Saturday, July 30, 2011

Technique Junkies 1-4-1 and Blog Candy

   The Technique Junkies newsletter is a HUGE source of inspiration for me.  In our Yahoo group, we share inspiration by sharing cards and tips, and can choose to join a monthly 1-4-1 swap.  This month my partner was Betty A.  This is the card I sent Betty:
 I used a Technique from the June/July newsletter called Spray Away- it is very shimmery IRL. The girl image is from an unmounted plate from Rare Image Rubber Stamps and the sentiment is from SU.  I stamped the girl more than once and layered her on the background- she is colored with Copic markers. I dotted on some white gel pen for added accent.

Here is the card Betty Ackley sent to me:
 The technique is called Color Sandwich- I love the image and the background folder combination, and Betty's play on color. 

 The Rare Image Rubber Stamps I used- well- I LOVE this sweet sheet of stamps, so I thought I'd offer one as candy. The owner is a Technique Junkie- Nancy Judd.
Here is a picture of the entire sheet of images:
  If you would like a chance to win this sheet of stamps, just leave me a comment below. I will pull a winner Saturday August 6th.

If you want a second chance at the images, post the image on your sidebar and come back and leave a SEPARATE comment. 

Please don't forget to leave me a way to contact you!

Thanks for stopping by! Shelly

Friday, July 29, 2011

Bloggers Challenge-Embossing

 The Bloggers Challenge this week is Embossing:
 I used the Cuttlebug and did Cuttlebug Embossing and highlighted the raised areas.

  Ohhhhhh  the sewing gal in me LOVES the Doily images that are out now......I found this doily..or Mandelas image (3 in the set for $1.00 and there are three sets available) at Daisy Doodles. I wanted to try coloring with my Prismacolor Pencils on Kraft...errr Crumb Cake cardstock.  I did start to color in the image with Prismacolor Pencils, then I eyed my never been opened Smoosh...and I added smoosh on the flowers.

  Bloggers challenge is open to all- come play along with us!  Our Challenge Mom Lisa gives us a challenge each Friday- sometimes a sketch, sometimes colors.....



Challenges:
Daisy Doodles-anything goes
CardmadFairy's Digi Days- Oh so girly
Craftysentiments- Polka Dots- on the ribbon and flowers
Stampin B's- ribbon
Cheerful Stamp Pad-going around in circles
Crazy Challenge-ribbons
Stamps & Fun-No sentiment


Thanks for stopping by!
Shelly

Monday, July 25, 2011

Aspen leaves

I made some cards for a friend who invited us to stay at her home in Keystone when she heard we were traveling to Colorado to visit our son earlier this month. I took a picture of the Aspen tree right next to her garage, and picked a few leaves off of the tree to bring home with the hopes to create cards.

First off, I printed 8 3 x 5 pictures of the Aspen tree on Text weight Cryogen White (which fit onto one sheet of the cardstock). I used the picture on all but one card.

I called on my fellow Technique Junkies and Gingersnaps Yahoo friends to give me ideas for what to do with leaves on cards- the first idea was from Juliet- who had received a beautiful card where the leaves were covered with Crystal effects and another TJ'er also suggested trying coating the leaf with Modge Podge or regular glue. 

I used Olive Basis cardstock, stamped with Canvas background (SU), edge punched (SU) on Safari Brown and added the picture and the leaf.



Now I do have to add that after the crystal effects were added to the two leaves one started getting brown lines- I did pick a leaf with no bumps or irregularities, so I am not sure what to say about this...I did disregard the leaf with the brown lines.

Next, I used Kraft cardstock , layered on Safari Brown and added leaf images- I used the actual leaf and embossed them using Mellow Moss Pigment ink and clear embossing powder and gold embossing powder.I added some speckles to the Kraft for interest with a stamp.



I simply used my fingers to press the leaf into the pad- use gloves if you do not want your fingers to be all colored with ink...... You can see that the leaf does not have very pronounced veins- so Acrylic paint did not work too well for this project.

Next, I rolled three leafs together- through the Cuttlebug. I was hoping they would leave pigment, like flowers would, but that did not work. So, I laid them on white cardstock and sprayed them with green Memory Mist.





Next, I embossed the leaves in gold, and edged the green panel in Gold embossing powder.



 I put the leaf in Versamark and very carefully and slowly embossed it with the Gold embossing powder. I held the heat far away from the leaf and took my time embossing it- this is because if you hold it closer, the embossing powder bubbles up. I used the wonderful textured Ivory cardstock in a CAS style.
Some of the ladies in TJ and Gingersnaps suggested ways to emboss without making the powder burn or bubble- put the leaf in the over at 200 degrees, etc..... Also, there is a tutorial or two at Gingersnaps for working with embossing leaves and using them on cards.

My last cards- I used the shimmery Poison Ivy cardstock- Ooohhhhh this is so pretty IRL! It is very slightly off white and very shimmery. I added the picture of the Aspen tree and very lightly Gold embossed the edge of the picture which is on a mat of black. The Gold leaf is on a background of shimmery black Sparkle Noir cardstock that is also edged in Gold embossing powder.



I think my friend will like the cards- what do you think???

Have a great day- stay cool!!!

Shelly

Saturday, July 23, 2011

Bonibleaux Designs and Dude Time Doodles Are Turning One!

Bonibleaux Designs
and
Dude Time Doodles

are turning ONE!!

There will be a celebration with some fun events.

Please save the date...

August 24th

for the first annual Scavenger Crawl.

Please grab the badge and post it to your blogs.  Help spread the word.  There will be prizes, special guests, prizes, and great fun had by all. 

Oh, and did I mention prizes?

Stay tuned for information.
Thank you! 
 

Thanks for stopping by! Shelly

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Creative Belli 122- Christmas in July


The Creative Belli challenge is a Christmas inspiration challenge for the next two weeks. Our inspiration piece is this beautiful Christmas china that belongs to our design team member, Karen Wallace. Thank you Karen for providing us with such lovely inspiration to create our cards and projects.
The spirit of the Belli challenges is to encourage you to use your OLD and FORGOTTEN embellishments!

I used the colors of the china as my inspiration and played around with more SVG files:
  Everything about this card- except the sentiment circles (digi image from McMahon Five Designs)- are SVG files that I cut out using my electronic cutting machine and the Make the Cut.  I imported an octogen shape and joined it to make it into a card (that folds). Then, I imported a scalloped octogen for my flower background. The flower SVG is from McMahon Five Designs and is available NOW as a FREE digital image AND as a FREE SVG file.  This flower works beautifully as a tropical flower OR as a Poinsettia, don't you think?
The Papers I used are: Incandescent  in Rosso and Candido and Mica in the gold. The Green paper is from my stash : )

Here is a close-up of the card so you can see the shimmer better.:


Be sure to stop by the other Belli Girls blogs to see what they made for you today....you will find lots of awesome inspiration!!! If you upload a card to Splitcoast, PCP, Stamp TV or another online gallery be sure to add CBC122 in the keywords section.

Anne Harmon Jessica Stockmeyer,  Joan Ervin, Maria Matter Mary Marsh
Karen Wallace Joy Hadden Robin Parker Ceal Prichard

Challenges for my card:
Digistamps4joy-Christmas
Die Cuttin Divas- Octagon die cut card shape
TipTop Tuesdays- Shaped Cards
Crazy Challenge-Christmas in July
Karen's Doodles- Shaped cards
Paper Creations- Christmas in July
Crafty Pad- Christmas in July

Thanks for stopping by! Hope you are staying nice and cool!
Shelly

Sunday, July 17, 2011

SU Workshop cards

 My friend Kim signed up to be a SU demo, and has a monthly workshop which I try to attend to support her- she has the greatest projects, and I love having everything cut and ready to go.....: )
 Kim does not have a blog, so I wanted to post the projects for inspiration..........
 #1- We embossed the flowers and trimmed the edge, then sponged the embossing and the edges.  We stamped in Pink Pirouette on the white and sponged the edge of the white.  The sentiment is stamped in Gray and embossed in clear.  We sprayed smoosh over the top and then added ribbon.

 #2- this one is self explanatory- I love the pink shadow behind the white punch- so pretty! I love the white embossing on brown......

 #3- we all got different new in-colors and made this fun birdhouse- we stamped the woodgrain background on the roof. 


#4- I love this fun card- Kim had the pinwheels stamped for us, and the squares cut for the pinwheels as well. She also had the labels frame ready to go......We stamped the background and folded the pinwheels then cut out the front (stamped) pinwheels.  I love this- so pretty IRL.

If you have any questions or comments for Kim, let me know and I will forward them on.

I hope you have a happy Sunday!
Shelly

Saturday, July 16, 2011

Happy Saturday and a Candy link

 My Blogging friend Cheryl at She Stamps has Blog candy through 7/31- check it out!

Good Luck!!!


Thanks for stopping by! Shelly

Friday, July 15, 2011

Bloggers Challenge-Sketch Challenge

 For the Bloggers Challenge this week, Challenge Mom Lisa challenged to a Sketch challenge. This is what I came up with:


 I took a bit of creative liberty and stretched the circle into the square...and made the corners out of a SU punch. HERE is the picture that inspired my card from Google images. I brayered in the Zindorfian style with Orchid, Eggplant Envy and sponged on So Saffron and a dab of Mustard ink.  I was fortunate to have taken Michelle's class twice...... : )

 I have previously mentioned that I have been learning how to use SVG files on my electronic cutting machine.  I was fortunate enough to get the Make the Cut software and have been learning how to use it. 
And, McMahon Five Designs is now releasing SVG files-HERE is the link including the Palm Trees file I used on my project- and a FREEBIE floral image.  I am enjoying the challenge and feel the soft ware (Make the Cut) is like I-Tunes in that I can buy just the image I want and make it big or small.....

Check the McMahon Five BLOG to see the other DT designs with SVG's done this week. The M5D SVG files are released each week on Fridays.

Click on the link below to join in the Bloggers Challenge for this week- come join in the fun-it's open to all!



Thanks for stopping by!
Shelly

Thursday, July 14, 2011

McMahon Five Designs-Aloha!

The McMahon Five Designs Newly Released Digital Images this week are fabulous- I had a hard time choosing images- but I decided to use Aloha by Studio 313- I am really allergic to flowers- so always love working with floral images. This set has alot of different images included with it- so I made a few cards......for a few Challenges.


 This Sketch is for MoJo Monday. I colored the image with Copic Markers. Paper is Cryogen White, Dusty Durango and My Mind's Eye. The butterfly is by Prima. The ribbon actually has dots on the reverse side- it is Dusty Durango from SU- retired.

 Next, I decided to make another card for the Midnight Madness sketch:

  I colored the image with Copic markers. I made some Baker's Twine to coordinate using plain twine wrapped around a ruler, then striped it with a Copic marker. The corners are curled- a Technique Junkies technique and I added salmon and lit blue/green roses with leaves from the SU bird punch in Wasabi SU cardstock, the image is printed on Cryogen White cardstock. The flowers are Prima mini roses from M5D.
 (And look Mother- no pink or blue........)

 Just one more card:

 I had a piece of a Technique Junkies technique paper in yellow- on Watercolor paper that I am not sure of the technique....I did not label it, but it was the right color for the sun....The flowers are colored with Copic markers.
 Here is a look at the entire Aloha set:

Challenges for my cards:
Card One:
Mojo Monday-Sketch
Clear it Out-Wings
Crafty Amogos- Things that Fly
Crazy-Summertime- in the Midwest, we only have flowers and butterflies in the Summertime.....
Stamps R Us- Through the Garden Gate (Happy Birthday!)

Card Two:
Midnight Madness- Sketch
Creative Craft Challenge-Pretty Blossoms
Shopping our Stash-Use something you have been hoarding- Dusty Durango CS-retired and Prima roses... Thank goodness for challenges or they would still be in my stash.....
Creative Stamp Friends- Summer
I Did It Creations- Floral
Scrappy Frogs- Flowers
Stamp Something-Bugs or Butterflies

 Card Three:
Diva's by Design-pastels
Freshly Brewed- three of something
City Crafter Challenge- Let the sunshine in
Tuesday Throwdown-Fun in the Sun
Kaboodle Doodles- Use your scissors

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you have a great day!
Shelly

McMahon Five Designs New Release 7/14/11

It's Thursday and that means New Release Day at McMahon Five Designs- It's a great week with lots of Gorgeous new Designs!  Here you go:


Betty In Her Garden JPG and PNG

Card by: Maxine

Close Up by: Maxine


Aloha JPG and PNG

Card by: Shelly

Card by: Shelly

Card by: Shelly


Coco Loco JPG and PNG

Card by: Amy

Inside of Card by: Amy

Card by: Michelle P




Card by: Cassandra

Card by: Michelle P




Card by: Sue
Card by: Maxine

Lady In Water JPG and PNG

Card by: Michelle B

Close up by: Michelle B

Card by: Sue

Card by: Sue

Card by: Christine



Card by: Sue

Card by: Fran

Card by: Maxine


Flower *FREEBIE


Card by: Sue



For more details on the projects above, visit the Design Team blogs!


Thanks for stopping by! Shelly