Pop It Up For The Pixie Cottage Challenge #89

It's Wednesday again, and that means it's time for another challenge at The Pixie Cottage!  I did not get back in time from Vermont to get my card created to go live for the challenge, but will get it posted hopefully this evening here on my blog. 

 

This week's theme is "Pop It Up!"  You can interpret this in lots of ways, you could make a Pop Up Card, use foam dots to pop up areas, make an easel card, anything just as long as it pops! As always, there is also a second part to our challenges, which is a sketch.  Here is this week's great sketch you can follow. 

 

Follow the theme, the sketch, or get wild and follow both! Either way, come join us at The Pixie Cottage!

 

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My Brother's Birthday Cards

Hello from beautiful Vermont!  We just finished a wonderful breakfast prepared by our lovely hostess and inn owner, Jane Doerfer.  We are here to visit my daughter at Norwich University's Parent Weekend, and this is our 7th or 8th stay at the Green Trails Inn.  We have seen quite a bit of the damage from the flood waters hurricane Irene devastated this pretty little state with, and Jane sustained some damage to the inn, but all seems to be getting back to normal as well as it can. 

I have two birthday cards to post that I sent to my brother. This first one is from me, and I am using for the House Mouse Challenge. They are having a big birthday blog hop, and I would love to play along, but time is limited, so I'm just posting my card.  I believe this image stamp is called "Popping Mouse", colored with Copics and Prismacolor pencils.  Did some sponging around the edges, attached over Tuscan papers. The sentiment was printed from my computer, cut/embossed with Spellbinders Ovals.  Added the metal corners after I "aged" them a bit with Copics. 

This next card is the one I made for our mother to give to my brother.  I followed this week's Midnight Madness sketch.  Used the Open Sea set from SU! as well as the nautical SU! papep. Lots of sponging and corner punching.  The compass was embossed with gold EP, cut/dry embossed with Spellbinders Circles. 

Both of these went together pretty quickly, and I really like how they turned out. 

Heading home Monday night, and will be back at the craft table doing wedding decoration stuff for my daughter.  Hope to get able to get more cards in as well. 

 

Pixie Cottage Challenge #87

It's Wednesday...that means two more day till Friday!  :)  It also means time for another challenge at The Pixie Cottage.  This week's challenge theme is Fussy and Fancy, and there's also a great sketch to follow.  You can choose theme or sketch, or both!  I was going to do both, but not sure I came out so well with the fussy and fancy, but I flipped the sketch on its side and followed it.  I used the digital image "Feather" from Michelle's Scrapbooking, colored with Copics, then cut/embossed with Spellbinders Labels Six die.  That was layered onto Spellbinders Scalloped Square which I embossed with a Cuttlebug folder.  I printed the sentiment from my computer, cut/embossed it with Spellbinders Oval die.  The roses are from Wild Orchid.  Added a couple curly ques and some rhinestones.

Stamps:  "Feather" digi image by Artish.

Paper:  SU! CS, unknown DP from stash.
Ink:  Memento, Copics, Colorbox Queues.
Accessories:  Spellbinders Labels Six, Scalloped Squares and oval dies, Wild Orchid roses, rhinestones, CB embossing folder, Stickles.

A House Mouse Recipe Card

Oh my gosh...I've had this card made for a week, but kept forgetting to take a picture of it and post it.  Between working on stuff for my daughter's wedding in the evenings, and this past week dealing with two attorneys on my own at work because each of their paralegal's were on vacation...my mind took a vacation of its own and forgot a few things.  Then had camera issues.  Just got back from a [WONDERFUL] weekend at the beach and there it was, so I took a quick picture with my cell phone, so sorry for the not too great quality.  Had to get in on the House Mouse challenge! :)

The challenge this time around on the House Mouse Challenge was to create something with a recipe on it.  This recipe for chai tea is yummy and I thought this image was perfect to go on the card.  I colored it with Copics, added some Liquid Pearls and Stickles.  The tea tag says "rose hips" on the stamp, but I masked that off, then wrote on the tag with a Copic fine liner.  Used bundled sage to stamp the vines onto a scrap of sage green SU! paper I still had left in my stash, then layered that onto another piece of SU! CS on which I used the MS Swirling Lace punch around the page.

Stamps: House Mouse "Feeling Rosey"

Paper:  SU! scraps, Neenah Solar White

Ink:  Memento, Copics.

Accessories:  MS Swirling Lace punches, Liquid Pearls, Stickles.

Never Forget...

We shall never forget
We shall keep this day,
We shall keep the events and the tears
In our minds, our memory and our hearts
and take them with us as we carry on.

Mellow Yellow at Pixie Cottage

It's time for another challenge at The Pixie Cottage. The week's challenge is "Mellow Yellow".  As always, there are two parts to the challenge...a great sketch and/or the theme.  You can do either or both.  This week I again chose to go with the theme, and again I used this adorable Hannah on Bench stamp available at Michelle's Scrapbooking.  I just love this image.  I colored her with Copics, cut/embossed the image with Spellbinders Labels Small.  I followed the sketch at Midnight Madness.  The background DP is HOTP, scraps from my stash.  The upper portion was embossed with a new folder from The Paper Studio.  Added some yellow Stickles and a few flowers and all finished with this cutie. 

Challenges

Midnight Madness - Sketch

Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes

Mark's Finest Papers - Bring on the Bling

Stamps:  Hannah on Bench from The Pixie Cottage

Paper:  HOTP, SU!

Ink:  Memento, Copics

Accessories:  Spellbinders Labels Small, Wild Orchid roses, Kort and Godt flowers, Stickles, "intricate swirl" embossing folder from The Paper Studio.

Are My Colors Giving Me Away?

Can you tell I want fall to get here and bring cooler temperatures!?  We had 107 and 110 degrees here this past weekend.  This is crazy.  But here we are with another Wednesday coming around, which means it's time for another challenge at The Pixie Cottage!  This week's theme is back to school, and there's also this wonderful sketch to follow.  Do one or the other, or do both.  I followed the sketch, using "Pumpkin Bench" by Sandra Hammer, available at Michelle's Scrapbooking.  I colored it with Copics, cut/embossed with Spellbinders Deckled Oval die.  The little pots and flowers are a Rubber Stamp Tapestry set.  All paper is MME. 

Challenges: 
Crazy 4 Challenges: Male themed card.
One Stitch At a Time:  Halloween or fall theme.
Cards For Men:  "G"...Goodbye summer. Thank you Mandy!  :)
Creative Card Crew:  Anything goes

Stamps:  "Pumpkin Bench" from The Pixie Cottage, Rubber Stamp Tapestry "Pottery Garden".
Paper:  My Mind's Eye "Home" pack,  The Paper Studio.
Ink:  Copics, Colorbox Queues. 
Accessories:  Spellbinders Deckled Oval, seam binding, leaf charms.

Summer Nights at The Pixie Cottage

Summer nights is the theme at The Pixie Cottage this week.  We also have a great sketch to follow too.  Either/or, it's up to you...come join us!I usually follow both theme and sketch, but this week I chose the theme.  I used Hannah on Bench, available at Michelle's Scrapbooking.  Even though it's blazing hot here and she's wearing long sleeves, I'm imagining Hannah in a Vermont summer night setting.  My daughter is about to start her senior year of college up there, and she said the nights have been in the 50's already.  I colored Hannah with Copics; still need lots more practice with them.  Cut the image with Spellbinders oval dies and added the sunset "glow" with Distress Ink.  All DP is Graphics 45.  The flower was made using Spellbinders Rose Creations, then glitzed up with German Glass Glitter. 

Challenges:
Midnight Madness:  Sketch 118
Paper Sundaes:  Sundae bar
One Stitch at a Time: Bling
Shabby Tea Room:  Sweet Days of Summer

Stamps:  The Pixie Cottage "Hannah on Bench".
Paper: Graphics 45 "Once Upon a Springtime", The Paper Studio.
Ink:  Memento, Copics.
Accessories:  Spellbinders Ovals and Rose Creations, deckle edge scissors, buttons, handmade flower, German glass glitter, twine

Midnight Madness Meets Delicious Doodles

This card is for the Delicious Doodles DT call. The image is called Sexy Goth Girl, by Teresa Sherman and available at Stitchy Bear Stamps. The sentiment is from Verve's Artful Elegance set. I used the clean and simple version of the Midnight Madness sketch. Crazy 4 Challenges theme this week is monochromatic image. This image already has a lot of shading, but I added a bit more with Copics cool and warm grays, plus a hint of color for her eyes and lips. Cut/embossed with Spellbinders Labels 14. I really like the somewhat vintage feel to the card, along with the bit of whimsical with the image. 

Challenges:
Midnight Madness: Sketch 117, CAS version.
Paper Sundaes: Just saying hi.
One Stitch at a Time: Anything goes.
Digis With Attitude: Anything goes.
Crazy 4 Challenges: Monochromatic image.

Stamps: Sexy Goth Girl digital stamp by Delicious Doodles,
Paper: SU! cardstock, Basic Grey Cappella.
Ink: Colorbox Queues, Memento
Accessories: Spellbinders Labels 14, Wild Orchid roses, Kort and Godt flowers.

Big on Birthdays at The Pixie Cottage!

This week's theme for The Pixie Cottage challenge is Big on Birthdays.  There's also a great sketch to follow, and as always you can follow the sketch, the theme, or both.  I went with both.  Again.  :) This card was made for a friend's daughter, who loves ballet. I used the cute digi stamp Bellini (love the bows on her trunk!) by Artish, available at Michelle's Scrapbooking.  I colored the image with Copics, rounded the corners and inked with Colorbox Queues.  The little "presents" were made with scraps and the "ribbon" is a skinny strip cut with deckle edge scissors and covered with glitter.  The bows were cut with my Cricut and glittered as well.  My friend is French, so I thought the birthday sentiment in French was fitting.  She said to use lots of pinks, purples and blues.  Definitely got all that covered.  Can't help but think of Dr. Suess when I look at this card. :)

 

Challenges
Papertake Weekly - Bingo (pearls, ribbon, bling for my free spot)
Simon Says Stamps and Show - Bling
My Time to Craft - G is for...(mine is gift and girlie)
Everybody Art - Gifts.

Stamps:  Bellini digi stamps from The Pixie Cottage, "Bonjour Merci" from Crafty Secrets.
Paper:  DCWV Pocket Full of Posies, The Paper Studio.
Ink: Colorbox Queues.
Accessories: Corner rounder, Cricut, glitter, Stickles, ribbon, SU! punch, pearls.

Ridiculous Shipping Charges

I came across this post about outrageous shipping charges on Donalda's blog.  I have backed out of a shopping cart many times when I see the unreasonable shipping and handling charges.  Hopefully some of these companies will take heed if enough people stop ordering from them.

House Mouse ATC

When I first saw that the challenge at House Mouse and Friends Challenge blog was to create an ATC, I pulled out a bunch of HM stamps that could work for that little space.  I decided on this cute little image, called "Oh Happy Days" when my cell phone rang...my ring tone is Billy Idol's "Dancin' With Myself".  I used to play that song really loud on my stereo and spaz out (couldn't be called dancing) while I did house work.  So I stamped little Monica and colored her with Copics.  Clipped the corners, sponged with Distress Inks and added the tiny punched butterflies along with their dancing Stickles trails.  Thought the sentiment was perfect, and stamped it with Sepia.

Challenges: 

House Mouse and Friends:  ATC

Flutterby Wednesday:  Open.

Mark's Finest Papers:  Anything but standard 4 1/4 x 5 1/2.

If the Shoe Fits...Scrap it:  Show Us Your Green.

Stamps:  House Mouse "Oh Happy Days", Verve "Beautiful You".

Paper:  Neenah Solar White.

Ink:  Distress Inks, Memento.

Accessories:  Corner rounder, butterfly punch, Stickles

Say it With Flowers at The Pixie Cottage

This week at The Pixie Cottage we have another great sketch you can follow, or you can follow the theme and use flowers on your creation.  Or, you can do BOTH, which is what I did.  I used Spring Time Hannah With Butterflies available at Michelle's Scrapbooking and More.  I colored the image with Copics, then sponged on the clouds with Distress Inks.  The big rose was made with Spellbinders Rose Creations die, and the little ones with a small retro flower punch.  The gold sprigs were cut from vellum with a Marianne D die.
Challenges
Sketchy Colors: Pink, gold and white.
Gingerloft:  Make it sparkle.
Everybody Art: Summertime.
Papertake Weekly:  Handmade flowers
Creative Inspirations:  Summertime.

Stamps:  The Pixie Cottage "Spring Time Hannah With Butterflies", Verve "Fairy Tales".
Paper:  Neenah Solar White, DCWV Lace and Linen, vellum.
Ink:  Memento, Colorbox Queues. 
Accessories: Spellbinders Rose Creations, Labels Fourteen and Big Scalloped Circles, retro flower punch,  The Paper Studio Intricate Swirl embossing folder, Marianne D Decorative Elegance die, glitter, foam tape.

A Spoonful of Sugar Birthday

Oh what fun...to be a guest at A Spoon Full of Sugar! :).  This week's challenge is Birthdays.  I used this sweet image from Whiff of Joy, called "Willow With Sunhat", colored with Copics.  I followed the sketch at Paper Sundaes, making it into a shaped card by cutting on the fold with Spellbinders Grand Labels Eleven, and used the color scheme from CR84FN.  Willow was cut/embossed with Spellbinders Labels Fourteen die, and the sentiment, which I printed off my computer, was cut/embossed with Ribbon Tags Trio die.  The lavender DP is Lilac Avenue by KaiserCraft.  Tiny buttons from Michael's painted with Platinum Liquid Pearls.

Other Challenges:

Whiff of Joy - Buttons and Bows.
Paper Sundaes - Sketch.
CR84FN - Lavender, celery, gray.
Craft Your Days Away - Birthdays.
Crazy 4 Challenges - Shaped card.

Stamps:  Whiff of Joy "Willow With Sunhat". 
Paper:  KaiserCraft Lilac Avenue, The Paper Studio.
Ink:  Computer,  Colorbox Queues.
Accessories:  Spellbinders Grand Labels Eleven, Labels Fourteen, and Ribbon Tags Trio, seam binding, buttons, Wild Orchid roses, Crealies CL CS 11, Marianne D LR0150 Forest Branch.

Happy 18th Birthday to My "Baby"!

Hard to believe that 18 years ago I was in the hospital having my baby boy!  Time flies so quickly.  Tyler has grown into such a wonderful young man.  I am so very proud of him!  Trying to get a picture of him is like nailing Jello to a tree, but I do have a pic of him in my sidebar. :)  Below are some cards I made for him...from me, my mom and my daughter. 

I have been wanting to try the reflection technique, and I've seen it used many times in blogland with this set from Stampin Up.  I couldn't find a piece of the plastic packaging - and I have a stack of it somewhere, so I stamped the "reflected" part onto a plastic baggie.  Colored the grass with Copics and Prismacolor pencils, and the water with the pencils.  Clouds sponged on with Distress Inks.  I flubbed the right edge of the image, so cut it off and scooched it over to the edge.   Embossed the card base with the Tim Holtz folder.  Stamped the sentiment from Crafty Secrets and cut out with Spellbinders Labels Trio tag.    

Challenges
Cards for Men - Clean and Simple.
Paper Sundaes - Clouds and Sky.
Desert Islands Crafts Challenge - Itinerary.

Stamps: Stampin Up "Lovely as a Tree", Crafty Secrets "Glamour Girls" (sentiment).
Paper: The Paper Studio, Neenah Solar White.
Ink: Memento.
Accessories: Spellbinders Labels Trios and Labels Eight, Tim Holtz woodgrain EF, Dew Drops.

This next card was made with the "Open Sea" set from Stampin Up.  Compass was stamped with Versamark and embossed with gold EP.  All other images stamped with Memento sepia ink.  Sentiment printed from computer, torn and inserted into the Tim Holtz eye pin.

Challenges:
Craft Us Crazy - Anything Goes.
Creative Card Crew - Best Foot Forward (encouragement). 

Stamps:  Stampin Up "Open Sea".
Paper:  The Paper Studio, scraps.
Ink:  Memento.
Accessories:  Tim Holtz large eye pin, gold EP, foam tape.

Last but not least for Tyler's birthday cards is this one using Stampin Up's Sense of Time set.  Clock was stamped on the crackled looking DP scrap.  The smaller second hand was stamped on another scrap, inked and attached over the clot with a the clock hand.  The clock face was then attached to Spellbinders Labels Three.  I used a couple other scraps for the background, embossing the one with Tim Holtz Clock EF. Added the gears from Tim Holtz. 

Stamps:  Stampin Up "Sense of Time".
Paper:  HOTP DP.
Ink: Memento.
Accessories:  Spellbinders Labels Three, Tim Holtz Clocks EF, Tim Holtz gears and second hand. 

On another note, my daughter finally came back from her Navy training cruise, having spent 60 days on a submarine.  She's one of the first females to be allowed on subs. That was the longest period of time we have gone with no contact, and I have to admit...I almost went bonkers.  But she is back home for a few more days, before having to go back to school in Vermont.  Her fiance is here as well, and we sat down and did these Save-The-Date notices for their wedding.  I had gotten this Marianne D Frame die while Shelbie was under the water and thought it would make a nice background for the notice.  I had a mock-up ready when she got here, she liked it, and I put her to work on getting 160 of these made up.  After showing her how to do sponging, I did most of the die cuts, printed out the center portion, Shelbie did all the sponging, her fiance pitched in by cutting all the corners, and I added the Liquid Pearls.  They are very pretty IRL!  Here is a close up of each...one has blue, the other lavender.

Stamps:  None.

Paper:  The Paper Studio.

Ink:  Distress Inks, computer.

Accessories:  Marianne D LR0111 Frame, Liquid Pearls, corner rounder.

A Favorite Technique at The Pixie Cottage

This week at The Pixie Cottage we're sharing our favorite technique.  I love, love, love embossing, especially "dry" embossing.  So many different options available, from embossing folders, to smooshing something like an onion bag or piece of screening in your machine's "sandwich", to get all sorts of wonderful designs embossed into your paper. 

I used Copics to color the adorable "Hannah at the Pond" by Sandra Hammer, available from Michelle's Scrapbooking.  Not sure why, but the clouds came out extremely pale in the picture, but IRL they look great.  I sponged Stormy Sky Distress Ink around an hand-cut cloud mask.  Then I attacked almost every piece of paper with the Cuttlebug embossing folder, except for the dotted background.  :)  The flowers were punched with Nellie Snellen punches.  I then sprayed them with water to soften up the paper fibers to get a deeper impression in the embosser.  They were then tipped with Perfect Pearls. 

Challenges: 
Paper Sundaes - Clouds and skies
Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes
Anything Goes - Pick of the Bunch (Flowers)
Crafts and Me - Anything goes

Stamps:  Hannah at the Pond from Michelle's Scrapbooking.
Paper:  HOTP, SU! CS.
Ink:  Copics.
Accessories:  Corner punch, Nellie Snellen flower punch/embosser, Cuttlebug EF, Drew Drops, Perfect Pearls, Stickles.

House Mouse #100!

I love House Mouse images, and I have a bunch!  This is the 100th challenge at the House Mouse & Friends Challenge Blog, and they're having a blog hop to celebrate, along with a great theme of Buttons, Bows and Bling!!  This image, called Beading Basics, was the first one I thought about.  I've had it colored for over a week, but just now had time to make the card today.  I followed the sketch at Papertake Weekly. 

The image was colored with Copics and Prismacolor pencils. Lots of Stickles and Liquid Pearls added to the beads. A few tiny buttons scattered on the table.  The doily was cut with Cheery Lynn Designs die.  Seam binding was died and scrunched by me.  Background DP from K&Co., embossed with Cuttlebug EF. 

Challenges: 
House Mouse - Buttons, Bows and Bling
Papertake Weekly - Sketch.
Simon Says Stamp and Show - Anything goes
Crafts and Me - Ribbon
Truly Scrumptious - Buttons and Bows.

Stamps:  House Mouse "Beading Basics".
Paper:  K&Co.  Julianne paper pack, Neenah Solar White.
Ink:  Colorbox Queues.
Accessories:  Cheery Lynn Designs English Tea Party Doily die, corner rounder, Liquid Pearls, Stickles, buttons, seam binding, CB embossing folder.

Pixie Cottage #80 - Emboss it

This week at The Pixie Cottage our theme is one of my favorite techniques - embossing.  Can be wet or dry embossing.  Adrina has also provided this wonderful sketch to follow.  Can emboss, follow the sketch, or do both.  Have fun with it!

I doubled up and followed sketch and theme.  I chose this pretty Pixie Cottage digi image called A Bloom and Her Trio by Artish, available at Michelle's Scrap.   I colored the image with Copics then cut and embossed it with Spellbinders Beaded Ovals die, also coloring the little ovals with Copics.  All DP is from Prima Fairy Floral pack.  The pink panel was embossed with a Sizzix folder and I ran Tattered Rose Distress Ink pad over the elevations.  The image is attached on foam tape.  Sentiment cut/embossed with Spellbinders Labels Six.

Stamps:  Pixie Cottage "A Bloom and Her Trio" digi image by Artish, Flourishes "Many Sentiments".
Paper:  Prima Fairy Flora, Neenah Solar White.
Ink:  Colorbox Queues.
Accessories:  Spellbinders Beaded Ovals and Labels Six dies, foam tape, Sizzix embossing folder, Dew Drops.

The Pixie Cottage #79

It's time for another sketch/theme challenge at The Pixie Cottage.  This week's theme is Fun With Food.  As always, there is an optional sketch to follow.  You can choose the theme, the sketch, or combine the two.  I chose the Pumpkin Carvers digital image available from Michelle's Scrapbooking.  The image is colored with Copics then cut out with Spellbinders Deckled Rectangles.  The swirls are from Spellbinders Floral Flourishes dies.   I made this a joy fold card.  The panel on the left was embossed using Spellbinders Paisley Impressabilities.  The glittery DP is from MME Home pack. 

Challenges: 
Crazy 4 Challenges: Joy fold card.
Simon Says Stamp and Show: Embossing.
My Time to Craft:  Citrus colors.
Papertake Weekly:  Getting cute.

Stamps:  Pumpkin Carvers digi stamp.
Paper:  My Mind's Eye Home Glitter Pack, SU! CS.
Ink:  Colorbox Queues.
Accessories:  Spellbinders Deckled Rectangles, Floral Flourishes, Paisley Impressabilities.

Pixie Cottage Challenge #78

Happy Wednesday!  That means only two more days till Friday, then it's the weekend.  Woohoo!  That also means it's time for another sketch/theme challenge at The Pixie Cottage.  This week's theme is wrap it with ribbon.  As always, you can follow the sketch, go with the theme, or combine the two.  Have fun with it!  This week I went with one of the new digital images by ArTish, called Feathers. 

This image reminds me of a very good friend who lives in Miami.  One of her  neighbors has lots of plastic flamingos in her yard, and when I was visiting out there, my friend and I snuck over (at night of course)  and hung some Mardi Gras beads around the birds.  Next morning one of the flamingos was in my friend's front yard.  Turns out the neighbor was watching us from her balcony the whole time;  we gave ourselves away because we were giggling too loudly.  Oh, those carefree days from...three years ago.  LOL!   I decided to fancy up this image a bit. I printed the image three times, twice on DP and cut out the body, "bloomers", wings and flower from the DP, and colored the rest of the image with Copics.  Added a bunch of sparkle with Stickles.  Thought the sentiment was perfect.  Double layered some ribbons and added these gorgeous little butterflies cut with dies from Cheery Lynn Designs.  The doily was also cut from a Cheery Lynn doily die.  The DP is Basic Grey Lemonade pack.  Lemonade and flamingos...couldn't get much more summery!

Come play along with our sketch/theme challenge.  The randomly picked winner will win two stamps of their choice from The Pixie Cottage College collection. 


Other challenges:
Basic Grey:  Doilies and ribbon.
Crazy4Challenges:  Summer theme.
Gingerloft:  Make it sparkle.
Paper Sundaes:  Paper piecing.


Stamps:  Feathers digi image from The Pixie Cottage; sentiment from Verve.
Paper:  Basic Grey Lemonade.
Ink:  Copics, Colorbox Queues.
Accessories:  Cheery Lynn Designs Exotic Butterflies and French Pastry Doily die, Spellbinders Circle die, Stickles, ribbon, foam tape.