Monday, March 29, 2010

Not Sure About This Card



Chaos!


I had fun coloring this image of  Mo's "Wednesday's Child", but not so much fun putting the card together! Nothing I tried pleased me, so I finally just said, "The heck with it! It's done!" It's actually grown on me since I made it weeks ago, but I still think it's a bit busy. I guess it does convey the sense of frustration the little guy is feeling, though.





The inside says,
" When things go wrong, you might as well laugh, 'cause crying never helps!"
He's colored using Copics. I used my Creative Memories circle cutting tools to cut out part of the circle behind him, then mounted him on Real Red CS, which had a smaller circle cut out of it, leaving a narrow frame behind him. That was then mounted onto a Curry panel . I did some machine stitching around the edges, then raised the panel off the Basic Grey DP with mounting tape. I used scraps of CS and DP in geometric shapes to mimic his blocks. The word stamp is from PrintWorks.
Of course, I had to photograph the card with some of my miniatures! The tiny, fully jointed bear in the little red wagon is just 1 1/4" tall, the tiniest in my collection.

Saturday, March 27, 2010

A Little of This and That




Variety is the Spice of Life


  

I've been trying out some new digital images lately. This Raggedy Ann and Andy is public domain artwork that I found on a coloring book site. I'm not sure, but I think this was drawn by Johnny Gruelle, Ann's original creator. I've always loved Raggedy Ann, and when I saw this vintage image, I knew it would make a great Get Well card. The sentiment was computer-generated. The inside says, "Hope this finds you on the mend!"

DP: Basic Grey
CS: SU! Brilliant Blue & PTI White
Punches: Martha Stewart. Leaf, Cosmos, Branch, Hydrangea, and Border-SU! Circles
Accessories:Tiny Buttons, Gold Wire, Grosgrain Ribbon, Pearl Cabochons, Mounting Tape, Glue Dots
Colored with Copics and Prismacolor Pencils




The very tiny Raggedy Ann & Andy were made by Gail Wilson, a New Hampshire doll maker. (I bought them at the League of New Hampshire Craft Fair several years ago and never told my husband how much I paid for them! Sssh!) They are sitting in a miniature hand-made Adirondack chair from my collection of miniature chairs.


Sassy Cheryl
 


 This card uses an image from Sassy Cheryl's
  Several of my fellow members on Mo's Design Team are also on Chery's team, so I thought I'd try out a one of her images. I have to say that I wasn't interested in them at all until I saw them colored up! Those girl's do a great job with them! Now there are a few that I'd like to have.
DP: Basic Grey 
CS: SU! Almost Amethyst, Pumpkin Pie, Certainly Celery, and  PTI White
Punches: MS Branch and Fence Border
Accessories: Prima Daisies, Brads, Plaid Ribbon, Nesties.
Colored using Copics & Prismacolor Pencils

Thanks for stopping by!

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Mo's Challenge #24


Pretty Pastels



This is Cathy's last week as our hostess for Mo's Challenge, and I hope you've enjoyed her month as much as I have! She certainly did make it fun! Her challenge for us this week was to use this sketch.
I've used "Cupcake Fairy Lee" from Mo's. This sweet little thing is just about irresistible and so much fun to color! I think she's perfect in pastels. 
The inside reads, "Sugar and spice and everything nice....That's my Happy Birthday wish for you, Cupcake!"




I've used SU! Gable Green, Banana, and  Pretty in Pink CS. The sentiment on the punched out circles is also SU!. The cupcake DP is from Basic Grey. The little fairy is colored using Copics and Prismacolor pencils, with a touch of Spica pens on her wings and dress. The Doily Border Punch from Martha Stewart is along the left edge, and the new scalloped loop punch from SU! surrounds the square panel. Tiny pearl cabochons are adhered to the loops, and some thin silver cord is fastened around the image circle using Crystal Effects glue.
Pink and yellow grosgrain ribbons complete the elements in the sketch.

I hope you'll all give Cathy a big "Thank You" and let her know how much we've appreciated all her inspiration this past month by posting an entry for her last challenge. Let's see all your wonderful creations!



I've entered this in Flutterby Wednesdays, also.
 Use a butterfly, fairy, or angel.
This one at Colour Create Challenge Blog. 
Use pastels.
CCEE Stampers.
Inspiration Challenge
Charisma Cardz Challenges
ABC Toys & Crafts
Anything Spring

Friday, March 19, 2010

He Wouldn't Scare Anyone!



Belated Birthday




I had so much fun making this card! The image is  public domain artwork from a coloring book site. I thought this scarecrow would be perfect paired with this computer-generated sentiment for a belated birthday greeting. The inside says, "....I would have remembered your birthday!"
As usual, he's colored with Copics and Prismacolor pencils. The DP is from Basic Grey, and the CS is Soft Suede, Garden and Gable Greens from SU! The swirl is from SU!'s set "Priceless".
I used MS punches for the zig-zag border, the little sunflowers (Cosmo punch), and  the leaves. A little Fun Flock on a 1/2" punched circle makes the center.

The mini sunflowers to the right are arranged in a tiny red-ware pitcher from my collection of miniature pottery.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Mo' Challenge # 23




Have Some Punch!

 
 Cathy's challenge for us in Mo's Challenge this week was to use at least three punches. This was probably the easiest challenge yet. I have sooo many punches!





I love this image! It's "Soaking Up the Joy", one of the first of Mo's images that I bought, and it still makes me happy to look at it.
She's colored with Copics and Prismacolor pencils and mounted on two circles cut out using Nesties and my trusty Cuttlebug. The DP is Basic Grey, and the CS is SU!'s Mint and Mauve, both of which, unfortunately, are retired. The punches I used are all from Martha Stewart; Hydrangea Blossoms, Branch and Doily Border. I also used a small hole punch on the Mauve scalloped, embossed panel.
It's tied with a mint satin ribbon from Ribbons and Bows, Oh My!. The yellow roses are from Prima, and the pink flower stems are from Wild Orchid Crafts in England. Check them out....wonderful flowers and other do-dads, and great prices! Even the shipping isn't bad. A few pearls and some tiny beads and it was done

Have fun with this challenge! Can't wait to see all your creations!
Thanks for stopping by!
Elaine

I've entered this card in the following challenges:
All Sorts Challenge - Spring colors 

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

New Digital Images!



I discovered a new digi artist this week. I still love Mo's work, but this girl has a very different, simpler style. Check out Meljens Designs. You're sure to find something you like!





I fell in love with this poor little bear...I just had to bring him home and give him some love! He's colored using Copics and Prismacolor pencils. (What else!), and , of course, the DP is from Basic Grey. The CS is from SU!...an unusual combination of Artichoke, Pacific Point Blue and Dusty Durango that I pulled right out of the DP. I cut the little guy out using my favorite Out-of-the Box technique for Nesties. The sentiment from an old SU! set, "Great Greeting" is mounted on circles that were also cut out using Nesties.
I made the all flowers using a variety of punches. I'm really enjoying making flowers...you can make them to match your projects perfectly.





This card also uses an image from MelJen's Designs.
 Used my tried and true coloring method, but no DP this time! The SU! CS is Pretty in Pink and Pixie Pink. The lighter pink panel is embossed using the Cuttlebug and Swiss Dots folder. It wasn't big enough to cover the whole 4 3/4" x 6 3/4" panel, so I ran it through once in one direction, then the other, and scored the long sides using my ScorPal to add some interest. 
I used ScorTape to adhere the lace ruffle to the ovals, then mounting tape to fix them to the card. The ribbon is from my vast stash!

Saturday, March 13, 2010

What?!..... Rubber?!


I Have High Hopes!
(And now I'm using them!)


I'm so in love with digital images that I've been ignoring my rubber stamps. I have many new ones that I bought just before I discovered Mo's images, and they have gone unused. I thought it was time that they got a little ink and a little love!
I ordered several stamps from High Hopes just before they stopped selling retail. I had to wait months for them to arrive, but, when I finally received the package from them, they had sent a pound of rubber....more than twice the number of stamps that I had ordered! There were a few that I already owned and one or two that were not my taste, so I found a home for those with a friend and put the others away. 
I just took them out the other day and made this card. I used SU! black to stamp the image and found that it bled when I started to color. I had to apply an artist's sealer before I could finish.




I've been wanting to make a card like this for some time just so that I could use a cute little poem that I found. 

I wish I were a glow bug,
For a glowbug's never glum.
'Cause you just can't be unhappy
When the sun shines out your bum!

I think it will be a great card to send a little cheer to someone who's feeling down. I know it makes me smile!
The main image, colored using Copics, is a stamp from High Hopes, the little bug near the sentiment is a Hambo Stamp, and the sentiment, mounted on oval punch-outs from SU!, is from PrintWorks.

The printed papers are from Basic Grey, and the CS is Guava, Dusty Durango, and Sage from SU!. I distressed the edges to give it a bit of texture. A bow of grosgrain ribbon and cord and a few pearl cabochons add some interest




Down on the Farm





This is another of my High Hopes stamps.  I love this beat-up little tractor! It's a birthday card for a man. 
I colored the image with Copics and Prismacolor pencils. The patterned paper is Basic Grey and the CS is SU! Sunshine Yellow, Real Red, and Black. The white CS is from PTI. The yellow is embossed using a Cuttlebug and embossing folder. The sentiment is also from SU!, from a set called "Wonderful Words".
The little vegetables are Jesse James buttons. I cut the shanks off and used glue dots to adhere them to the card. 
 The little pottery bowl is filled with tiny handmade ceramic vegetables. I saw them somewhere in our travels,  and they were so perfect, I just had to have them! I don't think I'll ever outgrow my love for all things miniature!

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Mo's Challenge # 22



Easter Egg Card


 


 Cathy is hosting Mo's Challenge this month, and this week we were to make a card with a different shape...no squares or rectangles! I don't usually make shaped cards, but since Easter is coming up, I decided to try my hand at an Easter egg shape.

I drew an egg 5" x 7"  for the card base and one about 1/4" smaller for the card front and cut them out of CS. Then the fun stuff began! I looked through all my Basic Grey scraps (I save everything!) and found several strips of bright pastels, (mostly from the Urban Prairie collection ) that looked like Easter to me. I glued the strips down and added paper trims from Doodle Bug  and MS punched borders, trimming everything when I was finished. I adhered lace trim to the back edges of the card front with 1/8" Scor-Tape. 


I colored this sweet image (Mo's You're My Best, which is also available as a boy) with Copics and mounted it on embossed CS cut out with Nesties Narrow Ovals. I affixed the image panel to the card front, tied a gingham ribbon at the top along with a small silver "Love" charm. Last, I added some beautiful little roses...the pink from Wild Orchid Crafts, and the tiny white ones from7 Kids College Fund, and finished it with some silk ribbon leaves and some punched branches. 
This will be our granddaughter's Easter card. She keeps all that I give her and displays them on her nightstand.


If you'd like the template, I have it  in a PDF file. Just ask!
Now what shape are you going to come up with for this fun challenge? 
Looking forward to seeing your entry!

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Mo's Challenge #21



Warm Wishes

For Mo's Challenge our hostess for the month, Cathy Edgar, has asked us to use blue, brown , and one neutral for our projects this week. I went through my paper stash for some inspiration, and was surprised at how many designs I had that would have worked! I settled on these SU! textured papers from the Parisian Breeze collection. I think they're perfect teamed with SU! Blue Bayou and Chocolate Chip CS.

 


The colors also work well for this image from Mo's Digital Pencil called "Miki's Puppies". As always, I've colored it with Copics and Prismacolor pencils. I did the "Out-of-the Box" technique by hand, because I didn't have the right size Nestie. I added a bit of Lace Stickles for the snow, and I've actually managed to take a photo that shows the shine a little! Hooray for me!
The sentiment on the oval punches is from PrintWorks. A few blue cabochons and a bow, and it was done.






Meet Tulu, another of my 15" porcelain dolls from Linda Mason's series, "American Diary Dolls". She's a little Inuit girl from Alaska holding her pet baby seal. Isn't she the cutest?

I hope you'll enter the challenge this week. I'd love to see what you can find in your paper stash!

Thanks for stopping in!
Elaine