Stamping, Painting, & Coloring make me Giggle

Holiday Mini Cards

Starting early (well, maybe I'm late...) with some mini cards for the Holidays. From one of Dee's latest sets at Sunday International, I created some very colorful, cute cards for teachers, neighbors, the postal carrier, etc.... Or, you could attach them to a gift - perhaps with matching gift paper!  Sounds like a project for another day!

1. All three cards were basically made the same way – direct marker to stamp coloring.  
2. On Santa card used Brilliance ink for snow (it goes all the way across on the inside. Stamped his hat on sticker paper so it could fit perfectly on his head. Added Stickles to his hat.
3. For ornaments card stamped snow image onto sticker paper and used a circle punch to cut out little bulbs. Added glitter pen to the word WISHES and to make random dots on the front of the card.
4. For the mittens card stamped large snowflakes with Brilliance ink and extended the boarder on each end.
5. Stamped a matching envelop for each one.

Stamps: Best of Dee Mini-Binder Stamp Set - Let It Snow ATC
Paper: Mini Fold over Vertical cards & mini envelops, Crack N' Peel Glossy Sticker Paper
Inks:  Brilliance pearlescent sky blue
Accessories: Stickles Star Dust, Sakura glitter pen green, Marvy Brush Markers 41, 109, 114, 123, 127, 128, Stampin' Up! 1 1/4" circle punch

Take care and STAY POSITIVE!

Trena

HAPPY halloween

I dig this little skeleton! What's cool about him is that you can make his arms and legs do anything you want.  Here, he is waving with his hand and with his foot. :o)

1. Inked up cute skeleton image with white craft ink and stamped on black card stock.
2. Sprinkled with winter white emboss powder and heat set.
3. Inked up mummy image with black ink and stamped on white card stock.
4. Cut out images. Decided how I wanted skeleton and cut his his arm and leg at the joints (oh! that's sounds awful...he didn't feel it!). Ran all the bones through sticker machine.
5. Cut designer paper 1/8" smaller than front flap of vertical base card and adhered to card.
6. Inked up HAPPY halloween image with white craft ink and stamped right side of vertical base card.
7. Sprinkled with seafoam embossing powder and heat set.
8. Added a little color to the mummy - to give him a little aged look, and adhered him to the inside of the card.  Added Crystal Lacquer to his eyes.
9. Adhere skeleton on the front .... waving HAPPY halloween.
   

Stamps: Dee Gruenig Halloween Mini Binder Set
Paper:  Vertical Inspiration Foldover Card black, Stampin' Up! whisper white, basic black, Reminisce designer paper
Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black ink, Stampin' Up! craft white
Accessories: Stampin' Up! winter white emboss powder, Seafoam White embossing powder, Marvy Brush Markers 12, 37, Crystal Lacquer, Xyron sticker machine

Take care and STAY POSITIVE!

Trena

An Outdoor Scene Dee Style

Another scene card today, "Dee style."   I used Dee's stamp-a-scene set to create this little outdoor scene. There's two ways to create a scene like this - with masking or using sticker paper. I chose sticker paper. That way I can move my images around several times until I know where I want placement.

1. Color images with markers, blending colors right on the image, and stamp on sticker paper. For the mountains, use shades of gold. To get the gradation in color,  position the ink pad with the lightest shade of gold a little past the center of the image. Ink up one side several times. Turn the ink pad 180 degrees and ink up the other side.  
2. To fill in the void areas around the images, stipple the matching color using the blending blox.
3. Cut out images. Use a craft knife for the tight places in between the trees. Decide on placement.
4. Stamp the clouds in the sky using the shades of blue. Stipple shades of blue around them.
5. Stipple shades of olive all around the area for the grass. Stipple shades of blue and turquoise in the river area.
6. Remove the backing of the images and adhere to card, starting with the items in the background first.
7. Use white ball pen to add some snow to the tops of the mountains. Use a thin marker to add some squiggly lines in the water to show movement.
8. Adhere the white layer with scene onto green, and the green onto the white base card.

Stamps: Dee Gruenig Stamp-A-Scene

Paper: Crack N' Peel Glossy Sticker Paper, Stampin' Up! garden green, whisper white
Inks: Marvy Blending Blox shades of olive, shades of gold, shades of blue, shades of turquoise

Accessories: Marvy LePlume II markers  10, 12  Marvy Brush Art Markers 109, 111, 127, 128, Sailor White rolling ball pen, craft knife, stipple brushes

Take care and STAY POSITIVE!

Trena

Happy Birthday Dino!

Have you seen Dee's new Dinosour set?! The images are so cute!!  I created this child's (could also work for some adults) birthday card really quick.This is a standard A2 size card, with each layer 1/8" smaller. The caramel ground is 1 1/4" tall.

1. Color bottom of tree image with markers and use shades of olive to color the leaves. To get the

   

   darker leaves on the outside and lighter leaves on inside, position the ink pad with the lightest shade of green a little past the center of the image. Ink up one side several times. Turn the ink pad 180 degrees and ink up the other side of the tree leaves.  Stamp on glossy sticker paper. Use shades of gray to color rocks, and shades of purple to color the dinosaur, using the 180 degree turn as necessary.

   

   Cut images out. Set aside.
2. Color small hill image from Stamp-a-Scene set with brown maker and stamp several times across caramel card stock. Color and stamp across again.
3. Layout the scene the way you want and adhere. So easy!
4. Adhere a white piece of card stock to the inside of the base card for the message and use direct color to image with markers and and stamp the bones on the inside of the card. Use shades of purple for the little dinosaur and sentiment.

Stamps: Dee Gruenig Dino Set *NEW, Dee Gruenig Stamp-A-Scene
Paper: Crack N' Peel Glossy Sticker Paper, Stampin' Up! brocade blue, creamy caramel, lovely lilac, whisper white
Inks: Marvy Blending Blox shades of olive, shades of purple, shades of gray

Accessories: Marvy LePlume II markers  1, Marvy Brush Art Markers 12, 15, 21, 30, 41, 60, 111, 118

Take care and STAY POSITIVE!

Trena

Shimmer & Bleach

The Sunday International Design Team is creating cards/projects this month using the bleaching technique. My card was inspired by stampsuzz's card on splitcoast. I really like the combination of red/yellow and orange/yellow.

1. I used Tim Holz recipe to create my glimmer mist.

   

2. Using a piece of 8 1/2 by 5 1/2" yellow card stock, spray with yellow glimmer randomly. Repeat with orange glimmer. Heat set. Move heat gun quickly over areas so it does not burn.
3. Create an "ink pad" with pad felt and bleach. Be sure to work in a well ventilated area.
4. "Ink up" image with bleach and stamp over glimmer. Stamp across card stock, "re-inking" each time. Allow to dry. The bleach pulls the color away and leaves a nice silhouette image.  Because of the the detail in Dee's solid stamp designs, her images are really nice for this technique.
5. Pick out the shimmer & bleach section you like best. Cut to the size of 4 x 5 1/4". Use corner

   

   punch on each corner. 
6. Punch three butterflies out of remaining cards stock. Add dots of Liquid Pearl to center of butterflies and allow to dry.
7. Adhere front layer on to black base. Add a dot of Liquid Pearl to each corner and allow to dry.
8. On two of the butterflies, add adhesive in the center of the body to allow the wings to be bent up. Adhere to front of card. Ink up sentiment image in black and stamp on front.
9. Add white card stock to the inside of the base card for the message. Adhere the third butterfly to the inside. Cut a strip of simmer card stock to add to the inside also.

Stamps: Dee Gruenig Mini Binder Set - ATC Words, Dee Gruenig Japanese Set

Paper:  Stampin' Up! yoyo yellow, whisper white, basic black
Inks:  Memento Tuxedo Black ink, Stampin' Up! yoyo yellow & only orange re-inkers
Accessories: Perfect Pearls, Martha Stewart butterfly punch, Stampin' Up! corner punch, mini misters, cut-n-dry stamp pad felt, household bleach, Liquid Pearls lemon yellow, heat tool, shallow plastic container

Take care and STAY POSITIVE!

Trena

Tea Pot Thank You

Here's another card from one of Dee's latest releases at Sunday International.  I keep thinking of ideas! There's so many stamps in the set. I still have not used every one. :o)

1. Ink up bamboo tree image with gold and stamp randomly on A2 size black card stock – layer 1.
2. Ink up tea pot image with VersaMark watermark ink then red ink and stamp on white card stock.  Clean stamp.
3. Ink up tea pot image with gold ink and stamp on white card stock. Clean stamp.
4. Ink up tea pot image with VersaFine black ink and stamp on white card stock. Sprinkle all three images with clear embossing powder and heat set.
5. Use smaller circle punch to cut out each tea pot image.  Use larger circle punch to cut out one circle of each - red, black, and gold. Adhere each tea pot circle to its corresponding colored layer circle.
6. Ink up Arigato word image in gold and stamp on black card stock. Sprinkle with gold embossing powder and heat set.   Cut around word.
7. Cut a piece of white card stock 1 1/3” x 5 ½” and adhere to layer 1 – Keep in mind this will be a landscape positioned card – the white strip will go across the top.
8. Cut ¼ inch off side and bottom of the layer 1 piece of card stock.
9. Adhere the tea pots across the white strip – this will be the front layer of the card.
10. Adhere front layer to black card base.
11. Add white card stock to inside of card and stamp bamboo and tea pot images.
12. Close card and run gold pen along outside of the front of the of card, using the edge as guide.
13. After it dries, open card and run gold pen around entire card.           

Stamps: Best of Dee Gruenig Japanese ATC , Arigato Word
Paper: Stampin' Up! whisper white, basic black, real read, brushed gold
Inks: VersaMark watermark stamp pad , Stampin' Up! real read, Versafine Onyx Black, Encore Ultimate Metallic gold

Accessories: Stampin' Up! clear & detailed gold embossing powder, heat tool, Stampin' Up! 1 ¼”, 1 3/8” circle punches, Krylon gold leafing pen

Take care and STAY POSITIVE!

Trena

Happy Fall Y'all!

I felt like a fall card today. We've had a bit of "cool" summer and I have been enjoying it!

1. Color images with markers and stamp on glossy sticker paper. Cut out images. Set aside.
2. Color corn stalk image with markers and stamp on base card. 
3. Color sentiment image and stamp in right vertical space of the base card.
4. Around the corn stalk, stipple shades of gold for the ground and shades of blue for the sky on base card.
5. Use color pencils to add color, highlights, and some texture to the scarecrow.
6. Peel off back of scarecrow and place on base card. Add pumpkins and bird.
7. On the inside left of the base card, stipple a small amount of gold at the bottom. Add the pumpkin and bird.  Use a small tip market to add little dots around the pumpkin and bird.

Stamps: Dee Gruenig Vertical Inspiration - Scarecrow
Paper: Vertical Inspiration Foldover Cards , Crack N' Peel Glossy Sticker Paper
Inks: Marvy Blending Blox shades of gold & shades of blue

Accessories: Marvy LePlume II markers  1, Marvy Brush Art Markers 1, 3, 5, 7, 15, 30, 88, 110, 113, stipple brushes, Prismacolor  Pencils

Take care and STAY POSITIVE!

Trena

Bunch Like You using a Resist technique & New Release at SI

This month, the Sunday Design Team is featuring at least one project that uses a resist technique.  I made this simple, yet colorful, ATC to highlight the lovely flowers in this new set.

Check out all the new sets this month. Click here!

1. Use make-up sponge to randomly smear ink colors over white card stock.
2. Ink up flower image with VersaMark and stamp, add clear embossing powder and heat set.
3. Brayer lilac ink over whole ATC. Do not cover completely. Allow some of the multi-colors to show through.
4. With clean paper towel, rub ink off embossed flower. 
5. Stamp sentiment on pink card stock with VersaMark, sprinkle with black embossing powder and heat set.  Cut out with die cut shape.
6. Ink flower image with pink and lilac ink pads, stamp on scrap white card stock. Cut out flower for embellishment.
7. Adhere sentiment die cut over ATC and add flower embellishment.

Stamps: Best of Dee Gruenig Greetings 2 ATC, Best of Dee Gruenig Japanese (NEW!)
Paper: Stampin' Up! whisper white, pink passion
Inks: Stampin' Up! pink passion, green galore, lovely lilac, Memento Tuxedo Black ink, VersaMark watermark stamp pad

Accessories: Stampin' Up! clear & detail black embossing powder, brayer, make-up sponge,  Nestabilities die cut, heat tool

Take care and STAY POSITIVE!

Trena

Japanese Swan on an Ocean of Polished Stone

More images from one of Dee's new sets coming out August 15th!   Our design team is now having monthly technique challenges. We are just finishing up a challenge with polish stone.  For August our technique is any type of resist.  Please come back and visit this month to see projects with resist. Also, for more ideas hop over and visit the Sunday International Design Team projects at  - click here!

1. Saturate a large cotton ball with alcohol (very moist, not dripping). Squeeze three drops of each color re-inker onto the cotton ball randomly. Squeeze two drops of the silver re-inker, apart from each other. Dab the cotton ball randomly around the glossy card stock. The alcohol makes the ink spread. If there’s too much ink in one spot, dab over the spot again to spread the ink. Dab over areas until you get the effect you want.  Tip: Because a little goes a long way, use at least a 5 ½” x 8 ½” sheet of card stock at a time. If you dab too much, you’ll get a big blob.
2. When using metallic inks with this technique, a fixative is needed to set the ink completely. Spray a fixative lightly over the cardstock.  Allow several minutes to dry.
3. Ink image with craft ink and stamp onto glossy card stock. Sprinkle on embossing powder and heat set.
4. Cut out image. Use craft knife to get under his chin. Set aside.
5. Brayer the top 3/4 of the vellum ATC with blue lightly. Start brayer off the top edge of the ATC and gradually come in with the ink. Check out more on this cool brayering technique from Michelle, here. Repeat two to three times. Create clouds with the template, finger sponge dauber, and blue ink.
6. Cut polish stone piece of cardstock to a size of 1” x 3 ½”. Tear along the long edge to create the look of water waves.  Rub the torn edge on the blue ink pad.
7. Place swan image on ATC and adhere down. Adhere wave over swan, aligning with the bottom of the card.
8. Use silver leafing pen to draw a boarder around the ATC. Tip:  Lay card flat on scrap paper. Make sure the leafing pen tip is saturated with paint and slowly run the pen around the card with part on the paper and part on card. The more you have on the card, the wider the boarder will be.  Allow to dry.
9. For sentiment, use Post-It Notes to cover areas of image that are not to be inked, so the just the word “Wonderful” can be inked. Ink up with VersaFine ink pad. Remove Post-It Notes around the word and stamp on illustration board.

Stamps: Best of Dee Gruenig Greetings 2 ATC, Best of Dee Gruenig Japanese ATC [to be released 8/15/09]
Paper: Strathmore Bristol vellum ATC, Stampin’ Up! glossy card stock
Inks: Stampin' Up!brocade blue ink pad & re-inker, basic black craft ink pad, night of navy re-inker, almost amethyst re-inker; Tsukineko ultimate metallic re-inker silver, VersaFine onyx black ink pad

Accessories: alcohol and cotton ball, hair spray (as fixative), Krylon silver leafing pen, Quickie Glue pen, Stampin’ Up! finger sponge dauber, Stampin’ Up! cloud template (retired) and detail black emboss powder, craft knife, 2” brayer, Post-it notes

Take care and STAY POSITIVE!

Trena

Friends, Flowers & Fish

Here's another sneak peak at the Japanese set - Best of Dee coming out August 15th at Sunday International.   I used a lot of glitter, but it's hard to see in the photo. I'll keep practicing my photography!

1. Use markers to color direct to fish image and stamp on sticker back paper. Repeat for a variety of colored fish. Cut out and set aside.
2. Saturate a large cotton ball with alcohol (very moist, not dripping). Squeeze three drops of each colored re-inker onto the cotton ball randomly. Squeeze two drops of the silver re-inker, apart from each other. Dab the cotton ball randomly around the glossy card stock. The alcohol makes the ink spread. If there’s too much ink in one spot, dab over the spot again to spread the ink. Dab over areas until you get the effect you want.  Tip: Because a little goes a long way, use at least a 5 ½” x 8 ½” sheet of card stock at a time. If you dab too much, you’ll get a big blob.
3. When using metallic inks with this technique, a fixative is needed to set the ink completely. Spray a fixative lightly over the cardstock.  Allow several minutes to dry.
4. Stipple blue ink on right side of illustration board.
5. Cut the polish stone card stock to a size of 1 ¼” x 3 ½”. Adhere to left side of illustration board.
6. Use markers to color direct to flower image and stamp over the area that is stippled. Color again and match branch or flower at each end to make the flower cover the length of the card.
7. For sentiment, use Post-It Notes to cover areas of image that are not to be inked, so the just the word friends can be inked.  Use marker to color direct to image. Remove Post-It Notes around the word and stamp on illustration board.
8. Remove backing from sticker paper position and fish onto polish stone side.
9. Use glitter pens to add sparkle in various places.
10. Use silver leafing pen to draw a boarder around the ATC. Tip:  Lay card flat on scrap paper. Make sure the leafing pen tip is saturated with paint and slowly run the pen around the card with part on the paper and part on card. The more you have on the card, the wider the boarder will be.  Allow to dry.

Stamps: Best of Dee Gruenig Greetings 2 ATC, Best of Dee Gruenig Japanese ATC [to be released 8/15/09]
Paper: Crack N' Peel Glossy Sticker Paper, Strathmore Illustration Board ATC, Stampin’ Up! glossy card stock
Inks: Stampin' Up! brocade blue ink pad & re-inker, night of navy re-inker, almost amethyst re-inker; Tsukineko ultimate metallic re-inker silver
Accessories: alcohol and cotton ball, hair spray (as fixative), stipple brush, Sakura glitter pens, Krylon silver leafing pen, Marvy Brush Art Markers 60, 62, 110, 122, 118; Post-It Notes

Take care and STAY POSITIVE!

Trena