Wrinkly Smiles

I completed the sketch for the Viva la Verve week 4 sketch challenge.  Here's the sketch:

I used the now retired Notebook paper packet from Close to My Heart.  The sketch called for ovals in the middle, however the paper had a sheet with the Quotes Only box on it, I couldn't resist cutting it out for this sketch.  The only thing that would fit the little box was my Labels 8 Nestibilities.  The lace is from a stash that I acquired, I have no idea how old it is. 

Supply List:
Stamps:  Blue Skies - Verve
Inks: Black - CTMH
Paper: Notebook - CTMH
Punches/Die Cuts:  Photo Corners Extra-Large - Stampin' Up!, Labels 8 - Spellbinders
Buttons: Pink, Basic, and Blue Assortment - CTMH
Hemp - CTMH

Thing Are Gonna Get Better

I'm playing catch up with the Viva la Verve sketch challenge.  I put weeks 3-5 on hold until I received my new Verve stamps, which I happily have received and now get to play with.  Blue Skies is my new favorite stamp set, I can tell I'm going to get alot of use out of it.  Anyhow, on to my creation, here is the week 3 sketch:

I stamped the butterfly from Blue Skies onto paper from Close to My Heart's retired Boom-Di-Ada paper pack.  I cut it out and then I couldn't resist adding some shine, so a little vellum spray and prisma glitter later I had a shiney butterfly.  I also am currently loving rosettes, so the circle on the sketch was calling for a rosette base. 

I'm off to finish up the week 4 sketch, it's just about done.  Hopefully I'll have it posted soon.



Supply List:

Stamps:  Blue Skies - Verve

Inks:  Black, Chocolate - CTMH

Paper:  Boom-di-Ada Paper Packet - CTMH

Embellishments:  Prisma Glitter, Pink Collection Ribbon - CTMH, crystal swirls - MultiCraft Imports



Ribbon reel challenge

I love the look of this room for the ribbon reel's second challenge.  A few of the elements stood out for me:  the pink chair, the frame hanging from the ceiling, and the groupings of 4. 

The challenge set forth was to create a card (or project) using the colors from the inspiration photo, flowers, and baker's twine.  I thought this was the perfect opportunity to use one of my new stamp sets, Close to My Heart's May Stamp of the Month - Chairs to You.  I inked the chair stamp first with Versamark and then with Bamboo ink, by doing it this way I only had to stamp the image once.  I embossed it with clear detail embossing powder and colored it with water color pencils just to give it a hint of pink color.  For the embossed back ground, I adhered the frame with the colonial white panels first and then ran it through an embossing folder, leaving the bottom half inch out so that it would be embossed.  Then I stamped the sentiment where it wasn't embossed.  Then I highlighted the design with ink.  I added some lace, seam binding, baker's twine, and one hand made paper rose. 

Supply List:
Stamps:  Chairs to You - Close to My Heart (CTMH)
Inks:  Bamboo, Chocolate, Blush - CTMH, Versamark
Cardstock:  Colonial White, Baby Pink, Key Lime - CTMH
Embossing Folder - Vintage Wallpaper - Stampin' Up!
Ribbon and Lace - Pink Collection - CTMH, Seam Binding - Wright's Trims, Baker's Twine - Divine Twine, Cream lace from my stash

My First Mojo Monday Sketch

For quite some time now, I've been wanting to actually do the Mojo Monday sketch challenge.  This week was the week.  I needed to create a card for a bridal shower at our church, so I thought decided to use this weeks sketch.  I did end up rotating, I just couldn't get my bride image to fit.  You can't really see in the picture, but I added some Diamond Stickles to the roses, and a pearl to the center of the flower in her hair.

Supply list:
Stamps:  Daintybella and sentiment - Stamping Bella, Sophia - Close to My Heart (CTMH)
Inks:  Hollyhock - CTMH, Memento Tuxedo Black
Paper:  Sophia Level 2- CTMH
Copics:  E00, E02, RV11, RV13, R20, Y21
Dies:  Labels 8, Petite Scalloped Circles - Spellbinders
Accents:  Pearl Opaques, Button, Colonial White Organdy Ribbon - CTMH, Diamond Stickles

Fun With Canvas

I made one of these for both my mom and mother-in-law for Mother’s Day.  I had such a hard time giving them away, I decided to make one for myself.  I’ve been on an altered canvas kick lately, I’ve been surfing the internet trying to find different tutorials and ideas for altered/multi-media canvas (I’m even debating signing up for an on-line class).  Anyhow, I digress, back to today’s creation. 

I should warn you first, I think I used half of my craft room in creating this piece, so the list is quiet long.  First, I mixed some re-inker with Pearl Finish paint and painted the canvas.  The Pearl Finish gives the background a nice sheen, and with my re-inkers I can make it any color I want.  After it was dry, I inked the edges with Bamboo ink just to distress them a bit.  Then I stamped “Beautiful” from the Find Your Style set in Timber Brown Staz On ink. 

Next the diecuts, I wanted to add some interest to them, so I stamped the image on cardstock from my Stampin’ Up! Notably Ornate set in Versamark and covered it with Cocoa embossing powder mixed with Prisma Glitter (you can’t see the sparkle in the picture, but it’s there in real life).  After heating the embossing powder, I cut out the image and adhered it to the light blue piece. 

Then I made the rose, a while ago, I found this fabulous tutorial on how to make roses from a punch.  I inked the edges with Blush ink and once they were assembled, I spritzed them in with Glimmer Mist to give them some shimmer.  I even dragged my husband around to some craft stores on one of our rare occasions off the farm just to find the right punch. 

I punched the bird out of Buttercup cardstock, and stamped part of the same image from Notably Ornate in Chocolate ink.  Then I covered the bird in Ranger’s Distress Crackle Paint in Clear Rock Candy, it cracks and give the bird a nice shine.  To give the bird some dimension, I popped it up with foam tape and added a pearl for it’s eye. 

I added two different kinds of lace, the off white I hand gathered to add some movement and dimension before I put it on.  A few more embellishments, and I decided to call it done. 

Supply List:

Paper: Buttercup, Colonial White Cardstock, Topstitch Paper Pack, Life Delights Paper Pack– Close to My Heart (CTMH)

Inks:  Bamboo, Blush, Chocolate – CTMH, Versamark, Timber Brown Staz On

Stamps:  Find Your Style – CTMH, Notably Ornate – Stampin’ Up!

Paint: Pearl Finish Ceramcoat – Delta Creative; Distress Crackle Paint in Clear Rock Candy - Ranger

Re-inker:  Sweet Leaf – CTMH

Embossing Powder/ Glitter – Cocoa, Prisma Glitter – CTMH

Lace:  Pink Collection Designer Ribbon, Colonial White Waxy Floss – CTMH; MultiCraft Imports

Punches/ Diecuts:  Labels 8 – Spellbinders; 2-Step Bird, Bigz Top Note, Embosslits Beautiful Wings – Stampin’ Up!; 6 petal flower – Marvy Uchida

Embellishments:  Pearl Opaques – CTMH; Trinket Crowns – Stampin’ Up!; Iridescent Gold Glimmer Mist – Tattered Angels; Unknown clear button

Mother's Day Card

Since Mother's Day is now over, I thought I would share a card that I made for my mother-in-law (who by the way is the BEST!).  I used this sketch from the Viva la Verve May 2011 challenge. 

I had to think about what I wanted to do with this sketch for a while.  I needed to make something to work for the tag, I was able to get the Nestibilities Labels 8 to work.  I stamped a flourish in second generation with Sweet Leaf ink, and then stamped the sentiment in Chocolate.  Then it was on to the scallop circle.  I wanted to do something a bit different, after some more thinking, the idea of using a big flower instead popped into my head.  To make the flower more interesting, I stamped it with the same flourish stamp, only using chocolate ink this time.  A die cut butterfly with a few pearls on it added the finishing touch.

Supply list:
Stamp sets - Playful Flourishes, Say it in Style, Simple Beauty - Close to My Heart (CTMH)
Ink - Chocolate, Sweet Leaf - CTMH
Paper - Baby Pink Card Stock, Miracle Paper Packet - CTMH
Punches, Die Cuts - Scallop Punch - Fiskars, Labels 8 - Spellbinders, Beautiful Wings Embosslit - Stampin' Up!
Embellishments - Pearl Opaques, Big Pinks Flower, Pretty Pins - CTMH, Green Rhinestone - Kaiser Scrapbook, Button and Ribbon - Unknown from my stash

I Feel Like Chicken Tonight

I just mixed up the marinade for one of my favorite ways to make chicken.  I love to serve this with roasted sweet potatoes or roasted garlic broccoli.  However, tonight I'm going to dice the chicken breast after cooking and serve them on a big salad with dried cranberries and my new favorite Balsamic Fig Dressing from Stonewall Kitchen. 

Sherry Ginger Chicken

1/4 cup dry sherry

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup canola oil

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

2 Tablespoons dried minced onion ( I use Tastefully Simples Onion Onion)

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Put all of the ingredients in a  plastic zip top bag, and add a one pound package of boneless skinless chicken breasts.  I let them marinate in the refrigerator for about 4-6 hours, and either bake or grill them.

Tomato Baby

I'm going to do the Viva la Verve sketch challenges again this month at Split Coast Stampers.  Here's the week 1 sketch:

I needed to make a baby shower card, so I broke out one of my favorite (but retired) Close to My Heart stamp sets - Flower Child.  Sadly, I don't have any Verve stamps that go with a baby shower theme.  I colored the image using Copic markers.  Here's my creation:

Supplies used:

Stamp set:  Flower Child; Baby Love - Close to My Heart

Inks:  Pacifica, Sky - CTMH; Tuxedo Black - Memento

Papers:  Fanfare Level 2 - CTMH

Copic Markers:  E00, E02, E37, YG45, G24, R27, R29, W0

Embellishments:  Blue Assortment Buttons, Colonial White Waxy Floss - CTMH, Labels 1 - Spellbinders, Bigz Top Note - Stampin' Up!