Mask It

Whatever will I do when Soft Sky retires this summer? I'm sure SU will have some new color that I can't live without.... but this one, will be missed.

Two weeks ago, it was my turn to issue the Prettie Girl challenge. I don't know what I was thinking, I made the challenge to use some form of masking. Sorry girls!! I should have gone easy on you!

I stamped this little Stampendous bee onto whisper white paper and then stamped him again onto my eclipse masking tape. I applied the mask, and then using my ink pads and a sponge, I added in a background of both sky and grass. Then removed the mask and colored in the image with my copics.

I also used masking on my MFT card which I'm now off to go post. For that card, I masked to create the perception of depth, to sort of "stack" images to create a scene. I can't wait to see how the rest of the girls masked for this challenge, and girls, I promise I'll pick something easy the next time I'm picking challenges!

The card base here is Soft Sky, with Certainly Celery mattings. The flowered designer paper is Fall Flowers designer paper from Stampin Up.

Be sure to blurf around to the other Prettie Girl blogs (see links on the right) to see what they did for this challenge and to see what this week's challenge is as well!

Have a great day!

Who Doesn't Need a little Sunshine?

One of my very favorite products that we saw on the floor of CHA were these adorable mini clipboards and the coordinating stamps over at the Stampendous booth. I'm such a sucker for Stampendous products. You already know I love those pails....

So, I think I mentioned before that we waited - um - about 35 minutes in line for this little make and take! But look how stinkin cute they were! It was so worth it!

I totally squealed with excitement when I found out that eP already has these clipboard combo sets in stock as well as the coordinating stamp set that fits on here um perfectly!! At CHA they had a new make and take each day with the three sizes. I almost waited another half hour to do one the second day, but I bailed.

It was so great to meet up with Daisy and Joy out in California. They're a joy to work with (lol pardon the pun!) and I find so many "oooh, I've got to have that" things when I'm browsing around over there. Which is - oh goodness, I don't think I should reveal how frequently - it might be embarrassing!!

Honestly, I'm a big stalker of the "Brand Spankin New" category over there! I'll admit, I'm a total enabler, there is lots of fun new paper getting loaded up over there... I'll give you one guess who already has a nice little shopping cart started for herself this morning.....

Have a great day everyone!

A Good Egg....

I've finally depleted my stash of Stampendous Pails. Looks like I need to head back over to Eclectic Paperie to pick up some more!

My last two were used to make Easter pails for my boys. I picked up the For Peep's Sake paper that has been all over "blogland" lately. Julie Masse made a bunch of cute cards that pushed me right over the edge! LOL!

I covered the outside of the pails with three different patterned strips of paper, and finished them off with a length of Stampin Up Striped Grosgrain Bashful Blue Ribbon.

Using the super cute Stampendous Clear Pail Topper (Thanks Daisy and Joy!!!) I stamped the basket for the top of the pail, and then masked it using Eclipse Tape. I stamped the egg three times and used the masking again to get two of them in behind.

I colored the tops in first with my copic markers, then added some stickles to the tops of the eggs. Then I aquapainted over the copics with my SU crayons and filled in the center of each of the eggs. The background was looking so terribly white, so I used my bashful blue crayon and an aquapainter to fill all that in softly.

I know the kids will mostly like what's inside them, but I really do think that little details make all the difference. Plus, I really just LOVED making and filling them.

What's inside? Divvies jelly beans and chocolate bunnies, and peeps!

Baby Baby!

I just love these clear Stampendous Pails - I'm forever reordering them from Eclectic Paperie. I like to keep a healthy stash of them available for any client orders that might pop up, or for any gifts I have to give.

My husband's cousin recently had a baby girl, and as the mother of two boys, I love when I get to by baby girl gifts! I selected a gift with a pail in mind for the packaging. Then the gift helped to select what paper I'd be working with.

To match the pink and brown in the outfit I'd selected for the baby I picked Basic Grey Two Scoops for the designer paper and Close to Cocoa from Stampin Up as my cardstock accent. Since Close to Cocoa doesn't come in the wide width grosgrain ribbon, I took a piece of cardstock and zipped it through my Janome sew mini with the zig zag stitch to create my own. I just loved how it came out.

I also had a client request for a baby boy pail, and a gender neutral pail so I reached for my favorite baby paper - Crate Paper Baby Bee.

This is another item that I like to keep in stock because I think it is just so sweet for baby items. I'm always grabbing a few extra pieces of that on my trip to my local scrapbooking store.

Oh man did my little guy have a total flip out moment when I was there last week. Usually he's good as gold so I don't mind bringing him, but ugh, hopefully they'll let me come back after the monster tantrum thrown there last week....

The pails use the "Sweet Heart" from the Stampin Up set titled Bundle of Joy and the cards use the So Many Scallops set also from Stampin Up.

I have a few more pails awaiting altering downstairs... they're going to be Easter buckets for my little guys. I can't wait to get started on that project! I'll have them hopefully for you next week. I obviously have to work on them in secret around here!!

Bee Crazy

I just can't resist those Stampendous bees. As soon as I saw them, I had to have one! I mean, really, how sweet is this little baby?

I've mentioned my fascination with Scenic Route paper, but this new Valentine collection, Loveland is just yummy. I love it. I love any excuse to use it. I've got to go over to Right at Home (Hi Fatima!) to pick up some more of the Berrylicious Bazill paper that I use with it, because I've just used my very last scrap. Lucky for me, I have a lot more Loveland paper!!

The image and sentiment were stamped with Stazon then colored with my SU Markers (Regal Rose and Rose Red and Blush Blossom for the face) Then I coated with the wings heavily with my new Spica clear pen. The wings, though you can't see it here, are pretty sparkly in real life.

I created the "double bubble scalloping" by using my slit punch. I created a single row of scallops by punching side by side all the way across one edge, then turning it over and lining it up to be sure the "humps" would match top and bottom and scalloping all the way across that side as well. It actually was super easy!

Once I had the card all assembled, that white mat was bugging me. Too much empty space. So, I held my breath and doodled all around the edge. Phew, I didn't mess it up!

Have a great day everyone!