Happy Birthday Carson!!

A very handsome little fella turned ONE today!! I can't wait to see him at his birthday party on Sunday!! Auntie Donna gets to go shopping for toys wooot woooot!!
I was going to give him the Avengers card, but today I figured I needed to make him a special card just for Carson! Don't think there can be much doubt as to who this card is for!!
Have I mentioned how much I love that T shirt die??? And look I actually made a card with it!!

  Happy first birthday Carson!!!

SUPPLIES:

Basic Black, Old Olive & Whisper White cardstock (SU), Old Olive (SU) & Versamark inks, T shirt die (My Favourite Things), Peeled Paint Distress Stain (Tim Holtz), black embossing powder, 1/2" & 3/4" circle punches (SU), Just My Type stamp set (Technique Tuesday), Art Stamp Numbers stamp set (Inkadoo)

Thanks for lookin!!

All About the Season ATC Sneak Peek

Today I have been working on some ATCs for a swap. I learned a few things making these ATC's today, such as:

1. I like making ATCs in groups of 6 MUCH better than in groups of 12 or more!
2. Using white staz-on straight from the bottle to "frost" the edges of punched snowflakes...while I like the finished product...wow messy process
3. I think I am getting better at this whole shabby chic super distressed style that I seem to be drawn to

So, having said all that...I can't show you the WHOLE ATC because they won't be swapped out until the middle of March. But I will show you how the frosted snowflakes came out and all the supplies I used...and the rest we'll have to leave to your imagination for now {{wink wink}}

SUPPLIES:
Early Espresso, Marina Mist (SU) & Kraft (The Paper Company) cardstock, Early Espresso & White Staz-on inks(SU), Snowflake, Modern Label, Word Window, 3/4" and 1" circle punches(SU), woodgrain embossing folder (Cuttlebug / Provo Craft), Frosties stamp set (Lawn Fawn), Blue Jean alphabet buttons (doodlebug design inc.)

Thanks for lookin!!
 

T Shirt Experiment #1

I went to my LSS yesterday afternoon (Memory Keeper in Hamilton) in search of some new Tim Holtz stuff...maybe some inks...some new stamps, some core-dinations paper...OK so I ordered some stamps and the paper while I was there...and I bought these...Distress Stains

I have never used them before, but have seen a few of Tim Holtz's video tutorials and thought they'd be fun to try, so I picked up five different colours to start (Pumice Stone, Faded Jeans, Fired Brick, Spun Sugar and Peeled Paint).

I also found THIS super cute T shirt die and co-ordinating stamp set from My Favourite Things(how fun is THAT???).

So this morning I started experimenting, cut a bunch of T shirts out of white cardstock and ended up with these three little T shirts:

This one used faded jeans distress stain, which I spritzed with water. The "Rock On" came with the stamp set, I heat embossed that in black.

On the next one I started with spun sugar (it's really really light) and went over top of it with pumice stone. The skull is a stamp from Graphicat and I heat embossed it in glittery pink. I also used my versamarker to draw then heat emboss the collar.

For the last one I started with fired brick, then heat embossed (again in black) the sentiment which is one of my fave stamp sets from SU "carry on."

So I guess the next challenge will be to actually make cards to put these on!!!

Thanks for lookin!!
 

Drunken Stampers Challenge #116 - The Avengers

Happy Saturday!!! Time for another movie themed challenge from the Drunken Stampers!! This week the Bahama Mamas are bringing you projects inspired by The Avengers or superheroes.

I don't know about you but I love love love the most recent Avengers movie, I love when Hulk gives Loki a pounding and walks away saying "puny god." Yes, I have a warped sense of humour!! Iron Man is my favourite character (yes mostly because I "heart" Robert Downie Jr.), I can't wait for Iron Man 3 to come out!!

Be sure to visit the DRUNKEN STAMPERS BLOG for all the details on this challenge and to get links to the Bahama Mamas' blogs...show them some love!!

I'm sending a special shout out to the puckster this week for his very kind patience and assistance in helping me out with some digital images for this challenge.

This card has double duty, next weekend we will be celebrating a very special little man's first birthday!! So this is going to be his birthday card. When his big brother turned one I made him a Sesame Street card with four characters on it, so I thought this one would be good for little brother!

Here's my twisted easel Avengers Assemble card closed:

And here's what it looks like open:

SUPPLIES:
Whisper White, Gumball Green, Island Indigo, Crushed Curry & Cherry Cobbler cardstock (SU), Gumball Green ink (SU), Island Indigo, Crushed Curry & Cherry Cobbler markers (SU), marker spritzer (SU), Happy Birthday from "Bring on the Cake" stamp set (SU), flattened bottlecaps (Graphicat)

Thanks for lookin!!

Celebrate the Season ATC

This week's challenge on the WICKED WEDNESDAY ATC CHALLENGE BLOG is "Celebrate the Season." I don't usually make a lot of winter themed cards or ATC's and I definitely don't use a lot of blues...for some reason just not a colour I use a lot...so this was the perfect challenge to get me out of my comfort zone a bit.
You'll be impressed...I didn't even distress the edges of the layers of the ATC!!!
All the supplies for this ATC (except the twine) came from the January 2013 SCRAPTURES CARD KIT (still trying to make an effort to use stuff in my stash).

 
Supplies:
Lilac twine (The Twinery), Frosted Teal & Sea Salt cardstock (Bazzill Basics), Glitter button (American Crafts), Winter Wishes stickers (Echo Park), dimensionals (SU)

Thanks for lookin!!

Tim Holtz Tags of 2013 - February

Here in Southern Ontario it's a long weekend (woot woot). Later on today tripod (my new nickname for yellow dog #1 as she is STILL only using three legs) and I are heading to Oshawa to see my parents and brother. But before we go, I wanted to share with you my version of Tim Holtz's February tag.  Here is a link to Tim Holtz's blog so you can check out his awesome tag & instrtuctions:
http://timholtz.com/12-tags-of-2013-february

Here's my attempt at the tag:

 

I am really trying to use up stuff in my stash...I don't have a stamp that looks like the Queen of hearts, so I used another playing card. I didn't want her to look like she just came out of the pack of cards, so I sanded, distressed and inked her up a bit. I started with a white tag...can you tell by the finished product?? Probably not...

I really liked the cash key that Tim Holtz made for his tag, I tried something similar using some flattened bottle caps I got from GRAPHICAT STAMPS...just happens that the 1" circle punch fits perfectly inside the cap!! YAY!!

Here's a closer look at the cap:

I also liked how Tim Holtz made his ribbon from tape, so I tried that too with some washi tape I got in a SCRAPTURES CARD KIT a few months ago. I swear the hardest part of making this tag was folding the washi tape in half!!! Here's a closer look at my washi tape ribbon:

SUPPLIES:
White tag (Michaels), Cherry Cobbler and Early Espresso Ink (SU), washi tape, flattened bottle cap, Cherry Cobbler cardstock (SU), Early Espresso core-dinations cardstock (SU), Cherry Cobbler bakers twine (SU), Early Espresso scalloped tulle ribbon (SU), script ebossing folder, sandpaper, cuttlebug, dimensonals (SU) and Queen of Hearts playing card.

Thanks for lookin!!

One last Valentine...

One last Valentine card for 2013, one of my co-workers asked me to make a set of three cards for him. 
My crafty resolution for 2013 is to make a determined effort to use stuff from my stash...especially design paper...I have SOOOOO much of it!! 
A few years ago I bought some cute Valentine themed papers from Target in the US (I think they were 8 sheets for $1!!).
Everything on this card is from my stash, the only relatively new thing are the sentiment stamps which were in one of my Scraptures card kits a few months ago.

SUPPLIES:

Whisper White & Real Red cardstock (SU),Polka dot DP (Target),Large heart punch (SU),Real Red ink (SU),Happy Everything stamp set (Lawn Fawn)

I am submitting this card for a challenge at the Clear it Out Challenge Blog - red / white theme, here's a link if you'd like to play along too! http://clearitoutchallenge.blogspot.ca

Thanks for lookin!!!

King of Hearts

It's almost Valentine's Day (or the day after my birthday as I call it). I have seen a few cards and tags made with cards or stamps made to look like cards (including Tim Holtz's Tags of 2013 for February) and wanted to give it a go myself.

For some reason I have an abundance of unused decks of cards...and ever the frugal crafter (NOT) I thought I would try and use some on cards and tags myself. I thought the King of Hearts was very a propos for Valentine's Day.

Other than the King of Hearts himself, all the supplies are SU. I couldn't wait to use the new honeycomb embossing folder (I just got it yesterday)!! Cardstock is Cherry Cobbler and Early Espresso. I ran the biggest Cherry Cobbler layer through the CB with the honeycomb embossing folder then sanded it lightly to make it look a bit more worn (I didn't use the coordinations cardstock).

Because the card has a hole in the middle of it (I think they punch them at the casino once they've been used???) I tied Early Espresso scalloped tulle ribbon around it. And...of course...I distressed all the edges.

Thanks for lookin!!

Drunken Stampers Challenge 114 - Finding Nemo

Happy Happy Happy Happy Saturday!! As you read this post I am on my way to Peterborough for my cousin Sarah's Winter Wonderland Wedding!! 

This week over on Drunken Stampers the Bahama Mamas are up and bringing you a Finding Nemo inspired challenge. Check out the DRUNKEN STAMPERS BLOG for all the details on this challenge and to see all the awesomeness that the design team has for you this week.

So here's my card for this challenge:

Am I am super impressed with myself that I figured out a way to incorporate Great Big Sea lyrics into a card??? Why yes I am, sometimes I completely amuse myself!! 

If you have followed my blog or twitter at all you will know that these fellas from Newfoundland are my absolute favourite!! If you haven't heard the Mermaid Song before, here's a link from youtube: GREAT BIG SEA - MERMAID SONG

OK...back to the card...here's what I used to make it:

Cardstock - Raspberry Ripple, Wild Wasabi, Whisper White & Primrose Petals (SU)

Ink - Momento Tuxedo Black

Markers - Copics

Bling - gift from a swap-bot partner

Hope you'll play along with us for this fun challenge and be sure to visit all the Bahama Mama blogs and show them some love!!

Thanks for lookin!!!

Wicked Wednesday Challenge #69 Gothic Love

I am love love loving the cool challenges over at Wicked Wednesday ATC  Challenge blog!!
Did I mention that I was in the top three for the last challenge??? I probably did...but I am still excited about it!! This week's challenge is "Gothic Love" you can check out all the details of the challenge HERE

This week's challenge is sponsored by BUGABOO DIGI STAMPS...they really have some cool stamps. I used one of their images for this challenge, Skelekinz - Heart...I thought she was just perfect for this challenge (and no I couldn't resist using my skull holder for this ATC).

 What's in it:

Skull background paper - Rock Star Mat Stack (DCWV)

Cardstock - Pixie Pink & Whisper White (SU)

Stamp -  Skelekinz - Heart (Bugaboo Digi Stamps)

Copic markers

Thanks for lookin!

 

Sunday ATC Sunday

I joined a Steampunk ATC swap on Swap-Bot a few weeks back. Here's the ATC I made for my partner, this one will be going to Mandy M in Marion, IL. I hope she likes it!!

I started with a base of kraft cardstock (The Paper Company) and then covered the base with some super cool washi tape I received in one of the recent Scraptures card kits. I tried to offset the rows of tape so things didn't line up exactly. Next I added the Tim Holtz filmstrip ribbon on the left hand side, the cameras (also from Scraptures card kits) and lastly a few gears.

Of course, because I am an uber nerd and the ATC has cameras and filmstrip on it...I had to use the filmstrip photo frame on my new digital camera to take the picture.

 

Thanks for lookin!!

Gearing up for Valentine's Day

I think I had mentioned before that I am doing a Valentine class at work later this week. My boss also asked for 5 Valentine cards...this is what I came up with, I think I will use a similar layout for the third card I will make with my co-workers, it was pretty quick and easy.

What's in it:

Cardstock - Raspberry Ripple (SU) & white that was a gift from my friend Gigi

Design paper - Valentine set from Target

Large heart punch (SU)

Raspberry Ripple ink (SU)

Happy Everything stamp set (Lawn Fawn)

Thanks for lookin!!

Drunken Stampers Challege 113 - Groundhog Day

Weeeeeeee're back!!!! Yep, Drunken Stampers are back for another round of card making debauchery and fun!!! Thanks to Spike & Peg for allowing me to stay on the design team for another term!!
During our hiatus, I have discovered that I am a seriously delinquent crafter, if I don't have a challenge to do...I have no motivation...so I for one am really glad we are rolling again!!

Be sure to visit the DRUNKEN STAMPERS BLOG to meet all the new members of the design team for this term and to check out all the details for this week's challenge. This time around, all the challenges are going to be movie related...so we're going to get started with that great Bill Murrary movie....Groundhog Day

OK so the image I used is actually a gopher...but really...would you have known that if I hadn't told you?? And he IS holding a sign that says "Happy Groundhog Day"

I lifted the image off the background with dimensionals and tried to take the photo to show him casting his own shadow, you can see it a bit on the right of the picture. For his sign, I printed the sentiment on my printer, used a die to get the shape and a toothpick for the stick.

What's in it:

Cardstock - Cherry Cobbler & Whisper White (SU), Kraft (The Paper Company)

Design Paper - Cherry Cobbler (SU)

Image - Birthday Gopher (Whipper Snapper Stamps)

Ribbon - Cherry Cobbler (SU)

Scallop Punch (Fiskars)

Thanks for lookin!!