Wednesday, April 30, 2014

May calendar page


     Talk about bringing it down to the wire.  Here it is the last day of April and I'm just creating my May calendar page.  Sorry the photos aren't the greatest.  To be honest I was too lazy to drag out all my photo box equipment and set it up.  I've used "April" from Mo's Digital Pencil for this page.  She has the sweetest face.
     I used an amazing rendition of this image by Alexandra of ClayGuana to help me color this image, especially the folds in her scarf.


     Here's the page in the calendar stand.


     Hope you're having a great Wednesday!

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Oh snap! let's take a selfie


     Sorry to have disappeared for a while.  It's been another rough week.  I have a couple of appointments this week and hope to make some progress with them.  Thanks for all the sweet comments that have been left in regards to my health.  Thought and prayers are always welcome and MUCH appreciated.
     As you know I've been doing some more guesting for Art Impression Stamps.  Well this stamp is actually from my stash instead of the new stuff, but I had never inked it up yet so I got it out to play with.  I was so tempted to give it a sentiment of "Let me take a selfie!", but I refrained myself.  LOL  What I did do was use that cute instant camera frame die cut and some Tim Holtz filmstrip.  Guess that stuff is going to become as scarce as hens teeth since everything's digital these days.
     Here are the selfie girls up close and personal.


Copics Used:
skin E000, E00, E11, R20, R30
hair E33, E35, YR23, Y21, E08, E93, E95, E97, E21, E23, E25, E27, N3, N5, N7, N9
clothing BG10, BG11, BG13, C00, C0, C2, V91, V93, V95, V99, YR20, YR21, YR23, E51, E53, E55
camera W1, W3, W5, N7

     Hope all my friends in the paths of these nasty storms are safe and sound.  We didn't get all the really rough stuff like up in Tupelo and next door in the Tuscaloosa/Birmingham area, but the lightening last night was crazy.  It was almost constant making it like a false daylight.  It raining and rumbling now so I'll be keeping an eye on the weather updates.
     Have a happy Tuesday!

Supplies:
Paper--My Mind's Eye "So Sophie--Graceful", Bazzill, Recollections, Copic XPress-it Blending card
Stamps--Art Impressions "Picture Perfect", There She Goes Clear Stamps "Oh Snap"
Ink--Memento Tuxedo Black, Ranger Jet Black Archival
Tools--Lil' Inkers Designs Instant Camera Die, sewing machine
Miscellaneous--Recollections pearls, Tim Holtz film strip

Friday, April 25, 2014

Abigail the artist


     My mojo seems to come and go at will these days and I think it was gone when I made this card.  I'm not really a bright colors kind of girl but I went that way to keep in the artistic theme with Stamping Bella's Uptown Girl Abigail the Artist.  This is my card for Bellarific Friday.  I did lots of layering on this card and popped Abigail up on foam on the center panel.
     I finished the inside of the card with a little DP and the matching sentiment.


     Pop over to Blogabella to see all the great projects from my teammates and check out the deets on the next challenge.  Emily would love to have you share your SB creations with us.  There's a gift voucher up for grabs each week.  Here's the inspiration photo for the new challenge.

Displaying inspiration 5-may-2.jpg

     Happy weekend!

Supplies:
Paper--Studio Calico "Snippets, Bazzill, Recollections, Copic XPress-it Blending card
Stamp--Stamping Bella "Abigail the artist"
Ink--Memento Tuxedo Black, Copics, Faber Castell Pitt pen
Tools--Nestabilites Lacey Circles, MFT Die-namics Simply Scallops
Miscellaneous--Michaels flower, Glossy Accents

Thursday, April 24, 2014

SugarPea Designs/Perfect Paper Crafting Blog Hop

Today, the SugarPeas are teaming up with the Perfect Paper Crafting design team to bring you a fabulous blog hop filled with SugarPea Designs sweetness and sweet crafting tools from our friends at Perfect Paper Crafting. You are sure to be inspired and you could WIN a fabulous prize!!


     For my project I have used the Hug-a-Bull stamp set and broke out my Prismacolor pencils.  The Mini Perfect Layers tool made matting all the panels super easy and quick.  It's a breeze to use.
     Here's a closer look at the image.


So let's talk about hop details!


I hope you will join our Blog Hop today - I promise that you will find TONS of inspiration - as well as a chance to win a $50 Gift Certificate to the SugarPea Designs Online Shoppe.  Perfect Paper Crafting is also giving away a $50 Gift Certificate to their store!  All you have to do is leave a comment on each designers blog to be entered to win either prize!  Winners will be chosen at random and announced on theSugarPea Designs Blog on May 1st
Below is a list of participating designers, happy hopping!
Tracy MacDonald (you are here)

Here's a look at the stamp set I've used on my card.

Hug-A-Bull

Have fun hopping!


Supplies:
Paper--Studio Calico "Snippets", Bazzill, Recollections
Stamps--SugarPea Designs "Hug-a-Bull"
Ink--Memento Tuxedo Black, Prismacolor pencils, OMS, Versamark,, Sakura gold gel pen
Tools--Perfect Paper Crafting Mini Perfect Layers tool, Nestabilities Lacey Circles, Marcy Uchida circle punch, MFT Die-namics Fishtail Flags Stax, Marvy Uchida heat gun
Miscellaneous--Wal-mart button, Kraft Outlet Hang Tag String, Stampendous white embossing powder, Gold Stickles

Mo CAS


     Can you guess what our theme is this week for the new challenge at Mo's Digital Pencil?  Well if you said CAS you're right.  Clean and Simple is the name of the game and I've used one of Mo's precious Sailor boys on my card.  I dug out some DP's I had picked up at Hobby Lobby with a patriotic feel to them and added a sentiment with another new toy I just bought, the hello die from Simon Says Stamp.


Copics Used:
skin--E000, E00, E11, R20, R30
hair--E33, E35, YR23, Y21
clothing--W1, W5, E31, B21, B24, R35, R37, R43
boots--E31, E33, E35, E50
bear--E21, E23, E25, E27
grounding--E41, E42, E43


     Come play along this week!  All you need is a Mo's image and a clean and simple card design.  You just might win the gift voucher up for grabs for Mo's store.
     I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp--CAS
Going Grey with Scrap-Creations--anything goes
Party Time Tuesday--anything goes
Marker Pop--anything goes
Eclectic Ellapu--one for the boys
Hobbycutz--CAS

     Have a great Thursday!

Supplies:
Paper--The Paper Studio, Georgia Pacific, Copic XPress-it Blending card
Stamp--Mo's Digital Pencil "Sailor Boy"
Tools--Simon Says Stamp Small Hello die
Miscellaneous--Crafters Square hemp cord, Basic Grey button

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Friendly conversation


     Back with another Guest Designer card for Art Impressions Stamps.  I don't drink, but the nasty cold my hubby has shared with me almost makes me tempted to.  LOL  Their glasses seem to still be pretty full so I think they're enjoying the company most of all.
     The ladies are colored up with Copics and I used my brand new Marianne Designs English Rose die to dress up their scenery.  


     Here's the inside of the card.


     Hope you enjoy the ladies!

Supplies:
Paper--Crate Paper "On Trend", Recollections, Bazzill, Copic XPress-it Blending card
Stanps--Art Impressions "Wine Tasters"
Ink--Memento Tuxedo Black, Copics, Sakura gold and silver gel pens
Tools--Nestabilities Labels One, SCACD Deco Corner, Poppystamps Meadow Leaf die, Memory Box Tender Leaves die, Marianne Designs English Rose die, Martha Stewart Hydrangea punch
Miscellaneous--The Paper Studio pearls, Kaisercraft rhinestones

Sunday, April 20, 2014

Celebrate good times


     Now I know that this is more in the vein of a birthday card, but today was definitely a day of celebration.  Hope you all enjoyed a wonderful Easter day with family and friends.  It was absolutely gorgeous here today.  Unfortunately my hubby shared his nasty cold with me so I've been fighting that all day, but it wasn't enough to make me not appreciate all the green and critters out and about.  I'll share one of those at the bottom of the post.
     My card was created with the cute freebie "Celebration Penguin" that Heidi gave away on her 2 Cute Ink FB page for hitting 5000 fans.  Isn't he cute!  I've colored him up with Copics.  I wish you could see the banner better.  It didn't show up in the closeup pic, but I used some clear Wink of Stella pen on the flags and hat to make them sparkle.


Copics Used:
penguin N3, N5, N7, N9, C00, C0, C2, Y11, YR23, YR65, R20, R30
hat and banner Y26, E97, BG13
ground  W1, W3, W5

     I've used the sketch from Deconstructed Sketch for the layout.  I'd also like to enter this in the 2 Cute Ink challenge and the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge.
     Every spring my mom and I start keeping an eye out at our bird feeders for a particular bird.  Spotting one is the highlight of our day.  I believe this guy is called a Rose Breasted Grosbeak.  Sorry the pictures aren't so great.  I had to take them through my kitchen window which has a screen in it.

 

     The red is so striking with the black and white.  My feeders are buzzing with cardinals, blue Jays, woodpeckers, doves, and chickadees.  Love the birdies of spring!
     Have an amazing week!

Supplies:
Paper--My Mind's Eye "Handsome Boy", Bazzill, Copic XPress-it Blending card
Stamps--2 Cute Ink "Celebration Penguin", Papertrey Ink "Mixed Messages"
Ink--Memento Tuxedo Black, Wink of Stella Clear, Sakura white gel pen
Tools--Nestabilities Standard Circles, Fiskars Circle Cutter, MFT FIshtail Flags Stax
Miscellaneous--Kraft Outlet Bakers Twine, button from my stash

Friday, April 18, 2014

More candles


     Oh boy those crazy girls are at it again.  Will you take a look at this cake.  Yeee--uuum!  
     I'm back with another Guest Designer card for Art Impressions Stamps.  This one was made with the "Party Day" set.  With all that talk about candles I decided to create a couple to add to the card as embellishments.


     I don't know anyone with a birthday this weekend, but there's sure to be some cakes around for Easter.  Hope you all have a wonderful and blessed day in celebration of the Resurrection.
     Happy Easter!

Supplies:
Paper--Crate Paper "Party Day", Bazzill, Copic XPress-it Blending card
Stamps--Art Impressions "Giant Cake"
Ink--Memento Tuxedo Black, Versamark, Copics
Tools--Nestabilities Labels Ten, paper piercer, Tim Holtz ruler
Miscellaneous--Kraft Outlet Hang Tag String, Stampendous white embossing powder, Recollections and Paper Studio pearls

Thursday, April 17, 2014

Here for you




     Last night while I was idling away the hours surfing here and there on the computer I ran across a really cool new technique from Jennifer McGuire.  It's called "White Outline Copic Coloring".  If you go check it out you'll find a video tutorial and also that I've cased her card pretty closely.
     My flower image is called Dream in Color and is from the now closed There She Goes Clear Stamps.  I stamped it in Memento London Fog ink first and colored with my Copics then comes the white embossing.  It's an awesome look, or at least I think so.
     The mailman brought me two packages of goodies today and I put some of each to work on this card.  The texture on the card was created with a Memory Box stencil and some modeling paste.  It was sprinkled with sparkly embossing powder to get the fun blinged up look.  I think you can see it better in this picture.


Copics Used:
flower--Y35, Y38, YR65, YR68, R35, R37, R43, RV13, RV21, RV25
leaves--G21, G24, G28, G40, G43, G46, YG03

     I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Sweet Stamps--anything goes with dry or wet embossing
Sentimental Sundays--dry or wet embossing
Sweet Stampin--flowers



Supplies:
Paper--Recollections, Georgia Pacific
Stamps--There She Goes Clear Stamps "Dream in Color", Precious Remembrance Shop "Positive Thoughts"
Ink--Memento London Fog and Bamboo Leaves, Versamark
Tools--Memory Box "Texture Mesh" designer stencil, MFT Die-namics Sentiment Strips
Miscellaneous--Stampendous white embossing powder, Ranger Embossing Bridal Tinsel, Liquitex Modeling paste

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Bouncy Bouncy


     Could you use a laugh today?  Well I've got another fun card using the nutty Girlfriends from Art Impressions Stamps.  This set is called "Hop Hop".  Don't know about you but I was never any good at any of these modes of bouncy transportation.  LOL  As the sentiment says it can't be boring with these gals though.


     Hope you enjoyed this little bit of craziness in your day.
     I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:

MarkerPOP--anything goes
My Sheri Crafts--a moment of laughter
Aud Sentiments--sentiment for a friend

     Be blessed!

Supplies:
Paper--Crate Paper "On Trend", Recollections, Georgia Pacific, Copic XPress-it Blending card
Stamps--Art Impressions "Hop Hop"
Ink--Memento Tuxedo Black, Copics, Pumice Stone Distress ink
Tools--MFT Die-namics Solid Bracket Border die, EK Success Corner Rounder, Nestabilities Classic Ovals and Classic Scallop Ovals
Miscellaneous--Crafters Square hemp cord

Monday, April 14, 2014

You Old Goat


     It's time for a brand new sketch challenge at SugarPea Designs and guess what!  Wendy is offering a $15.00 gift certificate for the winner.  Wowza, what a great prize.  You won't have any trouble at all spending it in the SugarPea store.  SugarPea stamps are not required for the sketch challenge.



     Playing with pencils again.  I still can't believe the difference I got with the better blending stumps.  I've used the other goat in the "Totes Ma Goats" set for this one.


     We'd love to have you come play along.  make sure you check out the inspiration from the other Peas.
     Happy Monday!

Supplies:
Paper--Studio Calico "Snippets", Bazzill, Recollections
Stamps--SugarPea Designs "Totes Ma Goats"
Ink--Memento Tuxedo Black, Prismacolor pencils, OMS
Tools--EK Success Corner Rounder, MFT Die-namics Simply Scallops, Lil' Inker Designs Small Sunshine die, Paper piercer, Tim Holtz ruler
Miscellaneous--Michaels button, Kraft Outlet Hang Tag String

Saturday, April 12, 2014

Laugh it up!


     I'm so excited to be doing some more Guest Designing for Art Impressions Stamps!  Totally LOVE me some Girlfriends as you know, but you'll be seeing some of their other great stamps too.  This set is called "Girlfriends Laughing".
     Now if you think my coloring looks a bit different on this one that's because I used Prismacolor pencils.  I had been a bit frustrated with my pencil results and thanks to a discussion with some of my SugarPea team mates, I found one way to help with that.  I had been using the cheapie blending stumps I had bought at Hobby Lobby.  It seems no matter how hard I rubbed there was no blending going on and I was left with ruts and shiny streaks.  I ordered several packages of the #2 ProArt Blending Stumps from 7 Kids College Fund.  Talk about a HUGE difference!  If you've been having the same problem you might want to switch to these.
     I still have a LONG way to go and a LOT to learn about using pencils, but I sure like using them better now that I have the right stumps.


     This set comes with three different sentiments.  I added mine to the inside of the card.


     Thank you all for making this such a wonderful week with all your lovely comments.  I know I've been super slow in getting around to visit you all.  It's been another rough week.  Still no answers on what's going on with me, but they are scheduling me for an upper scope shortly.  One good thing has come out of all this being a couch potato, I'm getting lots of coloring done.  LOL
     Hope you are all having a fantastic weekend.  Think hubby and I are going to venture out later and take in Draft Day.  I know Kevin Costner hasn't had too many great movies out in a while, but I've always liked him.  Hmmm????  Wonder if that's mostly because my hubby looks a LOT like him?  LOL
     Don't give up on me.  I'll be around as soon as I can.
     I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:

My Sheri Crafts--a moment of laughter
Aud Sentiments--sentiment for a friend
7 Kids College Fund--Anything goes +twist of your fave CHA item
Twisted Tuesday--make me laugh

     Happy Saturday!


Supplies:
Paper--My Mind's Eye "The Sweetest Thing--Lavender", Bazzill, Recollections, Georgia Pacific
Stamps--Art Impressions "Girlfriends--Laughing Set"
Ink--Memento Tuxedo Black, Prismacolor pencils, OMS
Tools--EK Success Corner Rounder
Miscellaneous--Michaels Celebrate It ribbon, buttons from my stash

Friday, April 11, 2014

Good old snail mail


     Mail is almost a thing of the past, well actual letter writing that is.  I always have tons of junk mail in my box.  The age of technology has all but made a pen or pencil obsolete.  Maybelline seems to have received a good old fashioned letter though and she's enjoying it out in the beauty of spring.  "Maybelline Loves Mail" is one of the newest stamp releases from Stamping Bella.
     Today is Bellarific Friday so it's time to see what all my team mates and the Stamping Bella Sistahood made for the last challenge which was this sketch.

sketch-7-april-11

     Maybelline was colored with Copics.  Here's her glamour shot.


     Hop on over to Blogabella and see what everyone created.  Next weeks challenge is to use one of those crazy Seniorita stamps from Christine Grove.  You can find them at Stamping Bella as well as other retailers.
     I'd like to enter my card into the following challenges:

4 Krafty Girls--anything goes
Aud Sentiments--sentiment for a friend
Moving Along with the Times--Easter/Spring
Oldie But a Goodie--April Showers Bring May Flowers (Papers and buttons are ancient)

     Have a fabulous weekend!

Supplies:
Paper--Echo Park "This and That", Bazzill, Copic XPress-it Blending card
Stamps--Stamping Bella "Maybelline Loves Mail", sentiment from Create with TLC
Ink--Memento Tuxedo Black, Copics, Wink of Stella Clear pen
Tools--MFT Die-namics Fishtail Flags Stax
Miscellaneous--buttons from my stash

Thursday, April 10, 2014

A tisket a tasket


     Here comes Peter Cottontail...or in this case "Bunny Bo" from Mo's Digital Pencil.  Isn't he sweet with all his little chickie friends.
     Our super amazing Pat has chosen a theme of "Pinkalicious" for the new Mo's Digital Pencil bi-weekly challenge so I created an Easter card complete with a basket ready for some goodies.  The basket was made with 1/2" strips of white paper.  I embossed some and left some plain and then alternately weaved them together after inking the edges.  Then it just needed a little window dressing with some lace and ribbon.
     Here's a closer view of Bo and friends.


     We'd love to have you come join in the challenge for your chance at a $5.00 gift certificate.  Don't forget to join in the fun over at the clubhouse on FB too.
     I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Divas by Design--Easter/Spring
Simon Says Stamp--Happy Easter and/or Sweet Treats
Going Grey with Scrap Creations--Easter
Card Mania--Easter
My Craft Spot--Happy Easter
Sweet Stampin'--Easter

     Happy Thursday!


Supplies:
Paper--Simple Stories "Vintage Bliss", Recollections,Georgia Pacific, Copic XPress-it Blending card
Stamps--Mo's Digital Pencil "Bunny Bo", sentiment from SugarPea Designs "One Big Hoppy Family"
Ink--Copics, Pumice Stone Distress ink
Tools--Fiskars Grass punch, EK Success corner rounder, Nestabilities Standard Circles and Classic Scallop Circles, Memory Box Fabulous Phlox, sewing machine
Miscellaneous--The Paper Studio pearls, lace and ribbon from my stash, Diamond Stickles