A Link for High Hopes Blog Candy

In case you haven't seen, there are High Hopes stamps being offered as blog candy here. Don't miss it!

Michelle B.
"Queen of the Scene"

A Gift For You

Don’t you just love the water on this little guy’s toes? Here we have a double challenge card for sketch challenge SC197 and High Hopes Challenge # 2 (use blue, green, brown). I normally don’t do color challenges because I just can’t do a scene with so few colors. Because this one just said “blue” instead of a particular blue, I felt that I could do a variety of blues and complete the scene.

This cute image was received from Anemone (Thanks Kelly!) over at the PIF images thread.

I did my usual Cut then Ink Technique to get my layers to line up. The Easy Sunset Technique was used for the sky. Everything else is sponged and stamped.

Stamps: High Hopes Froggy Gift, Papertrey Ink Pond Life, The Stampin Place Water Ripples
Paper: River Rock, Whisper White
Ink: Blue Bayou, Night of Navy, Kiwi Kiss, Old Olive, Always Artichoke, Black, Chocolate Chip, Soft Sky, Baja Breeze, Pacific Point
Accessories: Copics, Prismacolor pencil & baby oil, white gel pen

Enjoy!
Michelle B.
“Queen of the Scene”

Blingy Witch

Did you think I was gone? I didn't know if I was ever going to find time to make a card but finally today I stole a few minutes. This was created for the Our Creative Corner challenge to use bling. And I've been yearning to color this fabulous witch. So, I created this card with "magic bling exhaust fumes" spewing out from behind her!

These little stars were a RAK from Anemone (Thanks Kelly!).

To create that night sky, I first cut those two angled cuts into my Whisper White cardstock and stuck them to my sticky Cricut mat to hold them in place while I inked (see my cut then ink technique here). Note: I left those two gaps open when the pieces were on the mat. Next I cut out a "moon" circle of Soft Sky cardstock and held into into position on the Whisper White cardstock pieces and lightly traced around it with a pencil. I then removed the Soft Sky "moon" and set it aside for later. With sponges, I inked around that "moon" pencil line using swirling motions and blending the colors together where they met. Starting at the center of the moon, I used Soft Sky, then Cool Carribean, Pacific Point, Night of Navy and finally black. Finally, I added my bling and adhered my "moon" and witch to the Green Galore cardstock.

Stamps: CC Designs Sugarplums Halloween, Autumn Leaves Swirls V I
Paper: Green Galore, Whisper White, Soft Sky
Ink: Whisper White, Soft Sky, Cool Carribean, Pacific Point, Night of Navy, Black
Accessories: Virsmark Pad, Heat & Stick Powder, Dazzling Diamonds, Stars from unknown maker, Copics, Prismacolor Pencils & Baby Oil


Enjoy!
Michelle B.

PS: My friend Janette has dubbed me "Queen of the Scene". I really liked that title but have been chicken to use it (wondering if I'm up to it). So, let me take a deep breath and have some guts and try this again.....

Enjoy!
Michelle B.
"Queen of the Scene"

Tagged

I was tagged twice recently so here are 7 random facts about me:

1. I LOVE chocolate chip cookie dough…that’s right, don’t bother cooking it!
2. I have a Masters Degree in Information Systems and currently work part time in that field.
3. My husband and I work together. We actually met at work. We often work very closely such as on the same project, or reporting to the same boss, or sometimes I do work that is ultimately for him. We make a great team (but the kids are probably tired of hearing about work at the dinner table!)
4. I am a huge animal lover…especially dogs…especially Boxers (I've owned 2) and Boston Terriers (That's my sweet Fiona pictured above).
5. I don’t eat a lot of meat – See Number 4. I’d probably be a vegetarian if it wasn’t for my husband and kids.
6. I’m deathly afraid of flying. My husband suggested we fly to Florida last summer and I had a bad dream that very night just from the mere suggestion of it.
7. I have trouble with things like this that I’m supposed to pass on. I don’t want to “bother” anybody. Don’t know why I feel that way because I liked being tagged. So here I am stuck…..any volunteers?

PS: We’ll save the discussion of my radical taste in music for another day!

Fishy Birthday

A triple challenge card….Weekend Sketch Challenge WSC60, the High Hopes Challenge # 1 to create a birthday card with brads (mine are the “bubbles”) and I challenged myself to make a card in 60 minutes (ok, ok, it was really more like 70 but that’s ok). There was soooo much more I would have liked to add to the ocean and sand but I had to make myself quit! Of course, it will say "Birthday Fishes" inside!

These lovely images were received from LMcAree and TamiJo (Thanks Lori & Tami!) over at the PIF images thread.

I did my usual technique of cutting and then inking to ensure everything lines up properly. I used the Easy Sunset technique to make my water. The water looked a little flat so I embossed just the water area with my D’Vine Swirls embossing folder (using great restraint here not to add more images to the water and sand!). The sand was hand drawn with a fine black marker and shaded with Creamy Caramel. The images are colored with Copics & then Prismacolor Pencils & baby oil (I'll be posting a tutorial on that soon). On the Sea Horse, I colored over the lines with a glitter pen and then smeared it with my finger to give him that shiny fishy texture. Then it was time to stick everything into place!

Stamps: High Hopes Coral One, High Hopes Horatio Sea Horse, High Hopes Starla Starfish
Paper: Pink Pirouette, Whisper White
Ink: River Rock, Creamy Caramel, Pacific Point, Baja Breeze
Accessories: Copics, Prismacolor pencil & baby oil, D’Vine Swirls Cuttlebug embossing folder, glitter pen, fine black marker, brad from an unknown source

Enjoy!
Michelle B.

Jeff’s Bday #2

This was inspired by a photo I saw on the internet of our local motorcycle shop. I thought the HB (for Happy Birthday) instead of HD (for Harley-Davidson) was kinda funny!

This motorcycle image was received ages ago from SF9erFan (Thanks Michelle!) over on the PIF images thread.

The “corrugated metal roof” is metallic silver paper I ran thru the crimper. The “window” is watercolor paper with some River Rock ink applied loosely in a diagonal pattern with my aquapen (keeping the center lighter than the edges). I tried a couple of colors before I decided on River Rock. It gave the warm and well lit feel I was looking for. The “sidewalk” was Going Gray ink in the center and then I worked in some black ink around the edges. Again, I kept the center light up against the building so it would appear the light of the building was spilling out a bit onto the sidewalk. I also drew the “cracks” in the sidewalk with my fine black marker and my usual sidewalk technique.

Now I said I was going to let DH vote on which card to send but I’ve changed my mind...this one is DEFINITELY the right one to send!

Stamps: Motorcycle unknown, HB was a TAC freebie with purchase
Paper: Tangerine Tango, Black, Watercolor, Silver metallic paper from Mike’s
Ink: Black, Going Gray, River Rock
Accessories: Copics, Aquapen, fine black marker, crimper,

Enjoy!
Michelle B.

Fall Apples

Catcrazy (Thanks Janice!) sent me this fabulous image from the PIF images thread. This image was soooo fun to color and just perfect for challenge SC196.

Sometimes when I’m done playing out my idea for a card, I still think it needs just a little something. A few swirls like these often does the trick!

Stamps: Northwoods Apple Basket, Autumn Leaves Swirls V I, Stampendous Many Messages
Paper: Riding Hood Red, Whisper White
Ink: Baja Blue, Soft Sky, Old Olive, Always Artichoke
Accessories: Copics, Prismacolor Pencils & Baby Oil, White Gel Pen, Fine black marker

Enjoy!
Michelle B.