December Stamp Of The Month Blog Hop

Welcome to our Stamp of the Month Blog Hop highlighting this month's stamp set, "Mad About You".  This stamp set allows for some great versatility so hop with us and see what creativity we have to share with you!

If you have arrived here from Kim's blog, you are on the right track! So... let's get started!

December first happens to be my wedding anniversary, so this stamp set worked REALLY well for me!  I can see myself using this set for all kinds of things, though.  I really enjoyed it, and it goes really well with my very favorite tool, the Art Philosophy Cricut cartridge!!!  I really don't know if I will ever do another project again without utilizing this cartridge.

So, here is my hubby's anniversary card!  I hope he likes it.  :o)  I used LOTS of different cuts from the Cricut cartridge.  It makes designing a card so much fun!!!  Especially since I really love having a very dimensional card!

Check out the heart!!!  It works perfectly with a heart box from Art Philosophy!!!  Isn't that great?! 

These flowers were fabulous, and easy!  I don't know if you can see the sheen on the flowers, but I sprayed them with the spray pen full of a mixture of water, Pearl Paint and Desert Sand re-inker.  It gives an antique gold sort of glimmer!

So, can you tell I like the tattered look?  :o)  The tickets were sprayed, crinkled, and distressed, too.  Just like the flowers!!!  So...this isn't a card that would fit in a conventional envelope.  I guess I'll just have to put it in a gift bag.  LOL  Though, I just had a thought that it would be fun to slip a gift card into the heart, too, along with the tickets.  I think I'll do that!!!  I'll surprise him with an i-tunes gift card.  Hehe!!!

Here's my supply list:

• Cricut Art Philosophy Collection (Z1686)
• Roxie Level 2 Paper Pack (X7140B)
• Mad About You My Acrlix Stamp Set (S1112)
• Rhinestone Designer Brads (Z1360)
• Shimmer Designer Brads (Z1349)
• Mocha Opaques Adhesive Gems (Z1333)
• Spring Blossom Paper Shapes (Z1266)
• Spray Pen (Z1380)
• Create-a-Shade Pearl Paint (Z1039)
• Inks: Black, Desert Sand, and Tulip
• Re-inker: Desert Sand

Thank you for taking the time to stop by... I hope you enjoyed the card!

Now hop on over to Melissa's blog where you will find another inspirational use of this stamp set!

November Technique Blog Hop

Welcome to our Technique Blog Hop!  This month there are 11 of us highlighting the “Ghosting” Technique as shown on page 45 in the Autumn/Winter 2011 Idea Book!  This blog hop is a great big circle so you can start wherever you want and continue through to see all the fabulous artwork incorporating this technique.  If you would like to start from the beginning, please visit this link to Debi's Blog.  While there you will also find a listing of all participants and their blog addresses if you should get lost or want to reference a blog along the way.  Let’s get started!

If you are coming from Judy Faye's Blog, you are on the right track! 

This was a new technique for me, and I decided that I wanted to make a fall card with it.  I just love this pumpkin stamp, and I thought it would be perfect for this technique!

I wanted the words in the pumpkin to really stand out, so I stamped those first in Autumn Terracotta.  Then, I stamped the pumpkin on top of that with Versamark ink, and embossed it in clear.  I sponged the whole thing with chocolate ink.  

At this point, it is just a resist technique...now the fun begins!  I placed a clean piece of cardstock over the image, and ironed it with a hot iron!!!  Just make sure that you turn the steam off!  :o)  This will pretty much remove the embossing.  I stamped the swirls in New England Ivy, and misted over the whole thing with a mixture of pearl paint, Desert Sand reinker, and water.  I love the shimmer it gives!!!

I cut different leaves from the Art Philosophy cartridge at 1 1/4", and an acorn at 1" from some scraps I had left from the You & Me paper.  I also cut a stem from that paper, and a scalloped circle to go behind the pumpkin circle.  I hope you like it!

Supply List: 

Chocolate Ink (Z2111)

Autumn Terracotta Ink (Z2101)

New England Ivy Ink (Z2135)

Desert Sand Reinker (Z2218)

Versamark Ink (Z891)

Clear Embossing Powder (Z821)

Spray Pen (Z1380)

Create-a-Shade Pearl Paint (Z1039)

Autumn Terracotta Cardstock

Creme Brulee Cardstock

Barn Red Cardstock

Colonial White Cardstock (1388)

You & Me Patterned Paper

Clear Card (Z1309)

Thanks for stopping by!  Please continue onto Michelle's Blog where you will find some additional artwork highlighting this technique!  Be sure to leave a comment and let me know what you thought of my variation and happy hopping!