Friday, October 30, 2009

Busy As I Am?

Ok, I know this card looks very 'busy' but it really is because the way the light was hitting it! It really made the embossing stand out big time!

Everything on this card was basically a punch or Die cut!
Made for a fairly easy card to make!
If you're wondering where that large snowflake came from, it was from the set that came with the Holiday Collection Kit that was only available through Country Living magazine last winter.

Well, we are going to attempt to go to the pumpkin patch today, even though the weather really isn't ideal.... Maybe I will have a couple good photos....I hope so! If I do, I will share them maybe next week!
Have a lovely weekend, see you in November!

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Happy Little Pumpkins!

Once again, I have somehow lost the info on where I got the inspiration for this card! I even spent the last half an hour looking for the original! I saw a card that I absolutely fell in love with, and ran to make a card that second, so I guess I forgot to make note of the link, and now I am linkless!
Again, if this looks like your card, PLEASE let me know so I can direct people to your adorable creation!

I did make mine just a little different. They had a pumpkin stamp they cut out, I used punches and the face from Autumn Harvest. I used wire for the handles, I think they used punches. There are a few slightly different things, but again, I can't remember cause I lost the pic!
Anyway, I hope you enjoy today's card, and a great big THANK YOU to whomever I got the inspiration from!

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Still Got Your Gold Gel Pen?

I was able to add a 'subscribe' button on my blog over the weekend! It's over there on the right side and down a bit--------->
Give it a click!

Today's card is one I made back in August but just got to posting it.
For this one, I stamped the images in Close to Cocoa, and then colored the edges of the little flowers with gold gel pen. It has the gold shimmer in person. It's very pretty! I was again able to use scrap strips for the background. (Yay for scraps!)

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

I'm a Little Batty!

I cannot take an ounce of credit for today's card except the fact I put it together! I got the layout from a card I had seen on someones blog, and I am embarrassed to say, I can't find the blog now and can't give credit where it's due! But if this is your card, please let me know, and I will immediately make sure to fix it!

I am posting it though to show you how I was able to get the look of patterned paper when I actually didn't have any to match.
The Pumpkin Pie piece for the background is just cardstock, stamped with the spiral from the Trendy Trees set in White Craft ink! So if you are inspired by a card you see but don't have a patterned paper that matches, try making your own! Start looking at your stamps 'outside of the box' !

Monday, October 26, 2009

Super Simple Monday

Well, hello everyone! Did you all have nice weekends? Mine was very full!
My poor little girl is home sick today, so it is fitting that I post about a simple and quick card, cause I get the feeling I won't have much stamping time today! My little girl needs me!

I used the Cold & Cuddly set for this one. I started with shimmery white cardstock, then just cut a wavy pattern along a piece of patterned paper and adhered it to the cardbase. I then stamped the bear and iceberg in Bashful blue and cut them out, which really isn't that difficult, and put them on the card. I stamped the sentiment in black, put on a snowflake, and added glitter along the edge of the patterned paper.

I think it looks like he is trying to catch snowflakes! I LOVE polar bears! They are my favorite animal after dogs. Did you know dogs and bears are like cousins? I find that fascinating! I have seen some of the funniest and some of the sweetest pictures of polar bears! They are full of personality!

Ok, go find a few minutes to stamp something!

Friday, October 23, 2009

A Very Merry Birdie


Sorry about the quality of the photo again!
I really like the Season of Friendship set! I like the versatility of it, and the images are really cute! Have you seen some of the ADORABLE valentines cards people have made with this set?? Oh my! If not, be sure to stick with me, I will get there eventually!
But since Valentines is still quite a ways off, here is a winter card. The backgrounds papers are actually scrap strips left over from other cards! That is a good scrapping tip. If you have papers that work together (in this case, they all came from a pad of coordinating papers) layer them in different size strips!

I stamped then cut out the bird so I could put it on dimensionals, then I added glitter to the tree and snowflakes.
Its way cuter in person, and very bright and cheery! I really need to learn to take good pictures! anyone got any photography tips for me?

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Thrown Together Thursday

I was considering which card to post today, and I looked at this one and was about to move on to the next, when I thought it might be kind of funny to have a card that isn't so great, and in Super Simple Monday tradition, I would post it as Thrown Together Thursday! Cause basically that is how this card was made!

The main image was one I made during an embossing session. Sometimes when I am embossing, I will do several images and keep them for a later time, to save on cleanup and such.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed todays Thrown together card! Now go throw one together yourself!

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

I Think I'm Onto Something!


I embossed the ornaments from Tree Trimmings in gold, and cut them out so I could pop them up. I added thin gold ribbon and a pink square gem on the largest one.
While making this card, I had embossed the words, and began to trim it down to put on the card. Well, I trimmed it too much, and got too close to the letters and it looked silly. So I picked up my scissors and trimmed around the letters for a silhouetted look.
Well, I talked about the stages I go through sometimes in my stamping, and this is my new stage! I have been cutting out words lately, and I gotta tell you, it really makes a difference! This one was a tad sloppy, cause it was my first one, but keep an eye out, cause I guarantee, you will be seeing it again!

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Frosty's a Pretty Cool Dude!


Sometimes I make my cards in stages. I will go through my patterned paper, match it up with a cardbase, then set it aside for later. This card was one that I did that with. It was intended to be a landscape orientation card, but when I had tried pairing this snowman image with it, it just wasn't working, but I really wanted to put him on here. So I turned it sideways, and it is a little unusual to have the stripes go this way, I kind of liked it! So I finished up the card, and I like the way it turned out! The colors are so pretty! I like how the gem I used works well with the colors!

Monday, October 19, 2009

Super Simple Monday

Good morning, all!
Todays Super Simple Monday card really is simple! After you have your cardbase, you add a patterned paper with a border to the card. I then stamped snowflakes on the bottom with Wild Wasabi (retired). I used the large stamp from the Two Cool Dudes set (so cute!) and inked it with Bashful Blue, then used a sponge dauber to add a little darker color to a few spots, stamped it, colored the nose with a marker, put it on dimensionals then on the card, and lastly, stamped a nice chunky sentiment on the side in Basic Black. Once you have all the supplies ready, this card would take about 5 minutes to make! Easy!

I have also included a similar, stepped up version of the same card. For this one, the extra steps include making a mat for the main image, actually punching out the sentiment, adding glitter to the snowman and a felt snowflake with a brad in the middle. Still quick and easy, but might take a few extra minutes.
For this card the patterned paper is on the bottom half and I stamped large polka dots in white along the top.

Friday, October 16, 2009

Sleigh Ride

A card using the Sleigh Bells Ring set.
This is a fun picture to color, but it does take a little time!

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Daily Musings

I seem to be in a reflective mood to day, so my blog will reflect my reflective mood!

I just watched the most beautiful sunrise this morning, and now I'm looking at a gorgeous sky filled with the coolest clouds and the blue-est sky!

The morning light is hitting the valley, highlighting every detail.

What a beautiful morning!

You know, I've seen other peoples cards that seem to have a 'style' to them. You can pick out their card in a crowd of cards, and they kind of know what their style is. I have thought about it many times.....what is my style? After much contemplation, I have decided that I don't really have a particular style, so to speak.
Now, that doesn't mean I don't go through phases, quite the contrary! But the reason for my phases, is because I will usually either come across a technique that I want to try and I use that for a while until I get comfortable enough with it, or something will just come to me and that will just be my 'thing' for a while until something else comes along.
I am also the kind of person that each and every card I make is unique. No two are ever alike. I have done a few that are similar, because I might have liked something about it that I wanted to do again, but they are all unique, and all different styles.
Like todays card. besides the cardbase, it is made entirely of scraps. Even the medallion was a leftover from another project last year!

So it seems my card style is as varied as my likes and dislikes. So don't be surprised when you see one style of card one day, and the next is a totally different direction!

If you want to see how my cards have gone through phases over the years, you can visit my splitcoaststampers gallery. It spans my entire cardmaking history!

Well, I could go on and on, but I will spare you!
Have a beautiful day, and notice all the wonderful little things in the world around you!

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Random Birthday card






















My son (a teenager) is always saying "that was random" any time something either happens out of the blue or unexpectedly.

Well, I know I have been posting Christmas cards, and I have plenty more, believe me! but I had this card waiting to be posted for about a month, so I thought I would go ahead and post it so I can finally put it in my 'posted' folder on my computer.

This was one of those cards that I didn't really have a direction with and it just ended up done somehow.
I really wish I could get the hang of getting pictures of my cards, cause they always look better in person than they do on my computer screen!

Ok, I guess I am off on a trip to the dollar store to pick up a couple fall decorations for this weekends class!

Until tomorrow!

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Where???

I seriously would like to know where time goes!!! My mom came over yesterday to have a stamping day, and we both only got a couple cards done a piece! Has someone been stealing my stamp time?
But we did have fun, and it's always good to get together with my mom!
I wish I would have taken pictures of the cards she made though!
But I do have mine, and I will eventually post pics of them, but for today I'm posting a card I made in an all day stamping session I had about 2 weeks ago. I needed to make a bunch of Christmas cards for the upcoming Bazaar, so you will be seeing lots o' Christmas! I also was making excuses to use my newest stamps! (who needs excuses for that, right?)

Sorry all my photos are so inconsistent! I have been experimenting with different places to photograph them, and also the light I normally use had burned out so I have been just going by the luck of the draw. What can I say, I'm a papercrafter, not so much a photographer! (but I would LOVE to learn!)

Until tomorrow!

*Edited to add-
I was asked what DSP I used for this card, and it is one from a few seasons ago by Stampin' Up. I have said before that I tend to be a bit slow at catching on to things sometimes, and it took me a couple seasons to realize I love this DSP too! I think it was back when we had Groovy Guava and Soft Sky.
Also, I hope you can tell that the jewels on the ornaments really are centered, but they look off kilter because the shadow!

Monday, October 12, 2009

Super Simple Monday

Hello everyone! Gosh, it's been a busy weekend! Looks like I have a busy week ahead as well!
I had my first official class in my stamp room, and although there were only a couple people that could make it to that class, it was really great to have it in my own space! I will be holding the same class this coming weekend for all those who couldn't make it last time. and from all the people that say they want to come, it should be a packed house! hooray! I'll let you know how that goes!

So today's card is another super simple one. it may take a couple extra minutes, only because I have background mats, which may take a few minutes to cut, but really it's not complicated at all! The stamp I used is a BEAUTIFUL solid reindeer stamp I found, that's easy, and the sentiment that goes with it, both stamped right on the background paper. What a great look for such little effort! To take it one step further (like I did) you can add glitter to the image or even use Basic Black craft ink and Iridescent Ice. and emboss it! Its kind of hard to see the glitter in this picture, but if you click on it for a larger picture, you will see how the reindeer sparkles! It looks so cool in person!

Ok, until next time! Have a great day!

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Hello There!






















































Here is a set of cards I made that were all kind of similar. I figured I'd post the whole lot.

The nice thing about them, was that they were mostly made with scraps! Whoohoo! love that!


I am having my first official class in my new stamp room this weekend, and I am super excited about it! It is a fall themed class, and in celebration of fall, apples and caramel dip, and mini pumpkin pie cheesecake bites! We are also having little sandwich squares, but those are an everyday thing.

I will also have some fall/halloween cards I have made that I will probably post next week sometime. Some are the ones we are doing for class, some are samples I have put together for my display.

I caught my hubby's and daughters cold, and have been running a little slow this week, but hopefully I will be all better and ready to go on Saturday!

I'll let you know how it turns out!

Keep Stampin'!

Friday, October 2, 2009

Lots and Lots!!


Ok! So here we go! I have been meaning to post these for some time now, and never got around to it!

First off, I would like to thank my wonderful, sweet, talented blogging buddy Julie for this 'I like your style' award! Big Hugs to you Julie!!!! Thank you so much!
You all need to go to her blog and see the super creations she makes! Be sure to tell her 'Hi'!
Next is a scrapbook page I made digitally about a month ago. These are the kinds of things I would do more of if I could get my program to work on my hubby's computer! ( still not working!) I made this page with a different program I have on my computer, but it takes FOREVER because my computer is slllloooooowwwwww.

And lastly for today, I am posting the projects I have been working on recently. The first picture is of a dry erase/cork board that I have had for quite a while, but it was boring. I wanted to spruce it up a bit to put it in my craft room. The frame was natural wood, so I painted it black, then added ribbon on the seam between the two boards, and stamped the bottom with the Always set in black Stazon. I really like the way it turned out! It looks even cuter in person!














The next picture is of some altered letters I tried. This was my first time doing this, and they turned out ok, I think. I wanted to make them to sell at the Bazaar in December. We'll see!

They were actually not that difficult to make, and didn't really take that much time. Just paint the letters, trace the outline of the letters on patterned paper, adhere the paper to the front of the letter, sand the edges, cover with a protective coating of some sort, and add your embellishments!

I had added some stamps to my patterned paper, but you can do them however you like!

Ok, Well, I hope this makes up for the things I have neglected to post the last few weeks! There will be more stuff to come next week, but mostly cards!

See you then!