{ bleached doodles }

I've always wanted to try the bleach technique, but kept putting it off. Earlier this evening, I'd put away nearly all my groceries after a trip to the store to pick up a few things in preparation for my sister and niece's visit. My laundry soap and new container of bleach were still sitting on the cabinet waiting to be carried to the laundry room. I decided this was as good as time as any to attempt stamping with bleach. Besides, I wanted something new to show my sister when she came. The fine detail was lost, but the appearance, after I over-stamped the image with black ink created, a shadow effect. The flowers were stamped on BasicGrey's new Blush paper, cut out and applied with fat pop-dots to give the card even more dimension. I used Stardust Stickles to add some sparkle to the card which in the picture doesn't show up. It ended up being a fun, quick, and easy card and I'm looking forward to using the bleach technique on more of my cards.

{ gra dilseacht cairdeas }

Happy St. Patrick's Day

love loyalty friendsip
{gra dilseacht cairdeas}
forever

Irish Claddagh

{ walkin' the dog }

Just one more week until my sister and niece arrive. Mom's been busy planning menus and I've been busy cleaning my workroom in preparation for their arrival. (I think Mom is making more headway than I!)
When this Bella arrived in my last order, I immediately renamed it Momabella & Chloe. Chloe is one of Mother's two Yorkshire Terriers, Chloe and Andy. Although they are sister and brother from the same litter there is question surrounding Andy's lineage. He's a sweetheart even if he doesn't look like the Yorkie standard, and in all fairness the next time I use this stamp I'll colour it "Andy".

Stamps Sets:
Stamping Bella - Walkabella, MTF STamps - Let's Go For a Walk
Paper:
SU Watercolour Paper, Summer Sun, Real Red, Memory Box - Homespun
Ink:
Stazon Black
Accessories:
SU Ribbon Originals - Rustic Retreat, Scrapbook Tacks, Lyra Coloured Pencils

{ in the pink - Perhaps}

Its fun to come home to surprises, and not the kind of surprises like a chewed up cell phone.
I was so excited two years ago when I became eligible for an upgrade on my cell phone. I promptly ordered, it arrived, and two days later Zoe decided it made a good teething tool. Consequently, I carried a bruised and battered phone around with me for for the next two years. Well, needless to say, on the day I once again became eligible for another upgrade I was online placing my order. It arrived Monday along with my order from Basic Grey!! I had a hard time trying to decide which to open first! The Basic Grey won out and Bella got a new spring outfit.
I'm looking forward to using more of the Perhaps papers along with the new Scarlett's Letter paper.

Stamps Sets:
Stamping Bella - Frizzy Bella
Paper:
SU Kraft, Brushed Gold, Basic Grey - Perhaps Collection 6x6 Pad
Ink:
Stazon Black,
Accessories:
SU Ribbon Originals - Flirty, Basic Grey Chipboard Elements, Cuttlebug 2x2 diecuts, SU Gold cord.
The cellphone's been programed and is setting in a high enough spot that even the best counter surfer can't reach!

{ walking the dogs walking me }

I was thrilled when I ran across this stamp set from My Favorite Things Stamps, since I am an avid dog lover and the BIG dog reminded me of my Great Danes that were my best friends for over 35 years. Although I coloured this Dane the traditional fawn colour it is the only colour I've not actually owned. I'm sure you will see a brindle, a blue, a merle, and of course the beautiful harlequin, appearing on my cards from time to time. My last Great Dane, Catherine was a harlequin -those flashy black and white spotted dogs. After Catherine crossed The Rainbow Bridge two and a half years ago, I decided after much contemplation to downsize and Zoe, my Whippersnapper, has been a part of my life ever since. Whippets have an entirely different personality from the Danes. The dog walks me now rather than I walk the dog.

Stamps Sets:
MFT Samps - Lets Go For a Walk and PaperTrey
Paper:
SU Very Vanilla, Barely Banana, DCWV Old World Stack, Watercolour Paper
Ink:
Stazon Black,
Accessories:
SU Barely Banana Ribbon, Create-a-Cut, Spare Parts

{ the shoppe girls }

I was so excited Friday when I went to the mailbox. My stamp sets from My Favorite Things arrived. So needless to say, I've been busy this weekend. The "Say Charge" set reminded me that my sister and niece are coming in just two weeks to spend a week an I am certain this is exactly what they, along with our Mom and myself will be going a good part of the time they are here. My niece is the "shopping queen if retail".

I was so pleased with the outcome of my first attempt that I sent Kim the image and she surprised and honoured me by reposting it in her My Favorite Things Blog. be sure to take some time to check out all she has to offer. You will be sure to see more of her stamps showing up on my cards. I can't wait to finish the "Lets Go For a Walk" images! They are my favorite subject.. DOGS.. of course!

{ like a kid in a candy shop }

About 11 o'clock Saturday morning I looked out my front door and there it was! The package I'd been waiting for! My new Create-a-Cut I'd ordered from Ellen Hutson, LCC. I can't say enough about the products Ellen carries in her store. Take some time and check out the unique creative things she has to offer in her store. Anyway, after about a half hour of practice with my new trimmer I decided it was time to start creating.

On my first card, inspired by the upcoming St. Patrick's Day holiday, I used Gina K's "Pot o' Clovers" and "thanks a bunch" stamps from her StampingFreak website. The card blank is SU Certainly Celery. The scalloped paper is from Memory Box's Homespun collection and Basic Grey's Blush collection. The scallops were cut with the Create-a-Cut's scallop blade. I coloured the image with Lyra Rembrandt Watercolour Pencils and odorless mineral spirits. The ribbon is SU Certainly Celery. I used a small Fiskars handheld punch to create the little peek-a-boo holes along the scalloped edge.

I was so pleased with the outcome of my first card, I brought out my stack of"Bellas" that I've been stamping and colouring since they first came out.
If you haven't seen these adorable stamps, be sure to take a look. There is a bella for everyone! and in my case........... several........... ummm maybe MANYis a more accurate description! I'm addicted to these darlings. One of my favorites is Imeldabella, because she IS my niece, Nina. I think she has a closet dedicated just to her shoes! The papers are SU Cool Caribbean and Basic Grey Blush collection, the accessories are SU Ribbon and HodgePodge. The ink is SU basic black and the image is coloured again with Lyra Rembrandt Watercolour Pencils and odorless mineral spirits. The Create-a-Cut blade used on this card is the "wavey" blade.

You are sure to see more of my bellas and wonderful paper trimmer in my frture cards!

{ adoption gone wild! }

While I was checking out my updated blog subscriptions I ran across the cutest little puppy on Barb's No Ink Time blog and have been playing with the pets ever since. Well, I'm an animal lover, what more can I say, I went adoption crazy. Take a little time to pet and play with my virtual pets, maybe even add one to your own blog, and then take a little time to let your own pets know just how much they add to your life!

{ it looks like spring }

I woke up this morning to 63 degree weather and the sound of the surf (that means the wind is out of the south) filling my ears as i stepped out onto my front porch to walk Zoe. The card I finished last night reminds me a little of spring. It started out as test elements of several techniques. The yellow behind the scallops was masked using Barely Banana. The flowers were applied in Apricot Appeal using a watercolour wash technique. I applied water using a small watercolour brush to the inked flowers after they were stamped. It will be fun to use the new PaperTrey Ink stamp set which I just received yesterday to perfect both of these techniques. Nichole Heady is an incredible designer and a fantastic inspiration. Next I took two scalloped pieces I'd "practiced" punched with the SU slit punch and added them to the top and bottom of the flower stamped paper. I mounted them with dementionals to create a "windowed" effect around the flowers after I'd paper pierced and doodled on them. The edged sheer yellow ribbon created a base for the stamped and scalloped piece which I mounted on leftover polka-dotted patterned paper from my from my paper scraps box. Now that I have a prototype, it will be fun to improve and experiment with the combination of these techniques.

{ one of the dogs }

I recently ran across this precious puppy stamp while surfing my favorite blogs, and had to add it to my eclectic collection of "all things dog". Anna Wight's Sweet and Sassy Notes blog is a must on my "daily blog's to read" list. Not only is her blog full of great tips and wonderful inspiration but her online store is full of unusual and useful finds. She also designs for Whipper Snapper Designs a site where I've found some really cute canine stamps. I'm waiting for someone to design a stamp line featuring Whippets after their namesake.. yes, Whippersnapper is a pet name for Whippets. They are also affectionately known as "snap dogs" not to mention counter surfers. { Zoe, my "Whippersnapper" }

The paper is from Basic Grey's new Blush collection. The Chocolate Chip Pocket Note and the Taken With Teal ribbon are from SU.

{ an udder pink card or two }

This is such a fun stamp set! I've spent the morning making a series of cards using each of the images from the Sell-a-bration Very Punny set, but varying the patterned paper, the ribbon, the choice of pocket notes, and the embossed background. I even made a template of the pocket note so I wouldn't be limited in colour choice.


Stamps:
Very Punny
Paper:
SU Pretty in Pink - Black - Whisper White - Basic Grey Blush 6x6 paper pad
Ink:
SU Basic Black - Basic Brown - Chocolate Chip
Accessories:
SU Colored Pencils - Mineral Spirits - Mat Pack - Word Window Punch - Ribbon - Cuttlebug Embossing Templates

{ its in the cards.. or is that the genes }

My sister volunteered to be the American Heart Association representative for her neighborhood this year, and in her usual fashion didn't just stick the literature in envelopes and mail out to everyone. Instead she made individual cards using the Love Your Heart set and wrote a personal note inside each one. I wanted to share her talent and my inspiration with you.

Not to be outdone by her mother, my 15 year old niece entered her Valentine's Day box filled with 31 individually made cards for her Senate classmates.To see her cards click on Her Gallery. She would love your comments. She came home with the award for most creative Valentine's Day Project. To say the least, I couldn't be more proud!

And last but far from least, Mom created a card for each of the girls in her family from the beautiful Basic Grey Blush Card Kit. Mine was accompanyed by a beautiful pink hydrandea which will be planted in my flower beds after the north Florida thaw!

Now I'm looking forward to the end of March when my sister and niece will spend Spring Break here in Florida with Mom and me and we can all be together.