Black Magic Flowers

I often check out the daily challenges posted over at Splitcoaststampers and I even try a few. However, I rarely get them photographed, uploaded, and linked to the appropriate thread. But tonight was different!! Lynn (aka Lynn in St. Louis) gave instructions on a technique I'd heard before but have never tried...Black Magic TLC184, and it sounded like a lot of fun. Well, it was so much fun that I finished the card and wanted to instantly upload it and share it with everyone! I started out with the black piece of cardstock and stamped the white images on with craft ink. I waited for it to dry (...well, okay, I used my heat tool to make it dry quicker!) and then proceeded to color in the flowers with my Prismacolor pencil crayons and odorless mineral spirits. I added the sentiment on a piece of Lavender Moon cardstock and cut the scallops from the same, cut the piece in half and added them to either side. The whole thing got attached to a card made out of cardstock Vellum!! I love the soft look it adds to the dramatic focal piece. Supplies: Paper-Basic Black, Cardstock Vellum (Stampin' Up!), Lavender Moon (Papertrey Ink); Stamps-Beautiful Blooms, Wedding Day (Papertrey Ink); Ink-Basic Black, Whisper White (craft) (Stampin' Up!); Other-pencil crayons (Prismacolor), odorless mineral spirits, scallop scissors (Provo Craft), piercing template (Tim Holtz ruler), piercing tool (my University biology dissecting kit - go figure). Give this great technique a try!! Thanks for visiting, Donelda

Raspberry Wishes

I made this a bit ago for the Ways to Use it challenge 168 on Splitcoaststampers. Beth challenged us to do some embossed watercoloring. That is where you emboss an image, and then watercolor it in (obviously).

Well, I recently bought this set called Fruit Stand from Stampin' Up specifically to watercolor....so I pulled it out and used it for the first time!

Although I'm not sold on the tearing I did, I do really like the color combination that I ended up using.

Supplies: Paper-watercolor paper (unknown), Buckaroo Blue, Real Red, Whisper White (all SU!); Ink-Versamark, Basic Black, Real Red, Gable Green, Green Galore, Wild Wasabi, Buckaroo Blue (all SU!), Stamps-Fruit Stand (SU!), Mixed Messages (Papertrey Ink); Other-ginham red ribbon (SU!), black embossing powder, aqua brush.

Thanks for stopping in.

Donelda

Tagged Sunflowers

It took me over a week to get this card finished, photographed, and uploaded, but here it finally is!! I made it for the Ways to Use It Challenge 158 by Julia over at SCS.

The challenge was to make a card incorporating a tag or tags. Well, I love this tag shape!! I have one that I think I got off a garage sale item. So I took it and traced it out 3 times on Kraft cardstock and cut them out. Then I stamped this cute sunflower from the Text Boxed set from Papertrey Ink in Barely Banana craft ink (SU!). Once it dried, it wasn't showing up too much so I added some edges in More Mustard (classic). The centers are Chocolate Chip ink and the leaves are in Garden Green (both from Beautiful Blossoms, PTI). The edges of the tags are sponged with some close to cocoa ink for dimension and I added some of my new Linen thread that I just got from SU!. I LOVE it!! If you like hemp, then you'll love this linen thread! It is so much easier to tie and lays nicer on the card!!

I'm sorry but I don't have the names for the brown desinger paper nor the striped desinger paper.

Thanks for visiting and have a sunflowery weekend!!

Donelda

Challenge Card

Made this card for today's Ways to Use It Challenge #154 where Julia wanted us to make a window card! Well, I don't usually make window cards and now I know why....my brain doesn't think that way!! Look how plain that window is...something just not right!! Anyway, I do like the sentiment that I made to go with it. It says "it ZOOMeD by" and on the inside it reads "YOuR BiRTHdaY THaT is" A bit of a play on the idea of the mouse "zooming by the cat" .... Anyway, I've decided that I must get some white rub on letters! That was too hard writing those words on there as I don't have that great hand writing like some of the expert card makers!! Supplies: Stamps-MeowMeow (SU!); Ink-Basic Black(SU!), Paper-Brown is Bazzil and designer stripes is Basic Grey; Accessories-watercolor pencil crayons (SU!), 1 1/4" circle punch, corner rounder, white gel pen (Marvy), sticker letters Thanks for visiting! Donelda

Staples, staples...everywhere there's staples!

I had so much fun with Julia's Ways to Use It challenge 151 that I actually made 2 cards. This one I made using a designer staple. I don't own one of the fancy fastners, just the staples!! it is really no problem to use them, just some bending of metal!!

I made that oval piece of designer paper using some Papertrey Ink stamps. Faux Ribbon for the stripes and one of the tiny images from Borders & Corners {square}. It took a bit of time and is not perfect but I think it looks pretty good. I'm also loving this color combo!!

My second card uses regular staples. I decided to try using up some of my scrap ribbon -- I'm gathering quite a bit. Love this cat image. He is just to INTENSE!!!Well, there you go...some ways to use staples!! Thanks for visiting.

Donelda

Gloved Hello

I made this card for Julia's Ways to Use It challenge today at Splitcoaststampers!! She challenged us to use Leather on our cards!!

Well, coincidently enough, I just cut up an old leather purse since I got a new one for Christmas. I knew that leather would come in handy some day!!

The card is a 3x3. I am really enjoying that size these days!! The glove is colored in using Prisma Colorpencils and blended with odorless thinner (one brand name is Gamsol, hence the technique name "Gamsol Magic" over at SCS).

I sewed the strip of leather on with my sewing machine. I didn't realize it was going to be that difficult...but it was!!

Supplies: Cardstock-Whisper White and Real Red (SU); Ink-Basic Black (SU); Stamps-Toy Box (SU), Paper Tray (Papertrey Ink); Accessories-Leather (from my old purse), sewing machine and brown thread, Prisma Colorpencils, Odorless Thinner, blending stumps, black marker

Using the Principal of Unequal Spacing

Here is a good example of the difference between a card that does not use the principal of unequal spacing and one that does. (See my previous post for an explaination of this principal). The card on right is all pretty much centered. Although it looks okay (I do kinda like it), the card below incorporates the principal of unequal spacing and I think it is more pleasing to the eye. I've really been into making more simplistic cards these days!! It will probably change since I continue to try to find what style I like best-- one day I am making simple and plain cards and the next day I am making cards with multiple layers! Sheesh!! Anyway, this card (the one on the left) was originally posted for the Ways to Use It challenge 147 - where Jacksonbelle (who was filling in for Julia) asked us to USE FLOWERS!! Supplies: Cardstock-Close to Cocoa (SU), Very Vanilla (SU), Designer Paper (unknown); Ink-Ruby Red and Chocolate Chip (SU); Stamps-Borders & Corners {Oval}, Faux Ribbon (Papertrey); Accessories- Flowers (Prima), antique brad (SU), oval coluzzle. Thanks for visiting.

Maya Road Red and Brown Birthday

I did this card for the Ways to Use it Challenge 147! Jacksonbelle was filling in for Julia and asked us to use FLOWERS. Well, I have the pack of Maya Road clear flowers but I tend to hoard them. So, I decided to pull them out and actually use them!!

This card was made for one of our twin neices. Although they are twins, they are actually quite different so I decided to make similar yet different cards for them. Here is one for Savanna who is a sporty gal!

I started out with the color combo of read and brown. I stamped the oval in Ruby Red and then added the sentiment inside with Chocolate Chip. Then I put this on a chocolate chip scallop oval that I punched using Robin's punch -- Robin was so sweet to share her punches with me to punch out a bunch. I then colored the Maya Road clear flower by using Ruby Red classic ink and my Stampin' Up dauber. I kinda wish I made it a bit darker now that I see how light it is when on the card. Once it was dried, I added a large brown brad.

The main part of the card is made by adding that awesome deep red piece of cardstock onto a vanilla base. Then I added a strip of Chocolate Chip and Very Vanilla. On the vanilla, I carried the stitching look from the oval which seemed to pull it together a bit.

Supplies: Cardstock-Very Vanilla and Chocolate Chip (SU), Burgandy (unknown); Ink-Ruby Red and Chocolate Chip (SU), Stamps-Faux Ribbon, Borders & Corners {Oval} (Papertrey); Accessories-Clear Flowers (Maya Road), large brad (Dollar Store), Coluzzle oval, oval scallop punch (Marvy).

Thanks for visiting.

Metallic Holiday

I dropped in this morning to see what the Ways To Use It challenge was. Turns out Julia is having trouble with her computer (darn thing) so DawnL was our hostess! Her challenge...use metallic paper. Well, I was pretty sad because I do not have any of the new yummy metallic paper.

However, at supper tonight, my husband told me that he had saved the Laura Secord chocolate box (had even put it in my craft room) because he said, "there was some really nice green snowflakes and stuff" and he thought I might be able to use it for something. Well, you know what.... it was METALLIC GREEN!!! So, off to work I set to make a card!!

The sentiment is from Holiday Wishes (papertrey ink) and that bling is from the dollar store! Just a bit of black and white cardstock was all that was needed!

My hubby is the best guy ever!!

Thanks for visiting.