Blog Update

Hello Lovely.  I know it's been radio silence here for quite a while.  blogging just isn't where my heart is.  I love making and posting on Facebook, but writing a post about each card with all the gory details isn't working for me.  There are so many that do this so much better than I do.  I'll be returning to the Project Journal format I was doing some time ago, which will include a photo of the card, links to what inspired the cards, notes about retired products and affiliate links to shops for available products used.  

I'd rather be making than writing blog posts in a voice and style that aren't very natural to me.  I've never been a good "how-to" post writer and I need to put my passion to work making.  I hope you'll understand and continue to follow this blog for inspiration.  I will always answer questions left in the comments of any post if you need more details on how I created a certain card or element.

Thanks for swinging by and have a beautiful, creative weekend!

Gerda Steiner Penguins

Hello Lovely.  Let me just say I LOVE this little guy!  Today's cards were created using the Gerda Steiner Long Time No See set.  If this penguin doesn't melt your heart, I'm not sure what will.  He's just so stinking cute!

I started these by stamping the little penguins on Neenah Solar White 80# cardstock with Gina K. Amalgam ink.  I colored these little guys with my Copics, including a little yellow on the bottom of his belly.  I won't lie, I saw Laura Bassen do it and I loved how it looked so I stole the idea.  Do you follow Laura?  If you don't you really should.  She makes some fantastic cards, and if rainbows are your thing she's your gal!

Once I had these little guys all colored up I did some fussy cutting and used Kelly's trick for outlining them with a little Momento marker to cover the white edges.  We all know I love Kelly Latevola, if you're new and you didn't know, now you do.  You should follow her too!

I did some stamp surgery on the sentiment.  Also a bit of a first for me, because I've never cut a stamp apart before.  The shock, I know!  I needed it to fit in that cute bubble and I just wasn't getting the results I wanted masking part of the words to stack the sentiment.

Shall we talk about the elephant in the room?  I know a few of you might be wondering why only one of these guys has a heart on his chest.  Well, the deal is it's covering a little bit of an ink smudge.  After all that coloring, I wasn't gonna toss him, so heart to match the hat it is.  I'll give the credit for this idea to my Bestie.  I sent her a pick and she said, "just die cut a heart and cover it up."  We all need a little genius in our lives now an then.  Love her.

To complete the cards I die cut pale gray panels and snagged some older pattern paper from my stash that matched each hat.  I layered them up all pretty on a pale gray card base, using foam tape to pop the penguin and sentiment up.

Ok, that's it for these guys.  Thanks for swinging by today.  Now go like some new blogs and get you coloring on.  Don't forget to check out the links to the products used.  These are affiliate links, that cost you nothing to use but help me pay for supplies to make more cards to keep bringing you inspiration.

Links to Products Used:

Affiliate links are used at no additional charge to you

Kokuyo Tape Glue Dot Liner Long tape, Refill cartridge 5 Pack, Shop at: SSS | AZ	Kokuyo Tape Glue Dot Liner Long-Blue Shop at: SSS | AZ	Scotch Indoor Mounting Tape, 0.75-inch x 350-inches, White, 1-Roll Shop at: AZ	Copic Sketch Marker B000 PALE PORCELAIN BLUE Shop at: SSS
Copic Sketch Marker B02 ROBIN'S EGG BLUE Shop at: SSS	Copic Sketch MARKER C3 COOL GRAY Grey Shop at: SSS	Copic Sketch MARKER C5 COOL GRAY Grey Shop at: SSS	Copic Sketch MARKER C7 COOL GRAY Grey Shop at: SSS
Copic Sketch Marker R35 CORAL Shop at: SSS	Copic Sketch Marker R56 CURRANT Pink Shop at: SSS	Copic Sketch Marker RV29 CRIMSON Red Shop at: SSS	Copic Sketch Marker V01 HEATH Violet Purple Shop at: SSS
Copic Sketch Marker V06 LAVENDER Purple Shop at: SSS	Copic Sketch MARKER V09 VIOLET Shop at: SSS	Copic Sketch Marker W0 Warm Gray Shop at: SSS	Copic Sketch MARKER Y15 CADMIUM YELLOW Shop at: SSS
Copic Sketch Marker Y21 BUTTERCUP YELLOW Light Pastel Shop at: SSS	Copic Sketch Marker YG17 GRASS GREEN Shop at: SSS	Copic Sketch Marker YG23 NEW LEAF Green Light Subtle Shop at: SSS	Simon Says Stamp WONKY RECTANGLES Wafer Dies Shop at: SSS
Gina K Designs JET BLACK AMALGAM Cube Ink Mini Pad Shop at: SSS	Tsukineko VersaFine Pigment Ink Pad - Onyx Black Shop at: SSS | AZ	Neenah Classic Crest 80 LB REAM Smooth Solar White Paper Pack 250 Sheets Shop at: SSS | AZ	Neenah Classic Crest 80 LB SMOOTH SOLAR WHITE Paper Pack 25 Sheets Shop at: SSS | SB
Gerda Steiner Designs LONG TIME NO SEE PENGUIN Clear Stamp Set Shop at: SSS	Fiskars - Razor Edge Easy Action Shears Shop at: SSS | SB	Fiskars PREMIUM CUT LINE Paper Trimmer 12 Inches Shop at: SSS | SB | AZ	Tonic Studios - Tim Holtz - Stamp Platform Shop at: SSS | SB | AZ
We R Memory Keepers - Evolution Advanced Die Cutting Tool Shop at: SB | AZ

Kitty Hello Cards with Older Stamps

Hello Lovely.  Today I want to talk about using the stamps in our stash.  We all love to buy, I know I do, but are we using what we already have?  I have some stamps that are from when I first started card making over 20 years ago.  They've been acquiring dust, because like every other crafter I'm attached to what's shiny and new.  I've vowed to change that habit or to set the older stamps free by selling or donating them.  First, I need to use the stamp to see if I still love it.

I'm starting with this kitty and this ballon.  I'm sorry I don't know the brands because I unmounted them ages ago.  If you're looking for great kitty stamps to color I suggest you check out Newton's Nook, as they make some really cute kitty stamps.

I used Copics to color these cute images.  Kitty one is done in Earth tones, Kitty two is done in the Cool Gray tones and Kitty three is done in Warm Gray tones.  When I colored these I had no real plan of making them into anything.  I merely wanted to compare the grays and try the new earth colors I'd purchased.  I stamped the images on to Neenah Solar White 80# cardstock using Gina K. Amalgam ink.  I'll be honest, these colored images sat on my desk a week or longer before I decided to fussy cut them and add them to cards.

The first card I completed was Kitty three, with no balloon.  I thought they looked like they were waving, so I pulled some "Hello" die cuts from my stash.  After I created the first one I saw the Birthday Ballons stamps set by Newton's Nook, and it gave me an idea.  I have a ballon in my stash and what would be cuter than a Kitty with a balloon saying hello?  Balloons were stamped, colored and fussy cut just like the Kitties.  I used some sewing thread that matched the colors of each ballon and carefully tied it to the base of the balloon.

Each Kitty is popped up on foam tape, as is the balloon.  The thread tails are secured under the foam tape in two places behind the kitty.  I pulled patterned paper from my stash and created simple backgrounds.  That's it.  Nothing to fancy, but they sure are cute!

Thanks for swinging by today.  I've linked to some of the products I used below.  Dust off your old stamps and create something you enjoy today.

Links to Products Used:

Affiliate links are used at no additional charge to you

Kokuyo Tape Glue Dot Liner Long tape, Refill cartridge 5 Pack, Shop at: SSS | AZ	Kokuyo Tape Glue Dot Liner Long-Blue Shop at: SSS | AZ	Scotch Indoor Mounting Tape, 0.75-inch x 350-inches, White, 1-Roll Shop at: AZ	Copic Sketch Marker B000 PALE PORCELAIN BLUE Shop at: SSS
Copic Sketch Marker B02 ROBIN'S EGG BLUE Shop at: SSS	Copic Sketch Marker B93 LIGHT CROCKERY BLUE Shop at: SSS	Copic Sketch Marker B99 AGATE Dark Blue Shop at: SSS	Copic Sketch Marker BV00 MAUVE SHADOW Shop at: SSS
Copic Sketch MARKER C0 COOL GRAY Shop at: SSS	Copic Sketch MARKER C3 COOL GRAY Grey Shop at: SSS	Copic Sketch MARKER C5 COOL GRAY Grey Shop at: SSS	Copic Sketch MARKER E33 SAND Beige Shop at: SSS
Copic Sketch Marker E37 SEPIA Brown Shop at: SSS	Copic Sketch Marker E59 WALNUT Dark Brown Shop at: SSS	Copic Sketch Marker RV10 PALE PINK Pastel Light Shop at: SSS	Copic Sketch Marker RV21 LIGHT PINK Shop at: SSS
Copic Sketch Marker V06 LAVENDER Purple Shop at: SSS	Copic Sketch MARKER V09 VIOLET Shop at: SSS	Copic Sketch Marker W0 Warm Gray Shop at: SSS	Copic Sketch MARKER W3 WARM GRAY Shop at: SSS
Copic Sketch Marker W5 WARM GRAY Shop at: SSS	Simon Says Stamp SMALL HELLO Craft Die Shop at: SSS	Simon Says Stamp STITCHED RECTANGLES Wafer Dies Shop at: SSS	Gina K Designs JET BLACK AMALGAM Cube Ink Mini Pad Shop at: SSS
Neenah Classic Crest 80 LB REAM Smooth Solar White Paper Pack 250 Sheets Shop at: SSS | AZ	Neenah Classic Crest 80 LB SMOOTH SOLAR WHITE Paper Pack 25 Sheets Shop at: SSS | SB	Fiskars - Razor Edge Easy Action Shears Shop at: SSS | SB	Fiskars PREMIUM CUT LINE Paper Trimmer 12 Inches Shop at: SSS | SB | AZ
Perfect Clear Acrylic Stamp Block Kit Shop at: SB	Stainless Steel Tweezers Shop at: AZ	We R Memory Keepers - Evolution Advanced Die Cutting Tool Shop at: SB | AZ	Xyron STICKER MAKER Shop at: SSS | SB | AZ