September 30, 2013

Fall Girl

Hi Everyone,

Today I am pleased to be spotlighting the new digi stamp "Fall Girl." This digi stamp is a refreshing twist to traditional fall genre of pumpkins and ghosts, adding sweet detail to any project.

As you know by now, I love to glitter my digi stamps. (Click here to learn how.) Today, though, I used a slightly different technique. I glittered each section with transparent glitter - then colored the glitter with Copic markers. This allows you to add some dimension with shading - yet still having the fun of glitter.

I put the focus on Fall Girl by using a Shadow-Box Card....but the card folds flat for mailing. Fall Girl is set off with Delicate Asters and a jeweled pumpkin.



Enjoy this week's projects!

September 29, 2013

Operation Write Home Sketch Challenge

192 SketchHi Everyone

It's great to be back with another sketch challenge from Operation Wri
te Home. These cards are also being used in another challenge - one given to me by my daughter-in-law. She sent me all the fun mustache embellishments, as well as the jewels, pearls, and borders - with the challenge to create some projects and post them. Shelly, thanks again for the great goodies! Lastly, these cards will be a graduation gift for my hair stylist - who uncanningly reminds me of my daughter-in-law! Spending an afternoon in Arianah's chair is like spending an afternoon with my daughter-in-law. They look and act so much alike, I secretly wonder if they were separated at birth! But I think the 'stache cards are a fitting gift for her graduation from beauty school!

As many of you know....I can't just make one card for a sketch challenge! I twist and turn the sketch...and I always end up making one from every direction. So here are my challenge cards. Until next time...





September 23, 2013

Fall in Love

Hi Everyone,

It's an exciting time of year....so many fall and Halloween digi stamps at 2 Cute Ink!

Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas are all just around the corner. Yeah! I am having fun with 2 Cute Ink's digi stamp collection. Let me tell you, this collection is unbelievable. Today I am posting cards made with the digi stamp Fall In Love for your viewing pleasure.

Of course, I prefer my digi stamps all glittered and glammed. If you are passionate about glitter, click here for details on how to glitter up digi stamps.



Close up of the cute digi face!
Have a fun and safe week!

September 20, 2013

Scraps to Treasures Blog Hop (or Should I Say FROG Hop?)


Hi Everyone,

Today we are back with more delightful inspiration featuring scraps and altered items. We are so glad you can join us.


My project is an altered pai
l - turned into Francis Frog. The pattern is one I picked up from Stampendous years ago - planned to leave a link for you, but could no longer find it.



Makes an excellent gift when filled with treats!

Cicily is next.  Be sure to hop along to see all the altered items. Here's a complete list of blogs:



Have a great weekend!

September 16, 2013

Fall Fox

Hi Everyone!

Happy  Monday to each one of you! It's hard to believe it's September and fall is here (though we never really see fall here in Southeast Arizona).  Now I keep thinking about how I need to get started on Christmas projects!  But today's post still features one of 2 Cute Ink's fall digi stamps - Fall Fox.  May you be creatively inspired today and get to working on some Halloween, Thanksgiving, or Christmas projects.  


Supplies Used
  • Digi Stamp - Fall Fox (2 Cute Ink)
  • Glitter
    • Poppy Orange & Pumpkin Spice (Glitter Ritz)
    • Green & Yellow (Tree House Studio)
  • Embossing Folder - Plaid (Darice)
  • Halloween Cardstock, Black Cardstock, White Cardstock
We'll see you right back here next Monday.

September 9, 2013

Pumpkin Raking Leaves

Hi Everyone,

As I mentioned last week, the Halloween Cardmaking season is now in full swing at my house.  Seriously, the 2 Cute Ink Halloween and Fall digi stamps are amazingly fun to work with!  With cute Halloween/Fall spiders and pumpkins and bats and cats, these digi stamps will make your cards pop! 

For today's card, I used the Pumpkin/Leaves digi stamp....and loved how this one turned out in glitter (especially the leaves).  I popped the pumpkin up with a wobble sticker.  So my pumpkin is an "action" raker.  Instructions for using glitter with digi stamps can be found here.



Here's my pumpkin "wobbling."


Supplies Used

  • Pumpkin Leaves Digi Stamp
  • Glitter
    • Copper, Java Bean, Classic Taupe, Regal Red (Glitter Ritz)
  • Cardstock - Halloween paper pack purchased on clearance at Hobby Lobby
  • Action Wobble

September 2, 2013

Spider Witch

Hi Everyone,

It's great to be back with all of you this Monday!  Today's post features a Halloween glittered and glammed digital stamp from 2 Cute Ink - Spider Witch.  My Halloween cards need to be ready today to be put in my stores.  But you still have time for making Halloween cards....so be sure to visit the shop to get your Halloween digis.  If you've missed the steps on how to glitter up digi stamps, you can see step-by-step instructions by clicking HERE.  


Supplies Used for this card:
  • Spider Witch Digi Stamp 
  • Glitter
    • Pure Sparkle Gold (Piccolo Decor)
    • Green Tea, Cayenne, Wisteria, Cool & Warm Highlights (Glitter Ritz)
    • Black (Tree House)
  • Cardstock (Halloween Paper Pack from Clearance Shelf in Hobby Lobby)
  • Pumpkin and Happy Halloween sentiment came from the same paper pack
Have a great week, and we'll see you right back here next Monday!

September 1, 2013

Yooper Cards

Hi Everyone,

Happy Sunday evening to all of you! Are you refreshed and rejuvenated and enjoying your three-day weekend?  I didn't have any such luck to get a three-day weekend - in fact, I have a six-day work week!  Hmmm....now how could that happen when it should be a short week?  LOL!

Today I am sharing my Yooper cards - available at Fort Wilkins Gift Shop in Copper Harbor.  






















Have a great evening, and we'll see you tomorrow morning with inspiration from 2 Cute Ink.

August 26, 2013

Angel Fish Doodle

Hi Everyone,

Today'post features Angel Fish Doodle - all glitzed up.  Seriously, this is one amazing digi!  With beautiful flowing fins and tail, this digi will pop off your projects.  



Here is a closeup of the Angel Fish in all her glitz and glamor.


Digi stamps are a great value for those looking to get their money's worth.  They are more versatile than rubber stamps as they can be resized to fit your project.  You can get this digi right here.  If you want to see how to glitter digi stamps, you can see step-by-step instructions by clicking here. 

Supplies I used for this card:
  • Angel Fish Doodle Digi Stamp - Sized to 4.25" x 4.46" (2 Cute  Ink)
  • Glitter
    • Transparent, pastel green, and purple (Glitter Ritz and Tree House)
  • Cardstock
    • Green Polka Dot (American Crafts)
    • Distressed Purple (Robin's Nest)
    • Blue Glitter Crackle (Robin's Nest)
  • SVG File
    • Bracket Easel Card (My Scrap Chicks)

August 19, 2013

Squid Doodle

Hi Everyone,

It's great to be joining the 2 Cute Ink Design Team today. I'm bringing a slightly different style to the digital stamps - glitter! Today's post features Squid Doodle - a digi stamp that can be incorporated into any occasion. If you want to see how to glitter the digi stamps, you can see step-by-step instructions by clicking here. 



Supplies I used for this card:
  • Squid Doodle Digi Stamp - Sized to 2.4" x 5.3" (2 Cute  Ink)
  • Glitter
    • Kensington Park (Glitter Ritz)
    • Selection of transparent, blues, gold, & bronze (Tree House Studio)
  • Cardstock
    • Cream - 8-1/2" x 5-1/2"
    • Sour Apple Classic Glitter - 3-1/2" x 5-1/2" (The Robin's Nest)
    • Blue Glitter Crackle - 3" x 5-1/4" and two strips 1-1/4" x 5-1/4" (The Robin's Nest)
    • Lavender Classic Glitter - 3" x 5-1/4" (The Robin's Nest)
  • Border Punch (Martha Stewart)
  • Cutting Files
    • Vintage Tab Frame - 3.4" x 5.3" (SVG Cuts)
Here are some close-ups of the glittered squid.




Have a great week; we'll see you right back here next Monday.

August 16, 2013

Scraps to Treasures - Happy Birthday Blog Hop

Hi Everyone,

It's great to be back with all of you this Saturday for another Scraps to Treasures Blog Hop. Today's hop features many more timeless projects using scraps with one major theme - birthdays! And make sure you hit all the blogs, because Robin has a giv
eaway! One lucky follower will receive a Scrappy Goodie Mix! It will have several different scrappy items with a value of about $20!!! To be entered for this awesome Blog Candy you MUST leave a comment on EACH blog in the hop. If you become a new follower you will earn an added entry. Please leave a comment that you became a follower.

If you are passionate about stamping or scrapbooking, and love the play with scraps, Click here to join us for next month's hop - the hop on September 21 will feature altered items.

It has been my mission for months now to use only scraps in my projects. And I'm proud to say, I've been fairly successful. Made one group of cards with a new paper pack - but everything else is coming from scraps - with my pile FINALLY, albeit slowly, dwindling down. All the images in my cards today are left over from Graphic 45 Place in Time projects. Since I had lots left over with birthday images, I made more than one card.






Have a great weekend, and we'll see you right back here next month for the Altered-Items Blog Hop.


Your next stop is Paula.  Here is the entire line up in case you become lost.

August 12, 2013

Snowflake Owl - 2 Cute Ink

I fell in love with the free digital stamp 2 Cute Ink was sharing this weekend -  Owl Doodle shared in Saturday's post.   I shared my card on the 2 Cute Ink Facebook Page, and Heidi the artist asked if I would use the same technique with some of her new digital stamps.  You know me...anything to be able to showcase my work!  

So Heidi sent me her latest digital stamp - Snowflake Owl - and as soon as I saw it, I saw cool, ice blue!

Here is my card - and step-by-step instructions below!  If you find yourself using this technique with digital stamps, please send me a link to your page in my comments....would love to see what you do!


Supplies Used

Two-sided Adhesive - on white cardstock - on cutting mat
Instructions
I just purchased a Sizzix eClip to replace my Cricut machine.  For those of you with Cricuts and Sure Cuts a Lot, the steps are almost identical.  You will only need to play with your pressure and/or blade depth on the Cricut.

First I placed a 6" x 6" piece of double-sided adhesive on a piece of white cardstock - leaving the protective cover on the top.

On the electronic cutter, Trace the digital stamp image.  Break apart the image.  I moved the solid owl image to its own layer.  So my screen looked like this:   

To cut, I set the Pressure to 3.  This cuts through the protective covering of the adhesive....but not through the cardstock.






Carefully remove protective covering over outline only
Next, I "hid" the layer with the detailed image, and displayed the solid owl image.  I set the cutter to cut two times - with a Pressure of 6.  This will cut through both the adhesive and cardstock.  See completed cut image to the right (excuse the messy glitter-catcher cardstock beneath).  You can see the detail cuts on the image's protective covering.

Cover with glitter; brush off excess
Using tweezers, I peel off the protective covering for the areas I want to glitter in each color.  I like to begin with the outline.  The way 2 Cut Ink's images are designed, it provides a nice "outline" as such.  I begin with glittering the outline...which makes it easier to find all the detailed pieces.  

I complete those same steps for each different glitter color.  You can see, once the outline is glittered, the rest of the pieces are easy to see.  Use tweezers to remove the pieces you want for each color.  You can see by the pics, that I am generous when covering with glitter.  All excess goes back in the jar, so no need to be skimpy.  For each color, remove protective covering, cover with glitter, brush off excess.  Repeat.

Generously cover with glitter
Rub off excess glitter (rub hard to get a smooth look
Shake off excess glitter



The next time I use this image, I will probably make the owl's belly white - my snowflakes aren't showing well with the little variance in blue colors.  With a white belly, blue snowflakes would really stand out (live and learn).

For this particular card, I did not resize the image.  However, the snowflakes were too small to cut easily, so I did enlarge them...then used the same technique to glitter.

A 4-1/4" x 5-1/2" piece of Robin's Egg Blue Classic Glitter cardstock provides the card front.  I used a border punch on both sides of a strip of Robin's Egg Blue Classic Glitter cardstock, ran it through the Xyron (upside down), and covered it with a combination of Cool and Warm Highlight glitter to provide a blue on blue effect.

I popped up the owl....and glued on glittered snowflakes.

If this inspires you to use this technique, please leave me your link in the comments....I would enjoy seeing your creation.  Keep an eye on 2 Cute Ink - I'm looking forward to more creations (I see Sea Creatures in my future!)