Try It Out Tuesday #16 - Half the Fun!

Suzanne Dean is at it again - she's such a clever girl, I tell ya!! She's challenged the design team for Susana's Custom Art & Card Design to create a card using an image that is cut in half, or cropped so that part of the image is missing. Yikes!! When I say that this was a challenge for me, that is a flippin' understatement. Then I remembered that I had this fun new Rubber Romance image called Girl's Night Out. I made my own headless drinkie girls - how flippin' clever am I?!! I realize of course that I didn't invent this brilliant idea, but I thought that what I did was pretty innovative, don't you?!! I mean, who needs that "other" stamp company when you have Rubber Romance?!! I cropped the image with my Rectangle Classic Nestabilities, then added layers to give the appearance of a wine bar window. I even used a piece of acrylic cardstock for the window. I paper-pieced the drinkie girls' dresses. Look at the one on the far right - those big polka dots would make my booty look HUMUNGOUS!! LOL I colored their hair and bodies with my Copics, and presto, change-o!! Headless drinkie girls at a wine bar!! Thanks, Suzanne, for another fun Try It Out Tuesday Challenge!

Since today is my last day as a guest designer for Susana (it really is this time!! LOL), I just want to thank Susana and her amazing Design Team for making this experience such a fun one. You ladies are a group of some of the nicest women I've ever "met" and I will treasure all the fun times (and stressful ones, too!) that I've had the joy of experiencing the last two months. But don't you worry - I'll be your stalker for life!! LOL

Stamps: Girls' Night Out (Rubber Romance)

Paper: Stella DP (Making Memories); Vintage Cream CS (PTI), True Black CS (PTI), Pretty In Pink CS, Clear Acetate Sheets

Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento)

Accessories: True Black 3/8" Satin Ribbon (PTI), Stampin Dimensionals, Scalloped Edge Punch (SU), Tag Trio (Spellbinders), Xyron, Copic Markers, Rectangle Classic Nestabilities, Cuttlebug

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Try It Out Tuesday #15 - Make A Wish!

Suzanne Dean has challenged Susana's Custom Art & Card Design's DT once again. This week, she challenged us to create a card and add as much bling as we could bring ourselves to use without making it too tacky. Uhhhh - is there such a things as "too tacky"? Not as far as I'm concerned!! If you know me, you know that I believe that I was a "ho" in a previous life because I LOVES ME SOME BLING!! LOL So this challenge was easy peasy for me!! I used a new Eat Cake Graphics image that I got from Susana's store called Poppy. Isn't she adorable? To bling her out, I've added Kaisercraft Rhinestones, Doodlebug Glitter on her wings, and shimmery pastel chalks. I used my new Spellbinder's Labels Three Nestabilities, and I used my Quickie Glue Pen to add some Dazzling Diamonds around the outside embossed edge. I think if you click on the picture, you can get a closer look at all the dazzling glitteriness (yep, that's a word!). You might need shades it's so blingy!! LOL

Oh, and by the way, I used another A-MAZING product that I recently got from Susana's store that I just wanted to shout from the roof tops about how great it is! With all this sparkly goodness, you can imagine all the flippin' glitter that found its way all over my stampin' studio (code for my kitchen - hehehe). Well, I pulled out my recently purchased Scor-Pal Glitter Clean Up Cloth and it sucked up all that glittery goodness in a flash!! No joke - not a speck of glitter was left on my countertop. You've GOT to get one of these babies, I tell ya!

Thanks, Suzanne, for another fun Try It Out Tuesday challenge. I don't know how she does it every week, but Suzanne comes up with some doozies!! I know you'll want to see what the rest of Susana's Design Team ladies have come up with in response to Suzanne's challenge, and you can check them out on the store blog, Follow Your Heart.

ENABLER ALERT!! Smirks stamps are 50% off and the individual bottles of Doodlebug Crushed Velvet Fun Flock are 25% off. Now THAT'S what I call a sale!!




Stamps: Poppy (Eat Cake Graphics)
Paper: Kiwi Kiss CS, White CS (Neenah), Summer Sunrise CS (PTI), Baby and Backyard DP (American Crafts)
Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento)
Accessories: Copic Markers, White 3/8" Satin Ribbon (PTI), Stampin Dimensionals, Self-Adhesive Diamonds (Kaisercraft), Button, Scrapper's Floss (Karen Foster), Quickie Glue Pen, Dazzling Diamonds, Sugar Coating Glitter (Doodlebug), Labels Three Nestabilities, Square Scalloped Nestabilities, Cuttlebug, Tag Die Cut (Provocraft), Glue Dots, Xyron.

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Try It Out Tuesday #14 - Sweet Pea!

Suzanne Dean has once again challenged the Design Team for Susana's Custom Art & Card Design. She's such a little rascal, that Suzanne! This week she not only gave us a pretty tough sketch, but she also included a color challenge! Fortunately, the color challenge was the easiest part for me as she chose my favorite color combination of Pink, Brown and Cream. Neopolitan Ice Cream - YUM-OOOO!!! So, this is what I came up with. I used this darling Karen Lockhart image called "Sweet Peas" that I got from Susana's store (although it appears she's out of stock of this one - but she's got boatloads of others that you'll love just as much!!), as well as my new Spellbinder's Labels Four. I colored the image with Copics and added some of my fave Kaisercraft Pearls. Thanks, Suzanne, for another great challenge!

Stamps: Sweet Pea (Karen Lockhart)

Paper: Pretty In Pink CS, Vintage Cream CS (PTI), Bronze CS (Bazzil), Sugar Cookie DP (Luxe Designs)

Ink: Rich Cocoa (Memento)

Accessories: Apron Lace Edge Punch (Fiskars), Labels Four (Spellbinders), Cuttlebug, Stampin Dimensionals, Copic Markers, Kaisercraft Self-Adhesive Pearls, 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon (American Crafts), Sakura Quickie Glue Pen, Dazzling Diamonds.

Thanks for stopping by!

Try It Out Tuesday #13!!

The fabulous Suzanne Dean, head DT Guru over at Susana’s Custom Art & Card Design, has challenged us to create an Easter or Spring card. I've chosen to make a spring card, and I kinda added my own little twist since I'm in need of a huge stash of birthday cards this month. So mine's a springy birthday card. Hope that works!! LOL

I used this darling Eat Cake Graphics image called Abundance. It's colored using my Copics. I used my Rectangle Classic & Scalloped Nesties to frame the image. The rest pretty much speaks for itself, right?

Stamps: Abundance (Eat Cake Graphics); Birthday Basics (PTI), Chinese Clouds (Judikins)
Paper: White CS (Neenah), Spring Rain CS (PTI), Polka Dot DP (PTI), Summer Sunrise CS (PTI)
Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento), Bashful Blue
Accessories: Square Classic & Scalloped Nesties, Cuttlebug, Tag Trio Dies (Spellbinders), Apron Lace Edge Punch (Fiskars), Sakura Quickie Glue Pen, Dazzling Diamonds, Stampin Dimensionals, Spring Rain Gingham Ribbon (PTI), Slot Punch, Copics

Wanna see some more springy Easter fun? Check out the other amazing projects that Susana's Design Team ladies made for your crafting pleasure HERE!

Thanks for stopping by!

Try It Out Tuesday #12 - Take Time to Smell the Coffee

ETA: Susana has very kindly asked me to stay on as a Guest Designer for her store through April, and I've VERY HAPPILY ACCEPTED! Thanks, Susana, and SCACD DT for putting up with me for another month!! I look forward to more fun and laughs!!

Sadly, this is my last post as a Guest Designer for Susana’s Custom Art & Card Design. It's been a fun ride, for sure!! The ladies on the DT are amazingly talented women - hopefully I've absorbed some of their incredible talent while hanging out with them. Thank you Susana, Suzanne, and the rest of the DT for all your patience, kind words, and laughs over the last month!! I've enjoyed every minute of my time with you.

My final Try It Out Tuesday challenge was to create a card with two coordinating gifts. Fun, huh?!! Well, I love trolling the aisles at JoAnn Fabrics. They always have the most fun crap, man!! I ran across this darling little travel coffee tumbler in the Value Bins ($2.50!!) and knew just what I was going to make for my gift set.

I pried open the tumbler and created an insert from some Nana's Kitchen DP that I had picked up at Mike's a while back. I loved the colors and the bling that was already built in. And it had those cute little coffee cups on it - PERFECT!! Here's the fun thing about it though - see that cute little coffee scoop hanging from the ribbon? That image is a stamp I picked up at a little Stamp Convention a few weeks back. I stamped it onto Shrinky Dink with Timber Brown Staz-On. Then I cut it out with my scissors, punched a hole in the handle, and took my heat set gun to it. It shriveled up into a little ball, and then finally laid flat. Have you ever used that stuff?!! It is a HOOT!! I attached it to the ribbon with Karen Foster Scrapper’s Floss. Next I added some of the same DP to a coffee bag that I had picked up at JoAnn's when I found the tumbler. I used my Oval Classic & Scalloped Nesties to reveal the window. I used my Rectangle Classic & Scalloped Nesties to create a cute little coordinating topper. I stamped some coffee beans on the pink CS, and then stamped and cut out my all time favorite Lockhart Itty Bitty Hot Chocolate. I colored it with my Copics, added some Liquid Applique and some Dazzling Diamonds, then heated up the Liquid Applique with my Heat Gun to make it look like foam on my Cappucino. I added some little Prima Sprites that I had in my stash, blinging the pink one up with some Shimmerz Blingz Pixie Dust, adding a button, and tying that with my favorite Karen Foster Scrapper’s Floss. I filled it up with some Starbuck's coffee beans - BONUS!! I didn't want it to fall apart, so I used Scor-Tape to adhere all the pieces together. Love that stuff!!

The last piece of my little set was the gift card holder. I made a Fold-over Flap Card that I found the tutorial for on Cammie's blog. But I altered it a little bit on the inside to add a pocket for a Starbuck's Gift Card. Same DP, same Itty Bitty; I used my Circle Classic & Scalloped Nesties and my Square Classic & Scalloped Nesties to create the fold-over flap, same ribbon, and VOILA!! I'm not sure who I'll give this little set to, but it's ready and rarin' to go!!

Stamps: Lockhart Itty Bitty Hot Chocolate, Coffee Break (Amuse)

Ink: Rich Cocoa (Memento), Pink Toille (Palette), Timber Brown Staz-On

Paper: Nana's Kitchen Stack DP (DCWV), Summer Sunshine CS (PTI), Sweet Blush CS (PTI), Dark Chocolate CS (PTI), White CS (Neenah)

Accessories: Dazzling Diamonds, Sakura Quickie Glue Pen, Scor-Pal, Scor-Tape, Square Classic & Scalloped Nesties, Circle Classic & Scalloped Nesties, Rectangle Classic & Scalloped Nesties, Oval Classic & Scalloped Nesties, Cuttlebug, Stampin Dimensionals, Liquid Applique, Karen Foster Scrapper’s Floss, Button, Shimmerz Blingz Pixie Dust, Prima Sprites, Shrinky Dink, Heat Set Gun, Scalloped Edge Punch (Martha Stewart), Polka Dot Summer Sunshine Ribbon (PTI), Copics, Glue Dots, Coffee Tumbler (JoAnn's), Coffee Bag (JoAnn's)

Thanks for stopping by!

Flowers In Porcelain Chintz

I just love Karen Lockhart images - don't you?!! This one is no exception. This stamp is called Lockhart Flowers In Chintz and I got it from Susana’s Custom Art & Card Design. I paired it with this yummy Basic Grey Porcelain DP that I picked up from my LSS a few weeks ago. I just love the soft colors and pattern, and I felt that it was perfect for this image. I used another sketch from my new favorite sketch book called Cardmaker's Sketch Book (I got it on Amazon.com). I colored the image with my Copics, added Dazzling Diamonds with my Sakura Quickie Glue Pen, and used my Rectangle Classic & Scalloped Nesties to cut out and emboss the main image. Isn't it pretty?






Stamps: Lockhart Flowers In Chintz, Floral Frenzy (PTI)
Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento)
Paper: Porcelain DP (Basic Grey), Pretty In Pink CS, Always Artichoke CS, White CS (Neenah)
Accessories: Sakura Quickie Glue Pen, Dazzling Diamonds, Copics, Rectangle Classic & Scalloped Nesties, Ribbon (Martha Stewart), Lace, Button, Karen Foster Scrapper’s Floss, Scalloped Edge Punch (EK Success), Stampin Dimensionals, Chalks

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Try It Out Tuesday #11 - Limited Supplies Challenge!

Okay, I love the ladies on Susana’s Custom Art & Card Design DT, but they have just gone too far in their request that I create a card with only TWO LAYERS and TWO EMBELLISHMENTS!! Helloooo!! Do you know me?!! It's like you've just asked me to lick the gutters or paint your fence!! I don't DO two layer cards!! LOL But I did, because that's just the kinda girl I am. Call me "cooperative!" LOL And I have to admit that it made making a two layer card a lot easier when I saw the sweet image that I got to work with. How cute is this little Anki’s Sweetheart Cathrine With Butterfly? So, I decided I'd try out a Swing (Flip Flop) Card. Clever, huh? I used the tutorial on SCS for the basic information, and revised it just a bit. I used my Rectangle Scalloped Nesties to emboss and partially cut out the swing portion of the card. Flippin' stroke of genius I tell ya!! I know it looks like I have a third layer in there behind Cathrine, but NO, NO, NO!! I used my Copics to color the embossed edge of my image that was created with my Rectangle Classic Nesties.

Here's what it looks like when you open it up. I tied the organdy swiss dot ribbon (my first embellishment) through one of the panels, and used my Sakura Quickie Glue Pen and Dazzling Diamonds (my second embellishment) to accent the main image. If you'd like to play along with us, or you'd like to check out what the other SCACD DT members created, check out Susana's Follow Your Heart SCACD Store Blog for all the deets!!

Stamps: Anki’s Sweetheart Cathrine With Butterfly, Frames With a Flourish (SU), Out On A Limb Sentiments (PTI), Birthday Basics (PTI)

Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento)

Paper: White CS (Neenah), Sweet Slumber Specialty DP (SU)

Accessories: Copics, Rectangle Classic Nesties & Scalloped Nesties, Cuttlebug, Dazzling Diamonds, Sakura Quickie Glue Pen, Stampin Dimensionals, Organdy Swiss Dot Ribbon

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

In honor of St. Patrick's Day, Suzanne Dean has issued a challenge for the Susana’s Custom Card & Art Design DT to create a card/project using shades of green with one neutral. Yikes! I had to really think about that one. Thought about making a St. Patrick's Day card, and decided against it because . . . I don't know any leprechauns?

LOL So I made a "Just Because" card using one of my most favorite Karen Lockhart images called Apples In Chintz Bowl. Isn't it just too yummy?!! I used some Kiwi Kiss DP, and a sketch from my new favorite book from Amazon called "CardMaker's Sketch Book". It really has some fabulous sketches and saves a whole lotta time - you really need to get yourself one!

Stamps: Apples In Chintz Bowl, Floral Frenzy (PTI)

Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento)

Paper: Kiwi Kiss CS, White CS (Neenah), Kiwi Kiss DP

Accessories: Stampin Dimensionals, Dazzling Diamonds, Quickie Glue Pen, Circle Classic & Scalloped Nesties, Cuttlebug, Tags Trio (Spellbinders), Buttons, Glue Dots, Scalloped Edge Punch (EK Success), Copics, Ribbon (SU), Karen Foster Scrapper’s Floss

Thanks for stopping by!

Try It Out Tuesday #9 - SCACD Sketch Challenge!!

This is my first official post as the March Guest Designer for Susana’s Custom Card & Art Design. How fun is that?!! It's like a dream come true for me. I've gotten to know the fun ladies over at the PCP SCACD group, and just can't go a day without my SCACD girlies!! Hehe

I used one of the "sweetest" little images called Eat Cake Graphics Unselfishness. How cute are these two? You can tell that doggie wants to just lick her ice cream cone in one big gulp. I also used one of my favorite inchies called Lockhart Itty Bitty Sunshine. I found this darling Backyard Boing DP (American Crafts) at my LSS the other day. Just had to have it!!

I look forward to creating more paper deliciousness for Susana's store in the next few weeks!! You should head on over to Follow Your Heart SCACD Store Blog for more yummalicious inspiration from the other fine ladies on Susana's DT.

STAMPS: Eat Cake Graphics Unselfishness, Lockhart Itty Bitty Sunshine
INK: Tuxedo Black (Memento)
PAPER: Summer Sunshine CS (PTI), Berry Sorbet (PTI), White CS (Neenah), Backyard Boing DP (American Crafts)
ACCESSORIES: Dazzling Diamonds, Quickie Glue Pen, Labels Trio (Spellbinders), Cuttlebug, Rectangle Classic & Scalloped Nesties, Stampin Dimensionals, Circle Classic & Scalloped Nesties, Button, Ribbon (American Crafts), Glue Dots

Thanks for stopping by!