CPS #75 - Rubbernecker stamps

To go along with the Card Positioning Systems blog sketch for this week, the team also got to play with some stamps, courtesy of Rubbernecker stamps. I picked out a few that have an Oriental flare to them.
A couple points of interest are that I "colored" in the image of the woman with Clorox bleach. I stamped them on this orange patterned paper and I embossed that with black. I wanted to give a little emphasis to the women, so I wanted to "take out" color from inside the image. This patterned paper didn't react very well with the bleach, but the closeup shows you that there is a slight difference. I embossed the design so that when I went to use the bleach on this, the image would have "walls" with the raised embossed edge. I didn't want the Clorox to seep outside of my image. I simple put a very small amount of the bleach in a little bowl and used a waterbrush that didn't have any water in the barrel and picked up the bleach with the brush tip. Bleach doesn't have a very long life outside of the covered container, so this needs to be fresh bleach and it is also not good to work with in an enclosed area, so that was why I used a very small amount. Another point of interest is I created my flower border by simple repeatedly stamping this one small flower close together on my paper and then I cut it out in one long piece.
This card uses the same images as my other card but I wanted to stamp the Oriental women on a solid black cardstock that would react to the Clorox a little more intensely. One of the things that is the most fun about working with bleach and paper is that every paper reacts differently to the bleach.
In this closeup, you can see how much color was "taken out" of the black with the bleach.
For sketch #71, the team used another selection of stamps courtesy of Rubbernecker stamps and so I wanted to show that card here too.

Thanks for visiting once again, Linda (aka lbpost)

ORIENTAL card - CPS sketch#75
Materials:
Rubber stamps courtesy of RUBBERNECKER Stamps
Cardstock
Patterned papers – Bright Green and Cotton Candy paper/29th Street Market/My Mind’s Eye
Black stamp pad – Ancient page and Fluid Chalk/Clearsnap
Clear embossing powder – Top Boss/Clearsnap
Clorox
Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist – Golden Terra Cotta

SMALLEST WONDER card - CPS sketch #71
Materials:
Rubber stamps courtesy of RUBBERNECKER
Baroque Background, Smallest Wonder Text and Side Spotted Butterfly
Cardstock - Prism
Stamp pads – Fluid Chalk/Clearsnap
Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist
Watercolor CrayonsClear Paper Glaze – Aleene’s®/Tulip
Stickles – Ranger

CUPCAKE kind of a day!

So did you know Cupcakes were HOT right now????
The kind you would eat and the kind you would create with stamps, die cuts, felt and any other kind you could possibly create.
I already said how much I am enjoying sketches too so I took a sketch from Taylored Expressions Cupcake Challenge Sketch #26. For her challenges you don't have to use cupcakes with the sketch but this gave me a great reason to use this stencil that I had picked up at Michael's some time ago. I like using these stencils to create shapes. The stencil is designed for you to use with paint, but I like to cut paper for the design.

The cupcake pieces are accented with PLAID's Glitter Fabric Dimensional Paint. This is found in the fabric decorating section of craft stores. What I like about this accent is that it gives some sparkle and still allows the papers and colors that are underneath to still show through. It is a little hard to see the actual sparkle involved because of the sun that is shining on my card.

HAVE FUN/SURPRISE card - Materials: Solid cardstock, Patterned paper – Trance and Passion/Frenzy Collection/White Out/We R Memory Keepers, Rub on words - Luxe, Glitter and White Fabric Dimensional paint – PLAID, Big brad – Creative Impressions, Cupcake stencil – Simply Stencil/PLAID, Fluid Chalk stamp pads - Clearsnap

Thanks for visiting, Linda (aka lbpost)

We interrupt our regularily scheduled program!

It is my turn to post a project for The Pursuit Of CraftYness blog today so hop on over to get a peek!!!

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This little snippet is to peek your interest in the topic - MASKING!

Thanks for visiting, Linda (aka lbpost)

It's A Sketch Kind of Day

Got a Stash? If you are a scrapper you know exactly what I am referring to!! I wanted to use some papers that have been in my stash for a little while now so I reached out across the web for some inspiration. Guess what? I found some sketches!!! I LOVE to use sketches so here is the result:

Sketch #5 from 2 Sketches 4 You and a yummy print from Daisy Bucket Designs plus I managed to use some new stamps I picked up that are also by Daisy Bucket Designs

This second one uses one of my favorite patterned papers from Webster's Pages and a sketch from Caardvarks
And last for right now, a layout using a sketch from Sketch This and more of my Daisy Bucket Designs stash. I had to tweek this one a little since the orientation of my photos was different then the sketch but to me that is what a sketch is all about - a launching pad for you to make it your own. (ps. this is my newest grandson!)
Thanks for visiting, Linda (aka lbpost)

LOVE IS IN… - Materials: Cardstock
Patterned paper – Frosty Buttons/Wrapped Wishes/Daisy Bucket Designs
Clear stamps – Greeting, “love” circle and wheat sprig/Daisy Bucket Designs
Stamp pads –Ancient Page and Fluid Chalk stamp pads/Clearsnap
Scallop border punch – Martha Stewart
Scallop square punch - Marvy
Epoxy flower and glitter brad – Making Memories
Rhinestones – Mark Richards, Inc

Tonic Paper Distresser

BEAUTIFUL - Materials: Solid Cardstock
Patterned paper and Rub-on designs – Baby’s Breath/Sweet Charity Collection/Webster’s Pages
Scallop circle and circle punch - Marvy
Tulip Glitter Fabric Dimensional paint
Border punch – Martha Stewart
Tulle – Craft store

TUB TIME layout - Materials: Solid Cardstock
Patterned paper – All Wound Up collection/Daisy Bucket Designs
Wheat design stamp – Daisy Bucket Designs
Fluid Chalk stamp pads – Clearsnap
Metallic Thickers – American Crafts
Circle punches – McGill
Machine sewing
Brads – Creative Impressions
Date stamp – JustRite stamps

The SUNDAY TIMES - 7.27.08 - We Mean So Much to GOD

Am I going through something tough right now?

Not so much.

Have I gone through really tough stuff?

Oh yes and I had to wonder how I was going to survive at times.

Did I ask for these hard times?

Hello! NO!

Did I learn a whole lot and get stronger?

OH YES!

Where do I place my hope and my strength? In verses like this that tell me how much God loves me and how much He wants to walk with me through my day, every day.

A long time ago I learned that memorizing verses like this one can be real sources for strength.

Isaiah 43: 1-4 "Don't be afraid, I've redeemed you. I've called your name. You're mine. When you're in over your head, I'll be there with you. When you're in rough waters, you will not go down. When you're between a rock and a hard place, it won't be a dead end—Because I am God, your personal God, The Holy of Israel, your Savior. I paid a huge price for you...! That's how much you mean to me! That's how much I love you! I'd sell off the whole world to get you back, trade the creation just for you. (from The Message Bible)

Thanks for visiting, Linda (aka lbpost)

Card Positioning Systems #74

I promised you my Card Positioning System cards for this week using the JustRite stamps, so here they are with a little close up of each one to show off the details of the stamp.
Because the kit comes with LOTS of little tiny letters and numbers, you can pretty much say anything you want in a stamp you make yourself. What I really liked about this one is after I got all the stamps placed where I liked them, I could stamp this over and over to make birth announcements. How easy, fast and fun!
(HINT) when placing all of these little letters/numbers, arrange them around the circle in the groove. The kit comes with a pair of tweezers to help deal with these things cause they are TINY. Just go ahead and get everything you want in place and then do practice stamps to check on the placement, rearranging them until you like the placement and spacing. You can just gently push the group of letters to change the spacing. I had my "E" backwards so the practice stamping is a MUST!
This card uses one of the ornate borders and a monogram. You can simple place any letter or number on the stamp and again, have a very custom look to your creation.
The materials lists for both of these cards are listed on the CPS blog site.

Thanks for visiting, Linda (aka lbpost)

"Self-Adhesive" Makes Me Happy!

Maybe you need to be a crafter who has attempted to apply glue to the back of a tiny rhinestone or bead to understand the happiness found in the words, "self-adhesive". And it gets even better because there are a number of companies that specialize in these accents that can bring just the right amount of "bling" to a project.

Here is a layout where I put them to good use.

I hand cut the partial circle design and added self-adhesive half pearls to the design on that. I used a matching punch-out swirl for an accent and added red self-adhesive rhinestones to that. Isn't that just the perfect accent to a "girly" layout? A little hint: the lace/paper flower started out white, I applied ink from a Fluid Chalk stamp pad to it to make it a color that would match my layout a little better.

Some companies to look for for these are Mark Richards, Inc, Me & My Big Ideas, Darice and K&Co.

This cutie patootie is my nephew's little girl. They recently sent me a few photos of her and I knew I needed to use this one.

Thanks for visiting, Linda (aka lbpost)

FASHION CAN BE BOUGHT layout
Materials: Solid cardstock
Patterned paper - Cosmo Cricket
Punch out designs – Cosmo Cricket
Rub-on word – Cosmo Cricket
Self Adhesive Pearls and Rhinestones – Mark Richards, Inc.
Lace flower – Making Memories
Fluid Chalk stamp pads – Clearsnap
Machine sewing

A Little Peek!

This week the CPS gals had the privilege of using a great stamp set by JustRite stamps. My cards have not been posted yet at CPS so I'm giving you a tiny sneak peek of one of them!!! Yes, I did say "cards" and "one of them" cause I did two! Just because they were so fun to play with. Stay tuned for the whole enchilada later this week.

Here's a good heads up too. Jessica Witty was the designer who was scheduled to post some goodies on the Pursuit of CraftYness blog yesterday and I know you want to check that out.

Thanks for visiting, Linda (aka lbpost)

Do You Know My Friend, Kim?

Kim Hughes, that is? If you know her, you probably know that she has been designing her own collection of stamps with Cornish Heritage Farms. I can "work" with stamps that are already designed but I just don't think I could "design" stamps so I am in awe!!! All of that to say this: I pulled out some of her cute stamps to create a couple cards to show you today. I mostly love her cute and curly-Q lettering for her word stamps. Both of these cards also combine some Cornish Heritage Farms background stamps because they have a whole lot of great ones. The candle is colored in with Copic Markers and the flame is accented with Tulip Glitter Fabric Dimensional paint.

This next card started out with all white and all yellow cardstock. I wanted to show you how much color you can add on your own with stamps and stamp pads. The vellum paper was white/clear when I started. I colored that with a "direct-to-paper" technique. All that means is that I picked up the stamp pad in my hand and held it by the bottom of the pad. I then applied the pad directly to the paper, rubbing the colored ink into the paper to add color. I used more then one color of pad. I like the Clearsnaps Fluid Chalk stamp pads best for this and I really like the way that these shades blend together. So don't fear if you start to color with one color and it is too intense, you can "quiet" it down with a lighter shade of ink. I also used the ColorBox pigment pads.
This photo shows the piece of white paper that I started with before stamping the bird and the swirl branch. I just added a large enough rubbing of three shades of the ColorBox inks to the paper and then stamped on that spot. I now had custom colored paper.

Thanks for visiting, Linda (aka lbpost)

WISH/CANDLE - Materials:
Cardstock
Patterned papers – Secret Garden/Life Is Beautiful/Sassafras Lass (both sides), this paper comes with that scalloped edge that I used across the bottom of my card
Rubber stamps – Cute Curls/Kim Hughes Collection and Victorian Backgrounder/Cornish Heritage Farms
Stamp pads – Colorbox pigment and Fluid Chalk stamp pads/Clearsnap
Ribbon
Tulip Glitter Fabric Dimensional paint
Stickles
Oval Scallop punch – McGill

DARLING BIRDIE - Materials:
Cardstock – Prism
Patterned vellum – Hambly Screen Prints
Rubber stamps – Cute Curls and Scripty Words/Kim Hughes Collection and “NEW” Vintage Ledger Scrapblock/Cornish Heritage Farms
Stamp pads – Colorbox pigment and Fluid Chalk stamp pads/Clearsnap
Tulip Glitter Fabric Dimensional paint
Button – My Mind’s Eye
Border punch – Martha Stewart
Flower - Prima

The SUNDAY TIMES - 7.20.08 - Strength

We sang this song today in church, "Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord". As we were singing it, I could only reflect on how true that is.

I am pretty good about garnering my own strength. I try to eat right, exercise, take vitamins and take advantage of educational situations. I can operate for a time on these things. BUT...life comes at me sometimes with unexpected turn of events and my own strength just doesn't do it anymore. That is where I have found the value of knowing what it means to turn to the Lord for His strength. If we make it a habit to be connected with God, His strength will be there to hold us up when our own strength isn't good or strong enough. I so value His strength in my life.


Isaiah 40:31 in The Message Bible reads: "But those who wait upon God get fresh strength. They spread their wings and soar like eagles, they run and don't get tired, they walk and don't lag behind."


Be looking for some new goodies tomorrow!
(that is my grandson running on our beach, by the way)

Thanks for visiting, Linda (aka lbpost)

Got Inspiration?

You might know that I am part of the CPS blog team (Card Positioning Systems) and we work with sketches each week. I can think of designs on my own, but I just LOVE the inspiration that comes from working with a sketch! I decided to step out of my box a little bit and work with the Sketch This blog sketch for this week! Since I seem to "think" in the lines of making cards more then layouts, I used their sketch and created a card. I have sooooo been wanting to cut up this yummy Bo-Bunny Press flower paper so that was my launching point for this card. Yes, GASP, I do cut up entire, brand new pieces of 12" x 12" pieces of paper just for cards and yes, I picked up this piece just so I could "cut out" these flowers and the vine!!! I will even BUY a piece of paper just for cardmaking! Once you have decided that that is OK, then it is pretty easy!

The stitches on this card are rub-on ones from Die Cuts With a View. I love to use my sewing machine on cards and layouts but this was the quick way to add some stitching and it feels a little like cheating!!! You might also notice the "distressed" edges to the dot paper. I am recently in love with the Tonic Paper Distresser. It is a fast and easy way to rough up your cut edges a little bit. It gives a little more intense look then just using sandpaper and it is so easy to use.

It is a little hard to see but I did use Stickles for the middle of one of the flowers and of course, the last little touch to finish my card is the addition of some rhinestones. Since this card just seems like a "girl thing" anyway, it must have some BLING!

Materials: Solid cardstock, Patterned paper – Velvet Floral/Back to Basics and Ella Toile/Shabby Princess/Bo-Bunny Press, Fluid Chalk stamp pad – Clearsnap, Rhinestones – Mark Richards, Inc, Rub-on greeting – Bo-Bunny Press, Rub-on stitching – Die Cuts With a View, Paper Distresser – Tonic, Stickles - Ranger

Glad you visited! Take a moment to say HI!

(Will you cut up a piece of paper just to create a card or to cut out a design?)

Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)

Today is the day!!!!

Never thought it would happen but I decided I do want to share. I want to share my creating ideas. I want to share my faith in God. I want to share lots of fun and interesting things and so I did it!!! I started a blog! My hope is that we can have FUN here! With PAPER and all kind of other important stuff.


You will often find me using photos on my projects so I thought the first thing I would share with you is this photo of my sister and a couple neighbor kids that I used on a card. I loved the vintage look of it but just that word "vintage" is a bit scary cause I am using it in connection to a childhood photo of mine!!!


The photo was actually very small, a size they seemed to use a whole lot in days gone by. I scanned it, altered it, cropped it and printed it out. Just a fun accent to go with my PAPER!

Thanks for visiting, Linda (aka lbpost)