The Happy Room

This card features the ever popular floating re-inker technique which I LOVE!! I stamped the image onto SU's Shimmery White cardstock and painted away with some reinkers and an aqua pen. Sheer delight!!

The mirrored background behind the rose is one of those finds that I can't trace. When I subscribed to Vamp Stamp News, I received a sheet of it inside one of my magazines. I hoarded it (like I do with many things) and recently ran across it, so I decided to die cut it with my SU Top Note Die cut and place it behind my rose image.

The die cuts are miscellaneous cuts from my stash, the fern is a Martha Stewart punch. I stitched around the layer with my Janome Mini sewing machine.

This card is dear to me, as I made it for a very special friend of mine in the stamping world. I'm glad you love it Bonnie!!! Visit Bonnie's blog HERE for some incredible eye candy!!

Thanks for stopping by!!

~Kathie

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This is my entry for an Asian card challenge over at the Michael Strong Yahoo Group.
My card base is the ever popular Tri Shutter Card design. I used several Michael Strong Stamps in my design. They are:Cloisonne' Fan, the Cloisonne' Triangle and the Cloisonne' Circle both from the Cloisonne' Elements Collection
HERE IS HOW I MADE THE CARD:

I stamped the fan image 3 times with VersaMark ink onto black cardstock and embossed with PSX Gold embossing powder. I left the first fan intact as one piece, but cut the other two images apart and layered and curled each piece for dimension, adding foam mounting tape. I added a gold brad at the base and cut small pieces of gold cord which are glued under the brad.

The outer panels are a beautiful red cardstock purchased from a local paper store. It has small gold specs embedded into the paper. I ran those through a Cuttlebug to give it some texture and used a Marvy Corner Scallop punch on each corner.

The left panel addtionally has 4 small triangle images pieced together on top of the red cardstock. I made the "stick" by wrapping the multicolored red/black/gold cardstock around a wooden bamboo skewer, then glueing it with Aleen's Tacky Glue. Then, I wrapped gold cord around the stick, securing it on each end with the same glue.

All else is basic stamping/embossing/cuttlebugging, etc with the exception of the "kite". It features the 2 triangle images again with a kite tail made from the same red/black/gold paper. I cut a thin strip of the paper and wound it around a BBQ skewer. Then, I sprayed the paper with a light mist of water and dried it with my heat tool. I slid the skewer out and had a wonderful curly piece of paper that I added to the triangle. An asian kite!!!

The final element is the beaded fringe which I purchased and glued to the top strip of the card. The beads show up a little better in real life~they add so much character to any project!!

I hope you've enjoyed it and thanks for looking!!

Kathie

Hey Blog Hoppers! Welcome my blog stop on the Technique Junkies Design Team Treasure Hunt. Weren't Judy and Vada's projects fabulous?? Now, if you didn't see their creations, hop on over HERE to begin. By starting there, you'll be able to have a full tour and see all the fabulous designs that our Design Team has in store for you!! Plus, it will tell you all about the Treasure Hunt!! Our fearless leader, Pat Huntoon, has prepared a prize through a drawing that just might be yours if you qualify to win! She "leaked" the information to the design team a day or two ago. WOW~it's a doozie and WELL worth your time!!

Here's how it works: Start at the TJ blog to collect your first clue. At each stop, you'll find another clue. At the end of the treasure hunt, you'll have all the clues which will enable you to put them all together to spell the secret message. Leave a comment on the TJ website (your last stop on the tour)~you won't be able to see your comments, but don't worry. They're there, just moderated so others can't see your answers!! On or after August 3rd, Pat will select a winner from those who provided the correct answer to the treasure hunt mystery. Fun, huh??

All of our designs are "sneek peeks" into the August issue of the Technique Junkies newsletter! And we'll have another Treasure Hunt next month! So let's get going with another clue to help you enter to win..............

This technique is called Starch & Smoosh. It's fast, it's easy, and it's spectacular!! My friend and I spent a joyous afternoon making dozens of these backgrounds. They are beautiful enough to use "as is", but I like to add to them! So versatile!

I hope you enjoy the project. And your reward for looking is the letter U. And don't stop here, because our very talented designer Lisa Sommerville, has a great technique and project for you! Click HERE to visit her on your next stop. Happy Hunting!!
~Kathie

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This was such a fun project! I love the Michael Strong images for intricate cards because each image adds so much elegance and flair.

This is the oh-so-popular Tri Shutter Card. I found some great directions on Bonnie's blog HERE that made my project so easy!! Just a few scores and straight cuts and Voila! Instant beauty!!

I used Bazzill Boyzenberry cardstock for my base and some miscellaneous background papers for the layering. I knew that a Michael Strong image would be the perfect addition to this card. WOW! I'm so happy that I had this assortment of his Cloisonne' images in my stamp collection because it was the exact look I was going for.

The Cloisonne' squares and circles adorn the outer panel of this card. I punched larger circles and squares from some gold cardstock scraps I had on hand to frame each image. The smaller inside panels are decorated with the Cloisonne' leaf. I gently curled the leaves and shaped them by hand and added them to the panels with foam dimensional tape. (All of these images were stamped with VersaMark ink and embossed with Stampendous PearLustre Gold Embossing Powder). The layer below the leaves is the same scrapbook paper flipped over (it's two sided) and I edged each side with a Gold Foil Pen. AND......each layer of scrapbook paper was punched with my Marvy Scallop punch. I LOVE THAT THING!!

The center panel boasts the ever popular Michael Strong Dragonfly image that you see in SO many of my projects. It's the perfect size and shape for so many of my creations. I stamped it in VersaMark and embossed with Stampendous' PearLustre Garnet Embossing Powder.

The four small panels are background paper which I edged with a technique called Drywall Stitching. What in the world is that???? I learned it at Technique Junkies!!

The small hanging beads are from Dollar Tree.

I hope you've enjoyed the project and thanks for stopping by!!!!

Kathie

BE SURE TO CLICK ON THIS PICTURE FOR A NICE LARGE VIEW!!!

I made this card for a friend who is ill. I thought a bright and cheery card with a loving christian theme and message was a wonderful way to let her know that I was praying for her recovery. It's great to be able to create something beautiful for someone else that's suffering in hopes to brighten their day, right? Although this card was time consuming, I used the time to pray for my friend as I created and to send prayers of thanksgiving to God for all the blessings in my life.

This card is called a "Tri Shutter Card". I found some wonderful directions on Bonnies' blog HERE. I love the fact that the design gives so many little places to create! I used Stampin' Up's Tempting Torquoise cardstock for the base and some white scrapbook paper (which already had the thread running through it) for the outside panels. The black and white paper is velvet flocked (which came that way) and the black panels are plain black cardstock which I embossed in silver.

The white flowers are from Michael's in the wedding section. I added the silver metal studs and the torquoise gems to them. The hanging beads are from a fabric store; the little crystal cross is from Michael's.

Since the praying hands stamp is directional, I decided to stamp it on acetate with Black Staz-On ink so I could flip one of the images over, making them both face inward. I used a technique called "Metallic Echo" behind the hands. The technique is from Technique Junkies, a wonderful technique group that I couldn't do without!

And lastly, the main image is stamped and embossed.

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you've enjoyed this project!!

This is a note card and envelope set I made for my dear friend Gina for her birthday. I die cut the folder at a local scrapbook store and knew it would be the perfect project for my "die hard gym/exercising" friend, Gina for her birthday. Of course the Hanna Stamps Getting Physical stamp set was the perfect selection for the images too!

I stamped the main image and the water bottle with Marvy Black #1 and colored both with Prismacolor pencils blended with Gamsol. Then, I paper pieced the articles of clothing onto my very dedicated workout Hanna (wonder if she knows Gina! LOL).

I die cut the main image with my Spellbinders Nestabilites die and backed it up with a larger layer from the same die cut set. I made the flower with an assortment of Stampin Up! punches and threaded the black ribbon through the pre-cut slits to hold it all closed.



This is the folder from a top view. I thought it might be helpful to show what it looks like from the top.




This is the portfolio opened! The right hand side contains several personalized/monogrammed post cards made with the JustRite Stampers monogram set. I made matching envelopes for each postcard~they are on the left hand side of the folder. Happy Birthday, dear Gina!!!

This is a design I did for Clear Artistic Stamps. I am a "By Invitation Only" Guest Designer for the month of May, so please stop by and take a look at some of the wonderful stamps and a few of my designs while you're there.

This card features the rose image from the Echoes of Summer set. When I saw the image, I knew I had the perfect technique for it. I used the Marker Watercolor technique which I learned at Technique Junkies.

I stamped the image with VersaMark ink and embossed it with PSX gold embossing powder. Then, I used Tombow markers and an aqua pen from Stampin Up! to do the technique on 140# cold pressed watercolor paper. Easy peasy!

The base cardstock is Bazzill; the layer behind the main image is a Spellbinders Nestabilities die. LOVE IT!! The ribbon is from Michael's; the pin and jewels is something I made myself from a corsage pin I purchased at WalMart. The beads are from my stash. Corner piercing was done with a straight pin and an Ornare corner piercing template.

Thanks for looking. Stop by again soon!!

~Kathie

This card uses the "Bingo Blast" technique from the Technique Junkies group. Fun!!
Stamps used are from one of my favorite artists, Michael Strong of Strong Stamps. I love the versatility of his images; they make the most beautiful projects.

The large circle image was stamped with white pigment ink and embossed with white detail embossing powder. I punched the circle image with a Marvy scalloped punch and then layered it onto a white shape which was die cut from a Nestabilities die. I think they worked well together. I used my new scallop punch corner from Marvy for the corners on the Bingo Blast layer.

I wrapped red metallic cord around the scallops, taped it from the back, and stamped another Michael Strong circle image and used foam tape to give it some dimension on top of the main circular image.

The corner circle is the same small stamp with a ribbon and cord embellishment.

I hope you've enjoyed the card and thanks for stopping by!!

~Kathie

The Harp Birthday Concert was a big hit for my friend, Alla. I wanted to add some more harp images around the room somehow, so I thought of making floral picks to add to the table's small floral decorations.

I stamped the images in VersaMark ink and embossed with PSX embossing powder. I took bamboo skewers and painted them with burgundy acrylic paint, then cut out and attached the embossed harps to the sticks with a hot glue gun. I stamped a second image for each of the picks with Brilliance "Galaxy Gold" ink, cut them out and then glued those behind the other harp image to hide the glue.

Lastly, I attached three strands of ribbon to finish off the picks.



Alla is holding a "Thank You" card which matches the invitations and table decorations that I made for her party. This was such a simple card to make (I made a box of 25 of them) and she just loved it.

The gold side panel is Cuttlebug'd and has a small length of ribbon wrapped around it. The side is stamped in Stampin' Up's Baroque Burgundy ink. The harp is stamped with VersaMark and embossed with gold embossing powder (PSX).

Thanks for stopping by and sharing a bit of the Harp Birthday Concert with me!!

~Kathie

My dear friend Alla is turning.............ah, I don't know if she wants me to tell. But I will tell you she is such a darling person, that I volunteered to make the invitations for her party!!

She is a phenomenol harpist and is celebrating her party "in style". The bash will include harpists from all over the state, performing at the festivities. WOW!! I had to do something wonderful for her, so I chose this design that I CASED from my friend, Gina. Gina's design was for a family member who was getting married and I loved it so much that she gave me one for my sample basket. When Alla's party was being planned, I knew just what I wanted to do for her. I made a few small changes, but overall you can see how Gina's design made my job soooo easy. Thanks Gina!!!


Here is the party invitation, closed. It's a flap style card with a pocket which contains an insert with all of the party information. The original cardstock size (flat) is 5 1/2" X 8 1/2"; I scored it at 2 1/4" from the bottom to make the pocket. The top flap (beginning at the opposite end) is scored at 3 3/4". Cardstock is Bazzill.

The rest of the card is basic stamping and embossing. The embossed gold layer is a Cuttlebug embossing folder. The scallop cirle is from Stampin' Up with a 1 3/8" white circle layer on top of that. The small harp stamp was a gift from another harpist friend; company listed on the wood is "Asya Graphics, Denver, CO".

An interesting addition to this card, thanks to my good friend Gina, was her suggestion of punching the scalloped circle and the 1 3/8" circle out of chipboard first. Then, I layered the cardstocks onto those. What a difference that made in the overall look of the medallion when it was all put together. The medallion had a much more professional, finished look and wasn't so flimsy on the invitation. Gina, you're such a smartie!!

Lastly, the musical score is an all time favorite stamp of mine from JudiKins.


An open view of the invitation. I printed the party information on plain white cardstock on my computer. It was a bit too plain so I added a large harp image from Rubbernecker (probably retired now~I bought it over 10 years ago). I stamped the image with Memories Shadow Ink "Rose". It made all the difference, don't you think??



And here's the whole boatload of invitations, all ready for mailing out to all of the harpists!! Happy Birthday Alla!!

Enjoy these photos and check the post below for all the details on the projects!!

Thanks for stopping by!!

~Kathie

Another little matchbook card made with some fabulous cardstock from The Paper Temptress! This is my second design with this pattern and I loved the Mica/Metallic Emerald and Aquamarine so much that I used it again. Although this project is similar to the one I shared a little while ago, I wanted to show the versatility of this cardstock and color.

This first photo is the matchbook closed. I added a scallop punch (Stampin’ Up!) and had a little package of these teardrop shaped stick ons that I purchased at JoAnn’s for a buck!! Can’t beat that. And look how they coordinate. I love it when supplies look like they met on match.com. Er, well I guess I should have suspected it. They ARE "match"book cards. Ah, ya I know. I won't quit my day job.


Here’s the matchbook open. Embossing powder loves this cardstock! These images are from Innovative Stamp Creations and they fit so perfectly on this card. LOVE IT!! Plus, you see another view of the brads that I used to hold the matchbook insert to the outside cover. This cardstock loves to be punched!



Here’s the matchbook open with the little tag peeking out.


And here is the tag, full view!




Stamps: Innovative Stamp Creations
I hope you’ve enjoyed this project (btw, this is a Technique Junkies project. So many wonderful things to discover over at the TJ group. Not a member?? What are you waiting for! My stamping world wouldn’t be complete without it!!)