FS75

I got the chance to play around and do the Featured Stamper Challenge at SCS yesterday and this is what I came up with.  I CASED this card of Stephanie's which I think is adorable and swapped out the Changito image for a different one, used different colors and patterned paper, and changed up the sentiment but pretty much followed the layout.

My card base is Blush Blossom and I also used Neenah Solar White, Close to Cocoa, and Certainly Celery. The patterned paper is retired SU-I think it was in last year's Summer Mini but I can't remember the name of it.

Changito is stamped on Neenah Solar White with Memento Tuxedo Black and colored in with the following Copics:  E27, E29, E33,  E35, & RV34 for the body; R30, R32, B12, B14, & B16 for the flowers; G21 &b G94 for the leaves; and finally outlined lightly with W0.  The flowers all have a dab of Crystal Stickles in the middle.  Changito is matted on Close to Cocoa and popped up on dimensionals.  The sentiment is from PTI's Mixed Messages and is stamped with Memento Rich Cocoa on Neenah Solar White.  I overstamped a couple hearts from A to Z Accents in Blush Blossom over it.  This is punched out and matted on a Certainly Celery circle and then a Scalloped Close to Cocoa circle.  The dots were drawn with my Ranger Inkssentials White pen--the verdict is still out on whether I like this or the SU Signo White pen better.  I also popped this up on dimensionals.  When I started the card, I thought I had wide Celery Grosgrain ribbon but I don't.  Fortunately, I had some PTI Spring Moss and it coordinates well with the other colors :-)

Voila, all done!  I think it's rather cute if I say so myself.

Thanks for visiting!

Embossed Thanks

I needed to make thank you cards for ds and wanted to play around with my Cuttlebug as well. I got my Petite Scalloped Circle Nesties and you know that I just had to use those! My SBS3 Sister, Denise, has a weekly challenge. This week's challenge was embossing and since this idea was already floating around in my head, I knew that I'd get the chance to play :-)

I like how this turned out and the only thing I would change about is is the color of the cardbase. I knew I wanted to use my Bashful Blue striped grosgrain ribbon but when I started these, I realized I'm really low on Bashful Blue cardstock. . .so, the cardbase is Certainly Celery instead. I think it would have turned out better in the blue but it's not horrible and my son will be using these as they are and I know he won't complain.

Cardstock colors used are Certainly Celery, Bashful Blue, and Whisper White. I embossed the top portion of the Whisper White piece with my Thank You (I think that's the name) embossing folder in my Cuttlebug. I added a couple score lines underneath with my Scor-Pal but you can't see that since I covered it with the ribbon. Changito is stamped on Whisper White with Ranger Adirondack Pitch Black, cut out with a circle Nestability (I didn't emboss it but you can see it slightly anyway) and then colored in with the following Copics: E11, E13, E33, E29, RV04, and then outlined with C0. I matted this on a Petite Scalloped Circle of Bashful Blue. I tied the Bashful Blue striped grosgrain around the white piece and then mounted Changito over it on dimensionals. Finally, I mounted the white piece on the cardbase on dimensionals. I haven't been using my Cuttlebug for embossing that much lately and I've forgotten how much fun it can be and how much extra it adds to a card so I think I may be playing with my bug and embossing folders a little more later today.

In other news, we're having gorgeous weather up here!!!!!! I really enjoy warm weather and it really doesn't get that hot in the Bay Area that often but it was about 81 today!!!!! I also went in for a cut and color this morning and have been toying with cutting my hair shorter for awhile. Dh has really wanted me to keep it long and it was the longest it had ever been in my life--about down to the small of my back :-) Now, it hits my shoulders in the back and collarbone in the front. I feel so much lighter and even though I loved my long hair, I'm 38 and in a "professional" job so I can't do it forever.

Thanks for visiting!

Changito Banana

Ok, this is a new card but I do admit that I colored this image a few weeks ago. I thought I'd go ahead and post it for Colleen's Thursday Throwdown. I want to make one for her throwdown because I looooooooooove bling! I'll do one but it's probably gonna be Friday night before I have time to do it :-)

So, this is another one of the really cute Changito stamps that I LOOOOOOOOOOVE! I think it's called Changito Banana. I stamped him on Whisper White with Pallette Hybrid Noir and then colored him in with Prismacolor pencils and gamsol. The banana is highlighted with Yellow Stickles. The card base is Summer Sun and I stamped the SU Dotted BG stamp on it with the same color. Now, this is a fairly simple card but I struggled with it--I'm soooooooooo not a precise stamper/cardmaker/crafter and I punched out the window with my 1 3/8 inch square punch and it wasn't big enough so I tried to line it up again and punch some more. Now, I totally had the punch butted up to the edge of the cardstock and slid it over but the edges didn't quite meet. I spent a lot of time slightly moving the punch and using a craft knife to get a nice looking square that Mr Monkey could fit it. I still feel I could have made it a tad bit bigger but I was in danger of completely losing any straight edge on my square at this point so I stopped before I had to scrap this card. I tied some black, red, and caramel gingham ribbon around the square and then attached Changito behind it. I stamped the sentiment with Versafine Onyx Black and was done. . .or so I thought. I took the pic and realized that I slightly smudge the card with the black ink. I was peeved at this point because this simple card has taken me a loooooooooooooong time. I tried to find something to put over the smudge but couldn't make it work. . .I couldn't save Changito because I used an Ad Tech permanent glue runner to attach him and this stuff is super sticky and he'd never make it off safely.

I really like this card--I love the Changito and I love Summer Sun cardstock. I'm just trying to find a way to save the card and maintain the simplicity of the design--especially since this simple card took me way longer than some more "ornate" cards might take :-)

Thanks for visiting!

Changito in Love

I absolutely adore these Changito stamps. I stamped this shortly after I got it and colored it in for a later use. The image is stamped in Pallette Hybrid Noir on Whisper White and colored in with Prismacolor Pencils and Gamsol. There's a little bit of Stickles on the balloon as well. The words are from Everyday Flexible Phrases and are stamped in Chocolate Chip ink. The image is matted in Creamy Caramel and Close to Cocoa. I used Ruby Red for the cardbase and stamped the Polka Dot BG stamp on it in Ruby Red as well. I cut a slit in the fold of the card and threaded this gorgeous chocolate ribbon from the Theater Ribbon Originals. Finally, I mounted the image on dimensionals over the ribbon.

Another quick and easy peasy one from me.

Thanks for visiting!

Crazy Changito

This is one of the stamps that I got from Eclectic Paperie's Stampendous Coterie. I actually spent an afternoon stamping and coloring in the images with Prismacolor pencils and Gamsol so I'd have some stuff ready to make into cards. I love this little monkey--he's so cute and sassy! This card did not end up like I thought it would initially. I actually pried the monkey off my original card base and then matted it on the Pretty in Pink layer. I rounded those edges and punched holes in the corners to tie some Black Gingham ribbon through. I attached this to the a Whisper White Textured cardbase with a Pretty in Pink brad and then popped up the image on dimensionals. I stamped the sentiment which also came in the Stampendous Coterie in Versafine Onyx Black on the bottom and tah-dah! I'm done!!!! This is my take on a clean and simple card and I actually like how it turned out much better than what I originally planned. I think I'm going to do something similar with some of the other images since they're all relatively small.

In other news, we still haven't found "Josie's" owners yet. I've had some people express interest in her if the owners don't turn up so I'll give it a few more days. She is cute and pretty sweet but she's definitely much more dominant than my other dogs--it's funny to watch her snap and snarl at my other dogs (a pit bull mix and rottweiler mix) since they just seem somewhat amused by her. They do back down when snaps and it's kind of funny to see.

Thanks for visiting and have a great day!

Sending you smiles

I got the chance to stamp and color in some of my Stampendous images that I got from Eclectic Paperie last weekend. I love these little Changito stamps :-) The little monkey is so darn cute! I think this is a really happy and cute card and it brings a smile to my face.

The card base is Summer Sun and the patterned paper is Old Olive Prints DSP. The image is stamped on Whisper White with Versafine Onyx Black and hit with a heat gun to help it dry. I colored in with Prismacolor Pencils and Gamsol and then highlighted the vine and flowers with Stickles. I matted it on Elegant Eggplant and tied Eggplant Grosgrain around the patterned paper. The saying is from Verve Visual's Thoughtful Phrases and is stamped on Whisper White with Versafine Onyx Black and punched out with my word window punch. It's up on dimensionals.

Thanks for visiting! I hope to get my Christmas cards done this weekend--I did start them in what, October? My plan was to have them done Thanksgiving weekend but my drive to do them just wasn't there.

Time Well Spent CASE

I had some time today to do a little stamping. I'm really, really liking the new Time Well Spent set from SU. For this card, I totally CASED Shannan's card which can be found here. She used a Fabriano watercolor card and hers is one layer but I'm still hoarding mine because I can't bear to waste them and I don't want to ruin one on accident :-)

I stamped the flower and the sentiment (from So Many Sayings) in Versafine Onyx Black on SU watercolor paper. I watercolored with reinkers in Groovy Guava and Purely Pomegranate and my aquapainters and then highlighted various areas with my Copic Spica Glitter pens. I stamped the row of dots from All in a Row with Groovy Guava and went over them with the aquapainter. This is matted on Chocolate Chip and the card base is Groovy Guava. I love this card and wish I had come up with the idea on my own but thankfully, there is so much inspiration out there that other stampers willingly share.

I stamped another card but can't get a good pic right now. I like it but don't love it--I think I'm gonna see what I need to do to change it up a little.

and lookie what I got today!!!!! I got my Stampendous stamps from the Stampendous Coterie at Eclectic Paperie!!!!!! They are so cute and I defintely want to get them inky immediately!!!!! Ok, gotta run and get the kids. Thanks for visiting!

Want these stamps?

I love these little Stampendous stamps. I got one of the bee stamps recently and have wanted some of the Changito stamps for awhile so when I saw this offer at Eclectic Paperie, I just had to jump on it.

Anyway, they're having a Stampendous Coterie right now and there are free stamps included on top of this awesome deal if more people order. I just placed my order--I figure if they ship out mid-November, they should be here by my birthday and I got my own present for myself :-) Join the party and help those of us who ordered get some free stamps.

If you order, I suggest you get your friends to share the love!

My little stamping buddy

My dd loves to stamp and do other things with me. Just had to show you some pics of her from earlier today. She wanted to stamp something for daddy :-) She'd already taken a bath but since she got her fingers inky, she wanted another bath. I managed to talk her out of it for the moment.

Here's the card I was working on earlier. I'm not 100% thrilled with it. I love these little Stampendous Bees but I do have a hard time working with some of the smaller images. I got the bee image in an order that I received recently from Eclectic Paperie. Joy and Daisy give great service and it was very sweet to get some stamped images to use as well. The card base is Wild Wasabi. I stamped the Sanded background stamp in Real Red on Real Red. I wrapped the big blue ribbon from the Jersey Ribbon originals around the front of the card. I used my scallop circle punch from SU to punch out the More Mustard scalloped circled and also punched out the bee image with my 1 3/8" circle punch and matted it on the scalloped circle. The bee is colored in with More Mustard, Real Red, and Basic Black markers and a blender pen & my Wild Wasabi ink pad. The wings are covered with Dazzling Diamonds glitter. The sentiment is from Thoughtful Phrases by Verve Visual and is stamped in Basic Gray on More Mustard then punched out with the Word Window punch. It's popped up on dimensionals as is the Real Red layer. So, I know I'm my own worst critic and I like, but not love this card :-)

Ok, I actually have some work to do but I may procrastinate on it for a little bit longer.

Thanks for visiting!