Something New . . .

. . . at least to me! I couldn't WAIT to try this technique after I saw it demo'd at Convention! While I HAVE embossed and glittered chipboard before, this is a little bit different. After inking up the flower with craft ink (in this case, Rose Red), I sprinkled it with Irisdescent Ice embossing powder and heat set it. Then, I covered it in Versamark (and it will get some glitter on your VM pad - but the results are worth it!). Next, I sprinkled it with Glassy Glaze and heat set it again. The end result is BOTH sparkly AND shiny! It's really pretty and fun! I did this card for SCS SC137. Sketch challenges are my favorite!

I also got to use my first Paper Trey stamps (the Chocolate Chip and Certainly Celery circles inside the chipboard flower). I got both the circles AND scallops "Borders and Corners" sets. This was also my first foray into the world of acrylic stamps. I think I could get used to these! I DO still love my wooden stamps, though! That'll NEVER change!

Hooray for New Stamps!

What stamper doesn't love getting new stamps??? I just got a mega order of fun new things on Friday, including the new "True Friend" set from SU's Holiday Mini Catalog. I love it! I wasn't sure about the whole "BoHo West" style, but I have decided that I like it. Today's challenge on SCS was for the Featured Stamper, Jen70. I have long been a fan of Jen's work. She is so creative and original with some of her designs. This card is a copy of one of hers. I used So Saffron double-sided designer paper. The rhinestone if from Memories (which is the same company that makes them for SU). I used some of the Mellow Moss stitched ribbon I had left over from last year's Ribbon Originals Prep School assortment. I just looovvveee ribbon! And the Boho Friend Wheel . . . that's what put me over the edge on this whole set! It's super cute! The paper and ink are Bravo Burgundy. I also used some Mellow Moss and So Saffron ink as well. I can tell that I am feeling Fall coming on!!

Artisan Award Winners

I saw so many requests on SCS for people to post pix of the Artisan Award displays. I've been feeling guilty, guilty, guilty, 'cause I had some, but just haven't taken the time to tweak 'em a little. I started posting them in a thread on SCS, but I thought it would be good to do them all here, since I had planned on doing that anyway and didn't want to have to do the whole process twice! Sooooooooo . . . here they are!!

Yahoo!

I guess I am on a "western roll". I seem to be thinking about wild west cards in my head ever since I got those cute little diecuts for my Cuttlebug. I have been thinking about this card ever since I got home from SU Convention.

I love that so many of the stamps work so well with the scallop punch (even if the scallop punch doesn't always work so well!). I stamped Blue Bayou on Soft Sky paper with the now retired, but forever loved, "Just Jeans' background stamp. I love that stamp! I was sooo sorry to see it retired. Other stamps that would work well include "Weathered" and "Flannel Plaid" (at least those are current SU merchandise!). I love layering the scallop punch, too. And the jumbo eyelets!! Don't even get me started! I LOVE those! (Never knew my Crop-a-dile had a "hole" you could peek through to line up the eyelets with the image - for those of you who have one, you know what I mean! I felt so dumb when someone pointed that out to me at Convention since I have had my Crop-a-dile for about a year!) Hemp is also a favorite for masculine cards . . . it just seems to add the perfect touch sometimes! Now, I gotta go find something else to play with!

Ready for Round 2!!

I have been meaning to post this for the last couple of weeks, but life has been super crazy for me! I was director for a church Girl's Camp for a week (July 16-20), then I turned right around and headed out for Convention! Between getting ready for both events and finishing up the first round of SCS Sketch Challenge books, life has been a little TOO crazy! My friends and I already have a few requests for orders for round two, so we are gearing up to go again! These books were A LOT of work, but we have been really pleased with the outcome. This photo shows a bunch of the books that we completed, but several of them were already gone by the time this photo was taken! I am proudly displaying my own book in my craft room, as I can't believe we actually did it! If anyone is interested in getting one, we are still going to charge $49.95 (which I have decided is more of a bargain than we had originally thought!). E-mail me at ronandwendy85@smartfella.com if you want more info . . . (you can scroll down to the post I did on May 20 if you want to see more details about the books!)

Have a great day!