I was going to post this yesterday but the server my blog is hosted on crashed for a while last night. When it came back, I went and tried to publish again, but more than half my post was gone! :( Anyway, it was late so I left it until today, ugh.

My card today is based on Julee’s Mojo Monday 41 and using one of my favourite sheets from the new Memory Box paper pack. I didn’t want to cover up the paper I used instead a piece of vellum cut in one end with a scalloped scissor and heat embossed a swirl in white on the other side.

The satin ribbon is one my mom had in her stash and I embellished it with one of the scalloped ribbon sliders that I had been hoarding for the “perfect” time to use.

The Elzybell image is a RAK that Charlene sent me and I colored it with the following COPIC markers: R20 (Blush), RV11 (Pink), E00 (Skin White) E21 (Baby Skin Pink), E33 (Sand), W1(Warm Grey n°1) and W3 (Warm Grey n°3). I followed this blog post tutorial about shading with greys when you don’t have the right color. Great tip!

I’m a real slacker when it comes to participate on Julee’s sketch challenge. Truth be told, so many layers really intimidate me :P But I always like the result so I’ll try to participate more often!

Stamps: Girl on swing (Elzybells NA), Elegant Flourishes (Autumn Leaves), Mixed Messages (Papertrey Ink).
Inks: Versamark (Tsukineko), Purely Pomegranate classic ink (Stampin! Up).
Papers: Grove paper pack (Memory Box), Purely Pomegranate cardstock (Stampin’ Up!), light brown textured cardstock.
Misc: Paper flowers, 1/8″ silver brads, ribbon slider (Stampin’ Up!), cream satin ribbon, Seafoam white embossing powder (Ranger), scalloped edge scissor.

Hi people! Today’s card was inspired by the Hero Arts blog club and Jennifer McGuire’s blog :D It was a very quick an easy card once I had decided on all the elements I wanted to use.

Again, it’s not a card that opens, the message is “hidden” behinf the scalloped circle with the bird image ;) I was happy to find the video tutorial because I really wanted to use this orange textured cardstock (and all I got was a 5.5″x4.25″ piece of it :P) and the orange striped ribbon in combination with this yummy bird paper.

I stamped the bird on white cardstock and painted it with prismacolor pencils (but toned the colors a bit using distress ink). There’s also a very light blue outline/shadow that I did with a COPIC B000 marker. Then I stamped my sentiment and adhered it to the scalloped circle (that I cut with a scalloped edge scissor… look ma, no nesties or punches! :p) with foam tape.

So… the magic part!

Not the best shot, but you get the idea :) I stamped the bird again on this circle with distress ink (but I stamped it 3 times first on scrap paper, without reinking the stamp, for a very light impression so it won’t bother when I write over it, mhuahahaha). It “swings” because the two circles are hold together with a small brad (that I hid with the upper white circle).

And that’s it! I’m very happy with this card because it was rather quick, like 20-25 minutes… considering it usually takes hours! :P

Stamps: Decorative Birds set (Hero Arts), Mixed Messages set (PapertreyInk).
Inks: Onyx Black Versafine (Tsukineko), Tea Dye Distress Ink (Ranger).
Papers: Aerial paper pack (Memory Box)Orange textured cardstock (unknown! :P), K&Co patterned paper, white cardstock.
Misc: Pumpkin Pie grossgrain striped ribbon (Stampin’ Up), Prismacolor colored pencils, COPIC marker & colorless blender,  scalloped edge scissor, Crop-A-Dile, 1/8″ silver brad, foam tape (3M).

Hi and welcome! :) This is my first time participating in PTI’s bloghop, I hope you enjoy it. I was very happy that this bloghop featured papers I could print, although I didn’t got very bright colors (blessed be image editing softwares!)

So, I have some step by step instructions for this one, please get comfy because it’ll be long, lol. I’m sorry I don’t have any pictures of the process, my batteries decided to fail me when I did this project :(

• Trim textured cardstock to 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″, score at 4 1/2″ and fold. Round corners with a paper punch.
• Cut “windows” out of the cardstock. I used a squared page from one of my notebooks, by drawing a template of 4×4 squares for each window and 1 square as border, poked holes on the corners of each 4×4 windows to serve as guide and trimmed with an x-acto knife (like connecting the dots). I guess this must be easier with a paper punch.
• Trim inside squares. I used the same template as for the outside, but trimmed it 1/16″ larger on the sides. Round corner with a scalloped edge scissor (line one of the scallops with your corner) and glue them to the inside of your card (where you write a message).
• Trim transparency sheet (or acetate) to 3″ x 4 1/2″ and stamp it with white ink (I made some dots with the ladybug trail from PTI’s “Little Lady” set) and glue to the back side of the front (right beneath your windows).
• Punch paper figures (I used a cherry blossom punch) and adhere them to the center of each window using dimensional tape. Mix n’ match patterns :)
• Grab some coordinating ribbon, wrap it around your card front and tie a knot (you may secure it in place with a glue dot).
• Stamp sentiment with brown ink over white cardstock and punch it out (I used the scalloped circle punch and made it look like the word window one :P)

And that’s it! If you liked my project, please don’t forget to vote for it on the PTI BlogHop thread :) Thank you so much and have fun browsing the blogs!

Stamps: “Little Lady” set (Papertrey Ink).
Inks: Burnt Umber Palette (Stewart Superior), Cloud White Versamagic (Tsukineko).
Papers: “Father Knows Best” samples and Stamper’s Select White Cardstock (PTI), White bazzill cardstock.
Misc: Cherry blossom paper punch (CarlaCraft), transparency sheet, satin ribbon, scalloped edge scissor, medium corner rounder (EK Success), paper piercer, foam tape (3M).

Hi everyone! For today’s card I’m using some of the awesome stuff Laura sent me as birthday gift,  THANK YOU THANK YOU! ♥ *hugkisesslovelove*

Yesterday was the birthday of a dear friend of mine, José, so I made a birthday card in his honor. I know it’s not purple, but I don’t have purple paper right now, sorry! :( Anyway, Happy Birthday Celph! ♥ *morehugsloveandkisses*.

Yesterday I also got some eBay orders, the circle punch and my Crop-A-Dile… and I’m loving both! Though I had a hard time at first setting eyelets I later realized it was because I was trying to set 1/8″ eyelets with the A-3 setting, lol! (on my defense, I was crafting at 1am!).

I loved this patterned paper and wanted to use it in a card, I was lucky enough to have COPIC markers in the coordinating colors! (YR02 -Light Orange- for Groovy Guava and W3 -Warm Grey N°3- for Sahara Sand). I was also NOT lucky because I don’t have Sahara Sand cardstock, so I grabbed another paper (which was mostly this color) and stamped it with the Polka Dot Background (love it! The PTI one is soooo going down on my list now).

I originally had colored and punched two birds, but I decided to use only one on the front, so… I adhered the other one to the inside of the card, as a little decoration! :)

And there it is. I think it’s the first time in a long while that I didn’t use any sketch and/or color challenge, makes me proud of myself :)

Estivalia.

Stamps: “Decorative birds” (Hero Arts), Polka Dot Background (Stampin Up!), “Mixed messages” set (Papertrey Ink).
Inks: Burnt Umber Palette (Stewart Superior), Groovy Guava classic ink (Stampin Up!).
Papers: White cardstock (misc), “Fall Flowers” designer paper and Groovy Guava cardstock (both by Stampin Up!).
Misc: Groovy Guava stitched grossgrain ribbon (Stampin Up!), 1/8″ silver eyelet (misc.), Crop-A-Dile, Scalloped circle punch (Stampin Up!), medium corner rounder (EK Success), Coluzzle.

Today was ultra-super Happy Mail Day! :D I got the Crop-a-Dile I bought from eBay and…. an awesome box full of goodies sent to me by Laura!! (we were actually a little worried it had gone lost, so it was a “fangirl” attack when I got it this morning!).

Anyway, I played with my new goodies but I had actually started this card yesterday, that’s why there are no new goodies in it -but soon! lol.

So, this is my entry for Mojo Monday #27, I just fliped the layout horizontally. It’s Mojo Madness people, so get your entries done!! I’m not very convinced about mine, so I’ll try again tomorrow.

Also, I found out my crappy embossing was not the fault of my nearly-dried Versamark. I’ve always had problems with the coverage of images but yesterday I tried several times and it was the same thing again… even though I just refilled my pad! So, I’m assuming it’s my embossing powder. Probably, I don’t even know what brand it is (I got it in a trade, and came in a plastic baggie). So, I’m getting that next.

I added some Stardust Stickles to the polka dots on the ladybug… extra sparkly, yum! I also added some spark to the ladybug path with other clear glitter pen.

I wanted to try and mix black with some pastel colors. I think I didn’t fail so terribly :)

Estivalia.

Stamps: “Little Lady” set, “Mixed Messages” set (both by Papertrey Ink).
Inks: Jet Black Staz-On (Tsukineko).
Papers: Black, pink and celery cardstock (misc.), Polka dot patterned paper (Sandylion).
Misc: Black stitched grossgrain ribbon, Stardust Stickles (Ranger), Stardust clear glitter pen (Sakura), flower paper punch, medium corner rounder.

Today was happy mail day, I got my goodies from Stampin’ Treasures. I can’t begin to say how much I LOVE that store. They had most of the things I wanted and what they did not, Diane was kind enough to special order it for me. Amazing customer service, I tell you, and very good shipping rates :)

I’m very happy for this store’s service because it’s been a rough week for me, as an international stamper. A few days ago I wrote to eP to ask for some items they had on sale and they replied that they are no longer taking international orders (which disappointed me a little, I had my eyes on some stuff). Then, yesterday (or was it the day before?) PapertreyInk announced that they’ll only offer insured/certified mail, doubling the shipping costs for their international customers.

I think it is a bit unfair, that most stores have some sort of discount (or free shipping) for their U.S customers and they won’t give us an equivalent discount. I mean, even with a $10 discount I’d be inmensely happy.

Oh well, enough ranting for a day. Back to my new goodies…mI got these gorgeous Hero Arts bird stamps I’ve been wanting since last year, some patterned paper, a new inkpad and some really needed refills for old inkpads :)

So, you know me… I couldn’t resist using my new toys art supplies, right away. In need of a starting point I based this card on the Mojo Monday #22 sketch.

The bird was stamped in dark brown ink and colored with the following COPIC markers: W3, B00, Y00, Y11, Y17. Then I cut it out and adhered it to a scalloped rectangle with dimensionals (mated with vellum).

Next to it I adhered a small orange fabric flower, and my sentiment over it, it’s a 9/16″ circle. I used two sentiments from a PapertreyInk set to make it, in different colors.

I don’t think this card looks nice enough, considering the amount of time it took me. I blame it on that I’ve been having headaches the last few days, because of the meds I had to take for the spider bite. This was the last day of them, so I should be back on track by tomorrow or later. Thanks for visiting today :)

Estivalia

Stamps: “Decorative Birds” (Hero Arts), “Mixed Messages” set (PapertreyInk).
Inks: Burnt Umber Palette (Stewart Superior), Tea Dye Distress ink (Ranger), Soft Sky classic ink (Stampin Up!).
Papers: “Aerial” paper collection (Memory Box), cream textured cardstock, white cardstock, vellum.
Misc: Fabric flower, scissor, COPIC markers, scalloped square punch (Marvy).

Hey… looks like I’m going in a “Little Lady” phase, LOL. The stamps are new for me and I have to make up for months of wanting this sets, sorry :p

Today’s card is also my entry for Mojo Monday #23 (Mojo Madness), a challenge by Julee Tilman from Verve Visual.  I’ve just decided to make a new resolution, to participate at least twice a month in some sort of challenge or contest. I’d love to be part of a design team (… sometime) and the challenges put me out of my comfor zone.

Also, there’s only stamping on this card, no fancy patterned paper :) That said, I started by wanting to make a ladybug in its own colors (because of a comment Patty posted earlier) so I grabbed out white, black and red cardstock and inks.

I made my “patterned paper” in the background with the medium and small flowers and the ladybug trail that comes with the set and distressed the edges with my scissor.

On the red layer there is some paper piercing and the black border is not really a layer, I painted the edges with a COPIC black multiliner (a faux-layer technique Heather posted some long time ago on the OSA group). And there’s another faux brad on the flower… I really need to get some colored brads, lol.

So, I’ll leave you with the supplies list, take care and thanks for looking! :)

Estivalia.

Paper: White, red, black cardstock and vellum (no brand in special)
Stamps: “Little Lady” (Papertrey Ink)
Inks: Jet Black Staz-On (Tsukineko), Scarlet (Colorbox - Petal Point), Cloud White Versamagic (Tsukineko).
Misc: paper flower, 1/4″ handheld circle punch, pin, scissor, foam tape and double sided tape.

Hello! Sorry I’m posting a little later than usual, but it’s because I wanted to spend some extra time on today’s card (and my connection has been messing up with me, again) because it’s my entry for the “Honored Guest Sketch Challenge Contest” by Verve Visual. I was very happy the contest was open to any stamps, since I haven’t had the chance to get my little hands on their sets yet :p

The wings of the ladybug are embossed with clear embossing powder and since my Versamark is dying the powder didn’t stick well. I don’t mind, it gave it an extra texture that I couldn’t capture in a picture, but I’ll try tomorrow.

The centers of the flowers are “faux brads”, I punched some patterned paper with 1/4″ circle punch rounded it with a en (without ink… I guess pretty much like a stylus) and adhered it with foam tape to the flowers.

I like this card but I think there’s too much of that purple paper. Good thing you can enter more than one card ;)

Estivalia

Papers: White cardstock, light blue cardstock, “Lilykate” (Basic Grey)
Stamps: “Little Lady” (PapertreyInk)
Inks: Burnt Umber Hybrid Palette (Stewart Superior)
Misc: flowers, ribbon, medium corner rounder (EK Success).

And this is the last of the cards from my tote thing I started like, a week ago or so :) Now I have to buy some envelopes and have it ready to be mailed ♥

This card measures 4 1/4″ x 5 1/2″ and the base was made with Groovy Guava cardstock (even though it probably looks funny in the picture).

I didn’t use any of my SU! sets, instead I grabbed my newest sets that were already sitting on the table. The flowers look funny because I went over the border with a clear glitter pen (also on the center of the smallest flowers).

I made the ribbon using a PDF I got from Lauren’s blog (she said these are also on the Martha Stewart’s page). I t was really fun but it’s not that easy to view in the picture.

So I took another one, for a little detail (you can also see the little paper piercing I did on both edges of the vellum layer)

Thanks you so much for visiting today, I’ll try to think of another theme to start, it really helps to get the creative juices flowing :)

Estivalia.

Papers: Groovy Guava and Purely Pomegranate cardstock (Stampin’ Up!), white cardstock, vellum
Stamps: “Little Lady” and “Mixed Messages” sets (PapertreyInk)
Inks: Groovy Guava and Purely Pomegranate Classic inks (Stampin’ Up!)
Misc: Ribbon, pin, medium corner rounder (EK Sucess), Stardust Glitter pen (Sakura)

So, as I said yesterday, I couldn’t wait to get some ink into my recently arrived stamps. I love them! they take the ink so much better than my other clear stamps (by Autumn Leaves), even dye inks.

Y’know, sometimes I’ve read about people loosing some of their stamps in the mess of their desks and I my reaction was “*gasp* how could someone loose a stamp?!”. Well, considering how tiny (and transparent) these are, I now wonder how anyone could not loose one.

Of course, my alignment could be better, but I think that will improve over time and with a lot of practice (meaning this sets will see a lot of ink, lol).

It’s hard to see in the picture (yea, only I could have the amazing idea of shooting a picture of a white card in a white background, lol) but the front is 1/4″ shorter than the back of the card. By the way, it’s a 4 1/4 square card :)

Oh, and thank you everyone for the tips on using clear stamps! As most said, conditioning them does not make any noticeable difference, but using a mouse pad behind the cardstock when stamping does! All my images turned out great thanks to you. Love ya, girls! :*

Estivalia.

Paper: White cardstock, pink textured cardstock (probably Bazzill?)
Stamps: “Little Lady” and “Mixed Messages” (Papertreyink)
Inks: Burnt Umber Hybrid Palette (Stewart Superior), Versamagic Pixie Dust (Tsukineko).
Misc: Scalloped edge scissor, medium corner rounder, hobby blade.