I "Heart" Paris Tag: Stampsmith Tag Swap

Hi Dreamers,
I wanted to show you the tag I made for a tag swap over on the Stampsmith Yahoo group.  I sent this tag  to Laurie, and she received it.  So, I won't be spoiling her surprise by posting it now.  LOL    I made this tag with  a Stampsmith Stamp: I Love Paris.

The background was made by spraying Glimmer mists onto a tag made from cream CS.  I added lace, ribbons, and some rhinestones.   

The hearts were made by covering punched CS hearts with Piccolo enamel powders.  

Challenges for The I "Heart" Paris Tag:
Craft Your Days Away: anything goes
Simon Say Stamp: Anything goes
Dragons Dream: tags -art for arts sake
Scrap Creations: off the edge
Craft Door: anything goes or diva


See another tag I made with this stamp on my blog here.

Another busy day here.  I absolutely must clean my house today.  No more playtime!!  Must get to work.
 I will be back on  Saturday with the new Stampsmith Challenge for September!!   I have a fun project to show you!

I hope you are having a great Thursday.  See you Saturday.  Love ya.
Karen

Holiday Lady with Character Construction

Hi Dreamers!
I don't think it is too early to start on a few holiday cards, do you?  I have been thinking about getting some made and this one "emerged"  from one of my backgrounds.  I make the backgrounds in big batches and put them in folder.  I always have a nice selection ready to use.  Now, back to the holiday topic.  I like to try non-traditional images to make holiday cards...... You know, just for fun.  Here is my Holiday Lady.   I used the Character Construction Stamps:

Mannequin Cafe #12 and Bird & Bee Paperie #22

I started with a background made with a Crafters Workshop Template and spray inks.  I stamped onto the background with Sienna  and Coffee Archival inks.  I drew in skirt  silhouette with a black marker following the diamond pattern in the background.  I did not plan this, it just happened.  LOL.  Sometimes things just come together like that.   Sometimes.   I layered onto green and red CSs, and added a bit of shimmer with a gold pen on the edges of the card base.

I stamped the bird in red, cut out and layered onto the branch.  I added some silk poinsettias with a gem in each center.

I added a nice sentiment to the inside, a left over piece of background, and a spritz of spray ink.  

Inside

I think I will make a few more of these to go in the Holiday card box.  I know some of my GF's would love this card. 

How about a few Challenges??!!

Anything Challenge: make your own background

Creative Card Crew: Christmas

Fashionable Stamping: flowers

Winter Wonderland: red and green

ATC's and cards with Attitude: anything goes

Super busy day today, gotta run.  Love ya.

Karen

WOYWW 169- Maybe a Holiday Card

Hi Dreamers!
Happy Wednesday and welcome to my messy work table!  LOL.  I was stamping on some of my backgrounds with this Character Construction stamp.  I did not intend to make a Holiday card when I started, but the colors spoke to me and said, "yes, I am going to be a holiday card".  There are the Archival inks that I used to stamped the lady.  My favorite glue.  Oh, and there is my to-do list too.

Check out what is on all the other work desks at Julia's blog ---Stamping-Ground.

Lots of fun things to see!!  Busy day today!!  Hope you are having a great day.  Love ya.
Karen

Update: I did make this into a Holiday Card.  LOL

Steampunk Owl with Metallic Tree

Hi Dreamers!
I had a dream...An owl with a rocket pack!!  And, where do you suppose he lived??  In a metallic tree. Of course!  Where else would a Steampunk Owl live???   This fun image is from the creative mind of Di Davies at Blockheads Stamps: the new set Fringe Folktales.

Materials List:

Blockhead Stamps

Fringe Folktales

Botanical Silhouettes - Circle border

Victorian Inventions - gears

Ink: Tuxedo Black Memento

Vintage Photo Distress Ink

Distress Markers

Stickles - Gold and Silver

Metallic gold paper

Various scraps of ribbon and lace

A Tree Embossing Folder

Stamp the Owl with black ink and lightly distress with Vintage Photo.  I shaded and colored  with my new Distress Markers.  Cut out the Owl.  

To make the tree dry emboss a piece of metallic gold paper.  "Paint" the limbs with gold Stickles and the leaves with silver.  Stamp the Circle Border on the left side.  Stamp again on a piece of brown paper and tear into small pieces.  Glue down over the stamping.

Stamp the clock from the Victorian Inventions stamp and cut out the small dial.  Attach the dials to the tree with glue dots.

Add a bunch of  fibers.  Layer with green metallic and Teal CS.  Stamp the Owl again for the inside.

Inside

How about a few fun challenges for my Steampunk Owl??!!

Simon Says Stamp and Show: summer colors or other new distress products
Cheerful Stamp Pad: Steampunk
Eureka stamps: anything goes
Take a Word: clockworks
Stampalot: Things with wings
Anything Goes: make your own background

Lovely raining day here in Michigan.  I have lots to do in the studio today.  All kinds of projects that I want to get done this week.  I will be back on Wednesday with "something".  See you then.  Love  ya.
Karen

A Few Masculine Birthday Cards

Hi Dreamers,
And, Good Sunday Morning to you!  I have my cup of coffee and am ready to go.  Had a nice day yesterday with two of my GF's.  We went to a used book sale and then over to Chris's for a yummy lunch and good conversation.   Now, on to the cards for today.  How about some masculine cards?  Let's just jump right in with the photos.

Background is made with the Swirls Crafters Workshop Template and spray inks.  I punched some squares to layer the sentiment.

Detail

Inside

Card #2

The background is dry embossed and distressed with Vintage Photo ink.  I punched some circles to layer this sentiment.

Detail

Inside

Card #3

Background is made by stamping a large stamp onto the embossing folder and then adding the paper...run through your Cuttlebug.  Remove paper; clean embossing folder.  Add inks to the paper.

Detail

Inside

The sentiments are from Stampin' Up and Victorine Originals.

And, now, how about a few challenges for my Masculine Birthday cards!??

Simon Says stamp and show: no rules

365 Cards: use two techniques----I used dry embossing and distressing with ink.

365 Cards: three textures----I used dry embossing, punches, and layers

Craft Your Days Away: Anything goes--their last challenge.

Craft Punked: steampunk

Fat pages and cards with attitude: anything goes

Take a Word: clockworks

Hope you are having a great weekend!!  Lots going on this coming week.... A Steampunk Owl and who knows what else.  LOL  Love ya.

Karen

A Butterfly, Flowers, and Birthday

Hi Dreamers!
I have been busy working on cards to sell and having fun with that.  Today, I have two cards that I made for my brother's box of Birthday cards.  As you know, he prefers handmade cards to store bought.  I made the cards with Gina K Design stamps.

Detail

The images were colored with Copic Markers.  Just a quick post today.  Hope you are having a great day.  I think I will share a few masculine birthday cards tomorrow.  Sound good?  See you then.  Love ya.
Karen

WOYWW 168- A Stack of Butterfly Cards

Hi Dreamers!
It is Wednesday again and time for The Stamping Grounds What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday  #168.  I have really been enjoying participating and checking out all the fun projects in the works on other artists' workdesks.   Here is my table today.   I have been stamping and making multiples for cards that I will be selling.   The stamped pieces are going onto coordinating CS card bases.

I have about 15 cards half way finished so far.  Lots more to do!!  LOL.  I hope you are having a wonderful Wednesday!!  Love ya.
Karen

Note Pad Cover with Steampunk Chicken

Hi Dreamers!
Did my title  really say Steampunk Chicken?  YES.  Check out this wonderfully whimsical Steampunk set from Artist Di Davies at Blockheads called Fringe Folktales.

I have had the "altering" bug lately..... I wanted to alter something.  I found this note pad that I thought needed a nice cover.  I started with Cream CS and created a background with Crafters Workshop template -Chicken Wire and Fireworks Craft Ink Spray and Walnut Ink Sprays.  See my tutorial here.

Materials List:

Blockhead Stamps:

Fringe Folktales - On Sale

Notions

Household-Sewing

Verses Full Sheet-sentiment

Urban Journal 1 -the lined circle

Inks

Jet Black Stazon

Distress Ink Pads- Shabby Shutter, Vintage Photo, Black Soot

Fireworks Craft Ink Spray-on Sale in Desert Sand

Walnut Spray in Terra Cotta and Cherry Blossom

Distress Markers

Chicken Wire Crafters Workshop Template

Cream, Kraft, and Black CS

5 x 8 Note Pad

Distress the edges of the background piece with Shabby Shutters and Vintage Photo inks.  The Steampunk Chicken is stamped with Black Stazon and colored with Distress Markers.  The other stamped elements are stamped with Black Soot ink.

Here is a view of the side...you can see the note pad in this view.   As you can see, I did not use a brand new note pad.  I should have, but did not have one in the house.

And here is a peek of the inside with my "To Do List".  

Really fun project!  What can I alter next??!!  Don't know.  Any suggestions??!!

And now, a few Challenges for my Steampunk Chicken Not Pad:
Simon Says Stamp and Show: anything goes
Cheerful Stamp pad: Steampunk
Dream Valley: Steampunk
Ink on My fingers: Steampunk
That Craft Place: vintage
Anything Challenge: make your own background

Note:
Trisha, Blockheads Design Team Mate,  has been altering too.  Check out her back to school pencil box here.

Have a great day and see you tomorrow!!  Love ya
Karen

Tea Pot Lady Card and Tag with Lots of Fibers

Hi Dreamers,
Happy Friday!  Bring on the weekend!  I am going to hang out with my friend, Sharon tomorrow.  We are going to a morning card making event.  And, then we will hunt out some garage sales where  I  will be looking for items to alter.  And, maybe a few good books.  Sounds fun, doesn't it??!!
Today, I have two really fun projects; a card and a tag using stamps from Character Construction: Mad Tea Party #7.   I went a bit mad myself with my projects.  And, I certainly did not spare the fibers.  Here is the card.

 I stamped the Tea Pot lady and the pots with Oregano Adirondack ink on white CS.  The images were colored with Watercolor Crayons.  Now this part is very technical....  I blended the crayons with my finger.  LOL.  I suppose I could have used a Fantastix or something, but I did not want to use any water because I used a dye ink to stamp.  I  dry embossed the piece  and swiped it with Shabby Shutter Distress ink.

As I said, I went a bit mad with all the fibers and added a wide ribbon and lots of rick rack.  The inside is fairly sane and has plenty of room for a nice note.

Inside

Now on to the Tag.  I started with a dark brown tag and sprayed with iridescent Glimmer Mist.  I added some Vintage Bronze enamel powder (from Piccolo) on one edge and the bottom.    The images are stamped with Oregano ink on white CS and cut out.

Add the Tea Pot Lady to the tag and apply a coat of Glastique Finishing Glaze.  Love this effect.

Apply some Crushed Olive Distress Ink and Tempting Turqouoise ink (Stampin' Up) ink  to the cups and pots.  Add them with dimensional squares.  I added fabric puffs on the sides.

The puffs are really easy to make.  If you have made yo-yos, you know how to make these puffs.  Cut a circle from fabric.  Hand sew gathering stitches around the edge and pull tight.  That's it.  "Sew" easy.  LOL.
Add the ribbon at the top.

And, how about a few super fun Challenges!!
DL Art Thankful Thursday: use Fabric---my tag
Moving Along with the Times: any shape but square--my tag
Paper Crafting Journey: anything goes
City Crafter: use fabric
Simon Says stamp and Show: fav technique---a new favorite--using the Piccolo Enamel Powders on my tag.


I hope you enjoy the weekend and have some free time to create a fun project.  Or, to do something else fun.  If I find any good stuff at the garage sales, I show you on Monday.  Love ya.
Karen

Owl Be Thinking of You

Hi Dreamers,
Here is a card I made with two of my new stamps: Circle Fusion Cover-A-Card (CC109) and Owl (G1001) from Impression Obsession.  And, they are having a Gray and Yellow Challenge. 

The Owl is colored with Distress Markers.  The Cover-A-Card stamp is stamped with Niagara Falls Versa Magic ink.  I added a piece of gray crinkle paper.

 Inside

I stamped the owl again on the inside and a cute sentiment from Victorine Originals.

Challenges:

Simon Says Stamp:animals                                    

Play Date Cafe: photo and color

Well, I still haven't done that ironing!!  Oh boy, I really must get to that.  I hope you are having a great day!!  Love ya.

Karen

Loving Paris Tag with The Stampsmith

Hi Dreamers,
I am in a tag mood today.  Well, the mood to make tags, I should say.  We are having a tag swap over at The Stampsmith Yahoo group.    Now if Laurie is looking...this is NOT her tag.  This is another tag I made while I was making her tag.  Laurie's tag is a bit different and I will show that one to you after she receives it.

This stamp is called "I Love Paris" from The Stampsmith.    I started by using Glimmer Mists from Tattered Angels to color a cream 3 x 6 inch  tag.  I stamped the image with black dye ink.

I added this pretty Rainbow trim (Hobby Lobby) and some bright blue rhinestones. 

Fun, fun, fun!  Are you a tag lover??  Do you think I could send tags as cards?  I could just write on the back.  My friend, Debbie, did her Christmas cards like that last year.  I love making tags and am getting quite a pile of them.  LOL.

Challenges:
Fashionable Stampers: summer ice cream colors
The sisterhood of crafters: Tags
Crafty Bloggers Network: pink and black
Top Tip Tuesday: one layer

Well, a great big pile of ironing is staring at me.  I probably should get to it.  Blogging is much more fun.  LOL.  Have a super day!  Love ya.
Karen