My Valentines Day Creations and New Blog Format

New Blog Format and Updated/Edited Photos. I remain unhappy with the my photo quality versus what I see on the other blogs. Today I post the Valentine's Day Cards that I made yesterday. Lots of fun...my spare bedroom looks like a bomb went off...need to clean it up today. Thinking about the Splitcoast VSN next weekend. Haven't tried that yet but I think it will be fun.

The first card was for my husband...he got 4 lottery scratch-offs with the card and a Cold Stone Creamery Cake...he was in heaven. The cardstock was Stampin' Up Maine Blueberry, Raspberry Tart, and Kiwi Kiss. Also from the Paper Source the Chocolate Brown. I had a ton of this paper from my wedding invitations, save-the-dates - finally working it off a bit. The copper embossing powder, the scalloped circle Sissix die as well as the rub-on is from Stampin' Up. Michaels for the flowers and the brad. I think Tom even liked the card :-).

The second card was a birthday card for my neice who's birthday is on Valentine's Day and turned 16!!. The stamped image is from Toodles and Binks. I purchased after I fell in love with it when I saw it used on the PaperMonkey. I bought the stamp online - but then realized I had no supplies for unmounted stamps. After a couple of months I have finally mounted

the stamp and have used it for the first time. I STILL LOVE IT. I colored the stamp with copic markers. The paper is Stampin' Up Raspberry Tart Designer Series and Kiwi Kiss. The rub-ons...becoming one of my new favorite things...are also from the same set as the card for my husband from Stampin' Up. The scalloped circle was done with my Cuttlebug and a Sissix Die. I also used Crystal Effects on her boots - very fun!! Flowers are from Prima and the brads from Michaels. Finally, the Ribbon is from MJ Trimmings.

My 3rd card (my 4th that was sent off to my Valentines was the extras from the card swap from my previous post using the Woodland Elves from Pollycraft) is also using a stamp colored with Copic Markers from Toodles and Binks. How can you order a stamp from across the big pond and only pick one - I picked two - I thought is was very cute. Not sure if really a Valentines stamp but I think my niece Kiersten will love it. The cardstock is Stampin' Up and the Paper Source. The flower is PRIMA. The brads and ribbon are from Michaels. The stamp is from a Stampin' Up set and the ink is '07 InColor Vintage Violet.

House Mouse Challenge #24 - Tall and Thin

Tall and Thin. Great Challenge. Not sure how this card would ever get in the mail but fun to make. Happy Hopper Stamp Yaaawn. It was the first time that I used it - very cute bunny. The image is stamped on Neenah card stock with Memento Dew Drops Tuxedo Black and colored with Copics. The card stock is Stampin' Up Textured In Color Baja Breeze and Kiwi Kiss. The designer series card stock is Stamin' up Maine Blueberry. The ribbon is MJ Trimmings - everyone near NYC should try this store.....tons and tons of ribbon that you can buy by the yard. The flowers are Prima and the brads are Michaels. Once again, I am unhappy with my picture - I will try again in sunlight - during the week I'm just not home when the sun is out :-( work :-(.

House Mouse Challenge #23 Valentines

I was waiting for a Valentine's Day challenge from the House Mouse team. One of my favorites. A fun challenge and the design team cards were amazing. I keep trying to improve my photos and they don't seem to get much better. I will keep working on it. I do not have a Valentine theme HM stamp :-( so I had to make a modification to "Are We There Yet?". I really enjoyed coloring this and actually colored two images - one with a grey dog and one with a brown dog. I think with each challenge I learn a little more about color blending. For this card, I colored the HM stamp with Copic Markers and I will list at the bottom my colors. From The Paper Source - chocolate brown paper. From Stampin' Up - Kiwi Kiss, Raspberry Tart
Designer Series paper, and the Rhinestone Brad. From MJ Trimmings - rick rack. From Michaels - flowers. Finally - Stickles on the heart.
Copic Markers:
Grass, Fishing Rod, and Leaves: G99, YG01, C3, E43, E33
Dog: E57, E43, E53, YR24, E33
Brown Mice: E57, E43, E54, E33
Grey Mice: C1, C3

House Mouse Challenge #22 Paper Piercing

A brief post for today as I head out of town overnight to watch the Superbowl. I had a major struggle with the card and left a graveyard of unhappy pierced paper in my spare bedroom.

I love the image and enojoyed coloring it with Copic Markers. The paper is all Stampin' Up. The ribbon is from M&J Trimmings (iron on).

House Mouse Challenge #21 - Color Challenge

At first when I looked at this challenge, I started to think, I don't have those colors, I don't have a good image to work with.......but I think it worked out ok :-). It is my first house mouse challenge with a GRUFFIE. "Stacking Baby Blocks". I colored him with Copic Markers. E21, E55, E43, E53, and E33. Still working on making the fur POP. I colored him brown since I don't really have the shades of gray to make him work. Sounds like time for a copic marker order. The Designer Paper is Stampin' Up and the Solids are Bazzill Basics (my closest to Old Olive) and Stampin' Up. The flowers and brads are from Michaels. The ribbon is from two of my favorite places in NYC - MJ Trimmings and Kate's Paperie. Try them both if you are there. The letters are Cuttlebug "Hippie Chick" and the back
ground is the Swiss Dot Folder. I like to post Ellen J's version - It makes me want to get my get more shades of gray color copics.

Pollycraft Winter Elves.....First Card Swap of 2009

Today I finished my cards for our first card Swap of 2009. I used one of my new favorite stamps from Pollycraft which I discovered out on a blog and can't remember where. Pollycraft was NICE enough to ship to me in the U.S. even though that is not standard for them. :-). All this blog watching has me looking at stamps from all over the place. The stamp is a "Winter Elve" called Honesty. I colored with Copic Markers and Sharpies (I would use all copics...I just don't have enough colors). I used Diamond Stickles on her pom poms. The paper is a mixture of Stampin Up, Bazzill Basics, and My Little Yellow Bicycle "Love Letters". I used Martha Stewart's Lace Border Punch, Stampin Up Oval Punches, and the Stampin' Up Bigz Die Top Note. The stamp sets are Stampin' Up Hostess Set Spring Summer 2008 "A Little Bit of Happiness" and Stampin' Up Set "Warm Words". The ribbon is from Kate's Paperie in NYC - I think they have great ribbon at great prices - check them out.

House Mouse Challenge #20 - ATC Card

I fell off the House Mouse Challenge Wagon for the Holidays but as of today - I'm back on. My first ATC card. Kind of fun. My House Mouse Stamp was Cozy Mitten (Mudpie) 1999. I colored with my copic markers - you can see the colors that I used in the picture below. I used watercolor paper from Michaels...I'm going to have to look for ivory or offwhite paper - I don't care for the white - but the watercolor paper seems to work the best. The image was stamped in Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black. I outlined the edge in Stampin' Up Chocolate Chip. The brads and the heart shaped embellishment are from Michaels. The background and oval paper is from Bazill Basics. The off-white paper is Naturals White from Stampin' Up. The sentiment is from the Stampin' Up Short and Sweet set. The background stamp is Stampin' Up True Thyme from the Peaceful Wishes Set. The embossing poweder is Stampin' Up Copper. The ribbon is double sided satin and oval punch are from Stampin' Up. I have also posted Ellen J's version from the House Mouse website. I have an older version of this stamp from Stampa Rosa that is only black in. ;-)