Summer is coming, I'm sure of it!

Here are a few more cards made with the Eat Cake Graphics images. When I decide which images to use for a card, I always stamp extra images. I use those extra images to practice color choices and shading. These two cards were made with a few of the extra images I used from the previous post. I think this little guy is supposed to be wearing floaties and I somehow colored him like he's wearing a t-shirt. Oh well, who really knows, huh?

This little girl reminds me of me when I was little. I had long blonde hair most of the time and I had freckles when I was younger. This sentiment is an old one from the $1 bin at Michael's. It's a colorful card, that's for sure.

Is it summer yet?

It's gorgeous outside today. About 80 degrees, I'd say. AND it's still March. You never know what you're going to get from one day to the next in Southern California. In some areas, it's still snowing, but here it's warm. Well, I am ready for summer and so I thought I'd make a card to show how much I want it.

This card uses a combo of Eat Cake Graphics and Odd Bird Planet stamps. The tree is the OBP stamp and the others are ECG, which can be found in a cute set over at PGP. The sun is a QuicKutz die colored with Copics. I colored everything with Copics. I drew in a few tufts of grass with my Copic Multiliner pen. Sentiment is from a label buddy. Quick and easy.

How was your weather today?

Another cute bunny

Yes, I do love me some of these bunnies!

This is another image from the Greeting Farm collection of stamps over at the Paper Garden Projects store.

I paper pieced this card, too. For details on how to paper piece, see previous post.

To cut the opening in the front of the card, I first adhered my background paper. Then I positioned my Nestabilities die over just the front of the card in the position I wanted and ran it through my Cuttlebug. I removed the inside cutout piece. Then I put the die, face down, on top of the front of the card and using a black felt pen, I drew around the Nesties die. This gave it a frame effect. Then I used the same Nesties die and cut out the orangy-red piece. I positioned the red piece inside the window and adhered it to the inside of the card. I paper pieced the image. I used my clear Spica pen on the gift to give it a little pizazz.

I layed some cardstock on the bottom of the card added some ribbon and a couple of sparkle brads. I stamped the sentiment on white cardstock and then layered it on gold and cut around it to leave a shadow color. The sentiment is pop dotted off the front.

Thanks for stopping by today. I appreciate your comments.

Be Happy

Is this little guy cute, or what? I think he is just too adorable and I want to squeeze him! This cute bunny and two other bunny images along with four sentiments is part The Lucky Bunnies Cling Stamp Set currently being offered over at the Paper Garden Projects Store. The paper I used is from Basic Grey's Ambrosia collection. Isn't it gorgeous? I love the bold colors. The 6x6 pad has printed paper as well as solid sheets. It's all just so yummy. I decided to paper piece this card instead of coloring it for a change. I know, I always color, but today I felt like piecing. It's so relaxing to me to cut out pieces and glue them down. If you don't know what paper piecing is, I'll tell you. It's very simple. You stamp your image on whatever cardstock or paper you choose and then cut it out. You stamp your main image into your paper and then glue down your pieces. Simple! I cut out the gold circle with my Marvy circle punch and stamped the image so that the balloon hung over the edge. I cut the black scallop out of a Nestability die. I paper pieced the image and then adhered the circles together and used pop dots to raise the scalloped circle from the background. The background is two pieces of BG cardstock with a black ribbon adhered at the junction. I stamped the Be Happy sentiment from the stamp set on the background paper. That's it!

OBP is having an April (Fools) Sale!

Starting today, March 25th and running until April 8th,

Odd Bird Planet will be having a sale! Yahoo!

The following images will be 30% off!

This applies to either wood-mounted or unmounted stamps.

Here's the list!

Buzz and Neil #1497E

Cadet Left #1498B

Cadet Right #1499B

Helen Left #1491H

Helen Right #1493H

Lenny Left #1495A

Lenny Right #1496A

Moonrocks #149

Triton Fishbird Right #1490F

Wig Row #1494H

3 balls #1504G

Audrey Clown Right #1505E

Larry Strongbird #1500J

Merry Troupe #1508Q

Seal Left #1506G

Seal Right #1507G

3 stands #1512O

Balloon Boy Billy #1517I

Bernardina #1515G

Burnin' Ring #1510J

Charmed Charmer #1514F

Pointy Hats #1516Q

Ring Leader #1513I

Triton Fishbird Left #1519F

Audrey Clown Left #1528E

Blaster Right #1529AA

Circus Star #1527AA

Hugo Surly Bird Left #1524K

Kerry's Bomb #1523BB

Kim's Cupcake #1526BB

Lance Top Hat Bird Left #1520D

Lance Top Hat Bird Right #1521D

Reed #1522C

10 ton weight #1532A

Bar Bell #1531C

Bird Head #1535C

Blaster Left #1530AA

Cannon Left #1534A

Cannon Right #1533A

Joy Falling Squirrel Left #1538C

Joy Falling Squirrel Right #1539C

NC's Jack O' Lantern #1537C

Star Stand #1536BB

Flying Squirrel Left #1540D

Flying Squirrel Right #1541D

Nibbles Squirrel with Nut Left #1548B

Nibbles Squirrel with Nut Right #1549B

Simon Top Hat Squirrel Left #1544E

Simon Top Hat Squirrel Right #1545E

Winston Bowler Bird Left #1543I

Winston Bowler Bird Right #1542I

Woodrow Western Duckie Left #1547I

Woodrow Western Duckie Right #1546I

Chilly Winter Penguin #1554E

Clown Owl #1552B

Hugo Surly Bird Right #1551K

Kevin Royal Penguin #1555D

Leslie Party Bird #1553C

Mr Wilson Hat and Tie Bird #1559H

Nathan Flamingo Left #1557F

Nathan Flamingo Right #1558F

Petey Bowler Penguin #1550E

Priscilla Scuba Cat #1556F

Brawny Strongbird #1560H

Cherry Ice Cream #1562BB

Clown Head #1561D

Double Scoop #1563A

NC's Banner #1566D

Priscilla with Net Cat #1567J

Priscilla with Paintbrush Cat #1568F

Row of Balls #1565I

Single Scoop #1564BB

Candy Cane Tree #1387Q

So click on over to the Odd Bird Planet and scoop up a bunch of stamps.

At 30% off you can buy lots!

The Winner is....

The random number generator chose blog post #5: Random Integer Generator Here are your random numbers:5 Timestamp: 2009-03-23 20:55:39 UTC and the winner is Frankiesue! Sue, I'll contact you over on the 'Shack. Congratulations!! Sorry I didn't choose the winner on Sunday. I've been very sick.

GREAT NEWS!

I am now a designer for Paper Garden Projects! I am so honored to be a part of this design team. I mean, c'mon, have you seen the other design team members' work? Wow. Check out the beautiful work over at Mel Stampz, especially her post about her Farm Friends Chipboard Book. That paper and stamps is a winning combination! And then Tracy over at Durcan Designs. Her stuff is always uber-cute. You can miss this tutorial using the Honey Pie paper kit from Paper Garden Projects. Tracy and I have known each other for some time now, with both of us being on the Odd Bird Planet design team together. I look forward to getting to know Mel and working with her and Tracy on the Paper Garden Projects design team. "Wait!" she says, slapping her knee, typing furiously. "I almost forgot to tell you something!" The Paper Garden Projects store is having a sale! Not only that, but they have new Copics colors and they're on sale, too - 25% off! All Odd Bird Planet stamps are 25% off. I can't list everything on sale, people! Click on over and check it out for yourself. Ok, whew. I'm done now. I need to take a nap.

I have a secret

but I can't tell you until tomorrow.

It's Wednesday and I'm Feeling Very Generous

I have been a bad blogger, so to make it up to you and to make it up to my hit counter, I'm giving away something cool. All you have to do is leave me a comment on this post and tell me why you want the prize. That's it! I'll use the random number generator to choose the winner. Tell your friends! This contest will end on Sunday, March 22 at 6pm PST. For this prize, you get the card AND the pirate ship stamp by Odd Bird Planet. This is a brand new stamp valued at $16 and it is now discontinued, so this may be your last chance to get your very own pirate ship. Image size is 3.75 x 4". I made this card a long time ago following a technique I saw on the web. Here's how I made it.

• First I took my Versamark ink and inked up the pirate ship stamp and stamped it on my background cardstock. Then I embossed with clear embossing powder.
• Then I stamped the waves with Versamark and clear embossed it.
• Using various colors of Radiant Rain, I dabbed colors over the clear embossed image, making it pop.
• I cut a piece of transparency the same size as the background piece and, using my alcohol inks, dabbed on color around the edges of the transparency.
• Placing the transparency over the background piece, I aligned the bird and the hat on his head using a stamp positioner. I stamped with Staz-On ink because I was stamping on a transparency.
• Next I stamped the sentiment with Staz-On.
• Working on the backside of the transparency, I used a white gel pen and colored in the white areas on the images I wanted. Since I was coloring on the back of the stamped image, I didn't have to worry about obliterating stamped lines. All I had to do was stay in the lines.
• After all was dry, I adhered the transparency to the background piece with adhesive tape. You know, that kind that comes in roll. It has a red, peel-off backing? What's that called??
• I matted the image and then adhered it to the card. Card size is 6x6.

Thanks for stopping by again. I appreciate it.

Tuesday's Creation

I made a card today! I'm so happy. For the past few months, I start a card or two and never finish it. I've got lots of colored images, but no finished cards. That's good and bad, ya know? The stamped and embossed image on this card is one of the newest images from Odd Bird Planet. it's called Kelly's Fairy Flowers and I just love this stamp. I love flower stamps and I think this one is whimsical yet scary. They kind of remind me of Venus Flytraps even though they don't look like a Venus Flytrap. Just a bug-eating plant, I guess. Here's a close-up of the flower part of the card. I stamped the image with Versafine ink and heat embossed it with clear powder. I colored the image with my Copic markers. It's hard to see, but the tops of the flowers have shiny gold pen on them. I was going to use just plain Prism green cardstock, but then I found this printed paper in the stash. I think it goes just fine. Sometimes I'll choose my printed background paper first and then match my Copic colors to the paper. How do you do it? That's it for today. Wow, I posted two days in a row! What will happen next?! Thanks for stopping by. I appreciate it.

Some color on this dreary Monday

Yes, I know I haven't blogged in a long, long time. I've been in a crafting funk, but I hope to be back at it soon.

This past weekend, John and I went to Peoria, Arizona to watch the San Diego Padres at Spring Training. It was a super fun weekend. More pictures of that later, but this is a quick post to show you something other than baseball. Yes, John, there is life before/during/after baseball!

We did so many things in three days. My feet are still tired from all the walking around. One of the free things we did, was go to the Southwest Home and Garden Show at the University of Phoenix Stadium. For you non-sporties, that is the home of the Arizona Cardinals. I think it is a very ugly stadium. It looks like the foil part of Jiffy Pop with it's all popped out. Yes, it's silver and puffy. I think the most fascinating thing about the stadium is that they roll the football field in and out of the stadium. They roll it outside to get sunshine and water and before game time, they roll it back in. Yes, the whole football field is on rollers. Isn't that cool?? Ok, so on to the picture. As we were leaving the Home & Garden Show, I stopped into the ladies room and the colors that met my eyes!! Check it out:

The one girl in the bathroom thought I was crazy to be taking pictures of bathroom stalls, but they are pretty, aren't they? Tell me they are. Please. Just so I don't keep thinking I'm some kind of nut. Well, I know THAT, but you know what I mean....

So, after the garden show, we went across the street to the giant Cabela's store. If you don't know what Cabela's is, it is a HUMONGOUS sporting goods store. This store has a museum AND an aquarium inside along with tons of stuffed (taxidermied) animals. Like big animals. Like MOOSE and ANTELOPES! More pics later. If you can't find your sport in Cabela's, then you made it up. Amazing store. Out front of the store, they had all these kayaks hanging and I thought they looked pretty cool:

So that's it for today sports fans. See you later in the week for some actual crafting. Thanks for stopping by today.

Some of my favorite things

Hi everyone. Over on my niece's blog, she posted that she tends to use the same basic five items over and over. In no particular order, here are my top five items. Oh yes, my ATG gun. When I first got it, I thought it was a bit bulky, but it really isn't. It's light and works perfectly!

My favorite scissors. The little Cutterbee scissors. I call them my bumble bee scissors. I love these scissors because they are sharp and small.

Inks. We all need inks if we're going to stamp! I use these two different types of inks: The Memento ink I use for stamping images that I want to color with my Copics and the Versafine for images I color with my Prismacolor pencils. I think the Versafine gives a sharper image than the Memento, but you can't use Versafine ink with Copics unless you heat emboss the image.

My Prismacolor pencils. I love these pencils. I store my pencils in highball glasses. I have 3-4 pencils of each color. I do this for a couple of reasons. One, I'm a pencil pig. Two, I figure if I have 3-4 of each color, when I go to look for a particular color, I won't have to search for the color. Oh, and I like the look of the full pencil cups. :)

And last but certainly not least, my Copics. It's about 50/50 now when I color an image. Sometimes it's Prismas and sometimes it's my Copics. I love these sketch markers and can't imagine crafting without them.

Thanks, Dana, for your post. How about you? What are your top five items you couldn't craft without?

Thanks for stopping by today!

House Mouse Monday Challenge #25

I tell myself I'm going to do a couple of challenges a week. Sometimes I make it, sometimes I don't, but I have good intentions. One of the challenge blogs I like a lot is the House Mouse Monday Challenge blog. They give you a sketch and all you have to do is use a HM stamp on the card. Sometimes they give away blog candy! Here is my take on this weeks sketch:

This stamp is called "Bear-ied in Paperwork". Reminds me of this specific time of the year - tax time! Oh, how I hate tax time. No, I don't do my own taxes. I just hate to get all the junk together for the tax guy, and I am not organized all year to keep it together. I'm busy being creative!

Ok, so there is a flower on this card. The original sketch has a bow tied there. You are free to change the sketch how you want - make it smaller, bigger, turn it upside down, sideways, etc., so I put a flower there. I cannot tie a nice bow to save my cards. Really. I even tie my shoes crooked. I didn't have a nice brown Prima flower, either, so I took a white one and colored it with my Copic marker. My card measures 5.5 x 5.5 and I colored the image with my Prismacolor pencils.

Thanks for stopping by today.

Cat chipboard book

I am so far behind I don't know when or if I'll catch up. Here's a book I've been working on this weekend. A friend of mine just had a litter of kittens. No, not HER! Her cat! haha!! I crack myself up sometimes. This is the front of the book. My sweet sister sent me this cat-shaped book for my birthday. It's so cute! I used DCWV Pet Paper for the book. I used some justjohanna Odd Bird Planet stamps on these facing pages. Aren't they just too cute?

This next layout is fun. I had this brown leather frame with lime green stitching in my embellishments drawer. I put foam dots around three of the edges to raise it up. See where the little green dot sticks out from the top? That's so you can pull out the picture from the frame. I colored the little kitty and put her in there until my friend puts her own kitty picture in there.

This one, I stamped and colored the Crazy Cat Lady in Training. The television set is a QuicKutz die for my Revolution. I raised up the television frame on three sides and put a ribbon pull on the left side to slide the picture in and out of the frame. The tag is for journaling.

I love the bright colors in the layout below. I have these little wooden flower pots that are cut in half. I got them at Michael's. I colored the wooden flower pot with my Copics and then put in some flowers with some glue. After that dried, I just glued it to the book.

I used another of my QuicKutz dies for the layout below. It's a file folder diecut. Two diecuts, actually. One for the cover and one for the tabbed inserts. I stamped and colored the image on the outside. Colored with my Prismas. There are six pages for pictures of kitties in this little booklet. YAY!

A long time ago, I was RAK'd with a bunch of kitty cat stuff and these stickers were part of that RAK. I thought it was cute to put the ingredients for a cat on the back of the photo book.

This book does not lay flat when closed. It's already about 6" thick. I tied some ribbons to the top of the book as you can see by the front view (first picture). I really enjoy making these little chipboard books. I hope my friend enjoys this book as much as I enjoyed making it for her.

Thanks for stopping by today.

I am Certified!

You notice I said "Certified" not "Certifiable", right? Ok, just wanted to get that straight.

On January 23rd, I drove up to Anaheim, CA to take the Copics Certification class. The class was fun, entertaining and informative. I really enjoyed learning the shading techniques that Marianne taught. We got to look through her sketch and coloring books, too. Woo hoo! The gals I sat with at the table were so much fun. Thanks gals!

I think the most impressive thing I learned was choosing the right type of paper for the job. Marianne gave us samples of different types of papers to try. My favorite one was the Prism paper that is just slightly glossy. The ink doesn't bleed over the stamped image line and I like the smooth look. The other paper I liked was the Neenah paper. It allowed the ink to soak into the paper all the way to the back with out bleeding out all over the place. You all know NOT to use watercolor paper, right? It will suck your markers dry very quickly. Also, choose your inks carefully. Since Copics are alcohol-based, you'll want to use a dye-based ink. If you use an alcohol-based ink, such as Staz-On, the ink will bleed into the marker and vice versa. Probably not the look you were going for, I'm guessing. I use Memento Tuxedo Black ink. You can get it at most every stamp or scrapbook store, but I get mine at the Paper Garden Store. You can also get your Copics there, and by the way, THEY ARE ON SALE RIGHT NOW! Here's a picture of me receiving my certificate from Marianne Walker herself. Thanks for stopping by today!