More is More

I think the two new sets that are the most *me* are Abundant Joy and Heartspeak.  Of course there are lots of other sets that I love, but those two are immediately recognizable as my style.  Here’s my first card using Heartspeak.

The main image is stamped on Confetti White cardstock in Palette Hybrid Burnt Umber.  I started by simply coloring the image with ink from SU markers scribbled on a cd and picked up with an aquapainter.  I used River Rock ink to ground the basket (I hate to see an image *floating*) and stamped Itty Bitty BG splatters in Creamy Caramel as well as sponging the scallops in Caramel.  I took my color combo from my colored image and went with a Kraft base, Brocade Blue, Always Artichoke and just a touch of Cameo Coral.

The Artichoke panel was stamped with Linen in Artichoke and then the swirl from Baroque Motifs in Garden Green (stamped off first).  The edges of the Artichoke panel and the Kraft base were softened with white craft ink applied dtp.  The main image was punched with a Marvy Mega Scallop punch and layered with foam tape onto a Giga Scallop of Brocade over another one of Coral.  I punched holes in the Brocade layer so the Coral would show through and then I used Frosted Lace Stickles on each hole.

The “missing you” sentiment is from the Hostess set So Many Sayings.  That is such a great set – so versatile!  It was stamped on Brocade and punched with the Word Window punch and layered over a Coral flower created with the Spring Flowers punch and covered in Stickles.  A Queen & Co. artichoke brad finishes off the sentiment.

I had to make this card twice because the first time I decided to apply DD Glitter to the Baroque swirls and after I had the card totally put together I realized that the glitter had ruined it.  I hope someone is writing that down because it’s a rare thing for me to say that glitter to could ever ruin ANYTHING!  LOL!  Fortunately I was able to salvage the watercolored image so the re-make didn’t take long to accomplish.

Today has been an icky day.  I had planned to run errands and do several things, but the house painters got to the point where they needed all the windows and doors opened so they could finish up the trim (we have the old fashioned wood double hung windows).  So I was stuck at home feeling like I was in a fishbowl all day with guys at my windows.  Yuck!  They are supposed to finish the painting tomorrow and I can hardly wait!

I did get a quick call from Taylor today with a CHA update.  We didn’t get to talk long because her cell battery was going dead so my first question was about Basic Grey papers.  She said they have several new lines and she took pictures.  WooHoo!  She and Joy and Daisy have met up with several SCSers already.  Sounds like they are having a great time. I’m sure they’ll all have info on their blogs very soon.  🙂

I already have another card ready for tomorrow…I’m so proud of myself.  *wink*  Thanks for stopping by!

The good news is…I FOUND HEARTSPEAK!!!  I looked again this morning before leaving for work – nothing.  It bugged me all day!  I knew it was in my stamp room…I knew it!   Tonight I started again by looking in drawers, knowing full well it wasn’t in any of them.  Then I went back to my little step stool that sits by my chair at my stamp table.  I had looked around it several times already, but I looked again anyway – and there it was.  It had falled off that little stool (I keep sets stacked up there as I work) and had landed on it’s side behind the stool so I couldn’t see it.  WooHoo!!!  For awhile today I actually contempleted never getting to stamp with it, knowing I couldn’t justify buying again just because it was lost in my stamp room!

Thanks to everyone for the support in my frustration.  Sounds like lots of you have had similar experiences!

Now the bad news….I started a card with Heartspeak tonight, hoping to be able to share it tonight.  Alas I had to leave it 3/4 finished on my stamp table.  The biggest problem with sharing my stamp room with my 2 macaws’ huge cages is that they need to go to bed between 9:30 and 10:00 and my hubby needs to go to bed between 9:00 and 9:30 so tolerating their wanna-go-to-bed screaming for a little while I finish something is just not an option.  The birds don’t scream very often and have learned to enjoy being in their cages while I stamp some during the day, but once it’s past bedtime they are done!  So after the excitiement of finding the missing set, I now have the frustration of knowing a card is sitting there waiting to be finished.  Oh well – hopefully I can make some time tomorrow.

Although I don’t have a card to share I do have a great link to share.  Check out Katydid Creations and her fabulous seed packet templates here.   Ironically her sample uses Heartspeak!  Thanks Leslie for pointing me to this wonderful tutorial and thanks Kathryn for sharing so generously!

What a great day! 🙂

We are getting the exterior of our house painted and for much of the day today our doors and windows were covered in plastic.  It felt like I’d been sealed inside.  Now normally that would have bothered me – made me feel claustraphobic, but today I had all my new SU toys!  This was the perfect day to PLAY!  I stamped for several hours and just had an absolute blast!  Most of what I made is for Dare To Get Dirty on SCS next week, so I can’t share it just yet.  But be sure your Fan Club membership is up to date and mark your calendars to stamp with the Dirty Girls past and present starting Wedensday the 25th and running for a full week!  I promise it’s going to be a ton of fun!

I do have one card to share tonight though.  This one was started before my new stuff came and then finished off today with So Many Sayings (Level 1 Hostesss set).

I’ve always loved this Farmyard Jumbo wheel and finally ordered it just before it retired.  It was wheeled on Confetti White cardstock and watercolored with watercolor crayons and an aquapainter.  I just love the sweet look of Liquid Applique on clouds and some stickles brighten up the sun.  The main image was layered onto Chocolate Chip cardstock trimmed with mini scallop scissors and then layered onto Ruby Red.  The Summer Sun card base was stamped with Flannel Plaid in Chocolate Chip classic ink.  The hearts and sentiment are from So Many Sayings and were inked with a Ruby Red marker and placed using my Stamp-a-majig.  Some chocolate grosgrain finishes off this simple, fun card.  I’m a city girl all the way with some romantic notions of life as a farm girl.  Our house was originally on a dairy when it was built and we still have the original chicken coop in our backyard.  I’m pretty sure this is as close as I’ll ever come to living on a farm. *wink*

I have to tell you that I am in a bit of a quandry…I seem to have misplaced a brand new still uninked stamp set.  I had Heartspeak in my hands several times today, but ended up not using it for any of the *assignments* I had.  I was dying to play with it though, so when I was all finished I went back to maybe work on just one more card, but I couldn’t find Heartspeak.  I thought when I straightened up it would present itself, but no.  I’m guessing it’s one of those situations where it’s right in front of me and I’m not seeing it, but for the moment I’m very frustrated.  I mean…I didn’t even leave the house today…where could it have gotten off to?  Do you ever lose stuff like that?

Several of my friends are off to Summer CHA in Chicago tomorrow.  I’m a little sad about not going, but overall it’s really a good thing for me now.  I won’t miss Winter CHA though!  Safe travels to those of you going – I can hardly wait to see pictures!

Thanks for stopping by.

My new catty order finally arrived today!  WooHoo!!!  I’ve only managed to get one quick (well, quick for me) card done so far.  As I was mounting sets I kept changing my mind about which set I wanted to use first.  I finally settled on Garden Whimsy with some Cutie Pie Designer Paper.

I started this card using the other side of the dp which is a stripe of Celery, Bashful Blue and Pomegranate, but as so often happens I changed midstream when I realized this side just looked better!  The Whisper White piece was cut and wheeled with the Whimsy Jumbo Wheel in Bashful Blue and then stamped with the butterflies and ladybugs.  The sentiment tag at the top began with stamping “You’re absolutely fabulous” on Whisper White, punching with the key tag punch and trimming down and layering on a Bashful key tag.  Three holes were punched top and bottom and ribbon and brads were added.  The Word Window punch was used at the bottom of the card so that I could stamp “No, really –  You are!” on the inside of the card.  I just love that sentiment pairing and had to have that set right away!  DD Glitter was added to both sentiments and also outlines around the butterflies for super sparkle!

I’m anxious to play with more of my new stuff, but I have another very busy week ahead.  I’ll just have to squeeze in stamping when I can!  Thanks for stopping by!

This Saturday morning I’ll be hosting a garage sale at my house along with friends Taylor, Joy, Emily, Jen and Daisy selling retired Stampin’ Up! sets along with lots of other stamping/scrapping/crafting supplies and handmade items.  The sale will run 8:00am to 1:00pm so if you’re anywhere in SoCal I hope you’ll drop by to shop and say hi.  We’d love to see you.  I plan to spend all day tomorrow pricing stuff and getting things ready.

Oh and bring cash!  *wink*

It’s been a very busy and productive day that started with my bi-monthly Wednesday exile to my stamp room very early this morning.  At first all I could think about was my SU order (that hasn’t even shipped yet), and the I realized just how silly that was in the midst of my fabulous stamp room full of wonderful stuff – including some brand new un-inked stamps.  So I decided to pick a set and play!

I had admired the Crafty Secrets Bird Notes set for quite awhile and then when I saw that eclectic Paperie was carrying it I just had to break down and get it!  I started this card by stamping the birds image with Palette Hybrid Noir ink on Shimmer White cs and coloring it with Prisma pencils (the brown birds are not quite so bright IRL) and finishing it off by sponging on SU classic ink.  I had a piece of double sided designer paper sitting on my desk by My Mind’s Eye (Tres Jolie – Bonjour) that helped inspire my color scheme.  The plaid panel is one side of that paper and on the solid side I stamped the feather image in Creamy Caramel ink.  That was distressed and layered on Chocolate Chip which was distressed and layered on an Old Olive square card base (5.25″).  A Soft Sky panel was stamped with French Scipt and layered onto Chocolate Chip with a mini scallop edge.  Some ribbon, brads,  and a sentiment from Paper Trey Faux Ribbon were the finishing touches.  I love the soft vintage feel of this.  It was a good stamping morning!

If you haven’t already seen it, be sure to check out the tutorial on SCS today by Colorin’ Kate on how to use Copic and Prisma alcohol markers – very informative!  And be sure to check out Ellen Hutson’s blog and store on Friday for her special and her new assortment of Copic Markers.  I can’t wait to see what she has.  After playing with a few of Taylor’s markers I am very interested in possibly getting a few of my own.

Wow – today has been go, go, go and I still have *must-do* stuff on my to-do list.  But at this point I just gotta say – Stick a fork in me.  I’m done!  I need some cuddle time with Beaker my Red-Fronted Macaw and then a shower so I can dive into my fresh clean sheets!  Good night!

I joined an ATC swap a long time ago.  The postmark date is today.  So guess when I made the ATC’s.   If you said last night, you would be correct!  I actually tried several times previously to make them, but couldn’t come up with a design.  I must have gone through at least 5 or 6 ideas.  Last night around 9:00 I remembered why I don’t usually join swaps.  I am so much better at hosting them.  I finally finished a little before 10:00 last night, which was a must since I work today and have to get these mailed out!

The swap is NVR (No Vendor Restrictions) and there was no theme, os I could do literally anything!  I ended up using this fun image by Stampendous called Beachscape (part of the Skyscapes line).  I brayered glossy cardstock with a Luau Kaleidacolor Pad, then stamped the beach image with Palette Hybrid Noir ink and added the sentiment from the SU set Warm Words.  The glossy piece was layered onto black cardstock and tabs were added (punched with the word window punch).  That was layered onto a Cameo Coral ATC.  Glitter was added around the edge with a Sakura Quickie Glue Pen and some Adorn-it Jewel Droplets are the finishing touch.  *phew*

Since ATC’s are not not really *my thing* and since I made a few extras in case of mess ups along the way, I decided to turn one of them into a full sized card – a 5.25″ square in this case.

The outline flower from Bud Basics was stamped in black on Lovely Lilac cs and some of the flowers were then outlined with glitter and the Quickie Glue pen.  A liitle pink was added with the tiny Queen & Co. brads and an offset Pink passion mat behind the ATC which was mounted to the card with foam tape.  Being a SoCal girl this sunset/twilight beach image is something that evokes a smile.

I’m really going to be smiling when my Stampin’ Up! order arrives.  I finally got it submitted yesterday after agonizing for a week about what to get first.  I finally managed to take a few sets off my list (for this time….so I can spread them out a bit) and ended up ordering:

• Boatloads of Love
• Heartspeak
• Abundant Joy
• Jumbo Wheel Whimsy
• Garden Whimsy
• Absolutely Fabulous
• Polka Dot BG
• Cute Pie DP
• Tafetta Ribbon in pink
• Stitched Ribbon in Pomegranate and Wasabi

I hope Stampin’ Up! is all caught up on all those expedited orders so mine might get shipped soon.  Hmmmm…I need to clear my schedule next week for some serious play time!