My stamping adventures

Friday, September 30, 2011

Rainbows

Check out the double rainbows!  Hope you can see them in the photos.  First time in my 50 years I ever saw a double rainbow.  Apparently same for others, too because was outside store and one woman kept saying this is amazing.  You see people taking out their phones to take pictures.  I have to agree it was just so cool........totally awesome!  Thought you would like to see them.

Thursday, September 29, 2011

More challenges

I'm on a roll here with challenges today so over on Stampotique Designers Challenge it's time to celebrate birthdays.  Since this is a Stampotique Originals only challenge I decided to go a little unconventional.  I used my goth gal on a wrinkle free background I had laying around.  Added a bit of color with my Prisma color pencils.  Then stamped head with hearts on another background piece from my stash and again add color with my Prismas then cut out with scallop punch.  Mounted her on top of goth gal head with foam mounting tape just for fun.  Computer generated the saying Happy Unbirthday to you and taped to card.  what do you think?
Over at Gingersnap Creations they are celebrating Gal Pals so I thought why not.....this card fits that catergory, too.  I mean I like to send out all types of birthday cards to my gal pals or friends and I would definately send this one. 

Two challenges- Stampsmith & Fashionable stamping

Today I'm going to use this one card for two challenges which I will list at the bottom of this post.
First I want to explain the circle embellishment on the left of my card....yes, you guessed it, it is stamp collageing that I did over at Roberta's house this past week.  I die cut it out with Nestabilities standard circles.  The coffee gal or what I like to call her Tea Time honey because I'm a tea drinker myself is stamped with Ranger Distress ink, cut out with an EK Sucess scallop circle punch then added color with same Distress ink around the scallop circle.  Tape it to a paper doilly add some faux baker's twine and viola!
Challenges:
The Stampsmith Challenge - autumn colors
Fashionable Stamping Challenges - vintage

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

My friend and I were at it again!

Went over my friend Roberta's house the other day to have a nice lunch and stamp...stamp...stamp!  Did resist technique and of course we fell back to our old favorite collage stamping.  Used lots of stamps but didn't make a note of the companies and lots of inks like Ranger Ink Distress inks.  Do know the big bold leaves are from Hot Potatoes Fabric and Wall Stamps which are Roberta's favorite of all stamps.
It always amazes me that I do like the way these samples come out even though they are stamp kinda hap hazardly.  You can see the difference between all of them and notice the ones that are all stamped and then the samples using sequence waste as a stencil to add dimension.  In case you don't know what sequence waste looks like here is a scan of a piece of it.  When I have time maybe later this week or next week the latest I will make these samples into cards, bookmarks or tags.

Monday, September 26, 2011

Seeing double

If you think you are seeing double ..... you are.  Look back here 
 to see another snowman (Stamps by Lasting Impressions with Panache ) card using all the same images and snowflake embossing folder but the difference is the border.  This time I used the goop border punch by Martha Stewarts crafts to make melting icecles.  what do you think?  it works....doesn't it?

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Weekend happenings

This past weekend was very nice because got to go to a stamp convention in Rhinebeck, NY.  It's a small one but did find 2 out of 3 things I was looking for .....one being a set of the new Ranger Ink seasonal Distress ink pads and Tim Holtz reflections stamp set so that made the two hour ride there worth it.  I also got to meet up with a friend I haven't seen in weeks that is always a good thing.  Took a couple of pictures at Stampers Anonymous booth of Studio 490-wendy vecchi samples.  I like her style especially the vintage feel and color.  Spent about an hour there then said good bye to my friend. 

Then my husband and I continued on to drive to Amish country in PA. which took over three hours.  We didn't think it would be that far away so needless to say we stayed over night.  It is such pretty country there and the feel of old days seeing all the farms.  The horse and buggies driving down the road with the cars is such a surreal feeling.  The weather was just beautiful...cool and clear.  The only bad thing was by the time we got there it was around supper time and we were tired from all the driving so we stayed in and planned to go to all the shops and things next day.  Good plan but it was sunday and most all the shops had signs saying: no sunday sales.  I was disappointed because I had wanted to maybe pick up an Amish quilt but we did find the Intercourse Canning Company (yes, that's the name of the store) open so we bought jars of jam, pickled beets and vanilla peaches....yum!  I'm sure you have guessed by now it was named Intercourse because it is in Intercourse, PA.  Good store with lots of jams, pickled eggs and more to try while you walk around the store.  All in all a good weekend.


Friday, September 16, 2011

Black & White with hint of color

 Had some fun with this card using Stampotique Originals girl with hearts over the Tim Holtz Sizzix alterations playing card texture fade embossing folder plus two others of the Sizzix texture fade embossing folders.  This is my entry for Stampotique Designers Challenge black and white with hint of color.  Oh yes, the hint of color is Prisma color pencils....used two different colors and blended with white pencil.

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Circle of joy

 Here is a circle easel card I made for an upcoming class I will be teaching next month.  I just love all types of easel cards like this circle one, twisted easel cards and of course regular easel cards.  My husband even put in an order for a few of these circle easel cards for his christmas giving card list.  For this perticular card I used all Stamps by Lasting Impressions with Panache images with a little faux stitching because anyone who knows me knows I don't sew or iron!  don't even own a sewing machine....do have a couple of irons but they are for crafting only.....too messed up for using on clothes.  Colored in the holly image with Prisma color pencils just love the way I can use 3 or 5 different colors and blend them together for the perfect coloring on the image.

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

T Postcard Buddies

Back with more Postcard Buddies to show you.  We are up to the letter "T" and look at the themes this month.  There are two for tea and three for turtles (toad).....the third turtle or toad as Leslie calls it is on the back of her postcard.
Tea cups by sue (me) - main image is Hot Potatoes Fabric and Wall Stamps and color is turquoise.
Turtles by Muriel - isn't that one in his shell upside down just adorable.
Tea by Petti - she has the best little scene type stamps. 
 Towed by Leslie - just great that she has a tow truck to tow the truck and on the address side of her postcard is the second defination of a Toad.
Time by Grace -  all those timely time pieces.
Turtle by Roberta - terrific carved looking image of a turtle.

Monday, September 12, 2011

scavenger hunt - atc style

A little while back (june 2011) I did a ATC scavenger hunt with atcs_are_us : ATC's Are Us yahoo group.  It was a lot of fun and here are the ATC's I (left) and my (right) partner created with all the stuff that the hostess sent out to us and other players.  Basically the rules are that you use everything you can that is sent to you and make one ATC for each theme then send it to your partner.  If you look at my 3rd and Julie's (my partner) 1st atc .... we both used the same image for theme of vintage which is actually a photo of our hostess's mother.  It's just fun to see what we both did...don't you think? 

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Younger days....

Isn't he handsome.....that's my dad back in the service before it was called army, navy, air force.  Over on Outlines blog they asked that you use a photo in project calling the challenge picture this so I took this old photo of dad and aged it more with Ranger Ink Distress vintage photo, frayed burlap and tea dye ink pads.  Then using the same inks I stamped Outlines Rubber Stamps scallop dots border and fun leaf, cut them all out and layered on the side of photo.

Monday, September 5, 2011

Faux Leather bookmark

A quick and easy way to get a leather look or faux leather.  Bascially you rip pieces of good old regular masking tape and fill a piece of cardstock.  Next step do DTP technique with ink pads.  I used a bunch of Ranger Ink Distress ink pads, buffing with paper towel after each color.  King of spades image is from The Stampsmith Art Rubber Stamps so of course this bookmark (yes, I'm on a bookmark kick) is for faux technique: The Stampsmith Challenge . 

A question came up:
I'm sorry I've been stamping so long I forget to explain myself sometimes.
What is DTP?
 DTP = direct to paper which means to take your ink pad directly to your paper to add color. Drag ink pad over your paper.

Stampotique bookmark

Here is my folded bookmark using Stampotique Originals dragonfly by Maryse Carrier and swirl.  Had fun swiping on Ranger Ink Distress Stains for the background color.....my new favorite product.  Stamped dragonfly then blended matching Distress inks on the dragonfly, cut it out and mounted on bookmark.  This is a folded shaped bookmark, add a magnet inside to hold your place in book or magazine.  Did I mention this if for Stampotique Designers Challenge . 

Snow in september

O.K. so it's not really snowing outside but it is here on this snowman (Stamps by Lasting Impressions with Panache) card I created.  I do like greeting (Stamps by Lasting Impressions with Panache) A snowy greeting for a winter or holiday type card.  Don't you just like the icecle border from Martha Stewart collection....perfect fit.  Of course, if you know me, out came my Prisma color pencils to add color to my snowman hat and scarf.  This is my way of keeping cool while it's still pretty warm outside.

Sunday, September 4, 2011

Christmas time or back to cards

 Don't know about Christmas time but with no power for days from hurricane I was able to start my Christmas cards.  Here is a matchbook gift card holder I made using Stamps by Lasting Impressions with Panache candy cane image and pattern papers I got at craft store.  A creative and easy way to present a gift card to someone.

Friday, September 2, 2011

A little more on Irene

Been without power/phone for 4 days because of Hurricane Irene so there is a lot of catching up to do here and in house.  Hope you have liked the little (no sound) videos I uploaded here:  http://stampingsueinconnecticut.blogspot.com/2011/09/duck-pond.html and here:  http://stampingsueinconnecticut.blogspot.com/2011/08/hurricane-irene-is-out-of-here.html .  Only figured out to do 60 second video without sound maybe in future will figure out how to tape longer and with sound.
The day after the hurricane we took a ride downtown to duck pond ..... all that water and the ducks/geese just hanging out.  Check out the benches in the water!  Hard to believe the water went up that far since we didn't have that much rain from hurricane just lots of winds. 
See me in the dark with glow stick and hurricane candle!  glad to have power back.

Duck pond

This are two short videos at our duck pond downtown the day after Hurricane Irene.