Sometimes you just wanna color…

even (especially?) when you’re supposed to be doing a million other things. I’ve had a couple of the floral images from Paper and Such for a little while now, and I’ve been a little intimidated to color them. Yes, I’ve taken the Copic certification class. Twice. But you really want to do these images justice. Today I just couldn’t wait any more.

The coloring is a little more nuanced in real life than I could capture in the photo, but I think you get the idea. Took me over an hour to color them, and I decided to just trim it down and mount it simply on a light blue card. No other layers or bling. Let the image speak for itself. I’m happy. Way behind on everything else, but happy.

Enjoy your Sunday!

USE those patterned papers!

We all have them (well, my paper crafting readers, anyway). Those gorgeous sheets of 12x12 paper that we just HAD to have because … well, because they were so gorgeous. We didn’t know exactly what we would do with them, but we just KNEW they would be perfect for … well, something.

I’ve been going through my stash of gorgeous papers and using very simple layouts to make bunches of cards. For example:
This uses a piece of paper from S.E.I. I think it’s from the Juliette collection, but it’s irrelevant -- any piece of beautiful paper with an all-over pattern will do. This one is just full of shimmer and texture, as so many of the S.E.I. papers are. A layout like this will give you 6 cards from 1 12x12 sheet of paper (plus some scraps of coordinating papers for the scalloped trim and punched piece). Add a little bling. Change up the sentiment as needed. Make a set of Thank You cards, or make an assortment. Box them up and give them as a gift.

Here are some more examples (I’ve been a busy girl!):
These use paper from the Basic Grey Porcelain collection. Again, 6 cards out of each sheet. I made 2 each of Thank You, Happy Birthday, and Thinking of You.

Want to get even more out of a sheet?

This layout will give you 9 cards (cut 4x4) out of a 12x12 sheet. Add a 1/4” strip of coordinating cardstock, and stamp a greeting. I think this is also from S.E.I., but I’m not sure. Again, it doesn’t really matter – there are tons of gorgeous papers out there (of course, my favorite source is i {heart} papers).

Insanely simple. It’s all in the paper. You know you have it. USE it!

IHP October DT Challenge – Fireworks!

This month our Design Team was treated to a wonderful new product from Tsukineko called Fireworks! It’s a water-based, acid-free and non-toxic shimmer spray that coordinates with the Memento ink pad colors. We’re all using them in our projects today.

I wanted to keep the thoughts of Katie Renz and her valiant battle on the front burner (honestly, it’s nearly impossible to get out of my mind), so I used another one of the digital images that is being sold to raise money for her family. This one is the mermaid that was designed by Marianne Walker. I thought that the Pear Tart Fireworks would be perfect for an underwater kind of background.

I printed the image and sentiment out, and sprayed it with the Fireworks. I did it inside a carton to contain any spray mess from getting all over the place. I printed the image a second time and colored it with my Copic markers, and fussy-cut it to adhere on top of the sprayed image. Unfortunately, I couldn’t, no matter how I tried, get a picture to show how beautifully shimmery this stuff is! You’ll have to use your imagination a bit. Oh, and I also used some Stickles (Icicle) to add some sparkle to the mermaid’s tail and the little stars in the sentiment.

Before I added the Stickles, I cut the piece out with Nestabilities, embossing it with that fabulous new No More Shims Embossing Mat. I glued a layer of green cardstock onto a white card base, and covered it with a piece of printed vellum I had in my stash that was perfect for the watery scene. The image was then popped up on some Dimensional Dots. Once it was all put together, I put the whole thing back in the carton and gave it another shot with the Fireworks to give it just a little bit of subtle shimmer.

Kate will be giving away some Fireworks to a random commenter ON TODAY’S DT POSTS so the more you hop and comment, the more chances you have to win! Winner will be announced on Friday so you have until Thursday 9PM EST to leave those comments!

Here’s the roll call:

Carolyn (you are here)

Deb

Gretchen

Kendra

Loretta

Lori

Lynn

Tracy

Kate

Have a shimmery day!

Swimming for Katie – A Blog Hop & Fundraiser

From October 10-12 some of the best stampers are joining together to support and encourage our friend and fellow stamper, Katie Renz, who is currently battling inoperable gastric cancer. If you're not familiar with her story, Katie’s cancer started just before Christmas last year. This young, beautiful, healthy, vibrant mother of 3 with her infectious smile was suddenly diagnosed with an inoperable cancer, virtually overnight. A few tummy aches and then stage 4 gastric cancer. Her first post about it is here. The idea of “Swimming for Katie” came from her recent post here.

All of the patterned papers here are from the Sweet Owl pad. I pieced the character from one of them and colored the tentacles with a Copic marker and then went over them with a Spica pen to give it a little shimmer. There are some little glitter dots of Stickles on the crown and at the tope of the wand. I cut strips of some of the papers and diagonally covered the card front. The waves are cut with a scalloped Nestabilities die.

This exclusive stamp used in my sample, designed by Becky Oehlers is available as a clear stamp, as well as a digis or a dig and SVG cut file. 100% of the profits go to Katie's fund to help her and her young family. Her husband Kevin and her three young children need our help and support. In addition to the Keep Swimming Octopus, Marianne Walker and True =D Doodle Designs both also donated digis that are for sale.  Direct donations are also being accepted. Information central is HERE. This is a permanent page that will stay active at i {heart} papers with current information and the full 3 day blog hop listing, as well as the donation button. 

Here are all the items available for sale.

Keep Swimming Octopus Peachy Clear stamp $5.50 with free shipping	Keep Swimming Octopus DIGIstamp $3.00 with instant download
Keep Swimming Octopus DIGIstamp with SVG cut file $3.50 with instant download	Keep Swimming Ribbon Fish DIGIstamp and DIGIpapers $5.00 with instant download
Keep Swimming Mermaid DIGIstamp $3.50 with instant download

I hope you will join me in supporting Katie through a purchase or donation. The following is a list of everyone who has projects posted today. I hope you will be inspired by them and moved to purchase or donate. If you would like to send Katie a card, her mailing address is:

Katie Renz
PO Box 5913
Bellingham, WA 98227-5913

Thank you!

Now go check out all of the other stellar stampers who are participating in today’s round of this amazing collaborative effort:

AJ Otto
Beate
Carolyn Mustopa (you are here!)
Dawn Burnworth
Deb Felts
Gretchen Belknap
Heather Jensen
Jen del Muro
Julie Ranae
Kate - i {heart} papers
Kendra Wietstock
Lisa Johnson
Loretta Lock
Lori Tecler
Lynn Mercurio
Marianne Walker
Michele Gross
Stacy aka Twinshappy
Tracy Schultz
Debbie Olson
Cindy Lawrence
Cindy Haffner 
Julie Koerber
Christine Okken
Tammy Hershberger
Danielle Kennedy
Barbara Anders
Makiko Jones
Ashley N Newell
Shannan Teubner
Taylor Usry
Jen Tapler
Jenn Balcer
Jenny Chesnick
Jess Larsen
Jessica Knutsen
Jimmi Mayo
Joan Bardee
Joan Ervin
Julia Aston
Julie Day
Julie Ebersole

IHP Logo Color Challenge

As part of the IHP Birthday Bash, we’re having a color challenge using the colors of the IHP logo. And such pretty colors they are! We would love it if you would join us in making a project of your own (upload to your blog and link to the Mr. Linky on today’s posting of the IHP blog, upload to the IHP Facebook page or an online gallery with the keyword IHPBB2011). Deadline to enter is Saturday 12pm EST.

Here’s my card. This shows how you can use stamps and paper intended for Christmas on a birthday card:
That cute little smiley package is from the Lawn Fawn set called Pa-rum-pa-pa-pum, and the paper is from the Basic Grey pad Eskimo Kisses. The packages are colored with Copic markers to match the paper and IHP logo (BG01, RV23, G82). I glittered up the packages with some Icicle Stickles and popped the piece up on the patterned paper-covered card base with some of those super-sticky Dimensional Dots. The greeting is from an old Hero Arts greeting set. A very simple but adorable birthday card, and a great way to get extra mileage out of your holiday stuff!

Check out what the rest of the Design Team did, and don’t forget to play along for your chance to win a prize in the random drawing!

• Deb
• Gretchen
• Kendra
• Loretta
• Lori
• Lynn
• Tracy
• Kate

And remember, in celebration of IHP’s 3rd Birthday, use the code 3bday for 20% off everything in the store through 10/7/11. No exceptions or exclusions! And as always, free shipping with your $50US/$150CAN order.

Happy day!

In honor of WCMD

Here are a couple of cards I made for World Card Making Day using goodies that I got from i {heart} papers.

A little back-story about my card making: Long before she started i {heart} papers, Kate was my first real introduction to card making, waaaay back when I contacted her to hold a SU workshop for me. She quickly thereafter became my upline, and now, all these many years later, she is one of my dearest friends and I hold her singly responsible for all the money I’ve spent on papercrafting stuff, as well as for all of the many wonderful friends I’ve made through the craft. She runs a rockin’ good business, and I’m so proud to be even a marginal part of it.

Anyhoo. This first card uses the stamp set Chubby Chums, and paper from the Sweet Owl paper pad. That pad is so full of gorgeous papers with all kinds of glittery and shiny goodness. Love it! As you can see, I did some fussy cutting on this one. After I stamped the image on the patterned paper and colored it with a few Copic markers, I cut out the eyeballs separately and attached them. I popped the image up on a Fleur de Lis Pendant piece. There’s a strip of Fuchsia Faux Suede ribbon behind it.

The next card is great for using up scraps of paper. These papers are all from the Fine & Dandy True Blue pad by My Mind’s Eye, which I don’t see in stock at the moment, but any coordinating papers would do as well. I cut the edges with the Long Classic Rectangles Nestabilities to get the small scalloped shape I wanted. Some punched stars highlight the stars in one of the papers, and they’re blinged up with clear Kaiser Craft rhinestones.

We’ll see if I can get any more card making done today. Stay tuned!

Happy World Card Making Day – IHP Style!

There really is a day just for us – and it’s not just National, it’s for the whole WORLD!

And how awesome is it that this month Kate is also celebrating the 3rd birthday of i{heart}papers, and there’s a whole WEEK of festivities planned. How can you join the celebration?

October 1 - World Card Making Day! Make a card and upload it to the IHP Facebook wall and show off some products you've gotten from IHP. All entries will be eligible for a Facebook exclusive giveaway! Use code WCMD2011 for 20% off everything in the store. No exceptions or exclusions! And as always, free shipping with your $50US/$150CAN order.

October 2 & 3 - Facebook giveaways. Send your crafty friends to like IHP and have them tell Kate you sent them!

October 4 - secret Facebook happening (won't be announced until that day) with THREE gift certificates being given away.

October 5 - IHP Logo Color Challenge. We would love if you would join us in making a project of your own (upload to your blog and link to the Mr. Linky on the IHP blog, upload to our Facebook page or an online gallery with the keyword IHPBB2011). Deadline to enter is Saturday 12pm EST.

October 6 - more Facebook giveaways!  Send your crafty friends to like IHP and have them tell Kate you sent them!

October 7  - Facebook giveaways and Operation Julie's Smile blog hop.  Hop along for your chance to win a $20 IHP gift certificate or one of the other amazing prizes donated for Julie's fundraiser.

ALL orders placed during the Bash (Oct 1-7) will be entered for your chance to win the grand prize $50 gift certificate drawing on Monday.

Refer a friend who orders at least $25 and have them mention you in their order comments and you each receive an extra entry!

Winners will be announced on Monday, October 10 (evening)

What a way to celebrate!