Dino Thanks

Good Morning Ladies,
I ran short on time yesterday. Wow ...what a busy day I had. Today should be a little slower.
I am bringing you a card I have listed for sale on my artfire studio today...

 This card was fun to make. The dragon image is from Whimsy Stamps and the saying set is from tcp. I colorized the dragon with prisma pencil and gamsol. He was hand cut and popped up on the card. The card stock is from My Minds Eye and has sparkle to it. The die-cuts are spellbinders.

 Inside of the card....

A side view so you can see how the dragon is popped. My studio can be seen here.... http://www.artfire.com/ext/shop/product_view/mrsswandogscreations/3636891
Well....off to get ready for my day job...
Happy Scraps,
Mrs. Swandog

Umbrella Man Tim Holtz style

Good Morning Ladies,
It's Monday already. Another weekend has flown by. Another week...another adventure in stamping...
I have a card for you today...It is the Umbrella Man Tim Holtz style ...

This card came about out of a mistake. I had purchased the new Tim Holtz stains at http://www.atjoansgardens.com/2011/07/new-distressed-inks-video-by-tim-holtz.html I tried to use these with a piece of foil instead of my craft mat. Well it didn't go so well. I ended up with big splotches all over my bristol board instead of the bright vibrant color I was going for. I decided that the piece was a loss anyway, so I sprayed it with the Tim Holtz spray stain in expresso. It dried very dark and ugly. So after it was dry I thought what could it hurt if I spritzed it with water. Then I thought it looked even worse. So I just walked away from it. I came back later and it was dry. To my surprise it was very cool looking and very Tim Holtz style. So I cut it up and ran it through the cuttlebug with one of the Tim Holtz embossing folders. Now I liked it even better,in fact I loved it. The bottom of the card is a martha stewart border punch. The man umbrella and the saying are from a Tim Holtz clear stamp set. Now my biggest fear is that I won't be able to recreate the mistake.
I have found that if I have a piece that I think I have ruined, if I set it aside and come back later I will see it in a whole different light.
I did a card using the under stain in the proper way. It can be seen here http://www.artfire.com/ext/shop/product_view/mrsswandogscreations/3680093
Off to get ready for my day job...
Happy Scraps,
Mrs. Swandog

Elvis is in the house....

Good Morning Ladies,
I had lots of things to do yesterday, so I did not post. Today will be a much slower day to enjoy. Harley my sisters dog came to play this weekend. We are having a good time. He's such a nice boy!
Here is a card for today... Elvis is in the house...

 This is more of my free rubber from Viva Las Vegas Stamps....I thought I would never have a need for an Elvis stamp, but I was wrong. This was a fun image to work with. I used the background stamp I received in my free rubber again to make more flowers. This time I used a 3-D flower and flat flower parts. Elvis was colorized using prisma color pencil and gamsol. The background paper is from GCD.

 a side view of the flower

a top view of the flower.
Check out viva las vegas stamps by clicking the button on the sidebar of my blog. You never know what awaits you.
Off to create...
Happy Scraps,
Mrs. Swandog

viva las vegas stamps

Good Morning Ladies,
On my side bar you will see the button for Viva Las Vegas Stamps, click on it to see their full catalog of stamps. You gotta love this place. You can buy rubber by the pound. For putting their button on my side bar they sent me free rubber. I have been stamping it out and playing with it. I bring you a card today using one of my free rubber stamps....and here it is...

 One of the stamps is the patterned image you see stamped on the flower petals and leaves. I'm not sure what the stamp is but I used it as a background stamp. It was so freeing to take a stamp and not have any preconceived idea of what it is used for. It turned out to be just right for this card. What is the rest of the card created with you ask....the answer is grunge paper, spellbinder leaf die, sizzix tattered floral die, cheery lynn butterfly and angel wing die, dye sprays by ranger, brads, and dsp by DCWV.
I had been out shopping for a background stamp for this project and didn't fin what I wanted and then it arrived in the mail. Thanks Stampo!

 side view to show dimension ....

 another side view....

a kinda from the top view....
Waiting for the new Stampin' Dymonz challenge....
Happy Scraps,
Mrs. Swandog

Spooky Halloween

Good Morning Ladies,
I'm a little late this morning. I had to go get my hair cut. So I'm not shaggy anymore at least for five weeks.
I went out to Joan's Gardens last night to pick up a few things to create with. As always the new stuff was awesome.
Here is a card using two things I bought last night.....

The two things on this card that I purchased last night is..... the Authentique Glowing Collection paper pad http://www.atjoansgardens.com/2011/08/new.html
and the Cheery Lynn die Cathedral Lace Frame  http://www.atjoansgardens.com/2011/07/new-cheery-lynn-products-and-new-video.html
The stamped images are embossed. They are from Sunday International. The punched border at the top is from a Martha Stewart punch and the bats are from the ek success punch line. The words spooky halloween are from a clear stamp set. Halloween is not that far off if you are making handmade cards for the occasion.
I have been trying really hard to use my new purchases right away, instead of just looking at them and admiring them. I find that using things makes me way happier.
Well....off to create and do laundry in between.....
Happy Scraps,
Mrs. Swandog

gift card holder guest designer challenge at Joan's Gardens

Good Morning Ladies,
I think the heat and humidity is getting to me...I just am so tired in the evening I can't create. I do think we are going to get a break from it today.
I have been playing along over at Joan's Gardens with the guest designer challenges. It has made this summer a whole lot of fun.
This week the challenge is a gift card holder card. Check it out here http://www.atjoansgardens.com/2011/07/grace-this-weeks-guest-designer.html . Come join in the fun!
Here is my card for the challenge....

All the paper is from the Once Upon A Springtime pad from Graphic 45. I used two Heartfelt Creations floral stamp sets to create the flowers. I should have taken a picture from the side. The bottom flowers are 2-D, the two flowers at the sides on the top are 3-D, and the center flower at the top is 4-D. I love the Heartfelt Creations flower sets. They make the world much more beautiful.

 On the top of the card on the inside I added three more flowers, a spellbinder die, and a rubber stamp that reads "Happy Birthday". I did not have a gift card, but as you can see it fits in the slot between the green polka dot panels.

The bottom inside has another spellbinder die to have a personal message written in.
Thank You Grace and Joan for this wonderful card fold. It is wonderful.
Well....off to get ready for my day job...
Happy Scraps,
Mrs. Swandog

Holiday Chocolate Gift Card

Good Afternoon Ladies,
There was no time before work to blog today. So I am here in the afternoon. Rare....but happens sometimes.
The heat and humidity is almost unbearable out there today. My goodness we went from one extreme to the next. It has given me a lot of inside time to create. That is the blessing that I find in this heat.
Here is a holiday chocolate gift card.....

 This card was a challenge from the card group over at http://scrapshack.ning.com/group/cardswapforsoldiers/forum/topics/tea-bag-holder-card    

 sideview

 open with the chocolate showing....

 the chocolate pushed in....

a view from the backside of the card. The little mitten is from a mini christmas ornament pack from HL. I think this card would make a perfect secret santa gift or a place card at a holiday dinner. Fun and easy to make.
Well....off to create...
Happy Scraps,
Mrs. Swandog