MFTWSC#78

Took a few minutes to play before leaving on our "Cult" road trip. Eight of us are off to MFT this morning for a make and take and then half of us are heading over to Orlando for a visit to Scrap Your Trip. I am so excited; I love going to Eustis to visit MFT and eating next door at Olivia's.  I am also looking forward to visiting the scrapbook store - I love their online presence and am looking forward to seeing their retail location. We are staying at a lovely Sheraton time share (Thank you Sandy!) and tomorrow we are going to Stamp Fest and more shopping and more eating! It's going to be so much fun - especially since Storm Debby has moved on.

I inked up Cute-A-Tude for this week's challenge sketch. She is stamped in memento on neenah and colored with copics. The DP is from Memory Box (Viola). The cardstock is SU (retired) and SU silver glitter paper. She is paperpieced and fussy cut. MFT dies are used: Monarch border and flowers - Botanical and Flower Trio. The sentiment (a combination of two different verses) is stamped on a new sentiment strip die. She is mounted on a Vertical Greetings die. A button and half pearl (colored with copics) and a crystal in her hair flower finish off this card.

Copics used to color the skin in this image are E000, E00, E01 and R20 and R00. Her dress is shaded with BV0000 and BV00. These are also used along with BV02 for her shoes and hair flower. Her hair is YR23, E99 and E37.

More Surfer Chick

I just love this new Surf's Up collection - maybe it's because we live near the beach or maybe it is because they are just so cute.  Anyways, I was cleaning up loose DP from my workspace and came across this sheet of lovely blue/green water and so I jsuthad to make another card. I used the MFTWSC77. The DP is from Best Creation, Inc. I used SU cardstock: pacific point, turquoise, and gumball (it's new and already one of my favorites). She is stamped on neenah solar white in Tuxedo Black by Momento. She is colored in copics, paperpieced and fussy cut. The flower is cut from white felt and a sizzix die, the sentiment is stamped on an MFT die: fishtail flags stax. The inside die is also MFT: Well Worn Greetings. The darker piece of cardstock on the front is covered with a piece of heavy transparency that has been run through the vagabond with a "wave" embossing folder. This is one of my favorite looks for water (This look works best with a heavier plastic rather than the thinner brands - I like to buy report covers at an office supply store).

Her skin is colored in E21, E11 and E13 with Ro2 for the cheeks. Her hair is Y21, YR23, and E33. Her suit is YG01, YG13, and YG25. Shadowing on the paperpiecing is B00. Her board is done with B00, B02 and B04. The flowers are E40 and E41 for the petals and Y21 and YR23 for the centers. Spica glitter pens in green and turquoise add sparkle to her suit. Spica gold is added to the flower centers.













Now, back to cleaning off my table. I wonder what else I will find?

One is not enough

Since I had the Surf's Up collection out on my table, I just had to ink up the Surfer Dude too. I decided to use the same sketch challenge because I already had the shell necklace made. I went with the lei for the Surf Chick because this surfer shell necklace was lost against the leaf background.  These are shell pieces that I found on my last Caribbean trip.

He is stamped in Tuxedo black on neenah. The DP is from echo park (Splash). The cs is SU. He is also paper-pieced, fussy cut, and colored with copics. I used the MFT dies: jumbo squiggle (to be released in July); the catch a wave border; fishtail flags stax and the new sentiment strips. I should have inked the edges of the waves. They blend too much.

Colors that I used his skin were E21, E11, R02. For his suit I used YR12, YR15, YR18 and BG72, BG75 and BG 99. His board is shadowed with B00.

A Perfect Day to Play

Too overcast for the beach, but a perfect day to play with my new MFT sneak peak stamps and a new sketch challenge. PI Surf Chick is being released for July (along with Sufer Dude). Check out the MFT blog for a closer look at the Surf's Up collection. 

She is stamped in Memento's Tuxedo Black onto white neehah. She is paper-pieced and fussy cut and added to a sky-sponged backgroud.The cardstock is from SU: turquoise, limeade, gumball, olive, crumb and curry (ret). I used several MFT dies for this card: the new jumbo squiggle border and wonky scallop border for the sand (sponged with crumb cake ink). The fishtail flags stax is used with a sentiment from the VIP collection. The background is DP (from my desktop) layered with muli-colored leaves  using the hibiscus die (gumball ink is blended around the edges).

There are two types of flowers in the lei. Some are stamped, colored with copics and fussy cut and the rest are die cut from the hibiscus flower die (using just the center), blended with distress around the edges, and then shaped with a stylus. Yellow Stickles is added to the center of the flowers.

The sky is created by sponging turquoise ink around this template.

Surf Chick's skin was given a suntan using darker colored copics than I usually use: E21, E11 and E13 and R02 for the cheeks. Her hair is Y21, YR23 and E 35. Her suit is YR12, YR15 and YR18. Shadowing on her paper-pieced suit is C1 and her surfboard is YG13. Flowers are done in combination of Y13, Y15, YR13, YR15 and YR18. An orange spica adds glitz to her surfboard flower.

MFTWSC#77

Another week, another challenge. I love summer break and having time to play. I used a new (for me) MFT stamp: Enjoy Every Moment. She is stamped in Memento black on neenah white. The cs and ribbon is from SU. The DP pack I used for paper piecing and the elements is called Happy Days by echo park. MFT dies are used: notched border and fishtail flags. She has a bit of bling in her hair and is colored in copic markers.

Skin: E50, E00, E11 with R20 and R00 for cheeks
Hair: E13, E37, E59
Reds: R22, R24, 27
Legs: BG11, BG32, YG13
Dress is shadowed with BG11
Background is BG10, BG70 and 0

Day 3 of Summer: organizing and round two of Christmas

It's been a productive day, I spent the morning at the farmers market and the afternoon in my craft room after a lunch break by the pool with my latest book-it's been an overcast day and pleasantly breezy.
First for organization: I have been working on reorganzing my copics and other pens. I found another old sizzix die storage unit and shifted my workspace around to fit it in.

I also created another set of Christmas cards (I will have them done early! I will have them done early!) I popped up the Memory Box window die on SU paper (whisper white and midnight muse), seam binding and ribbon (cherry cobbler). The tapestry embossing folder has been around for awhile. I thank Jan for the Martha fern punch - I had looked for it forever. The stamped scene is a retired SU image stamped in Midnight Muse ink from SU. The sky is done by blending distress inks (stormy and china) over a masked moon. Perfect Pearls is spritzd over the image. The tiny "JOY" tag is an older stamp (stamped in cherry cobbler ink) used with a SU punch.

I have updated the "Charm" page with ourAlice in Wonderland swaps. Be sure to scroll down to check these beauties out; they are totally awesome!

MFTWSC76

I spent my first morning of summer break runing errands, reading, cleaning and organizing my craft area. After re-organizing my copics, I made this week's challenge using a new set I purchased this weekend on my road trip. She is MFT's Mermaid stamped in memento on copic x-press-it and colored in copics. The cardstock is SU (navy). One DP is from Bo-Bunny; I created the other layer of DP using distress inks (peacock and jeans). Her body is paperpieced from another piece of distressed paper using peacock, peeled paint and broken china. Pearls accents are from SU. Glitz is added using an aqua pen and a sakura stardust gel (since this is water soluble you can make and line and then blend it over the paper surface using an aqua pen). MFT dies are used: fishtails and wave.

The copics I used for the skin are E50, E00, and E11. Sand is E30, E31, and E55. To add texture to the sand, I used 0 and a terry cloth towel. Seaweed is YG03, YG93 and YG95. The shell is done with E30, R20, BV20 and R22. The coral is R20 and R22. Her bodice is BG11, BG32, BG45 and B23. The tail fin was done feathering YG17 and YG03 with BV00 and BV02 and blended with G20. The sea is BG11, B21 and B23. The white was just too bright so I colored the banner with BG70.

Vanity Plates

Yeah for summer break. I played with a new set that I picked up this weekend on our road trip to MFT. The border die and fishtail flags are also from MFT. The cardstock and red ink is from SU: poppy (retired). The black ink is versafine stamped on SU whisper white. The ribbon is from my stash. The DP is from BoBunny and called Alora.

I also made CULT FOREVER treats using this set with scraps and leftover mix from ST A,

Using Background Stamps

For the St. Augustine meeting, Jan and I had volunteered to bring treats. We decided to make something that is easy to make, not messy, and could be individually packaged.  Jan stamped the sentiment using a new SU stamp, The doily is from MFT that she picked up this weekend. The butterfly is a new SU punch that is covered in broken china stickles. Inside is a trail mix: chocolate teddy grahams, cinnamon toast crunch, pretzels and delicious raspberry M&Ms.

At the meeting, I shared several ways to use large background stamps. First I demonstrated the mega mount. You can watch a demo here. You can also mask off portions of the card (I like to use eclipse tape). Here is a card made using this technique

Backgound stamps can be stamped over embossed images to add texture to a background. I created this tag using distress inks, blended walnut ink around the edge and them overstamped in frayed burlap. The larger background is stamped on designer paper.  I like to use text or script: this stamp is a hero arts background with text and music. Texture is added to the inside of the card (again on DP) using a "ghosting" technique. For this technique remove the rubber from the mount and just bend and touch to paper for partial stamped images.

Background stamps can be used to create your own designer paper and then punched, trimmed or die cut just as you would any DP. 

One of my favorite flower dies from MFT.

I love this new greeting die - another new purchase from our road trip.

The last technique is one I call a "stacked deck." Cut and layer cardstock using temporary adhesive. Stamp the layers and then mat them with cs that is 1/4 larger. (using a mat will cover the part of the paper that doesn't stamp along the edge).

Our challenge for next month is to use background stamps and to create a Christmas card.

A vist to MFT

Jan and I headed over to Eustis to visit MFT. We had breakfast at Olivia's (next door) while we waited for the shop to open. I had Black Velvet tea that was delightful and shared a delicious grilled zucchini and a raspberry scone with Jan.

I picked up an order - the new hex dies and the vanity license plate -  and of course we found a few additional items to buy while we were there. The shop is so pretty and the samples are so inspiring. Feeling adventurous, we headed over to Deland and visited Kathryn's for some opaque beads and then stopped by the quilt shop for a quick look.  The only disappointment of the day was that Sonic was closed  for remodeling - so no cherry limeades!

MFTWSC75

Another week finishing up - I am almost late this week with my sketch entry; I've had the idea, just not the time. Ttoday was the last day for students - just teacher work days next week to finish up. I am in pretty good shape and should have time to start planning for next year. I already scheduled the graduation date for our preschoolers. (Auditorium time is in high demand every spring so I like to make my request early.)

This week's challenge showcased a stamp set I have been wanting to color. It is called "Hello Cupcake." Some of the sentiments come from the "All Occasion Sentiments" set. She is stamped in memento black on neenah white, paper-pieced and colored in copics. The DP comes from My Mind's Eye and is called "Everyday Flair." I love the soft colors. The cardstock is SU: white, primrose (new 2012 in color) and blush and sage (retired). Distress ink (broken china) is sponged around the edges of the papers. Glossy Accents is applied to her shoes and to the sprinkles. (I am thinking the cherry would be cute too). The image is cut from a nestability circle (the outside is hand cut because I don't have the right size - I know - hard to believe), A MFT die is used for the mini tab.

Don't you love this flower? I used the MFT Royal Rose (and leaves) die to cut 4 layers of coffee filters that I dyed with distress stain (lipstick with different amounts of water added to dilute and vary the color). I am so happy with the result.

Copics used for the skin are E50, E00, E11, R20 and R00. The ground is E41, E40 and 0. The shadow is BV000, B70 and 0. The shoes and cherry is R14, R24, and R29. The icing is R20 (as is the dress shadowing), R22 and R24. The sprinkes are Y15, R27, B04 and YG25.

Cult Challenge

I am all caught up on school work (at least until exams are given this week) and had time to play. I finished beading a sprit baby for Elaine, but I can't share yet until we swap dolls. I read a Dana Stabenow novel by the pool most of the day but I also found time to finish putting together this Penny Black image that I had colored earlier for the St Augustine challenge (to use a virgin stamp). Sorry, but I forgot to make a list of markers that I used. The closeup shows the addition of sakura stardust gel. The image, Butterfly Kisses by Penny Black, is stamped on neenah using memento black. The sentiment is by SU as is the ribbon, punch and mover and shaper die. The border die is from MFT. The paper is from SU: blush (retired) and plum.

 

Last week the 'Cult' decided to complete a sketch challenge once a month. I pulled out my binder of MFTWSC sketches and someone chose number 47 (their birth year) and the challenge was set. Today I pulled out my markers and colored my "paper dolls" - to quote my husband.

Here is my entry - using DP from my stash and some SU cardstock: bashful blue and curry (retired). The PI: You're So Tweet, is stamped on neenah using memento. The ribbon and tiny heart border punch are from SU. This sweetie has a paperpieced dress and is cut and mounted on a tag that I sprayed and dyed last weekend on our play day. The tag is pop-dotted as is the bird.

She is colored in copics. For the skin I used E50, E00, E11 along with R20 and R00. Her hair is Y21, Y23 and E33. Her shoes, the bird and shadows on her dress are B91, B93, and B95. Spica glitter pens (orange and blue) color her hair clip and dress band.

#74 Revisited

I love the look of this week's challenge and decided to recreate it using the new set: Sprinkler Girl (available June 5 at MFT) that I used for last week's challenge. I love this image - I am so ready for summer break (only 7 more days of school) so I have lots of time to play with all my toys.

The DP is from echo park and is called This & That Graceful.The cs is from SU and is blush (retired) and celery. The ribbon is part SU and part leftover from antoher project. The circle dies are nestabilites and the lacy trim is from MFT. She is stamped on neenah white and memento black. Spica glitter pens (pink blossom and red) are used for her hair clip and a sakura stardust gel is used for the sprinkler water. Her suit is paperpieced and shadowed with a copic marker (R20).

The copics used to color her skin are E30, E00, E21 with R20 and R00 for her cheeks.Her hair is Y21, Y23 and E33. The water is B60 and BG000. G40, YG61, YG63 abd YG67 are used for the grass. The slight shadow around her is done with BG70 and 0.