Friday, December 11, 2009

Monkeying Around

There is something just so darn adorable about this monkey! Every time I see him hanging around, I can't help but smile.

The cardstock base is from DCWV 'Safari' stack. The card mat is Bazzill Bling cut with a Stampin' Up! Exclusive Top Note die and the Sizzix Big Shot. The monkey is a Sizzix Bigz Die (#655356 by artist Debi Adams) cut out of textured Bazzill cardstock. The greeting is a stamp from the Stampin' Up! 'A Little Somethin'' stamp set. I used a corner rounder on the card and inked the edges with a chamomile tea stain. Oh, and yes, the monkey is upside down on purpose...just hangin' around.





No matter where today finds you and your tail, keep smiling...and most importantly, keep crafting!

Monday, December 7, 2009

Give'm That Ol' Razzle Dazzle...

If you are anything like me, you're submersed in the wonderful world of gift wrapping, last-minute gifts, and decorating every nook and cranny of your home...and loving every second of it. Somehow, in all the madness, I've still found a few minutes here and there to work on a few projects (and of course, buy more supplies). We even had a surprise light dusting of snow on the grounds as December rolled in. It's been years since we've had an honest-to-goodness White Christmas in my neck of the woods, but a boy never stops dreaming.

For today's quick card project, I have to say that I'm slightly disappointed that I didn't have more time to fidget with the camera to try and get some better shots of this card. It was my first time experimenting with the Stampin' Up! Heat & Stick Powder and the Dazzling Diamonds glitter. Let me just assure you that these pictures do a poor job of getting the glitz across. If you are a bling junkie, you really need to play with some of these wonderful powders and potions.

The base of this A2-sized card is a piece of decorative cardstock from SEI's 'Glitzmas' collection. I used a 4 1/2" x 4" piece of Stampin' Up! Whisper White cardstock to create the mat for the card. Both the card base and mat had the corners removed with the SU! Ticket Corner punch.

I ran my white cardstock through my Sizzix Big Shot using the "Christmas Ornaments" Cuttlebug embossing folder. I then used a sponge dauber to apply Tsukineko Memento ink in "Lady Bug" to the embossed front. After the ink was set, I used a VersaMark pad to coat the raised portions of the embossing. Then it was time to sprinkle with Heat & Stick powder and get out the heat gun. I wasn't quite sure what to expect, but the powder applies wonderfully and melts with minimum heat. As soon as my adhesive powder was melted, I scooped some Dazzling Diamonds glitter across the top, shook off the excess and reheated a bit for a final set.

For the greeting, I used my SU! scalloped circle and circle punches, pieces of Riding Hood Red and Whisper White cardstock, some Tsukineko ink in "Cottage Ivy" and a stamp from the Stampin' Up! set 'Holiday Best'. (If you'll notice, I sort of missed the mark on my stamping job--but I convinced myself that it gave the piece the illusion of being a round ornament, lol). Sometimes mistakes do add a bit of charm to the finished project--or so I tell myself.






Before I leave you for a pile of bows and tape dispensers, I thought I'd share a sneak peak of a home decor project that I'm working on. I think it's coming along nicely...and I'll share the completed project soon.



Wherever the day finds you, keep warm and more importantly, keep your heart warm...and keep crafting!