Emerging Petal Pizzazz

Here's another sample of a technique we'll be doing on Tuesday (April 21, 6-8). If you'd like to join us for the class, just send me a quick note before Monday 4/20 so I can have everything ready.

This technique is a great one, since, aside from several steps, it's pretty simple but packs a fancy punch. I do hope you'll join us.

And a closeup:

Emerging Pizzazz card: Petal Pizzazz stamp set; Certainly Celery, So Saffron and Whisper White cardstock; So Saffron, Almost Amethyst, Certainly Celery, Pretty in Pink and Elegant Eggplant classic ink pads and versamark ink pad; clear embossing powder; brayer with rubber attachment; 5/8" So Saffron grosgrain ribbon (retired); scalloped edge punch

Spring Friend

So, I had some time to play today and created this card. I wanted to share a reverse masking sample, since that's one of the techniques I'll be teaching next Tuesday (April 21, 6-8 at my house), and was inspired by the second card in this post on Krystie's blog (www.cupcakemartini.com). She really has a way with negative space...so calming! I also got to use my new Summer Love rubons from the Occasions Mini Catalog. This could easily be sent to a man or a woman. I hope you like it.

Spring Friend Card: Inspired by Nature stamp set; Baja Breeze and Old Olive classic ink pads; Old Olive, Baja Breeze textured and Whisper White cardstock; Summer Love rubons; Crop-a-dile; Old Olive 1/4" grosgrain ribbon

Hurray for Hubby (or...2 cards and a crazy kitty)

Lee discovered my camera cord in the abyss of his truck...which makes sense, since that's the vehicle we took camping.  haha

So, here are 2 cards and a crazy kitty...

A friend loaned me Pretty Peony and I made this birthday card for a co-worker (yes, another one :)  The 2-step flower and leaves are only 2 ink pads...I simply stamped off for the lighter layer.  And there's that topnote again...

And the inside.  I usually sell off my retired sets, since I can't demo them anymore.  But this birthday set (It's Your Birthday) is just too handy to get rid of.  So, I save valuable storage space by unmounting the retired sets I keep.  I heat the wood-mounted stamp in the microwave for about 10-15 seconds and then peel the foam (with rubber attached) off the block and apply Aleene's Tack-it Over and Over to the back.  It sticks to the acrylic block beautifully (you can see them on the left.  Also, I cut  the "Happy Birthday" into 2 words, which makes them more versatile.

Here's the second picture.  This was for Kristina's color challenge a while back, but I never posted it.  Lots of embossing on this one...almost everything.  I used my vanilla reinker and aquapainter to color in the large image and scallop-circle-punched image...man, that took forever.  The double-sided satin ribbon was from the Theatre Ribbon Originals in the last catalog, but it gives you an idea of what the new stuff looks like.

And here's the crazy kitty.  Finn loves getting inside of things.  When I set the lid aside to clean the litter box he lays inside looking out the door like it's a doghouse.  The other day I found him inside this box, which is under 2 other boxes (all empty).  So, I had my mom and sister pick up this cat tent while they were at Ikea today.  I sure hope the dog doesn't try to eat it.

Ok, so I'm a bad blog-mommy...

Yeah, I admit it, I'm a negligent blog-mommy.  I also have no real excuse other than laziness.  I've thought about blogging a lot since my last post...just haven't actually gotten around to it.  And now I can't find my camera cable!!  See what happens when I go on vacation?  So, I was going to use that as my excuse to, yet again, not post for you all.  But, instead, I'm going to share from my archives (is 6 months old enough to be considered "archived"?).

Anyway, moving on...this is a card from a workshop back in March.  It's a simple tri-fold.  Basically, fold the cardstock in half to create a standard card size and then fold the front flap back on itself.  Pretty simple.  The flower was colored by loading a summer sun marker with pumpkin pie.    Theoretically, the base of each petal is darker than the tips.  Loading is a fancy term for using a light colored marker as a blender pen.  As the dark ink is "scribbled out" the lighter color is seen.You only want to do this with like colors.  I wouldn't load my barely banana with not quite navy, for instance.  If your colors are within same generally family, you should have no problems with lingering color.

And here it is open.

Thanks for stopping by.  I'll get some newer stuff up once I find that stupid cord.  Now, where would I have put that...?

stamps: time well spent; cardstock: whisper white, brilliant blue, garden green; ink: basic gray, pumpkin pie, and brilliant blue classic pads, summer sun, brilliant blue, and pumpkin pie marker; pumpkin pie striped grosgrain ribbon