FCD July Hop

Welcome to the July Firecracker Designs By Pamela Blog Hop! This month's theme is a sketch challenge.

NOTE: The official start time of this Hop is Friday, at 8:00 AM (EST). If you arrived early, please be patient as all the links may not be live yet.

This is a “circular blog hop” where the only beginning is wherever you start!! You will know you are at the end of your blog hop when you’ve come back to the blog you’ve started from! (It’s not a huge circle…so it should be easy to remember where you started.) The winner will be chosen from a mystery blog hostess that we don’t even know who it will be until the hop is over…so that’s why you’ll want to leave a comment on EVERY blog, so you don’t miss out! **To find out if you’ve won… you will be contacted by Pamela via e-mail (so be sure to leave it with your comment.) and you can also find out on Pamela’s blog after the blog hop ends on Mon, at 8:00 PM (EST).

I used the brayered sky technique for the sky and then stamped the images in black over the top. I used a nestie to cut out the sentiment. I added the black cardstock borders. The linen thread around the bottom was brown. It just wasn't working for me so I colored it black with my Copics! The flower was stamped onto the die cut which are also available from FCD (saving me some work!) and colored with Copics.

Now, to continue the circle, you will need to hop on over to CHRIS'S FAB BLOG!!!!

Stamps: FireCracker Designs by Mahalo
Paper: Tangerine Tango, Basic Black, Whisper White
Ink: So Safron, Summer Sun, More Mustard, Pumpkin Pie, Really Rust, Riding Hood Red, Momento Tuxedo Black
Accessories: Nesties, Mahalo Die Cuts (so I didn't have to cut the flower out), Copics, Linen Thread (colored black with copics)

Enjoy!
Michelle B.
Designer for FireCracker Designs by Pamela

Parisian Bookmark

As always when I need a little inspiration, I go searching for some art to get me started. I found this beautiful piece and ran with the idea for this bookmark. Wouldn't this be great as a bookmark for a romantic book?

This is a perfect example of how I think ALL stamps with great lines can be silhouettes. Just color them in all black. I also stamped a few fleur de lis around on this dp for some extra interest in the background. The curved top of the bookmark was made with the embossed curve punch.

Hey, its Wednesday again so be sure to check out this Week's FCD Wacky Wednesday 50% off stamp set HERE.

Stamps: FireCracker Designs by Pamela Parisian Romance
Paper: Basic Black, Basic Grey Sugared DP
Ink: Momento Tuxedo Black, River Rock
Accessories: EK Success Embossed Curve punch, horizontal slot punch, ribbon from Pink Hedgehog

Enjoy!
Michelle B.

Stitchin' It Up

The current Think Ink challenge (#24) is to use real or faux sewing on your card. The complete details are HERE. I hope you'll play along for a chance to win some AI stamps!

I am loving this new Sew You set from Artful INKables and it goes perfectly with this Cosmo Cricket DP! I sewed a lot in my high school days (Old enough to remember prairie skirts? Yep, I made my own!). This set brings back fond memories of all the time and patience I used to have! Ha! One of my retirement goals is to get back into sewing and make some quilts.

Stamps: Artful INKables Sew You
Paper: Papertrey Kraft, Cosmo Cricket DP
Ink: Chocolate chip
Accessories: Nesties Labels 3 (with the sides cut off), sewing machine & thread

Enjoy!
Michelle B.

Monochrome Eiffel

I've sooo been loving all the black and white cards I've seen lately and those black and white papers.....ahhhhh, love them! So I'm doing a little black/white/grey combo here for you today.

Please bare with me during the next couple of weeks J-O-B will be taking all of my time. I'll be back to visit your blogs again soon!

Stamps: FireCracker Designs by Pamela Parisian Romance
Paper: Basic Black, DCVW DP
Ink: Whisper White
Accessories: Nesties, Basic Grey Ribbon, horizontal slot punch

Enjoy!
Michelle B.

Artful INKables July Blog Hop

Welcome to the Artful Inkables blog hop! If you haven't come here from Ann's blog, then you will want to start at the Artful INKables Blog so you don't miss anything along the way. This hop will feature the 2 new FABULOUS stamps sets Artful INKables is releasing!

Be sure to follow us all the way to the end of the hop and make sure to leave a comment on everyone's blog, you never know which blog we'll be choosing a winner from! You will have until Friday, July 9th at midnight Eastern Standard Time to comment on all the design team blogs for a chance at the blog hop goodies!

Today, I'm showing you a card made with a new set called Spot on Summer. I remembered the tutorial from the AI blog for faux stone. I thought this technique would be perfect for these little turtle shells! So I used this technique on my background frame. Shhh...To save time and cardstock, I just punched the circles out of the center of the frame. It will be covered up with the main image panel later, right? The turtle bodies were stamped, colored with Copics, and embossed (emboss resist technique). I punched out a wave border and used it as a mask when sponging my water area in working from the lightest color to the darkest color.

The next stop on the hop is the lovely TANYA!

Thank you once again for joining us today for the Artful INKables July Release Blog Hop, be sure to head on over to the AI store to order these fabulous stamp sets right away!

Stamps: Artful INKables Spot on Summer
Paper: Whisper White, Old Olive, Pacific Point
Ink: Momento Tuxedo Black, Soft Sky, Bashful Blue, Pacific Point
Accessories: Copics, Versamark pen, Clear detail embossing powder, Bashful Blue ribbon, Horizontal slot punch, Cuttlebug Tiny Mosaic embossing folder, Versamark pad, Nesties Labels 8, Fiskars Boundary Waters Punch, circle punches

Enjoy!
Michelle B.

AI Sale....Hurry!!

Hey, in case you didn't hear already....Artful INKables is having a 25% off sale. HERE are the complete details. Hurry....there are just a few hours left! (sorry, I have been out of town)

Michelle B.

A Silly Girl's Scrapbook Page

Finally getting a chance to show this to you. I made this scrapbook page for Artful INKables and it was kind of a last minute thing I had to get in the mail right away. I quickly took a pic, stuffed it in the envie, and mailed it at the PO. When I got home and downloaded the pics from my camera, I noticed that I had placed the center image so that all the words on the surrouding background were sideways (the "HB" is vertical instead of horizontal)! HA!!!! How embarrassing! So, I had to send a quick note to AI to correct that little boo boo by turning the center circle before AI displayed the pages at a show! Guess that's what happens when ya rush! It was still a really fun page!

Stamps: Artful INKables Birthday Best

Enjoy!
Michelle B.