Paper Transformer

Playing With My New Toys!

I finally jumped onto the bandwagon and purchased some Copics! I was pretty happy with my Prisma markers, but they did not blend the way I wanted them to.  They also do not have a brush tip. I found a really good deal on eBay and took it.

After my first...YEAH they're in...rip open package and color....I realized that they are not magic "you can now color like a professional" markers.  There is defiantly a learning curve to them.  So where did I go...that's right...Google! HA!

I found a really great Copic tutorial blog called I like Makers , did a little reading and tried again, LOL. This time it was a bit better.  I am glad I like to learn new things, since there appears to be a lot that can be learned about coloring.  So funny, when I realized that a picture looked better with black outlines right about the time I started school, I thought I had arrived! I knew everything there was to know about coloring, and I was only 5 or 6!

How silly of me!!! So here is my first "Copic" card.

 

Dogwoods are my favorite tree. Our side yard is boarded with red twigged dogwoods bushes. There are about 20 of them.  Those have the tiny cluster flowers similar to the image on the square layer.  After they bloom the flowers turn to berries. Birds seem to come from near and far to feast on them.  How fun!!! On the corner we have a variegated dogwood tree. This has the larger flowers that are on the oval layer.  Soooo very pretty!

When Stampin' Up's 2009 Occasions Mini was posted on the demo site, and I saw "Soft Summer", I knew it would most defiantly be in my preorder. The sentiment is from the "Oval All" set that is also in the occasions mini along with the new scallop oval punch!!!

 

Look at that paper!!! It is my new favorite from Paper Temptress called Canvas Luster. Look at how the shimmer seems to blend into the ink, making the flowers shimmer beautifully! The texture is so yummy! I heat embossed my image with clear embossing powder and the heat did not effect the paper one tiny bit.  I personally find embossing with a clear powder to be the best way for "ME" not to smudge ink.  My impatience seems to get the best of me, even when I am certain I waited for the image to dry, LOL

Isn't this adorable. I really like how the large oval punch fits perfectly with the new scallop oval.  They match the Nestie die cuts perfectly.

For the inside I kept it simple.

Look at the sentiment stamped onto the Canvas Luster paper. The shimmer makes it look like a mirror! I found that to be quite interesting when I saw the photo. 

The recipe is in the card album.  

Not to bad for my first Copic card, LOL.  Looking at it now, I really think I should have added a little bit of sky behind the flowers on the oval layer, rather than just a little shading. next time, LOL

Have a great night, Hugs, Sandy O

Searching Saturday: Flowers

Do you like flowers? When I was younger, say in my 20's, I really did not much care about flowers and was certain I would never have a garden. Most flowers are in dirt and I HATED the feel of dirt/sand on my hand and especially under my finger nails! Flowers that were not in dirt were either 1) cut, in a vase looking rather unnatural and going to die anyway 2) plastic, ugly, in a vase looking very unnatural and had no scent 3) floating in mucky water. Yup, back then I saw not much in the way of flowers.

Though I still detest the feel of dirt, I have discovered that with good gardening gloves, it is not much of a problem. Now I have a few small gardens I play in. AND...... I most defiantly love flowers. I also love them in their natural setting, outside in the dirt. I am not even fond of flowering house plants. I will take a variegated ivy for my house any day! But like a bird in a cage looks out of place to me, so does a flower out of it's natural habitat.

So...do you like images of flowers? OH, I most certainly do. My favorite are of the individual flower up close, but any images will do for me.  The flowers, the plant, the garden, the field or mountain, it's all beautiful if there are flowers in it. Even a table with a vase of flowers I can enjoy if the flower is the main focus.

Soo...do you like rubber stamps of flowers? If so, do you like the real looking ones or the cartoon like ones? For me, I drool over the realistic flower images in rubber stamps. The acrylic stamps just do not get the details like the rubber does. When it comes to flowers, the more detail the better. Cartoon ones can be fun to color and are a must if combining with other cartoon like image. A cutesie image of a chipmunk would look rather silly on the same card as a detailed artistic image of a flower! So I do own both types and even some acrylic.

What I have begun to do is collect the beautiful images of flowers that are wood mounted rubber. Most are retired Stampin' Up, but a few are from other companies. I browse eBay and the buy/sell galleries for any reasonably priced retired beauty I have yet to acquire. If...by chance, there are new images in the new catalog, I will snatch them up.  For instance...did you see the incredible "Dear Friend" level 1 hostess set in the current catalog. OH MY....and it matches a retired set I purchased a while back, Flowers of Gratitude, like they were made for one another.

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"Dear Friend" flower stamp images

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Flowers of Gratitude" retired Stampin' Up set 

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I also have procured a set called "Flower of the Month" another retired SU set.

 

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"Flower of the Month" retired SU stamp set

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Do you see the difference between the first 2 sets and the 3rd set? You can click on the photos if you would like to see them a bit larger.

Here is another set that I was just blessed to get of Craig's List:

 

Well, actually, this is a set of 2. The flower shown here and a sentiment.

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"Just For You Series--Kindness Is..." flower from the retired SU set

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Do you see it? Well, the Flower of the Month set has the name of the flower on the image! The rest do not! I could Google Sweet Pea or Aster, print out a few photos of each and off I would go to color my images. I suppose they are all common flowers that everyone knows, but not me. I figured out the rose and one other that I think is the flower that sings in Alice and Wonderland cartoon movie. The large one just above I was almost certain was an orchid. HA! (It is actually an Iris, which I found out after checking the many website I have bookmarked for this very purpose.)

Soooo...how could I color them? And even worse, how do I look them up to find out the colors that particular flower is known for? I have a few gardening books that I went to, but they can't have every flower in them, right?

What I did was I turned to Google, ahhhhh Google---what did I do with out you?---

Search wildflowers by color

Identify wildflowers

Search by scientific name...great photos

Search flower gallery

Search by type then scientific name, fantastic photos

Searchby scientific name--hundreds if not over a thousand types that when clicked have subtypes, most with photos

Search by scientific or common name as well as type, zone, color, flowering time and others. You do need to register to have access to the complete database, but registration is FREE. It is well worth the 3 minutes it take to register.

So, I hope this helps some of you as you attempt to recreate a realistic flower though paper and coloring mediums.

The final flower image says it is from a series, but I could not find any informtion about the others. If you know, please leave me a comment or send an email. I would soooo much appreciate it!

Have a wonderful Sunday!

See you Monday...Hugs, Sandy O

First Rose Of Spring

Do you like making cards? My first dabble into paper crafting was a scrapbook page. Hmmmm....took me forever to make that page and all I did was put a layer of card stock under the photos and added some stickers, LOL. It is a page of our first child on her first day in the world. How appropriate for it to be my first scrapbook page,! Since then I have made maybe a dozen more layouts {{{hanging my head in shame}}} My love for paper crafts does not extend to scrap booking and I really don't know why. Maybe because they take me soooooo long, LOL

I love, love, love making cards and altered items, though.  All this to say that I found a wonderful new forum that the primary focus is to card making. YEAH!!! It is called "Card Universe" which is an extension of Scrapbook News and Reviews. Finally a forum for us card makers. It is set up much like Paper Craft Planet or, I am told, like Facebook. I just signed up  this morning and would love for you to jump in with me. Here is the link -->Card Universe<--

Moving onto the ROSE, LOL

On one of my favorite CD's, there is a song called "Last Rose Of Summer". When I hear it, I feel sad for the end of summer and all the flowers that fade away. So today....just days way from saying good by to cranky and pushy Mr Winter...I have the first Rose of Spring.

   

When I saw this new image from Cornish Heritage Farm, I HAD to get it, as it is different from his other images. I generally do not color my Thomas Kinkade images. They can be very intimidating, just look at the detail! I used my Prisma markers on this and was sad to find that my Prisma blender pen is gone.  I had checked every craft store I went to for one and FINALLY, at one store, I found one lonely marker waiting to be plucked up.  I can't seem to find it now :o( I haven't even used it yet. I will probably find it next year in that proverbial safe place.

I was not happy with the leaves, the colors did not blend as I wanted them to. Not having had the pleasure of ever having used the blender marker, I don't know if that would have helped.  So I found my next personal challenge, actually 2...find my marker and learn how to blend leaves, LOL

Here is a close up photo:

Isn't that a beautiful image? I love how the shimmer of the paper comes right through the color. No need to use items like pearl-ex to add shimmer, what a time saver! Bling without the work.

I added some dots of Crystal Effects to look like dew. I love roses in the morning. Well...I love roses all day, but the morning is my favorite time to enjoy them.

I am loving this Paper Temptress paper. I love it so much I want to share every single beautiful sheet with you. Even less blingy crafters like a bit of shimmer on their projects every now and then, right?

In this economy, quality paper means no need for the expensive accessories. Well...they are still fun, but you don't NEED them. One thing that drives me nuts is when I made a card and can't find an embellishment to go on it. And I do have a lot of embellishments floating around! Most cards don't seem complete without something to perk them up. But this paper is all I need to perk up a card. Not one thing I have made with this paper has been "flat" You know what I mean, not dimensionally, but visually flat.

These roses look stunning with the shimmer of the paper making the petals look like the real petals, all velvet like. The base paper brings out the color of the roses, nothing is flat or "competing" for attention. Everything compliments wonderfully with everything else.  All team players, LOL

Well...looks like my arm is feeling better, Tee he

Hugs, Sandy O

Pretty Card and a Quick Post

Close photo of card

Isn't this such a gorgeous image? I can't imagine how a card utilizing this image could be anything but pretty. This stamp is called Love Letter and is from Dog Gone Stamps 1920's line. 

With a name like Love Letter, how could I not use Valentine Colors! The pearls strands were purchased just over a year ago when I was making center pieces for my daughters wedding reception, then never used them. This card was the perfect reason to finally crack open the package.

I also had to use the simply stunning Paper Temptress Paper. I know I am sounding like a commercial right now....BUT....you just have to see why...When you click on the photos you will see what I am talking about. This little lady deserves the prettiest paper I have. After all, She has been waiting 90 years, LOL

    Closer photo of card

 

Closest photo of card

Ha Ha! I am REALLY tired today...I have been working on 2 video tutorials since I got up, as well as part of last night. I have never done one before and boy...did I learn A LOT...Like....my belly looks so much bigger from outside of me than from where I am standing, LOL and.... how to edit on the FLIP software...how long winded I am...well...you get the point. So...

the close, closer, closest theme sounded cute to me right now, Teehehehe

Here is one of the inside:

 

I will be putting this in my album tomorrow. At this moment my right arm is killing me. I think I clicked that poor mouse on the head 1,598,457 times in the last 2 days!

Just so you know...the paper I used are called:

Base: Iridescent Crayogen White Card stock

Large ovals and photo corners: Sparkle Vermilion text

Small ovals and image: Silk Silver Luster Text.

well, I am off to give my arm a rest.....Ummm.....I just looked at the clock {{{SNIFFFFFF}}} It's time to feed the dogs and make supper...a large frowny smiley goes right HERE!!!

HA! See you tomorrow, Hugs, Sandy O

I've been so blue....

Awwwww,,,look at this poor pup. This is one of my wonderful Dog Gone Stamps "Black Lab" that came in last week. As I was preparing for the Paper Temptress Introduction Party, I did not have time to play with him.

There he is, with his ball in front of him, birds flying about, flowers blooming sparkling in the sun...yet he is waiting, even with all the commotion around him. How sad. 

I had to pick him up and play with him today, but before he would play...as any dog would do...he had to let me know how he was feeling.

Do you have any stamps that feel like this.  Sitting on a shelf waiting and waiting for you to notice them? Don't make them wait any longer. Pull them out, let them tell you how them feel and then give them some ink. They will feel better and so will you!

I am sure when I play with this pup tomorrow, he will be feeling so happy and peppy and ready to play...allowing his full colors to show :o)

When you pull out your sad stamp set and make amends, leave me a link to the post or gallery where you put the completed project and I will link it to one of my posts next week.

Till then....Hugs, Sandy O

Kinkade the ultra smooth way

WOW, if you made it to the Paper Temptress release party last night your eyes must still be sparking. The shimmer, the glimmer, the bling....the amazing talent of the design team.  That new paper....WOW...

Today I want to share with you a paper that has been in her store for a while, that is to say...it is not a new release, but it is AMAZING.

Here is what I wrote in an email:

With all of the Thomas Kinkade cards I wanted to show how well the image of such a detailed stamp works on the ultra smooth paper. And OH MY GOSH…look at the detail.  I used the same ink and method as I always used, but the detail using this paper astounded me. So much so that I made 4 cards instead of just one. This proved to me that the crispness of the image was not a fluke or just that one stamp, but it was most definitely the paper. I absolutely LOVE the Cornish Heritage Farm images, but have stopped purchasing them due to the inability to get a good image from them unless I stamped it over and over until I, by chance, got one that was good enough to use. This not only wasted a lot of paper, but frustrated me to no end!  

 

I took close up pictures of some areas that have the greatest detail that did not show up near as well using other papers.  The best part was that I only had to stamp it once. I did not have to stamps several times until I got a good image.  These were all the first try!

 

I must add that the best inks to use for this paper are the Versa Fine, adirondack or Staz-on. For these cards I used the Versa Fine for the colored images and the Staz-on for the black image. I did make another black and white card using the same image and paper but with the Adirondack ink. That one came out just as good, but needed to be heat set since I am so very impatient, LOL I wanted to get to the coloring and card making...how could I just sit there waiting for the ink to day enough for my anxious fingers to handle! HA...I tricked it with my heat gun, tee he he he

 

                

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Isn't that detail amazing!

 

Since this paper is such good quality and did not require a lot from me to make it look “good” I was able to make 6 cards in one day. Then I still had time to photograph them, edit them and make a blog post! I have NEVER been able to do that.  The most I have made in one day is 2 cards while still having time to do everything else.  Not only did I make all 6, I actually designed the barn and made a template for it so I can duplicate it with ease! The difference is the paper!

 

Here are the other 2 Kinkade cards:

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The barn card I referenced to will be shared with you next week. The rest of this week I have some really great Dog Gone Stamps waiting for attention.  They have been so lonely waiting for me to pick them up and play.

I have a fun day today...I am going to visit with Sarah from INK(credible) Happenings. She is so sweet and I don't get to meet with her near as much as I would like. Her boys are fabulous too. she has every reason to be proud of them and excited to share them with you from time to time on her blog. Not only that, her cards are fantastic. You should check it out, and she is not long winded like I am, LOL

Well, I am off to get my day started.  I can't believe it is almost noon and I am just drinking my first cup of coffee. I, know...lazy Sandy, LOL

Till tomorrow, Hugs, Sandy O

Today's the day!!!

*****Oppps, My Bad! the party is 8:oo Central time...so that is 9:00 Eastern time. Sorry about that.  All other information is correct :o0 See you there.******

Not only has the winner of the awesome blog comment contest been announced, but the Paper Temptress Introduction Party is tonight, 8:00 PM (EST) Eastern Standard Time (7:00 PM Mountain Time or 6:00 PM Pacific Time).

You can find it on the home page of the Paper Temptress Forum on Paper Craft Planet. Or, to make things easy for you>>>just click Home page OR Paper Party  to be brought directly to the party.

Patricia has been very busy setting everything up and I can tell you...it is a celebration you don't want to miss. WHY???? Just Look -->

>You will be among the first to see all the new papers released tonight

>You will get to meet the Paper Temptress, Patricia, and you will just love her, I know it.

>Patricia will be giving away 2 fabulous packages, each containing 1 each of the newly released papers. This is over $29.00 in value going to 2 party guests. You could be one of them, YEAH!!! *small print, LOL, the entry form is on the home page of the Paper Temptress Group which can be found HERE

>Loads of projects that the Design Team has been working on will be shown

>You can ask any or all of the Design Team members questions about their projects and what they think about particular papers or anything else you would like to ask, well...pertaining to the projects and Paper Temptress paper {{{WINK}}}

>If you haven't already, you can join the Paper Temptress Group on Paper Craft Planet

>You will meet many new paper crafters who LOVE paper like you do

Are you excited yet??? Well, here is a little something to wet you whistle, Tee he he he...

These lovely flowers are from the Stampin' Up level one hostess set "Dear Friend".  Oh My...I just love them so much, I swear I can smell them, LOL Orrrr, it may just be wishful thinking {{{Snifffffffff.....looong sigh}}} can you smell them??!! Hmmmmmm

The pretty shimmery ribbon is from Papertrey Ink. It goes perfectly with this paper. What paper is it you ask???? Wellllll...

It is all Paper Temptress paper.

-->The base is the Linen card stock in Avalanche White

-->The flowers are stamped onto Crystal text weight (make sure to see the close-ups below)

-->The scallop squares are the Glimmer card stock in Alpine Aster, Mountain Rose and Spring Larch

Here are some fantastic close ups of these yummy smelling flowers.  You can actually see how the shimmer from the paper actually shines through the Prisma Markers.

If you have any questions, meet me at the party :o) See you there!

Hugs, Sandy O

Natures Best Mr. Mom

One thing I remember very well about being pregnant is the last trimester! I wondered if it was labor pains or the third trimester that was the actual curse, LOL

Not being able to hold more than a tablespoon in the bladder at a time, and that was if the baby was not playing soccer!

Not being able to lay on my belly, Ugggggg...I was a belly sleeper once!

The kicking baby at night, surely this middle child was trying to push me off the bed to the floor.

How about a foot between the ribs, HA! My first child loved that!!! Totally unique that one is (rolling my eyes)

All 3 of my kids loved play the ping the sciatic nerve game...especially fun when I was rushing to the bathroom with a full tablespoon threatening to present itself to the world at any moment!

The age old...I don't like this food heartburn trick...a favorite all three of mine enjoyed.

Not only could I not wrap my arms around Paul to give him a hug...toward the end, I could barely reach the steering wheel!...That is if I go my shoes tied so I could go out!

I totally remember thinking I could hardly wait for the baby to be born so I could get some sleep...BWAA HA HA HA...that was with my first one, of course! How young and naive I was! Here it is 24 years later and I am still waiting for a full nights sleep! You moms with adult kids know what I mean!

The total "deer in the headlight" look when I was over due and I felt a trickle while standing in line for my unemployment check...in MA of all places. The lines were so long that people bought their lunches! This was Lawrence...whole families would tag along and have a picnic while waiting! I was NOT going to leave the line, I would have to be swimming first, LOL Thankfully it was only a leak. Nothing broke until the next day at the hospital.

All three of my kids were overdue and I had to be induced for all three of them. I really don't think there will ever be longer days than the ones after the due date! Two of mine were the full 2 weeks late and the other was induced after only 8 days late so I could be home for Christmas!

Then after all was said and done....with my first that is....I was in total shock that my pre-pregnancy clothes did not fit for my trip home from the hospital. Now...if you are one of THOSE...I don't want to hear it.  My room mate for that one wore hers home...I still hate her!

Well...there is one blessed creature on this planet that does not have to endure these "precious" moments! There may be others, but I am unaware of them.  To me, this is the most fascinating creature the Lord has created. Not only because He carries the babies..but the simple beauty they behold. THE SEAHORSE!!!

Talk about daddy daycare! Mr. Seahorse is the ultimate Mr. Mom. Just think...not only does he carry the conceived baby seahorses...they never have just ONE!

In honor of these magnificent creatures I present to you:

Isn't he a beauty! I have been fascinated by them ever since I can remember.  When I began to stamp, I searched for the perfect sea horse image.  I was so excited when I finally found this one.  And do you know where??? Dog Gone Stamps! Yup...I put this baby carrier right into my shopping cart on the very first visit to the site.  He was not going to get away, Tee he he he.

Did I say how much I love this image? I wanted to make sure there was nothing on this card that would distract from his presence.  I was so thrilled when I pulled out my SAB Delicate Dots Designer Paper and it matched perfectly...enhancing his presence not battling for the spot light.

I have been working on lots of fun things that I am excited to share with you! I can hardly wait! And, as always, the recipe for this card is in the photo album.

Till tomorrow...Hugs, Sandy O

 

My Hero and more about the contest

Hi everyone...a rather quick post today.  I made this card using 2 of the stamps from Dog Gone Stamps.  Look at these guys, tee hehehe, they are so cute.  How talented Brian is to be able to make a rattle snake so adorable! The recipe is in the card gallery.

I wanted to make a card using some of the DGS images today because....Nancy was so generous to donate 5....Yup...that's right FIVE stamps to booty! WOW, she picked them herself and they are traveling to me as we "speak" Ha ha...and I will post a picture of them as soon as they arrive.

Before getting to the dessert, I have this appetizer for you!

 

Aren't these guys just the cutest! Nancy put the Caterpillar in my order as a surprise, isn't she sweet! The very first think I thought of with the 2 images is the book "Are You My Mother?" Bwaaahahaha I just could not come up with a way to make a card like that and have something to actually use it for. I mean...you wouldn't give it to your mom for Mother's Day, right.

Here is the other idea that came to my mind.  Now I think this is perfect for Father's Day or Mother's day or a Birthday for parents, an older sibling or a friend.  Actually there are so many things this card could be used for, I think every one should have both of these images, LOL.

Here are a few smaller pictures to show a bit more of the detail. You can click on any of the photos to see them full size.

You can see that this is a tri-fold card. You also can see the dimension of the images if you click the photo.    

The snake starts with one dimensional at then head, I added another layer as the tail starts and finished with the rattle actually having 3 layers of dimensionals. The Caterpillar is the same but backward. He starts with one at the tail, ending with 3 at the head.  What I wanted to do is give the appearance that they are looking at each other, LOL, and the snake is actually shaking his rattle, HA! In person it looks pretty cool.

I covered the snake with Twinkle H2O's after coloring him.  When the card is moved, he shimmers different colors depending on the light.  Some light green, some pearl, kind of like a real snake would (YUCK, Tee he he).  It was really hard to capture a picture of it but in the larger photo you get a glimpse of it. You can not see just how pretty it is, though, and how it really covers all of him.  The Caterpillar is dressed with flocking. How cute is that! I actually got the idea for the flocking from this post on Melanie Muenchinger's blog Hand, Head and Heart.

OK...Onto dessert. Yesterday I promised a picture of the Stampin' Up set up for grabs. Here it is..... 

Isn't that just gorgeous??? And it matches the level 1 set "Dear Friend" in the current cattie.  You could put them together and it would look like they are one set. Loooooove IT!!!!

And are some of the other things that will be in the box with it.

  

There are:

(5) square coasters

(5) rectangle coasters

(3) 6' rolls of ribbon

(2) 12' rolls of ribbon

1 each:

8' roll of ribbon

4' roll of ribbon

Pkg K & Co. Die-cut card stock

Pkg of 3 small paint brushes

Pkg of 5 little dippers (great for glitter, EP or micro beads)

pkg of 3 paper stumps (for blending)

Pkg of 30 Swarovki Elements Crystals 4mm

AND...that is not all....NOPE!!! there is more Tee he he he  I have some really neat alterables to put in the box, too.  I could not fit them in the picture today...so come back tomorrow and see them!

If you did not read the post yesterday about the contest/blog candy, check it out.

So much for short posts, LOL, leave me a comment, tell your friends and come back tomorrow!

***Editted to update on the views for the contest. So glad that I decided to go for 16000 to give more of you a chance. If I stayed with the 15000 I originally wanted, the contest would have been over already, LOL As of 5pm EST there are 15092 views! Whoo Hooo!!! Great start to the contest!

Till then.....HUGS, Sandy O

Tips, Tricks & A Reminder

I was thinking about all of you this morning as I was making my card for the SUDSOL "Bella Style" on-line swap.  I was cutting out the pretty little butterflies from the Dream du Jour stamp set, 6 of them actually and I thought...."I should share some of my cutting tricks and my small image tricks with those who visit me on my blog"  If you are reading this...then that is YOU!!! LOL  You can click on any of the images to see the full size photo for better details if you would like.

The image, a reminder and tip #1:

Isn't this butterfly so pretty! The image it self is just about 1 1/8 x 7/8", give or take 1/32" or so.  Given the amount of detail on it, cutting it out can be a challenge.

Reminder: Before we begin cutting the image, I just want to remind you that moving the paper, not the scissors, is the best way to cut your paper.

Tips #1  Where you begin and end matters.

For this image I began at the bottom going up to the body. This seemed the best place for me to start because it leaves enough paper around the body to support it as I cut. It also leaves enough paper to hold onto as I go around and cut the wing bottom (the tiny part looking like a tail) and the antenna. There will also be just enough supporting paper at the end as I cut the bottom of the second wing and enough of the butterfly to hold onto as I make my final snip. I hope that just made sense to you, LOL.

 Tip #2   Make sure there is supporting paper where it is going to be needed.

For the antenna, there are 2, well....actually 3 ways to cut them. The first way is to cut them off and just don't deal with them. {sigh} this would be easy and I don't think anyone would think much about it if I did this, BUT....I just can't bring myself to do it, teehehe

This photo shows the other 2 ways. On the left is when I leave the part between them for last. This will keep them supported as I cut around the rest of the butterfly, preventing them from being accidental ripped or twisted off.  On the right is when I cut them out as I go. Either way will work and personal preference will enter into your decision as to which way you will use. While cutting out my 6, I decided to try both and show you the results.

 Here are the same 2 butterflies after cutting them out.  I know...the coloring makes them look like different butterflies, but believe me, they are the exact same ones. I have no idea why the photo coloring is off.

You can see that the one that was cut out as I went around actually came out better. This is because the antenna had either paper on the opposite side from where I was cutting or paper attached to the same side as I cut down.  Either way, they had supporting paper holding them as I cut. This is important because they are just to small to hold with my fingers, LOL

The center on the other ones just did not cut well.  The antenna kept pushing away from the scissors since there was nothing to prevent them from doing so. 

TRICK #1:  When I have a small image such as this, I get concerned about ripping. With this image there is very little paper holding the large wing to the tiny body. How do I make sure that one doesn't rip off while attaching them to the card or if one of the dogs start barking at a chipmunk sneezing outside and scaring me to death as I am working on it or putting it in or taking it out of the envelope? The best way I have found to strengthen something like this is...

I do it by using a piece of scrap paper, a very small paint brush with a pointy end and some crystal effects.

I simply paint a small amount of CE to the areas susceptible to ripping. Here I brushed it on the antenna, the bottom of the wings, the body and where the wings attach to the body. You can see it more clearly if you look at the full size picture by clicking on this one. When the CE dries, it will leave a plasticy type thin layer which strengthens the area. One thing I have learned is that after applying the CE, move the image to a dry spot of the paper, otherwise it will glue to the scrap paper!

I could have just painted the complete underside, but I did not want the shine from the CE to show after attaching them. You will see what I mean in a minute, LOL

TRICK #2:  This trick kind of falls into the "duh, it's just common sense" category's. But if you are anything like me, common sense is nowhere to be found while I am playing in my scrap room! I enjoy popping up layers on my cards, which means I cut out a lot of small pieces. This also means I have lost a lot of small pieces, especially when that chipmunk sneezes outside! When he does that, I tend to loose half of what is on my desk, LOL. Finally, the "DUH" moment came and I started doing this:   

What you see here is all the little pieces of paper I have colored and cut out for my card. My small SU Powder Pal is holding them safe and secure for me.  When I use brads, eyelets, buttons...well..you know...all the small fun things we add to our projects, I put them in here also.

As I put my projects together, there is enough space to pick up the tiniest flower with my tweezers and not knock the others off the desk. Sometimes I will add my dimensionals to the pieces and put them back into the powder pal. When they are all ready to be attached I can just go at it.  LOL  Here the size is important to me also, since I can put them in the PP in the order that I am going to adhere them to my project.

FINALLY...the finished card:

Isn't it pretty!!! I love butterflies. And that paper!!!! Look at how pretty and soft it is.  The patterned paper is the new cover weight Parisian Breeze Specialty paper on pg. 158 of the SU catalog.  This paper is sooooo WONDERFUL...so thick you can use it for tons of things that regular card stock is not heavy/thick enough for. It is the perfect weight, as the name states, to use as a cover for booklets. Something else that comes to my mind is the boxes a lot of us like to make. Or how about the scrapbooks that fold up into a small box with a cover (forget what they are called at the moment) Those are just 3 things that came to my mind instantly when I pulled out the first sheet and felt how wonderfully thick it is. OH...and did I say that it is textured too! As Rachael Ray would say.... YUM-MO!!! hahaha

Here are a couple more pictures of the card for you:

 

The last picture is the inside of the card :O) Oh!!!! Did you see the pretty scallops at the bottom??? I just got my new eyelet punch from SU just minutes before I entered my scrap room. It is so pretty, much prettier than I thought it would be!

I was so excited to have some of you make comments and tell me what you are looking forward to this spring. There is no doubt we are all yearning for it together!

Tomorrow, not only do I have something to celebrate, you will be able to celebrate with me. Do you think you will be up to some CANDY???? Aaaa  Haaahhhh!!! Sounds YUM-MO, Teehehehe

What do you think it is going to be?!?!?!!

Till tomorrow, HUGS

Sandy O

 

Spring Window

How has your winter been? Here in NH it has been cold and full of snow.  It did rain over the weekend, so now the shoveled part of the yard (small dogs, LOL) is like an ice rink.  We do have one chihuahua that stays out to long then can't walk. Poor guy...we have to keep a close eye on him. There is no doubt that the chihuahua's would love to have spring right now.  The dachshund, though, spent this weekend sitting on a chair we have on the covered porch. Being long haired, he LOOOOVES this weather. He just sits there, feeling so tall, Ha ha, watching for something to chase and bark at.

Talking about dogs....Dog Gone stamps added several new "Dog" stamps to the site! the Black Lab is just perfect and Suspicious Pup is a riot! Click DOGS to see them, there are two pages so don't forget to click the "next" arrow {{{wink}}} Not only that, but Brian added two of the cutest  Butterflies under the seasons/spring category>>>just click butterflies to see them both.

I, on the other hand, want spring...me and the chi's, LOL, long for the buzz of bees, flutter of butterflies, softness of the dragonfly and sweet smell of flowers. You too???!!! Well, here is a card for you:

 

What fun I had making this card!  Isn't it just so bright and pretty.  This is the "Window with Flower Box" stamp from Dog Gone Stamps.  I am not sure why the link for it will not work, but you can find this stamp under Holidays then Valentines, it will be on the second page. 

Everything is popped up with dimensionals, even the 2 tiny flowers on the flower box. Here is a side view with a peak at the inside:

 

Isn't that nice and bright! The soft dots on the card base were made with the new SU Texture Plates that go with the Big shot.  What I really like about these plates is that they leave a soft and subtle impression, not harsh and bold like the cuttlebug folders.  For this card, I wanted a "little" something, but did not want to detract from the main focal point. The Texture Plates added just the perfect touch!

Have a fantastic day....OH.....

CONVERSATION STARTER.....Tell us what you are looking forward to the most this spring. 

I am looking forward to the warm weather yes, but mostly I am looking forward to working in the gardens.  The smell of fresh, nutrient rich soil in the spring is just so...so...I don'tknow how to describe it...so calming and exciting at the same time.  Love it!!! As long as I have gloves on, LOL. I hate the "feel" of it, Teehehe

Till tomorrow...HUGS, Sandy O

Paper that Tempts You

Let me ask you a question....do you like paper??? Bwa ha ha ha!!! I bet you are wondering why I would ask such a question, especially to a paper crafter.  I suppose the real question is not if you like paper, but what KIND of paper.  We have come far from the time of using birch bark, LOL Today, there are sooooooo many types of paper to choose from it can seem overwhelming. 

So...let's start again...what Kind of paper do you like? Personally I find, as I am sure you have, it depends on what you are doing with the paper. There is a specific kind of paper, though, that I am instantly drawn to when at a local scrap booking store, no matter what I am actually there to get. We have several LSS in NH such as The Paper Tree in Manchester, Scrapbook Island in Derry, Scrappin' Soul Sisters in Concord, The Scrapbook Cabin in Amherst, Stamping Memories in Laconia....and there are more! You get the idea. There is no shortage of places I could go to get paper.

There are some brands I can find at each store so if that is what I am looking for, it does not matter which store I go to.  Those papers just don't do it for me, though.  What I like is good quality paper, the kind you would never see at the big box craft stores. Nor do I see it often at the scrap booking stores.  It is the great quality paper that just shimmers in the light, making sure the world knows it is there in all it's beautiful glory. The wonderful quality paper that can take a little abuse and still retain it's beauty. The most gorgeous paper that you don't need to add anything to and still your card will be breath taking.

When hunting for the perfect paper for my daughters wedding invitations, this is the kind of paper I was looking for.  It took me 3 stores before I finally found it at the store 1 1/2 hours away from my house.  I did not find ALL of it though, since, as you cans see if you click on the links below, I needed many different colors and weights. Therefore, I had to compromise on some of it, and actually had to make half in pink & white and the other half in peach & burgundy. They both came out nice, but it would have been better for all of them to be the same.

Well.....I have found a place on line (which is a lot closer than 1 1/2 hours away, teehehe) that exclusively carries the best and most beautiful paper that I have had the privilege of using. Paper Temptress! Oh my gosh!!! I placed an order and very impatiently waited for it to arrive. When it did, I found in my package some of the papers I drove so far to find and much, much more.  This paper had me running my hands over it, flicking the edges, even smelling it.  It is just that yummy!

I finally had a chance to play with it yesterday...and had so much fun...I lost track of time and never even got a post finished. Take a look at this delicious eye candy:

 

Just look at that sparkle! It is like a billion microscopic crystals capturing the light and throwing it back out at you in every different direction. Did you spy the vellum? I used it as a shadow under the main image! It is a bit nontraditional, and though I am certain I am not the first person to use it this way...I have not seen it before.  It worked perfect for what I wanted to accomplish.  What you are seeing here is the Mountain Rose and Beargrass from the Glimmer Package and Pastelle Pink Vellum.

Here is another peak at the glimmer paper:

 

Just look at that pink shine! The bottom layer is paper I had left over from my daughters invitations.  YUMMY! If you really want to get an eye full of it, click on the picture...go ahead...isn't that simply scrumptious!

And pictures just do NOT do this paper justice.  Even on the website. I ordered a buffet plate of these paper to see which ones I would like.  Let me tell you...of the ones I ordered, I love them all.  I can hardly wait to get in line for a second helping, sampling the paper I have not put on my plate yet.

The Paper Temptress herself, Patricia, is so wonderful to deal with.  She is sweet as can be and loves paper! She also wants to make sure everyone can get a hold of it at a price that won't spoil the "crafting budget".  You can be certain that her prices are below those you will find at a brick & mortar store! Delivery is FAST, too. You won't have time to forget what and why your placed an order for. Don't tell me that I am the only one that has happened to! LOL

Here is the complete card I made:

When I look at this paper, I don't instantly think cute image. This was a nice image to use for valentines day, though. And...The Greeting Farm is having a contest for valentine cards right now and I really wanted to enter. I may not win, but I really enjoyed making the card and the poem that was needed to enter. 

With all the bling that Anya & Ian are wearing, they go rather well with this glamorous paper.

I hope you all have a super day, actually, have a super weekend, LOL.

Hugs, Sandy O

There Dog Gone Great!

Boy....do I have a treat for you today!. For those of you who have not seen these incredible stamps yet, you are in for a treat.

Today I want to introduce to you Dog Gone Stamps. This is a Mother and Son team that brings these to you. Nancy and Brian have joined forces to bring you the cutest images in the best possible quality.  Brian is the artist and computer guy. Nancy makes the stamps, trims them down and does the customer service.  I can only imagine how wonderful it would be to have a business with one of my kids. Yup...Nancy....I AM jealous, LOL

Here is a peek at the actual stamp.

The image I am introducing to you today is Bagpiper. I love every stamp they carry, but his guy stole my heart first.  My husband happens to be Irish and Scottish, so how could I not put the little guy right into my shopping cart!!!

Just look at that gorgeous rubber. You can tell I have been using him quite a bit already, teehehe. Nancy does a fantastic job trimming these down for you.

And notice they are not mounted on wood.  The best of both worlds, the crisp and beautiful image from rubber with the space requirements of acrylic stamps. You will have these stamps for years and years to come.

I bet you are wondering what kind of cushion this cutie is on. Well....let's take a look.

 Nancy mounts these on the absolute best Cling Cushion Foam.  Look at how nice and thick it is.  Perfect for just the right amount of "give" to get the best possible image from the stamp.

And, Oh My Gosh, look at that rubber! It is soooo thick!!! AND.....Look how deep the etching is!!! They just don't come better than this!

Let me tell you, these images stamp like a dream.  You don't need extra pressure to get a beautiful image.  I found that I got the best images using less pressure.  This was a bit strange for me at first. I am used to having to press down a bit more and rock the stamp just a little to get an image clean and crisp every where. Doesn't it just drive you crazy to stamp an image only to have one spot or edge not stamp dark and clear.  Uggg....I sure do!

It was the same with every image I have received so far, which is A Lot! For me the hardest part was choosing which ones NOT to get, LOL.  I wanted them ALL. The Bagpiper and Seahorse were the very first ones I bought!

Do you want to see my first card I made?

 

He is not as wrinkly as he looks on the rubber, LOL.  I only wish I was better at using my Prisma markers, other than that, what a really CUTE guy he is.  Love the blue eyes and his clothes even match his hat and bagpipe, LOL.

Here is a picture so you can see the awesome dimension of the card front.

My gosh, I just can't get over how CUTE he is.  Reminds me of an Irish Grand Daddy that loves to listen to his music, wet his whistle and tell jokes all day long.

Anyone who has listened to Irish music knows what a sense of humor these lads have, teehehe. My sons LOVE their Irish music, and boy do they laugh.  I never hear them laugh when then listen to any other kind of music.  The Irish just have that way about them.

Here are a couple of peeks at the inside of the card.

     
  Remember, you can click on any picture to see it full size.

I heard, well actually saw in an email, that a new image was being released today, so off I am to check it out.  You can see all the images available, too. All you need to do is click on the link in the right side bar and you will be taken directly to the Dog Gone Stamp Site.

Tomorrow, I have something really tempting for you. I can hardly wait, Tee he he he..

Till then, HUGS, Sandy O

What a Challenging Inspiration!

Don't you just love a challenge?  Some can be easy, some can really stretch you to move out of your comfort zone. And...we all like to remain comfortable...Right???!!! We like to remain right there...in the  worm and cozy down comforter zone. BUT.....If we remain in our comfort zone, we will not grow. All growing comes with growing pains and some hurt more than others, LOL

Keeping this in mind, I like to challenge myself to something new. This forces me to move forward in my paper crafting. Last month my personal challenge was to make some simple one or two layer cards.  It was tough...I LOOOOVE my dimensionals, my layers, my bling and accessories. You know what, though????? I loved it, REALLY loved it.

This month I am challenging myself to make one scrap book page layout a week.  You can read about this personal challenge in yesterdays post. One thing about personal challenges is that you can choose them to either jump completely out of your CZ or just reach an finger out.  You will purposely make the challenge "personal". You know you need to grow, but don't want to do it to FAST, LOL.

With this in mind, I check out the challenges on forums and blogs I often visit.  One forum I visit just about every day, Split Coast Stampers, has daily challenges. Each day of the week offers a different type of challenge.  You can access them right from the home page. Just scroll down about half way and you will see them on the right.  Saturday is called "'Inspiration Challenge" in which the person hosting the challenge finds something for you to look at and you are to use it, somehow, as inspiration for your project.

Yesterday was the very first Saturday I have been able to actually take the challenge. The host had 3 photos to choose from and use for your inspiration.  One photo was of journal covers that has swirly silhouette type decorations on them. The other, wrapping paper I think, had similar swirls in retro colors.  Both of these seem to be every where one looks, so I, personally, was not very challenged by them. I love swirls, flourishes and silhouettes so I use them enough.  The retro color combos using orange are not my style at all. So much so that I don't even own those colors, LOL.

Anyway...as you can guess, I chose the third one. Here it is:

The colors still seem quite retro to me, but workable.  The critters are cute.  AND....my order from The Greeting Farm came in. Perfect timing! This is actually a card they sell on the site the host found the pictures. The inside sentiment is "...when we'er together."  Cute kids and their pets for a cute sentiment. Well....here is what I came up with:

HA HA HA.....hahaha...aren't these little guys just adorable! Everything is better when you are with friends! They all look so happy in their green and yellow rainbow cloud covered field.

Here is a close up of these little guys:

I am just in puppy love with them! Now, as much as I thing these images are wonderful...this is so NOT my kind of card.  I like this color, but not alone! And not with the More Mustard Yellow! Nor am I a polka dot person.  You will rarely, if at all, see them in my cards in the gallery before today. But...it was a challenge and I over came my inhibitions for it.

I need to practice my coloring too! Practice, practice, practice, LOL.  At least I find it calming, even if I over blend and start ripping the paper. 

I should have used Water Color paper, since the right paper makes all the difference when it comes to paper crafts. The right paper is the best foundation and can make a project great.  On the same note, the wrong paper can ruin a project.  I used whisper white card stock here and it is not made for blending. My last step was to added some color to the cheeks but the paper was already wet from the blender pen. As I tried to blend the cheeks, especially on the pig and cow, the paper started to ball up and it was just not going to blend. Bwaaaa ha ha ha, they look like they are blushing.

Did you notice the changes I made to my blog????  Yup, the Super Bowl was on last night, as I am sure EVERYONE was aware, LOL.  So I challenged myself to figure out how to put one of those bars on top of my blog with the links in them.  (Navigation bars I found out is the name of them, teehehe) I have seen them on so many blogs and wanted one so that my side bars would not look so cluttered.  I am so proud of me, teehehe..it is not perfect, but it is workable.  And I did it all... by... my...self!  I have graduated from 2nd grade to 3rd grade in computer skills, bwaa ha ha ha.

You can now find the card recipe in the card gallery in the "Navigation Bar" just above the posts. Ha ha ha...I am a bit giddy right now..I admit it.

Let me know what you think..please ;o)

Tomorrow I have another really hard challenge I did to share with you.

Until then...HUGS! Sandy O