Monday, January 31, 2011

Opps! A direct hit....

Oh no! Looks like "J.V." got a direct hit with a winter snowball. Bet he wishes spring was here! Winter, however, continues to dig in for the long term. That means we still have time to create some winter-themed cards like this one. Here is how this card was designed:

Stamp Image: Eat Cake Graphics
Colors: Copic Markers (tahitian blue B04,cuck blue BG49, green grey BG93,blush R20)
Embellishments: Silver/blue snowflake brads, rhinestones, diamond stickles, pearl enhanced lace
Favorite part: Little tiny snowballs (need white glue to adhere)
Challenges: Stamp Something - winter challenge

Where did my creative adventure take me today?... To a huge snowball fight - because we have lots of perfect snow here for a full-scale snow ball fight - - -watch out!!

Stay warm harted,
Elizabeth

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Kisses, kisses, kisses...

   
So many kisses - and so many Valentines cards to make. This darling card has many layers and fun embellishments. It is certainly something that your valentine would LOVE to get. Here is how it was made:

Stamp: Penny Black (Mimi & Miles)
Coloring: Copic Markers (Pinkish White R00, Blush R20, Mauve Shadow, BV00, Begonia Pink RV14, Pale Sepia YR24, Napoli Yellow Y19, Cream YR21)
Techniques: Sponge Chalk Ink, Punch (Easy Cut Craft - baby's breath), Lip Punch
Embellishments: Lace, Valentine (Jolees), Rhinestones in pink and red

Challenges: Paper Sundaes (Valentine) and Spectacular Sunday (Whatever)

Where did my creative adventure take me today? ... well., this card is all about sparkle and sweetness. My daughter loved it such much and she is so full of sparkle and sweetness - it may be tucked inside her Valentines gift bag soon.

Stay warm harted,
Elizabeth



Friday, January 28, 2011

Chill of Winter...

The "chill of winter" continues... as seen in this landscape from Amuse stamps. The image is stamped in sepia tones and mounted in color hues of kiwi green, expresso, marina mist and old olive. Embellishments include a chipboard frame dotted with blue crystals and a kiwi-colored bird. 

The color palette qualifies this card for the Color Throwdown #126.

Where did my creative adventure take me today? Looking out my window all the trees are bare and covered in snow - lots of snow. But, I hope the little bird on my card is a reminder that spring will come soon. I can only wish.

Stay warm harted,

Elizabeth

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Cheery, Cherry Pocket Card...

A cheery, cherry pocket card is distinquished by multi-patterns and multi-layers and was inspired from my friend Alexa's card below. We are cardmaking buddies. She made the valentine card for me to give to my husband one year when I had a family emergency and was required to be out of state during Valentines Day. The card is designed with three full pockets to add little notes, tags or mementos. It could easily be converted to a scrapbook page with little mementos tucked in the pockets.The darling cherry chipboard and sentiment is from My Minds Eye and embellished with diamond stickles. The cherry paper (gosh, I love that paper) is also from My Minds Eye "fine and dandy" collection.  

 Here is the inspiration card in these beautiful rich red tones. The little tag to tuck in a pocket is embellished with three coordinating hearts that Alexa punched out and added to the tag. My husband loved it. I loved that she thought enough to make it for me to give a loved one when I did not have time to make my own card.

My card is being submitted to the Do You Stack Up challenge #4 (patterned paper) and 365 Days challenge#333 (Layers).

Hope these pocket cards inspire a card or a scrapbook page.

Stay warm harted,
Elizabeth

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Jar of Sweets...


Its all about the sweets...packaged up in a mason jar and tied with twine. Don't you wish your valentine came courting with a jar of sweets too?

What did it take to whip up this little jar of sweet pearl-laden treats?

Stamps: Papertrey Inks (friendship jar set)
Paper: October Afternoon (modern homemaker)
Coloring: Copic Markers (YR21, RV13, RV32),chalk ink
Tools: Nestabilities die cut (beaded oval), Oval scallop punch, heart punch, border punch (Martha Stewart)
Embellishments: Maraschino Twine (The Twinery), satin ribbon, pearls
Techniques: Chalk sponging

Challenges entered:
Papertrey Ink Blog Hop (something you haven't used)
Do You Stack Up Challenge #3 (something pink)
Moxie Fab World (Tuesday Trigger - inspiration picture)
Catered Crop - FTR4



Where did my creative adventure take me today?  To a charming confectionary store where candy tempts the senses? My problem is I like all types of candy.  Not a bad vice to have!
Stay warm harted, Elizabeth

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Too cute, Too sweet...

 Too cute and too sweet ... that is a good definition for this distressed banner card. The embellishments (bird and banner) are from My Minds Eye. The paper in shades of pear, kraft and blushing bride (pink) are the colors this week at the Color Throwdown Challenge #125. The distressing done with torn papers and ink on the edges and banner make this card eligible for the Paper Sundae Challenge. Special touches were added with ribbon and the pretty soft pink pearls that adorn the bird's tail.
So where did my creative adventure take me today?....To a time when my daughter (now 17) was just four years old and I redid her room in pinks and greens -- it was so cute and so sweet!. Some days I wish I could get that time back even for just a few minutes..
Stay Warn Harted,
       Elizabeth

Friday, January 21, 2011

A different valentine...

Who says a valentine card must be pink or red? You can create a lovely effect by using creams or light pastels and pairing it with a clean white.

This card features two die cut hearts in a glitter white surrounding a Nestabilites die cut in "beaded oval." The valentine sentiment (Craft Smart) is stamped in slate gray and is surrounded by white pearls and bows embellished with white paper roses.

This card is submitted to challenges by The Shabby Tea Room requiring a white and bright card (see their lovely inspiration photo); Tuesday Throwdown #32 requiring a valentine theme and Southern Girls #10 with a "lovey dovey" theme.

Where did this creative adventure take me today...well, I had embellishments all over the floor and trust me I have way too many boxes of this stuff.  So, this little creative adventure forced me down the path of reorganizing all this stuff.
 Stay warm harted,
                    Elizabeth

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

"By my side" Valentine...

This is a valentine for a man - thus, no pinks or pastels. Tried to find a color combo that would work for a man and a card design that was no too frilly (ok, maybe the bow is a bit much?). My daughter thought that the background stripe was representative of a man's tie. The darling digi image is from Fresh Brewed Designs and is being entered in their Freshly Brewed Challenge #31 where all you have to do is "spread some love." This card is also being entered in Tuesday Throwdown #32 where the theme is a Valentine.

Where did my creative adventure take me today??? Well, I had to think outside my comfort zone, especially in looking at the color spectrum. Hope I "tied" these colors up nicely for my husband's Valentine card.

Stay warm harted,
Elizabeth

Monday, January 17, 2011

A darling fairy...


A darling fairy...on the way to someplace special. She is my new digi stamp from Prairie Fairy and who cannot resist a cute fairy. She is colored with Copic Makers in shades of ice ocean BG72, pale cobalt green YG41, blush R20, cream YR21.  She was punched out in an oval scallop shape and the edges antiqued in blue ink. She has an overlay and is adorned with butterflies and flowers. She is entered in the Copic Marker challenge #42 (something new) and the Stamp Something Challenge (anything goes).

Stay warm harted --- Elizabeth

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Cupcake Love

 Cupcakes are everywhere and they are hard to resist either in the sweet form or the stamp form. These cupcake lovers from Taylored Expressions are adorned with heart ribbon from the Really Reasonable Ribbon Club. A super sized puffed heart embellishment is from Creative Charms. Copic markers gave these cupcakes some personality in Tender Pink RV13, Shock Pink RV04, Apricot YR16 and Crimsom RV29. These cupcakes are ready to spread some love in the RRR Challenge #16 (hearts and ribbon) and the Cupcake Inspiration Challenge #94.

Be happy - get a cupcake to love today!
Stay Warm Harted, Elizabeth

Thursday, January 13, 2011

A feminine form...

 The color of purple and a little distressing add a vintage look to this "feminine form" from Impresssion Obsession. A little bit of watercoloring and then some highlighting with Copic Markers (Lilac V04, Powder Blue B41) give distinction and depth to this form. Distressed paper, a little sanding and the addition of flower embellishments finish the scene.

Challenges:
Do You Stack Up (distressed look)
Impression Obsession (color of purple)




Where did my creative adventure take me today? Maybe to a dressmakers shop on a side street in Paris in the early 1940s...

Stay warm harted,
Elizabeth

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

A birthday, a candle, and a wish...

 What girl would not love a birthday card wrapped in pink and pearls with a yummy cupcake digital stamp from Fresh Brewed Design. The challenge (#30) this week from Fresh Brewed is to create a card in black and white and one more color. Pink has got to be the way to go in this card adorned with ribbon and pearls. The cupcake was colored in Copic Markers (tender pink RV13 and shock pink RV04) and then frosted in Stickles diamond glitter. Finally, a little pink pearl heart adds a lasting sentiment.

Where did my creative adventure take me today? To a sweet 16 party. Don't you wish you were 16 again?

Stay warm harted, Elizabeth

Monday, January 10, 2011

A Girl's Sweet Wishes...

This little gal is about as cute as cute as it gets. It is so cold and grey here that I needed something a bit refreshing. She is being submitted to the Shabby Tea Room challenge. And, she comes with a  a recipie for the Catered Crop challenge:

Stamp: digital (Whoopsi Daisy); sentiment (Hero Arts)
Paper: kraft paper (distressed), printed papers (seafoam & pink)
Coloring: Copic Markers (cool shadow BG10, pale cobalt green YG41, tender pink RV13, blush R20, sand E33)
Punches: Fiskars
Embellishments: pearls, ribbon, paper roses, rhinestones, chip board butterfy
Glitter: Stickles (diamond)
Techniques; Distressing, foam mounting

I hope you like her - she is so sweet. Where did my creative adventure take me today....it took me to the fresh air and blue skies of spring (I hope it comes soon!) 
                        



                             Stay Warm H(e)arted (Think Spring!),
                                              Elizabeth

Saturday, January 8, 2011

A little bit of heart...


A lot of buttons and a happy heart for the new Do You Stack Up challenge (with buttons, of course). The cute digital stamp is from Prairie Fairy at Free Ditigal Stamps. Paper (including the background) is from BoBunny - they have a cute package of valentine papers out right now. A few copic makers were used including Blush R20, Shock Pink RV04, Lilac V04, Sand E33.  A dusting of glitter is always required!
Where did my creative advanture take me today -- I traveled back in time to elementary school where we exchanged valentine cards and I would rush home excitedly to show my mother.
        Stay Warm H(e)arted,
                                Elizabeth

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Sweet Day...

    Just another sweet day with these darling ants baking up a storm and making something good! They are so cute that they have been submitted to the Doodle Pantry Challenge #5. The paper used in this challenge is from Cosmo Cricket (Circa 1934, Astaire) and the coloring was done with dye-based inks dabbed onto a small sponge. Layers of colors were added to provide depth to the the scene. A little potholder embellishment, a sweet sentiment and these ants are ready to bake away. Where did my creative adventure take me today -- to the kitchen and the smell of fresh baked cookies. Stay warm hearted..
Elizabeth



Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Snowman's Best Friend...


      Man's best friend can also be a snowman's best friend in this card with a stamped image from There She Goes (Snowy Days) and ribbon from the Really Reasonable Ribbon Club. For the Really Reasonable Ribbon Challenge #15 I used something new. The something "new" was the paper that my friend Alexa and I received from our friend Cheryl (we basically consider ourselves family not just friends) for Christmas. Cheryl put some paper and ribbons together as a joint gift and when Alexa and I opened it you would have thought it was the last food on earth - we were both grabbing everything as it came out of the bag. I think our husbands were worried for a moment that this was heading to a real craft smack down. Well, we did manage to calm down and equitably divide it all and thoroughly enjoyed playing with our new papers and ribbons.

Other supplies used in this card included copic markers in Robins Egg Blue (B02), Putty (YG91), Toner Gray (T3) and Lilac (V04).

Where did this creative adventure take me?... To a day of fun playing with my new craft items (thanks Cheryl). Stay warm harted!
                            Elizabeth

Monday, January 3, 2011

Snow Adorable...

 Snow adorable is this card! Created on a card- making weekend with a friend this little darling is being submitted to the Shabby Tea Room Challenge - Welcome to 2011. You need to use 11 elements (paper, ribbon, brads, whatever). The stamp image is from My Favorite Things - Flurries of Love. Lots of elements added too to reach that magic number of 11. Little white pom poms for the hat, a chipboard swirl colored with ink to match the card, liquid pearls, diamond glitter, sticker border and of course copic markers in shades of (Smoky Blue B45; Powder Blue B41; Blush R20; Putty YG91; Sand E33 and Strong Red R46).

Where did this creative adventure take me today .....  Hmm, thinking about staying warm and bundling up. I think I can do that best by staying indoors and making a card - that's adventure enough for me.
Stay warmharted,
                                                                         Elizabeth