Beach Friends

This new rubber stamp (and digital version) from Sparkle N Sprinkle is so fun to color.  The artist behind this new line of wonderful women is Jan Mahew.  Gertrude (Gerty) is on the left and Eunice is on the right.  Oh the stories I could concoct for these two :-).  These girls are a lot like our own girlfriends!  

This set is Beach Friends and these two are enjoying a nice, refreshing beverage and talking up a storm.  They are colored with Copic markers and Eunice's swimsuit was paper pieced.  The background was created using a stipple brush and Distress Inks (Tumbled Glass; Salty Ocean) and Memento Ink (Desert Sand).  {Thanks again Lynn for the link :-).  She creates the best clouds!}  I added a die cut palm tree from Taylored Expressions and also colored it with Copic markers. The coconuts are covered with Sparkle N Soft Sparkling Coffee.

To add all the glitter to the small spaces, I used a Sakura glue pen.  Orange Surprise was added to the tie on Gerty's swimsuit, her beach bag, and the star fish.  Spirited Green glitter is on the flip-flops, Gerty's hatband, and the branches of the palm tree.  Carnation glitter helps the sea shells sparkle and Pretty Princess completes Eunice's hat band.

The sun was die cut using the Nesting Rick Rack Circles die from Lifestyle Crafts and the sentiment was stamped with Memento Ink.  Next, I added two layers of Clear embossing powder for an extremely shiny sun.  As a final detail, Glossy Accents was added to the drinking glasses and the sunglasses.

Be sure to check out the rest of this line; I don't think you'll be disappointed.   I'll also be showcasing a couple more stamp sets featuring these two throughout the month.

Happy 4th of July to everyone.  Have a great long weekend.  Who knows, maybe you'll be spending it on the beach too, just like Gerty and Eunice.

Princess

"Life as a Diva" is the theme for the Die-Versions new release this month.  Today I wanted to showcase the Sweet Petite Princess die.

I cut her as a silhouette and created a scene where she's looking out a window.  The curtains are rubber stamps from 100 Proof Press (Left Curtain Parting; Right Curtain Parting) which were stamped with Distress Ink (Fired Brick), heat embossed with Clear embossing powder, and colored with Copic markers.  The floor is a rubber stamp by Beeswax Stamps (Fancy Floor), which was stamped with Distress Ink (Gathered Twig).

The background was created using a Cuttlebug embossing folder (Rosa by Anna Griffin) and white pigment ink, which was lightly rubbed over the embossed areas.  The flowers have been in my stash for ages.

Tandem Bike

This image from the new rubber stamp set Bicycles at Sparkle N Sprinkle reminds me of my honeymoon eons ago as one of the things we did was rent a tandem bike.  My husband kept saying it was much harder than he thought it should be.....then he realized I wasn't pedaling and he was doing all the work  :-).  After that, it was much easier.

For this scene, I started by stamping the bike with VersaMark and heat embossing with Copper embossing powder.  Then I masked it using a liquid masking fluid so I could stipple the background with Distress Inks.  After rubbing the masking material away from the image, I colored it with Copic markers and added Reflection velvet glitter to all the chrome pieces of the bike.

I also used a number of dies and created my own variegated glitter paper by randomly sprinkling the following glitters onto a Super Adhesive Sheet adhered to a scrap of cardstock: Raspberry Soda, Eggplant, Cyclamen, Frosted Carmine, Goldenrod, and Mountain Mint.   The sun, grass, and cloud are dies from MFT and the gazebo, birds, butterflies, and flowers are by Die-Versions.   I used the variegated glitter paper to cut out all the accessories to the gazebo.

I also heat embossed the sentiment onto the sun with Copper embossing powder and covered the cloud with Sparkle N Soft Twinkling Clouds flock.

If you haven't checked out the new products at Sparkle N Sprinkle yet, head on over.  There's lots of great new things.

ChooChoo Charlie

All aboard......it's time for the Dude Time Doodles New Release Blog Hop.  Choo Choo Charlie will help guide your way along the hop (and he'll be available in the store by 10am EST).  I have to say that Charlie is near and dear to my heart as he was my suggestion for a new image.  I love trains and always have.  My mom tells a story of when I was two and she had to take me to see the local train come through the town that my grandmother lived in every time we went to visit.  Any chance I get, I still love riding trains, especially old steam trains.

Charlie is colored in Copics and fussy cut out.  The railroad sign is clip art that I printed and cut out with a Spellbinders die (Grand Circles #2).  The train track on the side is an older Sizzix Decorative Strip that I've had for quite a while.  The background was created using a stippling brush and Distress Inks (Salty Ocean, Pumice Stone, Tea Dye).

The New Release Blog Hop is a circular hop, meaning there is no correct beginning.  Just continue going around until you've visited all the Dude/Dudettes.  Be sure to leave a comment with each of us as one of us is the Mystery Host.  Your next stop is Ruth.  Here's the complete blog hop list, just in case.

CG

Charlene

Dawn

Kevin

Tammy

Sharon

Anne (me)

Ruth

Nancy

Dude Time Doodles

Copics used: E23, E15, E47   E50, E51, E53   Y00, Y08   YR12, E15, E37   E13, E15, E17, N5   BG93, BG96, BG99, T0, N6, Y28    C2, C3, C6, R05, R08, R59

You Ol' Rooster

Can you believe it's already the third Wednesday of May?  Well, it is and that means it's time for the Inspirational Challenge from Dude Time Doodles.  It's an easy one - birthdays.  Who doesn't need a few extra birthday cards on hand?

Chick Saunders, a Bonibleaux Designs image, was the inspiration for my birthday card.  He definitely reminds me of "the Colonel" from Kentucky way, so his drink of choice on his birthday (and pretty much any other time) is Kentucky bourbon.

I've used the Emboss Resist technique for the chicken wire, a rubber stamp from Art Impressions.  After heat embossing the image, I stippled Distress Inks to create my background.  Chick is colored with Copic markers (a very pale violet for shadows mainly) and fussy cut out.  After I put all the pieces together, I thought it was still missing something.  So I got out one of my chicken rubber stamps from Hambo Stamps, and used a second generation impression (stamp on scratch paper first to get off most of the ink and then stamp it where you want it for a lighter outline) to go behind the chicken wire and colored with Copics.  The beauty of the embossing is that the outline of the chicken rubbed off on the embossed portion.  I printed to sentiment on my computer, printed it out, cut it out with the Sizzix Tattered Banners, and distressed it with Brushed Corduroy.

Now, it's your turn to get those birthday cards ready to go.  You can enter as many times as you wish, but no back linking, and remember it must be for a DUDE.  Pretty easy, don't ya' think?  Head on over to the Dude Time Doodles challenge blog and link up your creations with the InLinkz button.  While you're there, be sure to check out what the rest of the Dude and Dudettes have come up with for some pretty fun (and funny) birthday inspiration.

I'm also entering this in the following challenges: Blockhead's (emboss resist); Crafty Catz (birthday); Little Claire's Designs (male theme).

May Flowers

Good morning everyone.  We are celebrating May Flowers at Paper Makeup Stamps' Digi Makeover Challenge this week.  And what better way to celebrate than with a blog hop with both the Digi Makeover Artists and the Paper Makeup Artists?  We will be giving away the new digis to one lucky commentor from the hop.  Plus, we will also be giving away a prize to someone who participates in the Digi Makeover Challenge.  That means everyone has two chances to win.  As you hop around, you'll see more of the new releases.

I've paired one of the new flower images, Paper Makeup Stamps' Line Flower with one of the existing word art, Where Flowers Bloom.  I printed both the image and the sentiment on glossy paper and stippled Distress Inks for the color.  A simple technique for a clean and simple image.  I must say, I really like how this turned out.  It's very bright and cheerful in person.  I also rounded the sentiment for a more dimensional look.

Here's the list of participants in the blog hop:

PMS blog to start
Katie Cotton
Michelle Van Patten
Tangii Crain
Anne Temple (you're here)
Lisa McKinney
Britt Bass
Jackie Rakoski
Eret
Melissa Shultz

You should be heading to Lisa next.  Don't forget to leave a comment with all of us.  You could be the luckly winner.  Plus, link up your May Flowers creation to the Digi Makeover Challenge blog for another chance to win.

One final note, Paper Makeup Stamps is still liquidating their rubber stamp inventory and are in the final quantities.  They are marked 75% off (no further markdown will be taken).  So go get yours before they are gone for good (at least the rubber ones).  Most of them are/will be available in digital format.