Wednesday, February 27, 2013

WOYWW #195

So you're wondering what I've been up to this last week? Well, I guess you're only wondering that if you came over from "What's on your workdesk, Wednesday", hosted by the lovely and fabulous Julia at Stamping Ground and if you're completely clueless just follow the link and Julia will clue you in. :) So here is my desk:
I was working on a set of cards and got their backgrounds ready when I decided I didn't really like any of the colors of roses I already had dyed with it so I had to dye some more, there they are wet and here they are finished:
That's from this morning, after they had finished drying. Next is a Thank You card for my grandparents. The main part/image is from a pre-made card that I tore apart and modified. Majorly. I love the card now! And also I now wish I had taken a before picture so you could see how horrid it was before I got my hands on it. lol I put it a larger card blank so I could write plenty and added the ribbon strip to the bottom to tie into the red roses and gold. I don't think you can see in the pic but there are little gold dots on the red ribbon.
And this is one of the 100+ card bases I made awhile back. Added the embellishments and then right before I send it I will add a coordinating sentiment. I used several bases this week and now I would highly recommend taking the time to make yourself a pile of them to have on hand. It seems occasions just POP up! But now I'm ready for them! lol
This week I learned about naked buttons and the magic triangle, making the chalkboard effect style cards, and a few other things that aren't coming to mind now because I've spent more time viewing others cards than making my own this week! There are just some incredibly talented people out there, you know? I know you know because YOU are some of them! :)
Have a lovely week and please do share what you've learned this week, in the comment section, too. :)

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

WOYWW #194, embedded embossing, paper lace and a completed Kanban card!

Hello, all you wonderful people! :) It's that time of the week again, what's on your workdesk, Wednesday and thanks to Julia over at Stamping Ground you can see all sorts of crafty spaces from all over the world. Go check it out if you don't know what I'm talking about, and if you have a crafty space(desk, floor, kitchen table or counter) please consider joining in and sharing it. It's more fun than you can imagine and you will meet the nicest people here. :) If I were to tell you how nice these people are it would triple the length of this post so I can't tell you here but go join in the fun and see for yourself, won't you? :)
I have a few pics to share this week. First the requisite desk shot:
I've been trying a few new things this week. Paper lace made with punch sets I own:
Embossing flowers pasted onto cream cardstock=embedded embossing. A pretty cool technique I, of course, knew nothing about! Can't wait to make a card featuring this panel. I saw both the tech above and this one on a ladies website, her name is Carla and here is a link to her page of tutorials.
This is my first completed, I think, card of my newest set of Kanban Vivienne stamps! I had so much fun coloring these dresses and I wish my picture showed them off better. I dyed the rose ribbon to perfectly match the worn lipstick shade in both dresses but I don't think you can really tell. Anyways, I love how the projects are turning out with these stamps. And their quality is top notch! My archival ink isn't even staining the backs of these stamps, like it does every other stamp I own...is that unusual?
Anyways, thanks for stopping by and please leave a comment if you care to, but absolutely have yourself a marvelous day, fill it with wonder and joy and laughter and love! :)

Friday, February 15, 2013

Kanban Anniversary Card!

I am so excited about this one, I really think its my best yet, or else I just love it best so far! :) It is an anniversary card but I know the couple and they never look at my blog so I'm not worried this will spoil the surprise. Just wanted to share it and say have a lovely weekend y'all!



And if you don't have these stamps but can get them you totally should! :)

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

An Award? For me? Awww, you shouldn't have!

So the wonderful Eliza at Queenartoypia and Heather Algera at Algera Designs have both awarded me the Liebster award, which is for blogs that you think others should check out and that have less than 200 followers. Well, I definitely have less than 200 followers but I think the nicest part is that both those ladies think my blog is one others should check out. Isn't that the sweetest part? Well, it is to me. :)
This award works in a pay-it-forward kind of fashion so now I am to nominate 5 blogs I think y'all should check out...and here they are, in no particular order, of course:
I hope you will have a peek and snoop around these wonderful blogs! They have lots to look at or read and are some genuinely lovely people. :)

WOYWW #193

Hey y'all! It's that time again, What's on your workdesk? Wednesday. Wanna know what it's about? Check with the dear and fabulous Julia over at Stamping Ground and see more desks there, too. :) I have a few pictures to show today. One is my desk, a few of what I've made recently, one of how I store my dies/nesties and one in response to Brigita's question about what I use to hang my punches on my pegboard. So, without further ado:
So there's the desk...you can see I've finally gotten to play with my new stamps from Australia! The sets are so awesome and I have mixed and matched elements from almost every one in a card I'm still working on, but I think it's looking great so far. :) Next is a card I made last week, but forgot to picture:
It says, "It's never too late to live Happily Ever After", which I think is so true and I'll probably turn this into some wall art of some sorts. I made the skirt stand out, which you can't see, but anyways. And I'm not that great at coloring, either. It didn't help that it was just a printed image on regular paper so it didn't respond very well to the water-coloring using distress inks. But I couldn't wait to get the actual stamps to start playing! They are here now and a few pics down you can see what I've done with them.
That's one of the cards from the stack of 100. This is one of the most complete ones and its springy so I thought I would share it today. :) Next is the actual stamps(Kanban) stamped with archival ink on watercolor paper and partially colored with distress inks and a small paintbrush. Two will be finished and then fussy cut to stand out or be the focal piece on a wedding anniversary card I'm supposed to have done this weekend.
Here is how I store my metal dies. On the same sheet they came on! I like having the front of the package for the image. I cut up some magnetic sheets and sticky taped them down on the back. I got the magnetic sheets from the Dollar Tree! They had some big sheets, 8"x14"(labeled Clever Magnet Floor Vent Covers), that I got for a dollar each. Each one cut up into several sections for the backs of the packages. Then I just store them all together in that creamy colored container right there.
Here is a close-up of how I store my MS punches. I took a few out of their holders so you could see the pieces better. They are actually the same piece, just one is spread apart because I had more room there.
So, that's that this week. Hope you've enjoyed your peek and can leave me a comment with your WOYWW # so I can visit you back! :)

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

WOYWW #192

What's on my workdesk this Wednesday? Well if you're really curious then you picked the right day and, if I left the right link, you're even in the right spot! :) But if you don't know what I'm talking about you'll have to go see dear Julia over at Stamping Ground, and if you want to see lots of other creative spaces. Here's mine:
I haven't had a chance to play today, actually, at least not yet, as I have an exam I'm studying for, which is a total bummer because one super sweet lady sent me some marvelous stamps that I can't wait to play with! But, the other day I was making some flexible molds with those two containers there. You mix equal parts of the white and yellow and then smoosh your object you want a mold of into it. Then just let it sit. Wahlah! A mold. I'm hoping to make some stuff from/in them. My first two are beneath the next pic...
That's one of the partially finished cards I showed y'all last week. I just diecut the circle and inked the sentiment onto it and the edges too of course, then added some pop dots and there's a completed sympathy card. :) Next are my two molds...
Not sure exactly how they will work out or what all I'm planning to do with them...so we'll see. But anyways, thanks for stopping by and I hope you're all having a fabulous blog hop! Have a great week, too. :)

P.S.
If anyone knows how I can get a set of Kanban Vivienne stamps from the UK without having to pay $39.99 or more in shipping I would be so thankful for the help/advice. :)