Whirlpool of Imagination

Wasabi Bride

Today is day two of a trifecta of wedding cards. I recently had an order for some wedding cards using the color wasabi. Let me tell you, that was fun! The green is such a pretty color and it really broke me out of my pink and brown rut that I talked about yesterday.

Doesn't bella look so fresh and lovely with a background of wasabi? I think so.

The image is from Stamping Bella and she is stamped with Memento tuxedo ink. I used copic markers, colored and pencils and baby oil, as well as a red spica pen for the flowers.

I've always liked the swiss dots folder for this design so I went with what I liked and topped it off with a bit of satin ribbon.

Stay tuned tomorrow for another wasabi wedding card. Have a great day!

Multi-Talented Bella

Boy, that bella is talented...she can do most anything, even juggle.

Bella is from Stamping Bella and stamped with Memento tuxedo black ink, then colored with copic and prismacolor markers.

Copic: E31, E33, E00, E29, R20, R14        pc: black

The hearts are colored with a red (03) spica pen and the flowers are from Petaloo (jeweled florettes). And the background is one of the newest cuttlebug folders, conversation hearts. This is a bigger than A2 folder, I would guess its maybe 6.5 inches in length and a super fun folder. I have more ideas in store (once I actually put them down on paper).

I'm off to make some dinner. We're trying a new recipe tonight....pasta with cauliflower and ground turkey. I'll let you know if it's a keeper or not. Have a great night!

It's a Birthday Bella

I have a couple of birthdays that needed cards and it's been a while since I made a bella card so I figured it was time.

 

I started off by stamping my image (from Stamping Bella) in tuxedo black ink (memento). Bella is colored with copic and prismacolor markers.

Copic: E00. RV02

Prismacolor: crimson red, black

The cake also uses lots of spica markers: lemon (#5), blossom (#14) and lipstick (#21) as well as some stickles (worn lipstick).

The sentiment is from Verve and stamped with tuxedo black ink. (Yes, I know the 'wishing you' is crooked - or rather, I know that NOW).

The patterned paper is from Basic Grey - Bittersweet/Meltaway.

These long cards measure 3.5 x 7 inches. I chose that size because those are the envelopes I've stocked up on. I'd like to play around with different sized cards just to shake things up a bit. I'm very much stuck in the A2 rut!

Hope your week is treating you right - have a great day!

Pretty Tag Cards

First off I have to say a big happy birthday to my little Meghan. She is turning 8 years old today and becoming such a big girl! I can't believe that it's already 8 years - the time goes by so quickly!

Today I have some cute and quick little what I like to call, Tag Cards. Instead of the traditional one layer tag, these were made to open up like a card but in the smaller gift tag size.

These cards were created for shower gifts - wedding colors pink and brown.

The gift cards are made by using my Wizard and nestibilities. I place a folded over piece of cardstock over my scallop circle nestie, leaving a bit of the die not cutting into the cardstock. Send it through the machine and when done, I have a bit of cardstock that did not cute and therefore I end up with a card, albeit a mini one. The tag was stamped with the bride from Stamping Bella  in Tuxedo Black ink and colored with copic markers (E00, E33, G09), a red spica pen and a prismacolor cool grey 10% marker for the outlining.

This tag card was made the same way although this image is from Stampin' Up (still stamped with Tuxedo Black). The flowers were colored with a pink sakura gelly roll glitter pen and the bodice and parts of the dress between the flowers was "colored" with clear stickles.

Add a bit of cording and/or ribbon and now you have a nice gift tag that can still be personalized on the inside and treated as a card.

Rain, rain and more rain has kept up inside today although I did manage a trip to Michael's and the library. (needed to get us all out for a little while). Tonight it's out to dinner to celebrate little Miss Meg. The kids are allowed to choose the restaurant for their birthday dinner and Meg chose one of the local Thai restuarants. Wooohoooo - we'll be eating well tonight! Have a great one!

More Miss Daisybella

Back in April I made this card with Miss Daisybella. When I stamped her out, I stamped A LOT of her and went crazy coloring her. In the end I used some of them for the linked card but decided to save the rest for another day. Today is that day.

Bella is from Stamping Bella and is stamped with a palette noir ink and colored with copic markers. As a reminder, those colors were.....Y11, Y17, B23, E00, B26, G09, Y13

The sentiment is from Verve Visual and stamped in navy (Stampin' Up). 

The background text is from Papertrey Ink and stamped in Momento Tuxedo black.

The paper is from a DCWV paper stack and the bling comes from Taylored Expressions (twinkler in the center of the flower) and Swarovski (two crystals at the bottom).

Did everything make sense?? It's Yankees/Red Sox time this weekend and last night was a LONG game. We are a divided household here (go guys in pinstripes) so these series are always extra exciting. Well, Mo was in New York last night so of course I worried until he got home (3:15am!) and we are all a little less than sharp today - LOL! Hope you are having a great day!

Just the sides so it won't melt......

When me or brothers were young and got ice cream cones, my mom used to always say let me lick the sides so it won't melt all over your hands. We used to get so huffy and complain that she was going to eat all our ice cream!! And now, when my kids have cones, I find myself watching that ice cream melt and drip and find myself with the urge to lick the sides for them so it won't melt. And when I do, I get the same outrage we once expressed to my mom. I always get a little bit of a chuckle when I find myself doing things I swore I'd never do.

Since it is hot and muggy I thought I would post an ice cream card today. This little girl is from Stamping Bella and too cute for words. (p.s. Stamping Bella is currently running her free shipping over $50. special - I've been REALLY good and holding off this time since I haven't even inked up all the stamps I got from her last free shipping special!)

I stamped her with Tuxedo black ink and colored her with copic markers. Her hair is done with colored pencil and baby oil.

Copic Markers: E00, E31, E37, R29, YR61

Prismacolor pencil: black

Her headband is colored with a spica marker (peach - #15) and although you can't see it, the cherry on the ice cream is glazed with a sakura clear glaze pen.

I decided to change it up a bit and paper piece her dress. I used some cute paper from Papertrey and then finished the dress off with a tiny rhinestone from Taylored Expressions (Taylor's Twinkles).

The paper on the base of the card is from Stampin' Up. The button and twine are from Papertrey - I am really liking the twine from there when it comes to dressing up a button.

I can't believe that it is July 31st already. Our summer has been very weird weatherwise and I'm not sure what to expect for August! Hope you have a great one.

Purple Grad

I'm back. I had great plans to blog yesterday but it was one of THOSE days. I swear, I couldn't get out of my own way for trying. After a good night's sleep and a day without rain, I am feeling much livelier. And I was able to get creative too which was a good thing because I have customers waiting for orders!

I was asked to make a card for a high school graduate. Thank goodness for google images - I was able to do a little searching and find out the school's colors were a kind of violety/orchidy purple.

Bella is stamped with palette noir ink and colored with copic markers. Sadly, I didn't write down the purple color I used so I am of no use with the little details in today's post. I do know that the green is G09 and her face is E00. The flowers are colored with a spica pen (lipstick red - LOVE the new colors). Her hair is colored with a dark brown prismacolor pencil and blended with baby oil.

I originally was planning to use a Splitcoast sketch challenge sketch for this card but that fell by the wayside when all the elements just weren't clicking so I veered off in my own direction.

The sentiment is stamped with palette noir ink and is from Verve Visual. I used my scor-it to add a little more to that layer and I used some dew drops/rain drops to the right of bella. The rain drops are from Stamping Bella but I can't remember which is which, they are all in the same containers. I finished off with a prima flower with an amethyst Swarovski crystal for the center.

I'm off for a little tv watching before bed. Hope you have a great night!

Like a Duck

It's been a few days since I've posted - my schedule has been super busy this week. I feel kind of like a duck. You know how they are really calm on the surface but below the surface their feet are paddling like crazy. Well, my feet are paddling like crazy but I don't feel quite so calm at the surface - flailing there too. But I took a few moments in the studio to keep my sanity.

I must be psychic - pink and brown cards was this weeks bella challenge - of course by the time I found out I was too late for the challenge!

This card started with my paper. I decided to go through my paper and pick a pretty piece. I chose this cool one by Basic Grey (Classic Sultry). Then the stamp and so on.

Bella is stamped with palette noir ink and colored with copic and prismacolor markers. Her hair is colored with a prismacolor pencil and baby oil.

copics: E00, R32, R37, E19
pc markers: sand, brick white, cool grey 10%
pc pencil: black raspberry

The center of the flower looks like a pretty pearl in this picture but it is a regular brad. I'm sorry I don't know the color - I don't keep the packaging for my brads.

I think I need to make some coffee myself and then I'm off and running again. This morning Conor has baseball and Meghan has lacrosse. After lunch is Conor's birthday party with his school friends and then its off to my mom's this evening for a family dinner. Hope your weekend is a good one!

Orange Frame Girl

In honor of the sparkling sunshine today, I have a nice bright card.

I really like this little frame girl from Stamping Bella. She reminds me of Meghan.

I colored her with copic markers and I tried to make her hair a "dirty" blond (just to change things up a bit) using prismacolor pencils and baby oil. And I added just a dab of stickles to the center of the flower.
The sentiment stamp is from the larger mixed messages set from Papertrey. That's a really great set of sentiments if you were looking for a range of sentiments. And the larger size is really nice to work with.

The stripes paper is from KI Memories and the polka dots are from Papertrey.

I went back and forth on this design. I had the polka dots to the left side of the card but I always do that layout so I decided to center things up for a change.

Spring break is moving along - finally some sunny and (semi) warm weather has brightened things up quite nicely. I'm off - need to be ready for Idol results. Have a great night!

Daisy Bella

Another week is flying by - hope yours is going well. I used to be so good about getting out birthday cards. Now, I'm always about a week late. I've given up saying happy belated birthday - usually just say hope it was a good one. And today's card is no exception, it will be about a week late once it arrives at its destination.
This is the first time this particular bella (from Stamping Bella) has seen ink. She is stamped with palette noir ink and colored with a combo of prismacolor and copic markers. Her hairs is done with colored pencil and baby oil.

The sentiment (from Verve) is stamped with Stampin' Up navy ink. I had thought about doing the sentiment in a circle layer but I like it straight on the image layer.

I have more of these bellas colored but only had a little piece of this background paper left. Hopefully this weekend, I'll have another bella sample for you. Have a great day!