Sultry Butterfly

Would you look at that butterfly?!? I love it! I embossed two butterflies with white detail embossing powder on a paper from Basic Grey's Sultry pack, and cut both out. Then, because the butterfly is symmetrical, you can layer them back to back. That way it's a little stiffer, and if somebody catches a peek of the backside, it still looks great! I also molded it a bit to get the shape I wanted. The wings fold up a bit from the body, then curl back down near the edges.

All the papers, and the brad, are from the Basic Grey Sultry line. I rubbed the edge of the flowered paper along my chocolate chip ink pad to give it a bit of definition.

This card is 4.25 inches square. To get the perfect square AFTER scalloping the edge, do this:
1. Cut base card stock 4.25 by 11. (Half sheet card stock)
2. Now cut scallops.
3. Now you can cut the length to 8.5 (overall is now 8.5 by 4.25) and fold in half.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Stamps: Fluttering By (Verve Visual)
Paper: pearlized white (Paper Accents); Sultry (Basic Grey)
Ink: Versamark; chocolate chip (Stampin' Up!)
Accessories: Daisy (Prima); Sultry glazed brad (Basic Grey); detail white embossing powder, chocolate chip taffeta ribbon (Stampin' Up!); corner rounder (EK Success); dimensional adhesive

The Little Things

Wow! Life is moving along at a whirlwind pace right now. But I'm actually enjoying it.

This Lockhart image was sitting on my desk half colored, so I pulled out Julee's mojo sketch from last week and set to work. I also am trying to figure out a new camera. I think I'm going to like it though.

The image was colored with the following Copic markers: RV34, R29, G21, YG63, YG03, B00, 0.
I added some clear Spica glitter pen to the berries.

Stamps: Strawberries (Lockhart); sentiment-Petals & Stems (Verve Visual); faux stitching- Faux Ribbon (Papertrey Ink)

Paper: bashful blue, real red, Cutie Pie, Palette o Prints (Stampin' Up!); white (Georgia Pacific)

Ink: Brilliance Graphite; Real Red (SU!); Copic markers; Clear Spica glitter pen

Accessories: May Arts ribbon; large oval punch, slot punch, vintage brads (SU!); ProvoCraft scallop scissors; dimensionals


Thank you so much to those who have given me ideas and recommendations for my trip. We're staying about a mile north of the Champs Elysee in Paris and near Chelsea in London. Both hotels look quite clean and comfortable. I'll definately have pictures to share with you when I return.

A Challenge for You!

Have you seen the May challenge on the Verve Visual blog? Your challenge is to use the yummy colors you see to the left! Get all the details and leave a link to your finished project here by May 31 for your shot at $15 in Verve bucks.

Now I've got a sample to get you started, and there's a new sample everyday (through May 31) on the Verve blog as well.
Stamps: Floral Whimsy, Uplifting Phrases (Verve Visual)
Paper: so saffron, pumpkin pie, cameo coral, soft sky (Stampin' Up); shimmery white (Paper Accents)
Ink: black (Versafine); Versamark; cameo coral, pumpkin pie, old olive, so saffron (SU markers); B00 (Copic marker)
Accessories: ribbon (American Crafts); butterfly punch (Martha Stewart); 1 inch circle punch (EK Success); flower die (Cuttlebug); Star Dust Stickles; paper piercer and template (SU)

One Lifetime Bridal Shower

I'm going to a bridal shower this weekend, so I pulled out my new Filigree Fantasy to make an elegant card for the bride-to-be. The sentiment, from Anniversary Birds, is done with platinum embossing powder on vellum card stock. Be careful not to overheat. I drew an edge all around the vellum with a Zig Painty, and this is where I applied a thin bead of adhesive on the back. It's so hard to attach vellum. The brads were a last minute addition.

Stamps: Filigree Fantasy, Anniversary Birds (Verve Visual)

Paper: shimmer white (Paper Accents); chocolate chip, soft sky, vellum card stock (Stampin' Up!)

Ink: chocolate chip (SU); Versamark

Accessories: silver brads, mini glue dots, chocolate chip taffeta ribbon (SU); platinum embossing powder (Ranger); silver paint pen (Zig Painty); dimensionals

I'm on my way out the door, but here's a quick update on my vacation. Thanks to all of you who have shared ideas. We arrive very early in London, then we're taking the Eurostar to Paris where we'll stay two nights. Then back to London for five nights in a hotel near Chelsea. I know we'll be rushed, but I'm afraid we'll never get back. So we jammed Paris into the trip as well. The Windsor Castle state apartments are closed the entire time we're in London. Is it worth seeing even without that part of the tour? We may try a day trip to Dover to see the cliffs and castle. Bath is another possible day trip. I'm figuring at least two days in London itself for a walking tour, the London Eye, and museums, etc.

EEEEEEEEKKKKKK!!!!!!

I just bought airline tickets for LONDON!!! For next month!!!! This is my dream vacation. We may hop to Paris (chunnel) for a couple of days. If you live in England or have visited please give me any good info I may need. I'm contemplating getting an eight day rail pass (England). Is this a good deal? I need pounds, right? Not euros for England? Euros for France, right? I still need to book hotels. Where's an exciting location in London? Like I said...EEEEEKKKKK!!!

Verve Release Day

As promised, here are two new cards with today's Verve Visual stamp releases.

Stamps: Floral Whimsy (Verve Visual)
Paper: Real Red, soft sky (Stampin' Up!); white (Papertrey Ink); Wonder (Star fish & Dreams)
Ink: black (Versafine); chocolate chip, soft sky, real red, old olive (Stampin' Up!); C1, E31 (Copic markers)
Accessories: butterfly punch (Martha Stewart); gemstones (Hero Arts); ribbon (American Crafts); pin (Heidi Grace); dies (Nestablities)

Stamps: Petals & Stems (Verve Visual)
Paper: pumpkin pie, sage shadow, night of navy, white (Stampin' Up!)
Ink: pumpkin pie, sage shadow, night of navy (SU)
Accessories: 1" circle punch (EK Success); tag corner punch, silver cord, silver eyelet (SU); dimensionals

Verve Visual Sneak Peeks

Have you seen the sneak peeks on the Verve Visual blog? Wow, all the divas did great with these gorgeous new sets. Be sure to check it out. Tonight is your last chance to add your name to the giveaways. Because tomorrow will see the release of four new Verve stamp sets. So I've got a couple of cards for you today and a couple more tomorrow. Enjoy!


Stamps: Filigree Fantasy, Petals & Stems(Verve Visual)
Paper: white (Georgia Pacific); Not Quite Navy, Ruby Red, More Mustard, Old Olive (Stampin' Up!)
Ink: Not Quite Navy, Ruby Red (Stampin' Up!); YG95 (Copic marker)
Accessories: grosgrain ribbon; photo corner punch (Stampin' Up!); corner rounder (EK Success); 1/4 inch circle punch, Brides flower confetti (Michael's); 1/8 inch circle punch (Fiskars)

Stamps: Fluttering By, Petals & Stems(Verve Visual)
Paper: vanilla, old olive (Stampin' Up!); Picket Fence (My Mind's Eye)
Ink: old olive, pumpkin pie, taken with teal (SU); Versamark (Tsukineko)
Accessories: thread, sewing machine, ribbon (American Crafts); icons gems (MAMBI); clear embossing powder, word window punch (SU); water brush, dimensionals

Wishing You Wild Success

I used one of Lauren's sketches, tweaked just a bit for this grad card. I love the fun colors (even brighter IRL).

I stamped the different stars from Seeing Stars (on sale through May 15) with Graphite Brilliance ink on Papertrey's white paper. Then colored with Stampin' Up markers. I used a watercolor brush to even out the lighter colors, and to apply the turquoise. I also used the turquoise marker to add the dots among the stars. The sentiment (from Great Expectations) is layered on two rectangle nestability die cuts, spliced together to get the proper length. The photo corner punch is covered in Star Dust Stickles, as are the smallest stars.

Stamps: Great Expectations, Seeing Stars (Verve Visual)

Paper: Certainly celery, basic black, tempting turquoise, so saffron (Stampin' Up!); white (Papertrey Ink)

Ink: Graphite black (Brilliance); so saffron, tempting turquoise, certainly celery, green galore (Stampin' Up!); cool gray 1 (COPIC)

Accessories: Star dust Stickles; icons gems (MAMBI); ribbon (American Crafts); photo corner punch (Stampin' Up!); rectangle die (Nestabilities); swiss dots embossing folder (Cuttlebug); dimensional adhesive; watercolor brush

Check out my Surfer Granny!

Is she not the coolest? I can't wait to play with her some more. And she came in a little acrylic set for $2.50. Looks like she's sold out right now, but there are a few choices still in stock here.

I just plopped granny and the sentiment on an acrylic block together and stamped once, with Graphite Brilliance ink. Then colored with my Copics. Her surfboard has a fresh coat of wax, otherwise known as Sakura Glaze pen. And her shades are covered in Sakura GellyRoll glitter pen.

Layout courtesy of Jen's sketch challenge, here. Sorry, I moved it around a bit.

Stamps: Only a Kid Once (Inkadinkado)
Paper: celery, chocolate (SU); white (Papertrey Ink); patterened (MAMBI)
Ink: graphite Brilliance; Copics-B00, C1, E31, E00, YR31, YG31, RV34, R29
Accessories: swiss dots embossing folder (Cuttlebug); glaze and glitter pens (Sakura); rhinestones (Darice); dimensionals

Senior Album

Hi All! I'm trying to squeeze this post in quickly, because there seems to be so much to do this time of year. You know what I'm talking about, right?

I bought this little album at JoAnn's (I think), on clearance no less. I'm pretty sure it was 50 cents! Can't beat that. It's the perfect size to hold all those pictures that get swapped senior year. Just right for that special young lady/man approaching the final year of high school. And I love this sentiment from Verve Visual. Conveys just the right feeling. I remember that entering senior year, it finally hits you that you may never see these people again whom you've grown up with for twelve years. Hence, the "don't forget me". But it's still a little edgy and youthful.

Gotta run. If anybody wants a mini tutorial, let me know. I have some extra pics, but no time right now.

Stamps: Great Expectations (Verve Visual)

Paper: Shimmer white (Paper Accents); Beach Dots (Chatterbox); Posies glitter print (DCWV); apricot appeal (Stampin' Up!)

Ink: Vintage violet, apricot appeal (Stampin' Up!)

Accessories: Vintage violet ribbon (Stampin' Up!); icons gems (MAMBI); dimensionals

The Friday Funny

"Thanks, I had it done at that fabulous new salon downtown!"

A nip here, a tuck there........you look marvelous dahling!

Thinking of You, Chicky

I'll keep the chit chat to a minimum today. Lots of yard work and a walk for the dog are the order of the day.

Hey Chicky stamped with Brillance graphite ink on Georgia Pacific white (Walmart, ie. CHEAP). Colored with Copic markers: B23, YR16, YR31, YG03, 0. Then dotted with white signo gel pen.

Stamps- hey chicky (CC Designs); faux ribbon (Papertrey Ink)

Paper- white (GP); white, only orange, ballet blue (Stampin' Up); Posies Glitter Print (DCWV)

Ink- graphite (Brilliance); only orange, ballet blue (SU), Copic markers

Accessories- flowers die and swiss dots folder (Cuttlebug); Nestablities circles dies; 1.25 circle, slot, photo corner punches (SU); American Craft ribbon; signo white gel pen; dimensionals