She's Expecting....

Hello! I have a friend who's expecting a baby, so I've finally got an opportunity to use this Studio G stamp that I bought about two years ago!

I used Stemma paper from their "boy" paper pack - but tried to keep the colors pretty neutral because we don't know what she's having. So, the base is light blue, then I have some lavendar, green and yellow. I colored the stamp in with Marvy markers and added some glitter highlights. Lastly, I used a Martha Stewart punch, bling and some ribbon.

Thanks for taking a look today!!!
Maria

Mojo 123 - Cirlce Card

I finally got to participate in the Mojo 123 sketch today. Sketches come out on Monday - but I usually never get to them until mid-week. I did finish this card on Friday afternoon, but uploading now!

We had a choice of a round card or square card. I usually just make A2 (5 1/2" x 4 1/4") cards, so I decided to try the round card.

So, I started out with my larges Nestabilities scallop circle and used paper from American Crafts "Metropolitan" collection. I stamped out a Papertrey Ink flower and leaves, added a few buttons and ribbon and here it is!

I finished it off by adding white dots on the scallops. I stamped up the inside too, but actually filled out my card before I took the picture, so....I guess I gotta learn to take ALL my shots before writing out my card!

Thanks for stopping by today! Have a great day!
Maria

Motivet - Happy Birthday

Happy Friday! Today's blog post is a card for "Nanny J's" Birthday! I used a Motivet stamp and colored the image in with prisma pencils and blended with gamsol.

On the roses, she used Decorart Paper Effects. Isn't this image cute?

What do you think?

Thanks for taking a peek today!
Cindy

Welcome Hanna

Well, this blog post is about three weeks overdue...but we have a NEW blog mascot to add!! Meet Hanna (formerly known as Silky) who was adopted by Cindy from the CT Humane Society. Hanna was surrendered along with her pitbull brother, Tyson, after being left in a kennel for a month and - by appearances - starved. Both dogs came in very underweight. Tyson had lost 1/2 his body weight.Cindy fell in love with Hanna and after she had some teeth pulled and was spayed, she joined Hayley, Tyler and Toby (another CT Humane alumni) in Cindy's home. Hanna has gained one pound so far and is doing great in her new home. She's a lucky girl!!

Tyson, her brother, is doing well too. Gaining weight and getting healthier by the day! We know he'll find his forever home soon - once he's neutered and cleared for adoption!

So....Welcome to the family Hanna!!!
Maria

Baby Card

Our friend Gisela asked for a baby card welcoming "Salma" into the world and requested purple with butterflies. I scrolled around some the SCS Gallery to get a little inspiration and came upon THIS card by Theresa Momber. I just thought it was gorgeous and I loved her layers of stamps so I wanted to recreate something similar.

This is what I came up with!

I used the cattail and small butterfly stamps from Papertrey Inks "With Sympathy" set and the large butterfly comes from 7 Gypsies Notting Hill set. I used Dusty Concord distress ink for the main panel and sponged all around. I added the scrolls with Memento Grape Jelly. I stamped the small butterflies with Memento Lavender so they stayed in the background a little more.

The large butterfly was stamped with Grape Jelly and colored in with prisma pencils and cut out. I colored in the body with a black jelly embossing pen and also used the clear jelly embossing pen on the cattails so they had a little interest.

Lastly, I stamped out her name with a Recollections letter set in Grape Jelly

Above is a close-up of the butterfly. It's raised up just a little because this card is being mailed to Switzerland - so Gisela wanted a flat card.

Finally - below is the inside of the card. I mimicked the scrolls from the outside of the card on the inside and added a PTI butterfly on the inside.

Thanks for taking a peek today! I was away on vacation last week - so I'm looking forward to crafting this week!

Maria

Quick Love Cards

I was playing around with the Distress Inks again the other day and after letting all of my ink dry, I decided to make a few cards from the ink creations. The first two pictures were taken at night - so the lighting was not that good. You can see the movement of the ink on the last picture.

I used a Studio G stamp and embossed it in black. Then I colored it in with markers. I used an MFT sentiment and added a little bling and a Martha Stewart scallop punch.
Here are four of the creations.

Here are the other four. This also uses a Studio G "Love Bug" stamp.

Sorry about the terrible pictures in this posting - but I hope you get the point :)

Have a great day!!
Maria

Bird-day Card

Cindy put together this "simple basic" card as she called it! On the outside she tied a wide ribbon in knot simulating a ribbon on a box.
For the inside, so used her Sizzix embossing folder on the yellow cardstock and colored in a DeNami Designs Stamp with Gelly Roll glitter pens.

Thanks for stopping by today!! Hope you're enjoying your weekend :)

With Sympathy

Here is a quick card I made yesterday with a previously watercolored Hero Arts cling stamp. When I saw this stamp on the Hero Arts blog, I knew it was one I was going to have to purchase. I just love it!
The day I bought the stamp I played around a bit. I stamped with embossing ink on watercolor paper and embossed with clear powder. Then I watercolored the image. I really wasn't too pleased with the result of my embossing because as you can see, the watercoloring bled a little - but I still wanted to use this in a card.
I have to say that I love the pink and green together though! I stamped out a Rubber Stampede sentiment and added a little bling for a quick and easy Sympathy card. Thankfully I don't have to use this right now...but it's always something good to have on hand.

Thanks for stopping by today!
Maria

SC263 - That's Amore

Well, those after-Christmas sales did a number on my wallet - but...I'm not complaining!! It finally made me order some Stamping Bella stamps. I've shyed away from these stamps because they come shipped as bare rubber and that intimidated me a bit, but with a sale of 20% off, I decided to jump in and get over my fear of bare rubber stamps.

This here is Suzette Ketto. I used the Splitcoast Stampers Sketch Challenge 263 for the card sketch but also submitted the card for the Stamping Bella "Lovey Dovey" theme.

Suzette is colored with prisma pencils and blended with gamsol. I used a black glaze embossing pen for her hair (as I've seen Paula do). It looks really great in person! I also used Bellas Bestest Paper, which..OMG is soooooooooo smooth!! Now I know why stamp crafters rave about this paper! I cut her out with an oval Nestie and layered it on a scallop oval Nestie. I used American Crafts paper from their "A la Carte" collection and finished off the card with an Amuse sentiment!

Thanks for taking a peek today!!!
Maria

CPS124 - Welcome Nathan Dre

Welcome Nathan Dre!! Gisela asked me to make a card for Nathan's arrival (which was one month early). I followed the CPS124 Sketch for this card. Gisela also asked that I use the same Studio G bunny that we used for Sharon's (Nathan's mom) Baby Shower. (If you scroll down - you'll see the nugget tin baby shower gifts Cindy and I made). I actually had one of the bunny's sitting on my work table just waiting to be called upon and he was today!

I used DCWV paper on PTI's cardstock base. I cut some nesties out and popped the bunny on top. The bunny has a glittery blue heart, which looks great in person. I computer generated the sentiment and added a few brads to finish it up!

Here are the baby shower gifts we made last month for Gisela, who hosted Sharon's shower:

Thanks for stopping by today!
Maria

Mojo121 & C4C19 - Happy Birthday

Today's birthday card completes two challenges. Mojo Monday #121 provided the sketch and Crazy 4 Challenges theme of Birthdays. I like when I can combine two challenges together. Some of the crafty bloggers out there make a great effort to combine even more challenges to every card, but I don't personally need the extra pressure!! ha ha I used American Crafts paper from the Metropolitan collection. I stamped out a Papertrey Ink image from their Vintage Picnic set that I colored with prisma pencils and blended with gamsol.

I used some Nestie scallop circles and the sentiment from PTI's Birthday Basics. I finished it off with a Hero Arts flower and a brad.

Thanks for stopping by today! Hope you have a terrific day!
Maria

Day 3 of Distress Inks

Wow - my Friday playtime with my new distress inks has made cardmaking easy all weekend! Here's another creation I made on Saturday with some of the scraps and one of the backgrounds.

I used my Hero Arts scroll stamp (yes, again) and started inking the middle with shabby shutters, then hit the outsides of the stamp with peeled paint and faded jeans. I stamped it onto my cardstock and then spritz the cardstock with water. Afterwards I inked the edges again with shabby shutters.

Then I punched out a few scallop circles with a background that I didn't like and layered that onto a circle punch. Lastly, I found an adorable button from a bag of buttons I received at CHA Orlando and used a Hero Arts sentiment which I embossed with peeled paint ink and clear powder.

So, as I was taking this picture of the card....I looked out my window to see a little fox scurrying across my yard. I snapped a few pics as quick as I could and got this one of him sniffing around the tree.

Thanks for stopping by today!! Hope you're having a great day!

Maria

SSS38 - Just a Note

Day two playing with my new Distress Inks. I made the background Friday and used clear embossing powder with a Hero Arts swirl stamp. I love it! I used a lot of techniques Jennifer McGuire shows on her Thinking Inking classes on 2 Peas. This card layout is for the Sweet Stop Sketch #38.

I used Faded Jeans ink with an Inkadinkado script stamp on top of the flowers. I sanded the Cuttlebug swirl embossing on the green background so the white pops out and used a Sizzix die cut for the corner swirls. Lots of swirls in my card today! I had the Hero Arts birdie colored up on my desk for about 4 months and I'm so happy she's finally found a home on this card!! Lastly I used a Hero Arts sentiment.

Thanks for stopping by today! Let me know what you think about this creation!

Maria

Soaring by to say hi

Hello! Well...I received my order of Tim Holtz Distress Inks and had a chance to play with them on Friday. I had to re-watch Jennifer McGuire's Thinking Inking classes on 2 Peas. I just LOVE how she works with these inks! It's amazing!
So, here's my first attempt at blending the inks along with embossing. I'm happy with the result but I think I have to change what type of cardstock I use for this technique. I used the Georgia Pacific cardstock. Can anyone give me other recommendations?

For the card details - I used PTI's Spring Moss cardstock and Everyday Blessings patterned paper. I used a Martha Stewart border punch and a Inkadinkado stamp which I embossed. I also used a PTI sentiment and three of my hoarded buttons.

Now, I've got to go watch Jennifer's other classes to see what else I can do with these inks!

Thanks for stopping by today. If you have any other tips for these inks...please feel free to share!

Maria

Tilda with Puppy

Happy Friday! Wow -this week went by REALLY quickly and I'm not sure I really accomplished anything! (Except coloring six of these Tildas!!) I colored up Tilda and the wall with prisma pencils and blended with gamsol. I stamped the clouds by making my own cloud template out of cardstock and sponging it. It is a really easy technique that I will definitely use again.

I used a Sizzix label die cut and stamped a Hero Arts sentiment and added some buttons with twine. Tilda is popped up on the wall as well!
Thanks for swinging by today!!!
Maria

SSS37 - Tilda with Puppy

Hello! Well, I've FINALLY finished coloring up the SIX Tilda's that I stamped out on Sunday and have turned them into cards. I'm not sure why I put so much pressure on myself to stamp so many and then color them all!?! Yikes! Not a great way to start the New Year...but maybe I'll learn from this first card in 2010!

I made this card using the Sweet Shop Sketch # 37. I colored up Tilda with her puppy using my prisma pencils and gamsol. I colored up three Tildas with this color scheme and another three using a different color scheme. I'll post that card tomorrow.

I used my Cuttlebug Swiss Dots for the background, some scallop and circle punches with a Hero Arts "Hello" stamp. Lastly I used some bling and ribbon. Thanks for stopping by today!

Happy New Year!!!!

Happy New Year!!! Hoping you all had a nice celebration last night! We had a quiet night - just like we like it! Order great food from one of our favorite restaurants and had 11 of our friends and family over for dinner and playing the Wii!!! Lots of laughs playing the Wii!

To celebrate the New Year....here's a toast to everyone! This is an Inky Antics image colored with prisma pencils and blended with gamsol. Doesn't she look happy drinking her apple martini!
I used paper from my new paper pack - American Crafts "Letterbox" that I found at Home Goods for $7.99!!! I looked on line and these packs sell for $19.99!!! SCORE! I don't think you can see it from my picture but the striped paper has glitter on it and the flower paper has raised flowers on it.

I used my Martha Stewart border punch, Marvy oval and scallop oval punches along with PTI's Celebrate stamp with dotted oval stamp. I finished it off with three Studio G mini margarita stamps. It's too bad the "bling" of this card doesn't come across in the picture - because it really "makes" the card!

Well, again...Cheers to YOU for a wonderful New Year and a Happy Birthday greeting to my cousin Tracy today!!!

Maria