2 Peas Stamp Camp :: Week 3 and 2 Sketches 4 You

I'm double dipping for this card. I like it.

2 Peas' Stamp Camp continues this week. The technique is background stamping. Very nice video and examples from Nicol Magouirk. The background stamping on this card came out more subtle that I would have liked. I guess I could have used black ink to get it to pop. I had wanted to heat emboss it, but I could not find my VersaMagic ink.

I also decided to combine Stamp Camp w/this week's 2 Sketches 4 You sketch. This week is Laura's sketch. Like always, the sketch allows for lots of improv.

I love my Tim Holtz stamp ... I am trying real hard not to purchase more of them. Just not really my turn to stimulate the economy. But that ribbon was a good get. It was something like 15 cents a yard at Cord Camera. I might go back and see if they still have some because I really like it.

And how about that journaling spot ... Jillibean Soup. I plan to get more of these. I know that the come in circles too. And maybe different colors.

Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:
cardstock: craft supply and DCWV
dry embossing and die cut heart: Cuttlebug
ribbon: Amercan Crafts
stamp and ink: Tim Holtz
journaling spot: Jillibean Soup

2 Peas Stamp Camp :: Week 2

2Peas is hosting a Spring Stamp Camp this month. Last week it was stamping w/bleach. Cool technique, but not one that I could try.

This week Kristina Werner was the host and she worked w/alphabet stamps. She has a video where she made three different cards using alphabet stamps. Super simple and fun.

I thought easy enough, but then I realized that all of my letter stamps are in storage. Ugh. I almost bought a letter stamp set @ Pat Catan's when I was in Akron for Easter. So I really did set out to make a purchase for some inexpensive letter stamps. Jackpot @ Joann. I got this KI Memories acrylic alphabet stamp set for $2.99. It has all 26 letters plus some punctuation. I don't necessarily like the way the stamping looks w/the Tim Holtz distressed ink, but I do like my entry for the Stamp Camp.

Yes, there is and are prizes for participating in Stamp Camp. A 2Peas gift certificate.

Oh and the other cool thing about this card is the journaling block. Got that at Pizazz It!, a local scrapbooking store (lss) in Columbus. Bought it on the day I also went to the crazy expo. Here's the interesting thing: I was talking to the lss owner and she saw me looking at the nice selection of journaling blocks and she told me that the women who designed them had just done a class in the store. The company is Jillibean-Soup and the women lives in the Columbus area. Very cool. But too bad that I missed the class because they had some cute cards and projects.

Anyway, I like the journaling spots ... they were $3.49 and there was a variety of blocks in the package. I can't remember how many there were, but it was good for the price and I know a good deal when I see one.

I've gone on and on ... thanks for looking, here's what I used:
cardstock: craft supply
patterned paper: K&Co.
stamps: KI Memories
ink: Tim Holtz Distress Ink/Ranger
journaling block: Jellibean Soup
ribbon: Hobby Lobby

WINNER :: Winterfest 09 Cuttlebug Challenge

I hosted a Cuttlebug Challenge on 2Peas for Winterfest 2009. It's an annual event hosted by the stamping board on 2Peas.

Here were the details of the challenge: you needed to stamp as well as use the Cuttlebug.

The winner is Kellsterstamps. Love this card. She wins a $10 gift certificate to the online store of her choice.

There so much to like on this card:

• Love the pastel colors
• awesome use of the Cuttlebug: she used three different embossing folders
• I like the cupcakes in the tree
• the big beautiful bow
• the large label die is quite nice
• the stitching adds some texture
  
• the sentiment is so cute

Thanks to everyone on 2Peas for entering. So much fun and lots of creativity.

Winterfest 2009 :: Cuttlebug Challenge

Winterfest 20o9 is not quite over and you still have a chance to get in on the fun.

Winterfest is a little more than a week stamping activities and challenges on 2Peas Stamping Board.

I've decided to host a Cuttlebug Challenge. I've hosted this during previous Stamping Board events like StamptoberFest.

You'll have until this Sunday, March 15th, to enter the contest. See the blog post (the link is below) @ 2Peas for all of the specifics. And yes, you will have to register on 2Peas to get involved.

• Winterfest 2009 :: Cuttlebug Challenge

Hi :: 2 Sketches 4 You and 2Peas Stamp Camp

Wow, another week and back to the wonderful world of cardmaking.

Starting off the week w/this week's 2 Sketches 4 You card sketch. This one courtesy of Laura. I love these sketches. It did not take me to coordinate this one. Just used some of the basics. I did grab some stamps that I rarely use from See-D's. And I used a border punch from Martha Stewart. I do like that punch. It is so easy to line up and use as opposed to the Fiskars punches which take a bit more of an effort to punch through.

Also, over @ Two Peas in a Bucket, Stamp Camp continues. Last week it was a "Kissing" technique. I've been following the camp, but I've yet to post a project. So here it is. The kissing is faint on the letters, but you can see the little swirls. Well that is from another stamp. I am not one to go into detail about this technique - that is why there is Stamp Camp. Go and check out the kissing technique video tutorial by Kristina Werner.

That's enough info for now, right?

Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:
cardstock: craft supply
patterned paper: K&Co.
alphabet stamps: See-D's
swirl stamp: $1 Michaels
ink: Tim Holtz/Ranger
dry embossing: Cuttlebug Textile Texture
flower: Prima
twine: Darice
button: Foof a al
other: sewing

The life of a card maker - or not ...

Okay, so my card making and virtual life have come to a stand still. Timing. I've started some outside endeavors (read: part-time job), and it aims to take over my life.

If that was not enough, my laptop has crashed; well, the Windows operating system has. My daughter has the reinstall disk, but guess what, she can't find it. Whatever. Of course the warranty has expired and I don't quite have the computer know how to fix it especially w/o the disk. Oh, woe is me.

So I bring you this little note courtesy of the public library. Thanks goodness. I could actually post some cards, if I had some spare time to make some. Oh, well.

I did not even get a chance to complete this week's Cuttlebug Challenge card. And there is a Stamping Camp taking place on 2peas. Actually, I thought that I could work the two together. My loss.

Other things I'm missing out on - I can look but not participating:

• weekly sketch on 2 Sketches 4 You
• weekly sketch on cps
• making a shape card @ Card-A-Licious
• Kristina Werner's Color Inspiration Challenge
• All of the activity on the Hero Arts blog
• Beate's Fresh and Fun
  
• And so much more
  

Don't know when I'll have time to seriously trouble shoot the laptop issue. But for my sanity, I need my time to craft! It's art therapy and you already know that.

Holiday Card :: cps 85

I finally got around to making some cards this week. I was really into it last night and out of the blue the power went out - not all of it mind you, but just enough that I could not do the sewing - and I just had to have some sewing.

When things finally got back to normal this afternoon, I was still in the mood to sew, heck, I even took the time to change the color of the thread - twice!

I do like the results. I put a lot of thought into this card using this weeks Card Positioning Systems (cps) sketch. I love the Papertrey Ink papers, but I only have the swatches so this was a good sketch to put them to use. Also, I wanted to have the feel of using the ribbon like you would if you were wrapping a gift. Finally, that little christmas tree is adorable and it says "We wish you a Merry Christmas, we wish you a Merry Christmas, we wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!" How cool is that? I thought cutting it out and adding foam tape would add a bit of punch. One more thing, I was going to use red ribbon w/a pattern, but I went for the monochromatic look. Love that.

I also entered this card in Steph's Stamptoberfest Happy Holidays Stamp Challenge on 2Peas.

Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:
cardstock: Bazzill
patterned paper: Papertrey Ink
stamp: Studio G/Michaels $1
ribbon: Michaels
ink: VersaMagic
dry embossing: Cuttlebug Swiss Dots
other: sewing

Stamptoberfest @ 2Peas

Stamptoberfest (SOF) has begun over @ 2Peas. It's a week long stamping events w/lots and lots of challenges and lots of goodies to go along w/that. Just fun, fun, fun and at no cost.

I'm hosting one of the many challenges. It's the SOF Cuttlebug Challenge (incidentally, I had this planned prior to knowing about Trudi's blog Cuttlebug Challenge). As a matter of fact, I hosted a Cuttlebug Challenge for Worldwide Stamping Week (WSW) on 2Peas earlier this year in June.

Anyway, I have a like RAK (random act of kindess) for participants. I have some Studio G Holiday stamps as well as a stamp set from Martha Stewart. I may even throw in some other goodies. I'll finalize that on Monday or Tuesday and post a picture.

Oh, so what is the challenge? Just make a card or project using the Cuttlebug along w/stamping. Super simple, right? The deadline is Saturday, October 11, 2008. For all the details, check out my 2Peas blog.

Goodies Galore

So I participated in a swap on TwoPeas. A swap is something that you sign up for and certain items or themes are used as a part of the swap. This was a Secret Cupid/Valentine Swap. So I made a package for my Secret Sister, meaning I was her Secret Cupid and I then received a package from my Secret Cupid which was different person.

Here are some pix of the goodies. I like the We R Memory Keepers paper because I have some cards w/the same pattern. Oh and there is a new magazine that I will be flipping through this week, Paper Crafts "Paper Crafting with Photos".

This swap was a good experience for me. I feel like I've developed lots of virtual friends - by posting on the Secret Cupid thread; seeing the pix of the goodies that the other participants received and oggling over that stuff. Now I have a friend in California and another in Texas, not to mention everyone else involved. Good times.

Hooray ... Me!

Well, I've been talking about this and thinking about this and submitting for this ... and finally this is coming true!

I made a submission to Cards Magazine and it was accepted! Yeaaaaaa. I was totally and still am excited. I've removed it from various galleries and even from this blog (at least until after it has been published and that will be in October).

So there is hope. If you were like me: a believer, but at times on the fence. But I just kept on submitting. And I will continue to submit and I plan on submitting to Paper Crafts and to Take Ten in the future. Just lots of options. And it is fun.

I do wonder though: I recently posted a comment on 2Peas about how to get my work in Cards, but I did not really get many responses; just a little praise and what not; but I was really seeking some, well, advice. Nevertheless, I am excitable!