Thursday, March 31, 2011

Bug A Boo Stamps Spring Stuff Collection


I can't believe it's Thursday again or the last day of March!  Eight weeks from now our kids will be out of school and the weather will be getting really warm.  I won't think about it, I won't think about it, I won't think about it...

Isn't denial a wonderful thing?  
I know that if I don't think about the 115 degree temperatures that they won't just go away!  The part about the kids being out of school is their birthdays are rolling around again.  They'll soon be 10 & 11 where does the time go?

Maybe I should get to my card, it's Oldie But Goodie Thursday at Bug A Boo Stamps Catch The Bug and I chose the cute ladybug from the Spring Stuff collection.  I was playing with acetate and have a couple of other things that go with my card but can't show you today.  I'll post them Saturday for the new challenge at Bug A Boo Stamps Catch The Bug and that's all I can say about that right now!

My card was totally fun to make, I put the acetate panel through the Cuttlebug with the Swirls embossing folder, finished the raw edges on my card front with large black ric rac from a Papertrey Ink die.  I'd cut out my ladybug but it didn't look quite right so I cut out a circle and matted it using my Spellbinders dies.  It still needed something so I cut a red panel and matted it with black and added three black half pearls to mimic the dots on the ladybug.  What to put in that bare space you can see through...  I'd noticed a "from your secret pal" rubber stamp when I was looking for something else and thought it might fit just perfectly and it did.  That gives me one card ready for my secret sister too! 

I hope you'll visit the Bug A Boo Stamps Catch The Bug challenge blog to see all the fun creations our design team has made for Oldie But Goodie Thursday!  I hope you'll check back here Saturday to see the rest of the goodies I made with the Spring Stuff collection too.

Challenges:
All Sorts - For A Special Lady, my secret sister
Crafty Emma's - Die Cut Crazy 
Wee Memories - Anything Goes 
Gingerloft - Die Cuts or Punches 
Pixie Dust Studio - Fluttering Wings 

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Tiddly Inks Girls Best Friend & TLC Creations Meet OWH


It's Wednesday and time for a new Midweek Throwdown challenge at Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps.  Our challenge this week is a K-9 challenge, you need a dog on your card to play along.

For my card I used this cute image from Tiddly Inks called Girls Best Friend.

She's colored with Copic markers E18, E09, YR09, YR07, YR04, E11, E00, E000, E44, E43, E42, G82, G40, B99, B95, B93, B01.  For my layout I used Sunday's OWH sketch, I'm a little obsessed with it...  Do you ever have a sketch or layout that you keep making over and over?  

The papers used are Neenah Solar White & Desert Sand, Discount Cardstock's Royal Blue and Thepapermill.com Light Pine.  I also used a couple of embossing folders made by Sizzix and Cuttlebug.  The circle sentiment is by TLC Creations.

I also have a fun K-9 family photo for you today.  My daughter has told me to stop taking pictures of her while she's sleeping but sometimes I just can't help myself.


Maxine our 4 month old boxer pup has started sleeping with her because she has a nice big bed.  The other night on my way to bed I peeked in on them and found Maxine asleep on Jenny and thought it was just cute.

Challenges:
Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps - K-9
Southern Girls - Use an Animal on Your Card
Creations By Gill M - Pets
Pile It On - Cute 
Digital Tuesday - For The Kids


Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Mother's Day Sunflowers by Digi Web Studio


I have a CAS Mother's Day card to share with you today.
I tuned in to OWH t.v. Thursday evening and Sandy made the comment that there weren't many Mother's Day cards coming in for our troops.  The deadline to have our Operation Write Home Mother's Day cards in our shippers hands is just a couple of days away so I thought I'd better get busy.  

Since I didn't have very much time to get a bunch made I used a clean and simple sketch with a pre-colored digital image by the Digi Web Studio.  The sunflower comes in a set called "In The Garden" and I think it cost me a dollar for the set.  The sentiment I made using my computer, I do have Mother's Day stamps but there wasn't anything that was the size or shape I was looking for so I made my own and printed it in brown to go with the brown cardstock and centers of the sunflowers. 

Challenges:
Craft Your Days Away - For Mum or a Special Lady
Creative Inspirations - Mother's Day
Easy Craft Projects - Mother's Day
Cupcake Craft Challenge - Flower For Mum
Oh La La - Mother's Day
Creative Inspirations Paint - Flowers
Dream Valley Challenges - Mother's Day

Monday, March 28, 2011

Sunflower Friends Easter Bunnies


Hello blog friends, I have a couple of Easter cards to share with you today.  

These were made for Operation Write Home and are already with one of our shippers.  I used colored digital images from Sunflower Friends and the sentiment is one of Sandy's that you can find here.  My layout is an old sketch from Splitcoast Stampers and the cardstock I used are Basic Black, Lavender, Stampin' Up! Apricot Appeal & Mohawk Color Copy Bright White.  


My next card uses a super simple layout, cardstock colors are Royal Blue, Stampin' Up! Apricot Appeal, Basic Black & Mohawk Color Copy Bright White.  I added texture with a Sizzix embossing folder and have a quick, cute, simple card ready to go.  These colored digital images have been fun to work with.

Challenges:
Card Makin' Mama's - Animals
Creative Cowgirls - Easter 

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Operation Write Home Frantoonies


It's a big day for us at Operation Write Home, we have a new sketch for you and it's Sandy's birthday!

Happy Birthday Sandy!!!

We're celebrating Sandy's birthday with Frantoonies, you might ask what's a Frantoonie???  A Frantoonie is a digital image drawn by our OWH friend Fran for OWH!  Fran's been busy drawing digital images for our card makers to use for their OWH cards for the troops, she requests that we only use them for our OWH cards.  So if you'd like to see all the Frantoonies you'll need to go over to the Operatin Write Home Stars & Stamps blog to check them out and add them to your collection.  

My first card uses Fran's birthday pup, he's colored with Copic markers toner grays and Y13, Y15, Y17.  I'm not completely satisfied with my blending on the toner grays but needed to stop before I totally over saturated my paper.  My layout is the OWH sketch and I must say I'm a little obsessed with this one... someone stop me hehehe.

Instead of using patterned papers I embossed my cardstock panels.  I used Astro Brights Solar Yellow, Neenah Solar White, Stampin' Up Basic Grey & Via Vellum Black.


My second card uses a Frantoonie too, I love this little old lady and I'd almost be afraid to give it to anyone for their birthday!  Luckily it goes in my OWH box and someone else will have fun with it.  

She's colored with Copic markers, I can't find my scrap of paper I wrote the colors on though...  sorry.  I remember her skin tone E00, E000, E11, she has a good tan because she spends her winters here in Arizona with me.

As I was working on my cards today our cat Miss Kitty found a comfortable spot to keep an eye on everything.


For some reason my paper trimmer is one of her favorite spots.


A view from the other side, I had to move her to keep working.

Happy Birthday Sandy!!!

Challenges:
Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps - Sketch challenge
Crafts & Me - Anything Goes 
Everybody Art Challenge - Happy Birthday 
Use It Tuesday - Red - I used scraps by my paper cutter

Saturday, March 26, 2011

Bug A Boo Stamps Dino


Our challenge this week at Bug A Boo Stamps Catch The Bug is Monochromatic with 3 buttons...  Hmmm, monochromatic always seems to stump me and it took me awhile to come up with my simple card.  I had the cute dino already colored and all of a sudden the layout came to me and the patterned paper, yea!  The patterned paper is a digital background made by Hero arts.  I changed the color to green so it would be monochromatic and put my card together.  I even found 3 green buttons to finish it.  I guess this is why it's called a challenge right?

I hope you'll join in the fun over on the Catch The Bug Challenge blog this week!

Challenges:
Catch The Bug - Monochromatic with 3 buttons
Pals Paper Arts - Embossing 
The Rubber Cafe - Embossing 
Card Makin' Mama's - Animals

Friday, March 25, 2011

Clear Dollar Stamps Yummy Cupcakes


What a fun card to make, I'm so pleased with the way it turned out!  When I saw this digital image I thought it was so pretty and knew I wanted to use it on a card.  It's from the Clear Dollar Stamps Yummy Cupcakes digital stamp set and I used the colored version.  

I'd printed it out and let it "rest" for a few days thinking about how I'd like to use it.  I wasn't sure I had the cardstock to go with it, it's not "real red" it's more burgundy.  As I looked through my (one of my) paper drawers I saw that it matched The Paper Mill's cranberry cardstock as well as their Nut Brown very nicely.  I also used Mohawk Bright White and one of the digital papers that comes in the set.  This was my first attempt at sewing on a card, lol, the worst part is covered up!  I also used Spellbinders dies and a Sizzix embossing folder.  The sentiment also comes in the set, I'll show it to you below.


What an awesome value at $3.00!

Challenges:
Aly's Sunday Challenge - Anything Goes
Incy Wincy - Embossing 
Make It Monday - Anything Goes 
Penny's Paper Craft - From The Kitchen 
Craft Us Crazy - Cupcakes and/or Celebrations 
Dutch Dare - Celebrations 

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Bug A Boo Stamps Winter Birds

 It's Oldie But Goodie Thursday at Bug A Boo Stamps Catch The Bug, my favorite day of the week!

I made my card for today with a group of friends, we were trying out the "out of the box" technique and as I was talking with them the image I was working with had ears that got lopped off in my Spellbinders die, yikes!   My daughter Jenny had started to color the body of this cute Bug A Boo Stamps Winter Birds image and it was in my box of goodies so I picked it up and finished it.   The color scheme Jenny started would save my card!    This lucky bird still has a tail as I was successful with my "out of the box" technique.

I also have a couple of pictures for you today, Maxine (the dog) just turned 4 months old and she's sitting with Jenny.  They are both growing up too fast!  They were playing and I thought it was so cute the way Maxine was leaning against Jenny.




I hope you'll stop by the Catch The Bug challenge blog to see what all our fabulous design team members have created!

Challenges:
Fun With Shapes & More - No Designer Paper
Sugar Creek Hollow - Anything Goes 
The Crafty Pad - Use A Digi 
Paper Sundaes - Embossing
Amber's Crafts & Stuff - Use A Die Cut

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Mami Doodles & Operation Write Home Cards 4 Kids

It's Midweek Throwdown challenge day at Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps, the challenge is to make cards for our heroes to send home to their kids.  I have some birthday cards to share with you that I made using pre-colored images by Mami Doodles and scraps of digital papers I'd printed but not used up yet.


The star patterned paper is by Jak Heath, it comes as a black and white and I used my Publisher program to re-color it to yellow.


The polka dotted paper is also digital paper by Jak Heath that's re-colored.  Below is what it looks like in it's original form of black and white.


I used Stampin' Up! Summer Sun card stock, it matched my digital papers the best.


I hope you enjoyed seeing my kids birthday cards today as much as I enjoyed making them!  And, I hope you'll have time to play in our Midweek Throwdown challenge at Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps too.

I'd also like to announce the winners of the Clear Dollar Stamps blog hop this last Sunday, March 20th!  

Congratulations ladies!


From Cassie's blog
     TR - A Touch of Sparkle, Shine & Color

From Laurie's blog
     PAT (mspfd) - Stamp, Paper and Ink


Challenges:
Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps - Cards 4 Kids
AI Factory - Things With Wings
Paper Crafting Journey - Things You'd Find Up In The Air
Paper Cutz - Your Choice
Birthday Sundaes - Anything Goes Birthday

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

The Doodle Pantry Easter Egg Sheep & Iris


I have two Doodle Pantry cards to share with you in a second blog post today, I'm playing catch up!  

Both of my cards use Splitcoast Stampers Sketch challenge #324.  My first card uses a pre-colored digital image from the Doodle Pantry's Iris set.  We live in Arizona and when I saw this Iris I was taken back to being a little girl.  My Mom and Grandma always had Iris's in their flower gardens in the spring.


For my second card I used the Doodle Pantry's Easter Egg Sheep digital stamp set.  I used the pre-colored images and digital paper for a quick cute card.  

I hope you're enjoying a beautiful spring day where you live!  The Doodle Pantry has new releases today and I must say I've been shopping already!  Here's a LINK so you can too :)

Challenges:

Using Digital Papers Tutorial

I have a tutorial to share with you today about using digital papers using Microsoft Publisher or Microsoft Word.  

The first thing I have to tell you is my pictures aren't perfect but by seeing them you'll get the idea of how to use and recolor your digital papers so here goes...


To print digital papers using Microsoft Publisher or Word.  Open your Word or Publisher program and start with a blank page.

Copy and paste your digital paper onto that page. 
 I generally re-size my papers to just the size I need in an effort to save my printer inks.


.  To re-size the digital paper I right click on the paper, scroll down to “format picture” and click. 
.  A box will appear on the  screen, across the top will be tabs that say, colors and lines, size, layout, picture, text box, web.  Click the tab that says “size”.  If you look carefully at the picture above you'll see my cursor on the "size" tab.

You will see two rectangular shaped boxes that are side by side that say Height and Width.  I usually change my height to 6” and click in the box that says width and it automatically gives the correct width to keep it in proportion.  Click OK at the bottom of the box and your paper will be resized. I use 6” so I have enough width for my 51/2”X41/4” card.  You’ll see what I mean when you start experimenting.
 

The paper on the page has shrunk and now you need to move it back onto where you're working. by Holding down the left mouse button on the digital paper drag it to where you want it.



I also copy my new size of paper and paste it on the page if I need more than one.  By resizing like this the graphics on the paper are smaller and fit on cards better too.
 
I’ll also show you how to change the colors on some of your digital papers too.  I’ve tried it using the papers that have polka dots and stripes with white backgrounds so far.


Once you have your digital paper sized the way you’d like it, right click on it and scroll down to “format picture” once again and click.  .  The box will come up for you on your screen.  Stay on this box this time.  Down toward the bottom of the box you’ll see “Recolor… and Reset”.  Click on the “Recolor” button, another box will come up.


You will see a box with a drop down arrow and “color” to the left of it.


Click the arrow to get to the color choices and pick your color.  If you don’t see the color you want click the more colors option.  


Choose a color and click OK in that box, the box will disappear and you’ll have the original box to click OK, the paper on your page will turn the color that you chose.  Which isn't so easy to see here because my color choice was blue.  Not to worry though...

I'm going to show you another paper doing the same thing so you can see the dramatic color change.  A couple of card makers have asked about polka dotted papers so that's why I used polka dots in my first illustration.  You can also use black polka dotted digital papers and print them on different colored cardstock to get a nice effect.

Here's the plaid paper I changed the color on for a recent card you can see here.










One of the questions I’ve been asked about digital papers is do they take a lot of your printer ink?  The answer is yes and no.  One way to save on printer ink is to choose digital papers with white backgrounds another is to re-size to just what you’ll need.

The things I like about digital papers are they don’t take up much storage space, the don’t fade because I’ve had them forever, they color coordinate beautifully when they come in a set with colored digital images and I can change the color of most of them if I’d like to.  Another big thing for me is where I live.  There isn’t anywhere in the town I live in to buy patterned papers I have to travel to Lake Havasu 40 miles away and the selection when you get there is disappointing.

I also have an example of how I put my colored digital images on the page with my digital papers so I don't waste the paper (cardstock) either.  The images are by The Doodle Pantry.

You can find the polka dotted paper I used at Jak Heath's blog, if you visit be sure to click the tab at the top of her blog that says Jak Heath Designs, she has lots of wonderful digital papers and don't forget to leave a comment to say thanks because it's free.  I hope I’ve answered your questions today and found my tutorial helpful.

Monday, March 21, 2011

Tiffany Doodles & Stamps R Us


It's time for our new Stamps R Us challenge, our sponsor this time is Tiffany Doodles and the theme is "Celebrate Spring".  I chose this Tiffany Doodles image because I loved the flower and mushrooms and the nice shading detail she's added.  I colored it with Copic markers R39, R3, R35, R22, E44, E43, E42, G28, G24, G21, G20.

My layout is a clean and simple one layer card and I'm having such a hard time leaving it alone!  I want to stamp a sentiment in the white space but I think it will be out of balance.  I thought about drawing a black box around it with a Copic multiliner pen, embossing a rectangle around it, etc.  I think the CAS cards are the most difficult so I'm doing my blog post early and setting it to auto post.   I will put the card in my Operation Write Home box and walk away so I can make something new.

Challenges:
Stamps R Us - Celebrate Spring
The Creative Cottage - Spring 
Southern Girls - Use Flowers 
Cardmadfairy's - Digital Back To Nature 
Stampin' With The Dragon - Bring On Spring 
Wags 'n Whiskers - Spring 
Aly's Sunday Challenge - Spring 
Card Cupids - Spring
I Did It Creations - Welcome Spring

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Clear Dollar Stamps Monkey Madness & Jungle Vine


It's the third Sunday of March and that means it's time for a Clear Dollar Stamps blog hop!  If you've arrived here from Nancy's blog you've on the right path, if not and you'd like to start at the beginning click here.  Our theme this month is "It's A Zoo".

For participating in the blog hop and leaving comments at each stop two lucky winners will each receive a $10 gift certificate for the Clear Dollar Stamps store!!!
Winners will be randomly chosen from comments received on two DT member blogs and winners will be announced on the Clear Dollar Stamps blog Wednesday, March 23rd and my blog as well.

Stamps/Images:  Clear Dollar Stamps Monkey Madness & CDS Jungle Vine
Cardstock/Papers:  Stampin’ Up! Only Orange, Green Galore, Basic Black & Neenah Solar White
Inks/Markers: YG11, YG13, YG17, E25, E31, Y13, B04
Accents/Tools:  CDS Stitched Orange Ribbon

My supply list for my card is above, I hope you enjoyed our blog hop, I'm the last stop!
Challenges:
 2 Sisters Challenge - Furry Friends


Saturday, March 19, 2011

Bug A Boo Stamps Itchy With Heart


Today's challenge at Bug A Boo Stamps Catch The Bug is to make a card for a baby or child.  For my card I used Itchy, I just love Itchy and have the whole collection on my wish list!  

Itchy is colored with Copic markers E74, E71, E70, T5, T2, G28, G24, G20, RV02, RV10, RV13, RV17.  I kept my layout simple, it's a sketch from a long time ago.  The papers are Neenah Solar White, Papertrey Ink Raspberry Fizz & Gina K Pure Luxury All Spruced Up.  I broke out my Dew Drops Pearls for the first time and the sentiment is from an Inkadinkado mini set.  

Challenges:
Catch The Bug - Card for a baby or child
Wee Memories - Cute & Cuddly

Friday, March 18, 2011

Clear Dollar Stamps Sweet Stuff


My card today was really fun to make, as you can see I used one of my favorite layouts - Splitcoast Stampers SC#314.  I used a pre-colored digital image by Clear Dollar Stamps that I haven't had a chance to use yet from the digital stamp set called Sweet Stuff.  I "needed" a panel of patterned paper so I re sized and copied and pasted each of the images in the digital stamp set several times making my own designer paper.  The other papers I used are Via Vellum Black, Neenah Red Linen & Mohawk Bright White.  I embossed the white panel with a Sizzix embossing folder and the sentiment comes in the stamp set pictured below.


I see lots of possibilities with this $4.00 digital stamp set!

Supply List:
Stamps/Images:   Clear Dollar Stamps Sweet Stuff digital stamp set
Cardstock/Papers:  Via Vellum Black, Mohawk Bright White, Neenah Red Linen, patterned paper made using the digital images in the stamp set.
Inks/Markers: HP OfficeJet 6000
Accents/Tools:  Sizzix embossing folder
Techniques:  digital stamping

Challenges:
Digi Doodle Shop's Best - Anything Goes

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Bug A Boo Stamps Itchy


Happy St. Patrick's Day!
I don't have anything green for you today, you'll have to pinch me...  We are into the second week of Spring Break for our kids and I've been helping out with the kids ministry at church.  Too fun! 

Have you met Itchy yet?!  Itchy is one of Jodie at Bug A Boo stamps cute creations and I've fallen in love with him.  It's Oldie But Goodie Thursday at Bug A Boo Stamps Catch The Bug and I used Itchy for my card because he's so cute and fun to color.  Maybe I should have given him a green sweater, what was I thinking?!  lol  

Itchy is colored with Copic markers BG000, BG01, BG05, E70, E71, E74.  My layout is an old stand by, simple yet effective.  I used Stampin' Up! Taken With Teal & Chocolate Chip along with Neenah Solar White, Spellbinders dies and a couple of Cuttlebug embossing folders and that go to sentiment from Papertrey Ink.  I thought this would be a great card for Operation Write Home.

Be sure to stop by the Bug A Boo Stamps Catch The Bug challenge blog to see what the rest of our fabulous design team has made!

Challenges:
Pink Paper Paradise - Anything Goes
The Outlawz - Sentiment With Animal 
Anything Goes Challenge - Use Die Cuts 
Amber's Crafts & Stuff - Anything Goes 
Art Impressions - Punches Die Cuts 
Charisma Cardz - To Die For 
Crafty Sentiments - Animals 
Paper Play - Embossing 
Shelly's Images - Show Us What You Got 
Stamping Vacation - Use Nestabilities 

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Hand Made By Paula Sending You My Love


Can you believe it's mid March?!  Me either...  This time of year brings so many things to my mind.  Our kids will be out of school before I know it.  My Dad's been gone 3 years already.  The hot Arizona summer is approaching...  were just a few thoughts!

My cards today were fun to make, I used Paula's digital image she gave as a freebie during the Operation Write Home blog hop in November 2010. 

I colored Paula's wonderful image with Copic makers B24, YG21, R22, R24, R27, C0, C00 and cut it out with a Spellbinders circle die and added it to another Spellbinders open scalloped circle die.  I'm not sure of the exact name of that die, sorry.  My layout is simple to showcase Paula's image.  I also used a Cuttlebug embossing folder to mirror the checked pattern and a Stampin' Up! border punch to mirror the scalloped circle and a handful of left over hearts from a border punch a little Glossy Accents and it's all done.


I have a second card using OWH Sketch #36 and almost all the same papers and supplies.  The other papers are Stampin' Up! Green Galore and a scrap of Jak Heath digital paper along with Neenah Red Linen.  The three hearts on the blue panel were pink but they needed to be red so I colored them with my Copic marker.

If you'd like Paula's digital image, you can go to her blog Handmade By Paula, she has a freebies section in the sidebar on the left.  If you do visit be sure to leave her a comment!

My cards were lots of fun to make using Paula's fun images and they're also perfect for our Midweek Throwdown challenge at Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps this week.  The challenge is to use scallops on your cards!

Challenges:
Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps - Scallops
Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes
Aly's Sunday Challenge - Anything Goes