Friday, March 28, 2008

Last Blog Challenge ~ A Monogram

I'm in much better humour today, 'cuz I really like how this one turned out :)



The challenge for today was to create a monogram card, using my favorite colour for the card base, and also incorporating a scallop and ribbon into the card design.



The perfect opportunity to use the grungeboard that I've been hoarding ~ I inked it up with Bliss Blue ink, then used the same ink and a BG stamp on my CS. Found some patterned paper that worked well with it, and made the scallops using the slot punch from Stampin Up.

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Second to Last of the Blog Challenges

OK, I admit it ~ I suck at watercoloring and I suck at scanning. Just not having a good day today at all....if I hadn't already done this card I would have dropped out of the challenge.

Took Kelton to the dentist today and he needs $2600 worth of work...and he's 3!! I watercolored this card while waiting for the appointment, so maybe that's why I"m so displeased with it....who knows?

Anyway, here's my feeble attempt at today's challenge to 1. use a tag of any size, 2. use any shade of red (in this case, baroque burgundy), and 3. us any bling ~ that SU crystal brad is the best part of th whole card, imho.

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Live Love Laugh

Here's the inside of my blog challenge card for today. Yikes! First my scanner is acting up, now it looks like everything I scan is dirty.....then blogger didn't seem to want to let me upload, and now I can't put the inside lower in this post where I really want it . Anyway, continue on and get the deets on the challenge. Here's the front of my card:





This was by far the most difficult challenge I have ever done ~ I just *could not* get the creative juices flowing for this one! Here were the rules for today, copied from http://http//allthingsstamped.blogspot.com/



**Day 3 Challenge Rules** Today you get to make a card that doesn't fold in half....it is what I like to call a Funky Fold. 1) It can be any size card but can not fold in half 2) It must be decorated on the inside and outside 3) You must spell out a word using stickers, thickers, die cuts or alphabet stamps 4) It has to have polka dots.

I managed to incoporate everything asked for, but I do think it needs some added pizzazz, though ~ any suggestions what I could add to it? I have until midnight tonight to submit.













Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Black & White

Imagine that ~ I just did my first-ever black and white card a short time ago, and now today's challenge is a 4 x 4 black and white card. This was fun! I used the Doodle That heart to make my centre design, and my new CB folder for the BG. Wording is stamped with Versafine black and Whisper White, and cut out with the word window punch. Notice the flower on the brad? That's a Stampin Up rub-on! Scallop is cut with the Cricut ~ Mini Monograms cartridge, and accented with black stickles and white gel pen. Although it doesn't show up well in the scan, the dots between the hearts also have black stickles on them. This card looks really pretty and elegant IRL.

Monday, March 24, 2008

The Little Things

Saw a challenge on the blog "All Things Stamped" and decided to participate. There will be a daily challenge every day this week and a card must be entered every day to win. Today's challenge was to create a card with a bird, at least 2 layers, and ribbon.

Although it didn't scan well, I love the soft blue on this card. The bird is from a new set called
"Spring Solitude". I ran the white CS through my cuttlebug 3 times using a small embossing folder , then scored it twice with my Scor-It. The sentiment stamp is from a TAC set I just bought (my first!), and the ribbon is unknown.

Sunday, March 23, 2008

Easter Hostess Gift



We've been invited to share Easter dinner with friends later today, so I decided a hostess gift was in order. I found the wire basket at a yard sale for under $1, and made a bookmark, pen, post it note folder, candle tin, card and envelope to match. I think the technique was called "one sheet wonder", and I'm going to post a tutorial on how to do it when I get a chance...really a fun, quick and easy way to make a whole bunch of different projects in a hurry.

Happy Easter to all readers who celebrate!

Sunday, March 16, 2008

I've been Tagged

I've been tagged for the first time ever! I was tagged by Jen at //http://jenalonso.typepad.com/fstop_memories/



The rules of the game:• Link to the person that tagged you and post the rules on your blog.• Share 7 random and/or weird facts about yourself on your blog, we all want to know them.• Tag 7 random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs.• Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.



Here are my 7 random facts:




  • I skipped grade 4, and did 4 years of high school in 3 years. Was only just turned 16 when I started college.

  • My youngest son, Kelton, was born at home in the hot tub in June 2004(yes, we planned it that way!)

  • Our oldest child, Nicole, is 27

  • During my teenage/early adult years, I went by my middle name "Sue". Switched back to my first name "Marla" when I began selling real estate at age 25 and wanted my name to be more distinctive.

  • My childhood pet was a dog named "Sanderson McGregor"

  • I met my hubby on a blind date

  • I have travelled to many far-away places including Namibia and Thailand

And now, I'm tagging:

http://sisterandme.blogspot.com

http://havingfunstamping.blogspot.com

http://dare2beecreative.blogspot.com

http://stampwithheather.typepad.com/stamp_with_heather

http://stampingwithroxy.typepad.com/my_weblog/

http://stampinonthemountain.blogspot.com/

http://aleshawalls.blogspot.com/


Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Good Manners


In my quest to do new things/use supplies and tools I have purchased but not used, I managed to do several things on this LO that I have never done before....yay, me!
First, I used a template to draw the starburst shape on the bottom right with a Signo white gel pen (very easy, peasy, I might add!) Then I learned how to cover a chipboard heart with ribbon ~ a bit more of a challenge than the starburst, but not all that difficult either ~ I used my ATG gun to adhere the ribbon to the chipboard. Next, I tackled a rub-on....the *entire* saying at the bottom left is a rub on. I used the new rollerball rub-on tool that I had heard about at K2 Scrapbooking ~ and it worked like a dream.
Can't believe I found eyelets that matched the weird yellow/green color of this paper, but I looked in my trusty ScrapRack in the yellow/green section, and there they were. Metallic letters and stars are from a set I got at JoAnn's last year after Christmas in the 90% off section. I really love the way this page all came together....and it all started with me wanting to use the starburst template :)

Saturday, March 8, 2008

De-Boss of all Birthday Cards


I needed a birthday card for my son, Derek, who is turning 25 on April 1, and I was just dying to try some new techniques (and tools!), so I looked up this week's challenges on Splitcoast Stampers. I discovered that the technique challenge was de-bossing, which I've never tried, so I had a look at the sketch challenge and decided if I turned the sketch on its side I could combine the two.
De-bossing is easy! You stamp your image on vellum, heat set it to dry, then turn it over and trace the outlines of your design with an embossing stylus. You can also fill in areas of your design with markers, watercolor, or blender pen if you wish.
Here I used the Like it A Latte set for the images, then the Small Sayings set for the greeting. I used one of my brand-spanking-new cuttlebug folders (distressed stripes) on Close to Cocoa cardstock for the horizontal layer. Mat corners are punched with the Square Steps corner punch. Ink colors used are close to cocoa and cameo coral, CS colors are close to cocoa, baroque burgundy and mint melody.
Now that the card is finished, I'm thinking maybe it looks a little feminine for a 25yo man ~ what's your opinion?

Saturday, March 1, 2008

Let's Try a Monochrome Card


Last Wednesday at Scrapbooking group, Debbie Moczek showed us how easy it is to dry emboss even without a light box. She used the Seeing Spots embossing template, and simply laid cardstock on top,then rubbed all over the cardstock with an embossing stylus. The design appeared like magic!
I belong to a birthday club that sends a card to each of its members who are having a birthday that month, and I decided to combine my new dry embossing skills with a monochrome black and white card. I've always wanted to try black and white, so here's my first effort. I stamped the background white CS with the Seeing Spots stamp set, using Versafine black ink. Dry embossed as per Debbie's instruction on white, then matted it using my perfect layers tool (also for the first time!) and the Tim Holtz retractable craft knife. I used another of the Tim Holtz tools, the retractable paper piercer, to accent the embossing. The flower is also a stamp from Seeing Spots, stamped and punched out on white with a 1 3/8" punch, then mounted on a black circle punched with a 1 1/2" punch.
The sentiment ("sending you smiles") is from Verve Visual, stamped with SU white craft ink on black CS and punched out with the Word Window punch. This was a fun and easy card to do, and I plan to do more someday, with different colors.