I'm Back!!

I'm back! Did you miss me? I can't believe it's been a year and a half since I last did a blog post - time sure does fly by. I've been busy making cards over the past year, but kept forgetting to take pictures of them before sending them on their way. I finally remembered to take a picture this time. I promise I'll do better from now on.

I recently purchased a few sets of Spectrum Noir markers and I absolutely love them! Well, OK, maybe more than a few. I have 9 sets now (there are 12 marker sets with 6 markers in each set). I enjoy coloring in my stamped images with colored pencils and didn't think I needed to spend the money on markers too. Boy, was I wrong. Markers are so much fun and they really make my cards look wonderful.

This sweet little card was done with my Mimi in Paris stamp set. I colored the little girl almost exactly like the stamp set packaging showed, but I'm still learning how to shade with the markers and it's easier when I have something to follow. The paper I use with the markers is Hammermill Color Copy Digital Cover 80 lb. from Amazon. It seems to blend the best of any I've tried. The flowered background paper was "free" with the purchase of "Cardmaking & Papercraft" magazine from the UK. I just love card making and crochet/knitting magazines from the UK.

Christmas is almost here!

Well, maybe not exactly almost here, but I'm officially in the Christmas spirit now. We had our first snow of the season today and I made my first Christmas card this past weekend. This card is a bit of a departure from my usual distressed style and I think I may try this more often just to shake things up a little. I used an embossing folder to emboss several layers of white cardstock and then ran a thin line of Stickles over each swirl. I colored the cute truck stamp with colored pencils and then blended with odorless mineral spirits and a paper blending stump. Each layer of snow and the truck are popped up on pop dots to give the card some dimension.

Supplies
Paper: Whisper White Stampin' Up, kraft cardstock
Patterned Paper: Bo Bunny
Stamps: Fetch the Tree by A Muse Artstamps, Winter Wishes by Unity Stamp Company, Flaky Friends by Stampin' Up
Prisma Color Pencils
Cuttlebug embossing folder
Stickles

Halloween Cupcake Cards

I think I need to buy my Halloween candy earlier next year. It was pretty slim pickings at the stores I went to this evening. Fortunately these cards (almost) make up for the lack of real candy with cute Martha Stewart candy stickers and cupcake stamps! The spider, skull, and jimmies on the cupcakes are covered with Crystal Accents and the occasional sprinkling of green glitter.

Supplies
Paper: Whisper White Stampin' Up, black cardstock
Patterned Paper: Recollections Ravenhead Manor
Stamps: Impression Obsession Spooky Cakes, See D's Happy Haunting
Stickers: Martha Stewart Vampire Candy Stickers
Glitter: Recollections Extra Fine Glitter in Pesto
Edge Punch: Martha Stewart Arch Lattice
Die cuts: Making Memories Slice Vintage Findings design card
Glossy Accents

Spooky Halloween Coffin

On the same day I found the witches hats at Michael's, I found these little wooden coffins. I painted it black and glued more the Ravenhead Manor paper to the top and sanded the edges to distress it. I found the chipboard piece in my stash so I'm unsure of the company name. The skull was from the same necklace as the witches hat and the gray jewel is another dollar store find from the hair accessory section. The jewels came 6 to a package in a variety of colors and I easily pulled them off the ponytail holder they were glued to. Tim Holtz Distress Crackle Paint in clear rock candy provided the finishing touch painted over the October 31 in the center of the chipboard.

Welcome!

This is my first foray into the blogging world and I'm really excited about it. I love card making, scrapbooking, mixed media art, and altered art. From time to time I may even journey off down a rabbit hole and write a short post about my garden, my travels, or a great book I'm reading.

Halloween is my favorite holiday, so when I saw a paper mache witches hat at Michael's I knew I just had to have it. I painted it black and then added flowers die cut from the Recollections Ravenhead Manor collection using the Tim Holtz Tattered Flowers die. The skulls in the centers of the flower were from a necklace I found at the Dollar Tree and cut apart. I used the Sizzix Branch with Leaves die to cut several branches from a green paper with black flocking in the Ravenhead Manor collection. I think the flocking gives the illusion of dying leaves. I love the rhinestone swirl that I made using my new iRock tool (I've been using it on everything).

I'm entering this into the Textured to Perfection Challenge in the Moxie Fab World. There are a lot of fabulous cards and other projects there!

Over the next few days I'll have more Halloween treats to show you. Thanks for stopping by and please feel free to leave comments.

~Carrie