Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Blooms to Cheer
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Toonie Tuesday - Copic Christmas
I have to say, I'm going to have a steep learning curve on these babies. I am so used to watercoloring, I don't *think* much about how I'll watercolor something, I just feel it. I know how my blending works, I know my colors and how to achieve them, and how highlight and depth work for me, but Copics are a whole new ball game. I found it pretty intimidating actually! I went to all the Master's... Debbie Olson, Sharon Harnist, Jami Sibley and the Copic girl herself Marianne Walker and just did a lot of reading, partly to help me with color selection. I'll be following Marianne's blog to learn more about using them too. Jeanne Strieff and Cambria Turnbow also come highly recommended by me.
I think I'm still a watercolor girl at heart....but it's nice to have some options. So be kind here, it's my first Copic card. My second card today is back to watercolor.
Dad's Day
Today is my Dad's Birthday, so I wanted to create something masculine for him, so I pulled out my Flourishes Figs and Pomegranates set and stamped it on Watercolor paper. Everything I'm reading says that your paper is extremely important in using Copics and achieving the color shading and blending you want, and though SU Whisper White and Very Vanilla are GREAT stamping papers, they are not good Copic Papers. So, I've ordered some paper from the US, but it's not here yet, so watercolor paper works in this situation. After I colored the figs and leaves, I carefully trimmed it out and placed it with Dimensionals on the Vanilla piece which I had pre-stamped and sponged.
Two of the other layers (Close to Cocoa and Kiwi Kiss) are also stamped and sponged with the smaller version of the fig/leaf stamp in the set.
Because it's for my Dad, I couldn't do anything too frou-frou..but I did add a little ribbon, brads and piercing.
Back to Familiar Territory
Alright...this is for today's color challenge, So Saffron, Bravo Burgundy and Handsome Hunter. Pretty don't you think? I had to use up my scraps! I rarely use Handsome Hunter and was really low on Saffron too!
Here I watercolored the flowers and cut them out. Stamped the *leaves* on Vanilla, and colored them in with a SW Marker and a little soft watercolor for highlight and then placed the arrangement together with dimensionals.
To me it has an Asian feel so I tried to give it that type of sentiment feel.
This will be for my Mom in law who's best friend just passed away, and I know she will miss her very much.
Recipe: Dad's Day: Stamps: Flourishes - Figs and Pomegranates, Autumn Flourishes; Ink: Brown Stazon, Kiwi Kiss, Always Artichoke, Elegant Eggplant, Close to Cocoa; Paper: Always Artichoke, Kiwi Kiss, Elegant Eggplant, Close to Cocoa, Very Vanilla, Watercolor; Accessories: Copics, SW Marker, Kiwi Kiss Satin Ribbon, Brads, Dimensionals, Sponge, Circle Punches, Piercer
Floral Arrangement: Stamps: Embrace Life, Beautiful Borders; Ink: Black Stazon, Bravo Burgundy, So Saffron; Paper: Bravo Burgundy, So Saffron, So Saffron Prints, Handsome Hunter, Vanilla, Watercolor; Accessories: Reinkers, So Saffron Brads, Wide Burgundy Ribbon, dimensionals, SW Markers, Circle Punch
Monday, December 29, 2008
Blog Candy Winner - New Draw!
Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:21
Timestamp: 2008-12-29 18:12:52 UTC
And that person is...... JenMarie!
who said....
Congrats to YOU! Woo Hoo!
I'm especially grateful for my amazing DH!
December 19, 2008 10;36 AM
JenMarie please contact me by December 31st midnight....(tcokken at telus dot net) with your info and I'll get this sent right out to you!
Just Buzzin' By to say....
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Blog Candy Winner!
Well....here is the winner of the blog candy:
From random.org
Here is your random number:81
Which is a post from Happi
"Congratulations! I love your cards, they are so incredibly gorgeous. I am grateful that my family is all going to be together this year. I love having my kids around me.Thank you for the chance to win this stamp set, I really would like to have this set. Have a wonderful holiday and by the way I love your blog."
So Happi....send me an email to: tcokken at telus dot net (I think you get what I mean - just trying to prevent spam), and I'll send the Poppy Patch set, card and envelope to you!
If I don't hear from our winner by Sunday at midnight I'll draw for another winner.
Thanks so much everyone for playing!
Friday, December 26, 2008
Flourishes Secret Swapper
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Roses Just Because Set
Monday, December 22, 2008
Lovely Dreams Set
Sunday, December 21, 2008
A Friendly Little Somethin'
This is also brand new gorgeous paper from the new catalogue, it's called Raspberry Tart, I love it so much I could hardly bear to cut into it. It's so warm and combines colors of Kiwi Kiss, Rose Red, Pink Pirouette, and Cameo Coral. So yummy.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Dirty Dozen Challenge - Holiday Wrap!
Well, as soon as I saw the challenge I knew exactly what I would do. In fact when I first saw this All That Glitters set from Flourishes, I HAD to have it because of this very Christmas memory!
Setting up the Christmas tree was something we really looked forward to as kids. My mom had sets upon sets of old-fashioned ornaments. But one in particular was very special. It was a glass bird, just like in the Flourishes set, with a feathery tail and it had a springy grabber to attach to the tree. It was silver and blue and my brother and I would fight over who would get to put it up each year....I considered it *mine* (LOL) and I'd sneak into the ornaments and make sure I got to put it on the tree each year. It was so beautiful and there was something so special about it to me, I wish mom still had it, but sadly one year it broke.
So this card is a reminder of that Christmas tradition for me.
I embossed my little bird in silver onto watercolor paper and then used the Zig Painty to color in other parts of the bird in silver as well. Then I watercolored the rest. I put him onto some tree branches stamped in White Craft mixed with a little green ink, and added silver Zig painty to highlight it as well, and trimmed it out.
I found the wrapping paper a few weeks ago and thought it was perfect...silvery and blue and tree branches....and no snow! I cut it out with the Top Note and also added silvery branches with an Encore pad on the main card base.
If only I could find another bird like that for my tree!
My Blog Candy Alert HERE, and here's what I'm grateful for today: My marriage - it's a precious and wonderful thing, and I don't take it for granted. My husband is such a good man. He's so good to me. We have so much fun together, we laugh together, and he's so supportive of me. He's walked through really difficult times right beside me with compassion and love. He is my stability when life gets rocky, and he can fix anything, find anything, cook and he's learning how to stamp too (here's his gallery!) . I am beyond blessed that God has given me him. 14 years sweetie!
Recipe: Stamps: Flourishes - All That Glitters, Rejoice Ink: VersaMark, Silver Encore, Bordering Blue, White Craft Paper: Bordering Blue, Silver Metallic, Watercolor, Wrapping Paper Accessories: Big Shot, Top Note, White Taffeta Ribbon, Silver Cording, Oval Punch, Zig Painty, K & Co gems, Dimensionals, Scallop Edge Punch.
Friday, December 19, 2008
Cool News, Blog Candy and Creativity!
1. First the Cool News!
I am very excited and honored to let all of you know that Flourishes has asked me to move up to the Senior Design Team beginning in January! I am the kind of person that needs to love what I stamp, and being a part of the Friends of Flourishes blog team has been so much fun. I truly love Flourishes stamps, its been a real joy this fall for me. And that Marcella Hawley...she's got such a talent for illustrating for stamps, and that Julie Koerber...she's a gem, and persuasive too! So I'm so excited to be a part of this new team, and I hope to bring you lots of inspiration with regular Flourishes creations.
AND in other news (I feel like a newscaster).....moving onto the Friends of Flourishes Blog Team is none other than the ultra-talented Silke Ledlow! She will be a fabulous addition to the team, she does white space mixed with gorgeous like no one else! So be sure to congratulate her!
2. Now the Creative...as it leads into the Blog Candy!
Today's Flourishes Friday is all about blue. Here's what Julie is challenging us ...and you to!
- Don't be so "blue" this holiday season! Join us for week three of the Festive Flourishes Friday Challenge! The theme is just as it sounds ~ "You'll be doing alright with your Christmas of white but I'll have a blue, blue Christmas!" Grab your favorite Flourishes stamp set and dress it up with a dose of blue! It doesn't have to be a Christmas card! Any style will do! Remember, you can join into our challenge at any time and, if you make up past challenges and complete all four - your name will be thrown into the hat for a free stamp set of your choice! Link your card HERE (Flourishes Blog)to a blogpost or your SCS gallery. Don't forget the keyword FFFC3 on Splitcoast! Please remember to use the code FLLC when you upload to ensure it gets into our company gallery!
I have two blue samples for you!
Blue Wreath
Here I have this wonderful new Autumn Flourishes set and haven't had a minute to use it! So, even though it's an Autumn feeling set....you can make it look beautifully Christmasy too! All I did was created a layered wreath stamping first on cardstock vellum with silver embossing powder, then on Blue Bayou with Blue Bayou ink, and then on white cardstock with Blue Bayou ink....then I cut out each section and layered them over patterned paper that has that same flourished feel to it. I've added some pretty ribbon curling the grey taffeta ribbon around the design to give it an even more swirly feel. I also like the look of silver embossing on the silver metallic paper.
The Merry Christmas sentiment *ribbon tab* is from the Rejoice set, and I've added pretty piercing as accent.
My Poppies...and Blog Candy
This second sample has something special in it just for you!...keep reading!
When I was in the mountains a few weeks ago, I also worked on another design that could be a frameable piece. I love the Flourishes Poppy Patch set, and it reminds me so much of our poppies in our backyard, they are such pretty flowers, though they multiply like crazy...and the blooms only last a day...but there is a fragile and beautiful persistence to them. I like that in a flower...it teaches me something :)
So I created this 5.5 x 5.5 card, that I could frame if I wanted to...and I might! The poppies were masked and stamped in Brown Stazon and watercolored with Stampin' Write Markers and Reinkers. I wanted to give it a very contrasting background so I added a deep wash of Not Quite Navy, and I also stamped the Poppy word in NQN on the card base and sponged it deeply. I've added accent in rich Chocolate Satin Ribbon.
I really love the sentiment. Especially now in the deep freeze of winter, gratitude brings a real warmth inside of you, one that is not dependent on the weather outside.
3. So....the Blog Candy for YOU is......
A brand new and beautiful Poppy Patch stamp set courtesy of Flourishes, and a smaller version I created of the larger card! This card measure 3.25 x 5.5 and includes the matching envelope. All you need to do to be entered to win is to leave a comment on this post below telling me something you're especially grateful for as this year draws to a close. I'll draw for a winner on Saturday December 27th after all the festivities are over. Check back for the winner!
Pfewww....after all that you don't want to miss the other fabulous Friends of Flourishes girls' BLUE creations:
Dee, Kimberly, Cindy H, Betty, Julie, and Becca
COMMENTS ARE NOW CLOSED....I'll be drawing before 10 AM MTN time today Saturday Dec 27!
Recipes:
Blue Wreath: Stamps: Autumn Flourishes, Rejoice Ink: VersaMark, Blue Bayou Paper: Blue Bayou, Blue Bayou Prints DSP, Whisper White, Silver Metallic, Cardstock Vellum Accessories: Silver Embossing Powder, Scallop Edge Punch, Piercer, Dimensionals, Basic Gray Taffeta Ribbon, Silver Cording,
My Poppies: Stamps: Poppy Patch Ink: Brown Stazon, Not Quite Navy Paper: Not Quite Navy, Pumpkin Pie, Watercolor Accessories: Reinkers, Stampin Write Markers, Piercer, Scallop Square Punch, Circle Punch, Oval Punch, Gold Brads, Chocolate Satin Ribbon, Dimensionals, Sponge
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Pomegranate and Toile Set
So here is the set:
I was looking for a little more neutral set of cards for her this time. She loves fushia and greens and blues....but I also see her wear a lot of browns too. She has really gorgeous brunette hair and olive skin....I often take cues from what people wear.
I stamped the Bella Toile background stamp on watercolor paper with Brown Stazon and spent some time watercoloring it with reinkers and a chocolate chip Stampin' Write marker. Then I added the pretty patterned paper tabs, a little piercing and brads and the gorgeous satin ribbon.
Back on Friday with more...and something exciting too!
Recipe: Stamps: Bella Toile, Best Yet Ink: Brown Stazon, River Rock Paper: Chocolate Chip, River Rock, Purely Pomegranate, 2007 Holiday Mini Christmas paper...can't find my name sheet!, Watercolor paper Accessories: Scallop Square Punch, Sponge, Dimensionals, Pomegranate Satin Ribbon, Reinkers, SW Marker, Gold Brads, Piercer
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Bella Blossoms Gift Set
I made 4 cards with 2 different sentiments, a gift tag and an A2 box to hold them in (see Beate's Tutorial at SCS). Super easy!
Bella Blossom is stamped in Baja Breeze two times and once in Not Quite Navy (flower center). The pieces are cut out and then sponged with a sponge dauber in Not Quite Navy, then pieced together adn the front petals up on a dimensional.
I am Big Shot/Top Note obsessed :) It gives such a classy look to the shape of your card!
On the background I stamped the smaller flower in NQN and sponged the edges to really give it deep color. A little patterned paper....and ribbon...PRETTY!
The tag is just single layer stamped, but here I inked the blossom in Baja and Kiwi (leaves and stem), then directly to the stamp with a sponge dauber added Not Quite Navy, then huffed on it and stamped it down.
I really like the set!
Recipe: Stamps: Bella Blossoms, All Holidays Ink: Baja Breeze, Kiwi Kiss, Basic Gray, Not Quite Navy Paper: Not Quite Navy, Baja Breeze, Kiwi Kiss, Whisper White, Basic Gray, Urban Garden DSP Accessories: Wide Baja Double stitched ribbon, Silver Brads, Big Shot, Top Note die, oval punch, dimensionals, piercer, White grosgrain ribbon, daubers, sponges, scallop edge punch.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Vintage Set
Grateful - I made a sort of patchwork pieced section of the Top Note on this one and added some little flowers from the Sizzlits die.
Buggy Bumpers - 3/4 of the Top Note here and simple piercing!
There you have it, a simple but useful set!
Recipe: Puns from the Past Paper: Riding Hood Red, Chocolate Chip, Kraft, Kraft Patterns DSP, Bella Rose DSP Ink: Brown Stazon, Riding Hood Red Accessories: Big Shot, Top Note Die, Birds and Blooms Sizzlit, Oval Punches, Circle Punch, Piercer, Vintage Brads, Felt Ribbon, Riding Hood Red Striped Ribbon, Chocolate Grossgrain (wide and narrow), Dimensionals
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Stamp A Stack Simply Christmas II
Christmas Dove
Of the four I think this one is my favourite....I like the simplicity and yet elegance to the card.
I stamped the dove in White Craft on Whisper White, embossed with White Embossing Powder and then sponged with Baja Breeze. I really like the contrast on softness it creates.
I added a little red accent in the gingham ribbon tied into the taffeta ribbon and also in the circle rim around the sentiment. With the addition of the Ski Slope paper, it's pretty!
Glitzy Snowman
Who knew this sweet set would be retiring! I think it's just adorable, you can get a cute funky look with it. The snow man and trees are stamped with Basic Black on the Whisper White, then I added Paper Pieced trees on top, sponged around them, accented the snowman with color from my Stampin' Write markers and gave it a pretty knotted ribbon. When the card was entirely assembled I added Mono Multi under the snowman and trees and added Chunky Glitter that has that irridescent look to it. So CUTE!
The base of the card does have Pink Pirouette snowflakes stamped on it.
Anyone else ready for something else besides Christmas cards ??? I'm getting pretty close! Thanks for stopping by!
Recipes: Christmas Dove: Stamps - To You and Yours Ink: Baja Breeze, White Craft Paper: Baja Breeze, Whisper White, Real Red, Ski Slope DSP Accessories: Circle Punches, Ticket Corner Punch, Silver Brads, Dimensionals, White Embossing Powder, Sponge, White Taffeta Ribbon, Red Gingham
Glitzy Snowman: Stamps: Merry and Bright Ink: Basic Black, Pink Pirouette Paper: Kiwi Kiss, Whisper White, Pink Pirouette, Kiwi Kiss Patterns DSP Accessories: Oval Punches, Chunky Glitter, Mono Multi, Pink Grosgrain Ribbon, Sponge, Stampin' Write Markers
Friday, December 12, 2008
Flourishes Friday - Winter White
Here's what our wonderful Julie had to say: "This Festive Flourishes Friday is all about the crisp and clean winter white - dress it down with a monochromatic theme or dress it up with a sparkly flair. It's up to you! The only requirement is dressing your favorite Flourishes set in winter white! If you want to play along, simply leave a comment on the Flourishes Newsletter or upload your card to Splitcoast using the keyword FFFC2. Keep in mind, we’ll be doing this fun Friday challenge all month long and there will be a special drawing for those that play all four weeks! Details on what is up for grabs -- to come!! If you are just joinging us - track back to the first Flourishes Friday challenge on the first Friday of this month. You can make up past challenges to qualify for the giveaway!"
So here are my FFFC2 cards...
Dreaming of a White Christmas
I wanted to create the feeling and sparkle of snow. So I embossed these branches from the All That Glitters Set in White Embossing Powder and also layered in embossing with Irridescent Ice on Shimmer White paper. This gives is a really pretty shimmery amethyst glow....and an overall sparkle, I then cut out the branches and sponged the edges.
I also stamped the ornament on an acetate (clear transparency) sheet with White Stazon and then colored the back of it with a silver Zig Painty. Then backed this clear piece with a piece of Almost Amethyst paper.
I've added white taffeta ribbon and pretty purple gems. Here you can see a better view of the glitter.
White Roses
When I saw Wednesday's sketch challenge, the first thing that actually came to my mind was to use these Rosebuds from the new I Love Roses set ...I didn't have time to pull it together on Wednesday...but here we are on Flourishes Friday...and white roses seem to be just right!
I embossed the roses on watercolor paper with gold EP, then watercolored the stem lightly with Sage Shadow. I also added Lumiere to the blossoms to give them a beautiful shimmer. I've had a number of questions as to what Lumiere is....it is a metallic acrylic medium, in this case it is pearl white, that you can use to paint or add sparkle to just about anything. Stampin' Up used to sell it. The maker is Jacquard...but I'm sure any type of metallic acrylic paint would give you the same effect. Because it's waterbased you can water it down and paint it. Which I did on the roses.
I actually chose my color palette based on this old piece of Wintergreen DSP from last winter. It has a diagonal dotted pattern in it...so I decided to dress up the white sections of the card with diagonal scoring with my Scor It. I think it really gives great texture to the white.
I'll be the first to admit...all white cards are not my forte, everything about them scares me...but in the end, it's all about the challenge right?! So jump in and join us! Be sure to check out the Flourishes Newsletter, and Betty, Cindy H, Becca, Dee and Kimberly's creations too! And the new releases today by Cindy L, Laura, Latisha, Julie , Jan Marie and Faith...whew that's a lot of great stuff to look for!
Recipe: Dreaming of a White Christmas: Flourishes All That Glitters, Just Rite Curlz Font (sentiment), Ink: Craft White, Almost Amethyst, White Stazon Paper: Shimmer White, Silver Metallic Paper, Acetate Accessories: Winter White EP, Irridescent Ice EP, Stylized Silver HPH, K & Co Gems, Sponge, White Taffeta Ribbon, Dimensionals, Key Tab Punch, Just Rite Rectangle Stamper
Recipe: White Roses: Flourishes I Love Roses Ink: VersaMark, Sage Shadow Paper: Sage Shadow, Whisper White, Wintergreen DSP, Watercolor Accessories: Circle Punch, Oval Punch, Gold Brads, Scor It, Dimensionals, Sponge, White Taffeta Ribbon, Gold Cording, Gold EP, Lumiere.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Simply Christmas
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
We're Having a Baby!
Tee Hee!
Nope! But, my brother and sister-in-law are expecting their first baby in late March or early April! This will be my first niece or nephew on this side of the family, so we're pretty excited. The kids are so looking foward to having a cousin close by. I would like it to be a girl to sort of even out the balance of power in the kids, my brother would like a boy. So we'll see what we get!
I've wanted to give them a Congratulations card for some time now, and tonight my Puns from the Past set came (I've really liked the vintage look of this one)...and today's sketch challenge was perfect for it's smaller images, so I sat down tonight to create a quick card.
I stamped the buggies on Vanilla, punched out the circles and sponged them. Lots of other sponging on the layers, old Hodge Podge Hardware as accent, retired Noteworthy set sentiment and the ribbon from the Holiday Mini.
Love the vintage feel!
Back tomorrow with some more for you!
Recipe: Stamps: Puns from the Past, Noteworthy Ink: Kiwi Kiss, Chocolate Chip, Riding Hood Red Paper: Kiwi Kiss, Very Vanilla, Bella DSP, Chocolate Chip Accessories: Antique Brass HPH, Alpine Ribbon, Dimensionals, Circle Punch