Friday, June 27, 2014

Bellarific Friday at Stamping Bella and an Announcement






Hello all!  Welcome back!  Today I'm sharing a card for Bellarific Friday at Stamping Bella.  This time we were asked to create a card using this inspiration pic you see above.  Immediately I was drawn to the colors on her vivid dress so that was the direction I went in.  

I used Uptown Girl Faith the Fairy.  You can find her in the Stamping Bella Shop along with all her sassy Sistahs.

Be sure to visit Blogabella so you can feast your eyes on the glorious creations from the design team. So much wonderful stuff to see!

Speaking of design teams...I have decided to take the Summer off.  My husband and I own a small BBQ Sauce and Spice Rub business, AlbuKirky Seasonings, and when the weather gets warm that's our time to shine.  Grilling/smoking season is in peak swing right now so we are up to our barbecue aprons in pork butts, ribs, briskets, chicken, and anything else you can toss onto hot coals, or into a smoker box.  Kirk has been demoing at as many stores as he can and we've been hitting the local Rail Yard Market every Sunday to sell our wares.  This weekend he'll be at a video shoot for Disc It.  A Disc-It is like an outdoor cooking wok and we LOVE ours.  Anything you can cook on top of the stove, you can cook outside on a Disc It.  Needless to say, I'll be blogging a lot more on his cooking blog.  You see, the one thing I love more than Copics, paper, stamps, buttons, ribbon, etc...is cooking, particularly baking bread.  There is no better feeling than sitting down with family and friends and sharing a meal that you created from scratch with them.  It's a culinary love letter letting them how important they are to you.

I'll be popping in from time to time with a card, but probably not with any regularity.  When Summer fades and gives way to cooler weather you may see me apply for some teams, but in the meantime you'll find me in the kitchen :)  Visit me at AlbuKirky Seasonings, the Blog.  

Thursday, June 26, 2014

Sequin Challenge at Art Impressions!

Copic colors used: skin- E00, E000, R20, E11 hair- (from left) C7, C5, C3 and E18, E09, E07, E02 and E15, Y21, Y000 shirts- (from left) YG17, YG13, YG01 and YR68, YR65, YR61 and BG05, BG02, BG10, 0 pants- (from left) B97, B95, B93, B91 and C7, C5, C3 and BG05, BG02, BG10, 0 shoes- C7, C5, C3 stools- E37, E35, E31 ground- C7, C5, C3, C1, C00 background- BV02, BV00, BV000, BV0000

Hey all!  Back today with a  new challenge at Art Impressions...Sequins!  At first, I wasn't even sure I had sequins to play with, but then I remembered the heart shaped tin where I collect all the stray buttons from blouses.  You know, the ones the clothing manufacturer attaches in a tiny plastic bag to the blouse in case one of the other buttons tries to flee for greener pastures.  Well, sometimes instead of buttons, they include a tiny bag of replacement sequins if the blouse has some sequined details on it.  Woo hoo!  I had sequins!  And the tiny bag was the perfect amount, almost like a singe serve portion of sequins :)

For my card, I reached for the Wine Tasters Set.  These ladies are having such a great time, that I would love to join them, LOL!  They are irresistible.  Find these lovely wine  connoisseurs in the Ai Shop along with LOTS of other wonderful designs!  

Be sure to visit the blog and check out all the wonderful eye-candy created by the DT and why not join the fun?!

Until next time, stay crafty!

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Coffee BFFs by Art Impressions!






Copic colors used:  skin- E00, E000, R20, E11 (left) E25, E23, E21 (right), hair-E18, E09, E07, E02 (left) C7, C5, C3 (right) hoodies- G19, G17, G12 (left) R59, R29, R27, R22 (right) pants- C7, C5, C3 (left) B97, B95, B93, B91 (right) stools- E37, E35, E31 ground- C7, C5, C3, C1, C00 background- BG02, B000, B0000
Welcome back!  Today I'm sharing a card featuring the Coffee BFFs Set (4407).  These two gabby gals remind me of me and my amigas.  A simple coffee date can easily turn into hours of laughing and great conversation!

Finds Coffee BFFs in the Ai Shop along with LOTS of fabulous images!  

Until next time, stay crafty!


Monday, June 23, 2014

Stamping Bella Goodness



Copic colors used: skin- E00, E000, R20, E11 hair- E18, E09, E07, E02 dress- C5, C3, C1,  (roses) R59, R29, YG17 wine bottle- YG17, YG13, YG01 ground- C7, C5, C3, C1, C00, 0 background- BV02, BV00, BV000, BV0000, V0000

Hey all!  Back today with a card I should have posted for Bellarific Friday, but I lost track of time so you're getting a Monday card instead.  As I'm typing this up, I noticed that I also forgot to color the label on the wine bottle.  Oh dear, this card is just a comedy of errors.

Last week we were tasked with using a sketch.  I'm a big fan of sketches so that worked out perfectly.  I decided to use Uptown Girl Opal the Optimist 'cuz she's a Glass Half Full kind of gal ;)  You can find Opal in the Stamping Bella Shop.  And while you're there visiting, be sure to stop by Blogabella for a full gander at what the DT is up to.  

Okey dokey artichoke, that's it for me.  Until next time, stay crafty!    

Thursday, June 19, 2014

Giant Blog Hop at Art Impressions!








Hey, all!  I'm back today with a very special Michael's Blog Hop post for Art Impressions.  Michael's stores will now carry some very special clear sets created just for them!  

We have a stellar lineup of very talented artists showcasing these wonderful new sets, so be sure to visit each and every blog so you don't miss a single eye-catching detail.  If you get lost along the way, head back to the Art Impressions Blog where you'll find the complete hop list.

For my card, I've used SC0649 His & Hers Flying High.  There are 9 stamps in this set including some pretty awesome sentiments!    



You should have arrived here from the exquisite blog of Angela Boutiller.  Your next stop is the eye-popping blog of Sandy Allnock who will no doubt knock your socks off.


Visit this link and learn all the details regarding Michael's and these new sets.  
   
Thanks so much for joining us today!  Until next time, stay crafty!

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Cupcake BFF by Art Impressions




Copic colors used:  skin- E00, E000, R20, E11 hair- C7, C5, C3 shirt- YG17, YG13, YG01 skirt- C7, C5, C3 tights- C3, C1, 0 shoes- C7, C5, C3 ground- E37, E35, E31, E50 background- BG05, BG02, BG000, B0000

I'm back today with another birthday card.  I seem to be making a lot of these lately :)  This one features Cupcake BFFs (#4490).  That cupcake looks pretty good right about now. 

Find this lovely gal in the Ai shop along with LOTS of other lovely images.  

Until next time, stay crafty!



Friday, June 13, 2014

Bellarific Friday at Stamping Bella: One layer cards!




Copic colors used:  skin- E00, E000, R20 (left) E25, E23, E21 (right) hair- E18, E15, Y21, Y000 (left) E18, E09, E07, E02 (right) shirts- YG17, YG13, YG01 (left) BV04, BV02, BV00, BV000 (right) jeans- B97, B95, B93, B91 skirt- C5, C3, C1, C00, 0 grass- YG67,  YG17, YG13, YG01, G20 background - B02, B00, B000, B0000

Hey, all!  Welcome back!  Today is Bellarific Friday at Stamping Bella and we were tasked with a super hard challenge this week...create a one layer card!  YIKES!

Actually, I went into this with a plan.  My strategy was to use a really large image that would primarily fill the card, then I wouldn't be tempted to fill the empty space with layers and embellishments.  Simple, right?  Yeah, right.  I decided to use Uptown Girls Belinda and Bernadette-Bench Buddies, a large-ish image, that would take up most of my A2 card.  I stamped the image, but noticed when ink hit the paper, it was a teeny bit askew.  Oh, well, I knew I could straighten it up when I trimmed the panel down to fit my card base.  No biggie.  When it came time to start trimming, I miscalculated a skosh and when I finally got everything evened out, I was aghast to see that I was left with a minuscule 3 7/8 x 3 7/8" panel.  Ouch!  Worst part was, I couldn't fudge it by adding bigger layers of patterned paper.  Nope!  It's a one layer card, no wiggle room there!  Anywhoo, my final card is 4 x 4".  It's not even large enough to accommodate the sentiment that came with this lovely set.  Sheesh.  LOL!  

Visit the Stamping Bella Shop for LOTS more fabulous images and swing by the Blogabella to see all the wonderful single layer cards the lovely designers came up with.

Until next time, stay crafty!  

Thursday, June 12, 2014

Art Impressions at Simon Says Stamp!



Copic colors used:  skin- E00, E000, R20, E11 (both)  hair- E18, E09, E07, E02 (left) and C7, C5, C3 (right)  shirts- BG09, BG05, BG01 (sweater left) YG17, YG13, YG01 (shirt left) and V17, V15, V12 (right)  pants- C7, C5, C3 (left) and C5, C3, C1, C00, 0 (right)  shoes- BG09, BG05, BG01 (left) and V17, V15, V12 (right)  ground- C7, C5, C3, C1, C00 background- B02, B000, B0000 dots- B02, B60, B41, B000, B0000

Hey, all!  Back today with post number two!  (Scroll down for the the first one.)  This one also features a card I created using an Art Impressions image, but this time it's for Simon Says Stamp.  Simon Says Stamps carries a boatload of Ai images in their shop!

Head to the Simon Says Stamps blog to find lots more details regarding this card, but here's a little write up I gave them to accompany it:

"Art Impression images lend themselves perfectly to lots of vibrant coloring.  Whether your tools of choice are alcohol markers, watercolors, or pencils these whimsical characters just beg to have their personalities amped up with added hues.  My color weapons of choice are Copic markers.  Using a standard A2 size (4 1/4” x 5 1/2”) layout, I kept my card simple and let this fabulous new Ai image, Laughing Girlfriends set, take center stage.  Not only is the image wonderful, but the 3 sentiments included in the set are absolutely hilarious!  My favorite, however, is “I laughed so hard, I had tears running down my legs!”  I LOVE that!  These two gals are having such a great time I reached for very bold and bright colors to reinforce their joy :)" 

Okay dokey!  I better start my day ;)  

Hip to Be Square Challenge at Art Impressions!


Copic colors used:  skin- E00, E000, R20, E11 hair- E18, E09, E07, E02 suit- C5, C3, C1, C00, 0 and E44, E43, E42, E41 earrings- BG09, BG05, BG10 shoes- C7, C5, C3

Hey, all!  Have you joined the Art Impressions Hip to be Square Challenge yet?  Well, there's still time!  You just have to make a square card...super easy peasy lemon breezy.  

I love this new Ai image.  In fact, she's one of my faves from the latest releases.  Her and that great sentiment are part of the Crown Set and you can find it in the Ai Shop.   

Pop on over to the Art Impressions blog so you can see what the other designers did for the square card challenge.  Good stuff!

Catch ya later!  Until next time, stay crafty!




Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Light the Candles with Art Impressions!




Copic colors used:  skin- E00, E000, R20, E11 hair- E18, E09, E07, E02 sweater- C7, C5, C3 dress- BG75, BG72, BG11 fire extinguisher- R59, R29, R24, R22, YR65, Y21, Y000 ground- C5, C3, C1, C00 background- BV02, BV000, BV0000, V0000
Welcome back!  Today I'm sharing a card using a set called Fire Out.  Let's face it, there comes a time when it's actually safer to just leave the candles off the cake...LOL!  But until then, Ethyl will be there with the fire extinguisher, just in case!  :)

Find the Fire Out Set in the Ai Shop along with LOTs of other goodies and don't forget to visit the Art Impressions Blog!  Until next time, stay crafty!