A Few Freebies and a New Time Drain

Morning all! I love real time posts that I haven't prescheduled. It's the only time I get to really talk to you in the here and now. 

For the first time in I don't know how long I am somewhat caught up with my current DT projects so I got to play around yesterday. First let me tell you about my new time drain! I found out about Pinterest when Cheryl from She Stamps posted about it last week. I had never heard about it before. Not surprising, I tend to have tunnel vision when I am online consisting of cards, email and youtube.. lol!  I am not officially addicted but I am definitely in the loving it and having a ball stage. It is a virtual online bulletin board! One thing you may not know is that my blog name is not about me being an inspiration to you. Far from it!! It's about how my eye is caught and inspired by just about anything!! Now I have a place I can put all of that inspiration into organized boards! It has this little "Pin It" app you put up in your bookmark bar and absolutely any graphic online can be pinned to your "boards". It even adds a hyperlink  so you can easily find the site again. If you are like me your favorites folder has a gazillion tutorials and templates. But when I start to look for them I can never find the one I want because the titles are all so similar! Now I can have a visual too! Ok.. you just have to go check it out. Can't wait to follow you and see what you do with it!!

And now for the freebies! One of my all time loves is playing with "graphics". It is still hard for me to think of these as digi's when I create them, but I guess that's what they are. So here ya' go. Remember to click on the pic to get the larger version and not a thumbnail.

Hot Air Balloon

Butterfly Paper

Eiffel Tower

Those are all for today.  I hope you can find some uses for these, if not.. they're just nice eye candy ; )

Don't forget about the big party coming up The Outlawz June 5th - June 11th!! Lot's of prizes and tons of fun in the sand!! 

See all of the info on the front page on how you can help us spread the word and win prizes!!

Edit added 5/29

I tried to add a link back to Linda's post but blogger isn't playing nice!! So here's a direct link to the card she made using my hot air balloon.. omg.. I love it!!

http://linda-creepinalong.blogspot.com/2011/05/otwc-challenge-54_29.html

Hugs~

Gorjuss and Sarah Kay

I had the chance to play with the new Decoupage Sheets they are carrying at icopic. I used the set called Pirate and Awash. Absolutely perfect when you are in a bind and still want something handmade. It comes with the die cut images all ready for layering and a matching sheet of cardstock.

Here's a few close ups so you can see the layering:

And because these images make me think of Jack Sparrow I had to add some hemp and beads:

And now for the mermaid:

She's only layered up once but here's a close up of that and the bow:

That bow was made with my chalk white seam binding that I dyed with my Tim Holtz Distress Inks. I just laid a long piece out on some waxed paper and rubbed my ink pads across in random spots, both front and back. I used Dusty Concord, Peeled Paint and Faded Jeans. Then I spritzed it with Copper Glimmer Mist and scrunched it up. I dried it by fluffing slightly under my heat tool, all the while mopping up the excess ink off the wax paper. I love the way this turned out.. like it's been sitting under water getting covered with algae.

And you know I just can't pass up the chance to color so I also made a card using a Sarah Kay image from Stampavie.

Here's a close up:

I love using my BV's for shadows, especially on whites. Here's the copic colors I used:

Now that only leaves the bow with my Divine Twine

and the sentiment from Amy R called Sassy Sentiments. 

That's all for now except that I hope to see you over at the challenge this week which is Advanced Shadowing (add a shadow to your image). 

Hugs~

One Crazy Stamper - TGF Friday

It's Tuesday so that means it's my day to inspire you for One Crazy Stamper! There's still time to get in on our Men/Boys Challenge for this month. I chose to create a Fathers Day Card for my daughter to give her dad using The Greetings Farm - Friday:

This card had about 4 different remakes and of course, they were all after coloring her with my copics (sigh). My neck and shoulders are paying the price today. But I live by the saying "Practice makes perfect" so I have gotten a little better and learned some things doing her eyes!!  I usually use the Sketch markers but I do own a few of the originals. They are perfect for doing eyes.  The have harder, denser tips that aren't as great for blending but much better for small/detail areas.

Here's the copic colors I used:

The B00 and B04 are the orginals I used. And here's a close up of Friday:

She was stamped on both Xpress It Blending card and patterned paper with Memento Ink in Tuxedo Black so I could paper piece her little pants.

I used Copic opaque and Art Institute Glitter around the edges of the background panel. I just couldn't give up any of those fantastic wings that were a part of the paper. You can see the glitter better here:

I also did a lot of distressing with Tim Holtz Distress Ink  in Dusty Concord. I really like making my own sentiments like this...it looks like either a ransom note or scrabble tiles. It is also the result of just being too lazy to go downstairs to grab my laptop to create a sentiment!!  I also used my "You Rock" ticket that you can grab on my freebie page. 

Thanks so much for looking and I hope you will swing by both the blog and the store to load up on inspiration, challenges and crafty goodies!! In case you didn't know, Too (the manufacturers of Copics) has already announced price increases will be coming this summer. Better stock up now!! Lora definitely has the best prices w/shipping for my Canadian friends!!

Hugs~

Challenges:

Make It Monday - Anything Goes
Woodware USA - Anything Goes
I Did it Creations - Anything Goes
Crafty Catz Weekly Challenge - Anything Goes

The Outlawz - Sentiment only

Two posts today so make sure to scroll down for my Squigglefly card ; )

Hi everyone! First for a bit of news. We've switched things up a bit on The Outlawz Design Teams. I and my teamie Crystal have moved to The Greeting Cards challenge that happens every week on Mondays.  This will allow both of us to use our copics ; )

Replacing us on The Outlawz POM team are Marti and Ileana so I hope you will swing by and give them a warm welcome!!

This weeks challenge for The Greeting Cards challenge is to not use any stamp but your sentiment. Here's mine:

I know.. it looks more like fall than summer but it didn't start that way, it just sort of evolved.  The sentiment is from The Great Outdoors set from Inkadinkado.

I used Tim Holtz Rice paper tape and copper foil tape to accent the edges of the outermost panel. You can get a better look at that on this close up of the flower:

I finally used my Tim Holtz Tattered Florals Die that I had won as part of a great candy package from Wendy. I love the way it turned out!  

Ok, what else? Papers are K&Company. The butterflies were punched with Martha Stewart butterfly punch. The seam binding is Snug Hug and I got it here. I dyed it with my Antique Linen Tim Holtz Distress Ink.  The sentiment was stamped with Memento Ink in Cocoa Brown and distressed with Wild Honey and Peeled Paint Distress Inks. 

Some rafia and bakers twine and stick a fork in it, we're done!

Don't forget about the summer party coming up too!!

Challenges:

Card Makin Mama's - Recipe  1 Image

                                 2 Patterned Papers

                                                                   3 Different Types of Embellishments

Hugs~

Squigglefly "Paper Piecing"

The challenge at Squigglefly this week is Paper Piecing. This is one of those cards that you are going to have to take my word that I followed the rules.. lol.  The paper I used for my paper piecing has a very subtle print and just didn't show up so well.

Both her shirt and bow are paper pieced.  That adorable image is called Makeshift Slide and you can pick it up here at Squigglefly.

Here's a few close ups:

Here's the colors of Copics I used:

I hope you will hop over to Squigglefly and show us your paper pieced creations!

Challenges:

2 Sisters Challenge Blog - Use a Digi 

Hugs~

The Outlawz POM Challenge - Embossing

Hi everyone!! This week our challenge at The Outlawz POM Challenge is Embossing. You can interpret that any way you would like.. embossing powders, embossing folders, embossing with a stylus. I opted for embossing with white embossing powders and then distressing with Worn Lipstick and Spun Sugar Distress Inks.

I rather like it! The flower and sentiment are from Unity and the butterfly is from Hero Arts "Antique Engravings". The butterfly was stamped on vellum and embossed. 

I just recently got my seam binding!! (woop! Woop!!) It was so easy to dye the white with my Worn Lipstick Distress Ink. I didn't have to use a reinker. Just ran the stamp pad over the ribbon front and back. I crinkled it up and dried it with my heat gun trying to just fluff slightly to not loose the crinkles.  

I think this is one the fastest cards I've ever made!

We are also having a party at The Outlawz to launch the beginning of summer:

So if you haven't been by in awhile head on over and join a challenge or two (or three or four) and see what all the hoopla is about ; )

Hugs~

Simply Gorjuss!

It's my day to show you some of the awesome products at icopic. I was so thrilled when I learned they are now carrying Gorjuss stamps!! I love these! I created a shaker card using Puddles of Love:

And here's a close up:

I used the Rain Boots set from SP & Company for the sentiment and to also add the rain drops on the right of the card. The raindrops have clear embossing powder and then highlighted with a white gel pen. 

I used Memento Ink in Tuxedo Black to stamp her on Copic

X-Press IT blending card. I also used Tim Holtz Distress Inks in Wild Honey and Tumbled Glass. 

I used Washi Tape for a large portion of this card. I've posted a pictorial on the icopic DT Blog of how I did the paper piecing and the shaker portions. You really should check it out, the washi tape was a wonder to use for that!!

We also have our Blonde Hair coloring challenge going on too! So much fun, so little time ; )

Hugs~

Challenges:
Crafts and Me - Anything Goes
Creative Belli Challenge - Letter "S" (Shaker card & showers)
For Fun Challenges - Get Well
Penny's Paper Crafty Challenge - Anything Goes 
Truly Scrumptious - Anything Goes
A Spoonful of Sugar - Anything Goes

One Crazy Stamper - Just Rite Lighthouse

It's Tuesday so that means it my turn at bat to show you some of the wonderful items you can find at One Crazy Stamper!  One again I've used this amazing set from Just Rite Stampers - By the Sea.

This set is so amazing and versatile. You get four different scenes and 4 different borders for endless variations.  If you are new to Just Rite Stamps this is one of the originals and requires the Wooden Oval Stamper which provides perfect stamping time after time!
I used Staz-On ink this time because I opted for watercoloring this image for a nice change. I used a variety of oval and scallop nestabilities for layering the focal image. The edges and sentiment have all been distressed with Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Broken China.

Hugs~

Copic Hair and Skin Chart

I edited this as of Aug 2011. So if you downloaded a previous version you may want to take a fresh look at my bottom left Sadie. I was never happy with her skin/hair being so similar. Also added some new colors to some of the skin tones.

Let me first say that I am not totally thrilled with this, but then again, I don't think I ever will be. But I just have to get it off of my desk and move on! I do not own every flesh tone so I did what I would advise anyone to do, I used what I have.  I always notice what others use and then try them myself. My fav combo (E02, E00 and E000) came out of deep frustration from not being able to get good results from trying other peoples color combos using E11. E11 is one of those colors (like E31) that I have a lot of trouble with becoming blotchy when blended. It just doesn't play well with others, for me at least.  

My other thing is using blue when I highlight black hair. I don't like using just shades of gray because for me they end up looking... let's just say, mature.

I hope this gets you to start looking at some of your colors and trying them in new and different ways.  As always, click before saving so you can get the full size and not a thumbnail.

Also a huge shout out to the creators of these marvelous images!! 

The first girl is Cherry Emma from CC Designs

My example for Asian skin is The Birthday Girl from Mami Doodles and last but not least is Sadie with Apples from Mo's Digital Pencil

Hugs~

Surfer Ian for icopic

What a great card I have to share with today for icopic! The challenge this week is to color with reds. I used to be so afraid of reds. Now they are some of my very favorites so I just had to give Ian a red surfboard!

Isn't he just the cutest!! That's Surfer Ian from The Greeting Farm. I began by stamping him with Memento Ink in Tuxedo Black on Copic X-Press It Blending Card. 

I created the backgrouds by sponging around shapes for the clouds and waves with Tim Holtz Distress Inks. I used Broken China for the water and Tumbled Glass for the sky. I used the smallest scallop oval Nestie for the clouds and the waves I used a Sizzix die I bought used, so sorry, I don't have the name.

Here's a close up the white splatter I added with Copic Opaque:

Sorry it doesn't show up better but I love that stuff!! If you haven't invested in any yet I think you will really like it! I love also using it to grunge up the edges of panels. 

Here's the colors of Copics I used:

And here's a close up of the sentiment I created:

You can grab the sentiment I created:

I hope you will find time to pop over and join the challenge this week! Red's can be a whole lot of fun!!

Hugs~

Challenges:
My Time to Craft - Scallops
Try it on Tuesday - One for the Boys
Cards For Men - For Someone Special (my nephew)
Crazy Challenge - Anything Goes
Make It Monday - Anything Goes

One Crazy Stamper - Just Rite

It's my turn to show you some more of the gorgeous stamps available at One Crazy Stamper and encourage you to join us in our Boys and Men (or is it Men and Boys.. oh well!) Challenge. You don't want to miss the chance to win a 

For today's card I used a stamp from Just Rite called "By the Sea Borders and Centers".

Here's a close up:

Don't forget if you pick up some of these stamps to also get the wooden stamper to go with it. 

I stamped my watercolor paper with Staz-On ink in black. The stamp was colored very quickly with my watercolor paints but you could get the same look using Tim Holtz Distress Inks.

Then the only thing left to do was to cut it out with my Spellbinders Nestabilities Oval. 

Can't wait to see what you make for the men in your life ; )

Hugs~

Squigglefly "Shaped Cards"

What a great challenge we have at Squigglefly this week! Show us your Shaped Cards! I really like using my Spellbinders Label Seventeen for making shaped cards. 

You can watch a wonderful tutorial by Becca on how to create tight mats with your spellbinders here. It works like a breeze!!

I used the image Wine and Grapes from Squigglefly to create my card. I love this image! I created my background using my new modified technique here. Below are the colors I used.

Here's a close up of my sentiment. It's from Whiff of Joy.

I hope you all of you in the U.S. are recovered from Mother's Day and are ready to get some cardmaking done ; )

Come and join our challenge at Squigglefly!!

Hugs~