Nimble Fingers

Have you tried Tim's new doily stencil?  I'm still on the fence about it but I think I'm more on the positive side than I was a week ago.  I needed a thank you card for being taken out to dinner the other evening (belated birthday celebration).  I remembered this stencil and Tim's new stamp set (CMS181 Nature Walk) had a flatware setting in it.  The restaurant didn't have lacy tablecloths and the flatware certainly wasn't fancy, but that's okay.  It's the thought that counts.

The base card is white, the next layer pink (Bazzill) and the top is oatmeal.  I centered the stencil on the cardstock and added a layer of pumice stone distress ink over the whole thing.  I went back over the flowers using worn lipstick; the leaves were colored with shabby shutters. 

The flatware was stamped with distress embossing ink and covered with detail silver embossing powder by Ranger.

The stencil didn't go to the edges so I added 3 scored lines using my Scor-it board.  Pink silk ribbon was added across the top.  On scrap oatmeal paper I silver embossed 'thank you' from CMS155 Simple Sayings.

All cards get coordinating envelopes; I say we need to stamp out naked mail!

The same color scheme was applied to the stencil on the left edge of the envelope.  I did add MicroGlaze over it so moisture (plenty of rain on tap for this week) wouldn't smear the ink.

I think this combo might see a lot more use in the months to come.

Nope, not yet....but very soon...especially for those in college.

So, NO more teachers for them!
This is my entry for Linda's Compendium of Curiosities Book 3 first challenge, paint marbling.  You'll have to get your own book learning to find out how to create the background.  This challenge ends May 9th so time's ticking...get going!

Tim and Mario have donated a big box of goodies for a lucky winner; and Inspiration Emporium is the sponsor for this challenge.  You get a discount and some lucky artist will win a $50 gift certificate to their awesome store.

As soon as I saw this set (Mercantile) I immediately thought of school days, whether it be time to go back-to-school or celebrate a graduation.

Ingredients: Ranger distress paints (mowed lawn, rusty hinge, squeezed lemonade, bundled sage); distress stains (same as above); distress inks (same as above plus walnut stain, frayed burlap, pumice stone, tumbled glass and tattered rose); Jet Black Archival Ink; watercolor paper; #8 tag; Stampers Anonymous stencils (Clockwork, Measured); Stampers Anonymous stamps (CMS080 Artful Artifacts, CMS189 Mercantile); clear acetate (bottle of ink); graphite pencil; Hero Arts alpha stamps (LL761 Printer's Type, LL762 Printer's Lowercase); silk ribbon; Sizzix mini mover & shaper (globe); blue, green card stocks; pen nib

A friend has just retired...and this stamp hasn't seen ink in quite a while.
The card is green, the middle layer black (very thin border of it shows) and the top layer is an oatmeal color.

On the top layer I used distress inks (crushed olive, peeled paint, forest moss, scattered straw and wild honey) over Studio 490 stencils (Dots & Stripes Borders, 3 Flourishes).  In the center I stamped the sentiment (PSX G-2486) in Jet Black Archival Ink.  I smeared brushed corduroy distress ink across my craft sheet and sprayed water on it.  With a paint brush I picked up some of the diluted ink and flicked it across the card front.

A Martha Stewart flower punch was used on oatmeal colored ribbon.  The top two layers were colored in scattered straw and wild honey; the third was cut into pieces and colored with peeled paint for the leaves.  A small orange brad was used for the flower center.  I sanded it before pushing it through the flowers then gave it a good whack with the hammer to flatten it.

I wonder how my friend will spend her time...gardening, reading, grandparenting....only time will tell!

A local minister is preaching her last sermon today.  One of the congregation asked if I could make a card using the minister's favorite Bible verse; it is also the subject of the sermon.  The congregant had seen this card and asked that I use it for inspiration.  I followed the layout but computer-generated the verse and die cut a Sizzix mini mover & shapers cross as the decorative element.  I hand cut the background cross.
Products:  Sizzix mini movers & shapers cross; Spellbinders scalloped rectangle; Bazzill card stock; decorative paper; white card stock; ribbon

My sister and her family hosted Easter lunch, gave out lovely Martha Washington geraniums and her art teacher daughters taught us how to dye eggs the Ukranian way using bees wax to create designs before dipping the eggs in various dyes.  Needless to say, a paper 'thank you' is necessary!

Ingredients:  Bazzill card stocks; Ranger distress and archival inks; Stampers Anonymous CMS156 'thank you'; Stamp Camp 'Make A Tree Set' #SS014 & 'Hanging Stuff'' #SS204; Martha Stewart rabbit punch

This card also works for 'Throwback Thursday' because the Stamp Camp stamps are quite a few years old...but so much fun to use.

Happy Earth Day...please demonstrate your support for environmental protection every day...not just today!

Ingredients:  green card stock, Bazzill card stock, Hero Arts alphabet stamps and calendar year, Ranger distress inks (Bundled Sage/Tumbled Glass/Gathered Twigs), Tsukineko Desert Sand Memento Ink/Versamark Ink, gold Sharpie, Stampendous paper cube stamp

I think these guys make a decorative statement on the Easter table.

During one of my late night raids on the computer I saw a similar one.  Sadly, I neglected to note where.  I think I used 3-4 strips of Tapered Fringe taped end-to-end.  I hot glued the bottom to a pink button for stability then pulled the layers apart and crumpled them.  The Sizzix mini movers & shapers rabbits were cut from EcoAfrica all natural materials paper.  I glued 2 back-to-back with a toothpick in the center to stick down in the grass.  I thought about adding some small eggs to the base but wanted to be able to use them for spring, not just Easter.

I really had to wait for more spring-like weather to get my mojo going this month.  Our temps have been on a rollercoaster...70s one day, snow the next.  You get the picture.

Ingredients:  Idea-ology paper stash 'Vintage Shabby', philosphy tag, mini pin, jump ring; tissue tape; #8 tag; coffee cup holder, grungeboard; distress paints (spun sugar/mustard seed/squeezed lemonade/peeled paint); distress inks (pumice stone/worn lipstick/tea dye); silk ribbon; Sizzix (tattered pine cone bigz die, honeycomb frameworks die); collage glue stick; Multi-Medium; hot glue;recycled acetate packaging; alcohol inks

You can see Tim's version here.

Pine cone to a rose...sometimes this works first time, no fiddling; other times I could just pull my hair out (not attractive!) trying to get the rose to look like a rose.  But when it works, I LOVE IT!

Sympathy cards are never fun to make; I find pet ones even more difficult. 
I found this scrap of decorative paper and added it to a brown card base.  Using the same brown, I created a belt and buckle.  To the belt I added eyelets; the buckle was embossed with gold embossing powder; heat set. 

From shrink plastic I cut a dog bone using an old Sizzix die.  I stamped the sentiment (Jody Poesy-no longer in existence) with Tree Branch archival ink and smudged the bone with the same ink.  Shrink and dangle from the dog collar with gold metallic thread.

I was intrigued when I saw the Iron Gate texture fade by Sizzix.  I am always looking for additional ways to increase the usage of a product.  And cutting apart an embossing folder is one of those ways.  With some tape you can easily create a new hinge wherever you want it.
I carefully placed a sheet of 4.25x11 in the embossing folder so that one edge would be in the center of the gate.  Emboss, then do the same with the other edge.  I used Core'dinations Core Color for this card.  Sand and decorate.  (There's a piece of paper tape holding the edges together in this photo.)

Products used:  Sizzix (Iron Gate texture fade, Susan's Garden Forsythia die, Spring Greenery dec. strip die; Core'dinations Core Color card stock; misc. card stocks; Martha Stewart rabbit & bird punches; Ranger (Watering Can Archival Ink, distress inks); Sunshine Yellow Flower Soft; Stampers Anonymous 'Lost & Found' CSS 25887 (birds)

The card is 3-D so not suitable for a regular envelope.  Thankfully I've saved a lot of Sizzix packaging and it works perfectly.  A bit of decorating and you have another gift!
I used double-stick tape to adhere decorative paper to the box.  I created the rose from Susan's Garden; the smaller rose was cut from the pine cone die.  Some bits from the Spring Greenery die and Tim's Tapered Fringe (cut, manipulated, curled) finish off the floral display.

Products used:  Sizzix (Tapered Fringe/Spring Greenery dec. strip dies, pine cone die, Susan's Garden - Rose); misc. card stocks

I'm a member of a bulletin board where the recent topic of discussion has been about all the ancient stuff we never use any more.  One of the members challenged the group to use a tool, stamp, technique or ingredient that has NOT been used or done for at least 5 years.  So, I'm going 'old school' with this 10.75" square scrapbook layout.

Once upon a time (late 1990's) I road-tripped with 2 friends from NJ to numerous stamp conventions in the northeast.  On one such trip I found these really cool packages of EcoAfrica scrapbooking kits by ProvoCraft.  Each kit contains handmade papers, fibers, beads, metal embellishments, etc.  At the time I was very much into items from other countries as my husband traveled the globe for his job.  Into my shopping basket they went.  Only to be buried under mountains of other things I just had to have.  You know how that goes.


***Qualifying items for this challenge:  EcoAfrica scrapbooking kit, Color Box stamping guide, Rollagraph, Stampin'Up Heart of Africa wheel, Prismacolor pencils, animal stamps (U-2280, U-2284) from Art Impressions, and a Repeat Impressions map stamp (5419)

Other items used:  Ranger distress and archival inks, Sizzix mini mover & shapers globe, numerous card stocks