Wednesday, September 30, 2015

A Christmas Giveaway




Hello Friends!  Today I’ve got a sweet little surprise that sings!  It’s a card featured on the Paper Crafter’s Library Blog with a giveaway of this lovely Power Poppy set called Heaven and Nature Sing!  

Be sure to pop by the Paper Crafter’s Library Blog and enter to win!  







Monday, September 28, 2015

Case the Cat!


Can you believe it?  We’re at the 300th TCPTUES Challenge this week!  We’re excited to bring you something really fun for this one.  It’s called “Case the Cat”.  Several of our TCP Cat Pack are going to show off their favourite TCP creation and you can choose one of them to CASE for the challenge.  

Here’s the card I chose.  



I’ll be honest...I had a really hard time choosing!  I have a lot of favourites and it was fun to peruse them.  But this one eventually won out because of the fun colours and patterns and the windowed design that I had fun playing with.  


Here’s a closeup where you can see the clear sequins, and the clear embossing I added inside the floral circle to give it some shine.  

So now you can pop on over to The Cat’s Pajamas Blog and find out all the details of the challenge, and get some more inspiration to choose from when you pick a Cat to Case!  




Friday, September 25, 2015

Glittering Glass Santa



Can you believe that it is only 3 months until Christmas?  Autumn has just turned the corner, but we’re getting into the Christmas Spirit a little early with a new digitial image from Power Poppy that you’ll love!  It’s called Glittering Glass Santa, and it’s reminiscent of all the pretty ornaments I grew up with on the tree because of my German heritage. 

For this card I printed the image twice so that I would have extra greenery to work with and add to the image.  I printed the images in a lighter gray rather than deep black to soften it up a little bit.  All coloured up with Copics, with the extra two branches cut out and popped up on the design.  



I’ve added some pretty bits of trim and ribbon to really make it special, and because Santa just needed to glisten a little more, I painted over the top of him and also the highlights on the ornaments with some Smooch paint so that he’s more pearlized in appearance.  



Here are the Copics I used.  



Now here’s the gang playing along today some with be Glistening with Santa, but you’ll see a variety of great stuff out there with these talented girls!  


Allison Cope
Christine Okken 
(you are here)
Cindy Lawrence
Julie Koerber
Kathy Jones
Katie Sims

Tosha Leyendekker
Cheryl Scrivens
and pop by and take a look at the great image and sentiment on the Power Poppy blog.




Wednesday, September 23, 2015

Wish



Here’s another round of “found” images I coloured up 2 years ago.  This one is also a Birdie Brown image. I was so taken with the cute face on the candle!    It makes a cute and simple Birthday card.  Really simple card completion too.  It’s all in the paper and banners.  I thought this paper really gave the illusion of the candle flame too right?  



Just a wee bit of sewing and some faceted gems are all it took!  

Thanks for joining me again today!  I’ll be back tomorrow with something new from Power Poppy!  




Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Apple Season


Hey there people!  Guess what?  I was cleaning some “stuff” (read:mess) and discovered some stamped sheets I had taken along with us on our American Adventure two years ago.  I took all kinds of images and my copics so I’d have something to colour on our 6 week trip.  Well, ha!  I forgot I had them!  So, I’ll probably put them into cards in the next weeks - even though they are two years old :).  

This cute one was a digi Birdie Brown image from Torico.  Now that she’s illustrating for MFT, she isn’t doing these digis anymore, but I grabbed them way back when.  She’s such a great illustrator!  

I trimmed out the bear and popped him up on the lacy circle (isn’t he cute?).  Otherwise it’s pretty simple details.  

When I look out my window my apple tree looks just like this right now.  I need to get out and pick them really soon or they’ll be falling off the tree.  


The sentiment is from MFT’s Birdie Brown set Sweet Birthday Wishes.  I thought I would work perfectly for the sweet apple theme. 

Have a sweet day!  




Monday, September 21, 2015

5 Fun Techniques for Embossing Paste


Happy Monday friends!  Today I have an Inspire Me Monday tutorial on the Power Poppy Blog with some great ideas for using Embossing Paste on your projects.  I’ve been getting more questions recently about how I use Embossing Paste so I thought this would be a great start for demonstrating it to you.  

Here’s a sneak peek of one of the methods...


I hope you can stop by!


Friday, September 18, 2015

Olive and Oak



Did you see this downright amazing new illustration from Marcy on Wednesday?  Be still my heart!  If you haven’t, let me clue you in.  It’s called Olive and Oak and it’s so beautifully done!  I just love the combination of the oak leaves, acorns, olive leaves and the olives.  The symbolism is so significant on this set too - with the oaks symbolizing strength and the olives symbolizing peace.  I think it will be amazing for all types of cards, and not just in autumn either.  

I just loved colouring this one up bringing life to the elements.  I honestly used SO many Copics to colour that I didn’t take a photograph of them.  Can you see the one leaf that’s more silvery?  When you flip olive leaves over they often have this silvery colour to the backside,  and I wanted to capture that in the design too.  

I inset the design using the stitched square die to both cut the main image and also set it into the green layer.  


I really loved playing around with my embossing paste and a Tim Holtz stencil to create the background coppery layer of the design, finishing it off with gold metallic sequins.  





Here’s the team showing off this design today!

Allison Cope
Christine Okken 
(you are here)
Cindy Lawrence
Julie Koerber
Leslie Miller
Stacy Morgan



Thursday, September 17, 2015

When Pigs Fly


How about something just for fun?  I had this idea pop into my head when I was thinking about this cute set from MFT - The Whole Herd, so I thought I’d try to put it to paper for their Card Superstar Contest going on.  It’s cute and punny all put together :)  I stamped my flying pigs onto XPress It Blending cardstock in lots of “flying” positions and then added the curved sentiment with MFT’s Banner Day Alphabet.  I love how they look so surprised to be up in the air, like ‘whoa, I wasn’t expecting that!’ 

All framed out with Stitched Dies and some pretty polka-dot paper.  



I kept the design really clean and simple with a simple banner, button and twine to accent.  




Here’s the Copics I used.  


See ya back here tomorrow for something lovely!  



Monday, September 14, 2015

Monkey Party



How about another FUN challenge this week where there’s no limits for you?  We have another Anything Goes Challenge at The Cat’s Pajamas!



I thought I’d pull out our very cute little sock monkey from the TCP called Show Me the Monkey.  I seem to run out of Birthday cards before anything else, so I thought I’d add another to the stash.  I stamped him, adding the little party hat and balloon in the design, colouring with Copics.  Then after stamping the sentiment from the Simply Stacked Sentiment set, I also added a fun party hat there too.  The panel looked a little “naked” to me so I took a red marker and framed out the design.  

In the background I added a layer with the Dots CutUps die in white over navy cardstock behind.  I stamped some of the cupcakes from the set on the red vertical layer and then to finish it off I added the fun little banners from the Country Fair CutUps die , with some twine and enamel dots to finish it all off. 



He’s such a cutie isn’t he?  


So we hope you can jump in and join us in the challenge, here’s all the official deets:  

  1. Every other Tuesday a new challenge will be posted on The Cat’s Pajamas blog as well as on our Facebook page.
  2. If you want to play along you just upload your design to The Cat’s Pajamas blog page using the InLinkz button on the TCP post.
  3. You must have your project posted by the Monday, 11:55 EDT before the next challenge to be eligible to win the Cat Cash.
  4. Cards and projects are not required to use a Cat’s Pajamas Stamp or CutUps die but if you do the Cat Cash amount increases.
  5. On the following TCP Tuesday, the week’s winner will be chosen from the previous challenge and will receive a Cat Cash Voucher for $10 or $15 if a TCP product is used.


Check out the Cat Pack creations today.....


Christine Okken (you are here)
Brenda Nakandakari
Lori Tecler
Wendy McGaffey


Friday, September 11, 2015

Hey Girl



Well, we’ve got all three kids off to school now.  Our youngest started Junior High, and as I imagined  because of his personality, it’s been a great start, which is really fun.  Our middle son is in High School and our daughter is in second year University.  

I actually made this card for our daughter, and I hope you don’t mind my proud mama moment.   A few weeks ago she received notice that she was awarded a scholarship for second year, she found out she’s in the top 2% of her degree program.  With at least 4000 students in her degree at the University she’s at, it’s a huge accomplishment and she worked very hard last year for it.  She studies hard and also holds down a part-time job at the same time.  I just wanted to let her know again, as she’s finishing out week two of year two, that we’re really proud of her, not just for earning the scholarship, but also to see her pursue her calling.  She’s going to be a great teacher.  I’ll pop it in her backpack to surprise her.  

This great set from Power Poppy is called Well Played, Marcy designed it with her daughter in mind, and it’s a perfect set with lots of fun images and love and encouragement in the sentiments.  Inside the card reads “You totally rock!"

I gave it some fun colouring to match the paper by Carta Bella (Hello Again), and mimicked the heart and star on the backpack in the sentiment/embellishments. 



To make the wood veneer heart match the card, I gave it a little touch of R21.  





Now don’t forget...we’re only half way through our Power and Spark Challenge this month to create Gifts from the Heart!  Jump on in for your chance to win!




Here’s the rest of the Bloom Brigade in action....




Christine Okken 
(you are here)
Cindy Lawrence
Julie Koerber
Leslie Miller
Stacy Morgan

Wednesday, September 9, 2015

Refuge


I have a friend who is going through an extraordinarily difficult time.  She has been on my mind and in my prayers a lot, so as I was digging through my stamps yesterday, I came across this verse that would be a good encouragement for her.  It’s from Verve - Psalm 94:15 .  It’s one I hope she can cling to.  

I used this week’s Mojo Sketch, as it was perfect for making the Scripture center stage.  I embossed the verse on Navy cardstock, used some stitched dies to accent the design, then coloured and added the flowers from Poppy Birthday to accent with some die cut leaves and paper from Carta Bella (Hello Again).  



I also embossed the inside of the poppy flowers and added some pearls to accent and go with the lace.  Below are the Copics.  You might be wondering where that navy came in?  I used it to colour in the center of the flowers.  It’s a subtle effect but rather than black flower centers,  the tone of the navy ties it into the design a bit better.  



Thanks for coming on by!  I appreciate your visit!


Saturday, September 5, 2015

Keep Climbing Clematis




Today is the 5th of the month so Marcy is releasing a new digital image that you’re going to love!  It’s called Climbing Clematis, and it’s the perfect illustration to capture the viney-climbing-gorgeous -colourful variety of blooms that clematis can be, and it’s got a great sentiment for encouraging a friend.  

I have never been able to get clematis to grow, but my mom has a new one this year that has a deep purple flower, so that started my inspiration process.  I decided to print the digi really large, knowing I would use only part of the image, and the extra added bonus, you have lots of colouring room to really get into the details.  I kept the basic design really simple, just to focus on the flowers and that amazing butterfly.  



Some sewing, rhinestones and bits of paper bring it all to life! 



Here’s my Copic selection.


Be sure to pop by the Power Poppy Blog to see what Marcy has to say today...and pop on by to visit Cindy  and Cheryl who also have some Clematis inspiration!



Friday, September 4, 2015

Poppies from the Heart


Hello Power Poppy Fans!  Today we’re ushering a brand new month long challenge for you!  This month Katie has challenged us to create “Gifts from the Heart”.   Here’s what she had to say about it.  

"This month’s Power & Spark challenge is all about giving.  We all know the paper crafting community has some of the biggest, giving hearts around so let’s celebrate that with “Gifts from the Heart”.  Show us your creative ways of gift presentations or a hand crafted gift….or both!  Try stamping  your own wrapping paper, decorate your own gift bag or tag, craft a gift set of note cards....youchoose how to show your art and heart for a special someone.  Even though the holidays are just around the corner, any time is a great time for gift giving so this challenge is open for any occasion.  We can’t wait to see what you create!"



I decided to do some creative packaging for a Birthday gift with our lovely Poppies set.  I created a card, gift tag and matching wrapping paper.  I really love the look of red poppies on Kraft paper, so I pulled out the prisamcolor pencils and started with the card.  


I really wanted to give my Silhouette Sketch pens another go, so I created the black background with a bronze coloured sketch pen and this beautiful medallion image.  On the cardstock here it looks almost white - but in real life it is bronze.  I doodled in the inside of the outlines with a Spica black pen and then the white prismacolour pencil.  The medallion almost has the look of intricate doodling - or even mehndi art.  


Just some simple looped ribbon and black pearls finish it off.  The sentiment is from Power Poppy’s Go Wild set.  



Now for the tag I printed the medallion onto Kraft wrapping paper and then outlined part of the design in white prismacolor pencil and some of the design with the Spica pen in black, stamping the Poppy in the middle and giving it some colour.  



And for the wrapping paper, I used another 12 x 12 inch section on my Silhouette machine, enlarged the medallion to fit the entire size and used the Sketch Pen in bronze again and had the machine sketch it out.  Then colouring in the white and black sections the same way I did on the tag.  Now I have everything I need for some pretty packaging on the next present!  



Here’s the gang playing along today...


Christine Okken
 (you are here)
Cindy Lawrence
Julie Koerber
Katie Sims
Leslie Miller
Stacy Morgan
Tosha Leyendekker


See you tomorrow for another one of our fabulous new digital designs Marcy has in store for us!