Wednesday Scrap Group

It's not really a scrap group exactly.  More of a diverse paper arts group really.  I, along with good friend Jen when she can, meet up at a local scrapbook store in my neighborhood.  I've only been doing this since the beginning of August.  This group of ladies has been so welcoming and sharing of ideas and materials.  So this past Wednesday I worked on the below card.  Sad to say I spent most of my time there on this one card!  But it's fun to be in a creative environment and take my time discovering one of the latest stamp sets in my PTI arsenal.  The set I played with from PTI is called Mums the Word.  There are also matching dies you can add to this set which or course I couldn't resist.  Anyway below is the outcome of my playing with the new stamps and dies.

Once I was done I then played along with one of the very generous ladies showing a technique she had learned in a recent card class.  It involves ink, stencils and stamps.  What could be more fun?  I liked this easy technique and will try to do some more on my own.

Two cards in a day!

Wow, I'm on a roll, LOL.  But I did make two cards on my cards-to-make list today.

First is my submission to the Club Scrap challenge, NBUS Challenge - Animal Stampin'.  Pam has given us a great challenge in her monthly "Never Before Used Stamp" - we must use a non-flying animal in our card or project.  This was not easy to find a CS stamp, that hadn't been used, that wasn't a flying critter.  I was coming up empty until I remembered this beast.  It may be a bit on the fantasy side but it has 4 legs and hooves...works for me!  All stamps (NBUS) are from Club Scrap's Haberdashery collection.

Next is my card I will be sending off to my assigned PAO - OCAM recipient for September.  I am early for once.  The steam panel and coffee cup stamps are all from Michael Strong's set "Hetty's Coffee Cup".  I used my Spectrum Noir Markers to color in the images.  Background is a print from Club Scrap's Welcome collection.

Thanks for looking:)

MFT Card Sketch Challenge - September 2013 - week 1

This is the first time I have made and submitted a card to this weekly challenge.  It is always hard for me to follow a sketch and therefore is the fun and the challenge.  I am a stream of consciousness crafter so following a pattern is out of the comfort zone.  I knew that this card had to involve the MFT birdhouse die.  From there, it was by the seat of my pants but being sure to include all the components within the sketch.  I really enjoyed it.  But it literally took me all day!  I started around 10am and finished about 4:30 pm!

Here is the sketch I followed

I did not have any of the above MFT dies so I improvised with MFT dies that I do have.  Matter of fact, all stamps and dies are MFT.


Starting with a 6x6 tan card base (yeah, big) I layered it with a green panel.  For the "arrow" I used the MFT Homespun Birdhouse die along with the birds.  The house is stamped with Washi Patterns as is the small feather.  Sentiment in the chip board bubble is from Document It - Right on Target.  The light green layer beneath the red panel is Vertical Greetings II die.  Red printed panel is from Club Scrap "Welcome".  Finally I had to add feathers, of course, so I used Accent it - Feathers and Arrows.

Thanks for looking!

Jen's September PAO Sketch Challenge

I need to go to bed.  But I can't until I post this card.  I'll be quick and just say that all items used for Jen's Sketch were used for the first time.  Embossing folders, stamps and papers.

Thanks for looking and goodnight!

Paula Best Challenge

My buddy Jen and I came up with a challenge over at PAO to use any Paula Best stamps, or Michael Strong stamps or stamps that beg to be colored.  I was first drawn to Paula's stamps 17 years ago because of her vibrant and creative use of colors for her samples at the stamp shows.  Her sophisticated, whimsical collage stamps were so ahead of the times.  I discovered her stamps at my first craft show and probably spent an hour at her booth agonizing over what stamps to buy.  Each year I added to my collection.  But I haven't touched these beautiful designs in years.  Neither has Jen...hence the challenge.

I pulled out my assorted markers, a combination of PITT India Ink and Distress Ink Markers and went to town.  Then I used a stencil never before touched to create the background on black glossy card stock with Distress Paints.

Thanks for looking

Skidding in under the wire.

That's me.  My inspiration works on it's own schedule but today I had to light a fire under it.  Actually this card has been tumbling in my brain and came out fairly close to how I imagined it.  I say under-the-wire because tomorrow is the last day to submit a card to my friend Jen's card sketch over at Paper Artists Online, AKA: PAO.

Jen's sketches always stretch me.  I had a great time with this one and even...well kind of...stayed close to the sketch.  The sketch's main focus was a banner.  Being a coffee geek I chose to use coffee cups for the banner.  I stamped the JudiKins background swirls stamp on Kraft card stock with aqua and brown inks.  Die-cut coffee cups are Memory Box.  Cup border is an old favorite of Paula Best's.  French press pot is from Just for Fun and the Coffee Break is a clear stamp that I have no name on.


Thanks for looking!

Adirondack Chair Card

Oh dear!  It's been an entire month since I posted anything here.  What the heck have I been doing?  Well for one thing I've been acquiring dies, LOL.  And this Sizzix Pop Up Die by Karen Burniston is a favorite of mine.  This is my first serious attempt to create a card scene.  Not much of a plan here, just my usual stream of consciousness type card.

I began with a base card stock from Club Scraps' Autumn Splendor collection.  Long gone but I have just a few sheets of assorted prints and solids.  But this print was the perfect base for a wood floor with its streaks of browns against a lighter brown background.  The remaining printed papers, (with the exception of the table...Authentique) are from Basic Grey's Hey Girl 12x12 pad.

I gave the cat (Memory Box) stripes using a Copic Marker and the lamp base was embellished with a Pentel Sunburst  gel pen....yes, one that actually works!  The table, lamp, picture frame and rug are all cut out from Sizzix embossing folders created for this Pop Up die.  I cut the two pillows and kitty cushion from scraps used in this card.  I embellished the two pillows with flower patterns, using a black PITT pen so they looked a little more 3-D.  And finally, a cute little bird on the lamp shade, exasperating the cat.

Thanks for looking!