March is National Craft Month

Hi Everyone,
I think my cold is finally just about gone. I am feeling pretty much like my normal self again.

Do  you believe it, today is March 1st. I am amazed, we have 2 months of 2011 under our belt already. The time just is clicking away isn't it. And March is National Craft month, so I plan on posting some great ideas for everyone.

No only is March a new month, it means I can share some exciting news that I've been itching to tell everyone. I have been selected as one of the new designers for the Just Imagine Crafts Kreations Design Team. Just Imagine Crafts Kreations has a great line of 4 in 1 punches and other products as well. Their punches are so versitle, you will get more than one look out of just one punch. How cool is that!!! You will get to see that in upcoming posts. I bought some punches from Just Imagine Crafts Kreations last summer, so, I have a few already in my punch collection. Can't wait to show some of the great looks you can get from just 1 punch.

I bought a stamp set from Unity Stamp Co. not too long ago (BB-764A Bella Fiori)  When I saw the set, the flowers were just calling my name so, I just had to buy this stamp set. Recently I needed to make a few Thank-You cards so I decided to use stamps from that Unity set. As I looked at the images I decided to watercolor the flowers and here is one of the cards I came up with. By the way, check out the corner on the watercolor paper, it reminds me of a tulip and looks so great with this tulip stamp. That corner was punched using a new punch I just received from Just Imagine Kreations.

Well, I am off to see a great friend in Tennessee for the rest of the week. I will try to post while away, so you may get to see what we are up to in Tennessee, so stay tuned!!

Well that is it for now, thanks for stopping by, see you soon,

Barbara

Look what I received....

Hi All

Sorry, I haven't posted in a little while. Frank, my significant other, brought my birthday present home the other day, a cold. And boy it's been a duzy. I haven't had a cold for 4-5 years and I haven't had a flu shot in 3 years so I finally caught a cold. OK, now that I've explained my absence lets get on to more fun things..........

 

Well, I just have to share with you all, a card that I received for my birthday from Pat. The card came packaged in it's own little box. Now how cool is that.

Next, I untied the bow.............

and peeked inside 

And here is the card that was inside,

very pretty isn't it!!

My birthday was Tuesday, and I received cards, gifts and calls from friends. Thanks to all of you, especially to Barb who left me a song. Loved it!!!

Well that is it for now, thanks for stopping by, see you soon, and.....

Joan's Garden Challenge (JG0203)

Hi Everyone. Hope you are keeping warm and haven't received too much snow. Here in my area, it's just cold and the latest snow storm has gone south of us. I glad we didn't get any snow this time around. This weekend we are supposed to see temps in the mid 40's. Bring it on!!!!!

I thought I would enter a challenge from Joan's Gardens. The challenge (JG0203) requested:

1. Use Coral/pink and Green for your colors
2. A Birthday Sentiment
3. Vintage Paper
4. Handmade or Punch flower

Here is the creation I came up with.

I made my own flower and used what I considered vintage paper under the stamped image. I also thought a butterfly would look nice and that flower needed leaves so I used Spellbinders dies to produce those. The stamp is from Lost Coast Designs.

I love pink and green together, it's just so fresh looking, don't you think. These colors remind me of spring, and beautiful flowers and warm weather and open windows and................... well you know what I mean.




Well, I hope everyone is keeping warm and you know, spring will be here soon.
Thanks for stopping,

Happy Birthday Card

I was designing  a new card using the Happy Birthday set, set#416 from SparkleNSprinkle. I decided to use items from a few newer dies that I haven't used much. I also made a rosette from scratch. I also included an area using alcohol ink to the front half of the card.

I made the 2 flowers using the 3D Sizzix die, the flourishes are from a Tim Holtz Sizzix die and that  rosette is made from scratch and you can click here for a video that shows how easy it is to make your own rosette (if you don't own a die). I have added the video link to the left sidebar as well for future reference.

 The alcohol ink colors I used are: Butterscotch, Mushroom and Denim. The flourishes are covered in Sparkling Snow Glitter from SparkleNSprinkle. I made the flowers using a die and just added a small pearl in the center of each of the flowers.  Hope this inspires you to use some of the cool tools you have on hand or to try a new technique to make your card.

That's it for now, see you soon and thanks for stopping by,

Watercoloring with Copic Markers

I thought I would share something I just learned. You can achieve a watercolor effect by using your Copic Markers. Here are the results that I got.

I used Copic markers on the holly and the berries. To finish off the card, I sponged gold leaf on the opposite corners. So now, we have another way to use the Copic's and we will get a really cool look.

Well that's it for now, thanks for stopping by, see you soon,

Inchies and Inchies+

We all have probably made a card and added a small stamped square to the card. Well I needed to make a few cards with inchies on them so I thought I'd share my creations with you today. These cards are perfect for Valentine's Day. I know, that is a long way off but it really is right around the corner. Stamps used are: Sparkling Daisy 1040-211D and Tossed Hearts 1041-211B from set 221 and the sentiment Happy Valentine’s Day 3202-401B is in set 401

I really like the Nymph stamp I used on this card. She is really awesome isn't she. Here are the stamps I used on this card: Flower Nymph 1034-211E , Posy Cluster 1039-211A and Hearts & Stars Swirls 1036-211G are in set 221

This card that is appropriate for the fall season. The stamps used are: Swirly Maple 3279-410M, Swirly Oak Leaf  3280-410A, Swirly Acorn 3286-410A , Faith 3283-410B. These are all in set 410

All of the stamped images featured in these cards are from Sparkle N Sprinkle. Clink on the link to see the stamp sets and the other stamps in those sets.










That is it for now,thanks for stopping by, and I will see you soon,

Barbara

Card Patterns Sketch 82

Hi Everyone,

Today's card is based on the card sketch from Card Patterns. The  pumpkin is cut from an AccuCut die that I own and I used paintable wallpaper instead of cardstock. I love the texture on this paper. Next I used inks and Copic markers to color the pumpkin. I then used VersaMark to ink all over the pumpkin and covered the pumpkin with shimmer embossing powder and heat set it.This gives the pumpkin a great glow. This verse is from Ippity stamps.

Well that is it for today, thanks for stopping by, see you soon,

Barbara

Photo Stamps

Have you ever looked at a stamp and knew what you wanted to do with it or how you were going to apply color etc. In other words the stamp was calling to you??? Well I had spied a few stamp sets that I believed would lend themselves to a particular coloring technique that I just love to do. These are stamps that look like photos,you know the ones that have those tiny little dots on the stamp, and no matter how you work the stamp up, it just doesn't come out just the way you want it. I happen to love those kind of stamps. I call them photo stamps. They have all the little pixels (dots) that make up the image. I learned this technique from a friend, Jackie, and wow what a difference this color technique will make on those type of stamps.

Just a couple of notes:
1. Kromekote Glass Cover cardstock gives a very glassy gloss. It is by far, the best ever, for a glossy paper. Marco's Paper carries it.
2. I use Marvy Markers because I have that brand in my stash, this technique will work with Tombow makers and their blender marker as well. However, I have not tried this technique with any other marker brands on the market other than the Marvy or Tombow.




Here is how I achieved the look on this card.

Have on hand:
Black StazOn
Kromkote Glass Cover Cardstock
Marvy Blender Marker.(A Dove Blender will not work)
Markers of assorted colors that you plan on using in your project.
Stamp

I stamped the image with StazOn Black, onto the Kromkote CS. After the StazOn is dry you will want to start to work in a small area and remember to always use the blender marker before you apply the colored marker. I start with the blender marker and apply circles of blender to the bare image. A little area at a time, about the size of a quarter. Next over that blender area, apply your color in the same manner, circles. Go back over the area you just colored with the blender again in a circular motion and blend out to the edge of the area of the image you are working on. Keep doing the blending, coloring and blending until you are finished with your image. Remember when changing from one color to another you will want to take your blender marker and swipe it on scrap paper til the color is gone, otherwise you will be applying old color with the new color and will wind up with a color you don't want.

Well that is it for now, thanks for stopping by, see you soon,

Barbara

Sparkle N Sprinkle's Mystical Treasures Blog Hop Day 2

We will be sharing ideas with you for 3 days using the Dani’s Garden Umbrella, Dani’s Garden Swing, Fairy Dust, Dream Fairy, and Garden Fairies stamp sets. All you have to do is visit the blogs listed below and leave a comment on each blog, then your name will be entered once for each blog you comment on for a daily drawing of your choice of any of the 5 stamp sets on cling cushion.

Today I used two stamps from the Dream Fairy Set, set # 395. The Heart Fairy(3141-395M) and the sentiment, Missing You (3144-395AA). I used printed paper for the background and tore it to fit on the cardstock but still show a small frame area. Next I used another printed paper to compliment the first print and tore a rectangle shape and mounted it onto the square print. Using cardboard pieces, I tore a piece that fits on the front of the card and wrapped lace over the cardboard, added twine to the piece and mounted to the card front center. Used Spellbinders oval dies to cut a smaller oval out of printed cardstock and stamped the sentiment onto the oval. Cut out of cardboard a slightly larger scalloped oval from the Spellbinders Scalloped Ovals set  and mounted the sentiment onto the cardboard and then positioned on upper left of card.I stamped Heart Fairy onto white cardstock, colored her in, added Sparkling Snow Glitter(G1003) on to her wings and her dress and cut her out. Using the same printed cardstock used on the sentiment,  I cut a slightly larger Scalloped Oval and mounted the fairy to the scalloped oval. I placed the oval with fairy over the lace on the card.

Now off to the next blog for more inspirations:) just click on the names and hop along!

Barbara - art & soul creations -You are here
Sparkle N Sprinkle Blog
Jill - Stampinhands
Julie - Just Write Designs
Eleanor - Stamping in Virginia

Sparkle N Sprinkle's Mystical Treasures Blog Hop Day 1

Straight from the Garden Fairies Set (Set 396), the Garden Fairy is sitting in the Mystical Mushroom Garden that I designed for you. I stamped the Garden Fairy and the mushroom images. Next I colored the stamped images with markers and applied Versamark over the colored images using the Versamark marker and covered the images with clear embossing powder and heat set. Next using a brayer I applied the green grass and the sunset sky background colors to the cardstock. Lastly I used the Fairy Willow Tree stamp to make the forest.

We will be sharing ideas with you for 3 days using the Dani’s Garden Umbrella, Dani’s Garden Swing, Fairy Dust, Dream Fairy, and Garden Fairies stamp sets. All you have to do is visit the blogs listed below and leave a comment on each blog, then your name will be entered once for each blog you comment on for a daily drawing of your choice of any of the 5 stamp sets on cling cushion.

Now off to the next blog for more inspirations:) just click on the names and hop along!

Barbara - art & soul creations -You are here
Sparkle N Sprinkle Blog
Jill - Stampinhands
Julie - Just Write Designs
Eleanor - Stamping in Virginia


I look forward to seeing you tomorrow for another card and inspiration.

Thanks for stopping by,

Barbara

Medallions ....... more

A few weeks ago I posted a few pictures of medallions that I had worked up. Well, I have been busy working on the other medallions that are available at Sparkle N Sprinkle. I think these are so beautiful. Just a little time and some beautiful colored cardstock and stamp a few times and trim and your done. These would look great as an ornament on a Christmas tree or on a gift instead of a bow. How about on a gift bag. You know these are really works of art. Think how thrilled your recipient will be just to receive this. This medallion stamp is in set 144.

Above the yellow medallion is in set 182, next, the blue medallion is in set 144 again and last that red medallion is in set 182. After the blog hop I will show you the ornaments that I made using these medallion stamps. They will look stunning on your tree.

Don't forget tomorrow is Day 1 of the Sparkle N Sprinkle Blog Hop so make sure you stop in and visit all the other bloggers participating as well. If you leave a comment you will be entered to win a stamp set of your choice.

Well that's it for now, thanks for stopping by, see you later,

Barbara

Watercoloring again

Hi Everyone

I guess you wonder where I have been. Well, I have been working feverishly on a few projects that I have to have done by tomorrow. I am almost done, so, I thought I would take a  break and share with you some cards I made using the watercolor technique. I really love the look you get when you watercolor.
I just used a piece of plastic as a palette, scribbled the colors I needed on the palette and for the colors I used Permapaque Markers. Next I dipped the brush in water and then drug the watercolor brush across the scribbled color and applied it to the area I was coloring. Don't have Permapaque markers? Well, you can use markers, it works just as well. I've used Tombow Markers and LePlume Markers, but if you have other brands try it, I'm sure your results will be great.I also used watercolor paper and a permanent ink to stamp the image on the paper.

   All the stamps I used are from Sparkle N Sprinkle and are in set 328, Floral - Magnolia. This is a great set to use for watercoloring.

Today is Memorial Day and lets remember all the ones who have served their country to ensure we have all the freedom that we take for granted.

Be sure to check back Wednesday for the Garden Girls Blog Hop.

Well that's it for now, thanks for stopping by, see you soon,

Barbara

New Stamps - My Rose Garden

Sparkle N Sprinkle has announced a new stamp set, My Rose Garden, set #402. I think this set is beautiful. It contains 9 words stamps and 3 flower stamps. I don't know about you, but I never seem to have enough words. So, if you are like me, this set will definitely help you add to your words and give you 3 flower stamps. Click here to go to the Sparkle N Sprinkle site to check out this set and all the other products that they have to offer.

Here are a couple of cards that preview the rose stamp. You're going to love this set.

Well that is it for now, thanks for stopping  by, see you soon,

Barbara

Fathers Day is coming

Fathers Day will be here before we know it. So, to get you in the mode, I made a fathers day card. You all know, man cards are sometimes a challange to make. I have a stamp from Paulines Kit Club and I thought it would be the perfect image. If you notice the background, it looks like wood. Quite appropiate for masculine cards, I think. Hope you like the card.

Well that is it for now, thanks for stopping by, see you soon,

Barbara

The Challange

A week or so ago I was given an image and asked to make a card using it. I thought about it for a few days and came up with my idea. I wanted to incorporate a few different things into the end result.

First I decided to copy the image onto a transparancy sheet.  I placed the transparancy onto the image and using a Sharpie fine tip pen, I traced the image. Next, I flipped the transparancy over and traced over the image with a glue pen. I worked in small areas and applied glitter. I did the leaves first. I let it dry overnight. Next I went back and traced the center with the glue pen and added blue glitter. Again I let it dry overnight.
I brushed off the excess glitter and that was a chore from the beginning because the transparancy has static in it and the glitter will cling to every area of the transparancy.

I flipped the transparancy over, now the glitter is on the back and I can see the sharpie outline . The glitter shines thru also and makes for a striking result. I decided the background needed to be something other that a plain color or just white. So next I cut a piece of glossy CS the same size as the transparancy. I then got my alcohol inks out and applied green where the leaves were and a blue where the center flowers were. Next I used the gold mixitive  over the leaves and silver over the center flowers. Where there was still white, I used butterscotch and filled in the last of the white areas, adding gold over that area as well. I trimmed the pieces and added brads in the corners to hold the pieces together. Lastly I adhered it to a card (5" X 7") and added the ribbon & button.
Sometimes photos just do not show all the glitter on a card. This card turned out fabulous, too bad the pic doesn't really show the glitter in all its splendor.

Well that is it for now, thanks for stopping by, see you soon,
Barbara

Happy Mother's Day

Here is a card for all of you whether you are a mother or not.

The other day I posted watercolor cards and I wanted to do more, so I looked at a new set of flowers I received from Sparkle N Sprinkle and here is the result, using a water color technique. I stamped the image on watercolor paper, using a dye ink. Next, I used a watercolor brush and markers, and I watercolored the image. I actually did two different cards so, you get to choose your card for the day. Hope you have a great day.

Well that's it for now, thanks for stopping by, see you soon,

Barbara

Easel Cards

Have you seen an easel card lately. Well I have just developed two different easel cards using Sparkle N Sprinkle stamps.

This first card is a round easel card using stamps from set209, Floral Berry.

Look how it is able to stand up. What a nice way to display this card if you were the recipiant

After working the round card up, I went back to a card design that I was having trouble finalizing. Well, the easel card made me come up with the final design using a stamp set called Medallions -Flowers Set208 from Sparkle N Sprinkle.

Here is the card closed.

Here is a side view of the card opened.

And here is a front view of tis card opened.

I love how this finally came together. These easel cards are easy, fun and really make quite a statement in their own right. If you look closely, you will see the vase in the background, behind the medallion flower. That flower is mounted on a transparency. I love the way this finally came together, don't you???

Well, that's it for now, thanks for stopping by, see you soon,

Barbara

Making Your Own Background Paper

I have been in a mode to clean out and "thin the herd" so to speak. In my endeavor to clean out and rearrange, I ran across a stamp that I love to use to make a great background sheet. So I made a few sheets of background and then made a card using a piece of that background paper.

I start out using white or cream CS. Next I ink up the stamp using a shadow ink from Memories, then I take a darker dye ink and run it along the edge of the stamp.(Sorry the Fresco pad is so grundgy looking, this is my go to green. Love the Fresco colors and there are 30 different colors in all and they all remind me of Tuscany) The stamp I use is from Hero Arts, 2005, so, it's not available anymore but I bet you have something similar in your stamp stash.

So, when you stamp your CS you will get a rectangle with a darker edge. Getting started, I start in the center of the CS and stamp.

Next I reink the stamp in the same manner, ink the rubber in a softer color and then ink the edge in a darker color of the same color family, turn the stamp in the opposite direction and overlap the new image onto the stamped image already on the CS. You want to continue in this manner til the CS is totally covered. I find that right angle stamped images look better than randomly stamped rectangles all over the paper. But, you may find that you like that look, so try it and see which you like better. Next, cut your paper into the background size that you need and you now have a great background piece in whatever color you need. You can stamp an image onto it or layer over it.

Here is the card I finished,using my own background paper. This really lends itself to so many possibilities, don't you think??

Well that is it for now, thanks for stopping by, see you soon,

Barbara

For Mother On Her Day

I made this card with my mother in mind. She has been gone for 17 years and I still miss her. My mother loved to sew and she made all my clothes til I was in high school. My mother was so gifted, she could even make her own patterns. In her later years she quilted and I have two of her masterpieces.

She was a great cook too!!! Boy, I remember her making jelly and jam and spaghetti sauce and goetta and fruitcake. (Yep I am a fruitcake lover. Now don't get me wrong, there are fruitcakes, and then there are fruitcakes.) The only other fruitcake I have tasted that compares to my mother's, is from Gethsemani Farms, close to Bardstown Ky. Yummie, if you like fruitcake.

So, with her in mind, as she always is, I made this card.

The stamp I used is from My Sentiments Exactly. I stamped it in Versamark and embossed it in black using Black Detail (EP171) from Sparkle N Sprinkle. Next I trimmed all the way around the dress and added a thin piece of pink ribbon to look like a sash. If you click on the pic, you will notice that I used pink ribbon at the bottom of the dress. I used my Spellbinders frame (S5-011) on pink cardstock. Affixed the frame onto white glossy cardstock and and the white glossy CS to the pink card. Last, using dimensional tape,I popped the dress up on the white glossy CS. Hope this inspires you to make your mother a Mothers Day card.

Well that is it for now, thanks for stopping by, see you soon,

Barbara

A Birthday Card

Over the weekend I went looking for my muse, she has been gone for a while. I guess I found her, but she is still a little shy. I decided to use stamps that have been sitting around for a long time. This stamp is one by Susie Toronto. I love her stamps. I only have two and I really cherish them. I decided to make this into a Birthday card, you know, there is a birthday always going on somewhere, so, Happy Birthday to You, whoever you are.

I stamped the birthday girl in India ink and colored her using Permapaque pigment parkers. These markers are great to use stright from the marker or squiggle a little of the paint from the marker onto a piece of plastic and using a watercolor brush and a little water, you can use the paint as a watercolor.

When I decided to layer the paper behind her, I tried to stay with the colors I used in the stamped image. I tore the paper which reminds me of ripping open packages.

Tomorrow, have a card that is just about finished, for the upcoming Mothers Day celebration. Stop in tomorrow to see what I have made for you.

Well that is it for now, thanks for stopping by, see you soon,


Barbara