Prairie Paper & Ink

Quick Card

Since I had all the supplies sitting out on my desk I thought I'd quickly make another card to share today.

This uses GinaK's Friendship Blooms stamp set - I stamped the image onto white cardstock then colored it in with Koh-i-noor colored pencils and Gina's blending stumps with OMS. It looks rather funky in the picture but I covered the vase with Icicle Stickles.

I embossed the card base with the Floral Fantasy CuttleBug folder, then used tape to adhere the lace ribbon (from May Arts) to the card before attaching the cardstock layers.

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On a side note - my mouth is doing OK. As long as I remember to take my pain meds on time I'm good to go. I have not and will not drink through a straw (the dentist really emphasized with me to not do that as I def. do NOT want to get dry socket!!) and have been able to eat softer foods here and there. I am craving steak and potatoes like you wouldn't believe tho!!!! Since tomorrow is Canada day I have steak marinating in the fridge to be grilled up for supper. I'm going to see if I can eat it - it should be pretty tender and if it's cut up small enough I should be OK (I sure hope so as that is ALL I want to eat right now!!! No more baby food for me LOL!!)

CPS Sketch #71

Yeah I know I'm shocked I got a card done too (I actually made TWO cards!! So proud of myself - I'll share the other one later on this week) - I've been dying to stamp these past couple of days but in NO way felt up to it. Earlier this afternoon tho I was feeling pretty good for a bit so I was able to throw this card together.

The image I had already colored in the other day when I made this card - except on this image I used only Copic markers to color (pretty big difference eh?). I had it sitting here on my desk and came across this CPS sketch and thought it would work perfectly.

The patterned paper is from Basic Grey's Periphery 6x6 pack. The sentiment is from GinaK's Friendship Blooms set (stamped onto one of her plastic tags that I attached to the ribbon with a jump ring).

The little embellishments on the panels are Bella Dots - these ones are marbly/sparkly and just went perfect with this card.

OK I need to crawl onto the couch - my meds are wearing off again and the latest dose hasn't kicked in - ugh my mouth hurts! :(

{SUPPLIES}

STAMPS: Botanical Dreams and Friendship Blooms stamp sets by GinaK Designs.

CS: Papertrey Vintage Cream, SU! Going Grey, Basic Grey Periphery.

INK: Ranger Adirondack Black, Baisc Grey (SU!), Copic Markers.

ACCESSORIES: Bella Dots, Ribbon (Michaels), Plastic Tag, Dimensionals.

New Rubbah!!

My box with the latest GinaK release arrived yesterday - YAY! I got all the new images trimmed and had a heck of a time choosing which image to ink up first. This new orchid stamp from Asela's Botanical Dreams set won!

I stamped the image onto Papertrey Vintage Cream cardstock, then used Koh-i-noor pencils with GinaK's blending stumps and odorless mineral spirits to blend them. I have to say that these pencils ARE really nice - really smooth to lay down the color and they blend really nicely too. And Gina's stumps and OMS work great too - this is the first time I've ever got to use them and I like 'em! I might actually set aside the Copics more often now to play with these.....(altho I did use a Copic marker to outline the image before I cut it out).

I used patterned paper from Basic Grey's Perhaps collection on the rest of the card, and stamped the sentiment (from Gina's Friendship Blooms set) onto one of the papers.

The bling is also from Gina's store - it's self adhesive so I just peeled and stuck 'em on :o) Ribbon is May Arts.

Have a great day everyone!

Friday Sketch! #21

OMG is it just me or has this month FLOWN by??? I can't believe that June is nearly over....it's almost midnight right now and I need to get this post typed up quick - I have a dentist appointment in the city tomorrow morning (thank goodness I'm nearly done with all these appointments!!) so I need to get to bed!!

For today's sketch I pulled out GinaK's Comfort & Peace stamp set (once a free with 3 set - now you can get it here) and made a few sympathy cards all using the same layout.

I used my SU! markers to ink up the main image and stamped it onto an oval (that I already cut with my Nestabilities die) made from Papertrey Vintage Cream CS (yup it's already become my go-to CS when I don't want to use white).

I used my Copic airbrush and a yellow Copic marker to get the "glow" around the flowers (it's softer than sponging - and I generally tend to smudge things when I use sponges!! *wink*).

The patterned paper is from Basic Gray's Sugared 6x6 pack (all the cards use various papers from this pack), and the ribbon is May Arts. The sentiments are from the same stamp set, and I stamped other sentiments from the set on the inside of each card.

If you upload your card using this sketch to any public galleries please use the keyword AMYRS30 to make it easier to find.

And don't forget to link directly to your creation in the comment section of this post so that I can see it too!

Here are the other 2 cards I made:

 

{SUPPLIES}

STAMPS: Comfort & Peace stamp set by GinaK Designs.

CS: Papertrey Vintage Cream, SU! Chocolate Chip & Kraft, Basic Grey Sugared Patterned Paper.

INK: SU! Chocolate Chip, Old Olive, Regal Rose, More Mustard and Ruby Red Markers, Copic Marker.

ACCESSORIES: Oval and Scalloped Oval Nestabilities Dies, Dimensionals, May Arts Ribbon.

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Don't foget to check out Gina's store ASAP - a bunch of fabulous new stamp sets are being released today!! Hopefully mine get here SOON so I can get 'em inky and make some samples for y'all!!

Make A BIG Splash!!

OK I am REALLY proud of myself right now - an idea popped in my head when I was looking at Melanie's new Jumping For Joy set and I was actually able to execute it EXACTLY how imagined it!!! *hugs self* LOL!!

I thought "How cool would it be to actually make a card where the bear "splashed" into the water? (b/c to me he looks like he's getting ready to do a big cannonball into the water???)

I made this into a spinner card - and you know in all the years I've been papercrafting I don't think I've EVER made a spinner card? SERIOUSLY! I've known how to make one since like forever - I've just never bothered to actually MAKE one. This one turned out so cute I think I'll hafta make more down the road.....

I stamped the bear, used a little Cool Shadow Copic marker on him to make him look MORE white, then cut him out. I used 2 pennies and a dimensional to make him into a spinner. You can check out a tutorial on SCS here that shows you how to make a spinner card.

For this card I just used a pencil to mark the "track" for the bear, then cut it out with my craft knife (I used Soft Sky SU! textured cardstock for that). The "water" was made with Blue Bayou CS - I drew the "splashes" on 2 separate pieces with a pencil then cut them out. All the white was made with a Ranger Snow Cap (white) paint dauber.

Haha it WORKED!! I used dimensionals that I got from WalMart EONS ago (sometime around when I first started stamping believe it or not) - they're really thick and tough and round - perfect for something like this. The top layer has doubled-up dimensionals under it so that it's high up enough for the bear to roll under it *grin*

This card is REALLY thick (about 1/2"!) as the textured CS is also up on dimensionals so that the bear spins freely on the track.

To mail something like this you'd need to put it in a box of sorts so that it wouldn't get squished during transit. It'd be worth it tho as people LOVE interactive cards (I'll admit I've been playing with it a fair bit since I completed it - Veronica thought it was pretty cool too except she thinks I should have colored the bear brown LOL!)

Time to Celebrate!

It is DEFINITELY time to celebrate as I got my newest GinaK stamps in the mail yesterday!

I lost no time getting them cut out and started making samples and here's the first one!

All images are from Melanie's new Jumping For Joy stamp set - I stmaped them onto Papertrey White CS and colored them with my Copics.

The patterned paper is from Autumn Leaves - their primary line, and the colored CS is SU (as is the ribbon).

OK I gotta run as I have a TON of things I need to get done today!

Later peeps!!

Golden Ticket?

Would you like to win a free stamp set? Or better yet a $100 shopping spree to buy stamps?? Then check THIS out. *grin*

Congrats on Your New Nest!

Happy Monday everyone!! It's a long weekend for us in Canada so today is a holiday - yay!! It gives me an extra day to recuperate after the LONG week I had (topped off with the birth of my niece!!). This week is shaping up to be OK (busy as usual) except for Thursday when I have my first of many dentist appointments *grimace*. I went to the dentist a little over a week ago and I KNEW I would be needing a lot of work done but after they laid it all out needless to say I can't wait to get it all over and done with - especially the last appointment as I will be having ALL 4 of my wisdom removed at once (I knew that that would happen too - but what I DIDN'T know is that I should have had them out years ago before they even came through - my old dentist told me I had to wait and now I'm having issues with them and it's going to be a LOT more difficult to remove them.........). Anyway I'm rambling but man this is stressing me out!! It will be worth it when it's all over tho (and my new dentist is FABULOUS so I'm not as scared to go!! *wink*)

OK so here's another fun owl card I made not too long ago with GinaK's Owl Always Love You stamp set:

I stamped the image onto white cardstock then used Copic markers to color him in.

I filled in the flowers with Fruit Punch stickles, and used Fun Flock with my Quickie glue pen just along the sides of the owl to make him just a little fuzzy.

You can click on the picture to get a pop-up window with a bigger view.

The patterned paper is Amy Butler by K&Co, the ribbon is May Arts and the baubles are from Stamping Bella.

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Don't forget that GinaK is releasing new stamp sets TOMORROW and tonight from 7-10 Central Time there is a release party going on in their member forum on SCS! There's going to be games and contests as well as full reveals of all the new sets (I can't wait for mine to get here!)

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OK I gotta run and start getting caught up around the house as well as take care of some design team deadlines!!

Bonus Sketch!

I was asked to be a guest hostess over on Splitcoast this week for the Sketch Challenge so I made up a sketch and a sample and here it is!

I used GinaK's Owl Always Love You stamp set - stamped them with Brilliance Graphite Black ink then colored them in with Copic Markers. I went over their bodies with my quickie glue pen and covered them with carmel latte tan fun flock - check out how fuzzy they are LOL!!:

The baubles are from Stamping Bella and the ribbon I got some time ago from Michaels (I KNOW isn't it fabulous?? I wish I had bought more of it b/c I haven't seen it there since!)

Here is the sketch:

You can check out the challenge thread I'm hostessing over on SCS here.

The keywords for this one if you decide to play along and upload your card to a public gallery is SC176.

"Guilty" Owls??

LOL I am in LOVE with GinaK's Owl Always Love You set (see? Owls are so IN right now!! They're everywhere!!) - to me the expressions they have look almost guilty - it just makes me grin.

I had a LOT of fun making these cards - I pulled out some fun patterned paper, Stickles, Fun Flock, ribbon and baubles and went to town and this was the result!

I stamped this one onto white cardstock then colored him in with Copic markers. I then went over the owl's body with my Quickie Glue pen and pressed Carmel Latte Tan Fun Flock all over and now he's fuzzy!

I then took Grape Ice Ice stickles and filled in the flowers so they're all sparkly :o)

The patterned paper us a K&Company Amy Butler Pack, the ribbon is May Arts and the baubles are form Stamping Bella.

{SUPPLIES}

STAMPS: Owl Always Love You set by GinaK Designs.

CS: Papertrey White, Prism (purple), K&Co Patterned Paper, Chocolate Chip (SU!).

INK: Brilliance Graphite Black, Copic Markers.

ACCESSORIES: Baubles, Ribbon, Fun Flock, Stickles, Dimensionals, Corner Rounder Punch.

I used all the same supplies for this card except I used the other owl stamp from the set and different May Arts ribbon.

I also only applied the fun flock to the edges of the owl images - you can click on the picture to get a better idea of what I mean.

{SUPPLIES}

STAMPS: Owl Always Love You set by GinaK Designs.

CS: Papertrey White, Prism (purple), K&Co Patterned Paper, Chocolate Chip (SU!).

INK: Brilliance Graphite Black, Copic Markers.

ACCESSORIES: Baubles, Ribbon, Fun Flock, Dimensionals.

What's In Your Tin?

I sat down the other night and pulled out Melanie's What's in Your Tin 1 & 2 stamp sets. I got a couple of Altoid Tins from GinaK's store (which are the size that Melanie's sets were made for) and altered them both using some patterned paper and her stamps.

This first one uses the What's In Your Tin 1 set and patterned paper from Basic Grey's Cupcake Collection.

I used the sprinkle paper for the top, stamped the frame with red ink, then stamped the sentiment with blue ink.

I used Stampin' Up! ribbon to line the bottom of the tin (strong double-sided adhesive works great to adhere ribbon and paper to tins like this).

I lined the inside of the tin with some other papers from the Basic Grey set, then filled it with a few suckers.

I think these would make great little gifts or party favors don't you??

For my second tin I wanted a more elegant feminine feel to it.

I used the What's In Your Tin 2 set along with GinaK's Comfort & Peace set.

I stamped the floral image first (I inked it up with markers), then stamped the frame with ColorBox pigment ink and heat embossed it with clear glittery embossing powder.

I sponged the edges of the cardstock with yellow ink before adhering it to the tin lid.

The ribbon wrapped around the base is May Arts.

I lined the inside of the tin with some green Basic Grey paper, then filled it with some fancy chocolates I bought at Costco some time ago (and that I shockingly have some left of!).

Friday Sketch! #15

Happy Friday everyone!

This has to be another quick post as I have some things that need taking care of and errands to do and whatnot and FYI it is STILL SNOWING here!!! AURGH!!!!!!

Anyway here is Friday's Sketch! I kept it simple (well they seem to always be pretty simple I think) and used one of the new GinaK Designs stamp sets: Rupa's King of the Grill stamp set.

I also used my new Basic Grey 6x6 Boxer paper (LOVE this paper - it is ALL manly colors and patterns - it's fabulous!) and paper-pieced part of the bag.

Copic markers were used to color the bag in, and I stamped the golf clubs onto the creamy patterned paper with Navy colored ink.

I also used my Crop-a-dile and punched several holes along the side and added some Making Memories vintage eyelets.

Also this week the All That Scraps Design Team played along so check the All That Scraps blog later today as I will be posting my sample along with all the samples they made too!!

And here's the sketch:

If you upload your card using this sketch to any public galleries please use the keyword AMYRS23 to make it easier to find.

And don't forget to link directly to your creation in the comment section of this post so that I can see it too!

NEW GinaK Stamps

GinaK is releasing 4 super-cute sets - check them out HERE!!

Sorry I don't have any samples yet to share - my sets should be arriving early this week!

AND - if you want to win ALL of the new stamps - then go HERE!!

More Kindred Spirits

So what do y'all think of the new Kindred Spirits line by GinaK?? Did you follow along with yesterday's "blog tag" posts? I had a blast participating in it :o)

So here are 2 more cards I made with a couple of the other Kindred Spirits (and FYI Gina will be releasing male and children images in the near future too!) and a sentiment from the set.

Both cards use the same patterned paper that I used yesterday - Basic Grey's 6x6 Romani paper. There is such diverse color palettes and patterns in this pack you can a lot of different looks when using it I think.

I was pretty free with this first card - I used various sizes of circle punches to punch out the main image and the different papers. The sentiment circle is adhered with dimensionals so that it pops up a bit.

I used Copic markers to color in the main image.

This image (called Rebecca) is my favorite out of all the Kindred Spirits - a year ago that's exactly what I looked like LOL! Now that Josie is nearly 2 1/2 she rarely lets me carry her (I usually get snapped at "I'll do it myself!" - little miss independent....).

I even colored them to look like me and the girls (including their red hair *wink*) using my Copics.

The scalloped circle was punched from Prism CS (all the colored CS used on these cards is by Prism) using Stampin' Up!'s scallop circle punch.

The ribbon is May Arts, and the baubles are from Stamping Bella.

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So tell me - which is YOUR favorite Kindred Spirit?

Kindred Spirits- the journey

Here is her story.

"My name is Rachel. I live in St. Thomas. That's in the Virgin Islands. It's so beautiful here! I have a daughter and she's grown and lives in Florida with her husband and my beautiful granddaughter. My granddaughter sends pictures to me all the time that she has drawn in school. I have them everywhere! They are coming to visit me on spring break and I am so excited. My husband passed away a year ago and it's been lonely. But I have good friends and I work at a beautiful resort here on the island.

When my granddaughter comes, I will take her to Magens Bay because the water sits perfectly still and I don't have to worry that she will get caught in a wave. I guess I worry too much but she is so special to me.

I will make her some traditional West Indian meals too! Her favorite last time she came was Coconut Ginger Shrimp with Mango Citrus Sauce. (I didn't think she would eat it but she did and she loved it!)

Someday maybe I will move to be closer to them, but I love my Island life."

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Coconut Ginger Shrimp with Mago Citrus Sauce

Start by preparing the Salsa:

• 1 green onion, chopped
• 2 Tbsp red bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 lime, diced
• 1/2 orange, diced
• 1/4 tsp scotch bonnet pepper (there's that ingredient we love so much!), finely minced (or may substitute jalapeno)
• 1/2 cup ripe mango, peeled and diced
• 2 Tbsp parsley, chopped
• 1 tsp sugar
• Salt to taste

Combine all the ingredients. Check for salt and hot pepper -- you might want more a lot more. You can get this part of the recipe out of the way up to 4 hours before the main event.

Combine the following ingredients in a bowl and set aside:

• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 2 Tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
• 1 Tbsp fresh lemon grass, finely minced
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 3 Tbsp canned, unsweetened coconut milk
• 1/4 cup shredded coconut, finely chopped
• White pepper to taste

Prepare your shrimp:

1. Peel, devide and remove the tails of 24 LARGE SHRIMP.
2. Heat 2 Tbsp CANOLA OIL in a large saute pan and quickly sear prepared shrimp on each side, cooking about half way.
3. Add reserved coconut mixture, stir to combine.
4. Cook about 2-3 minutes.
5. Serve with Mango-Citrus Salsa.

Stamp info:

These stamps will be available at 1 minute past midnight CST from GinaK Designs.

These stamps are sold as single stamps, deeply etched rubber on cling vinyl, ready to be trimmed and used with acrylic blocks. The words are in a set that can be used with all of the Kindred spirits and many other stamps you already have. It is sold separately and comes in a tin.

To continue the journey, click here <---------click!