Let the Good Times Roll!

It's Mardi Gras! Let the good times roll!

Here's my card with Masquerade, a Rick St. Dennis digital stamps available at I Brake for Stamps.

Masquerade was resized in PhotoElements, printed out onto Copic-friendly cardstock with my laser printer, then colored with my Copic markers. The image was die-cut with one of the dies from the the Sunray Venus Layering Basics die set (Tonic Studios).

Ancient patterned paper from the Fusion collection (Basic Grey) was die-cut with one of the dies from the Fishtail Flags dieset (Die-namics) and a circle from the Circle Nestabilities die set (Spellbinders). The patterned paper flag was edged with Dusty Concord Distress ink (Ranger), then layered onto a flag die-cut from solid cardstock.

Another sheet from the Fusion set was cut size, edged with Dusty Concord Distress ink. The matted fishtail die-cut was adhered over the patterned paper, then the image panel was added.

The sentiment was added to the patterned paper circle with Simply Sweet rub-ons (Doodlebug). The circle was matted with a slightly larger circle die-cut from solid cardstock, then added to the card front. Purple cardstock was die-cut with a Masquerade Masks die (Poppy Stamps) and patterned paper was die-cut with one of the butterflies from the Butterfly die set (Impression Obsession. The butterfly and the mask were adhered to the sentiment circle to finish the card.

I  Brake for Stamps has a great collection of digital stamps plus a huge and varied collection of rubber stamps that you ought to check out right now. Click on my badge below to be whisked over to I Brake for Stamps to check out all of the goodies! Best of all, if you buy something, you can get a 10% discount off of your purchase if you use this code: SAVE10KATHI!

Thanks for visiting today!

Inspired by a TV Show or Movie: v2.0

I'm back with my second card for this challenge!

Kristen Catalano is the hostess this week at Stampotique Designer's Challenges. Her challenge is "Inspired by a TV Show or a Movie. Here's what she had to say about her challenge.

"This week I want to see what you can create that is inspired by one of your favorite TV shows or movie."

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!

My card was inspired by a National Geographic special about the birds of the rain forest. As I watched it,  I was joined by a feline friend, who got very involved with the show.

Here's my card with Agatha's Parrot (Magda Polakow) and For the Birds (Janet Klein).

Here's the photo that inspired the parrot on the card.

Agatha's Parrot was stamped with Tuxedo Black Memento ink (Imagine Crafts), colored with Copic markers, fussy-cut, and edged with a Black Pitt Artist pen (Faber Castell). Agatha's Parrot was set aside while I created the other elements.

Black, silver, and white cardstock were die-cut with the TV Shaker dies (Simon Says Stamp). Green cardstock was die-cut with a Foliage Corner die, then detailed with a VersaMarker pen (Imagine Crafts).

The leaves were adhered to blue cardstock, then Agatha's Parrot was adhered. The TV Shaker dies were assembled.

Black cardstock was die-cut with the Happy, Birthday, Merry, Christmas Small Words die set (All Occasions), the "s" from the Small Alphabet die set (All Occasions), and the Large Pouncing Cat die (Poppy Stamps).

The Large Pouncing Cat die-cut was detailed with a White Pitt Artist pen and a Green Stardust Glitter pen (Sakura).

Wood-patterned Washi tape was adhered to a piece of subtly patterned cardstock (Graphic 45) and the die-cut sentiment was adhered. For the Birds (Janet Klein) was stamped with Jet Black StazOn ink (Imagine Crafts) on the Washi tape.

White vellum was die-cut with a small rectangle from the A2 Card Creator Nestabilities die set (Spellbinders), then adhered to the card front. The television and antenna were adhered. The card was edged with Black Soot Distress ink then adhered to a white card.

I don't know if I'll do any more of this series, so I figured I'd let you see some more of this series of photographs. I took a lot of photos of Flash with the tv birds in between fits of giggles as it was such a funny thing to watch. The best part was when he looked behind the television to see if more birds were hiding there.

Thanks for visiting today!

I shall enter this card into the following challenges:
• Show Us Your Pussies Challenges: Furrything Goes
• Come and Get It Challenges: Things with Wings
• Animal Friends Challenges: Birds

Inspired by a TV Show

Kristen Catalano is the hostess this week at Stampotique Designer's Challenges. Her challenge is "Inspired by a TV Show or a Movie". Here's what she had to say about her challenge.

"This week I want to see what you can create that is inspired by one of your favorite TV shows or movie."

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!

My card  was inspired by a National Geographic special about the birds of the rain forest. As I watched it, I was joined by a feline friend, who got very involved with the show.

Here's my card with the cockatoo from Stampotique's Birdy Up (Kira Nichols) and Happy Bird-Day (Carol's Collection) .

Here's the photo of Flash, our Tuxedo cat watching the Nature special.

Birdy Up is one of my favorite stamps because it has four wonderful birds on it. It's incredibly versatile because you can use all four of the birds, of the birds, or any combination. Birdy Up was stamped five times with Tuxedo Black Memento ink (Imagine Crafts). The cockatoo or cockatiel (I honestly don't know which it is) was fussy-cut from each impression and the other birds were put aside for another day. The birdies were colored with Copic markers, then edged with Black Pitt Artist pen (Faber Castell).

Black cardstock was die-cut with two of the dies from the Card Creator Nestabilities die set (Spellbinders) to form the frame of the television. A small rectangle was also die-cut to become the base of the television set. Blue cardstock was die-cut to become the television screen and rope-patterned Washi tape (Little B) was added for a perch. The fussy-cut birds were adhered to the blue cardstock, which was then placed behind the frame. I would have added an acrylic overlay, but I wasn't feeling up to the challenge of getting a decent photo of a highly reflective surface.

Vellum was cut and adhered to a card base. Black cardstock was die-cut with my Curious Cat die (Poppy Stamps). White Pitt Artist pen was used to add white socks, nose, and chest to the cat die-cut. Green glitter pen (Sakura) was used to add the eye to the cat!

The TV set was adhered to the card front and the detailed cat die-cut was added to create teh scene.

Happy Bird-Day was stamped with Jet Black StazOn ink (Imagine Crafts) onto vellum. The sentiment was cut apart and adhered to the card front. All the vellum bits were outlined with a Grey Multi-liner (Copic) to make them stand out a bit more.

I had added a sparkly green circle to the lower left of the television to become the on/off sensor, but it seems to have gone missing. Bummer.

Thanks for visiting today!

I shall enter this card into the following challenges:
• Show Us Your Pussies Challenges: Furrything Goes
• Come and Get It Challenges: Things with Wings
• Animal Friends Challenges: Birds

Thank You!

This week's the challenge at The Outlawz Coloring Challenges is "Thank You". My Outlawz Coloring Challenge teammates, Carla, Penny, Vannessa, and I challenge you to create a project for this challenge. You should check out their blogs to see their gorgeous artwork. 

Our November sponsor at The Outlawz Coloring Challenges is Vera Lane Studios, who is offering our lucky winner the choice of one of four sets used by our design team during November.  Play along with our challenge and share your artwork with us for your chance to win!

Here's my card with Le Petite Artiste (Vera Lane Studio).

Le Petite Artiste was resized in Photo Elements, printed onto Solar Crest White cardstock (Neenah) with my laser printer, colored with Copic markers, fussy-cut, and edged with Black Artist Pitt pen (Faber Castell). Chalk pencils (Derwent) were used to add a touch of blush to her cheeks and shading to her face. She was set aside, out of paint's way while I created the rest of the card.

A mountain scene was painted onto 140 lb. Mixed Media cardstock (Strathmore) with Cerulean Blue, Titanium White, Viridian Green Hue, Pthalo Green-Blue, Pthalo Green-Yellow, and Green Gold MFA paint (DecoArt). I started to use a stencil with a paint pen to add the sentiment, but that wasn't working, so I free-handed "Thank You" with Primary Yellow MFA paint.

The painting needed a setting, so I created a studio with a scrap of patterned paper, a thin strip of white cardstock, and Copic markers. But then the project told me that the studio needed some lighting, so I die-cut white cardstock with the Large Madison Window die (Poppy Stamps). The two windows were placed on the back of the patterned paper and the apertures were marked, then cut out of the patterned paper. The windows were adhered to the front of the patterned paper over the aperture. The windows told me that they needed glass, so a transparency was adhered to the back of the cardstock behind the windows. The windows then told me they needed a scene, so I quickly painted a mountain scene with the MFA paints listed above, let it dry, cut it in half, and adhered it behind the transparency in the opening of the window. The windows and the studio were now happy.

Le Petite Artiste loved her studio and her inspirational view, but told me that I had forgotten an easel.  I cobbled together an easel using wood-patterned paper from a 6x6 pad (My Mind's Eye), which was die-cut with one of the dies from the Rectangle Nestabilities die set (Spellbinders), and some strips of the wood-patterned paper. The easel looked too pristine, so I dripped some more paint onto it, then wiped it off with my finger. 

The easel, Le Petite Artiste's painting, and Le Petite Artiste were adhered to the card front, and then mounted to a white card.

Thanks for visiting today.

I shall enter this card into the following challenges:
• Fussy and Fancy Challenges: Thankful 
• Chalk N Stock Challenges: Anything Goes 
• Crafty Creations Challenges: Give Thanks 
• Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenges: Thanks/Thanksgiving

Season's Greetings -- Addams Family Style!

This week's challenge theme at The Outlawz Coloring Challenges is "Kids and/or Family" in honor of Son and Daughter Day. My Outlawz Coloring Challenge teammates, Carla, Penny, Karen, Vannessa, and I challenge you to use create a project for this challenge. You should check out their blogs to see their gorgeous artwork.

Our August 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!

My take on the "Kids" challenge is a bit odd. Such is life.

Here's my card featuring Vera Lane Studios' Gomez and Morticia and Wednesday and Puggsley.

Aren't they fabulous??? I just love them to pieces. I reduced and positioned the images using PhotoElements. Gomez took up a bit too much space, so I stretched him by reducing him disproportionately. He's now taller than Morticia and thinner than he had been. Personally, I wish I had that option. I would love to be taller and thinner. Alas.

The scene was then reduced and printed out four-up onto Neenah cardstock using Copic markers. I found Morticia to be a bit challenging to color due to her black dress and black hair. It took several tries, but I finally found a color combination where her hair did not fade into her dress. I used the same color combination on Wednesday's hair and dress. I will list the colors that I used below.

Puggsley was the last image that I colored. As my luck would have it, my Copic markers decided to get all gloopy on his shirt. I got rid of most of the shine, but if you look closely, it's not even close to perfect. Perfection is overrated, Or so I tell myself. Constantly.

Anyway, I added Garnet and Red Spica glitter pens (Copic) to Morticia's ruby ring, then added Clear Gelly Glaze pen (Sakura) on top of it. Red and Lemon Spica Glitter pen were added to the lit part of Gomez' cigar.  

I decided to keep the design of the card relatively simple. I finished the image panel by adding a floor and a light violet background. I did add some doodled smoke coming from Gomez' cigar. Black Soot Distress ink (Ranger) was sponged on the edges of the image panel.

Off-white variegated vellum was die-cut with the Spider Web Border die (Memory Box), the spider web corner die from the Lacy Corner Deco Die Set (Cherry Lynn Designs) and the Season's Greetings die (Poppy Stamps). Black cardstock was die-cut with the Scary Spiders die (Memory Box).

The patterned paper is from a 6x6 pad by Recollections.

Thanks for visiting today!

Copic markers used:
Morticia's and Wednesday's skin: E40, E50, R000, R00, E0000, BV000
Morticia's and Wednesday's hair: B41, C08, C07, C06, C04
Morticia's, Wednesday's dress, and Gomez' tie: BV29, BV25, BV23, N07, N06, N05
Morticia's lips: R59, R56, R35
Wednesday's skin: R00, R000, E50, BV0000, BV000
Gomez' skin: E01, E11, E21, E000, BV20
Gomez' and Puggley's hair: E49, E47, E44
Gomez' cigar: E43, E44, R08, YR18 FY1
Gomez' suit and Puggley's shorts: B39, B37
Gomez' shirt: C01, C0, C00
Puggsley skin: R00, R000, R01, BV00, BV00
Puggsley shirt: YG93, YG95, E81, E84 

I shall enter this card into the following challenges:
• Die Cut Divas Challenges: Favorite Holiday
• Scrapy Land Challenges: Anything Goes with a Die 

Ocean Flowers

If you've visited my blog, you've no doubt noticed that I like to create underwater scenes. I love the ocean and the beach, though I don't visit either very often. Maybe that's why the underwater world holds my fascination and captures my imagination.

Here's my latest scene with SCACD's Coral Sunflowers rubber stamp set, from their new Eclectic Sea collection.

I started this wall hanging by creating a sea background by brushing Blue Green Light, Cerulean Blue, Cobalt Turquoise Hue, and Cobalt Teal Hue Media Fluid Acrylic (MFA) paints (DecoArt) onto 140 lb. Mixed Media cardstock (Strathmore). When the paint was dry, Fern Green Archival ink (Ranger) was sponged over the Kelp Forest stencil (The Crafter's Workshop) on the bottom of the piece. Rays Layering Stencil (Stampers Anonymous/Tim Holtz) was placed over the painted cardstock and Translucent White MFA paint) was sponged over the stencil, then wiped back with a baby wipe.

Both flowers from SCACD's Coral Sunflowers rubber stamp set were stamped onto white tissue paper with Jet Black StazOn ink (Tsukineko/Imagine Crafts). I marked the stamped side with a pencil before flipping the tissue paper over. I painted the reverse of the flowers using Quinacridone Burnt Orange, Diarylide Yellow, Hansa Yellow Light, Hansa Yellow Medium, and Cadmium Orange Hue MFA paints. When the paint was dry, I carefully cut around the Coral Sunflowers.

White cardstock was die-cut with Weeping Willow Branches die (Poppy Stamps),  Swimming Seahorses die (Memory Box), Build a Scene Underwater (Taylored Expressions), and the Mini Shell die set (Impression Obsession). I also used a very old unlabeled fish punch and a crab punch to punch white cardstock. The punchies and die-cuts were all colored with Copic markers.

The painted ocean and the painted side of the Coral Sunflowers were brushed with Media Matte Medium (DecoArts) and all three painted tissue-paper Coral Sunflowers were adhered to the sea background. Another layer of Media Matte Medium was brushed over top of the tissue paper images.

The coral, ocean plant, Seahorses die-cuts and the fish punchies were adhered to the ocean scene using Media Matte Medium and another layer of Media Matte Medium was applied over top of the die-cuts and punchies.

The entire piece was then adhered to chipboard, so that the piece would not buckle during the next step. Texture Sand Paste (DecoArt) was applied to the base of the piece with a palette knife. This was allowed to dry overnight.

The next day the Texture Sand Paste was dry-brushed with Titan Buff, Burnt Umber, Burnt Sienna, and Raw Sienna MFA paints. When the paint was dry, the various shell and starfish die-cuts and the crab punchies were adhered to the piece using Diamond Glaze (Judikins). The piece was finished with some clear pearls.

Thanks for visiting today!

I shall enter this piece into the following challenges:
• Not Just Cards Challenges: Anything Goes
• 2 Creative Chicks Challenges: Anything Goes
• Altered Eclectics Challenges: Anything Goes
• Papertake Weekly Challenges: Take Your Pick (pearls and covering chipboard).
• Scrapy Land Challenges: Anything Goes

At Last! Favorite Friends!

Last week was crazy, so I didn't get much done craft-wise. Here's my project that works for two challenges!

Gez Butterworth was the hostess last week at Stampotique Designers Challenge Blog. Her challenge is "Favorite Stamp!" Here's what she said about her challenge!

"We've ALL got one! What's yours? We would love to see your favorite Stampotique images (if you can't pick just one) on your creations this week. Which stamp makes your heart skip a beat?"

If you'd like the chance to win your choice of $30 worth of Stampotique stamps, you should play along with this challenge. You have until the end of the month to create and share your challenge projects for this month. Visit Stampotique Designers Challenge blog and be sure to read the rules so that you'll have the chance to win that great prize!!

This week's challenge at The Outlawz Coloring Challenges is Friends, in honor of National Best Friend Day. 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!  

Here's my card featuring the four friends from my beloved Birdy Up (Kira Nichols) stamp.

Birdy Up is one of my favorite stamps because it has four adorable birds. Each bird can be used alone or in combination with the others, which gives the stamp incredible versatility.

Birdy Up was stamped with Tuxedo Black Memento ink (Ranger) and colored with Copic markers. Each bird was fussy-cut then edged with black marker. Clear Gelly Glaze pen (Sakura) was used on their claws, beaks, and some of their eyes. I assure you that it merely tickled them. They laughed. I heard them.

The birds in Birdy Up like to create scenes, so that's exactly what I did. The Carousel Bird Cage die (Poppystamps), the Delicate Chain die (Poppystamps), the door die from Our Home Album and Finishers Die Set (Top Dog Dies), and the Lock and Key die (QuicKutz) were used to die-cut a sheet of Metal Foil Tape(Ranger).

One of the two Carousel Bird Cage die-cuts underwent surgery to create an doorway, the door die-cut was adhered, and a link from the Delicate Chain die-cut was used to create a latch on the door. The main part of the cage was gently shaped. The second The Carousel Bird Cage die-cut was adhered behind the altered cage using dimensional tape. One of the Birdy Up birds was positioned in the doorway then adhered using dimensional adhesive.

Kraft cardstock was die-cut with the Garden Step Ladder die (Poppystamps) and assembled.

The patterned paper used for the wallpaper is very, very old Chatterbox paper. White cardstock was scored, cut to size, then added as bead board along the bottom. Floor boards were drawn onto brown cardstock, which was then adhered to the bottom of the card. One of the sayings from a Friends rub-on (7 Gypsies) was added to a scrap of patterned paper that had been die-cut with one of the dies from the Rectangle Nestabilities die set (Spellbinders), then matted onto brown cardstock that was die-cut with a slightly larger die from the same set.

The Garden Step Ladder die-cut was adhered to the card front and two of the birds from Birdy Up were adhered to the ladder. The fourth bird was adhered to the floor. The key was added below the beak of the top Birdy Up bird.

The Carousel Bird Cage die-cut was adhered to the card front, the Delicate Chain die-cut was threaded through the Carousel Bird Cage's top, and then hung. The hasp on the QuicKutz Lock was cut and the lock was added to the door latch using a foam adhesive square.

The sentiment/picture frame was adhered to the scene, the cardfront was adhered to a card, and I called it done!

Thanks for visiting today!

I shall enter this card into the following challenges:
• Poppystamps Challenges: Oh Boy!
• Scrapyland Challenges: Anything Goes
• Dies R Us Challenges: Love Birds
• Ladybug Craft Challenges: Use Your Dies

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 week's challenge at The Outlawz Coloring Challenges is Anything Goes or Christmas!  Our January sponsor at The Outlawz Coloring Challenges is Art by Mi Ran, who is offering our lucky winner three digis of his/her choice from the Art by Mi Ran Etsy shop.  Play along with us for your chance to win!

 

You should also visit my Outlawz Coloring Challenge Teamies' blogs to see what they created for this color challenge! Carla, Penny, and Laine are seriously talented and you will definitely be inspired by their artwork!

Here's my card with a very old Stampendous stamp!

Tuxedo Black Memento ink was used to stamp the image, which was then colored with Copic markers. A die from one of the Blueprints die sets by Die-namics was used to die-cut the image panel. The background was added with Cool Grey Copic markers and a Clear Wink of Stella Glitter pen was used to outline the image panel.

The patterned paper is from a 6x6 pad that I got at AC Moore last year. Unfortunately, I seem to have misplaced the cover, so I don't know the manufacturer. Silver Glitter cardstock by DCWV was die-cut using the Vintage Season die by Poppy Stamps.

The card itself is shimmery metallic white. Sadly, the photo doesn't show that. Oh well.

Thanks for visiting today!

I Love NY! Steampunk Style!

I was feeling in a Steampunk kind of mood and I felt like coloring, so I decided to make a scrapbooky kind of page for my art journal featuring SCACD's Steampunk Beauty, who is now available in beautiful deeply-etched red rubber format as a single image or part of the newly released Eclectic Steampunk Collection!

I don't know about you, but I like to give my stamped images back stories. Steampunk Beauty is a professional travel photographer from Manhattan. She's continually astounded by the changes in her city and has photographed many of them for publication. She's gathered several of them here and pulled them together with a small self-portrait she painted just for her scrapbook.

Steampunk Beauty was resized in PhotoElements, printed onto Neenah cardstock using my laser printer, then colored with Copic markers. The image panel was die-cut with a Petite Oval Nestabilities die by Spellbinders. Gold metallic cardstock was die-cut with a Petite Scalloped Oval Nestabilities die.

The journal page was liberated from the journal, then was airbrushed with Copic markers. Public domain photos of New York were reduced then printed out with my laser printer. They were arranged on the page.

Metallic gold cardstock was die-cut with the Skeleton Boy and Girl die by Ellentina, the Vintage Alphabet die by Top Dog Dies, a Photo Corners die by QuicKutz, a Mini-Gears die, and the Delicate Chain die by Memory Box/Poppy Stamps.

The chains from the Skeleton Boy and Girl die were cut out and used to both connect the photos and repeat the chain element in the Steampunk Beauty image. The alphabet dies and a punched heart spell out the title of page. The Delicate Chain connects the dimensional pocket watch charm on the heart with the photos above it.

The Mini Gear die-cuts were stacked atop the Photo Corners die-cuts to finish the page.

Thanks for visiting today!

I shall enter this journal page into the following challenges:
• Allsorts Challenges: No Designer Paper Allowed
• SanDee & amelie's Steampunk Challenges: Steampunk Destinations
• Miriam's Crafting Blog and Monthly Challenge: Steampunk

Winter Friends

It's still Autumn here in the Northeast and we're enjoying mild weather at the moment.  However, we're supposed to get a Polar Vortex later this week. Vortex seems to be the latest weather media buzzword. Anyway, I was feeling chilled and was anticipating feeling even colder, so I made this card, using SCACD's Winter Friends digital stamp.

 Winter Friends was resized in PhotoElements, printed onto Neenah cardstock using my laser printer, then colored with Copic markers. The sky was also colored with Copic markers in C01, C0, and C00. 

The tree branch and icicles were given a coat of glitter courtesy of my Wink of Stella Clear Glitter marker. I waited til the ink dried completely then coated it with several layers of Clear Gelly Roll Glaze pen to add glossy dimension and shine to the ice. The Glaze pen was also used on the owl's eyes, beak, and talons. The image panel was matted with two layers of blue cardstock.

White silvery glitter paper was die-cut with Poppy Stamps Sparkling Snowflake Corner die and then adhered to either corner of blue cardstock, which had been edged with Picket Fence Distress paint. The matted image panel was layered atop this to complete the card.

Thanks for visiting today!

I shall enter this card in the following challenges:
• Paper Take Weekly Challenges: Two or Four Legs
• Party Time Tuesday Challenges: Anything Goes • Moving Along with the Times Challenges: Sparkle or Shine
• Crafting When We Can Challenges: Use Your Markers
• Through the Purple Haze: Use a Punch or Die
• Scrap-Creations Challenges: Make it Sparkle
• Cards und More Challenges: Snowflakes

Book Text Challenge!

Corrie is the hostess this week at Stampotique Designers Challenge blog and her challenge is "Book Text"! Here's what she had to say about her challenge.

"Hello everybody and happy Wednesday to you all! Today it is my turn to host the Challenge and I would like you to use book text. This is such a versatile material and when I get a bit stuck, I regularly reach for an old book to use the pages. I think everybody has an old book or magazine lying around to use. I can't wait to see what you come up with, but most of all have fun creating !!!

 If you'd like the chance to win $30 worth of Stampotique stamps, you should play along. Visit Stampotique Designers Challenge blog and be sure to read the rules so that you'll have the chance to win a great prize!!!

Here's my card, which uses Unicorn's Cousin (Kira Nichols).

Unicorn's Cousin was stamped with Tuxedo Black Memento ink, colored with Copic markers, then fussy cut. His eyes were coated with Diamond Glaze to add bulbously glossy dimension and shine. His center horn was highlighted with Gold Spica Glitter pen, then he was set aside while I created a setting for him.

As this was a text challenge, I grabbed my trusty Roget's Thesaurus that was salvaged from that bwitch-Irene-caused flooded basement, a sheet of music claimed from my mother's Sandy-flooded basement(with pencilled notes from my violin teacher dated 1966 in which he told me to watch my intonation), and the German paperback that my husband purchased for me to rip up. I don't think he realized that it was a translated bodice-ripper by an American author, so it has all this German, then words like "Navy Seal" in it.

I tore several of the pages and adhered them to a 6x8 sheet of 140 lb. Mixed Media cardstock by Strathmore using Media Matte Medium by DecoArt. When it was adhered, I sealed it with an additional layer. When the Matte Medium was dry, I sponged Dioxazine Purple, Ultramarine Blue, Quinacridone Burnt Orange, and Diarylide Yellow DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics, which are all transparent acrylic paints, over the text and let it dry. It was a bit dark and flat looking, so I watered down some  Titanium White MFA, sponged the diluted paint over the Latticework and Harlequin Layering stencils by Idea-ology., and wiped it back with a baby wipe. Much better. I let it dry, then hit the seams between the torn papers, which were slightly raised even through the layers of paint, with my beloved Black Soot Distress ink. 

Music paper was die-cut with SCACD's Breezy Branches Statement Corner, then colored with Copic markers in autumnal hues. Another piece of music paper was painted with Phthalo Green-Yellow MFA, then sponged with Diarylide Yellow MFA to add some contrast. When dry, this was die-cut with a Grass Border by Poppy Stamps. 

The German book text paper was painted with Picket Fence Distress paint, heat set, then die-cut with Puffy Clouds and Marshmallow Clouds dies by Memory Box. Milled Lavender and Spun Sugar Distress markers were used to add a bit of detail to the clouds, which were then edged with a Silver Wink of Stella glitter pen. Yep, I added a silver liner to the clouds. It's those kind of details that make me chortle and chortling is good for the soul. You can quote me if you'd like.

Black cardstock was die-cut with the Cat Set dies by Impression Obsession. A tiny Dragonfly punch was used to punch black cardstock. The dragonfly punchies then received a coating of Clear Wink of Stella glitter pen. The "Happy Birthday" sentiment was die-cut from black cardstock using a die from Elizabeth Craft Designs.

The die-cut elements were then adhered to the painted text paper substrate and Unicorn's Cousin was added to his scene. The finishing touch was to add letters to the clouds and the bottom sentiment using Label Letters by Idea-ology!

Thanks for visiting today!

Altered Playing Cards — Week Three

I am participating in an Altered Playing Card challenge on Facebook. The talented and lovely Claudine Criner is the person who is organizing and setting each week's challenge. 

This week one of the cards was to have a Distress inked background, some die-cuts, and some stenciling. 

Here's mine.

My gessoed background hand some striations that I added using the serrated blade of a plastic knife. Whenever I get plastic cutlery, I end up with most of the knives yet, so I've appropriated a bunch of them to use in the craftroommess. I sponged Concord Grape, Chipped Sapphire, and Salty Ocean Distress inks in stripes across the card with Grape at the top and Salty Ocean at the base. I grabbed a paper towel and rubbed from top to bottom to achieve a gradient look. The I heat set the card, which sadly faded my lovely gradient.

I grabbed my Schoolhouse Layering Stencil and sponged Jet Black StazOn ink over it, then immediately cleaned the stencil with Purell®. As a raging germaphobe, I love Purell® and keep a bottle at the ready, which means I have a bottle in my car, in my handbag, and in most rooms of my house.  I have discovered that Purell® is a great way to clean a craft mat, stencils, acrylic blocks, etc. Plus, if it drips on a project, it can leave a cool result. Just sayin'.

Hmm. I digressed, but at least it was somewhat craft related.

A Post-It note was used to mask the top of the card and Cactus Green and Jet Black StazOn ink was sponged onto the bottom of the card.

Black cardstock was die-cut with the Sitting Cat die by Poppy Stamps and the cat was adhered on the "grass". White cardstock was die-cut with a QuicKutz heart die, sponged with Memento ink, and covered with Clear Wink of Stella Glitter pen. Vellum was die-cut with an old QuicKutz bird die, its wings were removed (didn't hurt it a bit), coated with Clear Wink of Stella Glitter pen, and adhered to the back of the heart. The flying heart was adhered to the background to finish the card.

The second card was to receive an alcohol inked background, some die-cuts, some stenciling, some rub-ons, and some stamping.

Here it is!

Eggplant, Denim, and Purple Twilight Alcohol inks were applied to the felt of a blending tool then pounced over the card. It took a few tries to get the coverage and pattern that I liked, but once again, Purell® came to the rescue, removing the first and second tries! See? It IS handy to keep around!

The next step was to die-cut some images to use on the card. A tombstone from Spellbinders' Graveyard Scenes die set was used to die-cut a scrap of 140 lb. Mixed Media cardstock by Strathmore. Black cardstock was die-cut using A Bunch of Bats die by Memory Box. White cardstock was die-cut using my new Skeleton Man die by Ellentina. I colored the skull with Copic markers, added a few cracks to his skull with a Copic Multiliner, and set most of the die-cuts aside.

Since I had so much fun using the Effects Powders Technique, from page 52 of Tim Holtz's Compendium of Curiosities Challenges, I decided to use this technique again on the tombstone, using Weathered Wood and a bit of Old Paper Distress Powders. I also used my beloved Black Soot Distress ink along with Tea Dye and (oddly) Milled Lavender Distress inks on it. Now that the tombstone looked stoned (pun intended), it was set aside too.

The Lightning stamp from SCACD's Nature's Direction rubber stamp set was inked with white Palette ink and stamped across the top of the card. Green cardstock was torn and Jet Black StazOn ink was sponged over "October" from the Life Months stencil by The Crafter's Workshop.

It was time to put the card together! The skeleton was adhered to the back of the tombstone, then the tombstone was adhered to the card. The grass with "October" was placed over the base of the tombstone, the bats were added, and "Happy Halloween" from the Apothecary Remnant Rubs sheet was added to finish the card!

Thank you for visiting today!

These cards will be entered in the following challenges:
• Compendium of Curiosities Challenge #11, sponsored by the Inspiration Emporium
• Simon Says Monday Challenges: Stamp or Stencil

Altered Playing Card Challenges: Week Two

I am participating in an Altered Playing Card challenge on Facebook. The talented and lovely Claudine Criner is the person who is organizing and setting each week's challenge.

The first week was easy. We were just find a deck of playing cards and prepare them by sanding or applying gesso to one side.

Being me, I found wonky playing cards. I went to the local dollar store emporium and bought a deck of cards, only to discover that they originally were discarded casino decks that had been corner punched so they could no longer be used in a casino.

Also being me, I only prepped ten cards, though I will go back and do more. I decided to use gesso and applied the gesso in a variety of ways, which yielded a bunch of different looks. I sponged some gesso on some, applied it thickly to others, scribbled into the gesso for others, and applied thickly to one card, pressed the face of an other card into the gesso, then pulled it apart. That pair are the ones I'm showing today for Week #2, which you can read about HERE.

Essentially, you were supposed to spray your cards with a few colors of ink or paint, a stamped image, and diecuts. I should note that I don't like using sprays, but I went for it and eventhough my OTT light is now speckled and a Rubbermaid container is stained, it wasn't too ghastly. I might even use those sprays again!

Here are my first pair of altered playing cards.

My first card uses SCACD's Nancy's Mech Seahorse

SCACD's Nancy's Mech Seahorse is a digital stamp, that was resized in PhotoElements, printed onto Neenah cardstock using my laser printed, colored with Copic markers, and fussy-cut. The compass and the rivets were coated with several layers of coated with several layers of  Clear Gelly Roll Glaze pen to add glossy dimension and shine. The Seahorse was set aside while I worked on the playing card.

As stated, I applied DecoArt Media White Gesso very thickly to one card, pressed another card into it, and pulled them apart. The cards dried with wonderful textures and patterns on them. I sprayed one of the cards with Vibrant Turquoise, Calypso Teal, London Blue, and Fresh Lime Dylusions sprays. When I was happy with the coverage, I heat set it. I wanted to bring out the cool sea vegetation-ish texture, so I lightly sponged Cactus Green StazOn ink over the the raised bits, which worked just as I wanted. Gotta love that! Then I used the same ink to edge the card.

I wanted to add a sandy sea floor, so I used my palette knife to apply White Media Texture Sand Paste to the bottom of the card. Some watch parts were pressed into the Sand Paste while it was wet. The Sand Paste absorbed some of the colors from the sprays. The bits that stayed whitish were touched up with an Old Paper Distress marker. The last step was to adhere Nancy's Mech Seahorse to the front of the card.

The second card features Stampotique's Moon Girl. 

I wanted Stampotique's Moon Girl to look ethereal, so Distress markers were applied directly to the rubber. I huffed on the stamp, then stamped the image onto Neenah cardstock. The image was colored more completely with Copic markers. Clear Wink of Stella Glitter pen was used to add glitter to Moon Girl's wings, then she was fussy-cut and set aside. 

The gessoed card was sprayed with Bubblegum Pink, Vibrant Turquoise, and Pure Sunshine Dylusions Sprays. I also sprayed Heirloom Gold Perfect Mist, but I disliked that, so I wiped it off, and resprayed with the same Dylusions Sprays. Much better. The card was heat set.

White vellum was die-cut using cloud dies by Memory Box/Poppy Stamps. . Black cardstock was die-cut using a house die by Memory Box/Poppy Stamps. These were adhered to the card and then Moon Girl was added.

Thanks for visiting today!

I shall enter this into the following challenges:
• Crafty Card Crew Challenges: Urban or Steampunk
• Punkyou Girl Challenge #16: What Creeps under the Sea
• Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenges: Rock The Techniques

Meow!

Meet Gothie Feline, one of SCACD's newest digital stamps. 

Gothie Feline was resized using PhotoElements, then printed out onto Neenah cardstock with my laser printer, then was colored with Copic markers. An additional copy of the resized digital stamp was also printed out in fast draft mode with my inkjet printer, fussy-cut, and adhered over the colored version using temporary adhesive.  

Gothie Feline took a ride through my Big Kick inside of a Nestabilities Labels die. The die-cut was left inside the die, Post-It notes were placed horizontally over the die, and a background was airbrushed  using my Copic Airbrush System. The Post-It notes were moved to cover the top portion of the die and the "floor" was airbrushed. It got a bit sticky, so I used alcohol on a paper towel to dab off the excess. I ended up removing more ink than I wanted, so I added some dots to the "floor".
 
Black Spica Glitter pen was used to add black glittery accents to Gothie Feline's whiskers and the black dots on her mask.

Purple Copic Spica Glitter pen was used to add a jeweled touch to one of her canine teeth. The eyes, bones, teeth, and the skull in the flower received several layers of Clear Gelly Roll Glaze pen to add glossy dimension and shine.

Here's a close-up so that you can see the effect!

The stamped, die-cut panel was put aside while I put together the rest of the card.

Very old Halloween-themed patterned paper from Cosmo Cricket was layered onto equally old Halloween text paper. (I should note that I hoard Halloween-themed papers and schtuff!) Strips of purple patterned paper from the Spirited 6x6 pad by Authentique were added to bring some purple to the layers.  My new Spider Web Border die by Poppy Stamps was used to die-cut off-white cardstock and layered over the horizontal purple strip. All the layers were tattered with my Tonic distressing tool and a scissors blade, then sponged with Old Paper Distress ink.

A small flag die was used to die-cut the offwhite paper and old QuicKutz dies were used to die-cut black cardstock for the sentiment. Black cardstock was also die-cut with the Scary Spiders die by Memory Box. All the spiders' legs were folded and their bodies were popped up on dimensionals with their legs attached to either the spider webs or the sentiment. If you look closely, maybe you can see the strand of spider silk (a thread) that goes from the spider web to the sentiment-holding spider!

Three purple rhinestones were used to finish the card.

Thanks for visiting today!

I shall enter this card into the following challenges:
• Craft-Room Challenges: Something Old, Something New (new image, new die, old paper and dies)
• Through the Purple Haze Challenges: Clear and Bright
• Die Cut Divas Challenges: New Things
• A Step in the Dark Challenges: Anything Goes 
• Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenges: Anything Goes
• Crafty Bloggers Network Challenges: Anything Goes

Music Inspiration Challenge!

It's my turn to host the Stampotique Designers Challenges and here's what I've got to say about it!

"I love music and enjoy most genres ranging from liturgical music to rap, from classical to head-bangin' rock! Music fills my soul and moves me emotionally and physically.

Let's see how music inspires you! Use song lyrics, music notation, or words associated with music in your project and share it with us!

Have fun! I can't wait to see what you all create!"

If you'd like the chance to win $30 worth of Stampotique stamps, you should play along. Visit Stampotique Designers Challenge blog and be sure to read the rules, so that you'll have the chance to win a great prize!!!

I'm sad to say that I have not completed my project for this or any other challenge.

It's been a rather wacky summer and my mojo and energy level are currently located on the construction-congested Staten Island Expressway and/or the Belt Parkway. I've spent ridiculous amount of time this summer in bumper-to-bumper traffic on both of these horrific roadways.

Please visit my team members blogs to see how they've interpreted my challenge!

Bwa ha ha! I'm back with my project, which is a page for a mini-book that I have been planning for quite some time. My musical inspiration is Cheap Sunglasses by ZZ Top.

Here it is!

Smitten Moustache Monsters (Kira Nichols) was stamped twice with Tuxedo Black Memento ink. One set was colored with Copic markers and fussy cut. The moustaches and belly parts were fussy cut, colored with Copic markers, then run through a Xyron machine to apply adhesive to the front of the image. Caramel Latte Fun Flock by Stampendous was applied to the adhesive on the moustaches and beards. ScraPerfect Best Glue Ever was used to adhere the flocked moustaches and beards in place. Clear Gelly Roll Glaze pen was added to the one pair of visible eyes and the horns of two of the monsters.

The sunglasses are metallic charms that I had forever. I cut the temples and the charm loop, bent the glasses slightly, and adhered the sunglasses over the eyes of two of the monsters.

I set my Smitten Moustache Monsters aside and went to work on my background. I cut a piece of 140 lb. Mixed Media cardstock by Strathmore to 6x6. I sponged Squeezed Lemonade, Wild Honey, Scattered Straw, and Spiced Marmalade Distress ink onto the cardstock using Mini Ink Blending Tools and Mini Ink Blending Tool Replacement Foam. You can't see it now, but I achieved a really nice gradient, which pleased me. Then I messed it up. Water was misted over the piece using an Inkssentials Mini Mister, which added a nice mottled look. The piece was heat set, then more of the same color Distress inks, plus Picked Raspberry and Rusty Hinge Distress inks were sponged over the 50s Clock stencil by The Crafter's Workshop (50% off!). I dampened a sponge with water and sponged over the stencil to remove some of the ink, then I heat set the piece again. I decided more was more, so I sponged Distress inks over the Bubbles Dylusions stencil. This stencil seems to be sold out, but the other Dylusions stencils are on sale, so check 'em out! I still wasn't satisfied, so I sponged more Distress ink over the Flower Frenzy stencil by The Crafter's Workshop. I liked the layers of pattern better, but now it looked too bright, so I sponged Picket Fence Distress Stain over the piece, wiped it off, liked it all better, so I heat set it.

The edges of the piece were distressed with the Heart Attack Distressing tool by WR Memory Keepers. The tattered edges were roughed up a bit more with the edge of a pair of scissors, then sponged with Picked Raspberry and my beloved Black Soot Distress ink.

Black metallic cardstock was die cut with Memory Box's Virtuoso Music die-cut, a Die-Namics Treble Clef die, and old Mini Khaki dies by QuicKutz. The treble clef and music staff die-cuts were adhered to the inked, stenciled page, then the Smitten Moustache Monsters were adhered to the music staff. The sentiment was added, then the piece was adhered to black cardstock!

Here's a bit of the back story. After a year of steady deterioration of my eyesight, I had cataract surgery in January 2014. I got glasses in fourth grade, so it was amazing that my distance vision was corrected to 20/20! It was indescribable how exciting it was to peel my eye open right after the surgery and read the license plate of the car in front of us to my husband! It's awesome to wake up in the morning and not have to fumble for my glasses. I can drive without my glasses! Almost best of all, I can wear cheap sunglasses!

I will admit that I was flat out terrified about the surgery. My vision is central to my life. All the things that I love to do involve my eyesight. Reading, doing artwork, bird watching, watching television, sightseeing, traveling -- all involve eyesight. When I was a stupid teenager, I cut my corneas with contact lenses. The pain was excruciating and I became very phobic about anything touching my eyeballs. The prospect of losing my vision to cataracts was scary, but so was the surgery. I became a total complete basketcase for the month or so leading up to the surgery. The surgeon changed the date on me twice and I almost caved into my fears, but I went through with it, and am glad I did. There have been complications and I still need glasses for computer, reading, and close work, but all in all. It's been a positive experience even though I don't much like seeing all my gray and my wrinkles! I decided that it would be a good thing to document the whole experience in a mini-book and now I've started. Yay!