Yea!!! Remember the Doodle Pantry DT call I mentioned?  Well – I made it – which means I get to play with more fantabulous digital stamps – thanks Laurie!  In light of that happy news, I thought a wee celebration was in order – so I carved a little time out of my schedule to play with one of the new sets – Pumpkin Birdie.  I started creating in Photoshop – the sizing of the image was perfect to start with so I just duplicated it several times on an 8.5×11 borderless page. For the pumpkins and leaves, I “pieced” a digital paper from Kalo Designs County Fair kit – resizing as needed.  The little birdie is “colored” using my favorite Chalkies from Jodiann Cates – I LOVE these Photoshop styles – they are seriously one of my go-to tools! After printing out my pieced elements on white CS and a full-size, unaltered image on Very Vanilla CS (SU), I started trimming.  I cut the base image with my large square nesties and embossed it with my Birds and Swirls CB folder (Provo Craft) and then added color by running my Antique Linen Distress Ink pad (Ranger) over the embossed areas.  Since it’s almost impossible for me to avoid some sort of sparkle, I spritzed the entire layer with Gold Glimmer Mist (Tattered Angels) and then placed it face-down under a heavy book to dry and flatten out.  Then I began work on the leaves – using a paintbrush, I applied a thin layer of PVA glue to my stamped image and the applied Autumn Flowersoft (the premade blend mixed with my own creation) for texture.  While those two items were drying, I cut my scallop mat (embossed with D’Vine Swirls CB folder) and my frame from Indian Summer Fall DP (DCWV).  My card base is a standard A2 made from Very Vanilla CS (SU), embossed with a Fiskars Texture Plate and distressed with Antique Linen Distress Ink (Ranger).  To finalize my layout, I browsed the net and discovered this week’s sketch at Card Patterns – which fit beautifully with my design. Instead of using another DP layer, I rummaged through my stash for some Autumn wired ribbon which I attached to a 2.25×4.25 scrap of CS for added stability.  Since everything was dry (at least until that point) I started piecing my layers together.  As I adhered the pumpkins, I covered them with Glossy Accents (Ranger) – I wanted them to shine!  The little birdie (highlighted with Spica markers) followed the pumpkins and then the leaves – all attached with varying thickness pop-dots (Fiskars).  After my scene was assembled, I attached it to the scallop mat and added the frame over the top (which I then embellished with adhesive pearls (Michaels).  The sentiment is handwritten in Pumpkin Pie marker (SU) and attached with a piece of hardware from my stash (SU-retired Hodgepodge Hardware in Aged Copper). I opted to use complimenting pearls in place of the traditional brads on the hardware. All in all, I’m pleased with the results – though I wish I could use Glimmer Mists without curling my paper! I’d love to know what you think too!

Challenges I Played In:

• Card Patterns – Sketch 78
• Alota Rubber Stamps – Fall Colors
• Artful Inkables – Bling It Baby
• Creative Card Crew – Sparkle and Shine
• Scrap Creations – Ribbons, Flowers, Brads or Pearls
• Paper Creations – Use Flowersoft

That’s all from me! I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend! Be sure to visit Laurie’s blog – you can meet the new DT there.

Welcome to another Thursday with Lindsay’s Stamp Stuff! This week Lindsay is the sponsor at Tuesday Morning Sketches as part of their 1st birthday celebration. In order to play along and be in the running for a fabulous FREE digital stamp set from Lindsay’s Stamp Stuff, all you have to do is create a project with ANY of the sketches from the past year – you’re sure to find one that gets your creativity flowing!  Though it was a tough choice, my inspiration is Melissa’s Sketch #2 combined with one of the digital stamps in Lindsay’s Girl Thing Digital Stamp set and Lindsay’s Uptown Houndstooth digital papers. I couldn’t decided if I liked red or black better as my primary color scheme – so I did both! As per my usual, I started out in Photoshop and designed my card base on a standard A2 canvas using Melissa’s sketch as a guide. The solid mats and heels are colored using my favorite Chalkies Photoshop Styles and the DP behind the image was created using a new favorite – Halftone Photoshop Styles, also from Jodiann.  I created the inside sentiments in Photoshop as well – using quotes from Bill Blass and Ginger Rogers – perfect GIRL sentiments. After printing on multi-purpose photo paper, I trimmed everything and adhered to my card bases. Then the embellishing fun began!  For this card I used adhesive crystal rhinestones on the shoe and my new I-Rock tool to add the graduated rhinestones to the mat edges.  For more sparkle, I added Red Stickles to the “fluff” on the shoe. I had planned on using some Fancy Fibers between my layers, but due to a printing issue (my printer decided to scale my base layer) my layers didn’t all print at the same size – so I had to “wing” it – though I’m not unhappy with the results and these will be much easier to mail!! For the 2nd card, I followed the same idea substituting black and white pearls (Michaels) for the the crystals and Black Stickles instead of red. Again, I am pleased with the end result – and I still can’t pick a favorite!

Challenges I Played In:

• Aimee’s Challenge Blog – Something For A Friend (Either Card)
• Alota Rubber Stamps – Glitter and Pearls (Black Card)
• One Stitch At A Time – Digi-Madness (Either Card)
• Papertake Weekly – Cutie Patootie (Red Card)
• Scrappy Frogs – Girlie Girl (Either Card)
• Sisterhood of Scrap – Monochrome (Red Card)
• Stamp Something – Digital (Either Card)

That’s all from me – my little one has a check-up this morning, so we’re off to town for that. If you didn’t arrive here from Lindsay’s blog, be sure to stop by – she has the links to the other DT blogs as well as yummy eye-candy and perhaps a freebie too!

It’s the 7th – which means another Tiffany Doodles challenge!  All you have to do to play along (and be eligible for a chance to win up to 7 digital stamps from Tiffany Doodles) is create a project featuring birds and/or windows. Here’s my little bit of inspiration:

I used Tiffany’s Window and Birdies digital stamps along with a fabulous cutting file from Penny Duncan to create my card.  I colored the birds and the window in Photoshop using my favorite Chalkies styles from Jodiann Cates and a Glass style from Bannerwoman (retired). I printed everything on photo paper (as I wanted to maintain the “glass” look of the window panes).

I printed the window ledge 3 times so I could layer them to create the window box for my flowers.  The flowers were really easy to create – I used Flowersoft Spring Mix and PVA glue applied with the handle of an old paintbrush.  After my flowers were dry, I used popdots to attach the birdies.  My mats were also easy to create thanks to Penny Duncan’s fabulous nested shape cutting files – I imported the layers into my Sure Cuts A Lot software, selected the sizes I wanted, and cut with my Cricut.  I used 4 sizes in all – though the top mat is actually 3 die cuts adhered together.  For the top layer, I brayered Brilliance Sky Blue ink over the entire surface and then stamped my Soft Swirls BG (SU- retired) in Whisper White Craft Ink (SU) while the Brilliance was still moist to create an embossed look.  The 2nd mat is dry embossed using the Birds and Swirls Cuttlebug folder and my Big Shot and then colored with my clear Spica marker to add some shimmer. The 3rd mat is a fabulous patterned CS from DCWV Nana’s Nursery set.  The last mat is cut from glittered DCWV CS – the Holiday stack. The card mat is a fabulous shimmered CS, also from DCWV – this time the Luxury stack.  My card base is white Georgia Pacific CS.  I added the pearls (Michaels) in graduated sizes after using mono adhesive and pop dots to attach all of my layers.

Whew – now that you have all of the details, be sure to visit the Tiffany Doodles blog for all of the details and links to all of the fabulous DT projects.  When you’ve finished your project, link back to the Tiffany Doodles blog so we can all admire your art!

Have a fabulous day!

Challenges I Played In:

• Wee Memories – Anything Goes
• Mark’s Finest Papers – Use a Die Cut
• Paper Make Up Stamps – Window Card
• Lexi’s Creations – Layers
• If The Shoe Fits Scrap It – Wings
• Prairie Fairy Designs – Anything Goes
• Elephantastic Challenges – It’s Up To You
• Creative Card Crew – To Die For
• The Crafty Pad – Animal Fun
• Clearly Delightful – Pearls Bling and Button Things
• Bee-Crafty – 3D
• Aly’s Sunday Sketch – Red or White or Blue