"My advice doll...."

Just for fun, I stamped a lot of different images and then spent last evening and some of this morning coloring with my prismacolor pencils. It seems like it has been a long time since I've just colored images. I find it relaxing.

This is one of the images I worked on this weekend. The three ladies stamp and the sentiment is from Art Impressions Rubber Stamps. The background paper is from Provocraft. I added some machine stitching and lots of stickles on the ladies jewelry.

The full sentiment reads: "My Advice Doll," and inside it says, "Pick an age you like and stick to it!"

More cards to come throughout the week from my stack of images.

Have a nice Sunday afternoon!

Fruits of the gardens

In the past, I've never had great successes with my gardens. I've had small pleasures but definitely not a full season of harvest.

Here are a few photos of my flowers. Previously you've seen my veggie and herbs (did I show you my herb garden?) but now here are my flowers: orange, pink and red Dahlias, Marigolds, Cosmos with some bees visiting them, Moss roses and Verbena, perhaps more Verbena if I can find the photos, White Miniature Roses and of course Tango helping me garden and the Lady Isabella sticking her nose out of the window.

Gothic Arch - Fall Theme

This week's theme challenge for the GOTHIC ARCH site is FALL.

I've used some left over pieces of embossed pumpkins using black embossing paste and colored with oil crayons. The Charles Dickens poem stamp is from Northwoods Rubber Stamps.

This just sort of fell together as I was cleaning off my craft table from other projects and scraps of paper and ribbons.

Trees - Autumn themed

This is the second card for the SATURDAY STAMPERS challenge for this week's theme of TREES.

Again, I used my naked tree template with black embossing paste, mounted on black and metalic gold cardstock. The little leaf punch has really gotten a lot of use from me lately. This punch is from a set of 4 tiny double image punches made by McGill Craftivity given to me my daughter and son several years back. I'm really enjoying playing with it and adding autumn color to my cards.

The sentiment stamp is from Stampin' Up! and embossed with gold detail embossing powder.

Trees and embossing paste

The challenge/theme posted for the SATURDAY STAMPERS site this week is TREES. This theme is perfect since I've been playing with my black embossing paste and stencils this week and really wanted to try out my new naked tree brass stencil.

I think this stencil will lend itself to all seasons, not just autumn and winter and also might work for a sympathy card. I purchased the template at HEATHER'S STAMPING HAVEN in Ottawa, ON.

The first card I made for the challenge is titled Warm Holiday wishes. I still cannot photograph or scan silver metalic card stock and consequently these images appear black and smeary. Trust me that it is reflection in the mirror effect of the metalic card stock.

For this card I used some liquid snow on the tree branches and at the base of the tree and topped that lightly with blue Martha Stewart glitter. The lightblue background is embossed in my Cuttlebug using the snowflake folder. The sentiment is and Anna Griffin sentiment, by Plaid. I couldn't resist adding a couple of blue crystals for a little extra sparkle.

Kitty's birthday surprise?

This is another card I made today using black embossing paste. This stencil is by a company called "The Stencil Collection." I decided I liked it best without adding any other color to it with the exception of green stickles on the eyes.

Yes, my kitty has a birthday surprise for someone! Do you see what she caught?

Black embossing paste

This past year I've really enjoyed using embossing paste and brass stencils. My latest discovery is to use black embossing paste and color it with oil crayons. Unfortunately, it is really difficult to get the full idea of the richness of color and the embossed image from a photograph or scan, but this will give you a small idea. It really looks much better in real life!

The background stamp is by Stampin' UP! The swirls/flourish stamp is by CTMH.

I challenged my good friend JAN to get her embossing paste out and give it a try. Click Jan's name and you'll see her beautiful autumn card with real flowers from her garden, dried and pressed.

So Jan, here is my embossed card for our one on one challenge.

Creative Team Sketch challenges

The creative design team at THE STAMP SHACK posts new challenges each week. Sometimes they are color challenges, sometimes the challenge has to do with a specific type of technique with which you may experiment, and this week's challenge is a SKETCH CHALLENGE. This week there are two sketches we can use.

My CT Sketch challenge for the first sketch this week is using the new stamps I bought at HEATHER'S STAMPING HAVEN, in Ottawa, and created the layout as per the creative teams's instructions. I like this. Granted, it is loud and almost gaudy but imagine the feeling you feel on "life's roller coaster" as it gets busy, colorful and active.
















For my second sketch challenge I used this Charles Dicken's poem to create an autumn themed card using the sketch as the basis for the layout. The Dickens poem stamp is by Northwoods Rubber Stamps, Inc. The grapevine at the top and bottom are from a retired Stampin' UP! set called Nellie the Nest Lady. (My favorite SU set that I own.) I used a tiny leaf punch and then took the punchouts and applied them to the side for the second added element.

You have a certain je ne sais quoi

This week's challenge for WEDNESDAY STAMPER site is FISH. Anything with fish.

This is an oldie but a fun card. The fish stamps and sentiment are justjohanna. I had such fun with this card. I colored the fish with prismacolor pencils.

I don't speak a lot of French but for whatever reason, this is one of my favorite sayings. How often does one have the opportunity to say this? I don't know but I think it sounds pretty to say and I love the sentiment.

So here is my WEDNESDAY STAMPER challenge for this week.

WOW...What a ride!

Two more stamps I bought yesterday at HEATHER'S STAMPING HAVEN in Ottawa with my birthday gift certificate from Paul. I'm not real thrilled with how this card turned out. I think it has too much stuff on it which is the critique I usually get from my daughter and my husband. I think I should let the stamps speak for themselves.

Oh well, that is the fun of rubber stamping. I have a lot, lot, LOT of opportunities to make this card better and different. I just had to ink the stamps up as soon as I got home from Heather's shop.

Isn't the sentiment fantastic?

Friends

The other day I received a letter from a dear, dear friend. We haven't seen one another in years but we correspond a couple times a year. I think I'll send her this card I made this morning.

The stamp is a new one from HEATHER'S STAMPING HAVEN in Ottawa. I colored the image with prismacolor pencils and added a little machine stitching, prima flowers and stickles glitter. The patterned paper is from Daisy D's (my favorite!)

I am going to be using this stamp a lot. I think this gatefold layout with the patterned paper is a bit "busy" to look at, but I was trying for a country feel.

Clean pups

We've spent the afternoon with clippers, scissors, brush, comb, rake, dematting tools, wipe rags, treats! Here are my groomed pups. They aren't finished yet, but all three of us are tired of all the work it has been.

I sure could use a helper to photograph them. A treat will get them to sit, but unfortunately the treat causes the dogs to drool too. Consequently, Gabriel has 'Bella's slobber on his head and 'Bella has slobber (or as we refer to it - Dog Goobers) on her legs. Besides that, they keep lying down in the grass instead of posing...the lazy galoots! Oh well...we do what we can. Here they are:

"...purebred is an ordinary dog wearing a designer suit."

If you have read anything by Cesar Millan or are familiar with his popular National Geographic television show called Dog Whisperer, you'll remember that Mr. Millan states, "...every breed is still always an animal/dog first. All dogs share the same psychology. The breed is just the outfit that that particular canine is wearing..." Cesar also states, "...a purebred is first and foremost just an ordinary dog wearing a designer suit."

I just wanted to preface these photos of my CKC registered, champion bloodline Newfoundland dogs with Cesar Millan's words as a reminder to MYSELF !!!!

I just bathed both of my dogs not even 30 minutes ago!! They aren't even dry yet! I still have hours of brushing, nail clipping and ear cleaning to do before these prize pups are finished today. So what did my "beautiful" (???) dogs do as soon as they were out of their bath? I think you can tell. My gosh! Gabe wasn't this dirty BEFORE his bath!

Oh, and if you are asking where I was when they were getting this dirty, I was mopping the floors of all of the water from their baths. This is how they looked when I emptied the mop buckets.

Fall Merry Go Round swap

I joined Tami's Fall Merry Go Round swap in which each participant is sent 6 different Fall images to create any type of papercraft item she would like. I decided to stray from my usual cards or tags and do something a bit different. These Trick or Treat bags are inspired from PASCALE who has some wonderful examples on her blog and I encourage you to check out PASCALE's blog for her wonderful artwork. Thanks Pascale for this neat idea.

So without further ado, these are the trick or treat bags I created with the images sent to me.

Stitched country woman

I bought a couple sheets of this pretty Daisy D's patterned paper and I thought that my Terry Medaris Country Woman stamp would look more "country-ish" with this paper and some stitching so I colored her with my prismacolor pencils to match.

More hugs

Admittedly, this is over the top with accoutrement: crystals, ribbon, paper flowers, stickles glitter....but I had to! Yes! I had to because these three friends seemed to call for all of the bling-bling!

The stamp is by Stampabilities and is called "one size fits all."
Image colored with Prismacolor pencils

It appears I need to give and receive a lot of hugs these days as my cards are following a theme.......

Need a Hug?

I bought this Terry Medaris stamp quite a while ago and never used it! WHY NOT? I love this country woman. I just feel like she's asking if you need a hug.

I've been playing a lot with making cards using the gatefold opening. I especially like it for this card because it opens almost like this sweet lady is taking you in her arms.

Supply list for this card:
Terry Medaris country woman stamp
Colored with Prismacolor pencils
SU cardstock
Prima flowers, a bit of jute in the center of the flower and a crystal in her hat.

Happy Hopper

Hopefully this little get well card using the this Happy Hopper House Mouse image will perk the recipient up.

I really enjoy the House Mouse (and Happy Hopper) stamps. They are cute and they are also a lot of fun to color and embellish.

This stamp is called, "Bunny Boo Boo" HMOR1035.
I've colored it with Prismacolor pencils
Paper flower and ribbon for a little "pop."
The thermometer has just a thin line of dimensional glaze on it to appear real.