Christmas Mona

 How fun is this - having a chance to use our Christmas craft supplies in July!  This card was made for the current "Christmas in July" challenge over on the Lost Coast Portal to Creativity and uses the Santa Mona stamp from Lost Coast Designs and the Dear Santa clear stamp from Carmen's Veranda.

I started this by making a collage master board using exclusively Christmas papers.  My master board was 5 x 7 so I cut a section of it down to fit the front of a 5 1/2"  X 4 1/4" card front.  I edged it with Distress Vintage Photo ink and adhered it to my white card base.

Santa Mona was stamped with black ink onto white card stock and fussy cut out.  I colored her in with Copic sketch markers and affixed her to the card front.  The sentiment was stamped with black ink onto a white square, edged in red ink, and placed at the bottom of the card front as shown.  Final touch was adding a white pompom to her Santa hat.

We look forward to seeing what Christmas-y projects you can create for this challenge and encourage you to post them over on the Portal for a chance to win some free stamps!

Christmas in July: Snowman

 So crazy to think that Christmas is 6 months away, so we are doing a "Christmas in July" Challenge over on the Lost Coast Portal to Creativity.  And this is a fun card for the first day of this Challenge, using the Snowman stamp from Carmen's Veranda as well as the Find Your Happy Place clear stamp, also from Carmen's.

The background for this card is one I made using blue and lime green Distress Oxide Ink pads and an impression plate with various designs on it, applied to a Gelli Plate.  The snowman was stamped with black ink onto white card stock and the scarf, buttons, and arms were colored with Copic Sketch markers.  I fussy cut him out and affixed him to the card front as shown.  The sentiment was stamped with blue ink onto a white strip and cut into sections, affixed in the upper left corner with foam tape for some dimension.

I love the non-traditional colors of this holiday card, and we are excited to see what fun creations you have up your sleeve for our "Christmas In July" challenge.  Be sure to enter your creations her for a chance to win some free stamps.

Mini Fish Collage: Red, White and Blue

 Welcome to the last day of the current challenge on The Lost Coast Portal to Creativity:  Red, White, and Blue.  So be creative in whatever way you like - just make it red, white and blue!

That's what I have done with this card using the Mini Fish Collage stamp from Lost Coast Designs.

I started by stamping the fish with blue ink onto white card stock.  I edged it with red ink and added some touches of red ink here a there within the collage.  I added a blue "jewel" to the fish eye then layered it with a gel print I made using red and blue acrylic paints on a page from a vintage book.

I layered this with a piece of blue card stock and that's a wrap!

So get out your red, white and blue craft supplies and make something for our current challenge!  A lucky winner will receive some free stamps from Lost Coast Designs and/or Carmen's Veranda!

Use Some Words: Waltzing Cowboys

I'm here again with a fun tag for the current challenge on The Lost Coast Portal to Creativity:  Use Some Words.  If you have not been over to the Carmen's Veranda website lately, you must check out the huge selection of clear stamps there.  Some really funny and some touching ones as well!

The base for my tag is a gelli print that I made atop a piece of music book paper.  I used cream and rust colored acrylic paints and a couple of different stencils.  I cut this down to tag size and edged it the Vintage Photo Distress ink.

The Waltzing Cowboys were stamped with black ink onto white card stock and fussy cut out.  I colored the cowboys with Copic Sketch markers then attached them to the front of the tag with foam tape to give them some dimension.

The 2 to 3 Glasses of Wine clear stamp was stamped with black ink onto white paper, edged with Vintage Photo Distress ink, and attached to the bottom of the tag below the cowboys.  

Find some words that inspire you to create something special and post it over on the Portal for a chance to win some free stamps!

Do I Smell Cake???

I'm here again with another project for the Mini Me Challenge going on right now over on the Lost Coast Portal to Creativity.  What is Mini Me??  Well, think small.  ATC, inchie, twinchie, Ink Box card, mini tags or cards.  Lots to choose from, and I have an ink box card for this one.  If you are not familiar with ink box cards, they measure 3" x 3" with rounded corners.  They are called ink box cards because they are the exact shape and dimensions of a Tim Holtz Distress Ink pad.

This card uses the Curtain Cat stamp and the Large Chickenwire background stamp, both from Lost Coast Designs, as well as the  Smell Cake clear stamp and the Calligraphy Square stamp from Carmen's Veranda.

First step was to stamp my cat onto a piece of orange card stock with black ink and fussy cut him out.  I then cut a strip of coordinating paper and stamped it with the chicken wire background stamp.  I layered that atop the cat, cutting around where his paws are so you could see them.  My ink box card is backed with a piece of a gelli print in shades of white and orange and it was stamped with the Calligraphy Square stamp in black ink.  

I attached the background to my card base then positioned the chicken wire and cat portion along the left edge.  All edges were trimmed to fit the shape of the card base and then edged with black ink.  The sentiment was stamped with black ink onto a white scrap, and I ran it through my printer to reduce the size so it would better fit the card front.  I cut it into sections, outlined them in black and affixed them as shown along the left side.  

You still have a few days left in this Challenge so be sure to get your makes posted in time for a chance to win some free stamps!

Mini Me: Two Butterflies

 Welcome to the first day of June and the first day of the latest challenge over on the Lost Coast Portal to Creativity:  Mini Me.  So think ATCs, twinchies, inchies, ATC coins - in other words, little things.  I went with an ATC for this using one of the stamps from the ATC Text Set #1 and two of the stamps from the Butterfly Set, all found at Lost Coast Designs.

The background is a piece of a larger gel print that I had made awhile ago using Distress Oxide inks in oranges and pinks and a stencil.  I stamped the Asian text with black ink onto the front, trimmed it to ATC size, and edged it with black marker.  

The butterflies were stamped onto another piece of a different gel print that was mainly yellow Distress Oxide ink with some red added in here and there.  I stamped the two different butterflies with black ink

and fussy cut them out.  I glued them to the ATC front as shown.  As a little embellishment, I made a small wax seal with a flower motif and once set, I highlighted the raised portions with some gold wax.

We are excited to see what mini masterpieces you can create for this challenge.  Post them here on the Portal before the 15th for a chance to win some free stamps!

Frida Kahlo and Other Women

 Hello all with a card for the Frida Kahlo and other Women Challenge over on the Lost Coast Portal to Creativity.  This challenge ends in a couple of days, so be sure to get your makes posted on the Portal for a chance to win some free stamps.

For this, I used the Calligraphy Lady stamp from Lost Coast Designs.  She was stamped with black ink onto pinkish patterned rice paper and cut out with deckle edged scissors.  I then glued her to a piece of vintage French book paper and edged that with Vintage Photo Distress Ink.  That was layered with a pink patterned paper from 49 and Market and a white panel.

The butterfly, flower, and label were glued on as shown and all were also edged with Distress Ink.

Hope to see your fantastic projects over on the Portal!!