b/w with splashes (SSS, Moxie Fab)

OK, so the call was for B/W with a splash.  At Simon Says Stamp - Black/White and a Splash of Color. Couldn't keep it simple.  While cleaning up my crafting space I found some tags I had made and decided to put them onto cards.   With splatters.  Which became splashes.  Many.

Die cut a PTI tag from a recycled gift card and spiced it up with a circle from a kleenex box, two leaves from a friend's artwork, a tissue paper flower and some beads.  Attached that to a cardbase which was splattered, washi-taped and sequined (would that be with a double "n"???).  A sentiment alongside the tag and voila.

Pretty much the same story here but I used the packaging from an embossing folder for the tag.  And I was going for the "10 Embellishments on a Card"  challenge at Moxie Fab World, so there's even a button and some twine!

Note (1):  This challenge would probably have been impossible for me were it not for sequins.  Love 'em.  So "party".  And mailable.

Note (2):  You don't want to know how many rolls of washi I own... but notice the strip in the middle.  It's homemade.  If you own a Xyron/sticker machine, tissue paper and stamps you really don't have to add washi to your stash.  Why don't I follow my own advice???

Note (3):  Splatters.  A science on its own - which makes me think maybe I should ask Debby H. about this - how to create the perfect splatter?  It probably has something to do with Cell Biology ;)  Anyhoo, I used Dylusions spray inks.  Take another gander at card #1.  Here I removed the sprayer and flicked it at my cardbase.  Little splatters.  Lots of them on my workspace.  So I flipped the card over and sopped them up.  Now you know where those funny orange ones came from - pink + yellow = orange.

For card #2 I pulled out an eyedropper.  I tried to get a tiny bit of ink into it.  Maybe it depends on the size of the dropper but I got huge drops.  Which probably would have taken three days to dry.  Which led me to blow on them.  Which led to drippy looking splatters.  WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THAT ONE PERFECT LITTLE PINK ONE SITTING ATOP MY WATERMARK HEART.  DID YA SEE IT?
Now, of course it doesn't match the others, which makes all us control freaks crazy, but alas it is possible.  I think it was the last tiny drop of ink which probably came out with a big puff of air when I squeezed the eyedropper.  More experimentation necessary.

Assuming you're still here, I'd love to know how you make splatters?

Supplies for cards:

Paper: CS Neenah, recycled artwork, packaging and tissue paper

Stamps: sentiment Klartext, BG for washi CHF

Ink : Dylusions, Versafine

Tools: eyedropper, die leaves Spellbinders, others PTI

Other: washi, sequins, button, twine

springy window (ABNH, Moxie Fab, Hero Arts, APFP)

Here are a couple more cards from my card set I posted yesterday.  Changed up the colors a wee bit and used some Hero Arts stamps.

Used my homemade fun-foam-cut-from-a-die stamp to stamp the vines again, this time only three cuz I'm playing at this month's Hero Arts challenge:

and used the colors AND tried the new technique of die cutting fun foam to stamp with.  So I'm also playing at A Blog Named Hero where the challenge is:

And I'm hooking up to A Passion for Papertrey - Thank You since the vines are from PTI.  Actually yesterday's cards used even more PTI product, but oh well.

Thanks for visiting.

Supplies for cards:

Paper: CS Neenah

Stamps: Hero Arts

Ink : Cat's Eyes, gray Hero Arts, Versafine

Tools: die bloom Spellbinders, vine PTI

Other: fun foam

rainbow repeat (MIM, Moxie Fab, Neat & Tangled)

Wanna hear how my brain works?  This card started with an idea to cascade the letters h, e, l, l, and o from the top of the card and have a window lower right where "friend" would peek through.  First dilemma, I had envisioned PTI letters but I don't have the stamp only the die.  Hmm, I could die cut the letters from fun foam - a new technique I'd never tried.  Hmm, too much work and I really wasn't sure about the design - whether to place the letters straight or haphazardly.  Hmm.  Wanna see what actually happened?

So the window happened.  But it became a flower.  And the fun foam happened too (it actually works pretty well, with pigment inks at least) but as leaves.  Cuz once again, my mind's eye visualized the PTI vines, but alas I only own the die.  Solved that problem...

Die cut the vine from fun foam and attached it to an acrylic block with non-permanent adhesive.  Die cut the bloom from the cardbase.  Stamped the vine repeatedly using a soft and sweet rainbow color scheme.  Stamped the flutterbys and sentiment on the inside panel.

And cuz I liked the result so much I decided to be efficient (again) and make a whole set.  I had a few more ideas floating around in my brain.  Here are two more.

For this last one I die cut the bloom from scrap paper and used the negative to mask the inside panel before stamping the clouds.   Love how it came out kinda "cloudy".   I just love the sentiment stamps from PTI Happy Trails.  They "speak" to my split personality - clean and graphic typewriter font mixed with artsy fartsy script.

Playing at these challenges:
PTI - Make it Monday #99
Moxie Fab World - Challenge #60 Card with a Window
Neat & Tangled - Clean and Simple
Moxie Fab World - # 18 Stamp with a homemade Stamp (geez, just came up on my reader - how fitting)

Just keep watching...

Supplies for cards:

Paper: CS Neenah

Stamps: BG Hero Arts, other PTI

Ink : Cat's Eyes, gray Hero Arts, Versafine

Tools: die bloom Spellbinders, vine PTI

Other: fun foam

penguin grads (TAWS, CASology, Neat & Tangled)

Back with more penguins.  See the inspiration photo?  No brainer, eh?

However, did you notice that they are tossing their caps?  As in, graduation caps?  As in, how perfect is that sentiment from The Craft's Meow?

A stretch of the imagination, I know, but I'm going with it.  Running with it actually...  Efficiency, ya know.  Here's the boy's version...

The kids at our local high school (Gymnasium) finish up mid-March and I have a couple ex-tutors who will be joining their ranks.  Ya never know, it may be 60 degrees and sunny or 20 degrees and snowy when they graduate!

Also playing at:
Neat and Tangled - #4 Clean and Simple
CASology - # 26 Winter

Have a great day.

Supplies for hats off!:

Paper: cardbase Papermania

Stamps: TAWS, sentiment TCM

Ink : Adirondack, Versamagic, Hero Arts, Versafine

Tools: 

Other:  

penguin hugs (Inspired By, Retro, TAWS, SSS)

Playing reader catchup I was.  Overwhelmed by all the challenges I missed I am.  Here's a four-fer for you.
Hope you like Mr. Penguin, he became my stamp of choice yesterday...

Stamped Mr. P on some Basic Grey Alpen Frost PP that I finally posess!  I saw it so often on holiday cards that when I saw it on sale I bought a few sheets.  Shot to hell my goal of reducing my PP stash, but oh well.

Die cut a heat embossed mat and layered Mr. P with some yummy textures.  Chose the sentiment cuz it looks like he wants to give ya a hug, doesn't it?

My inspiration photos:

Inspired By #56

And sketch #45 at Retro Sketches:

Also joining Simon Says Stamp - New Something cuz my Alpen Frost is brand spanking new!.  Thanks for looking.  More penguins to come.

Supplies for hugs:

Paper: cardbase Papermania

Stamps: BG CHF, TAWS

Ink : Versamark, Hero Arts

Tools: die PTI, scissors

Other:  embossing powder, burlap, yarn

thankfluke (CFC, SSSS)

Start with a project involving an old jewelry box of DD's, foam stamps and acrylic paint.  Have too much blue paint left when finished with jewelry box.  Grab nearest cardbase, already stamped with a mesh pattern from an old project, stamp a couple flourishes, add some paint around the edges, pick and stamp a thank you sentiment cuz there's a real nice gal you definitely need to send a thank you to.  Oh yeah, then decide you need some yellow dots.  ... and voila!

A fast and oh-so-mailable fluke of a card.  Already in the mail to abovementioned recipient.  Hope she doesn't cringe when she opens it ;)

Playing along with:
CASual Fridays # 84 - Thank You
Simon Says Stamp and Show - Embrace the old (cuz both the cardbase and foam stamp are!)

Have a wonderful day, friends.

Supplies for so thankful:

Paper: cardbase Buttinette

Stamps: BG CHF, Making memories, sentiment Studio G

Ink : Inkadinkado, Adirondack

Tools: foam paint brush

Other:  acrylic paint

holidays in a nutshell (Crafting for all Seasons)

I think I've forgotten how to write a blog post.

I didn't intend to take such a gimongous break from blogging.  Really.  It just happened.

My  holidays in a nutshell:  tree cutting, cookie making, cookie eating, tree lights mishap, online gift ordering, cookie eating, mailman greeting, present wrapping, MIL hostessing, cooking, cookie eating, drinking, more drinking, afternoon walking, grooming horses with DD, driving DS here and there, movie watching, raclette-ing, fondue-ing, shopping for a new refrigerator which went kaputt on Christmas Eve, oh and a new vacuum, did I mention cookie eating?

And actually it was a wonderful, relaxing holiday season :)  And as you can see we did get the tree up and decorated!

Wanted to share with you one of the last designs I came up with on the fly when I realized I needed about 10 more Christmas cards to send out.

Went with the rustic PTI CS and holly leaves from WMS.  Embossed some red berries (I know... holly berries are white  ETA: duh! mistletoe berries are white! of course holly berries are red!) and added the cool sentiment from Autumn Leaves in gray.

Hooking up to:
Crafting for all Seasons - Green/Red plus glitter/sparkle

Thanks for coming by again this year.  Big hug.  I wish you and yours a happy and healthy 2013!!!

Supplies for winter Wonders:

Paper: CS  PTI

Stamps: Waltzingmouse, sentiment Autumn Leaves

Ink : Memories, Versafine

Tools: corner rounder EKS

Other:  embossing powder Ranger