Blog Candy for Flowers

Blog Candy

I really love the contrast of black & white....and sometimes simple is best. The flower is made from large and small daisy punches, curled & black brad in center. I have a couple of new "favorite" blogs that have some great tutorials on creating flowers, check one of them out Here and Here

I want everyone to try making a 3-D flower on a card or anything. Post it on your blog with a link back to my blog by Sunday March 15th. Spread the word because there is a Fabulous prize! Be sure to leave me a comment, so I know to look for your creation & enter you in the "fun"! I can't wait to see what you create!

Aubrey & Matt's Wedding

I am back from my trip to Oklahoma to help my sister with her daughter's wedding. It was really beautiful, I loved all the black & white. It was a lot of work getting everthing ready- and I am exhausted! My sister did EVERYTHING....I just came in a couple of days before & helped out wherever I could! I did help with decorating the cake- which she had baked in advance. I helped decorate the church & reception hall and prepare the food. It was a whole family effort, my niece Tammy & her husband Chad helped so much too! I made some cards ahead of time to give to the bride for thank you's or whatever she wanted- I was so happy that she just loved them.

Congradulations Matt & Aubrey!

Tiny Chick

Ok...I have a confession....I am a paper hoarder!

When I looked at the back of the plaid ppr I used on this card, I am embarrassed to say this is what I saw "doodlebug design inc. 2001 Cynthea Sandoval"

Wow...I have had this paper 8 yrs!

I started reminiscing back to when I started this paper collection , it was when I worked in a scrapbook store that was owned by Sharon Capshaw-"Scrapbooks from the Heart" She hired me shortly after she opened the store & I was her first employee. We were instant friends, and she never liked for me to refer to her as my boss. I worked there about 2 years and we became so very close. It was hard leaving that job, but an offer of significant more money (and responsibility) came my way, and Sharon understood. We remained friends, and she was always & I mean always there for me, even through my divorce. Wow, sitting here sharing this I have tears streaming down my face... see Sharon went home to be with the Lord. It has been well over a year ago...maybe closer to two. I have lost track of time exactly how long it has been. But I still miss her! She would have absolutely LOVED this card too.

When I stared this post, I never intended on it going in this direction, so please forgive me.

But please remember that life is unpredictable, every day is a gift, tomorrow is not promised, so tell your friends & family how much they mean TODAY!

I am going to be out of town for about a week. I will be helping my sister with her daughters wedding in Oklahoma. I won't be able to post untill I return. I appreciate your comments so much. I am thinking of a blog candy offer that I will post after I get back from this trip.

Hey Chickadee!

This "Fabulous" little chickadee stamp is from Art Impressions my wish-list from them is a mile long! She may become a "Red Hat" lady someday, but for now her hat is pink (it could be her Easter bonnet)

I stamped her on Watercolor ppr with black waterproof ink, then water colored in using markers.

Sometimes a card can take hours, or days...tyring to decide do I like this...or that..Ya know? Sometimes I just can't seem to make it work. This card took maybe 30 minuets-& I just keep looking at it thinking "she is just too prissy for words!"

I just love when it seems to come to "life" all by its self!

Mum

This card reminds me of a sunshiny day! I think I will make more of these & add some glitter to the flower, maybe a brad in the center. The stamp is a clear set from Stampendous that I bought at Archivers last weekend when I went there for the class. I stamped it twice with pink ink, colored in with prismacolors, then blended with mineral spirits & blending stump. I cut the flowers out (one smaller) then curled a little & layered. The striped ppr is from Making Memories, I layered pink ribbon over it. I used Cuttlebug for embossing & a punch on the bottom.

Last few Valentines

Since Valentines day is Saturday, I thought I would share with you these last few cards for the occasion. I used my cuttlebug on all of these. I tried to make the middle one not so "girly". The only stamp set I used was from Cloud 9-clear set-Love. On a different note I am excited that I figured out how to get a counter to work-Yea!

Scalloped Circle Flower

This is an idea a I have seen on a couple of other blogs. http://justritestampers.blogspot.com/ posing on Nov. 2008 and http://ilinacrouse.blogspot.com/ posting on Jan. 12th

This is simple if you have nestabilities scalloped circles. Just make cuts between the scallops & curl edges up. I use a tool from the punch bunch http://www.thepunchbunch.com/ I use this tool ALOT! Every 3-D flower uses these tools! But I bet you could use scissors on this one--like we did in elementary school (like you would curl ribbon)I free handed the leaves & used chipboard button for center-but you could use anything!

Class at Archivers

Yesterday my friend Linda & I went to Austin to take a class at "Archive rs". We made 4 cards so I wanted to share them with you all. I changed the design on my cards on 3 of the 4 for several reasons. Maybe I just needed creative freedom to do my own thing. I pretty much stayed to their design on the owl card. On the frog card I messed up & smeared the ink in the background, so after I got home I used designer ppr for background & printed off my saying from the computer. I was impressed with the store overall & wish there was one closer. (It was about an hour and a half drive) We do have some privately owned scrapbook stores here, but most don't carry much in the way of stamps. Our stamping store "StampAntonio" is good, but seems very slow about getting any new merchandise.

What's up Ladybug?

I found some great new Spring/Easter $1.oo stamps at Michael's yesterday, and this is the first card I have made using any of them. This Ladybug stamp is so cute! I colored them in with markers & put tiny red stones in the centers of the flowers. (I think they show up if you click to enlarge the picture) I printed the words "What's up Ladybug?" off the computer.

I am headed to Austin with my friend Linda tomorrow. We are taking a class at Archivers, and I am excited because I haven't ever been to one of their stores. I will give a full report tomorrow evening after I get home!

Accordian Flowers

Today I made these accordion flowers from scalloped circles, cut from nestabilities. There is a Fabulous tutorial over at "Amazing Paper Grace" http://www.amazingpapergrace.com/ that was posted on Jan 30th. She used octagons, but I don't have those yet so I improvised. You should really check out her blog, it is Awesome!

Yesterday was quite the day! I was excited when I went to the mailbox & my goodies from Joni's challenge had arrived-Yea! Thanks again Joni! I took a picture of my prizes to hopefully motivate everyone to join in the challenges! Then, when I popped over to Joni's Blog

http://astickysituation.blogspot.com/ I saw that she had given me a blog award! So that really made my day! Thanks ....I need to pass this award on to 7 other bloggers & I am behind on passing on the first 2 awards-yikes! I promise I will do this this weekend!

Black & White Medallion

I needed to make a wedding card for my niece who is getting married Feb. 21st. Her colors are all black & white (my favorite) so here is another medallion card. I just love this stamp!

I used black c/s with white embossing & white c/s with black embossing. This time I added a small brad in the center. The background was stamped with a $1 stamp from Michael's.

Valentine Challenge Entries

These 3 cards are for Julie's challenge http://splashofcolor-juliestamps.blogspot.com/ to create a Valentine's day card with a splash of embossing, but without any pink, red or hearts.

First is "Love is master key..." splash of embossing is the edges of the nestabilites that are embossed. (I love the key charm) Stamp is a clear set by Cloud 9

Second is Love in lavender by rubber stamp tapestry & clear alphabet set by Inkadinado. Splash of embossing is around the nestabilities scalloped rectangle.

Third is I ruff you! Puppy is a clear stamp set by Stampendous & I used clear alphabet sets that were $1.00 are Michael's. Puppy is embossed with black embossing powder.

Peony Square

After seeing this stamp used by "PaulaTracy" on SCS (search her gallery on SCS) I decided it was a must have. I absolutely love the way she colors in using prismacolor pencils & gamsol. I had never heard of gamsol, so I googled it & its mineral spirits....which I finally found at Wal-Mart. I have had the pencils since college, 20 yrs ago. I was a commercial art major-but went only 2 yrs. But I am still learning new techniques, thanks to SCS, bloggers and YouTube tutorials! I really like the effect when you use the mineral spirits & a blending stump. This was my first attempt & surprisingly I am pretty happy with it.

The stamp is by Stampendous, background ppr is by My Minds Eye.

Medallion card for 50th Anniv.

As I was blog surfing the other night-early morning I found a Fabulous Blog & I am now listing it in my favorites http://tennesseejoy.wordpress.com/ Please check it out! I went through all the pages of her blog & was especially wowzerd at a medallion card she made with a stamp from a company I had never heard of "Holly Berry House." I googled it & found their site. I wanted one of their medallion stamps Like right now! I wound up buying one on E-Bay & got it within a cpl days-Yea! The card I created is for a 50th wedding anniversary for a family that I have been friends with for 20 yrs. The medallion is stamped twice & embossed in gold on cream c/s.

Then stamped onto gold ppr twice & embossed in gold. Then you carefully cut out the different layers, stack them, & add pop dots between layers. I am very pleased with how it came out & hope that my friends enjoy the card.

As a requirement for accepting Alfred's award I need to list 5 things that make me happy....

1) Blog surfing-I love finding new ideas & there are sooo many great ones out there!

2) Finding great bargains
3) When I create something & it turns out better than I hoped it would
4) Reece's candy (chocolate & peanut butter is a little piece of heaven)
5) Making someone else happy, makes me happy!

I am working on my list of who I will pass this award on to.

Sundae Shoes

You scream, I scream, we all scream for ice cream! What a perfect combination...I love Ice cream, I love shoes! Sundae Shoes! This stamp is from Stampendous & I just couldn't resist it.

Alfred http://copicart.com/ Listed ice cream as his #1 favorite thing and was so nice to honor me with my second blog award !!! So this card seems appropriate. Thanks, I will be thinking of my most favorite things & post ASAP

On this card I used w/c ppr & Marvy markers with paintbrush & water to color image. I used Scribbles 3-d paint for whipped cream & Nestabilities to cut scallop layer. The background ppr is by Carolee's Creations, but I added the black dots because I just felt it still needed something. This turned out so cute, I know my daughter is gonna steal it when she comes over to do laundry tomorrow! HEY-Did anyone watch the video (link) of her singing in the last post? It's really good. (it was at her church)

An Award....for Moi?

Thanks SO Much! When I started blogging, just one month ago, I never knew how rewarding it would be. Now I get an award? Wow! How fun is this?!?Barbara & Becky both felt I should have this award so I am doubly honored. I appreciate every ones comments & feel that friendships are forming all across the country! Thanks again ! I even figured out how to actually accept the award & place it on my blog....and its SUPER CUTE!

Now for 5 addictions.....not necessarily in this order!

1) Being creative ...I love learning new techniques, seeing & trying new ideas!
2) Shopping...gotta have the right supplies & tools to be creative....right?
3) Chocolate....Uh Hello ~
4) Talking /bragging about my beautiful & so talented daughter (see her YouTube video, she is the one with long red hair)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXh1hgEtCp0 and my smart & handsome son.
5) Laughing (usually at myself) having fun...life is too short - laugh & enjoy everyday!

I think I am supposed to pass this on to 5 other blogs.....I will be choosing & Posting the recipients soon.

Coffee Filter Flower

I figured out the trick to punching through the coffee filters- You need to have about 3 filters stacked together! When I tried to punch just one single filter, it kept getting stuck in the punch & would rip trying to get it out. The thickness of 3 filters works great & you get 3 times as many petals from each punch! When I started this flower I planned it around a ppr that is a blue toile (french provincial) pattern that I wanted to use as a background. Who knew blues are so hard to match? When I was coloring the petals with chalk pastels I could not seem to get them to match the paper.....so on to plan B. (Does this kind of stuff ever happen to anyone else?) So I used on old lace background stamp by Stampin' Up (long retired I'm sure) I've had for ages. Then I made a special trip to Hobby Lobby to get ribbon & lace to finish this card. There is room that I can add a sentiment later, if I wanted .

Basket of flowers

This is another one of my watercolor attempts. The stamp is Alesa Baker for My sentiments Exactly, I bought it on E-bay! The stamp is bigger that it looked so I was pleasantly suprised when it arrived. I used Marvy markers to ink allmost all of the image then stamped onto w/c ppr.

I watercolored the basket then added the leaves & flowers using stamps by Art Impressions. Then the flowers & leaves are gone over with tiny amout of water on paitbrush to give watercolor effect. Then I washed in green under basket & added grass and tiny flowers (stamps by Art Impressions) Last I washed in some blue background. The printed paper is HOTP-20570 Lavender Rosebuds--Paper Pizazz /Hot Off The Press.

Butterfly for splash theme challenge

Julie over at Splash of Color http://splashofcolor-juliestamps.blogspot.com/ posted us a challenge with a butterfly theme & a splash of glitter. So here is my submission! This motivated me to use a butterfly stamp that I had not ever used. I don't know who made it. (clear stamp) I stamped it on w/c paper & cut it out. I find it easier to cut out anything detailed when it is thicker paper. It is outlind with waterfall stickles & then I added vintage glass glitter in diamond dust on the wings (its not very sparkly but adds texture) Background is stamped with clear stamps bought at Hobby Lobby & Nestabilities used to cut shapes that are under butterfly.

What a month!

Well today makes it one month since I started my blog...shewww! I have learned a lot in in a month...and I still have a long way to go. I wanna take a computer class to learn about links, and a few other things I can't figure out how to work (like my counter) !

I took a class on Copic markers at our local stamp store "StampAntonio" yesterday. It was taught by Geeta Suggs who is a certified copic instructor for A Muse. Copic's are alcohol based ink markers & I had never worked with Copic markers. Years ago in college art classes I used similar Prismacolor markers which are similar. I have mixed feelings about these markers I found them hard to work with. It may be because I really like the watercolor technique I achieve from water based markers. So for now I am gonna stick with what I know & love, but I don't want to limit myself. I love to learn new things & don't want to limit myself! I know all things take practice to get good at. Here is one of the projects from the class. The markers bleed, so on the top part of the icing it got out of the lines.