Sunday, March 30, 2008

WSC #41 - travel on my mind

Another weekend and another sketch challenge from Beate.

We're going to Europe in May and I'm mentally getting ready for traveling. Stamps, scrapbooking paper -- it's all fodder for my imagination. I decided for this card challenge that I wanted to satisfy this interest by doing something with a travel theme.

Materials used: stamps: Thai travel (Limited Edition), Map of the World (Inkadinkado); ink: clear embossing ink, Vintage Photo distress ink, Antique Linen distress ink, Black Soot distress ink (Ranger); embossing powder: super fine detail black (Ranger); corner punch (EK Success); adhesives: Pioneer mounting tape, Xyron, pop-dots; cardstock (unknown -- all from stash).

Thanks for looking.

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Vintage birds

It's been three weeks since we went up to visit my son and daughter-in-law at college. We saw the last regular season basketball game during the day and my daughter-in-law and I crafted that evening.

The background panel was my handiwork that evening; Clear embossed on glossy cardstock, then rubbed Adirondack Paint Dabber all over, with the embossing resisting the paint. Emilie did the same, but used a different paint color (cranberry) instead of Pebble, which I used. I've had the panel since then and have been trying to figger out what I wanted to do with it.

I had gotten the rub-ons (Me & My Big Ideas) awhile ago; the vintage rubber stamp is new. I needed it: 1) I had a Michaels coupon (gotta use those things!!!), 2) on my birthday card from the kids it said, "You're not old, they call it vintage".

So, I had the panel embellished to that point; I mounted the panel to black, giving it a grey tone. (Interestingly, when I used forest green, the Pebble color looked sage-y.) But I still wasn't sure how I wanted to finish the card.

Then another new purchase came into play. Got Birds Galore at Joann Fabrics and knew that I wanted to play with one or more of the bird stamps in that set. So we added a birdy. (Probably should have mounted my main panel on forest green, since the bird was stamped in sage!!)

Materials: grey and black cardstock (unknown source; stash); glossy cardstock (Michaels); stamps: Italian poetry (Hero Arts), vintage (Hampton Art Stamps), bird (Inkadinkado); sage ink (Tsukineko); clear embossing powder (Stampendous); Distress clear embossing ink, Paint Dabber (pebble), Stickles (green) (Ranger); adhesives: pop dots (All Night Media), mounting tape (Pioneer).

Thanks as always for looking.

Sunday, March 23, 2008

WSC #40 Happy Birthday

I've missed a couple of weeks of Beate's weekend sketch challenge.


So I knew that I wanted to get back into the swing of things this weekend.
Beate's sketch is at the right.


My take on it is below.

I have to say that I feel kinda guilty even submitting this for the sketch challenge. There's no stamping on it!!!
And the round element on the upper left just didn't work for me (as much as I tried different sized circles). Then there's the matting, which isn't exactly according to the sketch.
But since Beate's drawing was the inspiration for this card (and since I'm very happy with it), I'll submit it anyway with a big thanks for a fun drawing.
And since it's for my grandson's 10th birthday (yikes, the first one in double-digits!!!), I'm doubly grateful for the inspiration.
Materials: white cardstock (Georgia Pacific); yellow, orange, purple, silver metallic cardstocks (old, old stash); designer paper (Pebbles, Inc); chipboard (number sign, numbers) (Basic Grey); green ink (Tsukineko dauber duos); silver paint dauber (Ranger).
Thanks again for looking.

March in Bloom challenge


The March challenge at RangerInkLink at Yahoogroups was to use a specific product, with a whole list of Ranger "spring" colored products from which to choose.
Since my muse took a hike while I was sick, I've been pondering what I wanted to do for this challenge. I finally settled on the card at the left.
My chosen Ranger product was Tattered Rose distress ink. I applied it to glossy cardstock after I had clear-embossed the stamped image. After distressing the edges of both the tinted glossy cardstock and the white cardstock, I mounted to pink Bazzill and finally to a white cardstock base. I added the flower with brad and rub-on letters for embellishment.
Product: glossy cardstock (Michaels); pink & white cardstock (Bazzill); card base (Georgia Pacific); Travel Abroad stamp (Hampton Art Stamps); clear embossing powder (Stampendous); clear embossing ink (Ranger distress ink); white flower & pink pow brad (Reminisce); rub-on letters (Making Memories).
Thanks for looking.

Saturday, March 22, 2008

linkware

I learned a new word today: linkware.

I found this site: Ten Two Studios and this related site: 2008 March Countdown. At the second site there are posted some free downloadable images; the artist only asks that you link to her site from your own blog. Then you can download, (quoting the artist), "to your heart's content".

I especially liked the Irish words; see the 2008 March Countdown link above. Lots of potential fun methinks with that.

It's available through tomorrow, March 23. So, I hope you see this soon. :)

emerging from lurk mode

hmmm. A question for the blogging community. Can one lurk on one's own blog?

I suspect that may be a metaphysical question like, the number of angels dancing on the head of a pin.

I am, however, resurfacing on my own blog. No, I didn't fall into a black hole. Though there were a few days in the first week in March, when I had a stomach virus and rather wished that I COULD fall into a black hole, if I'd have felt better there. But like all things (so far in my life) I survived that little illness and am better. Then in the last week life just got in the way (work, etc) and I haven't been creating all that much. I do have a couple of cards that I've been working on, that I shall get posted this weekend for various challenges.

So, welcome back, Margaret to the blogging world

Sunday, March 2, 2008

WSC #37 - Thanks berry much

I love Beate's weekend sketch challenges. This week's challenge was no different. And considering my resolution of earlier in the day, I decided that I need to start stock-piling generic cards. Hence, I made a thank you card.

The strawberries embellishment is from Michaels $1 bin; company name is Punch Studio. You can't tell from the photo but the bowl is popped up from the base.

As I put this card together, I began to wonder if I'd get ANY stamping on it. I decided that I'd like a little flourish; so that got stamped. Then I decided that this needed to be a thank you card; so the thanks sentiment got added. Overall, I'm pleased with the card.

And while I said this is for my stock-pile, I may actually have a specific purpose for it. But since some of my work associates are now reading this blog, I shall remain oblique in what that purpose might be. I don't want A saying to B, look at Margaret's blog; there's your card!!!

Supplies: cardstock, white (Georgia Pacific); cardstock, red (The Paper Company); patterned paper (Die Cuts with a View); ink (Colorbox cranberry); stamps: flourish (Autumn Leaves), thanks (Hero Arts); embellishment (Punch Studio); adhesive (Xyron), pop-dots.

Thanks for looking.

MyPaperWorld Sketch #5 - baby shower card

I've seen more cards around the blogosphere for this sketch challenge. And I've finally decided to throw my hat into the ring (so to speak). I will state for the record that there is no stamping on this card, so I'm not sure if that disqualifies it.

As you might guess, this card was made for a purpose. A young lady at church is having her first baby and the baby shower is this week. I can't make the shower, but I can make a contribution to help their little family on its way.

Supplies: cardstock, white & pink (Bazzill); designer paper (Die Cuts with a View); rub-on letters (Making Memories); diaper (white muslim); ink (Hero Arts shadow ink, soft rose).

Thanks again for looking.

Last minute Thanks card

Isn't it always the case that when you need a card, you don't have one already made?

This AM before church my husband reminded me that I needed a thank you card for a sister at church who'd given me a very belated Christmas present. And of course I knew that I didn't have any completed cards. So I checked in my card file and found this incomplete embossed panel.

I had made this particular panel months ago when I first got my Cuttlebug and was playing with my first embossing folders. I had embossed this panel, attached to a plain white card and promptly filed it away.

So this AM in desperation I quickly cut cut out a strip of white cardstock, applied a Bo-Bunny rub-on and wrote a quick note of thanks inside and called it done.

Not beautiful, but done. And it makes me resolve to make more general use cards (like thanks and sympathy) for some of the card challenges in which I want to participate. May as well be practical, as well as creative.

Thanks for looking.