A Fond Farewell

Several weeks ago Lynette McAsh broke the news that Sweet Pea Stamps would be closing, and as any of you who have followed me know that they are my favorite. They will be sorely missed, but I think that the amazing images will live on for a long time on the blogs and in the hearts of many. So the facebook fan group has organized a big "Farewell Blog Hop". If you following along, then you are on your 3rd stop, so I hope I don't disappoint!

I couldn't decide which of the 60 or so Sweet Pea images I own to share with you for this event, but I narrowed it down to a seasonal image and one that I just love to colour... The first is Katerina Koutiotis' "Hope for the Holidays",  I am pretty sure the 2nd one is Rachel Anderson though I don't know the name. Both of my images are coloured with Copics.

This first image utilizes a bunch of the Close to My Heart White Pines scraps that I had out on my workspace (yeah still working on Operation Use Some Scraps)

The 2nd card I have uses some old Prima Firefly paper, some Viva Pearl Pens, a few tulips I  found and a Heartfelt Creations build a flower that I dusted with "Wink of Stella" (which may be the greatest scrapbook creation this year). Obviously I wanted to throw  some glitter ritz on the gorgeous fairy to show things out in style.

I will miss Sweet Pea, and I have been loading up on digis the past few days, so I encourage you to do the same thing! Thanks for stopping by and enjoy your trip around the blog world, you are off to see Suzi next  http://suzannebakermckenzie.blogspot.com!!

Here is the complete Blog list!!

1, http://sweetpearubberstamps.blogspot.com  (You already did this)

2. Holley's Blog http://holleybarnhartsblog.blogspot.com (This too)

3. Colleen Dewis http://stressedisjustdessertsbackwards.blogspot.ca/ (you are here now silly)

4. Suzi Baker McKenzie http://suzannebakermckenzie.blogspot.com

5. Cindy van Oorschot http://cmvanoorschot.blogspot.ca

6. Vannessa Hasty http://www.saffiresstamping.blogspot.co.uk/

7. Barb Poole http://www.abarbcardblog.blogspot.ca/

8. Pat Martin http://patacakespages.blogspot.com

9. Debbie Ebat http://debbiesstampingadventures.blogspot.com

10. Olivia Rivera-Marmara http://www.ormcraftynights.blogspot.com

11. Winnie A Ludvigsen http://norwayscrapper.blogspot.no/

12. Tera Thelma Borer- Fujan http://www.stampqueen.blogspot.com

13. Susan Salyer http://lilyandthelotus.blogspot.com

14. Danni Bindel http://dannisdreamscrafts.blogspot.com/

15. Denise Pustelniak http://thruthelookingglass-glassgraffitix2.blogspot.com/

16. Samantha Aguilera http://designsbysammy.blogspot.com/

17. Angelique Engeldesignsscrap http://engeldesignsscrap.blogspot.nl/

18.  Sharon Rogers Http://sharonshowcase.blogspot.com

19. Ann Cutts http://craftworkblog.blogspot.co.uk/

20. Hilde Larsen http://tindaloo.blogspot.com

21.  Jane Bradshaw http://www.craftyanimal.blogspot.com

22.  Jennifer Scull http://justcoffeepleasestampsribbonspaper.blogspot.com/

23. Margaret Ashby http://www.granmargaret.blogspot.com.au/

24. Michele Storms Http://artfromthewell.blogspot.com

25.   Ria ZonneStraaltje http://dragonmagicscrapkaarten.blogspot.nl/

26. Margo Davis http://cardsbymargo.blogspot.com

26. Kathi Rerek http://kathstales.blogspot.com

28. Aletha Jane http://ajsdesigns.blogspot.com

29. Christina Gudgeon http://craftieangel.blogspot.com.au/

Prima 12 Days of Christmas

I was inspired to create this card for my sweet cousin's 40th birthday by the gorgeousness that is happening over at the 12 days of Christmas blog hop at Prima . Prima and SweetPea are my two biggest weaknesses.

So this uses a bunch of paper from the Finnabair collection. I was so inspired by this particular picture that I had to create. http://prima.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451cc5c69e2019b00f131d3970d-popup

I have been collecting copics over the past year and slowly, slowly getting better at them. I used a Kraftin Kimmie Stamp- Calla Lilly and I think the sentiment is Sweet Pea Stamps and it is a Mark Twain Quote "Sing like no one's listening
love like you've never been hurt
dance like nobody's watching
and love like its heaven on earth"

So there is lots of distressing, a fun little folded medallion (that only took 3 tries to get right... sigh) and lots of little ribbon sticking out everywhere.


Copics Used
E00 01 02
YR21 24 27
R11 r56 r59

Ok seriously. I will get better at posting regularly.... well maybe

The blahs are receeding

Well gang,

I alluded to my being blah and anxiety issues in my last post, but I am getting back on track. School is fixed-ish, we got through Christmas, there was some online stamp shopping... my copic collection grows. So I need to get back to crafting and sharing it with people. So I was inspired by the Sweet Pea One sweet Challenge (what a shock for you I know).

This image is ©Joanne Schempp's White Christmas and I was thrown for a slight loop in colouring because I really thought she had a belly button. I have since realized that is was just part of the dress and that maybe she should be more covered since it's snowing and all. Oh well, I still like how she is done. She is stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black, heat set then coloured with copics. The papers are Close to My Heart's Pear and Partridge, with the brads from last year's Christmas line. The poinsettias are from Prima. All of my favorite things!

The Good Always Wins

Well today had been a rough day, but I am powering through by focusing on the 2 good things that happened; first my package from Sweet Pea Stamps arrived (SQUEE as you all know), and THEN they announced a call for their design team!!! I know right? So if you are interested in being my competition, the call is on their blog. Just a warning, I spent the night fussy cutting the heck out of one of my new stamps to try to make something worthy of joining such an amazing group. So 2/3 submissions are ready.

Now it was pointed out to me that I promised to show you guys my star card a few weeks back. BAHAHAHA. Well let me tell you a story before I show you the picture. So I have see this card a few times, and I found a template and was all like "I can totally do that". Then my printer decided it hated life and I thought "well self, you are pretty darn good at math, you can make a triangle and some folds". Turns out not so much. So coincidentally this attempt uses a  Sweet Pea Stamp... and it is another little dragon man. This one is Lisa Victoria's Dragon Luck... this little fellow wasn't that lucky to end up on this card!! But I like the colouring with the copics so that is a little win. So I know it isn't horrible but the engineer in me can't deal with the non-meeting lines and things. 

Closed

Open (You can see my twitching here!)

Anyway. There will be more tomorrow... school still isn't fixed. But that's ok, I have new stamps!!

So Much BIG news today.

Ok well let me try this again. There is so much great big news today!

To start with (yes I am a few days late) the fabulous ladies at Sweet Pea stamps featured some of my creations on their blog the other day. Click on their name to check out my work.

To end with, I have been chosen as one of the blogs featured on Stop and Scrap.com's countdown to Christmas Blog Hop. That means that 3 fabulous people will win one of a $25 or 2 $10 shopping sprees on their fabulous store website. If you haven't been there you absolutely have to check it out, they have EVERYTHING paper craft related that you can imagine.  We will be having a Christmas card contest on my day, and all you will have to do is post up a link and follow my site. Easy Peasy! When I know, you will know.

Happy Crafting and you may even get another post from me tonight, I have some layouts to show.

Sweet Pea Next Card Designer Challenge

Well if you have been following, you are aware of my recent addiction. I have finally gotten my new ones mounted and I got one all chalked up for this contest. I was really inspired by the soft lines and the floating bits, I could just imagine them glittering down around them. So glitter it is!!

I created the card base using CTMH paper, and covered it with some sookwang tape and transparent Glitter Ritz.

I used soft chalks on the image and set it with a little bit of Glimmer Mist. I mounted this on this super fantastic velvet paper that my LSS just got in. The large butterfly is also cut out of this. You have to get some, it feels great and cuts like butter. I cut 2, and mounted one on CTMH's new Roxie paper, and the other one is flat on the background. The top one is only attached in the center, and it gives a great 3D effect. The small butterflies are CTMH, as are the jems and pearls used.

The rosettes were cut using a sizzix die and rolled and shaped by hand. The leaves are done using a cuttlebug die.

Everything is attached using Glossy Accents as the Glitter Ritz can be termpermental with adhesives.

Sorry about the icky picture, there was some stickles that wasn't dry so the scanner wasn't an option. I will rescan when it finishes drying. Long day curling, didn't get to finish it until now. I love all the other cards I have seen though, Sweet Peas you are going to have a tough choice. Come back soon, I have an amazing technique I just learned from a friend with alcohol inks and a lighter that will be up soon.

OMG Featured Artist!!!

Hey so I am super excited to be back. I will have some stuff over the weekend I hope. But big news, and I almost missed it.... I was featured on the Sweet Pea Stamps Blog yesterday. You can guess my level of excitement right now. I hope you like my work!!

Hrmmm

Well hello all.

So I am back at school, and I am exhausted. This trying to keep a normal schedule is really hard on me... my brain likes to stay up late.

I was hoping to get these card in in time to be featured on Sweat Pea Stamps Blog last week, but I didn't. So I will show you a few of them.

This first one is one that you will see that I used last time, but done up differently. I am really happy with how the shading turned out, it is a little challenging when using a waterbrush. The secret is that instead of colouring and blending, use the brush directly on the pencil lead. This gives you a deeper colour and you can then blend it out as you wish. It is important to note that doing this will soften the pencil lead, so either give it some time to dry or press very lightly to start when you colour with it again.

The background paper was made by blending alcohol inks. The ribbon is discontinued Close to my Heart, the white flower is CTMH, and the others are Prima marketing. The pearls are CTMH

Ching Chou Kuik's Silk Dance

I love this card. It is made with CTMH's fall line from last year, Olivia. I will be completely honest and say that I think this is the first time I have ever actually used the My Stickease stickers... The bling on the left is from Prima Marketing. Don't you love the metal leaves?

Ching Chou Kuik's Autumn Harvest

Quick Cards with Fabu Stamps

Hi All,

I went back to school today... so I am not firing on all cylinders right now, so this may be cornier than normal, in case the title didn't give it away.

So my latest addiction is most definately my amazing new stamps from Sweet Pea Stamps. I can't wait to be able to order more. I have two cards to show you, but I am way to lazy to figure out what plate and the names of the stamps. They are unmounted red rubber so they don't have anything written on them. I really love the inspiration that you can get from the painted illustrations that are the displays.

Both cards were made using random papers that I found out of my pile so my apologies for that... it is all super old so odds are you wouldn't be able to find it anyway! I do however know that the flowers for both are from Prima, the lace strip is from Hero Arts and the first card has some Glimmer mist on it. I coloured both images using watercolour pencils and a waterbrush which for some reason they look really gross in these pictures and I don't know why. The first card is very well bright. It is for my cousin who is turning 2 in a few weeks. I wanted to make lots of layers and textures to appeal to her.


(Chingchou Kuik's Kimono Butterfly Mermaid)

I really like this second card. I was trying to get away from my typical super girly colours. I think it turned out really well, she is sexy. The background paper has embossed sections and makes me happy. If you look really closely there is a strip of pearls down the black divide on the left.


(Ching Chou Kuik's Silk Dance)

Go check out Sweet Pea, and buy one for you and one for me! Nap time for Colleen!