Pets Peeking Out - Catherine Pooler

 Hello blogging friends!

I have been playing with an awesome new stamp set and coordinating dies by Catherine Pooler that I received from Scrapbook.com. You all know how much I love my fur babies so I was so excited to create some cards with these new products.

That cute paw print pattern paper is from the Hipster 6x6 paper pad also from Catherine Pooler. The coordinating polaroid frame die and eyeglass dies allow you to have some fun with the products and create card that will make the recipient smile!

I stamped my images using a black dye ink pad and then colored them with Copic markers. I am no expert when it comes to coloring, but these designs are easy for a beginner to practice. The sentiment was embossed in white. By using Kraft cardstock, this card has a msculine feel to it which is just what I wanted. I am sending it to a nephew deployed with his National Guard unit.

Supplies:

• Catherine Pooler Pets Peeking Out Stamps
• Catherine Pooler Pets Peeking Out Dies
• Catherine Pooler Let's Party Sentiment Stamps
• Catherine Pooler Pet Spectacles Dies
• Catherine Pooler Instant Happy Frame Die
• Catherine Pooler Hipster 6"x6" Paper Pad

Thanks so much for stopping by. Stay tuned for more cards coming soon.... I can't help myself! These are so much fun to create with!!

~Marcia

Jillibean Soup Cards

Hello blogging friends!

I have a couple cards to share with you that I created with Jillibean Soup products including digital cut files. The first one I created for my neighbor who just had a liver transplant. I thought the Just Keep Swimming sentiment would be perfect for him. He has a long recovery ahead. I combined it with the Octopus stamp set (one of the fish stamps looks like a Nemo!) and a square shaker card. Some self adhesive sequins give it some bling and look like bubbles.

My second card is also a shaker card. I used the Starburst and You Are My Sunshine Jillibean Soup digital cut files to create my sun and sentiment. Here too I used the self adhesive sequins... they are perfect for adding a little extra sparkle!

Do you love to create shaker cards too?  Thanks so much for stopping by today!

~Marcia

Have A Blast | My Favorite Things

Hello blogging friends,

A quick blog post today.  I created a birthday card for the latest sketch challenge for My Favorite Things. Here is the sketch...

I thought a Space Explorer and an alcohol ink background would let me play with techniques I haven't used in a while and practice my coloring. Here is my card...

Enjoy your weekend!

~Marcia

Birthday Cards - My Favorite Things

Hello friends!

I indulged myself after Christmas and bought this Adorable Elephants stamp set from My Favorite Things. I haven't done a lot of Copic coloring, but thought this set would be a good one to start practicing with. I decided to try my hand with their Sketch Challenge ...

Here is my take using some pattern papers from the Pebbles Happy Hooray birthday collection...

I struggled with the elephant ears ... I think I need to get a new Copic marker, something lighter pink RV0000 or R0000.

Copic Markers used: C1, C3, R24, R29, RV10, E50

and also their Color Challenge ...

Copic Markers used: C1, C3, RV10, E50, Y11, Y15, Y17, YG03, YG63

My clouds need a little work, lol.

Thanks for stopping by.

~Marcia

Howdy - Xyron and Deep Red Stamps with a GIVEAWAY!

Hello blogging friends!

I had an opportunity this week to play with  my Xyron adhesives and some fun Deep Red Stamps. I couldn't resist this Cowboy stamp since most of my husbands relatives are redneck cowboys. Check out the details at the bottom of my post to see how you can enter to win a $45 gift certificate from Deep Red Stamps!

I told you it was fun! I decided to make a gift ensemble.... a gift bag and a matching card...

I am thinking some BBQ gifts would be just the thing to put inside that bag! These Deep Red Stamps are awesome! I am no pro when it comes to coloring with my Copics, but this was fun and relaxing ... and I didn't think I did too bad, did I? The pattern papers are some Authentique Pride papers that I had in my stash.

I used several different techniques with the new Xyron 9" Creative Station. Let me show you.

Step 1.  Stamp your cowboy images and color with Copics. I like to use a special Copic blending paper I bought at my local stamp supply store. I usually stamp and color several images so I can pick and choose my favorite color combinations.

Step 2.  I wanted to add some burlap because I love it's texture. I decided to try die cutting it with some stars. It's easier to apply the adhesive to the burlap first and then die cut, so I ran the burlap and a few other die cuts (so I wouldn't be wasteful) through my Xyron Creative Station with the 9" permanent adhesive loaded.

Step 3.  Remove the plastic from the top and create your die cutting sandwich. Run this through you die cutting machine.

Step 4. Select your pattern papers for your gift bag. I used my Xyron Mega Runner to adhere the base sheet to the front of my bag.

Step 5.  I die cut some other fun things, like a barbed wire fence and a star border. I wanted to add some glitter to the star border, so I ran it through my Xyron 1.5" Sticker Maker upside down. The other die cuts went in right side up.

Step 6.  Now pour the glitter on top of the adhesive on the die cut. Press it firmly with a finger. Shake off excess.

Step 7.  Adhere the top of the die cut over the glitter and run it through the Sticker Maker one more time.

Step 8. Carefully peel off the paper backing of the burlap stars and adhere to bag front along with the other die cuts. I fussy cut this cowboy out so I wouldn't cover up too much.

Step 9. I added a few flag banners. Here is a trick for cutting the notches ...

Step 10. Some sticker alphas and twine finish it off..."Yee Haa!"

Step 11. Now we are ready to cut some pattern papers for our card. Mount your stamped and colored image onto cardstock. Since I wanted the card to coordinate, I used some of the same dies here.

 Step 12. Switch out the 9" adhesive roll in the Xyron Creative Station and put in the 5" adhesive roll.  Yes, that's right. Two different size adhesive rolls fit inside one machine! How cool is that! Now we are ready to run the card front pieces through.

Step 13.  Adhere the card front pieces to the card base and the stamped image on top.

Step 14.  Add some more flag banners in the upper corner along with another burlap star and alphas "Howdy"

Step 15. The star border die cut was placed underneath the banners and I added twine here too. The Xyron adhesive dots work great for holding the twine in place.

Yeah! You made it to the bottom of my post... leave a comment and I will select one winner on Monday, November 9th. For another chance to win .... follow me on Instagram and leave me a comment on my giveaway post there.

Thanks for stopping by.
~Marcia

Give Thanks Cards - Imaginisce

Hello blogging friends! How many of you were making cards this past weekend for World Card Making Day 2015? 

I used the awesome Imaginisce Give Thanks collection to create a couple Thank You cards. I love sending a thank you card to friends or family even when they aren't expecting one. All too often we take people for granted. This is a good time of the year to reach out and let our loved ones know how much they mean to us. 

Each collection from Imaginisce has coordinating stamps, and the Give Thanks collection has some truly adorable ones. I couldn't resist practicing my coloring skills on the fox and the squirrel. I am a beginner when it comes to coloring stamped images and I still need lots of practice, LOTS!, lol. Coloring is relaxing and fun. Here are my cards ...

To add some pizzazz to my cards I used my i-Rock to adhere some gold metallic gems. Blinging up a card gives it instant elegance.

Supplies:

Imaginisce : Pattern Papers, Phrase Stickers, Wood Buttons (Give Thanks), i-Rock, metallic gems

American Crafts: Cardstock

 Thanks for stopping by

~Marcia

You're the Coolest and Let's Chill - Xyron and My Favorite Things

Hello blogging friends. Xyron and My Favorite Things are having a blog share all week long.

Today, I am sharing what I created. I got to work with the new My Favorite Things Penguins in Paradise stamps and coordinating dies.

I LOVE these little penguins!! Aren't they adorable. I went tropical for my first project and created a Pineapple Gift Box using my new Xyron 9" Creative Station, the Fruity Fiesta cut file from SVGcuts and papers from the Imaginisce Endless Summer and Childhood Memories collections.

Here's how I did it...

Step 1. Cut out the pineapple parts using your electronic die cutter (Silhouette Cameo or other). Ink the edges of your cuts (optional).

Step 2. Run the pineapple outer pieces through the new Xyron 9" Creative Station.

Step 3. Adhere the outer pineapple die cut pieces to the cardstock die cuts, peeling back the rounded cuts so that they stick out a little. Pineapples are dimensional after all. Assemble the pineapple.

Step 4. Switch out the 9" adhesive in the Xyron Creative Station and put in the 5" permanent adhesive. Run the tag parts through after stamping "You're the COOLEST" onto the tag.

Switching out the adhesive is so easy to do. Open the lid.. Pull out the 9" roll. Flip up the green 5" guide and insert the 5" roll. Close the lid. 

Step 5. Die cut, stamp, and color your penguin. I used Copic markers to color mine.

Step 6. Assemble the tag, I decided to use some foam tape here to give it some dimension.

But I was having too much fun coloring these cute penguins, I wanted to make a card too...

I used the same SVGcuts Fruity Fiesta cut file for my card and matching envelope. I thought it was perfect for the penguin holding the popsicle.

Here is how I created my card.

Step 1. Die cut the card pieces using an electronic die cutting machine (Silhouette Cameo or other) and run the card parts through the new Xyron 9" Creative Station with the 5" permanent adhesive loaded.

Step 2.  Die cut, stamp, and color your penguin and a palm tree, I used Copics to color mine, Stamp "Let's Chill" onto white cardstock and die cut using the My Favorite Things Fishtail Flags STAX Die-namics die.

Step 3. Assemble your card using the Xyron Mega Runner and some foam adhesive.

Step 4.  Assemble the envelope using  Xyron Double-sided Tape. You only need a few strips.

and there you have it...

 Thanks for stopping by today. Now hop over to the My Favorite Things blog to see what their design ers created with Xyron products. Be sure to check back all week long to see what the other designers have created too. Xyron designer projects can all be viewed from their Facebook page here.

~Marcia