Shadow Box

Yes, I am still living. Life just got way too busy and something had to give. Things are still busy but I have a stamp night coming up and a day I got to actually stay home (until soccer) so I decided I should actually make one of the cards that I sketched out while I was sitting a play practice. Our Home Educators graduation/program is next week, we finish school tomorrow, Soccer ends next week so life may just slow down a bit. It has been so long, I almost forgot how to blog (or stamp). I've lost my rhythm.... Well anyway...back to my card.

One of my customers requested we do a shadow box card. So this is the one I made up for that night. I cut 2 pieces of card stock 4.25" x 5.5" I scored each edges at .5" and 1". I then used my coluzzle to cut out the center circle. I stamped En Francias Background on the river rock in the background. I adhered the edges on with the red sticky tape. I put the dots around the edge of the scallop circle punch with the white gel pen. I cut out the center flower with my paper scissors and that is mounted on the background with a pop up glue dot. The pearl is from the Pretties kit and adhered with a mini glue dot. The flowers on the outside are punched out with the Boho Blossoms punch. I sponged around the edges with Soft Sky ink. I punched the corners with the rectangle punch and tied the stitched ribbon. How's it look Liz? :)

Stamps: En Francias Background, Baroque Motifs

Paper: River Rock, Soft Sky, Whisper White, Chocolate Chip

Ink: Soft Sky, River Rock, Chocolate Chip

Accessories: Coluzzle, Boho Blossom Punch, Scallop Circle Punch, Rectangle Punch, Pearl from the Pretties kit, Soft Sky Double Stitched Ribbon

Circle Sketch

Did I go overboard on the sketch challenge? I just kept adding and adding and adding. I tried to keep the image simple. I have vowed to stop hoarding the hodge podge hardware since I read the the finishes in the current catalog will retire with this catalog. I cannot wait to see what they are coming out with to replace it. I guess the layout kind of reminds me of my schedule fo rthe next 2 weeks before school gets out.

Stamps: Stitched Background, Short and Sweet, A Tree for all seasons

Paper: Mellow Moss, Always Artichoke, Groovy Guava, Bali Breeze DSP, Whisper White

Ink: Always Artichoke, Groovy Guava, Close to Cocoa, Soft Sky, Mellow Moss

Accessories: Coluzzle, Photo Corner Punch, Large Oval Punch, Hodge Podge Hardware

Vellum Dragonfly

Last week Britta made a Vellum cardstock card. I thought I would give this a try with this card. The colors came from the color challenge today. It is hard to see but I stamped the dragon fly with Pretty pink all over the vellum. The main image was done with markers on the stamp. I then covered the image with versamark and embossed with Iridescent Ice Embossing powder. The inside layer is not visible but it is a half of an inch bigger with whisper white ands Lovely Lilac. I was so tempted to grab my Blossoms Abound for this set because the colors would go so perfect with a flower set. I pushed it out of my mind and tried for something different. I sponged Pretty in Pink on the sentiment. I did not want white white and I thought the pink pink would be too much too.

Stamps: Bugs and Kisses, Circle of Friendship, Baroque Motifs

Paper: Vellum Cardstock, Pretty in Pink, Lovely Lilac, Whisper White, Certainly Celery

Ink: Pretty in Pink, Lovely Lilac, Certainly Celery, Versamark

Accessories: Iridescent Ice Embossing powder, Circle punches-1/2", 1", 1 1/4", Scallop, Wide Certainly Celery Grosgrain

Off to clean my numerous fishtanks....can you see the smile on my face....

Diorama Card

I hope you all had a great weekend! Today's technique challenge was to do a diorama card. The directions can be found here. May is a very busy card month in our family. We have sooo many birthdays and anniversaries it is hard to keep up. I spent a few hours Saturday morning making sure I had my cards all laid out for the month. I keep one of the clamshells from the background stamps on my desk. Either at the beginning or the end of the month I make a list of all the cards I need for the month. I try to get the envelopes all addressed, cards signed cards in them. Then all I have to do is drop them in the mail on the right date. Well, I was short an anniversary card for a very close friend. I do not think she will visit my blog before Friday, but if she does....Happy Anniversary Lisa!

I did leave out the center section of this card. After it was all done it took away too much. Plus since I framed the front box I wanted more depth and I did not want it to take away from the image. The image was stamped with versamark and embossed with black embossing powder. I removed some of the blue by painting certain areas with bleach in my Aquapainter. Then I was able to paint with re-inkers and the aquapainter. The sun was done by punching out a 1 3/8" circle in some scratch paper and sponging the color in. In order for the sentiment to fit I had to color with the markers. Originally the words are side by side and not one on top of the other. I also used the marker to remove the "you" from "Love you" to go on the outside of the card.

Stamps: Summer by the Sea, Short and Sweet, Hugs and Wishes

Paper: Bashful Blue, Basic Black

Ink: Bashful Blue, Apricot Appeal, Summer Sun, Old Olive, Lovely Lilac, Ballet Blue, Not Quite Navy, Pumpkin Pie, Cameo Coral, Creamy Caramel, Garden Green, Basic Black

Accessories: Bleach, Aqua pens, Black Embossing Powder, Large and small oval punch

Dad's Circle

Every time I look at this card the image reminds me of a Dad's root-beer bottle top. It was not intensionally made to be that way, it is just how it looks to me now. Today was the Limited Supplies challenge. The challenge had to do with circles. Here is what we were allowed to use:
Stamps: any
Paper & Ink: any
Embellishments: any
Tools: circle punches, circle die cut shapes, circle cutting systems

The dad's stamp is embossed and popped up on a glue dot (Can you tell I love those things?!?). I bought some of the colored brads and I also know I will be getting more of those on my next order. I use to color them myself with craft ink and embossing powder. I love that I can just grab and go. I wanted an image/sentiment on the lower right hand side but I did not want it ti over power the main image. So I decided to punch out my circle, and use it to sponge the inside. I kept it as a template over to stamp the "You're the man" on the inside. As long as I had the sponge and the chocolate chip ink out I sponged around the edge of the medallion and the DSP. I did sponge Really Rust around the edge of the Groovy Guava too. Sorry for the bad picture. My battery was flashing red and I tried to hurry before it died. They are charging now....

Stamps: Dad's Day, Doted Background

Paper: Chocolate Chip, Afternoon Tea DSP, Really Rust, Groovy Guava, Whisper White, Wild Wasabi

Ink: Chocolate chip craft and classic, Groovy Guava

Accessories: Clear embossing powder, Rich Regals brads, Scallop Circle Punch, 1" Circle Punch, 1 1/4" Circle Punch, 1 3/8" Circle Punch

Have A Great Weekend!!

Crimped Lighthouse

So the Ways to Use it challenge today was to makes ruffles or pleats. I chose to crimp. I crimped my Not Quite Navy layer and the photo corner punch. I honestly tried 3 other background stamps before I just went back to the Sanded. I do not know what I will ever do if they retire that one...The ribbon is from the package that Sue sent me as a RAK. I colored the image with the re-inkers and Aqua-pens. The sky I just sponged around the edge and then went in a tad bit.

Stamps: Short and Sweet, Winds of Grace, Sanded background

Paper: Kraft, Bravo Burgundy, Not Quite Navy, Whisper White

Ink: Not Quite Navy, Sahara Sand, Apricot Appeal, Certainly Celery, River Rock, Bravo Burgundy

Accessories: Ribbon Original ribbon, Jumbo Eyelets, Crimper, Designer Label Punch, Large Oval, Small Oval, Photo Corner Punch