Laura's Stamp Art Journal

One-Layer Card

2012-02-03T00:04:00.001-05:00

Welcome to the last day of the Impression Obsession sneak peek week. I hope you have enjoyed it and been inspired.

Today I wanted to share a one-layer card with you using one of the new background stamps (CR006 Honeycomb). I know I will be using this stamp a lot! I stamped the background onto a kraft notecard using Toffee Versafine ink. I then stamped the Dogwood 3 (H12004) and Hello greeting (A3759) on top using black Memories ink and colored the flowers with white and pink Prismacolor pencils. Because the pencils are opaque, the coloring covered up the brown honeycomb underneath the flowers.

Be sure to check out the other designers on this final day, and don't forget to leave comments for a chance to win a prize. Daniela, Dina, Jeanne, Jenny, Julie, and Vicki all have something to share.

Sympathy Card

2012-02-02T09:36:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the fourth day of the Impression Obsession sneak peek week. Today's photo ended up with a bit of a glare, so I appologize for that. The close-up lets you see the colors a bit better:

To make the card, I added some red, orange, and purple Distress Ink to a piece of white cardstock using a foam blending tool. I didn't realize that the paper had a subtle texture to it until I finished adding the colors. I then blended the colors by spritzing the paper with some gold Shimmer Spritz. After letting the paper dry completely, I embossed the new Dandelion Stem (F8714) and saying from the Sympathy Sentements clear set (CL114) with black powder. To finish the card, I added a layer of gold metallic paper to bring out the gold in the spray.

Need more inspiration? Check out what Daniela, Dina, Jeanne, Jenny, Julie, and Vicki created.

Don't forget to leave comments for your chance to win an Impression Obsession gift certificate!

You Make me Smile

2012-02-01T00:05:00.000-05:00

Welcome to day three of the Impression Obsession sneak peek week. I hope you have been enjoying it so far!

For today's card, I used the Darling Dahlia flower (H8715), Circle Fusion 2 background (CR002), and You make me smile saying (C8761).

To color the flower, I stamped it twice onto white cardstock, sponged yellow, orange, and red Distress Inks on top and sprayed it with some gold Tsukineko Shimmer Spritz. I then highlighted parts of the flower with a white Prismacolor pencil. I don't know if you can tell from the photo, but I cut out the center of the flower and popped it up onto the background flower to give it a bit of dimension.

Want to see more new images? Check out what Dina, Jeanne, Jenny, Julie, and Vicki created. Don't forget to leave comments. One person a day will win a $25 IO gift certificate. All you have to do is leave a comment on each of the designer's blogs as well as the IO blog. If you leave comments all week long, you will be in the running to win a $50 IO gift certificate. Good luck!

Want to play along? You can find all the information here, and you could even win a $25 IO gift certificate!

Panda Hug

2012-01-31T00:05:00.001-05:00

Welcome to the second day of the Impression Obsession Sneak Peek week. Yesterday I showed you a card with a Leigh Hannan image. Today, I am focusing on a Gail Green image. She draws the most amazing and intricate animal images. I instantly fell in love with the hugging pandas (Panda Hug F7668) and thought they paired well with the Hugs saying from the CL307 All Occasion II Kalani Allred clear saying set. For the background, I used the Bamboo Cover a Card (CC090) in Olympia Green ink.

I hope you will visit Daniela, Dina, Jeanne, Jenny, Julie, and Vicki today to see their creations. Don't forget to leave comments. One person a day will win a $25 IO gift certificate. All you have to do is leave a comment on each of the designer's blogs as well as the IO blog. If you leave comments all week long, you will be in the running to win a $50 IO gift certificate. Good luck!

CHA Sneak Peek Week

2012-01-30T00:05:00.001-05:00

Well, the Craft and Hobby Association is having their big conference in California, and I think a lot of us are living vicariously through the people who are lucky enough to attend.

Perhaps the second best thing to attending the conference in person is to check out the blog posts this week by the Impression Obsession design team. It will be a great way to see all the latest and greatest IO images!

For my first post this week, I want to share with you one of the new Leigh Hannan images. I just love this ice cream cone (Three Scoops E2448). I paired it with a clear stamp saying from one of the new Kalani Allred clear saying sets (CL352 Social Greetings 1). I tried to make the whole card look like neapolitan ice cream so I added some layers of brown, white, and pink cardstock. I also wanted to match those colors in the ice cream cone, so I chose an assortment of brown and pink Copic markers to color the image. To finish the card, I cut out the ice cream and popped it up on the card with some foam tape.

I hope you will join us this week in celebrating the new images. Each day, Shirley will post a master list of participating designers on the Impression Obsession blog. You can find that information here. Today, Dina, Jeanne, Jenny, Julie, and Vicki all have something new and wonderful to show you.

Don't forget to leave comments on the various blogs. Each day you will have a chance to win an Impression Obsession gift certificate. Good luck!

Upcoming Class

2012-01-26T00:13:00.006-05:00

Hello all! I just wanted to mention a couple of upcoming events. First, be sure to check back a lot next week. The IO designers will be posting CHA sneak peeks, and I have something to share every day next week. I hope you will stop by!

Next, I just wanted to give a reminder that I have a Memory Box Valentine class this Sunday from 12:30-2:30 pm at Angela's Happy Stamper. Today I am posting the cards that we will be making. They use the latest stamps and die-cuts from Memory Box.

Finally, if you are anywhere near Albuquerque, I will be teaching a couple of classes at the Hen House Paperie the weekend of March 10th. The details aren't finished yet, but I will be sure to update you when I know more!

IO Challenge- Oldie, But Goodie

2012-01-18T23:56:00.006-05:00

Today's Impression Obsession challenge was to use an "oldie but goodie" stamp. Of course, I had to pick a Leigh Hannan stamp. Usually when I used this stamp, I only use part of it so that I don't have to spend a long time coloring. I often use a circle punch to cut out a fish and some coral then pop it up onto a card. However, I thought it best to use the whole stamp so that you could see what the entire image looks like.

To make the card, I colored the coral (J2219) with an assortment of Copic markers. To get a washed out look for the water, I first colored the background with a blue marker and then scribbled over the whole thing with a blender pen.

Want to get more inspiration for your older Impression Obsession stamps? Check out what Daniela, Dina, Jeanne, Jenny, Julie, and Vicki created.

Want to play along? You can find all the information here, and you could even win a $25 IO gift certificate!

Latte Love

2012-01-05T01:04:00.003-05:00

Today's Impression Obsession challenge is all about Hearts, Flowers, and Valentine's Day. I must admit that my card only has one tiny heart on it, but I was dying to use my new Latte Love image (D8679) as well as the coordinating Latte Love Words (D8680). I also thought that the Damask Cover a Card (CC081) works great as a Valentine background. To color the image, I used my R35, R39, and E31 Copic markers.

Need more Valentine inspiration? Check out the work by Daniela, Dina, Jeanne, Jenny, Julie, and Vicki.

Want to play along? You can find all of the information here, and you could even win a $25 Impression Obsession gift certificate!

Quick Impression Obsession Valentine

2011-12-29T00:01:00.000-05:00

Hello all! I hope that everyone had a wonderful holiday and is ready to start thinking about Valentine's Day. I thought it might be appropriate to make a card that is really quick and easy to make. I think that after all the time people spend on Christmas cards, an easy Valentine to is a welcome thing!

I wanted to make a Valentine that would be appropriate to make for both men and women. I stamped the new Impression Obsession Rosy Ledger (H8666) onto cream cardstock using ColorBox Chalk Creamy Brown ink (my favorite). The stamp has a rose and leaves on the bottom. However, I didn't feel like coloring those elements. Instead, I overstamped that part of the image with the Vintage Rose Spray (C8652) in VersaFine Crimson Red ink. It isn't a perfect match, but I found that the brown roses and leaves worked as nice shading for the red roses/leaves. To finish the card, I stamped the Valentine Heart (D8654) onto kraft cardstock, cut it out, and popped it up onto foam tape.

I hope everyone had a happy 2011 and is ready for an even better 2012!

Pink Challenge

2011-12-14T23:50:00.004-05:00

Nothing says Christmas quite like the color pink! Today's IO challenge was a pink color challenge, so I thought it would be fun to use it with one of my Christmas images.

To make the card, I used part of the Tall Trees (F2343) stamp. The original image actually has 5 trees on it. I stamped the trees with pink ink and then embossed it with JudiKins Psychedelic embossing powder. I love that stuff! I don't think you can tell from the picture, but the trees are sparkly and remind me of tinsel. I added some pink accents with a pink watercolor pencil and added some pink jewels. For the background, I used the Retro Floral (CC010) Cover a Card stamp.

Whenever I do a monochromatic challenge, I really like to try and only use that one color. I am proud to say that I made the card using only pink materials. It might have ending up a little too "Blush and Bashful" though. Did you get the Steel Magnolias reference? :)

Need some more pink inspiration? Check out the work by Daniela, Dina, Jeanne, and Vicki. If you want to participate in the challenge, you can find all of the information here.

IO Challenge- Only Stamps

2011-11-17T06:10:00.000-05:00

First of all, let me apologize for my picture. It doesn't look very good and the colors are off. My Ott-Lite that I use to take photos needs a new bulb, so I was left with a sad side lamp.

Today's challenge was to make a card using only stamps....no patterned paper allowed. I love my Cover a Card backgrounds, so it wasn't hard for me to ditch the paper.

To make this card, I used the Gingerbread with Treats house (F7637), the Have a Sweet Holiday saying (B7654), and the Cover a Card Fluff background (CC014). I find that it is really hard to get a bright white look on kraft cardstock, so I embossed the background with white embossing powder to really make it pop. To color the house, I used watercolor pencils and a blender pen.

Here is a close up of the card so that you can see the sparkle of the Stickles:

Need more inspiration? Check out the work by Daniela, Deborah, Dina, Jeanne, Jenny, Julie, and Vicki.

Want to play along? You can find all the challenge information here, and you could even win a $25 Impression Obsession gift certificate.

Don't forget, if you want to win an advance copy of "Sugar Rush," you have until Sunday night to leave a comment on my previous post (the one with the snowman/cupcake).

New Class and Non-Craft Giveaway

2011-11-16T13:43:00.005-05:00

Hi all. I know it is short notice, but I wanted to share one of the cards from my Impression Obsession Sweet Treats class next Monday, November 21st. We will be making four treat-themed cards, and I will even bring a little something sweet to the class. If you are around before Thanksgiving, I hope you can come!

For this card, I used the Snowman with Treats (G7640) as well as the Cover a Card Thick and Think background (CC008) and some watercolor pencils. I just love the idea of a winter cupcake!

Speaking of cupcakes, would you like to win an advance copy of a cupcake-themed romance novel? My friend Donna gave me an uncorrected proof of her book "Sugar Rush," which will hit the bookshelves on Dec 27th. It is Book 1 of her Cupcake Club series, and you can read the synopsis here. Technically, it is a used book I am offering because I had to read it first!

So, if you want a chance to win the book, leave a comment and tell me who your favorite author is by Sunday, November 20th at 11:59pm (EST). I will randomly select a comment and announce the winner on Monday. Good luck!

Always

2011-11-09T23:26:00.004-05:00

I thought I would take a break from holiday cards and make something that could be used for a wedding or an anniversary. Of course, you could just as easily change out the saying and make it for a card for almost any other occasion.

The heart stamp is one of the brand new Alesa Baker images from Impression Obsession. Alesa designed a bunch of vintage and floral images that I think you are really going to like. I can't wait to show you some of the other designs. On a side note, the new images aren't on the Impression Obsession site yet, but they soon will be. I also know that they will start arriving in local stamp stores very soon!

Materials:
Stamps- heart (Impression Obsession Victorian Heart D8654), saying (Impression Obsession from the CL316 A Good Marriage clear set)
Lace die- Memory Box (Charlotte Border 98242)
Paper- Basic Grey (Piccadilly Line)
Other items- Pink circle Marvy punch, pop dots, neutral twine

Snow Much Fun

2011-11-02T23:52:00.003-04:00

For today's IO challenge, we were supposed to show you what we do on snow days. For me, it is all about staying inside, reading, and enjoying some cocoa. The less time I have to spend outside shoveling, the better!

Products Used:
Stamps- Comfort Cocoa (E8612), Comforting Cocoa (B8613), Cover a Card Large Dots (CC007)
Inks- Memento Black, Colorbox Chalk Creamy Brown
Nestabilities Labels 8
Copic Markers- R22, R27, E50, E31, E35, G21, W2, C1
Diamond Stickles
Red and White Divine Twine

Need more challenge inspiration? Check out what Daniela, Dina, Deborah, Jeanne, Jenny, Julie, and Vicki created.

Want to play along? You can find all of the information here, and you could even win a $25 IO gift certificate!

IO Purple Challenge

2011-10-19T23:34:00.003-04:00

The latest IO challenge is all about making purple cards. For me, it was a double challenge because I wanted to make a card that fit the theme as well as one that would serve as a sympathy card. Unfortunately, I needed to make one.

For my card, I stamped the Tapestry Cover a Card (CC024) onto a purple card using Wisteria Colorbox Chalk ink. I then stamped the same background onto purple cardstock using Colorbox Chalk Lavender ink (it was a lighter purple color than the Wisteria). I then cut out the lighter purple pattern with the Nestabilities Labels 20 die. To finish the card, I stamped the the Silhouette 11 image (G5561) on top with purple Versafine ink and added a twine bow that I colored with a purple Copic marker.

Feeling the need for more purple inspiration? Check out what Deborah, Dina, Jeanne, Jenny, Julie, and Vicki created. Want to play along? You can find all of the information here, and you could even win a $25 Impression Obsession gift certificate!

Stamping with Zia

2011-10-16T22:21:00.003-04:00

This weekend I was lucky enough to take three classes at Angela's Happy Stamper with guest artist Zana Clark (the owner of Stamp Zia.) I can't tell you how much I loved her classes! As you can see from the picture above, Zana's style tends to incorporate a lot of bright watercolors. I have used a lot of sprays from a bunch of different companies, but her sprays were the definitely the most vibrant I have ever used.

The picture of the nude is from a class I took called "Hot Bodies." It incorporated fluorescent crayons, color sprays, salt, and one of Zana's images. I plan to show you samples from the other two classes soon. If you ever have a chance to take one of Zana's classes, I hope you jump on it! She really knows how to encourage you with each piece you create.

I also have to thank Angela for bringing Zana to her store. Angela knew how much I wanted to take classes from Zana, and she made it happen. I know it is expensive to fly out a guest artist and provide them with room and board. Soooo....thank you, thank you, thank you! I am finishing this week feeling very lucky and happy. :)

IO Challenge- Halloween/Favorite Costume

2011-10-06T00:15:00.000-04:00

I feel like such a lucky blogger in that I was able to make Halloween cards for the last two IO Challenges. Halloween really is my favorite stamping subject matter! For today's challenge, we were supposed to make a card dedicated to Halloween or our favorite costume. My favorite past costumes were dressing as a Christmas tree with lights, going with three other friends as the four seasons (I was winter), or the year I went as a mouse caught in a trap. I figured the first two costumes would make cards that looked like Christmas rather than Halloween, and well, the mouse was kind of gruesome. I decided to stick with just making a Halloween card.

For the background of my card, I started with a sage notecard and first stamped it with the Canvas Cover a Card background (CC073) in Colorbox chalk Ice Jade ink. I still maintain that the Canvas stamp is the most versatile background you can use on cards. It adds just a little texture to a plain notecard. Next, I stamped the Damask Cover a Card background (CC081) on top with black VersaFine ink. What is it about damask that works so well with Halloween cards?

For the center of the card, I cut out a light yellow oval and black lacy oval using my Nestability dies. I stamped the Bat Silhouette (D2405) on the yellow cardstock using black Memento ink and then sponged Tea Dye, Mustard Seed, Shabby Shutters, and Black Soot Distress inks around the image.

Need more challenge inspiration? Check out what Daniela, Dina, Jeanne, Jenny, Julie, and Vicki created. Also, there has been a change to the IO Design Team. Kathy Menzies has stepped down and Vicki Garrett has joined the team. Be sure to check out Vicki's blog and welcome her to the team. She is one talented lady!

Want to play along? You can find all of the information here, and you could even win a $25 Impression Obsession gift certificate!

Zenspirations- Fangtastic!

2011-09-21T00:50:00.005-04:00

Impression Obsession has a new line of stamps called "Zenspirations" and are designed by Joanne Fink. Today the IO design team is hosting a blog hop to introduce you to the stamps. I really think you are going to like them!

For my card, I used images from a Halloween set called When Life CL336. I also used a stair-step card from The Paper Cut as the base of my card. It looks like I did a lot of work to cut and fold my card, but I didn't. The card comes with all the cuts and scores already done for you, which really works for me!

To begin, I stamped the Cover a Card Halloween text onto the card using black versafine ink and then edged the piece with Black Soot Distress Ink. I then added some bats from the sets that I colored with black and grey watercolor pencils and a blender pen.

Here is a side view of the card to see the popped up bats:

I then punched out a yellow circle and added some Scattered Straw Distress Ink around the edges, added "Fangtastic" saying, and added a pumpkin that I colored with Copic Markers.

Here is another picture to see the pumpkin view of the card:

I thought it looked odd that all the color was on the right-hand side of the card, so I stamped the Cover a Card again and colored some of the words with Copic markers before gluing them to my card.

Want more Zenspiration inspiration? Start at the Impression Obsession blog and get a list of the participating designers. If you leave a comment on each of the designers' pages, you will be entered to win a $25 Impression Obsession gift certificate.

Good luck!

Fall Challenge

2011-09-15T01:14:00.002-04:00

Is anyone else ready for fall? Today's IO challenge is all about creating fall themed projects. Reds, yellows, oranges, leaves, apples, and of course.....pumpkins! As a pumpkin junkie myself, I had to include pumpkins in my card.

To make the card, I started with a light yellow notecard and stamped the Large Paisley Cover a card background (CC039) onto it using Peach Pastel Chalk ink. For the bottom, I stamped the Woodgrain Cover a Card background (CC034) in brown Versafine ink onto tan cardstock and glued it onto my notecard. The focal image is called Fall Serenity (F8615), and the saying is from the Count You Blessings clear set (CL286). I colored the chair with pumpkins with Copic markers and then cut out the image to add to the card.

Need more fall inspiration? Check out what Daniela, Deborah, Dina, Jeanne, Jenny, and Kathy, created.

Want to play along? You can find all of the information here, and you could even win a $25 Impression Obsession gift certificate!

Impression Obsession Challenge

2011-09-01T00:03:00.003-04:00

Take me to your cake! I love that saying. After all, isn't cake the best part about birthdays?

Today the Impression Obsession challenge is all about birthday cards. For my card, I used a cake from the CL203 Birthday Cakes clear set and a saying from the band new CL329 Let them Eat Cake clear set. The paper is from the Basic Grey Wisteria line.

One of the reasons the theme for the challenge is birthdays is to celebrate the birthday of Operation Write Home. Operation Write Home organizes it so that handmade cards are sent to the troops that can then be used by the troops to send to their families. You can read more about their work here, and there is even a place where you can make a donation to help with the cost of postage.

In honor of Operation Write Home's birthday, there is a chance today to win a $25 Impression Obsession gift certificate. In order to win, you have until 11:59 pm EST today to leave a comment on each of the participating designer blogs (including this one). Then, leave a comment on the IO blog letting us know about your favorite new IO stamp. You can find more information about today's contest here. Here is a list of the other participating designers: Daniela, Dina, Jeanne, Jenny, Julie.

Want to play along and make your own birthday card? You can find all of the information here, and you could even win another $25 Impression Obsession gift certificate.

Black and Cream Butterfly

2011-08-22T21:14:00.004-04:00

I owe my aunt Nan a set of thank you cards, and I am in the process of of designing four cards that look completely different from each other. Sometimes I want to design sets of cards where all the cards coordinate with each other, but this time I wanted to make cards that were all unique and might appeal to her various recipients. We shall see. If the cards clash too much, I might change my mind.

To make the card, I used a Hero Arts butterfly from a set called "Butterflies and Print [CG328]" and papers from the Basic Grey "Little Black Dress" collection. It might be hard to tell from the photo, but the butterfly is popped up with foam tape, and I added a couple of yellow pearls to the Basic Grey flower stickers I added to the card.

IO- Hostess Gift Challenge

2011-08-18T00:33:00.003-04:00

Time for something other than a card. The theme this IO challenge is to make a hostess gift. Instead of making a gift, I decorated my gift of wine with a tag. Wine makes such a great gift! Of course, I didn't realize that I was out of tissue paper until I was ready to take the photo. I think it would look much better wrapped with the tag on top. I also wouldn't give the hostess an already opened bottle of wine. :)

For my tag, I stamped a saying from the CL41 Thanks Sentiments clear set and then stamped the grapes (A2112) all around the saying. I colored the grapes with watercolor pencils, blended them with a Dove Blender pen, and sponged purple ink around the edges. I then stamped the wine bottle (D2113) onto scrap paper, colored it with watercolor pencils, sponged around the edges, cut it out, and popped it up onto the tag with foam tape. To finish the project, I colored my natural raffia with a purple Copic marker to match the tag.

Want more hostess gift ideas? Check out what Daniela, Deborah, Dina, Jeanne, Julie, and Kathy, created.

Want to play along? You can find all of the information here, and you could even win a $25 Impression Obsession gift certificate!

Christmas Window

2011-08-11T00:19:00.002-04:00

I had the urge to play with new Impression Obsession Starry Window (H8637) today. It is kind of a funny thing because I had one color scheme in mind before I started, and in the end, I used completely different colors. Sometimes I guess you just have to go wherever the creative juices take you!

I colored the window with an assortment of watercolor pencils and then softened the colors with a Dove Blender pen. I then stamped the Cover a Card Wood Grain (CC034) in dark brown ink onto brown cardstock to create a tone-on-tone background. To finish the card, and to add a little pizazz, I added yellow jewels to the centers of the stars and added stickles to the "snow" to make it shimmer.

IO Challenge- Orange

2011-08-04T01:28:00.004-04:00

Today, the IO team will be doing an Orange challenge. Normally, I would take that as an opportunity to make a pumpkin card. After all, pumpkins are my favorite things to stamp/color. However, today is my mom's birthday (oh, and the president's too), so I thought it would be better to make a birthday card. A good rule of thumb to live by is "moms always trump pumpkins."

One of the nice things about doing a color challenge is breaking out of your comfort zone. I know I have never made an orange birthday card before!

I know it might not look like it, but I used only one color of orange ink for each of the layers (Versafine Habanero). The color of the paper really affected the color of the ink. Choosing a birthday theme also allowed me to play with the new "Let them Eat Cake" clear set (CL329) by Kalani Allred. The background pattern is the Floral Lines Cover a Card background (CC089).

Need more orange inspiration? Check out what Daniela, Dina, Jeanne, Jenny, Julie, and Kathy created. Be sure to visit the various blogs since many of us chose to use some of the new stamps.

Want to play along? You can find all of the information here, and you could even win a $25 Impression Obsession gift certificate! Please note that the challenge requirements have changed a bit. Now all entries must only use Impression Obsession stamps. Good luck.

Happy Birthday mom!

Upcoming Class

2011-07-27T02:47:00.004-04:00

Hello all. Is anyone thinking about fall and Halloween yet? I hope you can join me for my Memory Box Halloween class this Sunday, July 31st from 12:30-2:30pm. We will be making five cards using the latest Memory Box "What's in the Box" release. There are new papers, dies, and of course...stamps. Hope to see you there!

Day 7- IO Sneak Peeks

2011-07-24T00:06:00.000-04:00

Well, today is the last day of the sneak peeks, and I wanted to show you perhaps the easiest of the cards to make. I often forget about making one-layer cards, but I really like them. They are definitely a great idea if you have to crank out a lot of Christmas cards!

For my card, I stamped the Hannah Davies Angel (H10014) onto a kraft notecard and embossed it with detail black embossing powder. I then colored the image with some Faber-Castell markers. They don't blend as well as my Copic markers, but they also don't bleed to the inside of the card. To finish, I added some pink pearls and a saying from the All I want for Christmas (CL304) clear set.

Want to see more new IO samples? Check out what Deborah, Dina, Julie, and Jeanne, created. Be sure to visit the various blogs since leaving comments on the design team blogs could win you a $25 Impression Obsession gift certificate.

Thanks everyone for spending time on my blog this week and for leaving all the wonderful comments. I hope you had a good time seeing all the new stuff!

Day 6-IO Sneak Peeks

2011-07-23T00:44:00.002-04:00

Well, it is almost the end of my week posting Impression Obsession sneak peeks. I hope you have enjoyed it!

For today's card, I used the new Gail Green Martini (D7618) stamp. I love how the olive takes center stage. Personally, I can't get enough olives. Of course, I had to add green and red circles to look like an even bigger olive. To color the martini image, I used watercolor pencils and a blender pen. There is just a slight tint of red to the edges of the martini to make it look festive and to add a bit of color to the glass. To finish the card, I added the Reverse Damask Cover a Card background (CC082) and Cheers (A5500) saying.

Want to see more new IO samples? Check out what Deborah, Dina, Julie, Jeanne, and Jenny created. Be sure to visit the various blogs since leaving comments on the design team blogs could win you a $25 Impression Obsession gift certificate.

Cheers!

Day 5- IO Sneak Peeks

2011-07-22T00:12:00.000-04:00

Time to take a break from Christmas cards and show you a little something for Halloween. The cat in the pumpkin stamp is a design by Gary Robertson and is called Cat in the Jack (E1842). I colored the pumpkin with some Faber-Castell markers, cut out the cat/pumpkin, and layered it on top of a circle I cut from cream paper. I edged the circle with a little Scattered Straw Distress Ink just to give it a little dimension. For the background, I stamped the Clouds Cover a card background with black Versafine ink onto grey cardstock to create a night scene. To create the ground, I just added a piece of plain grey paper that I edged with some Pumice Stone Distress Ink. Finally, I added the Purr-fectly Frightful saying (B5479).

Want to see more new IO samples? Check out what Daniela, Deborah, Dina, Jeanne, and Jenny created. Be sure to visit the various blogs since leaving comments on the design team blogs could win you a $25 Impression Obsession gift certificate.

Also, you have a chance to submit your own work for a chance to win another $25 IO gift certificate. Shirley posted all the contest information on the Impression Obsession blog. Good luck!

IO Day 4 and Color Challenge

2011-07-21T01:44:00.007-04:00

I thought I would combine a couple of things into one card. First, I wanted to show you more of the new Impression Obsession stamps. Second, I wanted to use this week's color challenge to inspire the color palette of my card. Here are the colors I was supposed to use:

To make the card, I first inked my Cover a Card Swirl Lace stamp (CC086) with the Kaleidacolor Caribbean Sea ink pad. The colors of that pad match the color challenge perfectly! I then spritzed the stamp with some Sparkle Shimmer Spritz and stamped it onto white paper. I then stamped the Snowflake Tree (F8641) onto white paper with black Memento ink and colored it with copic markers. I tried to use both green and blue markers on the tree to make it look like a blue spruce, but the green overpowered the blue. Finally, I added a saying from the All I want for Christmas clear set (CL304). Here is a side view of the card held up to the light so that you can see the Shimmer Sprtiz, the Stickles on the branches, and the rhinestone on the snowflake ornament:

Are you too anxious to see more? How about a link to the new Impression Obsession catalog with all the new images? You can find it here.

Want to see more new IO samples? Check out what Deborah, Dina, Jeanne, Jenny, Julie, and Kathy created. Be sure to visit the various blogs since leaving comments on the design team blogs could win you a $25 Impression Obsession gift certificate.

Also, you have a chance to submit your own work for a chance to win another $25 IO gift certificate. Shirley posted all the contest information on the Impression Obsession blog. Good luck!

Day 3- IO Sneak Peeks

2011-07-20T00:47:00.003-04:00

Today I want to show you one of the new Gail Green images. Gail often makes really detailed stamps, so I find that they stamp best with Versafine ink. Also, because there is so much detail, you can add just a smidge of color with Prismacolor pencils or watercolor pencils, and it looks like you did more work than you actually did. Therefore, her images are perfect if you need to crank out a lot of cards in a short amount of time!

For my card today, I used the Snowman with Treats stamp (G7636) along with the Merry Christmas saying (B10011). I colored the image with watercolor pencils and then softened the color with a Dove blender pen. I then layered everything onto some Memory Box dot paper.

Are you too anxious to see more? How about a link to the new Impression Obsession catalog with all the new images? You can find it here.

Want to see more design team samples? Check out what Need some purple inspiration? Check out what Daniela, Deborah, Dina, Jeanne, and Julie created. Be sure to visit the various blogs since leaving comments will enter you to win a $25 IO gift certificate. You can find more information about that on the Impression Obsession blog.

Want to play along? You can find all of the information Impression Obsession blog.

Also, you have a chance to submit your own work for a chance to win another $25 IO gift certificate. On July 21st, Shirley will be posting contest information on the Impression Obsession blog. As a heads up, the theme will be to make a card using only Impression Obsession stamps (in case you want to get started now).

Day 2- IO Sneak Peeks

2011-07-19T00:37:00.000-04:00

Welcome to day two of the Impression Obsession sneak peeks. I am not sure that my picture shows some of the sparkle I added to the card, so I added a close-up picture:

Instead of using plain white embossing powder, I mixed some white ep (which really makes the snowflakes pop) with some Iridescent Sparkle ep (which makes the snowflakes sparkle). I also added a ton of rhinestones to the flakes as extra bling.

The snowflake (C10003) is another design by Hannah Davies, and the saying is once again from the All I Want for Christmas clear set (CL304). Isn't that a practical set?

Are you too anxious to see more? How about a link to the new Impression Obsession catalog with all the new images? You can find it here.

Want to see more design team samples? Check out what Need some purple inspiration? Check out what Deborah, Dina, Jeanne, Jenny, and Julie created. Be sure to visit the various blogs since leaving comments will enter you to win a $25 IO gift certificate. You can find more information about that on the Impression Obsession blog.

Want to play along? You can find all of the information Impression Obsession blog.

Also, you have a chance to submit your own work for a chance to win another $25 IO gift certificate. On July 21st, Shirley will be posting contest information on the Impression Obsession blog. As a heads up, the theme will be to make a card using only Impression Obsession stamps (in case you want to get started now).

Impression Obsession Sneak Peek Week

2011-07-18T00:10:00.000-04:00

Hello! This is the week of the Craft and Hobby Association conference where companies unveil their latest and greatest products. Impression Obsession has a ton of new images to showcase as well as brand new stamp designers to introduce to you. All this week, the Impression Obsession design team will be posting sneak peeks of the new products. I hope you will stop by often to to take a look!

For my first card, I would like to show you a design by new stamp artist, Hannah Davies. When I saw Hannah's drawings, they instantly spoke to me. I just love their whimsical quality. I chose to use her Reindeer (F10007) image as well as one of the newer Cover a Card backgrounds (Stripes and Dotty Circles, CC094). Finally, I added a saying from the CL304 All I want for Christmas clear set.

One of the things I would like to talk about with my card is trying to get the lines to match up over the various colors. First, I stamped the background onto my kraft notecard. Next, I stamped the background onto a large sheet of red cardstock. I used a larger piece of red paper so that I could cut it down smaller and line it up to what I had stamped onto kraft paper. For the saying, I once again stamped my red paper with the background and punched a circle where I wanted the saying to go on my card. It was a lot of stamp aligning, but I liked the finished look. Here is a close-up of the patterns:

Are you too anxious to see more? How about a link to the new Impression Obsession catalog with all the new images? You can find it here.

Want to see more design team samples? Check out what Daniela, Deborah, Dina, Jeanne, Julie, Kathy, created. Be sure to visit the various blogs since leaving comments will enter you to win a $25 IO gift certificate. You can find more information about that on the Impression Obsession blog.

Also, you have a chance to submit your own work for a chance to win another $25 IO gift certificate. On July 21st, Shirley will be posting contest information on the Impression Obsession blog. As a heads up, the theme will be to make a card using only Impression Obsession stamps (in case you want to get started now).

I hope to see you a lot this week. It should be lots of fun!

Non-Craft Post- Harry Potter

2011-07-12T14:48:00.008-04:00

I don't often post non-craft related things, but I had a chance to do something special yesterday, and I thought I would share. Okay, I mainly wanted to show my mom my day. :)

I was lucky enough to win a trip with a local radio station to go to New York and see the US Premiere of Harry Potter. Yeah! The big surprise for me? I had no idea that I could get to NYC by bus in less than four hours. Who knew?

We were escorted to the side of Avery Fisher Hall (Lincoln Center) and were allowed to watch the reporters and interviews. The red carpet made a u-turn, and we actually walked the second half of the red carpet where there weren't any reporters:

Once we were inside, we could see the start of the red-carpet and the fans that had waited to see the celebs. It was nice to have a birds-eye view. Plus, the glass toned down the sound of screaming teenagers:

We found that our seats inside were row 8 on the right-hand side. I was worried about seeing a 3-D movie that close, but it was an awesome vantage point when the actors, director, producers, and screen-writer came out before the show to talk about the films.

I call this one "Yeah Daniel Radcliffe!:"

Another pict of the pre-show talk:

I was probably the most excited about seeing Alan Rickman. Someone recently told me that the actor who plays Neville grew up to be quite good looking. Boy, was she right.

Overall, it was very exiting to see the premiere. The movie has a ton of action, and the crowd was really into cheering and clapping throughout the whole show. So much fun!

Moxie Fab Card Challenge

2011-07-10T16:54:00.005-04:00

Today I want to share a card I made for the Moxie Fab Stamp It! challenge. I chose to use a butterfly by Magenta that is definitely one of my favorite stamps. I colored it was an assortment of Copic markers that matched my new Basic Grey Out of Print line of paper. I love, love, love that collection of paper! To finish the card, I added a saying by Impression Obsession and some jewels by Memory Box.

Here is different view of the card so that you can see that it opens differently than the cards I normally make. You can also see from this view that the wings pop up:

If you want to play along with the challenge, you have until midnight on July 13th to enter a card.

Another Color Challenge

2011-07-07T18:05:00.000-04:00

I thought I would post the card I made for the latest summer card camp challenge. The interesting thing about this one is that I colored the chilis primarily with the peach and terracotta colors with only an accent of the red. However, they look primarily red to me. I don't know if it is because red is such a dominant color that a little goes a long way or because I added red accent pieces behind the images that may have really brought out the red color. I guess I am just interested in the whole color theory aspect of it! Also, on my monitor at home the darkest green looked really dark, on a different monitor, it looks more emerald to me. Oh well!

For the card, I used the Impression Obsession Chilis (D2213) in black Memento ink and colored them with Copic markers. I then added some paper by My Mind's Eye and the What's Cookin' saying (A5437) from Impression Obsession.

I find that I am really enjoying these color challenges!

Here is a picture of the colors we were supposed to use:

IO Challenge- Hello!

2011-07-07T00:08:00.001-04:00

Today the Impression Obsession challenge is all about saying hello. I like hello cards because they allow you a lot of freedom. You can stamp just about anything, add the word hello and it works!

I have had the Beach Bottle (E2415) stamp for a while, but I have never used it. I wanted to make sure that I had a chance to use it before summer was over, so I knew it was going to be the image for my card. I stamped the bottle onto white paper with black Memento ink, colored it with Copic markers, cut it out, and layered it onto my card. I thought that my sand and sky needed a little more interest, so I stamped them both with the Cover a Card Canvas (CC073) and then edged them with Distress inks. Finally, I added a saying from the All Occasion I clear set (CL306).

Here is a close up of the bottle and the canvas background:

Want some ideas for saying hello? Check out what Daniela, Deborah, Dina, Jeanne, Jenny, and Kathy created.

Want to play along? You can find all of the information here, and you could even win a $25 Impression Obsession gift certificate!

Color Challenge

2011-06-30T23:21:00.004-04:00

I was lucky enough to win a Summer Card Camp class, and the challenge this week is to make a card featuring the following colors:

I lked the challenge because they are colors that I don' usually use together.

To make the card, I used a definition and Floral image by Hero Arts and outlined the flowers with Copic Markers. I then added a saying by Impression Obsession.

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday weekend!

Copics 3

2011-06-21T13:12:00.000-04:00

I am frequently asked about when I am going to teach a Copic 3 class. Well, the answer to that is next Monday. If that is a bit too short of notice (I just can't imagine why), I will also be teaching it on Wed, July 20 and Sun, August 14.

I took my Intermediate Copic certification last month in Ohio. The class focused more on theory than technique, so I needed to come home and practice what they taught. I also needed to break down the information into smaller, more manageable pieces for the classes I would then teach. For my Copic 3 class, I will be teaching three-color blending, how to work with those tricky red markers, how to move beyond blending and into adding contrast to your work, and how to shade with grays or complementary colors. Copic has come up with a new equation for selecting colors, so we will be talk a lot about how to choose colors. Of course, we will also make four cards to practice all of those topics (pictured above).

Crazy for Copics (Copic 1). Is a prerequisite for the class, but Copic 2 is not. A list of markers to bring is listed on Angela's class page. I hope you can make it!

On an unrelated note, I was benind the Joy Car yesterday (always happy when I see it), and I noticed that someone had run into the back of it. I wonder if that took away some of the joy. Ps...the bubble machine in the back was not turned on at the time I took the picture. :(

IO Challenge- Summer Challenge

2011-06-15T23:33:00.002-04:00

Time for another IO Challenge. This time the theme is "Hot Fun in the Summer- Summer Fun Greetings." I love this challenge because I have been making lots of summer cards lately. Instead of making a "hot" card for the summer though, I went with a cool summer interpretation.

For my card, I stamped the Polka Dot Fish (D2195) onto white cardstock with Versafine black ink and colored the image with Prismacolor pencils and Gamsol. I then added a saying that can be found in the Angelfish clear stamp set (MC183). I often pair Leigh Hannan's beach images with the bubbles Cover a Card background. I thought people might be getting tired of me using that background, so I used the Cover A Card Fizz background instead (CC013). I really liked how it paired with the fish stamp.

Need some summer inspiration? Check out what Daniela, Deborah, Dina, Jeanne, Jenny, Julie, and Kathy, created. Want to play along? You can find all of the information here, and you could even win a $25 Impression Obsession gift certificate!

Impression Obsession Goodness

2011-06-15T00:28:00.003-04:00

Hi guys. There are a couple of Impression Obsession events at Angela's Happy Stamper that I would like to share with you. First of all, I will be teaching a Leigh Hannan beach class next Wednesday, June 22nd from 6:30-8:30pm. I posted a picture of three of the four cards we will be making using some of Leigh's quirky and fun summer images. The class focuses on a lot of coloring and will be using Copic Markers, Cover a Card Backgrounds, Distress Inks, Inspirations metallic paints, Faber-Castell markers, Prismacolor pencils, and Gamsol. I hope you can make it.

Second, have you heard that Mitra, the owner of Impression Obsession, will be doing a free demo at the store? The demo will be held on Thursday, June 23rd from 6-8pm and Mitra will show you how to combine Cover a Card stamps to create gorgeous backgrounds. She is even offering trunk show discounts on Impression Obsession products. It is always fun to meet stamp company owners in person, so I hope you will stop by to say hello to Mitra...and learn a little something too!

Masculine Cards

2011-06-02T00:00:00.006-04:00

It is Impression Obsession Challenge time again, and this time the theme is "Masculine Cards." I know everyone has their own thoughts on what makes a card "masculine." I thought I would go to the source and asked my brother what he thought. His response was, "Make it green and brown." Hum...not a lot of help there. As you can see, I didn't necessarily follow his advice. Although there is a smidge of green! To me, masculine cards seem not need cork on them.

For my card, I stamped the Seaside Scene (G1731) onto cork with Versamark in and embossed it in black. I then watered down some Tumbled Glass, Bundled Sage, and Fired Brick Distress Ink reinkers and painted the scene with a waterbrush. For the sail and lighthouse, I watered down some Copic Opaque White paint so that it wouldn't be too think and wouldn't cover up all of my black lines. You might have to click on the picture to see the painting better. To finish the card, I added the A Day at The Beach (C3617) saying.

So, what about you? What do you think makes a great masculine card?

Need more inspiration? Check out what Daniela, Deborah, Dina, Jeanne, Jenny, and Julie created. Be sure to visit the various blogs since I think many of us struggle with masculine cards!

Want to play along? Create your own IO masculine card and submit it. You can find all of the information here. You could even win a $25 Impression Obsession gift certificate!

Ready For Summer

2011-05-25T21:30:00.001-04:00

The weather is getting warmer, and have I noticed that I am using more "summer" themed images. I love the Leigh Hannan Sailing Martini (E2304) stamp. It makes me wish I knew something about sailing. To make the card, I colored the image with Copic markers, edged the piece with some Tumbled Glass Distress ink, and added the Ahoy Matey saying (A5441). To finish the card, I outlined the whole thing with a Cool Grey 1 pen to make the image pop forward.

Here is a close up of the image:

So what about you? Are you working on summer cards, or are you one of those people working on Christmas cards already?

Black and White

2011-05-19T01:04:00.003-04:00

Time for another IO challenge, and this time the theme is "black and white." I love the look of black and white cards, but I often forget about making them.

I will have to come back later to give you the names of the stamps since I can't seem to get on the IO website right now to check. If I would just write down my stamp info this wouldn't be a problem, but....

I used the same Cover a Card stamp in black in the background as I did in grey for the foreground. I liked the continuity of using the same pattern for both. To embellish the card, I used clear gems from Hero Arts.

Need some black and white inspiration? Check out what Daniela, Dina, Jeanne, Julie, and Kathy, created.

Want to play along? You can find all of the information here, and you could even win a $25 Impression Obsession gift certificate!

Upcoming Classes

2011-05-12T10:14:00.000-04:00

Well, I am leaving today to go get my Intermediate Copic Certification. I am so excited! I am going to take the class before finishing up my Copics III class. Of course, I have a date reserved in June, so I had better get going on it! I will post more information as it becomes available. I know people have been waiting for the next class. I am also taking into consideration Angela's parting words to me.... "Learn Lots." No pressure.

Until then, I thought I would show you a couple other classes I have coming up soon. The one above is my Memory Box Die Cuts class. It is on Sunday, May 22nd and uses some of the new Memory Box dies as well as the new Valise line of papers. Later on that same day, I will be doing a Memory Box paper transfer class. Students will leave with a 4" x 4" canvas to hang on the wall:

Here is a side view of the canvas so that you can see the pattern wraps around the sides:

I am also working on a 10 in 10 Birthday class and a Leigh Hannan beach class for June. Stay tuned for more info!

Have a great weekend! I am off to "learn lots" in Ohio.

IO Challenge- Favorite Stamp

2011-05-05T00:13:00.003-04:00

I have a feeling that the other IO designers found this challenge as hard as I did. Choose your favorite Impression Obsession stamp? That is hard! To be honest, all of Leigh Hannan's Halloween stamps probably tie as my favorite. In order to break the tie and focus on something that wasn't fall related, I chose her Candy Jars (G2332) instead. I just love them!

To make this card, I stamped the jars in black ink and then masked them with some Eclipse tape. I then used my Mega mount and stamped the screen (CC049) and Flourishes (CC027) on top. I cut out the jars using my Nestabilities, colored them with colored pencils and Copic markers, and then added some glossy accents and Distress Rock Candy Stickles to the image to give it more dimension. Here is a close up of the Glossy Accents on the jars and Stickles on the Rock Candy:

Curious about the other DT favorite stamps? Check out what Daniela, Dina, Jeanne, Jenny, Julie, and Kathy, created. I know I am dying to know what their favorite stamps are.

Want to play along? You can find all of the information here, and you could even win a $25 Impression Obsession gift certificate!

IO Challenge- Polka Dots!

2011-04-21T00:37:00.002-04:00

Today, the IO challenge is all about polka dots. I decided to use dots primarily in the background as a faux patterned paper. Here are the Cover a Card stamps I used for the back:
CC003 Cover a Card Dots
CC007 Cover a Card Large Dots
CC049 Cover a Card Screen (can you see it? It is a really pale blue)

To finish the card, I added the Zinnias stamp (E2313) as well as a saying from the All Occasion II set (CL307).

Need more dotty inspiration? Check out what Daniela, Deborah, Dina, Jeanne, Jenny, Julie, andKathy created. Want to play along? You can find all of the information here, and you could even win a $25 Impression Obsession gift certificate!

IO Challenge- Encouragement

2011-04-07T00:15:00.005-04:00

Hi all. For some reason, Blogger isn't letting me add breaks, so this post is going to be one really long paragraph! Today I am posting a card for the Impression Obsession Challenge. This time the theme is encouragement....inspiration, thinking of you, graduation, or any other card to show someone you care. With graduation season approaching, I thought I would tackle that theme. To make the card, I used the following stamps: Congratulations B5505 Book-Cap G2335 Cover a Card Medallion CC032 I colored the book and cap with Copic Markers and edged everything with some Venetian Sunrise Fresco Chalk ink. Need ideas for encouragement cards? Check out what Need some purple inspiration? Check out what Daniela, Deborah, Dina, Jeanne, Jenny, Julie, Kathy, and Shirley created. "Encouragement" is open for wide interpretation, so there should be some vastly different samples. Want to play along? You can find all of the information here, and you could even win a $25 Impression Obsession gift certificate!

I know, I know

2011-04-06T01:27:00.007-04:00

I have been pretty absent lately. I don't even have a card to share today. I just thought I would post a few cherry blossom pictures from last weekend with my mom. We such a wonderful time going into DC! Does anyone know why some of the blossoms are white, and some are pink? Do the pink ones become white? There were sure a lot of white blossoms around the Tidal Basin this year!

I am participating in an IO challenge tomorrow, so I promise to be back with craft related posts.

Anything But a Card Challenge

2011-03-17T00:10:00.004-04:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Today, the IO challenge was to make "Anything But a Card." Of course, I had to make something for St. Patrick's Day! And what says St. Patrick's Day more than...a Chinese takeout container? :) Oh well, at least it is green.

For my project, I ran white cardstock through an Accucut machine and cut out a takeout container. I stamped the Gingham Cover a Card background (CC006) on top with Colorbox Chalk Lime Pastel ink and added an image one of the Sarah Phelps clear sets (CL216 St. Patrick's Day). I colored the image with Copic markers, added some wire to look like a takeout container, and finished with some green bows on the side.

Need some ideas that aren't cards? Check out what Daniela, Dina, Jeanne, Julie, Kathy, and Shirley created. Be sure to visit the various blogs since many of us chose to use some of the new stamps.

Want to play along? You can find all of the information here, and you could even win a $25 Impression Obsession gift certificate!

Tuesday Trigger and Birthday Card

2011-03-10T22:38:00.007-05:00

Today's card serves a couple of purposes. First, I wanted to play along with the latest Tuesday Trigger over on the Moxie Fab blog. I just loved the flowers and colors in the picture. Here is the inspiration photo:

Second, I wanted to make a birthday card for my friend Hare. Even though her favorite color is red, I thought she might like this color combo too. If you squint REALLY hard, you might be able to see a faint wood grain on the kraft cardstock. I used a really light blue ink, which looked pretty good when I stamped it. Then I watched as the pattern slowly disappeared as it dried. Oh well! I think using a light color of ink only really works if you stamp on white or stamp tone on tone. Live and learn...

I took a close-up of the flowers to show you that I watercolored the petals with watercolor crayons and a waterbrush then added some Distress Stickles for sparkle and Glossy Accents to make the cup look like porcelain.

When I got home today, I saw that my photos from Snapfish arrived. I have plans to make some photo cards, so I will let you know how they turn out.

Feeling Blue...

2011-03-02T23:59:00.007-05:00

Well, at least inspired by the Impression Obsession blue challenge. The nice thing about this card is that it really takes no time at all to make. I used three stamps and two colors of ink. I didn't do any coloring, which really cuts down on card making time. Here are step by step pictures of the card:

Step 1- start with a medium blue notecard:

Step 2- Stamp the Denim Cover a Card (CC051) onto the blue card:

Step 3- stamp Newsprint Cover a Card (CC068) on top of Denim background:

Finally, I stamped the Ocracoke Lighthouse (F1814) on blue paper with the same blue Versafine ink. The Versafine pads really do pick up small details on stamps!

Are you feeling the blues? Check out the blue themed cards by Daniela, Deborah, Dina, Jeanne, Jenny, Julie, Kathy, and Shirley created.

Want to play along? You can find all of the information here, and you could even win a $25 Impression Obsession gift certificate!

Upcoming Classes

2011-02-24T12:16:00.004-05:00

Hello again. I have a couple of classes coming up that I thought I would share with you. The egg wheelbarrow card is from my Impression Obsession spring class that is this Sunday (Feb 27)from 12:30-2:30. It is a four card class featuring Copic markers. Cover a Card backgrounds, Nestability dies, and of course, spring-themed images.

The second card is from my Beautiful Batik class that is this Monday (Feb 28) from 6:30-8:30:

I have four cards planned, but I encourage anyone taking the class to bring along their own solid stamps if they would like to experiment with the technique. Also, be sure to wear old clothes as we will be using the Tim Holtz Colorwash sprays.

Hope to see you there!

It's a Cupcake Challenge!

2011-02-17T00:01:00.004-05:00

Is there a better topic out there than cupcakes? Pardon me while I channel my inner Homer Simpson. Mmmmm....cupcakes.

For my card, I chose the new Leigh Hannan Egg Cupcake (D2427). I don't think I have seen a cupcake with Easter eggs on it before, but I like it! It is a nice change from bunnies and jellybeans.

I colored the cupcake with Copic markers and then decorated it with some Stickles, some yellow rhinestones, and some Glossy Accents on the eggs. Here is a close up of the embellishments:

Don't mock me, but I used the Cover a Card Canvas (CC073) AGAIN...this time with the addition of the Cover a Card Large Dots (CC007). For the saying, I added an image from the Greetings Galore clear set (CL48).

Want to see more cupcake goodness? Check out what Daniela, Deborah, Dina, Jeanne, Jenny, Julie, Kelli, and Shirley created. Be sure to visit the various blogs since many of us chose to use some of the new stamps.

Want to play along? You can find all of the information here, and you could even win a $25 Impression Obsession gift certificate!

Upcoming Classes

2011-02-13T14:37:00.002-05:00

I have to confess that I have definitely neglected updating the "Classes" tab at the top of my blog. I thought it was about time to fix it. The picture above shows 5 of the 10 cards we will be doing in my 10 in 10 Memory Box class next Sunday, February 20th. I hope you can join me! Here is a list of the classes I have scheduled:

Memory Box 10 in 10: Sunday, February 20th 12:30-2:30pm
Impression Obsession Spring: Sunday, February 27th 12:30-2:30pm
Beautiful Batik: Monday, February 28th 6:30-8:30pm
Memory Box Colored Pencils: Sunday, March 6th 12:30-2:30pm
Intro to Distress Inks: Monday, March 13th 6:30-8:30pm
Crazy for Copics: Sunday, March 27th 12:00-2:00pm
Copics II: Sunday, March 27th 2:30-4:30pm
Impression Obsession Backgrounds: Sunday, April 3rd 12:30-2:30pm

Hope everyone has had a great weekend!

Tuesday Trigger

2011-02-11T21:43:00.006-05:00

With Valentine's Day almost upon us, I was inspired to play along with the latest Moxie Fab Tuesday Trigger. Here is the inspiration photo:

As always, I took a rather literal translation. I used a similar color palette and theme for my card. I couldn't help myself. After all, we are talking about CHOCOLATE. How could I choose

something else?

For my card, I used all stamps from Impression Obsession. I stamped the Truffle Tree (G2084) onto light yellow cardstock with black Memento ink. I colored the truffles, trunk, and leaves with Copic markers and then sponged some green chalk around everything to give it some color. I distressed the edges of the light yellow cardstock with Tea Dye Distress ink and added a saying (good friends with chocolate C5405). Finally, I layered the piece onto some medium yellow cardstock that I stamped with the Cover a Card Thin Stripes (CC001) using Colorbox Chalk Chestnut Roan ink.

I hope everyone has a great weekend and a happy Valentine's Day!

IO Challenge and New Video

2011-02-03T00:01:00.003-05:00

Time for another Impression Obsession challenge, and this time the theme is "Is it Spring Yet?" I have to say, it may be rainy and cold here, but I am eternally grateful that we don't have the snow that the rest of the US seemed to get over the past few days. Yikes!

For my card, I used two stamps to get the chick image. First I stamped the Solid Chick 1 onto white paper using yellow ink. I then used a stamp positioner to add the Chick 1 on top using black ink (it is an outline stamp). The nice thing about two-step stamping is that I didn't have to color the chick later with markers, pencils, or paint. It was really quick to color!

For the layering piece, I stamped the Daffodil Border repeatedly with Black Memento Ink. I then colored the flowers with Copic markers and edged the piece with yellow ink. To get the decorative card, I stamped the Canvas Cover a Card background in peach ink on a yellow card.

Are you curious about Impression Obsession Cover a Cards and how to use them? I made a new video that is an into stamping backgrounds with the Mega Mount acrylic block. You can view the video on my blog, or you can see a larger version of it over on YouTube here. The video stamp credits are also listed over on YouTube.

Feeling the winter blues and need some Spring inspiration? Check out what Daniela, Deborah, Dina, Jeanne, Jenny, Julie, Kathy, and Shirley created.

Want to play along? You can find all of the information here, and you could even win a $25 Impression Obsession gift certificate!

Moxie Fab Bright and Bold Challenge

2011-01-31T22:18:00.007-05:00

So, I couldn't sleep last night and decided to take a stab at another one of the Moxie Fab Color Challenges. This time I tried the Bright and Bold Challenge. Here is the color pallette:

To make the card, I took a scrap of pink and orange patterned paper I had by My Minds Eye. I then stamped the Impression Obsession Cover a Card Tapestry (CC025) on top with Versamark ink and embossed it with black powder. To finish the card, I added a bright pink Flora Doodle from Petaloo as an embellishment and added a saying from the All Occassion II clear set from Impression Obsession.

Neutrals Challenge and Using Real Sand

2011-01-30T17:35:00.007-05:00

I have a confession to make. I am SUPPOSED to be prepping for my Memory Box Valentine class tomorrow. Instead, I decided to play around with one of the Moxie Fab Color Challenges. There was something about the neutrals challenge that drew me to it. Here is the color pallette for that challenge (Bazzill Basics French Vanilla, Twig, and Smoky):

To make the card, I stamped the Impression Obsession sandcastle image (G1718) onto white cardstock using black Memento ink. When I held my Copic color chart up to the Twig Bazzill paper, the color I own that matched best was my W1 Warm Grey pen. I was a little surprised, but colored the castle and sand with my Warm Grey instead of a brown pen. I liked the end result! To embellish the card, I used some 1/2" Wonder Tape and adhered some real sand. The nice thing about Wonder Tape is that it is so strong that none of the sand escapes. Here is a close-up of the embellishment:

I have access to beach sand, but I tend to buy sand at a craft store when I want to add it to projects. The sand seems "cleaner," in that I don't have to pick out twigs, rocks, shells, etc out of it. Finally, I added a "sandcastle" woven label (Me and My Big Ideas) to the top. I have had that label for years and was so happy to finally use it!

Well, I should probably get back to work. I really want to do another challenge, so I will see if there is time after I prep for my class.

Final Sneak Peek

2011-01-28T06:00:00.001-05:00

I hope you have enjoyed my week of Impression Obsession CHA sneak peeks. I know I have enjoyed the blog hop!

For my final sample, I am posting a card that I think works well for New Year's or graduations. It features a new clear set of numbers called Calendar Numbers (HS324) as well as the Cover a Card Reverse Damask (CC082). To make the background, I stamped the Reverse Damask onto acetate using silver Staz On ink. I let it completely dry than ran the piece through my Xyron to give it a sticky back. I then covered the back side of the acetate with glitter. The nice thing about having glitter behind the acetate is that it is contained and won't come off on your hands. Here is a close up of the glitter:

I glued the acetate to some silver cardstock to add some shimmer and finished everything by including a silver-edged ribbon.

Be sure to check out the other participants in the blog hop. You can find a list of the designers here as well as find out how you could win a $25 Impression Obsession gift certificate!

IO Blog Hop Week- Day 4

2011-01-27T06:00:00.000-05:00

Hello again! I hope everyone is enjoying the Impression Obsession Sneak Peeks this week. I always find it so interesting that the various design team members can work with the same image and come up with a completely different looks. I know there are many times when I see their samples and think, "Now, why didn't I think of that?!"

As I mentioned during the purple card challenge, my favorite stamp of the new release is the Cover a Card Canvas (CC073). It is what I used to stamp the bottom of the card. It just adds such nice texture to a card. Sometimes I stamp it in a really pale color and then stamp over it with darker images and sometimes I use it "as is" like I did in this card.

For the focal image, I used the Sunflower Fence (G1798) colored with Copic markers and added a saying from the All Occasion I Clear Set (CL306).

Don't forget to check out the other Day 4 sneak peeks. You can find the list of participants here, and you can even learn how you can win a $25 Impression Obsession gift certificate!

Metallic Mermaids

2011-01-26T06:00:00.000-05:00

When I saw the new Leigh Hannan Mermaids stamp (G2437), I knew that I wanted to make it metallic and shimmery. Here is a side view that I took under a light so that you could see the shimmer better: To make the background, I stamped the Cover a Card Swirls and Stars (CC054) onto green cardstock with Versamark ink and embossed it with glitter embossing powder. I didn't have the exact color that I envisioned for the card, so I mixed some Judikins Hanukkah embossing powder (metallic blue) with some Zing metallic green powder to get the teal look I wanted.

For the mermaids, I stamped them in black Memento ink and colored them with an assortment of Copic markers. I wanted to make the fins sparkle, so I added some Stickles to them and then used a paintbrush to spread the stickles around.

Don't forget to check out the other Day 3 samples of the Impression Obsession blog hop. You can find a list of the participants here. There is even a contest where you can win a $25 Impression Obsession gift card!

Chocolate Bunny

2011-01-25T06:00:00.001-05:00

I sure do love chocolate bunnies! They really say "Spring" to me. When I saw the new Hoppy
Wishes stamp (E8585), I knew that I had to make it a chocolate bunny on top of the cupcake. Yum!

To make the card, I stamped the bunny/cupcake onto white paper using black Memento ink. I colored the image with Copic markers and then cut out the pieces with my Nestability dies. To make the plaid background, I stamped the Thick and Thin Cover a Card Background (CC008) in two directions to make a plaid. Finally, I added a saying from the All Occasion II clear set (CL307).

Be sure to hop on by the other Day 2 Impression Obsession blog hop samples. You can find the list of participants here as well as information on how you can win a $25 IO gift certificate!

Hey, What's Cookin'?

2011-01-24T06:00:00.001-05:00

Welcome to the Impression Obsession sneak peek week! For my first card, I just had to use the new chicken stamp (E7594 Chicken 1). It feeds into my love of animal stamps that are wearing cute outfits.

To make the card, I stamped the chicken onto white cardstock using black Memento ink. I colored the image with Copic markers, cut it out, and layered it onto a strip of white paper that I decorated with the Fiskars "Threading Water" border punch. To embellish the rest of the card, I added a strip of paper that I stamped using the Cover a Card Gingham background (CC006) as well as a cute coordinating saying (What's Cookin AA5437).

There are so many great ideas that will be posted during the IO blog hop this week. If you would like more information on the blog hop as well a information on how to win a $25 Impression Obsession gift certificate, you can find all you need to know here.

If you are a shopper at Angela's Happy Stamper in Reston, VA, I can personally vouch for the fact that there is a huge display of the new IO images right as you walk in the door. That's right, the new CHA stamps are at the store...even before CHA starts!

New Video

2011-01-23T22:56:00.003-05:00

Hi everyone. It is going to be really busy this week. I am scheduled to post everyday for the Impression Obsession CHA sneak peek week. It should be fun though because there is a really nice selection of new words and images.

In the mean time, I am posting the quick collage card I made for the new Memory Box "What's in the Box" release. I even made a video showing you how to make the card. You can see it over on YouTube here.

Have a great week, and I hope you stop in from time to time during the week to see some of the new goodies!

Color Purple Challenge

2011-01-20T00:02:00.003-05:00

Today, I am participating in the Impression Obsession Color Purple Challenge. I always think of my mom when I make a purple card, so I also have to say, "Mom, this card is for you!"

Recently the design team had a discussion about their favorite stamps of the new CHA release. Many of them chose a gorgeous large rose or some wonderful mailboxes that say "live, laugh, love." For me, my definite new best friend is the new Cover a Card called Canvas (CC073). It adds the perfect textured background to any card. I think half of the cards I sent to CHA had that stamp on it!

For the card above, I first stamped the Canvas background onto my purple card using light purple ink. I wish I had taken a close up of the card so that you could see the print a bit better. I then stamped the new Cover a Card Daffodils (CC074) on top with a darker purple ink. For the focal image, I stamped the Spring Egg (C8592) onto white cardstock with black Memento ink and colored it with Copic Markers. I then added what else....more purple paper.

Need some purple inspiration? Check out what Daniela, Deborah, Dina, Jeanne, Jenny, Julie, Kathy, Kelli, and Shirley created. Be sure to visit the various blogs since many of us chose to use some of the new stamps.

Want to play along? You can find all of the information here, and you could even win a $25 Impression Obsession gift certificate!

Finally, be sure to check back next week as the Impression Obsession team will have a week-long sneak peek of the new CHA images. I have 5 cards ready, so I will be posting a different card each day next week- starting on Monday the 24th. I hope you will stop by!

IO Challenge- Valentines

2011-01-06T00:00:00.002-05:00

Today's Impression Obsession challenge was to make a Valentine's Day/Love card. It is also a bit of a sneak peek in that it allowed me to show you some of the images that will be released at CHA.

To make the card, I stamped the Wavy Line Heart (F8625) onto 90lb watercolor paper using black Versafine ink. I knew I wanted to play with the open heart because it has just enough space to highlight a saying on the inside. I colored the heart with watercolor crayons and a waterbrush, allowed it to dry and then stamped the saying on top. The saying comes from a really nice clear set called Fabulous Friend (CL318) that is loaded with all kinds of great friend sayings. The flower that I popped up on the card is from the same clear set. The background is a new Cover a Card stamp numbered CC081. It is so new that the name isn't listed yet!

Feeling the love and need more inspiration? Check out what Daniela, Deborah, Dina, Jeanne, Jenny, Julie, Kathy, Kelli, and Shirley created. Be sure to visit the various blogs since many of us chose to use some of the new stamps.

Want to play along with the challenge? You can find all of the information here, and you could even win a $25 IO gift certificate!

IO metallic challenge

2010-12-16T01:11:00.005-05:00

I love metallic cards. I still have no idea how to photograph them though. I could use some help from any of you bloggers out there! Somehow the pictures just don't capture the shimmer and sparkle....especially when you shoot the front of the card. Ideas? Holding the card up to the light gives a better idea of how the card sparkles:

Today's IO challenge was to make a metallic card. It does seem to be that time of year for a little extra glitz and bling! I chose to use metallic silver and metallic blue paper. They work well together to create a frosty wintery card. I stamped the Damask Snowflake (F2258) onto white paper with Versamark ink and embossed it with JudiKins Aegean Silver embossing powder. I cut around the snowflake and then added some Stardust pen to color the image. It gave it a really nice silver shimmer. To finish the snowflake, I added a bunch of clear gems.

For the background, I stamed the Cover a Card Snowflakes (CC066) onto silver cardstock with Versamark ink and embossed it with silver powder. To add even more sparkle to the card, I attached a glittery silver ribbon to the card.

Want more metallic inspiration? Check out the work by Danelia, Deborah, Dina, Jeanne, Jenny, Kathy, and Kelli. Want to play along? Check out the contest information here. You could even win a $25 IO gift certificate!

IO Challenge- New Year's Resolutions

2010-12-01T23:49:00.002-05:00

Sorry I have been MIA. Lots to do with work, the holiday, and prepping for Christmas! I definitely wanted to play around with the latest IO Challenge though which was to make a card featuring a New Year resolution.

For me, my resolutions center around walking more and eating better. I made this card because I want to be sure to drink more water and green tea each day. I love the Teacup (D2160) image, but I am just going to pretend that it doesn't have a yummy truffle on the side.

To make the card, I stamped the Cover a Card Flourishes (CC027) onto cream paper using Versamark ink and embossed it with clear powder. I then sponged on top of it with Spun Sugar, Milled Lavender, Victorian Velvet, and a smidge of Fired Brick Distress ink. I then added a strip of the Cover a Card Screen (CC049) stamped onto cream paper using Victorian Velvet distress ink. To finish the card, I colored my image with Copic markers, cut out the cup, and popped it up onto the card on top of a pink ribbon. Finally, I stamped the saying (My Cup of Tea A5511) onto the bottom of the card.

Want to see more resolutions? Check out the work by Deborah, Dina, Jeanne, Jenny, and Julie. Want to play along? You can find all the contest details here. You could even win a $25 IO gift certificate?

IO Challenge- A Few of My Favorite Things

2010-11-18T00:07:00.004-05:00

Time for another Impression Obsession challenge. This time the theme is "These are a Few of My Favorite Things." Can't you just hear Julie Andrews singing in the background? The challenge was to take a line from the song and use it as inspiration for a card or project. I chose "brown paper packages tied up with string."

I like the idea of brown paper packages because they could be filled with all kinds of goodies. Did you ever see the movie A Christmas Story? There is a part in the movie where the dad is opening a crate containing his "major award" and he says, "There could be anything in there!" That is how I feel about the excitement and anticipation of unopened packages...there could be anything in them!

I decided to make a card in the shape of a brown paper package. I took a kraft notecard and then stamped it with the Thin Cover a Card background (CC001) in Chestnut Roan Chalk ink and the Dots Cover a Card background (CC003) in Staz On Gold ink. I really like the Staz On gold because it really gives you a strong metallic finish. I stamped both backgrounds again on a strip of kraft paper and popped it up onto my card to make it look like the package lid. I then added some brown sting, some holly from the CL35 Holly clear set, and a saying from the CL196 Swirl Trees clear set.

Want to embrace your inner Julie Andrews? Check out the favorite things of Daniela, Deborah, Dina, Jeanne, Jenny, Julie, and Kathy. Want to play along? You can find all of the information here, and you could even win a $25 Impression gift certificate!

MIA

2010-11-15T19:45:00.004-05:00

Sorry I have been MIA. I haven't done much cardmaking lately other than make cards for work. Plus, I have recently invested a lot of time researching e-readers. Call it a current ~~obsession~~ hobby.

I did make two cards over the weekend for Splitcoaststampers' latest Virtual Stamp Night (VSN). Of course, I forgot to post the cards on Splitcoast. Oh well. For those of you who haven't joined a VSN, you are given a challenge and have 45 minutes to complete the card. My group of friends and I have learned not to stress over the challenge and just go with something. Sometimes the finished card looks good. Sometimes it looks like it was beaten with the ugly stick. Often times, the simpler the card, the better. Hence, the card I posted above.

For today's card, the challenge was to use white, blue, and silver or gold. I thought the challenge was silver AND gold, so I added both. I stamped the image by Magenta onto white cardstock using blue ink. I then added layers of silver, blue, and gold cardstock. Really, really simple.

Here is a close-up so that you can see the metallic sheen:

On a separate note, does anyone own a Kindle or Nook? What do you think? I believe that the Kindle might be a better device, but I am leaning towards the Nook since it works with my library system.

IO Challenge- Holiday Family Traditions

2010-11-04T00:03:00.004-04:00

I hope people aren't worried because the latest IO Challenge is to focus on holiday family traditions, and I posted a picture of a margarita. I promise that we don't spend the whole holiday drinking tequila!

I have so many traditions I could have represented in card form such as:

Going to see my mom each year in the living Nativity. (She is always one of the wise men since they have the warmest costumes.)
Opening one present each on Christmas Eve.
Watching repeated showings of "A Christmas Story" on TBS during their 24 hour marathon.
Fresh squeezed orange juice for Christmas breakfast (my grandfather started this one).
My mom making the infamous "green salad" that has been passed down generations (I wouldn't mind this tradition going away since Jello should not be made into a salad).

So, with all those nice traditions, why did I choose a margarita card? Of course there is a story behind that. One year my mom suggested that she, my brother, and I should each contribute something new to the holiday dinner. My mom and I poured over cookbooks and online recipes to figure out what we wanted to make. My brother, on the other hand, went out and bought some Patron Silver to make us each a "Christmas margarita." I believe it was his attempt to get out of cooking. I have absolutely no idea what my mom and I prepared that year. However, every year since I have counted on my brother to make me a really nice holiday margarita.

For my card, I used the margarita stamp from the CL157 Leigh Hannan Holiday set. However, you can get the stamp by itself. It is called Holiday Margarita (F2001). I stamped the image in black Memento ink onto white cardstock that I had cut from a Nestabilities Labels 8 die. I edged the paper with some green Distress Ink and an Inksentials blender tool and colored the image with an assortment of colored pencils and Copic markers. To rim the glass, I added some Glossy Accents to the rim and sprinkled it with real salt and some glitter. Here is a close up:

Finally, I spritzed the margarita piece with some Sparkle Shimmer Spritz to give it a holiday feel. You can see the shimmer a bit in this picture:

For the bottom of the card, I used the Cover a Card Thick and Thin (CC008) stripes in red ink. I thought it looked a bit like peppermint stripes.

Need some holiday inspiration? Daniela, Deborah, Dina, Jeanne, Jenny, Julie, and Kathy all made cards to share their holiday traditions with you.

Want to play along? You have until 9pm EST Friday to share your IO holiday tradition card. All of the information can be found here. You could win a $25 Impression Obsession gift certificate!

Layers of Color

2010-11-01T23:04:00.005-04:00

I really love this clear background set from Layers of Color. The set is called "Architectural Blocks," and it lets you combine the patterns in any way you want to create an interesting background. The really nice thing is that since it is a clear set, it is really easy to position the images. For my card, I chose some of the floral elements from the set to stamp a black and white background pattern. I then added a butterfly from the Layers of Color "Butterfly Collector" set that I cut out from yellow cardstock. I only glued the body so that the wings would pop off of the card. Here is a side view to see the 3-D effect better:

Here is what the images look like stamped alone:

On a completely different note, I want to remind everyone to vote November 2nd. I remember my great-grandmother saying that she voted in every election that she was allowed to (she was 28 when the 19th Amendment allowed women to vote). Don't take your voting rights for granted!

IO Challenge- Favorite Quote

2010-10-21T02:46:00.002-04:00

The latest IO challenge is to use a favorite quote or poem. I am going to be honest and say that I know I had a different approach to this challenge! You see, I chose to use a movie quote since I am a movie quote addict. The hardest part to this challenge was to choose just one quote. I went with one from one of my favorite movies..."Best in Show." I don't know how many times I have seen that film, but I never get tired of it. It always makes me laugh. I figure that I can use the card with a "what's brewing" sentiment on the inside, or even use it for an anniversary card. Of course, the couple would have to be familiar with the movie...

I promise to come back later to include the stamp credits for the card. It is getting a little late now, and I think I need to go to bed. In the mean time, check out the quote cards that Daniela, Deborah, Dina, Jenny, and Julie created. They probably made much more meaningful cards than I did.

Want to play along in the quote challenge? You have until Friday night to submit a card with a quote theme. All of the information can be found here.

Paula Best

2010-10-15T00:36:00.004-04:00

I hesitate to share this card I made because I think the stamp has been discontinued. However, this is the only thing I have made recently to share so...

I really like Paula Best's work. It is so quirky and unusual, not to mention fun to color. For my "catfish," I colored it with an assortment of copic markers and then layered it onto the Impression Obsession bubbles Cover-a-Card stamp.

Update...got a comment from Paula Best that all of her stamps are still available, so ignore my thoughts about the stamp being discontinued.

Impression Obsession Color Challenge

2010-10-07T00:01:00.005-04:00

I really love color challenges. The latest Impression Obsession challenge is to create a card featuring the following colors: Coffee, Nutmeg, and Pumpkin. Now, being the geek that I am, I wasn't really sure exactly what color "Nutmeg" is, so I had to do a Google image search. The results were mixed. Sometimes it looked more like cinnamon to me (medium reddish brown), and sometimes it was a light shade of brown. I decided to go with light brown.

Leigh Hannan designed a series of fall images for Impression Obsession featuring things such as cattails, acorns, and leaves. I fell in love with the Corn (E2102) image and found out that it is indeed possible for me to make a fall card without a pumpkin on it. Who knew?!

To make this card, I stamped the corn image onto cream paper using black Memento ink. I colored the leaves with two brown Copic markers (E31 Brick Beige and E53 Raw Silk). For the corn, I decided not to color each individual square because that would take FOREVER. Instead, I dabbed more of the two brown markers as well as YR16 Apricot, Y17 Golden Yellow, and YR31 Light Reddish Yellow all over the corn area until it was filled. Sometimes it is best not to stay within the lines! To finish the coloring, I used the three orange/yellow markers to color the leaves, added some chocolate Prismacolor pencil to the tiny circles on the stems, and shaded around the image with a Warm Grey Copic parker (W1). For the background, I stamped the Cover a Card Swatches image (CC023) onto cream cardstock using Colorbox Chalk Chestnut Roan ink and added a saying from the Count Your Blessings clear set (CL286). It has a nice assortment of sayings for the fall and Thanksgiving.

Need more inspiration? Check out what Daniela, Deborah, Dina, Jenny, Julie, Kathy, and Shirley have created.

Want to play along? You have until Friday 9pm EST to enter. All of the information can be found here, and you can even win a $25 Impression Obsession gift certificate!

Halloween Tassels

2010-10-03T23:36:00.006-04:00

Well, it is now October, so my Halloween stamping has kicked up a notch (to quote Emeril). For this card, I stamped the Halloween Tassels (H2381) by Impression Obsession onto white cardstock. I cut it out with a Labels 8 Nestability die and colored it with a combination of colored pencils and Copic markers. I edged the piece with Dusty Concord Distress Ink and then spritzed it with some Frost Shimmer Spritz for extra sparkle. I am sorry I didn't take an extra picture so that you could see the sparkle!

On an unrelated note, last weekend my mom and I visited Gettysburg for the first time. It was an amazing trip. My friend Marilynn suggested getting a private tour guide for the battlefield instead of taking the audio tour or joining a tour bus. She was so right! It was probably the best tour I have ever taken. We also had a chance to visit some farms and vineyards. I wanted to share a picture from the weekend featuring some of the gigantic pumpkins we saw. It really got me in the mood for autumn.

Inner Witch

2010-09-24T11:17:00.003-04:00

Today I wanted to post another card from my Leigh Hannan Halloween class. I used stamps by Impression Obsession called Spa Day (G2346) and Spider Web Paisley (D2251) for the outside and the saying "Inner Witch B5543" on the inside. Basically, the saying says "Embrace Your Inner Witch." I love it!

To make the card, I stamped the paisley repeatedly to create a background paper. I accented the webs with Stardust pens and black watercolor pencils to color the spiders. For the witch, I colored the cauldron with C5 and C7 Copic markers and the rest of the scene with watercolor pencils. Finally, I edged the witch with some Dusty Concord Distress Ink.

I hope everyone has a great weekend. I am spending the weekend with my mom, so I know I will have a wonderful weekend!

Love Leigh Hannan

2010-09-21T10:34:00.006-04:00

One of the best things about working with Impression Obsession is that I am given the chance to work with Leigh Hannan images. I love, love, love them! I have been on a Leigh Hannan kick right now preparing for my Leigh Hannan Halloween class tomorrow. The card above is one of the cards in the class. To be fair, only the pumpkin and saying (both from CL158 Halloween Party) are Leigh's. I added the Cover a Card Medallion (CC032) and Flourish 2 (H5575) because I thought they worked well with the focal image.

To make the card, I stamped the background in Versafine Smokey Grey ink and overstamped it with the Flourish using Black Versafine ink. For the top of the card, I stamped the pumpkin with Memento ink and colored it with Copic markers. Finally, I added a few clear rhinestones to the pumpkin for a little extra pizazz. Here is a close up of the pumpkin:

I was really pleased with the end result, so I am also going to submit it for the Craft Critique Halloween Blog Carnival which highlights all kind of crafty projects. If you are interested in playing along with them, you can find all of the info here.

Inchies and Fall

2010-09-15T23:59:00.003-04:00

The latest IO challenge is to use Inchie Squares as well as a fall theme. When I first heard about the Inchie Art squares, I wasn't sure about them. After all, I can cut my own squares. Then I used them. Wow! First of all, they aren't 1" cardstock squares. They are pre-cut artist quality matboard pieces. They take paint and inks really well and add a nice dimension to your projects. Plus, the truth is I can't cut uniform squares to save my life. Can you tell I fell in love with them?

For my card, I used stamps and sayings from the Tami Potter Autumn Seals set (CL108). Tami made a set for each of the seasons, and I find that I use the sets as the foundation of a lot of my seasonal cards. First, I stamped the wood grain Cover a Card (CC034) onto an Inchie Arts tan card using brown Versafine Ink. Next, I stamped the leaf image three times onto cream Inchie squares using Habaneo, Spanish Moss, and Crimson Red Versafine ink. Finally, I added the Keats quote circle and added a saying to the inside.

Need more inspiration? Check out what Daniela, Deborah, Dina, Jeanne, and Kathy created. Want to play along? Enter your own Inchie/Fall card on the IO blog by Saturday night, and you could win a $25 IO gift certificate. All the information can be found here.

My Own Bed

2010-09-08T21:46:00.004-04:00

I finished my cat/housesitting gig, so tonight I get to sleep in my own bed. Woohoo! Truth be told, the bed at the other house is nicer than mine, but there is just something to be said about your OWN bed!

The card above is one I made at the other house using the other person's craft supplies. Why is it that using someone else's stamps is so much fun? Humm... In any case, I used their Paula Best hat stamp and an old Hero Arts birthday image to make a card for my friend Angela. Of course, I had to add some extra bling to finish the card.

Well, off to enjoy my bed..

Beach Babes

2010-09-01T00:00:00.003-04:00

Well, it is another busy week of house/cat sitting and trying to coordinate between two homes. I keep forgetting to take the right things with me wherever I go. The good news is I finally remembered to take a jpeg with me so that I would have something to post.

A while back, I posted the Art Impressions Dancers. This time I thought I would post the Art Impression Beach Babes. They are so much fun to color! When I used my Copic markers with these ladies, I moved away from my normal "E" Copic colors and went towards "YR" colors. I thought the Yellow-Orange shades gave a more realistic Florida Snowbird skin color. To add some sunburn and blush to the ladies, I added a little of the R20 marker to the shoulders, cheeks, cleavage, and top of the legs.

To finish the card, I added some glossy accents and real sand. I can't decide if I went one step too far with the real sand. Should I have left well enough alone?

Just Rite Challenge

2010-08-26T00:13:00.002-04:00

I needed to get back to making cards just for fun, so I decided to play along with this week's Just Rite color challenge. I didn't want to make a fall card even though the three colors scream "autumn." Instead, I decided to make a coffee card.

One of the things I like about the Just Rite alphabets is that you can spell any saying you want. I decided to spell out "thanks a latte" with my letters and add a coffee cup from the coffee set. I drove myself a bit nuts looking for some real coffee beans to embellish the card, but I have no idea where I put them in my craft organization. I am sure they are around here somewhere! For the patterned paper, I used some of the Basic Grey Archaic line.

Simple Stamping

2010-08-19T00:33:00.004-04:00

The latest IO challenge is to create a "Simple Stamping" project. After I got out my supplies, I was able to make this card in under five minutes. I don't think it could get much more simple!

To make the card, I stamped a kraft notecard using the Cover a Card Woven (CC020) pattern and black VersaFine ink. Personally, the Woven pattern is one of my favorites for Halloween cards. I then stamped the new Pumpkin Trio (G7543) with the same black ink onto more kraft cardstock. I added a bit of orange and green watercolor pencil to the image and then softened everything with a waterbrush.

Need some more "simple stamping" ideas. Check out what Deborah, Dina, Jeanne, Jenny, and Kathy created.

Flower Soft/Impression Obsession Blog Hop

2010-08-11T02:12:00.001-04:00

Welcome everyone! Are you ready to play? The Impression Obsession and Flower Soft design teams have joined forces to create a fun blog hop. Not only are there lots of projects to inspire you, but there are prizes as well! Make sure you leave comments on each of the blog hop posts since four comments at random will be drawn to win one four $25 gift certificates (2 provided by Impression Obsession, and 2 provided by Flower Soft). Prize winners will be announced on the Impression Obsession blog and Flower Soft blog on Wednesday, August 18th. Good luck!

If you didn't start at the beginning of the hop, please go to the Flower Soft blog and start with the first post.

My Halloween card features an Impression Obsession Large Square Shaker (SHPO1) filled with an equal mix of Bright Orange and Black Flower Soft. The nice thing about Flower Soft is that you can mix any colors you like together to get the look you want. You can mix orange and black for Halloween, pink and red for Valentine's Day, an assortment of greens for St. Patrick's Day, etc...

To prevent the Flower Soft from sticking to my shaker, I wiped the paper and plastic shaker with a used dryer sheet to cut down on the static. I prefer a used dryer sheet because fresh ones then to scratch the plastic.

Underneath the shaker, I stamped the new Bat Silhouette (D204) using black Versafine ink and colored the moon with a yellow watercolor pencil and a Dove blender pen. To create the two patterns on the card, I stamped the Cover a Card Screen (CC049) with black Versafine ink and embossed the Cover a Card Swirls and Stars (CC054) with black embossing powder.

Here is a closeup of the card so you can see what Flower Soft looks like as a shaker card filler:

I hope you enjoyed my project! It is now time to hop to the next blog:

Kelli Richardson - I Made This Myself

If you want more inspiration after the hop, be sure to check out Flower Soft TV and the Impression Obsession blog. Both are loaded with great ideas and projects!

Another Video

2010-08-11T00:45:00.004-04:00

As I am sitting here getting my post ready for the IO/Flower Soft blog hop, I realized that I hadn't posted my latest video on this blog. I thought it best to link it before I forgot again! If you want to watch a larger version, you can see it directly on YouTube here.

Thinking of Mom

2010-08-10T13:03:00.002-04:00

I made a card with my mom in mind. It has a lot of elements in it that she likes such as books and coffee. It just so happens that they are things that I like too. I guess the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree. We both share a love of books and have a bit of a competition going on comparing where we are on library wait lists for certain books. I am still a bit bitter that she is on the list for the latest Margaret Maron, and my library doesn't even list it yet. Of course, I was able to read "Sizzling Sixteen" weeks before her, so I guess it all balances out in the end.

To make the book, I used some Nestability dies to cut an outer cover and pages for the book. For the pages, I cut up an old magazine and then nested all the pieces together to make it look more like a book. I wanted the saying I stamped to be visible, so I painted over the magazine pages with some Adirondack dauber paint. I dabbed enough paint to slightly mute the writing without covering it completely. When it dried, I added a saying on top with brown ink. The saying and coffee cup come from the same Art Impressions clear set. To finish the card, I added some patterned paper by Basic Grey.

I will be posting again tomorrow because Wednesday is the day of the Flower Soft and Impression Obsession blog hop. Be sure to check back again!

IO Challenge- Home Sweet Home

2010-08-05T00:58:00.003-04:00

Time for another Impression Obsession Challenge. This time the theme is "Home Sweet Home." I decided to make a card for someone who has a new home. I used the branch and chickadee stamp from the CL271 Home Sweet Nest clear set and the saying from the CL194 Little Birdie clear set. The nice thing about the little birdie set is that the "little birdie" round saying is separate from the sayings you can stamp inside. You could just as easily say "it's your birthday" or "you need a little cheering up."

To make the background, I made my design using Cover-A-Card Distressed Corduroy (CC047), Cover-A-Card Thick and Thin Stripes (CC008), and Cover-a-Card Greenery (CC018).

Want to see other "Home Sweet Home" ideas? Check out what Daniela, Deborah, Dina, Jeanne, Julie, and Kathy created. Want to play along and make a "home sweet home" card? You could win a $25 Impression Obsession gift certificate. All of the contest info can be found here. Good luck!

Moxie Fab Challenge Classy and Elegant

2010-08-02T22:21:00.003-04:00

After not posting frequently, I am posting my second card of the day. This card is for the Moxie Fab "Classy and Elegant" challenge. To make the card, I used images by Impression Obsession and lots of gold materials. I stamped the lines and saying with gold ink and the star with Egyptian Gold (sparkly) embossing powder. To finish the card, I added some rhinestones by Hero Arts.

Moxie Fab Challenge- Clean and Graphic

2010-08-02T22:04:00.004-04:00

How did it get to be August? I knew that the Moxie Fab style challenge ended in August, but that turns out to be TODAY. I guess I better post something if I want to play! The style challenge showed four different card styles and challenged you to make a card following a specific style. This card is for the clean and graphic challenge.

To make my card, I used a stamp and rhinestones from Memory Box, a glitter rub-on from EK Success, and Bazzill dot paper.

Impression Obsession Sneak Peek

2010-07-29T00:47:00.005-04:00

I always get so excited when Impression Obsession comes out with new images. I especially get excited when Leigh Hannan has new Halloween stamps. When I first saw the Jack O'Lantern hot air balloon, I knew I had to have it. I have actually seen a pumpkin hot air balloon at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, so the image is a bit nostalgic for me. Of course, that balloon doesn't have the cute face or candy corn flags.

To make the card, I stamped the balloon onto white cardstock using black Memento ink and colored it with Copic markers. I then masked the envelope and basket (sorry, I had to break out my hot air balloon terms..it is a New Mexico thing) and added some clouds behind using my Rosie's Road Show cloud template, a sponge, and some blue ink. To finish the card, I used my favorite new Cover-A-Card background...houndstooth.

The next card using stamps designed by Alesa Baker:

For this card, I stamped the wine bottle and ribbon images with Memento ink and colored them with Copic Markers. The wine tag was stamped with black Versafine ink and edged with several colors of Distress Inks. I layered everything onto my old Cover-a-Card favorite background...denim.

I hope you check out the Impression Obsession blog to see a listing of all the sneak peeks being posted this week. There is a lot of good stuff out there!

Life is a journey

2010-07-27T22:40:00.003-04:00

I know, I know, I'm a bad blogger. Somehow the days without blogging have just slipped by. The good news is that by working hard to make Impression Obsession samples for CHA, I have quite a few cards to show over the next few weeks. All this week, the IO designers are posting sneak peeks of the new images. I am scheduled for Thursday. If you want to see what the other designers have been up to, be sure to stop by the IO blog. Shirley has compiled links to all of the card previews. You can find all of that info here.

For those of you who shop at Angela's, we placed an order (or should I say I placed an order) for the new IO stuff before CHA even started. I don't know when it will arrive, but the order is HUGE. We are getting all of the new backgrounds as well as a ton of wood, cling, and clear stamps. I can't wait for it to arrive! I told Marilynn and Harriett they would have to find room for all of it. I hope they are still speaking to me.

For today's card, I used stamps from Art Impressions. I colored the cloud and car stamps with water-based markers and stamped them onto white cardstock. Because the markers were water-based, I was able to go over the lines with a waterbrush and spread the color to create a watercolor look. I really like the saying. Here is a close up if you can't read it in the picture above:

For those of you who were in my Memory Box Halloween class last night, thanks for the good time. When you broke out into a group singing of "Any Way You Want It," it really made my night. You guys are great!

I Did the Unthinkable

2010-07-14T23:01:00.006-04:00

What did I do? Not only did I make a card with glitter, but I designed a card for my upcoming Memory Box Halloween class using glitter. What was I thinking?! I am worried about the amount of glitter clean-up that might be involved and the number of days after the class that I will still be wearing glitter. Do you think people would mind if I asked them to step into a plastic glitter containment bubble when working with the sparkly stuff? Just a thought.

I have to admit though that the flourishes on my Halloween card looked much better with black glitter than black embossing powder. I think there is just something about Halloween that demands a little extra sparkle and flair. Here is a close up of the flourishes:

Speaking of classes, I finally updated my "upcoming classes" tab on the top of my blog. I am still working on the samples for the "Impression Obsession Background" and "Memory Box Christmas" classes, so there aren't links to those classes just yet.

Lots Going On

2010-07-06T06:55:00.003-04:00

Howdy! I can't believe it has been a week since my last post. I have been working really hard at coordinating a blog blitz over at the Outside the Box site. The members of the Memory Box Design Team are posting twice a day through Saturday, July 10th. If you haven't gone by the blog yet, you should check it out. There is a chance to win a prize with every post!

Today I am sharing a card I made for my assigned posting time (Tuesday, July 6th in the am). It is one of the projects I used in my new video. Yes, I made another video after a looooong break from making them. I was afraid I wouldn't remember how to use Windows Movie Maker anymore!

The video shows some tips and techniques for using Design Adhesives. In the card above, I added a cobweb Design Adhesive and sprinkled it with some glitter and purple Perfect Pearls. Here is a close up of the shimmer:

If you would like to see my new video, you can view it on the Outside the Box blog here. Have a great week everyone!

Orchids

2010-06-22T21:48:00.003-04:00

I changed my orchid stamp (Clear and Simple autumn sentiments set) a bit for this card. The original stamp has the stems ending at the top of the vase. I wanted to make it look like the vase had water in it, so I drew the stems longer to make them reach down farther into the vase. I used watercolor pencils to color the image and added some paper by Basic Grey (Wisteria line) to finish the card.

I also updated my Memory Box blog tonight with a card using Twinchies and Shimmer Spritz. That card can be found here.

As I drove home tonight, the neighborhood was lit up with fireflies. Nothing says summer more than fireflies. Unless of course you count the stifling heat we are having this week!

Baby Wipe Technique

2010-06-19T09:35:00.003-04:00

This is the first card I have ever made using the baby wipe technique. Basically, you take a baby wipe, fold it over a few times, and place it onto a paper plate. Then you add drops of various colors of dye reinkers, mist the baby wipe a little to blend the colors, and use the baby wipe as a stamp pad. The result is similar to using a rainbow ink pad, but the colors blend together better and it gives you a more watercolored look. Solid stamps work best for this technique, so I used one of the latest fern stamps by Impression Obsession.

Impression Obsession Red Challenge

2010-06-16T22:33:00.004-04:00

The latest Impression Obsession Challenge is all about the color red. I immediately knew that I wanted to use my current favorite background, Cover a Card Roses (CC043) for the challenge. After all, what conveys the color red better than roses? Well, except apples, strawberries, lips, fire engines, etc... :)

I stamped the Roses background onto medium red paper using black versafine ink and layered the Rose Full Bloom (D6217) and Rose Leaf Branch (F8199) on top. For the individual rose, I stamped it onto white cardstock with black Versafine and colored it with Prismacolor pencils (Tuscan Red, Crimson, and Pink). I stamped the rose leaves onto white cardstock with Adirondack Lettuce ink and cut out only two leaves from the stamped image. To finish the card, I edged pieces with black cardstock and added some Diamond Stickles to the rose.

Need more red inspiration? Check out the cards by Daniela, Deborah, Dina, Jeanne, Jenny, Julie, Kathy, and Rosemary.

Want to play along? All the information can be found here. You could win a $25 Impression Obsession gift certificate!

Diver

2010-06-15T10:59:00.002-04:00

I made this card for my brother's birthday because he has recently taken up deep sea diving. I am so proud of how well he has been doing with his new hobby. Of course, I knew he would be really good at it since he has always been very comfortable in the water and has always preferred swimming under the water to swimming on the surface.

I don't own any diving stamps, so I knew the person to ask was my friend Marilynn. She has an extensive and eclectic assortment of images that would make any stamper envious. Because she has been stamping for so long (I think she started in the 80's), she has stamps from companies I have never heard of. The diver on this card is by "Love you to Bits." Has anyone heard of that company? The coral is by Fred Mullett, and I couldn't figure out who makes the fish.

To make the card, I stamped the images onto acetate using black Staz on ink. I colored the images on the opposite side of the acetate with copic markers then covered the marker work with a white paint pen so that the colors would show up better on the acetate. I then layered the acetate onto blue paper to look like the ocean.

Watercolor Vellum

2010-06-13T16:03:00.002-04:00

Today I am posting a card that I made for one of the Splitcoast VSN challenges. The challenge was to color a stamp with water-based markers, spritz it with water, and stamp it onto vellum. I had done this technique before, but never on vellum. I was quite surprised at how well it worked! The one thing I changed from the challenge instructions was that I added Perfect Pearls to my water so that I misted the stamp with pearlized water. It gave my finished card a metallic sheen. The background stamp and flower are both by Impression Obsession, and the clear rhinestones are by Hero Arts.

On an unrelated note, I had the chance to go to the Wine Enthusiast Taste of the Town on Friday. It was held at the National Building Museum in DC. Who knew there was a National Building Museum?! In any case, it is gorgeous. Here is a picture from the event:

The surprise of the night? My friend Chrisi and I loved the pear/Parmesan cheese gelato from Penny Chocolates in Fairfax. Yes, that is right. Parmesan in gelato.

Difference of Opinion

2010-06-09T19:40:00.009-04:00

Posting cards online is a funny thing. Sometimes the cards you don't like as much get lots of comments and positive reviews. Then there are the cards you really like that hardly get noticed. The card above is one of those cards. During the Splitcoast Virtual Stamp Night, one of the challenges was to make a card inspired by the song "Singing in the Rain." I was quite pleased with my bird card, especially considering the challenge time constraint. Alas, people seemed to gravitate to the submissions featuring women holding umbrellas. My "Singing in the Rain" card received the least number of views of all my challenge cards.

So, which one of my cards got the most views and comments? One that really isn't my taste. What does it say when people like the cards you make that aren't your personal cup of tea? Humm...best not to think about that too much! Here is a picture:

The challenge was to make your own flower for a card. After panicking for half of the allotted challenge time, I made a flower out of tissue paper like the ones my mom taught me as a child. Did anyone else take Kleenex and fold it back and forth into a fan, tape the center, then fluff the edges to make a flower? The flower on the card above sits several inches off of the paper and is held together with tape and a prayer. I think all of those factors made me biased against it.

I have to say that blogging and sharing pictures is definitely an eye-opening experience, and it never is quite what you expect. Darn those viewers with differing opinions! :)

Moxie Fab Fabric Challenge

2010-06-07T22:01:00.003-04:00

The latest Moxie Fab challenge is to make a card using fabric. I don't have much experience working with fabric, so I knew my project would involve fabric and tape rather than sewing. I took some cream silk, stamped it with an Impression Obsession Cover a Card background and some black Versafine ink. I then taped the silk over a rectangular shaped chipboard piece that had batting on top of it. The end result was a really soft "pillow" for the card. Here is a side view:

To finish the card, I stamped the same background onto white paper using grey ink and added some ribbon, flowers, and pearls. After I finished the card, I realized that the softness of the card would be great for baby showers. Of course, I would switch to a different color palette!