La Isla Bonita

Hello!  This really is going to be a short post today.  I  made this to cover a couple of challenges over at Bombshell Stamps.  The first one is a sketch challenge created by our own fabulous Kathi and the second one is a color challenge set by our Pin Up Girl of the month, Miss February, Dawn.  She has challenged us to create a card or project using turquoise, red, and kraft.  I love this combo and have been using it for several days not even realizing that Dawn had set this challenge.  She and I must be colorpatico...lol!

For this card, I used the Lucky Bride, Sacred Heart Art, and Sugar Skull stamp sets.  You can order them on the Bombshell Stamps website, but if you live in the Albuquerque area, just pop into China Phoenix 2 and Nancy can order them for you.

I have wanted Lucky Bride for a long time, but ended up getting this set just a couple of months ago.  She reminds me of a Spanish senorita, so I opted to go with a Latin theme rather than a marital one.  Whenever I look at her, I hear La Isla Bonita by Madonna in my head.  Hmmm...what's that?  I should get that checked?  You're probably right ;D

The background image is actually a stamp by Hero Arts.  I embossed the pattern onto the die cut using clear embossing powder and Versamark ink.  Then I liberally sponged Fired Brick Distress Ink all over to get a really intense saturation of color.  Then I laid a piece of plain newsprint on top and ironed off the embossed areas using a craft iron.  This leaves a nice smooth surface along with a crisp resist of the image.  You could even add additional stamped images on top.  I'm actually thinking about creating a tutorial on this, so maybe that'll show up on my blog in a week or two.  We'll see.

Everything was colored with my Copics.  I added a few gems and that was about it for this card.  I really love this layout.  Kathi out did herself this month ;D

Okay, time for bed!  Stay crafty ;D    

 

Black Friday Challenge at Bombshell Stamps!!

Hola, fellow bloggers! Welcome back! It's great to see you again. Do come in and sit a spell ;)

I have a little bit of Bombshell bliss to share with you today. First of all, do you like free stamps? Of course you do! We all do! Right now we have a Follow That Blog contest going on a the Bombshell Stamps Blog and it's really quite easy to enter. Here's the deets:

• Sign up to follow the Bombshell Stamps Blog
• Post about the contest on your personal blog
• If you're already a follower, not to worry, just add the post regarding the contest to your personal blog and you're good to go!

You have until December 20th to sign up to follow the blog. After that, we will randomly select a winner and that person will be able to choose 2 Bombshell Stamp Sets...one rubber set and one digi set! New sets have recently been released, so now is the time to beef up your Bombshell arsenal of images!

Be sure to check the blog frequently for new challenges and chances to win prizes, the latest and greatest Bombshell news, and lots of inspiring creations from the Bombshell DT (also known as the Bombshells)! Tell your friends about the blog...we want to share the love with everyone!

Now, onto the Black Friday Challenge hosted by Ms. November, Mary Harmon. Mary has come up with an awesome challenge perfect for this holiday season. What does Black Friday mean to you? Make it a color challenge if you like, or create a shopping themed project, or as Mary pointed out, perhaps you'll create something regarding a downward swing in the stock market...LOL! Not that a downward swing in the stock market is humorous, but I love that Mary has covered all aspects ;D

I was inspired by the color black and decided to use one of the new heart images that was released just a few months ago. I picked up both sets, because I love the images so much, but the heart I chose is from the Sacred Heart Art set. I paired my heart with wings from the Sacred Heart set, which is a set that has been around a while, but it is timeless. All of these images are available in the shop. Get some now! OR if you live in or around the Albuquerque, NM area, stop by China Phoenix 2. If Nancy doesn't have them in stock, she is always happy to order them.

Nothing complicated about my card. I colored the images with Copics and used a fair amount of glitter glue to give the wings some pizzaz. I found some interesting hardware in a drawer filled with card making odds and ends, and decided to use them. I don't even know what they're called, but they're cool. I wrapped some twine around them once I had them on the card. Sorry, I wish I had a name for them :( I know! How about Metal Thingies ;D Anyway, I wrapped twine around the Metal Thingies and tied a crude bow. That was pretty much it.

Please swing by the blog to see all of the cool stuff the Bombshells came up with. There are some amazing creations! Also, you've got roughly two weeks to submit your own Black Friday Challenge card. You'll find a linky tool at the bottom of the Black Friday Challenge post, so be sure to enter. There are prizes to be had! AND don't forget to sign up to follow! That's it for now, come back tomorrow and I'll have a Christmas card for you. Stay crafty!

Oh, no you didn't...!!!

...and so it begins. The war of the camera. You see, my husband has just started his own blog about barbecuing, grilling...in general, just cooking damn good food. He is a mighty fine cook, has an adventurous palette, and loves to rummage around in the spice cabinet for new combos, certain to bring any meal alive with sizzle and zing. That's not my beef (I made a funny...hahaha!), he can cook for me breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and I would be perfectly fine with that...who wouldn't? My problem is...the camera.

I take pictures of cards. I take them in a controlled environment and I usually don't have to worry about getting a great first shot, because there is some hungry person breathing down my neck in the background waiting to physically devour my creation. By the way, that hungry person is usually me. In other words, when photographing food, there is no opportunity to go back in for more photos if the first group doesn't turn out, because that tasty culinary delight will soon enough be gone! Poof! Nada! Zip! CHOMP!

In light of that challenge, Kirk has been doing a little Internet recon, and a bunch of trial and error picture taking to improve his food photos. AND...he's doing a great job! BUT, in the process, settings get changed on the camera and totally screw up MY PHOTOS! For instance, my colors have been coming out wonky (it's a word, look it up. Actually, nevermind, I'm pretty sure it's not.), especially the reds. I have, seriously, taken approximately 300 hundred photos of the same card tonight and each time the reds look odd. A bit off. Finally, I notice on the camera that the Red Eye Correction setting has been turned on. It literally takes 10 steps to get to the Red Eye Correction setting, so he must have gone there intentionally. And why?! I haven't the foggiest, I guess to prevent red eye from showing up on all that food he's cooking, or perhaps he thought it said Rib Eye instead of Red Eye...who knows! Other than potatoes, does food even have eyes?

Anyway, just about the time I figured that little snag out, my battery died on my camera, no doubt from all this use, not only on my end, but Kirk's, too. So now I am waiting around for it to charge so I can take more pictures of the same card and try to figure out what other settings have been changed.

*******WAITING********WAITING*********WAITING********WAITING******

Okay, it's charged enough, let's see what we've got. Well, this is much better. Phew!

Let's move on, shall we? The image I used on my card is a brand new release from Bombshell Stamps and I think she's a beauty! Bombshell has 3 new sets available and the Design Team has some inspiring creations over on the Bombshell Blog that will certainly entice you. Be sure to check them out!

Thanks for your patience today. I appreciate the virtual ear ;D

Time for the Monthly Bombshell Stamps Blog Hop!

Hola! I have lots crazy cool info to share with you today! Let's start with this month's Blog Hop theme, which was set by our lovely and talented Blog Hop Captain, Kas. She couldn't have made it any easier for us this month. The theme was basically anything that is Halloween or Day of the Dead! How fabulous is that!

This hop starts at the new Bombshell Stamps Blog...ha...did you catch that? I sort of snuck it in there? Yep, you heard that right...Bombshell Stamps has a brand spanking new blog, so start there and just follow the hop list from blog to blog to see all of the uber amazing creations by the design team and some talented loyal Bombshell stamping sistahs! This hop is sure to be one of the most fabulous...EVER!

Now that I've dropped that blog bomb on you, let me tell you about my card. I went with a Day of the Dead / Dia de los Muertos theme. I have this wonderful group of stampin' buddies that frequently attend my classes and they invited me to a baby shower that took place this past Saturday. Guess what the theme of the shower was? Dia de los Muertos! Now, before you get put off by the concept of combining this theme with a baby shower, let me explain a little about the holiday. This is not a depressing holiday, it is a joyous celebration. The Mexican people use this time to welcome loved ones who have passed on, back home to spend a day with their families. They do this by decorating gorgeous sugar skulls, eating delicious foods, and maybe throwing in a shot or two of tequila for good measure ;D The imagery is bright and festive and the mood is happy and joyous, for not only are they honoring their loved ones who have passed, but they are also celebrating life! So when I was told this baby shower had a Dia de los Muertos theme, I thought it was pure genius, for there is certainly not a more perfect way to welcome a new soul into the world :)

Therefore, I had to make a Dia de los Muertos new baby card and what a pleasure it was. I used 2 Bombshell Stamp sets...the Calaveras Fiestas set and the Banner Sayings set. The Banner Sayings set is brand new and I can tell it is going to be a frequent "go-to" set for me. I have to tell you, I LOVED making this card. I even added a little lace skirt to the skeleton I designated as the girl. What a happy couple they are ;D

Okay, before I send you off to your next blog stop, let me share with you what the prize is this month. It is not just one, but two Bombshell Stamps sets, which you can see pictured below! I know...that's just crazy! Hit all the blogs on this hop and leave a comment on each one to increase your chances of randomly being selected as this month's winner. There are other ways to win as well, so swing by the new Bombshell Stamps Blog and see what they are.

Now, it's time to get your hop on! Your next stop is Kelli's fabulous blog and I am certain she has something spectacular to share with you! Now off you go ;D