Gallery Idol, round 2.

FOR GALLERY IDOL CONTEST VOTING, CLICK *HERE*

eeeeeeeeeek!

Words cannot even express how thrilled and honored I am to be participating in the Gallery Idol competition.  After the initial "heart attack moment," when I realized that I made it to the 2nd round, I got started playing around with the idea that struck me within the first 10 minutes of reading this week's theme.

The theme is "you color my world."

Sofia (my 7 year old daughter) immediately suggested a smiley-faced rainbow.  I also had flashes of crayons spelling out different words, die-cuts with rainbow colors peeking through the negative spaces - but yo - this is GALLERY IDOL.  I had to bring it... my style. *grins*

Here is my very own "girl on fire":

I remember seeing a breathtaking poster with a black silhouette-d lady, where her hair flowed upwards in swirls and flowers... I really wish pinterest had been around at the time!  Since our theme was COLOR, I kept the silhouette, the background script, and the ink splotches all very monochrome and let the colors sing and fly upwards on the card.  This lady is in l-o-v-e (and probably walking around humming "you make me feel like a natural woman" to herself, hee hee.)

Wanna know which stamps I used and how I created my little lady?

I first stamped my silhouette in SU's crumb cake ink.  See the cameo stamp? (from Paper Smooches' "pretty momma" set) - I inked her up, then gently wiped off the frame around and the back part of her head.  Too bad, so sad, lady - it all had to go *wink*

I then mapped out where I'd like the hair to start and how I wanted everything to flow using a pencil (making sure that her flourish-y hair started at her bangs, so she didn't look like a bald-on-top woman with hair only coming out the back - don't ask me how I'm able to give you this important tip):

Next, I added flourishes (from PTI's "fancy flourishes" set) in a rainbow of colors - red, yellow, orange, green, and blue!

uh, she didn't make the end cut... I gave her quite the poof on the bottom, didn't I?

For a final touch, a little bling-y butterfly (from SU's "elementary elegance" set - which I found to PERFECTLY coordinate with the smallest butterfly from the "beautiful wings" embosslit - did you SU demos already know that?  hee.  You probably already did.)

I really, really hope that you like my project... and if you did, I would be forever grateful if you would go vote for me!

Click *here* to visit the top 20's gallery and cast your very important vote!  I will also have a voting widget on my blog's sidebar that will stay up for as long as I'm in the competition - use it! haha.

Have a fantastic day, all, and thanks for coming by!

PTI anniversary sketch challenge, take 2.

*** for a chance at a gift certificate, click here ***

I couldn't help sneaking in one more card for today... the sketch (above) is so dainty and sweet, it begged for some frilly girlishness...

I started out with a berry sorbet card base (and by the way, this was my first order EVAH for PTI colored cardstock - love them, and would order more if it wasn't so costly for International orders!), and adhered a mat of "dearest jane" patterned paper.  The fancy flourishes were cut out of spring moss paper and stamped with versamark ink.  The new oval dies created the perfect backdrop for a subtle sihouette (from "simply jane".)  I brought in a lighter pink with the flowers (using an old SU! punch) and prettied them up with pearl centers.

Thanks for looking!

PTI anniversary, day 4: color challenge.

If you are looking for my giveaway post, click *here* - there's still time to join in the fun for a chance at a great gift-certificate!

I chose to work with Lisa's favorite color scheme:

The first thing that popped into my head was to create something floral.  The color palette just screams blue sky, green grass, and red blooms, doesn't it?  But I can't seem to get out of my "love" rut :)  The hubs better watch out: I'm gonna have to start hiding these cards in his sock drawer or something...

I stamped the fancy flourish in spring moss, created a bitty aqua mist envelope, punched out some "pure poppy" glittery hearts, and mounted it all onto a kraft base.

I created the little envie in a flash:  just grabbed a 1 3/8 inch square punch and scored around the edges.  Fold everything in and you have the perfect tiny envelope.  Good things come in little packages, right? (that's my motto, since I measure a measly 5 feet in real life... lol.)

Hugs to all my new followers!  I look forward to getting to know you better, and thanks for helping me start off my 2nd year of blogging with a bang :)

MIM #51 + "things my kids said" thursdays.

I so love this look.

If you're on Pinterest, you've seen graphic art with these folded banners, right?  And, now the tutorial on how to rock it, paper-style.  Thank you, Nichole Heady.

I used a few stamp sets: fancy flourishes, grunge me, rosie posie (but look!  a different flower from that set!), love lives here (sentiment), background basics: woodgrain (back of sentiment banner), and text-style II (for the vertical strip on the left side of the card).  Whew!

The ink colors are a little less numerous, but only slightly: memento brown, antique linen distress ink, fresh snow, aqua mist, spring moss, and autumn rose.

I'm telling you, my "craft table" (those are sarcastic quotation marks because I work on a tiny corner of our computer desk) was FULL.  As in, I might have knocked a few ink pads to the floor and felt terribly claustrophobic while creating this card.

I started out by stamping my flourishes, and then adding the flowers, and going back in with the ink splots wherever my eye decided they should go.

I liked the idea of the stamping being concentrated near the bottom of the card, and the banner coming up out of it.  The only thing I wish I could undo is the stitching near the top.  You know when something seems like a good idea, and your sewing machine is right there, and you go for it, and then there's no way to undo it, and you're not so sure about anything anymore?  exactly.

In other news, my card-making blog needs a little je-ne-sais-quoi that has nothing to do with card-making.  I was thinking of starting a "things-my-kids-said" thursdays" (less catchy than "wordless wednesdays" or "five for fridays," I know, but bear with me).  Here's my gem of the week:

You know you're due for another vacation when your 4 year old son holds a burnt-out bulb to his ear and yells "hey mom! I can hear the beach in there!"

Hee hee!  Anyone else have "things-my-kids-said" to share?

Thanks, in advance, for the giggles.  (or nice comments about my card.  either way.)

MIM - reverse masking

I love this week's technique!  Masking, and reverse masking are the most fun and versatile techniques, in my humble crafty opinion.  Here, I used reverse masking to create those soft, billowy clouds.  I die-cut the clouds onto a post-it note, and used the negative space to sponge in bashful blue ink, as well as SU's "A to Z" stamp.

I know a slew of mommies-to-be expecting little boys - I'm a-thinkin' this card will serve me well in the next few months :)

Thanks for looking!

PTI blog hop: embroidery floss!

2 days ago, I was trying out different ideas, hoping one of them would translate into a ballerina invite or favor for Sofia's upcoming party.  No luck there (she informed me the color scheme wasn't to her liking - pink and hot pink are apparently the way to go), but then I remembered that it was almost blog hop time!  And lucky me, the piece used embroidery floss :)  The challenge this month is to be creative with floss - I don't know how creative this is (it's straight-up stitching), but at least I can join in the fun.  I actually love this card.  Maybe because I'm getting into the girly-ballerina-thing that Sofia's so excited about, but adding tutus to anything is fun times.  And I know it's an old trick, but it was the first time I used my copics to color the clear rhinestones - how about that?  Instant project match!  Love it.

Hope you enjoyed my creation!  Can't wait to have a quiet tea and check out the other projects :)

stamps: sew suite (SU), fancy flourishes, signature greetings (PTI)
dies: edgers #1, eyelet border (PTI)
papers:  basic grey, whisper white, blushing bride (SU)
misc: clear rhinestones, grey felt, pink tulle, copics