Woohoo...Top 5 Badge at All That Scraps

I goofed on the end date for the Hot, Hot Days of Summer Challenge over at All That Scraps then along came an earthquake and a hurricane named Irene and I almost forgot to stop back entirely. So...imagine my surprise when I stopped over just now and see my cute little Pirate Tilda stairstep card sitting beneath top winner (and uber talented) Debbie Dolphin! In case I forget here it is again:

Stop back again soon to see what's new!

Call for Submissions

When it rains, it pours...eh, not such a good analogy as we are awaiting the arrival of hurricane Irene here on the East Coast but appropriate since this is my second post this week about magazine submissions!

Well, Paper Crafts magazine has a call out for submissions based on a couple sketches for the March & April 2012 issues. The list of requirements is long so I'm sending you to their blog for all the deets. Just keep in mind the first date you need to submit your item is September 12th. Here's one of their amazing sketches:

Naughty or Nice?????

I finally finished my 5"x7" card for the Cosmos Cricket and Cards Magazine challenge from the cool sketch in my August 21st post. I loved Debbie Olson's card (seen in my post below too) and was inspired by her scalloped crescent because it looked so much like an envelope flap so I incorporated it on my card. My "peppermints" were made using Fire Brick Distress Ink pad and Glossy Accents with a retired Sassafrass Lass clear stamp. The peppermints looked too new for my card so I antiqued them a bit with brown Stazon Ink. The vintage-feel papers are from an 8x8 Cosmos Cricket pad called Wonderland from a few years back. For fun the faerie wings were treated with a dab of diamond Stickles and coated with Glossy Accents. Be sure to click on the photo for a better look.

I made my own "naughty or nice" list which was antiqued and punched with an EK Success punch. My favorite May Arts ribbon was tied around the middle. A pair of cute little friends were colored with Copics and pop-dotted to the front. This wonderful stamp is a digi called "The Larakins" from the Emerald Faerie Garden.



I used these Copics for the stamp:

Hurry over and enter your card...this challenge ends on August 27th with a winner announced on September 3rd.

Cosmos Cricket and Cards Magazine...

...are having a challenge AND the winner will be published in "Cards" Magazine! Check out the fun sketch here. You gotta love this amazing Cosmos Cricket sample card by Debbie Olson... She used lots of yummy CC paper and PTI stamps. I best run see if I can come up with a card myself while the inspiration is fresh.

Hope to see you soon, with my card!

OWH K-9 Challenge Winner!

Hooray! Can't believe but my card won the K-9 Challenge honoring PFC Ciara. Check here and you'll see it's true but be sure to click on the home button at the top of the page to see more about the fun happenings for an OWH September.

Lily Pad Inspirational Challenge

My card was inspired by Pia who was inspired by Janet. I guess mine's about a dead ringer for Pia's! I'm not used to being so inspired :-) Pia's card was just the inspiration I needed for an unfortunate trio of sympathy cards I needed to create but just couldn't muster the inspiration. Everything used on the cards came from my stash on hand and required no shopping trip except for plain white cardstock!

My kraft base card is an A2 size (4.25" x 5.5"). The front of this was stamped with a $1 bin clear single butterfly stamp in Brillance white, the white card stock piece was stamped in an aqua blue to match the printed paper mat beneath.

I finished the card with a vintage black grosgrain ribbon and couldn't find a suitable button so I made my own. Making the button was easy-peasy! I put a epoxy sticker on card stock and punched 2 holes then cut it out and antiqued the edges in black and tied it to the grosgrain ribbon with 1/8" black satin ribbon. What a simple way to avoid a trip to the craft store!

Hurry over to enter the Lily Pad Inspirational challenge. It ends August 11th.

OWH K-9 Challenge

I'm entering this card, destined for some far off land to help an American soldier stay in touch with home, in the Operation Write Home K-9 Challenge. This challenge honors PVT Ciara who just finished canine boot camp! Go Ciara...I have a couple canine cousins here who wouldn't cut the mustard at boot camp. They like to nap toooooo much.

My A2 size card (4.25" x 5.5") is layered in vintage unknown baseball & striped paper in patriotic colors with a little "Hello" tag slide on red/white polka-dot grosgrain ribbon. The dog is from a TPC set I purchased at Michaels just for making OWH cards but it's sure to get some extra use after my new little grandson arrives this Fall. The dog was colored with Copic markers and eyes & nose were coated with Glossy Affects for a wet look. I fussy cut the dog and adhered him with pop dots...I think it turned out pretty cool!

You needn't rush over to the Stars & Stamps blog...these can be made all year long for our troops.

Mo Manning Birthday Sweet Challenge

Happy birthday darling daughter, Carrie! The good thing about having a stamping mom is you get little girl cards no matter how old you get. Here's the one I made for my special gal...
The challenge over at Mo Manning's blog is "Something Sweet" this time around...hurry over if you're interested. This challenge ends tomorrow.

My digital of Angelina certainly qualifies as sweet but I also added Recollections cupcake paper and a Tim Holtz Sizzix rosette topped with a felt Martha Stewart cupcake. True to form for me...the cuppie was further embellished with diamond Stickles and a pink faux crystal. Lots of Glossy Affects give the balloons & maryjanes life.

Angelina was colored with these Copics: E000, E00, R00, R11, R20 (flesh); Y00, YR21, E13, 0 (hair); RV000, RV21, RV23, RV25, G20, YG03 (dress); RV23, RV25, C3 (shoes); RV000, RV21-23-25, G20, YG03 (balloons); and C1, C3, BG000, 0 (shadows.)







If my confection isn't sweet enough for you, you'll want to check these out! Click here to get yours!! Wish I'd seen them in time to order for my birthday girl :-( But hey...you can make them too. Check this amazing blog for the recipe and instructions.

A Stair-Step Card at Last!

Well, it took a week longer than anticipated but I hope it was worth the wait! I had a ball making this card. It represents a lot of firsts for me in card making. A first "step" card, first "dirty" Tilda, first Pirate Tilda, first time painting a card, and first time using gauze.

To make Tilda look a little grubby I added brown tones to the shadows on her hat and the stripes on her shirt...as I look at it now, I might go back and add it to the boots as well!

The diecuts are all from Cricut Paper Doll, Accent Essentials, and Life's a Beach cartridges. I tried something new this time (another first!) by cutting everthing, except the flag & ship, in white Neenah Solar White and then colored everything with Copics. It is so much easier than running little scraps of colored cardstock through the unit and the small items are easy to color. I added Glossy Affects to the crab, starfish, shell, anchor, & fish eyes for some fun dimension and also to the back of the ship to make it a little less fragile.

The waves were cut using a Fisker border punch. Each row was antiqued a bit with white paint & stamp pad then slathered well with diamond Stickles. I chose to use alternating rows in different colors with waves facing opposite directions to give the card some movement. The shadow of the little pirate ship from Cricut Paper Dolls in the background gives the illusion of distance.

The gauze is a simple 2x2 bandage that I opened and stained with coffee to make a net for my shells. It was tied to the pier with string as was the anchor. The pier is a stamp by Art Impressions that I stamped on kraft cardstock and colored with Copics #E25, 29 and O. I cut it out and glued it beneath the first row of waves. Tilda was fussy cut also and pop-dotted to the pier to give a 3D affect.

I used the following Copics:
Flesh - E0000, E21, E50, R000, R20
Hair - C3, C5, N7, 0
Clothes - E40, 43, R22, R39, R46, B91, B95
Boots/hat - C1, C3, N7, E40, E43, E44
Earrings - YR21
Pier - E25, E29
Sun - Y00, Y15, Y17
Sealife - R22, R46, R17, Yoo, Y15, Y17, C1, C3
This photo is inspiration over at Magnolia-licous Challenge blog this time around. I love the colors and the geometrical shapes with a plain white background!

I'm entering this in the following challenges:
7/31 Magnolia Highlites - Summer Bash, Fishing fun
8/24 All That Scraps - #12 Hot, Hot Days of Summer
8/8 Magnolia-Licious #22 - Photo Inspiration

Make a Side Step Card

Split Coast Stampers has a wonderful tutorial to make the side step card. Be sure to click the link and go there to get directions to make yours. It looks complicated but is so easy!

I've been dying to make one of these: CHECK BACK FOR MINE LATER THIS WEEKEND...but go ahead and get started on making yours.

All That Scraps Top 5 - Woohoo!!!

Wow if making Top 5 at All That Scraps isn't enough to light my fire and get me crafting, I don't know what will! Look out OWH...I feel a card-making marathon coming on.

I hope my swap partner at Magnolia Card Kits and Swaps Yahoo Group, Frances, sees her card made top honors. Frances received this card I crafted, with her in mind, through a recent swap on the group. Come check out our little group!

Copic Coupon Code at Michaels

I was scrolling through my Michaels Craft Store coupon selection a short time ago and was overjoyed to see a 40% off coupon for art pens & markers. The good news is my Michaels Store just began carrying the markers and hadn't put them on the shelf yet but a manager gave me a peek some weeks back so I knew exactly where to find them to have another look this time with 40% coupon in hand! Their price is steep at $6.99 each but at 40% off $4.19 is a bargain when one considers there is no shipping charge. So if you are inclined hurry over but first click my link and get your coupon! Oh, and you might want to print the chart above to take with you. Happy shopping Copic fans...I bought 9!!

If you're new...don't forget to follow my blog so you can come back for more fun tidbits like this deal!