Thinking Inking

Dancing in the Rain: MFT Rewind

Welcome! I'm headed out to Chicago early this morning, but before I go, I have another My Favorite Things card to share. This one uses the MFT Blue Skies Ahead stamp set, along with several new release dies, including Layered Umbrella Die-namics, Cloud Cover-Up Die-namics, and Blueprints 14 Die-namics for the sentiment panel.

Cardstock is MFT's Pink Lemonade, paired with patterned paper from Echo Park's Splendid Sunshine 6" x  6" pad. I loved the panels part of the umbrella die since it made mixing up the patterns so quick and easy. Here's wishing you a sunny day! Thanks for stopping by,

Debbie

I Pick You: MFT New Product Launch

It's release day for My Favorite Things--the day that you can finally GET all of the goodies that you've been seeing on the MFT blog this week! :-) I have another card to share with you, this one using the Pure Innocence I Pick You stamp set, along with Bokeh Builder for the background. This card is for a little girl who likes yellow, so of course I had to start there! I also used the scalloped trim piece and small rectangle dies for the Blueprints 14 Die-namics. 

These are the Copic markers that I used to color the focal image.

I added a bit of glitter to the flower centers with a glue pen, as well as a tiny tag--everything can use a word of encouragement, right? I hope you get a chance to check out all of the NEW products over at My Favorite Things; I have really enjoyed playing along with the MFT team this month! Thanks for visiting,

Debbie

Rose Bouquet Friend Card

Welcome! The sun is shining, and while we still have over a foot of snow in most places, we are starting see melted rings around the trees and around the house. That's progress, folks! Of course, I'm still "growing" paper and ink flowers inside. Today's card is made with the Taylored Expressions Rose Bouquet stamp focal image, with the tag sentiment taken from a TE Daisy Bouquet set.

Here are the COPIC markers that I used on the Rose Bouquet image.(CS stands for "cast shadow" here in case you are wondering.)

I used several Spellbinders dies, including Labels 18 for the Rose Bouquet focal image, A-2 Bracket Borders 1 for the polka dotted piece of patterned paper, and Back to Basics Tags for the sentiment tag.  Patterned paper is Basic Grey's Fresh Cut 6" x 6" pad. Card base is PTI's Ocean Tides cardstock, and focal image is stamped on Copic X-Press It Blending Card. I dyed white seam binding with my Copic reinkers (R32 and R35). 

I will be back Tuesday evening with an MFT new release post, in case you are wondering. . . Thanks for visiting,

Debbie

Cheer Up: MFT Sunny Thoughts

Welcome! First, I apologize for my scheduling mistake; I had my card ready, but I *clearly* didn't look at the calendar yesterday. Today's My Favorite Things card is made with the new Precious Innocence Sunny Thoughts stamp set. Isn't she a sweetie? Besides Sunny Thoughts, I also used MFT's Raindrops stencil and the Blueprints Number 14 Die-namics.

Since I used so many Copic markers on this image, I thought it might be simper to make a list of where I used each marker--hope that helps! The only colors not listed above are the ones used in my puddle; it was an afterthought. 

On the Blueprints 14 Die-namics, I cut my card front slight larger than the square Die-namics die, and then I used the die just to impress its outline and stitching so that I had a wider border around my square card. I sketched a puddle in pencil, then inked it with my Copic 0.3 Black Multiliner before coloring it in.  To color the puddle, I used Copic B40, the Colorless Blender, and E30 for the area right outside the puddle.

Please be sure to visit the My Favorite Things blog for more information and plenty of inspiration! Thanks for visiting,

Debbie

A Bee-youtiful Day: Garden Tools and Quilted Circles

Welcome! Would you believe that we are supposed to get between six and thirteen inches of fresh snow today? Migrating south sounds better every day. . . SO, another SPRING card, anyone? :-}  Today's card uses JustRite's new Garden Tools clear stamps along with the Quilted Circles cling background stamp, both pictured below.

These are the COPIC Sketch markers that I used to color both the focal image and the back of the vellum.

 I used a heavy vellum and heat-embossed the Quilted Circles cling background stamp in detail white embossing powder, then colored *the back side* of the vellum. It's a quick and easy technique and gives a soft color, even though you don't have to color super-carefully on the bask of the vellum. I used a Spellbinders Classic Rectangles Small die template to cut, emboss, and then mask the rectangle while I airbrushed the sky with a Copic B32 and Airbrush System. I also masked the bee, stamping him on a Post-It Note and trimming right on the line so that I didn't get a white line around the outside.  

I hope you get a chance to see the pieces posted on the blog links below--you will LOVE them and be inspired, I'm sure! Thanks for visiting today,

Debbie

JustRite Inspiration
Becca Feeken
Debbie Olson (here)
Marisa Job
Heidi Blankenship
Darsie Bruno
Michele Kovack
Kathy Jones
Kristi Schurr
Angela Barkhouse
Kazan Clark
Eva Dobilas
Sheri Holt
Margie Higuchi

A Little Birdie Told Me So: Home Tweet Home and Stitched Circles

Welcome! I'm playing double-duty posting this week;
this is my JustRite post, and my MFT post is just below this one.
 . . . . . .

It's day two of JustRite's April release, and today's featured stamps sets were some of my favorites from this month's release, Home Tweet Home clear stamps and the Stitched Circles Cling Background Stamp.  I had some messy fun with the background, heat-embossing the background stamp image on white cardstock with detail white embossing powder, and then painting it with my Faber-Castell Gelatos, kind of a creamy, soft watercolor crayon. I started with a large watercolor brush, but it didn't take me long to starting smearing and mixing with my fingers like a first grader in finger paints. . .  I taped down the four edges before I got the cardstock wet, and that helped keep it from curling too badly. (Enabler alert--Gelatos are on sale right now!)

 

 

Pictured here are the two stamp sets that I used in this post, Home Tweet Home clear stamps and the Stitched Circles Cling Background Stamp. While I fussy-cut my images, there is a Home Tweet Home SVG cut file that will do the work for you if you prefer. (One of these days, I need to get my Silhouette out of its box and try to find a place for it near my computer!)

These are the COPIC Sketch Markers that I used to color the focal image. (Click to see a larger image,) 

For the rounded rectangle sky piece, I used a Spellbinders A-2 Curved Matting Basics B die template to cut, emboss, and stencil while I airbrushed the sky with my Copic Airbrush System and BG01 Copic Sketch marker.

If you are in need of a good deal on some Spellbinders die template sets, JustRite has a 25% off sale going on now through April 22 on their in-stock sets! 

There are some jaw-dropping projects made with today's sets, so I certainly hope that you get a chance to visit the blog posts below for some inspiration. Thanks for stopping by,

Debbie

JustRite Inspiration
Debbie Olson (here)
Michele Kovack
Kathy Jones
Angela Barkhouse
Kazan Clark
Eva Dobilas
Darsie Bruno
Sheri Holt
Marisa Job
Margie Higuchi
Kristi Schurr

My Favorite Things--You're Super!

Welcome! It's Day 6 of the My Favorite things countdown week, and I'm happy to be playing along with the fabulous MFT designers this month. When I saw the sweet little Birdie Brown You're Super stamp set, I knew that I wanted to color this girl.  She reminds me of my nieces--fabulous little pretenders and full of attitude! 

These are the Copic Sketch markers that I used on my Supergirl. (Click to enlarge if you need to see the numbers better.)

For the background I used an MFT On the Diagonal stencil and airbrushed a pattern with my Copic B26 and Copic Airbrush System.  I stamped the cityscape in pale gray ink, then airbrushed with a Copic C3 from the bottom up and a B24 from the top down. That helped the girl and "POW!" sentiment to stand out more.  Both of those pieces are cut with the You're Super Die-namics. 

Please be sure to visit the My Favorite Things blog for more information and plenty of inspiration! I will have several more posts this week, so I hope that you can come back again. Thanks for visiting,

Debbie

Tulip Thanks: Applique Flowers and Burlap Background

Welcome to my second post of the day--this is going to be a full week! (Look just below this post for my MFT Guest post for today.) 

While it still doesn't look like Spring outside my house, the calendar say that Spring is here. (I wish the calendar would tell that to the weatherman who just said that we'll probably have our biggest snow of the year this weekend!) Anyway, I'm glad that I can stamp, cut, and color my own Spring with this JustRite Appliqué Flowers and Vintage Tags clear stamp set.

 

Pictured here are the two stamp sets that I used: Appliqué Flowers and Vintage Sentiment Tags clear stamps and the Burlap Cling Background stamp. 

These are the COPIC Sketch markers that I used to color the tulip and tag. (Click to enlarge pictures, as always.)

 Of course I wanted a PINK tulip! The tulip stem stamp is a curved shape, but it's easy enough to bend when you put it on your acrylic block to straighten it if you prefer. I chose a twine bow to go with the whole Burlap background theme. (Does anyone else remember pulling the threads on burlap sacks?) I did a bit of sewing and some scraping to distress my card edges, then used foam tape to give the pieces dimension. While I fussy-cut my flowers, there is a Home Tweet Home SVG cut file available for those of you who use an electronic cutting machine.

JustRite has a 20-30% off sale going on right now for Faber Castell products, including Gelatos. (I have used those on tomorrow's JustRite card.)

I hope you get a chance to see the pieces posted on the blog links below--you will LOVE them and be inspired, I'm sure! Thanks for visiting today,

Debbie

JustRite Inspiration 

Marisa Job 

Kristi Shurr   

Debbie Olson  (here)

Darsie Bruno

Michele Kovack 

Sheri Holt

Amy Tedder

Heidi Blankenship

Angela Barkhouse  

Kazan Clark  

Margie Higuchi 

Kathy Jones

My Favorite Things--April Guest Designer

Welcome! I'm delighted to be a guest designer for My Favorite Things for April's release. I really appreciate Kim letting me play along with her fabulous team--thanks, Kim! Today's featured preview stamp set is a Lisa Johnson Designs Beautiful Baby set, which I paired with the MFT Starry Night stencil for a sweet baby boy card. 

Here is the inside of my card. I airbrushed the stars with the Starry Night stencil, a Copic Y32 marker, and my Copic Airbrush System, leaving it lighter toward the bottom so that I had space to write a congratulatory note to the proud parents.

To cut the elephants, I used MFT's coordinating LJD Beautiful Baby Die-namics. I used the Blueprints 14 Die-namics to cut that scalloped trim piece. I loved its little stitching holes, so I dyed a length of cotton string with a Copic BG11 marker to lace through the holes.

Please be sure to visit the My Favorite Things blog for more information and plenty of inspiration! I will have several more posts this week, so I hope that you can come back again. Thanks for visiting,

Debbie

Masculine Thank You

Welcome! My teenager recently needed a couple of thank you notes for birthday gifts. (That "Mama says that you can't spend the money until after a note is sent" rule is a great motivator!) He wanted thank you notes that were youthful but sufficiently masculine that he wouldn't be embarrassed to send--at least I think that's what I think "cool" means. And trust me, fourteen-year-olds are easy to inadvertently embarrass. . . I thought that if I started with Kraft cardstock (and scrupulously avoided PINK), I'd be headed in the right direction. I had a little Spellbinders Typewriter die template that I hadn't used yet and thought that it would be great to pair with a sheet of paper stamped with a sentiment. The thank you sentiment from Papertrey Ink's Sentiment Signs stamp set worked perfectly.

 

Besides the Kraft cardstock base, I used PTI's Classic Kraft Pattern Pack for the polka-dotted paper, cut with a Spellbinders A-2 Matting Basics A die template. I used another die from that set for the piece of typing "paper," really Vintage Cream cardstock.  I used a scrap of dark gray cardstock behind the typewriter keys so that they would show up better, and mounted the whole focal image with foam tape.

For this one, I used the Spellbinders Numbers and Letters M-Bossabilities folder on Kraft cardstock for the background, then the thank you sentiment from the Celebration die template set for the sentiment, with Vanilla cardstock inset into a hand-cut Enchanted Evening banner. I added a sheet of vanilla cardstock inside the card for him to write on.  Well, that's it for today--no more "But, Mom--I don't have any thank you notes!" Thanks for visiting,

Debbie