Saturday, January 31, 2009

Just to let everyone know...

My old puter DIED!! I lost everything I had...*cries* all my programs, pictures, bookmarks...I am hoping to be able to retrieve it, or this puter whiz do it for me, lol. BUT for now, I have a new puter, it has windows vista, which I am NOT liking. So I am trying to get everything set up again, trying to find what I did with all my cd's to load stuff from 4 yrs ago, lol. So if you dont see a card from me for a few days, that is why! Such a pain to do this....ug...

--CAT

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Ghirardelli® Box

In this weeks SCS Weekly Inkling, Beate has a tutorial on this box. I thought it was just too cute to pass up, had to try it! Here is the link to the tutorial:

Beate's Tutorial

And here is my version:



And it opened:



I show the picture of it opened because I did the closure a bit different than the tutorial shows. I rounded the flap corners so it would tuck behind the scallop border I made and put the dimensionals on the top part instead of the bottom of the scallp medallion I made. This was soooo super quick! and lots of fun to make. Gonna make a few more now! LOL!

Thanks for stopping by today and Happy Hump day! Week is almost over! Seems like its flying this week to me. We didnt get much of the ice that was predicted for us (told ya! LOL) Just on bridges on windshield on DH's truck this morning. So that is a good thing! ( to quote Martha, haha!)
--CAT
Box Details:
Stamps: Studio G dollar stamp
Paper: SU! cardstock
Ink: memento tuxedo black
Accessories: SU! marker, scallop circle punch, circle punches, scallop border punch, ribbon, piercing tool, dimensionals, MS clear gem sticker, terrifically tacky tape

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

A color and a sketch challenge!

Well, you would think this card wouldnt have taken me too long to do, since the colors and the layout were all done for me, but noooo, not me! I still take forever fiddling with a card, lol! I made this for the color challenge at SCS today (baja breeze, pacific point, and garden green) and for Jen del Muro's sketch challenge from Saturday. I have been wanting to participate in her sketches for the longest and this is my first time to do so, and I do so love sketch challenges! Ok, on to the card:



I tried a bit of watercoloring on this card. I used the lids of the above listed inks. Wasnt a whole lot of coloring on this image, and will try it again. I just was playing today, lol. I also got the idea for a tailored bow from Joanne B....she has issued a challenge in the Gina K forum but this isnt my card for that, lol. I have another idea for that one.

We are under an ice storm warning tonight. The worst of it seems to be up north of us right now and I am hoping it STAYS there, lol! But if I do happen to disappear, it would be because we lost power...I soo hope not. Back in 2000, we had that bad ice storm and was without electric for SEVEN days...it was HORRIBLE!! But got candles, hurrican lamps and some canned stuff today just in case. What usually happens, if they are predicting it for us, we dont get it, lol! Anyways, heres hoping for the best!

Thanks for stopping in and hope you are having a wonderful week!
--CAT
Card Details
Stamps: Unity Stamp Co.
Paper: SU! cardstock
Ink: baja breeze, garden green, pacific point, memento tuxedo black.
Accessories: circle nesties, cb embossing folders swirls and swiss dots, scor-pal, brads, hodgepodge hardware, ribbon, water colored with above listed inks using the lids of the inks, paper piercer, pop dots.

Monday, January 26, 2009

How Tweet!

Well, not necessarily my CARD but the person receiving this definitely is! LOL! I made this for a challenge in the Gina K forum at SCS. The challenge was issued by Theresa and it was to make a card with the theme 'sweet'. So this is what I came up with. It does say sweet, or tweet, lol.



I had to stick the sentiment there because as I was attaching everything, I dropped the bird and oval onto an ink pad...you would think I'd know better than to not put the lid back on IMMMEDiately! LOL! It got a spot of black ink on it so had to cover it up! I kinda invented my own breed of birds here too, lol! Isnt that one fun thing about stamping animals? You can make them any color you want! I was just pulling colors out that matched the dp I wanted to use and ended up with this little orange birdie, lol.

Ok that's it for today! Hope you have a wonderfully creative week!
--CAT
Card Details:
Stamps: Home Tweet Home from Gina K Designs
Paper: Basic grey cupcake dp, SU! carstock
Ink: memento tuxedo black
Accessories: basic grey cupcake brads and buttons, (which I got from someone that just made my day!) scallop corner punch, circle, oval and rectangle nesties, swirl clip, ribbon, scallp edge punch, copic markers and prisma pencils with OMS.

Friday, January 23, 2009

Happy Birthday to me! LOL!

Ah well, I was trying to ignore it, but it still comes around, darn it! LOL! Sooo, I had birthday on my mind, and my SIL's birthday is coming up in March and she sent me a card about an old hag (store bought, lol...all my family tell me they hate sending me cards because it doesnt compare to what I send, lol!) , so this fit perfect to send one back to her! LOL!



I love these witches from Starving Artists. They are so much fun to color! I thought she needed a bauble in her hand too so glued a dew drop there. I made this for the LS challenge at SCS today, to use black as a card base. I had already colored her up, wasnt planning on using black for that, but just switched stuff around. She's bright huh?! Yea me and my love of bright things! LOL!

I got so upset last night... my mouse just quit working, would not scroll or anything (and right during the Gina K release party at that!) Well I worked on it and got it working again..(where does that crud come from down in there???) and its ok for now, but I am going to have to buy another one. I always put it off till it just completely dies though, lol! I am having to give it a good shake every now and then to work now...lmao.

Well, that's it for today! TGIF!! Hope everyone has a wonderfully creative weekend!
--CAT
Card Details:
Stamps: Witches Trio from Starving Artists
Paper: SU! cardstock
Ink: memento tuxedo black
Accessories: prisma and koh-i-noor pencils with OMS, rectangle nesties, tag nesties, brads, ticket corner punch, ribbon, fancy corner punch, silver craft thread, pop dots, dressmaker tool to distress on the pink a bit which you cant really see

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

LOVE these colors!

I made this card using yesterday's color challenge at SCS. I got stumped on what to do for a sentiment and didnt get it done yesterday and got tired of looking at it today so just slapped something on there, lol. I really love this color combo. I'd love to have this in my house! Here's my card:



And I still felt like the card needed something..maybe in the corners...oh well, it's done now unless I have a brainstorm to add something lol! On to better things as the saying goes! I do have another card almost done that I actually kinda like...arent we our worse critics? I read someone else saying that on their blog today too and I KNOW I am. I have lots of cards that I dont post because they just bug me for some reason, lol!

Week is halfway over, yay! Hope everyone is having a wonderfully creative week!
--CAT
Card Details
Stamps: sentiment is a StudioG stamp, and I cant remember where the hearts are from, had it too long, lol.
Paper: SU! cardstock regal rose, bravo burgundy, kiwi kiss
Ink: SU! regal rose, bravo burgundy, kiwi kiss
Accessories: SU! ribbon regal rose, rectangle nesties, SU! hodgepodge hardware, slice machine, CB embossing folder swiss dots, scor-pal, pop dots, corner round punch.

Sunday, January 18, 2009

2 CAS cards...I think..

I made both of these cards for the challenge in the Gina K forum. Boy arent I the challenge junkie! LOL! This is my first one I did:



I have the hardest time with Clean and Simple cards. I love the way others look, but mine just always seem to be missing something to me, lol. I think this has a bit more than a CAS card should have on it so I made another and this it what I did this time:



I had at first just pierced around the daisy and then decided to do a bit of stitching to make a frame. Its still basically a CAS card...right? LOL! Anyways, leaving it at that!

Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. And if you got a 3 day one...woohooo!! Enjoy tomorrow off too! Thanks for stopping by!
--CAT
Card Details:
Card #1:
Stamps: Flowers for Daisy fromGina K Designs
Paper: SU! cardstock
Ink: memento tuxedo black
Accessories: koh-i-noor pencils with OMS, craft thread, ribbon, scallop edge punch, MS butterfly punch, silver rhinestones, ribbon, scor-pal.

Card #2:
Stamps: My Cuppa Joe from Gina K Designs
Paper: SU! cardstock
Ink: memento tuxedo black
Accessories: slice machine, copics, oval punches, brad, pop dots, ribbon, corner rounder

Thursday, January 15, 2009

A color challenge

I did this for the color challenge at Kristina's Blog. I've only participated one other time in doing her challenges...usually didnt have the colors to use but now I do so threw this quick card together. The colors where Ruby Red, Pumpkin Pie, Pretty in Pink and Whisper White:



And my quickie thank you card:



Actually, I got the colors of cardstock out and kinda stared at it for a bit, NOT liking it at all, lol! But then this card has kinda grew on me, and I'm liking it after getting it all together. The 'thank you' charms I got at Michael's on clearance for like 2 bucks too. I think they were meant to put on bracelets, but I'll get a couple more words out of them and for 2 bucks, thats ok, lol.

Ok, thats it for tonight! Hope everyone is having a good week and TGIF tomorrow! Thanks for stopping by! Ya'll come back now ya here? haha! Been wanting to say that for the longest, lol.
--CAT
Card Details
Stamps: SU! Big Flowers
Papers: SU! cardstock (colors listed above)
Accessories: oval punch, circle punch, scallop edge punch, cb embossing folder swiss dots, ribbon, pop dots, tombow metal glue, silver rhinestones, scor-pal, embossing powder and heat gun, flower brads from SU!

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Unity Challenge Wednesday! #19!

Wow! Can't believe we have been doing this for 19 weeks now! What fun its been too! What makes it even more fun is that you LOVE the stamps that you are using! Angela is such a sweet person and her crew she has working with her (excellent customer service!!) And I do so love my Unity Stamps...and I always love a challenge because they inspire me sometimes when there is just nothing there, lol! Today's challenge was to do the inside of the card too. This is mine, the front first:



I also used the sketch challenge for this week issued by Amber in the Unity forum, excellent sketch! Heres the inside of the card:



This was fun to do, I usually dont do a thing to the inside except when I go to give it to whoever, and I kinda like the little space I created there for whatever I want to write.

Thats it for now! Hope you are having a wonderful day and dont forget about HIP HOP in the Unity Forum tomorrow!! Be there or be square! haha!
--CAT
Card Details
Stamps: Unity Stamp Co., Sept. Kit of the Month
Paper: SU! cardstock, BM Lucky in Love DP
Ink: memento tuxedo black
Accessories: slice machine, prisma pencil and OMS with blending stump, red heart brad, clear rhinestones by MS, ribbon, scallop edge punch, dimensionals

Monday, January 12, 2009

Whew! Got it done!

THIS is the challenge card that the other days card was suppose to be, a sketch challenge at Stampers Dream! LOL! Told you the other card was OFF!



And of course, I fiddled with that card all morning and still am upset with it. The problem is that I colored the couch green which made it look like Christmas instead of Valentines to me. Thus the heart brads up there in the corners and the xoxoxo (which I put on backward I just noticed too, lol!) But IM DONE! LOL!

Now, I'd thought I'd show you my process of coloring Riley, a mini little coloring tutorial so to speak. This is my favorite way to color images, first with copics then use colored pencils over that.

First I lay my base color on Riley:

In this case it was E33. Then next, I took my Prisma colored pencil, dark umber, and went around where I wanted some shadows:

Next, I take my blending stump and OMS and blend in the colored pencil:

And he's about done! The only thing I did in the finished one was to color the hoofs and antlers, both using just colored pencils because I wanted some light spots, and added some blush to his/her cheeks. This is not Riley to me, it's Sophie, lol! She just got home from an exhausting day and flopped down on the couch, it even scooted like it does on my wood floors, notice the crooked couch? LOL! I stamped it crooked and just went with it when drawing in the floor, haha! Cause my couch does this all the time, even with the little skid things on. Anyways, sorry about the dark photos, I was a bit lazy and should have taken to my light box and took the pics, next time I'll do better!

Thanks for stopping by and hope you have a good week!
--CAT
Card Details
Stamps: Couch Riley from Hannah Stamps
Paper: SU! cardstock
Ink: memento tuxedo black
Accessories: square and oval nesties, scallop corner punch, scallop border punch, oval punches, cb embossing folder swiss dots, piercing tool and pad, copic markers and prisma pencils with OMS, ribbon, eyelets, heart brads, dimensionals

Saturday, January 10, 2009

Well this card didnt work out!

You ever start a card and it ends up coming out something totally different than what you wanted it to? This is one like that, lol. I started out doing the sketch challenge that Michelle from Stampers Dream has on her blog, but as you can see, umm, WAY off! LOL!



I'm going to use this one for my daughter for her Valentine's card I think. It reminds me of them Cabbage Patch dolls she so loved when she was a little girl, lol! This is an old OLD stamp that I bought AGES ago off of ebay. It says 'Miss February D.O.T.S.' on the side of it. I have several of these little doll stamps, I thought they were just so cute at the time! So I brought out Miss February for Valentine's day!

Ok, off to give that sketch challenge another try, lol!

Oh, and by the way...I have to tell you how excellent customer service with Michelle is at her store, Stampers Dream. I ordered yesterday from her and got my package today on Saturday...now, I know that I got it this quick because we live only about 70 miles away from each other, lol, BUT my point is, I LOVE when I order something and its packaged and shipped the same day, and every time I have ordered from Michelle that is how her service is! I just feel like when you receive excellent customer service like that you should spread the word and thats what I'm doing!

Thanks for stopping by and hope you are having a wonderful weekend!
--CAT
Card Details
Stamps: D.O.T.S. Miss February, Studio G $1 stamps for sentiments
Papers: PTI
Accessories: heart brad, silver twine, oval punch, rectangle nesties, copic markers, circle punch, pop dots

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Unity Addicts at it again!

Yep, us Unity addicts are back with our weekly challenges! yay! This weeks challenge was issued by Kim and it was a SLIM challenge (Sometimes Less Is More) I really enjoyed this challenge! I was also inspired by the FS Challenge at SCS, JulieHRR...she is just awesome in her work so this card of hers sorta inspired my card:
Julie's awesome card!

I love the little edge of the card and used that:



I really dont know what Julie used for her card, but what I did is cut my card stock long ways and scored regularly, then for the edge fold I scored in from the middle fold one inch, flipped around the other way on the scor pal and scored again in one inch. I then put terrifically tacky tape in that areas, to hold them together, if that makes sense, lol. This is 120lb. weight cardstock so it needed it! LOL!

Ok, thats all for now! Hope you are having a wonderful Hump day! Halfway done with the week, yay!
--CAT
CARD DETAILS
Stamps: Kit of the Month from Unity Stamp Co.
Paper: 120lb cardstock from Gina K Designs
Ink: memento tuxedo black
Accessories: Prisma pencils with OMS and blending stumps, ribbon, hole punch, scor-pal, terrifically tacky tape.

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

I fear glitter...

And doing this card didnt help get over that, lol! But it was fun to do. It was for the Technique challenge at SCS the other day. The stripes are that red tacky tape with glitter on it. I had glitter EVERYwhere! Sneezed sparklies for the longest haha!! Anyways, heres the card:



I love cards made with glitter on them but for some reason, mine always look like something done in like 1st grade or something, but with this technique I think it looks better..more controlled on the CARD, just not on my table, lol. and arms and shirt and even in my long hair!

Thats all for now! Thanks for stopping by and hope you are having a wonderful creative week!
--CAT
Card Details:
Stamps: Kit of the Month from Unity Stamp Co
Paper: SU! cardstock
Ink: memento tuxedo black
Accessories: pink SU! marker, ribbons, fancy corner punch, doodlebug glitters, terrifically tacky tape, oval nesties, pop dots

Friday, January 2, 2009

One of my favorite stamp Illustrators...

..can you guess who it is? Wellll, I tell ya! It Melanie Muenchinger! She is celebrating her one year blogaversary this week and is having some awesome prizes on her blog too! You dont want to miss out on it! I have everyone of Mel's sets and always look forward to each new release. Mel's creative mind just fascinates me! She is always coming up with something that just blows me away.

For my card today, I used Mel's newest set 'Hand in Hand' and also used Gina's challenge to make a black and white card.



I used the white pencil technique on this card. I love how that looks, like a sketch to me. And I blinged it up a bit, lol. This set really has such beautiful sayings in it too! Did a bit of CBing and scoring and that was it! REally quick card.

Thats it for now! Dont forget to stop by Mel's Blog and wish her a happy blogerversary and you just might win an awesome prize!

Thanks for stopping by!
--CAT
Card Details
Stamps: Hand in Hand by Melanie Muenchinger from Gina K Designs
Paper: SU! cardstock
Ink: memento tuxedo black, white chalk ink
Accessories: CB embossing folder, swiss dots, scor-pal, slice machine, label one nesties, rhinestones, silver brad, dimensional tape, ribbon, fancy corner punch.

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