Bugaboo Stamps Spring Stuff

My card today is for our Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps Midweek Throwdown challenge, our theme is "A Bug's Life".  

I used Bugaboo Stamps cute bee from their Spring Stuff Collection and colored it with Copic markers:

Y13, Y15, Y17, R21

T3, T5, T7

BG0000, BG000, B01

My layout is a OWH sketch from a year or so ago modified slightly.  I used two Cuttlebug embossing folders and the sentiment is a Papertrey Ink stamp.  It was a little tricky getting the happy and birthday just right and I had to peel up the pieces a few times but I just kept at it till I got it.  

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

Challenges:

Operation Write Home Midweek Throwdown challenge - A Bug's Life

Hambo Stamps April Showers

I have a card to share today that I made to submit for publication when I was on Hambo Stamps design team.  It didn't make the cut so I can show it on my blog now.

Since it was for publication I have a supply list below:

Stamps - Hambo Stamps April Showers digital stamp

Ink – HP LaserJet

Coloring Medium – Copic markers:  Y06, Y15, Y17, V01, V12, YG01, YG13, YG25, YG67, B0000, B01

Papers/Card stock – Mohawk Bright White, Via Vellum Black, Copic X Press It, Papertrey Ink Plum Pudding & In Bloom patterned paper

Tools/Accessories – We R Memory Keepers 1/8^th inch Corner Chomper, Cuttlebug 5X7 Dots embossing folder, Papertrey Ink Envelope Liner Die

In Arizona we don't have many April Showers as it's in the 90's here already and rain generally cools off our weather for us but it is bright and happy.

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Challenges:

Make It Monday - Anything Goes

Bugaboo Stamps Spring Stuff Bee

Ahhh, the house is quiet, the kids have returned to school after their two week break and I have a fun card to share with you!  I printed several of these cute Bee's from Bugaboo Stamps Spring Stuff collection that were too large for the card I was working on at the time.  

I used one of my favorite sketches from Splitcoaststampers #403 along with a scrap of digital patterned paper from My Grafico.  The sentiment is from Papertrey Ink and I colored the Bee with Copic Markers:

Y13, Y15, Y17, R21

T3, T5, T7

BG0000, BG000, B01

Thanks for visiting my blog today!

Lilyboo Designs New Easter Bonnet

I have an almost one layer Easter card to share with you today! 

In the end I decided to trim it and mat it on a panel of Astrobrights Eclipse Black for a little extra.  

I had lots of fun coloring my Lilyboo Designs New Easter Bonnet digital image with Copic markers and Copic refills.  I also used Lilyboo Designs Easter Eggs to help make my scene.  I merged the two digital images in my Publisher program after turning them into png files in Photoshop Elements.  I also used my Publisher program to draw the box around the scene, it comes out so much nicer than when I do it by hand.  No smeared ink either!

Lots of Copic markers!

I used the Copic ink refills to color in the background area.  I use a Q Tip dipped in 91% Isoprophyl Alcohol to wipe on the background area then saturate the other end with the refill color I'll be using and spread it around.  It gives a more even look than coloring a large area with the markers.  Sometimes it's best to repeat the process if it isn't as smooth as you'd like it.  I also go back and outline everything with the same color marker as the refill and blend, blend, blend.  

My card looked bare so I added a Spellbinders tag from the Tags Trio set and stamped it with an Easter sentiment from Papertrey Ink and pulled a yellow metallic ribbon through the tiny hole.

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The Crafts Meow Vintage Rides

Our Midweek Throwdown challenge today at Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps is Ombre` Stamping or card making...  the definition of Ombre` is a color palette that is the same color scheme going from dark to light or light to dark.  

I have a new stamp set from The Crafts Meow called Vintage Rides and as I started to color this car I thought it might just work for this!  I colored the car with Copic markers:

R000, R11, R32, R35

C00, C2, C3

B0000

My card layout is also Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps sketch challenge #160.  The card stock colors I've used are Papertrey Ink Smokey Shadow, Stampin' Up! Blush Blossom, Groovy Guava, Neenah Red Pepper Linen, Astrobrights Eclipse Black and Copic X Press It Blending card.  The birthday stamps I've used on my two cards are from Papertrey Ink too.

I colored several cars using almost the same Copic markers numbers but in different color families so see how they'd turn out.  I really like this yellow one! 

Here's what I used:

Y00, Y11, Y35, Y38

C00, C2, C3

B0000

I copied the layout for this card from a card that I made a few years ago that I came across.

The card stock colors are Astrobrights Galaxy Gold, Solar Yellow & Eclipse Black, Neenah Pewter, Copic X Press It blending card and the top yellow strip is from Bazzill I think, it was a scrap.

I hope you'll take a shot a Ombre` cards for Operation Write Home this week, after I got started it was fun!

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

Challenges:

Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps - MWT Ombre`

Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps - Sketch challenge #160

Lilyboo Designs Tractor

I've used this cute Lilyboo Designs Tractor before and colored it in green thinking of John Deere tractors, one of my Operation Write Home card making friends suggested it should be red so I thought I'd give it a try.

I used Copic markers R35, R46, R59 for my reds and 

W3, W5, W7

N1, N3, N5, N7

C00, C2, C4, C6

BG0000, B01

 

The patterned paper I used is digital and was in my scraps, the card stock colors are Mohawk Bright White, Astrobrights Eclipse Black, Neenah Red Pepper Linen, and X Press It Blending Card.

 

I also used Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps sketch #157 for my layout.

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

 

 

Bugaboo Stamps Spring Stuff Bee

I had so much fun making this Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps sketch challenge card!

I always find card layouts with more than one focal point to be challenging and fun.  When I first saw this sketch I went looking through my Paper Smooches stamp sets but didn't find anything quite right, then Bugaboo Stamps popped into my head.  I was on their design team at one time and have lots of their cute digital images!  Using a digital image was nice because I can make it any size I want after deciding which one to use.  I chose this little bee from Bugaboo's Spring Stuff collection because it's cute and would be simple to color multiple times.  

I cut the bees out with a Spellbinders square die before I colored them.  I usually live dangerously and color first, cut last.  I matted the bees with Astrobrights Eclipse Black and the yellow panel is Astrobrights Galaxy Gold that I wrapped with a Black organdy ribbon and set aside.  My sentiment is from Hambo Stamps and is perfect for my card, I'm so happy I have it - I'm out of ink in my Ink Jet printer... After stamping the sentiment I put the Mohawk Bright White panel through the Cuttlebug using the Swiss Dots embossing folder rounded the corners and attached it to the Eclipse Black card body, then assembled my card.

The bees are colored with Copic markers:

Y13, Y15, Y17

T3, T5, T7, R21

BG0000, BG000, B01

I'm off to color more cute bees, I printed six of them too large for this sketch so you'll probably being seeing more bees in the future!  I did order some new embossing folders from E Bay that should go with them too.

Bee sure to check out our Operation Write Home Midweek Throwdown challenge that starts today, I don't have a card ready yet...

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

Challenges:

Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps - Sketch #163

Celebrate The Occasion - Spring Is In The Air
Through The Craft Room Door - Anything Goes
Card Mania - Lots of Layers
Make It Monday - Anything Goes

The Craft's Meow Vintage Rides

I have a clean and simple birthday card today, I've been playing with Ombre` Stamping, maybe that should be Ombre` coloring/card making.  I recently purchased this cute stamp set from The Craft's Meow called Vintage Rides, I think it's going to make some cute cards for Operation Write Home and our church for their birthday cards.  

This little car was super easy and fun to color with Copic markers:

BG0000, BG10, BG32, BG34

C00, C2, C3

B0000

I only found two shades of paper to go with my card so I took the easy way out and cut them on the diagonal and used them.  The Happy Birthday is a stamp made by Papertrey Ink. and the papers are Hero Arts layering weight card stock in Pool and Bayou.  I also used Astrobrights Eclipse Black and X Press It blending card.

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Hook's Lines & Inkers Dazse

I have a fun card to share today using a couple of stamps from my stash using a masking technique.

These two stamps are really old, the date on them is 1993, they are made by "Hook's Lines & Inkers" one is called Cat Tails and the other is Dazse.  I bought these when I was in Cody, Wyoming in 2004 and haven't used them very often.  I "googled" the company name and found lots of their stamps for sale on E Bay so I don't know if they are still in business or not.  

Using Memento Tuxedo Black ink I stamped the cow on X Press It blending card and then stamped it on a post it note.  I cut the cow out on the post it note for a mask and put it over the cow I'd first stamped.  I then inked the Cat Tails stamp and stamped on either side of my cow.  An oldie but goodie stamping technique called masking.  I then colored my scene with Copic markers:

N1, N3, N5, N7, N9

E41, E42, E44, E47, E34

RV00, RV10

B0000, B01

B63, YR68

It's a large stamped image without Cat Tails but I like it even better with them so I had to keep my card layout simple.  The sentiment I used is by Papertrey Ink.  I tried to think of something cute that the cow might have to say but couldn't think of anything.  Any ideas?

My pink paper is almost as old as my stamps...  it's Stampin' Up! Pretty Ink Pink, the others are Mohawk Bright White & Astrobrights Eclipse Black.

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Lilyboo Designs I don't wanna go...

I have a Lilyboo Designs card for you today!

This digital image is called I Don't Wanna Go... 

I had fun coloring it with Copic markers:

Jeans - B91, B93, B95

Shirt - YR04, YR15, YR16

Hair - YR24, E23, E34, E37

Skin - E00, E01, E11, R21

Shoes - C0, C1

Dog - E40, E41, E42

Grass - YG03, YG17, YG23

Background - B0000, B000, B01

I started with a sketch for my layout, the papers used are Astrobrights Eclipse Black, Stampin' Up! Brocade Blue, X Press It and Basic Grey Lime Rickey designer paper in orange.  The dies I used are by Papertrey Ink and Die-namics as well as the sentiment being from PTI.  

Another fun boys birthday card for my stash!

Thanks for visiting my blog today, I hope you'll join me tomorrow for the Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps/Stampers Best skip.

Stomp Stamps Moto X

As you can see from the sentiment on my card today I'm still working on Birthday cards!

My goal is to get ahead on my stash and have some masculine type cards ready for future use, it's a daunting goal because masculine cards are challenging for me.  

I'm always up for a good challenge though! 

I used an old wood mounted rubber stamp today made by Stomp Stamps.  I don't think they are in business any longer, when I "googled" the name I didn't get anything, even on E Bay...  the date on the wood block is 2003.

I thought this might be a good birthday card stamp for teen boys and young men? 

It's been awhile since I've been involved in off road  motorcycle racing so I did a Google search for Yamaha dirt bikes for an idea of how to color my image.  I haven't attempted Honda dirt bikes yet as I'm pretty sure they are red and it's one of the hardest colors to use in small areas.  One day...

I colored this fun dirt bike stamp with Copic markers:

B21, B23, B24, BG10, BG0000, B01

E00, E01, E11

N1, N3, N5

C0, C2, C3

T1, T3, T5

The card stock colors I used are Astrobrights Eclipse Black, Color Mates Grey, Discount Cardstock's Cobalt Blue & X Press It blending card.  The gears embossing folder is made by Sizzix and the little gears are from a Quickkutz die and I used some silver eyelets.  The tag is a Spellbinders Tags Trio die and the sentiment is from a PaperTrey Ink stamp set.

Oh!  I almost forgot my layout is Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps sketch #161!

I flipped the sketch because I'm using a rubber stamp and couldn't "flip" my image as it's not digital and used a rectangle instead of an oval.  

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

Challenges:

Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps - Sketch #161
Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps - MWT Tic TacToe
Make It Monday - Anything Goes

Paper Smooches My Guy

I have a fun card to share today that is part of my birthday cards for our church project I've been working on.  This cute image is a stamp from the Paper Smooches set called My Guy.  I'm hoping it's suitable for men and teen boys birthday cards.

There is also a Virtual Card Making Party going on at Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps for the holiday weekend, Linda has challenged us to make cards that have something with "wheels" on it - my car is perfect for her challenge - yea!

I colored the car with Copic markers:

Car - B21, B23

Tires - T7

Chrome - C00, C1, C2

Seat, Rag Top - T3, T5

Lights - Y000, R24, R27

Window - BG0000, G0000

I used one of my Basic Grey paper pads that matched my blue card stock, along with Astrobrights Eclipse Black, Neenah Pewter and X Press It blending card.

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

Challenges:

Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps - Things With Wheels

LIlyboo Mixing Time

I have a Lilyboo Designs card to share with you today, this digital image is called Mixing Time and the happy birthday sentiment is from a Papertrey Ink set I have.

My 11 year old son has requested more masculine birthday cards in my stash of cards and I think I need to rise to that challenge.  Masculine cards are a challenge for me so this should be fun!

I colored this cute image with Copic markers:

Mixer:  C00, C1, C3, C5, C7, N3, N5, N7

Concrete:  W1, W3, W5

Bricks:  R59, E59

Bucket:  YR21, YR23, E34

Water:  B12, B14

Shovel:  C00, C1, C3, E42, E43, YR21, YR23, E34

Grass:  YG01, YG13, YG25, YG67

Sky:  B0000, B01

I stared this layout with a sketch but veered off the course and ended up here.  The only difference is the "brick red" panel was shorter and had rounded edges, it just didn't look quite right for this so I re worked it to go all the way across the card front.  It's embossed with a Sizzix Tim Holtz brick pattern embossing folder.  My paper choices are Astrobrights Eclipse Black, Stampin' Up! Bravo Burgundy, Basic Gray & Apricot Appeal along with X Press It blending card.

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Birdie Brown Robot

I have a fun card to share with you today that I made for our Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps Midweek Throwdown challenge.  The theme is to make Cards 4 Kids!

I bought this cute robot digital image and sentiment set a few weeks ago from Birdie Brown for a coloring class that Sandy Allnock was doing, this was the first robot I colored in the class that day.  I thought it would be a perfect image for kids cards and I used Operation Write Home's sketch challenge #155 as my layout.

I used cool gray Copic markers following Sandy's direction to make my robot look metallic.  The reds I used are R35, R46 & R59.  My paper choices are Astrobrights Eclipse Black, Neenah Red Pepper Linen, Mohawk Bright White, X Press It & Stampin' Up! Brushed Silver.  For dies - Spellbinders Ovals, Papertrey Ink Double Ended banner die & a small Quickutz Gears die.  I added eyelets to the die cut gears for added interest and fun.  I remember thinking, wow, when was the last time I used eyelets?!  I had to search for them and it looks like I need more black in my collection of eyelets & brads.

When was the last time you used eyelets on a card?!

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

Challenges:

Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps - Cards 4 Kids

Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps - Sketch Challenge #155

Paper Smooches Zoo Crew Hippo

Have you been over to Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps to see their sketch challenge for this week yet?!  The sketch was posted Sunday morning and I have it ready to go Monday morning, that's fast for me!

I've been trying to use digital images and stamped images I've already colored to use up my supply.  

This cute Hippo by Paper Smooches is one of those -  I've colored it with Copic markers in the Warm Gray family and also used Red Violets but I can't tell you which ones because I apparently didn't write it down.  

I tried to match my papers to the Hippo using Stampin' Up! Pretty In Pink & Orchid Opulence, Astrobrights Eclipse Black, X Press It blending card and I'm not sure of the Warm Gray colored paper as it was a scrap.  I chose to make the hearts Orchid Opulence because I got out my old Stampin' Up! color wheel and found it's an analogous or coordinating color to the Pretty In Pink.  I'm still thinking about what I've learned in Operation Write Home Design Boot Camp (=

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

Challenges:

Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps - Sketch #158

Paper Smooches Zoo Crew OWH Skip

Welcome to our Operation Write Home Cards with Critters blog skip for Groundhog's Day!

If you arrived here from Mary Anne's blog your skipping in the right direction.  If you just happened upon my blog post and would like to start at the beginning click here and you'll go to the Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps blog.

I had fun putting together my card for this skip.  My cute Paper Smooches Alligator was already colored,  I wish I remembered the Copic marker colors for you but I didn't find any other scraps of paper with this colored image.  

I was inspired recently by Carol using this Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps sketch #123
I wanted to try it too.  I like the way it turned out using this stamp set.  My paper choices are Stampin' Up! Rose Red, Mellow Moss & Always Artichoke, Astrobrights Eclipse Black, Mohawk Bright White & X Press It blending card.  I used Memento Tuxedo Black to stamp my image and sentiment.

One more thing...
I have 2 opportunities to win blog candy!  My Favorite Things Stamps donated stamp sets to Operation Write Home and I'm going to give away two packages, one here on my blog and one on my Facebook page.  For my blog please leave a comment with your e mail address so I can contact you if/when you win.  For my Facebook page follow the directions there & Good luck!

The next stop on our skip is Diane, enjoy - L8R gator!

Thanks for visiting my blog today  =)

Lilyboo Designs Tractor

I have a Lilyboo Designs card to share today using their Tractor digital image.  I've been wanting to make a card with this cute Tractor for a long time now!  I used Copic markers:

YG01, YG13, YG245

W3, W5, W7

N1, N3, N5, N7

C00, C2, C4, C6

BG0000, B01

The layout is Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps sketch challenge #157 pictured below.

The paper choices are Martha Stewart Playful Blue & Pastels paper pads, Astrobrights Eclipse Black, Mohawk Bright White and X Press It blending card.  The birthday sentiment is a stamp from Papertrey Ink.  I also used my We R Memory Keepers 1/8th inch Corner Chomper.

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

Challenges:

Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps - Sketch #157

Lilyboo Designs Safari Jake In The Jungle Scene

I have a fun Lilyboo Designs card to share today!

I used Lilyboo's Safari Jake Sitting Pretty & In The Jungle Scene digital images and merged them to make my scene.  I've been wanting to color more of the Lilyboo scenes but feel a little intimidated by coloring an entire scene.  When I'm finished I always think, "that was fun!" so I just need to keep coloring and enjoying myself!

I used almost the entire card front for the scene because when the images are really small they are harder for me to see and color.  Since there was a nice space between Jake and the tree I wanted to add a sentiment & made my own on the computer to match the font for the birthday sentiment on the inside of my card, sorry I didn't take a picture of the inside. It's not very exciting, just plain with the birthday sentiment, coloring the tree again for the inside might have been fun - next time!  I used the Die-namics Fishtail Flags Stax dies to cut out my sentiment.  The two layers don't really line up the way it looks on my card, I trimmed the edges off of the brown colored card stock to fit my preference.  I wanted to add a little something extra to an otherwise simple card so I wound a piece of jute twine around the sentiment flag.  To curl the ends I wrapped the jute twine around a Q Tip that was on the table from blending my background.

The card stock colors I used are Mohawk Bright White for the card base and sentiment, Copic X Press It Blending Card for the coloring & Astrobrights Jupiter Java as a matting layer.

The Copic markers I used are:

Skin - E00, E01, E11

Hair - E30, E31, E33, Y32

Clothes - YG91, YG93, YG95, E81, E84

Tree Trunk - E30, E31, E34, E37

Leaves - G40, G43, G46, BG90, BG93, BG96, G21, 

G24, G28, YG01, YG13, YG25, YG67

Rope - E40, E41, E42, E43, E44

Background/Outline - B0000, B01

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

Challenges:
Paper Crafting Journey - Anything Goes
Make It Monday - Anything Goes
Inspire Me Fridays - Anything Goes

Hambo Stamps Southwest

I'm back in the Hambo Hoedown again! 

Our digital image for this week's Hambo Hoedown is called Southwest and the challenge theme is to use this image or any Hambo Stamps image/rubber stamp and make a masculine card.  I added Hambo Stamps Rattler digital image and sentiment to my scene.   

I live in western Arizona where beautiful sunsets, picturesque mountains and rattle snakes can be seen almost any time but was kind of stumped on how to go about coloring this image.  I printed it twice and jumped right in and somehow it came to life on it's own, or so it seems.  

I kept my card simple to show off the scene.  The scene is colored on Copic X Press It, layered onto Via Vellum Black and added to a Astrobrights Solar Yellow card base.

I hope you'll play along in the Hambo Hoedown with us this week!

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

Challenges:

Lilyboo Designs Let's Just Relax

I have a card to share today using one of the Lilyboo Designs new releases at Cuddly Buddly!

This cutie is called Let's Just Relax and she's colored with Copic markers:

Skin - E000, E00, E01, E11, R20

Hair - E55, E49, E57, E59

Jeans - B91, B93, B95, B97

Shoes - W1, W3

Top - R11, R12, R14, B93, B95

Cat - E30, E31, Y32, RV10

Pillow - Y06, Y08, Y19

Background - N1, N3, B60, B63

For my layout I used a sketch from Operation Write Home #123

The cardstock colors are:  Stampin' Up! Cameo Coral, Treasures Dusk Blue, Astro Brights Solar Yellow and Copic X Press It.  For the button I used a Papertrey Ink button die, rounded corners with a We R Memory Keepers 1/8th inch corner rounder and to make the banner tail, I used a square punch

like pictured here.

Thanks for visiting my blog today!

Challenges:
Happy Campers Challenge - Use Bright Colors
Paper Crafting Journey - Anything Goes
Simply Create - Anything Goes