Dreaming and Creating

Hi Everyone,
Changing things up a bit today.  I have a Christmas project to share.  I made a Vintage Framed Santa piece.  I will either put this up in my house or I may give it as a gift.  HMMM.  Who would like this?  I will have to think about this.  I used a plain frame I bought somewhere and jazzed it up a bit with paints, glimmer sprays,and glitter glue.




For the "picture" inside the frame, I used a Santa Stamp from the newly released set: An Illustrated Christmas from Blockhead Stamps.  This is the whole set.

Hi Everyone!
Having a great day here!  I need to run out to the grocery store but, wanted to get some Thanksgiving cards posted first.  Now, these are nice and CAS (clean and simple).   Blockheads Stamps has decided to add digital stamps to their store.  And, today I have used three of the new images to create some fun Thanksgiving cards.  The digis come in sets.  There is a regular image and an image that has been Zentangled.  They Are Awesome.
Images used: Pumpkin Digi, Turkey Digi, and Thanksgiving Words.  Here is the first card.



Materials:
Blockheads Digi Images
Neenah Solar White
Copics
Orange, Green, Brown, and Cream CS

The  images were printed out from the computer using Neenah Solar White CS (works best with the Copic Markers).  I let the ink dry before coloring.  I used Copic Markers to color.  I adjusted the size of the sentiment to fit the card and colored with Copics.






The second card is made in the same way.  The colored image was layered with Fall colored CS's.



And, here a few close up views.  The cards are pretty quick and the process of coloring is relaxing.  Like coloring when you were a kid.  Remember how fun that was??



Again, I re-sized the Sentiment to fit the card.  It was added to the card with dimensional squares. 






I would like to enter my Thanksgiving cards in the following Challenges:
Victorine Originals: Fall
My Time To Craft: Quite white
Wee Memories: Free For all
Melgens Challenge: Red and Gold

Well, that's two Thanksgiving cards done.  Only 20 more to go.  LOL.  Have a super day!  Love ya.
Karen

Hello and Happy Sunday!
I am channeling Cleopatra today (LOL -just kidding).  I have made a fun Birthday card using the Cleopatra image from the Cleopatra and Friends Shakespeare Heroines Full Sheet. 


The image is stamped with black dye ink.  I colored the image by water coloring with markers.  I picked up the color from an acrylic block with a wet brush.  A green, peach, and tan marker were used.  I really like the soft shades that you can get with this coloring technique.  I tore the image and layered on a piece of DP from Imaginisce.  The card base is made from greenish/gray CS and layered with Glossy black CS.    I added a humorous sentiment on the outside from Victorine Originals.



On the inside, I stamped Happy Birthday.  I already know who is getting this card for their birthday.   I sure hope she will like it.  LOL.  I hope you are enjoying your weekend.  Take some time to stamp.  It is good for you.  LOL.  Love ya.
Karen

Hope you are enjoying your day!   I have been busy with submissions all week.  I don't know why they all seem to be due at the same time.  LOL  

I do have four projects in the new Scrap and Stamp Arts (Dec 20011 issue).  Three Christmas Tags and an all occasion card.  Very Cool!

Love ya.
Karen

Hi Everyone,
Are you feeling the Halloween spirit yet?!  Well, I have one more Halloween card to get you in the mood.  (There is still plenty of time to get some cards made.)  For my card, I have used  Winter Walk -Large (VB-370-M)  from Third Coast Rubber Stamps.   This in not a typical Halloween image.  In fact, it is not a Halloween image at all.  But, I made it into an image for Halloween be using lots of oranges, black, and a spider.  Take a look.


 The image is paper pieced using three different orange DP's (Stampin' Up).  A witch's Hat and Wicked sentiment (Graphics 45-Hampton Arts), and a spider (SU) are added.  The CS is: Really Rust and Black (SU); Orange (Bazzill), Brown, gray.  The DP used in the background is from K & Company.



The image was stamped several times using Stazon Black ink.  Once on the base CS and three time on the DP.  Cut out the pieces of the garments and spray with Peach Delight Glimmer Mist; let dry.  When dry, glue to the base image. And, just layer away!  Add some fun Halloween ribbon.  Here is a look at the inside.





The sentiment is from Stampsmith Stamps, DP - K & Company.   Totally wicked!  That's all for me today!  Have a great day and thanks for stopping bye!  Love ya.
Karen

Hello and Happy Monday.
Mondays aren't so bad.   How about a cutesy Birthday card for this Monday?  I used a cute digi from Sweet N' Sassy Stamps.  She is called Cookie.  I was also inspired by the current sketch from The Dutch Dare Challenge site.




 The corners are rounded on the image and the black CS layer.  I colored the metal and paper tag with the Pink Marker and then stamped the sentiment.  I added a layer of black CS behind the tag.








A few Fun Challenges of Cookie Birthday:
Dutch Dare: Sketch
Sweet 'n Sassy Digi: Use black, 2 DP's, 3 embellishments (ric rac, ribbon, and metal and paper tag)
By the Cute and Girly: Anything Goes
Art Impressions: Tag
Critter Sketch: Use green, pink, and black
Prairie Fairy Fridays: Sugar And spice

Well, that's it for me today.  Check back tomorrow for one more Halloween card.  Have a great day!  Love ya.
Karen

Hi Everyone,
Hope you are having a great weekend!  I have four cards for you today!  I went pretty Clean and Simple (CAS) with this group of cards.  I used lots of pretty Cardstock, dry embossing folders, Spellbinders, and one stamp set.  The stamp set is Nature Medallions from Blockheads Paper Arts.  This is what the whole set looks like.  I used the three larger medallions for my projects.

Materials list needed to  make the projects:
Nature Medallion Stamp Set: Blockheads Paper Arts
Spellbinders dies: Standard Circles Small; Big Scalloped Circles small
Embossing Folders: Swiss Dots - Cuttlebug; Post Cards, Regal Flourishes, and Damask - Sizzix
Inks: Sweet Plum- Memento, pink,aqua, and plum
Various colors of Cardstock
Ribbons
Now, on to the first card.  I used a combo of pink and soft blue CS's, a Regal Flourishes-Tim Holtz embossing folder, and the Flower Medallion stamp.   The image is stamped on White CS and cut with the Spellbinders die.  A layer of pink is cut too.  Add a big bow and you are done.  




















The Flower Medallion was stamped in pink ink on white CS.  I added a dark cherry polka dot ribbon.

Hi everyone,
Hope your weekend was great and the week is staring off nicely.  We are enjoying the most wonderful Indian summer weather here in Michigan.  Absolutely beautiful.   Today, I have two ATCs for you.  I made them with a stamp from Blockheads Stamps.  It is a dress form in the Vintage Travel Set.



For the base of the ATCs, I used some canvas paper.  I was fooling around with it one day and decided to see if I could come up with something interesting by painting on the canvas paper.  I used black paint and just brushed on the paint in diagonal lines.


I cut the canvas paper to the right size for an ATC and Stamped and embossed the Dress Form image.   I added some pink Twinkling H2O's and some streaks using the magenta marker.



I added laces, twine,and some shells to finish off the ATC.  The second ATC was made in the same way, except that I varied the ink color and used different embellishments.



To make the ribbon embellishment, I ran a line of Fabri-Tac glue down the side of the card and pleated the ribbon and pressed it into the glue.  I trimmed the end when all the pleating was done.




Have a great day!  Love ya.
Karen

Hi Everyone!
More spooky Halloween fun!  Today, I have a Haunted Forest Halloween card for you.  I have used Creepy Tree (DT-376-L)  from Third Coast Rubber Stamps. 



The stamping is done on a  5'" piece of Cream CS.  To make the moon, cut a piece of CS the same size as the cream CS and, using a Spellbinders die, cut a circle from this CS.  Don't throw any thing away.  Both pieces will be used.  Lay the CS with the circle cut into it over the Cream CS.  Fill the circle in with Distress Inks: Scattered Straw and Spiced Marmalade.  Remove this mask.  Take the die cut  circle ( circle mask) and put it over the moon.  Cover the Cream CS with Distress Inks: Stormy Sky and Soot Black.   Remove the circle mask.  Stamped the tree with Stazon Black ink and the bats (Stampin' Up) with black dye ink.






Layer with Orange CS ( DCWV) and Mustard CS (The Paper Company).  I also decorated the inside and added a sentiment (Stampin' Up).



 Pretty Haunted, isn't it?!!   Hope you are having a great weekend and are able to make some time to stamp. Love ya.
Karen

Hi There!
We are Celebrating Today!!!  What are we celebrating you ask?  We are celebrating the Launch of the new Stampsmith On-line store.  It is better than ever and redesigned.  You can browse, purchase stamps, create a wishlist, and view finished projects in the gallery.  And to celebrate, we are having a contest and a sale.  The Sale starts Saturday, October 8 at 6:00 am and ends  Sunday evening.   The discount code is TENOFF,  just put that in at checkout and get 10% off your purchase.


Now, the contest!  I will NOT be listing the stamps I have used in my project.  You will have to hunt them down on the newly designed On-line web site and find out their names.  DO NOT PUT THE NAMES ON MY BLOG.  GO OVER TO THE STAMPSMITH DESIGN BLOG AND LEAVE A COMMENT WITH THE STAMP NAMES.  Comment moderation will be turned on, so no one will see your answers.  The winner will receive  one Full Sheet and one single stamp of their choice.


That's a lot of info.  I hope I haven't lost you by now.  Okay, on with my project.  I made a large piece of wall art measuring 10" square.    I used two different Stampsmith Stamps.  Can you find them?  I tried not to be too sneaky.


 This is a large project and I wanted you to be able to see all the details.  Therefore, there are lots of photos. I won't "talk" too much and you can just look.  I started with a artist's canvas that I painted with acrylic paints.


For the center piece, the image was stamped on velum and layered over white CS and mounted on Navy CS.   The other image was stamped on glossy White CS and cut with a Sizzix die.   This whole piece was glued to the canvas using Fabri-Tac glue.











So, now, pop over to the Stampsmith On line store and find the stamps I used.  Leave a comment on the Stampsmith Design blog with the stamp names to be eligible for the prize.  Good luck.  Hope you have enjoyed looking at my wall art.  I hung this on my living room wall.  Looks great. Have a fun weekend.  Love ya.
Karen

Hi Everyone,
Hope your week is going well.  Today's card is one of those just for fun cards.  I used an image from DeNami called Spa Girls.  DeNami is having a color challenge and I used those colors.


I stamped the image with black ink and colored with Copics.  The image was cut with Spellbinders and layered.


I used the challenge colors for all the papers and CS.  CS is from TPC (chocolate brown) and DCWV( orange and charcoal grey).  DP is from SEI.  The sentiment is from Gina K. Designs.



I added a great, big bow made from Lime green wide ribbon.  Orange gems were also added  for accents.



A Few other Super Fun challenges for Girls day at the Spa;
Cooking it up with Katie: something with  F:  My f word is friends.
Do You Stack Up: Brown
Simon Says Stamp: Sparkle and bling:
Paper Take Weekly: anything goes + punches
ABC Challenge: Anything goes
Paper Play: Autumnal colors

Well that's about it for me today.  Check back on Saturday.  We are having a Grand Opening Celebration at the Stampsmith to celebrate the launch of the new store.  They will be prizes and a coupon code to use on any purchases.  I will also have a project to show you.  How about a sneaky peek at my project? Well, okay, you talked me into it.  LOL......


See you on Saturday!  Have a great day.  Love ya.
Karen