Unidentified Image Swap Reveal!

Time to reveal our creations for the Unidentified Image swap on SCS!

Our hostess this round is Carol and she selected a darling image: "A Couple of Cuties" by Clear Art Stamps.  Here's the image after it was colored with Spectrum Noir and accented with Stickles and a Spica glitter pen:

Here's a view of the whole card.  The DP is slightly embossed and shimmery, it's from a pack by DCWV called "Garden Party".

I tried to capture the vintage theme of the image with the DP and lace accent.

Thank you Carol, for selecting such a great image for us to work with this round!  I can hardly wait to receive my swap returns and find out what the next hostess has chosen for us.  It's a surprise every time, and who doesn't like a happy surprise in their mailbox these days?  Thanks for stopping by!

Crafters of Faith March Challenge

A day late, probably more than a dollar short (haha), but at last I'm able to post my card for the March Crafters of Faith Challenge!  (you would not believe the technological challenges I've experienced in the last 4 days.  Fingers crossed that every thing is fixed and happy now)

Here's the challenge from our dear Jeanette:


"Since we will be posting on Easter Sunday – March 31 – and since we are Crafters of Faith, I’d like us to create a religious-themed Easter card. No Easter bunnies and such, but instead a card that focuses on the Risen Lord! It can include Scripture and/or images, but needs to focus on the religious aspect of the holiday.

He is not here; he has risen! (Luke 24:6)"

And here is my card:
The card base is Whisper White, layers are Barely Banana and Lavender Lace.  Pearls and ribbon from my stash, originating at local craft stores.

The cross is from a brass stencil by Dreamweaver.  I also used Dreamweaver's white embossing paste that I mixed with iridescent embossing glitter to give it sparkle.  You have to work quickly as the paste will set up fast.  Mix the paste with the glitter on a glossy surface (I used a coated paper plate), spread with your spatula or another tool.  Again, it's important to get it right on the first pass, because you can only make one more pass with your spatula, it sets that quickly.

Carefully remove the tape and lift your stencil from one side to the other, making sure that you don't smudge it during the process.  Let it finish drying for a few hours and then continue making your card.

I must say, that the camera is very unforgiving (haha).  In person, it looks much more smooth than the picture shows.

Thank you Jeanette for such an inspiring challenge for March!  And thanks to the other members of Crafters of Faith for overlooking my tardy posting.  Be sure to check out their beautiful creations - links are in my sidebar.  Thanks for stopping by!

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Whipper Snapper's April Showers

My friend Barb on SCS is having a Spring Whipper Snapper and Penny Black Swap.

Here's my set of WS cards using their "April Showers" stamp:

 The image was colored with Spectrum Noir markers and the flowers, raindrops and his eyes were painted with Crystal Effects to give it some shine and heighten the colors.

The inside was finished off with more DP from SEI's pack: "Couture".  I think that SEI is my favorite for designer paper.

T.G.I.F. because now I can finish the set of Penny Black cards that I started last weekend.  Thanks for stopping by and wishing all of you a great weekend!

March Mystery Image Revealed!

A group on Split Coast has a "Mystery Image Swap", where each of us takes a turn at hosting.  The hostess selects the image and stamps off sets to send to each participant.  We each make 4 cards with the image and send it back.  The hostess swaps out the cards, returning 3 cards made by the other members and the images from the next hostess to be completed for the next round.

It's great fun to see what image we get to work with and also to see the wide variety of cards made with the same starting point!  This round is hosted by my good friend, Carol, and she chose really fun image from A/I, "Selma and Gladys".

Aren't they a hoot?  Here's a closer look:

The image was colored with Spectrum Noir markers and the red swim suit was paper pieced.  All paper came from an SEI pack: "On the Coast".  Although it doesn't show up in the photos, shimmer was added to their earrings and the aqua stripes of the other swim suit by using a Clear Spica glitter pen.  It's one image but I cut each one out to play around with placing them on the card.

Two close ups of the gals.  They really crack me up, I kept giggling while making these cards, eventually hubby wandered in to see what I was up to!

Here's the inside of the card:

Thanks Carol!  Your choice was fun and it sure was great to play with colors and a theme of warmth and beaches during the winter-without-end!  (Yes, it's snowing again!)

March's Duel Includes an Irish Blessing!

It's the 15th of the month and time for another duel between the Divas and the Dazzlers!

April was the Hostess with the Mostest for the Dazzlers this round and let me tell you, she sent us the most adorable image (MFT's ala mode "Wishing You Luck") and pretty shamrock papers.  She also included a traditional Irish Blessing and all sorts of pretty embellishments.  It wasn't hard to come up with something great!

Just look at that beautiful shamrock DP!  It's even prettier in-person.  The image was not actually die cut with a Nestability, as the sizing just wouldn't work, so I traced the Nestie die and hand cut with scissors, edging it with dark green ink.

The adorable lass is colored with Spectrum Noir markers, and her shirt and shoes are colored with a silver marker from SU.  The shamrock and her headband have a thick coating of Crystal Effects, as you can see here:







Here's a closer look at the Irish Blessing which has been cut into three segments:

For the flower, I took the gorgeous piece of green & white polka dot ribbon that April sent us and basted long stitches along one edge, drew it tight and tied it off.  Then some glue dots on the back kept it in shape while I went digging for a white button.  Can you believe that I could not find ONE white button?  LOL  Then I remembered that I save the extras from prior rounds, and found this beautiful peal brad - perfect!

Here's a look at the inside which features yet more beautiful DP from April.

We were asked to share a RAK that we have done, or one that we have received.  This card itself is going to become a RAK as I'm sending it to a dear friend who is recently widowed.  I like sending her cards just as a nice little surprise in her mailbox.


April, a HUGE THANK YOU for such a delightful kit this month!

Now each of you, skip on over to the Divas and Dazzlers (links are on my sidebar) and admire their talented creations.  You will be glad that you did!

Crafters of Faith February Challenge

Welcome to the Crafters of Faith February Challenge!

Many special people bless my life with their love and friendship, and the online blogging group, "Crafters of Faith" are a rich blessing indeed!  Each month one of us issues a challenge and we all post our challenge cards on the last day of the month.

Our dear friend Tami came up with this month's challenge, and it was a great one! Here is the challenge in her own words:

I have a crafting tool that I just had to have and have hardly used. Does that sound remotely familiar?! I think you all may have the same tool in your arsenal. I would like you to drag out your scoring tool. Scor-Pal mini, biggie, Martha mini, biggie or if you do not have one of those, I am sure that you may have a scoring blade on your paper cutter. SCORE!!! It would be fun to see how you all incorporate scoring onto your card. You know I am into 'use what'cha got', so if you do not have a scoring tool of any sort, please create without this element. Oh and I do not mean just a score to fold your cardbase in half! LOL 

While it is a 'lovely' month February, let's create a card that is not Valentine's themed. That being said, it is the second part of this challenge. Let's not use Valentine theme, red, pink or white colors anywhere on our cards. That includes the paper you stamp your image on....*gasp*!

For our third element, how about we place both an image and a sentiment on the front of the card.

See?  I told you it was a great challenge!  Here are my two cards:

It's called a "Spring" fold (as in spring up)  and the tutorial on SplitCoast Stampers can be found here.  I found it to be rather easy for me to accomplish, although I did have to layer stiffer cards stock underneath the bottom panel to provide more stability than the DP had on its own.

Here is a closer look.  You'll recognize the Stampin Up Designer Paper from a few years back  and the sentiment is also from a SU set called "Peace Within".  The poppy stamp is from the set called "The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady".  

The green and yellow CS is also from SU and the edges were snipped with some decorative scissors by Fiskars.  The images are stamped in black and clear embossed.  The poppies are colored with a paint brush and ink from an Orange ink pad by A Muse Studios.  The little green gems are from my stash.

Well Tami, how did I do with your challenge?  The only thing new on these cards is the fold!  ha ha.  So I am also going to count these toward the 100 Cards in 100 Days challenge, bringing my total to 55.

Thank you for dropping by and be sure to hop on over to the blogs of the other members in Crafters of Faith.  It's sure to be fun admiring their creations for this challenge.  Thanks Tami!  It was wonderful to learn a new fold as a result of your challenge!