Teal and Terracotta

This month, the challenge at Crafter's Companion is to use a favorite color combination.  Now, normally, I don't think this is what I would have chosen, but on the day I made the card, this is what called to me.  I used the Butterfly Frame stamp from the Stamp It-Australia line.

TSC 36 Monochromatic White

I haven't had much time to play in challenges lately, but I'm glad to get back to it.  The challenge over at the Stampsmith Challenge Blog this month is Monochromatic white.  This was definitely challenge for me, but I really like how it turned out.  I used an embossing folder and some dies for texture and even tucked a bit of tulle under the focal image.

Three French Hens

Well, I said I might share more of my 12 Days of Christmas swap here and now I have the perfect opportunity since The Simon Says Stamp and Show challenge is French Inspired this week.  This was the ATC that I made to represent 3 French Hens.  The hens are Tweety Jill stamps and I think the other stamps are from Stampington.
Bonjour!

Simon Says Stamp and Show-Tape Challenge

I'm going to a birthday party today for my Great Aunt Lillie who is 90 years old.  I made her this card, which I'm entering in the Simon Says Stamp and Show Tape Challenge.  All of the stamps are from Stamping Scrapping.  I did some selective inking on the cupcake stamp since it's part of a Ladybug set and the stamp has ladybugs on the cupcake.  Since I didn't want any bugs on my food for this card (just kidding, it's a cute set) I carefully inked the stamp and avoided the ladybugs.  I used washi tape on both corners of the card.

Lots of Dots

The September Challenge over at the Crafter's Companion blog is to use dots or stripes.  I just happened to have run a swap on my Yahoo group (Inkyfunstampers) to use dots or circles and I'd signed up for the swap, but had not yet completed my card.  Well, I decided to kill two birds with one stone and use a Crafter's Companion stamp and enter the challenge.

I used the Compass stamp from the Stamp It Australia collection.  I like the saying on here, "If you don't know where you're going you will probably end up somewhere else."  My background was created with spray inks and a stencil.  There are some dots there, but I also punched circles out of polka dot patterned paper and added them to my card as well.  I finished the card off with a ribbon and used pop dots to adhere my focal point.

Nine Ladies Dancing

I'm doing a 12 days of Christmas ATC swap this year with one of my groups (A Mad Crafter's Attic).  This is the card I made for number 9.  I'll be sharing some of the other cards here as well.  This has been a very fun swap.
I am also entering this in TSC33 Anything Goes.  I love this beautiful ballerina.  She is probably one of my most used Stampsmith Stamps.

Birds with Hats Received

I received lovely coasters in return for the Alpha Stamps swap I blogged about earlier.  Mine are from Peggy Recker, Stacie Schwartz and Marilyn Fishwick.  Here they are:

Birds with Hats Coasters

This is my first time participating in a swap with Alpha Stamps.  I couldn't resist the idea of doing a birds in hats swap since I always love all things birds.  These are the coasters I made.

At the Beach Tag

Wow, two posts in one day.  Pretty good since my blog's been neglected since the kids got out of school for summer break.

This is another of the tags I did for a Red Lead swap, that fits the theme for the Unruly Paper Arts RAC, Beautiful Beach.  Again, all stamps, stencils and collage images are from Red Lead.

Mermaid Tag

I recently made some tags for a Sea themed swap and it just so happens that the themes this month for the Unruly Paper Art's Readers' Artquest Challenges (RAC's) are Marvelous Mermaids and Beautiful Beach.  This tag used a mermaid stamp from Red Lead.  In fact, all the stamps and stencils used here are from Red Lead.  I also used washi tape, which I love.

Yellow Challenge

This month the Crafter's Companion US challenge is a color challenge-to use yellow.  Okay, yellow is not my favorite color, although I like it.  So this was a bit of a challenge.  I used the butterfly stamp from the Stamp It Australia collection.  I also used a Spellbinder's die for the butterfly embellishment.

Something Sweet

Dropping in with a quick little ATC I made for a swap. Stamps are from Oxford Impressions.

TSC30 Puppy Love

For May, The Stampsmith Challenge Blog is running a sketch challenge. I love using sketches to jump start my card making. I chose to use this adorable puppy image from the Stampsmith puppies sheet.

Mary Vogel Lozinak blog hop at VLVS

All stamps by Mary Vogel Loginak for Viva Las Vegastamps. For the background I used an emboss resist technique. I randomly stamped the key image in versamark and then embossed in a metallic powder. Then I applied distress stain all over the background. I stamped the cat image and colored her with copic markers. Many of Mary's circus themed images are juggling. This cat wasn't, but her paws are out and I thought she could be, so I added the rhinestones for balls for her to juggle.

Flower Card

The challenge at VLVS this month is to make a card using flowers. I used this flower image from VLVS and the emboss resist technique.

I stamped the image with versamark and embossed with green powder. I cut it with a label die and then sponged distress inks over the label. The flowers were coated with crystal lacquer. I also made a flower with a Spellbinders die and used it and some punched butterflies to embellish my card.

Mother's Day Emboss Resist card

I made this Mother's Day card using the Emboss Resist technique and a stamp from Hearts in Touch. Sentiment stamp is from Stamping Scrapping. I'm entering it into the Embossing Challenge at the Fashionable Stamping blog

Altered Pages is hosting an art retreat this July

Just some enabling here. Altered Pages, one of the companies I design for, is hosting an art retreat this July. I know I can't go this year, but maybe next. It looks like a lot of fun. Here's a brochure: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AlteredpagesDTMembers/files/AP%20Retreat.pptx

Mother's Day card

I've made this card for my mom for Mother's Day and I'm entering it into the Crafter's Companion challenge for April. I've used a stamp from their Fairyopolis set of stamps

for the focal image and colored her with my copic markers. I added stickles to the wings to make them shine. Sentiment is from Stamping Scrapping.

Elegant Lady card

I made this card using a sketch at the Stamping Scrapping techniques and tutorials site. If you're not familiar with this site, you should check it out. It is a paid access site, but Cindy (the owner) posts lots of videos and also offers exclusive coupons to her store. I usually pay for my membership each month in coupon savings. The lady stamp is from Magenta while the sentiment stamp is from Stamping Scrapping. I also used a couple Spellbinders dies for the flowers, oval and sentiment. I also used

ribbon and washi tape. I'm having a love affair with washi tape right now .

GC144 Copper, Ginger or Rust

This is the last Gingersnap Creations challenge and it's the same as their very first challenge-copper, ginger or rust. I did the polished stone technique for the background using copper, ginger and rust alcohol inks. I then stamped the image in sepia. I thought the row of sequins down the ribbon added the perfect note of embellishment.

GC143 Last Century

This was a quick and easy card to make. It uses an image from Altered Pages, dies from Spellbinders and My Favorite Things, paper from My Mind's Eye and a stamp from Technique Tuesday. I'm entering it in Gingersnap Creations Last Century challenge.

GC142 Border Punches

Getting this card up just in time for Gingersnap Creations border punch challenge
I used a bubble border punch on this one along with stamps from Graphic 45 (Hampton Arts) and Sunday International.

My Pick Monday-Vintage Couple from Altered Pages

I made this ATC for a swap. The image is from a collage sheet from Altered Pages.

TSC28 Flip and Fold

The challenge this month over at the Stampsmith Challenge Blog is to make a card with a fancy fold. Well, I decided to make a Tri-Fold-Shutter card. I used an image from the Thank Heaven for Little Girls plate.

The first image shows the cute girl stamp from The Stampsmith. The second shows the card closed. Greeting is a stamp from Pink by Design.

GC140 Two Colors Only

I made this card after seeing similar cards by Annette Warkentin in the Just Cards magazine. My card also uses stamps from About Art Accents. I'm entering it in the color challenge at Gingersnap Creations.

My Pick Tuesday AP 659 and 1616

Oops. With spring break and going to the zoo yesterday, I missed posting on Monday. Last week I shared the first three twinchies I made for the Gingersnap Creations swap and today I'm sharing the second three. All images are from Altered Pages, sheets AP659 Mini Images-Children and AP1616 Adorable.

Stamp Kissing-Dance in the Rain

This project was made for a swap, but also qualifies for the Simon Says Stamp stamp kissing challenge over at Lily Pad Cards. Stamps are from Glitz and Sparkle N Sprinkle.

My Pick Monday AP sheet 444 Mini Images

I was part of a Twinchie swap at Gingersnap Creations. These are the first three Twinchies I made. All images are from AP 444 from Altered Pages.

GC138 Masking Tape

I made this card for the Gingersnap Creations Challenge, Masking Tape. I've finally joined the washi tape craze and purchased several rolls. I must admit, they're a lot of fun.

The stamps are from Dylusions (flowers) and Mark's Finest Papers (greeting).

Fashionable Stamping Challenge #16

The theme for the Fashionable Stamping challenge for the first half of March is to "Make if for a Child" I made this ATC featuring the cute stamps made by Hampton Arts to match the Graphic 45 paper. I did the emboss resist technique and stippled in the background color.

The girl is stamped, colored with Copic markers, cut out and adhered on top the background.

GC137 Words of Wisdom

Here's a fairy card with some Words of Wisdom for the Gingersnap Creations challenge. Stamps are from Faerie Song and I colored the fairy with Copic markers.

My Pick Monday AP sheet 1855-this time in Blue

This is the second Bingo Valentine I made for our Altered Pages swap. It used the Beauty in Blue collage sheet and several others.

Chalk Attraction Birthday Card

I made this birthday card for the Blockhead's Chalk Attraction challenge.

Stamps are from Dylusions and Papertrey Ink.

My Pick Monday AP sheet 1855

We recently participated in a Bingo card swap in the Altered Pages Yahoo group. This is one of the cards I made my partner. It features the collage sheet AP 1855 Beauty in Green. The swap also had a Valentine's theme.

TSC27 Love and Lace

I made this card for Valentine's Day for my daughter who loves dogs. I think she really liked it. I'm also entering it in the Stampsmith Challenge

GC136 Glorious Greens

I like how free this lion seems to be. I'm entering this card into the Gingersnap Creations challenge Glorious Greens.

Stamp is from Third Coast and I also used my Sew Ribbon tool.

My Pick Monday AP sheet 1855

I made this tag for a swap with the Beauty in Pink Altered Pages collage sheet. I also used stamps from The Stampsmith.

Favorite Patterned Paper

I love patterned paper and my craft room is probably about ready to explode from all the paper I've collected (and hoarded) the last several years. I'm actually doing a lot better about using my paper now, but when two recent challenges told me to pick my favorite, I was a bit stumped. I'm not sure I can really choose just one, but I love Graphic 45 papers and my favorite line of theirs is Once Upon a Springtime. So that's the paper I chose to make this card.

Stamps are from Fiskars.
I'm entering this card into two challenges:
GC135 Gingersnap Creations: Favorite Designer Paper
Lily Pad Cards: Simon Says Stamp presents a Patterned Paper Challenge

Altered Pages My Pick Monday-Amazing Race

Using AP1603 Scrabble Tiles and various other Altered Pages collage sheets I made this Gothic Arch for a swap. I spelled out the word "race" using the scrabble tiles. I also used stamps, glaze and lace on this piece.

GC133 Use a Set of Stamps

This is the birthday card I made for my daughter's 13th birthday. I used an unusual card fold from Technique Junkies and paper and stamps from Graphic 45. I'm entering it in the Gingersnap Creations Challenge to use a set of stamps.
This is how the card looks closed.

And this is how it looks open. This is where I used the Graphic 45 stamps. I also used a birthday sentiment from Hero Arts and some Thickers for the #13.

GC132 Yellow and White

The color challenge over at Gingersnap Creations this month is to use soft yellow and white. This is not a color combination I would usually attempt. But here's the result.

Stamps are Technique Tuesday, Stamping Scrapping and Pink by Design.

It's not "meese"

About a month ago I participated in a Canada swap. I made a card using a moose and well, so did my partner. Around the same time, my son asked me what the plural of "moose" was. I'm afraid I had to admit to him that I wasn't sure. I thought it was "moose", singular and plural, but it might have been "mooses". The only thing I knew for sure, was that it wasn't "meese".
We came home and looked it up in the dictionary. My first hunch was correct. It is moose.
I thought this was all somewhat of a coincidence, but here are the cards.
My card.

Card from Judy.