10/31/09

MFT Preview - Gifty Girl

The MFT Teasers for November have started, and I am so EXCITED to be the Guest Designer this month! AND you are going to love this release. This is the second day of sneak peeks, leading up to the release on Wednesday night. The set I am previewing today is "Gifty Girl". She was previously released as part of a MFT kit, but now she can be purchased as a single stamp.

She is stamped with Memento Ink, colored with my copics, and the dress and the shopping bags are paper pieced. This is new DP I recently picked up at my local LSS. I love the fall colors and the mix of patterns. I added a border punch accent, some lace up the side, tied a ribbon, and added a button, tied with twine, and a tag with a sentiment from the set.

I think this stamp set if so perfect for giving a gift card! On the inside of my card I made a pocket with some of the same elements I used on the front of the card and stamped another sentiment from the set. I added a piece of DP to the left side of the card to give it a finished look.

Don't forget to hop around to visit all the designers on the team today, you'll find samples from Kim, Frances, Jessie, Joanne, Cindy, and Christina.

Would you like to be next month's Guest Designer? The challenge for this month is going on now in the MFT forum at Splitcoaststampers! The challenge this month is to use white as the primary color.

Thanks for stopping by,
Melody

10/30/09

Merry and Bright

Welcome to the Chichiboulie Blog Hop sponsored by Stamping Bella! If you've just happened upon my blog, you can CLICK HERE to start from the beginning at Bloggabella. I have to say that Chichiboulie fairies are one of my favorite Stamping Bella stamps!

For my card today I used Pia Puddingtop. She is colored with copics. I used green and gold stickles to add some bling, and a rhinestone on her hat and for the ornament. She is cut out with my nestibilitites. The DP is Basic Grey. I added lace, red ribbon with some sparkle, and a gold ribbon and bow. The sentiment is also from Stamping Bella.

How about a prize? In addition to the fabulous eye candy, we have decided to hide a prize along the hop! One pre-selected blogger will draw a random winner from the comments on her post, and the winner will receive a $25 Gift Voucher to Stamping Bella!!! The fun part is...we're not telling you who it is! So as you hop, make sure you leave comments on every post so you have a chance to win!! We will announce the winner on Monday in the Splitcoast forum. MWAH!

Thanks so much for stopping by! Now it's time to hop on over to the ever to talented Caroline!

Melody

10/26/09

Under the Mistletoe

I got a little stamping in yesterday and this is one of my cards I will be adding to my Christmas stash. I have been wanting to make a card for Joanne Basile Birth-o-versary Blog challenge. You just need to make a project using her bow technique. She has a great video on her blog, "... just a little something", so even if you don't have time to participate, be sure to go over to her blog and watch her video. Joanne is super talented and has been a great mentor for me! The sketch is this week challenge at Taylored Expressions.

This sweet mistletoe is from the new set from MFT, Santa Baby. I colored with my copics and distressed the edges of the circle. To make the chipboard hanger, I inked in red a chipboard swirl, covered it in craft glue, and applied red glitter. The I added a piece of lace, tied my bow using Joanne's method with the button and twine, and added a few rhinestones. The DP is new from Bo Bunny that I picked up at my LSS.

Thanks!
Melody

10/25/09

The Waltz

Have you check out the So You Think You Can Stamp contest going on in the MFT forum at Splitcoast Stamper? This week the theme is the waltz, think elegant, flowing, romantic and classic. This stamp set, "Meet Me at the Cafe" is one of my oldest and favorite MFT stamps. I decided my touch of elegance would be a velvet ruffle to give the idea of a valance, falling in nicely with the challenge to add a ruffle to your card at Moxie Fab World Blog.

The image is stamped in Memento Black Ink and colored with copics. The skirt is paper pieced. To make the valance, I gathered a pieced of black velvet ribbon and added black glittered ribbon to cover my gathering stitch. I chose black, ivory, and PTI aqua mist for my color scheme. I stamped the Good Friends sentiment and cut it out with an oval nestibility, added Aqua Mist ribbon, Rhinestones from Zva, and a pretty button from my stash.

Here is the inside of my card, continuing with the elegant theme.

Thanks for stopping by,
Melody

10/18/09

Flip and Lift

Did you know that My Favorite Things has a new contest going on? Remember IDOL, well now it's SO YOU THINK YOU CAN STAMP! Each week there is a new dance style to use for inspiration! There is a great prize at the end! You can find all the details HERE! I hope you will join the fun!

In week one the theme was West Coast Swing (week 2 is Disco, I am a little late getting this one on my blog!). I will be honest and admit these kinds of challenges are hard for me. Give me a sketch or a color challenge and I am ready to go! But starting from scratch, I really need to get that creativity flowing! So for West Coast Swing I ended up going with a "Flip and Lift" theme.

I started with the MFT set Merry Christmas? This set always makes me smile! Don't we all feel this way at some point in the holiday season? The PJ pants and chair are paper pieced in Basic Grey Eskimo Kisses. I colored with copics and added rhinestones to the tree and in the corners. Since I knew the inside of the card would have some bulk, I attached a pretty ribbon that would go around the card and tie at the bottom to keep the card closed.

Here is the inside of my card and where the flip and lift come in! When you open the card the panels pop up with the the Appletini's! On the upper panel I made a pocket for a gift card. I was thinking a gift card to a favorite restaurant would fit the theme.

I have had a number of emails and requests for instructions on the card. I have to be honest that I made this up as I went along. I will do my best to give some instructions but I sure its needs some fine detailing still. The base of the card in the green is 5 1/2 x 5 1/2. I cut a strip of red 5 1/4 wide and left it 11" long until I had built the panels.

Here is the view from the side. To made the panels that stand up, I started in the front, leaving 1/2" of paper in the front. I scored at 1/2", then 1" and 1"1/2 inch using my Score-Pal. At the 1" score line I folded the paper, bringing the other two score line in. I used adhesive to glue tht paper together to form the small panel. The I skipped an inch and repeated the process three more times.

I stamped the Appletini three times on a MFT white paper panel. This paper it nice and thick. I colored with my copics, gave each glass a coat of diamond glaze, and cut them out and added a rhinestone to the ornaments. I used a liquid glue to adhere the glasses to the panel to be sure they stayed in place. Then I just looked through my stash for something to dress the panels up with. I found a string of lights from a Jolee's set and went with that. I cut DP to fit between the panels, 1" by 5".

Then I made a pocket for the back panel to put a gift card in. I glued the pocket down leaving the top open.

Here is a side view of the card closed. Note that at the center of the card where I would usually score at 5 1/2, I scored at 5 3/8 and again at 5 5/8 to allow for the bulk in the inside of the card.

As I said, I made this up as I went. If you have any more questions, you can email me at mdrupple@cox.net.

Thanks so much!
Melody

Ingredients:
Paper: DP Basic Grey Eskimo Kisses, PTI Pure Poppy, New Leaf, MFT Paper Panels in White
Ink: Memento Black, SU Real Red
Stamps: MFT Merry Christmas
Other: Rhinestones, ribbon, copics, Jolee's, border punch

Warm and Cozy Christmas

Well, I guess I have moved on from Halloween and Fall cards to cards for the Holiday season. I can't believe it is the middle of October and I know the rest of the year will fly by. The card I am posting today is based on the sketch challenge at Get Sketchy and the color combo is this week's challenge at Color Throwdown. I love these colors together!


This cute image is from Gina K. It is colored with copics, the hat and scarf are paper pieced, and I applied glitter with a glue pen to the snow. The pretty DP is from Memory Box and the edges are sponged with Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Tea Dye. The border punch is Martha Stewart. Then I added lace to the bottom.

I always finish the inside of my cards but I don't usually post them. But I love how this sentiment goes so cute with the stamp!

Thanks for stopping by,
Melody

10/17/09

Enjoy the Magic

I actually have a little free time this Saturday morning and decided to play with my new set I just received from Taylored Expressions, Holiday Wonder. The set has so many possibilities! And as long as I am using Taylor's stamp set, I thought I would use her sketch for this week. A great sketch is always a good place to start for inspiration!

I stamped the tree three times on the card, and one more time on a another piece of paper. The middle tree is cut out and popped up. The I made a little hill from a scrap of white felt and sewed it on. Then I cut it out with my circle nestibility, felt and paper, which worked great. There are diamond stickles on the trees and the felt, and a star button and rhinestones on the tree tops. The sentiment is from the set and I added more rhinestones to the border punch.

Thanks for stopping by! Have a wonderful weekend.

Melody

10/14/09

Tweet, Tweet Thinking of You

It is cloudy and rainy here today. I have been waiting for a little peek of sunshine, but it doesn't look like it is going to happen! So I went ahead and took my pictures. This my be the winter I invest in a light box.

I made one more card for this week's sketch challenge at Taylored Expressions. The stamp is from Taylored Expressions and is call Branching Out. It is a great set, with several trees, and accessories to add to your scene. I stamped the tree on cardstock, then I stamped the tree truck. Then I stamped the tree top on my Cosmo Crickett DP, cut in out, and applied it to my paper. To do the stitching, first I poked my holes with my paper piercer, then I used six strand embroindery floss and a simple back stitch around the tree and it's swirls. I also cut out a small hill and stitched it the bottom of the tree.

I added some zig zag stitching and lace. The lace was a little too white so I just sponged it with Tim Holtz distressing Ink. The fence is a MS border punch. The three birds are from the set, and cut out popped up. Then I added button threading with twine.

Thanks for stopping by,
Melody

Ingredients:
Stamps - Taylored Expression - Branching Out
Ink - Memento Black, SU Real Red, Tim Holtz Distressing Ink in Tea Dye
Paper - DP Cosmo Crickett, PTI Ripe Avocado, Aqua Mist, MFT Paper Panels
Other - MS Border Punch, lace, PTI buttons, twine, sewing machine

10/12/09

Friendship!

Happy Monday! Back to work today and so wishing I could stay home on this cloudy day and stamp! Here is a card made over the weekend, with one of new favorite MFT stamps, Coffee? Tea?. I made this card using the weekend sketch challenge at Taylored Expressions. I really like this sketch and will be using it again.

Her dress is paper pieced and the sleeve is cut out again and popped up. The rest of the image is colored with copics. I doubled a border punch in two colors, and added lace to the border element in the sketch. I added this really cute new ribbon, tied it with a pink sheer ribbon and tied on the sentiment. I added pearls as the final touch.

Thanks so much for stopping by! I so appreciate your comments.

Melody

10/10/09

Warm Wishes

I hope everyone is have a nice weekend. I just got back from a wedding at a winery on top of a hill with absolutely beautiful views! I have not had much time to stamp this week, but here is the card I made for the sketch challenge this week at Priscillastyles.

The stamp is from Whiff of Joy. I think I purchased her last winter but this is the first time I inked her up. I colored her with my copics and added small rhinestone to her pants. The paper is Basic Grey. I did a zig zag stitch around the edges of each panel and added holly leaves and rhine stones.

I hope to spend tomorrow in my stamp room. I love a lazy Sunday!

Melody

10/5/09

Mixing Fabrics and Stamping

I have always loved fabric and learned to sew when I was a teenager. When my girls were young I made them matching Christmas dresses and at Halloween I made them each a special costume, and some years, even made their American Girl Dolls matching costumes. You can fall in love with fabric the way you can pretty paper! In fact, many well know paper companies make fabric too, including Basic Grey.

My Favorite Thing in having a Guest Designer Challenge this month and the challenge is to incorporate fabric into your project. I have been wanting to give this a try for a while so the challenge was the perfect push!

For my project I made a little gift set with a card and a little wooden box to hold a small gift. I think the box could be put to many uses. In fact, I like the way this came out so much I think I might just keep it! The stamp set I used is MFT's Grow, Love, Plant a tree.

If you look closely, you can see that the majority of the card is done with fabric. First I stamped the pointed tree on a MFT paper panel in cream, a second time so that I could cute out the trunk, and a third time on the fabric.

Hint: I like to use a very light weight fusible web, the kind that can be used for sewing. I ironed the web on the back of the fabric, then stamped the image, and cut it out. The webbing gives your fabric a little more stability, keeps it from fraying as much, and it will go through your die cutter much easier. After you cut out your stamped piece, peel off the iron on backing. At this point you can iron your fabric onto the paper with your iron on the silk setting, or just glue it down with your favorite adhesive.

The hill are cut freehand. I laid out the first hill and attached with a zig zag stitch, then I stamped the second tree, and applied the second hill. To do the stitching around the trees, I used my paper piercer to make the holes and used embroidery floss, all six strands to do the stitching. I also used fabric on my background. After finishing up my stitching, I applied lace to the bottom. Then I made a couple of fabric yo-yo's. Here is a tutorial if you want to give them at try.
This little wooden box I purchased at Michael's for a dollar. I painted it black and then I wrapped fabric around it, glueing it down with Tomboy liquid glue. I made the tree as described above, wrapped a ribbon around the box and tied it in a bow, and attached a second yo-yo.

I really enjoyed working on this project! Be sure to join us in the MFT forum at Splitcoaststampers for the big release party on Wednesday at 8:00 pm EST!

Thanks!
Melody

10/4/09

My First Digi Stamp

I have to say I was very surprised when Kim announced that MFT would be carrying digital stamps! Some of MFT images are now available as digi images, and there is a new Halloween image. It's available individually or as part of the Boo Crew Digi Kit! The kit includes the image, sentiment sheet, tag sheet, poem, instructions, and project idea sheet -- all for $5.95! The new image is soooo cute! It was easy to download, resize, and print out. This is my first digi stamp. I don't think it will totally replace my rubber, but it certainly has it's advantages.

This is my Halloween set I made for this week My Favorite Challenge at the MFT forum at Splitcoast. This will definitely be put to use at the end of the month.

I used a kraft gift bag from Michael's. I colored the cute scene, adding a few stickles here and there. I mounted the image on Basic Grey paper, adding a star border with a MS border punch. The sentiment is one of the ones included in the kit, then I tied on with ribbon and added a charm.

Here is a closer look at the image.

The base of the gate fold card in from this month's MFT kit. I covered it in Basic Grey paper. I printed the digi image out again and cut it down to include only two of the characters. I cut out the kitty and pieced her to the scene. Then I added ribbon to tie the card shut. On the inside I added the star border punch.

Now I just have to decide who gets this set on the 31st!

Thanks for stopping by,
Melody

10/3/09

Believe

Happy World Card Making Day!

What, so little stamping and no copics! I so admire the many great cards I see out there that have a mixed media look, but I will admit they are so challenge for me. But I am trying to think out of my box and experiment a little. Even this colors are a stretch for me because I am pretty traditional when it comes to Christmas cards. I made this card for the sketch challenge at 2 Sketches 4 You. I combined the sketch with the challenge at Crazy 4 Challenges, which is to add some stitching on your project.

I built the card around a pretty chipboard snowflake in had in my stash. The DP is Memory Box. I did some sewing around the edges, added a border punch, lace, ribbon, and some rhinestones for a little bling. The metal frame is SU and the sentiment is American Art Stamp.

Have a good weekend,
Melody

10/1/09

Thinking of You

I don't have much creative time during the week, but this my card I have spent a little time on each night this week. The sketch is this week's challenge at Priscillastyles. Be sure to stop by Priscilla's blog and check out another one of her amazing blog candies! The deep, rich colors are the color challenge at Jacksonbelle Embellishments, to use red, green, blue and black. My Graphic 45 papers were perfect for this color challenge! The sweet stamp is Stampavie's Elodie in her Garden that I recently purchased at Jacksonbelle.

The sweet image is colored with Copics and I added a little glitter pen here and there. I notched the corners and added black rhinestones. I tied on ribbon with sunflower charm. The red glitter heart was white but I colored it with my Copics. I also used Tim Holtz Distressing Ink in Peeled Paint and Tea Dye.

Thanks for stopping by and all your sweet comments. I appreciate them so much!

Melody