Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Cowboy Boots in 3-D


I had promised you that I'd share another Imagine That! - Digies by Kris boot card with you, but sadly work schedule, various doctor's appointments and Easter took up my time, so I'm a little later than planned with this share. At any rate, can we just go with the "better late than never" philosophy? This image is Cowboy Boots and Cacti, and I've done something a little different with it. My BFF is on a different design team where all the cards are 3-D decoupage. Enjoying her beautiful work, I thought this little image would be a fun one done using that technique. Since you can't really see the 3-D effect as well from a front view photo, here is another one from the side:


The image has been printed off three times. The first image is on the die cut base piece. The second layer is the entire image cut out and adhered atop the flat layer. The third layer is just the boots and the three largest flowers cut out and adhered atop their corresponding parts on the second layer. Pretty neat, eh?

I've done the 3-D technique with silicon glue for the layering, but not having any, I used foam pop-dots. I have kept the foam towards the middle of the images so that they do not show as much from the side. 

My card is black, and I've simply layered some red bandana looking paper (which I've only had for about 10 years) to the black card. I've done a gate fold, and I used a Spellbinder labels die to cut out my base image. I used black ink and inked around the die cut before adhering it. The cut out is adhered on the one side only so that the card will open. I've used small red and black brads in each of the corners, The sentiment is a stamp, and once again, I used a Spellbinder die (oval) to cut it out. I also inked around the oval using the black ink.

I hope you like the card. It is perfect for a male birthday. Stop by the Imagine That store and browse through the wonderful images there. Kris has so many adorable digital stamps (and fantastic prices).

Have a great week. See ya'll (said in my best Southern drawl) later -- or maybe I should be saying, "See ya, pardner!"

P.S. I almost forgot to mention that you might want to start following the Imagine That blog because we have a brand new feature called "Throw Back Thursday." Each Thursday, Kris will be giving away a free digi image from some of her older collections. In fact, this week she has added another freebie because we have reach 200 likes on the Facebook page. Everyone loves freebies, so become a follower and check the blog every Thursday to see what Kris has in store for you. The free image will only stay up for about 24 hours, and you won't be able to download them after the time frame has expired. So, don't miss out. Start following the blog today!

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

My Friend


This week's sketch is a fun one and great for those single layer (or minimal layer) cards.  Clean and simple works well or you can really go all out. It was created by our DT sista' Jessi Fogan. This week's sponsor is a new one for TMS.  We have Dies R Us in the house!!  This is a great little shop with a whole lot of variety available for all your die cutting needs.


You have the chance to win a $15 gift voucher!
Here's the fun sketch Jessi created for us:


I have used a Mo Manning image for my card this week. It is colored with Copic markers. My card base is white with a layer of solid yellow. I then cut my fishtail pieces from matching paper from the pad. The background circle is cut with the Spellbinder Picot Edge Circle. The image was cut using the Spellbinder regular circle die. The sentiment is a little clear stamp by Studio G, 

Stop by the Tuesday Morning Sketches blog and have a look at the beautiful inspiration cards the DT have provided for you. Then join us in this weeks challenge (simply use our sketch). We always enjoy visiting our entries -- such wonderful creativity out there in cyberland! 

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Blue Birds of Happiness


Good Morning!  Thank you for joining me today for another great sketch and fantastic sponsor for Tuesday Morning Sketches!  This week we're joined by Sami Stamps.  

You can find Sami Stamps store HERE and her blog HERE.  The prize is a voucher for $12 which would equate to 3 digis of the winner's choice.  Let's get started!
Here's the sketch we're playing with....


This sketch is a lot more versatile than it may appear. You will want to stop by the Tuesday Morning Sketches blog and see the different ways our DT have interpreted this little gem. You will be totally surprised and wowed by the wonderful samples the DT have prepared for you.

I colored my "Two Birds" image with my Copic markers and then cut it out using a Spellbinder heart die. My card base is blue card, and my patterned paper is a piece of blue and white gingham that I actually pulled out of my scrap bag. I hand cut my fishtail banner piece from a scrap of the blue card , and matted it with a piece of white. I cut the decorative border piece using a Cheery Lynn border die. The little blue flower is from Petaloo, and the small white roses are from Wild Orchid Crafts. I punched the green leaves with a Martha Stewart punch. I typed and printed the sentiment with my computer, cut it and then matted it with the blue. The blue and white color scheme makes for a very happy spring card. I was quite happy with the results. What do you think?

We would love to have you join our challenge this week. The $12 voucher is a wonderful prize as Sami has beautiful images. If you are our lucky winner, your only problem will be trying to decide which images to purchase with your voucher! 

Friday, April 11, 2014

This Little Piggy


I have another card for you today using one of the little "wellie" images from Imagine That - Digies by Kris. As I mentioned last week, Kris has a whole series of these adorable wellies using different themes from Ladybugs to Cowboy Cacti. This time I've used the "Piggies/Tulips" image. (You can find it in the webstore by clicking on the image name above.)

I normally color my images rather than using the pre-colored ones offered by Kris in each set; however, after printing off the line image, I realized that there aren't a lot of colors associated with piglets, so I would probably use pink myself. Humph! Why recreate the wheel? Kris' colored image is already beautiful, so I went ahead and used it instead.

I cut my printed image into an oval and inked around the edge. I cut the pink mat and inked around the edges of the mat. My card base is a white card. I've layered it with the butterfly patterned paper which I maded with lavendar. I then cut a strip of lavendar and punched one side of it with a Martha Stewart scalloped punch. I added a lenth of lavendar ribbon on top of the lavendar strip. After layering all my pieces together and adhering them, I decided to keep the card rather clean and simple, so the only other things I added were the sentiment and the corner piece (Cheey Lynn corner die). The sentiment piece looks rather bright in the above photo, but it actually perfectly matches some of the butterflies in the background paper (you can see one just above the sentiment).

The Piggies/Tulip set also comes with a plain lined wellie with the tulips and a polka-dot wellie with tulips, so it gives you three different options for making wonderful spring cards. (Note that the plain wellie and the polka dot wellie are not pre-colored.) It also comes with five different sentiments for you to use. Do take a minute and stop by the webstore to see all seven boot sets. They are all just wonderful!

I'll be back (hopefully) next week with a new card using yet another image in the series. Not going to tell you which one, though. You'll just have to stop by next Friday to see.

Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Tuesday with a TWIST


Happy Tuesdday, ya'll. It is time for another great Tuesday Morning sketch, but this is also our TWIST time. That means that in order to qualify for our weekly prize, you must follow the sketch AND add the twist. First, let's look at this week's great sketch --


We all know that the month of April is known for its frequent rain showers (remember, April showers bring May flowers), so in keeping with that thought, we'd like your card to have something to do with rain.

If you need some inspiration for this little theme,  please visit the Tuesday Morning Sketches blog and have a look at the DT cards. They are really super this week!

My image is from Imagine That - Digies by Kris. Isn't she a cutie? I've colored her with my Copic markers and paper pieced the umbrella. I turned our sketch side ways, and have used papers from a 6 x 6" paper pad. I punched my squares using a Creative Memories punch so they would be consistent, and I've matted them with blue card using my Perfect Layers ruler to make the mats consistent. The butterfly is a Martha Stewart punch.

Alright friends, it's your turn.  Remember if want to be considered for the prize, you must use both the sketch and the twist.  This doesn't, however, apply to Top 5.

Have fun!

Friday, April 4, 2014

Get Wellie Soon


If you haven't stopped by Image That - Digies by Kris lately, you MUST go by and see the adorable release for this month! It is just too, too cute. Kris has released a whole line of adorable boots (Wellies, as they are called in the UK). If you have participated in our progressive challenge, then you've seen the Ladybug boots, but Kris didn't just stop there. She also created pigs and frogs and dragonfly and western and -- well, you'll just have to go to the shop and have a look!

So, after telling you all about the cute images, you are probably asking why my boots are just "plain Janes." Well, the wonderful thing about Kris' sets is that she offers you options. With each character set, you also get a non-character image. Now, before you get your panties in a wad, I promise that I have used the characters and will be showing them to you later, but I wanted to start with this little lovely to show you a fun way to use it. Firstly, I printed the image onto X-Press It brand card and colored parts of it with my Copic markers. Secondly, I printed the image a again onto the dotty paper and paper pieced the top portion of the boot. I really liked that patterned paper and actually wouldn't mind having a pair of Wellies just like that for myself!

My card base is a 5.5" green square. I layered the dotty paper onto white matting and adhered it to the green. I then punched a strip out of the white using a Martha Stewart border punch. I cut the image out using a Spellbinder oval die and matted it to a Spellbinder scalloped oval. I added the flowers (various) and then the sentiment (matted on green).

The kit for this boot is the Ladybug kit. As I said, Kris offers you options, and this particular image didn't not have the ladybug heads on the toe. The kit also comes with sentiments (Get Wellie Soon, Thanks A Bunch, Happy Birthday Little Lady -- plus more). I've said it before, but I'll probably repeat myself often, I am just highly impressed with the total value of Kris' sets. You really get so much for so little, and they are all a delight!

Have a great weekend. I hope it will be a crafty one for you.

Tuesday, April 1, 2014

It's Tuesday; I Apologize!


OK, this was definitely an oopsy day. I actually forgot that it is Tueday and am extremely tardy getting my Tuesday Morning Sketches card and sketch posted. Let me share the sketch with you first, and then I'll talk about my card. Here is this week's sketch:


Pretty neat sketch, eh? It will work well with any type card and style. We also have a new sponsor this week called Sunflowerfield. It is a small (relatively new) company that not only offers their own digital stamps and designs, but also those of several other designers. In their webstore you will find quality ink pads, designer paper packs, different embellishments (brads, gems, pearls, charms...); wooden elements like: hearts, stars, flowers... then satin flowers, paper roses, laces, ribbons, acrylic blocks and more.  They ship internationally with low postage costs and a regular 24% VAT discount for all countries outside EU.

My little card was made using a rubber stamp image. It makes a sweet Easter card, but also would work quite well as a friendship card. I've colored the image with Copic markers. My white card base has been topped with green paper which was matted with pink card. The image was cut using the Spellbinder oval die and the mat from the Spellbinder scalloped oval die. The fish-tail banner was hand cut, as was the computer generated sentiment. The two corner die pieces were cut using a Cheery Lynn die. The pearls are by Recollections.

Would love for you to stop by the Tuesday Morning Sketches blog and have a look at the cards the other DT members have made. Would love it even more if you would join us this week in the challenge. We always enjoy seeing what our friends and followers make using our sketches.