Cat's Pajamas Catch Up!

It has been a few days since I have posted since I have been sick with yucky upper respiratory stuff.

I received new Cat's Pajamas stamps last week and have been working with them a bit. They are such fun images!

Those who know me know that I am a sucker for a frog. And this little frog prince is just WAY too cute.




For the Layout I was inspired by the Featured Stamper Challenge on Splitcoast stampers. This weeks stamper is Sarah Green. I had fun paging through her gallery. I loved the layers of THIS card.





I changed a few things to help the card work for my purposes. Since I used patterned paper for the card--I didn't use as many flowers. I also moved the ribbons (since there were fewer flowers). The patterned paper is Basic Grey's Perhaps from the 6" x 6" pad. I love this size because the patterns are smaller than the BIG sheets.



This next card is a softie.

When I started with Stampin' Up! four years ago--I did not like Sage Shadow. But I have to admit it has grown on me. For one thing--I have stopped trying to make it work with the Soft Subtles colors (though it plays VERY nicely with the newer Bashful Blue). It compliments neutrals nicely (because of its grey undertones).

I love this dp (the sage with the cream dots) from K & Co. I got in it a pack from my local dollar store. The background dp is from KI Memories that I have had for years--I love it and I was always afraid to cut into it. Well, since I am moving this summer I am in *USE IT OR MOVE IT* mode (and I don't want to move it!!).

The little hearts are from a punch from the $ Spot at Target Department store. Not a very sharp punch (kind of you get what you pay for). I have done the old punch through foil thing fore ever. But it still does not like cardstoch. *sigh*

Lastly there is this little card. I only say little because of the little flying envelope image.

I often think that mixing Off-White (Vanilla) with White is a card fashion faux pax. Much like mixing gold and silver jewelry.

But there are times in both cases that it works. Here I used the off white to highlight the white. The dp (more Perhaps from Basic Grey) helps me out a bit by having both in it .

Well, I have a few more cards to go with this set. But this is what I came up with thus far.

Thanks for stopping by. And stay tuned---there may be something SWEET as CANDY in the future!! ;)

BTW--Have you seen the Sticky post above about the discount??? It is a limited time offer (not sure how limited) so check it out.

Attention:

You are now reading an award winning blog!!!




I received this award from my good friend Shelly. She has just started (or rather just resurrected) a blog called Stamp with Shelly. She has some AWESOME stamped artwork there--so check it out!

Tammy--Stamp Happy

Donna--Dee's Studio

Lynda--Stamp Act

Rose Ann--Paper Delightz

Andria--Stampin' in the Prairies

I hope you can take some time to check these out!!

Thanks so much Shelly!!

And thank you for stopping by! (Stamping projects will be posted tomorrow--just need some batteries for my camera.)

CAKE?????

I love cake! (and it shows) I also love birthdays (though I STINK at getting cards out on time). And to me, one of the best parts of birthdays is cake.


Sadly my family does not share my feelings on this. My son usually chooses a pan of brownies or a BIG cookie for his birthday *cake* and my older daugher chooses pie. My in-laws love this--as they do not like cake either. Thankfully, my little daugher is still hooked on tradition and chooses cake (always chocolate with pink icing) for her birthday.


I love this image and sentiment from Eat Cake Graphics! The dog is even named *Cupcake*!! How cute is that!!?!!

The little cupcake is from a clear $ set my mom picked up at Michaels for me. It has a cherry on top that is solid and not outlined--so when you ink up the cupcake in black as an outline--you get a black cherry. Now, don't get me wrong, I love black cherries (YUMMY!) but not BLACK cherries. YKWIM???? So when I use this stamp, I think there will always be an embellishment of some sort on top!

Materials:

• Stamps: Cupcake the dog and *Did Someone Say Cake!?!* from Eat Cake Graphics; cupcake from Studio G
• Papers: Polka dotted paper from Paper Studio and alpha paper from ki Memories; White, black and red cardstock;
• Ink: StazOn Jet Black; Brilliance Graphite
• Accessories: Ribbon, Clear Ep, Glassy Glaze, Diamond Stickles, Jewels, Prismacolor pencils

Have a great day--and hopefuly a bit of cake along the way!!

Cards from Nature and an Announcement!

First the cards.

These are using the Seed stamps by Red Castle from Starving Artistamps.
This first card is inspired by the Inspiration Challenge over on Splitcoast Stampers. The room did not have a lot of color but many shades of white and lots of texture. Very calming and casual with the low contrast furnishings.

I would LOVE to have a room like that--but with three kids--I don't see it happening ANY time soon.

I stamped the seed pods with white pigment ink and then embossed it with white embossing powder. I added the word *pure* from the stamp used here. I only inked the word *pure* (and wiped off the surrounding words--just to be sure).

I double matted the main image to mimic some of the archetectural details in the room.

The hemp twine and the twill tape were inspired by the rug and cotton couches in the room.

I stamped a last seed pod in the corner--stamped off first to get a subtle look.



This second card was inspired by the Card Positioning Systems website, and it is sketch #50.

The harlequin diamonds a like serendipity squares. Stamped with various inks and stamps; masked seed pods, and sponged. It is an easy techinque that I haven't done in quite a while. It is a SURE way to get accents that coordinate with any inks and stamps you have. I embossed the edges of the diamonds with gold embossing powder.

The same stamps I used for the serendipty diamonds I used for the brown cardstock background.

In addition to the seed stamps I also used some texture stamps from Starving Artistamps. The metal accents are faux metal-- made from one of these stamps.

The main image is also embossed with gold. Then I watercolored the image with olive die ink and masked the image and sponged a bit of tan ink.

So that was the cards and here is the announcement:

You can get TEN PERCENT off of your next order at Starving Artistamps!!!!!

Just tell them that I sent you! And the way you do this is by entering the code julidis when asked for discount codes. (Note: this can not be combined with anyother offer.)

This is a GREAT time to shop there!!!! There are some new flower stamps both silhouette and with detail, and Starving Artistamps has purchased the line Doodle Factory (love those little guys).

So go forth and SHOP!!


...and thanks for stopping by!!

Pretty Love Bird

Sharon (NoTimetoStamp) has issued a pretty challenge. To focus on the extra pretty things we have in our stash. It was supposed to be simple--but my card kind of ---- um----grew.

I started with this pretty Canary stamp from Starving Artistamps. I stamped it on SU! Very Vanilla, cut it out, and sponged on layers of ink--Lightest to darkest. Barely Banana, Apricot Appeal, and then Regal Rose. This was just about the only part I was able to keep simple.

The Nestabilities scallop circles have pretty fibers running through them. The white has gold tinsel running through it. The butter yellow has white fibers running through it. They are prettier in real life.

Then there are the pretty Prima Mulberry flowers .

The background paper is the pretty Basic Grey *Perhaps* from a 6" x 6" pad.

I love the pretty ribbon with the word *Love* printed on it in gold.

Finally the pretty Stickles ---I used diamond this time since it has gold flecks to go with the tinsel paper and the gold printing on the ribbon.

This was FUN!!!

I hope you can play, too!