World Card Making Day - Canada Style

Have you heard of World Card Making Day? October 1 is the day. In order to celebrate, we've got a CANADIAN Blog Hop going on.

If you came here from Annie's blog, you are in the right place. If not, be sure to go back to the beginning of the hop and check out Tara's card and the full list of blog participants. We are all hoping to use at least one Canadian item in our creations. Here's my card:

This card features a lovely floral stamp from Ontario-based The Stamp Barn. I bought this stamp at my local stamp store in Victoria BC, Stampers!  The flowers were coloured with Copic markers and popped up with foam pop-dots. The background BFF stamp and the larger "friend" stamp are hand-calligraphy stamps from the BC-based Quietfire Design stamp company. (The polka dots are not Canadian though - shhh, they are Hero Arts.)

Thanks for stopping by my blog, eh? There are 36 Canadian stampers participating in this hop. I can't wait to go hopping to see all the Canuck goodness out there! Now be sure to go to the next blog on the list: and that would be Nicole.

Frame-It Baby Style

Here's a sweet teal card for a baby boy's shower. I used the Waltzingmouse Stamps Frame-It set and the Gingham & Co. set for the background. I sponged teal pigment ink on the edges and softened with white pigment ink, rubbing in very well to mute the colour.

I spritzed the square with Tsukineko's Pssst! Shimmer Mist in Champagne and it adds a subtle sparkle. The baby buggy was a freebie stamp from Craft Stamper magazine out of the UK. A little Swarovski crystal accents the hub of the spoked wheel. I love the versatility of Frame-It; you can feature all sorts of items in that square!

Hope you are having a great weekend; I am planning to stamp today - how about you?

Wedding Cards

This little tiered wedding cake from Stampin' Up! got star billing on this wedding card I made recently.

What made it special is the background panel of ecru flocked flourishes. That came from the bride and groom's wedding invitation, allowing me to personalize their card in a unique way. The cake is stamped on a Marianne die cut which is accented with small ecru pearls.

This last card (above) was made for a bridal shower. The stamps are from the same Stampin' Up! set. I put tiny pearls along the hem of the gown. I die cut and embossed the background, then patted Versaamark over the raised area and swished Perfect Pearls over all.

Frosty Acetate Christmas

For Canadian Stamp Talk's Challenge #17, to use a die cut on your card, and Waltzingmouse Stamps Christmas Card Challenge for September 2011, which was to use acetate in your card.

 

 

I layered four Memory Box die cuts of a snowflake border on acetate that I had stamped with the sentiment from Compliments of the Season in white Sta-zon ink. I pounced a Ranger Pearl acrylic paint dabber on the underside of the acetate to make it frosty. Then I layered onto a gorgeous deep blue silk cardstock from Italy. The luster on this carstock is amazing in real life, but you can't really see it under all the rest!

Dancers in Love

Here's a romantic one layer card I created for a former ballerina and her beau for their engagement party. I started with white cardstock and stamped the Hero Arts Italian Poetry, the solid Always heart and the "love" flourish in Antique Linen Distress Ink. Then I heavily distressed the edges with the same ink.

 

I added the chandelier (a freebie stamp from the UK Magazine Craft Stamper) and the dancers (an Oxford Impressions stamp) in Versafine Onyx Black. Three black pearls completed the ensemble.  I am sorry the scan quality isn't that great, but it was a rush job and was whisked off to the party before I could get camera shots.

Copics - finally

Resistance is futile. I finally got some Copics, the alcohol ink markers that seem to be the current darling of the stamping world. This is my first attempt with them. I look forward to further exploring this colouring medium. I have generally shied away from colouring of any sort, so this is a real stretch for me.

The sentiment stamp is one I have admired for many years but did not own. About ten years ago it seems everyone was using this stamp and it really is a nice, all purpose sentiment. I am not sure why I never bought it. So imagine my delight when a non-stamping friend sent this stamp to me for my birthday!

Thanks for stopping in to look; I hope you will take time to enjoy the simple things in life!

WMS Sketch Challenge #58

Here is my pocket card for this week's Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge. I created the pocket from a Spellbinders Nestabilities Labels Twenty-One die.

The Sleigh Bells stamp is from Waltzingmouse. I used a new Memory Box steel die to create the scalloped border. The collage is an assortment of odds and ends featuring a vintage Santa from Graphics 45 scrapbook paper that was coated with Rock Candy Distress Stickles. 

The green metallic medallion is a silver embossed yogurt tub liner that I rubbed with metallic wax paste to tint. The bottom of the tag is edged in gold glass glitter shards. With the summer we have (not) been having, it hasn't been too difficult to get into the Christmas mood!