Kitty Christmas

I discovered a new site this week, Digistamps4Joy.  They have some wonderful digis, and a Christmas challenge going on.  The July Challenge is to use their digistamp, Irresistible Bling.  Once you submit an entry, you will receive a free digi for the next monthly challenge.  What a great way to build up your Christmas card stash while also building up your digi collection! The information on participating is here.
This month's digi is the cutest, and since we have three cats I just had to play along.  And, speaking of cute, there is another Christmas card challenge at Crafty Hazelnuts Christmas Challenge blog to make a cute Christmas card.  So I'll also enter it into that challenge.

I used copics to color the image on Neenah arctic white paper.  I added some sparkle with copic spica markers, but it doesn't show up very well in my picture.  The spica is on the ornaments, lights, and angel. The sentiment is a stick-on from my stash, as are the background papers.  Simple, but I really like it.
Thanks for taking a look!

Graphic 45 Botanical Tea papers: Butterfly Card

There was a sweet tutorial last month on the Graphic 45 blog that used their Botanical Tea papers to make a small butterfly card. (2 1/2" x 3 3/4")  I was able to follow the directions without any problems and ended up with a very nice "thinking of you" card.  The tutorial can be found on snapguide, and it was made by Tati Scrap.  Here's my version of it (very close to the original - will try some variations on the next one).  All papers are from Graphic 45's Botanical Tea collection.

This was a fun project and my "someone special"  really liked it, too!

Thanks for taking a look!

make it beautiful

Today I made a layout featuring flowers, VLVS, and UmWow goodies.  For this project, I combined the July UmWow sketch with the VLVS inspiration board.  The picture is of day lilies blooming outside our front window.  I snapped a quick shot early this morning - aren't they beautiful?  Too bad they only bloom for one day.

Background paper is Nature Walk, butterflies are gesso and UmWow butterfly mask, UmWow "beautiful" flair was used, and the Viva Las Vegas Stamps used were line of chevrons and fairy on moon (didn't use the moon part, though).  Sentiment was from Tim Holtz's clear stamp collection, Nature's Elements.
Below is the UmWow sketch and VLVS inspiration board.

Thanks for taking a look, and check out both UmWowStudio and VLVS - awesome stuff!!

Ready to Run

This is my second page using UmWow's June sketch, and since it has feet in it, I'll be linking it up over at S.W.A.T. Scrap Warriors for their drill #34, Happy Feet.

I'm still working on the whole grunge look - not sure I like this layout, though. I think it has a little too much gesso and paint and maybe not enough other elements.  (I sprayed some shimmer mist on the page but the color wasn't quite right so I tried to cover it up with more gesso and orange paint to better match my running shoes.)
I haven't run in about 20 years, but I've decided it's time to try and get back into shape.  So, I'm "ready to run".

I used Nature Walk paper and UmWow gear chipboard dipped in black and white gesso.  Title is black sparkly alphabet stickers.

UmWowStudio June Challenge

There's another monthly sketch challenge at UmWowStudio:

I'm continuing to add to my first album and this page features a pic of my daughter and me right after coming home from a special weekend trip we made recently, to learn about the use of copic art markers.  (She completed both copic designer classes and I managed to finish the first - now to practice what I've learned!)

I followed the sketch pretty closely, trying to add more ink and gesso splatters than I usually manage to do. The doily is the small one from UmWow with the center cut out.  I also used the outer ring from various stamps by VLVS to create the circles.  An UmWow flair, twine and heat embossed sentiment finish off the page.  Papers are from the Nature Walk collection.

Thanks for taking a look!

May UmWow sketch

Here's another sketch from UmWow.  I've decided to do a mini using just the sketches from this and previous months, and the new Nature Walk line.  Since there are 3 pictures in this sketch, we have 3 cats and I have many pictures of our cats, I decided to highlight our precious fur babies.  One page done, now to figure out what to put on the other pages... Hope you like it!

Supplies used:  UmWowStudio chipboard arrow, letters, and brick mask; Nature Walk 6x6 paper pad (for background and fussy cut flower);  Technique Tuesday sentiment stamp and flower stamp; dragonfly stamp; teal embossing powder; washi and flowered twill ribbon.

Graphic 45 sketch

This is my NSD 2014 project - a Birthday card for my mom, who will be 90 this December.  I love the Graphic 45 line, but only have a couple of their paper packs.  So, this card was made with the Twelve Days of Christmas 12x12 paper pad.  I used only one page from the pack.  The background is the back of the page and the bird and flowers were fussy cut from the front side of the page.  I added glossy accents to the flowers, berries and bird, popped the bird section up over some crocheted lace and heat embossed the sentiment.  I think my mom will like it, since she loves cardinals, flowers, and lace!

This was the sketch used:

Bee Happy

Here's a little tag I made for my daughter to cheer her up, as she's not been feeling well.

Tag was cut from Nature Walk 6x6 paper, and the hexagon bee was also from the Nature Walk line (die cuts) available at UmWowStudio.  Chipboard hexagons are from UmWowStudio and were clear heat embossed with Unity's Bee Happy Hexagons stamps.  The Bee Happy sentiment was also from that stamp set.  I inked the edges of the tag with Brushed Corduroy distress ink and used a light tan memento ink with Stampology's "postmarks" hexagon stamps for added background interest.  You can barely see them on the right side of the tag, but they say "always Amazing", "always Loved", and "always Beautiful".  I chose those three from the five in the set because that's what my daughter is.  I added a strip of Teresa Collins' "now and then" washi for a little color and used an UmWow chipboard leaf as a stamp to add some texture with gesso.  Lastly, I added a tiny bee in the lower left corner using the Bee Happy stamp set and clear embossing powder.  I also used copics spica (subtle glitter pen) in dark red for the hexagon bee's eyes.
Thanks for taking a look - I'm happy with the results (and my daughter was, too).

UmWow April sketch

The April challenge at UmWowStudio is another great sketch:



I've really enjoyed playing along, especially since working from sketches makes it easier for me to come up with a project!  Here's what I did for this one. (It very closely follows the sketch, right down to the VivaLas Vegas lace border stamp used at the base of the picture).  I'm not sure if I'll turn it into a card or use it in a mini album.  I've been thinking of putting one together, but don't have any pictures picked out yet.  Maybe one of our cats?  They all love chasing bugs!!

Supplies used:

Nature Walk 6x6 paper; 

UmWow circle mask, cicada mask (with gesso), star confetti

Viva Las Vegas lace/button trim stamp and coffee ring stamp

Memento green inks, upholstery thread inked with corduroy distress ink, washi tape

March UmWow Sketch

There's another great sketch over at UmWowStudio:



Here's my take on it:

I usually make cards or tags, but this time I wanted to make something with my children's pics on it to take to my office.  Since we have 3 children, this sketch was perfect.  I also have a very nice picture/card holder my daughter made me for Mother's Day a couple of years ago.  This card will fit nicely in it - just right for my desk!
I used UmWow circle mask, chipboard frame and banner.  The banner was covered with paper from the pad used for the background -Prima's All About Me.  I also used May Arts ribbon, some Washi, a prima flower (edges inked to coordinate) and cheesecloth.