HM Challenge # 18 "A Friend In Need"

I am always amazed and inspired at the kindness of others and this is one of those times. Our challenge this week was to make a card from a pre-made sketch and give it someone in need. I think this is something everyone should do. When I made this card at first I thought to myself, "I really do not know anyone in need." That is where I was so wrong, after a little thought on the subject I found bunches of my friends and loved ones who could use a little pick me up. I have recently made so many cards they were beginning to collect, so for the new year I am going to be more proactive and start sending these cards to those I know of in need. The card for the challenge is made from Bazzill wash board texture in pink and dotted swiss in light yellow. The printed papers are from last valentines day,"Words Cannot Express" and "So Happy Together" they are made by Imaginisce. I stamped House~Mouse image "Take Time To Smell The Flowers" #HMUR1062 and then used prisma colored pencils and Gamsol with blending stumps to color in the stamped image.The punched boarder is also the same pink Bazzill used for the card. I embellished with some pink plaid ribbon and a stacked flower made from an embossed scallop, 2 Prima flowers and a light blue button. The "For You' stamped on the card is from CTMH "Say It In Style" acrylic stamp set D1283. I apologize for the scan of the card I have been unable to get a picture of it with my camera in good light, so the scan makes the colors look washed out due to the bright light in the scanner.

HM Challenge #17 "Let It Snow!"

Here is my card for this weeks House ~ Mouse Challenge. I sure have enjoyed creating these cards the past two weeks. This is the Muzzy To/From Stamp# HMER1011. I stamped the image with ranger archival ink in jet black on Cason 100 Aquarella 130# cold press watercolor paper. The image is was then colored in using Prisama colored pencils and Gamsol with blending stumps. I embossed the card with the Cuttlebug snowflake plate to keep in the let it snow theme. I them put red and green rhinestones in the center of the snowflakes. The card was then embellished with a stacked snowflake also keeping in the snow theme. The Snowflake was cut out using the Quickutz revolution and die with the white Doddlebug sugar coated paper. I used various punches for the scallops and Karen Fosters "Christmas Stripes" for the printed paper strip.

A newby to the House ~ Mouse Challenge Group

It's been over a month now since my last post and I have discovered the greatest place. It's the House ~ Mouse Challenge Blog. This is the cutest and most talented site I have been to in a while. I have had a few of these precious little mice hidding in my scrapbook stamp stash for a while and did not really know what to do with them until now. Here is the link
This will be my first time entering in the challenge. This week is Challenge #16 Glitter/Glitz. I have created an acrylic card with glittery snowflakes and then used baby blue stickles around Maxwell the mouse he is "Santa's Little Helper" Stamp #HMD1012 created by Ellen Jareckie if you are interested in obtaining any of her stamps go to House~Mouse Designs.
I colored the image in with prisma color pencils and used gamsol and blending stumps to shade him in. He is one of my favorite stamps, because he reminds me of a story book that my Grandmother used to read to me when I was a child. The book is called "Santa Mouse" and has a sequal book called "Santa Mouse Where are You!" So I just could not resist but to use this little gem of a mouse for my first entry into the House ~ Mouse Monday Challenge. Thanks for letting me participate this has truely been a great way to learn how to use my House ~ Mouse Stamps.

The Crow King ATC

I am so excited Halloween is just around the corner, and with that I thought this cute little guy would be great for this post. I got his image from a vintage photo share on Flickr. I printed his image onto good sturdy card stock and very carefully cut him out I inked his edges with Vintage Photo Distress ink from Ranger. I also colored in the lace on his shirt with an orange Tombow marker. I put a small slit at his hand for the wand to go through so he would look like he is holding the wand.

Next I stamped out the butterfly wings onto 130 cold press watercolor paper with Ranger Archival ink. I then colored the wings in with Pentel oil pastels and used a blending stump to blend and soften the colors. I then coated the wings in Ranger Glossy Accents and dipped them into clear reflective micro beads that are made by Rolco. These give the wings an iridescent look and great texture without interfering with the color under it. The crow cut out is from Stampington's Tempting Templates section. The paper I used for the crow and the hat came from the Making Memories line it is the the Spooky Newsprint one. These were both inked in Black Soot Distress ink from Ranger. I added some extra black to his beak so he would not blend into the hat. Background paper is from Creative Imaginations and is called Fright Night.

The image of the crow is a stamp that I purchased from the Stamp Asylum in Dallas,TX. I used Ranger Archival ink for that image too. Once I completed designing my collage I xyroned the pieces and placed them on the card. I then used glaze medium made by liquitex to coat the entire card except the wings. The final steps were to glue a star and rhinestone to the end of his wand and I distress embossed the edges of the card with Black Soot Distressing powder from Ranger.

Halloween Is Almost Here!

Well it's that time of year again when the colors change, weather cools down and the cute ghouls and gremlins come looking for free candy. I was going through some photos I took last fall and thought they would be super to post for Halloween. The grave yard picture I took in Galveston,TX last August during our annual summer trip to the island city. I inverted the color of the picture in the Microsoft paint program to give it that spooky feel.

The grave yard was actually quit a unique place to tour. Some of the graves there dated back to as far as 1836 when Galveston was founded. While we were visiting Galveston we also took the haunted tour not only was it fun, but it was full of history. If you ever get a chance to visit I recommend you take the tour.






Then the next picture I found was the pumpkin I carved. That's right its a Dachshund! I just love how well the carving came out on it. I just wish I was able to get a better photo of it.



Here is what it looked like at night all lit up. The Kids just loved it. The back side of this pumpkin had paw prints cut out of it and when you lit it up the paw prints would glow against the back of any wall it was sitting near.
I hope this inspires everyone to go get a pumpkin and try their hand at carving, it is so fun and there are tons of free patterns you can get from the Internet. I got this pattern at http://www.pumpkinlady.com/ go visit her site and you will be so amazed. Hope you all have a great week.

Tropical Background

WOW!

What a great weekend I had. I just came back from the Houston Scrapbook and Rubber Stamp Expo. I learned tons and spent way "too" much! LOL. These conventions are so great and the vendors are eager to share the newest techniques that are out there. So for my post I am going to show you a background technique I learned from the good folks at Rubbernecker stamps. I will add their link so you can see all the great stamps and products that they carry.


Well, lets gather our items and get to work you will need the following:
One 2 1/2 by 3 1/2 piece of heavy card stock, Ranger ink blending tool, Ranger blending foam, 2 Distress inks in coordinating colors, large floral rubber stamp, embossing pad, clear embossing powder, large background rubber stamp, heat tool, acrylic paint in contrasting color, paper towel, Ranger archival ink and rubber stamp that looks like hand writing.














Step 1:

Take and load your blending foam with the background color of your choice. Here I used the Ranger Distress ink in China blue. Start on the very edge of your card stock and in a fast circular motion start applying the ink to the paper. It is okay for the ink not to go evenly. This will give the piece more dimension and definition when complete.

Step 2:
Stamp your favorite floral pattern in the opposing corners of the card using the other coordinating color of ink. Here I used Ranger Distress ink in pealed paint. Then take the large background stamp you have have chosen and get it coated well with the embossing pad. I used a Versamark watermark for this step and then stamped the back ground over the entire card.

Step 3:
Quickly apply your clear embossing powder to the card tap off all the excess and then melt completely with your heat tool.

Step 4:
Now for the magic! take and completely cover the card with a contrasting color of acrylic paint. I used the Making Memories brand in chocolate brown. I applied it with one of those foam brushes that you get at Michaels. Now quickly before the paint begins to dry take your paper towel and wipe the excess paint from the card.

Step 5:
Take the rubber stamp you have selected to look like hand writing and and stamp the corner of the card with it. Remember to use Archival ink for this step it will stay on the embossed areas and will not smear off the card. Now there you have an amazing ATC background. Enjoy!