Running With Scissors...

Hey, Chickie!

 

Hello, there!  I’m back with something fun today, again in the spirit of the 30 Day Coloring Challenge.  I colored this on Day 2.  It’s a birthday card for a girlfriend who doesn’t go so much for flowers and girly things, but I’m pretty sure she’ll get a kick out of this.

 

 

My Bugaboo Hey Chickie has moved her nest out in front of the coop as it’s just too hot inside.  She has a lovely home, doesn’t she?  I cut the chicken wire from light gray cardstock and sponged with rust ink.  The leafy border was cut from white and sponged with green ink.  The flower was sponged with yellow.  Other coloring was done with Copics.  I added Cinnamon Stickles to the flower center and Holiday Red Stickles to the heart on the sentiment.  I’ve stocked up on wood grain designer paper which I love for just about everything, so I’ll probably be using a lot more of it.  It sure worked great for the chicken coop!  Look below my signature for a full list of supplies used.  Moving right along to the next bit of coloring…  Have a good day!

 

Stamps:  Bugaboo Hey Chickie digi  Paper:  Neenah Classic Crest Solar White, Kraft card base, Sahara Sand (chicken wire), Elizabeth Craft Through the Lens Wood Series designer paper  Ink:  Printer, Wild Wasabi, Really Rust, Summer Sun, Copics for coloring  Accessories:  Cinnamon Stickles, Holiday Red Stickles, Memory Box Oval Master Frame, Poppystamps Sylvan Frame, Cheery Lynn Chicken Wire Frame, Scotch brand foam mounting tape

Peony Wreath

 

Happy Friday, all!  The other day when the wind was blowing raucously through the tree tops I hunkered down in my stamp room long enough to make a card.  I used my Peony Love digital stamp from Power Poppy.  What a beauty!  I’ve been meaning to get this one colored up for a long time.  Since I needed a thank you card I chose a sentiment from the Potted Primroses clear set.

 

 

After coloring with Copics I cut out the center with a craft knife.  Layered that onto the green which I’d cut a hole in with a circle die.  The pretty butterfly fluttering in the center is a Little B sticker.  I used ribbon, too!  It’s adhered flat with 1/2”  Scor Tape and the ends frayed slightly.  I sanded the green cardstock and added a die cut fence, also sanded just a bit.  I didn’t photograph the Copics, but I’ll list them:

• Light pink flowers:  RV00, RV02, RV04
• Dark pink flowers:  RV10, RV63, RV55, RV66
• Flower centers:  Y11, Y15, Y17
• Leaves:  G43, G46, G28
• Smudgy outer shading:  E55, E53, E51

 

 

Gosh, that was fun, and now I can’t wait to do more.  I’ll keep my fingers crossed.  Have a happy day!

 

Stamps:  Peony Love (wreath), Potted Primroses (sentiment)  Paper:  X-Press It Blending Card, CTMH New England Ivy and Desert Sand, white card base, Snap Wood & Notebook Basics designer paper  Ink:  Printer, Memento Tuxedo Black (sentiment), Copics as listed above  Accessories:  Offray ribbon, Little B butterfly sticker, Impression Obsession Beach Fence, Spellbinders Standard Circles Large (to cut hole in green panel under wreath), Scotch brand foam mounting tape

Flowers Always

 

Hello, again!  I’m popping in today with a card that looks nothing like my original concept for this image, but I do love how it worked out.  You see, I’ve had this Power Poppy Flowers Always digi printed and awaiting color for a while and even had the papers all picked out for it.  Then along came the Dies R Us Butterflies Challenge and I remembered I’d cut this butterfly border and hadn’t used it yet and… well…  put the two together, wrap some ribbon and tie a bow…  Of course, I did some Copic coloring first.  Kept it as summertime simple as possible.  The butterfly border is Die-namites Butterfly Applique.

 

 

I punched a 1/4” hole and seated the ribbon knot into it, held in place with Aleene’s Tacky Glue.  This works great for a popped up image panel.  You can hardly feel the ribbon through the envelope.  In the side view below you can see how the bow sits with very little dimension.  You can also catch a glimpse of the inside where I stamped a little floral image from the Folk Heart set.

 

 

This card measures 4 1/2” x 6”.  I should mention that whenever I pop up an entire panel like this I back up the popped panel with an extra layer of cardstock and trim it flush with the edges.  It gives the panel more substance so it sits nicely on the foam mounting tape.

 

Again… linking up to the Dies R Us Butterflies Challenge.  I’ll see you again soon!

 

Stamps:  Power Poppy Flowers Always digi set and Folk Heart clear stamp set  Paper:  X-Press It Blending Card for image,  Neenah Classic Crest Solar White inside, Hero Arts pre-cut card (has matching envelope)  Ink:  Printer, Bashful Blue (inside), Copics for coloring  Accessories:  Taffeta ribbon, Die-namites Butterfly Applique die, Scotch brand foam mounting tape

My Little Chickadee

 

Happy Monday to you, my friends!  This Monday is bird day here on the blog.  I may have mixed up the species in my coloring, but he’s still a handsome fellow.  I was determined to use this gingham frame which I’d made some time ago but never used and therefore it was relegated to the card parts basket.  Today it’s a frame for my Bugaboo Spring Bird.  The frame is was created with a Sizzix Elegant Wreath embossing folder.  I cut out the inside, as you can see, and added some punched flowers with black sparkly centers.

 

 

Coloring of the bird image was accomplished with Prismacolor pencils and odorless mineral spirits, but the blue sky shading around him was done with Copic markers.  There’s a little sanding on the frame and the Core’dinations card base.

 

Some honest to goodness Chickadees are populating my garden since I put the feeders out.  Below are three Chestnut Backed Chickadees enjoying a seed cake which hangs from the Eucalyptus tree.

 

 

I can’t help but have a mushy soft spot for the White Crowned Sparrows as they reside here year round and have grown quite comfortable with us.  This one is perched in the smoke tree.  He (she?) has carried a sunflower seed away from one of the feeders.

 

 

They’re so cute!  Have a happy day!

 

Stamps:  Bugaboo Spring Bird digi, Hero Arts sentiment  Paper:  X-Press It Blending Card, Pool Party Core’dinations card stock, October Afternoon Fly a Kite designer paper  Ink:  Printer, Memento Tuxedo Black (sentiment), Barely Banana  Coloring Medium:  Prismacolor pencils and odorless mineral spirits, Copics  Accessories:  Flower punch, Black Diamond Stickles, Sizzix Elegant Wreath embossing folder, Scotch brand foam mounting tape

Strawberries ‘n Stuff

 

My days have been so full of summertime activities I don’t know how I find time to stamp at all, yet here I am again with more.  This time it’s Power Poppy’s Juicy Strawberries digi.  I sure did figure I’d be using gingham with this image, but I had this strawberry paper. . .

 

 

So I made a frame and added a little something in the corner.

 

 

I’m not quite crazy about the arrangement of the corner elements, but I wanted them all on there and after fussing over it too long I decided to just let it go.  I used the following Copics for coloring:

 

 

Speaking of those summertime activities, here I am looking like a farm girl, but it coordinates somewhat with the strawberries, don’t you think?  Maybe not as cute.  Actually, we were having a doggie/picnic day at the river and it’s not a place for make up and fashion statements.  That’s LuLu with me, by the way, and she always looks cute as far as I’m concerned.

 

 

Might as well include this garden color spot with some perennials coming along in pots.  I’ve run out of space in the garden beds, but for the time being I’m still able to tuck a pot in here and there.

 

 

Okay. . . back to the card.  I love the sentiments that come with the Juicy Strawberries digi set so I used the second one inside:

 

 

Since I made this card with a purpose and, in fact, it’s already on its way to a friend, I’m going to link again to Power Poppy’s Happy Mail Challenge.

 

That’s it for today.  Squooshy hugs from me to you!

 

Stamps:  Power Poppy Juicy Strawberries digi set  Paper:  X-Press It Blending Card (for colored image), Neenah Classic Crest Solar White (punched flowers, tag, inside), dark green Bazzill textured, SU! Garden Green, Crate Paper Pretty Party designer paper  Ink:  Printer, Memento Tuxedo Black, Copics as pictured above  Accessories:  Stickles Stardust Glitter, flower punch, Scotch brand foam mounting tape  Dies:  Memory Box Oval Master Frame, Poppystamps Stitched Mainstreet Tags, Impression Obsession Large Bow, Paper Smooches Foliage 1, Impression Obsession Leaf Cluster, Memory Box Groundskeeper Tools

Can’t Stop those Happy Feet

 

Hello, friends!  I’m back to stamping as it was time to make a birthday card for a 30 something guy friend.  He doesn’t fish or hunt or work on cars, but he loves my dogs and he’s a kid at heart, so I made this for him:

 

 

He’s heard Wally sing with his squeaky so I’m sure he can imagine Wally dancing, as well.  At any rate, I think he’ll get a kick out of this happy pooch.  I used the sketchy version of Sassy Cheryl’s Don’t Stop the Music.  The sketchy illustration sure made coloring easy.  I just followed the shading lines that were already on the image.  He’s a cutie, isn’t he? 

 

 

Coloring was done with Copics, and some super cute dies and designer paper helped me put it all together.  The particulars (stamps, paper, ink, dies) are listed in the recipe below my signature.

 

I’m linking up to some favorite challenges today:

• Seize the Birthday (anything goes as long as it's a birthday card.  Optional topping of sunshine.)
• Let’s Color Linky Party 10 (anything goes as long as it’s colored
• Critters & Creatures Linky Party 5 (anything goes as long as it's a critter or creature)

I hope I’ll get to stamp again soon.  Thanks for dropping in!

 

Stamps:  Sassy Cheryl’s Don’t Stop the Music digital, SU Amazing to Zany sentiment (on bone)  Paper:  X-Press It Blending Card, Real Red, Kiwi Kiss, Cool Caribbean, Echo Park Fine and Dandy designer paper  Ink:  Printer, Memento Tuxedo Black, Adirondack Sandal (to sponge bones), Copics for coloring  Dies:  Poppystamps Happy Birthday Melody, Paper Smooches Dog Icons, Impression Obsession Grass

A Patriotic Rose for Double D Challenge

 

Hello, friends!  How about another Double D Challenge?  For the next two weeks our theme is Patriotic/Support Our Troops.  In the US we have Memorial Day coming up the end of May, and Independence Day in July, but this challenge does not have to be limited to US citizens.  Work the theme to suit yourself.  This challenge was a bit of a stumper for me as I don’t have any patriotic stamps.  Not that I’m not patriotic… it’s just that I don’t have the stamps.  However, I remembered I do have some digital Independence Day sentiments which were a limited time freebie from Power Poppy (last year?).  So I did this:

 

 

I used one of the patriotic sentiments along with Power Poppy’s digital La Vie En Rose.  All those tiny stars and the fireworks-like bursts can be found in the Small But Mighty Affirmations clear stamp set.  You’ll see the inspiration below, as well as the prize being offered for this challenge:

 

 

                        

 

After I printed the rose image with sentiment on X-Press It Blending Card I stamped the stars on three petals and commenced to coloring with Copics.  When the coloring was finished I stamped the label with the stars and bursts.  The scalloped edge was done with a punch and a Signo Uni-Ball white gel pen.  Finally, I stitched around and added die cut stars to the edge.  For the best ever, clear and concise, easy to follow, utterly fabulous tutorial on how to manipulate digital stamps in both Photoshop Elements and Word, please see what Julie prepared for you here.

 

 

Pictured below are the Copics I used for coloring:

 

 

Thank you all for joining me today and I hope to see you over on the Double D Challenge Blog with your patriotic/support our troops card.  The team has come up with some super great samples which will surely help charge up your creative energy.  Have a good day!

 

Stamps:  Power Poppy La Vie En Rose digi, Small But Mighty Affirmations clear stamp set  Paper:  X-Press It Blending Card, SU Real Red and Brilliant Blue  Ink:  Printer, Real Red, Brilliant Blue, Copics as pictured above, Signo Uni-Ball white gel pen  Accessories:  Martha Stewart edge punch, Die-namics Star Stax dies

Chock Full of Chocolate

 

I challenged myself to reach into my cupboard and pull out the first designer paper pad my hand came into contact with, and that would be the start of my next card.  Now, I was a little disappointed when I didn’t pull out something prettier, but, hey, it was a challenge.  Well, then I remembered I hadn’t yet colored my Layer Cake digi from Power Poppy.  Perfect!

 

 

The designer paper is BasicGrey Life of the Party, and these particular pieces inspired me to make my cake decadently chocolate – my favorite.  Lemon cake with lemon frosting runs a close second.  I think this card could be used for a masculine birthday, but really could go either way.  I printed on Neenah Classic Crest Solar White and colored with Copic markers.  Cut the layers with Memory Box Cross Stitched Frame Borders and added a banner and some enamel dots.  Pictured below are the Copics I used for coloring:

 

 

Linking up to Seize the Birthday today with the optional topping of “coloring”.

 

 

Wishing you a wonderful day and I’ll see you again soon!

 

Stamps:  Power Poppy Layer Cake digi  Paper:  Neenah Classic Crest Solar White, Espresso Bazzill, BasicGrey Life of the Party designer paper  Ink:  Printer, Copics as pictured above  Accessories:  Enamel Dots, Memory Box Cross Stitched Frame Borders and Banner Parade

Tulips in Hobnail Pitcher

 

Hello, friends!  I hope this week is treating you well.  Happily I found a little extra time to color something pretty so I selected Power Poppy’s Tulips in Hobnail Pitcher from my pile of printed-but-not-yet-colored digis.  I hoped to keep this simple, so just some gingham and stitching and a white vining die cut border.  The border is a retired Memory Box called Honeysuckle Vine.  The card is 5 1/2”.  Honestly, simple is just the way I like it when I’ve got such a beautiful image to work with. 

 

 

I printed on Neenah Classic Crest Solar White and colored with Copics.  The shadowing around the image is subtle and diffuse so isn’t too apparent in the photo, but it makes a difference in the overall appearance.  These are the Copics I used:

 

 

I initially planned to leave this sentiment-free as I do like having blank cards on hand, but I love the quote that comes with this digi set, so I used it inside:

 

 

The purple tulips stamped down the side are from the Power Poppy clear stamp set, Dynamic Duos:  Peonies and Tulips.

 

Joining two challenges today:

• Let’s Color Linky Party 8 – Always anything goes with something colored.
• Tuesday Throwdown 291 – Anything Goes

Thanks so much for sharing your time with me.  Enjoy your day!

 

Stamps:  Tulips in Hobnail Pitcher digi, Dynamic Duos:  Peonies and Tulips clear set (both Power Poppy)  Paper:  Neenah Classic Crest Solar White, Orchid Opulence (retired Stampin’ Up!), MFT Homespun Gingham designer paper  Ink:  Printer, Orchid Opulence (retired Stampin’ Up!), Copics for coloring as pictured above  Accessories:  Memory Box Honeysuckle Vine (retired)

April Showers

 

I’ve been saving this Bugaboo Rain Boot Bugs digi image specifically for today.  You see, we start a new Double D Challenge today and our theme this time around is April Showers.  Here on the southern Oregon Coast we’ve had April showers, April hail, April wind, but also April sunshine with temps in the 70’s.  Everything’s lush and green and colorful and I’m loving it! 

 

 

 

See our inspiration board below.  Suggestions are umbrellas, vintage, flowers, rain, rain boots, tulips, subway art.  I’ve got the rain boot, rain, umbrella, and yellow tulips.  I printed it large because it’s such a busy image, but it colored up so cute.  I used many, many Copics on Neenah Classic Crest Solar white.  Cut with a Memory Box Cross Stitched Frames die and popped up on a card base covered with Bo Bunny Soft Shades Double Dot designer paper.  It’s not very noticeable in the photo, but I added Viva Décor Glass Effects Gel to the rain drops.  Sparkled it up here and there with Stickles Stardust glitter, too.

 

 

There’s a prize again this month.  Check it out:

 

 

Hope you can join us!  There are some fabulously cute samples on the Double D Blog.  Share some love and link up your card.  See you again soon!