Never Forget

Sketch Challenge 09/09/09

Time for another fabulous sketch challenge from Jen del Muro. I made a somewhat monochromatic card for this challenge, which is not my specialty, but when you are working with great products, life is much easier! I got this beautiful 6x6 Making Memories paper pack on sale for $2.99 at Archiver's and broke it out for the first time with this card. All papers, with the exception of the small strip of Very Vanilla and the Kraft cs square are from this paper collection. I used my SU! Short & Sweet stamp set for the sentiment and small heart and that incredible flourish stamp is from Unity's August KOTM (first time I was able to break out this kit and try any of the stamps.) I stamped the image in Chocolate Chip ink multiple times onto some Kraft cs and then sponged the edges with my SU! sponge. I finished it off with some heart-shaped chipboard from 7 Gypsies that I covered in patterned paper and sanded the edges with my Making Memories sanding block.

Thanks for yet again another wonderful challenge Jen!

Jen's Sketch Challenge 08/29/09

Time for another Sketch for You to Try. It had been a few weeks since I was able to play along, so I sat down last night and started playing with the sketch.

For some reason, this was a tough one for me. I just could not find my groove....don't you hate it when that happens?

I started off with some Riding Hood Red and Chocolate Chip cs, which I stamped using Versamark ink with a flourish from SU! for the bottom panels and added some Riding Hood Red taffeta ribbon. Then, I grabbed my Bella Rose patterned paper and started cutting the additional panels. Where I ran into trouble was with the main, front panel. I just couldn't come up with a winning combination of stamps for that shape. I was having a major mental block and had to make a few attempts and still am not 100% satisfied with the end result. I stamped the flowers in Kiwi Kiss and Riding Hood Red and then found that it still needed something extra, so I added a couple of strips of Chocolate Chip CS and stamped a second sentiment and cut it out with my oval punch from SU! and added a metal heart accent from Colorbok.

This is my absolute favorite DSP of all time and I was really disheartened that I had such a hard time finding the inspiration that I was looking for.

Does that ever happen to you?

Baby Bib

I got this brilliant idea from my friend Donna over at Butternut Sage Designs to make a card cut out like a baby bib. Donna made her bib using very traditional colors (white, pastels) and displayed it with some adorable blocks and I just fell in love with the idea.

My friend Leslie is having a baby shower in a couple of weeks, which I will be unable to attend because I will be on my way to CA that afternoon, but I wanted to make her a card to go along with her gift and drop it off at the shower location so that she'll have something from us to open even though I can't be there in person. Leslie is very non-traditional, very modern, and does not like pastels. She even sent an exasperated status update to Facebook to this effect....something like, "Isn't there any bedding that is not pastel?" For this reason, I thought it best to steer clear of pastels in her card and instead went for a very modern vibe.

I cute the "bib" out of Chocolate Chip cs using my scalloped circle template in my Cuttlebug. Then, I cut a half-circle out of both the front and the back panels using my Marvy Circle punch. Next, I stamped the front in Versamark ink using my Distressed Hearts background stamp from Unity and embossed the hearts using some Zing embossing powder from American Crafts in Leaf. I just purchased a few bottles of this new embossing powder and the colors are so vibrant!!!!

I added a small strip of patterned paper from Basic Grey, along with a small circle out of the same pattern. Then, I stamped the "L" using some Distress Ink in Peeled Paint and sponged around the edges in Chocolate Chip ink.

I cut the pink flowers out of some Bazzil cs with my Cuttlebug and added a little bling from Kaiser and then finally added the sentiment from SU that I stamped in Chocolate Chip and cut using my word punch, also from SU.

The tops of the panels are secured with some pink brads and I added some green ribbon from Classic Traditions for the bib's straps.

Alcohol Ink Bookmark

I am having so much fun playing with my alochol inks from Ranger. I am so glad I dusted them off and started playing. They are messy and so versatile!

I made this little bookmark just because, but decided I am going to send it off with a card to a friend who has a birthday coming up. I started with a basic vanilla tag from Paper Reflections that I got in the Hot Spot at Archivers. Using Latte, Caramel, and Ginger alcohol inks, along with some gold mixative and some blending solution, I covered the tag completely. I dried the inks using my heat tool, then stamped the create image from Hero Arts using Staz-On ink twice onto the tag so that it would cover the whole thing. Next, I covered a vanilla flower from Hero Arts using the same ink combination and then added a black button and some Scrapper's Floss and then tied on some raffia ribbon and added some plain black ribbon to the top.

I just love the way the mixatives make this tag shimmer. The ink completely bled through to the opposite side of the tag, but it's still a really nice effect and actually gives the back of the bookmark some added interest. Just make sure that you are working on a craft mat or a piece of cardboard when using alcohol inks, or they will stain your work surface.

Thinking of You

A very dear friend of mine has been having some medical issues lately and it's really hard to be away from her and be so helpless. I made this card to send to her to let her know that no matter how far apart we may be, she is never far from my thoughts and prayers.

I found this fabulous create stamp from Hero Arts at Archiver's for 75% off. Why it was in the sale bin, I have no idea because it is gorgeous and is my new favorite stamp. Ok, it doesn't hurt that it is adorned with these beautiful butterflies, but I love everything about it!

I started with a piece of Basic Black cs that I embossed with my Cuttlebug. Then, I used this beautiful patterned paper from Little Yellow Bicycle for the bottom layer and for the scalloped circle. I stamped the Create stamp using Basic Grey ink from SU! and stamped onto Going Grey cs and then rounded the corners and adhered to the pp. The small butterfly is from Unity's Bevy of Butterflies new set (another fav!), the sentiment is from Hero Arts, and the small flowers are from Inkadinkadoo. I added some polka-dot ribbon from Colorbok and a little bit of bling to make it extra special.

Cleaning Make-Up Brushes

I was reading Kristina Werner's blog this morning and she had another "things I'm loving right now" post. In her post, she mentions a make-up brush cleaning product and I was reminded that it's been a while since I cleaned my make-up brushes. I promptly went and cleaned them and thought I'd do a little post of how I clean my brushes.

Now, we all know that we need to clean our make-up brushes. They get make-up caked on them and who knows what kind of bacteria and let's face it - they are not cheap and if you want your brushes to last (just like anything else), you have to take care of them.

Cleaning my brushes takes about 5 minutes and they last forever! I start by taking a small dish and filling it with hot, soapy water. I then rinse each brush individually under warm water to get the bulk of the make-up off and then swish it around in the hot, soapy water, rubbing the brush against the bottom of the dish to get the soap in between the bristles. I rinse the brush again, and then use some MAC brush cleaner to condition the brush and then squeeze out the excess moisture, while shaping the brush before I set it out to dry.

I lay all of the brushes on a hand towel and let they dry naturally. That's it, 5 minutes and I have nice, clean brushes that I won't have to replace for a good, long while.