Thursday, June 28, 2012

CCEE126 - Tags

Kathy's last challenge for June is to make a tag or a card with a tag.  In this month's Technique Junkie Newsletter is a technique called the Tag Fence Technique, and I thought it would be perfect for Kathy's challenge.  I made the tags out of tan-colored cardstock, embossed with a woodgrain embossing folder.  I added a few branches behind my "fence" and some punched flowers, and I was pretty much done.



The happy birthday sentiment is from a new Mark's Finest Papers set called Silly Shells.  My card obviously has no shells, but the sentiment works!

If you'd like to play along with the CCEE stampers, we'd love to have you join us.  Here's a link to our blog.

Stamps:  Mark's Finest Papers - Silly Shells
Paper:  MFP Deep Scarlet, Hazelnut Tan, Speedy the Cat's Cream, Special Mint; Basic Grey Oxford DP
Ink:  Memento Rich Cocoa, Tim Holtz Distress Vintage Photo
Accessories:  Sizzix Woodgrain embossing folder, Sizzix Leaf die, Tag corner punch, Flower punches, Oval punches, Circle punch, Baker's twine, Rhinestone brads

Friday, June 22, 2012

MFP Blog Hop Day 4 - Silly Shells

Welcome to Mark's Finest Papers a Heinrich Company's 
                        June Blog Hop!


This month's New Stamp Set Releases are:

Welcome Poppies Featured June 19
I'm In Stitches Featured June 20
Island Life Featured June 21
Silly Shells Featured June 22


Please hop along with us! You have a chance to win one of the above stamp sets!  Just comment on the blogs listed below (don't forget this one) each day for more chances to win!  (You do NOT have to comment on all the blogs each day!  The names are drawn randomly!)  All four winners will be announced on June 23, 2012 on the Mark's Finest Papers blog.  You can go back and comment if you missed a day.  (HINT: The more you comment, the more chances you have to win and comments on the MFP blog count twice!)  The deadline for commenting is 11PM EST on Friday June 22, 2012.

Here we are -- the last day of this month's Blog Hop.  I hope you have enjoyed what you have seen this week. Today's set, Silly Shells, has several shell images, a resting sailboat and some clever sentiments.  My first card is another CAS one, using one of the shell images and one of the sentiments.


My second card utilizes a photo I printed from the internet.  It is actually a free wallpaper download from Walt Disney World.  In addition to the sailboat and sentiment from Silly Shells, I stamped some birds from another MFP set, Scenic Selections.  This is one of the nice things I like about these MFP sets -- they are interchangeable.  I added a little bit of piercing, using a plastic canvas round template.



I hope you have gotten lots of ideas this week.  Be sure to check out the rest of the team members' blogs and comment for your chance to win a free stamp set.
Lois (that's me) Vicky Anne Pat G. Karen H. Patty P. Mary Marilynn Pam Debbie Nancy Bonnie Kathy Brenda Toni Tangii The Thrifty Stamper Sue Kelli Janine Tammylee Janis L. Mark's Finest Papers

Card 1
Stamps:  Mark's Finest Papers - Silly Shells
Ink:  Memento Rich Cocoa
Paper:  MFP Fresh Cream
Accessories:  Copic markers, Spellbinders Rectangle nestie


Card 2
Stamps:  Mark's Finest Papers - Silly Shells, Scenic Selections
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black
Paper:  MFP Deep Scarlet, Fresh Cream
Accessories:  Copic markers, Photo from internet, Circle nesties, Word Window punch, Oval punch, Paper piercing tool

Thursday, June 21, 2012

MFP Blog Day 3 - Island Life - and CCEE1225

Welcome to Mark's Finest Papers a Heinrich Company's 
                        June Blog Hop!


This month's New Stamp Set Releases are:

Welcome Poppies Featured June 19
I'm In Stitches Featured June 20
Island Life Featured June 21
Silly Shells Featured June 22


Please hop along with us!  You have a chance to win one of the above stamp sets!  Just comment on the blogs listed below (don't forget this one) each day for more chances to win!  (You do NOT have to comment on all the blogs each day!  The names are drawn randomly!)  All four winners will be announced on June 23, 2012 on the Mark's Finest Papers blog.  You can go back and comment if you missed a day.  (HINT: The more you comment, the more chances you have to win and comments on the MFP blog count twice!)  The deadline for commenting is 11PM EST on Friday June 22, 2012.

My first card today is doing double duty.  In addition to featuring today's MFP set, Island Life, it is also for this week's CCEE challenge as presented by Kathy Bradley (another MFP design team member), who wanted us to make the "dreaded masculine card," as she called it.   I used the lighthouse image for this card, as well as two of the small images from the MFP Silhouette Mini Selections (the fishermen and the birds).  The sky is sponged with some Tim Holtz distress inks and the rest of the card is colored with Copic markers.  I used a Spellbinders Pennant die for the sentiment.


Even though my second card has three layers, I'm still considering it a CAS card.  It is a very serene scene, colored with Copic markers.  I sponged the clouds using a scallop circle diecut and distress ink.


Thanks for stopping by my blog today.  Make sure you check out the rest of the team's blogs and comment for another chance to win a free stamp set.  Here's the entire team:  Lois (that's me), VickyAnnePat G.Karen H.Patty P.MaryMarilynnPamDebbieNancyBonnieKathyBrendaToniTangii, The Thrifty StamperSueKelliJanineTammyleeJanis L.Mark's Finest Papers

Card 1
Stamps:  Mark's Finest Papers - Island Life, Silhouette Mini Selections
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black; Tim Holtz Distress Tumbled Glass, Broken China, Chipped Sapphire
Paper:  MFP Snow Storm Smooth, Cherry Slush; SU Nautical Expedition DSP
Accessories:  Copic markers, Spellbinders Pennant Nestabilities, Anchor button


Card 2
Stamps:  Mark's Finest Papers - Island Life
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Tim Holtz Distress Tumbled Glass
Paper:  MFP Bang Up Blue, Licorice Whips, Snow Storm Smooth
Accessories:  Copic markers, Scallop circle punch (for cloud template)

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

MFP Blog Hop Day 2 - I'm in Stitches

Welcome to Mark's Finest Papers a Heinrich Company's 
                        June Blog Hop!


This month's New Stamp Set Releases are:

Welcome Poppies Featured June 19
I'm In Stitches Featured June 20
Island Life Featured June 21
Silly Shells Featured June 22


Please hop along with us! You have a chance to win one of the above stamp sets!  Just comment on the blogs listed below (don't forget this one) each day for more chances to win!  (You do NOT have to comment on all the blogs each day! The names are drawn randomly!)  All four winners will be announced on June 23, 2012 on the Mark's Finest Papers blog.  You can go back and comment if you missed a day.  (HINT: The more you comment, the more chances you have to win and comments on the MFP blog count twice!)  The deadline for commenting is 11PM EST on Friday June 22, 2012.

Today's set, I'm in Stitches, is a fun one, whether you sew or not.  My CAS card today features the vintage electric sewing machine.  I actually learned to sew on a machine that looked like this, except that it was a treadle machine.  (That will tell you how old I am!!!)  I stamped the image and embossed it with Detail Black embossing powder and trimmed it with a gold pen.  Then I stamped the sentiment and added the gold line stickers.  Voila -- I was done!


I decided to make a quilt card for my second card today, using papers from the Basic Grey Nook and Pantry paper pack.  I think we probably all had that tomato and strawberry accessory for our sewing needs.  After I constructed the "quilt," I embossed it with the Square Lattice embossing folder.  The sentiment and tomato are popped up on pop dots.


Thanks again for stopping by my blog to see what I came up with using today's stamp set.  Be sure to check out the rest of the team.  Comment on their blogs to increase your chances of winning a free stamp set.

Lois (that's me)  Vicky  Anne  Pat G.  Karen H.  Patty P.  Mary  Marilynn  Pam  Debbie  Nancy  Bonnie  Kathy  Brenda  Toni  Tangii  The Thrifty Stamper  Sue  Kelli  Janine  Tammylee  Janis L.  Mark's Finest Papers


Card 1
Stamps:  Mark's Finest Papers - I'm in Stitches
Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black
Paper:  MFP Fresh Cream
Accessories:  Detail Black embossing powder, Prismacolor Metalic Gold pen


Card 2
Stamps:  Mark's Finest Papers - I'm in Stitches
Ink:  Memento Rhubarb Stalk
Paper:  MFP Fresh Cream; Basic Grey Nook and Pantry DP
Accessories:  Square Lattice embossing folder, Brad, Key Tag Punch, Pop dots

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

MFP Blog Hop Day 1 - Welcome Poppies

Welcome to Mark's Finest Papers a Heinrich Company's 
                        June Blog Hop!


This month's New Stamp Set Releases are:

Welcome Poppies Featured June 19
I'm In Stitches Featured June 20
Island Life Featured June 21
Silly Shells Featured June 22


Please hop along with us! You have a chance to win one of the above stamp sets! Just comment on the blogs listed below (don't forget this one) each day for more chances to win!  (You do NOT have to comment on all the blogs each day! The names are drawn randomly!)  All four winners will be announced on June 23, 2012 on the Mark's Finest Papers blog.  You can go back and comment if you missed a day.  (HINT: The more you comment, the more chances you have to win and comments on the MFP blog count twice!)  The deadline for commenting is 11PM EST on Friday June 22, 2012.

I have to say that today's set is my favorite for June.  These poppies are just amazing!  I'm going to make two cards for each set this week -- one of them will be a CAS card, as I am trying to get better at making this type of card.    For my first card, which is a one-layer card, I masked off the center strip with Eclipse Tape and then sponged with three shades of orange distress ink.  Then I stamped the image and colored the poppies with Copic markers.


Because of the layout of my next card, I had to enlarge the size -- it's a 5 x 6 1/2-inch card.  I did not know that poppies came in many different colors; but when I looked on the internet, I was pleasantly surprised.


I hope you get the chance to look through the entire Blog Hop today because this set makes such pretty cards.  Remember to comment on each stop you make for a chance to win a free stamp set from June's release.  Here are the rest of the team members' blogs.  Lois  (that's me), Vicky, Anne, Pat G., Karen H., Patty P., Mary, Marilynn, Pam, Debbie, Nancy, Bonnie, Kathy, Brenda, Toni, Tangii, The Thrify Stamper, Sue, Kelli, Janine, Tammylee, Janis L., Mark's Finest Papers.

Card 1
Stamps:  Mark's Finest Papers - Welcome Poppies
Paper:  MFP Snow Storm Heavy
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black; Tim Holtz Distress Wild Honey, Dried Marigold, Spiced Marmelade
Accessories:  Copic markers, Eclipse Tape (for masking)


Card 2
Stamps:  Mark's Finest Papers - Welcome Poppies
Paper:  MFP Snow Storm Smooth, Spring Leaf; Basic Grey Marrakech DP
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, London Fog
Accessories:  Copic markers, Ribbon

Sunday, June 17, 2012

SCS Featured Stamper

Today's Featured Stamper on Splitcoast is Emily Keaton, who was a DT member of Mark's Finest Papers a couple of years ago.  I also was a fellow Stampin' B with her.  I've loved her designs for a long time.  Today I CASEd her Tattered Roses card, but I changed the roses to poppies.   Here's my card.


I decided I would rather have a standard-sized card; although, because of the Fleur de Lis diecut, I had to make the card 5 inches by 6 1/2 inches.  I love these new poppies from Mark's Finest Papers, a Heinrich Company.  They are in a set to be released on Tuesday.  Be sure to check out our Blog Hop this week to see all four of the new sets.

Changes I made to Emily's card (in addition to the shape of the card) are the poppies (obviously) and the papers.  I also did not have any stitching on my card -- I don't do stitching!!!  After stamping the poppies, I masked them with Eclipse Tape and then stamped on the Crackle background (from MFP Background Fun) while the nestie die was still on the paper. (NOTE TO SELF:  you need more Eclipse Tape!)   I moved the bow and stickpin to the opposite side and the sentiment to the bottom.

Thanks for stopping by my blog today.  Make sure you come back on Tuesday for the start of the Blog Hop.  You've got a chance to win a brand-new stamp set!

Friday, June 15, 2012

Train Tunnel Tutorial

Back in April when Mark's Finest Papers, a Heinrich Company, released Train Talk, I made a card for the release blog hop in which I experimented and made a tunnel for my train.  I was surprised when someone asked me to write a tutorial on how I made it.  Today's post on Speedy TV in the Tutorial Time section is my tutorial.  Here's the card I made for it.  It is much like the first one, with some alterations.


Here is how I made that card.

Supplies needed:

Sizzix “Bricked” embossing folder
Spellbinders Petite Oval Nestabilities
Cuttlebug or Big Shot
Cardstock, stamps and ink, as desired


For my tunnel I used MFP, a HC, English Stone cardstock and Memento Tuxedo Black ink.  First cut the cardstock using an appropriate-sized Spellbinders Petite Oval Nestabilities die.

Rub ink onto one side of the embossing folder, being careful to use the “mortar” side, not the “brick” side.



 Place oval in embossing folder and run through your Cuttlebug. 



Cut a smaller petite oval using a yellow piece of cardstock for the “light at the end of the tunnel.”  I usually use Scor-tape to attach pieces of cardstock together when one of them is embossed.



Attach yellow piece to embossed pieced – slightly off-center to give some perspective.

Cut a small black oval, using two Petite Ovals. 




 You will cut this piece to create the “shadow” inside the tunnel.


Construct your tunnel, cutting off the bottom.


Stamp your background scene.  I used several different MFP sets – Train Talk (for the train and the sentiment), A Walk in the Woods (for the large trees), and Scenic Selections (for the small trees and the sprigs of grass).  The sky and ground were sponged using several different Tim Holtz Distress inks.   I stamped, colored and cut out the train.

Construct your card.




Here again is my card.  


Check out some other samples of this technique on Speedy TV.  Here's the direct link to them.

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Queen for the Day card

The Queen for the Day challenge on Splitcoaststampers is always a fun one.  This week's Queen is cathymac (Cathy).  I chose a relatively CAS card of hers to CASE - New Beginnings -- which she had done for a technique challenge (brayering) a couple of weeks ago.  Instead of brayering, which I haven't yet perfected, I sponged the vertical strip on my card, using Tim Holtz Distress Spun Sugar and Tea Dye.  I like to use Eclipse Tape to mask off the rest of the card.



I stamped several images from a soon-to-be-released set from Mark's Finest Papers, a Heinrich Company, called Silly Shells.  Look for it next week.  I stamped two of the images again and cut them out after I colored them with Copic markers.  Then I rounded them a bit with my bone folder and popped them onto the card with large Pop dots.  Here is a close-up of the shells.



 I found some shell buttons in my stash of embellishments and added them to the mix.

Thanks for stopping by today.  Hope you come back again soon.  Now that I'm pretty much retired from my job, I will try to post a bit more often.

CCEE1224 - Nautical

Kathy challenged us to make a nautical card on the CCEE blog today.  Lighthouses are one of my favorite images, and this one is no exception.


After stamping the image, I cut it out using a Spellbinders pennant die and then sponged the sky and sand.  The lighthouse is colored with Copics.  I used another one of the dies in the pennant set to cut out the birthday.

If you'd like to play along, here's a link to the CCEE blog.

Today's SCS Ways to Use It challenge was to make a "man card."  A brand-new set from Mark's Finest Papers, a Heinrich Company, to be released next week is Island Life.  There are lots of "manly" images on this set.  Here's the card I made for that challenge.


I used some more of those pennants from Spellbinders on this card, too.

Thanks for stopping by my blog today.

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Speedy TV Tutorial - Inking Embossing Folders

I was the Featured Design Team member today on the Mark's Finest Papers, a Heinrich Company's, blog, as part of the on-going Tutorial series on Speedy TV.  Today's tutorial is on Inking Embossing Folders -- check out the tutorial here.  I have two examples of that technique here on my blog today.  The first one is the card I made in my tutorial.


It took me a while to master this technique (and I’m still trying to perfect it) – so don’t be discouraged if your first try doesn’t work well.  One of my favorite folders for this technique is the Sizzix “Bricked” embossing folder.  I have found that a water-based ink pad works best for this technique.  Memento ink is my choice. 

Open the folder and gently rub your ink pad across one side.  I usually try to use the side that will be embossed into the card stock.  (I’m not sure if that’s the embossed side or the debossed side.  I can never remember which is which.)
Step Two:
Carefully place your card stock on the side without the ink.  This reduces any smearing that might occur if you place the card stock on the inked side.







Step Three:
Run your folder through your Cuttlebug or Big Shot as usual.

Step Four:
Using water-based ink makes clean-up a snap.  Just put it under running water, and it cleans up very nicely.
Step Five:
Now you can use your cardstock as a very nice background for your card, the same way you would use an embossed panel or designer paper.

Here is my finished card.  The stems were made using a long Sizzix die called Birds and Branches, and the flowers were punched out with a Marvy punch.  The sentiment is from a set from Mark’s Finest Papers, a Heinrich Company, called Oopsy Daisy, which was released in May.  The grass is a Fiskar’s border punch.





The second one is a card I had made some time ago -- coincidentally with the same Bricked embossing folder.


If you haven't tried this technique before, I hope you give it a try.  Thanks for stopping by today.

Thursday, June 7, 2012

CCEE1223 - Vintage

Kathy Bradley (101Airbourne) is the CCEE hostess for June and started off the month with a challenge with which I sometimes have a problem -- vintage.  I hope the lace and collage make my card vintage enough.


The image is an old one from Stampin' Up but one of my favorites.  I'm hoping the gray-green cardstock and the lace will convince you that it is vintage!  I colored the images with Copic markers and then brushed the background with some pearlized chalks.

If you'd like to see some creations that look vintage without having to use your imagination, check out the CCEE Stampers blog.  We'd love it if you'd play along with us.

Stamps:  SU Garden Collage
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black
Paper:  Mark's Finest Papers - August Greens, Snow Storm Smooth; Basic Grey Cappella DP
Accessories:  Spellbinders Labels Eleven, Ribbon, Lace, Hat pin, Copic markers, Pebbles pearlescent chalks

Friday, June 1, 2012

Distress Ink and Alcohol Markers

Mark's Finest Papers, a Heinrich Company, and Speedy TV are starting a new feature today -- Tutorial Time with Speedy TV .  Each Friday a different member of the team will present a tutorial on a technique -- some of which you might know, some of which may be new to you.  The rest of the team will each make a card showing an example of this technique.  TammyLee Newberry is kicking off the feature with Distress Ink and Alcohol Markers.  Here is my card using this technique.



The background was made using Tammy's technique with Tim Holtz Distress Bundled Sage ink.  Then I stamped the butterfly with Versafine Onyx Black ink, embossed with clear embossing powder, and colored with Copic markers.  I love that new Provocraft/Cuttlebug embossing folder I used for the background.  It came in a pack of four.  If you'd like to try this technique, check out Tammy's tutorial, post your card on Speedy TV and maybe win a free stamp set!

Thanks for stopping by my blog today.  Be sure to check out the new tutorials on Speedy TV each week.

Stamps:  Mark's Finest Papers - Hello Butterflies
Paper:  MFP Licorice Whips, Bang Up Blue, Florida Peach, Snow Storm Smooth
Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black, Tim Holtz Distress Bundled Sage
Accessories:  Cuttlebug Wedding Set embossing folder, Copic markers, Lacey Squares die