StarLitStudio

stargazer lilies

Lockhart Stamp Company Stargazer Lilies featured in today's project - the ever-needed birthday card.  Memory Box sentiment, October Afternoon Farm Girl papers.  Decorative edge is a Martha border punch.  Picot-edged ribbon; image was colored with Copic markers after studying these flowers using images online.

Finished card size is 5 x 6 inches, including overhang.  

Glossy Accents used on the vase with a snippet of thin, goldenrod-colored silk ribbon, and Mustard Seed Distress Stickles used for the flower centers.  This is the first I've ever used my stash of the Distress Stickles, other than to create the pretty color chart - ha.  Hope you're having a good start to the week - snow here in New Jersey today!

sitting cat

During the power outage from Superstorm Sandy, our cat, Ryan, sat as close as possible to the metal screen of our fireplace.  Every evening at sunset he would wait on the hearth for my dear husband to build the fire that kept us warm until bedtime.  

All Memory Box dies (sitting, cat, flower box, small arched window, small flowerbox, grove branch). Background was airbrushed with a Copic marker;retired 7gypsies patterned paper; card base is Memory Box Endive.  Happy Monday!

 

trendy trees trifold

Memory Box Trendy Trees stamp and die were used on today's project, along with Bazzill's 6x6 Avalon, Robin's Egg and Memory Box Russian Sage cardstock and envelope.  A Muse sentiment.

   

Stamped image onto white cardstock, colored with Copics, then die cut the image with the Trendy Trees die.  

There's a few tricks one can use to align the stamped image with the die (or vice versa). I use the first method Patter discusses in this video, but use cardstock, not acetate, as my template.  The cardstock template is simply stored with the die.  Cardstock is easier to see when storing for me versus acetate.

A magnetic snap holds the tri-fold style card neatly closed.  Papertrey bookmark-style die used under trees, Memory Box Debutante Frame used on left opening.

Glossy Accents highlighted where the trees intersected.  Teal Divine Twine.  Happy Monday - hope your week is off to a good start!

Lockhart cherries paperweight

Functional and sweet! 2-1/4" diameter, clear, flat-backed, glass disc paperweight kits. 

Lockhart Cherries image was stamped and colored with Copic markers. I added a touch of glitter with Atyou glitter pens (also from Copic). If you use water-based markers or water-based stamping ink for the steps outlined in this post (using Glossy Accents) the colors may bleed. Copic markers are alcohol based and the ink stays put.  I used Memento Tuxedo Black for my stamping ink.

I dispensed a layer of Glossy Accents onto the glass disc back and using my finger smeared the glue completely over the back, then pressed into the stamped image. I used an old credit card to squeegie/swipe out any air bubbles between the glass disc and the piece of cardstock. Finished sealing the cardstock edges to the glass disc using my fingers, and used a baby wipe to periodically clean my fingers and the glass of the glue.

Instead of a stamped image, try using an image from a magazine, or a photo - but test the adhesive you plan to use on a spare photo - you'll want to check for any adverse reactions between your planned adhesive and the photo ink that was used to process the photo.  A 2-1/4-inch circle punch works great if you are not using the enclosed white cardstock circles.

Cork backing was adhered using Glossy Accents as well, and presto ~ instant gift! 

Today's post is a partial re-post of a creation I did back in 2008 before I used typepad - today's post was done at a customer's request. Thank you!

tulip hello

Karen Lockhart tulips #2164 were used for today's project - colored with Copic markers.  Vintage mother-of-pearl button is from grlyhead on etsy; A Muse sentiment.

Butchers' Twine and eyelet lace are from the Farmhouse trim pack.  Patterned paper is also Farmhouse; white tag; Memory Box Wassail cardstock base.

Finished card size:  5-inches x 7-inches.  Hey it's almost Friday - yippers!!!

folk mushrooms and screen door

I adore these Karen Lockhart mushrooms - #2168 - colored with Copic markers.   A Muse sentiment.

Memory Box Kraft cardstock; vintage mother-of-pearl button (grlyhead on etsy) and May Arts burlap string; English doily; Farmhouse papers.  Finished card size is 5-1/2-inches x 4-1/4-inches.

Last week I had the wood moulding around the side entry door (goes into the laundry/mud room) replaced with composite, and a new, insulated screen door added.

above photo - before

above photo - AFTER!  Screen rolls up and door converts to solid glass.  Pefect for the Northeast.  More Lockhart stamp posts this week!

three perfect mushrooms and cat grass

Red mushrooms with white polka-dots take me back to my 70's childhood.  Lockhart Stamp Company's Three Perfect Mushrooms were stamped and colored with Copic markers.  White dots were created with a Uniball Signo Broad pen in white.

October Afternoon Farmhouse paper used along with Memory Box Red Pepper.  EK Success border punch and PTI die used on white cardstock.  Finished card size is 4-3/4 inches square.

Interior sentiment is A Muse.

The cat grass post from last week - yes we have an adopted cat named Ryan - he came with the name...it makes me think of Dr. Jack Ryan from the Tom Clancy books so I kept the name.

For Easter I started a new batch of cat grass the Sunday prior, and once ready I placed it on the kitchen table and situated a few glass eggs in it - used it as a temporary display for our big Easter family gathering.  It usually sits on the floor so Ryan can reach it - 

The cat grass is a mix of rye, wheat, barley and flax; I purchase it and all my organic seeds for sprouting here.  If there is interest in how I do this (speedily and efficiently) let me know.  Happy Monday!

anniversary card & kitchen phase two

Memory Box Wild Blooms die with October Afternoon Sasparilla 8x8 papers inserted underneath. Paper Smooches Good Gab set (sentiment).   Memory Box Parsley card base.

Love this effect.

Lined envelope - used a PTI die for this with a PTI white envelope.  Would have used a matching Parsley Memory Box envelope...wish they had a die...

Another one but coloring with Copics under die cut layer.  PTI sentiment.

Phase two underway (phase two is the fridge wall).  Photo before any remodel.  

After phase one (see temporary black microwave on desk) but before phase two.  A microwave (I don't use one {kids do though} and dislike the way food tastes when heated up in one...and no I don't eat microwave popcorn either - homemade all the way baybee) is going in the pantry closet on the far right. 

Phase two underway.  Desk and cabinetry removed.  

Photo above depicts wiring for the task lighting, phone lines and outlets in upper cabinetry (I am hiding the land line phone and electric pencil sharpener in an upper cabinet), outlets and light switch along backsplash, plumbing for dedicated ice maker, second sink. Fun times.  Will update phase one and phase two - final kitchen remodel - in three weeks or so.  

I opted to do away with the plastic tubing for the future dedicated ice maker and had the plumber install a copper line with a hard shut-off.  

Home stretch.

Julie's class winner & holiday cards

The winner of Julie Ebersole's The Gifted Stamper Class is Helen Nelson - I'll email you Helen!

A pic of just a few quick designs of my personal holiday cards sent this year - I needed NINETY cards this year...oye!  I used general designs by others to save time, and simplified them where needed - making one sample to make sure it was quick, then making five more, then moving onto a different design.

By doing it this way - six cards per design and doing roughly 15 designs, versus one or two designs and making 90-45 of each - it decreased the stress, the 'oh why do I do this every year' and the 'when will this be over'... and instead, added fun, pleasure and joy in playing with paper!

I only colored one set of six - speed was crucial and coloring with Copics quickly is just not possible for me.  But these were fun to do!  Best wishes for a great weekend! 

more pretty notepads

I've used 5x8 lined notepads from staples.com, and created flip-top style covers for some - side flip style for others. 

The teacher notebooks feature a cute holder for a mini mechanical pencil (also staples.com).  Paper is October Afternoon Schoolhouse; stamp (teacher's notes) is from Papertrey Ink.

The notebook top is a piece of 5-1/4" x 8-1/4" chipboard that I neatly and carefully covered with the pattern papers.  The chipboard (or cardboard - use what you have) adds heft and a quality of durability to the notebook.

Here's another one - using a ripped portion of my spare 1936 issue of Gone With the Wind.  Gotta watch the text though - don't want to use anything inappropriate, and with GWTW, well, you gotta watch the text.

October Afternoon Sidewalks used above, and some Prima flowers.

This notebook opens like this:

If you're a lefty like me, or are sitting in a meeting where seating is tight, you'll appreciate this style of opening.

Another one using Sidewalks.  And a jumbo metal rimmed tag.  Stamp is from Papertrey Ink, giant ric rac is from May Arts. 

I used Baby Blue Liquid Pearls on the flower image on the tag, and a Spellbinders die in Memory Box Gourd cardstock.

Another one:

This notebook is similar to this one I did last year.  The Want2Scrap pearl bling and the new Spellbinders (labels 22) dies kick this up a notch.  I am still in love with this Weathervane line from October Afternoon. 

I need to get over it cuz they just ain't makin' any more.

Close up of the lovely Lockhart image Basket of Leaves (5019).  Colored with Copic markers - coloring always puts me in a happy mood...something about coloring probably remind me of Kindergarten, and dang if those were not happy times...Kindergarten was and is the best!

I digress...last one - using Weathervane again...paper piecing is fun when using fun images like these...

And a close up:

This notebook uses the Weathervane die cut pieces - I sanded the edges to get rid of the hanging paper nodule and accented the edges with Walnut Stain Distress ink. 

I love me some notebooks!