04.28.07
Posted in Recent projects
at 4:40 am
My samples for today are the result of Julee’s Retail Inspiration piece and her challenge to use it as a place to start. The Retail piece has one of my favorite color combinations like blues, browns, and whites/creams. I ended up with two separate samples - very similar but still subtly different.
Both cards were stamped using Fancy Pants “Pollen Dust” stamp set with Stampin Up Basic Brown. Watercolored using my paint brush, water and reinkers in SU Buckaroo Blue, Sahara Sand, and white watercolor crayon. Both have a little Sakura glitter pen and Gelly Roll clear Glaze. I love, love, love this May Arts ribbon - the tied ribbon is tied to a chipboard tag stamped with Paper Trey sentiment.
This first card I decided to round the corners - I think I like this one the best.
This one I left the corners in hard right angles but tied the ribbon a little different.
Still working on my photography skills - I’ve made some investments for a small photo light box and lamps - just need for them to now be delivered. Probably should now go back and read my camera manual to improve the quality just a little. Anyway, enjoy and please share what inspires you and then your creations.
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04.21.07
Posted in Recent projects
at 3:05 pm
So have two things come at me real quick - at least the need for a Graduation card was quick - I knew about the challenge for a couple of weeks….. ?I guess the real challenge was remembering the due date….. Caardvarks has a bi-monthly challenge. The one I thought was due 4/20 - well, it was due a little before that…..Thought I would share anyway. The card was stamped on Fabraino paper (love it!!) using Midnight Blue Stazon. The stamp’s from Inkadinkado and watercolored with reinkers. A little Diamond Stickle and there you have a graduation card. Fabriano envy stamped with Up Town Rubber Stamps.
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04.20.07
Posted in Recent projects
at 9:13 pm
So I just love when PubCalls has a manufacture challenge. This allows me to try new companies and their products, share, stretch my creativity and add to collection of “must haves”. I always, always incorporate at least ink and most often some rubber stamping. When I submit for any kind of call, contest or challenge I have one rule for myself and that is “Be true to yourself”. I create projects or cards that I like and have my flair or signature (not quite sure what my signature or brand is yet as I’m still developing it - subject for another post and another day) but nonetheless, something that is me. When I first started submitted I tried to create something I thought they would like and it really wasn’t working for me. I had no sense of accomplishment, usually didn’t like it, and felt so stressed trying to create the piece. Now I just do what feels right for me and I’m happy with that - even if the creation is not selected. I’m OK with that. Anyway, here’s one of the first projects I submitted for the current Flair Design - a card. Stamped with Timber Brown onto SU Vanilla - the cowgirl stamp is from Stamp Studio (an awesome company that is no longer in business - they were also local - Meridian, Idaho). It incorporates using one of my favorite techniques right now which is paper piecing. The pattern paper is from Flair Design’s “Horsin’ Around” line. Cardstock from Stampin Up.
The next project was a 12X12 two page layout. Really trying to work on my scrapbooking. I like the way these pages turned out - mainly ’cause I love my dog and really don’t get much opportunity to scrap him - his name is MAX!
I really love the way his name turned out on the page. I used Basic Gray chipboard - did direct to chip using SU Sage craft ink, let dry and then a little aging using ColorBox Fluid Chalk ink - finally I just had to use one of my husband’s old bandanas, ripped and tied.
Isn’t he handsome??
Lovin these papers and the Western - Cowpoke feel. Enjoy, Lila
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04.13.07
Posted in Recent projects
at 1:01 pm
Julee Tilman has this AWESOME sketch and challenge. I just had to partake in the fun!!! Here’s my sample.
Now lately I’ve been a(what I call a little lazy for myself) lax with my stampin and using alot of the super cute pattern papers that have come out this Spring. On this card - all hand stamping….. So I started with a SU sage background and stamped, using my new Fancy Pants Designs “Pollen Dust” large flourish, with SU white craft then clear embossing powder, heated. Used my Ranger dry felt pad piece and Tim Holtz Distress Ink “Antique Linen” for a soft distress over the embossed image. Then I inked up my SU “Cheesecloth” background stamp with white craft and overstamped the entire card. Once dry I ironed off the embossing, which gives the flourish image this deeper sage outline appearance - I think looks really cool - I likey alot. Used another one of the Fancy Pants “Pollen Dust” stamps (the diamonds with script) and inked with Tim Holtz Distress Ink “Walnut Stain” and stamped a vertical line on the right side….. not quite finished… punched using SU’s slot” along the fold, ran some luscious brown May Art ribbon through and tied a knot…. not quite finished… and the final touch was a Prima from “Renaissance Silk,Raphael”…… ya - definately lovin the final look.
OK, now I’m also trying to improve my photography skills - read through Kurtis’ instructions…… still have quite a ways to go with being an accomplished photographer…. practice, practice. Hope you enjoy this project and if you get a chance stop byJulee’s blog and view the other projects submitted for her challenge….. you won’t be disappointed. Lila
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04.11.07
Posted in Recent projects
at 4:35 am
So I am really stuck (not a bad kinda thing) on my new PaperTrey stamp sets. I am in such a Spring mood - we had one of the nation’s high temps last week - now it’s freezing literally this morning. The sets help me feel the Spring even if the weather is not cooperating. The wind and cooler temps help me justify not working outside in the yard and garden though…..
A couple of samples I’ve been working on. The first sample was one I had in my head for a couple of days. Needed a stamp, die cut or sometype of basket to hold these luscious berries…. looked through the stamp stash (can’t believe I have no basket large enough to hold my berries).. looked at Archivers for a Ellison or even other type basket die - none…. ok so I remembered I had a Lasting Impressions brass stencil - perfect size. Since I really dislike the time it takes (not to mention howit hurts my hand and fingers) of dry embossing I decided to use my Ellison Big Shot and impress system - ran the stencil through and yahoo!!! I have dry embossed look. Masked the bottom portion and sides of basket with post it notes and started stamping my first berry, masked that berry and stamped the other two. Well the red fluid chalk bled through the post it note….. ok since I had the Ellison out tried the dry embossing again, stamped again and the same thing happened even using a different mask, but this time the red didn’t show quite as much…. can’t give up - distress to the rescue - ran (direct to paper) a SU creamy caramel over the entire basket and berries - made the basket stand out a little more… Kinda liking a little better…. stamped the sentiment, mounted on red cardstock then machine zig-zag stitched around edges and final mount on creamy caramel cardstock, final touch is a prima.
The next sample was much more simple. Had to use some new Paper Salon designer paper that I got last weekend at Archivers while at SWISS….. this is the cutest paper - love the colors and design. Very simple trim attach to white cardstock base, used white with scallop square punch, a little hand doodle to make the frame for these cute, cute rubber boots. Stamped the boots, cut out, used dimensionals/pop dots for the top boot to give a little “pop”. Stamped sentiment and final touch a little Prima.
Enjoy, hoping to have a couple more later this evening after I work the day job…..
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04.08.07
Posted in Recent projects
at 5:14 pm
So I caved in - not that it was so difficult to convince me - and purchased all 3 sets from PaperTrey. I have several clear stamps from various companies, and I must say these are some of the better quality clear stamps I have used. They hold to the acrylic block with no problems, accept ink extremely well (I use primarily Color Box Fluid Chalks), and stamp a nice crisp image. Even though I just started playing with these, The Papertrey images are so cute and work very well with each other.
Yesterday was Splitcoast Stampers Southwest Idaho Shoebox Swap or “SWISS” and this first card was the project I created for stampers to make. It used SU’s “canvas” as the background on a red cardstock base. A strip of white with a black and white polka dot designer paper was placed across the bottm - first it was cut with Fiskars small scallop scissors. The strawberry was stamped with fluid chalk “warm red” and “lime pastel” on white, mounted on a black scalloped punched layerwith a celery base - all brought to you attention with dimensional pop dots - SU’s horizontal slot was used on the crease to punch a small hole for the white grosgrain to run through.
Everyone at the SWISS had positive comments on the PaperTrey stamp sets - many could not wait for their “Green Thumb” set to come off backorder - they are also anticipating another great release on April 15th.
The next two cards were also made with PaperTrey’s new “Green Thumb” set - I especially like the one with the grasshopper. I thought the dandelion that I made to slightly bend (you can shape your clear rubber with slight bends or waves just by the way you place it on the acrylic block) appeared to be providing a shaddy place for this grasshopper to rest. The head of the dandelion was embossed with white EP. What I feel is a very clean and simple card - still able to showcase the images.
Hope you enjoy and are feeling the Spring. Lila
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04.01.07
Posted in Recent projects
at 2:55 pm
The thing with challenges are twofold (1) first I really need to find the time to sit and play and (2) designing a card or project that fits the challenge. Thus the name “Challenge”. The following two card were submitted for Caardvarks “Fastenating Buttonality” challenge. The supplies needed included buttons, go figure by the name, and staples. That’s it. I seem to be in more of a simple mode these days. I would consider both of the samples more on the cute side.
This card was made with Stampin Up cardstock and Wild Asparagus pattern paper. The stamped image is from Maryse Carrier stamped with Black Stazon. Coloring was done with SU watercolor crayons and paintbrush. Stapled 3 grosgrain ribbons along side mat piece and then threaded white ribbon through orange button and placed on bottom right corner with glue dot. Sentiment from SU stamped with Black Stazon.
This next card just kind of evolved - knew I wanted to use this leftover chipboard round negative flower that I sprayed with Ranger Adirondack Spraywash - Denim. Sprayed a light coat of matte sealer over so not to get color on my fingers and then my project. Cardstock from Stampin Up and Chatterbox (one of my favorites) pattern paper. There is a transparency sandwiched between the flower patter paper and the flower chipboard. Sentiment from Stampendous and stamped with Midnight Blue Stazon. The f chipboard was also leftover from a HeroArts Alpha Chipboard. Left it white and stamped with Technique Tuesday paisley using SU celery. Pierced the bottom right corner and threaded white ribbon through button stack.
Enjoy
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