Forever Friends - Stamptacular Sundays Challenge

     Wow! Can't believe it is June already! Just loving this time of year.  Today begins yet another weekly challenge at STAMPTACULAR SUNDAYS.  Our "theme" this week is  PHOTO INSPIRATION, and once again, the photo is just gorgeous....

  

      For this week's challenge, you will create a card or project that uses the above photo as your inspiration!  The possibilities are endless!  Oh, and don't forget to use a stamp!  After all, we don't call this STAMPtacular for nothing!  You will have from now until midnight (EST) June 9th to complete this challenge and post a DIRECT LINK to your submission into our InLinkz in order to be entered into the drawing for this week's fabulous prize donated by:

SATURATED CANARY

   Prize: Winner's Choice of Two Digi Stamps

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     Now, try as I might, I just could not look at this picture and see anything other than... you guessed it, a mermaid!  I can see her sparkling fin gracefully flipping up and out of the water only to disappear once again beneath the blue sea...With that image in mind, and with the cheese cloth that I dyed with Dylusions Sprays this weekend-  my post here- I knew my response to the photo would be this....

      This little beauty is a digi stamp from Paper Shelter called "Beautiful Mermaid".  I colored her with copics and used BV 29 to darken the blues to match the inspiration photo (colors used below).  The design paper is Bo Bunny's Barefoot and Bliss.  The "waves" were created with three Memory Box Elegant Scrollwork die cuts - these delicate dies cut like "buttah"!  The moon is made from punching cardstock with a one inch circle punch and adding a bit of gray chalk for shading and glitter.

      Bling on a Roll Pearls by Recollections and K&Company Adhesive Gems embellish the card beneath and around the cheese cloth.  The pearls in her hair and on the water are made with Viva Decor Pearl Pen and this time I did NOT sprinkle with glitter but let them dry and no "splat"!!!  Flowers by Wild Orchid Crafts, Decor Art Glamour Dust and Glossy Accents (water) for a bit more bling!  Pebbles Iridescent Chalks in gray and dark blue (night sky) are streaked with cotton ball across the "sky line". Sentiment by Lili of the Valley.

My babies....

  We look forward to seeing what you create. Here are the DESIGN TEAM submissions. We hope they inspire you to join us! Thanks so much for your kind comments.

Challenges:

Divas by Design - Anything Goes

Paper Pretties -Summer

Stampavie and More - For a Girl

Shelley's Images: Pick 2/ Blue/Bling

Do You Stack Up- Under the  Sea

All Sorts- Oh I do like to be beside the Seaside

My Sheri Crafts Challenge - Summer Lovin

Outlawz- Copic Color Challenge

Secret Crafter - Anything Goes

Simply Stampin- Color Challenge

BLOG CANDY WINNER

 
      Good Morning.  I must say I had so much fun with this post- Top 10 Signs You are Spending Too Much Time in the Craftroom...I did not know how it would go over but when I read your comments I laughed out loud.  How interesting that we all share such a common experience- some of these comments came from all over the world and yet they all sound like me!  I tried to cut and paste all the comments here but blogger is not cooperating today!  To read the complete list of comments- which will make you all smile today- click HERE! 

   The winner of my blog candy, who was selected randomly, is........below!

#2 Teresa!  

"I confess I had a good giggle at these, knowing some of them I do myself lol.  Probably the worst thing I have done is when I drove my Son (who's 30) to hospital with a suspected broken arm but drove completely past the hospital without thinking and headed for Hobby Craft which is the next stop... Oops! I think my car was on autopilot! I'm not usually a bad Mum honest...Hugs, Teresa xxx"

Please contact me with your address so I can send these goodies to you! Thanks to all who participated!

Simply Summer

    I would first like to acknowledge the significance of this day, Memorial Day.  It is a day to honor those Americans who gave all in defense of our country; the fallen, the families left behind, the wounded and those currently serving. For all of them and to their families, I say "thank you" and may all who still serve return home safely and soon.
     
                                                                       ********

      For my card, I chose "Blue Pearl" by Joanne Schempp for Sweet Pea Stamps. I just love this image. I know I am forever coloring mermaids, but I could not resist this beauty. I love how she is stringing her pearls and the bling all around her! 

           I colored her with copics and just a few Prisma color pencils (see "recipe" for specific colors below).  I colored the background with Tea Dye distress ink.  The paper comes from a 12x12 paper pad by K & Company called Traveler by Tim Coffey. It is simply gorgeous. It features great ocean themed paper and is actually a good choice for a masculine card as well.   I had a cut out Spellbinder Classic Frame (made from sand colored glitter paper) that I saved. I wanted to use it but it was too small so I cut the frame in half to place behind my image which ended up looking better than on top.  (I don't think the frame die is available anymore :(  How odd that the shape of the frame mirrors the shape of her crown... cool! I added Recollections Bling on a Roll-Rhinestone and Pearls on the top and bottom of the frame. I love this embellishment. It comes on a roll (in several colors) and you can cut apart and use in all sorts of ways. I also cut three irregular shaped pieces from the roll and placed it in all three corners.  Flowers and metal embellishment are from WOC.  "Fern" die is made with a Punch Bunch punch that I cut out with dark green cardstock and then sponged with Tsukineko gold Delacato ink.  Gold netting from Funkie Junkie.  Viva Decor Pearl Pen in Cream and Glamour Dust.  (Warning: I sprinkled Glamour Dust on the Viva Decor "pearls" as soon as I applied the pearl pen, and the glitter made the "pearls" go splat in some places. Soo... note to self... let the Viva decor Pearls DRY first, then tap with glue pen and add glitter.)

Color used:

Skin E12. 11, 00, 000 and R20

Hair: E19, 15 and YR 20

Fins and top: B0000, 00, B12, and B21

Fauna: YG25, 21, 03 and G24

Crown: Y26, 11 and 00

Prismacolor Pencils: Indigo Blue, Copenhagen Blue, Process Red and Pink

   

Challenges:

Di's Digi Designs - Show Us That Bling

Just Us Girls - Color

Outlawz- Anything Goes

ATC-s and Cards With Attitude - Anything Goes

Inspire Me Fridays - Anything Goes

Stamp Man- For a Queen

Delightful Challenges - 5 or more Flowers

Paper Pretties - Bold and Bright Colors

Paper Shelter - Bling

Stampotique -Bright Colors

Stamp & Doodle -  Bling
Delicious Doodles - Diamonds are Forever
Wild Orchid Crafts- Bingo, Blue, Flowers, Glitter
Art with No Boundaries- Anything Goes
Cupcake Craft Challenges - Royalty
Hooked on Crafts - All that Glitters
Make it Monday- Anything Goes
Ooh La La Creations - Girly
Shabby Tea Room - Color Challenge
Touch Twin Marker - Color Challenge

Dying Cheese Cloth- My First "Tutorial"

     What a great day to be outdoors....I have been outside in my backyard getting the patio ready for the summer... cleaning lawn furniture and.... yes, dying cheese cloth!  Talk about avoidance behavior!  In any event, while doing so, I thought I would grab my camera and show you what I did in case you, too, want some diversion from having to clean or do any other chores!!! This actually took no more than 15 minutes, including clean up!!  It probably took longer to write this post!
    Let me begin by saying while I love Glimmer Mists, and I have quite the collection, I have become hooked on DYLUSIONS sprays- the colors are beyond vibrant!  I used them here to dye Cheese Cloth.
     So... here is my list of supplies- Cheese Cloth, Dylusions, Glamour Dust and Spray Glue (although you can use any glue):

   For clean up, I recommend TWO products that work and work well... Ranger Scrubbie and Masters Paint Soap that I got at AC Moore YEARS ago... I swear the bar never wears down.  Together, they will get any Ink off your hands  and under your nails (even my fake ones) in seconds (and I have pics to prove it)!!

   1.  First, lay out your craft sheet or use waxed paper. Another idea is to get a piece of cardboard and cover it with heavy weight plastic... this way you can wash off after use.
   2. Cut a section of cheese cloth the size you want.
   3.  Spritz with sprays of your choosing... Now when I used the gold and blue, guess what? Yup, GREEN!! So be careful if you are "mixing " colors.  Not to worry, however, as I just re-sprayed with Blue Dylusions and got the "ocean" color I was after!

    4.  Let dry briefly and spray with Glue Spray or apply glue to the cloth.  The spray allows an all over adhesion without being too sticky.

     5. Sprinkle Glamour Dust or glitter... possibilities are endless. Isn't the glitter beautiful!

     6. Move to a clean place to dry. I hung this outside over a chair (with protective plastic underneath) or place on another piece of plastic or clean craft sheet.
     7. With the remaining ink on your sheet, you can "wipe up" with cardstock or another piece of cloth, or better yet, dye MATCHING SEAM BINDING RIBBON- After all, the ink is already there!
     8.  Get out your soap and scrubbie and with warm water scrub away the ink. In a matter of minutes, the stains on your fingers and hands will disappear.  Hubby gets credit for taking these pics!!

   I really love to play with this technique. I have spent as much time doing this with seam binding but this is the first time I tried this with cheese cloth.  (Unfortunately, you cannot do this with tulle as the finish does not allow the ink to dry.)  Hope I have inspired you to get dirty (and clean) with these great inks!  Have a great day!

Looking Through the Window-Stamptacular Sundays Challenge

     Hope you are having a great weekend... it certainly feels like summer today!  This week at Stamptacular Sundays our theme is "Looking Through the Window."  You must create a card that has some sort of window or opening!  There are so many possibilities!  Oh... and don't forget to stamp! After all this is a STAMPtacular Sundays challenge!
     You will have from now until midnight (EST) June 2nd to complete this challenge and post a DIRECT LINK to your submission into our InLinkz in order to be entered into the drawing for this week's fabulous prize donated by:

MARIANNE DESIGNS

PRIZE:

     For my card, I selected a new stamp by Wild Rose Studio called "Baby Love."  It is from the"Annabelles' Meadow Collection."  They are so delicate and fun to color.

       The carriage was colored with copics - I blended some RV's and peachy R's to get the muted peach-rose color -sorry I did not note the colors :(   Greens G24, YG25, 03, 000.  I also used some E35 &31 around and under the lace to mute the pinks.  Spica pens in green and pink for the flowers. The design paper is from Pion Designs, "From the Heart II" collection.  Recollection pearls on a roll, Flowers from Wild Orchid Crafts and Fern/Leaf punches from Punch Bunch and EK Success.  Sentiment is from Lili of the Valley.  White "wood" corner from Prima.  Cardstock, Bazill Bling. DP edged with Tattered Rose distress ink. Deco Art Glamour Dust on image. The ink on the sentiment is new Tim Holtz "Rose Madder" Archival inkpad.  These are incredible colors - some are so unique and match the paper and copics beatifully.

      For my "Window" I used a great tutorial by Kittie Kraft on "frame cards."  Many of you may know her from Splitcoast Stampers - her tutorials are fantastic.  I wanted to play with this idea for awhile now, not too bad for a first attempt. I used BOTH sets of Spellbinder Oval dies as that is how you will get the 1/4" space between ovals. If you use just one set, the spacing is 1/2" apart. When you see the card examples on Kittie's blog, you will get an idea of the many possibilities. I will definitely be playing with this tutorial when I am "off" this summer!!!
      So head on over to the Stamptacular Sundays Challenge blog to see what the Design Team has created for your inspiration.  We can't wait to see what you create this week.  Thank you for your kind comments and don't forget MY BLOG CANDY here!

Challenges:
Color Me Creative Challenge - Pinks & Greens
Fussy & Fancy - New Baby
Cute Card Thursday- Pink & Green
Come and Get It Challenges - Window Card
The Ribbon Girl- Pink and Cream
Craft Your Passion- Baby oh Baby

Computer Generated Sentiments on Die Cut Tutorial

     I wanted to share a tutorial with you that my friend, Ginger, from Ginger's Scraps of Heart posted on her blog.  It is how to print a computer generated sentiment on a Die Cut.
    I like to create my own sentiments when the ones I have on stamps just won't do.   I often print them on blank paper or cardstock and cut with a punch or die. In Ginger's tutorial, however, she shows you how to place your die cut label in such a way that the computer will PRINT RIGHT ON THE DIE CUT!  There are step-by-step directions and pictures to follow.

     Click on the tutorial here.  While you are there, say hello!  She has such neat ideas especially with all things Cricut!
     Also remember MY BLOG CANDY below.  All you need to do is add one of the ways you know you are "spending too much time in the craftroom" to be eligible to win!  Some of the comments so far have been hysterical.  You have until June 2nd to enter.  Have a great day!

Top 10 Signs You Are Spending Too Much Time in the Craft Room plus BLOG CANDY!

     I have always found comfort and strength in finding the humor in some (not all) of the stressful times of my life.  This past week, I seemed to have hit a wall of exhaustion with regard to the amount of time and energy I was devoting to work, home and my design team commitments. From reading other's blogs, I seem NOT to be the only one!  While I could not run away from home or quit my job (which at times was very tempting), it left my craft time as the only place I could cut back!  As a result, I had to step down from several dt commitments.
     I want to say that working with the team at Just Inklined has been wonderful. I have been inspired and challenged in new ways to create a project or present one of their many fun, edgy and beautiful digi images!  The girls are incredibly talented and so very funny - making my decision all the more difficult. For all they are, I want to say "thank you" from the bottom of my heart!
     I started this post on the topic of humor and  in the moments I thought about stepping down and afterward, I found myself thinking some of these funny (I think) little quips that soooo characterized my life these past few months.  I share these here with you so that you, too, may "find yourself" and have a little giggle at the ones that are so you.

Top Ten Signs You Are Spending Too Much Time in the Craft Room

1. You frequent the Emergency Room once a week to have shards of German Glass Glitter removed from your fingertips.

2.  Your children's (or grandchildren's) shoelaces are tied with dyed seam binding, AND in a double loopy bow.

3.  You don't recall the last time you slept longer than 5 hours or at night or in bed!

4.  You would rather run out of gas on a deserted highway at night than run out of adhesive.

5.  Your favorite "recipes" involve glimmer mists, spellbinder dies and flower soft.

6.  A "good deal" on mulberry flowers excites you more than a dozen long-stemmed roses from your hubby.

7. Hubby?  Who is that?

8. The only daylight you see comes from the bulb on your desk lamp.

9. You confess to have attempted to cut the cucumbers for the dinner salad on your Tonic guillotine paper cutter.
and number 10.....

10.  You've spent more money on your craft room than your daughter's wedding, son's college education and new car...combined!


And now... It's Your Turn to win Blog Candy!

    For a chance to WIN THE BLOG CANDY ABOVE, PLEASE ADD ONE OF YOUR BEST "SIGNS THAT YOU ARE SPENDING TOO MUCH TIME IN THE CRAFT ROOM" in the comments section by midnight (EST) FRIDAY, JUNE 1st.  You do not have to become a follower unless you want to. You do not have to post the candy on your blog unless you want to!  You can add as many comments as you want, as often as you want!
     The winner of the blog candy will be randomly selected and announced June 2nd. The full list of comments will be published on this blog on the same day. (Blog candy includes a MS Edge Punch, Glitz 8x8 paper pad, Pink by Design "Inner Princess" Sentiment Stamps, and package of Prima Marketing Labels.)

     They say "Laughter is the best medicine" and I agree!   Can't wait to read and share your comments.  Have a great day!