Halloween Card

Hi Everyone! Did you know I bought this stamp by Inkadinkado a few weeks ago and totally forgot I bought it? I was cleaning my craft room and there was a bag under my table and I looked inside. . .there was a few stamps and primas that I had bought. Luckily I looked under the table or it would have sat there.

I've decided to go on a "buying" freeze for a few weeks. I'll probably buy a few "Christmas" papers and stamps but I'll keep my self in check. Actually, I've been pretty good about not buying too many craft stuff lately. . . .maybe it's because I don't have any money. LOL! That helps to keep me from buying stuff.

This year for my "Chistmas wish list", instead of asking for craft stuff, I asked for a guitar and a zoom lens for my Rebel camera. For the past 4 years, I've asked for craft stuff or money for craft stuff. Not this year. . .believe it or not but I do have other interest in life. . .LOL!

Anyway. . .I stamped the image twice, colored the image with Copic Markers and cut the dresses on one of the stamped images and layered it over the other copy. I then applied SU "Crystal Effects" to parts of the image.

You can see the dresses layered and the shiny effect of the Crystal Effects in this picture.

I added the primas to decorate my card a bit. I have so many primas, it's not funny. You know, it was one of my "shopping" frenzy. . .I ended up buying bottles of the Primas one day when they were on sale. I think I bought every color that Michaels carried. I gotta stop doing this. Sales and me. . .not good.

Hope y'all have a fabulous Thursday!!

Card Details:

Stamps: Inkadinkado

Paper: SU Only Orange, Eggplant Envy, DCWV Fall Glitter STack

Inks: Copic Markers

Accessories: Halloween ribbon, Primas, Fiskar "Cloud" Scissors, JoAnn brads, SU Crystal Effects

Sweeter Treaters

Hi Everyone! Wow, I didn't realize how "bright" all the colors would be until after I finished the card. I was wanting to use up the designer paper so I decided to use it for this card. The stamped image is SU "Sweeter Treaters", a retired set. I colored the image using my Copic Markers.

I've been really on the roll with my Halloween cards! I posted a few on Card Inspired. I'm not really big on Halloween now that my kids are older but I still have fun making Halloween cards.

The only thing I don't like about making Halloween cards is that the color palette is sort of limited to 4 colors: Orange, black, green and purple. It gets boring to use the same colors over and over, KWIM?

Anyway, there's nothing much else to talk about in regards to this card.

Card Details:

Stamp set: Sweeter Treaters

Paper: DCWV Fall Glitter stack, SU Only Orange, Elegant Eggplant

Accessories: Halloween Ribbon, Prima Flower, Fiskar "Cloud" Scissors", Coluzzle Oval template, Dress it up buttons

Little C's Weekly Challenge #12

Hey, hey, Everyone! It's Jen of Pieces of Me "Little C's Weekly Challenge #12"!! Whoohoo! This week's challenge is to follow the sketch below and to use a Anthony & Burt stamped image sold in Jen's online store "Little C's Stamps n' Things". Jen has a huge sale going on in October!! Click on the banner above and use the code provided "29ygt74" and you'll receive 35% off on your purchase! Be sure to visit Jen's blog site for the details on the card challenge. I believe you can use any image but follow the sketch below!!

Now to my card. . isn't Anthony and Burt cute together? I colored the image using my Copic Markers and shaded the background with SU pastels.

Do you see the scallop background? Well, it's by DCWV. I've had a box of them like . . .forever but have only recently been using them. I always buy stuff and don't use them until 6 months later. LOL!

I added SU Crystal Effects on Anthony's eyes, the cups and the water to give them a 3D effect. I think it makes eyes of images look sort of more "real" looking. Don't you think?

I used CTMH "Just Blooms" for the big flower. I really love this flower. . .I wish it came in different colors. The sentiment is also by CTMH.

Anyway, hope you'll play along this week!! Check out these challenge cards by these other talented ladies:

Jen - Pieces of Me
Jean - Stampin Spot Studio
Ellie - Adventures with Scrapbookmama

Teri - Big Ideas from a Little Girl

Card Details:

Stamps: Anthony & Burt, CTMH

Papers: SU Pretty in Pink, DCWV scallop cardstock, DCWV designer papers

Ink: Copic Markers, SU Pastels

Accessories: SU Crystal Effects, Grosgrain ribbon, CTMH Just Blooms, 1 1/4 and 1 3/8" circle punches

Lenka Video and Blog Break

Hello Everyone!! I'm taking a short blog break. I recently bought a video program because my other one was giving me serious grief. There's a huge learning curve on this new program. Argghhhhhhhhhhh! Like everything in life, I guess in order to grow you have to first educate yourself. Well, I have to do quite a bit of educating with this video program. Fortunately, I love learning new things. I'm not a techie sort so I gotta read the manuals and play around with the features and such. So. . .I need to take a creative and blog break because I can't create, blog and learn this program at the same time.

In the mean time, check out this video by Lenka!! I just love this song. It has such a cute beat. I swear, Old Navy find such great artist for their commercials. It's no wonder their commercials are so innovative. Anyway, check out the video. . .it's my favorite new song called "The Show".

Enjoy your Sunday, Everyone!!

Maria's Monday Madness Video Tutorial and Congratulations to My Daughter

Hi Everyone!! I'm sorry for the double post (I posted this tutorial and card on my club site too) but I just wanted to share my music video! LOL! I acutally made a fairly decent one. I used to have a weekly cardmaking/music video tutorial called "Friday Card Frenzy" but argggh, it was soooooo amateurish, it's embarrassing. I've improved somewhat but I've got a long ways to go.

Anyway. . .if you want more details on this card, visit my "Stampin Inspirations Club Site" or check out the video.

I have something important I want to share with you right now. . .



The imporant stuff I wanted to talk about is my sweet child, Alexis. She was inducted into the "National Honor Society" yesterday evening. Out of 3000+ students in her school, 20 was chosen to be a member of the "National Honor Society". Twenty!! Can you believe it!!

I'm so proud of her, I could cry! She worked so hard and never gave up as far as keeping her grades up. She had stumbled a few times but managed to pick her self up and try, try again.

To be inducted into the National Honor Society, you have to have to possess 4 major qualities. . .scholarship (GPA above 3.7), service, leadership, and character.

My daughter has been part of the Key Club for 4 years and was the Treasurer last year and this year, she is the President of her school's chapter. She participated in couple hundred hours of community service and she also is part of the California Scholarship Foundation. She now can add the National Honor Society.

I'm sorry. . .I don't mean to toot my daughter's horn but I cannot tell you how much of a struggle it was for her last year. She was struggling in her AP Calculus class last year and I thought, oh no, it'll sink her GPA but she worked hard and made it so for her to make it in to the National Honor Society is almost poetic.



This picture is of my daughter with 2 other honorees and coincidentally, her officers (Secretary and Vice-President) of the Key Club. If you have kids entering high school, please let them know about the Key (Kiwanis Educated Youths) club. It's a national organization that benefits the community. . .these kids volunteer countless hours serving the community at large. Visit the Key club website and find out more about it: Click Here

Congratulations, my dear sweet child! I'm so proud of you! Keep up the great work!!

Little C's Weekly Challenge #11 - Whipper Snapper Penguin Christmas

Hey Everyone!! It's Little C's Weeckly Challenge #11!! Whoohoo!! This week's challenge is to create a card using the sketch below and it has to be a Christmas theme. Okay. . .easy enough!! Don't you think so? If you're interested in playing along, be sure to drop by Jen's blog "Pieces of Me" for more details! There's a prize to be given out so be sure to check it out!!

I decided to use my "Whipper Snapper" stamp again. . .isn't the penguin the cutest or what? She looks a little tired though? Don't you think? She looks like she needs a nap. LOL!! I feel a little bit like her right now. Well, Jen's online store "Little C's Stamps n' Things" have a ton of these cute Christmas Whipper Snapper stamps so be sure to stop by her store. . .the CB embossed Christmas tree is also from her store.


While my daughter was watching me blog a few days ago, she said "I knew it!! You talk while you blog. I could tell because when I read your blog, it read like the way you talk." LOL!

Do you talk while you blog? I admit it. . .I do. Sometimes my husband would ask me, "who are you talking to?" I tell him "my blog friends". LOL!! He thinks I'm strange. Yeah, so what. . .he talks to his video games. Actually, he'll have serious conversations with them while he's playing. I mean, he'll even object and argue with the game so who is he to say I'm strange. Whatever!!

Anyway. . .yeah, I know there's a lot of things going on with my card. I colored the penguin with my Copic Markers, added a bit of Stickles on to parts of the image as well as the embossed Christmas tree. Nothing much else to discuss about this card.

Here's a close up of the sleepy looking penguin!

I hope today will be a good crafting day. I've been sort of on a slump lately. . .been so busy working on my monthly kits for my Stampin Up club. The end of the month is always a bad time for me but now that I"m done, I'm excited to be able to find time to craft again!! Hear me "exhale"!!

Hope y'all have a fabulous day!!






Be sure to check out the fabulous challenge cards by these talented ladies:

Malieta - Life's Simple Pleasures
Ellie - Adventures With Scrapbookmama
Teri - Big Ideas From A Little Girl
Jean - Stamping Spot Studio
Jen - Pieces of Me

Card Details:

Stamps: Whipper Snapper, SU Best Yet
Paper: SU Old Olive, Rose Romance, Provocraft DP
Ink: Copic Markers, Old Olive
Accessories: CTMH Just Blooms, Fiskar mini scallops scissors, Coluzzle circle template, CB embossing folder, Round corner punch, SU Word Window Punch, Office Depot swirl clip, Making Memories grosgrain ribbon, Darice rhinestore, Stickles

Autumn Leaves Card

Happy Sunday, Everyone!! Gosh, it's been hot here in Southern California! We had a really mild summer this year, rarely hitting the hundreds except for a few times but a few days ago, we had a heat wave with the temperature in the high 90s and low 100s. I hope it doesn't last much longer. It's suppose to be cooling down not heating up. Global warming, perhaps?

Yesterday, I decided to play with my embossing powder and give my card a super embossed look. Rather than using regular cardstock, I used watercolor paper. I brayered the ink over the watercolor paper. . . keep in my when you do this. . .you would need to roll the ink a lot of times to really cover the paper really well. To give the multi-color look, I used "Kaleidacolor Autumn Leaves" ink pad. I LOVE the textured look to the watercolor paper. . .I didn't realize how pretty the ink would look on the watercolor paper. Try it out!!


To create the embossing, I actually did a "resist" technique by first heat embossing the leaves on to the watercolor paper with gold embossing powder then went over it with the ink with the brayer.

Anyway, I really like the shiny effect of the embossing powder. It's really pretty.

Today's post will be short. . .I have a lot of things to work on right now!!

Hope y'all have a fabulous day!!

Card Details:

Stamps: Stampendous Autumn Leaves, SU Grand Cornucopia.

Paper: Watercolor Paper, SU Really Rust, Serendipity Beige Speckled

Ink: Kaleidacolor Autumn Leaves

Accessories: SU Gold and Copper Embossing powder, Joann Gold Brads, SU Key Tag Punch, Prima, Organdy and plaid ribbon

Whipper Snapper Polar Bear Christmas

Happy Saturday, Everyone!! You have to admit this polar bear is so darn cute. So cute you just want to hug him. His name is "Mike". . .:) The stamp is by Whipper Snapper " called "Bundle up Mike" that I bought from Jen of "Pieces of Me" online store "Little C's Stamp n' Things". I bought a few Whipper Snapper stamp from her store and I am so in love with them.

Do you ever wonder why I post so many photos of my card? No, it's not because I'm in love with my card. LOL!! I tend to write a lot on my posts and it sort of give my writing a flow and to keep things interesting, I post extra pictures rather than just have paragraphs of my rambling on. I mean who wants to see just a bunch of words, right? The photos also help you see the card in different angles.

Anyway. . .I colored the image with my Copic Markers and sort of shaded parts of the image using SU Pastels. Pastels are so under rated. I rarely see anyone using them now a days. It's actually a very good color medium and one of the most economical. I

It's a great medium to color parts of images, especially when you just want subtle coloring. It's also great when you want to transition a bold color to a lighter shade. It's great for back ground coloring too!

Well, I hope y'all have a wonderful weekend. Tomorrow will be a busy day again. Hopefully, I can fit some time to craft.

Card Details:

Stamps: Whipper Snapper Bundled Up Mike, Stampin Up Snowtime and Frosty

Paper: DCWV Christmas stack, SU Bliss Blue, Ballet Blue, Wild Wasabi

Ink: Copic Markers and SU Pastels

Accessories: Walmart Christmas ribbon, SU Ticket Corner Punch, CB Embossing Folder, Snowflake brad, SU Curly Label, Sakura Stardust gel pen