Playing in Adobe Illustrator --- Mandala Coloring Page and Digi Stamp

I've been learning Adobe Illustrator on and off for  a while now. Here is a creation that I recently made, I've provided both a Mandala coloring page (prints on 8.5x11) and a 3.5" square digital stamp for your papercrafting!

Enjoy! (to download, click on the image to get the full sized image, then right-click and save the file to your computer)

Coloring Page

Digital Stamp

One Sunday Afternoon....

I got busy on some cards :)

Lawn Fawn Fall Plaid Paper, Thanks A Bushel Stamp Set, Stitched Leaves dies. Stampin'up Truly Grateful wood stamp. Clearly Besotted Message Me Stamp set for the sentiment. I am entering this one in the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Thanks/Thanksgiving:

Lawn Fawn Perfectly Plaid Paper. Stampin' Up! Classic Christmas. Memory Box Perfect Bows dies, Impression Obsession Sentiment Die. Essentials By Ellen - Stitches Cover Plate die.

Tim Holtz Diamond Corner Die, Impression Obsession Sentiment Die, Simon Says Stamp Snowflake die, and Bo Bunny DSP! Purple glitter paper, shiny sequins and Foil accents really bling this one up! I am entering this one in the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Shine Bright Like A Diamond:

Stamptember doesn't have to end!

Here is a card that I made with the Simon Says Stamp and Altenew stamp set. I also used Distress ink on the background, and all Altenew inks for the leaves (cut with my ScanNCut) and sentiment.

I am entering this in the following Challenge:
Simon Says Stamp - Monday Challenge - Autumn

World Card Making Day - Stampnation Style

I managed to get in on every single challenge for the StampNation WCMD event. It was loads of fun (as always!). Here is the bunch of cards that I made.

Impression Obsession image, Clearly Besotted sentiment

My Favorite Things

Stampin' Up Sentiment

Hero Arts, Papertrey Ink

Simon Says Stamp

Simon Says Stamp Sentiment

Clearly Besotted, Simon Says Stamp

Avery Elle

Cas-ual Friday, Impression Obsession and Memory Box Dies

Lori Whitlock Silhouette file, MFT Banner die, Simon Says Stamp Snowflake dies

My Favorite Things

My Favorite Things - Sketch Challenge 302 Entry

Here is my entry to My Favorite Things Sketch Challenge 302. I used mostly MFT supplies here, the Magical Dragons stamp set, the grass borders, and the picket fence are all from MFT. The background stamp is Clouds from Impression Obsession.

Colored with copics, cut with the Scan N' Cut 2, and embellished with copper Nuvo drops.

Witch Way is the Candy ?

Here is a card with a Distress Inked background, layered with a Recollections laser die cut sheet and the MFT Stitched Rectangle frames die.This card uses the My Favorite Things Witch Way is the Candy stamp set. Colored with Copics, cut out with my Scan N' Cut 2.

Entering this into the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Halloween and Kat Scrappiness WCMD challenge!

Happy 6th Birthday to Simon Says Stamp!

The Monday challenge at the Simon Says Stamp blog last week was to make a celebration card to help celebrate the 6th birthday of Simon Says Stamp. I put together this card for the challenge using supplies that I've purchased from them over the years!

Find out more about this challenge here.

Day 2 - Tim Holtz Creative Chemistry 103

Today was the second day of Creative Chemistry 103. I've discovered paint lifting is not my friend, but not all techniques are for everyone I guess :)

Here are my assignments for the day:

1 - Distress Paint Resist

2 - Distress Paint Lifting (not for me!)

3 - Distress Stain Rub Resist

4 - Luminous Mica

5 - Marker Spritzed Watercolor (coming soon! I only have black and white distress markers o.O)

Day 1 - Tim Holtz Creative Chemistry 103

Today was the first day of Creative Chemistry 103. Absolutely loving it so far. I want to "attempt" to keep up with everything. So far so good (even though it is very late!)

Without further ado, here are my assignments for the day

1 - Ombre Technique



2 - Highlight Stamping



3 - Offset Stamping



4 - Washed Watercolor



5 - Micro-glaze Resist


That was it for today! Glad I managed to get all the technique tags done. I did some a few times o.O

Looking forward to tomorrow!

You're So Sweet

Here is a card inspired by an Online Card Class. This is a single layer card with in-laid die cuts (technically 2 layer because I added a card base). I went back to my trusty valentine CCC color combination, Calypso Coral, Crisp Cantaloupe, and Cherry Cobbler.

I laid out 1/2 inch strips of the colored cardstock, adhering them to printer paper. I then die cut out the heart using the Hearts collection Framelits. Next, I used the Hearts stencil and used versamark to create what looks like a shadow. I then offset the stencil, and used Whisper White craft ink to make it look like the hearts were jumping off the paper. Obviously my versamark pad was a bit filthy, as it turned one of the hearts a bit gray, but I don't think that's worth scrapping it.

I then cut the same heart out of Whisper White cardstock and stamped and colored the sentiment. Then I assembled everything together on a Cherry Cobbler card base.

I used the photo-polymer set Countless Sayings 2 for the sentiment, and colored it in with the Calypso Coral Blendabilities (my friend's markers that I used while she was napping ;) ). I then added dots with the Uniball Signo White Gel Pen.

I think I may take advantage of all these blendabilities sets available free with Sale-a-bration, I was pleasantly surprised!

It's Sale-A-Bration time again, remember that you can pick a free Sale-A-Bration item for every $50 (pre-tax) spent! Visit my online store fall all these supplies and to take advantage of this offer!

Materials

• Countless Sayings 2 stamp set 135893
• Whisper White card stock 100730
• Cherry Cobbler card stock 119685
• Calypso Coral card stock 122925
• Crisp Cantaloupe card stock 131298
• Versamark ink pad 102283
• Whisper White Craft ink pad 101731
• Memento Tuxedo Black ink pad 132708
• Calypso Coral Blendabilities Marker pack 130996
• Uniball Signo Gel Pen 105021
• Hearts Collection Framelits 125599
• Hearts & Stars Decorative Masks 133777

Valentine Love

Here is a card using a sentiment from a set called Hello Life from the Occasions Catalog. This is a photopolymer set, so it was easy for me to extend the drawn line to the edge of the card (the curly-cue on the right hand side is actually the "e" from the "love", I wasn't watching, oops!).

To make this card I sponged (similar to a cosmetic sponge), in a pouncing motion on top of the Hearts decorative mask stencil. I used the "CC" theme, Cherry Cobbler, Calypso Coral, and Crisp Cantaloupe for the hearts gradient. I used Staz-On for the sentiment, then lined up the stamp and stamped again to extend the line to the width of the card.

The doily heart is a design that I cut on my Silhouette Cameo, I don't think this particular design was suited for being cut on such a small scale... it was quite "fun" to weed all the hundreds of tiny pieces (hard to see in the photo, but the interior heart is a lacy grid). I think it was worth it though!! I adhered it to the card using bits of Stampin' Dimensionals.

The silver glitter heart was cut using the smallest framelit from the Hearts collection, and the red glitter heart was cut from the Fashionable Hearts embosslit.

Cardstock Dimensions

Whisper White - 4" x 5.25"

Cherry Cobbler - 4.25" x 11 (scored at 5.5")

Supplies 

All of these materials are available to purchase through my Stampin' Up! online store. Feel free to order there or to email me at stampingbandit@gmail.com.

• Hello Life 137136
• Hearts and Stars Decorative Mask 133777
• Crisp Cantaloupe Ink 131176
• Calypso Coral Ink 131176
• Cherry Cobbler Ink 126966
• Staz-On Black Ink 101406
• Red Glitter Paper 121790
• Silver Glitter Paper 135314
• Heart Framelits 125599
• Fashionable Hearts Embosslit 125596
• Cherry Cobbler Paper 119685
• Whisper White Paper 100730

Coloring on Sahara Sand

This picture does not do this card justice. The white embossing detail doesn't show clearly, rest assured the embossing shows a nice clean intricate design. I had seen some cards where people colored a white embossed image with markers on Kraft card stock. The colors look very nice in contrast with the white line art. I decided to give it a try, I didn't want something as dark as Kraft, so I used Sahara Sand.

I used the flower from the Flower Shop stamp set, and the sentiment is from Teeny Tiny Wishes. I simply stamped the flower multiple times on the Sahara Sand with Versamark ink and heat embossed white embossing powder. I colored in the images with Coastal Cabana and Calypso Coral. I repeated this color scheme on the sentiment, it is stamped in Calypso Coral and matted with Coastal Cabana.

Materials

Flower Shop stamp set (w.130939,c.130942)
Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp set (w.128748, c.127802)
Sahara Sand card stock (121043)
Whisper White card stock (100730)
Coastal Cabana marker (in color set -131260)
Calypso Coral marker (subtles set - 131263)
Calypso Coral ink (126983)
Versamark Ink (102283)
White embossing powder (109132)
Word Window Punch (119857)
Modern Label Punch (119849)
Pearls (119247)

Visit my online store to purchase the materials for this project.

Ten Minute Card - Hope

This card is a combination of inspiration from multiple cards I've seen in various places like the demonstrator website and on Pinterest. I'm using one of my favorite stamp sets again - Blooming with Kindness. As I look at it now, the one thing I would change is adding a Coastal Cabana mat around the embossed panel, and then mounting it on a white card base.

Instructions

• Make card base out of Coastal Cabana card stock
• Cut a 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" piece of Whisper White card stock
• Emboss the Whisper White panel with the Framed Tulips Embossing folder, trim to the scallop design using trimmer
• Cut a 3 1/8" x 4 3/8" piece of Coastal Cabana card stock to use as a mat inside the embossed design
• Cut a 2 7/8 x 4 1/8" piece of Whisper White card stock to stamp on
• Using the En Francais background stamp, ink with Coastal Cabana ink - Stamp off onto a scrap piece of paper, then stamp onto the white card stock
• Ink the Bloom from the Blooming with Kindness stamp set, stamp on the upper right corner of the card stock
• Ink the Hope sentiment with Coastal Cabana ink and stamp in the lower left corner
• Adhere stamped panel onto the Coastal Cabana mat
• Adhere mat inside the embossed panel design
• Adhere embossed panel to the card base

Materials

All of these materials are available to purchase through my Stampin' Up! online store. Feel free to order there or to email me at stampingbandit@gmail.com.

• Blooming with Kindess Stamp Set (c.126422 w.131961)
• En Francais Stamp Set (c.127790, w.128562)
• Coastal Cabana Ink Pad (131175)
• Coastal Cabana Card Stock (131297)
• Whisper White Card Stock (100730)
• Framed Tulips Embossing Folder (121809)

Elegant Birthday Wishes

Inspired by some cards on Pinterest I wanted to create a nice diamond pattern accented with pearls with my score board. The card layout is based on a sketch challenge on SplitCoastStampers.

Not very many materials went into this project, and it came together very quickly.

Materials:

• Soft Sky card stock (131203)
• Whisper White card stock (100730)
• Soft Sky ink (131181)
• Blooming with Kindness Stamp Set (c.126422 w.131961)
• Simply Scored scoring board (122334)
• Simply Scored Diagonal Plate (125586)
• Pearls (119247)

2 DAYS LEFT -- Get free items during Sale-a-Bration - don't miss out on getting a free item for every 50 dollars spent, only until March 31, 2014! Visit my online store and get all of your paper crafting needs.

See Ya Later Alligator

Getting motivated with a couple different challenges in one card. I participated in both the sketch and color challenges this week on Splitcoast Stampers. Here is the card:

Materials

Island Indigo card stock (122923)

Raspberry Ripple card stock (126842)

Old Olive card stock (100702)

Whisper White card stock (100730)

Raspberry Ripple ink pad (126859)

Old Olive ink pad (126953)

See Ya Later Stamp Set *sale-a-bration (c.133536, w.133533)

Banner Blast Stamp Set (heart) *sale-a-bration (c.133554, w.133551)

Decorative Dots embossing folder *sale-a-bration (133520)

Island Indigo Ruffled Ribbon (retired)

Pearls (119247)

I used a few items that you can get free during Sale-a-Bration - don't miss out on getting a free item for every 50 dollars spent, only until March 31, 2014! Visit my online store and get all your paper crafting needs.

Dotted Thanks

SplitCoastStampers had a great sketch challenge this week. Here is my card.

Directions

• Mark card base out of Island Indigo card stock
• Cut green pattern from Gingham Garden patterned paper at 4 1/8" x 5 3/8" adhere to card base
• Cut mat for right panel from Island Indigo cardstock 2 1/2" x 4 3/4"
• Cut right panel floral design from Gingham Garden patterned paper at 2 3/8" x 4 11/16" adhere to right panel mat, align the top to be flush
• Adhere right panel to card base, with the top of the panel flush to the pattern paper on card base
• Cut mat for stamped panel from Island Indigo card stock at 2 5/8" x 3 5/8"
• Cut panel for stamping from Whisper White card stock at 2 1/2" x 3 1/2"
• Color flower from Polka-Dot Pieces with the following Markers - Island Indigo, Night of Navy, Melon Mambo, and Daffodil Delight then stamp it on the panel
• Color part of the stem from Polka-Dot Pieces with Pear Pizzazz marker and stamp on panel to create flower stem (using stamp-a-majig for placement)
• Once more color part of the stem and leaves from Polka-Dot Pieces with Pear Pizzazz marker and stamp stem and leaves (using stamp-a-majig for placement)
• Adhere stamped panel to mat, adhere to card base
• Stamp Thanks So Much circle from A Fitting Occasion stamp set in Night of Navy Ink on Whisper White cardstock
• Stamp Butterfly from A Fitting Occasion stamp set in Melon Mambo in the center of the circle sentiment (using stamp-a-majig for placement)
• Punch sentiment with 1" circle punch
• Die cut 1 1/8" circle using electronic die cut machine (I know, I know, I just don't think a 1 1/8" circle punch exists and I wanted my mats to be the same size)
• Adhere circle sentiment on the die cut circle
• Adhere to card base with Stampin' Dimensionals
• Tie Island Indigo Twine with ribbon around card
• Place a pearl in the center of the flower, butterfly and in the middle of the twine bow

Materials

• Polka-Dot-Pieces Stamp Set (c.129708, w.129705)
• A Fitting Occasion Stamp Set (c.127049, w. 131952)
• Gingham Garden DSP (129310)
• Island Indigo card stock (122923)
• Whisper White card stock (100730)
• Night of Navy Ink Pad (126970)
• Night of Navy Marker (100069)
• Melon Mambo Ink Pad (126948)
• Melon Mambo Marker (collection 131259)
• Island Indigo Marker (collection 131262)
• Daffodil Delight Marker (119677)
• Pear Pizzazz Marker (131266)
• Island Indigo Twine (125575)
• 1" circle punch (119868)
• Pearls (119247)
• Snail Adhesive (104332)
• Stampin' Dimensionals (104430)
• Stamp-a-ma-jig (101049)

Sale-A-Bration is still on! Take advantage of a free item for every $50 you spend! Shop 24/7 in my online store.

You Make Me Happy - and a couple of tips!

I finally had about an hour to dedicate to getting creative. I came up with a card that uses some of the Sale-A-Bration goodies available free for every $50 you spend. Here is the card:

Tip #1

I bought an extra See Ya Later stamp set in clear mount. I absolutely love the style of the sentiments, but may not always want the icon that goes with them. The icon and the sentiment are together on the same stamp. Masking is a pain and I wanted a better solution than resorting to using markers to color in only the parts that I wanted directly onto the stamp. So, in the end I turned my set of 4 into a set of 8 by cutting the stamp in two. I cut the icon loose from the sentiment! Because this set is an extra, I have the choice now to use the stamp as a whole or to use my separated set.

Tip #2

I needed to apply Dimensionals so I could mount my card elements around the twine. I only had a little space to work with, so I cut the edges off of the Dimensionals sheet for long and put the narrower pieces behind my elements.

It's Sale-A-Bration Time!!!

Remember that Sale-A-Bration is going on right now. Shop in my online store and not only get improved hostess benefits, but you can also take advantage of a free Sale-A-Bration item for every $50 that you spend.

Materials

Pool Party Cardstock (122924)

Calypso Coral Cardstock (122925)

Sahara Sand Cardstock (121043)

Whisper White Cardstock (100730)

Calypso Coral Ink Pad (126983)

See Ya Later Stamp Set *Sale-A-Bration (c.133536, w.133533)

Pool Party Twine *Sale-A-Bration (133522)

Scalloped Hearts Embosslit (retired)

Cloudy Days Embossing Folder *Clearance Rack (127022)

Scallop Oval Punch (119856)

Ovals Collection Framelits (129381)

Stampin' Dimensionals (104430)

Snail Adhesive (104332)

Watercolor Dahlias

I keep seeing white mats on white cardstock and I like the look. Watercolor techniques also seem to be hot right now, so I thought I'd combine the two.

Instructions

1. Create card base with Pool Party Cardstock
2. Cut Whisper White cardstock mat at 5 1/4" x 4"
3. Cut Whisper White cardstock stamping panel at 4 3/4" x 3 1/2"
4. Rub stamping panel with Embossing Buddy
5. Stamp Dahlia from Regarding Dahlias Stamp set in Versamark in the left hand corner of the stamping panel
6. Add Pool Party embossing powder, heat emboss
7. Squeeze Pool Party Ink pad, color the non-lined petals with the Aqua Painter, picking up ink from the lid of the ink pad
8. Stamp sentiment from the Regarding Dahlias stamp set
9. Add ribbon and knot, adhere with Sticky Strip
10. Add Pearls
11. Adhere Whisper White mat on the cardstock base
12. Adhere stamped panel on the mat with dimensionals

Materials

• Pool Party Cardstock (122924)
• Whisper White Cardstock (100730)
• Regarding Dahlias Stamp Set (c.130327,w.130324)
• Pool Party Ink (126982)
• Embossing Buddy (103083)
• Heat Tool (129053)
• Aqua Painter (103954)
• Pool Party Ruffled Ribbon *retired
• Pearls (119247)
• Sticky Strip (104294)
• Stampin' Dimensionals (104430)

Remember that you can find these products online in my store, shop 24/7 and don't forget to take advantage of Sale-a-bration where you get a free item for every $50 spent!

5 Minute Card - Happy Birthday CAS

CAS - Clean and Simple

I haven't crafted in a while, and I *needed* to get my crafting fix. I went into my room with no plans again and just got to work. This is the card that I created:

As for techniques, I used direct Marker to Stamp coloring for the candle.

Please shop for these products and more in my online store! Right now it's Sale-A-Bration where for every $50 you spend you get a free item from the Sale-A-Bration Catalog. Don't miss out there's some really cute stuff you can get!

Materials

• Cycle Celebration Stamp Set (c.130273, w.130270)
• Perfectly Penned Stamp Set (c.122892, w.128703)
• Night of Navy Cardstock (100867)
• Very Vanilla Cardstock (101650)
• Print Poetry DSP (retired)
• Night of Navy Ink Pad (126970)
• Night of Navy Marker (100069)
• Summer Starfruit Marker (collection 126856 )
• Gumball Green Marker (collection 126856)

Ornamental Kisses Valentine

I've seen people use the Ornament Framelits on quite a few occasions to create things like vases to use with flower stamps. What I did with this card was very similar, I die cut an ornament, but this time, just cut one side of it to make a flattened bottom, and retained the pointed tip. Here is the card that I put together.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Create a standard 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" card base out of Real Red cardstock
2. Using Brushed Silver cardstock, a die from the Ornament Framelit collection, and the Big Shot Magnetic platform, die cut the ornament shape. In my case I had it overlap the edge to avoid trimming the bottom of the kiss.
   
3. Next, take out the Circle Collection framelits to size up the circles with the die cut kiss. In my case I am using the 5th and 6th (from the smallest) dies.
   
4. Using the larger of the two circle dies, die cut Real Red cardstock
5. Emboss a panel of Whisper White cardstock using the Fancy Fan embossing folder
6. Using the smaller circle die, die cut a circle from the embossed cardstock.
   
7. Using Real Red ink, stamp the "LOVE YOU" sentiment from the Itty Bitty Banners stamp set
   
8. Die cut the banner using the Itty Bitty Banners Framelits collection and the Magnetic Platform to keep it in place
   
9. Assemble the medallion of the card by adhering the Whisper White embossed circle onto the Real Red circle using glue dots. Apply a glue dot behind the tip of the kiss, adhere the banner. Finally adhere the kiss to the embossed circle using Stampin' Dimensionals.
   
10. Cut a 4" x 5 1/4" panel of Designer Series Paper, I used the "I Am Me" collection, and adhere it to the card base.
11. Wrap card with Whisper White Organza Ribbon (adhere with small pieces of sticky strip), then adhere the medallion you assembled in Step 9
12. Tie a bow and adhere to card using glue dots
    
13. Assemble materials to create a clay flower, Pool Party reinker, Clay, and Flower Mold. I also grabbed a plastic plate and rubber gloves
    
14. Flatten out bits of clay and add a couple drops of reinker to each of them
    
15. Wearing the gloves, knead the ink into the clay (the gloves won't be necessary anymore after it's been thoroughly kneaded)
    
16. Using the tip of your finger and a drop of water, lightly wet the mold, then press the clay into the mold.
    
17. Release the clay from the mold and set the flowers out to air dry overnight (they will still feel soft, but they will retain their shape)
    
18. Once dry, apply a clay flower to the ribbon on the card using Sticky Strip (Glue dots will not work with the clay)
    

MATERIALS

All of these materials are available to purchase through my Stampin' Up! online store. Feel free to order there or to email me at stampingbandit@gmail.com

• Real Red cardstock (102482)
• Whisper White cardstock (100730)
• Brushed Silver cardstock (100712)
• I Am Me Designer Series Paper (130138)
• Real Red Ink (126949)
• Pool Party reinker (122933)
• Itty Bitty Banners Stamp Set (w.132022, c.126257)
• Fancy Fan embossing folder (127751)
• Circles Collection Framelits (130911)
• Ornaments Collection Framelits (127816)
• Bitty Banners Collection Framelits (129267)
• Magnetic Big Shot Platform (130658)
• Clay (130685)
• Flower Mold (131272)
• Whisper White Organza Ribbon (114319)
• Sticky Strip (104294)
• Glue Dots (103683)