Whirlpool of Imagination

Embrace the White Space

Summertime at Splitcoast means that Dirty Dozen Design Challenges. I haven't been able to do many (hah, try any!) yet this year but you know I had do the White Space challenge. Here's a set of A1 notecards.

The stamps are all from Papertrey ink, a really nice set by the way. I used rose red, pacific point and cajun craze from Stampin' Up. The green is cottage ivy ink from Memento. I added a small crystal rhinestone on each side just to jazz the design up a wee bit.

I would like to do more challenges but haven't found my creative muse yet. You may see some of these challenges completed come next January!

Have a great night!

A Sparkly Block

I got side-tracked. Yesterday I said I'd have note cards to show and I will but I got the itch to paint with some twinkling H2O's and went with with flow.

I painted the square with the watercolors and then once it dried, I overstamped the image3 (Studio g - Hampton Arts) with Memento tuxedo ink. I debated on adding a sentiment but decided against it.

I had fun playing around with this pretty (and easy) technique. I want to get out the lighter colors and try some for baby cards. next, I think.

Have a great night!

Sweets for You

Happy Thursday - I'm super excited that the week is coming to a close - it's been a long one!

I thought I'd show you something sweet today.

This image is a digi stamp from Fresh Brewed Designs. It's colored with copics and prismacolors and a hint of stickles for some sparkle. I hemmed and hawed in the final design - this is actually an A6 card (4.5 x 6.25 inches) since I made the image kind of big. I need to vary things anyway ~ I think I'm in an A2 rut.

I've been working on some notecard sets today. Hopefully I can get some pictures taken tomorrow - if so, I'll be back then. Have a great night!

Christmas Pinwheel

Well, it is July so why not join in the Christmas in July fun. In keeping with that, I created a Christmas card today.

I had seen this pinwheel technique referenced and decided to give it a try. Very fun and I like the finished look. The initial instructions came from Barb Mullikan so I need to give credit where credit is due.

The patterned papers are from the Basic Grey Wassail line, one of my all time favorites. The sentiment is from Papertrey and stamped with SU Artichoke ink. I went with this embossing folder to tie in with the circles on the paper.

I really like the finish look and want to try some more playing around with layouts and papers. Keep on the lookout for more. Have a great night!

Cleaning, Cleaning, Cleaning

Instead of stamping this weekend, I took some time to sort out my studio. In anticipation of an upcoming tag sale, I am going through the studio and purging. I have stamps that I've had since I started stamping in 1995! I am slowly going through and taking out things that I no longer use and will be selling them at bargain basement prices so if you are local and looking for some great craft item deals, stay tuned to tag sale details.

Hope your weekend was fun!

Trying out the Marina Mist

With the new overhaul of colors from Stampin' Up, I despaired of losing some colors but am thrilled with other. This week I set out to play with the new Marina Mist. And loving it.

Sorry about the dark shading - I did my best to lighten it up but am I no computer whiz, to say the least. Everything on this card is from Stampin' Up which saves me time repeating that.

The flowers are stamped in the Marina Mist in three generations (first initial stamp and then two successive lighter ones without re-inking). The sentiment is also in the same color. I thought about some ribbon across the top but decided I liked it the way it was with just the multiple layers.

I am so far pleased with the new colors I've played with so far so this change is turning out to be a good one. And I've seen the holiday mini catalog and it is fabulous - cannot wait until the fall!

Purple Baby

The heat has sapped all my creative energy so today I'm going simple and when I say simple, I mean REALLY simple.

The image and sentiment are Stampin Up (I think - my studio is a disastrous mess so I'm not sure of anything at the moment). The carriage is colored with copic markers. Add a cuttlebug strip and a couple of rounded corners and that's about it.

Hopefully I'll have a new card tomorrow with some new Stampin' Up stamps and new stamp colors and cardstock. Have a great night!

Sparkly Flowers for the Fourth

Happy 4th of July to all my fellow American readers. I hope you have a wonderful day!

Today's card is not patriotic but it does contain a bit of sparkle so I figured it would work for today's post.

The image and sentiment are digi stamps from Michelle Perkett. The flowers and candle flame are colored with twinkling H2O's which the camera very nicely picked up for me. The cupcake liner and candle are colored with copic markers.

The yellow cardstock is one of the new Stampin' Up colors (daffodil). I got some of the new colors and am trying to play with them a bit.

Have a sparkly day!

A Marriage of Cookies and Brownies

I sort of kept my word - I did finish the card I had started yesterday and I am posting. But I'm not posting the card. It needs to be photographed and uploaded so that's tomorrow's job. But because I'm extra nice, I am sending you to my lollipop blog ----------------------------------------------------------------->

with the recipe for these (post for July 2nd).

All I have to say is yum.

Hold Your Place While Reading This Summer

Happy July 1st to you! Wait??! What happened to June? I think I missed some days there somewhere - it really feels like it cannot by July already.

My studio avoidance continues as the summer rolls along. I have a feeling that this summer I am not going to produce vast quantities of new items.

I do have a few new bookmark designs that I've created. The first one is in honor of the upcoming Fourth of July holiday.

Then there's one for Dad.

And of course summer means baseball.

And because I feel like it, here's an owl.

I've been playing a bit with twinkling H2O's today. If I get cracking tomorrow, I may have a finished project to show you. Have a great night!