A Special Birthday, 3CTC23

Every year I make my daughter's BDay card and it seems that every year it gets harder to make it totally different than the previous years. I just bought one of the new Spellbinder pendents and decided to use it on her card. Boy these new dies are so hard to use. I did everything they said and still couldn't get it out of the shape without ripping it. I wet the paper with soapy water, I put a piece of CS in to shim it in the Cuttlebug and I ran it through twice. I tried all different paper weights. It just wouldn't come out of the die in one piece. This card was my final attempt at it, I still ripped it but only in one place so I decided to cut my losses and use it on the card hopefully being able to hide the rip. I really liked the way the card came out and more importantly my daughter loved it. It is a beautiful design but doesn't make for a easy card, at least not yet. If someone else has used these and has an easier way to get them out please share it!

I tried many different papers for the back round but everything seemed too busy so I sponged the shimmery paper with pink and caramel ink. It still seemed a little empty after the ribbon was on the corners so I cut a scalloped circle in quarters and put them in the opposite corners. I was looking at the pieces I had left and and decided to use them in the center of the design and put the rose in the center of them.

After the whole card way put together I decided it needed something more so I brushed Shimmerz on all the pink CS that was showing. I tried to capture it in the second pic. It enabled me to be able to bend up the points and keep them in place and look like a piece of bone china. The whole card took on a different appearance with the Shimmers. It was a good Aha moment!

Last night I realized that the card was perfect for Kerry's Thursday challenge, 3CTC23, Bling! It doesn't have glitter but it does really shine and shimmer. I hope you can see it in the pictures.

Supplies:
Stamps: SU
Papers: SU Choc Chip. Pretty in Pink, Paper Co. Shimmer white paper, DP Basic Grey
Inks: Pretty in Pink, Creamy Caramel
Accessories: Spellbinders Pendent and Nesties, Shimmerz, Prima Rose and Michaels Sticker Pearls and ribbon

Thanks for stopping by to see what I created. I really appreciate all your comments.

Have a wonderful day,
Mary

Tubby Bear Bubbles

Last weekend I took advantage of the great sale that Dustin Pike had on his Digi Stamps. I got 118 images. All his digi are so cute it was hard to decide which one I wanted to use first. I decided on this cutie, I have had my eye on this one from the start.

I am trying to be proactive on the cards that I will probably need for the school next year so that I am not rushing at the last minute to get a card done for one of the many showers that we have. There always seems to be lots of bridal showers one year and baby showers the next year. Since we had 4 bridal showers this year I am making some baby cards just in case I need them. This is one of them that I just finished.

I made the image on the bigger side so all the detail showed. I colored everything with Copics and then used Shimmers on the white part of the bubbles(the centers) then painted Stickles over the colored part of the bubbles. I did this because I have found Shimmers to "dull" the color of the Copics. I painted the Stickles so it wouldn't be too thick, just a thin coat. I took a close-up of it to try and show the two different shines together. I also brushed Shimmers on the soap to give the appearance of it being damp. I covered some of the bubbles with Dew Drops to add some fun to the card. When I Cuttlebugged the back round the bubbles didn't show up too well so I took my light blue and light purple Copics and rubbed them sideways along the top of the circles then ran my blender brush over them to lighten and blend them together. I did "Bubble Time" on the computer because I didn't have any stamps to fit the image.

A couple of years ago I never would have thought of making a card without a rubber stamp in hand. Now I love making them without a single piece of rubber and who would even know unless they were told. It is still made from the heart and a one of a kind creation. How far this craft has come.

What do you think of using digi stamps?

Thanks for stopping by to see what I have been creating and your kind comments about my cards, I really appreciate them.

Mary

Isn't Life Sweet

I made this card for Kerry's first Thursday challenge, 3CTC1, over on her blog. I really liked the sketch and couldn't wait to participate.

I just loved this dog from Whipper Snapper from the moment I saw it!! When I first started dating my husband his family had a big, black dog that did nothing but slobber all over everything and his tongue was always trying to lick everything. My father-in-law loved ice cream and so did Brutus. When my FIL was done with his ice cream he would leave a little in the bowl for the dog and when he was done with the box of ice cream that big dog would act like a puppy chasing the box around the kitchen trying to lick every last drop. That is why I put the ice cream cone on my card and I thought the saying was very fitting for the memory this card gave to both my husband and I.

The ice cream was brushed with Shimmerz to give it a summery, melty look. The dog's drool and his tongue have Crystal Effects on them to give them a wet look. I could not find a bone stamp or image to print out so I had to draw one myself. I wasn't real happy with it but I was afraid if I played with it too much I would only make it worse. This is why I stamp and don't draw!

Supplies:

Stamps: Whipper Snapper, Stampabilities, Inkadinkado

CS: SU Tempting Turquoise, Choc. Chip, Neenah white, CTMH beige and DP DCWV

Ink: Memento black and brown and Copics

Accessories: Nesties, misc. brads, Shimmerz Angel Wings, and Crystal Effects

Kerry is promising to have a great and different challenge every Thursday so you should pop over and try it out.

Thanks for looking, leave a comment if you like what I did!

Mary

Eternal Love

I was ready to move on to Valentine's Day cards and then we were hit with another snow and ice storm! I decided to combine the two on this card. I have owned this stamp for a few years and still love it every time I pull it out and stamp it. This is the first time I have colored it with my Copics though.

A good friend suggested that I try Techno Stamper's Monday Lunchtime Sketch Challenge. This card is for this week's sketch, TSSC #54. It was a really fun sketch to do, Thanks Mary-Jo for inviting others, like me, to join in on the fun! I am already looking forward to the next one.

Some of the colors on the card are off a bit. The DP paper is actually a bit pinkier and brighter. It looks washed out here. There is also Shimmerz on the snow part of the snow people, the heart and around the edge of the circle and the sentiment. I just can't seem to catch it with the camera. SU glitter is at the edge of the snow and the shadows around the heart. The dots on the paper came glittered already. The whole card sparkles a lot IRL.

Supplies:
Stamps: Impression Obsession and SU
Inks: Memento, Versafine, SU Pink Pirouette and Copics
CS: CTMH textured white, SU Pixie Pink, Neenah white and DP Making Memories
Accessories: MS gemstone sticker heart, Nesties, CB Embossing folder, Shimmerz, SU Glitter and Corner Punch , misc. brads and Signo pen

I hope you enjoyed this card. I am definitely moving on to more Valentine and anything but snow cards, so check back soon!

Thanks for looking,
Mary

Snowpile Fun

This is a new stamp that I just got from Whipper Snapper. I don't have any "snowballs" just snowmen so I couldn't resist how cute they looked. After I colored them with Copics I then painted the snow parts of them with Angel Wings Shimmerz to make them sparkle like new snow in the sun. I glittered the snow on the ground to set it apart from them. The swirls on the DP paper are shiny silver so I sponged the edges of the stamped image with Cool Carribean them painted Silver Bells Shimmerz over it, that way it would bring out the DP paper silver. The card ended up with a lot of shimmer and shine! The whole card went together pretty quick which is unusual for me.

Supplies:
Stamps: Whipper Snapper
Inks: SU Cool Carribean, Memento Black and Copics
Paper: CS- SU Cool Carribean, White and DP- S.E.I.
Accessories: Shimmerz, Paper Shaper Snowflake Punch, Cuttlebug Embossing Swirls, Nesties, Michael's Snowflake Ribbon, SU Silver Cording and Glitter, MM Silver Brads and Silver Snowflake Charm

I have lots more new stamps that I haven't played with yet so check back soon!
Thanks for looking,
Mary