will also mention that I'm rather low on the learning curve with acrylic paints. Nonetheless, I decided that my key chain is a passable result for a first go.

Here it is lying down on a piece of black velvet. You might notice the cat fur and the little grasshopper on the velvet. Think of those elements as adding visual interest.

Here's a close up (taken with my right hand whilst holding it with my left. Hence the interesting focus).

I followed Carol's Tutorial fairly closely, except that I didn't die cut the flowers. I fussy-cut them. I also had issues using Versamark and UTEE, so I coated 'em with Glossy Accents, which gave me quite the glare on this sunny (and HOT) day!

I also didn't use the same set of stamps. I used Hot Pick 104 and I used different colors of Fresco paint.

I shall enter this project in the following challenge(s):
• Anything But a Card Challenges #23: Steampunk!
• Just Us Girls 197: Mixed Media
• Alphabet Challenge Blog: K is for Keys (and Keychains?)

Got Zen?

Got Zen is her name and mellow is her game! She is one of the newest Oddly Sweet Curiosities by SCACD. Doesn't she make you feel groovy and say things like "Om"?

Got Zen was stamped with Tuxedo Black Memento ink and colored with a variety of Copic markers. When I was done coloring the OSC critter, it was run through my Big Kick in a Nestabilities Circles  die. The image was left in the die, a piece of tape was used as a mask, and I lightly outlined the inner circle using a C00 Copic marker and created a horizon to delineate the grass from the sky. The grassy lawn was colored. The clouds were drawn in using the C00 marker and the sky was completed. Clear Wink of Stella glitter pen was used to add sparkle to her wing and the white ring of the die cut. Clear Stardust Gelly pen was  added to her nails, then clear Gelly Glaze pen was used to add dimension and shine to her horns and nails.

The stamped circle theme was matted to a double layer of Nestabilties Scalloped circle die cuts.

The tie-dyed paper hails from a very old Club Scrap kit. The purple dotted paper is from the Brights Double Dots 6x6 pad by Bo Bunny. It seems to be out of stock, but you can find loads of lovely 6x6 pads HERE!

The ribbon and bow are hand-dyed seam binding sent to me by my talented and lovely friend, Nicole Maki.

The flowers are old Primas and were adorned with Kaiser Craft rhinestones.

I used this sketch by Stamping Sensations!

BTW, the card was posing on the trunk of my daughter's car which reflected the bottom gemstones. Cool!

Thanks for visiting today!

Copic markers used:
Got Zen: V000, V1, V12, V15, V17
Grass: YG11, YG13, YG17
Clouds: C00, C0, RV0000, BV0000, Custom Less-than B21
Sky: Custom Less-than B21

I shall enter this card in the following challenges:
• Totally Paper Crafts #175: All Aflutter Things with Wings
• Card Crafter's Circle: Lilac or Lavender
• Stamping Sensations: Sketch
• 613 Avenue Create: Anything Goes
• Color Me Creative #72: Anything Goes

A little Bastille Day card!

It's Bastille Day, which always reminds me of Marie Antoinette, which always reminds me of the quote that was incorrectly attributed to her, yet will always be associated with her.

Let them eat cake!

This year's Bastille Day also coincides with the Stampotique Designers' Challenge to show some French Flair.

Here's my card.

My Marie Antoinette bird is from Stampotique's Birdy Bonnets stamp, which features three hat-wearing birds holding flowers in their beaks. I used Post-It notes and removable Scotch Tape over parts of the stamp, inked it,  removed the masks, stamped onto creme colored Neenah cardstock, and colored with Copic markers (RVs and Ys). I did add some V gemstones to her crown and then finished the image with Glossy Accents over her eye and Wink of Stella glitter pen on the jewels in her crown.

I think the birdies are meant to be male, but I figured by making it pink, it would become a female. If I had really thought it through, I would have used paler pinks because female birds are usually drabber than their male counterparts.

But I digress. I drew in a grounding line and sponged Distress ink to create the ground. Then I decided to use the Basketweave stencil by The Crafter's Workshop to create a cobblestoney look, so I sponged some Tea Dye Distress ink over the stencil. Then the "sky" looked drab, so I used my pouncy tool and pounced the same Distress inks over it, which produced a dotty mottled look. 

I had a piece of Graphic 45 Curtain Call patterned paper with Eiffel Tower stamps on it left from a previous project and used a Nestabilities rectangle die to cut an aperture, which was promptly sponged with Black Soot Distress ink. I used this piece to frame my bird scene, then edged the piece with more Black Soot Distress ink and a gold Krylon pen. I decided a bit more gold was needed, so I added gold foil stickers to the upper corners.

I computer generated the sentiment, cut it out (crookedly) with a Simon Says Stamps die, then colored it pink to be all matchy-matchy with the bird.

I matted the piece with black cardstock and then added it to a card front and called it done.

I shall be entering this card in the following challenge(s):
• Stampotique Designers Challenge #108: French Flair
• Allsorts Challenge Blog #215: Furs & Feathers 
•  CMC Copic Challenge Group #72: Anything Goes 
• Time for Scrap #7: Paris

Just for giggles, here's another Marie Antoinette card that I did earlier.  Details can be found here!

Metals, Skull, and Flowers! Oh my!

Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps' Challenge blog is hosting a Guns N' Roses challenge this week, where you're supposed to use metal and flowers together. That's so my thang, that I had to play along with them.

Here's my card!

That's Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps' Priscilla, who is a bookworm. She likes all literature, but also likes a bit of Gothic and Horror every now and then. In keeping with her taste in books, I decided to make her hair have periwinkle highlights to match her hair bows and shirt.

Anyway, she was stamped with Tuxedo Black Memento ink and colored with Copic markers, which I'll list below. There's a bit of clear Wink of Stella Glitter pen on her shoes because why the heck not?

I based my design on this sketch from The Cupboard Trilogy Challenges.

I had cut the cardstock into a rectangle as above, but it was kind of plain, so I diecut periwinkle vellum using one of the dies from Spellbinders' Decorative Labels 8. It made me much happier. The patterned papers are from BoBunny's Isabella 6x6 pad. All edges were sponged with Black Soot Distress ink to eradicate those nasty white edges that I loathe.

Lace was stapled under the dotted patterned paper using Tonic's Tiny Attacher. I love that thing! That was my first touch of metal.

The white flowers were old, ancient Making Memories flowers which were colored with my B60 marker. I added a skull brad (Recollections) to the center, which became my second bit o' metal. The other flowers are equally old Prima flowers. The blue ones were once white and were colored with my B63 marker. I found cool pewtery (new word) metal roses on clearance at Michael's yesterday and added those to the mix. I added some silver pearls (Recollections) to add some shiny elements to appeal to my inner magpie.

I diecut silver Inksssentials Metal Foil Tape sheets using the Delicate Chain die by Memory Box and adhered it to the strip of patterned paper that hold the sentiment die cuts. The sentiment is a foil sticker from Stampendous. I added some tiny black Prima flowers to either side of the sentiment piece and added silver pearls to finish the card.

Thanks for visiting today!

Copic markers used:
Skin: E000, E00, E11, E21, BV00
Hair: B60, B63, N4, N5, N6, N7
Top: B60, B63, B66
Pants: N4, N5, N6, N7
Shoes: B63, B66
Books: RV93, RV95, B91, B93, B95, E30, E40, E41, E43, E70, E71

I shall enter this in the following challenges!
• Kraftin' Kimmie Challenge #188: Guns N' Roses 
• The Cupboard Trilogy Challenge #13: Sketch
• Lady Anne's Challenge #10: Anything Goes
• Papertake Weekly Challenges: Old, New, Borrowed, Blue: Old stickers, old flowers; new-to-me  stamp, borrowed=sketch, blue=her shirt, hair bows, flowers, etc.
• Try It On Tuesday: Show us your Metal (skull brad, silver pearls, staples, foil)

I've got mail!

I love birds and I love Steampunk, so I swooned I first saw SCACD's new Steampunk MechAnimals collection!


Meet Special Delivery, one of the fabulous new Steampunk MechAnimals from SCACD!

 Special Delivery was stamped with Onyx Black VersaFine ink and heat embossed with Filigree Fine Detail embossing powder. colored with Copic markers which I'll list below. I added some Clear Gelly Roll Glaze pen to his eyes, beak, and talons. I used my trusty Fiskar's Fingertip Craft Knife to cut around his tail and then die cut him using a Nestabilities Oval. Keeping the cardstock in the die, I lightly traced around the interior of the die using a COO marker. Then I removed the oval from the die and added a cloudy sky. I tried to make it look as though he's taking a break by perching on a cloud.

I've been studying cloud patterns while stopped at traffic lights (that crafting ADD, don'tcha know) and realized that they have grey, blue, and purplish undertones. So I added some more color to the cloud mix.

I followed Splitcoast's Sketch #444, but modified it a bit. I used Airmail Washi tape, which I thought was perfect for the image. The patterned papers are from Prima's Engraver 6x6 pad (map) and My Mind's Eye Lost & Found: Union Square 6x6 pad. Both pads seem to be gone, but there are plenty of wonderful new pads that you can find HERE! Frayed Burlap Distress ink and Espresso Adirondack ink were used to sponge the edges of the layers.

Here's the sketch I used:

Copic markers used:
Feathers: G2, G5, G19, 2, B4, B16
Bill: Y13, Y15, Y19
Helmet & Jacket: E31, E33, E334, E35, E37, E39, BG90 BG93, t0, T1, T3
Flying Apparatus: BG90, BG93, T0, T1, T3
Scroll: E41, E42, E43
Sky: B21
Clouds: C00, C0, BV0000, BV000

I shall enter this card in the following challenges:
• Sparkles Monthly Challenges: Steampunk or Vintage
• Splitcoast's Sketch #444
• Crafts and Me Challenge #148: Anything Goes
• Party Time Tuesdays #128: Wing It
• CMC Copic Challenge Group #72: Anything Goes

Bombshell's Muse Monday!

It's Muse Monday over on the Bombshell Stamps Blog. This month's we're showcasing the Tiki Party set. Every Monday, the Bomshell Girls will share projects made with this set. By the end of July,  you will have lots of inspiration.  Better yet, this set is on sale for the entire month of July! So if you don't have it yet, this is a great time to pick it up.

Here's the Tiki Party set.

Here's my card!

Cocktails from the set was stamped using Tuxedo Black Memento ink onto cardstock and onto a Post-It note, which was fussy cut and set aside to be used as a mask. The image was colored with Copic markers and then took a ride through my Big Shot in a Nestabilities circle die. The cardstock was kept inside the die, the mask was placed over the Cocktails, and Pumice Stone Distress ink was sponged over the image. The cardstock was popped out of the circle die and Orange and Lemon Spica glitter pens were used to rim the outside of the circle.

I was delighted to discover that SCACD's gorgeous Classic Timepiece die fit perfectly inside the Alterations Pocketwatch Frame! So, I diecut SCACD's gorgeous Classic Timepiece from black cardstock and set it aside while I diecut the Alterations Pocketwatch Frame from silver metallic cardstock, black cardstock, and pink dotted patterned paper from an old, but beloved My Mind's Eye Lost & Found 6x6 pad. The pink dotted paper was layered over the black Pocketwatch Frame. Then SCACD's gorgeous Classic Timepiece black clock was layered over the pink dotted paper, and the stamped circle was adhered to the center of the Classic Timepiece clock. The silver Pocketwatch Frame was then adhered over the whole thang. This was set aside to wait patiently.

Leftover scraps of patterned paper from the Down by the Shore 6x6 pad by Fancy Pants were layered up. I had some very, very, very old orange and white paper tape by Heidi Swapp which went really well with the colors of the patterned paper, so I layered onto the card front as well. I used Pumice Stone, Weathered Wood, and Peeled Paint Distress inks to edge the layers.

The Pocketwatch was adhered to the card front on dimensional adhesive. The Dienamics Oval Chain Border die was used to die cut silver metallic paper and this became the watchfob!

SCACD's fabulous new MechAnimals set contained THE perfect sentiment for this card. So I stamped it onto a scrap of the pink dotted cardstock, colored the umbrella with Copic markers, and die cut it using Alterations Tattered Banners die. It was sponged with Pumice Stone Distress ink, folded, and popped up on dimensional adhesive over the base of the Pocket Watch.

By the way, I should mention that Bombshell Stamps is happy to be hosting challenges for the entire month of July over at Outlawz Friday Alcohol Markers Group!

Thanks for visiting today!

I shall enter this card into the following challenges:
• Outlawz Friday Alcohol Markers Challenge: Barbeques & Picnics
• 613 Avenue Create: Anything Goes & Twist 
• Penny Black & More: Dies & Punches
• Sentimental Sundays #162: Recipe Challenge
• 365 Cards: Day #185: Overlapping Elements

Collector, hoarder, or recycler?

This week, the lovely ladies over at the Stampotique Challenge Blog challenged us to Recycle It. Well, I don't know about you, but since I caught this crafting bug 13 years ago, I've looked at the world through different eyes eventhough they're still the same eyes I was born with (though my sight has deteriorated and I have glaucoma now).

What I mean is that I'll be driving along and I'll notice the color of the sky and wonder what the Copic marker equivalent would be. Or I'll visit my parents' house and abscond with some old cigar boxes. Or I'll cut off the buttons off a shirt that I inadvertently bleached while doing that ghastly thing called housework, even knowing that I rarely, if ever, use buttons on my stuff. Or I'll keep packaging (boxes, blisterpack, etc.) because I might want to use it some day. So is this collecting, hoarding, or recycling?

So, when this challenge came up, it was dead easy for me. Actually, it wasn't that easy. I couldn't decide whether to use the clear pillow boxes from Alterations Texture Fades or the coasters I cadged from Chili's, or this thick chipboard tag that was on a pair of jeans.

The tag won.

Here's the before:

And here's what I made:

The first thing that I did was to coat the tag with a layer of Claudine Helmuth Studios Gesso, which I heat set because I was impatient. I sponged on several different colors of Paper Artsy Fresco paint (which is awesome stuff and I'm still at the beginning of the learning curve), blended 'em together, and heat set again. Then I repeated the process using slightly darker colors.  When I was happy with the coverage. I sponged paint through the Pattern Strip, Sunburst, and Cornflower stencils by The Crafters Workshop.  Then I heat set again.

The sentiment was created with Ideology Chit Chat stickers, which I colored with Copic markers. I put a layer of Fresco Gloss Glaze over the painted tag and moved onto the next step.

Girl with Heart Purse by Stampotique Originals was stamped with Jet Black StazOn onto watercolor paper then colored with Distress markers. I took some liberties with her hair because her neck is soooo skinny that I would have decapitated her when I fussy cut the image. Whereas that might be a cool idea for the future, (and I have cut some heads before) it didn't really fit this specific challenge.

When I was done coloring her, I fussy cut her, ran her through my Xyron X, and adhered her. Once I saw where she was placed, I colored the white areas that were left between her limbs and the handle of her heart bag. The final step was to add a ribbon to the top of the tag!

Thanks for visiting today.

I shall enter this card in the following challenges:
• Stampotique Designers Challenge #107: Recycle It
• Make It Monday #147: Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp and Show: Anything Goes
• Oozak Challenge Blog #17: Anything Goes with a Girlie Theme

Crafting ADD

I swear that I have crafting Attention Deficit Disorder! I'll be surfing along the internet, see something in a gallery, blog, or Pinterest, and then follow links to find out more about the product.

This can be an expensive disorder since my curiosity and lack of impulse control, both attributes of ADD, usually lead me to purchases.

Similarly, cleaning my craftroom can do the same thing. I'll be putting stuff away, reorganizing, or purging,  and I'll discover a stamp set or a supply that I haven't used in a while, if ever.

This is what happened recently when I was cleaning up after my last project. Cleaning up led to reorganizing my stamps. I found Nature Set #11 by  Stampscapes  that I won in Stampbord's contest (several years ago), and visited Stampscapes' website, which led to me clicking on the Stampbord link, which led to watching some videos, which led to the following 2" square tile.

The creation of this was relatively quick. You sponge on some dye inks, stamp your scene, then take a sharp pointy thing and scratch in some stars. I'm relatively pleased with this tile. For a first go, it's kinda cool, though I need to improve on my scratching and remember that the scratching tools are sharp. Fortunately, I didn't get any blood on the tile. :D

I plan to seal this and put a magnet on the back, but took a photo of it first.

Be prepared to see some more Stampscapes projects in the future because while I was visiting, I had to place an order. That darned impulse control thing, don'tcha know?

Thanks for visiting today!

I shall enter this project in the following challenges:
• Lady Anne's 4th Challenge: Monochromatic
• Make It Monday #147: Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp and Show: Anything Goes

Stagefright: v3.0 plus Monday Mojo #300!!!

Here's my last entry for the Kraftin' Kimmie DT Tryouts, once again creating a card with an outside and an inside!

This time I used a sketch from Mojo Monday, who is celebrating their 300th post! Woot!!!

Here's the sketch:

Here's my take on the sketch!

And here are the card's innards!

That cutie hula dancer is Leilani by Kraftin' Kimmie. She was stamped using Tuxedo Black Memento ink onto Neenah cardstock and colored with Copic markers which I'll list below. When she was all colored, she took a ride in my Big Kick to be die cut by a rectangle Nestabilities die. She was kept in the die while I used Post-It notes to block off first the beach and then the sky. The Post-It notes were lifted and I colored the sand, sea, and sky using Copic markers. Inkssentials White Gel pen was used to add sea foam and white caps. When I was happy with my little scene, I put it aside to construct the card.

I must say using sketches makes things much easier. The only issue I have with them is that I have to do math. I guess my third grade teacher was right after all. You really DO need to know how to add, subtract, and divide fractions.

But I digress, which I'm sure shocked you.

The hibiscus flower and green banner paper are from the Down by the Shore 6x6 pad by Fancy Pants. The yellow floral paper that I used for the circle is from My Mind's Eye's Remarkable: Collectable 6x6 pad. The patterned paper on the front and innards is from Basic Grey's Basics: Manila 6x6 pad.

"Aloha" and "Mahalo" sentiments are included with  Leilani.

The hibiscus is from Bombshell Stamps' Hula Girl set. It was colored with Copic markers, fussy cut, and adhered to adorn the sentiment banner.

All edges of the patterned papers were sponged with Old Paper Distress ink, which was also used to sponge over a very old stencil by Club Scrap.

True confession: I made a few mistakes, including an element that I meant to be right-side up, but perfection is overrated or so I keep telling myself. I also meant to add black photo corners to the stamped image, but I forgot and didn't realize it til everything was all securely adhered.

Copic markers used:
Skin: E11, E13, E15
Hair: B41, C4, C5, C6, C7, C8
Top: R24, R46, R59
Skirt: YG01, YG03, YG05, YG13, YG21
Leaves: Same as the skirt, but added YG63
Flower: Same as the top, but added YR12
Sand: E40, E41, E42, E43
Sea: BG11, BG13,BG23, BG45, BG57
Sky: B21, C00, C0

I shall enter this card into the following challenges:
• Kraftin' Kimmie Challenges: Happy 300 Mojo Monday!
• Mojo Monday 300 Celebration
• Oozak Challenge Blog #17: Anything Goes with a Girlie Theme

Stagefright -- Part Deux!

Greetings! Here's my second entry for the Guest DT challenge over at Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps! Since the challenge is to create a card with a decorated inside, I decided to try my hand at creating a pop-up card. I recently got the Sizzix Pop 'N Cuts die, saw the construction and had a "I can do that myself" moment.

So here it is!

I used Lab Geek by Kraftin' Kimmie (stamp is not in stock, but many of the ones that are in stock are on sale!). I love this stamp because whereas I'm NOT a chemist, I've been married to one for almost 33 years! I was a child bride of 5!  So I figured the stamp would be very useful. In fact, I've already used it a bunch. Here's a link to another card using Lab Geek.

But I digress. Quel shoque! The little scene was stamped with Tuxedo Black Memento ink and colored with Copic markers, which I'll list below. The scene was die cut with Nestabilities Labels 11. The cardstock was left in the die and I sponged Victorian Velvet and Old Paper Distress Inks around it, then liberated it from its metal prison. If you look carefully, you'll see that I messed up. So what? Perfection is overrated.

I added Glossy Accents to her goggles and the flasks and left it overnight to cure.

 The patterned papers are all from MME's So Sophie: Graceful 6x6 pad. All edges were sponged with Victorian Velvet and Old Paper Distress Inks.

Here's the inside:

I diecut two flasks using Memory Box's Bottles die (which appears to be sold out. Too bad. I got mine! hahahahaha). I colored them with Copic markers, (I should have made them more transparent by adding a matching green. Oh well!) I added some Clear Gelly Stardust Glitter pen accents, then coated them with a layer of Clear Gelly Glaze pen. I die cut a slightly smaller label using the Nestabilities Labels 11 set, stamped the sentiment, added the flasks, and then added some more glitter pen accents.

I used the same papers and design on the inside of the card, but added the pop-up mechanism to the Ledger paper sheet, then adhered the Nestabilities piece over it.

I'm no engineer (nor do I play one on TV), but I'm inordinately proud of myself for this card, since fancy folds are usually beyond me. :D

OK. Thanks for visiting today!

Copic Markers used:
Skin: E000, E00, E21, R20, BV00
Hair: C4, C6, C7
Lab Coat: W00, E81
Goggles: BG90, 93
Blouse: RV93, RV95
Bottles: Way too many to list.

I shall enter this in the following challenges:
• Kraftin Kimmie: Finalists Challenge
• Stampotique Designers Challenges #106: New Adventures
• Simon Says Stamp: Anything Goes 
• 613 Avenue Create: Anything Goes

Steampunk: Meet SCACD's Wise Owl MechAnimal!

Have you checked out the latest SCACD release? If not, why not?

Susana released a wonderful new Steampunk inspired MechAnimal Collection that I just love!

Here's the deal:

Get all five MechAnimals stamps with their matching sentiment for the price of four stamps PLUS the Bonus word "Art" stamp (2" wide), which is available only when you buy the complete set!

Meet Wise Owl!

Wise Owl was stamped onto Neenah cardstock using Tuxedo Black Memento ink and colored with Copic markers, which I'll list below. Clear Gelly Glaze pen was added to his beak, talons, the compass face, and the nails in his armor.

When I was done coloring him, I drew a crescent moon for him to stand upon, using the negative space of die cut circles as a stencil. I then stamped off another image onto Eclipse tape, fussy cut it, and placed it over the owl and also fussy cut a crescent moon from Eclipse tape to use as a mask.

A night sky was airbrushed using several Copic markers. When I was happy with the color (my fave night sky combo) and coverage, I applied Opaque White Copic paint/ink/whatever to a toothbrush and splattered white "stars" onto the night sky.

I lifted all masks, touched up the image, then inked the moon using a VersaMarker and brushed on Pearl Perfect Pearls to make the moon shimmery silver white.

After die cutting a bunch of different corners, I decided that "less is more" and went CAS and mounted the stamped, airbrushed image onto a white metallic A2 card, which photographed slightly  grey.

I couldn't take a photo outside since it's been storming all day. In fact, a tornado touched down about two blocks from where my husband works, causing lots of tree damage, and a power outtage. We sure have been having freaky weather.

Thanks for visiting today!

Copic Markers used:
Feathers: E40, E41, E42, E43, E44
Helmet: E70, E71, E74; BG90, BG93, BG96
Armor: T0, T1, T3, T5; RV91, RV93, RV95: BG90, BG93
Eyes: Y13, Y19
Watch Face/Compass Face: B60, B63
Night Sky: B63, B66, B69, B79, B26

I shall enter this card in the following challenges:
• Simon Says Stamp: Anything Goes
• Addicted to Clean & Simple #16: Take Flight
• 613 Avenue Create: Anything Goes
• CAS on Sunday: One Layer Wonder Cards
• Simon Says Stamp and Show: Anything Goes