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!

butterfly get well inchie card

 

Today's Inchie project features Lockhart Stamp Company's Itty Bitty Butterfly and October Afternoon's newest Farm Fresh papers. 

 

The Lockhart butterfly was stamped twice - once onto the October Afternoon paper (Chicken Coop used here) and once onto a white Inchie Square.  Lockhart's Itty Bitty Rose Border was stamped (all ink is Memento Rich Cocoa) onto the white Inchie Square, then colored with Copic Spica markers in Melon and Sky Blue.  Butterfly image was cut out of the Chicken Coop paper.

To make the butterfly 'pop', I used a foam dimensional (from Jody's store) cut into pieces, and a Mini Glue Dot, so once the trimmed butterfly piece was mounted...

 

...it would look like this - wings fluttering outward and body flush with the Inchie Square.  Bling from Ellen was added to the head and wings.

 

Nestablilities Labels #1 with the back of Chicken Coop paper made a nifty mat for the layered Inchie Square.  May Arts Eggshell satin ribbon and a 7gypsies photo turn were added as accents.

This style card could be used for almost any occasion - I needed a get well for a dear friend and this Wordsworth sentiment is one of my favorites.  The Memory Box (Gourd used) card base and coordinating envelope make this card appear professional.  Thanks for stopping by for Inchie Thursday!

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!  

hello ms. butterfly

This layout is a favorite of mine, because it showcases those beautiful papers that you have in your stash.  And butterflies too...

Beate sent me this card a while back and I borrowed its layout for today's project.  Lockhart Stamp Company's Star Butterfly is an incredibly versatile stamp that looks amazing when stamped on paper and cut out, like this, or when colored in with pencils or markers.  It's one of those 'good ones' for the ole' arsenal.

Those two humongo pearl brads are from Oriental Trading, May Arts pink & white gingham, pearl bling for the butterfly, rectangle and circle scalloped Nestabilities, Memory Box Robin's Egg card stock.  

Finished card size is 5-1/2" x 4-1/4".  Side holey scallop punch is Martha's.

I stamped Lockhart's Star Butterfly with Jet Black Archival Ink onto American Crafts' latest Blue Skies papers.  Cut out and set aside.

Like Mishie did in her post with these butterflies, I stamped (Jet Black Archival) and mounted them askew (using foam dimensionals from texasjodylynn).

Interior features snippets of the Blue Skies papers & Mango card stock (Memory Box), the Lockhart Star Butterfly in Willow, and a Hero Arts sentiment.

Here's another butterfly done the same way, but with a different layout and size - this one is 4-1/2" x 6-1/4".  Various complementary papers are pieced together vertically - reminds me of a quilt!  A Muse sentiment, May Arts gingham and velvet ribbons, Memory Box Mango card stock.

The above is a modified Jennifer McGuire layout.  Great layout for using up those smallish snippets from coordinating papers.

Well we had our Girl Scout Cookie meeting and they have discontinued the Lemonades... they were my favorite and I will miss them something fierce.  And the cost per box is now $4 - ouch.  I'm the cookie mom for two troops and I really love doing it, but dang...four bucks?

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!!

baby sweet pea

Non-conventional colors used for today's baby girl card - I used 7gypsies Nottinghill 6x6 papers and a modified Anna Wight layout.  My dear hubby needed a baby card for a co-worker.

Card base is 5-1/2" x 4-1/4" (Peapod cardstock).  Nottinghill brads and seashell silk ribbon.

Lockhart Sweet Pea image was stamped onto ivory cardstock and again onto a few pieces of Nottinghill.  Clothing was pieced onto the ivory layer.  Image and mat was cut from Nesties Label Eight.  Robin's Egg mat was run through a Spellbinder's Impressabilities Floral.

Bling from Ellen was added to the scallop border, and highlighted the shirt with a blue-green Copic marker.

Card interior with Nottinghill lined envelope.  "It's a Girl" sentiment is from Hero Arts.  Script paper is Catania. Hurray for baby girls!

catch the love

Today's Inchie post features a 3-1/2" square card with Karen Lockhart's Itty Bitty Umbrella! 

The 7gypsies 6x6 Reef decorative paper was not pieced - this strip is actually a piece of their patterned paper that I quickly machine stitched right down the lines of the paper design.

Lockhart Stamp Company's Itty Bitty Umbrella was stamped using Memento Tuxedo Black ink onto a White Inchie Square.  Umbrella image was stamped again onto the Reef paper, then cut out and adhered to the Inchie Square.  Handle and shadowing were done with Copic markers.

The Inchie Square was matted with more Reef paper and Memory Box Iris cut from a square scalloped Nestabilities.

Matted Inchie Squares create an instant, layered embellishment due to their 1mm thickness.

Card base is one from the peach/pink Inchie Notes selection.  The wonderful sentiment is from Papertrey Ink.  Heart bling fills the umbrella, and an onyx bling sets the umbrella tip.  Envelope was quickly lined to add some more lovin' to this card.

Card interior is a snippet of 7gypsies Reef paper and a Rosie's Roadshow sentiment.

A close-up of some catchin' some love!