Ladybug, Ladybug... where are you?

I've never done "inchie" cards before, so this was a new challenge for me. I used the ladybug from Very Punny and she fit perfectly in a 1 inch square! I used the back of a pen cap and ink to create the black polka dotted background. Polka dots are so hot right now - I see them everywhere. Here's a double-challenge for you today - create an "inchie" card, and incorporate something you have laying around the house in making your card.... have fun with it!!!

Newsprint Silhouette

I saved a couple of paper shopping bags from a local scrapbooking store because it had old fashioned type of newsprint on it. I always thought their paper bags were so pretty and "antiquey" (is that a word?? hee hee). The flower silhouette is from a new offering by Stampin' Up called "Inspired by Nature". It's large and bold and perfect for cards, scrapbook pages - you name it! I love to "distress sponge" on patterned paper, and this technique is an easy way to incorporate and transition the eye to the different layers on a card or scrapbook page. This card was created for a SCS challenge to use newsprint on a card. It was the first time that I tried it, and I like the effect! Try it out!

Happy Bird-day to You!

Here's an old Stampin' Up! stamp set that hasn't seen ink in a while - Love Ya Bunches. I love using bright, happy colors - especially for birthday cards. I colored with markers directly to the paper after stamping the images in Basic Black ink. The ribbon was wrapped around the background panel and I used a 1/8th inch hole punch to make two holes on the main panel to thread the ribbon ends through to tie a bow. I challenge you to pull out an old stamp set and whip up a bright, happy card - and then send it to someone today!

Bleached Lazy Summer Days

OK, I admit it... I have ALOT of favorite techniques, but I have to say that ranking near the top is using the bleaching technique on a card. Here I used a small paintbrush and a Clorox bleach pen to blend out areas on my chocolate chip cardstock. It's really a very simple technique that doesn't require very much practice. Once you've picked out your color combination, heat emboss your open-lined image in black powder. You can use a bleach pen or liquid and just paint it on. To speed up the process, you can use a heatgun to basically dry the bleach with each application. You just keep repeating in areas that you want to have "whiter", if that makes any sense. I hope you try this very easy technique - I think you will be very pleased with the results.

Stamps - SU's Summer by the Sea and Fresh Cuts sentiment

Cardstock - Chocolate Chip, Baja Breeze and Pacific Point

Accessories - eyelets, twine, crop-a-dile, bleach pen, small paintbrush, heatgun, black embossing powder and Versamark ink

Have a super day!

Layered Trio

This is a card I created for Splitcoaststamper's CC181 color combination challenge posted last Monday. We were to use black, rose red and kraft colors for our card.

I colored in the leaves from the Embrace Life set with a black marker to create my background. I stamped 3 flowers on rose red CS and used my aquapainter to color in with rose red marker. I added highlights by painting in craft white. After cutting them out, I put a gold brad in each flower center and popped two of the flowers up with dimensional popdots (the flower on the right has two layers of popdots, so it's about 1/4" off the cardfront). I like the way the flowers "step up" in height.

I made this card several days ago and sent it to my mom for her birthday, which is today. Happy Birthday, MOM!!!! I love you!

Have a great day, everyone!