Friends are Angels Stamped Card

I am in LOOOOOOOVE with the new releases at Visible Image.

One of my favorite new sets is So Much Stronger, which has all of these gorgeous sentiments that are bold and powerful (like the one I'm using in my card).

 

I have been hoarding erm... carefully saving some Tim Holtz angel wings and as soon as I got my hands on this gorgeous set, I finally had the perfect card to use them on. 

I'd chosen some teal and warm brown papers to use on my card, so I wanted my silver wings to match. InkaGold to the rescue! 

InkaGold is perfect for altering chipboard, paper flowers, and metal pieces. It can be used as a paste, or mixed with water to create watercolors. 

After I smudged with teal, I added a second layer of light gold. OOooooo shiny!

I used the same gold around on a die cut piece that would be my focal panel for my sentiment.

Sponged around the edges with some brown Distress Inks to give it a vintage vibe. 

I added a ribbon, and embossed the lovely sentiment and I have one stunner of a final design!

Joy Clair + Coffee Loving Papercrafters Blog Hop

I'm soooooo fleepin excited to share with you all that the Coffee Loving Cardmakers Design Team is teaming up with the Joy Clair DT to celebrate the release of their brand new stamp set "Coffee Love".

You should have arrived here from Robyn Jordan's blog on the hop list. You're definitely going to want to hop along because you could win a $25 Joy Clair gift card to buy all the lovely stamps you want! 

I just adore the sketchy coffee cups in this set and I know I'm going to be using it for all sorts of occasions because it has sentiments for thank you cards, valentine's day cards, and hello cards. 

My fave cup of the whole set is this little guy with the scribbly heart in the center. I raised him up  using some black Ranger embossing powder and then colored in the heart. 

I used some coffee-themed designer paper from American Crafts and stamped a coordinating sentiment from the Joy Clair Coffee Love stamp set. 

I took my inspiration for the layout from the sketch challenge over at Paper Craft Crew Challenges. 

Well that's all from me! Now get to hopping! 

Your next stop is Dana Warren! 

Visible Image + MISTI blog hop + PRIZES!

Hello Friendly Friends! I've got a blog post today that you're not going to want to miss out on. If you love Misti, or you love Visible Image stamps read til the end because there's 100 smackers worth of prizes up for grabs. *insert gasping noise here*

When the MISTI (short for most incredible stamping tool invented) came out, I definitely shelled out all my crafty savings to buy one because they are AMAZING. I use masking frequently as a technique, when I design cards and got so frustrated whenever I'd stamp an image that wouldn't be right on. The MISTI allows me to restamp the image in the exact same place every time. Believe me when I say that whatever I paid for the tool has been more than made up for in the cost of paper I would have had to chuck otherwise. haha.

A few months after they released the full MISTI, they dreamed up the mini MISTI and I'm so happy to get my hot little hands on one. I like the full size one because it's nice for using with large background stamps, but the mini appealed to me because it doesn't take up so much of my table space and I can keep it in arm's reach. And it's sooooo cuuuuuuuute. hehe

As you may know, if you're a regular reader of my blog (if not ->> hit the subscribe and I'll be forever grateful!) I am not a huge CAS fan. Mostly because if I even look at white space crosswise it somehow winds up with ink all over it. 

So rarely - if ever have I attempted the triple layer stamping technique. Since I had the handy dandy mini MISTI, I decided to give it a go. I cut 3 sheets of blank paper and stacked them atop each other, securing them in place with the magnet that comes along with the MISTI. 

I placed and inked my stamps - these moths come from the Glimmer of Light stamp set from Visible Image, which is freakin' gorrrrgeous. 

Check it! 

I stamped on the first layer, and then removed it, stamping again on the second layer, removing, and then repeated all the way until I only had the last layer to go. 

I repeated this on both sides of my card, before inking up a sentiment from the Shining Bright stamp set using VersaMark embossing ink. 

Shining Bright is another one of my fave sets. Visible Image always has the most unique sentiments and I love the slightly grungy feel to all their designs. 

I stamped a lightbulb and watercolored it, fading it out until the outer edges were a soft yellow. 

I added in some InkaGold to give the lightbulb some real life shimmer. and then speckled my card with flicks of yellows and golds. 

Once I had all my layers, I used mounting tape to give them a little lift in between. 

Taaaa-daaaaaa! I never would have attempted this technique without the MISTI. If you haven't invested in one, you neeeeeed to. Like not even a want. It's a need. You will never regret it.

Oh yeah - I mentioned prizes.

Both Visible Image and MISTI are offering a $50 shopping spree!!! Winning is pretty simple, just go have some inspirational fun along the hop with these folks: 

Veerle Moreels

Ilina Crouse

Lisa Taggart

Jeanne Streiff

Sharon Traynor

Kia Gibson-Clapper

Becca Cruger <--- YOU ARE HERE

Ceal Pritchett

Pauline Butcher

Giovana Smith

Josefine Fouarge

Chris Dayton

Jane Tyrrell

Stephanie Severin

Tenia Nelson

Janine Tinklenberg

Elisa Ablett

Dina Kowal

Heather Mitchell

Kyra Sanders

Lynn Good

Susan Wymer

Lanette Erickson

Joan Bardee

Aga Baraniak

Judy Rozema

Eileen Godwin

My Sweet Petunia

Leave a sweet comment on each post and two lucky commenters will win. :) 
Comments must be left by Monday, April 30 11:59 p.m. CST. Winners will be announced May 1st on the Visible Image and My Sweet Petunia blog. 

Happy Hopping, friends!

Magical Unicorn Card

You. Guys. 
I can now die happy. Why? Because I created my very first ever unicorn card! 

I never knew how much I needed a unicorn stamp in my life until I got the Visible Image Believe in Unicorns set. The second I got this in the mail, I immediately went off to my craft room to ink it up. It's just so beautiful. 

I inked up a sheet of heavy weight white card stock using the Distress Ink double dipping technique. Colors here are Wilted Violet, Mermaid Lagoon, and Cracked Pistachio. 

Next, I used swathed some metallic shimmer white embossing paste through the Fibres stencil to create some shine and texture. 

Just look at all that shimmer! Oooooohhhh

I embossed and fussy cut my prancing unicorn. 

I put it all together and what did I got? An amazing magical unicorn who's taking center stage in a shimmery, color-filled design. I completed my look with a scrawly sentiment from the Go To Words set. 

So majestic. I hope you all enjoyed this design! :) 

Autism Awareness Blog Hop

An amazing bloggy friend (here's looking at you, Tenia) asked me to participate in a blog hop to raise in honor of Autism Awareness Day - recognized internationally on April 2.

Of course I said a resounding yes. I've been blessed to have individuals with autism in my life. One of my first ever jobs was working with an autistic man, helping him succeed in his job and it was one of the most rewarding things. People with autism might find themselves facing challenges with non-verbal communication and some social interactions.

You might have heard about the spectrum within autism and that's because it's really what it is - no two people with autism will present with the same symptoms. Today is a day to celebrate individuals with autism, and I'm proud to be a part of this hop.

The color for autism awareness is blue, so I started with a watercolored blue background made with Dina Wakely Scribble Sticks.

I added to the blue with some mandalas, stamped with Distress Inks.

Next, I used a butterfly  mask from STAMPlorations and painted over it with gesso.

I outlined the butterflies, created with the negative space of my mask, using a Faber Castell Pitt Artist Pen, then used Scribble Sticks and water to create a hazy blue cloud around my butterflies.

I embossed a sentiment, super appropriate for this blog hop from STAMPlorations and added a little embossed butterfly.

 So there's my happy blue card. I hope you'll all participate in this awesome hop and check out the rest of the talented designers. Check them out! 

Erica A-B

Sandy Allnock

Amanda Bodine

Kimberly Crawford 

Joscelyne Cutchens (Instagram)
Dana Joy

Wanda Guess

Jill Dewey Hawkins

Jennifer Ingle (Instagram)

Emily Midgett

Kay Miller

Carly Tee Minner

Miriam Prantner

Elena Roussakis

Heather Ruwe

Amy Tsuruta

Marcie Sharp

Alice Wertz

Vera Yates

Tenia Nelson

Catherine Cosimano

Rachel Parys

Pocono Pam

Terri Burson

Becca Dawn Cruger

Cindy Blancett

Bonus! There are some super awesome prizes up for grabs thanks to some uber generous sponsors. Happy hopping! 

Sunshine on a Rainy Day Stamped Card

March in North Dakota usually means blustery snow and cold. But this week, right before we got walloped by a blizzard, there was a thunderstorm and tons of rain! Mother nature acted a little bipolar. 

In honor of our rainstorm, I busted out the Sparkle in the Rain stamp set by Visible Image and let my inner optimist shine with this card design.

I began by embossing the umbrella girl in black and then scribbled over her with shades of yellow gelatos. 

I blended the gelatos with my fingers and then used a damp paper towel to wipe off the excess gelato from the embossed image. 

I masked over my image and most of the yellow portions of my card and then stamped some raindrops using blue Distress Inks. 

I thought the card paired perfectly with this big ol' happy sentiment from the Express Yourself set. 

I embossed it on black paper and then painted in the sunshine with a bit of yellow Distress Oxides, followed by a healthy does of Spectrum Noir sparkle markers - because who doesn't love all things GLITTER!?

A little background of patterned paper and viola! My design was complete!

I'm going to play along in a few challenges: 
Just Add Ink - Just Add Water
Aud Sentiments - Anything Goes plus a sentiment
TIME OUT Challenges - Bold (I used lots of bold colors)

Thanks for popping by, my friends and be sure to head over to the Visible Image blog to check out some awesome inspiration!
 

Llama Tell You - Stamp Release + PRIZES

YOU GUYS! Errrrm... ok you (mostly) GALS! There's a new stamp set on the block and it's all sorts of adorable fun. 

Yours truly just designed a new stamp set for STAMPlorations called Llama Tell You. Who doesn't love a party animal?! Hehe - sorry I just thought I'd throw in one more pun for you. 

And there are **PRIZES** at stake so pay attention! 

The card above was inspired by the sketch at Sketch Saturday 

Not only am I giving away one of these stamp sets personally to someone who leaves a comment on my blog or the other two designers who made cards for this hop, STAMPlorations is giving away a $25 gift card to one of of the lucky commenters, too!

So come on over and party hearty with us! 

P.S. This week all of the Big Grins by Becca Cruger stamp sets are 10% off, and you can also get an extra 20% off by using the code STAMPGIRLBECCA at checkout. Pretty nifty. 

Start hopping here! 

You can find Llama Tell You in the STAMPstore. 

Zodiac Birthday Card - Cancer Style

Friends. If you haven't been to Visible's blog yet, you are missing out. They just released an amazing array of new designs, and my heart is swooning at each of them! 

Among the newly released beauties is a whole set called "Written In the Stars" which has all of the signs of the zodiac and each of their attributes. 

I don't necessarily follow my stars or anything like that, but every once in awhile I have fun reading my horoscope. I'm a Cancer myself, and when I got my hands on the set, the attributes were pretty spot on "sensitive, caring, intuitive, sentimental, and emotional". 

Originally I thought about paper piecing my crab and pulled out a bunch of red patterned papers, but as I was pulling out my scraps, I came across this piece I'd made by sopping up the leftover inks on my craft mat after a project. (Waste not, want not.)

Since Cancer is a water element sign, the leftover paper totally spoke to me and I scrapped the scraps. 

Continuing with the water theme, I pulled out my Kuretake Gansai watercolors and added some various shades of red, with hints of blue.

I cut down the background, using mostly reds and orange hues. As I was chopping my paper to size, I spotted these old wax sealer things that I've never used and had a thought. I used my embossing tool to heat the wax, and pressed it into the background. 

I'm definitely going to use this technique again in the future because it resulted in "wet" spots, even though the wax is perfectly dry! 

I used some Weathered Wood Distress Ink and repeatedly stamped the Cancer phrase over and over again. 

Some additional stamping, fussy cutting, and blue fibers later and my card was complete! 

Head on over to the Visible Image shop to see all the new releases! Thanks for popping by!