StarLitStudio

knit. purl. repeat.

Notebooks make the most excellent gifts - I create these for teacher gifts and for those hard-to-find gifts for folks.  Mish sent me a notebook years and years ago, I got hooked making them, and I am still using the one she gave me!

I'm using American Crafts Big Skies paper and embellishments; notebook base is Memory Box Kraft - finished size is 3-3/4" x 10".  I cut down large 8-1/2" x 14" notepads to this size.  The interior pocket is formed with a 1/2" flap at the bottom.  Can you see the Dew Drops all over the front?  I love them with this paper!

Lockhart Stamp Company's Basket of Yarn was stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink onto white cardstock (Papertrey) Labels Eight die.  Copic markers formed shadows and a grounding line.

Additional Copic markers were used to color in the balls of yarn.  I selected these Copic colors based on the colors in the Blue Skies paper.

Basket was stamped on striped paper from the Blue Skies collection, and again onto solid cardstock (the reverse side of one of the cardstock patterns from this collection).  Trimmed, then pieced.  Ribbon is May Arts.

This shot shows the Robin's Nest Dew Drops (Flame used)!

Notebook interior - Blue Skies glittery chipboard pieces with silver eyelets added.

kewl things and kittens

New Karen Lockhart stamps have arrived, and I fell in love with the kitten in the mitten!  I'm a poet and don't know it.

When my 7yr old saw this kitty stamp, she looked me in the eye and asked, "Mommy?  Can you please make this kitty a soft and white one?"  So of course this card had to have a white kitty.  Lockhart Mitten Kitten image was stamped twice onto October Afternoon Farm Fresh papers using Ranger Jet Black ink.

 

Image stamped with Memento London Fog ink onto a white cardstock Labels One die, and the sentiment (yup, it's crooked - I'll show you how I fixed this a few photos below) and dotted Vintage Labels stamp (verse, dotted image and cardstock from Papertrey Ink) with Ranger Archival Jet Black ink.

Decorative paper stamped mittens were trimmed and pieced, and adhered into place.  We'll cover the kitty's paws in the next step.

 

I stamped the kitty again with London Fog ink onto a white cardstock scrap, and cut the paws out, then adhered them into place.  Yup, sentiment still crooked...

Fixed the sentiment by stamping again onto white cardstock scrap, then punching out with a 1/2" circle punch.  Added circle sentiment using a dimensional and bam!  I did this nifty accent on purpose!  Not.   Using Copic grays in T1, T3 and T5 I colored the kitty to make the white pop against the white cardstock.  I totally learned this from Marianne. 

I die cut a piece of yummy 100% wool felt using Labels One, and machine stitched the kitty layer to the felt.

A loop of Strano Margot (5/8") and a Papertrey Pure Poppy button add dimension. 

 

Interior sentiment is A Muse, and a leftover strip of the Farm Fresh paper.

Kewl things:  Well it's November here in NJ, which means my hands are FREEZING!  I stop typing every so often to cup my hands to my face and blow hot air into my cupped hands, over and over.  I've been tempted to purchase a space heater for my studio, but have this irrational fear of fire from those things and don't want to waste the electricity.  Besides, it's just my hands that get so cold.  OK my nose too, but I can live with that.  So I found some fingerless gloves on etsy.com from a store called tango November bravo...she's a knitter, and a Canadian, living with a surfer in Portugal.  Crazy, eh?  Totally love it!  Her blog and photos will put you in a happy mood!

happy birthday tent topper

Today's post is a Mish-style tent topper card sending some schweeeeet sentiments for a birthday girl! 

If you are unfamiliar with Mish's tent topper cards, they are a square card featuring a 'topper', extending the card's height to fill the envelope.  In this case, the finished card dimensions are 4-1/4" x 5-1/2".  The actual card base, or the 'tent', is 4-1/4" square.  These are fun and a nice change from the standard 4-1/4" x 5-1/2" card that I typically make.

 

Today's post features Karen Lockhart's Cupcakes with October Afternoon's newest Farm Fresh papers and Papertrey Ink Buttons (white and Summer Sunrise).

If you look at the upper left of the photo above, you can see my notebookie card layout sketch from Mish, showing her tent topper style card.  I love using this sketch notebook to remember card layouts.

The 'tent' is complete and the topper is colored with Copic markers.  Lockhart Cupcakes and A Muse sentiment are stamped with Memento Rich Cocoa ink (Nesties Label #1 used).

 

I die cut a mat for the cupcakes using a larger label #1 of the Nestabilities dies.

 

Two overlapping layers of Farm Fresh papers using Martha's Doily Lace punch, and a Hero Arts sentiment.

A close-up of the glittery cupcakes! Bling is from Hero Arts, and Distress Rock Candy Stickles gives the cupcakes that sugary-shimmer!

what's in a hogwarts backpack

I wanted an eerie background for what I would expect to find in Harry's backpack, and decided to airbrush two colors together and try it.


Lockhart's Potions and Spells was stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink onto white cardstock (Papertrey Ink) cut from Spellbinders Labels Five.  I had a mask of this image created earlier (using Eclipse tape) and placed the mask over the stamped image.

With the mask in place, Copic W3 andYG95 were airbrushed - grey first, then the green.

Removed mask to reveal the eerie look.  

Image was colored with Copic markers.  Labels Five cut and embossed Licorice cardstock - used foam dimensionals for each layer.

Black pearls are from Ellen; patterned & purple paper is Cosmo Cricket's Haunted kit (name of paper is Haunted Macabre). Card base is Memory Box Paprika.  Bippity sentiment is Lockhart Stamp Company.  Added Glossy Accents to the crystal ball.

Interior sentiment is from Savvy Stamps.  Finished size is 4-1/4" x 5-1/2".   Now if I could just brew up a spell to do all the laundry...

got my eye on you

Glitz Stickles in Purple, an eyeball, and Lockhart's Single Cupcake, make this eye-opening Halloween card.

Lockhart's Single Cupcake was stamped on Neenah Natural White card stock with Memento Tuxedo Black ink.  A Nestabilities square scallop die was used, and the image was colored with Copic markers.

Cosmo Cricket's Haunted card stock was used to line the card too.  Martha cobweb border punch, Papertrey Ink button with white cotton thread.  All ribbon is from the Cosmo Cricket Haunted ribbon. A Muse Time for Fun sentiment. (Happy Halloween sentiment unknown)  I buy my eyeballs at Michaels.  BOO!  

pumpkin inchie

Pumpkins galore!  Out here in the 'country' part of New Jersey, where we often have more deer than humans, some of the local farms have beautiful gourds and amazing pumpkins for sale.  I created today's project thinking of a 'country' theme...

I paired Basic Grey's Eerie 6x6 cardstock with new Neurals Inchie Squares and Neutrals Inchie Notes.

The Lockhart Itty Bitty Pumpkin and Leaf Border were stamped onto a Neutral Inchie Square using Memento Tuxedo Black ink.  The Pumpkin was stamped again onto Papertrey Ink white cardstock, colored with the above Copic markers, then cut out. 

The white outer edges were too harsh next to the neutral Inchie...

...so I colored the pumpkin edges with Copic E02.  Mounted with a foam dimensional piece.

Halloween sentiment is from Papertrey Ink, 3/16" black and orange gingham ribbon, Spellbinders tags, Spellbinders labels #1, Memory Box Sage cardstock. 

I'm off to the grocery store on a quest for those Reeses pumpkins!!

world cardmaking day

Today is October third - World Cardmaking Day!  If you have not already stopped by Ellen Hutson's CLASSroom blog today, she is hosting a huge event with bunches of blog candy and challenges!

Today's project features a few Hero Arts stamps that Ellen carries in her store - Decorative Birds and Message Circles.

The circle sentiment was stamped (Memento Rich Cocoa ink) onto a Nestabilities pinked circle diecut, then matted onto a Memory Box Begonia cardstock circle (die cut with Nesties).  Sentiment was then shaded with Copic markers and glitterfied with a Copic Spica in Lipstick.

The adorable birdies were stamped onto a medley of Basic Grey June Bug 6x6 papers and onto Papertrey Ink white cardstock.  Wings only were hand-cut from the patterned papers and eventually adhered to the birdies...the birdies were colored first...

...using Copic markers to give a gradient effect.  The lighter Copics that Ellen carries make this technique easy, enjoyable and stress-free.

Birdies were stamped again onto white Nestabilities cardstock circle diecuts, and the circle edges were lightly inked using an ink blending tool and Distress Tattered Rose ink.  The stamped and colored birdies with the pieced wings were completely cut out and adhered to the stamped circles with rosy edges.

Begonia card base measures 5-1/2" x 4-1/4".  Other circles were stitched together with a sewing machine, and teeny purple bling was added to the birdies' eyes and the sentiment.  Happy WCMD!!

flower soft stems

One of the things I like about Flower Soft is the dimension it adds to a project - and you can touch it and go 'wow'!

For today's project I used the white wire that Flower Soft sells, and covered two-inch segments with a green Copic marker.  Then followed steps #2 and #3 to create the flower stalks.  The above piece of recycled block styrofoam serves as my drying rack.

Lockhart's Foxglove was stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink onto white cardstock (Papertrey Ink), then trimmed.  Colored with Copic markers.

Lockhart's Foxglove was stamped again, coloring in the vase only.  Distress Crackle Paint in Rock Candy was painted over the colored vase and speed dried.  Vase colored with Copic T1, T3 and T5.

Dried vase - trimmed, and cardstock gently persuaded to curve using a paintbrush handle.

Punched two holes in the vase of the fully colored image...

...then inserted the Flower Soft stems through the holes - the photo below shows how I adhered them...

Glue Dots - yep - Glue Dots hold the stems in place securely.

Completed card - Memory Box Cherry Blossom liner and snippet on front; Currant card base, wide white silk ribbon.  Flower Soft layer is matted with Memory Box Licorice using a Spellbinders Long Rectangle die. Martha Stewart simple scallop border punch. 

Finished card size:  4-1/2" x 6-1/4".  

inchie 'schrooms

Lockhart's Itty Bitty Mushrooms are paired with colorful Basic Grey's June Bug papers for today's Inchie project!

We've had so much rain this summer here in NJ, the mushrooms were out in full force this summer - but much to my disappointment, no uberkewl red-with-sparkley-yellow-dots like these though...

Licorice cardstock was cut with a small Nestabilities Lables Five die, then ran the die through a Spellbinders Impressabilities - Paisley.

Memory Box Brandywine Flourish was stamped with Archival Ink in Jet Black over the decorative papers - card base is an Inchie Note covered with two June Bug 6x6 papers - aren't these papers fun?  I used Post-It notes to mask off the parts of the flourish I didn't want to use/see.

Lockhart's Mushrooms were stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink onto a white Inchie Square, then colored with Copic Markers.  The dots are a Lemon Spica pen.  Added two June Bug Glazed Brads.

Card interior is a lovely A Muse sentiment, and more June Bug papers with a Nesties scalloped circle die keep this fun paper in view on the inside.

rock candy cupcake icing

** If you haven't already please go enter yesterday's blog candy stamp giveaway!**

Lockhart Stamp Company's Single Cupcake gets the yummy icing treatment with Rock Candy Distress Stickles - reminds me of sweet sparkling sugar!

Lockhart Cupcake was stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink, masked, then airbrushed using Copic BV000 while the Nestabilities Pinked Circle remained in place.  Matted with Cranberry cardstock.  A white gel pen from Ranger added the highlight on the cherry.

To add a hint of color to the icing before hitting it with the Rock Candy Distress Stickles, I colored it with Copic RV0000.
I'm now officially hungry.   For a cupcake.

Birthday Wishes sentiment is from A Muse, and this layout is from an old Stampin Up catalog.  Brad and paper are Basic Grey Lime Rickey, and the tiny pin is from Tim Holtz. 

Card base is Memory Box Cranberry and measures 4-1/4" x 5-1/2".  Black grosgrain ribbon is May Arts.

Interior sentiments are from Hero Arts and instead of tossing the leftover Lime Rickey paper I used it here.  The solid 6x6 papers that are in the back of those Basic Grey 6x6 packs are great for lining Memory Box envelopes.