SPRING IS SPRINGING

Yup, we're beginning to have "gentler" rains, as the birds are singing, and my flowers are popping their heads through the soil. I think Spring is Springing. (I can be optimistic...LOL)

The daffodils are about done blooming though, but my tulips are blooming and they are gorgeous. The photo on the left is of a "real" daffodil in my garden. No, the card on the right is Not a real tulip. I try to be creative, but there is no way I could be as creative as He is.

The tulip card was created as follows: 1) I stamped the Hearts in Touch Rubber Stamp ( http://www.heartsintouch.com/ ) image with Memories Black dye ink. (Note: Frances Naeve of HIT has great rubber, prices and good delivery so please tell her Audrey sent you.)

2) It was then embossed with clear embossing powder.

3) I then colored the image with Derwent water color pencils (naples yellow & sap green).

4) This was then affixed to a yellow card stock (unknown).

5) Then I affixed it to a white card stock (unknown).

6) I then glued all of this to the upper right corner of the yellow card.

7) The stamp of words, Spring, I believe came from Hearts in Touch also, and stamped it in the lower right corner.

8) I chose to affix three little flower brads to a ribbon of yellow/white/green, which I glued to the card.

I hope where you live the weather will cooperate and bring some Spring to you. Enjoy and thanks for stopping by.

BIKER BABE STRIKES AGAIN

I just had to create another Biker Babe. This time I only used DerWent water color pencils on the image and I think it turned out a bit better. DerWent ( www.acco.co.uk ) water pencils can be purchased at your nearest craft store. (I purchased mine through Dick Blick Art Supplies http://www.dickblick.com/products/derwent-watercolor-pencils/ ) The images from I Brake for Stamps Humorous Seniors Full Sheet ( http://www.ibrakeforstamps.com ) are hysterical to say the least, and so very much fun to use. These stamps are very deeply etched so you get a clean and even stamped image every time. When ordering from them, tell Della "...Audrey sent me..." I'm not part of her business, just one happy consumer. NOTE: I can't get over how some of the Memories Embossing Ink "shines" as if it has "lights" to it. Well, back to my creative table, enjoy my art, and thanks for looking. Y'all come back now.

V'ROOM - V'ROOM

Today I found myself making another "funny" card. This is a belated birthday card for my niece who rides (as a passenger) on her husband's motorcycle. They have traveled most of the United States on a bike and they love when the wind is blowing through their hair (helmet). I can say I was on a motorcycle a couple of times, and thank you very much I want to have four wheels under my sit me down. With cars racing by you and you see the edge of the road getting closer and closer, well let's just say I'm a real scary cat. I think she'll get a huge kick out of this card and can hardly wait to give it to her.

Here is the how to of creating it.

1) I stamped the image on white card stock (unknown). The image is from I Brake For Stamps http://www.ibrakeforstamps.com/ with Memories Black dye ink and embossed it with clear embossing powder.

2) I colored the image with the RoseArt Washable Super Tip Markers that I purchased from Wal Mart some time ago.

3) I used a Krylon Silver Pen and "painted with a brush" the forks of the bike as well as the spokes of the bike .

4) When finished I mounted it onto some deep red card stock (unknown) and then onto a white bit of card stock.

5) This was all mounted onto a deep red card stock.

6) I had some white ribbon, called Bobbin Ribbon, with little bits of black running on both sides of it, so I affixed some silver brads on it. (Reminded me of the roadways.)

7) Viola' another funny card made and it sure makes me giggle again.

Enjoy my attempt at our rubber stamping art. Thanks for stopping by.

MY FUNNY BONE GOT TICKLED

A great gal sent me a joke today and I've been laughing all day long. So keeping in the spirit of laughter and to do a funny birthday swap for Inky Fun Stampers inkyfunstampers-subscribe@yahoogroups.com I chose a stamp from I Brake For Stamps http://www.ibrakeforstamps.com/ . This is how I made the card:

1) I chose a creamy white glossy card stock from the Paper Temptress

http://www.papertemptress.com/ ;

2) With a brayer I brayered Toile Pink Palette Hybrid Ink from Stewart Superior http://www.stewartsuperior.com/ onto the glossy card stock;

3) I used my heat gun to make sure the ink was dry;

4) With a water mister I misted the inked card stock with water;

5) Once misted I applied Interference Blue & Interference Red Perfect Pearls (from Ranger) with a brush;

6) Misted the card stock again with water;

7) I then blotted with a paper towel to dry.

8) I chose a darker pink card stock to back my image (paper unknown)

9) On white card stock I stamped my image from I Brake For Stamps; (The words are from I Brake from Stamps also)

10) I colored the image with Roseart Washable Super Tip Markers ( http://www.roseart.com/ ). I believe I purchased these at a Super Wal Mart since I couldn't afford the "real" copic markers.

11) Affixed a light pink ribbon onto the card, and viola' a giggle for this evening as well.

You can't tell from the photo, but the card is all shimmery. Okay, I'm off to make another of these cards and I'm hoping you'll try this also. Thanks for stopping by.

CLOSED MYSELF IN TODAY

Other than a few things that I "had" to get done around my home, I basically closed myself in my studio and proceeded to create some cards for a couple of the swaps on Inky Fun Stampers group. We have a lot of fun on Inky Fun so I'm hoping you'll follow this link to join us and have some fun, share art, and swap cards. What you waiting for?

inkyfunstampers-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Here are two of the cards that I created today. I've had the paper and card stock lying around for some time now, and I can't even remember where I got it...duh!!! The card on the left is made with a 1) Hearts in Touch photo stamp ( http://www.heartsintouch.com/ ). 2) I colored some of the image with chalks from Craf-T Products ( http://www.craf-tproducts.com/ ). 3) I then applied Krylon Workable Fixatif. You can purchase this at your craft store &/or at a Lowe's or Home Depot. The Fixatif makes it so that the chalk won't rub off. Yippee!!! 4) I affixed a light pink ribbon and bow to the card. 5) I embellished the ribbon with a "faux metal" stamped image of scissors. The image also comes from the Hearts in Touch line. You can see the faux metal tutorial at the following ink.

( http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/resources/tutorials/faux_metal/ )

It was a fun to make this card as I haven't played with any Hearts in Touch stamps for some time. You know the reason for this if you've been following my blog.

The card on the right was made with unknown 1) blue and peach papers. 2) The lime green paper is really a large paint chip that I've had laying around, but they all seemed to want to go together. I hear voices talking to me when I'm creating...bawaaaahahaha!!! 3) The stamped image is a Stampin Up image from their "Not so short notes" series. (I don't know where I got these stamps, but I do know they are "old" ones as they have been lying around in one of my drawers for years, sorry to say. 4) I affixed a punched out "squiggle" (technical term) on the left hand side. 5) I then placed three flowers with matching centers (of the card backgrounds) on the lower right. 6) It seemed like it needed something more so I found a punched out butterfly embellishment, and viola' another card made.

The ink that I used in both of these cards was Memories Black dye ink, and embossed with clear embossing powder.

I hope you enjoy looking at both of my creations and will come back for another visit. Have a creative day, and leave a note if you care to. Thanks for looking.

A FINISHED PROJECT

It's a stormy rainy day here in Arkansas and my daughter and her family are off visiting my son-in-laws family in another town, so I had this afternoon just to play - I should say "finish" my Tim Holtz Air Splatter Technique cards. Tim's technique is quite easy, and the results are fantabulous. (My how to is in the following March 21, 2009 entry.)

In the card with the "bird and flowers" I used See-D's stamps by inque boutique and their stamping info can be found at http://www.inqueboutique.com/ . I used Memories black dye ink pad with black embossing powder (unknown maker). I didn't have the "archival" ink that Tim said to use, hence the black embossing powder on top of the black dye ink to make sure it came out dark. Most of which it did - got to get some archival ink...LOL. I then attached a white organza ribbon & bow.

The "Celebrate" card was done in the same fashion and using the same floral stamp by See-D's. The word Celebrate is a stamp by Clear Expressions by Hampton Art (#C84231) and can be found at http://www.hamptonart.com/ .

Enjoy my attempt at our art, and thanks for looking.

TIME IS FLYING BY

WOW, time sure has a way of flying by when you get on your hands and knees (not only to pray), but to work out amongst your flower beds. Since the ice storm we have been taking time out each day to not only thank the dear Lord for our blessings, but also to weed, plant flowers, and we even put up some chicken wire (tech. term) to keep our towns favorite pets (deer) out of the flowers they so love to munch on.

Yesterday I took some time out for me. I went into my studio and was looking around on Tim Holt's "demo" site ( http://www.timholtz.com/demos.html ) to see what was new that I could try. Since time seemed to be escaping me as I watched his video, I sat about to give his "Air Splatter" technique a try. It is so simple and the colors that I used makes this card front look like a "celebration" card.

The how to is as follows: 1) I used only three (plain) Alcohol Inks (not the AI Brights he used). I used pesto, butterscotch and red pepper. 2) The can of air that I used is called Air Duster by Fellowes (www.fellowes.com) and yes I did use the little straw that came with the can. [Note to myself: Next time I may use a larger straw &/or no straw at all.] 3) Glossy card stock I received from Patricia Dunbar (http://www.papertemptress.com) This card stock is to die for with its rich, creamy, shimmery, & glossy look to it, and it is so easy to use and it gives you that "Pop" look. 4) As in Tim's video, I dropped several drops of the AI on the card stock. 5) immediately gave a couple very light quick shots of air, and viola' splatters. Absolutely gorgeous if I may say so (patting oneself on the back and grinning from ear to ear).

That's all I've done so far as my gardening and housework is calling out to me. We have had several home showings this week by our realtor, so I'd better get busy and get my studio back in shape, just in case of another showing. Thanks for looking and if you care to please leave a note.

LONG TIME NO POST & AN APOLOGY

The ice storm is gone, and we're hoping for good. Today it was in the 70's, with the beautiful sun shining brightly. The birds were singing, my flowers are growing, and yes we were outside playing. Today was a pretty good day as I even took our little doggie for a walk, met some of my neighbors along the way, and stopped for some chatter. Upon arrival back home I felt good enough to re-rake our yard. I say "re-rake" as with some gusts of wind we ended up with several piles of leaves in our back yard. This wouldn't have been worth mentioning except our kids from Iowa came down and had our yard looking in pristine shape. They worked their butts off with raking, hauling limbs and sticks (from the storm) out of our yard, and helping my niece and nephew cut down damaged cedar trees. Once the trees were cut down, they sawed off limbs as my niece wants the logs, drug the limbs to the front driveway so they could haul them off to the dumping site. Our yards looked so nice, except you still don't want to walk under the trees as there are huge limbs just hanging by threads of wood, and well you wouldn't live long enough to tell what happened if they fell on you. We are so very thankful for our Iowa kids, as we don't know what we would have done without them. They sure are workaholics, but very lovable ones. As I mentioned before, the yards looked great until the gusts of wind blew in leaves, so now we'll have to re-rake and pick up the sticks and limbs that have fallen - again. Oh, well it keeps Ed and I out of the taverns...LOL. I do want to apologize for not posting any art, but with the yard work my art sure has suffered. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers for us, and for hanging in there. Love to you all.