Play Time with Dies, Embossing Folders and Stamps

So what else is new, LOL.  Die-mania still has me in it's grips.  Recently acquired dies from SSS and Memory Box are keeping me happy in my die addiction.  Add a few stamps, washi tape and embossing folders and I am good.

I wanted to make a congratulations card for a friend and ended up making two.  I have to now toss a coin as to which one I will send her.  They are so different but I am quite happy with the two looks.

Card one:  I like the fresh colors and the lively flowers...I can't recall the maker of the clear stamp flowers I used unfortunately...I tossed the insert card before writing it on the plastic sleeve they are stored in...rats.  Anyway I colored a few of the flowers with my Stabillo White pencil.  Love how the white shows off the pen line drawn flowers.  Wahsi tape for the center diagonal and the die cut label and sentiment are from Simon Says Stamp.  Card stock and panel are also from SSS.

Card two:  The party lanterns are a new die for me from Memory Box.  Such a fun, festive die to be used for all kinds of occasions.  My first reaction was to use it for an Asian themed card and add the  Good Luck Kitty from Hero Arts.  Background panel was embossed with a folder from Cuttlebug adding to the Asian look.  Patterned papers are from SSS.  Sentiment is a stamp from Club Scrap's Natural Resources collection.

Paper Artists Online "Anything Goes" ATC Swap

I haven't done an ATC swap in over a year.   But when this Anything Goes invitation popped up I couldn't resist.  My desk is littered with multiple false starts with totally different themes.  I was determined to create a bird theme of some kind since I recently purchased two excellent JudiKins bird stamps.  Total Fail!  What that was about I just don't know.

Then it came to me in the 11th hour (literally) to do a coffee theme.  I have a vast collection of coffee stamps.  I enjoy making my double espresso soy lattes twice a day at home.   I make great ones I might add:)   BINGO!  This quirky little piece of art just came together quickly.

All stamped images (with the exception of coffee cup) are from Clearartstamps.com.  I love the 50s art style.  That cute little to-go coffee cup is a stamp and die from Stamps of Life.  Background done with Distress Stains and images colored with Distress Markers.

I titled it "My Favorite 3 Roasts".  Each coffee cup has the names of my preferred fresh roasted beans:  Monster Italian, Black Pearl (currently enjoying) and Jump Start.

My espresso machine is calling...must go and press a cup.


Thanks for looking.

Monthly Sketch Challenges

Each month my friend Jen posts two card sketch challenges on two different sites.  I look forward to each first day of the month to see what she has thrown our way for inspiration.  I am never disappointed.

Below are the two cards I made for each challenge.  I know I wouldn't have made these had it not been for Jen getting us to work outside our every day ideas.  Thanks Jen!


Submitted to Club Scrap Forum:


Kraft card stock with all Club Scrap stamps and ink

Submitted to Paper Artists Online Forum:

Club Scrap card stock and chicken wire stamp,  WPlus9 Design Studio Dies, Hearts & Clouds, WPlus9 Design Studio Clear Stamp Set, Heartfelt Mix and Memory Box Dies, Resting Birds which were die cut from assorted papers from Simon Says Stamp kits.

PAO Art Journal Challenge

This weekend I joined in on the PAO Art Journal Challenge as part of the celebration of National Scrapbooking Day.  I learned a lot!  I learned I don't know much about art journals and how they are constructed with multiple applications of gesso, matte medium, gel medium and so on.  But that didn't stop me from striking out on a slightly different path, creating one anyway and enjoying every minute of it.

What I did do was explore and play with chip board, gesso, stencils, masks, inks, Dylusion Ink Sprays and Distress Paints.  Loved every messy minute of it.

First I started with cutting chip board into 6x6 squares for the pages and added large shipping tags for additional journaling space.

Covered each page in Gesso, front and back.

Now came the fun part of using Distress Paints to color each page plus I found some items to adhere to a few of the pages before painting.

Next I started adding stenciled images with Dylusion Sprays and stamped bold flower and feather stamps by Alisa Burke using Distress Paints.

Finally I bound the whole mess with my Bind-It-All.

His and Her Cards Day Three : Sympathy Cards

Only had time for one of the challenges today.  I chose this inky watercolor look.  This card folds with a pocket inside.  The extra card with the sentiment inserts into the pocket.  Stamps are from Club Scrap: leaf stamp from Natural Resources and flower from Blossoms collections.

His and Hers:

His and Her Cards Day Two: Set Two

I don't know how I feel about these cards.  I was iffy on them but thought they would be simple enough to try just the same.  I kept to one look and used it for both masculine and feminine.  The idea was to die or color pieces of sheer vellum with alcohol pens or what ever was handy.  Anything could be used here.  Distress Stains, ink pads, etc.  I used my Spectrum Noir markers for this.


Her:   I think this looks better in the photograph than in real life, LOL.   I will say that using the Scotch brand Vellum Tape to adhere the pink squares works great.  It's invisible.  I used a different glue for the banner and it needed to be covered up...hence the flowers.

His:  Rather dull.  I will add something to this card if I get around to using it.

His and Her Cards Day Two: Set One

Another day another batch of cards.  First set was a very interesting lesson in colors of the rainbow.  At least for the Her card.  I just went with my gut feeling rather than try to follow the actual steps shown in how to add these colors in rotation.  I also did not have a solid stamp for this challenge so just went with this fern-like leaf stamp.  I am pretty happy with the results.  I stamped the rotation by eye rather than using any device to position the stamp each time.  It worked!

Her:

His:  Same idea and stamp as used above but using white pigment ink and more muted, masculine colors.  I particularly like this one and would use this technique of "ghosting" again.