Cowboy Christmas

I wanted to make some "Cowboy" Christmas cards.

These were easy to make and the color combo really grew on me.
Who would have thought that Sage Shadow and Riding Hood Red would go together. I was skeptical at first. This is a case of a cardfront I recieved at Convention.

I especially love this one. It is so simple, and the linen thread adds great texture! If you do not have the Sanded (109294) backgroung stamp...get it! GET IT NOW!! It is awesome!!

I love the Inpired by Nature stamp set.

This is called 'pulling pastels'.

A simple techinique that has a lot of WOW! Start with your basic supplies:
• Versamark® Pad
• Stamps
• Cardstock
• Sponge Daubers or other applicators
• Pastels also known as chalks


Rub the sponge dauber (or other applicator) on the pastel color of your choice to pick up the color. Swirl on your dark cardstock.
Here I used black, but really any dark colored cardstock will work. I did this several times and used Night of Navy for the finished card.

Take another dauber and repeat swirling to add another color, until the entire piece is covered as you wish. I used reds and oranges in this picture.

Be careful not to rub too hard or your dauber will look like this It leaves lines, and takes away from the smooth finish you are looking for.Stamp your images with Versamark™ onto cardstock. I stamped my main image first, than stamped the grass after stamping off one time lightly.
Here is one of my finished cards using this technique. Night of Navy, Baja Breeze, and Kiwi Kiss go together very well. I used the Kiwi/Vanilla satin Ribbon, (which is to die for, btw!)The pastels will rub off a bit. You can avoid that by spraying your chalked image caefully with acrylic sealer.

Now you try it!
Stamp on!

Pun Fun

I have these stored in digital, so I thought I might share them again with you. I did give this 3X3 box with the cards and little envies to either Gail or Lauri at convention. I basically love this set because I found it so versatile. I did not take a picture of the 3x3 box I stored them in evidently, but used the last image of the rocket. I water colored and paper-pieced or used my blender pens on each of the images after stamping them with StazOn. I also doodled a little with the basic black marker. If you outline the images with Basic Gray or Going Gray and then use your blender pen, the image will pop off the paper.








Enjoy!!

Kennedy

I finished this simple layout of my great-niece Kennedy using the Bella Rose designer series paper and new 1 1/4 inch grosgrain ribbon. I also used my new Bigshot to do the title. The die is one of the exclusive SU! designer dies, unavailable except through Stampin' UP! I can't wait to try all of the exclusive dies that Sizzix has partnered with SU! to create. It has brought new life back into my scrapbooks!! Enjoy!

I tried the Bandanna Technique

I have seen this technique before, on several blogs and even a video that was taped at CHA, (I think). I thought that I would try it and see what I came up with. I found the technique to be totally relaxing, taking me back to the days when I doodled on my notebook in class instead of listening to the teacher or doing my assignment.
I LOVE to DOODLE!!
I started with basic supplies, I think that the technique was originally used with alcohol or other inks. I wanted to try the classic ink and see what happened.

Essentially, I took a sponge dauber and just rubbed ink onto my Very Vanilla card stock. I started with Pink Pirouette, used Royal Rose and Rose Red.

Here I am applying the next ink over the PP.

This is what I ended up with after I sponged the whole piece.

I stamped my image in StazOn.

Then, I started doodling! Outlining the image, coloring in some spaces, and adding dots.

Oh my, this is so pretty!

Here I used Baja Breeze, Kiwi, Kiss, and Pacific Point. I like that, too!

In this picture I did not do any sponging, just stamped my images and then started outlining.

I found out that I really like the looks of this technique on just the regular cardstock. I bet you can find all kinds of neat ways to use this technique!! Stamp on!!

Faux Frosting Tutorial

As Heather Wright-Porto continues to tweak my new blog, (thank you so much Heather! I love everything!), I thought I would post my first tutorial today. The tutorial is short, it's my very first one I've ever done online, and I cased the cupcake from a card my good friend Yvette gave me for my birthday! So here goes:

Craft Ink Frosting Technique
Supplies:

Paper cutter, snips, stamps, craft re-inker, classic re-inker, StazOn or Basic Black classic pad, heat tool, Chunky Essentials Glitter, Designer Buttons, 4x8 Ridinghood Red cardstock. 2 3/8x2 3/8 Pink Pirouette, 2 1/8x2 1/8 Bella Rose DSP, Pretty in Pink Taffeta ribbon, Chocolate Chip and Creamy Caramel classic ink.



Steps:
Dry time for this technique is about 1 hour, if you do not use your heat tool and depending on how much craft ink you use.

First stamp your line image.I used the Crazy for Cupcakes set on pg. 64 of the IB&C. Squeeze an outline of your white craft ink onto the image line. (Shake your inker a little to mix it up.)


If your frosting looks like this:
you definitely have way too much ink out there.



Add a small drop of your classic re-inker. It may run a bit, so be careful.


Swirl the inks together like you are actually
‘icing’ the cupcake.

Sprinkle with chunky essentials glitter if you like.

Heat with tool gun approximately 5 inches away or you will get this (plus, I had way too much craft ink on my first try):
The end result was pitted and I did not like it as well as the swirls!

That’s it! You’re done!


Here is my finished card:



I appreciate your comments! ~smile~

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Deb