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Thursday, July 30, 2015

I Brake For Stamps Design Team Announcement

Hi everybody!

I have just a quick post today with some exciting news!  I am on a new design team!  It's been awhile so I'm excited and ready to dive in and start making some fun, new cards and projects.  I am on the I Brake For Stamps Design Team.  This company sells rubber stamps (mounted and unmounted), single and by the sheet and also digis.  Please check them out because there are over 4,000 stamps to choose from!  There is something for everyone.  Here is a link to I Brake For Stamps website.  If you use the code SAVE10REGINA, you will receive a 10% discount. 

Please watch for my new projects using this company's stamps... I Brake For Stamps...



Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!


Regina

Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Super Friend

Hi everybody!

Do you have a Super Friend?  What I mean by that is a friend that is always there for you night or day but is also there for her other friends and family as well?  A friend that is so knowledgeable that there is nothing she cannot answer or do?  A friend that excels at everything she does, whether it is making cards, other crafts, sewing, cooking.....  I could go on and on but you get the picture... I respect this person so much for her talent, enthusiasm about making cards and about life in general, her positive attitude, her love for a challenge.  Her name is Crystal Lopez.  Please check out her blog called 8upscrapin and see her awesome talent. 

I made this card using stamps by C.C. Designs called Super Hero Twila and the buildings and sentiment are from another stamp set called Bam, Pow, Pop. Here's a link to Twila and the Bam, Pow, Pop set.




How cute is this card??  I used the 2 stars from the Bam, Pow, Pop set and just stamped around the edges of the card stock with Versamark and embossed with clear powder.  I also embossed the buildings.  I stamped with Versafine and embossed with clear powder.  







I used a star embossing folder from Paper Studio that I bought at Hobby Lobby.  I also embossed the sentiment in clear powder and just colored over it with one of my copics to match and sponged around the edge of that and the embossed background part in Tim Holtz Tumbled Glass ink.  It bothers me to leave a white edge. 

I used Gina K Designs card stock in Ocean Mist, Wild Orchid and heavy base white.  I am not sure if she still sells the Wild Orchid.  It says Limited Edition on the label.  I love this color!  Here is a link to Gina K Designs Shop.  Just click on card stock on the left side. 

I colored her with copics and used a little of the clear Wink of Stella glitter pen.  I also cut out a small 'C' in silver glitter vinyl as I know Crystal loves sparkle and bling. :)





For the inside of the card, I embossed the orchid card stock like I did on the front to tie it together.  I used Foil Cardstock and cut out stars.  I LOVE this sentiment.  It is from Stamping Bellas from the set called Seniorita Gladys.  I thought this sentiment was PERFECT for this card.  What do you think?


 
 There is also a little boy with a cape called Super Hero Henry.  I hope you enjoyed this card.  Thanks so much for stopping by and please check out Crystal's blog too.  


Regina


Monday, July 27, 2015

More Cards.....

Hi everybody,

I wanted to share a few more cards that I have made over the last few weeks. 


Isn't she cute???  This is a stamp from Stamping Bellas.  When I saw it, I knew I had to buy it to make a card for my friend Crystal.  This suits her perfectly!  She has everything, is into everything, etc.  I colored her with copics. 


I made this card for someone that needed some cheering up so I was trying to send her some sunshine.  I used this Tim Holtz stencil and 3 colors of his distress ink.  I just sponged it over the stencil.  The hello is cut out with black vinyl.  I finished it off with a few senquins.  She said when she got it all the sequins had fallen off except one.  How embarrassing!  What do you use to adhere sequins and especially if in the mail?  I used Tombow Mono Glue.  




I made this card for someone whose brother passed away and she is still having a very hard time with this so I just wanted to send her a card hug.  Isn't this embossing folder awesome?  It is one of the new WeRMemory Keepers Next Level Embossing Folders.  Two come in a pack.  This one is called Woven.  I used a poppy die called Small Iceland Poppy from PoppyStamps.  There is also a Large Iceland Poppy die as well.  The word hugs is a die from Lawn Fawn and I cut it out of fun foam.  I used the double sided adhesive paper so that when I cut it out, I could just peel off the backing and stick it on my card.  I thought it would hold better this way on that embossed background and in going through the mail.  




I made this card for someone who had a bad fall and broke her elbow.  Ouch!  Luckily it was her left one and she is right handed but still... I used an embossing folder with butterflies on it because she loves butterflies and I used the Bokeh technique.   Have you tried this?  I like the result but I couldn't get my pencil eraser to put the ink on the card stock very well.  I watched a video from Splitcoaststampers to learn this technique. 


Thank you for stopping by!  I hope you liked my cards. 

Regina

Saturday, July 25, 2015

Loss of Pet Sympathy Card

Hi everybody,

Today I would like to share a sympathy card I made for a friend who recently lost her dog.  These type of cards are so difficult for me to make.  If you know me well, you know I'm a major dog lover and I can feel your pain.  My two 14 year old chocolate labs, Pebbles and Bambam were put to sleep about a year ago.  I was blessed to have them both for 14 years I know but it's never long enough is it?  Barney is my half pointer, half English Springer Spaniel and he is my baby.  He is 9 years old and I treasure everyday with him.

I used an embossing folder by Darice on Gina K Design's heavy base weight white card stock, which I love.  I also used her In The Navy as a layer.  It is so hard to find a nice color Navy Blue and this is it.  I cut out the heart with dog paw image out of red vinyl.  I bought this from the Silhouette Store.  I embossed the sentiment in clear to make it shiny.  This is a set by Sizzix, stamps and Framelits dies together in a set by Stephanie Bernard.  I can see myself using this set a lot.  I wrote the text in the inside of the card with Silhouette Sketch Pens in black glitter.







I think it is hard to make a sympathy card for loss of pet so I think this embossing folder makes it a little easier.

Thanks for stopping by!

Regina


Friday, July 24, 2015

New Blades for Silhouette and More

Hi everybody!

Today I want to share the card I made for my Dad's birthday.  I usually put motorcycles on his cards because he has a Harley but I wanted to do something different so I made a quick outdoor scene, added a few enamel dots and hung a gun charm on the inside.  I think he'll like it.

This is the card I made him for Father's Day.  This is an I Brake For Stamps image called Biker Bob.  I colored the motorcycle teal since that is the color of his bike.  I used aluminum foil in the background and embossed it with a Tim Holtz embossing folder.  The sentiment stamps are from Close To My Heart and of course he is colored with copics.




This is his birthday card.  This was a very simple card and I think what made it simple but still look good is the background stamp.  I love this stamp!  This is Impression Obsession called Canvas.  I think it adds so much.  I think the enamel dots finish it off fabulously and can still be masculine.  Do you know how to make your own enamel dots?  Do you want to know how?  It is SO easy.  Comment below if you want to know.

The sentiment stamp on the outside is by Close To My Heart and the inside one is by Gina K Designs.  I think he'll like the charm, don't you?  My Dad isn't one to rave and ooh and ah over my cards (like I wish he would lol) but I know he likes them. 





I told you I would let you know what blade I am using in my Silhouette now... It is the CB09.  I am attaching links from Amazon for the blade holder and the blades I bought.  Link for blade holder and blades.  You can buy them on Ebay and other places as well.  I just love Amazon so I chose them.  There are different blades that you can buy, I bought the 45 degree blades.  All I know is once you play with the blade and figure out how far down it needs to be, you're done.  It cuts beautifully!  That's all I care about.  From what I understand these blades last a long time.  That's why I bought them.  My Silhouette blades were not lasting more than about 2 weeks on average.  I wrote the company and you can see on my previous post what they're response was.  So I just thought I would share my good experience with these blades with you.

Thank you for stopping by!!

Regina

Wednesday, July 22, 2015

Etched Glass and a New Blade

Hi everybody!

I wanted to share a couple of things that I etched for someone.  I am still taking orders but now I am learning to manage them so that I'm not saying yes to every single thing and working 12 hours a day. 

I etched a glass cutting board 12"x15" with a design from the Silhouette Store.  I LOVE this design.  It actually comes with 2 different ones to choose from.  Also etched this set of salt and pepper shakers.  I think these would make great gifts or even just nice personalized set for yourself.  I want to etch things like this for me but do I etch a 'C' for Cooper or a 'B' for the last name of my boyfriend.  :)  I don't know if you have taken pictures of glass but it is SO hard to get good ones because of the reflection.  Isn't this cutting board so pretty?  She just recently got married and wanted things with 'S' on it. 





I use my Silhouette to cut the vinyl stencil and etch from that.  I have a sandblaster that I use to etch.  I started with the cream and messed up everything I did.  I like using the sandblaster so much better!

I also have started using a different kind of blade in the Silhouette.  I have bought countless Silhouette blades from Amazon and they don't last!  I even use one blade for each type of material such as one for smooth vinyl, one for glitter vinyl, one for HTV vinyl, one for cardstock, etc., so I wrote Silhouette and told them the cut settings I was using and that I use one blade for each type of material and do you know what their response was?????  Try checking your cut settings again and they gave me a link to buy more blades.  Seriously??  I am all about being loyal to the manufacturer of the products I buy but needless to say that response wasn't what I was expecting.  I'm not sure if I got defective blades or what but on average they were lasting me about 2 weeks, which is why I wrote to them. 

Tomorrow I will recommend another blade that I think you will love!  I wanted to use it first to make sure before I promoted it.  A good friend of mine has been using it and loves it so I tried it and I have to say that I do as well. 

Thanks for stopping by...until tomorrow.... :)

Regina

Tuesday, July 21, 2015

Tim Holtz Crazy Birds and Sympathy Card

Hi everybody!

Do you know what I love about making cards?  I don't think about ANYTHING else except what I'm working on... no bills, no personal issues, that I need to lose weight HA!  ETC.  So therapeutic! 

I made a couple of cards I would like to share with you.  I made an easy sympathy card that I hope doesn't look easy to the person but it was.  I used this butterfly embossing folder, embossed a Close To My Heart sentiment in silver and added some silver nail heads.  I like nail heads because they are flat and can easily be mailed.  I know this person loves purple so that is why I made it this color.  I thought the nail heads kind of coordinated with the little circles on the embossing folder as well.  Just an idea if you need an easy card of any kind, use an embossing folder that takes up almost the whole card and stamp sentiment.





On the flip side, do you love Tim Holtz Crazy Bird stamps like I do??  They had to grow on me but I discovered that these are perfect for funny cards or for masculine cards.  I have also ordered the coordinating dies and there are two other stamp sets that coordinate as well that I ordered, Crazy Thoughts and Crazy Things.  Crazy Things are little stamps that you use with the birds such as hats, ties, presents, flag, Halloween and Christmas things so you can dress them up for different holidays. 

I used some shimmer watercolor paints to color this one.  I used stamps for the sentiments inside and out from Stamping Bella and I stamped the wine glass inside on the left side as a watermark. The wine glass stamp is from Gina K Designs.  This is for a male and he loves wine.  I think it is perfect.  What do you think? 





If you would like for me to link the stamps or supplies I use please let me know and I will be glad to do so. 

Thank you so much for stopping by!  Have a great day!


Regina

Friday, July 17, 2015

Some of the things I have been working on....

Hi everybody!

A few people have asked to see some of the things I have been working on the past few months such as glass etched items, glittered wine glasses, etc., so let me know what you think.  The money is definitely in vinyl, glass etching, glittered wine glasses, etc., for me anyway, not so much in cards.























So glass cutting boards etched, wine glasses, beer glasses, salt and pepper shakers, pitchers, casserole dishes, all have been very popular along with glittered wine glasses either with vinyl or etching on the glass.  It is so hard to take good pictures of glass I have discovered. I have done all of this using the Silhouette by the way.  Also, I bought some new blades and a holder called CB09 for the Silhouette because I think Silhouette blades are crap, sorry.  I'll let you know what I think.  A friend of mine that uses these say hers has lasted a year.  What???  A Year?  Sold!  :)

This is what has been keeping me busy the last few months.  I'll still take orders but won't do this full time at least for awhile.  I am going to work on cards again.  I am also working on myself.  I started the 21 Day Fix program.  Have you heard of it?  It is a diet plan that helps with portion, eating better for life and workouts.  It's going really good so far.  I haven't had sugar in about 2 weeks.  I think I had sugar withdrawals because I was foggy, couldn't concentrate, so tired and I would crash after working out and eating.  My clothes are already fitting better.  I'll let you know my progress with this.  I need to lose about 40-50 pounds.  I am 45 years old so I figure if not NOW, WHEN??  So I at least have the mindset now to do it.

Thank you so much for stopping by and have a great day!

Regina

Thursday, July 16, 2015

Sympathy Cards

O M G! Has it really been 6 months since I last posted?  Wow!  I cannot believe I let this go that long.  In January, I basically started a new business.  I got a sandblaster and started etching glass, doing vinyl lettering on glasses, etc, glittered wine glasses and have been swamped with orders, that is until about 2 weeks ago.  I decided I needed a break.  I asked myself what I really loved to do and my passion is really to make cards.  I have hardly made any cards because to be honest, I wasn't making much money on card orders.  I had gotten a divorce so I needed to figure out a way to make money again.  Some things have happened in my personal life to make me step back and question what really makes me happy.  I still want to take some orders and make some money but cards are what make me the happiest so at least for now I am going to concentrate on them.  I have been buying new supplies and learning new techniques.  I am probably behind the eight ball when it comes to learning and showing the techniques I have been using but please bear with me, I will catch up soon. :)

I have a whole list unfortunately of sympathy cards to make.  It seems like I have none or a list.  Here are a few I have made in the last couple of days.  I have been enjoying using Tim Holtz stencils and either Tim Holtz Distress Ink with them or the ink mixed with Embossing Paste.  I really love the look of the paste.



I used the Tim Holtz Distress Ink and sponged over the Lace stencil on this one.  



 I mixed Tim Holtz distress ink with translucent embossing paste and used the blossom stencil.


 I used gelatos and colored the stamp and spritzed with water and stamped on watercolor paper to get the watercolor effect. 




I stamped Tim Holtz distress ink on an acrylic block and spritz with water and used a brush to watercolor with the ink on this stencil. 

Thank you for stopping by and I will post regularly again I promise.


Regina