Monochromatic for Vikki

One of my friends in the "Travelin' Dork Sisters" group on the SCS website, VikkiJo Erickson, requested a monochromatic card from her sisters...she was very curious about them and was, for some reason, focused on them like a cat eyeing a spider! LOL Anyway, I created this card for my friend, Vikki, before I was hit with that nasty gastrointestinal superbug last week and I'm just now uploading it and getting it out in the mail to her. I wasn't sure of all the "rules" of a monochromatic card, but I just "winged it!" To me, a monochromatic card is simply one of different tones of the same hue...well, that's my interpretation. Here's the deets:

Dimensions: 5"X5", Card opens from bottom
Stamps: Clear Dollar Stamps Pretty Little Scriptures, Scrappy Cat Floral Scrolls
Cardstock and Paper: K& Co. Addison Scrap Pad, K&Co. Remake Blue Collection, ColorMates Deep Terrific Teal and Light Terrific Teal, Paper Trey White Cardstock
Inkpads: SU! Tempting Turquoise, Taken with Teal and Stazon Black
Accessories and Embellishments: Marvy Regular and Scalloped Oval Punches, SU! Mat Pack, Paper Piercing Tool, Tsukineko Daubers, Cuttlebug, Cuttlebug Fanciful Flowers & Swiss Dots Embossing Folder, Sewing Machine, Thread, Self-Adhesive Pearls, American Crafts Dimensionals, Satin Ribbon
Special Technique: Cuttlebug Embossing, Sponging, Paper Piercing

Instructions:
The card base was cut to 5"x5" from Colormates Deep Terrific Teal, then a 4.5"x4.5" mat from K&Co. Addison Scrap Pad, then a 4"x4 mat from Colormates Light Terrific Teal and the center mat to 3.75"x3.75" from K&Co. Remake Blue Collection designer paper. I ran the 5"x5" mat through the Cuttlebug Swiss Dots Embossing Folder, and the smallest 3.75"x3.75" mat through the Cuttlebug Fanciful Flowers Embossing Folder. I machine stitched around all four sides of all square mts except the Colormates Light Terrific Teal mat (2nd smallest mat).

The sentiment was stamped onto Paper Trey White Cardstock using SU! Taken with Teal ink and the sentiment was stamped over the leaves using Stazon Black Ink. The sentiment was punched out using a Marvy Regular Oval Punch and I punched a scalloped mat using K&Co. Addison Scrap Pad paper using a Marvy Scallop Oval Punch. I sponged the edge of the sentiment oval using first SU! Tempting Turquoise and then more heavily using SU! Taken with Teal. I paper pierced around the scallops of the sentiment mat. I popped up the sentiment oval using American Crafts Dimensionals on the scalloped mat, and then popped that up on the center square 3.75"x3.75 mat.

To embellish, I wrapped a turquoise satin ribbon around the upper left corner and lower right corner. I added self-adhesive "pearls" around the sentiment and to tie things together on the lower right corner ribbon. The card was finished by gluing the card base to a 5"x5" white cardstock lining.

A little sick

Just a short post to say that I've been hit with a gastrointestinal virus that has been wicked to say the least. As soon as I bounce back, I'll be uploading a few new creations to share, as well as new December sneak peeks for Clear Dollar Stamps. The sneak peeks will be uploaded beginning November 26th, and I have to say there are a lot of very cute stamps sets about to be released! Stay tuned...

To Brighten Little Reggie's Day

I'm a member of the Splitcoast Stamping Community and also a member of the "Traveling Dork Sisters" thread. One of our "Dork Sisters" Jackie Bowman's son, Little Reggie has been struggling with a health situation and has been hospitalized. The physicians have not made a diagnosis, and he has been to two different hospitals. Latest word is that he is home, still in pain and still no diagnosis! I made this card to brighten his day with some neon! Please remember Jackie and Little Reggie and family in your prayers as they struggle through this storm.

Dimensions: 4.25"x5.5', Card opens from bottom
Stamps: Stampin' Up! Pun Fun
Techniques: Basic Stamping,Sponging, Prismacoloring with Mineral Spirits
Paper: Generic Black Cardstock, Paper Trey White Cardstock
Ink: Brilliance Moonlight White, Stampin' Up! Summer Sun & Pacific Point Inks
Tools: Nestabilities Regular and Scalloped Round Dies, Cuttlebug and Dots Embossing Folder, Krylon Brights Pens - Yellow, Blue & Green, Prismacolor Pencils, Odorless Mineral Spirits, Blending Stumps, Signo White Gel Pen, Signo Black Gel Pen, American Crafts Dimensionals
Embellishments: Doodlebug Limeade Ric Rac, Doodlebug Brad

Instructions:
The card base was cut from black cardstock to 4.25"x5.5" size. Four rectangular mats were cut by hand to the following sizes: out of white cardstock 5-1/8"x3-7/8", out of black cardstock 4.75"x3.5", out of white cardstock 4-3/8"x3.25", and out of black cardstock 4"x2.75". The largest white mat was sponged with SU! Summer Sun ink all over and then edged around the 4 sides using a Krylon Brights Green Paint Pen, and set aside to dry. The next mat, a black one was sponged with Brilliance Moonlight White all over and then edged around the 4 sides using a Krylon Brights Blue Paint Pen, and set aside to dry. The next mat, a white one was sponged all over with SU! Pacific Point ink all over and then edged around the 4 sides using a Krylon Brights Yellow Paint Pen, and set aside to dry.

The image was stamped onto black cardstock using Brilliance Moonlight White, and then coloring with Prismacolor Pencils and blended with Mineral Spirits, using blending stumps. The stamped image was cut out using a Nestabilities Regular Round Die and then, I cut a Round Scalloped Mat out of Paper Trey's Gorgeous White Cardstock using the Nestablities Scalloped Circle Die. I edged the black stamped circular mat using the Krylon Brights Yellow Paint Pen, and set aside to dry. Then, I edged the scalloped edges using a Krylon Brights Blue Paint Pen, setting that aside to dry. I glued all 4 rectangular mats together. Dot doodles were added to the circular mats using Signo White and Black Gel Pens.

To embellish, I added 2 rows of Doodlebug Limeade Ric Rac, securing to the back of the stack of rectangular mats. I glued the two circular mats together, and then popped them up on American Crafts Dimensionals over top the secured Ric Rac. I added one single bright yellow big brad from Doodlebug. All glued layers were glued to the black cardstock base. I added doodle dots around the edge of the card base using a Signo White Gel Pen.

I hope that you like this Reggie, and we're praying for you, hon! God Bless!

Fast, But Lovingly Created!

Would you believe I had to whip out another card in a hurry? Whew! My Little Sister on SCS (Divine Secret Siblings) needed some happy mail, so I had to get crackin' and whip up something. I decided to use my new Clear Dollar Stamps Set "Deer Wishes". It is their Stamp of the Month Set for November, and if you order $50.00 or more, the Stamp of the Month Set is free! I love the deer's dear sweet face (no pun intended!). Okay, now for the deets:

Dimensions: 5"X5", Card opens from the bottom
Stamps: Clear Dollar Stamps "Deer Wishes" Stamp Set
Techniques: Basic Stamping, Background Stamping, Prismacoloring with Mineral Spirits, Sponging, Machine Stitching
Paper: DCWV Winter Glitter Mat Stack, Colormates Medium Berry Red & Deep Teal, Paper Trey White Cardstock
Ink: Stampin Up! Baja Blue Ink and Stazon Black Ink
Tools: Cuttlebug, Cuttlebug Snowflake Embossing Folder, Cuttlebag Tags Die Cuts, Karen Foster Click-It Hole Punch, Krylon Gold Leafing Pen, Signo White Gel Pen, Signo Black Gel Pen, Sakura Stardust Glitter Pen, Sakura Souffle Pen, Amercan Crafts Dimensionals, Tsukineko Sponge Daubers
Embellishments: Hero Arts Snowflake Brad, American Crafts Brads, Scrapworks Alphadots Sentiment & Conch, Michael's Holiday Ribbon

Instructions:
The card base was cut from Colormates Deep Teal cardstock to 5"x5". I embossed that square using the Cuttlebug and the Snowflake embossing folder. Next, I cut a 4.5"x4.5" square mat out of the DCWV Glitter Mat Stack using a piece of white glittered cardstock. Another square mat 4.25"x4.25" was cut using the Colormates Medium Berry Red cardstock, and another square mat using the DCWV Glitter Mat Stack was cut with an aqua and white chevron/snowflake/stripe patterned piece of cardstock to 4"x4". I machine stitched around all 4 sides on the deep teal and the aqua and white patterned square mats.

The image was stamped using Stazon Black ink on Paper Trey's gorgeous White Cardstock. I prismacolored the image using mineral spirits and blending stumprs. I cut out the image using the Nestabilities regular square die and then made a scalloped square mat using the Nestabilities scalloped square die set. I sponged around the edge of the stamped image with Stampin Up! Baja Ink. I "dotted" the background sky using a Tsukineko spong dauber lightly. I added some dimension to the ground simulating snow with a Sakura Souffle pen. I retraced the snowflake stamped images using a Sakura Stardust Glitter pen to add some sparkle. I added a little "Stardust" to the little cardinal, as well. I dot doodled around the image using a Signo Black Gel Pen and then dot doodled around the red scalloped mat using a Signo White Gel Pen. The stamped image was popped up on American Crafts Dimensionals and then adhered to the red scalloped mat, which was also popped up on Dimensionals on the center square aqua & white patterned mat.

The sentiment was from an old stash of Scrapworks Alphadots. These are chipboard preprinted circles that you just punch out and put inside a matching size metal "conch". The Scrapworks conch was silver in color, and since I wanted to use a ribbon edged in metallic gold, I decided to paint the conch using a Krylon Gold Leafing Pen! I added dot doodles around the parameter of the sentiment using a Signo Black Gel Pen. The sentiment slide was created using a Cuttlebug Tag/Slide die set out of the Colormates Medium Berry Red cardstock. I dot doodled around the sentiment slide using a Signo White Gel Pen. I attached the sentiment and conch to the sentiment slide and slide my red holiday & gold edged ribbon behind the slide and anchored to the back of the card. I added two bow knots and added a white piece of organza ribbon on each bow knot.

To embellish and balance the card elements, I added 2 red brads from American Crafts and one white snowflake brad from Hero Arts to bring the eye to the sentiment. I dot doodled around the red mat using a Signo White Gel Pen. The card was finished by gluing the card base to a 5"x5" white cardstock lining.

A New Little Monkey...

I seem to be at a place where I'm making cards in a hurry...not a place I like to be! I usually take 3-5 hours to complete a card from beginning concept to finished product. This card was one that I needed to get done in a hurry because I procrastinated for months. I only procrastinated because my collection of "baby" type stamps is limited, and I didn't want to buy a new set, so I just kept putting it off. The card is for my niece, Jessica, who just gave birth to her second child, a boy, on her grandfather's (my father) birthday, October 23rd! I had this cute set by Clear Dollar Stamps called "Monkey Accessories"...I guess the Baby Monkey is an accessory (LOL), and the Mama Monkey is from a CDS set called "Monkey Madness". As followers of my blog are learning, I am obsessed with this monkey ; )

Dimensions: 4.25:x5.5", Card opens from right side
Stamps: Clear Dollar Stamps "Monkey Madness" and "Monkey Accessories" Stamp Sets
Techniques: Basic Stamping, Prismacoloring with Mineral Spirits
Paper: K&Co. Blue Collection, Paper Trey White Cardstock
Ink: Stazon Black Ink
Tools: Cuttlebug, Dotted Swiss Embossing Folder, Buttons Embossing Border Folder, Nestabilities Regular Square Die and Scalloped Square Die, Karen Foster Click-It Hole Punch, Primsacolor Pencils, Odorless Mineral Spirits, Blending Stumps, American Crafts Dimensionals
Embellishments: American Crafts Striped Ribbon, Bo Bunny Brads

Instructions:
The card base was cut from Paper Trey White Cardtock to 4.25"x5.5" size. The front panel was run through the Cuttlebug using the Dotted Swiss embossing folder. On a separate strip of matching white cardstock, I embossed with the Buttons Embossing Border folder and then using Fiskars Paper Shapers Scallop Scissors, I hand cut the bottom scallop border.

A strip of turquoise striped patterned paper was cut and glued down across the bottom and the sentiment was stamped with Stazon Black Ink onto the turquoise paper. I glued the embossed button, scalloped strip over the turquoise strip.

The Mama Monkey was stamped onto Paper Trey White Cardstock as well as the Baby Monkey, and both were colored with Prismacolor Pencils, blending with mineral spirits and blending stumps. Another Baby Monkey was stamped on another piece of matching white cardstock, colored in the same manner and hand cut out and then placed over the Baby Monkey image underneath and popped up on American Crafts Dimensionals for dimension and whimsy. The stamped image was die cut using the Nestabilities square die and then matted with a matching turquoise scalloped square mat, using the Nestabilities scalloped square die. After gluing the white stamped image mat to the turquoise scalloped mat, I ran the ribbon vertically under the the lower turquoise and white panels, and the stamped image mats, then securing the stamped image mat with more American Crafts Dimensionals to pop up. I added a ribbon bow to the secured ribbon strip and finished with 2 Bo Bunny turquoise brads to balance the card. The card was then lined with matching Paper Trey White cardstock cut to 4.25"x5.5" size.

What's Up Birdie?

This 5x5" card was quickly made for my Little Sister (Divine Secret Siblings on SCS). I picked up this cute $1 stamp set by Studio G for her and myself (LOL) and wanted to make a card with it, so I'm sending it to her along with the mini stamp set.

Dimensions: 5"X5", Card opens from right hand side Stamps: Studio G $1 Bin Stamp Set Techniques: Basic Stamping, Sponging, Paper Piercing, Machine Stitching
Paper: K&Co. Berry Sweet Designer Paper Collection, Paper Trey White Cardstock
Ink: Stampin Up! Sage Shadow & Green Galore, Stazon Black
Tools: Nestabilities Regular Round & Scalloped Round Dies, Cuttlebug and Cuttlebug Argyle Embossing Folder, Hello Kitty Janome 3/4 Sewing Machine, Stampin Up! Large Oval Punch, Karen Foster Click-It Hole Punch, SU! Mat Pack, Piercing Tool, Signo White Gel Pen, American Crafts Dimensionals, Tsukineko Sponge Daubers, Sharpie Markers
Embellishments: Making Memories Black Grommet, Michael's Dollar Bin Organ Metallic Wired Ribbon & Offray Satin Edge Organza Ribbon

Instructions: The card base was cut from Paper Trey White Cardstock to 5"x5" size, then a Teal and Lime Green patterned piece of cardstock was cut to 4.5"x4.5", and a white mat was cut to 4"x4". I sponged the very edge of the white square with SU! Sage Shadow ink. The next square mat measures 3.75"x3.75" and was cut from a coordinating teal colored piece of K&Co. Berry Sweet collection, and then I ran it through the Cuttlebug using the Argyle Embossing Folder. I machine stitched around the 4 sides of the large teal and lime patterend square mat, as well as the argyle embossed teal square mat.

The bird image was stamped with Stazon Black onto Paper Trey White Cardstock, and cut out using a Nestabilities regular round die, followed with a lime green patterned coordinating Berry Sweet paper round mat, and then a white mat using the next size up Nestabilities scalloped round die. I colored the bird image with Sharpie Markers and then sponged the edge of the smallest white mat with SU! Sage Shadow. I paper pierced free hand around the lime green patterned round mat, as well as the scallops on the white circular mat. The stamped bird image was glued to the lime green patterned mat, and then the scalloped round white mat, and then popped up on American Crafts Dimensionals, centered on the card.

The sentiment was stamped using Stazon Black into onto white cardstock, and then punched out using the SU! Large Oval Punch. I sponged the edge of the oval with SU! Green Galore. I dot doodled around the black oval using a Signo White Gel Pen. I punched a hole for the Making Memories Black Grommet/Jumbo Eyelet, and added dot doodles around the grommet using a Signo White Gel Pen. I Embellished with a teal metallic wired edge ribbon that I found in the Michael's $1 bin and stacked it with a pale yellow, satin edged Offray organza ribbon. The card was finished by gluing the card base to a 5"x5" white cardstock lining.

Well, Hello Kitty!

A major milestone occured this week. This girl who hates sewing and never did well in Home Economics class (for those who remember those classes that we had to take in high school). I decided after looking at all the beautifully stitched cards that my fellow Clear Dollar Stamps design team members were producing, that I was in the minority and felt "out of the loop". So, I splurged on a stamping purhase, and bought this darling "Hello Kitty Janome 3/4 Sewing Machine. The machine features 6 Stitches, 17 Functions, Freearm, Buttonholer, Foot Control, and for those who were wondering it is the same model as the Janome 1117S, but the Janome 1117S doesn't have the cute Hello Kitty face and graphics on it. In fact, the Janome 1117s is $30.00 cheaper because Hello Kitty isn't adorning the machine.

So, I'm now adding stitching to my cards, and having a blast with my new Hello Kitty green sewing machine. I must give credit to Tori Wild, my CDS team sister who purchased the same machine first and learned how to sew beautifully on it and creates wonderful stitching on her cards. Thanks Tori!

When you're looking at my stitching...remember I'm still new at this! ; )