GSG Swap

Hi there!  I am feeling pretty horrible.  I didn't have any posts scheduled so I decided I would go ahead and post this card.  It was due in to the swap coordinator today, so if you want a surprise (you're in the GSG Catty Preview Swap) - don't look all the way down.  I have a horrible cold/virus (not sure which) that is making my sinuses burn and I've had a headache for going on 3 days along with a cough that makes me wonder if my lungs might be coming up.  Not to mention my husband is deployed and I've got 3 little kiddos who want me 100% of the time (that's their job, right!?! LOL)  and other obligations (which include getting some Stamps in the Mail kits mailed today if at all possible) and you will see that I'm going a little crazy at the moment.  It's hard to function when your face is burning and your head is about to crack open.   Anyway...all this rambling is because I'm trying to eat up some space so that the whole card at least won't show on the screen for anyone wanting a surprise in our GSG group.

Speaking of the GSG group - you can check out the blogs of all of the fabulous ladies who are members of it by clicking HERE.  I think that in the near future the two groups are being merged into one, so keep your eyes peeled for that, too.

I signed up for 2 spots in the swap and this card front uses Kind and Caring Thoughts (go figure, huh?  I love this set!).  I think it's a typical "Marie" card - pretty CAS.  I hope the gals in the swap like it because I always adore their cards.

I used my lovely new Stampin' Write marker in Melon Mambo and my trusty Old Olive marker to ink the flower.  The sentiment is stamped directly on to the Textured Melon Mambo CS in Melon Mambo classic ink.  I did some distressing of that Old Olive CS layer with my fingernail, and also some paper piercing.  The Old Olive CS is torn using the tearing edge ruler.  I love that tool because when I tear, my CS tends to look uniform in the tear and not random and pretty.  The DSP peeking out is some of the new Raspberry Lemonade DSP.  I used my well-loved Scallop Edge punch to create the scallops on the Old Olive CS that's along the side of my image and that ribbon is the new Crushed Curry 1/2" Polka Dot Grosgrain ribbon.  I am really loving this new ribbon!!!

 

 

 

 

Stamps:  Kind and Caring Thoughts
Paper:  Old Olive and Whisper White CS, Melon Mambo Textured CS, Raspberry Lemonade DSP
Ink:  Melon Mambo and Old Olive Stampin' Write Markers, Melon Mambo classic ink
Accessories:  Scallop Edge punch, Crushed Curry 1/2" Polka Dot Grosgrain ribbon, Tearing Edge, Paper Piercing Tool, Paper Piercing Template, Paper Piercing Pad

Great Swaps Girls swap

Well, I can't show you this card without telling you what I had wanted to do with it.  It was an evolution in progress as I made it.  I started out running the Basic Gray CS through my Big Shot using the Top Note die, and then I was going to stamp on it using the BG stamp called Polka Dot, but saw that it wasn't in the Catalog and figured since it's not a "seasonal" stamp in any way, that surely it wasn't on the Dormant List.  I hadn't been as good at paying attention to retiring sets this last go-around so I figured I must have not noticed it.  So...my plan to stamp the Polka Dots in VersaMark and then emboss them with clear embossing powder didn't work.  I was sad.  Then I thought, "well, I can use the polka dot Texturz platethat I have."  I pulled it out and decided to go with the larger polka dots in the Texturz plates set.  Then, I had to cut all of the Kiwi Kiss Top Notes in half and layer them on top of the Basic Gray ones.  After doing that, I was going to tie a ribbon around the "seam" where the Kiwi Kiss layer ended, but discovered that, unfortunately when you try and tie ribbon around this part of the Top Note, especially when you're dumb and cut the Top Note exactly in half, it just doesn't work.  So...plan B was to paper pierce to add a little horizontal element at the "joint" to draw the focus away at least a little from the "seam".  The rest of the card should be self-explanatory and went as planned.  I did later discover, much to my dismay, that the Polka Dot BG stamp is in fact DORMANT, not RETIRED!!!  Oh well....It think it's a cute card - it is very much "my style".  After getting the other gals' swap cards though, I really wish I could be more of a Shabby Chic/lots of layers/lots of textures kind of stamper, but I'm just not....

All supplies are SU! unless otherwise noted.

Stamps:  Trendy Trees
Paper:  Kiwi Kiss, Basic Gray, Kraft and Whisper White CS
Ink:  Kiwi Kiss and Chocolate Chip classic ink
Accessories: Big Shot, Top Note Bigz Die, SU! Backgrounds I Texturz Plate, Wide Oval punch, Clear Button, Linen Thread, needle, 5/8" Striped Kiwi Kiss Grosgrain Ribbon, Paper Piercing Tool and Template

Baby Boy Card

 

I showed everyone the baby girl card I made for my husband's squadron to use for new baby girls that members of the squadron have.  Well, these are three of the six baby boy cards I made.  Again I used the monochromatic challenge from the Great Swaps Girls blog to come up with the colors.  You should check it out here.  I think it's cute.  I decided to change the LO of the elements a little for the last three and I'll show you that card later.  I also have some Great Swaps Girls cards to share, but I need to give those a few more days so that hopefully the gals have gotten them before I share them.  Anyway, life is still crazy for me and today we had a snow day so all three of my little munchkins are at home, I had some cards to make, I have an event for church tomorrow night that I'm heading up to get ready for, and I have a friend staying with me while her kiddo gets some surgery done here in the states (they are in the Air Force and are stationed overseas at a base where the surgery can't be performed).  So....posts will probably be spaced every other day for a while now.  Hope you're all doing well!!!

All supplies used are SU! unless otherwise noted.

Stamps:  Congrats (SAB 2009), Nursery Necessities
Paper:  Bashful Blue and Whisper White CS, Delicate Dots DSP (SAB 2009)
Ink:  Bashful Blue classic ink
Accessories:  Bashful Blue 1/2" Striped Grosgrain Ribbon, Scallop Edge punch

MIA for a little while

I have to make this quick - my life has been absolutely crazy the past couple of weeks, and it doesn't stand to get any better over the next week or so.  I'll try my best to pre-schedule a post or two (to include my reveal for sketch #4 over at Card Patterns), but I can't promise much more than that for now.  Yet another plug to subscribe to my blog to get e-mails when I update via Feedburner using the link in the left-hand sidebar.

This is a card I made for my husband's squadron to give to families who have baby girls in the near future (I made 6 of them).  It uses the Congrats stamp set that you can get for free during Sale-a-Bration.  I really like it - it has a lot of great sentiments for all sorts of occasions.  Sale-a-Bration ends March 31st, so don't miss out on it!  Check out the mini catalog for it in my right-hand side-bar.  I used the challenge from the Great Swaps Girls blog (monochromatic) to come up with my color combo.  Check out the challenge HERE.

All supplies are SU! unless otherwise noted.

Stamps:  Congrats
Paper:  Pink Pirouette and Very Vanilla CS, Parisian Summer DSP (retired)
Ink:  Pink Pirouette classic ink
Accessories: Scallop Edge punch, Big Shot, Beautiful Butterflies Bigz Die, Very Vanilla Taffeta ribbon, stampin' dimensionals

Great Swaps Girls Challenge #13

 

I feel so lucky to be a part of both of the Great Swaps Girls groups and was excited when Kristen posted the first challenge of 2009!!  You can check out GSGC13 HERE and hopefully you will see how the design on the jacket inspired me.  The sketch for this card came from the SCS Card Sketch Challenge for this week.  You can check out SCS SC213 HERE. 

I used the Vanilla base of the jacket as my background color - instead of my usual Whisper White base.  I also mimicked the shading of the flowers on mine, but it's kind of hard to tell in the photo of my card.  I used my Apricot Appeal marker and a Really Rust re-inker and my Aqua Painter to color the flowers and then I painted over them with my Shimmerz "Gold Glimmer Blingz" paint to add some shine. 

 Boy, let me tell you - Shimmerz is like liquid glitter...I'm IN LOVE!!!!!  It's easy to put exactly where you want, so much less messy than glitter, and oh, so sparkly!! I tried to get a good shot of the Gold Glimmer Blingz and how not only did I paint it on the flowers and buds, but also on the piece of Parisian Breeze Specialty DSP that is layered behind the main image.  Can you see it?  A little bit of Shimmerz goes a LONG way!!!   Did I mention that I love Shimmerz?!?!?  I got three colors of Shimmerz: Gold Glimmer and Pixie Dust Blingz and Angel Wings Shimmerz.  I can't wait to use the other two colors!!  If you're interested in checking out Shimmerz, check out THIS post I made about them previously.

Well, I hope you enjoy my card and have a wonderful day!!

Stamps:  Sweet Stems, Sincere Salutations, Best Yet
Paper: Very Vanilla and Kraft CS, Parisian Breeze Specialty DSP, Bella Birds DSP
Ink:  Timber Brown StazOn, Really Rust classic ink re-inker, Apricot Appeal, Certainly Celery, Old Olive and Summer Sun markers
Accessories:  Designer Label and Scallop Edge Punches, Styled Vanilla Hodgepodge Hardware, Shimmerz Gold Glimmer Blingz pain, Piercing Tool and Template, Stampin' Dimensionals, paint brush

Da Bear...GSG Swap #2

  

 So this is the card I made for my second group of New Catty swaps for the GSG swap group that I'm privileged and honored to be a part of.  I really like this card, and his belly is much better looking in real life.  I hope the swap girls agree!! 

I started making it by stamping the stars on the top portion of the Kiwi Kiss CS in VersaMark and then embossing the stars with Clear detail embossing powder.  Next I cut my strips of Pacific Point Textured CS and adhered them to the card fronts.  After that I stamped "grrreat!" and followed that by stamping and cutting out all of the stars on Kiwi Kiss CS. 

Finally...da bear.....I stamped him in Basic Black classic ink on some watercolor paper and then watercolored him with re-inkers and my aqua painter.  Next, I made his stomach furry.  How did I do that, you ask?  I used the faux suede technique. 

There are several ways to accomplish this technique.  One is by running a piece of CS through a crimper in all sorts of directions until you see the CS start to separate (most visible in the corners) into two layers.  You gently peel the CS apart.  The way I did it was with a bone folder because I didn't want da bear to have ripples.  All you do is cut a piece of CS slightly larger than the size of the image you will be stamping.  Next, you hold it and run your bone folder over it like you would curl ribbon with scissors.  It does slightly curl the CS, but you run it over the bone folder going vertically and horizontally, and on both sides, so the curling lessens and really won't stay anyway.  You'll see the layers of CS start to separate as you break down the fibers of the CS as you "curl" it with your bone folder, and you can gently peel the CS apart.  Sometimes you'll notice that you get to a spot that doesn't want to peel apart.  Stop, and curl the CS a little more in that area and finish peeling.  After doing this for my 14 bear bellies, I stamped da bear's belly on the rough side of the CS so that the "fur" would be on top and then I cut and adhered the belly on to da bear on my watercolor paper.  As easy as that!!! 

I hope you like him, I sure do!!

Stamps:  Under the Stars
Paper:  Kiwi Kiss, Creamy Caramel and Basic Black CS, Pacific Point Textured CS, Watercolor Paper
Ink:  Basic Black classic ink, Kiwi Kiss, Close to Cocoa and Creamy Caramel re-inkers, VersaMark
Accessories:  Clear detail embossing powder, embossing buddy, heat tool, Aqua Painter, Pacific Point Striped Grosgrain, bone folder

Cupcakes, some glitter, and a SWAP!

 
That's right...you know that my cupcakes wouldn't have been complete without some glitter as the "icing on top" - he he he.  This card is one that I made for the GSG swap group.  I still can't believe I'm in this group with the AMAZING ladies who are part of it.  If you go to the GSG logo in my rightt sidebar, you can check out the blogs of each and every lady in both of the groups.  I had to wait to show you these swaps until the were received by each of the girls participating.  I've had this swap done since two days after signing up for the swap last month, so it's been hard to keep it under wraps!!

Anyway, this card has been sitting in my head since I won this stamp set at Convention.  I was so excited to get it and as soon as I saw the curved phrase "happy birthday to you" I wondered if it would fit inside one of our circle punches.  Well, it does!!!  It fits just right in the 1-3/8" circle punch, and I was able to layer the 1" Regal Rose circle in the middle of it, with the little cupcake image punched out with the 3/4" circle punch.  I wanted to isolate one of the cupcakes to make the medallion really pop.  It was so insane, I saw on Nancy Riley's blog (here) a couple of weeks ago that she too had thought of this.  She layered hers with all circles, and I don't know what sizes though and used a cupcake from the wheel instead.  I never think about using my wheels as focal images, so I will have to try this out.  You should click on the link I gave you and check out her card, it's adorable and I think I like it more than mine!!!

Well, hope you like my card, I'll show you the other swap tomorrow.  I definitely hope all of the ladies in the two groups like my cards.  I was really nervous as this was my first swap with them.

Have a great day!

Stamps:  Crazy for Cupcakes
Paper: Pink Pirouette, Chocolate Chip and Whisper White CS, Georgia Peach DSP
Ink:  Basic Black classic ink, Regal Rose, Chocolate Chip and Basic Black markers, Pink Pirouette re-inker and blender pen
Accessories: Chocolate Chip grosgrain, 2-way glue pen and Dazzling Diamonds glitter, Scallop Circle Punch, 1-3/8" Circle Punch, 1" Circle Punch, 3/4" Circle Punch, Tombow Mono Multi Adhesive, Dimensionals, Stamp-a-Ma-Jig