Stamp Simply -- Mostly White

TGIF! Friday means it's time to Stamp Simply (ssnotime46)! This week's challenge is to create a white on white look with a touch of pastel. If you want the official details... click HERE to travel over to Sharon's blog!

I have a confession to make about this card. It's pretty bad. Since us SS gals post the night before the challenge, it was about 7:30 PM and I hadn't even thought about what I wanted to do for the challenge. I had, but nothing really came to me. Since I have been working a lot, I didn't want to spend the night stamping instead of hanging with my hubby. So, when he said he had to run to the store, I told him I had to get some things done around the house and it might be quicker if he just went on his own. So, I dreamt this card up, made it and photographed it in the time it took him to go to Walmart! Man, am I bad or what? It was less than a half hour. Talk about speed stamping!
Since the challenge was white on white, I knew I wanted to bring some texture to my card with a CB embossing folder. I cut a piece of white 3" by 4-1/4" and that was the lower part of my card. I used a strip of paper pierced pearl paper to break up the top part of the white and the embossed part. On the upper level, I stamped a bunch of tulips from the Stamp Simply Thank You set from Flourishes. I embossed them in white and then colored them in using a Q-tip and chalks. Add some sheer and sheer polka dot pink ribbon, add a pearl to make the ribbon pop-- and you're done!

Need some extra inspiration? Be sure to check out the rest of the Stamp Simply team! Can't wait to see what you cook up!

Janine Jennifer Tammy Dee Becky

I MADE IT! I MADE IT!!!!!

Ok, put down everything in your hands! Do you have comfy shoes on? If not, ditch the shoes. Now jump up and down with me! Wow... isn't this fun!!! Why are we jumping?? OH! I should tell you! I made it to the top 5 of the Paper Crafts Gallery Idol competition!!! YIIIIIIPPPPEEE! I am seriously in disbelief. WOW!!!!! Pinch me. Wait, if you're still jumping, don't pinch me yet. Ok, now you can pinch me!!!

Thank you so much for being my cheerleaders, I've felt your "go get 'em" comments and I even felt a few {hugs!} So, thanks guys! YOU ROCK! So, my next challenge is to create a card with a silhouette by Monday at nine mountain standard! I'll fill you in on Monday on how to get to the gallery!

Whew. That felt good. Thanks for sharing this moment with me! ;-)

No cards to share today!

Well folks-- nothing to share today! I have been so busy entertaining kids and working - no time to stamp this week! I did want to say - the voting for the Paper Crafts Gallery Idol closes today at noon. If you haven't voted and want to check my card out - I would be grateful! This is the semi-finals so to speak so I am crossing everything I have that I make it!!!

You can check out the link HERE and, just like here, I am "outtoimpress!"

Thanks! I'll be back tomorrow with Sharon's fabulous Stamp Simply challenge!!
See you then!



EDITED TO ADD: Head on over to my mom's site click HERE she's giving away some pretty cool blog candy. You won't want to miss it!!! She's giving away the "Rejoice" Christmas set from Flourishes, some paper, ribbon and monoadhesive plus anything else she decides to throw in!

Christmas in July Sale-- ending soon!

Hi all! Just a note that tomorrow is the last day of the Christmas in July sale over at Flourishes! All of their Christmas sets are discounted. No codes needed, the prices are already adjusted!

Well, to get in the Christmas spirit early, I decided to do an "inspired by" card! I went to an event recently and in the goodie bag was this little tin of mints. I loved the flourish, the silver and black contrast and the pop of another color. Here's a look at the tin....

And, here's a look at the card it inspired! I used the Damask backgrounder from Flourishes. This is my favorite stamp. When you need a quick and elegant background, this stamp is your "go to" stamp! I embossed it with silver embossing powder on black. I also embossed the reindeer as well. This guy is from the Flourished Christmas Set. I added some red satin ribbon, layered up the pieces, added a rhinestone to the nose, colored in the reindeer's eye and added a white "sparkle" in the eye with my Inksentials white pen and I was done! Super duper easy!

Some of the other DT members have a bit of Christmas inspiration on their blogs today too! Check out Faith, Leslie, Susan, Sharon D. and Linda!

Happy Wednesday everyone!!

Fall Leaves

I know it must seem a bit harsh to think about fall leaves now. I mean, are you ready for that at all? Not me! Seems like the summer just got started! This leaf stamp and saying is one of the newly released stamps from Impression Obsession! I love the swirls in the image and the solid stamp makes coloring the changing leaf fun! I just thumped a few different ink colors on each leaf to bring out different shades ! Then, when I put my card together, I went from light to dark to make it look like the progression of color.

Here's a close up!

Putting the card together was a piece of cake. I used my Nesties for the circles, my ticket corner punch for the corners on my piece of patterned paper cut out my leaves, added the saying - "To Everything There Is A Season..."and done! The embellies in the punched corners are hot fix nail heads (Kandi Kane)

Speaking of Impression Obsession, they have a brand new Guest Designer opportunity! Here are the details!

IMPRESSION OBSESSION GUEST DESIGNER CALL

How would you like to be a guest designer for one of the nation's largest rubber stamp companies? Impression Obsession is looking someone to put a creative spin on the great rubber and clear stamps that you know and love. We have more than 2,000 images in production at any given time and these images can be found at hundreds of stamp stores not only in the U.S. andCanada but six other countries worldwide!The guest designer position would be a three month commitment to help us with samples not only for our supplements and trade show displays but for our web gallery as well. Our store owners rely on the design team's creativity to seejust how many ways you can use I.O. stamps! If accepted, you will receive a handful of I.O. new releases to play with and create!

REQUIREMENTS:

1. Since our Senior Design Team uploads digital images to our gallery, we would hope you would be proficient in photo editing and be able to display your cards in an eye-pleasing way. Ninety-nine percent of the time, we use the artists images for our catalog and web gallery.

2. You would be required to make a minimum of 4 projects per month and display them on your gallery or blog giving credit to Impression Obsession.

3. Impression Obsession would have access to these designs for use on our web site, in our online gallery, for advertising, and in our electronic newsletter. We'll be sure to give you credit!

TO APPLY

Please send four examples of your best work to us at ioguestdesigner@gmail.com by August 30th. Don't forget to include a little bit about yourself, your name, address, phone number, email address, past design team work,when and where you've been published and blog or gallery address as well. Please note: Past work is not a requirement for a position with I.O. We are simply looking for talented designers. If you've never been on a team before or have never been published - that's Ok!.

Thanks for stopping by!!

p.s. Voting for the Paper Crafts Gallery Idol contest is still underway until Thursday at Noon MST. If you haven't voted! I'd love it if you checked out my card! I'm "outtoimpress" on the gallery! Click HERE to see all the cards. That page also has instructions on how to cast your vote!! Thanks guys!

Quotables.....

Well folks, the voting is up for the PC Gallery Idol contest and the entries are nothing short of amazing. Seriously. Everyone did a bang up job!! Everyone got really creative with color and shape!

The challenge was to use a quote on your card. Thanks to Viv Peters, I was able to use Santa and a holiday quote as my focal point! She sent me some lovely Cotton Scraps from Crafty Secrets a few weeks back!

This was MY card! I used the Santa in the Cotton Scraps and trimmed him down to eliminate the saying. I kind of weaved around when I sewed around the edge to give it a little interest and then I started to unravel the edges. Add some pearls in the corner, add a saying and distress the edges, add a loopy brad with satin ivory ribbon and a pearl and you're almost done! The strip of paper that separates the two patterned paper pieces on my card was sewn on as well. DONE!
Here's a close up of the Santa and saying! The saying is from Impression Obsession!
Hope you enjoy! If you want to vote.... click HERE and in the fourth paragraph at the top there is a link to the ballot. After you check the circle and hit done--- You're done! I am "Out To Impress" on the ballot!

Thanks for the votes and support! You guys rock!

A Sketch Challenge For YOU!

Just wanted to give you all a heads up! I have a fun challenge going in the Gina K. Forum! Want to speed stamp? All you need to do is use my sketch and make a creation by tomorrow Monday, July 28th at noon central time. The challenge is super duper easy! The fun thing about this challenge is -- the winner is chosen out of a hat! It's kind of like a stamping lottery! If you win, you walk away with a Gina K Designs set valued at 18.95 or or less!

Here's my creation.... It's made with the new 1 Free with 3 set from Gina K. Designs. You order three sets and you get this one free!


Here's a close up of the card! I just colored the cherries with watercolor pencils and added some pizazz with some Crystal Lacquer on the cherries to make them pop! Can't really see all that well. Trust me, it's kind of cool IRL! And here's the "official" sketch!! :-)

Once you're done, simply upload to SCS using the keyword: JULYGKDJK

Happy Sunday! Off to enjoy some family time!

News, BFFs And A Tag!

YIPPEE SKIPPY! I just got the news yesterday that I made it to the top ten of the Papercrafts Gallery Idol contest! Can't honestly believe it. I am super excited though. The next challenge is to make a card with a quote as its focus. So, I thought - "I don't really have any quotes!" What am I going to do? So, I say - I'll just go down and check to see if I have even one quote stamp. I have 13. Can you believe a girl doesn't even really know what she has??!?? I told my younger brother about the challenge and you know what he said? "I got one for you - you could quote Winston Churchill." I said, "What's the quote?" "I may be drunk, but in the morning I will be sober and you will still be ugly." HAHAHAHAHA! I still haven't checked to see if Winston Churchill actually said that. Brothers. I tell ya! Anyway, the cards will be up Monday so check back then about links and how to vote!! Thanks to all of you who have supported me!! YOU ROCK!


I got a fun award this week that I plan to pass on!! Paylin passed this on! How fun! I'm honored!! BTW, you should check out Paylin's site. She is amazingly talented when it comes to using punches creatively! Back to the award--- I hand this on to Deb, Diane, Jennifer, Barb, Janine, and MOM! And....Renee tagged me! I have to find 7 things to share that you might not know. Well I have had this tag before so finding something new might be really, really tough! But, I'll try! Meantime, I'll try not to bore you! Some of these my be repetitive because let's face it -- my life is only so interesting! LOL!

1. One of my "trips of a lifetime" was to L.A. to see the Grammy Awards. I was on the red carpet reporting for the CBS affiliate that I worked for at the time. Blue man group crashed my liveshot and made freaky faces at me!
2. My dad was an amateur race car driver -- thus my love for fast cars. It's genetic. It has to be!
3. I have a '77 Corvette that is a work in progress.
4. I'm afraid of heights.
5. My favorite color is red.
6. I could eat pizza every day of the week - veggie, barbeque chicken, regular - any flavor - just love it!
7. I've never traveled outside of North America.

I'm supposed to tag 7 people but why don't we just do this -- Wanna play? Just leave me a comment! I'd love to read your answers!

Ok... well now that your officially asleep from all that - hope you have a great Saturday! I'll be back tomorrow!

Stamp Simply -- Christmas In July!!

Hi all! Time for a frosty Friday Stamp Simply Challenge!! The temperature may say summer, but this challenge is all about Christmas! It's never too early to start those Christmas cards -- is it!?! You can check out Sharon's blog for all the official details!

My card really couldn't get any "simpler!" The snowman, snowflake and saying are all brand new just released at CHA stamps from Impression Obsession. Aren't they cute? I stamped them on white, colored the snowman and then used a 1-1/4" circle punch to punch them out. I used my Spellbinders circle Nestabilities to make the larger circle out of silver paper. I matted them up, added some bling to the snowflakes and was done with that part! I corner rounded two edges of my distressed blue strip and matted it on a piece of silver that also had some rounded corners. I used my slot punch (SU!) to create the slit for my sheer blue ribbon and silver embroidery thread. Tie the ribbon in a knot, add a sentiment in black ink and done! This could easily be a ten minute card!

Here's a close up to show how cute that little snow guy is! I am a sucker for snow men!!!

Want to see the other new IO stamps fresh for the taking?!?! Click HERE! Meantime, if you want a little more inspiration for this week's challenge-- check out:

Janine, Jennifer, Dee, and Tammy!

Happy Friday You All!!

Christmas In July!

What a better time to get ready for holiday stamping than when you have all the time in the world and it's 90 degrees out! I actually try to stamp most of my cards in the summer. When school hits - life becomes chaotic and it only gets harder to find the time to stamp cards for Christmas. Do you KWIM?

The good news--- I have the details on a great sale! Flourishes is celebrating Christmas in July! What does that mean for you-- 15% off all Christmas sets -- no codes needed! The sale price will automatically ring up when you place your order! The sale will run from Wed the 23rd through Wed the 31st.

To give you a little inspiration, the Flourishes DT all made Christmas cards to get those creative juices flowing. Mine is super duper easy! I used the set Rejoice.

I simply stamped the angel on a piece of steel blue card stock using Versamark ink. Then, using a soft brush, I brushed on some Pure Mica pearl powder. I love the sheen it gives - especially when the light hits it! You can barely see it, but this set comes with a square that has stars in it. I stamped that all over my base card using Denim blue Adirondack ink. The sentiment, "Alleluia," is also stamped in Denim ink. I matted my angel piece on silver cardstock. Add some Steele blue sheer ribbon and a smidge of silver embroidery thread and that's it! This is a super easy one to mass produce if you wanted to! I think it's going to be my card for 2008!

Here's a close up of the angel so you can see the shimmer! TIP: After you brush on the mica powder, take a Swiffer dry cloth or duster and rub it over your image. This "burnishes" the powder into the Versamark ink and gets rid of the extra powder. Keep in mind - you WILL be covered in sparkle regardless!! LOL!

For more Christmas card ideas, check out:

Leslie, Linda, Faith, and Sharon

Thanks for stopping by! See you tomorrow!

p.s. PC Gallery Idol contest ends Thursday at noon! If you haven't voted -- I'd love your vote!
Click HERE to vote for my card (I'm Out To Impress). Click HERE to see the gallery. Hope you like the card I made!

The Count Down Is On!

This Thursday- Gina K and her talented team of illustrators will unveil a handful of new sets perfect for summer stamping! Since the count down is on.... that means it's time for a bunch of sneak peaks!!

I was honored to be able to use this first set that Gina is giving you all a peak at. It's Asela Hopkin's new set called Flowers for Daisy. The wonderful thing about this set is not just the beautiful images, thoughtful sayings and Bible verses but the fact that for a limited time, a portion of the sales of this set will be donated to the American Cancer Society in honor of Asela's friend Daisy who is fighting a courageous battle with cancer. Doesn't that make dipping into your stamping budget a whole lot easier?

Since I wanted the daisy to pop, I wanted to make sure my overall card layout was really pretty simple. So, I added a scallop border, edged it with some darker green paper, added some 3/4" green grosgrain ribbon, stamped my saying and that part was done. I stamped the daisy on a 2-1/2 by 3" piece of white cardstock, used my ticket corner punch on two corners and then started to color. I edged only one side of my daisy with a very light blue Tombow marker. I used three shades of yellow Prismacolor pencils for the center of my daisy and then accented some of the petals with a slate blue. Since this was a bit dark at first, I went back over the petals with a white pencil to help blend the color and make it look more like subtle shading.

Here's a close up...
I matted my daisy piece onto a dark green cardstock piece, added two glazed brads (Basic Grey) and voila.... done!

Be sure to check out Gina's blog for all the release party details PLUS a sneak of her own! If you want to check out what some of the other DT members did check out:

Michelle Joanne Emily Asela

Thanks for stopping by! See you back here Wednesday! Hope you have a little Christmas spirit in you! :-)

p.s. Voting is still going on until Thursday at noon for the Paper Crafts Gallery Idol Contest! Click HERE to vote for my card. Click HERE to see the gallery. Hope you like the card I made!

Seeing Red!

Well folks, the Paper Crafts Gallery Idol is now officially in round two and the challenge this week was to make a monochromatic card! So... as the title suggests-- I am seeing red! I have red dp, red rhinestones, red ribbon, a red floral acetate overlay, a red rhinestone ribbon slide and red ink! The only stamping done on my card was the frame that is part of an Impresison Obsession Journaling I set and the word which is a part of the Word Frames clear set.

I admit, this card is a little out of my zone. Not my typical card but after fiddling and futzing, I decided to go with it! Hope you like!

Click HERE to see my card.

Click HERE to see the gallery

To vote, scoll down below my card and where it says Description- it says click here to vote for your favorite. Click on that link and a ballot should pop up with all the names of those in the top 15. I'm Out To Impress! Click on the dot next to the name - hit done and you've voted! Thanks so much for your support! It means the world to me!

Thanks so much for stopping by! Wish me luck! Voting ends Thursday at noon Mountain Standard Time!!!

New Stamps From Impression Obsession!

Hi all! Happy Sunday! With CHA just winding down, I've been given the OK to share some of the brand spankin' new images from Impression Obsession! So... today... let the fun begin! FYI, these images will be on the I.O. site soon and in retail stores that carry I.O. sometime in August!
This card is one made from the new fall stamps designed by Leigh Hannan. Carmel apples? Soo cute! This card was kind of tedious but you know me, I love to paper piece!! So, all of the elements are paper pieced. The carmel, the chocolate, the sticks, the candy corn. Everything. I had a blast doing it and I love the vibrant color now that the card is done! This one was actually on display at CHA. Wish my card could talk and tell me about all the fun!! LOL! The sparkle you see is from my Copic Spica pens and the rhinestones are those teeny tiny 2mm rhinestones!

Here's a close up! I love that little saying that goes with this stamp!

Now... to more fun news!!! I made the cut for the top 15 for the Paper Crafts Gallery Idol contest!! YIPPEE SKIPPY!!!! I seriously am off the charts excited and now am fine-tuning the card for tomorrow's gallery - the challenge was "monochromatic." Hhhhhhhm. That wasn't all that easy for me. My card is a little different than my typical style - so I hope you check it out and like it!

I'll post all the details here tomorrow at noon Mountain Standard Time when the voting starts!!

Well, my friends--- that's all she wrote! I'll see you back here tomorrow!

Stamp Simply 44-- Purple and Flowers

Hi All! Gosh, where did this week go? Seriously? Can it be the weekend already? Not that I am complaining - don't get me wrong. It just felt like this week whipped by at lightning speed!

With each and every Friday comes a brand new Stamp Simply challenge courtesy of the lovely Sharon Johnson! This week, the challenge is purple and flowers. BUT, your flowers don't have to be purple - you just have to have the color purple on your card with flowers! You can check out the details at Sharon's blog-- HERE! She is actually lucky enough to be at CHA right now - but she's still on top of it all!
My card is actually a card you could make in 10- minutes if you had to. All I did was cut out some 1-1/2" squares and then layered them onto squares I cut out with my scalloped square Nestabilities die (the one that is slightly smaller than a 2" square). I inked up the checkered lily from the Spring Ephemerals set from Flourishes and made sure to get different parts of the flower on each square. I used Sweet Plum and Bamboo Leaves Momento inks and I added some darker green accents with a dark green Tombow marker on the leaves. The paper is Basic Grey Euphoria and the ribbon is a lavender sheer. The saying, "smile," is from the Floral Fantasy set - also from Flourishes! After I matted all the pieces, I added some small self adhesive pearls just to give it a little more pop! This card base is actually from a set I bought from Hero Arts - the card measures 6 by 3 and comes with envelopes that remind me of the kind you get at the bank with the side flap. It's a pretty fun size to work with !

If you want more inspiration - check out what some of the other gals from the Stamp Simply team did! Dee bowed out this week because that lucky duck is at CHA!

Janine
Jennifer
Tammy

Have a fabulous weekend! Stop by again soon!

RAKs to share!

Oh my word - I was spoiled with lovely creations this week from some really talented folks in blog land!!! I can't even stand it! So, I thought I would share!

Viv Peters sent me this BEAUTIFUL card that she made with some Cotton Scraps from Crafty Secrets. She even sent me some fun holiday scraps to play with. Ok, first of all - off the charts thoughtful! Second, after you check out her card below, how could I possibly compete with that? It is gorgeous! I think I drooled on it!! :-) Click HERE to visit Viv's place!



My next show and tell is from the lovely Barb Schram. If you've never visited Barb's blog, you absolutely need to. Click HERE to check it out! I tell her all the time how stinkin' creative she is. Her creations make my jaw drop regularly! Not to mention, she's really funny and just a sweetie. It's been fun getting to know her since we are both on the Gina K. Guest DT. You can tell that by looking at her card! Isn't it too cute for words? She also sent THIS fun little gift for my kiddos! I tried to take a picture of it but it just didn't do it justice. Don't know why! So check it out on her blog! It's a fun idea for the little ones in your life -- especially in the summer! Thanks Barb!

The next creation came all the way north from Canada from my bud Diane! She not only made me a card but had matching accessories that came with the package. She nailed this one - it's not only beautiful - but she mentioned that she thought I would like it because I love the contrast of black and white in my cards. WOWZA! She's right! I love it! You can't tell in the picture, but she dabbed the centers of the flowers with liquid pearls. It just created such a lovely shimmer! The tin was even stuffed with some flower embellies and black rhinestones. Too cool!! Thanks Diane! You can visit Diane HERE!
And, last BUT NOT LEAST is a fun creation from my bud Janine! She was one of the first people I got to know here in blog land and I'm proud to call her a "sis" in our SBS5 group. She's got a fabulous eye for color and always creates cards with a unique flair. I'm actually not sure how to take this card though. A few months back she shared a story of how a number of years ago her house was overrun by lady bugs and it was so bad, she now hates ladybugs. What are you saying Janine?!?!? LOL! I still think it's a darling card!! :-) She also sent some fun clear stamps that I have already used! You can check out Janine's blog HERE!

Thanks so much ladies! You have no idea how much you brightened my day!! I'll be back late tonight with another Stamp Simply challenge! This one features one of my favorite colors!!

The Power Of Suggestion....

Hi all! Happy Wednesday! Do you want to know what I haven't used a lot--- but should pick up more? Clear cardstock! Sharon Johnson challenged me to use some of the new Flourishes sets with clear cardstock to come up with a card. Well, you know me. I have a bit of a competitive spirit - so, I said ,"sure!"

I thought the new Stamp Simply Thank You set would work wonderfully for a quick and easy clear cardstock card. The only tricky part of this card is first, cutting the tulip (which wasn't hard) and second, lining up your matting. So, stick with me. I'll show you how I did it all!


But first, a trick for you! If you've ever seen the ribbon that they carry in the Flourishes store, you know, you don't want to waste an inch of it! This might be an old trick, but I thought it was worth sharing - you never know who might benefit from sharing a tip or two!


First, I measured a piece of burgundy satin ribbon so that I have just enough to wrap around the piece I want to highlight with a tied knot.

After I adhere the ribbon to the back of my layer, I use the ribbon still on the roll and tie a knot on this piece.
This is the result! and you know what? I cut the ribbon off the roll and have ZERO waste! Yeah! More ribbon for me! LOL! The next trick is layering up my clear cardstock card. Well, this is fun. If you layer it up with enough pieces, you won't see an ounce of tape!

Here's a look at the card again. The front layer is actually the ivory piece matted on the red with the cut tulip on it. The inside front is the green decorative paper that I stuck to the inside by putting tape on the front of my dp.

Here's a look at the inside, so it makes more sense. On the right hand side, you are actually looking at the back of my green dp. On the inside left, is my ivory mat that I edged with a gold leaf pen and put on my "Thank You" sentiment.

And, below is the back - I layered this on the back to serve as another mat and to hide the tape on the back of the ivory piece. When you close it all up. All of the pieces are designed to layer up perfectly! Another tip? adhere your largest layer first. It is a lot easier to align this piece on your clear cardstock. Then, everything else can be matted to fit within the largest layer! Want to check out what some of the other Flourish DT was up to? Check out Leslie, Susan, Sharon, Faith, Linda, and Sharon D. for some more tips and tricks!

Thanks for all the nice comments and emails about the Paper Crafts Gallery Idol competition. The voting continues until Thursday at noon Mountain Standard Time. If you haven't voted yet - keep in mind, voting for this round changed a bit. Instead of using the "LOVE THIS" button to vote, you need to click on the card, and below the card it says - Description: Click here to vote for your favorite. Once you click that, a screen will pop up with all the contestant's names. Click the name with the little "check" and then vote! Not hard, just a few more steps! You can click HERE to vote! I'll find out Friday if I'm still standing! :-)

Framed Tulip

Hi all! The folks at Paper Crafts told those competiting that it would be ok to show the cards we did for the Gallery Idol competition here on our blogs --- so, away I go! This card is really rather simple! I created some frames with my oval and scalloped oval Nestabilities. Then, I took a small oval and made sure it was small enough to "float" in the center of the frames. I cut and embossed it and then left my die on as I sponged some antique linen Distress Ink to the center. I love this technique because of the soft frame and edge it gives your image! In the center I inked up the tulip in the Stamp Simply Thank You set from Flourishes. I used Momento Inks (just got them!) in Lady Bug, Sprout and Bamboo Leaves. Then, I went over the image with a damp water brush. I also stamped just the flower part of the image again, cut out a portion of it and secured it with a mini glue dot to give it a 3-D effect! The rest is pretty self explanatory - sew on the edges of a strip of decorative paper, mat up a chip board sentiment, add some self adhesive pearls and - DONE!

Here's a close up!

FYI - Voting ends Thursday at noon! If you haven't voted and want to--- click HERE. Keep in mind, voting for this round changed a bit. Instead of using the "LOVE THIS" button to vote, you need to click on the card, and below the card it says - Description: Click here to vote for your favorite. Once you click that, a screen will pop up with all the contestant's names. Click the name with the little "check" and then vote! Not hard, just a few more steps!

Hope you are having a good start to your week! I'll see ya back here tomorrow! It's a happy day in our house today -- my baby girl turns 5!!!!

p.s. I almost forgot! If you've ever been to Leslie Miller's blog Running With Scissors, you are probably like me - you drool at her watercolored flowers! Well, I happened to "interview" her on the Flourishes forum to find out how she does it! So, click HERE to check that out! She also had a tutorial Monday on her blog that is awesome!

PC Gallery Idol-- Let the Voting Begin!!!

Ok folks! The voting for the "Scallops" round is up and HERE is the link! THIS IS NOT HOW YOU VOTE THOUGH. This is just to see the cards. HERE is a link to vote and information on voting! If you look in the gallery, my card is on page two!

EDITED TO ADD: I was just told that if you click on my card, there is a link under the title Description that says "Vote to make this your favorite" or something like that. You can click on that and it will also take you to the voting page! You might have to turn off your pop up blocker in order to vote. Those that have a blocker told me it kicks them off the voting site!

Thanks so much for all your kind emails and words of support! This has been a bit nervewracking!!! :-)

Are You Ready To Rock???

A few days ago, I hinted about a "new project" my blogging bud Deb and I were working on! Well, the cat is out of the bag and we are ready to see who "rocks" in the world of stamping! If you love to blast music while you work on your latest stamp creations - then our new blog might just be playing your tune! It's called YOU KNOW YOU ROCK!


The first challenge is to take the CD that is in your player and be inspired in some way shape or form in your card creation. I didn't cheat! The CD rocking my player was the Black Eyed Peas. So..... Here's the CD cover....



And, here's my card....

If you want to check out the rest of the deets and take up the challenge - check it out HERE. You can also see Deb's fab card that's inspired by Mandy Moore and find out what you get if you win!

Can't wait to see what you come up with!

FYI: The next round for the Paper Crafts Idol will hit the web today at noon mountain standard time!!! To check out the competition and place your vote - click HERE. I hope you like the card I created for this round!

This Just In!! AGAIN!

For all of you who have been following the PC Gallery Idol contest -- here's the latest!

Due to some unforeseen glitches in the conversion of our old web site to our new web site, we encountered some major flaws in the voting system for Round 1 (patriotic cards) of Gallery Idol. In an attempt to restore creditability to this contest and ensure equal opportunity for the Top 20 finalists, the Paper Crafts staff has decided to start this competition over again.
The current Top 20 will receive their new theme on Friday, July 11. Their cards are due by 9 a.m. on Monday, July 14. Voting will begin at noon on Monday and run through noon on Thursday, July 17. The Top 15 will be announced on Friday, July 18 and given the next theme. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience and thank you for your patience as we try to bring you the best online community for paper crafters. We wish the Top 20 the best of luck in their quest to become the next Gallery Idol!

So, there you have it folks!! Stay Tuned!

Stamp Simply 43 -- Thank You!

Hi all! TGIF! Hope you have some fun weekend plans! Maybe you'd like to join Sharon for her weekly Stamp Simply challenge? This week, it's all about gratitude - thank you cards to be specific. How easy is that? Click HERE for all the details! Well, it sure was easy with this brand new Stamp Simply set just realeased this week from Flourishes called Thank You. Oh my! Each and every element is so elegant - from the beautiful tulips to the gorgeous script text - you need to check it out!

For my card - I used Versamark ink to create my background. On the dark green side, I used one of the flourish elements from the Flourished Elements set. On the other side, I used a text background stamp that is also a part of the stamp simply set! The tulip was colored up with ink pads - tea rose, olive and vintage green Vivid! After it was stamped, I used a damp aquaflow brush to spread the color out a bit over the flower and make it look more "painted." The saying, "With Gratitude" was stamped with Sepia Brown Versafine ink. Add a velvet pink ribbon and a ribbon slide and you can't get more simple than that for a Stamp Simply challenge!!

Here's a close up. I love this tulip image. It's so classic!

Need a little more inspiration before you get your fingers inky? Check out these gals from the Stamp Simply Team! Janine, Jennifer, Dee, Tammy, and Becky.

Pretty Poppies

Just when the poppies are in bloom outside, Flourishes released this new set to keep these gorgeous flowers alive all year long! This set is called Poppy Patch and it features different flower elements - flowers, buds, and even leaves so you can create your own field of poppies! I did two different cards with this set - one is a more traditional watercolor, the other - could be a ten minute card and has more of a contemporary flair!
For the first card, I stamped the poppy elements on watercolor paper using permanent black ink. I heat set it and then started painting my flowers with shades of red and orange. The stems were done in an olive green that I went back over a second time in spots to add shading. I also used some blue for a nice watercolor wash behind the flowers. The rest is pretty simple - I ran 2/3 of my card front through my Wizard with my Swiss Dots Cuttlebug Embossing Folder. I added another piece of red that had been matted with a strip of back. The tag is a Sizzix tag set. I used my Scalloped Square Nesties to use as my main mat. Add some black sheer ribbon and VOILA!

Here's a close up....


Here's my second card - my 10 minute card! All I did was stamp my poppies in black ink on some mosiac patterned paper. Mat this on an orange piece that is 1/8" larger. Add a scalloped edge, some polka dot ribbon and done! The saying is actually from the brand new Stamp Simply set called Thank You. This set is to die for as well! I'll have a creation using this stamp set tomorrow!
Here is a close up for you! I added white dots with a white gel pen just to give the flowers a little extra pop!

The other ladies on the Flourishes Design Team have been busy at work! So, be sure to check out their awesome creations! Sharon, Linda, Leslie, Faith, and Susan.

Until Tomorrow!

P.S. If you missed yesterday afternoon's post - the voting for the PC Gallery Idol is officially underway - click HERE to check it out!! Hope you like my card for this contest!!!

P.P.S. The fabulous Deb and I have collaborated on a rockin' new project and I can't wait to spill the beans!! Look for more details here on our blogs very soon!

P.P.P.S. A HUGE thanks to Bela, Janine and Deb for giving my blog the Brillante Weblog award. If you've never visited their sites -- check them out! They are all fabulous ladies with amazing talent!!!

PC Gallery Idol-- Let the Voting Begin!!!

HERE is the link to vote! I have to warn you - there are bugs and Lord only knows what they will do. Apparently, you can vote multiple times instead of just once like they said. HHHHhhm. No comment.

When you click on that link, I am on page two. If you click on the user name, the card will pop up and you'll see a "Love This" button. That's how you vote!!!

Thanks so much for all your support! You're the best!!!!!!

New and Fabulous Fun At Flourishes!!!

Gosh! It seems like I have been chomping at the bit to share some new creations with you using the brand new sets from Flourishes. They are amazing! The one I chose is called Butterfly Moments. I don't know about you, but I just love looking at the wings of a butterfly and seeing the gorgeous range of color and the shimmer. So, when I saw this beautiful butterfly, I just knew that I would have to pull out my Polished Pigments and Pure Mica powders from Luminarte! How can you get this look? Well, let me walk you through it!


You want to start with a piece of acetate and some Staz On ink. I usually stamp multiple images and store them for later use!

Once I cut out one of my images, I wanted to paint on the white spots on the wing. The best way is just to use a fine tip brush and some white acrylic paint. Here is what it looks like from behind.

And, here is what it looks like from the front! See those spots pop?

Then, I brush on some Duo glue. This glue is fun. You can brush is on and it dries tacky! So, it's perfect for this technique! Some of you might wonder why I didn't just put it through a Xyron. Well, I wasn't sure that the white dots would stay that way and I was worried to try. So, if you are brave and want to try using a Xyron instead-- let me know how it turns out! You can see in the photo below that the bottom of the butterfly is drying clear while the top is still milky colored. The glue isn't ready until it's completely clear!
When your glue is ready, take a soft brush and brush on the outer part of the butterfly. I decided to color it blue (Dutch Iris Polished Pigments). Here's what it looks like. It looks kind of messy. But, don't worry! You are cutting this image out, so it can be messy! No worries!
Now, brush the color out of your brush and color the second part of the wing with the deep purple (Royal Orchid Polished Pigments). The center part of the butterfly was colored with Pure Mica in the Scarab Beetle color. Here's how that looks finished from the back after I cut it out. Notice I didn't cut out the antanae? There's a trick for that... so stay tuned!
This is what your butterfly looks like from the front!

Now for the "trick!" I used my Spellbinders Nestabilities circle die to cut out a shape in deep a deep blue-purple. I wanted to pick up on the colors in my butterfly. I used the Damask background and stamped on this using a light blue ink. Versamark would also work! Then, I stamped my butterfly on this piece using black ink--- that's where the antanae come into play!
Since your image was fully colored on the back, you can actually use double stick tape to layer up your mica butterly onto your main image! It won't show one bit!! I matted my circle onto a scalloped circle. Then, on the main mat, I used Versamark Ink to stamp some of the other butterflies in the set. Add some of the new self adhesive pearls (in the Flourishes store), stamp your saying at the bottom and add some ribbon and you're done! Hope you try this technique! It's so fun and the shimmer it delivers is like no other!

Don't forget to see what Leslie, Linda, Faith, Sharon, and Susan cooked up for this release. Remember, Susan is announcing her blog candy winner! So, you have to check that out! And, of course, you can find all the new releases at Flourishes!!

I'll have more creations with the stamps from this release coming up tomorrow and Friday!

PC Gallery Idol

This just in... AGAIN!

From Paper Crafts:
I KNOW you are all wondering when the voting will begin. I was told they were going to have the new site operational by noon today, but it looks like they need one more day to iron out all the kinks. And unfortunately I can’t extend the voting deadline anymore. We need to be able to tally the votes on Friday and give the Top 15 a full weekend to work on the next theme. I sincerely apologize for the delay. But I promise the new web site is well worth the wait! I’ll send out an e-mail tomorrow when the voting begins (hopefully at noon). Then you can tell all your friends and family that it’s finally time to vote!

So, my friends, there you have it. I'm beginning to sound like a broken record--- I'll keep ya posted! :-)

An Orchid and IDOL news!

Hi all! Thanks for stopping by! I made this card forever ago and just realized - I never posted it here! It was from Gina K's release in late June. I just love Asela Hopkin's new images for Gina K. This set is called Botanical Dreams and it creates such sophisticated cards!

I stamped the orchid in Sepia Brown Versafine ink and then used watercolor pencils to color it. I actually printed off some photos of orchids just to make sure I colored it right. That's fun! Google "orchids" and man, you will be able to pull up library upon library of photos showing all the different varieties. The kind I chose is fairly common - a white orchid with blush accents and a vivid yellow center. After I colored my image, I distressed the background with a stipple brush. Mat it on a green piece of paper that is edged with the help of a gold leaf marker and you're almost done! I added the word "friend" (also in the set) on a strip of paper that I embellished with some gold embroidery thread and then matted everything on a piece of textured paper. Coloring is really the hardest part of this card and-- that's not hard!

Thanks so much for the emails and comments about the PC Idol contest! If you read yesterday's "This Just In" post, you know now why I have an intense love/hate relationship with computers. Voting is now set to begin at noon mountain standard time - so be sure to check back here for the link as soon as it becomes available. The good news is - the voting doesn't end until Friday at noon MST. So, we've got some time --- thankfully!!

Now to fun news from Flourishes! You have probably heard the name Faith Hofrichter before. She's the stamper who loves to have her cats help her in her stamp room, loves white dots, and has a son that is a little jokester! She often sprinkles stories of her day to day life on her BLOG in between fabulous creations. Well, I am blessed to create with her on the Flourishes design team. And, now YOU can hang out with Faith every Tuesday night in the Flourishes Forum! From 7 to 9 eastern time, Faith will be there LIVE to answer you questions. So, check it out HERE!

And, don't forget tomorrow the Flourishes fun begins with the reveal of their new stamp sets for July!! BEAUTIFUL new sets! As promised, I'll have a fun tutorial on using mica powders to create gorgeous accents to your stamped creations. It's one of my favorite techniques - can't wait to share!

Oh, I almost forgot-- Susan still has Flourishes blog candy! Check it out HERE!

That's it for now! I know, that was a lot to throw at you! It's a busy fun filled week! What can I say!?!? See ya back here tomorrow I hope!

This Just In!!

Just got this news from Paper Crafts Web Site about the PC Idol Contest!!!


Attention: We are in the process of converting our old web site over to our new site. Due to circumstances beyond our control, voting for Gallery Idol’s “Round 1: Patriotic Cards” will not begin until noon (MST) on Tuesday, July 8th. You’ll have until noon (MST) on Friday, July 11th to cast your vote for your favorite designer. The top 15 finalists will be announced Friday afternoon, and given a theme for the next round.

Stay Tuned!

Hi All! You might have read my earlier post and heard that the voting for the Paper Crafts Idol Contest started at noon (MST). Kelly who is on the editorial staff for the magazine said details on how to vote would come soon! Here's the clincher - Paper Crafts is about to unveil its brand new website and the PC Idol contest was supposed to be unveiled with this new change. Like anything technical-- there can be glitches! So, stay tuned and know I'll update you when I get all the details! Thanks so much for all your support-- it warms my heart!!

I'll be back with more soon!!

Julie

Sneak, Idol News, Candy and a bit of motivation!!

Happy Monday! I survived my camping experience - despite pouring rain and even hail! I don't think the camping gods like me very much! LOL! Actually, it was a great, relaxing weekend!

First things first- many of you read my news last Monday about being in the top 20 for the Paper Crafts Idol contest!!! Well, today the voting begins at high noon mountain standard time! The first round had a patriotic flair. I hope you like my card. I hope I earn your vote! Yes, my friends, I approve that message! Click HERE to head to the Paper Crafts site.

It's T-minus two days before the next Flourishes release and man, this one is spectacular! Want a sneak peak? Well, this is all you're getting! If you check back Wednesday, I'll not only have the full card, I'll have a tutorial on how to create beautiful additions to your card with a bit of sparkle!! So - stay tuned!

Want to see some other "sneaks?" Check out: Sharon, Leslie, and Susan!

Speaking of Susan, to go along with this week's release, she's offering up some fun Flourishes blog candy! She's giving away the Coffee With Friends set! This set is so fun- not only for the wonderful images, but the fabulous sayings! Click HERE to sign up for her candy. And, don't forget, if you already have this set, why not play in Sharon's Coffee Time challenge on the Flourishes Forum on SCS? You have until the 10th and there is even a fun giveaway on the line! Click HERE to get to the SCS link!

Speaking of the Flourishes Forum, every Monday you can hang out with me there for what I am calling Motivate Me Monday! Need something to get those creative juices flowing? Well, join me for a bit of Flourishes Fun! Click HERE for the thread!

Ok, that was a ton of info! Hope you stuck with me! Happy Monday!

A challenge like no other!

A couple of weeks ago, one of my stamping sisters with the SBS 5 - Sue Daly - put a challenge out on her blog. You sign up. She'll send you a bunch of goodies, and you need to come up with something - an altered project, a card, something with what she sent. Well folks.... this is what she sent! Cardstock, some embellishments, and a half finished card.

I have to say... this piece below- was my biggest challenge! While this piece of paper sparkles with a real mica flair and is really pretty- you know this isn't something I often use in my stamping room! Sue even admitted she stuffed this in just to see what I might come up with!! LOL!
This is the other piece that stretched my creativity a bit. This is the front....
And, this is the back! It's actually a pop can that she cut, painted and embossed! Isn't that the coolest thing? I am sure you won't look at a pop can the same way now!! If you want to see what else she did using this technique- click HERE.

I decided to tackle the piece of mica paper first! I actually had to email Sue to ask if I could make multiple creations with her package. She said, "yep!" So... I did!

I took out a stamp I haven't used in probably 5 or 6 years. It's a pear by A Stamp In The Hand that I stamped on a piece of black that Sue sent with Versamark ink and then I painted it with Polished Pigments by Luminarte. I chose a rust, a lime green and a gold. I used the mica paper as a mat and then matted my pear onto a piece of the green Sue sent and the rest of the black was run through the Wizard with my scalloped rectangle Nestabilities die. Add a base card, a strip of paper that was stamped with a "pear" background stamp and some luscious black sheer ribbon and.. DONE! While this is a card that I would probably never have created. I think it really turned out neat! Sue definitely stretched me beyond my typical creative limits!
If you want to see how she made this paper - click HERE. And, THIS is a card Sue created with this background!

Here's a closeup of the pear, showing how I "painted" it with the powders! The powder sticks to the Versamark and the ink acts as a binder so you don't have to seal your work. Pretty cool!
I actually felt kind of guilty about this next creation! This is the half finished card Sue sent. I thought it was such a neat layout that it needed something kind of simple for punch. I didn't want to take away from the paper, the layout and the ribbon! So, I grabbed my Spring Ephemerals set from Flourishes and the set Many Sentiments- also from Flourishes and a black in pad - and that's all I did!!!

Here's Sue's card before...

Here it is after....
The fold is really interesting. Right where the ribbons are, it opens. Very cool!
The last card I created was using the pop can embellishment, and a scroll like embellishment. I looks actually like an iron on. Sue did send a piece of navy cardstock that I used as my base for the card. I used a flourish style stamp (Autumn Leaves) and Versamark ink and stamped it down the side. I used some of the cream paper she sent to punch out a circle and matted this on a slightly larger cirlce that was punched out of pearl paper. Add some fun sheer seafoam ribbon and you're pretty much done! I actually made the navy card smaller and matted it on a tan piece of paper that Sue sent.
Here's a close up of the embellishment. I added a seafoam colored adhesive backed pearl to bling it up a bit!!
Finally, This last card is one that Sue sent with her package! It is really, really, sparkly!! There is such a beautiful range of color. It makes me want to drag out my whole set of Pure Mica powders and Polished Pigments to create! Check out how she did this card HERE.

Here's a close up so you can see this brilliant color!
Thanks Sue for the fun challenge!! It was a blast! Check Sue's blog out HERE. She's one talented stamper!!

Have a great rest of the weekend! I'll be back tomorrow to share a RAK and some news about the Paper Crafts Idol contest!! Stay tuned!

Stamp Simply-- Make mine girly!!

Hi all! Happy Friday and Happy Fourth of July to all my American friends! Our family is headed out for one of American's favorite pastimes-- camping! This will be the first time in roughly 3o some years that I have been out in the wild this way! I was about 4 when I went last -- and you know what happened? I decided to get behind the wheel of the family van to play"driver" and next thing I knew I was rolling down the hill headed for a tree. My dad ran and jumped in the rolling vehicle but not before my mom got hysterical and the van crashed into a tree! Oh, the joys of camping! Guess it scarred me!! :-) I am "pretty sure" my mom can laugh about it now!!

Time for another Stamp Simply challenge. Click HERE to go to Sharon's blog for all the official details for ssnotime42! This one is not red, white, or blue. It's soft and girly! That's always en vogue - right? Well, when I heard that is what the challenge was- I knew just the occassion I would make my card for -- my daughter's birthday! My little diva is going to be five! Well, I wanted the message to be for a "princess," so, I used THIS set from Flourishes, designed for Mardi Gras and changed it up a bit! I used the crown for my little princess and then used the Harlequin set for the lower half of my card front and behind my crown in a light pink. I used my Spellbinders dies for the scalloped oval and oval shapes. I added some black satin ribbon and some bling and that was pretty much it for the front. The pink bling in the Harlequin diamond is actually a pink hot fix nail head. It gives just the right amount of shimmer!

Now, comes the fun part--- the saying! The top part and the flourish line are both a part of the Many Sentiments set also from Flourishes. The bottom part was done with the help of my computer-- Happy Birthday to the Princess In Training! I think she'll like this! I know she'll like the sparkle!! Those are super duper teeny tiny rhinestones that I got at my LSS. I think they are 1 or 2mm.
Here's a close up of the crown! I love this and can see using this for a whole bunch of other uses... Wishing friends birthdays fit for a queen, You're the Queen, Queen for a day, etc!! FUN!
If you need a little more inspiration - check what these ladies cooked up!

Janine
Jennifer
Dee
Tammy
Becky

Have a great weekend! I'll be back Sunday with more fun!

Coffee Anyone???

Oh goodness. I wish you knew how much I LOVE coffee. I started working at a coffee shop when I was still in high school, and haven't stopped sipping since. Has anyone ever tried Jamacan Mountain Blue? It was a coffee that way back in the 80s sold for 40 bucks a pound. Yes, I have even sipped this! Ok, getting off the topic here! My point is - I love coffee and I love stamping and now - I can combine both!!

This set is the Stamp Simply set "Coffee With Friends" from Flourishes. The sayings are perfect! I still had some of the coffee stained paper left from another project-- so I used it as the base of my card. I stamped the large cup on my coffee stained piece of paper using Versamark ink, embossed it with gold detail powder and then paper pieced the cup with some gold accented Penny Black paper. The steam was stamped over top the cup and accented with a light brown marker. I matted this on a piece of medium brown paper and again on the decorative paper. I attached this to the matted card base with foam tape to give my card a kind of "sleeve" for my saying. The sentiment says, "A cup of coffee shared with a friends is happiness tasted & time well spent." I matted this and accented it with three loopy brads along with some sheer brown ribbon (May Arts)

Here's a close up of the sentiment that slides into the back of the mat! Yes, I even used another coffee bean as an embellishment. It makes my card smell like the real thing!! LOL!
Do you have this set? If you do, you should enter the challenge on the Flourishes Forum on Splitcoast. HERE is the link! All you need to do is create a card or project with the Coffee With Friends set as the main focus, upload to SCS and then link it on the thread above. You have until the 10th of July and can enter as many times as you want!! The winner recieves a goody package from Flourishes' Sharon Johnson and will be announced on the thread!

So, cheers to you! You know I'd have you all over for coffee if I could!!

Before I go, I wanted to say a special thanks to Paylin and Jany who both awarded me the Brillante Weblog award. Wow. Thanks so much! You have no idea how you all brighten my day when you stop by and say "hi!" I would pass this one along - but it's so hard. I know that is a cop out but it is sooooo true - too many great blogs out there. If you want to see the ones I visit almost daily - just check out my blog roll. They all deserve this award!!!

BIG news and a challenge!

I'm goin' to Hollywood!!!! Ok, I am laughing pretty hard at that. I found out today that one of my cards is now a finalist in the Paper Crafts Idol contest. WOW -- It is a huge honor. Out of 774 entries, the editorial staff whittled the list down to 20 and I can't even believe I am saying this -- I made it! You can check out the details HERE. You can also check out the other cards there too! The idea is basically like American Idol. The top 20 are chosen in open auditions and then from there - YOU decide! So, I'll need your help in the voting!

Now for the challenge!! It's time for another Impression Obsession Design Team challenge! Kelli Richardson is the Challenge Queen of IO -- her challenge - to make a card that sparkles! Well, I hadn't used my Circle Elements 2 set yet. This set rocks for creating edges around die cut circles plus it has sayings and floral elements! So, that's what I used. I used a 1-1/4" circle punch to create my turquoise base circles, I added a flower from the set on top of that with turquoise ink and then added the star like flowers (also from the set) on top by stamping them in brown and cutting them out. I popped them up a bit with foam tape and gave them the sparkle! Each flower has a hot fix crystal in the center! It just dazzles. Photos really don't show how sparkly! :-( The lower right corner has my sentiment - it's the word circle in the set that says "True Friends." Very mod!

To see what some of the other gals came up with-- here's the links! Be patient - they'll be uploading at different times of the day Tuesday!!

Daniela
Penny
Laura
Deborah

See you tomorrow!