You're So Cool

It seemed to take a long time to get summer weather here. Now it's almost too hot so ice cream seems like the perfect treat. I stamped a couple of these cones thinking I was going to use them on my tulle shaker card but they were too big. So of course I couldn't waste them.

I started by picking a couple of patterned papers and then I used the colors to color my ice cream cone. I die cut a circle out of the dotted patterned paper that fit inside the scallop circle I cut from card stock. I trimmed the striped paper down to fit just inside an A2 card and wrapped a 1/8" white ribbon around the bottom and tied a knot. I adhered the circle so that it hung off the side a bit and trimmed the over hang off.

I mounted this onto an A2 sized hot pink card. I fussy cut the cone and popped it up with foam tape along with the sentiment. A few enamel dots finished it off. 

Copics used:

Ice cream-R81, R83, R85

Cone-Y11, Y15, Y17

Stripes-BG45, BG49, YR16, YR07, YG13, YG17

Supplies used:

Ridiculously Amazing-cone & sentiment

Ric Rac Nested Circle dies

Hero Arts Infinity Circle Dies

Happy Birthday Tulle Shaker

I have been playing with tulle shaker cards this weekend. The Unity Stamp Co Facebook page has had a couple of videos making tulle shakers and I had to give it a try.

I cut a stitched rectangle panel with my largest die and then I arranged this lovely flower stamp in one corner. I stamped it, then turned the paper 180 degrees and stamped it again. Once I got it colored, I used a smaller rectangle die to figure out the opening and then I just penciled the straight lines on. I cut along them with an Exacto knife and then fussy cut around the flowers. 

For this shaker I wanted to have a little room for the sequins to move so I cut 2 rectangles with my next largest die. I centered my flower panel over them and then traced around the inside of the opening. I used an Exacto knife to cut the inside out making it slightly larger than the flower center panel.

I used double sided tape to adhere those 3 layers together. I then put double sided tape on the back of the flower panel. I made sure to put some close to the edges of the flowers so the sequins wouldn't go behind them and get lost. I cut a piece of tulle and adhered it to the flower panel. I turned that panel over and cut away any tulle showing on the outside edges. I then adhered the double layer frame behind the flowers making sure none of it showed on the inside or outside.

I poured a pile of sequins onto the middle of an A2 size black card panel and then careful centered my flower panel over it. this was mounted to an A2 size card.

Copic Colors used:

Flowers-B91, B95, B97

Centers- YR15, YR24

Big leaves-YG63, YG67

Small leaves-G43

I made another card using a faux shaker panel created with 2 layers of tulle.

For this card, I cut a frame using a die and adhered a piece of tulle behind it. Then I placed sequins on the backside of that layer and using double sided tape adhered another another piece of tulle over the sequins. I turned this over and trimmed the tulle along the outside edges. I used double sided tape to adhere this to a card base that I had ink blended the edges on. I fussy cut the ice cream pieces out and used glue to attach them to the frame along with a sentiment.

Colors used:

Cone-E25, E27

Chocolate-E23, E25

Ice cream-E50

Soda glass, Heart & Topping-RV10, RV55

Parfait glass-B0000

Supplies used:

Flower card

Flowers-Simply & Lovely

Sentiment-Hugs, Kisses & Birthday Wishes

Ice Cream Card

Ice cream pieces-Time to Enjoy Life

Sentiment-Ridiculously Amazing

Hello Sunshine card

A quick card for today. I used a beautiful digital stamp from Graciellie Designs.  I have been seeing this technique where you place the sentiment in the middle of an image and wanted to give it a try. 

I used Microsoft Word and placed the sunflower image in a text box and sized it how I wanted. I then placed the sentiment in a text box and sized and placed it over the sunflower where I wanted it. I left the text box background white so that it wouldn't let the sunflower show through in that area. I printed it out on a laser printer and used a ruler and a Copic friendly pen to draw lines above and below the sentiment along the edge of the image.

Copics used:

Sunflower petals-E17, YR24, YR27, Y15, Y19, BV20

Center-E34, E29, E49, E59, YG13, G20, Y02

Don't let he number of colors intimidate you. Most are used very sparingly. I started with the darkest color on the petals and worked my way out. I colored several petals at the same time.  I put down the three darkest colors and then used the Y19 to blend them out, leaving a little bit of white space to fill in with the Y15.

The center was done by dotting all the colors. I started with the darkest color and dotted along the outside edges of the center. Leave a lot of white space for the first layer. Then add each color starting slightly into  the previous colors area and dotting out a little further. You then go back following your previous pattern and dot another layer to fill in the white spaces. 

Once I had the image colored, I die cut the panel and cut a loose mask to cover the flower. I splatted black water color over the panel. I am splatter challenged. I always seem to get one random clump of splatters no matter what I do. 

Supplies used:

Summer Sunflowers-digital stamp

Shimmer & Shine-if you prefer red rubber stamps, these are the same images. They will be slightly smaller than the flower on my card.

Double Stitched In & Out-rectangle die

Strong, Amazing, Brave & Beautiful

I did another quick card with a digital image from the Petals for the Pittmans fund raiser.

This image is so amazing. I had so much fun coloring it. Once I got it colored, I cut it out and started playing with layout ideas. I saw another card using the other image that was done like this and the sentiment was on the side. I have this amazing stamp set from Unity, with long sentiments full of encouragement. I thought one of them was perfect along the side. 

It needed some embellishment on the right so I went into Microsoft Word and put this same image into text boxes that I resized to show the butterfly. I layered a few of those adjusting the size a bit and printed them out. This way I didn't waste paper. Once they were colored, I fussy cut them and arranged them on the side of the sentiment. I used a .02 pen to draw the dash lines for movement.

Colors used:

Flowers-R81, R83, R85

Leaves-G82, G94, G99

Butterflies-Y11, Y15, Y19

Background-B93. B95

Supplies used

Petals for the Pittmans-set one image

Moments of Bliss-sentiment

Double Stitched In & Out-rectangle die

Hello Friends Tulip & background

Hello everyone. You may feel like you have seen this before. I have been making backgrounds with my Copic markers. I made this and the blue circle on I used on the Seahorse card to go with the camera image on another card. They didn't work for that so I am finding other things to use them with. I love this tulip so it seemed the perfect choice.

I made the background and colored the tulip. The tulip was fussy cut and them mounted to a white oval. I cut a slightly larger oval and used my Y13 Copic marker to color the edges to make a perfect mat. I placed this on the card and then tied a ribbon along the bottom edge. I stamped my sentiment and them matted it with white card stock colored with a the same Copic marker. All of this was adhered to an A2 size card blank.

To make the background, I colored random sized circles with 3 different Copic colors. I then used a Copic friendly pen to draw messy circles around them. I dotted the white space with all 3 makers, sometimes holding it in place a little longer to make a bigger circle. I then colored the edges of the card stock with my Y13 Copic

Copics used:

Background Y11, Y13, Y15

Tulip-BV02, BV13. BV17

Leaves-YG11, YG13

Supplies used:

Be Unstoppable-tulip

Abundant Blessings-sentiment

I Love You Flower card

I have to say I love coloring flower images the best. I am not an expert, but they make me happy and I usually am happy with how I colored them. That is why buying both sets of Petals for Pittmans made more then perfect sense to me. I get a huge array of amazing flower images to color and I am supporting a family that really needs help. Visit Polka Dot Orchard for all the details.

Isn't this image beautiful. I have wanted a flower image like this for a long time so it had to be the first one I tried. I colored it with Copics and then used lots of dies to mat it up. 

I cut the large Loopy rectangle mat and adhered it to a white A2 card base. Then I cut the Peekaboo Rectangle out of white and adhered the opening around the flower image I colored. Then I trimmed down both layers of card stock to fit inside the stitched line on the loopy rectangle mat. I stamped a tiny "I love you" in the bottom right corner and then adhered it to the card base. Three tiny pearl gems were glued around the flower and it was down. This card is to pretty in really life. The white on white lacy layers are so much better in person.

Copics used:

Flowers-R22, R24, R29

Leaves-G20, G21, G24

Shadow-C00, C1

Centers-yellow colored pencil

Supplies used:

Petals for the Pittmans-set 1

Peekaboo Rectangle die 

Loopy Rectangle die

Happy Birthday Fish & Flowers

I have been playing with digital images again. This one struck my fancy and I loved seeing what I could do with it. 

I printed it out on an A2 size panel. I added the Happy Birthday with a font on my computer.

I colored up the image and then I die cut it with the beautiful rectangle die. I mounted that on an A2 yellow card stock. I scattered some clear sequins around and had a easy but pretty card down in no time.

Copics used:

Fish-YR12-orange areas, Y11, Y13-yellow parts, BG10-around edges

Flower petals-BG10, BG11, BG13

Centers-YR12, Y13

Leaves-YG11, YG13

Supplies used:

Wander Often-digital images from Polka Dot Orchard

Loopy Rectangle-die

Hello Sweet Friend

I have been having so much fun using my Copic markers to make background papers. I made this fun, swirly one and decided it needed a coffee cup image to go with it. I didn't own an stamps so I found a beautiful digital set from a favorite artist Graciellie Designs.

Isn't this a beautiful image. I had so much fun coloring it.

I made this background by using a Copic friendly black pen and drawing random swirls over the page in different sizes. I then took Copic markers in E31, E33, E35 and E37 to color them in. Once they were all filled in, I colored over everything with E30.

I cut a band for the card from brown card stock using a border die. I adhered this to the background, slightly off center and cut the whole panel down with a stitched rectangle die. I mounted that on a brown A2 size panel. I fussy cut the cup out and popped it and the sentiment up with foam tape. 

I got the Coffee & Love set and printed out this cup and sentiment on Neenah 80lb card stock. 

Copics used:

Cup-E55, E57, E59

Band & lid-E53, E55

Flowers-B91, B93, B95, B97

Leaves-YG65, YG67

Flower Centers-Y23, Y26, Y28

I found the perfect sequin mix in my stash. Some of the sequins even had swirls in them.

Supplies Used:

Coffee & Love-digital stamp set

Coffee Au Lait-sparkle blend mix

Twisted Stitch Border die

Stitched Rectangle die

Ho, Ho, Ho-Christmas in July

I had one more background and one more digital image I wanted to play with. I printed this out much bigger than I thought it would be but I had fun coloring it anyway.

Aren't these boots adorable? Crystal Minkler, a creator from the Unity Show & Tell board, that I have loved seeing her cards drew these for Polka Dot Orachard's digital images. I printed them out on Neenah 80lb card stock with a laser printer. 

I made this background with Copics. I used the brush tip of the red for a thinner line. I used the broad tip of the lighter green to draw one strip and then the broad tip of the darker green to draw a double line. I just kept repeating the pattern until the card front was filled.

Copics used:

Boots-C5, C6, C7, 100

Buckle-Y11, Y15, YR21, YR23

Background-YG11, YG17, R29

Supplies used:

Magic of Christmas-digital images

I highly recommend you check out Polka Dot Orchard's digital image packs. Amazing images and lovely prices. You will be seeing more of them here for sure.

Seahorse with Copic background

Hello. Today I am making cards with a bunch of Copic backgrounds I made while watching Netflix this week. It has been super fun, but challenging to use them up.

A friend suggested this Cuddlebug Seahorse for this circle background and I loved how it turned out. The background is pretty bold and everything I put on it, got a little lost. I decided to layer vellum over it. I fussy cut the seahorse and 3 seaweed strands and freehand cut the sand. I mounted everything but 1 strand of seaweed on top of the vellum and one strand of seaweed behind. Then I put adhesive behind the pieces and stuck it to the circle background. I poked 2 holes at the top and tied some natural color thread at the top.

The background was made by using 4 colors of Copics an freehand coloring a bunch of random size circles. Then I took a .5 Copic friendly pen and drew messy circles around the Copic ones. I filled in the white space by dotting the tip of all the colors randomly around. I made some of those dots bigger by holding the tip there just a bit longer.

I blended some Distress Oxide in Antique Linen on some white paper and cut my sand strip. I then  took a sewing pin and Walnut Stain and dotted some texture to the sand. 

Copics used:

Seahorse-Y19, YR24, YR27

Seaweed-YG05, YG06, YG09

Background-B21, B23, B24, B26

Supplies used:

Cuddlebug Seahorse-image and inside sentiment

Vellum

Embrace the Moment-digital stamp

Today I dabbled in the world of digital stamps. There are so many amazing companies out there and digital stamps take up a lot less room. I simple used Microsoft Word to import and resize my image. I definitely will need some practice with that. I didn't get any thing the size I might have really wanted.

I printed the camera and sentiment out on Neenah 80lb card stock with a laser printer. I colored the camera up with Copics and fussy cut it out. I trimmed down the sentiment and gave it banner ends. 

I couldn't find any paper I liked so I made my own. I used 2 Copic markers and varied the strip size my using the different tips and making more than one line with a color. I used one of the blue Copics to color around the edge on an A2 size piece of card stock to make a matching mat. I used the same blue to make a mat for the sentiment by coloring a strip of white card stock all over.

Copics used:

Stripes-Y13, Y15

Camera body-B21, B23, B24

Lens, flash etc-C, C5, C6, C7

Heart-Y13

Supplies used:

Embrace the Moment-digital stamp set 

This set also can be purchased in red rubber from Unity Stamp Co

Take Another Shot-red rubber

White pearl cotton

White enamel dots

thin foam tape from the Dollar Tree

Be Yourself with Bernadette Girl

I love Angie Girls. I am building my collection. This lovely lady is called Bernadette girl and she is a joy to color. 

I didn't have a plan for this lovely lady so I just let the card evolve on its own. 

I colored her up using some warm grays and giving her a lovely pop of red.I will list the colors below. Then I took and edge die and cut down on one side. I followed that up with a stitched rectangle die to give the other edges some interest.

I made her a background using Distress Oxide Pumice Stone ink. I lightly blended a layer over the whole piece of white card stock and then I used a brick background stamp inked up in the same color to add another layer. This was cut down a tiny bit and mounted on a deep red A2 piece of card stock.

I stamped the sentiment in black, lightly blended the Pumice Stone ink over it and cut a banner edge on one side. This was matted with the same red card stock. Then it was just a matter of assembling all the layers and attaching them to a card base.

Copic Colors used:

Jacket-W3, W4, W5, W6

Scarf, boots, heart-R35, R37, R39, R89

Pants-W4, W5, W6, W7

Bag-E55, E57

Shirt-E41, E42

Hair-YR21, Y26, E44

Bricks-W00, W0, W1

Supplies used:

Bernadette girl-image

You Matter-sentiment

Stitched Rectangle die

Brackets, Bevels & Lace-edge die

Trust Yourself tulip card

I had to make another card using the beautiful tulip stamp form Unity Stamp Co.

I colored it up with my favorite pink Copic markers and then die cut the panel with an oval die set and matted it with black card stock.

I embossed a panel of white card stock with an old folder I had and cut it down and matted with with black card stock. I trimmed a sheet of gingham patterned paper down 1/8" on the top and one side and matted it with black card stock. I assembled the layers and then wrapped some black organza ribbon around and tied a knot. I stamped the sentiment, matted it in black and mounted it over the ribbon. The card face was then adhered to an A2 size card base. I used white Nuvo drops to accent it.

Copics used:

Tulip-R81, R83, R85, R89

Leaves-G21, G24, G28

Shadow-W00, W0, W1

Supplies used:

Be Unstoppable-tulip and sentiment

Oval stacking dies-mine are from My Favorite Things but they no longer carry them.

Funny Farm Birthday card

I enjoyed making this quick birthday card and am pleased that it can be used for a guy birthday. I always need those and they seem to be the last ones I make.

 I decided to give it a semi-distressed feel so I stamped everything on Neenah Desert Storm card stock. I used my dot background stamp and Distress Oxide ink in Frayed Burlap onto a kraft panel that was cut down 1/8" on the top and one side. I distressed the edges with the Frayed Burlap ink. 

 I had a scrap piece of gingham patterned paper but it was stark white. So I just blended some Frayed Burlap ink over it and it was perfect. I adhered that to the dot background and matted the whole thing with an A2 size red card stock.

I tried stamping with Distress Oxide Barn Door first but it wasn't deep enough. So I grabbed the Distress Oxide Archival cube in Barn Red and it was exactly the color I wanted. I die cut the animal panel with an in and out cut double stitched die. I then aged the edges with the Frayed Burlap ink.

I wanted to mat it with red card stock so I used the same die to cut a panel. While the card stock was still in the die, I placed double sided tape on the back side to hold the inside and outside together.

I removed the die and flipped it over. I then used my paper trimmer to cut it down just outside the second row of stitches. Then I mounted the kraft panel with the animals onto it, making sure it fit inside the outside row of stitches. I mounted that onto the dot panel.

The sentiment was stamped with the same Archival ink and I just cut the notches on one end. I used my Tim Holtz tool to punch two holes on one side. I cut a length of twine and feed the ends through the holes from the back side. I wrapped it around the side of the card and tied a knot. I used a bit of adhesive on the back side of the sentiment to keep it in place.

Supplies used:

Funny Farm-image and sentiment

Double Stitched In & Out Rectangle-die set

Neenah Desert Storm card stock

Archival Ink Distress Barn Door ink

Distress Oxide Frayed Burlap ink

Tan twine.

Vintage Tulip Birthday Card

Hello, it feels like forever since I have made a card. You can tell it's car show season I guess.  I must have been influenced by the Friends of Unity Vintage theme blog hop this month when I went to color these tulips. I thought they had a vintage feel to them so I went with that when I made the card.

I love everything about this card. Usually I wish I had done something different but not this time. 

I started by cutting a stitched rectangle die that was 3 1/8"x 4 3/8" and an A2 size panel of white card stock. I blended Distress Oxide ink in Pumice Stone over both panels.

I then took the Worn Music background stamp and inked it with Distress Oxide in Hickory smoke and stamped it on the smaller panel.

I took my Distressed Dots background stamp and again using the Hickory Smoke ink, I stamped the larger panel.

I used the Hickory Smoke to distress the edges of both panels.

I trimmed down the A2 size panel about 1/8" on the top and side and mounted it to black card stock. I wrapped some string around the middle three times and then mounted that to an A2 size card.

I fussy cut the 3 tulips out and then I arranged them on the smaller panel. I actually cut off a couple of the leaves and then added them back where they looked a bit better on the arrangement. I blended a scrap of white card stock with the Pumice Stone color and then stamped the sentiment with the Archival Distress Hickory Smoke. I cut that to the same width as the smaller panel, matted it with black and then used it to anchor my tulip arrangement on the card.

I matted the small panel with black card stock and used 1/16" foam to mount it to the card base.

Copic Colors used:

Purple flower-V91, V93, V95 & C2 in the shadows

Purple flower leaves-YG61, YG63 & YG67

Yellow flower-Y21, Y23, Y26 & N1 in the shadows

Yellow flower leaves-YG11, G21

Supplies used:

Be Unstoppable-tulip & sentiment

Worn Music-small background 

Distressed Dots-large background

Stitched Rectangle dies-I used the 3rd largest

Distress Oxide inks

1/16" foam tape

black string from a local store Impress Cards & Crafts