Cards and Things

Uh-oh!!

2009-12-04T15:54:00.015-04:00

Oh my. I had SO much to do yesterday, getting ready to travel to my daughter's for Christmas! I thought I'd be smart and schedule my Impression Obsession designers' challenge to post early, so I wouldn't have to worry about it yesterday. Well, I have a well known technical disability (lol); I must have done something wrong, because when I checked this morning, I found that it didn't post! So, I'm posting it today.

This card was created to fit the following additional challenges: Monday's Cuttlebug Spot's challenge is to do a winter card, the Wednesday Cuttlebug Challenge is glitter, the Cute Card challenge is "swirly girl"), the Project Tuesday challenge is to create an easel card, the Creative Card Crew challenge is to create a Christmas card, the Pick Three challenge is also all about glitter. [My three are: colour an image in glitter (see the ornament), outline an image in glitter (see the ribbon), and doodle with a glue pen and cover in glitter (see snowflakes)]

Of course, this first card is done using some of the wonderful Impression Obsession Christmas stamps, paired with an old favourite winter time Cuttlebug embossing folder, and using a Spellbinder's swirl die.

Please take some time to drop by the other Impression Impression designers' blogs, they've created some beautiful things! You can see the links right there in my sidebar. By the way...do you know you could win a $25.00 gift certificate for Impression Obsession stamps? If you create your own white card with IO stamps, and upload it by December 5th at midnight, and you could win! All the information can be found here.

The Friday Alphabet Challenge is to create something with a house. Here's my glittered Thomas Kinkaide easel card to meet that one.

I'm posting some other cards I've created for Christmas as well...just for fun. I've used a lot of hand stitching and beading for my Christmas cards this year, combining some with stamping. It's always nice to use different techniques.

Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by today! I'll stop by your blog too. :)

Challenges...

2009-12-01T16:50:00.002-04:00

Well, like everyone else, I've been busy with Christmas preparations lately, and blogging has taken a back seat. Next week, I'll be travelling to my daughter's, to spend Christmas with her, my son, and the four grand-boys, so blogging will be sparse till the New Year.

However, this week's Created by Hand challenge is quilting. I did this easel card with some old scrap papers, and used a Quietfire Design sentiment stamp

Although it's not for the challenge, here's another card I did with a Quietfire Design stamp. It's fun pairing my favourite Christmas beading pattern with my favourite Christmas Quietfire Design stamp! Isn't that calligraphy gorgeous!? This is the first year I've managed to get all my Christmas cards completed on time since I retired! What FUN!

Thanks so much for visiting today!

Quietfire Stamps...blog hop Thursday WINNER!!

2009-11-20T12:31:00.005-04:00

Well, from the number of crafters posting on each Quietfire Designer's blog during Suzanne's first ever blog hop;
I think y'all must like her stamps as much as WE do! (lol)

The random winner from my part of the hop is another Suzanne!
"Suzanne C," wrote:

"Stunning! As always... Love the card it is oh so elegant! The candles are beautiful and I think they need the pop of color from the ribbon! :)"

An e-mail has gone to the winner, and a copy to the boss-lady of Quietfire Design.
Thanks so much for your comments, and keep playing...MANY more stamps to be won yet!!

Shake it shake it shake it!

2009-11-19T07:00:00.005-04:00

Today the Impression Obsession designers are sharing shaker cards with you! I used the large circle Shake-It ™ pouch with this beautiful gold embossed snowflake stamp. I love these shaker pouches! They're self adhesive, come in several shapes and sizes, and are oh-so-so-very easy to use!

I added Kaisercraft pearls to the snowflake, then sprinkled some of Barbara Trombley's Vintage Glass Glitter, made from real glass, on the inside of the shaker pouch. Then I carefully aligned the circle design over top of the pouch, and this is the result. This meets the Saturday Secret Crafters challenge this week too...seasons! The "Saturday Surprise" theme is "more than one..."so I used several snowflakes here; the current "Cute Cards" challenge is "Teen Terrors" (I have a thirteen year old young friend who loves all-things-snowflake!).

I used the Let it Snow stamp from this clear stamp set, stamped with Coal Black Versafine Ink and clear embossed with Ranger Clear Super Fine Detail Embossing Powder on a panel cut with Labels Six Nestabilities dies.

Thanks so much for stopping by today. I hope you'll have time to stop by the other designers' blogs too...they'll give you some fabulous inspiration! The links to their blogs are on my sidebar to the right. And don't forget...YOU too can play in the challenge to win a $25 gift certificate for some FABULOUS IO stamps!

Design team goodness!

2009-11-18T18:45:00.007-04:00

One of my very favourite aspects of designing for my wonderful women bosses is CHRISTMAS! Today, I have several things to share with you.

These candles were done for the first ever Quietfire Design Team blog hop. I love love LOVE Suzanne's beautiful hand calligraphy, and since I am not similarly talented, it delights me that she makes her magic into rubber stamps for us to use. If you like her work, you really MUST enter her fabulous...and very generous... contest!

There are GREAT rubber stamp prizes being offered throughout the week. Here are the rules:

On EACH blog (see the daily list below) please leave your comment in the comments section for a chance to win a daily grab bag of Quietfire Design Rubber Stamps.

A name will be chosen randomly from the list of comments on each blog entry and the name of the winner will be posted on that blog the following day. Then hop on over to the next blog on the list to see the fabulous art work done with Quietfire stamps and to leave a comment to enter the drawing for that blog.

When the grand announcement is made, the winner needs to ontact suzanne@quietfiredesign.com to claim the wickedly FABULOUS grand prize...so stay connected!
Here is the list of participating blogs...visit each one of them to see their wonderful Christmas work!

Monday, Nov 16th - Yogi Grunwald

Tuesday, Nov 17th - Kristy Christopherson

Wednesday, Nov 18th - Kim Prince

Thursday, Nov 19th - Deborah March ...right here!!

Friday, Nov 20th - Suzanne Cannon ...our leading lady and purveyer of all things beautiful at Quietfire Design!

Saturday, Nov 21st - Wanda Hentges

Sunday, Nov 22nd - Becca Feeken

Monday, Nov 23rd - Monica Black

PLEASE NOTE: You need to take note of every rubber stamp used on each designer's blog. At the end of the blog hop, go back to Suzanne's blog and list all the stamps used this week on everyone's cards to win a fabulously wicked, wickedly fabulous...GRAND PRIZE.

Now, here are my candles:

These are so easy to create, and they make lovely little gifts for dinner parties and such. I stamped the sentiments on tissue paper with black StazOn ink, cut closely around the stamped image, and positioned it on the candle. Then I wrapped ordinary waxed paper tightly around the stamped image, and waved my heat gun over it, which causes the wax to melt around the image. Then you simply peel off the waxed paper, and voila! It looks like your image is stamped directly on the wax candle. Then, of course, you decorate to your heart's content. These particular candles are not meant to burn, but will just be used for Christmas decoration.

Stamps used for this project are:

Hold on to the spirit of Christmas

Merry Christmas snowflakes

Now I need your opinions here! I showed these to my dearly beloved, who said "Mmmm, nice dear, but you shouldn't add the ribbon." So... if you decide to leave a comment, please do tell me what you think about the ribbon (lol)! Positive or negative...no problem...really!

Now here's another project I created for our Quietfire blog hop. I LOVED this textured paper, and knew exactly how I wanted to use it as soon as I saw it! I created an easel card, and used some die-cut snowflakes.

I used a gold embossed Silent Night stamp for this card. I like that this stamp comes in two sizes...so versatile...and I LOVE all those decoratice curlicues...so festive for the holidays!

So, that's it for my part of the Quietfire Design blog hop. Thanks so much for visiting; I hope you've enjoyed your journey so far...let us all know what you think.

Hopefully, you'll have a little time to visit another post I'll be creating soon...about another designer challenge!

HAPPY CREATING!

BLOG HOP...PRIZES!!

2009-11-18T11:53:00.002-04:00

Aaaahhh...we're getting into the Christmas spirit with Quietfire designers!

Hoping to provide some inspiration for your Christmas creating, we're doing a Quietfire Design Blog Hop!!

There are GREAT rubber stamp prizes being offered throughout the week.

On EACH blog (see the daily list below) please leave your comment in the comments section for a chance to win a daily grab bag of Quietfire Design Rubber Stamps.

A name will be chosen randomly from the list of comments on each blog entry and the name of the winner will be posted on that blog the following day. Then hop on over to the next blog on the list to see the fabulous art work done with Quietfire stamps and to leave a comment to enter the drawing for that blog.

When the grand announcement is made, the winner needs to ontact suzanne@quietfiredesign.com to claim the wickedly FABULOUS grand prize...so stay connected!

Here is the list of participating blogs.

Monday, Nov 16th - Yogi Grunwald

Tuesday, Nov 17th - Kristy Christopherson

Wednesday, Nov 18th - Kim Prince

Thursday, Nov 19th - Deborah March ...right here!!

Friday, Nov 20th - Suzanne Cannon ...our leading lady and purveyer of all things beautiful at Quietfire Design!

Saturday, Nov 21st - Wanda Hentges

Sunday, Nov 22nd - Becca Feeken

Monday, Nov 23rd - Monica Black

NOTE: You need to take note of every rubber stamp used on each designer's blog. At the end of the blog hop, go back to Suzanne's blog and list all the stamps used this week on everyone's cards to win a fabulously wicked, wickedly fabulous...GRAND PRIZE.

Intrigued? Curiousity piqued?

Ready-set-GO!!

Coming up for air!

2009-11-17T09:41:00.010-04:00

Aaaahhh, it's been a week since I've been in my Happy Room...I've been down with the flu from HELL. However, recovery is here, and I played with paper yesterday for the first time since my last post. So, challenges...always a favourite way to pique my creative curiousity! This week's Created by Hand challenge is to use beads. Over at Secret Crafters, they want us to use a seasonal theme, and the Charisma Cardz Craft Challenge this week is "Merry and Bright."

This first card is done with the new Webster's Pages Christmas paper collection, which I just LOVE! It has such a beautiful Victorian feel, with those beautiful roses. I added Swarovski crystal beads to the front as red berries, and small self adhesive pearl beads to the trim just underneath the punched edge. Interestingly, these gorgeous papers are featured on this week's Moxie Fab World site...go over and see them all, they're STUNNING! I used a Quietfire Design Merry Christmas stamp here. I love how Suzanne's beautiful calligraphy enhances this simple design!

Here's another Christmas card, hand stitched and hand beaded, with a stamp from an Inkadinkado Christmas set.

Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by today! I'll stop by your place too!

Happy Birthday!

2009-11-08T14:13:00.011-04:00

Card for a special friend, created to meet these challenges: Charisma Cardz (sketch challenge), Theme Thursday (use borders), Finally Friday (use your favourite stamp and favourite colour combination), Saturday Surprise (in the round), Secret Crafter (make an easel card), Alphabet Challenge ("D" is for decoupage), Creative Card Crew wants to see ribbons and gems, Finally Friday wants us to create a scalloped border the old fashioned way...with punched circles.

So here's my card. I used my all time favourite sentiment stamp ("I treasure your friendship") on the inside of my card, with a favourite colour combination (celeron green with pink and white). I decoupaged some flowers on the floral wreath stamp from Impression Obsession. The Happy Birthday stamp is from Stamping Bella.

This is the easel, opened.

On the inside, I kept it deliberately plain, because it's busy enough on the outside. I really LOVE this Stampabilities sentiment stamp. I use it more often than any others I own.

This is a close-up of the dimension.

Oh, by the way...If you'd like to include your OWN wreath card in the challenge, go on over to the Impression Obsession blog...if you use only IO stamps, you could win a $25.00 gift certificate!

Thank you so much for visiting today! I'll stop by your blog too.

Challenges again...

2009-11-04T21:11:00.013-04:00

So the Impression Obsession designers are engaged in a blog challenge today; hope you'll visit all their blogs (on my sidebar) to see the fabulous things they're doing! The challenge is wreaths. Here's mine. I used one of the BIG BOLD "Cover a card" background stamps that I stamped with one of the new Impression Obsession Mega Mounts. These background stamps are humungous! When you mount them on the mega mount, there's a lovely little curve on the mount that lets you just sort of "rock" your image right onto your cardstock...SOOOO easy to use!! So, here are some pics for you. The first one is my card, the others will (I hope) let you see the mounts. I used the Cover a Card Tapestry stamp on acetate, thermal embossed with Seafoam White EP (Ranger). The cover-a-card stamps are HUGE, at 5 3/4 " square, and they really DO cover a card! (lol) I used this IO sentiment too. I punched several differant green cardstock scraps with a Martha Stewart punch, and mounted them on a Spellbinders Nestability circle punched piece of cardstock.

If you'd like to include your OWN wreath card in the challenge, go on over to the Impression Obsession blog...if you use only IO stamps on your wreath creation, you could win a $25.00 gift certificate!

This next card is for the Wednesday Stamper challenge, which is Asian this week. I used an OnyxXpressions panda stamp over a hand stitched and beaded design, with an OnyxXpressions sentiment stamp on the left. I really enjoy finding new ways to combine stitching and stamping! I'm posting a close-up of the beading too. It's such FUN to do!

THANKS for stopping by my blog today! I'll visit yours too. ;)

Challenges...

2009-11-02T17:39:00.005-04:00

I did this for two challenges. Over at Gothic Arches, we were challenged to use a piece of Lord Frederick Leighton's art, and at Created by Hand, the challenge theme is "Times gone by." These gothic arch windows remind me of the beautiful architecture we saw when we visited Italy last month. I digitally superimposed part of one of his paintings on the centre window, added some beads and glitz, and used a sentiment stamp and the corner checked design stamp from Quietfire Design.

Over at Project Tuesday, the challenge is to create a triangle box. Mine uses stamps from Heather's Stamping haven in Ottawa, Ontario. These are such fun little boxes for party and wedding favours! I stamped and gold embossed the background on SU cardstock, and the rose on vellum, then mounted that on cardstock and pop-dotted it as shown.

Over at Tag Tuesday, Louise has challenged us to create a tag with NO PAPER! Well, this one sure had me scratching my head! (lol) However, she did permit us to use cardboard...just no paper. So I cut apart a cereal box, glued tinfoil over that, let it dry, embossed it in my 'bug, painted it with white gesso, rubbed that off to distress it, then added a metal Creative Imaginations flower and a piece of ribbon. Here's the tag, and then I uploaded a photo of the tag made into a card with an Impression Obsessions sentiment stamp. THANKS Louise, what a fun challenge!

Thanks for stopping by today...I'll stop by your place too if there's a link! ;)

A "safe" card...

2009-10-30T12:39:00.009-03:00

...for my little grandson. I'm in "Grammie trouble!"

I created several Halloween cards to send to each of my four grandsons, and five year old Avery called me last night to say "Gwammie that witch "thweaked" me out, I don't like it."

So he's asked for a snowman to replace it, and this was first on my card agenda for today (lol).

I incorporated these challenges: Wednesday Stamper's chocolate (I used chocolate cardstock); Craft Challenge's don't use backing paper (I used one of the new Impression Obsession background stamps instead); One Powerful Hour's orange (carrot nose); Friday's alphabet challenge is "C" for circles.

I chalk-coloured and pop dotted parts of the Inkadinkado snowman stamp, used a Nesties border and some ribbon...and voila! My "safe card" for my grandson, which will go in today's post along with a new hat and scarf and mittens. Hope I've redeemed myself!

This card, with an Impression Obsession sentiment stamp, and a Judikins background stamp, is for the SPCC Finally Friday colour challenge:

Challenges!

2009-10-25T10:57:00.007-03:00

I really enjoy combining challenges...it just adds to the pleasure of creating! This card was created for the following challenges: this week's Gothic Arch challenge is to use orange and black; TwoPeas Stamptoberfest challenges are Fall is Fabulous, Marianne's last minute Halloween Card challenge, Sue and Tanya's Earth challenge; Saturday Surprise wants us to do something autumn themed; One Powerful Hour wants something spooky; Finally Friday's challenge is to emboss and layer; Secret Crafters want us to use orange and another colour; Our Creative Corner wants us to use a favourite holiday book or movie title in our card. I based this card on the book "Owl Moon," by Jane Yolen, a beautifully illustrated book for the 4 to 8 age group. I bought it for my grandson, who loves to have it read to him. I'll actually send this card along to him in the post tomorrow.

The background tree stamp is Cornish Heritage Farm; the owl and flourishes are from Crafty Individuals. I used Spiced Marmalade Distress Ink with Versafine Onyx black with a resist for the owl arch.

The current SAWO challenge is to make your own jewelry. Here's a set I made for my "Pink Lady Challenge" over at TwoPeas. If you haven't participated in the fabulous Two Peas stamp extravaganza all week, there's still time...you have till midnight tonight to play! Happy pea members have posted all kinds of great challenges with generous RAKS, and the grand prize from American Crafts is spectacular. Go visit the stamping message boards, play today!

Challenges...gotta love 'em!

2009-10-26T22:57:00.005-03:00

Don't you just LOVE challenges!? Whenever I have a special card to create, I check online card challenges for the day, and find such inspiration! I need a special baby girl card to send in the post, to a young couple who's just had their scond daughter. I followed several challenges, starting with Project Tuesday's (create a stairstep card). I incorporated Papertake Weekly (use stripes or spots) and Flourishes Timeless Tuesday (use border punches).

This is the result. I'm tickled pink with how it turned out. I used some Basic Grey paper scraps, stamps from Hearts in Touch (little girl) and Quietfire Design (sentiment).

For this next card, the gauntlet's been thrown! Catherine, a stamping friend, has challenged us to participate in the MoJo Monday challenge this week. It's a nice sketch, so I decided to try it. I paired it with the current Created by Hand challenge...Halloween.

The crow stamp is from Quietfire Design; the trees backgrounder is from Cornish Heritage Farm. I used Spiced Marmalade and Mustard Seed distress inks, Versafine Black Ink, Ranger Super Fine Detail Clear Embossing Powder, and Gold Krylon Ink.

LOTS of Challenges! Playing catch-up!

2009-10-21T06:53:00.011-03:00

I've been away for several weeks, enjoying sights and sounds and smells and tastes of France and Italy...FABULOUS vacation...but it's OH-SO-GOOD to be home and in my happy room again, where I'm catching up on challenges and cards due for special occasions.

This week's Wednesday Stamper challenge is to create a Halloween card. This little owl uses Halloween colours, but a non Halloween sentiment, hope he still fits the challenge! The stamp is from Heather's Stamping Haven in Ottawa, and the sentiment is computer generated.

This week's Timeless Tuesday challenge over at Flourishes is to watercolour. Here's a scrapling I created, and also posted over at TwoPeas , where they're hosting a week long stamping extravaganza called "Stamptoberfest..." check out the message board...great challenges, delightful member RAKS, and a SUPER GENEROUS grand prize package! The tree stamp is from Rubber Stamp Avenue, coloured direct to rubber with Tombow watercolour markers, and misted with water, then stamped on watercolour paper. The sentiment stamp is from Amuse.

This is a card I did to fit Charisma Cards distressed challenge, and "Theme Thursday's," which is faces. I LOVE this stamp, it's an oldie from Magenta. The dainty gold embossed flourishes are from Crafty Individuals.

The current "Cute Card Thursday" challenge is "Candy Corn," and over at "One Powerful Hour," we had to create something spooky. I did this wee Halloween thing for my grandson, whose current obsession is spiders! The wooden coffin is from Michael's Arts and Crafts.

For this project, I used the Dreamweaver spider brass stencil , the Dreamweaver spiderweb brass stencil, and Dreamweaver embossing pastes, all from Quietfire Design.

Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by my blog today! I'd love to come see YOU too!

Created by Hand Challenge

2009-10-20T09:11:00.003-03:00

This week's CBH challenge is to use the word "trust." I used a photo I took just last Friday, of a lovely painting in a wonderful artists' market in Piazza Navona, in Rome. (The painter gave me permission!) This piazza is a beautiful and famous square where you can admire sculptural masterpieces by Bernini, Borromini and G. della Porta, who were important baroque artists. We took literally HUNDREDS of photos here, then sat...for several delightful hours in warm sunshine...to eat lunch and consume copious amounts of red Italian wine! These wonderful sentiment stamps are from Quietfire Design.

Created by Hand Challenge

2009-10-06T06:00:00.002-03:00

So I'm hoping this post works. I set it to post on October 6th, while I'm away enjoying the sights and sounds and tastes of Paris! We left Nova Scotia Sept 26th. After Paris, we're on our way to the south of France, then to Rome...exploring and eating and sipping our way through our travels. Aaahhh, retirement is wonderful!

Sooo...the challenge this week over at Created by Hand is to use stencils...one of my very favourite artsy tools...so I made several! (lol) This first card uses Dreamweaver stencils with Glitter Ritz, double sided tape and one of the brand new stamps over at Quietfire Design. I stamped the sentiment with Versafine Black Ink, then thermal embossed with Ranger Super Fine Clear Embossing Powder.

For this next card, I used another new Quietfire stamp also uses a Dreamweaver stencil (Swirl Background), wet embossed with white embossing paste. I first stamped on a scrap of paper, cut a mask, then stamped and thermal embossed the same sentiment on cardstock, masked it, then paste embossed over the masked image. I cut it with one of the new Spellbinders Nestabilities (Labels Six), then layered it with dimensional foam squares onto black cardstock, previously paste-embossed with a Dreamweaver Thank You stencil.

Here's another one, using the Cypress Tree Dreamweaver stencil with two sided tape and Glitter Ritz again, with the Spellbinders Scallop Ovals and a Quietfire Design sentiment stamp. I posted this one for an earlier TGIF challenge too. :)

This last card was just for fun. The stencil here is the small square Spellbinders Shapeabilities Fleur de Lis pendant die, cut and embossed with gold mirror cardstock, then cut in half and affixed to the top and bottom of a Spellbinders Nestabilities Labels Six die, paired with another one of Suzanne's beautiful new rubber stamps.

So, that's it for this post. If you'd like to read more about using stencils, here's a link to an article I wrote, which was published in Stamp and Scrap Art last year...also posted on the Quietfire website. Thanks again for visiting today! I wish you a happy and creative week!

TGIF challenge # 104

2009-09-26T02:44:00.003-03:00

The current TGIF challenge is "wonderful trees." Here's mine, done with a sentiment stamp from Quietfire Design and a tree using a Dreamweaver brass stencil, Sookwang double sided tape, and glitters.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Ismaki Challenge June 2nd.

2008-06-02T16:34:00.009-03:00

This week's Ismaki challenge sketch has been very kind to us, THANK YOU for that Manue! I used the sketch along with my new stamp set from Stempleblad in Norway and a favourite image from Quietfire Design. I love these acrylic stamps! I stamped and embossed in gold on white cardstock and on a transparency, then painted with Ruby Red Twinkling H2O, and added some glitter on some of the hearts. I scanned the stamp set for you to see, below my card. They come with six different sentiments, and everything fits together so nicely! The Stempelblad website is in Norwegian, but if you like the stamps, you could e-mail the designer, Åshild (she speaks English) at this address: stempel@stempelblad.no

Edited September 2009: this card was published in the fall issue of Just Cards, on page 110! Thanks for visiting my blog.

Challenges

2009-09-08T08:09:00.006-03:00

Oh my, I am SO enjoying this late summer/beginning of fall weather! I don't enjoy artsy endeavors during the heat and humidity of the summer, so I'm spending hours and hours in my happy room these days.

Today's challenge over at Created by Hand is to use stitching on your work. This first card uses machine stitching over a watercolour-resist with Ecoline inks, and the second uses hand stitching. Both cards use Quietfire Design stamps. The last card for the CBH challenge is a birthday card I finished this morning for a dear artist friend, hand stitched corner scroll with Kaisercraft pearls. I think the stamp might be Stamp It Australia, although the name on the tin box is long gone.

The challenge over at Our Creative Corner is to use stars and stripes. This card uses an old stamp from Peddler's Pack, and a sentiment stamp from Impression Obsession. The sentiment stamp is the one on the bottom, which actually says "Merry Christmas to a Special Hero," but I masked out the Merry Christmas, and added a computer generated "Happy Birthday" above the stamped image instead.

This card is for the Crazy Amigo challenge...hats! The image stamps is a House Mouse, the hat is All Night Media, and the sentiment is Quietfire Design.

Thanks so much for stopping by today.

Impression Obsession Designers' Challenge!

2009-09-03T07:50:00.008-03:00

Oh my, it's been three weeks since I posted here. I've been enjoying long, lazy summer days at the lake, where internet is forbidden (lol).

Today, the IO designers are posting challenges to use stamps for "other than their intended purpose." Well, hmmm, I think I interpreted this a little differently than other designers did. Because I'm a card maker, MY feeble brain interpreted the challenge as "Don't make a CARD Deborah." So I didn't. Ummm...I used the tree...as a tree! (lol) BUT...I did use it on a different project though, so I hope the IO gals will let me away with it.

I used this beautiful tree to design a votive candle shade. After creating four panels from green cardstock with Nestabilities scalloped and square dies, I stamped the image on vellum, colouring the stamp with a green watercolour marker, then added accents of Aleene's "True Snow," and sprinkled Aleene's clear glitter over it while it was still wet. Then I rummaged through my bead stash and fashioned bead strings to sew on to tiny organza bows, and added paper roses to hide the stitching. I just LOVE this particular little tree!

If you like trees, Impression Obsession has five full pages of them for your pleasure, starting here.

The first image is unlit, the second shows it with a battery operated flickering candle inside.

Thanks so much for stopping by today! Be sure to take a few minutes to see the beautiful work from the other talented Impression Obsession designers...you'll find links to their blogs on the right sidebar here.

Challenges!

2009-08-11T11:10:00.009-03:00

Well, it's been two weeks since I posted anything here. I've been enjoying visiting grandkidlets, and haven't spent any time at all in my happy room, so it was fun to get back here.

This project was created to meet several challenges, but the initial conception was about my little grandson's current obsession with spiders. Connor is three years old, and this will be going in the post to him later this week. It's designed to hold a battery operated flickering candle.

Here are some pics of three year old Connor (wearing green and red shirts) with his five year old brother Avery, at White Point Beach in Nova Scotia last week. They're such FUN little boys!

So, on to the challenges! I started this one a couple of days ago with the current Gothic Arch challenge, which is Edgar Allan Poe (the ravens reflect that). The current Saturday Surprise challenge is to use a different shape. The Papertake Weekly challenge is to reflect the seasons, so here's fall and Halloween! Over at Our Creative Corner, they want us to comemmorate harvest time, and at SAWO, the challenge is to use texture paint.

I started with a 12 by 12 piece of chipboard, cut the three arch shapes in a continuous fashion, gessoed and painted them with Lumiere Burnt Orange, then used the Dreamweaver spider web and spider templates with Dreamweaver Black Matte embossing paste. I paste embossed the spiders on acetate and glued them to the inside Spellbinders-cut ovals. Then I thermal embossed the Quietfire Design crows and word with Tsukineko Black embossing powder, added lots of glitter and little wooden buttons which were painted with gold Lumiere for feet...and it was finished! I made one of these for a favourite local paper crafting shop too..."The Cutting Garden." They're such FUN to do!

Thanks SO much for taking the time to stop by today!

Welcome to Paris!

2009-08-13T10:15:00.010-03:00

Next month, my better half and I will be travelling from Nova Scotia to Europe with several friends. These friends form a group of eight; we often enjoy dinner parties with one another, and our tradition is to spend every New Year's Eve together. So I wanted to create a little "purse-something card" to give the gals at our "Pre-vacation dinner party," coming up soon. We'll be visiting Paris, Nice (French Riviera), Cinque Terre (Italian Riviera) and Rome over a period of nearly a month. Our dinner party's theme is "all things Paris."

Although one of the challenges needed some distressing (which is ALWAYS an extra challenge for me!), I had such FUN with this project! I created four of these, three for gal-friends, and one for a local paper crafting shop.

Sooo...I browsed through all the current challenges, and decided on these:

The Crazy Amigo challenge is "welcome" (to Paris!)
The Cuttlebug challenge is to create a "scene" card (Eiffel Tower)
The Wednesday Stamper challenge is "paisley" (inside pocket)
The Ready Set Stamp challenge is to use the following ingredients: cork, the colour blue, a monument, the Cuttlewax technique, and a metal embellishment

Isa's done an easy tutorial on the Cuttlewax technique, on a post dated Aug 12th. (An added bonus is a pic of her "favourite helper elf," her little daughter Melissa)

So, this is what I did: I used a piece of the new Basic Grey lace medallion paper first.

It was actually nicely distressed as it was, but I Cuttlebugged the Swiss Dots folder on waxed paper, then ironed it onto the lace medallion (sandwiched with another piece of cardstock), then distressed it with Tim Holtz Broken China ink.

Then I stamped this Crafty Individuals stamp on a piece of cork paper with the same colour ink, mounted it on the Basic Grey lace medallion, then mounted that on another cork panel. Crafty Individuals stamps lend themselves so well to distressed work. The tower image is very faint, which is just what I wanted. I used some pretty ribbon from Michael's, the Fleur di lis emblems are glittered with rust...very pretty! I picked up the rust again with a small circle of rust textured paper underneath the stamped image. I added a Fleur di Lis metal embellishment from Frost Creek Charms.

I stamped and embossed a couple of paisleys on an inside pocket, coloured with a little Sakura Glaze ink, added some note paper and a pen, then a greeting on the back...et voila!

Thanks so much for taking the time to visit today.

Created by Hand Challenge

2009-08-11T13:05:00.004-03:00

The current Created by Hand challenge is to use a favourite background. I'm enjoying glitters with brass stencils these days, so here's one I did for a young friend, who's just recently started card making. I used a Dreamweaver brass stencil with this double sided tape, and a mixture of different Glitter Ritz glitters and Martha Stewart glitters, along with a Quietfire Design sentiment stamp, some crystals and pearls, and a Martha Stewart border punch.

Thanks so much for visiting my blog today.

Wednesday Stamper

2009-07-29T10:15:00.005-03:00

The current Wednesday Stamper challenge is "take a ride." This is my interpretation...my Christmas cards will be taking a ride all around the world, starting in a mailbox! (lol) Hope this isn't too abstract an interpretation to meet the challenge. This is my first Christmas card of '09; I'm determined to be ready this year, and not feel pressured to produce cards quickly when the holidays roll around.

I used a vintage mailbox image, altered it in Photoshop, to add our Nova Scotia flag and "Nova Scotia Post," added some Flowersoft around the holly and some textural paste and glitter for the snow, stamped and white embossed the All Night Media "Wish you were here" postal cancellation, and added a hand stitched panel to complete the card.

Thanks so much for visiting today!

Shar Pei challenges

2009-07-27T16:39:00.004-03:00

I created this next card to meet six different challenges: the sketch is from Our Creative Corner; the Created by Hand challenge is Asian; the Saturday Surprise challenge is pets; the Thursday Craft Challenge is to use tags; the gals over at Crazy Amigo have a "free" theme this week, , and over at Secret Crafters, we're instructed to use two designer papers, three buttons, and one ribbon. We share our home with a lovable Chinese Shar Pei named Li-Na, so I used this Shar Pei image as the focal point of my tag. It's actually a Canadian postage stamp. I scanned it, enlarged it, and cut it with the Spellbinders petite ovals die, which I then layered with gold mirror cardstock and black Bazzill. The two designer papers I used are from Creative Imaginations and Kodomo. The sentiment stamp is from Suzanne's beautiful hand calligraphy over at Quietfire Design, stamped with Versafine Brown ink and clear embossed. The Asian characters stamp is from All Night Media. I outlined several layers with gold and silver Krylon pens.

This next card is one I did for the Created by Hand challenge last week, but never got around to posting. The theme was stars and moon. I coloured the Inkadinkado owl stamp with chalks, then stamped the Quietfire Design sentiment with Versafine Black ink and clear embossed it. I cut the shapes with Spellbinders Nestabilities Labels 4 dies, then I hand embroidered a star with metallic silver thread.

Thanks so much for taking the time to visit today!