Make a Wish

I fell in love with the House Mouse stamps a few years ago and just re-discovered one of my favourite images. It was a challenge with the glass and the cylindrical candles but I really liked the outcome. I decided to make this card into a birthday card for one of my guy friends who is nuts about Jalapeno peppers.

I used the following: House Mouse Stamp "Jalapeno peppers", Tim Holtz adage tag, cardstock, ribbon, and pearls from my stash. I tried to keep it simple and let the stamp speak for itself.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:
Truly madly crafty challenge-January
Birthday Sundaes challenge 40
Dream Valley challenge #24 Animals
The Squirrel and the fox challenge #9 critters

Little Red

I finally got some crafting in and completely lost track of time. With it being so cold out its a perfect time to stay cuddled in crafting. I have fallen in LOVE with the digi images from The Paper Shelter. They are perfect for almost any kind of card and offer lots of room to shade and blend with your Copic Markers. They are currently hosting a Design team call and I would love it if I could say I made the cut.

This card uses the following: Little Red Riding Hood stamp from The Paper Shelter, DP by My Minds Eye Blush 6x6 pad, Copic markers, Spellbinders Petite Scalloped Ovals Large Die, Maya Road ribbon, White pearls, Sakura stardust pen on the flower centers, and Jumbo Java Ink to distress the edges.

I am entering this card into the following:
The Paper Shelter's DT call
Art Impressions challenge 47-Pink Pink and more Pink
Scrapbooker's paradise challenge 49-tic-tac-toe

A most needed vacation

This past weekend the Husband treated me to a Romantic Spa weekend in Banff. It was the last weekend we could leave Calgary until after Baby Lockhart arrives. We had a fabulous time exploring museums, eating at some great restaurants, and meeting up with friends for drinks and dancing (Mine being non-alcoholic of course)  We also managed to get out to take some picturesque photos of the mountains which will serve as my creative soundboard for this coming week. I can't wait to get back to some creating. I have a feeling there may be some scrapbook pages coming to this blog soon.

New Printer for Digi's-Works well with Copics

Over the holidays I finished moving my craft room to its new, and unfortunately smaller location. I have been purging my stamp collection (Which is painful) to try and get everything to fit. After making a resolution to commit to my blog, I have decided why not upgrade my stamps to digital ones. They take up less room and I can have fun re-sizing, flipping, etc. Not to mention they are more cost effective.

So, I had to break down and purchase a new printer, as my old one would not work well with my Copic Markers. After talking with one of my close friends who is really into digi's she suggested an Epson Stylus NX420. Unfortunately they are being discontinued to make room for newer models. The good news, any of their Stylus NX's use the same ink so its just the printer and its bells and whistles that are changing. I ended up purchasing an NX330 for a really reasonable price at Staples.

The images it prints off are fabulously detailed, the lines don't run with my Copics and my paper is feed straight in so no possibility of it getting crushed. The only thing I am noticing is that you have to fan your paper before you load it and you want to make sure its loaded pretty full so that it doesn't read as empty.

Hope this helps some other new timer's to the digital stamp world as I found my friend invaluable and its hard to find good information about printers that work with Copics online.

Queen for a Day

Today I have a really cute card for you. I was inspired by one of my classes who are studying Ancient Places. Wouldn't it be nice to be queen for a day? This card is complete with regal reds and golds. Can't wait to find a special time to use it.

For this card I used a digital image from The Paper Shelter titled "Walk like an Egyptian." I coloured the image once again with my Copic Markers and added gold sparkle to her accessories using a gel pen. The design paper is from SEI's Homestead 6x6 paper pad. I embossed the gold rectangle the image is layered on with Tim Holtz's Brick embossing folder by Sizzix and distressed it as well as the adage tag with Aged Mahogany Distress ink. The card wouldn't be complete with some Prima Bling.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:
Art Impressions Challenge #46-Anything goes
The Paper Shelter challenge #45-Anything goes
Tip Top Tuesday Challenge #67-Anything goes
Truly madly Crafty challenge January-Anything goes

Sew Much FUN

Two posts ago I noted that I had just gotten the brand NEW tool from We R Memory Keepers, The Sew Stamper. I decided to try to make my background of my card look quilted with it. I still needs some practice but I really do love this fake stitching option. This week there are lots of challenges going on that entail something new and anything goes like Basic Grey, Dream Valley, or the squirrel and the fox. Check them out for some creative fun.

For this card I stamped MFT's "Time to Celebrate" a la mode in momento black ink. I coloured her using my copics, which is my favourite way to colour images if you can't already tell. I made my quilted tiles out of Basic Grey's Lauderdale 6x6 pad and Basic Grey's Oxford 6x6 paper pads. Its a great way to get rid of little off cuts. Then I used my Sew stamper to make the cross stitch pattern. I used an EK success Scallop punch on the base of my card. Voila, super easy card in no time at all.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:
Basic Grey's Challenge #60-Something New
The Paper Shelter's challenge #45-Anything goes
Dream Valley challenge 23-Anything goes
The Squirrel and the Fox Challenge #8-Something New

Holiday Head Start

I decided that this year I would get a head start on some of my holiday cards. Besides I needed a reason to keep making winter-theme cards. I just simply love making them.

For this card I used the following:
Greeting farm's "Rain, snow, shine" stamp set
Momento Ink
Copics in C00, C0, G0000, G000, E25, E31, E50, E51, RV10 and the colourless blender.
Sakura stardust glitter gel pen
Crystal Stickles
Martha Stewart punch-Aspen
Design Paper from SEI's Silver Valley collection
Snowflake sequins and white pearls

I am entering this card into the following challenges:
Anyone for Anya-Its all white challenge
dilly beans challenge-winter-wonderland
DYSU Challenge 53-let-it-snow

Another new tool

With some of my Christmas money this year I decided to treat myself to a new tool. I don't have time to stitch on my cards by hand and don't have a sewing machine so the We R Memory Keepers Sew Stamper tool is perfect. It will take getting use to to get the flow of ink right but I like it. I also think its time to invest in a new camera as my pictures continue to get more grainy. Thanks for baring with me so far.

I Used the following to create my get well soon card:

MFT-"Love you a latte a la mode" stamp

Momento Black ink

Copic Markers

We R Memory Keeper's sew stamper tool

Basic grey DP from the Picadily line

A couple of light brown rhinestones

I am entering this card into the following challenge:

Basic Grey challenge #58 Anything goes

Got Cocoa?

This is another posting for my guest designer spot on the One Crazy Stamper blog. The challenge this month is red, white, and one other colour. I had to stretch the rules a little and add two tiny spots of orange but hopefully you will forgive me.

The image is Served with love by Crissy Armstrong for Whimsy stamps. I stamped it in momento black ink and coloured using my copic markers. I fussy cut out the image leaving a little boarder all the way around to make it pop and added little rhinestones to the scarf. Next I layered the image on some design paper from Basic Grey's Nordic holiday collection and black cardstock cut out with my Spellbinders Lacey squares die. I added some candy cane sequins I found in my stash and popped them up using 3D dots. Then I added red stickles and used Viva decor pen in ice white to add the lines to the candy canes and finish up the card.

If you haven't already done so check out One Crazy Stamper's blog and store for great deals. Super fast shipping, great customer service, great prices, and best of all its a Canadian company.

I am entering this card in the following challenges
 Basic grey challenge 59 anything goes
Art Impressions challenge #46 Anything goes

For a little princess

I was a lucky winner of a prize from the blog hop a few weeks back and wanted to share two cards I made using my Paper Shelter image "Rapunzel". These images are so cute it was hard to pick just one. I am currently in the "Nesting" stage of my pregnancy and anything girly appeals to me.

This card uses The Paper Shelter image "Rapunzel", DP from Imaginisce Enchanted line, Copics,

 Spellbinders labels 17, Versamagic Pink Petunia ink, Bazzill basic rub ons, and ribbon from my stash.

This card uses The Paper Shelter image "Rapunzel", DP from Imaginisce Enchanted line, Copics,
 Spellbinders labels 17, Versamagic Ocean depth ink, Bazzill basic rub ons, and ribbon from my stash.

I am entering these cards into the following challenge:

The Paper shelter's Tie a bow challenge