Wheelie Good Birthday, Art Impressions

Hello friends!  I'm over on the Art Impressions blog today with this fun card featuring the Hamster Wheel Cubbies Set!  These Cubbies sets are easy to use especially since all the stamped images have coordinating dies!

All of the images were stamped with Copic safe ink onto Neenah Solar White 80# cardstock.  After I colored them with the Copics listed below, I used the coordinating dies to cut them out.

It's really fun playing with the little hamsters deciding which little opening to put them in!  Once I had them attached to the hamster house, I added foam tape to the back for dimension.  I attached it to the layered panel, which was adhered to an A2 top-fold card base.  I die cut the stamped sentiment with a Rectangle A2 Double Stitched die.  I added a few enamel dots near the sentiment.

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Have a great week!

Supplies:

Art Impressions Hamster Wheel Cubbies

Art Impressions Rectangle A2 Double Stitched Dies

Neenah Solar White 80# cardstock

Memento Tuxedo Black ink

Art Impressions Animal Print Challenge Week 2

Hello friends!  We are kicking off week 2 of Art Impressions Animal Print challenge!  For my inspiration card I've used the adorable Doggy Kisses set.  

Now, Dachshunds come in many colors but I chose to color this one similar to the one we had when I was growing up.  By the way, being the oldest of four, I got to name him.  Ready for it?  NOODLE!  LOL!  Noodle was a sweet and loyal dog that we loved!  I'm pretty sure I never saw him wrapped up like this one!

I stamped him onto Neenah 80# cardstock with a Copic safe ink.  I colored him with the Copics listed below.  I used a Double Stitched Oval die to cut it out.  I used two of the dies together to cut a little frame.

Next I used a mask I had saved from another project and covered the dog with it.  Then keeping the die on the cut oval, I used a cloud stencil and inked the sky and grass.  I used a green Copic marker to add detail to the grass.



I added the "animal print" portion to the background and kept it simple.  I stamped the paw from the set in a medium gray ink onto some gray cardstock and a piece of white cardstock.  I used my ruler and a Micron 05 pen to draw the black lines.

I stamped the sentiment in Weathered Wood Distress Oxide ink and cut it out with a die from the Tag Stitched dies.  The oval with the doggy is popped up on foam tape.

I hope my card has inspired you to join in the Animal Print challenge!  I can't wait to see what you create!  Stay crafty! :)

Copic markers:

BG53, BG57, E13, E15, E17, E19,

N4, N6, N8, N9, W0, W1, W3, YG23, YG25

Supplies:

Art Impressions Doggy Kisses Set

Art Impressions Oval Double Stitched Dies

Art Impressions Tag Stitched Dies

Memento Tuxedo Black ink

Hero Arts Soft Granite Shadow ink

Neenah Solar White 80# cardstock

Inkadinkado Masking Paper

My Favorite Things Cloud stencil

My Favorite Things Grassy Edges stencil

Distress Oxide inks:  Tumbled Glass, Mowed Lawn, Weathered Wood

Celebrating Your Wedding Card, Honey Bee Stamps

Happy Thursday!  I'm over on the Honey Bee Stamps blog today with this elegant wedding card.  It always seems that major events run in cycles for us and the remainder of this year has three weddings coming up!  I love how so many of Honey Bee's stamps and dies are totally timeless and still look fresh and new!

For my card today, I've used the Spring Blossoms stamps and Honey Cuts, Celebration Sentiments stamps and Honey Cuts; and the beautiful Hexagon Cover Plate Honey Cuts.  (FYI, you can also purchase these separately to get just one or two layers.)

To begin, I used my MISTI and Versamark clear embossing ink to stamp the flowers, and some leaves, from the Spring Blossoms set onto heavy weight vellum.  I heat embossed them with WOW Metallic Silver embossing powder.  While I had my embossing supplies out I die cut the word "celebrating" from the Celebration Sentiments Honey Cuts.  Keeping the die cut word in place, I smooshed the Versamark ink all over and heat embossed with the silver embossing powder two times.  I die cut the word two more times from 110# Neenah Solar White and adhered each layer with glue adding the silver embossed one on top.

For my card base and hexagon layers, I used some beautiful pearlescent cardstock. I die cut the base, middle and top Hexagon CP dies, adhered them together with liquid glue, and placed a large heavy stamp block on them to dry.  The card base is an A2 top-folding card.  Once the hexagon layers were dry, I glued them to the card base.

After that, it's just a matter of arranging the flowers and leaves and adhering them.  I used tiny drops of glue behind the center embossing so the glue wouldn't show.  I used Ranger Multi Medium Matte to adhere the sentiments.  The "your wedding" is also in the Celebration Sentiments set and was heat embossing in the silver onto a strip of the pearlescent paper.  (The tiny tiddle for the "i" ran away and hid in spite of my best efforts to not lose it!  So, I used a tiny drop of Silver Lining Nuvo Crystal Drops!)

I LOVE the dimension of these cover plate dies and I hope you've been inspired by this elegant wedding card.  Now that I've made this one, it'll be a snap to make a couple more!  Thank you so much for stopping by--I always so appreciate it!  Have a wonderful, crafty weekend!  Carol :)

Supplies:

Honey Bee Stamps Spring Blossoms stamps and Honey Cuts

Honey Bee Stamps Hexagon Cover Plate Honey Cuts

Honey Bee Stamps Celebration Sentiments and Honey Cuts

Craft Perfect Pearlescent cardstock

WOW Silver Metallic embossing powder

Versamark embossing ink

Neenah Solar White 110# cardstock

NUVO Silver Lining Crystal Drops

MISTI Original

Greatest Gift Window, Art Impressions

Hello friends!  I hope you had a great weekend and your Monday is off to a good start!  I love the Art Impressions Window stamps, and my project today features the Greatest Gift Window set.  It's been around for quite a while, but it's new to me and I think this stamp design is certainly timeless!  The sentiment reads: "The greatest gift we can receive in life is a true friend."  Isn't that the truth?!!

I stamped the image with Versafine Onyx Black ink onto Strathmore Bristol Smooth cardstock.  I wanted to use my Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers and, for me, the Strathmore paper works wonderfully!  I also added some clear sparkle to parts of the image for some sparkle!  

After I colored the image with my Zigs (colors listed below) I die cut it out with a Square Double Stitched die.  I wanted a thin matte layer for my image so I cut a piece of green cardstock to go behind it.  

Next I used some two-sided patterned paper and die cut it with the 3D Frame Die.  This is really easy to assemble and I added glue to the tabs to secure it all.  I then cut a piece of white cardstock to fit the back of the frame for more stability.  I also die cut an extra stand from 110# white cardstock to glue to the patterned paper stand to make it stronger.



Here is a close up showing that fun sparkle!



I put some thin foam tape behind the matted image and added it to the center of the frame.



I think this would be perfect to tuck in with a gift for that special friend!  I hope you will give these Window stamps a try!  So fun and easy!  Thanks so much for stopping by! Have a wonderful, crafty week!

Zig Clean Color Brush markers:

May Green, Light Green, Pale Green, Yellow, Bright Yellow,

Turquoise Green, Geranium, Shadow Mauve, 

Brown, Dark Brown, Mid Brown, Beige,

Black, Gray, Light Gray, Gray Brown, Blender

Supplies:

Art Impressions Greatest Gift Window

Art Impressions Square Double Stitched dies

Art Impressions 3D Frame Die

Strathmore Bristol Smooth cardstock

Versafine Onyx Black ink

Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers

Queen & Co. Flirty Florals 6x6 paper pad
Spectrum Noir Clear Sparkle Pen

Watercolor Succulents, Art Impressions

Happy Monday to all!  I'm on the Art Impressions blog today with my card using the Succulents Set.

I used Canson Watercolor paper and my MISTI to stamp a few of the succulents from the set into a background pattern.  These were stamped with Versamark and heat embossed in white.  A couple weekends ago I was so happy to be at an event and took a class where I learned to used Ken Oliver's Color Bursts to watercolor.  I used four colors to watercolor the succulents.  I did the background first though, so I could see the images better.  I used a Tombow marker in Willow Green for that.

I've listed the colors below, but really, after doing a web search for succulents, you can use just about any nature-y color you want!  Once everything was dry, I used a stitched square die to cut the panel out and used double-sided tape to adhere it to a 5-3/4" x 5-3/4" card base.  I used 110# Neenah Solar White for the card base since the watercolor panel is heavier too.

I stamped the sentiment from the WC Sentiments Set with Versafine Onyx Black and die cut it with a die from Flag Double Stitched Dies.  I used some foam squares to pop it up and scattered a few clear dew drops from my stash across the card.

As always, I appreciate you stopping by for a look!  Have a great week---stay crafty!

Ken Oliver Color Burst colors:  Sap Green, Fuchsia, Prussian Blue

My Favorite Things Ken Oliver Color Burst colors:  Jellybean Green, Tropical Teal

Tombow watercolor marker:  #173-Willow Green

Supplies:

Art Impressions Succulents Set

Art Impressions Flag Double Stitched Dies
Art Impressions WC Sentiments Set

Honey Bee Stamps Double Stitch Squares Honey Cuts

WOW White Fine Detail Embossing Powder

Versamark Clear ink

Versafine Onyx Black ink

Canson Watercolor paper

Neenah Solar White #110 paper
Original MISTI

Birds in Bloom

Hi!  Thought I'd do a quick post today!  I've finished a Kit and Clowder Birds in Bloom coloring class!!  Woohoo!  This took a good bit of time to finish, but it's so worth it.  Each one of these classes I've taken, I have learned so much--coloring techniques, color blending, using different colors than I ever would have together, and so many other things!

This class used Copic markers and I was so happy that I had every single color, except one!  This is a beautiful digital image that you can purchase from Power Poppy called Hummingbird Paradise.

 The main thing I learned is that I need lots more practice on drawing thin lines with Copics.  It's really hard for me!  The other technique I need to practice more is getting those flicks nice and thin too.  I hope these things will come in time.

NOW....I also learned that after my B29 marker did a HUGE burp onto my bird, I tend to FREAK out!!!  LOL!  

But only for a few moments.  I got up and did something else.  I came back and stared at it (nope, giving it the evil eye did not make it slither away LOL!)  Then I got a couple paper towels and with one under the spot I used my colorless blender.  I started at the top, just outside of the blob and pushed the blender just down into the blob.  Then I took the second clean paper towel and pressed hard for several seconds.  I did this several times at the top and bottom of the blob, letting it dry in-between times.

I did have to deviate from Alyce's coloring directions for that little section, but I'm pretty happy with the way I picked myself up off the floor and saved it! Haha!

Now, tell the truth.  If I hadn't mentioned "the blob" would you have noticed?  Thanks for stopping by!  Have a great and colorful rest of your weekend!  Hugs, Carol :)

My Kind of People, Honey Bee Stamps

Hello Friends!  I hope your week has been a good one so far!  Today, I'm over on the Honey Bee Stamps blog with a card using the adorable Gather Together stamps and Honey Cuts.  I just had to try making a Bridge Card style with this set as the stamp is the perfect size for that!  I was inspired to make this style after seeing Jennifer McGuire's fresh take on Bridge Cards here.  

I stamped the critters in Versafine Onyx Black ink and colored them with my Prismacolor pencils.  I didn't use Gamsol to blend here but instead used the Blender pencil.  I like how this leaves texture while blending and keeps the animals looking furry!

Here are the steps for the card base. I cut some Neenah Desert Storm to 5-½" x 8".  This piece is scored at 1-¼" and 2-½" on each end.  Next I cut a piece of Neenah Solar White 80# to 5-¼" x 7-¾".  To score this piece I layered it onto the Desert Storm and use a pencil to mark where to score.   Next I used a couple of stencils from the Winter Wonder Background stencil set (because a lot of mountains are green in the summer!)  I used one of the mountain stencils and ink blended Tumbled Glass Distress Ink for the sky.  I used the other piece of the mountain stencil and ink blended Mowed Lawn Distress Ink.  I used the tree line stencil and inked Mowed Lawn again, just making it darker at the top to stand out and lighter as I got towards the bottom of the paper.  I stamped a sentiment from the Gather Together set in Versafine Onyx Black ink in the upper sky portion.

Before I began assembling, I decided to make a little branch to go behind the animals to add more dimension.  I used the Branch & Leaves Honey Cuts and die cut the branch three times from Desert Storm cardstock.  I glued all three together, snipped off part of the branch so it would fit, and colored it with some brown Prismacolor pencils.  For the leaves, I inked some white cardstock with Mowed Lawn for the base of the leaves and Twisted Citron Distress for the top layer and die cut several out.  I adhered the leaves to the branch and had to snip a bit more off the branch to allow room for the leaves.  To secure the branch, I cut a piece of acetate I had from some packaging, folded it to make a tab, and added Scor-Tape to the tab.  

I then used some green cardstock and cut two layers with the Grassy Border die.  I inked the front layer with Twisted Citron to lighten it and adhered the two together with some glue at the bottom edge (so I could tuck the animals in-between the layers a bit).   I adhered the critters to the grassy border (it's cut to approximately 5-1/8") and adhered that to the card base.   It's difficult to see in the photo, but I did add some tiny drops of Dandelion Yellow Nuvo Crystal drops to the little stems the critters are holding.

When my card is folded flat it is 5-½" square.  I used my Envelope Punch Board to make a custom envelope for it. 

I wanted something for the sky area and was very happy to see that the bird in Bill the Bear's set is the same exact style as the ones in Gather Together!  Also the little bees in Bill's set were the perfect scale!  I colored them with my pencils and die cut them with the coordinating Honey Cuts.  If you need to see how to assemble this type card in further detail, I strongly suggest watching Jennifer McGuire's video (I watched twice--Haha!)

Thank you so much for stopping by today!  I hope the remainder of your week is fun and crafty!

Carol :)

Honey Bee Stamp supplies:

Gather Together stamps and Honey Cuts

Branch and Leaves Honey Cuts

Bill the Bear stamps and Honey Cuts

Grassy Border Honey Cuts

Winter Wonder Background stencil set

Other supplies:

Neenah Desert Storm cardstock

Neenah Solar White 80# cardstock

Versafine Onyx Black ink

Prismacolor Pencils

Distress Inks:  Mowed Lawn, Tumbled Glass, Twisted Citron

Taylored Expressions Blender Brushes

Nuvo Crystal Drops Dandelion Yellow

Scor-Tape ¼" adhesive

Art Impressions Birthday Card Challenge Week 2

Hello friends!  Have you entered into Art Impressions Birthday Card challenge?  Do you know you can use any stamps?  However, if you use Art Impressions' stamps, you get more votes!

For my inspiration card I've used the fun and silly Lifetime Set!  I used sentiments from the Birthday Laugh Lines set, as I thought these were just perfect!  This card is a bit different as the "inside" of the card is the balloon die cut shape!  Read on!

I stamped the guy with Memento ink and colored him with Copic markers (listed below).  I fussy cut him out (I didn't get too fussy, LOL!)   I used a balloon die (all supplies are listed below) on a folded card, keeping the top edge of the balloon just beyond the fold of the card.  I stamped the sentiments with my MISTI in black ink.  I stamped and heat embossed the sentiment on the front with black embossing powder.   I then added the balloon die cut to a 4" x 5-¼" striped paper that was adhered to a green panel that is A2 sized.

The guy is popped up with 3D Foam Squares.  I sparkled up the balloons with a clear sparkle pen, and then added some Glossy Accents for the shine.  To finish, I added a few enamel dots and tied a piece of twine to the top layer of the balloon (will help the recipient to open it.)

I hope I've inspired you to join in our challenge and can't wait to see what you create!!  You have until July 17 to add your link on Art Impressions challenge blog!  Click HERE!  Thank you so much for stopping by!

Copic markers:

B01, B02, B04, C1, C2, C3, B93, B95, B97, B99, E000, E00, E01,

R22, R27, R29, R35, V12, V15, V17,

Y13, Y15, Y17, Y38, YR04,

YG01, YG03, YG25

Supplies:

Art Impressions Lifetime Set

Art Impressions Birthday Laugh Lines (sentiment)

Honey Bee Stamps Balloon Bunch Honey Cuts

Honey Bee Stamps Over The Rainbow 6x6 paper pad

Neenah Solar White 80# cardstock

Scrapbook Adhesives 3D Foam Squares

Wink of Stella Clear Sparkle pen

Ranger Glossy Accents

Versafine Onyx Black ink

Versamark clear ink

WOW! Primary Black embossing powder
Honey Bee Stamps Over The Rainbow enamel dots

Day Full of Treats, Art Impressions

Happy Monday friends!  I'm on the Art Impressions blog with a card featuring the adorable Dog House Cubbies set.

I had fun coloring this in kind of rainbow colors!  This first photo shows how you would close the little doors to put it into an envelope and mail.  When your recipient takes it out, the doors will be closed flat.

This next photo shows the adorable pups with the doors open!  So fun!

This may look very detailed to make, but actually it's pretty quick!  I stamped the images with Copic safe ink and colored the dog house and sign with the Copics listed below.  (Apologies for not having the colors for the dogs.  As I am preparing this post, I realized that I colored the dogs quite a while ago before I had many Copics and was still using some Spectrum Noir markers.  I've lost the list!)  Once you have everything colored, use the included dies to cut it all out.

A few tips that I've learned from using these cute Cubbie sets.  Adhere your critters first, trimming where needed.  I like to add some thin foam tape for a bit of dimension with these sets.  As you are doing this, make sure you don't put foam tape where it shows through the door!  Ask me how I know!  Haha!  I discovered this AFTER I had adhered the dog houses to the card base!!!!   (I saved this by using some Un-Du with a small tool I could slide through the door and under the foam tape--then I used my craft knife to cut and remove it.  The Un-Du will dry and will leave absolutely no residue!! YAY!)

I stamped one of the sentiments from the set directly onto the 5-½" x 4-¼" card base with Versafine.  There are several really cute sentiments included.

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Have a wonderful, crafty week!

Copic markers:

B000, B01, C0, C1, C2, C3, E25, E33, E53, RV13, RV14, RV21

V01, V12, V15, V17, Y08, Y11, Y13, YG06, YG11, G20

Supplies:

Art Impressions Dog House Cubbies

Neenah Solar White 80# cardstock

My Favorite Things Gumdrop Green cardstock

Memento Tuxedo Black

Versafine Onyx Black

Queen and Company Flirty Florals 6"x 6" paper pad

Sending "Hedge-hugs"!, Art Impressions

Happy Monday!  I'm over on the Art Impressions blog today with this adorable little card using the Hedgehogs Set!

I stamped the happy little hedgehog in Copic safe ink and colored it with Copic markers (listed below).  I used a Oval Double Stitched die to cut it out.  I also used two of the oval dies taped together to cut out a coordinating frame from green cardstock.  I used the same green cardstock to layer behind the patterned paper.

I stamped the sentiment in black ink and cut it out into a strip with the green cardstock for a layer.  I popped up the sentiment with a few foam squares.  I also added some green enamel dots to two corners.

I just love this little hedgehog's smiling face!  Thank you so much for stopping by!  I hope you have a wonderful, crafty week!

Copic markers:

E34, E35, E37, E39, E50, E51, E53,

R14, R20, R35, R43,

YG03, YG17, YG25, YG67, T2, T0

Supplies:
Art Impressions Hedgehogs Set
Art Impressions Oval Double Stitched Dies
Versafine Onyx Black Ink
Memento Tuxedo Black Ink
Carta Bella Spring Market 6x6 paper pad
My Favorite Things Gumdrop Green cardstock
Echo Park Travelers Notebook Enamel Dots