Let Things Go!

Aren't those words so true, but not always easy to do! In our lives we all have things that are just to heavy to hang on to and in order to go forward, we have to "Let Go." When this plate from Artistic Outpost came out, "Chalkboard Wisdom." this of all sentiments hit me hard and hit home!  Anyway, this is one of those sentiments that is truly worth putting up all over the place!! Will be linking this up to Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog "Say It With Stamps."

I inked manila card stock with Squeezed Lemonade and Wild Honey and then embossed it with a Cuttlebug folder and a Diffuser, for an inset. I could have just stamped in the oval un-embossed center, but I decided I wanted a little more dimension, so cut an oval from manila and inked and stamped using Black Archival.

Using two of the Spellbinders oval frames, I cut a black panel. The butterflies were cut using dies from Cheery Lynn. This was an easy card to make as I wanted the focus to be on the sentiment.

This is the start of a brand new month and that means the new "October Referral Program" at Artistic Outpost, so I hope you will ink up some of those AO stamps and join in the "anything goes."  Thank you for stopping by today and have a great finish to the week!

A Story To Tell!

Hot off the presses and I am so thrilled to share with you the newest Artistic Outpost stamp release, "Paperboy."  Is this not out of this world fabulous?  When my "Paperboy" plate arrived, I could not wait to get started and did so the very next day and I just kept on going!  In fact over the next few weeks, I will share with you more "Paperboy" goodness!  You will want to visit all of my DT Sisters for more incredible inspiration:  Gerrie, Lisa, Sue, Tracy, Linda, Alison, Terry (Me), Kate.   

When I look at these young ladies, I certainly see a story or maybe some good office gossip!  The background and girls were stamped with Archival Sepia and heat set.  For the background I randomly stamped the collage print to cover my entire page.  I masked the girls and inked and did the Flick and Spritz technique, which is a favorite of mine!   The Cheery Lynn Doily was cut and inked as the girls and I curled up the edges.   A little lace and a TH "Story" ticket was added to finish.  I will also be taking my girls for a visit at Frilly and Funkie for the "Layer it on and Share a Word" challenge.  And since this is a new stamp, I am going to link this up to Simon Says Stamps and Show challenge "Use that Stamp."

Now I don't do many flowers or lace treatments, but this just called out to me and I listen to those little voices!  I used Tim's Tattered Floral die to cut glassine, white/brown netting and burlap, which was backed with double sided tape and netting. The glassine was embossed and the little center treated with glass beads, glitter and pearls.  I am also linking this "tattered flower" up to Tim's "Tattered Floral Challenge" and you won't want to miss this one!  So generous! 

I could not help but share two cards with you today and decided to stick with the girls!  After all girls go first, right? 

The girls where stamped in Black Archival and heat seat, colored with Stampin Up Chalks and touches of red with an applicator and Fired Brick.  The building was stamped using Stampin Up Going Gray.  These were both masked and then inked over with Distress inks!  Don't forget there is still time to add your projects using AO stamps to the February Monthly Referral Program! 

This gorgeous vintage "Paperboy" collection is available in both unmounted sheets of red rubber for $14 or mounted on EZ Mount cling foam and pre-cut for you for $22.99.  The mounted version comes with a cling card for easy storage. 

Thank you so much for stopping by to visit and I hope you have enjoyed this new Paperboy release and I can't wait to see what you all come up with!  Really, I can't wait!

Card #1
Inks:  Archival Sepia, Distress Old Paper, Antique Linen, Vintage Photo, Walnut Stain, Clear Emboss & Powder
Cheery Lynn Die, Spellbinders, TH Tattered Floral
Card#2
Inks:  Archival Black, Distress Fired Brick, Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Stampin UP, Going Gray and Chalks

A Pink Rose for a Friend!

I actually finished this card for a friend a couple of days ago, so decided I would go ahead and post.  The stamp is from Stampin Up and one of my favorites.  I inked this rose with VersaMark and then Distress Brushed Corduroy, stamped and then clear embossed.  I wanted a soft vintage feel, so colored with Stampin Up Chalks (pinks, greens, yellows), added a little extra color here and there with Barely Banana and Certainly Celery markers.  Did a quick set with matt sealer.  Shaded around the edges with Brushed Corduroy.  The Cheery Lynn butterfly was cut from a cream colored shrink plastic and I used Red Pepper, Mountain Snow and Pearl Alcohol Inks to color.  Kept adding blending solution until I achieved the color I was looking for and then shaded with Stazon Timber Brown!  Added some ribbon and that was that.  Hope this cheers up my friend! 

Since I used some alcohol inks, I am linking this up to Gingersnap Creations GC122 - Alcohol Inks!  I use plenty of alcohol inks for various projects and really liked adding the subtle color to the butterflies! 

Have a wonderful rest of the week!  Many thanks for the visit!

A Dressed Up Tribute To Teens!

Gingersnap Creations GC115 is a tribute to "Teens" and City Crafter Challenge Blog is looking for "All Dressed-UP!  So here is my tribute to the well dressed teen!  Speaking of, this is going to my G-Daughter, who is a teen and loves my bookmarks, tags and cards!  She really made me proud last week, when she told me she was going into nursing!  Now someone will be able to take care of me!! 

This lovely teen was stamped a few times on Tim Holtz paper and also white card stock.  The actually image was stamped on the TH notepaper card stock along with the gift and gift bags, which were colored and then clear embossed.  The actual clothes, purse and shoes were cut out after being stamped on white paper and clear embossed with a background stamps.  All was then colored and carefully cut!!!  Lots of paper piecing here!! 

The butterflies are from Cheery Lynn Designs and were cut from shrinky dink and then colored with Sharpies!  Now I was trying to stick to the colors on the image, but these would be so beautiful colored in more muted tones.  I was not sure if that would work, but it did and the dies were not harmed!  I cut the white butterflies after the shrinky dink cuts!  If you do this, you have to run it back and forth a couple of times.  Love these US made dies.

Thank you so much for stopping by to have a look.  I hope you have a wonderful week.  My sister is coming from Arizona for the Labor Day weekend, so that should be fun!

Stamps:  Stampin UP
Inks:  Stazon Black,  Stampin UP Gable Green
Markers:  Sharpie Green and Pink, Stampin UP  Blush, Pinks, Carmel, Black, Yellow, Spica Clear
Versamark Ink and Clear Emboss Powder

Fashionable Stamping Challenges Design Team!

I was just so excited and honored when I was invited to be part of the DT for Fashionable Stamping Challenges! Not only do I love their challenges, but what an awesome group of creative and fashionalbe ladies to be working with! Thank you so much Shirley for giving me this opportunity to be part of the Design Team at Fashionable Stamping Challenges! Please stop by FSC, have a look and we would love to see you join in the challenges.  I know I sure hope to see you there - pretty please with a cherry on top!   This is also going over for a visit to Beverly's Pink Saturday!

Here is my first project as part of the DT! The current challenge is for "Ribbon and Lace" with no digi images! For my ribbon and lace, I used double sided tape to do a two step burnished glitter lace design on ribbon and paper. The butterflies from Cheery Lynn Designs, were cut from white paper that had been stamped and heat embossed. I then gave them a spray with Glimmer Mist and I wish you could see the iridescent effect. You don't have to heat emboss those gorgeous butterflies, but it just adds that extra layer of texture. All panels were stamped and distressed. The bookmark was embossed with a Cuttlebug folder and then highlighted. I cut the edges using a Tim Holtz on the edge die and added pure silk ribbons.

This started out as a practice piece. I first painted the precut coaster with Gleams, let it dry! Added my double sided tape (Sookwang or Scor tape) over the entire piece and trimmed the rounded corners. I centered my lace over the tape and then placed the protective sheet cover (from the tape) over the entire piece. Run a brayer, credit card over the covered lace. This makes sure the lace is secure and the glitter will stay where you want it. Since I wanted the lace design to remain white, I first used my red glitter. Sprinkle the red glitter and gently brush off, then burnish with your finger. Gently remove your lace trim and add the second color of glitter. For the coaster only, I added two coats of a glossy varnish and then added several layers of UTEE. It looks like a tile!



Lace pieces for projects

Well I hope you like my DT projects for Fashionable Stamping Challenges and again I would be so happy to see you come on over and join in the challenges! Thank you for stopping by and if you have any questions, just ask. Thank you so much for today's lovely visit!

Stampin Up Inks: Orchid Opulence, Perfect Plum, Pale Plum

SU Paper, Whisper White, Orchid Opulence, Pale Plum
VersaMark clear emboss ink and powder,
Stamps: Stampin Up Victorian Lace, Hero Arts Sentiment
Cuttlebug Embossing Folder
Delta: Gloss Varnish, Gleams
UTEE
Glitter Ritz, White, Pink Lilac, Sand
Glimmer Mist Tattered Rose
Cheery Lynn Designs, mini butterflies
Tim Holtz On the Edge

Happy Wedding!

I know there are those times when we get super excited over something and for me, it is new craft items!  The other day while visiting Lisa and adoring one of her latest cards, I was just loving some dies she had used.  I could not help but run to check out Cheery Lynn Designs and fell in love!  Next thing I am ordering from Beverly at Classy Cards 'n Such and boy oh boy, was she quick to ship and there was my package yesterday!  The best thing about these dies are that they are Made in the USA, which I love!  The paper did not even stick with all those little intricate cuts.  Happy girl here and to think I found two more places to shop!

Now about my card!  Two younger friends recently got married and as soon as I saw this lovely French Pastry Doily die, I ordered it and knew I would pull the picture off Facebook and place it right in the center.  Not that was a perfect fit.  I weaved some green silk ribbon in some of the cutouts and added a pink underside.  For the background, I did a current technique from the Technique Junkies, called, "It Takes Two."  Loved the effect, but did cover most of it up with the doily!  I added some brads and punched corners.

Have a lovely evening and thank you for stopping by.

Stamps:  Stampin Up
Distress Inks:  Old Paper, Antique Linen, Bundled Sage, Old Paper, Victorian Velvet