Monday, July 20, 2009

A Little Break

Hi there! As you might have noticed, I haven't been here much lately. I know I have mentioned that my children are home for summer vacation and how we are so busy. Well, it is getting close to the time they go back and the "back to school" frenzy has begun at our house. You know...shots, haircuts, shoe shopping, finding the supply list items...the FRENZY! I have decided that I can't give this blog or card making the attention I would like to so I am going to try removing the obligation from my list. I feel guilty when the same things stay on my to-do list , not marked off, every day. Lately, blogging and making new cards seems to stay on the list. So, I am taking a break and will be back, ready for action, with lots of new things to share, on Aug 12th. That is a day or 2 after my children start school and by then, I will have gotten caught up on a few things. I won't feel so pressured to make new things so I will have a blog post. I have been so frazzled lately that it feels too much like work to stay up way too late, trying to get things made just so I can blog. So, have a great summer and meet me back here on Aug 12th. Who knows...I may even poke in and say hi before then but I will definitely be back with new things by the 12th. Bye for now!

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

A Little Old, A Little New

Hidee Ho, neighbors! I hope your weekend was great! Mine was nice and I got a little bit of work done. I made one new card and finished up some coloring on a few copies of cards that have already been shown here. Nothing exciting but peaceful. For today's card, I wanted to show you because I used one of the Sizzlits dies available from Stampin Up. I ordered it a while back but just got around to using it. I bought it because I was into primas right then and I figured it would make a nice setting for various flowers. Well, today, I am showing you that it makes a nice graphic for a card when used differently than in green and with flowers of some kind. Take a look and then I'll give you a few more details.

The papers I used were new at my Hobby Lobby. I know this is a different look than my normal M.O. but the papers just struck me on the aisle so I came home and made them up right away. I'll be honest I originally planned to pair them with my new MFT Bubble Bin find of Going to the Chapel but the mood created by the papers just wasn't matching the stamp set. I have 4 stamped brides ready to go for next time though! ;)

This will have to be a short post once again. I am off in a hurry again today. Have a great day!

Papers- Paper Studio Black & Cream Damask and Script; SU Ultrasmooth Vanilla (thanks to my cardstock swap pal). Inks- Tim Holtz Antique Linen Distress ink. Tools- Quickutz Diamonds & Dots emb folder; Sizzlits Little Leaves die. Embellishments- MM pewter word charms.

Thursday, July 9, 2009

I SEA something new at All That Scraps!

I think it is pretty obvious that I am a push over for the digi images at All That Scraps. On release night this week, when they introduced the new mermaid set, I had it ordered and printed by the end of the night. I LOVE it! The mermaid has the cutest hair and I had so much fun coloring her. I think she is my favorite summer image so far. The fact that she pairs nicely with my Bubbles set from Our Craft Lounge is an added bonus. The folks at ATS also introduced a "page" of cute summery sentiments that work well with the mermaid set or even the previous sets with the beach kids. It is too bad that summer will end and I will have to put away all these cute summery things! Take a look at my little mermaid!

And the inside...


Isn't she darling? I made her a birthday mermaid this time around. She looks like my daughter so this may end up being a birthday card for my daughter's friends with summer birthdays. Since I mounted her on a somewhat busy background, I kept the rest of the card simple. I just can't make myself use a ton of embellishment when I use a stamped scene background for the focal point. It ends up looking cluttered to me. I miss all my doodads though so I think I feel a "fancy" card coming up soon. I have been falling back to stamped/colored only cards lately but I miss all my primas and flourishes and border punches. Time to pull an all night stamp session!

The sentiment on both the inside and outside of the card came from All That Scraps. I typed them in Word and trimmed them myself but the idea came from ATS so I want to make sure credit is given where due. Miss Mermaid herself is popped up on dimensional glue dots so she looks like she is suspended on tidal currents. She wasn't too hard to cut out but those curls were a little tedious. I chose colors that were a little out of my comfort zone. I wanted to use something different and I did! I don't know the last time I used magenta on anything. I think next time I use her, I might color her with red hair and blue fins.

Well, I am out of time. My little hooligans are begging for lunch. I swear I just made breakfast! Have a wonderful day!


Papers- misc CS by DCWV (from my stash). Stamps- OCL Bubbles; Sugarplums Mermaid Emma digi-image by ATS/CC Designs. Inks- Memento Tuxedo Black. Tools- EK (1 3/4, 1 1/2, 1 3/8 in) circle punches; SU scalloped circle punch. Pens- Copic W3, E00, E02, E31, E33, RV09, RV23, BG10, BG13, BG18, BG72, B000, BG05, Y26, Y28, YG17, YR65. Font- Parade in 20 pt & 24pt.

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

A SUN-sational Free Digi-Image!

The other day, I was surfing around blogdom and came across a card made with an adorable cat image. The author wrote about how great it was that it was new and FREE from Hambo stamps. In my excitement, I clicked on the link and immediately downloaded the fabulous image but when I was finished, I walked away and didn't bookmark the blog where I saw it used. Now, I can't find the blog! I wanted to link to that blog since her work was precious and I would have liked to add it to my list. Alas, I just have a card with the coolest cat ever instead. I couldn't wait to print it out and use it on a summery card!

Not only does my card feature this cute cat but it also uses the Top Note die by Stampin Up which I have been dying to use. I borrowed it from my vacationing pal of yesterday's blog post. I really need to buy my own but since the economy issues have trickled down into Casa de Scrappy, I haven't been able to place that order quite yet. Oh, but for pockets full of money to buy scrap stuff!

As you can tell, this kitty digi-image is perfect for coloring. The lines are crisp and clean and the areas lend themselves to great shading with my Copics. I thouht about leaving this card sans sentiment but in the end decided to include one inside the card. Take a look...

In case the picture is too blurry, it says, "You are a SUN-sational friend!" As I mentioned, the learning curve for Adobe Photoshop is a little steep so I am still perfecting my editing techniques. I'll get there I suppose!

Ever since I started using Copics, I find that I gravitate towards colored images as focal points with rather simple card designs to accent the stamped panels. I want to break away and even set out to do that on many occasions but then get right back to the same old card styles. Those Copics are the "debil" I tell ya! So, that being said, today's card needs little or no explanation regarding my technique so I will end my post with my supply list and Happy Hump Day Wishes! Thanks for stopping by!

Papers- ki Memories cozy dotted line; DCWV CS from stash. Stamps- free cool cat digi-image by Hambo stamps. Tools- SU Bigz top note die; 1 3/4in cicle punch by SU. Embellishments- MM hand dyed buttons; American Crafts ribbon. Pens- Copic (RV11, YG17, YG03, YG25, Y11, B04, YR09, B000, C1, 0, E31, E33, B01, BG02, B04); Sakura clear star pen; Zig (coffee, chili pepper).

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Ahhhh, NEW STAMPS!!!!

I have a fantabulous friend and she just happens to be an SU demonstrator. So, this friend went on vacation so I could feed her cats and bunny. Not really...I think they wanted to go to Disney and I just happened to be available for pet feeding. So anywho...while I feed her cats and bunny, I typically get "paid" with an awesome priviledge of using her stamp stuff while she is gone. And wouldn't you know she had just taken delivery of a new SU hostess set called The More the Merrier. Oh my gosh! This is a great new set! It pains me that it is a Level 3 hostess set which means I will have to place a bajillion dollar order to earn it but oh, how I love it. I stamped many copies of each image on a variety of card stock colors and finishes so I would have a few stashed to play with over the next few months which brings us to today's card.

I decided that my favorite image is the snowmen. They are quite similar to the snowmen on an older, retired set but they are a little more refined this time around. Did I mention that they color like a dream? I decided that getting started on winter holiday cards had to be a good idea so I could justify making a card with snowmen in July. So, take a look...


Please pardon the "new look" resulting from my photo editing. We got a new computer and it uses Adobe. Can I just say the creator of Adobe needs to have a knot jerked in his/her giddy up? That program is the farthest thing from intuitive that I have EVER used. I am familiar with MS Picture It/Image Pro and know it backwards and forwards. I am less than happy that it is no longer made or supported and can't be loaded with Windows Vista. So, you'll just have to bear with me as I learn this horrible product since I have no choice if I want to continue my scramping endeavors.

I bet you didn't pop in to read about my computer issues so let me tell you about my card. Like I said before, the stamp image is from a new SU hostess set which also includes pumpkins, love birds, an acorn, a dotted border heart, cupcakes, and 4 adorable sentiments. I love it and I can promise that you will see more of it here. I'll list my supplies below and I don't think any of my technique is too hard to figure out so I will leave you with fond wishes for a lovely Tuesday and sincere thanks for reading my blog everyday. This is my 100th post! I can't believe that I have stuck with it and that I actually have people that read what I write on a regular basis. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Papers- misc CS by DCWV from stash; DP by Imagine That (from Walmart). Stamps- SU The More the Merrier. Inks- Memento Tuxedo Black. Tools- EK circle punches (1 3/8 & 1 1/2 in); Martha Stewart snowflake punch. Embellishments- Michael's ribbon (white 3/8 in grosgrain); Offray 1/4in aqua satin; The Beadery 5mm round lt turquoise stones. Pens- Zig (chocolate, pure orange); BIC (hot aqua, lime sherbet, oceanview) Copic (BV00, B000, C1, C7, B91, BG02, B23)