Water Lily Inchie Card

Water Lily Inchie Card,
originally uploaded by Clarian's Hawk.

It's contest time again - like it isn't contest time every week? This time, it's an "inchie." I had never heard of inchies until I started reading all the blogs and wondered what an inchie was and what the excitement was all about. Now's the time to try it out... and with the help of all the wonderful tutorials at the Hero Arts website http://heroarts.com/blogs/club/.

I got my Hero Arts (HA) Water Lily stamp in from Stampin Treasures http://www.stampintreasures.com/ the day before and so I had an idea. I inked the stamp on a Rubber Stamp Paint Box long variegated ink pad with green on the stem. I loved the look, sponged, yellow over it (ordinarily I would have sponged the colors first, but I was working on a trial run and it happened to be turning into what I wanted), sponged some orange on, then added a bit of red to the right, a bit of blue to the left and was satisfied. I added the dragonflies and stamped the butterfly on red card stock (CS) from the Clear HA "Share Laughter". I popped the butterfly up. I had my finished piece... YAY! So what was I going to do with these? I was drawn to a piece of green CS that was in my scrap box and taped the inchies down, using a piece of CS as a straight edge. I was really surprised at how they lined up... I'm not used to this being an easy job. I taped this to a notecard and pulled the soft yellow Cubblebug swirls CS out and taped it to the bottom. I thought of the green sheer ribbon in my drawer, pulled it out and decided to tie it on the left side adding yellow gems to the ribbon. I put a glue dot under the bow to hold it in place. I had a great timel putting this together. This might not be my only inchie.. They're rather fun!

Hearts & red flowers white brad & buttons

Hearts & flowers red brad & button,
originally uploaded by Clarian's Hawk.

I wanted to enter the "Our Creative Corner" contest for this week, so I took some die cuts and the swirls embossing folder to work with.

Die cuts are the items on the cards that have been cut out by a die cut machine. This die cut machine is called a Cuttlebug.

This was a very strange card for me to do, as well as the card with all the die cuts for a summer garden.

Cuttlebug Flowers

Cuttlebug Flowers,
originally uploaded by Clarian's Hawk.

I spent Sunday morning sorting through my die-cuts that we had cut last night in several different colors to make a "sunshine" card. I just had so much fun. Stems are hand-drawn... I'm sure you could tell that... but a good time was had by all... me... me... me..

HA Clear Spread Sunshine from the Happiness Messages

WSW - Andi

Visit Andi's blog at http://www.andisperfectgravy.blogspot.com/. She's got WSW detailed for you on her blog - so many challenges.

Two Peas and me?

Ok, let's see if I can join the Two Peas contests. I have a long card to submit, true it's very simple, but I'm game.

I also want to post Andi's instructions on how to enter the contest, because I did see my card posted on the member stamping gallery and I replied to the thread.

You can see Andi's post on this page http://www.flickr.com/groups/heroarts/discuss/72157605593268253/#comment72157605670844836

Go to the 2peas Stamping board:www.twopeasinabucket.com/mb.asp?cmd=list&forum_id=221.

This will give you the first page of all the stamping board threads..

You can see lots of challenges.

The one I started is this one:www.twopeasinabucket.com/mb.asp?cmd=display&thread_id...

Now, to see all the Challenges in one spot go to the Master Thread here:www.twopeasinabucket.com/mb.asp?cmd=display&thread_id...

From the Master Thread you can see all the challenges, click on the blogs that host the challenge, as well as the thread where peas are also posting links to their cards...

Then, there is the Stamping Gallery:www.twopeasinabucket.com/pg.asp?cmd=recent&gallery=3

Send me Flickr mail if you have any questions or leave a post on the thread I created...over at 2peas...Hope to see you!

Entry for Our Creative Corner 6/16/08

I'm hoping to enter the sketch contest for WSW. I've posted three entries here and now I am going to try to link the cards somewhere on the OCC page. I like having a sketch... pretty cool! The contest is at http://ourcreativecorner6.blogspot.com/.

Garden with one tomato

tomato on 06112008,
originally uploaded by Clarian's Hawk.

Well, I planted a tomato plant and it didn't die on me. As a matter of fact the little thing went and bloomed and now I have this little tomato ripening. Yes, I do have green ones, and I've planted a tomato plant last year, but this is record time for me to see a tomato ripen... and I didn't know these were (cheery) cherry tomatos... oh well... they'll taste yummy. I had to publish this because I DON'T have a green thumb... it may be blue, brown, red, purple and inky green, but growing stuff.. nah! So I'm giving myself a pat on the back here and it's my blog, so I can put whatever comes across my mind.... Happy Day!

One of my favorite stamps

IMG_1688,
originally uploaded by Clarian's Hawk.

I bought this stamp in 1999 I think. I usually stamp it in brown tones. I stamped this one and didn't get a good image in the upper left-hand corner, so I tore it and the other edges, antiqued and color sponged the flowers. I gold embossed the edges. I tore some quilted brown packing paper, antiqued the paper, antiqued some light tan cardstock. I glued the stamped image paper on top of the packing paper, which is attached to the note card. My daughter-in-law had a small stamp "Letters are written...." I will have to read the actual card since the stamp is no longer in her possession. There's a certain feeling about this stamp. I love it.

Oh Happy Day! Thursday 6/12/08

Gift small tin with saying,
originally uploaded by Clarian's Hawk.

Just imagine! With so many artists, whose work I love, I was able to place in the contest with my Gift submission. I chose a color of cardstock that went with the silver - light blues and purples seemed to fit the bill. I thought words and small flowers fit, so there was something to read that was fun and uplifting as you turned the can. Then I was stymied, I knew I wanted to do something on the top, but what? As I was meandering the aisles of a local Walmart, I saw the package of blue flowers/brads/button and knew they were mine. With the letters from a set of Miss Elizabeth's min board book paper craft kit and some sheer lavender ribbon, I was on my way. I was thrilled with the finished can. Sometimes there are those moments when it all comes together. Visit Hero Arts blog, http://heroarts.com/blogs/club/ to see all the winners - it has to be difficult to choose even your top ten. Congratulations to all.

Two new baskets 06112008

Two new baskets 06112008,
originally uploaded by Clarian's Hawk.

Finally something nicer than a box with the tops ripped off to hold my cards. Pretty to see through to the cards inside. Makes me happy just to see the colors staring out at me. I added a side-by-side photo of the two see through boxes below. I like the bright colors of the cards showing through.

Asian Card - cranes/storks?

Asian Card - cranes/storks?,
originally uploaded by Clarian's Hawk.

I'm trying something different. I have been writing on my blog and then grabbing the image to be inserted from there. I have been reading the FAQs on Flickr and found that "Blog This" will lead me to post directly from Flickr to my Blog - well, that's what I'm trying right now. Hopefully this turns out the way I want. The one issue I had when I would link to Flickr was that the area where the image was supposed to be was blank until someone clicked on the image and then it took the person to Flickr. Then when they wanted to go back to my blog, they'd be thrown out of the blog completely. Well, I'm ready to try this. And I do love this stamp... is it a crane, an egret? I'll have to research this, won't I?

2001 Stampin' Up Asian stamp
HA clear "Sharing Laughter" flower and line of dots
Ordinary paper punch

I love this stamp - comes in a set of three. I like the others, but there is something about this particular stamp that draws me time and again to try different colors, use it in different ways. I usually stamp a bunch, color as I have time and put them aside. Then I may come across some paper as I'm making something else and go for these images. I cut a piece of the olive green paper at a diagonal to sit beside the birds.

GIft - friendship in a Can

I especially liked the gift challenge on Hero Arts. I came up with a tin from the Goodwill store for 99 cents, which I peeled the cover off, then made a new cover for.... here's a prize that someone will love. I enjoyed taking the "Baby Boy" letters I bought at a Dollar Tree to adhere to a shere lavender ribbon. You'll see what I mean when you see this picture. Very easy.

You tuck the ribbon into the can and surprise! A little message pops out. A little bit of candy, a ring, an endearing message, anything to cheer, deepen your friendship. Have a happy day!

Inspiration

The four roses stamp (K2281) from Santa Rosa 1999 has always been a favorite of mine. It's simple but has a certain feeling to it. I've embossed it in gold which is what's displayed here and in black. I love the black embossing, bold, defined. Sometimes it's the shape of some item, a phrase spoken and almost forgotten, talking with a friend, when you get that flash!

Portfolios

A portfolio die cut paper can be folded into a small portfolio that fits 3 (5 1/2" by 4 1/4") note cards in each inside pocket. I will add the inside of the portfolio tonight. You can leave the front as is or decorate. Sometimes I just like the paper and want to leave it as is. I decorated the far right portfolio, but selected the paper for the old fashioned lady on the front so she would be featured on the portfolio. Sometimes the paper is so pretty that any additional stamping would be excessive and might take away the beauty of the paper.

The portfolios are wonderful gifts that friends can store the cards you made and enjoy the gift time and again.

GIft - challenge

A flat metal tin is used to hold a card that is also a calendar. The metal top was sanded down so paper could be glued to it. The edges of paper were sanded (any excess paper was sanded away). Antique the sides of the tin with Tim Holtz's Distress Ink (Photo is a good color). Cut & glue same flowered paper that you will use for the inside of the card (about 2" X 5") and onto this a small piece of paper (same as used on outside of tin). Affix a black flower at the bottom as shown in picture on left. A band was glued together to snug over the completed tin closed, (really not necessary, but a nice touch. The flower from the HA clear "Share Laughter" set was stamped twice on the band. Card made and shown will be shown at left to go inside the tin.
The photo above displays the open card. Cut 2 pieces of flowered paper about 1/4" to 1/2" smaller than the teal paper on each inside piece of the card. Onto each the flowered paper, attach an acryllic sheet cut about 1/2" smaller than the flowered paper. Affix to flowered paper with brads (one at each corner on each page). Glue the flowered paper to the teal card stock.

Next, your precut "Your Photo Here" card goes in the left acryllic pocket.

Your calendars need ribbons attached on the right side to pull them out from under the acryllic sheet on the right inside of the card so you can change the month. I picked sheer green and yellow (6 of each color, totally 12). You can put 11 months calendars in the bottom of the tin, the card with one month in it, on top of the calendars. Put the lid on and snug the band over the box for a beautiful gift.

Sympathy Card

It's one of those things you know you have to have on hand, but who's really into making Sympathy cards. Well, I figured I needed at least one, so I took some scrap black lacy paper that was a little bigger than 1/2 the notecard, glued it down, stamped HA clear stamp (leaves) from my new HA clear Sharing Laughter set on the top and found the message "just wanted to say" for the front. Trimmed with corner punch, mounted on olive CS, wrapped olive ribbon around front, pearls on a couple things on bottom & one on upper right flower. One flower at left. Ready for any emergency.

Raised or emblossed backgrounds

Raised or embossed backgrounds give a card texture. I've seen the Cuttlebug machine, but not purchased it. I love the effects from seeing cards posted on the Hero Arts blog for the weekly challenges. Due to the discussion groups "How did you do that", I learned that a rolling pin and one of the Cuttlebug folders could be used to good effect. Click here for step-by-step instructions:

It's nice to see how it's done, not just the items needed or instructions. However, I am posting instructions here. You will need:

Rolling Pin Spray Bottle Embossing Folder Tape Paper

Spritz your paper. This makes the paper more plyable, the paper will take the embossing easier.

Tape the Folder closed. Otherwise while you are trying to use the rolling pin the Folder will keep opening up and the paper will move.

Start rolling. If you use the edges of the rolling pin you will get deeper embossing marks. It will be trial and error getting use to how much pressure to use.

For a mister, I personally recomment the Mini Mister by Ranger. It has a fine mist that is perfect for rubber stamping.