Multi-Talented Edwin

Stamps: Magnolia 'Chasing Edwin', Papertrey 'Pond Life Sentiments'. Cardstcok: Real Red, Papertrey white, Paper Studio Denim and Vintage Flags, Basic Grey Motifica Chalk, My Mind's Eye Original Dots. Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Copics, white gel pen. Accessories: Paper Studio Denim, toothpick, brad.

This Edwin originally held a butterfly net, but he reminded me of how my daughters love to run around to make their pinwheels spin. He would also be perfect holding a flower or a birthday balloon, too -- don't you love versatile stamps?

Edwin looks like he's having fun, but he's actually working very hard -- fulfilling FIVE different challenges! The first challenge is to create a Memorial (or Mother's Day) card for KL Scrappin' N Stampin over on Papercraft Planet. There's still time to play along in this challenge and a great prize up for grabs.

The second challenge was Friday Sketchers #50. I'm a couple weeks behind in having this one submitted, but this sketch was still perfect for this card.

Third is the Limited Supplies Challenge 219 on SplitCoast Stampers to create a card for a May holiday.

Fourth is WRAK challenge to create a non-birthday card for a child. I thought any kid would love this mini pinwheel (Kerry has a fun tutorial on her blog HERE) and the message was affirming, too.

And last, but certainly not least, is the Roses on Paper 'One for the Boys' challenge to create a card without a single 'girly' element.



Pretty impressive job for one little Edwin, isn't it?

**Stop by the KL Stampin' N Scrappin' store to see all the new items available for pre-order! My all-time favorite -- Copics at bargain prices!! And if you order before the end of May, shipping is free, too.

Copic Lilacs

Stamps: Flourishes Lilacs, Papertrey 'Mixed Messages'. Paper: Almost Amethyst, CM purple, My Mind's Eye DP, textured white. Ink: Versafine, Copics, Perfect Plum. Accessories: Long rectangle and oval Nesties, SU scallop border punch, white organdy ribbon, Martha Stewart butterfly punch.

Lilacs have always been one of my favorite flowers. It may be because they remind me of Spring, or maybe it's because they remind me of my lilac prom gown that I wore when we posed in front our family's lilac shrubs. Either way, I was thrilled to know lilacs flourished in Illinois after being unable to plant them for so many years in California. I planted a lilac the very first growing season, but it has yet to bloom four years later. So much for flourising! Jane on SCS recommended treating it with Triple Phosphate, so I'll definitely give that a try in hopes of blooms next year!

For great tutorials on coloring lilacs and other purple flowers with Copics, be sure to check out the Copic Creations blog. Link your own purple creation for a chance to win a Kitchen Sink stamps set AND three Copics!!

Is That a Mouse on Your Cupcake??

Stamps: Stampabilities 'Birthday Cupcake', Hero Arts 'Cupcakes'. Ink: Versafine Onyx black. Cardstock: Bashful Blue, Basic Grey 'Cupcake' DP. Accessories: Prismacolor pencils, turpenoid, Basic Grey 'Gypsy' ribbon, Stardust glitter pen, square, circle, and long rectangle Nestabilities .

KL Scrappin' N Stampin' is sponsoring today's challenge on the House Mouse & Friends blog and to make it even more fun, the challenge is a sketch, my all-time favorite challenge! Here's the sketch:

What a perfect sketch for showcasing DPs, Nestabilities, and of course, mice!

Isn't it funny that both of the stamps and the DP I used are all named 'Cupcake'? I didn't realize it until I was typing the description, but maybe that's why they all went together so easily! I've been into paper piecing lately (reverting to my paper dolls days??), and you can see in this detail photo that the frosting and cupcake liner are both pieced:

**KLSNS is sponsoring a March Paper Piecing Challenge on Paper Craft Planet. The prize includes a Basic Grey 6" x 6" pack of DP and a Magnolia stamp, so be sure to join the fun for a chance to win these goodies!

This card started out a little heavier in the Designer Paper department because once I open a Basic Grey pack, it's hard to leave any of those coordinating papers behind. I realize, though, that my favorite cards are those that are less cluttered. I managed to decrease the printed papers, but I couldn't resist adding a touch of sparkle to the 'Fun' in the sentiment:

Be sure to stop by the House Mouse & Friends Blog today. Their Design Team features incredible talent and you can't beat the cute factor of a House Mouse card, always good for a smile!

The Beauty of Stained Glass

Stained glass has always fascinated me. I'm old enough to have attended many churches when stained glass windows were still their main windows. There is definitely something awe-inspiring being bathed in the colorful reflections of depicted scenes! While I was in college, friends and I had the chance to visit Paris. France was an experience in many ways, but what I remember most isn't the cheap hotel, multitude of cheese sandwiches (the only item we could order in French), or even the grandeur of Notre Dame; it's the sunlight streaming through the ceiling to floor windows of Ste. Chapelle:

This is a photo by Ricardo André Frantz; I wanted to use my own photo, but our scanner is currently on strike and my photo was taken long before the days of digital cameras!

DRS Designs carries several stained glass stamps and has a tutorial describing different ways to use them to create your own masterpieces.

The stained glass image is stamped first and then a second image is stamped over the stained glass pattern. In this card, I stamped the glass pattern on vellum and then stamped the Christ is Risen (with sentiment masked out because it would have been lost in the glass pattern) over top. The cross and lilies were colored in first and then the remaining glass pattern is colored using a random pattern of coordinating colors :

Stamps by DRS Designs: Large Oval Stained Glass, Christ is Risen, Easter sentiment. Ink: Versamark, Memento, Copics, white gel pen. Cardstock: Black textured, Creative Memories yellow, vellum, GP110 white. Accessories: oval Nestabilities, wide white organdy.

Inside the card is a white panel which makes the vellum colors more vivid when the card is closed.

The reason I chose vellum is the effect when displayed in front of a sunlit window:

It may not be quite the grandeur of Ste. Chappelle, but it's impressive in its own way!

A quick and easy way to achieve the stained glass effect is to stamp directly onto colorful designer paper as I did with this Sunset Butterfly card:

Stamps: Large Oval Stained Glass, Butterfly 4 Corner Background, Silhouette Butterfly. Ink: Versamark Onyx Black. Cardstock: Basic Black, white, scrap DP. Accessories: Top Note die, oval Nestabilities, black dotted organdy ribbon.

Stamping directly onto DP works best with bold images, like the silhouette butterfly. And this technique has the advantage of helping you use up your ancient stash of cardstock!

I've had so much fun playing with this stained glass stamp that I still have a couple more projects in the wings, especially designed for St. Patrick's Day. In the meantime, be sure to check out all the amazing stained glass projects created by the DRS Designs' Design Team for the current blog challenge!

Paper Doll Fun

Remember playing with paper dolls as a child? How about creating your own fashions for them? The technique of paper piecing is a slightly more grown up version of this childhood activity and still just as fun!


Take one Magnolia-licous sketch challenge for February:

Then add brand-new DP by Basic Grey and newly received Magnolia stamps from KL Scrappin' N Stampin' and what do you have? My latest paper pieced Tilda (her overalls, shoes, and even bench are pieced), using 'Porcelain' DP by Basic Grey:

Stamps: Tilda in Coveralls , Penny Black sentiment. Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Chocolate Chip, copics. Cardstock: Close to Cocoa, Always Artichoke, Basic Grey 'Porcelain' DP, GP110 white. Accesories: antique copper brads, white gel pen.


In case you haven't noticed, I'm a big fan of sentiment stamps (does that make me a sentimental fool??) and this one by Penny Black is real winner:

Don't you wish that living in the moment was as easy as stressing about tomorrow??

Be sure to check out the KLSNS Design Team blog for more detail photos of this card and other examples of paper pieced Magnolia images.

**Don't miss the March KL Scrappin' N Stampin' Girls challenge over on PaperCraft Planet; upload your paper pieced card for a chance to win a great prize. The winner will receive a Magnolia stamp AND a 6" x 6" pack of Basic Grey paper to continue creating their own paper pieced masterpieces!