Eat, Drink, and Be Scary

It's Tuesday, which means it's time to share a project created for Topflight Stamps! This week I've got a Halloween card for you with Katzelkraft's fabulous Owls Unmounted Red Rubber Stamp Set and their Funny Accessories Unmounted Red Rubber Stamp Set. I've also used the Skull Shadow Stencil by Visible Image. 

Here it is!

Topflight Products Used:
Owls Unmounted Red Rubber Stamp Set by Katzelkraft

Funny Accessories Unmounted Red Rubber Stamp Set by Katzelkraft

Skull Shadow Stencil by Visible Image

PSA: There are lots of fantastic new products at Topflight Stamps, so you should definitely click on over there after reading my instructions! BTW, if you'd like to get 12% off your order at Topflight Stamps use THIS LINK!

Other Products Used:

Solar White Classic Crest® Cardstock by Neenah Papers

140 lb. Mixed Media Paper by Strathmore®

Raven Cardstock by Bazzill Basics®

Copic® Markers:

Tuxedo Black Memento™ Ink by Tsukineko®

Pumice Stone and Bundled Sage Distress® Oxide Sprays by Tim Holtz® for Ranger Industries

Fossilized Amber, Barn Door, Bundled Sage, and Black Soot Distress® Ink  by Tim Holtz® for Ranger Industries

Copic® Markers:

   Owls (Left to Right): E71, E71, R30, G21, E81, E84, E87, Y11, Y13, Y32;  E41, E42, E43, E44, E81, E84,  E87, Y11, Y13, Y32, Y35:  T0, T1, T2, T3, T4, Y32, Y35, R14, R27, E81, E84, E87

   Witch Hat: C6, C7, C8, R14, R27

Branches Reversed Stencil by The Crafter's Workshop

Branches Dies by Memory Box, Sizzix, and Savvy Stamps

STAY-tion™ by Wendy Vecchi for Ranger Industries

*97% Complete Halloween Stickers by 7 Gypsies

Post-It Notes® by 3M

Instructions:

1. Cut a piece of 12x12 cardstock in half. 
2. Score one piece of it at 6" and fold to form a 6" square card.
3. To start the background panel, spray mixed media cardstock with Pumice Stone Distress Oxide Spray. 
4. Spritz with water, heat set.
5. Place Skull Shadow Stencil over the sprayed and heat set cardstock and spray Bundled Sage Distress Oxide overtop. 
6. Lift stencil, lightly spray the areas around the skull with water. Heat set.
7. Clean and dry stencil.
8. Use magnets to secure the sprayed mixed media paper to the STAY-tion.
9. Line up the Skull Shadow Stencil with its counterpart on the sprayed paper and secure with magnets.
10. Sponge Bundled Sage Distress ink around the skull on the stencil to get rid of any harsh lines.
11. Sponge Barn Door, then Fossilized Amber Distress inks to the eye and nose holes in the skull.
12. Lightly sponge Black Soot Distress ink around the skull and skull openings to add definition.
13. Heat set
14. Lift the Skull Stencil and secure the Branches Reversed Stencil onto the background panel using magnets.
15. Sponge Black Soot Distress ink over the Branches Reversed Stencil.
16. Move the stencil slightly and repeat step 15.
17. Remove the stencil and heat set.
18. Trim the background panel to 5.75" square.
19. Sponge Black Soot Distress ink around the edges. Heat Set.
20. Choose three of the six owls included in the Owls Unmounted Red Rubber Stamp Set and the Witch's Hat from the Funny Accessories Unmounted Red Rubber Stamp Set.
21. Stamp all of the images with Tuxedo Black Memento Ink and fussy-cut. Please note that I cut the bow off of the Witch Owl's head. She was the scariest owl, so I opted to make her into a witch and to give her scary eyes.
22. Color all the images with Copic markers and edge with a black pen.
23. Use the Branches dies to cut black cardstock.
24. Adhere the branch die cuts and owls to the background panel as shown.
25. Adhere the background panel to the 6" card.
26. Edge the sticker with black marker and adhere as shown to finish the card.

*I really wanted to use a thought bubble or a sentiment that said, "Something wicked this way comes.", but did not have a stamp, sticker, or rub-on with that. Oh. The horror.

Thanks for visiting today!

Put a Bug On It (or a spider)!

This week's Stampotique Designer's Challenges (#257) is "Put a Bug On it".

If you'd like the chance to win your choice of $30 worth of Stampotique stamps, you should play along with this challenge. Visit Stampotique Designers Challenge blog and be sure to read the rules so that you'll have the chance to win that great prize!!! Remember to check to see the deadline for all of this month's Stampotique Designers Challenges!

Here's my card with Skull Moon Small (Arwen McCullen), Lola (Tracy Scott), Sit Down (Karen Hayselden), and Mr. Stripes (Daniel Torrente).

You might have guessed that this card was inspired by the Little Miss Muffet nursery rhyme. My version stars Little Miss Zombie with the tuffet replaced by a bench and no curds/whey. Should have substituted a bowl of brains?

It should also be noted that my spider, Mr. Stripes, is an arachnid, not an insect. So there.

Skull Moon, Lola, Sit Down, and Mr. Stripes were stamped with Tuxedo Black Memento ink (Imagine Crafts), colored with Copic markers, fussy-cut, edged with a black pen, then set aside while a background was created for them.

140 lb. Mixed Media cardstock (Strathmore) was sponged with a wash of Pthalo Blue and Dioxazine Purple Media Fluid Acrylic (MFA) paints (DecoArt) . When the paint was dry, Jet Black Archival ink (Ranger) was sponged over the grass on Carnival stencil (Fairytale Creations) and over the Batground Layering stencil (Stampers Anonymous).

A scrap of Mixed Media cardstock was die-cut with both Grassy Edges dies (Die-namics). The grass was then painted with Pthalo Green Yellow, Pthalo Green Blue, and Green Gold MFA paints. Another scrap of Mixed Media cardstock was die-cut twice with the Woodland Branch die (Memory Box) and the Branch die (Savvy Stamps). All three branches were colored with Copic markers.

The painted Grassy Edges die-cuts and the branch die-cuts were adhered to the painted background with Media Matte Medium (DecoArt), which was then used to adhere Skull Moon, Lola, Sit Down, and Mr. Stripes. I realized after the fact, that I should have left each layer to dry a bit longer before adding the next element, but I suppose that I was either "in the zone" or impatient. Probably both. However, I was fortunate that the little white bits look rather like stars, so it's all good. Happy accidents and all don'tchaknow.

When the piece was dry, I added Garnet, Lipstick Red, Red, and Lemon Yellow Spica Glitter pen to the Skull Moon's and Lola's cat's eye. Purple Spica Glitter pen was added to Mr. Stripes eyes. Several layers of Clear Glaze Gel pen were added to the button eyes on both Lola and her cat's eyes, Skull Moon's eye and teeth to give them all a dimensional glossy look.

My last step was to edge the image panel with Jet Black Archival ink and adhere it to a black card.

Looking at it now, I do wish that I had put Lola on the right side and Mr. Stripes on the left of the Sit Down bench. Oh well.

Thanks for visiting today!

I shall enter this card into the following challenges:
• Addicted to Stamps Challenges: Trees, Leaves, Branches
• Creative Artiste Mixed Media Challenges: Anything Goes
• Stamps and Stencils Challenges: The Colors of Autumn

Stampotique's New Release Blog Hop!

Stampotique Design Team members are so excited to showcase the new stamps being released from Stampotique this month. If you haven't had a chance to see what's new, you can click on over to the Stampotique website here.

As always, Stampotique is pleased to present a variety of stamps from our artists that appeal to anyone — scrapbookers, card makers, and art journal enthusiasts. Stampotique is also thrilled to announce a new artist  Tracy Scott. You can see her stamps HERE. We always love to know which stamps are your favorites, so while you are hopping around, make sure to say "hi" on our blogs and share the names of your new favorites.

We'll be giving away a $30 gift certificate to the online store and a grab bag of stamps to two random winners who have visited the blogs. We will pick the winners on our first challenge in August.

Have fun hopping!

You should have arrived here from Karen Hayselden's blog, where I'm sure you saw something fantastic!

Here's my first card with Donald and the Kitty Cube (Daniel Torrente).

Donald was stamped twice with Tuxedo Black Memento ink (Imagine Crafts). One Donald stamped image was decapitated and his right arm was amputated. He didn't even scream! One of the cats from the Kitty Cube was stamped atop Donald's back with Tuxedo Black Memento ink with the help of a Stampa-ma-jig stamp positioner. The other cat from the Kitty Cube was stamped with Tuxedo Black Memento ink and fussy-cut. All the images were colored with Copic markers.  The elements that were fussy-cut were edged with a Black Pitt Artist pen (Faber Castell). The lower kitty from the Kitty Cube was positioned between Donald's hands and Donald's head, arms, and hands were adhered over their counterparts.

Wood-patterned washi tape was added to the base of the image panel, which was die-cut with a Nestabilities Large Rectangle (Spellbinders) die. The patterned papers, including the sentiment are from a very old patterned paper pad. "Nap, Eat..." is a sticker from my huge collection of cat-themed craft supplies.

Here's my second card with Skelly (Kira Nichols).

Skelly was stamped with Tuxedo Black Memento ink and colored with Copic markers. The image panel was die-cut with a Nestabilities die and adhered to a piece of patterned paper from a 6x6 pad (Prima Marketing). The edges of the patterned paper were distressed and the card front was adhered to a kraft card. A Hello Speech Bubble die (Savvy) was used to die-cut kraft and white cardstock. The bubble was then adhered to the card front to finish the piece.

Here's my third card featuring Treasure Chest (Arwen McCullen), Casper (Tracy Scott), and Agatha's Parrot (Magda Polakow).

Treasure Chest, Casper, and Agatha's Parrot were all stamped with Tuxedo Black Memento ink, colored with Copic markers, fussy-cut, and edged with a Black Pitt Artist pen. I added a black eyepatch to Casper to add to the pirate-ish theme of the card.

The Treasure Chest was coated with a layer of Distress Collage Crazing Medium (Ranger) and allowed to dry.

White cardstock was die-cut with the Puffy Clouds die (Die-namics) which were then colored with Copic markers. Yellow cardstock was punched with a very old sun punch (Emaginations), then colored with Copic markers.

Tan and aqua cardstock were torn and layered atop a piece of blue cardstock. A VersaMarker pen (Imagine Crafts) was used to add a bit of shading to tan cardstock to look more like sand. A White Gel pen (Sakura of America) was used to add whitecaps to the sea. Chit-Chat stickers (Idea-ology) were used to add the sentiment. 

The card panel was edged with Hickory Smoke Distress ink (Ranger), then adhered to a kraft card.

Thanks for visiting my blog today!

Your next stop on the hop is Nellie van Leeuwen's blog where you will be thrilled by her fabulous artwork!

If you get lost along the way, you can find the complete hop roster at Stampotique Designers Challenge blog.

Music!

This week's challenge at The Outlawz Coloring Challenges is Music. Use an image of a musical instrument, sheet music, musical die-cuts, or song lyrics. My Outlawz Coloring Challenge teammates, Carla, Penny, Karen, Vannessa, and I challenge you to use create a project for this challenge. You can use any coloring medium you like, just as long as you color! 

Our May sponsor at The Outlawz Coloring Challenges is Sweet Pea Stamps, who is offering our lucky winner three digis of his/her choice from the Sweet Pea Digi Stamp Store.  Play along with us for your chance to win!

Here's my card with Sweet Pea/Karen Middleton's Musical Pixie.

 
Musical Pixie was resized in PhotoElements, printed onto Neenah cardstock with my laser printer, then colored with Copic markers. I also printed a copy of Musical Pixie onto Eclipse Tape with my inkjet printer. That version was fussy-cut and placed over the colored image. Removable Scotch Tape (3M) was placed across the image to form the horizon. The sky was airbrushed with my B21 marker and Copic Airbrush System. The tape was lifted and YG markers were used to create a grassy lawn. 

The image panel was die-cut using one of the dies from the 5x7 Card Creator Nestabilities die set (Spellbinders). Music patterned paper from the Paddington 6x6 pad (7 Gypsies) was die-cut using a larger die from the same Nestabilities set. The image panel was matted with the music panel and set aside.

I originally planned to use patterned paper for my other layers, but then decided to re-create the airbrushed/drawn background on a larger piece of cardstock to be used as the card front. So I die-cut another sheet of white cardstock, taped a horizon line, and airbrushed the sky, lifted the tape, and drew in the grass. 

Musical Pixie reminded me of the Pied Piper, so I decided that I should create a little audience for Musical Pixie's music. The Breezy Branches Statement Corner die (SCACD), Birds retired die (Poppy Stamps), and the Peace Doves die(Memory Box) were die-cut from white cardstock and colored with Copic markers. The Sitting Cat (Poppy Stamps) and two walking cats from the Cat Set (Impression Obsession) were die-cut from black cardstock. Shimmery vellum was die-cut with one of the dies from the Flags die set (Impression Obsession). Happy Birthday (Savvy Stamps) was stamped onto the Flag die with Jet Black StazOn ink. 

The image panel was adhered to the card front. The colored Breezy Branches Statement Corner die-cut was added to the upper left hand corner. Three little birds were added to the branches. Gold thread was  added to the hole in the stamped vellum flag, which was then adhered over the branches. The thread was adhered under the dove's beak. The card front was adhered to a white card and I called it done!

Thanks for visiting today! 

I shall enter this card into the following challenges.
• Scrapy Land Challenges: Birthdays/Celebrations (plus using any brand of die sold at Scrapy Land)
• One Sweet Challenge: Things with Wings
• The Cheerful Stamp Pad Challenges: Fairies
• Crafting for all Seasons Challenges: Birthday with Four of Something (I've got four birds)

This should be entertaining!

We're going to a surprise 50th Birthday party for a friend who emphatically told me she did NOT want a party for her 50th. Too bad, so sad.

Here's her card that goes with her special martini glass present.


Here's the inside:


Shockingly, the martini/cupcake image, by Impression Obsession, was colored with Copics. The sentiment on the outside is by Savvy Stamps. The sentiment on the inside is by River City Rubber Works, whose stamps crack me up. But then again, I am easily amused. The teeny martini on the inside is from Inky Antics.

The paper is from the Cupcake 6x6 pad by Basic Grey. It's old, but cute. Like my friend (and like me).

In looking at this, I see a few raggedy edges. I had a stockpile of blade refills, but apparently, I've burned through them. Of course, I was at Michael's today with my trusty coupon. But being a spacy me, didn't remember. *sigh*

Thanks for visiting today!

Card for Taylored Expressions Sketch Challenge #154

Procrastination should be my middle name. Mom's birthday is Saturday AND the Taylored Expressions Sketch Challenge ends at 8:00 p.m. PDT tonight! So, I finally got out my poor neglected TE stamps and had a go at the sketch.

Here's the sketch:


Here's my take on the sketch:


I stayed fairly true to the sketch and only added a pinked circle and a sentiment to it. The bouquet of posies is from Taylored Expressions Fresh Flowers set. It was colored with Copic markers, which were chosen to match the papers from Two Scoops by Basic Grey (old 6x6 pad from my "store"). Distress Inks (Sage & Weathered Wood were added to color all edges as I can NOT abide white edges!!!

The rhinestones were colored with R24 to be matchy-matchy with the posies. Spica silver glitter pen was used for the bouquet's string. One nice thing about using pinked circles is that they make gem placement easy-peasy.

The sentiment is from Savvy Stamps. I adore their fonts and especially like that they're small and can fit into compact places. :D

Thanks for visiting today!!!

Birthday Wishes Card for Smeared & Smudged

Here's another card for my stint as a guest designer over at Smeared & Smudged.

It features Seriba, one of the digital Goth Fairies from Smeared Ink. She's available alone or part of a set.

Here's the card:


I decided not to go terribly Goth, except perhaps for her green hair. She was colored with Copic markers. Glitter pens from Sakura were used on her wings and to edge the die cuts. The patterned paper is from the Sugar Rush 6x6 pad by Basic Grey. It has papers that matched the B60s series of Copic markers, which are one of my favorites!

The sentiment stamp is from Savvy Stamps. I love their fonts.

Thanks for visiting today.

This card shall be entered in the following challenges:
• Simon Says Stamp "Anything Goes" challenge.
• Outlawz Monday Greetings: "Anything Goes" challenge

Variations on a theme

The theme is Thank You cards. The stamp set is Growing Wild by Technique Tuesday. Oddly enough (for me), these cards will actually be mailed as acknowledgement and gratitude for birthdayversary gifts.

Merci Bouquet: Sentiment by Savvy Stamps

The grass was stamped using three different shades of Memento Green ink. The flowers were stamped with Dauber Duo inks. I don't know if these are still being made. They are very useful for inking portions of stamps. Fortunately, I still have a cache of them. So glad I'm a hoarder.


Thanks just doesn't seem like enough: Sentiment from the Autumn Abundance set by Paper Trey Ink.


The grass was done the same way, but this time the flower portion of the stamp was colored with Pentel Watercolor pens direct to the stamp and then inked.


Thanks so much: Sentiment by Paper Trey Ink


One of the main reasons I bought this set was because I loved the hummingbird. However, as a bird-brained bird-watcher, I needed the flower to reflect a food source for hummers. I found the flower stamp in a Technique Tuesday set that was retired. I call it "Little Flower" set because it's comprised of little flower heads, stems, and some leaves. So I inked the flower stems from the Growing Wild set and used the other flower. Everything on this one was inked with Memento inks with the exception of the hummer, which was inked with Adirondack Stream.

The blue paper for all cards is by Fancy Pants. The last card also uses papers by My Mind's Eye and Cosmo Cricket.

That's probably enough babble for now.

Thanks for visiting!