funky, frozen, semi-spooky

OK, this one's out on a limb. But this Love Struck Lucy from Dylusions came to live at my house and hasn't seen ink yet. She just keeps staring at me. And then I see the current challenges for

Time Out #42

Stempelkueche Challenge #30

Since I'd opted to use her, those candlesticks immediately made me think of this funky Sizzix frame die. Cut it from a cereal box and painted it glossy black with nail polish. And, well, a few Avery Elle Modern Leaves sketched circles hit with a waterbrush and a Hampton Art personalized sentiment later... this card was born. Please pardon my weirdness. It gets even worse... I started humming "Let it Go" when I saw what I'd created. A funky, Frozen, semi-spooky card.

I'm also hooking up at these fun challenges:
Simon Says Monday - Wonderful Watercolor
Addicted to Stamps and More - #160 Anything Goes

Thanks for looking!

one layer christmas #9

A Christmas card for you today. Was made for a publication call way back when, but uses an interesting technique I'd like to share. Great for adding interest to a one-layer card.

Take a good look at your stamps and see if you have some that are symmetrical. They can be used like this.

Use the reverse of the stamp to stamp solid color and then use the outline image to heat emboss. Even cooler - some letters can be used the same way.

I used large circle stamps inked with Distress Inks and spritzed with water. Then I used the reverse of poinsettia (Waltzingmouse) and alpha stamps (Hampton Art) with darker colors in the same manner to stamp the shadows. When it was dry, I heat embossed the poinsettia and letters!

So, one layer and Christmas. Quite the clever challenge idea, eh? Get 'em done early to avoid the end-of-year rush. And keep 'em one layer to avoid paying extra postage.

Hook up a one-layer card with an angel on it and you could win an ARTplorations Christmas stencil.

curtain's still up (Curtain Call, SSS)

Finally got around to turning an idea into reality. Completely inspired by this photo over at Curtain Call's huge anniversary bash

and knowing DS needed a few thank you notes after receiving birthday gifts, and seeing the current Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Emboss it! and remembering this set of tags I made a while ago... Ta da!

Made four of these mini cards from one A4 sheet of white CS. Heat embossed the lines white, then watercolored a few random squares. Added an initial to one square and a piece of washi to another, then topped with a sentiment.

Thanks for stopping by.

Supplies for danke:

Paper:  CS Bringmann

Stamps: line Neat and Tangled, Klartext, alpha Hampton Art

Ink : Versacolor

Tools: 

Other: washi

monogram for gertrud (PTI)

Knew this blog hop was approaching.  Totally forgot about it until an hour ago.  Was going to sit it out but then I was chatting with Kelly G. about having lots of ribbon and never using it and I need a card for Gertrud's 70th (this lady is in my workout class!) so I decided to go for it.

Was I thrilled to find that little branchy stamp in the Lovely Layers set?  Yep.  Did I iron my ribbon scraps?  Nope.  Should I have?  Yep.   Was I totally inspired by one of the the photos in the inspiration board over at Papertrey?  Yep.  Recognize it?  Magenta, gold, circle, stripes....

Happy hopping.

Supplies G:

Paper: cardbase Buttinette, CS Neenah, other Bringmann

Stamps: PTI, alpha Hampton Arts, circle frame Kelly Panacci

Ink :Versamark

Tools: die MFT

Other: gold embossing powder, ribbon scraps

PTI black blog hop and MIM

Back (for the third time today) in black.  LOVE this inspiration.  Had to join in.  Notice those chalkboard tags in the upper right corner?

Meet mailable bday little somethin' for my girlfriend.  Some black tags with layered embossing.  Did you see the PTI Make it Monday video for this technique?

TIP:  Not all embossing powders are created equal.  I intended to go with red and pink flowers and some green leaves.  Um, Ranger red embossing powder kinda disappears on black (biggest bloom on top tags)!  Change of plans and a switch to Zing embossing powders, which covered, but I only have three colors.  And Stampendous white.  Which works on black too.  FYI.

I die cut the tags from white and black CS (to allow for writing a message on the white side) and thought about stitching them together but didn't want to stitch through embossing.  So I tried two different faux stitchings.  Top - rolled a Cutter Bee piercer along the edge and then went over the holes with a white gel pen.  Bottom - just drew faux stitches with white gel pen.  FYI.

Thanks for hopping by.

Supplies for black tags:

Paper: CS American Crafts, black Bringmann, vellum for packaging

Stamps: PTI Garden of Life, Botanical Silhouettes, initial/frame Hampton, sentiment Klartext

Ink : Versamark

Tools: die MFT, Cutter Bee

Other: embossing powder red (Ranger), blue/pink (Zing), white (Stampendous), seam binding