Outpost Sneak Peek

When I first saw Artistic Outpost Stamps the Serenity stamp set was the one that sucked me in. I loved it then and I love it now. This set called Outpost is my Serenity II. It is larger and just as breathtaking as the original.
I stitched the image with random rows of gold metallic stitching and did a row of straight stitching to join the card base pieces together. I tied a gold stretchy metallic cord around the picture to which I attached a key. The typewriter key letters spelling Outpost were placed on the left side of the image vertically. My fall Outpost Serenity II card is ready to enjoy.

The newest three collections from Artistic Outpost have a very natural vintage style, an ode to simpler times. We were inspired by some of our favorite quotes of Henry David Thoreau. His simple advice to "simplify, simplify" are words we shuld use in our daily life - the hustle and bustle of work, home and community - as well as in our art.
How often do we need to stamps! Just the act of simply putting ink to rubber is calming and rewarding.
We hope you find simple inspiration to created something that makes you happy.And, we know you will love and want all three. So for a limited time, we are offering 20% when you purchase all three stamp collections. Simply use coupon code: September2009 at checkout.
The Outpost: This collection is inspired by our Serenity signature set and continues this theme with a much larger image of our "outpost". You will love the versatility of this collection including the ATC sized farm house and the nostalgic pocket watch.
Old Grist Mill: Artistic Outpost is in the south where covered bridges are not quite as common as they are in other parts of the US and Europe. However, we absolutely long to be driving though the countryside in the fall, stopping at each covered bridge and just listening to the "clippety, clap" of the tires going over each floor board. Again, we are reminded to enjoy simple beauty.
Generation Redux: The vintage images are all grunged up a bit in a unique collage style. They are designed to go with not only The Outpost and Old Grist Mill, but think of using them with Home as well.
We love this generation and find that this style of photo stamp is a perfect versatile style to add that "human" element to your creations.To see more samples using these 3 new plates, visit the Artistic Outpost Gallery.

Tomorrow, September 1, is the Artistic Outpost Blog Hop so be sure to check out all of the DT and Guest DT members blogs for great samples of the 3 new stamps sets and you may even find some blog candy along the way.

See you tomorrow,

Cathy

Digital Two for Tuesday Vintage Challenge

Here is the card that I made for the Digital Two for Tuesday Vintage Challenge . I thought this golfing couple image was wondeful, don't you?

Colored with copic markers and mounted on SU Sahara Sand and black mats, The striped dp in the middle is mounted on brown and then on a sahara sand punched along the edge with the MS fancy scallopped border punch.

A baja blue ribbon I dyed with SU reinkers and a narrow brown satin ribbon add interest to the main iimage. A trio of buttons in the upper right corner and vintage prima flower with tiny button center and my golf couple is ready for the challenge.

You should play along. The images are furnished, you just have to copy them to your computer and print them off.

See you later, I will have another project for this challenge later and tomorrow I will have another sneak peek for the Artistic Outpost September 1 release.

Catch you later,

Cathy

Are you ready for the Awesome September Release from Artistic Outpost!

Here is a fun piece that I created using the Outpost windmill. I love this new stamp set which is available today at Artistic Outpost.

The box was $1.00 at Michaels in their unfinished wood section. Painted undercoat with acrylic paint. Used Tim Holtz distress white crackle paint and let that dry. I added a clear crackle hoping for a larger cracked pattern. Sponged around the edges with Tim Holtz distress inks and then stamped the windmill using SU basic brown ink pad.

Tuesday September 1, the DT members and Guest DT members at Artistic Outpost are having a blog hop so be sure to stop by.

Be sure to check out the other DT and guest DT members blogs today for additional sneak peaks.

More about the new Releases:

The newest three collections from Artistic Outpost have a very natural vintage style, an ode to simpler times. We were inspired by some of our favorite quotes of Henry David Thoreau. His simple advice to "simplify, simplify" are words we shuld use in our daily life - the hustle and bustle of work, home and community - as well as in our art.

How often do we need to stamps! Just the act of simply putting ink to rubber is calming and rewarding. We hope you find simple inspiration to created something that makes you happy.And, we know you will love and want all three. So for a limited time, we are offering 20% when you purchase all three stamp collections. Simply use coupon code: September2009 at checkout.

The Outpost: This collection is inspired by our Serenity signature set and continues this theme with a much larger image of our "outpost". You will love the versatility of this collection including the ATC sized farm house and the nostalgic pocket watch.

Old Grist Mill: Artistic Outpost is in the south where covered bridges are not quite as common as they are in other parts of the US and Europe. However, we absolutely long to be driving though the countryside in the fall, stopping at each covered bridge and just listening to the "clippety, clap" of the tires going over each floor board. Again, we are reminded to enjoy simple beauty.

Generation Redux: The vintage images are all grunged up a bit in a unique collage style. They are designed to go with not only The Outpost and Old Grist Mill, but think of using them with Home as well. We love this generation and find that this style of photo stamp is a perfect versatile style to add that "human" element to your creations.

To see more samples using these 3 new plates, visit the Artistic Outpost Gallery.

Thanks for stopping by...

Cathy

Artful Sentiments Saturday Copic Challenge

The colors this week for the Artful Sentiments by KimmBT Copic Challenge are: BV04, V15, and Y21. I had the Y21 and the BV04 and substituted BV02 for the V15. The image is from KLM Digital Designs and worked perfectly for this color challenge. I used the Y21 for the main wing color on the butterfly and the two purple colors for the beautiful flower.

I used the "out of the box" layout for the flower so that you could actually see some of the dp and not just so much white background space. The sponging was done with dusty concord distress ink by Tim Holtz. The sentiment was stamped using Just Rite alpha on a Spellbinder label 4 small label that was sponged before being removed from the die.

I wanted to add just a bit of sparkle and found these tiny gold rimmed gems in my stash. They were perfect .

I didn't have any ribbon that matched my copic colors so I colored the white grosgrain ribbon with my BV04 copic marker to match the flower.

Be sure that you stop by the other DT members blogs and see what wonderful projects they have come up with these colors. Their's are usually more traditional than mine :) It is just about impossible for me to color with only one or two copic colors. I always use at least 4-5 colors for shading but for Kimm I try to be good.

Have a great week-end and thanks for stopping by.

Tomorrow I will have my first sneak peek for the Artistic Outpost release on Monday. Be sure to stop by and see what I have been up to all month getting ready. See you tomorrow.

Cathy

Hanna Stamps Friday Challenge--Birthday card

Friday is Hanna Stamps challenge day. This week Jeanne chose to have the challenge be to make a Birthday Card as Friday was her mother's birthday. Since Monday is my sister's birthday I thought I would make a card for her. Here is Cafe Hanna in blue!:

Image was colored with copic markers and the dots on the dress were highlighted with a white gel pen. The main image was sponged with Tim Holtz Distress ink faded denim.

The white Martha Steward border punch created the delicate edge behind the main image. The one inch wide grosgrain ribbon was tied over a piece of blue dotted digital paper. I kept everything blue because Peg loves blue.

Hope you all have a great day, Later I will have a card for the Artful Sentiments by Kimm BT Copic Challenge but right now I am going to bed!

Good Night,

Cathy

Vintage Bathing Beauty!

The other day when I was having a color whatever you want day :) I colored this bathing beauty when I was coloring the little fishing boy. Both images were digital images from Digital Two for Tuesday Challenge site. I am in love with these images, the detail and vintage look really appeal to me and they are so wonderful to color. Here is my Bathing Beauty:

I knew that I was going to make a card with her today but I didn't know it would be this card :)

Hobby Lobby just got in the Spellbinder4 labels and I wanted them! I stopped by the store last week and took the display card to the check-out and it was a new product and they hadn't gotten their shipment in yet. Checked back yesterday and still no label4 :(. There is a new Hobby Lobby just west of me so I called them and they had one label4, they would hold it for me until I got there so I went shopping. You can't go into Hobby Lobby and just pick up the one item, can you? I can't!!! I found this quikkutz embossing folder that I thought would be so wonderful for simple sentiment cards. I had printed off a 25% off coupon for HL before I left home so, went for 1 must have item and came out with 4. Not bad for me, LOL.

When I got home I checked and the label 4 was too small to die cut this image so I held it up under the embossing folder and yep, that would be my card. I know that it is a little bit off center but... I printed multiple images on the page and that was all the clear space I had on the left side, gonna make it work!

Embossed the image and then sponged the raised scallops with Tim Holtz weathered wood and vintage photo distress inks. I mounted it on a black mat and then that was mounted on another tan and black mat. The card base dp is from a K&Company Ancentry.com vintage paper stack, which was then mounted on black as well.

I added the scroll photo corners, a half pearl in each corner, a piece of sheer white ribbon and a touch I should do more was to add a hat pin, that I had colored the head with SU reinkers and crystal effects, with a few small irridescent beads and my Bathing Beauty is ready to show. I am thinking about framing this or making a birthday card for my MIL who will be 87 in another week.

Thanks for stopping by and if you like digital images and you like vintage you would love the Two for Tuesday challenges, check them out.

See you tomorrow. Thanks for stopping by.

Cathy

Fall means Halloween is coming!

Have I mentioned lately that Halloween is my favorite holiday? It is. I love this little girl from the Vintage Halloween stamp plate from Artistic Outpost. I love to color it, sponge it, and it really looks beautiful just stamped , but of course I never do that. Here is my project for tonight:

This is a fairly simple card to create. The image was stamped with Momento Tuxedo black ink and the hat was masked and the Halloween sentiment was stamped behind the hat.

The image was sponged with Tim Holtz peeled paint distress ink and vintage photo distress ink.

The main image was added to 3 mats, black orange dp, and black. The dark orange dp is a miscellaneous dp that I bought at Hobby Lobby but does not have a name. I just really like the way that it looks with the colors of Halloween.

I added an orange paper clip with a black ribbon , three buttons and three brown dew drops.

This card took about a half hour to create so fairly fast for me.

Last year the Vintage Halloween stamp plate sold out before I got it so don't let this happen to you.

Hope you all have a great day. Thanks for stopping by.

Catch you later,

Cathy

Play day for me!

Every once in a while I decide to just do a challenge or play (coloring usually) without any deadlines or restrictions. Today is that day for me. My friend Betty Benton from StampTV sent her friends a new challenge link that she had found. I loved the images. Thanks so much Betty!

The site is: Digital Two for Tuesday and the little fisherboy is for last week. Here is the card that I made:

I had a lot of fun with this challenge. These are digital images so you can resize them to suit your purpose. I made this 3X5 to be the main focal point of the card and because they are easier to color :) Colored with copic markers, sponged with Tim Holtz weathered wood distress ink. Mounted on blue,black, and olive green for the main image. The main card base dp is from my scrap box. Tied two pieces of green/white checked ribbon a blue button in the upper left corner and my card is fun.
Hope you all have a great day. I have to go to work later.

Tomorrow I will have an Artistic Outpost project for you. I know it has been awhile but I have been super busy working on DT projects. You will understand soon!

Thanks for stopping by.

Cathy

My final project as Theresa Momber's Guest Designer!

Oh my gosh, this month has gone sooooo fast but alas today is my final project for Timeless Treasures, the wonderful vintage stamp set that Theresa Momber created for GinaKDesigns. Here is my Elegant Timeless Treasures etched glass Coasters:

I have always loved the look of etched glass but thought it was much to difficult, but I love trying to use new techniques. A couple of weeks ago my new friend, Ohio Mary, did a project with etched glass during the Hanna Stamps Guest Designer Round2 competition, which reminded me that I really wanted to try this technique. Thanks Mary for the inspiration!!! :)

I decided that I wanted to do a really special project for my final project for Theresa's Timeless Treasures set so I went looking for a piece of glass that I could use to etch a suncatcher of sorts. I couldn't find anything that I liked (wasn't ready to try glass cutting lol) but I did find a wonderful set of heavy glass coasters at Michael's that I thought would be perfect. Here are the 4 coasters that I created:

The coasters are sold as photo display coasters and had a white band painted around the outside bottom of the coaster and a metal picture holder glued to the bottom. I removed the metal photo pocket and sanded the white paint off with a SU sanding block. (Do not use sand paper as it will scratch the glass.) I found an important step to the etching biting best was to make sure that you use the glass prep solution before you do the embossing. The glass prep smells like the copic blender solution or rubbing alcohol which would probably do the same thing in a pinch (or when I run out of the solution I have :).

Splitcoaststampers has a glass etching tutorial which I followed to a degree. I did the embossing with versamark and I used white embossing powder ( color doesn't matter as you are going to remove it when done) and drew in some straight lines with a versamark pen for added detail.

The stamps from Timeless Treasures. I bought the Armour Etch Cream at Michaels, Hobby Lobby has the same brand but only in a larger size and followed the directions. The tutorial on SCS states to leave the etching cream on for 5 minutes but the Armour bottle said not more than 1 minute. I tried both but couldn't tell a difference in the amount of etching.

Make sure that you use the etching cream in a well ventilated room and be careful about getting any on your skin. Do not use this product if you are pregnant. I just poured the solution onto the glass that I had already embossed. Cover the entire portion of the glass that you want etched which basically is everything as you embossed the images and lines that are going to stay unetched. Let this set for a minute and then run under warm water to remove the etching cream. I scraped the embossing off while it was under water as well using a popsicle stick or rub on stick whichever you have. Rub dry with a soft towel or paper towel and your coaster is done.

I have always liked making coasters as gifts but these may be my new favorite as the design is etched in, you don't have to match decor colors and it will last forever.

As with the beautiful sentiments that are included in Timeless Treasures it is a wonderful, elegant gift that almost anyone can use.

Thanks Theresa for asking me to be your guest designer this month, I have loved every minute of it. I hope that you and your blog followers have enjoyed the projects that I created with your wonderful new set.

Speaking of which, Theresa has a new set coming out this month too, so be sure to check out the sneak peeks by the GinaK Design Team starting tonight.

Well, thanks for stopping by and I hope that you enjoyed my Etched Glass coasters.

Have a great Monday!!!

Cathy

Artful Sentiments Copic Challenge

Yep, it is Saturday and time for the Artful Sentiment by Kimm BT Copic Challenge. The colors this week are YG03, YG17, and G99 yes ,all green.


I found this darling image from Dustin Pike perfect for Halloween, which is coming all too soon, and decided the Beware could be slime and that would be green :)

Isn't he just too cute to be scarey. I added a little purple for the monster and cs.

Be sure to check out the other DT members blogs for their projects for this color challenge.

Not much to add about the card, pretty self explanatory. Oh, I about forgot that I was in Hobby Lobby getting glass etching creme and found a template sheet for different scalloped,curvy, straight edges in dots, dashes and lines. For this project I used the scallop dots and wavey dots. A white gel pen and I have a nice even (key word) edge.

Well, I have to keep working on projects, still trying to catch up with stuff since I was gone for 4 days. You don't realize how much you do each day until you are gone for 4 days, but it was so nice and much needed mini vacation :)

Talk to you tomorrow.

Cathy

Friday Hanna Stamps Challenge

Yep, this is Friday and time for the Hanna Stamps Challenge. Today Silke is the host of the challenge and her challenge was to use dew drops on your project.

I thought it would be fun to use my Hanna Stamps bride stamp and make her a fall bride. I only have pale blue and brown dew drops so went with brown tones.

I colored the image with koh-i-nor color pencils because I wanted to keep the shades pale. The edge of the image was sponged with Adirondak sunset orange and Tim Holtz vintage photo and black soot distress inks.

All of the edges were sponged lightly with black soot distress ink and mounted on black cs. The brown/black checked ribbon and bow were added to the middle panel, a corner photo mount under the ribbon on the right side and upper left hand corner. A paper flower from the Cloe collection at Michaels was added to the lower right corner of the image.

The dew drops were added, 3 at the top right corner and 3 in the lower left corner, one in the flower center and the final dew drop on the photo corner in the upper left corner.

Wouldn't she be a beautiful bride on Halloween day/night.

Gotta go to work now, see you all later.

Cathy

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Big News!!!

Okay, if you follow my blog you know that I have been competing in a challenge to be a Guest Designer for a two month period for Hanna Stamps. Initally there was a challenge open to anyone who wanted to be a Guest Designer. This group was narrowed down to 15 incredibly talented participants. This group of 15 were sent an image that we had to use for our next three projects, two cards and one project that was not a card. The final project was posted last Saturday.

The Guest Designer list was posted today on the Hanna Stamps Guest Designer Round 2 Project 1 forum. I was not chosen to be a guest designer..... I was offered a full-time Design Team position. I could not believe my eyes when I got the email asking me if I would be interested in the full-time position. No Brainer!!!!!!!!! Of course. I am so excited to be a part of such a super talented Design Team. Lauri, Virgo5 on SCS, was also chosen as a new DT member as well. Lauri was a GD for Hanna Stamps last month and participated in the Round 2 projects as well.

I have made some new acquaintances and new friends through this wonderful means of auditioning for a Guest Designer position. A fun way for some of us to strut our stuff and get noticed....it seems to have worked for me!!!!!

Okay, Just wanted to share my super exciting news.

Before I forget, If you are the praying type my good friend Cathy Tidwell, DT member for GinaK Designs went to the hospital with shoulder pains early yesterday morning. Turns out that she had a heart attack, has a blocked artery, and pneumonia. Please say a special prayer for Cathy and her speedy recovery.

See you all tomorrow, I have been down at my daughter's and drove home 4 hours tonight in a rain storm. I am a little tired.

Night,
Cathy

Why I have not Posted!

I have been visiting my oldest daughter and my newest grand daughter Leigha Raye who was born on August 9, 2009.

I will be returning home later today and am having withdrawals from no stamping for 4 days. I have totally enjoyed my nice quiet week with my family.

I will catch you with a project probably tomorrow night. Gotta keep spoiling the baby!!!

Cathy

Artful Sentiments Copic Challenge

Sorry for the delay in posting my Artful Sentiments Copic Challenge but I have been traveling today to see my newest Granddaughter, then I had some internet connection issues. Thank you to whomever I am stealing the WiFi connection from :)

I really liked this fall arrangement of pumpkins that will be available at KLM Digital Designs September 1. Nice thing about being on a Design Team is I get to see and play with the new stuff first :)

I colored the image with copic markers, of course that is the challenge name :). I don't usually add too many embellishments as I want the image to be the focal point of the card. I did add a green checked ribbon that I tied through the button holes as well. I added the Fall letters that I bought at Michael's a couple of weeks ago, they are supposed to look like antique typewriter keys.

I will be in Kansas for a couple of more days so expect to see pictures of the new baby tomorrow :)

Thanks for stopping by.

Cathy

Hanna Stamps Guest Designer Round 2 Project3

Okay, this is the final project for the Hanna Stamps Guest Designer Round 2 challenge. This has been sooooo much fun and I have met some wonderful gals I'll never forget. Enough about them :) onto my Relax with Sophie Moose Spa Products.

The Sophie Bubblebath image by Hanna Stamps was stamped onto T-shirt iron on transfers for the towels and basket band. The bottle labels were created using printable window film and the images were stamped on and colored with copic markers.

Here is a closeup of the top of the basket so you can see the bottle products:

Here is what is included in the basket.
1.upper left clear acetate pillowbox filled with potporri and tied with silver cord
2. left middle white bath scrunchie with Sophie Moose Spa scallopped circle label
3. lower left front Sophie Moose Spa body spray Sweet Pea
4. lower front Sweet Pea Sophie Moose Spa shower gel
5. Lower front right side of basket two hand towels with Bubblebath Sophie Iron On Decal was attached
6. On the towels is a little Bath Salt scoop
7. Clear Acetate pillow box filled with potporri is right under the handle on the right side of the basket
8. A bar of Sophie Moose Dove soap with a Bubblebath Sophie decal
9. Sweet Pea scented hand lotion bottle with Bubblebath Sophie on label
10. top of basket on the right side, white bottle of hand lotion with Bubblebath Sophie label
11. left top of basket is a bottle of Sophie's Moose Spa bath salts with Bubblebath Sophie label
12. there are 2 additional pillow boxes tied with silver cord one with round make-up pads and the other with cotton balls.

The panel on the front of the basket was created by ironing 3 of the iron on transfer images to a strip of white cotton to which I sewed a strip of ribbon top and bottom long enough to tie on the side with a bow. I added a bright pink button between each Bubblebath Sophie Image and my basket was complete.
Wouldn't you love to go to a Bubblebath Sophie Moose Spa Retreat in your own private spa. Yeah, your own bathtub.

Be sure to check out all the other final projects by this Wonderful group of ladies in the Hanna Stamps Forum on Splitcoast Stampers. I would love to hear your comments.

Thank you so much Kristi and Vicki for giving me this opportunity to have a ton of fun and show off a little!!! I wish everyone the best of luck, but you all know I want to be in the top 6 as much as you do :) Can't wait to go see what everyone else has created.

Have a great night and Saturday.

Cathy

I Toad Ya!

Ha Ha, Isn't this cute! Another wonderful image form KLM Digital Designs. I love the warning sign. This wonderful image a several more equally as cute will be available for purchase September 1,

The brick wall was drawn in by hand because I want to order the brick wall stamp from Hanna Stamps but the site and I are having registration issues so it won't let me order and I haven't had time to remedy that yet. Anywhoo, I drew in the bricks lightly with a pencil and ruler and then colored with copic markers when it was all done and shaded I went back in and lightly drew in the lines again with my Copic multi lines pen.

The rest of the image was colored with copic markers and then I used my copic blending solution and a dirty rag (technical term) and added texture to the bricks and sign.

Added a brown checked ribbon, double prima flowers with a tiny orange button and three buttons in the lower right corner.

Does anybody besides me think that summer has gone much to fast but still anxious to start creating fall cards?

Saturday is the final project posting for the Hanna Stamps Guest Designs Project 3 which has to be anything but a card. I can't wait until you see what I created...

Sunday I will be off to see my new granddaughter and will be back on Tuesday unless I can get a couple of days off work :)

Gotta go fix something for lunch and shower for work.

Catch ya later,

Cathy

Back to reality and My life!

Please don't give up on my guys! I had jury selection duty for a day and a half and then had to go to work from 5-12 but only made it till 10, I was pooped. What I have had time to do have been DT projects that I can't show you yet. I know keeps me busy but not very interesting for you to view.....nothing! :)
I should be able to get some coloring done tonight. I finished my third project for the Hanna Stamps Guest Designs Round2. That was a big accomplishment, that will be posted on Saturday and then next Saturday the final 6 will be named. Everybody wish me luck, it is such a talented groud in Round 2 that I will need it.
I may go down this week-end to see my new granddaughter but will have to play that by ear.
Gotta go to work right now, Just wanted to say hi and give you a couple of updates. Don't want you to think that I have dropped off the face of the earth!!!

Catch ya later,
Cathy

Big news and Quick Update

Hi everyone:

Just wanted to let everyone know that my newest granddaughter, Leigha Raye Coons was born last night at 9:25. She weighed 7 lb. 11 oz and was 18 in long. Leigha is my 12th grandchild. Hopefully I will get down to Kansas to see her in the next couple of weeks.

Just a quick update on the Jury selection. It turns out that the jury selection is taking days and not hours because it is a very big andvery important murder trial and after one day they are still trying to narrow it down from the whole jury pool.
Hopefully they will choose a jury tomorrow so I will know more then. Right now I am going to go Color!!! I need to, I want to, and I am going to!

Have a good day tomorrow.

Cathy

Timeless Treasures Simple Cards--Really they Are!

Today is my first Monday since the Timeless Treasures Blog Hop to showcase a couple of cards showing off Theresa Momber's awesome new set called Timeless Treasures. Timeless Treasures is available at GinaK Designs.

My tag card isn't quite as grungy as I sometimes get but I think it turned out pretty cool:

A little lace, a little silver cord, 3 brads and you have a quick and easy card that even for me only took about 20 minutes to make ( I am slowwwww) This could be used as a card or to add to a scrapbook page with some special "Treasured" pictures. The pocket watch is stamped all over the bottom purple layer and the hour glass is stamped all over the brownish green layer.

My second card is a little more elegant but still simple and quick to make:

Lots of die cuts used to make this card and that is what makes it so quick. The front image is a beautiful sentiment included in Theresa's set that was stamped on a white label cut from a Quikutz die. That is layered over a Top Note die . All layers were sponged with Corcord Grape Tim Holtz Distress Ink and then I used my favorite faux cracked paint stamp that is from the Floral Frenzy Bold Flowers set from the first StampTV kit. The cracked paint stamp was inked with Momento London Fog ink.

I added a ribbon and 6 half pearls as the only embellishments because the card was really busy enough already!!!

If you arrived here from Theresa's blog you saw the scrapbook page that I did of my grandparents wedding photo. I thought that Tiimeless Treasures stamps added so much to the total image that I wanted to reflect in the beauty of their time.

See you next Monday witih another project using Timeless Treasures. Thanks for stopping by and Thank you Theresa for creating this wonderful stamp set for me to play with!!!

Have a great day. I am off to Jury Selection... the only time I hope someone doesn't like me :)

Cathy

Ahhh..Serenity! Hanna Stamps Guest Designer Challenge project #2

Ahhh...Serenity! Time for ME! was what I thought of when I created this card for the Hanna Stamps Guest Designer project #2 for Round2. {say that 3 times fast :) } Here is Bubblebath Sophie:

Much mental debate went into making this card but I am very happy with my final result. Sophie and the tub were colored with copic markers. Cut out circle with Spellbinders plain circle die and sponged with Tim Holtz distress inks worn lipstick and vintage photo before removing the die circle.
The scalloped dies were also cut with spellbinders scalloped circle dies as well as the dp circle in between the scalloped circles.
To match the circles to the flowers on the dp they were sponged with Tim Holtz vintage photo ink as were all the pink edges on the card.
The butterflies were punched with the Martha Stewart butterfly punch from cs that had already been embossed with a cuttlebug vintage folder. The corner punches are both on the same punch from EK and I love that when you layer them like this the solid color shows through like it was cut out. Use your imagination..... work with me here :) Tiny half pearls were added to the body of the embossed butterflies which were layered just off-set of the colored butterflies beneath them.
A beautiful piece of white dotted swiss ribbon tied with a double piece of ribbon in my ever faithful knot bow :) and two coordinating prima flowers with a gold rimmed half pearl finish the card. Two small half pearl give the bathtub bubbles some dimension and sparkle.
When the card elements were all complete I knew I wanted to add a sentiment but where? Nothing that I thought of seems quite right so in a moment of madness (only because I had the whole card assembled and glued) I decided to use my new Just Rite alphabet and add the Ahh...Serenity to the colored image. Could have been a real disaster but ya gotta do what ya gotta do right? I love being able to make my own phrases using the Just Rite stamps.

What do you think?

The other girls will have some wonderful projects on their blogs as well as Split Coast Stampers galleries. To go the Guest Designer link in the forum click here.

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!

I would love it if you left a comment either here or in the SCS gallery :)

Cathy

Multi -challenge Card

Last night I was trying to find an image that I wanted to use for the Artful Sentiments Copic Challenge this week. I was really struggling with the colors. I didn't have any images that I wanted to color lavendar, bright blue and bright yellow :) I was searching through the wonderful Digi Shack for inspiration. I went to the blog and I didn't think I found what I was looking for for that but there was this wonderful "free" apple basket, can't ever turn down a wonderful free image so I downloaded it.

This morning I decided to forgo the bright blue and use the lavender and yellow on the apple basket. I guarantee you that they are there :) The DigiShack is also the host company for the Tuesday Sketch Challenge this week so I decided to follow the sketch with the apple basket and accomplish two challenges at once. Yippee!

Image was colored with copic markers and on the striped dp I stamped maple leaves with Momento London Fog ink. Nothing really unusual about the card details but it sure was fun!

Thanks for looking and have a great rest of the day!

See you tomorrow.

Cathy

It's Friday...that means....Friday Hanna Stamps Challenge

I have really enjoyed being able to do the Friday challenges at Hanna Stamps challenges on Friday :) Here is my card for the Friday Challenge this week being hosted by Vicki whose son is celebrating become an official Teen ager, 13. It just so happens that it is my son, Charlie's birthday today as well, so a double Happy Birthday to you both:

Ice Cream Riley from Hanna Stamps was colored with copic markers and I added colored sprinkles on the ice cream cone with my Atyou spica glitter pens (I have red and green ) then I cut out the ovals and sponged them with Tim Holtz distress ink.

The dp is a free digital download from GinaK Designs StampTV and the original dp was pink so I changed the color in Picaso Photo editing to blue, I like the way it turned out and much more masculine! I layered the ice cream dp on white and then brown cs for the card base.

The sentiment at the top, Sweet, is mosiac tiles that I got at Michaels and are just a bit smaller than the wooden scrabble tiles that I love, so they worked on this card. The Happy Birthday to you is a Just Rite stamp.

3 coordinating buttons were added and my masculine teen birthday card is ready to send.

Be sure to check back tomorrow as I have my card project #2 for the Hanna Stamps Guest Designer Round 2 post.

Have a great day! See you tomorrow bright and early!!!

Cathy

Welcome Cottage-KLM Digital Designs

Sue, illustrator at KLM Digital Designs, creates the most awesome images to color! I love this design but every time I see this image I think of the song my kids sang that goes: "Little Cottage in the woods, little man by the window stood, saw a stranger passing by......... you know the one. Don't you hate it when you get something in your head like that. Oh well, I love the image.
Colored with copic markers and lightly sponged around the outside edge with Tim Holtz Weathered Wood distress ink.
I wanted a more vintage or aged look to this so I used my crackle background stamp from the StampTV kit that I won several months ago. I added the Welcome tiles and the paper prima flower from the Cloe collection at Michaels. I punched the corner scrolls and I am sure I put them on backwards but I wanted them to highlight the corner and not hide it.
Be sure to check out the rest of the new images from KLM Digital Designs as more images are added all the time and they just keep getting better and better. Not only are the images wonderful each image comes with 2 or 3 sentiments that you can print out as well which a lot of the digital stamp companies don't have. Added bonus if you ask me!!!
If you haven't tried Digital images yet, now would be a perfect time, Katy and Sue have all different types of images so there are numerous that are perfect for every occasion you can think of. Right now on the homepage you can download a FREE Back to school image that is just darling, and it doesn't get better than free :)

You all be good and I will see you tomorrow.

Cathy

Simple Vest Card--Timeless Treasures

I created another vest card using the template that I created using Theresa Momber's TimelessTreasures stamp set, available at GinaK Designs, that is a little easier but I think is just as nice and it will fit into a regular invitation size envelope when the template size is not altered.

I printed out the template and cut out one of the template images cutting out just the vest so I could piece it over the top of the second vest and shirt template.

The vest was run through the cuttlebug using the paisley embossing folder that I had inked the negative(indented) side with SU Bravo Burgundy ink. When the image was embossed I sponged Tim Holtz Weathered Wood distress ink in some of the spaces that the burgundy was very light. The paisley raised embossing was highlighted with the Sukura Stardust pen to look like silver thread was woven into the pattern.

The slit was cut for the pocketwatch, which I colored with copic markers to achieve an antique silver tone. The pocketwatch was slipped in from the bottom of the slit and glued in place.

The necktie was watercolored using an aqua painter and the Bravo Burgundy ink pad. See I don't ALWAYS use copics :) A few stardust dots were added to the necktie and I was ready to add the back.

The back was made by tracing around one of the template pieces because I didn't want all of the printed lines that were included in the template to show on the inside of the card, but that might be nice too! Be sure to leave a tab at the top of the neckline to glue the two pieces together so that you card can stand alone.

The vest buttons were just highlighted with the Stardust pen but you could use tiny brads if you wanted.

Hope you like seeing another version of the template made up. I know that a lot of people have downloaded the templates and Theresa and I would love to see your finished projects.

Have a great day!

Cathy

Timeless Treasures Blog Hop---I'm Theresa's Guest Designer!!!

I am so EXCITED to be Theresa Momber's Guest Designer this month!!! I could hardly believe it when Theresa asked me, (when she was still creating this beautiful stamp set,) if I would be interested in being a guest designer for her new GinaK Designs Vintage theme set that she was doing? Uhh, YES...I love vintage...probably because I remember it :) You have no idea how hard it has been to keep my big mouth shut. I am so honored and humbled that Theresa thought I was talented enough to help showcase her newest set.

My first project for Theresa's Timeless Treasures Blog Hop, is a tri-fold shutter card:

I was able to use almost all of the stamps in Theresa's set for this card and I am really pleased with the way that it turned out. I saw a card on my friend Lynn Steven's blog, using this pattern, and I loved it and thought it would be perfect for this set. The tutorial for the card base can be found on SplitCoastStampers as it was the featured Wednesday tutorial this week.
All of the stamped images were colored with copic markers and cut out. The edges were all sponged with Tim Holtz Distress Ink. Tim Holtz mini flower and scroll masks were used for the smallest sections. The scalloped embossed hearts were cut out using the Spellbinders scalloped heart dies.
My next two projects come complete with a template download (if you want it) for the vest and dress bodice. With Grandparents Day coming up soon I thought it would be fun to create cards reminiscent of my Grandparents. My grandmother had a beautiful cameo pin and my grandfather wore a pocket watch in his vest pocket every day.

The vest, shirt, and tie were drawn by hand as one image and then colored with copic markers. The pocket was drawn the width of the pocket watch from Timeless Treasures and the keys were stamped separately, cut out and attached to the opposite pocket with the handkerchief. The pocketwatch is inserted into a slit I cut along the top pocket line. The pin stripes were drawn in with a micro .01 pen.
The background is a cuttlebug diamond pattern folder that I created using the negative ink technique. You could use the paisley folder and cut out the vest and lay it over a second print from the template. (there are two vest patterns on the template). The watch outline and chain were colored with a gold EK Metalic Writer pen. The white dots on the tie are white gel pen. Mounted all on Red Riding Hood SU cs and then black.
For Grandma I created the bodice card and the template is two parts, the bodice and the lace insert:
The beautiful cameo that Theresa created was colored with grey copic markers and the necklace base was edged with a gold metalic writer pen. The image was covered with Crystal Effects.
The lace insert was created using a cuttlebug lace folder and the neckline was punched with a one inch circle punch cutting a half circle for the bottom layer and 1 3/8 punch for the insert layer. The lace and vintage beads were added before the edge was trimmed by hand. You could use decorative edge scissors if you want.
The layer under the bodice is the script cuttlebug folder I love for vintage cards, sponged with distress ink and adding vintage lace at the top and bottom .
The bottom layer card base was created using the Tim Holtz large scroll mask and distress ink. A little ribbon, gold rimmed pearls, embossed butterflies with tiny pearl bodies and Grandma's card is ready to send.
I hope you like Theresa's beautiful vintage set Timeless Treasures as much as I do and I can't wait to see what everyone else creates with this beautiful set. The templates for the vest and bodice are zip folders that can be downloaded by clicking on the links below:

Vest Template

Bodice Template

To see even more inspiration from Theresa's gorgeous Timeless Treasures stamp set, please visit Theresa Momber's blog. Leave Theresa a comment on her blog for a chance to win a Timeless Treasures set.
Theresa has also asked her mom -Geri Utterback to take part in the blog hop
as well as these GinaK's Senior Design Team members:
Melanie Muenchinger
Cindy Lawrence
Emily Giovanni
Erika Martin
Jessica Fick
Lee Murphy
Lynn Mercurio
and our CenterStage Spotlight Design Team members:
Brenda Turner
Shannon Bracken
Sue Morris
Sue Walsh

Serenity--I Love this set!

Serenity is one of the first sets that got me hooked on Artistic Outpost because I love the way they look colored with copics but I also like them (when other people do them) inked and allowed to be a beautiful image with merely changing the ink color.

99% of the time I color them, that's what I do, it makes me happy and when I'm happy everybody around me is happier :) Today was one of those days that I was creating some DT projects and I stood up and said "I have to create an Artistic Outpost card". I didn't mean as in there was a deadline but I have been so busy with other DT projects this week that I haven't gotten my AO fix, believe me it is an addiction, I think it is something in the rubber :)

I had so much fun with this, I used some new punches for the corner scrolls, my MS border punch. I sewed all the layers together. I tied a real bow, yeah did you notice that!!! Thanks for looking.

Hope you have a great day.

Tomorrow night is the Hanna Stamps August Release Party at 8:00 Central Time, the sneak previews were really awesome.

At 10:00 tomorrow night Theresa Momber, my friend and illustrator for GinaK Designs, is having a Blog Hop for her new set, Timeless Treasures. Some of the other DT members and the Center Stage DT members from StampTV will be in the Hop too. Check it out...Her new set is Awesome!

I am going to head to bed as I have a big stamping day planned for tomorrow. I haven't done enough coloring to suit me so that is definitely on the agenda.

Cathy

GingerChef Recipe Book--Artful Sentiments byKimm BT Copic Challenge

This was so much fun to make, I really contemplated what to do with the brown earth tones that were the copic color challenge this week. I looked through my flowers, if I did them brown, they would look familiar to me but maybe no one else would like them:). I was about to give up and while surfing the web at some of my favorite sites I went to Dustin Pike's site, I saw this cute Gingerbread chef and knew it was perfect, since it was a free download, even more perfect.

The image was colored with the copic markers that I had E31, E35, E33 and E37

The candy cane rope was created using a red and a white piece of tiny rick rack. I just braided them around each other and stapled them under the buttons.

The file folder is a Quikutz die that I really like to make these tiny books, the pages were sponged and then bound together with jewelry jump rings that I had in my stash. You need to make sure that they are big enough to tie the assorted colorful ribbons around them and not impede the book opening.

I bought a Just Rite alphabet set last week and that is what I used for the words. I usually print out what I want on the computer but that wastes a lot of cs unless I print a whole bunch of phrases at the same time and I never seem to size them right the first time :( so I have to reprint them a couple of times to get it right, with the Just Rite letters.

Hope you like the project today, be sure to check out the other DT members blogs for their samples. Have a great week-end. See you tomorrow.

Cathy

Project 1 Hanna Stamps Guest Designer Round #2

I am so excited and nervous to be finally showing my card for the first official post of the Hanna Stamps Guest Designer Round#2 finals -Project 1. Without further chatter from me here is Bubblebath Sophie, a not yet released stamp, from Hanna Stamps:

I think a good name for this project is "Relaxing Reflections". The floor and wall were drawn in by hand and highlighted with copic markers. The "wallpaper" of duckies was created by just inking the duckie and water on the stamp, colored with copic markers and highlighted for sparkle with a Sukura stardust pen. Sophie and the bathtub were colored with copic markers and the bubbles were highlighted with the stardust pen and then covered with crystal effects.

The picture below shows the glitter on the bubbles and glass of bubbly. It is soo hard to photograph sparkles on a card.

The mirror is vellum that I stamped the Sophie image as a mirror image and colored it with copic markers as well. The frame is a Cameo frame and I drew the mirror base by hand.

The extra bubbles were created by using a hot glue gun and creating my dots on a cookie sheet. I tried waxed paper first but they stuck :). They really add a lot of dimension as you can see in the following picture where you can see the images are popped up on double mounting tape squares too.

The coordinating ribbon tags and buttons with matching thread highlight the main colors of the "spa" room. A Tim Holtz fragment tag, and my first project is complete.....Now...What to do for next week?

I would love if you left a comment and let me know what you thought of my card or if you wonder how in the world I made it to round 2 :)

You can check out my competition by going to the thread I linked at the top of the post. I can't wait to see what everyone else came up with.

Off to upload my project in the Splitcoast Gallery and Project 1 Forum .... breathe, breathe, breathe :)