12 Tags of 2014 - February

In keeping with my resolution to make all 12 tags this year I'm sharing my take on Tim's February tag.  I almost forgot to about it...realizing just yesterday that I only had until this Friday to get it done.

 

 

I tried the chalkboard technique that Tim used on his tag and it just didn't work for me so I used a different chalkboard technique. I read his instructions again and can only figure that I'm heating the embossing powder for too long. I'll give it another try but might not have time before Friday.

This tag involved a lot of improvising. I didn't have the new stamps, or the Industrious Stickers, so I substituted there.  The stamp is from the My Favorite Things-Chalkboard Greetings stamp set.  I embossed it in white and then rubbed Ranger Adirondack Snow Cap pigment ink into the background with my finger.  I edged it with a chalk marker.  The arrow is from Tim's Sizzix Bigz Love Struck Die.  The border is from Tim's Sizzix Decorative Strip Vintage Lace die.  Both were cut from manila cardstock covered with aluminum tape and then distressed with a combination of Ranger Latte alcohol ink and Snow Cap alcohol ink mixative.  I also added the Ideaology Philosophy Tag and Wire Pin.

 

 

Another habit I'm trying to get into is making two of everything.  It usually doesn't take much more time, since all of the supplies are already out, and that way I have one to keep and one to share!

 

Have a great day!

RubberMoon Moonmail Club ATC Swap

I have always been a big fan of RubberMoon Stamps.  I have collected quite a few images over the years so I was thrilled to find out that the stamp company had recently been purchased by Kristen Powers (aka KaePea).  KaePea has created a brand new website and blog and also started a monthly stamp subscription program called Moonmail Club.  Each month we receive an exclusive stamp created by one of the RubberMoon artists.  There is also an exclusive Facebook group, private video tutorials and lots of extra goodies!

To celebrate the very first Moonmail stamp and the creation of the club we held an ATC swap.  Each person who participated received the mailing address of another participant so you only knew who you were sending an ATC to but didn't know where your's would be coming from!  My ATC came from Janet in Oklahoma and I just love it!  Since I live in Florida I think snow is magical!  And this year I really wished I could go somewhere to see some.  Albeit from inside of a nice warm house...but I would have loved it!  Here's the ATC I received from Janet...

 

 

She even went so far as to stamp the houses along the envelope border and lined it with a white pen to continue the snow theme and she sent it along with the cute handmade owl card!  Thanks Janet!  I love it all!!

 

My ATC went to Ceci in Washington state so it literally traveled from one corner of the United States to the other!  Ceci was very happy with it so I was glad.  Here's what I sent out...



 

 



It's my first ATC swap and I was very excited so I had a difficult time squashing all of the stamps I wanted to use into such a small space! You can see that I didn't do very well because my ATC is a book format. That's the only way I could fit everything in!!! I used watercolor pencils and a waterbrush to do the coloring.  And I discovered that I LOVE using watercolor pencils!

 

One swap participant lives in Australia so we still haven't seen all of the swap ATCs yet.  I had so much fun and I hope that we can have future swaps!  Make sure you visit RubberMoon and take a look at all of the great images they have!  They're such fun stamps!!

Cute Little Valentines

Hi All! Just wanted to pop in and share the cute little valentine cards that I made with my Paper Smooches stamps and a couple of Sizzix dies.

When trying to decide what I wanted to make I realized that many of the Paper Smooches images and sayings were similar to the cute little store-bought valentines that kids use to give to their friends...only better!  I started with the Sizzix Bigz XL Mini-Correspondence die by Brenda Walton.  I cut the little cards using white card stock and got to stamping!  It was a lot of fun and I almost wish I had needed to make more so I could keep going!  Once they were stamped I did some quick coloring with watercolor pencils and a water brush.  I stamped some little hearts around the images and then edged them with Worn Lipstick distress ink.  So cute!!

 

 

The images used are from the following Paper Smooches stamp sets: Woofers & Tweeters, Sugar Rush, Chit Chat, My Peeps, Party Posse, Nine Lives, Briny Blue, and Giddy Gumdrops.

 

I also used the mini-correspondence die to cut the little library card-type envelope.  You can't see it but when the recipient removes the little valentine card they'll see "Happy Valentine's Day!" stamped on the envelope behind the card.

 



I used the Sizzix Bigz XL Treat Popper die, also by Brenda Walton, for the candy holder.  I embellished them with a piece from the Sizzix Scallop Eyelet Edge decorative strip die cut from white paper.  Then I attached the valentine card with curling ribbon.  Super easy and fun!  All of my co-workers loved them!

Have a Happy Valentine's Day!

I'm linking this to the Paper Smooches Fun & Cute Challenge.  Also, linking to the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge blog where the theme is We Love Stamps.