I'm a Ginger Gem!

My cardinal christmas card I created for the Gingersnap Creations Blog, Challenge #84 "Snow, Pine and Mahogany" was awarded a Ginger Gem.

I get to put a Ginger Gem blog badge on my sidebar!  Yay!!!! 

Sharon
Jan.25/2011

It's Official! Stamptacular Sunday Challenge Blog

It's official....I can now announce that I will be Guest Designer for the month of February on the Stamptacular Sunday Challenge Blog.

I'm so excited, yet nervous at the same time.  I'll be planning the first challenge this afternoon after I get back from walking Penny. BRRRRR! Although the sun is shining, it's -25C with windchill of -31C, so we won't be out too long today;  more time for creating.

Sharon
Jan.24/2011

Paper pieced - mouse in teacup friendship card

The is the first time I've tried paper piecing an image. It was a bit picky cutting out around the flower petals twice in order to layer the image, but I like how it came out. The paper makes the teacup look like fine china. I also thought to make a pocket inside the card to hold a teabag.  I have a friend in the Valley who is just finishing chemo treatment for breast cancer, so hopefully this card will cheer her up.

The card is based on the weekly sketch challenge at Card Patterns . Patterned paper is by Basic Grey, yellow layer scrap of Stamping Up; Pink and Green Bazzill. Scalloped circle is cut on my Cricut from the "Lacey Labels" cart at 3".  Image and verse is by Inky Antics "Teacup Mousies" coloured with Copics. Ribbon and teapot charm. EK Success small scallop punch, and Martha Stewart lacey scallop punch.






Challenges:

Card Patterns - Sketch #99

If the Shoe Fits #63 - If you've got a Friend

Paper Cutz #73 - Your Choice

Stamping for the Weekend #2 - Getting Warmed Up - cup of tea

Sharon
Jan. 23/2011

Another Woo hoo!

Woo, hoo! My artsy glitter card was chosen out of 47 entries as "Top 4- Cream of the Crop" at Cropstop challenge blog for their Stickles Challenge.  Thanks so much!!!!
I get to put a "Cream of Crop"badge on my sidebar.

Haven't done any stamping this week, so will have to do another challenge this weekend to keep on a roll.

Sharon
Jan. 21/11

Woo, Hoo! I'm a winner!

I noticed on Simon Says Blog this morning that I had randomly won the $25.00 gift certificate from Simon Says for their masking challenge (my bird tag).  Doing the happy dance.........

Goes to show you just never know when it might be your turn to win something by entering challenges.

Sharon
Jan.19/2011

Artsy Card -Embossing, Glitter and Twinkling H20's

Today I was going through my older stamps and found one I always liked - an unmounted collage of a woman's face with butterflies. Sorry I can't tell you who makes it as I got it years ago. It's nice to give some of our older stamps some LOVE occasionally!  (wink!)

This card was inspired by the wet embossing challenge at There She Goes, bling challenge at Creative Paint and stickles challenge at Crop Stop. It certainly came out a lot different from what I usually create.

The image is embossed with black detail EP, and coloured with Twinkling H20's - Moss Green, Key Lime, Bashful Blue, Blue Ice, Chiffon Pink, Angelwings, Bronze Medallion, Egyptian Gold, Plum Blossom. I also used a lot of different coloured Stickles glitter on the image to highlite the butterflies, and the lady's eyeshadow - gold, copper, black, turquoise, purple,& diamond. It's too bad I can't get a good pic of the twinkling sheen, but it definitely shows the Stickles glitter!

Patterned Paper is by Basic Grey "Kioshi" layered on gold Bazzill, and Black Bazzill Bling; a metal clip holds some fibres along with gold cord strung with glass beads; and a flower rhinestone scroll on the lady's face. Verse "Imagine" is embossed with Black EP.


Sharon
Jan.18/2011

Challenges:

Pile it on #3 - Anything Goes

Creative Inspirations Paint - Bling


Crop Stop #2 - Add Some Stickles

There She Goes #90- Wet Embossing  - Image stamped with Black Detail EP and coloured with Twinkling H20's

Stamp Something Friday Jan 14th - Anything Goes

TH Tattered Florals - Organza Flower

I bought a roll of wide organza and made a few flowers using Tim Holtz' Tattered Florals alterations die. The technique is easy- just give the outside edges of the petals a blast with your hot embossing gun and it causes the ribbon to curl up.  Be careful not to heat too closely as the ribbon will melt very quickly.

The papers and chipboard sticker are from a card kit by My Mind's Eye. I love the shades of brown and blue together! I also used a wide scroll border and leafy branch punches by Martha Stewart; ribbon by Stampin'Up!, petite scallop Nestabilities die and a few prima flowers. I made this card for a friend who is having day surgery soon.

Entering it into Play Date Cafe challenge - photo/colour inspiration:





Sharon
Jan.12/11

Challenges:

Play Date Cafe Challenge #64- colour inspiration

Simon Says Challenge Jan.10 - Masking...... Bird Tag

I was on a roll stamping today, then I goofed up on this tag. How you say??? I started it for the Compendium of Curiosities Challenge #27 Distress Masking at Studio L3, and I read the instructions from page 61 of Tim's book, instead of page 60. Duh!!!!!! 

Well all is not lost, as the challenge at Simon Says for January 10th is for masking as well, and over at Our Creative Corner, the challenge is bird themed.

I sponged Tim Holtz Tea Dye, Antique Linen, Broken China and Tumbled Glass Distress Inks for the background over a branch & bird mini mask by Heidi Swapp. While the mask was still in place, I stamped TH script background, and spritzed with Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist "Iridescent Gold". I wrapped TH music tape across the tag, and placed stickers (by Crafty Secrets) in the upper corner spelling the word "SOAR".  A bit of sponging with Tea Dye takes away the stark white edges of the stickers.  The bird's nest is from an older set by Stampin' Up! called "Feathered Friends", coloured with a pale blue Copic marker on the eggs, cut with a scalloped circle punch, sponged on the edges, and enhanced with a real feather. I cut a bluebird from Crafty Secrets stickers and glued behind a TH oval facet to embellish the top of the tag, along with a bit of ribbon and fibres.

Doing the CCC challenges at Studio L3 has certainly taught me how to use all Tim Holtz' goodies!!!



Sharon
Jan. 10/2011

Challenges

Simon Says Stamp & Show - Masking

Our Creative Corner - Hey Chickadee - bird theme

Sketch Saturday Challenge #137 - Valentine for daughter

After I came home from the "Y" this morning, I made a card based on the Saturday Sketch Challenge #137.  I'm not happy with the picture....I took several and the colour did not come out true on any of them. Actually, the Bazzill cardstock is more red - sort of like Stampin Up's Rose Red colour. In my pic, it looks salmon which doesn't look good with the light pink heart piece.

My new doggy stamp is by Penny Black (#3786F "Crush"), and is a Dalmation with lots of spots.  I coloured it much differently to look like my daughter's new puppy - Bella, a dark liver coloured Springer Spaniel.  She has a white section across her back all the way from one hip to the other, near her rump that looks like a stripe! LoL.  When she looks out of her crate, all you see are her blinking eyes in her dark face. I put Crystal Glaze on the eyes and nose to make them pop a bit. On the stamp, the doggy is holding a heart which I covered with a pink felt one for added dimension.  I  hope I have captured the likeness in this image, and I'm sure my daughter and son-in-law will know it represents Bella.




Sharon
Jan.10/2011

Challenges:

Saturday Sketch Challenge #137

Anne's Creative Nook #119 - Hearts

Let's Ink it Up #8 - Anything Goes

Crafty Cardmakers #37 - Use Red and a Die Cut

Cupcake Craft Challenges #124 - Something New - Penny Black doggy stamp

Valentine - Rusted Grunge Key

Today it's snowing, so it's a good day for crafting!  The snow is a bit wet and quite heavy causing it to stick to all the tree branches. There are two huge pine trees right outside the window by my craft table. They're so pretty to look at right now with the chickadees flitting amongst the branches.  

I'm up for another challenge and it's "Rusted Grunge" at Studio L3 (page 45 of Tim Holtz Compendium of Curiosities book). It's the first time I've tried this technique and I'm pleased with how it came out! I don't have the Tim Holtz key & lock alterations die, so I cut a vintage key from the Cricut October 31st cartridge out of grungepaper. I used Tea Dye Distress embossing powder and Brushed Corduroy Distress ink to cover the key.

This shaped card was cut from the Cricut "Christmas Cards"  winter seasonal cartridge on Design Studio at 10-1/2" x 4-3/4" and folded in half. On the pink script background paper, I sponged Tea Dye and Aged Mahogany Distress inks randomly, and also on the edges. The doily edge was stamped with Pumice Stone Distress Ink (border stamp from set "Tea at Elsies" by Kaisercraft). For the heart, I went to my paper scraps folder and found some coordinating prints to cut with Spellbinders Nestabilities heart & scalloped heart dies, also sponged on edges.The verse on the heart is from my new Tim Holtz "Love Struck" stamp collection inked in Aged Mahogany. I just got some new Tim Holtz Adage Tickets and picked out the Love one for my card - these are so cool! There are 96 to a booklet with many different words. The flourish stamp on top and bottom of card is by Inkadinkadoo.  Embellies are pearls, and heart & arrow rhinestones from the dollar store.

Sharon
Jan. 08/2011

Challenges

Studio L3 Compendium of Curiosities Challenge #26 - Rusted Grunge

Simon Says Jan.3 - Show newest stamp  My newest stamp set is Tim Holtz "Love Struck" collection - the verse on the heart

Crazy for Challenges #69 - Colour Photo Inspiration

Stampin' B's Challenge #92 - Something old, something new  (something old is Nesties Heart dies; something new is grunge technique, and Tim Holtz Adage Tickets)