Daily Special - Technique Day - Faux Metal Tag/Embellishment Using Foil

Click Here for the Tutorial

Today's Daily Special is Technique Day. Today's technique is "Faux Metal Tag/Embellishment Using Foil". What's this technique about? Well, you can create tags that appear to look like metal or metallic and you can do this by using foil, rubber stamps, and embossing powder.


Do you see the circle tag on the card to the left. . .well, I created that using this foil technique. I did the same thing with the flower tag on my second card. I used the remaining foil to stamp the bold butterfly. It looks pretty creased but I kinda like it. It gives the image a bit of texture which I think is a nice effect on cards.


You can also use a Cuttlebug Embossing Folder to emboss on the foil. I'll make a card using the embossing folder and post the card. . .I'll post it tomorrow.


I have a few more Blog Candy Submission to post and I'll post them tomorrow. I just wanted to add another tutorial that perhaps someone could try and submit for the Blog Candy. If you are interested in participating in the blog candy. . .Click here for the details.

Blog Candy Submission #14 - Guest Stamper - Debbie

Okay. . .Debbie's Blog Candy submission is simply beautiful, don't you think? I love the elegance of her card. I like how she mixed different designer paper. . .which by now you' should know that I love DP and use them religiously with most of my cards. I love her color combo as well. What I especially like is how she used various mixed media to create texture and character to her card.

Debbie didn't send me a blog site address so I'm assuming she doesn't have a blog site. What I do know is Debbie is from Canada, based from what I gathered from her email address.

Thank you Debbie for your participation! If you are interested in participating. . .Click here for the details. You have until tomorrow to submit your entry. . .so hurry!

Scroll down to view the sketch she used to create her card.

Blog Candy Submission #13 - Guest Stamper - Cathy

Hey it's Cathy again! She decided to submit another card creation and this time she used a tutorial. She previously followed a sketch. . .see Guest Stamper #2. This time she decided to try the Prismacolor Pencil with Gamsol tutorial which by far my favorite coloring method. Click Here for the Tutorial!

Cathy has a blog site called "Stamp and Scrap Ink"! She has all sorts of lovely creations that you can take a look at. She has a lot of great ideas. Stop by and say hello to her. Be sure to scroll down my blog to check out her previous submission.

If interested in the blog candy. . .Click here for the details.

Blog Candy Submission #12 - Guest Stamper - Rita

Yay! Take a look at what Rita made! She tried the Tote-ally Tote Tutorial! Awesome! I love her design. She decided to do the side handle and front buckle design. I'm glad someone submitted this project. I think it's a cool project and a fun one too!

Rita has an awesome blog site called "L8ybug Stamper"! She has a lot of things going on over there, including card creations, scrapbook projects, and many more. Be sure to drop by and say hello to her. . .I think she'll appreciate the visit!

Thank you Rita for your wonderful submission.

If you're interested in the Tote-ally Tote project. . .Click here for the tutorial! It's a super-duper easy project. Trust me. . .it is!

Interested in participating in the blog candy?. . .Click here for the details

Blog Candy Submission #11 - Guest Stamper - Ruthie

Hey Everyone! Check out Ruthie's submission! Isn't it great! I love it. Ruthie decided to try out the "Mirror Image" tutorial. She took my advise on using craft ink or pigment ink with embossing powder and she said that she likes the results better. Well, she did a wonderful job.

If interested on how to create a "mirror image" of your stamp, Click Here for the Tutorial.

I have a few more submissions that I will posting today. Everyone is submitting such beautiful cards and projects. I'm very impressed to see what others create using my sketches and tutorial.

Thank you Ruthie for your participation.

Interested in the blog candy?. . .Click here for the details

Blog Candy Submission #10 - Guest Stamper - Cathy

Check out Cathy's submission. Isn't it beautiful with all the embossing and the beautiful colors. She decided to use a sketch I did several days ago.

Cathy sent me a link to her SCS gallery of this card. . .Click her to view her card on SCS.

There's three more days left to submit your card or project! I'll be drawing the winner on Saturday. I'll be pulling a name out of a hat. . .well, my daughter will as always. If you are interested in participating. . . Click Here for the Details

Be sure to stop my Card Inspired blog site to view the other submissions!

Blog Candy Submission #9 - Guest Stamper - Antoinette

Here's another submission! This one is from Antoinette. She was inspired by Melissa's submission. . .scroll down for ther submission. Antoinette created the #10 Envelope Tag/Pocket Card for her daughter's class to sign and that is why she left the tag blank. I think she did a wonderful job. Love those colorful chicks! This stamp set is actually one of my favorite stamp set.

I don't Antoinette has a blog site because she didn't send me a blog address with her submission. If you have a blog site, don't forget to send your blog address so I can post it along with your submission.

If you are interested in this project. . . Click Here for the Tutorial

If you are interested in participating in the blog candy. . .Click here for the details

Blog Candy Submission #8 - Guest Stamper - Deborah

Hey Everyone! Check out Deborah's card!! Awesome masculine card. I'm not very good with masculine cards but she did a wonderful job! Deborah used one of my sketches from my Card Inspired Blog Site! Actually, this is the second card submitted using this sketch.

Deborah has a blog site called "Living in a Desert". She has a ton of wonderful card creations on her blog site! She post regularly and believe it or not she post more than I do so that means she post a lot. Be sure to drop by her blog site and tell her "hello"!

Anyway, thank you Deborah for your participation!

Please check out Card Inspired for the other Blog Candy Submissions! All submissions that did not use Stampin Up stamps are posted on Card Inspired.

If you are interested in participating in my blog candy. . . Click Here for the details and Click here for the picture of the prize!

Good luck folks!

Blog Candy Submission #7 - Guest Stamper - Lori

Check out Lori's submission to my blog candy. Another CD Envelope Shaker Card submission! I think that's my most popular tutorial. I must say Lori did a fabulous job on this project!! Very pretty colors!

Interestingly, people ask me why the envelope opening has to be oriented at the bottom rather than the top or side. There's a certain logic to it, trust me. . .it makes sense to do so. I'm not sure why turning the envelope upside down should matter so much. . .but it does to a few people who looked at the tutorial. People are baffled by it. If you are baffled by it and it matters to you that the opening is oriented at the bottom. . .email me and I'll explain the very logical reason. As a note. . .if you don't orient the opening towards the bottom, there's a potential that you'll waste quite a few envelopes! Just a warning!

Anyway. . .Click here for the tutorial

Back to Lori. . .sorry, I got sidetracked. . . Lori is a blogget also! Yipee! Her blog site is called "Inking Aloud". If you want to see her beautiful creations be sure to drop by! Her site has great card ideas and projects so if you don't visit her blog site . . .well, you'll be missing out on a good thing!

Don't miss out on the blog candy. . .Click here for the details and Click here for the picture of the prize

Blog Candy Prize - Check It Out!

Okay, here is the prize. For those who decide to create a card using any of my sketches, you have a chance to win this Creative Keepsake 8x8 Album Storage Kit. Inside the kit are the following:

1 8x8 Album with a beautiful design
6 Pattern Papers
6 Solid Cardstock Sheets
3 Plastic Paper Holders (each holder can fit probably 50 sheets of 8x8 cardstock or pattern paper
1 Photo storage container




If you decide to create a card or project using any of my tutorials, you have a chance to win the 8x8 Album Storage Kit as well as a 12x12 K& Company Double Sided Designer Paper which contains 36 double sided paper. The designer paper is so beautiful and are thick similar to cardstock quality. If you scroll down, you'll see a sample of the designer papers. There's more but I just took a picture of few of them. They're beautiful.

Anyway, good luck! The drawing will be on June 2nd!

Daily Special - Technique Day - Pattern Paper Overlay Tutorial

Click Here for the Tutorial

Hey Gang! How is everyone's day going? Today's Daily Special is "Technique Day". I'm not sure this is a true technique but it's just something I do sometimes. I call the technique "Pattern Paper Overlay" and I created a tutorial for it. The picture of the card is pretty self-explanatory but if you are a visual person and need instructions, check out the tutorial.

Using pattern paper to fill in your image is a great way to add character to the image. It eliminates the process of having to color in an image but you do have to do a bit of cutting which I know a lot of people hate doing. I don't mind cutting my images out so personally, it's no big deal. As a matter of fact, I cut images out 50% of the time.

What is the technique? If you notice the chef's clothing. . .his shirt and hat has a design print, well that's an overlay of pattern paper not rubber stamped.

I know, I know. . .Mr. Chef is a bit feminine but I liked the pattern so I went with it. Mr. Chef looks "pretty" in his cool outfit . . .don't you think? I think more chef's should use pretty outfits! Ha!

Anyway, try it out. . .it's a great way to rid of scraps of patterned paper you have lying around.

Why don't you try this and submit your work for the blog candy I have going. . .Click Here for Details

Blog Candy Submission #6 - Guest Stamper - Tami

Hey, hey, hey! Wow another blog candy submission. This one is from Tami! She decided to do the "Shaving Cream" technique. She did an awesome job! The "Shaving Cream" technique can be a bit messy but the results are so cool. You can do several and store them for future use. I usually start with 2 colors and color a few cardstock, then add another color and do a few more. I store them in a folder and pull them out when I want to use them.

Tami is also a blogger. . .her blog site is called "The Journey of Life". She has been blogging since March and she's doing a wonderful job. Be sure to drop by her blog site to view her wonderful card creations and projects.

If you have never tried the "Shaving Cream" technique and want to try it out . . .Click Here for the Tutorial.

Interested in participating in the blog candy? Click here for the details.

Blog Candy Submission #5 - Guest Stamper - Emily

Happy Memorial Day Everyone! Check out Emily's Blog Candy Submission. Yay! She did two of the CD Envelope Shaker Card and she did a fabulous job! I'm glad she tried the tutorial out because it is really easy. It's a great way to rid of those CD Envelopes.

I don't know if Emily have a blog site because she didn't send me a link to her blog site. If she don't, she should considering how beautiful her creations are!

If you are interested in this project. . . .Click Here for the Tutorial.

I'll be posting the prize this afternoon. I was suppose to do it yesterday but I forgot to take pictures of them. I hope you like the prize.

If you are interested in participating in the blog candy. . . .Click Here for the Details!!



Thank you Emily for participating in my blog candy and sending your submission! I appreciate it!

Blog Candy Submission #4 - Guest Stamper - Lois

Hey Everyone! Check out Lois's blog candy submission! She decided to use the Polished Stone technique to create her card. I love the Polished Stone technique. . .it's such a nice background and Lois did a wonderful job! I love the color combo she used for this card. Pink and Green are my favorite color combo.

Click here for the Polished Stone Tutorial

Lois also has a blog site of her own called "Paper Crafting Fun". She has lots of beautiful creations and projects posted on her site. Currently, she has an ongoing list of retiring Stampin Up Wheels that are on the short supply list so go check it out!

Anyway. . .hope your weekend is going great! Mine has been quite mellow. . .not much going on! We drove down to Lake Elsinore, a town about 20 minutes away from where I live and ate lunch down there. We specifically drove there to visit a rubber stamping store called Little Bizarre. Did you know that Temecula and Murrieta combined have a population close to or over 200,000 and there's not even one "dedicated" rubber stamping store. I can't believe that there aren't more rubber stamp stores in Southern California. Either that or I don't know where to find them. Anyway, I bought a few goodies at Little Bizarre. . .they had a lot of cute stamps but because my husband thinks I'm already overly-obsessed with buying rubber stamps, I didn't want to buy too many stuff. I'll visit the store on another day when I'm alone. Ha!

Don't forget to participate in my blog candy. . .Click here for the Details

Blog Candy Submission #3 - Guest Stamper - Melissa

Wow, yet another submission for my blog candy! How fun! This one's from Melissa. She chose to do the #10 Envelope Tag/Pocket Card. I loved this project because it was fun and easy to create.

I like how Melissa used the "Think Big" stamp set. This is a really fun stamp set and she really did a wonderful job with this project.

Click Here for the Tutorial

Click here if you are interested in participating in my Blog Candy!!

I have a lot of tutorials lined up to post, unfortunately, it's so time consuming to create these tutorials that I can't post them faster than I would like to. I wish there was an easier, faster way to do them but oh, well.

I actually have 3 of them that I need to work on. One is a Origami fold box that is way cool. Please visit my Card Inspired Blog site for other tutorials not listed on this blog site. I sometimes don't post tutorials on both blog sites and I definitely don't duplicate sketches. I try to keep each blog site independent of one another but sometimes I duplicate posts if it's something I want to share with both sites.

Anyway, thank you Melissa for your submission! You really did my tutorial justice! Wonderful job!

Until later. . .

Blog Candy Submission #2 - Guest Stamper - Cathy

Check out Cathy's submission for my blog candy! I love the wonderful color combination she used to create this card. It's a beautiful card! She decided to use the sketch below that was initially posted on my Card Inspired blog site on May 24th.

Cathy also has blog site called "Stamp and Scrap Ink". I believe Cathy is from Canada. Her blog site is filled with many wonderful card creations and other projects. Be sure to drop by her blog site and say hello!!

Thank you Cathy for your submission!

If you are interested in participating in the blog candy. . .Click here for the details

Daily Special - Technique Day - Mirror Image Tutorial

Click Here for the Tutorial

Today's Daily Special is "Technique Day" and the technique is "Mirror Image". I'm sure there's another name for it but that's what I called it. What's the technique about? Well. . .do you have an image that you need a left and right side but all you have is one side - either the left or the right.

See the skunk for "Stinkin' Cute" stamp set. . .well the right skunk is the actual orientation of the stamp. There's no similar stamp that faces the other way. I wanted to create a card with the two of the skunk facing one another. Well there's a technique for it. Click on the link above to be directed to the tutorial. It's a "quickie" technique. Nothing complicated. This isn't a new technique or something I came up with. . .I don't know who originally came up with it but anybody could have come up with it. If you want to know how to do it be sure to check out the tutorial.

So far I've had three people send me a card submission to my Blog Candy. I'll post the 3rd submission tomorrow. Please participate. . .I really would like to see your work. I sometimes wonder if my tutorials are worth creating because I don't really know if they are worth trying out. I've had a good response to the Accordion File and the Shaker Card tutorials but not much on the rest. I wonder if they're boring, too easy, too hard, whatever. . .

I've had a few tell me they liked them but not much who've said they actually tried them. Are the tutorials too hard or too "passe". I try to create tutorials that I think are easy to do. Do you want more complex projects? I just don't want to overwhelm anyone with overly complex projects. Anyway, just wondering. . .

If interested in participating in the blog candy. . .Click Here for the Details

Enjoy your weekend everyone!!

Blog Candy Submission 1 - Guest Stamper - Stephanie

Yay! The first Blog Candy Submission is by Stephanie! She decided to do the "Polished Stone" Tutorial with heat embossing. Wow, her card is stunningly beautiful. I really love what she did with this technique!

Stephanie also has her own blog site called Steph's Stampin, Scrapping, and Stuff! Her blog site is a mix of card making and scrapbooking with a whole lot of beautiful creations. Be sure to drop by her blog site and tell her "hello".

Thank you Stephanie for participating in my blog candy. If you want to participate also. . .

Click here for the Blog Candy details.

Click here for the "Polished Stone" Tutorial

Yay! It's Blog Candy Time to Celebrate 500+ Subscribers to Both My Blog Sites

Click Here for the picture of the Prize

I know y'all love Blog Candies so I decided to do a blog candy to celebrate my 500 subscribers to both my blog sites! Can you believe it? 500! I never would have imagined that I would have even close to that amount but the other day, I checked Feedblitz and there it was! I had hit a milestone! The email reader counter shows 371 for my Stampin Inspirations blog site and 267 for Card Inspired. The numbers are funny that way because there are some readers who subscribe to only Stampin Inspirations, some to just Card Inspired, and there are those who subscribe to both but the total amount of unique subscribers are currently at 503.

I have a JoAnn and Michaels coupons so I'll go shopping tomorrow for the prize. Okay. . .how do you participate in this blog candy. . .ummmmm, well. . .this is where it will get a bit tricky. . .haha! There are two ways to participate. . .I've posted, I believe close to 30 tutorials on both or either blog sites (Card Inspired and Stampin Inspirations). . .to participate, create a card or project using one my tutorials and send me a picture.

The second way to participate is to create using one of my sketches from either blog site and send me a picture. You shouldn't have any problems finding a sketch because to date, I've posted close to 200 sketches, therefore, you have a lot to choose from! Please let me know the date of the post and which blog site (Card Inspired or Stampin Inspirations). If you are using the compiled monthly Sketch Challenges, let me know which number and which month!

To determine the winner, I will randomly choose by pulling a name out of a hat. The prize will be based on whether the card was from one of my sketches or one of my tutorials. If the winner created a card or project from one of my tutorials, I will add an extra prize! I will post the prize tomorrow or Sunday! I'll be sure to make the prize worth your effort!

Deadline for the card or project submission will be Friday, June 1st and the drawing will be on Saturday, June 2nd! Email your submission as a picture attachment to lbmcd66@hotmail.com. I will post pictures of all submissions on to my blog site! If it's a Stampin Up image, it will be posted on my Stampin Inspirations Blog Site and if it's a non-Stampin Up image, it will be posted on Card Inspired. It don't have to be rubber stamped. . .it can be any type of paper crafting as long as you follow any of my sketch or tutorial!

Hope y'all participate! I really, really am dying to see your work!

Guest Stamper - Dawn Griffith from Dawn Stamping Thoughts

Click Here to Review the Tutorial

Hey Everyone! Look what Dawn made! She tried out the CD Envelope Shaker Card, a tutorial I posted sometime in April. Dawn was cool enough to send me a picture of her card. Isn't it awesome! Currently, there's been over 1800 visitors to the tutorial and I think only 5 people let me know that they actually tried it out. Two people sent a picture of their sample to me which I truly appreciate.

I think Dawn did a FABULOUS job on her card. She even stated that it was easy to create. . .which I'm really glad about. Dawn has her own blog site called Dawns Stampin Thoughts which by the way is an awesome blog site with lots of great card creations and projects. Be sure to drop by her wonderful blog site!!

Anyway, if you missed the tutorial. . .I reposted it again! Try it out and tell me what you think! If you send me a picture of your sample, you can be my "Guest Stamper" for the day!!

Until later folks. . .hope y'all have a "Happy Friday"!!

Random Card - What's With The Yellow Skunk?

What's up with the yellow skunk? Ummmmm. . .I'm not sure either. I wanted to see how it would look with a different color (besides black and white). Although the skunk looks a little weird, I decided to complete the card. I do like the sketch. Maybe I'll make another card using a different stamp set. The front of the card has a little pull out message. I think I'm going to restamp the skunk and make him black and white and keep the rest of the card the way it is. . .what do you think?

Card Detail:

Stamp Set: Stinkin' Cute, In My Thoughts
Paper: Apricot Appeal (I think), Black, Positively Pink, Black, DCWV Scrapbook Paper
Ink: Basic Black
Accessories: Large circle brads, American Craft Elements ribbon, 1 inch circle punch, Stampin Up Wave Scissors, Crystal Effects

Daily Special - Technique Day - Basic Watercoloring Tutorial

Click Here for the Tutorial

Don't forget to drop by my Card Inspired Blog Site. I posted a tutorial on a technique called "Slit Flower Frame"

Today's Daily Special is "Technique Day" and I did a tutorial on "Basic Watercoloring" which may not be new to you. In fact, you probably know more about it than me but for those wanting to learn, the tutorial is something you may want to look at.

The stamp set used for this set was "Sassy Stems". For the first card I used "In My Thoughts" for the sentiment and the second card "Cute Converse" for the sentiment. Sassy Stems is a great stamp set for watercoloring. Honestly, I'm not a big fan of watercoloring but I bought all of the Watercolor Crayon sets. Why buy them if you don't like watercoloring? Well, it's a little stupid but I bought them because I didn't have them. Ha! I have the need to buy everything whether I want them or not.

Watercoloring is the fastest coloring method in my opinion and the most easiest to work with. If this is the case, why don't I like using them? Well, I think it's because I like bold in-your-face sort of colors and watercoloring is soft and whimsical but with a little bit of effort, watercoloring can result in bright bold colors.

Here are other info on the two cards I made: For the first card, I used Ballet Blue, Brocade Blue for the vase and Rose Red for the flowers, and Green Galore for the stems. The DP paper is by K&Co, the charm is by Making Memories, and the ribbon by Dashes, Dots & Checks. The cardstock used were Ballet Blue, Sage Shadow and Apricot Appeal. Word Window Punch was used for the sentiment.

With the second card I used Ballet Blue and Brocade Blue for the Vase, Pixie Pink for the flowers, and green galore for the stems. The DP is by DCWV, the ribbon by Textured Trios, the edge cut with Fiskar "Cloud" scissors, the corners punched with "Ticket Corner" punch and small silver brads to embellish the corners.

Here are the sketches! Try them out and if you want send me a picture of your work via email and I'll post them on my blog site!

Daily Special - Technique Day - Slit Flower Frame

Hey Everyone. . .check out my Card Inspired Blog Site! I posted a tutorial on a technique I call "Slit Flower Frame". I'll post a sample on this blog site when I have a chance to make one but in the meantime, check out Card Inspired for the tutorial.

Daily Special - Technique Day - Metallic Vellum Blossom Tutorial

Click Here For The Tutorial

Hi Everyone! Today's Daily Special is Technique Day. A real one today! Ha! I call the technique "Metallic Vellum Blossoms". I saw a technique in a book but the tutorial used metallic stickers rather than rubber stamped embossed images. When I saw the tutorial, I thought I could modify the technique. Instead of using stickers, I used rubber stamps and metallic embossing powders. I really liked how it turned out so I decided to create a tutorial for it.

Not to toot my horn, but it actually looks better in person. I couldn't capture the metallic element with the camera. Some of it shows but not as much as it does in person. As you can see viewing it at an angle, it's very 3D. The technique mixes wire works or "wire" to add to the metallic component of the flower.

With the second card below. . .I heat embossed silver embossing powder to the background as well. You can't tell by the picture but I added silver and copper dots to the background using metallic gel pen. The light shining on the card sort of washed out the gold and copper shimmer.

Unfortunately, at a side view you can't see the silver wire but in person it's more prominent and a great addition to the card. The stamp set used to create this project was "Doodle This" but you can use any large floral image. Use a stamp that has large petals. I think it looks better with larger images.

Try out the tutorial. It looks like a lot of work but it's really not difficult. It just takes a little patience heat embossing each image and cutting the image out. If you decide to try out the tutorial, tell me what you think!





Until later. . .