Happy Anniversary my love!

My inside sentiment reads in part - "And they said it would happen when pigs fly... but look at us now - married 37 years!  The rest is mushy.

My hubby loved it and insisted I get a shot that reflected the holographic quality of the bow, arrows and his hooves.  He took this photo that lets you see the great effect you can get with Duo glue and Holographic Silver Foil.

And finally, this last shot gives you a better sense of the elevation of the two panels over the base card and of the pig himself.  Fun card to make - it amused me!

This card should be eligible for the following 

CHALLENGES:

Papertake Weekly – ATG

Inspiration Destination #65 – ATG

ABC Challenge L:10 – X is for Xtreme Bold Colors

That Craft Place – ATG

Crafting from the Heart #92 – ATG Always Tuesday Throwdown #274 – ATG Shopping our Stash L:13 – SOS #232 (used my precious heart brads FOUR of them!)  Top Three Art by MiRan Challenge #48 – ATG Simon Says Wed – Make it Sparkle

Create wildly and color with abandon!  ~ginny

OMD Wrapping Paper

 A couple of posts ago I talked about making projects OMD (Off MY Desk) referring to recycling the left over papers left from previous projects that were stacking up on the corner of my desk.   My brother took my post to heart and on Christmas Day proudly shared his OMD gift wrapping with all the left over ends.

LOL!  I love that the concept is spreading - 

may the world re-use and recycle!

Ginny's Prrrroud o' ya brother!

~ginny

Framed Cupcakes...

613 Ave C's current challenge is Anything Goes - the sponsor is Stamplorations who will be providing the winner's prize!  You can submit up to three projects and you have till Saturday, 12/26  
- so go for it!  
The best part is there is some amazing inspiration available by the 613 DT!

PROCESS INVENTORY

IMAGES:

• "Framed Cupcakes' was provided by Stamplorations.
• Sentiment is a 2009 Penny Black Rubber Stamp. 

PAPER:  

• Neenah "Classic Crest Solar White" 80# Cover Wt. used for the image.
• Base card and elevated layer is 'Recollections' 110 weight.

EMBELLISHMENTS: 

• Family Treasures punch used for the square window in the top layer.  
• Ribbon is from stash.
• Gold "sprinkles" were created with Duo Glue and Gold Foil.

INKS:

• Images were printed on an Epson WF-3520 printer 
• Hand colored with Copics:

This card should be eligible for the following 

CHALLENGES:

Crafting from the Heart #90 – ATG Always

Papertake Weekly – Winter Birthdays

Inspiration Destination #64 – ATG

The East Wind #45 – CAS  Designer's Favorites

MarkerPOP #84 L:10– ATG

Paper Shelter – #231 – ATG

Create wildly and color with abandon!  ~ginny

Christmas Tag Gifts...

You know how good it feels when you can recycle things from your
hoarded stash?  SCORE!! After a flurry of card making, I always have a pile of leftovers I refer to as my OMD [Off My Desk] stash.  Love to challenge myself to make things only from OMD!

PROCESS INVENTORY

IMAGES: 

• Image on the front red band is a rubber stamp that I used in a Christmas card design several years ago.  First stamped with black ink and heat embossed with clear EP - I then used a bleach technique to strategically remove the red where I would want another color inside the embossed lines.  Using colored pens I then added back in the colors of green, brown & pink.  I had maybe 6 or 7 of these red bands tucked away for "someday".  Amazingly, they perfectly covered the See's Candy logo - see source of the envelopes below under paper.
• Inside I tucked in 6 tags that were made with four different punches. [A circle, snowflake, star and a fern leaf that I made into a tree.]  Each punch is backed up with glitter paper to make them all shiny.
• Sentiment is a rubber stamp from ???

PAPER:  

• The shiny gold envelopes are from a stack of about 50 gift certificate envelopes from See's Candy that were being discarded - {WHAT?? Throw those out?  Surely I can find a use for those!}
• Colored CS pieces are OMD left over from previous Christmas cards.
• Glitter paper was one lonely piece of paper found in stash.
• Base CS for tag and for the sentiment are Ivory Recollections.

EMBELLISHMENTS: 

• SU Tag Top punch used to shape the base by cutting the end of a 2 inch wide strip of CS to create the tags.
• Gold cording used for the hangers.
• Ribbon or bling used on each punch to help them look like ornaments.

INKS:

• Black Onyx Versamark used for the sentiment.

This card should be eligible for the following 

CHALLENGES:

That Craft Place – Christmas

Aurora Wings #20 – AT but a Card

Through the Craft Room Door – ATG Always

Crafting from the Heart #90 – ATG Always

Clear It Out – ATG / Stash: ATG

Inspiration Destination #64 – ATG

Crafty Ribbons #140 – Countdown to Christmas w/ ribbon

Art by MiRan Challenge #47 – ATG

As You Like It / Your Favorite... “Favorite Christmas Colors & Why?” [I like the warmth of Ivory combined with any other color... it warms up the look - makes it more vintage.}  TOP THREE

TTuesday Throwdown #274 – ATG

Paper Shelter – #231 – ATG

Pile it On #98 – Christmas/ Winter

OSAAT #252 – ATG w/ Red

Fussy & Fancy  #154 –Happy Holidays

Create wildly and color with abandon!  ~ginny

Nutcrackers in Formation...

A clean and simple card designed for a good friend who collects Nutcrackers.  One of my personal challenges is to let the image and color alone carry the design.  I made this one weeks ago and kept it on my desk trying to decide what additional embellishments I needed... considered [and rejected] a ribbon & bow, bling for the corners, Fran-tage, heavy sigh!  Still not happy - I think the only acceptable solution would have been a caligraphy "Joy" sentiment in the lower right - but too late now!  LOL~!  I gave it to her this last weekend just as it is.

PROCESS INVENTORY

IMAGES: 

• I used a Digi here so I could size the Nutcracker for perspective.  Unfortunately, because I colored it so many weeks ago, I have lost track of the source for this image.  If you recognize it, leave a comment?  UPDATE:  Thanks Rainey for your lead... that image is indeed"The Nutcracker" from Aurora Wings!  Yea for networking - it takes a village!

PAPER:  

• Neenah "Classic Crest Solar White" 80# Cover Wt. used for the image.
• Red CS is from stash.

EMBELLISHMENTS: 

• The only embellishment is the embossed framework created with a Scor-It 

INKS:

• Images were printed on an Epson WF-3520 printer 
• Hand colored with Copics.

This card should be eligible for the following 

CHALLENGES:

Inspiration Destination #63 – ATG

As You Like It / Your Favorite... “Male or Female?”  [Male - gets me away from frou-frou and moving toward my preferred CAS look.]

That Craft Place – Christmas

Through the Craft Room Door – ATG Always

Crafting from the Heart #90 – ATG Always

Clear It Out – ATG / Stash: ATG

Fussy & Fancy  #154 –Happy Holidays

Art by MiRan Challenge #47 – ATG

The East Wind #45 – CAS

Tuesday Throwdown #274 – ATG

Pile it On #98 – Christmas/ Winter

OSAAT #252 – ATG w/ Red

Create wildly and color with abandon!  ~ginny

Happy Birthday Wishes Hal...

 I am crazy about this little tyke... his name is Harry and he is a perfectly charming image to color!  He is also so perfect for my older male cousins' birthdays.

PROCESS INVENTORY

IMAGES: 

• Focal image "Harry" is from the Zuri Artsy Craftsy Store
• Paper Tole Technique used to 3D the focal image.  Colored  with Copics, fussy cut and 'paper sculpted', the layers were either glued &/or elevated with foam tape to achieve dimension.

PAPER:  

• Neenah "Classic Crest Solar White" 80# Cover Wt. used for the image.
• Base CS is "Recollections"- White, 110 lb., purchased at Michael's.
• Fishtail banners are OMD (Off My Desk) paper scraps.

EMBELLISHMENTS: 

• Blue button "sewn" with orange twine thru the three banners.
• Large dots E-folder is a Tim Holtz and the music score is from ???

INKS:

• Images were printed on an Epson WF-3520 printer. 
• Hand colored with Copics:

This card should be eligible for the following 

CHALLENGES:

Paper Shelter – #230 – Special B'day

Through the Craft Room Door – ATG Always Crafting from the Heart #89 – ATG Always Papertake Weekly – Fun Fun Fun ABC Challenge L:10 – W is for Wishes Inspiration Destination #63 – ATG As You Like It / Your Favorite... “Male or Female?” (Today it is Male!  I enjoy this image and male cards lend themsleves nicely to CAS cards. ) Clear It Out – ATG / Stash: ATG Art by MiRan Challenge #47 – ATG Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge – Always ATG + DP

Create wildly and color with abandon!  ~ginny

Sorry I am late...

Happy Birthday John!

If you like the "McNutty" image,
you can find him here

I owe you more than a hat full of acorns brother - being late for your birthday!  Can you imagine what is in that thought bubble now?

Double duty... I am using this for my DT card for the 2nd week of Aud Sentiments' "Anything Goes Plus a Sentiment Challenge".  This image was provided by Heather from Lacy Sunshine Stamps - our sponsor this go around.  Thank you Heather, I LOVE your images!

You can see four other projects that our wonderful team created - just click on ... Aud Sentiments!




You can submit as many as 5 projects up till Tues, Dec 1 for a chance at the prize.  Heather is offering 3 images of your choice for the winner!

PROCESS INVENTORY

IMAGES: 

• "McNutty - Briar Whimsie" is from Lacy Sunshine Stamps.
• Both sentiments are from Ginger's House

PAPER:  

• Neenah "Classic Crest Solar White" 80# Cover Wt. used for the image.
• Ivory Recollections 110lb. CS used for the base card.
• DP is from Paper House: "The Great Outdoors."

EMBELLISHMENTS: 

• Crop-A-Dile "Corner Chomper" used to shape the card base and for the focal and sentiment panels.
•  Three colors of Hemp Cord were braided together to make the embellishment. 

INKS:

• Copic Ink used to ink all the edges .
• Images were printed on an Epson WF-3520 printer 
• Hand colored with Copics:

This card should be eligible for the following 

CHALLENGES:

Art by MiRan Challenge #45 – ATG

Robyn's Fetish #291 – Autumn TOP PICK

Through the Craft Room Door – ATG Always

Crafting from the Heart #87 – ATG Always

Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge – Always ATG + DP

Inspiration Destination #61 – ATG

As You Like It / Your Favorite... “Season?”

Create wildly and color with abandon!  ~ginny

Christmas Fairy...

613 Ave C's current challenge is #151 - ATG / optional CYOC using the chart below.  Due date is 11/27 & you can submit up to 3 entries for a chance at one of two prizes from the sponsors : ADFD and Zuri Artsy Craftsy.
This is my DT card using an image provided to me by Zuri Artsy Craftsy.  I chose "Christmas Fairy Nixie" because it looks like it would lend itself to Paper Tole.
Some of the most creative Designers I have ever met are at 613 ... do go check them out!

For the CYOC I used: A2, Christmas
& the colors white, red & green.

PROCESS INVENTORY

IMAGES: 

• "Christmas Fairy Nixie" from Zuri Artsy Craftsy
• Sentiment is SU
• For the focal image I used Paper Tole Technique to give her dimension. Printed 3 copies, colored them with Copics, fussy cut and 'paper sculpted' the images.  The layers were both glued in some places & elevated in others with foam tape to achieve the desired dimension.

PAPER:  

• Neenah "Classic Crest Solar White" 80# Cover Wt. used for the image.
• A2 size base card is "Recollections" purchased at Michaels
• DP used for the background is the last of a carefully hoarded sheet of 12x12 that I purchased from Stanp It Rich when it was open.  Sigh. Miss that LSS! 

EMBELLISHMENTS: 

• Punch used for the sentiment is SU
• Fence is from a Martha Punch.
• Corner punch for the "Stub" is from a Crop-A-Dile "Corner Chomper"  
• Die Cut for the trees is Impression Obsessions
• Die Cut for the focal image panel is Spellbinders
• Red Bow was made from a scrap in stash.

INKS:

• Digital images were printed on an Epson WF-3520 printer 
• Hand colored with Copics:

This card should be eligible for the following 

CHALLENGES:

Crafting from the Heart #86 – ATG Always

Sisterhood of Crafters – Christmas
Crafty Sentiments – ATG

Inspiration Destination #60 – ATG

Simon Says Wed – Christmas ATG

The East Wind #43 – Layer it On  [6 layers]

MarkerPOP #82 L:10– Christmas [follow you on Bloglovin]

Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge – Always ATG + DP

As You Like It / Your Favorite... “Season?” [Winter - what's not to like with fires in the fireplace, our winter rains, Christmas and family!]

Scrapper's Delight #50 –Christmas

Create wildly and color with abandon!  ~ginny

Bee Calm...

Bee Calm - Bee Yourself - Bee Amazing!

Bingo: Embossing, Ribbon &
Fave color: Red-Orange

After seeing this "Bee" Collage Sheet at My Artistic Adventures,  I immediately thought of this image I have from Lacy Sunshine called "Winter Honey Bee Sticky Wings" that could go with it so beautifully!  I picked up the colors that Heather used in her Bees to color my Honey Bee...LOve those colors!

Aud Sentiments current challenge is 

a Bingo game using this card: 

This is the last week of the two week challenge, but you have time to get up to 5 entries in for a chance at the prize!  The sponsor of this Bingo challenge is My Artistic Adventures and you can see some very creative versions by our DT using Heather's pre-colored collage sheets HERE.

PROCESS INVENTORY

IMAGES: 

"Vintage Bumble Bee Calm
Digital Collage Sheet"
can be found HERE

• I love this pre-colored collage sheet - it was provided by Heather, at  My Artistic Adventures to use for this challenge.  Thank you Heather!  I took two of the tag shapes and glued them together to make a double sided tag & punched a hole at the top.
• The sentiments are from the collage sheet and I just cut out two of them and applied them to the tag.
• The Queen Bee image is from Lacy Sunshine called "Winter Honey Bee Sticky Wings".  For this image I used Paper Tole Technique to give her dimension. Printed 3 copies, colored them with Copics, fussy cut and 'paper sculpted' the images.  The layers were both glued in some places & elevated in others with foam tape to achieve the desired dimension.
  

PAPER:  

• Neenah "Classic Crest Solar White" 80# Cover Wt. used for the Honey Bee image 
• The collage sheet is on "Kraft" paper.

EMBELLISHMENTS: 

• Flower in her hand is from stash.
• Fibers are from a pack of "Adornaments" from EK Success

INKS:

• Images were printed on an Epson WF-3520 printer 
• Hand colored with Copics:
  

This card should be eligible for the following 

CHALLENGES:

Art by MiRan Challenge #44 – ATG

MarkerPOP #81 L:10– Any Thing but a Rectangle TOP THREE

Crafting from the Heart #85 – ATG Always

Through the Craft Room Door – ATG Always

Inspiration Destination #59 – ATG

As You Like It / Your Favorite... “Hobby?” [Paper Arts becuz it has such immediate gratification compared to so many other crafts.]

Really Reasonable Ribbon  #129  – Tag w/ ribbon or trim

Lacy Sunshine  – #71 Tic Tac Toe [Patterned paper, sentiment, Lots of Layers]

That Craft Place – Kraft [used Kraft paper]
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge – Always ATG + DP

Create wildly and color with abandon!  ~ginny

National RAK Day Nov. 13...

Patty Skating can be found at
AliciaBel

Random Acts of Kindness Day 11/13/15  

613 Ave C is celebrating this day with a challenge - it is actually an Anything Goes with the optional twist to make a RAK project.  There are two sponsors this go around:  AliciaBel and  Rick St. Dennis and therefore two prizes available!  You soooo need to see some of the incredibly great projects the designers created - do go check them out at 613 Ave C!

PROCESS INVENTORY

IMAGES: 

• The focal image is 'Patty the Skating Girl' - generously provided by AliciaBel for me to use for this challenge.  Thank you!
• For the focal image I used Paper Tole Technique to give her dimension. Printed 3 copies, colored them with Copics, fussy cut and 'paper sculpted' the images.  The layers were both glued in some places & elevated in others with foam tape to achieve the desired dimension.
• The sentiment on the front is from Stampendous.
• Inside sentiment is Good Stamps Stamp Goods - remember them??

PAPER:  

• Neenah "Classic Crest Solar White" 80# Cover Wt. used for the image.
• A2 base card is Georgia Pacific.

EMBELLISHMENTS: 

• The embossed Birch trees on the blue background was created by a friend and given to me to use - so I have no resource info on this one.
• Patty's skate blades, her belt buckle and buttons were all blinged up using Duo Glue & Silver Foil.
• Glossy Accents was used on her lips and the pupils of the eyes.  
• Fence on the inside was created with a Martha Stewart punch.

INKS:

• The edges along the side of the pond were cut "Deckle" style and inked with a C3 Copic.
• Copic Opaque White was used on the Iris of her eyes for a highlight.
• Images were printed on an Epson WF-3520 printer 
• Hand colored with Copics:

This card should be eligible for the following 

CHALLENGES:

Crafting from the Heart #84 – ATG Always

Through the Craft Room Door – ATG Always

Papertake Weekly – ATG

Paper Shelter – #226 – Layer on Layer [6 layers]

Inspiration Destination #58 – ATG

ABC Challenge L:10 – U is for Unlimited

As You Like It / Your Favorite... “Hobby?” [Paper Arts - no other hobby I know of has such immediate gratification and allows me to "lose myself" in time and process, crowding out everything else in my brain - a form of meditation!]

Sweet Stamps – Anything Goes 

Lacy Sunshine  – #71 Tic Tac Toe [diagonal: digi, sparkle, lots of layers - 6 layers]

Create wildly and color with abandon!  ~ginny

TinkerBat...

Happy Halloween!
This is our pet bat who lives outside our bathroom window... between the screen and the shade - we named him TinkerBat.  He is a Mexican Free-tailed Bat - considered the "jet" of bats - very fast flyers!  Wing span can be 12-14 inches and they live up to 18 years.  TinkerBat has been coming for 5 -6 years now, and only once brought a girlfriend home for a couple of weeks.  He leaves for Mexico, or other destinations South, about the 1st or 2nd week of Oct. - so he is gone by Halloween.  We start looking for him in early June.

In honor of TinkerBat I made this card for Halloween...

Here is my process:

• I started with this incredible bat image - a rubber stamp from Stampendous - which I colored with Copics.  He was fussy cut and embossed from the back to round his body and wings.

• On a black CS folded to an A2 size, I added the background paper with the edges inked with 'Milled Lavender' and 'Dusty Concord'  Distress Inks.
• The ribbon, row of black houses, the sentiment and the background paper were all given to me by a friend - "left overs" from her Halloween cards.  I matted the circle sentiment with yellow and black mats, embossed all three layers to round them and mounted them on foam tape to simulate a moon.  The ribbon was laid down like a street for my houses - and I used the same YR Copic I used for the bat's eyes to create lights in some of the windows.
• The last step was to mount the bat with 2 layers of foam tape under the wings and the body glued flat to the background.
• The inside was completed with my favorite Halloween sentiment!

Here are a few more shots of TinkerBat before I close:

Finally, here are the CHALLENGES I am entering:
Pile it On #92 –Cute &/or Spooky

Crafting from the Heart #83 – ATG Always Through the Craft Room Door – ATG Always Papertake Weekly – Take Your Pick (Color Theme - Halloween) As You Like It / Your Favorite... “Brights or Pastels?” [Brights!  Love the intensity and the pop off the page quality of brights!] Paper Shelter – #225 – Halloween Simon Says Wed – ATG Inspiration Destination #57 – ATG Stampotique Designers – SDC219 – Scary Confusion Sweet Stampin' – Dies/Punches [ die - row of houses, punch - circle for the sentiment and mats] Quirky Crafts #22 - 2015 – Halloween/ Autumn Colors Clear It Out – Halloween or Christmas / Stash: Die Cut Houses Art by MiRan Challenge #44 – ATG May you color with abandon!  ~ginny