Happy Birthday Aaron!

Today is my nephew's 10th birthday so I made him this card. I started with a white base and added some DP scraps I had in my stash and used a few red brads for an accent. Next, I stamped the dog image from CC Designs "Love Ya Much" set. I have a few CC Designs sets and I love the images... they are cute and very easy to color or paper piece. You can purchase them online at All That Scraps. I colored the dog with a brown Prismacolor marker.

I them cut the image into a rectangle, added a red layer underneath and attached it to the card. I then made the parachute out of the same DP using a large Nestabilities circle die and cutting it off with some scalloped scissors. I attached it using pop dots dimensionals and added some brads for the "ropes". I tied the jute cords to the parachute securing the ends on the back of the parachute, tied all three threads together, and attached them to the dog's foot with some Tombow Mono-Multi glue.

On the inside I made a sentiment on my computer that says "Dropping in to Wish You a Happy Birthday!" printed it on white cardstock, cut it out, and layered it on some red cardstock to match the red layer on the front. I glued to sentiment to the inside... sorry but I forgot to take a pic of the inside. Using your computer to make sentiments is a great way to save money on sentiment stamps... plus you get exactly the sentiment you want!

Hope you all had a great Monday!

-Cindy

I've ben MIA...

I know... it's been a long time since I've posted. It turns out that "small unmounting project" I started a few weeks ago has turned out to be MUCH more than I thought it would. I am getting really close to being done and I can say it was a good decision undertaking this project, as I have SO much more room in my stamp room and I will be much more organized once I get all my stamps cataloged.

I do have a card to post tonight. I made it a few weeks ago and I must confess it is totally CASED from SCS but I really wanted to try the bleaching technique and also making a window card.

I started out with white cardstock and added a layer of black. I then stamped an image from SU!'s "Seaside Sketches" on blue cardstock in black Versafine ink and them embossed it with Judikins Detail clear embossing powder. Next, I bleached portions of the stamped image using an Aquapainter filled with bleach and sponged the edges with white Craft Ink. I really like the effect and will definitely try this technique on other cards.

I made the "window" out of white cardstock and a square punch and attached it to the card with pop-dots. TIP: To make the window cut four squares out of post-it notes and stick them to the cardstock... it makes it much easier to figure out where to punch! Also, remember to turn the punch upside down to see where you are punching.

Lastly, I added some jute thread with a shell charm attached...I thought it would be a nice touch.

Well that is it for tonight... I am hoping to do lot of stamping over the next week so check back for more cards! *Ü*

-Cindy

Sorry I haven't posted any cards for the past few days. Since my Hubby is home on leave we are working on getting the yard into shape and I am also undertaking a big project in my stamp room... I have decided to go unmounted with all my wood mounted stamps!

I am now in the process of taking all my Stampin Up! stamps off of the wood blocks, mounting them on EZ Mount Foam, cutting them out, and storing them in clear DVD cases. This is really going to make a lot more room in my stamp room... which means room for MORE STAMPS!!!

I snapped this picture of a pretty dandelion in the yard a week ago and thought I would share it... it's kinda funny that something we consider a 'pesky weed" can be so pretty. Hope you all had a great weekend... I hope to get some stamping done this week but I can't make any promises since the Hubby will be home for another week. *Ü*

Pink Blossoms

I found this pretty DP (Designer Paper) in my stash and decided it would be fun to make something pink, which is one of my many favorite colors.

I started out with a Vanilla cardstock base and layered my DP on after I sponged the edges with some Ranger Distressed Ink in Old Paper. I used a coordinating DP for the strips and also sponged the edges.

For the main image I stamped the blossoms from SU!'s "Embrace Life" in Palette Noir Hybrid Ink, colored them with my Prismacolor pencils, and blended them with Gamsol. I layered the image with two more layers of DP and one layer of vanilla cardstock (all with sponged edges). Finally, I added a few dew drops for fun. I like the simplicity of this card... not too much bling to take away from the pretty paper and stamped image.

Hope you all have a great evening... I'm off to watch Criminal Minds with the Hubby!

-Cindy

I love this color combo...

and I have to confess I totally CASE'd this card (CASE=Copied and Shared with Everyone). The yellow, gray and white is such a stunning combination.
I started out with gray cardstock for the base, added a layer of bright yellow, and then another layer of gray stamped with my my SU! "Filigree" background stamp in white craft ink.

For the main image I stamped Penny Black's "Clusters" using Versafine Onyx Black and embossed with Judikins Detail Clear embossing powder. I then colored it using my Tombow markers... it is so much easier to color an image when it is embossed! I layered the main image on more yellow and gray cardstock with distressed edges and added some shimmery silver-gray ribbon for a final touch.

My hubby is home on leave so I am going to really try to get a few cards added this week... if you would like to know when I update my blog you can subscribe at the top right of the screen. All email addresses are kept confidential... I promise!

-Cindy

Hula Penguins

I found these cute little penguin stamps sitting on the counter when I was checking out at Scrapbook Territory in Berkeley, CA... and they were only $1 each so I bought them! They are from the Imaginisce Snag'em Stamps "Shore Thing" line.

I used white cardstock for the base and then added some paper from the $1 Spot at Target... you can really find some great deals there! I stamped the penguins using Versafine Onyx Black and embossed them with Judikins Detail Clear Embossing Powder. I colored them using my Tombow markers and sponged some light blue ink for the sky (it is hard to see in the pic). I then layered the main images on some more of the pattern paper, another layer of white, and then raised it with some dimensionals.

To add some dimension I stamped the grass skirt portion of the girl image on some green cardstock using Versamark ink and cut it out. I then made the fringe with my scissors, scrunched it up to make it look more realistic, trimmed the bottom a bit, and added some streaks using a tan Tombow marker. I added some flower brads with a Hero Arts Clear Gemstone in the center of each to add some bling on the corners and a small Prima flower with a black Hero Arts Gemstone in the center on her head.

I know I will definitely be using these stamps for more cards so check back when you have time!

-Cindy

Birthday Mosiac...

This was a really fun card to make! I started out with a Kraft cardstock base and a layer of hunter green cardstock. I then stamped and watercolored some vanilla cardstock with the leaves stamp from SU!'s "Infinite Goodness" in Always Artichoke. Next I cut it into pieces, inked the edges with Old Paper Distressed Ink, glued them to a layer of hunter green cardstock. If you try this method be sure to number the pieces as you cut them so you don't end up with a jigsaw puzzle!

I stamped the flowers and leaves from the same set, cut them out, and added brads to the flower centers. The sentiment is computer generated, cut out, sponged with Distressed Paper Ink, and layered on more hunter green cardstock.

Tonight are brand new episodes of Grey's Anatomy and LOST so sit back, relax, and enjoy! That is what I am planning to do! :)

-Cindy

A Little Hog...

When I saw this Penny Black stamp I just had to have it! I started out using Georgia Pacific white cardstock for the base and then stamped it using two of my SU! background stamps... "Canvas" stamped in Rose Red and "Sanded" stamped in Worn Lipstick Distressed Ink. Who says you can only use one background stamp at a time? I added the stripe down the left side using some DP I had in my stash.

I then stamped the main image on white cardstock using Versafine black ink and embossed it with Judikins Detail Clear embossing powder. After coloring the cute little pig with my Prismacolor pencils I used Gamsol (odorless mineral spirits) and blending stumps to blend the pencil. This is one of my favorite coloring techniques. I layered the image with the same DP as the stripe and then another layer of white. Lastly I added a small bow using some white grosgrain ribbon.


I also saw this cute sentiment that I had to get too so I added it to the inside of the card. Isn't it perfect? Well, that's all for tonight... have a great evening!

-Cindy

Pretty Birds

This card was stamped with one of new stamp sets that is quickly becoming one of my favorites, "Birds Galore" from Inkadinakdo. I bought this set from Michelle at at Stamper's Dream... she has an awesome store and is fantastic to deal with so check her store out if you get a chance!

Here are the details... I started with a Very Vanilla base and layered with with some Kraft cardstock that was punched with my new Fiskars "Threading Water" border punch and run through my Cuttlebug using the "Birds and Swirls" embossing folder.

The rest is pretty self-explanatory... I stamped the images on Very Vanilla cardstock using my Colorbox Chalk Ink Petals in shades of tans, purples, and olive greens and layered the images on kraft and purple cardstock . I also used my ticket corner punch on the corners of the main image and some dimensionals. The final touch was two ribbon bows with some ribbon from my stash.

I always appreciate any comments and critiques so please leave me one so I know you stopped by. I will have another card tomorrow!

-Cindy

My first card post!!!

This is a card I made for my BIL's birthday. It was the first card I had done in a while because my creative mojo had taken a little vacation on me.

I used hunter green cardstock (unknown brand) for the base . For the next layer I ran some SU! Very Vanilla cardstock through my Cuttlebug using the "distressed stripes" embossing folder. Next, I used some SU! Kraft cardstock and layered it with some Very Vanilla cardstock with an image from SU!'s "The Back Nine" stamped with Sepia Versafine Ink and embossed with Judikins Detail Clear Embossing Powder. The smaller image on the right side is from the same set and it was stamped and embossed the same as the larger image. I then added a few pewter colored brads as an embellishment, sponged all the edges in Versafine Sepia Ink, and distressed the edges.

It felt so great to get my mojo back and I am pretty happy with the end result! To get a closer look just click on the image. I plan on adding a few more cards soon so check back if you have time...

-Cindy

Well I am doing it...

I finally broke down and started a blog. This place definitely needs some graphics so I think I will be spending some time with Paint Shop Pro making some graphics before I start really posting. Hopefully I will have lots of "creative mojo" and actually get some cards posted here... stay tuned!.