A little Monday inspiration

I made this card with a different image in mind than I have used here. I coloured a sweet little spring image and when I placed it where it would go on this card, all I could think was, 'Eeewwww!!!' The base I like. The darling little spring girl image I like. The  image and base together, not so much.

I had to find a something to fit in the space I had for that girl. I pulled out Words of Wisdom and the flourish from Rescue Remedies Additions by Waltzingmouse Stamps to use in place of the image I had coloured.  It looks like I had planned it to be this way all along! For this bow, I layered up 2 ribbons; a cream satin and an iridescent, sheer antique gold twinkle. I really love the look since it gives the sheer ribbon more weight and presence on the card.

I dolled up the inside on this card. I'm stretching myself here, but I do like the end product and I am trying to do this more often as I have time.

Have a wonderful week, Friend!

stamps; words of wisdom, rescue remedies additions (waltzingmouse stamps)
paper; curio (basic grey), raven, walnut creme (bazzill)
ink; tea dye, vintage photo, tattered rose, black soot distress ink (ranger)
accessories; plaque & postage die,  damask and regal emboss folders (t holtz sizzix), ivory ribbon (offray), antique gold sheer twinkle, black crochet trim (may arts), lattice pendant, labels 17 & 4, lg petite oval, lg scallop petite oval, beetle black brads (bazzill), black rhinestones (heidi swapp)

So Thoughtful Blue!

My youngest daughter got into my paper scrap files and didn't clean up after herself when she was done - bless her little crafty heart! Two of the scraps she left on my desk were big enough for a card base and a little left over. I kept looking at this gorgeous blue and deep brown together thinking that they were stunning together and what pattern paper do I have that went with both?

I started flipping through paper pads and came across this sparkly beauty in my Mango Frost pad. I love the circular motif and that provided the inspiration for the rest of the card. I chose to soften the pattern on the paper by over layering thin vellum and attaching it using vanilla brads. I finally dove into my Lavish Trimmings and used the elasticized tulle here. To hide the elastic, I layered thin brown satin ribbon and tied on a little vanilla ribbon slider. I used some older K&Co gems echoing the circular design on the paper.

My little dumplin' came back and cleaned up the rest of her scraps and told me I had used the papers she had wanted. Oops! My bad! And I think it turned out pretty good!!!

stamps; rescue remedies additions (waltzingmouse stamps)
paper; mango frost (DCWV), tropical breeze, geneva (bazzill),
ink; pearlescent chocolate brilliance (tsukineko)
accessories; fancy tags, sm & lg squares nestabilities (spellbinders), lavish trimmings (ranger), adhesive gems (K&Co), very vanilla hardware (SU!), brown satin ribbon (offray)

September Calendar

Today is September 1st, and I'm feeling a little more back on track.  Maybe.  I might make a firmer decision tomorrow.  Maybe.  A really good step in this direction is I finally have our September calendar done.  I didn't do one for July because we weren't home and I was just too far behind to do one for August.

In addition, I knew all the FABULOUS new product Kate ordered at CHA, and I wanted to be able to use a bunch of it for my September Calendar.

I used my new Graphic45 Steampunk Debutante paper.  OH GOSH!!!!  This paper is one of my top 5 designer papers ever.  I used so much of my 8x8 pad for this project.  In the pad, there is a paper with a butterfly border and a very cool image in the center.  The image didn't really work with what I wanted to do for my project, so I cut a black cardstock mat to cover it and mount my own work on.  Isn't that butterfly frame brilliant?!!!  It's definitely a favourite feature for September.

I painted chipboard hearts with crackle paint, one with aged bronze and the other with brushed pewter.  I added a little character with adirondack alcohol ink. 

I used a Zva rhinestone flourish to blingify to the sentiment, and a couple of little butterflies for a touch of whimsy.  I used a piece of lightweight vellum over the brightly coloured rose pattern paper.  Love it!

My family is happy with me because we have a calendar again, just in time for school, and I hope this sentiment will go a little way to offer inspiration to my kids as they start a new academic year.


stamps; vintage labels 5, words of wisdom (waltzingmouse stamps)
paper; steampunk debutante (graphic45), raven (bazzill), lightweight vellum (paper accents)
ink; black soot distress ink (ranger)
accessories; labels 5 nesties (spellbinders), crochet lace (may arts), black crepe ribbon (creative impressions), rhinestone flourish (zva), fleur de lis punch, diamond scallop punch (ek success), butterfly trio punch (martha stewart), black rhinestones (heidi swapp), pewter butterfly (unknown), chipboard hearts (bazzill), brushed pewter, aged bronze crackle paint (ranger)

Multi Challenge Waltzingmouse Card

I received my Waltzingmouse stamps around my holidays.  Claire was awesome about holding an order for me until close to my arrival home date.  I've been home for almost 3 weeks, and I finally inked them up!  Yay, me!  I combined 3 splitcoast challenges here, and I don't think it turned out badly at all!

I used the colour combination always artichoke, cherry cobbler and pretty in pink, but I forgot to use the dessert option pf using pinking scissors  My layout is sketch challenge 294 and I decided to pull out my versamark ink when I saw today's Ways To Use It challenge.  I really appreciate the challenges right now, because I'm not coming up with much if I have to think it up on my own right now, but this should go away in about a week... about the same time night feeds are done.

I used Infuse by Basic Grey, an older pattern line that I need to use up, because the colours were terrific for the colour challenge.  I think I may have too much pattern going on but it works, I hope.  I stamped the long stamp from Victorian Frippery along the lower edge of the sentiment panel with Versamark ink and I heat embossed using Zing! chocolate brown powder.  It's been ages since I used Versamark ink, and since I love the stuff and the effects I can get with it, I don't know what I was waiting for!!! 

It's a pretty basic card since I can't dedicate too much time crafting for the next week.  Thanks for popping by - you just made my day!

stamps; victorian frippery, words of wisdom (waltzingmouse stamps)
paper; infuse (basic grey), mariposa (DCWV), brown (bazzill)
ink; versamark (tsukineko)
accessories; pink scallop ribbon (making memories), riding hood red ribbon (SU!),  brown emboss powder (Zing!), brown ribbon (offray), rhinestones (heidi swapp), cross charm (blue moon beads)

Playing with the Dirty Girls

During the month of July, there are challenges posted by past and present dirty dozen girls on Splitcoaststampers.  The challenges are open to members of the fan club only.  Now, I have got to tell you that a SCS membership lasts for a year and costs the equivalent of 3-4 craft magazines.  SCS Membership is a bargain, people!  I've been a member for years, and it really is money well spent.

My family was on holidays for the month of July, and I didn't get to play the challenges when they were 'fresh'.  I didn't want to torture myself, so I didn't even peek on the infrequent occasions that I had internet.  Now I'm home, the laundry is caught up and I'm back in my studio.  I'll respect the request of the higher ups and not tell you what the challenge is specifically - membership has its privileges!  Instead, I'll just tell you about my card ;)

I used papers from My Mind's Eye Life Stories Collection 1 (Kate has it on SALE!).  I love the way paper packs make it so easy to mix and match patterns!!!  I spritzed the mulberry flower with shimmer - Love this stuff!!! 

I really like the taupe pearl flourish as a base focal point for the little floral cluster which frames this lovely, gentle sentiment from Irish Blessing by Waltzingmouse Stamps.

stamps; irish blessings (waltzingmouse stamps) 
Paper: Life Stories collection 1 (MME), brown (bazzill), kraft (paper accents)  
Ink: juniper adirondack, pumice stone distress ink (ranger), perlescent chocolate (tsukineko) 
Accessories: taupe pearl flourish (zva), flower (petaloo), leaf punch (ek success)