Courage...

Ah, I just love this phrase! So many things I want to do and try... and it is so scary to get out there and even try... this phrase just screams at me and gives me hope that it doesn't matter if I fail... it just encourages me to TRY. Just give it shot!  Who cares what others think! I just wanna be me!!!!!!!

This is for Week 2 of Viva La Verve sketch you can see more details here  . Had so much fun using colored thread to stitch this together. I just picked up pink and orange the other day! Glad I did!!! On the bottom of the card layered over the pink is tulle! Pretty sweet, eh! :) Hope your having a great Sunday. To see how I did the background read my previous post here. 

Recipe:
Stamp: Blue Skies-Verve
Ink - Early Espresso
Paper - Early Espresso, Melon Mambo, Bermuda Bay, Old Olive

Enjoy!
Colleen G.

MOJO198 - Dance in the Rain

I am taking a Beth Moore bible study about David - We just talked about how David was so excited to be carrying home the ark of the covenant successfully and was rejoicing in the Lord and just starting dancing uninhibited before God. It was joy he had and faith and hope in who God was... even when things didn't go David's way, most of the time he learned to dance in the rain... 

Now if only I could embrace life's moments of rain... and JUST DANCE. :)

Now onto the card another MOJO MONDAY There is still time to play head on over to see some fabulous work. It is hard to see the sewing on the card, but I used a new stitch down the middle, I really liked how the stitching turned out... if I knew I was adding black to the card I would have used that. BTW -I am loving these butterfly's & how everything looks shimmery with my new Ranger Pearl mist!!!

NOTE to self: White Ribbon will melt if using heat gun! :)

Recipe:
Stamps: Blue Skies-Verve
Paper - Baja Breeze DP
Ribbon, Whisper White, Rose Red

Enjoy!
Colleen G.

Hello Butterfly

So much fun! The center butterfly paper is TH Kraft resist paper. LOVE this! You can color it any color and get an amzing design. the Butterfly on bottom left is from Blue Skies, by Verve Stamps. The butterfly was saturated in Heirloom Gold Perfect Pearls Mist...(which is amazing and my new fave!) 
Designed for VLV JULY Week 1 sketch. 


Enjoy!
Colleen G.

VLV June 2011 Challenge

It's been about 2 years since I played in the Friday VLV Challenge (Verve Stamps). I remember not really playing again because I was sooooo awful! I still have a long way to go, but finally feel like I have it figured out and can get something accomplished a whole lot quicker!!! 

 Love this stamp set every time I use it. Love that there are no faces to color or hair!!! :) Used SU water color paper to stamp the image on. The flower is on grunge board and inked with the refill ink and then a little bit of Paint on it to give it some texture. 

Week 1 

Recipe:

Stamp - Unity Stamps: Rain or Shine

Paper - Melon Mambo, Rich Razzleberry

Flower - Fun Flowers Die Cut

So Burlap is pretty much my favorite. I bought a light color to dye it with the Tim Holtz Distressed Stains. I love everything about these stains!!! I will own every color one day! 

Week 2 Recipe:

Stamp - Verve Stamps: Blue Skies, Tim Holtz heart stamp

Paper - Rich Razzleberry, Not Quite Navy, 

Burlap - Ranger Distress Stain: Blue Jeans

Butterfly - SU sizzlets

Love this card. Nothing but paint - used a Tim Holtz stamp set, can't find the name of it.... but I just love that this is all me, my art, my take. Just me! Will keep trying to perfect this! 

Week 3 Recipe:

Stamp - Tim Holtz Stamp set

Ink - Ranger Pain Daubers

Paper - Taken with Teal, Early Espresso

So I received my first Verve Stamp Set this week. I have not been a big fan of Acrylic stamps as I find most stamps are not quality and don't leave a clean crisp image. WELL these are just fabulous and work fabulously with all my ink.  I will def. be purchasing more. The flower again is on grunge board and painted with the Ranger dauber, I was impatient and heated it dry and it gave a lot of texture! Love when mistakes work out great!!! 

Week 4 Recipe:

Stamp - Verve Stamp: Blue Skies

Paper - Marina Mist, Not Quite Navy

Leave some love!!!

Enjoy!

Colleen G. 

Book Covers

I fell in love with this card  from Julee at Poetic Artistry - She then linked a video that she followed which is by JournalArtista - it is a 2 part video - isn't she amazing. So watch both. Which that then inspired me to make these:

Dress form was a foam Stamp by Donna Downey. Flower is die cut from Stampin UP - Used lots of paint and Tim Holtz Distressed Ink and Stains (PS I LOVE the new stains, absolutely fabulous). The plate was in a drawer, I think it came from my sister.

I used the SU word Window punch to to punch out for the date. I used the SMASH stamp. Loving this whole idea of a smash book and journal book. Not sure which will be which or how many more I will make. I am just loving this. This one I Mod Podged everything to seal it.

What are your thoughts? Leave some love.

Enjoy!
Colleen G.

MOJO 195 & a little bitta TIM!

So I am from the suburbs  of Chicago and that makes me spoiled... I can drive to any store I want within 20 minutes... BUT now I am in a small town with 1 craft store, and it's def. not my favorite one. UGH!!! Driving to Louisville is about 45 minute drive and requires planning and seems more like a field trip to find the other stores! :)

Anyway - the store in town just started carrying new FUN products and that makes me have fun!!! :)

Enjoy!
Colleen G.

So here is where I started

So yesterday I started with this card, but wasnt sure and went to bed. Today I did the other card, and then decided I might as well try finishing this. I got the sentiment and then sewed. Yesterday my sewing machine was sewing upside down... like the design was on the bottom I think this was because of the bobbin being upside down? Anyone know if that was right? Anyway, today it worked. Love sewing on cards. But sooo scary to do it and not worry about ruining it!!!

Circle flower under my tutorial tab.


Enjoy!
Colleen G.

MOJO194 - woot woot

Beyond stressed! I needed this. I was sitting here today making this card, my kid was finally sleeping... it was calming for me to stamp. This was an outlet of serenity today. He is 3. Need I say more? AAAHHH to MOJO! 

Made this sketch for MOJO194 - you can see all the details here. Just a couple days left to play. I borrowed this stamp from a friend... and I LOVE IT! I want it... maybe I can swap her for it! :) HA!

Recipe:
Stamp: Gifts from the Orient
Paper: So Saffron, Taken with Teal, Choco Chip, Old Olive

Enjoy!
Colleen G.

Happy I do Day -

This felt good! My mojo has been gone. I was in one of those funks for the past month, I would actually think maybe it's time to quit stamping. I don't have the time. But after last weeks card, and then this. I am fully back. Excited to stamp. Wanting new stuff. Needing more time! :) It helped that I had a deadline too. We had an upline meeting and swap last night. I was in need of wedding cards - So killed 2 birds with one stone. CUTEness! JMO!

Recipe:
Stamps: Word Play, Apple Blossoms
Ink: Perfect Plum, Rose Red, Basic Black,
Paper, Whisper White, Rose Red DP, So Saffron, Basic Black
Tools: Rhinestones and Scallop Punch

Enjoy!
Colleen G.

Guess my break should be over, huh?

So where have I been? I am just not sure. It has been over a month since I stamped. I tried last week, it didn't work too well for me. On Tuesday, I worked on this, but wasn't completely happy with it. I was hoping to stamp today... but that didn't work. So I figured I better just glue the flower on, take a picture and upload this for MOJO MONDAY - I have been sewing like crazy and haven't found a lot of time for cards. Where does the time go????????