Sunday, February 27, 2011

Bloom brightly...


May your world bloom brightly with joy - especially as spring is
starting to peek it's head out after months of grey skies.

Creative Details
Stamp Image: Eat Cake Graphics (bought it at Paper Garden Projects)
Sentiment: Great Impressions Stamps
Coloring: Copic Markers in tender pink, lilac, leaf green, cream,. blush, willow
Embellishments: Chipboard frame, cherry blossoms, baby pearls, diamond stickles
Tools: Circle punch in scallop, baby's breath punch, mounting tape

Challenges
Alphabet Challenge (Q for quotes or sayings)
Flutter by Wednesdays (#143 open with a fairy/butterfly/angel)
Paper Garden Projects (spring things)
Paper Pretties (PWC 142 - glitter)
Paper Sundaes (#58 how charming)
Simply Create (#38 flowers)
Stamptacular Sunday (#100 you've been framed)



Think spring - and stay warmharted,
Elizabeth

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Spring has sprung...

Spring has sprung?
Don't you wish.
This multi-layered card evokes the fresh clean skies and the beautiful blooms of spring. The flower from Papertrey Ink came in three sizes and was stamped, colored and then the smaller one mounted on top to add a 3-D effect. Scalloped "artisan circle elements" adorned in blue and white pearls 
were used to set off the focal point of the flower display.


Creative Details
Images: "In Bloom" floral stamp (Papertrey ink)
Sentiment: Doodle Pantry Designs
Colors: Copic Markers cool shadow, robins egg blue, lilac, pale cherry pink
Scallop Embellishment: Artisan Elements (Pinkpaislee)
Embellishments: Satin bow, vintage button, ferns, blue/white baby pearls, crystal hairpins, lace

Challenges
Cute Card Thursday (#153 - sketch)
Creative Cottage (#33 fab Florals)
Do You Stack Up (#8 anything goes)
Papertrey Ink bloghop (sensational scallops)
Pink Elephant (#94 - buttons, lace and ribbon)
Really Reasonable Ribbon (#18 - spring)
Shabby Tea Room (#50 - buttons and bows)
Southern Girls (#3 - brads, gems or dew drops)
Tuesday Throwdown (#37 - 3-D effect)
365 Cards (#359 - blue, button, distress)
  

Where did my creative adventure take me today? ...
 To that first day of spring where the skies are a perfect blue and the air fresh and clean.
Stay warm harted.
Elizabeth

Top 3 - Tuesday Throwdown (Feb. 2011)

Monday, February 21, 2011

Garden girl...

Time to garden. This little gardener is ready with her rake, trowels and gloves. I wonder
 what she is planting for spring.



Creative Details
Image: Whoopsi Daisy
Coloring: Copic Marker in apple green, apricot cream, leaf green powder blue, strong red, tan
Papers: green and red gingham and patterned paper
Embellishments: satin bows, trowel and garden glove brads, diamond stickles
Tools: Scalloped oval punch, puffy liquid applique (for top of boots)

Challenges
Catered Crop (#6 follow the recipe)
365 cards (#357 super Sunday sketch)
Pile it on (#8 childhood dreams)
Really Reasonable Ribbon (#18 - Spring)
Whoopsi Daisy (someone special)


Where did my creative adventure take me today.?Well, I have been longingly looking out the window waiting for the day I can go and buy flowers, put on my yellow gloves (that my friend Jan gave me for Christmas two years ago) and plant something colorful into the warm ground. 
Stay Warm Harted,
Elizabeth

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Amazing birds...

There is just something about these sweet chubby birds that is so "amazing."


 I have always adored these little spring birds by Doodle Pantry. They are the epitome of spring and all the wonderful rainbow of colors that appear around us in nature.

Creative Details
Image: Doodle Pantry Designs/Sentiment - Catslife Press
Colors: Copic Markers in pale cherry pink, willow, cream,
 napoli yellow, powder blue, pale lavender
Embellishments: Die cut green background, butterfly (K&Co.), ferns (K&Co.),
flowers, baby pearls, lace, rhinestones
Tools: Scallop oval punch, mounting foam

Challenges
Digital Tuesday (#98 - use a die cut)
Doodle Pantry Digital Challenge (DPDC 8 - Sparkle and Shine)
Flutter By Wednesday (#142 - Rainbow of colors)
Really Reasonable Ribbon (#18 - Spring)
Stamptacular Sunday (#99 - Some One Special)


Where did my creative adventure take me today? I am rushing to spring- that is what one day in the 70s will do. Mother nature is playing a mean trick though and bringing back the snow again. These birds will cheer me up.
                                               Stay warm harted,
                                    Elizabeth

Friday, February 18, 2011

Cooking up Birthday Cheer...


This little mouse is so busy cooking up some birthday cheer. She is all decked out on a pretty tag adorned with vintage lace, a shiny birthday cake brad and pretty flowers. Whatever she is making I want some!

Creative Directions:
Stamp Image - House Mouse Designs
Embellishments: Lace (A Million Memories), Chipboard Flower, Rhinestones
Colors: Copic Markers in Sand, Cool Gray, New Leaf and Crimson Red

Challenges:
Cute Card Thursday (#152 - something shiny & happy)
House Mouse and Friends (#89 - favorite stamp)
Stamptacular Sunday (#98 - loving from the oven)

I don't normally like a mouse in the kitchen -- except when it is baking a cake!

Stay warm harted,
Elizabeth
                  

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Sweet Little Thing...

Cupcakes are all the rage. And, let's be honest --- who can resist them? Whenever one of my students has a birthday you can bet they will be laden down with dozens of cupcakes baked by their thoughtful friends.

This card is inspired by the happiness that comes along with a sweet little cupcake all dressed up in dots and a handmade bow.

The sentiment was cut out of paper and then mounted with rhinestones to make another charming embellishment for this card.







The Creative Details:
Digi Image: Beccy Muir (Beccy's Place)
Colors: Copic Markers in pale cherry pink R11, tender pink RV13, sand E33, crimson R27, mignonette YG11, pale cobalt green YG41
Embellishments: diamond stickles, rhinestones, satin ribbon, cupcake brad
Tools: scalloped border punch

Challenges:
Do You Stack Up (Challenge #7 is dots)
Paper Play (week #7 - add some shine)
Simon Says (make your own embellishment)



Have a cupcake and stay warm harted,
Elizabeth


Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Birthday dress...


A pretty paper pieced birthday dress - all ready for a spring birthday celebration. Paper piecing is a technique described in Stamp It: Techniques magazine. It's a quick and easy technique that always seems to bring all of the elements of your card together. 


Here is how it was created:
Stamp Image : Hero Arts (dress); Lockhart Stamp Co. (sentiment)
Papers: patterned, stripes and plaid
Embellishments: buttons, flower brad, flocked flower, rhinestones
Tools: scalloped border punch

Challenges:
Moxie Fab World (technique paper piecing)
Pile it On (#7 Love Plaid)
Paper Sundae (#56 - pick a topping of flowers, lace, pink or distress)
Flourishes Timeless Tuesday (#105 - three paper patterns)

Where did my creative adventure take me today?... Well my adventure may have gotten me in a little trouble. You see, for several years my friend Alexa have done our own challenges (to help diminish the winter blahs). We send each other images of stamps we have not used for a while or new sketches. Then in March we get together and exchange them. We get so excited. But here is the problem -- this is one of the challenge cards I did for Alexa and oops I guess she is going to see it early. Sorry friend I had to put it on the blog.

Stay warm harted,
Elizabeth

Top 3 at Pile it On (February 2011)

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Butterfly Sunshine...


Ah, you are my sunshine... time to focus on spring - its only a month away now. This card features festive colors, a quill butterfly and three little hearts -- all adding to the "warmth" of this card. The black and white scroll medallion is from Cosmos Cricket (Circa 1934) an the sentiment is a chipboard piece from the Fine and Dandy collection of My Mind's Eye. Its all topped off with the butterfly (Martha Stewart Crafts).  The final embellishment is a pretty black and white gingham bow.

Challenges:
Do You Stack Up (#6 Ribbons)
365 Cards (#350 Super Sketchy Sunday)
Flutterby Wednesdays (#141 - 3 hearts)




This card is the perfect antidote to a grey winter day!
Stay Warm Harted,
Elizabeth 

Friday, February 11, 2011

Sunshine and Good Cheer...


Sunshine and good cheer in bright happy colors. This card is certainly a harbinger of warmer times to come. Ribbon is a key ingredient in this card, from the sassy orange bow to the side panel of multi-hued ribbons. Make your card warm, sassy and fun!

Created with:
Sentiment: Hero Arts
Embellishments: Zinnia tag, pearls, lots of ribbon
Tools: Oval punch, Corner Rounder

Challenges:
Do You Stack Up Challenge #6 - use ribbon
Pear Tree Designs Challenge #35 - free for all
Pile it On Challenge #6 - bright and breezy

Where did my creative adventure take me today? Back to my grandmother's garden in California where the zinnias were always the brightest yellows and oranges.

Stay warm harted,
                     Elizabeth


Wednesday, February 9, 2011

"Issuing" a Happy Birthday...


Today I'm "issuing" a happy birthday with a library pocket card. This card would be great for a teen or a friend who is an avid reader. The color combination is inspired from the Color Throwdown with colors in basic black, real red, orchid opulence and passion pink (love these colors). The cupcake was an added touch inspired from a challenge on 365 Cards for a card for a teen with a circle and some bling (we know those teens love bling). This card has lots of layers, making it lots of fun for the lucky recipient.

Created With:
Stamps/Images: cupcake (Hampton Arts); sentiment (Lockhart Stamp Co.)
Colors: Copic Markers in pale lavender BV31; mallow V15; begonia pink RV14
Embellishments: ombre satin ribbon, red rosettes; red rhinestones, pink pearls
Tools: scallop circle punch
Supplies: library card

Challenges:
Color Throwdown #128
365 Cards Challenge #346

Where did my creative adventure take me today? Well, I was inspired by the library card and how I used to love to look at the library cards to see how many people had checked out the book, wondering who they were and did they like the book. Now, alas, everything is electronic....

Stay warm harted,
                      Elizabeth


Sunday, February 6, 2011

Happy, happy, joy, joy...


A layered card with two images and just the right embellishments makes for a happy day for the recipient of this card. The button flowers and sentiment are from the "button bits" line of Papertreyink. The butterfly, which is layered twice to give it a three-dimensional effect, is from Lockhart stamps. There are a lot of expensive butterfly embellishments you can buy but it is so easy to make your own by double laying the image, folding the wings up and then adding a little metallic wire (comes in every color imaginable) for the antennae.





Creative Elements:
Stamp images: Papertreyink (flowers) and Lockhart Stamp Co. (butterfly)
Embellishments: Baby blue buttons, mini pearls, diamond stickles, blue rhinestones
Supplies: Metallic wire, mounting foam

Challenges
365 Cards (Super Sketchy Sunday)
Paper Sundaes Challenge #55 (two or more images)

Enjoy and stay warm harted,
                                  Elizabeth

Saturday, February 5, 2011

Just happy...


Happy as can be are these two darling little birds from Doodle Pantry. They are colored in bright and happy colors to add to their charm and enhance their happy home. Their little bird house is attached to a pretty spring flower in full bloom. Who could ask for more...

These happy birds were created with:
Digi Image: Doodle Pantry
Colors: Copic Markers-Sand E33, Pale Sepia YR 24, Cream YR31, Apricot YR16, Powder Blue B41, New Leaf YG23, Willow G24, Blush R20, Tender Pink RV13
Embellishments: Yellow grosgrain ribbon, Pink Flower - K&Co, Pearls, Diamond pink rhinestones
Tools: Fiskars Corner punch
Supplies: Mounting foam

Challenges:
Doodle Pantry Digital Challenge #7 (use a Doodle Pantry Image)
Crazy for Challenges (Valentine)
Prairie Fairy Friday Challenge #45 (For a Sweetheart)
Stamping with the Dragon (Anything Goes)
Stamp Something (Digital Image)


Where did my creative adventure take me today?? Remember the first house you bought and the happiness that came the day you moved in. I think this must be the first house for these happy birds.
Stay warm harted,
Elizabeth

Friday, February 4, 2011

Nature's Heart...


Nature's heart... yearns for the early signs of spring in fresh, cool colors. And, of course, everything is "pretty in plaid." This card is all decked out in shades of pink and purple and soft green.

How it was created:
Stamp: Heart Nest, Impression Obsession
Coloring: Copic Markers-willow G24, sand E33, manganese blue B34, begonia pink RV14
Embellishments: Satin ribbon, leaves and flower (K&Co.), dragonfly sticker, rhinestones
Supplies: Mounting foam for heart and dragonfly
Glitter: Diamond Stickles

Challenges:
Copic Creations Challenge #43 (cool colors)
PaperPlay Challenges - (Stamp it out)
Simon Says Challenge (Love is in the air)

Where did my creative adventure take me today?  Well...last year we had a blue bird build a nest in my English ivy trellis which has a large heart cut out at the top. This trellis is high maintenance and I am always trimming the heart out especially during early spring. We did not trim it when we discovered the perfect little nest with the perfect little blue speckled egg. We hope the bird comes back this year.

Stay warm harted
Elizabeth



  

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Warm Wishes....


Shades of pink and brown to convey warm wishes.. what could be nicer at this time of year. And,  of course, a dragonfly to remind us that summer will come again.

This card was inspired by an advertisement on the 365 Cards challenge #337 It was created by layering papers in pinks and browns, mounting the dragonfly twice to give the illusion of flight and stamping the sentiment "warm wishes" (Hampton Art Stamps).

Where did my creative adventure take me today?.... I remember in the summer laying on the bermuda grass at my grandmother's house and waiting for the ever-magical dragonfly to fly my way.

Stay warm harted,
Elizabeth

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Make Life Sweet...

Ok, I admit it - I cannot pass up a good bakery. All the breads and rolls oozing with warmth and goodness. All I need to make life sweet is nice piece of bread (maybe with some butter and pear jam slathered on it would be nice too). Here are the particulars for this sweet card...

Stamp: "Make Life Sweet" Itty Bitty by Unity 
Coloring: Copic Markers in pale cherry pink R11, shadow pink RV32, strong red R46, robins egg blue B02
Die Cut: Nestabilities (labels)
Embossing: white paper Cuttlebug circles; red paper Sizzix damask
Embellishments: pink pearl brads, paper flowers, antique lace, diamond stickles
Supplies: mounting foam, bronze wire

Challenges: Really Reasonable Ribbon (challenge #17 in pink, red & white)
                  Cupcake Inspirations (challenge #96 is photo inspired)
                  Paper Play (challenge is "layer it up")


Where did my creative adventure take me today? To a darling bakery that looked almost like this - in old Quebec. All the food was so good there. Enjoy!

Stay warm harted,
Elizabeth