A few minutes of play time

Do you ever save cards or sketches you see on other blogs or websites? I do. I get lots of ideas on shading , placement and using my Cuttlebug. I have a file on my desk top where I keep them and then I pick one out when I have time to CASE it. Yesterday I had a couple of swap cards that needed finished. The first one is a sketch I had saved and on one of my groups we are using it this month to make cards. I used my Scor pal to score a half inch all around forming a frame. I then sponged it with Broken China and then with Vintage photo. The little image is an unknown. I bought the stamp at a use stamped sale. Colored it with my Copics, cut it out with an oval nestabilities, sponged the edges of that and added another oval behind it.



Then I had a card to make titled Green, ribbon, friend card. I had sponged the background for another card I had planned but put it to use here. Ran it through the Cuttlebug. Used the same image. Mixed shapes and added a bow I made with a fork. Just learned how to do that and it works wonderfully. The saying inside says Life is always better with a friend by your side.



My last card is for a future swap. It's a Birthday card I will be using at the end of the month at my stamping get together. The rose is from Flourishes. Colored it with Copics. Saw a card made similar a week or so ago with these shapes. Loved it and here's my version.

Fire and stamping do not mix!!

Well I gave it my best shot. I tried Soot stamping. At my stamping get together yesterday I set a piece of paper on fire. Determined to not let this technique get the best of me I tried it once again this morning. I set the paper on fire. Husband & daughter carried on about the fumes. Opened the doors and waited for the smoke alarm to go off. What a family. I however did succeed in saving the piece and stamped a very small raccoon on the good spot.


He turned out quite well.



Here's my card



I'm afraid this will be my last attempt. I can just see the headlines" Stamper starts a fire that burns 1000s of acres making a card." So long Soot stamping.

Here is one of the mosaic cards we made yesterday also. I've added a bit of glitter and bling.



This is another card I made today. Started the background a few weeks ago after the last get together.

My working hours have not been kind but I am determined to find time to relax with my stamps.

Cuttlebug embossing

I am using this year to figure out how to use all those gadgets we buy and then can't make them work. So far I have been given a bag of items to work with and at my Stamping in Florida group get togethers I am going to show them how to use them. This question was posted on the group the other day so I thought I would start with this here. Lis wondered how to emboss with Spellbinder dies. This is how I do it. Start your layer with the A plate. Then the B plate. Followed by your card stock and the die with the edges facing down.

Put your C plate on top and run it through your cuttlebug.



Remove the C plate and turn your die over leaving the paper in it. So we still have the A Plate. Then the B plate and our die with the cut out still in it.


Now lay your Spellbinder rubber mat on top

Then 4 pieces of scrap card stock cut to size.

Add a B plate to the top and run it through the Cuttlebug

And here is what you end up with. Hope this helps Lis.

Do you ever need inspiration?

I have put away the snowmen including all of the winter decorations around my house. It is time for summer. I'm feeling beachy but needed some ideas..
In case you do not know this you can find lots of inspiration over at splitcoaststampers.com. Click on Resources and find projects and techniques to keep you busy for weeks. Click on gallery and be inspired. They have personal photo albums and they also have albums by stamp company. That is where I went last night. I have this stamp set called Beach Life I bought online at Flourishes. I found several ideas I liked and here is what I came up with. The card I copied had three panels on it. I decided to go with one. I also was able to use a few of those cut outs I am trying to make use of.

I have several other cards I am casing using this same stamp but that will have to be for another day. This next card uses the very first background I ever made. I tried the shaving cream technique about 5 years ago. It was time to use it don't you think?! The sea shells and sea horses are all punched out of other technique backgrounds. And the saying is from the Beach Life set.

I found this background in my basket. I made it about 6 months ago when I was teaching this technique. I added the sailboat medallion I cut out of one of my Spellbinder dies. Colored it with chalks and edged in gold.

That's all for tonight. I hope to be inspired again tomorrow.

It's time to start using all this stuff!

I have neglected my card making supplies since Christmas because my kids gave me a Wii and I love it. Have had it on every single day. Now I just need to figure out how to fit the Wii and the card making into the same day. I think last night was the first night hubby and I haven't bowled or boxed or played some sport. I watched my TV show at 8 and then at 9 he watched his which drove me to my desk. We do not have the same taste in television programs. As I sat here all I could see was this wall of Cuttlebug and Spellbinder dies that are not being used but I just had to have them. So I started cutting out shapes and filled a box. It's time to start using all this stuff! Tonight I started.

The background is a piece of Coredinations card stock run through the Cuttlebug in a folder and then sanded. The Fleur De Lis square was my last purchase. I've noticed it being used in so many blogs I just had to have it. The rose is from Flourishes. I colored it with Copics. R35-R37 and R59. The leaves are just a couple of greens that I have.
Here is the same rose only in yellow Copics Y02-Y06 and Y15. I distressed the background paper and my squares.

This last one uses 2 SU Sizzlets dies and a Martha Stewart border punch.

I also wanted to show you this card I made a couple weeks ago. Its the first Zindorf I have tried to copy that I think really turned out well.

Another easel card with the Stained Mosaic technique

I made this one this evening. Layered it a little more. Added a larger picture to the front..

An easel card using Stained Mosaic technique

Had the day off so made time to try out the Easel card to show off my Stained Mosaic Technique pieces. First I want to show you my stamp. I made it 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 with fun foam pieces.



I made it very simple as I experimented making the easel card. I'll show you how I made it. You can decorated and layer to make a real masterpiece.


I used a 12 x 12 piece of card stock. You can get 3 cards by cutting each 4" wide. So you will have a piece that is 4 x 12. Score at 4-6-and 8 and fold like this.




Turn it over and add adhesive to the first 2" section.




Push down on it to adhere to the first section.



Here is a side view of what it looks like.



You can us anything you want to be the stop for your easel. Layer, decorate the inside and experiment with what can hold up your easel.

Well it's cold here. I'm glad I didn't have to go to work this morning. Luckily we don't have the snow worries the rest of the country has.