Splitcoast Challenge Today!

I'm home from Cabo with a nice golden tan, and starting to get back into the swing of things. In fact, I'm hostessing today's challenge for the Holiday Extravaganza 2008 at Splitcoast Stampers. You can see it here. Everyone's welcome to play along, so I'd love to see you stop in. This is the card I made for mysample.

The challenge is altered embellishments, so I stamped on my brad with noir Palette ink. Heat set. And colored with Copic markers. I used a dabbing motion since it was such a small area and I was worried about smearing. I also painted my primas with Shimmerz.

This totally lovable stamp is from the Pat the Dog set by Our Craft Lounge. I just love their darling artwork (Have you SEEN the latest release!?!) and that they offer clear AND unmounted rubber options. This was so fun to color. And easy too since the stamps come on a full color sample storage (cheat) sheet.

What's In It?
Stamps- Pat the Dog (Our Craft Lounge)
Paper- white, close to cocoa, cutie pie (SU!); water color (Strathmore cold press)
Ink- blacks (Palette and Versafine)
Markers- bashful blue, celery, olive, close to cocoa, chocolate, caramel, pretty in pink, pixie pink, pink passion (SU!); R43, YG63 (Copic); black liner (Zig Millennium)
Accessories- water brush, nesties, circle punch, primas, Shimmerz, Lasting Impressions brads, making memories jumbo brad, white opal Liquid Pearls

Free Stamping Time!

I'm leaving in a few days for my Cabo mini vacation. You know what that means, don't you? Yep, I'm sick! Icky sore throat, cough, blechk! I'm so hoping this is gone before I have to get on the plane Sunday morning.

Enough complaining. On to the card. This uses the MFT Be Calm stamp and today's sketch challenge from Splitcoast. I feel so decadent. Stamping just for the fun of it. Not a design assignment. I'm a pretty slow stamper, so I don't do much beyond my assignments. So I was really tickled to find time and inspiration for this adorable stamp I bought when it first came out a while ago. I love my design teams, but today I got to feel like a kid playing hooky from school. *giggle*Stamps- Be Calm (MFT Presents Annie LaPoint)

Paper- white (PTI); pumpkin pie, chocolate chip, creamy caramel, Haiku DSP (SU!)
Ink- noir (Palette)
Accessories- copics, primas, buttons, star dust stickles, nesties, brads (lasting impressions), dimensionals, thread

Just a Note

FYI-

Lizzie Anne Designs has started a new company blog! And there's blog candy. Hurry, drawing takes place Friday. Go HERE!

For the Man Who is Everything

This stamp from the A Man's Sole set covers it all! I also used one of the shoes to create some background paper. The chipboard, I pressed once firmly onto my Sahara Sand pad so that it came away with the texture of the stamp pad. The sketch is by Amy from last Friday. Thanks girl!

What's In It?
Stamps: A Man's Sole (Lizzie Anne Designs)
Paper: sahara sand, chocolate chip, kiwi kiss, close to cocoa, vanilla (SU!)
Ink: sahara sand, chocolate chip (SU!); vintage photo distress (Tim Holtz)
Copics: C1, N3, YG95
Accessories: brads, ticket corner punch (SU!); mesh texture emboss folder (Cuttlebug); corner rounder (EK Success); chipboard

Cowboy Father

I just loved Lauren's sketch from this weekend, so I found time to play with it today. Totally cute, isn't it? And check out how the Distress Inks made the cowboy boot look sort of old and worn. Just a fun detail.

What's In It?
Stamps: A Man's Sole (Lizzie Anne Designs)
Paper: close to cocoa, chocolate chip, bashful blue, pumpkin pie (Stampin' Up!); Cowboy (Crate Paper)
Ink: vintage photo, tea dye distress inks (Tim Holtz)
Accessories: sponge dauber; Basic Grey file set; circle dies (Spellbinders); twine; dimensionals; white gel pen; corner rounder (EK Success); decorative scissors (ProvoCraft)

Following Footsteps

I have another one of those difficult masculine cards for you today. They're so much easier when you've got the right stamps, and this set from Lizzie Anne is just right. It's called A Man's Sole.

I made this earlier in the week for Splitcoast's sketch challenge. The green dotted paper is from Lizzie Anne's Winter Wonderland Pretty Papers pack, the solid green is Core'dinations sponged with some close to cocoa ink to go with that "manly" look. Once again, necessity was the mother of invention. I didn't have any space left for a sentiment, so I thought to use the clear acetate layer right on top of everything. Palette's noir ink worked well with sufficient drying time.

I hope you're enjoying your weekend.

What's In It?
Stamps: A Man's Sole
Paper: Winter Wonderland (Lizzie Anne); close to cocoa, very vanilla (SU!); green (core'dinations)
Ink: noir black (Palette); close to cocoa, chocolate chip (SU!)
Accessories: circle dies (Spellbinders); paper piercer and template (SU!); acetate; licorice brads (Lasting Impressions)

Notes on the Go

I see that I never shared this little notebook project here on my blog. It's from November's Verve project parade, which was to create anything but a card. This is a little pocket (or purse) sized notebook.

I started by removing the wire from a 3 by 5 inch notebook.

Cut a piece of chocolate chip card stock to the exact size of the cover. Layer your card stock on the cover to punch the 1/8" holes in the card stock.

Glue the card stock on top of the notebook cover.

Decorate to your liking, and re-insert the wire coils.

What's In It?
Stamps: Snow Wonderful (Verve)
Paper: chocolate chip, certainly celery (Stampin' Up!); white (Papertrey Ink); Basic Grey
Ink: noir black (Palette)Accessories: snowflake punch (Martha Stewart); brad (K & Company); scallop scissors (Fiskars); copic markers; glitter (Stickles); white Liquid Applique; Xyron adhesive; 1/8" hole punch; 3" x 5" notebook

Your Shoes

Sorry for the sporadic posting lately. Are the rest of you as busy as I feel? But I do have this fun card for you today. I used Jen's Sketch for you to try along with this great Lizzie Anne set, A Man's Sole.

I love how that little doodad made such a cool border! I also clear embossed the shoes over Jumbo Java VersaMagic ink. And if you've never tried the sponge daubers, they are definitely worth a trial run. It's so much easier just sticking one of those suckers on your finger rather that fighting with a real sponge.

By the way, the Winter Wonderland paper pack is the product of the week this week. So you can get it for 20% off to finish up your winter cards AND still use lots of the styles for great year-round projects like this.

What's In It:
Stamps: A Man's Sole (Lizzie Anne Designs)
Paper: Winter Wonderland (Lizzie Anne Designs); ruby red, creamy caramel, chocolate chip, very vanilla (Stampin' Up!)
Ink: chocolate chip, close to cocoa, ruby red (SU!); jumbo java (VersaMagic)
Accessories: labels 1 die (Spellbinders); pewter hodgepodge hardware, sponge dauber, clear embossing powder (SU); twine, dimensionals

Talk to ya soon.

Lookie What I Got!

Can you believe TWO people thought to share this Kreativ Blogger Award with me?!? I was so tickled. It's been an embarassingly long time since they mentioned it, but I'm teribble with picking someone to pass it on to. So, rather than procrastinate any longer, I'm at least going to acknowledge this now. Jimmi and Angel, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! You're both the sweetest. You almost made me cry Jimmi, such sweet things you had to say.

Seven Swans a Swimming...

What!?! I don't see any swans. No, but that's the challenge at Paper Craft Planet today. Create an elegant black and white card (with a splash of color if you'd like), and you could be the random winner of THREE new Verve stamp sets.

What's In It?
Stamps: Snowflake Splendor (Verve)
Paper: pearlized white (Paper Accents); metallic silver, basic black (Stampin' Up!); aqua mist (Papertrey Ink)
Ink: onyx black (Versafine); aquatic splash (VersaMagic)
Accessories: circle dies (Spellbinders); aqua mist satin ribbon (Papertrey Ink); snow dots embossing folder (Cuttlebug); snowflake punch (Martha Stewart); glitter (Stickles)