Metro-Gnome (train version) is back!

Yes. The train version of Metro-Gnome is back!!! There is a musical metrognome version too and that will likely make a reappearance one day.

Anyway, this is the perfect card for me to have on hand for those (increasingly frequent) occasions when I forget someone's birthday! As you can likely tell, it was also prompted by Moxie Fab World's "Map to your Heart" Challenge



I also used Sketch SC367 from Splitcoast Stampers and used a subway map patterned paper from the late lamented Scenic Route Paper Company. *sad face*.

Today's featured gnome is Gnome Walking Left (CK-112-C) which can be found on p. 42 of Third Coast Rubber Stamps' catalog. By the way, TCRS is holding an overstock sale that should be starting one day real soon!

Anyway, the gnome is colored with Copic markers. The "I'm late" sentiment is from Crafty Secrets' Greetings from Wonderland set

My trusty Dymo Labeler was used for the rest of the sentiment. I actually used two of the 500 gazillion million buttons in my stash. The buttons were threaded with Jillbean Soup twine.

I do hope you're not getting too tired of my lame gnome puns.

Thanks for visiting today.

I shall be entering this card at the following challenges.
• Moxie Fab World's "Map to your Heart" Challenge
• Splitcoast Stampers Sketch #367.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I don't know about you, but I'm busy prepping my side dishes and getting ready for Thanksgiving, which put me in the mood to share this card. It's an accordion card with a belly band to keep it together.

Front View with Belly Band:


Accordion Card:


The card features the adorable penguins from the Gobble It Up set by The Cat's Pajamas. The penguins, domed cloche, pie, and sentiments are from that set. The wine bottle is called Pop the Cork and is also by the Cat's Pajamas. The bread basket is from the Kitchen Classics set by Crafty Secrets.

The entire scene was stamped in Memento ink, then colored with Copic markers. The cloche, turkey, penguin bills, and penguin feet were coated with a layer of embossing powder to add dimension and shine. There was a whole lotta masking involved to get that turkey on the table and to add that homey yellow background, which was sponged with Distress Ink.

The patterned paper is from the Origins collection by Basic Grey.

I shall enter this card in these challenges:
• Simon Says "Thanksgiving/Thanks" Challenge.
• iCopic Challenge #57: "Being Thankful and Thanksgiving".

Thanks for visiting today!

I'm a Guest Blogger!

Today I'm "Guest Blogging" for the talented Tiffany, who is in the process of moving cross-country again! We really do need to support our military families who sacrifice so much to serve our country.

Not only is Tiffany seriously talented, she's exceedingly generous as well. She's going to give away a $100 gift certificate to Two Peas in a Bucket, plus some other gifts too. Here's the link so you can read about these wonderful offers!

Anyway, here's my Thanksgiving card.


The card features the adorable penguins from the Gobble It Up set by The Cat's Pajamas. The penguins, domed cloche, pie, and sentiment are from that set. The bread basket is from the Kitchen Classics set by Crafty Secrets.

The entire scene was stamped in Memento ink, then colored with Copic markers. The cloche, turkey, penguin bills, and penguin feet were coated with a layer of embossing powder to add dimension and shine. There was a whole lotta masking involved to get that turkey on the table and to add the sponged background! I also used the long rectangle Nestabilities from Spellbinders to both cut and mask the image. All of the homey patterned paper is from the Domestic Goddess pad by Graphic 45. Love! As usual, I sponged Distress Ink (Old Paper, Antique Linen, Barn Door, and Faded Jeans) to the edges of the patterned paper. The sentiment was stamped on a QuicKutz die cut tag and enhanced with a whole mess of pearls!

Thanks for visiting today!

Something completely different!

Trying my hand at a different style. I've been wanting to try a white on white card for a while. I also decided to participate in Crafty Secrets' forum challenge #136 to cut it out. While I was at it, I also met the F4A28 (Free For All) – Birds of a Feather …! challenge. Yahoo!

Here it is!


I used two different Cuttlebug folders to emboss white cardstock. I also used a Nestabilities die and two QuicKutz dies for the sentiment. The cage and the bird are from the Birdies set by Crafty Secrets. The tiny sentiment is from the Mixed Message set by Paper Trey. I stamped the bird with Memento ink and colored him with a Copic marker. Then I stamped the bird cage over him with Starlite Silver Brilliance ink and heat embossed with clear embossing powder. The cage and bird are popped up on dimensionals.

Thanks for visiting today!

Sending mental margaritas

This card is to cheer someone up who has been going through a rough patch. It uses pink and black, which is the challenge over on the Crafty Secrets forum over at SCS.

I used the gal and the thought bubble from Crafty Secrets' Party Queen set with a margarita stamp by Memory Box. The images were colored with Copic markers.

The patterned papers are by Crafty Secrets as well. The ribbons are stacked and are from my stash. I used a bunch of flowers all piled on top of each other to reinforce the pink and black theme.

Thanks for visiting today!

Enchantment

This scene is what I imagine happens in my back garden late in the evening. The card fills the SCS Crafty Secrets' forum challenge #128 -- Things With Wings.



I sponged several colors of Distress Ink onto white cardstock and then spritzed it with water to get a splotchy effect. When it was dry, I stamped the swinging fairies with Onyx VersaFine ink. I stamped the stars and moon with VersaMark and then heat embossed with white and silver embossing powder. I actually was not bummed about the stray embossing powder. I think it looks nebula-like. The stars, moon, and Fairies are from the Fairies set by Crafty Secrets.

I mounted the scene onto black cardstock, then mounted that onto a a black card that was punched on one edge with a Martha Stewart/EK border punch. I added a silver holographic sticker strip and heat embossed some more stars and "Enchantment" (from one of my cck Fantasy sets by Sweet Pea Stamps.

Thanks for visiting today!

P.S. I hope no one does a Google Search for "Swinging Fairies". If they find this, they might be very surprised. *snortle*

My Rose Fairy Challenge card!

This one is for the challenge over at Crafty Secrets' SCS forum. The challenge is #CSSC126! The challenges was to use red, white, and blue in an untraditional and non-patriotic way!

I think I did it, but you can be the judge of that!

Here it is!


This fairy is from the Fairies set by Crafty Secrets sets.

The fairy looked tired to me since she's slumping a little bit, so I gave her a nice branch on which to rest and catch her breath. Picking roses whilst hovering in the air is hard work!

She was colored with Copic markers with a touch of white gel pen and Glaze pen on the pearls in the fairy's hair. The patterned papers are from two different sets by The Memory Box, but they coordinate really nicely. The dotted satin ribbon is from my stash. The rose is by Recollections. The card base is shimmery white, but that doesn't show on the photo.

I have not decided what I'll do with the card, so there's no sentiment yet. That can be added in the bottom panel at a later time.

Sorry the photo is so poor. Serious shadow problems. *sigh*

Thanks for visiting today!

Thank You Note/Gift that hits the challenge trifecta!

Woo-hoo! A trifecta! I'm so excited that this card meets lots o' challenges! Plus, it's useful too since it will also hold a gift card for a friend. I'm sooooo efficent!!!
* SplitCoast's Crafty Secrets forum's Distress challenge.
* Paper Craft Planet's Crafty Secrets forum's Button challenge.
* Card Positioning System's Sketch challenge!

Here it is in all its redness.


The King of Hearts, additional crown on his head, and the two hearts are from Crafty Secrets' Greetings from Wonderland set. The "Thank You" script is from a Stampin' Up stamp that's part of a seriously useful set whose name escapes me. The King and hearts were colored with Copic markers. Since the challenge was to Distress the card, I used Distress Inks on the heart squares and to edge all the layers. I used a Heidi Swapp Distressing tool to distress the paper edges, used white-cored cardstock to show the distressing, and added Tattered Strips to stay with the theme. I pulled a button from my collection of 500,000,999 buttons and now have 500,000,998 left. The patterned papers are from my stash o' scraps and are by Creative Imaginations.

Thanks for visiting today!

Father's Day Card #1

I sent this one to my dad. I'm one of three, hence the three chickens.



Actually, now that I look at it, I'm not sure that the "big chicken" is actually a rooster. Nor am I sure that the little chickens are actually chicks. I'm so not a country girl. :D

Anyway, the stamps are from the Little Chef and Kitchen Classics Crafty Secrets sets.

In addition to doing this for my dad, I took the challenge to use Clips over at the Crafty Secrets forum at SCS.

The little scene was colored with Copic markers. Surprised? ;)

Thanks for visiting.

Two-fer Thursday!

This card meets two challenges -- SCS's Sketch Challenge #285 and the Crafty Secrets' PCP forum's of 6/12, which was to use lace! Gosh. I love when I'm efficient, though in truth I was going for a tri-fecta. Oh well.



I used the Lucky Wishes set by Crafty Secrets. The images were colored with Copic markers and highlighted with a touch of Sakura Glitter pens.

The patterned papers are from the Radiant pad which is also by Crafty Secrets. The card is a premade one from somewhere or another. :D

Thanks for visiting today!

I'm late!!!

When I look at this image, the phrase "I'm late! I'm late! I'm late!" immediately pops into my mind. However, this card isn't late. In fact, it qualifies in a timely manner for several challenges! It uses SCS's Sketch 284, CSSC123's Old, New, Borrowed Challenge, and Kim's/Mad Hatter's Challenge!

Here it is!


The White Rabbit image is from Crafty Secret's Greetings From Wonderland set, which I just got! This is my first time inking it! Yahoo. Gotta love that. The rabbit and the grass were colored with Copic markers, with a touch of Glaze pen on the cane. There's also some Gold Spica pen on the watch and chain and a touch of clear Glaze pen on the watch too. I used an oval Nestabilities die to cut out the image, then used it as a mask to color the grass and sponge in the sky (with Distress Ink). The patterned papers are by Imaginisce (clocks and base layer) and Fancy Pants (the stripes and blue circles). I do love my striped paper. Such a great way to bring color and visual interest...

I did not include a sentiment, since I tend to procrastinate, I'm sure I can use the card for either a Belated Birthday or I'm-Sorry-I'm-a-Doofus card.

Thanks for visiting today!