In the Studio with Lili and Natasha

Today Lili and Natasha came over for a card class.  We made Cone Flower cards, similar to the one I made in June.  It has lots of new tips & tricks for them to learn about ...  I showed them how to: add layers of flower petals to add depth (paper tole); add a grid using the Scor-Pal; add texture to flowers by grating cardstock into "fluff" and gluing to parts of a flower.  I also showed them how to make carnations and rolled roses using the scallop circle punch.  They each made one carnation (to be used later) and three rolled roses which they added to an easel card that they made.  I took a picture of the Cone Flower cards but forgot to take a picture of the easel cards :(

All three cards are so beautiful!!  I love the angles that Natasha used on her card!

Thanks so much Lili and Natasha for spending the afternoon with me ... it was so much fun!  And thank you again for the lovely goodies from Applewoods!

Cow Appreciation Day ... who knew??

Happy Canada Day!!!  Taking it pretty easy today.  Did a little housework (boring!!), went and picked up some nice Shrimp for dinner - yum!  Updated my website to archive June and start July (hopefully everything is working right) ... and had to participate in today's "Free for all" challenge.  Today it's celebrating the weird and wonderful July holidays (and I'm not just talking about Canada Day and Independence Day).  There is a whole list of crazy days that are celebrated in July and I picked "Cow Appreciation Day" for the inspiration for my card.  Cow Appreciation Day - are you kidding??  That's "udderly" ridiculous ... :)   Hope you like.

"Cow Appreciation Day"

Stamps:  none.  I traced a pattern from my tole painting books for the cow and the sentiment is computer-generated
Paper:  Basic Black, Whisper White (SU!)
Ink:  Stampin' Write markers Basic Black, Basic Gray, Pretty in Pink, Regal Rose
Accessories & Tools:  tracing paper, stylus, black sharpie pen for outlining, 1/4" Pretty in Pink grosgrain ribbon, sticky strips

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I printed the sentiment directly onto Whisper White cardstock using my computer.

I traced the pattern from "Crazy about Crafts" tole painting pattern book by Corinne Miller onto the cardstock (just above the sentiment) using graphite paper and a stylus.  I outlined the cow with a black sharpie pen.  I used the Stampin' Write markers to color in the image.

I added a knot of Pretty in Pink ribbon and mounted the image onto the card base.  Done!!  A quick and easy card!

Summer Sunflowers

Where has the year gone??  Canada Day is tomorrow and we're still waiting for the "real" summer to arrive.  My garden has been neglected because there have been so many rainy days ... pfffffffff

So I decided to create my own summer feeling with today's card (another clean & simple design).  The challenge today for "Ways to Use it" is "Something old, something new".  I used a stamp set that I've had for a couple of years and had to blow the dust off before I could start :)  The new thing is the Nestabilities Label Two that I purchased a couple of months ago.  I didn't use it to cut out a frame or backdrop, I used it as a stencil and outlined the shape with my Stampin' Write marker.  It's always good to find another way to use tools!!  Hope you like.

"Summer Sunflowers"

Stamps:  A Flower for All Seasons, Happy Moments (sentiment) (SU!)
Paper:  Daffodil Delight, Whisper White (SU!)
Ink:  Soft Suede; Stampin' Write markers:  Daffodil Delight, Pumpkin Pie, Real Red, Soft Suede, Sahara Sand, Old Olive (SU!)
Accessories & Tools:  Nestabilities Label Two, 1/4" Pumpkin Pie grosgrain ribbon, sticky strips
 

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I stamped the image with Soft Suede ink onto Whisper White cardstock.  I colored in the flowers, pot and lady bug using the Stampin' Write markers.  I used the Nestabilities Label Two as a stencil and outlined the shape with the thick end of the Pumpkin Pie Stampin' Write markers.  I stamped the sentiment also in Pumpkin Pie ink.

I tied a knot of ribbon about 1/3 from the bottom and then mounted the panel onto the card base of Daffodil Delight.  Easy, quick and fun to make!!
 

Grand Love

My friend Liz took me out for lunch today to celebrate my birthday.  We headed to a small, cozy restaurant in North Delta called "Applewoods".  We had a lovely lunch, followed by the best Strawberry Rhubarb pie I've every eaten!!  Applewoods serves lunch and high tea and their baked goods are awesome!!  After Liz dropped me back at home, I headed into the studio.  I had an idea in my head for today's sketch challenge and wanted to make it with the clean & simple challenge colors from Monday (Red, Black & White).  I printed the grand piano image on my computer to use as the main image.  Hope you like.
 

"Grand Love"

 

Stamps:  Musical Notes Wheel, Fifth Avenue Floral, Short & Sweet (SU!); computer generated main image

Paper:  Cherry Cobbler, Basic Black, Whisper White (SU!)

Ink:  Basic Black, Versamark (SU!)

Accessories & Tools:  Wheel guide, adhesives & dimensionals

 

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I made my own wheel guide by adding lots of pop-ups from the $1 store to the underside of a 12" ruler - it works really well!!  I used the wheel guide to stamp the musical notes four times across the background strip.

I stamped the rose from the Fifth Avenue Floral set in Versamark all over the card base of Cherry Cobbler (hard to tell in the photo - it's very subtle).

I framed all the pieces of the card with Basic Black cardstock and mounted them as per the picture above, popping up the main image and sentiment with dimensionals.  This was a quick and easy card.