Steampunk shoes

A few weeks back I left the big 40 behind and year 41 started out beutifully with gorgeous weather, a nice dinner on the town and lots of presents. I looove presents! Among other things, I recieved  big navy & mustard colored leather handbag, perfect for fall, and the sweetest bracelet that has a braille inscription that says "breathe", a perfect reminder to do just that when work gets a little much. Of course I got some scrappy goodies as well, for example THE coolest stampset from Stampendous called "Steampunk shoes". Dorothy gone all steampunk. Love them! I just had to try them out right away so I whipped together a quick card using only red distress inks and golden perfect pearl. 

Penguin mania

I was crafting together with some friends the other night and one of them let me borrow her penguin stamp set from My favourite things. They are soooo adorable! (That's why I have two more penguin posts coming up.) The papers and stamps are from the August Simon says stamp kit.

Pang of guilt 2

This time I used the cute little sailboat die together with a few of the stamps and a beautiful nautical themed embossing folder from Darice. I like embossing folders, I don't use them nearly as much as I should. 

Pang of guilt

As always when a month is drawing to a close and I realize a new kit from Simon is making its way across the ocean, I get a pang of guilt for not having used the previous kit as much as I should have. More than once I've concidered cancelling my subscription but then the sneak preview hits me lika a ton of bricks and I put it off  'til next month. And so on and so on....

More Stampendous

Another Build a bouquet-card, this time die cut with the matching dies. Since I didn't want a plain white background but nothing too "in your face" either, I made a soft purple watercolor background over a white embossed Hero arts stamp. To tone it down further I added a layer of vellum in between the stamp and the background.

More peeps

This time with a die cut inlay, a Paper Smooches border die, Doodlebug papers and some Lawn fawn twine.

Colorful

A white embossed Hero arts background painted with distress inks and a waterbrush. The framing is a Simon says stamp die (I think) and the sentiment from Hero arts. 

Nerdy

Glitter cardstock - gotta love it. Self adhesive glitter cardstock - gotta love it even more!!

Ps. Today I'm depressed. Today is my first day back at work after a four week vacation. To be honest, I think I need another four weeks. Luckily it's a four day week since I have Friday off to go to a wedding. Maybe, just maybe, I'll make it through the week.

Total CASE 2

Total CASE 1

Coming back from our vacation I had some pent up scrap energy to let loose. As I didn't know where to start I headed over to Pinterest for a short cut and some inspiration. After CASE:ing two cards I found my bearings and was able to keep goina aaaall by myself. 

Lovey-dovey

I just had to make this lovey-dovey card with my new border dies from Paper smooches. The letters and the rectangles are from Lawn fawn and the heart is a suuuper old Quickutz set, Nesting hearts.

Simon says stamp July

Love the nautical theme in the July kit from Simon. Included in the kit was the cutest little sail boat die. On this card I chose to inlay two boats using some of the patterned paper from the kit as sails. 

The waves are colored with 6 different Copic markers and my wink of Stella. The red crystal stars are from one of last years kits but I thought they would team up nicely with this one. 

Smile

The shaker card from yesterday left me with a lot of scraps. In order to finish 'em up I die cut a bunch of circles and inlaid them in a white panel. I really like the bright colors on (or rather in) the white! As unhappy as I was with the other card, that's how happy I am with this one. 

All the materials (except the enamel dots) are from the June Simon says stamp kit. 

Embossed embossing

I tried out a new technique the other day. At first I ran my watercolor paper through an emboss folder  and then, using my brayer, I added some versamark ink to the clouds and heat set them. Then I was free to smooch the background with distress ink without risking my white clouds. 

The sentiment, stamps and dies are from Simon says stamp, "Soaring for you".

And one more

My last card from my Zig coloring session. I've been trying to accomplish some shading with my grey marker but I'm not really happy with how it came out. Whenever my husband is unhappy with his golf score he blames the clubs and gets himself a new putter or sand wedge or whatever. Must be the equippments fault. I guess that means I can invest in a few more markers, right? 

Here goes...

... with one of my first Zig attempts. For this card I used only one color per item but diluted it with water to get some shading. This card is inspired by a beatiful card by the very talented Yana Smakula. Check out her blog if your unfamiliar with her work. 

Cast offs

This card was actaually supposed to be the background for my Prima doll stamp but it was a bit to big for my taste so I turned it into this card instead. 

Prima doll stamp

I really lika Prima's doll stamps but the big ones don't fit a standard size card so I was really happy when I found this smaller version at Simon's. I have the "Party girl" one and now the one called "Sunshine". Knowing me they'll magically multiply in the near future. 

The "sun" in the background is part of a TCW stencil in Mustard seed, Dried marigold and Ripe persimmon. The doll is painted with distress inks, Tattered rose, Abandoned coral, Fossilized amber and Twisted citron. And some wink of stella, of course.

Succulents

Have you fallen for the succulent trend yet? I sure have. 

Friend

More of the artful flower, this time with both the outline and the solid stamp.