Ribbon storage

Normally, my ribbon and fibers are kept in big storage drawers, all languishing together in a clumsy pile. Because of that I hardly knew what I had. I didn't have a really nifty storage solution for them that didn't cost a lot. I needed something small and easy to grab that would hold everything neatly and attractively.

Well, it dawned on me that I don't generally need big long pieces of ribbon at a time unless I'm doing a swap. So a smaller sub-set (think George Carlin) of my ribbon "stuff" would do me just fine. I could store the big cumbersome rolls away and just have what I'd need handy.

So, voila! My solution!

I spent the better part of yesterday afternoon going through my collection and cutting a few yards off each roll and winding it around embroidery skeins. I used rubber bands to keep them from unraveling. Now I have access to all my ribbons and some of my favorite fibers all at once! I can't believe it took me so long to come up with this. And I can easily see what I have and what I "need". ;)

Purple octopus friend card

Recipe:

Stamps: Canvas, Silly Sealife, Amazing to Zany

Paper: Black (yeeees, again), Eggplant Envy, Glossy white

Ink: Basic Black dye, Versamark, CTMH Dutch Blue

Accessories: Markers: Eggplant Envy, Bordering Blue; Cuttlebug D'Vine embossing folder, circle punch, Black gingham ribbon, Black polka dot ribbon, Dimensionals, water brush

Techniques: watercoloring

I've been wanting to do another Silly Sealife image in watercolor ever since I did the whale. So here's the octopus. :)

On glossy white cardstock I stamped in black dye ink. After it dried, I used my Eggplant Envy marker for the reddish-purple parts and a CTMH ink call Dutch Blue for the bluer areas. I used the Bordering Blue marker for the shadows. I just kept adding and building and building and adding, blending with the water brush as I went. I left an area almost completely unpainted for the shine on the head, but I did put a slight amount of the blue there so it wouldn't be too stark. I built up the lower areas a bit darker to give some roundness to the image.

If you've never tried watercoloring, give it a go. It can be such fun!

Googly frog SCS challenge card

Recipe:

Stamps: By Design, Unfrogettable

Paper: Black, Elegant Eggplant; Designer papers by KI Memories Funky Paper Pad

Ink: Basic Black, Versamark, Green Galore marker

Accessories: Square punches, circle punch, Dimensionals, googly eyes, Stamp-a-ma-jig, water brush, black zigzag ribbon by The Paper Studio

Here's my contribution to the SC113 and CC103 challenges for this week. On the colors, I didn't have Certainly Celery or Cool Caribbean, but I did have some designer paper that came close. The circles with three frogs are popped out, and the frogs' eyes are googly (see close-up below). :) The black ribbon I used looks stitched, but it's actually painted on (came that way).

This designer paper was very easy to stamp on. The ink took well:

Grumpy morning coffee lady card

Recipe:

Stamps: Print Pattern, "Good Morning" woman by All Night Media, Word stamp from I Like Your Style, Coffee cups from Espress Yourself, Mesh by Magenta

Paper: Black (of course), Real Red, Taken with Teal, Glossy white

Ink: Basic Black dye, Markers: Basic Black, Ruby Red, Real Red, Tempting Turquoise, Creamy Caramel, More Mustard, Chocolate Chip

Accessories: Dimensionals, Stamp-a-ma-jig, Air art gun, 1" circle punch, 1&1/4" circle punch

This is for Amy Westerman's Super Sunday Sketch Challenge #4.

I saw a Bella stamp (Grumpbella) that made me remember that I had this cute old grumpy woman in my stamp stash. I figured it would be a good one for this challenge. Sorry I'm using Print Pattern YET AGAIN, but I just love that stamp. What can I say? It goes with everything! I will try to hold back, though. ;)

I popped the woman's coffee cup out with a tiny piece of a Dimensional:

Coffee triangular feature card

Recipe:

Stamps: Print Pattern, Espress Yourself

Paper: Black, Chocolate Chip, glossy white

Ink: Versamark, Basic Black dye, Close to Cocoa

Accessories: Markers: Close to Cocoa, Creamy Caramel, Summer Sun, Always Artichoke, Ruby Red, Chocolate Chip, Basic Black; Black organdy ribbon, Black polka dot ribbon, Dimensionals, Stamp-a-ma-jig, Inkworx art gun, 1&1/4" square punch, 1&1/2" square

Goofing around with a triangle feature I used in another card and a 5.5" x 5.5" square design.

Roses friendship card

Recipe:

Stamps: Print Pattern, Roses in Winter, Espress Yourself, Itty Bitty Backgrounds

Paper: Black, Rose Red, glossy white

Ink: Versamark, Rose Red, Always Artichoke, Basic Black

Accessories: Black organdy ribbon, polka dot grosgrain ribbon, small rectangle punch, 1&1/4" square punch, 1&1/4" square punch, Dimensionals, Inkworx art gun, Basic Black marker, Chocolate Chip marker

Here's another card with the triangle feature similar in style to my previous card. On the roses I inked the stamp with Rose Red dye ink, then colored around the edges with the Chocolate Chip marker, huffed on the stamp, and stamped the image onto the glossy white. The darker edges looked pretty cool.

Whale sketch challenge card

Recipe:

Stamps: Silly Sealife, Simply Circles, Riveting, Curvy Verses

Paper: Black, More Mustard, Tag from Basic Grey Blitzen Collection, white glossy

Ink: Basic Black dye ink, Versamark, More Mustard, Really Rust, Bordering Blue

Accessories: Black gingham ribbon, Dimensionals, 1/8" hole punch, Waterbrush, Stamp-a-ma-jig, post-it notes for blocking on word stamp, Inkworx art gun, black marker, 1&1/4" circle punch

Techniques: watercoloring

Here's my contribution to the SC112 challenge. I can't tell you how many times I goofed up that whale and word phrase part. Ugh! I spent waaaay too long on this card, but I'm happy with it, finally.

Froggy fun thank you card

Recipe:

Stamps: Unfrogettable, Print Pattern, Simply Circles, Riveting

Paper: Black, Bashful Blue, Apricot Appeal, white glossy, white

Ink: Basic Black dye, Bliss Blue, Summer Sun, Only Orange, Versamark

Accessories: Sponges, crayon, 1&1/4" circle punch, Dimensionals, Black grosgrain ribbon

Techniques: crayon resist

I did the crayon resist technique on the frogs. It's one of my favorite techniques. I used Bliss Blue because I don't have Bashful Blue ink yet. I mixed Summer Sun and Only Orange to get the Apricot Appeal-ish look because, well, I don't have it either. Worked okay, though.

Kitty designer paper card

Recipe:

Stamps: Cool Cat, By Design, Love Without End

Paper: Black, Rose Red, Basic Grey Urban Couture in Chiffon and Mila

Ink: Basic Black dye ink

Accessories: Polka Dot grosgrain ribbon, 2" hole punch, 1&1/4" hole punch, 1/4" hole punch, Crimper, Dimensionals

I used papers from Basic Grey. What beautiful papers they have! The two sheet styles I used are from their Urban Couture Collection - called Chiffon and Mila.

I crimped the Mila paper and then punched a big circle in it and punched a smaller circle in black and put the Chiffon behind it.

I love how the polka dotted grosgrain ribbon picks up the polka dots in the presents. That just thrills me. ;)

Butterfly sketch challenge card

Recipe:

Stamps: Bold Butterfly, Cool Cat, Curvy Verses, Filigree, Leaf Prints wheel

Paper: Black, Tempting Turquoise, Gable Green, white

Ink: Versamark, Basic Black

Accessories: Gable Green marker, Tempting Turquoise marker, Dimensionals, black mini-brads, Stamp-a-ma-jig, post-it notes (for blocking), water brush, water spritzer

Techniques: Watercolor Misting, Blocking

I haven't stamped much at all in the last many months. But I'm getting back into it and here's my newest creation. It was in response to Amy Westerman's Super Sketch Sunday challenge. I did a lot of popping out of images because I love dimensional cards. To me, they come alive when popped out. I used the Stamp-a-ma-jig and blocking to do the word phrase. I did the watercolor misting technique on the butterfly by coloring with markers on the shadow stamp. Then I spritzed with water and stamped. I used the water brush and the markers to add more color as I wasn't satisfied with the results.