Tuesday 28 February 2012

A Peace Miracle

Whenever I see this Irish blessing I always think of the political violence and strife that Northern Ireland experienced for many years, referred to locally as "the troubles" - many families we know lost loved ones.  When I first came to live here from the U.S. 26 years ago it was inconceivable to imagine that either side would put down their arms - but they have!  Not every problem is solved but we are all thankful for the level of peace that we now experience which can only be described as a miracle!
I used the Color Challenge colors at Splitcoaststampers today given to us by Julia (artystamper) - two shades of green and a light tan.  To stick close to them I used Ranger Distress Antique Linen ink to sponge the sky with a Papertrey Ink cloud die-cut for my cloud shapes.
I ran the same ink pad lightly over the embossing to add definition and stitched the rolling green hills from dp scraps.  The Martha Stewart arch lattice punch makes shapes which have a Celtic look so I edged both sides of the card using it.
Supplies include:
Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles
Verve Blessings stamp set
Martha Stewart arch lattice punch
Mini butterfly punch
Champagne pearls
Sewing Machine
Ranger Distress Antique Linen
Memento Tuxedo Black ink
Creative Expressions Brick embossing folder
SU River Rock, Lucky Limeade, Pear Pizzaz cardstock

Monday 27 February 2012

You Can't be Beet!

I had a little spare time tonight so I made a quick card for the Clean and Simple Challenge at Splitcoaststampers to use SU's Rich Razzleberry and white - had to sneak in a bit of green to use this cute beet image from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Punny Fruit and Veggies set.  I think I'll save this card for my Dad for Father's Day since one of his favorite foods is pickled beets!  I arranged the sentiment on the acrylic block so that it would be circular and added a doodled frame on the inside edge of the Nestabilities Circle die.
Supplies include:
Paper Mill Shop white linen cardstock
SU Rich Razzleberry cardstock
SU Rich Razzleberry dp
Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles
Twine
Button
Black fine line pen
Copics
Memento Tuxedo Black ink 

Tuesday 21 February 2012

The Whole Earth

Today's Color Challenge colors at Splitcoaststampers are shades of pink combined with gray - I had some dp scraps which fit the bill!  I also combined two Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps sets, using a butterfly from Everyday Miracles, and a sentiment from Morning Glory.
A butterfly seemed to be a good example of the evidence of God's creative glory!
All edges have been sponged with Memento Tuxedo Black except for the sentiment circle which has been sponged with SU's Pretty in Pink.
Supplies include:
MFT Dizzy Doily Die-namic
Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles
Cosmo Cricket dp
My Minds Eye dp
Pearls
Pearl brad
Memento Tuxedo Black ink
Stampin Up Pretty in Pink ink
Sewing machine
Copics
Ribbon

Monday 20 February 2012

Cream Rose Thankyou

I used the My Favorite Things sketch for Wednesday Sketch Club 59 for this Pure Innocence card.  It was a chance to put together some favorite October Afternoon dp's which I sponged very lightly with Memento Tuxedo Black ink on the edges.
The cream felt rose covers the poppy in this image for a bit more dimension and texture.  To finish I  added a quadruple strand of cream twine for the bow.
I'm loving the Lifestyle Crafts Inverted Square Nesties...there are 19 dies in this set and it's no more expensive than other Nesties!
Supplies include:
October Afternoon dp
Lifestyle Crafts Inverted Square Nesties
Pearls
Sewing Machine
Memento Tuxedo Black ink
My Favorite Things Pure Innocence Poppy
My Favorite Things Rolled Rose Die-namic
Felt

Friday 17 February 2012

Red Shutters

I made this card for an 81 year old friend who recently gave us a gift - she's heading off to China in three weeks to visit friends and went to Israel last year!  She's an inspiration - I hope I have as much "get up and go" when I'm her age!
I've also used the sketch  from the Sketch Challenge at Splitcoaststampers this week.
I ran over the embossed bg with a Ranger Distress ink pad and popped up the window in various layers after coloring with copics.  Afterwards I thought it would have been more dimensional to make the curtains a separate layer - note to self for next time!
The outside edges of the window and shutters image have been sponged just to add a bit of definition and dimension.
I've got more ideas for using this window and shutters image, but needed a quick card for the moment!
Supplies include:
Creative Expressions Brick embossing folder
Spellbinders Circles Small
Pearls
Copics
Ranger Distress Antique Linen, Barn Door, Frayed Burlap ink
Memento Tuxedo Black ink
Molly Blooms Designs Window

Wednesday 15 February 2012

Worth It

I made this card for the Sketch Challenge at Splitcoaststampers today which was given to us by Taylor based on a card made by Janelle (dizzymommie).  I moved the circle over to accomadate the flower and image which is by American Art Stamps.  I went a little bit crazy with the yellow ink...I blame those cute wee yellow roses in the dp...they started the whole yellow thing, but it hopefully it brings some "sunshine" to a cold February day!
I added a scribbly doodled frame with a black fine line pen to try and match the style of the image.
The sentiment makes me smile but I belive it's absolutely true...Jesus Himself said that in this world we will have trouble - but that He has overcome the world.  And God has promised us that He can and will make our troubles worth it if we let Him....and yet I still want to run a mile from hard times! 
Supplies include:
American Art Stamps Emerson Worth It
Memento Tuxedo Black ink
Ranger Distress Scattered Straw ink
SU Yoyo Yellow ink
Sewing Machine
Rose (Wild Orchid Crafts)
Copics
Spellbinders Circles Small

Monday 13 February 2012

2 CUTE

I made this card with a sketch for the CAS Challenge at Splitcoaststampers by Nancy (Nancy Litrell).  I used MFT's Say What stamps and Die-namics and Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Heart Die set, popping up the speech bubbles and the hearts, then adding brads to finish.  Both of these die sets were presents from sweet SCS friends....mwaaaaah, hugs and Happy Valentines Day, girls!
A quick and easy Valentines Day card!
Supplies include:
Stampin Up Real Red ink
Memento Tuxedo Black ink
K & Co. Sweet Nectar dp
Stampin Up Basic Black cardstock
Paper Mill Shop White Linen cardstock
brads
Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Heart Die set
MFT Say What Die-namics
MFMT Say What stamps

Friday 10 February 2012

My Glory

I created this card using Holly's sketch for the SCS Sketch Challenge this week.  I love these October Afternoon Farmhouse dp's with aqua's, teals, gray and cream.  They remind me of quilt fabric so I just had to do some stitching!
I used Tsukineko Brilliance Starlite Black ink for the sentiment and to sponge lightly around the edges of the deckled rectangle while it was still in the die.  This ink has a slight sheen which is very pretty but isn't evident in photo's.
I used a ball stylus tool for shaping the petals of flowers punched with Martha Stewart's hydrangea punch. It's as easy as laying the petals on something soft like a piercing mat and then moving the rounded end of the stylus in a circular motion with pressure on each petal so that the paper fibers break down...viola, the petals begin to curve up and look very realistic in shape!  I found that even if they began to crease a bit, continued pressure and motion smoothed the creases out.  The end result is great dimension on punched flowers.
What an incredible Bible verse this is...it's as if The Lifter of My Head is a name for God....to me it speaks of the power of His redemption to heal when our heads are hung in shame, to restore the dignity of being created in His image, and to pour strength and courage into us when discouragement has us looking down.
Supplies include:
October Afternoon Farmhouse dp
Sewing machine
Pearls
Spellbinders Deckled Edge Rectangles
Martha Stewart Hydrangea punches
My Favorite Things Fancy Flourish Die-namic
Spellbinders Fleur de Lis Squares
Tsukineko Brilliance Starlite Black ink

Monday 6 February 2012

Bless Your Heart

I made this for the CAS challenge at Splitcoaststampers to use HEARTS - a perfect chance to use Sweet n' Sassy Stamps Heart Die set - I love these, there's such a variety of shapes!
I used scraps of dp and sponged the edges with Ranger Distress ink, which I also used to sponge a strip after masking with post-it-notes.  I added some buttons for dimension and rounded the upper corners.
A fun card to make!
Supplies include:
Basic Grey, October Afternoon, My Minds eye dp
Papermill Shop Cream Linen cardstock
Buttons
Ranger Distress Antique Linen, Frayed Burlap ink
Post-it-notes

Saturday 4 February 2012

Red Peony

I was inspired to create this card based on a pillow at Charleston Gardens, which is the Inspiration Challenge website which Judy (stampingqueenJAR) chose for us at SCS today - here's the PILLOW.
I'm hoping to get lots of housework done today so I went with a CAS look and simply colored the image, adding a frame with a black fine liner and then popping it up on black.  I added a few pearls for the flower center and to accent the sentiment.
Here are the copics which I used:
Covered the whole area of each petal to be colored with R000
Then colored the petal center areas with R59, and worked outward on each petal with
R29, R24, R22, R20 and then used R000 again on the very tips of each petal.
Supplies include:
SU Whisper White cardstock
SU Basic Black cardstock
Black fine line pen
Pearls
Copics
Stampendous Jumbo Peony

Friday 3 February 2012

Cake and Candles

This card is made using the My Favorite Things layout for the Wednesday Sketch Club #57 by Frances (stampowl) which you can find HERE.
I added a felt flower cut with MFT's Rolled Rose Die-namic gluing two of them together so that I could get a larger flower.  All the edges have been distressed with Ranger Distress Frayed Burlap ink.
The aqua and cream paper with the little red flowers is the very last of my favorite dp ever - from October Afternoon.  I love the color combo with a retro look!
Supplies include:
MFT Time to Celebrate
October Afternoon dp
Stampin Up Basic Black cardstock
Brads
Felt
MFT Rolled Rose Die-namic
MFT Mini Tab Quarted Die-namic
Memento Tuxedo Black ink
Ranger Distress Frayed Burlap ink
Copics

Thursday 2 February 2012

Sweet n' Sassy Stamps February Release Blog Hop

Hello and welcome to Sweet and Sassy Stamps February Release Blog Hop!  There was so much excitement about this month's release, it was made available a whole week early! 
Are you comfy?  Well, get ready to be inspired as you check out what the design team have created!
Here's my first project:

This beautiful flower set is called Morning Glory and it's a dream to color - there are several Bible verses and a number of sentiments which are very suitable for sympathy cards or cards of encouragement.  I masked the flowers and leaves and sponged around the edges of the circle, then colored the image with copics.  I added a bit of stitching, some pearls, seam binding, and twine.  The fishtail end of the sentiment banner was made with a small square punch. 
Supplies include:
Sweet n' Sassy Stamps Morning Glory
Versamagic Aloe Vera chalk ink 
SU Basic Black carstock
Basic Gray dp
Twine (The Twinery)
SU seam binding (Pear Pizzaz)
Pearls
Sewing machine
Copics
Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles Large
Small square punch

Here's another project:

This is a new set called Butterfly Flourish with all kinds of curly bits that make me think of butterflies fluttering over wispy grass!  I stamped directly onto dp, then made a frame with an oval Nestie and an embossing folder.  I ran a chalk inkpad over the embossing to add a little bit of definition and then popped up the frame over the stamped dp.  The set includes a beautiful little "thank you" which I've incuded on a tag attached with silver cord.
Supplies include:
Sweet n' Sassy Stamps Butterfly Flourish
Cuttlebug embossing folder
Colorbox piment ink (Robin's Egg)
Versafine Black Onyx ink
Tag punch
Pearl brads
Silver cord
Mini hole punch
Memory Box dp
SU Basic Black cardstock

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Your next stop on the hop is with the VERY talented Holly McMillen.
Here's a complete list of the hop bloggers today.  If you've come across the hop here first, you might want to go back to the beginning so you don't miss a single thing!

                               Wendy Jordan (our February guest)
Taylor Usry

Don't forget the February Release Party over at Splitcoaststampers in the Member Company Forum starting at 8:00 pm EST.  There'll be challenges and lots of fun and chat with fellow stampers!