Terrible... you pick what I mean...

I've been a terrible blogger lately, I know. But, this is a quick update to let you know I have not one, but two tutorials coming this weekend, both on different coloring techniques. I hope they're worth the wait.

I do have one card to share with you. I made this with Fancy Pants "Pollen Dust" clear stamp set. I really love this set; the swirls and flowers. The card, though, is not a favorite of mine. What I had pictured and what actually happened were two different things. I was going to layer with the sentiment on acetate, but I couldn't get it to stamp correctly. It looked forced.

What I learned... that as a first attempt with this stamp set, it's just OK and I need more practice. I also know that sometimes simpler is better.

So... I hope to have another sample with this set that is an improvement, rather than bird-cage liner.

Thanks! I promise to post soon!

Lisa

Birthday card camp

Today, I got together with my stamping group for our monthly technique class. All the cards were also birthday cards... very vital for me since I have a really busy birthday month in June (4 big birthdays)... sheesh!!

The technique used for this card is Reverse masking. In the normal technique, the frame is stamped on the cardstock and also on copy paper. The center of the frame is removed from the copy paper and placed directly over the cardstock, masking the edges of the frame. Because we doodled the frame (and we watercolored the doodled flowers with reinkers), we added the frame after stamping. It still worked great.

The color combo is bold... bordering blue, real red and certainly celery. I think the doodled card turned out really fun! I can't wait to give this to someone!

Thanks,

Lisa

Hope Is... Finding a Cure

I was asked to make a card for a someone who's cancer has returned, breast cancer. My hope is the recipient will feel loved and cared for when they receive this.


I used Hope Is, which is a retired SU set. It's main image is a heart remembrance ribbon. I separated the sentiment to read - "Hope Is..." on the front and inside the card "believing in a brighter tomorrow".


Pink was the perfect pick - Pretty in Pink and Regal Rose, Going Gray for the base and a piece of Julia design paper (Perhaps collection). To mimic the dots in the Basic Grey paper, I pierced holes in the Pink layer and the Rose scallops (which are highlighted with a white gel pen). All the white paper is the Shimmery cardstock.


I cut out the heart ribbon, using an exacto knife / paper snips. It's popped up on the ovals.


Thanks for looking!

Mother's Day - Part 2

I wanted to post this today, since I was particularly proud of how it turned out. I made a couple of Mother's Day cards with a new stamp set I bought from Rubber Stamping Fun. It's a stamp set called Beauty Bouquet and I loved it's bold flower images.


I used Basic Grey Stella Ruby Paper... because the flowers look SO similar in style. I thought it would be a perfect pairing. I stamped the images with Basic Brown permanent ink and colored the flowers with Prismcolor pencils, blending the color with turpenoid solvent on stumps.

I couldn't be more pleased with the outcome!


My mom's card started with a 6" x 12" piece of Rose Red cardstock (for a tri-fold card). I adhered two strips of Stella Ruby paper (from a 6" stack - perfect for cardmaking) on the front and center of the card. I cut out a very vanilla, using a Marvy scallop punch - and layered this on a So Saffron oval that I cut out using my Coluzzle. French Script background for some added dimension and the ever popular Karen Foster Snap Stamps for the interior sentiment completed the card.















The second card was also with the Beauty Bouquet stamp set. I started with a Close to Cocoa card base and more Stella Ruby Paper. I embellished the card with Aged Copper hardware, ribbon and copper cord. The word "bloom" was inked from Friendship Flowers sentiment (also from RSF). I stamped the full sentiment on the inside. The image was colored using the same Gamsol technique. I chose the white organdy ribbon, so I wouldn't hide any of the main image, but I think next time, I might use something a bit more bold. Depends on my mood, I guess! LOL!





This set was a TON of fun and I think I'll be using it quite a bit. It's simple and elegant or can be cutesy, depending on the colors and paper used.


Thanks,

Lisa

Mother's Day - Part 1

I have a ton of things to post in the next couple of days... new cards, gifts I've made for my mom and grandma for Mother's Day.

Part 1 - Gifts from my sweeties. Rachel and Jack both had wonderful handmade gifts for me this morning at breakfast!

Jack gave me a Forever Bouquet:

And Rachel made a Mom Book... talking about all our favorite things. It had art and puzzles in it!

My favorite was the certificate for best mom award. Aww....

They don't know I'm posting this on-line yet, but I think they'll get a kick out of seeing their artwork on the "dot com" (as my son say in reference to the internet).

Thanks,

Lisa

Tagged...

So, today I was tagged by a new online friend (Ponderosa Pinings) to list 7 things about myself that people might not know. I think the key here is to be interesting... but, well, I'm not sure that's possible with me. LOL!

Here goes...

1. I always loved school. I studied French for 8 years and did very well. In a recent visit to Paris, I found it all coming back to me... and did reasonably well. It was my first visit to Paris and incredibly memorable. It's a story in and of itself. I could go on for hours about the amazing after-hours tour of the Louvre...

2. I'm a chemist. Or was. I worked in an analytical lab for several years; first in radiochem production, then as an assay lab chemist. I loved it, but knew I wanted to learn more and decided to take a job in operations.

3. About that job in operations... I'm a project manager. I center my day on the best way to purchase, distribute and deliver chemicals. Fun, isn't it? The irony is that I have to be well organized, neat and on top of all activities. You should see my house!!! Or maybe not!

4. I have OCD tendencies. I knew I had a few as a child, but it got progressively worse when I worked in the lab. My carryover from those days center on my need to wash my hands all the time. When I found that gel stuff that kills germs, I thought it was the answer to my prayers. Now I just find I need to wash my hands to get rid of the gel stuff. I know... sick.

5. I'm big on family. I live within 5 minutes (either way) of my grandparents and parents. Ironically enough, this isn't the town I originally grew up in. We all moved to the same place. I love being close to everyone.

6. I am highly competitive. Just ask my best friend in college - Wes - as we worked hard to out do each other in Organic Chemistry. I will research and work tirelessly to better my best. I guess this touches on the OCD thing a bit. I'm my biggest competitor. In the realm of stamping, I want to be the best I can be and study other people's style and work to see how I can hone my skills. I read a lot of blogs for that reason.

7. I have a philosophy in life that if I'm going to do something, I will do it well or not at all. I don't play sports for that very reason. Hmmm... still seeing the OCD pattern?

8. I am loyal to a fault. (OK... so I only needed 7 things... but I obviously have to better my best).

Thanks for the tag. I'll have to think of 7 people that haven't been tagged yet and get back to everyone with that part of the challenge.

Thanks!
Lisa

p.s. Do I have you snoozing yet?

Another Mother's day item

I work in an office with mostly women. These ladies are all unique, many of them mothers. One lady in particular has older boys, who are busy and often aren't home. Cheryl is wonderful. She asked me about a week ago if I'd make her something to put on her desk. Something in purple.

That's not a difficult request... when asked so simply...

I decided to make a simple card with purple flowers and a matching large clip bookmark as her gift. The clips are super easy to make with my Cuttlebug flower dies and super-jumbo-mega paperclips (LOL). But, I couldn't decide which card I liked better.

The first card is a simple flower - Direct to Stamp technique with the SU Heartfelt Thanks set. It's a 4 x 4 square card and only has the embellishment of a folded circle punch. I almost always stamp the outline off-center... intentionally. I hate a too perfect match, if that's a real thing. LOL!

The second card used the same flower outline from Heartfelt Thanks, but was colored in with colored pencils using the Gamsol technique. It's my first attempt at this coloring technique, but was a ton of fun. A positive first step, but I have a ton of practicing to do.

I'll have to pick a card to give Cheryl. Do you think she'll like the gift? I hope so!

Thanks!

Lisa

Projects with Mom in mind...

Every month, I get together with an amazing group of ladies to stamp and create projects. My last technique class was at the end of April. I knew that the projects needed to center around Mother's Day.

The unique side of Mother's Day for me, other than the obvious adoration I have for my own mom, is to take the time to thank ALL the amazing women in my life for their friendship, love, and guidance. I make about 30 cards for the occasion. I won't post them all yet, since I know I have these ladies browsing through here from time to time. I'll add them early next week.


But, I can share with you two cards that we made in my most recent class. The first card is one that we made very quickly using the soon to retire Roses In Winter set. This is a favorite of mine. I love how classy a card can look. We used a color combination that was a bit of a stretch for me too. My mom had made a card with Really Rust and Cool Caribbean. I added a couple other colors for pop, including So Saffron, More Mustard, Old Olive, and Chocolate Chip. I think it turned out great.






The second card was for the technique part of the class. We used Lumiere to create a Faux Mother of Pearl background. I used Natural Beauty (another set soon to retire). The colors are a soothing lavender and rose with a little black for pop. It's a surprisingly simple technique. the downside... I had to use a product I don't like... Saran Wrap. It's horrible, isn't it? I can't seem to get that stuff to come off the roll, it's usually sticking to everything I don't want it to (especially if it's a dish in the kitchen). Awful. At least it has a use... in stamping!





I'll have more to post soon, since I don't want to give any surprises away before this weekend.


Thanks!

Lisa

Wow... I won Blog Candy!

I have to say, in general, I'm not a lucky person. I'm sure I can pinpoint a dozen or more times I've thought, "Wow, that was close" or "Hmmm... I got lucky with that"... but never a contest winner.

I found a really wonderful blog - Well Said Cards by Adelina - and left a comment. This is the link back to her original candy post. Then I saw her post... And the Winner is... ME! I couldn't be more excited. Adelina sent me happy mail and I love everything! Winning is so much fun!!!

You may be asking - What's blog candy? Well, it's not been something I've posted on this site since I have limited traffic. Basically, blog candy is giveaways for posts, comments, subscriptions or hits (hence my reference to traffic).

This has tuly made my day!!!

More posts and pictures later.
Lisa