Thursday, February 18, 2010

Bug or Windshield?

We all have to remember that sometimes you're the bug and sometimes you're the windshield. We all have those days where we get to be the smushed bug having the worst day ever and others it may be our turn to do the smushing. Right? Well, this philosophy is behind today's card. I think I have used the stamp set by Clear Dollar Stamps called Sometimes You're the Bug and its companion set called Bugs and Kisses. It is favorite of mine for several reasons. How about we take a look and I will explain.

And the inside of the card...
I have loved this set from the first time I saw it on the CDS site. I saved my pennies and bought it as soon as I could. The set that goes along with it is even more fun. It provides so many additional options like more license plates and even a string of cans to use for a" just married" theme. And as you may know, for me to like a set, it has to be fun to color. It passes that test too!

I was recently lucky enough to have a customer find my Etsy shop and order several of my "bug" cards so I decided to replenish my supply with the design above. The sentiment and image seem to make a popular combo and I have sold lots of these cards. Who wouldn't like to get such a cute card in the mail?

I want to draw your attention to a component of the card other than just the image. Notice that adorable button? Well, it is a bit of a folly for me considering its cost but I LOVED it. I splurged and bought 4 of them so I could use it on a few copies of the same card design. That button was $.75 which doesn't seem like a lot but when you consider the cost of all the materials used on an A2 card, a button that is so pricey really drives up the overhead for my shop. Oh well! It works beautifully and it matched so perfectly. I got it at JoAnn's by the way. They have a whole series of clear/painted buttons that have that artsy, handmade look.

I think that will do it for me today. I still have a few things to tackle so I bid you farewell and wish you a terrific day. Do something fun!

Papers- Paper Studio cool small flowers. Stamps- CDS Bugs & Kisses and Sometimes You're the Bug. Inks- Memento Tuxedo Black; SU gable green classic. Tools- SB ribbon tag trio die & long classic scalloped rectangle-lg. Embellishments- purple ribbon (Michael's); 1/8in white satin ribbon (Offray); La Mode buttons. Pens- Copic (110, C3, C5, C7, YG23, YG25, B0000, RV29, spica silver); Zig (pure black).

Saturday, February 13, 2010

I Still Ruff You

Hey there, folks! As you might have noticed, I took a little break. Getting ready for Valentine's Day and a few large orders in my Etsy shop have kept me very busy. I am back with a cute card and some pretty big news (for me anyway) so I hope it was worth the wait. First, the card. It is one last one before the "big day" on Sunday. I think it is going to be a Valentine for my hubby and then I can remove the inner sentiment and sell it as an all occasion love card throughout the year. Wanna see?

And a look at the inside...

When I saw the dog stamp in the store, I immediately put it in my basket because it was just flippin adorable. That long "hot dog" body just cracked me up. He very quickly ended up on a card too. There aren't very many images that are really wide and not very tall so this one lent itself to a different kind of arrangement. I really had fun working with it.

The paper I used is an old one from my stash. I have had it for a long time. I decided to pull out a stitch border stamp and let me tell you how much I LOVE the white glaze pen that I used to darken up the stamped lines as well as make faux stitching around the circle. That is the greatest pen! It will be my go-to opaque white pen. As far as the rest of my materials, I will finish up with a supply list below. How about my news?

Well, after much thought, I have decided to become a Stampin Up demonstrator. I know that more people are walking away from this title than are embracing it but it is something I have wanted to do for a while and the few barriers that were in front of me have been addressed. I am VERY excited about this decision. I have always loved their products and order as many as my wallet can handle so it was a natural progression to arrive at this decision. I will still blog often but my content will change a little. I hope that you will continue to stop by here often for inspiration and creative motivation. My plan for the future is to bring you fresh new ways to use the products that many of us already know and love. So, I hope I have your interest as well as your support and I look forward to sharing my new path with you here. Wish me luck!

My fingers are tired so I am going to finish up with my supply list and a sincere wish for a fabulous Valentine's Day weekend. We are getting some snowy goodness down here in the sunny south so I plan to enjoy every minute of it with my family. Happy Valentine's Day!

Papers- Bo Bunny Wild Berry Red Dot; Imagination Project Woof; lt blue CS from DCWV spring matstack 2009; dk blue CS from Hobby Lobby. Stamps- Penny Black Romantic Dog; HOTP stamped stitches; Hero Arts Little Valentine's Day. Inks- Memento Tuxedo Black; Colorbox frost white. Tools- EK deco scallop edger; Marvy clever lever 2.5in circle punch; SU word window punch; WRMK corner chomper; piercer & mat; ANM mini bone punch. Embellishments- JHB #23090 bone buttons; ribbon fx wine taffeta ribbon; MM stitches in teal;. Pens- Copic (R81, E33, B0000); Zig (coffee, kiwi, spice, aubergine); SU (brocade blue); Spica ( sky blue, lavender); Sakura white glaze pen. Sketch- Tammy Fielder 5-9-09. Font- 18pt kids.