Sweet Stamps- Flowers

The Sweet Stamps Challenge this week is Flowers.

   This Cutwork Card image-which I love- takes me back to my sewing days....Cutwork is just so beautiful to me!  The image is stamped on Parchment Vellum and embossed in White Detail Embossing Powder. I used my tools for Parchment to cut out areas of the vellum-both around the Rose and in the corners. The 4-Split tool cuts out around the edge of the Vellum.
  The Rose is colored with Shades die inks (Spots) in Tank and Fuschia Fizz from the back side of the vellum. On the inside- Happy Anniversary..........  It is my Parents 58th Wedding Anniversary this Thursday : )

Here are the Sweet Stamps products I used on my card:
Image-Cutwork Card HERE
Happy Anniversary Sentiment HERE (that's on the inside)
Sweet Stamps White Die Ink for Parchment crafting HERE
White Detail Embossing Powder HERE
Parchment Vellum HERE
Anti-Static pouch HERE
Shades Die Ink Spots-Tank and Fuschia Fizz   HERE
Coordinations Cardstock -Rosey Reds  HERE 
Parchment Stylus Tools HERE
2 Needle Pergamano Piercing Tool HERE
4-Split Perforating Tool HERE
Piercing Mat HERE
Double Line Tape HERE
Pearls HERE

I hope you will join in the challenge!  Every entry qualifies you for a chance to win $20 of items from the store at  Sweet Stamps, and if you use a Sweet Stamps image- you will receive an additional chance to win! Please note- there is a limit of 10 challenges for each entry.The winner is chosen by Random.org- so everyone has a chance to win!


We have a monthly challenge as well- 5/15-6/14- make a Flip-Flop card- you have a chance to WIN a TECHNIQUE JUNKIES CD!!!


 Stop by the Sweet Stamps Challenge Blog HERE to see what the rest of the DT has created for the Challenge.

Challenges:
Make it Monday- Anything Goes
Artistic Inspirations-Piercing
Without Words- May Flowers
613 Avenue Create- Anything Goes
Amusing Challenges- Anything Goes
Crazy 4 Challenges- No Patterned Paper

Thanks for stopping by!
Shelly

Oriental ATC's

I joined in a couple of ATC Swap recently and wanted to share the ATC's with you.

The first swap was held on RubberStampChat and was a general theme of Oriental

 I used a portion of a stamp from About Art Accents- HERE is a post with the card I made with a portion of this image- and wanted to use the center cut out part........ The background is the Distress Glue technique from the Technique Junkies.

Here are the swap cards I recieved back:

 This is by Cynthia G.

 This is by Cindy R

 This is by Andrea

 This screen ATC is by Chocat, and

This is by Renee.

The 2nd Swap was themed- Kites, Oriental Toys and Oriental Games.

 Again I used a Distress Glue background. I was at a loss for what to do with this theme, so used shimmery cardstocks and made a kite and used a sticker I had in an Asian theme. The text on the background is by Hero Arts.

And this is the ATC I received from Wendy M., my swap partner for the month.

Have a great weekend!
Shelly

Sweet Stamps- Anything Goes with a SweetCuts Die*

The Sweet Stamps Challenge this week is to use a new SweetCuts Die ***See Note Below***

 
For the flowers, I used my Parchment Stylus Tool and 'conditioned the cardstock'. What you do is lay the cardstock flower on a soft mat. Beginning in the center of the flower, use the tool in a circular motion and the cardstock will soften and the flower will 'pop'. I sponged Dandelion Shades Die Ink onto the top die of the flower and added Micro Beads to the centers in adhesive.

***Since SweetCuts are such a NEW product - they were just released this month - we know not everyone has them {yet}, so to join in our challenge this week you may also use a Cheery Lynn Designs die. And to sweeten things up, you can get 10% Off all SweetCuts dies with this coupon code: sweetcuts10 which is valid thru next Monday, May 27th ***

Here are the Sweet Stamps products I used on my card:
Owl Friends SweetCuts Die HERE
Mini Flower SweetCuts Die HERE
SweetCuts Flourish Medallion HERE
Nelli Snellen Multiframe Oval Die set HERE
Nellie Snellen Multi  Frame Oval Scalloped 007 HERE (Blue) 
Happy Anniversary Sentiment HERE
Black Memento Tuxedo Ink HERE
Shades Die Ink Spots- Tidal Wave and Dandelion HERE
My Minds Eye Bluebell DP HERE 
Coordinations Cardstock Ocean Blues and Sandy Tans (owls)  HERE 
Parchment Stylus Tool HERE
Micro Beads (flower centers) HERE
Rhinestones HERE

Double Line Tape HERE

I hope you will join in the challenge!  Every entry qualifies you for a chance to win $20 of items from the store at  Sweet Stamps, and if you use a Sweet Stamps image- you will receive an additional chance to win! Please note- there is a limit of 10 challenges for each entry.The winner is chosen by Random.org- so everyone has a chance to win!


We have a monthly challenge as well- 5/15-6/14- make a Flip-Flop card- you have a chance to WIN a TECHNIQUE JUNKIES CD!!!


 Stop by the Sweet Stamps Challenge Blog HERE to see what the rest of the DT has created for the Challenge and say Hello to the NEW DT!

Challenges:
Make it Monday- Anything Goes
Get Inky- Die Cuts
Songbird Challenge- Bloom and Grow  -Let me Call You SweetHeart.....is the song that inspired this card- for my Parents who will be married 58 yrs at the end of this month!
Amusing Challenges- Paper Flowers
Corrosive Challenge- Sentiment on the front

Thanks for stopping by!
Shelly

Friends are the Flowers......

Do you ever print out digi images on photocopy paper 'in case' you need to do any masking on your card?  Well, I do, and the Technique Junkies has the perfect tutorial to use those images using a photo transfer technique called Paint transfer.

 How fun is that?  I used a 2nd image for the flower, colored it with Copics and layered it in the paint can. This digi is from Sweet and Sassy Stamps. The beautiful ribbon is from Paper Temptress. The corner and border dies are Cheery Lynn and are from Sweet Stamps.

Challenges
Polka Doodles- Spring colors/pastels
Freshly Brewed Challenge- Flowers

Just a quick note- my Dad is out of the hospital, and was transferred to a rehab facility- being told he cannot go home until he can walk without assistance.  He has trouble putting weight on his leg....so I am heading to Ky to help out my Mom- and will return home late Monday night.  If I am slow or absent commenting on blogs, that is why......Thanks in advance for your understanding!

Thanks for stopping by! Shelly

Sweet Stamps Monthly Challenge-Flip Flop Cards

The Sweet Stamps Challenge this Month is to make a Flip Flop card.
    From the new Technique Junkies newsletter, I used a technique called DP Starburst.

 and here is is 'Flipped'

And I took one more picture of the card with it completely flat......

 There is a tutorial on Splitcoast for the Flip Flop card HERE is the link.

 I used the same technique as I did for the edging to cut the die the other day where I put post it notes to the edge of these I wanted the die to cut, then put the cutting plate to the point I wanted the cutting to stop for each side of the die I used.
 I cut out the oval by tracing on the inside of the die and made one for the front and one for the back.  I used Coordinations cardstock- and I used the Shades die ink SPOT that coordinates with the cardstock color I used. I sponged Tidal Wave ink to the edges and then used the piercing tool to go around the edges.
  I stamped a small stamp in the Tidal Wave ink, then stamped off to get a lighter color- using the image for a background on my ovals. I used a light application of Blue Ice Creative paint on the background for a touch of sparkle- and I also added it to the die cut butterfly.  The rhinestones and the ribbon are the final touch.

I hope you will come join us for the challenge- it runs for an entire month- thru 6/14- so you have plenty of time to join us.

Here are the Sweet Stamps products I used on my card:
This is the Day sentiment HERE
Decorative Elements- I used the stamp at the top of the picture HERE
Wellington Designer Paper HERE
Nellie Snellen Oval scalloped die HERE
Cheery Lynn Butterfly die- from the Tiny Things with Wings die set HERE
Rhinestones -Silver HERE
Shades die ink Spot HERE
Creative Inspirations Paint HERE
Coordinations Cardstock  HERE

Double Line Tape HERE

I hope you will join in the challenge!  You can enter once and you have a chance of winning a Technique Junkies CD, and if you use a Sweet Stamps image- you will receive an additional chance to win! Please note- there is a limit of 10 challenges for each entry.The winner is chosen by Random.org- so everyone has a chance to win!


We have a weekly challenge as well- you have a chance to WIN $20 of items from the store at  Sweet Stamps.


 Stop by the Sweet Stamps Challenge Blog HERE to see what the rest of the DT has created for the Challenge or click on the links below.

Sweet Stamps Design Team:

*   Bonnie  *  Calypso *
 * Dawn B  *   Jacki   *  Joni 

                                     *  Kendra  *  Linda                                             

                                          *  Shelly  (you are here)  *  Tamara  * 

Challenges:
Make it Monday- Always Anything Goes- and a fabulous place to discover some great papercrafters!
Simon Says Stamp and Show- Use your 6x6 DP pad
613 Avenue Create-Anything Goes
Come and Get it Challenge- Colors- Brown, Blue and Cream


Thanks for stopping by!
Shelly

Sweet Stamps Challenge 5/14 SPRING

Sweet Stamps Challenge this week is to make a SPRING card!  What says SPRING better than Flowers?

 Wahoo- I was in a colorful mood!  And a sparkly mood too : )  I used a Technique Junkies technique called Textured Bounty- ohhh Sparkle a plenty!!!
  On the background, I used Creative Inspirations Paints. The flowers are a new die- the oval is the frame around the flowers- they reminded me of Stained Glass. I cut the die on double sided sticky tape which was attached to plain white cardstock, then added Microfine glitter and colored the flowers and background with Copics.

Here are the Sweet Stamps products I used on my card:

Just for You Sentiment HERE
Flower Oval Sweet Cuts die HERE
Creative Inspirations Paint- Buttercup, Sage and Plum HERE
Glitz Microfine Glitter HERE
Copic Marker BG11, Sunshine Set and Victorian Green Set HERE
Shades Die Ink HERE 
Swirls Embossing Folder HERE
Coordinations cardstock HERE 
Silver Rhinestones- colored with Y15 Copic HERE
Super Sticky Tape HERE

Double Line Tape HERE

I hope you will join in the challenge!  Every entry qualifies you for a chance to win $20 of items from the store at  Sweet Stamps, and if you use a Sweet Stamps image- you will receive an additional chance to win! The winner is chosen by Random.org- so everyone has a chance to win!


We have a monthly challenge as well- 4/15-5/14 Stamp a background Paper- you have a chance to WIN a TECHNIQUE JUNKIES CD!!!


 Stop by the Sweet Stamps Challenge Blog HERE to see what the rest of the DT has created for the Challenge or click on the links below.

Sweet Stamps Design Team:

*   Bonnie  *  Calypso *
 * Dawn B  *   Jacki   *  Joni 

                                     *  Kendra  *  Linda                                             

                                          *  Shelly  (you are here)  *  Tamara  * 

Challenges:
Make it Monday- Anything Goes- and a great way to discover fabulous cardmakers!!!
Card Mania- Flower Power
Craft-Dee Bowz- Use a handmade Bow
Get Inky- Die Cuts
Love to Create-Flowers
Use your Stuff- Focus on Flowers
The Crafty Bloggers Network- X's and O's- Ribbon, Stamp/ Bling-gems
Fashionable Stamping Challenge- Anything Goes
One Stop Craft- Add some Glitter
Our Creative Corner- Anything Goes
Speedy and Friends- Use Glitter
Alphabet Challenge- Glitter and Gems

Thanks for stopping by!
Shelly

Oriental Starburst

The last Technique Junkies newsletter taught us how to make a Starburst background.

 This is a fun technique and a great way to use up DP you have on hand. I used Graphic 45 Bird Song DP.
  The image is from About Art Accents/Art Neko. I colored the image with Copics and added Crystal effects on the water so it has some shine to it. Her name is Ho Hsien Ku and she is one of the Eight immortals- more info on the store web site.

 Just back from a trip to China to visit my daughter- we spent two weeks there- and had a blast. I go back to work today : (

 We visited Beijing, Yangshuo, Shenzhen (where my daughter lives) and Hong Kong. In Beijing, one of the places we visited was the Great Wall- We met Katie in Beijing and her twin brother Chris came with us too!  We missed Stephi, but she had finals so could not join us : (

 A great Photo Op I could not pass up....... On the far Rt is a friend I met on Couch Surfing- Jinn- she studied in the US for a couple of years and offered to come with us- we had a blast- she is a delight!

 Here are the kids with Jinn.

 This is the view out of my window in Yangshuo at the Mountain Retreat.

 This is called Moon Rock- it is also in Yangshuo- it is a hike to get to the top- it was very very Humid there- but the scenery at the top was amazing, so well worth it!

Have a great day!!!

Thanks for stopping by!
 Shelly

Sweet Stamps Challenge- Mom

The Sweet Stamps Challenge this week is Mom : )

 I have never tried this card design before and wanted to give it a go! How fun- the directions are from the new Shape It CD from the Technique Junkies.

This is the pull out tag:

 I had to get creative with the sentiment, so used a stamp positioner and a black marker for placement as the entire sentiment was too long for the tag width.

 I wanted to use a border die for the edge on the top- so wanted to share how I just cut a portion of it.
This is what the border die looks like:

 I do not want the top portion to be cut when I run it thru my die cutting machine.

 I line up post it notes along the die where I want the cutting to end- the Post-it Notes will also hold the die in place.

 I place the top plate into the machine with just a small portion remaining on the platform.....so that the edge of the top cutting plate is along the line where the Post-it Notes are at- as you can see above. Go ahead and roll the handle and since there is no pressure from the top plate on the top edge of the die, it does not cut- and now I have my border on the edge of my paper.

 I used my Parchment Stylus Tool and added a more polished look to the embossing for my finished card.

Here are the Sweet Stamps products I used on my card:
Cabbage Rose Image HERE
Poppies Image (smaller flowers) HERE
Happy Mothers Day HERE
Black Memento Tuxedo Ink HERE
Copic Marker Rosy Reds for Poppies, Tea Rose for Roses and Victorian Green for leaves HERE
Shades Die Ink HERE
Ribbon Border Die 103 HERE
Parchment Stylus Tool HERE 

Double Line Tape HERE

I hope you will join in the challenge!  Every entry qualifies you for a chance to win $20 of items from the store at  Sweet Stamps, and if you use a Sweet Stamps image- you will receive an additional chance to win! Please note- there is a limit of 10 challenges for each entry.The winner is chosen by Random.org- so everyone has a chance to win!


We have a monthly challenge as well- 4/15-5/14 Stamp a background Paper- you have a chance to WIN a TECHNIQUE JUNKIES CD!!!


 Stop by the Sweet Stamps Challenge Blog HERE to see what the rest of the DT has created for the Challenge or click on the links below.

Sweet Stamps Design Team:

*   Bonnie  *  Calypso *
 * Dawn B  *   Jacki   *  Joni 

                                     *  Kendra  *  Linda                                             

                                          *  Shelly  (you are here)  *  Tamara  * 

Challenges:
Make it Monday- Anything Goes
Cheerful Stamp Pad- April Flowers bring May Flowers
Craft Your Passion- Floral Delight
Crafty Cardmakers- April Showers bring may Flowers
Eureka Stamps- Mother's Day
Love to Create- Mom
The Pink Elephant- Mother's Day

Thanks for stopping by!
Shelly

Chunky ATC exchange

My Monthly ATC group challenged us to make Chunky ATC's this month- we all LOVED the 3-D creativity!

  Our other challenge was to use supplies we already have- nothing new....... and I hate to admit how many supplies I 'opened the package' to make this ATC.
  I used the Hero stamp set by Artistic Outpost to create my ATC. I used Ranger Distress markers for the stamping. The panel on the far Lt used a Distress Glue background. The image was stamped and I fussy cut it out. The grunge stars were painted with Distress inks as well. The pinwheel on the top uses the new SU sizzlet. The 2nd panel uses a (retired) SU sentiment. The third panel uses the AO stamps and a Ranger frame. I used stickers on the far right panel.

 We had an amazing exchange today with some gorgeous Chunky's. For our exchange, we made just one (additional optional) and drew numbers for trading. Here are some of the chunky's traded:

 

Cindy K made two Chunky's. 

 Diane M. made this Chunky using a Vogue pattern.

 This Chunky was made by Diane S.

 Linda O made four Chunky's- the top two were trades for today- whola- so awesome!!!

  Sandy made this fabulous creation!

 Harriet was busy and made 5 Chunkies- and traded two of them.

 Carol loves Steampunk and made the above Chunky- this was the one I came home with today : )

 Marcie made a multi-season ATC- Christmas, Graduation, Baby and Happy Birthday.

 Mary drilled a circle in the center of her ATC- I LOVE this cool idea!  She was very busy this month- she made all of the ATC's as well- see below........!

Challenges for my Patriotic Chunky:
Artistic Outpost May Referral program HERE- Anything Goes
365 Cards- Heavy Metal
4 Crafty Chicks- Stars
Crafty Ribbons- Anything Goes using ribbon
Make it Monday- Anything Goes
Anything but a Card- ATC's
Fashionable Stamping Challenges- Anything Goes

It is so nice to be back in the USA- I will get around to Blogs in the next couple of days to comment!!!

Shelly