Stamp Act

Crazy 4 Challenges ~ Flourishes.....

Welcome!

I feel like I haven't played along with the Crazy girls in ages!  Today's Crazy challenge is a SUPER fun one!  Frances has challenged us to play Bingo.  Bingo???  Yes, Bingo!!!  Here is her Bingo card!

How fun is this???  Not only do we have an amazing challenge this week but we have an even more AMAZING sponsor!!!   This weeks sponsor is Flourishes!!!!  Oh my gosh, how amazing is this!  I have 2 cards to share with you today but only 1 fits in to the bingo challenge so I will show you that first!

The base of this card is Kraft CS with a mat of Basic Grey DP.  The darling image is from Flourishes Kid Play set and was stamped on Pink Paislee DP using Chocolate Chip Craft ink.  I added some Early Espresso ribbon, Pink Basic Grey rhinestones and Regal Rose CS that I punched using my Martha Stewart Doily Punch.  I sponged all the edges using Crumb Cake ink.  This was a very simple card and totally CASEd from one of my Paper Crafts magazines!!! LOL!!!

Here is my second card using Flourishes Swan Lake set ~

My card does not do this set justice!  Oh my gosh, it is just beautiful!  I kept looking at my card and wondering what I could add because it is so plain but the image is so gorgeous, there just wasn't anything that was worthy!!! LOL!!!  I made the "frame" on Select White CS using a scrap of square CS and a black marker.  I then masked the outside edges of my frame off using post it notes.  I then stamped the images, colored with Copics and added some Frosted Lace Stickles on the water and was done.  Oh, I did mat the image with Black CS!

Be sure to check out the Crazy girls creations!!!  Let me tell you, they are FANTASTIC!!

• Barbara Anders
• Cindy Haffner
• Jessie Rone
• Joanne Grzelak
• Joycelyn Pelkey
• Maria Bell
• Silke Kittmann
• Silke Ledlow
• Tammy Hershberger
• Frances Byrne
• Vicki Garrett

Have a wonderful weekend!

Lynda

Crazy 4 Challenges ~ Dropping you a line.....

Happy Weekend!

Our Crazy challenge for today is to make a summer themed card or project.  I just got the DARLING set from Flourishes called Kids Play and could not wait to use it!  I have so many ideas for this set.  I wish I had that much time but oh well, that's life!!

The base of this card is Kraft CS with a mat of blue from an old collection of DP from Memory Box {not sure of the name of it}.  The next layer is True Black with newsprint DP from SU! on the left and Kraft on the right.  The Kraft was punched using my SU! border punch and the newsprint was crinkled up and sponged with Crumb Cake ink.  I stamped the sentiment on the newsprint paper using Black Memento ink.  The image was stamped on another piece of DP from the Memory Box Collection using Black Memento ink.  I colored the water using Copics, added a little Stardust Stickles to the swirls and then sponged the edges using Crumb Cake ink.  I then clipped this on the burlap string using a small clothespin that I got at Michael's.  I used some dimensionals to hold the image in place.

Be sure to check out what the Crazies have cooked up for this challenge!

• Barbara Anders
• Cindy Haffner
• Jessie Rone
• Joanne Grzelak
• Joycelyn Pelkey
• Maria Bell
• Silke Kittmann
• Silke Ledlow
• Tammy Hershberger
• Frances Byrne
• Vicki Garrett

Have a wonderful weekend!

~Lynda

Crazy 4 Challenges ~ Holiday Wishes!!!!

Can you tell I am catching up on my Christmas card making?  The other day when I said that last year this time I would have already started making Christmas cards, I then realized that I WAS behind and instantly started to stress!!! LOL!!! 

This week's C4C challenge is a sketch!!  You can find all the details HERE on the C4C blog!!!  I hope you have time to play along, the sketch is AWESOME!!!

 

The base of this card is Basic Black and is 5 1/4" square.  The next mat is PTI's Vintage Cream CS and then Bravo Burgundy.  The 4 square decorative paper panels are from Pink Paislee's Amber Road Collection and then matted with Basic Black CS.  The beautiful deer image is one of my favorites from Flourishes and is included in a set called Flourished Christmas.  I stamped the image on PTI Vintage Cream CS using my Versamark and then embossing with black embossing powder.  I colored using my Prismacolor Pencils and mounted it on Basic Black CS.  The final step was to punch 3 Quickutz Poinsettia's from Bravo Burgundy CS, sponge the edges using Basic Black ink, added a black glitter Imaginisce brad to the center and finally used a pop up glue dot to adhere the poinsettia to the Making Memories black glitter flourishes.  

Need some inspiration???  You can get LOTS from the girls blogs here ~

• Barbara Anders
• Cindy Haffner
• Frances Byrne
• Jessica Diedrich
• Jessie Rone
• Joanne Grzelak
• Joycelyn Turner
• Lori Boyd
• Mercy Kerin
• Robin Willis
• Vicki Garrett

I hope your weekend is awesome!  Thank you for stopping by!

~Lynda

SCS Sketch Challenge Wednesday ~ Merry Christmas!!!!

I know, don't fall over, I have another card to show you today!!!! LOL!!!  I was able to do today's sketch challenge at SCS!!!  In between working on my card, cleaning, grocery shopping, etc.... I walked by my living room window and looked out back and saw these ~

At first I thought they were vultures so I immediately thought one of our birds were dead and they were just waiting....LOL!!!  Luckily they were turkeys!  Thank goodness it wasn't a bear!!!  It was so funny because the guineas chased them back in to the woods!!!  The guineas are very protective!!!  LOL!!!

OK, now on to the card!!!

The base of my card is Chocolate Chip cardstock with a mat of first Whisper White cardstock and then a mat of Tan Bazzill cardstock.  The strip to the side is first Chocolate Chip and then a strip of the Tan Bazzill which I stamped THIS beautiful filigree image from Verve's Artful Elegance using Chocolate Chip ink.  The beautiful deer is from Flourished Christmas which I stamped on Whisper White cardstock using Chocolate Chip ink.  I then colored it using my Prismacolor Pencils and THEN I added Golden Wheat Shimmerz to the entire body and then highlighted the antlers and painted the hooves!  I stamped the sentiment using Chocolate Chip ink on Vellum cardstock.  I then punched it out using my 1 1/4" circle punch and then mounted it on top of the filigree circle from the Artful Elegance set that I stamped on the Tan Bazzill using Chocolate Chip ink.  I then mounted the vellum piece and filigree piece on top of a circle punched from Chocolate Chip cardstock that I punched using my 1 3/8" circle punch.  I also added the Shimmerz to the edge of the vellum as well as the Chocolate Chip mat.  Oh and because I have an addiction to Shimmerz, I also added the Shimmerz to the filigree panel inside the diamonds.  ANOTHER cool thing about this product is that when it is a certain color, it leaves such a nice tint of the color and lots of shimmer!!!  I did not color the hooves, just used the Shimmerz so you can see that it does actually color the image.  Here is a close up!

The ribbon is by May Arts and is white organdy with gold edges.  I punched 3 holes in the side of the image piece using my 1/8" hole punch and then strung the ribbon through and taped it on the back of the filigree strip and main panel.  I then took separate pieces and tied them in knots at the holes to cover them!  I mounted this on the front using dimensionals. 

I think I covered everything but if not, please don't hesitate to ask!!!  I hope you have a great day and be sure to check back tomorrow!

~Lynda

Where oh where has my Mojo gone, where oh where can it be????

I hate when this happens.  I was on a roll and feeling oh so very creative and then......... nothing!!!  Can't come up with a darn thing!   

It may have to do with the fact that there is so much going on right now or maybe I need to replenish the creative juices ~ hmmmm.....  It's only 10 a.m. right now so that is too early to start replenishing!!! LOL!!! 

Here is a card I did for Tuesday's color challenge which was to use Basic Gray, Purely Pomegranate and either Bashful Blue or Soft Sky.  I opted for Bashful Blue.  The layout is from Lauren's AKA:  My Time's Saturday Sketch. I used my favorite deer from Flourishes.   I wish I would have rounded the edges or something on the deer piece but of course, I thought of that AFTER I taped it all down!!!  Oh well......  here it is:

The card base is 5 1/4" square and is Purely Pomegranate cardstock.  The next layer is from the SU! designer paper pack, Holiday Harmony.  I really wanted a background stamp to stamp on the decorative paper but none of mine really worked so I used the beautiful saying from the Flourished Christmas set that says "May your Christmas Flourish With peace and good will."  It is a done with beautiful cursive script lettering as well.  I stamped this using Purely Pomegranate ink.  Now, most people who use SEE THROUGH acrylic stamps would be able to make these words straight.  NOT ME!  I am so disabled but luckily, the parts that are seen more, are more straight than what is under the deer and ribbon piece! 

The deer was stamped using Basic Gray ink on Whisper White cardstock.  The mat is Bashful Blue.  I lightly outlined the antlers using a blender pen and Bashful Blue watercolor crayon.  I colored the inside of the deer with my Basic Gray watercolor crayon and blender pen.  I highlighted the nose and antlers with my Stardust clear gel pen.  The clip on the side is silver and is from SU!'s library clips.  I tied a bow with Basic Gray taffeta ribbon.  The clear star is from Heidi Swapp and I colored it with the Stardust clear gel pen and then used a pink crystal in the center (this crystal is also hiding the glue dot that I used to adhere the star!  How the heck else are you supposed to glue those things down?). 

The strip across the center is a mat of Purely Pomegranate and the lighter Pomegranate piece is a decorative piece from the Holiday Harmony pack.  I highlighted the flourish with the gel pen as well as other areas around the card (corners & side of strip).  The ribbon is SU! and is Pomegranate as well. 

I better get going and start working on my creative~ness (is that a word)?  Thanks for looking and have a great day!

~Lynda

Flourishes ~ Strut Your Stuff Challenge...

Today, Flourishes, LLC, is sponsoring a special event on SCS.  Flourishes is a fairly new company and has some BEAUTIFUL stamp sets.  For 24 hours they are asking for those of us lucky enough to own some of their stamps, to upload our creations to a special gallery on SCS and maybe win some prizes!  The gallery is located HERE.   Check it out as there are already some beautiful cards there. 

I had wanted the Flourishes Christmas for quite some time so for once I was ahead of the game and had ordered the set BEFORE I new there was an upcoming challenge!!!!   It was all Julia and Sharon's fault because they both made some beautiful cards using this set!!!  Anyway, I made 3 cards and will include them all in this one post.  The first card I used Basic Black for the base with a mat of a Rusty Red Bazzill color that coordinates with the Daisy D's decorative paper (which is the next layer!).

This was a really simple card as the main focal image was stamped on Kraft cardstock using my Versamark.  Now, these stamps are clear acrylic and MOST people would be able to easily stamp the sentiment straight across the center...  Not me!!!  I had to make a pencil line to make sure I stamped it straight!!!  How lame is that????  The sentiment was stamped using Basic Black ink.  I then layered it on top of Basic Black cardstock.  BTW, I used my distressing tool on all edges! 

The ribbon is first SU! Kraft taffeta and then the black is some beautiful ribbon I bought from Lindsey ~ Jacksonbelle Embellishments.   So, is the velvet flower just beautiful or what???  I LOVE this flower!  I just bought them Sunday and could not wait to use them!  They come in a package of 6 and are by Imaginesce.  I must say that it is perfect with this stamp set!!!

My next card started as a Christmas card but then as I was putting it together, looked too much like a Wedding or Anniversary card.  That's alright though because now you can see how versatile this set is (we must think positive!).    The layout is October's Dirty Dozen Sketch Challenge.   You will only be able to access this page if you are a SCS Fan Club Member.

My picture is not really great but I wanted to make sure to show you how cool the background looks!  When I was in my LSS on Sunday, I saw some black matte paper that had black embossed detail on it and I thought, I can do that!  Well that is just what I did!!!  My card base is Poison Ivory Shimmer Cardstock that I bought from CutCardstock.com.  The card is 5" square.  The next layer is Basic Black cardstock which I stamped using my Versamark and then heat embossing using Clear Detail Embossing Powder.  It looks so cool and actually looks better in real life!  The French Script strip on the right was stamped on Poison Ivory using Basic Black ink and then matted on Basic Black cardstock.  The top image piece was stamped using my Versamark again and then embossing with Silver embossing powder.  I also used the top of one of the deer antlers (this is included in the stamp set) along the bottom under best wishes.  I did this using my Versamark again and Silver embossing powder.  The sentiment is from Short & Sweet stamped using Basic Black ink.

The bottom ribbon is SU! Vanilla wide organdy ribbon and the top black ribbon is the same I used above which I purchased from Lindsey.  Yes, the velvet flower is also the same.  Have I mentioned that I LOVE those flowers???? 

Here is my 3rd card.  I feel like they all kind of look the same but I loved the images with the heat embossing and black!!!  I will try to venture off in another direction but it will be hard.....  I want to use the deer and color him.  I could not see coloring him on the following card but Sharon and Julia both have some great ones that I can copy!!!  The base of this card is Cryogen Shimmer White that I also got from CutCardstock.com.  The size is 5 x 5. 

The next layer is Basic Black cardstock.  Again, I heat embossed along the edge on the left as well as the corner on the right.  I used the top of the flourish image stamp, inked it up with my Versamark, stamped along the edge of the Black cardstock and then heat embossed with clear detail embossing powder.  To do the photo corner, I stamped the flourish image on a scrap piece of Basic Black cardstock using my Versamark again and heat embossing with clear detail embossing powder and then used my SU! corner punch to punch it out!  The ribbon is the same black I used on the other cards and the red is another ribbon I bought from Lindsey.  The Joy was stamped on the decorative Daisy D's paper using my Versamark and then I heat embossed using Black detail embossing powder and then punched it out using my 1 1/4" circle punch.  The beaded ring is a wire earring that I put white SU! beads on, glued the sentiment to the back and then tied it on the card using silver cord and black organdy.

My BEAUTIFUL deer was stamped using Versamark and heat embossed using Black detail embossing powder.  The paper is the Cryogen White Shimmer cardstock from CutCardstock.  I then mounted it on Basic Black cardstock.

Thank you so much for looking!  If you have time, check out the other sets Flourishes has to offer as well!

~Lynda