Bloggers Challenge - Patchwork Easter Basket

Happy Bloggers Challenge Friday, I'm glad you stopped by today!  This weeks Bloggers Challenge Theme is Bags or Boxes. Using your Big Shot with material has become pretty popular these days, not only is it quick, but makes great projects!  Long before I ever got into stamping I use to sew, not on a regular basis, but I none the less I could sew.  I took sewing lessons as a child, and later put those skills to use creating patchwork Christmas Tree Skirts, Crib Dust Ruffles and my boys Halloween Costumes.  These days for the most part, I generally just mend items, nothing major.  Well thanks to the Big Shot and come wonderful dies, I've created todays project!

I used Spellbinders Square dies to cut the squares for my patchwork, and Stampin' Up! Fancy Favor Box Die for my basket, I think it took me longer to turn my handle inside out, than it did to create the entire project.  After my squares were all assembled, I used the Fancy Favor Die to cut my Box.  I also cut one from some quilting material for the inside of the basket.  Sewed my pieces together, sewed the side, than hand stiched the bottom closed.  The handle is attached to the side with two buttons.  Makes a cute little Easter Basket, don't you think?

Details:

Dies - Spellbinders Square Dies, Stampin' Up! Fancy Favor Box

Other - Buttons, Material

Looking for more Box and Bag inspiration?  Click on the Bloggers Challenge Logo on my sidebard to see what the other players created this week.

Have a great weekend!

Stampotique Color Challenge

Lately I've found myself particiapting in more Sketch and Color Challenges, not only are they a great source of inspiration, but a great starting point too!

This weeks Stampotique Designers Challenge is a Color Challenge - gotta love those fresh colors of spring!  Stampotique has a great collection of Collage Images  - here I used the Joyful image.  To add coloring I used the Fossil Stone Technique from a Technique Junkies - morphing it a bit, as I replaced the water with Pearl Glimmer Mist, the hat and flower were colored with markers.  The Moss and Blue panels were embossed with the Damask CuttleBug Folder.

Details:
Stamps - Stampotique Joyful
Ink - Black Archival, Mellow Moss, Bashful Blue, So Saffron, Regal Rose
Card Stock - Black, White, Regal Rose, Bashful Blue, Mellow Moss
Other - Pearl Glimmer Mist, Clear Envelope, Dimensionals

Chocolate Covered Strawberries - Scratch N' Sniff

Well, I thought if I posted cards that were "spring like" that the weather would start to warm up - that's so not the case.  We've gotten snow everyday since Sunday, with another 2-4 inches being called for today.  The boys will be thrilled, as they've got a four day weekend coming up!  Since the posting of flowers didn't warm things up - how about some Chocolate Covered Strawberries!

I created today's card using CPS155 and PDCC17.  Inspired by fellow KSSDT member Lynn's Chocolate Covered Stawberries, I set out to create my own.  I used Kitchen Sink Stamps Multi Step Berries - stamping as follows: #3 Ridhing Hood Red, #2 Riding Hood Red stamp off, #1 Riding Hood Red stamp off, #4 Riding Hood Red.  To create the Chocoalte, I partially inked #1 in Versamark, stamped over my strawberries, then added Dark Brown Embossing Powder that was mixed with some Strawberry Kool-aid and heated with my Heat Gun, it sure smelled good while I was creating!

Don't forget to check out today's Kitchen Sink Stamps Blue Plate Special, there's lots of great sets specially priced - today only!

Save 10% at Kitchen Sink Stamps, click here then enter LISA10KSS at checkout.

Details:
Stamps - Kitchen Sink Stamps Multi Step Berries
Ink - Stampin' Up! Riding Hood Red, Chocolate Chip, Versamark
Card Stock - Real Red, White, Chocolate Chip
Other - Kool-aid, Dark Brown EP, Heat Gun, Sponge Dauber, 1-1/4" Circle Punch, 1-3/8" Circle Punch, Dimensionals

Critter Challenge Sketch Challenge

This week the Critter Challenge Blog has another great Challenge Sketch, and a surprise sponsor!  Stamp and Create will be giving away a $15 GC to one random winner who plays in this weeks Critter Sketch Challenge.  If you played in last weeks challenge, and play again this week, you're name will be entered twice into the random drawing!

This weeks Sketch also requires you to use a minimum of 2 eyelets or brads somewhere on your card.  Remember you can use any vendors stamps when working with the Critter Challenge, after creating your card, be sure to leave your link on the Cirtter Challenge Blog using Mr. Linky. 

I rotated the sketch, and replaced the star with a rectangle. I used the Easter Blessings stamp from Wags N' Whiskers, stamped in Black Archival on Watercolor paper, then colored using the Marker Watercoloring Technique.

Details:
Stamps - Wags N' Whiskers Easter Blessings
Ink - Black Archival, Markers
Card Stock - Watercolor, Black, Tangeringe Tango, Basic Grey Sugar Rush
Other - Basic Grey Black Half Pearls, H20 Brush

Kitchen Sink Stamps Monday - a Flower for You

Happy Kitchen Sink Stamps Monday, thanks for stopping by, I hope you had a great weekend!  Guess what I have to share today...Another card using the Wisped Frames Techinque - can you tell I really like this one! 

For my focal image I used Kitchen Sink Stamps Multi Step Sunflower.  I stamped the stem first (#3 Artichoke, #2 Old Olive #1 Distress Ink Crushed Olive, #4 Imperial Purple), then added the flower (#3 Distress Ink Wild Honey, #2 Memento Dandelion, #1 Memento Dandelion #5 Imperial Purple, #4 Wild Honey).  The vase if from  Kitchen Sink Stamps 3 Step Itty Bitty Tulip Bouquet (#3 Memento London Fog, #2 Memento London Fog, #1 Memento London Fog).  The Wisped Frames Technique was done in Chocolate Chip.

Save 10% at Kitchen Sink Stamps, click here then enter LISA10KSS at checkout. 

Don't forget the last day to enter this months Kitchen Sink Stamps Challenge is Feb. 26th, click here for more details.  There's been a lot of wonderful entries this month!

Details:
Stamps Kitchen Sink Stamps Multi Step Sunflowers; 3 Step Itty Bitty Tulip Bouquet
Ink - Stampin' Up! Chocolate Chip, Artichoke, Old Olive, Memento Dandelion, London Fog, Distress Ink Crushed Olive, Wild Honey
Other - Spellbinders Rectangle Die, Stipple Brush, Big Shot, 1/4" Circle Punch, Double Circle Punch, Basic Grey Origins Pattern Paper, Dimensionals

 I used TESC101 as my layout inspiration.

Thanks so much for stopping by, for more Kitchen Sink Stamps inspiration, be sure to visit the other Design Team Members.

Angela • Connie • Julie • Lynn • Makiko • Maria

Have a creative week!

Marker Watercolored Poppy

Happy Sunday, thanks for stopping by!  I hope you're all staying warm, the local weather shows possilbly 12" of snow coming my way, so I'm sending a little bit of Spring your way.

I used the Maker Watercoloring Technique to color the Inked Poppy, then used the Wisped Frames Technique to add the color around the image.  Wisped Frames is becoming my new "go to" technique these past few days.  It's sure a great way to fill in the white space surrounding your images.

Details:
Stamps - The Rubber Cafe
Ink - Black Archival, Markers, Pixie Pink
Card Stock - Stampin' Up! Watercolor, Black, Pixie Pink, Old Olive
Other - Stipple Brush, Spellbinders Rectangle Die, H20 Brush, Basic Grey Scarlett Letter, Piercing Tool

Bloggers Challenge - Sketch Challenge

Happy Bloggers Challenge Friday, I'm glad you stopped by today!  This week I gave the Bloggers Challenge Players this sketch to work with.  It's a super simple sketch, if you'd like to play along, just leave me a link to your card in the comments, I'd love to see what you created.

As you can see I took a few creative liberties with the sketch.  I rotated the sketch, replaced the circle focal image with a square and moved the brads down a bit.  All images are from Kitchen Sink Stamps Multi Step Baby.  The blocks are stamped as follows: #3 Chocolate Chip, #2 Regal Rose, #1 Memento Desert Sand.  The image was cut with Spellbinders Rectangle Dies, then I used the Wisped Frames Technique to add the color around the image in Close to Cocoa.

Details:

Stamps - Kitchen Sink Stamps Multi Step Baby

Ink - Stampin' up! Chocolate Chip, Regal Rose, Memento Desert Sand

Card Stock - Stampin' Up! Chocoalte Chip, White, Regal Rose

Other - Big Shot, Spellbinders Rectangle Dies, Kaiser Half Pearls, Basic Grey Bittersweet, Stipple Brush

Save 10% at Kitchen Sink Stamps click here then enter code LISA10KSS at checkout 

Looking for more inspiration using this sketch - click on the Bloggers Challenge Logo on my sidebard to see what the other players created this week.

Have a great weekend!

Hey Chickie!

Inspired by Sketch 33 at Tuesday Morning Sketches, with a few creative liberties, I created today's card.  I still had the Basic Grey Sugar Rush paper on my desk - just gotta love those spring like colors!  The sweet little girl is Hey Chickie from Wags 'N Whiskers.  The image is stamped in Black Archival on Watercolorpaper, then cut using Spellbinders Rectangle Dies.  To add color, I used the Marker Watercoloring Technique, then filled in the open space behind the image with Regal Rose ink and a Stipple Brush.

Details:
Stamps - Wags 'N Whiskers
Ink - Black Archival, Regal Rose, Markers
Card Stock - Grey, Pretty in Pink, Watercolor
Other - Basic Grey Sugar Rush, Spellbinders Rectangle Dies, Stipple Brush, Dimensionals, Rose Half Pearls, H20 Brush

Critter Sketch Challenge - Let's go Fishing

Welcome to the first challenge for the Critter Sketch Challenge Blog!  This weeks challenge is to use the sketch (shown below) and also the color RED somewhere on your project. 

I used images from the Keeper Plate from Artistic Outpost.  Stamping the images in Black Archival, then coloring using the Marker Watercoloring Technique.  The pattern paper is from the Boxer Collection by Basic Grey.

Looking for more inspiration using this weeks challenge, stop by the Critters Challenge Blog to see what the other Designers created this week.  Remember there are no vendor restrictions to play along with the challenges, although there we are sponsor free this week, all entries left using Mr. Linky on the Critters Challenge Blog will be entered into a montly drawing.  Please remember to leave direct links to your post so we can find them easily. When uploading to online galleries, please use the keyword CSB#1, so that we can easily find your projects.

Details:
Stamps - Artistic Outpost Keeper
Ink - Black Archival, Markers
Card Stock - Black, Watercolor, Ruby Red
Other - Basic Grey Boxer, Cutter Kit, Kaiser Black Half Pearls

Click here to save 10% on all your purchases at Artistic Outpost

Ice Resin Blog Hop - Altered Jewelry

Welcome to the Ice Resin Blog Hop!  If you're not familiar with Ice Resin, you'll want to hop over to the Ice Resin Website and read more details about this wonderful product!  Besides using this product to fill your Bezels, you can also add Color for tinting, use it as a Glue and much more!  Today, I'm using it to alter some jewelry pieces.

Click photos to enlarge

I found these cool pieces at Michales and decided to alter them with stamped images.  The Sterling Plated Pendant and bracelet are from the Jill MacKay Collection.  I stamped images from The Outpost plate from Artistic Outpost for the Pendant, coloring with Markers.  The images for the bracelet come from the Birds of Feather plate.  Once I had my images in place, I added the Ice Resin.  It's important to note that you do not heat the Ice Resin, it needs to sit in order to cure.

For this piece, I was inspired by a Make and Take at CHA.  I used items from the Tim Holtz Idea-ology Line as my necklace, adding Tiny Fastners into the holes on the side.  I adhered a backing to the bookplate, so the resin would not leak out.  Make sure to set your piece on a wax paper, just incase some resin does leak, it will be easy to remove your bookplate.  You can always add more resin later if some does leak out once it's cured.  I used images from Kitchen Sink Stamps 3 Step Butterflies and 3 Step Letters from the Past and collaged them for my center.  The larger heart is from the Idea-ology Line, the smaller hearts are from Blue Moon.

Looking for more inspiration using Ice Resin, be sure to stop by the other players blogs
Molly Alexander, Ro Bhrun, Karen Burns, Keecia Frazze Deveney, Mary Jane Dodd, Melanie Eathenwood, Shea Fragoso, Kerin Gale, Vickie Hallmark, Jess Italia Lincoln, Jill Liles, Heather Powers, Amy Purdes, Jenny Barnett Rohrs, Stephanie Rubiano, Lisa Somerville (you are here), Kim Taylor, Jen Cushman, Deryn Mentock, Kristen Robinson, Barbe Saint John, Susan Lenart Kazmer

Kitchen Sink Stamps Monday - Memories are Held in our Hearts

Happy Kitchen Sink Stamps Monday!  I'm so glad you stopped by today. It's a busy day today, as I'll have multiple posts, so I hope you'll stop back to see what I've been working on!

For today's card, I used the sentiment from the 3 Step Daisy, stamping in Grey on White card stock, then added the 3 Step Butterflies, stamping #3 Grey, #2 Tangerine Tango, #1 Wild Honey Distress Ink (stamp off), #3 Grey.  I added the Grey again, because the Grey seemed to dull out a bit.  I stamped the Butterflies a second time and cut them out, placing them on dimensionals over the first image.  The panels are layered on a piece of Basic Grey Sugar Rush.

Save 10% at Kitchen Sink Stamps, click here then enter LISA10KSS at checkout. 

Don't forget the last day to enter this months Kitchen Sink Stamps Challenge is Feb. 26th, click here for more details.

Thanks so much for stopping by, for more Kitchen Sink Stamps inspiration, be sure to visit the other Design Team Members.

Angela • Connie • Julie • Lynn • Makiko • Maria

Have a creative week!


Details:
Stamps - Kitchen Sink Stamps 3 Step Daisy, 3 Step Butterflies; Ink - Grey, Tangerine Tango, Wild Honey Distress Ink; Card Stock - Pretty In Pink, Grey, White; Other - Dimensionals, Basic Grey Sugar Rush

Best Friends

Aren't they just the sweetest!  I love to mix and match the images from the Artistic Outpost plates, especially this cool frame from the Playtime Plate. 

The girls are from the Birds of a Feather Plate, stamped in Black Archival on Watercolor paper.  Instead of masking my image, I masked the boy out of the frame from the Playtime Plate, stamped it on my SAMJ Image Sheet, inked again, removed the masked, and used the SAMJ to find placement over the girls. The image was then colored using the Marker Watercoloring Technique, then I Ink Washed the background.

Details:
Stamps - Artistic Outpost Birds of a Feather; Playtime
Ink - Black Archival, Markers
Card Stock - Black, Watercolor, Old Olive
Other - Kaiser Black Half Pearls, SAMJ, H20 Brush, Basic Grey Origins Pattern Paper 

Click here to save 10% on all your purchase at Artistic Outpost

Bloggers Challenge - Love is in the Air

Happy Bloggers Challenge Friday!  If you're still looking for ideas for your loved ones for Valentine's Day, your in luck!  Today's Bloggers Challenge Theme is Valentine's.

No frilly Valentine's would work for my DH, instead I actually used one of his magazines to create my card.  I used the Zine Piecing Technique from the currrent TJNL, to add color to the tent.  I tell you, you'll never look at magazines the same way once you start using this technique!  The cute images are from StarvingArtistamps DoodleFactory line.  To finish my card, I used the Marker Watercoloring Technique, then added some Marker Washing to fill in the background.  My card also does double duty this week, as it fits the LOVE theme for the Stampotique Designers Challenge this week.

Details:
Stamps - StarvingArtistamps DoodleFactory
Ink - Black Arvhival, Bordering Blue, Creamy Caramel, Markers
Card Stock - Watercolor, Black, Old Olive
Other - Magazine, SAMJ

Be sure to stop by and see what the other challenge players created by clicking on the Bloggers Challenge Logo on my sidebar.

Wishing you a Chocolate, Flower filled Valentine's!

Cupcakes Anyone?

It's all in the packaging, don't you think?  Who wouldn't want to receive a beautiful cupcake in a fancy box!  I used the Cupcake Box Set from Creative Cuts in More for create today's project.  The box base is cut from Bazzil Smoothies Chocolate Cream, the the lid from Bazzil Smoothies Watermelon Sensation.  I cut panels from a piece of Watermelon Smoothies to add under the layer of Basic Grey Bittersweet Pattern Paper to cover my sides.  What you can't see, is the bit of Drywall Stitching I added to the pattern paper.  I used the Heart from Kitchen Sink Stamps Year Of Thanks II stamped in Pixie Pink to add some decoration to the lid.  The box was tied with Chocoalte Satin Ribbon, I used the Bow Easy to finish of the Bow.

Details:
Stamps - Kitchen Sink Stamps Year Of Thanks II
Ink - Pixie Pink, Chocolate Chip Marker
Card Stock - Basic Grey Bittersweet, Bazzil Smoothies Watermelon Sensations, Cupcake Box Set
Other - Bow Easy, Chocolate Satin Ribbon

Happy Birthday Gram...and a few updates

Happy Wednesday!  Hope you're staying warm!  DH and I got the driveway cleared yesterday afternoon, then watched it slowly get covered over.  Thankfully we didn't get as much as they expected and awoke this AM to find it blown in drifts, at least today it's the light fluffy stuff and if the winds continue, it should just keep blowing off the driveway...Fingers crossed!  We had an Earthquake here in IL around 4AM, about 50 Miles North of us, everything here is fine, haven't heard of any damage that way, hopefully all is okay.

Sadly, my Gram is no longer with us, I think of her often, especially today on her birthday.  I know she would be proud of my accomplishements and can feel her watching over me.  I created this card with her in mind.  I used the Happy Birthday set from Our Daily Bread Designs, it's such a beautiful image filled with flowers I know she would have loved.  I started out using the Marker Wash Technique, but once I "washed" the color, it was a little too light for my liking, so what's a girl to do....I used a SAMJ and restamped the image over the first image, then colored using the Marker Watercoloring Technique, added some Soft Suede to the edges, then pulled it in with an Aquapainter.  I added Rock Candy Stickles to the Watering Can, and covered all the remaining colored areas with a Clear Gel Pen for some added shine.  The layout fits this weeks CPS sketch.

Details:
Stamps - Our Daily Bread Designs
Ink - Black Archival, Markers, Soft Suede
Card Stock - Stampin' Up! Crushed Curry, Old Olive, Black, Watercolor
Other - Basic Grey Scarlett Letter, Aquapainter, Distress Tool, Kaiser Black Half Pearls, Rock Candy Distress Sitckles, Clear Gel Pen

Remember the Altered Jewelry piece I posted earlier this week using the Ice Resin?  I'm thrilled to let you know I'll be participating in the Ice Resin Blog Hop on February 15th - 19th.  If you have Ice Resin and would like information on joining the hop be sure to contact Jen.

You might have also noticed some changes in my blog format.  In an effort to "unclutter" my sidebars, I've moved some things to the top of my blog.  Since Blogger now allows for pages to be added to blogs, I've been able to relocated some of my documents.  When you click on those links, it will take you to the new pages, from there you'll be able to get back to my main blog page or to the other pages I've added.

Have a creative day!

Kitchen Sink Stamps - Altered Jewelry

Happy Kitchen Sink Stamps Monday!  Thanks for stopping by, I hope you had a wonderful weekend!  For today's Kitchen Sink Stamps project I created this beautiful Altered Jewelry piece using the Multi Step Pansy.  The inspiration for my piece came from this Multi Step Pansy card I posted last week.

I stamped the Script from Kitchen Sink Stamps 3 Step Letter from the Past in Ranger's Wild Honey Distress Ink on White card stock, then added the flowers and leaves.  Stamping the Pansy as follows: #4 Ruby Red, #3 Tangerine Tango, #3 More Musard #1 So Saffron, adding #5 in Memento Tuxedo on the larger flower.  Then added the leaves in #3 Always Artichoke, #2 Old Olive, #1 Kiwi Kiss.  The stamped panel is adhred in the well of a Pendant from Amate Jewelry.  In the past when altering jewelry I had used Glossy Accents or Glassy Glaze Embossing Powder in my Melt Pot, but while I was at CHA, I came across this wonderful product called Ice Resin.  Ice Resin a non-toxic clear resin that never fades, yellows or chips, although it takes some time to set, I just love the overall finished look on my pieces.

Details:
Stamps - Kitchen Sink Stamps 3 Step Letter from the Past, Multi Step Pansy
Ink - Black Memento, Ranger Wild Honey Distress Ink, Stampin' Up! Old Olive, Kiwi Kiss, Artichoke, Ruby Red, Tangerine Tango, More Mustard, So Saffron
Card Stock - White
Other - Amate Jewelry Pendant, Ice Resin

Save 10% at Kitchen Sink Stamps, click here then enter LISA10KSS at checkout.  Kitchen Sink Stamps now accepts Visa & MasterCard in addition to PayPal

Thanks so much for stopping by, for more Kitchen Sink Stamps inspiration, be sure to visit the other Design Team Members.

Angela • Connie • Julie • Lynn • Makiko • Maria

Have a creative week!

TechnoStamper Sketch Challenge - A Gift for You

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you've been having a great weekend!  Here's what I created using MJ's TechnoStamper Sketch Challenge.  Sorry about the bit of shadow over the sentiment the bow was blocking my light - it reads Birthday Wishes and is from the Simple Sentiment set at Kitchen Sink Stamps.  For the focal image I used the Multi Step Gift stamping the gift our in backwards order #4 Memento Rich Cocoa, #3 SU Soft Suede, #2 Memento Desert Sand, #1 Memento Desert Sand, and the ribbon, also our of order: #Regal Rose, #2 Pretty in Pink, #1 Pink Pirouette, #4 Regal Rose.  I chose my colors from the beautiful Basic Grey Bittersweet Papers that I used on this card.

Details:
Stamps - Kitchen Sink Stamps Simple Sentiments, Multi Step Gift
Ink - Memento Rich Cocoa, Desert Sand, Stampin' Up! Regal Rose, Pretty in Pink, Pink Pirouette
Card Stock - Chocoalte Chip, Pretty in Pink, White
Other - Basic Grey Bittersweet, Lattice Punch, Bow Easy, Chocolate Satin Ribbon, Glue Dot

Click here to save 10% at Kitchen Sink Stamps, then enter code LISA10KSS at checkout

Be sure to stop back tomorrow for Kitchen Sink Stamps Monday - I've created an altered jewelry piece to share with you!

Critter Challenge Blog - Monthly Prizes

I'm excited to share with you that I'm now designing for the Critter Challenge Blog!  The Critter Challenge Blog will be hosting challenges each week, starting February 15th!  There are no vendor restrictions to play along with the challenges, you can use ANY product you'd like.  The perk for playing along?  You'll be entered into monthly prize drawings from some fabulous sponsors!  Play in all four challenges each month and your name gets entered four times!

Head over to the Critter Challenge Blog today, there's a perk for stopping before the first challenge starts!

Bloggers Challenge - Color Challenge

Happy Bloggers Challenge Friday! This week I gave the talented Challenge Team a color combination, use Red, Black, and White.  With Valentine's right around the corner, I'm sure they'll load you up with inspiration!

For my card I used SCS Sketch Challenge 266 as my layout inspiration.  The yummy pattern papers are from the Bittersweet Collection by Basic Grey.  I stamped the image the Artistic Outpost Cutie Pie plate in Black Archival Ink on Watercolor Paper, then added color with the Marker Watercoloring Technique.  I used the Bow Easy to tie the Riped Tomato Satin Ribbon, the XOXO was stamped in Ranger Barn Red Distress Ink.

Details:
Stamps - Artistic Outpost Cutie Pie
Ink - Black Arvchival, Markers, Stampin' Up! Pixie Pink, Ranger Barn Red Distress Ink
Card Stock - Black, Red, Watercolor
Other - Riped Tomato Satin Ribbon, Dimensionals, Bow Easy, Stipple Brush, H20 Brush, Basic Grey Bittersweet Pattern Paper

Thanks so much for stopping by!  If your looking for more inspiration using these colors, be sure to click on the Bloggers Challenge Logo on my sidebar to see what the other players created this week, we've got a few new faces on the team, be sure to drop by and say hi!

Have a great weekend!

Valentine Test Tube Treat Holder

Looking for something quick and easy to create for Valentine's?  I created this pattern in 2008, for use with Test Tubes.  I had found some that year at my local Michaels store with the Martha Stewart stuff and thought they'd be fun to alter.  I originally started out with a box that could hold four Test Tubes, then came up with a few other patterns for a Single Test Tube and a Double Test Tube. 

For the Valentine Holder, I used the beautiful Sugar Rush paper from Basic Grey, layering in on a piece of Dusty Durango, then onto my template.  The cute stamps are from the JustRite Tiny Words Set.  The xoxoxxo was stamped in Barn Red Distress Ink, punched out and layered on a Red circle.  For the sentiment, I actually trimmed off the "love and flower" from the original center, inked it with markers, then stamped on White, punched out, layerd on a Dustry Durango circle, then onto my xoxoxo stamped circle.  I attached a piece of Red Grosgrain to the Test Tube, then attached the stamped circle with a dimensional.

Details:
Stamps - JustRite Tiny Words Set, 1-3/16" Wood Stamper
Ink - Barn Red Distress Ink, Markers
Card Stock - Red, Dusty Durango, Basich Grey Sugar Rush
Other - Test Tubes, 1" Circle Punch, 1-1/4" Circle Punch, 3/4" Circle Punch, 1-3/8" Circle Punch, Dimensional, Sticky Strip

Be sure to stop back tomorrow for Bloggers Challenge - this week it's a Color Challenge!

Become a Technique Junkie for Life!

Yep, you read that right!  YOU can become a Technique Junkie for LIFE!  I just love the techniques in the TJNL, not just because I get to see them before they go public, but because they've really helped me develop as an artist.  The majority of techniques you see me use on my blog have all come from issues of the Technique Junkies Newsletter.  If you're a stamper, this stamping resourse is a must have!

So, how can you enter to become a Technique Junkie for Life?  Simple.... follow the directions in the newsletter HERE (this is a password protected page for current subscribers only) for using the sketch shown to design your card.   In order to qualify for the drawing, your card must use Technique Junkie techniques on it (from any issue of the newsletter), and you must be a Technique Junkie Member to enter this challenge contest. For more details on this months Technique Junkie by Design Contest, see Pat's post here.

Okay, so I have a lot of unused TJ Technique Backgrounds in my "resourse drawer"!  On my card I used the following Techniques: Panel A Createx Creations, Panel B Aged Metal, Panel C a "morped version of Double Embossed Metal (becasue I ran out of Metal, I used Core'dinations Black Magic Card Stock and omitted the coloring).  Focal Panel uses Paper Tole and Out of the Box Techniques.  Now to find someone with an upcoming Anniversay!
Details:
Stamps  - Stampin' Up! Fifth Avenue Floral, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Ink - Black Archival, Black Stazon
Card Stock - Stampin' Up! Black, Taken with Teal, Black Glossy, Core'dinations Black Magic
Other - Dimensional Pearls, Big Shot, Stylized Flowers CuttleBug Embossing Folder, Sizzix Animal Prints Embossing Folder, Dimensionals, Sanding Block, Kaiser Black 1/2 Pearls, SAMJ, Piercing Tool/Mat Pack, Swiss Dots CuttleBug Folder

Birds of a Feather - new Alterations Caged Bird Die

Don't you just love the new Tim Holtz Alterations line!  I can't wait to order some of the new dies and embossing folders, my creative wheels are spinning!

Have you ever wondered how someone's creative process works?  For me, a lot of times I pick my images, then my pattern paper.  This card was no exception.  I started out by stamping the girls from the Birds of Feather plate from Artistic Outpost in Black Archival on Watercolor Paper, masked them with Eclipse Tape, then stamped the funky dots from the Generation Redux to cover the rest of my Watercolor paper.  Afger removing the Eclipse Tape, I watercolored the images with Crushed Olive and Barn Red Distress Inks, adding Blush Marker for the face and hands.  I used an Ink Blending Tool to add Soft Suede ink to the remaining uncolored areas.  This panel was adhered to a Black Panel, where I used the Torn Frames Technique for the edges.  Then I was in search for the perfect Pattern Paper!

I'm a big fan of Basic Grey, and happend to find the perfect piece in the new Origins pad.  I did use the Ink Blending Tool and Soft Suede ink to add some brown hues.  I used another piece of the Origins paper to cut the Bird Cage, distressing the edges every so slightly.  The Bird is also from the same die, I cut it from a piece of Kiwi Kiss and a piece of Chocolate Chip, then ran both the the Big Shot in using the Cheetah Prints Embossing Folder from Sizzix.  I added highlights to the embossed areas with Soft Suede Ink, added a Mini Fastener as the eye, and popped the wing on a dimensional .  The sentiment was stamped in Black Archival, and a Swivel Chain was added to the Bird Cage.  The stamped colored panel is popped on dimensionals.

Details:
Stamps - Artistic Outpost Birds of a Feather, Generations Redux
Ink - Black Archival, Distress Ink Barn Red, Crushed Olive, Stampin' Up! Soft Suede, Blush Marker
Card Stock - Riding Hood Red, Kiwi Kiss, Chocolate Chip, Watercolor, Black
Other - Basic Grey Origins, Glue Dots, Dimensionals, Cutter Kit, Mini Fasteners, Eclipse Tape, Swivel Chain, Alterations Caged Bird Die, Big Shot, Sixxiz Cheetah Embossing Folder, Sponge Dauber, SAMJ, Ink Blending Tool, H20 Brush

Thanks for stopping by, have a great day!

A Tip for Bloggers - A Solution to noreply-comment@blogger.com

I'm grateful to those of you who stop by and leave me comments on my blog posts!  One thing I recently noticed is a lot of comments are coming from noreply-comment@blogger.com.  I like to respond back to comments left on my blog, and don't always have an email address to do so because your address is not recorded with Blogger.

If you'd like people to be able to email you back from a comment you've left on their blog, here's how you can change your settings:

• Click on the Customize Link in the upper right hand of your screen
• Click on Dashboard
• Click on Edit Profile
• This will take you to the Edit User Profile Screen
• Look in the Privacy section; check the box that says "Show my email address"
• Enter your email address in the Identity section
• Scroll down to the bottom, and click Save Profile

Now you have interactive commenting!