I did a couple of Challenges today!

The first card that I am showing you was created using the blending technique that Melanie Muenchinger showed on her blog this week. I learned the gradiant copic technique while taking the Copic Certification Class last fall and I use that technique all the time. The link to her tutorial is here: Melanie's Tutorial

I really liked the look of Melanie's tulips so I decided to try her technique as well. I really like the way that it turned out.

I colored the tulips with copic markers and blended per Melanie's instructions and then I cut them out and mounted them on the background that I had sponged with Stampin Up Plum and Purely Pomegranite Ink

I wanted a really feminine card for these beautiful roses so I made a frame with my fancy corner rounder punch. I cut 4 one inch strips of white cardstock and created my border. Then I measured them by the completed main image and cut them at an angle to created the slightly mitred corner. I didn't want to detract from the image so I only added a garnett colored polka dot ribbon to finish the card.

Challenges are always good to make you get out of your own little world of card designs. First I did the Paper Craft Planet Saturday Sketch Challenge hosted by Diana Gibbs. Here is a copy of the sketch:

For once I didn't flip the sketch or turn it on it's side to do it and I think I have all of the elements in just like they are supposed to be. I love to color Bub's Beaver from Our Craft Lounge. I combined two different stamps from the set and added the cute frogs sitting by the log. The frogs are also included in the set.

I wanted to use the red polka dot to add some Valentine Color to the design. I added the Happy Valentine's Day sentiment from the Dr. Pea_Nut set also from Our Craft Lounge. I wanted to add another bit of color in the way of design paper but most papers I looked at were just too busy, I'm kind of a plain jane, so I chose this blue with red polka dots.

I tied the thin red ribbon through the red heart eyelets and tied bow knots. My challenge card was complete. Thanks for the wonderful challenge Diana.

My second challenge card was for the Thankful Thursday challenge at InStyle Stamps. It was also a sketch challenge and had to have a thank you, thanks or some thank you type sentiment included.

I followed this sketch challenge with the exception of putting the sentiment in large die cut letters at the top instead of in the flower on the ribbon as in the sketch. I didn't intend to do that but didn't remember that the element on the ribbon was supposed to be the sentiment. Oops!

I think this card is a little plain but I couldn't find any turquoise dp that I liked with Pam and her cute pooch so I went with the solic turquoise and added the black checked ribbon. I didn't like that there was so much white behind the main panel so I cut a piece of black cardstock at an angle and placed that behind the circle and main image to tie in the black ribbon and flower.

The sentiment is the thanks from the Cuttlebug Olivia Alphabet. I cut one out of black for the shadow and one out of turquoise patterned dp. It made the turquoise stand out and not get blended into the background.

That is all I have for you tonight, As you can see I have different Stamp Companies that I really like so you will see a lot of variety on my blog.

I have 3 challenges to do for the Hannah Stamps Release Party that was last Thursday. Maybe I will get lucky and win another set of stamps. Right now that is the only way I am going to get any. Gotta pay my sales tax and license on my new car and just paid the first payment today.

Have a great rest of the week-end and I will probably see you tomorrow night.

Good night!

Cathy

Look at these cute stamps from Our Craft Lounge!

I am going to show you three of the cutest stamps that can be used for many different occassions from the fairly new Stamp Company Our Craft Lounge. The stamp set is called: Dr. Pea_Nut






I showed you this stamp a couple of days ago but I didn't make a card out of it and I had colored that one blue. I thought that a "sick" elephant would be green. He looks like he feels pretty bad to me. I colored them with copic markers of course, I seldom use anything else these days, just seems to be what I always grab.

Bub's the Beaver is the name of this stamp set from Our Craft Lounge and I love love love to color this set.

I have to work at using designer paper on my cards sometimes. It isn't that I don't have any, I have hundreds of sheets because I buy it when I see something I like or it is on sale. It is probably because I color the image and then make the card afterwards and I don't always find what I feel is the perfect dp. Sometimes being a perfectionist is a hinderence.

I sponged the edges with Ranger Vintage Photo Distressed Ink to soften the cut edges a little. I added a green brown ribbon under the main image. I popped up the main image on foam picture mounting tape and the scalloped sentiment is up on two stacked foam tapes to make it higher than the main image.

Finally I added the brown Robin's Egg Dew Drops from the Cowboy bottle.

My final image is also of Bub's the Beaver with my new favorite sentiment. "Well, I'll be dammed....."

This is another image that I showed you the other night with the blue elephant but I sponged the edges with Ranger Vintage Photo Distressed ink and added the cute brown gingham ribbon. It is still a pretty masculine card since there is only a ribbon knot and not a bow. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

I may post sporatically for the next few days. I have to work tomorrow (Christmas Day), and Friday,and we are having our family Christmas on Saturday. Hopefully the weather stays nice like they are forecasting.

Hope to see you back here soon.

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I just read that Whimsey Stamps was having a Guest Designer call for January and the Bub's Beaver qualifies for the 3 layers and at least 3 embellishments and besides I think he is too cute. Must be an animal or Whimsey stamp. Here are the important details. Full requirements are available on Splitcoast Stampers under Design Team Calls:

Monthly guest designer for January 2009, design call now open!We are looking for a talented crafter who loves to stamp, create and share! Each monthly guest designer will be asked to create atleast one Whimsy Stamps project per week. This project must then be posted on your blog. Whimsy Stamps will post your artwork on the gallery page of our site. We also ask that you participate in any other Whimsy related challenges.Important:-Anyone from around the world may enter this design call.-Monthly Guest designers must have their own blogs to share and promote projects featuring Whimy Stamps.-Enter as many times as you would like.-It is not necessary, for this particular design call, to use a Whimsy Stamps image, however if you have one, please do.

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I love to be on a design team, it gives me a true purpose to stamp and create not just because I love to do it and would do it anyway.

Cathy

OMG these stamps are too dammed cute!

I placed my first order from Our Craft Lounge on Friday and they arrived today. I was soo excited to get them. I was even more excited when I realized that I didn't have to cut them out and the packaging is the best I have ever seen. Here are my two samples:

This darling elephant image is from the Dr. Pea-Nut set and I thought since I was making him a little sick elephant he would be blue. I used copic markers to color him and I haven't decided what kind of card I will make I couldn't wait to post these to show you.

The second image is the cutest grumpy beaver and who doesn't need a stamp that says "Well, I'll be dammed...." I know I do and I know I will use it a lot :)

Isn't he just the cutest ever! I can't wait to have some time to color some more as there are several cute images on this set that I can't wait to use. Make sure you check out these sets and all of the others from Our Craft Lounge. This set is called Bubs the Beaver.

The artist of these darling stamps is none other than Marianne Walker, Product Specialist for Copic in North America, who taught the Copic Certification Class I had the pleasure of attending in Kansas City in October. (I apologize Marianne if I got your title incorrect, I couldn't find it anywhere on your blog tonight.)

I have to go play some more, I can't help it these are just too much fun.

Night......

Cathy